928——————==

True Martial Home

Crap.

The moment I saw Dalma, my vision went black. It felt like my mind was stuck in slow motion; I had run into the very person I wanted to avoid the most! My face turned stiff as I drew my sword with one arm.

Whoosh!

As the lightning wrapped around my sword, Dalma paused mid-step. He gestured for the four humans following him to stop and said,

[That’s quite an odd ability. What do you call that power?]

“…Sword Lightning.”

[Does that mean ‘lightning from the sword’…? Tell me what ruler you made a contract with to use that power.]

“…”

I had no idea what to do.

‘Should I just off myself right now?’

Dalma’s words didn’t register in my head; the only thing I could remember was the countless ways to commit suicide I learned from Zhuge Sa. No matter which method I chose, it was possible to end it all. I could even do it in front of the Three Sovereigns. But dying here would leave me with nothing.

I had learned some facts about Dalma and the Divine Thief’s whereabouts and even got a glimpse of the external universe, but what did that matter? Ending my life in this state would only lead to more hardship due to my singularity.

However, I had no chance of winning. The Dalma before me had the power of the [Old Ruler], strong enough to intimidate even the Giant God. No amount of strong resolve or effort would change the absolute power difference.

So…

I gathered my thoughts and spoke.

“This is not a power gained from a contract with a ruler. It’s a force I can wield through Qi.”

[Qi?]

“It’s the natural power scattered throughout all things in the world. By training, one can feel Qi, refine it using internal martial arts techniques, and unleash superhuman strength.”

I had to try to talk with Dalma.

He didn’t attack me on sight, which meant he found me interesting. I had to give him information while seeking some back in return. One wrong move, and I’d be squished like a bug, but I had no choice.

[……]

Dalma crossed his arms and went deep in thought. Then he said,

[So you’re saying that what you call Qi is a unique power of humans?]

“Yes.”

[Then what about your eyes? I sense a different kind of power coming from them.]

Is he referring to the Fire Eye Golden Spirit?

I rubbed my eyelids and explained,

“This is an innate ability I received from a Celestial Sage named Zhuge Sa. With this eye, I can see through illusions and martial arts techniques.”

[……]

Dalma tilted his head. Then he said,

[Martial arts…? Do those eyes also belong to the realm of martial arts?]

“Indeed.”

[So martial arts exist in your world…? Do you mean that mere self-deception has tangible power?]

“…Yes.”

[What is this ‘Celestial Sage’?]

“When a human pries open the gates of martial arts and accumulates martial arts ability, they can become an immortal. The world of these immortals is called the Celestial Realm. In that realm, those with exceptional combat ability are referred to as Celestial Sages.”

[How intriguing…]

It was then that one of the five standing behind him, a thin man with bulging eyes, shouted out loud. Uniquely, he had shaved his head, making him look completely bald.

“Master! If that guy really is the singularity, we shouldn’t waste any more time! Just eliminate him and absorb his power!”

Dalma shot him a glance and said,

[Huang Wu. Wait a moment.]

Huang Wu shouted impatiently,

“If what you say is true, then isn’t the Master in danger if we leave the singularity alive!”

[That’s correct. The singularity is a trial of fate for me.]

“Then why…”

[I sense something different about him…]

“……”

Master?

I looked at the humans behind Dalma, wondering if they were all monks, but it turned out only Huang Wu, the skinny guy, was bald, while the others were a mix of appearances. There was a beautiful woman, a one-armed martial artist, a buff guy, and even a feeble-looking scholar.

After a brief silence, Dalma spoke.

[Let’s go in and talk… Follow me.]

I followed Dalma into the Hall of the Sect Leader. I had been here numerous times in my past life, but this place felt different.

‘It’s shabby…’

The Hall of the Sect Leader used to be resplendently grand. This was the palace built by the White Lotus Sect with all its might and wealth, but now it looked more like a rundown building with signs of decay. Some poor people lay around on tattered mats.

Soon, we sat down on a huge mat. There were no chairs or benches; we were literally on the bare ground. It was clear that the White Lotus Sect was extremely poor, and I found myself sitting opposite Dalma.

Silence hung in the air until Dalma broke it.

[You from another universe, what is your name?]

“Baek Woong.”

[The aura of the divine being who accompanied you has disappeared. Where has that being gone?]

“They returned to our world due to our differing opinions.”

[What brings you here?]

I hesitated momentarily before answering Dalma’s question.

“…It’s a long story. But first, I want to know something.”

[What do you wish to ask?]

“Why do you conclude that I am the singularity? I didn’t transgress into the external universe intending to eliminate it. My purpose is entirely different; I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

[……]

Dalma went silent for a moment before slowly pointing at me with his finger.

[I already knew that someone like you would come from the ‘Outside’ around this time. It wasn’t hard to guess that you are from the ‘Outside’.]

“What…!! How!”

[Because… I hastened the singularity.]

“……!!”

What did he say?!

‘He hastened the singularity?! That means…’

Could it be that Dalma did the same thing I did?

Seeing my astonished expression, Dalma continued,

[Do you know about the singularity? Do you understand what it means to hasten it?]

What should I say?

After a moment of hesitation, I nodded.

“…I know.”

[Then we can skip to the good part…]

Dalma continued speaking.

[I perused the [Records of the World] and summoned the strongest Guarding Artifacts that shouldn’t exist within this world. Such an act cannot be allowed by the laws of the universe… but I had no choice, so I paid the price of hastening my singularity. After that, you appeared, which is why I can only consider you as the singularity.]

“……?”

Records of the world?

As I pondered that, a previous memory suddenly came back to me.

[You know about the Blessing of the Sky, right? It’s the power of Master Mangnyang, but it’s also a tremendous law that directly influences this great universe, sourced from the [Records of the World]. That’s why it possesses power almost equal to the Law of Cause and Effect, which even the [Old Ruler] cannot avoid.]

[If you are to reincarnate, advise the past version of me to read the [Records of the World]. Without that hint, you cannot reach the heights you desire.]

[As a sorcerer, the ultimate level I need to reach cannot be attained without accessing the [Records of the World]. But there isn’t just one way to get there. You can take multiple paths.]

[To put it simply, intertwining existence means occurring phenomena of singularity that transcends time and space. Once you grasp the singularity, a ‘path’ opens. The Divine Thief mentions that by walking that ‘path’, you’ll reach the [Records of the World].]

[… The ultimate state is just a metaphor. To put it starkly, martial arts represent the power of the Three Sovereigns, but you must surpass that limitation to obtain the cosmic powers known only to the [Old Ruler].]

Yeah.

I had definitely heard about the [Records of the World].

It was the ultimate goal that beings like the Divine Thief or Cheon Woo-jin yearned to touch somehow. Even the Blessing of the Sky, a power from Master Mangnyang, was based on these records; multiple methods were involved, but it was undeniably the gathering of cosmic powers.

‘So, Dalma has directly accessed the Records of the World?’

If that’s the case, he achieved a power surpassing even the ultimate state of our realm purely through his ability! Is it possible to achieve that only through the Demon Path without martial or sorcerous prowess?

I mulled over Dalma’s statements. Then I voiced my thoughts aloud.

“Could it be that the Guardian Artifacts number four?”

[Correct.]

“……”

[It seems I summoned something from your world to ours…]

Once I heard what Dalma said, I could deduce the situation.

‘The Four Great Spirit Deities!’

It was highly likely!

As the Dragon of the Apocalypse fell, the Four Great Spirit Deities embedded in its body scattered into the chaos of the universe, and they were summoned here by Dalma’s [call]! Thinking this way, everything fit, but I felt a sense of confusion.

‘Ah… but no. This is… strange!’

Isn’t it a contradiction?

Something feels amiss.

If this is an intricate structure of cause and effect, there seems to be a portion intentionally left out!

I held my tongue as I wasn’t ready to quickly conclude anything; hasty decisions could certainly land me in a trap, so I opted to remain calm and assess the situation.

Noticing my contemplation, Dalma said,

[However, if you are the singularity that came as a result of summoning the Guardian Artifacts… you are incredibly weak. Considering the power and abilities of the Guardian Artifacts, it would be normal for a calamity to come seeking me… Something feels off, which is why I felt the need to converse with you after our first clash.]

“……”

You find me suspicious because I’m too weak?

In a way, it felt pitiful, but that’s actually a luxury given the situation. After all, Dalma’s power was on par with the Three Sovereigns, already at the level of an absolute being capable of manipulating galaxies. I should be grateful for his kindness as I’ve not even scratched the surface of that power.

“Got it.”

[Baek Woong. Now it’s your turn to share your story. How have you lived, and why did you come to our world…?]

Can I say it?

I thought about the restraints binding me and flinched. I wanted to exclude anything about my past life, but doing so would immediately tip Dalma off that I was hiding something. After racking my brain, I opened my mouth.

“I came here to find the Four Great Spirit Deities.”

I had to focus entirely on the story, excluding anything about my rebirth.

Therefore, I began narrating how I set off to find the Four Great Spirit Deities, including the battle with the Dragon of the Apocalypse a thousand years ago that Yeodong-bin had experienced. I recounted how I met the Rainbow Snake and how it inadvertently sent me here.

Dalma seemed to listen intently, and the five people around us did the same. When I finished my tale, Dalma asked,

[Is that so… Did you hasten the singularity as well? Did you come in search of the Four Great Spirit Deities to overcome it?]

“Yes.”

[Why did you hasten it?]

Taken aback by the abrupt question, I paused. Elaborating on the details would inevitably lead me to revealing my past life. After hesitating, I finally said,

“To save the world.”

Ugh… I couldn’t think of a better way to phrase it.

There was no way to explain it without mentioning my rebirth ability.

As I braced myself for potential torture from Dalma, he seemed to understand something and said,

[… I see. So you are also like me.]

“……”

[You needn’t force yourself to speak.]

Like me?

What does that even mean?

As I tilted my head in confusion at Dalma’s cryptic statement, he replied,

[Then we must first confirm whether our understandings align or clash. That is why I wished to converse with you today.]

With that, Dalma addressed the one-armed figure seated to his right,

[Hye Ga. Bring the Guardian Artifacts.]

The one-armed figure, identified as Hye Ga, nodded and silently headed off somewhere.

When he returned, I could see four weapons he brought back on a cart.

“……?”

Huh?

I felt a bit taken aback.

And glancing over at the four weapons arranged on the cart, Dalma asked me,

[Look. Are these what you referred to as the Four Great Spirit Deities?]

“Wait… I need to check.”

I jumped up, grabbed the weapons, and began inspecting them. I checked their forms and examined the divine power within.

Clang!

After a moment, I dropped everything I held onto the ground and replied,

“…They aren’t.”

While their shapes were similar, these were definitely not the Four Great Spirit Deities.

Forget the Four Great Spirit Deities; they were just mediocre-looking cheap weapons.

There wasn’t even a smidgen of divine power or awe, and not even a trace of magical energy. These were the kind of cheap things you might find displayed in a souvenir shop. There was no sense of history. None of the unique powers or natural energies said to be infused within the Four Great Spirit Deities could be found.

There’s no way these are the Four Great Spirit Deities!

With these second-rate weapons, there’s no way to stand against the Dragon of the Apocalypse!

No matter how much potential a user had, such weapons couldn’t hide their lack of quality in front of the Fire Eye Golden Spirit. Truly great items would inevitably reveal their worth.

Could it be…

[Hehehe…]

When I glanced back at Dalma, he wore a lonely smile.

[Seems they were… fake Guardian Artifacts after all…]