NOVEL NEXT Chapter 806
Chapter 806: True Martial Home
His signature move, the Shadowless Sword, surged forth, sweeping over my entire being like a tidal wave. In the past, that very technique had turned elite experts of the Namgung Clan into nothing more than bloodstains. But amidst the waves of the Shadowless Sword, I noticed a flaw, a gap evident in its flow. Seizing the moment, I unleashed the Eye’s Control Sword Technique to shake off the assault and slice through the waves head-on.
<Skrak!>
“……!!”
The wielder of the Shadowless Sword barely managed to evade death as they retreated hastily, realizing the danger they were in. I felt the opportunity to finish the fight was at hand, only to find Bai Li Jeong-woon rushing at me, ready to execute the Bowing Sky Slash, forcing me back on the defense.
<Kwaaaang!!>
I countered his Bowing Sky Slash with my own. In that instant, our swords clashed, and I quickly recognized that my power greatly outweighed his, evident from the cracks forming on his blade. Bai Li Jeong-woon smiled faintly and, in that split second, conveyed his thoughts to me.
[Thank you. I’ve always been grateful to you.]
Moments later, his sword shattered with a sharp clang, but Bai Li Jeong-woon maintained a stance, intent on continuing the fight. I recognized that the posture he held was Tai Chi, oddly blending with the techniques of the Thunder God Lineage, illuminating the discomfort I’d felt earlier.
‘…I see.’
<Bam!>
The six martial artists surrounding me surged forward, launching a unified assault for the first time. Previously, they had engaged me one by one to gauge my skills, but now they were attacking in a synchronized rhythm, seeking my weaknesses.
‘Damn it!’
Grinding my teeth, I summoned everything I had learned over the past thirty seconds, defending and counterattacking with all my might. But among them, not a single one was anything less than a Peak Master, making it impossible to take anyone down. A whirlwind of powerful Qi spiraled around me as I continuously warped the space using the Three Treasure Technique.
Just as I pushed past fifty seconds—
“That’s enough!”
Jin So-cheong’s authoritative voice rang out, causing the martial artists intent on continuing to halt abruptly. As the acting leader of the Bancheon Alliance, they had no choice but to follow his command. Jin So-cheong spoke in a low voice.
“I don’t think we need to drag this out for three hundred more seconds. It’s already clear that with Bai Woong’s Tai Chi and the Sword Thunder harmonizing defensively, there’s no way we can take him down.”
“……”
“Sa Ma-gyeong. You know that his techniques won’t work on him either, right?”
At the back of the group, Sa Ma-gyeong let out a wry smile and replied.
“Correct. His immense power renders illusions completely ineffective. I couldn’t even use barrier techniques for fear of trapping allies. All attempts to suppress him with rear attacks were completely nullified.”
“Of course, Bai Woong is slowly digesting the Yin Spirit Power.”
Jin So-cheong muttered, then turned to me.
“Bai Woong, your strength is already proven. No one apart from the White Lotus Sect Leader and the Twelve Joules can withstand a joint attack from six core members of the Bancheon Alliance so easily. Even after three hundred seconds or five hundred seconds, the same would remain true, and we would likely collapse from exhaustion first.”
“……”
“I, Jin So-cheong, acknowledge that power within you and am willing to temporarily pass the title of Bancheon Leader to you.”
Even after hearing Jin So-cheong’s words, I felt no joy. It was because I had already grasped the essence of this trial. I sent a secret transmission back to Jin So-cheong.
[Jin So-cheong. Only Bai Li Jeong-woon and Yeon Jong-hwi among them have truly imparted the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortal Divine Art. Why?]
As he said, I could certainly endure five hundred seconds. My skill had reached that level. But fighting while being able to utilize the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortal Divine Art was only possible for Bai Li Jeong-woon. The others had improved compared to before, but they displayed no signs of understanding those techniques.
‘If they all mastered the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortal Divine Art… Some among them would have reached the Absolute Realm, making it impossible for me to withstand their joint attack.’
Why?
To strengthen the Bancheon Alliance’s power, it would logically be wise to share those secret techniques with the executives, so why did only give them minor instruction?
And why only to Bai Li Jeong-woon and Yeon Jong-hwi?
Then Jin So-cheong replied.
[Bai Woong. When handling a double-edged sword, one must tread carefully.]
[What do you mean?]
[Although they may not be the execs themselves, there’s likely a spy lurking within the core of the Bancheon Alliance. I suspect it could be related to the Twelve Joules or the White Lotus Sect. If we’d shared all the secret techniques with them, those techniques could have spread to our enemies, enabling them to fortify their strengths with such knowledge.]
[……!!]
[Each executive is a leader of a significant faction. Sa Ma-gyeong heads the secret forces of the Sa Ma Clan, and Dokgo Seong is in charge of the Eight Demons of the Demon Path. It’s beyond our capability to root out every single spy in their midst. Plus, there was always the chance that any of them could turn traitor. The only ones we could trust were Yeon Jong-hwi and Bai Li Jeong-woon who have consistently stayed close to the direct disciple of the Sword Demon.]
[Hmm.]
[Moreover, if Dokgo Seong or the wielder of the Shadowless Sword reached the Absolute Realm with the help of the Seven Great Techniques and betrayed us, it would be a nightmare. That’s the reason.]
It made sense now.
I knew well enough that the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortal Divine Art were powerful enough to become a significant threat if they landed in enemy hands. And although Dokgo Seong and the wielder of the Shadowless Sword weren’t outright evil, there was always potential for a change of heart depending on circumstances, which made sharing the secret techniques with them quite difficult. If I were personally managing the Obsidian, that would be different, but the Sword Demon couldn’t do so, and thus we reached a limit.
[And about the Sword Demon…]
Jin So-cheong began to explain the current situation surrounding the Sword Demon. It wasn’t until then that I grasped the full context and nodded.
“I understand. I shall accept the position of temporary Bancheon Leader.”
After accepting the role, I declared, “The primary goal is to rescue the Zhuge Clan, and the secondary objective is to eliminate Peng Zuo. We need to start devising a plan to locate the Zhuge Clan’s position immediately.”
We gathered to strategize. As we discussed, we quickly realized that the information at hand was woefully insufficient and that there was currently no viable way to kill Peng Zuo.
Sa Ma-gyeong spoke up.
“According to the intel from our previously placed spy, there are a total of fifty Western ships stationed at the Nanhai Fortress, with the largest being nearly one li in length. However, the problem lies in acquiring more information beyond that.”
“Why is that?”
“The Demon Path troops are stationed there, moving around in groups of dozens, while a bloody mist obscures visibility around the fleet. Any Bancheon member who attempted to approach was devoured by some mysterious gelatinous creature, so it’s impossible to infiltrate their base with everyday martial arts.”
“Hmm.”
It’s clear. The Great Demon Sorcerers are indeed stationed there, summoning demon beasts.
“The number of Western troops at Nanhai Fortress far exceeds thirty thousand, and they have at least a thousand of the Demon Path soldiers, rendering the Ming Empire’s military force utterly insufficient to confront them.”
Sa Ma-gyeong’s assertion was correct. If there were thirty thousand troops, even a million cavalry or foot soldiers would be slaughtered, and the strength of the Demon Path soldiers was several dozen times greater. It would be incredibly challenging even to mobilize a thousand men to kill a single Demon Path soldier.
“Currently, the Western forces occupying the southern region present a situation that even the Ming Empire cannot resolve. We have no choice but to eliminate the cunning Peng Zuo…”
Sa Ma-gyeong continued.
“Furthermore, the Bogey wearing the Eight Trigrams Garment is immune to any attack. The Sword Demon, Jin So-cheong, and Cheon Woo-jin have managed to land some effective strikes against him, but they could never deliver a fatal blow. At this rate, there’s no way to kill him…”
“Well…”
I had sensed this even during the previous 24th iteration. Hadn’t it been for the assistance of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens back then, I would have undoubtedly perished facing Peng Zuo. I even received help from the Fire Dragon Incarnate’s flames at that time, but it still proved futile. However, it seemed like my martial arts had advanced since then, so perhaps I might hold my own in a fight, but killing him remained just as challenging.
‘In the end… do I need to rely on the Seven Luminaries and their techniques again?’
I couldn’t help but grimace. While I could surely find a way using the power of the Golden Lamp, I wasn’t keen on it. That was because resorting to extreme methods to gather the Seven Luminaries and blessings would inevitably draw the attention of the deities, leading to yet another disastrous scenario.
Just then, Zhuge Bu, who had been quietly listening, piped up.
“Doesn’t something seem off?”
“What seems off?”
“… There’s an underlying issue to the phenomena. That’s likely the reason the Zhuge Clan was turned into hostages.”
Zhuge Bu murmured and then turned to me, saying, “Bai Woong, the simplest way to resolve this situation is for you to become the Apostle of the Three Sovereigns and kill him with the help of Jeon Wook. It’s quite simple, isn’t it? If you don’t overthink the aftermath, this is the easiest way.”
“I see.”
Jeon Wook wishes to locate and get rid of Chang-hil, so whether through the Offering Ceremony or by meeting him directly at the Five Demon Gate, if I can meet Jeon Wook, it would be very feasible to take down Peng Zuo. After all, it’s very likely that Peng Zuo and Chang-hil have an alliance, he wouldn’t refuse if I requested strength to bring down Peng Zuo.
“However, it’s unlikely the Zhuge Clan would consider such a solution. No matter how dire the situation was back then, their intellect would likely have led them to that idea swiftly. They wouldn’t have needed to bring me into play just to recruit your assistance, nor would they have become hostages for that reason. It would have been much quicker and safer for them to escape on their own using the Soul Exchange Technique and directly meet you.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“The fact that they involved me and pressed you to come here at the cost of hindering your training has significance. There is a reason far more important than simply dying…”
Zhuge Bu’s eyes narrowed as he spoke severely.
“The Zhuge Clan sees five steps ahead. Your rescue of them is merely part of the process, and you must follow the right sequence to reach it. Otherwise, you’ll lose everything.”
I felt as though I began to understand.
Nodding, I said, “Alright. I’ll rely on you to guide me through that sequence.”
It seemed there was no choice but to leave it to Zhuge Bu. If the Zhuge Clan sensed something we weren’t aware of and took action toward uncovering it, only someone of similar intellect to Zhuge Bu could decipher their intentions. As I indicated my trust in him, Zhuge Bu said, “The first order of business is to form an alliance.”
“An alliance?”
“Yes.”
His eyes gleamed sharply.
“Leave the Imperial Palace affairs to me. Then persuade the Twelve Joules and White Lotus Sect to join forces to combat the Westerners. This way, we have a chance to secure a minimal victory without depending on the gods.”
“Do we have to go that route? Bringing them in complicates things infinitely, as you know…”
As I recalled past experiences and spoke skeptically, Zhuge Bu closed his eyes and shook his head.
“No, this is the right course. Right now, I can read the Zhuge Clan’s intentions.”
He spoke with firm conviction.
“We have to dance to the tune of the one who instigated this incident. Only then… will we uncover the true answers.”
We began to act according to Zhuge Bu’s guidance. Immediately after concluding our discussion, I rode along with Jin So-cheong towards the White Lotus Sect Master.
<Shhh!>
The White Lotus Sect Master, upon our sudden appearance, showed no signs of surprise. Standing beside him were all three Dharma Guardians, who appeared startled by our arrival. I stepped forward before the White Lotus Sect Master and said, “White Lotus Sect Master, I am Bai Woong, the Bancheon Leader.”
[… I believed the Bancheon Leader was the Sword Demon. Have they changed?]
“There are circumstances surrounding this.”
[Ah, seeing Jin So-cheong as well, that makes sense… If you are indeed the Bancheon Leader, you have the right to speak with me… What brings you to our sect?]
I looked him directly in the eyes and responded, “I request that the White Lotus Sect mobilize all its strength to strike against the Demon forces that have emerged in the South.”
[……]
For a moment, the sect master appeared dumbfounded.
[Why should our blood be shed to fight against those scoundrels? You people from the Central Plains always declared the Central Plains as your land, so handle your own affairs.]
“I am not making this request from the perspective of a Central Plains person or the Bancheon Leader. I have come here as one who has heard the prophecy of the Priestess and the Divine Maiden, concerned for the future of the world.”
Suddenly!
In that moment, the White Lotus Sect Master stood up from his seat, now appearing quite agitated, with darkness radiating from his eyes.
[You are not an ordinary individual. Are you prepared to face death here?]
“If you wish to kill me, can any being truly escape death? However, if you do kill me, you will never find the whereabouts of the Four Great Artifacts.]
[……]
The White Lotus Sect Master scrutinized me, seemingly searching to understand my intentions. Then he spoke.
[You speak as though you know the whereabouts of the Four Great Artifacts.]
“I do not. The Four Great Artifacts vanished when Yeodong-bin subdued the Dragon of the End and have since drifted beyond the realm of chaos, their whereabouts unknown.”
[Is that so? How do you know of the Divine Maiden’s prophecy?]
“It resides within the memory of the Sword Demon, Yeodong-bin.”
[Hmm…]
“In other words, if we trace back his memories, we may obtain clues to locate the Four Great Artifacts. I can assist you in that search.”
As his intensity dimmed slightly, I continued speaking.
“Currently, the Peng Zuo attacking the South is a great-grandson of Jeon Wook, who stole the Celestial Realm’s secret treasure in ancient times and fled to the West. He now serves as the leader of the Western Demon Sorcerers. His ultimate goal is to infiltrate the Eastern lands with the Western sorcery and technology to gain the Law of Cause and Effect, ultimately cooperating with Chang-hil to breach the Luoyang battle ground.”
[……]
“Master, as I understand, you carry on the maintenance of the Divine Maiden’s legacy. If you allow Peng Zuo to run rampant, as foretold by the Divine Maiden’s prophecy, the day of Maitreya’s descent will come before the world is destroyed. We must stop Peng Zuo, don’t you think?”
[Who… are you?]
The White Lotus Sect Master spoke with suspicion.
[Even if all that information were true, those are secrets of the ancients beyond what any human life could grasp… you aren’t implying that you are the embodiment of a master, are you?]
“No. And if I were the embodiment of a master, I wouldn’t bother using you. Because your goals are completely opposite to those of the masters…”
[I don’t understand what you’re saying…]
The sect master pretended not to care, but it was clear my words stirred him deeply. Moments later, the Sect Master spoke.
[Give me a day’s time.]
“That works.”
[I will remember your name, Bai Woong, the Bancheon Leader. Be sure to send a messenger to convey our wishes.]
I had succeeded in getting the White Lotus Sect Master’s approval.