946——————==

True Martial Home

I couldn’t quite grasp what Dharma meant.

“[Old Ruler]’s king? Void Record? What are you talking about?”

[That’s exactly what I said…]

Dharma stared at me while speaking.

[As I just mentioned, this stone coffin is a device for transmitting something to the Void Record… I sent the god’s soul through this coffin, and it will be kept there.]

“Hm… What exactly is this Void Record? Can you explain?”

[You don’t know?]

“I have a rough idea, but that doesn’t mean I really understand…”

I tilted my head.

‘What on earth is that?’

Having learned demonic knowledge from Zhuge Sa, I had a vague understanding of the Void Record. I was told by Zhuge Sa that it was both [history] and [record], but a bit more abstract than the [Old Ruler]. Yet, Zhuge Sa didn’t explain the existence of the Void Record in detail. That was all I knew.

The reason Zhuge Sa hadn’t given me a thorough explanation was that the Void Record was, in fact, an existence that remained [uncertain]. Even the top-tier demon sorcerer, Zhuge Sa, could only fumble around with the concept of the Void Record without knowing what it truly was or how divine it was. Most sorcerers knew it was great, but it remained a puzzling ‘something’ whose essence they didn’t comprehend.

Then, Dharma Master spoke calmly.

[It’s not strange that you don’t know… because there are almost no mortals or immortals who have encountered the Void Record; it’s such a great being that even common sorcerers wouldn’t encounter it in their lifetimes… But it definitely exists.]

“That’s a bit strange.”

With my arms crossed, I asked the question.

“You said that coffin is a ‘passage’ and a transmission device for sending a god’s soul to the Void Record, right? From that alone, it sounds like the Void Record is some kind of storage space… But you seem to talk about the Void Record as if it itself is divine.”

[That’s correct…I didn’t misspeak.]

“A god of storage space?”

[ … Heh, I should explain a bit… Baek Woong, have you ever thought about the concept of omniscience?]

An unexpected question.

I sensed that Dharma was gearing up for something complicated and realized I needed to simplify the conversation.

“It means knowing everything, right?”

[Yes… The Void Record is the most knowledgeable outer god in the universe… It’s called the wisest because it uniquely possesses omniscience in the universe… So, Baek Woong, how are omniscience and omnipotence different?]

“……?”

Omniscience and omnipotence?

I pondered for a moment before speaking up.

“Knowing everything and being able to do everything… Obviously, omnipotence sounds better, doesn’t it? Just because you know something doesn’t mean you can do it.”

[No… it might not be that way…]

“What?”

[To be omniscient means that, in other words, it implies knowing how to be omnipotent as well… Doesn’t it…? To know everything means there’s no concept of ‘not knowing.’]

“Ex…?!”

[Looking at it this way… omniscience and omnipotence are the same… Regardless, if you know how to be omnipotent, an omniscient being will achieve omnipotence at some point… It’s not an exaggeration to say that the moment they attain omniscience, they are omnipotent… Am I wrong…?]

What the?!

Can you really think this way?!

I felt utterly confused because I had never considered it like that. And the reasoning didn’t seem incorrect either. However, after a moment, I spoke up.

“No, that’s not it!!”

[Why not…?]

“Let’s say you know how to become omnipotent. But just knowing it doesn’t mean you can actualize it. They can’t be considered the same!”

[Heh… That’s precisely it…]

“What?”

[That’s what creates the difference between the Void Record and [Father]… Both beings symbolize omniscience and omnipotence of the entire universe… At first glance, omniscience and omnipotence seem alike, but ultimately, omniscience is a power that is subordinate to omnipotence… Therefore, [Father] is the supreme being of the entire universe… and the Void Record holds a comparable position but is not the manifestation of [Father]… Only an omniscient being might have the chance to escape the confines of omnipotence.]

“Hmm…”

[In the end, the Void Record is… the history and record of the entire universe… everything we think and do… the law of cause and effect… present, past, future—it’s an omniscient entity while also serving as the library of the universe… It’s utterly reckless for us to manage or even imagine that being as a personal deity… Just as you said, the Void Record itself is a storage space.]

I was half-understanding something.

‘So, it’s an omniscient entity that records the history of the whole universe.’

I wasn’t sure, but it seemed like an incredibly great existence, ranked second in the universe.

After grasping Dharma’s words to some extent, I asked him.

“Hm… So when you referred to it as the king of the [Old Ruler], you meant to describe the Void Record, not [Father], right?”

[That’s correct… [Father] isn’t even something that can be called a king… The entire universe could be his manifestation, so the title of ‘king’ doesn’t make sense… It’s merely an overflowing chaos… However, the Void Record, as the only omniscient being involved in the creation and destruction of the universe, holds the title of king and governs all things…]

Dharma Master continued.

[Anyway… as I mentioned earlier… the True Martial Home relies solely on the help of the Void Record… No other being besides it can deliver a human’s intent to [Father]… Hence, after countless repetitions and many trials and errors, I succeeded in crafting this coffin…]

Crash!

Dharma seemed confident as he struck the lid of the coffin.

[I can declare with certainty… this is the only device in the entire universe capable of direct transmission to the Void Record… it can even store something as mighty as a god’s soul…]

“Hm…”

I wasn’t sure, but it certainly sounded like a remarkable object. I felt tempted.

It would surely be of great assistance later on.

As I gazed at the coffin closely, I asked Dharma Master.

“I understand the situation. So, during the True Martial Home ceremony, what should I be doing?”

[Now we get to the main point…]

Dharma Master opened his mouth.

[The sequence of the True Martial Home ceremony is as follows… First, you will inquire about the will to destroy the world while performing the ceremony… Second, if the Void Record responds to our will and produces a ‘sign’… Finally, we will hold the main ceremony of the True Martial Home, crafting the incantation to summon [Father] and reciting it from beginning to end.]

“A sign?”

[I’ll explain that later…]

“Got it.”

I paid close attention to the three steps and committed them to memory. This information was something I absolutely couldn’t afford to forget even in death, so I was particularly focused. While rethinking each detail, Dharma Master spoke.

[In the first stage, there’s no need to offer an offering… Unlike other rulers, the will of the Void Record is not significantly bound by the [law of cause and effect], so it doesn’t fixate on offerings… But there are qualifications needed.]

“Qualifications?”

[A wise one (贤人) is necessary.]

Dharma opened his eyes slightly, and his dark pupils flashed.

[Someone who has touched the Void Record is essential… Otherwise, they wouldn’t even pretend to listen… It seems simple, but it’s a complicated requirement… I spent thousands of years striving to achieve this condition.]

“Eh?! Thousands of years?!”

[Through laying down contracts in the path of demons and gathering even the slightest possibility.]

What the?!

Dharma has existed since before similar times!

‘What a ridiculously long life!’

Although I was astonished by the massive span of time, Dharma continued without responding to my surprise.

[So, what you have to do tomorrow during the ceremony is… protect me from the Divine Thief.]

“……!!”

Is this the main point!

I felt my expression harden. Then I said,

“Why are you leaving that to me? I could betray you instead of the Divine Thief.”

[Hmph… The moment I saw you slice down Tezcatlipoca… I decided to stop engaging in pointless mind games with you, Baek Woong… I’ve chosen to trust you.]

“……”

[In reality, I didn’t have the luxury to engage in a mental struggle with anyone from the start… Given how utterly despairing the surroundings were… I’m just grateful.]

Muttering in self-deprecation, Dharma Master continued.

[However… simultaneously, seeing the Divine Thief alone face off against the [Ruler of the Moon] made me wary of him… I find it hard to handle the Divine Thief…]

“Did that guy challenge Izanagi no Mikoto alone?”

[Yes… It wasn’t me who separated his soul into Yin and Yang… That was entirely the Divine Thief’s capacity.]

“……”

That’s insane!

[He has reached a state where he can strike a god. If he launches a sudden attack, I wouldn’t be confident in defeating him… I have gained power equal to that of a [Ruler], yet I still bear the essence of a mortal…]

How is that even possible?

I felt confused.

‘No absolute realm expert could separate the [Old Ruler]’s body and soul alone!’

But thinking back to how [Ruler of the Moon] Izanagi no Mikoto ended, it seemed the Divine Thief had used some kind of technique to separate the [Old Ruler] into Yang Body Izanagi and Yin Body Izanami. And by banishing Izanami to the underworld known as the Yellow Springs, he easily finished off the weakened Izanagi no Mikoto.

Has there ever been a human who demonstrated such power before?

‘Could it be that the Divine Thief can use the Divine Skill?!’

If he could execute the Divine Skill, that kind of power wouldn’t be impossible. However, he had previously stated that he could not use the Divine Skill in the realm of mortals. It was a contradictory situation, leaving me utterly bewildered.

Something feels off.

The Divine Thief must have some tremendous secret.

I spoke to Dharma Master.

“Dharma! Stop being wary of him and just use your powers to eliminate the Divine Thief! Why leave such a risky element lurking behind, especially after obtaining the soul of the [Old Ruler]?”

[Even someone like him is a great help in the main ceremony… Even if he betrays us, it’s better to use him until then… In a situation where all divine beings under heaven are enemies, the more allies, the better… and just one ally more is a boon.]

“……”

[I’ll handle that… You just keep an eye on me during the ceremony…]

“Understood.”

Dharma Master continued.

[It will take at least a few months for the ‘sign’ of the apocalypse to appear after the main ceremony… Tomorrow is merely a transitional task, so take it easy.]

And the next day.

I stood at the steps of the Altar of Heavenly Darkness. Since there was no need for sleep, I spent a sleepless night waiting, and finally, a day had passed. Shortly after, Dharma teleported near the Altar of Heavenly Darkness and said,

[Then I will begin the ceremony.]

Whooooosh

As I watched Dharma place his hand on the coffin and channel his magical power, I glanced at the Divine Thief standing nearby. He was yawning, looking bored while disguised as my face. It seemed like Dharma wanted to distance himself from the Divine Thief, but the Divine Thief suddenly appeared and had been following him.

‘What on earth is that guy up to?’

As I remained alert to ensure the Divine Thief wasn’t up to anything suspicious, he said,

“You don’t need to be so obvious, Junior. I’m not planning to do anything at the moment.”

“Who would believe the world’s greatest thief?”

“Hmph… It’s the same for both of us walking the path of thieves; I just feel sad for this senior. Hehe.”

The Divine Thief laughed heartily.

“By the way, what was that technique you used at the end yesterday? I’ve never seen it before.”

“… No reason to tell you.”

“How stingy. Then again, you’d want to save your secret move.”

I snapped back irritably.

“Shut up, will you?’

Whooooosh!!

At that moment, Dharma Master pulled his hand away from the coffin. With a slightly dismayed look, he said,

[This… this is odd. Why… ]

I replied, puzzled, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

[It’s happening too quickly…]

“Too quickly? What do you mean?”

[……]

After pausing for a moment and exchanging glances between us, Dharma Master said,

[Get ready immediately…]

“What!!”

[The ceremony has ended… so it seems we must conduct the main ceremony right now.]

I shouted in surprise.

“You said it would take months before the main ceremony!”

[That’s… the Void Record has just decreed… it is now time for the ‘sign’ to be revealed.]

“A sign?”

[First, let’s get out of here… we’ll head to the main venue.]

Bam

We all transported to the main venue of the White Lotus Sect, where Dharma used his magic to gather the congregation in the plaza.

“What’s going on?”

“Master of the Sect! What is happening?”

Countless members of the White Lotus Sect murmured, turning their gazes toward Dharma, who remained silent while looking up at the sky. Beside him, I and the Divine Thief stood, along with four disciples, all fixated on the heavens.

How long did we wait?

Rumble

The ground began to shake.

Whooooosh

A dark and eerie wind softly brushed through the space between heaven and earth. Then, the terrifying roar of an unknown giant beast resounded throughout the world.

Growwwwwl –

It was a sound I had never heard before, and suddenly, the clear sky transformed into a pitch-black cosmic sky. The sun, suspended in the heavens, suddenly turned black and colored the surroundings in darkness, while a white line softly traced the outline of the darkness.

Gugugugu!!

It pulsed. I felt the ground beneath my feet slowly breathing and shifting. Simultaneously, a colossal gaze emerged from the sky, filling the heavens with a faint outline, and in an instant, seeing that figure made me feel eerie.

‘…Evil God!’

Why did it feel like that evil god was watching me?

As I glanced into its gaze, the apparition of the evil god hovering in the void vanished shortly after, leaving behind hundreds of grotesque forms etched into the sky.

Ssssss

Ssss

For just a moment, those grotesque, horrifying, and fearsome shapes undeniably resembled the form of the [Old Ruler]. As the constellations swirled, the figures of the rulers passed through the void, and suddenly, stars began to ignite in the pitch-black night sky.

Roarrr

As the constellations burned, an unknown song began flowing from the abyss. From the distant edges of the universe, a mad hymn praising destruction filled the air, dizzying my ears.

Watching this whole scene, Dharma said,

[… Oh, White Lotus Sect, the age of prophecy we all longed for has arrived.]

All members of the White Lotus Sect turned their eyes toward Dharma.

In their gaze, a mixture of worry, fear, and anticipation resided.

From the following words, I knew an endless day had begun.

[The True Martial Home has begun!!]