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“What just happened?! How did it come to this?”

Watching the Sword Demon’s head fly off, my mind went blank. Seriously, how did we end up here?

I couldn’t figure out what had just gone down.

But instead of going berserk, I found myself eerily calm, analyzing the situation like a seasoned expert who had weathered countless battles. My instincts kept my rational mind in check.

As I stared at the headless body of the Sword Demon, I slowly drew my sword.

Dokgo Seong commented, “There’s no way the real Sword Demon would fall for my trick.”

“Are you saying it was a fake?”

“It just felt so different from our first encounter. I was just testing it out.”

What on earth did he mean by “different”? I hadn’t sensed anything off about the Sword Demon just moments ago, so I couldn’t fully trust Dokgo Seong’s words. If the real Sword Demon really was taken out by the ambush, that would be a disaster.

Dokgo Seong continued, “Sorcerers messing around isn’t my style. I’ll destroy this place if it keeps up.”

“Wait, that’s not—”

He’s someone who sticks to his guns, especially being from the Thunder God Lineage. Just when I was about to protest…

“Oh no, my prank is found out!”

From the severed head of the Sword Demon came a voice. The body then moved, picked up the head, and attached it back. It was eerie and incomprehensible, like something out of a horror flick. I couldn’t help but gasp.

“A puppet…”

The only thing I could liken this to from my knowledge of sorcery was puppet mastery. Talented puppeteers could create lifelike puppets indistinguishable from real people, but this was the first time I had ever witnessed an almost flawless creation.

The Sword Demon figure spoke, “How did you realize?”

“I thought I perfectly mimicked the Sword Demon.”

Dokgo Seong answered bluntly, “The Sword Demon’s essence is fundamentally grounded in intent. No ordinary puppet could replicate that subtle flow.”

“Indeed… if I’m not a master who can freely use that intent, it would be impossible. Haha.”

The puppet chuckled, shaking its shoulders. “Don’t worry. The Sword Demon is unharmed.”

“How can I trust that?”

“With assassins trying to take the Sword Demon’s head, I set up a decoy. The real Sword Demon is training at a safe house nearby.”

“I need to see it with my own eyes.”

“I’ve already sent word, they should be here soon.”

I couldn’t trust Zhuge Sa’s words. He was skilled in sorcery and the forbidden arts, so it could easily be a ruse. However, Dokgo Seong simply stared at the puppet without doing anything, so I decided to wait for now.

Swoosh!

Moments later, the Sword Demon swooped in like a divine being from the heavenly realm through the Shadowless Gate. Upon seeing us in the blood-soaked interior, he seemed to comprehend the situation and awkwardly chuckled.

“Haha. What a mess I’ve made.”

“We greet you, Sword Demon.”

“Did everything go alright?”

“Yes. How has the Sword Demon been?”

“Not great. As you can see, there’s a major assassin problem.”

“……”

Dokgo Seong crossed his arms. “Is this from the Twelve Joules?”

“I presume so. I’ve tried to track them, but their concealment is impressive, making this sect quite sinister.”

“This must be tough. Since you’ve stabilized your position in the Central Plains, there shouldn’t have been such little space for lowly scum to pick at you.”

“We’ll have to endure.”

Clang!

The moment the Sword Demon finished speaking, the sound of blades clashing rang out. Dokgo Seong had struck at the Sword Demon, who effortlessly deflected his strike with a light smirk.

“No doubt I’m the real deal.”

“I see. My apologies.”

“Zhuge Sa’s puppet mastery is nothing short of impressive; that misunderstanding is understandable.”

As they discussed, Zhuge Sa’s puppet unexpectedly interjected. “I’d like to show you my research results. Could you visit my workshop?”

Dokgo Seong chuckled. “Stop with the nonsense. If you appear in front of me, I’ll cut your head off.”

“Ah, how unfortunate.”

“If you have something to say, bring the results to us. You’re just a lowly soldier, so why act so cocky?”

“That’s fair. I’ll bring them myself.”

With that, Zhuge Sa’s puppet slumped to the ground, lifeless. Looking identical to the Sword Demon, it was admittedly a bit unsettling. The Sword Demon, unfazed, sent me a secret transmission.

[ Zhuge Sa is still making small moves. ]

[ Can you discern his true intentions? ]

[ No, that’s beyond me. He’s too cautious and sly, showing no openings. But he’s painfully earnest about his goals. ]

[ Goals? ]

[ He seems intent on producing soldiers to oppose the Imperial Palace. ]

As we exchanged secret messages, Dokgo Seong spoke up.

“Sword Demon, I need to discuss something.”

“Go ahead.”

“It’s about this guy’s achievements… if we continue this way, he won’t master the Thunder God Lineage.”

“I suspected as much. What specific difficulties are you facing?”

Dokgo Seong outlined the obstacles I was encountering. The Sword Demon listened intently and said, “There’s a simple solution.”

“What do you propose?”

“Forgetting your current sword style to learn the Thunder God Lineage would be too inefficient and burdensome. The real issue is that your innate talent is lacking, which prevents you from controlling the intersection of multiple sword styles.”

“That’s valid.”

“Then it would be quicker for Baek Woong to refine his existing martial arts skills to a proficient level. If his mastery improves, he will not be easily swayed.”

Dokgo Seong looked incredulous. “Isn’t that more difficult? Techniques like the Cave-Collapsing Sword or Heavenly Contraction Sword are renowned martial arts in the Mu-rim realm.”

“Baek Woong has experienced the state of ‘Forgetfulness’ multiple times in his life. Continuing to pursue that state might complicate things.”

“Hmm! I hadn’t considered that.”

“Either way, let’s brainstorm solutions together.”

As we spoke, I heard footsteps approaching from the door. Zhuge Sa stepped into the hall.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you in person.”

Dokgo Seong glared at him with a less-than-friendly gaze. “I take it you’ve sent another puppet. You wretched scoundrel.”

“I’d prefer not to die just yet.”

Zhuge Sa shrugged, continuing, “Anyway, Sword Demon, may I provide an update on our previous discussion?”

“Go ahead.”

“After investigating the Demon Soldiers and Dragon Soldiers in the Imperial Palace, I discovered they are humans infused with the magic of the Otherworldly Race. By merging that power with human bodies, it’s a way to far exceed the limitations of the human form. I have a good idea for how we can counter this.”

“Good idea?”

Zhuge Sa grinned. “We can create something similar.”

“You mean to implant the magic of the Otherworldly Race into humans?”

“Exactly.”

“Absolutely not!”

The Sword Demon’s face darkened. “The Shadowless Sect members are like family to me. I will not force them into merging with Otherworldly beings.”

“I knew you’d say that. If that’s the case, I have another proposal.”

“What is it?”

“We could recycle human trash that won’t be missed.”

We all stared at him in disbelief. Zhuge Sa stepped forward a couple of steps, continuing.

“By negotiating with the powerful family of the Lee Clan from Goryeo, we could acquire death row prisoners and heinous criminals. No one will care what happens to them when they kick the bucket. Once we complete the basic experiments with them, we can produce recruits regularly.”

“……”

Dokgo Seong looked baffled, while the Sword Demon rested his chin on his hand. I felt horrified hearing Zhuge Sa’s proposal.

‘That’s extreme…’

While he spoke monotonously, Zhuge Sa was willing to use hundreds or even thousands of prisoners for his twisted experiments. Regardless of the potential benefits, that was not a thought a sane person should entertain. This was a mindset that took the evil path to an entirely different level.

The Sword Demon said, “If it’s efficient, I’ll consider going along with your suggestion. However, the issue is that our position in the Shadowless Sect is unstable with assassins still lurking around.”

Thud!

As he spoke, a gust of wind erupted from the Sword Demon’s hand and struck someone lurking about twenty feet away, killing them instantly. The silence after the attack indicated he struck a critical point.

“These kinds of scoundrels are everywhere. If we conduct inhumane experiments in this situation, we’ll be wiped out.”

“It would have been easy to do so in the Central Plains.”

“What good would telling me do? It’s your job to come up with a solution, Zhuge Military Commander.”

The Sword Demon replied lethargically, and Zhuge Sa smirked.

“There’s one more method.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“We can borrow the power of Baek Woong.”

Me?

My confusion was evident as I stared at Zhuge Sa. He shifted his focus onto me and said, “Baek Woong, all you need to do is help in two ways. It would be much faster, more efficient, and safer to produce soldiers than the previous method.”

“What are you getting at?”

“The Water Element Divine Sword and the Nameless Ritual Book!”

“……!!”

“You might not see the value yet, but with those two, flipping the world upside down is a piece of cake. All you have to do is help a little.”

I shot him a glare. “What nonsense are you spouting? You can decipher the Nameless Ritual Book? That incomprehensible language?”

“Of course.”

“Don’t kid around! That language is incomprehensible even to the greatest of sages and differs significantly from the human sound structure. There’s no way you, no matter how brilliant, could grasp it.”

Then Zhuge Sa opened his eyes wide and laughed. “Haha… that’s only true in the human realm. I have acquired knowledge from other dimensions through long observation. How else would I be able to dream of the Grimoire? I can read most of those weird languages.”

“……”

“Even the Twelve Joules are on guard against the power of the Water Element Divine Sword. Simply using it for petty squabbles is a colossal waste. If we want to have the strength to counter the Imperial Palace, the Water Element Divine Sword is absolutely essential.”

Zhuge Sa’s argument had a certain urgency to it. I glanced at the Sword Demon and Dokgo Seong, and they seemed deep in thought. Finally, the Sword Demon spoke up.

“Baek Woong, cooperate with him.”

“What?!”

“However, the precondition is that you don’t stray too far from the righteous path. And if you sense Zhuge Sa tries to exploit you for his gain, feel free to deal with him on the spot.”

“……!!”

Execution on the spot!

Such a strict order was hardly common in the martial arts world. Even among evil or demonic sects, eliminating a soldier required sufficient justification. Giving the lawful protector the authority to directly eliminate a soldier was unprecedented.

Yet Zhuge Sa seemed delighted and said, “I wholeheartedly agree. If the master of the Water Element Divine Sword is willing to help, I would gladly dedicate my life.”

The Sword Demon replied, “So it is settled, Baek Woong.”

Reluctantly, I answered, “I will do so.”

As I stepped back and followed Zhuge Sa to his workshop, I couldn’t help but drip a little killing intent from my eyes, prompting him to chuckle.

“Oh, indeed, Baek Woong’s martial prowess is impressive. But it’s not good for my heart, so please tone it down.”

“You’re not plotting against the Sword Demon, are you?”

“Plotting?”

“Should you use poison or sorcery, I’ll be sure to obliterate you.”

As I growled, Zhuge Sa flinched momentarily. The intense killing intent I directed at him was no joke. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed.

“Hmph… You’re concerned because of what happened with Zhuge Bu. What I used to kill him was the rare Yin-Yang Heaven Bug. It’s produced only once in a hundred years, and it can’t be activated without a dozen preparations. I believed it was worth using it to eliminate Zhuge Bu.”

“You can’t assure me you won’t recreate the Yin-Yang Heaven Bug and use it against the Sword Demon.”

“Haha… you have nothing to argue against that. You may want to inquire with the sorcerers later. Just how valuable the Yin-Yang Heaven Bug is will become apparent soon.”

Continuing, Zhuge Sa remarked, “And I found the Sword Demon quite agreeable. The mere fact that you piqued my interest was reason enough to offer my loyalty to you.”

“……”

“The fate of our clan may hang on this.”

With a creak, Zhuge Sa opened the door to his workshop. The vastness inside was surprising, larger than expected from the doorway. This man was certainly no ordinary sorcerer, utilizing space manipulation with ease. He looked at the seven Portrait Immortals lying in one corner and said, “I’ve gained significant insights after studying these for a month. If Baek Woong assists me even a little, we can bring those insights to life.”

“What specifically are you referring to?”

“I’ve identified three key points.”

As Zhuge Sa plopped onto the floor, he continued, “First, the creators of the Portrait Immortals are not just one person.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was that alchemist who instilled power into the Portrait Immortals, but there was a different individual who crafted their bodies. Most likely, it was a master of the Eight Trigrams Technique.”

“Hmm…”

“That creator is an incredibly strong sorcerer. It’d be wise to uncover their identity.”

“Couldn’t it be Zhuge Bu himself? He’s an extraordinary sorcerer who wields the Legendary Treasure, Baek Woong.”

“Not him. He specialized in Five Elements Sorcery and Divination Sorcery. The Eight Trigrams Technique is a very specialized technique, even Zhuge Bu wouldn’t learn it to that extent.”

I couldn’t help but let out a sigh. The alchemist’s accomplice! A master of the Eight Trigrams Technique! Another formidable opponent existed within the Imperial Palace.

But considering my past experiences, even when the Imperial Palace faced dire crises and the alchemist was pushed to the edge, that figure had remained hidden. There must be a good reason for it.

“Second, the primary purpose of the Portrait Immortals was to breach a [Barrier]. The Philosopher’s Stone serves the alchemist’s personal goal.”

“Barrier? What barrier are you talking about?”

“I don’t know for sure, but while reading the memories inscribed on the Portrait Immortals, I realized they were created as a sacrificial offering to break the barrier. Whatever it is, it’s probably incredibly powerful.”

I shook my head, still completely puzzled. “I can’t quite grasp this barrier.”

Zhuge Sa’s grin widened. “Really? I have some theories…”

“Tell me.”

“It could be the Great Barrier surrounding the capital, Luoyang.”

“Are you referring to the Imperial Palace’s barrier managed by Zhuge Bu?”

“No, it’s something far beyond that… I’m talking about the mythic-level barrier from the time of Great Yu.”

Wait, what?!

As I regarded him with confusion, Zhuge Sa said, “Great Yu is historically recorded as the first documented water management expert. You must be familiar with the records of Great Yu if you have even a basic education on it?”

“Of course, it details how Emperor Yu traveled the world managing waterways, with themes such as flood control, routes, blessings, and the essential twelve principles of governance—the foundational precepts of each dynasty. It also introduced the concept of the first royal territory.”

Upon hearing my straightforward response, Zhuge Sa looked taken aback. “You’re quite knowledgeable. You have solid literary education.”

“There’s no need for flattery; what does Great Yu have to do with anything?”

“Great Yu introduced the concept of dividing the world into Nine Regions. However, this concept, although little known, has profound meaning within Daoist teachings. The reason being, the royal territory of the Nine Regions symbolized the domain of the Three Sovereigns.”

“……!!”

Zhuge Sa continued, “Word of a powerful barrier dating back to ancient times encircling Luoyang is well known among sorcerers. It just gets intertwined seamlessly with the land, so no one can sense it.”

“Why was that barrier created?”

“It’s simple. The alchemist is allied with the Otherworldly Race. Therefore, what do you think the reason behind trying to break that barrier with the Portrait Immortals is?”

“……”

“Something is sealed within Luoyang. That’s the implication.”

I swallowed hard. “You mean perhaps…?”

I had a gut feeling. The existence of Daji and the mention of Mangnyang were creeping into my mind. I had been vaguely aware that the Portrait Immortals were directly related to the magic sealed in Luoyang. Just then, Zhuge Sa waved his hand.

“I couldn’t know. Only a Great Immortal could possibly discern that. Let’s drop the speculation and move on to the third point.”

“Tell me.”

“The third point is that I can also create a Portrait Immortal.”

“You mean with the Crystal Stele, the Nameless Ritual Book, and the Water Element Divine Sword?”

I glared at him fiercely. “Let me reiterate, no human sacrifices or kidnappings!”

“Haha! There’s no need for that; what are you even talking about?”

Zhuge Sa laughed out loud. “Just hand over the Nameless Ritual Book. I’ll show you something amazing.”

After pondering for a moment, I retrieved the Nameless Ritual Book from my wooden armor and handed it to him. I had given him the Crystal Stele previously because he mentioned needing it. Holding the Nameless Ritual Book, Zhuge Sa flipped through it for a while before nodding.

“Alright. I understand.”

Then he suddenly rushed to the side of the Crystal Stele and began casting a spell.

“#%&(@(%(@…!!”

Magic language!

I couldn’t believe it—Zhuge Sa actually knew how to use the arcane language!

At that moment, something even more astonishing unfolded before my eyes.

Crackle!

Electricity swirled around the Crystal Stele, and a dark fog emanated, swirling like clouds in the air. This unsettling and foul light twisted and coalesced, gradually taking form.

And it crafted the figure of a woman! A stunning young beauty, seemingly in her twenties, with a doll-like appearance, unmistakably a Portrait Immortal.

“Oh wow!!”

I screamed in shock. Could it be that creation was happening from nothing? This was something I had never anticipated. As I reveled in my astonishment, Zhuge Sa chuckled softly.

The Crystal Stele held the method of creating the Philosopher’s Stone, but it also contained the essence of life itself. I simply utilized that to create life from the very origin before materializing it with the techniques from the Nameless Ritual Book. This alone allowed me to create a synthetic-life form.”

“Didn’t you say it requires the power of the Eight Trigrams to create a Portrait Immortal?”

“Exactly! Using the powers of the Crystal Stele and the Nameless Ritual Book allowed me to cut straight through the usual process.”

“……”

“But this is merely a shell, so to infuse it with life, the Water Element Divine Sword is necessary.”

Zhuge Sa grinned as he spoke. “Hey, having the Crystal Stele, Nameless Ritual Book, and Water Element Divine Sword—all top-tier treasures. With all this collected, how could we not achieve something remarkable? We could do even more extraordinary things.”

At that moment, it all clicked for me.

The treasures I had carefully hoarded could shift the balance of the entire world if they fell into the hands of a demon sorcerer!

 

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