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0124 ———————————————-

Dark Heaven Village

“Why are you so confident about it?”

“Even Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong are geniuses that would be second to none in the Central Plains, but they couldn’t master it, right? I can’t even imagine how you plan to meet the requirements.”

“That’s something you’ll only know by trying.”

“Okay then~ Let’s see what we’ve got~”

I received the main movements and essence of the Soul Removal Technique from Geuk-ho for a single half-moment. Since the essence wasn’t that long, I was able to memorize it after listening to it three or four times. After Geuk-ho recited the essence of the Soul Removal Technique, he said,

“Alright, that’s it! Now, all that’s left is to use the Soul Removal Technique according to the essence.”

“Is this really the end? It seems too simple for a secret technique.”

Geuk-ho replied gruffly, “What do I care? Everyone said that, but no one could master it.”

Doubting his words, I attempted to activate the Soul Removal Technique just as he said. However, just as he mentioned, nothing happened, and I felt the flow of Thunder Shadow Step getting entangled instead. I could only take two steps, but I ended up looking like a disabled person trying to dance.

I was clearly following the essence, so it was strange.

What kind of a martial art is this?

As I frowned confusedly, Geuk-ho said, “The master has arrived.”

The three who went to negotiate with the Han clan had returned. But seeing their not-so-good expressions, I sensed something had gone wrong. Mangnyang muttered with a grim expression.

“It’s wrong…”

“We had no choice from the start. Let’s move our base.”

“Ugh…”

According to Mangnyang, they managed to talk to the clan leader Han Baek-ryeong, but he firmly stated that he wanted some ‘treasure’ that he would be satisfied with, separate from the debts of previous generations. Naturally, he wouldn’t have anything that could impress Han Baek-ryeong, the wealthiest man in the world, so they returned.

Mangnyang bitterly said to me, “We’ll have to find comfort in the fact that Lee Kwang managed to hold back his anger over there. If he had clashed with the Fire Spirit Techniques, it would have been the end.”

“Then where do you plan to move our base?”

Mangnyang looked around and said, “We should head to Jangryeong Valley.”

“Jangryeong Valley?”

“There’s another patron of the Bancheon Alliance waiting there.”

We started packing and headed towards Jangryeong Valley. Since it was quite a distance from Luoyang, moving discreetly was a challenge. However, using Wooden Armor to stash all our miscellaneous luggage allowed us to travel with just people, and after about three days of well-disguised movement, everyone successfully escaped Luoyang.

But even as we left Luoyang, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. With this level of power, I felt we could potentially hit the Golden Eagle Guards in the Imperial Palace and achieve good results, yet the surrounding circumstances made me feel like we were being chased out.

Just as we were almost at Jangryeong Valley, we found ourselves near the mountains where the entrance to Jangryeong Valley was located. There, the Bancheon Alliance and Thunder God Lineage experts were resting. I asked Mangnyang,

“Isn’t Jangryeong Valley the place that promises gold bars if you answer three questions correctly?”

“That’s correct. It’s also a secretly hidden force in the martial world.”

“What kind of person is the Lord of Jangryeong Valley?”

“The original name of the Lord of Jangryeong Valley is Gui Guo Zi, and he’s one of the most brilliant strategists in the martial world.”

“Gui Guo Zi, is that why he’s helping us?”

I was slightly surprised by his next answer.

“Because he’s my uncle.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Mangnyang gave a bitter smile. “It’s to be expected from a clan that’s been known for its intelligence throughout the ages.”

Gui Guo Zi is Mangnyang’s uncle!

Just as I was about to dig deeper into this intriguing fact, a distant rumbling sound filled the air.

“…?!”

The martial artists resting under the shade of trees were suddenly startled to see five whirlwinds rolling in from the plains. At the same time, everyone quickly got up, grabbed their weapons, and prepared to flee. With whirlwinds of that scale, they might end up dead.

But just then, a thunderous Lion’s Roar echoed through the skies.

[ Hahahaha!! I’m here to deal with the Thunder God Lineage’s defeated soldiers!!]

Something shot up from the center of the whirlwinds, unfazed by the chaos. It was surprising that a mere human could disregard such whirlwinds, but soon, I recognized the voice and felt despair.

“What the hell! Why are you here in a place like this!!”

“Baek Woong! What’s going on?! Do you know who that is?”

“That person is the Dharma Guardian of the Wind Spirit Sect!”

Boom!

Then, the Dharma Guardian of the Wind Spirit Sect unleashed an immense whirlwind, crashing down upon the mountain. Astonishingly, the entire mountain felt as if its skin had been scraped off, with thousands of trees uprooted and sent soaring into the sky.

“Wah!”

Naturally, it was beyond the capacity for any human to withstand, and more than 30% of the martial artists were sent flying like leaves in the wind. Those caught in the trajectory of the whirlwind were torn apart instantly.

Lee Kwang’s eyes sparked with intensity as he transformed into complete combat readiness.

“Enemy! You’ve come right in front of me, Cheon Woo-jin!!”

The Dharma Guardian of the Wind Spirit Sect, known as Cheon Woo-jin, chuckled while crossing his arms, as he called out the Six Harmonies Assembly.

[ Hahaha… That little brat has grown quite a bit… Is it fun being the commander in the Central Plains?]

“Shut up! I’ll take you on myself!!”

Lee Kwang shot forward like a beam of light, and Cheon Woo-jin revealed his Dao in response. Moments later, I saw Lee Kwang’s spear unleashing Thunder Cloud Palm aimed directly at Cheon Woo-jin’s heart, while Cheon Woo-jin’s blade brought forth the divine wind fighting technique which unleashed a terrifying mirage.

After the clash of the peerless masters, everything turned white before my eyes. Then, the delayed shockwave swept through the heavens and earth.

Boom!

The rotation of Thunder Cloud Palm broke through the heatwave and struck Cheon Woo-jin’s defenses. As Lee Kwang’s fierce assault charged forward, Cheon Woo-jin concentrated his energy onto his blade, the condensed wind blade, so dark it was almost black, collided with the Thunder Cloud Palm.

Boom!

“Ugh…!!”

Watching them battle from relatively close, I thought, “The main martial technique of the Wind Spirit Sect is the sword skills. Truly impressive.”

It seemed like they were only using fist techniques as a side thing. In fact, when Cheon Woo-jin fought the Guardian of the Moon Sovereign, he utilized the Heavenly Spirit Pill to unleash the wind’s blade as he fought. Cheon Woo-jin appeared to be acknowledging Lee Kwang as a significant opponent.

I turned to Jin So-cheong, who was watching alongside me.

“Senior! Can’t we do something?!”

“…It’s futile. It’s too perilous to step in now. If I recklessly intervene, the master will surely be in danger.”

It seemed like Jin So-cheong’s desire to intervene was stronger, as he was biting his lips until they bled. He mumbled blankly, “Why did he rush in like that…? He’ll only suffer losses at first contact.”

“So we have to just watch until the outcome is decided?”

“Don’t worry, Senior. I’ll help the master somehow. But you should evacuate with the others first.”

“Understood.”

Currently, unless someone was at Lee Kwang or Jin So-cheong’s level, everyone else would only hinder their fight. I gathered the others, including Mangnyang, to distance ourselves from the source of the battle. Behind me, roaring like the heavens, a thunderous sound and storm was rampaging, but I tried hard to ignore it.

Miho, following behind me, said with irritation,

[ Is that the guy who killed me in my past life?]

“Yeah.”

[ I have no idea where I can escape from such a monster.]

“…There’s probably no need to worry about that.”

Eventually, we ran into the elite Golden Eagle Guards and the Imperial Guards, blocking our way. The Golden Eagle Guards seemed to have brought their remaining troops, totaling about five squads, while the Imperial Guards were on standby with around five thousand soldiers. The sounds of clashing weapons echoed fiercely through the mountains.

Clang!

Clang!

“Die!”

“Woahhh!!”

The experts of the Bancheon Alliance were not easy opponents, managing to endure even in absolute numerical disadvantage. Just as I jumped into the battlefield, aiming to knock out the enemies with a single strike imbued with my inner strength—

Boom!

“Weren’t you the brat who cut my leg? Hehehe.”

A man in a silver mask with a sinister smile blocked my attack. In the blink of an eye, he countered my strike with a circular parry. Amazingly, despite directly facing my attack, he didn’t even take a step back, indicating he had impressive inner strength or defense to match mine.

“Commander!!”

The commander of the Golden Eagle Guards said.

“This is your grave!!”

“Do you think I’m still the old me? Try and see!”

I dashed towards the commander with Thunder Shadow Step to attack. The commander evaded my strike using Lee Hyeong-hwan’s technique, allowing me to chase after his real body and unleash a series of Sword Flames.

Clang!

My sword clashed with the commander’s weapon, creating sparks, and after a moment of separation, the commander spoke, surprisingly, “Hoh… Impressive… For your age, really impressive.”

The blade of the Moon Blade attached to the commander’s weapon had a slight crack.

Indeed, the difference in skill between me and the commander wasn’t that immense. Even though the commander was a higher expert, this degree of difference could definitely be compensated with strategy and my attacks. I felt a strong sense of victory and provoked him.

“I think I’ll become more formidable after taking your head, so I hope for your cooperation!”

“Haha, that’s impossible.”

As the commander blocked my sword, his eyes turned red.

“I’m about to obtain invincible power and immortality…”

Boom!

Before he could finish, flames erupted from the commander’s body. I turned around to see Miho, now in her half-human, half-fox form, secretly unleashing her fox flames. Surrounded by blue flames, the commander seemed unable to find a way to recover as a human. Miho coldly shouted,

[ Hmph! Immortality or not, enjoy being well-cooked meat.]

Any normal human would have died here. But the commander, surrounded by black flames, started to chuckle in that state.

“Hmph, hohoho, hahaha…!!”

The charred parts of the commander’s skin peeled away like sweet potato skins. Soon, red lines began appearing grotesquely across his body, and flesh began to writhe out from within.

“I have transcended humanity!!”

Grrr…

In an instant, the body of the commander of the Golden Eagle Guards, buried in flesh, began to grow larger and larger. Eventually, the ‘flesh’ that was almost floating in the sky suddenly shot out hundreds of tentacles. Waving his tentacles, the monstrous figure seemed to think of us as enemies and disappeared into the clouds.

‘What the…?’

Suddenly transforming into an otherworldly being and retreating from the battlefield was beyond my comprehension.

Just then, I felt the presence of Yeodong-bin.

[ Yeon-ja, it’s extremely dangerous right now! That monster is preparing powerful techniques!]

‘Why didn’t you show up last time?’

I asked as I regained my senses, and Yeodong-bin replied.

[ Because you were an easy opponent! The more practical experience you gain, the faster you grow! But this time is different! With your current skill level, you have a 100% chance of dying!]

After a hasty response, Yeodong-bin urgently shouted in my mind.

[ So open your potential according to the second essence of Heavenly Escape Sword Technique!]

Essence of ‘release.’

This involved allowing some of the eight meridians to open, helping the Sword Master Yeodong-bin create an environment to harness his strength. Upon sensing his urgency, I realized that the commander of the Golden Eagle Guards had transformed into a serious monster.

‘If I open all eight meridians, I’ll die.’

I hesitated, but Yeodong-bin persuaded me.

[ You don’t have to open them all. I’ll open them sequentially.]

“Please!!”

I entrusted my body as per the essence of faith. Simultaneously, I reconfigured my body to make opening the eight meridians easier.

Hummm…

[ I have come to eradicate the Demon Path!]

Divine Energy flowed from my eyes. Yeodong-bin descended once more and rummaged through his Wooden Armor, pulling out a set of emerald-green twin swords he had hidden in a corner. After sensing something for a moment, he exclaimed in admiration,

[ These are the Twin Broadswords of the Great Emperor during the Three Kingdoms Period!! They’re truly remarkable.]

It seemed like they were weapons that would allow for much greater power than Yodo Muramasa. Yeodong-bin lifted one sword close to him with his Sword Flying Technique while holding the other in his right hand, assuming a battle stance. As the monster that had disappeared into the clouds likely regarded him as an enemy, he waited with his sword drawn.

Then, he roared like thunder.

[ Ha-up!!]

Crack!

Time seemed to freeze. The sword he had lifted entered beneath his feet, and Yeodong-bin, without hesitation, rode the sword and shot up into the skies. I couldn’t believe that I was experiencing something like this, feeling myself ascend from the ground to the clouds in the blink of an eye.

This is — the legendary Sword Flying Technique!

Once I reached above the clouds, I didn’t have the leisure to enjoy the sunlight bathing me. On the other side of the sea of clouds sat the [former commander who had turned into a monster], exuding dark energy. It seemed he had lost all semblance of human reasoning, as he unleashed an endless stream of tentacles and gathered power. The purple energy soaring upward made it clear he had far greater strength than the progeny of the evil god I had once encountered at sea.

Sword Master Yeodong-bin, standing on his sword, glared at the monster commander. Then he spoke,

[ Wicked being! Did you sacrifice your soul to seek power, to forcibly open the dimensional boundary with Dark Heaven Village and draw down the powers of darkness?]

Shickshick!

The monster offered no reply. Instead, it stretched out hundreds of massive tentacles in all directions and began to spit out lightning and flames in succession. Waves of gigantic lightning and flame raced toward us, capable of parting the sea of clouds in an instant. The overwhelming pressure indicated that this monster commander fundamentally differed from the demons of the Abyss.

[ Nonsense!]

Heavenly Escape Sword Technique!

Six Intent Saintly Heaven Diagram!

Cloud Decisive Attack!

In an instant, thousands of Qi Blades manifested near Yeodong-bin’s body. The radiant blades fell like a rainstorm, dispelling the waves of lightning and flames head-on. As time and space collided, his spear launched forth, eventually striking the monster’s foreleg.

Boom!

But as the monster began to regenerate at an alarming rate, Yeodong-bin, genuinely furious, shouted,

[ This scoundrel!! You never intended to face me! You planned to open a portal to Dark Heaven Village using the life and soul of the wicked being?! A plot by the Evil God…!!]

Something felt off.

[ I will not forgive this!! Absolutely will not forgive!]

Yeodong-bin’s emotions surged over, and although he had always been tough and passionate, the formerly composed aura of an immortal was gone. His anger was escalating to the point of losing control. This meant that the battling immortal Yeodong-bin had genuinely reached his breaking point.

Terrifying rage surged within!

[ HAAAAAAAA!]

Suddenly, Yeodong-bin began to open my eight meridians. The first was already open, but he rapidly opened the second to the sixth layers. The power pouring from Yeodong-bin grew overwhelmingly strong, creating a sphere of bright jade in the void.

I felt dizzy.

It felt like all my strength and life force was being pulled into the bright jade. This sensation was far too familiar, reminding me of the impending arrival of death.

‘ Yeodong-bin! Wait! Just a moment!!’

I desperately shouted, but Yeodong-bin paid no heed and unleashed a thunderous roar of immense rage. At that moment, the power of the Great Destruction flowed forth, opening all eight meridians entirely.

[ This is the Phoenix of the Celestial Realm!!]

Heavenly Escape Sword Technique!

Phoenix Summoning!

Ku-gu-gu-gu!

The bright jade itself was not a weapon. Instead, as the jade shattered, a colossal dragon revealed itself into the realm, ready to dominate the world. The spirit form of the divine red dragon gazed down at the monster commander in front of him.

This was an unfathomable summoning— summoning the strongest divine beast in the Celestial Realm!

It was akin to summoning the Phoenix that had been invoked back in Goryeo.

Hoo…

Moments later, the red dragon twisted its body, gathering divine power all around. Then it charged forward, sinking its fangs into the monster commander, and as the tentacles writhed in agony, a fearsome spirit of flame began to vaporize, resulting in a colossal explosion unlike any I had ever experienced.

The sound fell silent.

The earth trembled.

Heaven and earth turned upside down.

Boom — !!!

The power of the red dragon! It truly was a calamitous force.

The sea of clouds disappeared, replaced by an explosion of several hundred feet in diameter engraved into the firmament. The monster commander vanished without a trace. Despite the immense power obliterating the monster, I couldn’t bring myself to celebrate our victory.

I was falling.

“……”

Whee!

I wanted to either perform a roll in mid-air or shield myself with my inner strength, but with Yeodong-bin opening all eight meridians, I had no inner strength left, and my body was breaking down. It was a state where even a Great Immortal couldn’t save me.

We may have won, but what kind of victory is this?

‘ Argh… Damn… This can’t be…’

It felt unbelievable that I’d die after doing so much.

“Yeodong-bin you bastard…”

Boom!

The pain of falling was momentary.

That marked my 11th death.

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