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Suddenly changing my words made Zhuge Yulong raise an eyebrow. Then he said,

“Xiang Yu still hasn’t participated in the Queen Mother’s war, and we can’t decide his will for him. So why the sudden mood swing now?”

“If we go in like this, it’s game over. Before that…”

I glared at Zhuge Yulong and said,

“You… you’ve been hiding something from me, haven’t you? Tell me everything you know!”

Zhuge Yulong had tossed important information, like about the Blood Pillar and the Eternal Boundary, at me only after we entered the Primordial Void. Now I had to scramble to piece together the situation based on what he had hastily given me. It was like being dragged along with a dog leash attached to my neck. Zhuge Yulong replied calmly,

“What we need to keep an eye on in the Muroongдо Won is precisely the Blood Pillar. I’ve heard there are three pillars supporting the Muroongdo Won. They’re called Blood Pillars, and if we can break them, we can lift the ancient curse of the Three Pure Ones.”

I interrupted his explanation with a scoff.

“Right. And I suppose the Blood Pillar has the reverse Eight Trigrams engraved on it too?”

“……”

Seeing Zhuge Yulong’s face harden, I growled,

“Listen! Because of you, I’ve already faced death once. I’ve already lost! We were enemies by nature, but I wasted my precious time and opportunities here, believing you would be earnest in battle! While my comrades are dying in real-time fights, I put my hope in your schemes!”

“……”

“Are you seriously planning to use me while hiding the truth after I’ve come this far? Are you messing with me!!”

“… Did you use the power of the Sovereigns as a servant? That’s…”

“That doesn’t matter!”

I grabbed Zhuge Yulong by the collar, and beside us, Zhuge Bu and the White Tiger’s glares sharpened, radiating killing intent. But I ignored them and gritted my teeth.

“Do you know what’s inside there? God-tier treasures and transcendent immortals! If you had warned me about the dangers or the schemes going on inside, I wouldn’t have needed to waste time! Are you still just thinking about stabbing me in the back?”

“… That’s not true.”

“No, it looks that way! If you keep going like this, I can’t trust you anymore.”

I yanked my hand away from his collar and turned my head.

“I’ll call Xiang Yu and deal with Tai Gong-mang on my own. You’re on your own. Our alliance is finished.”

*Thud thud*

As I turned my back to walk away, Zhuge Yulong shouted,

“Wait, Baek Woong!”

When I paused, he continued,

“I sincerely apologize. Please forgive me.”

*Thud*

The sound of him kneeling hit the ground. When I looked back, Zhuge Yulong was on his knees with his head bowed. Zhuge Bu looked shocked, but Zhuge Yulong continued with his head on the ground.

“I’m sorry for hiding my plans. But I didn’t think you would allow me to summon the Old Ruler. I wanted to release the seal all at once, even if it was a bit ambitious, which is why I couldn’t tell you.”

“… Is that really true?”

“Yes. I had no intention of deceiving you.”

I contemplated for a moment.

‘I can’t trust him yet. There’s a high chance he’s lying. But…’

Thinking it over while my mind was slightly calmed, cutting ties with Zhuge Yulong purely by emotion would be disadvantageous. There was likely a crucial secret left with Zhuge Yulong for conquering this celestial realm. I caught a hint of what that secret might be, deciding to accept Zhuge Yulong’s apology.

“Fine. I’ll forgive you, so get up. And I have one question.”

“What is it?”

“Can I borrow the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram?”

At my question, Zhuge Yulong nodded.

“Of course. However, you can’t just take out the Tydaht from the Primordial Void, so some offerings will be necessary. It’s not something you can extract with just a single command.”

“Offerings, huh?”

“Since I’m a lender, I must pay a loan fee to the gods. No matter how much of a priest I am, I can’t do it empty-handed.”

As he said this, Zhuge Yulong’s gaze briefly flicked towards White Tiger. Although White Tiger seemed unaware, I quickly deduced the overall situation from that glance.

‘So that’s it!’

Zhuge Yulong planned to unleash White Tiger into a frenzied state, using him as an offering while also hoping to borrow the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram from the Old Ruler! Since I was sealed with the Divine Arts Tai Chi, I didn’t see what happened afterward, but Zhuge Yulong likely summoned the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram or was prepared to do so by then.

In other words, Zhuge Yulong’s entire plan rested on the premise of sacrificing White Tiger. Now I understood why he was cautious about sharing his scheme with me.

I looked at Zhuge Yulong with a complicated expression and said,

“Tai Gong-mang, the manager of the Primordial Void, can use the god-tier treasure the Ta Shin-pyeon and the Divine Arts Tai Chi, as he’s a disciple of the Primordial Heaven Master. Clearly, he’s more than the Spirit Overlay. He might even be on par with the peak of the Three Pure Ones. Is it possible to seal his Divine Arts Tai Chi with the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram?”

“I can’t guarantee that. I didn’t expect the Divine Arts Tai Chi would belong to Tai Gong-mang. I had a plan to seal only the Ta Shin-pyeon with the Earth Star Eight Trigrams, but the Tai Chi…”

Given how he hesitated, it seemed genuine. If he had known that the Divine Arts Tai Chi belonged to Tai Gong-mang, he wouldn’t have just come like this. At the very least, he would have tried to bring Miho or Seo Mun-hye along.

‘Hmm. It feels like a contradiction.’

The Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram has previously sealed the now-released Moon Sovereign. However, arts like the Spirit Summoning Technique or the Corpse Dissolution Technique were powerful enough to work even against the Old Ruler.

Can the Seven Luminaries, the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram, actually seal the strongest Divine Arts? Without experiencing it directly, I wouldn’t know the answer.

I told Zhuge Yulong,

“Then you prepare to summon the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram as soon as we enter. Meanwhile, I’ll call Xiang Yu. Together with the power of Xiang Yu and Tai Gong, we’ll break through.”

“Is that advisable?”

“I don’t treat unhuman-like humans as humans.”

I think that no human sacrifice should be allowed, but White Tiger was different. Just a moment ago, he barely held back from trying to tear my mouth apart! I can’t show unconditional leniency even towards someone inherently evil like White Tiger.

“Alright. Be sure to bring Xiang Yu.”

“And tell me about the Blood Pillar and the Eternal Boundary right now.”

“Alright.”

*Sound effect*

I got a more detailed explanation from Zhuge Yulong, and as soon as he finished talking, he and his group entered the Primordial Void. Immediately, I took to the skies, leaping towards where Xiang Yu was located. Without Heuk Woong, it would be much faster to use all my internal power and jump in a more physical way than clumsily using the Space Teleportation technique.

*Whoosh*

I soon arrived at Xiang Yu’s palace. As I entered the palace, I spotted Xiang Yu, who was still pouring himself wine with a lavish spread laid out.

“……”

Just as I expected, he hadn’t moved an inch?! I stared at Xiang Yu in disbelief.

“What brings you here, Your Majesty?”

“Xiang Yu! We’ve invaded the Celestial Realm, so please fight according to our agreement. We urgently need your help.”

“Hmm…”

Xiang Yu laughed derisively and gulped down his wine.

“I keep my promises, but you all seem too suspicious.”

“What do you mean?”

“If I can’t find Yu Ji in the Primordial Void…? Then your sweet words have no basis. I find I have no need to bend to your whims.”

“……”

“I will fight when I want to fight. Don’t force me.”

I suppose that’s fair. We can’t be sure if we can find Yu Ji in the Primordial Void either, and there’s no reason for Xiang Yu to help us without solid proof.

But instead, I broke into a grin.

“I actually came to talk about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ve located the Primordial Void and can now access it.”

“……”

“Originally, I wanted to ask you to fight the Queen Mother, but since you don’t want to be thrust into a senseless battle, why not see for yourself if our story is true?”

Xiang Yu looked at me with a curious eye.

“Bringing me into this means that there are powerful foes in the Primordial Void that your strength can’t handle?”

“… I won’t deny it. It’s tough for us to handle.”

“Hmph… Fine. I’ll humor you.”

*Clank*

When Xiang Yu stood, the sound of chains from his armor echoed. He crossed his arms and said,

“Lead the way.”

“Yes.”

*Whoosh*

I led Xiang Yu to the Primordial Void. I thought it would take a long time, but it didn’t take long at all. When we reached the Primordial Void, I said,

“Please take care of Tai Gong-mang.”

“Understood.”

“He can use the god-tier treasure the Ta Shin-pyeon and the Divine Arts Tai Chi, capable of sealing even a god in the void of nothingness. We must be careful of his techniques…”

Xiang Yu was annoyed.

“You’re talking too much. What do I care?”

“Ah…”

*Whoosh*

Without further ado, Xiang Yu darted into the Primordial Void. I hurriedly followed him in, and as soon as he entered, he gazed through the mist-hazed village and said,

“There are three gigantic things floating there. What are they?”

He could instantly recognize the three Blood Pillars amidst the mystical illusions?!

He was literally seeing through the entire realm of the Primordial Void in one go! How could that be possible?!

I was shocked by Xiang Yu’s ability and remained calm as I answered,

“Those are the Blood Pillars that make up the Primordial Void. The things floating above them are the outer walls, and if the outer walls disappear, inside lies the Eternal Boundary. If we break that, the spirits sealed within the Sealing Blood of the Divine will come out, and when they all do, the powers of the Ancients will be unleashed.”

“There’s no need for such complicated explanations. So, essentially, we just need to break everything.”

“Yes, that’s true, but…”

“Shall we break one first?”

Just then,

“So you have come from the outside. Has the Queen Mother sent you?”

A figure dressed in ancient attire stepped forward from the mist. Of course, I knew this child was one of the legendary beasts called Qiongqi. I was planning to smoothly navigate this conversation, but Xiang Yu spoke to Qiongqi.

“Does a beast dare to question my presence?”

“What… You think you’re a king?”

Qiongqi twisted its smile in the form of a child and grinned.

“Ha ha… Are you aware of who I am? Feeling generous to a mere human, yet you dare! I’ll have to tear your limbs apart and ask.”

“It’s my words you should be hearing. Die!”

Xiang Yu coldly raised his killing intent and dashed towards Qiongqi.

*Ka-Boom*

[Huh, Aaaaaah!]

It was over in an instant. Qiongqi tried to transform back to defend, but Xiang Yu’s one punch completely shattered its body, sending its limbs flying. Qiongqi’s dismembered body was embedded in a mountain, and as Xiang Yu approached, he grabbed its neck and lifted it up, saying,

“Where is Tai Gong-mang?”

[O… ou… Olyun Dong…]

“Good. Lead the way.”

In that moment, a stream of blood burst from Xiang Yu’s eyes, and simultaneously, blood began to rise into the air from Qiongqi’s shattered body. Its dismembered limbs flew back and started to connect to its body. Slowly, Qiongqi got back on its feet, swaying unsteadily.

[Ugh… A… A monster…]

“……!!”

What the heck was that?!

I had thought Xiang Yu’s abilities only resulted in destruction, but that was a fresh shock. The ability to heal what he had destroyed? This was something I had never encountered in my past lives, and I was utterly astonished.

Moments later, we began riding atop Qiongqi’s back, taking flight toward Olyun Dong. I was stunned by Xiang Yu’s power, which treated a legendary beast as if it were a pet. Gathering my courage, I asked him,

“How did you heal Qiongqi?”

“Does this king owe you an explanation?”

“……”

“All you need to know is it’s the power of the Constellation.”

The power of the Constellation.

It seemed Xiang Yu could extract one of the many powerful Constellation abilities he was born with to use the healing power. The reason he had never used it until now, or why I had never seen it, was simply that he found no need to.

When we arrived at the residence of Olyun Dong and Qiongqi landed, Xiang Yu looked at it sternly and said,

“Since we’re riding again, sit still.”

[……]

He treated Qiongqi like a mere beast, and yet Qiongqi said nothing and sat quietly by a nearby tree. Xiang Yu walked into the residence and opened the door.

“Tai Gong-mang. Are you in?”

Tai Gong-mang was inside, reading a book. He glanced up at Xiang Yu and said,

“Xiang Yu, what brings you to the Primordial Void?”

They seemed to have a past connection. After all, Xiang Yu had been in this celestial realm for over a thousand years, and Tai Gong-mang is the Great Immortal active here the longest, so it wouldn’t be strange if they knew each other. Xiang Yu stared at Tai Gong-mang for a moment before saying,

“Do you know where Yu Ji is?”

“I feel like I’ve heard this question before. Last time, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman led all the Great Immortals to subdue you, and I was also present.”

“Answer my question.”

“I don’t know. Had I known, I would have informed the King of Chu. I too regret that matter.”

“Can the Primordial Void be used to find Yu Ji?”

“……”

At the last question, Tai Gong-mang shot a sharp glance at me.

“You’ve seduced Xiang Yu.”

“Tai Gong-mang. Answer the question. No more warnings.”

At Xiang Yu’s cold words, Tai Gong-mang sighed and said,

“… It might be possible.”

“Good. Find Yu Ji in the Primordial Void right now.”

“That is impossible.”

“Why?”

“If we return to the original Primordial Void, I could use the search capability surpassing even the National Seal, but now that it has transformed into a sealing zone, it cannot use that ability.”

Xiang Yu nodded.

“Then die.”

*Ka-Boom!!*

Xiang Yu activated the Reverse Mountain Striking Technique and attacked Tai Gong-mang. At the same time, the terrain dramatically changed, with nearby mountains flying away and the sky shaking. Amid the natural disaster, I quickly regained my balance and searched for Tai Gong-mang’s location.

‘Could he have been killed in one blow?’

But it seemed not, as shortly after, the figure of Tai Gong-mang appeared high in the sky surrounded by the five glows of the treasured jewel.

Tai Gong-mang shouted a massive Lion’s Roar from afar:

[Xiang Yu! As a descendant of the Constellation who should not exist in this world! If this is fate, as the successor of the Primordial Heaven Master, I will exterminate you with the Ta Shin-pyeon!]