NOVEL NEXT Chapter 793
Chapter 15: The Food of God’s
“That’s more chaotic than I imagined.”
I was under the impression that being a Count meant a respectable status and a considerable fortune, but that was purely my misunderstanding.
“I don’t want to eat this!”
“Aida, there are many people outside who are starving because they have even less than this. You shouldn’t whine.”
Aida, my younger sister, threw the bread aside and burst into tears, while our father, Count Bradley Somerset, sternly chastised her.
I glanced at the food placed before me, thinking that the dining scene in a noble household might resemble that of an ordinary family.
On the table lay a thin, unidentifiable soup and bread that resembled rocks in hardness.
Certainly, these were not appetizing dishes for even a child.
Resolving to eat, I attempted to dip the bread into the soup, but just as I broke it apart—
Crack!
Did I just hear the sound of wood splintering?
—
I went to Zhuge Clan with Mangnyang. The moment Zhuge saw Mangnyang, he nonchalantly remarked, “You’re here because you don’t like the idea of drawing in foreign powers, right?”
“That’s what a normal person would think…” Mangnyang sighed.
“I wonder if we really need to resort to such extreme methods, uncle.”
“True. I wished you could do something for the Leader of Bancheon Alliance, but that Baek Woong lad says it’s not happening in this life, huh? Then, there’s no way to contain the Imperial Palace except for this.”
“The whirlwind of a great incident will reveal countless figures and secrets along the way, right?”
“Exactly. If we’re going to ignore the unique points and just train, we should at least gain some ancillary benefits. We’re already short on time.”
“…But what sin do ordinary humans and the leaders of the Central Plains have to die in the midst of the Western invasion?”
“Hmm… the sin of being weak?”
Zhuge showed no visible reaction to Mangnyang’s words. Then, Mangnyang clenched his teeth and said, “It’s not the only way. It’d be better to activate the White Lotus Sect and Twelve Joules.”
“What are you talking about? Baek Woong has put in a ton of effort since his reincarnation.”
Zhuge continued, astonished, “What was the result? Time and again he learned that the Master of White Lotus Sect and the Master of Twelve Joules are no pushovers, through his failures. And if we attract their powers, Heaven’s Realm can intervene immediately whether they like it or not. Because they are connected directly or indirectly to Heaven’s Realm—who always keeps an eye on them. So as long as Baek Woong doesn’t grow strong enough to suppress those two leaders, mobilizing them would be pointless.”
“……”
“Moreover, as long as they harbor greed toward the Seven Luminaries, the area of conflict can only expand. They are overlords we can’t use unless we completely subdue them.”
“The Western powers are also overlords. In fact, they’re even more greedy.”
“Right. That’s why they are easier to exploit, you already know that, right?”
“Hmph.”
Mangnyang bit his lip in frustration. It seemed like he couldn’t deny the effectiveness of Zhuge’s strategy. Intrigued, I turned to Mangnyang and said, “Mangnyang. Surely, someone like Zhuge Yulong leading the Imperial Palace Forces would fight well against the West? Why are you so opposed?”
“If the Western powers invade, Zhuge Yulong will likely produce magic soldiers. Since the gap in firearm technology is this significant, they can’t fight conventionally. Additionally, he would try to seize the momentum of the war using all the magical knowledge he possesses. Who knows who would win, but who would suffer in the end?”
“Ah….”
“Also, since the West is engulfed in magic, they could summon demon beasts through human sacrifices by calling other sorcerers from the mainland. In that case, we’d have no choice but to summon our own.”
Magic soldiers aren’t just created. It requires sophisticated magical formulas and alchemy, not to mention countless offerings and sacrifices.
‘So Zhuge Yulong would sacrifice commoners to fight the West!’
Only then did I finally understand why Mangnyang was so adamantly opposed. Of course, employing Zhuge’s schemes would mean the outer flames would ripple, so the Imperial Palace wouldn’t advance their plans immediately, but it would likely lead to countless sacrifices of the ordinary people of the Great Ming Empire due to preparations for war. Nothing would change.
Then Zhuge said, “Someone whose face and name we don’t know would likely die in droves. But at least plans regarding the Philosopher’s Stone and Divine Portrait would be temporarily halted. Moreover, Zhuge Yulong would have to give up his ambitions of this age and pass on the plans through the general’s techniques to the next generation. Without lifting a finger, we could buy at least 50 years, and we wouldn’t have to step forward, making it the best plan.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. That’s an inhumane trick. If you tread over the lives of ordinary people who will die without even knowing why, what’s the use of the ideals that Baek Woong has upheld until now?”
“Then what good are ideals when the singularity approaches?”
Zhuge continued irritably, “Think about it. Right now, we’ve temporarily given up the search for the Life Sea due to that fool Baek Woong’s judgment, and we’re throwing all we have into training for Absolute Realm that may or may not work. Yet, due to the Law of Cause and Effect of the singularity, the [Archenemy] that could end Baek Woong’s reincarnation is coming closer by the minute. We believed in the unlimited reincarnation ability of that reincarnated guy and jumped into this. But that reincarnation itself is on the brink of being cut off.”
“……”
“I can’t even imagine how horrific the Law of Cause and Effect that Master Mangnyang predicted will be. It must have the power to crush unlimited reincarnation; that’s likely why he said that, right?”
“…That could be true.”
“That’s why regardless of my inclinations, I must devise an efficient scheme for Baek Woong as an advisor. This is a point where we can bypass the ideals for now.”
“Then I’ll give up on becoming the Master of the Heavenly Realm and become the Leader of Bancheon Alliance.”
“Ugh, why are you like this? You know that’s not the point. Just because you give that up doesn’t solve the problem! After all, whether you like it or not, it’s a necessity for you to go to the Heavenly Realm to earn the Corpse Dissolution Technique. It’s not a choice but a must to gain that ability at some point, considering what Corpse Dissolution Technique is. Similarly, my scheming must be executed at some point—there’s no way you can postpone your ascension forever.”
Zhuge’s words seemed to shake Mangnyang just slightly. As he firmly shut his mouth to ponder, I anxiously alternated my gaze between the two.
Then it happened.
“I’ve heard enough of the conversation.”
The Sword Demon, Jin So-cheong, and Miho walked in from outside. They had been eavesdropping on our talk. The Sword Demon stepped forward and stated, “So, it seems it would be fine for someone other than Mangnyang to form the Bancheon Alliance and operate.”
Zhuge blinked for a moment before looking at the Sword Demon said, “You? You’ll do it?”
“Sure.”
“Certainly, if it’s you, you could manage as well as Hyun in terms of brains, experience, and organizational skills—but no.”
Zhuge crossed his arms.
“You need to research the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique you got in the 24th cycle with Baek Woong to find the loophole of the Master of Twelve Joules. Just having you involved in organizational operations would be a loss.”
“Then I will research the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique.”
Jin So-cheong stepped forward. Zhuge’s eyes sparkled as he replied, “Wouldn’t that be sufficient? If I take the lead while staying ahead of Baek Woong, I can also research the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique.”
“Well, that might be true…”
“If it was just you and Zhuge here without anyone else, we’d have no choice, but we’re here now. So, trust us a bit more and let us handle it.”
Jin So-cheong shouted proudly, “The Central Plains is our precious homeland. No matter how brilliant the schemes are, we cannot allow foreign powers to invade our homeland!”
“……”
Zhuge showed an utterly astounded expression for a moment. Then he pinched his forehead and said, “…Patriotism and love for one’s kin, it seems I might be thinking incorrectly. After absorbing memories from the 24th cycle, I expected you’d be a bit colder toward the ethics and restrictions of the human world… but I suppose it’s unavoidable since the magic of obsidian is imperfectly infused into humans?”
Mumbling, Zhuge nodded as if conceding.
“Fine. It’s certainly a viable alternative, so I’ll accept it, Jin So-cheong.”
“Thank you.”
“Thanks for what? Now you’ll be the Leader of Bancheon Alliance moving forward.”
“Understood.”
The Sword Demon replied. Then he continued, “From now on, Zhuge, you’ll provide me with many strategies as the Leader of Bancheon Alliance.”
“I intend to.”
“Then first, can I know how the Bancheon Alliance will deal with the White Lotus Sect and Twelve Joules?”
“Ignore them!” Zhuge asserted decisively.
“The White Lotus Sect and Twelve Joules didn’t mobilize much while Hyun was the Leader of Bancheon Alliance. Without a special bait like the Seven Luminaries, they have been thoroughly passive. Unless we provoke them first, they won’t crawl out into the world.”
“But the Wind Spirit Sect of the White Lotus Sect is closely tied to the Imperial Palace. I think we cannot ignore them.”
“That’s situational. We don’t need to take action ourselves. They can be eliminated much easier than you think.”
“Feeling reassured hearing that.”
“Demon Sword, remember. Now that you are taking on the burden of Bancheon Alliance, your role is crucial. You must provide Baek Woong with as much time as possible for his training!”
“I know that.”
Thus, it felt like we had specifically divided roles among the comrades in this life. As the conversation wrapped up, Zhuge said, “And Baek Woong. I think we should discuss the most important matter now…”
“What is it?”
“Who will be your master, and how do you plan to train in martial arts?”
Zhuge’s question gathered everyone’s gaze on me. When I hesitated, feeling pressured, Zhuge continued, “This isn’t a matter where I or Hyun can orchestrate the strategy. In the martial arts field, your will and intuition are crucial.”
“Hmm…”
Got it.
Since this topic hadn’t been addressed yet, everyone remained tense. I needed to decide solidly how I would train to become stronger. The statement about its importance wasn’t wrong.
After a moment of thought, I finally spoke, “To take Yeodong-bin as my master is tough since his entire martial arts don’t include basic techniques, and he himself doesn’t want to teach. He only considers embedding the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique into his body sufficient. And even if I try to save Lee Cheong-un now, the situation will remain stagnant since I lack the ability to cultivate the Thunder Spirit Technique. Even if I learn more techniques from the Thunder God Lineage, there’s no swordplay level to increase apart from proficiency.”
If there were anything worthwhile to do, it would be to learn the spear or fist from the Thunder God Lineage from scratch, but given my lack of talent, venturing into that new area would mean spending centuries just to reach the peak.
“Then, are you planning to wait for Jin So-cheong to get stronger enough to take him as your master? It won’t take too long, I suppose.”
“……”
That feels a bit humiliating, but it’s a possible route…
However, I shook my head and said, “No. I’ve already decided who I will take on as my master in this life.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
I revealed who it was.
Zhuge frowned and remarked, “Isn’t that clichéd? And there’s no guarantee he’ll lead you to the Absolute Realm.”
“No. Somehow, I had a feeling.”
“Well, if you say so… Now it seems you’ve put some serious thought into this, so I have no reason to worry.”
Zhuge appeared to lose interest.
We got up from our seats and left. I then moved along with Mangnyang back to the village of Master Mangnyang. The moment I hid the Heavenly Secret nearby and stepped inside, I was enveloped by familiar sleep.
[What a peculiar creature.]
Master Mangnyang sat in the middle of the path, evenly gathering his front paws while staring at me. Just like that, he looked just like a black cat, but it was hard to believe such a creature was an extraordinary deity. I remarked bluntly, “What’s so peculiar?”
[Destruction is approaching, but both you and destruction are reluctant to meet.]
“……?”
[Perhaps it’s a desire for greed.]
What was he talking about?
Mangnyang slowly walked over to sniff the feed scattered on the nearby ground. He then turned back to me and said, [Among countless branches, there is only one answer… how interesting.]
“……”
[I will watch which path you choose….]
Suuuu
I woke up with a grimace.
‘Still undecipherable… No, cat sounds only…’
After all, most of what Master Mangnyang said couldn’t be understood until time passed. I realized that trying to comprehend such a being was futile, so I decided to just dismiss it as cat chatter. But for some reason, I felt angry and shouted, “Damn that cat!!”
Meow~
“……”
A cat’s sound startled me from the village corner, making me press myself against the wall. As I froze in surprise, Mangnyang called out, “Baek Woong. What are you doing over there? That’s just the neighborhood cat.”
“…Oh, right.”
I’m definitely not startled. No way…
Eventually, I began the ceremony to summon the Great Immortal with Mangnyang. After organizing the offerings again, I called upon the Great Immortal I wanted.
Pa-at!!
[Have you called for me…?]
“Indeed.”
I offered the Twin Broadsword, Black and White Lotus, and gold bars as offerings. As the Great Immortal glanced at the offerings, I said, “Oh Great Immortal. I wish to make a connection with you to attain enlightenment in martial arts!”
Originally, I had enlightenment, but it vanished because of Jeon Wook. So I had no choice but to go through this trouble. However, the other party seemed a bit uncomfortable with my offer.
[Hmm…. Pure martial arts enlightenment can only be obtained alone. It feels like trying to unjustly race ahead with worldly wealth.]
“……”
[Your offerings are sufficient considering the requirements, but I don’t particularly desire to accept you, so I will depart.]
Y-You’re absolutely right…
But I desperately said, “You’re right, but I lack talent! I need an extraordinary master! And they say it requires many offerings to request a celestial being’s help, so I gathered them with all my might!”
[There are excellent masters in the mortal realm. Finding one attuned to your level may be difficult, but generally, there should be four or five out there….]
No way!
Did I risk it all just to offend him by asking him directly to be my master?!
While it was similar to the previous situation, the response was entirely different, and I was slightly flustered. However, I calmed myself and shared my feelings.
“Do you understand the frustration of training for over a hundred years without reaching the Absolute Realm despite facing countless setbacks…?”
[……?]
The other party appeared baffled.
“Others easily surpass levels to become the best, yet I have been forced to repeat my struggle countless times due to a lack of talent!”
[……]
He looked entirely clueless.
“If I had talent, I wouldn’t have to reach out like this! But because I lack talent, can’t you empathize with my desire to get out of this position by seeking help from others?!”
I screamed as if in anguish, “Are you saying if you lack talent, you should just give up and die?! But it’s easier to die than to get stronger, so naturally, I wish to risk my life to gain the help of an expert!!”
[Hmm….]
“I’ve said everything I need to say!”
He seemed deep in thought.
Then he sighed and said, [I see… the feelings of one lacking talent…. I didn’t know.]
The Great Immortal continued, [I have still insufficient skill, so I couldn’t grasp your feelings. However, the sincerity of that desperation shows authenticity, not trickery. Therefore, I will accept your wish and forge a connection with you… I shall help you advance in martial arts.]
It worked!
I let out a relieved sigh and said, “Thank you, Master Jang Sam-bong.”