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I didn’t think waiting for the response from the Alliance of the Twelve Joules was the best move. Sure, I scored a slight victory by sealing off the Shangguan Family, as Yeodong-bin mentioned, but the Heavenly Realm still viewed the Master of the White Lotus Sect as a threat. To turn the tides, I needed more intel. So, I called for Yeodong-bin and asked,

“Yeodong-bin! Where on earth is Miho?”

Yeodong-bin replied with a calm demeanor,

“To the Heavenly Realm.”

“What?!”

“The Queen Mother of the West treasures Miho. She requested to avoid being swept away when the Heavenly Plan activates and cleanses the earth. Thus, I simply conveyed her message and showed Miho the way back.”

“The way back? You mean the entrance to the Heavenly Realm?”

“Not the proper entrance.”

After a brief pause, Yeodong-bin continued,

“I’m talking about the exit that was used when she got banished from the Heavenly Realm.”

Did Zhuge Sa understand what Yeodong-bin meant? He muttered,

“You mean the backdoor?”

“Ah…”

I grasped Zhuge Sa’s understanding of the situation. A conversation I had in a past life with Miho and Mangnyang floated back into my mind.

“The passage between Heaven and Earth in the north…?”

“It refers to Jeon Wook’s mistake in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. Long ago, there was a connection between the Heavenly and Mortal Realms, allowing humans to travel to the Heavenly Realm without the Trials. But due to Jeon Wook’s blunder, that route collapsed, resulting in the need for the Trials. Since you are a Heavenly Tiger, you might have some insight on this matter…”

When Mangnyang asked Miho about the passage linking the Heavenly and Mortal Realms, Miho had replied,

“I don’t know much, but there is a secret passage connecting them, and it indeed exists somewhere in the world. This Maiden was also banished through one of those passages.”

“Then why isn’t she using that passage to return to the Heavenly Realm?”

“I only know of the place I came from, and that’s considered the backdoor. If I try to enter the Heavenly Realm through there, I’ll be attacked and obliterated by a Tuxian of sorts.”

That made sense. Miho knew one of the secret passages linking the realms, but stated she couldn’t dare to approach due to the formidable guard. However, according to Yeodong-bin, the Queen Mother of the West had specifically left the backdoor open for Miho to return. It seemed she went to verify whether she could return through that passage.

Upon learning about Miho’s whereabouts, Yeodong-bin said,

“Miho is originally of the Heavenly Realm. Letting her return would be the best course of action.”

“I see.”

I responded with a bittersweet tone. I could forcibly try to bring Miho back, but getting too close to the Heavenly Realm could end badly. Sure, with the Seven Luminaries, I wouldn’t go down easily, but the Heavenly Realm was more aggressive than ever, trying to execute the Heavenly Plan. Getting tangled up in their business was risky.

Suddenly, I realized something and asked Yeodong-bin,

“Yeodong-bin, I understand there’s a Tuxian guarding that backdoor. Do you know what kind of being it is?”

“Not a clue. It’s not related to my mission.”

“I see…”

“However, it’s reckless to try to defeat that being with the help of a Dharma Protector. I can say that much.”

That was obvious without saying. I had recently felt the level of power that the Tuxian possessed when they employed their sacred tokens. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say there were no martial artists stronger than the Master of the White Lotus Sect; Yeodong-bin had a decent chance against the Sect Leader as well. If I were to face a Tuxian-level being, I would need at least two of the Seven Luminaries.

“So, Yeodong-bin. Please inform the Heavenly Realm that the Sect Leader is giving up on Luoyang.”

“Already done. But I doubt the Three Purities will believe it.”

Sighing, Yeodong-bin continued,

“Dharma Protector. Do your utmost to act. We must block the Heavenly Ladder at all costs.”

Both Yeodong-bin and Cheon Woo-jin insisted that the Heavenly Plan needed to be blocked immediately, dismissing everything else. It was clear that direct interference from the Heavenly Realm into the Mortal Realm was perilous. My resolve surged, but I hesitated as I was uncertain about my next move.

Then Zhuge Sa spoke up,

“Just go to Cheon Woo-jin. It’s best to discuss and consult about what’s occurred so far.”

“Got it.”

With that, I hopped onto the Four Great Spirits and headed to the Shaolin Temple where Cheon Woo-jin was. The atmosphere had changed dramatically. The spirit energy around the temple felt purer and grander, overflowing with dense energy comparable to a divine temple. It felt two or three times stronger than before, leaving me bewildered.

Eventually, Cheon Woo-jin, who was meditating with his hands together at the Heavenly Altar, turned to me and said,

“You’ve come. Is that a sacred token?”

His gaze fell on the Fire Dragon Sword strapped at my waist. While I shouldn’t be wielding it, I was allowed to carry it by its original owner, Yeodong-bin. I could even draw and swing it around, but with my skills, it was just a fancy piece of steel.

I explained to Cheon Woo-jin everything that had transpired. After listening intently, he frowned and said,

“So basically, the situation hasn’t changed much.”

“I conveyed the Sect Leader’s intention to withdraw through Yeodong-bin, and I also eliminated the lurking threat of Dark Heaven in Luoyang. Isn’t that an achievement?”

“That’s meaningless. The Three Purities have intervened directly, and the Jade Emperor’s declaration of enduring the Law of Cause and Effect in human slaughter is significant. They are willing to uproot human civilization just to eliminate the threat of the White Lotus Sect.”

……!!

“We need concrete evidence, but right now, everything feels bleak.”

As Cheon Woo-jin grumbled to himself, he continued,

“Oh, I completely restored the Heavenly Altar of Songshan. We need to recover the remaining four Heavenly Altars, so take me to those locations.”

“What difference does restoring the Heavenly Altar make now?”

“If I reinstated the functions of the Heavenly Altar, the demonic energy on Earth would multiply. Why? Because the Heavenly Altar summons the powers of the Three Sovereigns. This alone could provide a strong basis for persuading the Heavenly Realm.”

So it had that kind of ability?

“Understood, hop on.”

I felt wonder while taking Cheon Woo-jin on the Four Great Spirits, sequentially making our way through the evil Heavenly Altars. When we finally arrived at the heavily damaged Heavenly Altar of Mount Tai, Cheon Woo-jin scowled and irritably said,

“There’s a lot to do here, let’s save it for last. It’s practically a complete rebuild.”

“Agreed.”

Swoosh! The next stop was the Heavenly Altar of Mount Huang. It seemed like it hadn’t been extensively destroyed; Cheon Woo-jin chanted incantations for about half a moment before restoring it. Instantly, I felt a powerful presence of purification energy spread across the entire mountain range, similar to what I sensed earlier at Songshan.

The next stop was the Heavenly Altar of Mount Hua, and we had just arrived at the Heavenly Altar of Hengshan when suddenly,

“Who are you?!”

A fierce-looking middle-aged swordsman jumped out from the bushes, booming with an intimidating aura. Feeling the might of his spirit energy akin to a sharpened blade, I realized he wasn’t just anyone. So, instead of attacking recklessly, I opted for diplomacy and said,

“We are Taoist practitioners on a pilgrimage to the Heavenly Altars. And who might you be?”

“Taoist practitioners? Heavenly Altar?”

The middle-aged swordsman tilted his head, clearly puzzled by my words. He quickly regained composure and shouted,

“I am Jo Jin-ung, the leader of the Hengshan Sect. State your names for daring to trespass into my territory!”

“Umm.”

I let out a quiet gasp.

Jo Jin-ung, the Eight-Armed Sword Immortal!

He was the leader of the Hengshan Sect and widely recognized as a master swordsman, especially known as a Peak Expert in the Hunan region. His title of ‘Eight-Armed’ was due to his remarkable mastery of illusionary swordplay and his status as a Sword Saint. In short, the leader of the Nine Great Sects was right in front of me. Zhuge Sa snickered from within,

“You should’ve sent the Su Shin Sect elder to take him down early instead of letting him run around free.”

I ignored Zhuge Sa’s sarcasm and continued to Jo Jin-ung,

“I am Baek Woong, and this is Cheon Woo-jin. Do you know this place is a sacred ground?”

Jo Jin-ung curtly replied,

“Nonsense! I’ve never heard of such a thing. Get lost!

“……”

He didn’t even know about the Heavenly Altar?

Feeling slightly flustered, Cheon Woo-jin next to me bluntly spoke,

“The one who should leave is you.”

“What did you…?”

Just as Jo Jin-ung got ready to pounce, suddenly, his figure was inexplicably sucked into thin air. I stared in disbelief at Cheon Woo-jin, who seemed unfazed as he approached the Heavenly Altar, stating,

“Baek Woong, since you are the Deputy Sect Leader of the White Lotus Sect, think of a way to guard the Heavenly Altars of the Five Great Mountains for forty-nine days. We can’t let riff-raff like him wander in.”

“How did you do that?”

Sitting plop in front of the Heavenly Altar, Cheon Woo-jin replied,

“I sealed him away in another dimension. That fool won’t see the light of day until I permit it.”

……

This showcased just how formidable Cheon Woo-jin’s skills were. After all, he was considered the strongest sorcerer in the current human realm. But if this was his level, one could hardly say normal martial prowess would do any good against it, which was kind of disheartening.

I guess deploying the Su Shin Sect to suppress the Nine Great Sects is inevitable.

Though the thought of it felt bloody and daunting, I was left with no other choice. A little while later, after Cheon Woo-jin also restored the Heavenly Altar of Hengshan, we moved on back to Mount Tai, where Cheon Woo-jin sighed, looking troubled.

“Sigh… This is going to be a massive undertaking. It will take at least a month, so you need to ensure no one approaches until then.”

“A month?!”

I exclaimed in surprise.

“If you use a month out of the forty-nine days, you’ll only have about twenty days to operate afterward…”

“What can I do about it? I am the only one capable of restoring the Heavenly Altar on Mount Tai in the current human world. This is something that must be done, so I have no choice but to adapt to reality.”

Cheon Woo-jin lamented,

“It’s unprecedented that I have to bear this burden!”

Realizing I shouldn’t disturb his concentration, I excused myself from the scene. I returned to the White Lotus Sect and reported the situation to the Sect Leader, stating,

“Sect Leader, it seems we need to suppress the Nine Great Sects as quickly as possible due to the situation at the Heavenly Altars. Please allow the Dharma Protectors and the owner of the Heavenly Spirit Pill to be dispatched.”

“Of course. That’s only natural. Eliminate every last one of those bothersome Nine Great Sects.”

“Ah… wait, shouldn’t we try to minimize casualties instead?”

“Why is that?”

“The area around the Heavenly Altar is an auspicious site, so indulging in slaughter or combat might have negative repercussions.”

Upon my cautious suggestion, the Sect Leader nodded in agreement.

“Fine, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Thank you.”

“Restoring the Heavenly Altars… that’s a solid plan. But Cheon Woo-jin being tied up for a month is grievous. Can’t you think of something else?”

Desperately wracking my brain, it was clear Cheon Woo-jin’s words implied that this alone wouldn’t be enough to persuade the Heavenly Realm; success would be improbable. We needed a revolutionary plan to appease them. While I thrashed those thoughts around, Zhuge Sa piped up,

“Are you willing to sacrifice your life to save the entire world?”

“What do you mean?”

“Here’s what you should do.”

What Zhuge Sa proposed left me speechless.

“Offer the Golden Lamp, Wooden Armor, Four Great Spirits, Moon Sovereign, National Seal, and the Bracelet of the Magical Beasts to the Heavenly Realm. Then maybe we can halt the Heavenly Realm!”

“Are you serious right now…”

“Why? Even if you consider the Golden Lamp and Wooden Armor the Sect Leader’s, you can sacrifice the rest, right? Why not?”

“……”

“Hehe. You can’t ignore the burden of failure. Even if you succeed, you’ll lose everything all at once, and thus the risk far outweighs the reward. It’s noble to sacrifice everything for the world, but you wouldn’t want to end up with nothing, would you?”

I tuned out Zhuge Sa’s words. He might’ve had a point, but that was a last resort. I told the Sect Leader,

“I can’t think of anything right now. For now, I’ll focus on suppressing the Nine Great Sects.”

“Alright. I grant you full authority, including command over the Dharma Protectors.”

With that, I exited the conversation with the Sect Leader and casually stepped outside. The old Hall of the Sect Leader was utterly destroyed, leaving nothing recognizable, so this was a temporary building.

While walking, I caught the eyes of a few elders from the Elder Council. As they glanced at me, they all simultaneously bowed their heads or looked away. Those normally haughty fellows left me puzzled. Zhuge Sa snickered,

“After getting wiped out in the blink of an eye, there’s no room for them to argue. They probably feel like sticking their heads in the muck and dying.”

True enough.

For some reason, I felt elated and grinned. Was this what it felt like to wield power?

“Though it’s not really your power.”

Ultra belligerent?

I grumbled while issuing the command to summon the Dharma Protectors. Right then, the fierce Su Shin Sect Dharma Guardian Dokgo Jun, Fire Spirit Techniques Dharma Guardian Han Baek-ryeong, and the formidable elders of the Su Shin Sect arrived, and I spoke up,

“I will convey the Sect Leader’s command. Effective immediately, I hereby issue the suppression order against the Nine Great Sects. Execute my command to initiate the suppression operation.”

Han Baek-ryeong, arms crossed, replied,

“We’re weak and powerless, so wouldn’t it be better for you to venture out directly, Deputy Sect Leader?”

Her icy sarcasm dripped off her tongue. Han Baek-ryeong seemed visibly disgruntled with me for some reason. I too wasn’t particularly fond of Han Baek-ryeong in this life, so I didn’t let it rattle me, answering bluntly,

“Considering you possess the Heavenly Spirit Pill, it’s quite audacious for you to say that. If you keep being so sardonic, I’ll have to punish you under the Sect Leader’s authority, so keep that in check.”

“Understood, Deputy Sect Leader.”

I shot Han Baek-ryeong a glare and began issuing orders.

“Dokgo Jun, lead the Su Shin Sect and suppress the Huashan Sect, Hengshan Sect, Wudang Sect, Jianzong Clan, and the Gongdong Sect.”

“Understood.”

“Han Baek-ryeong, lead the Fire Spirit Techniques and suppress the Ami Sect, Kunlun Sect, Zhongnan Sect, Huashan Sect, and Clear Stream Sect.”

“As you wish.”

Han Baek-ryeong responded with a peculiar smile.

“Are you saying you’ll be suppressing the legendary Shaolin Temple all by yourself, Deputy Sect Leader?”

“That’s correct.”

“Impressive.”

I did not respond to Han Baek-ryeong’s subtle jabs. I thought, ‘The Shaolin Temple is on our side. Why would I suppress it?’ Though I could hypothetically put power on display using the Moon Sovereign, there was no reason to engage in pointless conflict when they were already willing to join us. However, there was no need to explain that to Han Baek-ryeong, so I just let it slide.

Also, when it came to the Nine Great Sects, there was actually supposed to be ten Sects; however, due to the Huashan Sect’s sudden rise, it had replaced the defunct Gongdong Sect. While it’d be easier to just call them the Ten Great Sects, there had been a strange antagonism between the Nine Great Sects, thus retaining the previous title.

“One more thing. The Sect Leader instructed to suppress them as much as possible without bloodshed. Bodily harm is permissible, but we must take care not to kill anyone.”

Upon hearing my directive, Dokgo Jun looked incredulous.

“Did the Sect Leader really say that? Why should we cater to the whims of those scoundrels from the Nine Great Sects?”

“You can check for yourself. But by doubting both the Sect Leader and my authority, you won’t gain anything.

“Hmm… I guess I believe you.”

“Stop the suspicion. Damn.”

Annoyed, I slapped the table.

“So move out immediately! Use whatever you need, including the Spirit of Flame, to suppress them as quickly as possible, as per the Sect Leader’s command!”

“Understood.”

I watched as the White Lotus Sect’s officials scattered, confident that the suppression order wouldn’t fail. The sheer difference in power meant they would surrender without a fight, just like twisting an arm of a child. While waiting for the report from the Sect, I decided to train in the Soul Exchange Technique and Three Treasure Technique.

Around four days passed before a report came in, leaving me incredulous as I replied to the messenger,

“What? A failure?”

“That seems to be the case. The reason is…”

Before the messenger could finish, a mischievous thought crossed my mind. This was the perfect chance to rub it in the faces of the Dharma Protectors who had tossed me aside. So, I waved my hand dismissively.

“I want to hear directly from the Dharma Protectors.”

“If that’s the case…”

“Tell them to come.”

Given that rank ruled all, Dokgo Jun and Han Baek-ryeong had no choice but to visit my office. I glared at them and asked,

“Why did you fail?”

Dokgo Jun stood silently for a moment before uttering the shocking reply.

“The Thunder God Lineage interrupted.”

 

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