1099——————==

Soul of the Evil God

A moment later, Cheon Woo-jin thrust the Land and Earth Diagram in front of my face and said,

“You said earlier that time stops. According to that logic, anything that enters here cannot even perceive time. It gets downgraded to a mere picture in that lower dimension and can’t think like a living being.”

“So, there’s no chance at all to attempt an escape?”

“It’s different for beings with immense power. They are bound and feel a momentary eternity without being able to do anything. Even if the dimension is lowered, the essence of that being cannot be degraded— that’s the limit of the Land and Earth Diagram. That’s why that powerful spellcaster Zhuge Sa was able to continuously attempt escape when he was trapped in the past.”

“Hmm. So I can only think.”

“That’s right.”

Cheon Woo-jin gazed at me carefully, then said, “You possess incredible divine power, so sealing you completely with the Land and Earth Diagram is impossible. Breaking free will be easier than you think. But if you don’t focus your power properly, even a strong force can end up binding you even tighter—that’s the frightening aspect of the Land and Earth Diagram.”

“I got it. But if I break out, won’t the Land and Earth Diagram be destroyed? Is that okay?”

“Not really… in this situation where the end of days has come, what significance does this single artifact hold?”

Cheon Woo-jin muttered self-deprecatingly, his eyes sparkling with determination.

“Be trapped!”

Whoosh!

In the next moment, I realized I was in a completely different space—a beautiful natural landscape sprawled across craggy cliffs, and I found myself seated in a lotus position in front of a hut atop those cliffs.

‘Is it starting?’

Just as Cheon Woo-jin said!

I tried to draw down my Intent Heavenly Pillar and Qi, but nothing happened. It felt like when I was in the Consciousness World of a Reborn Person. I tried to move but couldn’t; I had to remain still, seated in lotus position.

‘…Training in this state is definitely impossible.’

Sure, I could think in my head, but it’s tough to call that training. Sure, at high levels of martial arts, you can understand martial principles through seated meditation, but that’s only for the exceptionally insightful individuals. For someone like me, who climbed up exclusively through real combat and training, this is essentially no training at all.

Moreover, according to Cheon Woo-jin, even if I gained freedom of thought while stuck in this time-stopping status, the passage of time here is almost the same as outside. So there’s really no reason to come into the Land and Earth Diagram to train.

What about divine power?

Since I didn’t have Heuk Woong yet, I could only release my Spirit Power in its simplest form. As I did, the space in front of me began to twist, cracking like glass.

‘Huh? That cracked fast!’

Just as I thought I was lucky, strong pressure rushed into the crackling space and started to squeeze me tightly. Then an intangible force absorbed my Spirit Power, rendering me completely immobile.

Hmm. I almost broke through… what’s the problem?

I pondered and tried again, only to get the same outcome. No matter how much strength I pushed, there was a point where I just couldn’t push further.

‘This is what Cheon Woo-jin was talking about. If I don’t focus my power properly, I could end up binding myself even more…’

I could break through the seal of the artifact with some force, but there’s a limit. In other words, to break through the Land and Earth Diagram, I have to manage my power effectively or push with the right method. This was a proper trial and stirred my fighting spirit.

‘Alright then! Let’s see…’

…

But how do I concentrate my power? Without Heuk Woong, all I can do with my divine power is to release it… Plus, after recently acquiring the semi-divine Being of Amaterasu from Seimei, my control feels even harder than before.

Trying the same method again leads to failure, but I have only one method I can attempt.

Then, I have to increase the number of methods to challenge.

‘This is what training’s about! Ultimately, I’ll use Saitan’s command to enhance my self-control, and with that increased control, I should be able to manipulate my Spirit Power even without Heuk Woong.’

When I had Heuk Woong, I didn’t have to bother focusing my divine power; Heuk Woong did it all. But it’s not like I can’t handle my Spirit Power at all without Heuk Woong. I can still simply release it, and if I boost my control, I can easily create forms like a shield or weapon. I know how to handle Spirit Energy since I learned the tricks from Miho.

However, even to gain that level of control seems out of reach right now. Even with Saitan’s command, I could only manage a tiny area. It feels like I’m not even at 5% of my full power, so I can’t manifest a form with it.

I must train Saitan’s command.

I got obsessed with that thought but soon felt troubled.

‘I need to recite the command… but if I can’t pronounce it, how can I recite it?!’

I tried to open my mouth, but it wouldn’t budge!

Of course, in this current state, I can’t feel any bodily sensations. My body appears visually, but it feels like my consciousness is just floating in an empty void. The basic feeling of muscles and nerves being connected doesn’t reach me.

That’s because right now, I’m just a “picture”!

I can’t open my mouth.

A picture can’t open its mouth, right?

I inwardly groaned and mulled over my situation. Is it really possible that I’ll waste 24 hours like this? It’s not a catastrophic failure, but it does sting. If I could spend 24 hours reciting, I’d achieve some level of mastery, so it feels like a loss.

‘No… Cheon Woo-jin, a genius, wouldn’t have sent me in without considering that… There must be a way!’

There must be a method!

‘…Right! There’s no way he’d throw me in here without any means of training just to mess with me…’

…

Okay, stop. It’s pointless to think about it since I’m already in here.

I quickly shifted my mindset and focused my mind.

Can I recite the command without opening my mouth? It seems impossible since I can’t use my vocal cords in this “picture” state. Still, I kept believing that there must be a way as I continued to mull it over, eventually arriving at a different conclusion.

‘Why not try memorizing it in my head instead of my mouth?’

There’s no sharp way to approach it. Originally, commands must be pronounced for their power to activate, but I decided to try memorizing the command in my mind for now. After memorizing the command of about 220 characters in my head, just like when reciting it orally, it certainly didn’t feel like my control was increasing at all.

‘Not working.’

Hmm…. What should I do?

How can I open my mouth in this “picture” state?

I didn’t give up, continuing my cycle of contemplation. About an hour of thoughts passed before I realized one crucial fact.

I don’t know!

‘Crap… did I fail…?’

No matter how hard I think, I can’t find a way to break this contradiction. If I could at least think of that, I wouldn’t be called a fool. Staring blankly into the void, I decided to just go for it.

Gugugugu

Boom! Bang!!

I continued to draw out my divine power, repeatedly attempting to break through the Land and Earth Diagram. Each time, a backlash surged, squeezing my brain like never before. It felt like my nerves were going to burst from the pain.

“Ugh… urgh….”

I guess sheer strength isn’t cutting it…!!

“Ugh…!”

Huh?!

While letting out a pained groan, I suddenly realized sound was escaping my lips. It was as if my physical body existed, allowing me to speak!

No way….

With that thought, as I continued to test my voice, I noticed something.

“Yes!! In that brief moment when I fully release my power and the Land and Earth Diagram is disrupted!! The law that binds me vanishes, and I can speak! The artifact can’t fix my existence as a ‘picture’ if it takes damage!”

I decided to quickly attempt reciting the command.

“Yulrukzonbiguangsuljakbyeonwoojongsi… GAHHH!!”

That’s too much!! I barely recited a dozen characters before the backlash hit, making my brain feel like it would explode. Time is just too fleeting; if I manage to recite a dozen characters, that’s it.

‘What the hell…!! The recitation time is absurdly short! I have 220 characters, what do I do?!’

Did I just do something stupid? Should I just have quietly practiced reciting outside?

‘No!! I will never give up!! If I give up here, I could completely end my 28th life when facing Miho! This is nothing compared to what I’ve faced until now.’

I gritted my teeth.

There’s enough grit in me—I cannot give up! What options do I have for enhancing my control over Spirit Power with only able to recite ten characters due to this situation…

Huh?

Suddenly, an absurd thought struck me.

Now that I think about it, both Saitan’s command and Spirit Power are forms of power. What if I combined the two?

If my Spirit Power is one thread short in breaking through the Land and Earth Diagram, it keeps failing… then maybe if I amplify my Spirit Power with the command, it could give it the propulsion it needs!!

‘Could that work?’

I have barely the time to recite ten characters out of 220. The commands are fundamentally a single concept, so even if I memorize some, it won’t fully materialize since the command isn’t complete. With fragmented commands, I can’t amplify my Spirit Power.

Both the command and Spirit Power… it would be great if I could use both powers simultaneously. I don’t want to just enhance my control; I want to wield the command’s power freely as well.

‘But this command is a transformation of Saitan’s name by Cheon Woo-jin, and I can’t modify such a perfect command to suit my whims. My skill level is painfully inadequate.’

Should I go back to simplicity?

After all, even though it’s a command, it’s merely a transformation for utilizing the power of [Name]. So simply pronouncing the name itself becomes the most primal command. However, doing that wouldn’t allow for practice effects; it would merely unleash the Spirit Power contained in Saitan’s [Name]. I’ve yet to experience its effects firsthand, so it remains a mystery.

‘Let’s try it.’

At this point, it’s the only method available.

Once again, I released my Spirit Power within the Land and Earth Diagram, gaining a brief moment of bodily freedom, and poured every bit of my intent into the proper pronunciation.

“Saitan!!”

Crack

At that moment, something strange happened. The power of Spirit Power, which had felt blocked as if it were bouncing off an invisible wall until now, transformed into a massive wave and began to rise like a tide! My previously limited time expanded, allowing me to move not just my mouth but also my hands and feet.

‘Great. Now, let’s…’

They say that chanting a name three times holds great meaning in the sorcery realm.

I finished reciting the remaining two times.

“Saitan! Saitan!!”

Whoa!!

At that very moment, the Spirit Power swirling around my body began to overflow like a rushing torrent, spilling out into the world. The wave of Spirit Power began to envelop me, creating a circle that lifted me into the air.

Kuwhamwham

The wave of Spirit Power grew even larger. What initially only dampened the cliff became alive, wriggling like the Water Dragon, soaring through the skies! Watching the seemingly endless increase in power, I was struck by awe.

“This… what is happening?”

Suddenly, from within the waves of Spirit Power, a bright light began to flow out, revealing a beautiful and noble being with a halo glowing behind its head.

The Goddess, Amaterasu!

Amaterasu floated above the surface of Spirit Power, gazing down at me and said,

[To call upon the name of the judge three times… you’ve inadvertently summoned the ancient serpent.]

“What do you mean? I was just trying to practice escaping the Land and Earth Diagram…”

[That being has been corrupted for too long by the chaos of the outer universe, resulting in its essence being degraded. By utilizing your Spirit Power, you’ve given it a baptism by calling its name.]

“……!!”

[The energy within you is truly remarkable. Because of that, the essence of the [Ancient Serpent] you’ve cleansed is trying to manifest in this space.]

Gugugugu…

Moments later, the wave of Spirit Power began to take on the form of a dragon, morphing into a gigantic red dragon with seven heads. The seven-headed dragon wore ten crowns of different colors atop its heads.

‘What is that?!’

I sensed it even though I didn’t fully understand.

That’s on a level that can’t be brushed aside, comparable even to a Demon King. It’s an incredible presence!

Caught off guard in this sudden situation, I felt alarmed and asked Amaterasu, “If you’ve appeared before me, there must be a reason! Will you help me stop that?!”

[…….]

“Damn it!! I clearly took the name from the serpent through a legitimate pact. Isn’t it unfair that I call its name three times and it wakes up?!”

Amaterasu gazed at me thoughtfully and said, [Oh being of illusion. Let me clarify:]

“Huh?”

[The serpent you encountered is likely merely a shell left behind after its essence was consumed by the outer universe. You’ve stolen the name of that shell that had been tainted, but you directly washed away the chaos using your great divine power. Scrubbing away millions of years of dirt naturally leads to its essence being reborn.]

“…….”

[That being was originally a [Ruler] of another world.]

With that, Amaterasu continued,

[I control the evil of the Ruler. For reasons unknown, two of my semi-divine selves have submerged within your Spirit Power, allowing me to resurrect for a brief time. Now, I have an obligation to fulfill, but I must ask you something.]

“What is it?”

[[My] semi-divine self existing twofold simultaneously in the same space and time has led to an impossible event in the history of the universe. It indicates that you are an existence referred to as a [Reborn Person], a being whose reality is so bizarre that even the gods can hardly grasp it… someone directly related to the ‘Great Cycle’, correct?]

“…Yes.”

It seems Amaterasu, being a great being, inferred the existence of the Reborn Person. I couldn’t lie since she was the only one capable of resolving this situation; I had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Then Amaterasu said,

[Reborn one, before that being regains its name and awakens, I will sacrifice myself to suppress it. In return, please grant me a favor.]

“What is it?”

[Please exterminate the evil gods, Koto Ama Tsukami, who were expelled to Venus.]

“…I can’t promise, but I’ll try my best.”

Swoosh

Moments later, Amaterasu moved toward the seven-headed dragon. She then rushed at it, exclaiming,

[Ancient serpent Saitan! I, Amaterasu Ookami, seal your seven sins!]

Kwoosh!!

A tremendous explosion of light erupted.

I could hardly keep my eyes open to see what was happening before me. All I could perceive was the kaleidoscopic colors flashing and storming around as the celestial light quivered amid the chaos.

For a brief moment, a massive pillar emerged from each of the seven dragon heads, and a gigantic tree sprouted from within the ordered mess of pillars. It seemed that a being had settled atop the tree, and the queen of suns, Amaterasu Ookami, dashed toward that being with an attack, as I overheard it mumble,

[So this may be the fate that fated me for rebelling against the gods.]

Crash

The clash of two monumental presences felt like they would erase one another.

“UAAAAAH!”

I was engulfed in the explosion, feeling a tearing pain as I screamed.

‘Why has it come to this?!’

I just intended to practice escaping the Land and Earth Diagram, but why did such a ridiculous incident occur?! Was summoning Saitan’s name three times such a crazy choice?! But even while being swept away by the explosion, my body suffered no injuries; I merely floated in a sudden expanse of emptiness.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh

‘Damn it. If such an immense explosion of spiritual energy has occurred, there’s no way the artifact Land and Earth Diagram isn’t torn apart… success in escaping!’

My training might not yield results, but who cares!

I had wasted a bit of time, yet I could begin my command recitation now…

…

Huh? What’s that?

I caught sight of a figure standing in the realm wrapped in darkness, akin to a twilight universe. Confirming the figure from a distance, I could hardly believe my eyes.

A black cat was puffing out its tail.

No doubt about it. That was Master Mangnyang.

“Mangnyang…”

I raised my hand to call out to Mangnyang, but momentarily noticed something odd.

Puff

In just an instant, someone’s human form was overlaid on Master Mangnyang’s cat-like body.

‘Who could that be?’

They seemed familiar…

It was such a minute event, so I could not confirm the appearance well, but I felt like I had seen the figure before. Almost immediately, Master Mangnyang returned to his cat form, while I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I had imagined things.

Master Mangnyang sparkled his yellow eyes at me and said,

[You troublemaker. I didn’t expect you to unravel the ancient memories I sealed away.]

“What?”

[Just escape on your own. Right now, I can’t help you because I’m holding back the [Most Despicable Evil]….]

Pffft!!

Moments later, Master Mangnyang vanished from before my eyes, and everything returned to how it was. Contrary to my thoughts, the Land and Earth Diagram hadn’t torn itself apart and thrown me outside; the scenery of the original Land and Earth Diagram remained intact.

Swoosh—

The peaceful sound of a waterfall rang in my ears. The difference now was that I had a fully alive body and could move freely. The vividness felt far from what one would think of as the world of an artifact.

“What on earth is happening here?”

I also sensed that my Spirit Power was flowing in a perfectly coherent manner. I couldn’t grasp the nature of this change, but it didn’t feel negative. Realizing I could also use martial arts and the Intent Heavenly Pillar, I found myself puzzled, tilting my head.

What exactly transpired?

Had the sealing mechanism of the Land and Earth Diagram released, turning the inside into a separate otherworld?

While I was contemplating, there was a rumble.

Boom!

Looking to the east, it seemed like the sky was on fire. When I turned my gaze that way, I widened my eyes in shock.

[Children of Pangu! Come at me together!]

In the midst of the sky and sun, an arrogant voice spoke slowly from a winged being.

That being, wrapped in lightning, continued to speak proudly.

[But I’ll still win.]

Boom—

Beneath that being floated two others.

As I observed those two from a distance, I stuttered in a trembling voice.

“…No way.”

Those beings possessed shining black eyes that resembled stars, and beside them was a giant dragon.

Needless to say, I recognized those two beings very well.

‘Nüwa… Fuxi?!’

The words of Cheon Woo-jin came to mind.

[If the owner wishes, they can transform the Land and Earth Diagram into a drawing engraved with the memories of the battle against the Thunder God. I had no clue what this function meant up until now from hearing it from my master.]

[Do you want to go in? It seems perfect for training since you can witness the battlefield of the deities. Hehe…]

In that moment, I realized.

‘The Three Sovereigns and the Thunder God…!!’

During the era of high civilization in the Central Plains.

At least six thousand years ago.

I had entered the memory of the great beings Nüwa and Fuxi battling against the Thunder God.