NOVEL NEXT Chapter 781
Chapter 781: Dark Heaven Village
“Who should I call if I want to summon fate?”
The first names that popped into my head were Jin So-cheong and the Sword Demon. With their incredible strength and talent, maybe they could harness the blessing of Great Creation and take down Shenglong. But alas, they were caught up by some unknown entity, making it impossible to call on them.
‘But if I have the blessing of Great Creation right now… could it work?’
Yet, I couldn’t waste the power of the blessing on something so uncertain in this critical situation. While it would be nice if it worked, the loss would be too great if it didn’t. After excluding the martial artists from my consideration, I realized I had almost no one left to call upon. I knew I had to summon Celestial Sage and Cheon Gong-pyo with sheer strength, but the blessing of Great Creation was a power that transcended mere physical capabilities.
Who would be the best to use the blessing for its full potential?
As I pondered, Fire Dragon Incarnate spoke.
[You, Dharma Protector, do not seem to be the right person to wield the blessing of Great Creation.]
“What do you mean by that?”
[Only those with the audacity to shatter common sense and act upon unconventional ideas can maximize the power of that blessing. But you’re still bound by ‘possibility’ and ‘probability,’ limiting your own capabilities. Isn’t that frustrating?]
“…”
[Clear your mind. Reflect on yourself calmly, without being swayed by your ego.]
I cleared my thoughts…
I decided to follow the Fire Dragon Incarnate’s advice. And unlike when I was fumbling in awe of the blessing’s immense power, I took a moment to contemplate my current situation. As my intent settled, faith arose naturally, and the essence of Heaven’s Escape flowed into my mind.
‘Ah….’
How did I forget about that?
It was something from just moments before!
[We’re a failure. We should’ve weakened the Dragon’s power by more than half; it seems we needed more preparation….]
[…Baek Woong. If we all perish, summon that creature.]
[No. It wouldn’t help to summon now. If we’re to summon, it should be when at least some variables arise… when there’s a glimmer of hope to pass this trial. If that’s not the case, it’s better to choose annihilation.]
Right before I was about to enter through the Dragon’s pupil with the guiding spirit, Zhuge Bu had told me something. Zhuge Bu objectively assessed the performance of this Seven Luminaries Trial and conveyed a contingency plan to me. According to his strategy, the individual I would summon was already decided.
“Could Zhuge Bu have known I would find myself in this situation at that moment?”
Though I couldn’t confirm it, it seemed likely. Zhuge Bu must have anticipated that the last resort would be the blessing of Great Creation and had even deduced the strategies that matched it beforehand. Furthermore, Mangnyang and Zhuge Sa likely realized Zhuge Bu’s calculation, which is why they didn’t say anything and simply acknowledged it.
Now was the time.
A moment when variables had arisen.
The time had come when hope of passing this trial with the blessing of Great Creation appeared.
“Come forth.”
I frowned and concentrated.
“Abe no Seimei!!”
WooOOoo!
Abe no Seimei, who I had never summoned before during the Royal Trial, gradually began to materialize into this space. I activated the blessing of Great Creation, dispersing the blinding white light around me while Abe no Seimei descended slowly amidst the darkness.
No, that wasn’t Abe no Seimei.
Wearing the garb of a Yin-Yang Master, she appeared to be fully in the form of a woman, quite unlike the pretty boy I once knew. Additionally, fox ears were perked up, and the silhouette was quite familiar. Without needing to see, I could guess who she was, a figure I had a seemingly limitless recollection of from countless lifetimes. Looking at her, I was inwardly astonished.
“You’re kidding! Zhuge Bu’s prediction was spot on….”
She turned to face me. However, with a cold expression devoid of any emotion, she slowly spoke.
[I am Miho, the God of Dongyoung. Who calls upon me?]
“…I am Baek Woong. This is the final trial of the Seven Luminaries, the Trial of the Sun.”
I said to Miho,
“O Blessed Divine Mechanism who holds the power of the World Tree, lend me your strength.”
The being before me was Miho, but at the same time, she wasn’t.
Because Abe no Seimei sacrificed himself to make Miho a deity, this being was known as a Divine Mechanism. Only top-tier sorcerers like Cheon Woo-jin or Abe no Seimei could create such Divine Mechanisms by offering up themselves to bring forth a new divine status that transcends the immortals.
Abe no Seimei’s words came to mind.
[Simply summoning wouldn’t stop the King of the Life Sea. I had to relinquish my human traits to accept her. Only then could I command the power of a legendary being.]
[…Half of my body is hers. During that moment, she devoured me. Since she consumes the summoner, Amaterasu can continue to descend without worrying about the law of cause and effect. So while I may be immortal, I am still mortal. Someday, she will consume me entirely.]
[Thank you, Baek Woong. To be able to choose to hand over the seed of the World Tree, you are a benefactor of Dongyoung.]
[And I shall repay the favor of giving me the seed of the World Tree.]
[Seimei. Zhuge Sa said that the World Tree requires an enormous amount of time and conditions to grow. No matter how much the Sea God remains silent, it should be impossible in the short term to grow the World Tree. I’ve heard it takes at least a millennium.]
[I will handle that.]
Seimei took the seed of the Dragon Flower Tree—the seed of the World Tree—away to protect the dying Dongyoung. At that time, I was curious about what Seimei would do with the World Tree, and I had no clue about his strategy.
Yet just moments ago, Zhuge Bu revealed that answer to me.
[Do you remember when Seimei took the seed of the Dragon Flower Tree? He said he would solve the immense time and conditions necessary for the World Tree to grow.]
[Yeah, I remember.]
[My speculation is that he intends to create a Divine Mechanism, meaning an artificial god.]
[What do you mean by that?]
[No matter how great Seimei’s prowess is, growing the World Tree rapidly enough to counter the Sea God at a time when the world’s doom is imminent is impossible. There’s neither the time nor the resources for that. So if it were me, I would flip the concept around. Using the seed of the World Tree as nourishment, a new divine status capable of opposing the Sea God could be birthed.]
[…!!]
[Seimei likely took the seed from you and performed a ritual to sacrifice himself and the Tsuchimikado clan to birth that Divine Mechanism. He expected a powerful divine status born from the World Tree and the ancient god Amaterasu’s power to protect the people of Dongyoung.]
[….]
I didn’t fully comprehend that remark, prompting me to question further.
[Then wouldn’t a robust vessel be needed to accept the chaos of the World Tree and the divine power of the ancient god Amaterasu? Is there such a being?]
The ensuing answer came as a shocking revelation.
[Of course there is. The Miho you know well. She used to live in Dongyoung as the empress, right? Since you didn’t intervene, she had no reason to come out.]
[Wha—what?!]
[I can’t tell how Seimei managed to draw her in, but at this point, there is no alternative to Miho for Seimei. She is the last tail of the Great Demon Dalgi, the divine fox with infinite potential as the Yin Spirit of the Three Sovereigns, a being that once tore apart the Great Demon Wall with just a smidgen of Yin Spirit Power. If Miho can accept that kind of power, she could grow into a Divine Mechanism capable of standing against the old ruler.]
[What the hell…!! You just thought I’d sit back?!]
[It’s too late. As of now, the Divine Mechanism of Dongyoung, Miho, has likely been born. Seimei isn’t the kind of guy to be dawdling.]
[That bastard Seimei!!]
I was fuming, but there truly was nothing I could do. I understood full well that Seimei was a person who would disregard everything for his mission to save the people of Dongyoung. By methods of coercion, persuasion, or abduction, Seimei would have employed every tactic to turn Miho into a Divine Mechanism.
Zhuge Bu continued speaking.
[Well, Seimei values his people above all else, so he probably ended up stabbing you in the back without even realizing it. But he was likely unaware that Miho was someone precious to you. After all, you haven’t contacted her even once during this life, thinking it was not intentional.]
[You bastard!! I won’t just let it slide!]
[Calm down and listen. Objectively speaking, this could turn into an opportunity for you.]
[What?]
[Seimei is grateful to you in some regard. He acknowledges you as the king of humans, and surely when you summon him with your royal authority, he would appear here. However, it wouldn’t be Seimei showing up; it would be Miho, now a god.]
[…!!]
[That’s because their souls have merged. In precise terms, by sacrificing herself, Miho would have absorbed all of Amaterasu’s powers and Seimei’s knowledge.]
Zhuge Bu continued his scheme calmly, regardless of my astonishment.
[Any moment now, the final trial of the Seven Luminaries will arrive. The greatest variable could potentially be that Divine Mechanism. When the time is right, summoning her will definitely tilt the scales in your favor.]
I finished contemplating.
“…”
Yes.
The silver-furred Yin-Yang Master standing before me was indeed Miho. Unlike the Miho of before, she had a calm, emotionless gaze, and before me stood the ‘born god’ who had inherited the powers of the World Tree and the ancient god. Though she would have no reason to appear here without a prior acquaintance, because of her fusion with Abe no Seimei, she was summoned here by his will.
The God of Dongyoung, Miho, slowly opened her mouth.
[I understand now. Abe no Seimei owed you a debt.]
“Will you repay this debt?”
[Absurd. You expect me to battle such a colossal being? Are you in your right mind?]
Miho grimaced at the sight of the Celestial Dragon. However, even in the face of its overwhelming power, she seemed hardly intimidated at all. This indicated that her current strength undoubtedly surpassed that of ordinary mortals.
I spoke to her.
“I shall grant you the blessing of Mangnyang’s Great Creation.”
[Hmm….]
“If not, I’ll send you back. Either way, if it comes to that, victory will be impossible.”
[A blessing of Great Creation. Very well, let’s see what happens.]
Sussus
The Divine Mechanism, Miho, began to bolster her power. At the same time, an immense aura began to flow from her, filled with the essence of the sun, which soon intertwined and strengthened with the moonlight she possessed.
WooOOoo
Nine tails shone gold, rising into the air. Miho’s eyes also transformed into golden irises, and she fully morphed into a radiant golden fox. While she was much smaller than Dalgi, the magical power she exuded was certainly no less imposing.
‘Has she completely awakened the power of Amaterasu, the Creator of Dongyoung?’
Unlike other Amaterasu trapped in the Planet of Gold, who reluctantly engaged with humans, this was the powerful god-king who actively fought for humanity. It seemed that Miho had completely awakened her powers after feasting on the seed of the World Tree. Additionally, the chaotic dominion she could wield had grown strong enough to rival Dalgi.
With both Yin and Yang under her control, Miho, who swayed at the center of Tai Chi, pronounced a command.
[I am the God of the Underworld; I shall strike down the life of the Dragon and put an end to my resentment!]
Crash!!
With that command, the forces of Yin and Yang surged forth, instantly shattering the flame manifestation among the Seven Luminaries. I could immediately feel that the power Miho possessed truly paralleled that of the divine level. I was left in awe.
‘…Is it truly possible to become that strong?’
No, it just might be.
With the combined symbols of absolute divine levels threefold—World Tree, ancient god Amaterasu, and Nüwa—Miho, as a Divine Mechanism, stood before me. It certainly played a role that Miho had always been a mythic existence, transcending humanity.
As Miho demolished a manifestation of the Seven Luminaries in one strike, Shenglong spoke in astonishment.
[Impressive, new god… You are on the verge of entering the state of [Master]….]
However, Shenglong also mocked her lightly.
[Though you will need to overcome the very roots of your being. What a pity.]
[What?]
Just as Miho appeared puzzled, the atmosphere crackled with energy.
[Argh!!]
Suddenly, Miho was engulfed by an immense pressure, her body writhing with discomfort. I was shocked, fearing she was under attack from Shenglong, but soon realized the situation with the Fire Dragon Incarnate’s explanation.
[The essence of the Three Sovereigns’ Nüwa is trying to infiltrate her body and usurp it!]
“…!!”
[If things continue as they are, Nüwa will descend through her body.]
Indeed, the Yin spirit birthed from Nüwa was precisely Dalgi, and since Dalgi’s tail was Miho, it was only natural that Nüwa could interfere with her. Realizing the gravity of the situation, I clenched my teeth.
‘Dammit! From the perspective of the Three Sovereigns, this might be their last chance to reach the Emperor, and the weight of the Seven Luminaries Trial is so significant that Nüwa herself is trying to throw a wrench in the works?! Taking advantage of Kucheon Hyun-Nyeo releasing the prohibition!’
Of course, if Nüwa descended, she would initially battle Shenglong, creating an advantage for me. However, if Nüwa seized control of this body, the persona of ‘Miho’ would completely vanish. I didn’t want to see Miho die, even though we had yet to meet in this life, so I activated the miracle of royal authority and the blessing of Great Creation both.
“Miho!!”
At the hearing of my voice, Miho’s eyes widened.
“Devour Nüwa!!”