982——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Seeing Krishna changing a baby’s diaper left me dumbfounded.

‘What the heck?’

I thought Krishna was performing some magical ritual or offering, but this was definitely unexpected. Plus, Krishna looked like a handsome young man with a kind expression, which was also not what I imagined. As I hesitated, Krishna calmly finished changing the baby’s diaper.

Waaah – Aah –

“That’s right, that’s right. Good boy.”

After changing the diaper, Krishna soothed the baby to stop crying and held him gently. Once the baby quieted down, Krishna laid him on a small bed and turned to the boys and girls gathered nearby.

“Stay in the room for a moment.”

When all the kids went inside, I asked Krishna.

“You are Krishna? How did you know I’m Baek Woong?”

“……”

Krishna looked at me with clear eyes but didn’t answer. His gaze was like a calm mirror reflecting an overwhelming energy, making it feel like, despite my long training, his stare was pulling me in. Even when I faced the Ancient Ruler and withstood the thousand-year-old Heavenly Tiger’s mystical gaze, this feeling of intimidation was different.

‘What is this…’

Pressure? Fighting spirit?

Shock at his strength?

… No.

I didn’t feel this way even when I saw the true forms of the Three Sovereigns.

I could clearly say it was a different feeling.

‘A being on a different level…’

It took me a while to realize this peculiar emotion.

The other person seemed to have undergone an unimaginable level of refinement unknown to any human. This mystical presence I felt radiated a cosmic embrace! Just looking at him filled my insides with a feeling entirely separate from fear or despair.

Moreover, the fact that he could evoke emotions in me that I didn’t even feel when faced with the Eight Parts of the Divine or Great Immortals meant—his soul’s rank transcended them by hundreds of times. I felt like a careless comment could bring trouble upon myself.

As I stood there absentmindedly, Krishna spoke.

“I’m glad you came directly instead of sending Arjuna, just as I suspected. Baek Woong, your fighting spirit is much stronger than I expected. I almost felt like fighting you…”

“What? What are you talking about?”

When I questioned him, Krishna sat at the table pouring water into a cup.

“Do you have a mirror to see yourself?”

“……?”

Swish.

Krishna handed me a cup filled with water.

“Look into it. The fighting spirit you’re radiating is stimulating the other beings around you…”

I was taken aback by his words. As I accepted the cup and peered into the surface, to my astonishment, my mind was suddenly transported elsewhere.

‘Aah!’

Woooooosh!!

“……!!”

In that moment, I found myself on a plain swarming with battle spirits. These battle spirits, resembling ancient demon beasts, had horns and their bodies were clad in bone armor wielding weapons, glaring at me with menacing eyes. Though they didn’t look quite like otherworldly races, they bore a certain resemblance to hell’s jailers.

‘What the hell! Is this a trap?!’

Thud!!!

Hundreds of battle spirits charged at me from all directions. I retaliated with my martial arts while bracing against the onslaught of the spirits. With a loud crash, my Thunder Spirit Seal was unleashed, while I slashed through enemies with my Thunder Sword.

Boom!

“Haha, how do you like that!!”

At first, I was nervous, thinking the skill of the spirits was considerable, but quickly realized I could manage just fine, leading to a burst of laughter. I unleashed my martial prowess madly, smashing and attacking with fervor. It was gratifying to break them apart like bone, and the sight of their flesh splattering was simply too entertaining.

Boom!

Did I just defeat over a hundred battle spirits? I thought I had dealt with them effectively, but still, from beyond the plain, unceasing waves of spirits continued to stream in. My internal power hadn’t dropped significantly, but it was becoming clear that there were at least a thousand of them, and I swallowed hard.

‘Why are there so many…?’

But they’re not strong enough to kill me!!

“Yaaaaah!!”

I kept swinging my sword with wild abandon. Amidst the whirling bone and raging lightning, my eyes gleamed with bloodlust. After everything I’ve faced, am I really going to let sheer numbers intimidate me into despair!?

‘My internal power is nearly limitless! If I conserve it, I can fight infinitely!’

Just a little distribution of my stamina and internal power means a thousand isn’t a worry!

You’ve got it coming, Krishna, when I finish with these lackeys!

……

……

But after a moment, I sensed something was off.

Swish.

“Ugh!”

Even though I sliced through one battle spirit with my Thunder Sword, my concentration seemed to wane over time, and I was hit hard from behind.

‘Uh… why are there so many…’

I had already taken down over a thousand battle spirits. Yet, masses of spirits continued to flood the plain, attacking me relentlessly. I was beginning to feel exhausted from the battle and decided I needed to use the Overlay Technique to escape.

‘Not working?!’

The technique didn’t activate.

‘Hmm… Is this space itself a trap set by Krishna?’

I’d been in situations like this before. If this place was indeed subspace and a trap, I thought surely I could unleash my Spirit Power to break free, so I gathered my Spirit Power and unleashed it outward. Without Black Woong, I couldn’t control it precisely, but simply releasing my energy like a wave should work.

Whoosh!

As my Spirit Power surged outward, the battle spirits hesitated for just a moment, but there was no sign the space was about to shatter. As they rushed at me again, feeling drained, I shifted into an airborne stance to escape, but now battle spirits took to the sky chasing after me!

“……”

Soon, I felt utterly surrounded by battle spirits. I instinctively realized I was in deep trouble. We were well over ten thousand now.

‘Damn it…’

Should I use the power of the Sovereign of the Three Sovereigns?! But doing so would just ruin everything… Maybe I should just commit suicide instead?

As I grappled with these thoughts…

[Can they also summon the Law of Cause and Effect of the Three Sovereigns…? What an impressive potential…]

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the scenery around me changed dramatically, and I found myself back in reality. I held the water cup just as before, and could see that the wound from where I’d been slashed was gone, as well as the sweat that had soaked me from defeating the battle spirits.

Having experienced a similar situation with Cheon Woo-jin, I glared at Krishna.

“Is this an illusion meant to deceive the world? But I won’t fall for something so trivial!”

“…an illusion.”

Krishna sighed and replied.

“The apparitions you just fought were your own fighting spirit. There’s no need to deceive the world. I possess the power to make everyone reflect upon themselves.”

“Damn it, stop rambling and make it clear! I don’t know what business you have interfering in mine, but you’ll regret touching me!”

I spoke in a sharply edged tone, to which Krishna merely smiled ruefully. Then he said,

“Hmm… Baek Woong. I hold no particular grievance or animosity towards you. It’s merely that the center of the heavenly mysteries I read pointed to the Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, and I chose Jin So-cheong as an enemy against that fate.”

I gritted my teeth, my expression cold.

“Krishna. Why do you meddle in affairs that are none of your business? I have never harmed this world. You all just insist on making me an enemy.”

“When I later realized, you had subdued the White Lotus Sect and the Imperial Palace to pacify the Central Plains… I believed you were undoubtedly the dreadful star casting nightmares, ready to dye the world red. Usually, millions of lives would perish under the Demon Path, shaking the world’s destiny, and I couldn’t just stand by.”

Krishna looked at me with calm eyes and continued.

“However, what I read of fate… upon reevaluation, turned out to be the fate of the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Dokgo Uncheon.”

“What?”

“I misread it. The destructive aura he harbored was so strong I couldn’t perceive the other being he led. Yes, that is you. Once a star’s fate is chained, the heavenly mysteries become distorted.”

“……”

“Realizing this, I halted teaching Jin So-cheong and departed. I thought that further interference would cause even greater distortions. But it seems the training I imparted to Jin So-cheong and the martial artists of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School has caused trouble for you.”

So that was it.

Had Krishna simply taught Jin So-cheong for a few years, he would undoubtedly have reached the Absolute Realm, and with his pace, he could have vastly outstripped me. Yet, Krishna taught him for barely three months before disappearing, which now finally made sense to me.

“Damn it!! Why do you meddle in fate or whatever?! What are you anyway?!”

I shouted angrily, my voice nearing a breaking point.

“Aren’t you the one who can’t stop the impending doom coming to this world… The Old Ruler couldn’t prevent the world’s destruction!! You sit back and let the Old Rulers rampage while you just mumble about my conquering the Central Plains ruining everything?!”

I was sincerely trying to complete the Four Great Spirit Deities and achieve True Martial Home, and here he was just making grand statements and butting into my business, which was frustrating.

“……”

“That’s enough, meddler. Whatever you are no longer matters; just leave my business alone! Go back to Tianzhu! Don’t ever interfere with me again!”

Next time, I should find a temple in Tianzhu or whatever and warn them before this Krishna shows up unpredictable!

When I raised my voice, Krishna remained silent for a moment.

Then, he smiled brightly.

“Are you not curious why I came here?”

“Quit stalling and just say it.”

“I came here so you would come.”

“Oh… so you laid a trap, did you?”

I’m done for!

I’ll teach him a lesson at the cost of my past life!

As I ground my teeth, Krishna shook his head.

“That’s not it.”

“What then?”

“I want you to save the Arasa Empire. And drive away the Eight Parts of the Divine from this land. That’s what I ask.”

“… You brought me here for that?”

“Exactly.”

I wore a blank expression before bursting into laughter.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I have no reason to dance to your tune. I have no wish to battle the Eight Parts of the Divine with my life on the line, and I won’t expose my full power to those creatures! If it’s such an important matter, why doesn’t the great Krishna handle it personally instead?”

Even I wasn’t so foolish as to have died over 28 times already. If I fell for this sort of trick, I’d be lesser than a bug.

“If possible, I would. But…”

Krishna said, his expression suddenly sorrowful.

“I made a contract with Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, and I can never intervene in matters that hinder his plans. That’s my limitation.”

“……?!”

While I was about to ignore Krishna and leave, I froze at those words.

‘What? Gong Sun Xuanwen?’

Why did that name come out of his mouth?

Thinking this was something I couldn’t overlook, I halted my intention to use the Overlay Technique and said,

“… Tell me more. What contract?”

“You probably suspect it, but I’m not the original being, I’m an avatar. The contract was made between my true self and Gong Sun Xuanwen, and even I am bound to that contract.”

This guy is a divine avatar?

I actually didn’t know much, but successfully hid it while asking.

“What’s your true self?”

“He’s been around for a very long time… since the creation of the universe… and is a member of the Divine Seat responsible for Creation.”

Krishna continued murmuring as if lost in thought.

“My true self wished to protect this land with the elemental deities, but it became impossible in the absence of the axis of order, my parent. No matter how powerful a being might be, I can’t face the numerous Old Rulers converging from across the universe to hear the Message… So while seeking solutions, Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen stretched out his hand… ”

“Gong Sun Xuanwen?”

“He proposed that if I contracted with him to assist, he would stabilize the system of the Three Sovereigns, delay the onset of doom, and open up paths for mortals to survive.”

“…….”

“We… followed that proposal. And although we created a realm for the living while forcibly balancing the world, we became unable to interfere with any deeds that might disturb Gong Sun Xuanwen. We obtained peace instead of a divine war, but ultimately, we had no choice but to let the Emperor dominate this world…”

I didn’t quite grasp the implications at first. Nevertheless, I understood enough to respond to Krishna.

“Obstructing the Eight Parts of the Divine would be hindering the Emperor’s plans, so you can’t step in?”

“That’s correct.”

“Why is that? What exactly are the Eight Parts of the Divine?”

“They are the subordinates of Chi You… and Chi You was appointed directly as the Four Sovereigns by the Emperor, so all of the Eight Parts of the Divine’s actions are indirectly connected to the Emperor’s plans. Therefore, we cannot interfere with the Eight Parts of the Divine.”

“……”

“If we consumed the Law of Cause and Effect, it could be possible, but that would be tantamount to committing suicide…”

“Chi You has gone missing. At this point, it’s entirely possible he has perished, is it not?”

“That matters not. Whether Chi You is dead or alive…”

“Hmm…”

I pondered this matter deeply.

‘If what he’s saying is true, then all beings under Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s influence cannot touch the Eight Parts of the Divine.’

It made sense that even a demon king level being could freely move in this world without issues, considering this background was hidden.

My curiosity got the best of me, and I asked,

“What exactly is the Emperor’s plan?”

Krishna replied,

“I cannot disclose that to you. Revealing it would also equate to hindering the Emperor’s plans. But…”

“But?”

“If you agree to help me reclaim the Arasa Empire and defeat the Heavenly Beings, I can leave you a clue regarding that. That would not violate the contract.”

“… Give me some time to think. Let me step out for a moment.”

“Take as much time as you need.”

Phaat!

I felt I shouldn’t explain such a critical matter in a casual manner. So, I returned to the imperial palace and quickly gathered my strategists and the Master of the White Lotus Sect before sharing the memories through the Obsidian. As my companions shared in the recollection, I asked,

“What should we do?”

The first to speak was Zhuge Yulong.

“Logically, this should be an offer we can’t accept. Defeating a single Heavenly Being will not be the end. Even if we do defeat him, most of the Eight Parts of the Divine, apart from Asura, have collective consciousness and will unite to oppose us. Engaging in an all-out war with the Eight Parts of the Divine, without properly building up our strength from the beginning of our past lives, would be the height of foolishness. Even if we managed to take down one or two of them, the battlefield would expand rapidly, leading to immediate strengthening of the enemy. Our chances of annihilation would surge soon after.”

“Hmm… that’s true.”

Zhuge Yulong’s points were remarkably precise, and as I nodded along, he continued.

“However, Krishna’s suggestion cannot simply be dismissed… Discovering the Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s plan and related hints is also a matter of life and death.”

“Hmm.”

While I was deep in thought, Zhuge Sa chimed in.

“I believe we should accept Krishna’s suggestion.”

“Can’t we just ignore it, revive in our next life, and seek out Krishna myself then?”

“That won’t do. The current situation makes it significant that Krishna approached you with a proposal first. If you go seeking him, he might instead remain aloof or not assign you any tasks.”

“Is it? ”

“Exactly. It’s better to handle it all at once when you have the chance rather than unintentionally increase the count of your deaths. If it’s such a critical hint, it could entirely alter our strategy.”

“Mm.”

“What we truly need to deliberate on is not whether to accept the proposal, but rather to find ways to avoid expanding the warfare as much as possible.”

“But how can we do that with the Eight Parts of the Divine swarming us?”

“By trading.”

“Trading?”

Zhuge Sa nodded.

“Baek Woong, from now on, you must engage in negotiations as the Emperor of the Central Plains to get the Heavenly Beings to withdraw peacefully from the capital of Arasa. If fighting is impossible, it would currently be the best course of action.”

“`

 

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