NOVEL NEXT Chapter 807
Chapter 807: True Martial Home
“That’s the real answer…”
I murmured Zhuge Bu’s words as I headed towards the Divine City of Mount Changbai. Although Zhuge Bu hadn’t yet explained everything to me, he mentioned that a series of processes were necessary. He also told me that defeating Peng Zuo wasn’t the ultimate goal.
Whether it was Zhuge Sa or Zhuge Bu, it seemed I had concluded that I needed to find the “answer” in this lifetime.
So… what is the “problem”?
It appeared the strategists couldn’t share that problem openly with me. After all, in a highly structured sequence, a single mistake could lead to great failure. Hence, it seemed they calculated that I should be used as a pawn for now. I understood their reasoning, so I didn’t worry about it too much.
The real issue was, despite the strength of my past life abilities, what kind of situation were they envisioning that required the strategists to be so cautious? Naturally, I couldn’t help but imagine the worst-case scenario, causing me to bite my lip.
“Damn it.”
Since the 24th reincarnation, I felt suddenly cornered. I knew so much more yet felt stagnant and unable to progress! Until now, I had believed there were limits to the power I could amass as a mortal, focusing on uncovering the secrets of myths, but perhaps even that had now reached its limit?
While lost in these thoughts, Jin So-cheong, who had followed me, spoke up.
“Baek Woong. We are here.”
“Hmm.”
Certainly, the Divine City was invisible to the naked eye due to the barrier. However, the fact that we were near the Divine City was easily identifiable by the surrounding terrain. Gathering Yin Spirit Power, I attempted to move following the tips Miho had taught me in the past.
Wooong
It indeed felt like moving in sync with my body, as the silver energy swirled around my right arm. I had trained much more than when I was with Miho, and the energy felt clearer and more majestic than ever. I began to slowly shift the energy in my right arm to my eyes.
Swoosh!
As half of the Yin Spirit Power reached my eyes, I simultaneously activated the Fire Eye Golden Spirit technique. The barrier of the Divine City was invisible with just the Fire Eye Golden Spirit alone, but combined with Yin Spirit Power, it was certainly doable. Just as I thought, as the Yin Spirit Power settled in my eyes, I felt a burning sensation and could see clearly over a thousand li.
‘There it is.’
Now I could clearly see it. The barrier concealing the Divine City was undoubtedly wielding the full power of the Twelve Joules, but with the combination of Yin Spirit Power and Fire Eye Golden Spirit, seeing it was entirely possible. After confirming the location of the Divine City, I informed Jin So-cheong of the direction and distance. He nodded in acknowledgment.
“We can break through by force or wait for the Three Masters. Which would you prefer?”
From experience, I knew that if we waited, the Three Masters would use their foresight and perception to find us. However, if we chose the former, we could test our current capabilities against the Divine City’s defensive barrier.
But at this moment, I wasn’t in a position to recklessly try things. I gently closed my eyes.
“… I don’t want to provoke the Twelve Joules. Let’s choose the latter.”
“Understood.”
Just then, it wasn’t long before one of the Three Masters, the Wind Master, approached us.
“What brings you here?”
“I am Baek Woong, the leader of the Bancheon Alliance. I’ve come seeking the assistance of the Twelve Joules to subdue the Western forces near the South Sea.”
“Follow me.”
We followed the Wind Master inside the Divine City and into the room of the Master of the Twelve Joules. As usual, the Master was wearing a mask and spoke up.
“The renowned leader of the Bancheon Alliance in the Central Plains has changed, huh? I see a brand new face.”
Since I had come as the leader of the Bancheon Alliance this time instead of my usual unidentified self, I adjusted my tone appropriately.
“You’ll get used to it.”
“Hmm, let’s get to the point. Share your thoughts.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules seemed to prefer direct conversation. I took a deep breath and stated my case.
“The situation in the South Sea is severe. There are over thirty thousand gunmen and hundreds of demon soldiers, as well as many powerful demon sorcerers and alchemists from the West. They appear to be conducting human sacrifices and demonic rituals to maintain their power, and their leader is none other than the Great Immortal, Peng Zuo, who freed the Golden Crow.”
“……”
“At present, tens of millions of common people in the South Sea are no better than hostages to these demon forces. If we let this continue, they will seize control of the Central Plains and invade the entire East, turning it into a colony. Thus, I have come seeking the aid of the supreme being of the Eastern Martial World, the Master of the Twelve Joules.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules tapped his fingers on the chair thoughtfully.
“Hmm, you’re saying something strange.”
“What’s so strange about it?”
“You claim that Peng Zuo is the Great Immortal and has freed the Golden Crow. How did you come to know that?”
The Master of the Twelve Joules shot back sharply, but I calmly replied without flinching.
“The Bancheon Alliance has experts proficient in demonic arts and ancient secrets. We have been keeping an eye on Peng Zuo from the very beginning, making it easy to ascertain his identity.”
“……”
“I know that you are not only the public leader of the martial world but also someone involved in the underbelly of it. We have already promised support from the White Lotus Sect, so I expect a wise choice from you.”
“Well…”
With a hand propped on his chin, the Master of the Twelve Joules spoke in a slightly impressed tone.
“You’re not just any ordinary character… Seems like you’ve experienced negotiations like this before? Where were you all this time?”
I shrugged.
“Just consider the talents at the Bancheon Alliance. The Central Plains is vast, after all, and so is the pool of talents.”
“Haha! You have quite a way with words. I like it.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules laughed jovially.
“I really dislike how populous the Central Plains is… It’s always been that way.”
“……?”
The Master rarely showed any emotional displays. So, hearing a hint of a feeling in his murmuring left me slightly puzzled.
‘… Hatred?’
For some reason, it felt like an uncontainable hatred had just slipped out. It didn’t seem like a mere tactic to pressure me in negotiation; genuine feelings were there, leaving me bewildered. The reason for the Master of the Twelve Joules’ disdain towards the Central Plains remained unclear.
He turned to the Sorcerer next to him, Yun Sa.
“Yun Sa. Find out if the enemy is indeed Peng Zuo as he says. You three can go together.”
“Understood.”
Boom!
A moment later, with a flickering sound, the three members of the Three Masters—Wind Master, Yun Sa, and Yu Sa—vanished simultaneously. It appeared they were combining their strengths to verify the credibility of my information, and given that they possessed skills akin to the Illusory God Cheon Woo-jin, it seemed quite feasible.
Then, Jin So-cheong beside me spoke to the Master of the Twelve Joules.
“You seem confident in your martial arts. Aren’t you afraid to be left alone with us?”
A hint of assassination was implied in his words!
I stared at Jin So-cheong in surprise at his provocative remark, but the Master replied leisurely, without any sign of distress.
“You must be Jin So-cheong, the Divine Spear of the Bancheon Alliance. I’ve heard much about your heroic exploits. True to your renown as the best martial artist in the Central Plains, your actual skills appear to be quite impressive.”
For more than a decade, Jin So-cheong had been building an admirable reputation while active in the Bancheon Alliance, making his name known in the Central Plains Martial World and beyond. The Master of the Twelve Joules spoke with a teasing posture, leaning forward.
“But if you’re scared of us, how could you defeat Dan-gun, the leader of the Han people? Isn’t that right?”
“……”
“You have the spirit. If you’re confident, come at me. I usually don’t shy away from challenges.”
His calm demeanor was actually quite chilling. Gritting my teeth, I clenched my fists a couple of times.
‘Jin So-cheong is undoubtedly at the Absolute Realm… The Master of the Twelve Joules must have recognized Jin So-cheong’s abilities the moment he laid eyes on him. And yet, he showed no signs of being shaken.’
This only meant one thing.
The Master of the Twelve Joules was confident he could defeat both of us in this room!
Moreover, this also indicated his absolute confidence in the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique!
Boom!
In the next moment, the three masters returned. Among them, Yun Sa approached and scrutinized the Master of the Twelve Joules, appearing to use a technique akin to Secret Transmission. The Master of the Twelve Joules pondered for a moment before speaking.
“… It doesn’t seem like a lie after all. This situation is indeed perilous.”
“Will you help us?”
“Of course! But I don’t want to be ordered around.”
“In that case, we will share our battle plan, and we would appreciate your support in executing it.”
“That works for me.”
I disclosed to the Master of the Twelve Joules that we would attack the southern enemy at dawn in three days. I had yet to receive a firm answer from the Master of the White Lotus Sect, but I was confident he would participate. After securing an alliance with the Master of the Twelve Joules, I returned to the Bancheon Alliance with Jin So-cheong.
I turned to Jin So-cheong.
“Now it seems the time has come to unveil the truth. Where is the Sword Demon?”
“……”
“I want to hear the results of the Master of the Twelve Joules’ research on the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique.”
The Sword Demon was not dead.
Though it was said that the leader of the Bancheon Alliance had gone missing, in reality, he had faked his death to act solo. With the situation as it was, he intended to call me, the reincarnator, to fill the vacant leadership position while secretly tracking down Peng Zuo and his crew. It seemed the Sword Demon had infiltrated deep within the enemy base in the South Sea, and the only ones in the Bancheon Alliance aware of this highly confidential fact were Jin So-cheong and Sa Ma-gyeong. Most likely, the Sword Demon would provide assistance when we attacked the southern enemy.
With a sigh, Jin So-cheong said.
“… Following your words, after establishing the Bancheon Alliance, the Sword Demon and I joined forces and spent over ten years researching the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique based on your reincarnated memories. And the conclusion we reached is… just one.”
“What is it?”
“Heavenly Unrestrained Technique is an absolute realm that humans cannot attain.”
I was taken aback.
“… What?! Are you saying that the level of the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique is the martial arts of the Divine Realm?!”
Divine Realm!
Considered a stage above the Absolute Realm, both the Seven Luminaries and Yeodong-bin were aware of its existence. And even Jin So-cheong reached this Divine Realm fifty years later, utilizing the Ultimate Technique, Cosmic Island. However, those who knew about the existence of the Divine Realm and Martial Gods often hesitated to discuss its true nature.
As if sensing my confusion, Jin So-cheong shook his head.
“It seems I didn’t explain well. That’s not the implication. While the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique isn’t the sort of martial art that could wipe out the likes of the Old Ruler or Apostles… its practical difficulty far surpasses that of other Absolute Realms, making it something that cannot be obtained through human effort.”
“You mean to say it’s as extraordinarily difficult as Thunder Spirit Power?”
“It’s different from that too.”
The light in Jin So-cheong’s eyes intensified.
“Thunder Spirit Power can be seen as the refinement of a millennium’s worth of Thunder God Lineage. The dozens and hundreds of techniques the Thunder God Lineage conquerors have forged over time converge into the Thunder Spirit Power. This high degree of refinement means the difficulty of acquisition is immense, but when you manage to interpret and unravel it successfully, gaining it isn’t entirely impossible. Because the direction of the Thunder Spirit Power itself is certain. While everyone claims it’s difficult, as far as I know, at least two to three people, myself included, possess the talent to acquire the Thunder Spirit Power.”
I was aware of this fact as well. Nodding, I replied.
“So, Heavenly Unrestrained Technique is different?”
“Yes. If the difficulty of Thunder Spirit Power is at the highest level, the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique is impossible. The Sword Demon and I concluded this roughly three years ago. I believe that even if I trained for a hundred or a thousand years, obtaining the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique would be an impossibility.”
Impossible difficulty!
Why does such a martial art even exist?
As I looked incredulously at Jin So-cheong, he continued.
“The reason it’s impossible is… because the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique represents perfect martial arts.”
“Perfect, you say?”
“Baek Woong, the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique has two characteristics. It can always counterattack a preemptive strike, and when actually engaged in combat, there won’t be a single mistake, not just one missed step but even billion missed steps will not happen. These two attributes signify a single crucial fact: it is perfect martial arts.”
Upon hearing this, I pondered deeply and finally spoke.
“Are you referring to foresight?”
“No. You know well enough that even at the Absolute Realm, knowing the next move isn’t enough to avoid or counter it. You can only do this by distorting the laws with intent. Therefore, foresight doesn’t hold much significance at this realm.”
“Yeah, that makes sense.”
“The Heavenly Unrestrained Technique should be seen as observation rather than foresight. The reason there are no billion missed steps is that the gaze of observation is not merely human. The perfection of the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique is established on the premise that the observer has perceived millions upon millions of possibilities inherent in nature from a divine level.”
Jin So-cheong, who had been speaking, let out a deep sigh.
“In simpler terms… it’s about calculating nature itself and placing it under one’s own viewing perspective. The computational ability needed for this is utterly unpredictable, and it is something no human can achieve. Even with the perspective of the Absolute Realm, it borders on the incomprehensible.”
“Why is it incomprehensible?”
The more I heard, the more perplexed I became. What kind of state was the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique supposed to represent?
“Baek Woong, the Absolute Realm can be described as a martial artist’s lifetime of accumulation, right? But could any martial artist cultivate a perfect form that governs nature with calculations far surpassing the sum of billions and billions of human lives without a single mistake? Isn’t that what life is about?”
“……!!”
“Such a feat is impossible. From the moment one is born and sees the light of the world, every breath, every movement must be incorporated into conscious calculations for a lifetime. Only in such a manner can one acquire the Heavenly Unrestrained Technique. Even a single wrong move would render all previous calculations void, leading to a nightmarish training experience.”
“……”
Jin So-cheong spoke in a somber tone.
“It’s as if you’ve comprehended the Absolute Realm not through martial prowess, but from a perspective.”