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680——————==

Dark Heaven Village

As I raised my opponent’s spirits, he made a strange expression.

“Baek Woong, do you know about Demiurge?”

“Huh? That… fake god, right?”

“How do you know that my goal is the Revelation of the End and reaching Aion?”

“……”

“Yeah, maybe the Zhuge Clan told you, but… could they have investigated me that thoroughly…? Hehe.”

Suddenly, the figure of my opponent seemed to wobble. It was likely a phenomenon of space distorting due to an overwhelming magical power. I realized that his reaction was clearly hostile, and I recognized that I had misspoken.

‘Ugh, damn…!! I thought those words I heard back then were just self-praise…’

In the past, I had attempted to eradicate the Demon King, Fengshen. During that time, he confidently declared that he was destined to be King God Demiurge and was targeting Aion. I thought it was just his own kind of boasting, but it was actually him spilling out his true intentions!

‘Did he see us as strong opponents and were genuinely sincere?’

Was that information really that important?!

As I was taken aback by the unexpected blunder, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens released her aura behind me.

Wooooo

[If you want to fight, I will oblige.]

“Hmm… that’s not it. Calm down.”

Facing the pressure from the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, the Demon King Fengshen seemed to take a step back. He continued with a mysterious smile.

“Fighting against a powerful deity like you would be of no benefit to me… Winning would be tough, and I can’t waste my energy on such trivial matters.”

[So?]

“How about we have a little chat?”

It appeared that the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s might was indeed stronger than the Demon King’s. Since he believed his chances of winning were low, he was intentionally backing down to negotiate. It was a typical behavior of demon sorcerers, weak toward the strong and strong toward the weak, and I could confirm that I had a slight advantage at the moment.

‘But I can’t underestimate that guy…’

Fortunately, I had managed to make the Heavenly Mysterious Woman my ally, but I had already faced the brink of death twice since returning to reality. Whether it was Cheon Gong-pyo or Demon King Fengshen, they were absolute beings of overwhelming strength, far beyond my original powers, and I had to be cautious. No matter how much of an ally the Heavenly Mysterious Woman was, I couldn’t rely on her help indefinitely.

I steadily articulated my matter.

“I believe one of my allies, Jin So-cheong, is here. His soul seems unstable; do you happen to have him?”

“You came for that reason, huh?”

Really?

As I focused on the nuance, the Demon King teleported to his throne and spoke.

“The Zhuge Clan made a contract with me to protect him. And Jin So-cheong is currently staying in the otherworld I created.”

“You made a contract with the Zhuge Clan? What kind of contract is that?”

“It’s a contract to protect him from enemies who are targeting Jin So-cheong. The reason his soul seems unstable is that I have hidden all probing abilities with my magic.”

So that was it.

But considering that someone managed to find him despite the Demon King’s magic hiding him, it was clear that the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s Corpse Dissolution Technique was superior. The flickering I felt was probably due to the interference of magic.

I said to the Demon King,

“As merciful as you may be, I know you won’t do anything for free. What did the Zhuge Clan offer you?”

“I have no reason to tell you about the conditions of that contract…”

“The Zhuge Clan is already dead. I presume they did everything they could to take care of their remaining companions. Therefore, from now on, I have to be responsible for my ally’s wellbeing.”

“Hehe. You consider the Zhuge Clan as allies…”

The Demon King, who seemed to find something amusing, said,

“It seems there are quite a few things you and I need to discuss. First, let’s clarify one thing.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I can give you the information you seek. But what are you going to give me in return?”

“……”

The question “What do you want?” couldn’t easily escape my lips. Because even if I wanted to offer something, I was currently in a situation where almost all treasures, including the National Seal, had disappeared, and I had already offered Xuyou to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman. I only had the Seven Luminaries and the Fire Dragon Sword left. Offering the Fire Dragon Sword or the Ruyi Staff to the Demon King was truly a hard choice to make.

As I hesitated, the Demon King spoke.

“Since it’s a contract, if you want, I can return Jin So-cheong to you. But if you don’t give me something in return, I can’t provide any more information.”

“Are you asking for an offering?”

“Hehe. I can guarantee that I have information that would surprise you.”

What should I do?

It seemed that the Zhuge Clan had set conditions about returning Jin So-cheong if I or my allies came looking for him, so retrieving Jin So-cheong seemed feasible. However, the Demon King before me looked like he possessed critical information that could shake the current situation. To understand what the Zhuge Clan requested, I needed to find out what they did and what they wanted before Zhuge Sa or Mangnyang died.

But to offer something truly satisfying to the Demon King, I found myself at a loss. The Ruyi Staff or the Fire Dragon Sword were my trump cards, so I couldn’t hand them over carelessly. If I had strategists, they might have come up with a plan, but nothing came to mind. Reluctantly, I opened my mouth.

“…Please just return Jin So-cheong. If you have placed any curse or brainwashing or other spells or restrictions on him, please remove all of them.”

“I already promised the Zhuge Clan that. Jin So-cheong is in a stable condition, so don’t worry.”

He added,

“However, since he’s been in the otherworld for so long, he might be in a state of stupor for a while.”

“What do you mean?”

“Due to prolonged exposure to dense magical power, he will experience significant shock upon coming into contact with the world’s atmosphere.”

Woooo!

At that moment, Jin So-cheong’s body fell from the void, and I quickly unleashed my Qi to catch him. Jin So-cheong’s complexion was somewhat pale, and I could definitively feel the Qi within him boiling to sustain his vitality. I gritted my teeth and glared at the Demon King.

“Is Jin So-cheong okay? When will he wake up?”

“I don’t know either. Judging by his skills, he should wake up within 100 days. I can swear by my name that his life is not in danger.”

That’s a relief. I hastily infused my Qi into Jin So-cheong to strengthen his vitality and then put him into the Wooden Armor.

“Then, I’ll take my leave…”

I sighed in relief and was about to turn around when the Demon King called me from behind.

“Wait a moment.”

“What is it? Even if I want to make an offering, I have nothing.”

“You don’t have to offer anything. How about we talk a bit before you leave?”

Suddenly, I was taken aback by his desire to converse. He had acted like he wouldn’t even talk to me unless I offered something, so why the sudden change of stance? It could be a ploy to extract information I hold or try to ensnare me in a trap, so I firmly refused.

“I’m sorry. I need to gather my allies as soon as possible.”

“It must be because of the Master of Absolute Teachings, right?”

For a moment, my expression nearly froze.

How does that guy know about that?

I hurried to control my expression, but the Demon King Fengshen seemed to catch onto my agitation and chuckled softly.

“I have my eyes and ears spread all over this world. And a spy in Golden Crow Island reported unexpectedly that the Master of Absolute Teachings has returned. How coincidental that it overlaps with your appearance; you must have a relationship with him.”

“…What is it you want?”

“As I said, I want to talk to you.”

A momentarily bloody aura flickered in his eyes.

“You are certainly the central axis of this flow… if you speak and it pleases me, I could bestow you with a magical treasure or lower the conditions of our contract.”

“……”

“It’s also worth considering giving you information.”

He seemed to take a great interest in me. I glanced at the Heavenly Mysterious Woman behind me, and she transmitted her will to me.

[Accept it.]

[Is it alright?]

[I will stop his forbidden law. It’s not often you get a chance to learn from such a high-level existence.]

[Understood.]

With the Heavenly Mysterious Woman guaranteeing my safety, it was a challenge worth taking. I comprehended and nodded, saying,

“Demon King, I will accept your proposal. But how should I address you?”

“Call me as you please…”

Whoosh

In an instant, a grand banquet table filled with lavish food and gold and silver treasures appeared. Undoubtedly, it was done through magic, and the Demon King was gazing at me from across the table.

“How much do you know about Demiurge?”

“Umm…”

Having learned magic and scholarship from the Zhuge Clan, I answered as I knew.

“He is the fake god who created this world, but I understand that he is not a ‘real’ god. He merely created a mimicked world, so ultimately, he is an obstacle to achieving a complete world…”

“You’re quite knowledgeable for an Easterner. You must have learned a lot from the Zhuge Clan.”

Demon King Simon Magus tilted his crimson goblet and took a sip as he spoke.

“That’s right. I am destined to become Demiurge.”

“…Wasn’t that merely a philosophical idea of landlord doctrines?”

A cruel smile played on his lips.

“Who is the master of landlord doctrines? It is none other than me. I have devoured demon sorcery and strengthened my power with magic since before the protector of the West appeared. I am the heir who has inherited the secret traditions left by the great demon sorcerers of the old continent better than anyone else; I am in pursuit of the truth of the world.”

His tone carried a strange pride, like that of a scholar. After all, those who were demon sorcerers had been extraordinary geniuses and scholars right before they were driven to madness by the evils and madness of the hidden world.

While considering the words of Demon King Simon Magus, I realized something was off.

“Are you saying that Demiurge actually exists?”

“That’s correct.”

“That is another name for the Old Ruler.”

“Hahaha…”

The Demon King laughed merrily and replied,

“Not at all. Demiurge is neither the Old Ruler nor an Outer God.”

“Huh? Then what is it?”

I had known that the highest divine existence was the Old Ruler, and that there were beings even higher than them called Outer Gods, but was there another category?

Seeing my confusion, Demon King Simon Magus elaborated,

“As I said, that is a ‘fake god.’ However… everyone wants to become Demiurge. The higher the status, the more they desire it.”

“Why do they want to become it?”

His voice took on a somewhat excited tone.

“To reach Aion and transcend the phenomenal realm. To compare it with the Sephiroth, it is akin to reaching the 4th realm of Assilute. If I can reach ‘there’, everything in this world becomes worthless. The Tree of Sephiroth, even Ain Soph would become trivial in the face of that glory…”

“……?”

“Moreover, the minimum condition to become Demiurge is the Revelation of the End. That is why I am amassing power until the time of the end.”

Bloodlight flowed from his eyes, crawling eerily.

“I will be the final victor…”

“……”

I had no idea what he was talking about. The Heavenly Mysterious Woman also seemed to respond without comprehending.

Could it be that he wanted to tease me with a game of intellectual superiority, knowing I wouldn’t understand?

I sighed and replied,

“I’m not well-versed in demon theory. I can’t even claim to be one full-fledged demon sorcerer yet. What I want right now is to find and rescue my allies.”

“Do you admit to your own ignorance?”

“Who among the Easterners can engage in discussions about demon sorcery and landlord doctrines honed over thousands of years?”

“Then I will also get to the point. If you tell me what you seek and what happened with the Master of Absolute Teachings, I will bestow upon you a blessing.”

“A blessing, you say?”

The Demon King nodded.

“If you need power, I will grant it. After all, you already have a causal link because of my blessing, so it’s not difficult.”

Indeed, the blessing of the Master of Absolute Teachings had been continuously passed down during my past lives. In a way, the Demon King before me could also be considered a high-level existence related to me. I thought deeply for a moment and asked,

“I would like to know, but did the Zhuge Clan perhaps sacrifice their souls to you, completely becoming your subordinates?”

“No. That fellow still has his soul pledged to me but has gone elsewhere on deferment.”

“Where did he go?”

“I cannot say any more. It seems it’s time for you to choose whether to engage in a transaction.”

“……”

Should I accept this deal?

If I were to reveal everything about my current objectives and what transpired in Dark Heaven Village, the Demon King would undoubtedly read the current situation and would want to use me as a pawn to interfere in the phenomenal realm. No, it wasn’t just likely; I had confirmed in my previous life that gaining a causal link was precisely what the Demon King desired in order to meddle in the world.

But receiving a blessing from him would be a significant help, especially given how insufficient my power was at the moment. While there was a chance it could be another trap, the allure was strong enough for me to want to take the risk.

I pondered for a long while and then shook my head.

“…Please give me a little more time to think. I still have a few allies to find.”

“Very well. Then after you find them, come back to me.”

His eyes curved like a crescent moon. That smile was chilling to the core.

“I’ll be waiting…”

Boom

I exited the shrine of Juuban and headed towards Liaoning Province, guided by the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.

‘I need to find Seo Mun-hye.’

While the matters of Tang San and Extreme Tiger were important, Seo Mun-hye seemed particularly weaker in martial arts, so I wanted to find and protect her as soon as possible. As I approached the northwestern area of Liaoning Province, a barren plain dominated by swirling dusty winds appeared, dotted with nomadic villages.

‘Is this area at the boundary between the Central Plains and the northern tribes?’

I wandered around, searching for Seo Mun-hye’s presence. She should be nearby, so I should be able to find her easily simply by extending my Qi sense. Sure enough, after searching for about half an incense stick of time, I could feel Seo Mun-hye’s aura.

“Seo Mun-hye!!”

“…Baek Woong…!!”

Seo Mun-hye stared at me with wide eyes in surprise. She was sitting in front of what looked like ruins, but more than ruins, it resembled a desolate wreckage. She had set up a nomadic tent and, it seemed, had been camping out here for quite some time, looking quite worn out. After a moment, she blinked back tears and said,

“You’re alive… you really came back from Dark Heaven Village!!”

“What happened? Why are you here… and what has happened in these five years?”

As I questioned her, she wiped her tears and glanced at the ruins behind her. The remnants looked like they had been ruined for hundreds of years, making it hard to find any traces, but there was an undeniable sense of vastness to it.

“I came to Liaoning Province with my father during the raid. While searching for the Grave of the God, my father fought and perished against Miyamoto Musashi… and I was here hoping to find this ruin as a last hope.”

“……?!”

Are you saying Miyamoto Musashi killed the Sword Demon?

I couldn’t grasp the situation and asked Seo Mun-hye,

“What happened…?”

“…It was horrific.”

She lowered her head, her dark eyes filled with sorrow, and continued,

“That day, everything collapsed…”

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