LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 752
Chapter 752: Dark Heaven Village
Changhil, once a mere human, had transformed into a being of the Old Ruler’s stature and found himself on the moon of Dark Heaven Village. After learning about the Reborn Person, he thought to himself, “I should use this to my advantage.”
His reasoning was simple: in the moment of revelation just before the end, there was no guarantee that he could obtain what he desired, even if he poured all his strength into it. He had countless plans laid out, but the competition for the heavenly throne was fierce. While he had the advantage of easily controlling the Eight Parts of the Divine and intervening in the human world, it wasn’t enough to survive among the Old Ruler’s ranks.
Thus, Changhil decided to kidnap his traveling companion, Baek Woong, using the power of the Eight Parts of the Divine. Once he confirmed Baek Woong’s will, he aimed to suppress his spirit to extract all the information he needed.
However, something strange occurred. No matter how hard he tried, Changhil couldn’t break through Baek Woong’s mental barriers to retrieve his memories. While it was possible to scrape together instinctual fragments of memory, the essence of his mind had formidable defenses. Changhil was left shocked, realizing he had never expected to fail to read a mortal’s mind.
He guessed that the resistance came from the Heavenly Secret that Baek Woong carried, so he attempted to separate them, but even so, Baek Woong remained unreadable. It felt as though the concept of incomprehensibility had materialized before him. “Could this guy be a manifestation of the Old Ruler?” Changhil doubted this and investigated the causal connections, but found that it wasn’t the case. Although connected to various divine beings, it ultimately remained true that Baek Woong was fundamentally human.
That being the case, he couldn’t recklessly harm or dissect him; he had no idea how someone who couldn’t even read his mind might react. While continuously researching what kind of being Baek Woong was, Changhil reached one conclusion: Reborn Persons are beings that spin the Great Cycle.
He couldn’t determine where their power originated. He considered for a moment whether he might be a manifestation of the ‘Father’ but quickly dismissed it as he was far too weak to be such. So rather than obsess over the incomprehensible, it would be better to utilize that fact.
However, manipulating the Great Cycle was no ordinary task. It was an absolute flow that every being in this world could not resist! Even if Changhil possessed the Old Ruler’s divine powers, he couldn’t withstand that overwhelming restoring force. As he pondered, he ultimately chose a drastic method.
[The method was to dissolve myself.]
“…”
I was in a dazed state, absorbing memories of what Changhil had done for over fifty years in the world of unconsciousness. I wasn’t in reality but in the horizon of nothingness, where only spirit remained. I kept hearing Changhil revealing himself and speaking to me.
[You can hardly imagine how momentous a decision I made. I cast away all the absolute power and flesh of the Old Ruler, turning everything into destiny to transform into a conceptual being.]
“… I don’t understand…”
My mind wasn’t functioning properly, but I managed to speak intermittently. An intense headache felt like it would shatter my head, and I struggled to comprehend the situation. The only certainty was that my consciousness had been expelled from the mental world and that Changhil had taken control of my body.
Why hasn’t that guy erased my existence? As I wondered, Changhil raised his face of chaos and spoke.
[Baek Woong. It has been precisely fifty years since I transformed the Ruler’s physical form into destiny and merged it into yours. It wasn’t mere coincidence that you awoke fifty years later in your last reincarnation.]
“…”
[I gambled because I was confident that you would be the one to spin the Great Cycle… and as I predicted, you faced death and leaped into a new world, beginning a new reincarnation. I had been watching you in the darkness since the very beginning. It wasn’t possession but a conceptual form of destiny, making it impossible for anyone in this world to easily recognize me.]
“Contradiction…”
[What contradiction do you feel?]
I wobbled and pressed my temple, struggling to speak.
“Rather… it would’ve been easier for me if you just took control of my body right as I started my 24th reincarnation… No… you could’ve just taken the Heavenly Secret last time… Why go through all this trouble…”
[Well done. You’re quite the clever one.]
Changhil responded in a manner that implied admiration, then leisurely continued.
[First, can’t you see from this situation? Even though I am completely possessive of you, you still exist in the mental world and cannot be destroyed. While I conducted countless physical takeovers during my research on you in Dark Heaven Village… I was expelled in no time due to an inexplicable backlash. You possess a mental defense that not only shields you but also rejects the Old Ruler itself. A permanent usurpation was impossible, so I had no choice.]
“I… didn’t know that.”
[Second, I had no means to confirm whether the Heavenly Secret was the source of your reincarnation or not.]
“What are you saying?”
[The records of manipulation are left when anyone operates the Little Cycle, but the Great Cycle is a massive tide sweeping every being in this world. Even if the Great Cycle moves, no one can recognize that fact. You, being a Reborn Person, would know this best. So, I could never simply use the Heavenly Secret, nor could I verify your reincarnation powers by giving it to someone else from the very beginning.]
“…”
That was indeed a valid point. Not even my companions ventured to steal the Heavenly Secret for fear of betrayal. If, by any chance, the Heavenly Secret already granted reincarnation in the first cycle and merely existed as a decoration afterward—then in this lifetime, I’d just be infuriated while they couldn’t access their reincarnation at all. Of course, that was a worst-case scenario towards the notion of infinite rebirth, which I didn’t dwell on heavily, but it was true that verifying the ability of the Heavenly Secret was nearly impossible.
[However… you, as a human, would not have thought about this, but… riding upon you in this form provided a tremendous advantage in surpassing the Great Cycle.]
“What advantage are you talking about?”
[Hehe… The accumulation of causal relations. If two beings of equal status possess simultaneity, it’s normal for both to be judged causally… but this time, Changhil perished while I grew stronger.]
“… Accumulation? What does that mean…?”
[When transitioning from the Old World to the New World, you were originally supposed to experience destruction and revelation according to the will of the ‘Father,’ but by disregarding that judgment, it itself accumulates causal relations beyond what even a mortal can imagine… and for a being like me, causal relations equate to power…]
Changhil suddenly erupted with a maniacal laugh.
[Hahaha… You, trapped in the mental world, cannot fathom the extent of the power I can wield… But in this state, I could even resurrect my past physical form.]
“…!!”
Does that mean a divine being can double their power merely by crossing over through the Heavenly Secret of reincarnation?! Considering how confidently Changhil claimed that, it seemed more like truth than mere bluster. There would be no reason for him to deceive me with such claims.
This is bad! The situation has turned quite dangerous.
As expected, Changhil began subtly outlining the peril I had just pondered.
[I have no intention of murdering you mentally… While it might be possible with all my strength, there’s no need for that… Instead, sealing you here for eternity would be the best option. In the meantime, I can achieve my goal.]
“…”
[How does it feel to have your reincarnation severed… and to fade helplessly into the void?]
My face grew rigid. This was the very situation I had worried about most since obtaining the Heavenly Secret.
A seal blocking my reincarnation powers! As long as I’m assumed to have infinite rebirth, I could face the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors without concern, but I continued to tread carefully. If someone were to capture me and seal me away, that’d spell doom. And while the method differed from what I’d imagined, this time, Changhil had succeeded in sealing me within the mental world.
Could this really be the end…?
Yet, I remained calm because the effect of the Seal of the Supreme King lingered, allowing me to view the current situation clearly. I glared at him and stated, “That’s…not going to happen!”
[Why do you think that?]
I shouted, exasperated.
“Because you are here before me right now!!”
[… …]
“If you truly believed that, you could have made me feel thousands or tens of thousands of years within this void and then just come find me… and simply cleanup my mentally shattered remains. But instead, you kindly allow me to see memories of your research… coming directly here to taunt me…”
I gritted my teeth.
“You still want something from me! What is it you want!!”
I had a hunch that he wasn’t the type to destroy and mock without reason. Every single one of his actions towards me had to have a purpose. Realizing that, I felt a surge: this was not yet over.
[… Hoho…]
Changhil’s apparition crossed his arms, gazing at me with intrigue. Then he spoke.
[That’s correct… It’s impressive that you can think calmly even when pushed to this extent… Truly a Reborn Person.]
“What exactly do you want? In this matchup, you should have already won.”
[No… That’s not it… You haven’t won yet… because the match didn’t even start from the very beginning.]
“What…?”
[As you said, I could have made you feel thousands of years in this mental world… but then it would have been useless. You need to remain mentally intact for it to be of any benefit.]
Suddenly, Changhil reached out his hand towards me.
[Reborn Person… promise in the name. Swear to me that you will transfer the Heavenly Secret, the Seven Luminaries, and all your reincarnation abilities to me.]
“Ugh…!!”
[Then I will not only promise you wealth and prosperity in this life but also ensure a blissful end… ]
So that’s what he’s after! I scoffed, replying, “To think you’d try to initiate such a threatening deal now! You should have pulled this off when you kidnapped me last life instead…”
[I did.]
“What?!”
[At that time, I inflicted considerable pain upon you as a threat. But the moment you succumbed not due to your will but from external force… I suffered immense damage as well. You’ve also lost your memory, haven’t you? The ability wasn’t transferred… ]
“…”
[It must have been the protection effect of the Heavenly Secret… since that one time, my attempts have met with failure.]
So, that guy had already tortured and threatened me once before?
Does that mean I simply didn’t remember it?
[Thus, from that moment, I resolved… to persuade you and ensure you willingly sign the transfer contract at a time you couldn’t escape. The Heavenly Secret could never hinder the rightful transfer of name.]
“You… lunatic.”
Upon seeing my horrified expression, Changhil continued speaking.
[But know this: I offer you a very generous condition… If you pledge in my name to transfer everything to me… I, Changhil, will ensure that promise is kept… I will make you the Emperor of the world and grant you the right to dominate everything aside from me… Yes… you can even command the Eight Parts of the Divine. But the throne of Humanity shall be mine.]
“Ugh…”
[Are you worried for your companions? Of course, I shall not touch them either. Once I ascend to become a celestial being, they will all become my subordinates, so there’d be no reason to kill them… Your followers shall also experience peace.]
“…”
[Reborn Person… are you not tired of suffering with your powers of reincarnation? Listening to me will lead to all your happiness. Moreover, just as you envisioned, I will lead and save the human race. I have been planning to save humanity since the Yin Dynasty, so entrusting me with your will is perfect.]
Changhil’s enticement was extremely sweet.
After all, his goal was to save humanity, so I could just delegate everything to him. He even ensured the safety of my companions while promising to make me the Emperor of the continent with every wealth and luxury assured. I could wield the Eight Parts of the Divine like my own subordinates and indulge as I pleased for hundreds of years.
Under ordinary circumstances, everyone would surely be inclined to accept Changhil’s words with these conditions. But I shouted back resolutely.
“No, that’s not happening! You still haven’t told me something.”
[What is it?]
“You claimed you would save humanity, but how exactly do you plan to do that? On the day of the apocalypse and revelation, the Underwater City will rise, the Old Ruler will awaken, and the world will fall apart! How on earth will you save anyone!!”
[… Heh heh heh. Is that what you are asking?]
Changhil chuckled mockingly and said, [How perfect. Though it may be a bit early, I will now reveal what I had originally planned… ]
Woong!
In that moment, a gigantic screen, approximately three panels wide, appeared before me. What was displayed was the current chaos-filled scene of Luoyang Castle, where pandemonium reigned. Chaos erupted everywhere as the Overlay Technique and the Eight Parts of the Divine fought madly against the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, Jeogok, and others.
The situation was extremely dire for the Eight Parts of the Divine. With Dalgi, who should have fought alongside them, having fled, and the Guardian of the Abyss also being subdued, they had no more reinforcements. Now, not only were they battling the main body of Jeogok, but also powerful beings from the Celestial Realm. As expected, the members of the Eight Parts of the Divine were visibly wounded even as they unleashed their essence.
“Hah, serves them right. They can’t win a fight from the start…”
[Baek Woong… Do you know why I created characters in the beginning?]
As Changhil suddenly said this, I glanced at him in confusion. He then reached out towards the screen.
Before long, the image morphed into a grand spectacle revealing the entire continent and ocean from a breathtaking viewpoint.
[This is precisely why I did it.]