880——————==

True Martial Home

After mastering Spirit Power, I returned to the Central Plains with Miho and went to visit Mangnyang. He said, “It’s a bit different than I expected, but it’s quite the achievement.”

“It feels like Spirit Power is overflowing from my body.”

“Hmm… then let’s go visit the priest together this time.”

“Cheon Woo-jin?”

Mangnyang nodded.

“The priest will teach you how to master sorcery using your Spirit Power.”

Fwip

I went with Mangnyang to Master Mangnyang’s village. As soon as we entered the Illusion Fog, Cheon Woo-jin shouted at me with a wary expression.

[Get out!]

Mangnyang spoke up. “Priest. I need to talk for a moment.”

[Older brother…]

Before I knew it, Cheon Woo-jin was observing us suspiciously after lowering the Illusion Fog. Mangnyang looked at Cheon Woo-jin with intense eyes and said, “You’ve heard about me from the master. I’m currently helping Baek Woong… So please assist him by looking at my face as my elder brother. You don’t have to help us directly, just teach him a few things.”

“……”

“You’re making a displeased face.”

Cheon Woo-jin responded in a slightly fearful voice. “Older brother, what’s going on? When I observed the Sky Gate the day before, the constellations were shaking more than ever. All the stars were expressing their anger. Did you and that Baek Woong do something?”

Stars showing anger?

As I tilted my head at that comment, Mangnyang replied, “Of course. It’s only natural because we’ve currently obtained Pangu’s blessing and the coordinates of Order.”

“…Pangu’s blessing! Is that really possible?”

“The Heavenly Mysterious Woman was the avatar of Pangu. Once we discovered that, we offered the Seven Luminaries to the coordinates of Order, and Pangu accepted the offering and granted us the Law of Cause and Effect.”

“…What a terrifying thing you’ve done. No one in history has ever attempted that…”

“Additionally, our current goal is to assault the Celestial Realm.”

“I heard that from the master. I found it hard to believe, but with Pangu’s blessing, it might be possible.”

Cheon Woo-jin sighed for a moment and said, “Sigh – but if that’s true, you and your group will be attacked by the evil gods as soon as Pangu’s blessing ends. It’s like bringing a tiger into your home; wouldn’t anyone be angry?”

“That’ll be a problem for later. Even if that happens, I have no fear right now.”

“……”

“Will you perform my request?”

Cheon Woo-jin gazed at Mangnyang before shifting his attention to me. “Follow me.”

“Can I go with you too?”

“Do as you like, older brother.”

I followed Mangnyang and Cheon Woo-jin into the village.

‘Looks like the cat isn’t planning to interfere with this matter.’

Feeling surprisingly refreshed without any sleepiness, I passed through the village scenery until we reached the valley where Cheon Woo-jin used to train. He turned to me near the waterfall and asked, “How can I help you?”

I told him that I had mastered Spirit Power and wanted to learn sorcery using it. Cheon Woo-jin looked at me with an odd expression and said, “Let me feel your hand.”

He then held my hand, feeling my Spirit Power, and his face stiffened. He gazed at me with a suspicious look.

“…How can a human possess this level of divine ability? Unless you’re some divine avatar or transcendental being… What’s your true identity?”

“I have my reasons. And I don’t want to hear that I slacked off when I’ve trained for a long time. Besides, Mangnyang can vouch for my humanity.”

“Hmm…”

After extracting Spirit Power through the statue of Jeon Wook several times, I had recently reached the peak using Amaterasu’s power. Since I had endured quite a bit for that, I didn’t want to hear complaints from Cheon Woo-jin.

Then Cheon Woo-jin let go of my hand and said, “By now, you’ve likely been able to perform a certain level of sorcery with Spirit Power. You could expand it like using Demon Power.”

“That’s true. However, it’s limited to simple sorcery, and as it gets complicated, it’s tough. Practically, I hit the limit of some mid-level spells.”

After I answered, Cheon Woo-jin replied blankly, “You can consider those restrictions lifted now. For some reason, you’ve developed your Upper Dantian as well, and your communication with the Spirit has greatly blossomed. From now on, you’ll be able to solve all problems by manifesting your Spirit Power.”

Manifesting?

‘Oh right, Cheon Woo-jin mentioned that before…’

He had said that if one reached the state of mastery, they could either manifest their Spirit Power or completely master the Taoist arts. I asked with curious eyes, “What does manifesting mean?”

“It means to deify the essence of Spirit Power into a spirit. By objectifying strength, one can use sorcery without the need for all the capabilities and effort that sorcerers usually have to cultivate.”

“……!!”

“It’s an ultimate option in the blood recognition ability. It’s like a special ability from a monster.”

There was such a convenient method of sorcery?

I wondered and asked Cheon Woo-jin, “Then why don’t you use the manifestation of the divine powers?”

Cheon Woo-jin replied, sounding annoyed, “It’s not that I don’t want to, but that I can’t.”

“Huh?”

“You don’t seem to grasp how much divine power you possess. No matter how much I gather, it won’t even reach one-tenth of yours. In my lifetime, I’ve never encountered another person or monster with divine powers as exceptional as yours. So you have an unprecedented level of divine power. And without such divine power, you wouldn’t even think of manifestation.”

“So you need an overwhelming amount of divine power to attempt manifestation?”

“Exactly.”

Cheon Woo-jin frowned, “I really don’t get it. Any human who possesses that amount of divine power should typically explode due to excess, yet here you are, handling it with ease. It’s not like you have been training to the extreme, right?”

“……”

“Anyway, what I’m going to teach you is an ancient sorcery, meaning the difficulty level is top-notch. But once you master it, you’ll be able to wield any sorcery in this world.”

I focused on his bold claim of ‘top-notch’ difficulty. I looked at Cheon Woo-jin in disbelief. “Don’t tell me… is it as hard as completely mastering the Taoist arts?”

“Probably similar.”

“……”

“But it’s the highest level in human terms. I don’t know how it will be for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s extremely hard for a human to core this sorcery even somewhat. It’s not often considered for someone with your level of divine power. Usually, someone with divine power like yours should be a divine avatar or a transcendent being—so why would they bother with this? Hence, I really can’t determine the actual difficulty.”

“Hmm.”

Was that what they meant by having hope?

Anyway, it was good news, so feeling motivated, I exclaimed, “Let’s do this!”

“But first, just a moment.”

“Mangnyang?”

Suddenly, right before the training began, Mangnyang interjected the conversation. He said to Cheon Woo-jin, “Priest. One more request.”

“What’s with all these requests, older brother?! Am I a pushover who says yes to everything?”

Cheon Woo-jin grumbled, but Mangnyang just smiled back.

“I thought the priest wouldn’t dislike me that much.”

“…I don’t see the point.”

“My request is simple. Along with teaching Baek Woong that sorcery, you must also place the strongest sealing technique you know on a single human.”

“Who are you speaking of?”

At Mangnyang’s subsequent words, I felt my chest drop.

“A guy named Jin So-cheong.”

“Mangnyang! Don’t tell me…”

Mangnyang spoke in an emotionless voice, “It’s not that unlikely. Right now, let’s take Jin So-cheong out of the Wooden Armor. It’s better to seal him with the priest’s technique at this opportunity. Killing him now would also be awkward.”

Why?!

Why is he so adamant about sealing Jin So-cheong? No matter how I looked at it, this was hardly respectful to Jin So-cheong!

I stared at Mangnyang with bewildered eyes, and he said, “Baek Woong. I can’t speak of the reasons now, but just trust me until the end… Jin So-cheong should not appear in this act; it’s already been determined.”

“……”

“Get him out.”

Was this really the Mangnyang I knew?

What if he’s possessed or is some fake version of Mangnyang?

I thought about how his actions were entirely different from the Mangnyang I knew and I even wondered if he was a different person entirely.

But after contemplating, I eventually pulled out Jin So-cheong.

‘Let’s trust Mangnyang.’

If I can’t trust him now, who can I trust? Even if I get betrayed, if it’s by Mangnyang, I’d have no regrets. When I took the unconscious Jin So-cheong out from the Wooden Armor, Cheon Woo-jin immediately took out the Land and Earth Diagram from his possessions.

Swish

Soon, Jin So-cheong was imprisoned in the treasure Land and Earth Diagram like a painting. There was definitely no powerful sealing technique that could exceed this, so once he was trapped inside, he would remain there until the world ended. However, feeling uneasy about sealing Jin So-cheong, I looked at the Land and Earth Diagram, and Mangnyang said, “Don’t worry too much.”

I shook my head. “I understand. I’ll shake it off. But you, Mangnyang, will need to grow stronger too. Are you planning to train here?”

At my question, Mangnyang chuckled lightly.

“I don’t really need to train. There’s no reason for me to. Even so, I can still provide enough help to you, so don’t worry.”

“……?”

What’s going on? Did Mangnyang come across some lucky opportunity without me knowing?

“When your training is complete, return to Jangryeong Valley. I’ll initiate the assault on the Celestial Realm in alignment with your completion.”

“I understand.”

“And drop the formalities with the priest. It might be uncomfortable for both of you.”

Nodding!

Cheon Woo-jin and I nodded in unison. Mangnyang suddenly left, and I began receiving instruction from Cheon Woo-jin on the manifestation of Spirit Power.

Cheon Woo-jin started from the very beginning. “First, begin by reciting this 1499-character mantra.”

“A mantra?”

Fwoosh

As Cheon Woo-jin wrote in the air with his finger, orange letters materialized in the air, moving as if alive, inscribing the mantra in the sky.

Although it was called 1499 characters, trying to memorize it from start to finish was quite a headache. When I frowned, Cheon Woo-jin said, “This mantra is an ancient sorcery. It helps to detach divine power from the body without side effects and mold it like clay. This is the foundational step to objectifying power… master this mantra, and you’ll achieve the first step of manifestation.”

“First step…? What comes next?”

“Well, first memorize this, then ask. I think it might take a bit of time.”

“C’mon.”

I started grumbling as I began memorizing the mantra all day long.

‘Let’s remember it!’

I started reciting it without understanding its meaning, and even though it was quite a lot, as I activated the Thunder Spirit Classic and focused, after about ten times, it felt manageable. I completely memorized all 1499 characters after reciting without eating or sleeping for five straight nights, and I had Cheon Woo-jin check my recitation.

When he confirmed that I had memorized all 1499 characters, Cheon Woo-jin said, “Alright. Now sit cross-legged and recite this mantra in your head a thousand times. Don’t make a single mistake.”

“……”

“The more you memorize, the more power contained within the mantra will naturally extract your Spirit Power.”

A thousand times?

Are you kidding me!?

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I just feel like this is a bit much…too much.”

Cheon Woo-jin replied coldly, “Didn’t I warn you that this was top-notch difficulty? And generally, the training for advanced sorcery is about this level. The path of sorcery is also as perilous as the path of martial arts. Do you think Taoists or immortals have nothing better to do than train one sorcery for decades? You’ve been using sorcery too comfortably so far, haven’t you?”

“Ugh…”

I didn’t have much talent for sorcery compared to martial arts, but thanks to Spirit Power and Xuyou’s communication ability, I managed to use sorcery fairly easily. Moreover, in situations where sorcery was necessary, instead of using it myself, I would usually recruit companions who could. That might have caused me to overlook my lack of ability.

Anyway, I began reciting the 1499 characters a thousand times as instructed. It took me about half an hour to chant once in my head, so at this rate, I thought my training would take at least two months to complete. And that was under optimal conditions; normally, it would probably take at least a year.

Whooooosh

About seventeen days passed before something changed. It felt as though immense power was stacking inside my Middle Dantian before settling lightly. At the same time, I felt a portion of Ji-seon Mang-nyang’s knowledge unraveling in my mind as if a thread had snapped.

Bam!

“……!!”

I understood!

No, it was more like I absorbed it! The sorcery that had originally been too high level to understand felt like a part of my instinct, engrained in my bloodline. I could almost sense it without consciously interpreting it, akin to how a bird knows to flap its wings without thinking.

I paused my recitation for a moment and told Cheon Woo-jin about my state, and he responded rather casually, “Looks like a side effect of training. Your communication has spiked, so… why not try using that sorcery you mentioned?”

“Alright.”

“For advanced sorcery.”

I tried casting a higher-level spell from Ji-seon Mang-nyang called Growth Technique, which enhances the growth rate of plants. The moment I cast it on a nearby tree…

Voom!!!

“Huh!”

Suddenly, the tree, which used to be about one palm tall, grew to over six palms in height at an astonishing speed! Moreover, since I didn’t pour all my energy and was surprised, I couldn’t even estimate how much it would have grown if I had. In an instant, an enormous tree appeared that couldn’t even be found in the human world, surprising not just me but also Cheon Woo-jin. He approached the tree and clicked his tongue.

“Hmm… That’s incredible strength. Although the power varies depending on one’s divine ability, I didn’t expect it to be to this degree…”

“Does this mean I can now be considered a high-level sorcerer?”

“Not quite. It’s more accurate to say that you’ve awakened the power inherited from the bloodline of the Mythological Age. You’re on a different level compared to an ordinary sorcerer.”

Cheon Woo-jin said this casually before continuing, “However, unless you understand the theory, you won’t be able to perform advanced applications. That’s the limitation of blood sorcerers or immortals.”

“Then is that a bad thing?”

Cheon Woo-jin frowned. “It’s quite annoying to explain this, but what do you think your lifespan is right now?”

“Huh?”

Lifespan?

What a random question!

I blinked in confusion and replied, “Uh… maybe around two to three hundred years?”

Having reached master-level internal power, I figured I’d live at least one hundred and fifty years, and with the enhancement of Half-Transition Master or Rebirth of Flesh, it could be more. Since figures like the Bright Dragon, Dokgo Seong, and the Master of the White Lotus Sect are all at least one hundred and fifty years old, I assumed I would easily surpass two hundred years and maybe even reach three hundred. But I had never encountered anyone older than that in the Martial Arts Community, as those aged beings were generally divine entities or non-humans.

Cheon Woo-jin said, “That’s just based on your martial arts level and internal power.”

“Right.”

“Now that you have divine power to its peak, you exceed that human reference point by a wide margin. With just half of your divine power alone, you could easily live to five hundred years or more, which is already inhuman. Never mind the current you; living to a thousand or even two to three thousand years is a breeze.”

“Holy….”

“At this point, you’re practically half divine. Normally, someone like you would either ascend and become a Great Immortal or fall into another world to follow the path of the Demon King.”

Does this mean I’m already halfway to immortality?

As I stood there dazed by this revelation, Cheon Woo-jin finally got to the main topic.

“If we consider that amount of time, even if you can only use sorcery through your blood abilities right now, given the vast time you’d have to gradually learn sorcery, you could eventually master advanced applications. It may take hundreds or even thousands of years, but since you won’t age or die, does it really matter?”

“……”

“Such questions are akin to insulting the hard-working Taoists and masters who train diligently. Don’t talk like you’re some kind of privileged brat.”

Cheon Woo-jin revealed his irritation, but anyway, the information he provided was beneficial to me.

Although I could only wield advanced sorcery through brute force right now, it hinted that eventually, with a massive amount of time, I might be able to use sorcery beyond that of Ji-seon’s freely! That signaled the beginning of a faint path opening up in my sorcery journey.

From that day on, I focused even more diligently on mastering the mantra so I could complete it as quickly as possible. I recited over and over again, even sitting on a cliff in the pouring rain without taking a break. I constantly pushed myself, and although my body and mind were strained, there was a strange satisfaction within me.

So it went for about two months. As I approached the end of my training, I was nearly at a thousand recitations.

Hissss…

Bam!!

Suddenly, a massive beam of light erupted from my forehead, projecting something into the air, appearing like some dark spiritual form. An overwhelming pressure emanated from it, like that of a giant. The spirit writhed, morphing into the size of a child, standing on the ground.

‘That’s the manifestation of Spirit Power!’

I uncrossed my legs and stood to face the manifested Spirit Power.

‘This figure looks familiar…’

Something in its form seemed oddly recognizable, and as I tilted my head in confusion, the Spirit spoke up.

[I am the being born of that, your desire. My master, grant me a name.]

“A name?”

[If you give me a name, I shall dedicate all my abilities to you until my existence ceases.]

Thinking it through, it struck me that naming something often held special ritualistic significance.

I contemplated and gave it a name.

“…Heuk Woong!”

My name is Baek Woong, and this one is pitch-black.

So, let’s call it Heuk Woong!

As soon as I named it, dark light glimmered in its eyes as it crossed its arms.

[Good. I am Heuk Woong. My power shall be devoted to my master until my demise!]

Swish

With that, Heuk Woong vanished.

“……”

As the manifestation of Spirit Power concluded rather anticlimactically, I felt a tinge of emptiness. Ultimately, wasn’t it just that the spirit introduced itself and got a name?

Cheon Woo-jin, watching from the side, said irritably, “If it’s finished, disappear!”

“Does this mean I can call upon Heuk Woong whenever I need him?”

“You won’t even need to. Since it condensed useless amounts of divine power into becoming a spirit, it’ll take care of everything automatically. This was originally a specialized technique used by the Ruler’s avatars.”

“Hmm.”

“And here’s a piece of advice.”

What kind of advice?

When I glanced at Cheon Woo-jin, he appeared cautious as he spoke, “More like a given warning, but… absolutely avoid using the true essence of that power recklessly. It’s better to be satisfied using advanced sorcery as its side effect.”

“Why? Isn’t the true essence of Spirit Power several times stronger than advanced spells?”

“It would be wise to avoid alerting its original owner…”

“……”

In an instant, I understood Cheon Woo-jin’s words and my expression stiffened.

‘That makes sense.’

The reason I found Heuk Woong’s appearance familiar was that, despite its smaller build, the dark giant’s form resembled Jeon Wook’s true form. Spirit Power was originally Jeon Wook’s power, so it was only natural for the spirit to take on his appearance. And given how often Jeon Wook’s been angry during time-travel, it’d be reckless to use it lightly.