NOVEL NEXT Chapter 708
Dark Heaven Village
“Oh, how chaotic this is.”
The atmosphere felt thicker than I anticipated. It was as if the air itself changed when he made his entrance – the tone of authority abandoned by any semblance of civility.
“I don’t want to be here!”
“Listen, traveler, this is a sealed place. You’re not welcome to trample around.” The Great Sovereign Jeon Wook’s voice commanded, echoing through the shadows.
“What’s the meaning of this?” The King of Chaos cackled, completely unfazed, as if mocking the authority he faced.
“What is sealed here? Just tell me!” The King of Chaos insisted, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
The Sovereign’s irritation was palpable, unleashing a surge of energy that sent a ripple through the air. The figure possessed by Seo Mun-hye was engulfed by an endless wave of dark energy, transforming the space into an abyss.
Sssss
That pressure loomed silently, indicating a readiness to make a show of strength. Yet, the King of Chaos forged ahead, unyielding. “You Three Sovereigns are supposed to govern this world… But what lies ahead since the revelation?”
“……”
“No one knows if this world will even remain after the revelation.”
Jeon Wook showed no significant reaction, but seemed intrigued, tampering with his influence just enough to halt his actions. Meanwhile, Seo Mun-hye valiantly resisted the pull of her soul from within, desperately focused on the words exchanged. She felt an urgency to absorb every piece of this conversation.
“Do not fret so. We are not so desperate to crawl beneath you, rulers of the otherworld,” the Sovereign’s voice sliced through the air.
“But let’s not complicate matters with a new territory dispute. When that time arrives, I shall ally with you.”
“… You really want to know what it is that is sealed?”
The King of Chaos’s eyes glinted with mischief.
“I accepted this summon at the thought of catching Changhil, but alas, the summoner perished. Still, the tribute offered was rather adequate, prompting me to linger in this world longer. I have quite a bit of time.”
Even in the unexpected defeat at the Divine City’s confrontation, the King of Chaos did not retreat immediately, for he had amassed an ample amount of the Law of Cause and Effect from the human sacrifices offered by the White Lotus Sect. Thus, rather than simply making his exit, he’d decided to toy with his new “toys” a bit longer.
“Excessive Law of Cause and Effect, are we?”
“Everything is simply for amusement. Governor of this world, do you not possess the generosity to fulfill a traveler’s whims?”
“Hmm.”
Jeon Wook paused, seemingly mulling over the King’s words. Then he replied, “This is the grave of a traitor who instigated a grand war. Having ruled the northern regions, I took his heart and sealed it away in my territory.”
“Why would you do such a thing?”
“His strength was so immense that I could not properly seal his body unless I tore it apart. I had to use five of my cherished spears to complete the seal.”
“Hooh… So that’s who it is.”
The King of Chaos seemed to piece together who had been sealed away. Curious, his gaze drifted to Berus, who had been quietly observing their conversation from a distance.
“Is it you, the one who can shift the Wheel of Destiny? Did your master send you here?”
Sssss
Jeon Wook turned to regard Berus as well. The gaze of the two ancient rulers fixated on him simultaneously, the intensity so thick it felt like reality was warping, yet Berus stood unmoved, his expression calm.
“Great King of Chaos, my master is no vile being, nor does he challenge the domain of rulers. We hold no hostility toward you. This is something you should know.”
“Then why shift the Wheel of Destiny?”
“My contracts carry the Law of Cause and Effect,” he asserted confidently.
“Leave. You don’t belong here.”
“I will accept your warning.”
Shuuuh
In a flash, Berus utilized his Transmission Technique and vanished from sight. Jeon Wook merely watched him go, unbothered. It was clear that Berus was no insignificant bug to them. The rulers were more subtly concerned about the presence lurking behind Berus.
“If you do not depart willingly, then go,” Jeon Wook said, frustration leaking through his tone.
“I can go, but what more do you require?”
The King of Chaos chimed in. “This one has been baptized by the rulers. Do you know who owns the artifacts inscribed into this body?”
“That’s just ridiculous,” scoffed Jeon Wook, as if he’d heard something utterly trivial.
“It’s the guardian of the entrance to a far-off world.”
“Interesting… this place is…”
The King of Chaos chuckled as if he were amusing himself with a new toy. “Then I think it’s time to put away the playthings. Farewell.”
Swoosh
Moments later, a dark entity began to detach from Miyamoto Musashi’s body. The God of Chaos seemed to lose interest in him and drifted away, a sudden rush of energy leaving Musashi in a state resembling that of a wilted doll.
Jeon Wook cast a displeased glance at the fallen warrior. “I’ll let this slide for now, but don’t dare disturb my seal again or face my wrath.”
He too departed from Seo Mun-hye’s body, wishing to avoid exerting force over trivial matters.
And so a chilling silence enveloped the venue. Musashi and Seo Mun-hye lay there, sprawled in a heavenly stupor. Moments passed until Berus reappeared in the same space, employing his Transmission Technique once more.
Berus placed a hand on Seo Mun-hye’s back, calling forth a fish from the spirit realm, breathing life into it as he reinvigorated her. Seo Mun-hye stirred slightly, then blinked awake.
“Oh…”
“Your soul was about to be swept away to the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace. You’re safe now.”
“Thank you so much.”
“But more importantly…”
Berus sighed, a look of annoyance crossing his face. “Jeon Wook warned me. Things just became trickier.”
Seo Mun-hye, confused, responded, “There’s no need for a reversal, is there? We’re all alive, and the pursuer, Musashi, is like this.”
“Do you honestly think that’s death?” Berus countered.
“Yes?”
“That man has been a puppet under the control of the ancient ruler. Even if that spirit has departed, his massive power still swirls within him. What you see isn’t death; it’s his body adapting to the energy now.”
“… No way.”
Berus nodded solemnly. “He will soon resurrect as an unparalleled Demon Beast, and his combat power will likely be no different from before…”
“Will Musashi’s will survive after his revival?”
“I can’t say for sure, but I suspect it will. Even with the ancient ruler’s spirit dominating through energy, Musashi’s mental strength remained intact. He shall live on, in the form of a demon.”
“So, should we all flee?…”
“Of course. Since he is no longer under the ancient ruler’s mastery, magic won’t be an issue now. That could work. But how far can you truly escape? You’ll find yourself perpetually hunted by this relentless monster.”
Seo Mun-hye internalized Berus’s words.
If they fled like wild animals, they could live another day, but being eternally pursued by a relentless, insatiable beast was a different kind of terror. At a loss for words, Berus continued, “The Sword of Demons wanted the Wheel returned, but we find ourselves in a dilemma. This situation hinges on whether or not you accept it. Reversing time won’t necessarily yield better results.”
“……”
“What can we do? Even with Jeon Wook’s warning acknowledged, if you wish for the last wheel to turn, I could orchestrate it. However, while Musashi might shed the ancient ruler’s influence, his transformation into a demon will remain.”
The ancient rulers had already sensed the small wheel turning. They had been blindsided just now, but any further turning of the wheel was a different matter altogether.
Berus also speculated that once Musashi became a monster, he’d likely return here. The residual energy from the ancient ruler was too concentrated, rendering a significant influence from the small wheel nearly impossible.
Seo Mun-hye thought deeply. Choosing to gamble again with even the slightest possibility of a better outcome felt daunting, and still, she understood the Sword Demon’s intentions and couldn’t dismiss the possible success of his plan.
“If Father were here… he would have chosen this path.”
She resolved, finally speaking out. “Please, reverse it.”
“Do you think I can produce a better outcome?”
“Yes.”
A gleam of determination ignited in Seo Mun-hye’s eyes. “Father will achieve it.”
The Sword Demon, in a seated posture, poured every ounce of concentration he possessed into this moment of ultimate focus.
Could I truly do this?
Though Musashi had faced monumental challenges throughout his life, he had never encountered despair until now—a gamble that hinged upon his daughter’s life, unfolding without any guarantee of success.
The memories of practicing martial arts alongside Jin So-cheong in the southern continent flashed through his mind.
“Sword Demon, I have faith in that theory.”
“Just an idea I conjured; are you truly taking it seriously?”
“Yes, I believe it is right.”
“If Zhuge Sa or Mangnyang heard this, they’d mock it as preposterous…”
Jin So-cheong shook his head at the Sword Demon’s cynical smile.
“No, I’m convinced it’s worth trying.”
“Are you intending to attempt it as well?”
“Yes, if a chance presents itself.”
“Whichever side proves successful or fails… no, if it succeeds, it may be a monumental stride forward.”
“That’s precisely why.”
Jin So-cheong’s eyes sparkled with fervor. “The opportunity can’t be captured with mere time. It must be at peak focus, while simultaneously perceiving a singularity that may or may not exist.”
“I didn’t realize how much of a dreamer I was becoming.”
“May fortune favor you.”
Indeed –
A single fleeting chance; a chance that could not be processed with reflexes. An experienced warrior might grasp the speed of sound, but the movement of time itself eludes the swiftest reflexes. The moment you perceive it, it has already transitioned.
However, this statement also suggested that mankind would forever be constrained in opposing the divine. When gods manipulate space and time or shift the wheel, even the mightiest swordsmanship becomes futile.
Is it truly impossible for martial prowess to confront the gods?
The Sword Demon thought otherwise. His memories of Baek Woong revealed the existence of the Martial God, alongside his devoted followers. If they had no method of countering the divine, they’d never aspire to become one themselves. Jin So-cheong’s triumph over the Nine Lotus Bishop also reinforced this notion.
Gooooooo
Hair billowing, the Sword Demon felt his very being beginning to shift towards white. His robust form began to wither, his energy dwindling.
Unlike Seo Mun-hye’s white hair due to bloodline, this transformation arose from an extreme focus that affected even his physique. He was digging deep within, applying all energies, collapsing under the strain of concentration.
But what choice did he have?
What he was attempting transcended reason, reaching realms that could not be ventured in sanity.
Not just Musashi needed to be overcome.
He had to surpass himself, elevate his level, and ultimately reach the essence of consciousness.
The mind visualizes boundaries (若心起見)
Seemingly different realms can be discerned (有餘境可分別求)
He recalled the scripture he had once studied, which warned that the mind’s perceptions muddled the Law. This scripture explained consciousness, yet felt inexplicably akin to his quest. Perhaps those who attain enlightenment hold a semblance of enlightenment themselves.
The True Enlightenment penetrating through endless cycles!
The sudden flickering thoughts, described as a fleeting heart, a differentiated existence in Buddhist texts, blended with the essence of the ungraspable notion of ignorance. The stage of consciousness developed gradually, leading his mind into uncharted territory.
Crackle
The Sword Demon’s skin began to fissure, light emanating from the center of his forehead. Reaching extreme focus, his form melded with the void, energy entwining with the air around him. He seemed to flicker with a candle’s light, disintegrating into the essence of energy itself.
“In the ultimate realm, time is distance. Discovering the ultimate distance within this boundless flow through instincts is nearly impossible. I realized the axis exists above and below the flow. If one knows that circles descend from high to low, simply reversing the flow is the solution. After fifty years of seeking the ultimate martial prowess, I’ve come to grasp this principle.”
“Behold, the void gives birth to energy.”
“As your skills reach their peak, you will reveal the essence of the Alaya consciousness, and the Primordial Void will manifest before you. Ultimately, martial prowess embodies the essence of the Primordial Void, contrasting disorder. The quest for martial mastery leads you to this—seizing the ultimate thread to break the chains of destiny… This divine stance described in Daoist teachings is the Tai Chi!”
Primordial Void.
What mattered most was this.
The greatest, most fundamental characteristic residing within this world was chaos. The dichotomy of light and darkness, good and evil emerged from chaos, leaving nothing more primal. Even the ancient rulers and countless deities are rooted in chaos.
But the memories of Baek Woong illustrated that chaos, when fused with the Primordial Void, would dissipate, leaving only the void at its end.
A contradiction renders itself improbable. Still, this implies that the sole force capable of countering the property of chaos is the Primordial Void itself.
What, then, is time?
From the Sword Demon’s perspective, time belonged to chaos as well. The past, present, and future inherit the dominion of Cause and Effect and the divine, with the gods navigating time with the ease of fish swimming through water.
And Miyamoto Musashi had once cleaved the dimension of time and space to confront the divine. This suggests that using intent could indeed cut through chaos and resist the flow of time itself. An accumulation of evidence converged into a singular theory.
Realizing the Primordial Void allows one to defy time!
Of course, he currently lacked the energy required to operate the small wheel, and a mortal’s limitations bound them, rendering self-directed manipulation of the wheel impossible. However, the Sword Demon believed that a martial master could resist time’s return if fully committed to the moment.
Kugugugugu
The Sword Demon’s eyes shone with clarity, his seated body gradually lifting from the ground. He unleashed his life’s utmost concentration, feeling ready to bring everything to an end in this moment. For perhaps the first time, even affection for family faded from his thoughts.
“When is it?”
…No, it mattered not. That word belonged to the concept of time.
Perhaps the boundaries of language hindered imagination and possibility.
As his mental acuity reached new heights, he recognized the singularity of the wheel.
The Path births virtue (道生之德畜之)
Matter forms shape (物形之勢成之)
Within the singularity, those metaphysical transformations were unfolding directly. The Sword Demon’s gaze sharpened, transfixed by the singularity.
Pa-at
Then in the blink of an eye, he was standing on solid ground, surrounded by Berus and his daughter, Seo Mun-hye. Berus glanced at him, puzzled.
“Why has your hair turned white?”
The Sword Demon merely smiled, unperturbed.
He now had the capacity to resist the chaotic turning of the wheel. The Sword Demon cast his gaze directly ahead.
“Sword… Demon…”
There, a staggering Miyamoto Musashi was beginning to rise. An immense energy surged from him, and his monstrous form writhed ominously. The ancient ruler’s presence had dissipated, yet he remained shackled by the energy still awakening within him.
The Sword Demon began marching towards Musashi.
When the distance between them narrowed precisely to a measuring span, their eyes locked.
At that split-second, swords flashed, each striking without haste.
The difference laid not in Musashi’s attack but rather, he wielded a monstrous sword brimming with energy, while the Sword Demon’s blade was formless, shimmering only as an absence of light.
Silence.
Moments later, the sound of shredding filled the air as Musashi’s monstrous skin split apart, horrific wounds marring his torso. Like leaves falling in a tempest, countless slashes erupted across his frame, leaving behind a grotesque tapestry of scars.
Simultaneously, the Sword Demon’s strike cleared Musashi’s mind. The divine might of Amenohabakiri cleaved through the malevolent energy, diminishing its control.
“……”
Despite bleeding a cerulean hue, Musashi refused to yield, rising defiantly. He held no confusion regarding the mastery that had bested him in that moment—he recognized it from the heart of a fellow swordsman.
The light-like velocity of that strike.
A power so absolute it cleaved through the beast’s claws as if mere parchment.
That was no merely the force of Amenohabakiri, but the pure will of a martial master.
Musashi slowly flexed his otherworldly throat, prompting a slow reply. “Formless… sword… the true… state of heart and sword…”
“……”
“Thank you… and… I’m sorry…”
Why was he apologizing?
It was as if Musashi, defeated in spirit as a warrior, felt ashamed of resurrecting via energy, turning back to attack the Sword Demon. Though he believed the ancient ruler was puppeteering him, a sense of shame still enveloped him. Simultaneously, a pang of sorrow washed over him, knowing his killer would inevitably return to the mortal coil.
“Father!!”
“Do not come closer, Hyea.”
The Sword Demon struck Musashi, now transformed into a monster, but even he was not unscathed. In a fleeting moment of insight, he achieved the state of absolute realms, honing the formless sword to engage Musashi, yet he couldn’t evade Musashi’s monstrous blade in time.
Thus, a long wound carved across the Sword Demon’s chest, the price for such ambition.
Blood spilled from his lips as he smiled.
“You won’t topple a god in that heart.”
“……”
Musashi stared in shock at the words, jaw dropping in disbelief, then exchanged a hollow laugh in return.
“Unmatched Under Heaven… just a fleeting dream.”
Puffff
In an instant, Musashi disintegrated into nothingness. Even the power that had brought him near to the demonic realm faltered against the formless sword, leaving him utterly diminished.
In witnessing Musashi’s demise, the Sword Demon, Seo Mun-dae-ryong, recognized the end was nearing for him as well.
A wave of emptiness washed over him.
Would Baek Woong inherit these memories and experiences?
Had Zhuge Sa survived, he might extract this knowledge from the demonic beasts, but he could not pass down the vivid experiences of his eighth consciousness. No one could relay such memories as the absolute mastery necessary for transmission lay beyond Zhuge Sa’s grasp.
“But… still, the will shall persist.”
As he contemplated further, a voice reached him, resonating in his mind.
“I will convey it in your stead.”
At that moment, he recognized someone had reached out to him within his thoughts.
“……!! Could it be! You’re alive…?”
The Sword Demon’s eyes widened in revelation as he identified the source of the voice. In the serene stillness, he shared thoughts with this presence—a long-awaited relief settled over him.
After a moment, a timid smile appeared as he turned to Seo Mun-hye.
“Hyea… there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Father…”
“This death is merely a fleeting farewell. Surely, you and I shall meet again, yes?”
Upon hearing this, Seo Mun-hye’s emotions cascaded and tears brimmed.
“No! You mustn’t go back…”
“Do you not believe we shall meet again?”
“How can I treat this momentary death as a solace for a future reunion?”
“You’re right about that…”
The Sword Demon slowly fell, closing his eyes.
“I shall… rest a bit.”
With that, the Sword Demon, Seo Mun-dae-ryong, lay still, never to rise again. The grievous wound delivered by Musashi coupled with his energy spent resisting the Wheel proved too great a burden.
Though life’s end approached, he bore no regrets, knowing he had protected his bloodline.