Chapter 2579 – 2579. The Ascent To The Light

-Huk! A, a Great Sage?! Y-you’ve been reincarnated as a human?!

“……”

The white dragon before me seems to be mistaken about something. Perhaps I can use this misunderstanding to seize the initiative. I struck a pose and stared at the dragon.

Even with the Eye of Inner Gold activated, the information I could glean about the dragon was limited. The dragon’s name was not visible, and I couldn’t gauge its cultivation level or strength. At best, I could see the location of the reverse scale on the lower side of the dragon’s head.

I checked the scroll, the summoning contract, in my left hand. The scroll depicted the dragon before me in ink. Its name was also written there.

The dragon’s name was the Eight Heavenly Dragons.

I’ve heard of it. In Journey to the West, it’s the title given to the white horse that Tripitaka rode after completing his journey and receiving it from the Buddha. The title became its identity and name. In other words, the Eight Heavenly Dragons is this dragon’s destiny.

So, the Great Sage that the Eight Heavenly Dragons is talking about is probably the Monkey King.

-Great Sage! Why are you silent?

The Eight Heavenly Dragons asked, pressing me. The Eight Heavenly Dragons was under contract with me. There was no reason for me to be intimidated.

“I am not the reincarnation of the Monkey King. This eye is a technique.”

-Not the Great Sage? …Hmm. Could it be that you’ve forgotten your past life’s memories while reincarnating…?

I frowned. I was annoyed that he didn’t understand even after I said it once.

“I said I’m not.”

The Eight Heavenly Dragons flinched. The dragon widened its eyes and stared intently at me.

-…Looking at your personality, it seems like you are? That eye and that terrible attitude… Above all, the aura of the Heavenly Star of Calamity that I feel from you is solid proof. Who else but the Great Sage would receive the blessing of the Heavenly Star of Calamity?

Was the Monkey King a being with the aura of the Heavenly Star of Calamity?

More than that, I was a little displeased that the technique of Concealing the Moon and Hiding the Stars was ineffective at hiding the star’s aura. Of course, I knew it couldn’t be helped. The difference in cultivation level was too great, so it couldn’t be hidden. Unless I wasn’t using the power of the Heavenly Star of Calamity, that is.

“I said I am not the Monkey King.”

Naturally, I had no intention of telling the Eight Heavenly Dragons about the Heavenly Gang Star.

-So you’re really not the Great Sage. Well, why would the Great Sage reincarnate as a human? In the first place, there’s no reason for the Great Sage, who is both a Buddha and a Great Golden Immortal, to return to the painful cycle of reincarnation. It seems I was mistaken, human.

There was caution in the Eight Heavenly Dragons’ voice. The Eight Heavenly Dragons seemed to inwardly believe that I was the reincarnation of the Monkey King. I didn’t bother correcting his misunderstanding. It seemed easier to control him if I let him believe it.

“You are under contract with me. From now on, follow my orders.”

-…Not only did a human summon me, a spirit of the spirit realm, to the middle realm, but you even forced a contract on me. I don’t know how that’s possible. Is it the power of that scroll? Is that scroll a treasure made by Taishang Laojun?

“Enough. When summoned, do as I say. How much power can you exert right now?”

-You’re an impudent one. The contract is made, but the contents of the contract are blank. There’s no reason for me to listen to you.

“Dragons have a dragon pearl, right? I’ve heard it also acts as an inner core. If I kill you, can I get the dragon pearl?”

The dragon’s eyebrows twitched. The dragon shrank back and then said, watching my expression.

-I will cooperate… No, isn’t it fate that we met like this? Even if there are no contract terms, I will specially cooperate with you. So, forget about the dragon pearl.

It didn’t seem easy to forcibly take the dragon pearl, so I decided to go along with it.

As I nodded and fell into thought, the Eight Heavenly Dragons looked around, as if it had gained some composure. Then, it discovered Wei Yu and narrowed its eyes.

-Why are you… No, I must be mistaken. The power I feel from a human is extraordinary. And the one behind you is a fox. A distant descendant of Daji.

How surprised was Mi Ling, who had learned the secret of her birth, that she revealed her fox ears and six white fox tails and asked the Eight Heavenly Dragons.

“That Daji? I thought our clan was descended from the Heavenly Fox?!”

-Daji was originally from the Heavenly Fox clan. She went down to the middle realm with several immortals from the immortal realm and plunged the middle realm into chaos. In response, the immortal realm sent down Taigong Wang and other immortals to enshrine Daji and the other immortals. This is the famous Investiture of the Gods plan. There should be records of it in the middle realm, so you should know about it to some extent.

“Uh. Wasn’t Daji killed?”

-Yes. Compared to the other immortals, Daji’s evil deeds went too far, so Daji was annihilated. After successfully completing the Investiture of the Gods plan, Taigong Wang disappeared somewhere. I heard that Daji’s descendants fled somewhere, fearing retaliation. Hmm. Back then, the connection between the immortal realm and the middle realm was much stronger than it is now, so such an incident could happen.

So, Daji was ultimately killed. Feeling a sense of disappointment, I asked the Eight Heavenly Dragons.

“So, how much power can you use?”

-I naturally cannot use my original power. I was summoned by the contract… The power I can use is determined by the power you, the subject of the contract, possess.

So, if I get stronger, the summoned Eight Heavenly Dragons can also use stronger power.

Although I didn’t show it, just maintaining the summoning of the Eight Heavenly Dragons was rapidly depleting my inner energy and stamina. It seemed difficult to use the Eight Heavenly Dragons for a long time.

“Tell me about the immortal realm. It’s hard to get information about the immortal realm in the middle realm, so I’m dying of curiosity.”

If possible, I also wanted to know the identity of the immortal who was targeting me.

-I’m tired of the immortal realm, so I’m currently staying in the spirit realm. I don’t know the details either. But if I had to say, the current immortal realm is… Ugh. I can’t say it after all.

“Are you kidding me?”

-It’s not that. There’s a restriction that prevents beings of the immortal realm from revealing information about the immortal realm to beings of other worlds. It’s a restriction placed on those who have ever stepped foot in the immortal realm. Even Great Golden Immortals are not exempt from this restriction.

“What kind of stupid restriction is that?”

-I think so too. It was the Great Golden Immortals who proposed this restriction, so the beings of the immortal realm couldn’t refuse it. Since there was already a tense atmosphere with the underworld, the immortals had no justification to refuse.

I asked the Eight Heavenly Dragons about the immortal realm, but because of that restriction, I didn’t get any answers.

-Your energy is weakening. It seems like maintaining the summoning is getting difficult? I’ll go back.

The Eight Heavenly Dragons self-summoned and disappeared.

‘He can self-summon even without my permission. It’ll be hard to use him like a slave. I’ll have to cater to the Eight Heavenly Dragons to some extent.’

I checked Wei Yu and Mi Ling’s reactions. Mi Ling was frowning and lost in thought. She seemed quite surprised by the fact that she was a descendant of Daji. Wei Yu was the same as usual. There was no agitation at all.

“Daji. Daji… Is it because I’m a descendant of Daji that I’m so pretty?!”

“Stop being a drama queen, and let’s go back, I’m hungry.”

Wei Yu grabbed Mi Ling’s arm and turned back. I also followed behind them.

• • •

After dinner, I went to see Yang Hongye. Yang Hongye, who was engrossed in the Stormbreaker, frowned as soon as she saw me.

“If you’re here to bother me, just get lost.”

It seemed like things weren’t going well, and Yang Hongye’s nerves were on edge.

“I summoned the Eight Heavenly Dragons earlier.”

“So what?”

“You’re a dragonkin, right? Aren’t you disappointed that you missed the chance to see a dragon, who could be considered your ancestor?”

“I’m not interested. If you came here to say that, get lost right now.”

“Actually, I have something to show you.”

I took out the Eight Extremes Pill Furnace from my inventory. Yang Hongye’s dragon eyes widened. She rushed towards me in an instant.

“Y-you crazy bastard! A Bagua Furnace! Where did you get this?! It’s something that can’t even be found in the immortal realm!”

“It’s not a Bagua Furnace. It’s an Eight Extremes Pill Furnace.”

“I don’t care about the name! Even if it’s a pill furnace, it doesn’t mean it can only be used for making pills! Special artifacts can also be created through pill furnaces! Give it to me! No, at least lend it to me! I’ll pay you… somehow!”

To recognize it right away. Yang Hongye’s insight was amazing.

I deliberately scanned her. Her firm, tanned skin and physique. It was glistening with sweat.

“There’s a minor problem with the pill furnace.”

“Problem? It looks perfectly fine to me.”

“It can’t be used except when refining pills.”

“What?”

Yang Hongye’s face instantly contorted. She didn’t seem to believe me at all.

“Try using it once yourself.”

As if she had been waiting for it, Yang Hongye put a small dagger into the pill furnace. Judging by the spiritual energy emanating from the dagger, it seemed to be a low-grade artifact.

The Eight Extremes Pill Furnace didn’t react at all. It was the same no matter what Yang Hongye tried. I handed her some spiritual medicine ingredients. When she put the spiritual medicine into the pill furnace, flames flared up and it started working.

“…Ha. It can’t be used for anything other than refining medicine. What kind of crap is this? Can I disassemble it?”

“Try it if you’re confident you can reassemble it.”

“……”

Yang Hongye shook her head and backed away. This wasn’t the picture I wanted. I hastily proposed to her.

“I’ll lend you the pill furnace if you let me have a go at your pussy.”

“Get lost. Go fuck that fox.”

So, I fucked the fox.