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“Do you even know what the Offering Ceremony means?”

Primordial Void Ruler tilted his head and shot back his question.

“It means, through the Offering Ceremony, one can acquire rule over the land and divine fortune. It essentially implies becoming the master of the world while also serving as a priest, linking gods and men, right?”

[ … ]

“And I’m aware that summoning the Three Sovereigns could invoke divine miracles through offerings.”

I spoke about the Offering Ceremony as calmly as I could. The Primordial Void Ruler, embodying Cheon Woo-jin, merely flickered his gentle gaze at me, appearing almost emotionless. After observing me for a moment, Primordial Void Ruler spoke.

“You seem informed. I’m not sure where you learned this, but it’s impressive. Now, do you understand why you’re telling me this?”

“Hmm…”

“As you know, I govern fortune. Given my position, why would you bring up the Offering Ceremony to me…”

Looking straight at him, I replied, “You are indeed the embodiment of Sanqing of the Celestial Realm, one of the highest beings; naturally, it’s reasonable to discuss this with you. It would be bizarre to bring it up with just a mere Great Immortal.”

[ Hmph. ]

“I just want to know if you would grant me the right to do so.”

Previously, I had tried to avoid troubling the Primordial Void Ruler by asking Queen Mother of the West. But now that I realized she would dislike granting the right to the Offering Ceremony, direct requests to the Primordial Void Ruler, who might be at her level or even higher, seemed the faster and easier route.

Then, the Primordial Void Ruler remarked, “That is possible. However, are you prepared to offer sufficient offerings?”

This was where it got serious. I needed to be judicious about the treasures I had in this life. This Offering Ceremony wasn’t a one-time deal; it would allow me to gain Huaying through successive steps. Therefore, I had already discussed how to distribute these treasures with the Zhuge Clan. I recalled carefully and then spoke.

“I’ll present this.”

With a flourish, I revealed the gems and precious metals I had largely amassed from Pirate Island, along with the landlord’s inner dan. Had I converted it to currency in the Jianghu, I might have quickly become one of the wealthiest individuals in a realm. However, the Primordial Void Ruler examined my offerings carefully and shook his head.

[ This is insufficient. ]

I believed the Primordial Void Ruler’s assessment was accurate. Unlike the greedy Southern Flower Immortal, the expression on the Primordial Void Ruler’s face remained stoic. It appeared that material wealth would not suffice to please the immortals. Reluctantly, I included the Twin Broadswords of the infamous Shu Han Emperor, Liu Bei.

[ Oh… this Divine Sword… hmmm… ]

The Primordial Void Ruler seemed to contemplate deeply, marking the level of my negotiation. After a lengthy pause, he finally spoke.

[ I could request more, but first, let me ask. Why do you wish to conduct the Offering Ceremony? ]

“Must you know? Ultimately, it’s the Three Sovereigns’ call; revealing preemptively might just annoy them.”

[ Clever thinking. It’s more perilous to grant rights to those with unclean intentions. Consider it a system of pre-examination by the Celestial Realm to alleviate their troubles. ]

“…….”

[ Just go ahead and say it. I’ll discern the importance of the offerings thereafter. ]

It seemed unavoidable. I had no choice but to divulge to the Primordial Void Ruler.

“I discovered the whereabouts of Huaying and intend to secure permission from the Three Sovereigns to obtain it.”

[ Huaying!! ]

The Primordial Void Ruler looked at me with intrigue.

[ What do you plan to achieve with the Seven Luminaries, as a mere human? Do you seek to become an Emperor? ]

“I have no desire to become an Emperor. I merely have my own uses for it.”

[ What use is that? ]

“I cannot disclose that.”

When I firmly cut him off, the Primordial Void Ruler shot me a strange look. It was a risky comment for someone like me, who needed to obtain the rights to the Offering Ceremony, but it was unavoidable. I instinctively felt it would be dangerous to spill everything to an enigmatic figure like the Primordial Void Ruler. Yet, strangely enough, I had this odd confidence that he would understand my words.

After a moment of contemplation, the Primordial Void Ruler finally said, “Alright. I will grant you the right to the Offering Ceremony with this offering.”

“Thank you. However, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”

[ What is it? ]

With a sly grin, I said, “I received intel that the Celestial Realm is being spied on by phantoms. This conversation might even be monitored by them. Apparently, the location is the Heavenly Altar of Mount Tai; what should I do?”

The Primordial Void Ruler appeared taken aback. [ Is that true? ]

“Absolutely. I stake my life on its truth.”

He pondered momentarily and then stated, [ Very well. I will command Cheon Woo-jin to suppress those phantoms. ]

I interrupted, “That won’t suffice. There’s a powerful Demon Sorcerer stationed at Mount Tai, and stronger support is necessary. Moreover, he’s exceedingly cautious, so significant power is required.”

[ What do you propose? ]

Opportunity had arisen!

“The rebel Zhuge Yulong of the Celestial Realm is an evil and formidable foe, so command the Overlay Technique to deal with him. Isn’t that sufficient for the Law of Cause and Effect?”

I couldn’t hastily give Divine Fever to strengthen Cheon Woo-jin, since he’d need to continue helping later. If Cheon Woo-jin was not sufficiently strong, eliminating the targets would be impossible, so I decided to borrow the Celestial Realm’s strength.

If the Celestial Realm’s Overlay Technique directly intervenes, even the Imperial Palace Forces and Zhuge Yulong would be in for a severe beating. Additionally, using the correct Law of Cause and Effect, even the Old Ruler would find it challenging to intervene.

[ Then, what of Yeodong-bin? ]

“No! As his predecessor, I must conduct the Offering Ceremony.”

[ Very well. Then send another. ]

“Just a reminder, Zhuge Yulong can create replicated bodies to sustain himself, so all suspicious entities must be eliminated. He has a base near the Five Great Mountains’ Heavenly Altar.”

[ That sounds prudent. I shall take my leave now… ]

The troubled Primordial Void Ruler vanished, appearing hurried.

Moments later, Cheon Woo-jin regained consciousness, his face twisted in disbelief. “Offering Ceremony…? Where in the world did you learn such information? The right to the Offering Ceremony? That’s absurd!”

I replied casually, “I already spoke with your older brother.”

“Ugh, my older brother…?”

When Mangnyang was mentioned, Cheon Woo-jin fell silent. I continued leisurely.

“Also, I’d like a bit of assistance from you for the Offering Ceremony. After all, I canceled the command to eliminate Zhuge Yulong that might have been placed upon you.”

Cheon Woo-jin exploded, “Don’t be ridiculous. How much further do you plan to exploit me?”

“Think about it. Nobody seems to know what’s up with the Seven Luminaries. If I were you, I’d get closer to the source to discover their motives and goals.”

“……”

“I also have sorcerers available for the Offering Ceremony. If you’re not interested, just walk away.”

As I slightly turned my head, Cheon Woo-jin barked, “I’ll do it!”

When I turned my gaze back, he had a deeply conflicted expression.

“I said I’d do it.”

“Good decision.”

“But I have one question; do you genuinely know the location of Huaying? Are you confident you can obtain it?”

“Follow me and you’ll find out.”

“Hah, I guess there’s no other way…”

He sighed, and I couldn’t help but be impressed in my thoughts.

‘ Mangnyang really knows Cheon Woo-jin’s psychology well…’

The arguments I used to lure Cheon Woo-jin were, in fact, advice from Mangnyang before he went off to train at the Zhuge Clan’s Inner Gate. I couldn’t help but admire how timely and appropriate Mangnyang’s wisdom had become right here.

And just then, as I exited the village with Cheon Woo-jin, the skies began to rumble ominously.

Rumble… rumble…

A massive thundercloud formed above the village, radiating an immense spirit power that sent shudders through us just from observing it from afar. Suddenly, something white shot out from that thundercloud and descended upon the village, causing a storm of lightning to erupt.

‘Ugh, I must avoid this!’

I quickly employed the Soul Removal Technique to create distance from the village, while Cheon Woo-jin was also utilizing his Qi Mobility to evade it. The sound of thunder boomed even louder in my ears.

Crack!

At a distance of about a hundred meters, I was watching the chaos with curiosity when I turned to Cheon Woo-jin. “What’s happening there?”

Cheon Woo-jin, observing the turmoil beside me, replied curtly, “Didn’t you ask the Celestial Realm to summon the Overlay Technique? They’ve already wrapped up their meeting and dispatched the Overlay Technique to hit Zhuge Yulong. It seems they’re getting clearance from my master, the Guardian of Dao, before embarking on their mission.”

“Dispatched? Right now?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

I stared at Cheon Woo-jin, bewildered. “There’s no medium or spirit medium. Even with an Overlay Technique, fighting in spirit form would be burdensome.”

Yeodong-bin had waited a thousand years for a dharma protector, so there had to be a reason. No matter how powerful the Overlay Technique might be, without a body, it couldn’t wield its full strength. This human realm requires both spirit and body to coexist. No matter how potent the Overlay Technique, without a suitable medium, it wouldn’t unleash even a tenth of its power.

Cheon Woo-jin replied, “There exists a single Overlay Technique in the Celestial Realm that can independently descend and engage in battle without needing any mediators or spirit mediums. This is because it was originally a demon king who attained enlightenment and became an Overlay Technique.”

Rumble…

As Cheon Woo-jin watched the thunderstorm subside, he added, “Let’s move away from here. Once King Mi-hu receives his stay permit from my master, it’s bound to turn into chaos, and we should avoid being caught up in it.”

I was taken aback. ‘King Mi-hu, the Demon King!’

Wasn’t that the one I faced while trying to breach the barrier with the Offering Arrow? He had a half-human, half-ape appearance, riding clouds and wielding a giant staff—an unforgettable sight. It seemed King Mi-hu intended to hunt Zhuge Yulong at the behest of the Celestial Realm.

Suddenly, with a booming crash, massive clouds surged forward like a wave over the horizon. This seemed to signal King Mi-hu’s passage. As the last traces of his silhouette vanished, I stared dumbfounded, and Cheon Woo-jin grimaced.

“He’s using his Kundu-yun technique. Does he enjoy showing off his treasures like that?!”

“Do you know much about King Mi-hu?”

“Famous figure in the Celestial Realm.”

I pondered for a moment and suggested, “Please tell me about King Mi-hu later. I’m curious if he can effectively eliminate Zhuge Yulong…”

After all, King Mi-hu might become an adversary down the line. It wouldn’t hurt to know more about him.

Cheon Woo-jin snorted. “Hah! Why would you concern yourself with that? There’s nothing in this world that should worry you about King Mi-hu.”

“What do you mean? I might have concerns.”

“I already told you. He was a demon king who attained enlightenment, now an Overlay Technique. At the same time, he possesses the might of a Great Demon! How do you think a mortal could tackle that?”

“……!!”

“Let’s hurry and conduct the Offering Ceremony. With King Mi-hu taking the lead, Zhuge Yulong is as good as dead.”

Is it really that easy? Just by observing Cheon Woo-jin’s confident declarations, I could gauge the immense power of the Overlay Technique’s King Mi-hu.

‘I shouldn’t rush towards Mount Tai right now.’

As much as I wanted to witness King Mi-hu annihilate Zhuge Yulong, there was a real risk of being caught in the crossfire and meeting my demise. My past life had more than taught me the prowess of the Overlay Technique; I wouldn’t dare risk my current skill level against it.

“… then please wait right here a moment.”

I decided to leave Cheon Woo-jin there and write to the Zhuge Clan about my plans. While a part of me was eager to conduct the Offering Ceremony at any of the Five Great Mountains’ Heavenly Altars, summoning the Three Sovereigns would create a grand upheaval in the surroundings. It would be wise to perform the ceremony at Mount Tai. To do that, I’d need to wait for King Mi-hu to finish dealing with the Imperial Palace Forces there.

“Zhuge Clan, catch!”

Upon arriving at the Zhuge Clan in Jangryeong Valley, I swiftly shared what I experienced during the Offering Ceremony, encapsulated within an obsidian stone. Upon receiving and digging into my memories, the Zhuge Clan elder wore an intrigued expression.

“You did well.”

“What should we do next?”

“Given the situation, we need to rearrange our plans.”

The elder thought for a moment and concluded, “Baek Woong, since we’re at this point, go with Cheon Woo-jin to the Xuyou’s obsidian mine and extract a large piece of obsidian. With Cheon Woo-jin’s sorcery, you should manage it within a few days. After obtaining that, proceed to Mount Tai for the Offering Ceremony.”

“Understood.”

I returned to where Cheon Woo-jin was and set off together toward Xuyou’s obsidian mine. The look on his face was utterly contorted as we unexpectedly arrived at this foreign mine.

“What is this? Why are we here? Wasn’t the Offering Ceremony our goal?”

“Since King Mi-hu will likely be smashing up everything near the Five Great Mountains, going there right now is risky. So, help me out here. We’re compatriots, right?”

Cheon Woo-jin exploded again. “Not a chance! Who works for free without compensation? Hand over some extra pay first!”

“……”

Reluctantly, I handed over some gold bars I obtained from the ruins. Cheon Woo-jin examined the gold and said, “Hmm, so we need to extract that giant obsidian. But if we do, the mine might collapse—the situation is troublesome.”

I nodded, “We need to build a supporting structure to pull it out; it’s complex.”

Throughout my reincarnations, despite knowing the whereabouts of the giant obsidian, I only dared to extract it once due to its challenging nature and inefficiency. Having succeeded once by sheer luck, repeating the process felt overwhelmingly taxing.

As Cheon Woo-jin studied the giant obsidian, he stretched out both hands and declared, “Hasty Method of Changing Layers!”

Bang!

In the next moment, a thud resonated outside the mine. I turned in surprise only to hear Cheon Woo-jin say, “I’ve already shifted the obsidian outside. I replaced it with similarly-sized minerals to stabilize the layers.”

“What kind of sorcery is that?!”

Cheon Woo-jin shrugged it off with a chuckle, “This is sorcery you’re unfamiliar with. You can’t even use the basic Daoist techniques correctly, so don’t question me.”

“……”

Reflecting on everything, I realized the key reason I couldn’t succeed in making Cheon Woo-jin my ally all this time was that he had quite a few astonishing capabilities.

‘You little punk… One day I’ll master my own astonishing sorcery and show you!’

I grimaced inwardly, resolute on elevating my sorcery by any means in this life.

 

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