Chapter 482
“I was a bit confused by what Master of the Twelve Joules Ha Eun-cheon said.”
‘How did he know I am the master of the Fire Spirit?’ It wasn’t strange that he wanted to hunt the Sea God, though. Back in my previous life, he had suggested teaming up to go after the Sea God multiple times. For him, the Sea God was nothing less than a sworn enemy he needed to take down.
But that wasn’t the main point. Although he called me the Fire Dragon Incarnate, he was categorically stating that I was the master of the Fire Spirit. In strict terms, the powers of the Fire Dragon Incarnate and the Fire Spirit are different entities, making it tough for an outsider to draw conclusions, yet Ha Eun-cheon spoke with such conviction.
Thinking he might be testing me, I decided to play along for now.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about. What on earth is this Fire Spirit?”
“Hehe, well of course you would feign ignorance.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules chuckled before continuing.
“Don’t worry. I’m not planning to steal the Seven Luminaries right now. What’s important is that you, Baek Woong, possess power, and I want to leverage that power to fulfill my objectives.”
“You sure know how to butter things up.”
I gave him a pointed look.
“Sorry, but I have no intention of getting involved in things I don’t understand. Please find another helper.”
Even if it could be dangerous, my gut told me it was crucial to speak my mind firmly here. As I anticipated, the Master of the Twelve Joules seemed willing to listen rather than resort to force.
“Another helper, huh? What kind of helper do you mean?”
“You could seek assistance from the Master of the White Lotus Sect or the Celestial Realm’s Immortals. Their powers would far surpass mine.”
“They’re a bunch of useless fools.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules shot back decisively. When I stared at him in disbelief, he added.
“Right now, you’re the only one who can help me. I’m asking you to cooperate.”
“I already said I don’t want to.” I pressed. “What’s stopping the Master of the Twelve Joules from getting help from the Celestial Realm?”
“…”
The Master of the Twelve Joules was deep in thought before replying.
“Strange. I thought someone as powerful as the master of the Seven Luminaries would know…” What did that even mean?
His tone didn’t seem condescending; more like he was surprised by the circumstances. Ha Eun-cheon, who had been momentarily astonished, chimed in.
“The Celestial Realm cannot arbitrarily interfere with our Twelve Joules or the Manha Spiritual Gate, but conversely, we cannot receive their direct protection either. It’s like an unbreakable non-aggression treaty.”
“……!!”
“So, we have no choice but to protect this land with our own strength. Even if we tried to summon Immortals from the Celestial Realm, there would be significant restrictions compared to the Central Plains, leaving you capable enough to take down the Sea God, which is why I’m asking for your help.”
“Not interested.”
“No surprise there. I’m just asking for free help; who would like that? So, I’ll propose a corresponding reward.” Reward?
I perked up. The Master of the Twelve Joules took a deep breath and declared.
“If you take down the Sea God, I’ll promise to lend you the full strength of our Twelve Joules afterward. If you want, I’ll even give you the title of Master of the Twelve Joules, allowing you to wield the powers of the Three Sovereigns and the special position.” Giving me the title of Master of the Twelve Joules?!
However, I hesitated because the condition tied to defeating the Sea God felt extreme. After all, the Sea God is an Old Ruler, so taking him down won’t be a walk in the park. Plus, as long as Ha Eun-cheon remained in the position of master of the Wood Element, the title of Master of the Twelve Joules wouldn’t be that appealing. I stared intently at him.
“I’m not keen on conditional offers. It’s of no immediate benefit to me.”
“Oh, really?”
“Indeed. And…” I glared at him.
“If we both hypothetically assumed we were masters of the Seven Luminaries, you should be able to grasp the significance of using the Seven Luminaries to take down the Sea God, who is an Old Ruler. The Seven Luminaries symbolize a truce with the Three Sovereigns and the Old Ruler, so using them to strike the Old Ruler means reigniting war.”
“…….”
“Helping you could leave me caught between a rock and a hard place, so count me out.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules appeared taken aback. After a moment, he spoke as if genuinely surprised.
“Impressive… You’re really something. How did you, as a mortal, uncover such secrets of myth at your age?”
Suddenly, I thought, ‘Uh-oh, have I said too much?’ I might have overshared my past life knowledge while trying to persuade the Master of the Twelve Joules to let me go. It was possible I had shocked him more than showcasing the power of the Fire Dragon Incarnate ever could. There are hardly any beings in this world who understand what the Seven Luminaries truly are, let alone the real truth about them.
It wasn’t just the Master of the Twelve Joules who was surprised; the Three Masters behind him also couldn’t hide their astonished expressions. Yun Sa murmured, as if he was shocked.
“A being that transcends the Heavenly Mechanics… You mean to say you are defying Heavenly Fate?”
Regaining his composure, the Master of the Twelve Joules said, “Looks like I’ve underestimated you. I apologize.”
I shot him a disdainful look.
“No need for apologies. I just want no parts of this.”
“Aren’t you being a bit too stubborn?”
“Given the level of force you’re projecting, I think I have every right to be.”
“Haha…”
The Master of the Twelve Joules had a peculiar smile on his face. Then he spoke.
“Before we continue to question whether it’s a breach of treaty for a holder of the Seven Luminaries to take down the Sea God, let me clarify something. I stake my name on this; it is no way an act that would provoke the feelings of the Three Sovereigns or the Old Ruler.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You need to grasp that the Sea God is quite a unique existence.”
He picked at the vegetable dish on the banquet table and continued.
“Unlike other Old Rulers, he claims the entirety of the world’s oceans as his domain. The guy’s an insatiable glutton! Due to how extensive his territory is, he doesn’t receive favorable treatment from other Old Rulers, and he serves as a sort of ‘gatekeeper’ without a blessing to give.”
“Why not? Why can’t he receive blessings?”
“If the Sea God were to fall, it would create a better environment for the other Old Rulers to roam… Plus, the Fishmen in this world are quite powerful and have often ruffled other beings’ feathers.”
“…… “
“Additionally, I’ve verified things on my end. Taking down the Sea God with the Seven Luminaries faces no obstacles; only power is needed.”
As I listened to the Master of the Twelve Joules, the word “verify” started to rub me the wrong way. I got an uneasy feeling that he might have done something ridiculous. Plus, I couldn’t take his word at face value about there being no constraints on confronting the Sea God.
In my contemplation, the Master of the Twelve Joules emphatically stated, “Alright. Then tell me what you want. I’ll grant you anything within my power. This isn’t just empty talk.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules felt desperate; I could sense that instinctively. He could have easily overpowered me, but his refusal to do so indicated he knew just how much power I held with the Seven Luminaries and the Fire Dragon Sword. Surely he also recognized that if I were to go for broke, it would result in unpredictable consequences. Not cooperating with me would undoubtedly lead him into a tough situation, hence his desperate attempts to draw me in.
This was a crisis. But it also presented an opportunity. Having lived through more crises than the average person could face, I felt a strange intuition guiding me. The Master of the Twelve Joules’ current offer was laden with intense risk, yet it concealed an extraordinary reward. The tone and urgency of this offer felt different from ones I had received in the past.
‘I must have reached a position where I hold that kind of power…’
Things were different from before. I crossed my arms and pondered for a while. Finally, I spoke.
“If you can agree to three conditions, I’ll cooperate in taking down the Sea God as you wish.”
“Three conditions?”
“Yes. If you’re able to fulfill these, I promise to help to the best of my ability without second thoughts.”
“Intriguing. Go ahead.”
I took a bite of the tofu dish and said, “First, I want all the information related to Peng Zuo and the History Emperor Changhil. Teach me everything you know without holding back. That’s the first condition.”
Ha Eun-cheon answered without hesitation, “Alright. What’s the second?”
“Second, I need Miyamoto Musashi on loan. Make sure he obeys my orders, as I need his fighting prowess.”
“Hmm… Ten years! No more than that.”
“Understood.”
This part of the proposal didn’t seem to burden him at all. As I prepared to make my final suggestion, I expected he’d be taken aback but felt oddly mischievous and spoke boldly.
“Lastly, please grant me the position of Master of the Twelve Joules right now.”
“…What?!”
Ha Eun-cheon froze in shock. I grinned slyly.
“Shall I repeat myself? Give me the Master of the Twelve Joules position.”
“Hmmm… um…”
“That means leading the Twelve Joules and dominating the northeastern Murim.”
From my past life experiences, I knew the Master of the Twelve Joules’ psychology and state pretty well. In the past, he had indeed offered me the position of Master of the Twelve Joules before, and this offer was remarkably similar. Based on that offer, it was evident the title was one he could pass on to someone else depending on circumstances. More importantly, the title of Master of the Twelve Joules probably held less significance to him than being the Master of the Manha Spiritual Gate or the master of the Seven Luminaries.
If that’s the case, asking for the title outright instead of receiving it after taking down the Sea God seemed smarter. In fact, the title of Master of the Manha Spiritual Gate might be more advantageous, but that would risk stepping on Ha Eun-cheon’s reverse scale.
‘It’s settled.’
This seemed like a reasonable proposal that could grant me substantial benefits.
“Hah…”
It was the first time I saw the Master of the Twelve Joules of the world look so confused. Normally, he would have laughed it off, but there was no way he could casually reject my proposal now. Leaning on the table, he muttered.
“What if I refuse that proposal and kill you instead?”
“Then I’d have no choice but to fight to the best of my ability.”
Just as I predicted, he threatened to kill me, but I responded calmly. I had faced death so many times that it no longer scared me. Instead, I warned him.
“I believe we could go out together.”
This was also a gamble. It was possible I could be instantly attacked by Ha Eun-cheon’s Cosmic Fragment or the Three Masters, but if I unleashed my Great Destruction while awakening the Fire Spirit, I could considerably boost my power. I had yet to confirm just how much power that would yield, but one thing was definite: it would be enough to threaten Ha Eun-cheon’s life.
Whether my words conveyed sincerity or not, Ha Eun-cheon fell silent for a while. After contemplation, he finally spoke.
“What about the title of King of Goryeo? I could arrange for you to be a king.”
I shook my head.
“The post of Master of the Twelve Joules is much better than being King of Goryeo.”
“You know your stuff.”
“I’m not particularly keen on the title of Emperor either. What will you do?”
Ha Eun-cheon said irritably after a brief pause, “Ah, fine! Just know that the title of Master of the Twelve Joules isn’t singular; it means two people. You’ll have equal authority with me in the Twelve Joules. However, I won’t relinquish control over the Three Masters or the Manha Spiritual Gate.” How does that sound?”
I calmly replied.
“There’s no way I’ll have more influence than you, is there?”
“Aren’t you being a bit greedy? With the authority of the Master of the Twelve Joules and the Three Masters, you wouldn’t be inferior to the White Lotus Sect in the Central Plains. I never expected to grant such power to anyone.”
“Hmm…”
Well, that’s true. Becoming the Master of the Twelve Joules and gaining cooperation from the special positions and Master of the Twelve Joules was already an enormous feat. I pondered for a moment and then replied.
“Alright. On top of that…”
The Master of the Twelve Joules shouted in disbelief.
“Is there more?!”
“Could you please explain why you can summon the Phoenix and the origin of your martial arts?”
“Not three but four conditions now.”
“Is it too much to share that kind of information to bring down the Sea God, who is an Old Ruler? Ultimately, one must go all out to defeat such a formidable foe.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules crossed his arms. He voiced his frustration.
“Fine~! You’re really a greedy one.”
“Thank you.”
“From today onward, you are my equal, Master of the Twelve Joules.”
Even as I responded, part of me couldn’t believe it, and my hands trembled slightly. ‘I did it!’
Even though it came with the pretext of participating in taking down an Old Ruler, I had achieved a significant milestone! From now on, I would be able to mobilize the forces of the Twelve Joules and carry the fighting prowess of Miyamoto Musashi with me.
Ha Eun-cheon stood up from his seat and said, “Shall we go take a look at the Sacred Altar Tree?”
“Huh?”
“You claimed to be the Master of the Twelve Joules; you should know about the Sacred Altar Tree.”
I followed him out of the Divine City in a daze. We started crossing an enormous valley on a tiny Cloud Bridge aimed toward the Sacred Altar Tree. Given the location, if someone misstepped even a little, they’d likely plummet to their death.
After walking for quite some time, we reached a ridge where the Master of the Twelve Joules spoke.
“Isn’t it strange? Even after walking this long, it feels like we haven’t approached that enormous tree at all.”
That was true. Despite walking nearly twenty ri with Ha Eun-cheon and the Three Masters, the Sacred Altar Tree, which seemed so close, felt like it was leagues away. Judging by my sense of distance, the positioning of the Sacred Altar Tree was undeniably odd.
“Is it an illusion technique?”
Upon my inquiry, the Master of the Twelve Joules replied.
“No, it definitely exists at that location. But it exists in a way that it doesn’t exist, so there’s no way you can reach the Sacred Altar Tree by conventional means.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“That tree is the World Tree planted in the Mythological Age, spanning nine worlds. It protects humanity with its spirit energy while sealing away the influence of the Evil God’s Clan. Of course, that’s not the only function it serves…”
Suddenly, the Master of the Twelve Joules snapped his fingers, and a circle appeared in mid-air. It looked like a Transmission Technique, but the Master of the Twelve Joules’ skills seemed quite impressive. As the Master of the Twelve Joules and the Three Masters entered the circle, I followed suit.
Upon arrival, I found myself in a pitch-black space surrounded by a universe filled with stars that felt so close you could grasp them. The number of stars was inconceivable, extending beneath and around me were enormous tree trunks that resembled the very ground. At the same time, I realized the air and spirit energy in this place were vastly different from those on the surface.
The Master of the Twelve Joules, with childlike glee, declared, “What do you think? Isn’t it amazing? This is the first place I reached in this world.”
“Huh?”
“The feeling of looking down on the earth from the top of the World Tree is something special.”
I looked down over the tree trunks. The blue sea and land unfolded like a map, and the world appeared spherical in shape. At that moment, I confirmed, with my own eyes, the hypothesis put forth by Mangnyang about the world being round.
“Please explain about the ‘Phoenix Summon’ you asked about earlier.”
Suddenly, the Master of the Twelve Joules placed his hands on the trunk of the World Tree. An immense spirit energy burst forth, resonating with the air and trees around us.
Ooooh—
Ku-woo-woo-oo!
At the boundary of the universe, on the pinnacle of the World Tree, the Master of the Twelve Joules’ powers amplified to an unthinkable extent! As I visually confirmed that the amplification rate of his power was equal to, or even greater than, when I had brought forth the National Seal, I felt my body tense up. The Master of the Twelve Joules enveloped himself in green spirit energy, exhibiting divine attributes beyond humanity while speaking in ethereal words.
[I can utilize the power of the Seven Luminaries as if it were my own by channeling the power of the World Tree. Additionally, I can summon the Phoenix by conveying this power as compensation to the Celestial Realm.]
Swish!
The Master of the Twelve Joules withdrew his power, yet even then, an enormous force continued to ripple throughout his body, visibly matching the dharma guardian’s wielding of the Heavenly Spirit Pill. The Master of the Twelve Joules smiled.
“Does it make sense now?”
“…Yes.”
Master of the Seven Luminaries. That also meant I could wield the power of the World Tree.
