전생검신 Volume 95, Chapter 4

I couldn’t understand why the Outer God Pangu showed up in front of me. What’s up with that meaningful line that sounded like he was waiting for me to arrive?

…Wait, why is Pangu waiting for me?

It didn’t make any sense. It’s a bit awkward to say, but during my previous lives, I had never had a proper conversation or connection with Pangu. I had heard stories about him, but he was just a stranger to me. The one time I witnessed him, he didn’t seem to care about me much, and I was fine with that.

But now he acts as if he was waiting for me?

What’s different between then and now?

‘So Pangu sealed the Void… Jiang, did you not know that?’

When I asked Jiang, he replied as if it was obvious.

[I didn’t see the seal on the Void personally. I was already here when I became aware of it. After that, I was just given my mission… I had no idea about the Outer God. That was Pangu.]

‘…Isn’t that a bit too casual? Doesn’t it mean something significant to you?’

[After all, I am the one responsible for this place until the end of the universe… Whoever sealed this place, what meaning does that mission hold…?]

‘……’

That’s true, but it still feels too emotionless.

I couldn’t easily understand Jiang’s mental state. I wondered if a “cosmic being” was supposed to be like this; he seemed indifferent to everything. I looked at Jiang with curiosity and said.

‘Then Jiang, since I’m already here, I’ve got a suggestion.’

[What is it?]

I quickly extended my hand toward him.

‘Come with me.’

[……]

‘I mentioned the Spirit Body earlier. Whether the universe ends or not, it’s all the same here… Doesn’t that apply to you too? Since we’ve crossed paths, let’s stick together.’

[You’re an interesting one… Are you trying to make me your companion?]

‘That’s the idea.’

Even if the chances are slim, I wanted to take a shot. I instinctively felt that once we left this Void, it would be hard to come back. Plus, I had a hunch that this Jiang fellow had incredible abilities I wasn’t aware of.

After pondering my suggestion for a while, Jiang spread his wings and eventually said,

[I cannot go. I must fulfill the meaning of my existence.]

‘Isn’t the meaning of your existence something that the Outer Gods forced upon you? Can’t you refuse it and carve your own path?’

[…I see… Do you think of that as the meaning of free will that I told you about before…?]

Jiang fell silent for a moment before continuing.

[Do you believe that this moment we are facing each other is existence itself? A boundary of infinitely light existence… Historically, the wiser and greater entities were driven mad by failing to overcome this gap or returned to the chaos of omnipotence… In other words… as long as an omnipotent “Father” exists, free will doesn’t exist in the realm of gods; that’s an absolute proposition.]

‘……’

[However… perhaps you are denying that… or perhaps you might be the one who can prove the existence of free will.]

‘Hey, what kind of nonsense is that? Can you explain it more simply?’

As I grumbled at Jiang’s words, he suddenly delivered a statement that struck me hard.

[What if every moment you think is freedom and choice was actually predetermined?]

‘……?!’

[Would you still consider all your choices free will?]

‘That…’

In that moment, I found myself at a loss for words. If I thought about Jiang’s words, it would mean that the idea of free will had a terrifying implication. If everything was already predetermined, no matter how much I struggled, wouldn’t it all be meaningless?

In a desperate attempt to shake off that nightmare, I shouted.

‘…No, what kind of nonsense is that! Thinking like that makes it seem better to just give up and die quickly, right? I’m trying my hardest right now because I don’t think that’s true!’

[Perhaps… However… if true annihilation does not exist in this universe, how would one find peace?]

‘What are you talking about?’

Jiang spoke in a tone that suggested he knew something.

[…All those referred to as deities in the universe are often called absolute evils… Yet, in a sense, they are also slaves to fate… and their struggles could be perceived as evil by lesser beings.]

‘……’

[You might not understand my words right now… but someday you will reach a conclusion… You must clarify whether the “process” or the “result” is important to you.]

Having spoken this mysterious tale, Jiang seemed to shift his focus away from me and said.

[Don’t define free will too easily… You need to think more seriously about it…]

…

How annoying…

I couldn’t help but feel offended by Jiang’s words.

‘…Fine, whatever. I don’t fully get it, but I understand what you’re trying to say. Anyway, you don’t want to break your destiny, right?’

[……]

‘Did you just ask me if it’s important whether the process or the result matters?’

I clenched my fists and shouted.

‘Tell me! They both matter! Be it the process or the result, it’s all part of my life! But since it’s tough to get everything right, I’m working hard to keep living!’

[…Hmm…]

‘Jiang! So what if everything is predetermined? That doesn’t change the fact that you and I met right now! You can choose the path you want to take!’

Jiang fell silent for a moment as if contemplating my shout. Then he slowly flapped his wings.

Flap!

[My choice won’t change… I will simply fulfill my fate as the manager of the Void until the universe ends.]

I frowned.

‘Damn it…’

[However… I may not become your companion, but I can provide assistance.]

Woong

Suddenly, three massive spirit bodies materialized above Jiang’s head.

Each of the three looked like massive cocoons, colored black, white, and yellow from left to right!

Those spirit bodies were extraordinarily larger compared to other ones. Jiang, who summoned these peculiar spirit bodies, spoke.

[These are spirit bodies that I manage specially… If you choose one of them… I will grant you the ability to summon that spirit body…]

‘……!’

I was taken aback. I was curious about Jiang’s specially managed spirit bodies, but was he really offering me a summoning ticket like this?

Dazed, I picked one based on my intuition.

‘Um… I’ll go with the black one.’

Brrrr!

The moment I finished speaking, suddenly, a pair of dark eyes opened in the black spirit body, radiating an intense black light. The killing intent within that gaze was so powerful that it made me momentarily freeze. It was at an entirely different level compared to Miyamoto Musashi’s killing intent! Moreover, the intensity of that killing intent indicated that the hidden power within this black spirit body was astounding.

Then the black spirit body released a wave of mental energy as if it were growling.

<<Jiang! Are you really going to break the laws of the Outer Gods? Haven’t you existed since the origin of the Great Universe?>>

[……]

<<That brat doesn’t have the capacity to handle me! You should cancel it right now!>>

It seemed like the black spirit body knew Jiang well and didn’t seem to want to be summoned.

I scoffed at its condescending words.

‘What makes you so grand? I’ve even faced Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen directly!’

<<Emperor?>>

‘You don’t know the Emperor?’

At my words, the black spirit body struggled to recall something and then burst into laughter.

<<Hahaha! Is that what you mean by that mask? How proud you must be to go against a fragment of the Coming Chaos, kid!>>

‘What did you say?!’

<<Don’t spout nonsense and cancel it now. I’m not one to play games with some rookie reborn person like you.>>

‘Who do you think you are?!’

The ensuing remarks from the black spirit body were incredibly arrogant, leaving me speechless.

<<Listen well. If you summon me... you will die within ten seconds!>>

‘……!’

This guy is seriously arrogant! What kind of a creature is this?!

I felt like my insides were boiling, and I shouted back.

‘Don’t underestimate me! Even though I’m in spirit form now, I’m not someone to be belittled!’

The black spirit body continued to speak with a tone that looked down upon me.

<<Oh really? Then how about facing this move? If you do, I might acknowledge you.>>

‘Alright… bring it on!’

Woong

<<Ten Thousand Realms, Ten Thousand Aspects Talisman.>>

A tiny talisman, no bigger than a finger, floated before the black spirit body. It resembled a type of talisman I was familiar with, and I was caught off guard.

‘Talisman Technique? Is it a sorcerer?’

Woong

The talisman shot straight at me. Contrary to what I expected, it wasn’t faster than light nor imbued with immense power, so I found it puzzling. Was it just a talisman being thrown around so grandly? However, I kept my guard up and, with all the energy I could muster, created a powerful defensive barrier.

This should be enough to block a genuine attack from the Three Sovereigns at least once or twice!

‘Let’s see how this goes…’

Boom!

‘What the?!’

But that thought turned out to be utterly futile as my energy barrier was nonchalantly shattered.

It felt as if all my energy was being sucked into the talisman, leaving me even more shocked. That talisman seemed to have the property of absorbing spiritual power.

‘Gah!’

Quickly, I tried to activate the Peerless Technique to nullify the attack, but something even more bizarre happened the moment I attempted to cast it.

Crackle!

‘……!’

The… the Tai Chi is tearing apart!

The Six Harmonies, which form the basis of the Peerless Technique, were tearing apart even before they could converge into the shape of Tai Chi! This implied that the collective martial philosophies of the Wudang Sect were being shredded, and it was impossible to condense the force needed to execute the Peerless Technique.

All these changes were happening because of that little talisman, the Ten Thousand Realms, Ten Thousand Aspects Talisman. What kind of principle is this?!

Boom!

‘Graaah!’

I screamed as I fell. I couldn’t do anything against that talisman technique; it felt like it rendered my spiritual power and Peerless Technique useless. Even if I used the martial arts of the Four Great Spirit Deities and the divine arts, it wouldn’t help if I didn’t understand the identity of that Ten Thousand Realms, Ten Thousand Aspects Talisman.

I felt a chill run down my spine.

This isn’t just strong; if I can’t even gauge the opponent’s level, it means there’s a significant gap between us!

As I thrashed on the ground, the black spirit body spoke.

<<Surviving a Ten Thousand Realms Talisman means you can manage quite a bit in the Present Realm. But you still can’t hold a candle to those who’ve entered the Heavenly Realm... Do you dare summon me?!>>

‘Ugh… this jerk…’

<<Even if I weren’t stuck in this Void, I could easily overturn the entire Heavenly and Earthly realms...>>

At that moment.

Jiang, who had been watching from the side, finally spoke in a voice both majestic and stunning.

[That’s enough.]

Crash!

<<......!>>

The black spirit body, previously raging with power, suddenly had its eyes dimmed and consciousness fade away.

I was stunned to see that.

‘Jiang! Did you subdue that thing?’

[I merely acted as the manager of this Void… No matter how strong the being is, if I choose to suppress it here, it cannot resist.]

‘Woah!’

I was left in awe of Jiang’s power. That black spirit body’s strength was off the charts, and yet he subdued it with just one use of his power! No matter how strong his authority is, it would have been impossible unless his spiritual power matched that level of a spirit body.

Maybe Jiang is even more formidable than I imagined.

I cautiously asked.

‘Jiang. What’s the name and identity of that black spirit body? I’ve never heard of such a monster existing…’

[I don’t know either. The very reason that being is in the Void is that the Outer God wanted to seal it.]

‘Ah!’

That means… Pangu, who created this Void, was wary enough of that black spirit body to seal it?

Thinking about that made me shudder internally.

That being’s power meant it could reach even outer gods!

‘…Could the other two be similar?’

[You could say so. There’s one even more violent than the last one.]

‘……’

[If you want to switch to a different one, feel free to do so. Or if you want to give up your summoning rights, I will understand.]

I realized the previous warning of ‘you’ll die within ten seconds if you summon me’ was not just hot air.

The principle of the Demon Path.

Summoning is free, but the safety of the summoner is not guaranteed!

If the black spirit body’s capabilities are far beyond what I can control, it was clear it would attack and kill me instead of following summoning obligations.

After a moment’s indecision, I firmly stated.

‘No! I’m going with that black spirit body.’

I can’t stand the way that thing was looking down on me.

I’ll just gather more strength later and give it a taste of its own medicine!

[Very well… Do as you wish.]

‘…Jiang. Are you really okay giving me this special summoning right? Didn’t that thing mention breaking the laws of the Outer Gods?’

As I cautiously posed the question to Jiang, he began fluttering his wings again.

[As you said, I too have chosen. Although there isn’t free will… for that brief moment of choice, I feel alive.]

‘……’

[Then farewell, Baek Woong. In the boundless flow of the great universe, we shall meet again someday…].

Flap…

Jiang slowly flew away, and although his speed wasn’t fast, he vanished before long. I stood there, watching him disappear and muttering to myself.

‘Yeah. Let’s meet again someday.’

After a brief moment, I steeled myself and slowly made my way towards the dimension door leading outside.

I’m finally leaving the Void.

Woosh…

As I regained my composure, I realized I was now outside, where the spirit bodies did not exist. Just ordinary cosmic space unfolded before my eyes.

‘Phew… Did I finally leave the Void and enter the universe…?’

The moment I was out in space, I grimaced as I remembered what I needed to do now.

‘…I need to acquire Chi You’s body, do I now have to go find him?’

Where could Chi You be?

He must be somewhere in this universe, and that’s why this mission was assigned to me…

‘Crap. I was so engrossed in leaving the Void and mastering the Demon Path that I didn’t think… hmm… Is there any method to find Chi You…?’

As I was pondering, a sudden thought struck me.

‘Oh right! Magic! There might be a spell in the knowledge of the Necronomicon that lets me find other beings!’

If you think about it, it’s the ultimate grimoire. There’s no way it wouldn’t have such a spell!

I eagerly rummaged through the knowledge of the Necronomicon in my head. I wandered through cosmic space, losing track of time as I dug through my memories. Since I was in spirit form, I had no hunger, nor did I need sleep, so time passed without a care.

However, despite searching for at least seven continuous days, I found nothing, much to my disappointment.

‘Damn it… Just because the second seal was lifted doesn’t mean there’s a specific spell to find someone… It seems like the only available knowledge is on the training methods of the Five Heavenly Realms, rather than any common spells.’

Strange. Normally, a grimoire would have spells or rituals handy for immediate use, but the Necronomicon only contained methods to attain cultivation levels. Perhaps this was evidence that the Necronomicon was a more advanced grimoire, but it was undoubtedly useless to me at this moment.

So, does that mean I need to elevate my magic level to find an answer?

‘I should have trained my magic in the Void for a few years and then left…’

No, that’s not it.

Even if there wasn’t a time limit specified in this mission, if enough time passed, it may automatically result in failure. Being stuck in a place like the Void endlessly could make the mission more challenging, so it would be wise to find at least a minimal clue about Chi You’s body.

I shook my head and decided to think deeply again.

‘By the way, where was Chi You active? If we think about where he primarily operated… uh…’

After pondering for a while, I suddenly remembered.

‘Right! Chi You stirred up the Takrok Battle on Earth! If I go to Earth, I can at least find out if Chi You is present or not!’

Am I dumb? I should have thought of this earlier!

I was so focused on thinking in terms of the whole universe that I didn’t even consider where Chi You originated!

Then getting to Earth should be easy.

I would just use my spiritual power to teleport to Earth.

‘Haap!’

…

But for some reason, my body didn’t move towards Earth.

‘Huh?’

I used spiritual power, so why am I not going?

I was perplexed and tried a few more times, yet I still couldn’t reach Earth.

After dozens of attempts, determined to keep trying until I succeeded, I finally noticed a change.

[Unauthorized being. In the name of the Primordial Dragon God and Dragon Emperor, you are forbidden from entering this place.]

A heavy voice echoed in my mind.

The owner of that voice didn’t directly show up before me but merely sent me a warning message.

‘Ah!’

Then I realized why I couldn’t get to Earth from space.

‘The Three Sovereigns must be preventing gods from the Otherworld from entering Earth with barriers…!’

Objectively looking at my current state, while I was merely a spiritual entity without a physical body, I had some strong spiritual power, which could classify me as a typical Otherworldly deity. Meanwhile, the Three Sovereigns, possessing an established claim to Earth, were likely blocking any strong beings from entering through teleportation or summoning.

Reading the warning once more, I understood the troublesome situation I was in.

‘Fuxi’s barrier is blocking access to Earth.’

That claiming to be the Primordial Dragon God and Dragon Emperor was none other than Fuxi himself.