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Right after, Mangnyang got all engrossed in digging through every library he knew across various places to learn about the “First Character”, while Cheon Woo-jin decided to head towards a place with strong spirit energy to strengthen Zhuge Sa’s seal. Mangnyang turned to me.

“Baek Woong. First, go to the secret library underground of the Arasa Empire.”

“You mean, to get the book that was written about Chi You?”

Mangnyang nodded.

“Unlike during the time with Nuo Yi, Chi You didn’t react at all when that book was touched. It seems Chi You has put a spell that reacts to books or information related to him spread across the world, but he must not have applied it to the inventory of books held by the Great Race of the Prophet.”

“Hmm…”

Sounds plausible. It’s good to have a backup plan in case we can’t get information from the Prophet. I decided to follow Mangnyang’s advice.

“Zhuge Sa’s magical power is beyond imagination.”

Before leaving, Cheon Woo-jin frowned.

“This treasure can’t seal him for long.”

“You mean the Land and Earth Diagram can’t seal Zhuge Sa either?”

“Didn’t you see the rejection earlier? There’s not enough capacity. The Wooden Armor you have is probably the same.”

Cheon Woo-jin bluntly continued.

“It’s limited in sealing a powerful being with a treasure. With 40% of the world’s top-level grimoire secured, it’s natural, but Zhuge Sa’s pure magical power has reached its peak, so there’s nothing to be done.”

Zhuge Sa has grown that strong?

Cheon Woo-jin slightly lifted the Land and Earth Diagram and pushed it towards me.

“I’ll try to strengthen my spirit power and hold him off as much as I can, but even so, I can’t guarantee more than ten days. At most, it’ll be ten days, so prepare your mind.”

Ten days.

It was an ambiguous amount of time, so I frowned. Suddenly realizing something from Cheon Woo-jin’s words, I asked back.

“Prepare my mind?”

“To kill Zhuge Sa with your own hands.”

“……!!”

“Killing him now would be ideal, but well…”

Cheon Woo-jin spoke calmly.

“If Zhuge Sa falls under the Demon King’s subordinates, he’ll become ten times stronger than now. At that point, Zhuge Sa himself will become a calamity. It’s better to cut off Zhuge Sa’s breath through Huayou and absorb that power before it happens.”

I gripped Cheon Woo-jin by the collar.

“I told you, I won’t do that!”

“Huh. Reborn Person Baek Woong, is that your will to protect your comrades’ lives?”

“Yeah.”

Cheon Woo-jin shrugged me off, ignoring my internal power. He must have used Divine Being’s peculiar technique. He shot me a glare filled with annoyance.

“I truly loathe sorcerers like Zhuge Sa, and I really dislike you as well, but that attitude is nothing but self-satisfaction.”

“What?”

“So what are you going to do about it? It’s only because I’m at a level where I can seal Zhuge Sa with a treasure for ten days that I’m able to do this. A sorcerer who has secured 40% of the power of a top-tier grimoire has already surpassed human standards. Any sealing technique in this world is almost ineffective. If you talk big, why don’t you suggest a way?”

As I fell silent, Cheon Woo-jin growled instead.

“I won’t say you should pursue maximum efficiency through human sacrifice as Zhuge Sa suggested. But if there’s no way, it’s better to kill him to strengthen Huayou. Older Brother has probably already thought of this method, but since it’s his blood relation, he won’t be able to say it, so I’m saying it for you.”

“But what exactly is left after going that far?”

I replied with difficulty.

“Am I supposed to keep living while sacrificing my comrades’ lives as if they were resources, again and again? That’s…”

“You’re no different from the Master of the White Lotus Sect or the Master of the Twelve Joules,” he stated.

“… Yeah.”

Then Cheon Woo-jin laughed in disbelief.

“Ha! You don’t have the right to criticize those guys right now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“They had conviction. And you do too, but you seem to be mistaking something crucial. You’re not trying to spare the lives of your allies for Zhuge Sa’s sake; you’re just making excuses to protect your own mental strength.”

“……!!”

“I understand, but I can’t empathize. But at least prepare your own answer.”

His gaze turned icy.

“I mean, come up with a solution, not an excuse.”

Whoosh!

In the next moment, Cheon Woo-jin disappeared. He just poured out what he wanted to say and left. I was annoyed by his attitude, but more than that, my heart ached. His words touched the contradictions I had held inside me until now.

‘Dammit…’

Protecting the bond with my comrades and pursuing righteousness for the greater good.

That would be the ideal behavior, but what confronts me now is a reality that can’t be dealt with by such idealism. Trying to save Zhuge Sa, who made a contract with the Demon King, would only lead to a blunder where I get played by Chi You’s hands. Yet, there wasn’t exactly a way to seal him either. There is no best option, only a choice between the lesser evils in this frustrating situation.

And the problem isn’t just this moment. In the future, I would have to constantly weigh my comrades’ lives against efficiency while reincarnating. I would face even more frustrating and tormenting choices than now.

I would have to make a choice each time. Cheon Woo-jin must have anticipated that situation because he saw my memories from my past lives and decided to make a cold judgment as a third party for me to decide my mind in advance. It was obvious that unless I did, the same worries would repeat over and over.

“……”

Not an excuse, a solution.

I murmured that phrase as I headed toward the Prophet. A sharp word is a sharp word, but for now, I have to move a bit more to find a method.

Pa-at!

I cast the Golden Lamp to head to the secret library of the [Great Race] in the Arasa Empire.

Bang!

“Ugh?!”

But suddenly, I felt like I was being bounced back, and I was thrown into the snowy mountains near Moscow. Judging by the castle I could see from a distance, it seemed I had bounced back about ten miles. This was a phenomenon I had experienced before, where one could not enter due to a barrier.

‘The secret library has a barrier set up, unlike before…’

Was the [Great Race] feeling the need to protect their knowledge repository due to the sudden changes in the situation? They must have set up a powerful barrier that could not be penetrated even with the Golden Lamp’s teleportation ability.

I used the Suspicious Fishhook to report the situation to Mangnyang. Then, Mangnyang, who had been intensely interpreting, spoke up.

[Baek Woong. Then don’t force your way in, go negotiate with the Prophet.]

[If I use Apostle’s Power, I should be able to break through that barrier…]

[It’s not just an outer protective barrier. There’s a guardian inside, or each book likely has a tracking spell placed on it. Would a race as obsessed with knowledge as the [Great Race] not do that?]

[Hmm, that makes sense.]

[I could forcefully take it out, but giving an impression of being a thief right before negotiating with the Prophet won’t do. If absolutely necessary, I can do it later.]

[Got it.]

I felt regretful, but as Mangnyang said, it was impossible to take books out of the secret library right now. So I cast the Golden Lamp and arrived in front of the Prophet in Astana.

“Prophet. I am Baek Woong.”

[Oh… Are you the Apostle of the Three Sovereigns?]

The greeting was different. In past lives, the Prophet would always greet humans who suddenly appeared in his dwelling, but this time he recognized me as an Apostle as soon as he saw me. I stared intently at the Prophet and said.

“Prophet, do you know me?”

[Of course… You’re the great hero who defeated the Sea God… and… an Apostle chosen by the Three Sovereigns… Your achievements are quite famous.]

The Prophet exhibited quite a curious demeanor. I wondered if he hadn’t seen the mark that identified me as a reborn person yet and responded.

“I’ve come to make a deal with you. And let me say one thing.”

[What is it…]

I said confidently,

“I am a reborn person.”

[……!!]

The Prophet’s tentacles twitched, and he seemed to conjure a strange symbol in the air. After passing through his confirmation process, the Prophet groaned.

[Indeed… I understand… Because you are a reborn person, you have accumulated the karma to defeat the Sea God in an instant with a human lifespan… But why telling me this?]

“As you know, you branded me with a mark, so hiding it is meaningless. We decided not to hide anything for the sake of mutual trust.”

[Hehe… Seems like you’ve been dealing with me for quite a long time… Do you know my personality…?]

The Prophet seemed to find something amusing. Then he said,

[Alright… State your business. I don’t mind negotiating happily.]

“What I want is information about Chi You. Also why the Demon King has made a move, and the ‘First Character’ that can control Chi You’s avatar.”

[……]

After a long silence, the Prophet spoke.

[Looks like I got caught in a complex game… The winner of this game will seize the dominion of the world… Hmm…]

The Prophet, who had been speaking in an incomprehensible manner, continued.

[Personally, I will withhold my judgment… I cannot predict who would win between you and Chi You… I cannot pick a side.]

“Stop with the useless chatter and just tell me if you can sell the information.”

[Of course, I can trade. Provided an appropriate price is proposed…]

“Here it is.”

Swish!

I pulled out everything from the Wooden Armor, the magical beast summoning bracelet, the Portrait Immortal, the Crystal Stele, and all kinds of miscellaneous treasures. Literally everything except for essentials like the Golden Lamp, Heavenly Secret, and National Seal.

‘This is all that I can mobilize right now.’

In this life, I had accomplished much, and consequently, a considerable amount of treasures accumulated earlier had been consumed. I had withdrawn countless blessings and benefits in exchange for these treasures. So, even though I felt it was still somewhat insufficient, for now, there was no choice but to make do with this to obtain as much information as possible. How much information I acquired from the Prophet would decide how things would play out, so I couldn’t afford to spare any treasures.

As the Prophet gazed at the treasures I had laid out, he said.

[You have quite a lot… But…]

“But what!”

[Chi You has a secrecy treaty with me… So with this, I can’t divulge his secrets… Even what I don’t know…]

“What…?”

[Moreover, except for some of the items you possess, I’m not particularly tempted…]

I felt dazed.

“A secrecy treaty?! Are you lying?”

The Prophet’s tentacles twitched.

[How could I? It’s a treaty I formed with Chi You a long time ago… He had an abnormal obsession with keeping his secrets… Hence, he employed various methods to silence anyone that might figure out his secrets, including me… Although we formed an equal treaty, many who were killed or sealed by Chi You back then…]

“……”

I suddenly recalled when I attempted to activate the National Seal’s functions, and it was sealed by the authority of the junior administrator. Pang Zuo, sensing that he might be searched, had hastily placed a seal on the National Seal, indicating his desperate will to keep his secrets. If Pang Zuo and Chi You were comrades, then Chi You too likely shared the same obsession, if not more, in keeping his secrets.

‘This doesn’t seem like a lie.’

Under those terms, Chi You and Pang Zuo must have been operating in the Central Plains or Western Regions, thoroughly hiding their identities, for thousands of years! But they weren’t just ordinary Great Immortals, but beings at least at the level of Apostles, so what could they be so fearful of to hide their identities so intensely?

“Please wait a moment. Let me think this over.”

[Take your time…]

I crossed my arms as I waited for the Prophet.

‘There’s still hope.’

Although the Prophet spoke of a secrecy treaty, he was essentially a merchant of information. If the price was high enough, he could break the treaty and sell the information, and I had grasped that disposition throughout my reincarnations. In other words, the treasures I presented simply hadn’t met the criteria for him to betray me.

There was a way to make the Prophet open his mouth. However, I hesitated a lot.

‘…Should I offer the National Seal?’

That was really a tough decision.

The National Seal’s value equated to around ten treasures, so that would definitely open the Prophet’s closed mouth. But since the National Seal provided amazing energy to allow the Great Immortal that descended on me to fight against formidable foes, losing it would mean that even if the Supreme Master of Light descended again to fight, it wouldn’t last long, draining my potential before self-destructing.

In other words, if I sacrificed the National Seal for information, I would lose the energy needed to fight against great Apostle-level foes in the future. Naturally, losing such power would be a massive loss, so I was left with no choice but to hesitate.

I finally spoke.

“Prophet. Let’s do it as a post-payment.”

[Post-payment…?]

“I’ll give everything I have now, and I promise to provide the payment I owe later for the missing information. Right now, what I have is simply insufficient.”

The Prophet spoke, seemingly shocked.

[Hmm… No one has offered me post-payment in my entire life.]

“Is there any reason you can’t accept it? Like you said, I’m a hero who defeated the Sea God! Plus, I’m an Apostle of the Three Sovereigns! I promise to make sufficient payment, even if it takes a hundred or two hundred years after this incident is over.”

[……]

Would he actually accept the post-payment proposal?

A moment later, the Prophet stated,

[Not possible.]

“Why?!”

I exclaimed in bewilderment.

“I have the ability to repay! You understand what it means that I’m a reborn person, don’t you?”

[I acknowledge your ability, fame, and qualification… You are indeed an Apostle of the Three Sovereigns… But the reason I refuse post-payment is precisely because you’re a reborn person.]

“What do you mean?”

[Once a reborn person dies and starts again, that’s the end… If you pledge post-payment and something goes awry, you could die… I wouldn’t be able to receive the remainder of that payment… No one can know if even a God can call back your soul with necromancy…]

“……”

[Also, the current situation… is the perfect setup for you to suddenly die…]

It felt like the Prophet was glaring at me with an ill-humored expression.

[You… are at an extremely high risk of making off… from the universe’s highest risks… You’re going to have to pay first…]

Unconditionally upfront payment!

At those words, my head spun. Certainly, now that I’m a reborn person, I hadn’t considered that, but considering I’m a reborn person, it’s inevitable he would think so. As I stood there dazed, the Prophet looked at the treasures that were strewn out, and then spoke.

[However… I can provide information not directly about Chi You… I can divulge the reason the Demon King has made a move… also what his goal is… and about the First Character.]

“Really?”

[I expect the clash between you and Chi You would be quite entertaining… I’ll present it as objectively as I can, so how about this exchange…]

I pondered. Then, I said.

“Alright.”

I could either sacrifice the National Seal or the unliberated Xu You or Zealot to forcibly extract the information. But that could be dealt with in subsequent lives, and if I gave the Seven Luminaries to the Prophet, I had no clue how the Celestial Realm would react. I considered that I still had some trump cards left, so I decided to gather information from the surroundings first.

‘If all else fails, even at the risk of being seen as a thief, I’ll forcibly extract books from the secret library to gain information about Chi You.’

Then, the Prophet began speaking.

[First of all, the reason that being called the Demon King has started moving is simple… He had always been watching the Central Plains cautiously… Because of the Law of Cause and Effect, he could only have fun by seizing human bodies… But recently, someone approached that being and presented him with a treasure that could neutralize the Law of Cause and Effect…]

“A treasure? A treasure item?”

[I can’t say for sure… But a treasure that can nullify the Law of Cause and Effect would be extremely hard to find throughout all of heaven and earth… There might be one or two in the Celestial Realm, but only the parties themselves know what treasure the Demon King has managed to obtain at this time…]

“Hmm.”

[Moreover, this move was intended by one of Chi You’s avatars among the Eight Heavenly Kings… the one called Gin Nara…]

“Gin Nara, huh?”

I asked the Prophet.

“How strong is Gin Nara? What does he look like, and what abilities does he possess?”

[I can’t go into detail because of the secrecy treaty I mentioned earlier… But Gin Nara is the most adept at transformation among the Eight Heavenly Kings and is closest to human form… He acts as the brain for the Eight Kings… Furthermore, as far as I know, Gin Nara already had a close relationship with the Demon King…]

“Hmm, that sounds a bit odd.”

[What’s odd?]

“The Eight Heavenly Kings are the avatars of Chi You. Wouldn’t that mean they would all have a shared goal? Calling one the brain seems a bit strange.”

[Hehe… Avatars are conceptual entities. Unlike Chi You, all other avatars possess their own will… They live as independent beings, just their essence doesn’t change.]

“Hmm!”

This was unexpected information.

The will of the avatar does not necessarily align with that of Chi You. They must follow the main body because orders are given, but their relationship seems more distant than I anticipated.

‘If that’s the case, the Eight Heavenly Kings are essentially eight diverse individuals gathered together with a shared purpose.’

While I was pondering, the Prophet’s words continued.

[As you might guess… your group has touched upon the reverse scale of Chi You, so it is certain that he reacted immediately… Your war has already begun…]

“Tell me about the First Character as well.”

[The First Character… that is related to the incident where Chi You created characters in the Divine Age…]

After a brief delay, the Prophet said.

[Baek Woong… Do you think that any being with life and will considers character essential for developing civilization?]

I answered without hesitation.

“Isn’t it obvious? Without characters, you can’t record knowledge or information, nor can you communicate.”

[No… Not necessarily… Among the various intelligent beings in the universe, there are many who have developed civilization solely through sorcery without feeling the need for characters… Moreover, some deliberately hindered the development of characters due to the associated risks.]

“Characters are dangerous?”

[Characters carry a name… and names define existence…]

A name defines existence?

As I tilted my head at the cryptic words, the Prophet followed up.

[Chi You didn’t just create Chinese characters for humans; he also created the primitive languages and origins for every race across all continents… Although that assisted the speed of civilization development, it imposed restraints upon the very beings of humanity.]

“So, what are these restraints and dangers?”

[Those favored by Chi You wield absolute authority within their language’s territory… Characters interfere with the human unconscious, leading them to obey soul and all… By moving the characters, one indirectly controls the names of beings… and with that control, seizes the essence itself.]

“……!!”

So it means character can dominate names!

[This has been a meticulously structured dominance scheme since ancient times… By becoming subordinate to Chi You through the humans’ characters, they’ve filled the role of collars on livestock.]

I found myself beginning to understand the Prophet’s words.

“… So Chi You wanted to keep reigning over humans all along?”

[I have no idea… But what’s certain is that humanity’s characters have been starkly artificially created… a product of grand sorcery.]

“Anyway, let’s say that’s the case. Does that mean the First Character is Chinese characters?”

[No, that’s not it…]

“Then what?”

After a moment’s pause, the Prophet spoke.

[As far as I know, Chi You created the characters for humans, but it was Huangdi (Yellow Emperor) Gong Sun Xuanwen who permitted that act. When Chi You appeared before the Emperor to request the creation of characters, the Emperor said to Chi You…]

“What did he say?”

[“You must first create a character that proves we have kept our promise. Then offer it to me.”]

“……?”

What promise is he talking about?

And what does “we” mean?

Before I could say a word, the Prophet continued.

[At that, Chi You showed hesitance, claiming that he couldn’t create such characters with his abilities, but the Emperor emphasized that if he did not comply, he would never be granted permission. Thus, Chi You was forced to discard the characters he originally created and start all over again… Eventually, the characters he dedicated to the Emperor satisfied the Emperor, who allowed him to create the rest of the lower characters… and that’s how the Chinese characters and other forms of scripts were ultimately established.]

I let out an involuntary sound.

“That just sounds… complicated.”

[This is something I stumbled upon while acquiring information in the Celestial Realm… It’s a secret that isn’t recorded in our literature.]

“Why did the Emperor request such characters?”

[I don’t know… The Emperor is the most enigmatic being among the Three Sovereigns… Maybe even the other Two Sovereigns can’t fathom his true intentions.]

“Hmm…”

[In any case, the characters created and offered to the Emperor back then became the ‘First Character’. Chi You poured his divinity into that First Character, so facing it inherently weakens him. His subordinates and avatars are no different…]

“Hmm. So, the First Character doesn’t affect anyone but Chi You and his followers?”

[That’s what I know…]

It was a secret that turned out quite different from what I initially thought. I had assumed Chi You was the driving force behind its creation, but it now seemed that it was a request made by the Emperor, who had clear reasons for asking Chi You to make it. Chi You must have brought the rough design of characters that could adequately dominate humans, but unexpectedly had to take up this arduous task instead.

Moreover, this story indicates that the Emperor surely had Chi You under his thumb and was a figure that could control him effectively. The absolute monarch who could wield Chi You’s cunning schemes was undoubtedly the Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen.

What is the Emperor thinking?

Why did he ask for such characters?

An idea suddenly struck me, and I spoke up.

“Then does that mean Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen knows what the First Character is?”

[Indeed…]

“Is there no literature that records the First Character? Any ways to obtain it?”

The Prophet spoke with slightly regretful tone.

[I’m sorry, but… there’s none… Our race collects all knowledge in this world, but the First Character was dedicated to the Emperor as soon as it was created… There couldn’t have been a record in any book… Even our race couldn’t gather it in the library.]

“……”

[However, all the Three Sovereigns lined up with the Emperor know that character and can use it.]

“Is that so!”

I felt a glimmer of excitement. Normally, I would have thought this was just another lead, but it was different this time.

‘I am the Apostle of the Three Sovereign Jeon Wook!’

I had even been given a mission and was invited to a feast, having trained with his powers for five years as well. There couldn’t be anyone among humans closer to Jeon Wook than I was. If I could somehow ask Jeon Wook nicely, I might uncover what the ‘First Character’ truly is.

Then the Prophet spoke.

[There’s still a payment left… If you make an appropriate request, I will comply.]

The Prophet tended to have a tendency to price gouge, but he also had a neatness about him when it came to settling outstanding payments.

Moreover, from how he answered me just now, it seemed he had let slip quite a bit of information while pretending otherwise. This guy seemed to enjoy the conflict between me and Chi You while maintaining a neutral stance… Truly, the secrecy treaty was just for show.

This disposition should be usable again in the future.

While pondering the Prophet’s offer, I spoke up.

“I want to ask two questions.”

[Go ahead…]

“First, the Dragon Person residing within Huayou is injured. Is there any way to quickly recover her using the Sea God’s power?”

[Let me see…]

The Prophet gazed at Huayou’s Sword God, then replied.

[The only way is to activate Huayou with a powerful flame energy… Though Huayou embodies the power of fire, it would be better if assistance came from the outside… Find the strongest flames that can be sourced from the human realm.]

“Understood.”

[What’s your other question…?]

I explained Zhuge Sa’s situation. Then I asked,

“Is there a way to sever the contract Zhuge Sa has made?”

[The only options are if the Demon King dies, or if the Demon King voluntarily releases the contract… A contract that binds one’s soul to an all-consuming being cannot be unraveled by anyone else.]

“Isn’t there any other way?”

[You want me to give you a predetermined answer…?]

“N-No, that’s not it.”

[No matter how many times you ask, it won’t change… Ask something else…]

I thought for a moment and then said.

“Then give me the ability to interpret grimoires!”

[Hmm…?]

“Even a lower tier ability is fine. Just help me read the spell language.”

The Prophet seemed taken aback by such an unexpected demand. After a moment, he responded.

[Clever move…]

“……”

[Well, good. I’ll allow this much…]

Whizz!

After a moment, light emitted from the Prophet’s tentacles and struck my body. The green light lingered over me before suddenly flooding my mind with information. Moments later, I realized that an enormous volume of information was now swirling in my head.

The Prophet stated.

[I only infused you with basic capabilities… I’m not responsible if you still can’t read it.]

“Is this the end of the costs?”

[Yes.]

The Prophet seemed to be grinning.

[Now, I hope you show me an entertaining war…]

With the peculiar laugh unique to the otherworldly beings, the Prophet disappeared from the hall.

I took a deep breath and clenched my fist. Now, with this interpretational ability, I had no choice but to analyze the ancient tome from the Brain-Splitting Temple.

“Who cares if it’s a lesser evil?”

From the very start, I was trying to achieve something impossible, so it was evident I couldn’t reach the end with just decent logic. No matter how many obstacles I faced or how stubbornly I continued, I must never bend or give up.

Even as I continued to have to select the lesser evil among the worst.

Even if I would face many future dilemmas between life and efficiency with my comrades.

All I can do is act constantly with faith and strive to find the best answer.

I returned from the Prophet to report everything to Mangnyang. Then I checked whether I could interpret the ancient tome from the Brain-Splitting Temple with the ability I had acquired.

Woong!

“I can read it!”

The spell language of the grimoire was completely different from human languages or writing systems. It was so distinct, in fact, that it was closer to a fundamental incantation that only otherworldly beings could interpret. At that moment, Mangnyang’s words about how it was impossible for a human scholar to interpret the language of the grimoire suddenly made perfect sense.

“Good, good.”

Mangnyang displayed a large, joyous expression.

“The fact that Chi You reacted to the leakage of the ancient tome means that there’s certainly a deadly secret hidden within this content. We must find it in this grimoire, no matter what.”

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