1351——————==

Soul of the Evil God

As I started to grasp the new techniques of the Nine Chambers of Thunder, I got hooked and practiced it obsessively. I initially worried I might stray off course, but I quickly let that go. You see, I felt like I had already built up enough training.

‘Truth be told, drawing those circles for millions of times over the past month was all part of my Immortal Sword Technique training.’

Even though it was called training, it was just the same old circle drawing routine, so I hadn’t exactly been pushing myself hard this lifetime. But upon realizing that the key to the Nine Chambers of Thunder’s techniques lay in ‘Circulation’, it hit me that drawing those circles was the perfect exercise. After endlessly drawing millions of circles, I finally started to get the hang of it. What a win-win: training my Immortal Sword Technique while achieving mastery in the Nine Chambers!

I also kind of felt lucky. When I was back at Soeul Village, there were so many distractions that I couldn’t focus fully.

Chichichiching!!

“Hmm. Is it six again…?”

Now that I got the hang of it, I could steadily control the angles by injecting will into the Thunder Soul. However, the problem was that my internal power was overflowing, making it difficult to regulate the numbers. But no worries! With my skills steadily increasing, I was confident I’d be able to reduce the angles gradually.

At that moment, Lee Kwang chimed in.

“Master. I appreciate the congratulations on my minor achievement, but you should also take a look at my training. I’ve had to self-study the Seven Great Techniques without your guidance.”

“Got it. I’ll help out.”

I calmly assessed Lee Kwang’s accomplishments with the Seven Great Techniques. Realizing just how shockingly fast his progress was, I felt a hum of admiration.

‘Amazing. In about half a year, he could probably match the proficiency of the Thunder God Lineage’s techniques.’

What blew my mind was that Lee Kwang didn’t just robotically memorize the basic techniques; he grasped their essence and adapted them to suit himself. I even started to think there wasn’t much left for me to teach him.

I turned to Lee Kwang and said, “With such achievement, I should mention that once all the skill levels of the Six Great Techniques reach a high level, you can enter the Peerless Technique. However, the Peerless Technique comes with major constraints.”

“What kind of constraints?”

“To wield the Peerless Technique, your mind, qi, and body must be in perfect synchronization at a pivotal moment, utilizing the Peerless’s power to neutralize the enemy’s strength. If you fail, you will undoubtedly die.”

“……!!”

“Even employing the Peerless Technique, you could nullify the overwhelming power of the Master of the White Lotus Sect. But because of this constraint, it can very well be a double-edged sword.”

“I understand.”

Lee Kwang crossed his arms and said, “From the way you speak, it seems like you could use it yourself. Show us a demonstration later.”

“Just focus on what you’re assigned to.”

I shot back at him, then decided to extend our training time from the next day. About a month passed, and I finally managed to stabilize the number of Thunder Souls to five.

Chichiching!!

‘Nice. My skills are definitely sharpening.’

And on top of that, my progress exceeded my expectations. I understood the principles, and now it was just a matter of honing my skills. I figured with a year’s worth of hard work, I could seamlessly integrate the chosen techniques into the Nine Chambers of Thunder.

But just then, Lee Kwang threw me a curveball.

“Master, I need opportunities to gain practical experience. Is there any way?”

“Uh? Practical experience?”

Lee Kwang nodded.

“To mix the Seven Great Techniques and the Nine Chambers of Thunder in reality, we need to engage in real combat. Battling imagined opponents in my head only has so much value for improving skill.”

“Hmmm…. Real combat, you say….”

“The stronger the opponent, the better.”

“Hang on.”

While I mulled it over, I called Hermes.

“Hermes!”

“What’s up?”

Out of nowhere, Hermes manifested in the space before me, and I spoke in a low voice, “You heard everything, right? We need a training partner for real combat. Can’t you conjure up one of your magic thingamajigs?”

“Why not just fight amongst yourselves?”

“I don’t think that the real combat experience Lee Kwang seeks is battling fellow Thunder God warriors.”

I had a feeling. If Lee Kwang were to suggest practicing with me, it would be simple. His asking me for a battle implied he wanted practice against a different group. It occurred to me that while our combat skills were quite similar, they wouldn’t provide an adequate experience for real combat.

Then Hermes laughed mischievously and replied, “If that’s the case, I have a perfect training partner. But hey, Baek Woong, is it okay to waste time like this?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s been about a hundred days since you two entered this space, while only around nine days passed in the outside world. In the original realm, that wouldn’t be a big deal, but you have gathered the Six Needs and lured several events here, haven’t you?”

“……!!”

“It’s about time to either go out and resolve things or do a patch-up job. Otherwise, Nailatop might do something.”

“Nailatop….”

A groan slipped from my mouth. I had no clue how to deal with that mysterious creature who kidnapped me into this dimension. I shook my head for a moment before saying, “Fine. I’ll have a word with that creature first. Can you create a training partner in the meantime?”

“Creating one is a piece of cake.”

Swish!!

With a flick of his wrist, Hermes surged waves through the space, and suddenly, a familiar face appeared.

“No…?”

“Ah!”

I was taken aback. I quickly exclaimed the name of the person before me.

“Geol-seon! No… the Thief Gang of the Eight Parts of the Divine!”

Yes, it was an unexpected middle-aged man, dressed like a beggar, with an ordinary appearance!

As I revealed his identity, Lee Kwang beside me seemed bewildered.

“Geol-seon? Are you telling me it’s the monstrous member of the Orthodox Sect’s Three Great Masters?”

“What…?”

Before I could explain, Geol-seon glanced around suspiciously and spoke.

“I was wondering what was up with the sudden disappearance of Yacha. Was it your doing?”

Upon hearing this, Hermes giggled triumphantly and said, “Now’s not the time to hold your head up high, poor Demon King.”

“What did you say?”

Crackle!!

“Craaaack!!”

With a snap of Hermes’s fingers, crimson lightning burst forth from Geol-seon’s entire body, causing him to scream. And with the sound of cracking flesh, his form began grotesquely morphing into a mix of human and Demon King. Hermes looked at him, grinning, as he revealed Geol-seon’s true essence. Then Hermes snapped his fingers again, and Geol-seon, now reverted to human form, collapsed onto the ground.

“Huuh… Huuh…”

“From the moment we implanted a fragment of the Crystal Stele into your body, all you Divine Eight Parts became my eternal slaves, Hermes Trismegistus. Now, have you grasped your situation?”

“Urgh… Is that really how it is…?”

Geol-seon seemed to realize something. With resignation, he said, “Kill me.”

“Oh dear, if I wanted you dead, I would have killed you long ago. But I didn’t summon you to kill; rather, I’m offering you a chance.”

“A chance?”

Hermes pointed towards us.

“Become their training partner.”

“……!!”

“If they feel sufficiently satisfied, I will release you. If not, you will die a miserable death.”

“…Did Yacha get killed this way too?”

“That fellow never got an opportunity like yours. He was simply killed on the spot.”

“Urgh.”

“Now, make your choice.”

Geol-seon lowered his head, seemingly deep in thought. Finally, he declared, “I’ll do anything, just let them live.”

“Ha! How dare you speak your mind as a mere slave?”

Crackle!!

Hermes unleashed a burst of wild laughter, sending crimson lightning into Geol-seon again.

“Ugh! Aaaahhh!”

Geol-seon let out a horrifying scream, rolling on the ground, his form darkening like a piece of charred meat. I couldn’t bear to watch any longer and shouted, “Stop it!”

At that, the crimson lightning ceased. Hermes shrugged and said, “It was just a little initiation. Now, you’re free to play however you wish…”

Boom!

Hermes’ figure vanished. I looked down at the crumpled Geol-seon with a bitter gaze and spoke, “Geol-seon, no, Thief Gang Geol-seon. Stand up.”

Then, his charred skin cracked and began regenerating as Geol-seon slowly stood upright. He glared at us with lifeless, darkened eyes and asked, “What grudge do you bear against us Divine Eight Parts, that you would do this? Were you not the one who participated in the life auction?”

“What happened is unfortunate. But I intended to expel your Divine Eight Parts from the original world for considering your existence harmful to humanity. Reflect on your past deeds.”

“Past deeds…? What could you possibly know about us?”

“I know enough. I’m aware you’ve been attempting to resurrect the vanished Chi You and have committed untold massacres and destruction throughout history.”

“Ha. So you were aiming for us all along.”

Geol-seon seemed resigned as he continued, “Do as you wish. You wanted a training partner, didn’t you? I’ll be your punching bag as much as you like.”

“You’re quite the pretentious one. Before that, I’d like to ask you something.”

“You won’t sell out your comrades.”

“That’s not what I meant. It’s simply something I’m personally curious about.”

I stared Geol-seon in the eye and asked, “Once upon a time, you saved the weak Master of the White Lotus Sect, Dokgo Uncheon. And while living as Geol-seon, you fought off numerous evil demons in the martial world. Yet, apart from those heroic acts, I have heard that you committed massacres within the Tianzhu martial world as the Thief Gang.”

“…….”

“To you, what is righteousness and what is evil? What standards guided your actions?”

I truly couldn’t comprehend it.

As a person, Geol-seon was distinctly a revered master of the Orthodox Sect. Based on his achievements alone, he was exceptional among the righteous.

But as a member of the Divine Eight Parts, I had heard that he often engaged in massacres as an Asura and frequently invaded martial communities to indulge in destruction. It was said he particularly killed many sorcerers.

Moreover, this wasn’t only true for Geol-seon.

Most of the Divine Eight Parts exhibited this duality.

Why do the Divine Eight Parts possess such strong duality?

Geol-seon stared at me and said, “For us, the prerequisite is merely loyalty to Chi You. The rest has been acted upon according to personal preferences, without ever classifying those actions as right or wrong.”

“Chi You? I really don’t understand why you’re so devoted to him. Care to explain?”

“Why are you so curious? Are you planning to thoroughly mock us for what you’ve done?”

“Even if that’s the case, you must answer honestly. If you refuse to speak, I’ll get Hermes to confront others.”

“…….”

He fell silent for a moment before, begrudgingly, responding, “We believe that only Chi You can save humanity.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“Do you believe Chi You is the Savior of humanity? Is that why you believed the ridiculous rumor and ventured into this otherworld?”

“That’s right. What other reason would we have?”

Geol-seon spoke with strong conviction, stating, “He has been communicating with the gods since the ancient Silver Age and was acknowledged as a deity by Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, one of the Three Sovereigns. Even as a human, he showed an unwavering will to save humanity from extinction. The stronger Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen becomes, the stronger Chi You gets, so humanity will surely be saved!”

“…….”

“I acknowledge that there have been unavoidable sacrifices along the way. But haven’t we led humanity toward salvation from ruin? Those sacrificed should have expected it.”

“Expecting sacrifices….”

I muttered in disbelief.

‘So I thought Geol-seon was perhaps one of the better Divine Eight Parts, but he holds this mindset!’

From the way Geol-seon spoke, his peers seemed no different.

In other words, they viewed Chi You as humanity’s savior, and the Divine Eight Parts as his retainers, which meant that lowly mortals couldn’t voice opinions against them and faced the need for sacrifices at times. Given this, it made sense why the Divine Eight Parts would continue to inflict harm upon humanity.

‘I’m furious…’

Even contemplating it again, I felt that sending the Divine Eight Parts into this other dimension was the right decision. I resolved to cut off even the slightest recognition of them and turned to Lee Kwang, saying, “Lee Kwang. Practice your martial arts against that person. You can place conditions on him that prevent him from retaliating. Hermes can be instructed to restrain that guy’s powers too.”

Lee Kwang stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“Hmmm.”

Should anything happen, Hermes would be covering for us. With materials like Geol-seon as both a human in combat and an evil deity of the Divine Eight Parts, he would certainly serve as a fitting opponent.

“Hermes, I’ll—”

Just then, I turned to say I’d head outside.

At that moment, Lee Kwang’s voice echoed in the hall.

“If that is what you’re saying, then if humanity can be saved, it means we don’t necessarily have to be under Chi You.”

“Lee Kwang.”

Geol-seon fixed a sharp glare toward Lee Kwang. He remarked, “I remember the days when you trained as a child under my master. How you have grown old in the blink of an eye.”

“Unlike you, you haven’t changed one bit. A Demon King’s words suddenly make sense.”

“What did you mean by what you said earlier?”

“Just what I meant,” Lee Kwang said.

“If someone other than Chi You can save humanity, then surely it means I could shed my loyalty to him and serve a different lord, correct?”

“…How ridiculous.”

“You, who have lived in the service of a ruler, truly believe that?”

“Our loyalty to the Divine Eight Parts has carried on for thousands of years. It far surpasses any loyalty toward your fleeting imperial dynasty!”

“Is that the kind of loyalty to overrides all others? Essentially saying that if Chi You has no intention of saving humanity and lacks the means to do so, then there’s no longer a reason to pledge loyalty?”

“…….”

“When did Chi You vanish?”

“A few years ago…”

“What if Chi You truly died? Would you end it all by taking your own life?”

“Now that….”

Geol-seon couldn’t respond immediately. Lee Kwang then glanced at me and said, “Master, I figured it out.”

“Figured out what?”

“Whatever Chi You is up to, I’m sure you’ve killed him. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“……!!”

Uh… Uh?!

How did he know?!

I felt myself falter, but I kept my expression neutral as I replied, “Nonsense. Why do you think that?”

“It’s not very far from the time Master suddenly went berserk in Soeul Village. Also, it feels suspicious that these guys lost their lord Chi You around the same time. Furthermore, Master, you’ve been making plans with the wise man Mangnyang all this while, clearly presuming that Chi You has vanished. Just how were you so sure that such a divine being had even been obliterated without moving an inch from Soeul Village? If Chi You were still alive, it would be obvious he’d at least counterattack against mighty demon kings.”

“…….”

“There’s only one answer. You must have killed Chi You, which is why you are certain he’s no longer among us. The killer possesses the strongest belief in the victim’s demise.”

I felt my speech falter.

‘This… this is insane.’

Though Lee Kwang’s deduction was a pile of wild speculation, he was frighteningly close to getting the truth out in no time. He even proposed the possibility that Chi You could have perished the moment I reincarnated!

Unlike Mangnyang’s theory, this was a completely different approach.

It was purely a matter of trusting one’s instincts and understanding—an instinctive reasoning!

Listening to Lee Kwang, Geol-seon’s eyes widened as he gazed at me, clearly intrigued.

“Could it be…? Did you actually…?”

Oh no!

I tried to frown in case things got tougher, but Lee Kwang calmly said, “Yes. Master is most likely the one who killed Chi You. So what now?”

“What do you mean what now! Of course, I’ll do whatever it takes to take revenge on that Baek Woong for my lord’s grudge!”

Grrr.

Suddenly, Geol-seon’s body reverted back to that of the Thief Gang, exuding incredible might and power. Lee Kwang calmly faced him, continuing without missing a beat.

“And after that? Are you all going to die with tears in your eyes? It wouldn’t be surprising.”

“…….”

Geol-seon seemed hit right in the feathers by that remark.

“I can see the boy’s eyes I saw during your younger days, Geol-seon. Though you wear the mask of gentility, your face screams desire to touch everything in this world. To act with both righteousness and evil means simply serving your bestial instincts, not wanting to hold back your whims even for a second—a naughty child who refuses to relinquish their power and authority.”

“Lee Kwang! What do you know about me?!”

“Sure, I’ve lived a shorter life than yours, but I’ve survived for decades in a place akin to the Demon Subduing Hall! Unlike you, who’ve lived a noble life clinging to your innate power, I possess a much sharper eye for recognizing people.”

“What…?”

Geol-seon furrowed his brows and continued, “You, Geol-seon, are merely acting a part. Not just you, but all your mates.”

“Acting?! How audacious!”

“Do you dare claim that loyalty is real?”

“None of you—especially not a pathetic human like you—can discuss our loyalty!”

“Then, since your lord Chi You has vanished, why not abandon all hope and end your own life? You represent the notion of undying loyalty—if your lord dies, you should join him in death to uphold the legacy of your camaraderie, isn’t that what all noble warriors would do?”

“…….”

“Why can’t you do it? You’re dying to live after all, aren’t you? Yet, you’re still listening to pathetic drivel like mine.”

Geol-seon’s expression turned blank. Lee Kwang’s face flashed with a mocking air.

“Do you know what you truly represent? It’s your ‘loyal self.’ Just like a fool who gets tipsy without realizing after sipping on Manju three times, you unknowingly fed your ego with your own words like a drop of rain soaking your clothes over thousands of years.”

“What’s your point…?”

“How foolish, Geol-seon.”

Feeling rattled, Geol-seon exclaimed, “Lee Kwang!!! How dare you speak loyalty when you once served the emperor in the palace? Aren’t you the one who cowardly withdrew after the death of the previous emperor, becoming a mere local lord?”

“Your thinking is flawed. My purpose was built on three pillars of ethics.”

“Three pillars?”

Lee Kwang held out three fingers.

“First, loyalty to the emperor. Second, as a dedicated servant to the Thunder God lineage, upholding its traditions and aiming for vengeance against the White Lotus Sect. Lastly, the duty bestowed upon me by a friend to nurture their child. If one of those pillars crumbles, I see no reason to advance through death, as it would betray the memorization of the loyalty entrusted to me.”

“…….”

“Living for thousands of years and not knowing this? You lived in vain so cease your shame at once!”

“You brat…”

“You likewise. Your moral code isn’t singular. If your obligation to Chi You has faded, and a wants to save humanity persists, then you must make a decision aligned with that inclination.”

Geol-seon seemed dizzy, staring blankly, unable to respond. It was as if Lee Kwang’s words consumed him entirely. Eventually, he turned to me and asked, “Baek… Woong… did you truly… kill our lord Chi You?”

An eerie voice, filled with the tormented wails of hell, escaped him.

I grimaced and nodded.

“Yeah. I did.”

Even though the Heavenly Secret consumed Chi You, it was all the same since I acted as the Reborn Person that day. As I brazenly admitted it, Geol-seon couldn’t seem to process it, still caught in disbelief.

“Why…?”

I resolved to bite the bullet and share what the future bore.

“Geol-seon, no, Thief Gang Geol-seon. Do you know how Chi You’s remaining ‘text’ will act during the apocalypse? It can turn every man into an Otherworldly Race and completely alter humanity. Even the divine blood they received is nothing more than a loan; when Chi You’s strength wanes, you’ll find yourselves offered up as sacrifices for sustenance.”

“……!!”

“Whether you believe this or not is irrelevant. But with my name on the line, I can assure you Chi You had no intention to assist humanity at all. His true aim was to become a greater deity at the end, to become a god!”

He probably wished to become the Heavenly Demon.

The Heavenly Demon represented the very will and heartbeat of Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen—a ruthless ambition, no doubt.

After a long silence, Geol-seon suddenly asked, “So, Baek Woong, do you truly intend to save humanity?”

“Honestly, it’s not that I’m deeply invested; I have my own goals. My real aim is that True Martial Home.”

Geol-seon’s eyebrows twitched.

“True Martial Home? Could it be you’re the successor to Hermit Ho-wol…?”

“Yes. I am carrying forth the teachings of the Four Great Families of the White Lotus Sect and the Divine Maiden.”

“…So that’s how it is.”

Geol-seon seemed to accept this notion, but unexpectedly, Lee Kwang appeared bewildered.

“……?!”

Clearly caught off guard.

After a moment, Geol-seon said, “The True Martial Home is also another means of salvation through obliteration. While that method bears no merit for Chi You, we once participated and declared war against the White Lotus Sect on his orders. But should Chi You truly be deceased, and what you say is factual… perhaps I shall consider that True Martial Home.”

I felt vexed by Geol-seon’s words.

“Who gave you the right to make assumptions? I despise you Divine Eight Parts. I never claimed I would accept you as subordinates.”

Overhearing, Lee Kwang quickly chimed in, “Master. Just accept it.”

“Why are you so insistently involved in this?”

Lee Kwang narrowed his eyes, saying, “Why do you think I’ve taken on this tedious task? If these guys genuinely assist us, we can sidestep a heap of future annoyances. Having a lot of subordinates never hurts.”

“…….”

“They will also dedicate themselves much more diligently to my training. The difference between their sincerity and insincerity is huge.”

So that’s why he’s so eager—it all boils down to himself!

I shot narrow-eyed glances at both Lee Kwang and Geol-seon. Suddenly, memories of Zhuge Sa’s words swam through my mind.

[It’s a privilege of the Reborn: turning former enemies into allies….]

Not just Zhuge Sa, but other past allies often mentioned this to me.

At some point, I might have to reconcile with all those I once counted as foes.

Because of this, I mustn’t stray from humanity’s path.

‘Can I really do this?’

I once vowed while at Soeul Village to accept the Divine Eight Parts as my subordinates. But my original mindset was to completely dispatch them first and unleash my own grievances.

Moreover, I was more inclined to view their existence as slaves, drawn into captivity due to their transgressions. It was merely a tool for me to prove my worthiness as a king.

But now, should I accept Geol-seon and others from the Divine Eight Parts, I couldn’t afford to treat them in that manner. Naturally, I’d have to treat them just like other companions—albeit still a step lower, as subordinates.

Could I do it?

Unlike others, I was dealing with ancient demons that had been hostile protagonists for thousands of years.

When would they stab me in the back?

I pondered deeply.

After a short pause, I said to Geol-seon, “If you swear that you will not betray me and will follow my commands, I’ll think about it.”

Ultimately, it’s something I would’ve had to face someday, and I had made the promise to myself.

Instead of stumbling back on hesitations, getting it done first and regretting later was likely for the best.

“Can you also bring the others back?”

“…If you keep your word.”

“Deal.”

Geol-seon began to regain his original demon form before me. Then, he went down on one knee, facing me directly.

Boom.

[I, Geol-seon of the Divine Eight Parts, swear my allegiance to you, Baek Woong!]

“Good.”

[If the new way to save humanity is through the True Martial Home, I shall follow that path!]

“…….”

I felt a whirlwind of mixed emotions looking down at Geol-seon kneeling before me.

‘In the end, I did it….’

In my thirtieth life, I made the Divine Eight Parts my subordinates for the very first time.