전생검신 84권 17화

Servant or Served?

I blinked in confusion, wondering what the heck that meant. Zhuge Sa continued with a grin plastered on his face.

“To put it simply, right now, you’re in a situation where no one other than me can see or perceive you. The form I see you in isn’t the appearance of Fuxi, but rather your original ugly self, which, as you just witnessed, is invisible to anyone else.”

“……”

“Also, while you currently can’t exert any power, no one can harm you either. That means your state is similar to a high-dimensional transcendent being. Do you have any idea what the most representative entity with such characteristics is?”

In an instant, I quickly grasped what Zhuge Sa was getting at. It would be strange not to understand when he was dropping such huge hints.

“……God.”

“Right, it’s God. You are the one who is served, standing here as a god itself.”

“Does that even make sense? What kind of god can’t do anything?”

I retorted Zhuge Sa’s words as if protesting, but he casually responded.

“That’s why you need the Law of Cause and Effect.”

“What?”

“Haven’t you seen countless gods? Those gods possessed immense power, but projecting that power onto this world and wielding it freely was tough. The reason is simple: they lacked the Law of Cause and Effect.”

Zhuge Sa’s eyes sharpened slightly.

“In this world, your only disciple is me. Therefore, the moment I make contact, your divine body accepts the offering, absorbs my magical power, and creates the Law of Cause and Effect that allows you to move your upper body.”

“……!!”

Tsutsutsu!!

In an instant, Zhuge Sa’s appearance flickered momentarily, and something reminiscent of a demon flashed by. When I blinked in disbelief, he had returned to his original state.

“However, I have my own circumstances, and it’s troublesome if my magical power drops to this level. So, I just temporarily restored my power.”

I was curious about Zhuge Sa’s “circumstances,” but that didn’t seem important right now. So, amidst the confusion, I racked my brain and spoke up.

“I must have come into this world through the Mirror of Clarity, so why didn’t my true body come, and instead, I ended up in this strange body? Moreover, I used to wield divine power without considering causality; why do I need it to move now?”

“……”

“Damn…… I have no idea what’s going on…… Hah.”

As I let out a painful sigh, Zhuge Sa stared at me with a blank gaze and then said,

“I can only make educated guesses now. In fact, even your presence here as a god is merely a hypothesis on my part, as I can’t be certain. However, I do know what you need to do now.”

“What do I need to do?”

“You need to find the Mirror of Clarity that exists in this world.”

“……”

“It’s a simple principle. First, you need to explore if you can go back through the path you came from.”

Zhuge Sa’s words were quite rational. I pondered over what he said and then replied.

“I need to go to the Underworld where the Mirror of Clarity might be.”

“Even if you plan to go, the problem is your current state won’t let you, heh.”

“Ah….”

I frowned. Now that I thought about it, while I could barely move my upper body thanks to absorbing Zhuge Sa’s magical power, I was still basically useless. Zhuge Sa, seeing my state, grinned and said,

“Don’t worry. Restoring your body is a very simple task.”

“Really? Thanks…”

I thanked Zhuge Sa absentmindedly, but then, something shot through my mind, and I shouted wide-eyed.

“Wait, are you seriously planning to do a human sacrifice on me?!”

Zhuge Sa acknowledged my words without a flicker of expression.

“Yep. That is what I’m thinking.”

I shook my head vigorously.

“No way!! If I undergo that kind of evil human sacrifice, what’s the difference between me and the other Old Rulers?!”

“Hmm, well, it seems you’ve developed some awareness after 30 reincarnations, huh? I was trying to slip this by you….”

Zhuge Sa muttered ruefully, then broke into a grin and continued.

“Direct human sacrifice is indeed the simplest and most efficient method, but if that absolutely doesn’t work, there are other ways. For example, you could find treasures or protective gear, as you often did, and offer them to me.”

“……That sounds good!! As long as it doesn’t involve taking lives, I’m fine with anything.”

“But before that.”

Zhuge Sa suddenly turned cold and said,

“You must promise me one thing.”

His gaze was different from the playful tone he had earlier, making me flinch. For some reason, I unconsciously felt like I could distinguish between his genuine intentions and his facade. I stared into Zhuge Sa’s eyes for a while before reluctantly saying,

“What promise?”

“It’s nothing major. While you’re in this world, you must master the Soul Exchange Technique thoroughly.”

“……”

That doesn’t sound minor at all!

I stared blankly at Zhuge Sa, bewildered.

“I thought I mastered the Soul Exchange Technique, but I still feel far from thorough mastery…”

“Well, that’s true. Mastery indeed requires exceptional talent, so even if you train for hundreds of years, it’ll still be hard.”

“Hmm.”

Zhuge Sa’s statement sounded a bit harsh, but having practiced and used the Soul Exchange Technique for decades, I had to concede to that truth.

The difference between mastery and thorough mastery!

Mastery meant reaching the level of Ten Complete Successes, while thorough mastery equated to Twelve Complete Successes, just two steps apart. Generally, achieving mastery was sufficient to be considered a master and recognized as a representative of a sect, which was why many people in the world often overlooked the difference between the two.

However, the Soul Exchange Technique wasn’t the same. Though it seemed like merely a two-step difference, it meant whether or not one could wield all the powerful applications and special techniques of the Soul Exchange Technique. I wore a complicated expression upon realizing this, and Zhuge Sa chuckled and said,

“You should remember, you learned the Soul Exchange Technique directly from me in your previous life, right? The level of mastery halts at the ability to manipulate the soul freely, while thorough mastery…”

I recalled my past experiences of learning the Soul Exchange Technique from Zhuge Sa and interjected.

“Removes the limits on the soul.”

“Exactly. You understand well.”

“……Zhuge Sa, why are you suddenly demanding I reach thorough mastery in the Soul Exchange Technique? Is it crucial to this situation?”

“……”

Zhuge Sa stared at me silently before saying,

“Baek Woong, the truth is you are already close to that thorough mastery level of the Soul Exchange Technique.”

“Eh?”

“Considering your past experience of deliberately storing a god’s soul in a vessel, and your sensory applications in various situations, you’ve been moving closer to thorough mastery without even realizing it. However, because you can’t consciously use it or teach it to others, you aren’t recognized as a master of thorough mastery.”

“Hmm.”

“Yet, the reason I insist you truly reach the level of thorough mastery for the Soul Exchange Technique is simple…”

Poof!

Zhuge Sa pointed at me with his index finger.

“You need to be able to use the Soul Transfer Technique.”

“……!!”

Soul Transfer Technique!

The moment I heard that name, my face went stiff.

“The ultimate technique that signifies the mastery of the Soul Exchange Technique!”

Couldn’t that allow one to transfer their soul to another body immediately after death?!

The Soul Exchange Technique originally had limitations—specifically, if the caster were to be unexpectedly ambushed and killed without the opportunity to execute the technique, it would be rendered useless. This was typically an unnoticed flaw, but it became painfully apparent when facing higher-level enemies. After all, there were plenty of beings with speed, power, and abilities that far exceeded human cognition.

However, the Soul Transfer Technique transcended that limit. Even if the opponent were to swiftly end the caster of the Soul Exchange Technique using a Thunder Spirit attack, the function of transferring the soul to another body could still take place regardless. This was due to its marvelous feature of being usable even after death.

An ultimate survival technique and dark art, that was the pinnacle of the Soul Transfer Technique!

Recalling this fact, I cautiously spoke to Zhuge Sa.

“……Why exactly do I need to use the Soul Transfer Technique? Even if it’s great to have, I already possess the power of the Wheel King, which means I have transcended death in a way, right?”

Zhuge Sa smiled knowingly.

“Heh, you really haven’t understood anything, huh?”

“What?”

“When you wanted to learn about the severance from the Wheel King, you were presented with the very concept of [death] as a topic, right?”

“That’s right.”

As I recalled my past, Zhuge Sa continued.

“If I’m correct, using the Soul Transfer Technique should allow you to survive even a strike of severance. That’s why you must learn it.”

“Wha, what?! Are you serious?!”

I gasped in surprise, reevaluating his statement, as Zhuge Sa grinned.

“Yeah. If the Hat Warrior has reached the highest level, things might be different, but unless that’s the case, you could still utilize it as a way to stave off death.”

“Is that possible? If it’s a principle that severance itself disrupts causality, then no matter how ultimate the Soul Transfer Technique is….”

“That’s exactly why it works. It seems you misunderstood the Wheel King’s explanation.”

“Hmm?”

Zhuge Sa swiftly pointed with his finger and made a sweeping motion as if slicing through the air.

“Assuming that guy uses severance to cut through the causality existing between [cause] and [effect], what [cause] and [effect] do you think they would sever?”

I thought long and hard before responding.

“He’d sever the causality of me being alive.”

“Right. If he cuts the causality of life, then all living beings would automatically die. However, there’s a blind spot here. The drawback is that he can only sever one causality at a time.”

“……?”

Zhuge Sa smirked maliciously.

“However, the Soul Transfer Technique is the pinnacle dark art that toys with the very standard of [death]. So even if he were to sever the causality of life, it would pertain only to the life here in this body; therefore, you wouldn’t be able to sever the causality of moving your soul to another body using the Soul Transfer Technique as well. That’s a separate matter from death, and the Soul Transfer Technique is predicated on that very death itself.”

“Ah…!!”

The moment I heard Zhuge Sa’s words, my face brightened. Now I could finally grasp what he meant.

Zhuge Sa maintained his smile and said,

“I can say with certainty that at this moment, the Hat Warrior’s swordsmanship level cannot block even the Soul Transfer Technique. If he could sever multiple causalities at once, he wouldn’t have lost in the battle against Jeogok at the World Tree in his 29th life.”

“Got it!!”

“However, when or if he will be able to do such a thing is uncertain. So you must reach the level of the Soul Transfer Technique as quickly as possible to gain the upper hand. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yeah. I completely get it. So, how do I reach the level of the Soul Transfer Technique?”

To my question, Zhuge Sa seemed to avoid directly answering and just waved it off.

“Hmmm, let’s leave that as a future task… but first, let’s step outside.”

“Outside?”

“This is my secret research lab. It’s utterly disconnected from the world. It wouldn’t be good for you to remain holed up in a place like this anymore.”

With that, Zhuge Sa walked off somewhere and lightly opened a small box. He took out an item from within and handed it to me.

“Here, take this so you can start moving again.”

What Zhuge Sa offered was a massive chunk of crystal. I could feel the immense magical power radiating from it, and as soon as I recognized what it was, I said,

“……It’s a piece of the Crystal Stele.”

“Correct.”

When Zhuge Sa confirmed, I looked at the piece of the Crystal Stele with a puzzled expression.

“This doesn’t make sense. The pieces of the Crystal Stele were divided into six parts by the Eight Parts of the Divine, and those guys went off to the outer universe, so there shouldn’t be any left in this world.”

“You really have a simple way of thinking. Even after going on that adventure, you’re still stuck in fixed views…”

“What do you mean?”

“The Crystal Stele was an alchemical relic created by Hermes Trismegistus, the god of alchemy. If it was created through alchemy, wouldn’t it be possible to recreate it through alchemy again?”

“……No way.”

“Exactly that way.”

Zhuge Sa chuckled as he continued.

“Myself and Saint Germain joined forces to create a new piece of the Crystal Stele. And we’ve been utilizing it quite conveniently.”

“……!!”

“Is it not possible for the top alchemists of the East and West to work together on such a project?”

You made a new piece of the Crystal Stele?!

I was left shocked by the unexpected news. Zhuge Sa squinted and said,

“Over the past 20 years, a lot has happened. It’s hard to explain it all at once, so for now, just absorb this magical power chunk from the Crystal Stele and get your body moving. Time itself is a waste if we don’t.”

“Ah, got it.”

I took the piece of the Crystal Stele offered by Zhuge Sa into my hands. Moments later, I felt an overwhelming quantity of magical power residing within the crystal begin to absorb into my body, and I sensed my senses returning.

‘I feel a little more alive now…’

Is that an appropriate way to put it? More precisely, it felt like this intense haziness, similar to dreaming, began to fade a bit, giving me a slight awakening effect. Soon enough, I could move my lower body and get down from the bed.

“Grahh….”

I stretched briefly before letting out a sigh.

“Phew. I feel like I can finally breathe again.”

Seeing me like that, Zhuge Sa wore a strange expression.

“Hehe, you barely managed to get up only after eating half of my magical power and this chunk of the Crystal Stele… just how high of a divine status did you achieve? Most divine beings in the world would probably grant an enormous wish if they ate that much…”

“Hmm, I’m not really sure… but I thought I got pretty strong since I didn’t get outshined much during the Takrok period, except for a few.”

“I’d say ‘pretty strong’ is an understatement. If you regain your true power, you might just…”

Zhuge Sa seemed about to say something, then grinned and said,

“…Well, what matters is starting from now. Follow me.”

Clunk…!!

Following Zhuge Sa, I began taking the elevator back to ground level. Noticing that the elevator was at least from the 20th century rather than an earlier model, I commented.

“Looks like science has advanced quite a bit.”

“Of course! I, inheriting your memories, worked hard to develop civilization. It was only natural, right? Although, it might differ quite a bit from the science during the Great Bear Empire’s era.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’ll find out once you see.”

Whirring…

Clunk!

Finally, the elevator, which had dozens of floors, came to a stop. The iron doors slowly opened, revealing a scene that left me dumbfounded.

“……Huh?”

Chiiiiiik—

Chiiiiiik!!

Massive iron pipes, numbering in the hundreds, interconnected like a creature’s blood vessels. At the end of those pipes, there was a loud hissing of steam, and I could see transportation vehicles clanking noisily. The air was filled with a chaotic railway structure, and along with a mysterious sound, transportation cars embedded with red gemstones zipped across the rails. Looking closely, I could see human figures busily moving about, and I flinched when I examined them closely.

‘Machines?!’

They weren’t human; they were entirely mechanical. Their limbs, from their skulls to their hands and feet, were entirely made of machinery, and I noticed bright red gems embedded in their chests that shone as they worked industriously.

Looking down from above, I could see the layout of the city in its entirety, which reached near the horizon, suggesting it was an incredibly expansive area. It wouldn’t be wrong to refer to it as a city.

Staring in disbelief at this massive city of steam, Zhuge Sa asked,

“Baek Woong, do you know where this is?”

“I… I’m not sure… did you excavate another ancient site of the Old Ruler?”

“Crack, not at all! You already know this place.”

“……“

“Here’s the thing…”

Just as Zhuge Sa was about to continue, I gasped in realization.

“It was once called Gaebong in Henan Province, right? The city where the slave market was held, which you transformed.”