Dark Sky Village
Paaat!
Before I could even speak, Lee Kwang and Han Baek-ryeong had moved right next to Zhuge Fu. They glared at him, as if to pressure him, and Zhuge Fu soon wore a look of unease. Lee Kwang warned him in a low voice.
“You’re already within our grasp.”
“… I see. I can’t move at all.”
Zhuge Fu replied calmly as he glanced at Mangnyang. Then he said,
“I never expected this. This is certainly a dead end.”
“It’s not my ability; it’s the power of Baek Woong here.”
“Oh?”
Zhuge Fu looked at me with a gaze full of breadth and contemplation. I felt a sort of mesmerizing sensation as our eyes met. Unlike Miho’s charm, it felt like something non-human was standing before me. His eyes, deep and endless, told me his mental world was extraordinarily profound.
Mangnyang said,
“Zhuge Fu, the tide is turning towards Huang Yan. Please make a wise decision.”
“What is ‘wisdom’ in your view?”
“Release the Qimen Formation protecting the palace and surrender to us.”
“Pfft…”
Zhuge Fu sneered.
“Weren’t you the one who said the Qimen Formation was my secret?”
“I don’t know it well, but I suspect it’s the Primordial Unity Technique.”
“Wrong. It’s known as the Eight Trigram Formation.”
Sweeeat!
“……?!”
At that moment, I realized the surrounding scenery had completely changed, and everyone around had vanished. I wondered if it was an illusion, so I used the Breaking Illusion Technique to dispel it. However, the illusion didn’t fade away.
The air was thick with fog, and the palace buildings were visible all around me. I stood in a strange place, tense and wary of my surroundings. Just then, the voice of Zhuge Fu echoed through the palace.
[ Wisdom comes from great power. Try to break the Eight Trigram Formation and prove it.]
Eight Trigram Formation!
A formation said to have been created by Zhuge Liang, originally known as the Eight Arrays. It was said that the formation placed within Obokpo nearly led to the demise of Lu Sun, the general of the Wu Kingdom. But it appeared it wasn’t just a legend; it was a real formation.
‘Hmph. I won’t be bothered by such things.’
Paaat
I chuckled and activated the Light Body Technique again, rushing towards Zhuge Fu. However, Zhuge Fu wore a troubled expression.
“That’s cheating. I didn’t expect you to possess the treasures of the other race.”
“How could you have known?”
“The power you unleash can’t be done with mere artifacts. I’ve never heard of any treasures from your race, so it has to be theirs.”
Muttering to himself, Zhuge Fu casually sat back in his chair and said,
“I’m tired of sending you back continuously. How about we have a little chat?”
Whoosh
‘Who wants to have a chat?’
I ignored his words and lunged at him, releasing Fireblade. A massive aura shot toward him, aiming to cut through his torso. But just then, Zhuge Fu thrust out both hands, unleashing a powerful palm strike.
Boom!
“……!!”
I instantly realized my attack had disappeared. An electric shiver ran through me as I assessed Zhuge Fu’s martial prowess.
‘H-He’s strong! A top-tier master!’
It was absurd. The man before me was reputed as the greatest sorcerer in the palace. I had assumed his martial skills would be weak, so I rushed in to subdue him, but surprisingly, his inner strength was at a level higher than Lee Kwang. He clearly possessed top-tier martial arts and seemed stronger than I was without unleashing my Lightning Spell.
Zhuge Fu said,
“Even at the peak of the Asura Heaven Radiance Technique, my hands still feel numb. How did you acquire such strength?”
“Who knows!”
I continuously charged at Zhuge Fu, but this time he didn’t engage me head-on. Instead, he evaded me like a ghost. It seemed he judged that clashing directly would be disadvantageous.
“Damn it. Are you just going to keep fleeing?”
I felt that this would lead nowhere, so I paused to catch my breath when Zhuge Fu spoke again.
“Fighting with my martial arts would be fun, but how about I use some techniques instead?”
He then began to lazily recite a spell.
Collapsing Destructive Technique
Fire Law System
Fireball
Command of the Wind Seal
Ghostly Demon Storm
Weeiiing!
“……!!”
I opened my eyes wide. Each incantation symbolizing a grand spell floated in the air, connecting with one another as if they were assisting each other. Since I had never seen anyone wield magic like this, I had no idea how to respond. One thing was for sure: if any of those spells hit me, it would be devastating.
Snatch!
With the snap of his fingers, the spells bore down on me. The wooden floor shattered, and the ground crumbled.
Ka-boom!
“Ugh…”
I felt my entire body getting heavier, as if made of steel. The Collapsing Destructive Technique was a spell that inflicted immense gravity. It seemed to have the power to weigh down every inch of space, crushing my enemies. I endured it with the power of my inner strength, but then Zhuge Fu’s next incantation rang out.
Fire Law System –
Upper Heavy
Command
Circulating Qi Heaven Mix
Woooh!
In an instant, I felt my body becoming weightless. It was as if I was being pulled upward with incredible speed. This daunting force completely disregarded my own body’s resistance.
‘W-Wait, there’s gravity above me?’
My mind was blown. Even the thought of this was overwhelming—he had twisted the space to generate artificial gravity. As I was pulled to the center of gravity, my body felt twisted and about to snap. I had to explode my inner strength to escape Fire Law System, but at that moment, a gigantic fireball the size of several dozen people shot towards me.
Kaboom!!
Though I barely avoided it with my Lightning Escape Technique, that wasn’t the end of it.
Pafaat!
Zhuge Fu’s finger was pointed at me, and his eyes burned bright red as he chanted a curse.
“Fall! Die! Go down! Fall and perish!”
Drop
Annihilate
Death
Simultaneously, characters imprinted themselves on my Heaven and Earth Three Dantian. Before I even had a chance to respond, my body was pulled and slammed into the ground, burrowing deep into it. If I hadn’t used my inner strength to protect myself, my body would have exploded on impact.
[ Come… Come… Come to me… ]
Then, a sharp pain surged through my whole body as I heard commands calling from the Underworld. A powerful illusion tightened its grip on my mind, threatening to snatch my soul at the slightest hint of resistance. Just when I managed to crawl out of the ground using sheer mental strength, an unknown whirlwind swept my body up, dragging me skyward.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
After suffering the Ghostly Demon Storm, I crashed down onto the fifth floor of Naehwanggak. I felt like I was being toyed with, as if this was all a game preplanned by Zhuge Fu. My body felt battered and defeated, leaving me unable to collect my thoughts. Zhuge Fu sat back in his chair, watching me and saying,
“To think you would try to defeat me here is foolish. Lee Kwang and Han Baek-ryeong couldn’t subdue me recklessly either; it was their innate sense of danger at play. As long as you’re fighting in the palace, you have no chance of winning.”
At that moment, I was convinced. Before me, Zhuge Fu was at the highest pinnacle in both martial arts and sorcery—an outstanding embodiment of unconditional strength. To defeat him, I would need to reach a minimum level of a Guardian.
“Urgh…”
I struggled to lift my upper body while blurted out,
“You know the other race is bad, don’t you?!”
Zhuge Fu nodded.
“Indeed. They’re dreadful.”
“And now the emperor you pledged loyalty to is dead! What exactly do you want by guarding the palace?!”
As I yelled in despair, Zhuge Fu seemed to fall into thought for a moment. Then he replied to my question.
“That’s incorrect. I’ve never pledged loyalty to the emperor from the start.”
“… What?”
“The one who paid the highest price for my talents was the emperor. It’s just that.”
I couldn’t help but ask out of disbelief,
“Aren’t you from the generation-old Astrologer clan? You shouldn’t respond like that.”
“Ah, yes. Indeed. I am from the Zhuge clan, the Astrologer family.”
Zhuge Fu chuckled lightly.
“But that doesn’t mean I represent the Astrologer clan. Everyone lives as they wish in their own way. I could leave the palace anytime I wanted, just like that.”
“……”
“I simply didn’t have a reason to. So, I diligently carried out my duty of guarding the emperor while monitoring the Devil’s Palace. And now I’m searching for my next lord.”
From his words, I realized what kind of person Zhuge Fu was.
A genius who tested his talents upon the world, devoid of any emotions!
He held neither ideology nor moral compass—he just wanted to serve under those who would pay handsomely for his brilliance. It seemed overwhelmingly simple, but with such an exceptional base ability, no one could oppose Zhuge Fu’s will.
Zhuge Fu mused,
“Even your ancestor, Zhuge Liang, sought a lord.”
“That’s wrong. You’re not Zhuge Liang.”
I glared at him with piercing eyes and said,
“Mangnyang is more fitting than you.”
“……”
Silence fell momentarily, and then Zhuge Fu sighed.
“Now you’re talking like my brother…”
“What? What are you talking about? I’m talking about Mangnyang, why are you bringing up your brother?”
“Of course, the person you call Mangnyang is my younger brother.”
“… What?!”
Zhuge Fu chuckled.
“Did you not know? His name is Zhuge Xian. He is my real brother.”
“……!!”
What in the world?
Mangnyang is Zhuge Fu’s brother? But considering Zhuge Fu’s status as a grand Astrologer, it made perfect sense. Plus, upon closer inspection, there was a striking resemblance between Mangnyang and Zhuge Fu.
“It would have been simple to throw you into an illusionary realm to kill you. A simple use of a Soul Binding Amulet would have sufficed.”
Zhuge Fu said with a serious tone.
“However, I want to test the capabilities of my brother and his companions. If anyone other than you can reach here on their own or break the Eight Trigram Formation, then it would mean my defeat. At that time, I will surrender to your side.”
I clicked my tongue in disbelief.
“Stop spouting nonsense. Aren’t you being overly proud?”
“I’ve heard quite a lot of such remarks. But keep in mind that I still have the option to wipe you all out here and join the Devil’s Palace instead.”
“Kuh…”
I realized how shockingly formidable Zhuge Fu’s capabilities were. Had Lee Kwang and Han Baek-ryeong appeared right after us and dove for Zhuge Fu’s neck, they wouldn’t have had a chance. This guy could wield illusions freely within this barrier, twisting reality and space to his will. As long as he existed, breaking into the palace would remain a distant hope.
‘If I can’t defeat him, it’s impossible to topple the palace.’
I revised my goal in my mind. Whether or not we got the Commander of the Imperial Guard or the Imperial Guard was irrelevant anymore. Defeating everyone was meaningless if I could not deal with Zhuge Fu right before my eyes.
‘So, Mangnyang wanted to wait…’
And to Mangnyang, the brother of the Central Plains Guardian, this was a truth he understood better than anyone.
Charging head-on towards Zhuge Fu was foolish, and knowing that Zhuge Fu sold his abilities to others, he waited for the right opportunity to have Huang Yan voluntarily come to him. But it seemed our premature invasion of the palace had turned Zhuge Fu into a tester for us instead.
I asked him,
“What’s this alchemist doing, and where is he? Is he just free while you set this formation?”
“He’s probably fine. He’s not just any ordinary being; he’s a Warlock.”
I tilted my head in confusion at the unfamiliar term.
“A Warlock? Is that a type of sorcerer?”
“Not at all. They worship Demon Gods and offer sacrifices to harness magic. Originally, they are human. However, after lengthy training, many have fallen to become half-human, half-demon.”
“Hmm.”
I felt a sense of unease in Zhuge Fu’s words.
Why was everything getting complicated?
Shouldn’t it just be about taking out the alchemist, the root of all evil?
And why hadn’t Zhuge Fu directly dealt with the alchemist since the emperor’s death? Within the palace, he could tap into absolute power!
‘Strange. He must be hiding something.’
It seemed he was not just testing our side to sell his ability. I had a gut feeling he knew something ‘else’ about the alchemist. And he was holding onto that fact while plotting to gain the best outcome for himself.
Intuition spoke to me.
The instinct that had saved me from death more than ten times was ringing clear.
Now was the time to risk everything to get what I needed.
‘I have to do it. There’s no other option!’
So I purposely spoke to Zhuge Fu with a feigned nonchalance.
“Of course, it would be tough for me to defeat you, but… it doesn’t mean I have to beat you, right?”
“You, are you serious…”
Suddenly, Zhuge Fu’s expression changed.
“Try to follow me.”
Paaat!
The moment he spoke, my body, along with my Lightness Technique, entered the palace where the emperor resided. Just as expected, there was no commotion within the palace. As I rushed toward the room where the emperor sat, I could hear Zhuge Fu’s voice through the lifeline.
[ Stop! If you touch the alchemist, I will kill all your companions! ]
It seemed he wanted a response, with the lifeline still connected. I focused my mental strength towards Zhuge Fu through that line and replied,
[ Not gonna happen! If you want to stop me from killing the alchemist, you better lift this Eight Trigram Formation! ]
[ You… How dare you try to bargain with me? ]
[ Sure, if you don’t like it, then try coming into the palace! It seems even the powers of the Eight Trigram Formation can’t reach inside. ]
[ ……]
[ I hope for a wise decision.]
Tadadad!
I dashed into the emperor’s room, wearing a smug grin.
‘Just as I expected.’
Now I understood why Zhuge Fu hadn’t taken out the alchemist.
It was because of the vested interests involved, but also because the alchemist had kept the Eight Trigram Formation from reaching the safe haven inside the palace. Or else, given Zhuge Fu’s rational nature, he would have subdued the alchemist a long time ago. If that were the case, the emperor’s residence would have undoubtedly been the safest zone for him.
Knowing the route well since I had come here before, I swiftly entered the room where the emperor sat. Upon opening the door, a Man in Black stood there, arms crossed.
The Man in Black glared at me.
“So it’s the lamp of Alhazard continuing the casting. I never thought a human would be its master. Are you the descendant of the [Old Lord]…?”
Alhazard’s lamp?
He must be referring to the Lightning Escape Technique I possess.
The Man in Black gritted his teeth and said,
“Soon, the Philosopher’s Stone will be complete, and I can’t let a loser like you interfere!”
Swish!
With a crack of his whip against the floor, something came stomping out of the darkness.
“……!!”
A massive tentacled creature shambled forward, and right in the center of the monster was a human face. Clearly, that was the Imperial Guard Commander, struggling to speak even in such a grotesque form. But it seemed that due to the modification, his humanity had nearly been obliterated.
I shouted at the Warlock,
“I’ll be the one to take you down!”
And thus, the battle began.
