799——————==

True Martial Home

Honestly, I’ve never really looked into how to die. So, the Zhuge Clan’s suggestion caught me off guard, but I realized it made some sense. After all, if I could die easily without worrying about being captured, then challenging the top experts would be a total breeze. But I had my doubts for Zhuge Sa.

“Do you really need to study… 21 ways to die?”

I held up the curse bottle Zhuge Sa gave me.

“I feel like this one is more than enough… If I curse myself before dying, who could possibly bring me back?”

“Hehe, you clearly haven’t grasped why I’ve been working so hard for the last half-year.”

Zhuge Sa chuckled sinisterly.

“Let’s say you use that potion to curse yourself and die. The Master of the Twelve Joules might have a chance to break that curse and resurrect you.”

“Ah…”

“Of course, it’s unclear if that guy has such sorcery skills, but given his overall abilities, it’s entirely possible. Plus, if you’re close to the Sacred Altar Tree, you could use that incredible recovery ability we saw earlier, so there’s that.”

I hadn’t considered that. I stood there dumbfounded for a moment before speaking.

“Couldn’t I just gather my internal power and smash my heavenly spirit cap down? It would hurt like hell, but…”

Heavenly Spirit Cap!

Another name for the crown of the head, and one of the human body’s biggest weak spots. The reason I hadn’t thought about any other method of suicide until now was that smashing my own heavenly spirit cap would be a quick and guaranteed way to end things. The issue was, according to the tales passed down in Hua Tuo’s sect, the pain of having your heavenly spirit cap destroyed was said to be several times worse than having a hundred needles plunged into every inch of your skin, which is why I’d never tried it.

Zhuge Sa grinned.

“Yeah, that’s the most common method of suicide among martial artists. If your head gets smashed, it’s going to be real tough for any medical skills to save you. But…”

His gaze sharpened.

“What if there’s a technique that can instantly resurrect you right after you die?”

“……”

“If the premise is immediate resurrection, then it doesn’t matter if you smash your heavenly spirit cap or blow up your meridians. In fact, sorcerers like me or other practitioners might see it as an opportunity.”

“T-That’s just a stretch! If I die, what happens is…”

“Oh, right. We’ve been working under that assumption all along. But if you reflect on your memories, there have been occasions where you sustained life-threatening injuries and lost consciousness for a while, only to come back. Considering that, the risks still exist. Plus, it’s unclear what your rebirth ability deems as ‘death.’”

Zhuge Sa continued.

“And as you know, you can execute the Soul Exchange Technique. Also, it’s effective for you! Even if it’s not perfect, it has an effect! Do you know why this is important? It means that even if your physical body is in control, being in a disembodied state doesn’t automatically count as ‘death.’”

“Ah…”

“You’ve swapped bodies before, haven’t you? And we still haven’t tested what happens if the original body dies after swapping. The results of the Soul Exchange Technique hold significant meaning… Hyun wouldn’t let you conduct this experiment because of morality concerns.”

It was all a bit complicated, but I could understand the inherent dangers. Then, Zhuge Sa nailed it home with another point.

“One more thing! This is only true for beings at the human level. If your opponent is divine or at the level of the Three Sovereigns, it’s a different story altogether.”

“What?”

“Jeon Wook banned death and the passage to the underworld while torturing Gin Nara. Don’t you remember?”

“……”

“In that case, smashing your heavenly spirit cap or taking that potion would be utterly pointless.”

That part was true.

Jeon Wook’s torture was so horrifying that it still stuck with me. Jeon Wook had intentionally prohibited Gin Nara’s death while subjecting him to countless torturous executions that would leave anyone shattered. Considering the torturous powers at play, Zhuge Sa’s concerns were indeed valid.

As I fell silent, Zhuge Sa said,

“So far, I’ve noticed that for all the occurrences up to round 25, we had plenty of information for the Seven Luminaries and figured you could technically commit suicide using the ‘human method’ against most opponents, so I haven’t worked hard on this. But if you’re genuinely charging into the Absolute Realm, it’s high time we researched this.”

“Hmm… so, what are these 21 methods?”

“Well, generally speaking, you have the curse potion I provided. I might’ve made it sound like it wouldn’t work, but since it’s a Demon King’s curse, it should easily lead to immediate death. Then you have the technique that summons a tentacle demon with mucous properties to devour your brain, and another that gathers all the wounds you’ve received throughout your life to trigger a blood loss death. I’m confident these three methods pack a significant punch.”

“……”

No… all of these sound like horrifying ways to die…

Clink!

Zhuge Sa pulled out five potion bottles from his belongings and handed them to me.

“And I brainstormed a few more methods by consulting various members of the Five Great Physicians.”

“What are those?”

“These five potions can be consumed just before a fight based on your preference.”

“What happens when I drink them?”

“They make you feel good, enhance your concentration, and numb your senses. The effects are a bit varied, but uniquely similar.”

“……”

“I won’t bother explaining the side effects. You’ll die shortly after drinking.”

This doesn’t sound appealing at all…

Zhuge Sa continued.

“And I also went to find your medical master, Hua Seong-myeong, to complete the Reverse Greater Circulation technique, so take this piece of parchment.”

I took the parchment and read it. It was a meticulous analysis of all the acupoints and paths of the Reverse Greater Circulation, designed specifically to be ‘destroyed.’ If there’s an enemy you want to kill, it gave off an insane vibe that you’d definitely want to learn it. I stared blankly at it when Zhuge Sa smiled.

“By regularly memorizing that path, when you burst your meridians, you can do it faster and easier, leading to an unrecoverable death.”

“…Every time you say ‘death,’ it’s kind of unsettling!”

“You have a long way to go. This is just the beginning. I’ve developed methods for suicide not only through physical means but also by studying sorcery and techniques from all times and places!”

Zhuge Sa’s eyes glinted with madness.

“Now I’ll walk you through the results of my research to ensure you can instantly die even in front of the Three Sovereigns!”

“……”

And just like that, I spent a whole day listening to Zhuge Sa’s 21 methods of suicide. His explanations were incredibly easy to understand, and the suicide methods were certainly creative, but a feeling of unease and bitterness lingered in my heart.

Is there really anyone else studying new methods of suicide like me…?

Am I losing my mind?

After wrapping up his explanation, Zhuge Sa chomped down on roasted lamb legs and said,

“Remember the 21 methods of suicide I explained. I’ve prepared various sorceries and methods for you to use against anyone wielding divine powers, but that doesn’t truly solve the fundamental issue. What is the fundamental solution?”

“Becoming stronger!”

When I answered confidently, Zhuge Sa frowned.

“What nonsense are you spewing? I’m saying you need to quickly digest the Spirit Power gained from repetitive work to increase your resistance against arts and powers.”

“……”

“Don’t be foolish. Everyone knows getting stronger isn’t a comprehensive solution. Suicide methods are researched under the premise that we wouldn’t stand a chance against our opponents. In this damned universe of despair, there are beings beyond the heavens themselves.”

As Zhuge Sa chewed on lamb, spitting out a piece of meat, he continued.

“But in the affairs of the world, desperate struggles aren’t the only key. Sometimes, you may be forced to commit suicide even when you’re capable of facing the opponent. You’re going to encounter such instances more frequently as time goes on.”

“What do you mean? When could that ever happen?”

“Don’t you think there’s a scenario? The sacrifice of a comrade! Efficient execution! If you were to sacrifice your offerings or companions, how many times have you not complained while moving forward?”

“……”

“You’ve gone through it countless times, and you’ll keep encountering it. It’s pretty clear you’ll be forced to choose whether to sacrifice your companions to move forward or to remain stagnant. Such situations are endless. Until now, you’ve been lucky to maintain a balance, but you won’t always be so lucky.”

After saying that, Zhuge Sa stared at me intently.

“One of the reasons I spent half a year researching methods of suicide. You should reduce the mental strain of your surroundings and learn to just die quickly instead of dragging it out. Long term, it’d be much better for your mental strength and consumption. This is more about attitude, but if you can die easily at any time, it would make the choice simpler.”

“…T-Thanks.”

“Well, let’s say that the colossal task has lessened because you’ve cleared a milestone with the achievement of gathering all the Seven Luminaries, making it easier to propose something to you, my lord.”

Was Zhuge Sa actually being considerate? Yet, this ‘consideration’ felt far too practical and cold-blooded. And I began to understand the mindset behind Zhuge Sa’s study of my suicide methods.

I was certainly not the ideal lord for Zhuge Sa.

However, Zhuge Sa chose me to change his fate and is striving to make his choice the best it can be. That is the resolve of Zhuge Sa!

Zhuge Sa might be a madman, but I also had a duty to carry the weight of his future.

‘Let’s do our best.’

As I was affirming this in my heart, Jin So-cheong, who had been listening nearby, spoke up.

“Zhuge Sa, what’s the current situation outside? It’s been nearly a year since we sealed ourselves in here, but has anything significant happened in the world?”

“I actually came to give you that update as well.”

Zhuge Sa finished the last bite of his lamb leg and continued.

“The Sword Demon efficiently organized the Bancheon Alliance and has brought three factions of the Eight Demons of the Demon Path under his control. Meanwhile, he appears subservient to the White Lotus Sect while preparing to train with the Fire Spirit Techniques. Of course, the reason for training with the Fire Spirit Techniques is solely financial.”

“Planning to build the Bancheon Alliance with the immense resources of the Han Clan, huh?”

“Of course. That strategy was largely already attempted by the previous life’s Mangnyang while he was the leader of the Bancheon Alliance. It’s a marvelous diplomatic tactic, and he’s pressing on with it again in this life. And one more thing…”

Zhuge Sa crossed his arms.

“I came to ask you for a little help, Baek Woong.”

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s about time to entice Master of Zen and obtain that mysterious facility in the Shaolin Temple. I’ve been biding my time, but now we need to seize it.”

“Ah…”

“We need to rapidly enhance the internal power of our martial artist companions, and with talents like Yeon Jong-hwi, including some useful figures under the Sword Demon, we absolutely need that relic to bolster the Bancheon Alliance’s strength.”

You’re talking about the place, huh…

The ruins of the Shaolin Temple mentioned by Master Mangnyang!

The flow of energy there was incredibly rapid, and it was a space where no other techniques or spells could function at all. I learned about it in round 24 but hadn’t recklessly sought it so far since I lacked foresight into how the Law of Cause and Effect would shift with Master of Zen’s involvement. However, given Zhuge Sa’s words, it seems he judged he could handle the situation even if he lured in Master of Zen.

I moved to accompany Zhuge Sa and secretly met with Master of Zen, handing him the obsidian. After taking in the memories, Master of Zen looked briefly shocked before speaking.

“Hmmm… it’s hard to believe… But since the memories regarding Master Mangnyang and the ruins are so precise, I shall trust in Mr. Bin.”

“Sorry for putting you through unnecessary suffering in round 24.”

In that round, Master of Zen was unnaturally summoned repeatedly and endured several deaths while even facing torture from the Wind Spirit Sect. Even though I hadn’t directly followed through with this life, he had unfairly suffered immensely, leaving me with no choice but to apologize. Master of Zen shook his head, saying,

“It’s fine… But I do have one question.”

“What is it?”

“Have you decided who you’d resurrect with the obsidian this time around?”

I shook my head.

“I just planned to focus on my martial arts and training, so I haven’t really delved deep into that discussion…”

“…Then can I propose one?”

I glanced at Zhuge Sa, who nodded. When I sent a look of agreement, Master Myung-ho raised his voice.

“Baek Woong, resurrect the founder Dharma Master… Or perhaps the Divine Maiden of the White Lotus Sect from a thousand years ago. If you can bring them back, it’s likely many of your queries will be resolved!”