Immortal Paladin

A few moments ago...

Dawn painted the desert in hues of gold and crimson.

The first thing I noticed was the silence. No whispers of the Black Forest. No rustling leaves. No gnawing abominations lurking in the dark. Only the endless dunes of sand stretching in every direction.

The skull strapped to Alice’s waist stirred, its voice dry and amused.

“This is no longer the Black Forest.”

I turned, surveying the land. It was right.

Where once there had been a world of twisted trees and horrors, now only an arid wasteland remained.

Joan let out a long breath, standing at the center of a fading golden glow. The last remnants of her Divine Descent flickered and dissolved, her halo vanishing as she let go of the power she had invoked. She winced, touching her chest, then muttered a soft prayer. A warm pulse of magic surged outward, knitting her wounds back together.

Alice took a slow breath and stretched. Then she frowned. Her crimson eyes flickered, and she touched her collarbone. “I can feel it again,” she murmured.

I raised an eyebrow.

She clenched her fist. “The Blood Pact.”

I froze.

That could only mean one thing.

“…And?” I asked. “We are back on the material plane… So?

Alice’s frown deepened, her gaze distant as if she were sensing something far away. Then, her expression twisted in alarm. “Your main body is in danger.”

My heart dropped.

That was bad.

I immediately tried activating Egress.

The skill flared to life, only for a spike of pain to lance through me.

My entire body convulsed. My stomach wrenched violently as blood surged up my throat, and I collapsed to my knees, vomiting onto the sand.

“David!” Joan was beside me in an instant, her hands glowing as she pressed them against my back, purging the backlash with a surge of healing.

I coughed, wiping my mouth. That was not normal. I’d never failed Egress that violently before. I clenched my jaw. “I strained Lu Gao too much,” I muttered, realization sinking in. “I think… I can’t use any more skills in this body.”

I reached inward, calling for Lu Gao.

Nothing.

That was… odd.

I focused harder, searching for the connection between our souls.

And there, faint, but still there. He was alive, but exhausted.

I exhaled. “He’s fine,” I reassured the others, or more like I reassured myself. “Just tired.”

Joan and Alice exchanged glances.

Then, I closed my eyes. “I’ll be dispelling Divine Possession. Take care of Lu Gao for me...”

Before I could finish, Alice grabbed my wrist.

I blinked at her.

Her grip was tight, her skin clammy.

She was nervous.

That wasn’t like her.

“…What?” I asked.

Alice licked her lips. “David,” she said slowly. “I’m getting intermittent visions.”

My brows furrowed. “Visions?”

She nodded. “From the blood left in your main body.” Her voice dropped. “And whatever is on the other side…”

She swallowed.

“…It’s on par with a God.”

Silence.

Joan stiffened.

I narrowed my eyes. “And?”

Alice stared at me. “And I’m telling you not to go.”

I scoffed, shaking her hand off. “You already know the answer to that.”

“David...”

“There are people relying on me. I have to go.”

Alice’s lips pressed into a thin line. Then, she exhaled, letting me go.

“…Then at least don’t risk your immortal soul.”

I looked at her.

Alice’s expression was grim. “Dying isn’t a big deal.” Her voice was quiet. “Not really. After all… true death only comes when your soul is extinguished.”

Joan shifted uncomfortably. “That’s… an awfully bleak perspective.”

Alice didn’t reply.

I closed my eyes.

Dying wasn’t an option. Not for me. Not yet. “…I have to go,” I repeated.

Alice sighed. “Then listen to me first.” She met my gaze. “Your Holy Spirit lost.”

I stilled.

Alice nodded. “I don’t understand the full picture of your situation, however, I have an inkling. The other ’you’ used Final Adjudication.” Her voice was even, but serious. “And lost. I saw it. Glimpses of memory, despair, and grief…”

The words hung in the air like a noose.

Joan turned to me with a hesitant look in her eyes. “David…” she started. Then, more softly:

“…Are you still the same Paladin I knew back in Losten?”

I didn’t answer. I closed my eyes, dispelling Divine Possession.

The desert wind howled around us.

I let my consciousness drift.

Wait for me, Dave. Everyone.

I’m coming back.

...

..

.

Dave’s existence flickered.

I felt it the moment I arrived, his presence wavering, dimming, slipping away like a candle in the wind. But before that could happen, I reached out. “Everything will be fine. I’m here.”

A surge of remorse and hope flooded through him.

His soul, battered and exhausted, hesitated for only a moment before it returned to me.

Reunited.

I exhaled slowly, feeling his presence settle back into the depths of my soul. Then, I opened my eyes. Night had fallen. Stars flickered above, their distant light barely piercing the bleak battlefield. I stretched, rolling my shoulders and cracking my neck.

The moment I moved, I heard hurried footsteps.

A figure emerged from the shadows, a Fifth Realm cultivator, his eyes wild with desperation and madness. His aura flared as he charged at me, teeth bared in some fanatic rage. I thought of using Hollow Point: Incursion.

…Only to realize I had no demonic energy.

Ah. Right.

That didn’t mean I learned nothing from Lu Gao’s technique, though. Truth be told, I picked up a lot of things. The crazed cultivator lunged at me. I sighed. Fine. Let’s test it. I raised my hand and lightly slapped him. His head flew off his shoulders. Then, it exploded. Blood and viscera painted the ground as the body collapsed, twitching.

I shook my hand off. Messy.

That was Hollow Point. No Incursion, just Hollow Point.

So, what was Hollow Point?

In simple terms, it meant I had nearly a 100% critical chance.

To be more humble and accurate, it was roughly 99%.

That was why even a light slap from me could kill instantly.

A sharp intake of breath resounded from the few living beings around me.

I turned.

Another man had appeared. He was standing at a distance, watching me with narrowed eyes. He looked… familiar. For a moment, I wondered if he was Hei Mao. But then he opened his mouth and started yapping.

Oh. No.

It was the annoying kind of yapping.

The kind where they go on and on about power, fate, vengeance, destiny, or some other nonsense.

At first, I thought he would stop eventually.

So, I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

But he just wouldn’t stop. I felt my patience fraying. Deep breath. I sighed. Then, finally, I asked,

“Who are you?”

The man flamboyantly introduced himself.

“I am Shenyuan!”

He hovered in the air, arms spread wide like he was delivering a grand performance. His voice carried the irritation of a man forced to explain something beneath him. I stared at him. Then past him.

My eyes swept across the island.

I imagined rolling for perception, but there was no need as a familiar scent hit me. Death. So many deaths. I sighed.

Meanwhile, Shenyuan was still talking. Glory. Prison. The Black Forest. The Greater Universe. Secrets to reach Godhood. And then, the invitation. “What do you think of joining me?”

I took a slow, deep breath.

Am I angry?

No.

Far from it.

I was… sad.

This was the man who had schemed and outplayed me? Was this the person responsible for everything that had happened? The fact that so many people had died under my care spoke of just how weak my thinking was and how misplaced I was. Of course, the Shadow Clan was not my people.

But that wasn’t the point.

The point was, I should have been here.

I wished... Alice and Joan were here. But alas, that wasn’t the case. My grip tightened on Silver Steel. And slowly, I felt anger rear its ugly head. I had been forcibly suppressing my emotions, shoring them up using my Intelligence and Wisdom stats—logically reasoning through my pain, detaching from it.

But even that had its limits.

I activated Silver Soul, the skill imbued within my blade. A wave of calm washed over me. And just like that, I returned to sadness. Around me, cultivators and undead tensed. Shenyuan frowned.

“What… was that just now?” asked Shenyuan.

”That’s me. Mourning.” I answered flatly.

I tried Voice Chat.

Hei Mao? …Nothing.

Ren Xun? …Nothing.

Gu Jie? …Nothing.

My fingers clenched around Silver Steel. I exhaled. ”How did you kill my disciples?”

Shenyuan smirked. ”Kill? Oh no, I did much worse.”

He gestured to the Puppet Armor standing nearby.

”I can detach pieces of my soul, embedding them into my shadows,” he said, voice dripping with pride. ”A little trick of mine. You recognize this armor, don’t you? Meant as a vessel for your soul-clone, yes? Such a fine design, but…”

His smile widened. ”It lacked a master to truly use it. So I… volunteered. In a sense, raising undead is just like puppet arts, you know?”

My heart sank.

”You used it.”

”Oh yes. And through it, I destroyed your beloved disciples.”

I moved.

Flash Step.

A golden afterimage trailed behind me. I reached the Puppet Armor and cast Exorcise, holy light flaring as I purged the remnants of his presence. Then, without hesitation, I stashed it into my Item Box.

Shenyuan scoffed. ”How rude.”

The ground rumbled.

More cultivators and undead rushed toward me. I counted ten. No, fifteen. They ranged from the Third to the Fifth Realms. They thought they were fast. I cast Holy Aura. The moment my divine light unfurled, their movements dragged to a crawl.

I took a single step forward. Silver Steel gleamed. I swung lightly, aiming for their throats.

One breath. One stroke.

A thread of silver danced through the air. Their heads fell. And then their bodies followed.

Shenyuan sighed. ”What a pity,” he said. ”You truly insist on being my enemy.”

His eyes gleamed.

”I could resurrect them, you know.”

I froze.

”All your disciples. I could bring them back.”

His voice was almost gentle.

”All you need to do…”

He spread his arms.

”Is submit.”

”No thanks, I’m fine,” I told him. ”I can handle it.”

I crouched down, grabbing my helm from the ground.

Inside was a head. I tilted it slightly, letting the starlight illuminate the face. My head. It was smiling. Creepy. For a brief moment, I wondered what Dave had thought before the lights went out. 

That aside, he had lost.

And not just barely.

Beheaded. While in my body. I sighed, stuffing both the helm and the head into my Item Box. Not that I particularly liked wearing a helmet. It made me feel claustrophobic. Sure, I’d trained to get used to them. But in the end, it still wasn’t me. I had worn one for David_69.

But for David the Gamer?

No, thanks.

Maybe some other time.

Shenyuan chuckled. ”You should wear your helm,” he suggested.

I glanced at him. ”Why?”

”I’d hate for you to lose and whine about not being at full power,” he said smoothly.

Childish.

I exhaled. ”It would just get in the way.”

Then, I lifted my sword and added, ”After all, I want a good view of your face when I slaughter you.”

I moved.

Zealot’s Stride.

Holy energy flooded my veins, burning like a sun in my chest. I cast Divine Smite. Silver Steel glowed. I swung. Superheated air blasted outward, tearing the ground apart. Divine light cut through the dark, a crescent arc racing straight toward Shenyuan’s chest.

And then... 

It passed right through as if he were intangible.

Shenyuan laughed.

”Inept,” he sneered. ”A fool.”

I narrowed my eyes. Searing Smite.

Nothing.

Shenyuan hovered above, watching, his expression an infuriating mix of amusement and mockery. I clenched my jaw. I could feel anger boiling under my skin, but I forced it down. Intangibility was such a bullshit ability. There had to be a way.

I thought of a certain fish. Ren Jingyi. I reached out through Voice Chat.

And it... connected.

”His Eminence?” came the voice, soft and hesitant.

I exhaled. ”Tell me everything that happened.”

I swung my sword. Again. Again.

Venting anger.

Testing skills.

As I fought my own uselessness, I listened.

—

”It was dark. It was so, so dark.”

”The miasma came first. Thick and choking, creeping through the island like a living thing.”

”Then came the dead.”

”They weren’t just corpses. They were… wrong. Corrupted. Twisted. They whispered things in voices that weren’t their own.”

”Big Sister Gu Jie... she...”

She paused. A shuddering breath.

”She fought until the end. She tried to protect us, but...”

”The sword came so fast. I didn’t even see it. Her head… just… rolled.”

A choked sound.

”Stupid Bro Ren Xun suffered the same. He didn’t even get to curse before his body fell apart.”

”Hei Mao… Hei Mao knew we couldn’t win. He knew it.”

”He smiled at me before he ran straight into them. He...”

”He tore him apart, devoured him.”

Her voice wavered.

”Senior Dai Fu… he tried to save us. Me and Hei Mao. He tried so hard. He threw himself into that sea of death, cutting them down one by one.”

”But he failed.”

”He failed miserably.”

Silence.

I exhaled slowly, gripping my sword tightly. I stopped swinging. I stared at Shenyuan as he finally descended, his feet touching the blood-soaked ground of the island.

He smirked. “Tired?”

I ignored him.

”Ren Jingyi.”

Her breath hitched through Voice Chat.

”Run away.”

”What? No! I...”

I cut the connection. I had no time for arguments. I took a deep breath, focusing. Options. What were my options?

—One spell slot left for an Ultimate Skill.

—Plenty of mana.

—A decent stockpile of treasures and consumables.

Not great. But not hopeless.

Shenyuan sighed. “This is getting boring.”

Then he vanished.

I saw him through my Divine Sense.

Appearing... behind me.

But knowing wasn’t the same as reacting.

A wet, sickening sound.

Pain.

His hand punched through my back, bursting past ribs, flesh, and muscle.

I looked down.

Saw it.

My own beating heart.

Blood dripped from his fingers.

Shenyuan chuckled. “It’s fascinating, really. The human heart.”

I didn’t move. I didn’t panic. I waited.

The moment he squeezed, I moved. My fingers clamped around his wrist, my grip like iron. And then I squeezed. A flash of divine light. Flash Parry. The skill’s flavor text was clear, something along the lines of parrying anything at the speed of light. A skill born from Parry, but evolved into something faster and deadlier.

CRACK.

Shenyuan’s wrist snapped like a dry twig.

His form flickered, vanishing, only to reappear meters away. Holding a twisted, mangled hand. He stared at it, then at me, lips curling.

”A heart for a hand? Seems like an uneven trade.”

I wiped the blood from my lips.

“I don’t think so.”

I raised a hand. Cure.

Warmth spread through my chest. Flesh knit back together. Ribs reformed. A new heart took its place. I could feel it beating under my chest once more, vigorous and powerful.

Shenyuan’s eyes narrowed.

“I take it you’re confused,” I said. “After all, just how did I touch you?”

I grinned.

“Why don’t you try again? Maybe you’ll get it right this time.”

I watched Shenyuan.

His intangibility wasn’t some crude phasing ability. He could interact with what he wanted and ignore what he didn’t.

—My armor? Ignored.

—My blade? Passed right through.

Yet... I touched him.

That was enough to give me confidence.

Shenyuan’s mangled hand began to knit itself back together.

I looked around with Divine Sense.

One of the undead, standing in the loose circle of monsters watching us, collapsed into a heap of dry bones and rotting flesh. Ah. So it was that kind of healing. It was time to get serious. I raised my hand.

Compel Enemy.

A halo burst into existence, floating above me.

A second halo formed over Shenyuan’s head.

His smirk faded.

I followed up.

Designate Holy Enemy.

A red, reversed cross appeared, floating atop his head like a brand of judgment.

I wasn’t done.

Blessed Regeneration.

Warmth flooded my body, knitting my wounds at a constant rate.

Sacred Bulwark.

A shimmering aura surrounded me, increasing my Reflect Damage.

And then...

Blessed Weapon.

My Silver Steel gleamed, infused with the power of the divine.

One final set...

Holy Wrath.

Radiant Dawn.

The light surrounding me flared, empowering my next attack with explosive divine energy.

The night dimmed.

Even the stars seemed to fade.

Because Shenyuan was finally taking me seriously.

From the depths of his shadow, he pulled something out.

A saber.

So black, it seemed to consume the very light around it.

Shenyuan held it with ease.

His gaze met mine.

”You should be honored,” he said, voice mocking, yet cold.

”Few get to see my full power and live to tell the tale.”

My TriDivine passive shifted into Divine Flesh.

The change was immediate. I stood still. Unmoving. Unshaken. Yet, something inside me stirred. A calm, seething anger, buried deep, pressed down beneath sheer will. And then, my presence grew. I could feel it. The very fabric of my existence sharpened. My muscles compressed and condensed. Every fiber of my being undergoing a subtle, yet profound metamorphosis. This was the result of Mana Road Cultivation, the method Lu Gao and I had created together.

A technique that turned mana into a path. A path into stars!

And now...

First star.

A shift.

Second star.

The night air trembled.

Third star.

Shenyuan’s eyes narrowed.

He finally realized my peculiarity.

“Kill him.”

His voice snapped like a whip.

The undead and cultivators surged forward.

Spells, swords, spears...

All crashed against me.

Against my armor.

Against my skin.

Against my face.

But I did not move.

I remained unharmed.

Fourth star.

A few of my attackers flinched.

They had started suffering the effects of Reflect Damage bleeding into their forms.

Fifth star.

And still, I did not fall.

Instead...

With every blow I took, my Sacrificial Zeal kicked in. It amplified the damage I returned. Multiplied it. My Blessed Regeneration ensured I would not die from these small attacks. It went round and round, into a cycle.

Sixth star.

I raised my hand.

Righteous Reckoning.

A judgment skill.

It doubled my reflected damage, and empowered my next skill.

Seventh star.

My attackers continued to suffer.

Every time they landed a hit, they exploded.

Not all at once.

Some just lost limbs. Some were annihilated entirely.

The cultivators stopped. The braver ones hesitated.

And the ones who had their masks cracked? They stared at me in fear.

Eighth star.

Shenyuan finally had enough.

“Fall back!”

His forces retreated.

But his face and his ever-present smirk was gone.

He looked furious.

Ninth star.

I exhaled.

And my aura erupted.

Wild. Unchecked. A storm of divine might.

I turned to Shenyuan.

I asked him, “Can you run?”

His jaw tightened. The usual amusement was gone. In its place was only pure irritation.

I smiled.

And added, “I want you to run.”

A pause.

Then I whispered,

“So run for me, little hamster.”

Shenyuan laughed. No, he raved. Mad, unhinged, his voice echoed across the battlefield, a fevered delirium soaked in arrogance.

”I have a grand destiny to fulfill!” he declared, eyes burning with twisted conviction. ”One day, I will be a god! And you—”

His gaze bore into me, pupils dilated with sheer mania.

”—are nothing but rubble beneath my feet!”

He raised his saber. A black tide followed his swing... Darkness, formless and thick, rushed toward me like a flood of death. It was invisible to the naked eye. But not to me.

My Divine Sense laid it bare. I could smell the rot. I could taste the bitterness. I could hear the wails. I could see the writhing souls within. It was not a mere attack. It was devouring fate itself.

And so, I did not move.

Not yet.

I waited.

And then, at the very last moment... I used Flash Parry.

Not immediately. I delayed it.

Let the darkness strike me.

Let it touch me.

And the first microsecond it did, I switched my TriDivine passive into Divine Speed.

The world slowed.

I activated Flash Step.

In an instant, I disappeared.

And reappeared.

Right in front of Shenyuan.

His smirk froze.

My hand shot out, fingers locking around his wrist.

His saber trembled.

I let go of Silver Steel, returning it to my Item Box. Buffing the sword had been a bluff all along.

I leaned in. 

Embraced him.

Close.

Close enough to whisper.

”Final Adjudication.”