Chapter 137: Apostle (3)

Flaring Up!

As the Phoenix extended her hand, black flames spread in all directions.

It was as if she intended to burn down the world. The black flames, aimed at me, burned

everything around without any regard for the safety of the people nearby.

“Why is the Phoenix doing this?”

“It’s black flames! The Phoenix is enraged! What should we do?”

“We must quickly offer a sacrifice!”

It felt like witnessing the end of the world.

-At this point, I no longer want to refer to it as merely an apostle.

-The Phoenix was very loyal to the previous master. I can understand her being out of her mind upon seeing the current master, who could be considered the descendant of that woman, but creating unnecessary casualties is unacceptable.

Eternal Heaven and Black Heaven expressed their disdain.

I calmly observed the surging black flames with Divine Sight. The flames, infused with the Energy of Defying Heaven, were crude. Yet, the quality forcibly integrated within them was undeniable.

[Divine Sight insights into the Phoenix's essence.]

[Proficiency of Divine Sight increases.]

“Is it before the highest grade?”

It had surpassed the upper grade.

But the power felt was less. Thus, she was indeed a formidable foe not to be underestimated. However, I was disappointed.

“Was this all?”

I remembered meeting the Heavenly Demon.

The power to replace her heart gave me considerable inspiration. The Energy of Defying Heaven within her was immense, and the vessel she had created was large enough to incorporate various elements.

“The purity of the Energy of Defying Heaven she gave was also high.”

The black flames wielded by the Phoenix now were just mediocre.

A power of such low level that it’s not worth learning from. Utilizing the Energy of Defying Heaven for attacks is slightly better, but the purity is low.

Absorbing it wouldn’t yield much. This was because she couldn’t properly handle the Energy of Defying Heaven, having forcibly fused it with the flames. It was ridiculous how she flaunted such power.

“She lived a thousand years in vain.”

I approached the Phoenix with a look of disappointment.

Thud.

With each step, the surging black flames around us began to part.

“What?!”

The Phoenix gestured in horror, but the black flames did not respond.

The black flames were entirely under my control.

It was the difference in our overwhelming control over the Energy of Defying Heaven. I scattered all the black flames that had engulfed the village and looked at the Phoenix.

“What kind of sorcery have you used!”

“Sorcery? You think this is merely that?”

I smirked.

“You’re too arrogant for someone who hasn’t even reached the upper grade! Even without these

pathetic flames!”

Behind the Phoenix, corrupted wings appeared, unlike mine, in two pairs. The Phoenix ascended into the sky and extended her hand.

Then, corrupted black flames began to condense in her hand.

“This is the ultimate technique of the Black God Martial Arts. Black Mirage, Black Flame Demon Hand.”

The hand swirling with black flames stretched towards me. Folding my wings back, I plummeted towards her at an astonishing speed.

Black Mirage, huh?

Then I should counter with Black Mirage as well. I extended my hand.

Whoosh!

The Black Flame Martial Spirit released a vast amount of Energy of Defying Heaven, beginning to condense in my hand.

“What…?”

The Phoenix looked on with a dazed expression as the black flames were being swallowed up. I swallowed all the black flames and thrust the Black Mirage directly towards the heart of the Phoenix.

“Arghhh!”

With arms crossed and wrapped in black flames, the Phoenix blocked my attack. However, the Black Mirage was a power that shatters all special abilities and violently shakes the insides with its terrifying energy.

Fa Jing.

That’s what pierced through the Phoenix’s black flames and shattered everything inside.

“You, youuu!”

Whoosh!

The Phoenix’s body, wrapped in black flames for a moment, appeared far away in the sky.

“Gasp, gasp.”

-Really persistent. Just like one of the Four Guardians known for their tenacity in life.

-Yeah. That’s why the Phoenix was also known as the ultimate shield.

I scanned the Phoenix.

Her condition was far from normal. Both arms were partially crumbled due to the aftermath of the Black Mirage, and her chest was hollowed out.

“My god, to think that our divine beast is being pushed back to this extent…”

“…Isn’t it obvious? This person of exceptional beauty seems to wield the same power as the Heavenly Demon mentioned in the documents.”

Chinese words translated by my talent, Reading, entered my ears. I scratched my head and looked at them.

The villagers had gathered. Most were ordinary people, but some showed signs of having trained in martial arts.

Leaving them behind, I looked at the Phoenix.

“It’s more disappointing than I thought. You’re supposed to be one of the Four Guardians protecting the Heavenly Demon, show me more.”

I taunted the Phoenix.

Maybe she had something more to show. It was an expectation. The Black God Martial Arts left by the Heavenly Demon evolved with each stage of growth.

But I had surpassed those stages, and now I used the Black Flame Martial Spirit and Black Energy rather than the Black God Martial Arts.

“Fine, I’ll show you, brat!”

The Phoenix gritted her teeth and shouted. It seemed my provocation had an effect. She seemed to harbor a different resolve than before.

The Energy of Defying Heaven swirled in her hands.

“This is the unique ultimate technique only the Heavenly Demon can use, Abyssal Void!”

A fierce black vortex began to form, a tumultuous mix of black flames and wind that filled the sky. It condensed into a single spot, creating a whirlpool that absorbed everything around it before plummeting downwards.

“Abyssal Void, huh.”

Not a bad move.

The Abyssal Void was difficult for even me to control, which meant it’s nearly impossible for the current Phoenix to manage.

But there’s a catch.

The Abyssal Void I wielded was too wide-ranging and dangerous.

The Abyssal Void she used, however, wasn’t much to behold.

I put my hand in my pocket and sighed. There wasn’t much to gain from her.

Spreading my palm, I pushed Midas’s Hand and Inscrutable Talent to their limits. Then, I employed The Seal of Absorption, obtained from the Conceptual Stat of Defying Heaven.

Whoooo──!

A black sphere hovered above my palm.

It floated, exerting an enormous suction force.

“Let’s not use the Abyssal Void.”

There’s no need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The black sphere on my palm spun at an astonishing speed.

The Energy of Defying Heaven swirled, converging in my grasp.

Whooooosh!

The black vortex began to devour all the falling black flames from the sky. The flames of the Abyssal Void were consumed by a smaller abyss.

[Conceptual Stat Energy of Defying Heaven increases by 3.] n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Quite profitable.”

It yielded a decent amount of Energy of Defying Heaven stat.

I looked up at the Phoenix.

The Phoenix gazed down at me with a hollow expression, as if all her millennia were being negated.

-That’s understandable. Having lived for thousands of years, only to have everything negated by a far inferior human.

-But, there’s no room for sympathy. This is the legacy left by the previous master. Indiscriminately killing the villagers of that town is unforgivable.

I leaped into the sky in an instant. The Phoenix attempted to dodge, but I used The Seal of Absorption to pull her towards me. Grabbing the Phoenix’s neck, I looked into her eyes.

“You truly are a descendant of that person.”

“You’re quite slow to acknowledge.”

“Hehehe. You’re even more arrogant. Well, considering your age, it’s not surprising.”

After saying that, the Phoenix laughed as if she had lost her mind.

“Ha, ha. What have I been living for until now…”

“Do you have any last words?”

“Oh, last words. Yes, I have.”

The Phoenix slowly opened her mouth.

“Did you see the chaos in China on your way here?”

“Yes, on the plane, there were these bandit-like folks with relics.”

“Ah, so the bandits took those relics. I’ve looted so many relics that I forgot about them.”

‘This guy was the culprit.’

It was strange that mere bandits had such relics.

Even if I killed the Phoenix, I might not be able to move for a while because of the aftermath.

“But do you know this?”

“What?”

“You’re too late.”

The Phoenix spoke.

“What do you mean, too late?”

“My purpose here has already been achieved. Now, my death will complete the ritual. I was only planning to use this place originally.”

‘Ritual?’

An ominous word.

The Phoenix’s eyes slowly turned to me.

Eyes filled with resignation and hatred, and a sense of inferiority stronger than the combination of those two.

“Hurry up and kill me. You don’t hesitate with such matters, do you?”

“You know well.”

I tightened my grip on the hand I was holding.

Crack.

A twisting sound was heard, and the Phoenix’s neck was broken.

I descended to the ground. The Phoenix’s eyes were empty. It was time to absorb the remaining Energy of Defying Heaven.

Puff!

Suddenly, the Phoenix’s chest burst open, and blood flowed out. I instinctively sensed that something was wrong.

The red blood began to transform into something ominous in the air.

The red blood started turning into black blood.

Her body started to turn into ash and began to scatter.

This was a phenomenon that occurred when a Mine died.

Puff!

“Aaaaah!”

“Wh-Why all of a sudden?!”

Suddenly.

A precursor event occurred. Some villagers’ bodies swelled up and exploded. It wasn’t just one or two.

The bodies of the villagers grotesquely swelled, twisted, and then transformed into lumps of meat.

“Sa-save…”

A young child reached out to me.

Without a chance for me to act, the child’s body grotesquely swelled and burst like a balloon, scattering blood.

I looked at it and then adopted a serious expression.

‘Dangerous.’

This sign was dangerous. It was also evidence that an entity, which should never appear here, was attempting to descend.

I looked up at the sky.

Seed.

There was a giant seed in the sky.

Ding.

Invasion Quest Chapter 1: Invaders from Beyond.

The being that created the universe long ago made many things.

Life and phenomena.

Cause and effect, and laws.

However, because God expended too much power, He fell into a deep sleep. Due to His slumber, He failed to notice a slight distortion in the universe.

Those who serve the evil power that emerged from that distortion are called beings from beyond.

They revel in the death of life and consider their suffering a feast.

Their apostle has descended into this world.

However, that is still too incomplete. Destroy it or survive and seek the cooperation of others. ---

The apostle descended.