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The moment I arrived at Mount Tai using my Thunderclap, the same familiar scenery came into view. There it was, the hill that Cheon Woo-jin confidently claimed was the Absolute Formation. He stared intently at the hill and said, “It’s a trap. And a very refined one at that.”

“Can we break through?” I asked.

“Breaking it isn’t the issue. The real problem is having to deal with its master in a life-or-death battle,” he replied, furrowing his brow.

I tilted my head in confusion. “What’s the problem with that?”

Clearly, I had to settle the score with that being, who was likely either the Old Sage of Mount Tai or the Heavenly Asura. Only then could I figure out their true abilities and steer things in my favor in my next rebirth. I had the location, the reason, and the strength—there was no reason to back down.

Cheon Woo-jin scowled. “Do you have any idea what this formation entails?”

“I don’t really know…” I admitted.

“Hmph. You’ve learned some basic sorcery and formations, but it’s expected you wouldn’t know. This is the legendary Eight Trigrams Formation.”

“……!!” I was taken aback by his words. “You mean this hill is the Eight Trigrams Formation? Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. Only the Eight Trigrams can harness this level of power.”

My gut churned; a bad feeling washed over me. I recalled an encounter from the past. ‘I’ve faced the Eight Trigrams before. And the one who wielded it was…’

Lord of Inner Imperial Pavilion, Zhuge Bu!

In my previous life, I had encountered a formidable sorcerer known as Zhuge Bu, who used the Eight Trigrams to protect the imperial palace. Back then, I managed to nullify its effects using the powers of Thunderclap, but honestly, I just got lucky thanks to some outrageous treasure of the Otherworldly Race. There was no guarantee I could break through a properly deployed Eight Trigrams Formation.

So, was Lord of Inner Imperial Pavilion Zhuge Bu present here?

As I pondered, Cheon Woo-jin continued, “This formation is tied to the life force of its user. It’s a testament to the resolve of the one who deployed it.”

“What do you mean?”

Cheon Woo-jin sighed. “Usually, formations don’t deploy like this. When a formation is broken, its creator remains unharmed. But there’s a twist—by binding their life force to it, they enhance the formation, and if it’s broken, that creator also dies.”

“……”

“If the formation breaks, they’ll be desperate to protect it.”

Listening to Cheon Woo-jin’s explanation sent a cold chill down my spine. I had never managed to break through the Eight Trigrams directly. If it was further fortified by life force binding, dismantling it would be a monumental challenge. Given that we needed to secure the Heavenly Altar of Mount Tai, this was a significant obstacle.

While I mulled over this, Jin So-cheong, who had been listening, chimed in, “It seems breaking the formation is a job for you, Cheon Woo-jin. Don’t expect us to help.”

Cheon Woo-jin crossed his arms, deep in thought, then declared, “Something’s off about the inside. Once I open the formation, you two rush in and complete your mission within a mealtime.”

“So we can’t break the Eight Trigrams?” I pressed further.

He shook his head. “The one who set up this Eight Trigrams is an extraordinary sorcerer. A formation like this, built with the intent of taking a life, can’t be easily dismantled, not even by me. At minimum, it’ll require a day of rituals to succeed.”

“Hmm.”

“If there’s time to scout inside, we should be able to spare a mealtime.”

It seemed even the Heavenly Asura had trouble breaching the Eight Trigrams. It became clear that while he opened a path, we needed to determine what was happening inside. As Jin So-cheong and I armed ourselves, Cheon Woo-jin formed a hand sign and shouted, “Quick as a whip!”

Woosh!

With an odd sound, it felt like reality itself twitched before my eyes. Cheon Woo-jin closed his eyes and instructed, “Don’t stray to the sides; go straight ahead. If you veer off, I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“Got it!”

Thud! I sprinted up the hill alongside Jin So-cheong. As we matched our rhythm, she activated the Soul Removal Technique and said, “Let’s hope Mangnyang is safe.”

That was my deepest wish, too. If anything happened to Mangnyang, it would truly be a disaster. Regardless of whether he was inside or not, my mind swirled with concern. Boosted by the astonishing speed of the Soul Removal Technique, we reached the inside of the hill in an instant.

Woah!

Down below, in a massive basin, sat the Heavenly Altar. Strangely, the Heavenly Altar of Mount Tai appeared ten times larger and wider than any other. Near the altar, three figures stood, one of whom I recognized instantly.

‘Zhuge Bu!’

Of course, he was here.

Did Zhuge Bu set up the Eight Trigrams? The other two figures wore large hats, obscuring their faces. As we appeared atop the hill, I sensed their gaze shift towards us.

Jin So-cheong observed from the hilltop and said, “Baek Woong, we don’t have the luxury of conversing with them. We must kill them all.”

“What do you mean?”

“We can’t give them any advantage.”

Her face was grim; it seemed she had resolutely made up her mind. The sixth sense of a martial artist warned her of imminent danger.

“I feel that too. I’ll take on the one in the back. You handle the other two.”

“Understood.”

With her resolution clear, a slaughter was inevitable.

Bang!

Jin So-cheong launched herself forward, her speed so astounding it was as if she’d transcended sound, striking the figure in the back with a spear strike imbued with fierce energy. She was so fast that I almost lost sight of her for a moment. After a loud crack, air burst out.

‘No holding back!’

I couldn’t afford to be dazed. Conscious of Jin So-cheong’s assault, I leaped toward Zhuge Bu, who was no ordinary sorcerer but a peak expert in martial arts. Upon sensing my attack speed, he quickly raised his hand, a blue aura swirling around it.

Bang!

The clash of energies created subtle ruptures in the air, a distorted series of explosions erupted, and my sword slashed through in rapid succession targeted at Zhuge Bu‘s vital points. Remarkably, he regained his composure just in time to resist my onslaught with skill.

“Huh!”

“Ugh!”

With a pained cry, Zhuge Bu staggered back, clearly taken aback by the unexpected intensity of my attack. He had been pierced through the flaws of his martial practice. This proved my skill was currently superior to his, even if just by a notch. However, since his defenses were so solid, I felt it was still too early to use the Thunder Light. To achieve a single fatal blow, I needed to find a more opportune moment.

In the rapid exchange of attacks, I had several opportunities to continue striking Zhuge Bu, but first, I turned to the figure beside him.

‘Who the heck is this guy?’

Even while trading blows with Zhuge Bu, this figure showed no signs of supporting him or launching an attack of his own. Instead, he simply observed like a common person. He looked to be in his early twenties, standing tall, but as I focused harder, I quickly concluded he was not Mangnyang.

As the surge of thunder energy resonated, Zhuge Bu staggered. “Cough!”

From his mouth, a dribble of blood fell as he gasped, “You’re one of the Thunder God Lineage warriors…!!”

Had he deduced that from a mere glance at my techniques? Or did he know my true identity from the start?

My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but instinct kicked in. Years of fighting experience compelled me to press on. No matter how chaotic my thoughts, I had to keep fighting to survive.

‘Die!’

With a meteor-like flash, my sword extended straight ahead. As I unleashed the speed of the Thunder God Sword Dance, Zhuge Bu gritted his teeth and pulled out a long sword swirling with powerful energy, swinging it toward me.

Clang!

Once again, the clash of blue energy erupted through the air. With my internal power significantly higher, Zhuge Bu took three steps back, blood staining his lips.

‘What?‘

I fully expected Zhuge Bu to teleport away or use some sorcery, given that his sorcery was stronger than his martial prowess. But unexpectedly, he chose to engage me in straight-up combat instead. This was advantageous for me, but it left my mind racing.

‘He isn’t fleeing…’

For some reason, this was a golden opportunity! With my senses heightened, I surged my killing intent, ready to take his life.

As I held my breath, my momentum peaked, and I lunged with a thrust the likes of which he had never faced.

Whoosh!

“Ugh!”

With a pained groan, Zhuge Bu stumbled back, an opening in his defenses splattered with blood; it appeared he had sustained a near-fatal wound. I was certain that with just one more solid strike, I’d make a corpse of him.

Then it happened.

Flames erupted as Zhuge Bu transformed into a beam of light and vanished. It looked like he had managed to escape using sorcery.

Meanwhile, the mysterious figure beside him spoke up, “That young one possesses remarkable martial skills.”

Here was this young punk talking about age?!

I felt my blood boil as I lunged to behead this insolent figure. I had every intention of slaughtering those present, so I held no qualms about it. The fewer potential enemies around, the better.

“Wait…”

The figure seemed startled by my fierce charge but had no intention of talking. After all, I had decided to put him down right then and there.

Stab!

With a swing, I severed his neck. Considering the calm demeanor he exhibited, I hadn’t expected he would lack any martial skills or sorcery at all. As his head thudded to the ground, I dashed to support Jin So-cheong.

Jin So-cheong had not paused her assault, continuing to unleash her exceptional spear techniques. Her movements created a unique flow, swirling like a storm as she attacked her opponent. The raw power radiating from her and the energy pouring forth were nothing short of astounding.

Bang!

“Ha!”

The man in the hat defending against Jin So-cheong let out a spirited roar as he swung his sword. As azure light burst forth from his blade, he successfully blocked her fierce strike, simultaneously countering with both offense and defense. I stood frozen, realizing just how divine his swordplay was.

“……!!”

What an impressive master!

In only two months, Jin So-cheong had soared far beyond my own realm, and as she unleashed her relentless whirlwind assault, I felt inadequate to handle it myself. Yet this man was matching her, switching from defense to offense utterly flawlessly, showcasing skills worthy of the legendary Jianghu experts.

Eventually, the man in the hat began to falter, blood trickling from his mouth. He was formidable, but it seemed Jin So-cheong held the clear upper hand. As he stepped back, he shouted, “Ha! You’ve come to avenge your father? Such a pointless endeavor, Jin So-cheong!”

What was that supposed to mean?!

I was startled by the man’s sudden words, realizing he knew Jin So-cheong‘s identity, but she remained impassive. She had turned into a lethal weapon, emotionless as she unleashed the Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear again and again. Waves of spear illusions exploded forth, launching fierce attacks against him from each of the eighteen directions.

Bang!

A streak of thunder light shot through. Jin So-cheong rapidly closed the distance, severing one of the man’s arms before he even had a chance to react. The severed arm flew through the air, and before it even touched the ground, she swung her spear for a brutal finishing blow, forcing him to the ground in disgrace.

“Ugh. I can’t believe I couldn’t withstand the Gongsun Sword Technique…”

As the man fell, Jin So-cheong’s expression did harden further. It seemed she was about to end him with another strike. Just one more technique and that man would either die or lose a limb!

But at that moment…

“I command you to stop.”

“……!!”

Jin So-cheong‘s body froze in place. She seemed unable to move at all, as if that quiet word had stolen control from her. When she finally attempted to struggle free, it was already too late; the man with the hat had managed to regain his footing and organize himself.

The strange command hadn’t come from the man in the hat. Turning around, I noticed the master of that commanding voice approaching.

“Hehe. This truly is fun. Fortune’s mischief, they say.”

“Huh?!”

I was taken aback; my breath hitched.

The decapitated figure was standing there, holding its own head upright!

It was undeniably the same guy I had just beheaded without hesitation! The headless body held its head high, and its mouth began to chatter.

“Hmm… A delightful host, indeed.”

As I stood paralyzed by a sight that shattered all sense of common logic, the young man adeptly placed his head back onto the neck. In an instant, the severed area healed seamlessly without a scar. With chilling eyes, the young man looked over me and Jin So-cheong, stating, “Heavenly Asura. Capture these two alive.”

The sword-wielding high expert in the hat nodded. “You can count on me.”

So the one in the hat was indeed the Heavenly Asura and the Old Ruler.

Technically, they stood in opposition to us. But something felt off. While Jin So-cheong had broken free from the paralysis, she appeared dazed, struggling to move. It was as if the effects of the young man’s command still lingered within her.

‘Who even is that guy?’

What kind of creature could give commands to a Heavenly Asura? He couldn’t even be human if he could walk around after being decapitated and use bizarre commands!

Regardless, continuing the fight here was disadvantageous for me. I sensed Jin So-cheong was right about something, but since I couldn’t finish this quickly, I needed to retreat. If Zhuge Bu appeared here, it would be impossible to escape.

“Let’s go.”

I used Thunderclap to move beside Jin So-cheong, and in that split second, we teleported elsewhere, flickering with bright light until I found us in the middle of an enormous, dark building.

Cheon Woo-jin, who had moved with me, seemed dizzy, but managed to ask, “Where are we?”

“We’re miles away. Do you think they can follow us all this way?”

This was the place where the Prophet of Astana resided.

Fleeing instinctively, I had figured it wouldn’t be bad to end up here instead of Jinrang Valley.

After pondering, Cheon Woo-jin replied, “He’ll catch up within a moment. His tracking sorcery is unrivaled.”

“I suspected as much.”

Just as I’d imagined. I had dealt with Zhuge Bu’s relentless chase multiple times. I seized the opportunity to check on Jin So-cheong, who still appeared dazed.

“What happened to Jin So-cheong?!”

At my inquiry, Cheon Woo-jin grumbled in annoyance, “She’s been affected by a command. Unless the sorcerer dies, she won’t recover.”

“I get that it’s a command, but how can it be this potent?”

I thought commands generally weren’t that powerful. They were mostly for influencing thoughts, a form of light brainwashing at best. I had never seen or heard of commands so potent capable of incapacitating an expert like Jin So-cheong.

“It’s likely a primal command received in exchange for a deal made with the Old Ruler during the offering ceremony. The one who cast it must be the History Emperor Changhil.”

That one referred to the young man who had cast the command.

After a moment’s thought, I carefully asked, “Cheon Woo-jin. Surely that young man isn’t…”

“You’re most likely correct.”

“So then…”

Though reluctant to voice it, I slowly expressed my grim realization. Based on everything I gathered, the conclusions were clear.

“That guy… is the Emperor?!”

 

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