1199——————==

Soul of the Evil God

I fell silent. It was too significant what the Heavenly Demon just tossed my way, and I had some thinking to do myself.

“…….”

As I remained quiet, the Heavenly Demon seemed to be in no rush for an answer as he stared at the dark energy spreading from the distant land.

“The Battle Ground is half awakened.”

I couldn’t tell if that was true, but he didn’t seem the type to just blurt out random stuff. The Emperor wasn’t gaining much by squeezing me with such vague words. It was clear that as the Battle Ground awoke, real end times were approaching.

I gazed intently at the Heavenly Demon and asked, “What about Sagong Lin?”

“She is here.”

The Heavenly Demon pointed to his heart area. I stared into his golden eyes, but couldn’t read any emotion, and a shiver ran down my spine when he spoke softly, “She has done remarkable deeds.”

That made me bristle, and I bit my lip, shouting sternly, “I asked about Sagong Lin’s character!”

The Heavenly Demon replied, “She was always a Heavenly Demon; what do you want to differentiate?”

“…….”

What the…?

I felt stunned for a moment, as if my brain had short-circuited. I realized instantly what the Heavenly Demon meant. Yet, I couldn’t believe it, trembling as I said, “Don’t be ridiculous… Sagong Lin is Sagong Lin!”

“Indeed…. Reborn Person. To progress, it’s time I revealed the identity of the Heavenly Demon to you.”

Whoa.

Suddenly, a golden radiance began emanating from the Heavenly Demon. The form of Sagong Lin, drenched in golden light, soon morphed into a bizarre illusionary beast, surrounded by dazzling brilliance.

Bam!

Even through the glow, the vast presence of the Heavenly Demon was unmistakable. And I had seen that beast before.

It was the very form that appeared when Sagong Lin awakened as a Heavenly Demon in Antarctica!

[Reborn Person. As you say, the first Sagong Lin was a pure human. Yet, the moment my bloodline, which I left in the human realm, met with you, everything changed according to the Law of Cause and Effect.]

Then the Heavenly Demon continued with a divine message.

[This is a fragment of my soul, completed through the inheritance of my bloodline…. A mask that overcomes essence…. The strongest Avatar I can create is, indeed, the Heavenly Demon.]

“……!!”

[At that time in Antarctica when Sagong Lin made a deal with me…. She merged with my soul fragment and was reborn as a new being. From that moment, Sagong Lin became a part of Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen.]

“What…?”

Fizz!

As the golden glow faded, the golden beast vanished, and once again, the Heavenly Demon transformed back into Sagong Lin’s appearance, smiling as a human again.

“…So it seems. You could say Sagong Lin has become my mask.”

“…….”

I clenched my fists, trembling with rage.

A mask, you say?

Does this mean that the moment Sagong Lin accepted the Heavenly Demon’s power, she became a mask for the Emperor, not even human anymore?!

Was that the meaning of the Heavenly Demon’s contract?!

The unbelievable reality filled me with ire.

“Sagong Lin!! You’re still alive!!”

The Heavenly Demon stared at me intently, but I didn’t care and shouted again.

“I know because of the Divine Thief!! Even if it’s called a [mask], there’s still free will!! Be freed from the Emperor’s control!!”

A brief silence followed.

Then, the Heavenly Demon laughed.

“Hahaha… Hahahaha!”

“What’s so funny!!”

“Indeed, there is the example of the Divine Thief. As you say, it’s true that a [mask] can possess free will.”

His eyes narrowed.

“However, that is when the main body is sealed and the mask is completely lost, leaving it uncontrollable. Do you really think the owner, I, Gong Sun Xuanwen, who holds a solid contract, can simply let her soul become merely a mask and expect her to return?”

“……. ”

“Think of it as the cost of using my powers conveniently for the Great Bear Empire.”

“Damn it…!! You damn bastard!!”

The two characters ‘despair’ engraved themselves in my mind once more.

It seemed he wanted to leave not a single glimmer of hope for me.

“Well, whatever…. That’s not the point right now.”

Ignoring my outburst, the Heavenly Demon placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Reborn Person. I say again. Let us ascend together. I can defeat the [Coming Chaos] and put an end to the eternal cycle.”

“…Don’t make me laugh.”

“What’s humorous about what I just said?”

I glared at the Heavenly Demon with wide eyes.

“Do you think I’d fight for the one who murdered all my companions and left me like this!! Torture me, seal me for eternity; do whatever you want. I absolutely won’t cooperate with you!!”

“Oh…. A expectedly human reaction. Most would respond that way.”

The Heavenly Demon replied leisurely, as if casually strolling with hands behind his back. Then, out of nowhere, he spoke.

“But you are not just an ordinary human, you are a [Reborn Person]. I calculated that your interests as a Reborn Person would align with mine.”

“What?”

“Imagine, just imagine, if you were to reverse this situation and defeat me right here, gaining victory. And then, you would begin your next reincarnation…. But where is your plan to defeat the [Coming Chaos]?”

“…….”

“How many times do you plan to reincarnate? A hundred? A thousand? Or perhaps…. a million? Does repeating such meaningless fights have any real value?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I have one vital piece of information to share to secure you on my side.”

The Heavenly Demon smiled calmly, meeting my gaze, exuding a confident air as if he had nothing to fear.

“Ascension means gaining the authority to meet [Father] and transcend the [Cycle]. For the average [Old Ruler], it’s a one-time opportunity to become an Outer God.”

“……!!”

“I suspect you and your companions have already come to some conclusion regarding this. What I truly want to tell you is what ascension means for a Reborn Person….”

“…….”

“…….”

Huh?

“…….”

Silence suddenly enveloped us.

The Heavenly Demon continued to stare at me.

It was an awkward silence, so much so that I nearly couldn’t hold back and yelled out.

“You bastard! Why do you stop talking!”

The Heavenly Demon maintained a calm smile.

“Would you like to hear more? Just enough to set aside our grudges.”

“Ugh….”

Damn it… he’s totally messing with me!!

But it was too important for me to ignore!

The Emperor’s eloquence, reading my thoughts and using them against me, was almost admirable, and just as I was calming down, he finally spoke.

“When you achieve ascension, a Reborn Person will have two choices.”

“What?”

“I don’t know the specifics of what those choices are, but one involves acquiring powers as grand as, if not greater than, an Outer God. The other is said to be a path no one would ever choose.”

“……!!”

I startled in surprise.

Is that actually true?

‘I can’t believe it!!’

Unable to ascertain the truth of his words, I glared at him for a moment and then said.

“Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen!! I can’t trust you! If you want to keep talking….”

“Want to?”

“Then put your true name on the line that what you say is true!! Otherwise, I won’t commit to anything you say!”

I could see a fleeting tremor in the Heavenly Demon’s eyes. No matter how much of an Emperor he was, the authority of a [true name] seemed undeniable. Seeing that, I felt a sense of satisfaction.

‘Hmph. No matter how much you act tough, you’re still a liar….’

But just as that thought crossed my mind, the Heavenly Demon opened his mouth, and I could feel my pupils shaking like they were caught in an earthquake.

“I swear. Everything I’ve said about ascension is the truth in the name of Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen! As far as I know!”

A rush of energy surged within me, resonating powerfully. The truth of the vow made in the name of Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen was so strong that it affected even me! This resonance proved there was immense truth behind the Emperor’s words.

…….

Is it true?

Did ascension really have that kind of significance!!

As I stood dumbfounded, the Heavenly Demon leaned in closer and whispered.

“Don’t underestimate me, Reborn Person. I’ve prepared for eons for this very moment….”

“…….”

“Now, has your thinking changed at all?”

“What has changed, exactly….”

The Heavenly Demon smiled broadly and continued.

“When you ascend, you can acquire a power as vast as that of an Outer God in the heavens. And with that power, if you join with me to eradicate the [Coming Chaos], all your woes will be resolved. Isn’t that a natural course of action?”

“What, you’re kidding.”

“The fact that I’m apologetic for harming your companions is genuine. But as I asked you before, how many more times do you plan to reincarnate?”

The Heavenly Demon looked at me with emotionless eyes.

“As often as you are reborn, your companions will die and suffer. Perhaps over the next ten thousand times, or a million times, in an endless cycle of torment. I’ve made sacrifices to prevent that suffering from being inevitable. If you want, I will apologize countless times.”

“…….”

“If, just if, you manage to defeat the [Coming Chaos] in this round and create genuine freedom and peace…. From the next round forward, your companions will no longer suffer. That in itself would serve as atonement, wouldn’t it?”

That sounds plausible.

Really… if I could defeat the [Coming Chaos] and bring about the end of divinities, then my companions wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. I found some merit in what that annoying guy was saying, and my heart raced.

Such a bittersweet temptation.

But I still doubted his words and responded to the Heavenly Demon.

“I saw you summon the [Coming Chaos] as your final move in the Land and Earth Diagram to eliminate the Three Sovereigns. If you could summon it, that means you must’ve made a [contract] with that entity. It’s clear you’re an agent of the [Coming Chaos], so how can you possibly spin such an obvious lie?”

“I don’t know what you consider to be a lie.”

The Heavenly Demon replied nonchalantly.

“Of course, I once had the ability to summon that entity. But that ability was born from my origin, and I consider the [Coming Chaos] to be an enemy.”

“What? Your origin?”

“…….”

The Heavenly Demon seemed hesitant about sharing more. Then he said, “I’ll tell you everything if you promise to join my cause. I can’t disclose the details of my origin so easily.”

“Hmph. That’s a convincing way to engender trust.”

“Now, look.”

Wooooo

The Heavenly Demon lifted his arms; one hand summoned a formless sphere, while the other summoned a pitch-black orb.

“The power of intent concentrated to its limits, and as you can see, this is the power of chaos.”

“What’s your point?”

“To blend together two powers that would traditionally not combine….”

Swoosh!

A moment later, the two spheres merged, releasing a brilliant white light. I felt as though I’d seen that before and rummaged through my memory to come to a realization.

‘Ah! That’s it!’

It seemed like the fusion state shown when I fed the chicken leg to Master Mangnyang?!

This is the state of fusion!

While I was awestruck, the Heavenly Demon continued speaking.

“A force that applies the true principle that governs cosmic destruction…. When two powers annihilate each other, a third property emerges. That’s the essence, and I am the only one among the [Old Rulers] who can wield such power.”

“……!!”

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. The Heavenly Demon Martial Art is merely derived from the essence.”

Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon’s eyes blazed with a golden shine.

[The greater the amount of disappearing chaos, the more it transforms into the void and evolves the essence. The power I wield, amplified to the apex of chaos, will far surpass even the likes of the Master of the White Lotus Sect….]

His words morphed into a divine message.

[[Even the [Coming Chaos] can be slain, right?]]

An immense pressure!

With the overwhelming presence of the Heavenly Demon heightened to hundreds of times greater than before, I felt like I was suffocating. I had faced the physical embodiment of the Three Sovereigns before, but the sense of pressure I felt now was like every cell in my body was being compressed, making it hard to even breathe. The terrifying density of power conveyed a clear fact.

The power Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen wields through the Heavenly Demon far surpasses anything even close to the Three Sovereigns’ level!

“…….”

But…

As I hesitated, the Heavenly Demon continued.

“If you truly lament the sacrifices of your companions, I can resurrect them all after I ascend and seize control of the world.”

“…Is that possible?”

“I killed the ruler of the Underworld in the past. It’s simply a matter of claiming the Underworld as mine. After resurrecting everyone, I promise to provide boundless comfort and happiness to you and your companions for countless eons.”

“…….”

“It’s a mutually beneficial proposal, isn’t it? After all, once I ascend, you will gain formidable power and can do as you please, whether to eliminate gods or not. I will benefit in the process…”

The Heavenly Demon’s golden eyes seemed to soothe my restless heart.

“We can win together…. You and I could become eternal companions. Besides, you no longer have the option of death, so accept my offer.”

Companions….

I felt my heart pound at those words.

Was it really possible to embrace such a terrifying guy like Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen without fighting and just ride out this hardship? And everything could end perfectly, with all my companions resurrected?

To end this so easily.

Throughout this life, it felt like endless misery would continue until everything broke down…. And now, a divine lifeline was being extended simply.

In that moment, I almost spoke.

“…I will accept….”

But.

I hesitated and stopped.

As I paused, the Heavenly Demon seemed dissatisfied and spoke.

“Am I to take it you don’t understand this much? How long will you endlessly repeat reckless reincarnation without a hope of victory?”

“…….”

“I’m not denying your claim to destroy all gods. I merely suggest we cooperate to gain strength as part of that process.”

The Heavenly Demon, seeming eager to reach a conclusion, asserted again.

“Now. Make your decision.”

It certainly seems I ought to accept.

But I hesitated yet again.

“…….”

No, I can’t….

I can’t do it….

“You’re indecisive.”

For the first time, the Heavenly Demon displayed annoyance.

But…

Is my hesitation simply indecisiveness…?

If it really were indecisive, shouldn’t a proposal so sweet be outright rejected?

In that moment, I caught a glimpse of my companions’ voices flashing through my mind.

[The Martial Soul certainly exists, Priest.]

Jin So-cheong.

[If you really want to repay me…. Win. And serve revenge on all those who sought to use you!]

Zhuge Sa.

[Our role has come to an end. Please take care of Hyea….]

Sword Demon.

[Your Majesty…. Until the end… trust in your companions!]

Cheon Woo-jin.

[There are many things I want to say to you, but…. heh heh…. All I can say now is this.]

…And then….

[Baek Woong. Just as I did…. So too shall you live as yourself…. But even so, don’t give up. This power is…. a gift for someone like you.]

Mangnyang.

Tears unexpectedly flowed from my eyes at that moment. No matter how much I tried to hold them back, that violent surge of emotions rocked and tore apart my heart. In this enormous cycle where all my companions had perished, it felt particularly poignant to only sense his words at the end.

Why was that?

Why did Mangnyang… have to do such a thing?

I found myself unable to contain it and shouted at the Heavenly Demon.

“Emperor!! Did you pull Mangnyang into this? Did you purposely grant me the authority of the Wheel King using him!!”

“Hmph.”

At my words, the Heavenly Demon seemed caught off guard. Then he said.

“Is it really important to bring this up now…?”

“Answer me!!”

As I pressed for an answer, the Heavenly Demon casually replied.

“Yes. The Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate was also my arrangement, which allowed Mangnyang to connect with me at the peak of his success.”

“What did you say to Mangnyang!”

“I told him essentially the same thing I’m telling you. All victories were to be mine, and, additionally, I had informed him in advance that I could slay the Divine Skill using the Heavenly Demon Martial Art.”

“……!!”

What?!

In that moment, I quickly grasped how the situation had unfolded.

If Mangnyang knew that truth…. he must have felt a despair no less than what I feel now! Naturally, it was a story that would crush all hope, so he couldn’t possibly tell me about it!

As I stood there, stunned, the Heavenly Demon continued.

“I’ve killed Mangnyang several times through dreams, demonstrating that power over and over. He resisted with the power of the Wheel King after passing through the trials of the Underworld, but ultimately, it was merely the power of a loser. I kept killing him in his mental realm until he would finally submit.”

“…….”

“Eventually, he set a trap to confer you with the powers of the Wheel King so you would struggle against inevitable death, making it hard for you to escape.”

“A trap…?”

“Do you understand? Even Mangnyang, who you relied on, betrayed you. There’s no longer a path left for you.”

The golden-eyed Heavenly Demon emitted a glaring brilliance, oppressing me.

“Accept it. I offer you the status of a partner, and yet you hesitate this much.”

But rather than the pressure from the Heavenly Demon, one thought kept me focused, allowing me to feel neither fear nor intimidation.

‘Mangnyang… did that.’

…….

So that’s what it meant.

Cheon Woo-jin’s final words held such a meaning.

After a moment, I opened my mouth to the Heavenly Demon.

“Emperor.”

“Right. Has your mind been made up? Speak your decision.”

“Before that, loosen my movements a bit. After all, I can’t escape death anyway.”

“Very well.”

After he released his power, freedom returned to my body.

I savored that freedom as I slowly raised my hand.

“Now, watch carefully, great Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen.”

I began to bring my hands together, extending my middle finger.

As the Heavenly Demon’s face stiffened, I smirked.

“I’ll believe in my companions, you bastard.”