1117——————==

Soul of the Evil God

I was briefly stunned by the fact that all the Three Sovereigns I was just with seemed to have perished, but I soon snapped out of it.

‘I’m in danger too!’

If this Coming Chaos has wiped out the Three Sovereigns, then it’s only natural to think it is now hunting me down to finish the job! Fuxi knew this, which is probably why he told me to escape and quickly find a way out of this world. Panicking, I called out to the primitive people nearby.

“Hey!! Is this Luoyang?!”

“……#&%^&@^&$$&??”

“…….”

They seemed to be saying something, but I couldn’t understand a word. The tone seemed vaguely similar to the Central Plains language I used to speak, but that was about it; it felt more like a completely foreign language. I sensed that these primitive people had their own way of speaking, but it was so frustrating not being able to understand them.

‘Damn it! Who knew it was so ancient that communication itself would break down….’

Right now, it was literally the Mythological Age, on the brink of civilization! The Zhou and Yin Dynasties had yet to be established, thousands of years back. Naturally, I couldn’t speak the language I knew! I scratched my head but then thought differently.

‘Of course! That Fuxi wouldn’t mess around, right? I must be in Luoyang. And if Fuxi sent me here, it means the [Observer] must be someone connected to Luoyang.’

Honestly, I still couldn’t pin down who the Observer really was. I might not be an idiot, but I could only narrow it down to a few options, knowing that if I jumped to conclusions and acted recklessly, it would end badly for me.

‘But I have some idea about who it could be… How do I find them?’

Just then.

Boom!

Suddenly, the Four Great Spirits and the Primordial Heaven Master appeared before me. His face was darker than usual as he struggled to speak.

“Priest. The Master instructed me to help you.”

“Older Brother. You know about…”

“I know.”

“……”

“What troubles you?”

I responded to the Primordial Heaven Master’s question.

“First, I need to gather clues about the individual I’m looking for by asking these people. But I can’t communicate with them.”

“That’s an easy task.”

Boom!

The Primordial Heaven Master waved his finger from left to right, and suddenly, I could clearly understand what the nearby primitives were saying.

Murmur murmur

“Whoa…. Is this some kind of instant translation magic? What in the world….”

“Not really magic. Just my talent for Chaos.”

“…….”

“Hurry. You never know when the chaos that killed the Master will crash down on this land.”

“Understood.”

I began asking the primitives who among them was the highest authority. Soon, a person who looked like the village chief stepped forward, kneeling before us and saying loudly:

“O Great Ones! Ask me anything!”

“We’re not gods… but anyway.”

I asked the village chief.

“Do you know Master Mangnyang?”

The answer I provided, based on the hint from Fuxi, was distinctly Master Mangnyang. Master Mangnyang was the one who had given the treasure, the Land and Earth Diagram, to Cheon Woo-jin, and seemed to be the most likely person to fit the role of the Observer.

‘It has to be Master Mangnyang, right?’

I wasn’t entirely sure, but for now, I had no choice but to start with whoever seemed most likely.

“……?”

The village chief tilted his head in confusion and replied.

“I don’t know!”

“…….”

He didn’t seem to be lying. I turned to the Primordial Heaven Master and said.

“Older Brother. This area will later be known as Luoyang. The territory of Luoyang is probably around four hundred li, so I’ll need to ask the village chiefs of all the villages within that range. It sounds tedious, but….”

“That’s easy enough.”

“Really? It’s not that easy….”

Boom!

The Primordial Heaven Master performed a technique. Then, the Eight Trigrams floated in the air, radiating a mysterious light, and soon, a throng of primitives was summoned within a one-li radius surrounding us!

Whoosh whoosh whoosh

There appeared to be at least ten thousand of them.

‘What?! You can detect and forcibly teleport this many people at once…!!’

That’s a miracle even a Great Immortal at the same level couldn’t dream of accomplishing! Maybe, with a ton of rituals or preparations, but to casually pull off something like that with a single technique is just unbelievable.

As I stared blankly at the Primordial Heaven Master, he spoke in a serious voice.

“Hurry up. The ominous deeds from the heavens are growing stronger.”

“Oh, got it.”

Being one of the Three Pure Ones of the Celestial Realm, he was definitely an impressive figure; however, the Primordial Heaven Master’s skills were on an entirely different level than those I had seen before, such as the Celestial Twelve Great Immortals. Until now, I had only thought of him as an assist with the Land and Earth Diagram, but his ability went well beyond that treasure. I shouted to everyone.

“Anyone who knows Master Mangnyang, step forward!”

……

No one reacted.

‘Ugh…. I really can’t find anyone this way, huh?’

As I scratched my head, thinking it was too simple a method, the Primordial Heaven Master said.

“Priest. It seems I’ve rushed things too much. You should consider this more calmly.”

“I need to find Master Mangnyang, but I have no idea how.”

“Master Mangnyang… Could you tell me what kind of being he is?”

I briefly shared what I knew about Master Mangnyang with the Primordial Heaven Master. After listening to my explanation for about an hour, he finally said.

“So, what you’re saying is he’s a tremendously powerful being, perhaps surpassing Master Fuxi. And this being came down to a place known as Luoyang in the past to seal the entity known as the [Worst Evil]. So, Master sent you to Luoyang, thinking the Observer is Master Mangnyang, giving you this clue?”

“That’s right.”

“Then surely, there wouldn’t be anyone among humans who knows him. Current humans are so ignorant that they consider beings like me as gods, so how could they possibly recognize such a great being?”

“Ah….”

“This simple-minded approach could only be used later. These primitives can’t even properly make bronze yet.”

Swish

The Primordial Heaven Master waved his hand again, and the enormous herd of primitives that had gathered here all seemed to return to their original positions. His words continued.

“To find a hidden god, it’s most common to look for them through a medium linked to them. Alternatively, you could summon them using their name from texts or legends. Do you have either of those?”

“…….”

A medium?

A name of a god?

I pondered for a moment and felt embarrassed.

‘The Land and Earth Diagram itself is a medium linked to Master Mangnyang….’

Being inside a treasure that is a medium, could I even find something? I was hesitant to mention this to the Primordial Heaven Master, but I couldn’t help it. Fuxi accepted his existence as an illusion easily, but could the Primordial Heaven Master be expected to do the same? Who would easily accept that this world is merely the realm inside a treasure and that they themselves are but a transient dream?

‘Damn it…. If I’m not careful, he might think I’m insane and stop helping me!’

Even I would struggle to accept such claims. Thus, I decided to start with the latter possibility.

“I’m not sure about the first option. And for the latter…. Knowing his name is Master Mangnyang should be enough, right?”

“If that’s the case, then with your divine power, proclaim the name of Master Mangnyang three times.”

“……? Alright.”

I followed his instructions, gathering divine power around my body, and shouted three times.

“Master Mangnyang! Master Mangnyang! Master Mangnyang!”

Yet, there was no response at all. Observing from the side, the Primordial Heaven Master spoke as though he had anticipated this.

“Just as I thought, it was a pseudonym.”

“A pseudonym?! What do you mean?”

“Literally. The true names of great gods are difficult for ordinary humans to recognize, and the moment they read them, they often go mad or even die. My Master Fuxi also has a real name, but those who recognized it ended up dead. That’s why he specifically went by the name [Fuxi] to interact with humans. It’s the same case for Nüwa.”

“…….”

“The true name of the god is not Master Mangnyang.”

Oh, so that’s how it is….

Nodding in response to the Primordial Heaven Master’s words, I asked.

“Then how can I know the true name? If all the names of the great gods of the universe are recorded in the grimoire, there should be some way to learn it.”

“Well…. I don’t know the specifics. But if you offer what the god desires, it might be possible.”

At that moment, just as we were talking.

Swish!

Suddenly, Taishang Laojun appeared and said.

“The Divine Temple has been completely sealed.”

“The entity of chaos that killed the Master has not descended?”

“Indeed. It seems he has no intention of descending immediately. However….”

While Taishang Laojun’s face wasn’t fully visible, he appeared to be troubled.

“For some reason, a powerful god is rising from the sea….”

“…an Evil God?”

“Most likely. But for now, he seems to have no intention of awakening. However, his subordinate, the Sea God, is moving and distributing his followers everywhere.”

“Hm…. If the Master were still alive, that scoundrel wouldn’t be running rampant.”

The Primordial Heaven Master muttered with discontent.

“Understood. Then you seal the Sea God for a while. I will assist the Priest.”

“Make it quick. It won’t be an easy task.”

Boom

Taishang Laojun’s sword form vanished amidst mystical clouds. I found myself stunned, unable to believe what I had just overheard from their conversation.

“Huh…. Huh?! What do you mean sealing the Sea God by yourself?!”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“W-wait, even though he’s somewhat weak, he is still an [Old Ruler]. Plus, the Sea God Clan under him numbers in the millions….”

“Hmm. It’s nothing to worry about.”

The Primordial Heaven Master said dismissively.

“Taishang Laojun will use divine arts to summon illusionary beasts from the Phantom Realm to knock out the Sea God Clan. Then, he’ll subdue the Sea God with his Ruyi Staff and seal him with the Tai Chi.”

“…….”

“While it won’t be as easy as said, the Sea God isn’t that strong, so it should be sufficient.”

Seeing the Primordial Heaven Master genuinely believe Taishang Laojun could subdue the Sea God all by himself, I was utterly dumbfounded. Could the Three Pure Ones of the Celestial Realm really be this formidable? While I was still in shock, the Primordial Heaven Master spoke.

“More importantly, it’s finally time to utilize my Primordial Void.”

Boom

The Primordial Heaven Master retrieved the Primordial Void and floated it in the air. As I stared at the Primordial Void, he said,

“The Primordial Void is a treasure that can observe all constellations and this world. If, as you’ve said, a being called Master Mangnyang is sleeping within Luoyang, we should be able to sense his signs and location regardless of how deeply he hides.”

“……!!”

Now that I think about it, I had found Yu Ji using the Primordial Void and informed Xiang Yu before! I had forgotten that the Primordial Void had a search function, and that realization filled me with hope, so I urged the Primordial Heaven Master.

“Please check it!”

Boom

“Primordial Void! Find all the great divine beings that exist within four hundred li of Luoyang!”

As he shouted, the Primordial Void began to emit a glowing light, and shortly after, the image of an old sage appeared before it and spoke.

[There exists no such being.]

“What the…. In that case, expand the search radius to a thousand li!”

A thousand li wouldn’t be far off since it would almost include both Luoyang and the northern region. It was nearly a third of the entire Central Plains continent. Expanding beyond Luoyang’s territory already.

Divine energy surged intensely from the Primordial Heaven Master, and soon the Primordial Void responded.

[Not found.]

“…….”

Nothing found!

The Primordial Heaven Master appeared troubled.

“If the Primordial Void couldn’t find it, then I have no other means left… Well, with such powerful divine beings like the Master and the Emperor around, it’s unlikely any other [Ruler] could thrive. Is it truly possible that Master Mangnyang doesn’t exist?”

“Uh…. That’s….”

Could it be that this crazy cat never existed in this era?

‘Oh! Wait, didn’t they say the Battle Ground of Luoyang is a legendary barrier created during the age of Great Yu…!!’

The age of Great Yu corresponds to the time of the Three Sovereigns, so I thought I was getting close, but it didn’t seem right. As I rummaged through my memory, I realized what the problem was.

‘If it was created during the era of water control, it must have been when Jeon Wook had severed the passages between Heaven and Earth to return to the heavens. This means there was a minimum of agreements between the Three Sovereigns, and it would have been after the establishment of the Ancient Xia Dynasty… but that’s at least a few hundred years later than now!’

I had traveled too far back in time!

So, does that mean I can’t find Master Mangnyang after all? Even if I tried, since Master Mangnyang’s incident would occur hundreds or thousands of years later!

As I stood, dumfounded, the Primordial Heaven Master stated.

“Baek Woong. If there’s nothing I can assist you with, I will go help Taishang Laojun for a bit. I think he can manage himself, but if he gets injured, that’d be troublesome.”

“…Yes, don’t worry about me.”

“Then I hope you find Master Mangnyang. I’ll leave the Four Great Spirits with you for your travels. See you later.”

Boom

The Primordial Heaven Master left the Four Great Spirits behind as he vanished. I truly felt beset with troubles, clutching my head.

“Ugh…. Is there really no way?!”

The search power of the Primordial Void could be called the best in the universe. It could find things that even the National Seal could not. If even the Primordial Void couldn’t catch wind of Master Mangnyang, then he probably didn’t exist.

…No, even finding Master Mangnyang was secondary; how do I return to my original world now?

Even if I’m lucky enough that the Chaos in the celestial realm decides not to kill me upon descending, I’d still have to live here for hundreds or thousands of years? What if I die here, and there’s no guarantee I’ll return to reality?

‘No, wait! There has to be a way! I just haven’t found it yet! Let’s think a bit more.’

I forced myself to think positively, remembering through experience that giving up meant failure. After a long thought process, something felt amiss.

“Hm….”

What did Master Mangnyang say to me just before I entered this world?

Let’s recall that.

[You troublesome little brat. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to, but in the end, you’re unraveling the ancient memories I sealed away.]

[Find an escape route on your own. Right now, I cannot help you because I’m dealing with the [Worst Evil]….]

There must be a clue here.

‘If he said to find an escape route on my own, then it certainly implies there is a way to escape!’

If this world is, indeed, an ancient memory that was sealed and a way out exists, and Master Mangnyang is the one who sealed the memory and is the Observer, it follows that— from my perspective— meeting Master Mangnyang must be the way out. My current desolation comes from Master Mangnyang seemingly not existing.

As I unraveled my thoughts, I suddenly realized something else. And it seemed that everything I had been thinking might have started off wrong.

‘Oh? Could it be that I’ve been thinking incorrectly?’

I recognized this significant fact and promptly jumped onto the Four Great Spirits.

“Four Great Spirits! Let’s hurry to assist Taishang Laojun!”

[What a sudden turn. Why didn’t you go with the Primordial Heaven Master when he left?]

“Ugh, shut up! I just thought of something important!”

[Alright. Hold on tight.]

Boom!

As I rode on the Four Great Spirits, I entered a place engulfed in a spectacular battle.

Whir whir whir

Screech—

Hundreds of dimension doors floated in the sky, continuously pouring forth mystical illusionary beasts radiating vibrant colors. The illusionary beasts dove into the sea, attacking the Sea God Clan, while the Sea Gods retaliated with magic, but the resistance from the illusionary beasts was so high they suffered no losses.

Kaboom!!

Crash!

Meanwhile, Taishang Laojun summoned his Ruyi Staff in the air, moving freely and battering the Sea God, who desperately warded off the strikes with its arms, but each block progressively diminished its form.

‘The Ruyi Staff is glowing white-hot.’

I had never witnessed such a phenomenon, even when the Celestial Sage used it. Taishang Laojun, being the very creator of the Ruyi Staff, must be drawing out its real power.

Zoom

Bang!

As Taishang Laojun continued to strike the Sea God, he suddenly signaled with his finger, and then the Primordial Heaven Master appeared from somewhere while shouting.

“Pangu’s Blessing!! Crush him!”

Kaboom kaboom

The Sea God was pressed down by the power of the Pangu’s Blessing, his knees buckling as he swayed heavily.

Bang bang bang!

Quickly seizing the opportunity, Taishang Laojun struck the Sea God’s head three times with the Ruyi Staff, pinning it to the ground with the staff while extending his fingers forward.

“Tai Chi!! Seal him!”

Whoosh!

The Sea God was sucked into the space of the Tai Chi, vanishing completely. The entire process unfolded in the blink of an eye, leaving me no choice but to watch empty-headed from a distance. And then the Primordial Heaven Master approached me.

“Priest. This place is dangerous since the Sea God is not completely sealed. The Tai Chi can seal a god, but if the god resists, it may break free.”

“…No, in truth, I came here to speak to Taishang Laojun.”

“Taishang Laojun! The Priest has something to discuss with you!”

At the Primordial Heaven Master’s call, Taishang Laojun, who was stowing the Ruyi Staff from a distance, glanced our way. He soon flew over to me and asked.

“What do you wish to say?”

“Um…. To cut to the chase.”

I gazed directly at Taishang Laojun. After steeling myself, I spoke.

“Isn’t this your memory? Taishang Laojun.”

Taishang Laojun looked at me.

Indeed, even now, his face remained unclear and hard to see.

“You named the Fallen Master Mangnyang, didn’t you?”