Chapter 240
Chapter 240
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 240
Chapter Title: 전생검신-240화
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Translator: Ace
Heaven Realm
Chapter: 240
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Heaven Realm
I tilted my head at the question from the Twelfth Law Lord, Ha Eun-cheon.
“I don’t really know.”
I had heard about the constellations before. The alchemist had mentioned their blessings, and Miho had explained to me that Xiang Yu was a being born under twelve constellations. Cheon Woo-jin had also said that the Star of the Overlord born to Xiang Yu had stirred the constellations.
But I had never received a clear explanation of what the constellations actually were. In response to my answer, the Twelfth Law Lord spoke.
“You seem to know a little. Tell me what you do know.”
“The special constellations like the 36 Heavenly Punishing Stars and the 72 Earthly Killing Stars exert their demonic power on the mortal world, causing natural disasters or giving birth to humans innately possessing terrifying strength... That’s what I know.”
I roughly recited the knowledge I’d heard from Miho, and he replied.
“You don’t understand what that means, do you?”
“Yes.”
“Heh heh. Then listen while I explain.”
He continued as if addressing a dim but eager student.
“You mentioned the 36 Heavenly Punishing Stars and 72 Earthly Killing Stars. But you know that the stars in the sky aren’t limited to just those 108, right? On a clear night, the star chart reveals thousands of stars. So why are the constellations limited to just those 108?”
I had never thought about it. After a moment’s reflection, I answered.
“Maybe those 108 stars alone possess ritualistic power?”
“Exactly. The star chart contains tens of thousands of stars, but powerful demonic power concentrates only in those 108. Since ancient times, humans across East and West have ascribed special meaning only to those stars.”
The Twelfth Law Lord paused briefly, picked up a piece of meat from the table, and said.
“Then why? Why those specific 108 stars?”
“......”
“Most sorcerers stop thinking there. Sorcerers are far more conservative than martial artists, so they don’t critically analyze inherited knowledge or trace its origins to the end. They just assume the ancient grand sorcerers knew what they were doing. And in truth, with average talent, it’s hard enough just to learn sorcery, leaving no time for such thoughts.”
The Twelfth Law Lord stuffed the meat into the mouth of his doll mask and seemed to chew.
“But to cut to the chase, the fundamental reason is simple.”
“What is it?”
“The things called constellations are the territories of the [Old Rulers].”
“......!!”
What did he just say?
I was startled by the sudden mention of the [Old Rulers]. Neither Miho, Cheon Woo-jin, nor Mang-ryang had ever explained it that way. I wondered if the Twelfth Law Lord was trying to deceive me, but I couldn’t make sense of it. Seeing the turmoil on my face, he crossed his arms.
“Hmm... I suppose I need to explain the essence more clearly to you.”
The Twelfth Law Lord chuckled as if amused, then said.
“Then what exactly is a [star]?”
“A star?”
“Yes, a star. Those twinkling things you always see in the night sky. What do you think they are?”
“Stars... are stars.”
“Why do they twinkle? Why do they shine? Have you ever thought it’s because they’re insanely hot and bright—far more intense and massive than the sun we can see?”
“......”
“If the distances of the universe are immeasurably vast, then for their light to pierce the darkness and reach our eyes from such unfathomable distances, they must be enormous, radiant celestial bodies.”
It was confusing.
Stars larger than the sun?
Was that even possible?
But the Twelfth Law Lord’s words made a certain sense. Having never encountered space myself, I couldn’t agree or disagree. My shallow knowledge of sorcery and astronomy left me speechless.
I quickly sorted through the confusion in my mind and said.
“Assuming what you say is true, there’s a contradiction.”
“What contradiction?”
“If they emit such scorching, intense light as celestial bodies, their temperature and heat would be unimaginable to humans. No flame on earth could compare.”
“Probably so. You’re smarter than I thought.”
“If that’s the territory of the [Old Rulers], it doesn’t add up. How could life exist in such a hellish inferno?”
I felt smug, thinking I had refuted him. He seemed to have no comeback. But instead, the Twelfth Law Lord laughed heartily, as if he’d been waiting.
“Haha, it’s the opposite.”
“The opposite?”
“The [Old Rulers] conquered that hell and crossed vast expanses of time and space to reach our realm. They transcended the limits of life, earning the title of gods, and their territories are the constellations for that very reason.”
“......”
I could only gape, unable to keep up.
They conquered that dizzying superheated hell?
Chewing on a lamb skewer, the Twelfth Law Lord continued.
“They’re called rulers because they once dominated something. And that something might not be our world, but another.”
“Absurd.”
I glared at him and said.
“Are you toying with me, Twelfth Law Lord? Can you swear on your true name that everything you’ve said is true?”
“You’re coming on strong.”
He grumbled. And rightly so—swearing on one’s true name was a sorcerous curse and pact in itself. Lying under such an oath could bring backlash, draining power or inviting curses upon a sorcerer.
Finally, he spoke.
“I can promise. On my true name, I affirm that everything I’ve said about the constellations is true.”
“......”
I felt sorcerous words of power in every syllable. He had notarized his explanation as fact. The most unbelievable tale was closest to the truth, leaving me bewildered.
‘Constellations as the Old Rulers’ territories...’
I had never even imagined it. As I let out a groan, the Twelfth Law Lord said.
“Well, not every star is an extremely hot one, of course. There are orbiting planets too, and environments beyond our comprehension. In any case, the [Old Rulers] are beings who reigned as gods in those harsh otherworlds.”
Muttering to himself, he shoved a chicken leg into his doll mask and continued.
“That’s why even the gods of the Heavenly Realm have no authority over the constellations and can’t touch them. It’s their territory, after all.”
“I see.”
“Thus, when a human born under a constellation’s influence appears on earth, sorcerers are merely given revelations to keep watch. It’s like telling earthly beings to handle a time bomb they can’t touch themselves.”
“......”
Xiang Yu, the Western Chu Overlord, suddenly came to mind.
‘He was born under the power of twelve constellations.’
That explained his immense power. He had crushed Demon King Dalgi barehanded, and even the Ghostly Portrait Sorcerer’s spells had failed against him. I owed him a great debt, but his enemies certainly didn’t.
‘Despite his lifetime of atrocities, Xiang Yu ascended to the Heavenly Realm and claimed a seat among the Great Thunder Immortals. Could that be why?’
A soul so densely infused with constellation power—the power of the [Old Rulers]—would be hard to handle in the Heavenly Realm. They might not have even managed to send him to the underworld properly. Assigning him a minor Great Thunder Immortal seat and confining him to a corner might have been their best option.
As I pondered, the Twelfth Law Lord spoke.
“The reason I explained the constellations is simple. The Seven Treasures are divine artifacts born from a pact between the [Old Rulers] and the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Since the Seven Treasures draw some power from the constellations, I asked if you knew that.”
“Honestly, I had no idea until you told me.”
“I figured as much, heh heh.”
I could picture him grinning mischievously behind the doll mask. Then he said.
“Enough chit-chat. Let’s get to the point.”
“Yes.”
His voice suddenly turned solemn.
“Baek Woong, master of the Seventh Treasure, Dark Night. Will you join us in battling the Baleful God?”
It was an abrupt proposal.
“The Baleful God?”
“Hmm... You don’t even know what that is?”
I shook my head.
“No, I know roughly. Like the Sea God, it’s an [Old Ruler] that guards the apostles and evil gods from the ocean depths until they reach the stars’ orbits... That’s my understanding.”
“Hoh. You know quite a bit.”
He seemed impressed. And for good reason—that was exactly what Yeo Dong-bin, a Heavenly Realm combat immortal and Great Thunder Immortal, had explained to me. The Baleful God also kept its own kin and descendants, and I had once glimpsed an ancient city it guarded through the Golden Bi’s Thousand-Li Eyes.
He said.
“That’s right. I want you, master of the Seventh Treasure, to stand with our altar clan against the Baleful God. That’s why I summoned you today—for this proposal.”
“......”
I fell silent for a moment.
‘The Baleful God...’
In this life, I had planned to quietly train my martial arts under the Twelfth Law’s protection. I never expected the Twelfth Law Lord to suddenly propose fighting an [Old Ruler] called the Baleful God together.
After deep thought, I asked.
“The Baleful God is also an [Old Ruler]. How strong is it?”
“......”
“Stronger than the current imperial palace?”
The Twelfth Law Lord replied.
“It’s almost insulting to compare. The demonic power in the Ming Empire’s palace is a minnow next to the Baleful God. Of course, the one sealed behind it is another story.”
“...How could we possibly fight something like that?”
“Fair point.”
He grumbled.
Indeed.
I was already at a loss against the imperial palace, pacing anxiously. How could I oppose an [Old Ruler] Baleful God several levels beyond that? His proposal went beyond unrealistic into the absurd. Especially after experiencing firsthand how vomit-inducingly powerful Demon King Dalgi was, a mere apostle of the [Old Rulers], not even their true body.
The Twelfth Law Lord said.
“But remember, you already owe me.”
“......”
“The Shadowless Sect you’ve taken refuge with isn’t a faction the Twelve Laws would normally accept. It’s the Central Plains’ top evil sect, and you fled here due to the conflict between the White Lotus Cult and the imperial palace, didn’t you? Incorporating a Shadowless Sect with direct grudges against the White Lotus Cult under the Twelve Laws is normally unthinkable.”
I glared at him.
“Are you threatening me with the Shadowless Sect’s fate? I never begged you for that.”
“Haha, this isn’t a threat. And I wouldn’t threaten a fellow master of the Seven Treasures over something like this.”
The Twelfth Law Lord laughed heartily without a hint of agitation. I couldn’t read his mind, but I knew he was skillfully angling to pressure me. He was adept at psychology and intimidation tactics.
‘Damn it...’
As I ground my teeth inwardly, he continued.
“But keep this in mind. You’re likely the first since ancient times to unseal a Treasure with your own power alone, Baek Woong. You’ve accomplished a feat worthy of legends and deserve to be called a hero. I’m politely requesting your cooperation as such.”
“If I refuse, will you expel the Shadowless Sect?”
When I asked bluntly, he smirked.
“No, I won’t expel you even if you refuse. I know how terrifying it is to fight the [Old Rulers]. But if you plan to stay in this land of Goryeo, you’ll eventually have no choice but to fight our clan.”
“What do you mean?”
He cracked his knuckles and leaned forward slightly.
“This land of Goryeo and the Liaodong region are barely protected by the powers of the Seventh Treasure Sea Seal and the Sacred Altar Tree. Because it lies within both the Baleful God’s and Sea God’s spheres of influence. Without the Sea Seal, this place would long ago have become a demon-infested wasteland with yokai rampaging wildly.”
Taking a breath, the Twelfth Law Lord said.
“Do you not understand why our altar clan has raised warriors and sorcerers over thousands of years? Why do you think the Twelve Laws hold so many powerhouses? It’s to fend off the [Old Rulers’] minions’ playful attacks and clean up afterward.”
“......”
“While operating under the Twelve Laws, clashes with our clan will be more frequent than you think. Innocent victims continue to appear even now. At this rate, in a few hundred years, even the Sea Seal’s power won’t hold.”
Hearing this, I replied flatly.
“If the evil gods’ power grows too strong to hold back, even my help with Dark Night wouldn’t mean much, would it?”
“No, it’s not like that. There’s a world of difference between one Treasure and two.”
The Twelfth Law Lord fixed his gaze on me. I felt sharp eyes gleaming from behind the doll mask.
“If you aid me, we could cripple the Sea God within twenty years.”
“......!!”
What?!
Did he just say we could defeat an [Old Ruler]?
I clenched my fists in shock.
“I have no grand ambitions. If we can just topple the Sea God in my lifetime, I’d stake my life on it.”
His words rang with sincerity.
Then he dropped a bombshell.
“If we succeed—if you help with that—I could hand over the Twelve Laws to you.”
“......”
Was he serious?
It didn’t matter if he was or not.
From the moment I heard this from the Twelfth Law Lord, I was trapped in an inescapable quagmire. After deep deliberation, I answered with difficulty.
“Please give me time to think.”
“Of course. Since you’ve joined the Twelve Laws—or Thirteen Laws now?—treat it like your own home and take your time.”
The Law Lord who said that added.
“Rest easy today. Next time, I’d appreciate a positive answer.”
“......”
I barely touched my food before excusing myself and heading to my quarters. I felt like there was more to ask the Twelfth Law Lord, but the shocking revelations made my head feel like it would split open.
The subjugation of the Sea God!
That was what the Twelfth Law Lord wanted my help with.