Chapter 236
In a moment of panic, Cheon Woo-jin suddenly swung his hand.
Ka-boom!
Then, a thunderstorm raged, and in a flash, he vanished into thin air. Fog enveloped me once again, but this time it didn’t feel ominous.
From a distance, I heard Cheon Woo-jin’s voice echoing like a ghost.
“O Master of the Seven Luminaries! You cannot leave this village until my master makes a decision!”
“Ugh…”
Black lines swirled around me, forming the shape of the Eight Trigrams. I quickly realized it was some sort of magical attack. So, I swung my sword, the Makyah, again.
With a whoosh, the trigrams dissipated, and the space opened up. I quickly looked for Cheon Woo-jin, but then the fog reappeared nearby.
“……”
Is it infinitely regenerating?
Then I’ll just have to swing harder to break through!
Thunder God Lineage
Secret Technique
Thousand Kills Slash!
As I unleashed countless sword strikes with the Makyah, my body spun like a whirlwind, releasing a torrent of sword qi and flames.
Boom boom boom!
The fog kept flickering in and out. I wondered if continuing this would drain Cheon Woo-jin’s magical power.
After a while of expelling qi, I suddenly realized this was futile and stopped.
“Hmm…”
Something felt off. Even as the fog kept breaking apart, it showed no signs of lifting its siege around me. I pointed the Makyah at the fog cautiously, and Cheon Woo-jin’s shout echoed again.
“Even if you break my fog with the Seven Luminaries, it won’t matter since I’ve closed the boundary with the Celestial Realm!”
I didn’t fully grasp the meaning, but it seemed Cheon Woo-jin’s illusion could regenerate infinitely, no matter how much I disrupted it. However, I also noticed he wasn’t attacking me recklessly, likely due to the Makyah.
In the ongoing stalemate, Cheon Woo-jin spoke up.
“What is your name?”
“Baek Woong.”
“My master wishes to see you. Will you accept?”
“Are you talking about Master Mangnyang?”
“That’s right.”
I thought for a moment before replying.
“If you promise to tell me Mangnyang’s whereabouts, I’ll meet him.”
“Understood.”
In a smooth motion, the fog around me dissipated, returning to a normal rural scene. I soon spotted Cheon Woo-jin a few paces away, bandaging his arm.
He gave me a sidelong glance and said, “You can talk to my master if you go pray at that shrine over there.”
“Must we really go through this annoying process?”
“……”
Cheon Woo-jin didn’t respond, just turned away, leaving me feeling a bit perturbed. Shrugging it off, I approached the shrine. It felt familiar since I’d been here with Mangnyang before.
After bowing and starting my prayers, suddenly, fatigue washed over me.
‘Ugh… so sleepy…’
It was the same trick again. He was trying to drag me into a dream.
I wasn’t sure what would happen if I fell asleep here, but I didn’t think Cheon Woo-jin was the type to ambush and kill a sleeping person. So, I fought off the sleep for a bit before slowly collapsing and drifting off.
……
This was a dream.
Master Mangnyang approached, taking the form of a black cat, indifferent as ever. He stood before me and spoke.
“You’ve broken the seal of the Makyah of the Seven Luminaries.”
“You could tell just by looking at me? How?”
As I asked, Master Mangnyang leapt onto a nearby rooftop and replied.
“When the power of the Seven Luminaries is unleashed, the authority infused by the Three Sovereigns spreads around. And if it’s Water Spirit Qi, it obviously involves the Makyah. No upper-class sorcerer would miss that.”
“……”
“You have a very inquisitive expression.”
Master Mangnyang lounged leisurely on the roof, the sight of the black cat peering down at me with its tail swaying was somehow cute but also irritating. I glared at him and asked, “Do you know who I am? Aren’t you surprised I’m the Master of the Seven Luminaries?”
He responded nonchalantly.
“I’ve already heard from the Celestial Realm about a human who liberated the Makyah. The strange part is you walked right into the tiger’s den.”
“What?”
He looked at me with an air of threat.
“Human, I am the Master of the Borderlands. I am the guardian of the Central Plains. You think the Celestial Realm will just let you roam free for liberating the Seven Luminaries?”
“……”
I stared blankly at Master Mangnyang and then replied, “That may be, but I doubt they’ll act.”
“Oh?”
“I just had a feeling.”
It’s true. Normally, even the Heavenly Secret wouldn’t just stand aside and allow someone to enter the domain of the Master of the Borderlands without consequences. However, after meeting him multiple times, I’d grasped his temperament, and my instinct as a reincarnated person was telling me strongly that Master Mangnyang wasn’t the type to capture and eliminate someone who ventured into his domain.
After a yawn, Master Mangnyang said, “Looks like my gamble paid off. I have no intention of touching you.”
“Why? Isn’t the Seven Luminaries considered a threat?”
He replied indifferently, “The reason the Seven Luminaries are a threat is that they may free the Old Ruler. But still, that’s not enough to surpass the Law of Cause and Effect. It would only give you more reason to be cautious.”
“……?”
“I’m not like the idiots of the Celestial Realm. I’m too busy to play around.”
What in the world is he talking about?
As someone lacking knowledge of sorcery, I found his response nearly incomprehensible. The only word I could grasp was “Law of Cause and Effect,” so I pondered and asked, “What exactly is this Law of Cause and Effect?”
“Huh?”
“Why do mythical beings cling to it so much?”
Master Mangnyang chuckled, “You, who don’t even know the Law of Cause and Effect, managed to break the Makyah of the Seven Luminaries? How amusing.”
He continued to explain, as if to mock my ignorance.
“The Law of Cause and Effect is a massive rule that no being can escape. Not even the Great Immortals or the Old Ruler can evade its influence. It regulates the occurrence of results without causes.”
“Results without causes?”
“To put it simply, it’s about maintaining balance. It’s a rule to prevent the indiscriminate abuse of transcendent power.”
“I still don’t get it. Can you explain in simpler terms?”
“You little pup.”
I felt like I had just been insulted. Master Mangnyang licked his paw and continued.
“For example, if there exists a spell that could wipe out the world with just a single chant, would you be able to cast it?”
“Uh… wouldn’t creating it be impossible in the first place?”
“No. Those who surpass the power of the Great Immortals can create such spells. This is possible because their inherent powers are shockingly strong. Such beings are usually either Great Immortals who rule the Celestial Realm or the Old Rulers residing in the Dark Heaven Village.”
Master Mangnyang stared at me with those unique slit pupils of a cat, continuing, “But even then, the world itself will never be destroyed. Why? Because the Law of Cause and Effect makes casting such a spell impossible.”
“Huh?”
“This world is fixed under the powerful authority created by countless higher beings through numerous contracts. If someone were to chant the spell to destroy the world, that existence would face retribution from the Law of Cause and Effect and be instantly obliterated. Not even the Old Ruler possesses enough power to overwhelm every other being.”
“……”
“So you seem to understand.”
Even my dull mind had managed to grasp the basics after roughly ten years of practice in sorcery. Light dawned on me as I realized what Master Mangnyang was hinting at.
“So, what you mean is that even the most powerful beings can’t wield their might without proper justification.”
“Correct. That is the shackle of the Law of Cause and Effect and the minimal barrier that protects the mortal realm.”
Finally, I understood why Yeodong-bin and Daji had mentioned the Law of Cause and Effect during my fourteenth reincarnation.
The Demon King Daji was likely an immensely powerful demon-like being that had existed since the dawn of time, but for certain reasons, had since retired and faded into the backdrop of history. If Daji recklessly wielded power in the world, the Law of Cause and Effect would likely lead to his demise. This implied that even a being of such caliber must remain subdued without just cause.
I spoke, “Anyway, enough about that. I’m here to find your disciple, Mangnyang. If you know where he is, please tell me.”
“……”
Master Mangnyang remained silent for a moment before replying.
“Why should I tell you?”
Of course it was him. He would never readily part with information that I truly needed. Though I grumbled inwardly, I calmly responded, “I’m planning to fight against the Imperial Palace. It’s impossible for me to do this alone. I desperately need Mangnyang’s abilities, which is why I am looking for him.”
“The Imperial Palace… and why are you fighting it?”
“There’s an alchemist in the Imperial Palace trying to achieve his evil goals by creating beings like the Portrait Immortal, the Demon, and the Dragon Person. If we don’t stop him, innocent people might become victims of human sacrifice.”
“……”
Master Mangnyang looked down at me, an unexpected expression on his face.
“What a peculiar fellow. Knowing such classified information is one thing, but you still intend to confront the Imperial Palace with your own strength? Isn’t that like throwing eggs against a rock?”
“That worst evil that lies dormant in Luoyang may awaken.”
“Ohh…”
“Look at it positively. After all, what I do ultimately helps you out.”
This time, Master Mangnyang’s reaction was quite different. Until now, he had been acting all carefree and indifferent, but now there was a hint of curiosity in his demeanor. He stared intently at me for a long while before saying, “If you indeed pull the power of the Makyah to its peak, you could potentially defeat the Imperial Palace.”
“Huh?!”
I was surprised by what he said.
‘Wait, really?!’
In this reincarnation, I had half given up on stopping the Imperial Palace. It had felt hopeless to act before the Portrait Immortal or the evil beings were completed, but now, hearing that one of the strongest Great Immortals of the Celestial Realm had faith in my potential was truly astonishing!
Master Mangnyang said, “Do you know how to grow the Makyah?”
“I know that killing something with it works.”
“Not just that; there’s another way.”
“Huh?!”
As I focused on Master Mangnyang, he continued, “You must find the Huaying and liberate it.”
“……!!”
“As far as I know, Huaying and the Makyah were created as a pair. When used together, they can supposedly gain immense power capable of destroying even divine beings.”
The liberation of the Huaying!
That was the best way to maximize the power of the Makyah. Hearing such unexpected information made a smile spread across my face. If what he said was true, it meant the more you gather the Seven Luminaries, the stronger you become!
‘Yesss!’
I had heard that Huaying was located on a distant continent far to the south. It was said to be an unknown place where even the Southern Barbarians hadn’t ventured. Still, I wasn’t too worried. After all, I had already been to the extreme north of the world, the North Pole! If I put my mind to it, I could eventually find the Huaying!
As Master Mangnyang jumped down from the roof, he casually strolled down the path, saying, “My disciple went to Kunlun Mountain to hone his skills. I’ll send you word when the time comes.”
“Kunlun Mountain? You mean the one where the Kunlun Sect is located?”
Master Mangnyang glanced back at me and replied, “You little pup. You go figure it out.”
“……”
“Well then, take care.”
With that, I watched Master Mangnyang fade into the ether as I slowly started to wake up from the dream.
“……”
When I opened my eyes, I found that the sun was setting. Though I had only rested for a brief moment, quite a bit of time had passed.
“Awake now?”
Cheon Woo-jin sat a short distance away, seemingly having relaxed his earlier hostility towards me, now speaking in slightly more polite tones. As he munched on a freshly picked cucumber from the field, he chewed while addressing me.
“As my master said, don’t bother searching for your older brother. He’s going through the most important period of his life right now.”
“I heard he’s gone to Kunlun Mountain. Is that the same Kunlun Mountain range?”
“Not exactly…”
“……?”
Cheon Woo-jin tossed a cucumber at me. It was fresh and crisp, as if it had just been picked. As I caught it and stared at it, he added, “My older brother is a remarkable talent but lacks the innate talent for sorcery. He suffered a lot because of it. However, during his hardships, he came to a realization and gained permission to enter Kunlun Mountain, where he will become an excellent sorcerer.”
“……!!”
“If you keep trailing behind your older brother, you’ll just be hindering his future progress.”
I was taken aback.
Mangnyang had achieved enlightenment at Kunlun Mountain after seven years?
Until now, he had never mentioned anything like that to me.
“Enlightenment? What do you mean?”
“In the realm of Immortals, there are two types: the Celestial Disciples and the Mortal Disciples. Celestial Disciples are those who were born as immortals, while Mortal Disciples are exceptional humans who gain enlightenment through their efforts. Your brother has just begun walking the path of a Mortal Disciple.”
Cheon Woo-jin said with an odd feeling of pride.
“……”
The Mangnyang I knew was someone who partied hard, lounged around, and only studied when he was bored. Even so, he had displayed wisdom that was far beyond ordinary humans simply while studying out of boredom. He had also enjoyed playing with women and drinking with the folks of Jinrang Valley. However, I had no intention of sharing this with Cheon Woo-jin.
“Well then, I’ll be off.”
“Go ahead.”
As I left Jinrang Valley, I contemplated.
‘Hmm… I’ll need to leave Mangnyang alone for now.’
Since Master Mangnyang stated he would send me word when the time was right, I figured Mangnyang would join up when the time came. Until then, I would focus on training my martial arts and growing the Makyah.
