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A Dark Heaven Village

I felt a twinge of regret for not receiving the blessings of great fortune before coming to this world. If only I had obtained even the slightest amount of general luck, exploring this place would undoubtedly have been much easier. However, that option was firmly blocked by the Zhuge Clan.

[At least I believe it shouldn’t be used in the exploration of Dark Heaven Village. Great luck overlap might be reconsidered, though.]

[Why?! It’d be so much easier with luck…]

[… There’s the concern of being too greedy for small gains (小貪大失). It’s because of the one who grants it.]

The Zhuge Clan seemed reluctant to provide any detailed explanation, but they were definitely drawing a line against the blessings of great fortune. Even if I were to ask, they wouldn’t likely respond, yet doubting every single part of the Zhuge Clan seemed pointless. With no other option but to trust my companions, I had jumped into this otherworldly realm as if diving headfirst into unknown territory.

I began contemplating how to escape this place. However, with no immediate idea on flying over eight thousand miles, I commanded Zhuge Bu.

“Help me clear out the demon beasts in the vicinity. And tell me if there are any potential hideouts.”

Zhuge Bu nodded dryly. Since he was perfectly brainwashed by the Zhuge Clan, he was like a combat puppet, simply listening to my orders. Soon, I started to fight the demon beasts around me; indeed, they were gruesome and bizarre in appearance, not at all something a common person would want to behold.

Kiiieeeek!!

While battling a bird-shaped demon that sprouted dozens of tentacles and was glowing intensely, I realized all the demon beasts here had tentacles. I cut through the beast’s tentacles with my sword strength, irritably shouting.

“Demon spawn! Don’t you just love those tentacles?!”

Whoosh!

Fire Eye Golden Spirit activated in my eyes as flames ignited. In an instant, it revealed the weak spot—the core—of the demon beast.

Krazzrick!

I stabbed the core of the bird-shaped demon and killed it. Surprisingly, despite their appearance, these creatures possessed a core of chaos; it was a body that couldn’t be harmed by inflicting wounds on other parts, and only the core could be destroyed. Fortunately, I had fought such creatures in the life sea of Aokigahara before, so I was able to maneuver through this battle expertly. The Fire Eye Golden Spirit had indeed made it significantly easier to fight.

With Zhuge Bu using his sorcery to control the demon beasts while I finished them off, I managed to take down dozens rather smoothly. Although I thought I handled them relatively easily, considering the beasts’ physical abilities and bizarre traits, even a Peak Expert of the martial arts world would have trouble surviving here. If I had come here alone without Zhuge Bu, I might have sustained some injuries by now.

‘What a ferocious place…’

In terms of difficulty from the demon beasts, they seemed slightly weaker than those in the Death Sea. But that didn’t change the fact that this was a hell for humanity. If I had ventured here when I had just obtained the Golden Lamp, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat a single beast and would have been gruesomely killed instead. I was relieved that I had built my strength before rashly answering the call of the Golden Lamp.

After taking down a decent number of demon beasts, I realized I had finally established a somewhat secure range of activities. I created a safe zone of about fifty feet around me and calmly started thinking about what to do next while recovering my stamina.

‘I’ve roughly surveyed the internal demon beasts. There doesn’t seem to be much point in looking around any further… How do I get out?’

I sat cross-legged, deep in thought. Suddenly, an idea struck me, and I took out the suspicious fishhook to send a message.

[Zhuge Clan. Zhuge Clan. Can you hear me?]

Just in case, I had brought the suspicious fishhook for long-distance communication. I used it for a while, but after receiving no response, I frowned.

‘It seems I can’t communicate with the suspicious fishhook…’

That meant I was completely cut off from our allies on the surface. I began pondering what other methods could work, mumbling.

“Should I call those guys?”

Rumble!

At that moment, I sketched out a demon path array and invoked a magic technique. As the summoning ritual began and after reciting the incantation for a while, nothing materialized.

“……”

Can’t even summon a demon faster than light in this place?

It seemed this floating otherworld was remarkably closed off. After all, assuming it’s inside a living creature’s belly, that wouldn’t be too strange. I had brought a wooden armor, just in case, but since I wouldn’t be needing it now, I felt a pang of regret.

In a place like this, I considered it would be best to contract with the Four Great Spirits to come here next time. Given the Four Spirits’ dimensional escape capabilities, I thought it would be easy to break free from this place. I pondered deeply if there was any other method when suddenly, a tremendous roar rattled me.

Kuh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho—

“… Ugh!!”

The earth trembled. The entire cloud sea, filled with blood flames, shook.

The source of that roar appeared to be an enormous, mysterious demon stretching its hand across the mountain range. It didn’t seem to have noticed me, but the dark power contained within the roar was so overwhelming that it felt like my insides were being tossed about.

‘Damn… if I feel like this with my internal power, most martial artists would instantaneously die just from the roar.’

Though that colossal beast wasn’t a divine being, the advice of the National Seal to never engage it was spot on. The difference in size alone would signify an immense potential. If I lingered here for too long, the key would be to evade that monster as much as possible.

I grew anxious.

How on earth will I escape from here?

I kept racking my brain for solutions, but while I did, demon beasts began to quietly appear from nowhere, starting to encroach on me. It seemed these demon critters harbored intentions to occupy someone else’s territory.

Swish!

I dodged a tentacle spear and muttered irritably.

“Damn… let me think! I need to sort things out a bit more!!”

At this point, I decided to take down a thousand demon beasts to pause and think. I needed a stable base to deeply reflect, and if I kept fighting the demon beasts without rest, I wouldn’t have the time to do so.

How long had it been?

After taking down hundreds of demon beasts with Zhuge Bu, it was my first time fighting like this since the life sea of Aokigahara. I was starting to feel my stamina and energy depleting, panting heavily.

“Phew, now I can finally catch a breather…”

With time, new demon beasts might spawn in this place, but at least for now, I had bought myself some time. I took out the wooden armor and laid out the treasures I had gathered to organize my thoughts.

“Hmmm… using the water element of seven luminaries right now… I should save the power of the Fire Dragon Sword… what should I do?”

As I examined the treasures one by one, my gaze landed on the Ruyi Staff.

“……!!”

Oh right!!

I hurriedly put the other treasures back into the wooden armor and produced the Ruyi Staff, calling out to the spirit He Yu within me.

[He Yu!! He Yu!!]

[Why are you calling me, ugly?]

[This Ruyi Staff is said to be forged from the essence of divine materials, right? Can it stretch to eight thousand miles?]

As I asked He Yu, she looked around, seemingly surprised.

[It’s possible, but is this space truly eight thousand miles long?]

[Yeah. Please make the Ruyi Staff extend!]

[……]

[He Yu?]

Then He Yu spoke up, looking somewhat troubled.

[The Ruyi Staff has that capability, but I wonder if you have the ability to make it happen… ?]

[What do you mean?]

[The Ruyi Staff’s stretching ability is affected by the user’s capability. After all, it’s a treasure made directly by the Heavenly Ruler of Tai Xu, requiring a high level of sorcery, but I’m acting as a spirit intermediary to alleviate that condition.]

[What are you trying to say?]

[Your potential sorcery skill is relatively high, but you’re still lacking in utilizing the Ruyi Staff’s stretching power to reach eight thousand miles. Maybe if the monkey who reached the pinnacle in sorcery was here, he could manage it.]

[……!!]

[Unless someone has mastered the art of transformation to the level of the seventy-two transformations, they can’t fully harness the Ruyi Staff’s power.]

Not being able to fully utilize the Ruyi Staff’s power!

I felt my head go blank for a moment.

‘Admittedly, Jeon Wook is the King of Demons who has mastered transformation… my sorcery skills can’t even be compared to that.’

If that were the case, only those who had trained for years to reach the prime level like Cheon Woo-jin or Mangnyang could properly wield the Ruyi Staff. I hesitated and asked He Yu.

[He Yu, if I try extending the Ruyi Staff with my current ability, how far could I go?]

[Let’s see… maybe it could go about three thousand miles, but anything beyond that would be difficult.]

[Ugh… is there no way to stretch the limits of the Ruyi Staff? I can’t increase my sorcery skills immediately.]

Suddenly, He Yu snapped back at me.

[Why should I solve your concerns? Just figure it out yourself.]

He Yu’s figure started to vanish. Realizing that if she left, it would be difficult to summon her again, I urgently held on.

[Wait, wait!! We’re inside a demon’s belly. You want to die painfully here?]

[……?]

[If I die, you’ll be trapped here for eternity. You’ll merely dissolve into chaos for all of eternity.]

[Chaos?]

He Yu looked puzzled. I quickly added.

[This is where we arrived through the Golden Lamp, inside the belly of a living creature. It’s a floating otherworld of chaos. I think Dark Heaven Village is a nearby dimension since it was my target.]

[Ah, Dark Heaven Village… ?]

He Yu looked horrified, her mouth agape for a while before she shouted in anger.

[You crazy bastard! What were you thinking, trying to enter the forbidden and chaotic kingdom that even the Celestial Realm can’t touch?!]

[I was trying to find the Earth Star.]

[What?! This is… ]

He Yu appeared stunned for a moment, having a change of thought. She fell silent for a while, seemingly contemplating, before saying.

[Do you know where the Earth Star is? Is there even a chance of finding it?]

[Of course. I currently possess the National Seal, and I know it’s in the Palace of Empress Wu Zetian. Once I manage to escape this place, I plan to reach the palace and give it a try.]

[Hmm… Earth Star… Earth Star. If that’s the case… maybe.]

[Huh?]

He Yu said.

[Alright. I’ll help you. There is a way to extend the Ruyi Staff to eight thousand miles even with your inadequate sorcery skills.]

[Really?!]

I replied excitedly, to which He Yu said.

[It involves releasing my seal. While I’m trapped in this treasure, my original power is greatly diminished, so if I regain my strength, it will significantly reduce the limits on the Ruyi Staff’s sorcery.]

[……? Release the seal? How?]

[That, I don’t know either. You’ll have to figure it out to release it. Or at least loosen it.]

[Hmm.]

I had to release the seal on He Yu trapped within the Ruyi Staff.

I pondered what I should do. So I turned to Zhuge Bu, who was blankly standing beside me.

“Hey. How can we release the seal on the spirit trapped in the Ruyi Staff?”

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much. Currently, Zhuge Bu was just a combat puppet passively obeying orders.

However, surprisingly, as soon as I issued the command, Zhuge Bu’s hazy eyes began to regain focus, and he responded with a hint of reason.

“To release the seal, either increase the power beyond the seal or use a neutralizing sorcery technique to weaken it.”

“Eh?!”

‘Could he be regaining his senses?!’

In sudden panic, I held my sword to Zhuge Bu’s neck. If he truly regained his senses, my life would be in danger. But Zhuge Bu just stared blankly ahead without any further reaction. I looked at Zhuge Bu with half-guarded eyes and handed the Ruyi Staff to him.

“Hey, loosen this seal.”

“Understood.”

After receiving the Ruyi Staff from me, Zhuge Bu examined it for a while before beginning to recite some sorcery incantations.

‘If he’s regained his senses, he’d pretend to not know until the end.’

Given the cunning nature of this guy, he wouldn’t engage in any actions that would raise my suspicion.

Whoooosh!

A bluish light floated around the Ruyi Staff as ancient glyphs inscribed themselves over the seal. After a while, the Ruyi Staff shimmered and then stopped glowing, with Zhuge Bu returning the Ruyi Staff back to me. I called for He Yu again, and she said.

[Has someone neutralized the seal?]

[Is it being released?]

[It almost was, but it’s not enough. We need a stronger force to break it.]

[A stronger force…]

Even a strong force might not influence my energy if I exerted it to its limits.

After pondering for a moment, I suddenly remembered something and asked He Yu.

[Ah, what about Yin Spirit Power?]

[Yin Spirit Power? It would make dismantling the seal easy, but just where are you going to acquire such a strong power from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?]

[I have it.]

Creak!

After a moment, I poured all my Yin Spirit Power into the Ruyi Staff. It seemed that thanks to Zhuge Bu, who had minimally neutralized the seal, I could distinctly feel the Yin Spirit Power dismantling the binding. The sensation was exhilarating, like stretching a resilient thread until it snapped.

Crackle!

Seeing the Yin Spirit Power dismantling the seal, He Yu appeared extremely shocked.

[Ah, it’s unbelievable! A human using Yin Spirit Power… Who on earth are you?!]

[It seems like it’s about to get released!]

[…Impressive.]

He Yu seemed to smile oddly.

[Yes… in this place… even if I get released, they wouldn’t know in the Celestial Realm. Hehe.]

Boom!

In that moment, the Ruyi Staff exploded with flames. The trace of my Yin Spirit Power burned through the seal inside, and I could see my handprint left scorching on the Ruyi Staff. I felt drained of all my strength.

“Huff, huff…”

It seemed I had used the equivalent of fifteen years worth of absolute Yin Spirit Power. This wasn’t something that would recover naturally; I would have to accumulate it again upon rebirth. As I thought about the power I lost from absorbing it at Jeon Wook’s statue, it felt quite unfortunate, but now wasn’t the time to regret that expenditure.

Whoooo—

A vision of He Yu began to flow out from the Ruyi Staff. I vividly watched as her blue hair transformed into a luxurious mane, her golden eyes sparkling, and her skin turning as beautiful as jade. Eventually, she donned an elegant attire reminiscent of a Great Immortal from the Silver Age, holding a certain treasure in one hand.

[Baek Woong. Since you’ve released my seal, I shall keep my promise.]

He Yu raised the treasure sword she held high into the sky.

[In the name of me, the Master of the Four Great Spirits and the Shatterer of Absolute Teachings, Cheon Gong-pyo!]