The Pendant of Infinite Wisdom
As soon as he extended his divine sense toward the pendant for closer inspection, a vague sense of danger prickled at him, forcing him to pull back immediately.
It was nothing more than instinct, but a refiner’s intuition could sometimes border on precognition. Especially when it concerned his own safety.
‘I never thought I’d experience something like this myself.’
Having only read about it in books, he felt a mix of tension and fascination. For now, he decided to examine his surroundings more carefully.
The faint crimson glow seeping from the pits was no mere decoration or illusion. The blood had pooled there for so long that even his Six Paths of Reincarnation divine ability could faintly detect lingering emotions of pain and resentment.
Whatever ritual had been performed in this place had transformed the bloodstains into something far more sinister.
After probing the area a little longer, he realized the moment of choice had arrived.
Should he risk it and examine the pendant in earnest?
Or should he leave this place and search for another location?
‘At this point, a stronger enemy should be showing up to interfere any moment now…’
There wasn’t enough time to wander off in search of a more important site. Unless he intended to fully retreat and explore this world more thoroughly later, taking a bold risk here didn’t seem like a bad idea.
Having made his decision, he raised his vigilance to the highest level and extended his divine sense toward the pendant once more—this time pushing past the danger line.
And just like that,
he learned the pendant’s true identity on his own.
The Pendant of Infinite Wisdom and Knowledge.
The emblem of Ugtarhel, the one who contemplates all things from the deepest and highest places, knowing and realizing everything.
Information about it flooded his mind as if he had always known it. At the same time, he felt an overwhelming surge of greed.
‘If I wear it around my neck, I’ll know everything I desire.’
There was no evidence to support it, yet the impulse struck him like an immutable truth, rattling his entire mind. However, thanks to Monghwan Yusim and the Six Paths of Reincarnation, he realized he could resist it.
‘Do I really need to resist…?’
It was obviously dangerous, but the object clearly existed to impart some form of knowledge. Since he had already resolved to take the risk, there was no reason not to try wearing it.
This wasn’t a world he had visited with any specific goal in mind. Why hesitate? In the worst case, he would simply wake up in reality with nothing to show for it.
It might be quite painful right before waking, but as long as he came out of it fine, that would be enough.
‘…Is this rationalization the result of the pendant’s temptation?’
It was possible. Yet even when he reviewed it objectively, there was no logical flaw in his reasoning.
In the end,
with an oddly gleaming look in his eyes, he reached out and took the pendant that the mummified giant held in both hands.
Before he could even finish his final hesitation, his hand moved on its own and placed it around his neck.
Immediately after,
his head felt like it was exploding open as the scope of his thoughts began to expand at a terrifying rate.
Things he already knew unfolded from beginning to end as if newly reinterpreted. Even concepts he believed he had fully understood revealed entirely new interpretations.
Knowledge he had never encountered before flowed in from somewhere, becoming visible to his eyes, audible to his ears, smellable by his nose, tastable on his tongue, and tangible to his hands.
These senses combined to spark wildly creative new ideas. Those ideas were then automatically analyzed, organized, and verified through countless experiments, becoming the foundation for even more creative thoughts.
“Ah…”
A reflexive moan of ecstasy escaped his lips.
Never again.
He could never return to how he had been before.
This state was the ultimate happiness, the final destination that any intelligent being should strive for.
Only boundless truth could save someone as insignificant as himself in this infinite universe.
Like a half-madman, he stared blankly into space, yet in reality he was drowning in a torrent of thoughts so fast and fierce that he could barely keep his sanity.
The sight of his pupils turning into an abyssal pitch black was quite eerie.
“Move aside.”
The demon followers who had been standing tensely suddenly flinched at the beautiful voice coming from behind them. They quickly parted and bowed their heads. Their attitude suggested they didn’t even dare meet her gaze.
It was only natural. The owner of that voice was a Grand Bishop famous enough to be recognized instantly. Her cruel nature was equally well-known, making her an object of terror for all lower-ranking followers.
The figure who leisurely walked through the path they created and entered the ‘sanctuary’ was, contrary to her fearsome reputation, breathtakingly beautiful. Her silver hair, which took on a subtle violet hue depending on the angle, gave off an especially mystical aura.
Once fully inside, she raised a hand as delicate as jade, gathering an energy mixed with blood and darkness, preparing to punish the intruder who had dared to kill three bishops.
However,
when she saw that the enemy she was supposed to punish was already wearing Ugtarhel’s emblem around his neck, she immediately dispersed the energy and smiled strangely.
“What is this? Did he put it on himself?”
- That’s right.
“Ah, you have already completed the descent. My apologies.”
She gracefully bowed at the waist in respect.
- Descent? Hahaha…!
At the slightly unexpected reaction, she glanced up. The other party spoke calmly.
- Enough with the small talk. Bring the materials. That is the contract attached to this emblem.
“Understood. The holy relic we intended to create this time is…”
- No. I have already decided what to create. Since I am wearing it myself.
“…Ah, of course.”
Such cases were extremely rare. The Grand Bishop, who belatedly recalled the relevant information, bowed once more and issued instructions to the demon followers behind her. She seemed unwilling to waste any time.
A short while later,
the demon followers brought several large boxes and various items. As the intruder—currently Han Yujin, yet not quite Han Yujin—watched them being neatly arranged in one corner of the hall, he smiled with satisfaction.
He then took something out from his storage. It was none other than the Okro Wine Bottle and the Bloodwood seeds required for the Bloodwood Essence and Yang Brewing Technique.
Crackle—!
The dharma power he unleashed without hesitation violently churned and damaged the Okro Wine Bottle. At the same time, countless glowing runes burst from his other hand, stimulating the Bloodwood seeds in a bizarre manner.
- The quality of the materials is decent.
Muttering to himself, he used a pulling technique to draw in the necessary metals and several glass bottles containing unknown liquids from among the materials the demon followers had brought.
He then exhaled Pure Yang Extreme Flame to melt the metals while simultaneously removing the stoppers from the glass bottles, allowing their contents to seep into the damaged surface of the Okro Wine Bottle in various ways.
The Bloodwood seeds, which had been continuously stimulated in that strange manner, were suddenly sucked into the Okro Wine Bottle, where they began emitting loud noises. It was impossible to guess what was happening inside.
Eventually, the completely melted metal split into countless threads, engraving incredibly complex dharma patterns onto the surface and interior of the Okro Wine Bottle from every possible angle.
This was not something the original Han Yujin could have accomplished. It was a feat so difficult that even most master artisans would gasp in disbelief. Only someone at the level of a grandmaster artisan might be capable of such work.
He continued consuming precious magical materials without pause, completely remodeling the entire Okro Wine Bottle. At some point, it became questionable whether any of the bottle’s original materials even remained.
Meanwhile,
Han Yujin’s appearance was aging at an astonishing speed.
Considering that refining the Dragon Heart had extended his lifespan well beyond five hundred years, it was almost impossible to fathom just how terrifyingly fast his life force was being consumed.
“If it’s not too rude, may I ask your name…”
- Shh—.
When the work briefly slowed, the Grand Bishop tried to ask something, but Han Yujin simply gestured for the being—who was clearly at least at the Nascent Soul stage—to be silent.
The Grand Bishop obediently withdrew.
More than half a day passed like that.
The being who had displayed unbelievable skill while transforming the Okro Wine Bottle into something unrecognizable now looked like a wrinkled, white-haired elder on the verge of collapse.
Only when he was a hair’s breadth from running out of breath did he finish. He stroked the completed product with satisfaction, admiring his work.
- Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle… I suppose I’ll name it that.
After muttering those final words, he suddenly collapsed.
The Grand Bishop, who had been watching from the side, looked regretful that she hadn’t been able to ask her question. But soon, she smiled as she gazed at the new holy relic, the ‘Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle,’ which glowed with a captivating, enchanting light.
Meanwhile, the world Han Yujin saw slowly sank into darkness. Then silver letters floated up before him.
You have died.
In the waiting space before selecting his rewards,
he sat with his eyes closed, organizing his gains while looking slightly dizzy yet maintaining his composure.
‘It really was as dangerous as I expected… No, it was even more dangerous than I thought.’
It would not be an exaggeration to say that almost everything after he examined the pendant with his divine sense had been beyond his control.
Fortunately, even in that state, things had not spiraled into complete disaster.
The sensation he felt right after putting on the pendant—the feeling of his head bursting open as his range of thought expanded endlessly—remained only as a faint, aftereffect-free dreamlike memory. The unfamiliar new knowledge and creative ideas that had followed were the same.
Since he had experienced something similar once before, he had been able to predict this outcome.
The consumption of his life force had also been undone, as if it had never happened.
It wasn’t that his lifespan had naturally decreased over time. It had felt more like an attack that forcibly drained his life force.
Even so,
the enlightenment that allowed him to reinterpret the knowledge he already possessed—from perspectives he had once believed complete—remained relatively intact.
This was an insight in the realm of wisdom rather than mere knowledge, and it was by no means a small gain. Its practical utility had increased dramatically.
‘Moreover…’
When he opened his eyes, his gaze turned toward one of the reward items waiting to be chosen.
It was the ‘Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle,’ which had once been the Okro Wine Bottle but was now transformed into something that gave off an alluring crimson glow that inexplicably lifted one’s mood just by looking at it.
When he had created it, he had been an existence that was ‘himself, yet not himself.’ However, it hadn’t been due to some other being invading him. It was more accurate to say that his ego had undergone a massive demonic shift.
In other words, the Grand Bishop’s comment about a ‘descent’ had been completely wrong. That was why he had laughed.
‘It had changed far too much, but even then, it was definitely still me.’
Although most of the memories had become hazy like a dream, a few remained clear enough for him to understand the situation.
There had been some kind of contract attached to the pendant. Even while reveling in overflowing knowledge and wisdom, he had been forced to create an object. He had known the work would cost him his life, yet he hadn’t cared in the slightest.
‘…Because it was a world I visited through my awakening ability.’
That was why he had decided to fulfill the contract while creating something he could use himself. After coming up with a good idea, he had successfully produced it.
In short,
the Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle was not a dangerous object at all.
There was no way he would have hidden side effects or traps in an item he had created for his own use. His ego might have changed drastically, but he had not been a fool at the time.
That said, while it might not be dangerous, he couldn’t be certain whether it was something that wouldn’t cause problems in urban areas.
‘Besides, even if I wear the pendant the same way next time, there’s no guarantee I’ll be able to create this again.’
It was obvious he wouldn’t be able to control the altered state caused by wearing the pendant as he originally intended. Depending on what ideas the transformed version of himself came up with, he would end up creating something entirely different.
And whatever was created would, with considerable probability, possess highly undesirable properties.
With that thought, he approached the Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle and examined it closely.
‘Its level definitely surpasses ordinary dharma instruments… Is it a dharma treasure? Surely it’s not a spiritual treasure, right?’
His lack of knowledge regarding refining techniques and the fragmentary memories from the time of its creation made it difficult to judge. He could only sense its general usage.
Regardless, it was clearly an incredible item.
If he passed on it now, he might never have the chance to choose it again. Yet selecting it would require spending nearly all the Karma he currently possessed.
“Huu…”
A deep sigh filled with contemplation escaped him involuntarily.
This wasn’t some limited-edition hidden item from a game. He had never imagined that visiting a world without any particular expectations would present him with such a agonizing decision.
He agonized over it for quite a long time.
But the thought that he could gather a large amount of Karma in reality gradually grew stronger, tilting his decision in one direction. Moreover, if he could obtain an item of this caliber with the amount of Karma he currently had, it seemed he would be able to extract some form of benefit from it no matter how terrible its properties might be.
Soon,
having made up his mind, he boldly reached out and claimed the Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle.
Upon returning through the Great Rift, he simply sent a brief message that he had returned and immediately set out to hunt. He wanted to test the Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle.
‘Will it really be as useful as I felt…?’
Although he had grasped its general usage through his divine sense, it was difficult to predict exactly what kind of effect it would show in actual combat.
Using Wind Escape Technique, he quickly moved far away from the base fortress and soon discovered a manageable group of monsters without much difficulty. They looked like wild dogs but had many joints on their four legs—the very creatures that had been the main force during the Wave.
Whoosh—!
Han Yujin descended from the sky like a falling gust of wind. Before the creatures could even react, he thrust forward the Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle in his hand.
At that moment.
Shhhk—!
With a faint tearing sound, countless jet-black threads burst out from inside the Blood Spirit Red Flower Wine Bottle and mercilessly pierced through the dog-like monsters.
Before they could even scream, the creatures dried up like mummies in the blink of an eye and crumbled into nothing but dust.
The jet-black thread-like lines that had shot out swiftly retreated back into the bottle.
“Hmm…”
Clink—!
When he lightly shook the bottle, he could clearly feel the sensation of liquid inside.
‘Don’t tell me this is…’
It seemed to be an object capable of almost instantly producing Bloodwood Essence and Yang Brew—or perhaps an even more potent liquid. And it could do so while also functioning as a weapon against enemies.