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“I can’t believe you didn’t bring anyone else!”

As I approached the Divine City, there stood the Master of the Twelve Joules, as if he had been waiting just for me. He was all alone at the village entrance without the usual entourage of the Three Masters.

Curiosity piqued, I asked, “Did you know I was coming? And where are your companions?”

The Master simply replied, “I had a hunch. The others are busy sealing off the place where the Sea God crashed, making sure he stays down long enough for me to deal with you. Seriously, Baek Woong, you handle the big stuff and leave me to clean up your mess. If you’d lent me a hand in sealing the Sea God, the devastation on Tamra Island wouldn’t be this bad.”

“……”

“Anyway, that’s not the point,” he said, cracking his knuckles. “What’s the deal?”

Apparently, he’d expected me, but not why I was there.

Gathering my thoughts on Master Mangnyang’s strategy, I opened my mouth, “Things have gotten urgent.”

Then I spilled the beans about the Demon King, Byukji-sang, making waves, the Heavenly Sovereign coming down, and even how the Divine Being from the White Lotus Sect had resurrected. He listened with a serious expression before uncrossing his arms.

“This really is a critical situation. You’ve come to the right place.”

“Can you help?”

“Before that, what’s your plan?”

“I’m looking to try the ‘Using Barbarians Against Barbarians’ trick and liberate the water spirit.”

My answer seemed simple enough, yet he immediately grasped the essence of the plan, nodding his head. “Well, you’ve got a sharp strategist on your side, that’s for sure. Using that plan is pretty much the only way in this situation.”

“I need your support, though.” I gazed earnestly at him. “We need to join forces. You understand what I mean?”

“Oh, I’m aware,” he affirmed resolutely. “I’ll mobilize all my strength, and we’ll immediately draw up a contract for the Blessing of the Sky. I’ll even disclose the Seal of the Moon Sovereign that I know.”

Of course, I knew where the Moon Sovereign was too, but I feigned surprise. “The Moon Sovereign?!”

“It’s at Mount Muni in Ganghwa. If we can acquire it and set it free, we’ll definitely become a match for even a Divine Being or an Apostle.”

“Normally, a Guardian exists for the Moon Sovereign. The Guardian of the Moon Sovereign must be quite formidable—how do you plan on taking it down?”

The Master replied with a grin, “By strength!”

“……”

“Honestly, I didn’t intend to fetch the Moon Sovereign, but if we lose now, there’ll be no future for us. We have to get rid of the Guardian and seize the Moon Sovereign.”

But now, I couldn’t even touch the most crucial issue. Who would possess the Moon Sovereign after defeating the Guardian? Both of us were owners of the Seven Luminaries, and having two moons in play would wield a far greater might than just one. I couldn’t let the Moon Sovereign fall into my opponent’s hands. Should I obtain it, I might just resolve this precarious situation with ease.

Yet, I had already heard Mangnyang’s words, so I spoke slowly, “Master, let’s make a deal.”

“What kind of deal?”

“The ownership of the Moon Sovereign is a sensitive issue. But I’m willing to concede ownership to you.”

“Oh…”

“On one condition—you must fully aid me in liberating the water spirit, and any time I end up in a scuffle with a Divine Being, you must help me without fail. And one more thing.”

I locked eyes with him intensely. “Share with me any methods you know for countering Deities.”

The Master tilted his head in confusion. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I said I’d liberate the Seven Luminaries and fight.”

“But that’s not all, is it?” I glared at him more forcefully. “You can listen in on Celestial Realm info. That’s how you learned I had the Fire Spirit, right? Also, you’ve been holding back on any plans for sealing cities under the Sea God’s command.”

The Master was silent for a moment.

“You’re not in a position to say anything about my cleanup work. If you’ve got tricks up your sleeve, bring them out. We need to settle this.”

The Master clasped his hands behind his back. “And if I don’t?”

I raised an eyebrow, eerily calm. “Then I’ll give up on solving this situation and retreat for decades. The chaos will inevitably spread to both Goryeo and the other group too. If you think you can handle everything on your own then feel free to ignore my words.”

“Hmm… Impressive.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I like how you’re directly challenging me. You’ve got some guts.”

Contemplating, he glanced at Musashi with scrutiny. “Musashi, after pulling the Moon Sovereign out, your hometown of Dongyoung will face even stronger calamities. The reason being, the power of the Moon Sovereign has been suppressing the monsters in Dongyoung until now. Ready for that?”

What? I looked astonished at Musashi, who responded in a calm demeanor, “If the Tsuchimikado Clan has sealed Aokigahara Life Sea, we should last a few years. But do keep in mind, none of that really matters to me. I’m not the true heir of the Lunar Kill Technique.”

“Still, among humans, you’re the one closest to being the true heir. So, after all that boasting, you’re going to just go silent when it’s inconvenient? Heh.”

“……”

“Well, how about this, Baek Woong? I’ll share a method to solve your most pressing problem.”

“And what do you think that is?”

“It’s obvious. You’re worried about the Divine Being’s avatar suddenly popping up, right? A character like that definitely knows about you and is keeping a close watch.”

“……”

“I know how to send him packing. I’ll let you know how.”

Really?! I wanted to ask, but I kept my face neutral. What if the Master was just throwing red herrings to confuse me? Instead, I gazed at him coldly and replied, “Explain what you mean by sending him away.”

“Just as it sounds. While I can’t physically send him flying from the Material World, I can ensure he won’t come looking for you. It’s complicated, but I can buy you time to achieve your goals.”

“And how do you plan on doing that?”

“By borrowing the power of the Duality opposing the ‘Old Ruler.’ It’s generally called the Ancient God.”

Then the Master continued, “Plus, I’ll show you how to stop the resurrection of those who can’t die. Be it the Demon King or the avatar of the Old Ruler, they likely have some degree of immortality.”

“……!!”

“With these two pieces of intel, it should be enough, right?”

“I find it hard to believe.”

“Well, that’s fair. But neither of us has the luxury of time. So, let’s be honest about it. The choice is yours.”

“Please hold on.”

I conveyed our recent discussion to Mangnyang through the Suspicious Fishhook. He soon replied, [That’s enough. If we push further, the Master of the Twelve Joules might give up, so let’s compromise here.]

I nodded in understanding. “Understood.”

“Now, shall we head off for the Blessing of the Sky?”

With a swoosh, I took off with Musashi and the Master toward Master Mangnyang’s village. After hiding the Heavenly Secret in the valley of Jangryeong, I tried to enter the village through Yeodong-bin’s shrine but noticed something odd.

“What are you doing over there?”

Turning around, I saw the Master standing still, refusing to enter the village. Musashi looked puzzled as well.

“I can’t go in.”

“What do you mean? Just walk in!”

“No way.”

“Why not?”

With genuine concern, the Master replied, “If I step in there, Master Mangnyang will kill me.”

“……”

This didn’t sound like a joke. There was no reason to crack jokes here.

Puzzled, I questioned him, “Why would Master Mangnyang want to kill you? From what I’ve seen, you two have a sort of contract in dreams?”

“Heh… To you, Master Mangnyang might seem like a cute little black cat, but not to me. Every time I run into him, chills run down my spine from fear.”

His self-deprecating laugh continued. “Anyway, I can’t go inside. The contract will be made outside, so you get in there through a dream.”

“This makes no sense.”

“Personal reasons. Let’s just act like adults and move forward.”

The Master seemed somewhat desperate there. His tone indicated that while he might be able to do everything else, stepping into that village was entirely off the table. With no other option, I headed for Yeodong-bin’s shrine first.

As I entered a trance, drifting off into the Dream World, to my surprise, there we all were—myself, the Master, and Musashi, standing side by side on a narrow path. And from the opposite side of this path, a small black cat was slinking along.

[Hello there. It seems you’re here for a contract.]

“By signing, I’ll truly receive the Blessing of the Sky, right?” I asked for confirmation, to which Master Mangnyang leapt up onto a wall.

[But that swordsman isn’t allowed.]

“What?”

With a swish, Miyamoto Musashi’s form seemed to shatter away. In a blink, he was expelled from the Dream World. Alarmed, I glanced back at that spot.

[He’s not even a true heir to the Lunar Kill Technique, nor does he possess the will to fight the Old Ruler. He’s simply a guy hung up on his own martial ambitions. Giving him the Blessing of the Sky would just be a waste of power.]

“What do you mean he lacks the will to fight? Musashi directly attacked the Sea God!”

[At that moment, he was just bursting with the desire to test his skills as a martial artist. He’s not prepared to face a Divine Being, let alone understand what it really is. He doesn’t qualify.]

“……”

[He might be lured by the Evil God’s power to become a pawn someday.]

As I pondered over those words, the meaning sank in. Musashi had managed to confront the fear of the Sea God with sheer will, but that wouldn’t be enough to face a true Divine Being. The mental fortitude required to confront that kind of darkness is of a different nature than what a martial artist seeks.

Cautiously, I asked Master Mangnyang, “So, the Blessing of the Sky is only given to those who possess the will to confront a Deity?”

[Exactly. It’s reserved for those ready to carve their own destinies.]

“Isn’t that overly picky? Be it the Old Ruler or an Apostle, they’re absolute monsters. Ordinary people would never dream of challenging them.”

I protested, and Master Mangnyang replied, [There are only a handful of humans who genuinely wish to oppose them. If one’s mindset is aligned towards pursuing the essence and not drowning in ego and desire—then that talented individual should receive the Blessing.]

“What? Then I should naturally receive it!”

[Why do you think it’s a given?]

I balled my fists. “I’m squeezing out any courage I have to face the Old Ruler! Shouldn’t that count?”

Master Mangnyang’s eyes narrowed. [Not once have I expected anything from humans. The fact that it’s a choice to fight against them is no reason for me to grant you any special favors.]

“Wait?!

[Furthermore, I can say this with certainty—there has never been a single fool in history like you, to challenge the fears of the Old Ruler. I can respect that stupidity, but there’s no reason for mercy.]

“……”

His chilling nonchalance sucked the energy right out of me. This cat clearly judges solely by its own standards, regardless of whether humans are willing to fight back or not. The Master of the Twelve Joules, who had been listening in, interrupted, “Can we get on with the contract already?”

[Let’s go.]

With the flick of his ethereal form, Master Mangnyang’s body erupted in a puff of smoke, shrouding everything in dense darkness. I couldn’t see anything, even in this Dream World, I couldn’t rely on my senses to find my bearings.

How long did I wait?

A whispering sound reached my ears. For a fleeting moment, I thought it was the eerie melody of a ghost I’d encountered before, only to realize it wasn’t that at all. I breathed a sigh of relief.

‘What is this…’

The sound was rough yet clear. It was sorrowful, yet soothing at the same time, almost like a song.

I had never experienced sound manipulation before, but hearing it cleared my mind, washing away the darkness. Absurd as it seemed, I felt empowered in the dark by this sound.

‘Why do I feel this way?’

The sound and rhythm enveloped me with an eerie sense of familiarity, eerily reminiscent of something from long ago, yet undeniably new.

As the Original Night washed over me, my inner self began to awaken fiercely. It prompted a sensation I’d never felt, like being magnetically tapped into the essence of all martial arts, rising to new heights. My perception widened, lifting me beyond the mundane ground towards the vast sky, the universe, and even past the universe itself.

During that moment, an unsettling thought danced through my mind. [Are you regretting this?]

Someone was speaking. [Once you’ve crossed over, there’s no guarantee you can return. This is a place where even gods cannot tread.]

Someone replied, but I couldn’t hear what they said.

When the awakening faded, I realized I had woken from Master Mangnyang’s dream.

“……”

Did something change? As I stood up, I glanced around, but I didn’t feel any increase in internal power, nor did my martial arts abilities seem amplified. Musashi was already up, scanning me with an annoyed expression.

“…Let’s go.”

It seemed he was displeased he hadn’t received the Blessing of the Sky himself.

As I stepped out of the village, the Master of the Twelve Joules waved at me. “Hey! Now we’ve got at least minimal preparations done.”

“Now you need to share the information,” I said.

“Of course. But first, I’ve got to ask you one thing.”

“What is it?”

Stretching out lazily, the Master replied, “Baek Woong, don’t you want to become a god?”

What kind of question is that? I glanced back at him, taken aback by his inquiry. Then he continued, “The Demon King, Byukji-sang, was once an ordinary sorcerer who gradually sought power and achieved the realm of the Demon King. His ultimate goal is to become a god rivaling the Old Ruler. But honestly, you and I are in a position much closer to that goal.”

“Closer to what?”

“As masters of the Seven Luminaries, with the Blessing of the Sky and the recognition and blessing of the Three Sovereigns…”

The Master rambled on. “If we can successfully defend the ground from the invasion of the Old Ruler, you and I could stand in the Divine Temple and ascend to a godly status.”

“Ha ha, what a joke…” I started to laugh it off but stopped when I noticed the Master was completely serious.

‘…He’s being sincere.’

Right now, when he spoke of becoming a god, I didn’t think he meant merely achieving the status of a Great Immortal. It could very well refer to wielding the power of the Celestial Realm’s administrators or even operate directly under the Three Sovereigns. It was akin to becoming an Immortal endowed with everlasting authority.

The Master stood firmly, pressing me further with the same question. “Baek Woong, do you want to become a god?”

“What about you?”

“I asked first.”

“……”

“I actually want your answer.”

I took my time to ponder the question. Finally, I replied, “Not really.”

“Why not? If you become a god, all the joys and sorrows of mortality would disappear, and you’d gain the power to manipulate the heavens and earth. You could wipe out an emperor with just a flick of a finger.”

“That’s exactly why.” I crossed my arms defiantly. “You’d still be a subordinate of the Three Sovereigns, unable to ultimately defeat the Old Ruler.”

My response left the Master speechless. “Wait… What?”

“You wouldn’t even be able to stop the Old Ruler or prevent the injuries to Le Rue.”

“……”

Suddenly, the Master burst out laughing. “Kekeke, ha ha ha! Hahaha!!”

“What’s so funny?”

“Ha ha ha…” He chuckled for a while, before settling down to say, “I see, you just don’t want to give an answer.”

“……”

He must have interpreted it in a strange way. As I made my way along with the Master and Musashi, we arrived at Jangryeong Valley. The Master of the Twelve Joules took out his Cosmic Fragment and drew a pentagonal star shape, reciting a certain incantation.

Boom!

“With this, the Old Ruler can’t step foot here.”

Cheon Woo-jin looked at the Master sharply. “Master of the Twelve Joules, is that an ancient Divine Protection formation?”

“That’s right, Illusory God Cheon Woo-jin.” The Master tucked the Cosmic Fragment at his waist. “Among this world, the few Deities capable of standing against the Old Ruler are the Ancient Gods. I managed to acquire the formation to borrow their strength. At the very least, it should give us protection for a year. It should also evade the Old Ruler’s detection.”

“How did you learn of this? The secrets of the Ancient Gods are said to be even more concealed than the Old Ruler…”

“It’s a secret.”

With a nonchalant wave, the Master continued, “And I’ll also let you know how to eliminate an immortal created through divine essence. Rather than destruction, it’s about sealing their immortal capabilities.”

Then the Master shared several techniques and incantations with Illusory God Cheon Woo-jin, who looked thoroughly astonished. “What… are you? A human?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“This is knowledge that no human could possibly know. This is clearly a technique devised by gods!”

Illusory God growled, and the Master shrugged. “Just a secret.”

“……”

The Master was in such a hurry that the moment he finished transferring the knowledge, he turned to me. “Okay, I’ll go liberate the Moon Sovereign. You guys just manage.”

With a puff, the Master vanished, and Mangnyang urged, “Baek Woong, we need to move quickly.”

“Got it.”

“Now that the Master of the Twelve Joules is involved, we can’t afford to lag behind him. I’d rather not bring him in but with the avatar of the Old Ruler, it’s unavoidable…”

His face hardened with warning. “We must head directly to the Han Clan and find Han Baek-ryeong. If she’s not there, we head straight for the liberation of the water spirit. As soon as that’s complete, we’ll find the Demon King and execute the plan of ‘Using Barbarians Against Barbarians.’”

 

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