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Chapter 823: Side Story - Nation Founding (1)
"Nobi-ah. Say it one more time."
"...Yes...Senior."
"Uhehehe...you're calling me Senior..."
Makli Nobi, who used to be Makli Hyun-ah's senior, failed to succeed in the Core Formation stage advancement and stayed at the mid Qi Building stage for fifty years.
Because of this, Makli Nobi, who came to be treated as essentially Makli Hyun-ah's doll from the moment their realms reversed, grinds his teeth.
"This bastard, are you grinding your teeth right now in front of your Core Formation senior? Do I have to pull out all your teeth for you to come to your senses!?"
"Uhehehe, it's a joke, a joke. Relax your face."
Makli Hyun-ah roughly ruffles Makli Nobi's head.
Makli Nobi, even while giving a gaze filled with humiliation at that touch, feels a strange emotion surge up and his face turns bright red.
Those who were once at a higher realm than Makli Hyun-ah instantly fell behind him, who has the Extreme Ghost Path Body and a Wood Heavenly Spiritual Root, so Makli Hyun-ah is able to reign over them as their senior.
Only Makli Hweol always stayed a realm ahead of Makli Hyun-ah, so Makli Hweol and Makli Hyun-ah are at a level where they can call each other Daoist.
"Also, since you received the elder token and the document delegating the governing authority over the western sea region that is the Makli Clan's territory...please go to the sea region, select a few as cultivation protectors who will uphold Daoist's command from now on, and then hurry and move. Since you must cross the great mountain range, it is best you prepare."
"Understood, Daoist."
Following Makli Hweol's recommendation, Makli Hyun-ah begins selecting his cultivation protectors as well as close attendants.
"First, Makli Nobi, you are my number one cultivation slave."
"I-It's protector! A slave, you say? I am not a slave!"
"But you're Nobi?"
"Eiik!"
Taking along Makli Nobi, who's face reddens, Makli Hyun-ah searches through the Makli Clan here and there, and brings other people.
"Cultivation protector number two, I choose you, Makli Bi-yeol!"
For the past fifty years,
What kept Makli Hyun-ah from going mad as he cultivated alone, holding him together, was the Talisman War tournament.
As a participant or a judge of Talisman War tournaments held here and there, Makli Hyun-ah held Talisman War tournaments across the entirety of Shengzi where the Righteous Dao Sect Alliance resides, and also went around seeking them out, spreading Talisman War everywhere.
And what made such a Makli Hyun-ah happy was the one who always obtained high results in the Talisman War tournament, and devised countless applied techniques of Talisman War.
The strongest of Talisman War, it is Makli Bi-yeol.
"Th-Thank you for selecting me, Senior, but why would you take along someone like me, merely at the early Qi Building stage?"
"It's because your Talisman War has romance. Especially your spell talisman, 'Vile One Reborn,' is a talisman that moves me every time I see it."
"Thank you for you recognition!"
Makli Hyun-ah is filled with the thought of cultivating the Confucian Family Method in the western sea region, and relieving stress through Makli Bi-yeol.
"They say I can have up to three cultivation protectors...who do I take for the last one?"
After designating Makli Nobi and Makli Bi-yeol as cultivation protectors, Makli Hyun-ah falls into thought about who else he should take along.
"If you are really troubled, I advise receiving a recommendation. They say among those who cultivated under the Cultivation Elder Makli Hye-seo, among the promising juniors who recently became Qi Building, there are many usable ones."
Makli Bi-yeol recommends to Makli Hyun-ah the rising juniors under Makli Hye-seo, and Makli Hyun-ah nods his head.
"Good idea. Then let's go to Elder Makli Hye-seo!"
After a little while, Makli Hyun-ah arrives to Makli Hye-seo and, looking at the new protectors who newly rose to Qi Building, thinks.
The new Qi Building cultivators who rose to the Qi Building stage within the past ten years number thirty-six, and all of them look formidable.
"Let's see...who does Elder Makli Hye-seo recommend?"
"Hmm...they are all usable fellows, but if I narrow it down, these twelve are usable. Choose from among the twelve."
Makli Hyun-ah looks at the list Makli Hye-seo hands over and falls into thought.
—Makli Jegal (Zhuge).
—Makli Namgung (Namgong).
—Makli Murong.
—Makli Sichuan.
—Makli Hwasan (Mount Hua).
—Makli Shaolin.
—Makli Donald.
—Makli Hwangsil (Imperial Family).
—Manli Minrap.
—Makli Makli.
—Makli Emei.
—Makli Cheonma (Heavenly Demon).
"Hmm...I should conduct interviews."
Like so, Makli Hyun-ah, who cultivates the Naming Family Method, begins interviewing starting from those with strange names that stand out the most.
The first interviewee is Manli Minrap, who, to Makli Hyun-ah's senses, has the strangest name.
"Hey, Manli Minrap. Why are you not a Makli?"
Manli Minrap, who wraps their whole body in bandages and only reveals their eyes, scratches their head as they answer.
"I am from a tribal nation in the distant East. I crossed the Heaven-Treading Desert, came all the way to Shengzi, relied on the Makli Clan, and after marrying a Makli Clan person, it has been five years since I became a member. I still have not received the Makli surname, but I learned a unique method, so I will be of help to you."
"Is that so...?"
Makli Hyun-ah asks a few more things, then finishes the interview, and calls the second person with the strangest name.
"Makli Makli—just why in the world is your name Makli Makli?"
"From what I know, my parents named me such that I would become the Makli Clan itself."
"Is that so? What method did you learn?"
He proceeds with the interview for Makli Makli, but aside from having a slightly unique name, Makli Makli has nothing that could be called individuality, so he sends him out.
Makli Hyun-ah calls in Makli Cheonma, whom he feels has the third strangest name.
"Makli Cheonma, as you know, I learned a method related to names. Because of this, I am very sensitive to the names of the people around me. But Makli Cheonma, with a name that mad, it could have a negative influence on my cultivation. Why do you have a name like that? And if you have such a name, can you bring me good results that outweigh the negative influence that the name has on me?"
In Makli Cheonma's case, since he does not like the wild name, he conducts a pressure interview.
Makli Cheonma carries out the interview smoothly, but Makli Hyun-ah, who finds the name unpleasant to the very end, fails Makli Cheonma.
Thus, after finishing the interviews of the others with ordinary names, Makli Hyun-ah ultimately passes Makli Donald.
"Let's work well together, Makli Donald. From now on, as my cultivation protector, you will help my rule in the western sea region!"
"It is an honor! The whole clan deeply respects Senior Makli Hyun-ah, the creator of Talisman War who created the Talisman War tournament, so I wanted to be together with you... Truly, once again, thank you very much!"
"Don't be too happy! If what you do is not much, I will send you back to the main family again. By the way, because the interview went so well, I forgot about the name matter. Who gave you your name?"
"Elder Makli Hye-seo gave it to me."
"I see. Then I look forward to working with you, Makli Donald!"
Like so, Makli Hyun-ah sets three cultivation protectors that fit him well, and finishes preparing to head to the western sea region to cultivate the Confucian Family Method.
***
Hwiiiooooo—
Makli Hyun-ah, together with Makli Hweol, rides a flying magic artifact and crosses the great mountain range.
"Uuu, the night air is cold."
"Hoho, this is why I told you to prepare quickly. The western great mountain range has the sea and an archipelago region behind it, so the sea wind blows very cold... Additionally, because the Lightning Path sects of the great mountain range send all the yin energy up into the sky, it is cold if you travel at night. Especially for Cultivator Makli Hyun-ah, who did not learn Immortal Family Methods, it will be worse."
"Uuuuuuu...I should've learned Immortal Family Methods too...I regret it."
Makli Hyun-ah, shaking uncontrollably in the cold, curses the weakness of the Naming Family Method.
The drawbacks of methods that are not Immortal Family Methods, that is, the Non-Immortal Family category, is that the degree of lifespan strengthening and the degree of life force strengthening are not large.
For example, for most methods classified as Immortal Family Methods, lifespan increases by a large margin when the realm rises, and even if you only reach Qi Building, thanks to pure spiritual force, you possess tremendous regeneration and defensive power.
However, Makli Hyun-ah's Naming Family Method specializes in the sealing and stealing of [names], therefore in exchange, he cannot gain such overwhelming defensive power and life force.
"The characteristic of Immortal Family Methods is living long without illness. Ageless longevity. When it comes to life force alone, Non-Immortal Family Methods like Daoist Makli Hyun-ah's Naming Family Method cannot win."
"U-u-u-u-u-u-u..."
Makli Hyun-ah, while riding the flying magic artifact, shakes his body like crazy and activates a warmth talisman to warm his body.
Inside the carriage-shaped flying magic artifact, the Qi Building protectors and Makli Hyun-ah are shaking like crazy, and only Makli Hweol, at the Grand Perfection Core Formation stage, is in a fine state.
Makli Hweol clicks his tongue as he looks at them and speaks.
"...It seems the cold is too severe for you, but if it is truly hard to endure, we can rest for a while in the village of mortals below the great mountain range, and we can continue moving when it becomes daytime."
"I-If that is the case...since the protectors seem cold, there is nothing we can do. Let's go down and rest."
Makli Hyun-ah brightens at Makli Hweol's suggestion and lowers the altitude of the flying magic artifact.
They go down to a small slash-and-burn farming village inside the great mountain range.
***
"Aigo, Sir Immortals. Welcome to Seogyeong Village. Haha."
The village chief of the slash-and-burn farming village, even though it is late, rubs his hands and smiles toward the cultivators who come down from the sky.
"The yin energy above the great mountain range is too strong, so we will stay for one night and go. Instead, if there are people in the village who are sick or have diseases, we will heal them with spells. We also give a few rewards. How is that?"
"Aigo, why do you say that? Please come into our house quickly, we will host you in our home."
Makli Hweol has the protectors breathe vigor into the sick, the ill, and the elderly in the village and have them treat them, and Makli Hyun-ah and Makli Hweol are able to stay in the guest quarters of the chief's house.
"Ahh, warm..."
Makli Hyun-ah gulps down the warm rice cake the chief serves and busily works his mouth inside the guest quarters.
"The yin energy above the great mountain range is really strong... The Lightning Path sects release yin energy into the sky... If you think about it, isn't that like industrial waste? Is there nobody who complains about it? Nomnom..."
He grumbles about the Lightning Path sects settled in the great mountain range, eats up all the rice cakes, and suddenly feels that his mouth has become bored.
'Nomnom... Asking for more rice cake at this late hour is a bit much, right?'
Just then, Makli Hyun-ah sees someone stick their face right into his guest quarters.
It is a young boy.
"Hmm? What is it, kid?"
Makli Hyun-ah asks while looking at the boy holding a children's storybook to his chest, and the boy hesitates for a moment, then hands over the book.
"This...is something my older sister gave to me when she goes over the mountain to work at the rich house, telling me to read it when I am alone. But I still can't read letters, so...could noona...maybe...read it for me?"
"I'm not a noona...haaah, whatever. Hm...then, first."
Makli Hyun-ah smacks his lips and takes the boy's storybook as he speaks.
"My mouth is a bit bored, so if you bring me something to eat, I'll read it for you."
It is not a bad deal for either of them.
***
After Makli Hyun-ah slurps down the dongchimi noodles the boy rolls up for him, he reads the fairy tales to the boy.
This fairy tale collection seems to be a set of stories mainly arranged around the theme of 'retribution'.
In the first chapter, it is about a child who brings boiled potatoes to an elderly neighbor on a cold winter day and receives blessings.
In the second chapter, it is about an old man who cries out to the heavens because he cannot extend his lifespan, but ends up extending his lifespan through the help of neighbors rather than the heavens.
In the third chapter, it is about a puppet sorcerer and a Dragon King who go around doing evil deeds and each receive retribution from each of their divine spirits of retribution.
In the fourth chapter, it is about a god of lightning being retaliated against by the village people they massacred.
In the fifth chapter, it is about a mountain divine spirit that is oppressed by the sun and beats the shining suns to death.
In the sixth chapter, it records the story of a senior brother who does evil deeds and a junior brother who loves his neighbors meeting different endings.
'Is this really a fairy tale for kids...?'
Makli Hyun-ah feels a bit uncomfortable at the oddly high-level and cruel content of the storybook, but since he already ate the dongchimi noodles, he can't say he will stop reading.
"Seventh chapter...the story of Lord Stars and Lord Heavens...huh?"
At the end of the storybook, a fairy tale called <The Tale of Lord Stars and Lord Heavens> is included.
The content of the fairy tale is roughly that the Supreme Deity who rules the Star Kingdom goes to find the Supreme Deity who rules the Heavens and help recover what the Supreme Deity of the Heavens lost.
At the end of the fairy tale, it says that the Supreme Deity of the Star Kingdom who found what the Supreme Deity of the Heavens lost also gained peace.
"Mm...it's a good story. And...huh?"
Makli Hyun-ah looks at the very last page of the storybook.
On the very last page of what is a pretty good storybook, one illustration is included.
—The Supreme Deity of the Star Kingdom who helped the Supreme Deity of the Heavens, learned that while helping, they smashed the face pouch that the Supreme Deity of the Heavens cherishes.
'Face pouch?'
In the fairy tale, it is a face-shaped pouch the Supreme Deity of the Heavens carries around, a pouch that anything can go into.
—The Supreme Deity of the Star Kingdom felt sorry about this, pulled in the land the Mountain Divine Spirit used, and combined it with the shattered face pouch to mold a round world. Within that round world, countless people came to live while receiving the grace of the Supreme Deity of the Star Kingdom and the Supreme Deity of the Heavens...and so they decided to call that world Penglai Star.
'Penglai Star...?'
It is the name of the planet they live on.
This seems to be not a simple fairy tale, but a creation myth handed down in this Penglai Star.
However, what catches Makli Hyun-ah's eyes is not that part, but the 'illustration' included on the last page.
'Face...?'
Because on the last page, an illustration is included of a huge someone's hands combining someone's 'face' and a huge 'mass of land' to make a 'star where land and face combine'.
And on the side of the 'mass of land,' there is a world map Makli Hyun-ah knows well.
On the opposite side, there remains the 'face' that is a fragment of the Supreme Deity of the Heavens' face pouch.
Shiver!
For some reason, when Makli Hyun-ah sees that image, he feels goosebumps rise without him realizing.
It is only a storybook...and yet, he feels as if he is glimpsing a hidden secret of this world.
'No way, it's just a fairy tale. It's not like some nonsense that the opposite side of the Earth is a human face... That's the kind of thought that those flat-Head-Realm people would have.'
Makli Hyun-ah quickly shakes off that ominous feeling, sends out the boy who brought the storybook, and goes to bed.
'Anyway, people of old have such rich imagination.'
That this world is something made by combining a human face and a mass of land.
It is an interesting creation myth.
***
The next day.
"Hoho, I've wanted to show this to Daoist."
After leaving Seogyeong Village, crossing the great mountain range, and arriving at the western sea region, Makli Hyun-ah's voice trembles as he stares blankly at what Makli Hweol shows him.
"Daoist...Makli Hweol...? What is this...?"
It is a wall.
That strange barrier, which looks like an aurora, constantly surges, and it even seems to be swirling.
That enormous wall of light wraps around the edge of the western sea region and reaches all the way up to the sky.
Seeing at that sight, Makli Hyun-ah cannot help but think of one thing.
One of the hypotheses of the flat earth that flat-earth theorists put forward!
"Didn't you say that the World Shield Force...doesn't exist...?"
"Hoho, you are very surprised. That is right, this is not World Shield Force. If you look closely, you will see something like land beyond it. The world continues beyond this, and the world is certainly round."
"Ah, ahh...then this barrier is...?"
"Well...I do not know the details either, but beyond this wall is called the Land of Madness, and they say that any living being that steps into that land, without exception, goes mad. Therefore, so that only cultivators of the Heavenly Being stage or higher can come and go...long ago, some divinity is said to have made a barrier by borrowing the power of the myriad stars."
"Land of Madness...you say?"
Makli Hyun-ah looks at the boundary that spreads in a circle around this entire world, not only at the edge of the western sea but also along the eastern, southern, and northern ends, and asks Makli Hweol.
"Why is the land beyond this filled with madness?"
"I do not know the exact reason. Some say it is because of a war between Supreme Deities in a mythic age long ago, some say it is because of the spite of an evil mountain divine spirit, and some say..."
At Makli Hweol's continuing words, for some reason the illustration from the fairy tale book he saw last night does not leave Makli Hyun-ah's head.
"...it is because the land beyond this boundary is [the face of some transcendent being], and because one cannot endure that being's rank, one goes mad."
Makli Hyun-ah recalls a bizarre planet where someone's face is embedded on the opposite side of a massive landmass, shudders with inexplicable chills, and turns his back to that wall.
"Well...I learned something interesting. Then for now, let's hurry and go start ruling."
Feeling an unknown, bizarre sensation behind him, Makli Hyun-ah hastily flies with the others to meet the rulers of the western sea, the Sea Dragon Race.
***
An island in the western sea region beyond the great mountain range.
Up above it, a Core Formation Elder of the Sea Dragon Race, Makli Hyun-ah, and Makli Hweol face each other.
As if trying to imitate a Transformation stage Demon Race in their own way, the Sea Dragon Race Elder, wearing human clothes, politely nods while looking at the delegation letter of governing authority from the Makli Clan that Makli Hyun-ah holds out.
[We have taken a good look over the matter of governing authority. But speaking truthfully, from our position, this is land where we lived from long ago. For people who call themselves the Makli Clan or the Righteous Dao Immortal Sect Alliance to suddenly claim governing authority, and for us to acknowledge it and serve the other as our master...it is honestly...hard to accept willingly.]
"...There is no disadvantage to you even if you acknowledge my governing authority. I have no intention of bringing human sects or forces into this land, and if you only acknowledge the governing authority in name, then rather, I can provide you with various support."
[Yes, and through the Makli Clan, we have heard that you are the founder of that recently famous Talisman War, and an authority on Naming Family talismans. There are also times when the Sea Dragon Race needs talismans, so it is certainly not a bad deal.]
"Yes, and besides talismans, I will make it so that the Human Race cannot hunt the Demon Race recklessly in this land, and I will also strive to become a mediator who can balance the forces among the Demon Race as w—"
[But this is a matter of pride. I cannot just back down willingly.]
At the gaze of the Sea Dragon Race Elder glaring at them, Makli Hyun-ah exchanges looks with Makli Hweol.
A voice transmission comes from Makli Hweol.
—Ask what he wants. From the look in his eyes, it seems we will have to have a bout of a great duel or something...but if Daoist Makli Hyun-ah feels burdened, I can step out for you.
—Thank you, Daoist Hweol.
Swallowing hard, Makli Hyun-ah asks the Sea Dragon Race Elder.
"What do you want? Please say it plainly."
At those words, the Sea Dragon Race Elder grins and takes something out from between his scales.
"...Huh?"
It is something that can hold talismans on the forearm.
It is an object called a 'Talisman War Disk,' something he made together while founding Talisman War.
[I am curious how much of a Talisman War Master you are as the founder of Talisman War. If you defeat me in Talisman War, I will acknowledge your authority and governing authority, and I will agree to the deal!]
Makli Hyun-ah, who stares at the Sea Dragon Race Elder with a blank face for a moment, becomes dumbfounded at the words about competing in Talisman War for racial price, and without thinking, blurts out a line.
"...It seems like Talisman War addiction to the point where treatment is needed."
[Hmph, ridiculous words. If you want to prove your words, you must do it with skill! Right now, it is time to Talisman War!]
And so, the Talisman War duel between Makli Hyun-ah and the Sea Dragon Race Elder, Seo Hae-ryong, begins.
Translator Notes: Hae-ryong means Sea Dragon.