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Heading to Dark Heaven Village is obviously to retrieve Tydaht, one of the Seven Luminaries. Currently, Tydaht has been stolen by Sang Gwanwna and is being offered in an Offering Ceremony to Empress Wu Zetian, becoming a subordinate deity of the Old Ruler in the Imperial Palace. Plus, the way to get to Dark Heaven Village is extremely complicated and dangerous, and there’s no guarantee of winning against a Divine Status, so I’ve been treading carefully.

But I’ve firmly resolved to challenge Dark Heaven Village in this life. At that moment, Zhuge Sa chuckled.

“Are you planning to execute one of the strategies proposed by the previous Zhuge Sa? Have you decided you’re okay with dying like mayflies?”

“Yeah.”

I replied somewhat nonchalantly.

“Waiting idly to build my personal strength is a waste of time. I’d rather face death a few times and get my hands on some fresh information.”

“Hehe! How amusing. It’s real now that you’re a Reborn Person… I finally get why I’ve been fully cooperating with you all this time. There’s someone crazier than me walking this path!”

As Zhuge Sa burst into laughter, he glanced at Mangnyang.

“Hyun Ah, we should hear your opinion. What do you think about this guy’s thoughts?”

“……”

Mangnyang seemed to be deep in thought, resting his chin on his hand. He was also taking in my information about the Obsidian and analyzing it in various ways. After a moment, he slowly spoke.

“You haven’t mentioned something important, Baek Woong.”

“Huh?”

“How you’ll treat Miho when you meet her in this life…”

“… Hmm.”

I sighed heavily. Just as expected, Mangnyang, with his brilliant mind, had hit the nail on the head regarding the core issue I was trying to dodge. He continued,

“While Seo Mun-hye is important, the matter involving Miho—who might very well be Nüwa’s avatar—is even more significant. It could potentially turn the Celestial Realm upside down… However, the emotions you exhibited surrounding the Obsidian are still confused, so you haven’t thought out how to approach Miho.”

I made a pained expression. That was precisely the case.

Since I couldn’t say anything, Zhuge Sa crossed his arms.

“It’s certainly as Hyun said. If you can’t clarify this, you’ll end up wasting time again. So, Baek Woong, what do you want to do about Miho?”

“That is…”

“You don’t have to give us a clear answer. It’s ultimately a matter between you two. But at the very least, as your strategist, I want to know your general direction.”

I pondered for a moment before I spoke.

“Like Seo Mun-hye. I don’t think Miho can listen to all that information and maintain her composure.”

“So you’ll hide it for now?”

“… I feel like she wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

I couldn’t begin to imagine how shocked Miho would be if she saw my memories. Until now, she had just perceived the Celestial Realm as being rotten, but the information I had just acquired revealed that the Queen Mother of the West might be Nüwa and that Miho could have been used by her. To Miho, who had revered and loved the Queen Mother as more than a mother, that would be a world-shattering shock.

And even if Miho can overcome that mental trauma, there’s currently no way to amplify her power significantly. Pushing despair onto her without a definite solution would amount to nothing but torment.

As if he sensed my thoughts, Mangnyang let out a short sigh.

“Huh! Baek Woong… you’re truly an impressive person.”

“Huh?”

“Most people would have had their emotions worn out after 24 lifetimes, yet here you are, not forgetting your consideration for her… Don’t you realize you’re far more pitiable than Miho?”

“……”

“Then our role is to find a way to help Miho grow in the future.”

“I’d be grateful for that.”

Once we finished discussing Miho, Zhuge Sa spoke up.

“There are currently three ways to get to Dark Heaven Village. One is to descend through the Dream World via stairs and pass the Gatekeeper’s test, another is to directly pass through the Dimension Door, which requires a direct clash with the Old Ruler, and the last is to use the Golden Lamp you possess to move to a designated location.”

That was methods I was aware of. As I nodded, Zhuge Sa continued.

“The first method is the most straightforward and safest for reaching Dark Heaven Village. Do you plan to try that method?”

I shook my head.

“No. I’m going to use the third method first.”

“Why?”

“I want to know what the owner of this Golden Lamp was thinking when they pulled me in.”

So far, strategists had found my Golden Lamp suspicious during my past lives. It seemed too powerful for its low constraints, so they suspected it was a malicious demon artifact designed to lure its owner into traps. Considering the likelihood of that suspicion’s truth, I had turned down all invitations to the locations shown by the Golden Lamp.

But now that I was determined to die, intentionally falling into a trap could be an option. I might find new information within that trap. Zhuge Sa folded his arms.

“Then you didn’t need to come find us. You could have tested it right after acquiring the Golden Lamp in Shandong.”

I scratched my head and responded.

“I had to talk to the Sword Demon about the matter concerning Seo Mun-hye…”

“Hehe. You think you’d have spare time during your investigation of Chi You, so you decided to come discuss it with us? You really worry about the most trivial things.”

“Ugh… That’s true.”

Zhuge Sa was incredibly perceptive. Laughing lightly, he said,

“Alright then. If we assume it’ll take about three months for the Sword Demon to investigate the Seo family, you should spend that time building up your strength as much as possible.”

“Got it.”

“We will assist at Shadowless Gate. You should go find that brat Tang San. He’s practically a little kid at this point.”

With a clap of my hands, I used the Space Technique to head towards the Four Talents Sect. Since the distance to Sichuan was quite far, I had to unfold the martial arts techniques for about three days straight, and I seemed to be getting a better grasp of the complex Space Techniques. After doing it hundreds of times, it was impossible not to get used to it.

Upon arriving near the Four Talents Sect, I didn’t just walk right in. Instead, I surveyed the entrance from a nearby hill, searching for a way in.

‘… Tang San. That brat…’

According to what Tang San said, he held tremendous resentment towards the entire Four Talents Sect, and the depth of that resentment was something I could understand. However, that still didn’t make the mass slaughter of the whole clan justifiable.

I searched for the location where the lesser branches and external disciples of the Four Talents Sect resided, as Tang San had described. Even in the splendid building of the Four Talents Sect, a cluster of shabby buildings was huddled at the back, where even a closer look revealed the stench of mud and rot inside.

I quietly used Stealth Technique to slip inside, looking for that small hut Tang San had mentioned. Built beside a narrow path leading to the Mountain Region, an old woman was mumbling and using a stick to sort seeds, while a little kid lay sprawled inside the hut.

I glanced at the old woman, then silently walked into the hut and addressed the child lying there.

“Tang San, right?”

The kid looked only three or four years younger than my current self. Though younger, he was still around the same age. When I suddenly appeared, Tang San whipped around with a surprised expression.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Baek Woong.”

I replied and sat down.

“Eww.”

Tang San hastily pulled a smoke bomb from his pocket and threw it outside, but since I was already using my internal strength to create a barrier, the bomb bounced uselessly back.

“You can’t hear any sounds from outside in here. Not even that old woman.”

“Damn!! Are you trying to kill me?”

Tang San shouted in anger, but I replied calmly.

“Would it be worth the effort to kill you? Let’s just talk instead of putting on a show.”

“……”

At that, Tang San’s expression changed completely, and he collapsed onto the ground. His previous act of panic seemed like a lie.

“You seem pretty strong. If I poisoned you and you showed no reaction, that means…”

“I am impervious to all poisons.”

Indeed, the previous act of pretending to be panicked was a ploy to lure me into lowering my guard while buying time for the poison he had already prepared to take effect. As he mentioned, even at such a young age, he was quite clever and had probably already learned the poison techniques used by mid-level martial artists.

I said to Tang San,

“I know you have an intense desire to tear every single person of the Four Talents Sect to shreds. I’ve heard you thought about tearing apart the clan leader and his wives and using their bodies to make pork jerky, then forcing the young offspring of the sect to eat it.”

At that, Tang San was genuinely shocked.

“Whoa, what!? Are you a psychic?! I think about that a lot!”

“……”

What an absurdly gruesome imagination! And fifty years from now, Tang San actually put that imagination into practice. The Four Talents Sect was annihilated, and all their descendants became pig feed in his hands. No matter how deep the resentment, this guy was outstandingly ruthless.

‘Should I really make this guy my comrade?’

If I nurtured him, it would mean adding a future Absolute Realm-level ally, but it felt uncomfortable.

However, Tang San before me was a different type of madman compared to Zhuge Sa. Zhuge Sa’s madness aligned somewhat with my goals, so I could accept it. But Tang San’s insanity was deeply rooted in hatred for his ancestors, and he reacted violently to his grudge, leaving me unsure if I could control him.

That said, I had already promised the future Tang San that I would accept him as a comrade. If I broke this pledge, I wouldn’t receive his help in the future.

‘Alright. I can at least raise him, then decide.’

I erased my hesitation and told Tang San,

“I was asked to come by the future you. I’ve decided to make you my comrade.”

Tang San sneered.

“I don’t know what nonsense you’re spouting, but dreaming of being comrades? Either kill me or get lost.”

“Take this.”

I tossed the Obsidian to Tang San. He caught it warily, and at that moment, I transmitted my memories to him.

Whoosh!

“……!!”

Tang San looked startled as if he was absorbing my memories. After a short while, he was shaking with exhilaration as he shouted,

“Haha… Really?! This is amazing!”

“Did you understand now?”

“Hehe! Hehehehe!”

He seemed almost insane as he laughed uproariously, then stated,

“The fact that you showed me this memory means you also agree with the annihilation of the Four Talents Sect, right? Perfect! Hahaha!”

“… Yes. But there’s a condition.”

“What is it?”

“You slaughtered all the innocent martial artists of the Four Talents Sect mercilessly in your future. You’ll only take out the instigators who directly contributed to your hatred. No unnecessary massacres; that’s my condition for making you a comrade.”

“… I guess that makes sense. You’re more righteous than you seem.”

Tang San continued with an intense glint in his eyes.

“But what right do you have to say anything? I don’t think you have any!”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve exacted revenge just like I have. The only difference is you simplified the aftermath, but you’ve also repaid the torment you endured.”

“……!!”

I flinched. Just as Tang San pointed out, I had exacted revenge on those who had tormented me. Any attempt I made to ask him to restrain his vengeance would only come off as contradictory.

For the first time, Tang San smiled genuinely and comfortably.

“Well, I like you; I respect you. You went straight to action without empty words. How delightful!”

I wanted to refute Tang San, but I had no words to counter him.

“Baek Woong, let’s be honest. Both you and I have lived lives of being abused and looted.”

“What…?”

“I viewed the Four Talents Sect as my enemy, while you saw the clan leader of Soeul Village as yours. I had the talent for revenge, while you didn’t have the resources for it. Had you possessed talents like mine, you would have done the same! You actually did.”

“……”

“I’m finding you appealing and admirable. The way you acted without hesitation was refreshing! Hehe, it feels so good!”

I wanted to deny it vehemently, yet I had nothing to oppose that logic.

“Baek Woong, you know that I’m not a child of Tang Mugyeok, nor am I a blood relative of the clan.”

Tang San pressed on.

“My father was a martial artist from a minor faction, but he was poisoned to death by Tang Mugyeok. My mother, just because she was beautiful, was violated by Tang Mugyeok right in front of my dying father. After that, I was forced into the sect as a concubine’s son, where I was bullied by the other offspring. You must understand my suffering, as you’ve tasted the bitterness of being forced to rub your face into cow dung.”

“… Hmm.”

So we shared that experience.

“My mother still suffers humiliation from that bastard, and just yesterday, I got a beating from those idiots, which has me aching all over. What a trashy life, huh? It’s tough to seek revenge on the head of the Five Great Families.”

“……”

“Perhaps I reached the Absolute Realm in the future solely to kill that Peak Expert.”

Tang San lifted his arms, revealing visible bruises across his body. He had clearly been battered countless times while growing up, suffering even worse than I had under the hands of the sect’s little monsters. Moreover, with his parents’ grievances piled on top of that, it was easy to imagine the tremendous malice he’d carried for decades.

“Baek Woong, please accept me as your comrade. My heart’s racing so much right now. I feel like I can trust you.”

Tang San said with a desperate voice.

However, all I could hear was the weight of guilt crashing down on me.

‘What the hell have I done in the past?’

In that moment, I confronted the massacre I had perpetuated in my own past. Back then, I swung violence wildly to relieve all the contempt and unfairness I had endured since birth. I even plucked out Kim Manje’s eyes in a fit of rage. While I hadn’t considered the implications at the time, reflecting back on it now, I realized how horrific that action had been.

‘Damn it…!! I’ve done such things.’

Regret swelled within me!

Was it truly necessary to go that far? My past grievances were nowhere near as vicious as Tang San’s suffering. I could have just beaten the clan leader and scolded him enough to make my point. Instead, at that moment, my emotions flared up, leading to a massacre.

I could only wish to die in front of the victims thousands of times, even willing to pluck out my own eyes to beg for forgiveness from Kim Manje.

Yet now, there was no way to atone for that. The events of that past life had already been buried under layers of the Heavenly Secret, remaining only in my memories. The ones I had massacred were now peacefully living in Soeul Village. That’s the thing about the transmigration powers of the Heavenly Secret.

The memories of my original sin are passed down only to me.

So how can I atone for this regret and guilt?

Will I just have to carry this agonizing burden alone for eternity?

“……”

In that moment, I realized the terrifying nature of the Heavenly Secret. Even if this Heavenly Secret didn’t directly bring me to ruin, the more past lives I accumulate, the heavier that burden becomes. The more lives I live through, I’ll only find myself in deeper regret, leading to my eventual deterioration and ruin.

‘So that’s why…’

I recalled Zhuge Sa’s words about finishing my past life as soon as possible. I was puzzled back then, but as I talked with Tang San, I realized the truth behind it.

I am not a god but a human. My mental strength is by no means infinite, so as the weight of cause and effect accumulates, my psyche is bound to collapse! If I were to live through hundreds of reincarnations, I might unnecessarily acquire strength, but I would ultimately cease to be human. To still be considered human while saving humans, the only way is to minimize the number of reincarnations.

I clenched my teeth. I don’t intend to escape from my sins, but since it has come to this, my desire for victory has grown even more desperate.

Ending this past life by destroying the God of All will also serve as a path to my own salvation.

“Alright.”

I decided to accept Tang San as my comrade. After that, I put him and the old woman inside the Wooden Armor, then infiltrated the interior of the Four Talents Sect. I also entered the separate room where Tang San’s mother was staying to rescue her and put her inside the Wooden Armor.

After I transported Tang San and his family to Jangryeong Valley, Zhuge Sa spoke to me.

“Baek Woong. It’s time to head to the Celestial Realm with Hyun. After receiving blessings, you can absorb Spirit Power from the statue of Jeon Wook with the help of Cheon Woo-jin; it will be just right.”

“Got it. But what kind of blessing…?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Zhuge Sa smiled slyly.

“You should receive that brat’s blessing.”

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