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“I started learning the secret technique, Heavenly Gathering Kill, from the Thunder Shadow Step the next day.”

My mornings began quietly, seated in the training ground while listening intently to Lee Kwang’s explanations.

“You must have seen Jin So-cheong’s Heavenly Gathering Kill. What did you think?”

“It seemed like she easily and skillfully dodged the enemy’s attacks,” I candidly expressed. Jin So-cheong maneuvered with such speed and grace that it was hard to believe she was using the same Thunder Shadow Step I knew. It was as though she toyed with the enemies, effortlessly avoiding even the flurries of swordplay from top disciples of the Zhongnan Sect.

Lee Kwang shared, “The footwork for Heavenly Gathering Kill is the very core of the Thunder God Lineage martial arts. It allows one to advance and retreat freely while always staying a step ahead of the enemy, making it possible to suppress key lethal points. Without mastering Heavenly Gathering Kill, no matter how hard you train in other Thunder God techniques, you won’t be able to unleash their full potential.”

“I have a question,” I interjected. “Why is it named Heavenly Gathering Kill? It sounds quite ominous for a footwork technique.”

Indeed, the name suggested killing the Heavenly Pillar, which referred to a particular point near the back of one’s head. Why did a footwork technique carry such a grim meaning? Lee Kwang chuckled softly.

“You’ll understand once you learn it. Just focus on following my lead.”

And thus began Lee Kwang’s teachings. It took me about seven weeks to grasp the form of the footwork used in Heavenly Gathering Kill and nearly two months to master its mysterious Qi flow and movements. During that time, I trained relentlessly, often leaving the mat exhausted, dripping with sweat.

Upon concluding the fundamentals, Lee Kwang announced, “You now have the foundation to perform Heavenly Gathering Kill. Follow my lead and swiftly execute the Seven Steps while channeling the Qi flow.”

“Yes.”

As I attempted to execute the Heavenly Gathering Kill by taking seven steps, I stumbled awkwardly on the third step. Strange, even though I believed I had the Qi flow right, I kept hitting snags. As I stumbled and fell, Lee Kwang clicked his tongue.

“You clearly don’t grasp the meaning of Heavenly Gathering Kill. I see I’ll have to teach you everything from start to finish.”

Perhaps Lee Kwang expected me to intuitively understand the meaning of the technique during my foundational training. But if that were the case, I wouldn’t be struggling like this, would I? Grumbling internally, I got back up as Lee Kwang began to explain the Thunder Shadow Step version of Heavenly Gathering Kill.

“Watch closely. Each step you take must unleash Thunder Qi from the Heavenly Pillar region at the back of your neck. The direction of the Qi can change each time you cast it, and the moment it disperses, your reflexes will accelerate. Each step increases that acceleration.”

Boom!

As Lee Kwang demonstrated, his Heavenly Gathering Kill embodied a form of Thunder Shadow Step but was entirely different. It dawned on me that what I was practicing was a comprehensive martial art, the culmination of my prior footwork forms, Qi flow, breathing, and precise coordination into a singular technique. This was no mere skill—it was a martial art in and of itself.

Nevertheless, I gulped nervously and protested, “This is too hard! Combining the Thunder Shadow Step with the Seven Steps of Heavenly Gathering Kill while mixing in my breathing and simultaneously dispersing the Thunder Qi from the Heavenly Pillar?!!!”

The complexity of it all was overwhelming. Theoretically, it seemed simple, but the kicker was doing all those processes at the same time. Each individual step required immense concentration; trying to do them all at once was sure to drive me mad.

Seeing my dismay, Lee Kwang said flatly, “That’s precisely why it’s a secret technique of the Thunder God Lineage. Mastering Heavenly Gathering Kill can potentially triple the abilities of any existing Thunder God successor because it enhances all martial skills.”

It was that difficult, and a teacher had to choose their students wisely. If they weren’t careful, the student might go mad or even fall victim to the Walking Fire Entering Demon.

“…I understand.”

“In fact, your talent would have kept you completely in the dark about this technique. You’d probably have ended up messing things up just trying to imitate it,” Lee Kwang remarked, turning away with a hint of finality in his tone.

“Even the incredibly talented Jin So-cheong spent an entire month here to master it. If you want to learn it properly, you’ll need to invest at least ten times that!” His words pressed down on me, and I decided not to complain any further, biting down on my resolve to learn Heavenly Gathering Kill.

Other than eating and taking care of physiological needs, I immersed myself in learning this technique without any distractions.

‘Let’s do our best!’

Half a year zipped by.

I realized that the time passed without any significant progress.

A year had gone by.

I felt like I was inching closer to mastering Heavenly Gathering Kill, yet I still struggled beyond the fourth step. Frustrated, I started asking Jin So-cheong for help, who at least attempted to explain to me.

Time passed.

As I honed my skills at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, I watched the seasons change outside the window like a blur. My remaining time was spent refining my Thunder Blade technique and other Thunder God martial arts.

…

“I… I did it.”

Two and a half years later, I finally grasped Heavenly Gathering Kill enough to execute the Seven Steps, clumsily. Lee Kwang observed my attempt with narrow eyes and grumbled, “You’re too slow. I was going to put you in the next sparring match once you learned it, but it took you over two years!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Well, it’s done. Next, you’re going to the Black Night Gate. Alone.”

I was taken aback by those unexpected words.

Black Night Gate! It was one of the Eight Demons of the Demon Path, known as the most powerful heretical sect in the current martial arts world. I also had a traumatic experience with them during one of my past lives when I was taken down by the Black Night Gate’s assassination squad due to the village chief’s hatred. Remembering that incident made me uncomfortable, but I quickly shook it off.

“Isn’t it dangerous for me to go alone?”

Lee Kwang shot me a frosty look.

“If you can properly execute Heavenly Gathering Kill, you’ll be able to keep yourself safe in any situation. It’d be absurd for a Thunder God successor to fall to a group like the Black Night Gate. Do you expect your older brother to wipe their boots for you from start to finish?”

“Not at all.”

“Even if you don’t win in the spar, if you can come back alive, it’ll be considered a successful training outcome,” I finally understood Lee Kwang’s intentions.

In other words, it wasn’t about formally challenging the Black Night Gate for a victory; it was an order to enter the tiger’s den alone and live to tell the tale!

Lee Kwang’s voice rang clear in my ears, “Remember: just make sure you come back alive. If so, I’ll pass on the next level of the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique.”

Lee Kwang set aside six months for this Black Night Gate mission. Within that time frame, I needed to find them, engage in a skirmish, and return with results.

After three years of training at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, I had developed quite a bit, and my clothes fit awkwardly as a result. So, I tailored a comfortable outfit to wear as I re-entered the village. I even said my goodbyes to Jin So-cheong, ensuring I wouldn’t be met with any interruptions.

‘The Black Night Gate.’

I sensed that Lee Kwang’s task was quite challenging. Not only was it tricky to come out on top against the Black Night Gate, but they also didn’t operate openly, being a heretical sect. They secretly ruled over the underworld, purchasing manors with tainted money and covertly accepting requests to survive.

In short, to engage in a duel against the Black Night Gate, I first needed to locate them.

Lee Kwang left the method for me to figure out.

I sat at an inn, pondering, ‘How do I find those guys?’

Though various ideas crossed my mind, my inexperience in dealing with the underworld left me feeling hopeless. The dark information brokers wouldn’t recklessly reveal their true identities, and it was clear they’d be suspicious if a seemingly ordinary young man suddenly sought out the Black Night Gate.

After considering my options, I realized that I had an obvious lead.

The village chief!

Immediately after I’d threatened him and stolen from his vault, I had put out a request to the Black Night Gate’s assassination squad. Making such hasty arrangements implied I already had knowledge of how to contact them. If I approached the village chief now and inquired about reaching the Black Night Gate, he’d likely have solid information.

Of course, I could also spend time immersing in the underworld and slowly learn about them, but given that I had a guaranteed method, I decided to pursue that first. I set my first goal to be negotiating with the village chief and headed back to my hometown.

Clip-clop, clip-clop

As I rode along the mountain path, nostalgia washed over me. Bandits leaping out to shout at me were swiftly dealt with as I swung my sword.

Shukak!

Even while riding, my sword cleanly severed the heads of three bandits, which then soared through the air. Their exclamations of shock faded behind me; I didn’t bother listening. Fumbling with such low-lifes was a waste of time.

‘Have I changed once again?’

I began to feel numb to killing. While I had never been squeamish about taking lives, my current state left me especially indifferent. Maybe it was because my newfound strength enabled me to kill with just a casual flick, pushing me towards a perspective that contrasted sharply with my previous life.

It didn’t take long to reach my hometown after leaving the mountaintop. Having ridden nonstop all day allowed me to arrive quickly. Standing before the border stone of Soeul Village, I noticed how I’ve seen this monument many times before.

“Oh, cow dung….”

“Shut your mouth!”

Swack!

Pow!

Thwack!

“Guhhh…!”

A group of village youths that had once harassed me attempted to pick a fight, but I swiftly took them down one by one before they could irritate me. I realized that managing my strength to only knock them unconscious was surprisingly difficult. I looked down at them and sighed.

“I don’t genuinely want to kill you. Thank goodness.”

The relief I felt stemmed from my worry that I might go on a massacre in Soeul Village, flipping out due to the intense adrenaline rush of revenge I had felt in the past. Thankfully, after having sufficiently avenged myself over several lifetimes, such impulses didn’t stir up my mind anymore.

Moving directly to the village chief’s house, I noticed the hustle and bustle of preparations for dinner. The scene felt eerily similar to the day I had slaughtered the village chief’s family and had Kim Manje’s eyes plucked out. The memories of bloodshed resurfaced alongside the image of a warm family dinner.

As I quietly stood watching the village chief, he recognized me and walked over.

“Is that you, Cow Dung? Where have you been?”

“I’ve been taking care of some affairs.”

“Ha! Your business is to clean cow dung in this house…”

Swish!

As I instantly closed the distance, the color drained from his face. Onlookers gasped, stunned into silence as I playfully flicked his cheek.

“Let’s skip the pleasantries and talk about something productive.”

“Wha… Why are you a martial arts master now?”

“Who knows? Is there a place for me to sit since standing here is a bit taxing?”

Regaining some color, the village chief stammered, “Why don’t we go to the back room?”

He led me to the back room, his fidgeting showing his unease. He likely understood that if I wanted to, I could take his life at any moment.

“What do you want?”

“I’ve heard you have some connections with the public and martial sects, so I just wanted to confirm.”

“Who said that? I’ve hardly interacted with such people…”

I interjected, “The Black Night Gate.”

He fell silent.

“Help me make contact with them. I promise I won’t cause any trouble before I leave, and I hardly think I’ll bother this village again.”

The village chief’s suspicious gaze examined my face as though he was verifying my sincerity. After puffing on a cigarette, he finally nodded.

“Alright. I don’t know why you want to meet those men, but you’d better keep your word. Never show yourself in this village again.”

“Huh… I won’t come unless summoned. But I need that information to be solid.”

Peeking out the door, the village chief ensured nobody was eavesdropping before he leaned in to whisper.

“To make contact with the Black Night Gate, you must go to Chaobi Village. Look for a scoundrel named Han Kwang-il and pay him five silver coins while saying, ‘I’m looking for the black man.’ After that, the Black Night Gate will come to find you.”

“Is that reliable?”

He trembled as he replied, “Given your temperament, there’s no way I’d be vague if I didn’t think this would work!”

It seemed the village chief had picked up on my underlying fury and madness in my eyes. I hadn’t concealed my intent, nor did I care to. Yet his insights showcased the perspective of a leader supporting his village. I couldn’t help but smile wryly as I replied.

“Don’t worry. You’ve become too insignificant for me to seek revenge on now.”

“Hehe… What a pretentious claim.”

“Think what you will. I’m heading out now.”

Whoosh!

I bid farewell and exited swiftly.

As I distanced myself from the village chief’s house, I realized just how much my hatred had diminished. In the past, I would have savagely ripped apart anyone who wronged me; now, my irritation merely felt like that of an annoying neighbor.

My diminished animosity had nothing to do with my enemies suddenly turning good; it more likely stemmed from the emergence of stronger, more malevolent foes. When I thought about the sorcerers, Golden Eagle Guards, and the Lord of the Golden Eagle Guard, my mood soured.

‘Ugh, this is a hassle.’

I paused unexpectedly. Although it was only about 20 li to Chaobi Village, I could reach it quickly, yet something else weighed on my mind.

I wanted to confirm.

I wanted to see how that village had fared since I left it.

From the perspective of someone who should focus solely on training and use every second wisely, it wasn’t the wisest decision; however, I longed to witness how the village I had abandoned was doing with my own eyes. My desire to validate my sanity grew.

“Should I go take a look?”

Deciding to visit Chaobi Village later, I abruptly changed course and set my sights on the Village of Tragedy. I also thought about speaking with Master Hyuncheon if he was still around. After all, I had six months to spare, and gathering more information wouldn’t be a bad idea.

It took me about ten weeks to reach the Gyeongha River, which flowed cold and elegantly. I fell silent, gazing at its tranquil stream. All I needed was to travel about three more li to arrive at the village.

Last time I saw the place in ruins, engulfed by flames and void of life.

This time, I was determined to verify the evidence of my sins, to bolster my focus on training and elevate my hostilities towards the Golden Eagle Guard.

‘I’m sorry…’

Recalling that tragedy, solemnity washed over me.

Yet, I noticed something peculiar.

“Huh…?”

As I neared the village, I spotted an unusual number of people without any evident issues. Merchants were bustling, and smoke rose from cooking fires in the village. In the distance, I even spotted a six-story pavilion in the center of town.

Chatter filled the air

Arriving at the village entrance, I sat down heavily.

“No way…!!”

The Village of Tragedy wasn’t a charred ruin filled with corpses.

In fact, it seemed completely intact.

For the last three years, it had thrived, populated with villagers living vibrant and joyful lives. It left me utterly baffled.

What on earth had happened here?

 

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