Karmic Ties [Three Prime Eyes Opened]
Spirit power swirled wildly, inverting my vision. The living glowed yellow. Spirit power shone white. Inanimate objects appeared black. This was why the technique was named the Three-Prime Origin Scroll. A method to perceive the world through three distinct colors.
And the most crucial part? Being able to see spirit power!
Three Prime Eyes
'There it is!'
Amid the pitch-black mound of sand, a white-glowing core pulsed. I pointed at it and unleashed a fireball.
'Pkyang!'
The highly compressed firebomb struck the spell's core dead-on. With a poof—the technique shattered. All that remained was a heap of sand and Sha Wujing's bewildered expression.
Fire Style: Flame Fist
I clenched my fists and charged at Sha Wujing. But this time was different—flames erupted from beneath my feet. The result of incorporating the trick kindly(?) shared by the Wind Art into my movement technique, the Fierce Flame Step.
Fwoosh! The booster jets spraying from my soles accelerated me further.
Normally, mastering this would've taken ages, but the Three Prime Eyes shortened the process. Like finding a path in a pitch-dark cave through trial and error, I'd uncovered those vital routes. Now I could see them.
'Not bad, huh?'
Even I couldn't peer inside a person's body, human limits and all.
"Um."
"I know, I know. You're going whether I say it or not."
With each step, the distance to Sha Wujing shrank rapidly. He swung his Anti-Demon Treasure Staff in panic, but coating it in sand was a fatal mistake. Heavy meant slow. An unbreakable law at the Refining Energy Realm.
So first, a solid punch to the face.
"Kuh!"
I repaid him in full for the gash on my cheek. The blood spraying like a fountain soothed my pent-up frustration.
Blood, right? It looked white, so not spit or anything.
"Um!"
Sha Wujing slammed his staff into the ground, shattering the mud coating. Then a shockwave exploded.
His spells seemed to detonate on impact. Dodging that would've been seriously dangerous.
"Um..."
The blast at his feet damaged him too, but he was desperate to lighten his weapon.
"Getting urgent, are we?"
I could see his panic. The tide had turned.
Kuduk. I stomped the base of the staff as he tried to lift it.
"Um!!"
I grinned; he grimaced. Abandoning the staff, he formed hand seals. Wind howled, birthing a vortex. As expected of 5-star Refining Energy—decent power.
But I could see it all, yeah? A quick head tilt dodged it, followed by more steps.
The rest of the fight was straightforward. Sha Wujing unleashed every spell he had to reverse the momentum, but it was too late. Once he gave up distance, the game was over. Great map awareness for a mid-boss, but clear was in sight.
Or so I thought. Until he collapsed into the swamp.
"Om sabaha."
Sha Wujing rose with a sinister smirk. Classic villain grin. In his hand dangled a limp, slender woman—like seaweed freshly dredged from the sea.
'What the hell?'
Wondering his game, I scrutinized her closely. She wore flowing robes and a necklace inscribed with dense scriptures. Notable too: large piercings on her earlobes. Looked painful if yanked.
"Sigh. Hostage play again? Paper dolls don't work anymore..."
Same old routine, same trash personality. I sighed and moved to fire a fireball without delay.
"A person? Nah, that ain't it. She's alive?"
In my Three Prime vision, she glowed white. The color of spirit power.
"What the..."
Not yellow for the living. Vegetable state? That spelled trouble.
I had PTSD from hostage crap. Bunny dolls like on floor 1? Fine. Real people? Pisses me off.
Back in the day, I had this idiot friend who sacrificed himself to save others. So hostages or hostage-takers—both annoy me.
Special Event Triggered!
Defeat the Bio-Puppet (Replica), Xuan Zang Tripitaka.
Difficulty: Hidden
Reward: ???
A system alert blared out of nowhere. Question marks popped in my head too.
I used to enjoy some culture back in the day. Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West, Investiture of the Gods. Skipped the boring originals for fanfics, but I knew the plots.
Tripitaka the monk Xuan Zang. Master of the Threefold Scriptures, hence Tripitaka. The Tang priest from Journey to the West, teacher to those three yokai.
But Tripitaka being a woman? News to me.
"The real Tripitaka?"
"She is indeed my master."
What? He can talk normally?
"Though a copy, she's more than enough to handle you."
Sha Wujing dumped Tripitaka on the ground and formed seals.
"Rise. Rise and slay my foe. Om sabaha in!"
"Never an easy win, huh?"
The puppet's body twitched. Invisible strings yanked her torso skyward. Her sagging hair parted, revealing her face.
"Whoa..."
Tripitaka was a beauty. Blindingly so.
"Pretty, huh?"
"My master was the Tang Dynasty's top beauty. Her allure captivated even celestials. That sparked it all."
Sha Wujing eyed the puppet like fine art.
"Human cultivator. Afraid? This puppet's 6-star Refining Energy. You're done."
He turned, smug as if victorious. But with his swollen mug? Not scary.
No fear despite his threats. If he'd had this ace, he'd have used it sooner. Pulling it out at death's door meant flaws—short duration, weak durability, something.
Plus, I hadn't touched the talismans and artifacts from the Xianxia Gallery folks. Saved for emergencies. No doubts on power. Those guys were Heavenly Seedlings too—kings and gods in their world. No way they'd give a noob weak shit.
And above all...
"Heh-."
The puppet giggled blankly, incongruous with the scene. She wouldn't harm me. An inexplicable gut feeling.
But I knew. She liked me. Enough to ignore orders and attack her handler.
Plunk.
"...Why?"
The puppet's piercing hand speared Sha Wujing's throat. No one saw it coming.
"How... why?"
Unable to accept reality, he died questioning. Pathetic end for someone smirking vilely to the last.
Rewards poured in the instant Sha Wujing croaked. But I was still staring at the Tripitaka puppet. She stared back.
"Heh-."
She raised her bloodied hand high above her head and spoke in a soft voice.
"See you later. Tata."
"...? Wait—."
Thwack!
She smashed her own crown and crumpled like a marionette with cut strings.
No! Don't just go like that!
Special Event Reward Granted
Shikigami Summoning Art (Basic)
A tome dropped from thin air. The puppet's final gift.
"What the...?"
I plopped down, clutching my head. Anyone wanna explain this? Who's Tata?
"...A bond from a past life?"
A hazy mist carpeted the heavenly palace where she lounged. Myeolgeuk's needlework hand tensed, snapping the thread ball.
"Ah..."
She stared blankly at the ruined tangle.
"As expected of a Heavenly Seedling. So intricately knotted."
A talent from the heavens like Heavenly Seedling didn't just drop randomly—once in ten millennia rarity.
"Purged the romance luck, but this is weird. Past life maybe?"
With a gesture, she tidied the mess and floated to a massive tree branch. Looking up revealed the dim night sky, stars twinkling proudly.
"No coincidences in the world. You and I included."
The web of karma seemed loose yet missed nothing. Entwined karma couldn't be ignored or escaped—it returned. And had to be settled to ascend.
In that sense, Choi Do-yul was doing well. A bit of a pushover, but not bad. Other True Immortals might dismiss it, but Myeolgeuk thought that human touch aided cultivation. Her taste, anyway.
"We'll handle the rest with Cheongsim, so hurry up."
No one in the Upper Realm to chat rankings with. Who'd imagine she'd recommend that game to me? Thought my Dao Heart would shatter for real.
So mad at that status post, nearly descended to the Lower Realm.
"Weird. Lately, time drags."
Cultivators with long lives knew time well. Meditation, travel—decades flew by. But now, time crawled. Slower than a caterpillar.
Myeolgeuk leaned against the trunk, swinging her feet.
"Hurry. I'm bored."
So much to share with Choi Do-yul. What burgers taste like. If Seoul's really crushed by crowds. Why trash dramas are infuriating yet addictive. If spring cherry blossoms matched the Upper Realm's pink. If their summer scorched like here. Autumn sunlight's hue. Winter snowflakes' hexagons.
Trivial chats piled up, enough for three sleepless days.
So—
Don't keep me waiting too long.