---

I headed to the Dragon King’s Valley to hear Dokgo Seong’s answer after the Prophet’s deal was done. I could rush to the sacred place of the Golden Crow right away, but the catch was that I had no clue what kind of place it actually was. The Sacred Buddhas can go anywhere even if I’ve never been there, but when I asked that very same Buddha, this was the answer I received.

“There’s no such place as the Sacred Paliyas in this world.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It means there’s none within the reach of the Celestial Realm.”

And just like that, the Sacred Buddha refused to move.

‘So the seal of the Golden Crow doesn’t exist in this world?’

The Zhuge Clan chimed in as I was lost in thought.

“They said it’s the base of Sorcerers and Alchemists. Naturally, such a precious treasure like the Golden Crow would be sealed away in the otherworld, making it impossible to find even in the Celestial Realm.”

“Then what should we do?”

“We have no choice but to find a Sorcerer who knows about Mundus.”

“Mundus?”

“The folks in the Western Regions divide the world into Munduses.”

Without skipping a beat, the Zhuge Clan said bluntly, “Don’t think about the Golden Crow now. You should be focusing on the White Lotus Sect for the moment; that’s a problem to tackle later.”

“Alright.”

I ordered some ramen and chicken, waiting until dawn for my strength to return, and then headed to meet Dokgo Seong.

Once inside the Dragon King’s Valley, Dokgo Seong stood tall, waiting for me. He stared intensely at me before speaking.

“I’ll be going back to the White Lotus Sect.”

“Good thinking.”

“……”

He continued to glare at me before asking, “Baek Woong, do you think it’s alright for the Sect Leader to unify the world?”

I found it hard to grasp his intentions but noticed that the Zhuge Clan was silent, so I figured I could just express my opinion. I collected my thoughts for a moment and replied.

“He’d at least be better than the current emperor. The current emperor is a tyrant who sacrifices humans without a second thought. The sect leader, while crafty, has some restraint and wouldn’t cross the line.”

“Is that really so?”

“Hmm?”

Dokgo Seong questioned me further. Unable to conceal his conflicted expression, he replied.

“I’ve watched my uncle for a long time, yet I still can’t gauge his limits or his character. Once he reaches the unparalleled realm, no one knows what he might do.”

“What exactly do you mean?”

“I plan to stick a knife in my uncle’s back when the time comes.”

Dokgo Seong, who uttered that terrifying thought so casually, had a sharp glimmer in his eyes.

“I hope you can assist me in that future,” he added.

From his words, I could read Dokgo Seong’s underlying thoughts. ‘He thinks I’ll betray the sect leader at some point and wants me to be his ally when that happens.’

Since it wasn’t entirely off base, I nodded and replied, “Of course. But until then, remain loyal to the White Lotus Sect.”

“Understood.”

Once our conversation ended, I returned to the White Lotus Sect with Dokgo Seong.

As we headed towards the Sect Leader’s Hall, we finally laid eyes on the Sect Leader.

“Sect Leader! I’ve completed the mission.”

The Sect Leader, who had been looking our way from beyond the threshold, sent out the Six Harmonies Assembly.

“You’ve brought the Sacrifice,” he stated. “Did you deliver the documents?”

“Yes! I made sure they were passed along.”

“Good job…”

After a brief silence, the Sect Leader continued, “Seong Ah, I’m glad you came to assist me.”

Dokgo Seong shot back with a penetrating gaze, “Sect Leader, I haven’t forgotten the crimes you committed against us.”

“Is that so…”

“I doubt I’m alone in this sentiment.”

The Sect Leader appeared to chuckle slightly at those words. “Hmm… I, too, am looking forward to the day when the Thunder God Lineage takes revenge.”

“……”

“But that’s not the case right now. You must help me with my research going forward.”

With that finality, the Sect Leader spoke, “I have things I need to discuss with Seong Ah, so you may step outside.”

“Understood.”

“I won’t call for you again today; feel free to roam.”

After stepping out of the audience room, I made my way to the Thunder God Lineage’s building. As I entered, hoping to rest my weary body, I spotted someone standing in front of the door.

Upon seeing me, she spoke, “It’s been a while.”

“Han Baek-ryeong…”

Blocking my path was the Dharma Guardian of the Fire Spirit Techniques, Han Baek-ryeong. Without any indication of her presence, she brushed her black hair back and continued, “I came to speak with you. Can you offer me a cup of tea?”

“……”

“Don’t call anyone else in.”

I couldn’t discern why she was there. However, chatting wouldn’t hurt, so I nodded. “Sure.”

I brewed some tea.

Clink!

Sitting across from Han Baek-ryeong, she got straight to the point. “Baek Woong, there’s no longer a need to cozy up to the Wind Spirit Sect. Just expel them.”

“……!!”

“Since they were essentially yours, the Sect Leader won’t say a word either.”

What the heck is she talking about? I couldn’t help but scrutinize Han Baek-ryeong’s intentions as she suddenly suggested kicking the Wind Spirit Sect to the curb. But details were scarce, so I raised an eyebrow and asked, “What do you mean, out of the blue?”

“It’s simple. Holding onto the Wind Spirit Sect is a pointless endeavor,” she explained.

I glanced around, wary, and said, “That’s risky talk. You know the mice will hear words like these at night; why are you saying such things here…”

Han Baek-ryeong let out a quiet laugh. “Do you think I’d be so foolish? The earthen barrier is in place, so no one can hear us. I set it up so we wouldn’t have to deal with secretive conversations.”

“Wow!”

Taking a closer look around, I could indeed see a massive flow of energy encircling us. It seemed like a sound-absorbing power was at play. Yet creating such a space would require a level of internal power that was unimaginable for ordinary martial artists. This was something only Han Baek-ryeong, as the master of the Heavenly Spirit Pill, could pull off.

Carefully, I asked, “Why is having them a pointless endeavor?”

“The Sect Leader eliminated Yongbi Cheon, but the Wind Spirit Sect hasn’t been wiped out. The heir of Yongbi Cheon, Yong Junil, is still alive and well, serving as the leader of the Huashan Sect.”

“I see…”

“With Yong Junil’s wisdom and cunning, he might create headaches by collaborating with the Wind Spirit Sect within the White Lotus Sect.”

“So you’re suggesting getting rid of the roots of trouble from the White Lotus Sect in advance?”

“Exactly.”

“……”

Yong Junil! From what I’ve seen, aside from the Heavenly Spirit Pill, his martial prowess likely surpassed that of Yongbi Cheon. Even Jin So-cheong, who wiped out the Namgung Clan with bare hands, needed to be fully prepared to face him, indicating he surpassed the realm of ordinary peak experts. Moreover, he possessed not just strength but also wisdom, caution, and thoughtfulness; as long as he was alive, the Wind Spirit Sect hadn’t truly been defeated.

Han Baek-ryeong’s assertion made sense, but I found her motives suspicious. So, without lowering my guard, I said, “What you say makes sense, but why come all the way here to tell me directly? If the Sect Leader thinks it’s necessary, don’t you think he’d order me?”

“The Sect Leader is swamped with research on the Seven Great Techniques. Isn’t it better to handle such minor business ahead of time?”

“……”

“Heh, I see suspicion in your eyes.”

Han Baek-ryeong took a sip of tea before continuing. “That’s right. This is merely a suggestion and nothing more. The real talk begins now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Baek Woong, if you were to acquire the Heavenly Spirit Pill, do you think you could surpass the Sect Leader?”

“Hmm…”

I hummed as I thought. “It would probably be tough. The Sect Leader’s Primordial Spirit is far superior to the Heavenly Spirit Pill…”

“I also acquired intel that the Sect Leader has several holders of the Heavenly Spirit Pill within the Su Shin Sect.”

“……”

“Baek Woong, I came here to ask you for something significant.”

Han Baek-ryeong’s keen gaze turned serious as she said, “If—if the Sect Leader were to run amok, wouldn’t you want to know his greatest weakness to stop him?”

“……!!”

Suddenly, I realized she was speaking truthfully. The Sect Leader’s weakness! Does she know what it is? I stared at her with wide eyes and let out an incredulous noise.

“Hmm… what are you thinking?”

But Han Baek-ryeong shook her head in disappointment. “Seeing you hesitate tells me you won’t answer today.”

“No, it’s not that…”

She stood up abruptly, turning her head with a snap. “I don’t mind if it’s later. If my idea intrigues you, I hope you’ll respond.”

With that, she vanished like a spark. The barrier of energy that had enveloped us dissipated at the same time. As I stood there, bewildered by Han Baek-ryeong’s sudden visit, the Zhuge Clan finally broke his silence.

“Well, that went smoothly.”

“Should I have listened to everything Han Baek-ryeong had to say?”

“Nah, your response just now was the right call. She’s a slippery one; you could achieve nothing in a first encounter.”

“… The Sect Leader’s weakness…”

The Zhuge Clan chuckled lightly.

“Watching the Wind Spirit Sect get purged surely made her anxious. Do you remember what Yongbi Cheon said?”

“Of course.”

“Do you think Yongbi Cheon was the only one to believe that? Han Baek-ryeong must have been worried about the Sect Leader just as much.”

“……”

He had a point.

“Unlike Yongbi Cheon, Han Baek-ryeong hasn’t reached out to the outside. Instead, she has observed the Sect Leader closely for decades, searching for his weakness. That must have been her plan.”

“So it’s likely that Han Baek-ryeong knows the Sect Leader’s weakness?”

“She’s got at least an 80% chance of it. The fact that she came directly to you indicates she’s not here just to scheme. She senses that you are a significant variable that could change the situation. She knows she can’t leave this to someone else.”

“Hmm.”

With determination, the Zhuge Clan said, “Han Baek-ryeong won’t be visiting again soon. If you want to hear what she has to say, it’s up to you to make contact with her.”

“When would be a good time?”

“It’d probably be best when a diplomatic envoy arrives from the imperial palace. That would distract the Sect Leader.”

“That raises another question.”

I crossed my arms and tilted my head. “Is it really okay to threaten Zhuge Bu like that? I still find it unsettling.”

The Zhuge Clan had placed tracking techniques on the Nameless Ritual Book, so it was likely that when I took the book, Zhuge Bu would find out I had visited the Prophet in Astana. They might even track my location through the connection to their technique. After all, fighting Zhuge Bu, no matter my current strength, was akin to betting my life on the line, making it justifiably nerve-wracking.

The Zhuge Clan chuckled. “He knows the power of the Soul Exchange Technique. If he ends up caught by it, he knows he might not survive. Let alone the Yin-Yang Heaven Bug—there’s no way he’ll reveal his circumstances to Vermilion Bird Zhuge Yulong.”

“He’d be a fool to trust any slim chances.”

“He’s not just fine; he’s practically your slave now. You can make use of him to your heart’s content.”

Suddenly, the Zhuge Clan recalled something. “Oh right. You should share your senses with him using the Soul Exchange Technique; that’d be worthwhile.”

“Right now?”

“Give it a shot.”

“Alright.”

I drew upon the energy of the Soul Exchange Technique, starting to resonate with Zhuge Bu’s energy thousands of miles away. Soon, as the energy of the White Cloak surged through my skin, I felt the sense of Zhuge Bu pouring into my body. As I concentrated, ensuring that the sensation could be shared, I felt a deeper oneness take shape.

“Vision… hearing… that should do it. There’ll be time needed to exchange smells and touch properly.”

Indeed, I was presently experiencing what Zhuge Bu witnessed from thousands of miles away. What I currently saw was through his eyes. He was walking along some mountain trail, seeming to traverse a somewhat steep cliff alone without any attendants. As he ascended further, snow began to accumulate due to the drop in temperature, revealing a blinding white scenery.

‘Where is this?’

It felt vaguely familiar.

Approximately half a moment passed. Stopping his step, Zhuge Bu tossed an amulet into the air and then suddenly called out, “Open!”

With that, a translucent film shimmered in the air. Astonishingly, a new path emerged on the previously broken cliff! Zhuge Bu cautiously proceeded inside, and after a brief moment, he reached a bizarre altar piled with stone heaps.

As Zhuge Bu bowed respectfully toward a figure sitting on the altar, he said, “Father, the Sacrifice of the White Lotus Sect has arrived.”

The being sitting quietly turned to look at Zhuge Bu. And the moment I confirmed his face, I felt my teeth clench.

Vermilion Bird Zhuge Yulong!

Zhuge Bu had clearly come to find the Vermilion Bird atop Mount Tai.

 

---