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“We’ve officially entered a chaos zone.”

Using the Bamboo Armor and the Golden Lamp technique, we headed towards the Huashan Sect. Sure, I could’ve just used the Golden Lamp, but Lee Kwang insisted we save mental energy for the showdown ahead. As the scenery near the Huashan Sect came into view, my feelings got all mixed up.

“Master, is it really okay to attack the Huashan Sect now? There’s a lot to consider.”

I asked, a bit hesitantly. Lee Kwang shot back, “What’s there to consider?”

“We made a vow with the Master of the White Lotus Sect, and the Huashan Sect is part of the Nine Great Sects!”

Lee Kwang chuckled coldly, “A vow? What does that even matter? We didn’t promise not to attack their Central Plains stronghold. They’re marked as public enemies anyway. And let’s not forget, we’re the ones attacking first—the Wind Spirit Sect is our archenemy. What more do you need?”

I fell quiet.

“If you’re scared of killing calamities, you can leave now. I won’t hold it against you.”

“No, I’ll go!”

And so here we were, a shabby corner of the Huashan Sect’s training ground. A nearby disciple of the Huashan Sect gawked at us in shock.

“Wait… you guys are…”

Swish!

Lee Kwang didn’t bother to respond and lunged forward, severing the disciple’s neck in one swift move. The poor guy didn’t even have a chance to scream as his head floated away. Everyone behind us felt a chill as it became clear what we were in for today—simple actions like that hinted at the massacre to come.

As expected, Lee Kwang turned to us and softly declared, “Leave no survivors here in the Huashan Sect.”

“Yes!”

“Understood!”

“… Yup.”

Jin So-cheong and the Extreme Tiger responded without hesitation. Even the former disciple of the Wind Spirit Sect, Green Forest King Gu Cheol, answered with a pained expression. There was no room for mercy in this showdown against our archenemy.

But I couldn’t shake off a nagging unease. Shaking my head, I turned to Lee Kwang and said, “Shouldn’t we spare women and pregnant ones?”

Lee Kwang’s eyes blazed fiercely, like a tiger ready to pounce.

“Baek Woong, do you think you’re the only one who understands righteousness and chivalry? Are we just a bunch of heartless bastards who think it’s fine to kill our enemies here?”

“Well, I…”

“I’ll take full responsibility for everything. Just remember, we’re deep in enemy territory.”

“Got it.”

Lee Kwang turned away, his expression boiling with anger—a rare sight for someone usually cold and composed. I knew better than to resist him at this moment; it could cost me my life.

‘Right, no one here is excited about the slaughter…’

Having learned the spirit of brotherhood from Mangnyang, I resisted Lee Kwang’s order for a massacre, but I had to recognize that we were in the midst of a war against the Wind Spirit Sect, an ultimate battle for survival. Killing people we had never met before under that banner was hardly pleasant for anyone, but leaving potential enemies alive was simply foolish.

Suddenly, Mangnyang’s words echoed in my mind. [I’ll be waiting at Jinrang Valley. Do make sure to learn a lot from this fight.]

“This battle will build a lot of experience.”

[What you can learn from Lee Kwang isn’t limited to combat.]

“Huh?”

[He is a dominating figure with the heart of a snake. His actions may seem reckless and primal on the surface, but they are executed with remarkable cunning and cold judgment. If you can learn from his strategy and composure, you’ll be able to grow tremendously.]

Mangnyang’s assessment of Lee Kwang was exceptionally high. No wonder: even Mangnyang, the number one strategist under heaven, often found himself at a loss with Lee Kwang, who regularly turned the tables on him. He was a headache as an enemy and a reliable ally.

And the massacre began. We started slaughtering every Huashan expert we encountered right from the entrance of their internal building.

Swish!

Boom!

The Extreme Tiger’s spear lashed out fiercely, taking down three Huashan martial artists in a blink. I rarely got to see him fight, but witnessing his skills now, it was clear he had reached a magnificent level. Skill-wise, he was leagues above me.

“Haha! Is that all you’ve got?”

The Extreme Tiger bellowed, charging in recklessly, treating everyone on the field like his enemies. With all his lifetime’s effort, he held his ground against two peak Huashan experts at once—it was remarkable!

Clang!

As I took down three opponents, I couldn’t help but steal glances at his battle. Jin So-cheong approached me.

“Master, forget what the master said earlier. There’s likely no woman left in the Huashan at this point.”

In merely half a breath after the fight began, about thirty corpses lay scattered around me and Jin So-cheong. Jin So-cheong had run out of Huashan martial artists to kill, and so he decided to speak up.

“Brother!”

“Do you know why the Extreme Tiger is fighting so hard?”

Lee Kwang had dashed off to where more experts were concentrated. I waited until I confirmed he was out of earshot before I spoke.

“… The master got killed by a Wind Spirit Sect member.”

“Right. Between us and the Extreme Tiger, we hold no direct grudge against the Wind Spirit Sect. So I think your earlier sentiment is valid.”

With a swift motion, Jin So-cheong cleaned the blood from his spear, looking around the battlefield.

“But if we show them mercy, do you think they would show us mercy in return?”

“…”

“Don’t hesitate any longer. We are the Thunder God Sect.”

“Understood.”

With that, I agreed and leaped back into the fray. Just then, the two peak Huashan experts who had been locked in a 2v1 battle with the Extreme Tiger turned their attention to us, visibly startled. I noticed they weren’t wearing the regular sect robes but oddly fitted black wind garments.

‘Ah, these must be experts dispatched from the Wind Spirit Sect.’

The official count of peak Huashan experts was around six—four elders and two guardians. They were likely the guardians or seasoned warriors sent from the Wind Spirit Sect, not the elders. I launched a fierce sword gust at one of them.

Swoosh!

“Ugh!”

Startled by the sudden attack, one of them stumbled back a few steps before regaining his balance. Before he settled, I pressed the advantage to launch consecutive attacks, successfully creating a one-on-one situation between the Extreme Tiger and myself.

“Die!”

With a killing intent radiating from the Extreme Tiger, he thrust his Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear forward. The ever-changing thunder spear was far too powerful for the Wind Spirit expert, who fell to a devastating scream as he perished.

“Gaaah!”

Witnessing the brutal death of his comrade, the remaining peak expert clenched his teeth in anger.

“Ugh…”

With terrifying determination, he focused his energy, adopting a “body and sword in one” mentality, fully prepared to take me down even at the cost of his life. Clearly, this was a martial artist who had trained for a long time.

However, I didn’t plan to accommodate that reckless mindset. The longer this dragged on, the fewer we would be at a disadvantage. I deliberately took a step back from the engagement to launch a thunder blade from a distance.

Crackle!

“Kick… hit me if you can!”

He shouted furiously as he tried to counter my thunder blade, but I merely smiled coldly.

“Who are you kidding?”

With the thunder blade unleashed multiple times, he gradually wore himself out, fatigue consuming both stamina and energy. With his concentration faltering, I swiftly approached him and struck his solar plexus with the Thunder Cloud Fist.

Crunch!

“Guh…”

Blood spurted from his mouth as he succumbed to death. I could’ve toyed with his limbs before finishing him off, but I considered this an act of mercy on my part. As I wrapped up the chaos around us, Jin So-cheong smiled with satisfaction.

“Impressive!”

The Extreme Tiger lowered his spear, saying, “The Master and Gu Cheol have gone to intercept the Azure Dragon Sword Yong Junil. Let’s hurry and help them.”

“Right.”

In unison, we dashed towards the back of the Huashan internal feud. There lay a sprawling Bamboo Grove extending far beyond the rear mountains, indicating Lee Kwang suspected Yong Junil would be hiding there. As we leaped through the grove using light body techniques, I mused.

‘This is definitely a great place for martial arts training.’

But then again, such a location was also ideal for ambushes. As we maneuvered through the bamboo shoots, we spotted corpses brutally slaughtered all around—a clear sign of the Wind Spirit Sect’s earlier attacks on our comrades.

Whoosh!

Landing on a bamboo joint, I exclaimed, “Isn’t it already over? Our Master is just too strong!”

“Not a chance.”

Jin So-cheong answered as he sprinted ahead. “The Azure Dragon Sword Yong Junil is a legendary martial artist. He held back at the White Lotus Sect meeting, so we can’t take him lightly.”

“Hmm.”

The Extreme Tiger, who was running alongside, asked Jin So-cheong, “Then isn’t that dangerous? That Gu Cheol guy was a disciple of the Wind Spirit Sect until just a moment ago…”

“I doubt so. Master probably thought Gu Cheol wouldn’t betray us twice, hence brought him on board.”

“Oh, is that how it is?”

While we exchanged banter, we suddenly found ourselves at a big clearing after traversing the mountain. It was clear that a century’s duel would unfold here, just ten miles away from the Huashan Sect’s headquarters.

BOOM!

Five experts were already facing off at the scene.

On our side, Lee Kwang and Gu Cheol each held their weapons, scanning our opponents. On the opposite side stood Yong Junil, the Azure Dragon Sword, flanked by the guardians of the Huashan Sect. All around lay the corpses of fallen warriors, indicating a massacre had already commenced.

Upon seeing us arrive, Lee Kwang asked, “Did you handle the main hall?”

“Yes.”

“You should’ve taken care of the low-level disciples, too.”

“I deemed this to be more important.”

Jin So-cheong replied calmly, receiving a sideways glance from Lee Kwang. Then, he turned his attention back to the Wind Spirit side, declaring, “Yong Junil. You have no chance of winning, so surrender.”

Yong Junil, the master of the Huashan Sect, and a peak expert renowned throughout the Nine Great Sects, looked amused at the statement.

“I lack the face to surrender, so do me the honor of taking my life yourself, Lee Kwang.”

Lee Kwang gritted his teeth in agitation. “You cunning little rascal. I never saw you gathering the Wind Spirit Sect to your base.”

“I was just keeping my guard up. The intel I had indicated that your Thunder God Sect was moving too swiftly for any traps to catch you.”

Swish!

“So, I aimed to protect my life.”

Suddenly, a group of about thirty experts clad in black emerged from behind the bamboo grove. They seemed to have been lingering nearby, waiting for the right moment to emerge. I narrowed my eyes to assess their prowess.

“……!!”

Strong!

They were far stronger than any Wind Spirit Sect members I had encountered in my tenth life. Unlike before, these seasoned veterans were in their 30s and 40s, possibly trained elite warriors from the mainline of the Wind Spirit Sect itself.

‘Each one a peak expert… What a twist!’

The original Wind Spirit Sect I had seen was likely the next generation, but at this moment it appeared members from the previous generation were still active. While I didn’t think any of these Wind Spirit experts could outmatch individual disciples of the Thunder God Sect, the sheer number of elite peak fighters present was an unexpected setback.

Yong Junil remarked, “Oh, your disciples are impressive. I’m excited to see how far you all can hold against the Wind Spirit Sect.”

“……”

Lee Kwang fell silent for a moment before sending me a message. [Be ready to use the Golden Lamp at any moment.]

“Understood.”

Lee Kwang seemed to focus on retreating, likely aware of the surging power of so many peak experts. It was terrifying enough just to have an entire army of maestros at their disposal—not to mention Yong Junil himself, an unrivaled peak expert, which made predicting our chances of victory almost impossible.

Swish!

With me, Jin So-cheong, the Extreme Tiger, and Gu Cheol standing in front of the Wind Spirit experts, I felt their overwhelming energy weigh heavily on us. They had to have trained in combination skills.

‘Hmm, time to test my limits.’

I sent a signal to Jin So-cheong and the Extreme Tiger. [Please hold them off for just 20 seconds while I gather strength.]

Jin So-cheong and the Extreme Tiger caught on quickly, grinning as they answered.

“Alright!”

“Let’s do it.”

And with that, the battle commenced.

Swish—

Clash!

The tumult of sword and blade winds swirled around us as the Wind Spirit Sect’s experts initiated their combined team tactics to surround us, forcing us to block their coordinated assault.

“Go!”

Simultaneously, Lee Kwang dashed in like lightning, unleashing the Thunder Cloud Palm and the Thunder Dragon toward Yong Junil and their two high-ranking guardians, aiming to break their formation.

BOOM!

Moments later, Lee Kwang and three peak experts vanished in a flash. Light sparkled everywhere as Lee Kwang, Jin So-cheong, and Gu Cheol fought with their utmost effort against the Wind Spirit force. The shape of Miho, who was in the form of a jade, spoke hastily.

[Are you sure about this? Do you not want my help?]

‘It’s fine. Just watch.’

As I concentrated all of my energy into my blade, the Heavenly Thunder Blade surged upward, condensing my inner power rapidly. It expanded tremendously, towering over the battlefield.

Rumble!

Lightning crackled at the forefront, the technique honed to perfection thanks to my training with Baek Woong’s Formation. I noticed that the time taken to maximize my inner strength had significantly decreased since my earlier life.

The Wind Spirit Sect must have sensed something; the pressure of their attacks became more frantic.

“Kill him!”

BOOM!

“Not a chance!”

Just as I thought I might meet my end, Jin So-cheong propelled himself into action, calling forth the Thunderclap!

“Ugh!”

Five necks were severed in a flash as the Wind Spirit Sect fighters ricocheted off, blood spraying. Jin So-cheong looked pale, but the results were astounding. He had just wiped out five high-ranking members of the Great Sect effortlessly. The Extreme Tiger, seeing Jin So-cheong’s glorious feat, clenched his fist angrily.

“Ughhh!”

With his Ultimate Spirit Technique, the Extreme Tiger unleashed a surge of twelve Thunder Shadows. The ability to create illusions from the Ultimate Spirit Technique was exclusive to him, and the more time he spent training, the closer he approached its true essence.

“Cough!”

As the Thunder Shadows unleashed their fury, the Wind Spirit Sect members assaulting Jin So-cheong collapsed, their final efforts to take him down fatally countered. It was shocking how the Thunder Shadows attacked just as if they were real!

All the martial masters on the battlefield were taken aback by the display of power.

“Dang, dang!”

Gu Cheol, dubbed the Green Forest King, was drenched in blood, his strength and energy all but drained after just a few seconds of chaos. Although he too was a remarkable peak expert, the combined strength of the Wind Spirit Sect overshadowed him.

I felt a surge of urgency when I saw Gu Cheol’s state.

‘More, more, more!’

With the force of the thunder blade, the cloud formations began to swirl ominously, as the lightning streaks in the air coalesced into chaotic, snake-like forms that began to compress!

Focus.

Refine!

And channeled all my power into this one line.

My concentration fused as everything from my toes to the top of my head twisted and converged. Sensations heightened to a dizzying degree; it was so intense, it felt like my ears would ring permanently. My head throbbed painfully, but I ignored it all, focusing only on condensing the Heavenly Thunder Blade.

‘Now!’

Crack!

At that moment, with all my power packed into the Heavenly Thunder Blade, I unleashed it!

“Yaaaah!”

With no chance to hold back, I struck downwards toward the surging tide of Wind Spirits swarming us.

Thunder Blade!

Before I could even reflect on my actions, the entire world lit up as it was engulfed in a brilliant glow.

BANG!

Thunder exploded with violent force, annihilating everything it touched in a spectacle more magical than reality itself. Bodies vaporized before our eyes as the sheer rage radiated forth like an unstoppable storm. The accumulated power surged like a breath of fresh air, burning brightly and angrily.

As the brilliance twisted and channeled into a fiery purgatory, another six top-tier Wind Spirit experts were drawn into the flames, leaving not a trace behind.

I struggled to contain the chaos unleashed; I felt dizzy with exhaustion but pressed on, determined to take down as many foes as possible.

BANG!

A secondary explosion rocked the platform, shredding yet another four Wind Spirit experts into nothingness. Their last desperate attempts to kill me fizzled in front of the Thunder Blade.

Even amidst this, I strained to avoid hitting my comrades. Jin So-cheong and the rest were already tightly clustered around me, but the sheer power I unleashed threatened unknowable consequences.

BAM!

Finally, as the Heavenly Thunder Blade’s power dissipated, the surroundings transformed, flattening the terrain. The tranquility of the Bamboo Grove had disappeared entirely, reduced to utter desolation.

I realized there were no survivors and sank to the ground in exhaustion.

“Phew…”

We won!

Even if my inner power was completely depleted, it would take a long while to recover. Nevertheless, I had managed to defeat the foes!

The Extreme Tiger, still next to me, chuckled. “Haha… You really turned inner power into a blade. What an absolute monster.”

I felt an inexplicable joy bubbling up and laughed. “Heh… heh… Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng… it’s yours…”

“You’ve got to give it to me to eat, kid.”

While I rambled nonsense, Jin So-cheong added, “Extreme Tiger, please take the Master and help him.”

“Are you going?”

“Yes. That’s enough for me.”

“Alright… Leave Baek Woong to me…”

“I’ll…”

Ah.

I was utterly drained…

Before I could fully hear their words, I collapsed, overwhelmed by fatigue greater than I’d ever felt even during the ten thousand cuts.

 

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