---

0198 ———————————————-

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

Miho and I began traversing the land known as the Great Prairie. We immediately headed north, recalling what we had heard from the Lord of North Sea Ice Palace about a large lake called the Food Water Source. After about half a day, a vast lake came into view.

“Hm… Is this it?”

It was a place called Hangka Lake, and unlike the completely frozen ground, this area basked in sunlight, with rather lush grass and trees. Since it was a lake, I could also see nomadic tribes wandering about nearby. This place currently belonged to Goryeo, but as they couldn’t exert full control over the Liaodong territory, they were said to allow a degree of self-governance to the nearby tribes.

I assessed the size of Hangka Lake as being quite extensive. It wasn’t just a mere couple of miles; it rivaled Dongting Lake in scale. The width and the fact that the end of the lake couldn’t be seen indicated its vastness, setting it apart from regular lakes.

‘Well, we can move here for now.’

Water is crucial for exploration. Especially with a lake, it’s easy to find ample food supplies and resting spots. Of course, I originally planned to flit in and out of Jinrang Valley, but if push comes to shove, starting anew from Hangka Lake is also a viable option. Miho was playfully dipping her feet in the water.

“Whee! Let’s play in the water for a bit!”

“Couldn’t we save that for later? It’s important to save time and head quickly to Arasa’s territory.”

“Tch… Aren’t we on a long journey across the continent? What’s wrong with taking a little break?”

“Sorry.”

Though Miho replied with a pout, I could only comfort her. Having traveled extensively before, I knew that the longer the journey, the tighter you had to rein it in to finish quickly; it’s beneficial both in time and stamina. The longer a journey drags on, the more mentally draining it becomes, inevitably leading to greater struggles later on.

I said to Miho, “We’ll move around the lake first. Let’s set our first target to the place called Hurun Lake.”

“How do you plan to navigate?”

“Since my Qi is abundant, I can always accurately orient myself towards the four cardinal directions based on the situation.”

When my internal power reached an extreme level, I could feel the Qi of heaven and earth responding, allowing me to grasp the four directions without needing to see them. Even without a compass, I could tell precisely where north, south, east, and west are. It was thanks to this ability that I was able to embark on a long journey toward Sichuan Province.

“Then let’s hurry up.”

Miho, as a Great Demon, could also travel at speeds rivaling mine using her techniques and demon powers. Agreeing to speed up our journey, we both took off running. As we leaped over rivers and mountain ranges, the speed was significantly faster than before, nearly like flying.

Tydaht

By the time we reached Hurun Lake, about a day and a half had passed. Having run nearly nonstop, Miho and I decided to sit by the lake for a half-day break. Perhaps tired, Miho began tapping her legs and said,

“Whew, this land is really vast. It feels like all we see is land, land, land.”

“The Central Plains are the same, aren’t they?”

“But it gets way too cold here at night. The temperature swings are so drastic, it’s exhausting.”

“Why not transform into an inanimate object? I can just carry on running…”

So far, we hadn’t dropped by Jinrang Valley. It wouldn’t be good if Mangnyang had too many things to worry about, and he had advised against exposing too much of his whereabouts. The more frequently we visit Jinrang Valley, the higher the chance we’d draw unwanted attention.

Miho shook her head.

“Being on unfamiliar land is intriguing in itself. I’ve never been to a place like this; I want to enjoy the scenery a bit more.”

I chuckled.

“So you prefer nature over people, huh?”

“Hmph… I’m not picky. It’s just that being in nature allows my demon power to flourish and recover faster.”

“Got it.”

“I think I’ll catch some fish.”

With that, Miho emitted a sharp energy from her hand and sent it toward Hurun Lake. Moments later, she pulled back eight fish, strung together by threads of energy, and lifted them into the air. As the fish flopped down on the ground, she seemed happy, wagging her tail.

“Yummy!”

As Miho reached for the fish, I knocked her hand away.

“Miho, no.”

“What do you mean no?”

“The fish from the lake have loads of parasites; you need to cook them thoroughly.”

“……”

Miho had a dumbfounded look for a moment but then pouted.

“As a demon, I don’t really concern myself with that. If you’re not from the demon tribe, you shouldn’t either.”

I replied firmly, “But I still have to eat, right? I don’t like my food raw.”

Back when I lived among the essentialists, I had seen a few people who slipped up with freshwater fish and ended up dead or half-paralyzed due to parasites. That memory ingrained a habit of never consuming freshwater fish raw.

“Ugh… fine.”

Miho resigned with a sigh and ignited a fire using her fire technique. As she began to cook the fish, I asked her,

“Aren’t you due to teach me fire technique soon?”

During the three months at the North Sea Ice Palace, she had made excuses not to teach me fire techniques. However, a promise is a promise, so I urged her to keep her word.

“Hmm… I suppose I could teach you. It’s a bit disappointing, though.”

Miho settled down and continued,

“The fire technique I use is different from human techniques. While human techniques draw power from the Eight Trigrams, mine originates from demon power. Thus, humans wouldn’t typically be able to replicate my technique.”

“Hmm…”

“But you should be able to.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because the power of fascination has seeped into you. The energy of my tail is dormant within you, so once you pick up a few tricks, you should be able to use fire technique.”

After explaining this, Miho stared at me intently and asked,

“Baek Woong, have you ever thought about becoming a demon?”

What in the world?

But Miho’s eyes were serious. Once the fish was sufficiently cooked, she poked its head with a stick and continued.

“You know that the human body is quite uncomfortable and limited. If you become a demon, you’ll gain several times your lifespan and an immensely powerful body. Plus, all the Qi you’ve acquired until now will remain intact, so becoming a demon would allow you to become a formidable Great Demon immediately.”

“Stop talking nonsense. Being a demon is fundamentally a yin entity, so they’re bound to be vulnerable to techniques. You’d be weak to commands as well. I’d rather continue living as a human.”

Having recognized the weaknesses of demons from my knowledge of techniques, I responded bluntly, prompting a smile from Miho.

“Ohoho, so you won’t become a demon because of its weaknesses… You’re definitely not like an ordinary human.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Put another way, if there were no weaknesses, you’d seriously consider becoming a demon, wouldn’t you? That’s not a thought a typical human would have.”

“……”

That was indeed a fair point, and I found it hard to refute. I didn’t have a notable attachment to remaining human, and if I could become powerful by turning into a demon, it was something I could consider. However, being a demon is a yin presence in the Yin-Yang Five Elements, so a critical weakness would inevitably exist, and it would have a natural susceptibility to techniques as well. For now, I felt there was no need to risk taking up demonhood.

“Eat this, and I’ll teach you. It shouldn’t be too hard.”

I watched in fascination as Miho devoured the grilled fish. It looked so tasty that I was nearly hungry just from watching.

‘Is it really that delicious?’

I tore into a piece of fish to try it, but being freshwater fish, it didn’t have that strong of a flavor. Nonetheless, it was edible enough for me to make a meal out of it. Surely, eating somewhere at Jinrang Valley would be much better, but Miho seemed to want to enjoy this delicacy.

After a while, I learned the method to summon fire and the incantations needed to do so.

Blazing Flame!

“You nailed it right away.”

“Am I perhaps a genius?”

“Haha, no way! It’s only natural to excel in fire techniques when you’re absorbing the energy of my tail.”

“……”

I felt a bit gloomy for boasting too openly. After gaining fire techniques from Miho, I realized I could summon will-o’-the-wisps with just a simple incantation, using them for lighting or in combat.

Miho laughed.

“That technique might be weak right now, but it’ll grow as your power increases. So how strong it becomes relies on you.”

“Can I learn shadow technique too?”

“That one would be better to learn from human techniques. It’s inherently a different form of magic, so it might not suit you.”

“Got it.”

After finishing up my training, we took off running again.

We had just entered the expansive highland of the Great Prairie, and I could see tribes scattered here and there. Some seemed to have mastered martial arts as well, but as we dashed by at speeds that surpassed ordinary humans, they didn’t bother to provoke us.

Screeeech

After running night and day for about three days, I finally sensed we had arrived at a lake in the dead of night. We had covered ground faster than any horse might’ve carried me, having hardly paused. I patted Miho’s back lightly, saying,

“Hang on, I’ll go ask what’s going on around here.”

“Hmm…”

Exhausted, Miho settled down on a tree stump to rest. She claimed this was a sort of training for her; after exerting peak stamina, her demon power would rise. Leaving Miho behind, I set off to find any presence nearby.

Tydaht

Not long after, I encountered a tribe from the prairie who were camping nearby, tending to a fire. They looked surprised when they spotted me, pulling out swords and bows while shouting something incoherently. I performed the greeting I learned from the Lord of North Sea Ice Palace.

Calmly placing my hands on my arms and shoulders before clasping my hands over my heart while kneeling, the tribesmen eventually lowered their weapons after settling down. This was a common greeting among the prairie tribes, meaning, “I’m a traveler asking for help.” Once the air of tension faded, an elder approached me.

“#(&[email protected][email protected]*&@(%…..”

Of course, I could hardly understand their language. So I asked if anyone here spoke the Central Plains language. The elder gestured to a nearby young man, who spoke a moment later.

“I can speak Central Plains language. Please, traveler, tell me.”

I surveyed the young man and his fellow tribesmen.

‘They’re carrying matchlock guns.’

It seemed the prairie tribes were equipped with firearms, actually preferring them. Watching their weapons warily, I said,

“I am So Woong, a traveler from the Central Plains. I wish to camp by the lake nearby, but I came to inquire about the lake’s name.”

The young man translated for the elder, and soon I heard their reply.

“It’s called Obeus Lake.”

“We are on our way to the Crimea Khanate; how much farther do we have to go?”

This question was also based on the advice from the Lord of North Sea Ice Palace. If I outright mentioned I was heading to the Arasa Empire’s capital, Moscow, the prairie people wouldn’t look kindly on me. Hearing my question, the young man looked surprised and replied,

“It’s very far from here—at least 2000 li away.”

“Are there any notable places worth aiming for along the way?”

Once more the young man translated, and the elder seemed to say something. After a brief pause, the young man responded,

“If you wish to journey into Tatar territory, it would be better to stop at Astana and seek wisdom from the prophet.”

“Astana?”

The young man smirked.

“It’s the coldest land in the world. There is a great prophet there, and he can help travelers.”

“Where in Astana is this prophet?”

“He resides in the Great Temple.”

The prophet of Astana? The Great Temple?

“What reason is there to seek wisdom from the prophet?”

“He is the wisest person in the world, respected by all.”

“I see.”

After receiving a brief explanation from them about the terrain and direction, I figured out roughly where to go. In gratitude for their help, I pulled three of the grilled fish from my cloak and handed them over, which seemed to delight them. Unlike the Central Plains, the prairie people traded essential goods rather than gold and silver treasures.

Returning to Miho, I said, “This place is Obeus Lake, and we need to go see the prophet in Astana for directions.”

“The prophet in Astana? What’s that?”

“I’m not sure. Sounds like a prophet or sage.”

Miho scoffed.

“Hmph! In the end, he’s just some lowly human. Let’s go now that we’ve rested enough.”

After a brief break, Miho and I resumed our dash. Though it was a relentless pace impossible for ordinary humans, I could sustain it thanks to my immense internal power, and Miho, being a Great Demon, had stamina far surpassing that of a human.

After running through the night for another day or two, I soon realized I had arrived at a land afflicted by extreme cold. The snow-covered plains stretched as far as the eye could see, and the chill felt unlike anything faced before. I glanced toward Miho, who assured me she was fine.

“I’m not bothered by the cold if I summon foxfire.”

With that, two or three blobs of foxfire appeared around her, seemingly helping her ward off the chill. I could manage with only my internal power for warmth, but since I didn’t want to waste it, I pulled out a thick fur coat from my cloak to wear.

Whooosh

This was no joke; it was unbelievably cold. My breath turned frosty in the air, and if I were to urinate, it would likely freeze instantly. It was hard to believe humans could survive in this kind of cold. We trudged across the endless snowfields for a while until an unusual temple came into view.

Ku Kung…

“Wait…”

I was astonished.

In this hellish cold, it was a colossal temple, possibly the size of a hundred buildings, rising significantly. And it wasn’t just a shoddy structure; it appeared to be built with proper architectural skills, not in the style of the Central Plains. The lack of any sign of life only added to the oddness of it.

Whooosh

Whooosh—

The biting wind howled furiously. There was little option but to push through the enormous front doors of the Great Temple, which stood ajar.

Thud

As the massive doors closed behind us, we marveled at the unfamiliar architectural style of the interior. While exploring a bit, we spotted what seemed to be the temple’s altar, and beside it stood a singular figure.

As we approached the figure, it spoke.

[Ah, a foreigner from a distant land. Are you heading west…?]

It was the same kind of heart-speak as Miho’s. As such, there was no need for translation; the message felt as if it was delivered straight to my mind. Its demeanor was shrouded in darkness, rendering its appearance invisible.

‘Seems like a wizardly presence.’

I glanced at Miho and answered,

“Yes, we are. Are you the prophet?”

[Indeed. What brings you to this Great Temple…?]

“I’m So Woong, and this is Miho. We are on our way to the capital of the Arasa Empire. We thought you might know the way.”

Swoosh…

After a moment, the prophet revealed himself from the shadows.

At that moment, I felt like I had been struck by lightning.

“……!!”

An Otherworldly Race!

He differed from any other worldly figure I had met thus far, but he was undeniably an abominable-looking creature, neither human nor demon. Tentacles sprouted from his body seemingly serving a facial function, and multiple pincers extended outwards. A hissing sound echoed as if this grotesque entity was conducting strange metabolic processes.

 

---