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Moments later, Zhuge Sa and I called everyone into the control room.

For about half a moment, I explained our current situation along with Zhuge Sa, and as they listened, the faces of the entire subjugation squad turned surprised.

‘That should be enough explanation.’

I casually grabbed a nearby cup of water, took a sip, and continued speaking.

“…So, I hope everyone can help me. I want to avoid Seo Mun-hye being permanently erased from our memories.”

Zhuge Sa chimed in with my statement.

“The supernatural ability prevention system spread across the Ark has been deactivated by the captain’s order. If we empower them, we can test it immediately.”

Then, the Asura in the front boldly shouted.

“Of course! If you appoint me as your apostle and funnel all your divine power into me, I’ll wipe them all out!”

“Huh?”

Asura looked around the room with a slightly arrogant tone and said.

“Just by looking at the basic combat power, I’m the highest here! Don’t you know that most of those appointed as apostles of the [Old Ruler] are either demon kings or lesser demons? Giving your power to me is the most rational choice!”

“……”

There was a palpable air of displeasure in the room. Everyone was likely aware that Asura was the strongest, but since all the experts gathered here were close to positions of absolute beings in the Jianghu, their pride was evidently scratched.

Suddenly, Miyamoto Musashi stepped forward, clearly showing signs of irritation, his eyes gleaming fiercely.

“I can’t stand it any longer. I know you’re strong, but when it comes to the Life and Death Decision, I’m confident that the results will be different.”

“Heh heh! The kid from Dongyoung’s countryside… Do you even know that I only held off killing you last time because of Baek Woong?”

Asura wasn’t backing down either, releasing his momentum, and soon the intentions of Asura and Musashi clashed in the air.

Snap!

The overwhelming Qi of the absolute realm experts crashed together, creating an oppressive, breath-stealing sensation as if the very space were fracturing. The elders of the White Lotus Sect flinched at the force, their levels being relatively lower, while the Dharma Protectors braced against the pressure.

As the tension grew fiercer, the Sect Leader of the White Lotus raised his hands and let out an exclamation.

[Halt!]

Boom!

With that loud shout, the energies of Musashi and Asura crumbled, and the standoff ceased. The Sect Leader spoke with an air of authority, his eyes radiating a divine light.

[You are misunderstanding something! The aptitude of apostles exists in a realm different from our expectations!]

“What?”

Asura grimaced, ready to rage, but Zhuge Sa supported the Sect Leader’s words.

“That’s right. Just as the Sect Leader said… the aptitude of an apostle diverges from basic combat power.”

“What do you mean?”

“…Hmph, to think that a demon king of the Eight Divine would have lived for thousands of years without knowing this… Well, considering Chi You was a figure crafted from tricks and loopholes, it’s understandable you wouldn’t grasp a normal system.”

Zhuge Sa seemed to lament for a moment before calling over one elder from the council.

“Hey, you, Third Elder. Come over here.”

“M-Me?”

“Yes. Stand before Baek Woong.”

The Third Elder was one of the peak experts from the White Lotus Council I’d often encountered in my past life. He looked old, yet his skills ranked at the peak of the Jianghu, not greatly trailing behind the strongest of the orthodox sects. Having a significant standing among the White Lotus, he was also someone who had received martial arts teachings directly from the Sect Leader.

However, even he was relatively lower-tier in this subjugation squad. It was inevitable he would feel small among the true strongest of the Jianghu gathered here at the Dragon One Blood meeting.

Shuffling forward, the Third Elder stood before me, just as Zhuge Sa called over the First Elder.

“First Elder, you come too.”

“Understood…”

Unlike the Third Elder, the First Elder, a Half-Transition Master, also shuffled over with hesitation. With two council experts now in front of me, Zhuge Sa ordered purposely.

“Baek Woong. Infuse them both with the same amount of divine power. Be careful not to burst their human bodies.”

“Ugh!”

Perhaps it was the mention of ‘bursting’ that startled the First and Third Elders. Instinctively realizing that Zhuge Sa wasn’t joking around, they both reacted with alarm. I sighed and responded.

“Don’t scare them, Zhuge Sa… I can control that much power.”

“Heh heh.”

“Alright, here goes.”

Whirrrrr!

A moment later, I infused my left hand with divine power into the First Elder and my right hand into the Third Elder. As I injected the divine energy, an overwhelming force surged from their bodies, visibly radiating an impressive aura.

Gwooo!

“This… is unbelievable!”

“Such immense power?!”

They both looked astounded. Even though they were peak experts in the council, my divine power exceeded their understanding, dramatically stronger than their own internal energy, flooding forth like a volcanic eruption. They stumbled, overwhelmed by the shock.

I placed my hands on their shoulders and said, “Don’t panic. Absorb the energy flowing according to my instructions.”

Quickly, I used a secret transmission technique to impart the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique to them.

‘The Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique generates an enormous amount of true energy and requires just as much. This situation is perfect for it.’

Zap zap zap!

As the First and Third Elders learned the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique and started to wield their Qi, something astonishing happened shortly after.

Bright!

Light burst forth from the Third Elder’s entire body, and soon, blinding pillars shot forth from his seven orifices. The Third Elder’s whole form suddenly transformed to a remarkably youthful appearance in their early twenties.

“This cannot be!”

As the light subsided, the Third Elder now appeared completely transformed. Unable to believe his own change, he looked around, examining himself with sheer joy.

“Hmm.”

Contrarily, the First Elder showed no significant transformation. While he too advanced impressively, gaining a stronger aura, it wasn’t as dramatic as the Third Elder’s change.

As they observed each other’s transformations, Zhuge Sa commanded, “Good. Now, you two will spar for about fifty seconds. Head to the training grounds.”

“Sure.”

“Understood.”

We moved to the training grounds to observe the duel between the Third Elder and the First Elder. A widespread training area came alive for their clash.

Bang! Clash! Bam!

‘Indeed, these top masters of the White Lotus Sect are something else. Their sword techniques are on par with Cheon Woo-jin’s! No, they might even be more precise and powerful!’

Given that these authors possessed an infinite supply of internal energy, they probably could match Cheon Woo-jin immediately! Originally, they were among the top twenty peak experts of the Jianghu, after all, likely high-ranked members of the underworld’s elite factions.

As the duel progressed, the outcomes began to clearly emerge.

Whoosh!

“Gah.”

“I win.”

After forty seconds, the Third Elder emerged victorious over the First Elder. The sword he held halted just before the First Elder’s throat, leaving no doubt about the power gap.

Watching this, the Sect Leader of the White Lotus said,

[Impressive. Originally, the old ranking numbers attached to the elders represent their ability… The First Elder was the top in the Council while the Third Elder, in his commitment, fell short after five hundred seconds. The First Elder had achieved Half-Transition, while the Third had not, making this expected.]

Zhuge Sa chuckled, appearing amused.

“Hehe. Sect Leader, did you notice?”

[Yes… It has become evident.]

The Sect Leader turned his gaze toward me.

[Even when receiving the same divine power, the increase in strength varies according to aptitude! The First Elder could not achieve significant advancement due to lesser aptitude, while the Third Elder was compatible, resulting in achieving Half-Transition and a greater surge of power.]

“……!”

[I had already known from literature, but seeing this practical case brings joy to the theoretical proof.]

Hearing the Sect Leader’s words, Asura’s eyebrows twitched as he shouted,

“What! You mean… if another from the subjugation squad receives divine power, they could become stronger than me?!”

[There is a possibility.]

“You’ve got to be kidding…! The Eight Divine obtained a god’s body and commanded great demonic power for thousands of years. Surely, my aptitude can’t fall short against mere human kids!

Asura shouted angrily, and this time, Zhuge Sa replied smoothly.

“You might want to reconsider. Perhaps the Eight Divine is less than ideal?”

“What?!”

“Though Chi You’s demise has left your position vacant, you’ve chosen to discard your old lord and trust Baek Woong; now you serve a new god. The body conditioned to the old god’s powers may interfere when receiving the new divine power!”

“……!”

“But however, this is mere speculation for now. Like you said, it is possible the Eight Divine’s body could gain further strength.”

Zhuge Sa’s eyes turned cold.

“That’s why we won’t rely solely on the basic combat power of each member of the subjugation squad. We will carefully allocate resources. The divine power also serves as a seed for the potential growth of mortals. It’s uncertain which capable individual may reveal their unique abilities.”

“……”

“Any rebuttal?”

Faced with Zhuge Sa’s articulate argument, Asura could no longer insist, muttering reluctantly.

“……No! Just do as you will.”

I pondered as I witnessed the ongoing situation.

‘Now it feels just like the scenario from Volume 29. It was like this back then.’

Somehow, I had rushed to find Zhuge Sa, and ended up in this urgent situation. Therefore, I hadn’t had a proper discussion with the subjugation squad members; events twisted and turned continuously while my strength couldn’t keep up. That’s why Zhuge Sa recommended the most rational solution of suicide.

I clenched my fist.

‘But now it’s different.’

Throughout my thirty rounds, I had accumulated immense power. A mere difference of one round, but so much had occurred, and I was no longer a weak being shrinking in the realm of the gods.

This time, I would succeed.

I’m going to rescue Seo Mun-hye!

Moments later, Zhuge Sa ordered me,

“Baek Woong. While appointing apostles via command is acceptable, I recommend providing them with a seal.”

“A seal?”

“The demonic seal will not only amplify the divine power granted but also allow you to control their five senses, making them more manageable. As your studies in demonic arts deepen, you’ll understand that the [Old Ruler] utilized this technique to empower their apostles.”

“Hmm… What should the seal look like?”

“It doesn’t matter. You can choose anything you want to symbolize the seal. The more familiar and symbolic it is to you, the more effective the seal will be.”

“……”

A seal… what should I use as a seal?

‘Should I go with a sword shape?’

But I doubted that a martial representation would match up with the type of demonic seal. What would allow me to intuitively grant divine power?

As I pondered briefly, a good thought suddenly hit me.

“……Ah! This is it!”

Whirrrrr!

Using the power of Trimurti, I instantly created the [Coin of Authority]. I then explained its effect to my companions.

“This is one of the most useful abilities I utilized during the 30th cycle. I want this coin to be my seal.”

“……Oh!”

“Using money to provide strength to the apostles seems intuitive enough.”

“This is quite an… absurd ability…”

Zhuge Sa marveled at the coin, placing it in his hand and observing it closely. After a moment of contemplation, he chuckled sinisterly.

“I just thought of a great idea, Baek Woong.”

“Huh?”

Zhuge Sa handed the coin to the Sect Leader of the White Lotus.

“Sect Leader, I’ll give you a special seal just for you. Do you understand what I mean?”

At that, the Sect Leader’s eyes radiated an intense aura.

[I see… It’s a skill for me.]

“Huh?”

What are Zhuge Sa and the Sect Leader talking about?

Confused by their lack of clarity, Zhuge Sa let out a laugh.

“For now, let’s mark everyone with a seal and appoint them as apostles. And the seal given to the Sect Leader will specifically grant him the ability to distribute coins to the faithful.”

“Understood.”

Shortly after, I marked everyone present with a seal and distributed the coins infused with my divine power.

Whoosh!

The coins absorbed into their skins like tattoos, a tremendous aura flowed through the venue, and everyone’s power surged!

‘Incredible!’

I had infused most of my divine power into the coins, close to the point of collapse, but in return, I felt everyone’s strength significantly enhance—at least five times stronger each! Anyone present had become powerful enough to surpass almost anyone in the human realm!

Swish!

“Zhuge Sa?! What happened to you?”

To my astonishment, Zhuge Sa returned to his human form from the Half-human Half-demon appearance he took on as the Demon of the Landlord Doctrines! Zhuge Sa grinned as he spoke.

“This is proof of my increased strength. Originally, I couldn’t handle the massive demonic power without succumbing to its taint, but now I can fully control my demonic power.”

“Oh…!”

“But with only this level of power, there’s no guarantee I can even endure against the Demon King’s forces, let alone win. Appointing multiple apostles at once has minimized the enhancement of strength.”

“Ugh. Then…”

“Hehe… Here’s the trick. Sect Leader!”

Zhuge Sa called out to the Sect Leader, who appeared at this moment to have his power increased two or three times compared to before, as if he could take down any mere celestial overlay. The Sect Leader raised the coin in his palm toward the heavens, proclaiming.

[I am an apostle of Baek Woong, the God, and the supreme leader of the White Lotus Sect… I decree that the believers of the White Lotus Sect shall receive the coins I bestow!]

Zap zap!

Suddenly, transparent coins emerged before the Dharma Protectors and the elders of the council. The coins appeared exclusively in front of those aligned with the White Lotus Sect. One by one, the White Lotus experts reached for the coins, and as they touched, the coins absorbed into their bodies, visibly enhancing their strength.

‘Huh?’

What just happened?

As I stood puzzled, the Sect Leader seemed to wait for something with his arms crossed. After some time passed, when the Sect Leader spoke again, I was utterly shocked.

[I offer all the followers of the White Lotus Sect to the great God…!]

Bright!

In the next moment, I became aware of countless human thoughts echoing in my mind.

[Huh? What is this?]

[Sect Leader! Receiving this coin healed my chronic illness.]

[It’s a miracle coin.]

[You too, quickly receive the coin…]

[Our Sacred Lotus People’s loyalty is being tested. Let’s accept it without doubt!]

[Sect Leader… we of the Su Shin Sect will always trust you…]

[I just saw… the Sect Leader is in an unknown place… We will protect the Sect Leader!]

Whispers

Thoughts and feelings of over a million people!

In an instant, all their thoughts melded with my consciousness, and I could feel it all. At the same time, I realized what was transpiring in my head.

The White Lotus Sect from the human realm…

The thoughts of every White Lotus believer residing in the main hall in Gansu Province flooded my mind!

Not only the Sacred Lotus People who practiced martial arts but even the experts of the White Lotus and ordinary civilians believing in the White Lotus were resonating together. I sensed the overwhelming majority of them worshipped the Sect Leader and were easily accepting the coins he revealed. They could see that each coin was imparting immense strength and health upon receiving it.

“……!”

Zap zap zap!

Simultaneously, the Sect Leader raised both hands to the heavens and proclaimed.

[Believe! In our new god… Baek Woong!]

[We believe!]

[We believe!]

With the Sect Leader’s cry, the fervent faith of millions of followers echoed through my mind, resonating powerfully. I felt nearly overwhelmed by the sheer volume, yet at the same time, an indescribable strength surged within me.

‘Huh?! My divine power is recovering!’

Indeed. Just a moment ago, after designating dozens of apostles, my divine power had been nearly depleted!

Now, however, it was recovering at a staggering rate!

It was recovering so fast that before I grasped my breath twenty times, my divine power had returned to its full capacity.

When I gazed at the Sect Leader before me, he was undergoing an unimaginably overwhelming transformation.

[Wooooo!]

The Sect Leader, having let out a gigantic roar, had grown into a colossal figure over a span of one palm’s height. Furthermore, the power radiating from him now could no longer be perceived as mortal; it felt equal to the true embodiment of the Eight Divine! Instantly, I was struck with a sense of vertigo.

‘…Could it be that the Sect Leader has become an equal to that of the Eight Divine without even invoking any chaos or amplification techniques?! No, there’s an even greater potential resonating within him…!’

At this point, I couldn’t even fathom how many times his power increased!

As I gazed at the Sect Leader with awe, Zhuge Sa smirked and said.

“Baek Woong, you possess both the attributes of a god receiving power from faith and the innate attributes of a god! This allows you to gain strength through the method of faith as well as your natural powers.”

From Zhuge Sa’s following words, I realized the Sect Leader would truly be the center of the operation.

“That great cult of fanaticism, the White Lotus Sect, both in this period and throughout history, forms the largest and mightiest group ever. How does it feel to gain the faith of them all?”

“……”

I was momentarily dazed before responding.

“It’s incomparable…!”

This isn’t just a fleeting recovery of divine power. With this magnitude of faith, I felt confident that even if I spend a massive amount of strength in the future, I could swiftly replenish my divine power using the faith of the believers.

“Heh heh. I knew it would be like that.”

Seeing my reaction, Zhuge Sa grinned with satisfaction before turning his attention toward Asura and Musashi.

“You all understand what must be done now, right? Now that you know the easiest way to gain the greatest strength.”

“…Gah.”

Asura hesitated, pride clashing within him, while Musashi boldly declared without hesitation.

“I, Miyamoto Musashi, will join the White Lotus Sect starting today! Accept me!”

Immediately, the Sect Leader walked in front of Musashi, placed a hand on his head, performed a brief ceremony, and proclaimed.

[You are now part of the White Lotus Sect.]

Whoosh!

Musashi’s strength began to grow stronger than ever. It became evident that being part of the same sect would enhance his power further!

Seemingly pleased, Musashi smirked, and seeing his delight, Asura could no longer hold back, his expression filled with anger as he shouted.

“Hmph! I will also join the White Lotus Sect! But there’s a condition…”

[No conditions will be accepted.]

The Sect Leader cut him off decisively, causing Asura to flinch.

“What?!”

[You likely desire to be appointed as an apostle or a Dharma Guardian, am I incorrect?]

“That’s right! I am far superior to those mere humans!”

[I’m sorry, but becoming a Dharma Guardian has eligibility requirements in accordance with our doctrines. Even if your combat capabilities are astounding, you cannot simply be appointed on request, and the position of Sect Leader is even more restricted.]

“Ugh… you… you wish to die?”

The Sect Leader stared sharply, radiating divine aura, his fist clenched tightly.

[If you can kill, then try. I cannot keep such a brazen villain like you as a senior executive in the White Lotus Sect.]

“……”

Asura seemed quite in a tough spot, his face turning every shade of red. It was undeniably true that the current Sect Leader, exalted by the faith of millions, was now drastically more powerful than Asura, and being so resolute, made attacking him impossible.

I sighed and stepped in to mediate.

“Haa… Asura. Swallow your pride a little. The countless humiliations you faced stemmed from your arrogance.”

“What?”

“The more you think about the gap between mortals, the farther you stray from the true path of martial arts. This is something you directly told me, having attained enlightenment, Asura.”

“……”

I continued calmly.

“Does it matter if you’re a layman or a Dharma Guardian? Will being fixated on titles bring you true strength?”

Upon hearing my words, Asura looked as if he had been pierced by a needle. His complexion turned somewhat pale as he finally calmed his emotions, stating steadily.

“……Then it’s decided! I’ll join the White Lotus Sect, even as a layman.”

“Good choice.”

“……”

Asura stared at me, pondering before speaking.

“Baek Woong, it seems you gained a significant enlightenment during the 30th cycle. Just now, your words struck a chord with me.”

“Not particularly; I’m still lost.”

“Honestly, there’s been a noticeable difference in you lately; before, while you had immense power, you merely floundered, but now, it doesn’t seem that way.”

“Hmm.”

Asura’s comment intrigued me.

‘Is the current me that different from the me in the 29th cycle?’

Much had indeed happened in between. I thought for a moment before speaking up.

“Well then, let’s set everything straight and commence the rescue of Seo Mun-hye.”

Whooooo!

Shortly after, the Yi Seong-gye was tilted to head toward the upper levels of the World Tree. It was silent and devoid of sound, yet the Yi Seong-gye’s speed seemed far faster than a supersonic fighter jet. Thus, it felt like reaching the heights of the World Tree’s upper levels was effortlessly achievable.

The boundary between the middle and upper levels was obscured by an enigmatic veil of clouds. The instant we approached the cloud barrier, I sensed a powerful dimensional recoil and instantly unleashed divine strength to dispel it.

Zap!

As a beam of light sliced through, the dimensional veil shattered. As Zhuge Sa saw this, he chuckled.

“Heh. When merely humans from the subjugation squad attempted to break through the upper level, it would have been a trial, but with a god’s presence, the challenge is greatly reduced.”

“Zhuge Sa. Reaching the upper level is great, but where’s Seo Mun-hye?”

“I marked the last location of her signal. I’ll navigate automatically, so you need not worry, but…”

Vroom vroom vroom!

Before long, fifty li away, a knight clad in crimson armor stood blocking our path.

“Taking down that one presents the real issue.”

Wreeeeek!

The sheer intensity of power radiating from that being rendered the Yi Seong-gye almost immobilized, as if caught in shackles. It suggested that the creature held tremendous might.

The knight aimed his spear forward and proclaimed.

[I am Antares, one of the Five Great Demonic Generals serving the great lord! By my lord’s command, I shall judge you!]

Roar!

With that fierce declaration, a tempest of raw power erupted!

The force emanated a crimson hue, feeling almost as if blood surged through it.

Rumble!

“Gah.”

“Ugh…!”

The violent storm of power rocked the Yi Seong-gye, causing many to cough up blood or faint. The mightiest beings like the Sect Leader and Asura, however, remained unfazed, while those upgraded only slightly were struggling to endure the tidal waves of force emanating from the knight’s roar.

Crack!

Even the Yi Seong-gye took considerable damage from that shout, as it seemed its propulsion power had diminished.

Seeing the immense force of Antares’s great shout, I bit my lip.

“Insane… that was divine power.”

A being capable of freely unleashing divine power—

That was the Asura’s five generals, the Five Grand Demonic Generals.

That Antares was undoubtedly a being of the [Ruler] category.

Despite being a mere subordinate to the Asura, this guy was certainly a god!

‘To think such a creature serves merely as a general..?’

We would need to take down five of such beings to rescue Seo Mun-hye?

As I felt flustered, the Sect Leader stepped forward resolutely.

[I shall defeat that one.]

 

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