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Heavenly Realm

The Black Prince Naresuen was a rugged-looking man with distinct features. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with a solid build that clearly indicated he was a martial artist. His slightly darkened skin, typical of Southern Barbarians, was also quite striking.

However, more than his appearance, what surprised me was his aura.

Naresuen’s Qi was incredibly strong. He was not at all inferior to Dongbang Mu-gyeol, and it felt as if a mountain of strength was hidden deep within him. It was said his specialty was fist techniques, so when he used his martial arts, it would surely be devastating. He was undoubtedly a peak expert, hard to find in the world.

‘I didn’t expect there to be such a martial arts expert in the Southern Barbarians…’

In terms of ability, he was certainly on par with the top peak experts in the current martial arts world. While I was inwardly amazed, Dongbang Mu-gyeol spoke to Naresuen in the Southern Barbarian language.

“&@ㅛ$#@%#&…”

“#*%&@%&?”

“^%$#%…”

“……”

Ugh, this is frustrating. I couldn’t understand a word.

I wished I had prepared something regarding the Southern Barbarian language; as it stood, I had no knowledge of it whatsoever. Even if Dongbang Mu-gyeol made a joke, I wouldn’t have a clue. It seemed Dongbang Mu-gyeol and Naresuen were deep in conversation, with Naresuen appearing indifferent while Dongbang Mu-gyeol seemed desperate.

Then Naresuen suddenly looked at me and spoke.

“Are you from the Elder Council of the White Lotus Sect?”

Finally, some Central Plains language!

I felt relieved but also wary. I had no idea why he suddenly addressed me fluently in Central Plains language. I answered slowly.

“Yes.”

“Does the White Lotus Sect have that much interest in our affairs?”

I paused for a moment before replying.

“How could someone like me fathom the profound intentions of the Sect Leader? I am merely a messenger.”

At that, Naresuen smirked and responded,

“A wise answer. I can indeed believe you are a Half-Transition Master.”

“If I have offended the King, I apologize.”

“Not at all. Then I sincerely hope we both get what we desire.”

After the conversation, we followed the Imperial Guards to an unknown destination. We twisted and turned several times through the vast garden of the royal palace until reaching a hill that seemed to overlook the city. In that refreshing garden stood figures dressed in red.

‘Three of them?’

These beings in red wore strange masks and were wrapped in layers of red attire. ‘Wrapped’ is a more fitting term than ‘dressed’ to describe their appearance. Upon seeing them, Dongbang Mu-gyeol cautiously sent me a secret transmission.

[Stop your distractions. Those are members of the Zhuyong Tribe, and they can communicate telepathically.]

[What?]

[From now on, they will also be able to read our telepathic conversations.]

[…!!]

I was taken aback.

‘They can eavesdrop on telepathy?’

Moreover, given Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s tone, it seemed even trivial thoughts might be read by the Zhuyong Tribe. If that were true, they possessed remarkable mental abilities. Focusing on calming my mind with the Thunder Spirit Classic, the one standing in the middle of the three Zhuyong Tribe members spoke.

“A human I’ve never seen before. Who are you?”

With everyone’s attention on me, I cleared my throat and responded.

“I am Yeodong-bin, a messenger from the Sect Leader of the White Lotus Sect.”

“Yeodong-bin…? That must be the Great Immortal’s name; is it a pseudonym?”

“……”

“Why have you come to our transaction site?”

“This is an important transaction for the future of our sect. Naturally, I could not leave it solely to Dongbang Mu-gyeol, so I wished to participate as a messenger of the Elder Council.”

Upon hearing my answer, the Zhuyong member seemed to roll his eyes beneath his mask. He glanced at his companions before responding.

“You are quite a unique person. Your thoughts are unreadable. How can that be, without using some kind of sorcery?”

At those words, Dongbang Mu-gyeol looked at me in surprise. I couldn’t tell if the Zhuyong Tribe truly couldn’t read my mind or if it was some sort of trick, but I decided to calmly respond.

“Maybe it’s just that your abilities are lacking.”

After a moment of silence, the Zhuyong replied,

“That could be true.”

Looking as if he was deep in thought, the Zhuyong then continued.

“Do you have what we requested?”

“I have it here.”

Then Dongbang Mu-gyeol stepped forward and handed the two pairs of Black and White Lotus to the Zhuyong. After taking the Black and White Lotus, the Zhuyong carefully examined them for a while before speaking in a somewhat unsettling tone.

“… No, this isn’t the Sacred Lotus I gave to Naresuen. What is this?”

His voice was unpleasant and strange, almost as if he were something other than human. Seeing Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s expression harden, it was clear he struggled to find the right words to respond. I had no choice but to jump in.

“That is an improved Sacred Lotus. Taking both black and white lotus will not only greatly increase your internal power but also grant you resistance against sorcery. It’s a top-secret matter of our sect, so please do not leak it.”

“……”

The Zhuyong seemed to calm down. Then he spoke.

“Does that mean the effect is better?”

“It’s particularly good against curses.”

“… So you’re not just some halfwit. You truly understand the exact effects of the spiritual pill…”

With that muttering, the Zhuyong finally said,

“Alright. I will trust your words. We will begin interpreting the ancient documents you requested.”

“How long will it take?”

“Three days will suffice.”

The three Zhuyong members hastily left after the conversation. They were likely headed to the library within Naresuen’s royal palace. As I glanced at their retreating figures, Dongbang Mu-gyeol sighed.

“I’m sorry. I was so nervous that I couldn’t find my words.”

“I can’t believe someone as reckless as you could even be nervous.”

“Damn it… don’t be sarcastic. They acted quite calmly today. At first, I thought their mental abilities would drain my Qi.”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol was genuinely on guard about the Zhuyong Tribe. Standing behind him, Baek Won-sangma was frozen, unable to show any expression. I could hardly feel it, but for a regular human, the mental prowess of the Zhuyong Tribe seemed to pose a significant pressure.

I said to Dongbang Mu-gyeol,

“Let me reiterate; that new improved Sacred Lotus is a top-secret matter. If it gets out that you’ve leaked this to our sect, both you and I will face severe consequences.”

“Ugh…”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol looked slightly embarrassed and sent me a secret transmission.

[Stop pressuring me and let’s talk about practical alternatives.]

[What alternatives?]

[Help me eliminate those two monkeys at an opportune moment.]

[……]

It seemed Dongbang Mu-gyeol was seriously considering killing Baek Won-sangma, who he had hired as his guard. Even so, it wasn’t easy to kill someone who had followed him all the way to foreign lands, so I found it laughable. Dongbang Mu-gyeol was indeed a martial artist leaning towards the Demon Path.

[Let’s not discuss that now. Let’s find the right timing later.]

[Understood.]

We followed the Imperial Guards back to the palace quarters. Given that it was the royal palace of the largest empire in the Southern Barbarians, the accommodations were quite grand and luxurious. Even though it was an architectural style I had never seen before, it was indeed a refined space for someone to rest comfortably. I luxuriated in the smooth texture of the silk blanket as I lay back and pondered.

‘Things are progressing well. But it seems I’ve taken quite a gamble to bring things to this point.’

While Dongbang Mu-gyeol considered killing Baek Won-sangma, I too needed to eliminate Dongbang Mu-gyeol. If he returned to the White Lotus Sect alive, it would expose my existence, and the sect might pursue me. To avoid my deception being discovered, I had to make sure Dongbang Mu-gyeol couldn’t return to the sect.

However, killing Dongbang Mu-gyeol posed its own issues. Although he may not hold an official rank in the sect, he was engaged in a top-secret mission filled with the sect leader’s hopes. If he were out of contact for too long, the White Lotus Sect would surely send experts to investigate. The White Lotus Sect would eventually uncover the truth, even if it took some time.

“……”

But there was a way. Though it seemed a dilemma, it was indeed solvable. I conceived an appropriate countermeasure and sighed over another issue.

“Tch. It seems the Zhuyong Tribe is wary of me…”

The last glance from them was clearly a wary one. If the Zhuyong Tribe was cautious of me, I might not be able to view the Tower of Muwang, a right that originally belonged to Dongbang Mu-gyeol. In fact, I had come all this way mainly to see the Tower of Muwang, so that would be a loss.

After pondering for a while, I suddenly got up from the bed.

“Let’s move.”

I sensed that to improve my chances, I needed to take some action. First, I retrieved the obsidian from my wooden armor and processed just enough for my needs.

I headed straight to where Naresuen was, but the Imperial Guards informed me that he was unavailable due to personal matters. Unable to meet Naresuen, I requested to be directed to the library.

The ancient library in the Southern Barbarians. Inside, I found the three Zhuyong members sitting calmly, reading ancient texts. I approached them and said.

“I have something to discuss.”

The one who appeared to be the leader stood up.

“You’re delaying our work by interrupting like this.”

“My apologies. However, I have something to say that is unrelated to our previous discussion.”

“Speak.”

I took a deep breath before approaching him. I showed him the back of my hand, which I had been hiding with bandages. As the grayish pattern on my hand softly glowed, the Zhuyong members showed signs of great surprise.

“……!!”

“This is!!”

Seeing their astonishment, I grinned and said,

“As you can see, it’s the right to use the Tower of Muwang once. Aren’t you all kin to the Prophet of Astana?”

The Zhuyong in the middle, speaking not with human vocal cords but transmitting thoughts like a prophet, replied.

[Only the king of our tribe can grant this right. Have you met our king?]

“I’m not sure if he’s a king or what, but it’s undeniable he granted me this right.”

[You’re a ridiculous human. Surely the king wouldn’t grant such a right to a mere human…]

The Zhuyong members looked incredulous. From their speech, I could tell they regarded humans as inferior beings. They seemed willing to engage, but there was an air of superiority and pride emanating from them.

The Zhuyong member on the left asked,

[Why didn’t you mention this earlier?]

I shrugged.

“I’m not fully allied with them. We’re each other’s checks and balances.”

[I see. So what do you want from us?]

“That is…”

I told the Zhuyong my demands. They seemed to communicate mentally and after a short conversation replied.

[Those two conditions are easy for us. We can do that, but the issue is why we should help you.]

I responded cheekily.

“I have more Black and White Lotuses than I gave you earlier. I can provide one additional pair for each. Plus, it would be unwise not to assist someone trying to exercise the king’s rights, given your position.”

[Hmm… You know how to negotiate. I like it.]

The Zhuyong in the middle rolled his eyes.

[I accept your proposal.]

“Thank you.”

[If you betray us, you will greatly regret it.]

Upon finishing the additional negotiations with the Zhuyong, I returned to my room.

The next day, I woke up early to meet Naresuen. This time, he seemed to be available for the audience and welcomed me with open arms. It seemed the Southern Barbarian court didn’t hold daily meetings, allowing for more personal time for the king.

“It seems the Elder Council experts are quite eager to see me. What brings you here?”

I gazed intently at Naresuen, the formidable overlord of the Southern Barbarians. Having looked at the hero known as the Black Prince for quite a while, I slowly spoke.

“I heard from Dongbang Mu-gyeol that you frequently engage with the western nations.”

“Indeed. I cannot ignore the advanced technologies of the west. Their technological prowess greatly assists us.”

“The thing is, I am interested in the firearms and cultural artifacts from the west. I came to see the king because I wanted to know how remarkable their technology is.”

Naresuen burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha!! How dare you ask the king about the state secrets? Are you asking a soldier-related technology of me, a king?”

He appeared jovial on the surface, but there was a hint of anger beneath his tone—an emotional state that could explode at any moment. I quickly sensed this and continued speaking.

“Our White Lotus Sect aims to confront the Ming Empire as a potential arch-enemy.”

“……”

Naresuen’s anger subsided as he scrutinized me. I continued slowly.

“Recently, I discovered that the Ming Empire is colluding with an evil religion to conduct human sacrifices, ultimately aiming to open gates across the world for domination. Did you know about this, my King?”

At my words, Naresuen let out a low hum.

“Hmm… I hadn’t heard of such a thing. However, it sounds too far-fetched. How could I believe that?”

“If you look into this obsidian, you’ll be able to trust my words.”

“……?”

As I presented the obsidian, Imperial Guards suddenly blocked my way. Additional guards poured in from somewhere and formed ranks, aiming firearms at me.

Chachachak!

Their speed was incredibly fast and systematic, indicating they were thoroughly trained elites.

As the tense standoff persisted, Naresuen waved his hand.

“Stand down.”

The guards withdrew like withdrawing tides. Naresuen leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.

“You’re quite the ridiculous one. What is it that you want?”

“I want you to believe what I am saying.”

“Hmm… do you know that believing is the hardest thing in the world?”

I smiled wryly.

“I always feel that way.”

“… Very well. Then follow me, Sawasvati.”

As Naresuen’s words ended, a beautiful young girl walked out from behind him. She had a pure and delicate appearance, her features perfectly carved as if made by an artist. She seemed to be in her late teens and had quite an alluring figure.

“Who is she?”

“She is my consort.”

The girl, named Sawasvati, stood beside Naresuen, who glanced at her.

“You first take the obsidian.”

“Yes.”

As Sawasvati took the obsidian, memories were sent to her. She seemed initially shocked by the unfamiliar memories but eventually managed to calm her expression. She then turned to Naresuen and said.

“My King, this person is walking a grand path.”

“Oh…?”

“I think we can trust him.”

Naresuen finally revealed curiosity and said,

“Let me see as well.”

Paat!

Memories flowed into Naresuen as well. Of course, unlike the others, the memories didn’t encompass my entire past life but were merely a summary of critical information regarding the imperial palace forces. It included how I fought against the royal court, what information I gained, and how I met my demise, while crucial secrets—including the Heavenly Secret—were intentionally omitted.

‘But that should be enough.’

Seventeen lifetimes of memories could make any monarch wary. As expected, Naresuen’s expression grew serious.

“Are you saying you are a warrior fighting to defeat the Ming Empire, repeating death?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm.”

“As you saw, the current Ming Emperor has gone mad. He would think nothing of sacrificing a third of the Central Plains to a wicked deity for his ambitions. If he treats his own people like this, what do you think would happen if his plans to conquer other nations were successful?”

“……”

Nareshuen’s expression darkened. I pressed on to exacerbate his unease.

“A massacre will ensue. And as you’ve seen, the empowered Ming Empire cannot be halted by the strength of Ayutthaya alone.”

“… That’s true. Firearms would be useless in front of an apostle.”

Naresuen sighed before adding,

“Very well. So you want me to take action against the Ming Empire from now on?”

“Indeed. Also, please inform me about their firearms and cultural artifacts. Perhaps their technology contains clues to stand against the Ming Empire.”

“Hmm.”

Naresuen pondered for a while and then said,

“I heard the interpretation in the library will be completed in three days. Once you are done with your affairs, come to see me. I will introduce you to an important person.”

“Thank you.”

My heart raced as I exited the audience chamber.

Though I acted impulsively, it was all going according to plan.

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