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In the Heavenly Realm, the Sword Demon brought Tuma to his base, the Shadowless Gate. First, he tied Tuma up tight and stuffed him in a dark room, then he called for me.

“Baek Woong, I need your torture techniques.”

“You mean the Eight Trigram Seal?”

The Sword Demon nodded. “The Eight Trigram Seal and the Six Harmonies Total Kill. I know many torture techniques, but none compare to those two. The Thunder God Lineage’s skills are truly terrifying.”

I paused to think and then replied, “Right now, Tuma is so weak that if we do it too hastily, he’ll kick the bucket before spilling any info.”

Torture isn’t something you can rush. Especially not the Eight Trigram Seal or the Six Harmonies Total Kill; those are designed to inflict the worst pain imaginable and the chances of killing him are high. The Sword Demon, looking a bit weary, said, “True enough. I’m feeling a bit worn out myself, so let’s start the torture in two time frames. Until then, heal Tuma.”

“Understood.”

It was a bit contradictory, but the Sword Demon hoped I would heal Tuma. Even though he was my sister’s enemy, the knowledge Tuma had was worth its weight in gold. If I accidentally killed him, it would be a major loss. Carefully, I decided not to let such a chance slip away.

Squeak!

“Is that you, Dharma Protector Baek?”

“Under the Sect Leader’s order, I’ll heal the prisoner.”

“Yes!”

I passed the guards of the Shadowless Gate and entered the dark room where Tuma was locked up. Once I lit the lantern, I was met with the horrific sight of Tuma sprawled out with his limbs cut off. Holding the lantern, I stared at him for a long while.

Then something astonishing happened.

Churururuk…

“…!!”

I saw something wriggling around. Upon closer inspection, there were dark tentacles or liquid slithering from the severed shoulder and the bloody stumps of his legs. While I found it utterly grotesque, I could also see it was slowly regenerating Tuma’s body.

I stepped closer and watched the movements of his pupils to confirm he was unconscious.

‘I can’t do this alone.’

With my healing skills, it didn’t seem possible. Without delay, I left the room and quickly headed to where Gang Jeon-gil, the physician, was located.

“Physician Gang, please come with me.”

When I unexpectedly showed up, Gang Jeon-gil lifted his round eyes to look at me.

First of Henan Gang Jeon-gil!

As one of the Five Great Physicians, he was as skilled as Hwa Seong-myeong. Due to the atrocities of the White Lotus Sect in the past, he had been forced to operate in secret within the Shadowless Gate. Of course, I had long since exchanged greetings with him.

“Dharma Protector Baek, what’s the matter?”

“There’s a strange phenomenon, and I can’t make sense of it alone.”

“Hmm…? Let’s go take a look.”

Though flustered, Gang Jeon-gil gathered his medical tools and followed me. I showed him Tuma in the dim room, and it seemed Gang Jeon-gil noticed the dark, liquid tentacles as well. He gasped and shouted.

“W-What is this?!”

Churururuk…

“As you can see, the Sect Leader cut off this guy’s limbs, but it’s regenerating on its own.”

“Hmm…!! I’ve never heard or seen anything like this in my studies.”

If Gang Jeon-gil said that, it must be something truly extraordinary. With a mix of fear and curiosity in his eyes, he glanced at me and handed over a technique.

“Dharma Protector Baek, put this technique on and extract those tentacles. We need to analyze it.”

“Understood.”

I took out my sword and cut off a piece of tentacle to place it in a container. The tentacle seemed to ooze a sticky substance as it fell into the vessel. The troubling part was that even after it was cut, it continued to squirm as if it were still alive, making one feel quite uneasy just watching it. Once I sealed the tentacle in a box and handed it to Gang Jeon-gil, he accepted it and said.

“What on earth happened here?”

I then detailed that the person before us was Tuma of the Eight Demons of Martial Daos who transformed into a Dragon Person and was defeated by the Sword Demon. After calmly hearing the whole story, Gang Jeon-gil pondered out loud.

“I can’t give you a definite answer, but… this seems like a separate living being engaging in parasitism.”

“Parasitism?”

“From the ancient medical texts, there’s mention of a treatment method involving the implanting of special creatures in one’s body in ancient times. I wonder if this tentacle falls under that category, but… it’s so peculiar that I’m at a loss.”

Gang Jeon-gil scratched his head as if troubled. After a while of pondering, he declared.

“First, I will gather data from the medical texts I possess.”

“Thank you. How should we recover this guy?”

Gang Jeon-gil stared silently at Tuma and then said.

“It’s too dangerous to perform any further surgical treatment. If things go wrong, you could end up in danger. Instead, it’s better to administer herbal medicine and use Qi techniques to heal him.”

“Thank you.”

Following Gang Jeon-gil’s instructions, I brewed some herbal medicine and infused him with Qi. Thanks to the external nourishment, the tentacles visibly became more active, helping to restore Tuma’s body.

Chururuk.

It hadn’t even been a full hour, yet Tuma’s knee cartilage was already regenerating. Watching the speed of regeneration, I muttered.

“At this rate, he’ll be fully recovered in a day.”

It was terrifying.

A person with all limbs cut off could regrow them in a day!

Despite its horrifying appearance, the tentacle possessed incredible healing properties. No physician could do what these tentacles were doing—regenerating lost limbs. Given that the tentacle was a parasite, it seemed the strength stemmed from an instinct to preserve its host.

By then, Tuma appeared to be regaining consciousness. Upon spotting me, he said.

“Gah… kill me. I have nothing to say…”

“Tuma, what exactly is that tentacle?”

Tuma glanced at the heap of tentacles healing him and then smirked.

“Hehe… it’s a blessing from the gods.”

We were in the Shadowless Gate, and in just one hour, the horrific Sword Demon would come to interrogate him directly. He couldn’t possibly be unaware of that. Despite being in such a dire situation, Tuma could still toss out those words, indicating he was not an ordinary person. He had the capacity to lead the Heretical Sect.

However, I suspected that Tuma’s remark wasn’t just simple mockery but rather held deeper meaning. There seemed to be a clue within his unconscious words.

‘A blessing from the gods…? If it’s a blessing from the gods of the Otherworldly Races…’

Suddenly, I recalled the grotesque forms of the mutated persons I had seen in the Great Thunder Valley. I had assumed it to be a horrible curse, but Master Mangnyang had described that appearance as a blessing from the evil gods.

What humans might consider a curse could, in reality, be a blessing to the Otherworldly Races. Based on this premise, I further expanded my thoughts and reflected on Tuma’s situation. Deep in contemplation, I blurted out.

“Tuma, isn’t it shameful? The power you rely on isn’t your own, but that of the gods. As a martial artist, depending on powers other than your own is quite low.”

I had tossed that remark out lightly, intending to provoke him. But surprisingly, it seemed to hit hard, as Tuma lost his emotional composure and retorted.

“Shut up! What does it matter? After all, humans inevitably rely on the powers of the gods.”

“Relying on the powers of the gods?”

I feigned a perplexed expression. Tuma, perhaps thinking I knew nothing about the Otherworldly Races, scoffed and continued.

“Hmpf, those who don’t understand the gods can never hope to defeat those who follow them. Torture me and kill me, but your downfall won’t change.”

“Hmm, perhaps.”

“……?”

At my nonchalant agreement, Tuma had a look of astonishment.

Still, I found some truth in Tuma’s words. I too had been tossed around in regards to the Old Ruler and the Great Immortal. Direct experiences with mythic-level beings like Yeodong-bin, Xiang Yu, or Daji certainly made it hard to deny the absolute nature of divine powers.

While individual martial prowess is indeed significant, understanding the gods might be even more crucial.

I gathered my thoughts and said.

“Tuma, it would be wise to answer readily.”

“……”

“Consider the actions you took against Seo Mun-hye. Your options now are to die comfortably or in excruciating agony.”

As I spoke calmly, I noticed a flicker of intrigue in Tuma’s eyes.

“Who are you? You act as if you’re taking a step back while talking to a mere lackey of the Shadowless Gate.”

Tuma was sharp as a whip. I briefly wondered if my intentions had shown through my words, then nodded.

“That could be one way to see it. But again, I harbor no personal grudge against you.”

“……”

Faced with the choice, Tuma seemed to be trying to put the pieces together. After watching me, he finally asked.

“Will you really let me die easily?”

“I will judge based on your sincerity.”

“… Fine.”

Tuma seemed bent on dying comfortably rather than upholding the honor of the Wind Spirit Sect. After all, after losing to the Sword Demon, there was no remaining martial artist spirit in him. Understanding how brutal torture could be—having lived as a member of the Heretical Sect—also played a part in this realization.

Thinking I had schmoozed Tuma enough, I started my questioning.

“What’s that ability you had that let you transform into a dragon?”

“It’s the ability to become a legendary Dragon Person.”

“I’d like to know how you learned it.”

“It’s not so much that I learned it… I underwent a procedure.”

“A procedure?”

Tuma replied.

“Some strange sorcerers dressed in peculiar attire from the Imperial Palace visited us. They conducted some kind of ceremony for three days and nights, and when I awoke, I discovered I had gained the ability to transform into a Dragon Person.”

“You don’t remember the ceremony?”

“I was in a stupor after drinking something they called the Demon Waste Potion, so I have no recollection at all.”

It appeared the Wind Spirit Sect had indeed linked up with the Imperial Palace. The fact that the Lord of the Golden Eagle Guard seemed to be aware of the Dharma Guardian likely stemmed from a relationship with the same Wind Spirit Sect Dharma Guardian, Yong Bi-cheon. I had anticipated this step, so I decided to ask something different.

“How many people at the Wind Spirit Sect have gained that ability?”

“To my knowledge, there are currently four, including myself. The other three are also from the Wind Spirit Sect, but I don’t know who they are.”

“Did you volunteer for it?”

“Yes. All the volunteers, including myself, had a strong desire to become stronger.”

“Did the Dharma Guardian Yong Bi-cheon or Yong Junil undergo the same procedure?”

At my sudden question, Tuma seemed taken aback.

“W-What? How do you know about Yong Junil?”

It appeared Yong Junil’s identity was highly classified. If it became known that one of the leaders of the Nine Great Sects was actually the child of Yong Bi-cheon, there would be chaos across the land. However, given that I had learned this through reincarnation, I responded casually.

“That’s not important. Just answer my question.”

“… Neither of them underwent the procedure.”

“Why?”

“……”

Tuma didn’t respond, but I could vaguely guess the reason.

The untrustworthy romantic relationship with the Imperial Palace, potentially leading to enemies, meant those who held significant power, like Yong Bi-cheon and Yong Junil, wouldn’t risk participating. They likely didn’t need it, given their considerable strength, but they still chose to avoid the procedure.

I fixed Tuma with a long stare.

“While it seems like you’re gaining incredible power, are there any side effects? Something like a reduced lifespan?”

“For those who undergo this procedure, when Dragon Transformation begins, they lose consciousness and go berserk. If it escalates further, they go into a rampage. That’s all I know.”

“You’ve undergone quite the procedure.”

“……”

Tuma seemed like the type who would go all out for the sake of becoming stronger, behaving like a battle junkie. If becoming stronger meant throwing away his humanity, he seemed perfectly fine with it. I could understand such a mentality even if I couldn’t relate to it entirely.

‘The real issue lies with the Imperial Palace. If the Wind Spirit Sect has received techniques from the palace, it’s quite possible their ranks now have a good number of Dragon People soldiers…’

Even if the Sword Demon had subdued Tuma with his mind control technique, the capabilities of a Dragon Person must not be taken lightly. Not only do they exceed humans physically, but their combat abilities can rival those of peak experts or even surpass those limits. If dozens of them attacked at once, survival would be impossible.

“Well, that’s enough of the side talk; it’s time for the real deal. You’d best answer thoroughly.”

For about an hour, I interrogated Tuma to squeeze every bit of information out of him. Once I felt I had gathered enough, I went to summon the Sword Demon, who was resting. Seeing that I had already procured the information, a pleased expression spread across his face.

He cast a cold look at Tuma and said, “Farewell.”

“Gah…”

Swooosh…

The Sword Demon raised his sword slightly. It wouldn’t take much more for Tuma to be sliced into hundreds of pieces. But just at that moment, I interjected.

“Wait a moment.”

“Dharma Protector Baek, why?”

An idea flickered in my mind, and I pondered if I was being too cruel. However, shaking off my unease, I said, “We need to confirm.”

“Confirm?”

I walked over to Tuma and placed the Eight Trigram Seal on him.

“Aaaah!!!”

Tuma instantly shrieked. As the horrifying pain hit him, he tried to roll away, but I had sealed his body’s vital points, preventing him from even doing that. The Sword Demon, observing from the side, seemed to understand.

“I see! Sometimes, you need to test the waters before crossing!”

“Yes.”

Once again, I inflicted excruciating pain and repeatedly interrogated Tuma. Unlike ordinary people, Tuma’s regenerative capabilities allowed me to increase the intensity of the Eight Trigram Seal without worry.

“Grr… you… bastard…”

What’s more, the tentacles were desperately trying to keep Tuma alive, making it impossible for him to die even if he wanted to.

‘Sorry, but each piece of information is a matter of life and death.’

If I mishandle this, the Sword Demon could die, or Seo Mun-hye could end up as a slave. Thus, I was left with no choice but to resort to harsh methods. Those who torture must also steel their hearts.

I aimed to cut Tuma some slack in our next life and continued with the harsh interrogation. I could only focus on confirming the information as quickly as possible.

After finishing the interrogation, I at last felt reasonably assured that the information was accurate. As expected, Tuma had spun a web of lies, feeding us about 30% false information in case of his impending doom as revenge against us.

“Now, truly, farewell.”

Crash!

After turning Tuma into scraps, we exited the room.

The Sword Demon spoke to me.

“Now I feel like I understand what kind of person the Master of the Twelve Joules is. Your contributions have been immense.”

“Thank you.”

With a serious tone, the Sword Demon said, “He’s not interested in the human martial world at all. His only goal is to eliminate the Otherworldly Races and defeat the Evil God’s Sect… and he came to the Central Plains to retrieve that Self-Controlled Moon Blade.”

“It’s likely that even summoning the Black and White Lotus will have a high chance of failing.”

“In that case, we have no choice but to sell the information we just gathered about the Wind Spirit Sect to him.”

“That seems the only way.”

Now, the Sword Demon and I were finally poised to strategize how to deal with the Master of the Twelve Joules.

We would sell information!

For the Master of the Twelve Joules, information like the Black and White Lotus would be far more valuable.

 

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