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0143 ———————————————-

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

The road to Sichuan was quite long and rough. Since I started near Luoyang, I was basically leaping over a thousand li distance, and most importantly, the thrill of heading to an unknown land I had never been to before captivated my heart.

Sichuan was also known as Ba Shu. Historically, the rugged mountains of Ba Shu were famous for their treacherous terrain, meaning you couldn’t just fly across the plains like in other areas. This fact hit me as soon as I arrived at a checkpoint.

“Wow… this is really…”

I internally sighed. Usually, checkpoints are artificially constructed, but this one was different. A gate was built to block the rugged mountain paths, and to pass through, it felt like climbing a gigantic mountain. Even horses had difficulty getting through.

Even those with decent martial arts training felt a significant fatigue just reaching the checkpoint! Looking at the tightly blocked narrow canyon, it was truly a natural fortress.

Originally, I planned to sneak past the checkpoint guards to cross the castle, but I had to discard that thought. Sneaking through such a fortress at night was a risky move. If things went awry, it could complicate matters greatly in the future.

“… So, you’re heading to the Sichuan Tang Sect as part of your martial training, under your master’s command?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Hmm… a kid without a proper badge is claiming to be a martial artist?”

I politely offered some martial authority to the suspicious gate guard, who was giving me a scrutinizing look. Then I subtly approached, handed him a silver coin, and said,

“I really need to get through. Is there no way?”

“Well, there’s no reason it shouldn’t work! Haha.”

After handing him the bribe, I was through in no time. Unlike my earlier tension, it was surprisingly easy, and I suddenly felt the power of bribery.

After passing the checkpoint, I headed straight for the provincial capital. The Sichuan Tang Sect originally belonged near the Shanxi Province but after enduring multiple uprisings in history, they gradually moved to the outskirts, completely establishing themselves in the provincial capital. Although Sichuan and Shanxi are adjacent, Sichuan is vast, so reaching the capital was quite a feat.

Tada-dat!

I decided to rely on my internal energy and light body technique to cross the rugged mountains of Ba Shu. Riding on horseback would waste ten times the distance and time as I had to wind around little mountain paths. I had studied how to orient myself towards the horizon through the reading maps technique and countless experiences.

“Wooahhhhhhh!!”

I’m falling!

I screamed. Climbing a towering mountain over six hundred zhang high was exhilarating, but during the jump across the Manjangan Cliff, I slipped and was falling through the air. As the river between the canyons neared, I gritted my teeth and gathered my internal power to release it.

Boom!

With a tremendous splash, my body ricocheted back into the air. I grabbed the edge of the cliff and pulled myself back up. Honestly, with my internal strength, I wouldn’t be injured falling, but getting swept away by the river would waste too much time.

For six full days, I persevered through the treacherous mountains. Normally, at this pace, I would have crossed Shanxi Province, but I was getting fuzzy about whether I was even on the right path. The average height and ruggedness of the mountains were incomparably harder than the terrain of Shanxi Province.

‘Now I can see no signs of life…’

I sat on the edge of an unnamed hill and sighed. Despite still distinguishing the directions of east, west, south, and north, continuing west was incredibly challenging. Faster than horseback, but it was still hard work. Without the internal power of a Dharma Guardian, even a peak expert wouldn’t attempt this.

Along the way, feeling hungry, I caught and ate a wild boar. The grilled wild boar was actually pretty tasty. After filling my belly, I started racing through the mountains again like a madman.

Tada-dat!

‘Huh?’

Just as I was sprinting through the rugged mountains, I unexpectedly spotted a martial gate building standing firmly in the mountains. In such a deserted place, I felt curious and looked at the sign of the martial gate. It read “Bai Li Clan.”

I hadn’t heard much about the Bai Li Clan in the martial world. A few days of staying up all night crossing mountains had tired me out, so to gather some information, I tapped on the Bai Li Clan’s door.

“Excuse me.”

It seemed there was no gatekeeper, so it took a while for someone to respond. After a bit, someone cautiously opened the door from inside.

“Who are you?”

“I am Baek Woong, just passing by. If it’s not too much trouble, may I rest for a moment?”

“Hmm.”

The person who came out appeared to be a young man in his mid-20s. He hesitated for a moment but then nodded his head.

“Alright, you may stay for a day, young hero.”

“Thank you.”

I followed the young man into the martial gate. During the walk, I couldn’t sense anyone else around, and the building was eerily quiet. When I tilted my head in confusion, the young man bitterly said,

“You don’t need to look around; I’m the only one living here.”

“Huh? Why are you all alone in such a mountain area…”

“…”

The young man seemed reluctant to speak but turned to me and mentioned,

“Ah, I didn’t introduce myself. I am Bai Li Jeong-woon, currently the clan leader of the Bai Li Clan.”

“I’m Baek Woong. I’m in the middle of martial training.”

“A young one like you practicing martial arts… impressive.”

Bai Li Jeong-woon seemed to be in awe that someone my age was wandering about solo. Indeed, it was rare for a teenager to roam through these treacherous mountains. Bai Li Jeong-woon assigned me a room to stay in and went to cook, but I felt guilty just sitting there, so I joined him to help cook.

However, when I arrived in the kitchen, there was hardly any food. There was barely a handful of rice and some greens, so I assumed he was planning to cook with that. I stared incredulously at Bai Li Jeong-woon, who let out a sigh and said,

“I’m sorry. Right now, I have no money and no rice…”

“…”

How could a martial family and clan leader be this poor? Upon closer inspection, Bai Li Jeong-woon was rather thin, probably due to long years of frugal eating. At least his internal power seemed quite profound for his age, allowing him to withstand with less food. I said to Bai Li Jeong-woon,

“You seem to have quite a martial skill. Shouldn’t it be easy to earn some money?”

“Haha… of course. But I’d rather avoid getting caught up in the world’s grudges, so I’m living quietly.”

“Hmmm. Just wait a moment.”

I sighed and dashed out of the Bai Li Clan. After about half an hour of wandering the mountains, I caught a large wild boar and brought it back. When I tossed the boar in the kitchen, Bai Li Jeong-woon exclaimed with a surprised look,

“Incredible martial skill! How could you at that age…”

“This one should be enough food for a while.”

I diligently skinned and grilled the wild boar with Bai Li Jeong-woon. It was a pretty big one, so as it sizzled, there was plenty left even after the two of us ate. Wiping away tears, Bai Li Jeong-woon said with satisfaction,

“Ugh… I feel like I’ve eaten properly for the first time in almost a year. Thank you, young hero.”

I had only stopped by for a moment due to being tired of sleeping outside, but I ended up catching another boar unexpectedly. I waved my hands dismissively at Bai Li Jeong-woon and said,

“By the way, shouldn’t you consider leaving this place? Living in such poverty alone…”

From what I could see, Bai Li Jeong-woon’s martial arts were fairly outstanding among first-class experts. Of course, on my level, he seemed somewhat weak, but that was relative. Considering his young age, he was quite a genius. With his martial skills, earning money should not be a problem.

“I cannot. I need to train to honor my father’s wishes.”

“What kind of training do you mean?”

Bai Li Jeong-woon tore into a leg of the wild boar as he said,

“Our Bai Li Clan was once one of the top sects in Sichuan. But as our martial power declined, disciples began to leave, and a few years ago, even the clan members sought their own paths and left… I must refine my martial arts and achieve great success to restore the clan.”

“I see.”

I felt genuinely intrigued. Bai Li Jeong-woon seemed to have considerable martial skills for his age, so was the foundation lacking in his techniques really that bad? Overflowing with curiosity, I asked Bai Li Jeong-woon,

“If it’s not too much trouble, could we have a sparring match?”

“Haha… it seems I’ve piqued the curiosity of a traveler. Alright.”

Bai Li Jeong-woon smiled widely.

Holding wooden swords, we stood in the yard of the Bai Li Clan. Bai Li Jeong-woon said,

“Since your skill is remarkable, I’ll give you a three-second head start.”

“Of course.”

Swish!

As the sparring match began, Bai Li Jeong-woon’s sword strike shot out like a bolt. I could tell his attack held considerable speed and a strong presence of energy. His attack in those three seconds was undoubtedly at the level of a first-class expert.

But that was all. Without needing to emphasize my internal power advantage, I could clearly see the weaknesses inherent in his attacks and lightly maneuvered to exploit his openings. Moving smoothly according to the Thunder Shadow Step, I struck at his blind spots, causing Bai Li Jeong-woon to look quite flustered.

In about thirty seconds, the result was clear, with my sword tip against his throat. Bai Li Jeong-woon let out a sigh and said,

“I lost.”

“It was a great match.”

As I sheathed the wooden sword, Bai Li Jeong-woon remarked,

“You possess incredible skills for your age. Comparable to an elder of a great sect…”

“No, it’s just that your technique was too straightforward.”

“……!!”

Bai Li Jeong-woon trembled. Surprised, he asked,

“Did you really figure that out?”

“Well, we were fighting, so it’s only natural.”

“Th-that’s not it! Very few understand that after a simple glance!”

I placed the wooden sword on the rack and continued,

“Your sword skills are strong, but they lack variation, so you miss the chance to maximize your strengths.”

“That’s the flaw of our Heavenly Descending Sword…” Bai Li Jeong-woon let out a defeated sigh.

I realized what the current issue was with him.

‘ Bai Li Jeong-woon’s martial talent is outstanding. However, his foundational internal cultivation techniques are not exceptional, and although his sword technique is powerful, it is filled with flaws. Consequently, he remains stagnant at the level of a first-class expert.’

Simultaneously, I felt a sense of wonder. Originally, each time I practiced the Thunder God Lineage technique, I struggled with a lack of talent and felt immense hardship, but somehow now I could point out the flaws in techniques from other sects in detail. The countless years of struggle weren’t in vain; that was evidence.

I gazed at him for a moment and then said,

“So, you’ve been researching sword techniques without venturing out to improve the Heavenly Descending Sword?”

“Exactly. If I can refine the Heavenly Descending Sword to advance the martial arts of the Bai Li Clan, then all the disciples who left will surely return.”

“That thought is misguided.”

“What do you mean?”

I spoke resolutely,

“The world is vast, and there are many experts. Clinging to your research without facing any challengers is at odds with martial principles. You need to meet people, learn their martial strengths and weaknesses to develop your own.”

“……!!”

Bai Li Jeong-woon had an expression as if he had received a heavy blow. I continued,

“Martial arts have a synergistic effect when they clash. The flaw in your Heavenly Descending Sword may find a solution within other sword techniques.”

What I said with confidence was bolstered by the precedent of Baek Woong’s formation. The Hyun Cheon Divine Art of the Wudang Sect combined with the Hua Clan’s Hua’s 108 Needles, refined by Lee Kwang’s genius to create a martial art! Such extraordinary combinations exist in this world.

“I also had similar thoughts, but I cannot leave abruptly as I must protect the Bai Li Clan’s foundation.”

“People are important; what’s a building worth?”

“You speak too carelessly.”

“If you are the clan leader of the Bai Li Clan, then everything about the Bai Li Clan is you, isn’t it?”

“……!!”

Simultaneously, Bai Li Jeong-woon appeared to realize something. He froze for a moment in that stance, then tears began to flow as he said,

“… Thank you for awakening this foolish me.”

“It’s nothing.”

That night, after cleaning the building alongside Bai Li Jeong-woon, I went to bed. The Bai Li Clan building, which once thrived, was not uncomfortable enough to sleep in. I understood Bai Li Jeong-woon’s desire to cling to this foundation, but that wouldn’t guarantee survival in the martial world. The crucial aspect was martial arts, not buildings.

The next day, I bathed in a nearby stream and then left the Bai Li Clan. Bai Li Jeong-woon tightly grasped my hand and said,

“Although I can’t pass on the clan’s secret martial arts, I have some information that may aid you in your martial training.”

“Really? What kind of…”

“I’ve heard rumors of a reclusive expert in a place called Dragon King’s Valley with incredible martial arts. This is genuine information, not widely spread, relayed from my late father, so I can say it with confidence. Only a few of Sichuan’s experts have established contact with him.”

“A reclusive expert…”

I felt a tingle of excitement. Bai Li Jeong-woon chuckled and said,

“I also plan to整理 my responsibilities in the clan soon and venture onto the Jianghu Martial World. You are my great benefactor.”

“I wish you great success.”

“Safe travels to you as well.”

I departed from Bai Li Jeong-woon and began to race through the mountain valleys once more. It seemed I still had a long way to go to reach my goal, Sichuan Tang Sect. I arrived at the peak of an unnamed rugged mountain, arms crossed, deep in thought.

‘ The last activity of Dongbang Mu-gyeol is indeed said to be at the Sichuan Tang Sect…’

I needed to gather information about Dongbang Mu-gyeol at the Sichuan Tang Sect. To do that, I had to go to the provincial capital, which was the stronghold of the Sichuan Tang Sect. My eyes gleamed as I raced madly onward.

 

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