NOVEL NEXT Chapter 690
Chapter 690: The Dark Heaven Village
Han Baek-ryeong was guided by Dokgo Jun, the Dharma Guardian of the Su Shin Sect, as she journeyed toward the core of the World Tree. The Master of the White Lotus Sect had not shared any confidential information with her, but Dokgo Jun was already briefed beforehand. This fact rekindled her feelings of distrust, but she concealed it and moved forward for the sake of the mission.
*Tydaht!*
They arrived at the outskirts of a gigantic Sacred Altar Tree. Dokgo Jun spoke up, “As expected, no matter how fast we rush, we can’t get inside the Sacred Altar Tree…”
Indeed, all the members of the White Lotus Sect and their troops were stationed around the outskirts of the Divine City, yet it was not far at all—just several li to the Sacred Altar Tree or the city itself. However, when they attempted to approach using Divine Techniques, the Sacred Altar Tree continued to evade them. It was undoubtedly a structure designed to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering due to a special barrier.
“Let’s begin.”
With a swift motion, Dokgo Jun raised his hand, and the elders of the Su Shin Sect stepped forward. They arranged themselves into the form of the Three Talents Formation, beginning to manifest their Qi as they drew forth all their internal energy. At the same time, the air around them boiled in reaction to the infinite internal energy, causing the ground to rise upward.
*Ku-gugugugu…!!*
Han Baek-ryeong questioned, “What are you doing?”
“We’re combining the power of the Heavenly Spirit Pill… and using it to break the barrier.”
“What… That’s reckless!”
Han Baek-ryeong shouted in surprise.
Combining infinite internal energy! On the surface, it might have sounded good, but having been in the martial arts for over several decades, Han Baek-ryeong knew that it was anything but. Although the Heavenly Spirit Pill could draw out infinite internal energy, each individual’s energy had different qualities. As the absolute amount of internal energy increased, delicate control became more difficult, and harmonizing with someone else’s energy was extremely complicated. She had avoided even attempting it before, knowing full well it would likely lead to either chaos or self-destruction.
Dokgo Jun controlled his energy and replied, “Our Su Shin Sect has long refined a specialized cooperative technique for mastering the Heavenly Spirit Pill. It’s possible, so just watch quietly.”
*Jjeo-jjeok!*
As expected, Dokgo Jun and the elders’ skin started to crack, flakes of skin flying off amidst bursts of blood. Their bodies had taken on a strange form, but it seemed they were feeling pain as their veins bulged all over. Dokgo Jun let out a roar.
“*Kraaaah!!*”
*Boom!!*
In the next moment, an immense volume of energy erupted, creating a cylindrical beam in the void, piercing through space with a twisting motion. After a brief silence, an explosion sounded, and the once seemingly distant roots of the Sacred Altar Tree appeared right before their eyes.
*Thud thud…*
Amongst the splintered wood and soil, Han Baek-ryeong’s eyes sharpened.
‘These fools. They’re using cooperative techniques… Clearly, it’s not just the three of them with the Heavenly Spirit Pill. There must be at least four or five more.’
This much explained why the Master of the White Lotus Sect had ruled with such an iron fist, dismissing other sects with impunity. Even if the Fire Spirit Sect or the Wind Spirit Sect attempted a rebellion using the Heavenly Spirit Pill, he would have had the confidence to annihilate them overnight.
‘… I should have helped Lee Cheong-un that day. I was too cautious. Who knew that would be my last chance…’
Han Baek-ryeong gritted her teeth inwardly. As if recognizing her conflicted feelings, Dokgo Jun continued while healing his internal injuries, “To reach the heart of the World Tree, we’ll use this.”
Dokgo Jun pulled out a pouch from his robe and tossed it into the air. Golden particles emerged, forming a long streak in the void, its end seemingly binding to some place deep within the Sacred Altar Tree.
“What is that?”
“It’s a fairy that detects the strongest spiritual energy. The place it reacts to is likely the core.”
“……”
There was no need to ask further. Those powder-like fairies weren’t created through the arts of the Central Plains. They were probably secret magical rituals or sorcery known only to the Master of the White Lotus Sect. It was a moment of confirmation that the information from the Zhuge Clan, suggesting the Master was more akin to a Demon Sorcerer than a martial artist, was indeed true.
‘He hid everything from me. This is it. The Master must be finished.’
Finally determined, Han Baek-ryeong snapped her fingers. The Flame Spirit, created with intent, subtly moved, signaling her subordinates to execute the plan.
‘Go.’
There was no longer a need to uphold loyalty.
Han Baek-ryeong had fully decided to sever her connections with the White Lotus Sect.
Oblivious to Han Baek-ryeong’s scheme, the group proceeded swiftly to what they assumed was the core of the World Tree. As they ascended the gigantic Sacred Altar Tree, one of the elders of the Su Shin Sect remarked, “It seems someone has gone ahead of us.”
“Hmm. There are signs of movement.”
Moreover, as they climbed further, they stumbled upon dead fairies at a certain location. They were inadvertently following the trail of the Extreme Tiger’s party, who had moved much faster, leaving a time gap of about a meal length between them.
While examining the corpses of the fairies for traces of martial arts, Dokgo Jun commented, “They had incredibly high martial arts abilities. Among the sect, they are the crème de la crème.”
“Could they be from the Zhuge Clan?”
“I can’t say for sure. We’ll be at the midsection soon, but eliminate all of them and capture one alive.”
“Yes.”
Dokgo Jun was feeling secretly anxious.
‘We might take casualties or injuries…’
This was because those who had wiped out the fairies were likely figures who had reached the peak among peak experts. No matter how advantageous using the Heavenly Spirit Pill might be, just their presence was a sizable variable.
He was worried that the operation might fail. He understood that in the chaotic heat of real combat, even minor variables could lead to catastrophic failures.
However, when they finally reached the midsection where the heart of the World Tree was supposedly located, there was no one around.
“Hmm… The core should be in there, but there’s no sign of life.”
Indeed. The target of the Extreme Tiger’s party wasn’t the core of the World Tree but the very peak itself, causing them to bypass this area entirely, inadvertently avoiding a confrontation. Dokgo Jun tilted his head and entered the core area. Without interference from mysterious experts, there was no reason for him to engage in battle, especially since time was of the essence for their mission.
“Let’s go!”
It was the moment when the two Dharma Guardians and three elders of the Su Shin Sect stepped inside.
*Fwoosh!*
“Cough… ugh…”
Suddenly, the elders of the Su Shin Sect and Dokgo Jun shrieked in agony. Scales sprouted grotesquely from their skin and were painfully pulled off, as if life itself was being drained away. However, Han Baek-ryeong felt no discomfort at all.
Han Baek-ryeong, puzzled, asked, “What’s going on? It’s just an ordinary cave…”
“Ugh… How can this be… It’s as if it’s disintegrating the very essence of magic… Cough…”
Dokgo Jun, wracked with pain, stumbled back. Furious, he trembled in his Golden Dragon mask and addressed Han Baek-ryeong, “We can’t approach the core as long as we bear this magic. You need to eliminate the barriers or structures that keep the magic at bay. Only then can we access the core!”
“Hmm.”
A strange feeling gnawed at Han Baek-ryeong. Surely, those from the Su Shin Sect must have partially turned into otherworldly beings, right?
‘Then is the Heavenly Spirit Pill not magic?’
It was clear that the Master had performed a Demon Sorcery ritual, yet the ability to borrow infinite internal energy from another realm didn’t seem to belong to the demonic arts. Her sense of discomfort was intensified every time she utilized infinite internal energy, as it always felt incompatible with this world’s Qi.
Setting aside her questions, Han Baek-ryeong entered a vast interior forest. The sight of colossal trees and structures floating in the air felt immensely foreign and novel. It was evident to her that this was not a Goryeo or Central Plains architectural style.
‘What is this?’
Walls adorned with expensive glass and strange materials she had never seen before were plentiful. Some square buildings lacked even tiles. Though they felt somewhat alien, it didn’t give off a treacherous vibe.
As she lightly jumped in this place, she realized that she felt almost weightless, floating effortlessly. Using her Qi to propel herself forward, she noticed a golden line directing her towards a specific tree.
A tree within a tree.
It was an odd sight, but almost hypnotically, Han Baek-ryeong began to move closer. Originally, taking possession of the core was not her task, but her Heavenly Spirit Pill seemed to resonate with the immense power this tree housed.
Or perhaps—the being was specifically designed to draw her in.
Then it happened.
*Ku-gugugu-guu!!*
A massive vibration echoed, shaking the interior violently. At that moment, Han Baek-ryeong felt a powerful repulsion in this space and was violently flung back, barely regaining her balance to escape. She turned to Dokgo Jun outside and asked, “What’s happening?”
Dokgo Jun glared at a gigantic black hole overhead, murmuring, “It seems the Eight Parts of the Divine have breached the barrier…”
“What!”
“There’s no time. Were the Twelve Joules and Three Masters inside?”
“I didn’t see them.”
“That’s impossible… The Master said the core was controlling everything inside…”
Dokgo Jun seemed quite flustered, the first time he appeared at a loss for the Master’s instructions. Calmly, Han Baek-ryeong replied, “Can’t we contact the Master directly?”
“Just a moment… Ugh.”
Dokgo Jun stiffened.
“Even if I try to contact the Master, he isn’t responding…”
“……”
“What do we do now…?”
As Dokgo Jun spiraled into a panic, Han Baek-ryeong gathered a vague understanding of what was happening. But she saw no reason to inform him, so she resolved to take advantage of the situation in a way that was favorable to herself.
“Returning to the Master now would be pointless. We should take the core for ourselves.”
“Take the core?”
“Yes. Having it might help the Master.”
“And me too…”
Han Baek-ryeong muttered inwardly. While she was advancing with the plan set by the Zhuge Clan, she didn’t want to be manipulated by them either. To turn the situation decisively in her favor, she needed a powerful trump card—the heart of the World Tree.
“Alright, then let’s retrieve it…”
*Swish!*
In that moment, a blade suddenly appeared from nowhere, cutting down one of the Su Shin elders from behind. The elder instinctively activated his Protection Energy Technique to defend himself, but it was already too late, and he was cleaved in two by the successive strike.
“*Gah!*”
As the elder fell, the four powerful figures in the hall simultaneously attacked the assailant. In an instant, the attacker decapitated one of the nearest Su Shin experts, slipping away without a trace. The sight of the Heavenly Spirit Pill wielder’s head rolling was almost surreal.
“*Ugh, you!*”
Dokgo Jun shouted angrily at the attacker who appeared outside the hall.
“Miyamoto Musashi!!”
*Whoosh!*
Miyamoto Musashi appeared with a cold smile, drawing his treasured blade, Amenohabakiriai.
Amenohabakiriai was a famed sword well-known in Dongyoung history, ranking among the top three blades. While weapons didn’t matter to experts, this specific blade had traits particularly effective against magical beings—making it a gift from Abe no Seimei before his campaign in the Life Sea. As expected, no matter how absolute his realm was, it would be impossible for Musashi to cleave through the Protection Energy Techniques of the Su Shin Sect in one strike, but he could capitalize on the favorable conditions to ambush easily.
Musashi stated, “I was asked by the Twelve Joules to guard the core. Do you think you can accept my blade in such a distracted state?”
He had been watching the White Lotus Sect’s Dharma Guardians ascend to the midsection from the beginning, but taking on five Heavenly Spirit Pill wielders alone was impossible. Thus, he requested support, and when he saw Dokgo Jun’s mind was thrown off and the group’s attention was distracted, he struck swiftly, succeeding in claiming two lives.
“Die!!”
“Come at me!”
Dokgo Jun wasted no time and immediately attacked Musashi. If the three Heavenly Spirit Pill wielders struck together, no matter how absolute Musashi was, he would surely perish. Thinking that it would at best be a mutual destruction, Dokgo Jun focused solely on killing Musashi.
*Boom!*
“Han Baek-ryeong, with the Twelve Ultimate Dragon King’s Slash…!”
He believed that with the overwhelming attack from the Fire Spirit Sect, they could easily overpower Musashi.
But then there was silence.
“……?”
He turned back, only to realize that Han Baek-ryeong was no longer there. Dokgo Jun had been relying on her as they unleashed their infinite internal energy in a joint assault against Musashi, and now he was fully aware of her absence.
“Wait… what the hell?”
He was utterly lost for words. How could the Dharma Guardian of the Su Shin Sect run away at such a critical moment while facing an expert in the absolute realm? However, once the gap in his concentration formed, the terrifying sword intent of Miyamoto Musashi lunged at him, and with gritted teeth, Dokgo Jun barely defended against it using his formidable Protection Energy Technique.
“Now that it’s come to this, I’ll see it through to the end!”
Meanwhile, the Master of the White Lotus Sect lay collapsing, clutching his heart.
With a voice that seemed to age in an instant, he muttered, “… Have I been played? But how…”
He murmured in disbelief, “I expected Han Baek-ryeong might betray us… That’s why I prepared safeguards, regardless of how many from the Fire Spirit Sect came to swarm us…”
The Master of the White Lotus Sect was no fool. Han Baek-ryeong had kept her feelings concealed, but there was ample cause for her to betray them. He had been keen to witness the situation unfold while remaining prepared, yet unexpectedly, he was struck down!
It was genuinely incomprehensible.
Around him lay the elite of the Su Shin Sect and the elders, all positioned to thwart intruders from the Divine City. Even if Han Baek-ryeong came, it would have been difficult; what means did she use to exploit the weaknesses of the Master of the White Lotus Sect?
The Twelve Joules wouldn’t stab his back, as the Master of the White Lotus Sect had been vigilant in sensing intrusions from the Divine City. If there had been an extraordinary power that warranted caution among the Zhuge Clan, he would have intervened immediately. However, not a single trace nor aura had been present.
While in a daze, the Master noticed someone slowly walking through the entrance on the opposite side.
*Step.*
“Master of the White Lotus Sect, rise.”
Upon hearing the voice, suddenly the Master understood the situation.
He lifted his gaze to see a man’s face beyond a faceless mask.
“… I see… it was you who came for this…”
“Thanks to Han Baek-ryeong remotely opening the Furnace Spirit, I could strike directly and capture the Young Master of the White Lotus Sect. The Fire God Team led the other Su Shin elites away.”
*Thud!*
The man dropped the Young Master’s head.
“You can curse me for my cowardly ambush.”
Yet far from rage over his son’s death, the Master bore an expression of detachment and calm acceptance.
“That couldn’t be. My son is also a martial artist.”
“……”
“If he died fighting you, I believe he would be content… Jin So-cheong.”
Jin So-cheong found himself at a loss for words.
Against his own principles—having solely pursued efficiency to arrive here—he had no idea how to respond.
However, the Grand Master of the White Lotus Sect remained unyielding, meeting him with dignified poise throughout.
He bit his lip and raised his spear.
“… Teach me the way of the world’s greatest martial artist.”
“Very well.”
Even if it was hypocrisy, he simply wished to send the Master off as a martial artist.