1043——————==

True Martial Home

The first target of the Great Bear Empire was the various lesser nations located in the southernmost part of the Central Plains. Originally, they were looked down upon in the Central Plains and deemed as mere Southern Barbarians, but the honest truth was that they were simply hard to control.

The influence of the Central Plains had extended to the Southern nation called Dai Viet, significantly impacting its culture. However, the countries south of Dai Viet fiercely resisted any incursions from the Central Plains, making domination quite challenging. In fact, even Dai Viet had already started a rebellion during the early days of the Great Ming Empire, essentially standing apart like a separate world from the Central Plains.

Nevertheless, the leader of the White Lotus Sect was completely unfazed by the resistance from the South. He issued commands to the central figures of the Great Bear Empire’s administration.

[Stockpile war supplies for a year and prepare. Also, move the Man Gwangpo and Gui Luepo to the Southern front and deploy them. We will mobilize a total of 200,000 troops.]

“Your Majesty, I must respectfully point out that unlike Goryeo, the South is filled with dense thickets and swamps, making it a natural fortress. It will be difficult for artillery to show effectiveness on the plains. Moreover, the high humidity will make it hard to use gunpowder.”

The leader of the White Lotus Sect chuckled at General Hwang Yeon’s words.

[Truly excellent insight. However, for this battle, I and the Dharma Protectors shall take the field directly.]

“Then it’s as good as a victory.”

General Hwang changed his words in an instant, but that was indeed how it played out.

A year later, the artillery of the Great Bear Empire breached the borders of Dai Viet. In that year, the Great Bear Empire had completed its small arms and formations, showcasing overwhelming power in both the fields and urban combat. Moreover, with the intervention of the Dharma Protectors, the war situation drastically changed, leading to the capital of Dai Viet being captured just 20 days after the conflict began.

Boom!!

The main gate of Dai Viet’s capital was destroyed, and after receiving the surrender declaration, the leader of the White Lotus Sect perched himself on the throne of the Dai Viet King. Gazing at the flames rising outside, he said,

[Cheon Woo-jin, you’re later than I expected. Did you run into a formidable opponent?]

Clap!

A gust of wind rushed in, and before the leader of the White Lotus Sect knelt the Dharma Protector, Cheon Woo-jin. Despite having one arm severed and bleeding profusely, he quickly staunched the blood with his internal power and lowered his head in respect.

“Sect Leader, I apologize. I couldn’t determine the outcome against an incredible adversary.”

[What kind of opponent?]

“…He was an absolute master of fist and foot. The one reputed to be the strongest in the South, a grandmaster of the Muay Boran martial art.”

[That fellow.]

“Hmm!”

Suddenly, a solid, stocky man stood with his arms crossed about thirty feet from the throne. He appeared ordinary and mild-mannered, holding a vegetable in one hand, looking like he just came from a market.

[Cheon Woo-jin, it’s not that you couldn’t determine the winner. That fellow has sought me through you.]

“……”

As the leader of the White Lotus Sect slowly rose from his seat, he spoke.

[Feeling the Intent Heavenly Pillar, this must be the Absolute Realm. You are indeed the strongest in the South, the God of Fist.]

“Who are you?”

[I am the leader of the White Lotus Sect and Emperor of the Great Bear Empire, Dokgo Uncheon. Now, reveal your name.]

Thump!

The stocky man dropped his vegetables and took the stance of Muay Boran. He glared at Dokgo Uncheon with cold eyes.

“I am the Guardian of Dai Viet, Jin Guk-jun. As one who has attained the pinnacle of martial arts, how can you misuse power that transcends humanity for conquest?”

[Is there any reason I cannot?]

“If one who has reached the Absolute Realm recklessly uses power beyond humanity, the weak will suffer. I do not presume that one of your caliber does not know this. The higher the skill, the less one should misuse their strength in the mortal realm.”

The eyes of the leader of the White Lotus Sect glimmered.

[How meaningless. Your reasoning is that of a frog in a well. I have sought a greater principle in this world, and as a descendant of the Divine Maiden, I will fulfill my destiny.]

Whirl!

A mandala, symbolizing the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance, appeared behind the leader of the White Lotus Sect.

“Hmm!”

The grandmaster of Muay Boran, Jin Guk-jun, at over 300 years old, was the foremost absolute master in the South. He had undergone Half-Transition Master and Rebirth of Flesh, having even thwarted the invasions of the Mongol armies in his former glory!

Yet, even he had no choice but to feel the immense power of the Central Plains man before him. Knowing fully well the potential energy concealed within that mandala, Jin Guk-jun was left puzzled about why such a being would involve himself in the affairs of humans.

Fearing he had no choice but to take the first strike, he slowly let out a battle cry.

“Eesh…!!”

In the next moment, Jin Guk-jun’s posture shifted like an illusion as he unleashed a low kick from the Absolute Realm. Though simply a basic kicking technique in Muay Boran, as an absolute master, that kick was far more powerful than any divine slash in this world.

Boom!!

Boom!

“……!!”

Caught in the shockwave, Cheon Woo-jin was sent spiraling into the air, enveloped in his protection technique, eyes wide open.

With just a single kick, the grand palace of Dai Viet was halved in an instant! Moreover, the incredible sharpness of that attack split the ground several hundred feet away like a sharpened knife and caused an earthquake.

Ultimate Strength!

The epitome of strong yet flexible martial arts!

Clap!

Before long, the leader of the White Lotus Sect and Jin Guk-jun stood face to face. Dokgo Uncheon, having received the kick with the Water Dragon Technique from Su Shin Sect, trembled slightly while Jin Guk-jun’s eyebrows twitched.

Between the two absolute masters of the Central Plains and the South, hundreds of exchanges happened in the blink of an eye before Jin Guk-jun resumed his offensive.

Absolute Realm

Muay Boran

Relentless kicks from Hell!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As lights flashed in the void, the two masters unleashed their techniques like stars falling from the sky. Cheon Woo-jin, observing from a distance, saw Jin Guk-jun repeatedly perform alternating upper and lower kicks, relentless in their assault. The upper and lower kicks rose to a white heat, each blow capable of collapsing mountains.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The leader of the White Lotus Sect attempted to block Jin Guk-jun’s kicks using the mandala of the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance, yet Jin Guk-jun instead intensified his Intent Heavenly Pillar, smashing through the mandala head-on.

“Die!”

Boom!!

“Leader!!!”

As the mandala shattered like glass, Jin Guk-jun’s upper kick struck the neck of the leader of the White Lotus Sect. While Cheon Woo-jin watched and screamed, the smoke cleared to reveal the leader of the White Lotus Sect, who calmly spoke.

Sssss….

[This world is vast. I never imagined a master of such caliber would reside in what I thought was a desolate region….]

Mumbling this, the leader of the White Lotus Sect swiftly turned his back.

[Had I not met Baek Woong before you, I might have lost to you.]

Gulp!!

Jin Guk-jun coughed up blood. He was still in the upper stance, but had already fallen victim to the leader of the White Lotus Sect’s lethal shadow technique.

‘A monster… of a guy….’

The victory and defeat had been decided.

Yet it wasn’t that simple.

Had another absolute master been present, they would have grasped the nature of the exchanges that just transpired.

At the very moment Jin Guk-jun’s Infernal Upward-Downward Kick shattered the leader’s mandala, the leader of the White Lotus Sect had cast a technique that left Jin Guk-jun completely defenseless, landing a single palm on his solar plexus to inflict a fatal wound while disrupting his lower body’s balance, thereby evading Jin Guk-jun’s upper kick effortlessly.

He could have used the technique from the start, but a supreme master like Jin Guk-jun would likely find a way to counter; hence the leader seized this efficient victory with a single retaliation, showcasing tremendous combat experience.

Jin Guk-jun collapsed weakly, vomiting blood as he questioned,

“How could you do that…? No matter how much you slow me down, the kicks of Muay Boran should never falter…. That martial art you used to block my attack….”

Jin Guk-jun had caught onto the existence of the shadow technique, yet knew it could not counter his ultimate technique. Every strike had been fueled by his powerful momentum, forcing Jin Guk-jun to suspect that the leader of the White Lotus Sect had employed additional trickery.

[It’s a matter of diversity.]

Sitting back upon the throne, the leader replied.

[By using the flow of martial arts through the Divine Reasoning, I weakened your strikes with the True Martial Seven Cuts. Your martial prowess is undoubtedly strong, but it focuses too heavily on power. That is the inherent limitation of Muay Boran.]

“……”

[Having honed my skills in the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortals Divine Art, now no martial artist in this world can defeat me merely through strength or speed alone.]

While he spoke calmly, it was a tremendous declaration. The leader of the White Lotus Sect had elevated his defensive capabilities using the memories obtained from Baek Woong.

Jin Guk-jun closed his eyes.

‘Former king… I apologize. I couldn’t protect this land.’

A guardian who had defended Dai Viet with unwavering strength through over 200 years of Mongol invasions using the ultimate martial art, Muay Boran, found himself unable to fend off the emergence of this monstrosity. Dark visions of a world descending into chaos danced in his mind.

[Farewell.]

Swoosh!

The leader of the White Lotus Sect executed a technique called Controlling the All-Powerful King to sever Jin Guk-jun’s neck without a hint of pain. After seizing Jin Guk-jun’s remains, he commanded his subordinates.

[Though I intended to ravage Dai Viet, my thoughts have changed. No plundering or murder; treat the prisoners with respect.]

Swoosh!

Before long, Zhuge Sa appeared beside the leader of the White Lotus Sect. With a sly grin, Zhuge Sa remarked,

“Is this loyalty among warriors? Weren’t we supposed to sack Dai Viet to ensure there was enough force left to conquer the Southern Nations? We agreed to publicly execute the royal family and burn the capital while making the Dai Viet populace our slaves!”

[I will not. I was moved by Jin Guk-jun’s prowess, and I will show courtesy towards his martial arts.]

“Pfft… If I knew you’d end up being this soft-hearted, I should have just taken the throne myself.”

Zhuge Sa grumbled, but the leader of the White Lotus Sect remained unfazed.

[Don’t speak what you don’t mean. You know very well that a powerful overlord is necessary to keep my resolve against your wicked words and tendencies.]

“Those from the Demon Path are truly troublesome. Everyone’s thinking along the same lines.”

Chuckling, Zhuge Sa continued, “Anyway, the biggest thorn in our side among the Southern Nations is the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The Black Prince Naresuen of Ayutthaya has hired mercenaries from Tianzhu.”

[Mercenaries?]

“The inheritors of the Brahmin caste, the elite of Tianzhu. They’re the most powerful recluses on that continent.”

[…] [That sounds troublesome.]

The leader of the White Lotus Sect pondered.

Whether through martial arts or sorcery, Tianzhu was no easy opponent. It was known that even the founder of the White Lotus Sect, Master Dalma, began his training in Tianzhu during his youth, making that continent akin to the Demon Subduing Hall. Moreover, the leader was not simply worried about the possibility of absolute masters coming from Tianzhu.

[Have sorcerers come from Tianzhu?]

“There’s no doubt about it.”

Tianzhu was also a land rife with demonology. Given the numerous grimoires lying in slumber across Tianzhu, it was commonly understood among sorcerers that conflicts happened due to the magic rituals being performed. Equipped with their unique styles of sorcery, the sorcerers of Tianzhu were known to be a considerable threat.

“Well, I could handle those fools easily, so worry not.”

[How will you do that? I am not Baek Woong and cannot immobilize them with strange techniques.]

“Ha-ha! That’s my specialty….”

Zhuge Sa snickered.

“After all, they’re just humans. To me, they’re nothing more than expendable pawns.”

And several months later, the invasion of the Ayutthaya kingdom commenced. Initially, the Great Bear Empire’s advanced troops charged forward, but soon found their progress halted by an army of summoned demon beasts. This was due to Tianzhu sorcerers hired by Ayutthaya utilizing human sacrifices to summon creatures from another realm.

All commanding officers, baffled by the bizarre demon armies they had encountered for the first time, struggled. But within a month, these demon beasts had vanished as suddenly as they had appeared. Following this, after some skirmishes with the regular troops of Ayutthaya, the Great Bear Empire successfully seized the capital of Ayutthaya.

Step, step!

The leader of the White Lotus Sect strode into Ayutthaya’s throne room. Observing the throne surrounded by a sea of blood, he coolly looked for Zhuge Sa and spoke.

[Zhuge Sa, I heard over a hundred Brahmin sorcerers from Tianzhu had arrived. What happened to them?]

Zhuge Sa had previously vanished during the onset of the demon beast invasion, promising he would handle the situation. Yet when news of the overwhelming number of Brahmin sorcerers reached the leader of the White Lotus Sect, he had grown tremendously concerned, but oddly, these sorcerers had taken no action afterward.

With a sly smile, Zhuge Sa slowly raised a drink filled with drops of blood.

“They’ve become mere dewdrops in the glass.”

[……]

Howwwww!!!!

From behind the shadows came a monstrous roar from a great beast. The leader of the White Lotus Sect watched as the creature revealed itself, chewing on the flesh of a sorcerer. Upon seeing the human face imprinted on the beast’s forehead, he murmured,

[They turned the Black Prince Naresuen into a beast.]

“Yes. He got carried away and started devouring the sorcerers. The girl next to Naresuen had connections with Baek Woong, so I let her live.”

[That alone wouldn’t suffice to eliminate over a hundred elite sorcerers, would it?]

“Certainly not. I used the Soul Exchange Technique to have them kill each other. I tried various approaches~ Ultimately, though, their leader was quite skilled and held out until the end, which I found somewhat irksome, so I punished him.”

The leader of the White Lotus Sect gazed steadily at Zhuge Sa. After looking at Zhuge Sa’s glass, he remarked,

[Is it made from the glass of a skull?]

“It was a struggle dealing with someone whose skull is soft. Oops!”

Splat!

Zhuge Sa threw the skull glass made from the head of the Brahmin leader to the ground, shattering it. Propping his chin on his palm, he declared,

“Now that we’ve taken Ayutthaya, the conquest of the South is as good as done. Next, let’s move towards Tianzhu.”

[That sounds good. It feels unexpectedly easy.]

“Haha… It’ll be a hassle when we reach the West, so prepare yourself mentally.”

The banter between the two had shed most of their humanity.

Watching from behind, Mangnyang let out a sigh.

“Sigh…”

Is this really the right path?

‘It’s only a matter of time.’

So far, they hadn’t forsaken humanity, merely responding to others’ malice with malice of their own. However, regardless of whether it was Zhuge Sa or the leader of the White Lotus Sect, they were both beings that toyed with the demon. How long Mangnyang could restrain them remained uncertain.

Just as he worked tirelessly alongside the Heavenly Mysterious Woman to prevent the aftermath of the disappearance of the Three Sovereigns, his worries about Zhuge Sa and the leader of the White Lotus Sect spiraling into chaos caused him to push himself to join the campaign. He felt a deep exhaustion seep into his spirit.

Once the conquest of the South ended, the Great Bear Empire rested and secured its occupied territories for about two years before preparing to invade Tianzhu once more. Interestingly, no one questioned the plan to assault a colossal continent like Tianzhu, simply taking it as a given.

When the Great Bear Empire began its invasion of Tianzhu, they started to utilize Transference Gates. To advance through the treacherous mountain ranges leading to Tianzhu would be too challenging for a large army; thus, they decided to make use of the Transference Gates that had been established by purification expeditions around the world.

Boom, boom, boom…

The sky was tangled with dark clouds, turning red. The leader of the White Lotus Sect gazed at this ominous sight and proclaimed,

[The miasma of evil filling the air… Excellent. This shall be the beginning of our world conquest.]

Advance after advance.

About a year and three months into the invasion of the Tianzhu continent, over twenty small and medium-sized countries were annihilated, and two great powers were subjugated. Occasional appearances of Tianzhu sorcerers or practitioners would surface to retaliate against the Great Bear Empire, but by then, they had fortified their military significantly.

Swish!!

Dokgo Seong severed the head of a Tianzhu sorcerer and turned to Shadowless Sword Master beside him, saying,

“Hey, could you have ever imagined it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“That we would reach the Tianzhu continent.”

Swish, swish, swish!

As he effortlessly sliced through demon beasts with the Shadowless Sword Technique, Shadowless Sword Master sighed.

“Phew! I was tempted by the prospect of gaining insights from the Absolute Realm. What a fool I was.”

“Your skill has indeed improved, though. The Absolute Realm is not far off.”

“I’m not so sure. My life has had its thrills, to say the least….”

Boom! Boom!

As the black beasts the size of several dozen elephants charged from the valley, their three heads lifted, exhaling flames, Shadowless Sword Master gaped in disbelief.

“Fighting something like that? I never even considered it…”

“Come on! Look at the Dongyoung folks working hard; we can’t fall behind, can we?”

Dokgo Seong’s gaze landed on the group of Dongyoung Sword Masters, Kamizumi Nobutsuna, and Boku Den, who had joined the fray. They too had significantly improved their martial arts with the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortals Divine Art and were partaking in the assault on Tianzhu.

“Ugh, this doesn’t seem like something martial artists should be doing…”

Crash!

Shadowless Sword Master mumbled while putting up a valiant fight. Meanwhile, the leader of the White Lotus Sect muttered,

[The insights left by Baek Woong are immensely useful. If they undergo some real combat training like this, being martial geniuses by birth, they’ll surely reach the Absolute Realm soon enough.]

Already, nearly 40% of the Tianzhu continent’s territory had fallen under the Great Bear Empire’s control. Adding the lands conquered till now, it rivaled the entire Central Plains, propelling the Great Bear Empire into the status of a previously unseen great empire in history while the leader of the White Lotus Sect planned on producing more of these absolute masters to enhance the quality of his comrades.

As he mumbled, the leader abruptly spoke.

[What do you think, Miyamoto Musashi?]

Swish!

Miyamoto Musashi sliced through space, appearing at that very spot.

“……”

[Have you come to a conclusion?]

After a lengthy silence, Miyamoto Musashi nodded.

“Leader of the White Lotus Sect, I shall follow you.”