NOVEL WEB Chapter 240
Heavenly Realm
At Master Ha Eun-cheon‘s question, I tilted my head.
“I don’t really know.”
I had heard about the Constellations before. The Alchemist had mentioned the blessings of the constellations, and Xiang Yu was described by Miho as a being born under the 12 constellations. Furthermore, Cheon Woo-jin had said that when Xiang Yu’s star, the Sovereign Star, moved, the constellations trembled.
But I had never received a clear explanation of what those constellations actually were. Upon my response, Master Ha Eun-cheon replied,
“Well, it seems you know a little. Why don’t you share what you do know?”
“The magical power of special constellations like the 36 Heavenly Constellations and the 72 Earthly Kills affects the earth, causing natural disasters or giving birth to humans who possess terrifying strength by nature… that’s what I’ve come to understand.”
After recounting the knowledge I had picked up from Miho, he said,
“Do you not understand what that means?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, then let me explain it to you, so listen closely.”
Master Ha Eun-cheon spoke as if I were a somewhat dim-witted student he was eager to teach.
“You mentioned the 36 Heavenly Constellations and the 72 Earthly Kills, but you should know that looking at the sky, there are actually not just 108 stars. On a clear night, you can see thousands of stars in the star map. So why are the constellations limited to just those 108?”
I had never thought of that before. After pondering for a moment, I replied,
“Maybe only those 108 stars possess sorcerous powers?”
“Exactly. While the star map reveals thousands, those 108 hold concentrated, powerful magical energy. Since ancient times, humans have ascribed special meanings to only those stars, regardless of east or west.”
Master Ha Eun-cheon took a piece of meat from the table and continued,
“So, why? Why those specific 108 stars?”
“……”
“Most sorcerers stop thinking here. Sorcerers tend to be much more conservative than martial artists, so they don’t critically analyze the inherited knowledge or pursue its origins to the very end. They simply think, ‘The ancient great sorcerers must have known what they were doing.’ In reality, with most talents, just learning sorcery is quite the effort, leaving little room for such thoughts.”
He seemed to mumble while placing a piece of lamb skewer into his puppet mask.
“But frankly, the fundamental reason is quite simple.”
“What is it?”
“The constellations, the celestial bodies, are the territories of the Ancient Rulers.”
“……!!”
What does this mean?
I was taken aback when Master Ha Eun-cheon suddenly spoke of the Ancient Rulers. Neither Miho, Cheon Woo-jin, nor Mangnyang had ever given such an explanation. I pondered whether this was a trick by Master Ha Eun-cheon, but I couldn’t grasp the truth. As I struggled to conceal my bewilderment, he crossed his arms.
“Hm… I guess I need to explain something more fundamental.”
Finding it amusing, Master Ha Eun-cheon chuckled and asked,
“Then what exactly is a star?”
“A star?”
“Yes, a star. Those twinkling things you see in the night sky. What do you think they are?”
“A star is… a star.”
“Why do you think a star twinkles? Why does it shine? Have you ever thought it’s because they are intensely hot and bright, perhaps even larger and more intense than our sun?”
“……”
“If the distances of the universe are unfathomable, then naturally, that light reaching our eyes must come from a celestial body that is incredibly large and bright.”
It’s confusing.
Could stars be larger than the sun?
Is that even possible?
However, Master Ha Eun-cheon’s words made enough sense. Since I had no actual experience of the universe, I couldn’t agree or disagree with him. My shallow knowledge of sorcery and astronomy contributed to my confusion.
After sorting through the chaos in my mind, I said,
“If what you say is true, then there’s a contradiction.”
“What contradiction?”
“If such celestial bodies are emitting such hot, intense light, their temperature and heat must be unimaginable to humans. No fire on earth could compare.”
“Perhaps so. Surprisingly, you’re quite sharp.”
“If that territory is indeed the realm of the Ancient Rulers, then how could life exist in such a scorching hell?”
I felt a certain pride, thinking I had successfully countered Master Ha Eun-cheon. Surely he wouldn’t have a response to that. But to my surprise, he laughed heartily and answered,
“Haha, that’s the opposite.”
“The opposite?”
“The Ancient Rulers traversed that hell and reached our space through vast temporal and spatial distances. Since they transcend the limits of life forms, they are called gods, and that region of the constellations is their territory.”
“……”
I could only stare blankly, unable to keep up with his story.
They conquered a realm of extreme heat?
While taking a lamb skewer and mumbling to himself, Master Ha Eun-cheon continued,
“Those referred to as rulers did so because they once governed something. That ‘something’ might not even be our world but another.”
“That’s absurd.”
I glared at him.
“Are you making fun of me, Master of the Twelve Principles? Can you swear on your true name that everything you said is true?”
“Wow, you’re aggressive.”
Master Ha Eun-cheon grumbled. It was understandable since swearing on one’s True Name is an act of a sorcerous curse and promise. Lying while swearing on it would bring a backlash to the sorcerer, causing them to lose power or even suffer from a curse.
Eventually, he said,
“I can promise. I assure you, everything I’ve told you about the constellations is the truth.”
“……”
Each of his words resonated with sorcerous authority. Master Ha Eun-cheon was certifying that his explanations regarding the constellations were entirely true. Such a statement, being the least believable to me, was suddenly the closest to the truth, leaving me in chaos.
‘To think the constellations are territories of the Ancient Rulers!’
It was an idea I’d never considered. As I gave a thoughtful hum, Master Ha Eun-cheon remarked,
“Well, in reality, there are not just intensely hot stars. There are many planets orbiting them and environments unimaginable by our common sense. In any case, the Ancient Rulers were beings who reigned as gods in that harsh alternate realm.”
As if speaking to himself, Master Ha Eun-cheon then shoved a chicken leg into his puppet mask and continued,
“This is why the gods of the Heavenly Realm have no rights concerning the constellations. It’s only natural; they belong to the territory of the Ancient Rulers.”
“I see.”
“Humans born under the influence of the constellations merely convey warnings to sorcerers so they tread cautiously. It means they expect earthly beings to deal with these time bombs they cannot touch.”
“……”
Suddenly, I recalled Xiang Yu, the Overlord of Western Chu.
‘Xiang Yu was said to be born under the power of 12 constellations.’
For that reason, Xiang Yu’s power was immense. He defeated the Demon King Dalgi barehanded, and even the spells of the Sovereign Spirits had no effect on him. I felt immense gratitude towards Xiang Yu, but his enemies certainly did not share that sentiment.
‘Could Xiang Yu’s past deeds have led him to claim a seat among the Great Immortals of the Heavenly Realm?’
With a soul so densely filled with the power of the constellations, it must have been hard for the Heavenly Realm to manage him. Perhaps sending him to a position among the Great Immortals was the most suitable solution for him.
While I pondered, Master Ha Eun-cheon explained,
“The reason I elaborated on the constellations is not simply to provide background knowledge. The Seven Luminaries are the divine treasures born from the contract between the Ancient Rulers and the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. The power of the Seven Luminaries also borrows some influence from the constellations, so I wanted to know if you were aware of that.”
“To be honest, I had no idea until you mentioned it.”
“I suspected as much, heh.”
Master Ha Eun-cheon seemed to be chuckling mischievously behind his puppet mask. Then he said,
“Well, enough small talk. Let’s get to the main point.”
“Sure.”
He suddenly spoke in a solemn tone.
“Baek Woong, master of the Seven Luminaries Hidden Place, will you fight alongside us against the Evil God?”
That was a sudden proposal.
“The Evil God?”
“Hmm… Do you not even know what that is?”
I shook my head and answered,
“No, I have a general idea. Like the Sea God, it’s also an Ancient Ruler, one who guards until the stars move…”
“Wow. You’re quite knowledgeable.”
Master Ha Eun-cheon sounded impressed. After all, what I had just expressed was information directly given to me by Ye Dong-bin, the Great Immortal of the Heavenly Realm. Moreover, I had had visions of the ancient city guarded by the Evil God through the Golden Ratio.
He continued,
“Yes, that’s right. I want you—master of the Seven Luminaries Hidden Place—to assist me in opposing the Evil God. I called you today specifically to make this request.”
“……”
I fell silent for a moment.
‘The Evil God…’
In this life, I had planned to dutifully train under the protection of Master Ha Eun-cheon without getting embroiled in anything. Yet suddenly Master Ha Eun-cheon has proposed to fight against the Evil God, an Ancient Ruler!
After pondering deeply, I asked,
“Since the Evil God is also an Ancient Ruler, how powerful is that being?”
“……”
“Is it more powerful than the current imperial palace?”
Then Master Ha Eun-cheon responded,
“Comparing them is an insult. The magic from the imperial palace is mere fodder compared to the Evil God. Of course, the sealed ones are another story.”
“… There’s no way we could fight against something like that.”
“Fair point.”
Master Ha Eun-cheon grumbled.
That’s right.
I was currently in a state where I couldn’t handle the imperial palace, so how was I supposed to contend with the Evil God, which seemed several levels above? Master Ha Eun-cheon‘s proposal wasn’t just unrealistic; it was outright absurd. Especially after witnessing how unbelievably powerful the Demon King Dalgi was, merely a manifestation of an Ancient Ruler, I found it even more daunting.
Master Ha Eun-cheon said,
“But you should at least be aware that you already owe me.”
“……”
“You’ve taken shelter under the Shadowless Gate, which normally wouldn’t even be a sect accepted under the Twelve Profound branches. It is the leading sect of the Central Plains, and you fled home after the power struggles between the White Lotus Sect and the imperial palace, correct? Bringing an ancient enemy into Twelve Profound is something that shouldn’t ordinarily happen.”
I glared at him.
“Are you threatening me regarding the fate of the Shadowless Gate? I never begged you for that!”
“Haha, this isn’t a threat. And same as a fellow master of the Seven Luminaries, I wouldn’t threaten you for such a thing.”
With not a flicker of emotion, Master Ha Eun-cheon merely laughed. I couldn’t quite read his mind, but I could tell he was planning something and knew exactly how to put pressure on me. He was a master of psychological tactics and intimidation.
‘Damn it…’
While I ground my teeth in irritation, Master Ha Eun-cheon continued,
“Just keep in mind, liberating the Seven Luminaries through your own effort might well make you the first in many ages. You’ve already accomplished a legendary feat attributable to you, and it wouldn’t be strange to call you a hero. I’m merely making a polite request for your cooperation.”
“If I refuse your offer, are you planning to expel the Shadowless Gate?”
I asked plainly, and Master Ha Eun-cheon chuckled,
“Even if you refuse, I won’t be pursuing that course of action. I understand how frightening it is to fight against the Ancient Rulers. However, if you choose to remain here, you will eventually have no choice but to confront the non-human beings.”
“What do you mean?”
Master Ha Eun-cheon interlocked his fingers and leaned slightly forward.
“The land of Goryeo and the Yodong region are barely held together through the powers of the Seven Luminaries Sea Spirit and the Sacred Altar Tree. This is because the territory directly falls into the influence of both the Evil God and the Sea God. If it weren’t for the spirits, this land would have already turned into a hell of demons where monsters would rampage wildly.”
Taking a brief breath, Master Ha Eun-cheon added,
“Do you understand the reason why the clan has taken thousands of years to nurture martial artists and sorcerers? Why do you think the Twelve Profound has so many capable members? It’s because they need to contain the playful aggressions of the Ancient Rulers and deal with the fallout.”
“……”
“While you’re within the Twelve Profound, you can expect more encounters with the non-human beings than you’d think. Innocent victims are continuously falling among us. If this continues, a few hundred years from now, even the powers of the Seven Luminaries Sea Spirit might not suffice.”
As I listened to his words, I responded monotonously,
“If the powers of the Death God are getting stronger, isn’t helping a lot fewer than simply accepting my fate?”
“No, that’s not true. Whether I have one or two Seven Luminaries, it makes a significant difference.”
Master Ha Eun-cheon fixed his gaze at me. It almost felt like the glowing eyes were pouring out from behind the mask.
“If you help me, I could make the Sea God no more than a half-dead entity in twenty years.”
“……!!”
What?!
Was he implying we could topple the Ancient Ruler?
I couldn’t help but clench my fists in surprise.
“I don’t have great aspirations. If I can manage to take down the Sea God in my lifetime, I would gladly sacrifice my life to make it happen.”
Master Ha Eun-cheon‘s words genuinely resonated with my heart.
Then he delivered a shocking statement.
“If that task can be accomplished, and if you could assist me in it, I might hand over the Twelve Profound to you.”
“……”
Is he serious?
No, whether he is serious or not doesn’t matter now.
The moment I heard this from Master Ha Eun-cheon, I felt I was trapped in an inescapable quagmire. After thinking carefully, I struggled to respond,
“Please give me some time to think.”
“Of course. Now that you’re part of the Twelve Profound… or should I say, Thirteenth Profound? Treat it like home and feel free to think it over.”
With that, Master Ha Eun-cheon added,
“Feel free to rest today. I hope to hear a positive reply next time.”
“……”
I hurriedly left the meeting, barely managing to eat anything, my mind in turmoil. I had a feeling there was something more I wanted to ask Master Ha Eun-cheon, but the shocking revelations had my head in a spin.
Toppling the Sea God!
Master Ha Eun-cheon wanted me to help with that!