890——————==

True Martial Home

What on earth should I do about this situation trapped in Tai Chi?

I couldn’t help but feel amazed.

“Damn it! They said this was the Law of Cause and Effect! Why is it getting messier?!”

Shouldn’t everything ideally go smoothly like Great Luck Overlap? But ever since entering the Celestial Realm and clashing with the Queen Mother of the West, it felt like a continuous string of misfortunes and trials. Complaining wouldn’t change anything, so I spoke to Heuk Woong.

“Is it just that we can’t use our powers? The Spirit Power hasn’t disappeared, has it?”

[…Well, yes… But this space is an absolute void…. Time doesn’t exist here…. That makes it even more dangerous….]

“Like a chaotic dimension?”

[It’s different from that…. It nullifies all concepts arising from recognition. Chaos and nothingness are completely different….]

“Hmm… Is there really no way to get out?”

[……]

Heuk Woong shrank back in silence, seemingly sorry.

[Baek Woong-nim…. The connection to Divine Power is disappearing…. It seems we won’t be able to see it soon.]

“It’s disappearing? Why is Divine Power the only thing taking its sweet time to vanish?”

Now that I thought about it, all other powers had vanished immediately, so why was Heuk Woong’s Spirit Power holding on longer? Curious about what was going on, I asked Heuk Woong about it, and he replied.

[I was born from Spirit Power…. Spirit Power is the force that Jeon Wook changed through a mask to alter the chaotic essence he originally possessed…. Naturally, all Spirit Power in this world is connected with Jeon Wook and the Law of Cause and Effect….]

“……!!”

[Even in this empty space, the Law of Cause and Effect isn’t nullified…. The stronger the Divine Power, the more it serves as the driving force for existence…. But even at the peak of great achievement, this space is so powerful that it will be difficult to hold on….]

So, this meant that the connection between the Three Sovereigns and the power existed thanks to God’s might, allowing it to persist even in Tai Chi. Meanwhile, my own spiritual power and internal energy had no such connection and were likely completely sealed in Tai Chi since they were merely the result of training.

‘Somehow… This feels like an important clue.’

Although we were clearly in a crisis, staying mentally alert meant survival. I had experienced enough of these situations not to panic and decided to calmly respond.

‘Yes! That’s it!’

Thinking quickly, I turned to Heuk Woong.

“Sorry, Heuk Woong. If I’m going to lose my consciousness anyway before the seal ends, do something for me first.”

It was a cruel plan, but there was no choice. If I stayed sealed for eternity and my sanity broke, I had to act before it happened. There was a chance that in this space, ‘death’ might not even exist, making suicide impossible. In such a case, I couldn’t afford to pick my methods.

In other words, this seemed to be the only option.

[Of course, my master….]

“Can you dedicate everything?”

At that moment, I shared my thoughts with Heuk Woong. As he read my plan, he seemed to smile faintly and nodded.

[If there’s another chance… I’d love to rampage again….]

“That’s how it’ll go.”

Oh!

I reached out and grabbed Heuk Woong’s head. At the same time, I began absorbing the vast Spirit Power residing within him, releasing the previously restrained energy. Originally, Spirit Power was just unnecessarily vast and could not be handled properly. I had compressed it for efficiency, and now I was releasing that compression.

Ka-bloom!!

‘Augh, ugh, ughhhh….’

Veins bulged all over my body, and a wave of searing pain hit me from rapid expansion. But I endured and continued to transfer the strength while firmly holding Heuk Woong’s head.

“I shall use the Apostle’s Power….”

In the next moment, a burst of dark Spirit Power erupted from my eyes as I shouted.

“Return to the past!!”

Boom!!

At that instant, Heuk Woong’s body vanished, and the massive stream of Spirit Power surging within me was abruptly cut off. It disappeared as if it had gone missing in the blink of an eye, and the calm void around me started to distort.

Crackle crackle….

It looked like thin fabric was tearing as cracks appeared here and there. The great Spirit Power rumbled violently, offering ‘an offering’ to some entity, allowing me to amplify my powers. Simultaneously, the supreme being, who had belatedly realized what was happening, made the space of Tai Chi tremble significantly.

‘Did it connect…?’

Pop! Pop!!

“……”

I was left drained of strength, blankly watching dark lightning flicker before me. It seemed like something was trying to tear through fabric with raw power. Sure enough, the black lightning soon transformed into claws of black flame and began to dance through the space.

Rumble!!

I heard something shatter. Yet, the giant hand that appeared in the gap didn’t move any further, and suddenly, black wind started to swirl through the chasm.

Woohoo!!

What emerged was none other than the Lord of Mu Ying, dressed as an Ancient High Priest. He approached me, standing just one palm away, and growled.

[Our cause and effect are linked. However, as long as the true nature remains unknown to me, you have only hell left.]

The opponent, forcing their way into the divine technique known as Tai Chi, was in no state to exert their full strength. Even a divine being has limits.

However, just having that avatar here made my insides churn. With all powers sealed in this space, it was far more difficult to withstand the presence of divinity.

I barely held back the rising pressure within and spoke.

“…Did you receive the fresh Spirit Power well? Then, as payment for that, you should help this foolish apostle, Jeon Wook.”

[……]

That’s right.

The one summoned here was none other than the Three Sovereigns, Jeon Wook!

Since the Spirit Power was connected to Jeon Wook through Cause and Effect, I had resolved to offer all my Spirit Power, symbolized by Heuk Woong, to Jeon Wook! And upon receiving the offering, a connection was formed with Cause and Effect, allowing him to interfere with the Divine Arts of Tai Chi, which he would find perplexing.

Sure enough, Jeon Wook pressed me.

[I never appointed a fool like you as my apostle. Nor have I taught you how to wield my powers, nor left such remnants of Spirit Power in the mortal world. Yet, you have broken all these taboos.]

“……”

[Do you think I’m a fool? Did you really expect me to agree to throw eggs at a rock?]

Jeon Wook mocked me as if looking at an idiot, but I held his gaze and replied.

“Even Tai Gong-mang and everyone else are terrified of Queen Mother of the West. After all, we can’t even see her intentions, only her sharp claws. How could anyone not be afraid? In the end, there have been victims.”

[…What do you mean? Victims?]

“I mean Yu Shun.”

Surprised by my sudden statement, Jeon Wook suddenly fell silent. His demeanor changed subtly, indicating he wanted to hear more. I felt a bizarre mix of him being like a neighborhood uncle, and it almost made me laugh, but I kept a straight face.

“You know that one day, Yu Shun suddenly vanished, right? He was supposedly masquerading as the Jade Emperor, governing the world in the shadows before becoming vacant. And, isn’t there only one entity capable of killing Yu Shun’s avatar without anyone knowing in the Celestial Realm?”

In truth, it was just that the Heavenly Secret I possessed absorbed Yu Shun, a fact reflecting every time I reincarnated, but I decided to weave the narrative appropriately.

[That’s just your conjecture. There’s no way that Nüwa would do something so reckless. If we fall out, she would suffer tremendous losses.]

“So you’re saying she has the ability but lacks motivation. But Nüwa has a strong enough motive.”

[Don’t hesitate—just say it.]

“Um…. So…”

Uh… What should I do now?

I had stammered my way here based on what I knew, but now I couldn’t think of anything more to say! Repeating myself was hitting a wall, and if this dragged on, Jeon Wook would easily catch my slip-ups.

‘Oh, whatever happens, happens!’

I realized this was the deciding moment and decided to say anything.

“She joined hands with an Evil God. Through the tablet held by the Evil God, she learned the secrets of annihilation, intending to weaken the powers of the Five Sovereigns!”

[……]

Jeon Wook slowly raised his hand.

[What a shoddy claim. I can’t listen to this any longer….]

“…What?”

[That I wasted my time listening to your nonsense shows how pathetic I am.]

Huh?!

Wasn’t this the Law of Cause and Effect?

Even if my words were a complete mess, shouldn’t this world flow well enough to understanding? Did I misinterpret the ‘Law of Cause and Effect’? Suddenly having the situation spiral wildly due to a slip-up was a first for me, leaving my head spinning.

Jeon Wook’s hand slowly approached my head.

‘Oh no…!!’

Of course, if it’s Jeon Wook, even in Tai Chi, he should be able to wield the power of an avatar. The moment his vast black flame-like palm grabbed my head.

He suddenly said.

[You’re buried under greater and greater Cause and Effect…. So… Is this the primordial order…? So you dared to invade the Celestial Realm….]

“……”

My head wasn’t burning. Instead, from the palm Jeon Wook was gripping, an unimaginable force began to pour in.

Ka-bloom!!

[My thoughts have changed.]

Jeon Wook lit up with insight.

[I will bestow upon you the power you dedicated to me, adding interest. If you claim to be my apostle, show that you can smash the eggs against the rock.]

“……!!”

[However, this Tai Chi is a technique that can endanger even my true form…. Even I cannot extract you from here with just the power of my avatar. Hence, I will alter the weave of the world using the Cause and Effect you offered, so you must resolve this situation on your own.]

The next moment, my vision was engulfed in gray.

Boom!!

“Ugh!”

When I regained my senses, I was not in Tai Chi anymore. Instead, I found myself right before entering the Primordial Void, as Zhuge Yulong was dismantling the barrier of the Three Pure Ones’ palace.

“…And that world is called Wuling Peach Garden in the human realm.”

“Uh, um….”

I quickly grasped the situation.

‘Jeon Wook switched the [Small Cycle] for me!!’

Rather than ripping apart Tai Chi directly, Jeon Wook likely turned the world’s [Small Cycle] to rewind time well before being trapped in Tai Chi. Originally, Divine Arts like Tai Chi wouldn’t be able to be evaded like that, but it seemed his granting me Spirit Power made a significant difference.

This meant not only Zhuge Yulong but also Tai Gong-mang would not be aware of the time rewind!

Others might not know the future, but I was uniquely aware of it!

I realized that I had to seize this fleeting opportunity.

‘A surprise attack on Tai Gong-mang won’t work. If I recklessly break the Blood Pillar and enter the Primordial Void, Tai Gong-mang may be unexpectedly strong, so I would definitely fail no matter what. Right now, there’s no way to defeat Tai Gong-mang’s Ta Shin-pyeon and Divine Arts Tai Chi.’

My Spirit Power seemed to have been restored. However, Heuk Woong’s spirit form had completely vanished, which meant I would have to go through training again to recreate him. Even so, whether I had Heuk Woong or not, against an opponent like Tai Gong-mang, it wouldn’t make much difference. No matter what, given the nature of the void space, my Spirit Power wouldn’t hold much sway against attacks from Divine Arts.

‘In that case….’

The best strategy I could pursue in this situation was singular!

“Zhuge Yulong.”

“What’s up?”

I spoke the best possible move to him.

“I’ll bring Xiang Yu, so wait.”