1326——————==

Soul of the Evil God

The moment Jeon Wook’s avatar appeared, I felt a little dizzy. The underlying emotion was one of confusion, and I blurted out my questioning thoughts about this phenomenon that overturned everything I knew.

“Why is it the relic of Moon Sovereign instead of Xu You?!”

As far as I knew, the creator of the Seven Luminaries was one of the Three Sovereigns, with each being connected to their respective Luminaries and the Law of Cause and Effect. And Jeon Wook was the creator of Xu You, while the creator of Moon Sovereign was very likely Nüwa, so logically speaking, it should be Nüwa standing here, not Jeon Wook!

‘No, I didn’t really want Nüwa to appear either! But where’s my Guardian?!’

While I was panicking and failing to understand this absurd situation, Jeon Wook’s avatar fell silent for a moment before speaking.

[I see you know the connection between us and the Seven Luminaries. Well, if you’re embodying the image of Fuxi, you are certainly someone of significance.]

“Oh, um…”

Now that I think about it, I was embodying Fuxi’s human form!

‘How do I explain this?!’

As that realization hit me, my expression hardened, and Jeon Wook slowly extended his dark hand towards me, shrouded in pitch-black mist.

[Answer me. What are you and for what purpose have you come here?]

“……”

What should I do?

‘Damn it… should I just fight my way out?’

After a moment of serious contemplation, I thought about taking a shot at battling Jeon Wook’s avatar. After all, I had some experience using Heuk Woong against Jeon Wook’s main body, so maybe if I fought smart, I could escape unscathed.

‘No. That would be stupid.’

But I immediately scrapped that idea. Regardless, the power of Heuk Woong was currently sealed, and even if I wanted to use the Four Great Spirit Deities, I’d need to save my strength for an even stronger foe that might appear later. Turning someone as formidable as Jeon Wook into an enemy without knowing the full circumstances would definitely not be a wise move.

Rather, I felt an instinct to grasp the situation at hand. I had learned through my long past lives that if you have a question, resolving it would ultimately bring profit.

So, I took a deep breath and calmly opened my mouth.

“Jeon Wook, I am a human who was once a disciple of Fuxi.”

[Fuxi’s disciple?]

“I learned the techniques of immortality and transformation and have been living in seclusion ever since, waiting for the impending doom of humanity before I move to collect the Seven Luminaries.”

[……]

“And in the meantime, I retrieved the artifacts you left scattered across the world and absorbed the divine power contained within them, allowing me to cultivate for thousands of years. Somehow, I seem to have gained a semblance of divine power.”

How’s that for a story!

This much was well-crafted, right?

It’s true that I was Fuxi’s disciple, it’s true that humanity’s end is near, and I did absorb Jeon Wook’s divine power from those artifacts! So it’s not completely a lie!

Feeling quite smug about my reasoning, Jeon Wook’s avatar replied.

[That sounds plausible enough. Judging by the ripple of power, it seems you are indeed worthy of being called Fuxi’s disciple.]

I was thrown into a state of shock by Jeon Wook’s following words.

[If that statement is true, then you have come here to resurrect your master Fuxi, who perished alongside Nüwa, right? The only thing a disciple of Fuxi can do at this point is to gather the Seven Luminaries.]

“……?!”

What do you mean?!

Fuxi is dead?!

‘What on earth!’

This was a situation I couldn’t have possibly imagined!

I quickly concealed my panic with a forced chuckle.

“Haha, that’s just nonsense. Right now, Fuxi is merely trapped in his own space due to madness. To call it death is a gross exaggeration…”

[Oh? You’re still talking about things from ages ago….]

“Eh?”

I couldn’t help but widen my eyes at that shocking statement.

[You, who claim to be Fuxi’s disciple, didn’t even know that afterwards, Fuxi and Nüwa chose to fade away to join Pangu. I suppose humans wouldn’t have known of the disturbances since they could still use their techniques afterward.]

“……!!”

This can’t be happening.

They chose to end it all instead of waiting for the apocalypse?!

[Now that my interest has waned, you may leave.]

From Jeon Wook’s words, the annoyance he felt was stronger than his suspicion towards me. I found it all rather strange.

‘Jeon Wook isn’t the type to be this annoyed. He comes off more like Shao Hao Jin Tian…’

Something feels off.

It was strange that Nüwa and Fuxi would vanish, but I sensed a powerful change in Jeon Wook before me.

This wasn’t going to be easy. I felt a sense of urgency to uncover the cause of this change.

‘Damn it… those words just now were probably a final warning to back off! If I step a little too far over the line, I might instantly become an enemy. Jeon Wook, despite his annoyance, isn’t someone who shies away from a fight! If I push my luck any further, I might be in serious trouble…’

But I felt that this was the moment to take a gamble. The outer universe isn’t a place you can revisit multiple times. So I resolved to speak up.

“…Jeon Wook, aren’t our fates intertwined with the Apostle’s Law?”

[What did you say?]

“I must acquire the Seven Luminaries. If you assist me in obtaining them, I swear to become your blade, Jeon Wook.”

A proposal to become an Apostle!

Jeon Wook seemed taken aback by my unexpected request and fell silent for a moment.

[You claim to be Fuxi’s disciple yet wish to become my Apostle. Well, given the state of the world, I suppose that’s reasonable….]

“Please, I’m quite powerful and skilled at fighting…”

In that moment, as if it were a knife cutting through the air, Jeon Wook’s response came back in an unyielding tone.

[No thanks.]

“……?”

For a moment, I was dumbfounded, struggling to comprehend Jeon Wook’s rejection of my ambitious proposal.

“Pardon?”

The once-ambitious Jeon Wook casually dismissed my request…?

Swoosh—

I felt the dark energy from Jeon Wook’s avatar fading, indicating that he was preparing to withdraw from this reality. An ominous glow flickered in Jeon Wook’s eyes as his voice reached me.

[All I have left is to endure until the end of times in the Palace of Ten Thousand Ghosts. The fate of this world, whether it thrives or perishes, is no longer my concern.]

“What do you mean?”

[And that undefined Apostle’s Law… It’s futile. The Emperor will probably just eliminate it himself in the Divine Temple. Heh heh.]

Swoosh

With Jeon Wook’s self-deprecating laughter, the summoning of his avatar accelerated. It was clear that his form would soon dissipate.

I could distinctly feel one thing from Jeon Wook’s demeanor.

No ambition, no fight left.

A stance devoid of all dreams!

This sheer lack of interest signified that Jeon Wook had completely relinquished all his ambitions. I didn’t get it, and I shouted in frustration.

“Why?! You don’t even like the Emperor! Other Apostles felt the same way and never fully obeyed him!”

In my previous lives, I had witnessed it.

Back when Fuxi and the Emperor were at odds, when the chance arose, Jeon Wook attempted to take down the Emperor without hesitation, even leading me to use the Seven Luminaries’ Great Technique to carry out an assassination!

[……]

“And you mean to tell me you’ll just eliminate the connection to the Apostle’s Law with the powers of the Divine Temple?! You weren’t that kind of person!”

[You, with such an uncertain identity, are speaking as if you understand the relationships of the Emperors…. Heh heh.]

Jeon Wook momentarily looked like he wanted to laugh weakly before continuing.

[The balance has already been destroyed. When we chaos lords realized that what we thought were mere toys kept the dignity of the Emperors intact, it was already too late. Now, all we can do is wait for the moment of ascension.]

“……”

[Now leave. Struggling in the face of the end is your burden, not mine.]

It was a stern voice, but from it, I could clearly sense that Jeon Wook had dropped all his intentions. The usual Jeon Wook would never soothe a mortal so calmly, even if I claimed to be Fuxi’s disciple. Upon feeling this, both confusion and rejection surged within me.

‘How on earth could the great Jeon Wook be in such a pathetic state!!’

This was not the Jeon Wook I knew as the Overlord of the North!

Thus, I pushed aside my own personal gains and let my emotions take over, yelling out.

“Are you afraid of the Emperor?!!”

[……?]

Jeon Wook’s reaction was one of utter disbelief. At the same time, the avatar he was about to dismiss erupted with a dark fiery blaze, flames seemingly coming from the very essence of darkness itself.

Whoosh

[You insolent fool, just because I’ve been speaking politely, you’ve lost your fear. How dare you….]

“When in the world did Jeon Wook ever speak politely?!!”

I began to yell exasperatedly.

“The Emperor hasn’t won yet!! That guy won’t truly ascend until he faces the Throne!! So why give up already?!”

Somehow, my pride was hurt.

Jeon Wook is a powerful evil being, and despite all the times he’s used me throughout my past lives, seeing him crumble in such a pitiful way is frustrating.

[……?!]

For the first time, I was seeing a reaction of intense emotion from Jeon Wook. The dark flames spiraling from him grew fiercer, flickering and swaying like a candle flame caught in the wind. This was a sign that Jeon Wook’s psyche was also shaken.

[You… must know something. Mentioning ascension suggests you truly know about Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s secret?]

I hesitated for a brief moment at that remark, then clenched my eyes shut, shouting.

“Yes!! I know enough! I can see how the Four Emperors will end up!”

[How will they end?]

“They will become offerings!!”

[……!!]

“Jeogok will become an offering and vanish without a trace, taking his Banwang Hall with him! The Emperor has been planning this from the start, making the Emperors for that very reason, no doubt?!”

At my words, Jeon Wook flinched slightly.

“I may have never encountered the others, but I suspect the remaining Emperors will follow suit.”

[The future will…!! How can someone like you possible know that?]

Ugh… damn it!! Am I really divulging this much truth to a being like him?

Despite the chaotic thoughts swirling in my head, I pressed on, emboldened by my fervor.

‘Now that it’s come to this, I’ll see it through to the end….’

I’m spouting nonsense!

“It’s the power Fuxi bestowed upon me. For that moment, I could glimpse the true future without the influence of the Cycle. It was Fuxi who showed me the end of times to leave hope should he perish.”

[……]

Maybe it’s better for me that Fuxi is gone. Had I gone to confront Fuxi directly, this lie would have unraveled, but with his disappearance, I had nothing to fear!

‘And with someone like Fuxi, it makes sense he’d give me such abilities, so I won’t arouse suspicion!’

Fueled with increasing confidence, I pressed onward.

“I don’t know why you’ve given up, but it’s not over yet! Even if it’s just a fleeting moment to the gods, if we act now, we can avoid the fate of becoming offerings.”

[…Remarkable. It’d be one thing if your lies were cursory in nature, but what you’re saying is extensively detailed and seems plausible.]

“Please, trust me.”

Heavy silence filled the air.

After what felt like an eternity, Jeon Wook’s voice resonated with a low tone.

[What is your name?]

“My name is Baek Woong.”

[Fine, Baek Woong….]

At what came next, my eyes widened.

[First, accept the price for attempting to play games with me.]

Boom!!!

“Argh!”

In the next moment, without any warning, an overwhelming wave of black flames erupted, engulfing my entire being, and I was blasted into the void along with the shockwave. The flames felt hotter than lava boiling from the core of a volcano, and I could swear it felt like my whole body was melting away.

‘Gahhh!!’

What the hell!

This is absurd! To be engulfed by flames while I’m powerless to fend it off!

The moment I thought this, the black flames wrapped around me as if clinging to me, and I became aware that a fine veil of divine power was automatically sheltering my body, saving me from instant death.

Crackle

My skin was scorched, turning black and blistered, giving off the smell of burnt flesh, yet I couldn’t help but smirk a little.

‘Heuk Woong…!!’

That protection just had to have come from Heuk Woong!

Could it be that exhausting my magical energy to its limits played a part? Heuk Woong might not have awakened yet, but there’s no doubt he used divine power to shield me! If Heuk Woong was truly still dormant, I would have died on the spot from that blow!

‘He’s about to awaken!’

Joy sparked through me as I swiftly channeled energy into my body to help protect my scorched skin. Once the force passed, I used my vast internal power to stabilize myself.

Whoom

Floating in the void, accompanied by my Qi, I began healing when suddenly Jeon Wook’s avatar appeared before me in the void once more. Jeon Wook’s avatar reached out with his dark hand, speaking.

[Indeed…. You know how to use your divine power for offense and defense with that level of awareness. It reflects the talents I anticipated.]

I felt the intense pain surge from my throat as I spat out darkened phlegm resembling ash.

“Are you trying to kill me?!”

[You, a mortal, acted with audacity toward me, so it would be only natural to slaughter you and drag your soul to the Palace of Ten Thousand Ghosts for a brutal dismemberment.]

“……”

Damn it. Did my persuasion fail…?

While Jeon Wook sounded dispirited, he evidently hadn’t lost much of his strength.

This was a mere avatar temporarily interfering with the world, yet he had still unleashed enough power to threaten to incinerate me—this meant that I was still woefully underprepared for a confrontation with Jeon Wook’s main self.

‘What should I even do in this 31st life?’

The moment I genuinely braced myself for death with my sword, unexpectedly, Jeon Wook continued.

[However, I will allow you to speak, as you’ve managed to survive my previous attack.]

“What?”

I couldn’t adapt to the sudden shift in demeanor and was briefly at a loss. Suddenly, it dawned on me, and I asked.

“You trust my words?”

[Hahaha!!]

Thundering laughter exploded from Jeon Wook’s avatar. The tremors rippled through the lands and seas near Ganghwa Island, causing a brief earthquake, and from far off, I could see a tiny volcano erupting instantly. Witnessing a volcano erupt, I felt the overwhelming scope of divine power.

Jeon Wook spoke.

[Your assertion that listening to you will bring me hope is totally unfounded. You know nothing about the calamities that have transpired in the Divine Realm since Fuxi’s presence. This is all just a futile struggle….]

“……”

Jeon Wook’s eyes blazed with a fierce luminance. The obsession and thirst for revenge emanating from him were unmistakable.

[But… I will continue to make use of you until your last breath. If you create an opening for me, perhaps I can strike down that arrogant Emperor one day. If that’s what you desire, I, Jeon Wook of the North, will lend you my blade.]

At those words, I met his gaze and understood that it was a silent demand for my answer, and I nodded resolutely.

“Use me until I die.”

Just a couple of months.

In that time, I would have to stake my life to uncover the truth of this world.

[Alright.]

Whoosh!!

In an instant, a dark light shot forth from Jeon Wook’s finger and pierced through my heart. Yet, there was neither pain nor wound, and as I staggered, I distinctly sensed that a new connection had formed between Jeon Wook and myself.

Jeon Wook’s voice echoed.

[With our fates intertwined, you are now my official Apostle.]

“Thank you.”

I bowed my head respectfully.

‘Now I won’t have to hesitate to use Jeon Wook’s powers.’

As long as it was within this world, I should be able to use those powers without much care.

[Take this.]

Whoosh!!

No sooner had Jeon Wook finished speaking than the Three Sacred artifacts of Moon Sovereign appeared before me in an instant. As I grasped all three artifacts with both hands, Jeon Wook’s avatar unleashed an eerie glow from his eyes.

[Currently, all the seals on the Seven Luminaries have been shattered and their Guardians extinguished. The pact of the Seven Luminaries now belongs to the Emperor, meaning the power of the Seven Luminaries has diminished, and the authority of the Old Ruler has also vanished. However, if you wish to gather the Seven Luminaries, feel free to do so.]

“……!!”

[And while collecting the Seven Luminaries, you must obey me without question.]

I grimaced slightly at those words. By that logic, these Seven Luminaries would be far weaker than those of our world, wouldn’t they?

True enough, as I inspected the Moon Sovereign artifacts carefully, despite being in an unsealed state, they appeared significantly fainter than the power I had felt every time I glimpsed the Moon Sovereign.

Gathering a pile of half-baked Luminaries—just how was I supposed to avert the apocalypse?

I already knew that even collecting the intact ones was going to be a monumental challenge!

With disbelief, I exclaimed.

“Wait a minute! What is this? The Seven Luminaries are treasures meant to delay the apocalypse, and their power should be maintained until the end…”

[It seems you truly know absolutely nothing.]

With Jeon Wook’s following statement, the truth behind the apocalypse loomed dangerously close.

[The Emperor utilized the First Character to break the contracts of the Seven Luminaries at will.]