NOVEL NEXT Chapter 741
Chapter 741: Dark Heaven Village
When I threw the obsidian at Cheon Gong-pyo, he didn’t catch it with his hands right away. Even though we had made a covenant in name, he seemed suspicious as he used telekinesis to snatch it from the air and examined it from all angles. After a while, Cheon Gong-pyo finally held the obsidian in his hand, and memories began to rapidly merge with him.
“Woo woo woo…”
‘The last will of Tai Shang Lao Jun.’
Because I remembered the content, I could embed it into the obsidian.
[I am the embodiment and final wish of Tai Shang Lao Jun. If you see me, it is likely that someone is using divine power to lift the seal of Cheon Gong-pyo, the master of the Sect of Absolute Teachings.]
[ …I cannot determine if you are good or evil. But… we cannot easily destroy precious talent like Cheon Gong-pyo. Her talent for chaos was rare even in the era of Chi You, so I wanted to protect her in the form of a seal against the gods.]
[By the time you are reading this, Tai Shang Lao Jun and Yuanshi Tianzun will probably have already been destroyed. An enigmatic demon has been threatening the celestial realm, having forcibly removed the mask of our master, Fuxi, and forced him back to his original form. There is probably no way for us to stop that being’s schemes… The previous Sect Master of Tongtian was also annihilated by that entity.]
[It is truly frightening. That being sees the entirety of humanity as nothing more than a plaything. I wish someone would seal that enormous demon… but can such a miracle even exist?]
[You. The chaotic being calling itself Hongjun Daoist… The only way to defeat the demon god that treats the celestial realm as a toy is through Cheon Gong-pyo’s Sabre Sword or the Seven Luminaries. Please awaken her true mission as the successor of the Great Kunlun!]
The content was imbued with the ancient conspiracy left by Tai Shang Lao Jun, a direct disciple of Fuxi, the creator of the celestial realm. It turned out that the being, previously recognized as Tai Shang Lao Jun and Hongjun Daoist, was actually a demon god of chaos and that this being attacked and forced Fuxi, the leader of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, back to his original form. Moreover, as predicted by Tai Shang Lao Jun, both he and Yuanshi Tianzun were soon ambushed by someone and went missing, leaving the seat of the Four Sages in the celestial realm empty.
What will Cheon Gong-pyo’s reaction be to this truth?
As I observed Cheon Gong-pyo, confusion washed over her.
[ …What? Hongjun Daoist was Tai Shang Lao Jun? That can’t be!]
“The important thing isn’t that. When you were sealed in the Ruyi Staff, the celestial realm itself was already being toyed with by someone else. You, being the Sect Master, still had no idea about this shadowy figure until now.”
[Ugh…!]
“The Fengshen War you initiated in the name of saving humanity was nothing more than a well-crafted play.”
[Shut up!]
Calmly, I began articulating the conclusions I’d drawn in my mind.
“And this enigmatic demon possesses the capacity to attack Fuxi, causing them to lose their senses. In a situation where such a being is manipulating the celestial realm from behind, what do you even want to do? Do you even know who the real enemy is?”
[ …… ]
“Tai Shang Lao Jun recognized you as the successor of the Great Kunlun. Furthermore, you, who also hold the status of Sect Master, are the only one in the world with such uniqueness. Is what you’re doing now quarreling with us over the Seven Luminaries? Do you have a proper plan for when you acquire them?”
[What do you want to say?]
Thank goodness.
Cheon Gong-pyo’s eyes returned to relative calm.
I sensed that if I spoke now, my words would resonate with her.
“I’m not saying you have to become a complete ally. But to grasp how things are unfolding, you can’t afford to be our enemy. Likewise, we need your help. At least until we uncover the identity of the shadow lurking in the celestial realm, we need to join forces.”
I slowly extended my hand to Cheon Gong-pyo.
“Let’s share the power of the Seven Luminaries. We are willing to do so.”
[You’re just repeating what you said before.]
“This time it’s different. You must actively assist us.”
[What?]
“Now is not the time for us to be working separately. Changhil has already occupied Luoyang and gained the initiative to change the world, and if we let our guard down for even a moment, he will swallow everything. None of us can handle Changhil alone.”
[ … Hmm.]
Cheon Gong-pyo let out a low growl. Then she spoke.
[So you’re saying you know the identity of the shadow in the celestial realm?]
“We’re quite close to figuring it out.”
[What the…!!]
I slowly coaxed Cheon Gong-pyo.
“And aren’t you curious? If we obtain the Seven Luminaries, we essentially have the Five Luminaries in our grasp. The Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram is in the Imperial Palace, and if we obtain that, we can gather all Six Luminaries.”
[……!!]
“Do you know that collecting the Six Luminaries opens the door to the Sun Luminary?”
Cheon Gong-pyo’s eyes widened. Then she exclaimed.
[Are you saying the Seven Luminaries can all be gathered?]
“Yes. If you just cooperate with us, it’s absolutely possible.”
Finally, Cheon Gong-pyo nodded her head vigorously as if she was feeling generous.
[Understood. I will cooperate with you.]
Normally, I would have felt the urge to express my gratitude in a dramatic manner, bowing to Cheon Gong-pyo.
‘ Cheon Gong-pyo, that fickle and selfish character, could change her mind any moment.’
However, for some reason, my head was unusually clear now, and I could understand the entire situation with cold precision. I realized that I shouldn’t be satisfied with this.
“It can’t just be words.”
[What?]
“I made a covenant with you to hand over the obsidian. You must also make a covenant to cooperate fully with us until we gather the Six Luminaries, affirming that you will not betray us.”
[You crazy bastard! Why would I do that?]
“If you refuse, I don’t want to admit it, but…”
Swoosh.
I pulled out the Fire Elemental Sword and held it in one hand. Then I gazed at the Heavenly Mysterious Woman beside me.
“I intend to offer this Fire Elemental Sword to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, in addition to the Water Element.”
Cheon Gong-pyo gasped in surprise.
[What?! Are you out of your mind?! Handing the Seven Luminaries to someone else…!]
Ignoring her, I continued.
“And I would ask the Heavenly Mysterious Woman to annihilate you in return for offering the Seven Luminaries. You will have to avoid the Heavenly Mysterious Woman for the rest of your life.”
[Ugh!!]
“Do you have the confidence to handle that?”
[W-Wait a minute…!]
Cheon Gong-pyo looked flustered and anxious.
It’s understandable because the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, having received the Water Element, was on the verge of regaining her full strength and had become a powerful being capable of conflicting with the Law of Cause and Effect. If the Heavenly Mysterious Woman were to acquire another Seven Luminary, she would wield power second only to the Old Ruler. And regardless of her status as Cheon Gong-pyo, making an enemy of such a figure would clearly be fatal.
Cheon Gong-pyo suddenly spoke as if realizing something.
[You won’t be able to offer such a thing easily! All eyes in the celestial realm will be drawn to her because of the Law of Cause and Effect, and it won’t be easy to bear that impact.]
“That’s possible. Then I’ll just offer the Fire Elemental Sword to the Celestial Sage.”
[What?!… ]
“If the Celestial Sage becomes the master of the Seven Luminaries, it will be equally hard for you to handle him.”
I spoke with a certainty. Although having two of the Seven Luminaries may not be as impactful as having the Heavenly Mysterious Woman acquiring them, the Celestial Sage was originally the most powerful combatant in the celestial realm. If the Celestial Sage obtains the Seven Luminaries, he would be able to harness that power to its maximum and likely overpower Cheon Gong-pyo in this situation.
The Celestial Sage smiled as if he understood my intent.
“Oh, that sounds great. I’m thankful for that. I’m confident I’ll put it to good use.”
[……]
“Cheon Gong-pyo, if that situation arises, I won’t show you any mercy. If you get greedy over the Seven Luminaries and lead my younger brother Baek Woong to make a decision that costs him dearly, I will definitely smash your head!”
Cheon Gong-pyo, realizing my seriousness, shrank back even further. She recognized that if the Celestial Sage, possessing the Fire Elemental Sword, charged at her, she wouldn’t escape unscathed.
[Woo woo woo…!]
I sensed Cheon Gong-pyo examining the situation and exploded with anger.
“Choose! There’s no more luxury to indulge in your hesitation because of Changhil! If you obstruct our path any further, I’ll kill you!”
[Ugh!]
“If you don’t want to, you’re free to leave! But you should avoid coming into our sight from now on. If you’re going to waste Tai Shang Lao Jun’s legacy as the successor of the Great Kunlun, then so be it!”
Cheon Gong-pyo groaned heavily before reluctantly saying.
[Alright… I promise. But in return, you better uphold your promise to share the power of the Seven Luminaries with me.]
“I will do so. If necessary, I may lend you the Seven Luminaries. But if you try to run away or betray us, you will be judged by the covenant immediately. You will lose all your powers and become an ordinary human.”
[… I agree.]
Cheon Gong-pyo completely lost her composure. If it had just been the difference in power, she would have disregarded the covenant and left. However, upon seeing the last will of Tai Shang Lao Jun, she developed a sense of obligation at least, and thus couldn’t avoid being manipulated by me.
If she were to become hostile, her adored ideals would fundamentally be denied, forcing her to accept my proposal.
‘Well, that means she’s not wholly evil to the core…’
I pondered that Cheon Gong-pyo, wielding overwhelming talent, had developed a self-centered and selfish nature, yet her essence wasn’t entirely bad. If she were inherently evil, Tai Shang Lao Jun would never have selected her as a successor, nor would she have initiated the Fengshen War unnecessarily.
Her loyalty to Tai Shang Lao Jun, her master.
Somehow, that seemed to curb Cheon Gong-pyo’s selfishness.
[Baek Woong. Receive the Seven Luminaries.]
“Woo woo!”
The Heavenly Mysterious Woman handed me the Moon Sovereign and Wood Essence. The moment I received two of the Seven Luminaries, I felt a powerful yet orderly force manifest throughout my entire body.
“……!!”
I was taken aback. Simply having three of the Seven Luminaries equipped granted me such immense power? It was a phenomenon I had never felt in my life before, and I turned in surprise to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.
“Can mere possession of them really yield such strength?”
[The Seven Luminaries are treasures imbued with the promises of colossal cosmic beings. Thus, they resonate with each other, calling to one another like brothers. Naturally, if such Seven Luminaries are so close, that’s to be expected. Furthermore, having two liberated and one not liberated creates an entirely different dimension of power.]
“Hmm…”
Now that I thought about it, both the Moon Sovereign and Wood Essence were in liberated states. With two released and one unreleased, that might explain the overwhelming feeling.
‘Even so, just by equipping them, if this much power is unleashed…’
I had a premonition.
At this moment, I felt that the possibilities for what I could accomplish had greatly multiplied.
In any case, it was a relief. The massive power newly born within me would yield significant results.
‘Yin Spirit Power has been restored!’
The Yin Spirit Power consumed when releasing Cheon Gong-pyo’s seal had completely recovered! Though I hadn’t surpassed the gains obtained from Jun Wook’s statue in this lifetime, it was still a benefit. Moreover, I realized the enhancements to techniques like Fire Eye Golden Spirit and the Blessing of the Divine felt vivid and were much easier to utilize.
If gathering three of the Seven Luminaries produced this much, what would it be like to gather four, five, or even six? And if I could resonate them together?
As I savored the lingering power, I spoke.
“The Eight Parts of the Divine are nearby.”
Maybe it was due to a temporary enhancement of my senses from gathering the Seven Luminaries, but I felt the area’s scope widen dramatically and could suddenly discern that the Eight Parts of the Divine were approaching from miles away.
‘There are three enemies in total…’
The Celestial Sage spoke to me.
“This is great! We should take this golden opportunity to eliminate the Eight Parts of the Divine. They’re weak to the power of the Seven Luminaries, so we should be able to annihilate them for sure.”
The Celestial Sage was correct. Moreover, now that Cheon Gong-pyo was an ally, our forces were overwhelming. We could likely win without taking any damage.
“……”
“Just like in the Underworld, Changhil would find it hard to come help them from afar.”
But I felt my mind grow cold again as warning bells rang in my head. I also recognized that the strange intuition I had experienced on Mount Tai was resurfacing. Back then, when the Heavenly Mysterious Woman suggested taking down Mahuraga of the Eight Parts of the Divine, I had declined.
‘Something feels strange.’
For some reason, it didn’t seem like a good tactic to pick off the Eight Parts of the Divine one by one.
Ever since I spoke with Changhil, I felt there was something odd about the Eight Parts of the Divine.
‘If Changhil were truly concerned about his avatar… wouldn’t it be normal to reduce the number of avatars and create a singular, stronger one?’
Though eight powerful beings of demon lord caliber are robust, witnessing the avatar of Zhuge Sha overpowering the Eight Parts of the Divine proves this. Just like the constellations, the significant difference in how much power is dedicated can create overwhelming disparities.
Sustaining eight avatars in such a situation—
Is that really a strategy that could simply be by a favor towards his subordinates?
Although the number has been reduced, denying that six avatars is still too many is undeniable.
The Eight Parts of the Divine transcend just being Changhil’s subordinates. Something felt off about defeating them bit by bit, almost as if it were a trap.
I pondered whether to trust my logic or my intuition. And then I decided.
“No. I won’t clash with them and will leave.”
The Celestial Sage looked at me in disbelief.
“…Are you serious? During such a prime opportunity?”
“I’m sorry. But it just doesn’t feel right.”
“Hmm… It can’t be helped.”
As I faced the last memories of the Sword Demon and Mangnyang, I realized I must maintain my grip in this chaos.
Even if I can assert confidence in my uncertainty, I must follow my feelings and move forward.
That is the way to resist one’s fate, as I learned from the Sword Demon and Mangnyang.
Pa-at!
We returned to Sichuan with Cheon Gong-pyo in tow. Then we began to check our current situation and the status of the Seven Luminaries we gathered.
Using medical techniques, I examined Zhuge Sa’s state, only to find traces of injuries all over his body, yet his physical form was still intact. He was simply in a comatose state. Quickly, I sought out Guangming Divine Doctor Hwa Seong-myeong among the Five Great Physicians. With the world crumbling, I couldn’t afford to worry about Twelve Joules at that moment.
After Hwa Seong-myeong checked Zhuge Sa’s pulse, he stated.
“He’s physically alright. But I cannot determine the reason behind this comatose state.”
“……”
Zhuge Sa had previously made an additional contract with the demon god Simon Magus to save Jin So-cheong, who was close to death, and had fled to the Underworld. The only thing I could think of was that the additional contract made back then was now tormenting Zhuge Sa’s very soul.
So I requested the Heavenly Mysterious Woman to heal Zhuge Sa, and she responded.
[He has not had his soul taken by anyone. However, his soul is currently being corrupted and entangled by a powerful magical force.]
“Corrupted?”
[It’s likely due to the power infused by that demon god. The overwhelming magic may have healed Zhuge Sa’s severe injuries, but at the same time, it seeks to turn him into a demon.]
“Is there no way to heal him?”
[Not possible. This magical power is entangled in a contract, so until the contract’s master authorizes it, I can’t release it. Even if I tried, I would instantly lose the Law of Cause and Effect.]
I gritted my teeth.
‘Damn it, that demon… he indeed used Zhuge Sa.’
There’s no way a being that belongs to the demonic realm would do someone a favor for free. The demon king Simon Magus aimed to mutate Zhuge Sa into a powerful demon servant, intending to torment him with magic. The fact that Zhuge Sa was still holding on meant he was successfully resisting that magical allure.
However, if I forcibly asked the Heavenly Mysterious Woman to heal him now, we’d lose a significant fighting force. Having offered the Ruyi Staff, I couldn’t carelessly waste the Law of Cause and Effect. I figured it would be challenging to rely on Zhuge Sa for guidance for the time being, so I entrusted Cheon Woo-jin to find a way.
“Understood. I’ll investigate as much as possible.”
Once the conversation wrapped up, I shared my thoughts with everyone.
“We need to seize the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram from Changhil. After taking the Earth Star, we’ll simultaneously liberate the Six Luminaries, granting us access to the last Luminary, the Sun Luminary.”
“Hmm, the Sun Luminary… Baek Woong, do you really believe that going to the Emperor’s Imperial Palace will yield some resolution?”
The Celestial Sage spoke with a slightly doubtful expression, yet I answered firmly.
“Yes. There’s no way for us to avoid the end as things stand. Moreover, the other Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors left on Earth lack both the authority and will to halt the end. Thus, it’s better for us to redirect the Emperor’s wishes—the leader of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors—and either delay or prevent humanity’s destruction.”
“…That may not go well, but for now, we have no alternative.”
The Celestial Sage sighed.
At that moment, Cheon Gong-pyo spoke.
[Isn’t it time for you to tell me? Just who is this shadow of the celestial realm?]
“It’s the Queen Mother of the West, as well as Nüwa.”
[What?]
“The Queen Mother of the West is an avatar of Nüwa.”
[Oh my god!!]
Cheon Gong-pyo’s expression reflected disbelief. However, seeing the reactions of everyone else who had already known, she appeared even more startled.
[“T-That can’t be…”]
“But honestly, she may not even be the real shadow.”
[What do you mean?]
“Nüwa created the avatar known as the Queen Mother of the West to manipulate the celestial realm from behind, but the demon described by Tai Shang Lao Jun is a separate entity altogether. The chaos in the celestial realm isn’t solely the doing of Nüwa.”
[……]
“And perhaps… it could merely be a relationship of alliance.”
Cheon Gong-pyo spoke incredulously.
[An alliance? You’re saying she’s not a subordinate of the Three Sovereigns? No matter how much an avatar like Hongjun Daoist may resemble a demon god, Nüwa is a being of far greater rank than an ordinary sovereign. There are few divine beings as strong as her throughout the entire universe.]
“Without a doubt. They do not exist in hierarchal subservience.”
I recalled that moment.
[The giant race. If you make a promise, you must keep it.]
[They are more like investors or observers, rather than mere colleagues.]
[I don’t really enjoy fighting and do not wish to engage with you specifically. I just hope you fulfill your promises with her.]
[Well, I find this situation interesting, but it’s not particularly favorable to watch the demon spirits conquer the Central Plains. That cocky rascal for some reason has tremendous innate strength, making it impossible to rein him in. Things are developing too quickly… If the giant race does not intend to stand by, then there’s nothing to be done.]
[Please step aside. I won’t interfere any longer.]
That was at the end of my 23rd life.
When Gong Gong stormed into the celestial realm and somehow managed to eliminate the Queen Mother, who was an avatar of Nüwa, she attempted to absorb the power of his corpse, but suddenly an enigmatic figure appeared to stop him and covertly stole the body of the Queen Mother.
That being had appeared incredibly suspicious.
Yet that figure did not regard the Queen Mother as superior to themselves.
Claiming to be ‘investing’ or ‘observing’ her, they treated her as though they were on equal ground.
It could be seen as born arrogance, but the tone back then did not indicate that.
Right— it was as if such a dynamic was simply the way things must be, a casual demeanor as if naturally condescending.
I spoke with a calm demeanor.
“From now on, it’s a continuous gamble.”
Initially, my plan involved gathering more of the unreleased Seven Luminaries to yell at Nüwa and guide the situation in our favor. However, upon deeper examination, I found that the true control of this grand scene was not at Nüwa’s fingertips. The entity that was both Nüwa and the Queen Mother was anxious about the unseen Law of Cause and Effect and conservatively attempted to maintain the status quo, thus not leading at all.
The true orchestrator here is actually the shadow watching over the Queen Mother.
If I want to hold Changhil in check properly, invoking the demon gods of Venus isn’t necessary, nor do I need to provoke the celestial realm.
It’s not even about decimating the Eight Parts of the Divine.
Instead, I would need to strike a deal with this mysterious shadow that’s been observing everything.
“I will summon the Heavenly Ruler of Tai Xu.”
This is something only I can do.