Chapter 199: Chapter 199

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

For a moment, I nearly drew my sword and charged at the Prophet, but Miho, showing no signs of fear, calmed my bloodlust. As I stared intently at the seer, it sent another message.

[Do you think of me as a monster? I am merely a prophet.]

Miho, standing next to me, spoke up.

“Were you not the one who conveyed messages to the Heavenly Realm? I didn’t expect to find you in a place like this.”

I turned to Miho in shock. Did she actually know this Otherworldly Being? To my surprise, the being seemed to recognize Miho and spoke slowly.

[Ah, it’s the fox from the Heavenly Realm. I hadn’t anticipated that you would come with a human…]

“……!!”

What in the world was happening?

As I stood there flabbergasted, Miho explained.

“Listen, So Woong. That being has existed since ancient times and occasionally visits the Heavenly Realm. Although it’s an Otherworldly Being, it maintains a cordial relationship with the Heavenly Realm and possesses exceptional intelligence and wisdom.”

“Is that even possible? Isn’t the Heavenly Realm hostile towards Otherworldly Beings?”

Raising my voice, the Prophet replied.

[You humans tend to lump all Otherworldly Beings together, but in reality, there are hundreds, even thousands of different races. While many of them view you humans merely as prey, I harbor no malice towards you and believe we can coexist with the Heavenly Realm.]

“……”

“That’s true. This Prophet is special. They call it a great race.”

Shock and horror mixed within me. Could it be that an Otherworldly Being was playing the role of a prophet in this frozen northern wasteland, even maintaining friendly relations with both the Heavenly Realm and demons? As I stood there dumbfounded, the Prophet spoke again.

[What is your purpose in heading to the capital of the Arasa Empire, Moscow…?]

“We are actually on our way to the Arctic. We believed that Moscow would provide maps and related knowledge for our journey north.”

The Prophet twitched its visage.

[You are correct. There is ancient knowledge there. Many ancient races reside in that area… So what are you seeking in the Arctic…?]

Did I really have to answer that? I glanced at Miho, who telepathically urged me.

[Don’t worry. That being only cares for its own thirst for knowledge and has been acknowledged as harmless even in the Heavenly Realm. You can trust it.]

[Understood.]

I steadied my thoughts and responded to the Prophet.

“I’m looking to unseal the second seal of Makya.”

[Makya, you say? To unseal that which bears the dreadful scars of the great flood… ]

The Prophet sounded somewhat incredulous.

[Aren’t you scared…? It’s the second seal of Makya… Have you ever pondered what kind of being protects it…?]

“……”

I only had a vague idea based on the inscription, which merely hinted at it. After a moment of thought, I asked the Prophet,

“Wait a second. Can you read Strange Words?”

[Strange Words?]

“I mean the language unique to your kind.”

[The language of spells is incredibly vast. I don’t quite understand what you’re referring to; please bring a specific example…]

“Just a moment.”

I took out the Magical Lamp and headed straight to the ruins of Su-yo Makya.

Whoosh!

Then, I swiftly sliced the base of the stone tablet at the ruins and stored it in my lamp before teleporting back to the Grand Temple. As I appeared before the Prophet with the tablet, it looked intrigued.

[You are using the relic of a Warlock… That golden lamp was crafted by Abdul Alhazred, and you seem to be making excellent use of it…]

“I’m not concerned with who made it. Can you read the contents of this tablet?”

[Hmm. Just a moment…]

The Prophet moved its form toward the tablet. Surprisingly quick despite its seemingly clumsy appearance, it examined the stone tablet for a while before declaring,

[I’ve interpreted it. Do you want to know the contents…?]

Perhaps being a fellow Otherworldly Being enabled it to fully interpret the text; all I could manage was a partial understanding. I nodded my approval.

“Please, tell me.”

[After hearing it, I wonder if you can still head towards the Arctic with your sanity intact.]

The Prophet began to interpret the Altar of Su-yo inscription, its ominous voice echoing through the air.

[There is a pair that sings in darkness.

The cold, white silence of the god awaits.

To those reaching the primordial north, there shall be no trials…

However, for those seeking to unseal, meet the god of silence.

Carve blood to awaken the ancient blood vein to reach there.

Only the blood of the seeker may be offered at this altar.

Oh, great ancient being, grant glory to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors…]

“……!!”

[Curious, are we? Have you offered your blood at the Altar of Su-yo…?]

I pondered it for a moment. It indeed required dedicating blood to unlock the secret passage towards Su-yo, so I had performed the offering without question.

“I have.”

[Then you possess the qualification to unseal the second seal of Su-yo. Only those who have offered blood may attain that… ]

“I was aware of that. Was there something new?”

But the Prophet replied.

[Do you even know what this ‘ancient being’ hinted at in the inscription refers to?]

“I do not. Isn’t that why I’m asking?”

[The being referred to as the cold, white silence of the god… is only one. It refers to the [Ancient Ruler], who has existed since the beginning. It is known as ‘the one who walks on the wind’ because it traverses the interstellar winds…] n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Prophet continued.

[That ancient ruler is the one who walks on the wind.]

“Hmm…”

[Based on the conditions of the inscription, it is uncertain what will happen when you meet it… However, the being cannot be opposed by human strength…]

“Even the power of the Great Immortal?”

The Prophet answered my retort, sounding amused.

[How could merely the spirit of an Immortal debate its power with the ancient ruler…?]

“……”

Hearing this confirmed fact left an unsettling feeling within me. If that were true, then even if I made it to the Arctic and found the second seal of Makya, it meant I could very well be abruptly killed by that entity? While I was deep in thought, Miho turned and asked the Prophet,

“Are those known as [Ancient Rulers] immensely powerful beings that could overturn the world? Why, then, do they simply guard the seals of Makya?”

[Hmm…]

The Prophet fell silent for a moment before responding.

[Makya was not created by humans but was bestowed upon them by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

. The distinction is considerable… In other words, Makya possesses immense powers that could serve as a threat even to the [Ancient Ruler].]

“So what you’re saying…”

The Prophet continued, sharing his speculations.

[The intricate details remain unclear, but perhaps there was some sort of transaction between the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and the [Ancient Ruler]. Especially since Emperor Gong Sun Huan Yuan was an exceptionally peculiar existence, it may have been possible…]

“The Emperor was an exceptional existence?”

[Emperor Gong Sun Huan Yuan was the only one to break a contract. And at the same time, he became the architect of a new order surrounding himself. That’s why even I cannot fathom their whereabouts…]

“A contract? What kind of contract?”

[It concerns an ancient contract… one that dates back to a time long ago. I cannot provide particulars; it’s merely something the spirits frequently mention.]

Contract.

I had a feeling that this term would become a critical clue going forward. The Prophet seemed equally uncertain, so I thought I would have to dig into this further later. Shaking my head, I interjected.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute…”

[Speak.]

“If I unseal the second seal of Makya and survive an encounter with [the One Who Walks on the Wind], would I then be able to confront the [Ancient Ruler] using that power?”

[That is entirely possible. Didn’t I explain this clearly earlier…?]

“Then how can I obtain the ancient knowledge located in the capital of the Arasa Empire? Is there a map to the Arctic?”

[Seek out the library there. It should be in the ancient library.]

“How do I find that?”

Suddenly, the Prophet shut its mouth tightly. Miho and I exchanged puzzled glances as it responded with a hint of irritation.

[I have provided all the information I could without charge… Now you must offer a price…]

“A price?”

The Prophet’s eyes gleamed fiercely.

[Indeed. I have accumulated this knowledge painstakingly for thousands of years; you think you can take it all for free? I will demand compensation out of sheer injustice…]

“That’s a valid point…”

Indeed, the knowledge I had gained thus far was worth more than its weight in gold. But what kind of gift could appease the Prophet? I hesitated, then pulled a gold ingot from my lamp to show it.

“How about this? Pure gold.”

[Put that away… Such a thing holds no meaning.]

“What about this? Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng?”

[It’s a highly concentrated mass of Qi, but to me, it’s less than worthless.]

Why so picky?!

As I grumbled internally, the Prophet seemed equally annoyed.

[Fine. If you have nothing more to offer, I shall take my leave…]

Whirr!

At that moment, the space warped, creating a strange passage. True to its nature as an ancient being, this Otherworldly Creature could utilize such fascinating spells. I sensed I wouldn’t find it again if it disappeared down that passage and hastily called out,

“Wait! Wait! What about this?”

[What are you talking about?]

In a flash, I pulled out a Magic Book from my lamp. Excluding the Heavenly Dawn Book I always carried, I retrieved the Story of Lu Re I’d acquired previously. I felt a bit regretful but shook it off.

‘After all, it’s something I can neither read nor use.’

Upon noticing the Story of Lu Re in my hand, the Prophet froze, a look of disbelief crossing its face.

[No… Is that…?]

“This is a Magic Book I picked up during my travels. Wouldn’t this have some exchange value?”

Whoosh!

The Prophet dismantled the spatial passage it had created. It then looked decidedly more collected as it replied,

[Of course. The Book of Lu Re

is indeed worthy of such value…]

“The Book of Lu Re?”

[It is a Magic Book concerning the Cursed Deity and its kin. From what I can see, it appears to date back to the Xia dynasty… If you give it to me, I shall share information in return.]

“What exactly is Lu Re?”

[It’s the undersea city where the Cursed Deity resides…]

Is that truly what it was?

I felt awed as I tossed the Story of Lu Re to the Prophet. It flipped through the book, verified its authenticity, and then said,

[Do you have any idea where you obtained this treasured item…?]

I recounted my battle with the giant tentacled toad at Dae Ryeok Ok and said that I found it in a cave behind the creature. To my surprise, the Prophet appeared awed.

[You mean a Beast of the Moon was set as a guard there? How unusual.]

“The Beast of the Moon?”

[The creature you fought was a monster dwelling on the far side of the moon. Originally, it does not belong in this world…]

“Fair enough.”

It seemed the Prophet had extensive knowledge of Otherworldly Creatures and wasn’t of the same ilk as other knowledgeable beings.

After securing the Story of Lu Re, the Prophet continued,

[As I’ve received a considerable reward, I shall open the ‘Gate’ for you… You will arrive straight at the ancient library.]

“The ‘Gate’?”

The Prophet’s eyes twitched as it emitted a peculiar green luminescence into the air.

Fizz

Whoooooosh…

“……!!”

In that instant, a large portal materialized in the middle of an expansive hall. Apparently, this Prophet possessed the ability to manipulate time and space to such a degree! As I stared in amazement, it announced,

[You may proceed now.]

“Great! So this path leads straight to the ancient library in Moscow?”

[If you have any Magic Books or Artifacts of Otherworldly Beings, feel free to visit me again… I will exchange corresponding knowledge.]

“Of course. But can you open a path to the Arctic?”

[My spatial magic operates on the same principle as that lamp… I cannot open gates to places I have not visited.]

“Hmm, I suppose that can’t be helped.”

Either way, since I had little use for the Magic Books, I could build potential trade relations with the knowledgeable Prophet moving forward!

“Oh, is it possible to trade for other things, not just knowledge?”

[That depends on the price…]

“Got it. What should I call you?”

[You may call me the Prophet.]

Satisfied with having acquired a new trading partner, I stepped toward the portal.

Whoosh!

As Miho and I entered the portal, we soon arrived in a grand library filled with ancient tomes. Miho gazed around in amazement.

“So this is the ancient library.”

“Indeed.”

Not a trace of human presence could be found. It felt as though time had frozen since eons past, and the air itself seemed to be suspended. Most likely, it functioned as a hidden space, sealed by ancient technology to preserve the books.

I began to pull a few books from the surrounding shelves to read, but my expression soon shifted to one of disgust.

“Ugh. Ancient script…”

This wasn’t the language of the Otherworldly Beings, nor was it Cyrillic characters. It appeared to be an entirely new language, indicating I would need to learn it to decipher the books here. Miho patted my back, noticing my dejected expression, saying,

“Look, we made it to the capital of the Arasa Empire, didn’t we? For now, let’s go out and see what Arasa has to offer.”