NOVEL NEXT Chapter 817
Chapter 17: The Order of the Jade Emperor
“Imperial Edict?!”
“The Jade Emperor?!”
‘Ugh…!! What do I do!’
It felt like the chaos could not get any worse. Though I had encountered crises in my life before, this was a pure dilemma. I wanted to cry, but with my current state, I didn’t even have the energy to calmly explain the situation to the Celestial Sage, so handing over the obsidian was unavoidable. I just had bad luck.
Regaining my composure, I spoke to the Celestial Sage.
“…Sage, even now…”
“I’ve already cut off communication.”
He seemed quick on the uptake, disconnecting from the Celestial Realm immediately. However, the Celestial Sage shook his head with a skeptical expression.
“But if an imperial edict has been issued, then a considerable Great Immortal is likely already using their abilities to monitor us. There are many with the ability of Tian Er Tong as well, you know? We have deployed a barrier for now, but it’s not a time to relax…”
Cheon Woo-jin, who was beside me, chimed in.
“I’m doing my best to block the eavesdropping.”
He was once again forming hand signs to deploy a powerful barrier. I didn’t fully understand it, but it was undoubtedly a technique to block Tian Er Tong abilities or urban eavesdropping. With the powerful sorcery of Cheon Woo-jin, I felt a breath of relief and asked,
“Would you be willing to assist me, Sage?”
“Duh, of course, I’ll help. You’re a reborn person, and it doesn’t make sense to refuse such a connection.”
The Celestial Sage scratched his head and spoke.
“Explain the situation to me. Normally, you would need to head to the Celestial Realm first. An imperial edict from the Jade Emperor itself is a powerful command and a mobilization order from the highest authority in the Celestial Realm. You can’t refuse it.”
“What do you mean by a command?”
“I don’t know why it hasn’t affected you, but usually, a mortal would respond to that command without their own will the moment they heard it. When I fought the Jade Emperor, resisting that command was a real nuisance. You are indeed an unusual one.”
“Hmm.”
“But just because it didn’t work doesn’t mean the authority is diminished. Soon, all forces of the Celestial Realm will come to take you away. Because it’s a mobilization order.”
As the Celestial Sage spoke, he mimicked cutting his own throat with a finger.
“You’ve learned plenty of methods of suicide, so I’d recommend you comfortably die right here. Do it quickly.”
“Is that the only option?”
“Do it fast. Once the renowned sorcerers arrive, you won’t even have the opportunity to kill yourself. Especially if the Northern Dipper Star Lord uses the Life and Death Letter to annihilate you, there would be no other choice.”
The coldness in the Celestial Sage’s voice was paired with his rationality. I had to admit, from my perspective, there was no answer other than suicide in this situation.
Looking around, I noticed that the clones summoned by the Celestial Sage had vanished, and my companions were approaching. Cheon Woo-jin, sensing the atmosphere, spoke to me.
“It’s over. Just die already.”
“…Can’t you at least give me some courage to try surviving?”
“Damn it. I can’t even guess the situation behind this chaos. The identities of the Queen Mother of the West and the Primordial Void Ruler have been revealed; you can imagine the kind of turmoil in the Celestial Realm. Moreover, all the information you had was top secret, so there’s nothing to ignore. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors must now know you’re a reborn individual. Even if the Great Immortals could handle the Celestial Sage’s help, what will you do when a disciple of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors comes to capture you?”
“Ugh….”
“It’s a deadlock. Even if Zhuge Sa were present, he would say the same. Look at Zhuge Bu’s tense expression. Just die.”
Hearing Cheon Woo-jin’s words and seeing my companions’ pallid faces, it was clear they understood the hopelessness of my situation. I looked at Zhuge Bu, and he let out a sigh.
“…It’s not as if there aren’t gains to be had in living, but… it’s too big of a risk. Dying would be the right choice.”
“Is that so….”
“I want to ask you the opposite, though. You must understand this desperate situation yet you’re still reluctant to die. It seems you have something on your mind.”
I slowly gazed at Zhuge Bu and spoke.
“I intend to go to the Celestial Realm and meet the Jade Emperor. After uncovering his identity, I’ll die then.”
Zhuge Bu looked aghast.
“Are you mad?! You’re choosing a gamble that has a zero percent chance of success! The likelihood of being sealed away for eternity and tortured is a few hundred times higher.”
“…Still, I will do it. I believe it’s not yet time for me to give up this life.”
“…….”
Jin So-cheong was staring at me with an inscrutable expression before saying,
“Is that what you feel your intuition as a reborn person is telling you?”
“Yes.”
“A reckless choice, is it not? Can you definitively respond that you’re not hastily choosing to die out of anxiety brought on by your [archenemy] from your past life lurking close by?”
Jin So-cheong’s words were sharp. To say I didn’t feel that anxiety would be a lie.
Yet I replied with unwavering conviction.
“I believe the Jade Emperor had another reason for issuing that command. If he wanted to take me away, it would have sufficed to simply send a multitude of sorcerers. The fact that he issued a command that’s closer to a request suggests that the Celestial Realm does not hold unilateral superiority. I have a hunch that there’s a glimmer of hope in that tiny gap.”
It wasn’t right to just acknowledge defeat and die like this.
So I’d take the gamble, as somehow this gap felt significant.
“Understood. It isn’t just intuition; I see your reasoning. But that gap is literally a thread’s worth of opportunity… It may just be the whim of either the Jade Emperor or the black mask controlling him. Do you still wish to take this risk? It’s akin to finding a needle in a desert.”
“I trust the methods of suicide I acquired from Zhuge Sa. No matter how any existence tries to force me, I can still choose to die.”
“…If you think that way, I won’t stop you.”
Jin So-cheong stepped back, conceding to my will. I then used the suspicious fishhook to briefly explain the current situation to Zhuge Sa, who was working on something at headquarters. Zhuge Sa hadn’t come with us to find the Flame Elemental Sword because he had other matters to attend to.
Zhuge Sa spoke through the suspicious fishhook.
“I won’t stop you. Do as you please.”
“Are you angry?”
“Well, how could a strategist say anything more when a reborn person chooses their death? I know what you’re aiming for, so I’ll give you just a single piece of advice.”
“What kind of advice?”
“As the game gets larger, you might become safer. Depending on the circumstances, apply this principle well.”
“Understood.”
Zhuge Sa’s words were contradictory, but they also echoed the insights I gained during my past life. I was astounded by Zhuge Sa’s genius, even though I wasn’t a reborn person, and I thought that this advice might indeed be useful.
The Celestial Sage sighed and tossed the Flame Elemental Sword back to me.
“Hah. Take this. If I hold onto it, the Queen Mother of the West or the Jade Emperor will quickly make a reason to take it back, so use it urgently.”
As I accepted the Flame Elemental Sword, the Celestial Sage added,
“Then let’s avoid complications by having me escort you to the Celestial Realm. At least until we reach the face of the Jade Emperor, I can protect you.”
“Understood.”
“From the moment we reach the Jade Emperor, I can’t guarantee my responsibilities. If he decides to kill you, I won’t be able to protect you.”
“…….”
“They say the Left Minister of the Divine Army is missing, but… the Jade Emperor might come out himself.”
The Celestial Sage rarely spoke such uncertain words. According to him, the Jade Emperor was a tremendous powerhouse, and it was said that the Celestial Sage had only barely managed to defeat him due to luck. So, if numerous Great Immortals came at once with the Jade Emperor, no matter how capable the Celestial Sage was, it would be impossible to hold them all off. Yet I was resolved to face it all.
‘I can do this!’
I grit my teeth.
“Let’s go.”
“Alright. Let’s cause a ruckus together.”
Wooong
I got on the Celestial Sage’s Magic Cloud. He suddenly pulled out a shining golden ring from his cloak and swung it at me.
Zzzzzeng!
Then a golden light enveloped me, binding my arms and waist in a circular grip. I looked at him, bewildered by this technique.
“This is a binding treasure I only use during missions—Tightening Ring. It’ll appear as if you’re bound. I’ll release it at the right time.”
“I’ve never seen you use something like this in my past life….”
“It’s because I dislike this treasure. I prefer not to use it if I can help it. I don’t want to use it!”
“……?”
“Geez. I’ll explain as we go.”
Wooong
The Celestial Sage and I took off on the Magic Cloud at an astonishing speed, soaring towards the heavens. The cloud was so fast that the continent quickly shrank to a dot, and I could feel the dark void where the skies and universe met. With a whoosh, the Magic Cloud shot down to a point on the ground, and the next moment, dimensions flipped as we passed through a colorful boundary.
While riding the Magic Cloud, the Celestial Sage spoke.
“That ring was given to me by Tripitaka.”
“Tripitaka, you mean the one from the Eight Parts of the Divine?”
“Indeed.”
After a moment of silence, the Celestial Sage continued.
“While we were traveling to Tianzhu, I was tricked by Tripitaka into wearing that ring.”
“……?!”
“For seven days and nights, I endured a headache from the ring while fighting fiercely with him. Eventually, he was tired of it and ended the spell, after which he just gave it to me.”
“Is that so?”
“Since then, it has been useful during official duties, but I dislike using it and rarely do.”
Moreover, given that it was a treasure that had tricked him before, it was clear that the Celestial Sage wouldn’t want to use it for pride’s sake. It made sense that I hadn’t seen the Tightening Ring during my past life. Understanding this situation, I nodded, and the Celestial Sage asked,
“Don’t you want to know why I traveled with Tripitaka during the Tang Dynasty?”
“Well… I intended to hold back until you told me… cough!!”
Suddenly, I felt my condition worsen, and I coughed up blood. Indeed, that last blow from the Celestial Sage was rather lethal, and my internal power was stretched to its limits. As I was about to pass out, the Celestial Sage clicked his tongue and said.
“It can’t be helped. I’ll make excuses for you, but first, let’s go get treatment from the Heavenly Mysterious Woman. We have no time to go to the Western Regions for her medicinal peach now.”
“Gah…, gah…. But, will it be okay?”
“Since it’s already a mess, what does it matter? I’m also curious about what she’s doing.”
Wiying!!
A moment later, the Magic Cloud completely transcended the boundary of dimensions, and together with the Celestial Sage, I arrived at White Silk Mountain, where the Heavenly Mysterious Woman resided. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by a shocking sight.
Ohhhhhh—
[Capture him!]
[Completely obliterate that guy!!]
A multitude of Immortals—over twenty of them—were gathered in a formation, launching a spell. Each was likely a significant high-tier Immortal, deploying powerful sorceries, and in the center of their circular formation was someone familiar, bound.
[Ahhh…! You little scums!!]
[Shut up, evil immortal!!]
[Annihilate the infamous Golden Crow’s Ten Heavenly Generals, who assassinated our fellow disciple, forever!!]
Caught in the spell was none other than You Tian Jun!
One of the Ten Heavenly Generals of Golden Crow and a considerable powerhouse who I had encountered several times in my previous life. It seemed he had been caught off guard and was quickly surrounded by numerous Earth Immortals, likely disciples of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman. I observed the bindings imposed on You Tian Jun with a shock.
‘Corpse Dissolution Technique!!’
Having seen the unique white light and patterns of Corpse Dissolution Technique used by the Heavenly Mysterious Woman multiple times, it was clear they had combined their strengths to hold You Tian Jun, who was more skilled than them. The shattered remnants of his ten transformations were scattered all around like glass.
One of them turned their head towards me and said,
“Baek Woong!! You’ve really pulled a marvelous stunt.”
“Mangnyang!”
It seemed Mangnyang was also a disciple of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman and was attacking You Tian Jun along with the others at White Silk Mountain. Clearly, he was among the higher-level disciples, as he was the one putting the most pressure on You Tian Jun. Mangnyang looked at me for a moment with a sympathetic glance, then took a stance as if pulling on the reins of a horse and shouted.
“After tearing this guy’s limbs apart with Corporis Dissolution Technique, I’ll speak with you!!”
[Ahhh…! You scums!]
“Shut up and die to atone for your sins!”
Thwack!
A moment later, dozens of ropes from the Corpse Dissolution Technique slacked around You Tian Jun’s body, and he began to spew dark blood as he was disassembled. The disciples of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman chuckled heartily.
[Hahaha.]
[Now that he’s torn apart, how does it taste?]
Having ripped apart the Ten Heavenly Generals, Mangnyang walked over to me and said.
“The Celestial Realm is currently in chaos. We have just managed to capture You Tian Jun, who had previously assassinated our fellow disciple as per the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s order, and she has gone to kill the Queen Mother of the West.”
“…….”
It’s indeed chaotic. The Heavenly Mysterious Woman had commanded her disciples to tear apart You Tian Jun, who had been an assassin all this time, and had left to smash the Queen Mother of the West. I, astounded, asked Mangnyang,
“Is that possible? The Heavenly Mysterious Woman is powerful, but she also knows the true identity of the Queen Mother of the West.”
“It seems she’s willing to stake everything to erase that woman from the Celestial Realm, as if she’s undergone some mental transformation…Perhaps she got some sort of clue from your past life’s memories.”
A mutual destruction!
I was unable to collect my thoughts as the Heavenly Mysterious Woman resorted to such an extreme tactic. As Mangnyang reached out to me, I felt his Corpse Dissolution technique enveloping my body, and instantly, I felt fully healed. Even my energy was entirely restored.
“Gah…! It’s that simple.”
“You’ve grown stronger during your time.”
“…….”
It’s not just that I’ve improved. From what I could see, Mangnyang’s current strength was potentially equal to one of the Ten Heavenly Generals. Having directly experienced the Corpse Dissolution technique myself, I could sense the depth of Mangnyang’s mastery intuitively.
‘Mangnyang, you’ve grown….’
Mangnyang said,
“And all unless the Twelve Celestial Immortals have headed towards the Heavenly Palace due to the Jade Emperor’s command, I suspect the Queen Mother of the West has also gone to the Heavenly Palace.”
“So, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman has also headed to the Heavenly Palace.”
“Indeed. And it seems the Eight Parts of the Divine have invaded the Celestial Realm.”
“What?!”
“I received reports that sorcerers are fighting against the Eight Parts of the Divine on the outskirts of the Celestial Realm. There are even mysterious entities present…”
“……”
“Also, Xiang Yu has escaped from his residence. His destination is unknown.”
What a mess….
As I gaped, Mangnyang said.
“Baek Woong…are you still planning to go see the Jade Emperor? It’s insane no matter how I think about it…”
Even Mangnyang was trying to talk me out of it….
For a moment, fear crept in. In this situation, should I really consider suicide?
But I shouted nonetheless.
“I will go!”
At this point, I would see the face of the Jade Emperor at the very least!
If I folded here, nothing would come of it!
“Alright. Let’s go together.”
Finally, I set off towards the Heavenly Pavilion together with Mangnyang and the Celestial Sage.
As we entered the interior of the Heavenly Pavilion, I saw a few celestial guards and divine generals, but they didn’t hinder me upon seeing the Tightening Ring binding my body. In the moment we stepped into the Jade Emperor’s hall.
[You’ve come, Reborn One.]
The great Immortals of the Celestial Realm lined up on either side.
The Twelve Great Celestial Immortals, alongside many renowned Great Immortals from all over, stood in formation, and seated at the center was the one whose face radiated with a golden glow on the imperial throne. To his left stood the Queen Mother of the West, and to his right stood the Primordial Void Ruler.
Upon seeing me, the Jade Emperor spoke,
[I expected you’d run away or choose suicide, but this is unexpected….]
“I came because I’m curious about your purpose in summoning me.”
[You’re quite bold…. Then again, you are a reborn individual….]
Muttering as if pleased, after a short while, shockingly, words flowed from the Jade Emperor.
[How about you become the Jade Emperor?]