1142——————==

The Soul of the Evil God

To figure out the location of the weakness called Dodong, which is a descendant’s Achilles’ heel, I need the National Seal with its excellent search capabilities. But alas, I had already offered the seal inside the Land and Earth Diagram and didn’t have it with me now.

‘Darn it…’

The National Seal possesses incredible spirit energy, several times more than that of ordinary treasures. With it gone, my power had significantly weakened, but on the bright side, I had gained the ability of destructive beams, so it wasn’t entirely a loss. I licked my lips and thought of other alternatives.

‘Maybe I can go up to the Celestial Realm and ask the Heavenly Mysterious Woman or other immortals for help. They probably know something.’

Yet, I still felt like there was more to do down here on Earth. Knowing that frequently traveling between the Celestial Realm and Earth was a burden for the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, I felt a compulsive urge to do something while I was here.

Was there unfinished business I didn’t wrap up?

‘I guess there are various things, but none are urgent, so I left them alone when I went up to the Celestial Realm…. I should think it over and choose what to tackle.’

While I was deep in thought, Sagong Lin, who was next to me, spoke up.

“Baek Woong, I have something to tell you about the Three-Legged Crow Clan.”

“Oh. The Master of the Twelve Joules…”

Come to think of it, didn’t they mention recruiting new members in that powerful psychic clan, the Three-Legged Crow Clan? After hearing it first from Liu Ha and Liu O, I reported it to Sagong Lin, but it seemed like the Master of the Twelve Joules was throwing out a bait from the shadows.

“To get to the point, Liu Ha has been assigned to that mission.”

“Liu Ha? Is that alright?”

I expressed my concerns.

“That guy has amazing teleportation abilities, but his combat skills are lackluster. If they catch on…”

Liu Ha clearly isn’t a combat-type psychic. He’s specialized in teleportation, having sacrificed some combat power. Sagong Lin reassured me.

“Liu Ha will handle it well. By the time you come back from the Celestial Realm, he’ll probably have approached the Master of the Twelve Joules.”

“I hope so.”

“Well, I’ll take my leave then…”

Whizz

As Sagong Lin vanished, I decided where to head next.

‘Let’s go to the Thunder God Lineage training center.’

In terms of efficiency, I should consult Asura about Serene Night Slash, which I used in the Celestial Realm right away, but something inside me said no. Additionally, it wasn’t such a bad idea to see a familiar face after a while, so I promptly made my way down to the Heavenly Altar and headed for the training area.

But something felt off.

‘Is no one here?’

Normally, Zhu Xian and Bang Ryong Lee Seol-pyo would be diligently training every day, while Cho Mu-rin would be fishing and goofing off. Knowing their usual vibe, the eerie silence was unsettling.

“Zhu Xian! Lee Seol-pyo! Cho Mu-rin!!”

I called out loudly, channeling my Lion’s Roar, but there was no response. After wandering around the training area for a while, a figure suddenly appeared in front of me.

“Stop being so damn loud.”

“Cho Mu-rin!”

“Rude brat. With only the two of us, are you going to completely ignore me?”

“…How about you act respectably? Where did the other two go?”

In response, Cho Mu-rin crossed her arms and replied.

“They went off to train.”

“……?”

“When training hits a wall, they figured hands-on experience was essential, so they left to spar with masters across the globe. Hands-on experience is a critical aspect of mastering the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique as well. With you just having gone to the Celestial Realm, I guess they used that as an excuse to leave.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“So what brings you here? I heard you were facing trials from Nüwa.”

“I just thought I’d stop by to say hi. Nothing significant.”

Since it occurred to me, I asked Cho Mu-rin.

“Do you happen to know where the weakness known as Dodong is located?”

“I’ve heard rumors. But honestly, I don’t know.”

“Well, that’s good enough.”

As soon as I finished speaking, I turned my head. And then I thought.

‘Was my instinct wrong?’

Whenever I felt compelled to do something, there was usually something there, and my instincts had been spot on in the past. But this time, if there was nothing, then perhaps I was mistaken.

“Ha.”

As I sighed, Cho Mu-rin suddenly said.

“I have one question for you.”

“Ask away.”

“Why did you stop searching for the Reverse Root Water Mirror?”

“……?”

Huh?

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, I was about to mumble a vague answer but ended up looking back at her wide-eyed. Why was she curious about that?

After a moment of daze, I replied.

“I handed over the search for it to Professor Sima Ling and her stealth unit as my last task, but I haven’t heard anything back yet. They promised it would only take three months, but given the silence, I assume they couldn’t find it.”

“That can’t be true.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you really think your Great Bear Empire, equipped with artificial intelligence like the Telepath, would fail to find something? You’re thinking too simplistically.”

“…….”

“I had a hunch you completely forgot about finding the Reverse Root Water Mirror.”

“Um…. Well, that’s…”

I protested.

“They claim there are 3,921,983 of them! Who’s motivated enough to look for that many?”

I thought it would be great if I could find the Reverse Root Water Mirror in this lifetime, but with a number like that, I had nothing to say. Cho Mu-rin then said with a growl.

“The Reverse Root Water Mirror is as significant as the Peerless Technique you’ve mastered. Even if you have no desire to learn it, it’s troubling if you don’t retrieve it.”

“…….”

“When do I get to learn it?”

I stared at Cho Mu-rin in surprise.

“Wait, do you actually plan to try learning the Reverse Root Water Mirror? Were you hoping I’d find it for you?”

Cho Mu-rin, seemingly irritated, burst out angrily.

“Why not? Is there a law saying I can’t reach the Divine Realm?”

“Ugh, quit shouting. I had no idea you had such aspirations, considering how lackadaisical you’ve been living.”

“Don’t judge others so rashly with your level of understanding, you fool…”

Rude as she was, Cho Mu-rin suddenly said something serious.

“The very concept of distinguishing between the real and the fake could itself be a fixed idea, don’t you think?”

“……?”

“Here’s a clue. You’ll need to figure out the rest on your own. Make sure to find it.”

“Wait a minute… Why is this my problem when you’re the one in need?”

“Find it. It will also benefit you.”

With that, Cho Mu-rin disappeared. I stood there baffled, scratching my head.

‘What on earth is this? Finding Dodong, the descendant’s weakness, is the priority, and now I’m suddenly getting a lead on the Reverse Root Water Mirror…’

It seems Cho Mu-rin had been concerned about that issue since we last consulted about the Reverse Root Water Mirror without showing it openly.

‘After all, the Reverse Root Water Mirror was what defeated the once-legendary Asura, Cho Mu-rin, in an instant… It’s only logical for her to be concerned.’

As I pondered, I formulated my own answer about the mystery of the Reverse Root Water Mirror. Thinking about it that way, Cho Mu-rin’s earlier words were definitely noteworthy hints.

‘Distinguishing the real from the fake being a fixed idea…’

What does that even mean?

Feeling utterly confused, I headed back to the Imperial Palace.

Whoosh

Then I went to find Professor Sima Ling and asked about the status of the Reverse Root Water Mirror exploration mission. Professor Sima Ling’s face turned as red as a tomato; she seemed quite embarrassed.

“I-I’m terribly sorry. We haven’t been able to find the Reverse Root Water Mirror at all, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm, I see. Still, I wish you’d at least told me you couldn’t find it…”

“I painstakingly cross-referenced over 3.92 million pieces of data with the codes, but found no anomalies…. There was nothing that could be deemed a Secret Technique. I found it hard to believe, so I started analyzing it using big data and deep learning machines, but it’s taking too long.”

Seeing Professor Sima Ling speaking unusually fast, it was evident she was flustered. I considered it carefully and said to her.

“Professor Sima Ling, what do you think about the concept that distinguishing the real from the fake is a fixed idea?”

“Are you referring to this incident?”

“Yeah.”

“In that case… it means that either everything is fake or everything is real. One of the two.”

“…….”

Everything is either fake or all real.

I contemplated the meaning behind this.

‘All 3.92 million Reverse Root Water Mirrors are fake? That’s impossible!’

If the Great Bear Empire’s telepathic team had gathered data for months, there shouldn’t be anything missing. They must have archived every record from around the world. If everything was fake, that would mean there’s no way left to find it in this world. What a ludicrous assumption.

So, does that mean… all 3,921,983 of them are all real?

‘That doesn’t make much sense either…’

How could all of them be real?

I felt like I had some inkling of where to track down the Reverse Root Water Mirror, but I couldn’t think of any way to approach it.

Feeling a hint of curiosity, I said to Professor Sima Ling.

“Professor Sima Ling, could you show me that file?”

“Are you referring to ‘The Great Heart Training of the Exhausted Modern Person – Reverse Root Water Mirror.tyt’?”

“…Uh-huh.”

I remembered seeing that file before. It contained the basics of body training and breathing techniques, an unusual account of the writer’s training, and at the very end, there were verses from an unidentified sutra…

…

…A sutra?

Something about it bothered me.

“Wait a minute. Show me the verses from the sutra at the very end.”

Ding

I knew what the sutra was. A hazy memory of my studies flickered back to me.

“That’s a passage from the Diamond Sutra. Although it has been slightly altered.”

The Diamond Sutra is one of the most popular Buddhist scriptures, often read by Confucian scholars as well. So I had some familiarity with it.

“Yes, indeed. Our analysis team has finished examining it, but despite inserting dozens of cryptographic systems, we found nothing unusual. Rather, it seems that this alteration is 99% likely to be in the Idu of Goryeo.”

I widened my eyes at the unexpected phrase.

“Idu? What’s that?”

“The Goryeo people of the medieval period had a unique system of writing their language by borrowing the sounds and meanings of Chinese characters. This was called Idu.”

“Hmm. So, the alteration is originally from the Goryeo language?”

“Yes.”

“Can you interpret the meaning?”

“I’ve tried interpreting it, but it’s still unclear. Idu solely represents sounds, so it’s hard to grasp…. My apologies.”

Something felt off. I didn’t know for sure, but the combination of the Diamond Sutra and Idu put me on guard. Perhaps the strange feeling I’d been having since earlier was leading me here? I contemplated for a moment before turning to Professor Sima Ling.

“Please print it on paper so that I can read it myself.”

Whirr

I held in my hands the printed “<The Great Heart Training of the Exhausted Modern Person - Reverse Root Water Mirror.tyt>.” Then I placed the paper inside the Wooden Armor and said to Professor Sima Ling.

“Just in case, investigate who initially uploaded this file to the telepathic realm thoroughly.”

“Yes, your grace.”

Whoosh

Moments later, I went to see Asura and showed the events so far with the Obsidian.

Buzz

Asura smiled wryly upon receiving the memory.

“Figured it might be the case, and it turns out I was right.”

I caught on to something in Asura’s words and replied.

“Asura, you predicted that Jang Sam-bong would emerge as a trial, didn’t you?”

Asura shrugged.

“It was just a hunch. If I were Nüwa or Fuxi, I would need to see if you humans are worthy of holding the fate of extinction in your hands. However, if I send out only the strongest with immense power, it won’t be a proper gauge of your abilities. I need someone who can push the martial side of humans to their limits, and the two titans in that regard are Jang Sam-bong and Yeodong-bin. Since Yeodong-bin is on Earth, I figured Jang Sam-bong would show up.”

“…And if Jang Sam-bong appears, he’ll definitely block my way with the Peerless Technique.”

“Exactly.”

“So that’s why you told me to use the Serene Night Slash.”

Asura grinned silently.

“But how did I manage to break through the Peerless Technique with the Serene Night Slash?”

“The answer, you already know, right?”

“What?”

“The Serene Night Slash cannot be blocked by the Peerless Technique. The only option is to transform and launch a counterstrike like the Bright Dragon; otherwise, you have no way around it. That’s because neutralizing intent to nothing means that you invalidate the prerequisite technique of the Peerless Technique, the Wu Wei Transformation.”

“……!!”

I exclaimed in shock.

“Are you saying that the only true counter to the invincible shield of the Peerless Technique is the Serene Night Slash!!”

“Something like that, yeah.”

“If that’s true, then with the Serene Night Slash alone…. I could negate all intent techniques, making it the ultimate move.”

As I murmured with excitement, Asura frowned.

“Don’t think too simply. If a supreme upgrade like that existed, would I still be immersed in my own training? That’s simply a coincidental relationship with the Peerless Technique, it doesn’t mean the same relationship exists with all intent techniques.”

“How so?”

“The Serene Night Slash simply found the shortest route towards the Primordial Void, while the Peerless Technique is just part of that linear road. That’s what defined their relationship, and unlike other ultimate techniques, it doesn’t necessarily have a relationship with them, like I mentioned before.”

Asura sighed heavily.

“Let’s talk about that when you can use the Serene Night Slash without relying on the Sword of the Immortal.”

“…Sorry.”

“Anyway, this is quite fun. The descendants….”

Asura looked up at the sky, as if reminiscing.

“I can recall the prime of the descendants. It was during the era of the Three Sovereigns, Jeogok, wasn’t it? He was known as the mightiest hunter in the world, the only being capable of hunting deities. He was a terrifying figure.”

“Terrifying? Aren’t you one of the strongest demon kings?”

“I wasn’t initially strong. And compared to the descendants, he surpassed even my strength during my prime.”

“……”

Seems like this trial won’t be a walk in the park. As my expression hardened, Asura said.

“My opinion is that the Serene Night Slash won’t work against the descendants. Finding Dodong would be a much better plan. Your idea of finding a weakness to exploit is sound.”

“Is that so… But why wouldn’t it work?”

“How much can a great hero and a divine being rely on intent? The techniques he practices were created specifically for deities, therefore, they’re different from humans. If their nature differs, the Serene Night Slash would lose a lot of its effectiveness against him.”

“Hmm!”

“If it’s better to not use it than to misuse it, don’t use it at all.”

With that warning, Asura continued.

“Do you really need to return to the Celestial Realm to search?”

“Yeah?”

“Considering the relationships involved, you might easily reach a conclusion.”

“Relationships?”

Asura elaborated further.

“Commonly speaking, simple objects like a peach tree branch could never be a weakness against a higher-dimensional being like the descendants. Yet, the fact that it became one indicates that it stemmed from Jejeun and Jeogok, in other words, the Three Sovereigns wanted that to happen.”

“Are you saying Jeogok deliberately made a weakness for the descendants…?”

“Without such a plan, he wouldn’t have been able to control such a strong entity. However, one thing to consider is.”

With a penetrating stare, Asura asserted.

“Do you think Jeogok left that weakness in this world…?”

“What do you mean?”

“Think this through. I’m getting tired of spelling this out for you.”

If Jeogok didn’t leave Dodong in this world, where did he hide it?

‘Jeogok’s goal was to use that weakness to control the descendants in case of an emergency. Therefore, if it’s a weakness that’s easy to manage, where would he conceal it…’

At that moment, I suddenly gasped.

“…The Moon!!”

“Right.”

Asura pointed toward the bright full moon in the night sky.

“Jeogok’s Banwang Hall. That’s where Dodong will likely be found.”