NOVEL NEXT Chapter 646
Chapter: Dark Heaven Village
Dark Heaven Village’s master seemed to have already figured out what kind of martial arts we possessed. Naturally, it must be the Seven Great Techniques and the Eight Immortal Divine Art acquired from my previous life experience, along with all the Thunder God Lineage’s techniques. While he might not know the specific names, having shared a genuine moment with us up to this point, he would have a rough idea of the nature of our martial arts.
However, submission to the master of the White Lotus Sect was an option I could never accept. He would certainly try to subdue us all and investigate at first, and in the process, the chances of losing all our treasures and demon artifacts again, like in the past, were extraordinarily high. Furthermore, if I truly divulged all my martial arts to him, it would only lead to another tragedy like before. I had just confirmed this with my previous question.
‘ If the Master of the White Lotus doesn’t awaken himself, nothing will change.’
The reason I always hesitated to transmit the obsidian or my memories to him was precisely this. He was intoxicated with the belief that only he could save the world and was willing to make any sacrifice for it. Unless his mindset changed, he could never be regarded as a companion. Even if I gave him my memories, it was obvious he would do as he pleased!
I wanted to flat-out reject the Master of the White Lotus’s proposal, but at that moment, the Sword Demon opened his mouth.
“Master! Please grant us just a moment to think.”
[ A moment to think… That might be tough. If experts like you all escape from this place, it would be hard for me to suppress you later on.]
It seemed like a childish request, but he clearly indicated he could not let us go. The Sword Demon calmly replied, “I do not ask for a lot of time. Just half a moment is all I need.”
[ No way.]
“Are you truly going to take it to the end? If we put all our strength into it, you won’t be able to come out unscathed either.”
[ You all seem to know everything about me…but I know nothing about you. Are you asking me to give you ample time to discuss things in this situation? That is shameless.]
Woosh—
The Master slowly raised his hand. Realizing that this was a signal to involve the Dharma Protectors, the Sword Demon urgently shouted, “Wait a minute…!”
I was wrong.
I bit my lip tightly.
‘ If it comes to this… there’s no choice but to forsake this life!’
If the Master joined forces with the Dharma Protectors, there was absolutely no way to survive. I didn’t expect things to become this complicated, but there was a way to untangle it now. It was to give up my life using Great Destruction to deal a blow to the Master. I would surely die, but the Master would likely perish as well.
Then it happened.
Whoooosh—
A fierce wind swept through the hall, and from within that gale, hundreds of rays of light poured down with the turbulent waves, clearly targeting the Master. He activated Heart of Heaven’s Abundance to deflect the ambush, yet the onslaught did not cease. Instead, the wind expanded further, ultimately engulfing the area where the Dharma Protectors stood!
[ This is… ]
The Master drew forth his power to unleash a shock wave, but the gale briefly halted before erupting again.
Kugukukuku—
As the violence of the wind intensified, the interior became nearly invisible from the outside. At that moment, a mysterious white energy enveloped me and transported me somewhere.
Swoosh!
When I came to my senses, a familiar sight was spread out before me.
“Jangryeong Valley?”
“It seems that way.”
Beside me stood Jin So-cheong and the Sword Demon. They appeared to have moved along with me, and nearby were other experts like Lee Kwang, Master of Zen, and Bright Dragon. The spectators who had been watching the duel didn’t seem to have followed us, as no one else was visible in the hall.
Then, a voice echoed from Zhuge Sa.
“Ah, indeed, it was a good call to keep watch.”
“Zhuge Sa!”
As Zhuge Sa slowly descended from the staircase, he wore an annoyed expression. He glanced down and spoke.
“Is this why they say plans are human-made, but success is determined by the heavens?”
“What happened?”
“It’s not about how things turned out, but rather I simply accomplished the rescue as prepared, using Zhuge Bu over there.”
Now that I looked closely, Zhuge Bu stood expressionless in the hall, appearing almost like a puppet. Jin So-cheong, understanding the situation, stated, “You have manipulated Zhuge Bu to use his techniques, Zhuge Sa.”
“Well, it was an automatic command, to be honest!”
Zhuge Sa casually replied, glancing at Zhuge Bu.
“Lee Kwang, Master of Zen, Bright Dragon—subdue them.”
What?
Before I could react, the markings of the spike appeared over the three individuals suddenly called out. Master of Zen quickly gathered his power to break the spike, Bright Dragon unfolded the Heavenly Cloud Sect Technique to evade the technique’s range, while Lee Kwang used Thunderclap to strike back at Zhuge Bu.
Kclang!
However, when Zhuge Bu swung his sword, Lee Kwang was sent flying instead, and the next moment, talismans floated in the air to simultaneously attack the three. Though they tried to counterattack Zhuge Bu with swift divine techniques, the techniques continued to overlap in the space, rendering them unable to move.
Thud—
“Cough…”
“What on earth is this?”
In the end, Master of Zen and Bright Dragon were ensnared by Zhuge Bu’s curse, trembling and unable to move, and Lee Kwang was in the same predicament. I was shocked at the sight.
‘ They get caught too easily…’
No matter how worn out they might be from battling the Master of the White Lotus, these were the top experts in the current martial world. Even I wouldn’t have a guarantee of easily subduing the three of them. Yet, Zhuge Bu subdued them as if he were hunting wild animals.
Zhuge Sa grinned widely and said, “In the meantime, I’ve made sure to administer plenty of spiritual pills, impart knowledge of martial arts and experience, and efficiently allocate the techniques’ strategies. Moreover, I’ve even nudged the potential of his brain a bit. He can utilize 100% of his abilities now, making the current Zhuge Bu a combat puppet at the peak of martial arts and techniques. If he amplifies his capabilities without holding back, he could even assassinate the Master of the White Lotus.”
“Why did you capture them?”
“Am I supposed to just let them go in this situation? Master of Zen is one thing, but thinking of the trouble Bright Dragon and Lee Kwang could cause if word got out in the martial world is terrifying.”
“……”
“Especially that one; it’d be better to just kill him.”
The cold killing intent in Zhuge Sa’s glare was directed at Lee Kwang. This was because this failure was entirely due to Lee Kwang’s unexpected involvement. Jin So-cheong, disheartened by Lee Kwang’s humiliation, decided to fight back, causing me and other experts to suddenly find ourselves battling the Master of the White Lotus.
Then, Jin So-cheong stepped in front of Lee Kwang and sighed.
“Please stop.”
Zhuge Sa replied coldly.
“Jin So-cheong. You shouldn’t have anything to say to me, right? In a sense, you might as well have betrayed us all. What would you have done if Baek Woong had been captured at that moment and subjected to torture just because of that pathetic master’s life? If you had used Great Destruction in despair and simply perished?”
“……”
“Jin So-cheong… wouldn’t you quietly offer your neck now, even if you have to die alongside your master?”
I intervened, saying, “Calm down. What can be done has already happened. Let’s calmly discuss what to do next.”
“Hehe… calming down is not quite my style, you know? You’re the one who could have gained valuable experience in Dark Heaven Village by sending you there directly, but because of Jin So-cheong’s suggestion, time dragged on messily. And as a result, I’ve wasted time, and the Master of the White Lotus has now begun to take notice of us!”
Zhuge Sa hardly ever raised his voice, but he shouted this time.
“Get out of the way! I’ll sever the roots of that damn Thunder God Lineage today.”
“……”
In the end, the Sword Demon blocked Zhuge Sa’s way and said, “Calm down. This isn’t like you.”
“What does it mean to act like myself? What do you know about me?”
“At least I know you’re not the type to genuinely lose your cool over such things.”
The Sword Demon’s transparent eyes gazed directly at Zhuge Sa.
“In this very moment, isn’t this merely a part of your strategy? Acting as if you’re filled with passion, pushing Jin So-cheong and Lee Kwang, and trying to load them with unreasonable roles as a first step… Or perhaps you’re willing to take on the villain role yourself to prevent Baek Woong from getting unnecessary responsibility or conflict of trust with his companions.”
A moment of silence hung in the air.
After a while, Zhuge Sa chuckled.
“Ah, as expected of the one I once considered a lord. Let’s stop the charade.”
His tone changed abruptly, leaving one feeling deflated.
‘ Truly…’
Zhuge Sa wasn’t genuinely angry; he was merely progressing according to what he had planned from the start. Yet, only the Sword Demon, who understood human psychology so well, could read Zhuge Sa’s intentions just now, showcasing his incredible acting skills.
Zhuge Sa spoke.
“Jin So-cheong. Directly imprison those three in the Underground Brain Prison, and use your internal power to seal their bloodline. From now on, you are to monitor them all day.”
“Understood.”
“Even when torturing them, you must be hands-on. No matter if it involves interrogating your master.”
“… Understood.”
Jin So-cheong complied with Zhuge Sa’s orders without any argument. Having to take responsibility for his failure, he had no choice but to follow his lead. As Jin So-cheong escorted the three to the Underground Brain Prison, Zhuge Sa said, “Baek Woong, there are no more expectations from Jin So-cheong’s plan. Your only option left is to head to Dark Heaven Village.”
“Hmm… But if things continue this way, the Master of the White Lotus will ravage the martial world. Especially with the Sword Demon’s Shadowless Gate…”
The White Lotus Sect had not been unable to unify the martial world until now; they simply hadn’t chosen to do so. However, now that the Master of the White Lotus had recognized Jin So-cheong’s power as the heir of the Thunder God Lineage and the potential of the Seven Great Techniques, he might be inclined to attempt to dominate the world at any moment. And given that the Sword Demon had caught his eye, he would likely be the first to face the Master of the White Lotus’s assault.
Zhuge Sa responded nonchalantly.
“You fool. Why take this so seriously? Just because you make a slight mistake in a grand game doesn’t mean you’re immediately defeated. It was a ridiculous failure, but this isn’t the time for that.”
“Then what?”
“There are the upper, middle, and lower strategies. Which one do you want to hear first?”
“Let’s start with the lower strategy.”
Zhuge Sa sat down at a nearby table and said, “The lower strategy is to give the Master of the White Lotus either obsidian or a silver phoenix to grant him memories and then take him on as a companion—it’s a gamble. If successful, it would be far better than the upper strategy. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to have the Master of the White Lotus as a companion in the future.”
“Th-That…”
He was openly mocking me.
“Even you can see that’s a bit reckless, right? The odds of the Master of the White Lotus subduing you and subjecting you to brainwashing are incredibly high, aren’t they? Maybe you’d be lucky like last time? If I were the Master of the White Lotus, I’d spare no effort to seize your past life abilities.”
“……”
“I won’t stop you if you want to do it alone later, but please don’t drag us into it. I don’t want to end things this way.”
“What’s the middle strategy?”
“The middle strategy is to place all of the Sword Demon’s Shadowless Gate forces into your wooden armor and relocate both Jangryeong Valley and Jinrang Valley to the southern continent or Southern Barbarian. Then, completely withdraw from the martial affairs and challenge the Master of the White Lotus at Dark Heaven Village. This will allow you to focus on the essence of your past life purpose.”
“……?”
Huh?
Zhuge Sa had referred to the middle strategy, but to me, it sounded like the best option?
With a puzzled expression, I questioned Zhuge Sa, “Is there something better than the middle strategy?”
“There’s just one upper strategy.”
“What is it?”
Upon hearing Zhuge Sa’s next words, my face hardened significantly.
“Within three days, Zhuge Bu and you will infiltrate the White Lotus Sect together and assassinate the Master of the White Lotus. From my estimation, the probability of success is over 80%, so it would be fine to give it a try. Once the Master of the White Lotus is gone, most of the troubles above ground will be resolved.”