NOVEL NEXT Chapter 633
Dark Heaven Village
“The end of times has come closer!”
Yeodong-bin couldn’t quite grasp those words at first, leading him to question Master Mangnyang.
“I was aware that the end of times was predetermined. But how does the resurrection of the End Dragon advance that timeline by over a thousand years?”
[It’s due to its special power. That creature possesses an incredibly unique ability.]
“What kind of ability?”
[It can devour everything.]
Master Mangnyang’s black eyes gleamed as he elaborated.
[It can literally consume anything. Born at the heart of chaos, it was merely a bizarre entity drifting in the formless void, but Changqie took it under his wing and granted it a dragon form. And now, it has the ability to consume all beings associated with chaos. Since chaos encompasses all attributes, the premise becomes meaningless.]
“…I’ve fought a few demons and otherworldly creatures that devour everything.”
Those types were not unheard of. There were certainly powerful demons with attributes of predators or gluttons, and Yeodong-bin had to strive tirelessly to avoid their powerful teeth and extraordinary digestion. Then, Master Mangnyang spoke again.
[Under normal circumstances, the ability to devour anything wouldn’t hold much significance. But the problem is that ‘everything’ also includes the law of cause and effect.]
“What do you mean?”
[Those physically devoured by the End Dragon can never reincarnate. It was forged from pure chaos, so what it consumes cannot recover. So what happens if it eats both the soul and the body?]
“Those consumed will not be able to resurrect by any technique.”
[Exactly. And the more it ‘consumes,’ the more the world’s law of cause and effect disappears.]
Master Mangnyang continued,
[This world is intricately woven like a divine game board, and its total quantity has limits. The world spread across the surface is a fragile existence formed under the protection of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. From every blade of grass to every piece of land, everything is constituted by the cause and effects meticulously crafted by the Three Sovereigns. The End Dragon is virtually the only being capable of devouring all that protection and returning this planet to nothingness.]
“……”
[Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. Even if the End Dragon devours the Central Plains, the Three Sovereigns could easily create a continent or two if they exerted their power. However, the strength poured into this world by the Three Sovereigns will never return.]
“That means…”
[The Three Sovereigns are not the type to suffer losses for the world. They would rather endure an early end and allow destruction than intervene, knowing that the depletion of their power is exactly what Changqie aims for.]
Yeodong-bin felt a shiver as he grasped Master Mangnyang’s words.
‘It’s impossible…!!’
If the End Dragon resurrects and consumes the entire Central Plains, all the protection from the Three Sovereigns would be obliterated. Thus, that anticipated end would indeed arrive a thousand years earlier. But the Three Sovereigns would have no obligation to recreate the world, merely watching the havoc unfold!
Yeodong-bin spoke,
“Is it not possible for the powerful Great Immortal or the Four Guardians of the Celestial Realm to intervene and eliminate the End Dragon?”
[No. The individual trying to resurrect the End Dragon has cleverly adjusted the laws of cause and effect to bar such efforts. Even the Three Sovereigns would find it difficult to intervene. They probably received significant help from the court’s power, Empress Wu Zetian. Everything from the creation of countless demons to the opening of Dark Heaven Village has been meticulously plotted.]
“……”
Was it the scheme of Sang Gwanwna?
Yeodong-bin had another burning question.
“The priest of the White Lotus Sect said that killing Empress Wu Zetian would stop the End Dragon. But that prophecy seems to be off. Was her ability fake?”
Master Mangnyang shook his head.
[No. I swear on my name that prophecy was genuine. She indeed possesses an exceptionally rare gift of foresight. However, Changqie actively intervened in the future branch spawned by that prophecy and altered it.]
“Changqie…!!”
[He has invested greatly in this plan and is taking huge risks to change the laws of cause and effect; that is nothing for him, given his divine nature.]
Yeodong-bin couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine.
A being of such high divine status is working to bring the world to ruin?
[The Three Sovereigns could indeed throw caution to the wind and wreak havoc, but they wouldn’t protect the earthly realm at the cost of their own detriment. The moment the Three Sovereigns manifest personally to capture the End Dragon, their power and the laws of cause and effect would suffer great depletion.]
Deep inside, Yeodong-bin realized that the situation was spiraling towards catastrophe. Even the once-considered might of the Celestial Realm and the Three Sovereigns had turned their backs. Yeodong-bin asked,
“Then how can we prevent the End Dragon from devouring the world?”
[We have no choice but to concentrate maximum power to eliminate it when the End Dragon reveals itself. It will take a little time for the chaos to descend and form a body, so that moment will be its weakest.]
“Please inform me of that time. I will defeat the End Dragon.”
“……”
“Master.”
Master Mangnyang said,
[Indeed…. Could it be that the Martial God’s whim to connect with you was to foresee this situation?]
“……?”
[Could it be that he knows of the end and the world post-revelation? If so…]
Master Mangnyang appeared lost in thought for an unusually long time before saying,
“Sacrifice! What kind of sacrifice do you mean?”
[A fitting offering for the price. A sacrifice strong enough to counter the End Dragon’s law of cause and effect is required. What kind of offering do you think would be appropriate?]
“……”
[Anything will do. Just bring a sacrifice to save the world.]
*Pa-at!*
In the next moment, Yeodong-bin found himself standing outside the village, his expression one of bewilderment.
Sacrifice!
The moment he heard that word, the notion of human sacrifice flitted through Yeodong-bin’s mind. Though Master Mangnyang might not be evil, it was far more accurate to say he was a being beyond the bounds of good and evil. Even if he demanded a human sacrifice, there would be little to say against it.
‘No. Regardless of the kind of sacrifice I make….’
I must do it.
I have no choice.
Because I must save this world.
With a resolute heart, Yeodong-bin began to search for what he could offer. He met the Eight Immortals to share what he had learned and held discussions with them. As a result of the discussions with the Eight Immortals, they decided to sacrifice all their treasures. With as many as eight treasures, Yeodong-bin thought it would definitely be worthwhile.
However, when he brought the treasures to Master Mangnyang, he coldly refused.
[I won’t accept such things.]
“What?”
[It’s insufficient. You need to bring something of greater worth than this.]
“……”
All the Eight Immortals were astonished.
As the best among the line-up, the eight treasures they possessed had immense value. Yet, it was deemed insufficient?
Just outside the village, Zhongli Quan muttered quietly,
“It seems we would need to bring something from the Seven Luminaries to have a shot at getting through. He’s quite picky.”
As if he had heard those words, Master Mangnyang’s voice echoed from within the village.
[Seven Luminaries? If you’re going to bring the Seven Luminaries, then liberate and bring at least two.]
“……”
That’s impossible!
After they hesitated to speak any further, Yeodong-bin, in desperation, approached Master Lee Gun-ak of the White Lotus Sect to explain his dire situation. To which Lee Gun-ak responded, seemingly troubled,
“If eight treasures are insufficient, then even if we offer all the treasures of the White Lotus Sect, it wouldn’t suffice.”
“Surely, we need the most precious treasure in existence to change the Master’s mind. Is there anything like that?”
“The most precious treasure… Hmm… A thief from the underworld would probably know.”
“A thief?”
Lee Gun-ak chuckled lightly.
“Ha! Just a passing thought. It was a joke, but….”
Suddenly, Yeodong-bin recalled the enigmatic entity he encountered while trying to slay Empress Wu Zetian, the self-proclaimed Supreme Thief. He was indeed a thief worthy of the title, boasting remarkable skills. Lee Gun-ak stood up and promptly set out to find the Supreme Thief.
Without even a month passing in his search, Yeodong-bin managed to make contact with the Supreme Thief Zhongli Quan, located in Luoyang. He found Zhongli lounging on a rooftop, his expression suggesting profound annoyance.
“What business does the Eight Immortals’ Yeodong-bin have with someone like me, a mere thief?”
“Supreme Thief. What do you think is the most precious treasure in this world?”
“Eh?”
Yeodong-bin candidly explained the situation. At first, the Supreme Thief seemed skeptical, but he quickly warmed to Yeodong-bin’s earnestness. With arms crossed, he replied,
“If you’re looking for a treasure even more than the combined value of eight treasures given by the Eight Immortals… I can think of just one! I’m absolutely convinced of it; I’d stake my honor on it.”
“What is it?”
“Think about it. What is the greatest desire of humankind?”
The Supreme Thief chuckled slyly.
“Hmm… While stunning beauty and riches are delightful, the ultimate goal is immortality, isn’t it? Humans wish to live forever, wielding power and enjoying life.”
“…Master Mangnyang is already a god. Surely, he wouldn’t desire such a thing…”
“Oh, do listen to me fully. While divine beings like you may consider immortality trivial, the key is the way to achieve it…”
“Method?”
The Supreme Thief nodded.
“The Offering Ceremony! A ritual allowing humans to directly communicate with the divine and make their desires known!”
“……!!”
Yeodong-bin was taken aback.
“That’s!! A sacred ritual that humans can conduct only in imitation, but never acquire the right to perform… Achieving immortality with that is theoretically possible, but there’s no way to carry it out. Those without the right merely fall prey to heavenly punishment.”
“Haha. I also gave up after hearing about whatever ‘right’ I needed to obtain that blasted Offering Ceremony. I had no idea where to go or what to do to get that damned right. I traveled not only across our world but also to the western regions, but I still couldn’t find out….”
The Supreme Thief rubbed his hands together,
“Yet there’s one family that knows the way to perform the Offering Ceremony without any rights! What superb luck!”
“Indeed. But to execute that method, there’s just one treasure needed.”
“What is it?”
“The Xuanyuan Sword!”
He grinned widely.
“The legendary divine sword wielded by Emperor Gongsun Xuanwen during his battle with Chiyou! With that, you wouldn’t need rights, timings, or anything else—just straight deal with the gods. It’s considered a boon given to humans post the Great Hall of Fighting Roku!”
“……”
“I also joined the Six Heroes with the intention of searching for the Xuanyuan Sword while exploring the Imperial Palace as Gongsun Xuanwen’s successor. The Xuanyuan Sword would be undoubtedly the number one treasure, allowing me to become the greatest thief!”
Yeodong-bin felt his hands tremble.
‘So such a thing exists.’
Since Master Mangnyang has been using immense power to seal something away, there were already severe constraints on sharing his strength, as he learned from Huolong Jiren. If he could offer such a legendary treasure as the Xuanyuan Sword as a sacrifice to Master Mangnyang, perhaps he could gain some assistance in defeating the End Dragon! Yeodong-bin, feeling a rush of excitement, asked,
“Awesome! Where would I find the Xuanyuan Sword?”
“I don’t know either. That’s why I’m presently unifying the underworld of Luoyang to gather intelligence in search.”
The Supreme Thief’s unification of the underworld of Luoyang was merely a part of his treasure hunt.
“Hmmm… Then where is the family that provided the information about the Xuanyuan Sword?”
“It was Gongsun Byeok, the clan leader from the Gongsun family.”
“Ah…”
“The Gongsun family has been eradicated, and its survivors cannot be found.”
The Supreme Thief swiped his fist through the air in frustration.
“Damn it! I had a pact with him to exchange for information about the Xuanyuan Sword. I prepared all kinds of treasures and beauties, but before he could give me the information, he ended up meeting his demise in the tomb of the Overlord.”
“……”
“Whoever killed Gongsun Byeok will be cursed.”
Yeodong-bin found himself consumed by the thought that he must find the Xuanyuan Sword. And he said,
“Supreme Thief. I have a request. Please accompany me to Mount Tai.”
“Mount Tai? Are you sure you want to look for clues to the Offering Ceremony there?”
“Yes.”
“Hmph… Since it seems like there’s no more information to gather in Luoyang, let’s go take a look together.”
After all, legends claimed that Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first unified monarch of the Offering Ceremony, had been to Mount Tai. They arrived at the vicinity of Mount Tai but soon felt a perplexing pressure.
‘Demon Ki?’
A tremendously dense and powerful Demon Ki had amassed at the summit of Mount Tai, with dark clouds oozing like blood, enveloping the mountain. This was clearly not a natural phenomenon, causing Yeodong-bin’s face to harden, after which he rocketed towards the mountain like an arrow.
Upon reaching the summit of Mount Tai, Yeodong-bin spotted a familiar face and shouted,
“Sang Gwanwna!!”
Sang Gwanwna stood there at the peak, slowly turning to face Yeodong-bin as the dark rain fell.
“Yeodong-bin. What brings you here?”
“What vile deeds have you committed this time?”
“Vile? I merely kept a promise made with Empress Wu Zetian.”
“A promise… Don’t tell me you turned her into the deity of Dark Heaven Village?”
“You know well.”
“She was the one I slayed, so that could never be.”
As Yeodong-bin shouted, Sang Gwanwna chuckled softly.
“I merely kept her soul from departing into the afterlife and granted her a body through Western alchemy, reinserting her consciousness. The death of a physical form holds no significance.”
“Why go through such trouble? You could’ve stopped me back then.”
“……”
“What about the fact you didn’t transform her into an otherworldly being?”
At Yeodong-bin’s inquiry, Sang Gwanwna took on a surprising expression before presenting a sultry smile.
“While a human can become a lesser deity through the Offering Ceremony, an otherworldly being cannot do so. Thus, I thought a mere physical death was trivial enough. I was too lazy to guard her every moment.”
“What?!…!!”
Slowly continuing her words, she said,
“It’s been fun, Yeodong-bin. Originally, the end of the Tang Dynasty was at least two centuries away, but since Empress Wu Zetian has taken it upon herself to lead the Western Tang, no one can stop us now. I have sacrificed two centuries’ worth of cause and effect belonging to the Great Tang Empire to the End Dragon.”
“……!!”
“Then let’s sit back and enjoy the world after the end….”
*Pa-at!*
Sang Gwanwna vanished from the spot. Yeodong-bin stared blankly at where she had been, only to suddenly spot an altar. The Heavenly Altar seemed to have just concluded the Offering Ceremony, with divine power and chaotic energy still swirling violently.
As a result of the newly birthed lesser deity of Dark Heaven Village, an overwhelming force of divinity gathered there.
“……”
Yeodong-bin slowly approached.
“The Offering Ceremony is an act of direct barter with the gods….”
And he reached out to the altar. It was a reckless attempt, but it was the action borne of his will to save the world.
“May my hand touch you, O Martial God.”