1343——————==

Soul of the Evil God

I held the precious jade in my hand and said to Hong Gil-dong,

“How do we do this?”

“When you’re ready, I’ll chant the command and send you off.”

“Let’s start.”

Whoosh whoosh whoosh

As the divine light radiated from the jade, Hong Gil-dong chanted an incomprehensible incantation, and soon I found myself in a strange space.

‘…Where am I?’

It looked similar to the Celestial Realm I knew, but different. I saw the towering Andean peaks and the dense mists swirling just like before—but this time, there was the floating Castle of the Celestial Realm right before my eyes.

The castle had no moat, of course, since it floated in the sky, but beyond the stone walls were majestic ancient-style pavilions. The distance from where I stood to the castle was at least fifty li, yet it filled my vision entirely, making me realize how enormous the castle really was.

“So this is why it’s called Kunlun Castle.”

It was a mighty structure that seemed like it combined countless legendary mountains and territories of the Celestial Realm into one castle! Nothing could express the current state of the Celestial Realm better than this.

But why was it a castle?

There was no need for a castle in the Celestial Realm, so why go through the effort of constructing such a colossal one?

I felt puzzled but soon shook my head, muttering,

“That’s why I came all the way here to find out.”

I prepared to fly toward the castle. Just as I was about to expend my internal strength to leap forward, a clear female voice rang in my ears.

“I’ve been waiting. You are Baek Woong, Apostle of the Three Sovereigns.”

I turned to the direction of the voice to see three fairy-like women dressed in silk-winged garments. As I silently watched them, the beautiful one standing centrally bowed politely and continued,

“I am Yukhyeong, the leader of the celestial maidens. I have come to escort you.”

“Yukhyeong…”

“The two beside me are Yoguang and Cheon-gwon.”

Though I might have visited the Celestial Realm during my past life, I had never heard these names before. Even Ji-seon Mang-nyang had no recollection of anyone named Yukhyeong.

However, as soon as I laid eyes on her, I could sense her power.

‘Strong!’

Looking with Fire Eye Golden Spirit, I realized just from the flow of spirit energy emanating from her celestial garment that she must possess strength beyond that of a Great Immortal, perhaps even as powerful as an Overlay Technique practitioner. I realized, just like Yukhyeong, that the two standing beside her must share a similar level of prowess, leaving me feeling flabbergasted.

‘What’s this? There were never such maidens in Ji-seon Mang-nyang’s memories… Was there someone of Overlay Technique level that Mang-nyang didn’t know of?’

Yet somewhere in my mind, I felt a strange familiarity with their names. I tilted my head but nodded nonetheless.

“Alright. Lead the way.”

“Yes.”

With a swish…

The fairy Yukhyeong flicked the sleeve of her silk winged dress, and a colossal piece of silk began wrapping around us as if engulfing the world. As it cocooned us completely, the silk suddenly unfurled in an instant. At the same time, the surrounding landscape had entirely transformed.

Plop…

I heard the sound of droplets falling into a serene pond. A tranquil pavilion appeared before me, and it felt like I had entered a refreshingly lush, green oasis, cleansing my spirit. I realized that three elder immortals were sitting inside the pavilion, waiting for me.

I walked steadily towards the pavilion where the elders were. I slowly climbed the stairs, took off my shoes, and moved to the platform where they sat. Finally, as I flopped down on the seat opposite to the elder already sitting, he spoke.

“You have arrived at a rather unfamiliar place. You’re quite bold. Is it due to your confidence in your powers?”

I casually replied,

“Do you think I want to hear that the current Kunlun Castle is worse than the past Celestial Realm? I’ve been keeping silent so as not to be rude.”

Creak

In that moment, my provocative tone seemed to shatter the ambiance. It wasn’t an illusion— the significant power emanating from the elders was indeed affecting the laws of reality. I sensed the flow of that power and thought inwardly,

‘Indeed… they are strong.’

The three immortals before me seemed to be the current leaders of the Celestial Realm. My intentionally provocative remarks were aimed at gauging their powers. Yet I realized that only one of them sitting across from me was not releasing any power at all.

The elder sitting on the left burst out in a furious voice,

“No matter if you are the Apostle of the Three Sovereigns…!! Do you mean to dismiss us so easily?”

I glanced at the elder and replied,

“I had no intention of dismissing you, Bao Xian Zhenren.”

“You know me?”

“Of course.”

I steadily looked at the remaining two in turn and continued.

“I also know Taiyi Zhenren and Ran Deng Dao Ren.”

That’s right.

The three present were three of the twelve great immortals of the Celestial Realm!

Eliminating Bao Xian Zhenren, I couldn’t possibly forget the other two, having fought alongside them in the past. Upon hearing this, the now calmed Bao Xian Zhenren looked taken aback before speaking in a subdued voice.

“Who are you…? How can you figure us out so easily when we’ve hardly revealed ourselves in the mortal realm? Was it perhaps that the Three Sovereigns gave you our information?”

“……”

I didn’t respond to Bao Xian Zhenren’s question and focused my gaze on the central figure, Ran Deng Dao Ren.

“It’s puzzling. The Celestial Realm originally had the Jade Emperor, assisted by the Heavenly Mysterious Woman and the Queen Mother of the West while the Three Purities were the highest hierarchy. You three, despite being the twelve great immortals, what reason do you have to converse with an Apostle of the Three Sovereigns without those figures coming forward?”

I looked at Ran Deng Dao Ren specifically, as only he had not released any killing intent earlier; therefore, he seemed to be the calmest and most qualified to negotiate among them, based on my past experiences.

“Hmm…”

Ran Deng Dao Ren let out a hum before responding in a restrained tone.

“It’s not that we were looking down on you. Were you not informed of the circumstances in Kunlun Castle by the Three Sovereigns? If you’re asking such a question after knowing, it seems like an insult.”

I shook my head.

“I only heard the basics; I don’t know the details. I had no particular intention of seeking you.”

“…The Jade Emperor and Queen Mother of the West have perished, and the Heavenly Mysterious Woman has fallen into deep slumber. With the Three Purities also eradicated… our twelve great immortals bear the responsibility for the remaining Kunlun.”

“It’s… quite alarming,” I muttered.

“Seeing that our Celestial Realm has fallen to this extent must bring you some satisfaction.”

Ran Deng Dao Ren mentioned with a hint of rancor, but I realized that the situation was more serious than I had thought.

‘The Celestial Realm is essentially in ruins!’

The mighty figures of the Jade Emperor, Queen Mother of the West, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, and the Three Purities had all perished or disbanded, leaving only three of the twelve great immortals! It seemed that constructing the celestial castle was also a defensive measure due to the lack of strength to deal with outside invasions.

I felt a pang of guilt and cleared my throat.

“Ahem. My apologies. Anyway, now that I understand the situation, please tell me what you called me for.”

“…Very well.”

Ran Deng Dao Ren opened one eye wide and continued,

“Apostle of the Three Sovereigns. What you desire is likely the souls of one hundred immortals, isn’t it?”

“……!!”

What?!

How did he know?!

Suddenly struck by his words, I felt a bit flustered. Still, I tried hard to avoid showing it and responded coolly.

“I don’t understand what you mean. What’s your aim in bringing that up out of the blue?”

“We are about to make the final gamble of our lives… that is why we summoned you.”

“Gamble?”

Following his continued explanation, I finally found it hard to keep a straight face.

“If you wish, we will grant you the souls of one hundred immortals from Kunlun Castle. In return, lead us to the fruit of the World Tree!”

“……?!”

What?!

I could not fathom why Ran Deng Dao Ren knew such vital information about the fruit of the World Tree. Moreover, he even knew the details of my dealings with Jeon Wook!

How could I grasp the situation, feeling blank, while Ran Deng Dao Ren cautiously spoke.

“The success of the fruit is yours to obtain… but we merely seek the new seed that will appear near the fruit. If you allow us that seed, we will grant you all your desires.”

“Seed… you say.”

“Yes. The seed is not powerful at the moment, and it takes a long time to grow, so we hope you’ll give it to us.”

“……”

In that moment, memories of my past life flashed through my mind.

‘Right…. during the decisive battle where the Eight Parts of the Divine and my companions fought against the World Tree… back then, Zhuge Yulong had infiltrated seeking the seed of the World Tree, and Zhuge Sha fought valiantly to protect it.’

To be honest, I recalled my memories during that time but still could not discern the significance of the World Tree’s seed. Therefore, I hadn’t given it much thought until Ran Deng Dao Ren’s words brought it back to mind.

“……”

Not knowing what to say, I fell silent as the Taiyi Zhenren sitting next to me fidgeted a little, opening his mouth.

“We can’t avoid the end of this world. However, we lack the power to go against the Jade Emperor. Therefore, we wish to make some minimal preparations using the seed of the World Tree.”

“Minimal preparations? But they say it takes a long time to grow that seed, and the end is just around the corner—what can you do?”

“That is our secret.”

Bao Xian Zhenren took over Taiyi Zhenren’s words, speaking earnestly.

“Please… we cannot face the doom that rises beneath the stars. We need some minimal salvation to withstand the apocalypse, so I beseech you, Apostle’s kindness.”

“……”

What on earth…

I found it hard to gather my thoughts, feeling utterly baffled. Yet after a moment of trying to comprehend, I slowly spoke up.

“Did you hear about the World Tree from Nailatop?”

No matter how I thought about it, he was the only one who could possibly spread that information about the World Tree.

“Yes,” Ran Deng Dao Ren nodded without denying.

“He claimed to be your companion and came to find us. He told us about the World Tree and urged us to think of ways to assist you.”

“……”

“Also, he mentioned that recently Jeon Wook assigned you the mission to obtain the souls of one hundred immortals through Hong Ho-ro. Thus, after considerable contemplation, we made this cautious decision.”

Ran Deng Dao Ren spoke with a serious tone, clenching his fist tightly.

“To sacrifice one hundred lives for the fate of the Celestial Realm…!!”

“……”

“Please, we would be willing to part with treasures of the Celestial Realm as well so long as you can grant us the seed of the World Tree…”

So that was it.

I began to understand the gravity of the situation. Though I felt an overwhelming urge to confront Nailatop and demand answers, I closed my eyes and contemplated for a while.

‘I’m exhausted…’

Thinking is not exactly my strong suit, so this mental wringing felt torturous.

Yet no one was thinking on my behalf, and everyone around me seemed keen to exploit me. If I don’t stand up for myself, no one will help me—that’s just the way of the world.

‘…Oh, I see.’

Suddenly, I glanced back at the three fairies standing behind me and realized the source of the familiarity I had felt earlier.

It was simple once I thought about it.

After a bit, I spoke up.

“Alright. But I have a condition as well.”

“Please, tell us.”

“You, you, you.”

I pointed my finger at each of the three great immortals before me.

“……?”

As they wore puzzled expressions, I continued flatly.

“I’ll accept your offer if three of you are included among the one hundred souls. Not only will you deliver the seed, but I’ll also take responsibility for the future of the Celestial Realm.”

“……!!”

“……?!”

“What?!”

The shock on the faces of Ran Deng Dao Ren, Taiyi Zhenren, and Bao Xian Zhenren was unmistakable. My unexpected demand rustled them, and despite being the leader, it was Ran Deng Dao Ren who regained his composure first and spoke.

“We… we apologize, but we have a crucial mission regarding the processing of the seed. We can’t risk our lives…”

“In that case, I want you to impart the knowledge you possess to those three maidens over there. That much time should be more than sufficient. From what I know, they are certainly competent and knowledgeable enough not to fall short of you.”

“Ah, no, wait a minute….”

“Did you think I wouldn’t catch on?”

I glared sharply at Ran Deng Dao Ren.

“Those maidens are not mere humans; they are the constellations of the Big Dipper!”

Whoosh whoosh whoosh…

The moment my words fell, the three maidens—Yukhyeong, Yoguang, and Cheon-gwon—started to shimmer as if enveloped in mist. Their spirit energy surged, transforming them into beings of luminescent light, as if the celestial garments began draping over their bodies.

‘It’s almost reminiscent of when Hang-a revealed her true form…’

While I mumbled to myself, Yukhyeong, now appearing much more regal, spoke in a divine voice.

[How did you recognize us, Apostle?]

The undeniable majesty of a divine being emanated from her presence.

I chuckled softly.

“Honestly, it seemed ridiculous. What kind of fairy would effortlessly possess the strength of an Overlay Technique practitioner, let alone three of them? Only someone as direct as Han-a, bloodline of the Three Sovereigns, would be capable of that, and yet such beings have remained inconspicuously hidden all along—that doesn’t add up.”

[……]

“And when I thought about your names, memories of my studies flooded back. There are seven constellations in the globally renowned Big Dipper, and those exact names belong to you.”

In truth, I had learned this during three years of studying the True Book of Divination under Mangnyang. It was such a long time ago that I had almost forgotten, but the effect of the Thunder Spirit Classic brought it back to mind. Moreover, encountering the Big Dipper was rare during my past life, making such recollection all the more difficult.

The celestial being Yukhyeong, a magnificent presence of the Big Dipper, began to speak slowly.

[Indeed, when the Celestial Realm fell, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman summoned us through powerful magic, requesting us to safeguard the last remnants of the Celestial Realm.]

“……!”

[We are the will of a distant constellation. We have been using our divine powers to preserve the last remnants of the Celestial Realm during this time.]

“So that was it.”

Summoning from the constellations!

It made perfect sense if someone of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s caliber was involved.

The beings before me, while not at the level of the Three Sovereigns, were nonetheless high-ranking divine beings! They stood closer to rulers than to mere immortals.

As I mulled this over internally, Yukhyeong spoke.

[Apostle Baek Woong. Are you suggesting that those willing to sacrifice others must also be willing to sacrifice themselves?]

“At minimum, that’s how I feel.”

I gazed intently at the three of them.

“As an invader, it may not be my place to say, but I wouldn’t want to hand over my precious seed to those without that level of resolve.”

[……]

“Honestly, a hundred souls of immortals? I could easily skip it. I can fawn over greater beings until they’re appeased. However, I refuse to cater to those who risk others’ lives for their survival!”

I thought I had seen the bottom of these twelve great immortals before, but this felt even worse.

And instead of negotiating with these scoundrels, it might be better to do as I please.

[Hmm…]

Upon hearing my outburst, Yukhyeong appeared to be in deep thought. After some deliberation with Yoguang and Cheon-gwon beside her, she finally spoke the unexpected conclusion.

[Alright. Then let’s proceed as you suggest.]