1340——————==

Soul of the Evil God

I was completely taken aback by Zhuge Hyun’s sudden remark.

“What do you mean? The Thunder Spirit Indra?”

Honestly, it was something I had never even considered. That’s how far out of my comfort zone Zhuge Hyun’s proposal was. With a knowing smile, he elaborated on his statement.

“It’s quite simple. I’m merely an ordinary human right now, so how does one go about becoming a god?”

“Um… God, huh…”

I hadn’t really thought about how to become a god, so I pondered for a moment. Using the knowledge I’d gathered from my travels, I gave it a shot.

“According to the Master of the White Lotus Sect and Master Mangnyang, one must cultivate the realm of fusion to obtain the divine essence of the God of Chaos.”

“That’s the most standard method. However, even if I had enough talent for it, it’s not something I could use at this very moment, as you’ll be going back in a month. Even if I tried to become an immortal, they are nothing more than mere mental constructs far removed from true gods, so compared to my goals, they’re hardly sufficient.”

Zhuge Hyun chuckled.

“And while I was reminiscing about your memories, I realized there’s another way.”

“Another way? What’s that?”

“Directly contracting with a god to receive their power! Divine Power would be bestowed upon me without any separate training, and it would be the fastest and most certain route. However, to do this, one must become an apostle or incarnation, which requires a significant amount of human sacrifices, offerings, and qualifications.”

“Wait… Are you saying instead of contracting with the Old Ruler, you’re going to contract with the Four Great Spirit Deities to gain their divine powers?”

“Precisely.”

Zhuge Hyun nodded vigorously.

“And the most powerful of the Four Great Spirit Deities in your memory is none other than the Thunder Spirit Indra! If I gain that power, I could soon attain the status of a lesser god.”

“……”

“Before being sealed, Indra’s power was on par with the Three Sovereigns, so that’s entirely reasonable.”

I was momentarily at a loss for words as I stared at him.

“But, um, Indra… has a pretty terrible temper. Are you sure this is alright?”

That’s the problem.

Indra is like a monster I can’t control at all. He doesn’t obey my commands and he once even betrayed me in a showdown with the Emperor. If Zhuge Hyun had seen my memories, he should aim for Baruna or Vayu instead of trying to make a wild contract with the Thunder God.

Zhuge Hyun smiled vaguely.

“If I die, that’s just my fate. There’s no need to blame you, so don’t worry.”

“…Well, I guess that’s one way to look at it. But the truth is, I’ll need Indra’s power at some point, so I can’t just give it all to you…”

“That’s only natural. What I want is a partial contract with the Thunder Spirit Indra.”

“A partial contract?”

“I’ll present the conditions I can offer to Indra, and in return, he will temporarily grant me power. Naturally, even if you don’t have to worry, I won’t be able to fully harness Indra’s power since I’m not a true descendant of the Four Great Spirit Deities. I intend to use the traces of divine power from the partial contract to become a god.”

“Hmm… but…”

“Please.”

Zhuge Hyun’s earnest tone left me with no choice but to waver. I knew following his lead might be fine, but I was genuinely worried about him. Indra was, without a doubt, a madman, and I couldn’t fathom him accepting any negotiations with a mere human.

Undoubtedly, the chances of Indra squashing Zhuge Hyun like a bug would be 99%. Even the gentle Four Great Spirit Deities like Baruna or Vayu had a strong disdain for humans; what do you think Indra would be like?

‘Ah, but aside from this, I can’t see any other way to make Zhuge Hyun a god.’

If he wants to take responsibility for his own plan, then getting involved further would just be meddlesome.

After thinking for a long while, I finally nodded.

“Alright! Let’s do it. So how do we make you and Indra enter a partial contract?”

“Let’s head back to the Heavenly Altar of Songshan.”

“Huh? The Altar?”

“There was an action you didn’t attempt during your past life. For now, let’s go.”

“I got it.”

Pa-at

I returned to Songshan with Zhuge Hyun. He immediately stood atop the Heavenly Altar and gestured for me to join him. A moment later, once we were both up there, he took my hand and said,

“This is just perfect.”

“What should we use for the offering?”

“We can offer the residual magical power of the Divine Sword as the sacrifice to summon the Four Great Spirit Deities as ‘God’.”

I was surprised, still holding his hand.

“……?! Is something like that even possible?”

“Whether it will work or not, I don’t know. But think about it. The Four Great Spirit Deities were powerful celestial beings before they became divine, forming the four pillars of the universe, right? If they follow the prescribed ritual, there’s a high possibility they could be summoned here as ‘Rulers’.”

“Umm… That sounds too risky.”

I’ve done my fair share of reckless things without thinking, but the move Zhuge Hyun was proposing felt like a complete gamble. There was no guarantee of a successful summoning, and persuading Indra once summoned was even more impossible.

“But it’s the only way I have to become a god. I’m begging you.”

“……”

I glanced back at Gong Gong, who was standing in the back.

“Gong Gong, I’ll channel the magical power of the Divine Sword into the altar, so please conduct the ritual.”

[Understood.]

Whoosh

A moment later, Gong Gong recited an incantation and infused the spirit energy, initiating the summoning ceremony. As the light intensified, Zhuge Hyun said,

“Now! Focus on the Four Great Spirit Deities and call upon the Thunder Spirit Indra!”

I squeezed my eyes shut and entered the space of the Four Great Spirit Deities. Immediately, I reached out towards the spot where Indra was located among the four circles and shouted,

“Indra!! I’ll make an offering, so please enter into a partial contract with Zhuge Hyun!”

……

A moment of silence stretched out, and then a gruff voice echoed from Indra’s seat.

[You want me to contract with some other layabout instead of you?]

“Uh… Y-Yeah! Zhuge Hyun named you directly!”

[How amusing…. Heh heh.]

Indra chuckled as if finding it all entertaining.

[Let’s see just how brave you are and give it a go… ]

“Wha?!”

[I’m off.]

Crack!

In the next moment, I was pulled back to reality, and at the same time, the divine artifact, Vajra, erupted with an enormous thunderous light, summoning forth. The summoned Vajra appeared to be consuming the magical power flowing from my body at a breakneck speed, swirling with a dark aura.

Boom

The resonation echoed. And from the shimmering Vajra, the voice of a colossal deity thundered.

[Zhuge Hyun! I’ll grant you but one word. If that word doesn’t please me, you’ll be burned to a crisp!]

“……”

Zhuge Hyun exhibited a calm demeanor as if he had anticipated this. He released my hand and shouted strongly.

“Indra! I am capable of reversing the Great Cycle and releasing your seal!”

Huh?!

Wha-What did you just say?!

I was taken aback by Zhuge Hyun’s unexpected proclamation. Even Indra seemed surprised, as the resonation momentarily paused. Indra finally spoke.

[How?]

Then, Zhuge Hyun confidently stretched his hand toward Indra and said boldly.

“There are many eyes here, so I wish to speak to you one-on-one! Invited me to the realm of the spirit.”

[Very well…. If you speak nonsense, I shall kill you instantly!]

Crackle

“……!!”

In an instant, Zhuge Hyun transformed into pure lightning and leapt toward the Vajra, pulling himself inside. The abruptness of it left me utterly dumbfounded; I couldn’t comprehend how this situation unfolded.

‘What the heck?’

What is Zhuge Hyun thinking?

After a while, the Vajra began to vibrate. The once thunderous noise morphed into a terrifying flash of light that colored the entire world white, and simultaneously I felt Indra’s presence roaring like thunder.

[Hwahahaha!! Now that’s going to be interesting!]

Crackle…

Before I knew it, the Vajra was firmly clutched in Zhuge Hyun’s grasp. However, its powerful lightning energy had faded, taking on a normal shape akin to a Vajra, yet a white spark of thunder flickered around Zhuge Hyun’s body as if he had borrowed the Thunder Spirit’s essence.

“Ugh…!!”

Smoke drifted from Zhuge Hyun’s skin, smelling faintly like burning flesh. He was enduring extreme pain, teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness, and only after some time did he finally stabilize himself, breathless and unsteadily standing. He then said to me,

“I succeeded in the partial contract. I’ll wield the Vajra for a while.”

“……!!”

He succeeded?!

In stunned disbelief at what I had just witnessed, I could hardly grasp it. A gamble that seemed utterly hopeless had come to fruition! I stammered at Zhuge Hyun,

“What on earth did you say to Indra? I never thought you’d manage to persuade that wild beast….”

“It was nothing much. The reason Indra was sealed away had to do with the Great Cycle. In other words, if I can alter the Great Cycle, it means Indra’s seal would be broken. That’s all I suggested.”

“Change the Great Cycle? What on earth does that entail?!”

“……”

Zhuge Hyun glanced around quickly before he answered.

“There are many eyes on us. First, let’s hear from Seo Mun-gbaek about the secrets of the Sword Demon, and then I’ll explain… cough.”

Suddenly, Zhuge Hyun coughed up blood. Alarmed, I rushed over to check his pulse, only to find it weak and his muscles appeared scorched by lightning. Despite Indra showing some mercy, it was clear that the backlash from the Thunder Spirit left him in a half-dead state. I hurriedly infused my internal power into Zhuge Hyun for temporary healing and turned to Gong Gong, who was nearby.

“Looks like he fainted; can you perform any healing techniques?”

[Currently, I cannot use any techniques. If you are worried about that man’s well-being, I can request the Ilpenred race to heal him.]

“Ilpenred?”

Gong Gong nodded.

[Despite appearances, they are a race thousands of years ahead of humans in medical techniques. They’ll care for him well.]

“I got it. Please do that.”

Pa-at

I headed straight to Seo Mun-gbaek. I was determined to gather the Sword Demon’s secrets.

“Where’s Seo Mun-gbaek?”

“Oh! Baek Woong! I’ll guide you.”

With a clunking sound, I hopped into a military vehicle.

It was a sensible move to avoid wasting time, but I found myself pausing momentarily, surprised by my own cool demeanor.

‘Hmm… Am I being too cold?’

For some reason, I felt my behavior was a bit icy. It made sense, though; had it been Mangnyang in that state, I would have stopped everything to ensure his recovery. Yet for some reason, I didn’t feel the same urgency for Zhuge Hyun. Maybe it’s because, even though he’s the same person, he feels different as a human from the outer universe?

Squeak

“We’re here.”

After gathering my complicated thoughts, I disembarked from the military vehicle and entered Seo Mun-gbaek’s residence. As befitting a commander, his palace was an entire five-story house, boasting quite an impressive structure. Guided by soldiers, I entered the room of Commander Seo Mun-gbaek on the fifth floor, where I found him sitting in a chair, poring over an ancient book.

Seo Mun-gbaek donned glasses that he rarely used and pushed them up with one finger as he spoke.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Everything alright in the meantime?”

“Since you’ve dealt with our formidable adversary, how could anything major arise? I’ve received word of victories from other fronts as well, stating that 70% of the alien forces on the Central Plains have been eliminated.”

Seo Mun-gbaek rose from his seat, suddenly bowing deeply before me.

“As the commander of the Northeast Asian Liberation Army, I sincerely thank the great hero!”

Ack?!

I was caught off guard by his unexpected gesture and hurriedly lifted him up.

“Great hero, you say…? I only did it because it benefited me as well. Don’t burden me with this.”

“Ah… I am simply filled with gratitude.”

Tears streamed down Seo Mun-gbaek’s face. He wiped them and continued.

“To feel that helplessness like a child facing a soldier with a firearm… Thinking back to the time when our troops lost thousands, yet we couldn’t take down a single alien… I would do anything to repay this kindness, even if it costs me my life.”

It seems humans in this world have really suffered at the hands of aliens. I thought to myself that this must be the end times as I addressed Seo Mun-gbaek.

“In any case, I came to hear the Sword Demon’s past. I hope you can share that with me.”

“Of course! I’ll gladly share. I’ve scoured my family’s old records all night and managed to uncover the history of my ancestor, the Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong…”

Seo Mun-gbaek trailed off, his expression suddenly darkening. It was as if he was struggling to move as he wanted.

“……?”

What’s up with him?

“Is there something wrong?”

“Well… um… urgh.”

I sensed something unusual about Seo Mun-gbaek’s inability to articulate. As I considered the potential reasons, I quickly arrived at one conclusion.

Someone is here.

‘That bastard has controlled Seo Mun-bak with binding magic.’

Swish

At that moment, my heightened senses, expanded through the Absolute Realm’s Intent Heavenly Pillar, picked up a fleeting sense of discomfort. I realized [something] was in this room and fixed my eyes in that direction.

“Who’s there?”

Step

“I am the Apostle of the great Three Sovereigns.”

It looked as if something was emerging from thin air. From the library behind Seo Mun-bak, a figure clad in a flowing robe stepped forth, radiating intense spiritual energy. What he held also appeared to be a considerable artifact of power.

‘If this guy knows I’m an apostle just out of the blue…’

Has the rumor already spread everywhere?

“Gah! You…”

But after a moment, I recognized his identity, and shock spread across my face for the simple reason that I already knew him. The figure before me gleamed with recognition.

“Do you know who I am?”

“……”

I truly couldn’t understand what was happening. Struggling to contain my astonishment, I managed to ask,

“…Is that… Hong Gil-dong?!”

The figure nodded.

“How impressive that the great apostle can see through my identity at a glance, even recalling my pre-ascension name.”

There was no doubt about it!!

The person before me is Hong Gil-dong!

The King of Yuldo Nation, the Grand Elder of the Twelve Joules, and the master of the Absolute Realm—what could he possibly be doing here before me wielding an artifact like an immortal?!

“Y-Ascend? Could you be the Great Immortal?”

“Indeed.”

The Great Immortal Hong Gil-dong spoke gravely as he bowed deeply.

“I, Hong Gil-dong, have come to invite you to Kunlun Mountain on behalf of the great celestial beings of the Celestial Realm. I hope you will accept the invitation…”

“……”

“I refrained from disturbing this individual to avoid being rude to you.”

As I stood dumbfounded, I suddenly drew my sword and attacked Hong Gil-dong.

Infinite Slash

Thud!

In an instant, a strike of astonishing power lashed through Hong Gil-dong. However, I quickly realized that I felt absolutely nothing resist against the blade, as he appeared on the other side, astonished.

“The Apostle of the Three Sovereigns being a supreme martial artist? I did not expect that at all. If it weren’t for the power of the artifact Blood Mirror, I would have certainly faced certain injury.”

The scarlet mirror he held began to rumble ominously. That must be the Blood Mirror artifact, and it certainly helped him evade my Infinite Slash.

“…I’m sorry for the sudden attack. I just needed to confirm something.”

“Did you verify what you wanted?”

“……”

I sheathed my sword, lost in thought.

‘Damn, this is absurd….’

There was no doubt about it.

The fellow before me didn’t use martial arts at all. To dodge my Infinite Slash using pure techniques confirms a single thing.

‘It’s not that he chose not to use martial arts… he simply doesn’t know any at all.’

Hong Gil-dong is a pure sorcerer who never practiced martial arts from the beginning of his human life.