Chapter 18: Curse and Gods!
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In the middle of Sayru and his maid Ananova's journey, something unexpected happened to Sayru.
Sayru suddenly stopped and uncovered his tattoo, only to find it glowing with a faint golden light.
"I was sure of it. The Fate Stone has turned into a tattoo—my instincts didn't fail me!"
"Master, did you say something?"
Sayru looked around, searching for a specific spot to understand the cause of the Fate Stone's glow.
He found a place between the trees and erected a small barrier around them.
"No matter what happens to me, do not touch or wake me up. I will enter meditation now. Once I'm done, we'll continue our path."
Ananova silently nodded and leaned against a large tree, guarding Sayru.
'Mi Min, if any enemies approach, take care of them. But if they're six-star level or higher, wake me immediately.'
Mi Min emerged from Sayru's mental sea and replied, 'Okay…'
She paused for a moment and added, 'Are you sure you're alright?'
The two were communicating through spiritual transmission.
Sayru looked at Mi Min silently.
'We'll talk later...'
Then Sayru began his meditation.
Sayru's sense connected to the feeling coming from his tattoo.
He found himself inside a spiritual domain.
'Even though my soul is strong, that doesn't mean I can enter my spiritual domain freely.'
What Sayru said confirms the fragility of spiritual space in lower realms.
With Sayru's powerful soul, if he truly entered his own spiritual domain, it would shatter easily, leaving him as helpless as an ordinary mortal…
Not to mention the fatal internal injuries it would cause.
'Then… this isn't my spiritual domain. I don't see any energy stars no matter how much I look… which means—'
"You're right. This is my spiritual domain. Welcome, my successor!"
Sayru was startled by the presence of someone behind him without sensing anything.
The man bore faint signs of old age, with long silver-white hair, and his voice held an aura of dignity.
'…Did you say… your successor? Who are you?'
Sayru glared at the elder with disdain and fury—as if a sudden sense of defeat overcame him.
"Calm down. Do you think the Sacred Emperor Realm is the final realm of cultivation? Haven't you ever heard of the Ancient Gods~?"
Sayru didn't respond for several seconds, staring silently at the old man.
Then he replied, 'I know my cultivation didn't reach its peak in my previous life, but I've never heard of the Ancient Gods before.'
He continued, 'Since you somehow know what's happening to me, I won't deny anything. But tell me one thing first—what is your cultivation level?'
The elder burst into wholehearted laughter.
"Kid, you're really entertaining. I'll be honest with you too. You've heard of the God War at least once, right?"
Sayru was shocked by the elder's words.
The God War was what Sayru spent over 9,000 years of his life investigating.
But he always reached a dead end.
And the key to that locked door was the Fate Stone!
'You… don't tell me—!'
"Hahaha, that's right. I'm the one who created the Fate Stone. I'm also one of the gods who participated in the God War!"
Sayru felt that the door which had always been closed before him was finally opening.
And he had begun to glimpse a world unlike any he'd ever seen.
'But… isn't godhood impossible? And what's the connection between Ancient Gods and godhood?'
"Tch… You humans really are simple. You blindly follow the path laid out by the past, and when you hit a wall, you blame it on the excuse that 'it's impossible.'"
Sayru began to absorb the elder's words slowly. Then, he realized that the person standing before him wasn't just a powerful cultivator or immortal—but someone who had transcended logic itself.
Since most of Sayru's ideas were rooted in logic he gradually acquired—due to his upbringing in a world ruled by science—he hadn't known that even logic has its limits.
"I won't explain more. My time is short. So take my words seriously. First, nothing is eternal except the gods. They are the only ones who live beyond the inevitable end. Second, you must reach godhood on your own—not with the help of someone or something. Lastly, I will give you three trials you'll face on your path to godhood. If you pass them, the path ahead will become clearer…"
Sayru interrupted, surprised:
'Isn't that contradictory? You said I mustn't rely on anyone, so why are you helping me?'
"What I'm doing isn't helping—it's fate's will. Didn't you know? You've been cursed by fate!"
Sayru was stunned by what he heard.
'What do you mean…?'
"I don't have time to explain everything. From today onward, you are the bearer of the Fate Stone. It will guide you to the three trials… Se…e y…ou l…ater…"
The elder vanished from the spiritual domain, and Sayru was forcibly ejected from it.
"Wait…!"
Sayru awoke from his meditation and found Mi Min staring at him.
"What are you doing, for heaven's sake?!"
"Just now… weren't you receiving a divine transmission?"
Sayru thought for a moment, then stood.
"Kind of. It seems that place wasn't his spiritual domain either, but a space resembling where spirits receive their revelations."
Mi Min didn't quite understand what Sayru meant, while Sayru walked over to Ananova, who had fallen asleep leaning on the tree.
"Wake up. We're continuing our journey."
'Return, Mi Min. I'll tell you everything on the way to the capital.'
The three resumed their journey toward the imperial capital.
The imperial capital, nicknamed the Capital of Magic, was known as the largest city in the entire Magic Empire.
Sayru now headed toward this city, for reasons still unknown.
His destruction of Cloud City and his departure from it were also driven by a purpose only he knew.
…..
'I see… so you're saying you met a real god, and were inside a small world he created that resembled your spiritual domain?
Sayru…
Since when did you learn to lie to me? Your acting has also improved quite a bit!'
Sayru's frustration boiled over and he shouted:
"Do you really think I'd lie about something like that?!"
Ananova was startled by his sudden outburst.
"Um… Master? Did I do something wrong? Or were you shouting at someone else…?"
Sayru looked at Ananova and calmed down a bit.
"Haaah… it's nothing. Let's continue. We still have three days of walking ahead. If I were at the eighth star, I could float us there and we'd have arrived long ago…
Wait…
How could I forget… the laws!
I now have a body that resonates with seven elements!"