1030——————==

True Martial Home

BANG!

Cho Mu-rin barged into the Hall of the Sect Leader, and standing before the meditating Master Ho-wol, he said,

“I heard that the Death Lord Seo Dae-ryeok has reached the Divine Realm!”

Ho-wol kept his single eye closed and didn’t budge. With no response, Cho Mu-rin clenched his teeth and shouted,

“Why won’t you tell me about that realm?”

And only silence hung in the air.

Noticing Ho-wol remained unresponsive, Cho Mu-rin realized the situation.

‘He’s in his trance again…’

This wasn’t the first time. Ever since the day he sealed Indra a decade ago, Ho-wol occasionally entered a complete body shutdown and lost consciousness. Initially, it wouldn’t last more than one meal’s worth of time, but now the trances would stretch into days at a time.

You couldn’t wake a master in such a state. In fact, Cho Mu-rin had been guarding him, worried he might get ambushed while in his trance.

Then, a familiar voice broke the silence.

“Cho Mu-rin, you’re back?”

“Seong Jin, my senior.”

It was Seong Jin, Ho-wol’s disciple and fellow master. A powerful sorcerer, he was responsible for bolstering Ho-wol’s lacking techniques to protect the White Lotus Sect. Seong Jin told Cho Mu-rin,

“Before he fell asleep, my master told me to have you deal with the evil sects and demon lords in the Central Plains.”

“Why out of the blue?”

“When Yang Jian wiped out the Northern Zhou and exterminated the Yuwen Clan, the world fell into chaos. It’s like the premonition of a new unified empire… As the number of demon lords increases, more humans will be led astray by the demons, so he said to eliminate them. He mentioned you were the only one who could do it.”

“…….”

“It’s bad if the heretics increase.”

Cho Mu-rin had heard that Yang Jian was a remarkable figure who had defeated various warlords and was almost done establishing a new empire.

Seong Jin continued,

“And go tell Dao Xin about Hye Ga’s disappearance.”

“Is it okay to tell him?”

“Until now, for some unknown reason, Ho-wol has kept it hidden. But this time, you must inform him.”

“Understood.”

“It’s even more critical than killing the demon lords.”

As Seong Jin’s words sunk in, Cho Mu-rin suddenly asked,

“Do you know why my master falls into this trance?”

Seong Jin sighed.

“I don’t know either. I’ve tried various methods to find out, but human techniques can’t uncover the cause. However, it seems keeping items infused with divine power nearby slightly improves the situation… I’m even considering visiting the Dragon King in Dongting Lake to borrow his spiritual pearl.”

“The spiritual pearl?”

“Yeah. It’s definitely a treasure infused with divine power. I should at least try asking the Dragon King of Dongting Lake, since the four great Dragon Kings are too high and mighty.”

“That won’t be easy…”

“We have to try something. My master will never crumble here…”

Seeing Seong Jin’s resolve, Cho Mu-rin couldn’t help but keep quiet. In a situation like this, discussing the Divine Realm felt pointless. He secretly thought,

‘Alright… The White Lotus Sect has been stabilized, and it’s high time to explore the outside world. I’ll suppress all the evil sects in the Central Plains and then ask my master about the realm.’

Cho Mu-rin saluted Seong Jin seriously.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Bring back at least a hundred heads.”

“Will a hundred be enough? I can take a thousand.”

“Haha! Just have some fun while you’re at it.”

Seong Jin laughed heartily and saw Cho Mu-rin off. None of them expected that Cho Mu-rin would actually fail.

And that thought became a reality. About two years later, Cho Mu-rin completely suppressed the evil sects in the Central Plains and sent the salted heads of a thousand demon lords to the White Lotus Sect. During this period, he also exterminated about five thousand sorcerers serving the evil gods of demon lore without hesitation, because these sorcerers were up to no good with human sacrifices.

Moreover, as Cho Mu-rin began his peculiar journey of eliminating one sect each day, the sects that claimed to be the orthodox sects were left trembling on the ground. There wasn’t a single expert in the Central Plains who could withstand even a hundredth of Cho Mu-rin’s prowess. So even though he didn’t actively attack the orthodox sects, many prestigious sects sent gifts to the White Lotus Sect, hoping to become friendly.

Before heading back to the White Lotus Sect after two years of adventures in the Central Plains, Cho Mu-rin made a stop at Songshan. At the Shaolin Temple in Songshan, Cho Mu-rin met Dao Xin, the second master of the Shaolin Temple. Dao Xin, a disciple of Hye Ga, was acting as the abbot of the current temple.

“Your reputation, Cho Mu-rin, is spreading across the world. To think your alias became the Eight Desolate Thunder God… How touching!”

After sipping tea graciously served by Dao Xin in the temple’s inner sanctum, Cho Mu-rin replied,

“It was my master’s command. And… I have something to tell you.”

“About my master’s disappearance?”

“Indeed.”

The martial prowess of Dao Xin was really nothing special. For a disciple of the first Hye Ga, he was pitifully low in skills. It was widely known that he was below the second-rate rank.

However, Cho Mu-rin treated Dao Xin as an equal, recognizing his outstanding mastery of Zen, and showed him proper respect.

Cho Mu-rin recounted how Hye Ga disappeared while attempting to seal Indra, only to be consumed instead. Then he asked,

“Master Dao Xin, what exactly is that Indra? Is such a being even possible?”

“…….”

After contemplating for some time, Dao Xin replied,

“Cho Mu-rin, it seems what you truly seek isn’t Indra.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a deeper inquiry within you. Speak of the worries in your heart.”

Cho Mu-rin was secretly surprised by Dao Xin’s insight.

“…Actually, I’ve been troubled by the Divine Realm all along.”

He confided in Dao Xin, whom he considered an equal. Dao Xin listened and then said,

“According to the Reverse Root Water Mirror, the realm of the Divine begins with meeting a Martial God.”

Taken aback by this revelation, Cho Mu-rin raised his eyebrows.

“Reverse Root Water Mirror? That’s the technique of Hye Ga’s disciple.”

“Actually, it’s more of a dialogue collection rather than a true technique. The true inheritance of martial techniques ends at the Golden Hall Great Mind Technique, while the Reverse Root Water Mirror reads more like a comfortable book. And as far as I know, it does explicitly record details about the Divine Realm.”

“……!! Can I really look at the Reverse Root Water Mirror?!”

Cho Mu-rin jumped to his feet. Dao Xin shook his head.

“No. The Reverse Root Water Mirror must only be passed to those with a connection… If you obtain it, it will disrupt the Law of Cause and Effect.”

“…You jest. Do you not see that I’m just being lenient?”

SWISH!

As Cho Mu-rin unleashed his Intent Heavenly Pillar, the hall of the Shaolin Temple filled with thunderous energy. With thousands of whips of intention swirling, it resembled sheer terror. Cho Mu-rin spoke through clenched teeth, his blood boiling,

“I’m not taking it. I only want to take a look.”

Master Dao Xin took a sip of tea and sat cross-legged, unruffled.

“Cho Mu-rin, are you proposing to stain the Shaolin Temple with blood?”

“If necessary!”

Thunder rumbled.

Cho Mu-rin unleashed his killing intent. For an ordinary person, facing such intent alone could stop their heart. Even someone like Dao Xin should be terrified by it.

‘What’s going on…?’

However, unexpectedly, Dao Xin’s expression remained tranquil, without a hint of disturbance. Even without exuding any intent, he made Cho Mu-rin’s overwhelming intention flow away as easily as a willow in the breeze.

When Cho Mu-rin faltered, Dao Xin, the abbot of Shaolin Temple, softly said,

“Amitabha… This is precisely why you may not be chosen by the Martial God.”

“What do you mean?”

“Cho Mu-rin, although you’ve slain countless demons to protect the innocents and punish the wicked, were those actions truly borne from your righteous anger?”

“…….”

“It’s unlikely. You only acted on the command of your master, Ho-wol. Had Ho-wol ordered you to eradicate the orthodox sects or collect the heads of righteous sect experts, you would not have acted, would you?”

After pondering for a moment, Cho Mu-rin replied,

“I would have.”

“Indeed. To you, there’s no concept of good or evil, only strength or weakness. The reason you punished the demons was simply that they were weaker than you. We cannot regard your intent as having compassion and reform.”

Cho Mu-rin felt a pang of guilt. Dao Xin’s words struck deep.

“What does that matter? Even so, it’s better than doing nothing.”

In response to Cho Mu-rin’s protest, Dao Xin picked up his prayer beads and said,

“Cho Mu-rin, what’s crucial is the heart. Those who get lost in the principle of the strong eating the weak can never walk alongside the Martial God…”

“……?”

“Beginnings and ends stem from the heart, the desires, and the cycle of the world. Without a heart, no connections can be formed… Until you grasp this profound truth, you will never reach the Divine Realm.”

“This is ridiculous…!! Who do you think you are to preach at me!!”

Cho Mu-rin could no longer contain his anger and unleashed his ultimate technique.

Eight Desolate Heavenly Demon!

Mahā Great Calamity Wheel!

Giving his all, he opened the Absolute Realm. While he sensed that Dao Xin had considerable latent power, Cho Mu-rin was still confident he was amongst the strongest experts of this generation. If he unleashed the Eight Desolate Heavenly Demon beyond ten rings, even Dao Xin would be nothing more than dust, just like the Death Lord Seo Dae-ryeok.

WHUM WHUM WHUM!

From within the dark storm, the thunder raged amidst the tempest. The Death Lord had fought valiantly against this Mahā Great Calamity Wheel, but ultimately his life was halved, and he himself perished in but a second. Yet the next moment, Cho Mu-rin experienced an unfathomable phenomenon.

“Amitabha.”

Dao Xin, with a calm voice, extended his palm.

Reverse Root Water Mirror!

Space-Shattering Void!

PAH!

WHIIRR!

“…….”

Cho Mu-rin realized that his Thunder God Whip was being torn apart and that his Intent Heavenly Pillar was vanishing as if rinsed away. And he felt his entire body tremble as his internal power completely drained away.

‘W-What is happening?!’

He couldn’t comprehend what transpired. The moment Dao Xin stretched out his palm, everything changed. This phenomenon was a riddle beyond Cho Mu-rin’s understanding of intention!

Dao Xin sat back down on the cushion, once more entering his trance.

“Amitabha! Please control the violent tendencies of the Thunder God and nurture a compassionate heart… The only advice I can give you is this.”

“Were you also in the Absolute Realm? What’s this technique about…?”

“Absolute Realm… I know nothing of such matters.”

“What?”

Dao Xin let out a soft sigh.

“I’m not adept at martial arts. This is merely Zen I learned from my master, Hye Ga. Neither my strength nor your weakness is relevant.”

“…….”

“One day, I believe you will come to understand…”

Cho Mu-rin tightly gripped his Thunder God Whip. Even if his internal power was gone, he could still fight using only his intent, so he longed to go all out against Dao Xin. However, he couldn’t imagine how he could win if that palm attack crashed down on him again.

“…I’ll take my leave now.”

“Take care.”

In the end, Cho Mu-rin had to give up fighting against Dao Xin and turn back to the White Lotus Sect. For some reason, he felt that no matter how hard he fought in his current state, victory was impossible. Strangely enough, the moment he stepped out past Dao Xin, his immense internal power returned to him, seemingly designed that way.

‘This won’t do. I’ll leave the Shaolin Temple be.’

Cho Mu-rin resolved never to invade the Shaolin Temple again in this lifetime. He felt that if he were to face Dao Xin again, this time he would be mercilessly killed. This vow remained in his heart until he ascended.

When Cho Mu-rin returned to the White Lotus Sect, he proudly declared himself the new leader of the White Lotus Sect. He then went to find Ho-wol to discuss the Divine Realm and recounted his encounter with Dao Xin.

Ho-wol, coming to his senses, said,

“Cho Mu-rin, my opinion aligns with Dao Xin’s. You won’t reach the Divine Realm, and that’s why I didn’t reveal it to you.”

“…….”

“I didn’t want to make you despair by teaching you an unreachable realm.”

“Are both you and Dao Xin already at the Divine Realm?”

“….Dao Xin is not. He’s a special case.”

At Ho-wol’s words, Cho Mu-rin trembled with rage and betrayal.

“Am I just being considered a fool…!!”

After a moment of silence, Ho-wol said,

“…My disciple, what is your aim in seeking the skill of the Divine Realm? Do you wish to gain strength beyond that of the strongest martial artist?”

“That’s…”

“The skill of the Divine Realm wasn’t made to become the strongest. Such beings already exist abundantly in this universe… Rather, it’s almost the opposite. Furthermore, those who reach the Divine Realm bear a terrifying burden and must endure until the end… The disasters they face will endlessly gnaw at human emotions…”

Ho-wol looked somewhat depleted, as if his strength waned before their eyes.

“…How could I let you, whom I consider a true disciple, walk the path of the Divine Realm… into such a world of suffering and despair? A true lover of disciples would never force them onto the path of the Divine Realm.”

“…….”

“You should enjoy this life, my disciple. The Divine Realm doesn’t suit you and should not be your path.”

After that conversation, seven nights later, Ho-wol suddenly left the White Lotus Sect. And never returned.

Cho Mu-rin searched desperately for Ho-wol, but even with the might of the number one sect in the world, he couldn’t find any trace of him. Time continued to pass.

“Master of the White Lotus Sect, I’ll be heading out to search for the former leader. Please take care of the sect for me.”

In the end, Seong Jin personally went to seek the missing Ho-wol.

And left behind at the White Lotus Sect, Cho Mu-rin often sat on the leader’s throne, deep in thought.

‘My master went in search of someone named Huang Wu. Yet he left without informing anyone, including me, of Huang Wu’s whereabouts…’

His mind became tangled.

But instead of panicking, Cho Mu-rin reflected on Ho-wol’s will.

“I will ensure the prosperity of the White Lotus Sect and Thunder God Lineage.”

His eyes gleamed.

“I’ll sweep away all the nuisances blocking the Thunder God Lineage!”

And seventy years passed.

The White Lotus Sect became an unprecedented powerhouse in history, and the Thunder God Lineage emerged as a prominent sect among them. Over seventy years, Cho Mu-rin wiped out countless rivals and never once suffered defeat. Though occasionally, powerful recluses appeared in the Jianghu, formidable enough to challenge even Cho Mu-rin, no one disputed the fact that he was the supreme martial artist and number one in the world during those seventy years.

However, even after undergoing a rebirth of flesh, Cho Mu-rin’s heart remained restless.

Because throughout those seventy years, despite defeating innumerable powerful foes and continuously honing his skills, the Divine Realm remained elusive to him. His techniques and internal power had grown stronger than before, yet he could never attain the power worthy of the Divine Realm.

‘I’ve achieved my master’s wish of prospering the Thunder God Lineage. But… why… is my thirst unquenched?’

While he was feeling anxious,

[Are you the Eight Desolate Thunder God, Cho Mu-rin, the leader of the White Lotus Sect?]

Sitting alone on the throne, Cho Mu-rin stared blankly at the unexpected visitor. The being that approached him was shrouded in a soft glow, and Cho Mu-rin instantly recognized it as a celestial being. Dressed in noble attire, this celestial entity spoke to Cho Mu-rin.

[I am Lee Rang-jin-gun, the Celestial Duelist. I’ve come to commend your strength and wish to appoint you as a Celestial Duelist. Will you accept?]

“……”

Cho Mu-rin gazed intently at Lee Rang-jin-gun, then glanced at his trident.

And then he chuckled.

“I’m bored; let’s have a match.”