NOVEL NEXT Chapter 647
Chapter 647: Dark Heaven Village
“Assassinate the Sect Leader?!”
I had thought about it at least once, but I never dared to actually consider such a challenge. I was momentarily astonished as I glanced at Zhuge Sa and said,
“Are you saying that Zhuge Bu and I could actually assassinate the Sect Leader?”
This was an unexpected strategy. When I asked, Zhuge Sa replied nonchalantly,
“If we give it a try, it shouldn’t be that difficult. I know enough about the Sect Leader’s weaknesses; it would be ridiculous to find it hard to kill him now.”
“Specifically, what do you want me to do?”
“I want to hear your thoughts first before I explain.”
Zhuge Sa gazed at me quietly.
“If you could definitely kill the Sect Leader, would you follow my plan without question?”
“……”
“This is more important than the plan itself.”
I fell silent at Zhuge Sa’s words.
Could I really kill the Sect Leader?
Even if I had the will, could I actually carry it out?
Zhuge Sa knew the feelings of compassion I held for the Sect Leader.
So, his insistence on clarifying that part was equivalent to saying he wouldn’t give me a plan otherwise. I wasn’t foolish enough to not see that, so after deliberation, I said,
“… Is there really no way to accept the Sect Leader as an ally?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“Huh?”
“Baek Woong, you are a king.”
Zhuge Sa’s gaze became serious.
“Right now, you can be said to be freer and more powerful than the Emperor of the Great Ming Empire. Someone who has monopolized all kinds of knowledge, treasures, and martial arts using the power of rebirth has never existed in history. There are almost no mortals that can obstruct your path in the future. Both I and Mangnyang regard you as our king and have been scheming accordingly. You’ve heard this from Hyun before, right?”
“……”
I had heard it.
“Ultimately, everything comes down to your will and choice. I can advise you that accepting the Sect Leader as an ally is extremely dangerous, but I can’t predict what the outcome will be. Your fortune and misfortune are so capricious that they may be beyond human wisdom. Has it not always been this way?”
Zhuge Sa sighed for a moment and then spoke.
“Baek Woong, what do you want to do with the Sect Leader? That’s the most important question. It’s something I can’t answer for you.”
I contemplated for a moment, and after some time, reached a conclusion.
“I don’t want to kill him. But if he plans to harm my companions, I can’t just sit by and let it happen.”
I knew the Sect Leader was a hero trying to save humanity with his ideals and thoughts. However, if he extended his hand to kill my companions, I couldn’t just remain passive. My compassion had its limits, and I had a duty to protect my companions above all else.
Zhuge Sa nodded.
“So you want to choose a middle ground.”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s do that. We’ll focus on the challenge in Dark Heaven Village without clashing with the Sect Leader anymore. Leave the preparations to relocate the base to me and Hyun.”
Zhuge Sa made it sound as if there was nothing more to discuss, but I was curious and asked,
“Wait… was it really possible to assassinate the Sect Leader according to your best plan?”
Zhuge Sa stared at me with a blank expression.
“Hey. Why are you being so wishy-washy? Didn’t you just make a decision?”
“I’m just curious. I need to know for future reference.”
“Heh, even though you’re a king, you’re not cut out to be a hero.”
Zhuge Sa chuckled as if this was amusing.
“The method is simple. We just have to kill the Young Master.”
“I thought of that too.”
I shook my head.
“But the Heavenly Law Hall where the Young Master is located isn’t easy.”
“I know.”
“I initially thought it was an unguarded place, but there are sorcerers stationed there, casting barriers constantly; and while they may not be very noticeable, there are always experts from the Su Shin Sect guarding the area. Some of them include members of the Water God Team and the elders of the Su Shin Sect.”
“Heh, does that mean we’ll have to fight monsters equivalent to Dharma Guardians?”
“Exactly.”
Elders from the Su Shin Sect!
I hadn’t realized until now, but among them was a possessor of the Heavenly Spirit Pill, which wasn’t known to the Four Great Families. Naturally, that place was a major weakness of the Sect Leader, meaning someone with the Heavenly Spirit Pill was always on standby and protecting him, which meant we’d have to clash with Dharma Guardian-level experts.
‘If there are two or more people with the Heavenly Spirit Pill, it would be hell…’
Zhuge Sa added,
“Moreover, it seems that there is also a mechanism within the Heavenly Law Hall that can instantly summon the Sect Leader.”
“… I haven’t discovered it, but it likely exists.”
It had to exist.
If anything happened to the Young Master, it would put the Sect Leader into an irretrievable state, and the master of sorcery, the Sect Leader, wouldn’t neglect to prepare a summoning device.
“Yes.”
“It’s simple. If you and Zhuge Bu join forces, even if the Sect Leader is summoned to the Heavenly Law Hall, you can strike and kill him at the same time, or at the very least gravely injure him.”
“What?”
“We don’t need any other absolute realm martial artists. In fact, they would only be a hindrance. It’s not that complicated; only you and Zhuge Bu can pull off this strategy.”
What is he talking about?
I stared at Zhuge Sa in disbelief as he calmly continued,
“You’ve already selected a middle ground. Hearing my plans now would only confuse someone as indecisive as you. Stop it and prepare to relocate the base.”
“… Got it.”
I realized that the ‘best plan’ Zhuge Sa was contemplating was a workaround among workarounds, a forbidden method among forbidden methods. He was reluctant to share it because it was an outrageous method that didn’t guarantee any benefit. I thought he would tell me later and began the process of relocating the base.
I first gathered the experts from the Shadowless Gate along with the wealth into the wooden armor and headed towards the Southern Continent. Initially, I considered visiting the Ayutthaya Kingdom, but since the Southern Barbarians were within striking distance of the Sect Leader’s ambitions, I decided to relocate the base completely to a remote area.
And then we convened to discuss how we should handle the prisoners.
Mangnyang said,
“We should clearly explain the situation to the Bright Dragon and the Master of Zen and recruit them as allies. It would also be beneficial to send them memories.”
Zhuge Sa retorted curtly from across the table,
“Hyun Ah, aren’t you being too soft? It seems more appropriate to brainwash them and use them as subordinates.”
“They aren’t malicious individuals but rather upright sages. Reducing them to puppets is far too excessive.”
“They may not be malicious, but they’re still the heads of a sect. We’re busy doing other things, wouldn’t it be more of a hassle to keep tabs on guys like that?”
“If they lack the capability to understand human speech, I suppose there’s nothing we can do.”
“Then what about Lee Kwang?”
“……”
Mangnyang fell silent for a moment and then looked at Jin So-cheong.
“I think Jin So-cheong should monitor Lee Kwang until your exploration of Dark Heaven Village is complete.”
“That’s a waste of manpower and time. Jin So-cheong should be focusing solely on training, not wasting efforts on trivial matters!”
“That’s not the case.”
Mangnyang continued,
“We’re also talking about utilizing Lee Kwang’s strength.”
“Ugh… So that’s the route we’re taking.”
“Well, he’s a genius without equal.”
Zhuge Sa shook his head.
“I disagree! I’ve seen enough of what Lee Kwang is like through Baek Woong’s memories. That guy’s a cunning opportunist you can’t trust at all; we should just behead him and be done with it.”
Jin So-cheong suddenly interjected,
“I cannot allow that. Not if it harms my Master.”
Upon hearing that, Zhuge Sa shot a crazed glance at Jin So-cheong.
“Really? What will you do if your Master betrays us just once?”
“I will atone with my death.”
“That’s a laugh. Even if you throw yourself away, it wouldn’t mean anything to the reincarnated Baek Woong.”
“……”
As I watched the atmosphere growing grim, I stepped forward.
“I will transfer memories to the Bright Dragon and the Master of Zen. I believe they can be trusted. As for Lee Kwang… Jin So-cheong, you can decide whether to transfer memories and accept him as an ally.”
When I stared intensely at Jin So-cheong, he shook his head sadly.
“… That’s not feasible.”
“Then I shall continue to restrain Lee Kwang and keep him confined. I will suppress all of his bloodlines and internal power, so if he is monitored by a master from the Shadowless Gate, it should suffice.”
“Understood.”
“Heh, just like I expected…”
As Zhuge Sa was about to mock Jin So-cheong, I immediately cut in.
“That’s settled! We have no time; let’s move!”
It appeared that Zhuge Sa really disliked Jin So-cheong, and Jin So-cheong wouldn’t simply tolerate it, so a conflict was inevitable.
Pa-at!
I conveyed memories to the Master of Zen and the Bright Dragon using the Divine Phoenix. Upon receiving the memories, they trembled and gasped in astonishment.
“Whoa…”
“This is unbelievable.”
Especially the Bright Dragon’s reaction was exceedingly intense. His youthful appearance belied a twisted face as he shouted at me,
“You bastard!! You’ve been carelessly sharing the techniques of our sect’s Seven Great Techniques with just anybody!! You must have sought help from me and the Wudang Sect during your previous life, yet you never returned the favor to our Wudang Sect?!”
“……”
I had no words. It was true that I owed the Bright Dragon and the Wudang Sect, and I had been living a rather selfish existence up to that point. Sighing deeply, I bowed my head in apology.
“I truly regret that.”
“How could a simple apology suffice?”
“But the circumstances under which I acquired the Seven Great Techniques were solely through my abilities in using my reincarnation powers to obtain them from Master Zhang Sanfeng. There’s no reason for me to be blamed for that. Let’s be honest, if I hadn’t used those powers, you would never have obtained the complete edition of the Seven Great Techniques yourself.”
“… That is…”
After firmly responding, I continued,
“My goal is to unite the strength of humanity to escape from the ruthless claws of the wicked gods that dominate this world. However, presently, I haven’t even found a plausible method to defeat the gods. I’ve been under immense pressure. That’s why I regret not being able to repay the kindness shown to me by the Wudang Sect.”
“Um…”
The Bright Dragon hesitated, as if having realized something, and then spoke,
“Alright. I see that I’ve been too self-centered. I acknowledge that you could very well be the one to save the world. Just be sure to repay the Wudang Sect in the future.”
“I will do so. Thank you for your understanding.”
At that moment, the Master of Zen quietly uttered a low prayer and then spoke,
“Baek Woong, you walk the path of endless reincarnation while striving to maintain righteousness. It has moved and touched me deeply.”
“You don’t need to praise me, Master.”
“No…”
The Master of Zen paused for a moment before continuing,
“I shall do my utmost to assist you in shortening your journey. Would you accompany me to the Shaolin Temple for a short time?”
“Why the Shaolin Temple?”
“I need to organize some matters there, and I have a gift for you.”
“Understood.”
Shortly thereafter, I moved to the Shaolin Temple with the Master of Zen and the Bright Dragon. The Master of Zen promptly declared that the gates of the Shaolin Temple would be sealed and led me into a deep hidden area of the temple.
How long had we been walking? Once we arrived in a deep, secluded valley about thirty miles from the Shaolin Temple’s headquarters, the Master of Zen brushed his hand against a certain rock, and shortly after, the rock emitted a strange sound.
[ User fingerprint recognition complete. Opening door now.]
Wiying!
The rock suddenly produced an odd mechanical noise and slid open, revealing an incredibly vast space inside.
“……!!”
What is this?!
Interestingly, the interior was filled with all kinds of mysterious mechanical devices, along with what appeared to be a peculiar storage space. As I stood entranced, gazing inside, the Master of Zen spoke,
“This place is a gift from Master Mangnyang to the Shaolin Temple.”
“What do you mean?”
“Master Mangnyang has contracted with ‘someone’ to receive offerings, and this bizarre location is part of those offerings. The ‘someone’ had used this space as a vital stronghold, but ultimately surrendered it to Master Mangnyang.”
The Master of Zen replied while touching the odd blue walls around us.
“In this place, nothing decays, and it’s filled with divine spirit energy, containing techniques unknown even from otherworldly realms. I may not know for what precise use this is, but using this space for training has allowed me to accumulate internal power at several times the rate compared to outside.”
Could this place be the reason why the Master of Zen attained the unrivaled ultimate internal power?
I was left dazed.
“… What exactly is this place? It doesn’t feel like the malevolent energy of the otherworldly ruins at all.”
“I have no clue either. However, it will undoubtedly aid you, as the reincarnated individual. You may no longer require internal power…”
The Master of Zen went deeper inside and opened a box to take something out. What he held was a palm-sized round object radiating a yellow glow.
“This is the greatest elixir from the headquarters, the Heavenly Spirit Pill. Please use it wisely…”
“Understood.”
“I believe it will be more effective than the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng for treating internal injuries.”
For now, I was satisfied to have received the Heavenly Spirit Pill. Next, I followed the Bright Dragon to the Wudang Sect, where he too proclaimed the sealing of the gates.
The Bright Dragon opened the door to a secret room behind the leader of the Wudang Sect and proudly declared,
“I may not have grand relics like the Master of Zen, but…”
Dreeek!
As the Bright Dragon gazed into the secret room, he pointed with pride,
“You can take this.”
Kiring—
Inside the secret room, there was a sword radiating a divine light—a sword of elegance!
The moment I laid eyes on that sword, I realized it was an extraordinary weapon. I’ve seen many renowned swords from across the world, but this one possessed a majestic presence that could captivate any swordsman. Even the legendary sword known as Yongyeon seemed somewhat lacking in comparison to it.
I swallowed hard and asked,
“What is that sword?”
“There’s a saying: ‘A square ground for the cart, a round sky for the cover, the long sword gleams brightly, leaning against the sky above (方地為車 圓天爲蓋 長劒耿耿倚天外)…'”
“………!!”
Upon hearing those words, my eyes widened in disbelief.
“Are you saying that’s the Heavenly Sword?!”
The Bright Dragon nodded.
“One of the peerless divine swords acquired by our leader, Zhang Sanfeng, after defeating the Major Evil.”
The Heavenly Sword!
It was a legendary weapon that had been spoken of in tales and longed for by all swordsmen and martial artists throughout history; it could cut through anything in existence. Seeing the Heavenly Sword with my own eyes filled me with elation.
I tried to draw the Heavenly Sword, but as soon as I did, I felt an immense weight in my arm. When I looked back at the Bright Dragon, he stated,
“No one has been able to draw that sword to date. Not a single soul since its conception.”
“……”
“If you’re capable, feel free to take it.”
“Why can’t anyone draw it?”
“Well… your guess is as good as mine. If I could draw it, I would’ve taken it to fight the Sect Leader long ago.”
I gathered my internal power and tried to infuse it into the Heavenly Sword.
Kuhugugugugu…!!
‘No, this won’t work!’
I could feel the sword shift slightly, but as I tried to force it out with my internal power, the sword seemed to resist against the strain I exerted. If I forced the draw, it would likely break. Thus, I begrudgingly ceased my attempts.
“… In any case, thank you.”
I thought I would need to ask Master Zhang Sanfeng how to draw the Heavenly Sword later.