The Martial God with Psychic Powers

“This lunatic built Mushincheon here to fight. He’s so absurdly strong that he wanted to find even stronger opponents.”
“No way… You’re saying he built Mushincheon here because he figured the Heavenly Demon Cult would eventually come to claim the rift?”

“Exactly.”
“But you still installed a formation to prevent the rift from opening.”
“That was me forcing it into place. This crazy bastard opposed it. I basically had to threaten to walk away for him to finally agree.”

Yeon Woo Jin looked at Yeon Cheon Baek with sheer disbelief.
Yeon Cheon Baek avoided his gaze.
“Why do you have to blurt out all that unnecessary crap…”

“It’s the truth, isn’t it? And after all that waiting with no sign of the Cult, even he got worn down. He used to whine all the time, claiming the Demonic Cult probably doesn’t even exist.”
Yeon Cheon Baek muttered under his breath.
“Not anymore. That was back then. Now… all I need is you.”
His expression twisted with anxiety, worried that maybe Woo Jin had lost faith in him.

Yeon Woo Jin chuckled faintly.
“Grandfather, that sounds just like you. Don’t worry. You’re all I have too.”
Yeon Cheon Baek’s face lit up like the sun.

“Hahaha! That’s my boy! My Woo Jin only needs this old man, right?”
“Yes.”
“Phew… But seriously, where did you even hear about all this?”

“Jeomchang Sect.”
“Jeomchang?”
“Yes. Cheon Gi Jin told me himself.”

“Oh… The one who can read the Celestial Energies?”
“Exactly.”
“And why would he tell you all that?”

“He said the Demonic Cult is on the verge of returning.”
“What?”
“He claimed that’s what he read in the Celestial Signs.”

“He couldn’t have misread it?”
“I saw it myself—the words appeared on the Celestial Qi Compass.”
“You’re saying he even used the Compass?”

“Yes.”
“So… what exactly did it reveal?”
“The Demonic Calamity Emerges.”
Yeon Cheon Baek turned toward Sima Cheon.

Sima Cheon’s expression hardened.
“Cheon Gi Jin’s readings are never wrong.”
Unlike Sima Cheon’s grave expression, Yeon Cheon Baek’s lips twitched uncontrollably.

“Are you… happy?”
“Huh? W-What do you mean happy…”
“You look like you’re about to explode with joy right now.”

“T-That’s a misunderstanding.”
Yeon Cheon Baek scrambled to compose himself.
“If you’re that desperate to fight, go have a duel with Woo Jin.”

“Dueling Woo Jin isn’t the same. There’s no thrill of fighting for your life.”
“Ugh, you battle-crazed maniac. I thought you’d changed, but you’re still the same.”
“Kukuku. A man’s nature doesn’t shift so easily.”

Sima Cheon shook his head, exasperated.
Even so, deep down, he felt reassured.
With both Yeon Cheon Baek and Yeon Woo Jin standing together, no enemy seemed like a threat.

“But nothing’s happened here yet, has it? If they plan to re-enter the world, wouldn’t they have to come through this rift? Maybe it’s not time yet?”
“Apparently, a new rift has opened somewhere else.”
“Somewhere else? Where exactly?”

“That part didn’t show up in the reading. But after what happened last time with the humans, they plan to prepare thoroughly before resurfacing.”
“Makes sense. Do we know when?”
Yeon Woo Jin shook his head.

“No idea. Could be this year, next year… ten years from now.”
“Damn. If they’re gonna read the Celestial Signs, they should at least be thorough.”
“He passed out after using the Compass. I just happened to be nearby—if not, Jeomchang Sect would’ve lost their Sect Leader that very day.”

“Hoh… Is that so? Well, the Celestial Signs drain your life force to interpret… So, you saved their Sect Leader.”
“Yes.”
“Hahaha! Well done. Do they know who you really are?”

“Yes. Jeomchang pledged their full support to Mushincheon.”
“Hahaha! You’ve already made allies? That’s my boy!”
Sima Cheon offered his congratulations as well.

“To think… In such a short time, you’ve brought one of the Nine Great Sects under your banner. Remarkable.”
“The House of Zhuge, the Namgoong Clan, Sword Pavilion, Dual Sword Sect, and even the Green Forest Bandits will fully support us.”
Yeon Woo Jin’s calm statement left both men momentarily speechless.

“Wait… Don’t tell me… You’ve already secured all those factions?”
“Yes. Sword Pavilion, the Bandits, and Dual Sword Sect are entirely under my command now.”
“I sent you to experience the Central Plains, and you’ve basically devoured it whole.”

Sima Cheon stared at him, aghast.
Yeon Cheon Baek, on the other hand, was seconds away from bursting with pride.
“Kahahaha! My boy! Oh, I could die from how precious you are!”

Yeon Cheon Baek grabbed Woo Jin, smothering him with kisses on both cheeks.
“You’ve done what even I couldn’t accomplish! Incredible! Hahahaha!”
Yeon Cheon Baek turned to Sima Cheon with a booming laugh.

“At this rate, he’ll unify the Central Plains before the year’s out! Kahahaha!”
Yeon Cheon Baek’s joy was unmistakable.
His thoughts were practically dancing.

Kukuku… My Woo Jin’s methodically preparing to inherit my mantle, and now the Demonic Cult scum will come pouring in, giving me all the fights I could dream of? This is paradise. Absolute paradise.
Yeon Cheon Baek grinned at Sima Cheon.
“Sounds like we’ll be having guests soon. Time to prepare a proper welcome.”

Sima Cheon nodded in agreement.
“Notify every martial artist in Mushincheon. As of today, we enter wartime protocol. They’re to condition their bodies thoroughly.”
“Suddenly so much to do… What about the Little Cheonju selection matches? It’s going to be hard to hold them in this situation.”

“Hm… We’ll decide after the Demonic Cult shows itself. Whoever contributes the most in the upcoming battles can take the title. They’ll probably prefer it that way—no need for scheming.”
Naturally, Yeon Woo Jin would claim the greatest merit.
That much was obvious.

Yeon Woo Jin turned to Sima Cheon.
“Master, please apply the Yugayeokgeunjin to all our martial artists. They’ll grow stronger.”
“Grk… More work for me.”

But it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Better to be over-prepared than lacking.
Mushincheon would be ringing with screams of exertion for the foreseeable future.

Yeon Woo Jin handed over a wooden box to Sima Cheon.
“What’s this?”
“Pills I crafted myself.”

“You made these?”
Sima Cheon opened the box, revealing piles of radiant, golden pills shimmering with spiritual energy.
Just the scent alone brought calm and clarity to mind and body.

Yeon Cheon Baek ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) popped one into his mouth without hesitation.
And immediately froze in shock.
“Huh!? W-What the hell? You seriously made this?”

“Why?”
“You… You try one too.”
Sima Cheon grabbed one of the pills and popped it into his mouth.

It melted instantly like snow, sliding down his throat.
And immediately, he felt an immense, vibrant energy flooding through his body.
“Huk… T-This energy…”

Sima Cheon hurriedly sat in a cross-legged position, beginning to absorb the medicinal effects into his body.
Yeon Cheon Baek smiled, watching him.
A short while later—

“Huaa… Incredible. You seriously made this yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Hoh…”

“I named them Inyeondan.”
“Inyeondan?”
“Yes. To give to those who have formed bonds with me.”

“Hahaha, I see.”
“I’ll go back and make a large batch of Inyeondan and send them to you. Feed them to Mushincheon’s elite.”
“Absolutely! No way I can refuse this.”

“Kuhuhu… Our Woo Jin really can do anything, can’t he?”
Yeon Cheon Baek looked at Yeon Woo Jin like he was the most precious treasure on earth.
“I should hurry and deliver the manuals. The sooner they receive them, the stronger they’ll become.”

It made him proud.
Incredibly proud.
“Go on. If you stay any longer, your grandfather might ascend to the heavens from happiness.”

Sima Cheon’s teasing made Yeon Woo Jin chuckle softly.
Then he stepped forward and hugged Yeon Cheon Baek tightly.
“I’ll be back, Grandfather.”

“Khuek… Y-Yeah…”
Yeon Cheon Baek’s eyes welled up from overwhelming joy.
 

****
After leaving Mushincheon, Yeon Woo Jin headed straight to Jeomchang Sect to meet Cheon Gi Jin.

Perhaps due to adjusting to his newly elevated cultivation, Cheon Gi Jin appeared even younger than before as he welcomed Woo Jin.

“You’ve already been to Mushincheon and returned?”
At Cheon Gi Jin’s question, Yeon Woo Jin nodded.
“You’re quick.”

“I couldn’t bear the curiosity. I had to hurry.”
“So, why exactly did they build Mushincheon there?”
Cheon Gi Jin tilted his head, noticing Woo Jin hesitate slightly.

Was there some secret he couldn’t share?
“Don’t tell me… they didn’t know that was the former Heavenly Demon Cult’s site?”
Yeon Woo Jin shook his head.

“No. They knew exactly what it was.”
“Then… they established Mushincheon to block the Heavenly Demon Cult, correct?”
“Actually… no. Quite the opposite.”

“…What?”
“They built Mushincheon to lure the Heavenly Demon Cult.”
Cheon Gi Jin blinked, momentarily speechless.

“What… do you mean lure them?”
“It’s the site of the former Heavenly Demon Cult and a dimensional rift connecting to the Demon Realm exists there. Naturally, they’ll come to reclaim it.”
“So… they wanted the Heavenly Demon Cult to attack, so they built Mushincheon there?”

“Yes.”
“Why?”
“My grandfather… said he wanted to fight the Heavenly Demon.”

“…You mean the Lord of Mushincheon said that?”
“Yes.”
“Unbelievable…”

How was he supposed to respond to that?
Typical of the Mushincheon Lord?
Cheon Gi Jin let out a helpless chuckle.

“People like him… are on a level we ordinary folks can’t even grasp. While we tremble in fear of the Heavenly Demon Cult, your grandfather boldly decided to draw them in and fight them head-on.”
“Honestly, he doesn’t know much about the Heavenly Demon Cult. I thought maybe there was some deeper reason he chose that site, but there wasn’t. He just figured… if he built Mushincheon there, it’d be easier to run into them.”
“I see…”

“I believe the intruders who broke into Mushincheon years ago were trying to locate the formation’s anchor points.”
“To find them… and destroy them?”
“That’s my theory.”

“Then the Heavenly Demon Cult’s followers haven’t found the new rift yet either.”
“It’s been years… so it’s possible one’s already formed. Have you discovered a way to locate it? Or… did I come too soon?”
“Haha. No, perfect timing. I managed to uncover a method just yesterday.”

“What is it?”
“There’s a special mineral called Majungseok—Demon Essence Stone—that reacts to demonic energy.”
“Demon Essence Stone?”

“I don’t know its exact origin. But I suspect when the Demons crossed over, they brought it with them, planning to use it to find the rift again.”
It made sense.
If the Demons didn’t know the geography of the human world, they’d need such a tool.

“Fragments crafted from Majungseok exist. The arm of the carving points in the direction of demonic energy.”
“That’s… remarkable.”
“You’ll need to track down an artifact called Jimaho—the Demon Pointing Tiger.”

Cheon Gi Jin handed over a parchment with a drawing.
It depicted a tiger-shaped sculpture.
“Jimaho… Got it. I’ll start searching as soon as I return.”

“I’ll mobilize my connections and look as well.”
 
****

When Yeon Woo Jin returned to Sincheonjang, Cheon Ho Seong was waiting for him.
“I’ve completed your request.”
Yeon Woo Jin had tasked Cheon Ho Seong with establishing an intelligence network to streamline information gathering.

A network was essential, and Cheon Ho Seong had delivered precisely that.
Yeon Woo Jin smiled brightly.
“Excellent. Let’s have a look.”

Seeing Woo Jin’s pleased expression, Cheon Ho Seong grinned and called out:
“Yes! Bring him in!”
At his shout, a man nervously entered, glancing around cautiously.

Then, he stole a glance at Cheon Ho Seong.
“What are you doing? Show your respect! This man is to be your lord and master!”
Startled by the scolding, the man quickly prostrated himself.

“S-Sir! I… I am Yang Gi Woo! I greet… my lord…”
The poor man was utterly subdued—clearly Cheon Ho Seong had put the fear of death in him.
“Pleasure to meet you. What did you do before this? Were you already part of an intelligence group?”

At Woo Jin’s question, the man cautiously glanced at Cheon Ho Seong before answering.
“I… I lead Haomun, sir.”
Cheon Ho Seong had taken his orders literally—rather than building a new organization, he’d simply brought an entire intelligence network under Woo Jin’s command.

Cheon Ho Seong grinned with pride.
“Why bother creating one from scratch? Easier to absorb an existing one.”