전생검신 97권 02화

No matter how much Fuxi has helped me, there’s no reason not to win. In the end, he succumbed to the temptation of rebirth ability and became the one to threaten me. But I can’t completely sever ties with Fuxi, so for now, I just want to settle our current grudge.

Ta-da!

As soon as I finished my words, I charged at Fuxi head-on, throwing a direct punch at him.

Thunder God Fist

As my fist closed the distance between us in an instant and struck his dragon body, a thunderous explosion rang out as if the air itself had burst.

Boom!

I realized that the thunderclap was not just the force of my Thunder God Fist but the clash against the techniques Fuxi deployed to block my attack. Seeing him get pushed back by the impact, I was confident I had the upper hand.

‘This is just a plain punch, yet Fuxi’s techniques are utterly ineffective… As expected, my World Tree property is superior to his!’

With this thought, I believed I could win just by swinging my fists!

Just as I was about to throw another punch at Fuxi—

[You bastard!]

Chiiiiiing!

Five Elemental God Jewel

Suddenly, I heard Nüwa’s scolding voice as five shimmering orbs spun around behind her. A tremendous array of light erupted from all directions, causing me to feel slightly startled.

Even I, uplifted to the Divine Realm, couldn’t make sense of the number and power reflected in that dazzling light! Realizing that each orb held terrifying power, I understood that I needed to defend myself.

Protection Energy Technique

Unsure if it would work, I activated the Protection Energy Technique, unleashing a translucent barrier that enveloped my body. As expected, even in this divine form, I could still use my martial techniques effectively.

Boom!

As Nüwa’s attack hit my protection barrier, I felt pain ripple through me as if my entire body was pricked by needles.

‘Kyuk! What is this?!’

Even though this body was constructed with stellar energy, why was I feeling pain?! Just as I was bewildered by this unexpected situation, Nüwa stepped back, concern etched on her face.

[Fuxi! Are you okay?]

[Nüwa… don’t overdo it. If you continue to draw on the power of the Five Elemental God Jewel, you will gradually dissipate!]

Fuxi, instead of worrying about himself, spoke up for Nüwa, but she didn’t seem to care all that much.

[After all, if we don’t eliminate that thing, you won’t be able to achieve your wishes. I’ll endure anything as long as my child does well!]

[…….]

Fuxi fell silent, and as I observed him, something in me felt overwhelmed.

‘So, Nüwa has such a side to her?’

Until now, she had hidden her true feelings, but her devotion towards Fuxi was clear. She treated even humans, the celestial immortals, and divine beings with disdain, maintaining her cold demeanor, but with Fuxi, her attitude was drastically different.

‘…Hmph. There’s a time and place for sympathy; why would I feel sorry for Nüwa?’

Still, even though I thought that, sympathy didn’t arise in me, so I clenched my fist and spoke brusquely.

[Fuxi! Don’t resist; just take your hits! I won’t kill you, so let’s not make this into a bigger deal!]

[…….]

[You insolent fool!]

Fuxi remained still, but it was rather Nüwa who, infuriated, unleashed the radiance of the Five Elemental God Jewel once more. I had just felt that with Nüwa’s power, I could take some hits, but now I realized that her attack could inflict serious damage on me.

‘Why can the Five Elemental God Jewel hurt and even inflict pain on me?’

If the property of the World Tree is to completely block divine power, then such phenomena shouldn’t even occur.

Could the work of the Creator God hidden within that jewel be crucial?

While I pondered this, Fuxi finally spoke.

[May I ask you something? Will you answer me?]

[Even if you do, it doesn’t change the fact that I’ll hit you.]

[It’s genuinely a curiosity.]

[… If you’re not trying to stall for time, I might answer you.]

[Thank you.]

Fuxi stared at me for a moment before continuing.

[I can sense the energy of our parent Pangu from you. What’s going on?]

[……]

Hmm, typical of Fuxi… to ask the most critical question right away.

As I was pierced right where it hurt, I could only respond in a plain manner.

[I made a contract with the Outer God Pangu. That must be it.]

[……!]

[What?!]

At my words, both Fuxi and Nüwa looked taken aback.

I thought it was natural for them to be surprised. Fuxi had already assumed that I was Baek Woong, but how could he fathom that the one he was just fighting against suddenly claimed to have formed a contract with Pangu, fully equipped with the ability to nullify divine power?!

Nonetheless, I wasn’t in the mood to explain myself in detail, so I grumbled out like a beast.

[There may be no reason for you and I to fight. Pangu, having formed the contract with me, no longer obstructs my rebirth. But nonetheless, you have betrayed me—it’s the same as betrayal!]

That’s the crux of it.

If I were just focused on rebirth, I could easily commit suicide now, but the reason I’m rolling up my sleeves to hit Fuxi—

The overwhelming sense of betrayal from Fuxi, who I believed had been my ally, using his ultimate power against me while trying to intimidate me for rebirth capabilities was unbearable. I couldn’t hold back from hitting him.

Fuxi fell silent for a moment before finally replying.

[I’m left without words. Then go ahead and hit me.]

[Fuxi!]

Nüwa exclaimed, startled.

[Did you not see that his ability is to nullify divine power?! Even if you’re strong now, if you fall to that kind of person, you may very well vanish!]

[I have already lost.]

[What do you mean?! You’re not defeated yet!]

[If it is true that you have a contract with Pangu, fighting any longer is meaningless.]

So he replied, and suddenly he teleported Pangu’s axe right before me.

Woom… Woom…

The axe of Pangu emitted an enigmatic resonance.

I stared at the golden axe with nonchalance as Fuxi transformed back into human form and began to walk towards me.

Thud!

“Baek Woong, I’ve passed ownership of Pangu’s Axe to you as well. Use it as you wish.”

[…….]

I looked at Fuxi, who had knelt before me with a complicated gaze. His acceptance of defeat was so clean that even if someone tried to stop me now, I was certain I could hit him without hesitation.

But as he offered his neck, I felt my emotions settle down a bit, and still unwilling to let go of my anger, I snarled.

[Fuxi! Do you think I’ll take it easy on you like this? Had I not had this lucky encounter, you would have already stripped my rebirth ability away! I’ll show you mercy against someone I treat as an enemy!]

“……”

Fuxi simply closed his eyes, waiting for his fate to be decided. I, irritated by his powerless demeanor, grasped his collar and lifted him up.

Grab!

[Are you giving up this easily? My wrath could lead to me finding you in the next rebirth to ensure you’re utterly destroyed! Do you think I wouldn’t do such a thing?!]

“That could be possible…”

[The illustrious Sovereign, Lord of the Dragons, has such a wretched outlook!]

“What is it you are angry about?”

[…….]

“I won’t bear a grudge against you even if you end my life right here and now. Because, at the very least, you are not the one true evil of this vast universe. You simply lost in a battle governed by the order of the world, so I intend to hold you accountable as the defeated.”

I gazed at Fuxi as he spoke.

His expression was profoundly calm…

No, devoid of emotion.

Is it possible for a living being to be this devoid of feelings? Especially when fully aware he was about to die?

Even Nüwa, standing at a distance, displayed far more humanity.

[Kyuk…]

Suddenly, I felt like I began to comprehend more of who the Sovereign Fuxi truly was.

‘This man… merely acted as if he possessed human emotions.’

What Fuxi had spoken of all along seemed clearer now as something I had failed to grasp.

He had projected himself as clever and wise in moments, sometimes acting lively, but the reality was that he was light-years away from the type of feelings humans possessed. He was no mere man, but a true divine being who followed the very principles of creation itself and, thus, lacked the fight or desperation that humans usually exhibited.

Fuxi was not without fear. Instead, he operated like a machine, functioning as part of the very [mechanism] that constitutes this cosmos; his essential self could be less tangible than even a human. His traits were hidden beneath the guise of mimicking humanity.

The moment I grasped this, I felt a sudden lightness.

Clearly, one of the schemers behind a myriad of plots, yet… when viewed in the grand scheme, he was merely a side character in a grand play, an indifferent being. Expecting human reactions from someone like him would be futile.

But still, I roared, refusing to let my anger falter.

[Fine! If you want to be hit, I’ll grant you your wish!]

Boom!

With rage, I struck Fuxi with all my might.

However, unlike when I faced Tsukuyomi, Fuxi merely sustained a marginal nosebleed. No—his body was so solid that it actually felt like my own physical structure was definitely on the verge of cracking.

[Hmm?!]

His durability was on a whole different level compared to Tsukuyomi!

As I recoiled in shock, Fuxi casually remarked.

“You should hit harder. I’ve temporarily summoned the might of my sealed body, making me one of the toughest beings around in this universe.”

[You’re just trying to provoke me now. Fine, bring it!]

Thunder God Fist

Frantic Punches

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The sound of my strikes reverberated as I unleashed an onslaught akin to smashing a gigantic mountain range. I focused my intent, executing thousands of punches each second, pouring my full power into each one, and soon enough, blood began to trickle down Fuxi’s face, leaving marks from my relentless beating.

“Cough!”

Finally, upon spitting blood, I hesitated for a split second.

Thud… thud…

[…….]

Seeing the blood covering my fists, my emotions became tangled. While a feeling of satisfaction surged at witnessing him bleed, it also sparked a thought—was this truly enough to resolve our relationship?

I hesitated, and Fuxi, lowering his blood-stained face, spoke.

“You… are too soft. You are well practiced in merely exercising violence, but when it comes to truly crippling someone with endless pain, you’re inexperienced… and you seem overly emotional for a reborn being.”

[…….]

“But… in the future, the powerful evils you face will be far less forgiving than this. Against such pure breeds of malevolence… can you truly carry through?”

[Are you saying you were thinking of taking on that burden for me?]

“I did think that way… At least Nüwa and I held the dream of ‘order’ being the axis of the cosmos… We had certainly determined what had to be done.”

[…….]

“Baek Woong, with your immense rebirth abilities… what kind of world do you intend to create?”

My own dream.

Hearing those words from Fuxi made me understand why he had turned his back on me in this life.

He likely researched to the extent of uncovering my entire being, and as memories of the Takrok Era surfaced, he would have gotten an even clearer picture. The fact that I remained uncertain about what true True Martial Home entailed and didn’t know what I ought to pursue must’ve made him think maybe he’d be better off taking my place as a reborn being.

Understanding Fuxi made my emotions settle a bit, and I looked straight at him, speaking resolutely.

[I don’t know how this world will turn out just yet. True Martial Home may not hold the answer, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t found my own answer.]

“Is that so?”

[However… for all my uncertainty, I certainly have a dream of my own. And that dream is to become the Sword God.]

“A Sword God… sounds like a dream completely detached from the cosmos’s destiny…”

[Just because I’m a reborn person doesn’t mean I must dream of something intertwined with the fate of the universe, does it?]

Letting go of Fuxi’s collar while taking my time with the words.

[I’ll only do what I can from here on out. One step at a time.]

Yes. I returned to this world to do just that.

I still had no idea how a reborn person could reshape the world or how daunting that was—no grand designs in mind—and my abilities were lacking. But at least I was clear in my desire to achieve that wish I had ever since I stepped into the martial arts world: to fulfill my yearning for martial power to become the Sword God and nothing more complicated than that.

My own dream mattered far more than the universe’s fate.

I could worry about it after becoming the Sword God!

Upon hearing my words, Fuxi looked blank for a moment before bursting into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha… I see. I admit defeat cleanly.”

Kugugugu!

[Hmm?!]

In the next moment, the entire dimensional space shook as if an earthquake had struck. I flinched, and Fuxi commented,

“Finally, we can be at ease. You and I both.”

[What have you done?!]

“I predicted I’d lose to Tsukuyomi when we fought. So regardless of the outcome, I cast a spell that would make Pangu’s Throne explode after a certain amount of time.”

[……!]

“Even if I could kill Tsukuyomi, at least he should be confined to an eternity of wandering. The spell has already been set in motion.”

[Wait, no! Cancel it!]

“Why cancel? It seems you wanted to die as well, so what better way to kill two birds with one stone?”

I panicked and yelled,

[Of course, I wanted to die, but if we could tidy up this situation first, I could die later!]

There were still a few tasks left in the earthly realm. If I could sort those out first, dying after would be far more beneficial, so I couldn’t shake the grip of death.

Fuxi replied to my urgent protests,

“Sorry, but the spell I cast cannot be canceled once it has activated. I established that to keep myself from falling under Tsukuyomi’s control.”

[What the hell! Why would you use something like that?!]

“And…it’s time to unleash it. Look over there at that scheming bastard.”

Fuxi’s gaze went to Tsukuyomi, who lay motionless at a distance.

“He’s been awake for some time, just waiting for the opportune moment to act. Now that’s been said, he should start moving.”

Clap!

As expected, no sooner had Fuxi’s statement finished than Tsukuyomi, who’d been lying down, suddenly sprang up!

[You bastard!]

Startled, I turned to see Tsukuyomi grinning at me with my own battered face.

“You’ve got quite a talent for deception, Fuxi. Now that you’ve succeeded in provoking me, you’ll just need to undo the spell.”

“Sorry, Tsukuyomi, but I’ve told no lies nor crafted any deceptions.”

“What…?”

“Pangu’s Throne is indeed about to explode. So will you perish with it.”

The atmosphere in the room turned icy.

I had thought Fuxi was pulling a trick on Tsukuyomi, but it seemed he was genuinely aiming for self-destruction!

[Is this… really true?]

“Of course. However, when the throne explodes, I can choose who will be swept away in the time of the ages.”

Fuxi spoke calmly.

“You, Baek Woong, will not be lost in the ages, so don’t worry—if you have a contract with Pangu, there’s no reason you can’t be reborn. Only Tsukuyomi will perish alongside me.”

[……!]

“If you can absolutely eliminate that Tsukuyomi here, any regrets you have left in this earthly realm can be dismissed.”

A chill ran through me.

‘Fuxi, truly!’

In sheer strength, I might have been the strongest here, but if Fuxi had genuinely set his mind on evil, I would definitely find myself in a messy situation!

And just then, Tsukuyomi’s expression contorted violently, reflecting a face reminiscent of a vile monster, his voice overflowing with resentment.

“I have no choice but to use everything I have!”

Kugugu!

The next moment, a massive tower-like formation was summoned behind Tsukuyomi.

The moment Fuxi and I looked upon the tower, Tsukuyomi’s eyes glinted.

“I’ve only utilized the Six Realms of the Reincarnation Technique thus far. Beyond that, the expenditure of cause and effect is immense…”

[What are you talking about?]

“Your immense cause and effect made me reluctant to use everything here, but there it goes…”

His roar echoed throughout.

“Consider it an honor! The Ultimate Move of the Reincarnation Technique, Twelve Calamities—you two will be the first to witness this! I have never seen such a level myself!”

Reincarnation Technique

Twelve Calamities

Tower of the Foolish Gods

Flash!

As Pangu’s Throne exploded, that tower was fully summoned!

With the explosion came an overwhelming burst of light and noise, and Fuxi and Nüwa’s figures disappeared entirely.

Gooh!

It felt as if everything had been swept away in the explosion. Tsukuyomi, too, appeared shaken, but it seemed he wasn’t killed immediately as he had stayed close to the tower. I felt a shiver run down my spine, seeing Tsukuyomi endure even the throne’s explosion.

‘What a tenacious bastard…!’

Despite Fuxi’s all-out self-destruction, did Tsukuyomi really have a back-up plan to survive? Reluctantly accepting his words, the thought that dying instantly might be preferable to allowing Tsukuyomi to live seemed accurate. If he survived, he would surely wreak more havoc than any cycle so far!

“Baek Woong! That tower has temporarily shielded you with its power. I’m about to drain your power and soul…”

[Kyuk!]

“Do you recognize what this is?”

[What is it?!]

“It is the tower that calls upon the power of the Forgotten Primordial Outer God… [The Foolish One]!”

[……!]

Is that also an artifact imbued with the power of an Outer God?!

As I stood shocked, Tsukuyomi licked his lips as if regretting something.

“When I was a reborn being, I couldn’t summon this tower due to the colossal amount of cause and effect involved. Yet, since you possess so much cause and effect, I find it a pity to use it all now.”

[That bastard… what are you planning to do with that tower?!]

“I’ll break your contract with Pangu and steal your soul. Brace yourself!”

You bastard!

Tsukuyomi was pulling every dirty trick out of the hat!

If the power of the Outer God is involved, wouldn’t breaking my contract with Pangu be exceptionally dangerous?!

And just like that, Tsukuyomi, who had looked so confident before, had suddenly turned pale with shock.

“Wait… no? This isn’t right. What on earth?!”

Kwah!

Tsu-tsy-ts!

For whatever reason, Tsukuyomi appeared unable to control the tower, as he seemed ensnared by tendrils of power that ensorcelled him. Rather, it looked like the tower was the one assaulting him!

In the midst of this, it seemed as though a faint dark eye in the center of the tower was slowly opening.

“Damn it, take this!”

Tsukuyomi, in a fluster, unleashed his techniques against the tower.

Bang!

But the moment Tsukuyomi’s techniques collided with the tower, his arms exploded! It seemed Tsukuyomi’s Reincarnation Technique simply wasn’t registering, as translucent shadows of darkness began to swirl in the air, and those very tendrils seemed to attack Tsukuyomi.

He looked horrified.

“This can’t be happening… How could it have escaped my control?! I fulfilled all the conditions for summoning the Tower of the Foolish Gods! There’s no reason for failure!”

Then Tsukuyomi looked as if he had suddenly realized something, bewildered.

“Wait… Could it be… [The Foolish One] is… THIS madness!”

Even as he discovered something he shouldn’t have, Tsukuyomi only appeared more paralyzed with fear, as if he bore the weight of a discovery he shouldn’t have made.

In the moment the tower’s eye fully opened, he let out a blood-curdling scream.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Poosh!

With those words, Tsukuyomi completely burst apart into splatters of blood. It was clear to anyone that the tower’s power had disintegrated him.

[……?!]

At that instant, I felt suddenly breathless, my entire body frozen in place.

‘W-What is this?!’

The phenomenon that arose after Tsukuyomi’s demise.

All the light, sound, and tumult born from the explosion of Pangu’s Throne seemed to subtly halt. Initially, it felt like this explosive force could transcend dimensions and all beings present would reincarnate, but that wasn’t the case.

Indeed, time felt as if it had stopped.

But since Pangu’s Throne transcended time and space, it was paradoxical to say that time rendered still.

In this ungraspable state, the only entity that stood was that mysterious Tower of the Foolish Gods.

And amidst that frozen world, I sensed something.

‘That… is an unforeseen calamity.’

As I stood staring blankly at the Tower of the Foolish Gods, I suddenly noticed something flowing out from Tsukuyomi’s shattered body.

A soul.

I observed that soul drifting, trying to act with my intent. However, in this halted state, my will seemed utterly paralyzed, leaving me bewildered. How could I influence that soul if my will wasn’t moving an inch?

But then, after a brief moment, I realized that [heart] itself was the answer. My extensive training in the Soul Exchange Technique illuminated to me that I could guide the path of that soul’s reincarnation with my heart. And guided by that intuition, I performed the Soul Exchange Technique.

Whoo…

Moments later, the pure white soul began to drift slowly towards me, eventually absorbing into my being. I was baffled, hardly able to believe the phenomenon.

‘What? Did I really just activate the Soul Exchange Technique using only my heart?!’

Could it be that because I was the World Tree now, such a feat was achievable?

Then soon after, the absorbed soul opened its eyes, and a familiar voice rang out.

[Baek Woong?]

[Zhuge Sa! You’re alive!]

Of course, that was Zhuge Sa’s spirit!

As I expressed my delight, Zhuge Sa chuckled.

[Heh heh! You and I are nothing more than souls now, can we really say we’re alive? Looks like you’ve finally gone insane.]

Not a single falsehood in his words, I awkwardly replied.

[If you think you’re alive, then you’re alive! Nevertheless, I’m glad you’re alright.]

[Sorry, but while I gathered you were Baek Woong, I have no idea what happened after you removed your mask. Can you give me a brief rundown?]

[Weren’t we connected through the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique?]

[That connection has been broken.]

[What?!]

[No choice in that. Since it’s not just your original physique but a fully third body and soul you’ve adopted, how can you instantly reconnect? Besides, the essence of it seems significantly altered, so I can’t share memories with you right now.]

It seems there were limits to sharing memories through the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique. As I grappled with that fact, I responded to Zhuge Sa.

[Well, can’t be helped. Here’s what happened…]

I summarized the core details for Zhuge Sa. After hearing, he looked utterly perplexed.

[That’s incredibly far-fetched. How on earth did you free Pangu’s seal?]

[Huh? Isn’t it more pressing that the Divine Throne is about to blow up?!]

Although the tower’s power currently shielded me, the protection might wear off any moment. Naturally, I wanted to start with how to resolve this pressing situation, but I found it odd that Zhuge Sa fixated on a trivial detail. Eventually, he paused in thought before responding.

[There’s a secret that remains unsolved in this lifetime. Pangu conceals something serious.]

[That’s evident. Isn’t it expected?]

[No, it’s not that he’s hiding his post-release goals. Would he care about petty details once half-released from the seal? Instead, it suggests there’s something crucial you don’t know tied to the cause and effect leading up to this very moment. Without knowing it, any guess about future intentions would be futile.]

[……?]

What could that mean? Nothing was making sense…

As I stumbled through my confusion, Zhuge Sa sighed.

[For now, just bear this memory. Take it into your next life and seek out other advisors to study it.]

[Understood.]

[While you can just commit suicide now, Tsukuyomi’s tower has designated you to be protected. No doubt, that artifact of the Outer God will prevent you from dying.]

[Ugh…]

Feeling overwhelmed, I let out a low groan, prompting Zhuge Sa to chuckle.

[Now, do you understand my prior lesson on how easy it is for reborn beings to die in one go?]

[Yes… this time around… I’ve learned that lesson quite painfully…!]

I lost count of the number of times I struggled under the sensation of wanting to die.

In the past, I had fought tooth and nail against death because I was simply too weak, being oblivious to how the ease of death presented significance. Only now did the notion that reborn beings need to die with ease strike me as paramount. Frankly, Zhuge Sa, who prophesied that long before even being a reborn being, was something of a prodigy.

[There’s only one way to proceed. Since he’s an Outer God, I also have to take things to the next level and invoke one of the Outer Gods myself. Firmly wish for Pangu’s contract as you beckon for him to kill you.]

[Will that work?]

[If it doesn’t, I’ll find another method. Just try it out.]

[Alright.]

Whoooooo!

I made a powerful wish as I called out to Pangu.

[Let me die!]

At that moment, a soft, hazy version of Pangu manifested in my mind.

[Understood.]

Piying—

Immediately, I felt a wave of weakness surge through me, a sensation of utter helplessness enveloping me.

Ah, I see.

It’s been a while since I’ve tasted this.

This is death…!

Faced with the unbearable emptiness of death, I felt no discomfort or fear; instead, I just smiled as I slipped into that oblivion, which felt strangely liberating since the Outer God was granting this death, leaving no potential obstacles.

It was my 30th death.

*

……

Where am I?

I opened my eyes and immediately recognized that I wasn’t in the barn.

I instinctively scratched my head in frustration.

“Dammit! I couldn’t die again?”

What on earth makes dying so difficult?!

But contrary to my rebellious thoughts, a voice echoed from somewhere.

“No, your 30th life met its end. However, the beginning of your 31st life hasn’t started yet.”

A voice rang from a short distance away.

I turned, recognizing the presence of someone I was very familiar with.

“Pangu!”

The Outer God Pangu was there!

Pangu glanced at me and gestured to a path leading somewhere.

“Go towards that white light. Your 31st rebirth will begin beyond.”

“……”

I figured Pangu’s words would hold some truth. After all, it didn’t seem he had a reason to deceive me.

Yet instinctively, I sensed Pangu was hiding something, causing me to look at him and ask.

“Where is this? Why am I not directly embarking on my 31st life?”

“……”

“And why are you sitting there in front of that door?”

That was right.

Behind Pangu sat an enormous, antique-styled door.

Anyone could guess that passing through that door would lead to another realm, compelling me to ask questions.

Sitting in front of this old grand door, Pangu silently watched me before saying,

“Go on.”

“Are you refusing to answer my questions?”

“Do you truly wish to know?”

“Yes.”

“…… I will tell you a few things.”

Pangu slowly continued speaking.

“First… this place is the interior of the [Heavenly Secret]. You’ve arrived here just before your rebirth, regaining your consciousness.”

“……!”

This is the interior of the Heavenly Secret?

I felt a rush of surprise as I surveyed my surroundings, suddenly noticing something I had missed earlier.

“I see… the Training World!”

Indeed, now I could see [Earth] in the distance, and the Training World I created undeniably existed as he had stated: this was genuinely the interior of the Heavenly Secret.

“Second. You must not go through that door.”

“What?!”

A shiver emanated from Pangu’s presence.

“I’m being polite now, but from the next rebirth onward, as soon as you appear, I’ll cut you down and toss you through the door immediately. It will feel as though you’re instantly reborn.”

“……”

I glared at Pangu.

An Outer God had personally come to occupy this spot as a gatekeeper, blocking my path to enter the interior of the Heavenly Secret?!

Never had I imagined such a scenario.

I hissed at Pangu.

“What precisely is the purpose of that door? What happens if I enter?!”

“If you want an answer, then defeat me first.”

“What?!”

“That’s the minimum qualification.”

“Wait…”

Swish!

In the next instant, Pangu’s blade flew cleanly past my neck. Just like before, I had no chance to resist before Pangu’s strike landed. In that fleeting moment of awareness, I felt the immense gap in strength between us.

‘There’s no escaping in that single second!’

Pangu would definitely give it his all if he decided to kill me.

Without being able to bear that one strike, I couldn’t challenge that door in any manner.

Swoosh—

Just as my soul began to drift towards the next rebirth, Pangu’s parting words echoed softly.

“It’s best you give up on passing through that door.”

*

“……”

Moooo—

Finally, I opened my eyes.

And this time, unlike earlier, I could fully smell the sweet grass, the scent of cow dung, and the cries of an animal.

“Ah…”

This is it.

The 31st life has finally begun.