chapter 28
Sha Wujing (3)
Qing Xiao had not yet become a high-ranker, but in China—where there were as many rankers as there were people—she already enjoyed considerable recognition.
That was thanks to the god she served: Nezha (哪吒).
“There’s no one in the world who owns more sacred relics than I do.”
The dozens of treasures belonging to Nezha, one of <Celestial Sect>’s foremost warriors, were each said to rival the symbolic artifacts of other gods.
Because of that, Qing Xiao had inherited sacred relics that allowed her to act in many ways.
In a maze-type dungeon like this one:
[‘Sacred Relic: Heaven-and-Earth Fist’ detects new movement from one direction!]
When speed was needed:
[‘Sacred Relic: Wind-Fire Wheels’ accelerates your movement!]
She only had to use the right relic at the right moment.
But Qing Xiao was careful not to appear arrogant.
“I have too many treasures. If I attract the wrong attention, I don’t know what could happen.”
The hunters’ world was a savage one, where betrayal could come from anywhere.
She didn’t want to lose everything she had barely managed to achieve.
“For fools like that, we already have this guy.”
[‘Myth: The One Wreathed in Thunder and Storms’ causes thunder to surge in the surroundings. Caution advised!]
“You rat bastards! How far do you think you can hide?”
Running beside her was a huge, dark-skinned Indian man who looked nearly two meters tall.
Mukesh Ambani.
A disciple of the great thunder god Indra, and one of India’s rankers.
“Of all people to be teamed up with, why him….”
[Nezha orders you to stay focused on the mission.]
Qing Xiao stifled the sigh that almost slipped out.
Unlike many other transcendent beings, who didn’t care much about mortals, her god was meticulous—he could see right through her thoughts.
She had to be especially careful about her behavior.
“This fool probably just gets orders and nothing more, but…”
For years, Qing Xiao had been observing the Pied Piper through Nezha’s treasure, the Myriad-Mile Mirror.
[Myriad-Mile Mirror]
One of Nezha’s treasures.
An artifact surpassing even the clairvoyant Eye of Insight, able to trace and observe specific events even from afar.
-
Type: Sacred Relic
-
Origin: Myth Investiture of the Gods
Her mission was to track fragments of Sha Wujing.
If the reclusive Sha Wujing showed signs of contacting anyone, she was to immediately report to Nezha.
She didn’t know why the once-renowned Sha Wujing had fallen, because Nezha never explained. But it was clear something unspeakable had happened in Heaven.
So, when she first spotted movement from Sha Wujing, she reported it, and was instantly assigned a new mission.
[‘Event: Tracking Sha Wujing’ has begun!]
[Pass through the ‘Temporary Gate’ and subdue Sha Wujing and anyone he meets!]
“What happened that even a temporary gate had to be made?”
For a god to directly interfere in the mortal world required immense causality.
And to create a [Gate] that could leap instantly from China to Korea consumed an extraordinary amount of it.
Yet Nezha carried out the act without hesitation.
That alone showed how important the mission was.
“There used to be rumors that Sun Wukong might have fallen too… could it really be…?”
As she passed through the gate, Qing Xiao’s suspicions hardened into conviction.
Because the other chosen for this mission was Mukesh.
If <Celestial Sect> and <Deva>—two entirely different factions—were cooperating, it could only mean one thing.
“Sha Wujing’s remnant has moved to find the fallen Sun Wukong. If Sun Wukong truly appeared…”
The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong—his fame was unmatched, his divinity towering.
If she could bring such a being back to her homeland…
“Even my shaky position within the faction would be secured perfectly.”
It was a chance to overturn her status.
But then—
[‘Myth: King Who Brings Divine Punishment’—intense thunder energy dominates the space!]
“…Lightning?”
Arriving at the destination, Qing Xiao was met with something completely unexpected.
Thunder had nothing to do with Sun Wukong.
And from the name of the myth displayed, there were very few possible gods that came to mind.
There weren’t many deities one could call a “king.”
“What the…!”
She swallowed dryly and stared at the man dominating the cavern.
A slender figure, his face hidden behind a black mask—like a yaksha or oni.
Crackle!
“I’ll ask once. By what right have you intruded here?”
The low voice carried heat and killing intent that prickled her skin.
“A powerhouse.”
She swallowed again.
“So strong I can’t even dream of victory—he’d see me as nothing but an ant.”
[For unknown reasons, you are subjected to strong mental pressure.]
[For unknown reasons, various abnormal statuses are triggered repeatedly.]
…
It felt like dozens of curses had been dumped onto her at once. Her body grew heavy, her mind clouded.
The overwhelming aura was to blame.
But the biggest problem was—
“…Who exactly are you?”
No matter how she thought, she couldn’t pin down the man’s identity.
[Dungeon system automatically translates the opponent’s language.]
The thunder aura reminded her of someone, but—
“No, that person… I confirmed multiple times that his body was ruined from the aftereffects four years ago. And his lightning was bluish-white, not this…”
“How amusing. You come as guests, yet demand to know your host’s name?”
From behind the mask, his eyes glinted with ridicule.
“I’ll be the one asking questions. Not you.”
Crackle!
White lightning surged upward, racing along the cavern walls like rivers, ready to strike at any moment.
Arrogant.
But the pressure he exuded made it justified.
Every gesture was threatening.
“I won’t ask twice. Who are you? Agents of the <Titans>, here to steal my myth?”
“Titans? Then could it be—!”
She thought of the one god among Olympus’ Twelve who had yet to find an apostle.
If so—
“Hahaha! Zeus! So you’re Zeus, huh? I wondered why Poseidon and Hades had shown up but not the chief god himself—turns out you were hiding in a place like this!”
Before Qing Xiao could say anything, Mukesh burst out laughing and stepped forward.
Crackle!
His own lightning erupted—this one brown, the opposite of the masked man’s white.
Where the masked man’s aura was savage and oppressive, Mukesh’s was violent, like boiling magma.
[‘Myth: The One Wreathed in Thunder and Storms’ reacts sensitively to the opponent’s lightning!]
[A fierce repulsion occurs between the two lightning energies.]
Rumble—!
The cave shook violently.
[Lightning clash is too intense. Stage collapse imminent.]
[‘Myth: The One Wreathed in Thunder and Storms’ feels strong rivalry toward the opponent!]
“Let’s see how strong you are—!”
“Don’t.”
Qing Xiao stepped in front of Mukesh as he prepared to strike.
“What are you doing? This is a sacred duel between warriors! Don’t interfere.”
This muscle-brained warmonger…
She snapped back coldly.
“Are you trying to disgrace your god’s name?”
“What?”
“Remember our mission. You can indulge your desires later if you wish, but not now.”
Mukesh glared silently.
Qing Xiao responded by flaring her Wind-Fire Wheels and drawing the Fire-Tipped Spear from her back.
She was ready to fight him instead, if necessary.
It would be safer to clash with Mukesh, whose weaknesses she already understood, than with the unknown masked man.
“And my god seems to agree.”
[Nezha silently watches the unexpected opponent.]
“How irritating. I’ve never liked you.”
“The feeling’s mutual.”
Mukesh, after exchanging some message with his god, retreated reluctantly, his displeasure obvious.
At least that would prevent unnecessary fighting.
Qing Xiao was about to turn her gaze back to the masked man when—
“When have I ever been one to follow orders? Don’t you agree?”
[‘Myth: The One Wreathed in Thunder and Storms’ uses ‘Airavata’s Flash’ to rend space!]
“…!?”
Before Qing Xiao could react, Mukesh tore through space and appeared beside the masked man, unleashing brown lightning.
“Let’s see what face is hiding under that arrogant mask!”
His hand reached for the mask—
“You said this was a sacred duel?”
White lightning surged from the ground.
Beneath the mask, the man’s eyes gleamed coldly.
“Then intruders who barge into my home uninvited have no right to speak of it.”
At that instant, the clash erupted.
BOOM!
Rumble—!
“I wanted to make them withdraw peacefully… but it seems that won’t be possible.”
Lee Hyun had no intention of fighting Qing Xiao and Mukesh’s group directly.
His goal was to make them misunderstand and misjudge his strength so that they would back off.
That was what he had asked the Hidden Boss and the curse-users to help with.
—If you truly want to save your brothers and friends, reverse the direction of the grand curse.
—…The grand curse?
—Yes. Make it so the intruders are all crushed by abnormal statuses. But do it subtly, so they don’t notice right away. Like how clothes get soaked in the rain without realizing.
—Soaked like clothes… I see.
And the results—
[Skill effects perceived as abnormally amplified by 1,410%.]
[Aura perceived as 1,370% stronger.]
…
[Various curses amplify abnormal statuses.]
[‘Abnormal Status: Fear’ strengthened.]
[‘Abnormal Status: Tension’ strengthened.]
…
[Across the entire boss room stage, ‘Grand Curse: Large-Scale Perceptual Distortion’ is active!]
[Hidden Boss and subordinate curse-users channel energy into the magic circle!]
That was why Qing Xiao had overestimated his power when she saw his lightning.
“She won’t want to waste her strength before finding Sha Wujing’s exact location. At least, the Qing Xiao I know wouldn’t.”
He had expected Mukesh would listen to her too.
But here his miscalculation showed—Mukesh’s competitiveness was far higher than expected.
Whoosh!
“Pahaha! If Zeus’ apostle is only this strong, I’m disappointed!”
The impact sent hot winds rushing as Mukesh laughed loudly.
He had noticed that the lightning wasn’t as powerful as it seemed, compared to the distortion.
In that moment, Lee Hyun realized—
“It’s still too much to face rankers head-on.”
Even after just one clash, Mukesh was monstrously strong, as befitted a ranker symbolizing India.
If Qing Xiao joined him, things would get very dangerous.
But—
“Too much to handle doesn’t mean impossible to win.”
In his active days, Lee Hyun had slain many who were stronger than him.
And this cavern was already filled with traps he had set.
“If the fight drags on, my real power will be exposed. I need to overwhelm them at once—hit them with a blitzkrieg.”
His eyes burned like ghostly flames.
“Blitzkrieg it is.”
“I’ll shut that arrogant mouth of yours.”
“Let’s see you try—!”
Mukesh was about to launch his second strike when—
[Chains of Thunder activate!]
Shrrrkkk!
From the ceiling and walls, dozens of white chains burst forth, wrapping around Mukesh’s right arm.
It was a replication of Cursesmith No. 15’s skill—Curse Chains—powered by the fury of the Dokkebi.
“…!!”
Mukesh struggled to break them, but—
“W-what? My mana won’t move!?”
He finally realized the gravity of the situation.
[Each chain link is made of cursed thunder.]
[‘Curse: Mana Interference’ successful.]
[‘Curse: Nervous Breakdown’ successful.]
…
[Hidden Boss and curse-users reinforce the chains’ power!]
“Let’s start with that arm.”
For a moment, Mukesh felt a chill from the masked man’s eyes.
[Dokkebi’s Wrath erupts!]
Rumble!
Slash—!
