READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 725
Chapter 725: Dark Heaven Village
As we arrived at Master Mangnyang’s village, Cheon Woo-jin spoke up.
“I’ll ask the Master first.”
With that, Cheon Woo-jin entered the village, but strangely enough, he took a long time to come back out. If he was only inquiring about the Master’s intentions, it shouldn’t have taken so long. It was around the time I started to feel something was off.
Suddenly, a thick fog seemed to billow out from the village at an alarming speed. Before I could even think about dodging, I was enveloped in it, feeling myself rapidly fading into sleep. I had thought I had escaped with the Soul Removal Technique, yet the fog reached me where I was hiding.
“Ugh…”
I looked around, but my companions were no longer visible, engulfed in the impenetrable fog. Unable to endure the magical pressure any longer, I succumbed to sleep.
…
I realized I was standing on a familiar path. How many times had I come here? By now, I should be used to it, yet each time I arrived, I felt a strange numbness. I looked around and shouted.
“Master Mangnyang!!”
The response came almost instantly.
[You’ve returned from Dark Heaven Village.]
A black cat appeared, holding a fish in its mouth. Master Mangnyang fiddled with the fish scales using its front paw and suddenly pushed the fish towards me.
[Wash it and roast it.]
“……”
Why me?!
But based on past experiences when I had given snacks, this act carried significant meaning. So, I reluctantly grumbled inwardly as I took the fish to wash it in the river. After gathering some branches to start a fire and cooking it with my makeshift tools, the fish began to smell less pungent and started to crisp up nicely. Master Mangnyang watched me and then said,
[You seem to be getting the hang of it.]
“Well…”
When I didn’t receive enough supplies during escort missions, we often had to fend for ourselves in the wild. Not to mention, escorting wasn’t solely a group affair, so knowing how to hunt or cook was essential for survival. Additionally, I had received some training in tracking techniques to avoid getting left behind during missions.
Once the fish was fully cooked, I removed the bones and presented it to Master Mangnyang.
I could hear the sounds of chewing as Master Mangnyang devoured the fish. Once finished, it looked up at me.
[The reason I didn’t meet you last time was that I felt an artificial flow of cause and effect.]
Gulp!
Startled, I stared at Master Mangnyang.
“What do you mean?”
[It was a flow woven from fundamental layers… Something that can’t easily be unraveled from a mere trivial fate. Until I discovered whose work it was, I believed that meeting you would entangle me in this flow of cause and effect.]
“……?”
What does that even mean?
I wore a clueless expression, and Master Mangnyang continued.
[It’s resolved now. I know who created it.]
“Who? And what has happened to me?”
[……]
Master Mangnyang fell silent for a moment before asking me,
[If you could save humanity but the world would perish, what would you do?]
“Uh… What kind of situation is that?”
[One that could happen and is currently the easiest to observe. I want to hear your choice.]
“And if I don’t make that choice?”
[A reversal will occur. Humanity will perish, but the world will be saved.]
I frowned in disbelief.
“… Huh? How could the world be saved while humanity is gone?”
[I want your answer.]
“Um…”
I hummed thoughtfully.
Why was Master Mangnyang suddenly asking such absurd questions? Well, it wasn’t the first time it talked without restraint, but this question felt significant. Thus, I couldn’t just angrily shout at this damned cat and had to think carefully.
Save humanity while the world perishes.
Let humanity perish while the world is saved.
… I don’t know.
What’s the difference?
Moreover, what does the latter even mean? If all of humanity is thrown into despair, the rest of the world being saved feels meaningless. After all, what I want to protect is humanity.
So naturally, I should choose the first option, but it felt like a thorn stuck in my throat. It felt like there was a trap within the words. So, I told Master Mangnyang.
“Then, let everything perish.”
[……]
Master Mangnyang seemed taken aback by my unexpected answer, its eyes wide open. It struck me as oddly cute, but considering its true nature, I might just be the crazy one. Master Mangnyang perked up its ears.
[Did you think both aren’t answers and tossed something out at random?]
Ugh.
I felt like I had been hit in the sweet spot, but I decided to reply nevertheless.
“No, well… If possible, I want to save everyone. Can’t that be done?”
[What if you cannot?]
“If saving everyone is impossible… Hmm… then it seems like it’ll be a tragedy either way, so wouldn’t it be better to clearly let everything perish?”
[Even if humanity perishes?]
“I don’t think humanity would be particularly happy even in the latter case. It’s often better to die cleanly than to suffer and live in pain. Because none of those choices align with the future I desire.”
[That’s not the thought of an average person.]
“Sigh… Sorry I’m not normal.”
I grumbled, but saying it out loud made me feel that perhaps it was the right answer. If hope has faded to that extent, wouldn’t it be better for everyone to perish together instead of facing a living hell? Given what I’ve seen, that felt strangely realistic.
Master Mangnyang spoke.
[However, pain is part of emotion and merely a biological signal. Mental anguish, to those transcending dimensions, is mere amusement for the great spirit. To them, your emotions and rationality are just entertainment. Can the existence of the world be determined solely by the presence or absence of pain?]
“Is that the perspective of transcendent beings?”
[Perhaps.]
I chuckled lightly and continued.
“Everything will eventually perish someday! But during that process, what’s more important is whether the strong torment the weak. If I can’t save everyone, I’d rather that we all perish equally. That way, no one would feel wronged.”
[Wronged, you say… then why not become a god instead of adventuring to save humanity? As a god, you could enjoy the same pleasures until the end of the universe. While being human, you could experience unimaginable pleasures beyond dimensions.]
“But aren’t those so-called gods waiting for the apocalypse and revelations? It means they have limits too, doesn’t it? So it’s meaningless.”
My face twisted in anger for a moment.
“… And I don’t want to become like them.”
That was the most intense emotion I had felt at the end of my 19th life. At that moment, I felt the limitations of being human while feeling an overwhelming rage beyond imagination. The will to bear witness to the end of the gods burned through all the pain and suffering I faced in death.
I could never tolerate the idea of such beings governing the universe.
“Even if the universe perishes, I’ll make sure those self-proclaimed gods die! If I can’t save everyone, that’d be better!”
I shouted with all my rage.
At that, Master Mangnyang paused for a moment before saying.
[So, you choose to pick the worst if the best isn’t an option? How interesting.]
Today feels different.
Hadn’t Master Mangnyang always been this talkative?
More than that, it seemed somewhat excited or exhilarated. Suddenly, I remembered something and asked.
“Oh, but what exactly is that woven flow of cause and effect?”
[I can’t tell you. You are still within that flow.]
“What?! Am I caught in a trap?!”
[A trap, perhaps…? Your comrades might actually appreciate it.]
“……?”
Master Mangnyang, who was mumbling something I couldn’t grasp, said.
[That flow doesn’t directly bring you destruction or misfortune. However, the ultimate benefit it brings isn’t for you, but for someone else. Of course, because of the law of cause and effect, I can’t disclose who that is.]
“Darn it! If I offer a sacrifice, will you tell me? No, just untangle the flow!”
[Not possible.]
“Why not?”
[Because I want to see your choice from the end of that flow…]
“……”
So, Master Mangnyang knows who placed this weird cause and effect on me and could untangle it but chooses to leave me in suspense to satisfy its curiosity. I felt annoyed and shouted.
“You damned cat! Then why the heck did you make me roast the fish?!”
[How can a cat roast fish? Speak sensibly.]
“This is your dream! You’re the creator, so just do it as you please.”
[Not necessarily. That fish was special.]
“Who gave it to me?”
[Secret.]
Master Mangnyang continued to babble with cryptic words.
[Go with the flow. As a reward for roasting the fish, I’ll grant you a chance to choose in this life.]
Ta-daht!
I felt a sudden headache as I stood up.
“Ugh, that damned cat… Is everyone safe?”
Silence.
“Oh.”
I instantly felt something was off. I had assumed that once Master Mangnyang’s fog lifted, my comrades would start waking up one by one around me, but that didn’t happen. On the contrary, no one was to be seen, and I was left all alone.
Not only that, but I wasn’t even near where Master Mangnyang’s village had been. Instead of the familiar view of the farmland and the mountains, I was surrounded by cold stone pillars and floor. It didn’t take long for me to realize where I was.
‘ The Imperial Palace!’
There was no mistaking it. Having lived countless lives, I was more than familiar with the architecture and layouts of the Imperial Palace. I probably knew it better than any official who had worked there for years. And this place was enveloped in a grim silence, with no sign of life around.
“Gucheon Hyun-nyeo!”
I hurriedly called out for her, but she did not appear, and only my hollow voice echoed back.
‘ Why can’t she come?’
I couldn’t comprehend the current predicament. Why was I inside the Imperial Palace, and why couldn’t Gucheon Hyun-nyeo be summoned? The situation felt hopeless, and I thought about using my space bending technique to escape.
Ta-daht!
I burst through the door, using both the space bending technique and Soul Removal Technique to flee, but nothing happened. The door only led to another room. No matter how many doors I opened, they just led to more rooms. It quickly became clear that this was a formation created by magical techniques, a recursive trap.
‘ Damn it. Who created this formation?’
To break such a formation, one needed to either smash through it with brute force or follow a specific way to unravel it. However, if I broke it with force, someone would immediately notice that I was there.
I hesitated for a moment before quickly taking Zhuge Bu out from my armor. Then I commanded Zhuge Bu.
“Zhuge Bu! Unravel this formation!”
Zhuge Bu hurriedly chose one of the directions—north, south, east, or west—and dashed forward. Following the unravelling technique, I could see the formation being undone around me.
Creak!
I quickly put Zhuge Bu back into the armor and opened the door. The room I had been in wasn’t very large, and stepping outside, I found someone awaiting me.
This was the Imperial Court.
In the hall stood a total of eight divine beings. Their formation was clearly defined, forming a 1-to-7 formation. On the side where seven of them stood, there was the dragon throne meant only for an emperor, and the being seated on it was gazing across at someone opposite.
‘ An emperor?’
This didn’t seem like an emperor. An emperor wouldn’t have such a face.
Not to mention – I couldn’t even tell if it was human or something else. It certainly had a human appearance, but looking at that face made my memories vanish. It would be more accurate to say I couldn’t remember that face at all. Its face was a chaotic blend of confusion, creating an immensely discomforting vibe.
Kooohhh!
The being facing it was the same. Clad in the robes of an ancient emperor, it spread its blue wings wide and exuded an intimidating aura. The intensity of its presence felt so overwhelming that the other seven seemed pressured by it.
And the moment I broke out of the formation, all eight of them turned their attention toward me. I flinched slightly and took a step back, but one of them spotted me and said,
“My lord, that one is Baek Woong. I don’t know how he has appeared here.”
Yacha.
[……]
The being atop the throne called “my lord” remained silent. The chaos on its face showed no sign of emotional change.
Suuuu…
Simultaneously, the two strongest entities in the room focused their attention on me. The moment they turned their gaze, I felt a spine-chilling sensation wash over me, and an indescribable fearful power seemed to tear at my heart. I had met many Otherworldly beings but had never felt this from even a Demon King.
However, I had felt such overwhelming power before.
Though I didn’t often feel it in my past lives, I knew precisely which being emanated such strength. That made me all the more unwilling to accept the reality.
In an instant, I felt as if I had been summoned to hell.
‘ No way…’
The ancient emperor looking at me seemed to smile for a moment.
[You possess the Seven Luminaries, mortal.]
“……”
[If you offer it to me, I will make you a servant of Jeogok.]
Only then did I understand the position I had been teleported to.
‘ Damnit…!!’
The meeting place of Changhil and Jeogok!
I had been dragged into a negotiation spot where Changhil brought all the Eight Parts of the Divine to negotiate with the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors! The place where I was summoned was near the Imperial Court, where Zhuge Yulong usually set a protective barrier, and with the gods themselves imposing barriers in this area, it was impossible to summon Gucheon Hyun-nyeo here.