784 ——————————–

Dark Heaven Village

When I held the Sun Sovereign in my hand, a flood of emotions washed over me.

‘I died 24 times just to get this…’

Honestly, I should have died more—maybe even 100 times—before overcoming the trials of the Seven Luminaries and achieving the Sun Sovereign. The trials were unrealistically tough, and gathering them was an unimaginable nightmare. The greatest motivation that got me through this was, without a doubt, Chi You.

Chi You possessed the fortune of a king.

Maybe that merged with my own luck and brought me this far. Although Chi You was swallowed by the Heavenly Secret and vanished, he helped me get past those tough times. Of course, I didn’t feel any gratitude toward him, but it was true that my life was a series of unexpected twists and turns.

“……”

I was relieved to find out that the Dragon Monarch was indeed the Sun Sovereign, but now what should I do?

Standing in the empty trial area, holding the Sun Sovereign, I gazed up at the vast sky. After waiting for a moment, the Sea of Chaos swirling around the central trial ground began to abruptly disappear.

Brrrrr!!

It took about a single incense stick’s time for the sea to fully vanish and the flat land to reappear. I calmly observed the situation until then.

‘The sea is completely gone. Should I call for them now?’

With the power of a king, I called upon my companions!

After confirming that the surroundings were safe, I tried to summon them. However, despite gathering my will and using it, my companions didn’t show up, and the surroundings were just engulfed in silence. Bewildered, I refocused my mind.

But they still didn’t appear.

“What’s going on…?”

Could it be that since the trial is over, the power of a king that only applies here has also vanished?

At that moment, I could think of nothing else. Standing still, I felt completely dumbfounded.

I got the Sun Sovereign, but am I just going to leave it lying around?

However, as Chi You said, going to the Divine Temple and acquiring the Sun Sovereign were separate matters, so I decided to rethink my strategy. Just to be sure, I carefully examined the Sun Sovereign.

‘…There are no characters.’

There were no engravings like “The First Character” or Oracle Bone Script. This made sense since it was the Dragon Monarch’s Heavenly Treasure, but unlike the other Six Luminaries, it seemed the Sun Sovereign couldn’t be toyed with by Chi You.

So, was this Sun Sovereign in a liberated state?

And what kind of powers does it possess?

I thought that the top priority was to get out of this space, so I held the Sun Sovereign high and shouted.

“Sun Sovereign! Please take me back to the earth!”

…….

No response. It seemed the Sun Sovereign didn’t have any divine abilities to move spaces. I couldn’t help but feel distressed by this turn of events. Was the supposed ultimate Sun Sovereign this underwhelming and plain?

That’s when it happened.

Brrrrr!!

The entire space shook, and it felt like an earthquake hit the plains below. Looking around, I noticed the ground had fissured to the point where cliffs were forming, so I hastily climbed up a gigantic tree in the center.

“Ah, no way?”

Before climbing up, a thought crossed my mind, and I examined the base of the tree.

I could see seven jewels set at regular intervals in the trunk, and they emitted a shimmering light. Each jewel had a different color.

I had investigated this before the trials began, but it only just clicked for me. Simultaneously, I started searching for the white jewel that seemed to symbolize the Moon Sovereign, and immediately found the red jewel representing the Fire Spirit right next to it. If the Seven Luminaries are cycling, the jewel next to the white one must symbolize the Sun Sovereign.

‘Is the yellow one the Sun Sovereign…?’

I brought the Sun Sovereign close to the yellow jewel.

Wiiing -?

Suddenly, the jewel began to glimmer brightly and, unlike before, emitted light all the way to the horizon. Seeing this made me feel like all the energy drained from my body, and I stumbled.

“……!!”

I’m in deep trouble!

That thought raced through my head.

‘The seven jewels embedded in the base of the tree correspond to the Seven Luminaries. Once the trials are over, I need to place each Luminary at the respective jewel to illuminate them!’

And surely something would happen once all seven jewels glow toward the horizon. But I had already offered the remaining six Luminaries to Master Mangnyang in exchange for the Blessing of the Sky.

In other words… I got the Sun Sovereign, but I now had no way to illuminate the other six jewels.

Without the Six Luminaries.

After passing the trials, I had now lost the means to transition to the final stage!

“Ughhh!!”

What kind of nonsense is this!

Even after finishing the trials, I still had to possess all the remaining Luminaries?!

Of course, I had no clue what would happen if I illuminated all seven jewels, but it was definitely better than just standing aimlessly in this virtual world with the Sun Sovereign. I couldn’t imagine that those jewels would just be for show; they undoubtedly held some significance! Thinking this, I felt like the obstacle in my path wasn’t a lack of strength, but a lack of keys, which was driving me mad.

Damn it!

What on earth should I do?

If I could call for my strategists, I’d consult with them right away, but right now, even that was impossible. It felt suffocating to be in this dilemma without an enemy in sight. However, I quickly regained my composure and decided to climb the tree with all my might.

Ta-da-dat

Once I reached the top of the tree, I witnessed the entire space collapsing due to quakes and fissures. The Sea of Chaos had faded away, but the ground crumbling beneath seemed like an endless abyss, and if I rolled off of it, there’d be no way to survive. The area around the tree didn’t seem to collapse quickly, but it was just a matter of time, so I frantically brainstormed survival methods.

‘Ugh… If I had to think of an idea, it’d be to offer the Sun Sovereign to the Divine Being, hoping to escape in return…’

But would that even make sense?

After going through all this hardship just to acquire the Sun Sovereign, would it be meaningful to hand it over without knowing its true ability and identity? I realized I couldn’t choose that option—it would be pointless. Of course, witnessing the aftermath of this chaos would help my experience points, but it’d just be a continuous stream of despair.

I pondered how I could escape this space. No matter how excellent my martial arts and physical strength, I wouldn’t survive if the world itself collapsed, so I thought desperately. Yet, it seemed I had no choice but to use the Sun Sovereign if I wanted to live.

I held the Sun Sovereign towards the sky and shouted.

“Oh Emperor! I offer the Sun Sovereign; please save the world!!”

Initially, I had planned to somehow reach the Divine Temple and offer the Sun Sovereign, but given the situation, I decided to push forward, even if it made me feel forced.

Whoooom!!

But the figure that appeared before me was unexpected. A hazy apparition revealed itself, wearing the ancient crown of the high priest, and I was taken aback—it was someone I had seen before. I gasped as I recognized who it was.

“Y-You’re Yan Emperor Shennong!!”

It had to be Yan Emperor Shennong!?

The image of him reviving and incinerating the world while striking down all the evil beings was vividly etched in my mind, so I couldn’t be mistaken. However, seeing him appear right before me caught me off guard.

As soon as Shennong appeared, he spoke.

[The balance of the world has already collapsed.]

The well-favored Shennong continued speaking slowly.

[Nüwa has been half-deprived of power by the Fox Deity and is holed up in her dimension; she won’t show herself for at least several thousand years. We have lost our grip on the world.]

The “we” he referred to needed no explanation.

The Three Sovereigns, who had kept the impending apocalypse at bay! This meant that the dominance they fought for had crumbled. This was naturally the case since both Jeon Wook and Fuxi, in addition to Nüwa, had been sealed.

“……”

Seeing that I had no response, Shennong raised a flaming hand toward me.

[There’s no need to give the Sun Sovereign to the Emperor. Hand it over to me.]

“O great Yan Emperor Shennong! I came here out of fear that humanity will perish with the coming apocalypse and revelation in five hundred years. If I give you the Sun Sovereign, can you eliminate or postpone that apocalypse?”

With a glimmer of hope, I asked Shennong. I thought perhaps Shennong, being one of the Three Sovereigns, would be powerful enough to grant my wish without needing to find the Emperor myself.

However, Shennong replied firmly.

[No. I cannot stop or postpone the apocalypse or revelation. It might have been possible if all Three Sovereigns were present, but without Fuxi, there’s nothing I can do.]

“……!!”

[However, if you give the Sun Sovereign to me, I can say ‘escape’ is possible.]

“Escape… what do you mean?”

Shennong crossed his arms and continued.

[I will gather humanity into my protectors and depart with the giant race to a new Star Realm. We originally had the power to transcend dimensions, so it won’t be difficult, and it is the best favor I can extend to you.]

“Star Realm…!!”

[Once we migrate, I promise not to abuse the humans but to take good care of them.]

“……”

Was that a choice?

I hesitated at the unexpected proposal. Up till now, I only thought of the choice of eliminating or postponing the apocalyptic fate—never considering moving humanity’s very foundation! I was confused yet realized how realistic this proposal was.

After all, solving all calamities on earth is impossible. Even the Three Sovereigns couldn’t wipe out all the [Old Rulers]. So perhaps it would be better for them to flee this planet while awaiting the apocalypse and revelation.

‘Besides, Shennong seems relatively favorable towards humanity….’

If he became the new sovereign of humanity and took care of us, that might just be the best outcome!

I became hugely tempted by Yan Emperor Shennong’s proposal.

Crackle!

[…&@#&%^]

[%&%%….]

At that moment, strange monsters or tentacle apparitions appeared beside me, trying to say something, but with a wave of his hand, Shennong made them all disappear.

“What was that just now?”

[The other rulers living on that star want the Sun Sovereign from you as well. They are calling out in this space to negotiate with you. If you have the Sun Sovereign, you can greatly amplify your power and gain a huge causative rate.]

“Hmm….”

[However, with the covenant of the Seven Luminaries in place, our Three Sovereigns have priority.]

Sure, it felt more reassuring teaming up with Shennong than trying to negotiate with unknown tentacle monsters or demons from the Outer Dimension. My mind was slowly leaning towards Shennong, but I didn’t jump to accept his offer just yet.

“Yan Emperor! Then please answer this one question.”

[Ask away.]

“What is the true power of this Sun Sovereign, and how do I use it? And do you know how to get to the Divine Temple?”

Shennong replied.

[I don’t know! I have no knowledge of the Sun Sovereign since it is kept as the greatest secret by the Emperor. And if I knew how to get to the Divine Temple, I would have gone there first to cut off his head.]

“……”

[Make your choice.]

When he says ‘choice,’ isn’t that ultimately saying to choose him?

I pondered deeply and then spoke.

“If I give you the Sun Sovereign, will you resurrect Chi You and wage war against the Emperor?”

[That’s not my intention.]

“Excuse me?”

[When the war ended, I realized. This isn’t just about personal revenge, it’s a conspiracy on a universal scale, and I was merely caught up in the Emperor’s scheme. It’s not that I cannot take revenge, but I’m just tired of this and want to leave this star.]

“The Emperor’s scheme…?”

[You want to know too much without even offering the Sun Sovereign. You have little time to spare.]

Brrrrr!!

Shennong was right. The destruction of this space was wrapping up as we spoke. The ground had become an abyss, and it seemed the only reason this tree was still standing was due to the jewel of the Sun Sovereign. If I didn’t resonate the jewels of the Seven Luminaries within a time limit, this space would surely collapse.

‘Escape… could that work out okay?’

I felt inclined to accept Shennong’s proposal. After coming this far and still waiting for the Emperor to show himself was pointless; maybe witnessing the conclusion of Shennong’s escape plan for humanity would be better. A moment later, I nodded and spoke to Shennong.

“Alright. I will offer you the Sun Sovereign….”

Whoooom

“Ugh…”

At that moment, dizziness struck me, and I stumbled.

I heard Shennong shouting in a furious voice.

[Are you trying to sneak away after coming this far…!!]

And just like that, Shennong’s figure vanished from my sight.

Everything spun, and I felt disoriented.

As my vision continued to blur and swirl in a melting haze, I realized I was standing somewhere.