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00415 Celestial Realm ————————————————————————=

Miho’s appearance had changed slightly from before. Previously, she embodied the image of a noble consort at Dongyoung Imperial Palace, but now she looked like a more reserved and graceful beauty. Although the curves of her body had diminished compared to the past, her aura had become even stronger, making it seem like she could captivate anyone with just a glance.

This transformation of Miho was something I had never seen before, yet I recognized her instantly due to her energy. This was because I had once borrowed Miho’s energy while practicing fireball techniques, allowing me to recognize her immediately, regardless of her appearance. As I laid eyes on her, I spoke in a trembling voice.

“Y-You were here all along.”

Then, Miho swept her flowing hair aside and replied, “Is there a reason why this maiden shouldn’t be here? Were you perhaps looking for me?”

“……”

“Heh heh, just kidding. It’s actually this maiden who has been searching for you tirelessly…”

Miho spoke in a strangely bitter tone.

I was lost in the situation and said to Miho, “What’s going on? How did you end up here…?”

Miho responded, “Baek Woong, as I delivered my plea for liberation to the Queen Mother of the West, I was given a task. That task was to follow you and protect you for the next ten years.”

“……”

“But for some reason, despite using every prediction and tracking method, I couldn’t catch up to you. You were flying through the Heaven and Earth Sea like it was your home. Just when I thought I could catch up, you’d be many thousands of miles away! What was I supposed to do?”

When Miho glared at me, I found myself at a loss for words.

“Mi… I’m sorry.”

“Heh heh. Just when I thought I could quietly find you, I discovered terrifying beings nesting nearby. Was it the White Lotus Sect? With my power, I couldn’t even approach, so I hesitated nearby and ended up going to Master Mangnyang.”

“To Master Mangnyang?”

“Because he’s one of the few acquaintances I have left in the Central Plains.”

As Miho said this, she looked out the window.

“Master Mangnyang told me I lacked sufficient power, so he trained me in spells. He said when I had enough strength, I should go to the Shaolin Temple. He believed you would come looking for me if I stayed there…”

“I would…?”

“It was true what he said. Here I am waiting, and you’ve come.”

I felt bewildered. While it could be understood why Master Mangnyang trained Miho, how did he predict I’d come to the Shaolin Temple? My curiosity impelled Zhuge Sa to respond, as if finding me foolish.

[You’re the messenger of the Celestial Realm, rushing about every day, and you think you won’t have responsibilities at the Heavenly Altar? Especially with the Heavenly Altar of Songshan being particularly important, wouldn’t it be expected that you’d come looking for her?]

[Ah!]

That did make sense. I had indeed come to the Heavenly Altar for a reason. As I mulled this over, Miho suddenly grabbed my hand.

“Baek Woong. Stay still here for forty-nine days.”

“……?!”

What on earth was that about? Miho continued, “The descent of the Celestial Realm cannot be prevented by human strength. Don’t get caught up in unnecessary dangers. Let’s wait together, then we can go to Master Mangnyang. He will protect you from the catastrophe of the Celestial Realm.”

“……”

As I stood there, stunned by Miho’s words, I asked, “Miho. How do you know this? I haven’t said anything about what happened…”

Indeed, I had just spoken to Master of Zen, and I had come directly here. And Master of Zen had only learned my situation less than half a moment ago. How was Miho in this secluded retreat so aware of everything?

Then Miho replied, “I have enhanced my Six Divine Senses through training. I overheard everything you were discussing at the Heavenly Altar.”

“What…”

I was taken aback. The distance from this retreat to the altar was significant; it might as well be a mountain range away. To hear conversations from that distance was beyond even animal-like hearing. Miho must have reached a remarkably high level of mastery.

Holding my hand tighter, Miho continued, “I don’t know why you prayed for my freedom. I don’t really like how you’re pretending to care. But it is true that you saved my life, and I can’t just let you die like this.”

“……”

So that’s how Miho saw my existence.

[An unfathomable puzzle of a pervert but too lovable to hate, huh? How annoying.]

Shut up!

After growling at Zhuge Sa, I calmly said to Miho, “I apologize for my previous rudeness. Thank you for waiting for me like this. However, I can’t easily accept that proposal.”

“What do you mean?”

“I need to ask one thing first… Can you trust me?”

After saying that, I reached into my pocket and pulled out an obsidian stone. Though it was only the size of my palm, it should be sufficient. I infused my memories into it before offering it to Miho.

“If you take this, my memories will be conveyed to you. If you trust me, accept this.”

“Uh…”

Miho appeared to contemplate it. Then, in a cautious tone, she asked, “You’re not planning to use this to seduce me, are you?”

“Yikes… Of course not!”

I stumbled over my words in panic. After all, that was an angle I hadn’t considered. At the same time, I realized my previous abrupt embrace had led her to see me as a color demon. I had made a mistake in a moment of weakness, leading to misunderstanding. My face turned crimson as I desperately tried to clarify.

“That won’t happen, I promise.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Uh-huh… I’m willing to be deceived.”

Miho took the obsidian.

Pffffft

As the transfer of memories finished, Miho momentarily wore a dumbfounded expression. Perhaps startled, her human facade fell away, revealing a silver fox face for an instant. Then she quickly reverted to human form, seemingly realizing her blunder.

Miho stammered as she spoke, “This… This can’t be… Rebirth? That can’t possibly be…”

“Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter. But it’s the truth.”

“Umm… Hmm…”

After a long pause, Miho suddenly spoke up, “You’re a bad guy. You wanted me to survive for ten years so you could ascend instead, didn’t you? You’re really eager to escape!”

“Yikes…!!”

Miho crossed her arms and shook her head, “How have you managed to die over twenty times within less than a hundred years…?”

I found myself speechless as she hit the nail on the head.

‘Ugh… I got nothing…’

Indeed, during my lifetime, I had survived barely over ten times. Even though I had lived quite long this time, technically, I hadn’t even reached ten years yet. In my previous lives, I often ended up dying unexpectedly due to jumping into overly ambitious attempts. As a result, Miho had always been left behind to die or was abandoned with me.

Then Miho burst into laughter, “Hahaha… Just kidding.”

“That didn’t sound like a joke at all…”

“Heh heh. Of course, there’s truth mixed in.”

Miho brushed off her biting jest and continued, “So now, are you sharing thoughts with that Zhuge Sa guy?”

“Yeah.”

“That means Zhuge Sa is listening to this entire conversation right now.”

“Uh-huh.”

Miho grimaced in distaste, “That’s truly unpleasant. Don’t you feel tortured? Sharing your brain with that eccentric?”

“It’s more about getting used to it, really.”

“Hmph. You better sever it soon.”

As she spoke with annoyance, Zhuge Sa chuckled from within.

[Heh heh… When you reincarnate into a new body, how about taking that fox under your wing?]

[What?! Are you out of your mind?!]

[Oh, of course, you’ll have to lead the way first. I’ll graciously let you do that.]

There was a hint of mischief there. I knew they were intentionally trying to irritate me, but I had no choice but to fall into their trap.

[Damn it. Stop right there! I won’t forgive you for messing with Miho.]

Despite having heard untold things from Zhuge Sa, I couldn’t stand to hear anything about Miho. I truly exploded in anger and began pacing, but Zhuge Sa merely laughed with delight.

[You want to pair up with that nine-tailed fox over a legendary beauty like Sagong Lin or Seo Mun-hye? Talk about a crazy obsession, ha ha…!]

[What I do with my heart is none of your concern. Just stop it already.]

I scowled and spoke to Miho, “Anyway, Miho. Right now, I’m helping the Master of the White Lotus. The Celestial Realm seems suspicious, and I want to understand the Master of the White Lotus’ true intentions and capabilities better. I need to do everything possible to prevent their descent for the next forty-nine days.”

Then Miho retorted bluntly, “Baek Woong. Do you really not comprehend the powers of the Celestial Realm? Facing them could only lead to death.”

“The master has taken down Southern Flower Immortal, Wu Gil, and Zhang Jiao. His strength surpasses even the Great Immortal, so with the Twelve Joules and training, I might…”

“Hmph!”

Miho sneered as she interrupted, “Even the Great Immortal is nothing compared to the Celestial Realm. The Master of the White Lotus may be overly confident, but the thought of him being defeated soon makes me laugh.”

“Three is still a solid number. Don’t you think that warrants confidence?”

“This maiden hails from the Celestial Realm, so of course, I’ve seen the stark difference between the power of the Twelve Joules and the Great Immortal. Not to mention, the Southern Flower Immortal is nothing but a flamboyant nuisance that isn’t recognized as a true immortal. You are gravely misjudging the power of the Celestial Realm.”

Having spoke, Miho gripped my hand tightly, “Yes, Baek Woong. As you say, maybe the Master’s plan will lead to a decent fight against the Celestial Realm. But are you really willing to risk everything for that master? Will your loyalty be worth sacrificing your life in this whirlwind?”

“……”

“Just give up now and make offerings to Master Mangnyang. He will certainly protect you from the hands of the Celestial Realm, allowing you to live comfortably.”

“That is…”

I found myself at a loss for words, as Miho’s reasoning made sense. Her words seemed like the best way to ensure survival while ensuring future safety. Even if the White Lotus Sect were to fall into the Celestial Realm’s hands, being protected by Master Mangnyang would still yield benefits.

[Hey. Just respond…]

[It’s fine. I’ll answer. }

Zhuge Sa attempted to inject his thoughts, but I firmly rejected him. I wanted to discuss things with Miho entirely on my own terms. No matter how much wisdom Zhuge Sa possessed, there were domains where I simply could not heed his advice. Having gathered my thoughts, I told Miho, “Miho. I don’t want to give up too soon.”

“What do you mean?”

“I believe that even if I succeed or fail over the next forty-nine days, the experience I gain will be valuable. And during that effort, I will acquire additional information and clues. This way, I will have a better advantage in the next battle against the Celestial Realm.”

“……”

“And besides, if I don’t take the risk now, I won’t be able to take any actions without the Twelve Joules.”

Hearing my words, Miho expressed disbelief, “Are you really thinking about the next reincarnation in this situation? Even when there’s a way to survive, you plan to risk your life for efficiency in this lifetime?”

“Yeah, and what’s wrong with that?”

“You’re insane! No matter how effective that method is, it’s a mad choice. Aren’t you scared of dying?”

Miho looked flabbergasted as she jumped up in irritation.

“Yep.”

But I wasn’t willing to concede on this matter.

“I’ve never experienced the underworld.”

Since I had never reached this level as a close aide to the Master of the White Lotus, this was a first. Because of that, even dying multiple times had granted me numerous invaluable insights. While regressing now would be easy enough, I had no guarantee I wouldn’t end up repeating what happened in this lifetime.

So, feeling a bit bitter, I said to Miho, “If that’s the case, I’ll ask Master Mangnyang to send you back to the Celestial Realm. If I offer up some treasures, that should be feasible.”

“No… that’s…”

“So just don’t interfere with my plans. I won’t be asking for your help.”

I turned to leave the retreat. Miho halted me with a shout.

“Wait!”

As I paused, Miho continued, “Baek Woong. May I ask one thing?”

“What is it?”

“If I help you… will you promise to love only me for all your lives to come?”

I was startled by her question. Then, smiling broadly without hesitation, I replied, “Forever!”

Suddenly, Miho’s face turned bright red. She quickly restored her composure and spoke in a haughty tone, “O-Okay. I’ll help you as much as possible, as long as your life isn’t in peril.”

“What? Your mind’s been changed?”

“But if you don’t change your outcomes in forty-nine days, you must do as I say. Understood?”

“Got it!”

If Miho were to stand by me as a partner, then there was no need to uphold my loyalty to the White Lotus Sect until the very end. I could simply live the remaining lifetime with Miho.

Thus, Miho officially joined my ranks. Sitting calmly in the retreat, she stated, “The first thing we need to figure out is the reason for such disturbances in the Celestial Realm.”

“Isn’t it because the Master of the White Lotus and the Twelve Joules are disrupting the balance of Heaven and Earth?”

“Somehow, I feel that’s not quite the case. If that were true, why didn’t the Heavenly Altar descend when the Imperial Palace ruled over Luoyang?”

“Hmm.”

That perspective hadn’t crossed my mind. As I pondered, Zhuge Sa interrupted in irritation.

[Damn, this is inconvenient. Get a body here and put me in it using the Soul Exchange Technique.]

Whoosh

Following Zhuge Sa’s request, I took one of Zhuge Yulong’s spare bodies and placed his spirit inside. After a moment, Zhuge Sa opened his eyes wide and suddenly directed his attention to Miho.

“You sly fox. Talking to this fool will only waste the day. Let’s have a chat.”

“Hmph… Are you even Zhuge Sa, or just some crazy person?”

“Heh heh heh.”

Zhuge Sa chuckled and perched himself by the window, “All jokes aside, the reason the Celestial Realm is causing a stir with the Master of the White Lotus ruling Luoyang is definitely due to a seal.”

“A seal?”

“Heh. It’s probably an unnecessary worry.”

Zhuge Sa murmured before continuing, “I don’t know the details, but I’ve heard there’s been a significant seal maintained in Luoyang since ancient times. The Celestial Realm’s aggressive actions might stem from fearing that the Master of the White Lotus would break that seal.”

“If you knew about it, then surely the Vermilion Bird would also be aware of the seal’s existence?”

“That would be likely.”

“Then why didn’t the Vermilion Bird interfere when it had control over Luoyang but allowed the Master of the White Lotus to rule?”

“……”

After hearing Miho’s probing questions, Zhuge Sa pondered for a long moment before finally responding, “I think the seal cannot be undone by spells, but the Master of the White Lotus might be capable of unraveling it.”

Both Miho and I fell into dumbfounded silence at that answer.

What kind of puzzle was this? What differences existed between the Vermilion Bird and the Master of the White Lotus?

Yet, Zhuge Sa’s response unquestionably seemed the most reasonable at this point. As I listened to him, I suddenly exclaimed.

“Sangwan Hyuk!”

“Sangwan Hyuk?”

Miho looked at me quizzically, but Zhuge Sa smirked with significance.

“Heh heh… You’ve certainly become more perceptive.”

“It must revolve around him.”

“Exactly.”

Zhuge Sa continued, “The seal that Ascendant Sangwan Hyuk has kept close—the one that the Celestial Realm worries about.”

 

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