NOVEL NEXT Chapter 764
The Dark Heaven Village
At the moment the trial began, we instinctively harnessed the power of the Seven Luminaries and resonated it.
Six Resonance!!
A bright rainbow light erupted and scattered around. At that moment, Jin’s expression turned bitter as he vanished somewhere using his teleportation ability.
Swish
While resonating, Zhuge Sa approached me and said, “Just now, he definitely tried to use time stop and failed.”
“…It turns out that the resonance nullifies his abilities.”
“Indeed, however, the fact that he doesn’t want to engage in a prolonged battle suggests that the Celestial Sage has significantly weakened him. There’s also a time limit on our Six Resonance.”
That’s right.
Considering that the Six Resonance puts more strain on the user, from Jin’s perspective, it would be easier to simply use time stop and exhaust us until we were annihilated. The fact that he didn’t means he no longer has the capacity to endure the backlash of the Six Resonance, nor can he wield his former immense power indefinitely.
‘He shouldn’t be a source of fear anymore. Facing him with the Three Luminaries might even make it easy to resist…’
A direct confrontation would hold enough potential for victory.
I glanced at the cluster of white light appearing near the horizon and asked, “Is that the trial?”
“Most likely. Normally, those endowed with the Six Luminaries would just need to cooperate, but now, due to Jin, we have to be wary of a sneak attack.”
Zhuge Sa suddenly smiled wryly.
“It’s clear now why I shouldn’t have hastily sealed my brother in the early stages.”
I thought for a moment and said, “…Then should we avoid the trial for now and lay low?”
“That would be wise. And now, bring out Zhuge Bu.”
“Got it.”
Swoosh
“Set up the Eight Trigrams Formation, Zhuge Bu.”
After pulling Zhuge Bu from the wooden armor, I instructed him to establish the formation. I infused the power of the Seven Luminaries into Zhuge Bu to enhance Jin’s capability and speed when deploying it. I did this to prevent being ambushed before we could defend ourselves, having learned from experience that we were utterly unprepared with any other techniques aside from the Eight Trigrams.
Whoooosh
The formation gradually activated, and the Eight Trigrams rose in the air around us. The formation tightly filled our surroundings with about twenty Trigrams, strengthened by the power released by Jin So-cheong.
“If Jin attacks, he will likely fall into the Eight Trigrams and give us a chance to strike.”
After waiting for about half an incense stick of time, it happened.
Kuuuuu…
Suddenly, a cluster of crimson light rose from the horizon in a different direction. The red light looked almost alive, flickering and swaying towards the initial white light that had appeared.
“……?”
What just happened?
As I tilted my head in confusion, Zhuge Sa issued instructions.
“Cheon Woo-jin. Shin Gong-pyo. Use your spirit bodies or clairvoyance to investigate the areas near that light. Cheon Woo-jin, focus on the white, and Shin Gong-pyo on the red.”
At Zhuge Sa’s command, both sorcerers simultaneously cast their spells toward the two glowing clusters. With the power of the liberated Seven Luminaries, their abilities were greatly amplified, and they exuded confidence.
Whoosh
In the next moment, Cheon Woo-jin staggered slightly. Perhaps feeling a headache, he groaned aloud.
“Damn. This is going to be a hassle…”
“Agreed,” Shin Gong-pyo replied. She glared at Zhuge Sa and added, “It seems we were right. At the center of that flame is likely a spirit of fire.”
“Was Tong Cheon Jang’s sorcery revealed through the spirits’ hands?”
“What are you asking for? You surely know that isn’t an ordinary spirit.”
What are they talking about?
After a moment, Zhuge Sa said, “Baek Woong, it’s highly probable that this trial has an overall time limit. I’m guessing about three incense sticks.”
“A time limit?!”
“The first light that appeared is white. The second one is red. Doesn’t that ring any bells?”
“……”
As I pondered, a sudden realization struck me.
“Seven Luminaries?!”
“That’s correct.”
Zhuge Sa nodded and continued, “One spirit of the Seven Luminaries is summoned to each direction. Given that a new one appears every half stick of incense, it means we must defeat each one in less than half a stick of incense. If we let them all summon for three incense sticks, all spirits will be there.”
“……!!”
So that’s how it is!
Zhuge Sa’s words were incredibly persuasive. In fact, it was almost certain considering the current situation.
“And based on the response from the sorcerers we just summoned, we can’t afford to worry about Jin’s interference right now. I’d speculate that the spirits of the Seven Luminaries will be exceedingly powerful. Without liberating the Seven Luminaries, facing them will likely be impossible.”
“The order should be from Moon to Sun,” Zhuge Sa surmised.
“That makes sense.”
I questioned Zhuge Sa, “If we let the first spirit, the Moon Sovereign, go without capturing it, would that mean we wouldn’t necessarily fail the trial immediately? What would happen if we just observed?”
“Look well. Considering the directions and angles, this is arranged in a hexagonal formation. This isn’t the Seven Luminaries’ trial; this is the Six Luminaries’ trial. Six directions, you see. So all seven won’t be summoned in the circumference.”
“Ah…!! I see.”
“There’s only one position left excluding the six directions: the exact center. Thus, the final trial, the Sun Sovereign’s spirit, will be summoned right here at the center. For now, the spirits of the Seven Luminaries are merely waiting for challengers in the outskirts, but once the Sun Sovereign appears…”
“A battle would be unavoidable.”
“Not only that, but if the time limit is up, even if we manage to take down the Sun Sovereign somehow, the remaining six will become impossible to defeat due to the time being too short.”
As Zhuge Sa explained, he added, “It’s possible that when time runs out, the summoned spirits of the Six Luminaries will jointly attack the challengers. Alternatively, if the time simply ticks away, the trial could end in failure and we might perish outright.”
“…That would be the absolute worst-case scenario.”
“If we just hold our ground in the center, there’s no way we can avoid failing the trial. We need to move somehow and capture the spirits of the Seven Luminaries. It’s definitely a trial requiring us to capture all the spirits within the time limit.”
“……”
I see now why Cheon Woo-jin had said things were getting tricky.
Facing a spirit that might not easily be defeated, we also had to tread carefully around Jin’s sneak attacks. This was a dilemma where attempting to challenge the trial would prove nearly impossible.
Damn, what should I do?
I turned to Zhuge Bu and asked, “Can we move the Eight Trigrams?”
“…With human capability, it’s… impossible. The formation is static, with the stronger barriers being difficult to shift from their established positions…”
“Tch.”
Then Cheon Woo-jin offered a suggestion.
“If we add the power of the liberated Seven Luminaries, it might be possible. Let’s swap ownership of the Seven Luminaries. Jin So-cheong, give Zhuge Bu your Tydaht.”
Without hesitation, Jin So-cheong handed her Tydaht over to Zhuge Bu. I watched intently as Zhuge Bu tried to move the Eight Trigrams with the power of the liberated Tydaht.
Groooowl
It’s working, but Zhuge Bu was merely becoming the pivot for the Eight Trigrams, and his movements were restricted to a slow walking pace. At this speed, it would surely take all day to reach the battlefield beyond the horizon. I was about to pull one of my Seven Luminaries to give to Zhuge Bu when Zhuge Sa stopped me.
“Stop. If we have two liberated Seven Luminaries, the brainwashing from the Soul Exchange Technique could be freed. It’s a treasure of divine caliber.”
Zhuge Sa took the Tydaht back and threw it back to Jin So-cheong.
“What should we do then?”
“For now, let’s wait. We still have options.”
“Options?”
“There will be at least one more chance for Jin to appear to negotiate with us. After all, he must go through the trial just like us and wouldn’t want to capture all the spirits alone. That moment will be the turning point.”
“…Alright.”
While I believed in Zhuge Sa’s words, the thought of a time limit was starting to potentiate a sense of anxiety. Just then, after about another half stick of time had passed, it happened.
Shhhhaaaaah!
Suddenly, chaos coalesced in the air and Jin appeared before us. He looked at our group with a mocking expression, saying, “You punks sure are frightened. Am I really that scary? Don’t you realize this trial has a time limit?”
“Setting foot in when you could be losing your Six Luminaries and failing the trial would be the most foolish move you could make.”
I glared at him and declared, “I won’t let you profit from this even if it kills me!”
“What did you say?”
“If I must perish, it’ll be together with you. I assure you it’ll be your loss.”
My words were serious. Even if we failed this trial and my companions were annihilated, I had the ability of reincarnation, enabling me to try again next time. Furthermore, there were specific conditions for the appearance of Qin Shi Huang, which meant I could definitely play him for a fool in my next life.
‘And I won’t let you torment me ever again…’
With quiet rage igniting within, I reaffirmed my determination to ensure Jin wouldn’t escape this time around, no matter what it took. Whether he perceived the sincerity behind my words or not, he briefly wavered in his gaze before replying.
“…If we waste any more time, we both risk demise. Let’s declare a ceasefire.”
“What basis do you have for suggesting a ceasefire? I have no faith in you or your promises whatsoever.”
“We can each pledge our names to a promise. As long as we don’t attack each other until the spirits of the Seven Luminaries are taken down, wouldn’t that suffice?”
“……”
“After we subdue the spirits of the Seven Luminaries, then we can settle this.”
Jin’s suggestion was both rational and alluring. The truth was, we had been hoping for this all along. Zhuge Sa then stepped forward and said, “No, that won’t work.”
“What’s missing? Are you denying the earnestness of a name-based promise? Or do you perhaps want to suggest a mutual cooperation?”
“That’s not it. There are ways to deceive the other side without telling lies.”
Zhuge Sa grinned mischievously.
“You… must have heard enough at the Offering Ceremony regarding this final trial. You certainly possess additional rules beyond our knowledge, and you need to share those with us.”
“That’s absurd. There’s no such thing.”
“If you don’t accept this condition, we both will die together. Understand? If you proceed as you wish, we will never cooperate.”
“…Hmm. It’s evident you’re so anxious about failing that you won’t be able to hold still.”
“That’s not true. We merely adhere to our lord’s command. Even if we die due to failure in this trial, we are ready for that.”
“……”
Reading the resolve in Zhuge Sa’s eyes, Jin’s expression shifted into one of challenge.
After a moment’s contemplation, he spoke up.
“Fine. We’ll do it your way.”
Soon after, Jin and I pledged our names not to attack each other until the spirits of the Seven Luminaries were defeated. Following the promise, he added,
“The only rule I can share is this: in this space, the greatest power isn’t magic or sorcery but the power of Fate. Anyone who wishes to be king among men must possess the qualifications to triumph.”
“……?”
“Then, I’ll go take down the spirit of Fire.”
Crash!
Without another word, Jin disappeared using teleportation. Since a pact was formed with him, I told Zhuge Bu to release the Eight Trigrams, leaning towards Zhuge Sa.
“What does that mean, the power of Fate?”
“I don’t know yet. For now, let’s go defeat the Moon Sovereign. Also, send out spy spells towards the Fire Sovereign. We need to gather clues from his battle.”
“Understood.”
We promptly instructed Cheon Woo-jin and Shin Gong-pyo to use their scouting spells and headed straight into the trial of the Moon Sovereign. Unifying our attacks for the spirits of the Six Luminaries had become an implicit agreement. It was the only way to recover the time wasted so far.
When we arrived at the end of the horizon, we faced the white light cluster.
Hundreds of distorted mirrors floated in all directions, and at the center hovered a spirit resembling a large white moon. As soon as it spotted me, it spoke.
[I am the spirit of the Moon. Baek Woong, this is our first meeting.]
“Huh?”
I was taken aback when the Moon spirit recognized me. Blinking in surprise, I responded.
“Wait, have you been inside the Seven Luminaries all this time?”
[Correct.]
“Oh my….”
Could it be true? Was the spirit that had been summoned not just from another place? I had to confirm further.
“So does that mean all you spirits of the Seven Luminaries remember the memories and experiences of your owners?”
[Of course.]
“The National Seal and powerful treasures like you carry a consciousness and can act independently to communicate. Why then have you all been silent until now?”
The Moon spirit answered, [The seal placed by Changhil has been suppressing our free will. Moreover, we consciously refrained from revealing ourselves to test the challengers.]
“Are you referring to the seal created from The First Character?”
[Correct.]
“Is that seal the same as the one used for the liberation of the Seven Luminaries?”
[Different. The seals that need to be released for liberation are separate from the ones suppressing us, and there appear to be double layers of them.]
“So even once the Seven Luminaries are liberated, you couldn’t come forward….”
[Indeed. We maintain the vigor of the Seven Luminaries normally, but we are destined to be summoned as the examiners of the final trial.]
The reason the Changhil seal was inscribed was to suppress the spirits of the Seven Luminaries?
Zhuge Sa suddenly chimed in, “That makes sense. Just with the Seven Luminaries’ might alone, it’d be powerful enough. Adding the spirits’ power could make it sound like a third liberation. It would be too overwhelming to be allowed in the human world, which is possibly why the Emperor ordered them sealed.”
“Hmm… Perhaps it’s worth attempting next time.”
“For that, we must have the ability to break the seal made from The First Character. I doubt we possess that kind of power right now.”
“……”
Now, another reason emerged for breaking the seal on the Seven Luminaries.
Previously, we hadn’t cared whether we would definitely liberate them, but new realizations began to dawn on me. I asked another pressing question.
“Can you explain the trial’s structure? You mentioned spirits are summoned one by one every half stick of incense. But what happens if we can’t catch all of the Six Luminaries before they all summon?”
[Once we are moved from our designated positions, we will be able to attack the challengers together. Then, the Sun Sovereign will show up and finish you off.]
“I see. Even if we don’t take down every spirit, it seems the Sun Sovereign will still emerge and we won’t necessarily be wiped out immediately?”
[Correct. However, if we combine our powers, the results will be different.]
“Are we recognized for having passed the trial by taking down just the Sun Sovereign? We don’t need to defeat all of them?”
[Indeed.]
Zhuge Sa’s hypotheses seemed to partially align. While it wasn’t entirely the worst situation, it certainly appeared to be a tremendously challenging trial.
Suddenly, Jin So-cheong spoke up, “Baek Woong. This doesn’t seem like a trial where we can simply stall. It appears to be an earnest evaluation of our powers. Cornering all the enemies won’t be feasible.”
“I concur with your assessment.”
This trial wouldn’t be easy. While there was no requirement to take down all Six Spirits, leaving any behind while attempting to defeat the Sun Sovereign would be impossible.
How strong the spirits of the Seven Luminaries could be remained uncertain, but regardless, the most prudent approach would be to take out the Six Luminaries first, then the Sun Sovereign afterward. The more we allowed to remain, the exponentially harder this challenge would become—all too clear to a child.
It wasn’t without reason that Jin had been so eager to show up first. An entity wielding the utmost power of a divine portrait would never feel confident to break through without securing the Seven Luminaries. This truly was a decisive trial to determine the King among men.
The Moon spirit prompted, [Shall you challenge the trial?]
“I shall challenge it.”
[Very well… fight.]
Boom!
In that moment, one of the hundreds of mirrors shot a beam of light at me. In an instant, Zhuge Sa vanished without a trace, and the liberated Seven Luminaries, the Golden Crow, fell in his place.
Thud
“……”
What just happened?
I understood all too well that my mind was racing ahead of my body, unable to evade or block the attack. I barely perceived that Zhuge Sa had been casting defensive magic empowered by the Seven Luminaries when that hit him—had he seriously just been obliterated in one blow?
Having just witnessed my companion’s demise ignited a surge of anger within me. I witnessed another comrade fall before my very eyes.
“Arghhhhhh!!!”
Boom!
Just as I was about to unleash my fury, someone else charged forward with tremendous energy and landed a punch on my cheek.
“Cough.”
As I crumpled to the ground, Cheon Woo-jin, glowing with the Thunder Spirit Technique, barked angrily, “Calm down! We are but a disposable group! If you die, everything ends!”
“……!!”
“That guy’s attacks are at light speed and are impossible to evade or defend against, raining down upon us from every direction. Anyone among us who took a direct hit would have instantly perished, and Zhuge Sa was simply unfortunate! You should be the one who’s lucky it wasn’t you.”
“Ugh.”
“Give me orders!”
He was right.
I swiftly calmed my thoughts. Wiping the blood from my lips, I stood back up and quickly snatched the Golden Crow that Zhuge Sa had carried, tossing it to Cheon Woo-jin.
I raised the Seven Luminaries high and proclaimed, “Six Resonance!!”
Boom!
In that instant, we resonated the liberated Seven Luminaries at once. Simultaneously, the spirit of the Moon unleashed a torrent of imagery, and beams of light shot from the mirrors that began to target me instead, striking at the Moon spirit itself. However, even after being struck, the Moon spirit merely trembled its luminous form, unfazed. In that same instant, we tried to launch the shockwave of the Six Resonance toward the spirit, yet it suddenly vanished into thin air.
“What?!”
Cheon Woo-jin stated, “The Six Resonance seems too powerful; we need to use it strategically against the spirits of the Seven Luminaries. It appears it cannot be applied in a direct assault as with other realms. This is likely another rule that only applies here.”
“Damn!! To think spirits could be this strong!”
“The spirits remaining in Fate are weaker than those in their pure form. They’re not within grasp for a human to handle. The spirits of the Seven Luminaries are akin to two millennia-old spirits belonging to their respective kings of beasts. We are dealing with divine beings here.”
Cheon Woo-jin positioned himself composedly, “…this level is appropriate for the trial of the Seven Luminaries, Baek Woong. Split our offense and defense.”
“Understood.”
I quelled the rage boiling over from witnessing Zhuge Sa’s death and turned my gaze to my comrades with clarity. I tossed the Golden Crow to Shin Gong-pyo.
“Shin Gong-pyo! Collaborate with Jin So-cheong and initiate the offense.”
“Got it. Your situational awareness is commendable.”
Seeming pleased with her newfound weapon, Shin Gong-pyo smirked and drew her sabre sword, unleashing a colossal shout.
[Ship’s Sword, pierce through the enemy!]
Boom!
The giant sword descended from the sky, overwhelming the spirit of the Moon with its formidable power. The Moon spirit appeared to be somewhat hurt, retreating as if writhing in agony after absorbing the assault.
[Oooh… receive… this…!]
Whirrrrr
As the surrounding light echoed, sounding as though a song was playing, the Moon spirit attempted to gather mirrors once more, preparing for another broad offensive. The sight was terrifying, resembling thousands of lights wading like fog. Regardless, I once again yelled,
“Six Resonance!!”
Bam!
Resonating power blocked the spirit’s attack, allowing us to momentarily retreat and catch our breath. Cheon Woo-jin glanced at me and remarked, “I’ve got the strategy down. I feel like we’ve grasped half of it.”
“Correct! There’s room for defense using the Six Resonance if we don’t make the first strike.”
“For the next attack, let’s join forces with the Dual Luminaries and finish this.”
“Understood.”
I bit my lip tightly. After a moment of stillness, Shin Gong-pyo resumed her offensive, throwing her saber sword to initiate the strike.
“Encore sword, I bid thee!”
Seeing the sword being reflected back, she immediately countered by throwing a second sword of a different grade, the Ju-sword (註仙劍). As soon as the spirit of the Moon reflected the attack back using the large mirror it had summoned, Shin Gong-pyo successfully dodged it this time.
“I won’t fall for that twice!!”
Now’s my chance!
While Shin Gong-pyo lured the spirit’s attention, Jin So-cheong and I made our way at different angles. Nearing suitable distance to unleash our techniques, the spirit of the Moon promptly manifested a labyrinth of mirrors into this space.
[Be trapped….]
Boom!
With comrades nowhere to be seen, I felt a sense of entrapment within the narrow mirror maze that extended infinitely. However, knowing that this was merely a form of illusion, I focused my mind and resonated the Fire and Water elements I held in my hands.
‘What matters here isn’t individual strength, but the effective utilization of the Seven Luminaries.’
Even if one holds great might, the spirits of the Seven Luminaries were not to be trifled with, as proven by the fate of Shin Gong-pyo. Should they act like before, the lack of preparation could lead to catastrophic consequences. My resolve remained: the only safeguard against this trial was to wield the powers of the Seven Luminaries at hand. Gradually, I began to realize the approach to conquer this challenge.
“Seven Luminaries, hear my call!
Oh brethren of this birthright— grant me the power to end even the divine!”
Swoooooooosh
In that instant, the Fire and Water elements erupted with a resonance far more potent than usual. I could distinctly feel that this dual resonance far surpassed any previous efforts.
As the Three Treasure Technique propelled me forward to break the mirrors, the energies of Fire and Water seemed to guide my movements. However, I found it imperative not to resist the flow as I drove forth, my weapon commencing to shine with light.
Swish!
Finally emerging from the mirror maze, the Moon spirit stood defiant in front of me. I crossed the Fire and Water elements, declaring, “Resonate!!”
[No way…!]
Pow!
At that moment, the Moon spirit summoned the same reflective mirror that had recently turned back Cheon Woo-jin’s Ship Sword right before me. Usually, such a situation would culminate in self-destruction had I attempted to resonate here, but I pressed on, resisting the impulse to deflect the flow and pushing through as the Fire and Water forces guided me.
“Ha!”
Our two energies twirling and intersecting became a singular beam of light, penetrating the very mirror the Moon spirit had raised.
Boom!!
[Graaaah…!!]
At last, the Moon spirit’s body collapsed amidst the chaos. As the massive gap exposed itself, a barrage of counter-attacks came crashing from Jin So-cheong and Shin Gong-pyo. In particular, Shin Gong-pyo hurled her saber sword endlessly as though avenging the Moon spirit’s actions from earlier.
“Hahaha!! Die already!!”
Crash!
In an instant, everything around us became engulfed in brilliant flashes, as the very ground began collapsing beneath us. The overwhelming force of ruptured time and space pummeled the Moon spirit, continuously generating layers of barriers to shield itself. Yet, each time Jin So-cheong mastered her strikes, obliterating the defenses until Shin Gong-pyo’s retaliation became a tidal wave of support.
[Whoooaa…!!]
Was it just too much to bear?
Finally, the Moon spirit exploded into fragments.
Boom!
Amidst the trials of the Seven Luminaries, we had triumphed! Yet, as I landed back on the ground, a wave of sorrow washed over; the thought of Zhuge Sa’s death loomed heavily in my heart.
‘Damn it….’
While lost in my gloomy thoughts, Jin So-cheong shouted, “Baek Woong! It’s not over yet!!”
“What?!”
Swoosh!
Out of nowhere, the exploded sphere coalesced into an ethereal form splintering into three pieces. Each of these forms bellowed:
[I am the Moon Sword!]
[I am the Moon Bell!]
[I am the Moon Mirror!]
Flicker!
The three shimmering entities began to morph into human-like figures. The one who claimed to be the sword raised a glimmering great sword, the one who called itself a bell conjured spell-like symbols, while the one claiming to be a mirror began summoning reflective surfaces all around!
“……”
I felt absolutely flabbergasted.
What gives?! One defeat doesn’t suffice to take them out?
They split into three?!
Cheon Woo-jin exclaimed, “The Moon is a triad spirit, so it’s understandable! Each of the Seven Luminaries likely has unique characteristics, so just keep your cool!”
“Damn…. If taking them down ends it, that’d certainly make things simpler.”
With my lips tightening, I prepared to battle once again. With a plan to engage the Moon spirits, I commanded, “Let’s eliminate them one at a time! We’ll target the sword first!!”
Clearly, the most robust defense appeared to lie with the mirror; logically, the sword would be responsible for offensive strikes. Thus, dismantling the comparatively weaker sword spirit first should facilitate the rest of the strategy. The nearest Shin Gong-pyo launched her Absolute Immortal Sword against the sword-like Moon spirit.
[Moon Sovereign’s Absolute Shadow!]
Is this a unique skill unlocked upon liberating the Moon?
BOOM!
In an instant, the skies blazed with intense energy, and the force of the Moon’s Absolute Shadow could visibly be felt receding under the intense pressure. The power of the sword miracle represented a culmination of Shin Gong-pyo’s strength, which was rare and wholly astonishing.
[Hmm, indeed an impressive challenger…!!]
Thud!
The sword spirit was struck backward, clearly taken aback. While it had managed to endure, it had also sustained some level of devastation. The sheer might of the Absolute Immortal Sword was attempting to settle the score, though the sword spirit had managed to disengage from the impact. I was left agape at the sight.
‘Damn, the spirits are shockingly strong…!!’
Thanks to Shin Gong-pyo’s presence, we were somehow vying for parity; the Annihilation-level might of the Absolute Immortal Sword seemed not to differ much from that of a single Moon spirit? It truly illustrated that the challenge of the Seven Luminaries was a dance where their strength loomed far beyond mere mortals. This was perhaps archaic in scale given the precondition of having the Six Luminaries at one’s command.
As Jin So-cheong lunged toward the sword spirit to strike, the bell-like Moon spirit chanted a spell.
[As the Moon Spirit, I command you to be sealed for ten thousand years!]
Crack!
At that moment, Jin So-cheong’s entire body crystallized into stone, resembling a statue! I was utterly astonished, screaming.
“Ahhh!”
Thud!
Fortunately, thanks to the Tydaht he had been given, Jin So-cheong’s amulet shone and returned to her original form from the petrified state almost instantaneously. However, this also meant that even a top-tier expert like Jin So-cheong would meet an instant demise today without the Tydaht to save her, raising enormous alarm in my chest.
There was no time to waste. I leapt into action, remaining mindful of the sword spirit’s strikes and keeping an eye on the bell spirit ensuring not to be sealed again.
This was it.
The strategy may have appeared clear, but the situation escalated into chaotic turbulence.
‘Damn! Is this struggle ever-ending?!’
We pressed onward with our predetermined tactics, targeting the sword spirit first. When we converged hard on our target, the sword spirit could no longer withstand our onslaught, shattering with a decisive smash.
With one spirit down, we advanced against the spellcasting bell spirit. Suddenly, the bell spirit interlocked palms with the mirror spirit, crying out,
[Fusion!]
[Fusion!]
Whoooooosh!
As the two merged, they quickly began to utilize spells alongside their mirrored reflections. I found myself shouting incredulously, “Are you serious, are you just playing around like that?!”
Who knew the very first trial, the Moon, would turn out to be such a brutal test!?
Then the fused Moon spirit spoke in a booming voice, [Challenger, why have you not employed your chances granted by Fate? You possess sufficient strength, yet you make it by blaming us.]
“What? What are you talking about, Fate…?”
[The trial of the Seven Luminaries is the ultimate trial set by the Emperor. You should use all means and connections at your disposal.]
What does that even mean?
Boom!!
An enormous sound reverberated as a potent wave shattered through the air. All eyes turned towards the massive disruption as the Moon spirit declared, [The trial of Water has now opened.]
“…….”
Just as he stated, a blue light began emerging on the horizon nearby. This indicated that the third trial had commenced by opening the gates shortly after the second trial of Fire had opened, which meant half an incense stick had already passed as we fought like mad to keep up.
Realizing the time slipping from within my grasp sent a gnawing despair gripping my heart.
‘No way…’
Drawing upon tons of combat experience, an alarming sensation settled upon me swiftly.
At this rate, we’d lack the time needed to complete this trial! We hadn’t even passed one trial yet, and now three had begun unfolding simultaneously—an outrageous scenario!
‘Fate… what could it possibly mean?’
Suddenly, a thought fluttered through my mind as I shouted at the Moon spirit, “Hold on a second, grant me a moment to strategize!”
[Proceed as you wish.]
Typically, such permission would never be granted in a life-or-death scenario, but it seemed the trials would permit such in this case. I felt grateful as I turned to Cheon Woo-jin.
“Cheon Woo-jin!! What’s the status on the Fire side? Jin’s gone to face them!”
“The Great Army is swarming the spirit of Fire like ants.”
“What? The Great Army?”
Cheon Woo-jin, monitoring the situation from afar, nodded in confirmation.
“Even as the spirit of Fire burns again and again, unending waves of resurrecting soldiers cling to it like ants. There must be at least thousands present, making it look just like an ancient battlefield. Jin is exploiting openings to continue attacking the spirit of Fire continually.”
“……”
This was odd!
Wasn’t Jin out here in the flesh? How could he possibly summon such a dense army surging forward?
‘Earlier, the unexpected summoning to this space was probably due to his wish during the Offering Ceremony…’
His wishes pertained to two things: participation in the Seven Luminaries’ contest and achieving immortality. If we assumed that he could have fulfilled those aspirations, bringing his entire army to this realm couldn’t fall under just a third wish. That alone should qualify as a new request worthy of the challenge.
This means—his ability to summon this army was not a result of a wish linked to the ceremony.
However, I had never heard of such capabilities being inherent to the portrayal of a divine spirit! If any modern wizards actually possessed such a gift, it would have made sense during the earlier meeting with the previous imperial powers at the Three Sovereigns—he shouldn’t have withheld it.
‘So that means… could it be a summoning ability only applicable to this realm?’
At that moment, the word ‘Fate’ clicked in my head.
“……”
If so, then perhaps it’s time to try.
“Please reveal yourself.”
Whoooooosh—
In that desperately passionate moment,
A middle-aged man with snowy white hair abruptly appeared before me, bewildered and confused about his sudden presence. However, upon spotting me, he calmly declared, “While I’m unsure of what’s happening, I’m here to help you, it seems.”
“……”
“Is this the trial of the Seven Luminaries?”
A faint smile crept onto my face.
“Indeed, Elder Sword Demon.”
The moment the Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong was summoned, I could tell. In that instant, I realized that my desires had summoned him back to reality fully intact.
A challenger recognizing their bond with Fate, reaching out for their family to confront the throne!
While I summoned the Sword Demon, I noticed that neither the Master of the White Lotus Sect nor the Master of the Twelve Joules was among them. By this, I could also glean the hidden requirements for summoning hidden figures.
‘Never yet have we given up. We stand resolute from here on out.’
This was indeed a contest that sifted through candidates worthy of kingship!