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“I decided to find out where I am with the help of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens.”

She cast the Corpse Dissolution Technique and immediately stated, “This is a very distant continent…”

“Even if you say so, I’m not quite sure…”

“Let me show you directly.”

Bang!

“It’s around here.”

The Heavenly Mysterious Woman created an illusion shaped like a sphere and pointed to a section with her finger. It was probably a representation of this world. Given that I had learned geographical and magical knowledge from Zhuge Sa for a long time, it wasn’t hard to accept.

“Hmm. Indeed… This is west of Tianzhu, close to the [Black Continent], the east of the Great Meal Country!”

It felt desolate nearby, probably because it was not far from the desert. The Great Meal Country, with its own culture different from the Western regions and Tianzhu, was an alien place from the perspective of the Central Plains people. I was left to ponder my next move.

The distance from the Great Meal Country to the Central Plains spans tens of thousands of miles. I once ran madly and circumnavigated the continent from the Central Plains to the British Empire, but that was no distance that could be traveled overnight. Moreover, the distance to the stronghold in the southern continent I need to reach was far greater. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it crosses half the world!

But I only have seven days left until Cheon Gong-pyo comes to find me. If I keep running like this, not only would it be hard to arrive, but if I do, there’s a high chance I won’t have much time left. Seeing my troubled expression, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman asked, “Where are your companions?”

“They should be around here… but it’s too far.”

“Just knowing their location is enough. Please pinpoint a more detailed place.”

“……?”

When I reluctantly expanded the map of the southern continent and pointed it out at the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s urging, she waved her celestial garment and chanted a spell, and my body was enveloped in light.

Bang!

“Ah!”

In the blink of an eye, I found myself in a lush area of the southern continent. Did I just travel a distance spanning tens of thousands of miles in an instant? It was something I could do with the Golden Lamp technique, but to do it so easily with magic was impressive.

I soon found myself back in the village we had been staying in when the Heavenly Mysterious Woman cast the spell again. She seemed to have little trouble locating someone.

As we entered the village in search of Mangnyang and Zhuge Sa, there was oddly no sign of life in the building we had been staying in. Puzzled, I called for the village chief to ask, and he responded, flustered.

“Ah… No, it can’t be you.”

“What happened? Where are my companions?”

The chieftain, who was also the priest of the Ma Bu Yag clan, sighed deeply.

“I don’t know… Didn’t you make it so that I could never understand what you were up to? After they returned from the Central Plains, it’s been a year since any signs of life have disappeared, and your entire party suddenly vanished.”

“What?”

I was astounded and questioned him again.

“Are you seriously telling me to believe that?”

“Northern deity, knowing your mysterious powers and your companions’ formidable prowess, how could I lie when the safety of my clan is at stake? Your companions disappeared overnight.”

“Didn’t you hear where they were going?”

“I didn’t hear such things.”

“……”

Even if it were Zhuge Sa or Mangnyang, they wouldn’t report their whereabouts to these southern nomads. There’s no guarantee that enemies wouldn’t chase us this far, and the more secrets kept, the better.

‘It must be because of an enemy…?’

Zhuge Sa and Mangnyang must have continued moving even after I left for Dark Heaven Village. They likely had reasons for leaving while still assuming I was alive, and the need to abandon a safe stronghold was possibly due to sensing a powerful enemy pursuing them!

Feeling a bit uncomfortable while I pondered, I suddenly turned to stare at the chieftain and exclaimed, “Wait. A year? What do you mean? Are you saying that several years have passed since I left this village?”

“I don’t know when you left. But it’s been five years since they returned to the Central Plains. They have been gone for four years.”

“… Umm.”

Five years? It seems that after I departed for Dark Heaven Village, my companions returned here, and then after another year, they went somewhere else. And since that was four years ago – it has been five years since I left for the Otherworldly Realm of Dark Heaven Village.

Is the flow of time different between Dark Heaven Village and this place? Despite spending no more than three days there, the feeling of three years passing so quickly was shocking. However, I was already calm due to being sealed away for fifty years by Chi You, so I managed to collect my thoughts.

Where did my companions go for those five years?

How can I find them?

I turned to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman and asked, “Can you help me find where my companions are?”

“Please tell me their names.”

“First off, Mangnyang, Zhuge Hyun, and Zhuge Sa…”

Whirrr…

The Heavenly Mysterious Woman immediately emitted a wave of light and seemed to be searching for the whereabouts of my companions with the Corpse Dissolution Technique. After a moment, she opened her eyes and said, “Both have died.”

“…….”

Staggering, I almost collapsed from the sudden loss of strength.

What did the Heavenly Mysterious Woman just say?!

“W-what do you mean?”

“I scanned this world for any living beings with those names, but the beings you recognize by those names are already deceased.”

“That’s impossible! That’s…!!”

“Please mention the names of others. I just fixed the spell, so I can tell you quickly.”

Mangnyang and Zhuge Sa are dead?!

I yelled out in rage, but soon felt as if a bucket of cold water was poured over my head, cooling my temper.

‘… This could actually be true.’

It’s been five years since I left Dark Heaven Village. During that time, the White Lotus Sect has been searching for us with bloodshot eyes, the Master of the Twelve Joules has been keeping a close watch on us, and even Zhuge Yulong has likely borrowed the Seven Luminaries Eight Trigrams Diagram from Dark Heaven Village to counteract us, having suffered a massive blow. All three major factions were secretly opposing or trying to use us.

If they had to urgently relocate their stronghold within a year, there must have been significant reasons for it. It’s not surprising that the strategist Mangnyang and Zhuge Sa, who were relatively weaker in force, may have died amidst the chaos. They are undoubtedly stronger than the peak experts of the martial arts world, but they are not on the level to contend with the Dharma Guardians who operate in the shadows.

In five years, anything could have happened.

Shaking from rage, I managed to regain my composure and with a trembling voice said, “… Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong.”

“He’s deceased.”

“When, where, and to whom did he die?”

“I don’t know such details. I can only check if souls exist in this world.”

So it’s just a spell that checks whether a soul exists in this world or not?

I nodded along, understanding and continued, “Illusory God Cheon Woo-jin.”

“Not detected. However, he appears to have used artificial techniques, so his life and death are unclear.”

Is Cheon Woo-jin hiding somewhere? Or maybe using a method not detectable by the Corpse Dissolution Technique? Based on past experiences, the uncertainty of Cheon Woo-jin’s life and death oddly brought me some relief.

“Extreme Tiger.”

“He is alive.”

The first survivor!

I felt a sense of relief and said, “Where is Extreme Tiger?”

“His soul seems to be in Goryeo.”

“… Goryeo? Is it Gaegyeong?”

“That’s correct.”

“……”

Extreme Tiger is in the capital of Goryeo, Gaegyeong. I wondered why he would be there, but soon began to think it might be closely related to the Master of the Twelve Joules. Grateful that Extreme Tiger was alive, I continued asking the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.

“Jin So-cheong.”

“……”

“Why the silence?”

“Something feels off… he seems to be flickering at the moment.”

“Flickering?”

“I should check on others first.”

“Then Tang San, Cheongwol, Bright Dragon, Seo Mun-hye.”

As I called the names of my other companions in order, after a moment, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman said, “Tang San and Seo Mun-hye are alive.”

Cheongwol and Bright Dragon are dead? Looking at her with hopeful eyes, she continued, “Tang San is in Sichuan, and Seo Mun-hye is in Liaoning.”

“Hmm… If I know their locations, can we move directly there?”

“It’s possible.”

I knelt before the Heavenly Mysterious Woman and requested, “Please. I need to find the survivors. Help me.”

“Understood. I will assist you in gathering your companions again.”

The Heavenly Mysterious Woman cheerfully replied, but then she added, almost puzzled, “However, it’s strange… It’s said that Cheon Woo-jin used the magic he inherited from Master Mangnyang to hide his body from the Corpse Dissolution Technique, but I can’t grasp the state of Jin So-cheong. His life is certain but seems to flicker.”

“Are you saying he is neither alive nor dead?”

“That’s one way to express it, but it’s uncertain. Despite having lived for many years, I’ve never encountered a case like this.”

“… I want to go check on Jin So-cheong. Let’s go to where he is flickering.”

“Understood.”

Encountering the Master of the Twelve Joules directly in Goryeo may become troublesome and dangerous, and going to check on Jin So-cheong, who even the Heavenly Mysterious Woman couldn’t fully understand, was far more pressing. Soon, with a wave of her hand, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman led me to wherever I needed to go by the Corpse Dissolution Technique.

Bang!

I arrived at a gloomy Ancient Temple. However, I was shocked to find that I had been here before, so I looked around in surprise. I then said to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, “H-Heavenly Mysterious Woman, are you sure Jin So-cheong is here?”

“He flickers nearby. The Source seems to be here.”

“But… but this…”

Swishhh…

Moments later, from an evil statue of a wicked god nearby, the elephant-like head began transforming into sand as darkness spread across the ground. It was clearly a manifestation of powerful evil magic, so I focused intently on what lay ahead. I murmured with a trembling voice, “The Temple of Juuban.”

The ancient site of the heretical sect, where in the past, due to a ‘contract’ with Zhuge Sa, I had crossed over to Qingzhang Plateau. It was also the place where I received the qualifications and blessings of the heretical sect leader and faced ‘that person.’ A location I could never forget.

Swishhh… –

With a grotesque sound reminiscent of a snake’s tongue flicking, the black sand began to swirl and take on human form. Eventually, the figure that emerged was someone I had met several times before, once even having hunted her down.

A cold, ice-like beauty appeared in the very center of the temple and spoke in a clear voice, “So, you are the human Zhuge Sa spoke of. I wanted to find you due to the Law of Cause and Effect, and how fortunate you came to me.”

“……”

She glanced suspiciously behind me and continued, “Now, let’s hear your reason for coming to my temple with the Heavenly Mysterious Woman – stranger.”

It appeared she already sensed the presence of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman floating invisibly behind me. I gritted my teeth and replied, “Evil God Simon Magus, the God King Demiurge prophesied! It’s an honor to meet you here!”

I used flattery to the greatest possible extent.

Because she was, without a doubt, the demon sorceress who had ruled over the Demon Path for millennia, Simon Magus, known for her prowess and as the first leader of the heretical sect – the archdemon who sought to become the [Old Ruler]! If that person held the life of my companion Jin So-cheong in her hands, I couldn’t afford to act recklessly.

 

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