NOVEL NEXT Chapter 716
00716——————==
Dark Heaven Village
I couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered the moment Cheon Gong-pyo appeared.
[Let’s meet again in seven nights. If you can show me the strength worthy of taking you as a companion, I’ll ally with you. Of course, excluding the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s power.]
At that time, Cheon Gong-pyo had left after making such a promise. When I suggested uniting our strengths to collect the Seven Luminaries, she dismissed me, underestimating my abilities. However, after being scolded by the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, she decided to hold off for now.
But now, it wasn’t yet the promised seven nights, and here she was already?
As I stared at Cheon Gong-pyo, she asked,
[Is it strange that I came early?]
“I’m still not ready.”
[Hmm…]
I noticed Cheon Gong-pyo casting a strange gaze around at my companions. She was inspecting each one, suddenly stopping her gaze on Cheon Woo-jin. Cheon Woo-jin faced her without flinching, his demeanor completely indifferent.
Cheon Gong-pyo addressed Cheon Woo-jin,
[You seem to have shed a layer of your humanity. What is your name?]
“Cheon Woo-jin.”
[Why are you helping that guy? A person of your caliber shouldn’t be doing that.]
“I never said I would.”
Cheon Woo-jin, having received my obsidian, understood what kind of being Cheon Gong-pyo was and the level of power she possessed, yet he didn’t seem intimidated at all. What surprised me was that he took her manner as quite natural, implying that he didn’t seem particularly angry either. I gave him a perplexed look.
“Is that guy really that strong now?”
It was impossible to tell at a glance. I felt none of the infinite internal power from the Heavenly Spirit Pill or the overwhelming pressure of the Absolute Realm. But if Cheon Gong-pyo, who had reached a level surpassing the Demon King, acknowledged Cheon Woo-jin, then he truly was a formidable presence.
After a brief pause, Cheon Gong-pyo made an unexpected declaration.
[Baek Woong, was it? I will join forces with your group.]
“……!!”
Just like that?
I hadn’t expected her to decide based solely on a glance at Cheon Woo-jin. Yet, I hesitated to feel elated because it seemed like I was being manipulated according to her intentions. I fixed my cautious gaze upon her and spoke.
“So… will you be acting with us to find the Seven Luminaries now?”
[Before that, there’s something you need to help me with.]
“Ah.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be that simple. Cheon Gong-pyo couldn’t possibly be a good Samaritan.
As if on cue, Cheon Gong-pyo frowned at me, indicating unconvincingly.
[Don’t want to?]
“Not that I don’t want to.”
[To be direct, I need to take control of Golden Crow Island. If you help with that, I’ll actively help you gather the Seven Luminaries.]
“……?”
Control of Golden Crow Island?
Confusion washed over me as I tilted my head, but next to me, Cheon Woo-jin, as if understanding, said,
“It seems that the Ten Heavenly Generals are not obeying her.”
[What do you know?]
“Apologize if I’m wrong.”
Cheon Gong-pyo crossed her arms defiantly.
[You’re right.]
“Then no need to apologize.”
[So be it.]
Watching their exchange left me speechless.
“……”
Did Cheon Gong-pyo come here just to toy with us?
Nevertheless, regardless of my thoughts, Cheon Gong-pyo began to explain her situation.
[Currently, the Ten Heavenly Generals are hiding within their fortress, hostile towards me. I need to eliminate them, but it will take too much time and effort, so I need your help.]
“Hmm.”
So the Ten Heavenly Generals had turned hostile towards Cheon Gong-pyo?
Caught off guard by this unexpected situation, I asked her,
“Weren’t they once your subordinates when you were the Dao King? Why did they refuse you?”
“A new master, huh…”
Sudden understanding struck me. The Old Ruler of the Imperial Palace had once been a middle manager in the Demon Subduing Hall, who appointed the Demon King Dalgi as her servant. To the high-ranking officials of Golden Crow Island sealed away and opposing the Celestial Realm, there would be no stronger ally than their former master, the Dao King Cheon Gong-pyo, which left them with no choice but to reject her.
‘No matter how powerful Dao King Cheon Gong-pyo is, she can’t rival the true Old Ruler…’
I had something to confirm, so I asked,
“So what about Dalgi? Wasn’t he bound and sealed? Has he been released?”
[No. He remains bound.]
“Hmm.”
[However, it’s a tricky situation for me to release him, so don’t think about it.]
What does that mean?
It seemed that Cheon Gong-pyo currently had the capability to unseal Dalgi if she desired. Yet her tone suggested she could do it but didn’t want to. I wanted to probe deeper but sensed that continuing could make her angry.
Instead, I said,
“I can help you. But I need to know your ultimate goal first.”
[What do you mean by that?]
“I’m talking about your ultimate objective. Our goal is to gather the Seven Luminaries and open the path to the Imperial Palace, seeking the Emperor’s help to gain autonomy for humanity, while set right the disordered reincarnation cycle.”
[……]
“There must be parts of our goals that align with yours. There might be differences too. However, from our standpoint, even if we lend you our strength, we must know what you truly want. Only then can we call it an alliance, right?”
[Hmm.]
I firmly asserted,
“Invasion of Golden Crow Island is no small task. We need to know what you plan to do after you take control of the island. This is non-negotiable.”
At my words, Cheon Gong-pyo rested her chin in thought.
After some time, she spoke.
[I want to achieve balance in this complacent world. To do that, I must reach a singularity where the boundaries of existence are intertwined. I need to know the point where reality and illusion overlap.]
“What…?”
[To achieve that, cooperation from Golden Crow Island is essential.]
I had expected her to suggest fighting the Three Sovereigns or exterminating humanity, but instead, what she said was utterly incomprehensible. It didn’t align with any Daoist knowledge I possessed; it simply seemed like convoluted jargon.
Boundaries of existence?
Entanglement?
Singularity?
Superposition?
As I grew confused, Cheon Woo-jin’s expression changed drastically, and after a moment, he said,
“So, she has deemed that taking down the Three Sovereigns head-on is impossible.”
Cheon Gong-pyo chuckled softly.
[I’ll admit that. My past firsthand experience when facing their true forms told me so. No matter how much one is endowed with talents of chaos, facing them directly is impossible. Their true essence has truly reached a cosmic level.]
She shuddered for a moment as if recalling some harrowing experience.
[That was the conclusion I reached after a long and weary contemplation while trapped within the Ruyi Staff.]
“……”
[Gathering the Seven Luminaries also supports my goal. It seems our intentions align well.]
I found myself unable to grasp the situation. Cheon Gong-pyo had managed to outline her goals, but they were too high-level for my understanding.
“What’s certain is that, to Cheon Gong-pyo, the current state of humanity seems unimportant…”
I couldn’t tell whether it was a blessing or a curse that human civilization was being disregarded by the ancient Dao King. Just then, Cheon Woo-jin transmitted his thoughts to me through spiritual communication.
[Just accept it. It’s better that way. And buy some time.]
Fine.
Accepting Cheon Woo-jin’s advice, I spoke slowly without revealing my thoughts.
“Understood. I will assist you in dealing with Golden Crow Island. However, I’m in a bit of trouble right now.”
[What’s wrong?]
“We first need to obtain the Golden Eagle Guards. In a world where the balance is spiraling out of control by the day, postponing our acquisition of the Seven Luminaries will only strengthen their defenses.”
[Hmm… Do you know the location of the Golden Eagle Guards?]
“I don’t know for sure at the moment, but we might be able to figure it out. There are leads, so it shouldn’t take too long.”
[Got it. Then I’ll also help you acquire the Golden Eagle Guards first. Afterward, you’ll assist me with my matters.]
To think Cheon Gong-pyo would also offer her help!
I inwardly celebrated and nodded.
“Thank you.”
[And there’s something you should know, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.]
Swoosh!
The Heavenly Mysterious Woman appeared silently in her spirit form. Cheon Gong-pyo glanced at her with contempt before saying,
[Don’t draw that monkey into this matter.]
[I know without you having to say.]
[Then, once you’re ready, burn this tribe down. I will come to help you.]
Wham!
After handing me an ancient talisman, Cheon Gong-pyo vanished with a Transmission Technique. I let out a sigh of relief, feeling as if I had just roasted beans in a thunderstorm. Nevertheless, our alliance with Cheon Gong-pyo was now solidified.
Once my heart calmed a bit, I turned to Cheon Woo-jin.
“Cheon Woo-jin. You seemed to grasp the meaning of the ‘goal’ Cheon Gong-pyo rambled about earlier. Can you explain it to me?”
He tersely retorted,
“Who guarantees that I understood?”
“You’re not the kind of guy who would say that if you didn’t.”
“Hmm…”
Cheon Woo-jin knitted his brows in annoyance before finally speaking up.
“It’s a bit complicated, but her realization is connected to me too.”
As he sorted out his thoughts, Cheon Woo-jin continued,
“As a Sorcerer, the ultimate realm I must reach, the Phantom God Realm, is only attainable by reaching the ‘Record of the World.’ However, there is no single method to reach that point. You can arrive by various routes.”
“…I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.”
“Ugh…”
Cheon Woo-jin seemed annoyed, but noticing Seo Mun-hye and Tang San also looking puzzled, he couldn’t vent his frustration on me. He realized he was talking about something too esoteric. Instead, he wore a disgruntled expression and explained,
“To put it simply, the entanglement of existence refers to a singularity phenomenon that transcends time and space. And once we understand that singularity, a ‘path’ opens. Cheon Gong-pyo is saying that by walking that ‘path,’ we will eventually reach the ‘Record of the World.’”
“Hmm… So…”
As I strained to wrap my head around Cheon Woo-jin’s words, I finally began to understand.
“Cheon Gong-pyo’s goal is also the Phantom God Realm?”
“…The Phantom God Realm is just a metaphor. To put it simply, it’s a state of gaining powers that only the Old Ruler can recognize and access—the power of the cosmos to master and manipulate the entire universe.”
“……!!”
Cheon Woo-jin interlocked his fingers.
“As one who has reached the pinnacle of being a Sorcerer, I can comprehend her intentions. In the end, we are divine priests who wield the powers of the Three Sovereigns, yet we seek to break free from the dominion of the divine. They cannot be defeated by merely borrowing the powers of the Three Sovereigns.”
“Is that even possible?”
“Whichever way you look at it, it’s an act of reaching out towards the powers of the universe, and the conclusion is the same; it’s merely a difference in methodology. To be honest, I can’t fully grasp her theory either. There will likely be a significant difference between how I aim to achieve the Phantom God Realm and her approach.”
Continuing, Cheon Woo-jin added,
“Shall I explain it more simply? What she means by achieving ‘the balance of this biased world’ ultimately signifies becoming a god. No matter how much of the chaos talent she possesses, the strongest human can’t fight against beings like the Three Sovereigns, who are gods themselves, so she intends to become a god to fight with gods.”
Becoming a god!
Of course, the term ‘god’ was often thrown around, but here, it implied the Old Ruler. Not just any god, but one at the level where she could manipulate the entire universe like the Three Sovereigns.
Now I finally understood the heart of Cheon Gong-pyo. Reflecting on what Cheon Woo-jin had just said,
‘To become a god and fight against gods…’
If an ordinary human had such thoughts, they would be labeled insane, but it was different for Cheon Gong-pyo. She was the ancient Dao King who was genuinely standing before the Old Ruler. If she could realize her dream, what kind of events would unfold?
Simultaneously, I felt a twinge of allure towards that methodology.
But… it somehow felt wrong.
“……”
Why was I thinking about this?
My silence was broken by Tang San’s voice.
“I can’t grasp the scale of this discussion. So what should we do now?”
Only then did I snap back to reality.
“Let’s take a few days to wait for Jin So-cheong to awaken and prepare. After Jin So-cheong fully wakes up, it will be safer to attempt getting the Golden Eagle Guards.”
The reason for this safety precaution was not because I was overly worried about the evil Grand Sorcerers guarding the Golden Eagle Guards.
In case of betrayal from Cheon Gong-pyo, having Jin So-cheong’s strength would be an incredibly valuable asset.
Blazing Flame!
At that moment, Fire Dragon Incarnate revealed his spirit form.
[Baek Woong! An evil aura has risen along the southern coastline of the continent.]
“What?”
[It’s an ominous energy. Should we pay a visit to investigate?]
“……”
I had no choice but to nod in agreement.
“Looks like we must go.”
When it came to sensing demonic energies, Fire Dragon Incarnate was superior to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.
Given that he felt something unusual from thousands of miles away, I couldn’t ignore it.