Chapter 593 - The King in Yellow
In this supernatural era, countless people yearned for the inheritance of supernatural powers, aspiring to become the characters only found in s and games, wielding lightning, and controlling fire.
Park Jung-chul was one of them; moreover, his involvement with a cult, while in South Korea and the unique environment there intensified his yearning and admiration for these mystical powers.
He was consumed by his obsession, often sleeping for only brief periods each day. His commitment was so intense that he occasionally pretended to be unwell to avoid attending classes. Day after day, he immersed himself in the library and delved into the depths of the internet, relentlessly seeking knowledge about the Qin Dynasty and the pre-Qin era. After several days of unwavering dedication and meticulous work, he achieved the remarkable feat of translating the entire Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan into a language accessible to modern readers.
"Thank goodness for the internet, libraries, and the accumulated wisdom of human civilization over thousands of years. Otherwise, translating this book would have been impossibly difficult," Park Jung-chul mused.
After completing the translation of the book, Park Jung-chul developed dark circles under his eyes and looked like he could rival a panda in terms of dishevelment.
He was disheveled from head to toe, hadn't showered for several days, and emitted an unpleasant odor. Even his hair resembled a bird's nest. However, he was currently in high spirits, gazing at the handwritten copy of the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan he had just translated, overwhelmed with joy.
If he had obtained this book after the Qin era and before the Internet era, it would have been an incredibly daunting task to translate it. But in the modern era, with access to the internet and libraries, and these texts being authentic and not fabricated by others, he could easily accomplish what he set out to do as long as he put in the effort.
Park Jung-chul slapped his own face and carefully opened the handwritten copy he had completed. Initially, he had translated it character by character because the text was written in highly challenging ancient classical Chinese. As a result, he had no idea what the book was about.
Inside the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan, there were a total of seven chapters. After Park Jung-chul read the preface, he opened the first chapter.
"Immortal Sand Resurrection Talisman? Is this really a Taoist Scripture?"
Park Jung-chul tried searching the internet about the Immortal Sand Resurrection Talisman but could not find anything about it at all.
"A single ignition of fire can burn all things. When the things perish, where does the fire remain? The way of a single breath can enlighten all things. When the things perish, where does the Way persist?"
TLN: DO YOU KNOW DA WAY?
Park Jung-chul began to read these texts with his hand on his forehead. He realized that even though he had translated the Seal Script into modern Chinese, it was still quite obscure and challenging to comprehend. Thankfully, his love for Chinese culture and his previous studies had equipped him to some extent; otherwise, he would have been completely lost in this ancient text.
The Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan read like a philosophical work. The first half of the first chapter elaborated on the author's philosophical thoughts, particularly their views on life and death. After reading it, Park Jung-chul found it intriguing but somewhat abstract, lacking any apparent connection to the supernatural.
Just as he was beginning to feel disappointed, he turned to the second half of the first chapter, and his expression immediately changed. The latter portion described a mysterious ritual!
The first half of the first chapter introduced the author's philosophical ideas about life and death, while the second half contained the mystical incantations for a resurrection spell based on this philosophy.
"Resurrection of the dead!!"
Park Jung-chul took in a sharp breath. He had no idea how profound this spell was in the hands of those who possessed supernatural powers. However, for someone like him, an ordinary person, the ability to resurrect the dead was nothing short of a miracle!
Unbeknownst to Park Jung-chul, the "Resurrection of the Dead" was a high-level spell in the world of San Soliel, typically mastered by advanced priests. This spell required a deep connection with the divine, as it was the gods themselves who performed the act of resurrection.
Bringing back the dead was indeed something divine and miraculous!
As Park Jung-chul delved deeper into the text, he discovered that this "Resurrection of the Dead" spell wasn't actually created by the author of the book. Instead, it was a legacy left behind by the "Yellow Emperor" of ancient China. The author of the book lavished praise upon the Yellow Emperor, attributing to him many medical techniques that were incomprehensible to modern people, including the art of resurrecting the dead.
This spell was precisely a means of communing with the legendary "Yellow Emperor," praying to Him and then being bestowed with supernatural power.
"The Yellow Emperor…"
Upon seeing this term, Park Jung-chul breathed a sigh of relief.
‘The Yellow Emperor is a revered figure in Chinese history, so if the spell came from Him, it should be safe, right?’
Just as Park Jung-chul was thinking this way, his mind flickered for a moment. The two characters for "Yellow Emperor" in his handwritten copy of the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan suddenly seemed to distort and transform, changing into "King in Yellow Hastur!"
Startled, Park Jung-chul instinctively threw the book away. He patted his face, puzzled, and said, "Could it be that I've had too little sleep these past few days, and I'm experiencing hallucinations?"
With doubts in his mind, he picked up his handwritten copy once again and looked at the two characters for "Yellow Emperor."
Strangely, what he saw was indeed the characters for "Yellow Emperor," but his brain automatically interpreted them as "King in Yellow."
Cold sweat formed on Park Jung-chul's forehead, and his hands trembled. He finally understood the true nature of the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan.
This book should have been a pure Taoist classic, but it had been twisted by some force, rendering it completely corrupted. What were originally incantations for praying to the "Yellow Emperor" had been transformed into prayers to the "King in Yellow." This was nothing short of the most significant blasphemy. The book had become the epitome of pure heresy, equating the revered "Yellow Emperor" with the "King in Yellow."
"King in Yellow… Isn’t that one of the evil gods of Lovecraft…"
Park Jung-chul gulped and felt fear and excitement.
Praying to an evil god, just the thought of it was terrifying. But as someone accustomed to the fertile ground of cults in South Korea, he felt a certain madness creeping over him.
Park Jung-chul clenched his teeth and stood up. He didn't immediately delve into the rest of the book's contents. Instead, he decided to test the first spell to see if it actually worked. If it did, he could explore the rest later.
Hastily finishing his morning routine, Park Jung-chul rushed to his university in the United States. The university was well-known for its biology program, and he managed to obtain a few experimental mice from his fellow biology students. He also scoured various stores for the materials needed for the ritual.
Since the book he had was from ancient China, it contained many terms unfamiliar to him. Fortunately, in today's interconnected world, even in the United States, he could find some traditional Chinese items, like herbal ingredients.
Once he had everything ready, Park Jung-chul returned to his apartment. He set up the ritual space, then proceeded to do something gruesome – he killed one of the mice. He drew the curtains, plunging the room into darkness, and lit a few candles. With everything in place, he began reciting the incantations he had memorized.
The incantations recorded in the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan were originally in ancient Chinese. However, what was truly bizarre was that when Park Jung-chul recited them with his translated work, the content transformed into a strange and blasphemous language, with even the meanings changed.
"Along the shore, the cloud waves break, the twin suns sink behind the lake, the shadows lengthen in Carcosa!"
"Song of my soul, my voice is dead, die thou, unsung, as tears unshed shall dry and die in lost Carcosa!"
"......"
Again and again, he repeated these poetic incantations. After a while, he opened his eyes and looked towards the center of the ritual. The mouse he had killed showed no response at all!
"Is this book fake? A prank or some fabrication by ancient people?" Park Jung-chul felt a wave of disappointment washing over him.
Park Jung-chul felt disappointed.
Just as anger welled up within him and he contemplated burning the book, a sudden inspiration struck him. He quickly grabbed the original Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan and, with determination, recited the incantations again.
"Along the shore, the cloud waves break, the twin suns sink behind the lake, the shadows lengthen in Carcosa!"
"Song of my soul, my voice is dead, die thou, unsung, as tears unshed shall dry and die in lost Carcosa!"
"......"
This time Park Jung-chul did not close his eyes. He stared intently at the center of the ritual, and with each recitation of the incantation, the mouse that had previously died began to move!
After reciting the incantations seven times, the mouse, which had been lifeless, emitted squeaks and came back to life.
This was a miracle!
The Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan was real!
Park Jung-chul was overwhelmed with joy.
Chapter 593 - The King in Yellow
In this supernatural era, countless people yearned for the inheritance of supernatural powers, aspiring to become the characters only found in s and games, wielding lightning, and controlling fire.
Park Jung-chul was one of them; moreover, his involvement with a cult, while in South Korea and the unique environment there intensified his yearning and admiration for these mystical powers.
He was consumed by his obsession, often sleeping for only brief periods each day. His commitment was so intense that he occasionally pretended to be unwell to avoid attending classes. Day after day, he immersed himself in the library and delved into the depths of the internet, relentlessly seeking knowledge about the Qin Dynasty and the pre-Qin era. After several days of unwavering dedication and meticulous work, he achieved the remarkable feat of translating the entire Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan into a language accessible to modern readers.
"Thank goodness for the internet, libraries, and the accumulated wisdom of human civilization over thousands of years. Otherwise, translating this book would have been impossibly difficult," Park Jung-chul mused.
After completing the translation of the book, Park Jung-chul developed dark circles under his eyes and looked like he could rival a panda in terms of dishevelment.
He was disheveled from head to toe, hadn't showered for several days, and emitted an unpleasant odor. Even his hair resembled a bird's nest. However, he was currently in high spirits, gazing at the handwritten copy of the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan he had just translated, overwhelmed with joy.
If he had obtained this book after the Qin era and before the Internet era, it would have been an incredibly daunting task to translate it. But in the modern era, with access to the internet and libraries, and these texts being authentic and not fabricated by others, he could easily accomplish what he set out to do as long as he put in the effort.
Park Jung-chul slapped his own face and carefully opened the handwritten copy he had completed. Initially, he had translated it character by character because the text was written in highly challenging ancient classical Chinese. As a result, he had no idea what the book was about.
Inside the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan, there were a total of seven chapters. After Park Jung-chul read the preface, he opened the first chapter.
"Immortal Sand Resurrection Talisman? Is this really a Taoist Scripture?"
Park Jung-chul tried searching the internet about the Immortal Sand Resurrection Talisman but could not find anything about it at all.
"A single ignition of fire can burn all things. When the things perish, where does the fire remain? The way of a single breath can enlighten all things. When the things perish, where does the Way persist?"
TLN: DO YOU KNOW DA WAY?
Park Jung-chul began to read these texts with his hand on his forehead. He realized that even though he had translated the Seal Script into modern Chinese, it was still quite obscure and challenging to comprehend. Thankfully, his love for Chinese culture and his previous studies had equipped him to some extent; otherwise, he would have been completely lost in this ancient text.
The Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan read like a philosophical work. The first half of the first chapter elaborated on the author's philosophical thoughts, particularly their views on life and death. After reading it, Park Jung-chul found it intriguing but somewhat abstract, lacking any apparent connection to the supernatural.
Just as he was beginning to feel disappointed, he turned to the second half of the first chapter, and his expression immediately changed. The latter portion described a mysterious ritual!
The first half of the first chapter introduced the author's philosophical ideas about life and death, while the second half contained the mystical incantations for a resurrection spell based on this philosophy.
"Resurrection of the dead!!"
Park Jung-chul took in a sharp breath. He had no idea how profound this spell was in the hands of those who possessed supernatural powers. However, for someone like him, an ordinary person, the ability to resurrect the dead was nothing short of a miracle!
Unbeknownst to Park Jung-chul, the "Resurrection of the Dead" was a high-level spell in the world of San Soliel, typically mastered by advanced priests. This spell required a deep connection with the divine, as it was the gods themselves who performed the act of resurrection.
Bringing back the dead was indeed something divine and miraculous!
As Park Jung-chul delved deeper into the text, he discovered that this "Resurrection of the Dead" spell wasn't actually created by the author of the book. Instead, it was a legacy left behind by the "Yellow Emperor" of ancient China. The author of the book lavished praise upon the Yellow Emperor, attributing to him many medical techniques that were incomprehensible to modern people, including the art of resurrecting the dead.
This spell was precisely a means of communing with the legendary "Yellow Emperor," praying to Him and then being bestowed with supernatural power.
"The Yellow Emperor…"
Upon seeing this term, Park Jung-chul breathed a sigh of relief.
‘The Yellow Emperor is a revered figure in Chinese history, so if the spell came from Him, it should be safe, right?’
Just as Park Jung-chul was thinking this way, his mind flickered for a moment. The two characters for "Yellow Emperor" in his handwritten copy of the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan suddenly seemed to distort and transform, changing into "King in Yellow Hastur!"
Startled, Park Jung-chul instinctively threw the book away. He patted his face, puzzled, and said, "Could it be that I've had too little sleep these past few days, and I'm experiencing hallucinations?"
With doubts in his mind, he picked up his handwritten copy once again and looked at the two characters for "Yellow Emperor."
Strangely, what he saw was indeed the characters for "Yellow Emperor," but his brain automatically interpreted them as "King in Yellow."
Cold sweat formed on Park Jung-chul's forehead, and his hands trembled. He finally understood the true nature of the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan.
This book should have been a pure Taoist classic, but it had been twisted by some force, rendering it completely corrupted. What were originally incantations for praying to the "Yellow Emperor" had been transformed into prayers to the "King in Yellow." This was nothing short of the most significant blasphemy. The book had become the epitome of pure heresy, equating the revered "Yellow Emperor" with the "King in Yellow."
"King in Yellow… Isn’t that one of the evil gods of Lovecraft…"
Park Jung-chul gulped and felt fear and excitement.
Praying to an evil god, just the thought of it was terrifying. But as someone accustomed to the fertile ground of cults in South Korea, he felt a certain madness creeping over him.
Park Jung-chul clenched his teeth and stood up. He didn't immediately delve into the rest of the book's contents. Instead, he decided to test the first spell to see if it actually worked. If it did, he could explore the rest later.
Hastily finishing his morning routine, Park Jung-chul rushed to his university in the United States. The university was well-known for its biology program, and he managed to obtain a few experimental mice from his fellow biology students. He also scoured various stores for the materials needed for the ritual.
Since the book he had was from ancient China, it contained many terms unfamiliar to him. Fortunately, in today's interconnected world, even in the United States, he could find some traditional Chinese items, like herbal ingredients.
Once he had everything ready, Park Jung-chul returned to his apartment. He set up the ritual space, then proceeded to do something gruesome – he killed one of the mice. He drew the curtains, plunging the room into darkness, and lit a few candles. With everything in place, he began reciting the incantations he had memorized.
The incantations recorded in the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan were originally in ancient Chinese. However, what was truly bizarre was that when Park Jung-chul recited them with his translated work, the content transformed into a strange and blasphemous language, with even the meanings changed.
"Along the shore, the cloud waves break, the twin suns sink behind the lake, the shadows lengthen in Carcosa!"
"Song of my soul, my voice is dead, die thou, unsung, as tears unshed shall dry and die in lost Carcosa!"
"......"
Again and again, he repeated these poetic incantations. After a while, he opened his eyes and looked towards the center of the ritual. The mouse he had killed showed no response at all!
"Is this book fake? A prank or some fabrication by ancient people?" Park Jung-chul felt a wave of disappointment washing over him.
Park Jung-chul felt disappointed.
Just as anger welled up within him and he contemplated burning the book, a sudden inspiration struck him. He quickly grabbed the original Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan and, with determination, recited the incantations again.
"Along the shore, the cloud waves break, the twin suns sink behind the lake, the shadows lengthen in Carcosa!"
"Song of my soul, my voice is dead, die thou, unsung, as tears unshed shall dry and die in lost Carcosa!"
"......"
This time Park Jung-chul did not close his eyes. He stared intently at the center of the ritual, and with each recitation of the incantation, the mouse that had previously died began to move!
After reciting the incantations seven times, the mouse, which had been lifeless, emitted squeaks and came back to life.
This was a miracle!
The Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan was real!
Park Jung-chul was overwhelmed with joy.