996——————==

Soul of the Evil God

“Do you mean to just abandon this war?!”

It was a perspective I had never even considered, and curiosity brewed within me. So I turned to Hwang Yeon.

“Goryeo means everything to the Twelve Joules; losing this war shouldn’t even be an option.”

“… I think otherwise.”

“Why’s that?”

“Your Majesty and your companions possess divine abilities and perspectives beyond this mortal realm… Conversely, can we say that the present Great Bear Empire is everything to Your Majesty? Do you really think losing the Great Bear Empire means losing all you hold dear?”

“……”

Hwang Yeon’s words struck a chord with me. It felt like a direct hit, making me freeze momentarily before I checked to see if anyone was listening before responding.

“That’s not the case.”

Of course, it isn’t. If the Great Bear Empire fell, it would sting a bit, but it’s not something I’d sacrifice everything for. Honestly, my companions mean much more to me than the Great Bear Empire ever could.

“I think the same. If the Twelve Joules exist and assume a being that challenges Your Majesty, then Goryeo would just be a shell to them. It could easily be discarded depending on the situation.”

“Hmm…”

“If they were an equal enemy to Your Majesty, that line of thinking seems entirely plausible.”

Hwang Yeon seemed particularly insightful here. I nodded, contemplating before I spoke again.

“Even so, there must be some reason why they think they can abandon Goryeo… What made you think that, General?”

“It’s today’s battle.”

“But we won today’s battle! What’s weird about that?”

“It’s strange.”

Hwang Yeon continued calmly.

“If all the Masters of the Twelve Joules were positioned within Goryeo’s forces, could we have truly stopped General Cheok Jun-gi’s charge today? If they had all supported Cheok Jun-gi…”

“Umm… that would have been tough.”

Just Cheok Jun-gi alone, one of the Three Fragments among the Masters of the Twelve Joules, led to the loss of 90 artillery pieces and 500 soldiers. If all Three Fragments charged together with the peak experts, our side would have suffered even more casualties. Hwang Yeon pressed on.

“As you said, once the ‘Clan of Dan’ appeared, I was ready to pull back the troops. But after witnessing Cheok Jun-gi’s reckless charge, I began to suspect that the Twelve Joules were intentionally sacrificing strength to lose this war, driven by Cheok Jun-gi’s personal beliefs in battle…”

His words caught me off guard, raising my eyebrows.

“Cheok Jun-gi’s personal beliefs?”

“Think of it as the intuition of a warrior. He came to the battlefield with the intention of dying from the beginning.”

“Hmm…”

If that were the case, then it all made sense: Cheok Jun-gi was charging solo without any of the Twelve Joules beside him. I suddenly recalled something from our previous conversations.

“That’s right… Even if we win this war and eradicate Goryeo, dethroning the King of Goryeo won’t mean I’ve truly beaten the Twelve Joules.”

The Twelve Joules weren’t living in a vacuum; they were fine and well in their own realm, right?

Claiming victory over Goryeo wouldn’t guarantee my victory over them.

I came to this realization, and along with it, I recalled what Mangnyang had said a few days prior.

“Don’t worry too much. I think this war will be won quite easily.”

“That’s probably true if we move in earnest…”

Had Mangnyang realized this possibility before?

Did he already know that the likelihood of the ‘Clan of Dan’ intervening was low?

Feeling deflated, I turned to General Hwang Yeon.

“Okay. I’ll take care of this, so don’t worry.”

“I understand.”

“At this rate, we should win easily. Just be cautious about ambushes, as we discussed earlier.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Pa-at!

Returning to Jinzhou Castle, which had become our logistics base, I summoned my companions immediately.

“Hwang Yeon feels there’s a deliberate intention from the Twelve Joules to throw this war. What do you think their true intentions could be?”

“Hmm… Right now, we can’t make any rash evaluations about their intentions.”

Mangnyang continued,

“I think the real beginning will start once we lead this war to victory.”

“After that, can we directly attack the Twelve Joules in the Divine City?”

“Not really. Baek Woong, think about what’s really important.”

“What’s really important?”

“Your purpose this life… isn’t about defeating the Twelve Joules but finding the Dharma Techniques.”

“……!!”

“The reason I say it doesn’t matter what tricks the Twelve Joules are up to is that by acquiring Goryeo, we can swiftly progress towards your massive goal. If the enemies’ discarded pieces turn into our opportunities, why overthink it?”

“Sounds good!”

“First, unify the East and build the Great Empire. Then, with just a bit of time, you’ll seize the world. Beyond that, whatever the Joules are plotting, your only goal is to acquire the Dharma Techniques.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Baek Woong. If you overthink an opponent’s intentions in this cerebral battle, you’ll lose. While the Twelve Joules might seem grandiose, dig deeper, and you’ll find they’re nothing but discarded pieces. They can’t change the fact that you’re in a superior position.”

Zhuge Sa, who had been listening nearby, chuckled.

“I agree. While the Joules think they are engaging in an unseen contest with you, we’ll just achieve our own goals. The mundane forces they might dismiss are going to be your stepping stones in this life.”

That made sense. I regained my composure after hearing their words and said,

“So then, I can just sit here watching Hwang Yeon attack Goryeo’s Gaegyeong…”

“Before that, there’s something you need to do.”

“What do I need to do?”

“You need to keep infusing spirit power into Sagong Lin and Seo Mun-hye. The divine lineage they possess is going to play a crucial role going forward.”

“… That’s right.”

“So I need to ask, will that task reduce your absolute spirit power?”

I sighed at Mangnyang’s question.

“Sigh, yeah. It’s a minimal amount, but it will diminish. And once it’s gone, it won’t come back.”

“Has your spirit power dropped significantly?”

“Not by much… But if I keep at it daily for about five years, half of it might vanish.”

“That’s a problem. So you’re saying deliberately awakening them wouldn’t be something you could manage every reincarnation?”

Musing on this, Mangnyang added,

“Zhuge Yulong. I have a question.”

Huh?!

I couldn’t help but be shocked when I saw Mangnyang call my father by his name. But Zhuge Yulong showed no sign of surprise, merely nodding as Mangnyang asked.

“The skill you honed is Gongsun Sword Technique, but to be precise, it’s Gongsun Swordplay. It belongs to Gongsun Da-rang, a female sage from the Golden Age, meaning it’s different from the original.”

“That’s correct. Gongsun Da-rang has noted that she modified 12 techniques from the original 36 to her liking. It could effectively be considered a different sword technique.”

“We need to restore the original swordplay that was passed down by the Gongsun Clan a thousand years ago. That’ll enhance our chances of awakening.”

“That’s pointless. You know there’s a way, but I can’t see the need for it.”

“That’s true.”

I struggled to keep up with their conversation and spoke to Zhuge Yulong.

“What do you mean, there’s a way? Is there a method to restore the original swordplay?”

“It’s simple. You use Heavenly Secret Technique to summon Gongsun Byeok’s spirit and ask him to impart the Gongsun Sword Technique.”

“…… Ah!!”

That’s really simple!

Mangnyang remarked,

” Sang Gwanwna, a member of the Eight Parts of the Divine Yacha, stated that humans can never achieve great success in Gongsun Swordplay. At that time, she had transformed into Sang Gwanwna in the Tang Dynasty’s higher echelons, so she would know the secret of the Gongsun Sword Technique. There’s definitely something we don’t know… and it surely has to do with the awakening of the Gongsun clan’s bloodline into the Heavenly Demon.”

I nodded in agreement.

“I’ll just summon Gongsun Byeok’s spirit and ask for the secrets of the Gongsun Swordplay.”

Since I can’t just ask Yacha, this is the only way.

“Then please do that.”

Whoa!

I headed to Mount Ye and activated the Heavenly Secret Technique to summon Gongsun Byeok’s spirit. After infusing him with spirit power to restore the almost ghostly essence of his spirit, I asked,

“Gongsun Byeok! Do you know Sang Gwanwna?”

[Of course, I knew her. She was the ultimate power of my time.]

“Not just that, Sang Gwanwna once evaluated your family’s Gongsun Swordplay by saying that ‘humans can never achieve great success.’ Why did she say that?”

[Hmm? Hmm…]

Surprised by the unexpected information, Gongsun Byeok rested his chin thoughtfully. As if something had suddenly clicked, the floating spirit of Gongsun Byeok said,

“Sang Gwanwna invited our clan’s sword heroes every year to witness the swordplay. Also, she inquired about some self-defense, so I shared with her the Sword Path and Breathing Techniques, so she probably knew a bit.”

“… Are you serious? Witnessing swordplay is one thing, but the Sword Path and Breathing Techniques?! That’s like the complete manual of martial arts!”

[There was no other choice. At that time, she truly was the most powerful authority of the Tang Empire. Her will was practically Wu Zetian’s will, making her a formidable force. Refusing her could mean treason, so how could we say no? An authority seeking potent martial arts is nothing too surprising, so we had no choice…]

“Alright, that’s one thing. But what’s the deal with saying ‘humans can never achieve great success’?”

[That’s… um…]

After a moment of contemplation, Gongsun Byeok spoke.

[It likely stems from the existence of the Invincible Three Swords towards the end of Gongsun Swordplay…]

“Invincible Three Swords? What’s that?”

[In the latter part of Gongsun Swordplay, there are three useless techniques: Chi You’s Killing, Lord of Ten Thousand Demons, and Eternal Dance. These three techniques are merely ceremonial, and the clan’s warriors hardly practice them.]

“Chi You’s Killing… Lord of Ten Thousand Demons… Eternal Dance… Why? Isn’t ceremonial swordplay something common in prestigious martial clans?”

[It’s a legend of the clan. These three techniques are referred to as the Invincible Three Swords, and the legend says that one who masters them will gain the power of an Emperor… But honestly, there’s no secret to it; just through the process of passing down, the practical techniques turned ceremonial.]

Gongsun Byeok spoke bitterly.

[It seems the sword hero who was dispatched got pestered by Sang Gwanwna, and since he shared a bit of the clan’s legend, she accepted it whole-heartedly.]

“……”

So it’s just an old legend?

“Got it. Then teach me the complete Gongsun Swordplay.”

[Of course.]

For three and a half days, I sat there learning the original 36 techniques of Gongsun Swordplay through Gongsun Byeok’s spirit. It wasn’t so much “learning” as it was a brutal memorization of techniques, breathing methods, and phrases, so it couldn’t exactly be classified as training.

I paid special attention to those Invincible Three Swords Gongsun Byeok had mentioned, and surely, their practicality seemed utterly lacking.

Now I understand why Gongsun Da-rang modified the latter 12 techniques to her discretion…

Compared to the martial arts Zhuge Yulong had mastered in Gongsun Swordplay, these lacked real-life applicability and were relatively weak. The genius in swordplay, Gongsun Da-rang, likely evolved it into a more practical and powerful martial art that could elevate its potential.

After skimming through the Gongsun Swordplay, I returned to the main group. When I shared the techniques with Zhuge Yulong, he mulled it over.

“Now I understand. So that was it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Baek Woong, do not skip a single character of this phrasing when passing it down to Sagong Lin. The sword techniques are one thing, but the phrasing must be conveyed accurately.”

“……? Got it.”

“That way, we’ll meet the minimal conditions…”

“Why?”

“This Invincible Three Swords phrasing is akin to a spell, and it was missing from Gongsun Da-rang’s swordplay… Though it’s currently untranslatable, it will have a significant role later.”

With Zhuge Yulong’s response, I tilted my head in confusion but turned to my companions.

“More importantly, what’s been happening on the battlefield? How far has Hwang Yeon advanced in these three days?”

“All is going well. The north and south are in a fierce deadlock, but Hwang Yeon’s military forces have crossed the Yalu River, following your strategies to neutralize the two major sects of the Twelve Joules. In just two days, they’ll likely launch an attack on Gaegyeong.”

“Then Goryeo is preparing to stop Hwang Yeon at Gaegyeong.”

“That’s right. It seems they’ve mustered an army of 120,000.”

Upon hearing that, I thought to myself.

‘We’ve won this war.’

If in three days we’ve crossed the Yalu and gotten this close to Gaegyeong with an army of 240,000, there’s nothing more to debate. Even if 120,000 Goryeo soldiers were defending Gaegyeong, the same events as before would just repeat.

So boring.

I didn’t even lift a finger, and it looks like the war is about to wrap itself up, making me feel a bit disinterested. Given the scale of this epic war, I had thought I would showcase the powers of Absolute Realm to sweep across the battlefield, but such an opportunity never arrived.

Doubting the reality, I asked Mangnyang.

“… Mangnyang. If we take Gaegyeong, does that signal the end of the war? Really?”

“Yes. The King of Goryeo’s head will soon be yours.”

“That seems too easy…”

“This was a war where a fair competition was possible, assuming the Twelve Joules were called into play. If the Twelve Joules throw in the towel, this outcome is inevitable.”

Mangnyang waved his fan while speaking.

“That being said, don’t let your guard down while you wait. If we win, there’ll be plenty to handle…”

That’s when it happened.

“Your Majesty!! We have a crisis!!”

“What’s going on? Speak to me.”

As Mangnyang prevented the messenger from rushing into the tent, the messenger stopped flailing about and replied.

“Th-there’s… there’s a monster… a monster has appeared in Goryeo!”

“A monster?”

“It’s huge, reaching up to the sky, resembling a hybrid of a fish and a human, bearing thousands of body trunks… It suddenly began slaughtering humans indiscriminately! General Hwang Yeon has retreated the army fifty miles away, but over 30,000 casualties have been reported!”

“……”

In that moment, the atmosphere in the tent froze.

Mangnyang spoke gravely to the messenger.

“Did this giant monster command fish-men as its subordinates?”

“… Y-yes, yes!! How did you know that…”

“Are General Hwang Yeon and the other commanders safe?”

“Fortunately, they managed to retreat quickly and are unharmed.”

“I understand. You may go.”

“Yes!”

As the messenger hurried out, Mangnyang turned to me.

Not just Mangnyang, but all the strategists and comrades in the tent stared at me.

The Master of the White Lotus Sect asked.

[Baek Woong. What will you do?]

“……”

If anything, that’s what I wanted to ask.

‘Dang it…’

A sea god has appeared in the midst of the war.