Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1273

Sapak.

His feet, encased in shoes crafted from the finest leather rarely seen even in the Central Plains, touched the ground.

Above those shoes, fit for royalty or even a god, the hem of his yellow robe swayed with a measured weight, shimmering with gold.

Even if gold were painted on clothing, it wouldn’t shine like this. One couldn’t even guess what material was used. As if the clothes themselves emitted light, a radiance that pushed back even the sunlight filled the precious garment.

“Hmm.”

The low voice was like the breath of a dragon.

Chiriring.

As he moved his fingers habitually, the gem-studded rings on his ten fingers each chimed, creating a celestial melody.

“This sensation, this air.”

He took a deep breath, and his already massive body swelled even larger.

“It has been a long time indeed.”

His voice was filled with satisfaction.

The word ‘majesty’ was insufficient. His voice and attire could only be described as sacred.

However, his face was strikingly incongruous.

With such magnificent attire, his face should have shone brightly just from the clothes alone. Yet, his complexion was a deathly blue.

His skin was smooth, but ashen like a corpse’s face. Seeing the patches of gray on his skin, it was as if a corpse was moving.

His deep eye sockets were similar to those of a Westerner, but much deeper and more defined. His prominent nose was somewhat broad, but it looked sturdy and intense rather than dull.

His tall stature of seven feet, long limbs, luxurious clothing beyond that of royalty, and a face that didn’t look alive created a bizarre disharmony.

But those who saw him would all say this:

He was perfect.

Bizarre and sacred. Full of majesty, yet with a hint of benevolence. Like a demon from hell, yet with a halo seemingly radiating from behind.

Elements that didn’t fit together were combined into one, creating perfection.

His aura, unlike anyone in this world, something that could only be explained by a divine being, was fundamentally different from the irrational people of the world.

“The air of the Central Plains is unique. It is not sharp or fierce. Yet, when a storm arises, it is so violent that it is hard to stand.”

The resonant voice blended exquisitely with the sound of crashing waves.

“The wind, not as still as Mount Yeong-eum [a fictional sacred mountain], strangely offers a deeper silence than any stillness. That complex air is like a symbol of humans, full of contradictions.”

Whoooosh.

The wind blew.

As if responding to his words, the wind toyed with his attire and hair before gradually calming down.

“That is why I liked this Central Plains. I loved the ignorance and greed of the arrogant humans who claimed to be the center of the world. There have been many who thought themselves the center of the endless world, but few humans have shown such madness.”

The man reached his hand towards the sky.

At that moment, the flock of birds flying far in the sky faltered for some reason, lost their strength, and fell.

“It was too early. Originally, I should have come here in ten, no, fifteen years. The ‘Secret Records of Evil Yin’ told me so.”

Thud, thud, thud.

The birds, having stopped flapping their wings, fell to the ground and all died.

“But the records were wrong. I had no choice but to come here now. There would have been no problem if I had followed the records, but my heart did not allow it, so the one who wrote the records must have predicted my actions.”

Sreuk.

The Evil Sorcerer appeared behind the man.

“My Lord.”

“Hahahaha!”

The man suddenly burst into laughter.

In that instant, it was as if all the sunlight in the coastal area was dyed in darkness.

The Evil Sorcerer, and the two Evil Kings who had accompanied him, cowered at the sound of his laughter.

Not only them.

The thousand Guardian Priests who had disembarked from the teaching ship and lined up to the left and right also bowed their heads in fear.

The man, who had been laughing for a long time, shook his head.

“A god… what a ridiculous title.”

“… !”

“Yes, I am a man who will soon become a god. But I am still just a seed, so it would be good to call me the Cult Leader for now.”

The Evil Sorcerer swallowed involuntarily.

‘I can’t understand it at all.’

When they were at Mount Yeong-eum, the Cult Leader always claimed to be a god, and all the Evil Kings, priests, and followers under him called him the Evil God.

But now he tells them to call him the Cult Leader. Because he is not a true god yet, only a seed.

‘I’ve felt it before… it’s not like talking to one person at all. It’s like dealing with a completely different person at times.’

It was said that gods had eccentric and unpredictable personalities.

Perhaps this person, no, this noble being, is similar. The fact that he feels like a completely different person is just because we are ordinary humans, and perhaps such a form is correct for someone who has reached the realm of a true god.

Whatever it was, the god had commanded, so as a follower, he had to obey.

“Cult Leader.”

“Speak, Evil Sorcerer.”

This was also different.

Unlike before, when he treated them like mere servants, he now showed them sufficient respect.

Was it because he was greatly excited by stepping on the continent? It was hard to believe, considering he had all the pleasures of the world in his hands at Mount Yeong-eum.

The Evil Sorcerer suppressed his rising curiosity and spoke.

“The Mad Jade has turned blood red. It seems the thirty thousand Yin Wasteland Army that went by sea has begun fighting.”

“Heh, is that so?”

“The light is unusual. It seems the resistance of the non-believers is not insignificant.”

The man spoke with a bright face.

“It has always been like that. Even a hundred, no, three hundred years ago, their resistance was desperate and fierce. They seemed easy to trample, yet they rose with unbelievable power and defended their land to the end.”

The Evil Sorcerer swallowed involuntarily.

Three hundred years ago? Then does that mean this Evil God had entered the continent back then?

He couldn’t understand what he was saying. The Evil Sorcerer knew the Evil God’s youth well.

Of course, he had never spoken to him back then, but he knew that he had roamed the vast wilderness but had never set foot on the continent.

‘I don’t understand at all.’

There was no need to try to understand. Perhaps the eyes of someone who had reached the realm of a god could see something that transcended even time and space.

“The thirty thousand Yin Wasteland Army will surely seize the eastern part of the continent.”

The man shook his head.

“Do not be so sure, Evil Sorcerer. The principles of this world are complex and clear, yet they are also capricious enough to be astonishing.”

“… !”

“Never be certain of anything.”

“Y-yes, I will keep that in mind!”

Before leaving, he had shown absolute confidence, but now he was telling them not to be certain.

Even if he tried not to think about it, he kept feeling the gap between his current and past selves. The Evil Sorcerer suppressed himself once more.

“Anyway…”

Whoosh!

An unknown energy wave flowed from the man’s body.

The energy wave was truly mysterious. It was like darkness that swallowed light, but the bizarre energy wave was not entirely terrifying.

It was somehow cozy and comfortable. The tension on the faces of the lined-up Guardian Priests, Evil Kings, and Evil Sorcerer lessened.

The man looked towards the far west with a puzzled expression.

“Is that direction Shanxi…? I see. That fellow was planning an Evil Array [a sorcery formation that pollutes an area with evil energy].”

The Evil Sorcerer’s eyes deepened.

‘That fellow? Who?’

An Evil Array was a type of sorcery formation that would pollute an area with evil energy, driving both allies and enemies into madness.

If the number of people was small, it wouldn’t be very effective, but from a thousand onwards, the effect was certain. If it reached ten thousand, everyone except those who had extremely refined their upper dantian [an energy center in the body] would go mad.

And that was the same for Shanxi. The plan was to use the grassland cavalry as hosts to deploy the Evil Array, turning both Shanxi and Shaanxi into wastelands, which was the core of the northern strategy.

And the one who had devised and ordered that plan was none other than the Evil God, the Cult Leader.

A smile spread across the man’s face.

“The Evil Array in Shaanxi has bloomed beautifully. The energy, so stained that it is turning black… how long has it been since I’ve seen a battlefield of blood turned brown by madness?”

It seemed that he could see the battlefield in Shaanxi even from such a distance.

Whether he was actually seeing it with his eyes or feeling it, it was unknown. What was important was that this unparalleled Evil God possessed boundless abilities, enough to see what was happening thousands of miles away.

The man, who had been smiling and looking at the northwest, lowered his gaze slightly.

At the same time, the smile disappeared from his face.

“Shanxi… Shanxi, huh.”

The man frowned.

“A strange wind.”

The Evil Sorcerer couldn’t contain his curiosity.

“Cult Leader, is there perhaps any problem with the battle in Shanxi?”

“There’s no problem… but I’m not sure.”

“…?”

“It’s gradually coming down… but there’s a wind going up there. I can also see a familiar flame next to it, that seems to be Gi Cheon-ung.”

The Evil Sorcerer’s eyes flashed.

‘The former Divine Cult Leader!’

He had collapsed from not being able to overcome the harm of the Fire Essence, but if he released all his power, he was another absolute being who could almost match the Blood Demon Cult Leader.

A strange displeasure appeared on the man’s face.

“It’s strange. That wind, which seems to be melting into nature, is similar to that madman’s, but also very different. Well, that madman’s martial arts seemed impossible to pass on, so it can’t be his descendant.”

The man, who seemed to be pondering, shook his head.

“It’s a battlefield I’ve already entrusted, so there’s no need to waste any more spiritual power looking at it.”

“Yes, Cult Leader. You must not harm your body.”

The man smiled and turned around.

“It’s a magnificent sight.”

The ship anchored at the coast was truly of overwhelming size.

The massive ship, so large that it was hard to believe it was made by human hands, seemed sturdy enough that it would be difficult to damage even with cannons or the martial arts of a supreme master.

The Evil Sorcerer bowed his head.

“This Shandong has been famous for producing good liquor since ancient times. It is also a good place to live, so many…”

“Shandong Bunju [a type of liquor] is a famous liquor known throughout the world.”

“… !”

“Yes, as you said, Evil Sorcerer, I want to taste Bunju after a long time.”

“I-I will prepare it for you.”

“Is there a need to prepare it?”

The man smiled and looked west again.

The entire Shandong was clearly visible in his eyes.

“If I erase all the martial arts of Shandong, suppress all laughter, and cause all despair, I will be able to hear tears and pleasant moans more delicious than Bunju.”

The man’s corpse-like bluish face gradually became more sinister, like a ghost.

The Evil Sorcerer thought. Although he showed so many different faces, the essence of the Evil God never changed.

Death, madness, humiliation.

And finding a new Blood God’s cult within that was the Evil God’s lifelong goal.

“Now, let’s go. I miss the magnificent scenery of Mount Tai’s Fengshan [a ritual site on Mount Tai].”

Sa Moon-hyang, the Evil Yin Cult Leader.

He had now arrived in Shandong.