1173——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Right after my first exchange with Hong Gil-dong, my mind spun rapidly. Instead of panicking in an unexpected situation, I found a calmness that allowed me to handle it smoothly.

‘Hong Gil-dong has shown up? That means he is the Star Master and the bloodline managing the entrance to Taebaek Mountain…’

I initiated the conversation while keeping a slight distance from Hong Gil-dong.

“It’s been a while.”

Then I taunted him.

“How does it feel to have been killed by me in one hit?”

“……!!”

Hong Gil-dong tried hard to regain his composure but it seemed impossible due to the anger that had already erupted within him. I could sense the immense turmoil on his face. A rage that even his training as an Absolute Realm Martial Artist couldn’t suppress.

But was it truly the case that the Absolute Realm was invincible? Hong Gil-dong quickly regained his composure, glanced at Jeong Do-ryeong beside me, and said,

“I left you to keep an eye on Yeodong-bin, and you betrayed me, Jeong Do-ryeong!”

Jeong Do-ryeong chuckled and responded.

“Hah! The Master of the Twelve Joules himself said that it’s fine to betray whenever an opportunity arises, so that’s what I did.”

“No matter how much of a Jeong Do-ryeong you are, do you think you can stand against me without any power from the Ten Wins’ Position?”

Hong Gil-dong treated Jeong Do-ryeong quite casually.

“Ugh…”

Jeong Do-ryeong frowned at the mention of the Ten Wins but eventually turned to me and said,

“When are you going to let us keep talking like this?”

“…….”

I pondered while facing Hong Gil-dong. Then I spoke,

“Hey. To be honest, was it wrong for me to kill you?”

“What?”

“You were caught off guard because I looked like a child and were publicly provoking the Great Bear Empire. Shouldn’t you have seen that coming? It’s your fault for being careless, so you shouldn’t blame me.”

Hong Gil-dong glared at me with icy eyes.

“What do you want to say?”

I gestured as if pulling him in.

“Forget past grudges and become my subordinate. Then I will show mercy.”

“…….”

“You seem like you could be a decent subordinate.”

Hong Gil-dong stood there in a daze and then burst out laughing incredulously.

“Hahahaha!! Do you really think that beating me before was genuine skill? If you knew I was a master of the Absolute Realm back then, you would have fought accordingly. You have no idea how hard I’ve trained and refined my martial arts since then…”

His eyes burned with intensity.

“Let’s have a one-on-one again. I will win this time!!”

“Hm….”

I contemplated Hong Gil-dong’s words. After a moment, I concluded and said,

“No. I don’t feel like boosting my ego against you.”

“What?”

Hong Gil-dong’s face twisted at my next statement.

“I’ve already beaten you, right? 1 win, 0 losses? Why would I want to take your challenge?”

Shaking with rage, Hong Gil-dong could no longer maintain his composure, his shoulders trembled violently. Then he gritted his teeth and shouted,

“…You bastard, if that’s how you want to provoke me, then I shall accept your challenge!”

Paaaat!!

In the next moment, Hong Gil-dong’s form disappeared. Simultaneously, a thick, eerie mist engulfed the Taebaek Mountain, making visibility nearly impossible. I could hear him deploying magic within the fog.

“Hahaha!! This illusion fog is something I’ve trained for three hundred years! By the time you break through it, Baek Woong, your stamina will be nearly drained. Be prepared for that!”

Hooouu

‘This is definitely an impressive formation. While not as directly destructive as the Guhon Ring, its persistence and resilience seem many times stronger.’

I couldn’t help but let out a sigh. It felt like at least a high-level technique. For him to deploy such a powerful formation without any incantations or movements confirmed that Hong Gil-dong had reached the level of a Great Sorcerer in his techniques.

I turned to Jeong Do-ryeong beside me and asked,

“Jeong Do-ryeong, do you perhaps want to fight Hong Gil-dong?”

Jeong Do-ryeong answered honestly.

“I know the advantages and disadvantages. So, I’m not that keen to fight. It’s a fact that I’m weaker than him.”

“Alright. Then I’m going.”

Using my Jade Emperor’s authority, I gathered divine power in my hand and shouted.

“Book of Life and Death, unveil your appearance!”

Puuuuu

Finally, the Book of Life and Death, the emblem of the Wheel King, revealed itself as I cried out my command.

“Hong Gil-dong, die!”

Swoosh

The Book of Life and Death reacted to my command, and Hong Gil-dong’s name started to inscribe itself automatically. It was just as the final ‘dong’ was inscribing.

“Gah… Aahh….”

Wham

The moment the mists dispersed, Hong Gil-dong’s form, who had been holding a sword, fell about twenty paces away.

Thud

With a clattering sound, the sword in his hand flung away, and his face turned pale, devoid of color. His expression was filled with disbelief. The phenomena of a sorcerer dying, causing their formation to simultaneously break.

“Hm. So you were planning to circle around and launch a surprise attack while I wasn’t paying attention?”

Certainly, with such tactics combined with that illusion fog, I would also be at risk.

Because Hong Gil-dong’s illusions had the property of making it nearly impossible to distinguish between real and fake. A single misjudgment could mean a fatal blow from his surprise attack. No matter how much I was an Absolute Realm Martial Artist, I couldn’t perceive all of Hong Gil-dong’s techniques amidst the fog.

“But now, I really don’t have the time or leisure to play around with you.”

I didn’t come to mess around here.

I needed to promptly enter the Taebaek Mountain, presumed to be the main mountain of the Three Divine Mountains, and find the Emperor’s treasure, the Compass of Guiding. If I ended up matching my level to Hong Gil-dong’s just to fight him, he might escape and inform the Twelve Joules about my presence, which would create a headache.

“Hong Gil-dong. Since you rejected my proposal, I feel no guilt using this technique on you.”

I approached Hong Gil-dong’s lifeless form and placed my hand on him, concentrating my thoughts.

Soul Exchange Technique!

Shhh

Hong Gil-dong’s spirit separated from his corpse, rising in a glowing white form above my hand. I simultaneously harnessed absorption power to draw Hong Gil-dong’s soul closer.

Wooooo….

Over Hong Gil-dong’s soul, his face seemed to flicker momentarily. This was a phenomenon indicating the subject’s spirit revealing its essence when the Soul Exchange Technique reaches perfection. It also indicated that his soul was close to being pulled in, making me smile with satisfaction.

Bam!!

“Ugh?”

But suddenly, a fierce backlash surged! I had no choice but to yank back at the force that was pushing against the Soul Exchange. When the opposing perspectives clashed, the result was predictable—tearing apart. I attempted to draw in the part of the soul I had gathered again with the Soul Exchange Technique, but in that moment, a massive illusion appeared in front of me.

The root of a giant tree.

I saw the illusion of Hong Gil-dong’s soul being sucked into and absorbed by that root. I realized that my accomplishment with the Soul Exchange Technique paled in comparison to the power of that great tree, and I couldn’t attempt to seize it any longer.

‘Incredible power…!!’

If that giant tree is indeed the World Tree, then I’d be nothing but futile in my attempts.

Shreak…

As the Soul Exchange finished, a glowing white mass hovered above my hand, and Jeong Do-ryeong, who witnessed it from the side, asked,

“Your Majesty. What is that shiny mass…?”

“Half of Hong Gil-dong’s soul. It seems I couldn’t obtain it all.”

As I replied, I softly commanded,

“By the authority of the Jade Emperor, I command the spirit of the mortal to receive my power and take form!”

Wooooo!!

Moments later, upon being enveloped in a divine aura radiating from the Jade Emperor, Hong Gil-dong’s half-soul transformed into a body reminiscent of the living Hong Gil-dong.

‘This is one of the powers of the Jade Emperor.’

The ability to grant a soul a body!

It seemed trivial at first glance, but the Jade Emperor could materialize an incorporeal spirit into a physical body without expending any laws of cause and effect or sorcery.

Conversely, the opposite was also possible.

Usually, this power was used for the rewards and penalties of celestial beings or dispatching mortals, but combined with the Soul Exchange Technique, it felt incredibly convenient. This was because I could release the Soul Exchange Technique while maintaining control and no longer needing to keep the inhalation power of the Bai. Originally, when conducting an interrogation with the Soul Exchange Technique, I had to maintain that suction, which presented limitations, but now those limitations disappeared.

Seeing Hong Gil-dong standing there like a puppet, I slowly said,

“Hong Gil-dong. Answer my questions.”

“Understood….”

“Are you the bloodline of the Star Master managing Taebaek Mountain?”

At that question, Hong Gil-dong answered robotically.

“That is correct….”

“When did you become aware of that…”

“Since I became the king of Yuldo at the age of 20….”

“So, that means that was hundreds of years ago.”

“That is correct….”

“Alright. So, is Taebaek Mountain the main mountain?”

“That is correct….”

“There must have been those dispatched from the Heavenly Realm to the main mountain, right? What happened to them?”

On Mount Penglai, dozens of celestial beings resided, including Lee Heung-pae, the master of Penglai. Other Three Divine Mountains must have had corresponding celestial beings as well. The Heavenly Realm had lost contact with them at a certain point, thus I needed to know the exact circumstances.

Then Hong Gil-dong spoke.

“…Those figures became citizens of Yuldo…. And were reborn as part of the clan….”

“……?!”

What in the world does that mean?

I was left speechless.

“What do you mean? They were celestial beings, yet became part of a clan? How could that be?”

“Believing that the set end of this world could be resolved by the Twelve Joules…. they joined in for salvation.”

“The records from the Heavenly Realm state that those on the main mountain continued to contact us for a long time, unlike Penglai. How can that be explained?”

“All the celestial beings on the main mountain became citizens of Yuldo and joined the Twelve Joules. They colluded to deceive the Heavenly Realm, but when suspicion grew strong…. they merely cut off contact….”

“What in the world is Yuldo? Tell me its origins.”

Hong Gil-dong’s following words left me dazed.

“The origin of Yuldo is precisely the celestial beings of the main mountain…. I grew up as a half-human, half-celestial being, trained in martial arts and sorcery…. When I matured, they placed me as the king, and we all founded Yuldo together….”

“…….”

So, all the celestial beings dispatched to the main mountain betrayed the Heavenly Realm!

I was so shocked that I turned to Hong Gil-dong and said,

“Wait a moment. If so, why do you hold the bloodline of the Star Master? Being half-celestial and half-human….”

“My father is the lord of the main mountain and the leader of a faction, and my mother held the bloodline of the Star Master…. My father married her so that the celestial faction could gain free access to the Three Divine Mountains….”

“…Hmm, is that possible? Oh wait, it is possible.”

Given that I summoned Hong Gil-dong with the bloodline of the Star Master, him showing up confirmed that he is indeed the Star Master. I wanted to ask more questions with the newly acquired information Hong Gil-dong provided, but Jeong Do-ryeong interrupted.

“Your Majesty. If there’s a separate faction of celestial beings on the main mountain, it’s dangerous to stay here for long. There’s a high probability guards or sentries might patrol this area. We need to move into the main mountain…”

“Understood.”

Since Jeong Do-ryeong made a sensible point, I spoke to Hong Gil-dong.

“Can you bring us into the main mountain? If you can, open the door.”

“Understood….”

Hong Gil-dong staggered and performed a bizarre hand sign sixteen times. Each one seemed to be a high-level sorcery technique, and it’d appear hard to memorize. After he recited an incantation, moments later, a gigantic celestial gate appeared before us.

Crash

Stepping through the gate, we were greeted by an expansive mountain range completely different from the human realm. I could strongly feel that unique sensation from the celestial realm.

‘This is the hidden otherworld of celestial beings within Taebaek Mountain, the main mountain…. Quite different from Penglai.’

I recalled that Penglai had been severely invaded by the Sea God, so I asked Hong Gil-dong.

“Penglai was attacked by the Sea God, but you guys weren’t invaded, right?”

“We were attacked, but… due to the close contact between Yuldo and the Twelve Joules, we quickly repelled the invasion with the help from the clan…. The fact that the Sea God couldn’t come directly also contributed greatly….”

“I see. Is Yuldo located here? The celestial beings marry humans and bear offspring, huh?”

“That is correct….”

I recalled Yuldo, the mysterious place I had only heard of during my journey through Goryeo. A paradise where people there never went hungry and lived happily.

But knowing the reality, I understood why that was the case. A secret kingdom continued by celestial beings mixing with humans! They must have inherited the power of celestial beings which allowed them eternal life and little feeling of hunger.

I glanced at Hong Gil-dong and said,

“Now to the main topic. Have you heard of the Emperor’s relic, the Compass of Guiding, sealed away by the Three Sovereigns’ Jeogok until ancient times?”

“…….”

“If there’s anything suspicious, please share.”

Hong Gil-dong stood there dumbfounded as if trying to recall something. After a while, he said,

“Jeogok… the Compass of Guiding…. I’m not aware of that…. But…”

“But?”

“When night falls on the main mountain…. Occasionally, the tomb of the King Tang reveals itself on the peak of the mountain…. But that place is heavily sealed with demonic energy…. No one has reached the innermost depths.”

“……!!”

“I too… when I conducted my coming-of-age ceremony at 20…. could only get down to the third underground level. If there’s a suspicious area, it’d likely be there.”

The tomb of King Tang!

I was slightly surprised and asked,

“Are you referring to the first king of the Yin dynasty? The King Tang?”

“Yes….”

“Is there proof that it’s truly King Tang’s tomb?”

“…I don’t know…. But… there has been a legend passed down by the Star Master’s bloodline since before the first lord was dispatched to this main mountain….”

“…Hmm….”

I sighed deeply.

‘It must have been quite a feat for Hong Gil-dong to gather this info. So I can’t be disinclined to trust this….’

The issue was that he didn’t know if it was actually King Tang’s tomb or not. Moreover, other celestial beings also lacked accurate information about it—this indicated one thing.

‘That means the tomb of King Tang has an extraordinarily high level of difficulty to conquer.’

Those sent from the Heavenly Realm must have been at least higher-level Immortals, while the lord would have been a Great Immortal. Yet even those beings couldn’t dare to completely penetrate the Tomb of King Tang. That meant the latent demonic energy within the tomb was just that formidable.

I pondered for a moment before turning to Hong Gil-dong and asked,

“Are there any conditions for entering the Tomb of King Tang?”

“There aren’t any…. It simply appears occasionally at night… and once inside, one cannot exit the tomb until before nightfall….”

“Do monsters appear inside?”

“Yes…. There are many ancient otherworldly beings or summoned illusions from other dimensions….”

“Good.”

I turned to Jeong Do-ryeong.

“Let’s go.”

Surprised, Jeong Do-ryeong gasped.

“…You’re suggesting we conquer King Tang’s tomb just the two of us?!”

“Is there a problem?”

“Hmm…. It’d be safer if you brought other companions along.”

I shook my head.

“If something happens to Hong Gil-dong, the patrol in this area will soon become fortified and those from the clan will come to investigate. Once the defenses are heightened, it’d be hard to return here. It’s better to go now, seizing the momentum.”

“Understood. No matter how tough it gets, it’ll be easier than the Tower of the Heavenly Realm.”

We climbed towards the summit of the main mountain where King Tang’s tomb would appear, following Hong Gil-dong. Along the way, I made sure to ask if there were any valuable treasures, and ended up stuffing everything from his household heirlooms into my Wooden Armor.

Finally, as the moonlight illuminated the night, moonlight spilled down over the summit, and a massive boulder rumbled, revealing the entrance.

Step

Upon entering the tomb of King Tang, I said to Hong Gil-dong,

“Hong Gil-dong. Use your utmost effort to rush ahead and crush all traps and monsters.”

“Understood….”

Ty-da-da!

Clank!

Hong Gil-dong dashed forward, wielding his sword. His sword power and sword flying technique were displayed as he began to cut down the monsters emerging from the darkness. I nodded in satisfaction at Hong Gil-dong’s prowess.

“Alright. I was worried about him fighting with only half his soul, but he’s holding his own pretty well.”

“…….”

“Huh? Jeong Do-ryeong, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Your Majesty, you’ve become a reaper….”

“Anyway, that guy tried to kill me too, so it’s tit for tat. I have no room for hesitation over such matters.”

Jeong Do-ryeong smiled faintly.

“Indeed. I think I understand why everyone expects so much from Your Majesty. It’s certainly worth the wait.”

What does waiting have to do with it? Very odd.

Boom!

Hong Gil-dong continued to break through about two more levels. But upon descending from the third to the fourth floor, he suddenly started to struggle, and I noticed he was sustaining injuries from the tentacle attacks coming from all directions from the otherworldly beings.

“Hm! The monsters don’t seem stronger than before….”

“Gurk! Gurg!”

Jeong Do-ryeong, trailing behind, coughed and said,

“The density of the demonic energy has become excessively strong…. My true abilities cannot be fully realized here. An ordinary person would die here, and even a martial artist would have their physical abilities reduce below half.”

“……?”

What? I don’t feel anything at all?

Confused, I ordered Hong Gil-dong,

“Step back!”

As Hong Gil-dong retreated, I utilized my Jade Emperor’s power to continuously cast the Harmony of Souls technique on the two beside me.

‘If I stack the technique multiple times, it should work!’

As the Harmony of Souls reached about six stacks, it seemed the two were unaffected by the demonic energy, allowing Hong Gil-dong to start fighting the monsters again under my command while Jeong Do-ryeong assisted.

I watched and thought,

‘The Jade Emperor’s power is an incredible treasure. Just the ability to block all demonic energy is impressive.’

At this rate, it looked like I wouldn’t even need to fight to pass through. I continued to observe from the back while advancing deeper into King Tang’s tomb.

After progressing through about five more levels, once we entered the ninth level, we saw no trivial demon beasts appearing and instead spotted a mysterious alien magic circle drawn in a gigantic plaza. As we stepped into the plaza, the alien magic circle began to glow and something was summoned.

Kaaarrrh!!

The summoned being was a tentacle monster with three eyes. The terrifying sight of that tentacle monster was indescribably dreadful, hovering around a few floating books, reminiscent of Simon Magus in his changed form.

Upon its summoning, it called out to us.

[I echo in agony! I am the greatest Demon Sorcerer of the Achilles Constellation and the apostle of the Old Ruler, [He Who Walks in Shadows]! Have you come seeking the Compass of Guiding with rightful authority?]

Cough!!

At that moment, both Hong Gil-dong and Jeong Do-ryeong coughed blood and staggered. I was surprised and shouted to Jeong Do-ryeong,

“Hey!! What’s happening to you just from hearing it speak?!”

“Your, Your Majesty…. I cannot hear… any words….”

“It was speaking….”

“It seems like it attacked us with a command….”

Thud

Jeong Do-ryeong was trying to elevate his inner strength to withstand it, yet his eyes rolled back and he fainted. Hong Gil-dong seemed stronger and could barely endure, but he was also visibly trembling.

‘What in the world…?’

Is the creature before me stronger than I anticipated?

It doesn’t seem that outstanding…

I was baffled as my companions suddenly became incapacitated, yet since the entity had spoken to me, I decided to reply.

“[He Who Walks in Shadows]! I am Baek Woong! Rights or whatever, I just want to get that Compass of Guiding!”

[…….]

Then, the tentacle monster’s three eyes appeared to shine as it exclaimed.

[Oh…. You are… the Wheel King…? A great being indeed. I apologize for my rudeness!]

The tentacle monster let its tentacles droop and took some action. I interpreted it as a gesture of apology and responded,

“Alright. Let us through.”

[Oh, that’s…. Just because you say so doesn’t mean I can let you pass as you please….]

It had a surprisingly polite demeanor. I thought the conversation might run smoothly, so I nodded.

“Just tell me what rights you need! Do I need to receive them from Jeogok?”

Flick

The tentacle monster pulled out a book and began flipping through it for a while before showing me a page written in some alien language.

[Jeogok holds no rights to retrieve the Compass of Guiding…. Only the Emperor’s proxy is permitted as stated in the contract.]

“Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen?”

[That is correct…. Should this contract not be upheld, I will do my utmost to fight according to the contract…. O Great One.]

“Hmm….”

I contemplated briefly before telling the tentacle monster.

“Wait a moment.”

Paaaat

I utilized the Golden Lamp to teleport back to the Great Bear Empire’s Imperial Palace. I swiftly returned with Sagong Lin, who had just been conducting a meeting.

“Here, the Emperor’s proxy!”

[……!!]

Upon seeing Sagong Lin, the tentacle monster trembled and said,

[Oh…. To think I’d witness the Heavenly Demon in person… How moving….]

“So now does that mean I can have the Compass of Guiding?”

[Indeed, there is no greater proof than the Heavenly Demon…. I shall open the door for you….”

Rumble….

A massive stone door leading to the final tenth level appeared, and the tentacle monster vanished.

Dressed in the formal attire of the Emperor, Sagong Lin looked exhausted and said to me,

“Baek Woong…. No matter how necessary it is, you can’t keep showing up while broadcasting live throughout the Great Bear Empire’s territory and teleporting around.”

“Hmm? What did I do wrong?”

“It’s fine. With the recognition code and the power of the cybernetic being, we’ll manipulate public opinion and alter memories… Sure, we’ll get criticized by the US for human rights violations, but there’s nothing we can do.”

“…….”

It feels like I’ve made a serious blunder. I scratched my head and said,

“Sorry.”

Sagong Lin chuckled and said,

“It can’t be helped. Now that it’s come to this, I’ll take a look at the Compass of Guiding too.”