1104——————==

Soul of the Evil God (Sasinji Hon)

As Jeon Wook shot forth a hidden weapon, the space where Bok Hee and I stood was suddenly engulfed in darkness. The characteristic of Jeon Wook’s divine ability was that it manipulated cause and effect, making it impossible to dodge or defend. Even if one tried to defend, the attack could pierce through anything—even the main body of the Eight Parts of the Divine, skewering it like a shish kebab. Because of this, the moment the darkness enveloped my vision, I thought, “This is it, my 28th death.”

‘I’m still alive!’

Strangely enough, despite the darkness surrounding me, I wasn’t hurt, nor did I die. Furthermore, Bok Hee, who was next to me, was still sitting relaxed, fanning herself with her fan. She smirked and waved her fan horizontally.

“You didn’t listen at all to my previous advice, Jeon Wook.”

Swish!

At that, the darkness vanished as if washed away, and Jeon Wook’s form in the distance staggered. A clear wound, as if a giant blade had sliced through, was marked upon Jeon Wook’s massive dark body.

‘Wait, was that fan swing an attack?’

While I was bewildered by this unexpected situation, Jeon Wook quickly healed his injury and roared.

[Bok Hee! Do you underestimate me?]

“Not particularly. You’re just notably belligerent among the Emperor’s subordinates.”

Swish!

Jeon Wook created hundreds of hidden weapons in the air and yelled.

[You did this last time too; when will you stop using these tricks? Fight with your powers!]

“…?!”

[How can a god not fight like a god!]

Listening to Jeon Wook’s shout, I felt utterly perplexed.

‘What? Bok Hee’s counterattack wasn’t even using divine power?’

I had naturally assumed that, being a deity among the Three Sovereigns, she was suppressing him with superior divine strength; that wasn’t the case. So, Bok Hee must have counterattacked using some technique called “tricks.”

Bok Hee continued to smile while fanning herself.

“Jeon Wook, do you want to play a game with me using the Small Cycle while engaging in the Thousand-Day Duel? I don’t particularly wish to get hot and tangled up with you, so I’ll politely decline that offer.”

[What are you talking about! That’s how divine battles are supposed to be!]

“Don’t throw around the word ‘original’ carelessly. I’ve never agreed to battle using divine powers.”

Bok Hee sighed for some reason.

“I’ve been utterly bored with this kind of battle since billions of years ago. Every time I turn around, divine abilities are used to go back in time and edit, modify, revert, reflect and reflect again, stamping ‘no reverse’ and then they growl and nitpick until they get exiled to another dimension. It’s not like I’m grabbing kids by their hair; where’s the fun in this kind of fighting?”

Jeon Wook crossed his arms as if in disbelief.

[Fighting has no place for fun. You’ve gone senile from age, Bok Hee.]

“Well, you’re still quite young for a god, so you might not understand the subtleties.”

[Hmph…. Defying the forces of a god with mere earthly logic is impossible!]

Kugugugu!

It seemed that Jeon Wook’s massive dark form inflated greatly. His gaze emitted a dark flame, exuding a formidable aura.

[Dragon of the Universe, die and return to the Throne of Chaos!]

Pyu pyu pyu!

In the next moment, Jeon Wook simultaneously fired hundreds of hidden weapons. The intensity was as if a demonic spear pierced through the Earth’s core, flooding the world with darkness, turning the land upside down, and everything devolved into complete chaos.

Wung wung wung!

Yet, neither Bok Hee nor I were harmed in any way. I could hear Bok Hee’s emotionless voice murmuring.

“How dare you utter such arrogance about the Throne of Chaos, Jeon Wook. Even the Emperor himself wouldn’t dare to speak like that in front of me.”

And amidst all this chaos, I ended up understanding the real reason why only the area around us remained unscathed from Jeon Wook’s attack: a subtle silvery circle was surrounding Bok Hee and me. It felt like a kind of barrier, though not one that blocked Jeon Wook’s darkness; more like it let it pass through completely.

Wung wung wung wung!

And shortly after, I could see that this silvery circle began splitting apart and changing. A line crossed the center of the circle, slowly developing into halves of red and blue, spinning round and round. I was observing this phenomenon when it clicked for me.

“Tai… Tai Chi!”

This area was transforming into Tai Chi! Bok Hee smiled as I recognized it.

“Heh heh. You really do know Tai Chi.”

“Bok Hee, how can we possibly block Jeon Wook’s full-powered attack using Tai Chi? That, that’s absolutely impossible….”

I couldn’t find the words.

Tai Chi!

It was the principle that served as the foundation of Daoist martial arts and the basis for all martial arts and techniques in both the Right and Left Dao visits, infinitely countless theories. Just as many as the potentential of its use, its versatility and potential were limitless.

However, nothing could truly stand against a divine being like the Three Sovereigns. Even the pinnacle technique, Peerless Technique, would likely not be able to block Jeon Wook’s recent attack—not even its founder, Jang Sam-bong, could have confidence in that. By logical standards, it would be impossible to block. After all, Tai Chi was merely a principle, but the Three Sovereigns before me had the actual divine power to wield it.

Moreover, Jeon Wook had definitely not held back; he had openly declared his full power against the Three Sovereigns. This was an entirely different level compared to when Tezcatlipoca had been half-heartedly attacking and I managed to block it with Peerless Technique.

Then Bok Hee said:

“This isn’t blocking; it’s slipping through.”

“…Slipping through?”

“Why must we always block or dodge? Think of human fights: when someone attacks with a spear, one can use their own weapon or fists to slide past the spear’s tip, right? The same can be done with Tai Chi.”

“Well, now that you mention it, it does sound plausible….”

But how could one ‘slip through’!

With my understanding of common sense, such a thing was beyond comprehension, leaving me utterly dazed. I cautiously asked:

“Could this be a martial art?”

Bok Hee leisurely fixed her gaze beyond the darkness.

“Indeed. It’s called Divine Arts Tai Chi Dragon Scale.”

“Divine Arts?”

So the counterattack against Jeon Wook earlier with the fan was also some kind of Divine Arts?

Bok Hee began to calmly explain.

“Baek Woong, as you think, the principles of Tai Chi alone are insufficient to withstand the true power of a divine being. Ultimately, since it’s a principle I personally forced into a lower-dimensional skill set, it finds it hard to resist higher-dimensional powers. Someone who has evolved their own principle to reach the Primordial Void could amplify the power of Tai Chi and stand against even a god, but that’s not a path I can recommend to humans.”

As Bok Hee said this, she gently opened her palm, and a little Tai Chi began vibrating above it with a humming sound.

“You must know that the root of a god ultimately lies in chaos. Thus, if one can reach into chaos, anyone can challenge a god.”

Bok Hee slowly lifted that Tai Chi into the air and continued speaking.

“Therefore, I, Bok Hee, imparted the means to control the currents of higher-dimensional chaos through principles like Tai Chi and Eight Trigrams. That is Divine Arts, a power that transcends typical martial arts to face even divine beings.”

Tsuzuzuzu!!

The tiny Tai Chi suddenly split into hundreds, densely packing into the air. The shapes created began swallowing the darkness, and more Tai Chi began generating in the air. The sheer number became so great it resembled countless stars pouring down like a meteor shower across the vast cosmos.

Divine Arts

Tai Chi Dragon Scale

Heavenly Change – !!

The stars of Tai Chi created the Milky Way, washing the darkness away like a river!

Kuguwa!

In the next moment, the darkness that Jeon Wook had summoned was wholly erased, and everything returned to its previous state as if it had never happened.

[Still using tricks till the end!!]

[Wait, Jeon Wook!!]

[What?]

As soon as Bok Hee and I revealed ourselves again, Jeon Wook shot out another hidden weapon in an attempt to attack, but at that moment, the Shao Hao Jin Tian, who had been nearby, flapped his wings in confusion and spoke. His true form was a massive bird that devoured the universe.

[That Yu Shun guy…. he vanished midway through his manifestation.]

Though Yu Shun’s true name had been heard separately, it somehow resonated to me as a divine term referring to Yu Shun.

[What?!]

Among the deities that had descended, one spot was empty. Only the symbol remained; the divine being that existed at the summoning portal had disappeared.

[……?]

[Something’s off.]

Jeon Wook, seemingly startled by the sudden turn of events, gazed at the empty spot, and even the nearby Jeogok regarded it with concern in his white giant form.

The unexpected disappearance of Yu Shun!

Bok Hee, who was in a standoff, also tilted her head, seeming perplexed.

“Hmm? That guy with no presence just finally vanished, huh?”

“……”

Could it be because of Heavenly Secret?

I vaguely guessed the reason, but if I stated that in this situation, it would only bring up a whole new level of suspicion that Bok Hee had held. Above all, I knew it was because of Heavenly Secret, but the specific principle remained unclear to me. So I hurriedly spoke to Bok Hee.

“Bok Hee! How about we escape before the Emperor shows up?”

“Hmm, unfortunately, I have no such intention.”

“Wha?!”

“The Emperor is already here. And I don’t intend to avoid him.”

What?!

I hurriedly looked up at the sky. Among the five summoning circles, four were already filled by priests except for the central yellow symbol representing the Emperor, where nothing had yet been summoned. This left me puzzled.

“Nothing’s been summoned at the Emperor’s spot, though?”

“Does it look that way?”

Bok Hee continued, peering at the empty spot as if mocking.

“He’s incredibly suspicious and devises many schemes. Moreover, he rarely shows his face openly. So even if it seems like that spot is vacant, his subordinate is undoubtedly present.”

“I don’t feel anything….”

“Hehe. Without a special ‘eye’, you wouldn’t recognize it.”

A special eye?

‘Right. Let’s try using Fire Eye Golden Spirit or Palace Examination Technique!’

I activated Fire Eye Golden Spirit to examine that vacant spot, but saw nothing. Since Fire Eye Golden Spirit didn’t work, I activated Palace Examination Technique, and at that moment, I felt a prick in my eyes and recognized that something winged was floating in that empty space.

“……!!”

What, what is that?!

Kuoohhh!!

A monster with about ten eyeballs was floating in mid-air!

In addition, it had several pairs of wings, and red shoulder blades were visible, shimmering as if distorting reality! It was a horrifying sight, but an oddly sacred aura emanated from it that seemed to drive anyone who saw it mad.

“W-What on earth…”

To not be able to even recognize its existence without using Palace Examination Technique?

Could it be a being so powerful that it’s beyond recognition like when Daji appeared?

“Oooh, you can see Qi Bai Chen. Well, it makes sense since the artifact you used was borrowed power from that birdbrain, being of the same chaotic lineage.”

“Qi Bai Chen?”

“Me and Nüwa call that guy Qi Bai Chen, the Emperor’s direct subordinate. He has many subordinates, but this one is the only direct envoy and apostle. Considering he sent this one here, it seems the Emperor values this place, even if he isn’t sending his main body.”

“Is he strong?”

“He’s not particularly strong by my standards, but he can easily handle even most gods. A high-level existence that a mortal like you would find difficult to even perceive.”

Just then, Bok Hee replied.

Swoosh!

Suddenly, the Shao Hao Jin Tian, floating in the air, shot me an exceedingly unpleasant look while emitting killing intent.

[Hey, you human! Who do you think you are to misuse my power right now?]

“……?!”

What?

I was bewildered by what the Shao Hao Jin Tian said, but suddenly recalled that I had activated Palace Examination Technique.

‘Oh right…!! Palace Examination Technique is a power usable through the National Seal, and the creator of the National Seal is Shao Hao Jin Tian!’

If what he said is true, then using Palace Examination Technique means I’ve borrowed Shao Hao Jin Tian’s power! From his perspective, it’d be inconvenient and puzzling since I hadn’t even created the National Seal in this era and my power was being siphoned out!

As I panicked and couldn’t respond, the Shao Hao Jin Tian flapped his wings and shouted.

[You little insect!! How dare you trifle before me while relying on Bok Hee!]

“N-No, it’s not like that!!”

I realized I needed to respond quickly or I’d end up dead. Suddenly, I came up with a gamble.

‘Damn it! Since it’s come to this, let’s roll the dice!’

I held up the National Seal high above my head and said to Shao Hao Jin Tian.

“Shao Hao Jin Tian! Actually, this was made by me, and I wish to offer it to you! Please accept it!”

[…….]

[…….]

Silence enveloped the gathering of deities.

Bok Hee, who was next to me, looked at me with curious eyes, and Jeon Wook and the Shao Hao Jin Tian, who had been ready for a fight moments ago, were now eyeing me intently. I could even feel the gaze of Jeogok locked onto me.

Shao Hao Jin Tian extended his head forward.

[You made this?]

“Yes! Isn’t it splendid? I crafted it according to your tastes, Shao Hao Jin Tian!”

[Oh, is that so…. It really is to my liking!!]

“Yes! Naturally!”

Because in the future, you had Qin Shi Huang create it according to your preferences!

While cursing Shao Hao Jin Tian internally, I rubbed my hands together and said.

“Please don’t be angry! I made this because I admire you, so I hope you will at least take a look at it!”

[Hmmm…. Alright. But why are you with Bok Hee?]

“Uh…. That’s…”

At that point, Bok Hee chimed in.

“Baek Woong is my disciple.”

[Saying he’s your disciple, Bok Hee?]

“Even if we have a quarrel, it’s not very god-like to take it out on my disciple, is it? And any god who cannot accept respect is not a god at all.”

[Hmm, I see!]

When Bok Hee casually spoke like a light reprimand, Shao Hao Jin Tian seemed to nod in understanding. Then he turned to me.

[Alright, hand it over! Then I shall let it go.]

“Thank you! But….”

[But?]

“While we’re at it, could you bless me a little?”

I can’t just walk away empty-handed, even if I’m facing death!

[…….]

Kugh… Will that even work?

As I anxiously looked at Shao Hao Jin Tian, he replied in an unexpectedly gentle voice.

[Oh well, a wish like that is easy to grant. Do you want the blessing of immortality?]

“No! I don’t need that kind of thing!”

What good is immortality when I’m just going to be reborn!

It’ll only take time to reset…

[Usually, everyone goes crazy for immortality. You sure are a peculiar human. Then what do you need?]

“Uh, that is….”

What should I ask for?

Since I’m offering an essential treasure like the National Seal, I should receive something decent in exchange…

In fact, I want to leave this world of the Land and Earth Diagram right now, but asking for something like that is meaningless.

‘Yeah, that sounds good.’

I thought for a moment before finally speaking.

“Please make me your apostle, Shao Hao Jin Tian!”