NOVEL NEXT Chapter 513
00513 암천향(暗天鄕) ————————————————————————=
After defeating the Demon King, we returned to Jangryeong Valley. Then, Cheon Woo-jin took out the Land and Earth Diagram and liberated Zhuge Sa.
*Pew!*
Zhuge Sa was slumbering comfortably. Mangnyang shook Zhuge Sa awake, and Zhuge Sa rose groggily, looking around.
“Hmm… So, we eliminated the Demon King. How?”
His first words were laced with suspicion, suggesting he believed it was nearly impossible for us to defeat the Demon King. I showed Zhuge Sa the obsidian I had prepared, and as he received it and read its memory, he looked dumbfounded.
“Are you guys out of your minds? If you failed, it would all be over, and you attacked without any assurance of victory!”
“That issue has already been discussed. Holding out wouldn’t have guaranteed an improvement in our situation anyway.”
I continued calmly.
“Regardless, the Demon King is defeated. Your bindings should have lifted as well.”
“Mm.”
Zhuge Sa tilted his head in thought and then said,
“Anyway, eliminating him without significant damage is a miraculous feat. And we need to capture and torture that Twelve Joules guy for answers.”
“Eh?”
I felt incredulous at Zhuge Sa’s unexpected statement. Why on earth was there talk of torturing the Twelve Joules? Zhuge Sa continued,
“Because he mentioned the [Ancient Continent]. It’s too suspicious.”
“Suspicious, sure, but…”
“Does anyone here know about the [Ancient Continent] other than me?”
Silence enveloped the room. The martial artists obviously wouldn’t know, and both Mangnyang and Cheon Woo-jin looked equally clueless. Zhuge Sa then smiled wryly.
“Well, it’s a secret belonging to the mysterious Path of Demons, so of course, they wouldn’t know.”
“Don’t boast; just tell me.”
“The [Ancient Continent] refers to a colossal continent that existed before the current world formed, prior to significant tectonic shifts. The civilization back then was far superior and powerful than what we see today.”
Zhuge Sa crossed his arms.
“However, that civilization vanished overnight, and that was a full ten thousand years ago. Considering that the history of this Ancient Middle Kingdom is at most five thousand years, it’s something from an era beyond human understanding—a secret passed down among sorcerers as the ultimate revelation.”
“Hmm…”
“To mention something like that, and also reference a path leading to the [Ancient Continent]… This cannot be overlooked. I may consider myself a powerful sorcerer, but I’ve never even heard of such paths. I thought they were merely records in the Demon Book.”
“……”
As Zhuge Sa spoke, my companions wore heavy expressions. After all, there wouldn’t be many sorcerers better than Zhuge Sa, and him speaking so seriously was alarming. Whatever means the Twelve Joules used, he must be aware of secrets from the age of mysteries that even sorcerers don’t know.
Cheon Woo-jin, mulling over it, said,
“What on earth is the Twelve Joules? Is that person one of the divine tribe?”
“I can’t say, so let’s capture him and torture him.”
Mangnyang asked with a puzzled expression.
“Are you confident you can capture him, Uncle?”
Zhuge Sa replied nonchalantly,
“Not right now. Even if the Fire Dragon Incarnate fought him directly, the Twelve Joules could likely escape from her.”
“……”
“I just mentioned it to Baek Woong. With our current strength, it would be impossible, but if there comes a chance to capture the Twelve Joules or if we grow strong enough… Don’t hesitate to torture him to extract all information. I think that will resolve the countless questions scattered throughout the current world.”
I nodded.
“Got it. How do we find the Twelve Joules then?”
“We don’t all need to rush in together. Just you, me, Miyamoto Musashi, and Miho. That’s enough. Mangnyang should stay back in case of emergencies as the brains, while Cheon Woo-jin handles defense and the martial artists should focus on saving their energy for training. And return the Nameless Ritual Book to me.”
“Here.”
*Whoosh!*
As I handed the Nameless Ritual Book to Zhuge Sa, he quickly absorbed its power and became its new owner. A formidable force was born once again.
*Bam!*
We rested for a whole day, adjusting our condition, then made our way to the Divine City, where the Twelve Joules was supposed to be. This time, however, someone was waiting at the bridge.
“Hey, how’s it going!”
He appeared to be an ordinary young scholar. Strangely excited upon seeing me, he waved his hands enthusiastically, drawing the attention of those around.
‘Who is this?’
I didn’t recognize him. Was he a resident of the Divine City?
However, the attire he wore wasn’t typical of the Divine City but that of a Central Plains scholar. Furthermore, his speech was distinctly from the Central Plains as well. But sensing his aura, I found almost nothing; he didn’t seem to have cultivated martial arts at all. I considered the possibility of him being a Return to Simplicity practitioner or belonging to the Absolute Realm but couldn’t judge since I couldn’t sense any energy to begin with. And he certainly didn’t appear to be a powerful sorcerer either.
With a puzzled expression, I looked at him and asked,
“Who are you? Did you just call me?”
“Oh~ yes! Haha. Finally meeting you!”
He chuckled with a wide grin on his face.
“Let me introduce myself. I’m O Seung-eun, a novel writer who recently decided to pursue writing, and I’m currently living in Nanjing.”
I wasn’t particularly curious, but I nodded nonetheless.
“Are you the person called Baek Woong?”
My eyes sharped at the mention of my name.
‘He’s definitely not an ordinary guy.’
Anyone who knew my name and was patiently waiting for me in front of the Divine City couldn’t just be a typical scholar!
Having that thought, my companions regarded O Seung-eun with great suspicion. However, it didn’t feel right to attack just yet, so I answered calmly.
“No.”
“Hmm, strange. I was sure I heard that name… Did you perhaps change your name recently because of bad fortune?”
“I don’t know, so please move aside. We have no business with you.”
Then O Seung-eun pondered for a moment and smiled.
“I’ll be waiting. Come out once your business is done.”
O Seung-eun subtly stepped aside at the entrance of the bridge. I felt uneasy, but somehow didn’t want to attack him.
‘Why am I feeling this way?’
It was strange. Under normal circumstances, I should have attacked him to subdue him, yet inexplicably, I didn’t feel an urge to fight, and thoughts of avoiding a conflict flooded my mind. That look of unease seemed shared among the other companions as well; they were signaling me with their eyes.
*Thud!*
We crossed the bridge and reached the other side. Zhuge Sa sighed heavily.
“This is a big problem. Really…”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, we’ll only know the situation once we meet the Twelve Joules. Let’s go.”
We entered the building in the center of the Divine City, where the Twelve Joules was supposed to be waiting, but there was no sign of life. I thought perhaps Ha Eun-cheon or the Three Masters might be nearby, so I continued to investigate, but found no traces of them either.
“Are they not here?”
“……”
That was odd. We reached the chair where the Joules usually sat, but Ha Eun-cheon was nowhere to be found. The same went for the Three Masters. After searching for a longer time, we exited the building and headed to where the other residents of the Divine City lived.
And we were appalled.
“They’re all asleep?”
Indeed.
In the Divine City, which normally housed thousands of humans, everyone had collapsed either inside their homes or on the streets, lost in sleep. We examined them for signs of injury or curses, but they were merely deep in slumber, and efforts to wake them by shaking, slapping, or channeling energy produced no effect at all.
This was undoubtedly peculiar. Normally, infusing them with energy would cause their blood vessels to react and awaken them. The ability to manipulate vital energy was a skill that dealt with the unconscious as well. However, if they responded to none of this, it implied that their slumber wasn’t ordinary at all.
Watching this spectacle, Zhuge Sa said,
“Baek Woong. Once again, a moment of choice has come.”
“Zhuge Sa. Do you have any idea what’s happening?”
“… It’s my fault. I mistakenly thought this level of strength would be enough, making the error of leaving Cheon Woo-jin behind.”
Zhuge Sa lamented before continuing.
“We can’t use the Golden Lamp here. Baek Woong, use your power to transport us all out of here. That’s our only option right now.”
“Wait! You have to explain what’s happening!”
Zhuge Sa turned sharply to face me and spat,
“The one blocking our exit, that O Seung-eun… it’s definitely his doing.”
“……?”
“And there are very few entities capable of plunging the Divine City into silence alone. You’ve seen a similar scene before.”
Zhuge Sa’s cryptic answer spurred me to demand,
“Think fast! I hope my intuition is wrong; let’s get out of here.”
“Right. To Jangryeong Valley…”
Then Zhuge Sa shouted urgently,
“No! We can’t go to Jangryeong Valley. Go to the village of Master Mangnyang!”
“Huh? Why there?”
“Quickly. Before he gets whimsical…”
*Thud!*
At that moment, Zhuge Sa looked dazed and suddenly knelt down. Miho grimaced, stating she felt a throbbing headache, while Miyamoto Musashi’s eyes widened, concentrating deeply.
“Ugh…”
I, too, felt an overwhelming sleepiness wash over me, making it hard to stay upright. But then, the spirit energy of the Flame Element surged within me, and the Fire Dragon Incarnate expelled the sleepiness, quickly restoring my normal state.
What in the world was happening?
And from far away, a resonant voice reached my ears, echoing with overwhelming authority.
[So, have you checked the inside of the Divine City and felt relieved? I’ve already set up a listening technique, so I know all your movements. It would be wise not to try escaping recklessly but to exit calmly through the entrance.]
“……”
[If you try to flee, I won’t let you off easily.]
There was no doubt about it.
That voice belonged to that O Seung-eun from earlier.
[You can stay put if you want. You’re probably all drowsy to death at this point, right? If you think you can resist my power for another thousand years, I encourage you to try.]
No way.
Even now, it was a powerful spell I could only withstand thanks to the Fire Dragon Incarnate. Yet with Zhuge Sa, Miho, and Miyamoto Musashi—three of the world’s strongest—present, they had essentially lost half of their combat abilities instantly. If we continued to endure like this, we’d all collapse.
Suddenly, Zhuge Sa pulled out a dagger from his cloak and stabbed his arm.
*Thwack!*
“Crap… Haha… I’m regaining some consciousness.”
Blood sprayed out with the wound, and it was quite a severe injury. Zhuge Sa had made an extreme choice to fight off the sleepiness.
“Zhuge Sa.”
“Baek Woong… The reason we encountered that guy at the entrance without engaging him in battle was for a different reason. Both you and Miyamoto sensed instinctively that he was an overwhelming powerhouse… Miho felt the same… And I remained silent because I roughly guessed who he was.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Fortunately, he seems to want to talk with you… If you use your powers wisely, it might become an opportunity…”
Zhuge Sa’s voice grew faint as the heaviness of sleep overcame him, blood spurting out uncontrollably. It indicated just how potent O Seung-eun’s spell was.
“… Listen carefully… His true identity… And why you shouldn’t go to Jangryeong Valley…”
As I listened to Zhuge Sa’s explanation, my expression turned grim.
Why, of all times, was he now escalating a confrontation with us!
But according to Zhuge Sa, it felt like there was no escape from the current situation. Zhuge Sa looked at me with fading vision.
“Think carefully and judge… This is both a crisis and an opportunity… Extract as much information as you can from him…”
*Thump!*
Zhuge Sa finally fell into a deep slumber. I looked around to see Miho’s eyes streaming with blood tears.
“Miyamoto, are you okay?”
“What a formidable spell. Even with the mindset of All-in-One Meditation, it’s exhausting. This isn’t a technique one can resist with just mental strength.”
He shook his head vigorously.
“… But if you are going to fight that guy, I believe I could lend you a sword or two.”
Miho pressed her temple and said,
“Baek Woong, I have a headache.”
“Miho, aren’t you sleepy?”
“Not sleepy; I just have a terrible headache. I feel like the pain is being aggravated by his magic.”
Miho had significantly raised her abilities as a demon and was almost catching up to Dalgi, which allowed her to experience reduced effects from the magic, unlike humans. Miho pressed on her temple repeatedly before speaking with concern.
“Baek Woong, I hope to avoid conflict if possible. If he is who Zhuge Sa suggested, we absolutely cannot win in our current state.”
“I know. I’ll do what I can.”
“If it comes to a fight, I’ll do my best to shield you.”
Her words pierced my heart.
‘Even with those past life memories.’
Despite the memories of us dying together, did she still genuinely wish to protect me? I felt immensely grateful and guilty towards Miho. I realized that in any subsequent life, I could never calmly confront Miho’s death. I clenched my jaw, determined.
“… I will protect you all.”
*Bam!*
After placing Zhuge Sa into my wooden armor, I rushed to the entrance of the bridge with my companions. There, we spotted O Seung-eun sitting on a nearby rock. He waved at me happily.
“Hey, Baek Woong! You made it out!”
“Release your sleep spell.”
“I can’t do that. If I set you all free, you’d easily escape.”
O Seung-eun, who replied in jest, grinned.
“By the way, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a fox. How was the air in the mundane world?”
Miho retorted irritably,
“Weren’t you breathing the good air of the Celestial Realm until now? What’s so interesting about it?”
“Don’t get snappy. We were friends back in the Celestial Realm, after all.”
“Your transformation skills were so clever, I couldn’t see through your identity.”
As Miho grumbled, O Seung-eun laughed heartily.
“Hahaha! You’re looking at a king who once ruled all the monsters of the Central Plains.”
I addressed the being disguised as O Seung-eun,
“What did you do to the Twelve Joules?”
“Well~ I planned to come early and catch him to retrieve the Moon Sovereign and Wood Essence, but unfortunately, he figured it out first and fled with the Three Master.”
He spoke with a hint of regret while watching me.
“Ah well, it’s fine. I can just claim the Fire and Water Elements here.”
“……”
This was indeed plausible.
There was no doubt about O Seung-eun’s true identity.
Yet still unsure, I decided to confirm his name.
“Are you… King Mi-hu?”
He grinned broadly.
“I’m not fond of that name. I’ve grown tired of it after thousands of years.”
“Then could it be ‘Victorious Buddha’?”
“That one, too, is a label given by that damned monk, so I dislike it.”
As he spoke gruffly, his eyes slowly transformed into a vivid red with yellow pupils.
That was what I had only heard of in tales: the Fire Eye and Golden Gaze.
“Call me the Celestial Sage.”
That’s right.
The strongest of the Twelve Immortals, the Demon Lord of the Earth, and now regarded as the most formidable force in the Celestial Realm—Great Immortal Mi-hu, the Celestial Sage Sun Wukong was presently disguised in human form right before my eyes.