Chapter 483
00483 암천향(暗天鄕) ————————————————————————=
After descending from the Sacred Altar Tree with the Master of the Twelve Joules, I heard about the martial arts origin.
“Tai Chi and nothingness.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules continued speaking.
“My martial arts started from there. By shedding the self and directly confronting the small universe, the barriers disappeared.”
“Is Tai Chi a name of martial arts?”
“… Baek Woong, I don’t know why you’re asking that. Do you really have to define what is formless? Accepting things as they are is the beginning.”
“……?”
I had no clue what he meant. When I tilted my head in confusion, the Master of the Twelve Joules gave a wry smile.
“It’s probably better not to discuss martial arts until you peel back a layer.”
“Was that just a discussion of the absolute realm of martial arts?”
“Ugh…”
The Master of the Twelve Joules let out a sound of exasperation and then spoke.
“You easily categorize the absolute realm as if it has clear distinctions, but that is merely a subjective interpretation. People attach those terms for convenience’s sake. Those who have crossed the threshold known as the absolute realm exist beyond classifications and are infinite, so it can’t be precisely defined.”
“……”
“Do not establish boundaries for yourself. That is the path to self-destruction.”
I felt reprimanded somehow. Yet knowing this came from an expert in the absolute realm, I couldn’t take it too personally. I couldn’t fathom the depths of current knowledge behind these words at my present level.
‘ It’s challenging…’
I sensed an even greater wall blocking me than when I transitioned from peak to super peak. Was this why Lee Cheong-un only passed down the potential of the Seven Great Techniques to me without mentioning the absolute realm? I had to start from understanding what it meant to create walls by categorizing the absolute realm.
The Master of the Twelve Joules continued.
“Well, about the techniques… I learned them from the three masters of the Manha Spiritual Gate, and besides that, I self-studied various things, right? My master of techniques is one of the three.”
I glanced at the three figures named Yun-sa, Woo-sa, and Wind Master. They positioned themselves alongside the Master without a hint of emotional change. If the Master of the Twelve Joules was to be believed, they had taught him techniques. Curiosity piqued, I asked.
“How old are you three?”
The Master of the Twelve Joules smirked at my question.
“Is it okay to ask a man’s age but not a woman’s?”
“That’s not it…”
“Should I ask directly? Yun-sa! Woo-sa! Wind Master!”
“Yes.”
When the three answered politely, the Master of the Twelve Joules inquired.
“What are your ages?”
The three answered in turn.
“Three thousand four hundred fifty-seven.”
“Same.”
“Same.”
“……?”
What does this mean? They’ve lived for more than three thousand four hundred years?
Stunned, I looked at them, but they were undeniably human in form, not spirits like immortals. Even if one could extend their lifespan through Half-Transition Mastery, living beyond a thousand years seemed implausible, yet here before me were beings who had lived over three thousand years.
But the Master of the Twelve Joules nodded affirmatively.
“Well, that makes sense. You must have ascended during the start of the Silver Age.”
“Yes.”
The Master turned his gaze toward me.
“The three are not humans. They descended with Hwan Ung during the Divine Age as divine beings. Therefore, their lifespan cannot be measured by human standards; they exist as immortals.”
“But they’re not spirits. They have human bodies!”
When I expressed my doubt, the Master of the Twelve Joules explained.
“They’ve been reincarnated.”
“… What?”
“As you said, divine beings are spiritual entities, so without a medium, they can’t stay long in the material plane. They need a medium, a spirit host. However, the three have moved their essence to the ground, allowing them to repeatedly reincarnate and maintain their existence in the material realm.”
“……!!”
I couldn’t help but be astonished. Suddenly, memories of Xiang Yu’s words flashed through my mind.
[I didn’t expect to fight the Red Moon, but it was indeed fun. So I’ll teach you one more thing as a gift.]
[No… What’s the point of teaching me? I’m already dead, aren’t I? What does that mean?]
[You don’t have the mark of forgetfulness. Therefore, you probably have a high chance of reincarnation.]
[The mark of forgetfulness? What’s that?]
[All enlightened ones have their souls inscribed with forgetfulness marks, so they forget while circulating in the cycle of reincarnation. Yet occasionally, that mark disappears or some may have never had it at all. Such beings can reincarnate with their memories intact.]
Right, that’s exactly what he said. Xiang Yu remarked that there certainly exist reincarnated beings in this world, and to distinguish them, one must look for the mark of forgetfulness. Those without the mark can reincarnate with their memories.
‘ So the three must be purposely erasing the mark of forgetfulness using divine powers as they reincarnate.’
Unfortunately, I lack the technique to discern the mark of forgetfulness. Plus, even if I wanted to invoke the All-Seeing Eye to observe it, the National Seal’s functions were currently sealed due to Peng Zuo, leaving me with nothing but the use of magical power. Hence, I couldn’t see beyond that puppy mask.
Suddenly reminded, I turned to the Master of the Twelve Joules and said.
“By the way, I haven’t asked about your age.”
“My age? This year, I’m thirty-two.”
“……”
“You seem doubtful. Well, it’s hard to tell since I’m wearing a mask.”
I looked at him.
“Isn’t that strange? Why are you wearing a full-body mask?”
“To protect myself from the twisted flow of causality.”
It was the same as before.
I had previously asked him why he wore a full-body mask, and he had answered in the same way by referencing the twisted flow of causality. If I passed this off again, it would surely become a deep-seated regret, so I steeled myself and asked him again.
“What is the twisted flow of causality? Are you saying meeting me is ominous?”
While the Master of the Twelve Joules could have been displeased or furious, I couldn’t let it slip. Previously, I thought little of it and brushed it off, but looking back now, it was clear he wore that puppy mask only when meeting me. When I gazed at him, the Master of the Twelve Joules nodded.
“Indeed.”
“……!!”
“When significant matters arise, I always read the heavenly secrets and predict them. When my and the three’s powers combine, we can perceive most futures. And regarding the fortune that indicates meeting you now, it predicts that the twisted flow of causality will harm me, yet it concludes that this flow harbors immense opportunities.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules took a sip of water and continued.
“So I wanted to meet you more. That ominous point had a peculiar aspect to it.”
“A peculiar aspect?”
“Within the vast flow of causality, ominousness curls around to meet me, but curiously, you, carrying that omen, were unreadable by any fortune teller—it was an entity of nothingness.”
“……”
“For any principle, the one who embraces an omen must be an ominous person, yet you were an enigma that no fortune teller could decipher.”
“……”
“For those reasons, I can never remove this mask while meeting you. The fortune revealed it would protect me from causality. While I wear this mask, the ominousness you harbor cannot affect me.”
So that’s how it was.
Finally realizing the reason why the Master of the Twelve Joules had been wearing the mask when meeting me lifted a weight off my shoulders. He continued and said to me.
“It feels like I’ve talked enough about myself; now, I should know your martial arts foundation as well?”
“Yes.”
I revealed that I had learned Thunder God Lineage martial arts. Naturally, I avoided mentioning the Seven Great Techniques since it would clearly make me a target for the Master of the Twelve Joules. He seemed bored hearing about the martial arts of the underlings and spoke.
“Alright. The reason you achieved powerful martial arts at such a young age is thanks to taking the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng and having an exceptional Thunder God Lineage master, right?”
“Yes.”
“That’s one thing. But what about the power of the Dragon?”
I recounted the incident of invoking the Fire Dragon Incarnate. After all, the Master of the Twelve Joules presumed that I possessed connections with the Seven Luminaries and hiding it would be meaningless. Upon telling him I had fought with the Fire Dragon Incarnate at the Imperial Palace, he thought for a moment and said.
“When will the Fire Dragon Incarnate be resurrected?”
“I believe it’ll regain its vitality within a year or two… though I’m not certain.”
“I see. Still, it’s definitely a significant power.”
Muttering that, the Master of the Twelve Joules said.
“Now then, as a fellow Master of the Twelve Joules, I propose. Let’s set out immediately to hunt the Sea God.”
“How can you say that? I haven’t heard any plans yet.”
“The plan is simple.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules crossed his arms and explained the “plan.”
“According to my observations, there are six main bases of the Sea God in this continent and the nearby islands, in the shape of the Six-Watch Stars, which serve as sources of immense magical power. From now on, I will crush these cities of the fish people one by one alongside you.”
Suddenly, it struck me from what the Master of the Twelve Joules said.
‘ Hmm. By the way, near Pirate Island…’
After my reincarnation, I had often raided the Blood Blade Group’s pirates, collecting treasures. During that time, I learned there’s an Underwater City near Pirate Island, inhabited by the Otherworldly Race of fish people. Moreover, it also served as a wicked place for human sacrifices.
When I cautiously shared my suspicions about the area surrounding Pirate Island with the Master of the Twelve Joules, he responded.
“I know. It was also a place of suspicion.”
“Wait a minute…”
I couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded by his words.
“If you knew, why haven’t you eradicated the pirate Blood Blade Group? They’ve been committing heinous acts, plundering with the land-dwellers!”
My words held a reasonable inquiry. Why hadn’t the Master of the Twelve Joules taken action knowing about the Blood Blade Group? In response, the Master of the Twelve Joules retorted.
“Even if just a couple from the Twelve Joules Sect were mobilized, wiping out those pirates would be easy. But the Sea God’s forces are closely monitoring our Twelve Joules. If our elite members engaged in attacking the pirates, the fish people would simply relocate their base in response.”
“……”
“Could you search the bottom of the vast sea, several tens of leagues deep, to find the stronghold of the Otherworldly Race? I had no choice but to let them be since I needed to strike them all at once.”
That’s certainly true.
Also, according to his words, my separate actions to eliminate the Blood Blade Group meant the fish people did not view it as the Twelve Joules’ movement and thus didn’t relocate their city. Still, I couldn’t accept it and glared at him.
“The powerless common folks you sacrificed for the greater cause were murdered or enslaved. Hundreds of them!”
If I hadn’t saved them, they would still be slaves or dead, with new slaves continuing to suffer at the hands of the pirates. The Master of the Twelve Joules casually answered.
“What’s done is done. But it’s more important to defeat the Sea God.”
“……!!”
I felt completely disillusioned. As I clenched my fists in anger, the Master of the Twelve Joules stated.
“Baek Woong, righteous indignation is good. Without anger, one cannot live. However, when you die in defeat, what value does that indignation hold?”
“What do you mean by value?”
“If you lose, nothing remains. No matter what means or methods you must employ, you must win. Otherwise… again…”
Murmuring as if reminiscing, the Master of the Twelve Joules spoke.
“Enough. This conversation is pointless. Anyway, you’ve made a deal with me, so it’s time for you to act.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Seal!”
Shushushushushu!
Suddenly, the Master of the Twelve Joules raised his hand, and all the leaders of the Twelve Joules Sect appeared near the manor where I stood. They were all familiar faces.
‘ Is this like the Master summoning the Dharma Guardian?’
As I surveyed them, the Master of the Twelve Joules, Ha Eun-cheon, coldly stated.
“From now on, we will sequentially eliminate the six bases of the Sea God. Baek Woong, you must use the power of the Fire Dragon Sword or the strength of the Seven Luminaries to seal the magical energies at those locations.”
It’s possible. Even if the Fire Dragon Sword doesn’t awaken, Yagyu Clan or the power of the Fire Element could be summoned, making it feasible. I worriedly asked.
“Isn’t it too rushed?”
“With sufficient strength, what’s the rush? Since you’re busy as well, it’s better for you to help me quickly, right?”
“……”
Ha Eun-cheon grinned.
“Just so you know, it’ll only be real once all six are sealed.”