881——————==

True Martial Home

After achieving the spiritualization of Spirit Power, I returned to Jangryeong Valley. It had been about three months since my departure, and upon my return, Seo Mun-hye greeted me warmly.

“You’re back.”

“I have returned. Where are the others?”

“They’re inside.”

I could meet Mangnyang and Zhuge Clan again. As soon as they saw me, they said,

“You’ve gotten stronger.”

“You must have acquired the spirit of Spirit Power; can you show us?”

“Of course.”

I brought out Heuk Woong, my achievement, to show them. They looked at it with eyes wide as if dazzled and said,

“What an incredible mass of divine power…”

“I never thought a human could command such a formidable technique.”

Mangnyang, filled with awe, spoke up.

“It seems we have enough materials; let’s begin the Celestial Realm Assault.”

The Celestial Realm Assault!

Hearing about this primary goal for this life made my heart feel heavier. Could we truly break through the Celestial Realm, something that felt like an absolute wall we could never cross in our previous lives, without the help of divine beings? But Mangnyang and Zhuge Clan showed no signs of anxiety.

I asked Mangnyang,

“How do you plan to carry out the Celestial Realm Assault? We can’t just charge in blindly.”

“Baek Woong. First, let’s clarify our targets. If we say we’re assaulting the Celestial Realm, what must we do to say we have succeeded? Who do we need to defeat for it to count as a victory?”

After a moment’s thought, I replied,

“We must defeat the Heavenly Mother and the Twelve Celestial Sages beneath her.”

Originally, we should also consider the Jade Emperor and the Three Pure Ones, but they had already vanished.

“Correct. However, the Heavenly Mother should be the last one we tackle… So that makes the target the Twelve Celestial Sages. They are the highest officials of the Celestial Realm, aside from the Heavenly Mother and the Jade Emperor.”

“That’s easier said than done. The Twelve Celestial Sages are all top-tier Great Immortals…”

Though the Twelve Celestial Sages weren’t the same as the great demonic warriors, they possessed abilities that could rival them. Fighting against these expert combatants could be tough, as they have lived for thousands of years, skilled in countless techniques and equipped with powerful treasures. Defeating twelve such top-tier Great Immortals wouldn’t be a walk in the park.

Then Zhuge Clan spoke up beside me.

“We already have the Heavenly Mysterious Woman on our side from the offering ceremony with Pangu. Additionally, the Celestial Sage who was covertly allied with the Heavenly Mysterious Woman is also implicitly on our side.”

“……!!”

“When we begin our assault on the Celestial Realm, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman will hold the Heavenly Mother at bay, buying us time.”

In the meantime, we would be using the assistance of the Celestial Sage to eliminate the Twelve Sages one by one or sway them to our side.

The situation seemed similar to what we had experienced before. However, back then, we were desperately thrown into a fight with no chance of winning due to Pangu’s orders. This time, we were preparing thoroughly before taking on the Celestial Realm.

“There might be a chance, but… the Twelve Sages won’t be alone. Countless combatants and Immortals will be gathering nearby, and the Celestial Sage alone won’t suffice.”

“You fool. Who doesn’t know that? That’s why we need to sway one more person.”

“Who?”

Zhuge Clan’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“Huang Yu!”

“……!!”

“It was crucial that you achieved the spiritualization of Spirit Power, but that is our final preparation. If he becomes our ally, then we would already have more than half the battle won. If the Celestial Sage and Huang Yu team up, we can take on any number of demon warriors.”

Huang Yu possessed immense power, strong enough to knock down even the demon king Daji. Zhuge Clan’s proposal made a lot of sense.

“Ugh, hmmm… that may be true, but… we first need to find Yu Ji’s soul, right?”

Huang Yu was indifferent to everything and remained in seclusion in the outskirts of the Celestial Realm after his death. The only thing he cared about was finding the soul of his beloved, Yu Ji, and I had failed to find her when I took on that request. It was because even using the National Seal, I couldn’t find a trace of the Constellation’s aura that would be possessed by Yu Ji in this world.

“I have thought of a way. You just need to sweet-talk him.”

“……”

“Now, let’s go. With the Celestial Sage’s help, we can infiltrate the Celestial Realm.”

After learning Zhuge Clan’s strategy, I went with him to meet the Celestial Sage. Disguised as a human atop the Celestial Sage’s steed, he looked at me with evident interest.

“Oh ho, what’s this… Seems like a strong one? Who are you?”

The Celestial Sage, possessing the Fire Eye Golden Spirit, seemed to have gauged the extent of my divine power at a glance. I lowered my head and replied,

“I am Baek Woong.”

“A human?”

“Yes.”

The Celestial Sage shifted his gaze to Zhuge Clan.

“Zhuge Clan, huh? Is this guy your secret weapon?”

Zhuge Clan grinned at the Celestial Sage’s comment.

“More of a nuisance.”

What a terrible thing to say!!

The Celestial Sage laughed heartily.

“Fine, one demon sorcerer and a nuisance can ride my steed. I’ll quickly take you to where Huang Yu lives.”

Whoosh

Soon, we found ourselves inside the Palace of Nine Immortals. Entering the dim interior of the palace with no sign of life, I saw Huang Yu seated at the head of a large table. Previously, he had guarded the entrance against visitors, but now it seemed discussions had occurred to permit our entrance.

Huang Yu, sipping from a cup of wine, glared at me with sharp eyes. His thick eyebrows twitched.

“Is that a divine avatar?”

I felt a strong wariness. As I flinched, the Celestial Sage returned to his original form and shrugged.

“He says he’s human.”

“Hmph… what a joke.”

Huang Yu poured another drink as if to ignore us.

Thud

The Celestial Sage plopped down onto the table and gestured for us to sit.

“Hey, you two, sit down.”

As we sat silently, an uneasy silence fell. When Huang Yu seemed intent on downing his third drink, Zhuge Clan broke the ice.

“Overlord, this person next to me is Baek Woong, my lord. He has something to say to you.”

Huang Yu, sounding annoyed, replied,

“Demon Sorcerer, I don’t care about your circumstances. If what he says doesn’t pique my interest, you won’t leave here alive.”

“Of course. How could we possibly disturb the Overlord’s leisure with trivial matters? But you might want to prepare yourself for something exciting.”

“Go ahead.”

“Hehehe…”

Zhuge Clan casually laughed and turned his gaze to me. I cleared my throat and began speaking.

“I’ve discovered the whereabouts of Yu Ji.”

At that moment, Huang Yu’s hand stopped pouring liquor into his cup. I felt the weight of the moment and, breaking the heavy silence, continued,

“I sought across the world for Yu Ji’s aura but found nothing on Earth. I ventured into the Underworld, and it, too… had long since become the possession of the ‘Old Ruler,’ confirming that the cycle of life and death in this realm has ceased. The Underworld had no trace of Yu Ji’s aura, leaving only two conclusions.”

Huang Yu had removed his gaze from the cup and was now glaring at me keenly.

I continued,

“One is that her soul has crossed over into a world completely different from this one, possibly an Outer Dimension or Dark Heaven Village. I’m not sure how that happened, but if that’s the case, searching for her soul could take at least a thousand years. So, it’s just a possibility, so don’t worry too much.”

“And the other?”

“Is that Liu Bang has swallowed Yu Ji’s soul within his own.”

Huang Yu’s expression hardened.

“……”

“I can’t ascertain what pact was made between you and Liu Bang, but the most convincing theory is that he deliberately concealed her soul.”

“Hoo hoo hoo…”

Huang Yu laughed wearily and poured more wine.

“You’ve certainly done your homework… But none of this contradicts what this king has surmised over the thousand years on this Palace of Nine Immortals.”

“Isn’t the reason you ascended to the Celestial Realm to directly find Liu Bang’s true essence, the Red Dragon?”

“……”

“But I assume you didn’t find him. If you had, you would have already torn that Red Dragon apart and interrogated him about Yu Ji’s whereabouts. You probably went to the Sea Dragon King, thought to be the Red Dragon, but confirmed he’s not Liu Bang.”

“……”

“And that led to your disappointment and despair, causing you to settle in the Celestial Realm.”

Huang Yu fell silent. Just as Zhuge Clan had predicted, everything I spoke didn’t contradict Huang Yu’s thoughts and flowed rationally. Zhuge Clan deduced all of Huang Yu’s actions perfectly.

Huang Yu rested his chin on his hand and replied,

“Of course, this king had also thought about that. But I found no more powerful Red Dragon above the Sea Dragon King, who equates to the Twelve Sages. There can’t be a stronger dragon. Thus, I was perplexed.”

I finally got to the crux of the matter.

“Are you perhaps too fixated on the Red Dragon?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you not feel something odd when dealing with Liu Bang? Regardless of how many Constellation-powered beings like Soha and Zhang Liang aided him, how could there be someone who could ever stand against you?”

At my words, Huang Yu looked displeased.

“That guy never fought me directly. He has never once defeated me, and I have always won. How could I give such flattering praise to a guy who always fled?”

“Endurance is also a skill. And I would assume you never truly saw Liu Bang’s true nature, the depths of his mindset, until the very end, did you?”

“……”

“He was possibly a being so sinister that you couldn’t even describe him as a cunning dragon. He held no lofty ideals that a dragon of the Celestial Realm should possess. Does any of this ring a bell?”

… Am I allowed to say this?

I momentarily recoiled, wondering if I had spoken too provocatively. However, unexpectedly, Huang Yu didn’t get angry but seemed to contemplate my words. Since he didn’t respond, I continued.

“Liu Bang wasn’t a dragon. He could have been a far more nefarious being.”

“… No way.”

From there, Zhuge Clan took up the conversation.

“Overlord, I do have a possible culprit in mind. However, I need to know what pact you made with Liu Bang that day to share more with you.”

“You mean for me to recount the promises made that day?”

“Regardless of how precious that promise was, it only has meaning if Yu Ji is safe. Liu Bang has already disregarded that promise, hasn’t he?”

“… I see.”

Huang Yu slowly nodded, now understanding Zhuge Clan’s point.

“Even back when I was trapped in that narrow castle… I never once thought I had lost. Regardless of how strong Liu Bang’s forces were, I was confident I could kill them all no matter how many foes came at me. But the reason I couldn’t act was that I couldn’t fight without taking care of all my subordinates…”

“……”

Huang Yu’s words highlighted why that invincible figure ultimately lost to Liu Bang during that historic battle. Huang Yu had the power to annihilate even hundreds of thousands on his own, but doing so would mean losing all his invaluable subordinates and retainers. Liu Bang and his forces had taken Huang Yu’s subordinates hostage and pressured him into a corner.

“That day, Liu Bang made a proposal: he would spare all my subordinates and wouldn’t harm the people of my homeland if I’d pretend to die and vanish… Along with taking Yu Ji’s soul as a hostage to ensure the promise’s fulfillment.”

“So you accepted that proposal.”

“……”

“But you didn’t just send her as a hostage; you instead bestowed her with the power of the Celestial Realm to wander the world. While she was protected by the Constellation’s power, you would try to rescue her swiftly.”

“That’s right. I thought giving her the power of a Constellation meant a human couldn’t touch her.”

“But ultimately, Lady Yu Ji disappeared… Someone must have infiltrated through the protection of the Celestial Realm and abducted her, causing you to rage and wreak havoc in the Underworld and Celestial Realm. Although you saw no results and ended up like this.”

Zhuge Clan added,

“What Liu Bang claimed to be the ‘Red Dragon’ was likely a ruse. It was merely a metaphor, and the reality is something entirely different. If Liu Bang were hiding Yu Ji, we know how to find her.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Zhuge Clan replied flatly.

“There are countless stars in the sky, but the number of official Constellations is limited. Have you ever considered that?”

At that moment, Huang Yu’s eyes sharpened. His clever mind quickly grasped Zhuge Clan’s words.

“The Constellations symbolize the territory of the ‘Old Ruler.’ Then you’re suggesting we can find her location by cross-referencing the vanished Constellation’s territory?”

“That’s right. By observing the density, particularly with the aura and territory of all the Constellations, there must be a gap somewhere. The energy you bestowed upon her is far too substantial for it not to be noticeable.”

“Is that truly possible?”

“It is. Normally, it would be impossible via human astrology, techniques, or even the spells of Great Immortals, but…”

Zhuge Clan grinned evilly.

“In the deepest parts of the Celestial Realm resides the primordial treasure, Primordial Void, said to have appeared when the heavens opened. It is legendary for being able to observe all Constellations and worlds, so if we obtain the Primordial Void, we can ascertain Yu Ji’s location.”

“……!!”

“This gives you even more reason to assist us, Huang Yu.”

“Hmm…”

Huang Yu seemed deep in thought. After a brief moment, he spoke.

“Fine. I believe in your words. This King shall assist you in annihilating the Celestial Realm. In return, you must find the Primordial Void and must reveal Yu Ji’s location to me.”

“Thank you. Once we strike, please eradicate the Twelve Celestial Sages.”

“Understood.”

Huang Yu had joined our ranks.

After bringing Huang Yu into our group, we attempted to leave atop the Celestial Sage’s steed, but suddenly the Celestial Sage remarked,

“But how do you plan to handle the aftermath?”

“What do you mean?”

“I also dislike the Celestial Realm, and I want to assist the Heavenly Mysterious Woman in eliminating it… But if the Celestial Realm vanishes, the protective shield of the human world will also disappear, allowing the ‘Old Ruler’ to spread their influence even more easily. How do you plan to address that?”

Ugh…

I could have said I didn’t really care since I would reincarnate anyway, but that was obviously not something I could openly express. Moreover, the Celestial Sage raised a valid point, so Zhuge Clan responded calmly.

“Even with the Celestial Realm, the forces of demons are already rampant in the Western Regions. Rather, it would be better to eliminate the Celestial Realm, which surveils and manages human civilization, and instead, strengthen human power to pursue their own lives.”

“So, you believe that strength will stave off an end?”

“At least, it would have a much better chance than now.”

“Hmmm… Alright.”

Whoosh

We rode the Celestial Sage’s steed back to Jangryeong Valley. Upon returning, a familiar face greeted us.

“Did you have a good trip?”

“Zhuge Yulong.”

Zhuge Yulong was sitting alone across from Mangnyang. He slowly rose from his seat and said,

“If you’ve attracted Huang Yu, then there’s no more hesitation. Let’s assault the Celestial Realm right now.”

At his words, everyone present nodded.

The operation to assault the Celestial Realm had begun.