NOVEL NEXT Chapter 624
Chapter 1 – Dark Heaven Village
“WooOoOoo—”
“Clang! Clang!”
‘Where am I?’
The owner of this body groggily rises from a messy spot. In such a small frame, the world seems enormous, vast, and drenched in blood. Sounds of weapons clashing and frantic shouts fill the air, alongside the brutal crumpling of flesh.
My gaze first lands on— a battlefield.
I realized at once that the owner of this sight is Yeodong-bin. It must be him; this little boy is probably Yeodong-bin, and his age seems not much different from when I began my previous life’s journey.
Yeodong-bin grips a sword tightly and channels all his strength throughout his body. Suddenly, he counters a soldier rushing in to stab him with a spear.
“Thwack!”
“Urgh…”
Yeodong-bin shows no mercy, driving the blade deeper into the soldier’s neck as he gasps in pain. Once the soldier’s airway is completely severed and his eyes roll back in death, only then does Yeodong-bin begin to pull the sword out.
“Whoosh.”
After killing, he quickly snatches the spear the soldier dropped, but seemingly dissatisfied, he tosses it away instead, opting to gather some jerky and a dagger from within. Then, he crawls into a pit filled with corpses to hide his body.
While the battle intensifies, Yeodong-bin remains remarkably composed. He stealthily observes his surroundings from the mound of bodies, ready to leap out and ambush anyone attempting to check for survivors. He doesn’t hesitate to strike an opponent’s vital points if necessary. In a swirling storm of dust and blood on the battlefield, Yeodong-bin struggles to keep his life intact.
How long has it been?
I could feel Yeodong-bin’s stamina waning as his vision dimmed. While tearing at the jerky beneath the mound of bodies, a foot caught my eye. Looking up, he saw a beautiful dark-haired beauty standing there, wielding a massive scythe.
‘Sang Gwanwna!!’
I recognized her instantly, but in this moment, Yeodong-bin had no idea who she was. Perhaps that’s why, despite tightly gripping his sword, he didn’t charge at her. The instinctual recognition of the gap between their powers restrained him.
Sang Gwanwna spoke with an intrigued expression.
“The Wong is destined to rise against the great Tang, causing chaos and ultimately dying. He will suffer a great defeat in Henan, Huaiyang, and commit suicide here in Mount Tai, Langhu Valley. I came to observe the progress of my plan and… found an intriguing child.”
“……”
Yeodong-bin didn’t respond. He realized that since her appearance, the clamor around them had ceased. Still, Sang Gwanwna continued speaking.
“I’ve been watching from the start, and for a boy soldier sent to be fodder for the Imperial Army, you’re truly exceptional. Just moments ago, the Wong took his own life, and now with the war coming to an end, you’ve already achieved over a hundred kills — a feat few martial artists could accomplish.”
Yeodong-bin replied in a hoarse voice.
“Are you going to kill me?”
“Ha ha, if I wanted to, wouldn’t I have done it already? You possess an intriguing fate and abundant talent; I want to keep an eye on your future.”
“Who are you?”
She chuckled lightly.
“I am Sang Gwanwna. I’m moved by your talent, so I will grant you one wish. Such an offer is a rare occurrence—once in a hundred years.”
Without hesitation, Yeodong-bin answered.
“I want to learn the strongest martial arts in the world.”
“Oh? Why?”
“I don’t want to remain weak anymore.”
As he spoke, Yeodong-bin clenched his fist.
“I want to become the absolute overlord of the world and seize all wealth and honor!! I desire invincible power to slay my enemies.”
“Understood.”
As I watched their exchange, a feeling of disbelief washed over me.
‘Wasn’t Yeodong-bin supposed to be the most noble and righteous Sword Master in the world?’
Could it be that during his childhood, when pursuing strength, he held such thoughts? I was astonished by the stark difference from the Yeodong-bin I knew when Sang Gwanwna continued.
“As far as I know, there are three martial arts you can call the strongest in the world.”
Yeodong-bin focused intently, staring deeply into her eyes.
“The first is the Four Great Families of the White Lotus Sect. They recently emerged in the martial realm and now reign supreme. Their martial prowess is unmatched, and even the righteous sects fear them. Among them, the Thunder God Lineage and the Water God Lineage are particularly renowned.”
Swish, swish.
Gradually, the smell of blood began to fade from the battlefield. It was due to Sang Gwanwna using her techniques to transport them to another location. Before long, they found themselves in a lush land filled with clear waters and birdsong, beneath a cascading waterfall.
Sang Gwanwna continued.
“The second is the Gongsun Sword Technique of the Gongsun Family. It’s incredibly powerful when mastered, but it’s fundamentally impossible for humans to reach its peak… No human can ever fully comprehend the Gongsun Sword Technique! Yet, that does not change the fact that it can be called the strongest in the current martial realm.”
“And the last?”
“The last is the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique, said to have been left by the Overlord in his later years. Those who master it can gain the strength of a true Overlord. If you desire it, I can take you to where it lies.”
“……”
Sang Gwanwna slowly extended her hand.
“Choose. I will take you wherever you wish to go.”
Swish, swish—
At that moment, my vision blurred, and I found myself floating in a pitch-black space. As I looked around, the phantom of Sword Master Yeodong-bin appeared before me and said,
[I chose the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique at that time.]
[Yeodong-bin.]
[And coincidentally, the place where I appeared was the Chaos Zone, where all martial artists compete to obtain the Overlord’s secret treasure, the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique. Sang Gwanwna had tossed me there.]
[……]
[I had to do everything I could to survive and reach the innermost sanctum where the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique was sealed.]
I listened to his words, utterly at a loss.
‘How on earth did he survive in that place?’
Even though Yeodong-bin had achieved over a hundred kills as a child in that chaotic battlefield, he was still just a powerless kid. Falling into a place where martial artists clamored for the Overlord’s treasure meant certain death without doubt.
As I tried to articulate something, the scene shifted again, returning me to Yeodong-bin’s memory.
Swish, swish—
Yeodong-bin was covered in wounds, but he bore no fatal or serious injuries. Beside him stood a sturdy young man wiping the sweat from his brow, saying,
“Ugh, I’m dying here. Zhang Gwa-ro, I still can’t see any sign of the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique.”
Beside them, an old man riding a donkey along a narrow path grumbled,
“Zhongli Quan, why are you whining so much? If it bothers you so much, just use your teleportation and leave!”
“Ah, come on… I was joking.”
“Someone with such high abilities shouldn’t be so impatient!”
“Ugh, ugh…”
Zhongli Quan grumbled quietly.
“Seeing that Zhang Gwa-ro is petty, the rumors must be true.”
“Humph.”
Zhang Gwa-ro, seemingly ignoring Zhongli Quan’s comments, turned to Yeodong-bin walking beside him.
“Kid, the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique, known as the Overlord’s legacy, isn’t a simple treasure as martial artists think. It’s undoubtedly a vital relic that we must retrieve for our sect, so you must give up any foolish desires.”
He paused.
At his words, Yeodong-bin hesitated for a moment, then returned a respectful bow to Zhang Gwa-ro.
“How can you judge without seeing? I will not forget the grace you’ve shown by saving my life in this tomb and teaching me the basics of martial arts. However, I also have aspirations for recognition; I beg you, do not dismiss my desires.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Zhang Gwa-ro chuckled.
“Kid, what’s so important about aspirations? In the end, everyone dies anyway, right?”
“Even if death is the end result, how one lives is a different matter.”
“Indeed… The world seen through the eyes of the strong is quite comfortable and cozy. I can’t fault your yearning to enjoy that reality.”
Zhang Gwa-ro pulled out a large pipe and began puffing as he continued.
“However, if that’s the case, what then is the strongest being in the world? Is it humans? Or nature? If you grow strong, will that truly be the happiest path?”
“……”
“I’ve lived long in seclusion atop Mount Zhong and have come to realize that even becoming an immortal cannot change the world itself. It is better to nurture the weak that you can embrace than to blindly pursue strength and fall into darkness.”
“Is that so…”
Yeodong-bin seemed to respond to Zhang Gwa-ro’s words, yet his expression showed clear dissent.
Then, it happened.
They seemed to have reached the final gateway of the tomb. A treacherous landscape blocked by a sea of red lava spread out before them, but Zhang Gwa-ro simply lifted Yeodong-bin onto his donkey without a care and began walking through the air with the donkey.
“Hey, Zhang! Wait for me!”
Zhongli Quan hurriedly leaped through the air, tailing behind as they crossed the threshold. Just then, a massive force barreled from behind and slammed into Zhongli Quan.
Boom!!
“Zhongli Quan!!”
Zhang Gwa-ro gasped and called out, but Zhongli Quan swiftly dodged and appeared next to him. However, he looked gravely injured, coughing up blood and gasping for breath.
“Cough…”
Seeing Zhongli Quan injured, Zhang Gwa-ro glowered fiercely across at the attacker.
“How dare you assault someone recklessly?”
As he spoke, a man revealed himself slowly from the cliff opposite.
“Isn’t it only natural for martial artists to seek the Overlord’s sword technique?”
“Reveal your identity!”
He removed his hood and replied,
“I am Gongsun Byeok, the clan leader of the Gongsun Family. If I pass through here, the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique will be mine.”
“……”
“Taoist Master, step aside. I’ll spare your life.”
Zhang Gwa-ro stared daggers at Gongsun Byeok, realizing someone else stood next to him.
“Who are you?”
That person, with arms crossed, observed the scene and responded,
“I am Lee Gun-ak, a Dharma Guardian of the White Lotus Sect, here to assist the clan leader.”
“Hmm… For the top martial artists of the martial realm to employ such petty ambushes.”
The Dharma Guardian, Lee Gun-ak, stated.
“Ultimately, the Daoists and the martial realm have little connection, right? If the Taoist Master relinquishes the Overlord’s sword technique voluntarily, no further bloodshed will occur.”
Then Zhang Gwa-ro thundered back,
“Fools! Your greed will cost you your lives!”
Boom, boom, boom!!
As Zhang Gwa-ro swung his staff, the cave trembled violently. Simultaneously, Gongsun Byeok and Lee Gun-ak leapt into the air, charging at Zhang Gwa-ro, and he began fighting back. Amid this, a voice from Zhang Gwa-ro reached Yeodong-bin.
[Kid! Hurry and obtain the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique! You cannot let such greedy individuals possess it.]
Tydaht!
Without hesitation, Yeodong-bin urged the donkey forward and charged inside. He soon entered a chamber filled with radiant crystals, and at the center of the aged sparkling crystal, he discovered a legendary divine sword radiating immense spirit energy.
Fire Dragon Sword!!
Yeodong-bin grasped the Fire Dragon Sword, and in the next moment, a voice resonated in his head.
[Who are you?]
Caught off guard by the sudden voice, Yeodong-bin composed himself and responded.
“I am Yeodong-bin. Yeodong-bin!!”
[What do you seek by obtaining this sword?]
“I seek to become strong for my own recognition!”
[……]
The Fire Dragon Incarnate seemed momentarily speechless, before chuckling.
“Hahaha! What an amusing child. So honest in your desires!”
“My name is Yeodong-bin; I don’t desire to deceive people with foolish words until I die.”
[Good, I like that. I shall enhance your mental state, so you will be reformed by me, the Fire Dragon Incarnate!]
“Eh?!”
Fwoosh!
“Ahhh!!!”
In the next moment, enveloped by the immense flames of the Fire Dragon Incarnate, Yeodong-bin writhed in extreme pain. Eventually, the energy diminished, and the Fire Dragon Incarnate had fused within him. The Fire Dragon offered keen observation as it moved Yeodong-bin’s body, remarking,
[Oh. You’re not burning in my flames, which means you are honest in your desires without malice! I’ve never met a human like you…]
Then the Fire Dragon Incarnate’s eyes sparkled as it read Yeodong-bin’s memories.
[So there are two wicked humans? They need to be taught a lesson!!]