Chapter 67
It only took about a day and a half to reach the village near Luoyang where Cheon Woo-jin lived. Normally, it would take about three days by horse, but I cut the distance significantly by dragging Mangnyang over the mountains.
Mangnyang was sprawled out behind me, panting like he’d just run a marathon. We were moving way too fast for comfort.
“Ugh… what in the world is going on?”
“Sorry about that. We really needed to save time.”
“Ah… I’m starting to feel better. But seriously, who are you? You seem to know my master’s business.”
I told him to hold on for a second while I quickly buried the Heavenly Secret in the nearby pine forest. With no pursuers like the Golden Eagle Guard, I figured I could move pretty swiftly this time and avoid any unnecessary run-ins with Cheon Woo-jin. When I returned, I said to Mangnyang, “I know this is all happening way too fast, and I’m sorry, but once we deal with the natural disaster, I’ll explain everything.”
“Alright, fine. I was starting to think you wouldn’t explain anything at all in this situation.”
We entered the village where Cheon Woo-jin resided. As we approached, I saw the shrine I had visited before and headed straight towards it. It was where I had offered the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line.
In front of the shrine stood Cheon Woo-jin, dressed like a farmer but glaring at me with suspicion.
“Who are you? You seem to be carrying some extraordinary treasure.”
“I’m Baek Woong. I was told by your older brother that there’s someone here who can resolve a pressing issue.”
I spoke calmly and then drew the Thunder Blade from my waist. “This is the secret treasure, the Thunder Blade. I successfully retrieved it from the seal, but because of that, I believe a great flood is about to strike. To prevent this disaster, I’ve come here to ask you to perform a ceremony on the Thunder Blade’s altar.”
Cheon Woo-jin glanced at Mangnyang, who was looking away like he’d done something wrong. Probably felt guilty for bringing unwanted trouble to his master. Cheon Woo-jin then said, “That sword is neutralizing my illusion techniques. It’s indeed a treasure worthy of the current world. I can believe that the Thunder Blade is the secret treasure. But I need a good reason to help you.”
“The power contained in the Thunder Blade has been accumulating for thousands of years, which is why great calamity will befall the world.”
“That’s not what I mean. You storm in here, pointing at the mess that others have made, and expect me to clean it up? What’s the reason for that?”
Cheon Woo-jin’s words were coated with cold sarcasm. I’d seen it before; Cheon Woo-jin was nothing like Mangnyang. He had no chivalrous spirit and refused to get involved in matters that didn’t concern him, only caring about protecting his own business. On top of that, he had a stern and ruthless personality.
‘Well, that’s how a typical genius would act…’
After a moment of thought, I replied, “So you really want to see the people of the world suffering from floodwaters? The disaster has already happened, and you’re the only one who can stop it.”
“True, but first, you should explain why you brought the Thunder Blade out of the seal. Isn’t that just pure personal greed? If it’s the source of the disaster, isn’t your greed to blame?”
“I won’t deny that. But I truly believed the Thunder Blade would help protect the peace of the world, enough to stake my life on it. If I were really irresponsible, I wouldn’t have come all this way to clean up my mess.”
I dropped to my knees. Both Cheon Woo-jin and Mangnyang looked surprised, their expressions changing. I pleaded, “I ask you earnestly. Please help me this one time.”
“Hmm…” Cheon Woo-jin frowned. He glanced at Mangnyang with a displeased expression. “Your brother always brings me annoying tasks.”
Mangnyang laughed awkwardly. “Haha… Sorry, Master. But I actually agree with Baek Woong. Who else could handle this matter if not a master such as you? Golden Crow Island and Mount Kunlun don’t interfere with worldly affairs.”
“That’s true, but…” Cheon Woo-jin hesitated.
“You two wait here for a moment. I will relay this to my master…”
Mid-sentence, Cheon Woo-jin suddenly stopped, as if he had just remembered something with a perplexed look. Then he sighed dramatically.
“No, forget it. I’ll do it myself. Brother, please use your Qimen Dunjia techniques to prepare the altar.”
“Understood.”
“The altar should be set up to the north, calling upon the power of the Primordial Void Ruler.”
With that, Mangnyang and Cheon Woo-jin rushed off, setting up formations and unpacking flags and instruments all over the shrine. They seemed to be using the shrine itself as the altar. I stood by, unsure of what to do, when Cheon Woo-jin told me, “You should go outside. Those who don’t understand formations will only cause disruptions.”
“How long will it take to finish?”
“An hour.”
Following his instructions, I spent a leisurely hour wandering around this small village, which was nice since I didn’t have anything else to do. This village practiced self-sufficiency, and because of that, the farmers only cultivated land for their own meals, without any landlords or anything. Normally, that would leave them struggling, but perhaps because Cheon Woo-jin lived here, they always managed to harvest abundantly.
After a while, I grabbed a simple meal at the inn and returned. Sure enough, Mangnyang and Cheon Woo-jin had finished setting up the Thunder Blade’s altar. As I placed the Thunder Blade on the altar, Cheon Woo-jin, now dressed in Daoist robes instead of farmer clothes, began shouting fiercely.
“Everyone must follow the harmony of the Five Elements and order of the Nine Luminaries. If they wiggle and can’t go with the flow, then heaven will rage, and the earth will chide. There will be loss of life! All must rely on the Guardians of Heaven and Earth as they redirect fate! The chaos in human affairs arises from all those troublesome divine influences!”
Boiling embarrassingly, I stood back and listened to him chant the ceremony that would finish the Thunder Blade ritual. The altar transformed into an ethereal spectacle as the brightness enveloped us. Moments later, a huge pillar of light shot up into the sky, and Cheon Woo-jin was madly waving flags while maintaining his steps through the ritual techniques.
Mangnyang was no different, ardently swinging flags of the Twelve Zodiac Gods from behind as he assisted with the formation. But it seemed even he couldn’t keep up; halfway through, he doubled over, gasping. Cheon Woo-jin, on the other hand, completed about 72 steps of the ritual without breaking a sweat, and as he did, the skies began to darken.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and rain began to pour down as ominous clouds gathered above.
“Looks like we succeeded.”
“Is it really done?”
“Yes. Through the offering of the Thunder Blade’s power, we sent the calamity away. For that, you, as the Thunder Blade’s owner, shall receive a great gift from the Primordial Void Ruler.”
I was taken aback. “Gift? What kind of gift?”
“I don’t know either. I just suspect it’s because the Primordial Void Ruler is a deity who intervenes with fate.” He chuckled. “Well, I guess I received something too.”
So he had been conducting the ritual for his own gain, huh? I took the Thunder Blade from the altar and tied it to my waist. “Thanks a lot. I’ll repay this debt one day.”
“No need for thanks; just hurry and leave this village with your companion. My master finds your presence very uncomfortable.”
“Mangnyang’s master?”
“If you return here, he’ll close the door on you. Now go!”
In the blink of an eye, I found myself outside the village with Mangnyang. It seemed Cheon Woo-jin had used some spell to send us off. Luckily, it wasn’t raining outside, so I headed back into the pine forest to retrieve the Heavenly Secret without Mangnyang.
Mangnyang said, “Wow, you really move faster than lightning! So, isn’t it about time you explain who you really are and how we got here?”
“Sure thing.” I didn’t feel the need to hide anything from Mangnyang.
“I’m a Reborn Person…” I’d seen enough of Mangnyang’s chivalry and loyalty through my past lives. Plus, I figured he wouldn’t mind being stabbed in the back, so I decided to share this secret as a companion in this life.
Listening calmly, Mangnyang looked quite shocked. After spinning in place for a moment to collect his thoughts, he finally calmed down, and said, “Wait… isn’t this just a nuisance?! Are you saying you’re going to drag me into your master’s village again in your tenth reincarnation?!”
“Ah… you’re right.”
“No, it isn’t right! How could you do that?” Mangnyang shook his head in disbelief.
“Well, it’s just what I thought.” He sighed exasperatedly. “Anyway, just remember to bring me along next time. I might need someone to help out.”
“Got it.”
“Cheon Woo-jin officiated this ceremony at my master’s order. There’s no doubt he’ll help again next time.”
“So it was Cheon Woo-jin’s command?”
“If not, why would he even help out someone else’s mess? His master’s secret transmission echoed in our minds. If he could prevent the calamity with the Thunder Blade, he was to do so.”
“Understood.” I had more questions though.
“Cheon Woo-jin mentioned earlier that you and your master received something from this ceremony?”
“The Primordial Void Ruler is known for bestowing blessings upon those who offer sacrifices. So it’s only natural that both you and I also received some fortune. Your Thunder Blade, as the treasure, and my master likely learned some ancient techniques that were sealed away. As for me, I feel like I’ve unlocked another level of skill!”
“…!!”
“Haha, thanks for that! I can now officially dive into intermediate techniques!” Mangnyang grinned widely, but I wasn’t focused on his joy.
‘So gods truly bless people? Is that really a thing?’ To me, techniques were just cool tricks; I hadn’t ever considered that divine beings might exist above our mortal range and grant powers.
“And I don’t even practice spells, but I’m getting gifts from the Primordial Void Ruler…” I grumbled.
“Well, that’s something I can’t explain either. However, it can’t be bad. Just keep living as you usually do; this might actually help out if you ever run into danger on some treacherous adventures.”
Fair enough. I would let this one slide for now. Overthinking this wouldn’t lead to any answers. Once things settled, I told Mangnyang, “Alright, let’s head to Jinrang Valley. Sorry for bringing you here without a heads-up.”
“Ah, sounds good. I have a few things to talk about on the way.”
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
Since we didn’t need to rush to Jinrang Valley, we rented horses from the relay station. While we rode, Mangnyang said, “About what you mentioned earlier, I don’t think you need to rush back to the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School just yet.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “I haven’t mastered the Thunder God Lineage yet.”
“Building power is important, but understanding why you’re building it is equally important, don’t you think? After all, your master, Lee Kwang, sent you to Black Night Gate to gain real combat experience and not just train for years on end. You’ve already learned the basics, so why not explore Jianghu and refine your skills in your own way this time?”
“……”
“You mentioned you felt unprepared, right? Well, practical training to escape that vulnerable state is one approach.”
“Hmm.”
“Plus, you have no idea what the Golden Eagle Guard is up to or what they’re aiming for. If you don’t figure that out, all the power you stack up would just be a waste of time.”
Mangnyang had a point. Charging into the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School while risking death would just result in years of foundational practice anyway. It might be more time-efficient to roam Jianghu and hone the techniques I had learned. Even if I approached them later as a successor of the Thunder God Lineage, that wouldn’t change much. In fact, a younger successor with considerable skill would attract less suspicion.
Furthermore, getting to know the movements of the Golden Eagle Guard was crucial. I suspected based on intuition that they had given up on human sacrifices and were seeking the Twelve Zodiac Gods, but nothing was confirmed. I had to figure out the enemy’s movements.
Days passed, and finally, Mangnyang and I arrived at Jinrang Valley.
“Woohoo, home sweet home!”
As I watched Mangnyang gleefully explore after being back for some time, I said, “This is your reward for the trouble you went through.”
With that, I handed him one root each of Black and White Lotus, two gold bars, and the Thunder Blade. Mangnyang blinked in surprise.
“What’s this?”
“This Black and White Lotus contains the energy of the extremes; if you brew it, you’ll see an increase in internal power, similar to the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. And these gold bars? If you use the Thunder Blade in your training, it’ll significantly enhance your martial abilities.”
“……!!”
And as a bonus, I tossed him the Silver Phoenix Fragment from Balhae.
“And could you interpret the hidden secrets within this? After using the Thunder Blade, please return it to me. Then I’ll go on my martial adventures in Jianghu.”
Mangnyang stared at me, utterly dumbfounded, then halted me.
“Wait, wait, wait!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you seriously giving me all these significant fortunes?! You don’t think it’s a waste or that I’m going to stab you in the back or anything?”
“I really don’t need them right now. Eating the Black and White Lotus won’t help me much anymore, I’ve got plenty of gold bars, and I want to advance my martial arts more than just use the Thunder Blade for spell training.”
“That’s not the point! We just met a few days ago; can you really just hand these out so easily?!”
“……?”
What is he going on about? I tilted my head in confusion, but Mangnyang sighed heavily, as if worn out. Then he said, “Haa… of course, I appreciate this gift. I won’t refuse. But listen…”
“What is it now?”
Mangnyang raised a finger. “From your view, I’m a companion who has faced many life-or-death situations with you, but I’m also just a stranger you met a few days ago, merely an eccentric individual. So, asking me to accept such things as a companion feels a bit too heavy.”
“……”
I fell silent. He was right. From Mangnyang’s perspective, even if he believed I was indeed a Reborn Person, it would feel far too sudden. I held an unpayable debt in my heart, but he didn’t even remember; it was something he had never experienced.
After some deep thought, I sighed, “I don’t know how to respond to that. I guess this is just my own self-satisfaction…”
“Huh, you really are a tough nut to crack. Maybe that’s why your sanity is still intact.”
Mangnyang shook his head and said, “So, how about this? Next time you meet me, just call it an ‘investment for the future.’”
“Investment for the future?”
“I may look all flamboyant, but I can be quite calculating. If you say that one line to me, I’ll do my utmost to repay the favor of the gift! And if one day you face a huge enemy in need of support, I’ll make sure to put in the effort then!”
Mangnyang smiled brightly. “That way, neither of us has to feel needless burdens about who owes what.”
Got it. This was Mangnyang’s way of showing consideration.
At the same time, I understood how to approach human relationships now that I was reborn. Rather than blindly relying on my memories to show kindness, it would be a better idea to keep a little distance and treat this more like a business transaction. It might come off as cold, but ultimately, it’d be a considerate mindset towards others.
I made a vow to Mangnyang. “Okay then, whether it be years later or whenever, I’ll come back to collect my dues from you. Become my companion by then!”
“Understood.”
And so, I departed from Jinrang Valley. I had a singular goal set in my mind, and there would be no rest until I reached it.
My own path of martial training!
‘I still have a long way to go with my Thunder Shadow Step, Heavenly Gathering Kill, and Thunder Blade techniques. I need to refine them through real combat. Once I feel like I’ve gained enough mastery, then I can visit the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.’
Additionally, I wanted to try establishing my own network and influence this time. Using the remaining roots of Black and White Lotus along with the gold bars, I wanted to practice building my own ‘organization’. Such attempts result in great differences in skill through trials and errors, so I felt a pressing need to learn about the Dragon Person techniques and how to manage my organization right away.
