1102——————==

Soul of the Evil God (四神之魂)

Spirit Treasure Heaven Master?!

In that moment, memories of the past flooded back to me.

“Primordial Void Ruler… I heard that guy was originally Spirit Treasure Heaven Master. And Primordial Void Ruler is probably that black mask type trying to meddle in my past life!!”

Focusing on that Primordial Void Ruler has significantly restrained my movements until now. I didn’t know his true identity, but he was manipulating the celestial realm behind the scenes, so I had to keep a low profile. And if this guy is indeed Spirit Treasure Heaven Master, how should I act in front of him right now?

One thing is for sure: I cannot let my identity be exposed to that guy. There’s no point in interrogating Spirit Treasure Heaven Master about what conspiracy he’s plotting here, so I’ve decided to keep an eye on him for now.

“Ah! I’ve heard of you! I didn’t know I had an older brother!”

“…What a fool.”

Spirit Treasure Heaven Master clicked his tongue in disbelief and continued.

“Older brother? You’re saying you were introduced as Fuxi’s disciple?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s utterly ridiculous. What whim is this now?”

While Spirit Treasure Heaven Master was grumbling, he said to me,

“Do whatever you want in the Primordial Palace, but don’t go wandering around here. This isn’t a place for you to carelessly roam.”

*Pa-at!*

The moment his words ended, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master vanished. I sensed that while he was suspicious of me, it was merely doubt regarding Fuxi, so I wasn’t overly worried.

‘That went well. Now, should I wait for Fuxi to return? Or should I explore the Primordial Palace?’

As I pondered my next move, I decided to take the latter option.

‘Waiting for Fuxi’s return might be safer, but something about Spirit Treasure Heaven Master trying to hide something is nagging at me!’

What’s the worst that could happen, right? I mentally prepared myself and exited the room. As I casually strolled down the corridor, I realized that this Primordial Palace was quite different from when I reached it with Xiang Yu back in the day. It felt much simpler, and the architectural style was distinctly foreign.

‘…There’s no trace of Chinese civilization here. The columns and walls are plain yet seem to perfectly mimic something from another world.’

Now that I think about it, the outfits of the three I saw earlier — Primordial Heaven Master, Taishang Laojun, and Spirit Treasure Heaven Master — were also oddly different from traditional Chinese attire. The basic feel remained, but they clearly belonged to some other civilization.

‘Atlantis. From past memories, I remember that civilization existed in the pre-ancient era, including Atlantis, but it perished, and civilization only barely came back afterward. If that’s the case, we’re in an era of ultra-primitive civilization right now.’

Lost in these thoughts, I suddenly spotted a peculiar room. It was strangely filled with large jade stones, radiating a vivid azure light with bizarre spirit energy flowing through.

‘There was no such room in this spot when I came to the Primordial Palace before?’

Feeling puzzled, I approached the jade chamber.

*Pa-at!*

At that moment, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master appeared right in front of the door using teleportation. He wore a rather angry expression and said,

“You little… didn’t I tell you not to wander around!! How long has it been since I told you, and you’re already ignoring me?”

“……”

Uh-oh… I’ve been caught. But I wouldn’t back down and calmly replied,

“Oh? Already flaunting your position as an elder brother? I never heard that from Fuxi.”

“What… what?!”

Normally, if Spirit Treasure Heaven Master holds the identity of Primordial Void Ruler, I would be scared he might kill me. However, for some reason, standing in front of him made me feel oddly at ease, so I decided to cockily continue.

“You won’t tell me the reasons for not going out but then tell me to just stay put? That’s not gonna work for me. After all, if I become Fuxi’s disciple, I’ll eventually find out the nature of this room.”

Spirit Treasure Heaven Master gaped at my words, looking baffled, and then said,

“Baek Woong. Where exactly are you from? No one among the earthly savages wears clothes like yours. And the Master is occupied with serious matters, so there’s no need to take on more disciples.”

“Serious matters?”

“Anyway, just don’t wander around!! This is advice for your own sake.”

“Can’t you at least tell me why? Is that really too hard?”

As I pressed on, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master sighed as if resigned and reluctantly replied,

“We’re currently in the process of creating the god for humans.”

“The god for humans?!”

“This place is critical for the Master’s research. We’re also working on artificial souls.”

“Uh…”

I felt a vague memory surfacing. I think I heard something like this before, but where exactly?

‘Oh right!! Artificial souls! Once, Cheon Gong-pyo mentioned it in the palace of Empress Wu Zetian!’

At that time, Cheon Gong-pyo invaded the palace and was about to indiscriminately massacre the Empress Wu Zetian’s people who evolved into Otherworldly beings, and when I stopped him, he explained to me how worthless human souls were.

[My Master, Taishang Laojun, and Primordial Heaven Master were direct disciples of the Three Sovereigns and were deeply involved in martial arts techniques. They were the first to inherit martial arts as disciples of the gods. Do you think great sages like them would have held the same view as you?]

[They commenced their research based on the perspective that souls are trapped in their bodies. They judged that the eternity flowing in a false world was confined. They believed that the soul was the essence of the world. So, do you know what experiments they conducted?]

[They aimed to create artificial souls to increase the world’s materials. By replacing the souls consumed through human sacrifices by the Old Ruler with artificial ones, genuine souls could live more freely, enhance the potential of all living beings in this world, and delay the onset of the apocalypse. Therefore, they gathered their martial arts energy to create a tool that could endlessly generate souls.]

[Furthermore, they likely believed that if more souls were obtained, the chances of awakening chaotic abilities in newly born humans would increase.]

[It was a complete failure. Artificial souls couldn’t replace real souls or even become offerings. Above all, since souls were strongly influenced by their bodies and memories couldn’t confirm the essence of the soul, countless failures and tragedies ensued. Eventually, they had to halt the experiments. They could create combat treasures like Nata, but even that was a rare case.]

As memories rushed back, they surged within my mind like a torrent. The words of Cheon Gong-pyo from so long ago suddenly resurfaced clearly, surprising me that I would see the true nature of that incident now.

With a hopeful tone, I asked Spirit Treasure Heaven Master,

“I don’t know about gods, but isn’t there a high chance of failure in researching artificial souls?”

Spirit Treasure Heaven Master raised his eyebrows, intrigued.

“Why do you think so?”

I recalled the remarks from Cheon Gong-pyo and replied straightforwardly.

“Artificial souls can’t replace real souls, nor can they be used as offerings. Plus, souls are strongly affected by their bodies, and memories can’t validate the essence of the soul….”

“……”

“The soul and body are complementary, so a mismatched artificial soul would struggle to be successful.”

At that moment, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master stroked his beard, looking deep in thought. Then he smiled and said,

“Not bad. You seem foolish, yet you grasped quite a key point. Knowing that souls and bodies are complementary, you possess considerable insight into souls.”

“Just… you know…”

“You have the qualifications to become a disciple of the gods.”

Spirit Treasure Heaven Master fidgeted with the jade door as he continued,

“… In fact, I think so too. This is an experiment that could never succeed. Contrary to the creation of gods, the research on artificial souls is being conducted as requested by the elders, who find themselves lacking strength, seeking help from the divine Fuxi.”

“Hmm.”

“There are various benefits to this, but in truth, the fundamental reason the elders engaged in artificial soul experiments is that they love humanity too much.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Regardless, the apocalypse is determined, and as long as humans inhabit this planet, they will be swept away by it. So the elders wish to help humanity grow faster and awaken chaotic abilities to escape the apocalypse…”

The reason behind researching artificial souls differed dramatically from what I had heard from Cheon Gong-pyo.

‘Hmm. It seems that initially, the intent was to enhance the very essence of humanity.’

However, after the Three Sovereigns reached an agreement, it shifted into a methodology to reduce human sacrifices. Eventually, the reincarnation system fell apart, leading to the Old Ruler devouring human souls and transforming the afterlife.

Suddenly, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master flashed a wicked smile and said,

“Do humans even have value to be saved by the hands of the gods?”

“……?”

What does that even mean?

Genuinely confused, I replied to Spirit Treasure Heaven Master,

“Are the elders also viewing it from the gods’ perspective? Gods naturally see humans as mere insects, so that’s likely the thought process…”

“Perhaps. However, I view humans as a race that objectively isn’t worth saving.”

“……”

“What exactly is salvation? They desire the continuous growth and preservation of human civilization, as well as salvation in the afterlife. But is humanity really the kind of beings that deserve a peaceful afterlife?”

I took a moment to think about Spirit Treasure Heaven Master’s words and said,

“Well… not everyone is good. There are quite a few bad ones out there…”

“Humans are beings forged from chaos from the very beginning. Naturally, the essence of chaos resides within them, heavily imprinted with evil. Once born as human, they can infinitely sink into wickedness. What can one say? The creator’s handiwork reflects the nature of the created.”

Spirit Treasure Heaven Master grinned while playfully knocking on the jade door.

“The elders judge humanity as they please. They view them like innocent lambs that need tending. This is why such foolish actions arise.”

“……”

“Humans should roam freely in a world filled with evil and perish like insects….”

While I wasn’t sure about much, it became instantly clear to me that Spirit Treasure Heaven Master was exceedingly irritating. At the same time, I realized another critical fact about him.

‘Spirit Treasure Heaven Master. He’s completely different from Primordial Void Ruler! They don’t seem to be the same person at all.’

If I had never heard of them being the same beforehand, I wouldn’t even have considered it due to the sheer contrast in their personalities. The personality of the Primordial Void Ruler I encountered could never have been this way. Could it be that over time, he completely changed from being the Primordial Void Ruler?

‘What is going on… This feels like it’s important somehow.’

A palpable sense of discomfort washed over me, and I began to think this was a critical clue.

However, I decided to push those thoughts aside and said,

“Elder brother.”

“Huh?”

I pointed at Spirit Treasure Heaven Master.

“I will be reporting this to the grand elder brother and the little elder brother!”

“……”

“No matter what, badmouthing the higher-ups isn’t right. Did you get carried away?”

At my words, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master’s face turned beet red.

“Y-You little… how dare you speak to an elder brother that way…”

I shrugged.

“I didn’t ask you to speak your mind, yet you were blabbing on your own! Anyway, I know I shouldn’t be looking into the jade room anymore, so could you please go?”

“I can’t let that happen. If I leave you be, you’ll likely disrupt the celestial realm, so I will subdue you.”

*Swish!*

The next moment, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master swung a large staff he was holding. Transparent nets enveloped my body instantly, binding me tightly. When I glanced at the transparent net, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master said,

“You seem to have some skill, but it’d be wise not to release it. The moment you do, I will interpret that as you wanting to fight me.”

“Oh, looks like you’re pretty good at fighting. Should we set aside our ranks and see who’s stronger?”

“What?”

“Let me out before you hit me!”

I growled, and Spirit Treasure Heaven Master looked bewildered.

“…Why are you being so cocky? Do you think I’m easy to deal with?”

“Yes! You seem easy to deal with!”

I truly felt that way!

Why is this happening?!

“……”

“……”

For a brief moment, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master was left speechless before shaking his head vigorously.

“Ugh, I can’t understand your reasoning. Why do I feel no desire to kill you?”

“……?”

“Hmph. You’re quite the brat.”

*Swish!*

In the next moment, the binding spell of Spirit Treasure Heaven Master unraveled. As I shook my limbs free, he grufferly remarked.

“Go ahead and wander as you wish. Whatever you hear from the Master has nothing to do with me now!”

*Whoosh!*

Spirit Treasure Heaven Master vanished on the spot. I turned my arms in circles to stretch and thought.

‘Is he really the Primordial Void Ruler?’

As someone skilled in disguise techniques, I could tell. The Spirit Treasure Heaven Master I just encountered did not give off the feeling of the Celestial Realm’s black-cloaked figure at all; rather, he resembled a dull, traditional Great Immortal. It was hard to imagine that he was concocting a massive conspiracy to trick me.

‘Something… something feels off… Damn it!’

I had an inkling that there was something here that would clarify my current situation, but my brain couldn’t quite piece it together, so I just shook my head to clear it. After all, I assumed the strategists would sort it out later, and I began to move toward the jade door slowly.

Beyond that jade door lay research on artificial souls. I knew that opening it would potentially expose me to deception by the Primordial Void Ruler and Taishang Laojun, but I mustered the strength to forcefully open it.

*Creek!!*

‘According to Cheon Gong-pyo, it’s a failed experiment, so what does it matter if I fail now! Whether I fail now or later, it’s all the same.’

Better to gain a shred of ancient knowledge!

As I opened the door and stepped inside, I found that the space was surprisingly vast. Strange vessels and gases floated around, and there were what appeared to be fluid entities that resembled souls drifting like smoke.

‘Hmm… What’s that?’

Suddenly, I noticed an exceptionally large soul floating around. It was about the size of this room, but the soul’s density was unparalleled.

‘Tezcatlipoca. Not quite on par with the Soul of the God, but the density is many times that of a common soul.’

To condense a normal soul, at least a million essence should be clustered together. Hence, this was not the kind of soul a regular living being could possess.

Was this the result of artificially nurturing a soul?

But why would they need to nurture a soul to this extent?

I tilted my head in confusion, but then a voice came from behind me.

“What are you doing?”

I turned around at the voice. A stern-looking middle-aged man in black was glaring at me. I recognized him, and a chill ran down my spine.

“Whoa! Primordial Heaven Master.”

“Baek Woong, isn’t it? How do you know my name on your first encounter?”

“……”

“And to brazenly enter the artificial soul research lab… Are you planning to steal a soul?!”

Primordial Heaven Master looked extremely enraged. I considered whether I had made a huge mistake, but it was already too late to turn back.

‘Damn it… Since it’s come to this, I’ll fight through it!’

I cautiously spoke to Primordial Heaven Master,

“Elder brother. Why did you create such a massive artificial soul?”

“What’s it to you?”

“Just a strong curiosity… I apologize for my rudeness.”

I bowed deeply and continued,

“Please tell me!”

“……”

At that moment, a relaxed voice chimed in from the side.

“Why not tell him?”

“Master!”

Fuxi and Taishang Laojun walked in right after one another. Fuxi looked at me with intrigued eyes and said,

“Indeed, you are no ordinary fellow. You stepped into the most serious research area in the Primordial Palace right after being sent here.”

“Master… This guy is suspicious. Are you really planning to take him as a disciple?”

“What good would it do to say? In any case, with that child’s current strength, he wouldn’t even touch my little finger after tens of thousands of years of practice.”

“……”

“I want to nurture a unique disciple.”

After Fuxi’s remark, both Taishang Laojun and Primordial Heaven Master nodded silently in agreement. Then, under Fuxi’s signal, Primordial Heaven Master explained to me, albeit reluctantly.

“Baek Woong. That massive artificial soul is intended to create a god for humans.”

“A god for humans? What do you mean by that?”

“…Currently, both Fuxi and Nüwa are protecting humanity; however, it is impossible to protect them from the Emperor’s forces and many rulers until the end. Therefore, we aim to create a new divinity birthed from Fuxi’s powers to ensure humanity’s protection and development. That artificial soul will serve as the core.”

“Is that really possible?”

“Yes.”

Primordial Heaven Master stepped closer to the enormous artificial soul. Grabbing a small sapling beside him, he added,

“With the power borrowed from the Divine Tree located at the center of the Three Thousand Worlds, it is indeed feasible.”

“But why can’t the elders just become gods themselves? That seems more straightforward and quick.”

“We cannot. If we ascend to the ranks of rulers, we would owe too great a debt to the Master, thus subjecting us heavily to the Law of Cause and Effect. The reason we’re making this artificial soul is to create an entity that is relatively free from the Law of Cause and Effect.”

“……”

Wait?

This sounds familiar…

‘Ah! That’s right! Divine Being!’

Abe no Seimei and Miho!

The artificial elevation of divine status they attempted in later stages was systematically being carried out under Fuxi’s leadership in the ancient times! There’s no way the creator of martial arts techniques, Fuxi, wouldn’t think of what Abe no Seimei could think of.

Creating divine beings.

Creating gods for humans to protect them.

Creating gods for the Dongyoung to protect the Dongyoung — the only difference is scale.

‘But why wasn’t this story passed down to later generations?’

If there exists a god solely for humanity, it should surely have been known, yet as far as I knew, I had never seen or heard of such a being. Could it be related to the failures of the artificial soul experiments?

While I was pondering this, Fuxi remarked,

“You seem to have something on your mind. Are there more questions you wish to ask?”

“Um… well…”

I hesitated, but a thought suddenly struck me. After glancing at both Primordial Heaven Master and Taishang Laojun, I exclaimed,

“Spirit Treasure Heaven Master mocked the elders for screwing around with the artificial soul research! He said humans are better off dying like insects and that this is a pointless effort!”

First, I decided to spill the beans!

“……”

“……”

Primordial Heaven Master and Taishang Laojun’s expressions warped with tension. Fuxi, stroking his chin, said thoughtfully,

“Is that so? Go and bring Spirit Treasure Heaven Master to me.”

“Yes!”

*Pa-at!*

Moments later, Primordial Heaven Master and Taishang Laojun disappeared, and about a single meal time later, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master returned, flanked by them. Fuxi was seated at a chair before them, casually fanning a hand fan as he spoke.

“How dare you conceal such a treachery beneath your facade. When did you become hostile toward humanity?”

“Master…”

“I am the Cosmic Tai Long and the successor of order. I cannot allow anyone hostile toward humanity to remain as my disciple. This is no trivial matter.”

“Are you chastising me, who has served you for centuries, over a little pup?!”

Spirit Treasure Heaven Master, appearing quite aggrieved, protested, but Fuxi remained unfazed.

“So, is Baek Woong’s claim factual or not?”

“That’s a lie! I never made such statements!”

“Hmm.”

Fuxi widened his eyes slightly.

*Whoooooooosh!*

At that moment, the scene with Spirit Treasure Heaven Master I had just witnessed replayed vividly in front of me. I could even hear his voice clearly.

[Do humans have value to be saved by the hands of the gods?]

[Are you looking at it from the perspective of the gods?]

As those past images lingered again, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master froze, his face stiff with disbelief. Fuxi calmly observed the vision before turning to me.

“Baek Woong has erred. You have been brazen in challenging your elder brother and doing all the things you shouldn’t. Spirit Treasure Heaven Master, you are not at fault.”

“As a Master, I should punish Baek Woong for his conduct.”

“However, why did you lie to me?”

“……”

The atmosphere grew exceedingly tense. Fuxi chuckled softly before remarking,

“How amusing. So here we have you, who had no problem revealing your true feelings to Baek Woong, seeking to conceal that from me… What sort of power does Baek Woong hold that makes you commit such a blunder?”

“What do you mean?”

“Spirit Treasure Heaven Master, you are a remarkably talented disciple. Born with an extraordinary ability to embody chaos, you may surpass both Primordial Heaven Master and Taishang Laojun with a few centuries of training, hence the reason for my taking you as a disciple.”

Having said this, Fuxi gazed at Spirit Treasure Heaven Master with eyes devoid of any emotion.

“But you seem to have been too imbued with chaos. Thus, you would be incapable of handling realms beyond order, and today, I reckon we have seen your limits.”

“……”

“No longer expecting much from you, I shall expel you from the sect. Do you have any last words to say?”

At Fuxi’s pronouncement, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master lowered his head slowly and then gradually raised his face. He opened his mouth softly.

“Master, I shall seek to find myself. Please take care of yourself.”

Fuxi tilted his head.

“Where do you wish to go? I never ordered you to leave.”

“That means…”

Fuxi smiled.

“Do you think I wouldn’t know your true self behind the guise of a human? Someone like you cannot remain for fear of future troubles.”

“……?!”

Desperation flooded Spirit Treasure Heaven Master’s visage. Fuxi raised his finger and pointed at him.

“Become the dust of the universe.”

*Phew!*

The next moment, Spirit Treasure Heaven Master turned to ash, vanishing without a trace.

“……!!”

Wha-?! He got executed just for that!?

I meant to just tease him a little!

I watched in shock at Fuxi’s extreme response, but soon, he leaned in close and whispered to me,

“Baek Woong, from this moment on, you are my third disciple.”

I locked eyes with Fuxi.

And the Three Sovereigns, Fuxi, smiled warmly.

“We have someone to meet. Let’s head to Takrok right away.”