Chapter 339: Constantine and the Dimensional Evil God Tang Song
Burning, scorching magic power flowed continuously through John Constantine's body, injecting into the six-pointed magic array before him.
The surging, hot magic power from the Demon King of Hell made John Constantine feel stuffed, but this wasn't the first time he'd borrowed the strength of these "old friends".
So, being familiar with the process, John Constantine wasn't in much pain. He lit a cigarette, and his brown trench coat billowed out behind him without wind.
His hands formed bizarre, twisted mudras that no Normal Person could make. Borrowing the strength of the Demon King of Hell, as his hands touched the magic array, clusters of black flames ignited simultaneously at the six points around the water droplets gemstone.
Streams of crimson light burst forth from the magic array, as if opening a Spatial Channel leading to another Dimension.
The six-pointed magic array emitted dazzling radiance. In the sight of a Magic User, invisible frequencies extended from this magic array, tracing the origin of the black mist at the center of the magic array.
"Whew!"
John Constantine stood beside the magic array, smoking his cigarette, acting as the casting medium for the magic array while thinking about how to deal with that Dimensional Evil God.
That black mist carried the Power of Death; perhaps He would be interested in souls.
The little bat said Earth was facing an apocalyptic crisis, and quite a few people would likely die. If he sold the souls of those deceased to that Dimensional Evil God, he should be able to exchange them for some powerful magic.
Fuck, it would be best if he could thoroughly screw over the Demon King of Hell's power. Hopefully, this time he could find a more powerful Evil God.
Thinking of the Demon King of Hell, a hint of gloom flashed in John Constantine's eyes. Back then, to save his old friend's soul, he had offended this Demon King of Hell. Although he later used the strength of Gabriel and a Witch to fight the Demon King of Hell multiple times and even managed to reclaim his soul for a time.
However, for some reason, he and Gabriel had a small misunderstanding.
Of course, there was a reason for it; it was absolutely not him intentionally framing that Archangel. As for selling out the Witch Ellie, that was even more of a misunderstanding.
Ultimately, to resist the vengeful Gabriel and the Witch, he was forced to sign a contract and sell his soul to the Demon King of Hell.
In exchange, the Demon King of Hell helped him drag his enemies, Ellie, Buer, Crowley, and Gary Lester, down to Hell and opened up a Space in Hell to store the souls of his deceased relatives and friends who couldn't ascend to Heaven.
Although he had reached a deal with the Demon King of Hell, as everyone knows, John Constantine has never been someone who abides by contracts.
He had been searching for a strength that could contend with the Demon King of Hell. However, the Demon King of Hell was the first Demon King of Hell in history to fall to Hell. Finding a strength that could match Him was not an easy matter.
He loosened his tie, looking at the glowing magic array with some anticipation.
Time passed little by little. Six or seven cigarette butts accumulated at John Constantine's feet, but the magic array's radiance remained. The black and red light beams continuously probed into The Void, yet there was no feedback whatsoever.
"Is the distance too great?!"
John Constantine looked at the black energy in the gemstone that was about to be completely consumed and couldn't help but scratch his head. Based on his many years of experience providing door-to-door service, this much time was enough to contact any Dimensional Evil God or Hell Demon, unless the distance was too far, or the owner of that strength had fallen into deep slumber.
Thinking of the latter possibility, a sharp light flashed in John Constantine's eyes. A Dimensional Evil God who had fallen into deep slumber – he could completely steal His strength.
For him, anything he could steal was never meant to be returned.
Deciding to act immediately, John Constantine casually tossed the cigarette butt from his mouth, brought his arms together, and two incomplete magic runes on his forearms instantly formed a circular magic pattern.
In the center of the magic pattern was a pictographic image of Quetzalcoatl.
This was something Constantine had obtained by selling his physical body and tricking a Witch, said to be a magic totem from the Mayans. The Mayans had perished centuries ago, so the Gods they worshipped had long since fallen into a state of deep slumber. For Constantine, such slumbering Gods were the best charging stations.
Unlike the strength of the Demon King of Hell and those Demons and Angels, if you used too much of Their strength, those stingy fellows would cast their watchful gaze upon you.
Accompanied by powerful magic fluctuation, the magic array on the ground immediately erupted with a brilliant light beam, plunging into The Void.
After the time it took to smoke a few more cigarettes, there was still no movement from the magic array.
With a series of cracking sounds, John Constantine looked at the shattered gemstone in the center of the magic array with some heartache, a hint of gloom flashing in his eyes. "Fuck, I lost money!"
Just as John Constantine was about to give up, he suddenly felt a sense of weightlessness beneath his feet, as if he were falling downwards.
The next moment, John Constantine felt as if his soul had detached from his physical body, directly traversing a Star Sea.
He could even see the distant, magnificent Nebula, as if the mysteries of the entire Universe were laid out before his eyes. Accompanied by a sensation of passing through a membrane, John Constantine's consciousness arrived in a magnificent World.
This place looked like the top of a Mountain Peak, a Mountain Peak made of red crystal. It looked very peculiar. A red jade stone-like road was laid out downwards along the Mountain Peak.
Various strange plants and trees grew on both sides of the road. Although John Constantine was currently in a soul body state, he felt a scent of plants and trees assailing his nostrils.
He walked up along the crystal road, looking back down. This Mountain Peak was at least hundreds of miles high. The upper half of the entire Mountain Peak was a huge Manor, with strange radiance falling from Above.
Shining on the Mountain Peak, on those magnificent architecture, John Constantine looked at the pavilion at the Mountain Peak and vaguely had a premonition that the Dimensional Evil God who had pulled him here was in the pavilion Above.
He climbed all the way up. Although he was a soul body, he felt as if he had a physical body at this moment, and as he continued to climb, he even felt a sense of fatigue.
Finally, after much effort, he reached the Mountain Peak. In that pavilion, a shadow wearing a white suit came into John Constantine's eyes.
"Asian?!"
John Constantine entered the pavilion, and the appearance of the person before him gradually became clear. He was somewhat surprised in his heart. He had dealt with many Demon Kings of Hell and Dimensional Evil Gods, but he had never seen an Evil God with an Asian appearance.
However, thinking that Dimensional Evil Gods could change their true body form at will, John Constantine suppressed the urge to use magic to probe His true body. He entered the pavilion, bowed towards the man, and said, "Great Crowned One, it is an honor to come and meet You!"
The man sized up the somewhat disheveled John Constantine before him, extended his hand, and gestured, "All who come are Guests, please sit!"
John Constantine was not timid at all and sat down directly opposite him. He reached into his trench coat, wanting to pull out his cigarette box, but found it empty.
Only then did he remember that he was currently a soul body, and his cigarettes were still in the pocket of his physical body's clothes.
Suddenly, a cigar box appeared before him. John Constantine looked up and saw the man gesturing to him with his hand.
John Constantine took out a cigar, also inlaid with crushed diamonds, from the cigar box inlaid with gemstones. He held this luxury item to his nose and sniffed. The man in the suit had already lit a cigar and was smoking heavily. He threw the cigar cutter and match in his hand to John Constantine:
"A true cigar rolled on the thighs of Cuban virgins. To maintain the pure taste, I specifically acquired a cigarette factory in Cuba. Try the taste?"
John Constantine skillfully used the cigar cutter to cut the tip of the cigar and used the match to slowly roast the cigar.
"I have never smoked such a luxury cigar. Compared to the other Gods and Demons I have encountered, You are the most knowledgeable Crowned One when it comes to enjoyment. Compared to those rude beings, You are truly too elegant. May I have the honor of knowing Your Divine Name!"
John Constantine smoked the cigar, showering the man in the suit with flattery, wanting to probe the man in the suit's origin.
The man in the suit exhaled a smoke ring, "You can call me Tang!"
Just moments ago, Tang Song, who was still having a party on a yacht near the Manhattan Sea Area, felt that in some unknown Parallel Universe,
Someone had triggered the decoy he had placed. He felt a trace of his strength being prayed for.
Someone was using magic abilities to trace the Skeleton Demon he had released, probing him in reverse. This immediately piqued his interest.
So, upon sensing that the magic power was about to dissipate, Tang Song used the location of the group of Skeleton Demons to pull this prayer into the Universe where he was located.
He didn't expect it to be such a pleasant surprise.
"Interesting..."
Tang Song recognized the person before him. Connecting the fact that the Skeleton Demon he had released had appeared in that Parallel Universe, it was clear that Star-Lord had gone there.
The DC Universe? Strange, how could the Marvel Universe's Quantum Tunnel connect to the DC Universe? Was there some connection he didn't understand?
Or was it related to the existence behind the Lord God Barracks! Tang Song's thoughts instantly connected many things in his mind.
And John Constantine's mind was also rapidly working, searching through the vast magic books he had read for a Demon or God named Tang.
However, no matter how long he thought, he couldn't find a corresponding figure.
"Great Crowned One, may I ask if there is anything You need my service for by summoning me?" John Constantine looked at Tang Song through the white smoke rising from his cigar.
Tang Song glanced sideways at John Constantine, chuckling, "Didn't you actively summon me, John Constantine? Are you coveting my strength!?"
"Cough, cough..."
John Constantine almost choked on the cigar he had inhaled. He coughed, and while covering his mouth, he secretly sized up Tang Song. He hadn't expected his reputation to spread so widely.
He just didn't know how much this Evil God or Demon before him knew about him.
"Great Crowned One, I am just a third-rate Mage who wishes to pray for strength. I didn't expect to unintentionally disturb You!" John Constantine tried to explain to Tang Song.
Tang Song looked at John Constantine with a smile, "Strength, I can bestow upon you powerful strength, but what can you offer in return? As a Mage, you should know that everything has a price, Mr. Constantine!"
John Constantine looked at Tang Song, a cunning smile flashing in his eyes. He felt as if another fat fish had taken the bait.
He pretended to grit his teeth with difficulty, "Great Crowned One, I have encountered some troublesome enemies. Many of my relatives and friends have died at their hands. They are too powerful. I am willing to exchange my soul for the strength needed to support my revenge from You. As long as You can help me, then after my death, my soul will automatically belong to You and be at Your disposal!" When it came to selling his soul, John Constantine was well-versed and felt no pressure at all. According to conservative estimates, he had signed no less than twenty contracts to sell his soul.
As for whose soul it would belong to after Death, this wasn't like a debt on a house where the bank has priority!
If they wanted his soul, they would have to compare fists. Whoever among those Demons and Angels had the harder fist, his soul would belong to them.
Many times, when he was on the verge of Death, the Demon Kings of Hell and Archangels who came to harvest his soul would start fighting among themselves to contend for the ownership of his soul.
Unable to determine a winner, they could only revive him. What Demon Kings of Hell, Angels, and even that God, weren't they all reduced to his hired workers?
John Constantine secretly looked at Tang Song. When he saw him, he was somewhat stunned. His tried-and-true method was actually useless.
He clearly saw the look of disgust on the face of the being called Tang before him.
"I don't need your soul, I'm not interested in a bus!" Tang Song waved his hand over the stone table in the pavilion, and several things immediately appeared on the blood jade-like stone table.
A small banner made of bone, several small black flags, a string of white jade-like bone beads, and several three-inch long white bone swords.
John Constantine looked at the glowing things. Although he didn't feel any magic fluctuation, he could sense the same energy aura on these magic items as on those bone fragments.
"This banner is the Ghoul White Bone Banner. It can grow by absorbing the Essence Soul of living beings, which is their soul. When you encounter an enemy, wave this banner at them, and their soul will be absorbed into the banner! It's a good protective magic treasure! Do you want it?"
Tang Song pointed to the small banner made of bone and asked John Constantine. Without waiting for his answer, Tang Song pointed to the black small flags next to it.
"These are the Capital Heavenly Demon Flags. A set of twelve. It is said that if they devour enough souls, they can summon the Strength of the Twelve Ancestral Witches."
Tang Song slightly raised his finger, and the twelve Capital Heavenly Demon Flags flew up. Their flagpoles inserted into the red jade tabletop, making a clanging sound like metal and iron colliding.
John Constantine watched as the twelve Capital Heavenly Demon Flags grew larger in the wind. On their lacquered surface, the phantom of twelve demonic gods stepping on giant pythons shaking.
John Constantine's gaze met that of a demonic god with a python head and human body, stepping on two giant black pythons, covered in palm-sized pitch black scales. His entire mind shaking, as if he heard a low roar from the ancient primordial era, from the time when heaven and earth were first created.
"Fuck! What is the origin of this guy? A God or Demon from the Eastern Divine Pantheon!"
John Constantine looked at the few magic weapons on the table, vaguely feeling that he might have messed up this time.
"If the Capital Heavenly Demon Flags devour enough souls, they even have the strength to destroy a Universe! As for your so-called enemies, they are just a pile of toys to it, provided you feed it enough Essence Soul!" Tang Song looked at John Constantine with a playful expression.
"Here, this one is a Skeleton Demon that I refined. You should have encountered it. It's a small thing, but if it devours some more Essence Soul, it can evolve into a White Bone Demonic God. Ordinary Demons are just small snacks to them!"
"These are the Nine Mother-Child Yin Soul Swords. These swords are refined using the spine bone of Hell Demonic Dragons. Holding the mother sword allows you to control the child swords, specifically for severing Yin Souls, which are souls. If your Cultivation Base is sufficient, you can even sever those messy Brands on your body!"
Tang Song unhurriedly finished introducing the things on the table. He tapped the cigar smoke in his hand a few times in the ashtray that had appeared at some point. He looked at John Constantine with a smile:
"How are these magic weapons? Pick one!"
John Constantine looked at Tang Song, taking a deep puff of his cigar. His gaze was filled with struggle.
John Constantine, who always loved to take advantage, did not speak rashly this time. He just smoked his cigar, enveloped in smoke, wondering what he was thinking.
Tang Song, however, did not urge him, smoking beside him and waiting for his reply.
"What do you need me to do?" After a long time, John Constantine looked up at Tang Song, his gaze fixed on Tang Song's face, wanting to know his purpose.
Tang Song wiped the table with his hand. This time, a three-foot-tall sculpture appeared on the table.
John Constantine looked at this sculpture, which wore a beaded crown and a long robe, and was eighty to ninety percent similar to the Tang before him. He looked at Tang Song with a face full of doubt, clearly not quite understanding his meaning.
"I am very interested in your Universe. I need a suitable person to spread the power of faith for me. It just so happens that I know your relationship with the God of your Universe seems ordinary. I want you to help me replace the Crosses in The Church with my sculpture!"
Hearing Tang Song's casual words, John Constantine suddenly stood up. His mind was filled with only one sentence: "God War!"
As a Black Magic Master, John Constantine knew many secrets that Normal People did not understand, such as the Crusades, and the ancient Moses parting the Sea. These involved the War of Gods.
The brutal war, the number of casualties, and even the extinguishing of the divine flames of countless Deities – he could imagine the cruelty of these wars from the bits and pieces of ancient magic history.
He had never thought that one day he would be involved in such a situation.
Challenging God? One must know that even the most vicious Demon Kings of Hell only dared to think about it and never dared to take action.
Even with the Demon King of Hell, Heaven's side only had the Archangel Gabriel step forward to deal with him. God clearly never took this Demon King of Hell seriously.
This unknown Evil God before him actually dared to challenge God.
Looking at the sculpture on the table, John Constantine swallowed his saliva. He squeezed out a bitter smile towards Tang Song, "Great Crowned One, I have some matters in the Reality World. Can I leave first and visit You again later!"
"What do you think!"
Tang Song smiled slightly, "Come, let me show you something good!"
Saying this, he swiped his finger, and the Mountain Peak beneath their feet instantly turned into The Void, revealing a vast ocean of blood below.
In the Blood Sea, the river water was blood red, yin wind howled, blood waves surged, and in the Blood Sea, countless Demons could vaguely be seen wailing and being devoured by the Blood Sea.
On a pitch black land within the Blood Sea, a group of Angels with blood-colored wings were supervising some Demons building a vast complex of Palaces.
"When this Underworld is established, to punish some evil people, I plan to emulate the mythology of The East and have them build an Eighteen Layers of Hell. By the way, Mr. Constantine, you are knowledgeable. Do you know about the Eighteen Layers of Hell? Tongue Ripping, Waist Chopping, Skinning, Oil Pot, Mountain of Blades, Sea of Fire... I can't remember the rest. Would you like to offer some guidance?"
With every sentence Tang Song spoke, John Constantine's complexion grew uglier. He had studied the Eastern system of mythology and naturally knew about the Eighteen Layers of Hell in the Eastern Underworld.
It was precisely because he knew that he felt fear in his heart.
He lowered his head to look, the architecture in the Blood Sea below was shrouded in a hazy, foul-smelling blood mist. The building complex being constructed could be vaguely seen.
John Constantine suppressed the fear in his heart and took two hard puffs of his cigar, hissing.
He exhaled a smoke ring, glaring fiercely at Tang Song.
"Have You really not considered the consequences of starting a God War? You know, He is the only God after the victory of the God War. No one dares to provoke Him! Can You bear the consequences of failing the God War? I don't want to be crushed into dust by being dragged into Your conflict!"
As soon as John Constantine's half-admonishing, half-threatening words left his mouth, he didn't expect Tang Song's next words to make the cigar in John Constantine's mouth fall directly to the ground.
"Relax, it's just God. It's not like I haven't killed one before!" Tang Song patted John Constantine's shoulder, completely disregarding John Constantine's shock upon hearing his words.
"Come, look at these magic weapons. Which one do you like?"
John Constantine woke up from his shock, but Tang Song's words still echoed in his mind, "Are you telling the truth?"
Tang Song picked up a three-inch bone sword, flicking it with his fingertip. "What's true or false? Hmm, you're not choosing. It seems you want them all. I like greedy guys. I'll give you all these things. Go back and do a good job!"
John Constantine felt a coolness in his brow. The three-inch bone sword seemed like a phantom and disappeared into his brow. He subconsciously touched his brow, which was bare and smooth, without any wound.
"Alright, take these things and do a good job for me. I'm not like those Demons. As long as you do well, I never mistreat my own people!"
Tang Song stuffed the things on the table into John Constantine's arms and then pushed him! John Constantine was about to say something else, but he only felt another sensation of falling. This strange World before him became repulsive to him. The next moment, his spirit was shaken, and when he opened his eyes, he was back in front of the magic array that had just extinguished.
Marvel Universe Abyss Blood Sea World
Tang Song played with a trace of soul aura he had extracted from John Constantine, opened an ancient scroll, and branded John Constantine's soul onto it.
On this ancient scroll, the names of Kane, Lane, Frank, and Connors could vaguely be seen.
"You would actually record his name in the Heavenly Court Immortal Registry! And you gave him the Capital Heavenly Demon Flags!"
A woman in a long dress with a cold demeanor came to the pavilion, looking at Tang Song's operation with some surprise, "You value this person very much?"
"It's not about value," Tang Song's talisman brush, which had been used to record the name, turned into points of golden light and dissipated. He extended his hand, and a look of resentful blush appeared on the woman's face. She reluctantly handed him the chain of the collar around her neck.
"This bastard is considered a famous shit-stirrer in his Universe. His Position/Status and Fate are somewhat similar to a Bringer of Disaster I know.
Those he deals with are all High-level beings, Demons, Angels, and some Evil Gods and Gods. Do you know how many living beings need to be slaughtered to refine twelve Capital Heavenly Demon Flags? I calculated it, and even slaughtering the entire Universe would not complete one-third."
Tang Song led Hela, whose clothes had disappeared at some point, strolling through this Manor under the blood moon.
"Find some High-level Demons and Gods from other Universes to feed these twelve Capital Heavenly Demon Flags!"
"Aren't you afraid he'll run off with your twelve Capital Heavenly Demon Flags!" Hela looked at Tang Song hatefully.
"What do you think I spent so much lifework refining this Heavenly Court Immortal Registry for! It can make a person's soul immortal, and naturally, it can also make their life worse than Death!"
Tang Song glanced back at Hela. Hearing Tang Song's indifferent tone, Hela, the Goddess of Death who had killed countless beings, felt a chill in her heart.
(End of chapter)