The War of the Heavenly Court
The Heavenly Court was divided into three principal regions: the Lower Land, the Higher Land, and Zūn Land.
Each region floated above the one beneath it, forming a magnificent celestial structure suspended high above the world.
The Lower Land was home to Rank Five Immortals, where they trained, cultivated their abilities, and prepared for advancement.
Above it lay the Higher Land, inhabited by Rank Two, Rank Three, and Rank Four Immortals.
Many served as instructors, while others joined the Heavenly Court’s army.
At the very top stood Zūn Land, the highest region of the Heavenly Court, where the Zūns—the most powerful Immortals within its ranks—resided.
Beyond these three principal regions existed seven additional layers, collectively known as the Seven Walls of the Heavenly Court.
These layers primarily served military purposes, housing soldiers and supporting the Court’s vast defensive forces.
For countless years, the Heavenly Court had stood as a symbol of order and power.
But now, that order was about to be shattered.
An invasion had begun.
Souls poured into the Lower Land through a massive rift, their sinister presence spreading throughout the celestial region.
War had descended upon the Heavenly Court.
…
The souls hunted down the Rank Five Immortals, overwhelming them with their numbers.
The Immortals fought desperately, struggling to hold the line while buying time for reinforcements from the Higher Land to arrive.
The disturbance soon reached even those far removed from the battlefield.
Bella, Kù, and Yáng all sensed the strange presence, though none of them immediately recognized its source.
Yáng broke the silence.
“Hey, is it just me, or is there something out there?”
Kù nodded.
“I feel it, too.”
Bella followed suit.
“Me as well.”
Kohana slowly rose to her feet, her expression growing serious.
“Everyone, we need to examine the layers of the Heavenly Court.”
Within seconds, they observed the unfolding war.
The Lower Land was in chaos, with Immortals fighting alongside reinforcements from the Higher Land against an endless tide of souls.
Yáng narrowed his eyes.
“That’s Soul Path.”
Bella nodded.
“Indeed. That power unmistakably resembles Soul Path.”
Kohana immediately opened a rift.
“Quickly. I have a feeling we’re about to miss something important.”
Without another word, all four stepped through the rift.
…
By the time they arrived, the battlefield had descended into complete chaos.
Immortals and souls clashed across the Lower Land, their attacks tearing through the surrounding structures.
At the center of the battlefield, a colossal figure began emerging from the rift.
It possessed numerous arms, each large enough to crush an ordinary Immortal.
Its monstrous body towered over the surrounding armies like a moving mountain.
Kohana’s expression turned cold as she watched it emerge.
“So, we finally meet again, Ōno Yoshi.”
The enormous creature paused.
Then its body began to shrink.
Its countless limbs folded inward as its monstrous form transformed into that of an ordinary-looking man dressed in black robes.
A sinister grin spread across his face.
Ōno Yoshi.
The Fifth Demonic Zūn.
The Demonic Zūn of Soul Path.
And the very being who had created Soul Path itself.
Yoshi glanced across the battlefield before raising his voice.
“GET THEM ALL!”
At his command, the souls surged forward.
Yoshi’s body began transforming once more as the battle intensified.
The Immortals fought back with everything they had, determined to defend their home.
Kù, Bella, and Yáng tore through the invading souls with overwhelming ease, while Kohana moved to coordinate the reinforcements.
Yet even their arrival could not immediately bring the battle to an end.
The invasion was far from over.
…
Amid the chaos, Yáng finally reached Yoshi.
The Demonic Zūn had completed his transformation, becoming a gigantic monster with countless arms.
His enormous body towered above the battlefield, rivaling the surrounding mountains in size.
Yáng looked up at him, a spear in hand.
“So, you’re the Soul Path Demon.”
Yoshi lowered his gaze toward the tiny figure standing before him.
A mocking smile appeared on his face.
“You’re smaller than I expected.”
Yáng grinned.
“Really? Funny. I’m the giant sun here, you foolish demon!”
Without hesitation, Yáng charged.
Yoshi raised one enormous foot and attempted to crush him.
Yáng thrust his spear upward.
The weapon pierced straight through Yoshi’s foot, continuing toward the giant’s body.
Yoshi tilted his head at the last moment.
For a moment, Yoshi stared down at Yáng.
Yáng smirked.
“What happened, Soul Demon? I thought I was small.”
“Yes.”
Yoshi reached out and caught the returning spear.
His enormous hand closed around the weapon.
CRACK!
The spear shattered in his grip.
“But I’m not a fool.”
Yáng’s grin widened.
He drew his sword.
“You’re strong, demon.”
Yoshi answered by unleashing a barrage of attacks.
His countless arms swept across the battlefield, each strike threatening to crush Yáng beneath their overwhelming force.
But Yáng was faster.
He darted between the attacks, searching for an opening while sending the surrounding souls flying with each movement.
His eyes scanned the battlefield.
Then he spotted a fallen soldier’s spear.
Yáng seized it without breaking stride.
He twisted his torso and hurled the weapon toward Yoshi with tremendous force.
Yoshi blocked it with one hand.
But his expression changed.
The spear continued pushing into his flesh.
Before he could fully stop it, three additional hands moved to reinforce the defense.
Even then, the weapon pierced through all three hands.
Yoshi’s eyes narrowed.
He swung his leg and kicked Yáng away.
The impact sent Yáng flying across the battlefield and through the Lower Land.
…
Kohana glanced toward the distant figure of Yáng hurtling through the sky.
She remained calm.
“We still have time.”
Nearby, Duke Inferno was tearing through the invading souls, his immense power scattering them across the battlefield.
He raised his weapon and roared.
“PUSH THEM BACK! THE HEAVENLY COURT WILL NEVER FALL! THE ODDS ARE ON OUR SIDE!”
“YEAH!”
The Immortals’ morale surged.
With Duke Inferno leading the advance, the Heavenly Court’s forces pressed toward the center of the battlefield.
Kohana coordinated the soldiers arriving from another front, while Inferno continued cutting through the enemy ranks.
The battle lines began to shift.
But Yoshi was far from defeated.
…
The enormous Demonic Zūn recovered from his wounds and resumed his rampage.
His attacks tore through the battlefield as more souls poured from the rift behind him.
With every passing moment, his army continued to grow.
Then his gaze settled upon Kohana.
A sinister smile appeared on his face.
“Perhaps fate has been kind to us, Ōzora Kohana. It seems we were destined to meet again.”
Kohana looked up at his enormous form without flinching.
“Yes. Though I’d call it a misfortune.”
Yoshi grinned.
Before he could respond, another voice interrupted him.
“Don’t get arrogant just because you’ve managed to push us back a little, Soul Demon.”
Duke Inferno strode forward, carrying a long-bladed sword.
His weapon erupted in flames, the blazing light reflecting in his eyes.
“I’ll kill you for what you’ve done to the Heavenly Court.”
Yoshi lowered his head and summoned an enormous hammer.
He tilted his head, regarding the Duke with a cold expression.
“Are you certain of that, Duke?”
Without warning, he swung the hammer downward.
Inferno answered immediately.
He raised his flaming sword and unleashed a torrent of fire toward the descending weapon.
BOOOOOOM!
The hammer and the flames collided.
The resulting shockwave spread throughout the Lower Land, shaking its foundations and sending waves of energy across the battlefield.
Even Aaya, who was fighting against Kù and Bella elsewhere, felt the tremendous pressure generated by the clash.
The entire region trembled beneath the might of the two combatants.
And above them, the battle for the Heavenly Court continued.
…
Far above the battlefield, Yáng finally came to a halt.
His clothes were battered, and his body bore the marks of battle.
Yet his eyes remained focused.
He raised both hands toward the sky.
A brilliant radiance began forming between his palms.
Then he started chanting.
“The morning shines with new light, awakening the world to witness the dazzling rays of the New Sun.”
The light intensified.
“The heavens are illuminated as darkness fades away. Beneath the endless blue sky, one thing remains to shine throughout the day.”
It radiated an unbearable brilliance, resembling a sun brought down from the heavens themselves.
Yáng looked toward the battlefield below.
“Soul Demon…”
His expression hardened.
“You’re finished.”
He released the sun.
The enormous sphere descended toward the Lower Land, its brilliance illuminating the surrounding sky.
Below, Yoshi was still locked in combat with Duke Inferno when he sensed the approaching force.
He looked up.
His eyes widened.
A second sun was falling directly toward him.
For an instant, the entire battlefield was swallowed by white light.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The sun struck.
A tremendous explosion engulfed the battlefield, sending shockwaves across the Lower Land and illuminating the surrounding celestial regions.
The Immortals and souls alike were blinded by the overwhelming radiance.
For one brief moment, the entire Heavenly Court seemed to shine beneath the light of a new sun.
…
When the light finally faded, a massive crater remained in the middle of the battlefield.
At its center lay what appeared to be a charred corpse.
Yoshi’s enormous body had been burned almost beyond recognition.
The surrounding Immortals stared in disbelief.
Far away, however, the real Yoshi stood near the rift through which his forces had entered.
He watched the devastation from a distance.
My greatest weapon…
reduced to ashes.
He looked toward the ruined battlefield and released a resigned sigh.
“Well, I can’t stay here much longer.”
Without hesitation, he leaped into the rift.
The remaining souls immediately began retreating.
One after another, they withdrew through the opening until the last of them disappeared.
Then the rift closed.
Silence descended upon the battlefield.
For several seconds, the Immortals could only stare at the destruction left behind.
Then someone shouted.
“VICTORY!”
Another voice followed.
“THE SOUL DEMON IS DEAD!”
Cheers erupted across the Lower Land.
The Immortals raised their weapons and celebrated, believing their enemy had finally fallen.
The Heavenly Court had survived.
The invasion had ended.
And the Soul Demon had lost.
…
Yáng descended from the sky, his clothes battered and partially burned from the battle.
The war in the Heavenly Court was finally over.
But the consequences of his attack reached far beyond the celestial realm.
…
Down in the mortal world, the evening sky suddenly brightened.
A radiant light illuminated the heavens, transforming the fading daylight into something resembling a second sunrise.
In Sunnaland, people stopped what they were doing and looked upward.
Then, one after another, they bowed toward the light.
“The Great Sun has shown us his miracle!”
“It’s a good omen! He must be pleased with us!”
Throughout the kingdom, people celebrated the extraordinary phenomenon, believing it to be a blessing from the heavens.
…
Aomi stared at the light in the sky.
Unlike the people around him, he showed no sign of reverence.
Instead, he looked mildly surprised.
The radiance stirred memories he would rather have left undisturbed.
Memories of Yáng.
Beside him, Maria gazed upward in amazement.
“Wow! Did you see that?! That was beautiful!”
She continued watching the sky, captivated by the spectacle.
Aomi remained silent.
His eyes followed the fading light until the sky returned to its usual appearance.
Then he muttered under his breath.
“What the hell is going on up there?”
He narrowed his eyes at the now-darkening sky.
After a moment, he turned away.
Just a little more time.
Once Goff, Walter, and the others are wealthy enough to stand on their own…
His expression returned to its usual indifference.
I’ll continue walking my demonic path.