## Chapter 2570 – 2570. Ascending To The Light

The White Tiger used the massive spiritual energy of heaven and earth, which had been channeled through the ascension ritual, to instantly restore his body.

Those who reach the Three Realms are called absolute masters, and those who reach the Harmony Realm are called incarnations of gods. It is the realm where humans transcend and transform into gods.

The fact that the White Tiger is able to instantly restore his body with the massive spiritual energy of heaven and earth is only possible because he is an incarnation of a god in the Harmony Realm.

If he isn’t killed decisively, he will fight tirelessly as long as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth provides him with an almost infinite amount of internal energy.

The White Tiger, having recovered his body, rises. However, his left eye, where the Scarlet Lotus Dagger was embedded, has not recovered.

“Krrr… This cursed blade is incredibly poisonous…”

The White Tiger tried to remove the Scarlet Lotus Dagger from his eye with his large front paw. *Crack!* Red lightning sparked from the Scarlet Lotus Dagger, causing a rejection reaction in the White Tiger’s front paw.

“Kuaaaak! It hurts! It hurts!”

The White Tiger writhed in pain. He seemed to have regained his senses and used the Vajra Indestructible Technique, yet he couldn’t remove the dagger because of the pain.

‘Is the eye where the Scarlet Lotus Dagger is embedded beyond the reach of even magic?’

It was good news. It meant that the White Tiger, who had seemed invincible, had a weakness.

However, the White Tiger endured the pain and pulled the Scarlet Lotus Dagger from his eye, throwing it to the ground. The eye, which had been bleeding profusely, began to recover instantly.

“A terrible cursed blade! Break! Break!”

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

He slammed the Scarlet Lotus Dagger with his front paw, putting enough force to crumble a mountain into it. Of course, the Scarlet Lotus Dagger was completely unscathed.

“You little cat dares to… my weapon…”

I couldn’t bear to watch, so I reverse-summoned the Scarlet Lotus Dagger and summoned it back in front of me.

The Scarlet Lotus Dagger was stained with the White Tiger’s blood. This was not supposed to happen. When reverse-summoning to the inventory, only the Scarlet Lotus Dagger should be reverse-summoned without any foreign substances. However, the blood on the Scarlet Lotus Dagger was now recognized as part of the dagger.

The Scarlet Lotus Dagger’s ability, Greed, had been activated.

The Scarlet Lotus Dagger can temporarily use an enemy’s abilities if it is stained with their blood.

‘It’s an ability I don’t use often. It’s the ability to temporarily copy an enemy’s abilities. Even if you use the same ability, the power will vary depending on experience and proficiency.’

If I use this ability carelessly, I might become weaker than usual. I’m not talented enough to learn new things well. I’m only good at what I’m good at.

‘The White Tiger’s ability, that magic, is different. It’s magic that makes the body Vajra Indestructible. It doesn’t require any experience or proficiency.’

There are many options. Heaven-Piercing Strike, Domain, Greed, the power of the stars.

My hidden trump cards.

‘But there’s also the Martial Alliance Leader here.’

I didn’t want to show abilities I didn’t want to reveal to the Martial Alliance Leader, who might become an enemy someday. The Martial Alliance Leader flew far away, so isn’t it okay? It’s impossible to know what abilities the Martial Alliance Leader might be hiding.

And even if I use my trump cards, there’s no guarantee that I can kill the White Tiger for sure. The White Tiger is using an absurd cheat right now.

‘Using the power of the Heavenly Slaughter Star would be the most certain… but the Martial Alliance Leader must not know that I am the Heavenly Slaughter Star.’

I’m meeting the Emperor in two years anyway. The Emperor, who is born with the energy of the Purple Star, the nemesis of the Heavenly Slaughter Star.

‘The Emperor killed the previous Heavenly Slaughter Star. If he finds out I’m the Heavenly Slaughter Star, he might try to kill me.’

The White Tiger, having finished his body’s maintenance, bristled his fur and ran towards me.

I activated the Scarlet Lotus Dagger’s ability.

Scarlet Lotus Dagger Greed, Vajra Indestructible.

I collided head-on with the White Tiger. His teeth aimed for my neck, and I raised the Scarlet Lotus Dagger to block his teeth. I used the clouds behind me to compensate for the difference in power.

The White Tiger swung his claws, trying to cut my waist. *Clang!* The claws bounced off.

“Krrr… This… you used my magic. Is it the power of that cursed blade?!”

“It’s a pretty useful ability.”

“It’s only temporary! How long can you maintain my magic, you bastard!”

The White Tiger shouted with conviction. He knew his own magic well. He knew that this magic required an excessive amount of internal energy.

I responded to his pathetic concerns with a sneer.

“Just as you devoured humans and monsters, I have also consumed elixirs. Assuming we are at the same realm, there is no one with more internal energy than me.”

I began to fight the White Tiger in the sky. The White Tiger bit my left wrist, which was only bone. Some of the bone was crushed. I punched the White Tiger between the eyes with my fist instead of the Scarlet Lotus Dagger. He staggered from the impact.

Since we both had Vajra Indestructibility, attacks shouldn’t have worked, but on the contrary, the attacks were working little by little.

“They say that diamonds are cut with tools made of diamonds. It’s exactly like that.”

“Dia… what? What are you talking about!”

The White Tiger swung his tail like a whip. I trusted in my Vajra Indestructibility and just took the hit. I was slammed into the ground. It looked flashy, but there was no real damage. It was just a little annoying, and the shockwave itself didn’t cause any damage.

“You bastard! Die! Die! Hurry up and die so you can become my meal!!”

The White Tiger fell from the sky, unleashing indiscriminate attacks.

‘He’s getting more impatient as time goes on.’

While enduring, I moved my eyes around, trying to assess the situation. The Heavenly Eye was a great help. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth that was being supplied to the White Tiger was gradually decreasing. The ascension ritual was coming to an end, and the sky that had been still was finding its order.

And the Martial Alliance Leader flew in from behind.

“Hehe. Sorry. I was a bit late because I had to run. Well, I somehow ended up falling on the coast at the far end.”

“Stop talking nonsense and help me if you’re here!”

“Alright!”

The Martial Alliance Leader rushed at the White Tiger. He grabbed the White Tiger’s tail and swung his fist. He was fighting much more recklessly than I had expected.

“Kuaaaak! You horse-faced Taoist bastard!! Don’t interfere!!”

“Judging by you, you tried to achieve ascension through unorthodox means! I will never forgive you!”

The fight between the White Tiger and the Martial Alliance Leader.

The Martial Alliance Leader was superior in terms of combat ability itself. He was naturally superior because his martial arts and experience were better. But that was only for a moment. The Martial Alliance Leader gradually began to be pushed back. Since attacks didn’t work at all due to Vajra Indestructibility, even the Martial Alliance Leader was helpless.

I chugged down healing potions and mana potions a little distance away. When it came to instantaneous recovery, potions were the best.

‘Even after drinking three mana potions, I haven’t recovered even half of my internal energy.’

The effects had weakened since coming to another world, but it was also because the overall size of my internal energy was so large.

‘But I should be able to hold out for a few more minutes.’

I rushed at the White Tiger, maintaining Vajra Indestructibility. It was when we were bickering without much meaning. The sky returned to normal, and the distorted ley lines flowed in their original direction.

The White Tiger’s ascension ritual was over.

“No… No…!!”

The White Tiger’s magic ended. He couldn’t maintain the magic because the spiritual energy of heaven and earth had been cut off. It was the same for me. The effect of Greed ended.

“Where do you think you’re going!!”

The Martial Alliance Leader shouted and grabbed the White Tiger’s hind leg. The White Tiger cut off his own leg with his claws and rushed at me. Desperation was etched in the White Tiger’s eyes.

‘He’s running at me recklessly without Vajra Indestructibility? Does he think that’ll work? How foolish.’

Thunder Heaven Style, Thunder Gang Blade.

I cut off the head of the charging White Tiger.

The White Tiger’s head rolled onto the ground. But the White Tiger did not die. He glared at me with only his head remaining.

“Damn it… The auspicious day was supposed to be today…!”

*Thump!*

A roar echoed from the sky.

The Martial Alliance Leader and I swallowed our groans and looked up at the sky. The sky was now furiously enraged.

“This guy is only at the middle stage of the Harmony Realm at best. He is not qualified to attempt ascension at all.”

“Then how did he perform the ascension ritual? Isn’t it performed because one is qualified?”

“He attempted ascension despite not being qualified. It is defying the heavens. Now the heavens will punish him.”

Even without being told, I could feel the massive energy from the sky.

“Why is the sky reacting only now?”

“Someone deceived the heavens and protected him. But you can’t deceive the heavens forever.”

The face of the White Tiger, with only his head remaining, became desperate. He looked up at the sky and shouted.

“Elder! Are you watching! Elder! Please help me! Elder!! You said you would help me!!”

It was then.

An enormous presence was felt from the sky. That presence was looking down at us.

-Foolish one. The opportunity was already given to you. I personally covered the eyes of the heavens and opened the path to ascension, yet you disappoint me.

That presence stared at me. I felt not burdened but rather unpleasant.

-Heavenly Gang Star. You are truly tempting. How wonderful it would be if I could possess a star.

“Who are you?”

-I cannot say. I am also taking a risk by intervening in the middle realm. I would like to intervene directly, but… the laws of the celestial realm do not allow it, so it is regrettable.

His presence disappeared.

Immediately after, a heavenly thunderbolt struck the White Tiger’s head. The heavenly punishment annihilated the White Tiger’s soul for defying the heavens.

“…I never thought that the Elder the White Tiger spoke of was a being from the celestial realm. It’s chilling.”

“Are you talking about a celestial being?”

“It’s highly likely. However, the celestial realm is not only inhabited by celestial beings. By the way, I never knew you were born with the energy of the Heavenly Gang Star. I knew you were special, but I didn’t know it was to this extent. You are indeed a great person.”

“Do you know much about the Heavenly Gang Star?”

“I know that the Heavenly Gang Star is the most prominent among the countless shining stars. Also, I know that no one except you has ever been born with the energy of the Heavenly Gang Star. So it’s no wonder that a celestial being is coveting you.”

“Yeah. Thanks to that, things have become troublesome.”

“Hehe. Anyway, didn’t things end well? As promised, you get the White Tiger’s inner core. I’ll take the rest.”

“Can’t you give me some meat too? No matter how I think about it, I suffered more than you did.”

“Hmm. I’ll share a little.”