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“You still look the same after all this time.”

The Prophet was unchanged after all these years—well, when you’re part of an ancient race that lives for thousands of years, that’s expected.

“Are we trading…?”

“Yeah. First, I need you to lend me the weapon in the Tower of Muwang!”

The Prophet fell silent for a moment, then replied as if he suddenly understood something.

“So you’re a Reborn Person… How much do you know about our weapons?”

“Honestly, not much. I’ve never had a chance to use them properly. But I do know they’re powerful weapons that might even be effective against the Old Ruler.”

“What do you need them for?”

I then recounted my plans about the Ultimate Portrait Immortal I was about to complete in the Imperial Palace. The Prophet seemed interested, swirling his tentacles as he listened. After sharing my situation, I continued,

“To obtain that Portrait Immortal, I need more power. To unravel the turmoil involving the White Lotus Sect, the Twelve Joules, and the Imperial Palace, I need the weapon from the Tower of Muwang.”

“Do you understand what this Ultimate Portrait Immortal really is?”

“Huh?”

I blinked. A Portrait Immortal is just that—a Portrait Immortal, right?

But the Prophet seemed to be pondering another answer, so I utilized my alchemical knowledge.

“Well… I heard that the Ultimate Portrait Immortal is essentially a Homunculus, a supreme artificial life form. It’s said to be a composite of the Western original and Eastern Eight Trigrams. That Hermes character was the one who came up with the concept, and it’s meant to offer an ultimate sacrifice to God.”

“So you know your alchemy, huh?”

As the Prophet muttered, he continued,

“Reaching out directly to God is no light matter… If you offer enough compensation, I could temporarily grant you the right to use our weapons, but it comes with significant risks for us. What would you offer us?”

“I’ll give you this!”

With a swift motion, I held out a Grimoire. The Prophet jumped slightly, surprised.

“Oh… This is the Nine Stars Main Capital!”

“I’d say that’s worth at least a one-time rental, wouldn’t you?”

“Hmm… Wait a minute…”

“What’s up?”

Suddenly, the Prophet conjured a bright blue circle above his head, which buzzed with a whirring sound before vibrating for a while. Moments later, he said,

“We’ve had a clan meeting… and we’ve decided to lend you the rights to use our weapons.”

“What about that circle?”

“It allows us to communicate instantly, no matter how far apart we are—even if we’re a hundred million light years away.”

What the heck is a light year? Sounds kind of important, though. My curiosity piqued, I asked,

“Can I buy that circle from you? I’ll pay a fair price.”

“It’s not an object but a spell… A magical ability triggered through the horn of a beast moving at the speed of light… It’s exclusive to my race, so I can’t teach it to anyone else…”

“Cheh…”

I muttered in annoyance, “The deal isn’t done yet.”

“What now?”

With a flourish, I held an Obsidian in my palm, saying, “Through our previous deals, I obtained a technique to transfer memories using this Obsidian.”

“Did you?”

“But the issue is, Obsidian has a small capacity and is inefficient. So, either teach me how to fully master this technique or show me the alchemical formula for a more efficient extraterrestrial metal!”

“……”

The Prophet rolled his eyes and replied,

“It’s just that your requests are becoming hard to fulfill… It seems you and I have been trading for quite some time…”

“It’s been a while, right?”

“If I teach you the formula, do you think you can produce it from Earth’s metals…?”

I nodded confidently, saying, “I heard you left quite a bit of memory transfer metal at the ancient ruins, including Balhae, right? That implies it can be created with minerals from this land, not just obtained from elsewhere.”

“Oh… Is that your idea?”

“Well, it’s more of Zhuge Sa’s speculation. He discovered from the records that not only the Silver Phoenix but other transfer metals also existed, leading to the conclusion it can be cast through alchemy here.” The Prophet waved his tentacles and replied,

“Yes… It’s possible… But on a human level, it’s going to be a monumental task… Even if I teach you the formula, you’d only be able to interpret it for a century…”

“Hmm, that still sounds good. Anyway, since you said it’s forbidden to directly bring back the memory transfer metals from your home planet, teach me the formula.”

“Alright… Show me your payment…”

I laid out what I had prepared: the leather of a moon beast, the Inner Dan of a landlord, and the Black and White Lotus. The Prophet examined the items carefully before nodding.

“This will just barely suffice… Understood. Accept this.”

He swiftly tossed me a round orb. As I caught it midair, the orb shimmered with a silver glow and transmitted memories to me.

“……!!”

That transmission speed was insane!

It felt like a flash compared to how I usually transfer memories using Obsidian, making me realize the difference was like a horse racing a turtle. Even complicated memories that were too much for Obsidian to handle were comprehended in an instant. As the alchemical formula filled my mind, the Prophet spoke.

“Is there anything else to negotiate?”

“Wait a sec. Is that orb made from extraterrestrial materials?”

“Correct… I’m giving it to you as a gift since you’re a good guest… but it’s a one-time use, so use it wisely.”

Why is he being generous all of a sudden?

I could only look at him with suspicion instead of pure gratitude. Then again, he was always the type to give just enough to fulfill his end of the deal. But no point in being suspicious now, so I continued,

“Um… I’ve got a question about the Non-Birth Mother’s Dharma Technique.”

That was undoubtedly the question Zhuge Sa had instructed me to ask. Even if all the previous proposals were turned down, this inquiry was crucial according to Zhuge Sa’s directive.

The Prophet visibly flinched. Then, he stated,

“A Reborn Person is curious about the Dharma Technique… Sounds like quite a lot has unfolded.”

“What do you mean?”

“What exactly are you curious about?”

I nodded and elaborated, “The Master of the White Lotus Sect on Earth is doing everything he can to gather the Dharma to achieve True Martial Home. I’ve heard it’s a task even the Three Sovereigns cannot accomplish.”

The Prophet casually agreed,

“…It would be impossible, indeed. Not just for the Three Sovereigns, but for anyone…”

“But what the heck is this Dharma? Why can’t it be gathered, and what happens when all is collected?”

“……”

The Prophet was silent for a moment before he continued,

“A truly massive cycle flows here…”

He let out a sigh and continued,

“The Non-Birth Mother’s Dharma Technique is, to be precise, the only possibility that could turn many predestined endings into nothing.”

“What!!”

I realized I was practically screaming.

Could it really be true? The True Martial Home that the Master of the White Lotus Sect pursued relentlessly might actually be a genuine resolution? I was stunned because I’d thought until now that his lofty goals were mere illusions or mirages.

“So… does that mean the True Martial Home is indeed about the Old Ruler disappearing and a peaceful world being created…?”

“No. It’s not that simple… That’s a gross misinterpretation. You humans are foolish and dimwitted beings who only see what they want…”

The Prophet refuted without hesitation.

“However… I can say one thing for sure.”

“What’s that?”

“Currently, every Old Ruler is aware of the Dharma’s existence… And in many ways, they’re more concerned about it than the liberation of the Seven Luminaries… Therefore, should an Old Ruler possess the Dharma, it could never be a transactional item…”

“……!!”

They’re all aware of the Dharma’s existence? And that it can never be a part of a transaction? What does that mean?

I was bewildered for a moment but quickly understood the Prophet’s meaning.

‘The Seven Luminaries can be obtained through a deal with an Old Ruler, but the same can’t be said for the Dharma!’ This really poses a challenge. I couldn’t help but blurt out,

“Wait, so even if an Old Ruler has the Dharma, that means to actually obtain it…”

“You would have to face them directly and defeat them. You’d have to take them down in their true form, not just a manifestation in the realm of existence, so it would be a terrifying battle.”

“……”

To be honest, I’ve always dreamed of defeating an Old Ruler face-to-face. But hearing that the difficulty of obtaining the Dharma equates with my ultimate aspirations was more than a bit disheartening. Just what kind of entity is this Dharma to demand a direct confrontation with a deity to obtain it?

I asked calmly, “Then…”

At that moment, the Prophet twitched his tentacles and declared,

“That’s all for the teaser…”

“Huh?”

“If you want to know more, pay the price…”

Ugh… You get me all curious and then demand payment, huh?!

I fidgeted, digging through my wooden armor. As I uncovered a bunch of treasures, my mind was swirling with chaos.

‘I need these treasures for the impending battle at Mount Ye.’

I could easily gain significant clues by just handing over some treasures now, but that would put me at a disadvantage in the battle. After all, all the remaining treasures were valuable and would need to be equipped to my companions.

Especially the Yodo Muramasa or Baek Woong, Twin Broadswords, and the Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate—these were not things I could easily part with. The strengths of Mangnyang with the Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate, the Sword Demon wielding the Muramasa, and Cheon Woo-jin with Baek Woong were all very concerning. When capable individuals use exceptional gear, they become extremely powerful. As for the Nameless Ritual Book, it significantly amplifies Zhuge Sa’s powers, so I couldn’t possibly consider parting with it.

As I hesitated greatly, the Prophet stirred his tentacles more vigorously.

“Just do it…”

“What?”

“Just do it… Where else are you going to hear this kind of high-level information?”

“……!!”

“If I were you… I’d act now…”

“Damn it!!”

I was engulfed in profound inner turmoil. How could that guy be urging me on like this?!

I did consider sneaking away to consult with my companions, but it felt like he was setting the tone as if there was only one shot at this. Indeed, the Prophet seemed focused on extracting as much from me as he could, without caring if the world crumbled around him!

Helplessly, I dug out the Suspicious Fishhook from my pocket and contacted Zhuge Sa, relaying everything about the negotiations thus far.

Zhuge Sa responded as though it was a matter of course.

“There’s no need to hesitate. Just give everything.”

“What?”

“The information about the Dharma is something you need to obtain, sooner or later, regardless of when. Plus, with your current strength, you could survive against the three major powers without treasures, so just let it go.”

“Ugh… Fine.”

I felt an enormous sense of loss, but there was no other option. I reluctantly pulled out the Yodo Muramasa and Baek Woong to present to the Prophet.

“Here.”

“This isn’t enough…”

“Damn it. How about I throw in the Twin Broadswords?”

“Still not enough…”

“…The Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate.”

“A bit… short…”

I was furious and yelled, “Are you serious? The Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate and Baek Woong are treasures!”

“The information on the Dharma holds that much value…”

“What the hell! I’m a regular customer. Can’t you cut me some slack?”

“You may consider yourself a regular, but I’m seeing you for the first time today… Don’t pretend as if you’re a longtime customer…”

The Prophet said while wiggling his tentacles,

“Hmm… But I suppose I can concede a bit. Fine, let’s settle on this.”

“……”

I felt as though he was being excessively accommodating, yet I realized I was practically stripped of all the treasures I could actually use. With this, I was left with just a single piece of unfreed Xuyou. My hands trembled, full of lament, as the Prophet began to share the details about the Dharma.

“The Dharma is a miraculous product created through astronomical chances.”

“A miraculous product?”

“I don’t know the full story, but it was originally a Grimoire… The Dharma scattered into six fragments and was spread across the heavens and the earth… That was the major incident a thousand years ago.”

As I listened, I crossed my arms and replied, “So, if you gather all the fragments, you form the Grimoire. What’s the name of that Grimoire?”

“I wouldn’t know… Probably even the gods don’t know… The only one who knows is the being who received that Dharma, which would be Dharma.”

Dharma.

The founder of the White Lotus Sect, the crazed Demon Sorcerer.

As I mentally repeated his name, the Prophet interjected.

“It was the Old Rulers who tore apart the Dharma… They feared that if it manifested on the surface for even a second, it would bring calamity upon the entire world… The Three Sovereigns also participated in that effort…”

“What?”

The Prophet grinned mischievously.

“Yes… A thousand years ago… the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Dharma, was killed by the will of all the Old Rulers. I watched it happen, and it was quite a spectacle.”

 

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