761——————==

Dark Heaven Village

It wasn’t long after arriving in Luoyang that I couldn’t help but be pretty shocked.

‘Everything is restored?’

Given that this land had literally seen a divine war, I thought everyone except for the humans who Jin So-cheong evacuated would be dead. The buildings looked completely like a wasteland, so I couldn’t help but think that. But after visiting Zhuge Yulong, it was strangely as if Luoyang had restored itself to its original state without a scratch. The buildings were all standing as they once were.

“How could this be….”

Seo Mun-hye looked around in confusion as Jin So-cheong said,

“There’s no aura of life.”

“Must be something Master did.”

Cheon Woo-jin brushed the nearby stone wall with his hand as he continued,

“He must have reversed the time of inanimate objects.”

I asked Cheon Woo-jin, puzzled,

“Then why didn’t he resurrect humans or living beings?”

“I’m not sure. But I think it’s because if we end up fighting Jin, bringing them back would just mean they’d die twice, so he left them be.”

“…Then that doesn’t explain why he just made the buildings again.”

“Master is a Great Being. Honestly, it’s normal for us not to be able to guess his intentions.”

At that moment, Zhuge Sa chimed in.

“That’s a rather irresponsible thing to say. No matter how god-like someone is, they still act with purpose, and that’s what the Law of Cause and Effect is all about, isn’t it?”

“Hmph….”

“I can propose one hypothesis.”

I looked at Zhuge Sa.

“Zhuge Sa, do you have a hunch about something?”

“I’m worried about the fact that Luoyang is known as the Ancient Capital for a thousand years.”

“Ancient Capital…?”

Zhuge Sa continued,

“I’ve mentioned this before, but what do you think has kept everyone from abandoning Luoyang despite its weaknesses?”

“Hmmm… you said it was because of the Battle Ground, right? No one else but you.”

I scratched my head.

In fact, this wasn’t the first time the question Zhuge Sa raised had come up. The leader of the Five Great Physicians, Sangwan Hyuk, had told me about it once before.

[…Baek Woong. This city of Luoyang… It’s a peculiar place. Do you know why…?]

[Originally, this city is ill-suited to be the capital of the great Zhonghua Empire. Because when surrounded by enemies, defending the city becomes difficult, there’s a significant weakness in the southern terrain, and there are too many places to defend given the ease of transportation. That’s why many kings and nobles chose Luoyang as their capital since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, but they became acutely aware of these problems and deliberated on countermeasures. Furthermore, when the northern barbarian tribes established their dynasty, the geographical conditions made relocating to Yan Jing a serious topic of discussion. That was the plan that Yongle Emperor pushed very hard as well.]

[But Yongle Emperor didn’t move his capital, even though his foundation as the Prince of Yan was in Yan Jing.]

[No… it’s not that. It’s a prior issue. Even Zhu Yuanzhang, who founded the Ming dynasty, didn’t move the capital from Luoyang. Essentially, the Ming Emperors chose to endure inefficiency and maintained Luoyang as their capital. Zhu Yuanzhang, who was a practical man, went through bitter experiences from the invasions of the Yuan dynasty, yet he chose to keep Luoyang, even though it was not suited for defense. Ideally, Nanjing should’ve been a more appropriate choice.]

[Both Zhu Yuanzhang and Yongle Emperor wanted to relocate the capital from Luoyang. But there was a reason they had no choice but to give up. The reason that absolute rulers of the world couldn’t abandon Luoyang… lies within Luoyang itself.]

And back then, Zhuge Sa had already presented a single answer to the question posed by Sangwan Hyuk.

The Battle Ground.

It was the hypothesis that due to the mythic-level barrier from the era of Yu the Great and presumed maintenance by Master Mangnyang, the absolute rulers couldn’t abandon Luoyang. Since then, I figured Zhuge Sa’s answer had a ring of truth to it, and didn’t think deeply about Luoyang’s location. Then Zhuge Sa said,

“At that time, I was just hypothesizing whatever popped into my head. But now I can offer more profound insights.”

“Are there other reasons?”

“Isn’t it odd? No matter how much of a power ruler or emperor they were, none of them could comprehend the darkness and the hidden worlds. Even the incredible barrier of Master Mangnyang couldn’t possibly become a rule that would overturn all the principles of governance for those living in the mundane.”

“That is true.”

“I believe there’s a tremendous force inherent in Luoyang itself. And that’s likely in a form that worldly rulers can easily understand….”

“…Force? If such a thing existed.”

As I tilted my head, Zhuge Sa said,

“Zhuge Yulong wouldn’t miss out on that. But it doesn’t contradict. Zhuge Yulong didn’t even need to make use of it. Just quietly plotting in Luoyang was enough for him to gain benefits.”

“Do you know what kind of force it is?”

Zhuge Sa nodded.

“Fortune!”

“….”

“To put it simply, those who chose to move the capital from Luoyang—none of them fared well. And those who kept Luoyang at their core managed to maintain their dynasties despite the ups and downs; they had a decent end to their story too.”

“W-what are you saying?”

I was flabbergasted.

Is the only reason that emperors like Zhu Yuanzhang and Yongle Emperor couldn’t abandon Luoyang just sheer luck?! It’s the kind of nonsense that would make scholars burst into laughter!

But Cheon Woo-jin sighed at Zhuge Sa’s words.

“That could be true. Certainly….”

“Is it for real?!”

“Yeah. Looking closely at these buildings, the aura of fortune flows along the ley lines. Normally it’s muddled by the chaotic energy of human beings, so we never really noticed, but now that it’s been freshly built, it stands out significantly. Luoyang is indeed shrouded in a colossal flow of luck.”

“……!!”

Zhuge Sa smirked.

“Exactly. As I rummaged through the historical records in my head, I reached that conclusion. Rulers probably received the allure of the Demon Subduing Hall or realized through interactions with priests that abandoning Luoyang would lead to bad fortune. Yongle Emperor probably gave up on moving to Yan Jing for the same reason.”

“Hmmm…!!”

I pondered and said,

“If that’s the case, does it mean the buildings of Luoyang itself serve as a barrier that invokes fortune?”

“That’s likely the case.”

“But Luoyang has faced fires from Dong Zhuo during the Three Kingdoms period and numerous times been turned into ruins. In that sense, luck should have been disrupted several times by now.”

“Well, that’s just the kind of destruction brought upon by humans. Even mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops, a city this large can’t be fully reduced to ruins easily. And human-inflicted destruction can be restored easily. There’s no reason they couldn’t build houses on the ashes.”

Zhuge Sa continued in response.

“And likely, it was Master Mangnyang who made Luoyang the source of fortune itself. The blessing of the Sky that he infused created a barrier naturally. Over many years, the intertwining of human civilization and buildings strengthened the history that had been accumulating.”

He murmured while touching the pillar of a nearby building.

“In other words, Luoyang is a conceptual living being and a living barrier.”

“Wait! That’s saying Master Mangnyang designated Luoyang as the capital for thousands of years.”

“Is there something problematic about that? It’s not weird at all if Master Mangnyang decided to destroy the world himself.”

“…But why? Why did Master Mangnyang need to keep Luoyang as the capital?”

“The answer to that can only be found by meeting Master Mangnyang directly, but nonetheless, there’s likely no harm to humanity.”

How astonishing.

Could it be that Luoyang itself is a colossal force that generates fortune?!

And from Zhuge Sa’s explanation, I could think of one blessing.

‘Blessing of the Sky!’

It’s such an enigmatic explanation that I can’t quite grasp its specific effects, but nonetheless, I’m witnessing with my own eyes that the blessing of the Sky can even alter history. While I was still in shock, Cheon Gong-pyo said bluntly,

“Anyway, if it’s a barrier made by someone on Master Mangnyang’s level, absorbing or utilizing power here is impossible. How about stopping wasting time and checking out this Transference Gate instead?”

“Why the Transference Gate?”

“If we can use it, wouldn’t it make things easier from now on?”

That’s true.

We walked through the empty streets of Luoyang and soon arrived at the old Imperial Palace. Indeed, the vast grounds and buildings remained, but it felt eerie without any humans around. Regardless, as the sorcerers detected magical power and entered deeper, we found immense iron doors in various places within the heart of the palace.

“This is the Transference Gate….”

It was magnificent. There were hundreds of towering iron doors standing in a circular pattern, likely created by magical power, revealing an enormous space. It was a door that could transport us to anywhere in the world in an instant.

I repeatedly passed through the Transference Gate, and as soon as I opened the door, I arrived at parts of the world I had never been to before, and returning was incredibly easy. The even more impressive part was that I didn’t need any special commands; all I had to do was open and shut the door.

I wondered aloud,

“Why didn’t the Imperial Palace forces revive the Transference Gate from the beginning? Conquering the entire world would be easy.”

Like Chi You, the forces of the Imperial Palace would only activate the Transference Gate when the plan neared its completion. In the early stages, there was absolutely no sign of the Transference Gate making an appearance. As I expressed my doubts, Zhuge Sa explained,

“These Transference Gates stabilized because of the large-scale offerings made to them. Originally, they were a type of demon artifact that would only awaken after vast human sacrifices.”

“What?!”

“Artifacts made through demon magic invariably crave human blood, flesh, souls, and suffering. Not to mention, what Chi You crafted back in the Yin Dynasty would definitely require human sacrifice.”

“…….”

“It was a priority for Zhuge Yulong to create the Portrait Immortal first. There wouldn’t be any leeway to waste precious offerings on human sacrifice for the Transference Gate when he was already pressed to create the Portrait Immortal.”

“That makes sense….”

“Anyway, we need to examine the Transference Gate further. And let’s start establishing barriers to prepare for an ambush.”

As Zhuge Sa began investigating the Transference Gate, he also decided to study the books received from the Su Shin Sect. Meanwhile, Jin So-cheong, Tang San, and the Sword Demon started refining their martial arts, sharing experiences when reaching the [Small Cycle]. The Celestial Sage stood guard in case Jin decided to ambush us. Additionally, Cheon Gong-pyo began to create a powerful barrier alongside Cheon Woo-jin.

“What should I do?”

With no tasks to occupy my time, I stood there dumbfounded, and Zhuge Sa scolded me.

“You should read the literature of the Su Shin Sect as well. No matter what, it’s most efficient for you to directly absorb knowledge.”

“Got it.”

Resigned, I decided to read for the first time in ages. It felt strange to see everyone sitting together in that dark and deep space, doing something. Lighting up my space didn’t make reading uncomfortable, but I still felt an odd sense of loneliness.

Rustle rustle

As I picked up a random book and realized it was the foundational martial arts manual of the Su Shin Sect, I noted it contained the internal cultivation and moving meditation techniques, as well as the method of controlling qi and the blood-sensing technique. It wouldn’t hurt to know, so I read through it frantically before suddenly grabbing another book to read.

‘This is a fist technique manual of the Su Shin Sect….’

Upon reading it, I saw that the objectives of the Su Shin Sect’s fist techniques were calm and steady, accurately assessing the opponent and striking them down with one blow. I felt an odd sensation while examining the basic techniques and absolute slash.

‘It’s hard to believe it derived from Dokgo Jun or the Sect Leader.’

They felt like proficient martial arts from a prominent orthodox sect with calmness and soft characteristics. I didn’t sense that overwhelming destructive energy they emitted when Dokgo Jun or the Sect Leader unleashes an absolute slash. It appeared they had cultivated the Su Shin Sect’s martial arts and inadvertently altered the nature of their skill.

‘No, it’s not that. Could it be because of the Heavenly Spirit Pill?’

The martial arts of the Su Shin Sect weren’t the type to exert overwhelming power forcefully. Instead, they were intricate martial arts focused on suppressing and leveraging the opponent’s weaknesses. However, if one sought to maximize the infinite internal power of the Heavenly Spirit Pill, then the martial arts of the Su Shin Sect wouldn’t fit. Whether that became a poison or not was something I couldn’t judge at present.

Then suddenly.

Swoosh—

Time froze. And as soon as I realized that fact, I quickly drew all seven luminaries from my holster.

‘Damn it!’

It’s definitely Jin.

Is he attacking without giving any warning?

‘I can move!’

Luckily, it seemed that equipping the seven luminaries heightened my potential enough to resist Jin’s time stop. Well, of course, it would be a given if I wielded all five. As I invoked the power of the seven luminaries, I felt overwhelming power surging within me, as if I had just gained the Heavenly Spirit Pill.

I quickly tuned into my surroundings. I realized no companions were injured yet, and that only Cheon Gong-pyo, Cheon Woo-jin, and the Celestial Sage were able to resist this time stop. The others appeared to be completely frozen in place.

However, Cheon Gong-pyo and Cheon Woo-jin were stuck there, unable to move with irritated looks on their faces, while the Celestial Sage was igniting the Fire Eye Golden Spirit technique as if fueling a flame. Only the Celestial Sage could move properly, coming near my side and saying,

“The other two are using magic to shield themselves, so they’re conscious but can’t move. If they approach, they will only be able to counterattack. They won’t fall easily to Jin.”

“Understood. What about you, Celestial Sage?”

“I possess a fair amount of chaotic power as well. Nevertheless, my stamina feels notably depleted.”

Cheon Woo-jin licked his lips as he spoke.

“It seems we are being summoned.”

Indeed. An indescribable wave of chaos was continuously flowing this way. While we had managed to overcome it, regular humans would likely experience immense mental confusion or have their consciousness split into fragments upon contact with this wave. The chaotic wave kept enticing us, beckoning us to some place.

I resolutely said,

“We won’t go. That guy can’t use time stop infinitely, can he?”

“Really… I’m going.”

“What?! That’s a trap.”

“Isn’t it strange that he waited until we were prepared to attack? Why only when we reached the core of the Imperial Palace?”

“…….”

“My gut says that he could have ambushed us at any moment. And no matter when he ambushed us, the only ones who could effectively resist are you and me. The situation has always been the same. So why would he have waited until we reached the Imperial Palace?”

“I don’t know.”

The Celestial Sage murmured with a gloomy look.

“This is a threat. He’s confident that he can win at any moment.”

“Hmm….”

“He’s saying the fair fight ends here. If we don’t approach, he’ll take out the weaker ones, one by one. That much is clear.”

“Wait? He hasn’t mentioned that directly, and you’re drawing too far ahead….”

“Ugh. Do you think after all those life-or-death battles since my time as the Monster King, my instincts for combat would be off? I should be able to read that guy’s intentions without much effort.”

He smiled bitterly before saying,

“Since it’s come to this… you stay here.”