[Vol. 6] Chapter 241: The Origin Creation Theory
Now, let's turn back time a little, back to when the priestess was still locked in a fierce battle with the beast.
Outside [Mirror Valley], at a strategic outpost in the direction of the Western Kingdom.
A silver-haired girl stood alone, her expression as indifferent as ever. Around her, more than a dozen bodies lay scattered on the ground, dressed in different outfits, all lifeless.
They were dead, every single one of them, cut down by the silver gleam of a dagger that had struck their vital points, snuffing out their lives.
“Cough… cough… This is truly unexpected…”
A young man, whose hair and beard were white but whose skin was as smooth as a newborn's, knelt on one knee, blood spilling uncontrollably from his mouth. His eyes, filled with both surprise and contemplation, were fixed on the breathtaking girl who had effortlessly wiped out all her enemies. Including him, leaving him severely injured.
“You’re not a Spirit Maiden at all… Who are you?”
The girl, known as Hen, turned around. Her silver eyes shimmered with light, yet they carried no trace of emotion. She glanced at the man indifferently, like a god gazing down from the heavens at an insignificant ant, completely ignoring his question.
"It looks like you've failed again this time," she said coldly.
“Cough… cough…”
Even though he had suffered what should have been a fatal wound, his white robe now drenched in blood, the young man, known as the [Apothecary], seemed unfazed. Slowly, he stood up and smiled.
“Did it never occur to you… that I might be the only one here for a reason?”
“Boom!!!”
The moment he finished speaking, a sudden and violent explosion erupted from deep within [Mirror Valley]. The sheer destructive force of it was enough to make the ground beneath them tremble.
The girl remained expressionless as she looked into the distance, where a mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke was rising. It seemed she was lost in thought.
After a brief moment, she shifted her gaze back to the [The Immortal Apothecary Saint], who was taking out some kind of medicine from his robe. She spoke calmly.
“If your goal is just to stall for time, how about I tell you a story?”
The young man, who had been about to take the mysterious medicine from the porcelain bottle, paused for a moment. Then, as if realizing something, he put the bottle aside and let out a soft chuckle.
“Well, well… As expected of the [Western Origin Spirit Maiden] who has repeatedly foiled our plans. It seems that even with things unfolding as they have, everything is still within your grasp. Haha… No matter, I’ll listen.”
“……”
It was unclear whether she was speaking to him or just talking to herself, but the girl sheathed her short blade at her waist, clasped her hands behind her back, and looked up at the dazzling silver pillar of light rising from the center of [Mirror Valley].
“A long, long time ago… the world was nothing but chaos. Nothing had meaning. Time did not flow, space did not change, and there were no living beings, no will, no existence. Only absolute emptiness and endless void.”
“Until a light appeared.”
“That light brought change. Time began to flow, and space filled the void. But even then, the world remained hollow, without purpose.”
“So, the light began to divide itself.”
“On the first day, it created the [Sun and Moon], giving them different kinds of light, establishing the cycle of day and night.”
“On the second day, it lifted the [Sky], expanding the dimensions of space. The world then felt the touch of wind, the rise and fall of temperatures, and the movement of energy, filling the empty void with substance, making it no longer dull and lifeless.”
“On the third day, it laid down the [Land], forming a solid foundation for the world. Mountains rose, rivers flowed, and the concept of [Matter] came into existence.”
“On the fourth day, it scattered the [Stars] across the sky, weaving them into constellations. And with that, the world gained something called [laws]. Rules that governed everything. The once simple energy split into different elements, opening the path to endless possibilities.”
“On the fifth day, the [Light], using its infinite imagination, created all kinds of beings called [Life] within the already well-formed world. It gave them physical bodies and the instinct to sustain their own existence.”
At this point, the silver-haired girl turned her head slightly and glanced at the elderly man, who was silently listening with a thoughtful expression. Then, she continued.
“Creation should have ended there, but the [Light] still felt that the world was incomplete, as if something was missing.”
“It pondered for a long time… and then suddenly understood.”
“So, on the sixth day, it once again divided the fundamental essence of the world, creating the [Soul], an invisible and intangible force. It then measured the length of life and established the cycle of [birth and death]. With that, the world finally became whole, flowing in an eternal cycle.”
“But on the seventh day, the [Light] realized that letting the world develop without order would lead to chaos. So, as its final act, it created [guardians] in its own image to manage the world.”
“Some were entrusted with controlling the [Sun and Moon], ensuring the cycle of day and night. Others regulated the flow of [time and space]. Some roamed the skies, while others stood as protectors of the land.”
“But most of them became the spirits of the laws, embodied within the stars above, working together to keep the world in balance. These guardians inherited a portion of the [Light]’s power, making them the very embodiment of the world’s fundamental principles. Because of this, they possessed abilities far beyond ordinary beings and were exempt from the cycle of birth and death.”
“And so, the countless living beings who looked up to them called them [Gods]. As for the Light that had created the world and then disappeared without a trace, it was revered as the [Light of Creation], the [Primordial Light].”
As the silver-haired girl finished speaking, she fell into silence, as if the story had reached its natural conclusion. Seeing this, the [Apothecary] finally let out a soft chuckle and spoke.
“That was quite an interesting story. I’ve heard bits and pieces of the Primordial Light’s Creation Theory before, but not in such detail as you’ve just told it.”
“They say the world it created was called the [Origin Realm], the very first origin of all existing worlds. Whether that is true or not is another matter… But, Miss Hen, why did you suddenly decide to tell me this story?”
“The reason…?”
The girl glanced at him once more. In her deep silver eyes, clear as a mirror, countless lights and shadows seemed to flicker, reflecting the past. Yet, her expression remained calm as ever.
“[Apothecary], for over three centuries, you have been relentlessly pursuing the path to that realm. You have used any means necessary, earning the disdain of others. Yet, in terms of sheer obsession, your will surpasses that of all [Seven Heavenly Demon Lords] and even the living beings of this world. That is why you have been able to assimilate others, again and again, endlessly continuing the will of ‘you’ who should have long since perished.”
“Neither good nor evil, but driven by pure purpose. In that regard, you do bear a striking resemblance to [divinity].”
“That is why… I acknowledge your will as a true seeker of the path.”
“……What do you mean?”
The [Apothecary]’s brows furrowed slightly, but soon, he let out a lighthearted chuckle.
“Miss Hen, are you telling me that what I’ve done is right? That those who aim high shouldn’t be bound by trivial morals, and that this is simply how things should be? If that’s the case, I must say… you’ve certainly given me a new impression.”
Hen turned away. She no longer looked at him, her gaze instead shifting toward the darkening sky, where the light was slowly fading into a somber hue.
“To me, the life and death of mortals hold no meaning. The only reason I’ve told you this today is because I recognize the purity of your pursuit. Consider it an unnecessary warning, if you will.”
“I will not stop you anymore. If you keep moving forward, you will catch a glimpse of that power you’ve longed for… just the very tip of it.”
“But the price…”
Under the silent gaze of the white-haired man, whose usual smile had vanished at some point, the girl's cold voice echoed softly.
“Is true death.”