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“So you’ve actually faced the Martial God, huh?”

That too, dozens of times!

I looked at Yeodong-bin, utterly amazed. “Is this true?”

[ Indeed, Renja. ]

“But the others only had fleeting encounters. Why were you so special?”

[ … ]

After a moment of silence, Yeodong-bin replied, [ I honestly don’t know. But it’s true that I received help many times when I was still inexperienced. ]

“What kind of help?”

[ Various sorts… ]

“What do you mean by ‘various sorts’?”

[ Not something to discuss here. ]

Yeodong-bin clearly didn’t want to get into it. This was unexpected; he usually answered questions without holding back. Was the Martial God really that incomprehensible to him?

Master Mangnyang piped in, [ So, you want to know about the Martial God? ]

“Absolutely! If possible, I want to make contact with him!”

I clenched my fist. “A mere mortal can never reach God… I know that!”

The Master of the White Lotus Sect was utterly crushed by the ruler of the Imperial Palace, and even Jang Sam-bong couldn’t hold a candle to the Old Ruler. Even the warrior known as Musashi, the greatest of all, was trampled by the hands of Jeon Wook, one of the Three Sovereigns. Having literally seen it happen, I could feel the desperation in my bones.

[ Hmm. ]

“But if that guy, the Martial God, possesses that kind of power…”

[ Perhaps there is a chance of reaching out to the divine. ]

I nodded. Just then, a moment of silence settled in the hall, and after some pondering, Master Mangnyang sprang down from the roof. He ambled over to me and said, [ I’ve looked into the Law of Cause and Effect, and curiously enough, you have no ties to the Martial God at all. You’re even below the level of ordinary people. ]

“You can do that?”

[ But you’re not completely without ties. If certain conditions are met, it seems he may appear before you in the far future. ]

“Conditions, you say…”

[ You should hear that from Yeodong-bin. He knows. ]

Swish.

I turned to Yeodong-bin. He too glanced at Master Mangnyang before saying, [ Great Immortal, knowing something without understanding it isn’t real knowledge. ]

[ Though you don’t know the identity or origin of the Martial God, you are certainly aware of the conditions for his appearance. ]

[ That’s true, but… ]

[ Let’s not have any more discussion on this. Talk to your Renja. ]

[ Understood. ]

Master Mangnyang turned away and made his way slowly down the path, saying, [ Chasing mirages is only for dreamers… ]

Pow!

As I opened my eyes, Mangnyang had nearly finished his ceremonial preparations. I approached him saying, “Mangnyang. Now this time…”

He nodded, saying, “It’s all set, let’s go through what we discussed before I arrived.”

“Got it.”

This time, Mangnyang could have led the ceremony himself, but he deliberately passed the job to Cheon Woo-jin. As Cheon Woo-jin recited the incantation, the heavens began to shift, and soon the Primordial Void Ruler appeared.

[ The ceremony went well. Humans… ]

At that moment, I jumped in eagerly, “But doesn’t something feel off? Doesn’t it?”

I’ve had this same conversation a few times—it was like I could predict what he was going to say.

[ Hmm? ]

“I know it feels strange, but let’s move past that. Since there’s absolutely no connection to the bloodline of the Three Sovereigns and it’s my first time conducting this ceremony, isn’t it fine?”

[ … ]

The Primordial Void Ruler looked flustered for a moment before clearing his throat.

[ Ahem… understood. Then I will replace the being bestowing blessings with another. ]

Pow!

Next came the Queen Mother of the West. I pondered what to say when the vision of this beautiful woman descended onto Cheon Woo-jin.

‘Hmm… there’s something I want to try asking.’

The Queen Mother of the West was highly suspicious. She and Miho had some connection, and after talking with Mangnyang in Jinrang Valley, it seemed her true identity could be outright insane. Therefore, I wished to extract information from her while I had the chance. Having made my decision before she could speak, I blurted out, “Oh, great Queen Mother of the West! I have a question.”

[ What is it? ]

“If the Three Sovereigns were to unleash the Seven Luminaries to wipe out humanity, what would you do?”

[ … What? ]

The Queen Mother appeared genuinely startled. The fact that she, a divine being, was caught off guard meant my question had taken her entirely by surprise. Meanwhile, Mangnyang beside her wore an expression of indifference, suggesting he thought my question was worth asking.

The Queen Mother of the West spoke, her eyes widening, [ Why entertain such dangerous thoughts? And why ask me about it? ]

“I inadvertently learned that the Three Sovereigns don’t necessarily like humanity. So, I worry—if those great beings ever considered eliminating humans, what should we do? And being someone who might meet the Three Sovereigns, wouldn’t you have some insight on that?”

[ … ]

She seemed to think deeply before responding.

[ The Three Sovereigns are not likely to make such a foolish decision. They wouldn’t recklessly provoke domestic troubles while neglecting external threats. Also, there’s no reason to intentionally unleash the Seven Luminaries. ]

“But what if…”

Suddenly, as I was about to say ‘mask,’ Mangnyang grabbed my sleeve. Turning to him, I saw him shaking his head as if to say this wasn’t a good idea. Only then did I realize I was about to make a huge mistake.

I swallowed my words and told the Queen Mother, “I misspoke.”

[ What were you going to say? ]

“I was just curious if humanity would be safe for generations to come.”

Her reply was marked by a bitter smile. [ At least you won’t face the Hell of Endless Suffering. ]

“The Hell of Endless Suffering?”

In an instant, the Queen Mother’s demeanor changed. She began to radiate an ancient, divine light as she spoke slowly, [ You humans… are born, live, and die, without ever knowing where your life began, and even when you die, you won’t recognize the end. That is the only blessing and heaven bestowed upon you. ]

Could not knowing the beginning of life and the end of death be both a blessing and a heavenly decree?

If I had been a clueless fool, I’d have passed it off as some metaphor; however, I was no longer that person. I had lived through countless lives, deaths, and pains in my rebirth, making her words resonate deeply within me.

‘Isn’t that exactly me?’

I couldn’t remember the beginning of my life, nor did I know where the end of death was. Sure, if I gave up on everything, I might witness that end, but at least not for now. It felt like I was endlessly traversing the wheel of life and death, fused as one.

What does it feel like to wander alone in the immortal desert?

Where lies the core of this life?

But the Queen Mother surely wouldn’t understand my plight. She merely hinted at the impending doom that humanity faced. Realizing this, I fell silent and sighed.

“You speak truly.”

[ Quite an unusual human. Already worrying about the end? ]

“Certainly not. I’m just concerned that when the fateful day arrives, the poor fox might not be saved.”

[ … ]

“Well then, I’d appreciate it if you can get on with the next.”

Next were the Southern Flower Immortal, Jang Sam-bong, and Yi, all passing through, and lastly, Tai Gong-mang appeared.

[ I am Tai Gong-mang, Jiang Shang. In history, it is likely that there has never been so many Great Immortals summoned at once. I would love to bestow my blessings upon you, but… since you are such exceptional beings, I would like to give you a choice. You may take my blessing or have another chance to receive a blessing from someone else. What will it be? ]

I had heard this story before. Tai Gong-mang’s blessing was to call forth the spirit beasts of the Four Great Spirits, and the chance to receive another blessing meant wiping the existing blessing and reselecting. Normally, I’d be torn between the two choices.

‘Sorry, Cheon Woo-jin.’

But this time, I decided to make a different choice. I declared firmly, “I will not select either. Please pass it on to the next.”

To my surprise, Tai Gong-mang responded, [ To the next? You think you know better than the renowned Great Immortals before you? This is quite the audacious proposal… ]

“Is it okay if I summon another Great Immortal?”

[ If you had mentioned that earlier, I would’ve considered it. Who do you desire? ]

Finally, I realized the moment I had been waiting for had arrived. I said, “Please summon the Eight Immortals of China.”

[ Wha…? ]

“Since Yeodong-bin is connected to me, I want to receive the blessings of the remaining Seven Immortals.”

[ Hmm… wait a moment. ]

Swish!

The divine shadow of Tai Gong-mang vanished momentarily before reappearing. He looked slightly embarrassed. [ It seems you view the Eight Immortals as one, but each of them is actually a Great Immortal. You cannot receive blessings from them all at the same time. I just consulted with their will, and they agreed to individual summoning. ]

“Oh, I see.”

I felt disappointed I couldn’t receive the Seven Immortals’ blessings at once and continued, “Then I’d like to summon Zhongli Quan from the Eight Immortals.”

[ Understood. ]

Pow!

At last, Zhongli Quan descended before me. He had a somewhat boisterous appearance, with a stout body that didn’t exactly exude the aura of an immortal but assuredly emanated great energy.

Zhongli Quan laughed heartily. [ Hahaha! Are you the daring one who perplexed the Queen Mother of the West and dismissed the advances of the numerous Great Immortals? What an honor! ]

He seemed to speak with a playful tone and had a lively personality. Referring to the advances of other Great Immortals as lovelorn gestures was quite bold. I cautiously regarded him and asked, “Oh, Immortal Zhongli Quan, before receiving your blessing, I have something to confirm.”

[ Ha ha ha… Anyone who has boldly questioned the Queen Mother could ask me anything as well. Ask away! ]

“Your blessing is indeed to enhance one’s martial talent, correct?”

[ Oh? Is that what you desired? ]

“Yes.”

Exactly! My goal in this life is to elevate my power and reach the Absolute Realm! Though reaching the Absolute Realm won’t allow me to match the divine, increasing my strength significantly when the Seven Luminaries are unleashed is the best I can afford.

But with my current talent, even reaching the Peak Expert level would require centuries. Only an incredibly rare few throughout history have reached the rumored level. Therefore, I intend to enhance my martial talent with Zhongli Quan’s blessing based on a hint I had from the prophet in my past life.

Zhongli Quan, with interest, asked, [ How did you learn that my blessing relates to talent? ]

“Through my own methods.”

Then, Zhongli Quan, in a mischievous tone, grumbled, [ Hmm… If you don’t tell me, I won’t think of giving you my blessing. Perhaps I shall pass it to another immortal. ]

What?!

This was my first time encountering such a response during the ritual, leaving me slightly flustered. Zhongli Quan seemed like a free-spirited Great Immortal. He didn’t give off the vibe of being Yeodong-bin’s rigid master. With no choice, I reluctantly spoke.

I knew mentioning the prophet could throw the mood off. Aware of this possibility, I simply bundled my answer, and Zhongli Quan seemed to nod in understanding.

[ So that’s it. Well, that makes sense. ]

With eager fervor, I exclaimed, “Then please enhance my talent!!”

How much suffering had I endured due to lack of talent!

Being blessed by Zhongli Quan would undoubtedly pave a smoother path moving forward. I wanted to understand what it felt like to have talent.

Zhongli Quan replied, [ But there’s something you’re mistaken about. My blessing isn’t specifically to enhance talent, you know? It’s true. Among all the Great Immortals, my powers are probably towards the weaker side. ]

“Huh?”

[ Enhancing talent… that might just be a side effect, but… do you still want to receive it? Are you sure you won’t regret it? ]

His tone felt oddly like a con, but without a second thought, I nodded vigorously.

“Please give it to me!”

[ Alright. I, Zhongli Quan of the Eight Immortals, will bestow my blessing upon you. ]

“Ah, hold on, can you at least explain what it is—”

[ I’m busy! ]

Pow!

With that, Zhongli Quan vanished without explanation. The ritual was over.

As the ceremony concluded, I, along with Mangnyang, became utterly exhausted while laying the nearly comatose Cheon Woo-jin down in his residence.

‘Cheon Woo-jin likewise needs to be strengthened with the divine fever, so I intentionally didn’t call upon Zhongli Quan from the start.’

The added pressure of having Zhongli Quan appear meant things got a little heavier, but I figured Cheon Woo-jin could withstand it. Mangnyang placed a damp cloth on Cheon Woo-jin’s forehead and said…

“I’ll care for the priest until he recovers. Baek Woong, take care of the remaining tasks.”

“Leave it to me. But I wonder if my talent really has increased?”

Mangnyang smiled softly.

 

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