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“I said I used my power, and then I went on to explain in detail what kind of death I experienced at the Heavenly Altar.”

While Cheon Woo-jin listened with his arms crossed, he said, “I can’t grasp it just from your words. Share it with me using obsidian.”

“Oh, wait a minute…”

I pulled out a chunk of obsidian the size of my forearm and stuck it into the ground. Then, I focused my mind on the obsidian.

“Touch it here.”

We all reached out to touch the obsidian. This method allowed us to transfer memories all at once without each person needing to touch it individually.

Whoosh!

As my experiences were transmitted to them, my companions exchanged serious expressions. Among them, Miho looked particularly shocked.

“Baek Woong. Doesn’t this break the official offering ceremony?”

“Hmm…”

“Until now, if you offered to Jeon Wook, you’d summon Nüwa, and if you offered to Moon Sovereign, you’d summon the creator. But in this death, an unknown powerful being attacked you out of nowhere. This disregards the fundamental causal relationship of the medium and the summoning.”

“Right. This shouldn’t happen…”

While Jin So-cheong pondered, she spoke up.

“Baek Woong. Is there a possibility that the being who summoned you was one of the Three Sovereigns?”

“Even if we consider it to be one of the Three Sovereigns…” I felt awkward in response to Jin So-cheong’s question.

“The only Three Sovereigns I have directly faced are three. I’ve never met the remaining five divine beings. So even if it was indeed their true form, I wouldn’t know which one it is. Besides, if it really is one of the Three Sovereigns, I can’t even begin to guess why they’d suddenly come in and try to kill me, the Apostle of Jeon Wook.”

“Hmmm…”

As silence fell over us, Mangnyang spoke up from the side.

“I have a hunch.”

“Me too.” Cheon Woo-jin chimed in. It seemed the two most skilled sorcerers were on the same page with their suspicions.

Mangnyang leaned forward, cupping his chin with both hands. “… Taihao Fuxi.”

“What?!” I exclaimed in surprise.

“He’s one of the Three Sovereigns!”

“That’s right. Also, he’s known as the creator of humans alongside Nüwa.”

“What could such a being want from someone like me…” Mangnyang said heavily.

“However, reflecting on your past lives, it’s highly likely to be that being. There are two reasons for this. The first is the lack of communication, and the second is that Cheon Woo-jin’s techniques didn’t activate…”

I recalled the first reason among Mangnyang’s words. ‘Now that I think of it, a prophet once said something like that.’ It was an old event, but not that long ago, so I remembered clearly. It was definitely something that happened in my 19th past life.

[So then, can’t we intentionally summon the Three Sovereigns? Whether it’s Nüwa, Taihao Fuxi, or Yan Emperor Shennong…]

[If we had the Seven Luminaries, we could summon them for sure… but does that even have any significance? Especially considering the current Fuxi likely won’t be able to communicate with us… Moreover, I suspect the current Nüwa is quite angry in the mortal realm, meaning that if she is summoned, we could all die.]

At that time, the prophet had mentioned Fuxi’s condition. Considering he’s a being of unknown identity, the chances of it being Taihao Fuxi are indeed high. But I didn’t quite understand the second reason, so I asked Mangnyang.

“What does it mean that Cheon Woo-jin’s technique didn’t activate?”

“Think about it. Fuxi is the being who granted the Eight Trigrams and techniques to humans. It’s only natural that a mortal’s techniques wouldn’t work in front of him, right? I also know that the Seven Luminaries’ Initial Eight Trigrams not only blocks techniques but all powers.”

“Ah!”

“If someone like Cheon Woo-jin, an extremely skilled sorcerer, can’t use any techniques, that means the being exists at the origin of those powers. So it’s very likely to be Taihao Fuxi.”

Only then did I understand. Indeed, techniques would not work against the creator of the techniques. If another divine being could disregard techniques with force, in Fuxi’s case, the domain governed by his divine status is the techniques themselves, meaning they would completely invalidate them from the very start.

“But why would Taihao Fuxi…?”

“…”

Mangnyang pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Now we have no choice but to gamble.”

“What kind of gamble?”

“Though the time is limited, we can’t help it.”

Mangnyang glanced at Cheon Woo-jin and said, “Priest, please release Zhuge Sa.”

“Are you sure about that?” Cheon Woo-jin asked with a worried voice.

“Older Brother, while I previously mentioned ten days, that was only if I sealed him with my sorcery while he remained locked under the Land and Earth Diagram. Just a few days ago, the demonic energy had surged and he was on the brink of going wild. If we release him now, he might become a formidable demon.”

“I don’t care. In that case…” Mangnyang said, outlining a plan. Cheon Woo-jin then exhaled heavily.

“… The bigger problem is whether he’ll agree. And even if we release Zhuge Sa, we can’t be sure that those present here can handle the aftermath if he goes wild…”

I couldn’t believe it and asked Cheon Woo-jin, “Is Zhuge Sa really that strong now?”

“The Demon King sees him as his favorite and has concentrated magical power and seals into him. Plus, he’s the owner of the Nameless Ritual Book. In this world, among all human sorcerers from both east and west, no one would be stronger than Zhuge Sa.”

“……!!”

“Damn… We should have been more cautious. If we mess this up, everyone here will die.”

Cheon Woo-jin looked at the party with distrust in his eyes. His gaze briefly passed over Jin So-cheong, the Sword Demon, Miho, and others. However, they had only recently trained in Jangryeong Valley, so boosting their strength to tackle this situation seemed impossible.

I declared resolutely, “I’ll take responsibility! If needed, I’ll use my power to turn back time.”

“Damn… Are you really that clueless about what the Apostle’s power even means?”

“I know, why?”

“If you know, how can you say something like that? You understand the difference between the [Great Cycle] and [Small Cycle] of time, right?” Cheon Woo-jin grumbled, and I nodded my head.

“I get it. I’ve learned about the nature of time.”

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have a clue, but now I understood.

The universe’s time consists of the [Great Cycle] and the [Small Cycle].

Thoughts from Yeol flashed through my mind. When I entered training with the Five Demon Gate, Yeol had further explained.

[Absolute Time. The chaos where all things mingle, commonly referred to as the [Great Cycle]. It’s the largest component of the Law of Cause and Effect, and no one in this universe can escape this cycle except for one Great Being. The [Great Cycle] is how the Great Universe flows, so no gods can touch it, not even the high Outer Gods can change the [Great Cycle]. Until the predetermined end comes.]

[So if there’s a Great Cycle, is there a Small Cycle?]

[Of course! What you’ll be studying now is controlling the [Small Cycle] with the power of time. Most divine beings can manipulate this [Small Cycle]. For example, slowing down time in the Celestial Realm or reversing the years of a physical body, or stopping the time of civilization with the will of the Three Sovereigns.]

[… ?]

I had no understanding at that time.

[What? Then, does that mean gods can completely stop time or reverse it? Why do we even differentiate between the Great Cycle and the Small Cycle?]

[Oh… you still don’t understand.]

Yeol had said.

[When a Small Cycle is manipulated, all divine beings can feel and know that a record of the manipulation has been left. In simpler terms, it means an editing record must exist. Moreover, the more that record accumulates, the greater the chances of getting a backlash from the Law of Cause and Effect increase. You’ll have to pay immense attention to what other divine beings notice.]

[…!!]

[Thus, using a time attack with the Small Cycle will never work against a divine being. Attempting to manipulate the Small Cycle in an encounter with gods is essentially suicidal. Well… while you might manage to avoid death by using your power afterward.]

[I see…]

That’s right. If a powerful Apostle or divine being were to manipulate the Small Cycle, everyone could see the editing record!

I reminisced about my training memories and said, “The power I possess as an Apostle is the ability to move the [Small Cycle], so if I avoided death, then both the Three Sovereigns and the [Old Ruler] would know that.”

“Right. If you try to suppress Zhuge Sa and fail, using the third power will leave you without any options. You’ll attract all the attention and interests of the divine beings, and on top of that, your future would cease – it’s not a light matter!”

When Cheon Woo-jin shouted angrily, I calmly said, “… Don’t worry. If it comes to that, I’ll take care of Zhuge Sa.”

At this, the look in Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes changed.

“Have you made up your mind?”

“Zhuge Sa’s life isn’t the only one at stake. His desire to die has nothing to do with me. Better to prepare myself than hesitate and let all of you die.”

“Alright, if that’s the case.”

Whoosh!

With everyone in a state of battle readiness, Cheon Woo-jin opened the Land and Earth Diagram and released Zhuge Sa.

Kuuwuu…

Zhuge Sa’s condition definitely looked off. His eyes were stained half white, half black, and one hand was pressing hard against his face while he emitted an unrecognizable, bizarre groan, twisting his body in a strange manner.

But after a moment, he removed his hand from his face and looked at me.

“Baek Woong.”

“Zhuge Sa.”

“Have you made up your mind?”

I nodded at Zhuge Sa’s question.

“Of course.”

“Huh… The Demon King calls me. I can maintain my sanity for at most half a moment. Explain the situation and come to a conclusion within that time.”

“Take this.”

I tossed the obsidian towards Zhuge Sa. After quickly reading my memories through the obsidian, he grinned.

“Hehe, I see.”

“Zhuge Sa, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

I looked at him with earnest eyes. “Please give up the Nameless Ritual Book.”

“Hmph, I thought you had made a resolution. But it seems you’re merely attempting some half-hearted compromise.”

“If you give up the Nameless Ritual Book, your magical power will greatly decrease, thus lifting the burden. And…”

“By using the Demon King’s fancy, I can set up a fight with the [Eternal Fetus]. This is a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy, more efficient than using the reversal power to eliminate it.”

“… Yeah.”

Zhuge Sa suddenly burst out laughing. “Hahaha! Hyun Ah. Are you just thinking about what’s best for yourself? Isn’t that quite a naive strategy!”

Mangnyang, listening to Zhuge Sa’s taunting, calmly spoke.

“Uncle, we can’t give up without trying. For now, this is the best plan.”

“No way. That’s definitely not happening! If we try and fail, we’ll just end up eating a lot of crap; it’s better to not try at all.”

“……”

Everyone present fell into silence. This silence signaled their belief that Zhuge Sa’s plan was right as well as a deep-seated frustration at their own powerlessness. Having just formed nearly all their connections, the looming reality that the only option was to rely on divine power brought waves of despair. Zhuge Sa, breaking the tense atmosphere, chuckled.

I bit my lips tightly.

“Zhuge Sa! How about this method?”

“What is it? Hurry up and tell me! I can’t hold it for much longer.”

Zhuge Sa pressed hard against his temple, speaking irritably. I organized my thoughts and replied. “We go right now and take down the Demon King.”

“……”

Zhuge Sa looked stunned as if trying to comprehend what I meant.

“Is it easy to say stuff like that? Do you really think there’s no reason for this debate? Just so you know, I can figure out your power level reasonably with just the obsidian. But with that strength, it’s nearly improbable to overcome the current Demon King, the leader of the Landlords! His strength is greater than that of a hundred great sorcerers! So we must either strengthen the Fire Spirit or boost our power somehow.”

“I can’t do it alone, but there’s another option!”

“… You’re suggesting bringing Miho into this?”

I nodded. “We need to find Miho as quickly as possible and form an alliance to bring down the Demon King first. And it would be smart to hold back on using the reversal power.”

“This idea is as naive as Hyun’s earlier mention. There’s no guarantee we can even defeat the Demon King.”

“No, there is!” I replied confidently.

“I thought the Celestial Realm would temporarily seal the Demon King, right? That indicates that Miho’s power is on par with that Demon King’s!”

“Hmmm…”

“If that’s the case, we only need to ride on the coattails. Should we take down the Demon King, the soul bind on you will surely dissolve.”

Zhuge Sa contemplated for a moment before saying, “That’s expected. But that alone wouldn’t work. It’ll fail.”

“Damn it!”

“The chance of the Celestial Realm Miho accepting us is far lower than the chance of her rejecting us. Just look at the reaction of Jang Sam-bong! And even if she agrees, she might as well stab us in the back the moment we’re weak. Besides, excluding you and Cheon Woo-jin, there’s not a soul who can even last a second before Miho.”

“Stop being so negative…”

Zhuge Sa grumbled dryly.

“So what? If you think positively and we fail, what will we do – just make excuses? You may be able to try again in another life, but everyone else will just be dead if things go south. Do you really not get that?”

I flinched.

Seeing my reaction, Zhuge Sa sighed and continued, “But hey, I’m impressed you’re at least thinking on your own. I’ve also noticed your intention to solve things calmly instead of just recklessly throwing plans out there. If you can clarify just one more point, I’ll give up the Nameless Ritual Book as you wish.”

“One point? What is it?”

Zhuge Sa’s attitude seemed to have softened! My outburst of joy was met with his slow response.

“Even if we all die and fail this time, we need to understand why this strange entity that is presumed to be Taihao Fuxi appeared during this offering ceremony. Plus, if we want to gain the potential to overcome this uncertain situation, there needs to be a necessary process. That is…”

“What is it?”

Zhuge Sa said with a piercing gaze, “To meet Jeon Wook of the Three Sovereigns right now.”

“……”

What is this nonsense?

I responded to Zhuge Sa, “Zhuge Sa, as you well know, if we can’t reach the Five Demon Gate before the sun and moon set, it’s impossible to go to Jeon Wook’s dimension. And I don’t know how to get to the Five Demon Gate!”

It was an embarrassing truth, but it was just that. Yeol had taught me the Apostle’s powers, but beyond that, he didn’t teach me much.

I had only learned what was strictly given to me.

“Normally, that would be the case. But you are an Apostle. The human Apostle of Jeon Wook, who has never been seen in history. You might be able to reach Jeon Wook without needing a special invitation. I think if you search your memories properly, you’ll find a way.”

“What do you mean by suddenly finding Jeon Wook…? ” I said, bewildered.

Zhuge Sa responded, “The secrets of the Three Sovereigns are eternal and are known only to the gods themselves. The offering ceremony used to be the only means of contacting them, but now that it has been shut down, we have no choice but to ask directly. If you can pose a question to Jeon Wook, perhaps every problem we have now can be resolved.”

“Hmm…”

“Go right now. Ask Jeon Wook why the offering ceremony backfired, and seek out how to deal with the [Old Ruler] or the Demon King moving forward. Who else but an Apostle can do such a thing?”

“What if I can’t? What if I can’t reach Jeon Wook’s dimension…” I muttered, my voice tinged with concern, and Zhuge Sa chuckled.

“Then just like I mentioned earlier, I’ll ditch the Nameless Ritual Book. And until the Demon King’s dealt with, I’ll quietly stay sealed under the Land and Earth Diagram.”

It felt like a weight was lifted. Getting a concession from a madman like Zhuge Sa was unbelievably tough, so I couldn’t help but feel grateful.

“Thank you.”

I expressed my gratitude to Zhuge Sa, then concentrated as I rummaged through the massive memories from the five years of training.

‘Damn, there has to be a way…’

I was anxious. For five years, I had received the blessings of the sun and moon and had been training relentlessly in spirit form without a moment’s break, resulting in an immense wealth of memories. Naturally, due to the time spent on repetitive training, it became difficult to sift through my recollections. But I absolutely had to find a way, even if I had to rely on a trick, to reach Jeon Wook.

After mulling it over for a while, something glimmered amongst my fragmented memories.

… Oh? Could it be?

All eyes turned toward me, and Mangnyang asked expectantly, “Baek Woong! Do you have any ideas?”

“Um… I think I might have a plan but… I’m not too sure…”

I spoke uncertainly, “There’s a path that leads to the Five Demon Gate where the Two Ropes and Four Dimensions converge…” I recalled what Yeol had said.

As soon as I said this, the sorcerers glanced at each other.

And shortly after, they all seemed to have come to one conclusion and shouted in unison, “Mount Penglai!”

 

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