1119——————==

Soul of the Evil God

As soon as I stepped outside, I turned to Cheon Woo-jin and said,

“Hey! How much time has passed?”

Cheon Woo-jin, with a furious expression that seemed barely contained, replied,

“Five moments have passed.”

“Hmm. That’s about right.”

This meant there were still around seven moments left until Miho would return to this world. As expected, more time had flown by outside compared to what I spent inside, yet it still meant I had a considerable amount of time left. Feeling somewhat relieved, I said to Cheon Woo-jin,

“I met Fuxi and Master Mangnyang inside the Land and Earth Diagram.”

“……?!”

Cheon Woo-jin’s surprise was so great that he momentarily forgot his anger. Then he growled,

“If you’re just spouting nonsense instead of training, I won’t let it slide.”

“…….”

Dude, are you too furious or what?

But from Cheon Woo-jin’s perspective, it was probably outrageous that I’d come to him during his break asking for help and then talked about something so ridiculous. I waved my hands desperately.

“No, it’s true! So…”

I briefly explained what happened inside the Land and Earth Diagram. After carefully listening to my story, Cheon Woo-jin remarked,

“This is truly absurd. Are you telling me to believe the world is sealed within the Land and Earth Diagram?”

“Believe it or not, it’s real! Here, look at this as proof.”

Wooong!

I pulled out Xuyou and Huayo to show them in their freed form. As I took on the figure of the Great Liberation, my arms swelled with the power of the Seven Luminaries, and Cheon Woo-jin stared in awe, mouth agape.

“Whoa….”

Cheon Woo-jin rarely made such expressions, so it was clear he was genuinely surprised.

“What do you think?”

“…Then shoot a destructive beam from your eyes.”

“Okay!”

I gathered power in my eyes, clenched my teeth, and shouted,

“Beam – Light!!”

KWA-BAANG!

“……!!”

The beam obliterated the tiny valley in front of me and created a pathway, leaving Cheon Woo-jin looking utterly dumbfounded. He stared at the empty space for a while, then asked,

“So, where’s Heuk Woong?”

“Oh.”

Ah, right!

Only after Cheon Woo-jin mentioned it did I realize something was off. I had gone into the Land and Earth Diagram to train to revive Heuk Woong, yet I completely forgot about him until now. Cheon Woo-jin said,

“If what you’re saying is true, the chances of Heuk Woong being revived right now are vague. If Saitan truly revived and Amaterasu suppressed him, there might still be effects of Saitan’s commands lingering. However, your diminished divine power means you might have better control over it now.”

“Hmm.”

“But even if Heuk Woong doesn’t revive…. Your strength has improved significantly enough that you wouldn’t need it.”

I was taken by surprise by his words.

“Is that true?”

“Baek Woong. First, we need to test it, so recite Saitan’s command.”

I complied and memorized the command as instructed. By the time I finished reciting it, I could feel my divine energy gradually following my control amidst the chaos.

Wooong!

Though it was just a few strands, I could definitely sense that my control had returned, which was astonishing.

“This is….”

Before, handling divine power felt like steering a tiny boat on a stormy sea. It had been impossible to move that divine power as I wished. Even just before entering the Land and Earth Diagram, I had felt a slight increase in control, but it still felt like I was at a loss.

‘This is doable!’

Now, it felt like I was able to steer a medium-sized boat—plenty of space for at least a half-dozen passengers complete with a roof and anchor. I couldn’t control the storm, but at least I could grasp the rudder!

“I expected as much. Would you call this a turning point or a unique twist of fate?”

“What happened?”

“Baek Woong, normally a command without the creator loses its effectiveness at that moment and becomes a dead language. The moment divine nature is extinguished, all connected incantation systems vanish or lose their power. Saitan’s command should have been unusable since the moment Saitan and Amaterasu destroyed each other. But the fact that your connection to Saitan wasn’t simple is important.”

Cheon Woo-jin continued explaining.

“You agreed to find the fruit of good and evil for him in exchange for bearing his name. However, this contract wasn’t completely settled. This means that even though one side perished, the effects of that contract remain, allowing you to use that power from the command. And you even called his name three times…”

“…What? I don’t quite get it.”

“To put it simply, the moment you find the fruit of good and evil, Saitan’s command will finish its effect. But until you find it, you can continuously use the power corresponding to that command. It means [the power to find the fruit of good and evil will always be granted].”

“…….”

I was dumbfounded and asked back.

“If Saitan has perished, who’s granting that power? There’s no entity to provide the power.”

“Let’s say it’s the universal laws governing all contracts. You can think of it as the Void Record.”

“Hmm.”

“While it’s subtle, Saitan was originally [the Old Ruler]. Since you had a contract with him, your divine power’s control has significantly strengthened. Plus, in the end, thanks to you, Saitan temporarily regained the power of his true form, so the effects are likely even stronger.”

So that’s how it works?

Now that I finally understood, I nodded. Cheon Woo-jin said with a hint of regret in his voice,

“However, while it seems the effect was quite strong within the Land and Earth Diagram, it may not be as strong now…. Right?”

“Hmm. It feels a bit weaker.”

Indeed, the overwhelming control I felt when I formed the dragon with spirit power didn’t seem to manifest now. It felt like there was some difference in command between the inner workings of the Land and Earth Diagram and the outside reality.

“Right now, you could probably use divine techniques that aren’t too complex with your divine power.”

Thank goodness! I thought that being able to use more techniques would be helpful later on. I turned to Cheon Woo-jin and asked,

“Then can we revive Heuk Woong now?”

“…….”

“Why?”

“I don’t know either. Theoretically, it shouldn’t be strange for him to revive, yet don’t you have any sense about it? You’ve got basic control now, and the absolute amount of divine power has decreased, so it should be a perfect situation for him to revive.”

“Not really…”

Cheon Woo-jin folded his arms and appeared deep in thought. Then he said,

“We need to find out more details. Since your explanation has its limits, hand me the obsidian.”

“Sure….”

I scratched my head at Cheon Woo-jin’s request and handed him the obsidian, leaving out the memory of meeting the Coming Chaos. I feared that if I passed on that memory directly to the current Cheon Woo-jin, he might go insane.

Cheon Woo-jin began reading the memory from the obsidian and said,

“It seems that your divine power became even more chaotic while under the control of Jeon Wook and So Hoo….”

“Eh?”

“When your divine power was absorbed by the monster, most of the power they infused dissipated, but the core remnants remained in you as potential. So ultimately, your potential improved, raising the minimum threshold for Heuk Woong’s manifestation.”

“So what should I do?”

Cheon Woo-jin smirked and said,

“This isn’t a situation without answers like before. By repeatedly training with the residual command from Saitan, you can definitely bring back Heuk Woong. In fact, you’ve returned to a situation akin to what it was before entering the Land and Earth Diagram.”

I felt my heart flutter significantly at his use of the word ‘definitely.’ Cheon Woo-jin didn’t often express himself that way.

“How long will it take?”

“I don’t know, but it won’t be long. It won’t be tomorrow, though.”

“I see.”

Considering it might not take long means that with repeated training, it’s likely I could find him within a year at the longest. I felt good thinking about achieving something great.

Suddenly I realized something vital and looked at Cheon Woo-jin, asking,

“With this kind of power, I should be able to suppress Miho, right?!”

“How would I know?”

Cheon Woo-jin replied curtly, but when I stared intently at him, he relented and added,

“I’m not sure of the destructive beam’s strength, but it’ll depend on how you use the Seven Luminaries. Especially if you can use that dual divine technique well, even if Miho has become a powerful divine being, you should be able to suppress her in one blow. Judging by the divine energy flowing from the Great Liberation, it should be more than enough to kill a divine being.”

“Wow!”

“Assuming you can hit her, of course. If you’re strong enough, you could manipulate time or space too.”

“…….”

Cheon Woo-jin looked genuinely fed up as if he were losing patience.

“Damn it…. My vacation is over now. To create an opening for you to hit Miho, honing your techniques will be essential.”

“With the Tai Chi I got from Taishang Laojun, can’t I create an opening?”

“Not enough. For a divine being like Miho, there’s bound to be a power capable of neutralizing the Tai Chi. You’ll need another weapon. From what I’ve heard, even at her apex, Taishang Laojun wouldn’t be stronger than the current Miho.”

This guy seems to have the heart to teach after all!

I was intrigued by Cheon Woo-jin’s words and asked,

“Got any decent techniques?”

“There’s no need for any trivial stuff right now. What you need to focus on is divine arts.”

“Divine arts?”

Cheon Woo-jin nodded.

“Technically, using the Corpse Dissolution Technique I obtained from the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens would be the most reliable, but for some reason, I feel like you won’t be able to use that even after a thousand years… But what I can recommend is the divine arts technique of the Nan Gu Xianong, the Light of the Azure Dragon. Using the Light of the Azure Dragon will be immensely beneficial against Miho.”

“That! I know how to use it.”

“What do you mean you know how to use it? You can’t even recite the proper incantation, just using divine power chaotically.”

“…….”

“There are about seven moments left. During this time, I’ll help you use the Light of the Azure Dragon more properly. Your control over divine power is sufficient now, so focus on refining what you already possess.”

“Got it.”

“Studying the foundational theories of divine arts will greatly enhance your effectiveness. You may even be able to use it twice instead of just once.”

With Cheon Woo-jin’s help, I began to practice the divine art of the Light of the Azure Dragon. Even though I had the knowledge of Nan Gu Xianong, I hadn’t been able to use it correctly until now since genius Cheon Woo-jin began explaining from the basics.

‘…It’s tough.’

I felt a bit lost as I realized I didn’t have much talent in divine arts. Even with Cheon Woo-jin consistently teaching me, it felt like I understood only two out of ten points. I gradually started to grasp some details about divine arts, but it felt like a mere feeling and what really mattered was still beyond my comprehension, akin to hearing a foreign language. Eventually, as I started dozing off, Cheon Woo-jin slapped the back of my head.

Whack!

“You idiot! You can’t doze off while barging in on someone’s vacation, can you?! Where have you sold your conscience?!”

I snapped awake, saying,

“Ugh…. But it’s difficult; I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“Damn it! Do you have any idea how long you would need to train to comprehend divine arts?!”

Cheon Woo-jin, reflecting on his own frustrations, suddenly took a determined expression.

“This won’t do. Understanding the theory can wait for the next life. Just rely on Xuyou!”

“Huh?! Can that work?”

“Yeah! Just pump divine arts and power into Xuyou, and use it to unleash the Light of the Azure Dragon. That’s definitely the way to go! Grab this!”

Cheon Woo-jin forcefully took my hand, making me grasp Xuyou tightly. Then he used some technique to focus the energy of divine arts into my hand, and as the energy surged, a blue aura of the Light of the Azure Dragon extended from the tip of my hand.

Shuum – KWA-BAANG!!

“Whoa!”

This works!

The energy consumption was vastly greater than when I used the Light of the Azure Dragon alone, but it felt significantly more powerful and precise. This was definitely usable in real combat, unlike before when I was just guessing!

Cheon Woo-jin, seemingly exhausted from concentrating, wiped the sweat from his forehead and said,

“Without a powerful state of the Seven Luminaries, this wouldn’t have been possible. But now that Xuyou is one of the strongest weapons on earth, it’s best to utilize that potential.”

It seemed my entry into the Land and Earth Diagram wasn’t for nothing. According to Cheon Woo-jin, it appeared the direct interference of the Three Sovereigns had upgraded Xuyou to a weapon of a significantly higher caliber.

“Hmm. But that consumes a lot of power…”

“You handle that part. If you can use it even once or twice properly, it’ll create plenty of openings.”

“Got it.”

And so I briefly learned the techniques for focusing divine arts into Xuyou from Cheon Woo-jin. Unlike a talent for martial techniques, this felt more like learning how to move divine power, which I could manage to some extent. I was curious how Cheon Woo-jin knew about this method, but his answer was simple.

“You don’t need to be taught this. You just kinda feel it.”

“…….”

So this is what it means to be a genius?

After learning how to launch the Light of the Azure Dragon using Xuyou from Cheon Woo-jin, I asked him,

“But I feel like there’s still about three moments left; what should we do now?”

“What the hell are you talking about? You need to distinguish and raise the remaining power of Amaterasu within your body.”

“Oh.”

“Did you think what Seimei said was a lie? He said to infuse Amaterasu’s power to bring Miho back to her senses.”

Cheon Woo-jin calmly stated.

“The power of Amaterasu is of the yang attribute, so it’s best to use Huayo’s help to channel it.”

I practiced controlling my divine power to separate and raise only Amaterasu’s energy. After struggling for some time, I reached a point where I could draw out the essence, to which Cheon Woo-jin commented,

“Now go to Sagong Lin. She will be the main force in the fight, so you ought to discuss strategies with her.”

“Indeed. Thanks for everything.”

“Hmph.”

Cheon Woo-jin turned his head, dismissively.

“Let me give you a warning. Regardless of how the battle unfolds, don’t take what Miho says at face value.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Listen only to your heart.”

With that, Cheon Woo-jin disappeared.

‘Seems like he really doesn’t want to get involved in this.’

Even though he used vacation as an excuse, the issue of Miho invading this world was just as serious as the matter concerning the Eight Parts of the Divine. He could very well end up fighting too. Yet, it seemed to him that the choice to do so was mine and perhaps he was testing my capabilities in his own way.

I began to understand a little of the hidden meaning behind Cheon Woo-jin’s actions.

‘If I can’t handle Miho with the help of Sagong Lin, even in the face of the approaching doom, it will be clear what the outcome would be…’

Alright.

If this is my karma regarding Miho, then I’ll shoulder it!

I’ll make sure to bring Miho back to her senses!

With firm resolve in my heart, I headed towards Sagong Lin.

PA-AT!

Sagong Lin had already gathered all the Tactical Forces Agents for the internal battle. Upon seeing her outfit, I remarked,

“It’s a white cloak.”

“It brings back old memories.”

Sagong Lin wore the ancient white martial outfit from over five hundred years ago, the same one I first saw her in. I pondered why she had chosen to wear this outfit.

“Does this mean you intend to return Miho to her former self as a companion?”

“…Don’t take it too positively, Baek Woong.”

Sagong Lin turned to me with an emotionless gaze and said,

“I feel wearing the emperor’s clothes might heighten my intent to kill against her.”

“Why is that?”

“Wearing the emperor’s clothing means shouldering the emperor’s karma. Ultimately bearing the heavenly mandate of the Eight Great Sects… Isn’t it the fate of the Great Bear Empire?”

“…….”

“Even shouldering that karma, I don’t have the confidence to be lenient with Miho.”

I smirked.

“What are you talking about? Isn’t it clear you want to save Miho?”

“If possible.”

“Great! Then let’s go face Miho.”

“Looks like you’re all set.”

“Of course.”

Sagong Lin nodded.

“Let’s go.”

Wooong!

Thus, we headed towards Aokigahara Life Sea. There, near the Dimension Door where Miho would return, all of Dongyoung’s Yin-Yang Masters and Sorcerers were already gathered. The Yin-Yang Masters all knelt before me, and I asked,

“What’s the situation?”

“Since earlier, the Fox God has been probing the barrier of the Dimension Door.”

“Hmm.”

“We’re continuously holding it back with Seimei’s barrier, but it looks like it will break in about half a moment.”

“That’s quicker than I expected.”

I almost let my guard down, thinking things were fine.

‘It likely means Miho’s current strength exceeds what Seimei had anticipated.’

I steeled myself and said,

“Once Miho shows up, the battle will start. Everyone, muster all your strength into the barrier.”

“Understood.”

We began to wait near the Dimension Door where Miho would emerge. Just as half a moment was nearing its end, Sagong Lin said,

“Baek Woong, there’s a strong presence lingering nearby.”

As I couldn’t sense anything within my range of energy, I tilted my head.

“A strong presence?”

“I don’t know its identity, but it may serve as a variable in this battle.”

“Can’t we strike first?”

Sagong Lin gazed into the void while reading the energy and replied,

“I don’t have the confidence to eliminate that presence in one blow. Let’s leave it be.”

“……!!”

“When the battle begins, I’ll instruct the Tactical Forces Agents to restrain it.”

I was slightly taken aback, staring at Sagong Lin.

Understanding the might of a heavenly demon, I was shocked to hear that Sagong Lin didn’t have the confidence to eliminate it in one blow?

I felt a sense of unease, thinking that something more significant might have been involved.

‘Damn it. Just what kind of monster is coming…?’

Finally, the promised time arrived.

Whoooosh!!

The Dimension Door began to awaken slowly, and emerald light began seeping out. Then, as the dimensional rift opened, a familiar figure walked forth.

“Miho!!!”

Seeing her unmistakable form, I called out her name. She turned to me and smiled brightly.

“Baek Woong, you came to greet me?”

“…Are you feeling alright at the moment?”

“Seimei must have shared all sorts of stories.”

“…….”

When I fell silent, Miho asked,

“Baek Woong, how do you intend to stop the apocalypse?”

I replied to Miho’s question,

“I plan to find Fuxi in the Celestial Realm. Then ask him how to postpone the apocalypse with the power of the Three Sovereigns.”

“Indeed. Just as Seimei predicted.”

“…Miho. I’m sorry, but I want to infuse Amaterasu’s power into you.”

Clang!

As Miho stared at me in silence, I put my dual swords back in their sheaths and stepped forward slowly. When I stood just a step away from Miho, I spoke,

“This is the only way to suppress your madness.”

Miho smiled softly.

“Hmm. Madness… Do you think I’m insane?”

“According to Seimei, it seems that way….”

“I am not mad. I am perfectly normal.”

In that moment, I sensed something was off.

There was something distinctly different about Miho from usual.

‘…S-Seriously?’

Her speech pattern was off.

It wasn’t Miho’s unique way of speaking at all.

While it could be possible that her demeanor changed over time, this felt entirely different from that kind of change…

Just as I became aware of the discomfort and instinctively reached for my dual swords, Miho’s eyes turned a bright red.

“I’ve merely reclaimed my tail, Baek Woong.”

KWA-KWANG!!

The moment the immense power of her tail encompassed my entire body, I instinctively drew my dual swords in an Absolute Realm mindset, crossing them in front of me to block. However, even though it was just one swing of her tail, I felt a striking pain as if my arm was shattering.

“……!!”

What overwhelming power!

Had it not been for the Absolute Realm, I wouldn’t have even sensed it before being overwhelmed!

Since I had seen such an attack before, I recognized the identity of my opponent and shouted,

“Daji!”

No way…

Could it be that Miho had been overpowered by Daji’s personality while I was away?!

Whooooosh…!!

In the next instant, Miho’s form became enormous, morphing into the familiar shape of Daji!

The giant Daji bellowed.

[Let’s see how you fare, reincarnated one!!]

PA-AT!

Simultaneously, Sagong Lin and the Tactical Forces Agents charged at Daji. I swung my dual swords, deflecting a tail strike from Daji with the power of my dual swords, preparing to counterattack.

‘Damn it!! Let’s go for it!’

Just as the intense struggle with Daji was about to commence.

BANG!!

[UAAAHHH.]

Suddenly, Daji shrieked as he was knocked back. I had just swung my swords to harmonize when a dumbfounded sound escaped my lips.

“……Huh?”

An enormous creature had appeared from behind and struck Daji.

The creature was as great as Daji, lumbering around and letting out a powerful aura.

[Who dares trespass into the territory of the Monster King?]

Kugugugu…

What appeared was a giant toad.

And it was gigantic, almost like a mountain!

‘Wow, how can it be that big?!’

Seeing the enormous toad amazed me, yet soon I realized that its form seemed familiar.

‘Oh? I feel like I’ve seen that somewhere….’

Gooohhh!

[Take that!]

The giant toad unleashed an overwhelming surge of energy as it opened its massive mouth, shooting forth immense force.

[Kuuhhk.]

Daji countered the incoming onslaught with its own might, and as the two colossal beasts collided, an explosion of tremendous energy radiated outward.

Kukwokwokwokwang!

“Ugh…”

“Stronger than a nuclear explosion….”

The Tactical Forces Agents, who were following up with their attacks, were in shock, each struggling to withstand the force with their defensive artifacts but still being swept away by the aftermath. Only Sagong Lin and I remained unharmed, the golden aura barrier she summoned shimmering as she observed the scene with intrigue.

As the immense collision subsided, I was left confused, pondering what to do next.

What on earth was that gigantic toad doing crashing the party?!

‘Wait… hold on… Is it….’

It looks familiar.

Oh?! Right!!

Based on my memory, it must be!!

“Wait a second!!”

I leaped into the air as the giant creatures turned their attention towards me. Shifting towards the toad, I called out,

“It’s you….”

[You’re in my way, human!!]

Kukwokwok!

The giant toad blew out another burst of energy. A powerful attack that could devastate hundreds of miles in one blow was aimed at me, making me feel dread wash over me as I reached for the Great Liberation and executed an Infinite Slash.

Kiiiing –

The exact strike clashed against the toad’s burst of energy, and while I managed to nullify the toad’s attack, I found myself being overwhelmed by the ensuing torrent. The challenging potential emanating from the creature was greater than I’d thought, yet I couldn’t come up with a solid plan to counter it, leaving me nervous.

“Damn it! Beam – Light!!”

KWA-BANG!!

The remaining energy blast dissipated into the light shot from my eyes. Thankfully, that seemed to startle the giant toad.

[What the… How can a mere human possibly…?]

I quickly pointed to my face with my fingers and shouted,

“Hey! Don’t you recognize me?! It’s me, me!”

[What… Who might you be….]

A brief silence followed. Then, the giant toad recognized me and spoke in a trembling voice.

[N-No way…. You’re…?]

“Yep!!”

I stretched my arms wide and greeted my old acquaintance with joy.

“It’s been a while, Poochy!”