전생검신 86권 16화

A Being with Opened Senses?

Just as I was feeling perplexed and about to ask Raoun again, one of the other Four Heavenly Kings shouted loudly from behind.

“Jikukcheon! Enough chit-chat, it’s time to return. Baek Woong has already faced two of the Four Heavenly Kings, so it’s our turn now!”

Turning back, Jikukcheon Raoun replied softly, “Guangmugcheon! Since both Vritra and I have hopelessly lost to Baek Woong, there’s no meaning in continuing this fight. It would be rude to test a strong opponent further, so let’s stop here.”

However, Guangmugcheon shook his head at Raoun’s suggestion.

“A strong opponent indeed. But isn’t it still unclear what the true power of Baek Woong is? I want to test him a bit more.”

“You’re so stubborn. What’s the point?”

Surprisingly rejected with such firmness, Raoun looked slightly flustered. It’s tough for him to push harder when someone of equal standing refuses his proposal.

I sneakily glanced at the opponent named Guangmugcheon. Dressed in a white cloth and holding a large staff, he looked like a typical sorcerer. Moreover, considering his small frame, he clearly wasn’t the embodiment of a saint but looked like a child, which likely wasn’t his true form.

‘Huh? That staff…’

Suddenly feeling a sense of déjà vu looking at Guangmugcheon’s staff, my head tilted in confusion.

‘Where… have I seen it before? It’s definitely a staff I’ve seen somewhere…’

Where might that have been?

After a moment of racking my brain, I finally recalled the identity of the staff, and I was taken aback.

[……!!]

What?! If my memory serves me right, that staff surely…!!

As I was startled, a knowing smile formed inside me. I didn’t realize it before, but now that I knew its identity, I could steer this situation in my favor.

Walking forward towards Jikukcheon Raoun, I addressed Guangmugcheon.

[You are Guangmugcheon, one of the Four Heavenly Kings?]

“Indeed.”

[What is your name?]

“I am Guangmugcheon; I’ve long since discarded my worldly name.”

I chuckled slightly at his answer and said, [Oh really? Then let me suggest a name for you. How about Guangchengzi?]

“……!!”

[The characters are quite similar, too.]

“What do you mean…?”

In that instant, Guangmugcheon flinched, his eyes trembling violently. The other Four Heavenly Kings seemed puzzled by my words, not understanding what I was saying.

I was now convinced.

‘That staff is definitely Guangchengzi’s staff! I’ve seen it so many times in my past lives that I can’t be mistaken! I didn’t expect it to pop up here, so I had to dig through my memories…’

And considering why this fellow, Guangmugcheon, among the Celestial Beings, possesses Guangchengzi’s staff, things became clear when I thought about Guangchengzi’s identity as one of the Twelve Immortals of Kunlun.

‘Guangchengzi is one of the Twelve Immortals of Kunlun, but at the same time, he was the avatar of a powerful deity. If his true identity were revealed, he could threaten even Nüwa or Fuxi… this guy’s real identity is…’

At the same time, I also understood why his avatar was here. He enjoyed deceiving the world while pretending to be ordinary and slipping in when it mattered. He would act as a guardian when the forces of Tianzhu were in danger.

After a long silence, Guangmugcheon spoke.

“You are indeed remarkable. Just from your ability to handle that divine power, I deemed you far beyond the realm of mortals, yet I didn’t expect it to be to this degree…”

[What do you plan to gain by evaluating me? I have a rough idea of who you are, so instead of feeling around, just say what you want directly.]

“……”

With no choice, Guangmugcheon opened his mouth.

“We, the Four Heavenly Kings, acknowledge you.”

The response came from the last of the Four Heavenly Kings standing beside him, a towering figure wrapped in divinely charged clouds. With a fierce expression, the warrior of Tianzhu spoke.

[Guangmugcheon!! Even if you acknowledge him, I still do not recognize Baek Woong. I want to fight him at least once!!]

“Bishamonten, please stop.”

[Just because you say to stop, does that mean I will?!]

Tsk tsk tsk!

The enormous iron cage in Bishamonten’s hands started to radiate overwhelming divine might, and I grimaced upon realizing that he had fully unleashed his divine powers as a lower deity.

‘Good grief. Purely judging by power levels, Bishamonten is probably the strongest among the Four Heavenly Kings. How ridiculous is it that a lower deity does nothing but play the Dharma Guardian role of a mere sect?’

Being a divine being, he had an immense sense of pride, and his desire to test his strength against me was painfully obvious. As Bishamonten readied for battle, I prepared to face him as well, but at that moment, Guangmugcheon shone his eyes and struck his staff hard against the ground.

“Is it because you are a divine race that you won’t listen to words?”

Kiiing – !!

With a strange sound, waves of light erupted from the ground, sweeping across heaven and earth in a flash. In that moment, Bishamonten, who was about to charge, transformed into a golden statue.

Zhoooong!

[Ahhh.]

“Such a thing.”

Even though it was a surprise attack, Guangmugcheon had turned Bishamonten into a golden statue in an instant, leaving the remaining two Heavenly Kings gasping in shock. They hadn’t anticipated an attack among allies.

However, Guangmugcheon, the cause of the chaos, calmly turned to me and said.

“The trial of the Four Heavenly Kings is over. Now you may proceed as you wish.”

Seeing Guangmugcheon’s actions, I couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief.

[Hahaha! Watching you scramble like a lightning-struck rabbit is quite amusing. Is it so embarrassing for your true identity to be uncovered?]

“……”

[Sorry, but I have no intention of indulging in your game. For now, I’ll speak with Naresuen, but you should casually chat with me instead.]

“I will think about it.”

I turned my back on the Four Heavenly Kings and walked toward Naresuen, who was watching the trial. Seeing the Black Prince, Naresuen, unable to hide his astonishment, I curiously asked,

[What’s so surprising?]

“……Your feat in the trial truly astonishes me, noble one.”

[Doesn’t seem that way. In fact, didn’t you guess Guangmugcheon’s identity?]

Flinch.

Naresuen tried hard to conceal his expression, but I wouldn’t miss the subtle reaction in his body. I was secretly convinced that Naresuen had also suspected Guangmugcheon.

[Regardless, I’ve passed all your tests. Now I’d like to confirm your sincerity by seeing the avatar of Parvati.]

“……”

[If Parvati appears, I will acknowledge that you are sincere and agree to an alliance. Considering I’ve already passed the test, I hope you won’t revise your words now.]

“Of course.”

Naresuen helplessly shifted his gaze aside.

“Sawasvati. Please proceed.”

“I understand.”

A moment later, Naresuen’s queen and the priestess of Brahman, Sawasvati, stepped forward with closed eyes, chanting incantations and clasping her hands. At that point, a divine light began to descend upon her, and soon a massive pillar of light fell from the sky, striking Sawasvati.

Kugugung!!

In the wake of that massive pillar, Sawasvati’s entire body began to brim with divine power. Moments later, Sawasvati opened her eyes, now filled with pure white light, and spoke.

[Greetings, Baek Woong. I am Parvati, the leader of the Brahman sect.]

[You are Parvati?]

[Indeed. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.]

Parvati, the head of the Brahman sect and the consort of the destructive god Shiva!

To meet that being, whom I had only heard of by name, here was astonishing.

‘Having lived so long in my past life, it seems I finally encounter those I’ve only heard rumors about…’

Seeing the divine power emanating from Parvati, she appeared incredibly powerful. Even knowing that a priestess’s body would have limitations, she seemed remarkably strong, indicating that her true form was likely at the high deity level.

I addressed Parvati.

[Parvati. The treaty you propose is extremely favorable to us. Your desire to shower favors upon us, whom you hardly know, raises serious suspicions in my mind. You’ve just tested me through the Four Heavenly Kings, so I don’t hold particularly good feelings toward you.]

Upon hearing my words, Parvati slightly bowed her head, looking apologetic, and said,

[I’m sorry for unintentionally causing you discomfort. However, if you truly are Baek Woong, then we should review the non-aggression pact made in the past.]

The Non-aggression Pact!

The moment I heard those words, memories of my past flooded in.

‘That’s right; it was definitely back when the forces of Tianzhu invaded…’

Using the body of Jin Guk-jun, I had pretended to be the avatar of Jeon Wook and negotiated. And then Shiva, having been tricked, ended up establishing the non-aggression pact with me.

[So we have come to an agreement. I hereby declare that a new non-aggression pact between the Three Great Gods of Tianzhu and the Three Sovereigns of the Central Plains has been established here. Hehehe!]

Once Shiva made that declaration, it was only natural that all Tianzhu forces under Shiva ceased their invasion of the Central Plains, resulting in good outcomes.

But for some reason, it seemed like they were now aware that they had been deceived at that time, and they seemed to know that ‘Baek Woong’ was the one behind it. Otherwise, there would be no reason to test me while bringing up the non-aggression pact.

I pondered and spoke.

[I’m not sure what you’re talking about… but considering the current state of the world, isn’t the non-aggression pact rather meaningless?]

As I stumbled through my words, Parvati spoke calmly.

[Though you may feel wronged by our deception, upon further examination, we discovered that you are a noble individual whose true identity is unknown even to the Three Sovereigns. So we have decided to perceive the non-aggression pact we established as a causal connection toward our future closeness.]

[…….]

[It is true that invading the Central Plains is no longer vital. Soon, Gods from all over the world will directly engage in war with one another. When that time comes, every bit of strength will be needed.]

With a delicate hand, Parvati extended it towards me.

[Baek Woong. The Three Great Gods of Tianzhu and I wish to join hands with you. Please take this hand and establish a blood alliance.]

[Hmm…….]

[Like sworn brothers, we will spare no effort to support you.]

A blood alliance with Tianzhu?

Knowing Parvati was genuine made me contemplate. This seemed less like a cunning strategic move and more like their sincere intention to recruit me. They likely believed that acquiring me would give them an advantage against the Three Sovereigns or other powerful gods.

Unsure, I turned to Mangnyang beside me and said, [Mangnyang, what should we do?]

“Is there any reason to hesitate? If such a massive force as Tianzhu stands by your side, it would be worth fighting against the Three Sovereigns if they directly attack us. I actually don’t understand why you are hesitating.”

[The reason for my hesitation lies with that guy.]

I glared at Guangmugcheon behind Parvati, the one holding the staff.

Receiving my gaze, Guangmugcheon flinched and turned his eyes away, understanding my intent, and Mangnyang chuckled as if he got it.

“If that’s the case, then let’s simply summon him here. A puppet’s antics shouldn’t hinder our conversation with you. Isn’t that right, Parvati?”

Perhaps due to his smart head, Mangnyang casually called for Parvati, and after a moment of silence, she opened her mouth.

[It can’t be helped. Please come out now.]

Kuruuruuru……

Suddenly, the sky darkened and thunderclouds gathered. With a rumbling sound, a massive lightning bolt struck the spot where Guangmugcheon stood, and at the same moment, Guangmugcheon’s body began to burn intensely. His burning form soon morphed into an embodiment of light, revealing a striking young man, seemingly kind-hearted and innocent—yet I had seen him countless times in my past lives.

[The avatar of Vishnu, Krishna. How shameless to reveal yourself only after such humiliation.]

Seeing my words, Krishna responded with a wry smile, as if he had given up.

“I didn’t intend to deceive you deliberately. I merely wanted to understand your existence…”

[So, have you figured out what kind of being I am?]

“No. I thought I had it figured out, but the mystery has only deepened. What is clear is that you are an unusual being I’ve never encountered even once in my endless lives.”

Exactly.

The identity of Guangmugcheon as Guangchengzi and Krishna as Vishnu, one of the Three Great Gods of Tianzhu!

Vishnu has over ten avatars, and Guangmugcheon was one of those avatars. Realizing that Guangmugcheon’s staff was the key to uncovering his identity, I easily deduced Krishna’s true nature as well.

Krishna spoke with a serious tone.

“Baek Woong… what kind of relation do you have with the Three Sovereigns? It seems no one among them knows your exact identity. Furthermore, the law of cause and effect is intricately tangled; they seem hesitant to act rashly towards you, which is no ordinary matter.”

I retorted bluntly to Krishna’s words.

[What does it matter if it’s not ordinary? As I said, I don’t particularly want to form a blood alliance with you, so don’t poke around any further. If you don’t like it, just leave.]

“Is there a reason you so dislike us? We can certainly be a great source of strength for you and will never betray your trust.”

Krishna’s words sounded reasonable. If I had little understanding of the situation, I would have definitely felt that way.

However, I scoffed at Krishna’s words.

[Do you think I don’t know that you belong to the Divine Temple and are subservient to Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen? We’re not desperate enough to ally ourselves with someone as cunning as you!]

“……!!”

Hitting the nail on the head, I saw Krishna become agitated. It was only natural because very few gods, if any, knew he worked for the Emperor’s Divine Temple. Krishna could hardly conceal his disquiet.

“Who are you…? How did you come to know such a fact?”

[I am Baek Woong. Is there any issue with that?]

“……”

Krishna fell silent, twisting his words, and I felt quite pleased to see him like this.

‘You bastard. If I hadn’t struggled for 28 lives, I wouldn’t have had the faintest clue about your identity and would have hastily formed an alliance!’

In later life, that jerk transformed into Guangchengzi and even attempted to assassinate Fuxi, causing me so much trouble! You can’t judge solely based on appearances, and that was exemplified perfectly by Krishna. After he portrayed the benevolent caretaker of infants in his avatar form, I was deceived and bitten quite bitterly.

After a while, Krishna seemed to gather his thoughts and said.

“Baek Woong… are you adversarial towards Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen? Why, exactly? You should know that the Emperor is the closest to the Absolute Being in this world.”

I brusquely replied to Krishna’s words.

[Why should I be adversarial? Do you think I don’t know that Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen is sealed? In this power vacuum, foxes wishing to be the top dog are crawling all over, and I have no inclination to assist you who are running around like kings in this power vacuum.]

“……!!”

[Whether you choose me as an alternative to Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen… or if you’re trying to use me as a pawn to hold back the Three Sovereigns… I have no intention of being caught up in your scheming without any benefit to myself.]

I crossed my arms and continued my assertion calmly.

[Listen carefully, Krishna. I am the one in the dominant position!! If you want to ally with me, you’d better be prepared to give up something!]