972——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Crew sound effect

I arrived at the White Lotus Sect with Seong Jin. Just when I was about to share what I discussed with Seong Jin with everyone via my obsidian, Zhuge Sa suddenly interrupted.

“Hold on. Wait a second.”

“Why?”

Zhuge Sa replied.

“Your obsidian still has quite a bit of Evil Qi left. Even if you’ve neutralized it somewhat, there’s a risk involved when transmitting memories recklessly multiple times like before. If you’re resistant, there’s always a danger of Evil Spirits seeping into your marrow.”

“Hmm. Then let me explain verbally…”

“No, what I’m saying is that you must cast a mental protection spell first. That way, we can minimize the danger.”

Ugh

As the spell was cast, only then could I send the memories through the obsidian. When everyone received the memories, I felt a little annoyed.

‘Hmm… I need to research a way to completely erase memories.’

Since I might have to do memory transmission multiple times, while I was lost in thought, the Master of the White Lotus Sect spoke up.

[Seong Jin. I already knew of your existence through the ancient texts of the Su Shin Sect. However, it’s a bit different than what I knew…]

Seong Jin glanced at the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Dokgo Uncheon.

“How is it different?”

[It means you haven’t fully disclosed your secrets… Especially regarding the Four Great Spirit Deities.]

“……”

[Even though Baek Woong proved the existence of the Four Great Spirit Deities, you didn’t use that as grounds for obedience… And you didn’t mention anything about the incident involving the Four Great Spirit Deities being lost during the Catastrophe with the Dragon of the Apocalypse.]

Huh?!

Now that I think about it!

When I looked at Seong Jin, the Master of the White Lotus Sect continued.

[Do you still wish to use Baek Woong…?]

“No. I was going to discuss that too. However, I thought it was better to come here directly since the conversation was getting too lengthy.”

Seong Jin responded.

“The senior disciple of the Master of the Subtle is Lee Gun-ak, who appeared in Yeodong-bin’s recollection. That was at the peak of the White Lotus Sect. And as you know, when the Catastrophe with the Dragon occurred, the Four Great Spirit Deities were lost, but that disaster was something the Divine Maiden had predicted.”

[……]

“Dokgo Uncheon, you know this too, but the Divine Maiden believed that if the White Lotus Sect sacrificed the Four Great Spirit Deities to save the current world from the Dragon, it would ultimately benefit the Maitreya that will descend in the future. And the Four Great Spirit Deities were ejected into the outer universe. All that remains is the prophecy of the Divine Maiden that the Four Great Spirit Deities will return someday…”

[I know.]

“It seems you only know up to that point.”

[What does that mean?]

Seong Jin made a somewhat sour face.

“I was also observing that decisive battle from afar using the technique of Clairvoyance. And towards the end of the battle, after Yeodong-bin died, I saw the [Mask] emerge from the Sea of Chaos…”

[……!!]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect and even I, who was listening, were shocked. Did that really happen?!

‘Well, Yeodong-bin was already dead at that point, so I couldn’t see what happened afterward…’

Seong Jin’s words weren’t far from the truth. Seong Jin sat there with gleaming eyes.

“Didn’t you find it strange? The Dragon of the Apocalypse may be from the outer universe, but it manifested the physical form of Chaos in reality. This means that while the Four Great Spirit Deities embedded in the Dragon may have flown off into the depths of the galaxy with its demise, they should still exist in reality.”

[Hmm.]

“However, the Four Great Spirit Deities crossed over the barriers of the outer universe, billions of light-years away. This fundamentally doesn’t make sense.”

As shock lingered in the room, Seong Jin continued.

“Perhaps they thought it would interfere with their duties that the Dragon and Yeodong-bin died, so they manifested their avatar in that location and sent it flying into the outer universe.”

[… Are you suggesting that [Coming Chaos] was involved in that incident?]

“Absolutely.”

Seong Jin glanced at me before speaking.

“If the Four Great Spirit Deities, swept away by the evil chaos, returned to this world safely, wouldn’t it make sense to think they are minions of [Coming Chaos]? How could I blindly believe that a creature I’ve never seen before is the [Maitreya], just because it claims to be?”

[That does make sense. I get it.]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect continued.

[From your perspective, it must be hard to imagine the Four Great Spirit Deities returning through the reincarnation of a Reborn Person.]

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

[You mentioned that you couldn’t find the whereabouts of the founder of the Four Great Families, the Master of the Fire Spirit. Do you still have no leads on his whereabouts?]

Seong Jin replied with a guilt-ridden expression.

“… I’ve searched the entire world. But I couldn’t find him… There’s nothing more I can say.”

Mangnyang, who had been listening to their conversation, interjected.

“To summarize the story, what we need to do from now on can be condensed into two tasks.”

“Mangnyang, what are those two tasks?”

In response to my question, Mangnyang opened his mouth.

“First, find the whereabouts of the Fire Spirit Master. Second, uncover the intentions of Huang Wu.”

“……”

“For the first task, we can try using the National Seal right away. We’ll need to prepare to break the barrier of the National Seal, so we should go fetch a Priest.”

“Hang on, Mangnyang. Huang Wu, isn’t he the third disciple of Dharma and Seong Jin’s older brother? Isn’t figuring out his intentions important?”

“That’s right.”

Mangnyang replied, crossing his arms.

“Huang Wu fled before Dharma achieved True Martial Home and suddenly went to Mount Changbai’s Divine City. He became a member of the clan and ignored all requests for return from the previous senior disciples. That’s all we can infer from Seong Jin’s words.”

“Hmm.”

“But… Baek Woong, are you aware? Despite having reincarnated 28 times, you still have no concrete idea about what the clan is.”

“……”

That’s an uncomfortable truth. I cleared my throat and said.

“The Twelve Joules are notoriously secretive, and with so much to prioritize over understanding the clan, I never really focused on it.”

“As you say. Until now, while I’ve been curious about what it is, I never felt a pressing need to find out. However, now that I know that Dharma’s disciple is mixed up with the clan, we need to actively investigate.”

Mangnyang then asked Seong Jin.

“Seong Jin, when you faced the Three Masters, did they mention their lord, the Twelve Joules? When did you first learn about the Twelve Joules?”

In response to Mangnyang’s question, Seong Jin readily answered.

“At that time, they didn’t mention anything, so I didn’t know about the Twelve Joules. The first time I came to realize their existence was when I had to visit the Peninsula due to an issue concerning Princess Nanyang, Yi So-hwa, and then I found out that the Three Masters and all the powerful figures of the Three Kingdoms were serving some being.”

“Princess Yi So-hwa of Nanyang… that would be someone from the Tang Dynasty, which means it was before the establishment of Goryeo in the Three Kingdoms period when the Twelve Joules had full power?”

“That’s right. Or maybe even before that… for thousands of years, the Twelve Joules may have been the masters of that land.”

“You must have felt uneasy about Huang Wu, yet you didn’t delve into the Twelve Joules and the clan?”

Seong Jin sighed.

“You all know this. While searching the peripheries might be feasible, the Divine City of Mount Changbai is fortified with the strongest barrier that even the Celestial Realm would find hard to interfere with, and in that place, the powers of the Three Masters and the Twelve Joules are at an extraordinary level. The members of the clan are formidable beings as well. I couldn’t recklessly poke around with just my strength without knowing what would happen.”

“You’re a coward.”

“I’m not a Reborn Person. Besides, since the Twelve Joules pose no immediate threat to the world, I just wanted to avoid unnecessary risks. However, saying that, I have gathered all the basic information on the Twelve Joules. I’ve moved the Ghostly Spirit Sect to investigate the Twelve Joules and the powerful figures on the Peninsula, so let me know when you need that data.”

“The martial arts of the Twelve Joules, the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique, could possibly be what the White Lotus Sect describes as Divine Martial Arts?”

“I can’t say.”

“Got it.”

As Mangnyang pressed Seong Jin, he looked around the room and spoke.

“Regardless, it’s clear we will clash with the Twelve Joules in this life. We should all prepare our minds.”

Everyone nodded slightly. It felt like an inevitable fact, even without Mangnyang saying it. The thought of clashing with the Twelve Joules soon made my mind swirl.

‘What on earth is that guy from the Twelve Joules hiding…?’

Mangnyang then turned to Abe no Seimei, who was listening.

“Actually, rather than calling a Priest, you should go with us. If you and Seong Jin combine your magical powers, you should be able to break the barrier of the National Seal without issue.”

“Got it.”

“Mangnyang, why aren’t you calling Cheon Woo-jin?”

Mangnyang replied with a bitter expression.

“Baek Woong, the Priest is fundamentally someone who wouldn’t normally interfere in the law of cause and effect of this world if you weren’t a Reborn Person. He’s had little good fortune since getting involved in our matters, so I prefer to keep him uninvolved this time.”

“……”

I could understand Mangnyang’s words.

“Understood.”

For me, it’d be convenient to exploit Cheon Woo-jin as much as possible, but from Mangnyang’s perspective, he wouldn’t feel comfortable with his only Priest getting stressed out. And with Seong Jin and Abe no Seimei, who are comparable to Cheon Woo-jin, joining us, he would want to lighten Cheon Woo-jin’s load.

Crew sound effect

I took Seong Jin and Abe no Seimei with me to break the barrier of the National Seal located under the Imperial Palace. They exchanged a few ideas and easily smashed through the barrier, being some of the most powerful sorcerers in the human realm.

I went inside and immediately activated the search function after obtaining the National Seal.

[Searching for the Fire Spirit Master… Search result: 125 cases.]

“What? That’s a lot! Could it be that there are people with the same name?”

[Yes.]

“Damn. Let’s add search conditions like ‘lived over a thousand years,’ ‘male,’ and ‘martial arts expert.'”

[Searching.]

A moment later, the National Seal replied.

[Search result: 0 cases.]

“……”

I often wonder why this thing can never find anything truly important. I said with a voice full of suspicion.

“Are you really saying that Ho-wol doesn’t exist in this world?”

[That’s correct. He does not exist on this planet.]

“Ugh. Dammit. Just like when I was looking for Yu Ji…”

While I grumbled, it suddenly struck me.

“……”

Could this incident also be linked to [Coming Chaos]?

That thought sent a shiver down my spine. Eventually, the existence of Yu Ji itself was manipulated by Chaos to mock Xiang Yu. Also, the fact that the National Seal has been unable to deliver accurate results in matters surrounding [Coming Chaos] could suggest that the thing has been aware of the National Seal’s existence from the start and has deliberately obscured it.

‘Ho-wol went missing while searching for Huang Wu. So…’

It seems the most plausible theory is that someone was watching Ho-wol’s movements and waiting for the right moment to ambush him when he was alone.

I shared the results of the National Seal search and my speculation with Mangnyang, who nodded in agreement.

“That’s a plausible guess.”

“Mangnyang. How will we find Ho-wol?”

“If we couldn’t find him through the National Seal, then we should go to the Prophet to buy information about Ho-wol’s whereabouts. But it seems now isn’t the appropriate stage for that.”

“Not the right stage?”

“You are still at the early stage of reincarnation. Right now, it’s more vital to gather treasures and grow stronger. It’d be better to accumulate the Seven Luminaries and other treasures first, then make a deal with the Prophet when we have more leeway. And…”

“And what?”

“If [Coming Chaos] is indeed related to Ho-wol’s disappearance, then our attempts to investigate will likely provoke him.”

“Hmm…”

Mangnyang’s words made sense.

‘Even Dharma fell into his scheme and was obliterated for eons…’

As long as that guy is still likely trying to find Reborn Persons, it wouldn’t be wise for me to publicly reveal myself just yet. Understanding Mangnyang’s reasoning, I said.

“Then what should I do now?”

“Since Seong Jin has joined our side, first gather the martial arts and spells of the Ghostly Spirit Sect through him. Learning is earning.”

“Got it.”

“While you’re training, we will wrap up preparations to become Emperors.”

“Do we not need to collect the Seven Luminaries yet?”

Mangnyang nodded willingly.

“I don’t think that’s a necessary question. Whether it’s the Moon Sovereign or Fire Spirit, we can gather them in a day, but don’t you think the Celestial Realm and the Three Sovereigns will react strongly enough to the fluctuations of the Seven Luminaries? We agreed to keep a low profile, so we don’t need to rush for the Seven Luminaries. Let’s start with what we can do for now.”

“Okay.”

I decided to follow Mangnyang’s plan. I then began to learn the martial arts and spells of the Ghostly Spirit Sect from Seong Jin, who had returned to the White Lotus Sect.

Seong Jin said.

“Baek Woong, even though I’m the leader of the Ghostly Spirit Sect, I don’t know all the secrets of our lineage. Please allow me time to gather the successors.”

“I understand. How long will it take?”

“About a month should suffice.”

With that, Seong Jin departed. I waited in the White Lotus Sect while pondering what I should do next.

‘Hmm… Should I have a spar with the Master of the White Lotus Sect?’

But my gut told me that sparring at this point wouldn’t yield significant results. I had ascended to a new phase of martial arts, but an even higher wall was blocking me now. As I pondered what to do, a bright idea suddenly struck me.

“That’s it…!!”

I need to resurrect Baek Woong!

‘For a month, I will resurrect Baek Woong and gain control over Spirit Power!’

Although the total amount of Spirit Power might slightly decrease this time, I thought that level of loss could be made up later. Since gaining the control over significant Spirit Power was more crucial, I began to immerse myself in training.

However, an unusual event arose on the third day after starting my training.

“……?”

Training had notably stalled. I used to feel like I was gradually gaining control, but this time, there was no response from Spirit Power at all. Assuming it was just a feeling, I resolved to focus on my training day by day.

And a month later –

“Baek Woong. I’ve brought five successors and elders of the Ghostly Spirit Sect. Together, they’ll teach you the secrets of our sect.”

“……”

“Why are you like this, Baek Woong?”

Even though Seong Jin arrived with the successors, I had no strength left to answer.

No matter how much I trained, Baek Woong was not appearing.

I discussed with Seong Jin the situation of struggling to form Baek Woong despite the training for controlling Spirit Power. Since Seong Jin had lived for over a millennium, he might be able to help me. Seong Jin listened calmly before speaking.

“Did you practice the training method you learned from Cheon Woo-jin without any errors?”

“Yeah. And it still hasn’t worked.”

“Wait outside for a moment.”

As Seong Jin commanded, the experts of the Ghostly Spirit Sect stepped outside. Shortly after, Seong Jin placed his hand on my shoulder and began to chant a spell, seemingly casting a spell on me.

Whoooooosh

After confirming my condition, Seong Jin said.

“Your Spirit Power hasn’t vanished. But as you said, it’s scattered everywhere…”

“What’s going on?”

“… First, recite the text again.”

“Alright.”

As I recited the incantation from the beginning, he contemplated before saying.

“Cheon Woo-jin, what he taught you was the Spirit Manifestation technique. The highest ancient sorcery… Your recitation of the 1499-character incantation doesn’t seem to have any errors.”

“I told you. There’s no mistake. I’ve meticulously recited it many times from the start, thinking I had slipped up.”

“The principle of this technique is that the words in the 1499-character incantation naturally extract the divine power. The other processes are just auxiliary elements supporting the words. So, there’s only one thing I can conclude.”

“What is it?”

When Seong Jin continued speaking, I widened my eyes.

“The words can no longer control your divine power. Your divine power has become so strong that it can’t consolidate enough to take form as a spirit.”