Chapter 315 : Land of Giants (4)
Chapter 315: Land of Giants (4)
The moment he heard the completely unexpected account recorded within what was essentially a diary—
A shiver swept through Jang Woo-hyun's entire body as though he had been struck by lightning.
The fact that the True Martial God had slain multiple Great Ascension Stage cultivators and Integration Stage cultivators wasn't important.
Jang Woo-hyun had already known how powerful he was.
What mattered was something else.
'He looked at someone he'd just met with familiarity?'
And that wasn't all.
He had known of treasures even the giants themselves had forgotten.
They had even described him as someone who knew the future.
Perhaps it was a supernatural ability.
Or the power of some mysterious treasure.
Or perhaps he truly could glimpse the future.
But the moment he heard the story, Jang Woo-hyun instinctively rejected all those possibilities.
One thought immediately surfaced in his mind.
'A regressor.'
It might have been an absurd conclusion.
There was no concrete evidence.
Anyone else would probably call him insane.
It was a thought only Jang Woo-hyun—a man who didn't belong to this world—could arrive at.
His instincts screamed that he was right.
Could someone truly turn back time?
He had questioned it for a brief moment.
But when he thought about it...
It didn't seem impossible.
After all, he himself possessed talent so extraordinary that even legends such as Yeo Dong-bin and Jang Sambong would have been astonished.
If that were possible—
Then someone else might possess a completely different ability.
'That ability could very well be returning to the past.'
Looking at a world that never truly progressed despite the passage of time, perhaps the very concept of time itself was already distorted.
In such a strange world, the existence of a single regressor wouldn't be particularly surprising.
'For now... I need to find Senior Kim.'
Lee Tae-seong's identity remained nothing more than speculation.
There was no certainty.
Jang Woo-hyun forced himself to stop dwelling on it.
No matter how much he thought about it alone, he wouldn't find an answer.
It would be far better to find Kim Min-soo, learn more about the person he had been pursuing, and discuss everything with him.
If Kim Min-soo truly had been chasing Lee Tae-seong, Jang Woo-hyun would obtain new information.
If not...
Then he could simply continue searching for traces of the True Martial God.
The more complicated things became—
The more he resolved to solve them one step at a time.
"Haha... Even this is the first time I've heard of him. He must have been an extraordinary martial artist."
"Lord Po-uk, do you know what the Sunstone and Moonstone are?"
"They were treasures passed down through our people."
The answer came from somewhere else.
Turning around, Jang Woo-hyun saw a giant walking down through empty air.
The colossal giant whose head had nearly touched the heavens had already disappeared.
"As their names suggest, they were stones imbued with the power of the sun and moon. It is said that simply standing near them naturally filled one with the energies of Yin and Yang."
An elderly giant with a sturdy build approached them.
His long white hair was tied neatly behind his back.
Because of his short clothing, his arms and legs were fully exposed.
Countless faint lines were engraved across them.
Those lines were the very characters and pictographs that had covered his body when he had stood as tall as the heavens.
"My name is Seopcheon."
"I'm Jang Woo-hyun."
"You must have noticed while coming here, but the Land of Giants is... a rather special place."
Without warning, Seopcheon began explaining the Land of Giants.
"You saw how different the ecosystem here is, didn't you?"
Everything was vastly larger than the ordinary creatures of the Central Heavens Realm.
Even the trees and plants they had passed on the way to the cave had all been enormous.
"You were probably surprised to find an ocean suddenly appearing in the sky. You saw the wall of clouds, didn't you? According to the stories passed down to us, the region within those clouds—our territory—was created long ago when one of our ancestors sacrificed his own body. That is why its ecosystem differs from the outside world."
"..."
Unsure why Seopcheon had suddenly begun explaining the history of the Land of Giants, Jang Woo-hyun simply listened in silence.
"Our land itself protects us. Because of that, the will and power of the True Immortals and Martial Gods of the Upper Realm cannot easily reach this place. Even so... there was one record that someone desperately tried to erase."
Without the protection of the Land of Giants...
Without the unique abilities of the Record Keepers...
Every record concerning Lee Tae-seong, the True Martial God, would have disappeared.
"And yet you've traveled all the way here searching for those very records."
That—
Was why Seopcheon had explained the history of the Land of Giants.
The records of the True Martial God.
Records that no one sought.
Records an unknown power continued trying to erase.
And then, out of nowhere—
Jang Woo-hyun had arrived seeking precisely those records.
From Seopcheon's perspective, curiosity naturally gave way to suspicion.
"Who exactly are you? Are you perhaps a descendant of the one once called the True Martial God?"
"I have no special relationship with him. I simply happened to hear his name and came searching for information."
Jang Woo-hyun explained everything.
How he had first heard the title True Martial God by chance in the Nation of Mechanical Marvels.
How every record concerning him had been erased.
And everything Baekan had told him at the Divine Dragon Family.
"So every trace was erased... and that brought you all the way here. Just who would try to erase that man's existence?"
Seopcheon glanced once toward the heavens before lowering his head.
"Perhaps something far greater than we realize is taking place. Tell me truthfully... do you truly have no connection to the True Martial God?"
Jang Woo-hyun shook his head.
It was possible Lee Tae-seong had also come from Earth.
But without certainty, he chose not to mention it.
"I asked again because there was one more record."
"It's nothing extraordinary. One of our ancestors merely instructed us that if we ever encountered a descendant of the True Martial God, we were to repay his kindness. That was all. Which is why I hadn't mentioned it."
The giant who had never properly repaid Lee Tae-seong had regretted it for the rest of his life.
Before his death, he left one final message through the Record Keepers.
If they ever met a descendant of the True Martial God—
They must help them.
"Are you now pursuing the traces of that man?"
"Originally... I wasn't."
"Originally? Then that means something has changed."
Jang Woo-hyun nodded.
"Searching for information about the True Martial God was originally just a side matter. It wasn't particularly important. But that's changed."
"What changed?"
"The person I'm searching for appears to be pursuing the traces of the True Martial God."
"Someone is searching for him? But didn't you just tell us that every record had been erased, forcing you to come all the way here?"
His words contradicted one another.
"It's still only a guess, but I believe he stumbled upon records of the True Martial God the same way I did. Even if most records have disappeared, they still remained in places like the Nation of Mechanical Marvels and the Land of Giants."
If it were Kim Min-soo—
He would certainly have found those traces.
If anything, he was even better than Jang Woo-hyun at that sort of investigation.
"The person I'm looking for crossed into the Demonic Spirit Realm while following the True Martial God's trail."
"The Demonic Spirit Realm..."
"The reason I came to the Land of Giants was to travel there."
"So meeting me was only incidental."
He chuckled.
"I see. You're trying to borrow one of our ships to reach the Demonic Spirit Realm. I heard you helped our people living outside."
"It simply happened that our paths crossed."
"Thank you. Our people owe you a debt. Perhaps this too is fate. Po-uk, where is Myeong-un?"
"He's preparing the ship so Hero Jang can depart."
"Already?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go immediately. I'll help as well."
Po-uk's eyes widened.
Ever since becoming a Record Keeper, Seopcheon had rarely concerned himself with anything else.
Seeing him volunteer personally was shocking.
"Perhaps our ancestor left those records because he foresaw a day like this. Even if this young man isn't the True Martial God's descendant... I still wish to help him pursue that man's trail."
As though suddenly pressed for time, Seopcheon hurried out of the cave.
---
With Great Warrior Gyeong Myeong-un, Record Keeper Seopcheon, and Po-uk all lending their support—
Obtaining permission to use the ship known as Radiant Wings became remarkably easy.
Originally, preparing everything was expected to take ten to fifteen days.
Instead—
Everything was ready by the very next day.
As a result—
Jang Woo-hyun's farewell with his companions came much sooner than expected.
"Captain, don't worry and just go. By the time you come back, you'll have to call me Guild Master Seo."
"Seriously... when are you ever going to grow up?"
"Criticize me all you want. There won't be many chances left for you to treat me so casually."
Beginning with Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol, everyone said their goodbyes.
"Our time together wasn't long, but I learned a great deal. When you return, I'd like us to fight together again."
Though he too had once belonged to the Baekmu Association, Gongson Jung-rak spoke with far more courtesy than Seo Ryeom or Mak Ya-wol.
"Come back safely. I'll look after Sister and Ha-un. Yo."
"Yu-hye."
"What? I used polite speech."
Gun Yu-hye replied carelessly before fleeing from Yong Seo-hui's impending lecture.
"Brother, please come back safely. I'll be waiting."
As always, Yong Seo-hui smiled warmly.
"Captain, you'd better come back quickly. If you take too long, someone might steal Seo-hui away—"
"Young Master Seo!"
Yong Seo-hui shouted loudly.
Like the mouse beastfolk he was, Seo Ryeom darted behind Gongson Jung-rak in an instant.
"Be careful. You'll come back, right?"
"Of course. Heavenly Thunder Fortress is practically my home."
"Good. Someone like you will manage somehow. Woo-hyun... promise me one thing."
"What is it?"
"Don't push yourself too hard. If things get dangerous, come back."
Cho-su's eyes were filled with concern.
He knew exactly what kind of person Jang Woo-hyun was.
"If it becomes too dangerous, come back and we'll think of another way. Don't ever force yourself. If we all work together, we'll figure something out. If necessary, we'll even ask Father and the others for help."
Feeling Cho-su's genuine concern, Jang Woo-hyun quietly nodded.
"I've already contacted the Great Sage."
Seon Tae-gyeong spoke.
"He said that as long as you don't erase the mark on your shoulder, he'll be able to find you."
Jang Woo-hyun glanced toward his left shoulder.
A faint symbol, previously invisible, came into view.
Upon reaching the Immortal Realm, he had become capable of erasing the mark left by the Wind-Passing Great Sage.
But since it had never truly bothered him, he had simply ignored it.
Compared to before—
The mark now felt no more significant than a speck of dust on his clothing.
"When you return, I'll summon you through Lord Wind-Passing Great Sage."
"That's possible?"
"It won't be easy, but I'll prepare in advance. Lord Cho-su has also agreed to help. Crossing back from the Demonic Spirit Realm is easier than traveling between completely different worlds. Since you originally belong to the Central Heavens Realm, Guild Leader, returning should be possible."
"So if I want to come back, I just tell the monkey?"
"Yes. We won't be able to communicate instantly, but we'll maintain a certain degree of contact. You needn't worry about that."
After listening to Seon Tae-gyeong's explanation, Jang Woo-hyun exchanged brief farewells with the others.
Only one person remained.
"Brother..."
Jin Ha-un looked as though he'd swallowed something he couldn't digest.
He had witnessed Jang Woo-hyun become the supreme martial artist of the Central Plains.
He had also stood beside him when the power of the True Immortal cast them back down into the Lower Realm.
Having spent the longest time together, his feelings differed from everyone else's.
Though he desperately denied it—
The thought kept surfacing.
'What if this is the last time...?'
"...We'll meet again, won't we?"
"What? You think I'm just going to settle down in the Demonic Spirit Realm? Of course I'm coming back."
Jang Woo-hyun spoke lightly.
But neither of them believed it would be easy.
Returning alone would already be difficult.
Who knew what dangers awaited him?
At this point—
He couldn't even guess whether it would take years...
Or decades.
"Don't worry so much. I won't be alone. I've got the monkey with me. He'll probably be useful somehow."
Though there was no telling what sort of trouble the Wind-Passing Great Sage might cause once they arrived—
Simply knowing there was someone familiar waiting in that unknown world eased his mind.
"When I fell into the Lower Realm, I climbed back up. Back then, none of us imagined we'd meet again in the Central Heavens Realm, did we? We'll definitely meet again. Don't worry. Jin Ha-un... don't you trust me?"
Jang Woo-hyun deliberately forced a serious expression onto his face.
Only then did Jin Ha-un finally smile.
"I trust you. You're my brother, after all."
"Exactly. Whose big brother do you think I am? Don't worry. I'll see you later."
"Yes... Brother. Have a safe journey."
With Jin Ha-un's farewell—
Jang Woo-hyun completed his goodbyes with all his companions.
Then he departed for the place where Radiant Wings awaited.