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“What in the world has happened to Mangnyang all this time?”

Curiosity overwhelmed me, so I asked, “Mangnyang, what’s been going on?” But then I shook my head. That wasn’t it. I reached for the obsidian hidden inside my wooden armor. It seemed only right to share my experiences through the obsidian first. But as soon as I took it out, Mangnyang waved his hand dismissively.

[I am not summoned here in substance, so your magic with the obsidian is useless. Memories won’t transfer.]

“Ah…”

[Just tell me.]

“Alright. So I…” I started recounting everything that had happened since I arrived at Dark Heaven Village. How I unexpectedly dove into God’s disguise, released Cheon Gong-pyo from the seal, fought Asura in Dark Heaven Village, met Empress Wu Zetian, and offered to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens to defeat the Eight Parts of the Divine, and so on.

Mangnyang listened calmly for nearly half a moment, nodding along.

[I see. Then it’s likely the Eight Parts of the Divine attacked the realm after Asura was killed by Cheon Gong-pyo.]

“I think so too.”

[… Now it all fits together.]

Mangnyang muttered something before continuing.

[Baek Woong, do you know why I went to the Underworld? Even risking a shortage of power during that crucial battle in the Divine City?]

“Honestly, I have no idea.”

And I really didn’t. I knew Mangnyang was plotting something with the Zhuge Clan when we shared meals back in the southern continent, but they never shared details with me. So why exactly did Mangnyang visit the Underworld?

Raising three fingers, he said, [There were three purposes.]

“Three?”

[Yes. One was to search for your last achievement—finding Yu Ji. Once that is accomplished, it could increase the chances of Xiang Yu becoming your ally.]

“But that alone doesn’t justify risking a challenge in the Underworld…”

I trailed off. Sure, finding Yu Ji would help immensely, but the Underworld was shady and fraught with danger, especially with two Ascension Techniques blocking the way. Getting all of us together might barely scrape by, but risking lives for that seemed a bit much.

[Of course, that alone wouldn’t suffice to recklessly decide to challenge the Underworld. The second reason was to find out the current situation there and confirm the presence of the King of Hell.]

“Is that important?”

I tilted my head in confusion.

As Abe no Seimei said, if the position of the King of Hell was vacant, and if the Book of Life and Death was recklessly managed by the Northern Dipper Star Lords, that was indeed fishy. But it didn’t seem worth risking life and limb to explore the Underworld.

Mangnyang explained, [It was indeed crucial. We need to verify the reincarnation system in this world to uncover the truth about the Three Sovereigns and the impending apocalypse. In some ways, this information had to be figured out before you gained overwhelming power.]

“…?”

[Baek Woong, when a person dies, they go to the Underworld. But what happens when they reach the Underworld?]

“Um…”

After thinking a bit, I replied, “I believe it’s said that for 49 days, a human soul is tried by the King of Hell, who determines its fate afterward. The options usually are to reincarnate into the mortal realm with their memory erased or suffer punishment in the Underworld. Alternatively, they might become a resident of the Celestial Realm or another world.”

[Correct. I taught you that when I was instructing you in Taoist magic. Furthermore, that knowledge is the natural system that about 99% of Taoist practitioners in this world believe to be true.]

Mangnyang paused for a moment before continuing, [But as I gleaned from your reincarnated knowledge and listened to Abe no Seimei, it might not be the case.]

“What do you mean it might not be?”

[The realms that a human mage can explore typically extend only to Purgatory at the entrance of Hell, and very few sorcerers have ventured deep inside Hell. Thus, it’s hardly well-documented…]

He hesitated for a moment before saying, [What if humans don’t reincarnate?]

“…?!”

[What if the Celestial Realm has been deceiving humans all along?]

What on earth does this mean? I was bewildered.

“What are you saying?”

[As it stands, in around 500 years during the time of the apocalypse, all souls on the mortal realm as well as those in the Underworld will fall into the clutches of the Old Ruler and become food. But what if that assumption were wrong?]

“…”

[What if humans don’t receive judgment in the Underworld after death?]

At long last, I comprehended Mangnyang’s words. “No way…”

Mangnyang sighed heavily. [I confirmed firsthand that, according to Abe no Seimei, not only the King of Hell but all the Kings of Hell have long since perished. Moreover, the wardens and guards who were to judge the souls are drifting aimlessly in a void of nothingness. This place resembles a barren desert.]

“Mmm!”

[Hell exists, but no judges remain. With no judges, the wardens and guards have nothing to do. This means the Underworld has lost its role.]

“…Then what happens to the souls of the deceased?”

I wanted to know more, so I pressed on:

[I came here to uncover the whereabouts of those souls.]

Mangnyang explained further. [While traveling through the Underworld in search of soul whereabouts, I entered the chamber of the Mirror of Clarity and discovered everything.]

“What happened?”

[All souls are drawn into an unknown dimensional hallway after passing through the Underworld. Like water through a drain, not even a handful of souls escapes; they sink into the void of chaos.]

“That void…?”

[To put it plainly, it’s the belly of the Old Ruler. Whose it is, remains unknown.]

“…”

Not just me, but Seo Mun-hye beside me turned pale as a ghost. The common human belief was that at least those judged after death would be reincarnated based on their moral standing. While some religions proclaim that deities take you to the Peaceful Millennium Kingdom, there is usually some judgment process involved.

But the reality is – there’s nothing at all. You die and instantly drop straight into the belly of the Old Ruler?!

Living Hell!

That solitary phrase echoed in my mind. At that moment, I remembered what Zhuge Sa had once said.

[I have no desire for the Underworld or salvation. The fear of death comes from not knowing what happens afterward. But I know too much, and I detest the artificial rescue provided by the Celestial Realm. It’s merely self-satisfaction.]

[Myself, my brother, sister-in-law… the entire Zhuge Clan… how much we’ve been tricked by the hypocrisy of the Celestial Realm.]

I also recalled my past conversation with Mangnyang.

[Fang Xuanling was a person from a thousand years ago, and Dian Wei was almost fifteen hundred years ago. Following the principle of reincarnation in Buddhism, shouldn’t they have formerly gone to the afterlife and reincarnated?]

[Uh… it’s complicated, but I’ll just tell you this: Your assumptions are wrong.]

[The afterlife and the Underworld are not the same. They are distinctly different concepts.]

[It means every human in this world cannot escape the grasp of God after death…]

The artificial salvation offered by the Celestial Realm. No escape from God after death.

I mulled over Mangnyang’s words before saying, “You and… the Zhuge Sect. And perhaps Zhuge Yulong. You have roughly deduced this truth long before, haven’t you?”

[That’s right. Zhuge Yulong had a natural grasp of the world’s undercurrents, and my uncle understood this through the practice of the Demon Path. I stumbled upon it while engaging in studies with my master.]

“But up until now, throughout my past lives, you’ve never explained any of this to me. Why share it now?”

[Speculative assumptions without verification remain merely hypotheses. Boldly approaching the Underworld with unsubstantiated preconceptions could leave even you facing dreadful consequences. Given that you are a reincarnation, I refrained from making baseless assumptions. If we were wrong, your past life could be jeopardized.]

“Hmm.” I nodded, finding validity in his words.

While I was thinking, Mangnyang continued, [And now, I verify the truth. The afterlife of this world is truly a Living Hell, and the Underworld has long lost its original functionality.]

“But if it’s a Living Hell, then what about the new humans being born in this world?”

Confusion washed over me.

“Humans are still being born somewhere in the Central Plains. If the souls of humans are actually being consumed in the belly of the Old Ruler, shouldn’t the quantities of souls be decreasing?”

[That’s because of the Three Sovereigns.]

“Three Sovereigns?”

[The Three Sovereigns currently have a truce agreement with the Old Rulers while simultaneously bestowing powerful blessings upon the Eastern World. The immense blessings created by the eight rulers lead to the [Re-creation of Souls]. They are also replenishing the missing souls across the entire planet.]

“…So, the Three Sovereigns are creating new souls to replace those that die?”

[Exactly. Moreover, Baek (魄) is always regenerated by nature, and once the newly created hun attaches to a Baek, a new soul settles into a human womb.]

“……”

I stood agape before speaking in a trembling voice, “Th-That means… the Three Sovereigns have been supplying humans as food to the Old Ruler for thousands of years as a trade-off for stopping the war?”

[…Correct. That is the truth of the world.]

Mangnyang closed his eyes.

[The higher immortals have roughly guessed this but turned a blind eye, focusing solely on maintaining the Middle Kingdom… it’s a desperate reality.]

“Aaaargh!!” I pulled my hair in anguish, shouting.

It was all too bleak! ‘No wonder the Three Sovereigns treat humans like bugs!!’

This isn’t merely a power imbalance. The Three Sovereigns and the [Old Ruler] have been treating humans like livestock for thousands of years!

Then what does that make all the moral standards and values, the concepts of good and evil while alive? If being kind amounts to nothing but being a meal for the Evil God when you die, why bother being good at all?

The notion that this world teeters on the scales of evil is not an exaggeration—it’s the stark, cold truth!

How insignificant and repulsive must humans appear in the eyes of the Three Sovereigns? To throw us like bird feed into the mouth of the Old Ruler, what kind of emotions do they feel watching us worship them like this?

Were we just a source of entertainment, devoured by human sacrifices only when they felt bored?

At the same time, I trembled before the overwhelming power the Three Sovereigns wielded over human life and death, the afterlife, and the laws of the universe. Such beings wouldn’t need human faith, since to them, we are just playthings.

It even seemed reasonable that the Celestial Realm would hide this truth and spread false information suggesting we would be judged in the Underworld. If everyone learned this, they’d surely descend into madness, worshiping the Evil God with their vile selves. To maintain civilization, such a desperate truth must be ignored.

Mangnyang said bitterly, [Though saying this feels wrong, the choice made by Empress Wu Zetian isn’t that bad. At least she leveraged the power of the Eight Parts of the Divine to rescue the souls of humans born in her era from becoming mere food…]

“Damn it… But…”

I wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come.

Then Seo Mun-hye, who had been listening, chimed in, “Lord Baek Woong will save us going forward. We know the truth now, but what about the final third reason?”

[The last reason was to obtain the Mirror of Clarity.]

“Mirror of Clarity…?”

Swish!

Next to Mangnyang, a mirror as tall as a person appeared. The mirror, like what Seo Mun-hye had thrown into the lake earlier, was pitch black and didn’t reflect light. Mangnyang caressed the mirror and said, [The Mirror of Clarity is the last relic left by the ruler who governed the Kings of Hell, the Wheel King. While it’s widely believed the King of Hell is the King of Hell, that’s distorted information; the Wheel King originally ruled the Underworld. He is a divine being, yet his true identity remains unknown to the world.]

“The Wheel King…”

[I… have been thinking deeply.]

Mangnyang continued slowly, [I felt a sense of self-loathing for being unable to help our allies with martial arts or magic, and I constantly pondered whether there were things I could do. During this time, I realized that my role was to see the bigger picture and guide your path, leading me to seek advice from my master.]

“From Master Mangnyang!”

[My master instructed me to go to the Underworld and retrieve the last treasure of the Wheel King, the Mirror of Clarity. This ancient relic was crafted in times when humans had not yet lost their power and the Underworld was properly functioning.]

“What is the power of that mirror?”

Mangnyang replied, [Allow me to show you the capabilities of this mirror.]

Shining brightly!

In the next moment, light erupted from the silver-tinted lake, and I suddenly felt memories flood into me. Information I didn’t know from Seo Mun-hye’s perspective, the vivid emotions felt by my companions during our battle, and even deep consciousness were transmitted!

Instantly, I gained the sensation of viewing everything from an omniscient perspective, effectively bridging a five-year gap. I was left astonished.

“This…?”

[The Mirror of Clarity can converse with any existence in this world, peering into its innermost thoughts and observing anything. The Kings of Hell would borrow this mirror from the Wheel King to judge criminals. Since I became the master of this mirror, I’ve been able to absorb information and retransmit it.]

“……!!”

Could it be that this is akin to the ‘Mirror That Reflects Sin’, the Karma Mirror spoken of in Underworld myths?

If so, Mangnyang has literally become the owner of a mythical treasure!

And as I received the memories, I quickly recognized Mangnyang’s current situation and exclaimed, “Mangnyang. I’ll come to rescue you right away.”

Mangnyang was in no condition to be fine right now.

He had somehow infiltrated the Underworld, currently holed up in the chamber of the Mirror of Clarity while keeping the door shut, besieged by enemies gathering at the door. They could break in at any moment, and his death would be a horrific one at the hands of the Hell Beasts and Asuras.

But Mangnyang smiled faintly, saying, [There’s no need. Thanks to your timely return, I have at least a year of leeway. Until then, I’ll support you from the rear using the Mirror of Clarity. I’ll temporarily store your memories and provide you with strength when needed.]

“……”

[As you’ve received memories, you should know, but my uncle is also under temporary shelter in the Underworld. Right now, he’s in a comatose state following an injury, but he’s not dead. Once he awakens, he’ll inform you.]

That’s right.

Zhuge Sa was also in the room of the Mirror of Clarity. He must have exhausted nearly all his powers, reaching a comatose state the moment he arrived; he was barely hanging on to life. That said, Zhuge Sa must have deemed it safer to head to the room of the Mirror of Clarity than remain in the mortal realm.

“I will definitely come to rescue you.”

While it might seem safe for now, I had to hurry to save both advisors. If I don’t, the door will break and they would both end up dead, with Zhuge Sa’s soul being devoured by the Demon King, suffering through Living Hell.

Mangnyang spoke, [Considering your current predicament, the first thing you should do is clear as day.]

“What’s that?”

With his next words, I instinctively felt a challenging journey lay ahead of me.

[Head to the moon. There, the priest Cheon Woo-jin will be, and with his powers, you can tackle the task of Cheon Gong-pyo.]

 

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