00488 Dark Heaven Village ————————————————————————

I briefly explained what had happened to Mangnyang. Then, while pulling out the Golden Lamp, Wooden Armor, and Flame Elemental Sword, I also conveyed my intent using the Suspicious Fishhook. While rummaging through the Wooden Armor, I mumbled to myself.

“And here’s the Obsidian…”

“Ah, I believe you. You are definitely Baek Woong.”

Mangnyang sighed.

“I was a bit unsure. Suddenly losing contact with you, and then you appeared looking older made it hard to recognize you. It would normally be unbelievable if it weren’t for the small traces of your past appearance.”

“Um…”

“Send your memories through the Obsidian.”

Although I had briefly explained the situation, there was truly no easier way to convey what had happened than through the Obsidian. I nodded and sent Mangnyang the memories of everything that had transpired. As Mangnyang looked through my memories, he said,

“First of all, it was a wise decision not to meet Master of the Twelve Joules before coming here. And… to have killed the Sea God? That’s genuinely an incredible feat.”

Mangnyang’s face showed a slight shock. For someone who usually maintained a calm expression, being surprised while telling a story meant that what I had accomplished was impressive. I felt a bit puffed up with pride, but then Mangnyang continued.

“But what exactly is the power granted to you by Jeon Wook?”

I pondered over that question before answering.

“… I’m not sure. My body and intuition remember how to use it, but I can’t clearly grasp the essence of this ability. I only know that it has been the driving force allowing me to endure without being reincarnated until now, and that I can use it both for movement and combat.”

“Why is the training I did on the Sun and Moon Mountain missing from your memories?”

“I don’t know that either. I came to my senses and found myself back in reality.”

“……”

Mangnyang crossed his arms, deep in thought. Then he said,

“I suppose I should talk to Uncle Zhuge Sa about this. Let’s go.”

I followed Mangnyang to Zhuge Sa. Zhuge Sa was busy creating Divine Portraits, inscribing them with spells; it looked like some sort of magic. As he was in the midst of his work, he turned to look at me and said,

“Could it be… Baek Woong?”

“You caught on right away.”

“Though you’ve changed a bit, there’s no one else who would come with you.”

I shared my memories with Zhuge Sa through the Obsidian. Surprised, he exclaimed,

“… No way. Is this real…? Really? Did you actually catch it?”

“You saw it yourself.”

“……”

It appeared that the mental shock was greater for Zhuge Sa than for Mangnyang. He seemed momentarily lost in thought, and then burst into mad laughter.

“Hahahaha! No way! A mere human captured an [Old Ruler]! Hahahahahaha!”

He grabbed my shoulders and shook me madly.

“Liu Bei? Cao Cao? Emperor Wu of Han? Xiang Yu? Zhu Yuanzhang? Forget them all! You are the greatest hero in history!! Hahahahaha!”

“Wait, just a minute…”

“Kekekekek…”

Wiping his eyes, Zhuge Sa said in a crazed voice,

“The geniuses of the Zhuge family, who have been flourishing for over a thousand years, couldn’t handle a Great Immortal, yet you’ve accomplished something a hundred times that. You are truly a remarkable fellow.”

“Hehe, I was just lucky!”

“Yes, you were lucky. The heroes of thousands of years had to hang themselves in despair. If such a fool like you can achieve something, then…!”

“…….”

While I was being excessively praised, Zhuge Sa immediately threw the scale off again. As my expression twisted, he continued,

“Anyway, let’s celebrate for now. You’ve produced the best outcome.”

“Do you think the Celestial Realm will create any trouble over this?”

“Unlikely. They’d be no different than the subordinates of the Three Sovereigns, so they can’t bother the Apostle with something that has been settled at a higher level.”

I glanced around and said,

“But why are you creating so many Divine Portraits?”

It was a strange situation. It seemed like I had never seen so many Divine Portraits made in one place before. At a glance, there were easily over twenty, and they appeared in a variety of forms, regardless of age or gender. Zhuge Sa answered my question curtly.

“I made them hastily to offer as a sacrifice.”

“Why?”

“Why else? You suddenly lost contact with the Suspicious Fishhook, and it was highly likely you’d fight the Sea God. Do you really think you would survive that fight? Realizing death was certain, I intended to mass-produce Divine Portraits to pray to the [Old Ruler] to save you.”

“Ah…”

Mangnyang chimed in from the side.

“Uncle Zhuge Sa used up all of Jangryeong Valley’s possessions in his haste. All the materials and treasures he had gathered for magic have been consumed here.”

I see.

I was grateful to Zhuge Sa for trying to save me by borrowing the power of the [Old Ruler].

“Thank you.”

“Heh, the treasures of Jangryeong Valley aren’t important. What counts is that the Sea God, who once ruled the world’s oceans, has fallen.”

Zhuge Sa chuckled.

“From now on, the Merfolk will be avoiding the Central Plains and Goryeo for a while, and the merfolk cities will decline. The human slaves who had been under their rule will have to hide their mixed blood. This peace is unattainable even by the greatest generals and renowned prime ministers ruling the world. Thanks to you, hundreds of thousands of humans will be saved over the next decade.”

“… Is that so?”

It seemed the fall of the Sea God was an incredible occurrence.

“Honestly, I can’t predict what will happen next. It’s the first time a mere human has defeated an [Old Ruler]. A great turmoil is sure to come.”

I suddenly became curious and asked Zhuge Sa,

“Wasn’t it said that the [Old Ruler] is a being that knows no life or death, so killing it would be impossible? How was the Sea God killed?”

Even if Yeodong-bin weakened the Sea God by sealing himself, it was still strange. I recalled a memory from a past life where someone had asked the Jungle Ruler for help to kill a malevolent spirit.

“[Is it possible for your power to condemn the being known as a malevolent spirit to death?]”

“[That is a different issue… the ruler of the jungle… The being is of chaos… An existence that has transcended since primordial times, where neither life nor death exists… It would be impossible to apply reverse power against them according to the rules.]”

It was as such.

Gods are transcendent beings that know neither life nor death, hence the reverse power cannot be applied. The concepts of life and death were null. Yet it was strange; the Sea God had somehow been defeated, contradicting what the Jungle Ruler had spoken.

Zhuge Sa then chuckled quietly.

“That’s because the Sea God is an [Old Ruler] born of the material plane.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know there’s a hierarchy even among [Old Rulers], with vastly differing levels of power, right?”

“Yeah.”

Zhuge Sa continued languidly.

“There are two major categories of [Old Rulers]. Those born from the material plane and those born from the distant divine throne… The Sea God is of the former, making him a lower-tier [Old Ruler]. That’s because being born in the material world means he has the soul of a god but the body of a mortal.”

“Ah!”

“Even so, since he possesses the soul of a god, if the Sea God dies this time, he’ll surely resurrect after thousands of years. However, because he’s such an imperfect [Old Ruler], he can’t avoid physical death. This is a weakness shared by many [Old Rulers] born from the material world.”

It was like discovering an unexpected fact. As I listened to Zhuge Sa, I focused hard on remembering everything and asked,

“Does that mean the [Old Rulers] born from the distant divine throne are immortal in both body and soul?”

“Correct. Such beings are exceedingly rare. To my knowledge, there are no more than ten among the [Old Rulers]. One could say they are the pinnacle of the sacred bones?”

“……”

“A representative example is the malevolent spirit reputed to be of chaos. Such beings have never encountered death, so they can’t be defeated at all. The only ones stronger than those are the Outer Gods known as transcending gods.”

“Damn…”

I clenched my teeth.

My goal was to prevent the rise of Le Luyue in hundreds of years and defeat the malevolent spirit, the ruler of that realm. However, what I learned by defeating the Sea God was that fighting [Old Rulers] would require far more than two Luminaries. It felt like I would need to release at least three Luminaries to even fight against the Sea God.

What must I do to defeat the malevolent spirit, which is even stronger and lacks the weakness of death?

“… I guess I have to gather all the Luminaries.”

“That’s the correct answer.”

Zhuge Sa chuckled softly.

“The rest are minor problems.”

I finished my conversation with Zhuge Sa and began discussing my future plans. Zhuge Sa inquired about my current state.

“Baek Woong, you seem like you’ve aged at least twenty years. How are you holding up? Has your combat power decreased?”

I shook my head at Zhuge Sa’s question.

“Not at all. Given my status in internal cultivation, physical strength isn’t that essential. In fact, my body has grown, making it easier to fight.”

“What about your magic ability?”

“Uh… I need to see to know.”

“Try using a known technique.”

I started to perform the Fire Technique, Stealth Technique, and Soul Exchange Technique successively as per Zhuge Sa’s request. Then something astonishing happened.

Whoosh!!

“Whoa…!!”

As I unleashed the Fire Technique, a fan-shaped flame that was three times the size unexpectedly spread out, catching me off guard. It was so vastly different from the power I had anticipated that it threatened to incinerate the entire manor. Meanwhile, Mangnyang, observing from the side, formed a hand sign and said,

“Ice.”

Suddenly, a cool aura descended all around. The flames I released dwindled and eventually ceased after a while. Mangnyang, having quelled my flames with his ice technique, said in astonishment,

“Impressive. I just tried my best to contain it, but I couldn’t easily extinguish those flames. That Fire Technique can now be used as your main attack spell.”

“Uhh… What just happened?”

It wasn’t this powerful before. When I cast the Fire Technique, it would barely produce a flame that was three times smaller than this. The intensity had multiplied many times, leaving me astonished; Mangnyang remarked,

“It’s proof that you received a gift from Jeon Wook.”

“A gift?”

“You consumed food and drink at the feast held by Jeon Wook of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace, and while that age has made you twenty years older, you acquired that much Shadow Spirit Power.”

“But Shadow Spirit Power belongs to the yin category, so it’s strange for the yang spell of Fire Technique to grow stronger, right?”

“Shadow Spirit Power originates from the Great Moon; it’s a kind of rare energy that ordinary human practitioners struggle to obtain, which is why your spellcraft has elevated significantly. The Great Moon also possesses properties that transcend the usual Yin-Yang realms. Moreover, the Fire Technique was originally a spell designed for yokai that Miho taught you, so it’s natural that the Shadow Spirit Power would create a synergistic effect.”

“……!!”

“Additionally, you’ve acquired the foundation to learn the exceedingly rare Great Moon techniques. Aside from deities, no one in the human realm can wield the Moon’s arts.”

I understood Mangnyang’s words.

The Shadow Spirit Power gained from the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace!

That was equivalent to a power of fortune comparable to top-class treasures. I asked back,

“What would happen if I had eaten, like, twenty dishes and died from old age?”

“That’s undoubtedly what Jeon Wook would have hoped for. If you became a great spirit and Apostle of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace, you’d be much freer to use the Apostle’s powers and would grow dozens of times stronger than as a human…”

“……”

“Well, if it happened to you, your reincarnation ability would activate the moment you died, so who knows how that would pan out.”

Then I tried to perform other techniques, and all of them exhibited improved power and casting times. Radiating immense delight, Mangnyang quipped,

“While your raw power has risen, without a proper understanding of techniques, you can’t condense hand signs or spells. Don’t be satisfied; you need to practice more.”

“Understood.”

I attempted the Soul Exchange Technique again, and seeing me control a Divine Portrait with it made Zhuge Sa say,

“I see that you’ve now reached the Seventh Stage of the Soul Exchange Technique.”

“Really?”

“That’s a recognition from the Master of the Heretical Sect. You’re now skilled enough to embed a soul into a body.”

Reaching the Seventh Stage of the Soul Exchange Technique!

That meant I was now able to use Divine Portraits effectively. Until now, I had struggled only for short periods, and even then, I couldn’t control them well. But from now on, I could easily stabilize and move souls, so in a pinch, I might be able to completely switch over with a Divine Portrait.

Zhuge Sa seemed displeased as he stroked his chin.

“The Shadow Spirit Power is indeed remarkable. I thought it would take you a full decade of diligent practice to break the wall to the Eighth Stage, but you shattered it in one go through the power of the Great Moon.”

“Hehe.”

“Don’t get too happy. You’re still far from greatness.”

While Zhuge Sa said that bluntly, he continued,

“This level of magic suffices, but we need to check your martial arts. We must determine what martial skills you’ve obtained during your time in the chaos.”

That made sense. I asked Zhuge Sa,

“How?”

“Use the Heavenly Secret Technique.”

Vroom!

I activated the Heavenly Secret Technique. Instantly, the presence of spirits over a vast range resonated with me. My previous limit was about twenty miles, but now it felt like it had increased to ninety miles. Zhuge Sa said,

“Summon the spirit of the strongest warrior and imbue it into a Divine Portrait.”

“What if it detaches from me?”

Even though the level of the Soul Exchange Technique had risen, maintaining it for extended periods would be challenging. Unless I was on the path to greatness, without concentration, the soul would likely escape from the body.

“I’ll stabilize the soul; you just do it.”

“Understood.”

I grasped Zhuge Sa’s intentions. He wanted me to inject the spirit of a powerful warrior into a Divine Portrait and then spar with it. This way, I could accumulate combat experience without unnecessary encounters in the outside world.

Whew…

‘Shall I use this one?’

With the range enlarged, I discovered a powerful warrior’s soul at the very edge of the ninety-mile mark. It was larger and more robust than the other souls, emanating a blue flame. It was obviously a powerful spirit, so I quickly drew it forth.

[What business do you have summoning me?]

The spirit appeared ancient, clad in shabby armor and weaponry, and remarkably, the cheek bore marks as if inscribed with words.

‘Is that a punishment tattoo?’

Nevertheless, there was no doubt that he was a strong warrior, so I spoke.

“I will place you into that Divine Portrait. I want to test my martial skills against you.”

[Is that your request?]

“Yes.”

Swooosh!

The tall and sturdy-form Divine Portrait was now imbued with the spirit of the ancient warrior. Shortly after, he stood up, choosing a massive polearm from the array of weapons nearby. With the polearm in one hand, he faced me and spoke.

[It’s been a long time since I’ve fought.]

“What’s your name?”

[My name is Yeongpo (英布)!]

“Whoa…”

I felt a shiver at that name.

‘If it’s Yeongpo, isn’t he the renowned general who betrayed Xiang Yu and went over to Liu Bang?’

The opponent, Yeongpo, was a warrior who left a significant mark in history. Despite his blemish of betrayal, his martial prowess during the Chu-Han Contention was widely recognized as one of the best. Moreover, he was regarded as a hero on par with Liu Bang’s three founders. He had rebelled and been executed by Liu Bang, but he was still an extraordinary figure.

I cautiously said,

“Yeongpo. You must have met Xiang Yu personally.”

Yeongpo responded with irritation,

[Are you implying that I am a traitor?]

“Not at all. The reason I ask is that I’ve also met Xiang Yu in person.”

[What nonsense. That’s unbelievable.]

I briefly recounted the story of how Xiang Yu had once bestowed divine powers upon me. Yeongpo eased his guard and said,

[Indeed, I commanded troops for a long time under Xiang Yu. I believe I know him well enough.]

“To my knowledge, Xiang Yu’s martial prowess is truly overwhelming. Why would you even think of betraying someone like that?”

[He was so strong that no one was needed to assist him!]

“What do you mean?”

Yeongpo replied, clearly uncomfortable,

[As you mentioned, Xiang Yu was granted celestial power; he could win any battle effortlessly. Whenever he unsheathed his sword on the battlefield, hundreds would fall. Yet, contrary to such overwhelming prowess, he possessed a terrible character. I feared that if I stayed under him, I would be killed at any moment, so I sided with Liu Bang.]

I got to the point.

“That’s odd. No matter how exceptional Liu Bang, Han Xin, or Xiao He were, they were merely human; how could they stand against a monster like Xiang Yu?”

[They were all monsters as well!]

“What do you mean?”

[Huaiyin and Han Xin had the embodiment of the celestial dragon from the Heavenly Realm, as did Liu Bang, Xiao He, and Zhang Liang. Indeed, that era was one where wielders of star-derived power were rampant. I backed Liu Bang and believed I had a decent chance of winning, and as a result, Liu Bang secured victory.]

“……!!”

While contemplating, I asked,

“Then, could you compare my current power to those heroes?”

[Hahaha! You’re denigrating my pride by summoning me for help and aiming to have me gauge you. Are you a devil?]

“……”

[Alright.]

BOOOOM!

In the next moment, Yeongpo swung the massive polearm of the Divine Portrait at me. I received it directly, but the impact caused me to stagger back a step. I was astonished by Yeongpo’s overwhelming might.

“No way…?”

It was strange. Although Yeongpo was an ancient figure and had probably not mastered a systematic martial arts, he emanated a force reminiscent of a Peak Master. I puzzled over this; Yeongpo smirked and said,

[I learned a celestial martial art from Xiang Yu for ten years. You’d do well not to underestimate me.]

Clang!

Clang!

I exchanged strikes with Yeongpo for a while. While his skills were impressive, using the Seven Great Techniques, I felt I could easily win. However, I chose to fight solely using the Thunder God Sword Dance, but it was evidently less effective since the sword art was meant for ceremonial use.

I frowned.

‘This isn’t quite right.’

I seemed to realize the potential hidden within the Thunder God Sword Dance during the final moment of beheading the Sea God. Hence, I intentionally tried to draw out that potential while using the Thunder God Sword Dance again, but instead, I only reaffirmed its lack of practicality. It appeared that Yeongpo also noticed this and paused his attacks to say,

[Why are you holding back? Your abilities far surpass mine.]

“I’m merely looking to see the limits of this sword technique.”

[You’re hiding a desire for enlightenment in times of crisis? That’s a luxurious thought for the battlefield.]

Yeongpo, mocking me, launched another attack.

‘Tsk, I guess I have no choice…’

I began to employ the Seven Great Techniques against Yeongpo. Instantly, the Three Treasure Technique unfolded seamlessly, allowing me to evade all of Yeongpo’s attacks, and I easily closed the distance with the Bowing Sky Slash. In merely ten seconds, Yeongpo found himself at a disadvantage, ultimately bringing my sword to his throat.

Yeongpo said,

[You should’ve done this much earlier.]

He seemed to comprehend my potential at a glance. Being an ancient hero, his martial skills were undoubtedly above the peaks of mastery.

“I’m sorry if I insulted you.”

[You asked me to gauge your skills compared to others, didn’t you?]

“Yes.”

[Your martial arts are superior even when compared to Liu Bang or the Three Heroes of Han. Even Han Xin would lose if matched against you in swords. There were no adept sword masters in my era comparable to you.]

After this commendation, Yeongpo added a critical note.

[…Except for the Xiang and Yu families.]

“Were Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu sword masters?”

[They carried forward the direct line’s martial arts of the Chu royal clan, no doubt. Their sword arts are on par with the Moon Woman’s techniques. Xiang Yu would fail to lose to you in terms of martial prowess without the power of the celestial realm.]

“……”

At the mention of the Moon Woman’s swords, memories stirred within me.

‘I feel like I’ve heard of it before.’

Perhaps I might gain another world-class martial skill. I felt a sense of opportunity and offered my martial authority.

“Thank you.”

As I sent Yeongpo back, I turned to Zhuge Sa, who had been watching nearby.

“I just thought of something…”

“You’re trying to gain the Moon Woman’s sword art, aren’t you?”

Zhuge Sa spoke as though he’d anticipated me. When I nodded, he replied curtly.

“The Twin Spirits of the Baek Won-sangma serving Dongbang Mu-gyeol must be the inheritors of the Moon Woman’s sword art; if you press them, you might gain it. But do you really need it right now?”

“Not necessarily, but…”

“You already possess several exceptional world-class martial skills that equal or surpass the Moon Woman’s. You have more than enough to focus on to complete Jeon Wook’s assignment.”

I scratched my head, feeling sheepish.

“Understood.”

“By the way, does this mean your martial skill hasn’t enlarged significantly?”

At Zhuge Sa’s inquiry, I shook my head.

“No, I’ve progressed a level beyond where I was before the fight with the Sea God. I firmly believe I’ve fully awakened the Three Treasure Technique, and the flow of my sword has become freer than before. But…”

“But?”

“I can’t regain that feeling of unity when I executed the Thunder God Sword Dance.”

That was the problem. I could confidently claim to have gained martial prowess that stood out among the masters of Jianghu, yet I couldn’t activate the power hidden within the Thunder God Sword Dance again. No matter how I thought about it, the potential to kill a god must have originated from that unknown power, and it left me feeling significantly disappointed.

The potential to slay a god.

I needed to be able to use that power consciously.

Mangnyang, who had been listening nearby, spoke up,

“We cannot provide an answer to that problem. In terms of martial arts, Baek Woong, you are already above the Elder level of the Thunder God Lineage, so there must be a martial arts master capable of advising you. You’ll need someone at least above your level.”

“What do you mean…”

Mangnyang chuckled softly.

“You’ll have to ask the one with the most exceptional martial skills in the world.”