Chapter 79
After leaving the village where Cheon Woo-jin was, Mangnyang and I entered Luoyang together. In my previous life, I focused on martial arts and separated from Mangnyang, but this time, since that wasn’t the goal, I wanted to talk to Mangnyang about our direction moving forward.
The inn in early evening was bustling with people. Mangnyang ordered frog legs and said while tearing into one, “Hmm, let’s see… I didn’t hear this before during the ceremony, but you mean you were already blessed by the Primordial Void Ruler in your past life? And that too with great luck?”
I nodded. “Yes. I managed to learn a secret technique while barely surviving in confusion.”
“Hmm… So this time it transformed into the blessing of the Queen Mother of the West for immortality.”
While chewing on the frog leg, Mangnyang fell into thought. He then poured himself another drink and said, “Something feels off.”
“What do you mean?”
“If that’s the case, then it means your past life isn’t even relevant to the gods, right? Of course, they might sense some discomfort due to divine powers, but if you’re able to reverse time, it implies neither the Primordial Void Ruler nor the Queen Mother is aware of it.”
“I see…”
Mangnyang slammed his fist on the table. “You’re right, this seems quite significant.”
“What significance?”
“……”
Mangnyang gulped down his drink and filled my cup. “Let’s have a toast first.”
“But you look like a kid, is that okay?”
“Who cares? I can just drive the alcohol away with my internal power anyway.”
“Fair point.”
As I took a sip, the fragrant aroma of the bamboo wine filled my nose. Its sharp taste danced on my tongue. Since I didn’t mind alcohol, I savored it for a bit until Mangnyang spoke again.
“Think about it. The Primordial Void Ruler is among the top gods in Taoism, and the Queen Mother is a powerful being overseeing female immortals. They’re at that level, so they can grant tremendous blessings using the power of the Water Element Divine Sword. But if they don’t even know about your reincarnation, what does that mean?”
“……?”
Mangnyang munched on a chicken leg and added, “The one who made the Heavenly Secret or infused it with the power of reincarnation must be a Great Being who surpasses both the Primordial Void Ruler and the Queen Mother.”
“Hmm…!!”
That thought hadn’t crossed my mind, and I involuntarily made a sound. ‘The being that created the Heavenly Secret?’ I had nearly never considered it. I only thought of it as a mysterious book that turns back time, but now that I learned about the Seven Luminaries, the Three Sovereigns, and Taoist gods, the meaning changed. The Heavenly Secret must have been created by someone with a status far beyond human comprehension.
Mangnyang murmured, “You might be caught up in more trouble than you think.”
“That’s something I always consider.”
“Not quite that. Ahem. Another chicken, please.”
Mangnyang had already finished a whole chicken without me noticing. He ordered more snacks and continued, “How much do you understand about the divine status in Taoism?”
“I know roughly from studying Qimen Dunjia.”
“Actually, most beings considered gods in Taoism aren’t true gods; they’re elevated from the status of immortals. At least for Taoist practitioners, there’s not much difference between immortals and gods. The separate title ‘Semi-Immortal’ tells us that much.”
“Hmm.”
“However… considering the reincarnation of the Heavenly Secret, it might not be so simple. If they are higher beings than those, it must refer to true divine status revered by different religions.”
I found this intriguing. “Isn’t the Taishang Laojun considered equal to Gautama Buddha in Taoism? I’ve always thought there were distinct ranks between Taoism and Buddhism.”
“Heh, that’s just an oversimplified mixture from the influence of Buddhism originating from Tianzhu absorbed into local beliefs. The divine beings revered in Tianzhu are very different from our understanding.”
Mangnyang started gnawing on chicken wings now. He seemed really hungry.
“No, I miscommunicated. Contrary to the belief that Tianzhu is the origin of Buddhism, they actually don’t believe in it much. Tianzhu is the most complex polytheistic worship place in the world, and Gautama Buddha is just one of the eight million gods they revere.”
“What? I’ve never heard such a thing.”
“Do you know anything about Buddhism?”
“Honestly, not much.”
“The beings referred to as Brahma, Narayana, and Maheshvara in Buddhism aren’t just simple deities of the great heavenly worlds. Brahma is the creator of the world, Narayana maintains it and Maheshvara is the one who destroys it at the end of times. They are deities in their own right, but as local beliefs blend into Buddhism, they’ve been lowered to lower status.”
This piqued my interest. ‘The rank of gods diminishes?’ It was something I hadn’t ever considered before. While I quietly listened to Mangnyang’s tales, he picked up a duck leg sitting next to him.
“Yet, even so, the powers of Brahma, Narayana, and Maheshvara remain unchanged. They are entities unrelated to worldly ranks. The creator of the Heavenly Secret might be one of those sorts.”
“What kind of beings are we talking about?”
Mangnyang chewed on the duck leg and replied, “Beings that don’t require faith or recognition from humans, and exist solely as pure divine essence! Only such beings would surpass the Primordial Void Ruler and the Queen Mother.”
“……?”
I tilted my head. “What significance does that hold?”
“Sigh… I should have made you read some religious texts in your past life. Right now, you’re closer to the realm of gods than anyone else in the Central Plains, but you’re so ignorant.”
Gulp
Mangnyang sighed, gulped down his drink from the bottle, and started explaining. By now, he had nearly finished all the chicken.
“Think about it. Why are gods like the Primordial Void Ruler or the Queen Mother so powerful?”
“Hmm… Because of their high positions?”
Mangnyang shook his head while holding a chicken leg. “No. It’s because countless humans worship them, recognize them, and honor them! The power of the gods is heavily influenced by faith. Although they are beings that have risen from the status of immortals and can maintain some strength without worship, faith creates a significant power gap.”
“Are you telling me that gods are so greatly affected by human belief?”
“Indeed. Whether they are gods of Taoism or Buddhism, they ultimately are creations of humanity. Their divine powers are closely linked to humans.”
Mangnyang seemed to be finishing the last chicken leg slowly. I glanced at the table, and it appeared he had eaten nearly all of it. I had no choice but to order a bowl of chicken porridge. Upon ordering, Mangnyang said, “Whether they are gods or immortals, fundamentally they maintain reverence based on human belief. In other words, a divine rank forgotten by humans gradually loses its power and eventually perishes. However, there exist beings that deviate significantly from this rule: those gods who have existed since the creation of heaven and earth, regardless of human faith or recognition.”
Gulp
Mangnyang seemed to have eaten a lot, as an involuntary sound escaped him. I couldn’t help but be surprised by Mangnyang’s appetite. It seemed like performing rituals made him extremely hungry. While I contemplated how I’d need to feed him well from now on, Mangnyang continued.
“These beings are exceedingly secretive and aren’t even known among the public. Even if they are known, they are disguised as secret gods, with very few knowing their true nature.”
“Didn’t you say divine statuses and celestial ranks gain power from human belief? Why is that?”
“Because when humans realize their presence, they can become so terrified that they might lose their minds just from the aura!”
“……!!”
“Furthermore, these beings don’t require human faith. They possess incredible powers that could fundamentally overturn heaven and earth by sheer force. Additionally, they don’t care for humans, treating them like bugs.”
Mangnyang spat this out.
“My master, Master Mangnyang, actually plays a role in maintaining barriers to prevent those beings from interfering in this world. Even though my master is much stronger than the Great Immortal, the reason he remains in this world is precisely because of that.”
“To prevent interference…?”
“What my master has is the role of a Guardian. Therefore, no Taoist deity can impose demands or commands on him unless it’s the Primordial Void Ruler.”
An image of my conversation with Master Mangnyang flashed through my mind.
[The sorcerer you faced isn’t of this world. A being that accidentally flowed in from another realm. Just encountering their spells or knowledge can cause ordinary beings to be corrupted and fall into despair. I ensure that such wanderers don’t reach this world, but this time luck was against us.]
[Wait, for a while? You mean there are more of them around?]
[Well, probably.]
What Master Mangnyang said was all true. His everyday task was to set up barriers so that malevolent deities and their worshipers couldn’t enter this world. However, for some reason, the sorcerer had broken through that barrier and entered this world, likely due to the dark forces known as the Demon Subduing Hall.
After organizing my thoughts, I murmured, “It’s hard to believe that such beings exist.”
“Honestly, it’s better not to know. There’s no benefit in delving into such matters, and normally one goes mad from it. But the Heavenly Secret in your possession could only have been created by such beings.”
“Hmm…”
“My master would often refer to those beings as ‘Old Rulers.’”
Old Rulers.
Now I felt like I was slowly piecing things together. It meant that a wicked and powerful god who considers humans as mere bugs may have created the Heavenly Secret. But one question lingered in my mind.
‘Why did the sorcerer flee upon seeing the Heavenly Secret?’
It didn’t seem like the Heavenly Secret inherently possessed any power to defeat sorcerers. Mangnyang also mentioned there was nothing special about its spell; it was just a book. This meant that the sorcerer grasped something from the ‘content’ of the Heavenly Secret and fled from this world. I had yet to uncover that reason.
I resolved to myself. ‘Alright. If I have to fight against the Demon Subduing Hall this time, I must capture that newly summoned otherworldly being. I couldn’t manage to figure it out last time, but I absolutely must learn what the Heavenly Secret is.’
While I was lost in thought, Mangnyang spoke up. He seemed to have finished his meal.
“Anyway, thinking about that issue further is pointless… so what are you planning to do now?”
“Good point. I should discuss what’s ahead.”
I took a sip of bamboo wine and said, “I want to find the secret treasure of the Seven Luminaries.”
“The secret treasure of the Seven Luminaries?”
“Yes. I’ve received the blessing of the Queen Mother and gained immortality, right? If that’s the case, then I have plenty of time to search for the traces of the Seven Luminaries hidden somewhere in this world. First, I plan to ascertain their whereabouts and gather what I can through subsequent reincarnations.”
This was my plan. Although I hadn’t received the blessing of the Primordial Void Ruler, immortality had its merits. It seems meaningless for someone like me who doesn’t easily die, but conversely, it means I have the chance to seek the secret treasures.
Mangnyang’s expression was genuinely impressed. “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that! Truly a good idea.”
“Haha, thank you.”
“But how will you search? The secret treasure of the Seven Luminaries is a legend from the Silver Age, making it nearly impossible to trace. Finding the Xuyou or discovering traces of Tydaht from the Phoenix Fragment was only possible due to extraordinary luck. Even if you look through historical documents, it’ll be extremely arduous.”
“……”
I felt like a bird with its beak sealed shut. After all, how could I locate the hidden secret treasure of the Seven Luminaries without any clues? I hadn’t even imagined the treasure of Tydaht in Balhae before hearing about it. I didn’t even know what the country of Balhae was.
Mangnyang grinned. “Here’s my thought. I’m learning martial arts and spell techniques from the power of the Black and White Lotus and the Water Element Divine Sword that you’ve passed on. Meanwhile, you should travel through the Liaodong region to the peninsula.”
“The peninsula?”
“To my knowledge, there’s a country called Goryeo over there. Also, I’ve heard there exists a distinct martial arts world unique to the East. You should search for something called the Haiin there.”
“Haiin?”
“Yes. I believe it is very likely to be a significant item related to the secret treasure of the Seven Luminaries. My master often cited that the Eastern Haiin is a treasure originating from Tianzhu.”
This was unexpected. I felt extremely grateful to Mangnyang for showing me the path forward. But at the same time, I remembered something and cautiously said, “Wait, in five or six years, won’t the Golden Eagle Guard gather the Seven Luminaries and devise some conspiracy? What should we do about that?”
“What do you mean, what should you do? Just let it be.”
“……?”
“Think about it. If the Golden Eagle Guard could gain the strength to dominate the world in just five years by gathering the Seven Luminaries, then why would they resort to assassination? It’s evident they see me, the Leader of the Bancheon Alliance, as a hindrance to their plans, and they wouldn’t have reached their goal completely by that time.”
“Hmm…”
“If they truly thought ‘I’ couldn’t oppose the Demon Subduing Hall, they wouldn’t have contacted you. Why would they choose a path where everyone dies? They must have something planned to engage you.”
A chill ran down my spine. As I kept my mouth shut, Mangnyang spoke decisively. “What’s important is that you gather as many traces of the Seven Luminaries as you can! If all else fails, you can die and reincarnate to seek the next chance. That will be your strategy moving forward.”
I cautiously asked, “What if I infiltrate the Golden Eagle Guard to see how they collect the Seven Luminaries and interfere?”
Mangnyang looked shocked. “What kind of reckless idea is that? They’re trying to summon foreign beings to overturn the world! If you charge in there without any background or sacred texts, you’ll be dead for sure. At least you need to gain the power of one of the Seven Luminaries, or it would be suicidal.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“Well, if you don’t fear death, that could be a good approach… but as you mentioned, since you’ve received the blessing of the Queen Mother, you should maximize it this time, right?”
“Understood. I will proceed that way.”
A few days later, I handed over the roots of the Black and White Lotus, the Phoenix Fragment, and the Water Element Divine Sword to Mangnyang. He promised to strengthen his capabilities with these and then come find me in Liaodong. He had a rather mysterious look on his face.
“By the way, don’t you know what the power of the Water Element Divine Sword is?”
“I don’t.”
“Hmm… I’ll learn as much as I can and tell you. This is our greatest weapon right now, and it’d be a shame if you don’t understand its utility.”
“It doesn’t seem that impressive for a fighting weapon, so I didn’t pay much attention.”
“I’m sure there’s something hidden in it. It’s a divine treasure from the Divine Age…”
I decided to trust Mangnyang and leave it in his hands. I set out on a journey towards the eastern peninsula for the first time in my life, though I had no idea where I was headed, as I aimed to uncover the Haiin. My first destination would be Shandong, which supposedly led to the Eastern Goryeo.
Clop clop
As I rode along, I realized I was passing through terrain I had never experienced before. Although I bought a map, the Central Plains were so vast that relying solely on it was risky. I thought this process would become future experience.
‘Huh, Shandong…’
What kind of country is Goryeo? I felt an inner thrill and urged my horse onward.
“Hey there, young hero! Can you lend me your ear?”
That cheerful mood shattered when a strange guy suddenly blocked my way. He was looking like a beggar with wide eyes, wearing a completely dazed expression. As I silently observed the creep from my horse, he spoke up.
“Do you have a master by any chance?”
“Nope…”
“Then are you from the White Lotus Sect?”
“Not at all…”
With that, the weird guy grinned widely and said, “Hehe, you must be a member of the White Lotus Sect! Just take a hit!”
“Huh?!”
And just like that, the battle began.
