1305——————==

Soul of the Evil God

I asked Saint Germain for support needed to breach the Ark’s secret space. He responded,

“I have a workshop I moved to Soeul Village. Please provide the necessary items there.”

“Provide? What are you talking about right now…?”

“First, we need to create a [Passage].”

With that, Saint Germain stepped outside the Ark and immediately produced a feather quill, drawing a large square on a nearby cliff. The square shimmered and transformed into what resembled a colorful passage. He pointed to the entrance of the passage and said,

“If we supply the materials needed for the workshop in Soeul Village, we can work straight here through this linked Void Space. No need to fuss about going back and forth.”

“……!!”

I was taken aback.

“A teleportation passage?! Why didn’t you mention something this convenient earlier….”

Saint Germain flicked the quill with his index finger and retorted,

“While it is indeed a high-level alchemist’s exclusive artifact, it’s not that convenient. Only I can use this passage connecting to the workshop, and even then, it’s one-way. I can’t send anything from here to Soeul Village. Besides, only alchemists can use it, so you can’t operate it.”

“Hmm.”

“I’ll continue to stay here, so please supply the materials or items you’ve obtained by eliminating the slave traders as needed. Then I will breach it within fifteen days.”

“Understood. I’m counting on you.”

I requested Saint Germain to unlock the Ark’s secret passage and returned to the village. I asked Mangnyang to handle Saint Germain’s supplies and decided to resume my martial arts training.

Kaaaang!

I ended up colliding with Yeodong-bin’s moves. He immediately countered using the Moon-Style Defense Technique, reflecting a Sword Qi back at me. While I tried to dodge the Sword Qi, my clothing suddenly brushed against something as if shadows overlapped. Yeodong-bin, noticing my mistake, quietly said,

[You, Renja, this training isn’t about mindlessly pushing through repetitions; it’s about realizing your lack of proficiency. Just now, if you understood the nature of the Shadowless Soul-Removing Sword Technique, even if it was a reflected Sword Qi, you shouldn’t have responded like that.]

“Ugh, I apologize.”

Yeodong-bin, who had been gazing at me, said,

[Let’s end today’s training on the Moon-Style Defense Technique here. You sit over there.]

“……?”

I found myself facing Yeodong-bin across a sitting distance as we meditated. Being in this situation was a first for me, so I was a bit bewildered while Yeodong-bin slowly spoke up.

[When do you think you were strongest as a martial artist in your past life memories?]

I pondered over his words and replied.

“It seems to be when I was trying to protect my companions!”

[You displayed the strongest self when you immersed yourself in martial arts, getting closer to your Natural Body.]

“…….”

Oh, this is awkward…

As I scratched my head, Yeodong-bin continued.

[When you get closer to your Natural Body, it’s rare for a martial artist to unleash all of their capabilities. The focus of Unity of Body and Sword melds into chaos, how could it not be strong?]

“I suppose so.”

[So, what does natural mean? As you cultivate those low-level techniques through me, raising your proficiency, your Natural Body surely grows stronger, doesn’t it?]

“Perhaps it would become stronger.”

[Remember that it might not.]

“……?!”

What do you mean by that?!

I flinched in surprise as Yeodong-bin added,

[Is that unexpected?]

“Are you saying that merely skimming over a hundred techniques won’t allow me to defeat someone who has mastered just one?”

[That’s merely advice from underlings who haven’t even reached mid-level in martial arts. Regardless, it’s not applicable to you, an absolute martial artist who has reached the zenith in one or two fields.]

“Hmmm, well….”

[A bit of a different story.]

Yeodong-bin said in a low voice.

[Like everyone, when one’s concentration rises and reaches the Natural Body, their movements become the most efficient and logical. So, what guides the movement of the Natural Body? Reason or heart?]

“……!!”

Finally, as I started to grasp Yeodong-bin’s words, he continued in a hushed tone.

[You encountered a thought recently through Asura and Mangnyang. You concluded it’s the heart, but consider why, in the state of the Natural Body, while the heart moves the body, the body follows the limits of reason.]

“Is contemplating this related to this training?”

[Contemplate it.]

A glimmer sparked in Yeodong-bin’s eyes as he let slip a phrase.

[If a state of martial arts exists where one can follow the optimal movements purely through mechanical reason, would that be ultimately superior to the Natural Body?]

“…….”

[This relates to the ideal martial artist’s aspiration.]

…Indeed… Is that so.

After much thought, I spoke up.

“I’ll think more on it.”

[Engage in your contemplation. And immerse yourself in the endless swamp.]

Cling —

Yeodong-bin’s sword emanated and he seamlessly rose from his seat, while I too raised my sword to face him. As we settled back into a natural training state, Yeodong-bin stated,

[Trying to shake off the Heart Demon may instead deepen it; confront the depths of that darkness and unravel it!]

Kagaang!!

Kaang!

I sparred with Yeodong-bin, clashing swords for the next three moments. Once he left, I lay down in the thicket on a hillside to think.

‘Optimal movements… the most perfect movements…’

The thought Yeodong-bin proposed undoubtedly pointed to an absolute realm.

‘Heavenly Unrestrained Technique!’

The absolute realm of the Master of the Twelve Joules, which all absolute masters deem artificial!

Such a perfect optimal movement, that not even the Peak Demon’s Shadowless Soul-Removing Sword Technique could create a flaw. And it is undeniable that Heavenly Unrestrained Technique is the world’s highest perfection.

The question is, if such perfection arises from artificial reason – could it be possible to surpass the perfection of Heavenly Unrestrained Technique by reaching the extremes of the heart through the Natural Body?

This is the question Yeodong-bin posed.

In any case, if there is an optimal movement crafted without care for means, then an uncomfortable fact emerges.

“…That the heart is unnecessary in martial arts.”

Ultimately, if the best movement yields success, what’s the difference whether it comes from reason or heart in a life-and-death duel? In a way, one could say that the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique most blatantly denies the heart of martial artists. Yeodong-bin must have wanted me to contemplate that Heavenly Unrestrained Technique.

But why?

‘Hmm… I kind of get that improving proficiency in techniques doesn’t necessarily connect to strength, but how does that relate to Heavenly Unrestrained Technique?’

Now that I think about it, it almost sounds like he expects me to break through Heavenly Unrestrained Technique in the future.

I sensed an elusive connection and felt puzzled, but Yeodong-bin didn’t bring this up lightly.

I called upon Asura to ask about the matter, but she also dodged the question.

“If Yeodong-bin said that, I can vaguely guess, but this is your problem. You must ponder it yourself to make progress.”

“Tch.”

“Stop whining and let’s spar. My body’s stiff from all this idleness.”

“…….”

Kaaang! Kaaang!!

I had to spar with Asura, whose fighting spirit had unintentionally risen, for another two moments. After she left, I flopped down, utterly exhausted.

“Phew, I’m drained.”

After finishing today’s training, I lay down alone, groaning for quite a while before I could somewhat sort through my thoughts.

“So, it means if I keep practicing diligently, I might grasp how to break through Heavenly Unrestrained Technique.”

When nothing is known, pretending to know isn’t wise.

I could only honestly acknowledge my current limits and strive to surpass them.

This was a truth I had realized after practicing for a long time without talent.

‘Guess it’s time to give it a shot.’

I finished my training and called upon Miho, Seo Mun-hye, and Sagong Lin to share memories with them. They were somewhat ambiguous in being considered true Thunder God lineage, and sharing memories seemed to promote their growth more rapidly, as recommended by Mangnyang.

Wooooom!

“……!!”

“Is this even possible?!”

“Ah….”

They seemed amazed upon receiving the memories. Particularly, Sagong Lin’s reaction was quite intense, she couldn’t hide her panic and looked flustered.

“I’m… the reincarnation of Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen…?”

I firmly grasped Sagong Lin’s hand to calm her down.

“No. It’s merely that over thousands of years, the Gong Sun clan evolved into the Sagong clan, leading to the discontinuation of true transmission. The Emperor forcefully awakened using that ancient bloodline. You bear no blame.”

“Aah…!!”

Sagong Lin trembled, her face pale as a sheet, and after a while, she composed herself.

“Then while the Emperor is sealed, I won’t have the chance to awaken as the Heavenly Demon.”

“That’s right. So you should relax.”

“…What a strange feeling. It’s as if I’ve become you, experiencing that long journey myself.”

As Sagong Lin mumbled that, she added,

“Without the power of the Heavenly Demon, I’m just an ordinary human with a bit of martial talent. I’m worried I won’t be able to assist you, Baek Woong.”

I shook my head.

“I had no intention of relying on the power of the Heavenly Demon from the start. You are simply you, and I hope we can foster human strength together in this Soeul Village.”

“Understood. I’ll do my best to rectify the mistakes of my past life.”

I firmly grasped Sagong Lin’s hand, feeling that this exchange was sufficient. Turning to the side, I unexpectedly found Miho with tears welling in her eyes.

“Baek Woong….”

“Mi, Miho. What’s wrong?”

She seemed to be wiping her tears, slightly strained in her voice.

“Oh, you foolish girl. What do you believe gives you the right to be this foolish? Didn’t I say dozens of times through countless lives that you would only look at me…?”

“…….”

“Sigh… I’ve become slightly embarrassed, giddily enjoying that I became a peerless beauty. This isn’t something your true self would think of, yet you’re really quite remarkable.”

“Haha, are you complimenting me?”

“Humph. I’m thinking of making a resolution I’ve never done in my life.”

Miho looked with unusual eyes at the two beside her and said,

“From now on, if you act casually, you might lose me to others. They are not people you can simply underestimate.”

Sagong Lin and Seo Mun-hye looked aghast and waved their hands defensively.

“Miho, wh-what are you saying?”

“N-no, I’m not thinking that way at all.”

Miho appeared to be teasing with a mischievous smile.

“Then why are the blushes visible on your faces?”

“…….”

“Let’s just be honest with each other this life.”

Just as the atmosphere turned awkward, Seo Mun-hye hurriedly spoke up.

“Baek Woong! Thank you so much for always saving me from Pirate Island!”

“Of course, it’s something I ought to do. I couldn’t ignore you when I knew what was happening.”

“Still, every time I reincarnated, you endured the time loss to help me….”

“You’re an invaluable companion as a Demon Master to me. You have nothing to apologize for.”

Seo Mun-hye cautiously added,

“Actually, while receiving these memories, I think I discovered something odd. May I share it?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

Her subsequent words were rather unexpected.

“Baek Woong, did you notice that the visions I saw during my awakening at Pirate Island in my 29th and this 30th life are different?”

“Hmm…?”

“I felt that you were so preoccupied with urgent matters that you passed it by without thinking deeply, but since I focus on my own memories, I became aware of it instantly.”

“…….”

What is this about?

This was a scenario I never anticipated, so I tilted my head and quickly recalled the memories.

[No… I don’t know… something inside me… says to kill you…!! I can’t… let you live…!! It keeps saying that….]

[A massive silver giant appeared in my dream… and told me to come…].

Upon reviving the memory, I realized there was indeed a slight difference in reactions when I saved Seo Mun-hye. Sensing something, I spoke.

“In the 29th life, something inside you was urging me to kill you, but in this life, the silver giant invited me to come? And in the last life, it reacted wildly to the Forbidden Heaven Seal Technique, but this time, it was tranquil—just sleeping?”

“Exactly.”

“Does this mean the visions in both lives are different beings?”

Then, Seo Mun-hye replied,

“I don’t know either. I can’t ascertain what the Seo Mun-hye of the 29th life saw. All I can say is, that silver giant is likely Shennong, one of the Three Sovereigns.”

“……!!”

Shennong!

As one of the three sovereigns and the sealed Giant Race king and god!

After pondering, I asked,

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I had never seen such a being before, so I didn’t know, but upon reflection, it resembled how Shennong appeared in your memories. It even mirrored the landscape surrounding where the silver giant was sealed….”

“The landscape means…?”

“The Shadow World. In darkness, the gray moon hung and, with its back to the moon, the giant of white spoke to me.”

“Then it must be certain. That’s where Nüwa exerted her power to seal Shennong.”

This was an unexpected truth. Are you saying that during Seo Mun-hye’s awakening in this life, Shennong personally conveyed a message while sealed to speak with her? I instinctively felt that this fact would be significant and said,

“Does this mean that the seal on Shennong is weakening?”

“Correct. But Baek Woong, since you started this life, haven’t you actively tried to unravel Shennong’s seal? Yet, despite that, for him to convey his will to me directly means that the state of Shennong has improved because of your past life’s actions.”

“Ah!”

“Moving forward, we can speculate that Shennong’s seal will be weakened from the moment your past life begins.”

“Really!”

As I gasped in surprise, Seo Mun-hye added,

“And another thing. Unlike in the 29th life, in this life, I haven’t awakened the power of the Giant Race. I feel an unknown infinite power within me, but I don’t know how to awaken it. It feels like there’s a lock, but I don’t have the key that fits it right now.”

“Hmmm. That certainly feels odd. Why did you awaken in the 29th but not have that happen now?”

“My thought is this.”

Seo Mun-hye’s eyes sparkled.

“Perhaps the being who spoke from my unconscious in the 29th and 30th lives is the same person, Shennong of the Three Sovereigns. However, when I met you, the state of Baek Woong became the variable.”

“……?!”

What is this supposed to mean?

Feeling utterly bewildered as I struggled to comprehend, Miho interjected.

“So, what you’re saying is, when Shennong connected with you, if Baek Woong was brimming with magical power, he would perceive it as strong magic and warn you to be hostile against Shennong’s distant descendants? Thus, in the 29th life, Shennong intentionally awakened you to give you the power to contend against the Giant Race?”

Seo Mun-hye calmly nodded.

“That’s right. Perhaps that’s why I engaged in confrontation with you in the 29th life.”

“Conversely, when the 30th life began, since much of that magical power dissipated, it wasn’t as abundant, so it withheld awakening. Shennong, even when not fully unsealed, would likely find it burdensome to swing into worldly affairs recklessly.”

“I think that’s likely.”

I finally started to make sense of the situation while listening to their conversation, and I exclaimed,

“Shennong is now in a state where he can partially intervene in the world! If he can awaken you from a distance, then….”

“That’s exactly it. So, Baek Woong, what should I do to awaken the power of the Giant in this life?”

“Of course…”

Realizing what Seo Mun-hye was suggesting, I got a bit excited and shouted,

“Take you to Shennong! That means… Shennong is willing to intervene in these worldly causations!”

This was incredible.

When conversing with Shennong while he was imprisoned, he had seemed detached from this world, preferring to leave rather than actively resolving the cataclysm upon regaining his powers. Yet now, with him actively protecting and awakening a distant descendant like Seo Mun-hye, that indicates Shennong truly aims to engage in this world!

‘Shennong’s attitude has changed! This will likely lead to significant differences moving forward!’

While I was amazed, Sagong Lin, who had been listening, asked,

“Is that truly a good thing?”

“What do you mean?”

With a slightly darkened expression, she said,

“Something feels off… If we don’t understand why Shennong’s attitude has changed… it feels like a great calamity may occur.”