“Then that would actually benefit you. You just won’t have to make that person a companion anymore.”

“……!!”

“Right now, our strength is absolutely insufficient. Until we can gather strength, don’t hesitate to use any means necessary.”

I began to understand Mangnyang’s words. Even if I collected human power, I couldn’t know whether it would measure up to divine powers. Rather than doubting every single individual, it would be wise to broaden the circle of companions as much as possible. That was what would yield the maximum benefit for me.

“Um, I don’t quite get what you’re talking about…”

At that moment, Jin So-cheong interjected, looking bewildered. Mangnyang glanced at her and softly said, “Baek Woong, the choice is yours. What will you do?”

After some contemplation, I nodded.

“I will abide by those words.”

Swish!

‘Is this the last Obsidian? Guess I’ll have to go mine for more again.’

Thinking about that, I handed the Obsidian to Jin So-cheong. She stared blankly at the Obsidian, and I encouraged her, “Jin So-cheong, if you accept this Obsidian, you’ll understand what our conversation means.”

“What do you mean?”

“And our relationship will change from what it is now.”

“……?”

“What’s certain is, if you don’t take in my memories through the Obsidian, there’s no way our talks will progress any further.”

Jin So-cheong folded her arms thoughtfully. Then she asked, “Will my martial arts improve?”

I chuckled lightly. “Of course.”

“Alright, I’ll trust you for now.”

Moments later, as Jin So-cheong placed her hand on the Obsidian, I executed the memory transfer martial art.

Boom!

As she absorbed a mass of memories, her eyes briefly appeared dazed, lost in confusion. She stood frozen for a moment. After about half a breath, she loosened her stiff body and shook her head.

“I can’t believe it.”

It seemed she had successfully received the memories.

“Whether you believe it or not, it’s the truth, Older Brother.”

“……”

Jin So-cheong still had a bewildered expression. It made sense, considering my memories spanned 17 lifetimes. While Dokgo Seong might brush over a lot of unknowns, Jin So-cheong’s familiarity meant her confusion would be all the more intense. It must’ve felt surreal for her to watch her previous lives unfold, particularly a few she didn’t even know about.

After a while, Jin So-cheong finally spoke. “You worked hard for over a hundred years and ended up surpassing me. Impressive.”

“Were you mocking me?”

“Not at all. In most cases, people would’ve gotten tired and quit before putting in that much effort.”

Jin So-cheong wasn’t being sarcastic; he spoke with genuine admiration. That kind of frank praise could only come from someone aiming for the pinnacle of martial arts, like him. Jin So-cheong looked at me with a mix of respect and hesitation.

“But I feel awkward calling you my master, Baek Woong. Even if I was your older brother in a past life, considering your current status, you’re more like my mentor. What should I call you?”

Indeed, titles and forms of address were something to consider. After a moment’s thought, I replied, “Let’s keep things equal. I’ve decided to accept you as my true companion, so the notions of superiority and inferiority don’t exist between us.”

Jin So-cheong grumbled, “I can’t shake the feeling I’m at a disadvantage here.”

“But I’ve put in a hundred years of effort, right? Cut me some slack.”

“Mmm.”

For a moment, we exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.

“Hahaha!”

It was a conversation that could get serious, yet neither of us found it uncomfortable, probably because we held no ill feelings for one another. Sure, I had some jealousy about Jin So-cheong’s talent, but I had mostly resolved that feeling this lifetime, making it easier for me to be open with him.

Listening to our conversation, Mangnyang chimed in, “As you can see now, Baek Woong’s goal is to uncover the secrets behind divine beings that disturb the human world and restore order. Who knows what kind of powerful beings may appear along the way. Are you confident in fighting alongside us?”

Jin So-cheong nodded. “Of course! I’m genuinely thrilled about this proposal.”

“Thrilled?”

He gazed up at the sky with a wistful expression. “I’ve honestly felt a strong sense of emptiness until now. Though I’ve diligently trained martial arts under my master’s teachings, the path of a thousand years feels too long and distant. Being uncertain about where I stand feels like drifting in a vast ocean. Hence, my training in martial arts has been somewhat stagnant.”

“……”

I began to understand why Jin So-cheong would stall in growth if he remained solely at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. He must have been shaken by that mysterious martial artist during his childhood but likely felt disenchanted with the dullness of everyday life. Considering his unmatched talent, he probably had no talented peers around to spur him on; thus, feelings of emptiness felt like an inevitable conclusion.

“But even before I saw my memories through the Obsidian, you gave me a significant inspiration, Baek Woong. The realization that there’s a martial artist stronger than me, despite being younger, was quite shocking.”

“Compared to you, my talent is nothing.”

“Results speak louder than words. You have every reason to be proud.”

Jin So-cheong said bluntly, and then he continued, “I want to continue following you as your companion, learning and leveling up along the way. I believe you can help me reach the ultimate martial path I desire.”

“……!!”

In that moment, it felt as if Jin So-cheong’s claim of reaching the ultimate realm wasn’t just a casual statement but a truth destined to come to pass. If anyone else made such a proclamation, I would have brushed it off as a joke, but since Jin So-cheong said it, it felt almost like a certainty. That’s just how talented he was.

In that moment, I felt an inexplicable reverence. If the difference in talent were merely small, I might have felt overwhelmed with inferiority, but when the gap is this wide, I could simply admire him with respect.

‘Yeah, Jin So-cheong can do it, can’t he?’

Since we were heading towards a confrontation with divine beings anyway, if Jin So-cheong could surpass them with human martial arts, it would be the best outcome possible. Suddenly, I was filled with hopeful anticipation that my journey towards my goals might shorten down.

“Alright then.”

I declared firmly, “I’ll do my utmost to support you.”

My resolve was set in stone.

“Now, let’s really start planning our strategy.”

As our conversation wrapped up, Mangnyang settled down on the porch beside us.

“…..”

Gathered around the table, a strange feeling pervaded the air. It felt as if, after decades apart, we had finally come together in one place. Mangnyang cleared his throat awkwardly and spoke up.

“Ahem. Anyway, let’s discuss what we need to do now.”

“Go ahead.”

“First and foremost, Baek Woong, you need to focus on training Jin So-cheong here in Jinrang Valley. As for me, I’m planning to organize the Bancheon Alliance from now on.”

What was he talking about? I exclaimed in shock, “You’re really going to organize the Bancheon Alliance now? Isn’t that pushing it a bit?”

Given that quite a bit of time had passed since our past lives, training the Demon Soldiers of the Imperial Palace must have progressed well. In other words, the Imperial Palace’s power would have significantly increased. So there was a notable risk that the Bancheon Alliance could be overrun by a sudden assault from the Imperial Palace.

But Mangnyang simply shook his head without breaking a sweat. “The Bancheon Alliance I’m establishing this time is not for facing off against the Imperial Palace directly. It’s merely a minimum countermeasure for post-processing.”

“What are you talking about? Please explain.”

“Baek Woong, as you know, the response from the Celestial Realm this time is different from the past.”

Mangnyang said with an intense gaze. “The ancient immortal lines that created the Yellow Turban forces in the past have come down to the earthly realm, and the Queen Mother of the West has ordered Miho to recover the Moon Sovereign. The activity of the Celestial Realm is more active than before primarily because of the Offering Ceremony we requested.”

“What does the Offering Ceremony have to do with the actions of the Celestial Realm?”

Mangnyang momentarily glanced at the sky with a serene look before speaking again. “You’ve been told before that those who conduct the Offering Ceremony gain powers of immortality and magic, acquiring the authority of a priest connected to the Old Ruler. Based on the circumstances, a new ruler could be born.”

“A new ruler?”

“The Old Rulers are those who have reached a mystical grade to the extreme, resulting in their birth. Depending on the situation, the Offering Ceremony might produce a ruler possessing powers comparable to theirs. The Celestial Realm is worried about that.”

A new ruler. The birth of a new god (神).

Indeed, that seemed like something the Celestial Realm would be concerned about. But I didn’t quite understand, so I asked. “Didn’t Qin Shi Huang and Wu Zetian gain power through the Offering Ceremony and then head to Dark Heaven Village? Why didn’t the balance of heaven and earth collapse at that time?”

“At that time, the grade of the deity giving the blessing during the Offering Ceremony was simply too low,” Mangnyang replied firmly. “The Offering Ceremony is a ritual to summon the Old Ruler to Mount Tai. No one knows who will be called forth. If a low-grade individual is summoned, we can breathe easy. But if a high-grade one appears, catastrophic disasters could occur.”

“A high-grade one?”

“I’m talking about Outer Gods (外神). They’re unreasonable beings that even the Old Rulers worship as gods…”

Mangnyang murmured, “The Celestial Realm surely wishes to avoid that. So they’re creating religions in the mortal realm to gain power and then eliminate us. The new religion flourishing in Hebei will undoubtedly become our enemy, someday blocking our paths. There’s probably a Great Immortal behind that.”

“Hmm.”

“Miho has also been commanded to find the Moon Sovereign, which falls into a similar context.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

My eyes widened at Mangnyang’s continuation, full of understanding. “The Celestial Realm has declared that they will indeed release the seal on the Moon Sovereign just to prevent the Offering Ceremony. Since you possess the Water Spirit, don’t you think we should counter the Seven Luminaries with the Seven Luminaries?”

“……!!”

I froze in shock for a moment, panicking as I stammered, “But Miho won’t be able to attain the Moon Sovereign’s power. At least, the Dharma Guardian will have to risk their life to fight, and how is that possible?”

“You seem to forget that it was the Queen Mother of the West who gave that order.”

“What of it?”

Mangnyang sighed. “If Miho just finds the seal of the Moon Sovereign, the Queen Mother of the West might indeed descend directly and battle the Guardian of the Moon Sovereign. She’s a heavenly deity several times stronger than Yeodong-bin and could easily break the Moon Sovereign’s seal.”

“……”

I realized the situation was worse than I thought. At the same time, I didn’t want to acknowledge the worst-case scenario that popped into my head, and with a trembling voice, I asked, “So… Miho is going to block my path by becoming the master of the Seven Luminaries?”

“Indeed. However, that would disrupt the Law of Cause and Effect and exacerbate the chaos of the world. Therefore, the reason I intend to establish the Bancheon Alliance is to manage the chaos that arises then. I will also invoke the Bancheon Alliance and the Thunder God Lineage to secure the Heavenly Altar of the Five Great Mountains.”

Mangnyang asserted firmly, “It’s just a matter of time. You must decide quickly.”

While Mangnyang didn’t directly say it, his intention was clear. I had to either make Miho an ally or exclude her. Either way, it was a tough decision for me.

After pondering deeply, I asked, “Do we absolutely have to conduct the Offering Ceremony this far? If we could just gain enough power to topple the Imperial Palace…”

“Not at all. We absolutely must perform the Offering Ceremony this lifetime, regardless of any complications.”

Mangnyang’s determination was unwavering. Clenching his fist, he stated, “The reason I risked death to acquire the Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate was precisely for that purpose. Upon interpreting the Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate, it became clear that we could summon the Three Sovereigns using the relics of the Three Sovereigns during the Offering Ceremony.”

It seemed his plan was to utilize the Water Spirit I had as a medium to summon the Three Sovereigns. I hesitated, asking, “Is summoning the Three Sovereigns absolutely necessary?”

As I voiced my skepticism, Mangnyang replied, “When the Water Spirit is offered as a sacrifice, who do you think the Three Sovereigns will be?” He revealed, “That’s none other than Jeon Wook. Jeon Wook is the one who severed the connection between heaven and earth.”

His eyes sparkled. “If we hear the secrets of the Three Sovereigns from Jeon Wook and eventually reconnect heaven and earth, that would be our goal. Once that’s achieved, we could challenge the Celestial Realm directly and obtain various powers that were once prohibited to humans.”

“Powers prohibited to humans?”

“I guess you weren’t aware of this. When Jeon Wook severed the connection between heaven and earth, human sorcery regressed significantly. Various powers that primordial humans could use as naturally as breathing are now sealed within the Celestial Realm. If we manage to unlock them, we’ll only get stronger.”

“I see…”

As the conversation reached a natural conclusion, Mangnyang prepared to leave. He mentioned he was going to check on the Heavenly Altar of the Five Great Mountains and said to me:

“While I’m at it, I’ll also find out who that Vermilion Bird on Mount Tai is. If it turns out to be an incompetent fool, I’ll deal with it myself.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for me to tag along?”

“That won’t be necessary. If we have the Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate, things can mostly solve themselves. You should save your time.”

Mangnyang seemed more confident than I’d ever seen him before. It appeared that acquiring the immortal’s relic had propelled him to the level of an Advanced Technique practitioner, boosting his confidence. I said to Mangnyang, concerned, “If you need help, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

“Of course! See you later.”

Once Mangnyang left, I contemplated for a moment.

‘If Miho is to find the location of the Moon Sovereign, it’ll take time. The Celestial Realm doesn’t seem to know where the Moon Sovereign is either, and the Master of the Twelve Joules, who actually knows, is hiding the information.’

Based on my experience, Miho would likely need at least a decade to independently discern the whereabouts of the Moon Sovereign. I realized that I needed to meet with Miho before that time elapsed. To facilitate that, I would have to teach Jin So-cheong while accruing more of my own strength.

I addressed Jin So-cheong, “Then, let’s begin the transmission.”