1031——————==

True Martial Home

He was constantly aware of his master’s words.

‘You guys think your Overlay Techniques are stronger than the Absolute Realm on Earth?’

Cho Mu-rin felt the urge to prove that wasn’t the case.

It was his pride and stubbornness as the absolute powerhouse on Earth for seventy years.

Shhhh!!

Cho Mu-rin’s Thunder God Whip seemed alive and moving. As his martial spirit soared, Lee Rang-jin’s eyebrows twitched.

[Are you rejecting the Overlay Techniques?]

“It’s not a rejection; if you’re stronger than me, I’ll yield and willingly become an Overlay. But if you’re not, the Lee Rang-jin of the Celestial Realm will die here.”

[Alright. A spirited newcomer, huh….]

Understanding Cho Mu-rin’s words, Lee Rang-jin slowly lifted his trident.

[Human, realize there is a heaven above heaven.]

“Let’s see you prove that!”

With the Eight Desolate Heavenly Demon alongside, Cho Mu-rin’s Thunder God Whip darted in at incredible speed. As the whip circled around the trident, white spirit energy flowed into Lee Rang-jin’s eyes.

Boom

The trident stabbed back at Cho Mu-rin even faster. Cho Mu-rin, having been in the Jianghu for seventy years, had never seen such a counter and chose to evade instead of end it in mutual destruction.

Crack!

“Ugh.”

It was strange. He thought he had dodged, yet the pressure rebounding from Lee Rang-jin’s trident struck against his Protection Energy Technique. Since that power exceeded Cho Mu-rin’s defense by several folds, he soon found blood dripping from his mouth.

‘Huh… what the heck is this…’

A bad feeling settled in. Lee Rang-jin muttered, taking a basic stance with his trident.

[Looks like my hands are getting a bit loose.]

Bam!!

Boom

“……”

It wasn’t long before Cho Mu-rin gasped for air.

Exactly three hundred sustained counts.

After three hundred, a clash with Lee Rang-jin left Cho Mu-rin bloodied and kneeling before the Thunder God’s throne. Having shattered all his ribs, he coughed up blood.

“Cough, cough… how can this be….”

It was hard to believe. Even though Cho Mu-rin had given it his all, Lee Rang-jin clearly surpassed him. Every move, every force, every speed outpaced Cho Mu-rin, and when it came to combat experience and weaponry, Lee Rang-jin dominated without contest. Lee Rang-jin could even use sorcery techniques, but he hardly used any against Cho Mu-rin.

Beyond Heaven!

Cho Mu-rin felt those words keenly. It was just a part of ancient martial arts, and the real forms of martial styles were not fully defined, yet Lee Rang-jin was incredibly strong. His physical abilities were leagues ahead of Cho Mu-rin’s, and his ability to predict moves was superb.

How many times had that terrifying trident torn through his Thunder God Whip? In the end, Cho Mu-rin had no choice but to rapidly fabricate a whip of intent as a temporary measure. Having never been so shattered since his master, Howol, he was left in utter shock.

Lee Rang-jin spoke.

[You’re quite decent for a human. You’ve forced me to use my strength.]

“…Decent…? Huh… heh.”

[You have plenty of qualifications to enter the Overlay Techniques.]

Though Cho Mu-rin felt that Lee Rang-jin’s tone was arrogant, he could only let out a hollow laugh in response.

The gap was far too massive.

Unable to comprehend, Cho Mu-rin asked Lee Rang-jin.

“Are all those in the Overlay Techniques… as strong as you?”

In response to Cho Mu-rin’s question, Lee Rang-jin retorted.

[Currently, I’m at the forefront of the Overlay Techniques. But if we’re talking about pure strength, there are a few who rival me, like Natahta or Yi. The rest are probably similar to you or a bit weaker… There are even those who were temporarily appointed from among the Celestial Generals.]

“……”

[But I don’t know. For some reason, I have a feeling that increasingly absurdly strong beings will begin to emerge in this martial artist age.]

“…I see.”

[Hmm?]

Cho Mu-rin smirked.

“I’ll join the Overlay Techniques.”

He needed stronger power.

It was time to overcome his fatigue.

Afterward, through Transcendence, Cho Mu-rin was retrofitted with his former weapon, the Thunder God Whip, into the treasured Lightning Star Whip and was officially appointed into the Overlay Techniques. Cho Mu-rin could also now peruse and train in ancient martial secret techniques within the Celestial Realm, giving him a modicum of power. Although being an immortal made it hard to enjoy human senses, it didn’t matter since he had never obsessed over sensations to begin with.

Cho Mu-rin felt quite pleased after joining the Overlay Techniques. As an immortal staying longer in the Celestial Realm, his spirit power also advanced, making him feel stronger each day.

I can become even stronger.

With that single thought, Cho Mu-rin kept pressing on. However, the moment his heart first filled with doubt was when the Monster King invaded the Celestial Realm.

[Stop him!!]

[We can’t let him reach the Jade Emperor!]

All the immortals rushed in to try and capture the Monster King. From the very lowest ranks in the Celestial Realm to the Great Celestial Immortal, everyone was attempting to take him down. Cho Mu-rin wondered what kind of ruckus this was, but was soon horrified by the horrific scene unfolding before him.

Bang!!

[Ugh….]

[Get lost, you! I don’t have time to play with you!]

The sight of Lee Rang-jin, who had just been punched away by the Monster King’s kick, staggering midair, shocked Cho Mu-rin deeply. The Monster King was a monkey demon wielding a large stick, fighting while riding clouds. The impact had knocked Lee Rang-jin out cold for a moment.

‘Alright! I just need to catch that monkey.’

But the shock only lasted a moment; Cho Mu-rin’s pride flared as he charged at the Monster King. When Cho Mu-rin’s Lightning Star Whip met the monkey demon, the Monster King scratched his ear, yawning as if irritated and suddenly opened his eyes wide.

[Have some of this! Eyeball Laser~!!]

Kaboom!!

[Arghhh.]

With the Eight Desolate Heavenly Demon spread out, Cho Mu-rin was struck by a bizarrely powerful beam shot from the Monster King’s eyes and collapsed in an instant.

[Ugh… I can’t let this end like this….]

However, as he was technically a subordinate of the Thunder God, he mustered his will, staggered to his feet, and chased after the Monster King. But the Monster King, looking truly annoyed, plucked a handful of fur from under his chin and tossed it.

Whoosh

Three clones identical to the Monster King appeared before Cho Mu-rin. The Monster King, holding Cho Mu-rin’s whip with two fingers, grinned as he said.

[You’re quite persistent for a weakling.]

[…….]

[Play with my clones for a bit. I’m off to take down the Jade Emperor.]

[What….]

Bam!!

Before Cho Mu-rin could utter another word, the real Monster King vanished, and he was left to face the combined assault of the three clones. As he fought the clones, darkness enveloped his heart. It was because, despite just being three clones, he couldn’t handle them easily at all.

Eventually, the chaos stirred up by the Monster King concluded, and he gained the title of Celestial Sage. However, Cho Mu-rin couldn’t bear to confront the newly formed Celestial Sage, and so he volunteered for a mission guarding the outskirts of the Celestial Realm.

He realized that despite being fellow Overlay practitioners, there was a monumental gap between them. If the Celestial Sage put his mind to it, he could easily kill Cho Mu-rin with a single strike.

Feeling dismal, Cho Mu-rin gazed at the horizon every day while secluding himself on the lonely outskirts of the Celestial Realm.

Why is this happening?

I was unquestionably the supreme master of martial arts on Earth, yet here I am, nothing but a weakling….

In truth, he was not that weak even in the Celestial Realm. There were certainly many weaker immortals, and his abilities were worthy of being called Overlay Techniques. Even the Great Celestial Immortal couldn’t easily defeat him. However, compared to the mythological freaks like Lee Rang-jin or Celestial Sage, he could only ever feel a sense of insignificance.

[Ah! Was my choice wrong….]

In the end, he spent each day lamenting, and his lament reached its peak during the Celestial Martial Age.

Creeak—

[…….]

After three days of combat, Cho Mu-rin gazed up at the victor who had beaten him.

Then, with his sword aimed at Cho Mu-rin’s neck, the Sword Saint Yeodong-bin said.

[I have won.]

[Ye, Yeodong-bin. What was that? That strange Sword Path at the end….]

[…….]

Yeodong-bin didn’t say a word. However, Cho Mu-rin sensed his silence.

This is it.

The fresh-faced Yeodong-bin, who had just become a Great Celestial Immortal, seized the upper hand in battle against the centuries-old Cho Mu-rin, and that peculiar final technique—the formless Sword Path—was surely…!!

[Is that the Divine Skill?!]

[…….]

Thud

Cho Mu-rin knelt before the silent Yeodong-bin, pleading.

[Please! Teach me the Divine Skill!! I’ll do whatever you ask, just please….]

Murmurs

Others watching the Celestial Martial Age were stunned. Though Cho Mu-rin held a relatively high rank in the Celestial Realm, begging a newly-initiated Yeodong-bin like this was beyond their expectations.

However, Yeodong-bin coolly uttered a single sentence before leaving.

[You cannot meet the Martial God.]

[…Ah….]

Kneeling, Cho Mu-rin stared blankly at Yeodong-bin’s retreating figure.

And soon his expression twisted, breaking into maniacal laughter.

[Hehe, hahahaha…. Hahaha.]

Despair.

Only despair.

Since that day, Cho Mu-rin lost all motivation, staying cooped up in the outskirts of the Celestial Realm without engaging in anything.

He attended the Celestial Martial Age again as summoned, but this time he was truly defeated by his greenhorn junior, the Wudang master Jang Sam-bong. After losing to Jang Sam-bong’s Peerless Technique, Cho Mu-rin was left utterly drained, retreating to build a dwelling in the heart of the Celestial Mountain, living day by day gazing at the valley.

‘It would be nice if the end came like this.’

Secluded, he crouched and kept thinking that.

And he would even chuckle at the thought of everything falling apart.

Indeed.

Cho Mu-rin was already finished.

*

“…….”

After hearing Cho Mu-rin’s past, I found myself at a loss for words.

‘Goodness…. I had no idea the subordinate of the Thunder God would end up like this.’

Reflecting on his past, it seemed his mind and pride had been in constant decline. Especially since he had ascended to the Celestial Realm, it had been bleak to say the least, and it was a miracle that he still existed and hadn’t vanished entirely.

I finally understood the decayed look in Cho Mu-rin’s eyes.

‘It was wise not to provoke such a person… he’s the type to throw everything away if he gets angry.’

While I was relieved about my previous decision, Cho Mu-rin spoke.

[This is the end of my past. Baek Woong, have you truly never encountered Indra?]

“Hmm, definitely not. The only being I’ve encountered is Vayu, the Spirit of Wind.”

[Perhaps you might be lucky.]

“Lucky?”

[…….]

After a moment of silence, Cho Mu-rin continued.

[As long as Indra doesn’t break free, that’s a good thing. I hope he remains sealed.]

“I have something I’m curious about.”

[What is it?]

“After you were summoned to the human world and taught the Eight Wilds Shock of Heaven and Fog-shrouded Sky Royal Shadow 108 Techniques…. Plus the real significance of Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique, you haven’t shared any of that.”

[You’ll understand in due time as you train. Besides that, I only did as I was told; I don’t really have any attachment to the task itself.]

“Then I guess this matter is settled.”

[That seems to be the case.]

I took Cho Mu-rin to the training hall and stepped away for a moment. Then, I utilized the National Seal to command.

“National Seal, search for Reverse Root Water Mirror.”

After hearing Cho Mu-rin’s story, I believed the Reverse Root Water Mirror was one of the most precious secret techniques in the world. So, while I had the resources and searching power, it would be best to look for the Reverse Root Water Mirror!

Soon, the National Seal responded.

[Search results… a total of 3,921,983 records have been found.]

“…….”