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“This place is definitely strange.”

If the souls of the otherworldly race here are indeed human, then they were likely the people of Wu Zetian during the Tang Dynasty! For instance, the snake-man who just blocked my path spoke in a tone mixed with an ancient dialect from that era, rather than a mere brogue of the otherworldly race.

Memories of Yeodong-bin’s past flashed in my mind.

During his encounter with the Empress Wu Zetian, he had once remarked:

[ Sang Gwanwna showed me what happens after death. The path of those capable souls wandering in the realm is one leading to the Divine Temple… and ultimately, it turns into the eternal suffering of the [Old Ruler]. ]

She had cherished the Tang Empire as her own child, believing her descendants would carry on her rule. For this reason, she had worked tirelessly to eliminate corrupt officials and maintain balance among the noble clans.

[ However… if everything turns to hell after death, what’s the point of it all? If despair is the only fate, then what’s the purpose of ruling the world or being emperor? ]

Her wish was to become a god, to save the souls of her subjects from the impending doom. Thus, she collaborated with Sang Gwanwna to orchestrate large-scale human sacrifices and summon the otherworldly race, ultimately succeeding in the Offering Ceremony and achieving godhood in Dark Heaven Village.

I had seen the Offering Ceremony’s success from Yeodong-bin’s memories, but I didn’t know the details that followed. Although I vaguely recognized her as a god, what that truly meant was lost on me.

But wait.

Did she genuinely save the people of the Tang Empire without any selfish desire?

About to reincarnate their souls into Dark Heaven Village?

My confusion deepened as I had thought Wu Zetian was a figure driven by her interests and ambition. Who would have imagined she would stake her wishes in Dark Heaven Village! So, to prevent the otherworldly race from being slaughtered before my eyes, I needed to stop her.

신공표 displayed unrestrained annoyance.

[ Hmph, why shouldn’t I kill these freaks? ]

[ I told you, they are Tang people… ]

[ You are judging them as humans? You’ve really lost it. ]

He scoffed and suddenly widened his eyes.

Whoosh!

A massive wind swept through, and just like that, time froze, transforming everything into a black-and-white world. Realizing this unexpected move of 신공표’s technique, I was internally shocked.

Time Stop!

And he did it without any incantations or movements!? Is it true that those who reach the pinnacle of technique can manipulate time freely? If this being was not even a deity but merely a traverser, how incredibly strong was the [Old Ruler]?

Stepping closer, 신공표 petted the snake-man’s chin and declared,

[ Look, this creature is covered in scales, and its flesh flows with blue blood. And… ]

Snap!

Without a moment’s hesitation, he jabbed his arm into the snake-man’s chest as if piercing through tofu.

As he rummaged through the internals, he pulled out something that looked like a crimson jade. Staring at the red gem, he stated,

[ This is a proof that this one is a being of magic, completely different from ordinary monsters. You really think they are humans? They are mere creatures tainted by chaos. ]

Quickly, I retorted,

[ I told you!! They hold human souls. If their souls are human, can’t we consider their bodies human too!? ]

Even as I retreated into my inner world, I knew I could unleash my Fire Eye Golden Spirit and perceive the essence of the beings around me. The snake-men were distinctly of the otherworldly form, but the souls trapped within were undoubtedly human. I figured I could definitely draw out their souls using the Soul Exchange Technique.

But 신공표 simply chuckled.

[ That’s hilarious… You think a soul being human is proof? Do you really believe that? ]

[ Why? Is that wrong? Talk to them, and you’ll recognize they are human… ]

Whoosh!

At that moment, something white floated from 신공표’s hand. Holding this white substance up, she remarked,

[ Isn’t this also a soul? ]

[ Ah… ]

I was taken aback. Examining the white mass created by 신공표 with my Fire Eye Golden Spirit, I realized it was also a soul! It differed not one bit from a human soul, leaving me unable to dismiss it as fake. She casually flicked the soul towards a nearby bug.

As the soul merged with the bug, 신공표 picked up the six-legged bug with a body split into head, thorax, and abdomen and grinned.

[ If what you say is true, then this too would be a human. ]

[ …… ]

Unbelievable.

Pft!

As I struggled to find words, 신공표 crushed the bug underfoot, extracting the soul and bursting it into pieces. In silence, she remarked,

[ Creating an artificial soul is a high-level technique, but for me, it’s no big deal. And the essence of a soul is merely a part of the world’s binding; judging humans based on that alone? You’ve clearly never realized how simple it is to implant false memories into an artificial soul. ]

[ … Ugh! Even if you play with techniques, it doesn’t negate the essence of humanity! Those beings understand human life and consider themselves human, so they must be! ]

I shouted, and 신공표 retorted,

[ To cry out about humanism over something already debated thousands of years ago is disgusting. ]

[ What did you just say? ]

[ My master, Taishang Laojun, along with the Primordial Heaven Master, are direct disciples of the Three Sovereigns, Fuxi. They were the first to inherit magic as divine disciples. You think that they wouldn’t have shared the same thoughts as you? ]

[ What… ]

[ They approached their studies with the perspective that souls are confined within bodies. They determined that eternal existence within a false world was trapped within. They believed that the soul itself is the essence of the world. Do you know what experiments they conducted? ]

Shocked, I counted on the following words.

[ They created artificial souls to expand the world’s binding. They aimed to replace the souls that [Old Ruler] absorbs through human sacrifices with artificial ones, allowing the true souls to live freely and prolonging the end of times. They gathered their values to create a device capable of generating unlimited souls. ]

[ ……!! ]

[ Furthermore, they believed that if the number of souls increased, the chances of igniting the talent of chaos in newborn humans would also rise. ]

[ I… I never heard of that before. ]

[ Such secrets wouldn’t have been passed down. Only I, the direct disciple, know of that covert experiment. ]

[ And what happened? ]

[ A complete failure. Artificial souls couldn’t substitute genuine ones, nor be used as new offerings. Most importantly, the way souls were greatly influenced by their bodies and memories couldn’t prove the essence of souls led to numerous failures and tragedies. They eventually abandoned the experiment. Although there were rare cases like Nata being created, even that is a rarity. ]

[ Hmmm… ]

신공표 spat out,

[ Souls and bodies are complementary. While they may seem independent, they are organically connected, and those who deviate from that connection cannot be called human. This conclusion was already reached after thousands of experiments thousands of years ago; thus, the snake-men before us are merely the otherworldly race, not humans! ]

[ Just having a human’s soul doesn’t make one human? So you’re gonna slaughter them, huh? ]

[ You seem to understand well.]

Whoosh!

신공표 took his sabre sword out again during the time freeze. If all four treasures were unleashed, Wu Zetian’s palace might just collapse all at once. I clenched my teeth and continued to persuade him.

[ Damn it! Think again. There’s no good coming from creating a ruckus here. Isn’t our purpose to acquire the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram? We can still meet Wu Zetian, the master of this palace, after following them. ]

[ It’s possible, but I’m itching to wipe out these disgusting freaks before anything else. ]

[ You really think you can’t simply judge with just the soul? Where’s the sense in that? If you insist on this path, I have my own plans. ]

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

I began cautiously preparing my inner world while sensing that things were going downhill. Even amid the impending turmoil, I steeled my resolve.

‘ If things get too chaotic… I’ll have to drive her away!’

Although 신공표’s strength was crucial in exploring Dark Heaven Village, if she violated the principle, I would make sure to banish her, even at the cost of my life!

As my voice fell silent, 신공표 sensed something amiss. Then, as if defending herself, she resumed,

[ Listen. You think those beings can comprehend human life and coexist because they possess human souls? But I told you, body and soul are complementary! ]

[ What are you trying to say? ]

[ Do you know when Wu Zetian performed the Offering Ceremony? ]

[ It’s been a thousand years. ]

[ In that thousand years, how likely is it that these beings have maintained their human mentality after living with an otherworldly body? You know how fragile human mentality is, right? ]

[ ……!! ]

[ The ones before us are far more likely to just muddle through with human memories. Their otherworldly traits have likely devoured their personalities, making them new otherworldly beings. ]

The phrase “Zhuangzi’s Dream!” hit me!

‘ Is it the human dreaming of a butterfly or the butterfly dreaming of a human? Who’s to say?’

Having navigated memories through obsidian for so long, I could easily grasp that uncertainty and instability. After all, memories sometimes get mixed up and create confusion. Those memories profoundly affect personality and judgment. If a thousand years had passed, the influence would be tremendous. I felt a strong sense of persuasion in 신공표’s words and could only fall into silence.

신공표’s argument had merit.

If these were mere otherworldly creatures that simply understood human speech and culture, I had encountered plenty. Unlike the lowly ones, high-level otherworldly beings tend to be much more intelligent than humans.

However, I wasn’t keen on annihilating them just because I felt suspicious. So, with my last will, I desperately pleaded with 신공표.

[ Please, just listen to me once! This place is not just about Wu Zetian. It’s a realm protected by even stronger divine statuses! ]

[ I expected that. But surely [Old Ruler] wouldn’t be enraged by taking down a few bugs. I can negotiate with you all I want. ]

[ How do you even know that? ]

[ The comet’s grand elder must know about the [Old Ruler]’s tendencies. ]

신공표 replied as if this situation was familiar to her. As an ancient figure and a spirit beast, she seemed to know and have considerable experience with the [Old Ruler].

[ But still, please… ]

[ …… ]

A moment later, after a silence, 신공표 said irritably,

[ Damn it, my ugly friend! Getting involved in things that aren’t your business is infuriating. Fine, I will let it slide this time as you wish. ]

[ Really?! ]

[ I’ll meet with that Wu Zetian character before making a decision. ]

I managed to persuade 신공표!

Soon, after he restored the snake-man he had just heartlessly demolished, I watched as 신공표 took off towards the highest place of the palace. He seemed to know exactly where he needed to go in this vast, multi-story palace.

Whoosh!

I could tell that the speed at which he moved was due to some technique he employed. He didn’t use his Ruyi Staff or my divine techniques, yet he was still moving faster than either. I realized he clearly knew where Wu Zetian was located.

‘ Did he figure it out back when he used the Roar of the Sky? ’

Finally, 신공표 soared to the very top of the enormous palace, reaching the end of the hundreds of layers piled high like a tower. He pointed his sabre sword toward the grand throne before him.

[ Are you the master of this palace? ]

Groooowwwl…

Even now, 신공표’s Time Stop technique remained active; everything was still tinted in black and white, and the guards nearby stood frozen. However, the being seated on the throne was unaffected by the time freeze and was staring directly at 신공표.

Because of its low-level divine status, it seemed to be immune to the time stop effect without any need for spells. Moreover, the overwhelming magical power emanating from its bizarre body was evident enough, surpassing anything surpassing an Overlayer Technique and indicating just how formidable it was.

The figure on the throne towered over at least a head and was adorned with elongated limbs; its strange form resembled something carved from crystal and diamond. Its visage, unrecognizably lifelike, radiated an eerie presence that was distinctly feminine. Additionally, its eyes sparkled like starlight, ablaze with orange flame.

Dressed in the garb of an ancient ruler, the being replied to 신공표.

[ Ah, I’ve heard of the legendary Sabre Sword and the absolute master of offerings… The renowned Roar of the Sky has come to my kingdom. ]

[ You know me? ]

[ You seem to be borrowing the human body, yet you are most likely the Roar of the Sky bound by Taishang Laojun. While your intentions don’t seem noble… ]

As the figure reclined further into its throne, it continued,

[ Nevertheless, rest comfortably. I grant you permission. ]

Wu Zetian, the rebirth of the being ruling Dark Heaven Village, was the one standing before me.

 

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