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00452  암천향(暗天鄕)  ————————————————————————=

Apostle, you say?

I considered every possible situation, but I never expected such a proposal. When I thought about being the apostle of God, the image of Dalgi flashed through my mind. After hiding my unease, I spoke.

“The apostle is one who stands between humans and gods. I need power, but the moment I possess the power of an apostle, does it not mean that all my soul and body will be subjugated to God?”

Jeon Wook retorted as if it were obvious.

[That will be the case. In exchange for granting you great power, it’s only natural to pay the price.]

“That’s a little… troublesome…”

As I hesitated, Doo-all and Mangnyang Ghost, the representatives of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace nearby, swooped in and shouted loudly.

[You contemptible brat!!]

[How dare you utter such nonsense before the Emperor?!]

Kiiiii

[Kill that brat!!]

At the same time, the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace shook, and an overwhelming sound erupted. It was infused with formidable divine energy, causing me to flinch. Those beings appeared to be hideous monsters, but in reality, they were on par with the Great Immortal! If the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace descended upon me, I would surely be powerless to resist. After all, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are beings that overshadow the Celestial Realm.

Then, Jeon Wook waved his hand, which was twisted in chaos.

[Be quiet.]

The fury of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace suddenly extinguished. Showing the Emperor’s authority so simply, Jeon Wook crossed his arms and said.

[If you don’t want it, then just refuse. That settles it.]

“……”

It was strange. When Jeon Wook first proposed it, I felt uncomfortable, but now that he was being so casual about it, I felt like I was missing a golden opportunity!

Should I accept the proposal to become his apostle right now? Just then, Zhuge Sa next to me quickly signaled me, and I hurriedly spoke to Jeon Wook.

“Jeon Wook! This offer is too great; I need a moment to think. May I discuss it with my companions?”

[Do as you wish.]

I quickly began to confer with Zhuge Sa and Cheon Woo-jin. It was Cheon Woo-jin who spoke first.

“There’s no point in thinking. I would accept it without hesitation.”

I shot a glance at Cheon Woo-jin.

“Didn’t you say you don’t want to become a god? Isn’t becoming an apostle contradictory to your beliefs?”

“Damn… is that the same thing? That’s my problem, and this is yours. Besides, becoming an apostle of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors would guarantee immortality and grant a power that no human could even dream of. I’ve never heard of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors directly inviting a mortal to become an apostle, even if it’s out of arrogance.”

“……”

“If it were an ordinary person, they’d accept the proposal even if it meant selling their soul.”

Then, Zhuge Sa, with a vague expression, posed a question.

“Could that really be the case?”

Both Cheon Woo-jin and I turned our gazes toward Zhuge Sa. He mulled it over with a contemplative look before continuing.

“I think logically that Cheon Woo-jin is right… but what matters is what Baek Woong thinks. This could also be a trap.”

“A trap?”

“Well, this conversation is probably being overheard by Jeon Wook, so I can’t say much. But Baek Woong, you know what I’m thinking, don’t you?”

“……”

I nodded silently. Zhuge Sa cleverly avoided the topic because of Cheon Woo-jin, but I realized immediately since we shared the obsidian.

Heavenly Spirit Pill!

During my past lives, I had worked tirelessly to obtain the infinite internal power known as the Heavenly Spirit Pill, only to discover later that acquiring it was a trap in itself. Jeon Wook’s proposal to become an apostle could be a similar trap. No, since it binds me to a god, it could be even worse.

‘ Law of Cause and Effect… Law of Cause and Effect…’

I sat quietly and contemplated. The first word that came to mind about being an apostle was “Law of Cause and Effect.” This was the one absolute law that divine beings with great power must adhere to, and becoming an apostle means being bound by this law.

However, as Cheon Woo-jin said, the opportunity to be an apostle of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors isn’t common at all. Jeon Wook seemed particularly fond of me right now, and I couldn’t predict how many chances like this I would have in future lives. It was highly likely that if I proposed anything again, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors would raise their brows in displeasure.

Will some intuition guide me on this?

I wondered about my intuition sparking, but realized a moment later that it was futile. Such intuition does not come at my beck and call. But I couldn’t just keep Jeon Wook waiting for a decade or so; impatience was creeping in.

‘ … Ah, right! I have to clarify my goal for this life!’

The basic policy until now had been to survive while acquiring the Fire Element as much as possible, and if that failed, to ultimately use Great Luck to gain maximum profit and commit suicide. If I choose the path of becoming an apostle, I have to consider how much more benefit it would provide compared to this policy.

What are the benefits of becoming an apostle?

As I pondered over and over, I finally spoke.

“I’ll accept it.”

“Are you serious?”

“I believe there’s something to be learned from this gamble.”

Cheon Woo-jin looked at me as if to say, “What nonsense are you spouting?” but Zhuge Sa seemed to get it right away. He inferred my thoughts just from the word “gamble.” Then, he smirked.

“Heh heh. A gamble it is. I wonder if there’s a reason to do this at this point, but…”

“Since I’ll have to attempt it eventually, right?”

“Do as you wish. The decision is yours to make.”

“Understood.”

I finally shouted to the waiting Jeon Wook.

“Jeon Wook! I shall become your apostle!”

Jeon Wook, as if eagerly anticipating this, said.

[Very well. I, Jeon Wook, shall make you, Baek Woong, my apostle.]

As Jeon Wook extended his hand, dark energy came flying from it, striking my chest. Moments later, that energy spread to my heart, then radiated throughout my entire body, and I felt an unfathomable refreshing sensation wash over me. It felt as if icy water flowed through my veins instead of blood, but there was no pain, only a pleasant sensation that stimulated my peripheral nerves.

“……!!”

Once the dark energy settled within me, Jeon Wook spoke.

[Now that you are my apostle, there’s no need for a separate ceremony to release the Fire Element. I’ll grant you ownership of at least one of the Seven Luminaries.]

What in the world is this?!

I immediately knelt and bowed low to Jeon Wook.

“Thank you!”

[But there is a condition.]

“What is it?”

[I will grant you ten years…]

For a moment, a flicker of displeasure crossed Jeon Wook’s face. He was composed of chaos itself, so I had no way to gauge his expression, yet I felt I could read it due to the bond of the apostle.

[Find Changqie himself or the Fire Spirit and bring them to my Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace.]

“Changqie… are you referring to the Fourth Sovereign, Changqie?”

[Indeed. You seem knowledgeable about the ancient times and have broad connections, so I trust you can find him.]

“……”

An unexpected task was bestowed upon me.

‘To find Changqie?’

It was someone I would have to find someday, but being given a command by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors felt a little unsettling.

The Fourth Sovereign Changqie, a direct subordinate of the Emperor who wielded great power during the Yin Dynasty! Just hearing a command to find the one who invented Chinese characters and devised the current offering ceremony made it sound tremendously difficult! It might be challenging to the point where I wouldn’t be able to do anything else.

But I mentally prepared myself for it. I nodded.

“Yes. I’ll definitely accomplish it.”

[Then, I conclude the offering ceremony…]

Whooosh

With those words, the Sovereign Jeon Wook vanished along with the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace. Then Zhuge Sa, who was beside me, approached.

“This is getting interesting.”

“Do you think we can find the Fourth Sovereign Changqie?”

“Well, who knows? It seems Jeon Wook highly values the fact that you spilled all the secrets of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors during the offering ceremony, and he loves to showcase knowledge unnecessarily.”

“……”

Is this guy subtly mocking me?

Cheon Woo-jin began to retrieve the flags that had been stuck in the Heavenly Spirit Pill.

“What’s certain is that whatever you’re about to do from now on will be something no one in history has ever accomplished.”

“Hmm…”

“To find the Fourth Sovereign Changqie… heh heh. Wouldn’t it be easier to look for a needle in the desert?”

Cheon Woo-jin chuckled, implying that what I had to do was incredibly tough. I stood there dazed and then asked Zhuge Sa.

“If I can’t find him, do I die?”

Zhuge Sa chuckled.

“Heh heh. Finding death alone would be fortunate, wouldn’t it? Being bound by the relationship between god and apostle means Jeon Wook could torture you forever under the pretext of mission failure.”

“Ugh… that’s true.”

“But that just adds to the gamble. You chose to proceed knowing all this, so don’t dwell on it anymore.”

“Understood.”

That’s right.

This is a gamble!

The essence of this gamble is whether ‘God can trap my soul so I cannot be reborn.’ I took on the ruler of the wilderness, and yet at the moment of reincarnation, I had an inkling. However, because I lacked certainty, I had to take this gamble to clarify things.

If I fail this mission but can still reincarnate, it would be significant. It would indeed be problematic if I ended up trapped under the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace for eternity, but the gamble was based on my conviction.

Just then, Jeon Wook vanished, and the Sword Demon and Shadowless Sword Master on guard outside came over. The Sword Demon shouted.

“Baek Woong! Are you safe?”

“Yes!”

Shortly thereafter, I explained to them what had transpired. The Sword Demon looked convinced, having understood the circumstances from the obsidian, but the Shadowless Sword Master appeared dazed throughout.

Eventually, the Shadowless Sword Master exclaimed in disbelief.

“What nonsense are you spouting?! Where are the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and where is this apostle?! Are you all completely insane?!”

“……”

I was just as bewildered by the Shadowless Sword Master’s reaction, but I figured it wasn’t unexpected. The vast majority of Central Plains people regarded the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, if not divine beings, as mere myths. Given that the innate disposition of Central Plains people is one of extreme realism and selfishness, such a reaction is only natural.

Then Zhuge Sa chuckled and suggested, “Heh heh. Shadowless Sword Master, if you’re doubtful, why not test the power of Baek Woong, the apostle?”

“What?”

“You must have already gauged Baek Woong’s martial prowess. Wouldn’t confirming how much he has grown beyond your expectations help convince you of our story?”

“……”

The Shadowless Sword Master glared at me for a moment with sharp eyes before retorting.

“Fine! Then let’s have a spar!”

A little while later, I faced off with the Shadowless Sword Master, standing three paces apart as the onlookers gathered some distance away. I was a little puzzled about why I had to fight the Shadowless Sword Master, but when Zhuge Sa seemed to have guessed my thoughts and sent me a signal, I understood.

[He’s the most suitable opponent to measure how strong you’ve become as an apostle. Normally, he would be quite a formidable adversary, right? By sparring with the Shadowless Sword Master, you can gauge the power you obtained from becoming an apostle.]

That made sense.

“I’m ready.”

I decided to give my best against the Shadowless Sword Master, raising my sword in his direction. Noticing my posture, the Shadowless Sword Master raised an eyebrow.

“What is this? A mixed martial form?”

“Indeed…”

To recognize it in an instant, the Shadowless Sword Master is indeed an expert.

I quietly murmured to myself. Currently, my martial arts were primarily built around the Thunder God Lineage, but while doing so, I had also learned various skills, like the techniques of the Shadowless Gate and Seven Great Techniques, which left me with a hodgepodge style. This led to confusion in my sword family, but thanks to Yeodong-bin’s Heavenly Escape Sword Technique, I barely managed to elevate my skill level.

Still, to discern the nature of my martial arts just from my stance was no ordinary feat for most experts. The Shadowless Sword Master, who could single-handedly rake in the entire Namgung Clan, is indeed a legendary figure.

‘By fighting wholeheartedly, I should be able to understand the true power of an apostle.’

For a moment, I glared at the Shadowless Sword Master, and without either of us waiting for the other, we launched into a quick sword strike.

Kaang!

“Ugh!”

The swords clashed, producing a clear ring. Simultaneously, the Shadowless Sword Master spun around two and a half times before flying backward. In that brief clash, it became apparent to me that even the legendary Shadowless Sword Master could not withstand my internal power. Rather, I should praise his renowned martial arts for enduring the impact without breaking his sword.

Realizing this, the Shadowless Sword Master let out a low groan.

“Ugh… such terrifying internal power indeed…”

But I was not completely satisfied. This much could still be done with my original martial arts; it could hardly be termed a display of apostolic power! So I shouted fiercely and attacked the Shadowless Sword Master.

“Let’s see how we stack up!”

“Alright!”

Kakakang!

Kakang!

The Shadowless Sword Master began to unleash the power of his Shadowless Sword Technique, capable of slaying foes without needing a sword. I, in turn, utilized the absolute slashes of the Thunder God Sword Dance against the Shadowless Sword Master’s perfect sword technique. The thunderous sword strength unleashed dozens of sword pathways, tearing apart the Shadowless Sword Masters’ barrier from the outside.

Normally, one would expect great trouble against the stealthy Shadowless Sword Technique. However, because I had received the Shadowless Soul-Removing Sword Technique from the Sword Demon and trained alongside him for a long time, I easily grasped the strengths and weaknesses of the Shadowless Gate techniques. Even as I exchanged blows with the Shadowless Sword Master for fifty seconds, he must have realized something, as his expression darkened.

“This brat… knows the techniques of the Shadowless Gate!”

“I know them, but I haven’t completely deciphered them. Isn’t that sufficient?”

“You’re just a smooth talker!”

Swoosh

As sword light scattered, our bodies flew about within a three-pace range at astonishing speeds. To ordinary people, it would be nearly impossible to watch this fight properly. After another fifty seconds, the match seemed evenly balanced. This was not because our sword techniques and abilities were of equal standing.

The Three Treasure Technique!

I fully understood that if I engaged solely with his Thunder God Sword Dance, I would inevitably lose to the Shadowless Soul-Removing Sword Technique. Using the absolute sword dance belonging to the temple style, the Thunder God Sword Dance would not suffice. However, since my level wasn’t sufficient to elevate the advantages of the Thunder God Sword Dance, and I couldn’t utilize the Sword Thunder, my decision was to minimally counter while flowing his attacks using the Three Treasure Technique.

As a result, while I couldn’t land an effective blow, neither could the Shadowless Sword Master land his attack on me. Typically, a situation like this would lean towards me being on the defensive and at a disadvantage, but the difference in our internal power compensated for that, creating an evenly matched scenario. The Shadowless Sword Master must have recognized this, as he began calmly executing techniques from various angles.

Suddenly, the Shadowless Sword Master’s eyes glinted.

“Take this too!”

Grumbling, the Shadowless Sword Master suddenly let go of his sword. I instantly sensed that his Mind Control Technique was coming, and I concentrated all my efforts on defense. Just as I expected, a blade of the Invincible Sword shot straight toward me from a narrow gap.

Kaang!

I deflected the sword with my sword strength, but at that moment, I realized that a hidden Soul Removal Sword Qi was attempting to slice through my waist. It was such a subtle yet powerful move that it left me momentarily breathless. I quickly invoked the Soul Removal Technique and withdrew my body.

‘Ugh, no… it’s too late!’

I was hit!

Swoosh

It seemed impossible to completely avoid the Soul Removal Sword Qi, as a deep cut marred my abdomen. A thin line appeared, and soon, crimson blood began to spill forth. I could instinctively sense that shortly thereafter, my insides would be torn apart in excruciating pain.

Surprised by the deadly move, the Shadowless Sword Master exclaimed.

“Uh… are you alright?! I… may have gone too far…”

“Ugh…”

“I couldn’t pass up hitting that split in your evasion.”

The Shadowless Sword Master spoke, almost apologetically. As soon as I heard his answer, I realized why I had fallen to the Invincible Sword.

‘He has seized the flaw in my breathing…!!’

Even if I could use the Three Treasure Technique in practice, it wouldn’t be perfect. The Shadowless Sword Master, as the master of swordsmanship, had caught onto the weak point in my technique and struck precisely at the gap in my breathing that I couldn’t realize.

‘I’ll die at this rate!’

I quickly pressed my hand against the area of the injury, kneeling down. With a wound this severe, recovery wouldn’t be easy, but I thought I might manage to save my life. As I contemplated this and bit down hard to endure the pain, something struck me.

“……”

My insides aren’t spilling out?

The Soul Removal Sword Qi had undoubtedly been infused with the Shadowless Sword Master’s sword strength and mental intent, making it impossible for my Protection Energy Technique to absorb without damage. Normally, my insides would surely shatter and be completely severed, flowing out as my abdomen trembled alarmingly. However, I realized only a shallow cut remained, and I had not been too much shocked!

I tentatively reached for my stomach and then took off my upper garment.

At that moment, the Shadowless Sword Master gasped in shock.

“What?! What’s this?!”

The reason for his astonishment was simple.

The gash across my abdomen was only a thin line, and there was almost no blood oozing from it! This clearly meant that the Shadowless Sword Master’s Soul Removal Sword Qi had inflicted only a superficial wound on me, which was simply incomprehensible from the standpoint of such a peerless master!

Then the Sword Demon, watching from behind, screamed.

“No way… this is…!!”

I rose and shouted toward the Sword Demon.

“Do you know what this is?!”

“……”

Finally, the Sword Demon spoke up in utter disbelief, revealing to me the true ability I had gained as an apostle.

“It seems… you’ve attained invulnerability.”