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“What’s the deal with the old wizard’s spirit?”

I took a good look at Merlin’s spirit. Unlike a normal clone technique, it seemed like some high-level magic projecting itself into another dimension. Clearly, Merlin must have anticipated my ambush, which was quite the revelation.

“How did you know my name? I never told you!”

Merlin replied, [ Haven’t you recently visited the monk Matteo Ricci? ]

I raised an eyebrow. “He was one of your lackeys?”

[ He’s the vanguard and eyes of the Western Guild stationed in the East. Naturally, I asked him if he recognized someone like you. ]

“……”

[ You were fortunate enough to have visited him. ]

So, Merlin only knew my name was Baek Woong and that I had traded a Phoenix Fragment. I took a moment to gather my thoughts and then said, “There’s an ancient seal leading to Dark Heaven in Luoyang, but it’s temporarily sealed. I need a sacred relic or a powerful treasure to break it.”

[ I see… Dark Heaven… You’re also delving into ancient secrets. ]

“I know about the [Old Ruler].”

Merlin responded, [ Why did you tamper with that seal? And what is your aim, Baek Woong? ]

“Do I really have to spill everything?” I replied bluntly. “I have no obligation to share every detail with you. Currently, we are in a transactional relationship, and you need to keep your promise of giving me the treasure.”

Merlin’s spirit widened its eyes in surprise. [ … So you don’t trust me. ]

“And why should you trust me?”

Merlin smirked. [ What a peculiar situation. There are very few human forces that dare to oppose overwhelming beings like the [Old Ruler], yet here we are at odds, even though you seem unfazed by their power. ]

What’s triggered this reaction from him? I noticed he found it strange. Before I could respond, Merlin spoke again. [ With this enchanted sword, Hrunting, you will be able to seal it. ]

Woosh!

Suddenly, a dark longsword appeared in Merlin’s left hand, which he handed to me. I glanced at the sword called Hrunting and said, “What if this doesn’t seal it?”

[ That’s none of my concern, is it? As you said earlier, I’m merely here to give you treasure. Whether it works or not is entirely your problem. ]

“……”

He’s quite the prickly one. As I savored my irritation, Merlin added, [ Well, I hope you handle the situation well. ]

Merlin seemed to be the type who was straightforward about parting relations. Sensing my distrust, he stopped conversing and issued a spell to dismiss me. Suddenly, something came to mind, and I called out to him.

“Wait!”

[ What is it? ]

“You know about the Seven Luminaries, right? Especially the one called the Golden Crow, the dawn star?”

Merlin chuckled. [ Haha. I see no reason to divulge every detail to you! ]

“……”

[ A transactional relationship? That’s interesting. Show me a treasure worthy of that info, and I might consider it. ]

His retort stung; clearly, he was still sulking over my earlier words. I realized I had picked the wrong approach in speaking to him.

' This guy won’t give an inch or a kind word to someone who doesn’t trust him!'

Even under the guise of a pure transactional relationship, I had previously held an advantageous position, which allowed me to get more info. But now, Merlin seemed determined to keep the cards to himself. I sensed a whimsical temperament that hinted he could flip things upside down in an instant if displeased.

I should have been more genuine and asked for his cooperation. But now that the horse has bolted, begging for his trust wouldn’t amount to much. It struck me that this life was likely a short-term game and I had messed up my conversation strategy.

' Damn it. That dragon stirred up trouble by telling me Merlin was cunning…'

As I gnashed my teeth in frustration, I said to Merlin, “Fine. I’ll take my leave now…”

As I activated my teleportation technique to leave, suddenly, it didn’t work.

“Huh?”

I was flustered and examined what went wrong when Merlin said, [ It seems you brought some demon sorcerers along with you. They trailed you here and placed a barrier around this location. ]

“Damn it.”

Had I inadvertently revealed my position to them the moment I stepped into the British Empire? They probably waited until I arrived in Kamran before ensnaring me like a mouse in a trap. Merlin stared at me, puzzled, and said, [ Strange. You seem to know many mysteries, yet you’re flustered just because a demon artifact can’t be used? ]

“Can you help me?”

[ Hmm… from now on, mind your manners. A hideous guy should at least have a good heart. ]

“Huh?”

What did he just say?

Before I could process the unexpected dig, Merlin waved his hand.

Whiff!

I suddenly found myself in some unknown countryside. Looking around, I quickly realized from the architecture and atmosphere that I was in the Central Plains. Seeing the farmers speaking in their dialect helped me pinpoint I was near Guangdong.

What a skill! To teleport me from the British Empire to rural Guangdong in an instant? But aside from Merlin’s impressive ability, I felt discomfort from his last comment.

' What’s up with that? A great sorcerer and ancient elder with such a nasty personality?'

To fly off the handle over a single remark would mean that crossing Merlin could lead to real trouble. Reflecting on the rather nasty personalities I encountered with high-level sorcerers so far only added to my gloom.

I grumbled under my breath yet promptly sought out Cheon Woo-jin. I pleaded, “Help me!”

After explaining the situation, Cheon Woo-jin’s face twisted in irritation, but he soon calmed down and replied, “Give me that enchanted sword of yours.”

“Here it is.”

As Cheon Woo-jin gripped the enchanted sword Hrunting and sensed its aura, he said, “It’s definitely a powerful divine sword. It should be enough to block the seal in Luoyang.”

Zap!

I activated my teleportation technique, and together with Cheon Woo-jin, we dove into underground Luoyang. But this time, something felt off.

“Huh?”

In the underground, instead of Sangwan Hyuk, a woman I had never seen before stood. She had a peerless beauty, and there was something eerily familiar about her looks. As I faced her, trying to recall where I had seen her, she spoke first.

“So, you’re the one Hyuk was talking about. What business do you have causing a ruckus in this passage?”

Hyuk?

I had no clue what she meant, but she looked distinctly displeased.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, realization hit me as I remained calm and responded, “We didn’t come here to fight you. We’ve come to offer this enchanted sword as an offering to properly seal the barrier.”

She raised an eyebrow, taken aback. “Really? So where’s the Fire Dragon Sword?”

“……”

Her sudden inquiry about the whereabouts of the Fire Dragon Sword suggested she clearly understood the reasons for the passage and seal of Dark Heaven behind her. Right then, I recognized her face.

I knew it from a single encounter—she was not just anyone.

[ As Hyuk mentioned, you are someone pursuing the overwhelming path of the Demon King. ]

[ Yacha. ]

[ Don’t be alarmed. We’re not here to fight. ]

[ We’ve watched over the human world for a long time. Some interfered while others allied with dark forces, preparing for the end as dictated by Chi You. Ideally, we wouldn’t show ourselves for another 500 years… ]

[ But with a being designated as an apostle of the Evil God refusing to awaken and acknowledging you by name, the schedule has completely twisted. The Evil God has completely grasped the Law of Cause and Effect, and it looks like war with the Three Sovereigns could commence any moment now. This chaos was deep enough to warrant our visit to you, the instigator. ]

I recalled the words of Baek Haedong’s king.

[ The downfall of Balhae was due to the Divine Treasure, the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram, going berserk. The Khitan may be strong, but they couldn’t have destroyed us alone. ]

[ Someone stole the Eight Trigrams. ]

[ That person identified herself as Sang Gwanwna… That witch stole the Eight Trigrams, triggering the volcanic eruption. We simply couldn’t hold on… hence why we abandoned our capital and perished under the subsequent invasion from the Khitan… ]

[ It’s infuriating. If only that witch never existed… The cursed Sang Gwanwna… ]

Yacha from the Eight Parts of the Divine!

Suddenly, it dawned on me. She had been a close aide to Empress Wu Zetian during the Tang Dynasty, and it was she who had led Balhae to extinction!

Could it be that Sang Gwanwna referred to the current Cheon Woo-jin, a member of the Five Great Physicians and a sorcerer? The use of her childhood nickname suggested she could be a forebear or ancestor of Cheon Woo-jin.

A huge event had unfolded unexpectedly.

At this very moment, I was clashing with a member of the Eight Parts of the Divine, who possessed the strength of a Demon King!

‘ Can I possibly win?’

I had no inkling of how this was going to turn out. Standing before Yacha, I felt no trace of her divine presence, nor did I sense any hint of demonic energy. She seemed so ordinary that I almost mistook her for just another woman.

The past words of the chief monk at Noeum Temple surged into my mind.

[ Chi You’s avatar rarely reveals itself… They move comfortably between the darkest corners of this world all the way to the brightest places… so well that they understand what it means to be human… and can manipulate everything… ]

[ Chi You never confronts with force… he’s the most cunning existence in the world… and you, the hero, might not even realize you’re under his control… ]

[ According to the tomes in our temple, members of the Eight Parts can transform and possess the ability of divine evolution. ]

[ As mentioned, the Eight Parts have the power to disguise themselves, operating in the human world… they could be a common passerby, a charming woman, an official, a monk, or even a martial artist… they have been sailing through humanity for millennia, observing, and relaying information to Chi You. ]

As Yacha appeared in front of me, it was a testament to their remarkable shifting powers — unless I relied on past life experiences, I’d have no clue who she really was. Thankfully, Cheon Woo-jin had accepted my obsidian or else he might not have recognized her swiftly.

‘ On second thought, it was the same situation with Geol-seon.’

One of the three great masters from the Orthodox Sect, Geol-seon, also belonged to the Thief Gang from the Eight Parts of the Divine, yet nobody suspected him until he revealed his identity. Clearly, their disguises were on a completely different level compared to the common tricks of otherworldly races or monsters.

I glanced at Cheon Woo-jin. If the two of us teamed up, even fighting against the Master of the White Lotus Sect might end up manageable, but the Eight Parts could be a level above—Demon King level, to be exact!

When we didn’t respond, Yacha spoke in a tired tone. “You must have the Fire Dragon Sword. Though I understand your true intentions to maintain the seal, if you hand over that sword, I’ll let you go.”

Normally, I would’ve scoffed at that, but realizing she was Yacha from the Eight Parts of the Divine lent extreme pressure to her words.

What should I do? Running for it would seem best, but given how unpredictable Yacha’s abilities could be, I might make a bigger blunder, trying to escape. Turning my back while attempting to flee would leave me vulnerable, so making that decision wasn’t as simple as it appeared.

Even if I daringly invoked my teleportation or bypass skill, should she chase me down, my life would be in genuine peril. She was from the Eight Parts of the Divine, capable of easily catching up even if I fled.

“Damn it… I can’t part with something as precious as the Fire Dragon Sword.”

Clenching my teeth, I ultimately resolved to make the best choice available to me.

With a deep breath, immense strength and spirit surged within me. I aimed the blade at Yacha, stating, [ You may not be human, but you don’t appear to be a truly malevolent being. Retreat from this place! ]

Yacha’s expression shifted to one of surprise. “Yeodong-bin? Long time no see.”

[ What did you just say? ]

Yacha let out a sly chuckle.

Whooosh!

A massive scythe materialized in one of her hands, seeming not much different than greeting an old friend.

“So the orphan who once fought desperately on the battlefield at Mount Tai has grown into a mighty sword saint.”

[ …… ]

Yeodong-bin’s complex emotions flooded into me, deeply felt. It was as though he instantly recognized her identity from just those words. However, he chose to remain silent and collect himself, but Yacha spoke again.

“Have you learned enough of the Overlord’s sword techniques? It’s been a thousand years since, are you finally a match for me?”

Swish, swish, swish.

More than ever, Yeodong-bin fused his will and sword prowess. His current stance radiated focus rather than anger; given the strength of his opponent, one could sense the yearning desire to emerge victorious against a formidable foe.

[ Heavenly Escape Sword Technique is no longer just the Overlord’s sword. ]

“Then what is it?”

Yeodong-bin roared, proclaiming the start of the battle, [ I shall now demonstrate, witch Sang Gwanwna! ]

 

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