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“Before I enter the offering ceremony, I decided to talk with Mangnyang.”

He was right; my desperate need to obtain the Fire Spirit had led to some sloppy work on my part. Plus, the fact that my plan involving the Four Great Spirits was sealed was a major issue.

Mangnyang sat at the table and began, “Baek Woong, to be honest… I can no longer make predictions.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… As I read your memories, I see that in my 15th reincarnation, I, Mangnyang, had a pretty big plan in motion. It was systematic with plenty of foreshadowing. But at some point, my plans started going south, and I ended up relying heavily on improvisation.”

“……”

He sighed, “In my 16th life, I became Ji-seon Mangnyang, a mere underling of the Celestial Realm, and in the 17th, I was blindsided by the Vermilion Bird… After that, it was all chaos and I was just dragged along. While you depended heavily on my plans, the truth is, I was never really qualified to take care of you.”

“No, that’s not…”

“It’s true, regardless of my talent as a strategist, I’ve failed. No need for sympathy.”

This wasn’t the first time Mangnyang analyzed his past lives, but it felt different this time. Previously, it felt like simple lamenting; now it was a cold, hard analysis. After a sip of water, Mangnyang continued, “When Zhuge Sa told you ‘don’t rely on strategists,’ it was also a jab at me, the incompetent strategist.”

“Hmm.”

“Baek Woong, let’s think rationally. You always come to me as soon as you reincarnate because you need someone to analyze your past lives and find a new, efficient path. Am I wrong?”

“… You’re not wrong.”

“Right now, I, Mangnyang, don’t know any martial arts and my sorcery skills are in the pits; all I have is my head. But the scope of your previous lives has already reached a level where you can uncover the secrets of the Three Sovereigns and the Old Ruler and even go toe-to-toe with them. Plus, the secrets of ancient mythology you possess are beyond human understanding now.”

He crossed his arms and said, “In short… I’m useless if I were to join you in your past life adventures. Compared to your epic records of over 20 adventures, I’ve become lacking. In my 19th life, I was Zhuge Sa, the leader of the heretical sect, a demon sorcerer with profound knowledge about the otherworldly races, and that’s how I was able to assist you.”

I exclaimed in surprise, “That’s not true! You are my fil…”

“That’s just personal fondness you have as a human being. I’m not qualified to be your companion right now.”

“……”

I was at a loss for words. It was the first time I’d seen Mangnyang be this self-deprecating. But there was a certain conviction in his tone that indicated he had different thoughts. So, as I calmly gazed at him, Mangnyang let out a soft laugh.

“Good gaze. Zhuge Sa must have truly been a brilliant strategist.”

“Didn’t you dislike Zhuge Sa?”

“How could I not? He turned his back on humanity and became a demon sorcerer, practicing heretical arts, even resorting to human sacrifices and killing some in the palace. My father, Zhuge Yulong, had no choice but to expel him. At the very least, the current me cannot like Zhuge Sa.”

As Mangnyang spoke, he propped his chin on his hand, looking pensive.

“But seeing your memories, I can’t help but revise my assessment. He’s quite an impressive figure. Perhaps I must acknowledge the ideals he aspires to.”

I didn’t really get it, but seeing Mangnyang acknowledge Zhuge Sa gave me a gratifying feeling. Mangnyang then said nonchalantly, “Well, I say all this, but it doesn’t mean I can’t help you. On the contrary, I absolutely want to become your ally. However, I must stress that I am currently lacking.”

I caught on to what Mangnyang meant.

“You mean you need time to improve?”

He nodded.

“Yes. Whether it’s martial arts or sorcery, I must obtain enough skills so that I am no longer a hindrance to you. It’s time to move beyond just relying on my intellect.”

“So… what are you planning?”

“I’m thinking of going to Mount Kunlun in the Celestial Realm. And I’ll break through the Gate of Entry to become Ji-seon once more.”

Mount Kunlun in the Celestial Realm!

Upon hearing that, a whirlwind of emotions surged through me. These beings were far from clear in their intentions even at this point. Plus, to grow strong enough to challenge the Old Ruler, there were figures I’d have to take down first. Even the sect leader who shouted “True Martial Home” could only ally with the rulers due to the overwhelming power of the Celestial Realm. It seemed like a force beyond human capability to handle.

“Wait a minute, Mangnyang… you’re thinking of becoming Ji-seon?”

“That’s the plan. To decipher the secrets of the Three Sovereigns and join the adventure of finding the Seven Luminaries.”

Mangnyang explained that before reaching the limits of lifespan, Taoist masters undergo a transformation called “Hwa-cheon,” discarding their physical form to gain great power. This stage is known as the Lower Immortal, and they refer to these beings as Ji-seon. Since they didn’t ascend to the Celestial Realm, they were called Earth Immortals, or Ji-seon.

If they rank up from Ji-seon, they become the Upper Immortals, known as Tian Xuan. Among the Great Immortals, there are divisions based on power and rank, but there aren’t many of them to make it significant.

I suddenly felt something was off and asked, “Wait, but you, Mangnyang, used to be Ji-seon and trained at Mount Kunlun. Isn’t an Earth Immortal descending to train on Earth against the normal ascension route of a Taoist?”

“That’s right. Typically, Taoists hone their skills on Earth for a long time, become the mountain spirits, and then, through competition, ascend to the Gate of Entry to obtain positions in the Celestial Realm. But I think I took a shortcut by ascending to the Gate of Entry quickly and becoming a disciple of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.”

“Hmm… that’s odd. How could you ascend to the Gate of Entry without the power of a Ji-seon? Pushing through all the renowned Ji-seon gathered from across the Central Plains…”

Mangnyang shook his head. “I don’t know. With my current knowledge, I have no way of explaining it. Somehow, I must have managed to get through. And in my case, it might have been thanks to you forcibly freeing Xuyou from the North Pole, which made the Celestial Realm anxious. In my 19th life, because of you, I received the blessings of the Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate, so it was probably possible due to my strong spiritual energy.”

“Hmm…”

I accepted it. If Mangnyang became Ji-seon and joined me as a powerful sorcerer, I wouldn’t need to forcibly move Cheon Woo-jin anymore. He had talent, but was such a difficult person to maneuver.

“And looking back, it seems like you plan to break through the Fire Spirit as well.”

“That’s right.”

“When is the next solar eclipse of the Fire Spirit?”

As I dug through knowledge of the otherworldly races, I answered cautiously, “In human terms, about 94 years from now. The next is in 367 years after that.”

“Quite a long wait… A cycle of 367 years! So you were trying to break through with the blessings of Great Luck.”

“That’s right.”

Sadly, the solar eclipse of the Fire Spirit would occur a considerable distance from my current timeframe. While 94 years was not overly distant, it was still a long wait. It was enough time for a regular person to grow old and pass away. To think that I would have to wait over 90 years just to obtain the Fire Spirit was undoubtedly a huge loss. And the subsequent 367 years? That would be close to 500 years, signaling the onset of a new age of decline, or ‘Malfa.’ After a moment, Mangnyang spoke up.

“I won’t provide plans for that.”

“Hmm?!”

“As I mentioned, I can only utilize improvisation. However, that might also complicate your path. So until I have the qualifications to speak, until my perception of the world broadens, I will leave the gathering of the Seven Luminaries to your intuition. After all, you are the Reborn Person.”

I almost let out a cry. But in that instant, I realized that Mangnyang’s words were stemming from his belief in my abilities rather than a lack of fondness for me. It also felt like he truly thought this was the time for me to take the initiative as a Reborn Person. I nodded vigorously.

“Got it! Leave it to me.”

With that, I began the offering ceremony with Mangnyang. As the ceremony commenced, for the first time, the Primordial Void Ruler appeared, and before he even spoke, I shouted.

[I am the Tai…]

“Primordial Void Ruler! I have a question.”

[…I’m the Void Ruler, so what’s on your mind?]

“Through this offering, we are making an offering of Xuyou’s spirit. Is it permissible to also offer the natural spirit energy sleeping within the other Seven Luminaries?”

This was something Mangnyang had advised me just moments ago. The Primordial Void Ruler blinked in surprise at the unexpected question and replied.

[Which Seven Luminary’s natural spirit energy are you referring to?]

“Is it possible for the Fire Spirit’s energy to be awakened?”

[I will accept it, but I doubt it will be very meaningful…]

“Why?”

The Primordial Void Ruler spoke, slightly displeased. [To offer a generous reward for Xuyou’s spirit in exchange for blessings is because that spirit is greatly useful to the Celestial Realm. The very life force of the spirit rejuvenates the flowers of the Celestial Realm, and that feat is highly valued. However, the power of the Fire Spirit isn’t something the Celestial Realm currently needs, so I’m not inclined to accept it.]

“……”

Somehow, it felt like if I offered the Fire Spirit, the very ceremony itself wouldn’t establish. It was only natural that no one wanted to receive what was essentially trash if they didn’t need it, even if it were free. The plan to kill two birds with one stone by obtaining the Fire Spirit after acquiring it was off the table.

Once my quest was resolved, I said, “Well then, onto the next one.”

[Huh?! My blessing…]

“Next one.”

[……]

After the Primordial Void Ruler, the Queen Mother of the West appeared, and I looked at her with suspicion for a moment.

‘Something smells fishy.’

They say that in the Mythological Age, the Queen Mother of the West was not human in form. Her true form’s whereabouts in the Celestial Realm was a mystery, and if necessary, she had the strength to descend to the ground through Miho and overpower the Guardian of the Moon Sovereign. Moreover, when the Heavenly Mysterious Woman began probing into her or the high-level beings of the Celestial Realm, many Ji-seon were said to have perished, raising even more suspicion.

But asking outright what her intentions were wasn’t an option. With no choice, I addressed the Queen Mother of the West, “Queen Mother, would you be able to bestow blessings that can resist the Fire Spirit’s power?”

[Hmm… I can grant blessings for longevity, but…]

“It seems someone as all-powerful as the Queen Mother can do anything…”

I tried buttering her up, but the Queen Mother cut me off without a second thought.

[That’s not possible. Anyway, my essence would be embedded in you, so any blessing would be pointless. I’ll be passing on to the next.]

As I continued the ceremony, I kept pondering. What should I do in this situation to get closer to the Fire Spirit? I felt like there had to be a solution, but nothing came to mind. Relying on Mangnyang wasn’t an option either, which was frustrating.

Next.

Next.

[I am Tai Gong-mang.]

As I moved onward, I suddenly realized it was Tai Gong-mang’s turn. I stared at him blankly, pondering.

‘Should I just accept the Four Great Spirits?’

But since the plan using the Four Great Spirits was blocked, receiving the Four Great Spirits would be redundant with regard to the Golden Lamp’s performance. Restructuring my choices didn’t seem to hold any sharp solutions either.

‘Restructuring… Re-selecting the blessings of the Great Immortals… assistance against the Fire Spirit…’

Just as I was deep in thought, a good idea struck me.

“Oh-ho!”

[Have you made your decision?]

“Rather than the Four Great Spirits, grant me the right to re-select.”

[Understood. Then let’s go back to the start.]

Upon returning to the Primordial Void Ruler, I cycled through to stop at the Heavenly Spirit’s turn.

‘Not my favorite, but let’s give it a shot!’

I gathered my resolve and called out, “I seek the blessings of the Heavenly Spirit!”

[I am the Heavenly Spirit. I shall grant you the ability of Crucible of Fate.]

I expected it! Remembering my past experiences, my eyes gleamed.

“No. That won’t be enough.”

[What?]

“I have no guarantee that the ability of Crucible of Fate is essential for my survival. Please either enhance the power of Crucible of Fate or introduce me to someone else.”

[I don’t quite understand.]

“Listen. Just how strong the Master of the White Lotus Sect is…”

I listed out the powers of the Master of the White Lotus Sect, the Heavenly Spirit Pill, the Power of the Twelve Joules, Miyamoto Musashi, and so on—every powerhouse I had encountered. When the Heavenly Spirit finished listening in disbelief, I stood my ground.

“… So just having Crucible of Fate isn’t going to cut it for survival.”

[Is that so… Then I can’t help it. I’ll grant you my White Bow.]

It was then that thunder rumbled, and suddenly, a giant Ba Gua appeared around the Heavenly Spirit’s body. The hovering Ba Gua wrapped around him as if binding him in place. The Heavenly Spirit, noticing it, shouted towards the heavens.

[Emperor Jun! What does this mean?]

I knew what was happening. Soon after, a being with a human face and dog ears, along with the body of some undefined beast descended from the heavens. Though it looked monstrous, a divine aura radiated from it, indicating it was a sacred being. This being was Shabi, an apostle of the Three Sovereigns, Jun.

[Emperor Jun’s message is this: the Red Bow and the White Arrow both belong to the Heavenly Sovereign. To bestow them upon a Mortal could be excessive.]

[If that’s the case, what about the achievements of this bow, which vanquished the spirits of the Three-Legged Crow, the Great Wind, the (??), and the (??). Those feats were beyond dispute even for the Yellow Emperor!]

[……]

[Please make the right decision.]

After the debate, the Five-Color Bird flapped and flew away, signaling the Emperor Jun’s approval.

[The White Bow has been granted to you.]

“Thank you!”

With the Divine Blessing done, I completed the offering ceremony. Then I handed Mangnyang the Obsidian filled with my martial arts memories, along with the Black and White Lotus for enhancing internal power, and the Sacred Lotus and the Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate.

“This should make it pretty easy to get stronger.”

Mangnyang grinned. “You forgot one thing.”

“Huh?”

“For every next reincarnation, when you gift me treasures, don’t leave this one out.”

Then Mangnyang swiftly grabbed one of the treasures I had presented, and I sighed.

“Ah-ha!”

So that method worked! Mangnyang really was brilliant.

With all preparations done, Mangnyang said, “Baek Woong, I’ll be heading to Mount Kunlun and won’t be coming out until I become Ji-seon. So if you need sage advice during that time, you’ll have to go to Zhuge Sa.”

“Ugh… that guy…”

“Regardless, you and Zhuge Sa have always had a great rapport. Go ahead and explain your circumstances to him.”

As our conversation ended, Mangnyang left.

Once the series of events concluded, I immediately utilized the Golden Lamp and headed right to the barrier where the remnants of the Fire Spirit resided. I faced the misty barrier.

“Hey! Destroy the barrier with the White Bow!”

[Got it.]

Rumbling.

In the next moment, the Heavenly Spirit and Fighting Spirit, Ye, manifested. Upon descending, Ye summoned a massive fiery bow in the air and loaded it with dazzling lightning essence. He gathered formidable strength, and the very air around him seemed to ignite with intensity as an earth-shattering noise erupted.

[One shot!]

Bang!!

[Second shot!!]

The second arrow struck the barrier, but the Fire Spirit’s seal showed no signs of damage. Ye seemed slightly surprised as he remarked.

[Hmm… Human, what kind of barrier is this? I’ve hardly ever seen such a sturdy one.]

Seems he didn’t fully understand that this was the sealed place of the Fire Spirit. Before he entered deep thoughts, I decided to provoke him swiftly.

“Can’t you break it? I heard you were a powerful Fighting Spirit…”

Then Ye snapped, “Who said I can’t break it! This is easy. I’ve only shot twice!”

Bam!

Crash!

Boom!!

Ye’s arrows, the White Arrows, shot forth, striking the barrier successively. In an instant, he fired six arrows, and the noise sounded as if the world was collapsing. Ye proved to be worthy of the title as his arrow strength amounted to a natural disaster, surpassing human capability as it steadily approached the peak of ultimate force.

‘Still on the sixth arrow… the remaining three should be terrifying.’

The White Bow indeed possessed tremendous power—the more it shot, the mightier it seemed. Each shot was like doubling in strength. Given that it was the same force that had once killed me, I couldn’t view it lightly, but indeed, Ye qualified as a Fighting Spirit. When shooting it at myself, I had switched to spiritual damage, so I hadn’t noted its sheer destructive force, but with these, it displayed incredible might.

Listen here! Not surprisingly, the barrier that had barely budged began to crack visibly. Ye shot out, feeling gleeful.

[Seventh shot!!]

Crack!

He broke through!! Ye’s White Bow successfully left a one-palm-sized hole on the barrier during the seventh shot. Although the barrier appeared to be recovering slightly, it was nothing to worry about. The next shot would undoubtedly shatter the barrier as the eighth shot would be even stronger!

‘I did it.’

The operation to break through the Fire Spirit’s barrier was a success! If I could break the barrier, there was no need to fight Gong Gong. I could just use the Golden Lamp to sneak into the secret room and acquire the Fire Spirit!

This time, I thought of putting the Fire Spirit into the Wooden Armor without physically touching it.

[Hehehe…]

At that moment.

Whoosh!

Something suddenly manifested, swinging what appeared to be a colossal pillar that fiercely knocked away Ye’s eighth arrow. The Heavenly Spirit furrowed his brow at the interruption.

[What? Why did you suddenly block my path?]

The colossal pillar shrank back into a smaller form. It seemed like it had the ability to change in size at will.

[Hey, Mister, you don’t know? It’s due to the Law of Cause and Effect and the orders of the Celestial Realm.]

The one who spoke with an insolent tone was a peculiar creature with a monkey-like appearance. It was a being that looked half human, half monkey, with crimson eyes and golden pupils.

[Fighting Overcoming Buddha Mi-ho, make way! I follow the mandate of the divine oath.]

Fighting Overcoming Buddha? What the heck is that?

While Ye shouted angrily, the monkey-like being, the Fighting Spirit, casually floated on the clouds and remarked.

[Wait, what? It’s all good, but do you realize that this is the sealed land of the Fire Spirit among the Seven Luminaries? If a human comes through the proper channels, that’s one thing, but it’s absurd for our Celestial Fighting Spirits to directly break the barrier, you know?]

[Oh no!! Is that true?]

[Would I be able to descend from the Celestial Realm without permission? Of course I’m here; that’s the greatest proof, right? This is simply a matter of official duty.]

[Ugh… I didn’t do this out of my own choice.]

[I’m sure you didn’t~]

The Fighting Overcoming Buddha, still rolling around in the clouds, continued, “Now you have a choice: will you fight me or retreat?”

Ye, annoyed, replied, “[Hmph! I won’t lose in a fight against you.]”

[Who said that?]

[……]

Ye paused for a moment in thought before saying, “[Human Baek Woong! You deceived the Celestial Realm and tricked the Fighter into allowing the barrier to break. Such a grave sin warrants immediate execution!]”

Wait a minute! What’s that monkey talking about? Hold on!

Bang!

I tried to yell in protest, but before I could, the eighth and ninth White Arrows transformed into spirits and came flying at me. I felt the sensation of the arrows ripping through my soul but had no means to resist Ye’s arrows. My consciousness began to fade.

That marked my 21st death.

 

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