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1083——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Was it the palace of the Primordial Heaven Master?

Curious about that fact, I asked Cho Mu-rin.

“Cho Mu-rin, have you ever been to that palace?”

Cho Mu-rin replied bluntly.

“Looks like you forgot the respect due to investigations. I thought you were at least pretending to be polite before.”

“No, have you been there or not?”

“To the entrance. I patrolled around the abandoned palace, worried that something might leak out from it, but nothing happened. But who would have thought that place led to the labyrinth where Fuxi was sealed?”

“Didn’t you know our Great Bear Empire was exploring Fuxi?”

“Not at all. Lord Hyunheogung must have kept everything under control, so no information leaked outside.”

Muttering to himself, Cho Mu-rin added, “You all really seem to be trying to fight against the apocalypse. I never expected you to go searching for Fuxi.”

“Cho Mu-rin, you seem to think that our efforts against the apocalypse are futile.”

Cho Mu-rin smirked at my words.

“Ha! If I had such hopes, would I be living so reclusively?”

“……”

That was a fair point…

Cho Mu-rin continued, “Besides, if you want to join the exploration team, you’ll need to level up.”

“Hmm… Are you saying my skills are lacking compared to my companions?”

“Not at all. You’re definitely an expert who can be counted among the best in the world. You could show exceptional martial prowess even if you went to the Celestial Realm right now. But skill and survival are two different things.”

“…Survival, huh.”

“I remember hearing rumors about the exploration team in the Celestial Realm. Even they, with all members above the Absolute Realm, faced imminent destruction multiple times and it was no walk in the park. You’re the leader of the Great Bear Empire, so you’d better have above-average skills to ensure your survival, right?”

That made sense. While there might not be anyone on par with me among those who reached the Celestial Realm, it didn’t guarantee that my current skills were enough. I needed to improve at least one or two levels; otherwise, ascending to the Celestial Realm would be pointless.

As I mulled over these thoughts, Bang Ryong Lee Seol-pyo, who was next to me, spoke up.

“Overthinking this is pointless! Ultimately, you need to train to become stronger, Grand Master!”

“That’s a good point!!”

What Bang Ryong Lee Seol-pyo said made sense! I thought that just worrying would do nothing for my improvement in skill.

So, which should I focus on first, the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique or the Immortal Sword Technique?

I could train in both at the same time, but since both were quite difficult, I had the feeling I would achieve nothing if I tried to do them both at once. To gain quick results and join the exploration team, I would need to concentrate on one.

As I shared my dilemma, Zhu Xian chimed in.

“Originally, His Majesty was training in the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique but found it too long and slow, so he started focusing on the Immortal Sword Technique. It might be better for you to stick to the Immortal Sword Technique first.”

“Well, that’s true, but actually…”

I hesitated before saying, “The homework that Yeodong-bin gave me… distinguishing between the Heart Sword and Heart Blade… I still don’t get it. I even went to ask Sagong Lin for clues, but I didn’t achieve much.”

That was the problem. So far, with Yeodong-bin’s help, I had made considerable progress in the Immortal Sword Technique, but I still couldn’t solve that assignment. There was definitely a profound principle behind the difference between the Heart Sword and the Heart Blade, and I might end up pondering it for decades if I wasn’t careful.

What if I spent years contemplating this assignment and never came to a realization?

Time would be wasted, and in the worst-case scenario, I could lose a full seventeen years.

Suddenly, Bang Ryong Lee Seol-pyo stroked his chin and remarked in admiration, “Grand Master, perhaps you’re so talented that sometimes you say things that sound downright foolish…. That’s what geniuses do.”

“……”

Feeling mildly tormented, as I sensed no malice in his words…

I noticed Cho Mu-rin snickering beside me and shot him a glare while Lee Seol-pyo opened his mouth again.

“Grand Master, you mentioned Yeodong-bin said the true Heart Sword can achieve ‘hwalin’ (活人)! So why not try that clue?”

“…Huh? You mean…”

“Try to see if you can save someone with your sword!”

I thought Lee Seol-pyo’s suggestion was logically correct, but I was taken aback by its absurdity.

Hwalin!

Ultimately, a sword is meant to stab and kill, how could it be used to save someone?

‘If I concede just for the sake of argument, I could say that defeating a stronger oppressor would achieve hwalin for the weak…. But that’s not what Yeodong-bin meant. He meant it in the most literal sense. The sword must be used purely to protect life.’

That was why the assignment felt so challenging that I had even sought assistance from Sagong Lin. As I ran out of words, Cho Mu-rin, with arms crossed beside me, spoke up.

“By that logic, medical techniques might fit the bill, no?”

“Medical techniques?”

“Using a knife for surgery to save a person.”

“…Are you kidding me? You know that’s not what Yeodong-bin meant. The Heart Sword isn’t a wordplay.”

“Ha ha ha, ha.”

“You’re laughing?”

Cho Mu-rin burst into laughter.

“Hahahahahaha, hee hee.”

Seeing him toy with me in amusement, my expression soured. What kind of immortal has a personality so wrecked? He must have been corrupted!

Frowning in annoyance, Zhu Xian attempted to redirect our focus.

“Your Majesty, perhaps it would be best to steadily wallop out daily training and, in your spare time, to think through those matters. As I mentioned before, our levels might be too low to provide direct solutions to your assignments…”

“Got it. I’ll do that.”

Reluctantly, from that day on, I began steadily training in the Immortal Sword Technique while also trying my hand at the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique. Realizing I couldn’t seek help from anyone made me spend more time meditating beneath the waterfall.

Kugugugu

Beneath the waterfall, I contemplated.

‘How can I use the sword to save someone?’

How could I manifest that power literally…

‘In the past, when Yeodong-bin battled the Master of the White Lotus Sect in Luoyang, he managed to strike the Heart of Han Baek-ryeong without physical harm. Moreover, his Heart Sword successfully severed things devoid of substance on multiple occasions and achieved hwalin. This realm is not something that can be achieved lightly.’

In reality, I had seen countless experts throughout my life, but among them, only one had wielded the Heart Sword effectively—Yeodong-bin. The experts of the martial arts world aside from him could only destroy; they couldn’t elevate their destructive abilities to the point of saving lives like Yeodong-bin.

I was pondering this when suddenly an idea struck me, and I fiddled with my earrings.

“Come forth, Yellow Dragon Demon God.”

Without thinking, I realized I hadn’t attempted to test it out in a secluded place until now.

Kugugugu!!

In the next moment, golden armor enveloped my entire body, transforming me into a complete armored warrior. I resembled a Western knight, and my reflection in the pond was stunning. It was as if a helmet symbolizing a golden dragon glittered in the sunlight.

“Oh…?!”

I liked it!

Even the long sword fastened at my waist emitted a dazzling golden hue. Wondering if it were indeed real gold, I bit at it gingerly, but my teeth left no mark.

“Is this not gold…?!”

I felt slightly disappointed, but then realized this was a combat artifact; if it were soft enough to leave bite marks, it wouldn’t be suitable for battle. While I was inspecting the armor of the Yellow Dragon Demon God, a voice suddenly rang out in my mind.

[OS Yellow Dragon Demon God. Detection of additional input to the wearer’s DNA storage. Would you like to access the content named Hidden Piece?]

It seemed the Yellow Dragon Demon God wasn’t an AI but rather the latest combat artifact with an OS. I nodded and answered.

“I want to access it.”

[Quantum Craft Initiating.]

Swish

Suddenly, my veins bulged, and I felt something pushing out of my palm. Gradually, several droplets of blood ascended, defying gravity, and emitted a gentle white light, revealing a golden necklace before my eyes.

Swoosh

As I touched the golden necklace, the Hidden Piece, a peculiar sensation washed over me. How on earth was the data from the virtual world touchable in reality? It seemed future technology had advanced tremendously.

“Hm. Hidden Piece… Let me see if I can open the lid.”

Creak

“Whoa! What is this?”

As I tried to exert force to open the lid, a sudden squishing sound came from within, startling me. I realized that forcing it open might destroy a delicate mechanism inside, preventing me from seeing its contents. I had seen similar devices before.

“So I need to find a specific method to open it… Yellow Dragon Demon God! Can I use Quantum Craft once more to extract the Hidden Piece?”

[Duplicate manifestation is impossible if the original exists in reality.]

“Eh? Why can’t duplicates work?”

[Because of the law of mutual existence.]

“……? So, to summon a new one, I need to break the original?”

[The user’s recognition is important.]

“So, recognizing that the original is broken and gone is what matters.”

Boom!!

I immediately shattered the Hidden Piece with my sheer strength. Then, as I firmly crushed my mentation, believing the original had disappeared, I waited a moment before summoning the Hidden Piece with Quantum Craft once again.

Whoosh

“So if I summon anew, the existing one disappears.”

Once the new Hidden Piece was summoned, the fragments of the destroyed Hidden Piece vanished like smoke. It appeared that the material manifested through Quantum Craft was not significantly different from manifesting through mentation, so it didn’t remain. It wasn’t an object that physically existed before.

Thinking that I wouldn’t manage to figure out the Hidden Piece on my own, I decided to come up with a plan.

‘Should I ask Zhu Xian? He’s smart and familiar with modern artifacts… No, but Zhu Xian is loyal to Sagong Lin too, so he’ll learn whatever I ask him about the Hidden Piece. But I doubt Cho Mu-rin or Lee Seol-pyo would know about this high-tech device…’

All of a sudden, I realized how much I had relied on Sagong Lin and the Great Bear Empire since arriving in this era. Outside of a few allies, I realized I didn’t have anyone I could rely on this world to be friendly with or know well.

“Sigh… this seems more difficult than I thought.”

I then called upon the spirit of the National Seal to ask questions.

“National Seal! Do you know what this golden necklace is?”

Whoosh

After a moment, the spirit of the National Seal answered me.

[It is a necklace and simultaneously a pocket watch. It appears to be in the Heilig style, popular in 15th century Munich, Germany.]

“A pocket watch? What’s that?”

[A portable clock that emerged from the development of clock technology, predominantly developed in the West. Usually, it contains a clock on the inside and sometimes a portrait or photograph.]

“So it’s a clock. A portable clock… But why would a portrait or photo be added?”

[It was used to remember close acquaintances and family.]

“……”

I felt like I was getting closer to an understanding.

‘Dr. Faust’s resource that he gave to Zhuge Bu contained the image of his deceased daughter. And the Hidden Piece within that resource was a pocket watch for recalling memories…’

Then it seemed this golden pocket watch must contain not only the clock but also a photo.

If I could view that photo or its contents, wouldn’t I understand Dr. Faust’s true intentions?

No one with such capability would embed hidden data within a resource that could evolve into a strong AI without any reason. Knowing Dr. Faust’s intentions would significantly aid my journey of reincarnation.

“Is there a way to open this pocket watch?”

[Not known.]

Oh right. This spirit has a tendency to refuse to answer when prompted that way.

While I pondered, I rephrased my question.

“Search for the most advanced workshop capable of opening this watch. One with the best skills in the world.”

[One location was found.]

It seemed the specificity of ‘world’s best’ helped make the search easier.

“Where is it?”

[Quartz Agentur in Switzerland, the top workshop. I will mark its location in the coordinates.]

Whoosh!

I got a glimpse of the workshop, high in the mountains of the West. I could see many advanced machines operating within the factory. However, upon seeing the roof of the Quartz Agentur headquarters, I frowned.

“…Isn’t that the symbol of the Five Stars?”

The Five Stars.

It was a symbol frequently used by sorcerers and held significant meaning in sorcery. Moreover, it appeared that the Quartz Agentur had a building each in the five directions, all connected by distribution lines, and the overall design resembled the Five Stars. It was clearly intentional, and I instantly concluded in my mind.

‘There are bound to be demon sorcerers or sorcerers there…’

Muttering to myself, I decided without hesitation to use the Golden Lamp technique to go to the headquarters of Quartz Agentur, all while clad in the armor of the Yellow Dragon Demon God.

Boom!

As I entered, I saw several scientists and researchers bustling about. I had already cast an invisibility spell, so I slipped through unnoticed, calmly moving deeper inside. I could infinitely refresh my invisibility by re-casting it just before it ended.

Once I got deep into the workshop, human presence disappeared. Before a grand forge, I spotted a woman in white robes, wearing spectacles, muttering some incantation and casting magic.

Swish

“……!!”

As I released my invisibility, a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes froze, staring at me, and I crossed my arms.

“I’ve come to request an analysis of this pocket watch. I heard you are the best workshop in the world.”

The blonde beauty quickly scanned the surroundings, and upon confirming no one was nearby, she spoke.

“Armored stranger, who are you? Why do you speak in Medieval Chinese?”

“And here you are, speaking in Ming Dynasty dialect. Did you use translation magic?”

“No… I’m just the CEO, so I studied to learn. I focused on ancient and medieval languages of the Great Bear Empire among 27 languages.”

“……”

“Identify yourself.”

“You go first. Sorcerer.”

“What a counterattack… And I’m not an evil sorcerer, I’m a wizard.”

She appeared stunned as she replied.

“I am Bathory Erzsebet, CEO of Quartz Agentur and Grand Witch of the Western Magical Guild. I will make you regret trespassing here.”

Bam!

“O blood of the constellation, dance!”

Swish…

The moment she snapped her fingers, the very space and time I stood in twisted and warped. I felt as though my entire being was being consumed by a sea of blood, ready to drown me at any moment.

“Oof…”

I attempted to wield my sword, but the illusion rapidly dominated my senses, making it difficult. The level of control was astonishingly greater than normal magic; I was inherently shocked.

‘She’s a powerful sorcerer!’

At the very least, she must be at the Great Immortal level!

I never expected her to be this strong. I suspected at least an Eight Immortal level, given that this wasn’t just some run-of-the-mill sorcerer’s illusion but one that instantly ruled all senses and even warped space!

Realizing this was magic exceedingly difficult to come by among humans, I unleashed my spirit power from my entire being.

Whoosh!!

At that moment, my spirit power reversed her spatial dominance, neutralizing Bathory’s blood-red domain. It merely had the form of clashing wave impacts, but the strike was substantial enough that Bathory staggered and fell to the ground.

“Ugh, wheeze… Spirit power… could you be an apostle…?”

Bathory trembled, appearing frightened. When I noticed I might have acted too aggressively, I softened my tone and spoke to Bathory.

“Apologies for my rudeness. However, out of necessity, I can’t disclose my identity, and I sought your help confidentially. I am human, not an apostle.”

“……”

“If you agree to take my request, I shall provide ample compensation.”

Bathory examined me as if reconciling some fear, and after a moment, dropped her guard and stood.

“Please tell me what your request is. And the compensation.”

“A simple matter. I would like you to open this pocket watch.”

Swish

As I presented the pocket watch, Bathory took it into her hands. She examined the pocket watch for a while and suddenly exclaimed in shock.

“T-This is an artifact…!! How did you come into possession of such a powerful magical tool?!”

“That’s a magical tool?”

“Yes. Judging by its precision and magical energy, it’s among the top tiers of the Chrono factors… This likely once belonged to the Grandmaster of the Alchemist Guild long ago…”

After exclaiming with excitement, Bathory fell silent for a moment before asking, “Is it just opening it that you require?”

“Yes. That’s all.”

“Alright then. I’ll accept your request. If the reward is sufficient, I won’t even ask for your identity.”

Thank goodness.

I had to force this deal, but it seemed our communication flowed well enough. As I contemplated what compensation to offer, I made my decision.

“If you do that… then I shall give you this.”

I withdrew the Holy Lance from the Wooden Armor and showed it to Bathory. Upon seeing the lance, Bathory appeared nearly faint.

“…T-That, is it… surely…!!”

“Do you know the identity of this lance?”

“Put that away!! That cursed lance….”

Bathory trembled and took a step back as if overwhelmed by the lance’s aura.

“The Lance of Longinus…!!”