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“Here we go again, heading back to Jangryeong Valley with the Sword Demon.”

I figured the fastest way to check if Zhuge Sa had resurrected was to head to his grave. As soon as I executed the Golden Eagle technique, I found myself standing right above the grave. Looking around, there was no sign of life anywhere.

“Should I dig the grave?”

That thought crossed my mind seriously. Maybe he was revived and was stuck inside the coffin, gasping for air. Just as my mind was racing with what-ifs—

“What the… How did I end up here?”

A familiar voice echoed from a distance, coming from a bamboo grove. It seemed whoever was speaking had no clue we were around. I exchanged glances with the Sword Demon and stealthily made my way toward the sound.

In the middle of the bamboo grove stood Zhuge Sa. Gone was his usual decadent glare; now he looked genuinely perplexed. He muttered to himself.

“Damn it! Could it be the Resurrection Technique? But I’ve been dead for years and scattered my ashes in the river… Only the Great Immortal could pull that off in such circumstances.”

He seemed to be organizing his thoughts as he mumbled. The Sword Demon, hiding his aura, gestured to me. After gathering my composure, I stepped out before Zhuge Sa.

“How does it feel to be alive again, Zhuge Sa?”

Zhuge Sa’s head snapped toward me, clearly blindsided by my presence. His surprise deepened as he realized he hadn’t sensed my approach. Eventually, he regained his composure and asked,

“Did you bring me back?”

“That’s right.”

“Your technique seems pretty basic. How did you manage it? What kind of sorcery is this?”

I stared at Zhuge Sa for a moment before replying.

“Do I have any reason to tell you?”

“…”

Zhuge Sa blinked in disbelief.

“Well, I guess that makes sense. You didn’t just revive me out of the kindness of your heart. What do you want from me?”

“That’s something someone else will explain.”

With that, the Sword Demon appeared beside me right after I finished my sentence. To Zhuge Sa, it appeared as if a person materialized out of thin air, causing him to gasp quietly. After greeting him with a martial authority, the Sword Demon introduced himself.

“Greetings, Lord of Jangryeong Valley, Zhuge Sa. I am Seo Mun-dae-ryong, known as the Sword Demon.”

“…!!”

“And this is Baek Woong, my loyal aide.”

Zhuge Sa’s face mixed disbelief and shock as he processed the situation. Then he quickly spoke up.

“As you know, I was dead. I had no more attachment to this world, choosing to die. How can you just summon me from the afterlife without understanding the laws of this world?”

His scolding tone carried some weight. But the Sword Demon just chuckled lightly and replied.

“What a shame! Now that you’re alive, why not give life another shot?”

“For your sake?”

“That’s right.”

That made Zhuge Sa flash a gloomy smile.

“I still can’t comprehend it. You came seeking me for something to gain? I was merely a pathetic human trash playing the lord of Jangryeong. Why would you want to waste your effort reviving someone who couldn’t even bear to live?”

His self-deprecation was intense. If someone overheard this, they might as well think Zhuge Sa had abandoned all hope for life. When I first met him, I could sense a certain acceptance of death in him, and it seemed he hadn’t changed much.

The Sword Demon replied calmly,

“Baek Woong, show him.”

“Yes.”

We had already made a plan for how to convince Zhuge Sa, which meant we could remain unfazed even in front of his pathetic theatrics asking for death.

In my hand was the Water Element Divine Sword, which had somehow ended up there. Initially stunned by it, Zhuge Sa soon sensed something was off. With a hardened face, he finally spoke.

“The Seven Luminaries? How do you have that…?”

“Baek Woong is the master of the Seven Luminaries, and the reason I revived you is tied to them.”

“…!!”

“Are you not curious to hear our story?”

Not surprisingly, as the Seven Luminaries appeared before him, Zhuge Sa forgot about dying altogether. Instead, he pondered deeply, occasionally glancing at the Water Element Divine Sword. After some time, he finally said,

“Alright then, I’ll hear you out.”

“But you must promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“That you speak the truth.”

“Sure.”

We stepped into the inner building of Jangryeong Valley with Zhuge Sa. I expected to find Tao King Byukji waiting there as the ever-vigilant guardian, but surprisingly, there was no sign of him inside.

I felt something fishy and asked Zhuge Sa. “Where’s Tao King Byukji? What’s going on?”

“How would I know? You’re asking the guy who just came back to life a million questions.”

With a snappy reply, he continued,

“No need to worry about him. Let’s focus on our discussion.”

After a while, we sat face to face at a table. Zhuge Sa looked at us with his usual brooding, decadent gaze.

“First, tell me how you brought me back.”

The Sword Demon responded,

“All I know is that Baek Woong utilized a divine method. Probably the power of the Seven Luminaries.”

As Zhuge Sa turned his gaze to me, I nodded, confirming the Sword Demon’s explanation.

“I can’t reveal how it was done, but I awakened the Water Element Divine Sword to acquire special powers. And since it was Master who requested your resurrection, I accepted.”

“Hmm… So it’s about awakening the Seven Luminaries… Not completely impossible to understand… But such immense power!”

A hint of greed flickered across Zhuge Sa’s face. He clearly craved the powers of the Seven Luminaries. I cautiously hid the Divine Sword behind me, sensing his interest.

Then Zhuge Sa spoke up,

“Let’s say that is the case. Do you intend to accept me as your advisor?”

“That’s right.”

“And what’s the reason? I’ve never once showcased my abilities to the world, severed all ties with my family. It baffles me that the Greatest Expert of the Heretical Faction would seek me out like this.”

The logic in his words seemed to resonate with the Sword Demon, as he replied,

“You are the only one capable of standing against Zhuge Bu, the Treasure of the Central Plains.”

“…”

“I know your clan has been linked to the Astrologers since the time of Zhuge Liang. And the renowned Zhuge Bu is among the greats. I believe you have the potential to match him.”

Zhuge Sa frowned and responded,

“You want me to fight Zhuge Bu? Are you telling me you plan to topple the Imperial Palace?”

“If that weren’t the case, would I have come this far?”

Silence fell over Zhuge Sa as he realized the Sword Demon was dead serious.

Then suddenly, a look of amusement crossed his face.

“Heh, how intriguing! I’d long given up any attachment to this world, yet here’s a chance for fun?”

“What will you do?”

“Let’s hear more before I decide.”

Zhuge Sa continued firmly.

“Let’s say I decide to help you. What’s your reason for wanting to defeat the Imperial Palace? Trying to overthrow the Emperor and become the new one?”

The Sword Demon answered without hesitation.

“Not at all. Our goal is to exterminate the evil lurking within the Imperial Palace. We aim to eradicate the vile faction that plunders the innocent and commits human sacrifices for the power of the Old Ruler.”

“Hmmm… You certainly know your stuff. I never expected a martial artist to be privy to such knowledge.”

Zhuge Sa’s expression turned shocked as he muttered,

“If you manage to pull this off, you’ll be a hero unmatched across the world…”

“Is there a problem?”

“I find it surprising that you even had this thought. You could easily live with your status as the leader and Greatest Expert of the Heretical Faction, why seek such dangerous foes?”

The Sword Demon grinned.

“Actually, that’s not my idea; it’s Baek Woong’s. Since he has aided the sect greatly, I will help him to the best of my ability.”

“Oh?”

Zhuge Sa turned his gaze to me, sizing me up before saying,

“You, master of the Seven Luminaries, why do you want to fight the Imperial Palace?”

“They’re bad guys.”

“Is that all?”

Slightly annoyed, I shot back,

“Do I need a bigger reason? Expecting me to cower while I do something about it?”

Zhuge Sa burst into laughter.

“Ahh! There’s another madman like me!”

“…”

What a twisted person. One thing’s for sure; Zhuge Sa liked what he saw, but whether that was good or bad was hard to tell. After a hearty laugh, he quickly returned to seriousness.

“Alright, I accept. I will pledge my loyalty to you, Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong.”

“Good choice.”

“From now on, you may treat me as you please.”

“Fair enough.”

It seemed like we succeeded in recruiting Zhuge Sa, who kneeled before the Sword Demon to confirm our lord-servant relationship before finally opening up.

“If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

“Zhuge Sa, why did you take your own life?”

“As stated, I could not bear my own fate. It was an unavoidable decree.”

Upon hearing that, the Sword Demon sensed some discomfort. After pondering, he inquired,

“Are you saying you were destined to die young?”

“That’s right.”

“If you wished to live, couldn’t you use longevity techniques like the Taishan Duke Ritual?”

Zhuge Sa looked at him in surprise.

“You seem knowledgeable about martial arts.”

“I learned from Baek Woong.”

“Put simply, if it’s an unavoidable decree, I chose not to avoid it. I had no attachments to this world, so I decided to die. Even if I extended my life, there were limits.”

“Extend it?”

“I can’t discuss further.”

Zhuge Sa firmly refused, continuing,

“It seems you know of Byukji. She is bound to me by contract. She manages and sees to my home in exchange for taking over Jangryeong Valley after my death. So, probing too deep into Byukji isn’t advisable.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re merely allies. Breaching her authority would surely bring calamity.”

At first glance, it appeared Zhuge Sa had shared everything. But the way he talked hinted otherwise. It was clear he was hiding something.

‘Well, it would be strange to spill all your secrets the moment we meet…’

For now, it was important that we had captured Zhuge Sa’s interest and turned him into an ally. The Sword Demon seemed to grasp this, nodding before saying,

“For now, we shall return to the Shadowless Gate. Follow us.”

“I’d like some time to gather my belongings.”

“How much do you need?”

“Half a moment will suffice.”

We waited while Zhuge Sa rummaged around his study for half a moment. Eventually, he emerged with a white bundle that seemed to contain his possessions.

“Let’s go.”

“Since Tao King Byukji seems to be away, can we just go without a word?”

“I’ve left a letter. She’ll understand.”

“Then off we go.”

With a whoosh! We returned to the Shadowless Gate along with Zhuge Sa. The Sword Demon then spent a good half-moment detailing the current state of the Shadowless Gate and the adventures I’d had in the Central Plains. Additionally, we shared what information we had regarding the White Lotus Sect and the Imperial Palace, which made Zhuge Sa’s expression increasingly serious.

Finally, after a long pause, Zhuge Sa proclaimed,

“I’ve got the perfect plan!”

“What is it?”

“Assassination!”

Without hesitation, Zhuge Sa continued,

“Right now, we need to go kill Zhuge Bu. After that, everything will be a piece of cake.”

“…What on earth are you saying?”

I was so baffled I nearly yelled at him.

“You realize how strong Zhuge Bu is, don’t you? He’s reached the peak expert level! Plus, he’s a monster who can unleash multiple techniques using the treasure, Baek Woong. And with the protective barrier around the Imperial Palace, he’s practically invincible. How will you kill him in a single blow?”

With a grin, Zhuge Sa replied,

“You’ll see. Just use the Golden Lamp to transport me to the Imperial Palace.”

“Wait. Why are you using such casual language with me?”

“Huh? I serve the Sword Demon. Why should I be polite to you?”

“…”

As I was about to retort, the Sword Demon waved his hand to halt me.

“Enough. Baek Woong raises a valid point. Exactly how do you plan to kill Zhuge Bu?”

“He might seem like a perfect genius, but he has a critical weakness.”

“A critical weakness?”

Zhuge Sa responded,

“We’re not looking to use him; we want to kill him, and all we need is the right opportunity.”

Moments later, he explained his plan to take out Zhuge Bu.

“I see.”

Now convinced, the Sword Demon ordered me to utilize the Golden Eagle technique, and reluctantly, I set out for the Lord of the Inner Imperial Pavilion.

Whoosh!

All three of us appeared inside the dark Inner Imperial Pavilion, wearing masks. With night falling, the interior was pitch black, making it impossible to see even a step ahead without lighting candles. Zhuge Sa appeared unbothered by the fact that Zhuge Bu would be hunting us soon, casually pulling books from the shelves to cram into his white bundle.

A moment later, with a flash of light, Zhuge Bu, the Lord of the Inner Imperial Pavilion, materialized before us, furious as he glared at us.

“You thieves are back again! I won’t show you any mercy—”

But just then, Zhuge Sa pointed a finger at Zhuge Bu and muttered,

“Explode, Gu.”

Bang!

“…Cough…”

In that instant, a small explosion erupted near Zhuge Bu’s heart. Covered in blood from the waist up, he slowly collapsed with a look of disbelief. There was no chance for him to even use any techniques.

‘That’s… even Hwa Seong-myeong or Dongbang Mu-gyeol wouldn’t be able to save him…’

Having been trained in medical techniques, I knew just how serious Zhuge Bu’s condition was. With his heart blown up and most of his organs shredded, there was no saving him unless the Great Immortal arrived.

Zhuge Sa looked down at Zhuge Bu, who lay on the ground, squirming, and said,

“Goodbye, my nephew. Long time no see.”

“…Zhu…ge Sa…”

“When I left the Zhuge clan, I found you quite bothersome. So during our farewell feast, I made sure to place an explosive curse within your meal.”

“…!!”

As Zhuge Bu’s eyes widened, Zhuge Sa chuckled.

“Looks like my little side project turned out to be useful after all.”

With the might of his internal power, Zhuge Sa kicked Zhuge Bu’s head clean off.

In an instant, Zhuge Sa had removed one of the Imperial Palace’s greatest obstacles.

“Hey, Baek Woong. Gather all the books in this place into your wooden armor.”

“Why should I be doing your bidding?”

I grumbled as Zhuge Sa nonchalantly shrugged.

“If you don’t like it, then think for yourself.”

“…”

With no other choice, I started nervously piling up books from the Inner Imperial Pavilion into my wooden armor. As I did, I couldn’t help but feel astounded by Zhuge Sa.

‘He’s just taken out his own nephew and not even flinching.’

One thing was certain:

Zhuge Sa was no one to mess with when it came to disregarding human morality.

 

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