1060——————==

True Martial Home

After defeating the Eight Parts of the Divine, the Great Bear Empire’s main focus shifted to the recovery of the Master of the White Lotus Sect. Zhuge Bu had exhausted all the Philosopher’s Stones, but with help from the Five Great Physicians, he aimed to use all available spiritual pills to revive the Master, who fell into a stupor. However, no medical techniques seemed to work on the Master, whose body appeared to be steeped in chaos, rendering the laws of physics ineffective. After a stretch of time, over a hundred days later, the Master finally regained consciousness.

[You worried me.]

“Master, are you alright?”

[…….]

The Master recounted to his companions the entire ordeal he had gone through. He detailed how the Old Ruler Bi-ryu had controlled him, exploiting loopholes in the contract with the Primordial Spirit. The Master then spoke.

[The damage Bi-ryu has taken from the Law of Cause and Effect means he can’t use me as a medium to summon any longer.]

“And through the owners of the Heavenly Spirit Pill?”

[That’s even less likely. It has a different structure than the Primordial Spirit… The Heavenly Spirit Pill is considerably safer from the interference of the Old Ruler compared to the Primordial Spirit.]

“I see. So while the Primordial Spirit has the potential to become a god, it was highly susceptible to meddling from its intermediaries.”

[Please, tell me what’s been happening with you during this time.]

“Got it.”

After finishing their information exchange, they took time to ponder. The Master said.

[Zhuge Yulong and Mangnyang have lost their strength or been detained, meaning Zhuge Sa, you are essentially alone now. With most of the Great Bear Empire’s peak experts dead, only the Bright Dragon and Master of Zen remain as usable forces… What happened to Abe no Seimei?]

“He was mortally wounded by Yacha and temporarily died, but he originally carried a piece of a god within him, so he is currently regenerating at his base. He’s a special existence after all.”

[He turned into a complete wreck. Hoo.]

The Master sighed, which was rare for him. The Great Bear Empire, which once had immense power capable of conquering the world, had diminished significantly. It was only natural after battling the mighty Demon Kings, but the reality of the situation still stung.

“Master, this isn’t the time to lament. We need to strike the Tianzhu continent again.”

[Is this about what you mentioned earlier? Do you think there’s a resurrection point for Krishna?]

“Ninety percent likelihood.”

[Looks like we have no choice then. Let’s mobilize.]

So the Great Bear Empire rallied its forces to attack the Tianzhu continent once more. Unlike previous conquests, they weren’t engaging in war with the Southern Barbarian states, as they had been receiving tributes. The Tianzhu continent, having previously fought against the Great Bear Empire, found itself defeated with little resistance, as its main forces had been beaten into submission.

Having regained control over the Tianzhu continent, the Great Bear Empire began to search for Krishna, pressuring heads of various ancient Hindu sects and religious organizations to find his whereabouts. However, it seemed Krishna was hiding quite effectively, as no leads surfaced.

While everyone felt anxious, Zhuge Sa suddenly appeared.

“It’s been a while.”

[Zhuge Sa. Have you possessed the Portrait Immortal?]

Zhuge Sa, appearing in a possessive state, smirked at the Master.

“You’re looking for Krishna, right? I’ve found him, so follow me.”

[You found him? How?]

“My estate’s level has increased to the stage of the Gospel, thus I can now trace the essence of gods. I’ll explain in detail later.”

Zhuge Sa had likely become stronger during the long battle against the Demon King Simon Magus. The Master accepted this and said.

[Alright then, should we prepare to face the Divine Avatar Arjuna again?]

“Heh, can it even be battled if it appears? Thankfully, it has no causality to act on. It’s like an empty field; you can tackle it alone.”

[Let’s go.]

With that, the Master immediately called for Zhuge Bu and other powerful companions. Zhuge Sa noticed this and raised an eyebrow.

“Looks like you don’t plan to go alone, huh?”

[I’m not taking chances.]

The Master and Zhuge Sa gathered their allies to head towards the location called Ganesha’s Royal Court. At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary Hindu temple, but in reality, it was structured for invocation to enter a special otherworld.

Ku-go-gugugu…

A long corridor unfolded, revealing a dark universe.

The space was filled with mystical starlight, radiating cosmic spirituality rather than evil energy. As Abe no Seimei examined the passage, he said.

“I can feel Amaterasu’s resonance here. This place was created by an Ancient God.”

[You’re sure it’s not the Old Ruler?]

“Absolutely. The Ancient Gods communicate through their unique wavelengths.”

[…….]

The Master fell silent.

‘I can’t believe it…’

Krishna’s wickedness and hypocrisy could easily be mistaken for that of the Old Ruler. In fact, he had even considered the notion that a vile being was masquerading under the name of an Ancient God. But to think this truly belonged to a magnificent and pure Ancient God?

That’s when—

Wiiing—

At the end of the corridor, a palace illuminated in eight colors appeared. In front of the palace door stood a being adorned in a crowned cap, revealing itself to be none other than Krishna, now dressed in the formal attire of the heavenly deity.

Krishna spoke to the group.

“O mortals. You’ve finally tracked down my stronghold.”

Zhuge Sa chuckled in response.

“Krishna, if you have any treasures, hand them over. Otherwise, I might just take a look.”

“…….”

“Hurry, before you change your mind.”

This was Zhuge Sa, threatening Krishna with extortion. Upon hearing the words, Krishna’s expression hardened.

“You know nothing. Your reckless attempt at salvation disrupts the order and balance of the universe….”

“What good would that do? If the order and balance of the universe are established, will our fates change in any way?”

“Short-lived creatures merely have a narrow perspective. Let things flow naturally, and fate will shift.”

“Haha… that’s a laugh.”

Zhuge Sa snickered while casting a sidelong glance at the Master.

“Kill that bastard. If you split him apart, he’ll release a fair amount of spiritual essence. You could regain your strength quickly.”

[Understood.]

Fwooosh—

In the next moment, the Master lunged at Krishna and tore out his heart. Krishna’s spirit, unable to resist, splattered blood and staggered, and then the Master turned Krishna into a bloody paste with his formless palm technique.

As Krishna perished, the Master slowly consumed his heart. He then moved the mask of anonymity.

[This isn’t… the real body. Is it a spirit body?]

“Probably. Krishna no longer has the power to manifest. It’s merely a palace spirit made to resemble him.”

[Then we should smash this palace.]

Kkwa-kwa-kwang.

Before long, the team demolished Krishna’s stronghold. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Krishna had lost all means of interference in this world.

[So what exactly was Krishna?]

In response to the Master’s query, Zhuge Sa replied.

“We’ll find out when the end comes.”

[Zhuge Sa, when does the fighting end? The damage is significant; you need to fill the gap quickly.]

An answer didn’t come.

Turning around, the Master noticed Zhuge Sa had vanished without a trace.

It was as if there wasn’t even time for a reply.

[…….]

What kind of battle was Zhuge Sa really engaged in?

Even so, over the following time, Zhuge Sa frequently appeared possessed by the Portrait Immortal, visiting the palace, and acquiring scientific technology from Faust in the Western Regions. All the knowledge gained through these exchanges focused back on Zhuge Bu, who continually endeavored to develop scientific technology.

About forty years passed, and spies dispatched to the West sent shocking news to the Great Bear Empire.

[A new nation has arisen in the New Continent?]

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

In the Imperial Palace of the Great Bear Empire, Deung Gwak bowed with a somewhat aged voice. Once a robust middle-aged man, he appeared those years had taken their toll. He continued speaking.

“After the collapse of the British Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, the balance of the West has been restructured, and the strongest of the newly formed nations is referred to as the French Republic. It has been confirmed that the French Republic, along with the successor of the old British Empire, the British Kingdom, sent an exploration crew to establish a separate nation in the New Continent.”

[A separate nation means one independent of France and Britain?]

“That is correct.”

[Interesting. What is the name of this nation?]

“It is called the United States of America.”

[Gather all information we can regarding the United States.]

“Will do, Your Majesty.”

After the day’s meeting concluded, a gathering of Baek Woong’s companions took place. During this assembly, once the information about the United States was shared, Zhuge Bu suddenly spoke up.

“Master of the White Lotus Sect, what do you intend to do about the passage of time?”

[What do you mean?]

“You probably saw Deung Gwak. He possesses exceptional internal power, nearly on par with Master of Zen, yet he has aged significantly and is unable to use his internal power to halt the aging process anymore. After all, Deung Gwak has turned over two hundred.”

[…….]

“Deung Gwak won’t live past five hundred. At best, he has three hundred years left. That’s the limit of a martial artist’s lifespan.”

The Master slightly nodded, understanding this fact well. Zhuge Bu continued.

“Neither you nor us sorcerers have serious issues. However, Master of Zen and the Bright Dragon are already quite old—at least fifty years older than Deung Gwak. While their aging is less pronounced than his, five hundred years is still a stretch.”

[Are you suggesting you want to preserve the power of the Absolute Realm?]

“Exactly. As you know, cultivating a new Absolute Realm expert isn’t something we can do freely. It’s an achievement few possess even with extensive talent honed over many years. For instance… over the past forty years, only two have reached the Absolute Realm, despite the empire’s considerable support.”

[This discussion has been ongoing since back then… Didn’t Mangnyang claim to have a solution? You mean, Zhuge Bu, you know what Mangnyang’s solution is?]

“Yes. Mangnyang has planned something.”

Zhuge Bu elaborated.

“It’s time to artificially send those in the Absolute Realm to the Celestial Realm. Just like the Left of the Nihilistic God….”

[Oh?]

“The first one to go upward would be Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong. The others have already been appropriately handled by Mangnyang.”

After that, Zhuge Bu explained the plan. The Master listened calmly and nodded.

[Carry out that plan.]

They could have sent experts before but held off to foster the younger generation. It had been proven through experience that having an Absolute expert leading them made it significantly easier for peak experts to reach the Absolute Realm. Thus, they couldn’t send Master of Zen or the Bright Dragon yet.

However, despite the extensive effort from Master of Zen and the Bright Dragon in teaching thousands of martial artists across the continent over the last forty years, only two had reached the Absolute Realm. Meanwhile, the lifespans of Master of Zen and the Bright Dragon were nearing their limits, imparting a sense of crisis upon Zhuge Bu. If they eventually perished, it would mean a grave loss.

As the agreement on the plan was completed, Cheon Woo-jin, who had been listening, spoke up. He couldn’t participate in the war against the Yokai because he had devoted himself to maintaining Chi You’s seal, and he had just stabilized it.

“The United States seems suspicious.”

Once the attention turned to Cheon Woo-jin, he bluntly remarked.

“According to Baek Woong’s memory, that place is a wild demon realm where the Old Rulers roam freely during the day. How could humans establish a nation in such a place?”

[That’s true; we’ll need to investigate.]

At that moment, the Master fixated his gaze on Cheon Woo-jin. Receiving that look made Cheon Woo-jin realize something.

‘Crap! I shouldn’t have spoken up!’

That gaze was clearly compelling him to investigate!

Creating something out of nothing!

Cheon Woo-jin hurriedly said.

“…I’ve been busy training my sorcery. I must have forgotten to mention it!”

[Who said anything?]

“Uh, well, yeah….”

Just as Cheon Woo-jin thought he managed to defuse the situation, the Master continued speaking.

[But still, you’re the only one who can investigate, Cheon Woo-jin.]

“N-no… why me! Get Seong Jin to do it!”

[You previously said Seong Jin was busy casting a great sorcery to recover Mangnyang! Isn’t that much more critical than your sorcery training? And Abe no Seimei is still in the process of recovering his lost power after being resurrected, so he can’t investigate the unknown continent. Zhuge Yulong is in the same boat, having lost his sorcery and is training again. Among those sorcerers at the Great Immortal Level, you’re the only one capable of carrying out the investigation.]

“But Zhuge Bu has the capability to do the same! He reached that level before!”

[He’s busy managing all government and technological advancements of the Great Bear Empire with his false body. He essentially runs the empire; we can’t allocate an exploration mission to him.]

“…….”

Cheon Woo-jin realized he had no escape and fell into despair. In defeat, he slammed his head against the table, prompting the Master to say.

[Don’t worry. Seo Mun-hye and Sagong Lin can go explore with you, so even if you encounter the Old Ruler, you’ll have a chance to escape.]

“I don’t want to… I don’t want to work….”

At that moment, Sagong Lin, who had been attending the conference, chimed in.

“Cheon Woo-jin, let’s work hard together!”

“No, I don’t want to work like crazy… Why do I have to work hard!!”

Cheon Woo-jin twisted in a fit, still intensely opposed to the idea of working.

“It’ll be alright. Don’t worry too much.”

Sagong Lin smiled brightly, continuing.

“It’s not for life; we just have to try hard until Baek Woong comes back.”

“…….”

For the first time in his life, Cheon Woo-jin felt despair.

‘When will Baek Woong come back…?’

It was a purely harmless statement, but it struck him with the realization of reality.

The stark truth that there was no one else to work with!

He gritted his teeth internally.

‘Fine. I’ll just hold out until Baek Woong comes back! He will return eventually, right!?

Perhaps he would come back even sooner than expected.

Soon enough, a three-member exploration team consisting of Cheon Woo-jin, Seo Mun-hye, and Sagong Lin headed secretly to the New Continent. Their goal was to spy on the new nation established on the New Continent, the United States. Using the Transference Gate, they swiftly arrived at the coastal area of the New Continent and began searching for signs of human activity.

They soon arrived at a place known as the capital of the New Continent. Cheon Woo-jin, donning a conical hat, lifted the brim and gazed at the city ahead, muttering.

“Is that the place they call New York?”

New York was not as massive as Luoyang but was quite prosperous, alive with the distinct elements of Western civilization.

“Seems so.”

“Something feels off… What on earth is that?”

Woosh—

In the sky, iron masses flew about, something Cheon Woo-jin had never seen before. It appeared that humans could ride and operate those metal constructs. Catching sight of it, Sagong Lin remarked.

“According to our intel, that’s called an airplane. Apparently, they advanced technology from the Great Bear Empire’s flying ships to create this.”

Cheon Woo-jin skeptically replied.

“Does that make any sense? An independent nation that was barely established just a few decades ago in this rugged New Continent surpassing the technological prowess of the Great Bear Empire?”

“…….”

“That’s just weird.”

As silence fell, Sagong Lin gradually responded.

“I heard the leader of the United States is called a president, and the first president is a man named George Washington, who led the victorious independent war. Should we meet him?”

“…Hold on.”

Suddenly, Cheon Woo-jin noticed something strange.

“Someone is trying to distort time and space where we are standing. What is it? Is someone attacking us?”

Just as he shouted, Cheon Woo-jin extended his hand and cast an illusion technique.

“Emergency Reflection Spell!”

Astral Transmutation

Reverse Illusory Scale

With the Illusionist’s technique, Cheon Woo-jin reflected the intent to seal them as a counter. This allowed them to evade shackles and instead confine their opponent within his illusion.

Wiiing!!

In that moment, they were transported to a rectangle space shrouded in mystery. It seemed mechanically structured, endlessly extending in square panels, all glaring white. They could hear vibrations of mechanical sounds.

Kiki-kik

Suddenly, from the counterpoint of the white space, three humanoid dolls appeared. Their lizard-like heads murmured.

[You actually detected the dimensional distortion field and reflected it… Is this a system of sorcery?]

Confronted by them, Cheon Woo-jin glared and asked.

“Who are you?”

[We intended to invite you, but it might have felt rude. My apologies.]

Taking a step forward, the being that resembled a mix of a lizard and human said.

[Welcome, visitors from the Great Bear Empire. I am the leader of the Illuminati and the Reptilian Lord. I hold a 40% stake in the founding of this United States.]

“……?”

[And these are.]

Confused by this, Cheon Woo-jin squinted as the being continued to introduce the other two.

[This is the human representative, President George Washington. And this is the high priest of the Aztec Empire, known as the Black Sun.]

Both Cheon Woo-jin and Sagong Lin, as well as Seo Mun-hye, scrutinized the three beings. George Washington appeared as a typical middle-aged human dressed in Western attire, while the Black Sun looked like a unique sorcerer in exotic clothing.

Having unexpected entities obstructing their path, Cheon Woo-jin raised an eyebrow and demanded.

“So what are you trying to say? If you have something to say, say it now.”

[We understand that you are officials of a powerful empire that has defeated even Demon Kings. I come to plead for a peaceful alliance, rather than recklessly competing with you as an extraterrestrial race from a distant star.]

“An alien, huh.”

Cheon Woo-jin wasn’t particularly surprised by the revelation of the Reptilian Lord being an alien. He had already suspected the existence of extraterrestrials from the Star Realm long ago, especially in light of the chaotic situation with the Old Rulers.

Yet Cheon Woo-jin responded irritably.

“A peaceful alliance isn’t my concern, and I have no interest in forging one with you. Don’t be so presumptuous.”

[That’s quite a learned conclusion. Why do you think so?]

“I don’t know how to ask.”

Cheon Woo-jin glared at the Aztec priest, the Black Sun.

“Isn’t that guy a disciple of the Old Ruler? You filthy sorcerers!”

Ku-go-gugugu—

Upon hearing that, the Aztec priest, the Black Sun, began to emanate dark magical energy. He dropped the pretense of being human, revealing his true form. The Black Sun spoke.

[Do you seek war…?]

“What a ridiculous bastard! You picked the wrong fight.”

Cheon Woo-jin trembled with disgust, overwhelmed by the overpowering scent of flesh and human sacrifice emanating from the Black Sun’s spirit. The wails of countless souls, perhaps thousands or even tens of thousands, echoed in his ears. This being was undoubtedly a monster that had offered massive human sacrifices on a national level.

There was no way he could agree to terms with such pure evil. Besides, the three here were effectively the mightiest forces of the Great Bear Empire, so they felt confident they could win. Cheon Woo-jin, Seo Mun-hye, and Sagong Lin all seemed unperturbed about engaging in combat.

That’s when—

The silence was broken by George Washington, who had been quiet until now.

“Everyone, quiet down. Especially you, let go of that brutal facade.”

Swipe—

To Cheon Woo-jin’s surprise, the Black Sun ceased his magical outburst and changed back to his original form. He seemed to have reacted to George Washington’s words, muttering as if he were caught.

[I didn’t mean to do it intentionally.]

“I thought we agreed not to do that before me.”

[My apologies, representative of humanity.]

Why was that? With just one word from George Washington, the Black Sun, a disciple of the Old Ruler, seemed to be panicking. Cheon Woo-jin watched in disbelief at the bizarre scene unfold, and George Washington then spoke.

“We’re merely a fledgling nation. Moreover, we are too far apart to interfere in each other’s governance, and we neither have the resources nor the will to do so. Thus, we hope to establish a peace alliance between your country and the United States.”

“As mentioned, we don’t feel the need for such an alliance, nor can we provide a definitive answer. Governance is not within our jurisdiction.”

“However, you are superhumans, capable of exerting influence over the Emperor of the Great Bear Empire. I believe your opinions would be valued.”

“…….”

“Please convey our words to the Emperor. We sincerely apologize for our rudeness.”

“Alright, then.”

Cheon Woo-jin decided to withdraw for now. Were they simply a faction of sorcerers, he would have easily taken them down, yet for some reason, George Washington’s authority seemed incredibly strong. He felt as though he was the leader among these three. When looking at the balance between them, it became ambiguous to declare the United States a sorcery faction.

Cheon Woo-jin inquired, “How is it that a powerless human can speak so confidently to an alien and a disciple? That will play a significant role in our judgment.”

In response to Cheon Woo-jin’s question, George Washington answered.

“I can swear on my honor. The humans in this New World are not in a position of oppression. Rather, we have driven out inferior [Old Rulers] that once roamed freely and claimed the central northern region of the continent for humanity. Moreover, we have made agreements with the Black Sun in efforts to eradicate the practice of human sacrifices that existed in the southern continent.”

“……!!”

“This land is a realm for humans. Keep that in mind.”

A realm for humans.

‘To think that even those who aren’t reincarnated companions could hold such strength as humans…’

This was not mere bluster.

George Washington’s power was undoubtedly more potent than that of the aliens or disciples present.

Cheon Woo-jin intuitively sensed that they harbored a tremendous secret. However, to expose it, he would have to risk his life in a daring adventure, something he certainly did not want to engage in while already reluctant to work. Thus, he resolved to do only what was asked of him.

“Understood.”

Cheon Woo-jin returned to the Great Bear Empire with his companions, relaying this information to the Emperor, the Master of the White Lotus Sect.

After about ten years of tentative exchanges, a non-interference and friendly treaty was signed between the Great Bear Empire and the United States.

Twenty more years passed.

“I’ve discovered the location of the Non-Birth Mother’s Dharma Text.”

Suddenly appearing was Zhuge Sa.

He grinned at his reincarnated companions.

“Let’s all head into the world of nightmares together.”