LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 737
Dark Heaven Village
“Did Dongyoung fall?!”
“What?!”
I was stunned and turned to Abe no Seimei, who continued with a sorrowful gaze. “…It’s because the Sacred Altar Tree was destroyed, and both Moon Sovereign and Wood Essence have vanished.”
“Is that really the reason for Dongyoung’s fall…?” I instinctively shut my mouth, recalling a conversation with the Master of the Twelve Joules from the past.
“Haha. That’s the Sacred Altar Tree. There’s a legend it reaches nine worlds. As you can see, it’s as big as a mountain.”
“If that tree is gone, it’s a huge problem. We have no choice but to protect it with our lives.”
“Humans will no longer be able to exist as humans. Something terrifying will happen.”
“The Sacred Altar Tree is a divine tree that protects Goryeo land from the Sea God.”
“Well, that’s not all. Don’t you have any more questions?”
“Unfortunately, our clan’s power can only barely protect this land from the influence of the Sea God and Evil Gods. To do more, we’d need at least the power of the Heavenly Sovereign.”
“That’s just how it is; those archenemies wouldn’t really come down to this world. We simply block their influence with the power of the Sacred Altar Tree, and cleanse the cults or wicked beings serving those Evil Spirits. That’s already a heavy burden.”
“The Sea God belongs to Wood Essence. He strengthens the barrier with the power of the Sacred Altar Tree. Thanks to that, we can dispel the powers of the Sea God and Evil Gods.”
“Of course, it’s not as strong as the Sacred Altar Tree, but the Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword also casts a similar barrier. The reason humans can live in Dongyoung is because of that sword. There’s no need to fuss about it, right?”
“……”
In the northeastern region of the Central Plains—because the Sacred Altar Tree created strong barriers, Goryeo and Dongyoung could survive away from the powers of demons. The Master of the Twelve Joules bolstered the Sacred Altar Tree’s power with Wood Essence, while the beings the tree couldn’t block were held in check by the Moon Sovereign’s Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword and the Three Divine Tools of Dongyoung. It was thanks to these efforts that Goryeo and Dongyoung became habitable lands for humans.
But the situation has changed. The Sacred Altar Tree was shattered, and the Master of the Twelve Joules with Moon Sovereign and Wood Essence took the Seven Luminaries somewhere. With all the guardian artifacts protecting the northeastern area gone, the humans living there now receive no blessings at all.
As I processed the situation and fell silent, Abe no Seimei spoke again. “Goryeo hasn’t collapsed yet… but because of the rampant actions of Otherworldly beings and demons, the population has decreased to less than half. And in Dongyoung where I am, the shogunate has already fallen, and the number of humans is below two-tenths of what it once was. Human civilization has essentially collapsed.”
“Can they really fall apart just because the Sacred Altar Tree and Seven Luminaries are gone?”
“Because it’s land that the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors do not protect.”
Abe no Seimei muttered with bitterness as he looked up at the ceiling. “The silver lining in this misfortune is that the Sea God suddenly lost his power and collapsed not long ago, so the situation has improved a bit. That’s why I managed to find time to come see you.”
“Why did you come looking for me?”
Abe no Seimei gazed at me intently before speaking. “You’re the only one who can solve this situation. We need a new barrier.”
“The situation is unfortunate, but I don’t have the ability to create such a barrier.”
I responded incredulously. It was pitiful that humans were being brutally killed by Otherworldly beings, but how could I help in this situation? I lacked the ability to create a barrier that could match the Sacred Altar Tree or the Seven Luminaries.
Then Abe no Seimei replied, “Baek Woong, if you don’t help me, I’ll have no choice but to use another method. Is that what you want?”
“Another method?”
He nodded and said, “It’s a plan to sacrifice as an offering for the survival of humans. However, as a guardian, we cannot act rashly, so our Yin-Yang Masters are hesitating greatly. I came to you hoping for your assistance, as this is a method we truly want to avoid.”
“If you’re talking about sacrifices… you can’t mean human sacrifices?”
“That’s correct. However, it’s not to be offered to the ‘Old Ruler.’ It’s a rather anomalous method.”
“……”
“Yet the outcome is the same in that innocent lives will be lost. To avoid human sacrifice, I need your help.”
I looked at Abe no Seimei incredulously. He was the leader of the Yin-Yang World trying to protect humans and yet considered human sacrifice when humanity faced extinction.
‘What to do…’
Right now, I was barely managing to fight Changhil and the Eight Parts of the Divine. Creating a powerful barrier for the northeastern people as Abe no Seimei requested felt completely beyond my abilities. Normally, I would have respectfully declined, deeming it unfortunate but impossible.
Yet something tugged at my heart. I had a bad feeling that if I refused this proposal now, unimaginable hardships would wash over like a flood. I was someone who followed my intuition, and I couldn’t ignore this feeling.
After some contemplation, I spoke to Abe no Seimei, “How exactly do you plan to survive using the sacrifice?”
“We’ll create a Machine God through Yin-Yang Techniques and the Offering Ceremony.”
“A Machine God?”
“A deity created artificially by sacrificing a living being. Right now, it is the only method we have.”
At that, Cheon Woo-jin, who had been listening by my side, grimaced in horror. “…Is there really no other way? That method belongs to the Demon Path.”
“There’s no other choice. The Sea God may have collapsed for now, but he will surely regain his strength soon, at which point we humans will have no means to fight back.”
Seo Mun-hye asked with confusion. “Then can’t we just migrate to the Central Plains? If there are so few humans left, we can gather the remaining people and flee to the Central Plains. That land is protected by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.”
“In this situation, nothing would be different, and it would be practically impossible to relocate all the humans living in Dongyoung. All the remaining humans are bound to perish. Abandoning one’s land isn’t an easy feat. The same goes for Goryeo…”
Seimei looked at me imploringly. “Please, help me create the barrier.”
“……”
It’s not that there wasn’t a way. Perhaps if I handed over one of the Seven Luminaries I possessed, he could use it to create a new barrier. Just one Luminary would allow Seimei to establish at least a minimal fortress to protect the humans of Dongyoung.
‘Maybe that’s what Seimei came to expect…’
But giving a Luminary to him now would significantly weaken my own powers. Additionally, there was a possibility that someone might steal the Luminary I gave to Seimei again. No matter how pitiful the humans were, it wasn’t something I could just easily decide.
Yet I couldn’t postpone this discussion either. Since he traveled all the way from Goryeo to Sichuan with all sorts of techniques to find me, he seemed to have no time left to wait for my answer. His desparation in seeking help was clear.
Could I hand over a Luminary for the sake of the people of Dongyoung, whom I have never seen before?
I pondered greatly.
And ultimately, I had no choice but to answer. “…Wait one day. I will discuss it with my companions.”
That night I dropped a mirror into the lake and called for Mangnyang. After appearing, Mangnyang spoke.
[Baek Woong. I observed the dealings with the Prophet closely. I’d like to say your transaction was excellent. You’ve lost many treasures, but I see the Seal of the Supreme King you gained holds more value than that.]
“That’s a relief…”
I let out a sigh of relief upon hearing Mangnyang’s praise.
Then Mangnyang continued.
[There is one way to grant Abe no Seimei’s request.]
“What is it?”
[Planting the seed of the Dragon Flower Tree in Dongyoung, which will alleviate much burden for Goryeo as well.]
“……?”
I tilted my head in confusion. I currently had the seed of the Dragon Flower Tree, but what could it possibly mean since it had been next to the Wood Essence like a fluke? Mangnyang continued.
[If you give the seed of the Dragon Flower Tree to Seimei, he will handle it. There’s no need to hand over a Seven Luminary.]
“Um, understood.”
[And I’ve come to a temporary conclusion.]
“What do you mean?”
[The Master of the Twelve Joules is not in the Underworld. If he isn’t here despite being reflected this much in the mirror, we can only conclude he’s not there. The only possibility is if he created an anomalous space so cunning that he might not be reflected in the mirror, but that’s just unreal.]
“Hmm! Where on earth could he have gone? He definitely died…”
[Perhaps… there’s only one place that comes to mind…]
“Where is that?”
Mangnyang hesitated before shaking his head.
[…‘The Old Continent’.]
“The Old Continent…?”
[The place that the Master of the Twelve Joules mentioned. It’s highly likely he has sought refuge there.]
I recalled the explanation from the former Zhuge Clan.
[He had mentioned the ‘Old Continent.’ It was too suspicious.]
[Well, it relates to the secrets of the Demon Path under the realm of mystery, so we can’t blame you for not knowing.]
[The ‘Old Continent’ refers to the ancient continent that existed before the current world was established, before the massive tectonic shifts. The civilization back then was far superior and powerful compared to now.]
[However, that civilization vanished overnight, over ten thousand years ago. Given that the history of the Ancient Middle Kingdom is only about five thousand years, this is truly an era that humans can’t comprehend. Even among Demon Sorcerers, it’s a secret passed down as the vision of visions.]
[The fact that he spoke about it and also mentioned a passage leading to the ‘Old Continent’ cannot be ignored. I pride myself on being a powerful Demon Sorcerer, but I’ve never even heard of a passage leading to the ‘Old Continent.’ I always thought it was merely a record in the Demon Book.]
And that explanation arose from the doubts Zhuge Clan expressed when the Master of the Twelve Joules offered to show us a safe passage to the ‘Old Continent.’ It was a legendary secret that even Demon Sorcerers did not know well.
I spoke to Mangnyang. “The ‘Old Continent’ is from the prehistoric era over ten thousand years ago, and it wasn’t lost overnight? Furthermore, Zhuge Clan said the ‘Old Continent’ sank beneath the sea during tectonic shifts. How can a dead human possibly reach a continent that has sunk under the sea?”
[That’s right. Logically, that doesn’t make sense. If the Master of the Twelve Joules died after losing to the Eight Parts of the Divine, that would mean he refused to head to the Underworld and went to the ‘Old Continent’ instead, taking two of the Seven Luminaries with him.]
Mangnyang made a sour face.
[But that’s the only explanation. There’s nowhere else to hide where the gaze of the mirror cannot reach other than there…]
As Mangnyang was speaking, he suddenly made a shocked expression.
[No?! He appeared…!!]
“What?! The Master of the Twelve Joules?”
[Yes! He has appeared in the Underworld!]
“Ugh, I have to go right now…”
[As a living person, Baek Woong, you can’t just come here immediately. Wait a moment. ]
Mangnyang summoned the mirror before him, seemingly inspecting something, and then spoke in a dazed tone.
[This is nonsense.]
“Why?”
[The Master of the Twelve Joules… has appeared with the physical body of a living being.]
“……!!”
Mangnyang seemed greatly distressed.
[Wait… where he’s heading is… why here… Could it be his goal is…]
Crackle!
The communication with Mangnyang suddenly cut off, and the void created by the mirror vanished. I sensed that something terrible was about to happen and clenched my teeth.
“I need to get to the Underworld.”
Mangnyang and Zhuge Clan are in danger.