Chapter 184 : Chapter 184
Chapter 184. You Are You, and You Are Me
“Why do you say such things…….”
“It means that whatever you see, hear, or feel, the important thing depends solely on your mindset.”
“Ah.”
“Your name is Jin Yeong-in, the disciple of Azure Heaven Divine Warrior Jang Guk-pyeong, and also my disciple. If you remember only that, you will be able to obtain the Divine Essence.”
I didn't understand at all why the Iron-Blooded Demonic God was giving such advice.
However, what was certain was that there would be no harm in taking the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s words to heart.
Words spoken by one who has reached the realm of the Best in All Time usually have immeasurable depth.
“Yes, Master. I will keep it in mind.”
“Good, that is enough. Since that was all I had to say.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God nodded as if satisfied.
“Then…….”
“Go.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God opened the way to the Heavenly Demon Peak.
“Go to the Heavenly Demon Peak and obtain the Divine Essence. That is your mission and also your destiny.”
“Obey.”
I knelt on one knee and showed respect to the Cult Leader and Master, the Iron-Blooded Demonic God, then immediately moved my steps toward the Heavenly Demon Peak.
“You must absolutely not be deluded.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God muttered to himself like that while watching his disciple moving away.
“The situation of one who has crossed the boundary cannot help but be this frustrating…….”
A small sigh flowed from the Iron-Blooded Demonic God’s mouth.
One who already knows everything, but therefore cannot say anything.
Having reached the realm of the Best in All Time and touched the Heavens, it was just regrettable that he could not intervene in the Human World due to providence.
If only something like restriction didn't exist, there would be no reason to be frustrated…….
“Regression to the past…… There must be a cause for such a miraculous event.”
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God muttered so and turned around, trusting his disciple Jin Cheon.
The Iron-Blooded Demonic God believed without a doubt.
That there must be a reason why I came back to the past, and that reason would be the annihilation of the First Heavenly Demon Dokgo Seong and the peace of the world…….
***
Piercing through the fierce wind, heavy rain, raging spiritual energy, and clouds, I finally climbed to the top of Sky Mountain.
Heavenly Demon Peak.
The peak located at the top of Sky Mountain, the Spiritual Mountain of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
It was said to be the place where the First Heavenly Demon Dokgo Seong offered sacrifices to the Heavens after recognizing Sky Mountain’s spiritual energy and settling here.
‘This is the origin of our Cult.’
The origin of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was the Silk Road Gang, an interest group of merchants, ethnic minorities, and Westerners who settled and lived in the Xinjiang region.
As the last Boss of the Silk Road Gang, the First Heavenly Demon Dokgo Seong declared the founding of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult here at the Heavenly Demon Peak and ascended to the position of Cult Leader and Founder himself.
‘What is this? This pressure?’
The Heavenly Demon Peak was quiet just like the eye of a typhoon.
Also, it was a place filled with silence.
The huge shrine located there stood motionlessly as if time had stopped.
Nevertheless, I felt a sensation as if my breath was choked.
Whether it was because of this terrible silence, or because of the threat that was clearly lurking, was unknown.
‘What is it this time.’
Thinking so, I moved my steps toward the shrine.
Swooosh!
As soon as I crossed the threshold, dense demonic qi constricted me.
This too, like the demonic qi emitted from the White Hand Demon Empress, was enough to burden even me, a Heavenly Demon’s Physique.
If I, a Heavenly Demon’s Physique, was like this, it went without saying that other people would have had the demonic qi permeate to their marrow and become madmen or die instantly while bleeding from the Seven Orifices.
‘That's it.’
I discovered a huge rock enshrined far away in the shrine and moved my steps toward it.
The rock was black just like a huge chunk of obsidian, and the surface glistened.
Also, chains that were clearly made of Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron were wrapped around it, and hundreds of talismans were stuck densely on it.
‘What is this rock that…….’
In the center of the rock, the characters Heavenly Demon Stone were engraved in intaglio vertically from top to bottom.
‘What is a mere rock that such…….’
My thought couldn't continue further.
Thump!
Gasp, my heart beat.
Thump, thump, thump…….
The calm heartbeat beat slowly.
And that was just the beginning.
Thump thump thump thump!
My heart pounded madly.
“Th, This is.”
I flinched without realizing it and stepped back, retreating far from the Heavenly Demon Stone.
It felt like I encountered something that absolutely should not be approached.
The thought occurred that it was like sticking my head into a tiger’s maw, but that wasn't it.
It even felt like I might have come to find a natural enemy myself.
To feel this way instinctively even though nothing had happened yet…….
‘Don't tell me…… was it the Heavenly Demon Stone that called me?’
It was when I was thinking that.
Fwoosh!
The talismans attached to the Heavenly Demon Stone ignited by themselves and crumbled into a handful of ash.
Snap, snap!
Even the chains, which were clearly made of Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron, snapped strand by strand.
“Wh, What is this…….”
While surprised by the miraculous event happening before my eyes, I raised the Heavenly Demon Divine Qi to prepare for any contingency.
Since I couldn't predict at all, not even a little, what would happen, I had to be fully prepared to fight against the coming trial.
Swoooooosh……!!!
Soon, pitch-black demonic qi spewed out endlessly from the Heavenly Demon Stone and encroached on the surroundings.
‘Not a chance.’
I tried to push away the Heavenly Demon Stone’s demonic qi by spewing out my own demonic qi, but it was useless.
The Heavenly Demon Stone’s demonic qi pushed away my demonic qi too easily and seized the surroundings.
Like that, I came to be inside the domain ruled by the Heavenly Demon Stone’s demonic qi.
“To think it's a domain made of demonic qi…….”
I looked around, unable to hide my astonishment.
Just a moment ago, it was clearly inside the shrine located on the Heavenly Demon Peak, but when I came to my senses, a barren land dyed in dark purple was spread out.
The shrine was nowhere to be found, but the Heavenly Demon Stone alone kept its place intact.
And…….
“Eventually, you came all the way here.”
A figure that appeared suddenly spoke to me casually.
“Who are you.”
I hurriedly drew my sword.
It was something Yeom Bi brought to use temporarily, but it was a famous sword that was in no way inferior compared to the sword I used before.
“To ask such a thing. It is truly a foolish question.”
The man answered with a snort.
“What on earth does that mean?”
I frowned.
I asked who he was because I didn't know him; would there be any reason to ask such a question if I knew him?
“As expected, you know nothing.”
The man spoke with an expression that said 'I thought so'.
“I will explain simply. I am Dokgo Seong. The last Boss of the Silk Road Gang, and the Founder of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
“Dokgo Seong……?”
“Why, does it not seem so?”
I couldn't be sure whether I could believe the words of the man who revealed himself as Dokgo Seong or not.
Why?
Because I didn't know Dokgo Seong.
The Dokgo Seong I met was just one of the fragments of the soul that possessed Cheol Yu-ra’s body, not his main body.
Moreover, since Dokgo Seong had repeated reincarnation over reincarnation for hundreds of years, appearance was nothing but a shell to him.
His appearance would change every time he reincarnated, so how could I know if the man in front of me was Dokgo Seong or not?
Just one thing.
‘It is a somewhat familiar face.’
I thought the man’s face was very familiar, as if I had seen it somewhere.
Though I didn't know why I had such a thought…….
“You look like you don't believe. Yes, I suppose so.”
The man said as if he knew it would be like that.
“I am Dokgo Seong. Also, I am you.”
“What kind of bullshit is that?”
“Look closely at my face.”
“……?”
“Isn't it the face seen in the copper mirror every morning?”
“Th, That is.”
Only then did I realize why the man’s face was familiar and was startled.
Although I didn't look into the copper mirror often, it seemed an undeniable fact that the man’s face looked exactly like mine.
“I am…….”
The man spoke very slowly, as if bringing up a topic.
“You, and Dokgo Seong. You are Dokgo Seong, and also me.”
I couldn't understand the meaning of the man’s words at all.
***
“Spouting dog-like sounds.”
I didn't even snort.
Not only did I not understand what he was saying at all, but there was no sophistry like this sophistry.
I mean, wasn't he saying that I and Dokgo Seong are the same person?
In my opinion, even a passing dog wouldn't laugh at it.
“Are you spouting that for me to listen to right now?”
“Eventually, you will come to admit it.”
The man, Dokgo Seong, was confident.
“You are a part of me, and I am also a part of me.”
“……?”
“Do you still not realize? I, and you. We are pieces of the great soul called Dokgo Seong.”
“W, What?”
“Have you never seriously thought about why you were born with a Heavenly Demon’s Physique?”
“Well…….”
Of course, I had thought about it.
Before returning to the past.
Wasn't I tormented for twenty years trapped in the Demonic Prison just because I was born with a Heavenly Demon’s Physique?
At the time, I didn't know how much I cursed, resented, and lamented being born with a Heavenly Demon’s Physique.
However, even so, one cannot know the reason for being born with a Heavenly Demon’s Physique.
The conclusion was luck.
As constitutions usually are, I had no choice but to consider it was just born like this by chance.
Although now that I returned to the present and became a member of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, I was even proud of being born with a Heavenly Demon’s Physique…….
“I will tell you the truth. You are the reincarnation of Dokgo Seong, and also my reincarnation. To be precise, it means you are one of the pieces of the great soul called Dokgo Seong.”
“Bullshit!”
I strongly denied that fact.
“Do you think I would believe such sophistry?”
“Is there a reason not to believe? Why do you think you were born with a Heavenly Demon’s Physique?”
“It is just a coincidence.”
“Truly foolish. A life that doesn't even know who oneself is. Even if you are one of the soul fragments, this is too much.”
Saying that, Dokgo Seong slowly approached me.
“Seeing is believing. I will show you directly.”
“What are you saying you will show.”
“Your past.”
“……?”
“Look, how great a figure you were.”
“What on earth are you telling me to look at…….”
I couldn't continue speaking.
‘Th, This is.’
The scenery in front of my eyes changed, and a man’s life unfolded.
I tried not to look, but it was useless.
Even if I turned my head, even if I closed my eyes, I saw it.
Since it was a memory unfolding as if imprinted on my brain, I had no choice but to watch.
The turbulent life of the First Heavenly Demon Dokgo Seong…….
“Sob, sob sob…….”
A boy was crying.
The place where the boy was was truly no different from a Sea of Corpses and Blood.
Corpses that seemed to number at least thousands formed a mountain, and it was no exaggeration to say the blood flowing from them formed a sea.
In that terrible environment, the boy cried his heart out.
Like that, the boy who cried for a long time finally shook off the dust, stood up, and grasped a broken sword.
“Never…… I won't leave them alone…… Never…….”
The boy vowed revenge.