전생검신 87권 14화

Wow, this sounds like a real headache…

I was practically lost trying to wrap my head around the profound essence behind the Wheel King’s words. Even though I’m a reborn person, the notion of transcending death by shedding the self was something I had never even considered.

But since ignorance is bliss, I couldn’t help but be honest.

“Uh… I’m not really sure what you’re talking about since it’s a bit over my head…”

“Is it really so hard to grasp that becoming nothingness makes even death fade away?”

“I get the surface concept, but how on earth does one even reach that level? Are you saying you know the method, Wheel King?”

Knowing something superficially and having a deep understanding that leads to actual training are two totally different beasts. If everything in the world were that easy to understand, there’d be no need for studying at all.

“I know the method. But while I’m in this form, I can’t pursue it.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“As I said before, my goal isn’t reaching the state of liberation, but rather to create a sanctuary for the pitiful weaklings caught between chaos and order. Furthermore, it’s to achieve a cosmic equilibrium that halts the struggle among divine beings. Therefore, until I accomplish my goals, even if I know the path to liberation, I cannot pursue it.”

“…”

“However, just because I can’t act on it doesn’t mean you can’t. So don’t hastily conclude that you don’t understand.”

As the Wheel King remarked this, he reached out towards me again. I flinched at the thought of the unbearable pain I had just experienced, and the Wheel King, seemingly expecting it, said:

“See, you’re so sensitive to pain that you fear it. But that’s misguided.”

“Well, it’s only natural to feel that way since being stiff due to pain means losing in combat, right?”

“No, I’m not talking about combat efficiency. I’m saying it’s wrong for a being like you to be enslaved by the seven emotions: joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, love, hate, and desire.”

“I’m human, so I have to be bound by those emotions. Even gods often can’t escape them, right?”

I protested against the Wheel King’s words. And how could I not, having seen those who call themselves the Three Sovereigns or the Old Ruler act irrationally due to their fear of annihilation? While it may differ, gods are also gripped by fear and possess emotions in varying forms.

The Wheel King continued:

“Indeed. That is a mistake. If a god fears the annihilation of existence and experiences emotions, it means they are simply imperfect beings that call themselves gods. They could all be considered false gods. Of course, only a minuscule number in this universe can say such a thing…”

“…?!”

“So you must surpass them. That’s the minimum requirement to reach the truth.”

False gods?!

I was taken aback by an unexpected statement, stumbling over my words.

“F… false gods? So are you saying there are real gods?”

“Among outer gods, there are those who can be called absolute gods… only a handful fit into that category.”

“…”

“And as for the false creator god… I’ve heard that the false creator will reveal themselves in five different forms. It seems there are countless sorcerers trying to reach that level to become a divine king through shortcuts… but they’re probably deluded…”

“Huh?”

“I suspect that this is not a realm achievable through mere mortal efforts from the start. It’s merely a pronoun referring to a specific being.”

The Wheel King, who had been spouting unintelligible nonsense, continued:

“I still don’t know what kind of being you are. However, if the cause and effect have led us here, then at the very least, you must be worthy of it. Therefore, I believe you need to exert effort to transcend the seven emotions.”

“Hmmm… transcending the seven emotions… how do I do that?”

“Pain is the manifestation of instinct for survival. And even beyond the biological, pain will naturally be felt due to the fear of annihilation. So, what do you think is the source of the obsession with life… the origin of your desire to be alive?”

“…”

“It’s… Wuwei. The very concept of nothingness touching the foundations of the universe.”

Wuwei?

That sounded eerily familiar…

As I thought more, a memory from the past surfaced.

‘Ah!’

When I met Dao Xin in the book of the Reverse Root Water Mirror, I think he mentioned something like this…?!

[What does the heart have to say?]

[The unconscious that lies beyond your cognition… itself calls forth the ‘dream.’ That dream is the primitive chaos that cannot be adequately described… The more you understand through the trials of this world, the more a dark reality, unknown to you, may awaken.]

[How much do you realize about your own unconscious and Wuwei?]

At that time, I thought Dao Xin was just talking nonsense. I considered it pretentious rambling, but for some reason, when the Wheel King brought up Wuwei, I suddenly felt something connect in my head.

‘The unconscious I don’t even know… Wuwei… could that be the source of the seven emotions?’

…Or could it be that it’s tied to the Divine Skill…?!

Just as I had that thought, I inadvertently blurted out:

“Eight Consciousness…?”

The Wheel King then let out a sound of surprise for the first time.

“Oh? It seems you’ve gained some insight from somewhere before meeting me.”

“…”

I mulled it over and finally spoke to the Wheel King.

“I met the ten great disciples of Gautama Buddha in the world of the future. They possessed the ability to make even my mechanical body feel pain.”

It couldn’t be a coincidence that both Raoun and Ananda had such abilities. Gautama Buddha must have endowed them with that knowledge.

“Hmmm…”

“Are you saying their abilities are connected to the Eight Consciousness and Wuwei?”

“Brilliant. You’ve advanced that far in your realization…”

The Wheel King sighed and then quietly said:

“Baek Woong, think again. Why do you think machines are said to lack pain?”

“Uh? That’s obvious. Because they’re just lumps of metal without any living flesh…”

“You’re still trapped in your fixed notions.”

“Fixed notions? This is just an objective truth; how can it be considered a fixed notion?”

The Wheel King crossed his arms as if questioning what I was saying.

“Is it not allowed for machines to have life?”

“…”

“Why do you assume machines are devoid of life?”

Huh? W-What are you talking about?

I stumbled over my words, taken aback by the unexpected line of questioning.

“Oh, no… It’s simply because they were created by humans… and lack self-determination or senses… they’re just tools…”

“That same statement could be made by the gods regarding your human race. Humans were created by gods with their powers, and from their perspective, humans are merely tools without free will or sensory perception. You must be aware that it’s better to be regarded as a mere bug.”

I panicked and retorted.

“T-That’s different! It’s just a matter of degree, and machines truly lack life!”

“Really? If so, what about the Cheon Woo-jin and Grandmaster Myung-ho from the future Great Bear Empire?”

“…”

“Are they just androids with a delusion of having life?”

“They possess highly advanced intelligence, so they are living beings…”

“And what’s your standard for that highly advanced intelligence? In the eyes of beings with ultra-intelligence beyond your imagination, you’re no different from a primitive organism or an amoeba. Can you really judge life based on such an inherently subjective standard?”

“N-No, I mean… sigh…”

What kind of ridiculous argument am I fighting? How could a mere machine possess life?

Yet, I couldn’t even figure out how to counter the Wheel King’s claims, leaving me utterly frustrated.

As I grappled with my disturbance, the Wheel King spoke.

“Baek Woong, life is subjective. Beings that can possess the perspective of the subject all have some form of life.”

“Subjective?”

“Indeed. What the mortal thinkers deem objective is merely their short sight. If existence and life are considered equal, then the criteria for life are much broader than you think.”

The Wheel King spoke affirmatively.

“What the ten great disciples of Gautama Buddha possess is a power that grants subjectivity to all things. Thus, even a fully mechanical body can certainly feel pain. That would be the privilege of those who have realized the Eight Consciousness.”

“…?”

“If it’s too abstract for you to understand, that’s inevitable.”

The Wheel King stared at me coldly and suddenly grabbed my head.

“To comprehend death and life… I will shatter your mind with the energy of this Desert of Isolation.”

“W-What?!”

“You need to converse with yourself beyond the reach of consciousness!!”

Crack!!

With a sudden sound like something breaking inside my head, I lost consciousness.

*

Where am I?

No… There’s nowhere to even call a place. Thanks to countless experiences, I was no stranger to the surreal world devoid of any real sensation. The world of dreams I had encountered many times before was unmistakable.

‘But this doesn’t feel like Master Mangnyang’s dream…’

In this space filled with nothingness, I didn’t even have the opportunity to check how I looked. I simply felt like pure consciousness floating like a ball.

And how much time passed in silence and emptiness…

Suddenly, I saw an unknown chaos writhing and forming in front of me.

Grrr… Kurrr… Kurrr….

It was as if many tentacles were stretching out from within nothingness, eventually merging into one, taking on a form. When I saw the shape that emerged in this space, I was startled.

‘…It’s a mask!!’

That’s definitely a mask!

However, the peculiar thing was that the mask had no color or patterns painted on it, and the shape appeared exceedingly simple and smooth. Just a pure white mask with holes for the eyes, nose, and mouth. As I quietly watched, the white mask suddenly opened its mouth.

“I am Baek Woong.”

…

As soon as I heard those words, an indescribable feeling of discomfort and disgust surged within me. It was just a pretense of impersonating me, but a furious displeasure I had never felt before seemed to engulf my very being. It was as if my existence could not acknowledge ‘that thing.’

As I trembled in anger, the white mask suddenly smiled.

“Just kidding. I’m not you.”

What the hell…!!

Shhhhhh

As I shook with displeasure and rage, the white mask slowly began to form a body. It conjured my body, [Baek Woong], and sat down right in front of me, looking all too bored.

“What a cute attempt trying to face me to feel life. I think I experienced something similar a long time ago.”

It took me a while to forcefully endure the sensation of my body being stiff before I finally spoke.

“…Who are you?”

“You already know without me saying, right? I’m the representation that lies within your unconscious.”

“You’re me…?”

The white mask replied, sounding entirely fed up.

“I already told you I’m not. You’re really dense.”

“…”

“Why? Were you thinking of debating who the real Baek Woong is? Sorry, but I have no desire to be like you.”

The white mask blatantly showed disdain for me and soon chuckled.

“Well… I guess it can’t be helped. It’s been a game from the start.”

“What the hell are you talking about…?”

The seemingly playful white mask suddenly had a lightbulb moment and grinned mischievously.

“Since we’ve got this opportunity, let me ask you something. It’s not a big deal, so feel free to answer lightly.”

“What’s the question?”

Holding up a finger on each hand, the white mask said:

“If you were to play the most fun game in the world, would you use cheat codes or not?”