Chương 383: Salt (1)

Yuk Yo starts speaking.

"This world is a real world. It is not simply an illusion within a formation."

"... A real world? But... the inhabitants here lack intent."

"Well... honestly, I'm not sure how the Cult Leader perceives it. However, from my perspective, the Ancient Force Realm my father took us to felt like the real illusionary world. When my father took my siblings and I to the Ancient Force Realm, my mother advised us to never forget our identities as it's a 'dream world'."

"What...?"

"From my perspective, that world is the illusion, a falsehood. The Cult Leader knows well about how I behaved in the Ancient Force Realm... Considering it a false world and a place of 'non-humans'..."

"No, wait... don't use terms like 'non-humans.' It's very unpleasant."

"Ah... my apologies. In any case, even though my memories were sealed, I unconsciously viewed that place as such and lived somewhat recklessly."

I feel a headache coming on.

It's as if I just heard an absurd truth out of nowhere.

'Our world is a dream?'

"... But it's strange. If our world is a dream... then what are 'we' in this world? Are some of this world's folktales and legends created according to our memories, and do characters corresponding to us come into being?"

"Characters corresponding to us... from my perspective, it's quite the opposite. Ordinary people who were living well suddenly have strange dreams and their personalities change. Even royals occasionally experience such things."

"... Then why did you follow Yuk Rin if you knew the Ancient Force Realm is an illusory world? And if so, who is the current king of Penglai Kingdom?"

"First... my father said that if we go to the illusory world, we could enjoy immense pleasure and delight, and live for hundreds or thousands of years. He also said we could return whenever we wanted. He described it as a Land of Immortals or the Idyllic Peach Blossom Garden, so we followed, thinking we'd just enjoy it for a while and return. At that time, my father had the body of the Dragon Race, so we thought he was guiding us to a divine place."

"...."

A look of misery spreads on Yuk Yo's face.

"But as soon as we arrived in the illusory world, the Ancient Force Realm, father sealed our memories and extracted the true blood of the Sea Dragon Race from my siblings who inherited his bloodline. Just as I viewed that world an illusion, he saw this world as an illusion and felt no guilt as he believed that we, born in this illusion, were nothing more than illusions."

I listen in silence to her shocking words.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, I, being the youngest, did not inherit much of the Sea Dragon True Blood. Due to this, my father treated me as worthless, not extracting the true blood from me. Anyhow... he roughly proclaimed me a princess and let me go. I did everything I could to escape from his terrifying hands. Eventually, I stole the secret art from Jin Ma-yeol and somehow managed to escape. After that, I lived recklessly in the illusory world, indulging in pleasure and fraud."

"... Why did you steal the secret art from Jin Ma-yeol?"

"At that time, I just thought it looked 'tempting.' But unconsciously, it seems I did it 'to return to this world'."

"To return to this world?"

"Yes. Although my bloodline is of a worthless level, I still have the true blood of the Sea Dragon Race, and the Sea Dragon Race is the only race that can read the sea routes in the Ancient Force Realm. I think I intended to transform into a Sea Dragon and find a way to return to Penglai Island. Of course, since I didn't have any memories, I suppose I didn't know what I wanted either."

I am stunned by these shocking truths.

Seo Ran, who has been listening beside me, is also gaping.

"Now, I will explain the conditions for regaining awareness in this world."

"Y-Yes, quickly tell us."

I examine Yuk Yo's intent.

'She's not lying.'

Not only her intent but also her heartbeat and other reactions indicate she is telling the truth.

'And considering the situation, she has no reason to come all the way here to lie to us.'

"The quickest way to regain awareness in this world is to 'have someone who cherishes you'."

"Someone who cherishes you...?"

"Yes. The more people in the Ancient Force Realm or other worlds who think of you, the deeper their feelings, and the higher their level, the quicker you'll regain awareness. In other words, the time it takes to regain your awareness in this world is determined by the 'connections you have built."

"...."

"...."

Seo Ran and I look at each other.

I have a lot of connections to consider.

Starting with the followers of the Wuji Religious Order, Kang Min-hee of the Bright Cold Realm, the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect in the Head Realm, and even though I'm not sure if they cherish me, the Entering Nirvana True Persons...

Not to mention the [Existences That Can Only Bring Misfortune] who showed immense interest in me during the regression process of this cycle...

Then, what about Seo Ran?

Seo Ran, looking puzzled, speaks.

"... Does Master... think of me that deeply in the Netherworld...?"

"Not necessarily... There are also disciples with masters outside who haven't regained their awareness yet..."

"Then what could it be...?"

Yuk Yo shrugs as if nothing.

"Couldn't it be that Sir Seo Ran is... receiving the affection of a higher existence?"

"Who would bestow such affection on me...?"

"Is there no one who comes to mind? Perhaps your parents, an acquaintance, a friend, or an ancestor?"

"My parents aren't exactly... ordinary, but to say they are a higher existence... all my acquaintances and friends came here with me... ancestors... hmm, I don't really like to think about my Grandfather Sea Dragon King."

He grabs his head in frustration, as if he can't figure it out.

Yuk Yo shrugs her shoulders.

"Well, it seems you're receiving the affection of a higher existence without even knowing it. Congratulations."

Seo Ran's face turns pale.

"I-Is that a good thing.?"

Seo Ran falls into confusion, and I sink into deep thought.

'This is strange.'

Yuk Yo is telling the truth, but it's so bizarre.

There is a sense of incongruity.

To say this world is real, there are too many bizarre points and it differs too much from reality.

And while Yuk Yo herself seems unaware, it's strange how this world seems to adjust to us.

I'm confused whether Yuk Rin had lied to me or if Yuk Yo is simply mistaken.

A world filled with strange contradictions and a sense of incongruity.

That is Penglai Island.

'And what exactly is going on with Seo Ran?'

According to Yuk Yo, there are three factors for quickly regaining awareness in this world: Having many people who cherish the entrant of this world.

The feelings of those who cherish the entrant are deep.

The level of those who value the entrant is high.

'Could it be that Seo Ran is also under the gaze of some True Immortal?'

I look at Seo Ran with suspicious eyes.

I can't be sure.

At the beginning of this life, hadn't I got entangled with a higher existence from the Netherworld and ended up falling into the Nether Ghost Realm?

Seo Ran is also practicing Ghost Path Methods, so he might be attracting the attention of a Reaper from the Netherworld.

I press down on my swirling head and ponder.

'In that case, the ones who will find their memories the fastest are the leaders of the Wuji Religious Order, especially Yeon Wei and Jeon Myeong-hoon.'

Yeon Wei and Jeon Myeong-hoon are not just prominent figures in the Wuji Religious Order but also extremely famous personalities in the Lower Realm's Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. They should regain awareness the quickest.

Since Yuk Yo claims to be a native of this world, it makes sense that she and Seo Ran regained their awareness almost simultaneously with me.

I organize my complex thoughts and ask.

"Then, what is Yuk Rin aiming for, and what is his ultimate goal? He seems to have some relationship with Jin Ma-yeol. What relationship is it? Why did Jin Ma-yeol want you?"

"I will start with Jin Ma-yeol. He not only desired the stolen Dragon Form Disguise Method, but also 'my status.' Not as Sacred Orchid Princess of Governing Dragon Palace, but as the Princess of Penglai Kingdom. By marrying me, he could quickly gain benefits in Penglai Kingdom and potentially become its king or a high-ranking minister. That's why Jin Ma-yeol wanted me and allied with my father."

"... Wait."

Noticing something strange in Yuk Yo's words, I glare at her.

"If this world is your homeland, why are you just standing by while we lead the demon spirits to overthrow Penglai Kingdom?"

"Well... Cult Leader isn't going to rule Penglai Kingdom forever, right? And I know Cult Leader's character well. While Cult Leader made a reputation as the King of Demon Spirits, he hardly ever caused any human casualties despite a bit of plundering, right? Once Cult Leader returns to your original world, I can use the power of the guardian dragons protecting the royal family to disperse the demon spirits and restore the royal family."

"..."

"... Um... are you planning to kill my mother, the current queen?"

"... I won't kill her."

"Thank you!"

Yuk Yo smiles brightly and bows, as if she expected that.

I feel a headache coming on.

I have heard too many shocking truths.

But surprisingly, there are still more things I need to hear.

"... What is Yuk Rin's goal?"

When Yuk Rin was mentioned, Yuk Yo's expression darkens.

"... Father... didn't inherit much of the Sea Dragon True Blood when he was born. But after immense effort, he succeeded in transforming into a dragon. However... it seems he wasn't satisfied with that."

Yuk Yo begins revealing the truth about Yuk Rin.

"Among my father's acquaintances... there was a person named Yuk Ung, the master of Cherry Blossom Sea Domain, where Penglai Island was originally located."

"Yes, I know roughly."

"That Yuk Ung... unlike my father, was born with an almost perfect Sea Dragon body and bloodline. My father always envied him. However, for some reason, Yuk Ung suffered from a disease where his blood would boil and eventually died from it, unable to overcome the illness. Even his blood evaporated entirely, leaving behind an intact Sea Dragon body but no blood, dying like a dried-up corpse."

From her continued words, I can guess Yuk Rin's plan.

"Could it be... did he do that disgusting thing I am thinking of?"

"He probably did so. My father decided to take Cherry Blossom Dragon Palace Lord Yuk Ung's body. And to gather the lacking Sea Dragon True Blood, he came to this world, gave birth to us, and extracted the Sea Dragon True Blood to infuse it into Palace Lord Yuk Ung's body. Then, he uprooted Cherry Blossom Dragon Island that Palace Lord Yuk Ung governed and transformed it into a Deep Sea Island under Governing Dragon Palace, hiding Palace Lord Yuk Ung's body there."

"...."

"And with a very peculiar secret art, he split his soul and hid it within Palace Lord Yuk Ung's body in Cherry Blossom Dragon Island."

Baduduk...

I finally realize why Yuk Rin cooperated so readily when we captured him.

"It wasn't his main body...!"

The main body is hidden in the Deep Sea Island beneath Governing Dragon Palace!

"... But something is strange."

Seo Ran expresses his doubt.

"Sir Kim Young-hoon and Cult Leader both have eyes that can see the essence of the soul. How could they not distinguish between the main body and the clone..."

"There is one secret art that makes it impossible to distinguish between the main body and the clone."

At my cold voice, Seo Ran's eyes widen.

"And among the Sea Dragon Race, who has learned that technique, is there not one... no, more than one we know of?"

"... Could it be."

"That's right."

I recall the detestable face of that one person.

A 'hoho' echoes in my ears, and somehow my shoulders feel stiff.

"Seo Hweol. And Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens."