NOVEL NEXT Chapter 514
00514 Dark Heaven Village ————————————————————————
The so-called Celestial Sage still hadn’t revealed his true nature. Still in the form of the human ‘Oh Seung-eun,’ he merely spoke to me, his eyes gleaming with a golden radiance.
“Now, do you want to hand over your Ruyi and Water Element of Seven Luminaries, or should I take them?”
“……”
That was way too blunt. But I had faced enough of this kind of intimidation in my life, so I managed to keep my cool. Instead of retaliating immediately, I calmly replied,
“If we just hand them over, will you spare our lives?”
At my words, Miho and Musashi shot me a glance. At this moment, the Seven Luminaries were something we absolutely couldn’t afford to lose. When I asked, the Celestial Sage replied,
“To be honest, I can’t kill you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re the Apostle of the Three Sovereigns. If I kill you, Jeon Wook is bound to go berserk and invade the Celestial Realm. That’s simply not an option. No matter what choice you make, you’re not going to die.”
He added with a smirk, “So go ahead and choose comfortably.”
It sounded decent at first. But I knew there were many ways someone could make your life worse than death without actually killing you. Not to mention, if a powerful guy like Celestial Sage Mi-hu King decided to get serious about taking me down, I couldn’t even begin to imagine the consequences.
Moreover, he said he “couldn’t” kill me. That meant he would have no qualms about killing Miho and Musashi.
‘On top of that, the way he’s throwing words around is definitely not just simple threats.’
No matter how I responded, he had a clear attitude that he was ready to dispose of me without a second thought. From my experience, anyone who made offers like that was usually a terrifying individual accustomed to violence.
I asked again,
“Let me clarify—if we hand over the Seven Luminaries, will you let us go safely and not attack us in the future?”
“Heh, so you really want to survive here, huh? And it seems you’ve heard my reputation?”
“You’re really famous, you know.”
Then the Celestial Sage burst into laughter, “Flattery won’t get you anywhere! I’d love to throw it all away and have fun, but this is no ordinary situation, so I can’t back down.”
“I do have something I’m curious about.”
“Oh, you’re curious about a lot, it seems.”
“I might be willing to hand over the Seven Luminaries, so please answer me—what are you planning to do with them once you have them?”
“……”
I began to recount the “words” Zhuge Sa had given me. Before falling into a deep sleep, Zhuge Sa had provided me with what could be a clue to persuade the Celestial Sage.
‘Will it work?’
I suddenly felt anxious. I took a gamble, but I knew Celestial Sage Mi-hu King’s combat power was overwhelming. If he decided to stop talking and just attack us, it would mean nothing.
“By the way, I had something I wanted to ask you too. Can you answer this first?”
After pondering for a moment, Celestial Sage folded his arms and continued,
“You know, my original nature would’ve been to kill all of you the first time you came to the Divine City, but I purposely waited to see what kind of Apostle the Three Sovereigns was.”
“……”
He seemed genuinely sincere. I nodded in agreement.
“Ask away.”
“Why did you capture the Sea God?”
“Why? Because he’s a nasty guy that harms the world.”
“Heh.”
The Celestial Sage looked intrigued by my answer. Then he asked again.
“Why did you strike the Demon King?”
“Because he established blood ponds and massacred the Jianghu Martial World, and he also could potentially destroy the Battle Ground in Luoyang.”
“So you understand the Battle Ground. But why do you want to protect it?”
“What do you mean? If the Battle Ground is destroyed, the worst demon in existence would be unleashed upon Luoyang!”
“Did Master Mangnyang tell you that?”
“……”
When I fell silent, the Celestial Sage peeled his gaze away from the golden radiance and began observing me intently.
‘His gaze penetrates my very soul…’
Though his eyes seemed dull, they exuded an incredible sense of strength, containing even the energy of Bashe’s truth. After observing me for a moment, Celestial Sage finally spoke.
“So, you intend to face off against an [Old Ruler] and the Otherworldly Race.”
“That’s right.”
“Ha ha ha ha.”
Celestial Sage laughed as if he found it ridiculous. After a moment, he chuckled before saying,
“Hey. Even if you’re the Apostle of the Three Sovereigns, there are limits. Even if you were a true Apostle, you would still be bound by limits when facing an [Old Ruler], which is why the Seven Luminaries were created. What could a mere human like you possibly believe in to act so boldly?”
I responded without losing heart,
“Just because I can. And even if I ended up dying recklessly, that’s my choice!”
“……”
Celestial Sage paused for a moment and then suddenly burst into laughter.
“Ha ha ha, ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha!”
His laughter blended with a monkey-like screech, rolling on the ground as he laughed uproariously. He seemed full of gaps, but it was clear those gaps weren’t opportunities to attack him.
After a good laugh, the Celestial Sage wiped the tears from his eyes and said,
“Heh heh… This is fun, fun! I’ve been dull for a thousand years, and finally got a good laugh.”
“Why are you laughing? Are you so great that you can scorn someone else’s dream?”
I snapped, irritated, and the Celestial Sage arrogantly retorted,
“If I weren’t great, no one would call me Celestial Sage! Yes, I’m great.”
“……”
What is this? Is he boasting about himself?
Miho, who had been watching from the side, chimed in,
“Right, good for you. By any chance, you haven’t been instructed by Queen Mother of the West, have you?”
“Why? What if I had?”
“That…”
When Miho couldn’t answer, Celestial Sage calmly spoke,
“Fox, get a grip. You’re not some pet of the Queen Mother; you’re a far more significant existence, so you won’t be abandoned. Stop wandering and go back to the Celestial Realm.”
“What… a pet?”
Miho flared up, bristling with anger.
Woo woo woo!!
In an instant, I suddenly felt wide awake. Miho’s mind control spread out, effectively disrupting the Celestial Sage’s techniques. Perhaps it was more helpful for Musashi, who appeared to have regained his composure.
‘Incredible spirit energy!’
I had thought before that if Miho’s power grew stronger, it might rival Dalgi’s. It was possible that Miho was the strongest among our party.
But even in the face of such overwhelming energy, Celestial Sage showed no signs of being affected. He spoke dismissively,
“Fox. Don’t you think it’s odd that after committing a grave sin, you only ended up exiled from the Celestial Realm? Ever since the Celestial Realm opened, you’ve been the most noteworthy sinner. Normally, you’d either be annihilated, imprisoned in the Celestial Realm for eternity, or end up as food for an [Old Ruler] in the Afterlife. Any ordinary immortal would have faced that fate. You received an extraordinary exemption.”
Swish…
Miho’s energy subsided. Miho spoke in a startled manner,
“An exemption?”
“Yes. Because you are the one the Queen Mother cherishes the most in the Celestial Realm.”
Celestial Sage chuckled lightly.
“That power must be for a good reason coming into your hands, right?”
“……”
Miho fell silent. I sensed that hidden meaning and puzzled over what it could mean, but I couldn’t quite grasp it. As Miho quieted, Celestial Sage’s gaze turned to me.
“So, Baek Woong, you’ll collect all the Seven Luminaries to gain the power to defeat an [Old Ruler].”
“That’s my plan.”
“No, it’s not going to happen.”
“……?!”
Swoosh
Suddenly, a massive staff-like object floated in Celestial Sage’s right hand.
‘Is that a staff?’
Thwack!
As he snatched the staff and aimed it at me, Celestial Sage declared,
“No matter what orders I receive from the Celestial Realm, it’s best to follow through quietly. But that doesn’t mean I’m some dog of the Celestial Realm. I submit to the Celestial Realm willingly but pledge no loyalty to the Jade Emperor or the Three Pure Ones.”
“Are you saying you live by your own will?”
“Exactly.”
I felt a sharp intensity in Celestial Sage’s golden gaze. Streams of golden light were pouring out from his eyes.
“And I believe that liberating the Seven Luminaries must never happen. That’s my will and judgment.”
“……”
“As long as I am here, you will never liberate the Seven Luminaries. I will stop you at all costs.”
I was feeling a mix of frustration and concern.
“Why can’t they be liberated? Don’t you want to defeat an [Old Ruler]?”
“Ha ha! That’s just amusing! Sure, maybe you could defeat an [Old Ruler], after humanity has perished!”
“……!!”
“Samjang told me that in Qinghai.”
After muttering that, Celestial Sage withdrew his staff.
“For today, I’ll take my leave. Thanks to you eliminating the Demon King, you’ve bought some time.”
“What? … Do you really think it’ll be easy to take the Seven Luminaries from me next time?”
I exclaimed, astonished at his words.
But Celestial Sage nodded as if it were obvious.
“You’ll need to be at least twice as strong if you want to fight me without using your own body or treasures.”
“……”
“People said you defeated the Demon King, so I was a bit tense, but you’ve exceeded my expectations. With your level, I could easily take you down without even using my body or treasures and just by using techniques.”
Could he be looking down on us that much?
He was treating us like a top-tier expert who had mastered martial arts, looking down at a lowly good-for-nothing.
‘This is outrageous. It’s impossible to have such a wide gap between us.’
So far, I had only seen the Celestial Sage’s techniques. I was considering risking my life and facing him, just to find out what techniques and martial arts he possessed for the next encounter.
At that moment, Musashi stepped forward and said,
“My swordsmanship can inflict harm on you.”
“Mu, Musashi!”
“I’d like to compare the Sea God to the strongest in the Celestial Realm.”
Are you insane?!
Is he seriously provoking the strongest individual of the Celestial Realm right now?
Has that guy completely lost his mind?
Celestial Sage’s eyes lit up with interest.
“Heh? You don’t believe it? You’re dying to taste punishment, aren’t you?”
Gulp!
That was the moment.
Duel of Celestial Techniques!
Monkey King’s Dance!
Brrrriiiiing!
“Kaah!”
Suddenly, my body moved at incredible speed, and Musashi, standing next to me, had already drawn his sword and stepped back five paces. Miho, letting out a short scream, collapsed to her knees as she flew sideways.
Musashi stood dumbfounded, his Japanese sword lodged into the ground, and murmured,
“… Beyond Heaven…”
Somehow, I came out unscathed. It turned out that at that critical moment, Jang Sam-bong had possessed me and cast his martial arts to protect me. Since the Celestial Sage possessed both divine and magical power, it seemed he could easily descend upon us.
‘What the hell just happened…’
I couldn’t even tell what kind of attack I had just sustained. However, one thing was certain—I was attacked at such speed that Musashi had coughed up blood and Miho staggered, unable to endure the shock.
Master Jang Sam-bong solemnly said.
[ King Mi-hu.]
“Hey, I’m Celestial Sage!”
Celestial Sage grumbled but Master Jang Sam-bong continued,
[ You need to step aside. This human may not be my equal, but my disciple is not capable of battling with you just yet.]
Celestial Sage, looking displeased, shouted out sharply,
[ … Probably not. After all, you are the strongest of the Celestial Realm.]
I watched in surprise as that conversation unfolded inside my mind.
Could it be that Jang Sam-bong is acknowledging himself as an underling?
Considering all the martial arts he had shown till now, I couldn’t believe it. How strong could that seemingly frivolous guy be? Master Jang Sam-bong slowly took a stance, showing the essence of the Yang’s Sword Method and its intrinsic force.
[ But I’m not alone, and as long as I endure, there’s plenty I can do.]
“Hmm… This feels dull. I have no idea why you would study such martial arts. Battles should be about winning, right? Those extremes are meaningless.”
[ You know the essence of Peerless Technique.]
“We fought before in the Celestial Realm, remember? By the way, even if you teach me, I wouldn’t learn it. It’s too boring for me.”
Grumbling about something, Celestial Sage spoke up,
“Does the Fire Dragon Incarnate have something to say to me?”
There was a condescending tone to it.
But Fire Dragon Incarnate slowly revealed his illusion from the essence space and replied.
[ King Mi-hu. It’s been a thousand years.]
Celestial Sage scratched his head,
“I told you, I’m Celestial Sage!!”
[ As a man, shouldn’t you keep your word? You said you’d let me go.]
Celestial Sage, narrowing his eyes, growled softly. He seemed slightly irritated.
“I’d love to let you go, but that bastard right there wanted to fight me! My creed is to accept all challenges.”
[ Humans are foolish beings and often fail to recognize the power of higher existences. They often make foolish choices. Surely you know this much?]
If Musashi would fight, I can’t just leave him to die over some foolish mistake. It was simply too reckless to allow someone of such transcendent mastery as Musashi to perish. Losing Musashi would cloud our future prospects.
Naturally, I could end up dying while attempting to protect him, prompting Fire Dragon Incarnate to step in.
“Heh. The most noble and lofty Fire Dragon Incarnate is actually here to shield someone. I have to admit, your disciple isn’t quite a normal fellow.”
Celestial Sage put on a nostalgic expression.
“Was it Yeodong-bin? He was indeed quite capable. In another three hundred years, he could become someone I wouldn’t be able to handle. I’ll pay him my respects.”
[ Let’s set aside that discussion. Will you let us go, or not?]
“… Hmmm.”
Celestial Sage scrutinized me carefully and suddenly turned to Musashi.
“It seems that swordsman over there wants to learn a technique from me. Should I teach him a little? Just a bit.”
Then Musashi took up his stance, as if preparing for a final showdown.
“It’s the honor of a warrior…”
Clang!
It all unfolded in an instant. Musashi had taken a stance, preparing for a strike, but suddenly, his sword was severed in half and flew into the air. With a resounding crash, Musashi was staggered as though he had absorbed dozens of blows to his chest and stomach, but he managed to stay on his feet.
“Cough…”
Celestial Sage stood on the other side, glancing at his hand, now marked with deep scars from the slash. Amused, he chuckled,
“Wow, you managed to hit me… not bad for a human, huh? You’ve got some proficiency with that sword?”
Now he seemed to understand the caliber of his opponent, mixed in with a hint of fear in his murmured words.
“… Monster…”
“You’re worthy of using the Ruyi Staff.”
With a bloop sound, Celestial Sage summoned the Ruyi Staff.
“……!!”
He intended to kill!
Even though my level was vastly insufficient compared to theirs, that instinct kicked in. I sensed that the moment Celestial Sage clashed with Musashi, he would be brutally murdered. Recognizing that aura, Fire Dragon Incarnate shouted,
[ Stop it now!]
“Fire Dragon Incarnate, don’t you dare order me around. Even though I’m the avatar of Shenglong, you have no authority to command me.”
He calmly continued,
“I already dealt a blow to the Jade Emperor. If you want to stop me, the Three Sovereigns will need to step in personally.”
Whoooosh!
The Ruyi Staff emitted an eerie sound.
Bam!
[ Haaahh!!]
In the next moment, Musashi, Miho, and I formed the Three Talents Formation and braved against Celestial Sage’s Ruyi Staff. Master Jang Sam-bong and Fire Dragon Incarnate possessed me at the forefront, shielding the initial blow, while Miho summoned the essence of the Six Beauties to create a protective barrier, and Musashi countered with his two heavens one style!
Boom!
“Cough!”
“Ugh…”
[ Ugh.]
But none of us left unscathed. The instant the enormous Ruyi Staff, now the size of a mountain, descended upon our location, it unleashed a thunderous roar, crashing down with staggering physical force. Musashi spewed blood from his mouth, clutching his innards, while Miho coughed up blood too. Master Jang Sam-bong appeared to fare the best, yet there was no escaping the aftermath.
“Cough!”
Eventually, Musashi could no longer maintain his mental strength and fainted, collapsing forward.
Even with the three strongest individuals on the ground forming a defense, this was the result!
And that was just the casual swing of the Ruyi Staff!
Celestial Sage laughed heartily.
“Ha ha, what’s wrong? I haven’t even gone all out yet! What are you whining about? You’d cry even louder if I used all seventy-two strikes!”
[ Stop making me angrier.]
“Hmm.”
Tap!
Celestial Sage clicked his fingers, summoning multicolored clouds that accumulated before him. He stepped onto the cloud, glaring at me coldly.
“Baek Woong, I commend you for fighting for humanity. However, no matter how much of an Apostle you are, you’re still just a human. With that level of power, you have no chance in a battle of divine beings.”
“Cough.”
“For now, you seem amusing, so I’ll keep an eye on you. But if you dare to allow the Seven Luminaries to be taken by the [Old Ruler], I will not let you off.”
That was Celestial Sage’s warning.
“Don’t go assuming things!!”
I shouted in protest, but Celestial Sage ignored my cries and looked to the sky.
“Let’s go, Gunduun.”
Whoosh!
In that moment, Celestial Sage vanished into a stream of light along with the multicolored clouds. It seemed that Gunduun was a kind of treasure for movement or a technique. With that level of agility, he could traverse heaven and earth as if it were his own home.
Master Jang Sam-bong sighed and said,
[ Thankfully.]
Thus concluded our first encounter with the strongest of the Celestial Realm, Celestial Sage!