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Back in the day, I never felt it, but it was clear that Mangnyang’s thatched house felt pretty cramped when three people were in there instead of just two. The Extreme Tiger stood up, looking too uncomfortable to sit.

“There were really a lot of things that happened last time,” Mangnyang said.

“Yeah, that’s true,” I replied.

“But in the end, we couldn’t do anything about the absolute lack of power…”

“……”

With a bitter murmuring, Mangnyang continued, “So in this life, let’s aim to reach the Absolute Realm while keeping a low profile.”

“I think that’s a good idea.” Absolute Realm! If you reach that level, you could handle an army of a hundred thousand by yourself and gain the power to face the Overlay Technique. Getting to that ultimate realm, which only a handful in history has achieved, would broaden the horizon for future movements.

I took out the Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate and handed it to Mangnyang. “Take this.”

“Thank you.”

“Mangnyang, after the Offering Ceremony, are you thinking of climbing the Celestial Realm?”

He nodded. “I think that would be reasonable.”

“While we’re at it, should I give Cheon Woo-jin the obsidian as well…?”

“No, that won’t do.” Mangnyang shook his head.

“Woo-jin has an extraordinary sense of caution toward others. He only accepted it after a series of complications in his past life. Normally, he would never take in suspicious magical items like obsidian. Even if I, as his older brother, tried to persuade him, it wouldn’t work.”

“Hmm… That sounds about right.”

I had considered that, but hearing it directly from Mangnyang made me feel a bit dismal. Indeed, bringing Cheon Woo-jin into our ranks wouldn’t be an easy task. Without enough strength to intimidate him, I couldn’t simply throw obsidian at him and expect him to join me.

Glancing over at the Extreme Tiger, who was standing beside us, Mangnyang asked, “Are you really set on making him your companion?”

“Yeah.”

“He might resent you for dragging him into the dangerous life of an Asura.” Taking a moment to think, I replied, “Then I’ll just take his memories and send him back.”

“Can the obsidian magic do that?”

“It’s a high-level technique, but yeah.”

At that, the Extreme Tiger plopped down irritably and said, “I don’t understand what you two have been talking about. If you’re going to give him that memory, just do it quickly. Listening to stuff I can’t understand is incredibly boring.”

“Haha, you’re quite the bold one.” Mangnyang chuckled.

“Then, Extreme Tiger, may I ask you something as Baek Woong’s companion?”

“Is this your way of training me? Sure, I’m all ears.”

“What do you think of Lee Kwang?”

“He’s the top expert in the Thunder God Lineage and the commander most likely to seek revenge. He’s also the heir to the Grand Master.”

That seemed to reflect the current perception of Lee Kwang that the Extreme Tiger held. Mangnyang carefully observed the Extreme Tiger’s expression before continuing.

“If I or Baek Woong were to tell you to kill Lee Kwang, would you follow through?”

“……!!”

The Extreme Tiger’s face froze.

“As you might have guessed, Baek Woong isn’t an ordinary person. He might just be the most special being in this world. If he wants to give you power, you might end up with abilities surpassing even a Dharma Guardian. Therefore, this is a possibility worth considering.”

“Why would you want to kill Master Lee Kwang? Do you have a grudge or something?”

“You’ll understand that if you hear Baek Woong’s memories.”

“……”

The Extreme Tiger seemed to be deep in thought for a while before finally saying, “I could do it. If it helps me take down the White Lotus Sect.”

“That’s good to know,” Mangnyang nodded before saying to me, “Baek Woong, give the Extreme Tiger suitable martial arts and a spiritual pill before sending him back to the Thunder God Lineage. We can’t join forces.”

“……”

I could feel the Extreme Tiger’s killing intent gradually rising as he sat there. I was on guard, unsure when he might leap up and attack Mangnyang. If I wasn’t careful, Mangnyang, being a novice in martial arts, might find his head severed by the Extreme Tiger’s sword. Despite my current weaknesses, he was still an Extreme Expert in the Jianghu.

“Calm down for a moment.” I warned the Extreme Tiger and turned to Mangnyang. “Why can’t you accept him?”

“Just now, the Extreme Tiger hinted that he could kill Lee Kwang if it meant eliminating the White Lotus Sect. That means he’s willing to use anything if it helps him achieve that goal.”

With an icy gaze, Mangnyang looked at the Extreme Tiger. “No matter how much I explain the darker side of the world to him, he cannot forget his resentment toward the White Lotus Sect. His anger will not dissipate until he finishes off the very person who harmed his master, Yong Bi-cheon, and ultimately destroys the White Lotus Sect.”

“……”

“Am I wrong, Extreme Tiger? You can’t bring yourself to compromise with the White Lotus Sect, can you? That’s why you can’t be accepted as a companion. If your desires clash, there’s a chance you’ll stab Baek Woong in the back.”

In response, the Extreme Tiger shouted in anger, “What do you know? Do you understand the helplessness of being unable to do anything while your master is torn apart before your eyes? Who do you think you are judging me?”

Boom! The energy between me and the Extreme Tiger clashed momentarily. Thanks to the duel with the spirits, my internal power had risen a level, and with the sharpening senses from my encounters with pirates, I found the Extreme Tiger’s power grew stronger too. While I could still hold him back, if things progressed, we’d inevitably engage in a Life and Death Decision.

Despite receiving that killing intent, Mangnyang spoke in a calm voice. “Who in this world doesn’t have someone they want to kill? Both Baek Woong and I have enemies we want to tear apart. Not just one or two. But that’s a different issue altogether. The problem is you, Extreme Tiger, are tied to your pure quest for revenge and incapable of compromise!”

“You speak quite well.”

“Alternatively, answer me this: If I told you that after ten years of compromising with the White Lotus Sect, you could take your revenge, would you accept that?”

“……”

The Extreme Tiger didn’t respond. However, his reluctance was clear in his unwavering killing intent.

“Yet since you also have a strong resolve for revenge, you can’t back down.”

“That’s right.”

Continuing, Mangnyang said, “If that’s the case, swear here that you will end all your revenge by killing Yong Bi-cheon. Not just now, but for the future generations as well.”

“What do you mean by ‘future generations’?”

“Just as you can’t compromise with the White Lotus Sect, we cannot take the risk of being stabbed in the back either.”

The Extreme Tiger frowned, but I thought Mangnyang’s suggestion was valid. So I said, looking at the Extreme Tiger, “Extreme Tiger, make a promise. If you swear to end it with Yong Bi-cheon, I will make sure you catch him.”

The Extreme Tiger seemed to relax, saying, “Is there a reason I shouldn’t take revenge on the whole White Lotus Sect?”

“There’s too complicated of a matter intertwined.”

“Hmm…”

He seemed to be in deep thought for a moment. Then he said, “My only enemy is Yong Bi-cheon. If I kill that guy, I won’t want anything more.”

“That’s a good thought.”

Swiftly, I handed the obsidian to the Extreme Tiger. Realizing it was a technique to transmit memories, he hesitated for a moment before accepting it. I then transmitted the memories of my past life, and the Extreme Tiger began trembling like a fish caught in a net.

“……!!”

The Extreme Tiger’s expression shifted rapidly. It seemed my memories were such a massive load that he struggled with it. After a while, he gathered his thoughts and said, “The… world…”

“Extreme Tiger, do you now understand what I mean?”

“Damn it. I’ve jumped into a crazy gamble.” The Extreme Tiger spat out an expletive. “They’re all insane. How many times have they pulled this nonsense? But still, they don’t give up?”

“……”

“Baek Woong.” The Extreme Tiger looked at me and continued, “I’ve been living only with the thought of killing Yong Bi-cheon, the one who tore apart my master. But I don’t think I have the resolve to endure all those deaths like you, battling the gods countless times. What drives you?”

“Hmm…”

His question surprised me.

What drives me to move forward?

For me, who had tasted a brutal defeat just prior, it was a profoundly meaningful question. Mangnyang seemed curious about this question as well, gazing at me intently. Without hesitation, I replied.

“I haven’t gathered all the Seven Luminaries, I haven’t reached the Absolute Realm, and I haven’t perfected my techniques yet.”

“What? That’s your only reason?”

“I can’t give up until I’ve tried everything I can.”

“Let’s say you’ve tried everything. What if you’re still lacking power?”

I clenched my fist tightly and responded, “That’s when I’ll work hard to become a god.”

“A god…”

“If even that god can’t save those humans, then I guess there’s nothing to be done. But until then, I won’t give up.”

“……”

Both the Extreme Tiger and Mangnyang looked taken aback by my words. The Extreme Tiger chuckled helplessly and said, “Wow… I’ve really become friends with an extraordinary fellow.”

“What’s your plan? You giving up now?”

“No.” The Extreme Tiger gripped his spear tightly. “Alright. Since it’s come to this, let’s go together. Whether it leads to heaven or hell…”

After that conversation, Mangnyang spoke. “Baek Woong, we don’t have much time until the disaster from the Offering Ceremony strikes, so let’s hurry and begin the ceremony.”

“Got it.”

Bang!

I gave the Extreme Tiger the Black and White Lotus to boost his internal power, allowing him to cultivate the Seven Great Techniques and the Eight Immortals Divine Art from within. Then, with Mangnyang, I headed towards Mangnyang’s village to conduct the Offering Ceremony. I refrained from talking to Cheon Woo-jin to avoid any possible backlash later. Ultimately, Mangnyang managed to persuade Cheon Woo-jin to join us in the village.

‘Just as I thought.’

As we entered the village, the familiar urge to sleep washed over me. While I expected it, that moment, I summoned Yeodong-bin through a device.

[Dharma Protector… uh?]

Whoosh!

As Yeodong-bin sounded somewhat dazed, I fell asleep.

‘Yeodong-bin, you should meet Master Mangnyang…’

I’m curious how that’ll turn out.

Along the familiar path, Master Mangnyang was calmly walking toward me in the form of a cat. Beside me, Yeodong-bin’s divine spirit floated, looking somewhat perplexed.

[Where is this…]

[Welcome to my space, Yeodong-bin.]

Master Mangnyang addressed Yeodong-bin.

[It’s been a thousand years, hasn’t it?]

It seemed Yeodong-bin understood the situation and said with a hint of bitterness, [Indeed. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the Great Immortal.]

Thud.

Without hesitation, Yeodong-bin knelt before the black cat, Master Mangnyang. I was surprised to see him so respectful; he hardly ever exhibited such courtesy to anyone besides his master, the Fire Dragon Incarnate.

Master Mangnyang looked at me and said, [You’re cute. Were you hoping to have us meet?]

“Well… something like that…”

[He has met me before. Back when he first obtained the Fire Dragon Sword and frequently sought my assistance during his exorcism efforts.]

“……!!”

I was slightly shocked. “So it’s not a coincidence that Yeodong-bin’s shrine is built in this village?”

[Correct. Yeodong-bin handled several of my requests back then, and as a result, I built his shrine as a form of merit.]

As Yeodong-bin knelt down, he spoke calmly, [Great Immortal, please cease this. My face is turning red.]

[Hmm. Are you doing well these days?]

[What business would the Overlay Technique have with me? I am diligently working to attain the Martial Peak.]

[That’s good to hear.]

While listening to their conversation, I suddenly remembered something and asked Master Mangnyang, “Hey! I have a question!”

[What is it?]

“What exactly is this being called the Martial God? Is it an [Old Ruler]? Or possibly an Ancient God? What kind of being appears before those wielding the Overlay Technique or the masters of the Absolute Realm?”

[……]

“You’re an incredible god, so I figured you might know.”

Hearing my words, both Master Mangnyang and Yeodong-bin focused their attention on me. Yeodong-bin particularly had a surprised expression, like he wanted to know how I knew that.

[…Yeon-ja, please stop making a fool of yourself in front of the Great Immortal.]

[No, it’s an interesting question after a long time.]

[Great Immortal.]

[The Martial God… yes, he exists.]

Master Mangnyang leaped onto the roof before saying, [He exists in the present, past, and future… in all places. You could say he’s a much more divine divinity than an amateur [Old Ruler]. But whether he is a god or not is still uncertain.]

“What do you mean by that?”

[The realm he oversees doesn’t exist.]

Master Mangnyang scratched the back of his neck and shook off some dust for a moment.

[Whether ‘Martial’ can actually be defined as a fundamental component of the universe is up for debate. Most divine beings oversee aspects like time, space, existence, or elements like earth and wind, but nobody knows for sure if ‘Martial’ falls into that category. Thus, even with other beings in the divine realm, his true identity remains a mystery.]

“You mean to say his identity is unknown…”

[Yeodong-bin might actually know better than I do.]

I was taken aback by Master Mangnyang’s words.

[Because he faced the Martial God directly dozens of times in his past life.]

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