1254——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Pabababat

Flying from Great Thunder Valley to Pirate Island took a good while, covering thousands of miles in a dizzying rush.

“Uuuh.”

I noticed that Gum Cheon-jae and Kim Manje seemed to be feeling nauseous, so we took a few breaks on a deserted island. Even though I surrounded the cart with Qi to reduce resistance, it seemed that the human body had a tough time adjusting to high-speed flight.

So there I was, pulling the cart through the skies toward Pirate Island, when I finally located the prison where Seo Mun-hye was likely held.

‘There it is.’

Kuwong

As I rammed the cart into the prison, I spotted Seo Mun-hye, with her snow-white hair, sleeping alongside the hostages from the island. Seeing her, I inwardly resolved myself.

‘Damn… Am I going to have to fight Seo Mun-hye again this time…?’

Thinking back to what I went through in my 29th life tangled my brain.

Still, I couldn’t just leave her in a dazed state, so it was a necessary step. I cast the acupuncture technique to dispel the Forbidden Heaven Seal Technique upon her.

……

“Uh…?”

I found myself mumbling in surprise. After all, in my last life, the moment I stabbed her with the first needle, she awakened the power of the Giant Race and freaked out; this time, however, despite casting the acupuncture technique to dispel the Forbidden Heaven Seal, she showed no real reaction and lay there sound asleep.

What on earth is happening?

While I pondered this, Gum Cheon-jae shouted fearfully from near the entrance of the prison.

“Ahhh! The pirates are coming!”

“……”

“Q-Quickly, get rid of them!”

But to be honest, I barely heard Gum Cheon-jae’s words as I was focused on Seo Mun-hye. The effect of the release technique seemed to be kicking in, as Seo Mun-hye slowly began to open her eyes. She blinked groggily, and when she saw me, she asked.

“Who are you…?”

I replied to Seo Mun-hye.

“I am Baek Woong. I’ve come to save you.”

I thought about immediately handing her the obsidian, but I wasn’t sure how much of my magical power had been drained. There was a risk that due to some residual magical energy, Seo Mun-hye might go berserk again, which would derail everything in this life, so I decided against taking that chance. Then, with a fuzzy expression, Seo Mun-hye said,

“A giant silver giant appeared in my dream… He told me to come to him….”

“…….?”

“It was a strange dream…”

I realized that for some reason, her blood wasn’t responding to my magical power this time.

‘I thought my eyes weren’t black, but apparently, I drained a lot of magic back in my last life.’

For now, there was no need to worry about a magic rampage, I thought with relief, letting out a sigh.

“First, let’s get out of here.”

Kuwakwang

“Craaaack.”

I went outside, dispatched the pirates with the Thunder Spirit Seal, and collected all the treasures existent on this Pirate Island. I had annihilated pirates so often that the little details felt like a hassle.

But when I discovered Yodo Muramasa and grabbed it, to my surprise, Kim Manje spoke up.

“Can I have that sword?”

“……”

I knew Kim Manje was completely useless without any martial arts skills. If he caught hold of Yodo Muramasa in that state, he’d definitely lose his mind to the sword’s influence, so I shook my head.

“No.”

“It looks cool, just let me have it.”

“……”

I stared at Kim Manje in disbelief before shaking my head again.

“Don’t act cute, you crazy idiot. Do you think I’m here to just fetch you treasures? Do you even realize your situation?”

“I know, but…”

“Good grief.”

When I clicked my tongue, Kim Manje shut his mouth tight. I looked at him with complicated eyes, thinking,

‘It was a bit harsh when I gouged out his eyes back then…’

As harsh as that was, I had decided to forget how troubled he had made me in my first life. So this time, I’d settle for a lighthearted tease as my petty revenge. Still, I couldn’t develop any good feelings towards him, which made Kim Manje’s cuteness feel totally absurd.

“I also want to be as strong as you.”

“…So?”

However, Kim Manje had the audacity to make an unreasonable request.

“Teach me martial arts.”

“……”

“If I become a martial arts master, I can help you, right?”

At that moment, I thought it might be amusing. I wondered just how much talent Kim Manje really had for martial arts? He had been such a slacker in my first life, always wasting time at Honglu, what could he learn with that trashy willpower?

‘Okay, let’s see just how low his talents really are.’

I was intrigued by the idea of observing, so I nodded.

“Let’s take a look.”

I checked Kim Manje’s pulse. While I couldn’t claim to be of the level of the Five Great Physicians, having received training under Guangming Divine Doctor Hwa Seong-myeong for over a decade, I was significantly more capable than most physicians. Thus, I could assess the martial and internal skill levels pretty accurately.

And internally, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

‘He has no internal power at all. There’s no innate bloodline either; he’s just a regular dude…’

I even checked a few places to see if he had learned any external martial arts without honing internal power, but nope, he was just a plain boy of my age. The idea of him having martial arts abilities would go against all common sense in the world of martial arts.

Yeah, he definitely hadn’t picked up any martial arts skills.

As I considered that, I could cross one of my major doubts off the list.

‘This Kim Manje seems like he won’t be that guy.’

Aside from martial arts, there was an overwhelming and terrifying killing intent radiating from him!

That vicious aura of being willing to destroy himself alongside me couldn’t possibly come from this Kim Manje. There was no way he could be the same person.

Once I arrived at that conclusion, I withdrew my hand from Kim Manje’s pulse and said,

“Alright, when we get back to the village, I’ll teach you a few moves. You’ll need some martial arts if you’re going to work under me.”

“Thank you. That sword….”

“That’s Yodo Muramasa. It’s a cursed sword no ordinary skill can handle. Even a Peak Expert could fall under its spell. You’ll have to wait until you’ve developed enough to control it properly…”

I roughly replied, sheathing the Muramasa and heading outside, addressing the hostages on Pirate Island.

“I wish I could send you all back home right away, but there are many others suffering just like you, so we’ll need to make a few stops.”

“Follow your wishes, benefactor.”

They seemed to accept my words without much complaint. After all, being rescued from the pirates was enough cause for them to endure a little time delay. I nodded and gathered them all up in the cart, then turned to Seo Mun-hye.

“Seo Mun-hye, how are you feeling?”

“Now that the seal is lifted, I feel remarkably light, thank you. But how do you know my name…?”

“I have a secret that only you will know. It relates to memories passed down to you, but unfortunately, this place is too dangerous to explain everything right now.”

As it turned out, I didn’t have the obsidian itself. Ideally, I would have used the Absorption technique to retrieve it first, but since I couldn’t do that this life…

“……?”

Seo Mun-hye looked at me with a puzzled expression, but it couldn’t be helped. Reflecting on the event where we accidentally clashed after she awakened here on Pirate Island, leading to a chaotic clash of power that summoned the Sea God, I figured it would be risky to casually hand her the obsidian in the Sea God’s territory. Even if much of my magic was drained, I still couldn’t predict her potential reactions.

I continued,

“Still, if you believe in me, please follow along. I will definitely take you to the Shadowless Gate.”

“I understand.”

I then stuffed Seo Mun-hye along with Gum Cheon-jae and Kim Manje into the cart. I started getting a bit tired of pulling the cart, so I wanted to fly solo this time. I set off, heading straight toward Dongyoung.

Pa-aah

As I ascended, the outlines of the terrain came into view, and I could distinguish which areas belonged to Goryeo and which to Dongyoung. I hovered around in the sky for a while, then spotted land that looked like Dongyoung and descended to inquire about the location of Kyoto.

After confirming Kyoto’s location, I flew for a while longer until I spotted Kyoto Castle, then dashed inside. Upon entering the inner sanctum of Kyoto’s imperial palace, I immediately sensed the barrier, and I unleashed my Infinite Slash to tear it asunder.

“Craaaack.”

Tearing through the barrier and stepping inside, a familiar face emerged before me.

[Could a human attain such a level in martial arts? Unbelievably powerful indeed. Who are you?]

“I am the Spirit Beast Hinokakutsuchi.”

[You know my identity?]

“I have direct business with Susanoo.”

[……!!]

Hinokakutsuchi seemed shocked, and from somewhere, a booming voice called out.

[Are you looking for me?]

Kugugu

[Lord Susanoo!]

The ancient light deity, clad in traditional garments, suddenly appeared in the hall. Upon seeing Susanoo’s face, I said,

“Susanoo, I know you’re trying to stop the great flood coming soon. I’ve come to cooperate with that plan.”

Susanoo twitched his eyebrows and replied.

[Who are you? Even if a lowly being like a day goblin were to help, I wouldn’t trust you.]

“No need for long explanations. Just look at this!”

Woong

I concentrated my divine power, extracting only the essence of Amaterasu to form a luminous orb in my hand. This wasn’t a technique for destruction or damage; it was a struggle just to base out the essence of power. Although having Heuk Woong around gave me some control over my divine energy, it wasn’t complete while he was still asleep.

[……!! That’s Amaterasu’s!]

“I absorbed the dead body of Amaterasu to gain strength. Naturally, I know about your current thoughts and plans. Just keep in mind that I’ve come to ally with you.”

[Just who are you…?]

“I am Baek Woong. I’m done wasting time trying to persuade you.”

I spoke with intensity.

“I’ll help you regain your strength if we form an alliance. In return, I want a fair trade from you!”

[Hmm…!! What do you desire?]

“I want to contract with Hinokakutsuchi and take Miho with me.”

Truth be told, bringing Miho to Soeul Village was my main goal, while the rest was a bit of a bonus. Given the unpredictable events that could arise due to the great flood in this life, it would be beneficial to establish a relationship with Susanoo.

[…….]

Susanoo’s expression shifted as he contemplated for a moment, and then he nodded.

[Alright! Let’s do it. It seems odd, but you appear to be sufficient for forming an alliance.]

A moment later, I established a summoning contract with the Spirit Beast Hinokakutsuchi. I initially proposed this condition because his true form was an incredibly powerful being comparable to the Eight Parts of the Divine, and as someone aligned with order, he would prove highly useful as a summoner, advice I had received from Zhuge Sa in the past.

Chirirring

[Ooo. I, Hinokakutsuchi… From now on, I shall be your spirit beast and respond to your summons in accordance with our formal contract.]

I could feel a sound ringing like a bell as the symbol representing Hinokakutsuchi was etched onto my fingertip. Now I could summon him whenever I wanted by spending my divine power.

However, upon seeing this, an odd feeling crept in.

‘Strange? Why isn’t this guy’s name being engraved like everyone else’s?’

Was there something different about him?

Just then, Miho stepped out, looking quite reluctant. She seemed quite displeased and said to Susanoo in a desperate voice,

“Lord Susanoo, please… reconsider.”

[Fox, this being is as powerful as I am now and possesses the blessings of Amaterasu. If we form an alliance, what problem would there be?]

In response to Susanoo’s question, Miho shut her eyes tightly and lamented,

“He’s just… so ugly!!”

[……!!]

“……!!”

“It’s obvious he’ll grow up to be the ugliest of them all; I can’t bear that!”

Susanoo and I were both completely taken aback.

Surely that couldn’t be the reason?!

‘Ah…. right… That’s always been Miho’s deal…’

I finally realized Miho’s nature and came to understand. It was indeed true that she’d be bothered by something as trivial as ugly looks.

‘Thinking back, I had been so busy running around that I had neglected any sense of appearance management…’

…Should I do something about it?

After all, if I was going to interact with various people and live in the human world this time, wouldn’t it be fine to take it a bit easy on myself?

I gathered my thoughts and said to Miho,

“Miho! Then I promise I’ll make myself handsome. Handsome enough that you’d be astounded. Would you then agree to be my subordinate?”

“Of course! But how will you do that…?”

“Just wait. I’ll come back for you later.”

I flashed a sly grin and turned away.

‘Wait and see, Miho.’

Pa-at

I collected some obsidian at a nearby mine I had previously spotted before leaving Dongyoung. While I could visit Abe no Seimei, I decided against it. Going there now would only invite trouble, and forming too many connections could turn detrimental in the future.

Hwiing –

I once again soared over the vast sea, returning to the Central Plains. By this point, I began to realize I was a bit fatigued from all the flying.

‘Hmm…. No matter how endless my internal power is, it’s a bit much to continuously fly back and forth across continents. I wore myself out a bit while dealing with the Golden Eagle Guards, too.’

If it were the Dharma Protectors, they probably wouldn’t tire at all, although there was likely some difference in stamina. Still, I could recover after just a short rest, so I decided to take a brief break before heading straight to Namgung Clan.

Kuwakwang

Perbuk

I effortlessly eliminated the clan leader of the Namgung Clan, cutting down the elders too, causing the clan to crumble, and rescued the women. I then approached Yeon Jong-hwi, who had been staying among the Namgung Clan’s guests, and casually threw down the head of the clan leader, Namgung Myeong, right in front of him.

Degurur

“Gasp.”

No matter how powerful Yeon Jong-hwi was, he seemed shocked as the head of the Peak Expert Namgung Myeong rolled across the ground in broad daylight. I addressed Yeon Jong-hwi.

“I am Baek Woong! The Namgung Clan has been ruined by me. You have no place left to rely on, so come with me.”

“…What an incredible martial artist. With your level of power, I wouldn’t need the input of someone from such a lowly background….”

“No. You can still develop further. I can teach you martial arts.”

Yeon Jong-hwi, who would become the future Ten Great Masters as the Crown Prince, was worth nurturing from now on.

“……!! In that case, I will follow you!”

Yeon Jong-hwi immediately changed his expression and expressed his determination. Then, cautiously, he asked,

“Where are you taking me?”

I nodded vigorously and replied,

“To Soeul Village!!”

“……? You mean a village? Not a sect…?”

“Exactly. What’s wrong with that?”

“Not that, but… are you for real….”

I crossed my arms and confidently stated,

“I’m the village chief!”

“……”

“Welcome to being a villager, Yeon Jong-hwi.”

“B-but I am a descendant of the royal family of the ancient Yeon nation; I need to think this through….”

“Enough of the nonsense, just get inside.”

The dream of becoming a powerful martial artist had transformed into a village life for Yeon Jong-hwi, and now that I had approximately rescued everyone I intended to, I felt it was time to move on.

“Shall we go then?”

Towards the Shadowless Sect where the Sword Demon awaits!

“`

 

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