---

“`html

“So aggressive, huh?”

I wondered if the Celestial Sage didn’t quite grasp the strength here. But I quickly pushed that thought aside.

“In a fight, he’s not someone who can be dismissed lightly. That can’t be true.”

That guy must know exactly what he’s doing by challenging me.

A top-notch fighter has an uncanny instinct for gauging their opponent’s strength. The Celestial Sage, who has battled mighty existences all across heaven and earth, wouldn’t just recklessly jump into a fight. He might seem unpredictable, but he’s actually quite sharp and always has a plan. I experienced this firsthand while drinking with him and getting to know him better.

Moreover, he came here knowing that the Heavenly Mysterious Woman had acquired the Seven Luminaries. That means he must believe he has a chance to win, or he wouldn’t come looking for a fight. Not even the Heavenly Mysterious Woman would stand a chance against him, given his incredible combat experience, which once even brought down the Jade Emperor himself.

But was the Celestial Sage really that strong? Even if the Heavenly Mysterious Woman regained her powers, could she actually defeat him?

I found myself overwhelmed, unable to discern the shifts in power. At the same time, I was confused about whether I could actually win a fight here.

“Damn it. Get it together.”

I snapped back to my senses thanks to years of experience. No matter which side was stronger, one thing was clear: picking a fight with the Celestial Sage would only lead to my doom!

Staying out of a fight entirely was the best option.

Instead, I turned to the Celestial Sage.

“Can I say something?”

“Huh? Who’s stopping you? Say what you want.”

He seemed willing to listen.

I took a deep breath and spoke up.

“Why are you trying to hinder the gathering of the Seven Luminaries?”

“Didn’t I mention it last time we drank together? If the Seven Luminaries are released, the world will be doomed.”

“I know that. But do you have any solutions for the destruction of the world?”

Silence fell for a moment.

The Celestial Sage hesitated. I pressed on, refusing to back down.

“If we’re all going to die anyway, isn’t it human nature to cling to any slim chance of survival? Besides, even the mighty celestial beings won’t escape that ending. What you’re doing is just buying time!

The Celestial Sage regarded me with a look of intrigue as he stroked his chin.

“Wow. You’ve got quite the guts, huh? You’re saying whatever you want right now?”

“Uh, well, that is…”

“Do you really think you could take a hit from me if we went all out? I knew you had guts, but it feels like you don’t care if you die. Or is it that you actually don’t mind dying?”

When I fell silent, the Celestial Sage shot a glance around at my companions before continuing.

“But you know, it’s true.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t have any brilliant plans to stop our doom. There was a time when celestial beings proposed that their Eight Divine Guardians help save the world, but I turned that down. I’m satisfied just maintaining the world until the doom and revelation come.”

“…!!”

“The release of the Seven Luminaries signals a clear invitation for demise, and I can’t agree to that.”

Wait, what?!

I was dumbfounded by the Celestial Sage’s words. After a brief moment, anger surged within me.

“What do you mean? Are you saying you’re just going to sit back and watch us all die?”

“What else can I think?”

“Damn it…!!”

As I prepared to burst out, the Celestial Sage raised a hand, as if to stop me.

“I’m not giving up. I just want to be cautious because I don’t know enough yet.”

“What do you mean?”

The Celestial Sage’s eyes narrowed at me.

“Whether it’s releasing the Seven Luminaries to gain divine power, or going to the Divine Temple, or watching the gods cause havoc among themselves… I know various methods are being attempted in the guise of saving the world. They all seem plausible. I was aware that fighting against celestial beings back in my time as the Monster King could help humans.”

“……”

“But is saving the world really that simple? I’ve had this nagging thought that something is missing in every method proposed for saving the world.”

“Missing what?”

The Celestial Sage nodded slowly.

“Yes. Trying to save the world isn’t solely your ambition. The moment we talked face to face, I realized how desperate you were to save this world. Stronger and wiser beings than you have realized the world was doomed long before and began to struggle early on. They must have tried their own methods, yet all of their approaches have ended up as empty echoes. I’ve seen this happen countless times.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“It’s not just ‘power’ that’s missing. The truth of this world, the real clues to grasp it, are completely unknown. That’s why every method fails.”

“Hmm…”

He emphasized this strongly.

“I mentioned I have no plans yet, but I will try to find a way. That’s why I’ve stepped into the Celestial Realm to gather information. But not now. This isn’t a time to collect the Seven Luminaries to solve the world’s destruction.”

The Celestial Sage’s words were difficult to comprehend.

Moreover, it was a perspective completely different from those who had previously sought to save the world, making it all the more unique.

What exactly is missing?

However, I could surely sense his intent, and with a trembling voice, I replied.

“So, you mean to say that until you find that definitive method, you’ll absolutely prevent any drastic actions?”

“That’s about it.”

“And what if you can’t find one after 500 years?”

“Then it must be. But hey, you’ve survived for 500 years, haven’t you?”

“What the hell…!!”

My frustration was interrupted as a memory flashed through my mind.

[Sect Leader, why?! Why must we gather Dharma techniques like this?! Do you think such actions done under the pretense of saving humanity will be forgiven?!]

[If we can save 3,000 with 100 million sacrifices… is that not a worthwhile sacrifice?]

[Then is there a guarantee that if we let 100 million die, 3,000 will survive? If such a situation arises, I wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice the 3,000. Not everyone can be saved.]

Why am I recalling the words of the Master of the White Lotus?

“…”

I understood the reason.

The rushed actions of the Master of the White Lotus, using every means possible to gather Dharma techniques, weren’t too different from my own actions now. The Master was willing to resort to human sacrifice, but I was willing to face the world’s distortions. To the Celestial Sage’s eyes, I would surely appear no different from Zhuge Yulong, the Master of the White Lotus, or the Master of the Twelve Joules.

At the same time, I felt my heart wavering at the Celestial Sage’s words. Perhaps, as he said, it might be wise to observe the secrets of the world before gathering the Seven Luminaries.

As I fell into silence, the Celestial Sage sighed.

“Damn it. I’m not one to ramble on usually. I’m more of a fists-first type. But you, Baek Woong, know I’m giving you a break here.”

That’s when Cheon Woo-jin stepped forward and asked.

“Celestial Sage, if we handed the Seven Luminaries over to you, could you keep them safe?”

Immediately, the Celestial Sage scowled.

“What? Do you think I’m easy to underestimate?”

“Even if the Queen Mother of the West herself takes you on, can you truly defend the Seven Luminaries? No matter how strong you are, you can’t beat her.”

“Hmm… So that’s what you meant.”

The Celestial Sage seemed to grasp it.

“Don’t worry about that. This was something I’ve been pondering anyway, and Tai Shang Laojun already agreed on the terms with Xiang Yu.”

“What…?”

Why is Xiang Yu coming up here?

The unexpected comment left even the usually calm Cheon Woo-jin wide-eyed with shock. Not just him, but the majority of our group looked equally stunned. The Celestial Sage chuckled at our reactions.

“Hehe, sure caught you off guard. All thanks to you, Baek Woong.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because you opened that line of friendship back then, I was able to have an honest conversation with Xiang Yu after you left. And under the condition that I agreed to help him, he’s cooperating with me as well. So now there’s no need to worry about the Seven Luminaries. He’ll help keep them hidden with the power of the constellations.”

“……”

An unexpected alliance.

The Celestial Sage and Xiang Yu joining forces!

The shock was not limited to us, as I could see a complex expression forming on Jang Sam-bong’s face. He addressed the Celestial Sage.

[Sage, are you implying treason against the Celestial Realm?]

The Celestial Sage dismissed him casually.

“Who said anything about treason? The Seven Luminaries were never definitively decided to belong to the Celestial Realm in the first place. I simply want to divert them and hide them. How’s that treason?”

[That’s just semantics. You know the basic decree is to retrieve the Seven Luminaries first if they are found, right?]

“Do you know who issued that decree? I bet you don’t.”

[……]

“You knew all along the Celestial Realm is just a puppet of the Three Sovereigns, so don’t act all high and mighty now.”

As they bickered, I quickly gathered my thoughts.

‘If the Celestial Sage teamed up with Xiang Yu… this situation isn’t just in our favor.’

We might suffer significant losses just trying to deal with the Celestial Sage alone, and if he found himself at a disadvantage, he could escape and return with Xiang Yu. Of course, no matter how powerful our Heavenly Mysterious Woman was, there were no guarantees against the two strongest beings of the Celestial Realm. Even accepting a cause-and-effect risk would be unwise. I finally understood why the Celestial Sage had initially appeared so confident.

At the same time, a sense of injustice bubbled up within me. Why was it that I had to find the Queen Mother of the West to share the power of the constellations, yet the Celestial Sage forms an alliance with just a few words? This gap created by the disparity in power felt entirely frustrating.

What choice should I make here?

I thought about seeking advice from Mangnyang or Zhuge Sa, but I quickly dismissed that notion. As Zhuge Sa had said before, advisors have their limits.

What truly mattered was that I needed to make the decision myself to yield a good result.

‘Wait a minute…’

As I pondered, an unexpected idea popped into my mind. So, I glanced around briefly before speaking to the Celestial Sage.

“Celestial Sage, I’ll hand over the Seven Luminaries.”

“Great! Good thinking. I don’t particularly want to hit you again, so hand them over quickly.”

The Celestial Sage reached out casually, but I wore a mischievous grin and continued.

“But aren’t you curious about where the Ruyi Staff went?”

The Celestial Sage looked taken aback as realization sunk in.

“…Oh right. You borrowed my Ruyi Staff. What happened to it?”

“You know the spirit that was asleep in the Ruyi Staff, right? It was He Yu, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then you also knew she was originally the Abbot of the Celestial Temple?”

“Of course. I ‘borrowed’ it from the Dragon King’s palace in the Eastern Sea. We used to have chats when we’d get bored. She was kind of annoying, but it was fun to talk. But why do you ask?”

“She’s been released now. The seal has been entirely lifted. She has regained the powers of the Abbot of the Celestial Temple.”

“……”

The Celestial Sage’s jaw dropped for the first time. He looked utterly confused, unable to comprehend what I’d just said.

“Wait, that was a seal?”

“Yes.”

“You released it?”

“Yes. I had no choice…”

Bang!!

At that moment, an immense force came crashing down from the void, and the Heavenly Mysterious Woman blocked the attack with the Corpse Dissolution Technique’s barrier. The attack had come without warning, and I couldn’t dodge or block it, realizing the Celestial Sage must truly harbor intent to kill.

Fiery glow flickered.

The Celestial Sage, eyes blazing, spoke with intensity, “I was trying to keep this civil, but you little punk…”

“Wait, please listen. Why would I reveal this information to you if I didn’t have a reason?”

“You must want to die!”

“No. The Tai Shang Laojun left behind words regarding her seal.”

At this, the Celestial Sage eased his anger slightly and asked, “The Tai Shang Laojun?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me more.”

I calmly recounted my visit to Dark Heaven Village, the events surrounding the unsealing of the Sorcerer, and the ancient truths Tai Shang Laojun had left behind. I included information about the Amatsukami’s return from the golden star and the impending invasion from the Sea God in the south.

As the Celestial Sage listened, his expression turned grave.

“…Are you kidding me? Haven’t you realized the trouble you’re courting? In this chaotic upheaval, you’ll have a mountain of foes wanting your head. You won’t last long at this rate.”

“If I die, I die. That’s not what’s important…”

I sighed heavily.

“If the ancient dark god Amatsukami returns from the celestial realm, who’s going to stop that? Who’s going to deal with the Sea God and the Death Sea King invading from the south? Do you really think you can handle all that on your own? Even with Xiang Yu’s help, there are limits. You must know that it’s something far beyond what the power of the Celestial Realm alone could suppress.”

“……”

“However, together we might have a chance. Furthermore, we could also suppress or seal the Sorcerer.”

“What are you trying to say? Are you just sweet-talking your way out of this?”

As the Celestial Sage retorted, I calmly countered.

“Think about it. Earlier, you mentioned your goal was to maintain the state of the world. Doesn’t that contradict itself? What’s the point of seizing the Seven Luminaries if the humanity of this world is wiped out first?”

“…Hmm.”

“And in this condition, there’s no way to restrain the Chi You and Eight Divine Guardians ruling the Central Plains. To acquire the strength to rival them, cooperation is essential.”

The Celestial Sage’s expression wavered. I pulled out the Golden Crow from my wooden armor and offered it to him.

“While we could fight to settle this, out of trust and loyalty, I’m offering it freely. In exchange, please take my words seriously.”

“What?!

“Baek Woong!!”

My actions startled my companions standing next to me. Even the Heavenly Mysterious Woman looked at me with a questioning expression. If I hand over the Golden Crow here, there’s a chance he could just seize it and leave, putting us at a significant disadvantage. It wouldn’t make sense to just give away the invaluable treasure I had painstakingly obtained after countless struggles.

Vvvvvring…

“……”

The Celestial Sage stared intently at the radiant Golden Crow. Currently in the shape of a pearl, it glimmered brilliantly, but it had the trait of changing form depending on the user’s wishes.

So it should be fine for the Celestial Sage to gaze upon it without issues, given he wielded the Fire Eye Golden Spirit.

After a brief period, he finally spoke.

“You’re one dumb kid. Do you honestly think that if you treat someone sincerely, they’ll reciprocate? You just made a mistake.”

“Not necessarily.”

I wasn’t idealistic enough to think it would work out that simply. In my first life, when I rolled around as a mere escort, I had seen enough of the dirty side of humanity; naturally, I observed numerous folks who would screw others over without any qualms. Even after gaining the ability of Rebirth, I still often found myself betrayed.

I smiled slyly.

“But I’d like to be an idiot. If possible, I hope you join me in this foolishness.”

“……”

Thud!

The Celestial Sage silently accepted the Golden Crow, placing it in his pocket.

“Can you promise me this? Once the world is secured, you’ll explicitly hand over all the Seven Luminaries to me without any complaints.”

I nodded vigorously.

“Of course. I swear it on my name.”

“Damn… Getting involved with you seems like my greatest mistake in life.”

The Celestial Sage spat with exasperation.

“You just offered me the Golden Crow on a silver platter! Fine.”

“Yes.”

“So, based on receiving the Golden Crow, I will now ally with you. Until then, I’ll overlook the possession of the Xuyou.”

“……!!”

With an irritated expression, he continued, “That should work, right?”

I smirked inwardly. I had succeeded!

Even though I handed over the Golden Crow, I had just gained the strongest Overlay Technique of the Celestial Realm as an ally.

“`

 

---