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“The Heavenly Realm, you say?!”

“Why is this guy suddenly here?”

I almost reacted when I heard the Dharma Guardian of the Wind Spirit Sect was coming. But if I let on that I knew, it’d definitely raise suspicion. So, I decided to hide my emotions, just like Han Jin-seong, and suppressed my agitation.

Han Baek-ryeong, seemingly bewildered, asked the middle-aged warrior, “What’s that guy doing here?”

“He just reported that he has entered Luoyang Castle. He should be arriving soon.”

Han Baek-ryeong opened his mouth to retort but coldly replied, “I see.”

Suddenly, a figure appeared at the entrance of the expansive hall. The middle-aged warrior flinched and stepped back, clearly having not noticed him creeping up from behind. This was understandable, as the clones created by the Wind Spirit Sect were astonishingly precise.

The man, wearing a large hat and dark garb, exuded the kind of pressure that felt like Mount Tai looming over us. He wasn’t particularly large, but his aura was massive. Although his face was obscured by the brim of his hat, everyone in the room knew exactly who he was.

The middle-aged warrior unsheathed his sword and shouted, “Yong Bi-cheon! How dare you intrude on our Clan Leader’s residence?!”

With his arms crossed, Yong Bi-cheon didn’t even acknowledge him and turned to Han Baek-ryeong, saying, “I urgently need to find someone and request your assistance.”

“What’s in it for me?”

Suddenly—

POW!

Ignored, the middle-aged warrior gritted his teeth and swiftly attacked Yong Bi-cheon. I was internally surprised at the rapid and well-formed sword technique he displayed.

‘This guy’s quite the peak expert.’

He was at a level far beyond those who pretended to be top-tier in the Jianghu. It’d be hard to find anyone capable of blocking his attack right now. Given that this was the Han Clan and the middle-aged warrior was guarding Han Baek-ryeong, it made perfect sense.

Yong Bi-cheon’s technique shimmered transparently as he swiftly dodged the middle-aged warrior’s strike. Then, it looked like the fiery blade swiped through the air five times in rapid succession and the positions of Yong Bi-cheon and the middle-aged warrior switched. Just as the middle-aged warrior hurriedly spun around, a loud shout erupted.

“Enough!”

“But…” Han Baek-ryeong sighed.

“I’ll handle it, so just step back.”

In that split second, I grasped what had happened. Yong Bi-cheon dodged the sword with incredible speed while simultaneously leaving a clone to confuse the middle-aged warrior. As a result, the middle-aged warrior unleashed a fiery strike at the clone, but by then, Yong Bi-cheon had perfectly positioned himself behind him. I’d experienced that technique before, and it sent chills down my spine.

‘Even a second look doesn’t help distinguish them.’

This was the same feeling I had when battling Yong Bi-cheon’s clone during my tenth rebirth. His clones were so precise and flawless that even the keen sense of a peak expert couldn’t differentiate them. Just moments ago, after concentrating hard, I finally found an odd sense, which only added to the terror of this technique.

“Your honor.”

As the middle-aged warrior stepped back, Yong Bi-cheon smirked.

“That fellow is going to get the Fire God Team ready.”

Han Baek-ryeong remained expressionless, instead resting his chin on his hand and hanging his pipe lazily.

“What nonsense is this? Who doesn’t know meeting like this disrupts the sect’s great plan?”

Though Han Baek-ryeong mocked Yong Bi-cheon, he answered flatly.

“I know it’s a stretch, but it’s that important.”

“You could have sent someone else.”

“The others would attract attention.”

“Hmph, that guy’s Wind Spirit Technique.”

Han Baek-ryeong turned his head in displeasure. Yong Bi-cheon had evidently come directly to meet him, using the extreme stealth of his Wind Spirit Technique to avoid being noticed. This maneuver was to advance quickly while avoiding the onlookers’ focus.

After a moment of contemplation, Han Baek-ryeong finally spoke.

“Go on, tell me. Just how important is it that you came yourself?”

Yong Bi-cheon’s expression sharpened.

“Before that, who’s that kid? I’ve seen the Young Master before, but I have no idea who he is.”

His gaze fell on me, and suddenly, all eyes in the hall were on me. Han Baek-ryeong merely let out a troubled expression while still holding his pipe and answered.

“Don’t worry. He’s just a clueless brat.”

“I asked who he was.”

“No reason to tell you.”

Yong Bi-cheon let out a chuckle.

“Haha, looks like someone’s peeling the pumpkin seeds.”

Han Baek-ryeong’s expression hardened slightly.

“You really don’t want to provoke her temper right now…”

BOOM!

“……!!”

As I watched an immense aura clash in the air, I swallowed hard. I knew the Heavenly Spirit Pill had infinite internal strength, but witnessing it directly was overwhelmingly impressive. Excluding the Dharma Guardian, I also boasted a substantial amount of internal power, but they lifted their aura as if entirely dominating the surrounding space.

After a moment of standstill, Yong Bi-cheon spoke.

“Understood. I’m busy, so let’s move on for now.”

“Shut it and leave. I’m not so free as to help out with your requests.”

“What…?”

Yong Bi-cheon looked surprised, but after seeing Han Baek-ryeong’s expression, it seemed he understood that he was serious. Han Baek-ryeong, being the type to hold his own, had no reason to entertain Yong Bi-cheon’s teasing. Feeling the situation slipping, Yong Bi-cheon hurriedly said.

“Think again. This pertains to our sect’s grand strategy.”

“Then say it right now.”

Under Han Baek-ryeong’s threats, Yong Bi-cheon finally opened his mouth.

“Recently, the Great Thunder Valley that the imperial palace was overseeing was breached, and all the prisoners there escaped. We need to find those prisoners.”

Han Baek-ryeong was taken aback by his words.

“What do you mean? I know about the Great Thunder Valley, but why does this matter to us?”

“One of the prisoners listed is General Hwang Yeon.”

“……!!”

“His influence is extremely dangerous. We need to find him quickly, and I hope the Han Clan and the Wind Spirit Sect can lend their strength.”

At those unexpected words, I clenched my fists tightly.

General Hwang Yeon!

I thought the imperial palace was mobilizing all its forces to find him, but who would have guessed that the Dharma Guardian of the Wind Spirit Sect, Yong Bi-cheon, would seek assistance from them? It seemed he aimed to leverage Han Baek-ryeong, the person with the mightiest financial power in the world, to track down Hwang Yeon.

After a long pause, Han Baek-ryeong spoke quietly.

“I can’t help you with that.”

“Why? Do I need to explain further? Hwang Yeon…”

As Yong Bi-cheon started explaining, Han Baek-ryeong unexpectedly hurled his pipe at him.

The pipe, thrown at incredible speed, seemed to pierce through time and space, heading straight for Yong Bi-cheon’s forehead. But Yong Bi-cheon was no rookie; in a split-second, he created a clone and evaded the attack with an illusion technique. However, Han Baek-ryeong’s pipe turned again, now heading straight for Yong Bi-cheon’s real body.

Yong Bi-cheon seemed to have no choice but to use his Protection Energy Technique to block the attack. The moment his hand touched the pipe, he wore a scorched expression and stepped back.

WHAM!

“Ugh.”

With a light explosive sound, Yong Bi-cheon staggered back. The force embedded in the pipe shattered his Protection Energy Technique.

Swish!

Han Baek-ryeong retrieved his pipe and straightened up, saying, “I actually want to ask you. This is a matter of the imperial palace. Why are you wiping their backside as a Dharma Guardian of our sect?”

“Tsk…”

“You ridiculous fool.”

At Han Baek-ryeong’s words, Yong Bi-cheon clenched his bleeding hand tightly.

“I have a lot to say, but let’s keep it brief. Just leave.”

“The sect leader doesn’t directly oppose the imperial palace, and he’s allowed my actions. Plus, I firmly believe my actions will benefit our sect. What’s the problem?”

“That’s none of my concern.”

Han Baek-ryeong smiled coldly.

“Whether you find him or not, that’s your problem.”

“……”

Yong Bi-cheon ground his teeth and abruptly turned away. Normally, one would threaten to use force, but Han Baek-ryeong was not a foe to be dealt with lightly. The reason he couldn’t directly inquire about my identity stood rooted in this background.

But I didn’t want to let Yong Bi-cheon go just like that.

‘I want to kill him.’

I was struggling to suppress my killing intent, but my patience was already at its limit.

The memory of Miho dying at his hands lingered vividly in my mind, feeling as fresh as yesterday. Back then, I had my share of revenge by tearing him apart, but that didn’t quell my hatred. Perhaps everyone in the hall sensed my underlying killing intent, but it seemed they thought little of it.

Then, I caught sight of Han Jin-seong’s face, and memories of the past suddenly resurfaced.

[After coming to life, bring death. Only when I survive can I plot to kill others.]

[This is what life is about: winning, but also finding how not to lose. Losing means death, so if I can’t create a path for myself, I can’t win against anyone.]

[No matter how strong someone is, they must possess a weakness, and in order to strike that weakness, one needs icy cold judgment and exceptional patience. Such a person cannot be taken down by luck.]

[Remember, surviving can also mean winning.]

“……”

Indeed. It was Han Jin-seong who enlightened me back when I almost died due to a foul scheme while participating in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament. Back then, I barely managed to save my life, but his words had a profound impact on me afterward, acting as a golden rule throughout my reincarnations. Looking back, it seemed that even at a young age, Han Jin-seong understood a great deal.

I thought to myself.

‘You’re right. What’s the point in rushing at Yong Bi-cheon now?’

Attacking Han Baek-ryeong would clearly highlight the gap in strength between me and the Dharma Guardian. I began to question the need to reconfirm this through a direct combat with Yong Bi-cheon. Besides, even if I triumphed, I’d still have the entire Wind Spirit Sect as a formidable enemy. I had to avoid such a situation as long as Manglyang’s plans were unprepared.

Swish…

Eventually, Yong Bi-cheon seemed to vanish as if he had blended into the air. After he completely disappeared, Han Baek-ryeong raised his pipe and said, “Jin-seong, look for that General Hwang Yeon as mentioned.”

“Understood.”

“If he’s as important as you claim, we should secure him first and put him to good use.”

“He’s the strongest in the military, so he definitely has that much value.”

“Also, investigate the individuals imprisoned in the Great Thunder Valley.”

“Got it.”

The smooth dialogue between Han Baek-ryeong and Han Jin-seong hinted they received valuable information from Yong Bi-cheon. Although they superficially rejected Yong Bi-cheon’s request, they were making agile moves to exploit that information for their own needs.

‘Could it be… that the assistance they received from the Bancheon Alliance in the past was for this very purpose?’

Han Baek-ryeong might have discreetly helped the Bancheon Alliance while pretending not to know anything. At the time, they may have just thought of it as a future investment, and afterward, realizing Hwang Yeon’s value, they might have secretly supported the Bancheon Alliance. I began to recognize that the Wind Spirit Sect was more formidable than I had anticipated and sighed softly.

Han Baek-ryeong looked at me intently and said, “You’re overflowing with killing intent. Given that you’re a disciple of the Thunder God Lineage, it’s understandable that you’d feel this way when facing Yong Bi-cheon.”

“I couldn’t hold it back. Sorry.”

“But it’s still far too early. To defeat Yong Bi-cheon, you need to be much stronger than your master. Don’t act thoughtlessly.”

Suddenly, Han Jin-seong’s words came to mind. So, I asked Han Baek-ryeong.

“Excuse me, do you know Yong Bi-cheon’s weakness?”

“Hmm?”

Han Baek-ryeong looked at me with an interesting expression.

“Are you referring to the Wind Spirit Sect’s overall weaknesses or Yong Bi-cheon’s individual weaknesses?”

“I’d like to know both.”

As I insisted, Han Baek-ryeong chuckled ambiguously.

“Your master probably doesn’t hate the Wind Spirit Sect that much, huh? But you’re quite a peculiar disciple.”

“……”

“Fine. He needs to be kept in check.”

After muttering, Han Baek-ryeong spoke.

“First, the weakness of the Wind Spirit Sect itself is their lack of offensive power and their vulnerability once illusions or clones are identified. They try to hide this with various techniques and secrets, but fundamentally, their art is based on illusions, so it’s unavoidable. They are particularly susceptible to special vision or techniques that can eliminate clones in one go. Otherwise, crushing them with overwhelming power works well. Moreover, your Thunder God Lineage’s techniques are exceptionally effective against the Wind Spirit Sect due to their elemental advantage.”

Although I had suspected part of their weaknesses, hearing them from Han Baek-ryeong’s lips felt unique. This seemed like valuable information that could be useful later. As I nodded, trying hard to remember, Han Baek-ryeong continued.

“And Yong Bi-cheon’s weakness lies with his son.”

“Son?”

“He adores his son, Yong Junil, dreadfully. Maybe it’s because he had him late in life, but he’s notorious for spoiling him even among the White Lotus Sect. In contrast, he treats everyone else like garbage, earning a terrible reputation…”

“……”

Could this also be significant information?

I knew Yong Bi-cheon had a close relationship with Yong Junil, the leader of the Huashan Sect. I had a rough guess that they were father and son. Just how useful would this information about Yong Bi-cheon’s love for his son be? After all, Yong Junil was also a peak expert acknowledged by Jin So-cheong at a future point, so it seemed unnecessary for now.

‘It appears there might not be a tangible flaw in the Dharma Guardian.’

As mentioned earlier, although the Wind Spirit Sect’s martial arts seem to have many drawbacks, their numbers and capabilities allow them to stand on equal footing with the Fire Spirit Sect. This was because their representative, the Dharma Guardian, was there to maintain balance at the peak. I realized once again that identifying Yong Bi-cheon’s combat weaknesses would be difficult without risking my life in a direct confrontation.

At that moment, Han Jin-seong spoke to me.

“If you’re thinking about leaving your ancestral home, just hold on a few more days. My cousin wants to see you very badly.”

It sounded like he was half-joking. It seemed that Han Baek-ryeong merely chuckled in response.

Feigning surprise, I replied, “Your cousin can’t possibly be Ji-hwa, one of the Four Beauties of Luoyang, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“What would she want with an ugly young man like me?”

I answered irritably and added, “Then I’ll excuse myself.”

Han Baek-ryeong stared at me blankly before saying, “Baek Woong. Let me ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“You don’t have a good feeling about the White Lotus Sect, do you?”

I was perplexed as to why Han Baek-ryeong would suddenly ask such a thing. After contemplating for a while, I replied.

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have come this far.”

“I see. Then do you have aspirations for establishing recognition?”

“Not entirely, but…”

Thinking I’d answered without fault, Han Baek-ryeong unexpectedly made a suggestion.

“Then join the White Lotus Sect.”

“What?”

His next words were shocking.

“From what I know, the sect leader always emphasizes that the cleansing of the Thunder God Lineage isn’t for personal vendetta. And he often appears regretful about it. If a talented disciple like you could join, I’m sure he’d grant you a high position. I can swear that on my name.”

“……”

“Also, the sect leader could guide you on the path you need to take in the future.”

The teachings of the Master of the White Lotus Sect!

This was an irresistible temptation for me at this moment. Seeing my frozen expression, Han Baek-ryeong chuckled lightly and concluded, “Take your time to think it over and make a wise decision.”

 

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