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I decided to head to Guangdong Province first, using the Golden Lamp and Wooden Armor, to meet Matteo Ricci and negotiate to relocate our base to the Kingdom of Duke Du.

Matteo listened closely to our situation and nodded gravely, saying, “Understood. I will request cooperation from the Lord of Guangdong as well.”

“Thanks a lot.”

Once I had hastily wrapped things up, I set off toward Master Mangnyang’s village along with Mangnyang and Cheon Woo-jin.

As we entered the village, something felt off. Cheon Woo-jin, looking slightly pale, remarked, “I can’t feel the Master’s aura.”

“Is that so? What could have happened?”

We lingered around the usual spot where we paid respects and the shrine of Yeodong-bin, but even after waiting, it was as if Master Mangnyang wasn’t calling for us, leaving us with an empty feeling.

After wandering around for about half a moment, we finally caught a villager and asked, “Has anything big happened in the village lately?”

The villager responded casually, “Hmm… not really sure…”

Was that too calm for a reaction?

I pressed on, “What about the massive disaster that struck nearby Luoyang?”

The villager looked confused, “Oh, something like that happened?”

None of the villagers knew anything, leaving them just scratching their heads at our questions. After grabbing a quick bite at a nearby tavern, I decided to sort things out with the others.

“It seems Master Mangnyang has left this village.”

“I can guess why. He probably sensed the evil god trying to breach the Battle Ground and decided to keep watch in person.”

Thinking deeply, I pondered when Cheon Woo-jin interjected, “The Master loved this village. Apparently, he wanted to protect it even during the chaos unleashing upon Luoyang.”

“So the villagers are unaware of the calamities in Luoyang?”

“It’s the blessing of the divine.”

I marveled at how blessed the villagers were. Even with the impending disaster close by, they remained unharmed thanks to Master Mangnyang’s guardian presence.

‘The people of Luoyang are likely either dead or gone crazy.’

The collision with the Old Ruler that turns life and death on their heads left plenty of room for madness. I mulled over this before stating, “If I get into Luoyang, I might encounter Master Mangnyang.”

Cheon Woo-jin replied honestly, “Honestly, that’s not very likely. The chance is pretty slim.”

“Why is that?”

Mangnyang sighed, “He has greatly reduced his presence while vigilantly watching over Luoyang, to the point where normal folks would go crazy simply by noticing him. But now that he’s awakened his true nature to confront this evil god, he may not be the same person we remember.”

“… I see.”

A divine being powerful enough to battle an evil god. He had kept his strength suppressed for safety, but now, facing threats directly, he was on guard’s edge. It was clear that we couldn’t approach him as we once did.

‘Attempting to converse with him recklessly might lead to getting killed.’

It might not be a definite outcome, but it was still a risk. Realizing how dangerous it would be to try and contact Master Mangnyang immediately, I addressed my companions, “For now, we should focus on relocating our base to the Kingdom of Duke Du. We need to assess our situation properly first.”

“Baek Woong, that’s not really the most important matter at hand right now. There’s something else to consider.”

“What is it?”

“We need to check the status of the Heavenly Altar of the Five Great Mountains immediately.”

Mangnyang spoke with a serious tone, “The balance of yin and yang is disrupted, and I can’t say what kind of crack may have formed in the Heavenly Altar as a result. If we mess up, an even bigger calamity could strike.”

“Even if I observe that a crack has formed, I don’t know how to fix it.”

“That’s something the priest will handle.”

Cheon Woo-jin’s expression twisted in discomfort but I ignored it and activated the Palace Examination Technique.

As I began to understand its workings better, it felt more natural to use. My gaze shifted towards the Heavenly Altar of the Five Great Mountains as I carefully inspected everything.

“Everything seems fine.”

“Thank goodness.”

“By the way, what do you think has happened to the soul of the Vermilion Bird?”

“I don’t know for sure, but it likely belongs to the evil god now.”

“Hmm…?”

“His soul was harvested by the Sleeper, but after the evil god killed the Sleeper and took over the cause and effect, it’s likely he also took the soul along as a kind of trophy.”

“Is there a chance he escaped?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. He’s a genius strategist, after all, and I can’t even begin to guess what kind of scheme he’s set up. Imagining he pulled off a double contract in this due time is quite a stretch!”

Mangnyang gazed up at the sky and sighed, “I can’t understand why my father is so obsessed with destroying the Celestial Realm. The ploy to sow discord among the Old Ruler was likely a self-destructive act.”

We knew of the Vermilion Bird’s motivations, most likely deriving from a deep-seated revenge for a wife lost long ago.

Though Mangnyang understood this, saying he ‘didn’t know’ stemmed from the gruesome nature of the Vermilion Bird’s actions, indicating deeper motives beyond mere revenge. Betraying the divine for the sake of destroying the divine status wasn’t something anyone could do lightly.

‘This is no simple revenge… The Vermilion Bird Zhuge Yulong has a compelling reason to destroy the Celestial Realm.’

He wasn’t going to stop at just revenge; he likely aimed for much greater goals.

That instinct hit me hard, an undeniable truth whispered by sheer gut feeling telling me today was razor-sharp. The reasons behind it still veiled until later, yet I couldn’t just wait.

As the time moved forward, we arrived at the port of Guangdong, boarding a ship bound for the Kingdom of Duke Du. Once we landed, we worked busily for half a day, setting up a new base. As we were placing everything from treasures to servants and weapons from Jinrang Valley and Jangryeong Valley into our new stronghold, a loud rumble boomed.

“A storm is coming! Be careful!” shouted one of Matteo Ricci’s subordinates. A thunderclap heralded ominous rain clouds approaching from the horizon. Was it another descent of that evil god? I felt tension rise, yet it simply appeared to be a sudden and unwelcome rain cloud.

As we paused our work and gathered inside a large tent to rest, Zhuge Sa called our group to a more discreet area for a chat.

“The first thing we need to secure is the Moon Sovereign. Today we rest, and we move first thing tomorrow.”

“Hold on. There’s something I want to know first.”

Before Zhuge Sa could respond, the Sword Demon, calm as ever, questioned him. “You mentioned a shift in the axis and a disturbance in the balance of yin and yang. Can you tell me concretely how this will affect the Central Plains? I don’t know the sorcery well enough to grasp the current upheaval.”

“Hmm, well, not many understand it fully,” Zhuge Sa nodded and elaborated.

“Ordinarily, this world revolves like a round celestial body, moving around the sun. At the same time, it has its own spin, controlled by specific angles and axes. Picture this.

Holding a watermelon, Zhuge Sa inserted a long stick into it and spun it around, then continued, “This axis has now completely flipped due to the evil god’s power. Just like this.”

Suddenly, he flipped the watermelon upside down, and the stick pointed in the opposite direction. “In simple terms, the world has been physically overturned. Literally.”

The Sword Demon appeared baffled. “Such absurdity… What happens when the axis flips?”

“Shifts in the poles aren’t unheard of in natural phenomena. Celestial bodies periodically migrate their poles; the North becomes the South and vice versa. However, a sudden pole shift like this will certainly cause tremendous geological upheaval, and the scale will be one that current human civilization can’t withstand.”

“This applies both to the East and West. If our civilization were advanced enough to build arks and colonize Mars, we might have a shot, but not right now.”

Zhuge Sa leaned against a nearby stone wall, explaining further. “First off, sunrise and sunset will drastically change, creating chaos in day and night cycles. The earth plate will tremble violently, and the risk of continents colliding grows immensely. Most importantly, with that evil god awakening all the leylines, not just the Central Plains, but even nearby dormant volcanoes will spring to life!”

Silence hung in the air. Zhuge Sa added, “Just like when Jeon Wook wielded the Seven Luminaries, it won’t spell instant doom. However, within about 100 days, humanity could dwindle to less than one-twentieth of its current number.”

The Sword Demon frowned, “So then, how can the Kingdom of Duke Du be safe?”

“It obviously can’t be entirely safe. But it’s better off than the mainland, which is why we came here. The real terror of this disaster lies not in the pole shift, but in the destruction of yin and yang.”

“What do you mean?”

Zhuge Sa replied, fingers interlocked, “Traditionally, yin and yang exist in a complementary balance, each equally sharing the space. However, the evil god has thrown this balance into chaos, transforming the current ratio to three parts yang to seven parts yin. This means any beings or sorcery that fall under the realm of yin have become far more powerful. Countless Great Demons will simply emerge unpredictably.”

“So, the emergence of many Great Demons is particularly ominous?”

“Well… Great Demons aren’t to be underestimated, but their existence alone won’t determine humanity’s extinction. The real issue is the fundamental imbalance causing yin entities to hold decisive superiority.”

Mangnyang sighed from the side, “At this point, the strength of human sorcerers will have greatly diminished, while demons and otherworldly races’ power will increase severalfold. Moreover, if the influence of yin persists, evolved beings among Great Demons could ascend to levels akin to Demon Kings or Apostles.”

…

“The scariest part is that the otherworldly races have an easier time creating dimension doors than ever before. If the cultists and followers of the Old Ruler start bringing forth calamities everywhere, the end could happen much sooner.”

“Hmm…”

The Sword Demon trembled, sweat glistening down his forehead, “I thought I could take out Great Demons, but this shift in balance makes it impossible for my sword to help…”

Zhuge Sa cracked a smile at him, “Don’t beat yourself up. Even the Three Deities of the Celestial Realm would struggle to find a solution in a dilemma this dire. Like I said, our priority is simply to survive.”

“Does obtaining the Seven Luminaries offer a way out?”

“Absolutely! That’s the only bargaining chip humanity has at this point. If used wisely, we’ll unveil possible solutions.”

Zhuge Sa shot a firm gaze at me, “Baek Woong. It may be a gamble, but we must eliminate the Moon Sovereign tomorrow.”

“It’d be safer to set free Xu You before going after it…” I replied thoughtfully. Taking it down with our current strength wouldn’t be impossible, but unleashing the Seven Luminaries would definitely make things easier. Zhuge Sa dismissed me, saying, “In this scenario, using the Heavenly Altar to connect with the Celestial Realm is too dangerous. Have you thought about how tangled the intentions of the Three Sovereigns might be right now?”

“Err, I guess!”

“In this chaos, asking for the Seven Luminaries — known as the key to the end — would certainly not be met with open arms. Until we secure the Moon Sovereign and prove our abilities, only then will we be able to negotiate, saying something like, ‘Entrust us with restoring order after we’ve demonstrated our worth’. “

“That makes sense.”

Just then, Jin So-cheong piped up, “Isn’t the Moon Sovereign enormous, floating in the air? How are we going to approach it in aerial combat?”

“We have sorcerers to assist with that. With Cheon Woo-jin around, we can manage well enough.”

We deliberated on our plans to take down the Moon Sovereign with full dedication.

As our discussion neared fruition, Matteo Ricci unexpectedly called for me, “Baek Woong!”

“Yes? What is it?”

“I heard you’re heading out to defeat a formidable evil.”

“That’s the plan.”

Matteo paused for a moment and then said, “If that’s the case, could you wait a little longer?”

“…?”

“I’ll report the current situation in the Central Plains to the headquarters, and they’ll send their strongest sorcerer to assist you here. He’s the most reliable sorcerer in our Society, and having his help would certainly ease your burden.”

“Hmm… How long do we have to wait?”

“About a month…”

I shook my head, “Time is of the essence. We can’t afford to wait that long.”

Matteo looked disappointed, “I see… well, then I’ll assign him to the place where the Philosopher’s Stone is being sought.”

“Do as you wish.”

I fell into a deep sleep at my residence that night, focusing on recovering my strength to tackle the Moon Sovereign with everything I had the next day.

Suddenly, I found myself in a strange dream.

The moon shone brightly. Strange melodies echoed hauntingly across the plains, tunes that felt deeply nostalgic.

[The Three Sovereigns once collectively said to me, respect my being, and refrain from interfering with one another.]

Step, step…

[But now is not the time for such matters.]

From the shadows emerged a Black Cat, slowly striding towards me.

It was Master Mangnyang!

Even while I sensed this was a dream, the vibe felt different from the previous dream I had in Master Mangnyang’s village, rendering me rooted in place.

Master Mangnyang scanned me with a chilling gaze before declaring, [Soon enough, a third force will approach you seeking your intent. Their aim is the ruin of the Three Sovereigns.]

“A third force?”

I tried to respond, but my voice failed me. Master Mangnyang wasn’t here to engage in a conversation; he was merely conveying a message.

[Here’s a piece of advice. If you want to save humanity, do not obsess over joining hands with the Three Sovereigns. The most important aspect is…]

As the white mist spread, it clouded my vision completely. In that ethereal haze, I felt horrified as chaos intertwined, and I sensed my mental clarity swiftly fading.

For a fleeting moment, it was as if I stared directly into Master Mangnyang’s psyche, causing my heart to nearly stop.

“… Huh!!”

Amidst the stillness, the sound of rustling insects buzzed in my ears.

It was still early dawn.

I awoke in a start from my deep sleep, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

But that final warning from Master Mangnyang remained clear in my mind: I needed to draw Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen into the game.

 

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