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“Is this really the end of the 30th life and the start of the 31st?”

With the deep bleat of a golden lamb, I snapped back to reality.

“Yeah… it really is a fresh start.”

After hopping between worlds like a hyperactive bunny for all thirty lives, feeling like it was all so tangible instead of just whimsical, it turns out the toll was pretty crazy. Plus, having endured actual painful deaths made this 31st life feel a bit surreal.

Shaking my head, I forced out a bitter smile.

“Well, at least that cursed sense of powerlessness is gone.”

The frustrating helplessness I felt at the start of the 30th life. Somehow, I ended up creating Soeul Village amidst all the chaos. Maybe it’s because that life was long and wild? Or perhaps, I’m just more determined now with “Sword God” as my novel dream?

Unlike the earlier days of the 30th life, I felt calm but definitely driven.

I picked up some feed nearby and started feeding the golden lamb while pondering,

“…I need to sort out my thoughts for a minute.”

Normally, I would’ve dashed out of this village in a frantic attempt to get things rolling. In fact, back in the day, I ran around like a madman trying to grab every opportunity.

But now, I realized it was more important to think about what I need to do and what theme to focus on in this life, rather than being reckless without a plan. I learned that charging in blindly only led to utter chaos from my previous life.

I would usually start by consulting Mangnyang, my strategist, and Zhuge Sa. I figured they’d do the brainstorming better than I could.

But something was nagging at me.

So, I decided I needed to clear my thoughts before seeking anyone’s help.

“…”

It smells like cow dung here.

In this gloomy space, the golden lamb quietly munched away, helping me focus on my thoughts.

A bit later, I suddenly recalled my biggest challenge this life.

“The Evil God!”

Right.

The contract with the Evil God that I had in the 30th life fizzled out when that life ended.

“Does that mean the Evil God’s minions can reach out to this world anytime…?”

Sure, the Evil God couldn’t revive and charge out from Ruyeh right away. I’ve seen them try coming back, and each time, it seemed like they paid a hefty price.

For the Evil God, maximizing their resurrection power at the end times was the plan, so there was no reason to kick into gear just yet. After all, they preferred sending underlings to dish out invitations instead of battling things out directly.

…And then I recalled witnessing the Evil God attempting to sway Zhuge Sa among the Three Sovereigns, so I knew the world would soon be in chaos if I didn’t act quickly. I better find ways to suppress the Evil God.

“Hmm. I feel like I was trying all sorts of things early on in the 30th life for that…*”

That aside, the contract was dissolved. Even if the Evil God stays silent for now, I can’t doubt that their underlings will wreak havoc. And I might have to face off with the Three Sovereigns too, who knows?

So, what should I do right now?

The ideal method would be to charge right to Ruyeh and take down the Evil God. But that’s probably a pipe dream, so my next best mission is cutting off the Evil God’s influence in this realm.

What’s the best way to block that influence…?

Lost in thought, I suddenly shook my head.

“I have no idea. Maybe I should just head to the Heavenly Secret.”

If I’m not sure, that sounds like the best bet.

Thud!

I swiftly hopped up and executed the Light Body Technique, immediately sensing something strange.

“Huh?”

What’s going on? This doesn’t feel like I’m using internal energy.

I stopped, startled by this unfamiliar sensation. Unintentionally, I attempted to execute the footwork technique I knew.

Seven Stars Shadow!

Thwack!

The moment I deployed the footwork, I realized something was off. I noticed that even though the technique was on display, no qi was flowing through my body at all.

“I’ve got no qi!”

How does that even happen?

It’s supposed to flow freely together with my will, but there was nothing. But the technique still unfolded decently, just… I couldn’t summon the qi-based variations that should normally sprout from it. Originally, the Seven Stars Shadow would generate afterimages and provide speed boosts with every step, but… that was awol.

“Could it be… my qi is gone?”

I mumbled that as I checked my internal energy.

Woosh!

But the overwhelming power I had painstakingly accumulated across my lifetimes was still intact. It was the same internal energy I last verified.

Could it be… just maybe…?

I cautiously released my internal energy, directing it through my entire body’s Eight Extraordinary Vessels. I aimed for the Lesser Circulation, thinking that perhaps I could rebuild my Greater Circulation next, but then I was thrown for a loop.

“…!”

The vessels were totally blocked by some invisible force!

Every single one of my meridians seemed unresponsive, and no matter how faintly I tried to channel my qi, nothing flowed through those pathways! I was stuck with my energy completely trapped in the dantian!

“I haven’t lost my internal energy, but something’s blocking my Eight Extraordinary Vessels?! Why is this happening?”

What the heck is currently stopping my energy flow?

Feeling puzzled, I raised my hand to deploy the Thunder Spirit Seal and hit one of the trees in front of me.

Crash!

The tree didn’t even flinch. I found that pretty bizarre.

“Shouldn’t the Thunder Spirit Seal have activated…?”

Moments later, a totally unexpected occurrence unfolded.

Ka-boom!

Crack-a-boom!

The Thunder Spirit Seal rapidly expanded, growing incredibly massive and soaring hundreds of stretches away, all while emitting a blinding flash of lightning. The earth-shattering sound resonated like the end of the world, and soon, the mountains were completely reduced to flat ground.

What the hell is happening…?

In that moment, an instinct kicked in regarding the power I just unleashed. It was certainly comparable to the force that shifted terrains in my 29th life! This destruction radius looked overwhelmingly stronger than anything I released back then.

But what’s weird is that my internal energy and intent I just channeled were so ordinary, barely any level above the common stuff. Even achieving the power level you’d need to blow up an island in my 29th life required immense strength and focus.

What the heck is going on with my body?

“…Body?”

Wait a minute…

While I was submerged in thought, I began hearing voices of surprise from a distance.

“Wh-what is that?!”

“Holy moly! The mountains are gone…!”

The village chief, Kim Manje, and the villagers were all fleeing, none of them wildly hyper like they usually were. The unexpected destructive aftermath of my Thunder Spirit Seal had everyone in shock.

As I observed this, the village chief hurried over to me, yelling,

“You rascal! Hurry up and get the cows out of the barn!”

“…”

“Looks like a disaster struck, everyone evacuate!”

It’s clear the village chief didn’t suspect me. Well, who would believe I was the cause? I played along and quietly slipped back toward the barn.

“Got it. Maybe the current phenomenon is… the outcome of what I inherited from my past life?”

The lineage I currently bear is that of the World Tree!

I had no clue how the World Tree’s properties would act on a human form since I didn’t grasp it while being possessed by Tsukuyomi as a spirit. Would it play out differently if I came back as a human?

It’s likely this bizarre situation is a direct result of the World Tree’s lineage taking root in this form.

The Eight Extraordinary Vessels are obstructed by something supernatural, yet somehow, this power is dynamically firing off uncontrollably!

“…”

I quietly attempted to draw upon my divine powers. A sliver of enchanting energy blanketed me, and as I sensed this divine power, I couldn’t help but smirk bitterly.

“This is ridiculously low.”

Compared to the status of the higher divine hierarchy that could twist the universe, this was pathetic. Sure, I had a lot more than the Great Immortal and way more than Semi-Divine beings, but after losing most of my core powers and even sacrificing my names… Well, it was natural I received a fraction of that once-in-a-lifetime strength afterward.

And soon as I came to that realization, I became acutely aware of the first task ahead of me after my rebirth.

“I need to figure out what the heck happened to my body.”

I’m not worried about how much I lost compared to the last life.

No, it’s the opposite.

I realized it when I unleashed the Thunder Spirit Seal just now.

“If I utilize the Thunder Soul properly, I’m bound to unleash havoc!”

Even now, I just left the Thunder Spirit Seal coasting in my subconscious without tapping into it. I could draw on it at any moment. The earlier Thunder Spirit Seal was used on pure instinct—nothing special—and still, it showcased tremendous power. If I were to use the Thunder Soul, it would definitely end up spilling uncontrollable chaos right around here.

I entered the barn, patting the golden lamb’s forehead.

“Great to see you again, but it seems we’re parting ways soon.”

The lamb cooed happily, rubbing its face against my hand. I felt a warmth spreading through me as I chuckled.

“You’re the only one who’s been with me since my very first rebirth. See you later.”

Thud!

With one last look at the golden lamb, I dashed out of the barn, deploying a standard divine technique and taking off rapidly. I purposely avoided using the fastest Soul Removal technique, opting for a different divine technique I hadn’t used in a while.

Mouse Escape!

This light body technique, cataloged in the secret techniques of the Hundred Transformations, might be lower tier. However, as a divine thief, I mastered it to the level of the Shadowless Escape. So, I wouldn’t underestimate this technique.

“I guess a moderately weak technique would work. It feels like something else is at play instead of qi, so if I go too strong, it might result in an uncontrollable situation like earlier with the Thunder Seal.”

Thud!

Yikes! Mouse Escape is much slower this time…I’ve gotten too used to the Divine Arts Technique and now it feels like I’m intentionally restraining myself.

But, regardless of the shortcomings, I kept running until I reached the cave of the Heavenly Secret. That beats risking a disaster with a high-speed technique.

“I’m almost there!”

Upon reaching the cave, I grabbed the Heavenly Secret. Shoving it into my pocket, I thought,

“If it were up to me, I’d dash straight to Mangnyang, but… maybe I should test some things first.”

If what I’ve been dreading is true, hitting up Mangnyang immediately would be pointless. I need to resolve this disturbance before I figure out my next steps.

Thinking deeply, I decided to take action after a moment.

“Summoning Beast, come forth!”

Whoosh!

As I summoned the familiar beast I’d used in my 29th life, it chirped excitedly! This creature enabled instant teleportation to any far-off place, so in this limited state of divine power, it seemed particularly useful.

“Let’s head to Dongyoung’s Obsidian Mine.”

Whee!

Normally, I would go to Shandong first to grab the Golden Lamp, but right now, performing an experimental mission is more crucial than just teleportation. It’s something I can push to later.

Bam!

The movement of this alien creature was swift, requiring special spells or artifacts for self-protection, but for some reason, I felt invincible right now; nothing was off with my body.

Once I reached the Obsidian Mine, I scooped a few chunks of obsidian with my hands and then instructed the summoned beast,

“Alright, let’s go to Xuyou Ruins.”

Whoosh!

Bam!

When I entered Xuyou Ruins, I began to see the perks of having this familiar creature.

“Wow, how does it know exactly where I want to go? It’s incredibly impressive; I felt the same last time!”

Pleased, I patted the creature, and surprisingly, its voice rang out.

[I can hear your thoughts directly.]

[“Huh? You can talk?”]

[I can understand your words as well.]

[…].

Ah, so our thoughts are shared at an intimate level, meaning no further training is needed…

But why am I chatting so casually with this creature?

[“By the way, I really want to earn a calf’s heart.”]

At its request, I picked some Black and White Lotus flowers and tossed them its way.

[This is a spiritual pill—want to try?]

Nom-nom!

Blah!

[I don’t eat greens.]

[…].

In the human realm, Black and White Lotus is worth thousands of calf hearts, yet it seems this creature has a different standard of value. Watching it casually spit out the lotus flowers left me dumbfounded, triggering a spark in me.

“Follow me! I’ll take you to some meat.”

[Okay!]

I wandered into the depths of the Ruins with the creature. Upon reaching the area housing the massive Human Face Pillar, I unleashed a gust of wind and took it down.

Bam!

Phew. Thankfully, I’d used just enough force not to collapse the ruins…

Feeling a tad too cautious about accidentally exerting excessive power, it felt less like my usual human martial arts. Regardless, with the Human Face Pillar shattered into pieces, I retrieved the Inner Dan before offering up some spider meat to my alien buddy.

[How’s this?]

Nom-nom!

[Not bad, but I’m still craving that calf’s heart.]

“You sure have a unique taste.”

Eventually, I also obtained the statue of the World Tree and Jeon Wook. When I finished, the creature chimed in again.

[Do you need anything else?]

[…].

I paused, considering what to ask next.

“Let’s visit Shandong to obtain the Golden Lamp before heading to Great Thunder Valley.”

Whoosh!

Once I snagged the Golden Lamp, I immediately set off for the heart of Great Thunder Valley. As I spotted the Giant Toad beast, Hang-a, I boldly greeted it.

“Hey there!”

[Who are you…?]

Quack!

[Gahhh!]

I didn’t even entertain a conversation and struck Hang-a down with a powerful fist! The toad, defeated in a single move, seemed to take its last breath, and I began to grasp how to control the force I exerted.

“If I stick to low-level techniques while refraining from using intent, the critical destructive force won’t manifest like earlier with the Thunder Seal! Even this punch alone sent it packing.”

Then, I finally understood what this meant.

Although my Eight Extraordinary Vessels feel blocked, it turns out I can display my power dozens of times stronger than usual at any moment for reasons beyond my understanding! Before, I could casually toy with human realms, but I might seriously have to worry about destroying entire continents if I go willy-nilly with my martial arts moving forward.

Approaching the panting Hang-a, I quietly offered up some obsidian.

“Absorb this memory of the obsidian.”

[What…?]

“If you come out unscathed after absorbing it, I give you my word that I’ll ensure your survival.”

[S-sound good…!]

“Then let’s proceed.”

I channeled the powers of the obsidian, sending my full memories to Hang-a.

Whoosh!

For a moment, Hang-a appeared fine.

But then, suddenly, it went wild, letting out a blood-curdling scream.

[Aaaahhh! The great ones… so vastly powerful!]

Whew!

Before long, bizarre vortices of darkness emerged around us, with tentacles shooting out in an earnest ravenous swipe and consuming Hang-a’s body and soul entirely!

Watching that, I realized my fears were correct and exhaled in frustration,

“Damn it!”

Here was the case of an impending apocalypse at play, with Hang-a, a fallen prince of the Three Sovereigns and a worthy candidate for the Monster King, being devoured so pitifully the moment it absorbed my memories!

This meant that my memories had turned into a literal disaster of all disasters!

I bit my lip.

“I’ve met… too many Outer Gods!”

Having come across many of these cosmic powers meant that my memories themselves became a cursed harbinger of doom. I could guess the entity that sucked the life out of Hang-a’s spirit was an evil higher-up following the Outer Gods, confirming that transmitting my memories could lead to horrendous outcomes.

The situation escalated into the worse case more than as anticipated.

Back in the 29th life, it was merely a strong presence of demonic energy lingering, and now, after the 30th, my memories had turned into calamities multiplied by tens!

Had I tested this on a close friend instead, they would have faced a catastrophic demise just like Hang-a!

“…!”

Good grief! How did I not see this coming?!

Suddenly, I recalled what I neglected and gasped.

Without wasting time, I activated my Golden Lamp and rushed toward Jangryeong Valley.

Whoosh!

“No! Zhuge Sa!”

Zhuge Sa, positioned in Jangryeong Valley, had the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique tied to himself, meaning he’d automatically absorb my experiences from past lives! That used to be a benefit, but now, given that my memories were ticking time bombs, it was dangerous!

Without realizing it, Zhuge Sa would ingest the catastrophic knowledge of the Outer Gods, and while he’s a sorcerer, he’s still human. That would spell disaster!

I bolted inside Jangryeong Valley without looking back.

“Zhuge Sa!”

The scene before me was enough to challenge my sanity.

Zhuge Sa’s head!

Soaked in blood, his severed neck was held in the hand of the woman called the Tao King, Fengshen War. His body lay lifeless on the floor.

The strikingly beautiful woman, Fengshen War, bore a grotesque smile and remarked,

“Ah, I see… you are Demiurge.”

“…”

“How absolutely delightful. Hoh, who would have imagined this would circle back around in such a way? ”

I glared at Fengshen War, demanding,

“Did you… kill Zhuge Sa?”

“…”

“I asked if you killed Zhuge Sa. Fengshen War, no, …”

Suppressing my anger, I shouted,

“Simon Magus!”

The figure before me was none other than Simon Magus—

the disciple of the magic god Hermes, a master of landlord doctrines, and a contractor of Outer Gods!

And the original Tao King turned out to be a facade he donned whenever he chose to transform into a human.

With a smirk, Simon Magus replied,

“Did I kill him? You should know, your memories were transmitted automatically during his moment of peril.”

“…!”

Simon Magus looked at Zhuge Sa’s severed neck dismissively.

“Heh. Though he is my disciple, he was a lunatic. To connect the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique to himself without knowing how extensive he would encounter the Great Beings… isn’t this what they call self-inflicted consequences?”

“Do you really want to die?”

Crackle!

“Cough!”

As I brimmed with killing intent, Simon Magus staggered, visibly shaken. His body trembled like a leaf, unable to withstand the weight of my advancing power.

“T-that’s astonishing… even without my full effort, as a contractor of the Outer Gods, you overpower me like this…? According to my memory, I thought you lost most of your divine power!”

“Simon Magus, I’ll ask again.”

With the intent to bring this magus to his end, I said calmly.

“Did you kill Zhuge Sa?”

It didn’t matter what level of sorcerer he claimed to be.

I was determined to take him down, ripping off his head and smashing his body to pieces.

Somehow, I felt entirely capable of doing so. Even with most of my power stripped, I could sense my confidence peeking through.

With a carefully honed strike, I could surely topple this fool.

As I lit the flames of battle within me, Simon Magus proclaimed,

“Answering your question, yes, I cut off his head, but it was to save his soul.”

“What…?”

What kind of nonsense is that?

I frowned at his bizarre interpretation, and Simon Magus raised one of his hands, unleashing brilliant white light from his palm.

Whoosh!

“Look, I’m merely storing Zhuge Sa’s soul temporarily through the Soul Exchange Technique.”

“…!”

I was completely taken aback and blurted out,

“How can you even use the Soul Exchange Technique?”

With a bemused look, Simon Magus retorted,

“Crazy fool! I’m the founder of the Baehwa Sect and the creator of the Soul Exchange Technique, and Zhuge Sa’s master!”

“…Aah.”

Right! I forgot about that!

This guy is practically my mentor when it comes to the Soul Exchange Technique!

Realizing how foolish my question was, I scratched my head sheepishly as Simon Magus continued,

“As soon as you were reborn, Zhuge Sa’s body and soul faced serious decay due to the memories you transmitted. Witnessing an Outer God always incurs devastating effects for mortals. But somehow, he managed to endure with sheer will and urgently called for me, requesting to employ the forbidden technique of the Sephiroth to protect his soul at the cost of harming his physical form.”

“…!”

There exists such a forbidden technique?

Startled, I confirmed the facts. Simon Magus added,

“By swiftly killing his body and using the Soul Exchange Technique to separate his essence, I ensured Zhuge Sa’s soul avoided annihilation. As a bonus, I’ve also been sharing the knowledge he gained.”

“What are you implying?”

“Heheh, it means I’m currently sharing your past life experiences.”

“…”

So, that’s why he called me Demiurge from the get-go.

Simon Magus, as a master of landlord doctrines, would definitely know that Demiurge pertains to reincarnators.

But can he handle absorbing my memories?

…Though I suppose he’s a demon king and contractor of Outer Gods. Any archaic sovereign would likely respect his authority, so he might withstand the transmission without issues.

Feeling a bit puzzled after understanding the magnitude of the situation, I bluntly asked,

“So what? Can Zhuge Sa be brought back?”

“He can, indeed. The Grand Master of the Soul Exchange Technique doesn’t place much value on a physical form.”

“That much is true.”

By simply crafting an avatar of the Portrait Immortal and infusing his spirit, it should do the trick.

As I sighed in relief, finding hope in the prospect of Zhuge Sa’s return, Simon Magus continued,

“However, Zhuge Sa’s soul has already been greatly corrupted. Restoring him to a normal state will require a different ritual.”

“What? What kind of ritual?”

“Heheh…”

Simon Magus snickered ominously. Suddenly, he gifted me an unbelievable proposition.

“Demiurge… I’ll fully cooperate in resurrecting Zhuge Sa… but in return, I want to be your subordinate!”

“…!”

“No, wait… not just a subordinate.”

Thud!

There he was, kneeling before me, Simon Magus, in the guise of Fengshen War.

“Being a follower would be fine as long as I can accompany you on your journey as [the Throne]… whatever it takes, Demiurge Baek Woong!”

The moment I heard that, complete disbelief struck me.

‘What the hell is going on…’

The rumored demon king, Simon Magus, whom I had been wary of as a potential adversary, was now asking to become my subordinate right on the cusp of my 31st life!

 

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