NOVEL NEXT Chapter 496
00496 암천향(暗天鄕) ————————————————————————=
I decided to go to the Brain Sound Temple to find out about Changqie’s clone. Once the plan was set, Mangnyang spoke to me.
“Baek Woong. I understand that the Lamas of the Brain Sound Temple harbor significant hostility towards the Central Plains people. This place has historically been a region with frequent conflicts against the Central Plains.”
According to Mangnyang, the Lamas of the Brain Sound Temple were all martial monks who had mastered martial arts and secret techniques at a high level, classified as forces within the martial world. Additionally, due to their heightened hostility, they often clashed with experts from the Central Plains.
“What should we do?”
“There are various strategies, but all are mere theory. First, preparing a gift and cautiously approaching them would be the best course of action.”
“I see.”
Having previously traveled with the Zhuge Clan to the realm of Bianhuang, I quickly found my way nearby.
Ta-daht
‘Right around here…’
After arriving at the Qingzhang Plateau in Tubo, I used the Heavenly Secret Technique to locate and summon a Lama’s spirit. The summoned Lama was the same Karun Lama I had called upon before, who was a high monk and a veteran of Western Vajrayana. Feeling pleasantly nostalgic, I greeted him.
“Greetings, Karun Lama.”
In a previous life, Karun Lama had guided me to the sacred site of the Baehwa Sect. Of course, I was familiar with him, but it was his first encounter with me.
[Hmm… Do you know me? One who wields the Heavenly Secret Technique. What request do you wish to make?]
“I intend to visit the Brain Sound Temple. Please guide me there and translate their words for us to talk.”
[It’s not a difficult task, but your request consists of two parts. Is it acceptable to extinguish two flames?]
I wasn’t about to expend two flames of the Heavenly Secret Technique for such a task, so I waved my hand in refusal.
“That’s not necessary. If that’s the case, I’ll find my own way there; just the translation would suffice.”
[…]
Karun Lama seemed to ponder for a moment and then spoke.
[Very well. I shall grant both requests with one flame.]
“Thank you.”
Karun Lama appeared to have a generous nature. Soon, he possessed my body, and we began racing forward, covering about three hundred li without pause before suddenly veering off and continuing for another five hundred li.
‘This is quite a distance…’
Before long, we descended from a plateau basin and entered the heart of a mystical mountain range, with Karun Lama navigating skillfully along a path only he seemed to know.
Ta-daht
Karun Lama began to touch the trees that dotted the area with his palms, moving in a swirling dance. Watching his movements, I felt curious and asked,
[What are you doing?]
[This place is shrouded by a formation, making it impossible for ordinary individuals to enter alive. I will perform the release method according to my memories.]
Are they using a formation technique to control access?
Indeed, it was evident that the Brain Sound Temple was a force within the martial world.
Ssssss
After a moment, Karun Lama’s strange movements completed eight rotations, lifting the mysterious mist that surrounded the area and revealing a narrow path. Unhesitatingly, Karun Lama followed the path down, and soon I spotted a grand Western-style temple standing in the basin.
[That is the Brain Sound Temple.]
[Uhm…!!]
Just as Karun Lama moved my body to the front gate of the temple, I was suddenly attacked by five iron cages flying in from all directions.
Karun Lama used his skillful transformation technique to evade the attack, yet each assault demonstrated a level of skill that was quite impressive. Given the forcefulness of their technique, it appeared they had trained in high-level martial arts for many years.
Before I knew it, five Lamas surrounded me, and the leader shouted,
“Who dares approach? How dare a Central Plains person trespass our territory?”
“Let’s kill him!”
Since Karun Lama was possessing my body, those words in the Tibetan language naturally translated into my ears. In response, Karun Lama retorted in the same language.
“I am Karun. Due to circumstances, I could not wait for the silence of Kalpa and borrowed this body to return home. Do not point your blades at my brethren, the souls living together in Kaliluka.”
“What?”
Karun Lama displayed a gesture of greeting with one hand.
“Dwapara Karqi.”
Swish
Hearing Karun Lama’s fluent Tibetan, the Lamas clearly seemed to waver. The tallest among them stepped forward, speaking with a voice filled with suspicion.
“By all appearances, you are indeed from the Central Plains. How then do you know of the secret return greeting of the Lamas?”
“Though my host may be from the Central Plains, I am a spirit lodged within him. I am Karun Lama, the highest disciple of Akki Lama. If you relay my identity to the current abbot, he will recognize it. I shall wait, so tell him.”
“Hmm… Wait!”
A short while later, Lamas emerged from inside and greeted me in unison.
“Follow us!”
I followed them inside. They eventually led me to a grand structure that appeared to be the Great Hero Hall, where I came face to face with a small Lama who had a somewhat strange appearance sitting in the center. The moment I met that Lama, I was greatly surprised.
‘Gasp… his martial arts level…!!’
It’s remarkably high!
Despite his unimpressive looks, the internal energy and essence he exuded were at an extraordinary level. Perhaps among the top three in the Central Plains? I never imagined there would be such a peak master outside of the Western Vajrayana representing the Brain Sound Temple.
The abbot of the Brain Sound Temple lifted his face, filled with liver spots, and gave me a quick glance before speaking.
“You… it truly is Karun… how delightful…”
Karun Lama appeared astounded.
“Yohan? Are you still alive?”
“Kekekek… to see my peer at this age brings me joy.”
Yohan, with a throat rattling voice, laughed heartily.
“Yohan… your cultivation has reached an extraordinary realm.”
“I have outlived Master Akki.”
“Indeed, it has been a long time.”
Swoosh
The two Lamas exchanged greetings, leaving me internally puzzled by their conversation.
‘What? This abbot Yohan of the Brain Sound Temple is over 280 years old?’
Is it possible for a human to live that long?
If so, Yohan’s skill and cultivation must undoubtedly be far beyond my initial judgment. Just as I was processing my astonishment, Abbot Yohan spoke.
“Karun… it seems that you are bound by great sorcery…”
“Indeed. My host sought answers from the Brain Sound Temple, and so I have come. I humbly request that you share this knowledge.”
“Hrumph… that is rather unsatisfactory…”
Yohan spoke with evident discontent.
“That sorcery… grants the right to rest at the end, but whether that rest is genuine no one can confirm. Is it a sweet lie… or perhaps the truth…”
Karun Lama sighed.
“Ah! The same applies to me. After years of austere training in the wilderness seeking to comprehend the will of God, I was unable to discern it. Yet now that I face death without realizing my aspirations, I have no choice but to cling to my final hope.”
“Kekek… karma… it’s karma…”
What does he mean by that?
After a while, Yohan said,
“Return the body to him… and respond to his inquiries as he wishes.”
“Understood.”
Swish
As Karun Lama withdrew from my inner self, my consciousness surged to the fore. However, Karun Lama had not been banished; he remained a part of my psyche, likely to continue translating Yohan’s words. Just as expected, Yohan’s speech came across as naturally as Central Plains dialect in my ears.
“One who commands Karun Lama, what business do you have in the Brain Sound Temple?”
Borrowing Karun Lama’s capabilities, I replied in Tibetan.
“I came to learn about the ancient being known as Changqie’s avatar.”
“Changqie…”
“As far as I know, there are eight avatars of Changqie, and I have heard the Brain Sound Temple possesses information about them.”
Abbott Yohan fell into silence for a moment before speaking.
“I certainly do have knowledge…”
“Please share it!”
“However, what do you wish to know it for…? Do you intend to kill Changqie?”
I hesitated on how to respond to Yohan’s question. Finally, I answered.
“I am an Apostle of Jeon Wook among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. The task bestowed upon me by Jeon Wook is to locate Changqie. I intend to gather the whereabouts of the avatars and search for Changqie. No orders to kill have been given to me.”
Normally, such an answer would be regarded as insanity. In the martial world of the Central Plains, very few believed in the existence of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and the concept of apostles was nearly nonexistent. Therefore, I hesitated in revealing this to Yohan, yet failing to speak the truth may give the impression that I was attempting to deceive him.
After a while, Yohan spoke in his rattling voice.
“I see… the world is in turmoil… the great event of the Sea God’s fall… that was truly achieved by you, the Apostle of God.”
“…!! You are aware of the Sea God’s death?”
“Of course… we too have received divine revelations…”
Abbott Yohan seemed to have a clear understanding of my situation. Not merely the leader of a martial world faction, he was someone well-versed in mysterious secrets. It appeared he was also quite knowledgeable about the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and apostles. After some time, Yohan collected his thoughts and stated,
“You are indeed a great hero… I shall share what I know freely… but before that, I want to hear a promise…”
Yohan began using formal speech with me, prompting me to question,
“What promise?”
“After conveying the information regarding the avatars, Changqie will undoubtedly seek to annihilate our Brain Sound Temple… due to breaking his taboo…”
“…”
“Yet I am not afraid… Life and death are one… you should not recklessly engage with Changqie… instead, ascertain the traces and relay them to the Three Sovereigns.”
“What are you saying?”
I countered Yohan.
“If Changqie’s avatar were to come to obliterate you, that would be an opportunity. I shall capture and defeat that avatar.”
“… Do you not know that Changqie is a god?”
“What do you mean?”
Yohan sighed heavily.
“Engaging with such an existence… is not as simple as you think… the avatars of Changqie will not confront you directly… However, they can manipulate the world from the darkest depths to the brightest heights… while fully understanding humanity… and exerting complete control…”
Yohan’s deeply-set eyes locked onto mine.
“Changqie is not someone who faces power with power… he is the craftiest of beings… without you realizing it… you might already be entangled in his web and being manipulated…”
“Hmm.”
“Thus, any attempts to eradicate our Brain Sound Temple would not be directly pursued by the avatars… instead, they would operate by sending their minions here lightly… The past conflicts between the martial world of the Central Plains and our Brain Sound Temple were likely orchestrated by Changqie’s design… he excels in cunning plots and takes pleasure in them…”
“……”
“Even if your strength is enough to topple a sea god, you would never have the chance to openly confront Changqie’s avatars either… He would undoubtedly be aware of that and thus would avoid a direct clash with you…”
I felt somewhat incredulous as I responded.
“Then there’s no need to give me the information on the avatars, is there? If it’s someone like him, what significance would knowing the avatars hold?”
“There is significance… you will know that once you hear my words.”
At last, it seemed we were getting to the heart of the matter.
“Please tell me.”
“The eight avatars of Changqie are known as the Eight Parts or the Eight Parts of the Divine.”
I was taken aback at Abbot Yohan’s words.
“The Eight Parts! Aren’t they the protectors of Buddhism?”
“Indeed… they are as such… those Eight Parts have existed since the Mythological Age, being involved in the esoteric parts of Tianji mythology… yet unlike what the world believes, these avatars belong to Changqie.”
“……”
The Eight Parts!
They were the protectors of Buddhism, known by various names. Comprising celestial beings, dragons, yakshas, Gandharvas, asuras, garudas, Gin Nara, and Mahoraga, they were said to protect the dharma and serve the Four Heavenly Kings. I had studied Buddhism and its scriptures to this extent, but never would I have thought that the Eight Parts themselves were avatars of Changqie!
Yohan continued.
“Our records at the Brain Sound Temple state that the Eight Parts all possess the ability to transform and wield divine powers.”
“Divine powers?”
“Referring to shedding the essences of the material world and becoming elemental beings capable of commanding powerful abilities. It’s one of the extremities of sorcerers…”
At that moment, recollections of past tales sprang to mind.
[His power certainly does not stem from magical means. It is the force of Theosis.]
[Wasn’t it said that the power sensed from Ivan IV was not magical? That statement holds true. He became a formidable being by delving into the powers of Theosis while obsessing over healing his ailment.]
[Just as explained. Theosis refers to humans who approach the realm of gods, as defined by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Currently, Ivan IV could be regarded as a demigod.]
While clashing with the mad king of the Arasa Empire, Ivan IV, the monk Belov had imparted such wisdom. They had referred to Ivan IV’s state as divine and close to being a demigod, not magical but transformed into an immensely powerful elemental being wielding the forces of nature labeled as Theosis.
A chill ran down my spine.
‘Damn it…’
Ivan IV had merely transformed from a frail human, yet he had become a powerful existence that could only be dealt with by unleashing the Seven Luminaries. If a being that originally held tremendous strength as a divine avatar like Changqie were to reach Theosis, how powerful would they become? The Eight Parts were bound to become an incredibly troublesome adversary. Moreover, if they favored indirect tactics over direct confrontation, dealing with them would only become more cumbersome.
While I was silent, Yohan continued.
“As mentioned, the Eight Parts have been shapeshifting throughout the human realm… they could be an ordinary passerby, a charming woman, an official, a monk, a Taoist, or even a martial artist… They have operated in the human world for thousands of years, observing humanity and relaying information to Changqie.”
“… If they can transform that way, how on earth do I find them?”
“There are two methods…”
Abbott Yohan began.
“You either need to use a powerful sacred text, treasure, martial arts, or sorcery capable of uncovering their transformation abilities… or alternatively, borrow the powers of The First Character…”
The former method is futile. Since I would not even know they had transformed, a direct attack would be contradictory. I perked up, intrigued by the latter method.
“The First Character?”
“Changqie was the very first existence to craft characters for humanity… however, the creation of characters was known to be a calamity for humanity… and thus, it bound the essence of Changqie to the power of these characters, rendering him and his followers weak against the first-created characters.”
“Could that character be the Oracle Bone Script?”
“I can’t say for certain…”
“Why not? Changqie surely invented the Oracle Bone Script.”
Yohan countered.
“That’s what I cannot ascertain… It’s quite possible that Changqie created many characters, not just the Oracle Bone Script…”
“……!!”
“That individual is a divine being touched by the mysteries beyond human history… the nature of the First Character remains unknown as of now…”
If it were true, determining what the First Character actually was would be essential in order to confront the historical emperor Changqie and his followers.
“Follow me, hero…”
Yohan then led me to a nearby library, selecting twenty books for me. Each one was filled with intricate language and dialects, making them seem challenging to interpret. Additionally, some appeared to contain script from the Otherworldly Races. Upon seeing the text of the Otherworldly Race, I was taken aback.
“Is this a demon book?”
“Though it was not penned directly by the gods, it is indeed the work of those fractious mortal sorcerers but nonetheless, it contains the secrets of the divine age… so interpret it well and uncover the information on Changqie.”
“Thank you.”
To think that the lower-tier demon book containing information on Changqie was kept at the Brain Sound Temple. I informed Abbott Yohan,
“I will frequently visit to ensure Changqie does not recklessly attack this place. I shall do my utmost to protect you.”
In return, Yohan spoke bitterly.
“Life and death are of no consequence… please do not concern yourself unduly…”
“……?”
Why did Yohan regard life and death as meaningless?
I felt perplexed but bid him farewell and returned to Jangryeong Valley. I then recounted to the Zhuge Clan, Mangnyang, Cheon Woo-jin, and others the profits I gained, presenting the low-tier demon book along with the other texts.
Zhuge Sa glanced over the demon book and said,
“Indeed. It holds value for interpretation.”
“How long will it take?”
“Well. Even if it’s a lower-tier book, it won’t be interpreted quickly… If we do not plan on communicating directly to release any seals, it will take at least three months.”
Murmuring to himself, Zhuge Sa remarked,
“We must investigate the First Character, which could serve as Changqie’s weakness. Mangnyang!”
Mangnyang nodded in response to Zhuge Sa’s call.
“We need to interpret the Oracle Bone Script and ancient texts as well.”
“Wait a bit. Let me finish interpreting this demon book before we commence.”
“You’re attempting to negotiate favorably with the prophet.”
Mangnyang replied to Zhuge Sa, who then said,
“Exactly. In the meantime, Mangnyang, you should strengthen your divine artifact while learning sorcery from Cheon Woo-jin. Baek Woong, start bringing the Sword Demon over.”
“The Sword Demon?”
“If Han Baek-ryeong evaluated him as such, the Sword Demon has likely already mastered the Twin Sword Technique. Rather than leaving him unattended, let’s ensure we use him as a definite force.”
Zhuge Sa’s logic was sound.
“Understood.”
Once I finished listening to Zhuge Sa’s words, I immediately set off to the Han Clan.
However, when I arrived, an unexpected scene awaited me.
[Greetings, Apostle of God…]
Ku-goong
I scanned the surroundings. To my shock, all the members of the Han Clan had been subdued and bound, with Han Jin-seong also bleeding out and kneeling in submission. Sitting in the chair designated for the clan leader was a faceless stranger propped with his chin, staring blankly in my direction.
“……!!”
Beside him lay Han Baek-ryeong, covered in blood and collapsed. It seemed she had resisted to the very end, as the surrounding area lay in ruins, but was ultimately outnumbered. Stepping upon Han Baek-ryeong’s back was the Dharma Guardian of the Wind Spirit Lineage, donning the Golden Dragon Mask.
The Master of the White Lotus Sect glared at me, his eyes alight with intent.
[I wish to form an alliance with you.]