1127——————==

Soul of the Evil God

I immediately told others that Queen Mother of the West’s disappearance was due to Nüwa. Hearing this, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens spoke up.

[If that’s the case, it means the Queen Mother had already severed ties with Nüwa when the Evil God’s curse came upon her. There’s something to consider.]

Since the Heavenly Mysterious Woman had directly negotiated with the Queen Mother, it seemed she easily understood my words. And seeing her agree with me, the others didn’t seem to contest the plausibility of what I said. Then, Mangnyang, who was listening, spoke up.

“So it seems Fuxi and Nüwa are together. That also means Nüwa is waiting for you, Baek Woong.”

Perhaps being hopeful, I said, “If that’s the case, can’t we just skip the trial at the tower that everyone is struggling with? If she said she would wait, she might let us pass that trial…”

Mangnyang shook his head readily.

“Not likely.”

“Not likely?”

“The fact that Nüwa is living in seclusion with Fuxi means she’s somewhat in agreement with his intentions. And Fuxi has some reason for testing us. From Nüwa’s perspective, even if she wanted to see your abilities, she would only be watching us go through the trial rather than eliminating it.”

“……”

“Anyway, the Three Sovereigns are still the Three Sovereigns. Even after being hit by the Evil God, they still have that level of power left…”

With an impressed mutter, Mangnyang said, “Then let’s head to the waiting area.”

I followed Mangnyang with my companions. He directed us right next to the Queen Mother’s palace, and as he opened the small shrine’s door, a brightly lit corridor appeared inside. After walking for a while, Mangnyang spoke.

“This secret passage was originally deep within the Queen Mother’s palace. However, through negotiations with the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, the location of the passage was moved outside.”

“Deep within? Then…”

Mangnyang looked at me with a significant gaze. Then he said, “It’s not easy to challenge again.”

“Just as expected…”

“But there are always methods. For now, let’s focus on what’s in front of us.”

Just then, we had entered deeper into the passage.

Swoosh….

It looked like a gentle plain, with the autumn wind softly sweeping the grass, creating a peaceful scene. Moreover, with the sun and clouds visible, it seemed to be a completely different world. The space was so vast it was beyond imagination.

In the midst of the plain was a large palace-like building, massive enough to have around twenty rooms on each side. However, what took me by surprise was the existence of a giant tower behind the building.

‘So tall!’

The claim of it being 99 stories wasn’t an exaggeration at all!

Even the palace-like structure looked like a hut in comparison to the enormous tower. It reached so high it pierced the clouds, with its limits not in sight, and appeared to occupy half of the horizon. The distance from where we stood easily felt like ten miles, making the tower’s colossal size quite real.

“So this is the secret passage leading to Fuxi?”

“We refer to this otherworldly dimension as the Twin Star Realm.”

“Twin Star Realm?”

“Look at the two stars in the sky.”

I looked up at the sky where Mangnyang pointed. There, I could see two faintly twinkling stars beside the giant tower. Mangnyang continued, “As I mentioned, those two stars have been there since we began our exploration of this world. And although the scenery around here has changed constantly during our first exploration on the sea and the second challenging the 99 trials, …”

Before Mangnyang finished, I realized something and spoke up.

“Those two stars never changed at all.”

“Exactly. Originally, it was just called the secret passage or Fuxi’s world, but I started calling it the Twin Star Realm because those two stars have significant meaning.”

“Hmmm. What are those stars?”

“Honestly, I hadn’t guessed much up until now. However, based on what you said, I have a hypothesis.”

“What is that hypothesis?”

Mangnyang’s hypothesis startled me.

“Those stars symbolize the Three Sovereigns.”

“……!!”

“First, let’s head into the Eight Trigrams Pavilion. That is our forward base for exploring this Twin Star Realm.”

We entered the Pavilion of Eight Trigrams. At the entrance, I immediately noticed a martial artist standing there. He wore a Daoist robe and had a robust physique, exuding immense strength.

When I spotted the martial artist, I tilted my head.

‘Huh… I’ve seen this guy, but I can’t recall exactly when…’

It seemed I never directly recruited him as a companion in my past life. Moments later, the robust man in a Daoist robe knelt before us and greeted loudly.

“Taeyul God Lord Kwak Jeong-mu, I present myself before His Majesty, Emperor Baek Woong of the Great Bear Empire!!”

With his booming voice greeting me, I suddenly remembered who he was.

Taeyul God Lord Kwak Jeong-mu!

He was a peak expert nurtured by the Great Bear Empire following the Eastern-Western War, leading the Orthodox Sect. At just 26, he reached Peak Expert level and attained Absolute Realm under the guidance of the Bright Dragon and Master of Zen, later being deployed to explore the Antarctic continent.

‘He must have emerged in the Great Bear Empire after I time traveled 500 years. That’s why I didn’t know him…’

Through the Reborn Person, I had caught a glimpse in memory, but this was the first time I was meeting him face-to-face. I nodded to Taeyul God Lord Kwak Jeong-mu and accepted his greeting.

“Nice to meet you, Taeyul God Lord.”

“May I guide Your Majesty to the Pavilion of Eight Trigrams?”

“Hmm…”

As I pondered over Kwak Jeong-mu’s words, Mangnyang waved his hand.

“That’s fine. Kwak Jeong-mu, call all waiting personnel to the Hall of the Trigram.”

“Understood, Lord Hyunheogung.”

Whoosh!

Kwak Jeong-mu quickly vanished using the Kunlun Sect’s divine technique. Seeing him vanish, a curious thought crossed my mind.

“It’s fascinating to see someone I’ve only heard about.”

“From his perspective, it’s likely the same. To the people of the Great Bear Empire, you are practically a living legend, Baek Woong.”

“Is that so?”

“Once all waiting personnel gather, we’ll start the discussion.”

Following Mangnyang’s guidance, we headed to the Hall of the Trigram. Upon arriving, a cozy Tai Chi symbol was etched on the floor, and the pre-existing guests recognized us.

A boy was sitting on a floating sword in the air.

With his eyes closed, the boy sitting cross-legged atop his long sword, which was almost as tall as he was, spoke up.

“I heard you would come today. I expected you’d arrive at the Hall of the Trigram.”

I exclaimed upon seeing the boy, “Bright Dragon!!”

Without a doubt, it was Bright Dragon! His appearance was exactly as I remembered from the beginning of my past life, and I felt a sense of joy. Bright Dragon slowly opened his eyes halfway.

“Long time no see, Baek Woong.”

“How have you been during that time?”

I decided to drop the formalities. After all, Bright Dragon knew I was a Reborn Person, and when it came to class or hierarchy, it felt ambiguous to be formal with him. Bright Dragon seemed unconcerned as he replied casually.

“A lot has happened while you were gone. More will happen in the future.”

“Well, it can’t be helped…”

“Have you met Yeodong-bin on the surface?”

I nodded, and suddenly Bright Dragon drew his sword.

Swish!

Bright Dragon’s blade was aimed directly at Mangnyang’s neck. In an instant, I reacted to Bright Dragon’s swift move and parried with my own quick slice, clashing my intent with his in mid-air. The sound of metal clanging finally rang out, and a blue light flickered in the wind as I said to Bright Dragon.

“What was that for? Why are you attacking Mangnyang?”

“I should be the one asking what you’re doing.”

Bright Dragon fiercely glared at Mangnyang, growling, “Why did you expel Yeodong-bin from the Celestial Realm? A brain like yours must’ve known it would end up this way if you pressured Yeodong-bin!”

“……”

“Yeodong-bin had occasionally helped us, making our explorations smoother, but without him, it’s becoming increasingly dangerous. What were you thinking, Mangnyang!”

So Mangnyang did expel Yeodong-bin?

‘Now that I think about it, I did keep questioning Yeodong-bin about the Martial God. It must have pushed him to flee to the surface… and I was the one who found Yeodong-bin at Mount Ye at Mangnyang’s request.’

At that time, I hadn’t cared much about Yeodong-bin, but it seemed to be a critical issue from the perspective of the Celestial Exploration Team. Mangnyang, who was gazing blankly at the sword aimed at his neck by Bright Dragon, said,

“Time until the end is running out. How long must we watch the proud Sword Master Yeodong-bin keep the Martial God’s secret? If he knows something, it’s right for you as Baek Woong’s adviser to make him speak.”

“If it was a secret he could share, he would have revealed it earlier! Ultimately, that’s something meant for Yeodong-bin and Baek Woong to negotiate, isn’t it? You of all people should know that, yet you pressure him!”

“Your assumptions are too much.”

“Mangnyang. I cannot trust you.”

Hoooh…

“If you won’t reveal your intentions, just give your neck here.”

Bright Dragon’s terrifying killing intent instantly enveloped the area. I realized he had been powerful in the past, but the aura he exuded now was overwhelming.

‘…Has he gotten this strong?’

Thinking I might win against someone like Bright Dragon, who reached the Absolute Realm back in my past life, filled me with dread now. The current Bright Dragon was a league apart. Seeing him once use the guyo sword against the Eight Parts of the Divine gave me some expectations, but facing him directly was beyond imagination. His Intent Heavenly Pillar was endlessly precise while being sharply trained, and I sensed that if I wasn’t careful, it would end up killing me instead.

‘Using just martial arts might lead to mutual destruction…’

No, it’s only natural. A genius swordsman from the Wudang Sect, who had been just a step away from the Absolute Realm. Bright Dragon had honed himself through countless battles and conflicts over 500 years, receiving various fortuitous encounters—so, of course, he had become incredibly strong.

Here, it seemed that the only one who could match Bright Dragon was Miho. The Heavenly Mysterious Woman had returned before entering this passage, so Miho was our only hope. Yet, she seemed indifferent, taking on the role of a bystander, and that was the right attitude.

After a moment, Mangnyang spoke.

“I’ll be honest with you. I want Baek Woong to take a seat on the Martial God’s Left. And I will extract every secret that the Martial God’s Left possesses.”

“Do you really think it works by just extracting secrets?”

“Of course, as you said, it’s ultimately Baek Woong’s task to handle it. However, with the end on the horizon, if the Martial God’s faction doesn’t collaborate with us, what reason do we have to respect them? Ultimately, their interest in saving this world seems non-existent.”

An unexpected statement made Bright Dragon raise his eyebrows in surprise.

“They’re not interested?”

“Exactly. Think about it.”

Mangnyang’s words fell into a heavy silence.

“Has the Martial God or his Left ever said anything about saving this world?”

“……”

Wait? Is that really so?

The Martial God wasn’t trying to save this world after all?

‘Oh… now that I think about it…’

I initially thought Mangnyang was mistaken, but then realized that he was, in fact, onto something.

That’s right.

From all the information I’ve gathered up to now, including Yeodong-bin, the Martial God’s faction had chosen to fight during the apocalypse, but there hadn’t been a word about them fighting out of a desire to save the world in the first place. This bewildered me, and I said to Mangnyang.

“Isn’t it the same as saying they’d fight the [Old Ruler] faction during the apocalypse? No need to give it another meaning…”

“Not at all.”

Mangnyang’s assertion continued.

“They might have merely found a suitable arena to fight in as a result of their martial training. If they truly aimed to save the world, they should’ve been researching methods to effectively take down the [Old Ruler] by seeking out every mythical clue or artifact, like you do. But instead, they’re not interested in gathering information that means gathering intelligence about the [Old Ruler], which is the very enemy.”

“……”

“Their intentions are far too unclear. And if their goal isn’t to eliminate the gods, they could very well turn out to be the enemy. Thus, I’ve done everything I can to inform you about the Martial God’s Left before such a situation arises.”

“But…”

“The biggest question is this: Why didn’t the Martial God’s Left appear in Yi Ju’s world during the apocalypse?”

“……!!”

“In the end, Yi Ju’s world faced complete destruction and desolation!”

That was an unexpected argument.

Having never thought of this, I widened my eyes in surprise as Mangnyang’s gaze lit up.

“As can be seen, whether they will appear during the apocalypse is uncertain. In fact, I must confess that I don’t trust the Martial God’s Left.”

“……”

Then Bright Dragon gradually lowered his sword and sheathed it.

“Is this where we end?”

Bright Dragon closed his eyes and turned abruptly, beginning to walk away. I called out to him.

“Where are you going!”

Bright Dragon, who halted without turning his head, replied.

“I refuse to participate in exploring the tower. As long as Mangnyang leads, I will not be accompanying you, Baek Woong.”

Whoosh!

As Bright Dragon vanished using Light Body Technique, I stared at his retreating figure with a bewildered expression.

Bright Dragon—undoubtedly a powerful asset, yet he just walked away like that? More importantly, what’s he so angry about? It seems Mangnyang’s words weren’t completely off…

A creeping anxiety formed within me, a feeling something was happening that I didn’t know about. And before I could fully gather my thoughts, a familiar voice rang out.

“It’s been 500 years, Baek Woong!”

I turned around. Upon seeing the newcomer in the Hall of the Trigram, I exclaimed.

“…Who are you?”

I truly had no idea.

A man armed with solid bronze muscles. He looked like he could be a Southern Barbarian with slightly tanned skin, though not to the point of looking very dark, but overall he appeared to be someone who might sell vegetables somewhere. However, the immense power radiating from him, just from his aura, indicated he was an ultra expert, rivaling the power of Bright Dragon.

The bronze-skinned man opened his eyes wide and said, “It’s me, it’s me! Do you really not remember? We met 500 years ago!”

“……?”

He sulked a little as his shoulders slumped.

“After the last time we had so much fun, you forgot about me… how disappointing.”

“Who… who are you?”

I rummaged through my memories and said, “Um… wasn’t it Kwon Sung Yi Hon…?”

“Not at all! What a shame… we were on such close terms, and now you’ve forgotten!”

“Wait a minute! I’m trying to remember. I clearly met you 500 years ago… no, I didn’t…”

As I fumbled for words, the bronze-skinned man sighed heavily.

“Ahh… this is disappointing, Baek Woong… forget a friend after 500 years…”

“Oh no, it’s not that I could forget… ah, it’s just… ugh.”

“Know what?”

“What?”

“You borrowed money from me… and you still haven’t paid it back.”

“……?!”

Borrowed money?! When did that happen?

I panicked and began flailing my legs.

Why can’t I remember?!

Who are you?!

What in the world is going on?!

Just then, the Master of Shadowless Sword beside me smirked and said, “Your Majesty, it’s no wonder you can’t remember.”

“Hmm?”

“You’ve never met him, after all…”

“What…?”

Then the bronze-skinned man laughed heartily, thumping my shoulder.

“Hahaha!! Why is the first Emperor of the Great Bear Empire so oblivious? Still, it’s endearing how foolish you are!”

“……?!”

Finally, the bronze-skinned man crossed his arms with a sly smile.

“I’m Jin Guk-jun, the Grand Master of the Southern Kingdom’s Muai Boran. Nice to meet you, Baek Woong.”