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After returning to Jangryeong Valley, I stared at the Huaying in my right hand for quite a while.

‘Did I just obtain the third of the Seven Luminaries with this…’

The first one I got was the Water Element’s Divine Sword, followed by discovering the position of the Moon Element’s Three Divine Tools. Of course, I hadn’t liberated both of them yet, but if I wasn’t afraid of future consequences, I could obtain both at any time. And today, I had gotten Huaying from among the Seven Luminaries.

The red Divine Sword sealed with the sword sheath. That was the first impression I had when I laid eyes on Huaying. Checking the sword’s blade, it looked no different from an ordinary sword, but in terms of length, it was clearly a longsword. It contrasted sharply with the slightly longer dagger, the Water Element’s Divine Sword.

Regrettably, I succeeded in putting the Fire Dragon Sword into the wooden armor with Yeodong-bin’s help, but when I tried to take it out again, an intense heat radiated from it, making it impossible to retrieve. It seemed that the Fire Dragon Sword was in a recovering state, thus exuding an even stronger aura of fire.

Suddenly struck by a thought, I attempted to draw the Fire Dragon Sword again while holding onto Huaying with one hand.

Crack!

Did I just hear wood splintering?

“Done!”

I exclaimed. As expected, holding Huaying caused the formidable power of the Fire Dragon Sword to harmonize naturally. I now realized that I could use the Fire Dragon Sword. Zhuge Sa, who was watching my experiment from the side, spoke up.

“To wield both Divine Treasures, you’ll have to learn Twin Sword Technique.”

“Uh… no, that’s not…”

Zhuge Sa’s statement had a semblance of logic, but I frowned. It was evident that if things continued like this, I wouldn’t be able to use the Fire Dragon Sword without holding Huaying. It’s also a given that combining the powers of both Divine Treasures would yield higher destructive force.

However, considering myself a master of martial arts, I cautiously expressed my opinion.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Why?”

“Twin Sword Technique isn’t just an extension of regular swordplay. It’s an independent sect requiring exceptional talent, and being accustomed to Thunder God Lineage sword techniques means I wouldn’t be able to learn it adequately.”

That posed a problem.

Twin Sword Technique wasn’t merely about wielding two swords; the formation of both offense and defense while balancing the left and right was completely different from standard swordplay or a single sword style. To become a master of Twin Sword Technique undoubtedly required grueling training to the extent that I would have to forget everything I had learned about swordplay thus far. Zhuge Sa, seemingly unfazed, replied.

“Well, that’s not my concern… but why don’t you try talking to the Fire Dragon Sword?”

“Talk to it?”

“There must be a sword spirit residing in the Fire Dragon Sword. Use the National Seal to contact the sword spirit.”

“Got it.”

It certainly made sense. There was mention that even when it was sealed in the Shangguan Family’s underground, the form of the sword may have disappeared, but the sword spirit remained. And talking to that spirit was surely necessary to properly use the Fire Dragon Sword.

Woosh!

I gathered my spirit energy and focused my mind on the Fire Dragon Sword. A faint, pulsating energy began to seep into the sword, and I felt something stirring within it. It was like a consciousness trapped in an egg, and despite my persistent attempts to converse, it lay still in a deep sleep as if refusing to listen.

After concluding the attempt, I told Zhuge Sa, “I don’t know if it’s ignoring me or just sleeping.”

“Hmm… It’s likely in a dormant state while recovering.”

“Dormant state?”

Zhuge Sa nodded. “The Divine Treasure, Fire Dragon Sword, was nearing the end of its lifespan after centuries of being sealed and consuming spirit energy. Then suddenly, the massive aura of fire from Huaying flooded in, restoring the Fire Dragon Sword’s strength. Naturally, to recover even a bit more, the spirit is in a dormant state absorbing strength.”

“When will it wake up?”

“I’m not sure, but as long as you hold onto it, the Fire Dragon Sword will initiate contact with you sooner or later. Until then, refrain from using it.”

“Understood.”

I shifted my gaze away from the Fire Dragon Sword and looked at Huaying. Then, cautiously, I inquired, “So the seal is lifted, right?”

“Why are you asking me? Of course, Jeon Wook mentioned himself that the seal was broken.”

“But despite that, I don’t feel particularly stronger…”

I had my reasons for hesitating to voice this. With Huaying liberated by Jeon Wook’s approval, I had become the master of the Seven Luminaries. However, whereas I distinctly felt a power boost when either the Water Element or Moon Element was released, I hadn’t experienced that same strength increase with Huaying’s liberation. Perplexed, I noted Zhuge Sa, arms crossed, deep in thought.

“For now, it’s likely that you’re lending your strength to the recovery of the Fire Dragon Sword…”

“Really now…”

“Anyway, with this, you’ve become the master of the National Seal, Fire Dragon Sword, and Huaying.” Zhuge Sa grinned ear to ear. “Now, the task ahead is clear, right?”

“Yeah.”

I replied firmly, “I will liberate the Water Element through the Offering Ceremony!”

Having become the master of Huaying, if I liberated the Water Element now as well, I would become the first master of two of the Seven Luminaries in my reincarnation! Just thinking about the power I’d gain by obtaining both sent shivers down my spine. Then Zhuge Sa looked at me with a rather serious expression.

“Of course, that’s the goal, but currently there are dangers involved.”

“Are you referring to the mission of finding Changhil within ten years?”

“That, and whether the Three Sovereigns will allow one person to possess two of the Seven Luminaries.”

“……”

“Even if you conduct the Offering Ceremony as planned, the chances of liberating the Water Element are low.”

I sighed heavily at Zhuge Sa’s words. ‘Right. Nüwa won’t grant permission.’

As far as I knew, the Moon Sovereign had already been liberated by the Master of the Twelve Joules. In this situation, with Huaying’s seal broken, if I were to release the Water Element too, it would mean that three of the Seven Luminaries would appear in the world at the same time. I had already experienced how irritable Nüwa could get from such occurrences.

Regardless, it was undeniable that the influence of the Three Sovereigns outweighed that of the Five Sovereigns. If Nüwa strongly opposed, the Sovereign Jeon Wook would surely follow that opinion, disregarding the views of a mere mortal apostle like me. I realized I was facing a conundrum.

Zhuge Sa cracked his knuckles and continued, “The most realistic plan is that you successfully complete Jeon Wook’s mission as quickly as possible, gain recognition for your abilities, and then persuade Jeon Wook using that merit. Because you have the achievement of finding Changhil, you could argue that possessing two of the Seven Luminaries should be acceptable.”

“Is that even possible?”

“I have no idea. How could a mere Demon Sorcerer like me read the minds of the Three Sovereigns? It’s just the method with the highest probability of success.”

Zhuge Sa hesitated slightly before raising a finger. “Another way is to summon a formidable enemy that can only be confronted by liberating the Seven Luminaries.”

“……?”

Momentarily confused, I tilted my head, unable to understand Zhuge Sa’s words. What did that mean? He seemed to expect my confusion and explained.

“Simply put, what would happen if a powerful mortal adversary appeared, wreaking havoc on Earth? The Three Sovereigns wouldn’t intervene due to the Law of Cause and Effect. So they’d prop you up, Jeon Wook’s apostle, as a countermeasure, and thus they’d naturally approve the additional liberation of the Seven Luminaries.”

Oh, I see!

I nodded slowly, half in understanding. “That makes sense. But how could we be so lucky? Those kinds of guys wouldn’t just show up out of nowhere!”

“Heh. Haven’t you seen such beings through Baek Woong?”

“…….”

For a moment, I felt a chill at Zhuge Sa’s suggestion. I gasped in shock. “Are you crazy?!”

“Have you finally realized?”

“No, wait, what do you mean? You’re suggesting we just let the Nine Lotus Sect appear?!”

I exclaimed, aghast, and Zhuge Sa nodded as if it were obvious. “Of course! Only such a foe would make the Three Sovereigns recognize the liberation of the Seven Luminaries.”

“But what in the world…”

I felt bewildered. This was completely upside-down!

What I was currently doing—gathering the Seven Luminaries during my reincarnation—was to enhance my power to bring order to a chaotic world and even defeat the Old Ruler who dominated this land. To allow the Demon God’s Apostle, like the Nine Lotus Sect, to appear was a choice I could never make. If the Demon God’s Apostle invaded the mortal world, mass human sacrifices in the tens of thousands would be inevitable.

Zhuge Sa smiled coldly. “From my perspective, there’s no way the Three Sovereigns would permit any one individual to possess more than two of the Seven Luminaries through regular means. They’d throw a fit even if you only liberated two and held onto them. Because if all the seals of the Seven Luminaries break, it means the treaty with the Old Ruler collapses, reigniting a war among the gods—and they wouldn’t want that. No matter how much credit you gather or how much you try to curry favor with Jeon Wook, it won’t matter.”

“……”

“Then we have to take a hardline approach. The Apostle should face off against the Apostle. If the Old Ruler’s Apostle uses tricks to go wild, you can step up under the pretext of stopping them. That way, the Three Sovereigns will reluctantly allow you to monopolize the Seven Luminaries.”

Zhuge Sa’s logic was sound. Indeed, since the group of Demon God’s Apostles known as the Nine Lotus Sect would appear according to proper cause and effect, in the future, the Three Sovereigns would be rendered powerless to take action. Thus, it was very likely that the authority would be shifted towards me, the Apostles who would hold off those foes.

“Think clearly. Right now, the three major powers are maintaining a balance, giving the semblance of external peace. The Three Sovereigns have no reason to liberate the Seven Luminaries. So since they have no reason to, let’s create one.”

“No, no… wait a second.”

I was somewhat tempted by Zhuge Sa’s suggestion, but shook my head in refusal. “That’s absurd. I already saw how strong the Demon God’s Apostle can be through Baek Woong. Even if I liberated the Seven Luminaries, there’s no guarantee I’d win against a monster like that. Allowing the Nine Lotus Sect to surface for that reason wouldn’t just be burning down a thatched hut to catch a flea.”

When I firmly rejected, Zhuge Sa wore a mischievous expression. “Hmph. If it were Hyun, he wouldn’t have shared such a strategy with you. The end justifies the means in achieving your goals, so why be so stubborn? There’s no way to liberate all the Seven Luminaries just by following the rules.”

“Enough. Let’s put that discussion on hold for now.”

I deflected the conversation emphasis. It seemed Zhuge Sa was inclined to have the Nine Lotus Sect appear as a means to liberate the Seven Luminaries. But I couldn’t comply with that suggestion. Instead, I spoke to Zhuge Sa.

“Then for now, we should focus on finding Changhil before attempting to liberate the Water Element.”

“That would be for the best. Though ten years seems long, it’s not that much time. Get that done first, gather your merits, then gain Jeon Wook’s recognition before liberating the Water Element would be ideal.”

After understanding the situation, I focused my mental strength. “National Seal.”

Woosh!

Before long, I felt a response from the National Seal, and I sensed the spirit of the National Seal manifesting. The spirit summoned several transparent square devices from the darkness. I issued a command to the National Seal.

“Using the Palace Examination Technique, find out where the History Emperor Changhil is!”

[ Yes, understood.]

Pah!

It felt like starlight was undulating. Inside the National Seal, darkness and light swirled, rapidly reading the information of the world. After a while, the National Seal spoke up, sounding troubled.

[ There are 0 results for History Emperor Changhil.]

“What did you say?”

[ Edited upon request from the administrator. Would you like to see related search results?]

What the heck does that mean? I tilted my head in confusion, but Zhuge Sa, who was sharing my senses from the side, chimed in with a smirk.

“I expected this. Can’t get any less than from these.”

“Zhuge Sa, what do you mean?”

“Well, the Palace Examination Technique is a convenient search system deployed over the realm of the Three Sovereigns. It’s a bit of a pain to understand without foundational knowledge, so I’ll explain it later.”

The fact that a Demon Sorcerer knew all this made me inwardly grumble.

“I want a way to find Changhil. Is there anyone who knows his track?”

[ Please hold on for a moment…]

After a short while, the National Seal spoke again.

[ There is 1 similar search result.]

“Who is it?”

Pah!

Suddenly, a figure appeared vividly as if colored by flames. It was something I had seen before, and I muttered in disbelief, “Peng Zuo!”

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