1289——————==

Soul of the Evil God

That day, I sent Asura and Mangnyang down. I had some more thinking to do about the Intent Heavenly Pillar, and I instructed Mangnyang to introduce Asura to the villagers. Of course, to avoid conflict, I didn’t plan to reveal Asura’s true identity but would rather describe him as a newly recruited wandering expert. I elaborated to Asura.

“You know this, but Soeul Village is practically my life’s goal. So…”

“I know. Even if others provoke me, I’ll try my best to hold back.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’ll be tough since those Thunder God guys are aggressive, but I can see this as training for myself.”

Asura responded with a chuckle.

“Call me again when you’ve sorted your thoughts.”

“Thanks.”

It might be good to discuss everything with Asura right away, but as he said, I can’t always rely on others, and I needed time to sort my own thoughts.

I sat cross-legged in the cave, deep in contemplation.

‘Why is the Intent Heavenly Pillar a pillar, anyway?’

I’d never thought it was strange, but when I did, it became apparent.

If the Intent Heavenly Pillar is the symbol of the Absolute Realm and the source of tremendous power, then the existence of a pillar of light connecting heaven, earth, and humans is not strange at all. After all, when you think about it simply, it seems plausible and grand. I’d always figured that if it’s cool, then there’s no need to nitpick.

However, the deeper I delved, the more peculiar it became. Why must the manifestation of intent, which feels closer to the heart and hardly engages in focused work, be a ‘pillar’? A pillar supports both above and below simultaneously; so what exactly is it supporting?

Oh.

I consciously activated the Intention Heavenly Pillar and focused my consciousness. During the manifestation of the pillar, I was able to view myself almost in the third person. And there it was, a magnificent white pillar extending from the crown of my head toward some void in the distance.

This could intensify during battle or with a stronger manifestation of intent, enveloping my entire body with a thick heavenly pillar.

I tried to raise my consciousness higher, aiming to see the tip of the intention pillar. However, after a moment, I became aware of my confusion.

‘Ah…?!’

My vision is being absorbed.

The moment I concentrated on seeing the top of the intention pillar, I felt my consciousness being sucked straight into a blinding whiteness. I could no longer see myself as a third person; it was as if I was standing in the middle of the intention pillar, there was nothing but light. I grasped what it meant that pure light can be like pure darkness.

I tried to pull away from that vision, but a moment later, dizziness overwhelmed me, and I felt my consciousness slipping back into my physical body.

Stumble.

“……”

What was that just now?

I couldn’t resist at all against the swallowing vision. No, it felt less like vision and more like my very mind was being sucked in….

I made another attempt and felt the same result multiple times. The dizziness gradually worsened, and I realized I couldn’t manifest my intent for a while amidst that nausea.

‘I’ve never had an interest in the Intention Heavenly Pillar itself, so I had no clue that there might be restrictions on seeing the tip!’

I marveled that I figured this out after thirty lifetimes, but it made sense. The intention pillar just needed to function; who would care to see its tip? Besides, I’d been busy just trying to get stronger that I had no mental space to ponder such useless thoughts, and my mentors, burdened by my dull talent, likely had no reason to enlighten me.

I was filled with great curiosity.

‘Why is my vision being sucked in?’

It felt like my vision being swallowed coincided with my mind entering the masterpiece of my intention pillar. Up to that point, that was understandable; however, why was I being drawn into the intention pillar without reason?

I meditated all that day, pondering. The next day, I asked Miho to have Asura come back up. It seemed Asura had kept his word and hadn’t fought any of the Thunder God experts, and he quietly listened to my story.

Asura said,

“Ah, it’s something I’ve done a few times myself. No, I’ve probably done it thousands of times over the decades but gave up after failing.”

“I knew it. Did you gain something from it?”

“Not at all…. Once you get sucked in, there’s no way to escape purely through willpower or mental strength. It genuinely feels like the Intention Heavenly Pillar becomes a prison. I even tried to see if I could cultivate my intent inside, but it didn’t work.”

“Hmm.”

“It seems you’re thinking of digging into the true nature of the Intention Heavenly Pillar? Let me tell you; I spent decades with no answers on that front; it won’t be easy.”

“……”

Asura’s words made me hesitate. Could I really achieve what Asura, a martial artist who lived since ancient times, couldn’t even unravel after all his years? Training a different technique in those decades could be more efficient. If I end up putting effort into something fruitless, it’d be incredibly disappointing.

Yet I resolutely declared,

“I’ll do it. This is a clue given to me by the Master of Zen in my future…. Even if it takes not decades but hundreds of years, I will unveil the true nature of the Heavenly Pillar.”

“Hmm. Well, as a reborn person, you do have an abundance of time. Good luck.”

“I’ll do it even without you saying so.”

“I think raising Soeul Village will be beneficial in that sense.”

“Huh?”

“It means if you have several Absolute Realm experts, there might be some clues that pop up together with your research….”

Asura casually continued, then opened up.

“Oh, and by the way, Mangnyang had a message for you.”

“What is it?”

“A letter meant for the Soeul Village Chief arrived yesterday at the nearby post office. It seems the letter hasn’t been opened yet; he asked you to come down and read it.”

“…I’m going right now.”

I went down and received the letter from Mangnyang. After tearing it open, I carefully read through the contents and stole a glance at Asura.

“Asura. Can you help me out here?”

“It doesn’t seem like a realization consultation. What’s in the letter?”

“It’s about the human slave market of the otherworldly race. They’ll be opening soon, and the letter was sent to inform me.”

The letter indicated it would be held in Henan three days later, detailing the time and location, along with instructions on how to open the doorway to the Blood Realm. Included was a little object shaped like a horn that would serve as the ‘key’ for the ‘door’.

‘They probably think it’ll function as a medium to open the dimensional door….’

Now that I’ve grown accustomed to magic, I could vaguely guess the principle behind it.

“Oh, is that what it is?”

Asura crossed his arms, chuckling.

“Are you planning to smash the slave market?”

“Of course. I was wondering when this would happen, and it’s come at just the right time.”

“Hehe…. You’re not worried that destroying the slave market might cause a ripple effect that stirs up the powers at play in various places?”

“I thought about it, but I can’t avoid doing it just because I’m worried.”

Asura’s next words caught me off guard for a moment.

“Strange. You haven’t done anything until now; why choose to challenge it this time? It’s not like you absolutely must.”

I subtly glanced at Mangnyang. Then I spoke.

“Well, it’s not solely out of conscience, I admit. It’s true that there were many more pressing matters before. But…”

I clenched my fist and continued.

“When I previously destroyed the slave market under the order of the Master of the White Lotus Sect, I had to hand over all the trophies to the sect, so I had no way to know what was there. However, if we liberate the slave market this time, I’ll be bringing all the items and slaves back to Soeul Village.”

Understanding struck Asura’s face.

“I see. So, you want to hold onto both loyalty and profit? Feels like you’re also keen on wrapping up an unfinished task from before.”

“Exactly.”

“Hehe…. If you’re doing it, I’m coming along. If there’s a place to fight, that’s more than welcome.”

Asura grinned, showing his teeth, and spoke to Mangnyang nearby.

“Hey, Mangnyang the strategist! I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“You probably have a good guess about what we’re planning to do now.”

“Well…. If I’m listening from the side, I can’t help but know…. Are you asking for my opinion on the slave market attack?”

“Don’t tell me. As long as you’re here, you have no choice but to get involved. You probably considered everything and accepted Baek Woong’s suggestion, right? What I’m asking about is something else.”

“……?”

“While there’s a possibility it won’t happen, it’s highly likely that the other main organizers of the slave market, the Wind Spirit Sect guys, will be there. What should we do if the head of the Wind Spirit Sect shows up? Should we kill him or capture him?”

“Hmm….”

“I thought it’d be better to decide in advance since Baek Woong tends to be indecisive; I don’t want to engage in a debate about how to kill or spare over there.”

“That makes sense.”

Mangnyang seemed to find my question quite reasonable, and his expression turned serious. Then he began to speak.

“Let’s not kill him; rather, let’s capture him.”

“And why’s that?”

Mangnyang responded as if it was a given.

“The mere act of asking that question gives you the reason. If you’re debating whether to kill or not, it indicates both of you are well beyond his power, doesn’t it? If we can capture him, we might even make him a hostage to negotiate a Non-aggression Pact with the White Lotus Sect.”

“Oh. A Non-aggression Pact… that might indeed be tough.”

“Why do you think so?”

Asura just smirked without responding, and I couldn’t endure the awkward silence, so I spoke to Mangnyang.

“Mangnyang, the Master of the White Lotus Sect doesn’t think of the head of the Wind Spirit Sect, Yong Bi Cheon, as an important figure.”

“Um? According to the info I gathered through the Eight Demons of the Demon Path, he’s rumored to be an incredible expert and a Dharma Guardian with boundless internal power. Are you saying he’s not significant?”

I was dumbfounded and began sharing what I knew from my past lives.

“Uh… you see… he’s someone on par with Yong Bi Cheon or even higher…. In fact, the owner of the Heavenly Spirit Pill has at least five members in the Su Shin Sect, and they could potentially create more if necessary….”

“…….”

“Honestly, even without the Master stepping in, they could probably take down someone like Yong Bi Cheon with their subordinates….”

It seemed Mangnyang couldn’t hide his astonishment.

“W-What kind of monstrous martial arts organization is that? Is the White Lotus Sect really that capable?”

“Uh… well, it’s not like all those subordinates are everything the White Lotus Sect has.”

“…….”

Mangnyang had a face momentarily aghast; seeing that, I couldn’t bring myself to share more.

‘If the Master of the White Lotus Sect makes a move, he can kill Yong Bi Cheon within three seconds…. If he puts his mind to it, he could take out ten Yong Bi Cheons all by himself….’

But whether I knew that or not didn’t matter at that moment. I didn’t want to tease Mangnyang with this, so I changed the topic.

“Whatever the case, it’s true. Threatening Yong Bi Cheon would likely make him say, ‘Go ahead and kill me if you want’ without a care in the world.”

“Hmm. Indeed….”

Mangnyang seemed distressed, pressing his fan against the side of his head.

“…Even if we capture him, finding out if the Wind Spirit guys are trifling existences in the White Lotus Sect, there could be something valuable only Yong Bi Cheon knows…”

“Something valuable?”

“It’s just a hunch. In any case, if we subjugate the slave market, you’ll take some of the Soeul villagers with you, right?”

“Of course. There’s no better opportunity than this to gain real combat experience.”

“In that case, please bring me the names of the people you want to take.”

After a moment, I stepped back and gathered the experts from Soeul Village. I then announced,

“We’re headed to crush the evil Wind Spirit Sect and the slave market created by the otherworldly race! This is our Soeul Village’s action for a great cause, so everyone, lend your support!”

At that, Dokgo Seong looked bewildered.

“What are you talking about so suddenly? A great cause? Slave market?”

“That is….”

I informed them of everything regarding the slave market. After I finished telling my story, people buzzed with excitement, and I slowly spoke.

“I plan to accept some of those who became slaves in the market as residents of Soeul Village.”

“That’s entirely up to you as the village chief…. But those are bizarre creatures that often use magic as otherworldly beings. Won’t it be dangerous to fight against them?”

“I’ll deal with the dangerous ones. There’s no better opportunity to gain real combat experience.”

“Well, if that’s the case…. ”

“Now, everyone, get into the Wooden Armor. I’ll let you out when we reach our destination….”

Just then, as I was about to put the entire subjugation squad into the Wooden Armor, the alchemist Saint Germain suddenly interrupted me.

“Wait a moment!”

“What’s the matter?”

“From what I’ve just heard, it seems you’re considering putting a large number of items and humans from the slave market into the Wooden Armor, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“…….”

Saint Germain, who seemed deep in thought, opened his mouth.

“I’ve been getting a guess about the nature of the Wooden Armor for some time now. And I’ve also begun to vaguely understand its limited conditions…. I’m not entirely sure, but….”

“……?”

“Baek Woong, listen carefully.”

Saint Germain spoke with a serious face.

“Absolutely, do not fill the Wooden Armor to the brim.”

I was dumbfounded.

“Huh? What do you mean? Isn’t that the limitation?”

“I’m guess here; it’s still just a hunch. Since interpreting the sorcery techniques requires a long way to go…”

“Eh….”

“So I was going to tell you when I got more clarity, but it seems I can’t. For now, it seems dangerous to fill it completely….”

“How dangerous?”

Saint Germain hesitated before responding.

“I don’t know. It could be risky.”

“Hmm.”

Now I’m feeling uneasy.

‘Filling it up completely…. I feel like I might have been close to that state before.’

Was that really the condition? It kind of feels like it wasn’t.

Although I’ve never filled it completely, I had enough every time, so I couldn’t be sure if that was really a ‘condition.’

‘…Not to fill the Wooden Armor to the brim; considering the scale of items and hundreds of workers it took several days to transport from the slave market, I can’t be too certain here.’

For now, it might be best to listen to Saint Germain.

I pondered for a while, then said,

“I’ll do my best to avoid that.”

Whip!

After placing the subjugation squad into the Wooden Armor, I began to move using the Light Body Technique together with Asura toward the location mentioned in the letter. I could have just flown, but since the Demon King’s power was sealed, Asura had limits on his internal power, so I decided to match my pace with his by jumping on the ground.

Asura, who was leaping beside me, said,

“I think it’s a trap. Both the otherworldly race and the Wind Spirit Sect will be waiting for us at our destination.”

“Uh? Right after we left, it feels like….”

I frowned, and Asura savored the situation with a mischievous laugh.

“Ha ha.”

“If it’s a trap, we shouldn’t go.”

Asura grinned.

“You say that while sprinting along just fine.”

“…….”

…Hmm, I’ve been caught.

Even though I shut my mouth, Asura kept talking.

“Hey, Baek Woong. Do you know the reason you keep going despite sensing a trap?”

“What is it?”

“It’s because you have this mentality that you’ll smash through whatever trap comes your way.”

“So?”

“You’re starting to shed that rookie skin.”

At Asura’s continued remarks, I began to feel a tangle in my heart.

“You’re beginning to get accustomed to the watchful eye of the Absolute Being.”