전생검신 Volume 82 Chapter 3

It was the moment we all took a step towards the Realm of the Sun.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the massive sun that was shining in the Realm of the Sun transformed into a vast cosmos, and the sun became just a shining dot far away, just like the barrier Cheon Woo-jin had formed moments earlier. I glanced to confirm that my companions were indeed with me, and thankfully, Asura and Cheon Woo-jin were unharmed.

“Does this also mean there’s a [barrier] now?”

“No. You’ve gotten the entry permit for the Realm of the Sun, so you’ve stepped in, but that doesn’t mean you can reach that sun, the core of the Realm of the Sun right away. Fuxi may have granted you the entry, but he never said you could directly access the inner sanctum.”

“….”

“Even though you’ve entered the outskirts, it just means you’ve come inside.”

Understanding Cheon Woo-jin’s words, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Seems Fuxi isn’t one to just give everything away in one go. Maybe the Divine Seat is important to him as well?”

“Could be.”

With that, Cheon Woo-jin stared at the sun in the distance and continued.

“The power of that sun is Fuxi’s other ability. In other words, it has the same might as the power of the Three Sovereigns Fuxi that exists in reality.”

“……!!”

“If the power of the Three Sovereigns falls into someone else’s hands, it’s only natural for the balance of the universe to collapse. So it makes sense that Fuxi protects it.”

I recalled what Daji had once said about the Realm of the Sun.

[If you acquire the powers of both the Realm of the Sun and the Realm of the Moon, you can directly leap to where the Dharma Techniques exist.]

[The Realm of the Moon and the Realm of the Sun are dimensions where Nüwa and Fuxi sealed some of their powers when they descended from the Divine Seat billions of years ago. This Maiden seeks their primordial power, the authority of Yin-Yang, which is even older than that.]

[Of course, the authority of Yin-Yang has nothing to do with the Dharma Techniques. Since the location of the Dharma Techniques I know is incredibly bothersome, it means that to withstand that place, I must endure with the authority of Yin-Yang. Moreover, geographically, the Realm of the Moon and the Realm of the Sun are very close to that location.]

Though it was a memory from quite some time ago, my good memory quickly pulled it to the forefront. I organized my thoughts while reminiscing about the story and finally said softly.

“To reach the Dharma Technique of the Non-Birth Mother near the Realm of the Sun and the Realm of the Moon, I need to obtain this authority of Yin-Yang. The kind of armor necessary to withstand the location of the Dharma Technique is likely the authority of Yin-Yang itself… but Daji didn’t explain specifically what that authority entails.”

“I know, even without an explanation. The Divine Thief has informed us of your records.”

Cheon Woo-jin responded with that retort.

“You’re correct; what we originally need to obtain in this Realm of the Sun is indeed the authority of Yin-Yang. However, this time we won’t be recklessly pursuing that authority.”

“What?”

“The important thing right now is breaking out of this layered framework and returning to our original world. It’s pointless to waste energy searching for something we aren’t even sure about.”

“…….”

“However, even if we’re not searching for the authority of Yin-Yang, there’s something we can find without risk.”

Whoosh!

A mass of pitch-black threads emerged swirling atop Cheon Woo-jin’s hand. As the thread eventually coalesced into a round black sphere, I couldn’t help but gasp as I gazed at it.

“Could it be…?”

“Do you know what this is?”

I nodded and said.

“The Anchor of Wuwei. The technique you used before.”

“Well done. To be precise, it’s not just a technique; it’s the blessing my Master granted me. I’m the only one in the entire universe who can use it.”

The power of the Anchor of Wuwei was tremendous. It could smoothly fend off the powers of the [Old Ruler], and its defensive capabilities were more robust than any technique I knew. Even the Anchor of Wuwei used by Jin So-cheong could easily block an all-out attack from the bolstered Chi You; it could be considered the strongest defense in the universe.

I looked at the Anchor of Wuwei with curiosity and asked.

“Can that help us find anything?”

“Of course. It can nullify all powers of Chaos, so it’s widely used as a standard defensive technique, but the essence of this blessing is the fixed point of Chaos. If we leverage the phenomenon of opposing forces arising at the extreme of Chaos…”

Swoosh!

As black threads began to escape from the Anchor of Wuwei, it looked as if they flowed out of a black fur ball. These released threads stretched infinitely in one direction, and after a considerable time, a sudden cracking sound echoed as something broke far out in the skies.

Crrrrreeeak!!

A massive fissure of darkness!! A gaping hole of pure blackness emerged, large enough to cover one side of the universe. As Cheon Woo-jin observed this expansive crevice, he pulled back his technique and dispelled the Anchor of Wuwei.

“It can surely locate hidden dimensions or secret locations.”

“……!!”

Asura and I simultaneously turned our gazes towards the dark rift in the distance. I stared intently at the breach, and in a trembling voice, I asked.

“Then… that means… is that the location of the Non-Birth Mother’s Dharma Technique?”

Cheon Woo-jin nodded in response to my question.

“If Daji’s words are true, then yes.”

“Is that so?”

“Daji said the location of the Non-Birth Mother’s Dharma Technique is very close to the Realm of the Sun and the Realm of the Moon. However, the Divine Seat isn’t a physical location in this universe, so the concept of distance is meaningless. You already know this place doesn’t fundamentally have time or space.”

“What you mean is…”

Cheon Woo-jin stared at the rift of darkness and explained.

“The Non-Birth Mother’s Dharma Techniques are attached to the interface between the Realm of the Sun and the Realm of the Moon. For the term ‘close’ to be applicable in the non-physical Divine Seat, it must work that way. Therefore, that rift undoubtedly contains the Dharma Technique of the Non-Birth Mother.”

“……!!”

Oh, I see!!

Astonished by Cheon Woo-jin’s logical explanation, I suddenly felt utterly deflated and said.

“Well, damn… How the hell am I supposed to find it if the Dharma Technique is right on the boundary between two conflicting Divine Seats? It’s practically impossible to track that down using common sense!”

“When the Dharma Techniques were scattered, all the rulers of the universe feared their existence and tried to hide it, that’s just how it is. In any case, what’s important right now isn’t that.”

Cheon Woo-jin continued.

“We’ve created the exit, but we can’t challenge it from here. If Daji’s words are to be believed, then that boundary has a high probability of being a trap intentionally set, and entering that trap with our bare bodies is an act of suicide.”

Understanding what Cheon Woo-jin said, I nodded.

“So, what you’re saying is that to enter there, we need to acquire the powers of both the Realm of the Sun and the Realm of the Moon to obtain the authority of Yin-Yang!”

“That’s right.”

Cheon Woo-jin sighed and continued.

“… For now, we only needed to locate the Dharma Technique. We can attempt the challenge to the Non-Birth Mother’s technique later.”

“Ugh, it’s kinda… hard to just pass by a place where I know there’s a Dharma technique…”

“You don’t have any way to access the Realm of the Moon, do you, you idiot? Just go ask Nüwa for it.”

After a curt rebuke from Cheon Woo-jin, I smacked my lips in frustration as Asura, who was next to me, suddenly fixed his gaze upon the distant sun.

“Baek Woong. It won’t be easy from here on out.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been sensing killing intent (殺氣) from that sun since earlier. Something is going to attack soon.”

“……!!”

Hearing that made us both immediately fall into a combat posture. I sharpened all my senses and stared intently at the sun in the distance, but I couldn’t sense anything and was left bewildered as I said.

“Asura! Are you really sensing killing intent? I’m not sensing anything!”

Asura calmly replied.

“You haven’t embedded your self into your Eight Consciousness yet. It’s less killing intent and more like an instinctive ‘suspicion.’ Something is undoubtedly directed with hostility towards us, and that source lies with that sun.”

“…….”

What on earth has Asura achieved? To be able to perceive a level of killing intent that I can’t even feel at this moment?

‘No, more importantly, isn’t that thing further away than the orbit of the solar system… How can I even sense killing intent from that distance?’

While I was mostly in shock, Cheon Woo-jin suddenly flinched.

“Uh-oh, could it be…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Let’s run. This isn’t good.”

A hint of paleness washed over Cheon Woo-jin’s face. He quickly began to weave a [barrier] with his hands, and a command slipped from his mouth.

“I, borrowing the power of Master Mangnyang, will confine the phenomena in my dreams!”

Kaboom!

Simultaneously, a massive wave of black flames surged towards us like a wall of waves, encircling us before we had any chance to move, leaving us feeling as though we were trapped in a heat-filled abyss. With the scale of an astronomical attack, it was overwhelmingly terrifying, comparable to an attack vastly exceeding the size of Earth in reality.

Grrooooow!

The formless barrier Cheon Woo-jin created sent the black flames elsewhere, and thankfully the three of us remained unscathed. Yet, as I beheld the tidal wave of black flames filling the universe, I was left utterly speechless. If someone possessed this level of power, they had to be equivalent to the Three Sovereigns or even more.

“Damn it! Was that sun the one attacking?”

“…Look closely, Baek Woong. At the being in the center of that sun.”

“Hmm…”

At Cheon Woo-jin’s words, I amplified my internal power with divine energy and stared at the sun. As I looked closely, I was able to see what appeared to be something, a presence hovering near the sun like a sunspot. I magnified that presence for further observation and finally recognized its form.

Grrrrrr…

Its size was beyond comprehension. The distance between us was astronomical, making it impossible to gauge. Despite the distance though, I could see its muscles writhing and shadowy scales rippling as if they were alive. Additionally, glowing with rage, its frightening red eyes shone, and horns sprouted from its head. It even possessed enormous wings on its shoulders.

The moment I laid eyes on that figure, I gasped.

“…Fuxi?!”

There was no doubt that was Fuxi’s true form!!

I shouted in shock.

“Is… is Fuxi coming to kill us out of rage for invading his Divine Seat?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Think more rationally. There’s no way he would grant us entry and then act so petty. Besides, his color is completely different.”

“Now that you mention it…”

Asura, who stood beside me, calmly added.

“‘That being’ resembles Fuxi, but it’s another manifestation and authority of Fuxi that he sealed in the Divine Seat under the edict of the Void Record at the beginning. Defeating ‘that’ is likely necessary to obtain the authority of Yin-Yang.”

“Wait a second. So that dark dragon’s power is…”

“As you suspect.”

The continuation of Asura’s words made me feel my head spin.

“It’s like Fuxi.”

“……!!”

Damn it! The earlier remark turned out to be true!!

We have to defeat a monster on par with Fuxi? That’s basically saying the three of us here have to take down Fuxi right now!

Just then, amidst the tumultuous waves of black flames, I noticed chaotic monsters spilling out from the cosmic shadows.

Kyaaaak!

Kraaak!!

They appeared as formless demon beasts, and their numbers easily exceeded the billions. They charged towards us, seemingly unaffected by the waves of black flames, not burning at all.

‘Are these the monsters Cheon Woo-jin mentioned, the ultimate nightmare of the cosmos? Where…’

Bam!

I decided to test the monstrous horde by launching my sword strength at them, but they absorbed the attack completely, sustaining no injuries whatsoever. Following that, I unleashed my sword technique filled with internal power, but even that barely produced a sound as it bounced off without any significant effect.

“…….”

Each of those monsters is incredibly powerful!

If this were the earth, they would far exceed the entry level in Aokigahara Life Sea!!

Just then, Asura swung his blade down swiftly.

Swoosh!!

A single strike of the Dark Night Slash swept away the hordes of demon beasts, as if a part of the universe had been cleanly sliced away. Presenting a fearsome divine authority, Asura declared.

“Baek Woong. This isn’t a trial like the Seven Luminaries. It wasn’t even created for that. This is a trap designed to kill intruders; there’s no need to test the waters. We should escape with all our might.”

“Got it.”

Whoosh!

‘First, let’s handle these demonic beasts, then catch our breath.’

I concentrated my divine energy and blasted it in all directions. Once my divine energy had spread widely enough, I clasped my hands together and shouted.

“Trimurti!!”

Combining the powers of the Wheel King, Amaterasu, and Spirit Power!

‘I’ll sweep them all away with a creation that embodies three attributes at once!’

Swoosh!

As three spaces filled with divine energy of different attributes to the brim, the gem in the center gleamed brightly. Knowing it was the activation signal for Trimurti, I clasped my hands and emitted a brilliant light.

‘No need for anything else. Just hit them with a massive strike…’

Colossal Dark Spear!!

Boom!!

In an instant, a spear colossal enough to fill the interstellar space was created, and I thrust this spear down onto the realm. Its size was so enormous that it obliterated hundreds of the monstrous horde in one fell swoop, and simultaneously, the previously surrounding waves of black flames got swallowed within its range, temporarily vanishing.

Kaboooom!

[Screech!]

[Graaaah!]

While some of the monstrous beasts put up a struggle against the spear, the death energy from the Wheel King made sure they met instant demise, and those seemingly immune to death energy were wiped out by Amaterasu’s flames. The overlapping attributes seemed to render even the most powerful cosmic monsters incapable of surviving the spear’s might.

Silence.

“Yes!!”

That’s right!

Feeling euphoric at having wiped out hundreds of them in one strike, I couldn’t hold back a triumphant cheer.

“Oh, wait.”

“My word.”

After dispatching the waves of black flames and the monstrous horde in one go, everyone, including Asura and Cheon Woo-jin, cast bewildered looks at me.

After a moment’s silence, Cheon Woo-jin, his voice shaking slightly, spoke.

“…Could it really be that when combined with Trimurti, you can harness this level of power…? This is… truly on par with the High Gods. With the current you, you might just pass this trial.”

“Haha! Flattering or not, I appreciate it.”

“No, really… Just how much stronger have you gotten…? I never expected the latent potential of a reborn person could manifest this strongly…”

While Cheon Woo-jin, still somewhat dazed, suddenly snapped back to reality, he said.

“…No. Even still, we can’t take risks here. Let’s escape, Baek Woong.”

“Alright. How do we create an escape route?”

Cheon Woo-jin formed hand seals with both hands and said.

“I’ll use the Anchor of Wuwei again to create a passage directly to the Training World this time. You just need to protect me until the passage is fully formed.”

“Got it.”

At that moment.

Whoosh…

“They’re coming.”

Asura’s warning came alongside the massive black dragon charging at us from the sun, flapping its enormous wings. The black dragon first unleashed an immense forceful breath towards Asura, who seemed to slash down his blade as if aware beforehand.

Unity of One Strike!

Clash!

The breath split in half, wounding the dragon’s mouth, but it seemed unfazed, swinging its tail to attack both Asura and me simultaneously. I gathered all my divine energy and braced myself for the oncoming tail strike.

Boom!!

“Ugh!!”

I managed to block it, but the force felt like my innards were about to burst, leaving my entire body trembling. The sheer strength behind the tail was so overwhelming that I barely managed to block it with everything I had. Regardless, thanks to my timely block, Asura seized the moment to execute Unity of One Strike again, cutting the dragon’s tail.

Swish!

Though I managed to slightly sever its colossal tail, Asura grimaced while murmuring.

“I couldn’t sever it even with full force… Is this truly the power of a God?”

Boom!

“Ugh.”

“Asura!!”

At once, a tremendous explosion rippled through the air, and the already injured Asura found himself flung violently. Shocked, I shot forth a jet of divine energy from my palm to catch Asura’s body and forcefully heal him.

“Take this!”

Whirr…

Asura, enshrouded in my divine energy, remained alive despite being torn apart; my energy buoyed both his body and soul. Simultaneously, as I pieced Asura’s body back together, he painfully uttered,

“Baek Woong!! This thing may lack the wisdom of Fuxi, but its strength is far greater!! Forget about taking it down!”

“What?! Are you telling me its power is…?”

“Exactly!”

Asura’s next words sent a shudder down my spine.

“It’s the exact embodiment of the [Might of the Physical Body] that Fuxi left behind at the beginning! The body itself is power!”

“……!!”

What chance do we have against that?!

BAM!

As I was struck again with a tail swipe from the black dragon, I realized Asura was correct. I had already exerted all my force, yet my bones shattered under the size and strength of this creature.

“Damn! Aah—”

Utilizing the Peerless Technique, I tried to redirect everything towards my defense. However, after fending off the first few tail attacks without issue, the dragon slipped through a crack in time and space, swallowing me whole unexpectedly.

Grrr!

“Graaaah!!”

It was truly an unimaginable hit that disregarded dimensions! I was caught off guard and thus was unable to respond in time with the Peerless Technique, and I was swallowed whole. Thanks to the split-second protection of my divine energy, I found myself not gravely injured, albeit with several holes throughout my body.

Infinite Slash!!

With a quick strike, I aimed for the dragon’s mouth to slice free, leaping back out, but the moment I emerged, the dragon’s mouth had already started regenerating at an almost unreal rate. It was a speed so rapid it was as if the monstrous being had appeared before me.

“Damn it! Then I’ll just bombard it again with Trimurti…!!”

Summoning the Trimurti once more, I readied a colossal amalgamation of three different powers aimed at the black dragon, but before my attack could connect, something extraordinary occurred.

Flash!

Kaboom!

A flash of lightning illuminated the space before me, followed quickly by a gigantic explosion that rocketed me through space at incredible speed. I could hardly comprehend the event, the enormity of the impact battered me, leading me to understand what had just transpired.

‘It deflected my colossal spear with its wings!!’

The very notion that my ultimate attack had been effortlessly countered! This meant that its latent divine energy far surpassed mine! As I grasped this alarming realization, chills raced down my spine.

The power Fuxi had left at the Divine Seat was precisely the [Might of the Physical Body]! The Fuxi who descended to the world wielded not just divine prowess and wisdom but also the raw might of pure physicality. And right now, I began to sense that perhaps this being’s raw power could surpass even Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen.

But perhaps because it lacked Fuxi’s mystical techniques? Although I felt overwhelmingly pushed back in a direct encounter, I didn’t experience that crushing sense of inevitable doom. If it had been against Fuxi, I might have been trapped or cursed beyond recovery, but since this creature relied solely on brute strength, I didn’t feel as cornered.

‘Alright… then… guessing that I cannot win, I’ll just keep provoking it like Asura said!!’

If I considered my strength to be around 4 against its 9, then I could still divert its attention long enough to ensure my allies weren’t targeted. I steeled myself and let out a furious shout as I lunged once more at the black dragon.

“Damn it!! Take this!!”

Kaboom!

As I unleashed the Infinite Slash, the force of the dragon’s tail struck me, and I felt my hands and feet rip apart as I endured the excruciating pain while throwing myself against the dragon.

“Uaaa!! Varuna!”

However, I couldn’t summon Varuna, causing me to flinch in confusion.

“Huh?!”

Why can’t I summon it?!

Does that mean I must fight barehanded!?

As the attacks continued, I found myself thrown about.

BANG!

Ugh!

“Ahh!!”

This bastard!! Why is my leg so tasty!?

Boom! Boom!

Before I realized it, struck one too many times by its tail, I was bouncing through the air. Though I had to endure and take those hits to protect Cheon Woo-jin, the alternative frightened me just as much.

Heh!

Yet just as Asura occasionally found openings to counter, I survived numerous potentially fatal moments where I might have been completely eaten. Nevertheless, even Asura’s Dark Night Slash seemed ineffective against something with such supernatural resilience.

No way can I win.

Just at that moment, on the verge of giving up after being torn to shreds several times.

[The exit has been opened. Let’s go!]

Whoosh!!

Cheon Woo-jin’s voice echoed as both Asura and I were sucked into the azure passage. At the same time, the dark dragon seemed to fade far away, eventually becoming a dot. Riding on this swirling passage with particles moving rapidly, Cheon Woo-jin spoke as he flew ahead.

“Stay focused. Hey.”

“…….”

“Baek Woong! Stay alert!”

As Asura shook me back to reality, I managed to collect my thoughts, gritting my teeth as I responded.

“Hey… you bastard… what do you mean, there’s a chance I could clear a trial… How the hell am I supposed to beat that…?”

There’s no way I could win.

At least not until I increase my power several times over. I felt the unyielding reality of confronting a supreme being who ruled the universe.

Then Cheon Woo-jin chuckled with a faint smile.

“If Fuxi truly showed his seriousness, he’d likely match that being we just faced. Think of it as having preemptively fought the true body of the Three Sovereigns; I think that should soften the blow.”

“…That’s easier said than done.”

I, still barely holding back the pain, replied tersely. I continued to think.

‘Still… there’s no doubt that Fuxi would be stronger…’

And that was inevitable.

That Fuxi in the Void Record possesses a ‘battle axe’ in his hand.

“Damn it. I need to get stronger…”

As I was firmly affirming my will to grow stronger, a moment later—

Whoosh!!

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, the figures of Cheon Woo-jin and Asura seemed to fade away, leaving me alone plummeting into an abyss of darkness. I quickly realized the unexpected situation and understood what was happening.

‘The barrier…!!’

Just as Cheon Woo-jin had warned!

Some unknown entity was pushing me into the boundary of time and space!

‘I need to recognize the [boundary]!!’

I quickly concentrated my mind, channeling all my divine energy to condense it as small as possible then detonating it from my Upper Dantian. But in that fleeting moment, I lost focus like before, and instead of a euphoric sensation, I felt a dull thud ring through my head as the scenery before me appeared to blur.

Woooooosh…

Kyaaa!

“Ugh!”

It felt as if I was suffering from seasickness, causing me to gag. Yet, in no time, I found myself standing in a strange place. Gathering my wits, I looked forward, and there stood ‘something.’

Nothing but an expanse of darkness stretching across the horizon.

I couldn’t see the figure standing opposite me.

Moments later, a voice reached my ears.

“Oh dear. This is such a cumbersome place too, isn’t it? If I’m not careful, I might get interfered with by [her].”

“……!!”

I recognized the identity of that voice.

The being quipped, as if offering a compliment.

“Hmm, excellent. I thought to switch to a more comfortable setting, but it seems you’ve learned to resist [dreams] too. Quite impressive.”

“Yo… who are you…?”

Despite not having seen their face, the very essence of my surprise resonated, and as if interpreting my flustered emotion, that being spoke in a merry tone.

“Hahahaha… it’s been a while.”

Upon hearing that voice, I felt my heart drop.

“Is this the first time since you fought the Emperor in a martial arts duel?”

The one who came seeking the mask of the Divine Thief.

The strongest [mask], the avatar representing the will of foreign beings, Nyarlathotep stood right before me.