The Celestial Chaos (3)
“The Celestial Chaos is a divine artifact passed down from ancient times.”
Until I heard these words from the Chief Inspector, I had believed that the Celestial Chaos was something created from the secret manual stolen by Cheon Bo-myeong.
According to the reports stored in the Martial Alliance, it was said that Cheon Bo-myeong crafted the Celestial Chaos based on the stolen manuscript.
But to hear that it was a divine artifact from long ago?
There was a hidden truth, different from what we knew.
“The Heavenly Army tried to mass-produce the Dark Celestial Weapons by creating multiple Celestial Chaos. They even managed to make some.”
“They only managed to create fake versions that mimicked a few functions of the real Celestial Chaos. Of course, they probably didn’t realize they were fake. The true Celestial Chaos isn’t just for healing wounds or producing Dark Celestial Weapons.”
“Then what is this divine artifact used for?”
“Take a look here.”
He turned the pages of the Samsin Bulmanggi. On one page, there was a brief explanation of the Celestial Chaos.
“According to the Samsin Bulmanggi, the Celestial Chaos is referred to as a key.”
“A key?”
It was an unexpected revelation. The Celestial Chaos, shaped like a person lying down, was a key? It was certainly no ordinary key.
“Yes, it’s described as a key that can reverse the standards of good and evil.”
“Reverse the standards of good and evil?”
“Everything would be turned upside down. What is considered good in the world would become evil, and what is believed to be evil would be seen as good.”
“A world where murder is considered a virtuous act?”
“Exactly. It suggests that humans are inherently evil. The belief is that humans, originally evil, have lost their true nature by being trapped in the facade of goodness. Evil is seen as the true nature of humanity, where deceiving others and lying for personal gain is the right way, and the strong killing the weak is the natural order.”
At this point, there was one crucial question that needed to be addressed.
“Does the demon you serve also pursue such ideals?”
“No.”
“No?”
“The conflict among the three gods arose because the Demon opposed such ideology. The Demon pursued not absolute evil, but the survival of the strong. It wasn’t about seeking evil, but about seeking strength.”
As he explained, the Chief Inspector seemed slightly flushed. It occurred to me that perhaps he fervently hoped for a world where the strong survive.
“Of course, the demon cults that have worshipped the Demon since have lost the original spirit pursued by the primordial Demon, and have walked a dark and chaotic path.”
Ultimately, becoming a Demon at this point would mean reclaiming that original spirit.
“If the Celestial Chaos is called a key, then there must be a door somewhere that reverses good and evil, right?”
“I believe so.”
“Do you know where that door is?”
“That part isn’t mentioned. But considering the record that the three gods fought over the Celestial Chaos, it’s clear that the Celestial Chaos plays a very important role.”
With this, some of the secrets of the Celestial Chaos were revealed.
“Thank you. You’ve been a great help.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll stay here for a while longer.”
“If you need anything, just let me know.”
Left alone in the study, I calmly read through the Samsin Bulmanggi. What caught my attention was their conflict.
After splitting from the Evil God, the strongest at the time, the Demon, had possession of the Celestial Chaos.
The record stated that the Blood God and the Dark God joined forces to seize it. However, the details of the battle, its outcome, and what happened to the Celestial Chaos were not mentioned. As with many myths and historical records, it was hard to discern where truth ended and exaggeration or distortion began.
After finishing the Samsin Bulmanggi, many thoughts crossed my mind.
Lately, as I grew closer to the Heavenly Demon, I found myself feeling more affinity than animosity towards the demon cult. I had forgotten that the Demon was inherently an Evil God.
Conversely, the more repulsed I felt, the more I thought I should take the Demon’s test.
What if the opponent turned out to be the Blood God or the Dark God?
Could a human like me stand against them?
The situation was that Cheon So-seon had disappeared with the Celestial Chaos.
If he knew that the Celestial Chaos was a key to reversing the standards of good and evil, and if he opened that door, the martial world would plunge into extreme chaos. It wouldn’t end with just thousands dying.
I still felt that my fate was intertwined with the vast destiny of the martial world.
For now, I decided to return to the Martial Alliance.
I hadn’t yet made a decision regarding the Demon’s test.
Yang Sa-hwi’s carriage was racing down the road.
His heart was more urgent than usual. He had just annihilated an entire village.
He had been handling things as usual, abducting a dozen or so people, but Cheon So-seon couldn’t hold back and stormed into the village. There was no time to stop her.
What followed was a scene that could only be described as a massacre. Cheon So-seon couldn’t contain her rising bloodlust.
She killed everyone, adults and children alike, and absorbed their blood. Watching those who died in terror, she clearly enjoyed it.
She had never hesitated to absorb human blood before, but she had never taken pleasure in it like this. As she killed and drank their blood, she was definitely smiling.
Yang Sa-hwi glanced back. Through a small window connecting to the rear compartment, he could see the Celestial Chaos. After absorbing the blood, she hadn’t come out of it.
“Something’s changed.”
It was a change that had occurred after meeting the Blood God.
He couldn’t decide whether to view this change positively or negatively.
On one hand, it seemed like she was motivated by pride and satisfaction from meeting the Blood God, but on the other, it felt excessive.
In any case, there was no time to figure out her feelings now. An entire village had disappeared. He had tried to handle it as best as he could, but he couldn’t be sure that all the bodies had been perfectly dealt with.
This incident might lead the Martial Alliance to catch their trail.
Yang Sa-hwi’s urgency grew as he whipped the horses.
Upon returning to the Martial Alliance, I sensed an impending major conflict.
I didn’t know what form it would take, but I felt it was time to start preparing.
I immediately called for Baek Pyo.
“You called for me?”
“I have something for you.”
“What is it?”
I handed him a pair of armguards I had been wearing. Made from the finest leather, they were soft yet incredibly durable, with no visible patterns.
The most important part was inside the leather. It was compressed with the legendary metal, Eternal Iron. The toughest and most resilient protection in the world.
It was crafted by Doo Jeong, whom the Heavenly Demon had introduced to me.
When I told him about the Eternal Iron inside, Baek Pyo was astonished.
“Such a precious thing!”
But that wasn’t the only surprise.
“Draw the dagger.”
Baek Pyo pulled out the dagger embedded in the armguard. It was incredibly thin and sharp, also made from Eternal Iron. The strongest and sharpest dagger in the martial world.
There were six daggers embedded, and with two armguards, there were twelve in total.
The armguards not only protected the arms but also provided double protection.
“I can’t accept something so valuable.”
“I no longer need it.”
I had surpassed the stage where external objects could influence my strength. To me, it was no longer an Eternal Iron armguard, but merely an accessory.
“Leader!”
“This isn’t a gift. It’s a very tricky trap I’m giving you to make you work harder. So don’t feel burdened and just take it.”
“Oh, Leader. Thank you so much.”
Baek Pyo was overjoyed. This would make him stronger, and with luck, it might save his life one day.
I also gave him twenty-six spare daggers that Doo Jeong had made. Baek Pyo was even more moved, needless to say.
Next, I called for Gwang Du.
What I gave him was a pair of boxing gloves, also made by Doo Jeong.
Made from thin leather, the palms and backs of the hands were lined with Eternal Iron. They were legendary weapons that could block not only weapons but also sword energy and sword force with bare hands.
They were crafted so thinly and precisely that they didn’t hinder hand movements at all. The sharp Eternal Iron blades at the end of the fists were meant to tear through the opponent’s protective energy. The wrists were wrapped with the fishing line of the Southern Sea Fisherman, making them the most perfect boxing gloves in the martial world.
Gwang Du’s gratitude was beyond words. It took several confirmations that he wouldn’t accept it and didn’t really need it before I could give it to him.
“It’s for all the hard work you’ve done as the leader of the Fierce Tiger Squad.”
“Oh, Leader!”
In the end, he shed tears of gratitude.
Finally, I called for Gal Sa-ryang.
I gave him the Black Dragon Armor I had been wearing. It was the best protective armor in the martial world, purchased for nearly ten million nyang in the Black Market.
“Leader, you should wear it.”
“I don’t need it anymore.”
I repeated the explanation I had given to the others.
“Then give it to Leader Baek.”
“I’ve already given him something. You should take it so Leader Baek can accept his gift comfortably.”
“It’s too much for someone as old as me.”
“Not at all. Don’t you have someone to support? I’m giving it to you for your wife’s sake.”
“Leader!”
“Please take care of your health.”
“Thank you.”
In the past, I would have just thrown these things into the Martial Alliance’s storage once I no longer needed them.
I would have been reluctant to give them as gifts, feeling like I was buying people’s loyalty with objects. I would have been too lazy to decide who to give what, and I wouldn’t have wanted to see people comparing their gifts and feeling slighted.
But now I know. Among people who deserve such items, those things don’t happen. It was just an excuse. I simply hadn’t been considerate enough to give them sincerely.
“By the way, there’s something I need to report.”
“What is it?”
“There have been a series of disappearances in the northern border area.”
“Disappearances?”
“Yes, at first it wasn’t significant, but recently, an entire village’s population has vanished.”
“This is no ordinary situation.”
Given the circumstances, it was clear.
“I’ll go myself.”
“Thank you. Please, take care.”
“I will.”
Just as I was about to leave, Galsaryang turned to me.
“Leader.”
“What is it?”
“Now that you’ve received the Black Dragon Armor, it might not be the right time to say this, but…”
He hesitated, struggling to find the right words.
I had a feeling I knew what he wanted to say.
“Are you suggesting I’m in better shape than before?”
Galsaryang’s face flushed slightly as he replied.
“You were impressive before, but yes, you’ve changed a lot.”
I looked at him and spoke.
“Since you’re being honest, I’ll be honest too. I used to live only for myself.”
“That’s not true, Leader. No one has done more for the martial world than you.”
“Even my dedication to the martial world started from a place of self-interest.”
I had wanted to say this to Galsaryang at least once.
“Looking back, I think I was too self-absorbed. My dream of being the best in the world is proof of that.”
“That’s not true, Leader!”
Seeing Galsaryang’s flustered expression, I smiled.
“General Gal.”
“Yes, Leader.”
Though I’ve mastered the art of the mind, I’ve realized that the cultivation of the heart is endless. These words are both a result of that effort and a part of the ongoing journey.
“Now, I see you.”
A smile spread across Galsaryang’s face. Being perceptive, he understood the meaning behind my words.
“Let’s have a drink when I return.”
“Yes, I’ll prepare some good wine.”
I flung open the window of the leader’s hall.
In a flash, using my martial prowess, I soared from the hall to the distant mountain peak.
By the time Galsaryang walked to the window to catch a glimpse of my retreating figure, I was already beyond the horizon.