NOVEL NEXT Chapter 748
Chapter 748: Dark Heaven Village
I decided to share the clairvoyant vision of Luoyang through the Corpse Dissolution Technique of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman. After all, I needed to witness the situation firsthand to figure out what to do next.
“Ugh!”
‘Zhuge’s arm…’
I had seen that arm of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors’ Zhuge countless times, now looming over Luoyang like a stormy ghost. Though I couldn’t see what lay beyond the clouds, I could definitely sense a real body lurking behind it this time. It wasn’t just an arm summoned this time.
Before that ominous cloud mass, the Eight Parts of the Divine were manifested, surrounding it in formation, creating a gigantic barrier. This barrier encompassed the entirety of Luoyang Castle, with celestial beings from the Celestial Realm casting spells from outside, preparing for the siege.
No casualties had appeared yet, but undoubtedly, a war had begun!
‘Zhuge seems intent on revealing his body now.’
Until now, he chose to summon the Demon God indirectly to apply pressure, but he now appeared poised to disrupt Luoyang himself. It was akin to declaring outright war, and even though the Eight Parts of the Divine were banded together to create the barrier, they wouldn’t be able to hold Zhuge back for long.
I carefully counted the number of Eight Parts of the Divine.
It was clear that every single one of them was on the front lines. This meant the Imperial Palace was essentially deserted.
I pondered deeply and conveyed this situation along with my thoughts to my companions using obsidian. Then Zhuge Sa spoke.
“Baek Woong, it was said that even with the Corpse Dissolution Technique of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, we couldn’t sense the position of the Seven Luminaries. Even if all Eight Parts of the Divine have vacated their positions, we shouldn’t rashly enter the Imperial Palace. However, the problem is, if we don’t act now, we may never get the chance again.”
“I think so too. So what should we do?”
“It would be great if we could get as close to Changhil and see Zhuge taking action, but… that too lies within the realm of luck.”
“Hm.”
“The premise of this operation is a reckless incursion. When to execute this incursion now becomes the critical issue.”
As Zhuge Sa spoke, he looked at me intently. I could immediately grasp the meaning behind that gaze.
Right now, there was no tactical method to deal with this life-or-death moment!
It meant I had to entrust everything to my fate and intuition.
I racked my brain.
‘Earth Star… where could Earth Star possibly be?’
Despite both Zhuge Sa and my enhanced intellect straining to think, we couldn’t pinpoint any likely locations for Earth Star. If the opponent was Zhuge Yulong, Zhuge Sa could decipher his mindset to devise a strategy, but against Changhil, predicting was nearly impossible. The only certainty was that from Changhil’s perspective, he had hidden Earth Star in a place that would never be stolen.
What place would be safe from any formidable foe?
‘Could Changhil swallow the Seven Luminaries into his own body…?’
If that’s the case, it would mean killing Changhil to cut open his belly and retrieve them — an absurdly unrealistic endeavor, given that Changhil’s power seemed comparable to that of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
‘… No, thankfully that’s not the case.’
I mulled over the ‘worst-case scenario’, but it felt off. This was due to the existence of the characters inscribed on the Seven Luminaries.
The First Character!
Each of the Seven Luminaries bore a seal placed by the Four Greats, and that seal was fundamentally tied not just to the Oracle Bone Script but also to the First Character itself. I wasn’t sure why he would engage in such self-destructive behavior, but the First Character posed a weakness for Changhil; eating the Seven Luminaries would equate to self-destruction.
In other words, whether he liked it or not, Changhil had no choice but to treat the Seven Luminaries as Otherworldly Items and keep them outside his body.
However, that didn’t mean he would seal them away haphazardly in just any realm or space. Even though Changhil possessed immense divine power, he also had equally powerful opponents in the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
Given how Zhuge was assaulting now, if Changhil were to hide the Seven Luminaries using inferior spatial techniques, they’d quickly be snatched by the Sovereigns or divine entities. No matter how formidable a spatial technique is, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors could dismantle it easily.
‘Not to mention, he wouldn’t have handed them to the Eight Parts of the Divine…’
Since the Eight Parts of the Divine were out fighting in his stead, they posed the risk of being killed by the Sovereigns. If things went that way and the Eight Parts had possession of the Seven Luminaries, they could easily be robbed on the spot, so Changhil would never have entrusted them with it.
Earth Star’s hiding place required interpreting the cunning wisdom of Changhil, who had displayed sharp wit since ancient times as a loyal minister of the Emperor. That’s why I hesitated until now; the location remained undetermined.
Then suddenly, Seo Mun-hye spoke up.
“Baek Woong, wouldn’t it be better to join Zhuge in attacking Changhil, overthrowing him entirely, and then obtaining Earth Star? It’s not guaranteed we can find Earth Star by sneaking in…”
“That won’t do. Once we eliminate Changhil, we would then need to contend with the empowered Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to seize Earth Star, which would be much more challenging.”
“Ah…”
Having reached a decision in my heart, I declared,
“We can’t afford to wait for Changhil to emerge. We’ll invade the Imperial Palace and sweep through them to find Earth Star.”
While I couldn’t engage Changhil in frontal combat, I was sure that with my current companions, we could secure a safe escape. If Changhil turned out to be weaker than expected, it might even be feasible to expel him from the material realm entirely.
*Pow!*
We used the Corpse Dissolution Technique of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman to swiftly arrive in front of the Sky Gate of the Imperial Palace. At the same time, monstrous beings with luminous blue eyes emerged from all directions, each exuding substantial magical power.
*Roar!*
Shortly after, these monsters detonated their own bodies, transforming into something else.
‘Dragon Person? Demon? No… neither of those.’ If I had to label it, I’d call them Ghost Men.
If I had to get technical, they seemed to be humans transformed with heads and limbs like those of guardians. They differed from the Dragon People I had seen before or the monstrous forms the Otherworldly Race had displayed. Several of the transformed ones rushed toward us.
*Bang!*
In that moment, Gong Gong thrust his fist forward and toppled the Ghost Men. It seemed he had fully regained his strength since before, radiating immense divine might, and he spoke in a somewhat vexed tone.
“They’re powerful. Be careful.”
*Hiss!*
Gong Gong’s warning wasn’t unfounded. The Ghost Men charged toward us, sprinting with incredible speed and strength. They seemed even more formidable than the Dragon People I’d seen before, likely akin to the elite variants of the Eight Parts. It seemed the human allies, aside from Jin So-cheong, were all visibly flustered and doing their best to avoid instant death.
So they’re even tougher than Dragon People!
In this case, we were already faced with opponents exceeding normal human capabilities.
‘Damn it! Did Changhil strengthen the Dragon People himself?’
Shin Gong-pyo abruptly appeared in the air, unleashing a storm of black ether.
“*Aha haha!!* Spirit Burst!!”
*Rumble!*
The black ether that Shin Gong-pyo released swirled like a living storm, sweeping across the area. Most Ghost Men, who had substantial physical capabilities, managed to avoid the impact, but in the next instant, Shin Gong-pyo launched one of the Sabre Swords.
“*Pull it in, the Absolute Immortal Sword!*”
*Whoosh!*
Rays of lightning flared as the Absolute Immortal Sword burst forth, drawing everything in with its extraordinary suction. The Ghost Men skewered the sky or embedded themselves in the ground trying to resist, yet despite their struggles, one by one, they were sucked into the spiraling ether and devoured whole.
Watching Shin Gong-pyo unleash such overwhelming area-of-effect destruction, Celestial Sage spoke up.
“Baek Woong, let’s leave this to him and head inside that building. Something feels off in there.”
“Understood.”
Though we could dispatch the Ghost Men more swiftly together, there was no point in dragging this out. We hurried deeper into the Imperial Palace, reaching the heart of where the Emperor originally resided. This place had been home to the Alchemist’s dark laboratory and the Crystal Stele, but now it seemed laden with an eerie silence that felt rather ominous.
Just then,
*Thunder!*
A booming noise like thunder rolled from within. Thinking it was an attack, we all flinched, but it appeared to be merely a passing sound.
“…The time has come to act… Cause and Effect… You shall all protect…”
But in that moment, I felt an odd resonance from the voice. I looked at those present, but it seemed no one else had perceived anything amiss. I must have been feeling a sense of alienation.
‘What is this?’
I glanced at Zhuge Sa, sharing what I’d heard, but he also appeared puzzled.
Was it auditory hallucination?
Yet it felt like it held some significant meaning…
*Tydaht!*
We continued forward in silence. As the ominous silence continued, Gong Gong suddenly shouted.
“*It’s a trap!*”
*Whoosh!*
Just as those words fell, I felt my vision tremble and realized that all my comrades had vanished from near me. However, having ample adventure experience and having fought not long ago at Golden Crow Island, I quickly regained my composure.
‘Spatial Abduction Technique!’
People like me, Celestial Sage, Gong Gong, and Cheon Woo-jin would be okay, but those unfamiliar with the techniques would be in danger! I quickly crossed the Flame Elemental Sword and Fire Dragon Sword to call upon the strength of Fire Dragon Incarnate, managing to break through the wall blocking time and space. As I traced a line where the Fire Dragon’s mark was left, the surreal surroundings transformed back, returning us to our original spot, and I was able to save my nearby comrades.
Jin So-cheong looked down at the ground and spoke.
“Upon closer inspection, this seems to be the Eight Trigrams Diagram Technique.”
“Huh…!!”
“If we don’t deactivate this Eight Trigram formation, it appears this spatial trap will keep activating.”
Indeed.
The ground shimmered with the shapes of the Eight Trigrams, glowing at regular intervals. The patterns spun and even shifted positions, almost giving the impression that the floor itself was alive.
I glanced briefly at Cheon Woo-jin, who brusquely stated.
“I can’t undo it. Like I said before, I know about Eight Trigrams, but I’m not at the level of a master. However, this trap surpasses the master’s domain, so it’ll be hard to crack.”
“Not even with your reincarnated abilities?”
“Damn it. My techniques aren’t omnipotent like the Corpse Dissolution Technique, you know. Against such a mechanical formation, I’m weaker. It’s made from divine power, so it’s hard to break through physically too.”
“Then we are left with no choice.”
I replied, preparing to call upon the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.
“Heavenly Mysterious Woman! Would you please break this Eight Trigrams?”
[……]
Something felt off. Even when I summoned her, she wouldn’t respond, silently fixing her gaze ahead. As everyone’s attention shifted to her, she suddenly spoke.
[So that’s how it is… So that’s what happened…]
She seemed to be focused on something deep inside, as if she sensed something there.
“Heavenly Mysterious Woman…?”
[Baek Woong, I can go no further.]
*Bang!*
In that instant, the Water Element appeared in my hands. The Heavenly Mysterious Woman had returned it to me.
“……?!”
What is this all about?!
I looked at her in surprise as she began to slowly vanish from this space, her divine essence being sent back to the Celestial Realm. This signified her complete abandonment of aiding me, and in a fit of rage, I shouted.
“What are you doing? Are you betraying us?!”
[It is not betrayal. I am simply being true to my essence.]
“Then what… Come back immediately! If you lack power, I can offer you the Flame Elemental Sword!”
At my desperate cry, she offered a bittersweet smile.
[…] “You, of all people, can reach the end of this path. When the time comes to reach a conclusion, we shall meet again…”
“What do you mean by that?”
[The Cause and Effect the one above can see is still a little intact. I hope that you are worthy of the king’s qualification…]
*Hiss!*
With those words, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman vanished like smoke.
And I felt the connection I had built with her snap suddenly. She had returned the Water Element, severing our bond. Henceforth, if I wished to receive her support again in future lives, I would need to build trust from the ground up once more. I felt as though the foundation of trust we had carefully built had just been scuttled.
“……”
While the recovered Water Element returned to my hand, it was by no means a boon. Until now, I had relied heavily on her aid deriving from the Seven Luminaries. In truth, without her assistance, there were many points at which it would have been impossible to reach this juncture. And now, just when we were about to enter the heart of the Imperial Palace, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman had abruptly departed?! This was a monumental loss of power.
More than that, without her presence, it would become ever more difficult to suppress Shin Gong-pyo. As my expression darkened, Zhuge Sa remarked.
“There’s no need to panic. For now, let’s press onward.”
“… Damn it.”
I bit my lip. Regaining my composure, I pulled out my wooden armor.
“Come forth, Zhuge Bu!”
Zhuge Bu popped out of the wooden armor with a vacant stare. I commanded the doll-like Zhuge Bu.
“Deactivate this Eight Trigram formation!”
“……”
Zhuge Bu observed with unfocused eyes before finally speaking.
“Impossible to deactivate…”
“What?!”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Besides Zhuge Yulong or Mangnyang, Zhuge Bu was the most knowledgeable about the Eight Trigrams, even capable of executing Zhuge Kongming’s formations. For him to declare it impossible meant we had no way left to deactivate the Eight Trigrams trap!
Zhuge Bu continued.
“This formation… constructs a concept at first… and layers theories upon it… Although it appears to be a formation, it is not a formation… It’s a byproduct of divine power… a living entity by itself… The creator is… definitely not human…”
*Hmm…*
“It can be said to be a conceptual lifeform shaped like the Eight Trigrams…”
If so, the one who made this was not Zhuge Yulong.
Now that I think of it, it wouldn’t make sense for Zhuge Yulong to suddenly create a formation capable of halting us. Creating something of such caliber would take significant time, and he was currently sealed by Zhuge Sa, hence he had no time or resources to spare.
“There’s only one path remaining… the path desired by the creator… Someone prepared a single route and waits on the other side…”
“Is there no way to break through with force?”
“Possible… but… since this is not a normal formation… brace yourself for the aftermath…”
“What do you mean?”
I inquired, and Cheon Woo-jin interjected with an exasperated look.
“In this case, it’s not the formation being destroyed. The collision of power will unleash vast devastation, uprooting the very land.”
“… Hm.”
“That phenomenon doesn’t typically manifest in usual formations, but this one closely resembles a unique lifeform.”
I sighed briefly.
I had planned to use the resonance of the Seven Luminaries just moments ago to shatter this obstacle, but it now suggested that a blast could wipe out not only the Imperial Palace grounds but Luoyang in its entirety. In doing so, the odds of innocent lives being annihilated skyrocketed.
Tang San asked.
“Isn’t there a way to avoid flying away?”
Cheon Woo-jin responded with an annoyed expression.
“Go ahead. Try it.”
“Tch, guess it’s not possible.”
“What will you do, Baek Woong?”
I deliberated before replying.
“I’ll follow the single path left by the formation.”
“Are you serious? That might be a trap.”
“Even if it is a trap, if they went to so much trouble setting it, it must mean they have something they wish to convey. And that won’t be Changhil.”
My instincts told me that Changhil was not the being responsible for creating this formation.
There’s something third lurking within the Imperial Palace.
It was a fact I could not overlook. After all, I had no solid leads on Earth Star among the Seven Luminaries, so I needed to gather any clues I could, even if they were as tenuous as straws.
Moreover, despite the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s departure, our power was still formidable, so we wouldn’t easily fall victim. I glanced at Zhuge Bu and commanded.
“Zhuge Bu, locate the path. We can surely follow it together?”
“… Yes…”
*Hiss!*
Zhuge Bu finally examined the Eight Trigram formation closely, reciting a chant as he stepped forward. As he walked in a specific direction, he began to unravel the formation; the symbols beneath his feet began to lose their light and fade away as we followed his lead down the illuminated path.
How long did it take?
After walking approximately five hundred paces, Zhuge Bu came to a halt.
Before us lay a chamber piled high with treasures, and perched atop a colossal mound of gold was someone awaiting us. This being was undoubtedly the one who had summoned us here.
The figure appraised us for a time, then turned their gaze toward me, giving a gentle smile.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation instead of going to Changhil’s throne.”
“Who are you?”
I exclaimed in disbelief.
“White-haired Divine Portrait!”
Indeed.
The one I had previously dubbed Yushin was none other than the White-haired Divine Portrait, waiting for us in that golden room. The figure interlocked their fingers and said,
“I don’t particularly favor that title. You may call me… Qin.”
“… Is that your name?”
“Not exactly.”
He seemed to wear an expression that indicated he found the situation amusing, appearing as if he was looking at a toy.
The self-proclaimed ‘Qin’ continued.
“You, the seeker of the Seven Luminaries, let me be direct. I will give you Earth Star in exchange for a deal.”