Chapter 721
Dark Heaven Village
After obtaining Berus, we marched straight toward the British Empire Governor’s Office. The office was in ruins, torn apart by Faust and transformation, and there he was, waiting for us, donning the Black Plague mask with his transformation dispelled, standing in the shadows of the moon.
“Oh hero of the East, thank you for rescuing the Guardian,” Faust said.
“Don’t mention it… but it’s in total chaos here, and no reinforcements are coming?”
“They won’t come.”
With that retort, Faust presented what looked like a red chunk of meat on his palm. The grotesque piece was pulsating with raw veins and tendons like a living organism.
“All the soldiers around here have been implanted with this tumor in their brains, moving like a single village. Since you defeated the Great Demon Sorcerer controlling this tumor, they have all died simultaneously without spreading the situation outward.”
“… Horrifying.”
I grimaced, having studied the Demon Path from the Zhuge Clan, I finally understood the atrocities committed by the British Empire’s Governor’s Office against the soldiers.
An integration!
This was a common technique in the Demon Path, where worms or tentacles would be parasitized on a host, either turning them into an otherworldly race or linking their consciousness to a single controller. Naturally, the moment one was subjected to this integration magic, their identity was erased, and their lives were puppeteered; the quality of life had soured tremendously.
Berus walked over to Faust and remarked, “You must be busy expelling the sorcerers right now. If there’s anything we can assist with, just call us later. We’ll be in contact through Matteo Ricci.”
“Very well then.”
It would be fine to accept their help, but honestly, that made me a little uneasy. What I was about to do had grave secrets and, no matter how friendly they seem, it’s unwise to expose significant matters to the top brass of another faction. Thus, I was rather grateful for Berus’s suggestion.
Pa-at!
Once back from the West, we arrived at the building of the Four Talents Sect where Tang San had been. He seemed to finally awaken fully from the effects of the hypnosis, looking like he had a pounding headache.
“Uh, sorry. I didn’t betray you.”
“Hmm… Is the mental attack from this treasure really that strong?”
I pulled out one of the spoils from Peng Zuo, the Black Lute. Tang San said, “It might sound like an excuse, but the instant I heard the sound of that lute, all my senses and nerves were paralyzed, and my mind went blank. This sonic technique was on an entirely different level compared to the ones used in Jianghu. I drew up all my internal power to resist, but it was futile.”
“Let me see.”
Diri-ling!
I plucked the strings of the Black Lute. However, no one around showed signs of being entranced or brainwashed. When I tilted my head in confusion, Cheon Woo-jin spoke.
“Some treasures can be easily activated while others are quite tricky to use. The Black Lute is a type that requires long training to activate accurately. It has higher power but comes with restrictions.”
“Ugh. What about the others then?”
“Pull them all out.”
Cheon Woo-jin inspected each of the treasures I took out one by one and then remarked, “Cheongun Sword, Eight Trigrams Garment, Flower Bow, Hunyuan Mountain, Scarlet Red, and most of the stuff that Peng Zuo had falls into this category. It’s likely they’re ancient treasures, making them even more complex. The later the treasures, the more straightforward their usage tends to be.”
“Hmm.”
I frowned. That meant even if I got these treasures, I couldn’t equip them to my comrades immediately? I pulled out the Eight Trigrams Garment and asked, “They say this is the greatest protective law of the celestial realm; is there a specific way to wear it?”
“Of course, there is. Since it’s a winged garment, it can’t be worn casually. If you chant the designated incantation, it will automatically attach to the user, making it look like they aren’t wearing it at all. However, I don’t know the incantation.”
“Is there any way to find out?”
“That’s a meaningless question. Have you forgotten who has descended upon you? It’s not some ordinary immortal; she descended, so is there any reason for you to ponder such worries?”
“Ah!”
I glanced sideways at the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens, who had been summoned beside me. She stared at me with a dry expression and said, [As Cheon Woo-jin said, I know how to operate all the treasures here.]
“Oh!”
Indeed, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman was the greatest sorceress of the celestial realm! Plus, she was well aware of the existence of the secret storage for treasures, and having fought in wars with her entire body, she definitely knew how to activate them. Moreover, she had previously given away the Fenghua Lute as a treasure, so she must handle most treasures expertly.
However, she added, [I will tell you how to activate them, but remember, if an unskilled person uses them hastily, they will bring harm upon themselves.]
“Understood.”
After learning the activation method from her, I intended to test the Eight Trigrams Garment. But right as I began chanting the incantation, I found myself lacking in strength and gasping for air, prompting Cheon Woo-jin to look at me disdainfully as if he expected this outcome.
“I told you that an unskilled person cannot. The Eight Trigrams Garment is a top-tier treasure, and thus requires considerable sorcery; it will be hard to wear.”
“Ugh… So I can’t wear it?”
“Well, you could try using Yin Spirit Power in place of sorcery, but even then, you’re already struggling, so forcing it will…”
“Cough.”
Cheon Woo-jin was indeed right. I reluctantly halted my attempt to wear the Eight Trigrams Garment.
‘My comprehension of sorcery and the level of my sorcery need to increase.’
The nature of treasures was such that even after being equipped, they would drain the wielder’s power, making it useless trying to forcefully wear it. Just when I was considering this, Seo Mun-hye spoke.
“Baek Woong-nim, what will you do now?”
“Well, of course, I’ll go with Mangnyang’s scheme.”
I replied to Seo Mun-hye and turned to Cheon Woo-jin. “Your role in the plan is crucial. Are you okay with that?”
“No problem. So far.”
“… What do you mean?”
Cheon Woo-jin responded in a strange tone before looking up at the sky. “While there haven’t been any problems up until now, it feels like there will be from here on out.”
Kuwung!!!
Suddenly, the entire building we were seated in shook violently, and it felt like the universe itself was resounding with a thunderous roar. The tremors were so intense that chairs were overturned, causing everyone to react in shock. The Heavenly Mysterious Woman stated, as if she had foreseen this.
[It appears we’ve been discovered.]
“What’s going on, Heavenly Mysterious Woman?!”
[As Cheon Woo-jin mentioned, my powers are constrained within the realm of cause and effect. Moreover, since the moment I received the Water Element as an offering, I have been working to prevent the Queen Mother of the West from detecting the aura of my power. However, when I fought against Peng Zuo earlier, I couldn’t wrap things up as smoothly as I hoped.]
“Ugh! You mean the Queen Mother of the West?!”
I gasped in horror.
If the Queen Mother herself had come here, it would mean doom for us all!
I had been reincarnated enough times to know it was impossible to defeat her and her true form by any trickery. Cheon Woo-jin, with his arms crossed, commented.
“Beautiful Lady has never been that careless. If she were, she would have simply forced us to take down Peng Zuo among ourselves while evading her notice. The fact that we successfully concealed the tremors of power from her and the celestial realm means we succeeded partially but failed in equal measure.”
“Partial failure? What do you mean?”
“The barrier Cheon Woo-jin and I have set up has been violently shaken. That barrier doesn’t budge unless a powerful treasure is involved. However, it was shattered with a single blow, and soon it will break. Is there truly that powerful an individual around?”
“…”
“It is impossible for a regular Great Immortal of the celestial realm.”
A sense of foreboding washed over me. The Heavenly Mysterious Woman lamented, [He might have been watching our movements from the very beginning. Especially you, Baek Woong, who shares a strong bond with him. He may have been monitoring your return to the present realm… If he has become so sensitive, no matter how much I try, I won’t be able to hide my identity until the very end.]
“Damn… Could it be… that guy?!!”
Finally, I realized the absurd identity of the attacker.
Kukwank!
Once again, a massive tremor resounded. The shock rattled the ground, vibrating for a long time before subsiding.
“…”
I gulped, recognizing the chilling silence.
The barrier had been broken.
This meant that an entity capable of shattering a barrier set by the highest beings had come dangerously close.
In that moment, Jin So-cheong stepped next to me, raising her spear in a state of heightened alert. She too had realized what kind of presence was approaching. With a resolute tone, Jin So-cheong declared, “In case of emergency, I will create a diversion long enough for Baek Woong to escape.”
“… Don’t be so certain. That scenario might never come to pass.”
I replied anxiously. Yet, as Jin So-cheong warned, the worst-case scenario was potentially at hand. I realized that the subtle aura of Cheon Gong-pyo, who had been watching us all along, had vanished, and I bit my lip in frustration.
‘Damn it, do you not want to fight…?’
If this went on, it would be hard to receive support from Cheon Gong-pyo.
Soft footfalls approached.
Then moments later, a cheerful voice rang out.
“Whoa?! Who’s this? Our adorable little brother, Baek Woong, isn’t it?”
I couldn’t respond hastily to that familiar voice. I kept my mouth shut and, with my comrades, observed him closely as he scratched the hair behind his ear.
“This won’t do. We’re so close, and you return to the Central Plains, yet you don’t come to greet me at all?”
“…”
“How rude. A mute, huh? Did I upset you somehow? Still… I’m curious about what you’ve been secretly plotting while hiding here.”
His feigned cheerful manner drew my silence. It was evident that beneath his playful tone, he was hiding seething anger and suspicion. Responding carelessly could provoke his ire and cause unnecessary trouble.
As I remained quiet, he cast a glance at the Heavenly Mysterious Woman beside me and said, “Heavenly Mysterious Woman. So it’s really you. I thought you might have devoured a Seven Luminaries in the meantime. I assumed you were still the last bastion of conscience against the Three Sovereigns and would surely treat me differently, but I’m feeling a tad disappointed…”
[… Did you come with the other immortals?]
“Yeah, well, it’s an off day, but I brought along one diligent follower who insisted on sticking with me. Want an introduction?”
With a flourish, he spread his arms, revealing a shadowy silhouette stepping forth from the darkness. Of course, it was a familiar figure, causing me momentarily to feel light-headed. He introduced his ally.
“This is Zhang San-bong, relatively new among the Grand Immortal’s circle. He’s probably well known among humans.”
“…”
Could there be any doubt about it?
The first Patriarch of the Wudang Sect, founder of the Iron and Steel Techniques, and the ultimate warrior during the late Yuan and early Ming, dominating the martial world!
Zhang San-bong, upon being introduced, bowed to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, stating, [Heavenly Mysterious Woman, it is good to see you again.]
[How did you come to be here?]
[Not too long ago, I divined the tides of fortune and misfortune, predicting that the world would soon face a reversal of upheaval. Thus, I happened upon the Great Achievement in search for a way to resolve that calamity.]
[Is that so…?]
As they conversed, the one who had first spoken interjected once more.
“Alright, let’s catch up later… but directly now, Heavenly Mysterious Woman. I have something to say.”
[What is it?]
“Heavenly Mysterious Woman.”
Shhh!
The Celestial Sage, also known as the Conquering Buddha, the strongest among the celestial circle, pointed his finger at us with a smirk.
“Hand over the Water Element. Otherwise, I’ll have to take you down.”