869——————==

True Martial Home

After obtaining half of Amaterasu from Seimei, I returned to the Zhuge Clan.

Then Zhuge Sa said, “So this means there’s even more ways to strengthen your power through rebirth.”

“What?”

Zhuge Sa grinned.

“Didn’t get that? Are you pretending? From now on, as long as we convince Abe no Seimei, you’ll be able to feast on the ancient god Amaterasu’s body in every life. Your divine power will grow at twice the speed now.”

“……”

“Is it morally unsettling for you? Can’t accept it? To me, it’s no different than you absorbing spirit power every life cycle.”

I shook my head. “No… it’s not that I’m concerned about that. It’s just that I’m not sure this power will still be there after the rebirth.”

“I see. So, can you feel Amaterasu’s consciousness? Can you call for her?”

“Just a sec…”

Woo-ooong

I resonated my spirit power with Amaterasu’s strength, thinking that maybe something would pop out if I reacted strongly enough. However, all I felt was a pure whirlwind of power, not an ounce of conscious presence. When I shared my experience with Zhuge Sa, he seemed intrigued.

“The body of a god… I would love to research that.”

“So what do we do now?”

“Well, didn’t you set up a meeting with Zhuge Yulong? The answer is obvious.”

Zhuge Sa spoke slowly. “Make Zhuge Yulong your ally.”

“…Is that even possible? How can I draw him in?”

I understood the reasoning behind bringing Zhuge Yulong into our fold. For someone like me, a reincarnate, breaking through the Aokigahara Life Sea and stepping into the outer dimension was a must, so I can’t afford to be picky. Zhuge Yulong is indeed a capable and exceptional figure, so getting him on board is the right move. But do our interests align? He only seems curious since that so-called “freak” has been spilling an avalanche of information. His focus on breaking through Aokigahara Life Sea was, to him, totally irrelevant, so pulling him into my business would be quite the task.

As I pondered this, Zhuge Sa casually remarked, “Haven’t you puffed up quite a story about having a major secret? Then, since we’re at it, why not share the same boat with him this time around?”

“Sharing a boat? How’s that different from making him an ally?”

“It’s different, you’ll be on Zhuge Yulong’s side. You start by aligning with his intentions first.”

“……?”

My eyes widened at Zhuge Sa’s scheme. “Help him take down the Celestial Realm. In return, you’ll get his full support when challenging the Life Sea.”

“……!!”

“Isn’t this a method you’ve never attempted before?”

Helping Zhuge Yulong take down the Celestial Realm! The idea threw me for a loop.

‘Well… it’s true I’ve never tried that!’

But there was a reason I couldn’t attempt it. After organizing my thoughts, I spoke to Zhuge Sa.

“Zhuge Sa, if I join Zhuge Yulong to topple the Celestial Realm, that implies I’m endorsing his human sacrifices and all that demon ritual stuff. That’s one thing I cannot do.”

Whether it’s a dragon person or a demon, they were all products of Zhuge Yulong’s design. The horrific human sacrifices using the Golden Eagles were no different. As long as he devised such methods, I could never ally myself with him.

“Ah, you’re really sticking to the obvious… hmm.”

Zhuge Sa leaned against a wooden pillar, flicking a piece of snack with his finger. “Did you think I wouldn’t know that? Of course, there are ways to satisfy the ‘justification’ you’re talking about.”

“A way?”

“Let’s go back to basics. Why is Zhuge Yulong so obsessed with the Demon Path?”

“Hmm… Maybe it’s because he feels weak?”

At least, that’s what I thought. Zhuge Yulong was undoubtedly one of the peak experts in Jianghu, an incredibly powerful Grand Sorcerer, but even he couldn’t accomplish his ambitions in this world with just that level of strength. He might struggle even against the lower-tier Earth Immortals, much less tackling the challenges of the Celestial Realm. Therefore, his desire to topple the Celestial Realm could only lead him to take shortcuts through the Demon Path.

Responding to my answer, Zhuge Sa said, “Exactly. Zhuge Yulong has delved deep into the secrets of the Celestial Realm, and he’s been receiving firsthand information about it. Naturally, he’s aware of just how powerful the Celestial Realm truly is, realizing his own power would never suffice. When you think about it, isn’t it a place crawling with avatars of the Old Ruler? It’s not surprising that a brother like him would want to gain strength through the Demon Path.”

“……”

“However… with your current abilities, you can provide him with the ‘power’ he craves. Don’t you think? Instead of giving your strength to Zhuge Yulong, demand that he cuts ties with the Demon Path moving forward.”

“Me? Give Zhuge Yulong the power he wants?”

“Of course. Using your intelligence and power, bringing down the Celestial Realm is a piece of cake. At the very least, treasures that are usually worthless would become peerless divine swords in Zhuge Yulong’s hands.”

Ugh, what a weird comparison to make.

“…Hey…”

“I think it’s worth a shot. The choice, dear lord, is yours to make.”

I pondered Zhuge Sa’s words.

‘Hmm…’

I raised another concern. “If we bring down the Celestial Realm, the balance of heaven and earth will collapse, causing catastrophic chaos. What then?”

“Ha ha ha… You’ve been causing chaos the same way up ‘til now, and now you suddenly want to act like a saint… Why are you acting like someone who’s seen the world end multiple times?”

Zhuge Sa’s mockery made me cringe as I retorted.

“Ugh… there were many unintended consequences so far. It’s different when I do it on purpose.”

“Let’s forgive that for now. But what’s the justification for not attacking the Celestial Realm?”

Zhuge Sa chuckled. “If you really need a justification, I’ll give you three reasons.”

“……”

“First, you’ve got Dongyoung the warrior storming in tomorrow, and you’re facing a death crisis. No one would dare to criticize you for crossing moral lines, especially since you’ll accept the sacrifices that come with invading the Celestial Realm to stop Zhuge Yulong’s human sacrifices and the Demon Path. If anyone dares to criticize you for being in such dire straits, you could just bash their head in with a rock, right?”

“Hmm.”

“Second, the Celestial Realm has long been infiltrated by avatars of the Three Sovereigns, and suspicious divine beings have been lurking behind it. Third, coinciding with the first reason, once you bring down the Celestial Realm, it will fall into your hands, boosting the chances of preventing world destruction.”

“What? The third point….”

While I understood the first two justifications, the last one felt like an unexpected story. Zhuge Sa continued with a cold gaze.

“As Zhuge Yulong said, if we bring down the Celestial Realm, the ‘human power’ will be unlocked in the world. You can gauge how powerful it is just by looking at Cheon Gong-pyo. Once that power is freed into the world, humans will become incredibly powerful without needing demon rituals or artificial evolution like Chi You bothers us with.”

“I see.”

“Moreover, the Celestial Realm is operated by the Three Pure Ones and Queen Mother of the West, but most of the Earth Immortals below them don’t really want to be loyal to them. If you take down the leadership, the lower-tier Earth Immortals and Great Immortals will all become your subordinates and do your bidding.”

“……!!”

“It’s frankly all gain and no loss to bring down the Celestial Realm. In fact, it’s late; it should’ve been done by now. Let’s go with this plan.”

“Hmm… If I bring down the Celestial Realm and get that support, my odds of breaking through the Life Sea will be substantially higher!”

“That’s jumping the gun a little, the roles are reversed here. In any case, right now, it’s best to buddy up with Zhuge Yulong. So, are you in or out?”

I nodded at Zhuge Sa’s persuasion.

“Alright. I’ll give it a shot!”

Crash

On the promised day, I headed to Mount Huang with my companions. When we reached the summit at the appointed time, there stood Yong Junil, Zhuge Yulong, Zhuge Bu, and the Imperial Palace’s Four Great Experts. Lee Kwang was absent, so even if they were the Four Great Experts, there were only three of them. Alongside them were a dozen elite experts seemingly selected from the Golden Eagles.

Zhuge Yulong raised his eyebrows upon seeing Zhuge Sa standing next to me.

“Zhuge Sa! You’re with the freak?”

Zhuge Sa smoothly replied, “Big brother, it’s been a while. As you can see, I’ve decided to serve this gentleman as my lord.”

“I can hardly believe it. You’ve chosen a lord?”

“You think I can’t?”

“You seemed completely detached from the world; are you saying this guy can hold your interest enough to keep you around?”

“Ha ha ha… We can discuss that later. For now, I’ll convey the terms on behalf of my lord.”

Zhuge Sa stepped forward and opened his mouth. “Join hands with us, big brother. We’ll do everything we can to support your ambition of bringing down the Celestial Realm. In return, you and your forces must lend us your strength to take down the king of Aokigahara Life Sea.”

“……”

Zhuge Yulong closed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought. Then, Zhuge Bu, standing beside him, narrowed his eyes sharply and spoke. “Zhuge Sa. What’s your scheme? And you lot just came with three, what support could you offer?”

“What kind of nonsense is that, you little brat?”

“Hmph! I don’t even recognize you as family…”

Zhuge Sa smirked.

“Tough luck.”

Bang

“Gaaah!”

Zhuge Bu screamed and dropped dead. It all happened so quickly that the likes of the White Tiger and Xuanwu nearby were left stunned.

“W-What?!”

“What sorcery…?! How did you take down Zhuge Bu in one hit?!”

However, Zhuge Yulong remained emotionally cold, even as his son lay dead beside him. He coldly glanced at Zhuge Bu’s body and said, “Did you sink the Yin-Yang Heaven Bug into his heart? How typical of you.”

“Looks like the big brother recognized that right away!”

“Is the reason you chose not to keep him alive as a hostage due to confidence in your strength? I can’t tell if it’s bravado or reality.”

“Of course, it’s confidence. Even without Zhuge Bu, we still have enough power to destroy the Celestial Realm.”

“Talk is cheap. Present some solid conditions.”

“Fine.”

Zhuge Sa turned his gaze toward me, and I quickly dumped my wooden armor, unleashing a treasure trove.

Kugugugu….

“Gasp…!”

“Ugh….”

“Woah!”

As treasures began spilling out from my armor, the surrounding area filled with gold and silver treasures. Among them, there were several precious artifacts and valuable sacred texts. Zhuge Yulong initially looked unimpressed by the gold and silver, but as the Manpa Sacred Staff and Seven Luminaries revealed themselves, I could feel the tension tighten as he ground his teeth.

“……!!”

“Well? Isn’t my lord quite remarkable? Just half of this could wipe out the Celestial Realm, brother.”

“…Who the hell is that guy? Who has the Seven Luminaries and this ridiculous amount of treasure… and the information concerning the apocalypse?”

“I can’t spill those beans in a mixed company. If you clear them out and only remain on this peak, I’ll disclose the secret.”

“Deal.”

Zhuge Yulong ordered everyone to leave, and after proceeding to clear the area, Yong Junil refused to budge. With a smug air, he said to Zhuge Yulong, “Sorry, but I’m not your subordinate; we’re equals. Since I’ve come this far, I’m dying to hear that man’s secret.”

“Yong Junil. I’ll teach you later.”

“Don’t make me laugh.”

Yong Junil stood firm, and Zhuge Yulong showed an awkward expression. Realizing I had to step in, I quickly channeled all my energy to unleash the Soul Removal Technique.

Boom

“……”

In that split second, as I plunged my hand to his throat, Yong Junil’s face froze. Even though he could have evaded from this distance, the key point was that he hadn’t sensed my approach until I was right there. If I had aimed to kill him then, there was a 20% chance I could’ve succeeded in one strike. At the very least, I’d have dealt a substantial injury, making a clear show of my power.

I glared at Yong Junil and said, “Get lost.”

Though I was making an ally with Zhuge Yulong, this guy was a no-go. I couldn’t expose everything to someone so ambiguous and treacherous, especially not when it came to a reincarnator like me.

“……”

Yong Junil grimaced, but without a word, he turned to leave. It was clear his pride had suffered a major blow. Once he withdrew, Zhuge Yulong remarked from behind, “Impressive martial arts. You might even compete with the Master of the White Lotus Sect.”

“……”

“But with those skills alone, you can’t take down the Celestial Realm. What is it you want to say to me?”

I slowly turned to Zhuge Yulong and replied, “Zhuge Yulong, is it possible for someone to remain sane in a world filled with despair?”

“It’s something I’ve always been aware of. Are you suggesting that I’m not mad?”

“Alright.”

I presented him the obsidian. “Take this.”