NOVEL NEXT Chapter 674
Dark Heaven Village
When I offered the sacrifices, Shin Gong-pyo seemed considerably flustered.
[What? Sacrificing the Seven Luminaries…]
“If you don’t help me, this is the only way I can survive.”
[Wait a moment…]
Before Shin Gong-pyo could say anything, I turned to the Fire Dragon Incarnate.
“Fire Dragon Incarnate, is there a place around here where a powerful evil Qi can be felt?”
[The entire area is a mass of intense magic energy, so it’s hard to pinpoint anything specific. However, since we’ve already attracted attention, it’s clear we’ll run into someone if we move.]
“I see. Then let’s just go somewhere.”
As I started to take a step, Shin Gong-pyo shouted loudly.
[Wait! Are you serious?]
“Why are you asking that? What would I do if I was serious?”
[It’s impossible to reclaim the Seven Luminaries once they’ve fallen into the hands of a Master. You said your objective was to gather the Six Luminaries and meet the Emperor, but that doesn’t add up, does it?]
I chuckled softly.
“Dying here won’t change anything. I’d rather be alive and wait for the next opportunity.”
[You punk…]
“If you’re not going to help, then don’t get in my way.”
As I began to move, Shin Gong-pyo said.
[Are you really going to go through with this? If that’s the case, then I have no choice but to kill you.]
“Should’ve done it sooner.”
I responded nonchalantly.
“Go ahead and try. But from what I can see, if you kill me, you won’t be able to move here anymore; if you want to die together, then by all means.”
[……]
Shin Gong-pyo closed her mouth tight. While it was possible for her to harness her powers to kill or harm me, it seemed like that would leave her without anyone to rely on. And if the Master or Otherworldly beings got hold of the Ruyi Staff, it would undeniably lead to a nightmare for her, preventing her from recklessly trying to kill me.
Ironically, I could easily judge this whole situation thanks to Shin Gong-pyo openly expressing her malice towards me. Had she concealed her emotions like other seasoned individuals, there might have been a psychological battle where I’d be at a disadvantage. Instead, she was blatantly letting it show that she had no choice but to let me be.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t kill me; she just wouldn’t.
The moment I realized that, I had seized the initiative.
As I swept over a mountain, an enormous eel flew through the air with wings, revealing a bizarre canyon before my eyes. Below in the dark canyon, I could prominently sense a powerful magic energy, with hundreds of flying eels circling above.
‘There must be something there.’
Simply crossing one mountain to see the [Old Ruler] means this Dark Heaven Village really is a dumpster fire. I prepared to descend into the canyon to negotiate with the [Old Ruler].
[Wait!]
At that moment, Shin Gong-pyo called out strongly. She revealed her spirit form to block my way and said,
[Rather than letting the Seven Luminaries fall into the hands of a Master, I’d rather help you. So don’t make a foolish choice.]
“As I said before, I can’t trust you. No matter what you say in this situation, it would be meaningless.”
[Are you truly willing to put forth something like the Seven Luminaries? It’s just that your capabilities are lacking; even with just one, you could dominate the world. If you managed to get two or three more, you could even overturn the Celestial Realm, and yet you’re choosing this without knowing the extent of that power!]
“I know. You just showed the potential of the Seven Luminaries earlier.”
I continued coldly.
“But I have priorities. And they’re different from yours.”
[……!!]
“If you’re willing to help, how exactly do you plan to do that?”
As I took the initiative to question Shin Gong-pyo, she seemed embarrassed, her expression slightly contorting. But after a moment, she restored her expression and replied.
[I’ll stake my name on this contract with you.]
“What kind of contract?”
“Hmmm…”
A contract backed by a name.
That held overwhelming public trust among high-level existences and should not be taken lightly. The difference was astounding compared to her earlier proposal. I found this proposition worth considering and hesitated momentarily.
‘What should I do?’
I could either offer the Seven Luminaries to the Master and return, but being protected by Shin Gong-pyo for a while was a tempting option. But even so, if the Master turned me back to the real world, I wouldn’t need to make such a contract with Shin Gong-pyo.
“……”
After thinking for a long time, something else struck me, and I asked,
“Do you happen to know Dalgi?”
[What? Why are you talking about that guy?]
“Tell me what your relationship is. Then I’ll seriously consider your proposal.”
Shin Gong-pyo responded to my question.
[He’s a great demon and the Demon King created from the Queen Mother of the West’s dark energy that fell to the ground. Initially, he was a loyal servant of the Queen Mother, but he betrayed her and sided with our sect. He has been a comrade of the sect for a long time.]
“……!!”
[It seems he is currently sealed on Golden Crow Island.]
The dark energy of the Queen Mother?
This was news I had never heard before, making my ears perk up. Until now, I had faced Dalgi countless times as a formidable enemy, but I had never known his exact identity. Only now could the true origin of Dalgi be clarified.
‘Queen Mother… no way…’
With a sense of urgency, I asked,
“Is Dalgi the incarnation of the Queen Mother?”
[That’s not it. If he were an incarnation, the Queen Mother would have reclaimed him long ago. Dalgi is closer to a failed experiment of the Queen Mother.]
“Failed experiment? What do you mean?”
[It’s said that Dalgi was created when the Queen Mother couldn’t balance her Tai Chi, causing her dark energy to explode. I don’t know the details, but he has significant feelings of affection and resentment towards the Queen Mother.]
“Hm… I see.”
[He himself claimed to have escaped before being captured. But why are you asking about him?]
After finishing my calculations in my head, I responded to Shin Gong-pyo’s words.
“Shin Gong-pyo, you also know that Dalgi uses sorcery defense barriers to protect himself and the sorcery techniques of our sect, right?”
[… You mean that? Of course, I do. I taught it to him.]
“You taught him? So, originally, Dalgi didn’t know about it?”
[That’s right. His natural demon power was immense, but he didn’t know how to use it properly, so the immortals of our sect taught him sorcery techniques. The sorcery defense barriers you mention are all top-secret techniques of the sect.]
Just as I thought!
I inwardly celebrated as I crossed my arms.
“Either teach me the sorcery techniques of the sect or the method to easily break that technique. Also, tell me the weaknesses of the Ten Heavenly Generals.”
[What?! Have you lost your mind?]
“Why? It’s information you already know.”
Shin Gong-pyo’s rage surged, and her spirit flickered violently.
[How dare a nobody like you speak to the Sect Master…!!]
With a swift rush, Shin Gong-pyo’s power surged, prompting the Fire Dragon Incarnate to reveal his spirit form to block her. Flames sparked from Shin Gong-pyo’s eyes.
[Step aside! Do you really think a Dragon King could survive against my sabre sword?]
The Fire Dragon Incarnate replied calmly.
[Don’t throw around empty threats. You know this will only lead to your destruction.]
[You little…!!]
Shin Gong-pyo trembled in fury but ultimately seemed unable to follow through, letting her aura fade slightly as she said,
[…Fine. Let’s do it your way.]
“Alright. The negotiation is settled. Let’s make a pact.”
Wooong—
Soon, I found myself binding a promise with Shin Gong-pyo, based on her ‘name’. It was a sort of sorcery ritual, and since the Fire Dragon Incarnate was overseeing it, there was no room for deception. By releasing Shin Gong-pyo’s seal, she was now to protect me until I return to reality, while also sharing the sorcery techniques of our sect and Dalgi’s secrets.
I watched as the contract formed in the light, thinking to myself,
‘This should be worth the expenditure of Yin Spirit Power.’
Although merely releasing Shin Gong-pyo wouldn’t have been concerning, this deal changed everything.
Dalgi’s sorcery defense barrier!
That was a technique so formidable that even a joint attack from all the strongest forces in the human realm would struggle to capture him. Even the Master of the White Lotus Sect or Master of the Twelve Joules alone could never defeat Dalgi, which explained why I had to tread carefully since my past life, always wary of his summonings.
Yet, if the Sect Master directly provided the method to break the sorcery defense barrier—it would significantly shorten my journey during my next life. Because the difficulty of defeating Dalgi would decrease drastically, making it much easier to subdue the Imperial Palace.
I spoke to Shin Gong-pyo.
“By the way, is there anywhere to hide? The Eight Parts of the Divine might be chasing us soon…”
We might have created a vast distance, but in reality, it meant little to divine beings like the Eight Parts of the Divine. While it was a great deal of distance for a regular escape, it mattered little as the Tripitaka had previously pursued them to the southern continent. Regardless of the distance, I would need to find a place to hide or escape within a short time.
Shin Gong-pyo replied curtly.
[Why are you looking for a place to hide? Just shut up and release my seal.]
“What?”
[Now that we’ve made a contract, you can’t possibly doubt me, right? Hurry up and do it. There’s no time.]
“Are you serious?”
[You worthless little brat! Can’t you understand something after hearing it once?!]
As Shin Gong-pyo exploded in fury, I felt a twinge of fright. So, I decided to tap into the Yin Spirit Power as much as possible and inject it into the Ruyi Staff to unlock the final seal of the Heavenly Ruler.
‘Can Shin Gong-pyo really keep the Eight Parts of the Divine at bay…’
I felt doubtful, but I had no choice but to give it a try. Determined to die if it didn’t work out, I concentrated the Yin Spirit Power into my fingertips and directed it toward the Ruyi Staff. It felt like the most urgent knot inside began to dissolve slowly like it was melting in water.
The final seal would be unlocked soon.
Woong—
At that moment, I felt the presence of someone’s apparition before my eyes. The apparition seemed like a spirit with an ethereal aura, yet its face was completely obscured and like an unmasked immortal. A sacred energy seemed to envelop the surroundings, and the refreshing sensation was indeed overwhelming.
I was in awe of what kind of Great Immortal had appeared, but soon the apparition spoke to me.
[I am the last will and spirit of the Heavenly Ruler left behind. The fact that you are seeing me means that someone is using divine power to release the seal of Shin Gong-pyo, the Sect Master.]
“……!!”
The Heavenly Ruler!
Does that mean the apparition in front of me is the last will of the Heavenly Ruler?
It was my first time seeing the Three Pure Ones with my own eyes, and I was wide-eyed, but it seemed neither the Fire Dragon Incarnate nor Shin Gong-pyo could see him. It appeared I was the only one aware of him. I turned my gaze towards the Heavenly Ruler’s spirit, who said,
[…I cannot determine if you are good or evil. However… we could not easily destroy a valuable talent like Shin Gong-pyo. The chaotic talents she possesses were exceedingly rare even in the times of Chiyu, and I wished to protect her in the form of sealing, so she could oppose the god.]
What did that mean?
[By the time you are watching this, I and the Primordial Heaven Master will likely have perished. The mysterious demon that forcibly stripped the mask of our master, Fuxi, and returned him to his original form, is constantly threatening the Celestial Realm. I fear there might be no way to stop his schemes… The former Master of the Sky also perished at his hands.]
“…..”
[It is indeed frightening. That existence treats all of humanity as mere playthings. I wish that someone would seal that gigantic Demon God… but is such a miracle even possible?]
The spirit of the Heavenly Ruler pointed at me.
[You, the one who claims to be Hongjun Daoist… the chaos being who identifies himself as Spirit Treasure Heaven Master, is someone capable of eradicating that chaotic god. Please awaken her true mission as the successor of the Great Kunlun!]
Kughung!
In the next instant, that spirit vanished. For a moment, I wondered if it had all been an illusion, but the clarity of the information I received made it impossible for me to think so. It seemed the Heavenly Ruler had foreseen the future and conveyed his intent through Shin Gong-pyo’s seal.
‘Hongjun Daoist? The chaotic being?’
I couldn’t tell right now. As the brilliant light burst forth, I realized Shin Gong-pyo’s physical form was materializing in this world.
Paaaa!!
Shin Gong-pyo had been resurrected.
She looked almost the same as she did in her spirit form, but she had certainly materialized from the Ruyi Staff. She held the Ruyi Staff tightly and tossed it to me, saying.
“You hide wherever you want. I’ll take care of those Eight Parts of the Divine.”
“Wait a moment…”
I tried to tell Shin Gong-pyo what I had just heard, but it seemed she had no intention of listening.
Roar of the Sky!!
“Over there!”
After deducing the location through her techniques, Shin Gong-pyo threw the sabre sword into the sky, causing it to vanish. As I stood there, dumbfounded, watching her silhouette, soon the eastern sky glowed red.
Kwahahwaang!
‘Wha—what the…’
She had been dead serious since earlier.
The resurrected Shin Gong-pyo had declared war on six members of the Eight Parts of the Divine all on her own!