Heavenly Realm
After returning to Mangnyang in Jinrang Valley, I recounted the events of the past few days. Mangnyang listened calmly before speaking.
“I’m really sorry about Miho.”
“No, it can’t be helped if that Offering Ceremony is important.”
As I replied bitterly, Mangnyang made an awkward expression.
“I should probably share my future plans with you first.”
“More importantly, what’s that over there?”
My gaze was drawn to a man dangling from a branch.
‘How did he end up like that?’
Of course, I recognized the man’s appearance; he was Zhuge Sha, the Lord of Jangryeong Valley, and Mangnyang’s uncle. Zhuge Sha hung there, seemingly unconscious.
“As you can see, it’s Zhuge Sha.”
“Is it okay to leave him like that?”
“Just this won’t be enough to knock some sense into him.”
“……”
It seemed Mangnyang had some resentment toward Zhuge Sha. He must have been dragged here after being subdued by Cheon Woo-jin in a matter of days. Mangnyang, staring at the suspended Zhuge Sha with a displeased look, spoke up.
“My goal in this life is to perform the Offering Ceremony and liberate Mangya, even if it means turning the Heavenly Realm into an enemy. That way, I won’t waste my efforts, and I can progress smoothly in my future reincarnations.”
“I understand that the Offering Ceremony is a ritual to obtain the power and authority of immortality by offering to the [Ancient Ruler]. But why go through the trouble of acquiring the rights?”
I elaborately questioned the point I was curious about.
“Isn’t it possible to set up an altar and obtain something similar, like Zhuge Sha did?”
“The Offering Ceremony is on a whole different level from regular rituals and offerings.”
Mangnyang’s eyes became somewhat sharp. It seemed he was reviving the memories of the high-ranking Mangnyang.
“Chinese history is long, but only two have properly conducted the Offering Ceremony. The rest either didn’t know how it worked, didn’t qualify, lacked the rights, or missed the timing. Given how stringent the ritual is, it holds tremendous power.”
“Two?”
“Qin Shi Huang and Wu Zetian.”
“……!!”
As two of the most renowned rulers in Chinese history were mentioned, I felt a bead of cold sweat trickling down my nape. Qin Shi Huang was the first to unify China and the first to adopt the title of Emperor, while Wu Zetian, known as the only Empress, was infamous as well. Both of them had displayed tremendous authority as rulers in their lifetimes.
As I organized the knowledge in my head, I spoke.
“I’m confused here—didn’t those two eventually die from illness in history? If the power they gained from the Offering Ceremony grants them immortality, shouldn’t that be impossible?”
“They certainly died as humans. However, they were promised posthumous immortality as a price for performing the Offering Ceremony.”
Mangnyang’s next words were chillingly cold.
“They shed their human souls and reincarnated as deities in Dark Heaven.”
That hint hinted that they had already transformed into lower gods or powerful beings in Dark Heaven. Certainly, if that were the case, they would possess lifespans and powers beyond comparison to their human selves. They could live for not just thousands, but tens of thousands of years.
“Hmm… That’s…”
But I couldn’t understand, so I countered.
“Isn’t it strange? Can’t they maintain a form of semi-permanent immortality with magic like the current Emperor and enjoy their own power? Why seek reincarnation and immortality after death?”
It was undoubtedly a peculiar matter. Although Qin Shi Huang and Wu Zetian had eccentric and cruel sides, they were still human rulers. So, the notion of reincarnating as an unfamiliar being or living as a god in Dark Heaven should have been mere fantasy for them. Yet, the fact that they insisted on conducting the Offering Ceremony for that purpose didn’t make sense to me.
“……”
Mangnyang sighed.
“I’m not sure about that either. What’s certain is that the Offering Ceremony isn’t just a simple ritual for offerings but a ceremony granting the [authority] to the presider, making it a shared ritual of equality. So, even if the presider is the [Ancient Ruler], they can’t be treated lightly.”
“Why does the Heavenly Realm possess the rights to such a ceremony?”
“The Offering Ceremony was proposed and founded not by Qin Shi Huang, but by the Historian Huang, the one who created Chinese characters. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors entrusted the right of the Offering Ceremony to the Heavenly Realm.”
As Mangnyang spoke, a hint of bitterness crept into his voice.
“The contradiction within the Heavenly Realm is profound. They’re empowering the great evil of Dark Heaven while requiring the Heavenly Realm’s approval to do so… Unfortunately, I’m only a mid-level earth immortal, so I haven’t been able to learn much more about the Offering Ceremony.”
“……”
I pondered for a long moment before I said,
“Do you really think performing the Offering Ceremony will summon the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?”
At my question, Mangnyang nodded vigorously.
“That’s exactly right.”
As my prediction came true, I let out a subtle sound. When I hesitated, Mangnyang clenched his fists and said,
“Baek Woong, you found a way to overthrow the Imperial Palace in your sixteenth reincarnation. But if we turn the Heavenly Realm into an enemy from now on, the path ahead is unclear. It’s not just about the difference in military strength, but also because we are ignorant.”
“Ignorant, huh…”
“To understand the Heavenly Realm, we need to understand the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. However, there are hardly any ways to contact them in the mortal realm nowadays. I believe the only reliable method is through the Offering Ceremony.”
As Mangnyang spread the Seven Fire Seven Gold Line, he continued.
“Baek Woong, this life, you must successfully conduct the Offering Ceremony to discover the true intentions and identities of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Just knowing what they truly desire and what they are will help us find a way to defeat them.”
I replied in shock,
“Defeat them? The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?”
“Yes.”
“They are gods, aren’t they?”
“They are merely incredibly powerful beings. If not, how could Emperor Gong Sun He Yuan lose to Chi You? Compared to humans, they are undoubtedly mighty, but they can also be defeated.”
Defeating gods (God Killing)!
I had never considered that possibility until now, and after hearing Mangnyang’s words, I fell into deep thought. Indeed, if the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were behind the Heavenly Realm and had some ulterior motive that plunged the mortal realm into chaos, then perhaps we would have to fight against them. However, before acquiring the Heavenly Secret, it felt like I was going to battle the legendary beings equivalent to primordial gods. It left me utterly at a loss.
Mangnyang said,
“I need time to build my strength, so I won’t be forming the Half-Heaven Alliance as before. Up until now, we limited our enemies to the Imperial Palace, but since it’s clear our opponents are supernatural beings, it’s more important for me to enhance my own abilities. I will practice my sorcery with Zhuge Sha and Cheon Woo-jin, so I’ll leave the oversight of the Imperial Palace to you.”
“What about General Hwang Yeon and the captured Dae Ryu-ok?”
“Leave them to Lee Kwang. They’re already familiar with each other, and there’s no way Lee Kwang would turn against Hwang Yeon. Didn’t we already see the results once before?”
“……”
It seemed to be true. Until now, I had protected Hwang Yeon in the Half-Heaven Alliance out of necessity, but now that Mangnyang has decided not to make the alliance again, it’d be much better to hand Hwang Yeon over to Lee Kwang.
Suddenly, I thought of something and said,
“Then I should just go train my swordsmanship under Dokgo Seong?”
“That’s one option, but didn’t you mention hitting a wall?”
“Indeed.”
I had already been pointed out by Dokgo Seong that the sword styles were mixed up, making it impossible for me to properly learn the Thunder Dragon Sword Technique. To overcome this, I either had to prevail using superior talent or engage in reckless sparring with Dokgo Seong. However, either option seemed difficult, and I ended up stalled, meeting my end in my sixteenth life.
Mangnyang remarked,
“I can’t shake the feeling that Dokgo Seong or the Sword Demon won’t be able to provide you with a solution. It would be wise to seek out another master of swords who is of equal caliber.”
“Then there’s only Bright Dragon left.”
“The intense recovery training promoted by Bright Dragon is not that different from the extreme practical sparring with Dokgo Seong. You’ll be on the brink of life and death again, and this training might just kill you.”
“……”
“You should look for someone else.”
He said it so calmly that I was at a loss for words. Certainly, if I consulted with Bright Dragon again, the training would be wound tighter than before, and the chances of dying during training were quite high. After all, it was a training regimen an ordinary human couldn’t achieve, relying instead on my inner power and Bright Dragon’s vast skills to walk the tightrope.
Feeling overwhelmed, I sighed.
“I have too much to do.”
“Haha… It seems you have many choices now, so you’re burdened with good troubles. Think about how it was when you were clueless and facing death without a clue.”
“That’s true.”
With a smile, Mangnyang unfolded the Seven Fire Seven Gold Line.
“Now, I’ll stop my advice here. For about three years, try to move according to your own will. With your current self, I believe you won’t make major misjudgments.”
“Understood. Wishing you success.”
“Take care.”
At that moment, Cheon Woo-jin approached, walking heavily toward Mangnyang.
“Brother! Trouble is brewing!”
“What’s going on?”
“The messenger from the Heavenly Realm said that soon they will send a messenger from the Yellow Sky to the mortal realm.”
Mangnyang’s face hardened ominously.
“They intend to interfere with him.”
“What should we do?”
“For now, let it be. They’re unlikely to make any rash moves.”
I asked Mangnyang,
“What is the messenger from the Yellow Sky?”
Mangnyang scratched his head.
“It means that the great celestial immortal who shook the world in the past is coming down to the mortal realm. They’ll probably find a suitable candidate to pass down their sorcery and create another religion.”
“……?”
“It’s not important right now, so don’t worry about it. Any changes will take at least ten years.”
“Well, understood.”
I didn’t probe further, sensing that Mangnyang didn’t want to discuss it more, and left the place. It seemed that the Heavenly Realm was showing some signs of movement, wary of the Offering Ceremony.
Fwish!
I used the Golden Ascension to first head towards the Cheongryong Martial Arts Hall where Lee Kwang was. Currently, the trainees were diligently practicing under Master Yoon Kwang and Ji Pyeong, and I could see their hard work. Seated on the roof of a tall building, memories flooded back.
‘I had times like that, too.’
Shaking my head, I made my way to Waryong Hall where Lee Kwang resided. Like before, I selected a suitable location to release General Hwang Yeon and the prisoners from my pocket dimension.
However, I halted as I reached into my robe to pull out the pocket dimension.
Formless Qi!
A powerful presence unique to only a few supreme masters tightened around my body. I recognized the artful technique after experiencing it countless times at the hands of extraordinary masters. As I sensed the emanating Formless Qi, I slowly turned my head.
The owner of the Formless Qi met my gaze directly and said,
“Who are you? You possess impressive martial arts at such a young age.”
“……”
Standing before me was a youthful man, probably in his mid-twenties, with a sharp appearance. I knew better than anyone else who he was, so I replied slowly.
“Jin So-cheong, the Grandmaster of Cheongryong Martial Arts Hall.”
“You know me.”
Indeed. The one emanating Formless Qi and blocking the mysterious intruder was none other than the current Grandmaster of Cheongryong Martial Arts Hall and Lee Kwang’s beloved disciple, Jin So-cheong, who was touted as the best talent in the Central Plains. He had long been the reason for my feelings of inferiority regarding talent—a fact that made me acutely aware of his presence.
As I sensed the situation turning nasty, I contemplated my next move.
‘Should I just use Ascending Tide to escape?’
After all, it would take a long time to summon and release anyone from the pocket dimension. I could always look for a more opportune time later.
But suddenly, a surge of pride overcame me, and I spoke to Jin So-cheong.
“I’m the successor of the Thunder God School. I came searching after hearing rumors of the Thunder God School being here.”
Jin So-cheong’s eyes lit up upon hearing the name of my school.
He examined me carefully before replying,
“Indeed, it seems so. However, I cannot allow a stranger like you into Waryong Hall.”
“Who said anything about entering Waryong Hall? I just want to test my abilities.”
Jin So-cheong’s expression shifted slightly.
“Are you suggesting you want to duel with me?”
“Yes. If it seems rude, I can undergo proper procedures later.”
As I said things I didn’t mean, Jin So-cheong’s answer came.
“Very well. Seeing an excellent martial artist has sparked my competitive spirit.”
“It seems we are of the same mind.”
Swish…
Without waiting for the other to go first, we both jumped onto the sparring platform in front of Waryong Hall, maintaining a three-paced distance and drawing our weapons. I gripped my sword and glared at Jin So-cheong, my teeth clenched.
‘This time for sure.’
I had never won a duel against Jin So-cheong before. In our last match, I was barely able to hold my ground, only to be toyed with. But since that time, I had undergone grueling training and made significant improvements.
Yes.
Today, I want to surpass Jin So-cheong.
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