Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 179
Chapter Title: Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
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"Miho, that's not it."
"What do you mean it's not? This girl is completely smitten with you."
"......"
Miho growled.
"She's so head over heels she'd accept you even if you suddenly pounced on her. You've really stripped her bare to the bone!"
When I glanced at Seo Moon-hye, she already seemed entranced by Miho's bewitchment spell. I tensed up, checking if Miho had done anything harmful to her, but there was no sign of it.
"So, what are you going to do? Sa Gong-rin seems fond of you too. You could have wife and concubines sharing your bed in just a few years."
"Sigh, enough already... I don't have time for romance right now."
As I let out a weary sigh, Miho said,
"Trying to weasel out by acting like it's something important again?"
"Miho. This is really important. That's why I came to you."
As my gaze turned serious, Miho stopped her barbs. She waved her hand, sending Seo Moon-hye off somewhere else, then said,
"Out with it, then."
"Miho... Didn't Dongyeong mention a life-extending spell called the Mount Tai Lord Ritual?"
"......"
"I want to use the Mount Tai Lord Ritual to save Mangnyang."
Miho's eyes sharpened slightly. After a moment's thought, she said,
"It's impossible to use the Mount Tai Lord Ritual on Mangnyang."
"What do you mean? You clearly said it was in Mangnyang's shrine."
"True. The Mount Tai Lord Ritual is a real spell with life-extending effects. The greatest onmyoji can live for centuries using it."
"Then why?"
"It's not something you cast on others. It's a curse established after reaching the pinnacle of spell mastery and gathering forty-nine shamans for a hundred days of invocation. Mangnyang's spell mastery is only mid-to-upper level right now, so he can't perform a grand ritual like the Mount Tai Lord Ritual."
Insufficient mastery!
I let out a groan, then asked,
"What level is the 'pinnacle of spell mastery'?"
"Well, based on what you told me before, it'd have to be someone like Central Plains' Diviner Zhuge or the head of Mount Mao Sect at least. Dongyeong even said a being capable of the Mount Tai Lord Ritual appears once every century, if that."
I sighed deeply at Miho.
"Miho...!! Then why did you answer Mangnyang's question like that back then? I really thought it was possible!!"
Miho tilted her head.
"Didn't Mangnyang just ask if it existed? Why should this lady have butted in to debate its feasibility and convince you all right there?"
"......"
"Listen well, Baek Woong. To this lady, only your safety matters. She can't accommodate anything beyond that."
I suddenly felt the depth of Miho's position. Protecting me from external threats for ten years was all that mattered to her. She had no attachment whatsoever to Mangnyang, the Half-Heaven Alliance, or even the Thunder God School. And if needed, she was ready to abandon it all. But since it was all for my sake, I couldn't complain.
Clutching my head, I asked again.
"Then, aside from the Mount Tai Lord Ritual, is there no other spell to extend life?"
"There are countless spell sects in the Central Plains, so you might find one if you dig. But among what this lady knows, nothing matches the Mount Tai Lord Ritual for life extension. Abe no Seimei lived five hundred years using it."
"Hmm..."
"Instead of just asking me, why not look into spells yourself?"
At that moment, I realized I needed to learn spells too.
'I need time to learn spells.'
I'd neglected them so far since they weren't much help in combat and were inefficient. But now that supernatural threats loomed, my martial prowess was utterly useless. I had a hunch that possessing at least enough spell power to aid others would be key to overcoming future trials.
Miho stroked my cheek pityingly and said,
"I was about to unleash a tirade on you, but even my anger has faded. Surrounded by the world's beauties, yet worrying about a comrade."
"......"
"Baek Woong... Why are you so fixated on this Mangnyang?"
"I owe my life to Mangnyang and you. That's why I want to go all the way with you both."
As I bared my honest feelings, Miho looked embarrassed.
"Even if you say that, I know nothing of it. Sacrificing for humans? That's inconceivable in this lady's way of thinking."
"But you really..."
Miho pressed a finger to my lips and chuckled softly.
"Enough. You're ruining the mood."
"......"
"Baek Woong... Remember this. We believe your tales of past lives and follow you, but the [Mangnyang] and [Miho] from your past lives are undoubtedly different people from us. Treating us as mere projections of those phantoms only burdens us."
"Sorry."
"If this lady feels that way, Mangnyang must feel it even more."
Miho muttered, then said,
"Baek Woong. Gather more trustworthy comrades. Without them, you can't advance further."
Her advice pierced right to the core.
'Trustworthy comrades...?'
Who could that be?
Suddenly, Jin So-cheong came to mind. He'd even rebelled against his master for his beliefs. We'd known each other the longest, but we hadn't truly opened up until recently. I hugged Miho and said,
"Thanks, Miho!!"
"Eek... Let go! Ack."
Miho wriggled in protest. I planted a kiss on her cheek and left.
Then I sought out Jin So-cheong. He was training alone in a nearby wild mountain, practicing the Heavenly Thunder Ultimate Spear in earnest.
Rooooar!
As Jin So-cheong lightly swung his spear, the air vibrated, syncing with his flow. It was merely a form demonstration, yet I swallowed hard at its majestic aura. I felt heaven and earth resonating with his martial art.
'As expected, his caliber is different.'
Jin So-cheong's talent had reached an unprecedented realm. Even Lee Gwang, a martial genius himself, was surpassed. I'd cultivated martial arts for nearly a century, yet I'd never fathomed the depths of Jin So-cheong's potential. In terms of achieved realm, I might soon surpass his early self upon reincarnation, but such comparisons were meaningless. A genius's terror lies in their growth potential.
Sensing my presence, Jin So-cheong sheathed his spear and said,
"Junior Brother, what brings you?"
"Senior Brother. I came to ask about the recent incident."
"The Yellow Mountain Sect battle, I presume."
"Yes."
"What you're curious about is probably what happened after you passed out."
"Exactly."
That was what intrigued me most.
I'd had no chance to ask until now, but what became of the Yellow Mountain Sect battle after I blacked out? I'd only heard that the remaining disciples claimed victory—nothing with any on-site feel. Only those who fought then—Lee Gwang, Jin So-cheong, and Geuk-ho—could tell the full story. The Green Forest King Gu Cheol apparently hadn't joined the final clash and knew nothing.
Jin So-cheong sat on a rock and said,
"I was performing the True Qi Convergence Method en route to where Master was fighting. There, I found him facing off against some monsters."
"Pardon?"
Monsters? What was this?
Tilting my head, Jin So-cheong said bitterly,
"Yong Jung-il stood unscathed, but the Yellow Mountain Sect's left and right protectors transformed when their lives were threatened. They became monsters like dragons fused with humans and clashed fiercely with Master."
"......!!"
"They possessed immense strength and speed. Their martial realms were laughable, but even so, Master couldn't dispatch them easily."
"Dragonkin, you mean."
"Indeed."
I could hardly believe it.
Dragonkin!
Mythical beasts from legends. Said to be hybrids of dragon blood awakened, transcending human limits. Emperors sometimes claimed to be dragonkin for political symbolism, but in reality, even dragons were deemed nonexistent.
Jin So-cheong shrugged.
"I don't know if those monsters are the barbarians or whatever you mentioned. Anyway, I joined in and helped slay them, but by then Yong Jung-il had already fled."
"I see."
Yellow Mountain Sect was destroyed, but its leader Yong Jung-il escaped.
I'd doubted it when the disciples reported, but Jin So-cheong's account made sense. Those dragonkin monsters appeared out of nowhere, buying time for their sect leader to slip away while blocking the Thunder God School.
I asked cautiously,
"Had Yong Jung-il joined the fray to fight to the end, what then?"
"Hmm... Honestly, we'd have won, but not unscathed. Probably lose an arm or so."
"......"
"Yong Jung-il is truly fearsome. He abandoned his sect yet spoke as if he'd won. Which means the Wind God School backing him is even greater."
I see.
I suspected the Wind God School, including Yong Jung-il, had developed dragonkin through imperial research. If dragonkin could wield superhuman power, they might pose a dire threat in the future.
Jin So-cheong asked,
"Is that all?"
"Of course not."
"Then?"
"Senior Brother. Do you fully believe I'm a reincarnator?"
Jin So-cheong had heard it from Mangnyang's shrine. Curious, I'd told him most of my past life stories since he'd followed despite defying his master.
Jin So-cheong scratched his head.
"Frankly, it's so complex and convoluted I don't grasp it all. But I accept you're a special being beyond ordinary folk."
"You don't resent or fear me?"
"Well... You could think that, but not now. After all, thanks to you, our Thunder God School thrives, and it's clear you care deeply for it."
"......"
"So I have something to tell you."
"Yes?"
Gazing at the distant sky from the rock, Jin So-cheong said,
"You lament your dull talent, Junior Brother, but I think you've entered a far grander path of the martial way."
"What do you mean...?"
"When I was young, a traveler from afar visited. Master was away, and he told me of a man like you—talentless, yet with infinite lifespan, endlessly striving until reaching the absolute realm, eventually transcending even gods."
I chuckled dryly.
"What a dreamlike tale. Transcending gods through martial arts..."
"Right? I thought it a fairy tale too. But when I asked how he transcended gods, he replied,"
"How?"
"'Even after seeing a thousand springs, he never gave up.'"
"......"
In that instant, I was awestruck.
How could a human utter such words?
Even with infinite life, a dullard would crash against limits thousands, tens of thousands of times in agony—yet speak so?
I marveled at that man's boundless perseverance.
Jin So-cheong smiled faintly.
"I don't know if you'll threaten the Thunder God School someday, but to me, you're my junior brother. If our path to prosperity lies together, I'll give my all. You've persevered this long because you have something you won't abandon, haven't you?"
"Yes."
"That traveler's tale keeps my training joyful."
Jin So-cheong clenched his fist.
"Someday, I'll meet that Martial God too."
In that moment, tears welled in my eyes.
Ah—so that's the difference.
That's why the gap between Jin So-cheong and me always felt infinite.
This man had been racing toward the god of martial arts from the start—a genius who strives.
Buoyed by fighting spirit, I told Jin So-cheong,
"I'll scout that god first and report back. Tell you what sort of bastard he is."
"Hahaha! That'd be fun."
I resolved to regard Jin So-cheong as a true comrade in future lives.
For in this moment, I confirmed he moved solely by his convictions, unbound by the Thunder God School's stance.