READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 749
Chapter 749: Dark Heaven Village
Out of the blue, the guy proposed trading Toyo, and a deep sense of wariness washed over me.
However, I concealed my surprise as much as possible, carefully choosing my words before speaking.
“… Where’s Toyo? And what’s your connection with Changhil?”
Jin looked down at me without a hint of expression.
“So you want to hear all the information at once like a sly fox. But I’m not really inclined to share much.”
“Then there’s no need for a deal.”
I said firmly, to which Jin replied,
“Don’t be hasty. It’s not yet confirmed that we’re enemies.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means I want you to hear my terms for the trade in detail first.”
“……”
He was oddly calm. Unlike others I’ve met, who seemed to have serpents in their hearts, he gave off a vibe that he was keeping a step back and watching. Not just confidence, but a certainty seemed to reside in him.
“Speak.”
“Seeker of the Seven Luminaries, I will give you Toyo. In return, you must hand over the qualification of a king to me.”
“……?”
The qualification of a king? The moment that word popped out again, I was engulfed in confusion. After rolling it around in my head, I responded,
“What does that mean? Can you even transfer a king’s qualification?”
“Hoho. Seems like you really don’t know. It’s quite possible to transfer.”
Jin smiled and continued speaking.
“Anyone who gathers the Six Luminaries will face the final trial, and upon overcoming it, will obtain the qualification of a king to challenge the final liberation of the Seven Luminaries. I have no interest in your affairs; just pass the qualification of a king to me.”
“……!!”
“Isn’t it a fair deal? You won’t have to suffer the threat to your life between Changhil and Jeogok anymore.”
Suspicious.
Such a sweet deal naturally raised my suspicions.
What the hell does he know? I glared at him, my eyes narrowed.
“Explain what the qualification of a king entails. Otherwise, we can’t make a deal.”
“Is this really happening? You don’t understand that, with the liberation of the Seven Luminaries so near?”
In that moment, Jin’s expression changed drastically. He seemed genuinely taken aback, with a slightly distorted look. That wasn’t a fabricated expression; he was truly surprised.
“You’re a strange one. Truly… a strange one. Why do you seek the Seven Luminaries?”
His question left me baffled. What kind of question was that?
Then, I caught on to the meaning behind his words and responded,
“It’s as if you’re saying everyone collects the Seven Luminaries to become kings.”
“Ku ku… are you not?”
I shouted firmly,
“No! I’m collecting the Seven Luminaries to meet Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen!”
“… And what do you plan to do upon meeting him?”
“He is a powerful deity involved in the apocalypse and the chief of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. I plan to ask him to help me avert the end of humanity.”
“……”
Silence stretched for a moment. Jin suddenly burst out laughing.
“Ku hahahaha… Seriously… you’re insane.”
After laughing for a while, he grabbed a fistful of gold coins from the mountain of gold.
“Seeker of the Seven Luminaries. You’ve come this far, so you probably don’t care much for gold and silver treasures? Becoming the lord of a vast civilization covering the world, enjoying the company of one hundred peerless beauties in a garden of pleasure, or having fun with insignificant creatures all day long—you probably find none of that particularly entertaining?”
“……”
“Right, I felt the same. There’s a limit to the pleasures of the human world. The pleasures provided by power, wealth, and lust have their clear boundaries… In that sense, I understand you.”
He gazed into the distance, as if reminiscing about the past.
“The larger the vessel, the more it craves for something beyond what can be seen… yes, I can relate.”
As Jin slowly stood up, he continued,
“However, a monarch walks the path of a monarch. Losing oneself in the illusion of seeking worldly desires and throwing oneself into the flames is not the way of a king. From the beginning, you were never meant to be a king.”
I glared at him.
“What a joke. Who are you to determine what a king is? And even without your opinion, I have no desire to be a king.”
“Not quite. Whether you want to be one or not—yes, if you don’t make a deal with me right now, you will undoubtedly become the king of humanity. So, isn’t it natural to consider what you wish to do once you become a king?”
Jin smiled coldly.
“I’ll ask you. What do you think a king is?”
“I have no reason to answer.”
“If your answer is good enough, I might consider giving you Toyo.”
“……”
Then, there’s no option but to respond.
“What is a king?”
Something I’ve hardly ever thought about. I hadn’t chosen this brutal path to envy royal families or emperors, nor did I have any desire for power. But I understood the power kings possessed to some extent, simply because I lived in a society ruled by kings.
The Emperor of this nation—the Emperor of the Great Ming Empire, even.
He rules hundreds of thousands of people, collects taxes and labor from them, and can freely acquire gold, silver, and peerless beauties. Furthermore, he can choose to do nothing politically and live a life of leisure. Should he wish, he could execute any commoner or noble who offended his eyes. He could wage wars against numerous tribes and even cause monumental projects to reshape the land.
Above all others.
That’s the power of those called emperors and kings. Even members of the royal family, such as princes, wield immense power in their regions, just like the lords of various provinces. They may not be emperors, yet they could play with the lives and deaths of commoners as they saw fit. High-ranking officials under these lords were practically absolute beings in the eyes of the general populace. This comparative advantage made emperors feel even more immense.
But right now, it seemed Jin didn’t want me to explain “king” based on such imperial power. I could sense this from the context of his words. It seemed he too was growing weary of power itself.
I glanced at my companions. The Celestial Sage and Gong Gong, along with the others, were all watching me with significant curiosity. They seemed eager for my answer. Shifting my gaze to Zhuge Sa, he was just looking at me intently.
“Understood.”
Zhuge Sa, as my strategist, clearly wanted to know. He thought I held the qualification of a king, and it was evident he wished to hear what kind of king I aspired to be.
So even without Jin’s compulsion, I needed to express my views here.
I slowly opened my mouth.
“I will become the king of all kings.”
“The king of all kings…?”
Jin’s eyes lit up with interest.
“Ho ho, just rephrased, isn’t that synonymous with an emperor? An emperor is also one who unifies various lords and kings scattered across the world, becoming the king among them. The meaning is not different.”
“No, it is different.”
I continued,
“I can’t achieve my goal by just becoming any king.”
“What do you mean?”
“The human emperor is nothing but a puppet in the world of darkness, and the true king in this world is precisely the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and the Old Ruler. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are already beings among the Old Rulers whom one could claim to be kings.”
“That is true.”
“But even if I become one of the Old Rulers, I would merely become like them; I wouldn’t be able to fundamentally stop their wicked deeds. I couldn’t prevent humanity’s extinction.”
I gritted my teeth and declared,
“So, I need the power to upend this pathetic world. I will become the king among kings who can annihilate the Old Rulers! I will one day obtain that level of power!”
“……”
“To be the king of all kings is my resolution.”
I wasn’t certain when my previous life would come to an end. I thought it would be over once I discarded the Heavenly Secret, but it might not be that simple. Perhaps I would end up living through infinite rebirths. But if that’s the case, I would not despair; I would keep gathering strength and continue to challenge.
Until I kill this despairing world!
“Interesting. Quite an ambition.”
Jin’s eyes sparkled as he responded to my words.
“I even briefly thought that what you said might come true. The ability to imbue your words with meaning and persuade those around you… that is indeed the talent of a ruler. You are a worthy opponent in my eyes.”
“……”
“Alright then… I’ll consider you have the will to become a king, and I will change the terms of the deal.”
“How will you change them?”
“Changhil has appointed three guards to protect his throne. If you defeat two of them, I’ll hand over Toyo without further ado.”
“… How can I trust your words?”
Jin chuckled.
“One of those guards is me.”
“What…!!”
“If I hadn’t intervened, you would’ve had to face three apostles at the throne.”
Sssss
At that moment, the atmosphere shifted drastically, and we all felt a murderous intent rise. There are hardly any opponents in the entire realm that could withstand a full-on assault from all of us together. Then Jin said,
“Calm down. Aren’t you curious as to why Changhil appointed these guards?”
“… You never explained your relationship with Changhil from the start. You sowed seeds of doubt, and now you want me to believe this nonsense!”
As I shouted, Jin responded with a finger snap.
“I’m speaking honestly. Changhil doesn’t know of my existence. To be precise, he doesn’t know the persona known as Jin exists within the Divine Portrait because I’ve cleverly kept that hidden until now…”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Still, the deity is a deity; Changhil even doubts his own subordinates, the Eight Parts of the Divine, and created guards to protect himself. I think he must have sensed my aura.”
“Why would he need to do that? Changhil possesses immense power.”
“Changhil is currently performing a colossal ritual and cannot fight. The reason Jeogok has descended upon Luoyang in response to the Celestial Realm is that they’ve realized this weakness in Changhil.”
A ritual, huh?
As I looked at Jin, he continued,
“No matter how powerful Changhil is, he cannot withstand a barrage of attacks from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors using only his strength. Thus, he is using the power of writing to awaken the people of Luoyang to break the barrier faster.”
“Awaken…?”
“You’ll understand soon enough. If he employs that method, Changhil will undoubtedly acquire a strategy to counter the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and he’ll break the barrier in no time.”
“What happens when the people of Luoyang awaken?”
“The celestial forces outside will be annihilated.”
“……”
Is this guy insane?
The celestial military forces currently besieging Luoyang include not only the Earth Immortal but also the Great Immortal and the Ten Thousand Spirits, all gathered together. Even a mere Earth Immortal alone could easily handle five thousand human soldiers, resulting in forces so overwhelmingly strong that they defied human cultivation levels.
How could awakening the people permit the slaughter of the celestial army?
In light of the sheer ridiculousness of the claim, I felt incredulous, and Jin said,
“Believe it or not, it’ll happen soon enough. Depending on the power of Jeogok’s true form, situations may vary, but the warfront will favor Changhil.”
“So?”
“Remove all blocking entities and assassinate Changhil. Then I’ll hand over Toyo.”
“… Hmm.”
It seemed grandiose, yet the core of the matter was simple: Challenge Changhil’s throne, eliminate the two apostle-level beings before him, and kill Changhil. Not a wasteful journey at all—merely following through with what I intended to do.
However, how could I trust the one who demanded the qualification of a king now asking me to take down Changhil? He must have something up his sleeve, planning to stab me in the back. Furthermore, he had kept the existence of Toyo a secret until the end.
Jin slowly started to dissolve into dust.
“I’ll meet you again soon…”
Sssss
His figure vanished. It appeared he could use some sort of special ability. Yet I hadn’t seen a type like that among the Divine Portraits until now. After a brief silence, Zhuge Sa finally spoke.
“Baek Woong, this is a trap. If you follow that guy’s words, you’re likely to die.”
“… That may be true.”
“We must not confuse our purpose. Our goal is to acquire Toyo, not to kill Changhil.”
“Then we should move in the direction he hates the most.”
I exchanged a knowing smile with Zhuge Sa.
“Let’s go!”
Paaat!
We swiftly escaped from the Imperial Palace using Cheon Woo-jin’s techniques. The Celestial Sage scratched his head, perplexed.
“Wait, are you really going to pass up such an opportunity just because it’s a trap? If Jin’s words are true, it’s a golden opportunity to take Changhil’s head!”
“The fact is, the Three Sovereigns can take Changhil’s head too, so we don’t have to be the ones to do it first. I’d rather let others spill blood.”
I replied coldly and then added,
“I’ll hold off until the celestial army breaks through Luoyang’s defenses.”
There’s no need to intentionally fall for such dubious plots. Now’s the time to observe.
When the clash between the celestial army and the Eight Parts of the Divine commences, there will be even greater openings, and at that time, it would be best to reassess the situation and counter. After all, once their side becomes unfavorable, that guy Jin will surely look to move first.
We made our way to a nearby mountain to watch the situation in Luoyang.
Kugugugugung…
After a long wait, the celestial giant known as the Great Strengthened Warrior swung his enormous hammer and smashed the gates of Luoyang. The barrier had evidently sustained significant damage, and it could no longer withstand even simple physical attacks.
Simultaneously, celestial beings rode the clouds and began casting spells like phantoms. They showed no mercy, attacking humans with spells and killing them on sight. A celestial being dressed in the elegant garb of a heavenly spirit conjured flames and storms, mercilessly slaughtering an entire family.
Whewah!
Screams rang out, and vast carnage ensued in Luoyang. The enchanted celestial beings displayed no hesitation in butchering humans.
I was horrified.
“What?! Why are those bastards targeting civilians…?”
No way, they’re celestial beings?!
Suddenly, my mind recalled what Miho said long ago.
“The Queen Mother of the West doesn’t particularly like humans. Furthermore, those in the high echelons of the celestial realm I’ve seen seemed to be indifferent at best.”
“They do what they have to do, but they’d rather leave humans alive out of obligation… I’m not sure, but it seems for those promoted from non-humans to divine beings, it’s like an inescapable duty or fate. As a result, it’s quite rare for a celestial to actually like humans and protect them.”
“Those promoted from the animal kingdom carry their own hatred for humans, while those of human origin lose their affection and look at humans with a gray perspective. Monsters don’t harm humans for no reason.”
Miho’s words ring true. Regardless of their origin, once a celestial being ascends, they practically become a different race, mechanically obeying commands. The notion that celestial beings embody kindness and righteousness is merely a delusion.
“Damn it…!!”
Had I been misled because I had encountered many of the Great Immortals like the Fire Dragon Incarnate and Yeodong-bin, who were friendly to humans? I hadn’t taken that aspect into account.
Zhuge Sa, evidently foreseeing this, responded beside me,
“Of course they’re slaughtering. Do you think they’d spare humans who underwent demonic experimentation and parasitism while living in Changhil’s territory? If left unchecked, they might transform into those bizarre creatures and strike at the celestials. If I were leading the celestial army, I’d give the same orders.”
Zhuge Sa glanced at the celestial being floating in the sky and continued,
“The commander is the Divine Unexpected Apparition. That one’s a weapon forged from a lack of humanity; it’ll be even easier for them to slaughter.”
“No way!! We can’t leave such beings unchecked.”
“Then you plan to stall the celestials? Who’s that benefiting? Changhil and Jeogok can’t do anything either; we’re just going to be the ones at a loss.”
“……”
Zhuge Sa spoke in a cynical tone.
“Once Changhil occupies Luoyang, there was no way to finish things without bloodshed. Those are unavoidable sacrifices, so you have to accept it.”
“Accept it…?”
“It’s no longer just a problem in Luoyang. If we don’t stop this war here, the entire continent, indeed, the world, will face destruction. For the big picture, you must tolerate the small sacrifices.”
I ruminated on their words. Thanks to the Seal of the Supreme King, I was acutely aware of how precise and correct Zhuge Sa’s judgments were compared to before. If I intervened to stop the slaughter, I wouldn’t be able to make any difference, and instead, the situation would deteriorate further. The best course was to bear with the chaos until the celestial forces broke through before re-entering the Imperial Palace.
However… is it really right to stand by and watch this chaos in the name of sacrificing the small for the big?
After a moment of consideration, I shouted,
“Still… if I can stop them, I will! I will tell the celestials to restrain themselves from slaughtering!”
“Are you serious? Do you understand how foolish that choice is? You’re jeopardizing our continued existence just because you want to show mercy?”
“Ugh… but I must stop…”
As I hesitated, Yong Junil remarked with an air of weariness,
“… Baek Woong, you’re impossible to pin down as a hypocrite or a savior. You pursue a world-changing goal while holding onto personal attachments, stuck in self-contradiction… How have you amassed so many of the Seven Luminaries?”
At Yong Junil’s critique, I fell silent, and suddenly Jin So-cheong stepped forward, saying,
“Such a Baek Woong is the very reason he collected the Seven Luminaries to this extent. Shut your trap!”
“Jin So-cheong.”
Jin So-cheong glared at Yong Junil and said,
“Even if Baek Woong is at fault, I cannot tolerate someone like you, who runs a slave market, leads inhumane demonic experiments, and sacrifices the White Lotus Sect for your own satisfaction, to insult him.”
“……”
“If you have complaints, face me.”
“Ugh…!!”
Yong Junil’s face twisted in anger, yet upon clashing with Jin So-cheong, he was clearly overwhelmed. Jin So-cheong’s Qi clearly overshadowed his own. As Yong Junil hesitated and took a step back, Jin So-cheong turned back to me and said,
“Baek Woong, even if you’re a hypocrite, I’m content with the fact that you haven’t forgotten righteousness. So, I will take on that realm you’re deemed a hypocrite for and carry it as your companion.”
“Jin So-cheong.”
“I will hold back the celestial beings.”
With a thudding sound, Jin So-cheong charged into the city of Luoyang using the Soul Removal Technique with unmatched vigor. I was about to follow him immediately, but at that moment, Zhuge Sa gestured for me to stop, commanding the group,
“Tang San, Seo Mun-hye. Follow Jin So-cheong and assist him.”
“Understood.”
“And Sajong Lin, lead the common people to safety from the outskirts.”
At that, Yong Junil shouted,
“Wait! Who gave you the right to order someone else’s disciple around?”
“We’ll be facing at least opponents of the apostle level in the palace. I’m just saving your weak disciple from exposure and assigning him some work.”
“The risks in facing the celestial realm are just as high!”
Zhuge Sa smiled coldly.
“Of course… But let me put it this way; you’re not technically our comrade. I wouldn’t blame anyone for killing you here.”
At those words, Sajong Lin sighed and said,
“Understood. I will follow that command.”
Soon, most of our human companions departed towards Luoyang. Even Yong Junil seemed unwilling to witness his disciple’s death or participate in the fight inside the palace, so he followed Sajong Lin. After issuing the orders, Zhuge Sa turned to me and said,
“If Jin So-cheong steps in, the celestials will halt for a moment. He’s currently the strongest human expert. Moreover, since it’s the Heavenly Ruler leading this assault, they’ll recognize our party’s faces. Thus, they won’t easily resort to killing our companions.”
“……”
“Don’t wear that expression. Jin So-cheong took on the burden you always carry. That’s the duty of a subject.”
I understood.
The moment I acknowledged that sacrificing the small for the big could lead to my moral corruption, I had constantly worried and pondered over this dilemma. Yet now, due to inevitable constraints, Jin So-cheong was stepping up to take on my burdens. Still, knowing full well the high probability that he might lose his life made it impossible for me to dismiss it lightly.
A moment later, activating the Fire Eye Golden Spirit to gain distant sight, I saw Jin So-cheong standing against the celestials. In front of Jin So-cheong, the Devil Class appeared and started exchanging words.
It seemed for the time being, a standoff would be maintained.
Suddenly, the summoning circle of the celestial golden mythical beasts in the sky started roaring, diminishing, and at the same time, the Celestial Sage furrowed his brow.
“Dammit… Changhil has completely shut it down. What a formidable opponent.”
It turns out the Three Sovereigns with the efforts of the celestial rulers had forcibly closed the summoning circle!
Changhil’s resilience surpassed my expectations.
At the same moment, the sky darkened again with ominous clouds, and rain began to pour down relentlessly.
Swoosh—
The white arm of Jeogok gently descended with the rain, gradually revealing his shoulder joint. Soon, a gigantic foot began to lower from the sky. Upon seeing this, the Celestial Sage and Cheon Woo-jin’s expressions turned serious.
“The avatar has started to descend.”
“Jeogok is coming!”
I realized the true form of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors was about to reveal itself to the world. This was the moment—the chance would come when Jeogok fully unveiled his true form!
“Prepare yourselves…”
Kuaaaah!
Just as expected, the main bodies of the Eight Parts of the Divine floating in the sky began to cease maintaining the barrier and seemed to awaken from a long slumber. Simultaneously, immense magical energy surged from the Imperial Palace, giving birth to a monstrous being capable of overturning heaven and earth.
Crraaash!!
With a deafening roar, the resounding cry of the dreadful beast echoed through the world.
“[Jeogok, my master commands you to eradicate him!]”
I had been right; he was one of the three guards after all!
I felt a surge of realization wash over me.
Now, the fight would ultimately become a battle where Changhil’s Eight Parts of the Divine collaborated with the three guards, facing off against Jeogok and the celestial army. Considering that Changhil would likely intervene directly, it was utterly unpredictable which side would triumph.
“Alright… if I’m going to use it, I must act now!”
Wouldn’t it be foolish to risk myself in enemy territory?
Sssss
I slowly took out the Seal of the Supreme King from my palm. As I looked at the Celestial Sage, Gong Gong, and Cheon Woo-jin, I said,
“Do you know what effect the Seal of the Supreme King has?”
“I know. Don’t worry about it.”
“Good. Then…”
I placed all seven Luminaries and treasures inside the wooden armor and passed them onto Cheon Woo-jin. Zhuge Sa, Gong Gong, and the Celestial Sage surrounded me and began preparing to seal me. Once all preparations were complete, I immediately unleashed my incantation towards the monstrous being visible in Luoyang.
“Oooooooo!”
“Seal of the Supreme King! Activate by my will!”
Paat!
My vision abruptly dimmed. At once, my consciousness felt like it was being sucked into something, moving towards another place. The dizziness subsided, and I realized I was looking down upon Luoyang from a height so towering it felt unreal.
Huge and high.
At least two hundred spans from the ground, if not more!
From the front cloaked in dark clouds, I saw Jeogok’s colossal physique gradually manifesting, his two legs finally appearing. Seeing it up close felt akin to witnessing someone walk out in the nude.
I tried moving my tail.
It swayed gently. Yet, that simple motion seemed to crush several houses beneath it. Moreover, despite his immense size, I felt every minute detail, even the slightest bristle.
This body was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Though my original body had also been a mass compressed with immense internal power, this one had genuinely reached the realm of a deity. This was a true natural disaster.
“Wow… amazing.”
I marveled at this form.
Simultaneously, I recognized that hundreds of celestial beings were converging to bind me with spells and couldn’t help but smirk. Casually, I turned my back and lifted my front paw to strike at the Imperial Palace.
BAM!
The entire palace exploded as if struck by a storm. I leapt from the rubble, my jaws wide open as I inhaled deeply.
Kuaaa!!
As I exhaled a fiery breath, the Imperial Palace was swallowed by the blaze.
“[No?!]”
“[Why is that demon attacking his allies?!]”
“[Oh… absurd!]”
Both the celestial beings hovering beneath the ground and the Divine Apparition’s must have their eyes widened in surprise.
I laughed maniacally.
“[Wahahahaha!]”
Indeed.
The effect of the Seal of the Supreme King is capable of swapping bodies with any being!
Using this singular ability—empowered by the protection of the divine and having all seals undone, I had seized the body of the Demon King, who stands as the strongest among all reincarnations and the embodiment of Nüwa!