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“Thanks to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens, we all made it to the southern part of the continent.”

We arrived at Hainan Province, the southernmost coastal area of the Central Plains. Of course, we could go even further south through Yunnan, but at least in terms of the coastline of the Central Plains, this was as low as you could get.

The Fire Dragon Incarnate spoke up.

“There’s something beyond that sea.”

With the sound of seagulls echoing everywhere, we caught sight of peaceful fishing villages. If anyone wanted a relaxing vacation, this scenic beach would do just nicely. But the Fire Dragon Incarnate was staring intensely over the horizon, filled with both vigilance and killing intent. It was clear that whatever lay “beyond” was sinister and dangerous.

I asked the Fire Dragon Incarnate, “Could it be a Divine Being?”

“I can’t say for sure. But the number of Evil Qi is in the millions, so a terrible disaster is imminent.”

“Millions!! How could there be that many?” I gasped in shock. I thought a powerful high-level Otherworldly Race was attacking, but the sudden mention of millions left me dumbfounded. Where could a threat on such a grand scale come from—larger than even the empire’s great army?

Next to me, Cheon Woo-jin, who was also gazing toward the horizon, remarked, “It seems the cause is hidden from view. Ultimately, it’s due to the Sacred Altar Tree breaking down, allowing the Sea God’s control to slip…”

“Cheon Woo-jin, do you know something?”

“I don’t know the details, but let me use my techniques to investigate.”

With a poof, a glowing orb appeared in Cheon Woo-jin’s hand and shot forward at the speed of light. Moments later, it disappeared over the horizon, leaving no trace behind. Fascinated, I asked him, “What was that technique?”

“I just made it on the spot because it was necessary. So it doesn’t have a name yet.”

“……”

“Just wait a bit.”

Was he joking?

After a while, Cheon Woo-jin spoke again. “The Sea God Clan is amassing a great army beneath the sea and preparing to advance. They’re about two hundred li away from here, and their sorcerers are performing human sacrifices to gain blessings.”

“……!!” The mention of the Sea God Clan sent shockwaves through me. Were they not the minions of the Old Ruler, the Sea God? How could these monstrous beings, known to scatter across the world’s oceans, gather millions of troops so close by? I clenched my teeth, looking at the fishing villages below the hill.

“If the Sea God Clan’s army is that big, this village is doomed, and the entire Central Plains will be destroyed. We can’t allow that.”

The Sea God Clan was already superior in physical attributes compared to humans, boasting remarkable flexibility, combat instincts, and decent brains for strategy and tactics. Even the elite troops of the Great Ming Empire might struggle against them. Just the thought of ten thousand Sea Gods overwhelming renowned experts was enough to make anyone shiver.

Tang San, who had been listening, gruffly interjected, “So what are you suggesting? Should we try and stop the Sea God Clan ourselves?”

“Tang San, it seems you have something to say.”

When I glanced at Tang San, he scratched his head as if irritated. “This is overstepping our bounds.”

“What do you mean?”

“The current situation in the Central Plains and the Great Ming Empire practically belongs to Chi You and the Eight Parts of the Divine. Even if we did nothing, they would handle the Sea God Clan themselves. After all, it’s their home they need to protect. Plus, we can’t let them catch wind of our movements toward finding Golden Crow, right?”

“……”

He nodded slightly. “Let’s just pretend we didn’t see anything. It’s not our problem to deal with. If you get yourself killed here, it’d be a huge loss for me, you know?”

Tang San’s words seemed a bit harsh, but they were also right.

However, even knowing he had a point, I couldn’t help but argue back. “Once they start their march, at least tens of thousands of the local people in this area will experience a Living Hell. Are you suggesting we just let that happen?”

The Sea God Clan was ruthless, and not only could they kill and plunder, but they might also resort to eating humans or roasting them alive. I’ve even seen instances where they skewer humans for sacrifices. The innocent villagers shouldn’t have to go through that hell.

Then Tang San chuckled wryly. “What’s it to you? You’ve already found a reason to let it go.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The Underworld is inactive, and all the dead would end up in the belly of the Old Ruler anyway, right? If they’re destined for Living Hell after death, what’s the point in trying to save them? If you can’t defeat the gods, the outcome will be the same.”

“……”

“Admit it. This is out of our bounds.”

Indeed, Mangnyang going to the Underworld to check on the cycle of reincarnation held this meaning as well. The entire world has no reason to do good, so one can just live as they wish. Accepting evil as natural, like Zhuge Sa and Tang San, is the best way to live.

The idea that there’s no salvation after death takes away the justification for good.

But…

…then it means whatever it takes to save the world is justified.

If that becomes accepted, then my strategy of killing a few to save the many becomes obvious.

That’s…

“No.”

I looked straight at Tang San and continued, “I don’t think we can just ignore this.”

“No! I get it perfectly well. But even so, I can’t just stand by.”

“Haah?”

Tang San looked at me incredulously. To him, my actions must seem utterly foolish. By all rational standards, trying to stop the Sea God Clan from advancing only meant I’d face losses.

In fact, even if Zhuge Sa had been here instead of Tang San, he would have made the same argument.

But what if the sacrifice of these villagers or the people of Southern Gent generates the inevitable conclusion that they must go? What meaning does my life even have? If all my efforts to defeat the gods served only for my own satisfaction, it would all be wrapped up in that.

I turned to my companions. “I’m sorry for being so stubborn, but I really want to maximize the prevention of people’s sacrifices. So please help me.”

“……”

The others fell silent.

And the first to speak was Cheon Woo-jin. “You’re the biggest fool in the whole world, but that’s not a bad thing.”

“Cheon Woo-jin.”

“If you’re set on this, let me share what I’ve uncovered. The real issue at hand isn’t the millions of Sea God troops, but the entity they’re summoning through human sacrifices.”

“What? Are they summoning something?”

“Yes. The energy the Fire Dragon Incarnate felt is not from the Sea God army but rather a powerful surge as ‘that entity’ is about to be summoned.”

“What is it?”

Cheon Woo-jin crossed his arms. “I think it’s a dragon. Based on the technique earlier, I saw a massive dragon figure in the underwater city.”

“Dragons are sacred beings. How can the Otherworldly Sea God Clan summon one?”

“I don’t know either. Nothing I can speculate.”

It seemed Cheon Woo-jin didn’t know much detail either. Just then, the Fire Dragon Incarnate looked pale, as if he came to some realization.

[Could it be…!!]

“Fire Dragon Incarnate, what’s wrong?”

[If my guess is right, this is going to be a much bigger problem than expected. Right now, they’re…]

He couldn’t finish his sentence but declared resolutely, [Baek Woong, it’s likely that the Celestial Realm will soon get involved. Absolutely! We must stop this before they do to minimize civilian casualties!]

“What makes you say that?”

[I finally understand. The presence being summoned beneath the sea has a familiar wave. If that being is a dragon… it must be King Guangli, Ao Yun!]

“King Guangli, Ao Yun…”

I pondered for a moment and suddenly realized a dreadful fact. “The Southern Red Dragon King! Are you saying the Dragon King is being summoned in the Sea God Clan’s camp?!”

[That is correct. The wavelength confirms it.]

King Guangli of the Southern Sea! He was undoubtedly part of the Four Great Dragon Kings that protected the seas, and a thousand years ago, he spread a vast barrier to protect the Central Plains from the Dragon of the Apocalypse. However, when the Dragon of the Apocalypse released its beams, the East Sea King and the West Sea King were shot down one after the other, and the fates of the remaining dragon kings were left uncertain.

Upon hearing this, Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes sharpened. “Now I understand why these Otherworldly beings can summon a dragon… It’s becoming clear why the dragon they’re summoning is a skull-headed one.”

“Did the Southern Dragon King betray the Celestial Realm?”

“That’s not the issue. They are descendants of the Spirit King passed down since Pangu, meaning they were never in a position to betray the Celestial Realm. However, there can exist scenarios where they are manipulated, willingly or unwillingly.”

Cheon Woo-jin added, “Perhaps the Sea Dragon King died in the battle with the Dragon of the Apocalypse a thousand years ago. But since they belong to the Celestial Realm, they would have returned to it in spirit after death and would have been revived over many years. Therefore, the summoning of the Dragon King means its spirit has slipped out of the Celestial Realm’s domain.”

“Doesn’t that imply betrayal of the Celestial Realm?”

“Why? There’s no reason for that. While it could apply to the Immortals, it can’t for the Dragon King. They are akin to nature spirits that perish with this world’s life. They possess a loyalty to the Celestial Realm that’s immeasurable. They are closer to being guardians for world preservation.”

“Hmm.”

“There’s only one logical outcome. When the spirit of the Dragon King died and weakened, someone must have seized that spirit to corrupt it.”

“Who could have done such a thing?”

Cheon Woo-jin didn’t answer my question but silently stared off at the distant horizon. Although the horizon appeared calm and bathed in beautiful blue, I could also feel an ominous energy oozing from it.

As I dazedly stared in the direction Cheon Woo-jin was gazing, a sudden realization hit me. “Ah!”

“You’ve figured it out?”

“C-Crap… is this true?”

As I stammered, Cheon Woo-jin pointed toward the horizon. “No matter how weak the Dragon King’s spirit has become after death, it’s impossible to capture and corrupt it without strength. Whoever can allow the Sea God Clan to have the Dragon King’s spirit and body must be a singular entity.”

I clenched my teeth. “The Sea God!”

It was clear that the Sea God had captured the Sea Dragon King, defeated a thousand years ago, and made it his slave! That’s likely why the Sea Dragon King’s movements had been elusive until now.

“Right.”

Cheon Woo-jin was gazing forward with calm eyes, devoid of any disturbance. “The Sea God will undoubtedly soon come personally, wanting to seize the Central Plains.”

“……”

When I couldn’t find the words, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens spoke. [It seems the Sea God intends to corrupt the Sea Dragon King and use him as the spearhead of the Otherworldly army.]

“Exactly. If they can resurrect the Dragon King’s corpse and use its power, it would be unbelievably powerful.”

[In that case… the Celestial Realm will undoubtedly intervene.]

“If they step in, the cause and effect of this world will quickly descend into chaos. And if Chi You and the Eight Parts of the Divine join in, it’ll be total unpredictability.”

Having said that, Cheon Woo-jin turned to me. “Baek Woong, if you intend to stop this, know that you will have to fight the Sea Dragon King at the very least. Are you ready for that?”

“Hmm…”

Fighting the Sea Dragon King was not something I had envisioned; I hesitated. While I knew they were ancient mythical beings, I had no clue how powerful they really were. After thinking it over, I asked Cheon Woo-jin, “Do you know when they will advance?”

“Wait just a moment.”

With a bang, Cheon Woo-jin used his techniques again. After gaining the information, he relayed it to me. “I overheard the Sea God Clan’s great sorcerers talking; it looks like they plan to advance within ten days.”

“Ten days.”

That’s either a short time or a long one. My head felt cluttered with thoughts—securing Golden Crow, helping with the infiltration of Golden Crow Island, the return of Amatsukami, defending against the Sea God Clan—all those tasks entangling my mind.

‘It seems significant matters aren’t blindly rushing toward me, but instead are spread out over time. This situation is new to me; I can’t seem to plan effectively…’

As I pondered, I suggested, “Can’t we cut them off before the Sea Dragon King’s summoning happens? We could preemptively take out the priests or sorcerers or prevent the human sacrifices.”

“It’s too late for that. The physical form has already been summoned, and summoning the spirit is just a matter of time, so trying to stop it would be futile. It reached that level because the Fire Dragon Incarnate could even feel its power.”

“Hmm… then I need to get Mangnyang’s advice.”

At this point, I wanted to reach a conclusion, but what I needed most right now was a rational strategy. I decided to put aside my emotions for the moment and consult Mangnyang.

That night, we threw a black mirror into the lake to summon Mangnyang. As soon as he appeared, he said, [There’s no need for lengthy explanations. I’ve been keeping an eye on the situation through the Mirror of Clarity all along.]

“Mangnyang, what do you think we should do?”

[In conclusion, we need to prevent the Sea God’s invasion, but rushing in at this moment wouldn’t be wise. We must act swiftly and precisely on necessary tasks.]

Mangnyang’s eyes gleamed. [First, contact Merlin in the West and gain support from the forces that will directly attack the heart of the British Empire. Next, we strike at once and take out the demon sorcerers to get Golden Crow. This won’t even take a full ten days.]

“So we need to get Golden Crow to stop the Sea God Clan?”

[That would be a shame considering Golden Crow’s power. Plus, if it becomes known that you possess Golden Crow, the Celestial Sage would act first to attack and take it from you.]

“Ah!”

[The Sea God Clan is beatable if approached correctly. So for now, let’s target acquiring Golden Crow within three days.]

My heart surged with confidence as I listened to Mangnyang’s strategy. It pinpointed the essence of the current situation, easing my mind significantly.

“Understood! We’ll proceed swiftly.”

With a pop! We rested for a day, waited for Jin So-cheong to wake up, then headed to the lake in Cornwall, where Merlin was. We called out for Merlin with fervent urgency.

“Merlin! We’ve come to aid you. We seek to join you in protecting Golden Crow, so please hear us out.”

ooooooooooo

Suddenly, a projection of Merlin appeared by the lake. He trembled his beard, observing us before speaking in a grave tone.

[Eastern prodigy Baek Woong. You have a tremendous divine status cascading over you. Not only that, but you are accompanied by divine beings. What on earth has transpired?]

I remembered poorly addressing Merlin earlier in this life, which almost resulted in offense. Yet, his readiness to converse now indicated that the strength of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, Fire Dragon Incarnate, Cheon Woo-jin, and others was substantial. I shook my head.

“This isn’t the time for lengthy discussions. The governor’s office of the British Empire has become a den of demon sorcerers, and the Guardian of the West is suffering to protect Golden Crow. We’ve come to rescue them.”

[Hmm… what is the reason for your visit?]

“Even so, we may be lacking in strength if we go alone, so we’re hoping for your support. That place is likely swarming with demon sorcerers and protected by powerful barriers and demon beasts.”

[……]

Merlin paused in thought, then said, [Berus. Dr. Faust. Assist them.]

In a flash, a dark mirror seemed to reflect into the air. And without a sound, two divine beings appeared—one was Berus, whom we already knew, and the other was a gaunt, pale figure in scholarly garb representing the West.

‘I know Berus’ power, but… is this Dr. Faust also strong?’

Merlin added, [I know you possess great strength, but do not be reckless. If the Avatar of the Old Ruler appears, you must flee.]

“What do you mean?”

[If the fight drags on, the sorcerers may summon the Avatar of the Ruler. And that summoned Avatar is a dangerously hazardous entity. Up until now, our sorcerers hesitated to rescue the Guardian due to the risk of that Avatar interfering.]

“Whose Avatar?”

[…The worst kind of chaos. Let me reiterate: we need to wrap this up quickly before the demon sorcerers do something suspicious.]

“Got it.”

After stepping away from Merlin, we briefly exchanged greetings with Berus and Dr. Faust. I then proceeded to burn an ancient amulet to summon Cheon Gong-pyo.

Cheon Gong-pyo appeared in a burst of light, glancing around before arrogantly saying, [Hmph! So you plan on going after Golden Crow with this crew, huh?]

“Yes. Please assist us. I heard the location from Merlin, and with this crystal, we should be able to break the dimensional barriers as well.”

I held up the crystal I received from Merlin. Even if the demon sorcerers hide the Guardian’s location with dimensional barriers, I’d be able to find it quickly. Not to mention I could also communicate with the Guardian of the West. Cheon Gong-pyo let out a cold laugh.

[Interesting. Why don’t you try fighting first? If it seems fun, I may chip in.]

“…Okay.”

Now that he had that kind of attitude, I wasn’t even mad. I knew perfectly well who Cheon Gong-pyo was.

I discreetly sent a message to Jin So-cheong, who stood beside me. [Jin So-cheong, I’m counting on you as we discussed.]

[Of course. I will keep a close watch on her.]

Though Jin So-cheong’s face still bore signs of fatigue, thanks to the Daehwandan, she was capable enough to fight. She replied in a cool voice, [If Cheon Gong-pyo tries to betray us, I will bet my life to stop him.]

It was just an intuition. The only one who could stop a potential betrayal from Cheon Gong-pyo was not the Heavenly Mysterious Woman or the Fire Dragon Incarnate, but Jin So-cheong alone.

 

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