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“I first went to the Heavenly Altar of Mount Huang.”}

Why, you ask? Because the Heavenly Altar of Mount Huang had something special compared to other altars, and I wanted to check it out.

I scanned the area for any martial artists or other forces before climbing up to the altar.

‘Well, what do you know.’

A statue of Pangu!

The creator god from the creation myth, Pangu, was said to be born from the cosmic egg containing the essence of heaven and earth. It was also said that after he broke open the egg, he sent the light and pure energy to the sky and created the earth with the heavy, murky energy. To honor this myth, the abbot of the nearby Hyun Gong Temple had Pangu’s statue placed here.

Strangely, there was also a statue of Pangu atop the Heavenly Altar of Mount Huang. I asked the abbot if he had put it there, but he said it had been there since ancient times. Someone had intentionally placed Pangu’s statue on this altar.

I stared at Pangu’s statue when Zhuge Sa chimed in.

[Is this the feeling of a reborn person? Picking out details with no causal relationship is pretty impressive.]

“I just thought there might be some meaning to it.”

After responding to Zhuge Sa, I fiddled with the statue of Pangu and then asked, “Zhuge Sa, what exactly is Pangu? Does the creator god really exist?”

[You’re asking annoying questions.]

“The Three Sovereigns actually exist, and they possess divine statuses strong enough to stand against the Old Rulers. So then, wouldn’t Pangu, who is said to have created this world, be a transcendent being with powers surpassing the Three Sovereigns?”

This was what I was most curious about.

I used to not believe in the gods of Taoism or the Three Sovereigns at all. However, as I dug into mythical secrets and realized that the celestial realm was real and that the Three Sovereigns existed, my perspective on the world changed. Naturally, I became curious about Pangu, who supposedly existed before the Three Sovereigns.

‘Zhuge Sa, as the leader of a heretical sect, might have something to say.’

Zhuge Sa thought for a moment before responding.

[As far as I know, the humans spread across the world now are the handiwork of the Three Sovereigns. It’s said that Nüwa, Shennong, and Fuxi worked together. Regardless of what Pangu did, the original beings of the Otherworld are the ones who created humanity, and the Three Sovereigns polished that creation. So, I can’t say for sure if Pangu really exists.]

“You don’t know? You mean you can’t definitively say whether he exists or not?”

[Tsk… There are hardly any who know the truth of the creation myth, let alone the Three Sovereigns. Only the Three Sovereigns themselves or the Old Rulers of equal divine status can know that. As a mere mortal sorcerer, it’s beyond my reach.]

Zhuge Sa replied bluntly and continued,

[But if Pangu does exist, he’s either a metaphor for the explosion that created the world or… a blind and foolish father.]

“Father?”

I tilted my head, perplexed.

“You’re not saying you’re the child of the creator Pangu, are you?”

Then Zhuge Sa chuckled.

[You idiot. ‘Father’ is just a metaphor. Do you take that literally?]

“……”

[My parents died decades ago.]

Hey! I need to hear it to know!

As I grew increasingly irritated, Zhuge Sa continued.

[In this world, there exists a Divine Temple, a place that designates all celestial deities, including the Three Sovereigns, the Old Rulers, and any Outer Gods. The ruler atop this Divine Temple is singular… beyond description, it transcends words.]

“Is that what you call ‘Father’?”

[Just mentioning that name is blasphemous, making it hard for even the Old Rulers to reference it. Rumor has it that even the outer gods revered as deities by the Old Rulers worship ‘Father’. That existence encapsulates the chaos boiling at the universe’s core.]

“……”

I was taken aback. I never expected an existence of that magnitude could be real.

“So, the Old Rulers worship outer gods, and even those outer gods respect something greater… Are you saying it’s a ‘god among gods’?”

[A rather childish expression, but I suppose that works too.]

Replied Zhuge Sa nonchalantly.

[If a true creator exists in this world, it can only be ‘Father’. My belief is that Pangu represents the existence of this ‘Father’.]

“Um… Hey…”

[What?]

I frowned, arms crossed.

“Calling him ‘Father’ feels weird. My actual father passed away when I was young, and my memories are so foggy that it’s a bit unsettling. Can’t we use a different title?”

My parents died when I was twelve. The issue was my memories were so faint that I couldn’t recall their faces or moments together. At that time, I was just a clueless, naive kid.

‘Well… it’s a problem since my past life began when I was serving as a servant at the village chief’s house…’

Still, I was their adopted child. I felt a bit proud of that when Zhuge Sa interrupted my thoughts.

[Oh right. You were an orphan.]

I exploded, “You little brat, do you have to say it like that?”

[Hmm… then maybe calling him this would work better.]

After a moment’s contemplation, Zhuge Sa said.

[Boiling Chaos.]

“What’s that?! Something boiling at the center of the universe? Like bubbling?”

[… You must really be free from worry. Most people go mad just by discovering that existence.]

With an air of exasperation, Zhuge Sa continued.

[Anyway, we’ve had enough of this. Pangu is no longer important; let’s check the other Heavenly Altars.]

“Yeah.”

I rode the Four Great Spirits and headed to the Heavenly Altar of Mount Tai. It looked abandoned, possibly after the death of the Vermilion Bird, with corpses scattered everywhere. It seemed the rumors were true, that many soldiers had perished or gone mad during the descent of Nüwa, and they hadn’t even bothered to tidy the altar. If this altar was in such a state, the fortress guarding Mount Tai must have already crumbled.

“Hmm, nothing seems to need fixing here…”

With that, I’d checked two altars. The problem was the remaining three: Hengshan, Huashan, and Songshan.

Since the Nine Great Sects were present here, I couldn’t confirm the altars without a confrontation. I pondered for a moment and said, “I need to meet Master of Zen first.”

The Hengshan Sect and Huashan Sect hardly knew anything about the altars’ functions and powers. The Hengshan Sect was merely a martial arts school, while the Huashan Sect, after expelling the Taoist group, had become a secular faction. Thus, the only one who could negotiate properly about the altars was the Shaolin Temple on Songshan, and only the Master of Zen could help.

[That’s the order. But have you thought about what to say?]

“Well…”

I hesitated as I considered Zhuge Sa’s words.

‘Damn it.’

Suddenly, I couldn’t think of what to say. Even if I asked for the help of the White Lotus Sect to eavesdrop on celestial information, would a renowned Master of Zen accept that? In the end, I might have to eliminate the Master of Zen by force. I wanted to resolve things peacefully, but persuading the Master of Zen would likely be harder than I thought.

As I was deep in thought, Zhuge Sa piped up.

[You are missing a step. Instead of going to the Master of Zen first, you should return to Master Mangnyang.]

“Aha.”

I understood without needing Zhuge Sa to finish that this was the right course of action.

The Master of Zen was someone who had grown with the help of Master Mangnyang!

If I received support from Master Mangnyang, getting assistance from the Master of Zen would be a walk in the park. But I was worried and muttered, “The last time I visited, Cheon Woo-jin didn’t let me in. Has something really happened to Master Mangnyang?”

[We need to confirm that. Put that aside for now.]

“Got it.”

With a crackle, I arrived at Master Mangnyang’s village. Entering while leaving the Heavenly Secret buried, this time, Cheon Woo-jin blocked me with an illusion technique. The moment he saw me, he bluntly said, “Why are you here again?”

“Cheon Woo-jin. The Master of the White Lotus Sect has defeated the Southern Flower Immortal. Are you aware of this?”

“I am.”

“The Celestial Realm is trying to unleash a powerful scheme to destroy the White Lotus Sect again. I come to implore you to summon the Celestial Realm for the sake of stopping it. So please, let me see Master Mangnyang.”

“……”

Though my true intention was to spy on the Celestial Realm’s information, I thought this should be enough on the surface. Cheon Woo-jin, looking at me suspiciously, replied.

“Why are you being so soft on the White Lotus Sect? They are a religion that deserves to perish, and their leader has committed many villainous acts. They are nothing but a nuisance.”

I answered firmly, “Still better than the Celestial Realm!”

“……!!”

“The Southern Flower Immortal enchanted ordinary common folk with peaceful magic this time, sacrificing hundreds of thousands! Do you know how many among those controlled by that sorcery perished? The Celestial Realm, sacrificing those innocent people for the sake of ‘righteousness,’ is no different from the Otherworld!”

Cheon Woo-jin, confirming my meaning, let out a low grunt and said, “You’ve got a point, but persuading the Celestial Realm is impossible. They rarely listen to mortal proposals.”

“That’s something I’ll handle; just let me see Master Mangnyang. I need that insane cat… no, I mean that individual’s help.”

After a moment’s thought, Cheon Woo-jin said, “At present, the Celestial Realm is indeed in turmoil. Master has only recently been released from a Celestial Realm meeting, so you can meet him without concern. However, I cannot guarantee that Master will give you the response you’re hoping for.”

“That’s fine.”

Eventually, Cheon Woo-jin lifted the illusion technique and opened the way. I soon found myself standing in front of Yeodong-bin’s shrine, calling out to Master Mangnyang in my heart.

You crazy feline! Get out here now!!

After a brief moment, an immense wave of sleep washed over me, and I found myself in the Dream World.

[You always bring unexpected guests.]

Master Mangnyang immediately booted out Zhuge Sa’s spirit the moment he appeared. Then, without preamble, he said, […Things have gotten out of hand. I never expected a mortal would take down the Great Immortal. I have no idea what will happen now.]

Alright! Got it, so help me use the altars.

Time is of the essence.

As I forcefully summoned my will, Master Mangnyang spun his tail once and said, [My followers will now follow your wishes. You will also receive assistance from the Master of Zen and the Shaolin Temple. But be warned, a great trial is approaching, and you must fully prepare to handle it.]

A great trial? What’s that?

[Soon, a Heavenly Ladder connecting Heaven and Earth will be laid down. This is the decree of the Celestial Three Purities; not even I can hinder it.]

With that, Master Mangnyang continued.

[You have 49 days starting now. Find a way to persuade the Celestial Realm as much as possible by then.]

Why are you just talking and not explaining what’s happening?

Why wouldn’t you give me a clue on what’s going on, huh? I can’t just understand if you don’t share much!

As I expressed my frustration, Master Mangnyang said.

[I never imagined things would end up like this… or perhaps it would have turned out the same regardless…]

With that, Master Mangnyang scampered away.

Feeling bewildered by Master Mangnyang’s disappearance, I was left feeling uneasy.

After awakening, I told Cheon Woo-jin, “Cheon Woo-jin. So the Heavenly Ladder is supposed to appear in 49 days. What did Master Mangnyang mean by that?”

He looked at me in shock. “What did you say…? Did Master really say that?”

“That’s what he said.”

“Damn it… Those White Lotus Sect bastards… they really messed up. They might as well have just played dead…”

Cheon Woo-jin gritted his teeth. For a moment, his face turned red and blue, as if he were about to explode.

“I’ll help you too. We’ll need to run like hell. If you need me to do anything, just tell me!”

I was somewhat surprised to see Cheon Woo-jin voluntarily cooperating like this for the first time.

‘Huh?’

What’s with this sudden change of heart? He used to be the type to ignore me even if I begged on my knees for help.

“What’s with this shift in attitude?”

“Hurry!”

Cheon Woo-jin pressed on his temple and muttered, “We need to act fast. We must prevent the Heavenly Ladder at all costs.”

 

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