1011——————==

Soul of the Evil God

“Awakening the spirit of the Seven Luminaries with Spirit Power?”

“Uh… it’s something I’ve never tried before.”

I had once infused Spirit Power into Yodo Muramasa to awaken the spirit of Yodo. Jeon Wook’s power, Spirit Power, has the ability to awaken the powers of spirits influenced by powerful treasures. Similarly, this application of Spirit Power could be tried on the Seven Luminaries, but I hadn’t done so until now.

There was a reason for that.

[Now that I think about it, what happens if I infuse powerful Spirit Power into the Seven Luminaries?]

[Hmm… I can only say that we’ll never know unless we try. However, I can predict that the results could be close to self-destruction. The situation with Xuyou might be different, though.]

[If the spirit of the Seven Luminaries awakens, there’s a possibility of a catastrophe. The spirit of the Seven Luminaries should be something else entirely. It would be equivalent to a divine spirit, possessing enough power to destroy the world.]

[Best not to do it.]

[In Jeon Wook’s case, being a god, he could control the power of the Seven Luminaries, but you don’t have that capability.]

The risk of awakening the spirit of the Seven Luminaries only to have it run amok and lead to my own destruction!

Since there was a high chance my life could be easily taken away, I had never attempted it until now. Additionally, considering the significant Spirit Power required just to awaken spirits even at the level of a powerful treasure, I figured the amount necessary for the awakening of the Seven Luminaries’ spirit would be extraordinarily high, which was another reason I hadn’t done it.

“Didn’t we conclude long ago that it was dangerous?”

“It was a conversation from your twenty-fourth life. At that time, it was indeed the correct assessment. But the situation now is different than it was back then.”

Wiying!!

“You and I. We shall do this together.”

Sagong Lin suddenly conjured a golden sphere above her hand. The moment I saw that sphere, I was taken aback, feeling as if I was standing under intense sunlight. And I immediately realized the power contained within the sphere was immense.

“……!!”

“If you use Spirit Power alone, you’ll expend too much and lack the strength to control the spirit, but if I assist you, it will be sufficient. You aren’t the only one who can wield divine power.”

“What is that power, exactly?”

I asked, flustered. The divine force emanating from the golden sphere was overwhelming. It felt as if I was in the presence of the very essence of the Eight Parts of the Divine, or even something greater.

‘How could this much power even exist?!’

Sagong Lin extinguished the golden sphere and said, “As I mentioned, it’s the power of the Divine Xuanqing. Zhuge Yulong referred to this power as Heavenly Demon Power.”

I organized my thoughts and responded calmly. “So the power of the Heavenly Demon… does that mean you, Sagong Lin, are the Heavenly Demon who will appear fifty years hence among the Ten Great Masters?”

“At least Zhuge Yulong believed so. He was quite sure of it.”

“Did you awaken that power at Aiternum Mundi?”

“I could occasionally harness that power even before then. But it was at Aiternum Mundi that I fully made the divine power my own.”

“Divine power, huh. My Spirit Power originated from Jeon Wook of the Three Sovereigns. So Sagong Lin, what’s the source of your Heavenly Demon Power?”

“…….”

Sagong Lin fell silent at my question, and Cheon Woo-jin answered in her stead. “I suspect it originates from Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen.”

“…The Emperor!!”

“He can directly manipulate the power of the Sun, and all elemental attacks against Sagong Lin are reduced or nullified. Furthermore, it has already been proven she belongs to the Gong Sun clan. The chances of her Heavenly Demon Power stemming from Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen are quite high.”

“Are there no side effects?”

When I asked cautiously, Cheon Woo-jin replied calmly, “Her special abilities seem to often affect her mind. Quite frankly, it’s a bit dangerous.”

“What? What’s this special ability?”

As he continued explaining, I widened my eyes. “The more demons she consumes, the stronger she gets. And the abilities those demons possessed become hers too.”

“……!!”

“However, if the level of the demons consumed is too high, for a time, she’ll be overwhelmed by their tendencies. Even the most heinous traits of an [Old Ruler] can manifest in her. We’ve referred to that as running wild.”

“Running wild….”

“For that reason, Sagong Lin has been trying to limit her combat engagements. If she’s not careful, she might awaken as the Heavenly Demon who could destroy the Great Bear Empire.”

“Hmm.”

It was hard to believe.

“In summary, Sagong Lin has gained the divine essence of Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, but at the cost of always carrying the risk of running wild….”

She might not lose against the Illuminati, but that’s likely why she couldn’t recklessly step into battle.

I gathered my thoughts and said, “So, you’re saying with that Heavenly Demon Power, we can merge my Spirit Power and awaken the spirit of the Seven Luminaries?”

“Exactly. Summoning powers rather than combat isn’t burdensome for me.”

“But what’s the reason to awaken the spirit of the Seven Luminaries? You didn’t explain that yet.”

“Basically, there are three reasons.”

She raised one hand and slowly began folding three fingers down.

“First. If we liberate the spirit of the Seven Luminaries, I believe their battle power will increase dramatically. Even common weapons evolve into far superior ones when the spirit is released; the increase with the Seven Luminaries will be even more significant.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Second, if we can summon the spirit of the Seven Luminaries to have it face us often, the spirit’s affinity towards its owner will rise greatly.”

“…….”

“Third, utilizing that increased affinity will substantially lower the difficulty of trials when all the Seven Luminaries gather. You know this fact as well, right Baek Woong?”

As she closed all her fingers, I fell silent, then said, “So you’re saying this is to raise the spirit’s favorability, keeping in mind the trials of the Seven Luminaries?”

“Exactly. There’s a chance we might save the world by facing the Trials of the Seven Luminaries.”

“Damn it. You mean I have to do that again….”

I felt my teeth clench at the memory of how tough it was to pass the trials before. After doing all sorts of things, using every trick, I barely got through the trial of the Sun, only to get killed when Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen unexpectedly unleashed the sun’s wrath. Remembering that made me snarl out, “Just because we complete the trials doesn’t guarantee we’ll save the world. You know I died because of Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen’s whims. That’s not a solution.”

“Right. So we’re not putting all our eggs in the basket just on the trials of the Seven Luminaries. The reason we kept the trials in mind was that we always considered the chance you wouldn’t return. Another reason….”

Sagong Lin glanced at the Xuyou in my hand and said, “It’s because we expect that the spirits of the Seven Luminaries might know divine secrets that humans do not. The real reason Mangnyang left his message behind is precisely this.”

“Divine secrets?”

“Yes. The spirits of the Seven Luminaries are essentially divine spirits that have endured for millennia. They weren’t created by human hands and have existed closest to the gods. Should you become close to them and eavesdrop on their secrets, I expect your journey through your past life will be significantly shortened.”

“Umm!”

“Perhaps we could even uncover the weaknesses of the Three Sovereigns.”

That made sense.

If I could befriend the spirits of the Seven Luminaries and gain information from them, there might be secrets I had never considered! I nodded, convinced that Mangnyang’s thoughts made sense, but suddenly something nagged at me, and I voiced it.

“But is it okay to awaken the spirit while it’s still unreleased? Awakening a spirit could mean liberating the Seven Luminaries. If that happens….”

“That might be the case. But it doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t matter?”

“The reason awakening the Seven Luminaries was tricky before was due to interference from the Celestial Realm or the meddling of the Three Sovereigns. However, the Celestial Realm has now become a distant otherworld, and nearly all of the Three Sovereigns have perished.”

“……!!”

“At this moment, with no one to impede us, we must seize this opportunity to try. Mangnyang Zhuge Hyun said that.”

“I-I see.”

“If I attempt this alone, my divine power would be depleted, weakening the strength to support the empire. That’s why I’ve been waiting for you.”

Every part of this made perfect sense.

“Right. There’s no one to interfere with us! Perfect!”

If that’s the case, there’s no need to delay awakening the Seven Luminaries due to what others might think! In fact, rushing into their awakening seems to be the best route.

In my excitement, Sagong Lin said, “Shall we start right away?”

“Right now?”

“Yes. With the Illuminati’s invasion approaching, there’s no need to delay this. In truth, I wanted you to know more about the situation before taking on the challenge, but….”

“I got it.”

Bang!

Soon, Sagong Lin, Cheon Woo-jin, and I moved to the Heavenly Altar. We placed the Xuyou on the altar, borrowing its power to stabilize the surrounding energies, and simultaneously began infusing the Xuyou with divine power.

Huuuwooo!!

“Ugh… it’s being sucked in….”

I felt the rapid consumption of Spirit Power flowing in an overwhelming manner. I had already drained at least twenty years’ worth, and it felt like it was surpassing that amount. After just a fraction of that time passed, my depletion had reached a considerable level, with sweat beading from the massive spiritual drain.

‘Y-You think I might not have enough…. Is Sagong Lin really putting in Heavenly Demon Power?’

Kugugugugu!!

‘…She is.’

As I turned to look at Sagong Lin, I could feel her pouring out an enormous amount of divine energy as well, emitting golden brilliance. It was even more vast than mine, so it didn’t seem like she was slacking off. Seeing this made me realize.

This isn’t going to be easy.

“Damn it… I thought it’d be simpler with Sagong Lin’s assistance. Am I going to have to do this the hard way like before?”

I fell into deep thought. Back when I fought against the Twelve Joules, I’d forcibly awakened the spirit of Xuyou. At that time, I drew upon all my Spirit Power and the strength of the National Seal to barely awaken it. If I mobilized all the energy from the National Seal again, I’d awaken it more easily without exhausting myself too much.

However, the National Seal was a powerful artifact with remarkable search capabilities and could prove highly helpful in this situation. If I drained it completely, I feared the risks that could follow.

While I was contemplating, suddenly—

Whirrrrr

KUAaaa-!!

“……!!”

My diminishing Spirit Power began refilling at an extraordinary speed, almost as if a strand had been unraveled! The unrefined currents of Spirit Power surged wildly, almost restoring my lost strength entirely.

KUAaaa!!

What the heck?!

As I was taken aback by this sudden surge of Spirit Power, I heard a voice from somewhere.

[…Master….]

Heuk Woong?!

[The powers of Jeon Wook and Amaterasu… and the powers of Quetzalcoatl…. are far stronger than you figured…. Divine power is different from internal power…. excessive compression….]

“Heuk Woong!!”

[…….]

Heuk Woong’s voice drifted for a brief moment before vanishing. It felt like he desperately wanted to convey some information, but the distance was too far, making it hard to hear him.

I took a moment and then continued pouring Spirit Power into the Xuyou with the energy I had just regained.

“Ahhh!!!”

Bang!

At that moment, the Xuyou, which had only been emitting a faint light, suddenly produced a loud pop, and countless cracks began forming along its blade. These were not signs of destruction, but rather proof that the Xuyou was starting to awaken as if it were a living being.

‘Got it!’

The Xuyou began to levitate, and then—exploded.

Kwahchiiing!!!

The blade of the Xuyou burst forth, and in its place, a blade of blue light emerged, composed entirely of radiance. Along with a whoosh, a massive mass of water materialized in the air, eventually taking on a human form.

What appeared was a young martial artist clad in silver-green dragon scale armor, exuding an aura reminiscent of legendary heroes.

The spirit of Xuyou stared at us both in that form.

‘Thinking back, this is the first time seeing the spirit of Xuyou directly.’

There had been opportunities before. Once when I fought against the Twelve Joules and summoned the spirit of Xuyou, and another time during the Trials of the Seven Luminaries. However, I couldn’t see its appearance during the fight against the Twelve Joules because I had been blinded, and during the Trials, the Portrait Immortal Jinin had faced Xuyou and won, so I never encountered it.

This was the first time I could see it face to face.

The spirit of Xuyou gazed at me intently and said, “My master, Baek Woong! You have finally brought me into the current world. I never imagined I would take form and appear here.”

“Xuyou! You know my name?”

“Of course. No one else has used me as long as you have. I have been watching over you since you obtained me from the ruins. Just like all the other Seven Luminaries.”

“Ah….”

Xuyou spoke firmly, “You need not clarify your actions to me. I, Xuyou, have seen all that has transpired by your side.”

“Is that so?”

I was filled with a sense of unknown nostalgia.

It felt like meeting an old friend after a long time.

As I struggled to find my words, Sagong Lin interjected, “Then let’s get to the point. Spirit of Xuyou, are you currently in a liberated state?”

“No, not quite. Liberation means releasing the essence of the Seven Luminaries bound by the [First Character], awakening it with the keys of annihilation. Therefore, what you did was merely awaken me.”

“Is that so? Then how powerful is Xuyou now?”

“It has strengthened proportionally to your capabilities. I am no exception to the laws of strength gained through the awakening of a weapon’s spirit.”

At that moment, both Sagong Lin and Xuyou turned their gazes toward me.

Urgh… am I not allowed to say I’ve gotten a few times stronger in specifics…

Feeling the pressure of their gaze, I asked Xuyou, “Xuyou, what would happen if we gathered all the six celestial spirits existing on this land and awakened the spirits residing within each one?”

“I cannot say, as no one has tried it before. However, if that were to happen, it would greatly disturb the entities residing beyond the contract.”

“The entities beyond the contract?”

“The [Old Rulers] with whom the Three Sovereigns formed a contract when the Seven Luminaries were created.”

“Ah!”

“They are still watching this land, which has become devoid of the Three Sovereigns. They aim to use the Seven Luminaries by taking advantage of the absence of the Three Sovereigns. You can feel their malicious intent towards you right now!”

“…….”

Thinking on it, those guys have indeed been around.

When the Seven Luminaries were created, a contract was established between East and West, pairing each of the Seven Luminaries with a powerful [Old Ruler] in response to the three Sovereigns. Until now, I’ve only focused on the disappearance of the Three Sovereigns, but those [Old Rulers] with whom they made contracts are emerging as a significant factor.

“Anyway, Baek Woong. I shall grant you a reward for awakening me.”

“Reward?”

Xuyou crossed its arms and boomed, “Indeed. I will allow you to use my true secret technique, Heavenly Ice, which is ordinarily only usable by the divine!”

Heavenly Ice!

I felt a spark of realization upon hearing that.

‘That’s definitely… a unique technique of Xuyou!’

Once before, when the evil divine being from another world temporarily possessed my body and unleashed Heavenly Ice, countless Celestial Beings had frozen and perished in an instant. That tremendous power could single-handedly sweep through the Celestial Realm, and although I ultimately fell under its spell, I still vividly remember the terrifying power unleashed by Heavenly Ice.

“Really?!”

“Definitely. Since you are my acknowledged master, you can now use Heavenly Ice. However, I must explain some things….”

Just then, Xuyou began to fade away. It wore an extremely sleepy expression.

[…Baek Woong…. I wish I could converse longer, but I spent a great deal of energy manifesting myself. I’ll rest for a bit.]

Swish!

As Xuyou disappeared, I grasped the Xuyou resting upon the altar, still in disbelief, and stared for a while.

‘Is it really that I can finally use Heavenly Ice now?’

I had thought I could only use that technique upon liberating Xuyou, but it turned out to be different. However, to obtain Heavenly Ice required awakening the spirit of Xuyou, which meant it came at a significant cost.

Sagong Lin said, “Congratulations.”

“…Right. So, now I just need to awaken the other Seven Luminaries?”

“It would be ideal, but you’ve experienced too much today…. How about taking a short break? Mental strength is a part of physical strength, too.”

I found merit in Sagong Lin’s advice. The truth is, since the confrontation with the Sea God, only barely a day or two had passed by the feel of time, yet I had gone through all sorts of experiences in that short period. Even if my physical strength had hardly faded due to my internal power, my mental fatigue was considerable.

It was not impossible to awaken another Seven Luminary today, but if I wasn’t in the perfect state both physically and mentally, it could be dangerous. I thought a short rest would be a good idea.

“Alright then.”

“Let’s take our time preparing starting tomorrow. And I will tell you in detail everything that has happened in the meantime.”

“I understand. You rest too.”

I returned to Luoyang, following Sagong Lin’s guidance to my lodging. Entering the imperial palace meant exclusively for the emperor, and lying down on the luxurious golden sheet, I couldn’t help but feel anew that I had arrived in the future. After all, even lying still, I could see translucent screens displaying various things on the ceiling.

‘There sure are many miraculous things.’

Though my body could last a whole month without sleep, I now wished to calm my mind for a bit. To adapt to this chaotic future, a moment of tranquility and focused determination was necessary.

I closed my eyes and slowly drifted into a deep sleep.

[Awaken.]

…Huh?

Suddenly hearing the voice propelled me awake. I glanced to find the source of the voice and widened my eyes upon seeing the figure sitting on the high shelf across from the bed.

A cat.

A pitch-black cat!

That black cat (黑猫) was lazily waving its tail.

I couldn’t believe it and mumbled in disbelief, “Uh… am I still dreaming…?”

[Yes. This is a dream. I summoned you.]

“…….”

Ugh…

As expected…

My bad premonition was confirmed, and I held my head as the black cat sparkled its feline eyes and said, “Baek Woong. Would you like to witness the end of this world, or would you prefer to see a happy conclusion?”

It was Master Mangnyang.

I anticipated something like this might happen, so I wasn’t taken too aback. However, meeting Master Mangnyang in a dream inside an emperor’s palace rather than snoozing in a village felt refreshingly odd.

With a hint of both joy and discomfort, I said, “It’s been a while since we met, but why are you spouting nonsense? What does it matter whether it’s an end or a happy conclusion? They’re both… just an ending, right?”

In the end, both seemed to lead to the same conclusion.

Responding to my retort, Master Mangnyang replied, “It does matter. You are not the only one present here today.”

“Huh?”

Swish!

At that moment, I noticed someone seated in the long chair beside the bed. A dark figure, shrouded in dimness, which obscured their form, but it was unmistakably a being adorned with a crown.

“……!!”

For an instant, I tried to pull forth my will and manifest my Intent Pillar, but it wouldn’t work. It felt as if I had become an ordinary person devoid of any power.

‘Ah, crap! In Master Mangnyang’s dream, I can’t utilize my Absolute Realm… No, I guess it makes sense since it’s a dream!’

As I hesitated and guarded against the mysterious figure, Master Mangnyang said, “Do not worry. That one is merely a guest here today.”

“A guest? Who is that?”

“A cunning opportunist.”

For once, Master Mangnyang spoke with a hint of hostility.

The mysterious figure seated in the chair seemed to smile silently.

A very silent laugh.

But while they laughed, they made no other movements or spoke. The stillness felt palpable as they fixated their gaze upon me.

It was incredibly unsettling, yet there was a sense of nonchalance to it. And I could tell that their demeanor toward Master Mangnyang was somewhat different from those I’d encountered before.

‘What is this? Why does it feel so off…?’

Is that being something different?

Something… something feels different.

A short while later, Master Mangnyang repeated his question, “Baek Woong. Would you like to witness the end of this world, or would you prefer to see a happy conclusion?”

“…….”

I quickly gauged the atmosphere, and perhaps due to that, upon hearing those words, I understood the hidden meaning immediately.

‘This isn’t a question.’

This is a choice.

“`

 

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