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“Wait! I have something to say.”

As soon as we fell into the real world, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens addressed Cheon Gong-pyo.

Whoosh…

The two of us landed on the ground, unable to identify the location. It was likely not the Central Plains, given the unfamiliar trees around. Still, just knowing that we weren’t in that wicked place filled with Dark Heaven’s sinister magic gave me some comfort.

Cheon Gong-pyo remarked, “Our pact is over. Are you going to ask for an extension?”

Shaking her head in response to Cheon Gong-pyo’s sardonic smile, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman said, “That’s not my intention. But Baek Woong wants to talk to you, and you should at least listen to him.”

“Hmph… What kind of scheme is this?”

With a scoff, Cheon Gong-pyo nodded, and I felt the Heavenly Mysterious Woman release her spirit, turning her body towards me. Once I regained control, I shot a look at Cheon Gong-pyo and said, “Cheon Gong-pyo! Let’s make a deal.”

“I thought you’d say that. But did you really think I’d be open to it?”

“Uh…?”

“Broken Wheel Seal.”

Whirr!

Boom!

Out of nowhere, a weird white seal appeared above my head and exploded. I was caught off guard and couldn’t dodge in time, but it seemed like the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s spirit shielded me instead. She glared at Cheon Gong-pyo with her ethereal form.

“Using a lethal treasure without even listening to me? Are you out of your mind?”

“So you decided not to leave after all…”

“Cut it out. If you’re going to act like that, I’ll use all my Corpse Dissolution Techniques to seal you away for eternity.”

Cheon Gong-pyo flinched at the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s fierce threat, looking stunned, as if she hadn’t expected such a response.

“Is that a joke? You have so much to recover, and you want to deal with me?”

“I don’t joke around.”

“……”

“I warned you.”

Cheon Gong-pyo’s expression darkened. It seemed she felt it was bothersome if the Heavenly Mysterious Woman genuinely intended to seal her. With a resigned look, she turned to me and said, “Go ahead, tell me what your deal is. I’m listening.”

Finally, it looked like we were in a position to talk. Yet, thinking about how hard it was to get here made me feel a bit ridiculous.

‘To please the Celestial Sage, I had to write a novel. To spread it, I fetched a top-tier printing press from the Western Regions, went to Dark Heaven Village to lift the Ruyi Staff’s seal, exhausted my Spirit Power, and offered it to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman… and now, at last, I’m able to talk Turk with Cheon Gong-pyo properly.’

Can I do this again in my next life?

… No way. I could follow the rough steps, but I wouldn’t have the guts to control Cheon Gong-pyo. This time, with the gaining of Spirit Power, she kept me in check, but that’s not a choice I should normally have.

It was just luck, and it would be tough to replicate this later. Plus, I’ve already permanently exhausted my Spirit Power!

For that reason, I decided to focus all my nerves on this negotiation. I would obtain whatever I could.

“Cheon Gong-pyo, listen up. What do you think it means that the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s Spirit is now in a liberated state? You released a spirit from Dark Heaven, didn’t you?”

“…Ah, I get it.”

True to his title of Grand Sorcerer, Cheon Gong-pyo understood my words immediately and replied, “Are you suggesting that Jeon Wook, or any ruler connected to him, will interfere with the current realm due to the spirit’s liberation?”

“Exactly. Well done.”

This was our most significant crisis since returning to reality.

Release of the Seven Luminaries!

Historically, there were three methods of liberation for the Seven Luminaries.

The first was through an Offering Ceremony, the second involved deliberately feeding blood and causing carnage to recharge their power. Lastly, a mighty Divine Being could artificially enhance their abilities and break their seal.

I had tried the first two methods in my last life, while the last attempt was made by Gong Gong, so I could say I was quite knowledgeable about the means of Seven Luminaries liberation.

However, a Seven Luminary that hadn’t been freed through traditional Offering Ceremony procedures would always have side effects. The one I liberated through offering blood and sacrifices led to the Old Ruler descending and taking over my body. If the seal was forcibly broken, the goddess Nüwa would sense it immediately and raise a commotion.

Now, since Cheon Gong-pyo forcefully liberated the spirit without following normal procedures, we were dealing with the third case. The chances of the Three Sovereigns directly obtaining the Law of Cause and Effect and intervening were quite high, and returning to reality put us in a perilous state. It was only a matter of time before Jeon Wook or the Old Ruler of the North Pole, closely linked to that spirit, would pop up.

Seeing Cheon Gong-pyo’s interest, I continued speaking.

“The Heavenly Mysterious Woman is currently using her Corpse Dissolution Techniques to conceal the spirit’s aura. However, she can’t hide it forever. Sooner or later, Jeon Wook or another of the Three Sovereigns will sniff it out.”

“What are you getting at?”

“Right now, we’re both riding on a tiger’s back! We either ride it ’til the end or fall off. There’s no other choice.”

“… You want me to help you gain the Seven Luminaries.”

“Exactly.”

I nodded, eager to make my point.

“This isn’t just your business; it involves me too. Even if you manage to regain your body and escape your seal, your ultimate enemy remains the Three Sovereigns, right? Why not think ahead if you know you have to face them someday?”

“You insolent brat! Don’t dictate my goals!”

“Then where were you planning to run off to? Obviously aiming to go to the Otherworldly Realm, Golden Crow Island, and unseal the Demon King while rallying the Ten Heavenly Generals to regain your former glories!”

“……”

“But do you honestly think you could defeat even one of the Three Sovereigns after gathering a band of pitiful remnants now? That’s like trying to break a rock with an egg!”

“Cut to the chase and tell me what you actually want.”

Cheon Gong-pyo replied with an irritated look.

“You want to form an alliance with me, don’t you?”

“Yes. What do you think?”

“… That depends on the conditions for the alliance. The primary condition would be the whereabouts of the Seven Luminaries.”

She looked down at me with a smug expression.

“Do you know where the others are? If you don’t, there’s no point in discussing this.”

I grinned and replied, “I know!”

“If you’re lying, I won’t let it slide.”

“Do you think there’s anyone alive who knows more about the Seven Luminaries than me? I went to find Tydaht and made my way all the way to Dark Heaven Village. I even found my way to the Palace of Empress Wu Zetian!”

“… Hmm.”

Seeing my confident answer seemed to sway Cheon Gong-pyo’s perspective, and she murmured thoughtfully. I seized that moment to dig deeper.

“Let’s gather the Seven Luminaries. Once we’re all here, we’ll unseal them all at once and use the liberation of the Six Needs to ascend to the Divine Temple.”

“You mean you actually want to meet Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen?”

“What’s wrong with that? Think about it: it’s way easier than fighting the Three Sovereigns.”

“That’s true, but…”

I stepped forward decisively.

“Haha!”

Cheon Gong-pyo flinched in surprise, and I extended my hand to her.

“Let’s shake on it. There’s a limit to what one person can accomplish; now’s the time to unite our strengths against the Three Sovereigns. Didn’t you also have something incomprehensible going on in the past which led to that sect war?”

“……”

Cheon Gong-pyo remained silent for a long moment.

Then she shook her head, saying, “I still don’t like it.”

“Why not?”

With a sigh, she replied, “Your reasoning is tempting, but with your current strength, how can I trust you? The Heavenly Mysterious Woman might be channeling her full power right now, but she’ll have to return to the Celestial Realm sooner or later. No matter how much you wield the Fire Dragon Sword and the Dragon King’s might, you wouldn’t stand against even a mid-tier opponent.”

“Ugh…”

“It seems you and the Heavenly Mysterious Woman can’t even muster a united front.”

“Can’t we work with just common goals?”

“Absolutely not. Fluffy words don’t get anywhere in this world dominated by strength and violence.”

Cheon Gong-pyo turned sharply, continuing, “But your words might warrant some consideration.”

“What do you mean?”

She pointed at me with a finger, “Let’s meet again in seven nights. If you can show me strength worthy of alliance, then I’ll consider taking you as an ally. Excluding the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s power, of course.”

“Are you going to come to my base?”

“I can make that much of an effort.”

Woosh!

“I’ll see you later. I’ve handed over control of the Ruyi Staff to you.”

The air shimmered, and Cheon Gong-pyo vanished in an instant. It looked like she simply decided to leave rather than fight with the Heavenly Mysterious Woman. The ethereal figure of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman appeared next to me, speaking up.

“Baek Woong, seeing Cheon Gong-pyo return the Ruyi Staff indicates she’s leaning toward our alliance.”

That might be true, but it could also mean Cheon Gong-pyo now holds such immense power that the Ruyi Staff doesn’t hold much meaning for her anymore. If she regains command over the Ten Heavenly Generals and reclaims her previous status, she could manipulate countless treasures. Maybe this act was simply out of generosity.

It felt all the more precious.

“Sigh… She’s not the type to be easily persuaded. If I could just unseal the Fire Spirit or Golden Crow right now, it would provide a powerful boost.”

I sighed. I had hoped to convince Cheon Gong-pyo to help unseal another Seven Luminary immediately. If she pitched in, we could gather them at breakneck speed, just like we did with Gong Gong. But the timing just wasn’t right. Of course, I still needed to discuss it with my advisors, but this method seemed to be the best option I had for now.

The Heavenly Mysterious Woman inquired, “Baek Woong, will you follow me to the Celestial Realm?”

“What?”

“As Cheon Gong-pyo said, while you may be strong for a human, compared to the Celestial Realm, you’re still weak. I might be able to help strengthen you.”

“Whoa!”

I exclaimed, my expression brightening.

“I’m heading there right now! Please lend me your strength…”

But the next moment, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman suddenly seemed to have a change of heart.

“Ah… that’s not possible. I’ve spent so much power concealing that spirit’s aura that if I lend you strength carelessly, the Queen Mother will catch on.”

“……”

Then why mention it at all!

I felt troubled but quickly thought of something and said, “Then… could you at least enable me to freely use the Immortal Sword Technique? Until now, I’ve been hesitant to activate it due to your watchful eye.”

She nodded, “That much I can do… Baek Woong, do you know what capabilities the Immortal Sword Technique possesses?”

“It can forge an immortal out of a sword, sever ties with the Celestial Realm, and evade their scrutiny.”

Additionally, I knew that the Fire Dragon Incarnate had never taught the Immortal Sword Technique to Yeodong-bin, yet I was aware that Yeodong-bin learned it from her. A piece of information floated at the tip of my tongue, but sharing it might raise too many suspicions, so I chose to hold back.

“Impressive… but how did you find that out?”

“Let’s not delve into that.”

As I awkwardly replied, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman seemed to accept that and said, “Someday I expect to hear it from your own lips.”

“I’m sorry.”

For now, I couldn’t afford to give the Heavenly Mysterious Woman any fragments of memory. I had to account for the possibility that she could be defeated and captured by someone. I had already experienced the peril of Cheon Gong-pyo and the Bright Dragon being captured by the White Lotus Sect, so I had to be cautious.

“Aside from what you know, the Immortal Sword Technique has another ability.”

“What is it?”

“Accumulation of Cause and Effect.”

“Accumulation of Cause and Effect?”

When I tilted my head in confusion, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman elaborated, “The Immortal Sword Technique allows its user to condense all of their cause and karmic deeds into the sword. This includes skills and experiences. Essentially, it’s a way for a Great Immortal to transform their non-corporeal essence into a tangible object like a sword.”

“Ah…”

“In other words, it serves as a supplementary vessel for a Great Immortal to stockpile their strength. Using the Immortal Sword Technique, they can create their own immortal blade that accumulates their cause and effect.”

I began to comprehend her words.

‘The reason why I could use Yeodong-bin’s Moon-Style Defense Technique when employing the Immortal Sword Technique was because of this!’ The combat experience itself was condensed within the sword. However, at that time, Yeodong-bin had transformed into the sword, making it possible, whereas my current Immortal Sword lacked that clear cause established within, so I likely wouldn’t be able to draw any power from it.

“So the more cause I gather, the stronger I become?”

“Theoretically, yes. However…”

The Heavenly Mysterious Woman smiled bitterly, “I did pass on the technique to Yeodong-bin after creating it, but he’s clearly unique.”

“Why’s that?”

“In theory, this is a method for any Great Immortal to surpass their limits, but to genuinely show significant growth through the accumulation of cause via the Immortal Sword would take an immense amount of time. For example, to gain an extra level of power, Yeodong-bin would need around five to six hundred years of unceasing training. To reach the highest tier of Great Immortal, more than three thousand years would be required…”

“……”

“Even Yeodong-bin has been engaged in incredible training for a thousand years, which made his fighting skills evolve considerably from the past. He has a long history with the Immortal Sword Technique.”

“I see.”

“He’s aware that he has less than five hundred years left before the end times approach. That’s why even as a Great Immortal, he practices rigorously, and he and I hardly utilize the Immortal Sword Technique.”

It surely felt strange. To gain just one level of power could take five to six hundred years, and over three thousand years to reach the upper tier of Great Immortal! It might not seem that long for a being meant to live nearly forever, but the problem is that a cataclysm was drawing near in this world. Achieving another level wouldn’t solve anything, and Yeodong-bin had been accumulating combat experience with the Immortal Sword Technique for a thousand years!

What was he even thinking?

‘Huh? Something seems off here…’

There was something strange about the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s predictions. It probably stemmed from a discrepancy between those insights and the information I had, but I couldn’t quite think of it now. For the moment, I decided to brush past that and said to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, “Anyway, please release the restrictions on the Immortal Sword technique.”

“Very well. From now on, you will be able to wield the Immortal Sword freely, and accumulate fighting experience within it. This is a blessing from me, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.”

Bang!

A surge of light enveloped me, and I felt the oppressive weight of the Immortal Sword, which had been like a thorn in my heart, dissapate.

‘So now I’m an Immortal Sword user too?’

Since she personally granted this blessing, I wouldn’t have to worry about the Heavenly Mysterious Woman getting annoyed if I used the Immortal Sword Technique from now on. Per the laws of cause and effect, she wouldn’t be able to interfere or obstruct me. Moreover, I could wield my own unique version of the Immortal Sword Technique different from Yeodong-bin’s, and my heart raced at this thought.

The Heavenly Mysterious Woman said, “Baek Woong, go to your companions. I need your assistance to fight the Queen Mother.”

“Understood.”

This was the start of my temporary alliance with the Heavenly Mysterious Woman!

Though I had lost the National Seal, Spirit Power, and Golden Lamp in this life, I had gained a significant supporter in return.

 

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