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“I refuse.”

I stared at him and said, “I refuse.”

“Oh?”

Zhuge Bu responded with an air of surprise, but his expression remained unchanged as he asked me, “Why do you think that?”

“For one simple reason.” I pointed my sword at him.

“I don’t trust you.”

Even considering the benefits of joining forces with Zhuge Bu to learn his secrets, gain better control over the Alchemist, and receive help from someone as wise and skillful as him, my choice might seem foolish. But I couldn’t bring myself to trust him. I had seen firsthand what kind of person he was, and I knew he could stab me in the back whenever it suited him. Sure, he’d deliver if it meant his own gain, but that wasn’t worth the risk of me ending up dead or betrayed.

Moreover, if I were backstabbed by Zhuge Bu, I could be tortured or manipulated, losing my life without even having the chance to reincarnate. Given Zhuge Bu’s temperament, it wasn’t an impossible fate. Weighing such risks, it would be arrogant to think I could control him.

Zhuge Bu said, “I’m not asking you to trust me; I’m telling you to use me to your advantage. But it seems that’s lost on you.”

“No, I understand perfectly,” I replied with a smirk. “I know my abilities. With my wisdom and capacity, I can’t handle someone like you.”

“…”

“So, I’m going to kill you!”

With a crack of thunder, I unleashed a brilliant sword light. Having cast the Thunderclap and Baek Woong’s Formation, my movements were swift, and Zhuge Bu couldn’t evade quietly this time. In that moment, my speed was astounding, almost flickering like a lightning shadow.

Zhuge Bu gathered the power of the Asura Heaven Light Technique to absorb my sword flames but was too slow, receiving cuts to his arms and legs in the process. My martial arts strength and speed had surpassed his capabilities.

“Ugh.” Zhuge Bu grimaced in pain but quickly cast a spell to leap away.

Suddenly floating in the air, Zhuge Bu commented, “You’re just foolishly ignorant. But… that makes you more of a challenge.”

He self-deprecatingly remarks as he pulls out a pristine white feather fan from his cloak, and I sensed that this was where the real battle was about to begin.

“Treasure Peacock, unleash your power!”

Treasure?!

I was taken aback by the sudden chant. Treasures like that are something only divine beings can create and use, not human cultivators. They hold a level of power entirely different from what human sorcerers wield. According to Mangnyang, only a small fraction of treasures are known in this world. Yet here was Zhuge Bu using one?

Suddenly, dozens of golden-hued mantras appeared around him. Having studied spells, I recognized these arcane symbols as being related to the foreign language from Tianzhu. Any spells tied to that language wielded tremendous power, making it clear that facing Zhuge Bu head-on here would be suicide.

‘Damn, time to dodge!’ I thought and swiftly used the Golden Lamp technique to move to the entrance of the Imperial Palace.

As I did, I felt a blinding white light erupt behind me.

“…!!”

A massive blaze poured out from behind me, and when I looked back, I felt my eyes might burn out, so I quickly shielded them with my internal power and ducked behind a pillar, waiting for the light to cease.

‘Was that spell powerful enough to fill the Abyss?’ My spine chilled—without the Golden Lamp, I would have been dead on the spot.

Annoyance flooded over me as I contemplated Zhuge Bu’s soul-destroying power. His martial arts were peak-level, and he wielded a treasure like a Grand Sorcerer! It was a day and night difference compared to when Mangnyang exerted great effort to meet the conditions for the Seven Fires, Seven Golds technique. I hated to admit it, but Zhuge Bu was undoubtedly the best talent in the Central Plains.

However, it was also true that if I didn’t defeat Zhuge Bu, my plans to overpower the Imperial Palace would be futile. With the shadows of the Palace around me, I activated my stealth techniques, concealing my aura, plotting for a chance to respond as he reappeared.

‘If he unleashes another attack like before with the Treasure, I’ll be out of options.’ A wide-range attack of several hundreds would be madness. If I rashly engaged, I’d lose my life right there. But if I slipped outside the Imperial Palace, I’d fall right into his Eight Trigrams trap, surrendering my limbs to his control.

What was I going to do?

As I pondered, a thought struck me. I quickly reached into my wooden armor to pull out the Alchemist and gently roused him. It seemed he was trapped by a golden seal and couldn’t fully gather his wits, but he didn’t appear to have completely lost consciousness.

“Urgh… you…!”

“Listen closely,” I said, meeting his eyes directly. “Zhuge Bu is preparing to annihilate us with Treasure.”

“……!!”

“We don’t have time. If there’s no way to counter this, spill it out quickly! We need to survive.”

It was a do-or-die situation. My only option was to flee to my tent from the Imperial Palace or Luoyang, but that would leave my companions as hostages for Zhuge Bu to kill at will. That was a scenario I absolutely wanted to avoid, so I had to think of a solution now.

Gasping, the Alchemist suddenly coughed up blood and said, “Cough… the incomplete Portrait Immortal… is in Cheonram’s chamber… if we awaken that, we can stop Zhuge Bu.”

“Portrait Immortal?”

“Yes… a secret weapon that combines Eastern and Western techniques… awaken it, and we can turn the tide.”

Now that I thought about it, Zhuge Bu had mentioned the Portrait Immortal in passing before. I wanted to hear more about its abilities, but something told me there wasn’t time for that. So I pressed him for specifics.

“Where’s Cheonram’s chamber?”

“Turn right from the Altar room; it’s a blue door about twenty steps down…”

“Got it, let’s go!”

“Ugh…”

As soon as I finished speaking, I shoved the Alchemist back into my wooden armor. He struggled, but since he couldn’t move, he was forced to comply. Looking bewildered, he had no choice but to follow me as I dashed for Cheonram’s chamber.

Whoosh!

“Ugh!”

I felt something white flying towards me from behind and quickly executed the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique’s Half-Moon Slash. A charm fluttered in the air, but with another five trailing after it, I felt exasperated.

‘Is this automatic tracking?’

How annoying! I always thought spells were weak in direct combat and mostly used as support, but a peak Sorcerer was a genuinely terrifying figure. The problem was, that attack had revealed my position, so I had to sprint while using the Thunderclap.

Crash!

I violently burst into Cheonram’s chamber, opened two or three more doors inside, and there I found an enormous stone altar. On it lay a mysterious young girl.

‘Is this girl the Portrait Immortal?’

Her beauty seemed impossibly artificial, a truly doll-like perfection that could only have been crafted. Yet she was breathing; I could sense life through my Qi.

Next to her were several other stone altars, but no one else lay upon them. It seemed the process of creating the Portrait Immortal had only just begun.

I quickly pulled the Alchemist back out of the wooden armor.

“Ugh…”

The Alchemist appeared dazed after being shoved into and out of the wooden armor so many times. I grabbed him by the collar and said, “We’re here! What do I do now?”

“Guh… just say the activation phrase and inject magical energy into her…”

“Huh?! Activation phrase? Magical energy?”

“Let me go! Only I can do that…”

He wore a faint smirk, as if he was amused at my predicament. But it was impossible to trust him, so I glared at him, contemplating my next move.

‘Damn…’

In the end, I decided to stick to my plan. I lunged forward and cut off his leg.

“Aaaaah!!”

With a loud pop, the severed limb transformed into a small Tentacle Monster. I crushed it underfoot without hesitation. As the Alchemist screamed and writhed on the ground, I pointed my sword at his neck and said, “It’d be better just to kill you now!”

“You… madman! What are you thinking? Why are you acting so recklessly?”

I growled, “What do I care? I’m already dead! Killing you first would be a relief.”

With half-hearted conviction, I unleashed a wave of milky white sword energy, and the Alchemist turned pale.

Suddenly, his demeanor shifted as he hurriedly exclaimed, “Okay! Okay! You win! I’ll obey! Just—please don’t kill me!”

“What’s the plan then…”

The Alchemist glared at me as if chewing the words, “I swear to my god! Place your hand on the heart of the Portrait Immortal and say [$&*@$%]!”

“……”

‘My god’—the thought of him swearing an oath to a divine being seemed quite plausible. Yet for some reason, hearing him pledge allegiance sent a strange shiver through my mind. Swearing to a god felt repulsive.

“You wouldn’t understand, being human. Let me free, and I’ll do it myself.”

It was odd.

‘Wait…?’

It was true. I couldn’t understand what the activation words meant, but I instinctively knew I could [say] it. I walked forward, almost entranced, towards the Portrait Immortal girl, and as the Alchemist instructed, I placed my hand gently above her heart and said,

[ Ph’nglui Mglw’nafh…]

Grggrg

Time stopped.

It was incomprehensible, but it was happening indeed.

Time around me froze.

[ Cthulhu R’lyeh Wgah’nagl Fhtagn…]

The remaining [words] flowed out smoothly from my mouth. A language no human should be able to pronounce or comprehend, but I intuitively understood how to [say] it. I couldn’t explain why, but it was happening.

Wooooo

Wooooo—ooohhh!

A monstrous flow poured forth.

It felt like the light of the stars pierced through the space between heaven and earth.

A colossal ‘power’ began to seep into the Portrait Immortal girl before me. It felt as though that power emanated from somewhere not of this world. I instinctively sensed that some ‘great being’ was lending me its strength.

‘What is this?’

The Alchemist, watching from the side, began to weep uncontrollably.

He seemed utterly overwhelmed, unable to hold back from the colossal shock.

“Aaaaah!! That being… is bestowing the Blessing of the Constellations—without sacrifice, offering, or price… upon a mere human?!”

“……”

“Unbelievable! Who are you?!”

I remained unresponsive, wholly unconcerned. The Alchemist sobbing next to me felt like a mere bug in the way.

Fully engrossed in the awakening of the Portrait Immortal, the Alchemist began to laugh maniacally.

“Hehehe!!! It’s incredible, the incomplete Portrait Immortal is rapidly filling with power… something even the Philosopher’s Stone couldn’t achieve… oh my god…”

No.

This guy had already lost it.

With his last shred of sanity, the Alchemist managed to spit out his final words,

“I’ve been living in despair from the very start…!!”

Bam!

In an instant, the Alchemist’s body tore apart, transforming into an unrecognizable Tentacle Monster, going berserk. Being an ancient otherworldly being allowed him to take human form while hiding his true essence, but once he lost that consciousness, he morphed into an immortal without restraint. At this point, he was definitely beyond saving.

But I didn’t worry even slightly about the monster attacking me. Strangely enough, the Tentacle Monster appeared terrified of me, darting out of the Cheonram chamber in a panic.

For some reason, I even felt some unfounded confidence that such a pest wouldn’t come after me.

Bang!

Shortly after, I heard the Tentacle Monster that was once the Alchemist exploding under Zhuge Bu’s spell outside. I hadn’t stood a chance against him while in human form, and no way could I stand against a full treasure-wielding Zhuge Bu.

At the same time, the girl on the altar slowly opened her eyes and sat up. With doll-like eyes void of emotion, she looked at me and said, “Please give me an order, Master.”

In a flash, clarity returned to me. I gasped for air as my mind came back to me, shocked from what had just happened.

“Hah! Hah! Hah…?”

It felt like I had been hypnotized, focused solely on empowering the Portrait Immortal. I shook my head to steady my breathing. The process was a blur, but somehow I had obtained the secret weapon of the Imperial Palace— the Portrait Immortal. Quickly, I commanded her,

“Kill Zhuge Bu running wild outside!”

“Understood.”

In a flash, the Portrait Immortal vanished from sight. It seemed like teleportation, but with a different sensation from spellcasting. Just as I was about to leave Cheonram’s chamber, a massive explosion sounded behind me.

Bang!

Zhuge Bu was standing in the corridor leading to Cheonram’s chamber, gazing at me with an utterly baffled expression.

Facing him was the Portrait Immortal, floating serenely, extending her hand toward him.

Zhuge Bu glared at me and said, “How did you activate the Portrait Immortal? I just began sketching out a draft and don’t have any power to draw upon—how did you manage this?”

“Well, I’m sure it’s enough to kill you.”

“But it’s just a doll. It can’t confront a treasure.”

Zhuge Bu seemingly cast a spell on himself, swinging the Treasure Peacock dramatically. As he did, an enormous number of charms enveloped the space, shining brightly. There seemed to be hundreds of thousands, making it look as impossible to avoid.

Zhuge Bu intoned a powerful incantation with all his might.

“Falling Star…”

Pffft!

That was it. The floating Portrait Immortal had already teleported behind Zhuge Bu, and before he could react, his limbs and head were severed from his body.

With a plop, the dismembered remains of Zhuge Bu fell limp to the ground.

‘What? What just happened?’

My mind reeled in disbelief at this incomprehensible victory. I couldn’t even see how the Portrait Immortal had moved. It felt less like speed and more like time had just deleted itself the moment I’d woken up. Even when facing a peak-level Dharma Guardian moving at incredible speed, I could catch a hint of their motion; but now, I couldn’t fathom how the Portrait Immortal could have acted.

Simultaneously, a chill crept up my spine.

If an incomplete Portrait Immortal could annihilate a treasure-wielding Zhuge Bu like an insect, if that stone altar held the potential for the Philosopher’s Stone, the moment the Portrait Immortal awakened in vast numbers, I’d have no chance of victory.

“Well, at least we’ve won…”

I sighed, starting to evaluate the situation. First, I searched through Zhuge Bu’s belongings, finding his Treasure Peacock and various spell aids.

Then I dashed directly to the Crystal Stele in the depths of the Abyss. Though the ancient language inscribed upon it was strange, my recent experiences had made it somewhat familiar. I squinted, calmly beginning to read the contents.

There were 14 clauses, entangled with a poetic and metaphorical air. I wondered if I could use this to craft the Philosopher’s Stone specifically. I scratched my head, pondering how to proceed.

“Hmm… maybe I should try to memorize it.”

Though I couldn’t fully interpret it, memorizing it could prove valuable. After a while of standing there, I started to recite the contents of the Crystal Stele over and over. Strange, though I knew reuniting with Mangnyang would help, I found myself seduced by the magic of the stele.

“……”

Something felt off…

My body wasn’t right.

‘What’s happening?’

Suddenly, I stumbled and fell to my knees. A splitting headache and nausea overwhelmed me. It felt as if a cold fever consumed me entirely.

Something faintly emerged before me.

Something… was calling me.

The depths of darkness.

The greatest and deepest presence.

Without thinking, my hands flailed.

“Hah… Hah…”

The being that had offered me strength beckoned me. He asked nothing in return, yet wished for me to come to him. It was astounding to realize that this was his own form of goodwill.

A powerful magic enveloped me, captivating my entire being. An immense impulse that I had never felt before gripped my spirit.

Unknowingly, I mumbled again, [R’lyeh Wgah’nagl Fhtagn…]

No, I couldn’t do this.

This was absolutely unacceptable.

Maybe losing to Zhuge Bu earlier would have been better? That thought crossed my mind.

From the abyss, something was calling me, grasping my soul with hooks, pulling me faster.

I clenched my teeth, feeling the anger rise in my eyes.

“Will I give you my soul?”

Never. I refuse to surrender to you.

With the pride of a human!

Thud!

In the next moment, I drew my sword and drove it into my own throat.

My vision blurred, but at the same time, I felt the magic binding me ebb away like a receding tide, releasing the grip over me. The overwhelming divine being entwined around me was withdrawing.

Despite teetering on the edge of death, I trembled and smiled. A massive elation flooded my mind, almost overshadowing the extreme pain.

By committing suicide, I had protected my soul from the old ruler.

Bam!

My body lurched forward as consciousness faded.

That was my 13th death.

 

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