전생검신 86권 4화

After receiving Dongyoung’s Three Divine Tools from Seimei, I said.

[Seimei, but this trash… or rather fake Three Divine Tools somehow has energy, so isn’t it helpful in strengthening the barrier protecting Dongyoung? Can I take it?]

“Since a being like Susanoo has descended, the fake Three Divine Tools are basically useless now. It would have mattered in an era of peace where divine beings haven’t intervened directly, but now with the great calamity here, it doesn’t really matter if it’s around or not.”

[… So does that mean it’s a really bad situation?]

“You caught on quickly. So please hurry and strengthen your power to revive the Seven Luminaries.”

Seimei said with a bitter smile.

“Even if the Three Sovereigns are messing with the fate of this world, it’s ultimately the Seven Luminaries that maintain balance. No matter how powerful you become, it’s better to rely on their strength as long as you remain within the cycle.”

[Got it. Until next time then.]

Pa-at

I returned to Nanjing Castle with Mangnyang. As soon as I arrived at the royal court of Nanjing Castle, Miho, who was sitting and reading a book, greeted me warmly.

“You’ve returned, Baek Woong!”

[Miho, I have a question… ]

“What is it?”

[I heard that the Master of the White Lotus Sect absorbed the power from Daji but it’s strange that Nüwa hasn’t moved. Why do you think Nüwa hasn’t intervened this time?]

This was a question that couldn’t be answered without asking the person involved. So, I had no choice but to turn to Miho.

“…”

Miho fell silent for a moment before speaking.

“Actually, Nüwa has been completely silent. Since the time of the great calamity, she hasn’t shown herself even once, nor has she sent an avatar or apostle to reveal herself. So there’s nothing I can say.”

[… Hmm.]

“However… if anyone knows something about Nüwa, it would surely be the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens.”

This unexpected statement prompted me to inquire further.

[Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens?]

“Yes. When the Celestial Realm was fracturing due to the calamity, the Mysterious Woman approached the Queen Mother of the West alone and struck some deal. Not long after, the Queen Mother went missing and the Heavenly Mysterious Woman gathered everyone in the Celestial Realm to descend into the present realm. Originally, the two leaders should have created chaos, but thanks to the Queen Mother disappearing, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman easily became the leader of the Celestial Realm.”

[So… ]

“No one suspects that the Heavenly Mysterious Woman might have overpowered the Queen Mother, Nüwa’s strongest avatar. Instead, it’s believed that Nüwa proposed some deal to her through the Queen Mother, and as a result, Nüwa has gone into hiding while the Heavenly Mysterious Woman took control of the Celestial Realm.”

With that, Miho crossed her arms.

“She thought that’s why she stayed in Nanjing Castle. Because she needs to find out what the Heavenly Mysterious Woman knows.”

[Hmm… But the Heavenly Mysterious Woman has now passed her powers to Gum Cheon-jae and gone into hiding. Does this have something to do with Nüwa?]

“She suspected that too, which is why she stayed in the castle, continuously pressing and questioning Gum Cheon-jae. But that guy is such a useless idiot that he knows nothing! As for now, we don’t even know the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s intentions.”

[… ]

So the Heavenly Mysterious Woman is also a suspect.

Well, since she holds a divine status that shapes the universe, it wouldn’t be surprising if she negotiated something with the Three Sovereigns. The problem is that if I can’t discern their intentions, acting recklessly could end with me getting backstabbed by them.

‘This isn’t a safe situation. I need to act cautiously.’

Thinking this, I turned to Mangnyang beside me.

[Mangnyang, please gather the important figures of Nanjing Castle.]

“Understood.”

And after a meal, figures like the Sword Demon and Yu Jeong, along with the Overshadowing Techniques maintaining the area, began to gather in Nanjing Castle’s royal court. There were also faces I hadn’t seen before, likely important officials necessary for Nanjing Castle that I hadn’t met. I scanned the crowd and said.

[Greetings. I am Baek Woong, the new Lord of Nanjing.]

Silence filled the space. My companions obviously accepted this fact, but some seemed unfamiliar with my new role as the Lord. Just then, someone stepped forward, arms crossed.

“Excuse me, but can I ask a question?”

[Who are you…? ]

Once I recognized the face, I was taken aback.

[… Zhuge Bu? Is that you?]

No doubt about it. Though he looked a few years older, that was definitely Zhuge Bu!

Zhuge Bu’s face lit up when I recognized him.

“People said if you saw me, you’d be happy, and it seems to be true.”

[Well… ]

Tap

Before I could respond, Mangnyang placed a hand on my shoulder. It seemed like a nonverbal indication not to say anything unnecessary, and with that gesture, I realized something.

‘Ah!’

I had missed the chance to recruit Zhuge Bu and Zhuge Yulong, who belonged to the imperial palace, because I had delayed! Naturally, this was the first time Zhuge Bu and I were meeting in this life!

‘…Clarifying that I’m a Reborn Person without having given him the obsidian is a reckless move! Spreading rumors about it would be disastrous! That’s why I kept the details under wraps!’

Revealing the secret about being reborn without having won his trust with obsidian was incredibly risky. I might want to avoid spilling everything until I regain the ability to transmit memories through obsidian!

Realizing this instantly, I fell silent, and Zhuge Bu spoke as if he had anticipated my reaction.

“I thought so. It seemed like everyone wanted to say something, but nobody did. You included.”

[My apologies. I’ll explain everything soon.]

“It doesn’t matter. My father and I have already been in your camp for over 20 years now. To question the secret at this point feels trivial… anyway, I have just one question.”

[What is it?]

“I heard that you’re not in your original body and only your soul is here. So is there a possibility that your original body could return to this world?”

[Hmm.]

“I’ve heard your original body possesses power comparable to a divine status. If you can use that power, we can start to trust you moving forward.”

At Zhuge Bu’s question, everyone turned to look at me. In some ways, his question seemed to be the most critical one. After giving it some thought, I spoke.

[It’s possible.]

“How? A method to bring your body from another dimension that is completely different in time and space is known even to the Great Immortal of the Celestial Realm. How could a divine god manage that?”

Damn… that’s the thing I want to know the most!

I stumbled over my words.

[Well… I’ll do my best… and be… well… ]

“……”

As Zhuge Bu’s expression soured, Mangnyang stepped in smoothly.

“I’m going to be honest. Right now, there’s still no viable method. To begin with, we are even unsure how Baek Woong came to this world.”

Then, Zhuge Bu’s face grew even darker.

“What? You said Baek Woong could solve everything! If this is how it goes……”

“Of course. I still believe that. Because Baek Woong is currently in a recovery phase.”

“Recovery phase?”

Mangnyang nodded, continuing.

“I also don’t know exactly how much power Baek Woong left in the other world. But whatever the case, the crucial point is that Baek Woong can gather strength in this world and will be able to lead us sufficiently.”

“What kind of power are we talking about?”

“Divine Power!”

At that single declaration, Zhuge Bu flinched.

“……!!”

“What a perfect timing. Since everyone’s here, let’s declare Baek Woong as the new Master of the Celestial Gathering Sect.”

I could feel the disbelief from Zhuge Bu and several immortals directed at me.

“Is it really possible for him to wield Divine Power?”

“You’ll see.”

“… understood.”

Moments later, the top officials of Nanjing Castle all headed towards the boundary between the outer city and the inner city. There was a vast plaza that could comfortably hold at least ten thousand people at a glance. And many people had already gathered in the plaza, so I stepped onto the altar at its center.

Thud thud

As I climbed onto the platform, Mangnyang and the other immortals executed techniques, and a giant screen appeared over all of Nanjing Castle, projecting my image on the platform. Standing to my left was Gum Cheon-jae, while Mangnyang was on my right.

As Mangnyang gestured, Gum Cheon-jae stepped forward and said.

“Today, I vacate the lordship of Nanjing Castle and also step down as the Master of the Heavenly Gathering Sect to become the Supreme Dharma Protector. I will introduce the new second Master of the Heavenly Gathering Sect here.”

Gum Cheon-jae pointed at me as he continued speaking.

“Right here… to Baek Woong, the former Lord of Soeul Castle!!”

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

The people around me were bewildered, shocked that the god-like leader would resign to hand over the mastership to an ordinary person. Additionally, since I was identified as the former Lord of Soeul, it would be hard to accept.

Seeing this was the moment for me to step in, I slowly began my speech.

[Greetings. I am Baek Woong, newly appointed Master of the Heavenly Gathering Sect.]

From here, the important part begins. I need to captivate people’s hearts and earn their acknowledgment as the master.

I put aside any clumsy words and poured my true feelings onto the table.

[Whether you believe it or not, I am Baek Woong. Furthermore, I can promise you that I will eradicate the great calamity, which now fills this world, and restore it to a land where humans can live!]

This drew shouts from the crowd.

“Is that really possible?”

“I can’t believe it!!”

“Shit!! What kind of machine can call themselves a master! Get lost if you don’t want to die!”

It was terribly noisy. Watching the chaos unfold, I felt a surge of annoyance.

‘Ah. I just want to kill everyone! Back in the day, a single strike would have taken out heads…’

But thoughts are thoughts, and resorting to violence would make me no different from the evil [Old Ruler]. I maintained my composure, thinking that enduring through this is training as well, and I continued to speak.

[Of course, right now, there might be many tasks ahead to achieve that great feat. So I would like to promise you one more thing.]

After a moment, the crowd seemed to quiet down, watching me carefully.

[Within a month, I will double the territory of Nanjing Castle and create space for you to live comfortably!]

What I had seen as soon as I arrived in Nanjing Castle was the image of human workers struggling to live cramped and miserable lives. Because of the lethal population density, the powerless humans led pitiful lives each day.

So the lack of land was the biggest problem of Nanjing Castle.

If I could solve that practical issue, my popularity would surely soar!

“…?!”

“Eh?!”

“Is it real?!”

The crowd was shocked, and unlike before, they appeared to be observing me intently. Even Mangnyang seemed taken aback, glancing at me with surprise. Nevertheless, not heeding Mangnyang’s look, I declared.

[Trust me!! I promise that if you believe in me, I will undoubtedly grant you what you desire!!]

I nudged Gum Cheon-jae beside me, glaring at him. Taken by surprise, Gum Cheon-jae quickly got into the groove and shouted.

“The Master’s words are my words!! Trust him!”

…

Moments later, a roar like the world was ending erupted within Nanjing Castle.

“Woahhhh – ”

“Long live Master Baek Woong – ”

“Long live Master Baek Woong – ”

I could feel the uproar echoing throughout the plaza and beyond. Mangnyang quickly cast a technique to communicate with me telepathically.

[Baek Woong. What did you mean by putting your name on the line? You don’t even have a clue how to double Nanjing Castle’s territory…]

[Well, without earning trust, it’ll all be for nothing, right? Might as well bluff a bit here.]

[Hoo… ]

As Mangnyang stared at me blankly, I suddenly felt a surge of power filling my body. It was a completely different energy from the powerful magical power I had been holding with Oreycalcos’s arm; it was the essence of raw, unrefined strength. Having handled such power often, I couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

‘Hehe.’

Divine Power!

This signified that people were starting to believe in me.

As the purifying essence of Divine Power floated around me, Mangnyang looked on in amazement. Even Zhuge Bu, who had been observing, uttered a stunned sound.

“Could it be that he can truly gain Divine Power through faith… It’s an impossible feat for humans and even for immortals… Was his divine status always open?”

At that moment, a fun thought crossed my mind, so I called back to Miho behind me.

[Miho. Hand that over.]

Miho promptly extended the box she had, revealing the three divine tools that Seimei had given from Dongyoung.

As Mangnyang gasped in surprise.

“Are you doing this here…?”

[What is there to lose? Might as well give it a shot.]

“Um!”

With Mangnyang tensed at my side, I utilized the Divine Power accumulating around me and infused it into the fake Three Divine Tools before me.

Chijijii!!

I could feel my Divine Power responding and shifting on a metaphysical level. And even though it felt a little different, I sensed the faint awareness of using Divine Power returning. I thought that even in this faint state, I’d be able to use techniques adequately.

Triumvirate!

With the red gem at the center, the Divine Power rapidly began to concentrate. Since I didn’t possess multiple attributes, I probably couldn’t diversify it for various effects, but it appeared my energy was freely moving without a central point, easily flowing according to my will.

Naturally, if we’re speaking about a common effect of the Triumvirate, it would certainly match the lineage of Brahma –

[Creation!]

At that moment, a new, pure white chimera that looked identical to the Three Divine Tools materialized right in front of me. Feeling that my attempt had succeeded, I couldn’t help but smile in triumph.

‘Yes! If I created from nothing, it would have certainly lacked power, but thanks to the original, it barely scrapes by!’

Shhuuuu-

Moments later, as the light dimmed, the new divine tool revealed itself before my eyes.

Tap

I raised the Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword and spoke to the crowd.

[Behold! I have created a new divine tool, hence the sky commands me to open a new era!!]

“Oooooo…!!”

“Is it real?”

“What is that?”

I pointedly declared.

[For now, just shut up and trust me!! That’s all that’s needed!!]

Guuuu

With that, my speech concluded, and I stepped down from the altar. Feeling the remainder of the newly generated Divine Power, I thought.

‘Hmmm. Compared to the power my original body has, this feels like a drop in the bucket… But it should help me fight on par with most sorcerers.’

It seems to me that to fully regain my Divine Power, I would need an immense amount of faith, beyond what I’m currently facing.

While I pondered, Zhuge Bu, standing in front of me, spoke.

“… I guess there’s no other choice.”

Zhuge Bu briefly knelt and bowed his head to me.

“I recognize you as the new Master and Lord!!”

As I observed Zhuge Bu, I chuckled.

[You’ll regret that.]

“I won’t regret it. Thinking of someone like you leading humans it’s…”

[No, not that. You might end up being a bit embarrassed every time this memory pops up from now on.]

“…?”

Zhuge Bu didn’t seem to understand what I meant, but the idea of teasing him about this memory in the next life made me chuckle gleefully.

Then Mangnyang, who was beside me, spoke.

“Baek Woong, this new divine tool possesses the actual power of a Brahma-level weapon?”

[Hmm. I don’t think so. Here, give it a listen.]

I handed the divine tool I created with Divine Power to Mangnyang, and upon touching it, his eyes lit up.

“This is interesting. It’s completely hollow.”

[Well, since it’s my first time creating it, it’s understandable… ]

“No, that doesn’t mean it’s not created. Rather… Being empty means that any limitations that originally existed in the Seven Luminaries have fully vanished.”

[Hmm?]

Mangnyang’s eyes sharpened.

“About the new Seven Luminaries we spoke of… Depending on how it’s created, it could truly become the strongest weapon.”

[Is it really that capable?]

“Yes. For now, let’s continue to gather more Divine Power steadily.”

[Understood.]

Suddenly, Mangnyang sighed.

“More importantly, your earlier claim of doubling the territory seems like my brain cannot wrap around it… That was a bit over the top.”

[……]

Gah!

I took a gamble, feeling carried away, and it seems it might fail!

Just then…

“I think there might be a way. Initially, I didn’t plan to trust you this much, but…”

All eyes in the room turned to Zhuge Bu. He hesitated for a moment and finally spoke.

“Baek Woong, how about meeting Zhuge Yulong from the Subjugation Squad?”

Zhuge Yulong was undoubtedly the greatest shadow behind the imperial palace, and the father of Zhuge Bu and Mangnyang!

He was also renowned as the greatest sorcerer of the Central Plains, so it was impossible not to know him. Learning that he was currently in the Subjugation Squad surprised me.

[Zhuge Yulong? Does he have a plan?]

“Indeed.”

Zhuge Bu replied.

“If the current owner of Tydaht has a plan, there’s a possibility.”

“`

 

---