1125——————==

Soul of the Evil God

I turned to Sagong Lin and said, “Why say such things? You could save them, right?”

Sagong Lin gazed into the distance.

“…It’s been decades since we started exploring this place. While excavating the ruins of Venus, I’ve tried to figure out the identity of those remains… but it became clear it was futile.”

“Why? With the power of the Celestial Demon, even if it’s a curse from an evil god….”

“It can’t be undone.”

“……”

“When it comes to retrieving or restoring something, there’s a clear limit to that power. It’s nearly limitless when it comes to destruction, but….”

Does even the power of the Celestial Demon have limits?

A moment later, Sagong Lin’s gaze focused on the horizon of Venus, where a fiery orange glow was slowly rising.

“Here it comes.”

Whoooosh…

“……!!”

I shuddered as I saw something massive emerge beyond the heat waves of Venus. It was so gigantic that it felt like the spot I was standing on was higher than any mountain on Earth, yet it seemed to fill a third of the horizon. At that size, it had long surpassed the definition of a mere colossal monster, verging on the realm of natural disaster.

Strange Form. It was a different kind compared to the bizarre life forms commonly called otherworldly races, but this enormous creature was not something you’d see on Earth either. Its body sported colorful, rainbow-like eyes, and it looked like a bizarre fusion of a moth and a catfish—something that was more than enough to evoke primal fear in humans as it glided in on the winds of Venus.

I tensed and gripped my weapons, the water spirit and the fire spirit, but Sagong Lin waved her hand next to me.

“We don’t need to fight. I can use my power to cloak this area, so that being won’t find us.”

“You mean just let it pass?”

“Yes. It would only cause us trouble.”

Whoooosh…

The immense heat waves of Venus formed swirling vortexes, creating a brief moment where the crimson heat enveloped the ruins, revealing the giant creature that resembled a continent passing right before our eyes. I was nearly overwhelmed by its majestic presence, but soon noticed that behind the colossal being, several other types of massive monsters were trailing along.

‘What’s that?’

They were of similar size but looked completely different. There were dozens of these monsters, each sporting a bizarre, cosmic appearance. Notably, up close, they lacked substance, their bodies appearing translucent.

After about a meal’s time passed and as the heat waves swept by, Sagong Lin spoke up.

“Baek Woong. Do you recognize their identity?”

“Could it be that those are the Amatsu Kami?”

“Correct.”

As my prediction turned out to be right, I stared at the barren plains of Venus, now covered in the searing heat left behind by those creatures.

Amatsu Kami!

They were the subordinates of the Old Ruler, Izanagi no Mikoto, who had once ruled the moon in ancient times and previously wreaked havoc on the land of Dongyoung. After Izanagi no Mikoto was defeated and sealed away by the Three Sovereigns, the Amatsu Kami were also banished to Venus.

‘They’re sealed on Venus, I never thought I’d see this.’

The Amatsu Kami had once caused plenty of trouble trying to descend upon Earth. The memories of that time were still fresh in my mind.

I dared to ask, “So, are you saying the Amatsu Kami cursed the ancient people who migrated from Atlantis into a river of remains?”

“Yes.”

“…What the hell?”

Clenching the water spirit in my hand, I shouted.

“Let’s chase after those bastards and kill them all! You and I can do it.”

“…….”

“Surely if we eliminate the evil god that put the curse on them, the curse will be lifted.”

“Baek Woong, that’s not possible.”

“What?! We can definitely win against them!”

“Maybe. I could handle it by myself. But another catastrophe would follow after we defeat the Amatsu Kami.”

“What?”

Sagong Lin looked at me with calm eyes and said, “While they were sealed on Venus, the Amatsu Kami deeply intertwined with this star and became integral to its orbit and its core. If we defeat them, the star’s orbit would distort, causing Venus to be flung away, which would inevitably affect all planets in the Seven Luminaries. The extinction of dozens or hundreds of those spiritual beings would have that level of impact. Especially Earth would undoubtedly face a great calamity.”

“……!!”

“It’s a powerful law of cause and effect. They won’t die alone….”

She sighed.

“I tried to defeat the Amatsu Kami myself, but after seeing the records from Venus, I gave up. While they aren’t that strong, dealing with the aftermath after defeating them is too much of a burden. It’s even somewhat appreciated that they still remain locked up in Venus now, especially since the Three Sovereigns have nearly perished.”

“What the hell. Are you saying we should just let the ancient ones suffer?”

“…….”

Sagong Lin remained silent before saying, “If we want to defeat them without harming the world, there’s only one way, to summon those entities into a physical form and kill them while in that form. But that method brings more trouble than it’s worth… which would lead to needless battles with countless demon kings. The power of all the Amatsu Kami rivals that of the Eight Parts of the Divine, which is far more challenging than a natural disaster.”

“So…?”

“The only salvation left for the ancient people is annihilation. If the end comes and everything is destroyed, their suffering will cease.”

Was that the implication she wanted to convey?

I held the water spirit loosely, keeping my sharp glare on Sagong Lin.

“So you want the end to come because there’s no answer?”

“If everything ceases to exist, there would be no more suffering. It would be your ideal too, Baek Woong.”

I replied resolutely, “That’s different. In the end, if we can’t eliminate the Outer Gods, it would all be meaningless no matter how many times we face annihilation. And indiscriminately throwing away the present for a meaningless end is something we must never do!”

“……”

“Stop with that nonsense! If there’s no method, we have to create one!”

Then Sagong Lin chuckled.

“Hehe… you really are Baek Woong. Sorry for the test.”

“What? A test?”

“I was just curious what thoughts you had at this dire moment. If I were you, I might want to just end things quickly and escape this gloom.”

I replied curtly, “Don’t make me laugh. There have been times much tougher than this. Why should I give up now? I’ll see this through to the end!”

This life is indeed tough, but there’s enough to gain that it feels worthwhile. Many past moments were significantly harder than this, so it doesn’t even feel like suffering anymore.

“I like your attitude.”

Sagong Lin smiled and continued, “That’s why I may need to find Fuxi during this celestial exploration.”

“What do you mean?”

She crossed her arms and said, “As I mentioned earlier, there’s currently an odd phenomenon. Most of the Three Sovereigns have perished, yet the Amatsu Kami still haven’t escaped Venus.”

“Eh? Why?”

“As I said, this place is essentially a prison for the Amatsu Kami. In ancient times, they possessed divine bodies, but were forcibly annihilated by the Three Sovereigns, leaving only their spirits bound to Venus. Moreover, a powerful spiritual barrier was cast over Venus, and the Golden Crow has been responsible for guarding it, effectively eliminating all hope of escape. However, with Shao Hao Jin’s demise among the Three Sovereigns, that barrier no longer exists anywhere on Venus….”

“……!!”

“It won’t be easy, but if they apply even a little cleverness, it wouldn’t be difficult for the Amatsu Kami to descend upon Earth after being bound for over five hundred years. Even as spiritual entities, if they unleashed a [Summon] spell, they could utilize their summoning rituals to escape easily.”

“But they must pass through the moon to reach Earth, right?”

“After Jeogok’s demise, the Amatsu Kami no longer need to pass through the moon. They could possess any sorcerer or servile race on the moon. If a summoner wishes to be possessed, no one can stop that.”

“Hmm.”

“Yet they remain on Venus, circling it like this.”

“Strange. Why aren’t they escaping?”

Considering that the Amatsu Kami have been trapped since Izanagi no Mikoto’s defeat millennia ago, they’d likely desire desperately to leave Venus. I even felt that kind of yearning when undergoing the trials of the Seven Luminaries before. Yet, bizarrely, the current Amatsu Kami seemed to be behaving quite docilely.

Sagong Lin continued, “I believe the reason they aren’t escaping is related to the Golden Crow.”

“Golden Crow?”

“Isn’t it odd that even though the Three Sovereigns have vanished, Izanagi no Mikoto remains sealed?”

“Oh, now that you mention it….”

“The one who directly inhibits Izanagi no Mikoto’s body is, in fact, the power of Jeogok among the Three Sovereigns. However, since Jeogok has been destroyed, the fact that Izanagi no Mikoto has no intention of being released means that someone else is maintaining that seal. The one with the highest possibility of inheriting that seal is the owner of the Moon Sovereign.”

“……!!”

“The master of the Seven Luminaries could manage that.”

I felt my expression freeze at the mention of the Moon Sovereign.

“Master of the Twelve Joules….”

“Exactly. The Twelve Joules are likely the ones still keeping Izanagi no Mikoto sealed. For what reason, I don’t know….”

“If that’s the case, it means that similarly, the owner of the Golden Crow is actively working to seal the Amatsu Kami.”

“That’s right. And the owner of the Golden Crow is known to be the Guardian of the Western Regions. That person is effectively infusing power into the Golden Crow to prevent the calamity of Venus.”

The Guardian of the Western Regions was somewhat friendly toward humans, being an ancient divine being. If they were sealing the calamity of Venus, that wouldn’t be too surprising.

“I’ll have to thank them when I meet them. But what’s the connection to needing to meet Fuxi?”

“Baek Woong, didn’t I say earlier that if all the Three Sovereigns gather, the end could be postponed?”

“I did. But now that most of the Three Sovereigns are either dead or weakened, that has become meaningless….”

“In that story, Shennong emphasized that Fuxi was the most crucial entity. That suggests that even in the absence of the other Three Sovereigns, Fuxi could still perform significant duties alone.”

“Uhm.”

My ears perked up. Is it not time to give up hope yet?

“If Fuxi returns, they might be able to do something using the incomplete sealing situation surrounding the Seven Luminaries. If so, it could even become the postponement of the end itself. Furthermore, with Fuxi’s sorcery, they might be able to lift the curse placed upon those poor remains.”

Finding Fuxi might be directly related to the fate of this world.

I suddenly realized the gravity of this matter and said to Sagong Lin, “Alright. I will definitely find Fuxi. Just trust me!”

“I will be counting on you, Baek Woong. Since this is a crucial mission, I will support you in my own way.”

After saying that, Sagong Lin handed me a red gem.

“What’s this?”

“It’s an artifact from Atlantis discovered on Venus. It’s called the Heart of the Governor.”

“Oh, is this something good?”

“It distorts the user’s impending fate of death once, allowing them to escape from it.”

“……!!”

That’s incredible?!

Does this mean I get another life?

As I examined the red gem in shock, Sagong Lin smiled softly.

“Baek Woong, the ancient technology obtained from Venus has only recently been deciphered, and the first application of that was the artificial treasure, the Yellow Dragon Demon God, that I gave you.”

“That armor?”

“Yes. In fact, the core of the Yellow Dragon Demon God contains the highest technology from Atlantis embedded within it. It was the core found in the depths of the Governor’s Office, placed alongside the Heart of the Governor I just gave you. So researchers back home still judge its potential as an unknown.”

“…….”

“I have a feeling you might be able to unleash the potential of the Yellow Dragon Demon God…”

What a fascinating tale.

‘The Yellow Dragon Demon God has thereby turned into an ancient relic.’

While I don’t usually wear armor, I guess I need to start wearing the Yellow Dragon Demon God more often.

Having made that decision, I returned to the surface with Sagong Lin and Liu Ha.

Pa-at!

Immediately upon returning, I headed to the Heavenly Altar, where I could meet the Zen Master again. As I came face-to-face with him, I greeted him.

“It’s been a while!”

[Indeed, it has been, Baek Woong…]

“How’s the android body? Not uncomfortable?”

Worrying, I asked, as the light of machinery flickered in Master Myung-ho’s eyes, conveying his response.

[By the way… do you know about that?]

“What?”

[Look….]

Swoosh

Suddenly, Master Myung-ho moved at an unbelievable speed, his metal fist formed into a fist shape before crashing right in front of me. It felt like a massive energy was sweeping through my entire body with the force like that of Mount Tai.

Stoppage

Master Myung-ho’s mechanical hand stopped right in front of my nose. I felt the back of my head not even fluttering under the shock wave, swiftly deducing the true identity of this effortless power. This ability must be the one I’m familiar with.

I shouted in astonishment, “Intent?! Wait, how can you use that?!”

There’s no doubt! What Master Myung-ho just executed was the Nahan Boxing from the Shaolin’s Seventy-Two Techniques, and while he had laid the groundwork, he controlled the finishing blow with Intent, showcasing a martial art that was nothing short of miraculous.

But Master Myung-ho had transferred his consciousness into an android after his human body had perished!

If it’s a robot, shouldn’t he normally be unable to use Intent?!

Amazed, I watched as Master Myung-ho retracted his fist and bowed with his mechanical hands together.

[Amitabha… the fact that my body is mechanical has no bearing on using Intent. I can’t cultivate energy, but that limitation has been resolved with a machine that collects energy.]

“Huh… That’s… really true. How’s this possible?”

[……]

This is beyond imagination. I had always thought only humans could use Intent, yet even as a robot, he could wield it? After the momentary silence, Master Myung-ho continued.

[Baek Woong, if a machine can think and possess its own will, can that machine also be recognized as human?]

“Absolutely it’s human.”

[Thank you for thinking that way. However, I am recently becoming confused about this proposition… How far can we define what constitutes a human?]

Light flickered in Master Myung-ho’s eyes.

[I’m merely an android that thinks of myself as Master Myung-ho.]

“……”

[While I can use Intent, I cannot use Intent Heavenly Pillar; that’s currently my limit. Baek Woong, please consider… what lies beyond Intent.]

“What do you mean?”

[What may exist beyond intent… could be the very will of Martial Arts itself….]

Wheeeing…

With that, the light in Master Myung-ho’s eyes went out. Alarmed, I turned my head to see Cheon Woo-jin, who had followed me, giving a deep sigh.

“When you use Intent, an overload like this occurs. You can fix it, so don’t worry.”

“Cheon Woo-jin. What Master Myung-ho just said….”

“I don’t know. Don’t ask me. That’s something you need to figure out.”

“Huh?”

“Just because I can use Intent doesn’t mean I’m martial artist; don’t ask random questions to a sorcerer.”

Cheon Woo-jin, who spoke curtly, pressed buttons on the back of Master Myung-ho’s neck.

“But you, living once in a different life should be the one with deeper concerns than a Zen Master, yet you don’t seem to have an ounce of concern about your identity. That’s quite fortunate.”

“What nonsense.”

“It means that being a fool is a good thing, you idiot.”

“…….”

Cheon Woo-jin, without looking over here, spoke softly.

“If you weren’t a fool, it would have been a problem. Truly.”

Is he insulting me or what?

Beep!

Just as I was about to argue with Cheon Woo-jin, he activated the button on the Heavenly Altar.

“One, two, three, and we go up. Be mentally prepared.”

“Hey wait….”

“One, two, three!”

Hey, that’s not counting! Why are you rushing?!

Pa-at!

Before I could argue, I found myself somewhere completely foreign.

Clouds!

Everywhere was filled with clouds, even the ground was made of clouds. It seemed like a land made of fluffy clouds that you could walk on—something I never imagined I could do, so as I stood there in wonder, I heard a familiar voice.

“Finally arrived.”

I turned around to see someone walking confidently toward me.

And that person immediately drew their sword, shouting, “Let’s see how the Emperor’s skills have fared after all this time!”

Swoosh

At a terrifying speed, an invisible sword aura poured toward my whole body in waves like a razor blade. Having seen this kind of attack before, I instantly identified my opponent and responded by executing a long strike in a following motion.

Slash

It was a wave-slicing strike; however, my opponent instantly employed Intent to layer multiple sword waves, realizing I couldn’t easily surpass the wave height, so this time, I utilized the true martial art within the Seven Great Techniques, the True Martial Seven Cuts Classic, to unleash a wave from my sword tip and disrupt his sword waves.

Droplets lightly splattered. Though these were droplets, they were actually a deadly sword energy concentrated with extreme intent, and I barely evaded a droplet that aimed to pierce my forehead using the Three Treasure Technique to skirt to the side of the sword wave. The sword wave was focused directly ahead, so it had to be weaker on the sides.

Bang!

However, moments later, my energy and my opponent’s energy collided strongly, making my limbs tingle. It felt as if I had prepared in advance with the Protection Energy Technique, anticipating this very moment. Knowing that if I let this position slip, I’d face a counterattack from my opponent, I gritted my teeth and struck down with a powerful sword.

Thud

The strong downward slice resulted in my opponent not being able to block it directly, causing the sword wave to explode, leaving a circular trace of destruction while seemingly taking the head clean off. But the head was merely my opponent’s clone, and soon after, he pounced right back into combat range, just to do the same right back at me.

“Ugh!”

Steel meets steel!

I thought that, but the feeling of unease crawled up my spine. Years of combat experience told me this wasn’t right, and I knew better than to ignore my instincts, so I decided to evade my opponent’s attack and observed using the techniques I trained in under Asura.

Whooosh

A moment’s vibration. And with that vibration, my opponent’s blade split into three pairs! As I saw how it divided, I immediately realized what technique it was, and I was glad I hadn’t faced him head-on with Infinite Slash.

Clang!

When I flowed into my defensive stance, my opponent could no longer press aggressively and retreated outside, wary of my counterattack. Having figured out my opponent’s identity from this series of sword exchanges, I remarked.

“To engage in a sword fight just upon arriving in the Celestial Realm is going a bit too far, don’t you think?”

My opponent, chuckling with a white beard, replied with a hearty laugh.

“Hehe! Why not, Your Majesty? What else is there to do but sword fights for a lifetime?”

“Damn it. As if I don’t have enough to do.”

I grumbled, looking at my opponent.

“Master of Shadowless Sword.”

That’s right.

Immediately upon arriving in the Celestial Realm, the master who greeted me with the Shadowless Soul-Removing Sword Technique was Master of Shadowless Sword— the strongest warrior of the Namgung Clan, the very person I had recruited utilizing past-life ties when I established the Great Bear Empire 500 years ago.