NOVEL NEXT Chapter 636
Chapter 636 – Dark Heaven Village
The memories of Yeodong-bin came to an end.
“… Ha!”
I was suddenly jolted back to reality, startled. Until now, I had been completely immersed in Yeodong-bin’s self and memories, feeling a total sense of unity. Having witnessed the entirety of Yeodong-bin’s life, I was filled with overwhelming emotions at the end.
‘He’s a hero.’
Yeodong-bin is truly the hero! A great hero who single-handedly blocked the schemes of the Eight Parts of the Divine that even Master Mangnyang and the Heavenly Realm couldn’t stop, preserving a millennium of peace in this world. While the common folk revere Yeodong-bin as the Sword Master, it felt rather ridiculous compared to his actual achievements. I felt immense respect for Yeodong-bin, who accomplished what no Great Immortal had managed until now.
If Yeodong-bin hadn’t defeated the mighty dragon, the world might have perished before I was even born.
However, whether Yeodong-bin realized my gaze or not, he calmly spoke.
[“Dharma Protector. You must have grasped what it means to connect with a Martial God in some way. But I haven’t opened up completely to you yet.”]
“… I see.”
Yeodong-bin selectively showed his memories. For instance, the tragic tale surrounding his ties with Balhae, the reason behind his continued gathering of power and the Law of Cause and Effect, as well as the Great Extinction that occurred during the Fengshen War era—Yeodong-bin revealed a great deal, but it was clear he still didn’t fully trust me.
‘If we share information, maybe I can gain more about the Martial God…’
I felt an impulse to pull out the Obsidian and give it to Yeodong-bin, but just then, Cheon Woo-jin’s sharp voice rattled in my head.
[“Don’t do it! Don’t make hasty decisions. Are you truly confident you can escape from Nüwa?”]
“……”
[“If you’re sealed by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, it’s the end for all of us who share the Obsidian with you. Choose wisely.”]
I hesitated at Cheon Woo-jin’s words. It could be said I was indecisive, but this was definitely not a matter to decide solely based on emotions. Seeing my troubled expression, Yeodong-bin spoke understandingly.
[“You don’t have to forcibly share secrets with others. Act when your heart leads you.”]
“I’m sorry.”
[“Sang Gwanwna has sealed the path in his name, so you don’t need to worry about that further.”]
“Yeodong-bin, I have three questions…”
I presented three questions, but the Sword Master replied calmly.
[“Some things cannot be spoken of.”]
“I understand.”
I nodded and asked, “You were searching for the Xuanyuan Sword but ultimately resolved the chaos on your own. What exactly was the Xuanyuan Sword?”
[“What do you mean?”]
“I’m in doubt about its existence. The Supreme Thief might have been bluffing…”
This was one of my biggest doubts. The Xuanyuan Sword!! A legendary treasure said to be more valuable than the combination of eight precious treasures, granted to humanity by Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen himself. Until the Supreme Thief mentioned it in Yeodong-bin’s memories, I had no idea such a thing even existed. Therefore, it was possible the Supreme Thief might have believed in an outrageous rumor or was just boasting.
Yeodong-bin sighed in response to my question.
[“Hoo… Honestly, I was equally curious, so after ascending to the Heavenly Realm, I inquired about the Xuanyuan Sword whenever I could. However, there was not a single Immortal who knew of it, and I could only find a clue from a strange person.”]
“Who is that?”
[“I cannot speak lightly as it might infringe upon that person’s honor or prestige. If you want to know, give me a fitting price, Dharma Protector.”]
Though Yeodong-bin could have shared that out of goodwill, the information related to the Great Immortal was a divine secret, and he didn’t want to waste his Law of Cause and Effect and power, which is why he wanted compensation. It was clear he was keen on conserving his strength.
“Hmmm.”
This didn’t seem like such a bad trade. But since it wasn’t something I had to decide right now, I set it aside and spoke to Yeodong-bin again.
“Then one more thing… What’s the current state of the divine treasures of the White Lotus Sect? The current White Lotus Sect lacks the divine treasures of a thousand years ago.”
Seeing as it was obvious my question about the Martial God would be ignored or dismissed, I asked about the divine treasures of the White Lotus Sect. The divine treasure referred to the treasures of the gods themselves and held power befitting their names. However, the divine treasures spoken of in Yeodong-bin’s recollections could not be found anywhere in the current White Lotus Sect. If someone had known about them, I would have heard about it in my numerous past lives.
Yeodong-bin pondered deeply before responding.
[“I might not know for sure, but I have an inkling.”]
“What is it?”
[“At that time, the divine treasure was directly embedded in the body of the mighty dragon, binding him like a chain. And when the dragon fell, its chaotic form might have flown into the universe through the Celestial Path… It’s possible the divine treasure was sucked into the realm of chaos.”]
“Gah!”
I gasped.
The universe, the realm of chaos! If the divine treasures of the White Lotus Sect went missing beyond such a distant otherworld, would it be impossible to find them? I worried the precious information I had acquired would turn to nothing. Ultimately, I might have to explore outer realms.
“… This will be my last question.”
[“Go ahead.”]
“You mentioned that you entered the Martial Soul path just before defeating the mighty dragon. But the Martial Soul shares its name with the Ultimate Technique of the Thunder God Lineage; what’s the relation?”
[“I may not know for certain, but…”]
The Sword Master pondered before answering.
[“It cannot be mere coincidence. Not just with the Thunder God Lineage but also with the Four Great Families—their naming holds meaning. They undoubtedly have ties with the Martial God.”]
“Hmm.”
[“It might be related to the disappearance of the divine treasures.”]
Divine treasures.
While I was lost in thought, Cheon Woo-jin next to me spoke bluntly.
“Enough of this. Let’s head back. With so much information gained, we’ll need the assistance of the strategists, right?”
“Ah, right.”
Pa-at!
I returned to the Zhuge Clan. I showcased the information I had gathered so far alongside Yeodong-bin’s recollections to the Divine Phoenix.
Wuuuuu…
Upon hearing the information, the Zhuge Clan Leader chuckled.
“Kekeke… The Sword Demon taught you useless things. Why would you choose the hard path when an easier one is available?”
“Zhuge Clan Leader! The people of Luoyang are innocent.”
“Who cares? Damn it. Pursuing efficiency is what strategists are about.”
The Zhuge Clan Leader grumbled. It seemed he deliberately hadn’t given me any advice about the seal. I felt bittersweet, but at the same time, I understood why he thought that way, so I couldn’t say anything. Instead, I said to him,
“Zhuge Clan Leader. I’m confused by all this information. Please give me advice on what I should do now.”
“Hmmm… Let me think for a moment.”
The Zhuge Clan Leader deeply pondered before asking Cheon Woo-jin beside him.
“Cheon Woo-jin! You’re the disciple of a god; have you heard anything about the Xuanyuan Sword? This is the first time I’ve heard of it.”
“I’m hearing this for the first time too.”
Cheon Woo-jin crossed his arms, unusually tilting his head.
“If such a powerful divine treasure existed, I’d have heard of it at least once. It’s strange.”
His confidence wasn’t unfounded. Cheon Woo-jin, as the disciple of a god and the top-tier expert among all sorcerers in the Central Plains, was the most knowledgeable about treasures and techniques. If even he didn’t know about the Xuanyuan Sword, it was likely that the information was distorted or perhaps completely false.
After a moment, the Zhuge Clan Leader spoke.
“Right now, what matters most are three things.”
“Okay.”
“First. You challenging Dark Heaven Village. This is something you could attempt right away, and if you die like a mayfly, you can quickly gain experience. Of course, while it’s easy to die and challenge, there’s no rush for hasty action now.”
“Hmm…”
“Second. To gather information about the Xuanyuan Sword. I suspect it may not even exist, but if it does, it could shorten your journey in past lives by at least ten times. So it’s something that can’t be ignored. If you obtain the Xuanyuan Sword and become its master, you might gain the power of an Apostle in an instant.”
The Zhuge Clan Leader’s words struck home. If it was a thing of greater value than eight treasures, it might even be of a higher echelon than the Seven Luminaries. As I nodded, he moved on to the last crucial point.
“Third. To search for the divine tomb of the gods in Liaodong… This task is currently entrusted solely to the Sword Demon, but frankly, it’s not something he can resolve alone.”
“What?”
“What kind of sphere of influence is Liaodong? It’s where the powers of the Central Plains Martial World and the Twelve Joules clash. If you wish to explore the ruins or uncover ancient mysteries there, you’ll need the support of the Twelve Joules.”
“……”
“I knew from the start that to find the divine tomb and uncover Seo Mun-hye’s secrets, collaboration with the Twelve Joules was unavoidable. However, I hadn’t said so earlier because it wasn’t crucial right now.”
I fell silent.
‘Collaborating with the Twelve Joules…’
A flurry of complicated thoughts flooded my mind. The Master of the Twelve Joules had no reason to help me, and if I drew attention from him, my actions would be restricted. Having been blindsided a few times in the past, simply thinking of the Twelve Joules complicated matters. As I was lost in thought, the Zhuge Clan Leader clapped and wrapped things up.
“Let’s take it easy and logically. For now, activate the National Seal and use the search function to see if the Xuanyuan Sword exists in this world.”
“Ah, right!”
“And if that doesn’t work, you can offer an offering to Yeodong-bin.”
Pa-at.
As soon as I finished speaking, I moved into the internal world of the National Seal and asked the spirit for help.
“O National Seal! Go find where the Xuanyuan Sword is!”
[“Please hold on for a moment…”]
Pa-aah.
It felt as if starlight was undulating. Inside the National Seal, darkness and light swirled as the spirit read the world’s information at an incredible speed. After a while of gathering information, the spirit of the National Seal spoke with a hint of difficulty.
[“There are 0 results for the Xuanyuan Sword.”]
“……”
[“Would you like to view related search results?”]
I pondered over its words and asked.
“Are they not edited due to a manager’s request, as when I searched for Emperor Changqie last time?”
At my question, the spirit of the National Seal tilted its head.
[“What do you mean by last time? This is your first search using the function, Master…”]
“Ah, right… It’s nothing.”
I hurriedly realized my mistake and fumbled my words, but my heart raced for a moment.
‘Only I have experienced rebirth, and others can’t remember it.’
Though it was obvious, I had been repeatedly making companions by giving the Obsidian as soon as I reincarnated, so I hadn’t felt that estrangement lately. I cleared my throat and waited for the spirit’s response, and soon the spirit of the National Seal spoke.
[“Yes, that’s correct. There are no requests for edits or records of edits from other users.”]
“So that means the Xuanyuan Sword really can’t be found, even with the capabilities of the National Seal?”
[“That would be a fair interpretation.”]
“Does the search function of the National Seal include other dimensions or otherworldly realms?”
[“Not at all. It can only search the present material realm and main dimension.”]
“Hmm. So that’s it.”
I frowned.
‘This is unexpectedly shaky.’
As long as the item exists in this world, the National Seal can find anything; conversely, it can’t search for items that have crossed over to another world. After confirming that the Xuanyuan Sword didn’t exist in this world, I asked again.
“Then please search for the divine treasures of the White Lotus Sect and see where they are in this world.”
[“The search results for the divine treasures of the White Lotus Sect are 0.”]
“……”
[“Would you like to view related search results?”]
“Damn it! What are you even good at finding?!”
I lost my temper. The spirit of the National Seal also seemed annoyed and retorted.
[“I can’t exactly say something exists when it doesn’t.”]
“I don’t care!! Why can’t you search other dimensions?”
[“… You could always make one yourself.”]
“Eh?”
[“No, just talking to myself…”]
Before I could respond, the spirit of the National Seal vanished from sight.
‘Did I go too far?’
I thought I’d gotten annoyed for no reason and scratched my head as I returned to reality.
Then the Zhuge Clan Leader said,
“That’s some yield.”
“That there’s nowhere in this world for the Xuanyuan Sword and the divine treasures of the White Lotus Sect?”
“No. What it means is that we now need the ability to search across dimensions.”
This was an issue to be solved later, the Zhuge Clan Leader said.
“Baek Woong, a new task has arisen.”
“What is it?”
“Using the Heavenly Secret Technique.”
The Zhuge Clan Leader’s eyes sparkled.
“Offer a treasure to Yeodong-bin and gain information in return. Then, go to Mount Ye, where Gongsun Byeok is said to have died, and summon the Gongsun Clan leader from a thousand years ago to learn about the Xuanyuan Sword.”