전생검신 85권 20화

I jumped into the dimension with the Mirror of Clarity and glanced back, but the one whose body I had switched with, The One Who Turns the Stars, showed no signs of movement.

‘Looks like he’s in complete shock—what’s up with that?’

I half-expected him to come after me using magic or something in his mission for the Evil God, but there was just no resistance.

I was puzzled for a moment, but soon felt the flustered brainwaves of The One Who Turns the Stars transmitting into my head from beyond the dimension, and I finally figured it out.

[… How dare you take away my magnificent body that was bestowed upon me by my lord! Is this the fault of my lack of virtue and irreverence…? Please, I beg you, return my body!]

[…]

[… I cannot disappoint my lord any longer…]

So, you’re saying you got this body from the Evil God?

I could sense the mix of desperate emotion in his voice, realizing that his reverence towards the Evil God was making it unbearable for him to think of fighting back. The very act of trying to reclaim his body while pursuing me was a contradiction for him. A smirk crept onto my face as I said.

[Not happening. You just tried to stop me—what kind of nerve do you have?]

[…!!]

[If you want your body back, you’ll have to offer something worthwhile.]

[Something worthwhile…? You want to negotiate even in this situation?]

The One Who Turns the Stars looked a bit flabbergasted, then after a moment of thought, replied.

[You propose first. I will follow your lead.]

Propose first?

The instant I heard him, a phrase from the past popped into my mind, uttered by Zhuge Sa.

[A person who brags about making the first proposal might even ask for a price when selling their parents. What a waste, huh.]

I wasn’t sure why that memory came to me, but I knew exactly what action I should take now.

I assertively shot back.

[You think you can just get away with making the first proposal? I have nothing more to discuss with you.]

[W-What…!! I’ll do anything! I swear on my name, please!]

[Hmm… You’ve put your name on the line? That’s tempting…]

‘Seems like my push-and-pull strategy is working quite well.’

I thought and then said.

[Tell me the greatest secret you know about the Evil God.]

[…!!]

[If it sounds convincing enough, I might just return your body.]

The secret of the Evil God!

I thought that someone as close as The One Who Turns the Stars might know something, anything, of value.

‘Now that I think about it, I’ve dug deep into Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, but I know almost nothing about that Evil God who keeps interfering with me.’

All I had was knowledge about Le Rue and his entourage, and virtually no information on the Evil God himself. The fact that he remained sealed and practically motionless during my previous life didn’t help, and his maintaining a mystique greater than that of the Emperor meant I was clueless about what kind of being he was.

If I could glean information about the Evil God, this deal would be a success.

Suddenly, The One Who Turns the Stars, unable to contain his boiling anger, said.

[… Reborn Person! Are you really thinking of opposing my lord? Perhaps the very essence of nothingness might be your fate, do you truly understand what the answer is? Or are you just rampaging about without knowing anything?!]

I scoffed.

[If I can fight with Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, you think I can’t take on the Evil God? Quit messing around and either say what you need to say, or we’re done here.]

[The Emperor is not my lord’s adversary from the start. My lord exists beyond the far reaches of the universe…!]

As The One Who Turns the Stars was about to rage on, he seemed to take a moment to contain his boiling frustration.

Then, sounding defeated, he said.

[My lord intends to wage the ultimate battle after transcending the end. That battle will probably be the true culmination of ascension. The greatest secret I know is that.]

I tilted my head at his words.

[What do you mean by “beyond the end”? If there’s an end, then surely that’s just it—what could possibly come after?]

[… I do not know that much. I am a trivial being that will perish along with all things at the end! However, my lord is the only being who knows what happens in the universe after its end.]*

[….]

The end refers to the destruction of the universe. And destruction, in its purest sense, means there’s nothing afterward.

But are you saying the Evil God will still exist after the end, and that he intends to fight “something”?

What the hell is that something? And why?

While I was deep in thought, he spoke again.

[Now, please return my body as promised.]

[No.]

[What?]

[You’ve failed to convince me. You think I’d want to hand over your body after you’ve been spouting nonsense? What a shameless guy.]

[Ugh… Fine. I shall pay my respects to your foolishness and provide some tangible benefit to you.]

As The One Who Turns the Stars gritted his teeth, he screamed.

[Haap!]

In that instant, I felt my whole body shiver, and an overwhelming surge of knowledge poured into my head. Strangely, things that would have been incomprehensible before now felt digestible, as if being this body allowed me to absorb all that knowledge. Just as I was feeling the bloom of that knowledge, I heard The One Who Turns the Stars’ brainwaves again.

[I have partially unsealed the magical knowledge I possess. This alone should be quite beneficial for you.]

[……]

[Now, please, return my body. The gold seal of our promise now binds you, so you can’t make any rash comments.]

[Alright, I’ll consider it after I… finish my business in front of the Mirror of Clarity.]

[… You bastard…!!]

[Did I promise to return it anytime soon?]

Click

I retorted, pressing my hand against the side of my head to close off the brainwaves. It was fascinating—just lightly pressing on his temple allowed for the free use of potent magical effects. For now, it was merely blocking psychic interference, but it seemed transformation or teleportation was also within reach.

Whoosh

Using The One Who Turns the Stars’ wings, I shot towards the Mirror of Clarity. Once I arrived before it, I pondered.

‘I’ve made it to the Mirror of Clarity, but what does this even mean?’

I had no clue as to why Master Mangnyang sent me to this point. But based on his last words, he seemed to want to give me an opportunity—it certainly seemed I was sent because taking action now would yield benefits. So I tried to take a course different from what I did back then, wondering if it would really help.

Swoosh…!!

Just then, an odd sound echoed as the treasure of the Giant Toad revealed itself before me.

[According to the established law of cause and effect, minimal causality repeats without consumption.]

I gazed at the Giant Toad as if hypnotized, and a familiar voice echoed in my head.

[Catch the Giant Toad and place it into the Mirror of Clarity.]

The voice of Master Mangnyang.

On cue, I found myself moving as if entranced, following his command to place the Giant Toad inside.

Boom!!

In that moment, I saw a vision where my body swiftly transformed back into my original body, and my sight turned dark rapidly.

*

[Welcome back.]

Before me unfolded the pathway once more, with Master Mangnyang seated.

It was unmistakably the village of Master Mangnyang.

I stood up while frowning, pondering what had just happened.

“Hey. What was that all about? What did it mean?”

[Are you searching for meaning?]

“Of course I am! Why did you send me back to that specific point? Wouldn’t it have made more sense to send me back before I made the mistake of confronting the Evil God?”

As I protested, feeling annoyed, Master Mangnyang replied.

[The path to return to any earlier point in time is blocked by the Evil God.]

“What?”

[He too wanted to steer events in his favor. The furthest I could intervene was up to that point. However, once the [boundary] is broken, I can take you back to that point as many times as needed.]

“…?”

Not quite grasping what he meant, I tilted my head, and Master Mangnyang waved his tail playfully.

[The results of your first challenge were quite good. You’ve now created a new connection.]

“Connection? What do you mean? Is it like the law of cause and effect?”

This was a concept I had never heard before. Master Mangnyang began explaining, as if he expected me to be puzzled.

[If the law of cause and effect consists of causes and results, then a connection refers to the ‘process.’ To put it in human terms, it’s the journey of causality that links the past and future. Your actions just now have created a connection, thereby providing you with at least a minimal chance of success.]

“…I’m not getting it. What’s all this about processes? How does creating a connection result in me having a chance at success?”

[Right now, the era of Takrok you experienced and the present time are asymmetrical. You understand that, right?]

“Asymmetrical…? You mean what happened back then doesn’t carry over to this era at all?”

[That’s correct.]

“Well, thinking back…”

Indeed, just a moment before I arrived at Master Mangnyang’s village, Miho had mentioned something along those lines. If I had altered so much of the past in the Takrok Era, then why was there no great change in the ‘future’ I was living in now? Plus, I never expected trouble with debt collectors to pop up, making it impossible to grasp some standard.

As I pondered, Master Mangnyang spoke up.

[In fact, the law of cause and effect is not the entirety of things. Even if causes and results are predetermined, if the process leading to them is founded on weak foundations, then existing causality may fall apart. Even if the gods seem to manipulate the law of cause and effect at will, there’s actually work done to arbitrarily establish connections that solidify causality. Think of it like strengthening a plant’s stem to increase its chances of survival.]

“Hmm…”

[In the time of Takrok and the present, causality was established because of your existence, Baek Woong, but there was little connection. Hence, the achievements you made in the Takrok Era did not carry forward, and the future remained mostly unchanged. Furthermore, you were outright barred from bringing your powers here.]

Wait, are you saying the reason I couldn’t bring my divine power was because of that?

I finally started to make sense of Master Mangnyang’s words.

“So, what you’re saying is that accumulating connections means I can use my divine power in this present world again?”

[That’s correct.]

“So changing the process to come here from that point will gather the connections?”

[That’s correct.]

Alright, that’s simple! So, I just have to keep causing chaos like I did just now!

I couldn’t help but cheer internally and shouted at Master Mangnyang.

“Great! Send me back there one more time! What’s a few times compared to this?”

But Master Mangnyang shook his head.

[No.]

“Huh?! Why not?”

[I sent you back once at the cost of my own causality, but anymore would be against the rules. From now on, you have to offer causality to me.]

[Ugh.]

Offer causality?!

Hearing something that sounded awfully inconvenient made me frown—clearly, this was going to be a hassle. However, with no other solutions at hand, I had no choice but to question Master Mangnyang.

“How do I offer causality?”

[That is what Mangnyang will tell you. Once you’ve amassed a certain amount of causality, come back here.]

I didn’t need to hear more. I figured that repeating the final chase scene in the underworld like earlier would yield the power I could bring into this present world.

“…Oh, and one more thing I need to ask.”

[What is it?]

“Other causality hasn’t carried over, but why are the debt collectors after me? It’s weird that only those guys are showing up!”

[……]

“Please don’t tell me they’ll keep coming after me once I’m out of here.”

[That’s for you to think about. But to give you a hint… ]

Master Mangnyang said, his eyes shining brightly.

[It suggests that there’s a medium of causality existing. It’s very likely been around since the Takrok Era up to now… ]

*

Boom!

As Master Mangnyang’s words faded, the surroundings shifted, revealing I was back in the peaceful rural village again. The fog that originally cloaked the village had cleared, revealing a warm, sunny atmosphere, and I found the Sword Demon and Miho nearby.

Opposite me stood Master Mangnyang.

He was cooking the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line and smiling gently.

“Did you have a good meeting with your Master?”

[……]

Sure enough, when I looked at my body, it was still the machine. For a moment, I’d been through various forms, but to exist in this world, I would have to continue borrowing this mechanical body. Longing for the sensation of blood and flesh I had just momentarily felt, I let out a sigh without realizing it.

[Hah. I can see it’s going to take a lot of effort to return to a human body.]

“You’re probably right. Have you thought any about my proposal regarding becoming a god?”

[……you mean that? Master Mangnyang suggested I offer causality.]

When I shared my recent conversation with Master Mangnyang, he paused for a moment before replying.

“Same context.”

[Same context? You mean… ]

“What’s the easiest and most effective way to collect causality? It must be through faith.”

Master Mangnyang pointed his fan towards me.

“Baek Woong, you have no choice but to become a god. Now, brace yourself to become the divine being of humanity.”

[……!!]

A god!

Is it really possible for me to become a god?

No, the situation was turning in that direction, and I was shocked. But unlike my bemusement, the Sword Demon and Miho looked like they expected this.

“If it’s Baek Woong, that makes sense.”

“Master Mangnyang, I have a question. Does collecting faith mean we have to increase the number of followers?”

At Miho’s query, Master Mangnyang nodded with clarity.

“That’s right. The more believers that increase in number, the greater Baek Woong’s power and causality will certainly amplify.”

“Then our task is to attack Luoyang.”

“That’s exactly it.”

Huh?

Wait, how did this conclusion come about?

My eyes widened in surprise as Miho looked at me as if it were obvious.

“The largest cities of humanity are currently Nanjing and Luoyang, and since Nanjing is in your control, taking the other city, Luoyang, will inevitably gather power quickly, won’t it?”

[But that means I would be fighting the Master of the White Lotus Sect. ]

“It was already too much of a conflict for the celestial realm to spill onto Earth, so it wouldn’t have been resolved neatly anyway. It might actually result in less bloodshed if you step in and settle things quickly.”

[……]

So I have to fight the Master of the White Lotus Sect?

But that doesn’t sit right with me at all…

As I was deep in thought, I heard a voice.

[I didn’t expect it, but you really are Baek Woong.]

All four of us turned to look at the direction the voice came from.

There, standing was the Master of the White Lotus Sect.