---

“`html

I decided to talk to Mangnyang about the current situation.

Mangnyang, arms crossed in thought, spoke up, “He’s probably in the Ayutthaya Kingdom right now. However, there’s a decent chance he’s already on his way back to the Central Plains, so to definitely bring Dongbang Mu-gyeol over, we need some extra help.”

“The Master of the White Lotus Sect.”

“Correct. If it’s the Master’s order, Dongbang Mu-gyeol would surely lend a hand without question.”

“……”

But that’s going to be really tough. Moving the great Master of the White Lotus Sect requires an immense amount of effort, not to mention the various treasures involved and the inherent negotiation risks that I’ve been acutely aware of. As my expression tightened, Mangnyang said, “Let’s keep that as a last resort. For now, let’s get moving. If you manage to meet Dongbang Mu-gyeol, I’ll let you know a plan to bring him along.”

“Got it.”

Crack!

I headed towards the Ayutthaya Kingdom. While sneaking around the palace using stealth techniques, I soon sensed a powerful Qi.

‘Three strong energies… Dongbang Mu-gyeol and Baek Won-sangma must be nearby.’

Just like that, I found them. Lucky me! Just as I was about to approach and persuade Dongbang Mu-gyeol, the space around me suddenly turned into a bizarre chamber filled with strange machinery.

Kirik kirik

Is it an illusion technique?

As I focused on escaping the strange space, a figure stepped out from behind a clacking lever. I squinted at the figure. It was a handsome young man with brown hair and blue eyes, displaying the typical features of a foreigner from the Ming Dynasty.

“From your appearance, you look like a citizen of the Ming Dynasty. Do you understand my words?”

He spoke fluently in the language of the Ming as he addressed me. I wasn’t surprised by his proficiency as I already knew who he was. Nodding in acknowledgment, he introduced himself.

“I am Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim. Do you comprehend?”

I recognized that his name came from those spoken by the Westerners in the Duchy of Prussia. Last time I had summoned Johannes Lichtenauer’s spirit with Heavenly Secret Technique, I absorbed some of his linguistic knowledge in the process. So, while it was still strange to hear an alien language, I could manage to understand him to some extent and replied bluntly, “Can I just call you Paracelsus?”

Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim. I understood every word this guy said, and his ostentatious tone rubbed me the wrong way a bit.

“……!!”

Paracelsus looked taken aback. He seemed to recognize me as someone he encountered in a past life and was also a sorcerer related to the Otherworldly Race. Moreover, at present, he was assisting the Black Prince Naresuen of Ayutthaya in nation-building and development.

Clearing his throat, he said, “As I thought, you are indeed quite a unique being. It’s not common for an ordinary human to possess the essence of the gods.”

He must have figured out I was an Apostle of Jeon Wook. With a cold expression, I drew my sword and warned, “Don’t get in my way. If you do, I’ll cut you down.”

Given my strength, cutting through this level of barrier would be a breeze.

Then, Paracelsus waved his hand with a smile. “Get in your way? Not at all. Your aim, after all, is those buffoons from the East, isn’t it? I wouldn’t care less how you deal with them.”

“……”

“I’ll release the barrier soon. But first, hear me out.”

“A proposal?”

“It seems you possess extraordinary power,” he continued, examining me with a peculiar gaze. “How about we seek out the legacy of the gods together? With your help, I’m sure we can obtain it.”

“……”.

“The Zhuyong Tribe is guarding it, but if we can get past their interference and claim the power of the Giant Race, we could rule the world.”

Legacy of the gods? I replied with a cautious tone, “I don’t know what this god’s legacy you speak of is, but I don’t have time to be distracted by that right now. Consider this your last warning.”

Vruuum

The sword’s strength danced in the air, and I began to draw out the breath of Thunderclap. As my tremendous internal power started to radiate, the area around me filled with a powerful energy. I glared with sparks in my eyes and growled, “If you don’t step aside, I’ll cut you down!”

Paracelsus seemed to dismiss my threat as nonsense, chuckling as he replied, “Hah, and you think a meager sword can break my barrier…”

Boom!

With that, Paracelsus’s head separated from his body. His neck soared upward, still maintaining that grin, while I swiftly returned to my original stance after drawing my sword.

“Not too shabby, huh?”

It was just a single use of my sword technique, but he had overestimated his own defenses and was taken down in one strike. We were over ten paces apart, yet my attack range could easily reach twenty in an instant.

Slash

As Paracelsus fell, the bizarre subspace vanished instantly, and I found myself back in reality. I coldly remarked, “Are you still alive?”

No response came, yet I repeated, “I know you’re alive. If you show up in front of me again or get in my way, I’ll destroy your real body, Paracelsus.”

With a rustle, I heard the sound of something small flying past. I watched as Paracelsus’s decapitated body transformed into a pale substance that scattered like dust. Just as I had guessed, he had sent a fake clone instead of showing his true self. As I’d heard from Zhuge Sha, sorcerers were exceptionally cunning.

‘Normally, I would have listened for his true intentions and gathered information, but I don’t have time for that now.’

Heavenly Spirit’s techniques couldn’t stop time indefinitely. Wasting time taking a detour would likely result in Zhuge Sha being unable to retaliate and getting himself killed or injured. It seems that dealing swiftly with someone trying to use me, like this sorcerer, was the right choice. Plus, having gotten rid of the clone, he wouldn’t be bothering me for a while.

So, I headed straight to where Dongbang Mu-gyeol was. When I reached him, I said, “Heavenly Doctor Dongbang Mu-gyeol. I am Baek Woong. There’s a patient I absolutely need you to save; please accompany me.”

“A Central Plains fellow. Do you really think you’re half-Transition Master?”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol frowned and turned sharply, “I don’t know how you found me, but I have no business with you. Get lost.”

“I can offer you three things in exchange for this request.”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol shot a side-eye at me. I showed him the Inner Dan of the Human Face Pillar I got, “This is the Inner Dan of the Human Face Pillar. If you help me, I’ll give this to you first.”

“Hmm…”

“Secondly, the patient that needs rescuing happens to be in dire condition. If you treat him, it would solidify your reputation as the best physician in the world.”

Upon hearing this, Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s expression shifted greatly. He pretended to be uninterested, casually raising his eyes. “What’s the third?”

“That is…”

I feigned concern about Baek Won-sangma and then sent him a secret transmission. [I know the truth regarding the Su Shin Sect’s martial arts and the secrets of the Heavenly Spirit Pill. If you help me, I’ll definitely divulge all of it to you.]

“……!!”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol was taken aback. Then he said, “I can’t believe it! Where’s the proof that what you say is true?”

“You don’t have to believe it. But first, the Inner Dan of the Human Face Pillar is undoubtedly true. You’re still gaining something out of it, aren’t you?”

“Cough… You’re coming out of nowhere, and I just can’t believe this.”

“Fine then. How about this?”

Swish

I pointed my sword at Dongbang Mu-gyeol, unleashing the murderous intent and hinting at my Absolute Slash technique. [You can either take the three offers or get beaten and dragged away!]

“You brat! Just because you’re a Dharma Guardian means you can act all high and mighty? Come, let’s see what you’ve got!”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol and the Baek Won-sangma nearby immediately started a joint attack on me. Normally, with three Peak Experts teaming up, I would have preferred to avoid this situation. But I had my reasons for pushing through this forceful display of strength.

As an Apostle of Jeon Wook, I possessed the indestructible Golden Body! With that, I felt confident I could engage Dongbang Mu-gyeol without suffering any critical injuries. A moment later, the clashes of power erupted, and I summoned the full extent of my abilities.

Go! Go! Go!

‘National Seal Liberation! Fire Spirit, rise to your strength!’

Suddenly, my power surged tenfold, and the face of Dongbang Mu-gyeol displayed clear shock.

“Aagh…”

“Haah!”

With a booming sound, the two Baek Won-sangma who charged forward collapsed under the sheer force. I had merely released a control technique, but it was more than enough for them to handle. Next, I set my sights on subduing Dongbang Mu-gyeol and began unleashing my Saber Technique. Dongbang Mu-gyeol clenched his teeth.

“You think you can just take hits?”

Pervig

“Uwaah…”

As I took three direct hits from Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s intense force, I felt all my internal organs twist painfully. I was taken off-guard.

‘What the?! Wasn’t I invulnerable? Why…’

Even after taking a hit from the Master of the Shadowless Sword, I thought I’d just end up with a mere scratch. But instead, I felt the full brunt of his power. I had assumed it was impossible in the state I was supposed to be in.

“Gurgle! Gurgle!”

As I stood, reeling from the confusion and coughing up blood, Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s face mirrored shock despite his success in landing a major attack on me. Trembling, he uttered, “You withstand a Tri-Fold Palm infused with my twelve star power… This… is a human?”

Wait? To my surprise, his reaction indicated a mental shock rather than the anticipated excitement. I coughed again and said, “Gurgle! If I, cough, gather my power, then… gurgle…”

I couldn’t form coherent words. Clearly, I was dizzy from direct hits and felt like my insides were turning into mush. The only issue was the excessive coughing of blood, my fighting spirit remained firm. I felt confident that I could take him down within ten seconds while swinging the released Fire Spirit. Dongbang Mu-gyeol glanced at me, as if making a decision.

“If I surrender and comply with your terms, will you truly fulfill the three promises?”

“Of course, gurgle, cough!”

“You win. Now, find the one who claims to save a life and take me to him.”

“……”

I was sure I had won, yet why did I feel so gloomy? I started to doubt the effectiveness of the Golden Body. Was it really just a power that kept me alive without enabling full absorption or reflection of attacks while keeping me on the brink of death? Did Jeon Wook truly denote such weak powers for an Apostle?

As these thoughts clouded my mind, I finally brought Dongbang Mu-gyeol to the Jangryeong Valley. Upon arriving, he looked at the remaining Five Great Physicians with a smug glance and proclaimed, “Haha! Since you all can’t do your job, I’ll finish it for you.”

“Stop boasting and sit down. There’s no need for arrogance when it comes to saving a patient!”

“Hmph…”

Eventually, Dongbang Mu-gyeol, after hearing from Hwa Seong-myeong, began his examination, explaining his methodology. I had only ever seen him rashly rely on his martial ability, but this was my first time witnessing his technique in medicine. I focused intently on every gesture and action, knowing I would not forgive him if he did something foolish leading to Zhuge Sha’s demise.

After a while, Dongbang Mu-gyeol exhaled, “As Hwa Seong-myeong said, conventional surgical methods wouldn’t suffice. But, trust me, as a genius, I’ve come up with a way to recover without any aftermath.”

“What do you mean?”

“Listen carefully…”

He began explaining using medical terminologies only physicians would understand, leaving the other four physicians looking both curious and astonished while the Medicine King’s expression appeared indifferent, and Sangwan Hyuk remained impassive.

“Medicine King, the Demon Waste Potion should be ready, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s proceed with the surgery.”

With Dongbang Mu-gyeol leading the charge, the Five Great Physicians commenced their major surgery to save Zhuge Sa. The extensive operation continued for a full three moments without pause, while I had to continually fetch what they needed, making the rounds among the world’s healers.

Once the surgery concluded, Zhuge Sa lay there with a somewhat pale complexion. Dongbang Mu-gyeol wiped his bloodied fingers on his garment and remarked, “He lost a lot of blood, so it may take a while for him to awaken. But he is completely healed.”

“Thank you, all of you, the Five Great Physicians…”

I bowed deeply to the fatigued Five Great Physicians, some accepting my gratitude while others appeared uncomfortable. Then, Sangwan Hyuk sent me a secret transmission.

[Let me inform you; the Soul Exchange Technique I cast on you has almost been lifted. Zhuge Sa was half-dead, leaving his soul stuck at the boundary of the Underworld.]

At Sangwan Hyuk’s sudden transmission, I twitched in surprise as he stated, [I collaborated earnestly during this surgery. So, please ensure Zhuge Sa doesn’t use the Soul Exchange Technique on me again.]

[Understood.]

I sent the Five Great Physicians back to their bases one by one, leaving only Dongbang Mu-gyeol with me. Since I promised to deliver his reward, I explained everything I knew about the Su Shin Sect, the Four Great Families, and the Heavenly Spirit Pill’s secrets in detail.

“……!!”

“In any case, even if you acquire the Heavenly Spirit Pill, you’ll only end up suffering until the day you die. Also, mastering the martial arts of the Su Shin Sect carries a significant risk of mutation into an Otherworldly Race’s physique.”

“I can’t believe that.”

I replied bluntly, “Did you think I wanted to flatter you? If I intended to, I’d have poured sweet words out instead, but if you aim to become a disciple of the Su Shin Sect, you’d better heed my warning.”

“Ugh…”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol rubbed his forehead, displaying a troubled expression. Delivering the final blow, I added, “And I hope you never divulge what I just told you. If any harm comes to me, I’ll consider it a breach and will make sure to kill you. Even if you’re under the protection of the Master of the White Lotus Sect, I won’t hesitate.”

“… Understood.”

Having wrapped up this series of events and sending Dongbang Mu-gyeol off, I sighed. It was a relief that Zhuge Sa had shared vital details about the sorcerer’s grimoires, but the entire ordeal had drained me. As I sat down to rest, Mangnyang interjected, “Baek Woong. There’s something we must do before Zhuge Sa awakens.”

“What is it?”

“Let’s go meet Deung Gwak.”

Mangnyang continued, “We need to understand what thoughts the leader of the scholarly faction harbors and what kind of world he is intending to create. Knowing his tendencies would greatly aid you in future endeavors.”

Crack!

I set off to Luoyang with Mangnyang to meet Deung Gwak. Upon arriving at the enormous mansion that housed him, I unexpectedly ran into a familiar figure.

“Are you the one called the Avatar of the Dragon?”

Boom!

A man suddenly appeared, blocking my path in front of Deung Gwak’s mansion, his eyes filled with a mix of intensity and calm. I didn’t recognize him and fixed him with a scrutinizing stare. The man continued, “It seems you can freely traverse Luoyang, so I decided to come here in advance, just as you are attempting to see Deung Gwak.”

“I don’t know you; what’s your business here?”

That was a lie. I knew exactly who the inspector was. Mangnyang did too.

Feigning ignorance, I remained silent as the man approached me with authority. “Nice to meet you for the first time. I am Yong Junil of the Wind Spirit Sect, here to find out who this ‘Avatar of the Dragon’ really is.”

Yong Junil of the Wind Spirit Sect! He was the son of the Dharma Guardian Yong Bi-cheon, as well as the leader of the Huashan Sect. I kept up the act of misunderstanding.

“I haven’t mentioned anything about teaming up with you. I must see Deung Gwak, so kindly step aside.”

“Of course, I won’t let you pass.”

Yong Junil slowly drew his sword, and at that moment, I felt a terrifying intent locking onto my forehead like a needle, as if the energy concentrated into the blade was slicing through my flesh.

“Dragon Avatar, before you go, how about we exchange a bit for ten seconds?”

“`

 

---