NOVEL NEXT Chapter 548
548——————==
Dark Heaven Village
The skull was adorned with a crown. What’s strange is that this skull must be that of a king, yet in this vast space, only the throne and the skull sat desolately. Moreover, it was normal for a body to be laid down, and dying while seated was almost a desecration of the royal remains.
Mangnyang hesitated for a moment before extending his hand.
With a *thud*, the next moment, a dirt figure the size of a person was formed from the ground. Using the Earth Escape Technique, Mangnyang advanced the dirt figures toward the skull, letting them inspect the area for traps. After the inspection was complete, Mangnyang slowly walked forward and looked down at the skull.
And shortly thereafter, Mangnyang placed his hand on the skull.
*Whoooosh*
Light emanated from the skull, spreading a silvery path behind the throne. A hidden space revealed itself behind the natural silver glow, and we entered that space. Inside was an orderly burial ground, with a bookshelf filled with various books sealed in one corner.
However, what surprised us was not the burial ground itself.
*Hisss…*
[Who are you?]
From various spots in the large burial ground, spirits emerged. They all wore crowns of kings. Seeing this, we stood at attention, and Mangnyang spoke.
“Kings of Balhae, we have inadvertently come here in pursuit of the reasons for Balhae’s downfall.”
[What…!!]
[Dare you say the royal family of Balhae has been invaded by outsiders!!]
*Grrrrr*
In an instant, the spirits of the kings grew furious, and a powerful pressure enveloped us. Under normal circumstances, a person’s vital energy would be thrown into disarray and they might die from the anger of the spirits. However, as we were all well-trained and Mangnyang had developed into an excellent sorcerer, we weren’t severely affected. Instead, Mangnyang calmly stated.
“We possess the Silver Phoenix Fragment and have the right to enter the royal family. Would the door have opened through the throne otherwise?”
[Hmm!]
“Moreover, we do not intend to disturb your resting place. We will not touch the burial ground. We just have a question. If you let us know that, we will leave immediately.”
*Whisper, whisper*
The spirits of the kings seemed to be discussing something anxiously. After a while, a giant spirit emerged and spoke.
[What do you wish to know?]
“Balhae was originally a powerful nation that directly contended with the northern tribes. However, what caused such a strong nation to collapse overnight?”
[……]
“We believe the reason lies with the Seven Luminaries (七曜) and came here after discovering information that they were sealed in Balhae.”
[Ohhh…]
[The Seven Luminaries…!!]
Upon hearing the word ‘Seven Luminaries,’ some spirits wept, while others gasped in awe, and some looked regretful. Then, the gigantic spirit at the front said,
“So it was true… Hundreds of years have passed since our downfall… The prophecy that anyone would seek the Seven Luminaries and come to this place has come true…”
“A prophecy? Who made this prophecy?”
[It was the Great King (高王).]
“……?”
Mangnyang seemed a bit flustered as he replied,
“The Great King refers to Daejo Yeong, the first king of Balhae?”
[Indeed… He left behind a prophecy.]
“Isn’t he here in this burial site?”
[The Great King did not meet death but instead wandered off during his lifetime… Naturally, he cannot be here…]
“Hmm! Then you are…”
The giant king spirit spoke.
[I am the last monarch who witnessed the fall of Balhae, Dae Inseon (大??).]
Listening to the conversation between Mangnyang and Dae Inseon, I could roughly comprehend the situation. I knew about Daejo Yeong, the first king of Balhae; he was said to be an innately heroic figure with immense bravery and wisdom. It seemed he had left a prophecy regarding the Seven Luminaries before going missing instead of being buried in the royal burial ground.
But it was strange. Daejo Yeong was the very creator of Balhae, so how could he have left without staying in the royal burial ground?
King Dae Inseon said,
“The reason Balhae fell… was because the Divine Treasure, the Earth Star (토요) Eight Trigram Diagram went berserk. The Khitan were strong, but they couldn’t possibly topple us on their own.”
“The Eight Trigram Diagram went berserk? Why is that?”
[Someone stole it.]
King Dae Inseon continued, sounding pained.
[That person identified herself as Sang Gwanwna (上官婉兒)… That witch stole the Eight Trigram Diagram, and with the dragon veins stimulated, a volcano erupted, we couldn’t endure it… Hence, we abandoned the capital and fell to the subsequent Khitan attacks…]
“……”
[It’s painful and frustrating… If only that witch hadn’t existed… The cursed Sang Gwanwna…]
What?
I thought I heard a familiar name, but my mind couldn’t connect the dots. However, Mangnyang seemed to catch on, and his expression turned even colder. He said,
“I need to know more details. If we’re lucky, we might be able to find the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram.”
[So it seems… Come forth, Silver Phoenix…]
*Szzzz*
Suddenly, a vast silver mist dispersed like a giant mirage. The silver light shimmered like a river, continually undulating until it formed a sphere that seemed to produce something. Eventually, within the sphere, a form took shape, clearly resembling a Silver Phoenix.
The Silver Phoenix was large enough for a person to embrace it fully. King Dae Inseon, who had created the Silver Phoenix, handed it over to us and stated,
[This Silver Phoenix is made from metals of a faraway world and has been a treasure of the Balhae royal family for generations… It also has the ability to transmit memories, so the past kings used this phoenix to quickly gain strength and wisdom to fortify the nation… The key to the royal family was also made from a piece taken from the Silver Phoenix… By infusing power, you shall obtain the truth.]
King Dae Inseon nodded.
[I had hoped those who followed in my steps would come to revive Balhae… but it seems there’s no one available as the end times approach… I hope you use this information wisely…]
“Can we take the books?”
[Take as you wish…]
“This royal family is a resting place created in preparation for the end by your Balhae royal progeny.”
[Hehe… You know quite a bit… Indeed…]
Mangnyang spoke with a skeptical tone.
“The spell defense laid by the royal family is incredibly strong. It is only natural, as hundreds of Balhae’s powerful Grand Sorcerers participated in it. But do you really believe this method can avoid destruction?”
[We had no other choice… Once you receive the memory transmission, you will understand why… Farewell…]
*Swish*
The images of King Dae Inseon and the other kings began to gradually fade away. They thought we were not intruders, and so returned to their rest.
“……”
Once all traces of the spirits vanished from the burial ground, Mangnyang silently walked over to the bookshelf. He turned to me and said,
“Baek Woong. Gather all the books from this bookshelf into the Wooden Armor.”
Following Mangnyang’s command, I swept all the books into the Wooden Armor. Then I said to Mangnyang,
“Wouldn’t it be better to perform the memory transmission right here?”
“I think so too. Once we go out from this royal family, there’s no guarantee we can come back in.”
Having replied like that, Mangnyang stared at the Silver Phoenix he was holding thoughtfully and then spoke,
“This is something you must obtain first, Baek Woong.”
“Hmm?”
“The memory transmission capability… This is undoubtedly an artifact related to the [Great Race] of the prophets. That’s why it has been passed down from ancient times through the Yuhuang Kingdom to Balhae, and it has a record.”
“Oh!”
“If you have already learned the memory transmission techniques from the prophet, you will easily assimilate this Silver Phoenix.”
I nodded and accepted the Silver Phoenix. I stood there awkwardly, unsure how to activate it. As I fumbled, Lee Cheong-un, who had been watching from the side, said,
“It said to infuse power. So try channeling your Qi into it.”
“Got it.”
*Whoooosh*
At that moment, the Silver Phoenix reacted to my Qi, emitting spiritual energy, and I felt an enormous influx of information flooding into my mind.
“……!!”
A tremendous torrent of memories! I was thrilled as I felt the memories and all kinds of knowledge stored by previous Balhae kings flow into me. Ordinary people would likely lose consciousness or even vomit upon accepting this, but I had honed my mental strength over the years and increased my capacity for memories, allowing me to endure it calm.
‘That’s right. This is the magical technique of the [Great Race] of the prophets…’
Using obsidian as a conduit, I indeed activated it, but the metal used for this Silver Phoenix is from another world. Therefore, I could set it to automatically activate once power is infused. I calmly read through the flow of the technique and aligned it with my existing memory transmission techniques.
‘Yes. If I proceed like this…’
Knowledge written in the otherworldly language swirled and danced in my mind. In the midst of it all, I was able to grasp the techniques, as vague as they seemed, and began to neatly organize the memories one by one. Once the organization was complete, the memories stabilized in my mind, making them easy to recall.
Then, I moved with my companions to Jangryeong Valley and shared the memories of Balhae through the Silver Phoenix.
*Pop!*
“……”
Everyone fell silent. The first to break the silence was Zhuge Sa.
“The fragment has been pieced together.”
“Yes, uncle.”
“Now we can take another step forward.”
Zhuge Sa interlaced his fingers and said,
“The founder of the Shangguan family is Sang Gwanwna, the foremost adviser and aide of Empress Wu Zetian. This memory contains how the sorcerers of Balhae broke the barrier they set up and how Sang Gwanwna used the sorcery technique of the Demon Path to steal the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram.”
I asked, listening to Zhuge Sa’s words,
“Are you saying Sang Gwanwna is the main culprit behind Balhae’s downfall?”
“Well, that’s not the important part right now. It’s likely that Sang Gwanwna’s objective was not specifically to destroy Balhae.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“It’s highly likely that she only needed the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram.”
“Hmm…”
I folded my arms and pondered,
“Was she trying to use the power of the Seven Luminaries to enhance her own strength?”
“Result-wise, she ended up obtaining the Earth Star, but that wasn’t her original goal.”
“Uh?”
“It’s not that simple. To me, Sang Gwanwna herself is less important than the force behind her.”
I gave a confused look, but the others nodded in understanding.
“Zhuge Sa. I don’t quite follow, can you explain?”
“Damn clueless moron.”
Even though I expressed my frustration, Zhuge Sa looked outright annoyed. Reluctantly, Mangnyang chimed in.
“Baek Woong. The Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram is currently in Dark Heaven Village. Do you know why it is?”
“Eh? That’s…”
Come to think of it, why is the Earth Star in Dark Heaven Village?
I recalled my previous memories and spoke,
“It’s because the Demon Subduing Hall took it…”
“Yes. That’s the information [Mangnyang] mentioned to you. But now, through the testimony of King Dae Inseon and the memory of the Silver Phoenix, we can grasp who the real perpetrator is, right?”
“… Oh.”
Finally piecing together the situation, I exclaimed,
“Are you saying Sang Gwanwna was a subordinate of the Demon Subduing Hall?!”
“It’s uncertain if she was a subordinate, but she is undoubtedly closely linked to them. Moreover, it’s highly likely that the Demon Subduing Hall has been active since the life of Empress Wu Zetian.”
“……!!”
“Sang Gwanwna must have presented the stolen Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram to the deity existing in Dark Heaven Village through some means. That deity is undoubtedly the being currently ruling the imperial palace from the shadows, the Demon God of the Demon Subduing Hall. Therefore, the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram that is now offered to the deity is in Dark Heaven Village.”
“That sounds a bit strange.”
The Sword Demon, who had been listening, crossed his arms.
“I don’t know much about history, but Empress Wu Zetian was from the Tang Dynasty, and Sang Gwanwna was as well. However, Balhae’s downfall, according to the Silver Phoenix’s memory, happened at least 200 years later…”
“That’s right.”
“If they obtained the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram and offered it to the deity, and as a reward, Empress Wu Zetian was ascended to a god status in Dark Heaven Village, that fits. But stealing it happened 200 years after her official death. The timing doesn’t match.”
What the Sword Demon said made sense. The Tang Dynasty was over a thousand years ago, while Balhae’s downfall was roughly 700 to 800 years ago. The time gap was stark.
Mangnyang interjected.
“They are two different events. Empress Wu Zetian had already become a god by the time of the Tang Dynasty, but Sang Gwanwna stole the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram independently of that.”
“Why is that?”
“That’s something we won’t know until we hear it from her. However…”
Mangnyang clenched his fist.
“Everything I was uncertain about has now been confirmed. According to the information obtained at the cost of the sorcerers of Balhae, while the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram is in the possession of the ruler of the Demon Subduing Hall, it certainly is in the imperial palace of Empress Wu Zetian. This is based on the experiences of those who risked their lives to get to Dark Heaven Village.”
“If we go to Dark Heaven Village, we can just locate the imperial palace…”
“Yes. We can recover the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram.”
That was right.
Until now, I had always thought that we would need to find the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram someday but had never dared to pursue it because I knew it was in Dark Heaven Village but had no idea where it was. Even the Great Immortal was said to have gone crazy in Dark Heaven Village; searching the entire land could easily cost hundreds of lives, which is why I had been putting off the quest for the Earth Star.
But not anymore.
According to the memory I received from the Silver Phoenix, the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram was definitely confirmed to be in the imperial palace of Empress Wu Zetian in Dark Heaven Village.
‘As long as I can reach her palace even once, no matter the risk of death, there’s still hope!’
Then, the locations of all the Seven Luminaries other than the Earth Star and Sun Star became clear. I clenched my fist, and Zhuge Sa smirked beside me.
“Well, there’s one not-so-good fact.”
“What’s that?”
“For some reason, among the Seven Luminaries, the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram remains in a liberated state and under the divine status of Empress Wu Zetian… How strong could she be?”
“……”
“If a god wields the Seven Luminaries, it’s not hard to guess what kind of disaster could unfold.”
“Damn it!”
I felt yet another obstacle looming ahead.
Even if I reached Empress Wu Zetian’s palace, could I really defeat her and steal the Earth Star?
When a human can wield the power of the Seven Luminaries, it’s terrifying enough; who can guarantee that we can overcome a god wielding the Seven Luminaries?
At that moment, Extreme Tiger said nonchalantly,
“Well, the Earth Star Eight Trigram Diagram seals all spells. Then, if we train our martial arts until we become incredibly strong, wouldn’t it be feasible?”
“In theory, yes. Empress Wu Zetian is a god, but she’s likely at the level of a semi-divine status.”
“That means she’s not on the level of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. If we reach the Absolute Realm, there’s a chance to win, right?”
“Perhaps.”
“That’s it.”
Extreme Tiger chuckled and patted my back.
“Let’s put in some effort!!”
“……”
“Let’s reach the Absolute Realm together, my friend.”
“Damn!”
I frowned, immensely displeased.
‘What on earth… is this!’
After finishing my conversation with my companions, I called for Lee Dong-bin when I was alone.
[Seer, why did you call for me?]
“Lee Dong-bin, I’m sorry, but I have a question.”
[What is it?]
I asked frankly,
“I… received the blessing of the Sovereign Zhuge, but… is my talent improved now?”
It seriously felt like I had only trained tirelessly for years. With my master being Lee Cheong-un, it couldn’t have been better. But I had only just broken into the Sword Thunder Realm and didn’t feel much improvement. No, I could hardly believe that my talent had increased at all.
Was the blessing I received real?
[……]
“Lee Dong-bin?”
After a moment of silence, Lee Dong-bin replied,
[Not at all…]
“……”
[That’s not the kind of blessing it is. You’ve clearly received it without knowing anything, Seer…]
“What exactly is the blessing of the Sovereign Zhuge?”
[Hoo! The blessing is known by sixteen characters.]
I had my mouth agape at Lee Dong-bin’s next words.
[Without incident, great peace, all affairs peaceful, one thought down the road, brave and diligent to the end (無事太平萬事平安一念一路勇猛精盡’s blessing.)]
“… Huh? What kind of blessing is that?”
Lee Dong-bin averted his gaze from mine.
[It enhances the focus of practitioners to concentrate earnestly on their martial arts without any worries, keeping the surrounding circumstances and destiny from becoming urgent.]
“……”
[In life, I once received that blessing from my master so I could diligently train the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique. I was too caught up in the trivial world around me, so it helped me a lot.]
“This… this is…”
I struggled to find words.
‘Seriously… what trash!’
The blessing of the Sovereign Zhuge.
It was merely a blessing to quiet the surroundings so that one could train diligently!