Immortal Paladin

The moment my disguise vanished, the Ophanim instinctively gathered information on the three people surrounding me.

The man standing before me was Gong Zhi, a Level 95 cultivator belonging to the Shade Race. His class was Shadow Blaze, a rare profession specializing in fusing shadow manipulation with destructive flames. Behind me stood Qiu Chen, a Level 80 Half-Ghost whose Empty Poison class revolved around incorporeal movement and poison aura. The final watcher remained crouched atop the rooftop. Mao Yu. Human. Level 105. Void Blade. The strongest among the three, and by far the most dangerous.

My pupils shimmered faintly.

Their life stories flashed across my vision for only an instant before I dismissed them. I had no interest in invading every detail of their lives. Instead, I committed the names of their combat skills to memory. The Ophanim rapidly pieced together their functions, strengths, limitations, and probable combinations. A dozen battle simulations unfolded in my mind before the first of them had even moved.

None of them realized I could also hear their Qi Speech.

Their voices echoed silently inside my consciousness.

"He's bluffing."

"The Holy Emperor? Ridiculous."

"Whether he is or not doesn't matter."

"What do we do? Capture him?"

"No."

"If we fail to subdue him, we'll lose the initiative."

"Kill him."

"We split the reward."

"He can't be stronger than us."

"Everyone enters the Tower at Level One. That's the law."

"He must have climbed a little faster than normal."

"Three against one. We finish this quickly."

The entire discussion lasted barely a second as their strategy formed almost instantly.

Gong Zhi would engage me head-on to pressure my defenses. Qiu Chen would strike from my shadow with poison techniques while remaining unseen. Mao Yu would wait patiently until my attention shifted before delivering the decisive killing blow.

I almost laughed as the realization hit me. That was why none of them had looked even remotely intimidated upon hearing the title Holy Emperor. Everyone here had begun their journey at Level One, and titles meant little in this place. Only the levels and strength earned inside the Tower truly carried any weight.

"I see..."

I slowly reached behind my back and grasped the crude spear fashioned from the enormous boar's tusk.

"Divine Favor."

Warm golden light coursed through my limbs as divine energy flooded every muscle, elevating every aspect of my physical abilities. Strength, vitality, reflexes, endurance. Everything rose as far as this mortal vessel could withstand.

The shadows beneath Gong Zhi suddenly erupted. Black flames burst upward like ravenous serpents, surging toward me with lethal intent. I made no attempt to evade.

The fire coiled around my right leg before spreading rapidly across my left arm, scorching flesh and clothing alike. Agony tore through my nerves, sharp enough to make an ordinary cultivator scream in terror. Yet I had endured far worse. The pain barely warranted a frown.

Golden energy quietly ignited beneath my skin.

"Divine Retribution."

Gong Zhi’s confident expression twisted instantly into disbelief. “W-What?!”

Dark flames exploded across his own leg and left arm in the exact same places. He staggered backward as his own technique turned against him.

“My flames… Why am I burning?!” he cried out, voice laced with panic. He hurriedly tried suppressing them, only to discover they refused to obey.

At that same instant, three daggers shot toward my back.

Only one was real.

The other two consisted entirely of condensed poison aura disguised beneath convincing illusions. Hidden behind each visible dagger flew an almost undetectable poison needle forged from pure toxic Qi. It was an elegant trap. Most opponents would dodge the obvious daggers only to be pierced by the invisible needles.

“Divine Protection.”

A translucent golden film blossomed around my body just as the real dagger struck first. With a sharp clang, the projectiles ricocheted harmlessly off the film. The illusionary poison constructs shattered the instant they touched the barrier, while the concealed needles disintegrated before they could even graze my skin.

Meanwhile, my innate health regeneration worked steadily, repairing the burns covering my body. Fresh skin replaced charred flesh within moments.

Ignoring the agony consuming him, Gong Zhi roared and lunged forward. His shadow expanded beneath him, ejecting a long spear into the air. He caught it with both hands in one fluid motion as the flames consuming his body intensified.

“Shadow Rush Incineration!”

His entire body transformed into a blazing streak of darkness, tearing through the alley toward me with murderous intent.

Before he could reach me, however, a freezing sensation gripped my ankle. A hand emerged from my own shadow.

“Shadow Poison Palm,” Qiu Chen’s voice echoed coldly from beneath my feet.

An overwhelming poison surged into my body through the point of contact, racing through my meridians. My muscles stiffened almost immediately as paralysis tried to lock every joint in place.

It was a clever combination as one immobilized and the other delivered the killing blow.

“Divine Sanctuary of Life.”

Soft golden radiance flowed outward from my body. The poison vanished as though it had never existed. Vitality surged through every meridian, and countless blessings strengthened my body even further.

Without hesitation, I lowered my spear.

“Frost Smite.”

Frigid divine power erupted into my own shadow. Qiu Chen reacted instantly, abandoning his technique and fleeing through the darkness before the frost could completely consume him. He escaped, barely.

The expanding wave of divine frost instead collided head-on with Gong Zhi. The freezing aura smothered his Shadow Blaze, extinguishing the black inferno coating his body and violently disrupting the momentum of his charge. His advance slowed to a crawl.

Suddenly, a ripple distorted the empty space behind him.

Void Step.

Mao Yu appeared soundlessly. The technique was unmistakable. I had seen it countless times before. The Supreme Void himself had once employed that movement art.

Now… that was interesting.

The Ophanim continued unveiling the future before it happened.

Qiu Chen was already slipping through the shadows again, preparing another strike from my blind spot. Gong Zhi intended to unleash a spectacular spear technique, not because he believed it would kill me, but because its overwhelming visual display would conceal Mao Yu's true attack. Hidden behind both of them, Mao Yu quietly accumulated every ounce of power into a single sword strike meant to sever my head the moment my attention shifted.

Their coordination was exceptional, showing that every movement complemented another and every technique compensated for another's weakness. Against almost anyone else, it would have been flawless. Unfortunately for them, they were fighting me.

“Divine Step,” I softly uttered.

In an instant, I appeared behind Mao Yu and seized her skull in my grip with my free hand.

“Mao Yu,” I said calmly, “a former courtesan of the Hollowed World. You seduced wealthy patrons, blackmailed them with their secrets, and even married a few only to murder them in their sleep and steal their fortunes. I will not spare you. For your crimes, I sentence you to death.”

It was truly a pity. I had been curious about how she learned the Void Step, but justice came first.

“Save me—!” Mao Yu cried out desperately.

A massive presence surged above me. Cheng Bao. A powerful slashing force descended toward my head.

I closed my fist, channeling Divine Smite. Mao Yu’s skull shattered instantly in my grasp. At the same moment, my right arm still holding the spear was severed cleanly from my body. The cold sting of the blade surprised me. He could have tried to save her, yet he chose to disarm me instead.

“Summon: Holy Spirit,” I uttered softly.

The severed arm on the ground glowed and rose, transforming into a holy skeleton wreathed in divine light. Ezekiel had answered my call.

Fear flashed across Gong Zhi’s face as my hand shot forward and caught his skull in an iron grip.

“Gong Zhi,” I declared, my voice steady, “an assassin of the unorthodox sects in the Hollowed World. You killed for coin without hesitation, whether your target was an elderly merchant or an innocent child. I will not spare you. For your countless sins, I sentence you to death.”

I clenched my fist with Divine Smite. His skull crumbled with a sickening crack.

“You dare!” Cheng Bao roared furiously. Spiritual pressure exploded around him as he raised his massive blade high overhead and unleashed a powerful dark crescent slash.

Ezekiel stepped forward and cast Divine Favor on my spear, parrying the attack to the side. The deflected slash carved a deep trench into the ground.

“Shadow Smite!” Cheng Bao bellowed, slashing at Ezekiel before descending right behind me.

“True Darkness Smite!”

As his blade came swinging toward me, his own arm was suddenly severed. Divine Retribution had finally taken effect, reflecting the delayed damage for this moment. His aim went wide, and I easily sidestepped the blow. At the same time, I regenerated my missing arm with Divine Sanctuary of Life and reached out, grabbing the invisible presence beside me.

It was Qiu Chen. He possessed the best stealth among the group, but he clearly hadn’t expected me to see through him so easily.

“Thousand Poison Chains!” Qiu Chen shouted in panic. Multiple formation arrays lit up across the alley as poisonous chains surged toward me, wrapping around my body.

“Qiu Chen,” I said, looking down at him, “a respected pharmacist in the Hollowed World. On the surface, you maintained a flawless reputation to meet the expectations of your peers. All of that changed when you came to the Tower as you lived indulgently taking whichever women you desired and bullying those beneath you. True, you have performed some genuine good deeds outside the Tower. For that, I will spare your life. However, I sentence you to castration. If you commit evil again, I will destroy you completely.”

I unleashed several precise Divine Smite pulses through my Divine Zone, delicately severing what needed to be severed.

“AAAAAHHHH!!” Qiu Chen screamed in agony as blood burst between his legs. I released him, and he collapsed to his knees, clutching himself in horror.

I turned my gaze toward Cheng Bao, my voice cold. “Is that how you treat your Emperor, Guardian?”

Cheng Bao looked visibly nervous but still met my eyes. “I am no longer a Guardian,” he replied. “I serve a different master now.”

I narrowed my eyes. “A Guardian will always be a Guardian. But if you feel that strongly about it… fine. I demand to meet your lord.”

Instead of answering me, Cheng Bao dropped into a standard warrior stance, clearly preparing to unleash the Smite Series. I could sense his resolve that he was determined to protect his lord at all costs. In his mind, allowing me to meet his master would only bring destruction.

His left foot slid forward while the massive blade rested diagonally across his body. Every movement was deliberate, disciplined, and ingrained into his very instincts after countless years of practice. Even after entering the Tower and serving another master, he had never abandoned the techniques that defined the Paladin Legacy.

Through the Ophanim, I caught a glimpse of his thoughts.

"I must protect my lord no matter the cost. If His Majesty meets my lord... only destruction will follow."

I blinked.

That had never been my intention.

Truthfully, I had wanted to meet his lord from the very beginning. Anyone capable of earning Cheng Bao's unwavering loyalty couldn't possibly be a terrible person... or so I wanted to believe. Perhaps it was my own pride speaking. The people who had once admired me were generally decent individuals. It was only natural to think whoever inspired them now possessed similar qualities.

"Why are you reacting like this?" I asked, lowering my spear slightly. "I'm only asking to meet your lord."

Cheng Bao's weathered face tightened.

"...Your Majesty."

He actually bowed his head.

"I apologize, but you must not meet my lord, because I do not know whether you would survive."

I stared at him for a moment.

That was a surprisingly bold thing to say, yet Cheng Bao wasn't boasting. His heartbeat remained steady. His conviction never wavered. He truly believed the person inside that castle possessed the ability to kill me.

"I didn't come here to pick a fight," I said with a helpless sigh. "I came here to talk."

I pointed casually at my own chest.

"And this body is only a clone. Even if your lord somehow manages to destroy it, I won't truly die. I know I don't exactly have the best reputation when it comes to restraint or my temper, but I'm not nearly as unreasonable as people make me out to be."

My smile softened.

"I promise I won't harm your lord. If keeping that promise means this body perishes, then so be it."

I shrugged.

"I'm actually quite a reasonable person."

Behind me, Qiu Chen curled into a ball on the ground.

"My... my dick..."

His miserable sobbing echoed pitifully through the alley.

"My dick..."

Cheng Bao's expression didn't change. "I still cannot allow you to meet my lord. My lord is indeed a danger to you. But... you are also a danger to my lord."

The instant those words left his mouth, he vanished. "Searing Smite!"

Golden flames exploded from his blade. So, he had chosen damage over time as his opening move.

"Searing Smite," I reciprocated his technique.

Two torrents of divine fire collided between us before wrapping around both our bodies. My clothing immediately caught fire as searing heat engulfed my limbs. Cheng Bao fared no better. The flames consuming me reflected through Divine Retribution, stacking additional burns atop the injuries already scorching his flesh.

He frowned.

Apparently, he had already realized what my Divine Retribution could do.

"Frost Smite!"

Cold Qi erupted from his blade, instantly suppressing the divine flames surrounding us.

I raised an eyebrow. I hadn’t expected him to learn one of the more unorthodox Smites. Then again… he already wielded Shadow Smite and True Darkness Smite. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised.

"War Smite!" unleashed Cheng Bao as a tremendous shockwave exploded from his blade. The impact struck my guard squarely, launching me sideways through the air. Buildings blurred past as I was sent hurtling across the streets.

Cheng Bao pursued immediately.

"Zealot's Stride."

Instead of running across the ground, he sprinted directly through the air itself. Each step compressed spiritual energy beneath his feet, allowing him to chase after me without losing speed. He caught up within seconds.

Another slash descended.

"War Smite!"

I twisted my spear into position.

Boom!

The collision altered my trajectory instead of stopping it, sending me crashing downward toward the middle of a crowded avenue. Stone exploded beneath my boots. The surrounding streets instantly descended into chaos.

"Cultivators are fighting!"

"Run!"

"Everyone get away!"

"Protect the children!"

People abandoned market stalls as merchants scrambled to gather whatever valuables they could carry. Panic spread faster than wildfire while dozens fled in every direction.

Above me, Cheng Bao raised his enormous blade.

"True Darkness Smite!"

A colossal wave of black energy crashed downward.

"Divine Step," I responded in kind, allowing the world to blur around me once more. I disappeared from beneath the descending slash and reappeared directly above Cheng Bao. My spear gleamed with radiant gold. "True Divine Smite."

The attack descended like divine judgment.

Boom!

The earth caved inward.

A crater formed beneath Cheng Bao as overwhelming force crushed him into the ground. He coughed violently, blood spraying from the corner of his mouth before his body came to a stop.

“Ah, shit.” I cussed under my breath and scratched my cheek. “This is getting unpleasant.”

Everything was ruined now. So much for trying to have a peaceful conversation. Maybe I should simply leave Woodland Fortress and cut my losses.

The streets surrounding us erupted into chaos as frightened voices rang out.

“Report this to the constabulary!”

“Hurry!”

“Chief Constable Cheng Bao is under attack!”

“No, look! Chief Constable Cheng Bao is fighting that man!”

“Get reinforcements!”

Their panicked cries echoed across the entire fortress.

Then… the Ophanim went silent.

My future sight vanished completely. A suffocating chill crawled down my spine as I slowly lifted my head toward the enormous castle standing at the center of Woodland Fortress.

Someone… was looking at me.

The gaze carried neither killing intent nor hostility. It simply existed. Yet the Weight of Existence behind that single glance was so immense that every instinct I possessed screamed the same warning: Death.

I realized something deeply unsettling. Running away wasn’t an option. If the owner of that gaze truly wished to kill this body, I wouldn’t escape. Not because I lacked speed or techniques, but because the overwhelming Weight of Existence pressing upon reality itself rendered escape meaningless. Even destiny had fallen silent.

Across the ruined street, Cheng Bao planted his gigantic blade into the shattered earth and slowly pushed himself back onto his feet. Blood dripped from the corner of his lips as he prepared to resume the battle.

Then… he suddenly stopped.

His eyes lost focus for a brief moment. Qi Speech. Someone had contacted him.

A few seconds later, Cheng Bao lowered his weapon completely. He looked toward me with an expression I couldn’t quite decipher.

“…My lord,” he said quietly, “wishes to speak with you.”