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“So, you just wanna trade Toyo out of the blue?”

That made me super suspicious. But I kept my cool and picked my words carefully, as I replied, “… Where’s Toyo? And what’s your connection with Chi You?”

Jin looked down at me without a change in expression. “Oh, you want all the info at once, huh? Well, I don’t plan on telling you much.”

“Then there’s no need for a trade from my end.”

When I firmly stated that, Jin shot back, “Don’t be hasty. It’s not like we’re confirmed enemies just yet.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying you should listen to my terms first.”

“……”

He was oddly calm. While he felt as slippery as everyone I’d met before, he gave off a vibe that he was standing back and observing rather than just being cocky. His confidence felt more like certainty.

“Spill it,” I urged.

“As the Seeker of the Seven Luminaries, I’ll give you Toyo. But in exchange, you have to hand over the qualifications of a king.”

“……?”

Qualifications of a king?

That word made me double-take with confusion. After racking my brain, I asked, “What does that even mean? Can you just hand over qualifications of kingship?”

Jin smirked. “Looks like you really don’t know. Yes, it’s transferable.”

He continued, “Those who gather the Seven Luminaries face the final trial and gain the qualifications of kingship to challenge the ultimate liberation of the Seven Luminaries. I don’t care about that, just hand over your qualifications to me.”

“……!!”

“Sounds like a decent deal, huh? You won’t have to worry about your life being in danger sandwiching between Chi You and Jeogok anymore.”

Something seemed fishy. The deal sounded too sweet to be true.

What does he know, and how much? I looked at him warily. “Explain what those qualifications entail. Otherwise, there’s no deal.”

“What…? You don’t know that with the liberation of all the Seven Luminaries so close?”

In that instant, Jin looked genuinely shocked, his expression twisting in an almost bizarre way. It wasn’t a fake reaction; he really seemed surprised.

“You’re strange. Really strange. Why in the world are you gathering the Seven Luminaries?”

His question left me puzzled. Why was he asking that?

Then it hit me—he seemed to imply that everyone gathers the Seven Luminaries to become a king.

“Heh… so you’re saying I’m not one of those?”

I declared, “No way! I’m gathering them to meet Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen!”

“…And what’s your plan once you do?”

“He’s a god powerful enough to be involved in the apocalypse and one of the Three Sovereigns. I intend to ask him to help us avoid human extinction.”

“……”

Silence fell for a while.

Then Jin suddenly burst into laughter.

“Hahaha… oh, you’re truly a madman.”

After a while of chuckling, he suddenly grabbed a handful of golden coins from a mountain of gold.

“Seeker of the Seven Luminaries. You’ve come this far, so you probably don’t care much for treasure, do you? Being the owner of sprawling civilizations that cover the world doesn’t really pique your interest, does it? Not when you could be enjoying the company of a hundred stunning beauties or toy with insignificant beings whenever you want?”

“……”

“Yeah, same here. The pleasures of the human world have limits. Power, wealth, and the pleasures of the flesh all have a clear cap… and in that sense, I understand you.”

He gazed into the void, reminiscing for a moment.

“As one’s vessel expands, it craves something beyond what’s visible… Yeah, I get it.”

Jin slowly stood up and continued.

“But a king walks the path of a king. To throw oneself into the abyss chasing a phantom of power isn’t the way of a ruler. From the start, you were never meant to be one.”

I glared at him. “What’s so funny? Who are you to define what a king is? And I don’t even want to be one, you know?”

“That’s not the point. Whether you want it or not–yeah, if you don’t make this deal with me now, you will surely become the king of humans. Isn’t it normal to think about what you’d want when you become king?”

Jin grinned coldly.

“I’ll ask: what do you think being a king means?”

“I have no reason to answer that.”

“If you give me a decent answer, I might consider giving you Toyo.”

“……”

Guess I’ve got no choice but to say something.

‘What does being a king even mean?’

If I’m being honest, I’ve hardly thought about it. I didn’t choose this path hoping for royalty or an emperor’s throne, nor did I seek power. But I knew what kind of power a king had living in a society ruled by them.

Take the emperor of this land—the Emperor of the Great Ming Empire.

He’d reign over millions of people, collect tax, labor, and military service, and even have unlimited access to treasuries and breathtaking beauties. Not to mention he could just live a life of leisure without engaging in politics if he wanted. He could even execute commoners or nobles at his whim. He could wage war against countless barbarian armies and reshape the very land with grand projects.

To be above countless others.

That’s the power of a king, the emperor. Even a prince, part of the imperial family, has immense power in the provinces, and the lord of each city is the same. They could toy with the lives and deaths of common folk as if they were mere pawns. The high-ranking officials under them were almost as omnipotent to the common people. That power disparity is why the emperor feels even grander.

But it seems that Jin doesn’t want to define “king” based on that emperor’s power. I could feel that subtly woven through his words. It felt like he was bored with power itself.

I glanced at my companions. Celestial Sage and Gong Gong, along with the rest, looked at me with significant curiosity. They clearly wanted to hear my answer. And when I turned my gaze to Zhuge Sa, he was just observing me intently.

‘I see.’

Zhuge Sa wanted to know. He believed I had qualifications as a king, so I was sure he wanted to hear what kind of king I plan to be.

So whether I wanted to take Jin’s pressure or not, I had to state my stance clearly here.

I opened my mouth slowly.

“I want to be the King of All Kings.”

“The King of All Kings…?”

Jin looked at me with interest.

“Heh, you’re just couching that in different terms, but isn’t that just another way of saying emperor? An emperor is just a king who unifies all the lords and kings floating around, after all. It’s not really different.”

“No, it’s different.”

I continued.

“Just being a king won’t get me to my goal.”

“What do you mean?”

“The human emperor is just a puppet in the world of darkness. The true king of this realm is the Three Sovereigns and the Old Ruler. The Three Sovereigns are the ones who can call themselves kings among the Old Rulers.”

“That’s true.”

“But if I become an Old Ruler, I’d just be like them, and I wouldn’t fundamentally be able to stop their wicked deeds. I can’t stop human extinction either.”

I gritted my teeth.

“That’s why I need the power to overturn this pathetic world. I will become the King of Kings who can wipe out the Old Rulers! Someday I’ll get that kind of strength!”

“……”

“To be the King of All Kings is my resolution.”

I had no clue when my past life would end. I thought it’d end if I cast away the Heavenly Secret, but who knows? Maybe I’ll just keep reincarnating infinitely. But even if that’s the case, I won’t despair; I will gather strength and challenge endlessly.

Until I obliterate this hopeless world!

“Interesting. Quite the ambition.”

Jin’s eyes lit up as he listened to my words.

“Even I… began to think your words could become reality. The ability to persuade others through your words… that’s also a talent of a ruler. You’re someone I can regard as a worthy opponent.”

“……”

“Alright… then since you have the will to become a king, I’ll change the terms of the trade.”

“What do you mean?”

“Chi You has three guards protecting his throne. If you take out two of them, I’ll hand over Toyo without complaint.”

“… How can I trust your word?”

Jin just chuckled.

“One of those guards is me.”

“What…!!”

“If I hadn’t intervened, you’d have to face all three of the Apostles right in front of the throne.”

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted and everyone raised their killing intent. If we all attacked at once, there wouldn’t be many who could withstand it across heaven and earth. Then Jin said,

“Calm down. Don’t you want to know why Chi You set up guards?”

“… You didn’t explain your relationship with Chi You from the start. You’ve planted doubts, and now you want to blab about something?”

I yelled, and Jin interjected with his fingers interlaced.

“Honestly? Chi You doesn’t know about me. More precisely, he doesn’t know the personality that is me exists inside the Portrait Immortal. I’ve been cleverly hiding until now…”

“I don’t get what you’re saying.”

“But still, a god is a god. Chi You even doubts his own Eight Parts of the Divine and created guards to protect himself. He must have sensed my aura.”

“Why would he need to do that? Chi You has immense power!”

“Chi You is currently performing a massive ritual, and he can’t fight right now. The reason Jeogok from the Three Sovereigns is invading Luoyang alongside Chi You is that he caught wind of Chi You’s weakness.”

A ritual? As I looked at Jin, he spoke up.

“No matter how much power Chi You has, he cannot withstand the relentless attack of the Three Sovereigns alone. So he’s using the power of words to awaken the people of Luoyang to quickly break the barrier protecting Luoyang.”

“Awaken…?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. Using that method, Chi You will surely gain a strategy to counter the Three Sovereigns while also breaking the barrier without delay.”

“What happens when the people of Luoyang awaken?”

“The heavenly forces outside will be annihilated.”

“……”

Is this guy nuts?

The forces assaulting Luoyang from the celestial realm included not only the Earth Immortal but also the Great Immortal and the Demon King in droves. Even a single Earth Immortal could handle thousands of human soldiers, making their power utterly incomprehensible compared to human civilization.

What? How could humans, even awakened ones, obliterate the celestial army?

I was astounded by his ridiculous statement.

“Whether you believe it or not, it’ll happen soon enough. Depending on the power of Jeogok, the situation may vary, but it will be beneficial to Chi You.”

“What’s your point?”

“Eliminate the beings in your way and assassinate Chi You. Then I will hand over Toyo.”

“… Hmm.”

It sounded lengthy, but the gist was simple.

All I had to do was challenge Chi You’s throne and take out the two apostle-level beings standing guard before killing Chi You. It was practically unavoidable, and it was simply doing what I had to do, so I could call it neat.

But how could I believe this guy who demanded qualifications of kingship before suddenly asking me to take down Chi You? He surely had some hidden agenda up his sleeve, especially since he kept Toyo’s existence under wraps until the end.

Jin began to dissolve into powder.

“I’ll meet you again soon…”

Whoosh.

Jin’s form vanished. He seemed to possess some special ability too. However, that was a type of ability I hadn’t seen among the Portrait Immortal’s so far. After a brief moment of silence, Zhuge Sa spoke up.

“Baek Woong. This is a trap. If you follow through with Jin’s words, you’ll likely die.”

“… Probably.”

“Don’t confuse the purpose. Our goal is to obtain Toyo, not to kill Chi You.”

“So I guess I’ll have to move in the direction Jin hates the most.”

I exchanged smiles with Zhuge Sa.

“Let’s get out of here!”

Boom!

We used Cheon Woo-jin’s magic to escape from the imperial palace. Celestial Sage looked flabbergasted as he scratched his head and said, “Hey, hey. Even if it’s a trap, are we really gonna pass up this opportunity? If what Jin said is true, it’s a golden chance to take Chi You’s head!”

“Chi You’s head is something the Three Sovereigns could manage, so we don’t need to snatch it first. It’s better for others to shed blood.”

I replied coldly and added, “I’ll observe until the forces of the celestial realm break through Luoyang’s defenses.”

There was no need to willingly fall into a suspicious plot.

For now, I’ll just watch.

Once all hell breaks loose and a larger gap forms, it would be wiser to reassess and re-enter the palace. Because if the odds turn against our side, Jin will surely take flight and act on his own.

We moved to a nearby mountain to keep an eye on the situation in Luoyang.

Boom!

After a long wait, the scene unfolded where the celestial giant, known as the Great Power Hero, swung his massive hammer to break down the gates of Luoyang. The barrier seemed to have been severely damaged; it no longer had the strength to withstand simple physical attacks.

At the same time, the celestial immortals rode in on clouds, casting spells mercilessly on humans and killing them as they pleased. The spectacle of a Heavenly Daoist in a graceful attire unleashing flames and gales to annihilate a whole family was breathtakingly brutal.

Whaaa!

Screams echoed across Luoyang as slaughter erupted. The celestial beings, imbued with powerful energies, slaughtered humans without a second thought.

I was taken aback.

“What?! Why are those bastards slaughtering civilians…?”

They’re celestial beings, for crying out loud?!

Suddenly, memories of what Miho had once said came flooding back.

“The Queen Mother of the West doesn’t particularly like humans. Moreover, the top tier of the celestial realm mostly seems to keep humans alive only reluctantly.”

“It’s more like a duty than a desire… I’m not sure, but it seems like those who ascend from living beings inherit an unavoidable duty or destiny. So a deity who genuinely loves humans is quite rare.”

“Those of animal origins who reach the throne usually harbor a hatred for humans, and even those born human tend to see flaws and emotions dwindle into an objective gray perspective. Monsters don’t harm humans for no reason.”

What Miho said was indeed accurate. No matter how human they were, once they ascended, they became something other than human and obey commands mechanically. The notion that celestial beings would be filled with righteousness was a mere illusion.

“Damn…!!”

I had encountered quite a few of the Great Immortals like the Fire Dragon Incarnate and Yeodong-bin who were generally favorable to humans, leading me to overlook this aspect.

Zhuge Sa seemed to sense my reaction and interjected, “Of course they’re massacring. Do you think they’d spare those humans living in Chi You’s domain after knowing what kinds of dark experiments and parasitism they might undergo? If they were left alone, they could suddenly transform into those bizarre living beings and attack the immortals. Even if I lead the celestial army, I’d give the same orders.”

Zhuge Sa glanced up at the beings floating on the clouds and continued.

“The commander is the Demon King Natahta. That guy was originally a weapon of calamity, so he’ll likely be even worse at slaughtering.”

“No! We can’t let this happen!”

“So you want to stop this? For whose benefit? If Chi You holds Luoyang, it’s going to benefit only us.” Zhuge Sa trailed off coldly.

“Heh… The moment Chi You took Luoyang, there was no way to avoid bloodshed. It’s an unavoidable sacrifice, so just accept it.”

“Accept it…?”

“This isn’t just Luoyang’s problem. If this warfare doesn’t stop in Luoyang, it could mean the end for the entire continent and even the world. To achieve the bigger picture, we must endure small sacrifices.”

I was in deep thought.

Because of the effect of the Seal of the Supreme King, I felt how accurate and correct Zhuge Sa’s judgement was now more than ever. If I jumped in to stop the massacre here, it would only exacerbate the situation, and I’d ultimately achieve nothing. It would be best to observe for now, waiting for the chaos between both sides to ensue before re-entering the Imperial Palace.

But… is it really right to stand by watching this chaos under the pretext of sacrificing the lesser for the greater?

After a moment’s contemplation, I shouted, “Still… if I can, I’ll at least try to stop it. I’ll tell the celestial folk to refrain from the slaughter!”

“Are you serious? Do you realize how foolish that choice is? We’ve managed to keep our existence hidden, which makes it easier for us, and now you want to throw that all away?”

“Ugh… but I still want to try…”

Just as I faltered, Yong Junil sighed, looking exasperated. “…Baek Woong, are you a hypocrite or a savior? Wrestling with your own contradictions while aiming for the world, you can’t decide which you actually are… how did someone like you gather the Seven Luminaries?”

Before I could respond to Yong Junil’s critique, Jin So-cheong stepped forward, saying, “It’s because of someone like Baek Woong that he’s gathered this many Seven Luminaries. So shut your mouth!”

“Jin So-cheong.”

Jin So-cheong glared at Yong Junil and continued, “Even if Baek Woong may have his flaws, I’m satisfied with the fact he hasn’t forgotten righteousness. So I’ll take on that field of hypocrisy he carries as your ally.”

“Jin So-cheong.”

“I will stand against the celestial beings!”

With a whoosh, Jin So-cheong rushed into the heart of Luoyang, using the Soul Removal Technique. I intended to follow Jin So-cheong immediately, but at that moment, Zhuge Sa gestured for me to pause and commanded the others.

“Tang San, Seo Mun-hye. Follow Jin So-cheong and assist him.”

“Understood.”

“And Sagong Lin. You’ll lead the civilians from the outskirts and ensure their evacuation.”

This made Yong Junil explode. “Wait! Who gave you the authority to order my disciple around?”

“Since the fight in the palace is bound to deal with apostles, it’s better to have your weak disciple handle the escape instead while we’re fighting.”

“The dangers of facing the celestial forces are the same.”

Zhuge Sa chuckled coldly.

“Heh… If you don’t want her to do it, no one’s forcing you. I can’t guarantee what might happen to you after gathering all the Seven Luminaries.”

“Ugh.”

“Technically speaking, you’re not one of our companions. It wouldn’t be strange if I just killed you here.”

Then Sagong Lin sighed, saying, “I understand. I’ll follow your orders.”

Most of our human allies soon headed toward Luoyang. Yong Junil didn’t seem keen on watching his disciple possibly die or participating in the fight within the palace and followed Sagong Lin instead. After giving commands, Zhuge Sa turned to me.

“As long as Jin So-cheong stands his ground, the celestial forces will likely hesitate for a moment. That guy is currently the strongest human fighter. Also, since the Primordial Void Ruler initiated this assault, they recognize our group. So they won’t rush to eliminate your companions too recklessly.”

“……”

“Don’t give me that look. You know Jin So-cheong willingly picked up that burden you carry, right? That’s also the duty of a subject.”

I understood that. The moment I acknowledged the sacrifice of the lesser for the greater, I kept worrying about my potential descent into darkness. But as I grappled with realistic limits, Jin So-cheong took it upon himself to carry my load. Yet even knowing his odds of survival were slim, I couldn’t brush that aside.

Shortly after, using the power of the Fire Eye Golden Spirit to gain a long-range view, I saw Jin So-cheong standing firm against the celestial beings. In front of him, the Demon Kings were engaged in conversation.

It seemed like a stalemate for now.

Then with a sudden boom, the summoning circle of the golden celestial army in the sky rumbled and began to shrink. At the same time, the Celestial Sage beside me frowned.

“Damn… Chi You has completely shut it down. What a guy.”

Chi You had closed the summoning circle that the Three Sovereigns were trying to force open by sheer might!

Chi You’s potential was more formidable than I had anticipated.

Simultaneously, dark clouds once more enveloped the sky, and rain began to pour down furiously upon the earth.

Whooooosh—

The white arm of Jeogok descended with the downpour, gradually revealing its shoulders. Soon a gigantic foot started to come down from the sky, causing both the Celestial Sage and Cheon Woo-jin’s faces to harden.

“The manifestation has begun.”

“Jeogok is coming!”

I realized the main body of the Three Sovereigns, Jeogok, was about to reveal itself to the world. Once Jeogok completely showed up, it would be the ultimate opportunity!

‘Get ready…’

As expected, the bodies of the Eight Parts of the Divine floating in the sky began to cease maintaining the barrier and appeared to be awakening from slumber. At the same time, a tremendous magical power surged from the Imperial Palace, revealing a colossal monster capable of toppling the earth itself.

Roar!

With its crimson eyes gleaming, the deafening roar of the demon beast reverberated throughout the world.

“Jeogok! My master orders you to eliminate this creature!”

Indeed, that beast was one of the three guards!

I felt a strange sense of satisfaction that my anticipation was spot on.

Now, the ensuing battle would pit the powers of Chi You’s Eight Parts of the Divine against Jeogok’s main body and the celestial forces. And considering Chi You might also join in, it would be a completely unpredictable outcome.

‘Alright… if I’m going to use it, now’s the time!’

No need to venture into danger myself!

Slowly, I produced the Seal of the Supreme King from my hand. Then I turned to look at Celestial Sage, Gong Gong, and Cheon Woo-jin.

“Do you know what the Seal of the Supreme King is capable of?”

“Yeah. Just do what you gotta do.”

“Alright then…”

I placed all the Seven Luminaries and treasures inside the Wooden Armor and handed it to Cheon Woo-jin. Then Celestial Sage, Gong Gong, and Zhuge Sa surrounded me, preparing to seal me away. Once everything was set up, I cast a spell straight toward the monstrous being revealed in Luoyang.

“Seal of the Supreme King! Awaken by my will!”

Boom!

My vision darkened all of a sudden. At the same time, my consciousness was being pulled somewhere, heading to another place. Once the dizziness finally cleared, I realized I was looking down from a very high position over Luoyang.

It was incredibly vast and high.

From the ground, it must have been at least two hundred stories tall!

Before me, amidst the dark clouds, Jeogok’s white body gradually manifested, with its two legs now fully visible. Seeing it up close felt akin to witnessing someone step out naked.

I tested out moving my tail. It swayed effortlessly, yet the very motion felt as if a few houses crumbled beneath it. Moreover, my senses were acutely aware, even to the minutest detail of a single hair.

This body far exceeded my former physique. My old body was a mass of immense internal strength, but this one had truly ascended to the realm of the divine—it was a force of nature.

‘Wow… this is incredible.’ I marveled at this physique.

At the same time, I recognized that hundreds of celestial immortals were gathering around me, preparing spells to seal me away, and I couldn’t help but grin. I then casually turned away and swung a front paw toward the Imperial Palace.

Boom!

The palace exploded, scattering debris as if caught in a storm. At the same time, I leapt from the ground, opening my mouth wide to release a deep breath.

Crash! Bang!

As flame blasted out, the Imperial Palace was incinerated.

[What?!]

[Why is that demon king attacking its own allies?]

[Oh… this is bizarre!]

Celestial beings below, as well as the Demon King, seemed stunned.

I couldn’t help but laugh manically.

[Hahaha!!]

Yes! The effect of the Seal of the Supreme King allows me to swap bodies with any being!

Using this one-time power, I had taken over the body of the demon king or apostle, Dalgi, who had been blessed by the gods and freed from the seals, making me stronger than any past life!

 

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