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I decided to head to the Brain Sound Temple first to figure out the situation with the clone of Chi You. Once the plan was set, Mangnyang said to me,

“Baek Woong, the lamas at the Brain Sound Temple have a significant hostility towards Central Plains people. It’s only natural since that area has had frequent disputes with the Central Plains since ancient times.”

According to Mangnyang, the lamas at the Brain Sound Temple were all martial monks who had mastered martial arts and secret techniques to a high level, classifying them as Martial World Forces. Furthermore, due to their high hostility, the experts from the Central Plains often clashed with them.

“What should we do?”

“There are various strategies, but they’re all just talk. The best approach is to prepare gifts for them and approach with caution.”

“Got it.”

Having previously wandered with the Zhuge Clan, I remembered the way to the area quickly.

Pa-at!

‘From here…’

After reaching the Qingzhang Plateau in Tubo, I used the Heavenly Secret Technique to find and summon a lama spirit. The lama that appeared was the same Karana Lama I had summoned before, an accomplished monk from the Western Vajrayana. For some reason, I felt a warm familiarity and greeted him.

“Nice to see you, Karana Lama.”

In a past life, Karana Lama had once guided me to the sacred site of the Baehwa Sect. Of course, while we were familiar with each other, it was his first time meeting me.

[ Hmm… do you know me? The one who wields the Heavenly Secret’s sorcery, what do you want from me?]

“I wish to go to the Brain Sound Temple. Please guide me there and help interpret their language for our conversation.”

[ It’s not a difficult task, but you have two requests. Can I extinguish two of your flames?]

I wasn’t keen on using two of my Heavenly Secret flames for this, so I waved my hands in protest.

“No, that’s not acceptable. I can find the way myself; just provide the translation, will you?”

[ ……]

After a moment of consideration, Karana Lama finally said,

[ Fine. I’ll accommodate both requests with just one flame. ]

“Thank you.”

Karana Lama seemed to be quite generous. Soon, he possessed me and we began to run, covering an estimated three hundred li before suddenly changing direction and racing another five hundred li.

‘What a distance…’

We soon descended from the plateau and entered a mysterious mountain range, crossing it as Karana Lama navigated effortlessly, following a path known only to him.

Swish!

After eight spins of his strange movements, a mysterious fog covering everywhere lifted, revealing a small path. Without hesitation, Karana Lama followed that path downward, and before long, a large Western-style buddha temple emerged in the valley.

[ That is the Brain Sound Temple. ]

[ Hmm…!! ]

As Karana Lama brought me up to the main gate of the Brain Sound Temple, suddenly, five iron cages flew in from the surroundings and attacked me. Utilizing his own martial arts skill, Karana Lama evaded the attacks, but each strike was at a notable first-rate level. The presence of intangible techniques indicated that these lamas had extensively trained in top-tier martial arts for many years.

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by five lamas, the leader of whom shouted,

“Who dares? How dare a Central Plains man intrude upon our territory!”

“Let’s kill him!”

Since Karana Lama was possessing me, his words were naturally translated into my ears. Responding in their dialect, Karana Lama said,

“I am Karana. Due to circumstances, I cannot wait for the silence of the Kalpa and have borrowed another’s body to return home. You should not raise weapons against a fellow soul who shares the same fate.”

“What?”

Karana Lama performed a formal greeting with one hand.

[ Dvapara Karki. ]

As his fluency in the Western dialect stirred them, the lamas showed visible signs of unease. The highest-ranking lama among them stepped forward, speaking with doubtful tones.

“You look unmistakably like a Central Plains person. How do you know the secret lamas’ welcoming greetings?”

“My host is indeed a Central Plains person, but I have possessed his spirit. I am Karana Lama, the senior disciple of Alki Lama. Communicate my identity to your current abbot, and I will wait for your news.”

“Hmm… Wait!”

Moments later, several lamas entered and exited, greeting me simultaneously.

“Follow us!”

I followed them inside. We were led to a massive structure that appeared to be the Great Hero Hall, where I met a small lama with a distinctly odd appearance sitting in the center. Upon seeing him, I was greatly startled.

‘Oh man… that martial arts level is…!!’

In spite of his unassuming appearance, the internal power and kinship aura this little lama emanated were astounding. Perhaps he could be ranked among the top three martial arts masters in the Central Plains? I never expected a peak expert of such caliber to be a representative of the Brain Sound Temple, so it seemed only natural.

The abbot of the Brain Sound Temple raised his face covered in a face full of age spots and glanced at me.

“You… are indeed Karana… it’s good to see you…”

Karana Lama looked surprised and replied,

“Yorhan?! You are still alive!”

“Hehehe… What a pleasant surprise to see a colleague like you.”

Yorhan, whose voice sounded like he was choking on phlegm, laughed heartily.

“It seems you never imagined I would still be alive after turning over two hundred and eighty years old…”

“Yorhan… your cultivation has reached an extraordinary level.”

“I’ve outlived Alki.”

“It truly has been a long time.”

As the two lamas greeted each other, I felt inner confusion.

‘What? The abbot of the Brain Sound Temple, Yorhan, has lived for over two hundred and eighty years?’

Is it even possible for a human to live that long?

If so, Yorhan’s power and cultivation were undoubtedly much greater than I had initially judged. While I was trying to gather my surprised thoughts, the Brain Sound Temple abbot, Yorhan, continued.

“Karana… You seem to be experiencing the effects of a mighty sorcery…”

“Indeed. My host came looking for something at the Brain Sound Temple. Please provide a good answer.”

“Hmm… This is unsettling…”

Yorhan spoke as if he found something unsatisfactory.

“That sorcery… grants rest rights at the time of the apocalypse… but whether that rest is genuine or not has yet to be confirmed. It could be a sweet lie… or the truth…”

Karana Lama sighed heavily.

“Sigh! I am like you. After many years of austerity in the wilderness searching for the will of the gods, I have learned nothing. Yet, I have not fulfilled my purpose and faced death, leaving me with no choice but to cling to my last hope.”

“Hehehe… Such is karma…”

What on earth are they talking about?

After a while, Yorhan said,

“Return the body to him… answer his questions as he wishes.”

“Understood.”

As Karana Lama returned to my inner self, I took over the front. However, he had not been dismissed and remained in a corner of my consciousness, presumably for translating for the Western dialect. Sure enough, Yorhan’s words flowed smoothly translated into my ears like Central Plains speech.

“You who command Karana Lama, what brings you to the Brain Sound Temple?”

I used Karana Lama’s ability to respond in the Western dialect.

“I came to learn about the ancient being, the avatar of Chi You.”

“Chi You…”

“As far as I know, there are a total of eight avatars of Chi You, and I sought to know if the Brain Sound Temple possesses any information regarding them.”

The abbot Yorhan paused before replying.

“Of course, we are aware…”

“Please tell me!”

“But, may I ask why you want to know? Do you intend to kill Chi You?”

I hesitated on how to respond to Yorhan’s question but eventually answered,

“I am an apostle of Jeon Wook from the Three Sovereigns. And the command given to me by Jeon Wook is to find Chi You, thus I wish to uncover the whereabouts of the avatars to locate him. There was no order to kill him.”

Typically, such a reply would get me labeled as a madman. In the Martial World of Central Plains, very few believe in the existence of the Three Sovereigns, and virtually no one understands the concept of an apostle. Though I hesitated to speak this truth to Yorhan, I figured I had to state the fact to avoid the impression of deception.

After a moment, Yorhan’s gravelly voice responded,

“I see… the heavens are stirred… the deep incident of the Sea God’s downfall… that was accomplished by you, the apostle of the gods.”

“…!! You know of the death of the Sea God?”

“Certainly… we received the heavenly secrets too…”

Yorhan seemed to grasp my situation well. He was not merely the head of the Brain Sound Temple but also well-versed in mystical secrets. It seemed he had a good understanding of the Three Sovereigns and apostles. After taking a moment to consider his words, Yorhan said,

“You are indeed a great hero… I will be generous in what I reveal… but first, I would like to hear a promise from you…”

Yorhan began to use formal language with me. Confused, I responded,

“What promise?”

“Once I pass on the information regarding the avatars, Chi You will seek to destroy our Brain Sound Temple… because you infringed upon his taboo…”

“……”

“But I am not afraid… Life and death are one in this world… I would suggest you refrain from confronting Chi You directly… instead, gather traces to hand over to the Three Sovereigns…”

“What are you saying?”

I retorted to Yorhan.

“If Chi You’s avatar came to eradicate you all, that would be an opportunity. I would capture and defeat that clone for you!”

“…Do you not understand that Chi You is a deity?”

“What do you mean?”

Yorhan sighed deeply.

“Fighting a being known as a deity… is not as simple as you think…”

“The avatars of Chi You will not directly confront you, and he can influence the world at will to wipe us out…”

“You might end up facing the wrath of his pawns instead of his true form, and in turn, all your heroics may be revealed, causing your demise.”

Not managing to grasp his words completely, I scratched my head.

“Yorhan, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, so I can’t quite understand what you’re saying. Could you explain a bit more simply?”

“The avatars of Chi You rarely engage directly, just like the Sea God you have vanquished… They understand human nature and manipulate everything from the darkest corners to the brightest.”

Yorhan’s profound gaze turned towards me.

“Chi You is not one to confront strength with strength… he is the most cunning being in the world. You may already be caught in his schemes without knowing it…”

“Umm…”

“Hence, should you attempt to eliminate the Brain Sound Temple, Chi You will never take up the mantle himself but will operate through his minions… just as the clashes between the Central Plains Martial World and our Brain Sound Temple were orchestrated by Chi You… He takes pleasure in cunning schemes…”

“…”

“Even if your strength is enough to defeat the Sea God, the chance to confront Chi You’s avatar directly will be virtually nonexistent… Chi You will avoid a head-on conflict with you at all costs.”

I was incredulous and replied,

“Then what’s the point of getting information on the avatars? What’s the use of knowing about beings like him?”

“It is useful… you will understand once you hear me out.”

Finally, we were getting to the main topic.

“Tell me.”

“The eight avatars of Chi You are known as the Eight Guardians… or the Eight Divine Guardians.”

I was taken aback by what Yorhan said.

“The Eight Guardians! Aren’t they the protective deities of Buddhism?”

“Indeed… literally… these Eight Guardians have existed since the Mythological Age and are involved in the esoteric parts of Tianzhu mythology… However, unlike what is known publicly, they are indeed the avatars of Chi You.”

“…”

Eight Guardians! They are known as various names in Buddhist culture: Tian Ren, Dragons, Yacha, Thief Gangs, Asuras, Garudas, Gin Nara, and Mahuragas, accompanying the Four Heavenly Kings and tasked with protecting the law. They are sometimes worshipped as gods. Although I had studied Buddhism and scriptures to some extent, I never imagined the Eight Guardians themselves would be the avatars of Chi You!

Yorhan continued.

“According to the texts preserved in our Brain Sound Temple, the Eight Guardians possesses shapeshifting abilities and divine capabilities.”

“Divine capabilities?”

“It means dismissing the essence of the material realm to become a spirit entity, utilizing formidable powers. It represents the pinnacle of sorcery.”

At that moment, snippets of old conversation echoed in my mind.

[ His power certainly does not stem from magic, but from the power of Theosis.]

[ Earlier, I remarked on Ivan IV’s strength that it’s not magic, right? That statement is correct. He became obsessed with curing his ailments and delved into the power of Theosis.]

[ As explained, Theosis refers to a human who approaches the level of a god, being termed as such by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Ivan IV could be classified as a semi-divine being.]

This was spoken by the Taoist Monk Belov during my confrontation with the insane king of the Arasa Empire, Ivan IV. They referred to Ivan IV’s state as Theosis and described him as being close to a semi-divine being. It seems that while he was not a demon, he had transformed into an incredibly powerful spirit entity, wielding the forces of the natural world through Theosis.

A chill went down my spine.

‘Damn…’

Ivan IV, merely a frail human, had transformed into such a potent being that one had to unleash the Seven Luminaries to engage with him. How much more powerful would these avatars, originally blessed by divine beings like Chi You and possessing Theosis, become? It seemed that the Eight Guardians would indeed pose a significant challenge. Additionally, if they preferred cunning tactics over direct confrontation, facing them would become even more troublesome.

During my silent contemplation, Yorhan continued speaking.

“As I mentioned, the Eight Guardians shapeshift and operate covertly in human society… They could be an ordinary passerby, a seductive woman, a government official, a monk or a Taoist, or a martial artist… They have been observing humans for thousands of years while relaying information back to Chi You.”

“If they’re shapeshifting like that, how on earth can we find them?”

“There are two methods…”

Yorhan replied.

“You could directly attack them with powerful law books or treasures, martial arts, or sorcery that can shatter their shapeshifting abilities… Or alternatively, you’d have to borrow the power of the First Characters.”

The first option was futile. If I didn’t even know they were transformed, a direct attack would be futile. I perked up at the mention of the latter method.

“What are the First Characters?”

“Chi You is the entity that invented writing for humanity… However, his invention of writing was known to bring disaster upon humanity… It seems that this caused Chi You’s roots to become subservient to writing… Therefore, Chi You and his kin are vulnerable to the power of the First Characters.”

“Could that writing possibly be Chinese characters?”

“I can’t say for certain…”

“Why not? Chi You must have invented Chinese characters.”

Yorhan replied.

“I can’t say for certain… There is a good chance he invented more than just Chinese characters.”

“……!!”

“He is a divine being intertwined with the mysteries that transcend human history… what the First Characters are remains unclear for now…”

This meant we had to investigate to discover what the First Characters originally were. Knowing what the “First Characters” are would become crucial in contending against the historical emperor, Chi You, and his kin.

“Follow me, hero…”

Yorhan led me to a library where he picked out twenty books and handed them to me. They all appeared to be complex texts filled with unfamiliar writings that would be hard to interpret. Some couldn’t even be properly identified as they looked to be in otherworldly languages. Surprised, I remarked,

“Is this a Grimoire?”

“Though not written directly by a deity, it is a work of a human sorcerer elaborated upon through the ages… Regardless, it contains secrets of the Divine Age… Make sure to interpret it well to obtain information on Chi You.”

“Thank you.”

So it turns out the Brain Sound Temple had a low-level Grimoire containing information about Chi You! I said to Yorhan,

“I will ensure Chi You cannot recklessly attack this place. I will do my best to protect it.”

Yorhan replied with a hint of bitterness.

“Life and death are meaningless… do not worry too much about it…”

“……?”

Why does he find life and death meaningless?

I felt puzzled but said my farewells and returned to Jangryeong Valley. There, I told Zhuge Sa, Mangnyang, Cheon Woo-jin, and the others about my findings and presented them with the low-level Grimoire among other books.

As Zhuge Sa skimmed through the low-level Grimoire, he remarked,

“It’s definitive. There is a value in interpreting this.”

“How long will it take?”

“Well, even if the Grimoire is of lower rank, interpreting it won’t be quick… unless we actively communicate to lift the seal, it will take at least three months.”

After mulling over that, Zhuge Sa continued,

“We need to investigate the First Characters, which can potentially undermine Chi You. Mangnyang!”

At Zhuge Sa’s call, Mangnyang nodded affirmatively,

“We need to interpret ancient manuscripts including Oracle Bone Script.”

“Wait a moment. Let’s start once I’ve interpreted this Grimoire.”

Zhuge Sa acknowledged,

“You’re trying to negotiate favorably with the prophet, huh?”

Mangnyang added,

“Exactly. Until then, Mangnyang, focus on learning sorcery from Cheon Woo-jin based on your strengthened Qi. And Baek Woong, start bringing the Sword Demon here.”

“The Sword Demon?”

“If Han Baek-ryeong rated him like that previously, the Sword Demon has likely mastered the Twin Sword Technique by now. Rather than leaving him be, let’s harness him as a solid force.”

What Zhuge Sa said made sense.

“Understood.”

Listening to Zhuge Sa, I immediately moved towards the Han Clan.

However, upon arriving at the Han Clan, an unexpected scene awaited me.

[ Good to see you, Apostle of the Gods… ]

Thud!

I looked around. In an instant, all members of the Han Clan were subdued and bound, and Han Jin-seong was also kneeling there bloodied. A figure shrouded in a mask of anonymity sat casually in Han Clan Leader’s chair, gazing at me intently.

“……!!”

Beside him lay Han Baek-ryeong, covered in blood, clearly having fought valiantly, as the surrounding area was reduced to rubble. Standing on Han Baek-ryeong’s back was a Dharma Guardian from the Su Shin Sect, adorned with a golden dragon mask.

With gleaming eyes, the Master of the White Lotus Sect spoke,

[ I wish to forge an alliance with you. ]

 

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