전생검신 97권 05화

So, Juuban is the real god of the Baehwa Sect and the creator of the Outer God, huh? I was momentarily shocked by this unexpected fact. But then I tilted my head in confusion.

“…But why? What does Juuban creating the Outer God have to do with the World Tree growing?”

“Impatient, are we? Let me explain.”

“…”

Simon Magus stroked the edges of the Outer God.

“As you may recall, this Outer God symbolizes the thirteen Outer Sects. And if you align the six wheels correctly, you’ll receive great rewards. Also, it’s true that the one who bestowed this Outer God is the [Black Goat] I serve.”

“Hmmm!”

I let out a low hum at Simon Magus’s words. [Black Goat]! That guy is the contracted Outer God, ranked third in the entirety of the universe! I had encountered that absolute being once, but it felt too overwhelming to handle. Even the mental resistance I thought I had against chaos felt like tissue paper against it.

Simon Magus continued speaking.

“I still haven’t solved the riddle hidden in these six wheels. Do you know why?”

“…Lee Gang-ryong said there are too many combinations to align the six wheels. Each wheel has subtle gears, so we’d have to consider hundreds of trillions of possibilities.”

“That’s correct. You can’t just use trial and error without knowing the precise formula. But I already know the clue to solving the Outer God.”

“What’s the clue?”

“The Outer God was bestowed by the [Black Goat], yet the creator is Juuban. Therefore, if you can resurrect that legendary figure, you can get answers directly from the creator.”

“…!”

I was taken aback. A memory of a past statement from Lee Gang-ryong flashed through my mind.

[I’d just ask the creator directly what the answer is.]

It seemed Simon Magus had already been contemplating that very method. Feeling something was off again, I asked, “What kind of being is Juuban? Are you saying he created the Outer God and is now dead?”

“You know the legend of Juuban from the Baehwa Sect, right?”

“I know that he’s the being that appears when the evil god Angra Mainyu and the benevolent god Spentamainyu merge.”

“That’s just a metaphor. Neither Angra Mainyu nor Spentamainyu actually exist.”

“…?”

“Angra Mainyu symbolizes the very chaos of this world, while Spentamainyu, opposing that, leads to absolute annihilation through merging with the chaos. Thus, Juuban can only appear after the [phenomenon] of Angra Mainyu and Spentamainyu occurs.”

“Phenomenon…?”

I was utterly baffled. Could it be that the greatest evil and benevolence worshiped by the Baehwa Sect were merely a [phenomenon]? If the followers of the Baehwa Sect knew about this, they’d likely find it as absurd as I did.

Simon Magus said, “Yes, it’s just a phenomenon. However, unlike Angra Mainyu or Spentamainyu, Juuban is a real existence. That much the [Black Goat] has confirmed.”

“Are you saying you created the Baehwa Sect to…”

“Completely because of this Outer God.”

He chuckled lightly before continuing.

“From my perspective, the only creator who can solve the Outer God is that very Juuban. As long as I can meet him, I’ll be able to resolve the Outer God and gain rewards from the [Black Goat].”

“This crazy guy! You’ve been pulling a religious scam for thousands of years for that reason?”

“Cough cough, but anyway, let’s get to the point.”

Simon Magus placed a hand on the first wheel of the Outer God and slowly turned it. Suddenly, a strange creaking sound from the gears echoed as he moved. After a while, Simon Magus stopped at a certain point and spoke.

“This Outer God is actually an artifact that can exert power without needing to answer all the questions.”

“What?”

“To truly gain rewards, all six wheels must be correct, but look at this. Isn’t something odd?”

“…”

I looked closely at the Outer God that Simon Magus had adjusted. Suddenly, I noticed something.

“The positions of the Outer Beings are completely reversed from the start.”

Just by moving the first wheel, it felt like the others moved on their own.

“Exactly. This layout symbolizes the weakest period of the Outer Beings. And this layout itself can be used as a powerful altar.”

“An altar?”

“If you offer a sacrifice and fervently desire it in front of this Outer God, it will maximize the value of that offering and create a miracle. In simpler terms, it possesses the best ability as an altar for the Demon Ritual.”

“…!”

“You could say that this is the value I’ve discerned from the Outer God through years of testing. There are also a few other layouts.”

I couldn’t help but be amazed. Can the Outer God really be used as an altar for the Demon Ritual?

“That… I see… I didn’t expect such a function.”

“O Demiurge, you should grow into the World Tree using this Outer God.”

“Hmm? What does the altar for the Demon Ritual have to do with my growth?”

“…Are you feigning ignorance, or do you genuinely not know?”

Simon Magus murmured, apparently baffled, and then cleared his throat a few times.

“Ahem! Ahem! The answer to how you can grow as the World Tree is already known: Didn’t Sophia say it? [Granting wishes] is indeed the way to grow.”

“Ah!”

Only then did the memories flood back.

[Isn’t it simple? Just grant a wish.]

[Of course, you’re currently just a sprout barely breaking the surface as the [World Tree]. Therefore, you still need additional growth as the World Tree.]

[What you’re hearing now is the connection of a truly successful World Tree with the Three Thousand Great Worlds. However, if you revert to your original cycle, you’ll only hear the wishes of the cycle universe you belong to, not the Three Thousand Great Worlds. You can grow by granting those wishes little by little.]

Ah…!

I had been so focused on becoming a member of the World Tree that I completely overlooked that!

Since Simon Magus indirectly received my memories from Zhuge Sa, he must have already had this figured out!

As I made this realization, Simon Magus said, “The World Tree growing by granting wishes ultimately means acquiring the [Law of Cause and Effect].”

“Law of Cause and Effect?”

“Indeed. Once you gather that Law of Cause and Effect and dedicate it to this Outer God’s altar, you can greatly enhance its value. And using that enhanced Law of Cause and Effect…”

Woong

A pure white soul flowed from Simon Magus’s hand.

“Completely resolving the curse possessed by this Zhuge Sa is likely to be quite possible.”

“…!”

“Rather, upon removing the curse, Zhuge Sa might become even stronger.”

Only now did I catch on to what Simon Magus was trying to convey.

As the World Tree, I gather people’s wishes and collect the Law of Cause and Effect, then dedicate that collected Law of Cause and Effect to this Outer God’s altar to save Zhuge Sa!

That must be why he was going on and on about Juuban and the Outer God. Without that explanation, he wouldn’t be able to convince me of why the Outer God has such abilities.

Though I grasped the situation, I still regarded him with suspicion.

“You’re not trying to sneakily absorb the Law of Cause and Effect I gather using the Outer God, are you?”

“Do you think I’m an idiot? Even if I were to absorb it, what’s the use to you if you reincarnate? I’m not that stupid.”

“…”

“Anyway, using the Outer God, we can both benefit. As you grow as the World Tree, it’ll eventually become possible to resurrect Juuban. So wouldn’t it be better to maintain a cooperative relationship if we can help each other?”

“Hmmm…”

It’s not an incorrect statement. I nodded in agreement but then asked, “Alright. So what do I need to do right now?”

“I don’t know.”

“What?”

“While granting the wishes of the people is a priority, to be honest, I don’t fully understand the exact principles of how the World Tree uses those wishes to grow. Plus, there are so many things you can do, and I don’t want to make unreasonable suggestions that might lead to bloodshed.”

“…”

“You’ll have to figure out how to grant those wishes on your own. I’ll be waiting in this Juuban temple, so come back once you’ve gathered sufficient Law of Cause and Effect.”

“Ugh. You’re so irresponsible…”

“Hehe.”

Simon Magus spoke with a sly glimmer in his eyes.

“Since you’re in your current state, it must seem even more suspicious for me to be playing the shrewd planner. Do you think I don’t understand?”

“…”

“What I mean is, let’s not cause each other any unnecessary trouble, so don’t misunderstand.”

“Fine.”

I realized he had a fair grasp of my thoughts. After all, I couldn’t completely trust him. If I sought his wisdom as a planner, it would likely make things uncomfortable for both of us. For now, it’d be best to confirm whether he could truly lift Zhuge Sa’s curse and establish a cooperative relationship.

‘Hmm… so where do I go from here?’

After some contemplation, I settled on a decision and told Simon Magus, “Hey. Transport me to Jinrang Valley.”

“Got it.”

Whip!

In an instant, I found myself at the entrance of Jinrang Valley. I carefully surveyed the area before heading toward the place where the Taoist was located.

Then, I spotted a Taoist in a ceremonial outfit napping soundly in the Great Hall.

“…”

I silently sat in front of him and waited. After a while, he suddenly awoke with a look of surprise.

“Uh, who? How did you get here without any signs of the barrier breaking…?”

Even though the Mangyun Formation was laid out on the stairs, I felt nothing. The power of the Mangyun Formation seemed so weak that I ignored it completely. I gazed at him as he stared back and finally said, “Nice to meet you, Mangnyang.”

Yes. In my thirty-first life, I encountered Mangnyang Zhuge Hyun once again.

“How do you know my alias? Who are you?”

“I am Baek Woong. The reason I came to see you is…”

I hesitated for a moment before continuing, “To save the world.”

“…?”

I began to recount the experiences I had undergone to Mangnyang slowly. At first, he listened with a puzzled look, thinking I might be crazy, but as my story began to stretch beyond half a moment and near a full moment, he became genuinely intrigued and absorbed in my tale.

The lengthy recounting took nearly two moments to complete.

I knew I hadn’t explained everything about my reincarnation journey, but I felt I’d at least shared significant details and sighed with relief.

“Ha. Anyway, that’s why I came looking for you.”

Without a Black Obsidian, it felt incredibly inconvenient…

Honestly, I felt that in the future, I would struggle to explain everything verbally. So much had happened.

“Um… Honestly… if this were a fabricated story, you’d be the world’s greatest conman. Yet if you know so much about my uncle’s story, my family’s past, and the priest, then I have no reason to doubt…”

Mangnyang pressed his fan against his temple, looking flustered. Then he spoke.

“But if that’s the case, why are you looking for me? Compared to you, I’m merely a weak insect, right? You could easily defeat the Great Immortal with a single blow, while I would fall to him with just a poke.”

“…”

“Wouldn’t it be better to seek wisdom from that Simon Magus, the Demon King of the heretical sect? He knows hundreds of times more than I do.”

“I don’t trust him. Seeking wisdom from an untrustworthy individual would be useless due to suspicion. And…”

I gazed at Mangnyang and continued.

“You are the most objective person capable of judging my situation in this world. You don’t have the interests tied to the Black Obsidian, nor do you have any motives. You can simply act as a third-party observer. I believe your objective perspective holds great value right now.”

Understanding my words, Mangnyang chuckled lightly.

“I see. If you were to visit the Master of the White Lotus Sect, he would, without fail, judge everything based solely on his beliefs.”

“Exactly. Zhuge Bu from the Imperial Palace and even your father are the same. I wouldn’t trust the Master of the Twelve Joules either. The majority of my acquaintances are martial artists, making it hard to consider them as wise. Stepping beyond all those biases, you’re the wisest scholar who can make an objective judgment.”

“Hmmm… if I’m held in such high regard, I guess I must say something.”

After thinking deeply for a moment, Mangnyang spoke again.

“…If what you’ve said is true, then you mean to say you obtained the wooden armor from the Great Thunder Valley and put all the victims, including General Hwang Yeon, inside it, correct?”

“Indeed. Here’s the wooden armor. Would you like to take a look?”

As I held out the wooden armor, Mangnyang shook his head.

“No. But I think I’ve likely obtained a clue from that armor.”

“Hmmm…”

“Earlier, you mentioned that a bizarre entity appears when rescuing prisoners from the Great Thunder Valley. That entity is a servant of the Evil God and refers to itself as the [Dreaming Musician], and it gave you an invitation.”

“That’s correct. But it appeared previously though it hasn’t shown up in this thirty-first life. I find it strange…”

“That’s not strange at all. It’s to be expected.”

“Expected, you say?”

Mangnyang looked at me with icy eyes.

“Actually, since some time ago, the heavenly machinations have been severely disturbed. Anyone who studies the stars, whether an academic from the Central Plains or a sorcerer, would undoubtedly sense it; the celestial movements have become horribly unnerving. Even a meteor that shouldn’t have fallen did so unexpectedly last night.”

“…”

“I wasn’t sure about the cause. I guessed something ominous would occur. But if what you say is true, then it’s due to the Evil God.”

“You mean the Evil God is twisting heaven and earth?”

“Indeed…”

A flash of fear passed over Mangnyang’s face.

“The fact that the Evil God is not sending you the invitations he’s always given implies he’s preparing for a proper battle against you! After ending his pact with you, he no longer feels the need to extend an invitation to you as an opponent!”

“…!”

“Some clue… something about the movement of the stars must hold a clue. I’ve already intended to research this, so it’s fortuitous.”

“Hmm…!”

“And one more thing, regarding the problem of granting humans’ wishes.”

“Do you have some thoughts on that too?”

Mangnyang pondered for a moment before finally saying, “How about we go save Seo Mun-hye together first?”

“Understood.”

Whip!

A moment later, using the Golden Lamp technique, I swiftly traveled to the Pirate Island with Mangnyang. Upon arriving at the Pirate Island, I closed my eyes.

Hum

I gathered my Qi. With just a bit of concentration, I sensed the living beings on this island. Thanks to vast Qi sense, detecting the island was no challenge at all.

Shush

I could tell who among them was a pirate or not. I didn’t know their names, but I knew their locations and faces well, having slain them dozens of times. After sensing the pirates’ Qi, I unleashed my [Killing Intent].

Die!

Swish

At the moment my intent broke forth towards the forms of that [Qi], hundreds of pirates stopped in their tracks and collapsed right where they stood. Confirming I had wiped out all the pirates in an instant, I opened my eyes and muttered.

“I need to practice the Heart Blade a bit more.”

I felt that using divine powers or abilities would be much simpler for killing. Martial arts could cause mass slaughter as well, but fighting one-on-one was undeniably the fun part. While I was watching the fallen pirates, Mangnyang looked incredibly shocked and said,

“By the heavens… you’re a god…?”

“Not exactly… even a hundred people capable of mass-murdering rapidly could probably be found in the Celestial Realm. There would be more than a dozen who could do what I just did.”

“…”

“True gods wouldn’t find this type of play worthwhile against these sorts…”

Mangnyang went pale, shivering.

“Just what kind of game are you pulling me into? I can’t even keep up with your level…”

“…”

I guess it couldn’t be helped…

I seemed to have become too strong. I needed to think about how to strengthen my companions from here on out.

For the moment, I rescued Seo Mun-hye and the pirate prisoners. Then, I addressed Mangnyang.

“So, after this, if we teleport back to land, we’re done. But why did you ask me to come to the Pirate Island?”

“Hmm.”

Mangnyang seemed to calm his emotions as he inhaled and said, “Wake Seo Mun-hye and explain to her your achievement.”

“…?”

I didn’t understand Mangnyang’s intention, but I unsealed Seo Mun-hye’s barrier using acupuncture and explained the situation to her. She seemed overwhelmed with emotion and began to cry as she said,

“Benefactor… Thank you! Really, thank you!”

“It’s nothing special.”

Yet watching the scene, Mangnyang sighed.

“Indeed… I thought so.”

“What do you mean, ‘thought so’?”

“Baek Woong, can you feel that something has changed or that the Law of Cause and Effect has been accumulating within you?”

“…”

After introspecting myself, I shook my head.

“Not at all…”

“That’s troubling.”

Mangnyang stroked his chin in frustration.

“Simply performing a good deed by receiving gratitude from someone isn’t enough to be regarded as having granted a wish as the World Tree. In other words, a clear form of wish granting must be established.”