I Prayed for a Murim Reincarnation, But I Was Born as the Youngest Imperial Prince - Chapter 117

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 117
After letting the shocking rumor of Mandok Mazon’s subjugation spread across the entire Wulin, Seonwu sat down to write a letter to the Imperial City.
‘Mm, I need to tell Father exactly what happened.’
Only then could he receive precise guidance.
Honestly, if nothing else, that Black Core left a genuinely foul aftertaste.
‘Is that about everything? I’ll add that I can come visit if necessary.’
It was impossible to continue roaming the land while harboring such an element of instability.
‘Hahm, I’ll take a short nap first, give it one final read when I wake up, and then send it off.’
Seonwu closed his eyes.
And he began to dream.
It was a dream where he possessed the clear awareness that he was dreaming.
At the same time, he knew it was no mere illusion.
‘Ah, this is the interior of my Yeouiju being manifested.’
A remarkably solid pillar stood before his eyes.
Supporting heaven and earth, the pillar was the very definition of unyielding.
Without a single fracture, it possessed a density that could only belong to the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art.
Usually, the diamonds people called vajra stones actually burned quite easily in a real fire.
But the pillar formed before him was no such diamond.
It was the concept of indestructibility itself.
An absolute solidity that would never crack for any reason, nor permit the intrusion of any wicked energy.
In Chinese Wuxia, authors often dealt with it, but in Korean Wuxia, there was a martial principle rarely touched upon called ‘ firmness.’
Indicating structural integrity, it differed from hardness or heaviness, and it was the most fitting term to describe the Diamond Indestructible Body.
And the pillar before him stood as the ultimate manifestation of that firmness.
Shifting his gaze to the side, he saw a river where Yin and Yang harmonized, their respective energies intertwining as they flowed smoothly.
Energy was not inherently visible to the naked eye, but within the dream, he could watch the intertwined Yin and Yang endlessly cycle back and forth, achieving a perfect, ceaseless harmony.
It was the Taegeuk Yangui Shingong.
Beside it lay a brilliant radiance.
It resembled the golden light emanating from a Buddhist statue, yet it felt far more fundamental.
In fact, compared to this light, ordinary golden hues were nothing more than the mundane glow of the lower world.
Since light possessed no physical weight, it seemed entirely empty.
Yet, this light simultaneously brimmed with profound wisdom and harbored a demon-subduing Buddhist power.
‘The Peerless Prajna Divine Art. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.’
Because it was empty, it could not be grasped, but because it was also form, it subjugated evil.
And right next to it.
A scorching, blazing heat flared violently.
An Extreme Yang Qi that looked as if a fragment of the sun had been carved out and placed right there.
The word fire was inadequate to describe it.
This was a more primordial Yang Energy.
To begin with, according to modern physics, the sun did not actually burn; it was the pure, ultimate energy emerging from hydrogen nuclear fusion itself.
‘Did the modern knowledge I possess blend into my mindscape to create this sort of imagery?’
Thus, those four energies resided within him.
And encircled right in the very center of those four forces was the entity itself.
“You arrogant little hatchling! How dare a creature like you think you can seal me! How long do you think you can keep me bound with that immature Yeouiju of yours!”
The one screaming at the top of its lungs was a spectacularly vibrant bird.
It was beautiful enough to pass for a phoenix.
Its kaleidoscopic, brilliant body displayed countless hues woven into magnificent patterns.
However, there was no chance of falling captive to that beauty.
The Poison Qi concealed beneath that splendor was simply too venomous.
The dangerous and fatal Zhen Niao.
Though the Sichuan Tang Clan was famous for its poisons, Seonwu could say with absolute certainty.
The entity before his eyes was the true sovereign of venom.
Every single one of those beautiful colors represented a completely different poison.
A certain name sprang to mind.
The accursed name that humans dared not commit to parchment or utter aloud.
”
One of the Eight Great Demonic Beasts. The Sovereign of All Poisons. The Zhen Niao?
”
A legendary demonic beast whose very shadow carried venom, such that a man would die merely from drinking water from a puddle the creature had flown over.
An enemy of humanity.
One of the eight zeniths of the Demon Realm.
“Young hatchling, release me before you regret it. Fail to do so, and I shall wither you from the inside out until you die.”
“You’re a captive throwing out threats, so it’s not particularly frightening,” Seonwu remarked.
“I am merely offering a generous proposal because staying inside here is tedious and suffocating! Do you truly believe I am unable to kill a wretch like you!”
“So you were the true form behind Mandok Mazon.”
Seonwu finally understood what had occurred.
‘Father shared a secret with me, telling me to keep it to myself.’
Namely, that the true masterminds behind the Eight Dark Devils were not the sovereigns themselves.
The Eight Great Demonic Beasts existing in the Demon Realm.
The Eight Demon Sovereigns were merely Demonic Practitioners who had surrendered their souls to become vessels, harboring the cores of those beasts within them.
In exchange for obtaining the power of the Eight Great Demonic Beasts, they had made a foolish pact ensuring their souls would go to the Demon Realm after death to be devoured by the monsters.
Father had told him that the power of the Realm of Creation obtained through the Demonic Way was such an idiotic thing.
At the same time, that was the precise reason why the Eight Demon Sovereigns would inevitably reappear after a certain period, even if they were killed.
Once the shock of the broken vessel was recovered back in the Demon Realm, the sovereignty would manifest again the moment a new contractor was secured.
No disciples were required, nor any Spiritual Medicine.
Even enlightenment was unnecessary.
Granted, not just anyone could forge that contract.
Only a demonic practitioner who had reached the Transcendence Realm could endure the strain of the pact.
Yet, how long had it been since the Zhen Niao, who had always returned safely to the Demon Realm until now, had failed to do so and found itself chained to the mortal earth?
‘I wondered what that Black Core was, but to think it was actually the true essence of the Zhen Niao itself? It wasn’t just some terminal device?’
The Zhen Niao thrashed violently.
Two highly unpleasant precedents flashed through its memory.
Jiang Taigong and Xuanzang.
Those two bastards had caused it prolonged suffering, and now, to think it was trapped inside the Yeouiju of a young dragon hatchling?
“But you are neither Jiang Taigong nor Xuanzang! Do you honestly think I cannot hollow you out from within!”
The roaring Zhen Niao was undeniably menacing.
Each time it threw a tantrum, the four forces Seonwu possessed surged wildly to firmly press the creature back down.
“Do not worry overmuch.”
Just then, a gentle voice resonated.
Seonwu turned toward the sound and saw an elderly man with bull horns offering a benevolent smile.
In one hand, he held grains that humans used for sustenance, and in the other, he carried medicinal herbs.
Even without hearing a name, Seonwu knew exactly who he was.
“Are you Shennong?”
“Think of me merely as a remnant of him.”
“This junior offers his respects.”
“Haha, for me to receive respects from a dragon of the present era, when I am but a lingering trace, is far more than I deserve.”
“Even so, you are watching over this junior, so how could I fail to greet you?”
The Horn of Shennong anchored within his Yeouiju.
That was what had shielded him from the venom during his battle against Mandok Mazon.
Having received such aid, how could he not express gratitude to a predecessor from the distant past?
Seonwu was not such a model Confucian student that he blindly respected anyone simply for being old, but he knew how to recognize a debt of a lifetime.
He had known all along that the World-Saving Medicine and Poison Horn stood at the apex of divine weapons, but to think it could manifest like this even within a dream?
‘Well, considering its caliber, it makes sense that it can suppress Mandok Mazon’s poison.’
It was entirely plausible.
“It is true that the Zhen Niao’s myriad demonic poisons are dangerous, but the Extreme Yang Skill of the Solar Divine Art you have mastered is naturally the absolute antithesis to the vast majority of venoms.”
“Ah, that’s true. Most poisons lose their properties entirely if you burn them.”
“Of course, not all of them do, but whatever remains, I am managing with the energy of Taiji. Furthermore, the creature’s demonic energy, which is even more perilous than its venom, is being subdued by the demon-subduing power of the Vajra and Prajna. That is why it is struggling so hard right now.”
“So it’s just bluffing.”
Shennong shook his head.
“Only half of it is a bluff. As for the other half, looking at the long term, you are indeed still green. Despite being a dragon, you have yet to reach the Realm of Creation, have you not?”
Seonwu winced slightly.
Honestly, he was still just in the Transcendence Realm.
Though he had wrapped himself from head to toe in all sorts of divine artifacts instead.
“Had you achieved the Realm of Creation, I would not have needed to speak to you like this. That beast would have held its tongue as well.”
He had sealed the core of a great demonic beast capable of manifesting the Realm of Creation while being merely in the Transcendence Realm himself.
No matter how favorable the compatibility and despite the additional protection from divine artifacts, expecting zero issues over a long period was indeed asking too much.
“Ahem, then what should I do?”
“Master the Vitality Restoring Poison Medical Art as well.”
“Will that suffice?”
“It will guarantee you several decades without issue. And given that amount of time, will you not be able to wield the Dragon God Force far better than you do now?”
He understood.
In short, buy a few decades first, and break through to the Realm of Creation within that timeframe.
That would be the moment he truly sealed that Zhen Niao for good.
Right now, relying solely on the vacant space within his Cintamani, he had sealed a great demonic beast he was not originally meant to handle.
It was only due to the excellent compatibility and the assistance of the divine artifacts; otherwise, he might have ended up becoming the next Mazon.
Either that, or he would have died resisting.
Regardless, it was an act unlikely to leave him unscathed.
“On the flip side, if I seal it successfully, does that mean Mandok Mazon will never appear in the world again?”
At least for as long as the seal held.
“Indeed. Tianlong Dadi has established a peaceful reign, but the Demonic Way has not completely retreated, so by sealing one of them like this, you are performing an act of great filial piety.”
Seonwu nodded.
Sealing a great demonic beast so Mandok Mazon could never plague the world again, thereby protecting the livelihoods of the common folk.
Was this not precisely what a chivalrous Xia was supposed to do?
It was an exploit truly worthy of proudly calling oneself a great hero.
Though the fact that the sealing site was his own body made it a bit hazardous…
It also reminded him of a certain prince from a game who mistakenly drove a soulstone into his own forehead and ended up getting possessed by a demon king…
But as long as he reached the necessary cultivation realm before it was too late, everything would be fine.
Besides, Shennong was personally guiding him on the exact method.
‘I should consult with Father once I wake up.’
The moment Seonwu reached that resolution, the dream shattered.
* * *
Waking up, Seonwu murmured to himself.
‘The Vitality Restoring Poison Medical Art…’
It was none other than the martial art of the Medical Pavilion.
It made perfect sense that it would be required to manage the venom.
“…I suppose it’s best to report the situation to Father and ask if it’s right to follow the dream.”
Just in case he had merely had a bizarre nightmare.
He could wait for a reply while staying at the Medical Pavilion and helping out with their duties.
At the very end of the letter he had already drafted, Seonwu appended the details of the dream he had just experienced.
Afterward, he dispatched the letter via the Imperial Family’s express courier.
* * *
The Emperor fell into deep thought as he read the letter sent by his cute, lovely, and admirable youngest son.
“He sealed the Zhen Niao inside his Yeouiju. High heavens, a mere child of twenty, yet he plunges himself into such perilous affairs…”
Hearing the Emperor’s muttered words from their positions nearby, the two commanders of the Golden Dragon Guard and Yuelongwei doubted their own ears.
‘The Zhen Niao…’
Because it carried an absolute curse, even they did not casually utter the name.
When speaking of that entity, it was common practice to deliberately avoid using its true title.
It was a measure to ward off misfortune rather than out of respect, meaning it differed from a naming taboo.
Yet, given that the Great Long Empire did not observe naming taboos for the names of Imperial Royalty by the Emperor’s decree, it showed just how terrifying an adversary the Zhen Niao truly was.
According to legend, Jiang Taigong and Xuanzang had each sealed it once using the powers of Taishang Laojun and Tathagata, but the seal had later been undone due to the sins of humanity.
Whether the tales were true remained uncertain, but it was undoubtedly a great demonic beast of that caliber.
“Is it truly safe for King Wuryong to seal such a thing inside his Yeouiju?”
“Could it not put His Highness in grave danger?”
Of course, the youngest prince was exceptionally brilliant, cared deeply for the common people, and possessed a magnificent talent for kingship, never hesitating to suffer hardships during his incognito travel.
Yet, when it came to his martial arts, was he not still lacking?
To think he had sealed the core of that ominous, great demonic beast.
The title of the Sovereign of All Poisons was certainly not for show.
It was something even they could not withstand.
“It is fine. It would be impossible for you, but it is entirely within that child’s capability.”
How could he manage it when his cultivation realm had yet to match theirs?
The two commanders were deeply curious about this, but they harbored no doubt.
They simply assumed there was some secret regarding dragons that they remained ignorant of.
Furthermore, they made no attempt to pry.
Unless the Emperor chose to enlighten them, how could a minister dare probe into the secrets of the Imperial Family?
They had absolutely no desire to face the consequences of committing such an insolent act.
“However, I must provide him with some guidance. Deliver this reply along with the items I specify as quickly as possible.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor once again reflected upon the feat accomplished by his youngest.
‘Ever since you were born with an empty Yeouiju, this was destined to be your duty.’
Though he had not expected the boy to take it upon himself so soon.
Yet, what was done was done.
‘Govern it well.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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