NOVEL NEXT Chapter 507
00507 Dark Heaven Village ————————————————————————=
As I mentioned that I had used my powers, I began to recount in detail the death I experienced at the Heavenly Altar. Cheon Woo-jin, crossing his arms while listening, spoke up.
“I can’t quite grasp it just by hearing. Share it with Obsidian.”
“Ah, just a moment…”
I took out a fist-sized piece of Obsidian and drove it into the ground. Focusing my mind on the stone, I instructed,
“Touch it.”
Everyone extended their hands to the Obsidian. This method allowed us to transmit memories all at once without troubling each person individually.
Wiying!
As my experiences were shared with them, my companions wore serious expressions, one and all. Among them, Miho looked particularly shocked.
“Baek Woong, doesn’t this break the rules of the Offering Ceremony?”
“Hm…”
“Up until now, by making offerings to Jeon Wook or by offering the Moon Sovereign, the relevant Seven Luminaries’ creators were summoned. But this time, an unknown, powerful divine being randomly attacked you. This disregards the fundamental cause-and-effect relationship of the medium and summoning.”
“Right. This shouldn’t even be possible…”
Jin So-cheong, who had been pondering, commented.
“Baek Woong, is there a possibility that the being that summoned you is one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?”
“Even if it is the Three Sovereigns and Five…”
I felt uneasy in response to Jin So-cheong’s question.
“To date, I’ve directly encountered only three of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. I’ve never faced the other five divine beings head-on. So even if they are their true bodies, I wouldn’t know which one it is. Moreover, if it’s the Three Sovereigns and Five, what could possibly motivate them to intervene and kill me, a mere Apostle of Jeon Wook?”
“Hmmm…”
As the group fell into silence, Mangnyang, who was sitting nearby, spoke up.
“I have an inkling.”
“Me too.”
Cheon Woo-jin also spoke. It seemed that both the finest sorcerers understood something. Leaning forward, Mangnyang cradled his chin in both hands.
“… Taihao Fuxi.”
“What?!”
I exclaimed in surprise.
“He’s one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors!”
“Correct. Together with Nüwa, he is known as a creator of humanity.”
“Why would such a being be involved with someone like me…”
Mangnyang said gravely.
“However, given your past actions, the likelihood of it being him is quite high. There are two reasons. First, a divine being that cannot communicate; second, that Cheon Woo-jin’s powers did not activate…”
I recalled Mangnyang’s first point.
‘Now that I think about it, the Prophet had said such a thing.’
Though it was from a long time ago, it felt fresh in my memory. It was certainly from my nineteenth lifetime.
[Then, could it be that the Three Sovereigns cannot be summoned on purpose? Whether it’s Nüwa, Taihao Fuxi, or Yan Emperor Shennong…]
[If the Seven Luminaries are here, they could surely summon him for confirmation… but would that even matter? Especially as the current Fuxi might question our ability to converse… and as for Nüwa, she would likely be very angry with the world, so if she did get summoned, we might all end up dead.]
At that time, the Prophet had mentioned Fuxi’s condition. Given that he was a ‘non-communicating’ deity and one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, it indeed seemed likely to be Taihao Fuxi. Yet, I was unclear about the second reason, so I asked Mangnyang.
“What does it mean that Cheon Woo-jin’s powers did not activate?”
“Think about it. Fuxi was the one who imparted the Eight Trigrams and techniques to humans. Of course, mortal abilities wouldn’t work in front of him, right? I’ve also heard that the Eight Trigrams of the Seven Luminaries blocks all supernatural abilities.”
“Ah!”
“If someone as powerful as Cheon Woo-jin is unable to use any techniques, it implies that the being is at the origin of those powers. So, the likelihood of it being Taihao Fuxi is extremely high.”
At that moment, I could finally comprehend.
Certainly, techniques would be useless against the creator of those techniques. If other deities were to ignore them by force, in Fuxi’s case, the realm he governs would fundamentally invalidate all techniques.
“But why would the Three Sovereigns Fuxi be doing this…?”
“……”
Mangnyang contemplated for a while before speaking.
“I guess we have no choice but to gamble now.”
“What kind of gamble?”
“Though time is running out, we must take action.”
Mangnyang cast a fleeting glance at Cheon Woo-jin and said,
“Priest. Free Zhuge Sa.”
“Is that alright?”
Cheon Woo-jin asked worryingly.
“Older Brother, I mentioned ten days, but that was only if we sealed him with my powers while he remained confined in the Land and Earth Diagram. For several days now, the Demonic Ki has been boiling over, almost rampaging. If we release him now, he might transform into a powerful Demon King.”
“That’s irrelevant. In that case…”
Mangnyang proposed a countermeasure. Hearing this, Cheon Woo-jin frowned.
“… The problem is whether he will agree. An even bigger issue is whether we will be able to handle Zhuge Sa if he goes on a rampage here…”
I, in disbelief, turned to Cheon Woo-jin.
“Has Zhuge Sa grown so strong?”
“The Demon King regards him as his most trusted servant, pouring in magic power and markings. Moreover, he is the owner of the Nameless Ritual Book. Currently, among all human sorcerers, no one is stronger than Zhuge Sa.”
“……!!”
“Dammit… we should be more cautious. A wrong move and everyone here will die.”
Cheon Woo-jin cast a doubtful eye over our group. His gaze flickered past Jin So-cheong, the Sword Demon, Miho, and others. However, it seemed they had only recently begun training in Jangryeong Valley, so they weren’t in a state to be considered greatly powerful.
“I’ll take responsibility, so let him go! If worse comes to worst, I’ll use my power to turn back time.”
“Damn… you foolish one. Do you even understand what it means to be an Apostle?”
“I do, but why?”
“If you know, why are you saying such things? You understand the difference between the [Great Wheel] and the [Little Wheel] of time, right?”
When Cheon Woo-jin grunted about my explanation, I nodded my head.
“I understand. I’ve learned about the nature of time.”
In an ordinary situation, I wouldn’t have grasped such facts even if I woke from the dead, but I knew it now.
The time of the universe comprises the [Great Wheel] and the [Little Wheel].
The words spoken by Jeon Wook’s closest subordinate, Yeol, echoed in my mind like a vivid flash. When I entered training under the auspices of the Grand Celestial Phenomenon, Yeol had elaborated on this.
[Absolute time. A chaotic mingling of everything, often referred to as the [Great Wheel]. It is the most significant component of the Law of Cause and Effect, and this wheel is one that no one, aside from one supreme being, can escape from in this universe. The [Great Wheel] is the process through which the grand universe flows, so no deity can touch it. Even the highest Outer God cannot alter the [Great Wheel]. It will remain until the predetermined end comes.]
[If there’s a Great Wheel, is there also a Little Wheel?]
[Of course. What you’ll learn from now on is manipulating the [Little Wheel] with your time powers. This [Little Wheel] can be manipulated by nearly any deities. Being able to slow down time in the Celestial Realm, revert the age of a body, or halt the passage of time in civilization through the will of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors—all these are examples.]
[……?]
At that moment, I didn’t understand.
[What? So, a god can stop or reverse time? Why even distinguish between the Great Wheel and the Little Wheel?]
[Ah… you still don’t get it.]
Yeol had said.
[If you manipulate the time using the Little Wheel, it’s something that all gods will feel and know about. In simpler terms, an editing record must remain. As that record accumulates, the chance of backlash due to the Law of Cause and Effect also increases. You will have to be extremely cautious of other deities’ awareness.]
[……!!]
[Therefore, time attacks that utilize the Little Wheel will absolutely not work against divine beings. Manipulating the Little Wheel in a battle with gods becomes an act of suicide. While it may be possible to evade death by using powers late,]
[Ah, I see.]
Indeed.
A strong Apostle or deity could manipulate the Little Wheel to tame time at will, but that editing record is known by all and is even accessible!
Recalling the training memories, I said,
“The power I possess as an Apostle is the ability to manipulate the Little Wheel, so any deaths I evade would surely be known by not only the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors but also the [Old Ruler].”
“Exactly. If you attempt to subdue Zhuge Sa and fail, activating your third power will lead to endless consequences. The divine beings will direct all attention toward you, and consequently, your future will vanish!”
When Cheon Woo-jin raised his voice, I responded peacefully,
“… Don’t worry. If it comes to that, I’ll kill Zhuge Sa myself.”
At that, Cheon Woo-jin’s gaze shifted.
“Have you made up your mind?”
“Zhuge Sa’s life is not the sole life on the line. His desire for death doesn’t matter. Rather than hesitate and let all of you die, I’ll be resolute.”
“Alright, if that’s the case.”
Pa-at!
Everyone, fully prepared for battle, watched as Cheon Woo-jin opened the Land and Earth Diagram, releasing Zhuge Sa.
Kuuu…
Zhuge Sa appeared undeniably odd. His eyes were a mix of white, black, and gray, and he pressed his palm against his face. Moreover, he let out strange, monstrous groans while twisting his body in grotesque manners.
But after a moment, he removed his hand from his face and looked at me.
“Baek Woong.”
“Zhuge Sa.”
“Have you made up your mind?”
I nodded in response to Zhuge Sa’s question.
“Of course.”
“Hmm… the Demon King calls for me. The longest I can maintain my sanity is half a moment. Explain the situation and come to a conclusion within that time.”
“Here, catch this.”
I tossed the Obsidian to Zhuge Sa. Reading my memory quickly with the stone, he broke into a sly smile.
“Hehe, so that’s what happened.”
“Zhuge Sa, I have a request.”
“What is it?”
I looked earnestly at him and said,
“Please give up the Nameless Ritual Book.”
“Hmph, just when I thought you’d made a resolution, you’re trying to compromise halfway.”
“If you give up the Nameless Ritual Book, your magical powers will drop significantly, relieving the burden. And…”
“You’ll be able to provoke the Demon King using the [Eternal Fetus]. That’s more efficient than using the power of reversal to eliminate him.”
“… Right.”
Zhuge Sa suddenly burst into laughter.
“Puhaha! Hyun Ah. Don’t tell me you only think it’ll be great? What a soft plan!”
Hearing Zhuge Sa’s taunts, Mangnyang calmly replied.
“Uncle, we cannot abandon this without trying. For now, it’s the best we’ve got.”
“No, it’s absolutely not going to happen. It’s better to not try at all than to try and fail miserably.”
“……”
“I’ve understood that the ‘Demon King’ is the leader of the estate and a cunning opportunist. He’s currently using the Bloodsword Vale like a puppet, just biding his time. Whether he’ll interfere with the Battle Ground remains uncertain. Facing a charlatan and grand sorcerer who has reigned for thousands of years, thinking we can outsmart him through psychological warfare is being too naive.”
Zhuge Sa whined but continued.
“The Demon King should be killed outright using the power of reversal, and then we can whine to Jeon Wook about how to contend with the [Old Ruler].”
“Whine to Jeon Wook?”
“Right. What other options do we have? We’ve reached a point where we can’t handle this with sheer human strength, so now we must rely on divine powers.”
“But if we employ that tactic, then the avatar of Changqie will… Also, we’ve already promised the Master of the Twelve Joules to utilize the coup.”
“There’s no choice. We’re currently weak, so greedily attempting to catch him is futile. It’s more prudent to just endure this immediate crisis. And if we explain to the Master of the Twelve Joules that we cannot proceed, that would be the end of it.”
“……”
Everyone fell silent. This silence felt like acknowledgment of Zhuge Sa’s strategy being right, but it also carried the weight of a painful sense of powerlessness. After having nearly assembled all connections, the only approach available was to rely on divine powers, prompting a sense of despair. Zhuge Sa chuckled, attempting to break the tension.
I bit my lip hard.
“Zhuge Sa! What if we took this approach?”
“What is it? Hurry up and say it! I can’t hold on much longer.”
Zhuge Sa spoke irately while pressing on his temple. After gathering my thoughts, I uttered,
“We go right now and kill the Demon King.”
“……”
Zhuge Sa responded as if taken aback.
“If that were easy, why would we be here arguing? Just so you know, I’ve seen the level of your power from the Obsidian. But with that much strength, defeating the current Demon King, the leader of the estate will be difficult! His power is stronger than a hundred great sorcerers combined! So, we must increase our strength by enhancing the power of the Flame Elemental Sword or any other means.”
“Alone, it may be impossible, but I have one more person.”
“… You mean bringing in Miho?”
I nodded, affirming.
“We need to find Miho as quickly as possible, ally with her, and take down the Demon King first. Then, we can save our power of reversal for later.”
“That strategy is just as idealistic as what Hyun proposed. The guarantee of defeating the Demon King isn’t even there.”
“No, there is!”
I replied confidently.
“I believe the Celestial Realm envoy Changqie will at least seal him. That means Changqie’s power is on par with the Demon King!”
“Hmmm…”
“Then, we’ll jump on the opportunity. Once we defeat the Demon King, your soul’s shackles will also be lifted.”
Zhuge Sa pondered for a moment before replying,
“That’s too obvious. It won’t work.”
“Damn it!”
“The likelihood of the envoy Changqie joining us is far less than the chances of him rejecting us. Just look at how Zhang Sanbong acted! Even if he accepts, there’s a high probability he’ll stab us in the back now that he’s weakened. None of the people who can receive one second of the envoy Changqie’s attention aside from you and Cheon Woo-jin.”
“Don’t just think negatively…”
Zhuge Sa said curtly.
“Then what? Is being optimistic going to help if there is a failure? You can reincarnate and look for your next chance, but if those others fail, they’ll all die. Surely you understand that, right?”
I flinched.
As I reacted, Zhuge Sa sighed and continued,
“However, well, I appreciate that you’re using your head. You’ve shown the determination to solve things calmly without going all out recklessly. If I could confirm just one more thing, I would agree to give up the Nameless Ritual Book as you suggest.”
“One more? What is it?”
Zhuge Sa had changed his mind!
Overjoyed, I exclaimed, while he spoke slowly.
“Even if we all die and fail in this life, we must learn the reason why that grotesque existence presumed to be Taihao Fuxi appeared at the Offering Ceremony. To obtain the potential needed to unravel this uncertain situation is necessary. And that is…”
“What is that?”
Zhuge Sa said with sharp eyes.
“To meet with the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, Jeon Wook, right now.”
“……”
What in the world?
I spoke to Zhuge Sa.
“Zhuge Sa, as you know, unless I reach the event where the Sun and Moon converge during the Grand Celestial Phenomenon, accessing Jeon Wook’s dimension is impossible. And I don’t know how to reach the Grand Celestial Phenomenon!”
It was an embarrassing fact, but true.
Yeol had taught me the Apostle’s powers, but apart from that, he had hardly given me anything else.
I had only learned things that were thoroughly predetermined.
“That’s usually the case. But you are an Apostle. The human Apostle of Jeon Wook, unprecedented in history. You may be able to find Jeon Wook without being invited separately. If you look well in your memories, I believe you can find a way.”
“What? Why would you suddenly tell me to visit Jeon Wook…”
When I expressed my confusion, Zhuge Sa said,
“The matters of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors can only be known by themselves, who are immortals and divine beings. Given that the Offering Ceremony was their only means to make contact, we are left with no choice but to directly ask. If you could inquire about your curiosities with Jeon Wook, perhaps all these problems could be resolved.”
“Hmm…”
“Right now, go find him. Ask what went wrong with the Offering Ceremony, and how we should deal with the [Old Ruler] or the Demon King going forward. Which Apostle could do such a thing unless it’s you?”
“And if I can’t? If I can’t reach Jeon Wook’s dimension…”
I murmured in a voice rife with concern, and Zhuge Sa let out a soft chuckle.
“Then, just like previously mentioned, I will give up the Nameless Ritual Book I possess. And until the Demon King is dealt with, I will quietly remain sealed in the Land and Earth Diagram.”
It felt like a significant concession.
Gaining concessions from a madman like Zhuge Sa is incredibly challenging, so I was grateful.
“Thank you.”
I expressed my gratitude toward Zhuge Sa and focused my mind on recalling the memories of the five years I had trained.
“Damn it, there must be a way…”
Anxiously.
For five years, I’d been accepting the divine power of the Sun and Moon, training in spirit form and honestly never resting for even a moment. Thus, the number of memories was vast. Furthermore, since repetitive training occurred, searching through those memories wasn’t an easy task. Yet, I needed to somehow find even a backdoor to reach Jeon Wook.
After thinking for a while, I discovered something amidst the fragments of my memories.
“… Oh? Could it be?”
The gazes of everyone converged on me. Mangnyang spoke with an expectant voice.
“Baek Woong! Do you have a way?”
“Um… I’m not certain, but…”
I spoke in a hesitant tone.
“I feel like there’s a path towards the Grand Celestial Phenomenon where the [Two Ropes] and [Four Dimensions] converge at the hour of Jin…”
What I said made the sorcerers exchange looks with one another.
After a moment, they spoke in unison as if they had been waiting.
“Penglai Mountain (蓬萊山)!”