Chapter 245
The day had come again to visit the Dragon King’s Valley with the Sword Demon. As we arrived, I could feel a potent energy, similar to before, waiting for us, and soon after, the energy’s master, Dokgo Seong, appeared before us.
Dokgo Seong wiggled his eyebrows and said, “I will tell you my answer.”
A moment later, he continued, “I will accept your request. I’ll have that guy Baek Woong learn the Thunder God Lineage’s ultimate techniques.”
“We thank you for your grace.”
“But…”
Dokgo Seong slowly walked down from the heavens with Heavenly Sovereign’s method. Just as his last step touched the ground, his additional condition reached our ears.
“I want to know what I’m curious about. You must share your information honestly, without any concealments.”
“Of course! I’ll tell you everything I know,” said the Sword Demon cheerfully.
When I glanced at the Sword Demon, he shot me a message.
[ Just share what you can. Just leave out the things that are too relevant to us. ]
[ Understood. ]
As the Sword Demon sent me instructions, I began explaining everything I knew about the Thunder God Lineage, the Four Great Families, the current state and system of the White Lotus Sect, the Sword Master, and how the sect is working tirelessly to find a treatment for their Young Master.
“Uh…”
As I spoke more, Dokgo Seong’s expression changed oddly. It wasn’t a look of confusion but rather a gaze that seemed to ask, “How do you know all this in such detail?” Then, I began to mention the successors of the Thunder God Lineage.
“As far as I know, the successors of the Thunder God Lineage include Lee Kwang and the Thunderbolt Three Saints. Of course, there’s also Jin So-cheong, a disciple of Lee Kwang, and although not confirmed, it seems that Lee Kwang has additional successors.”
“Hmm… That makes sense… Lee Kwang must have a duty to carry on the legacy of the Sect. And the Thunderbolt Three Saints are capable enough to take care of themselves.”
Dokgo Seong mumbled as if talking to himself, “I want to hear more about Lee Kwang. Where is he and what is he doing now?”
“Lee Kwang is known as the Three Refined Masters in charge of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School in Guanzhong. He may not be that famous in the Jianghu Martial World, but he was actually a Peak Expert among the Four Great Experts of the Imperial Palace.”
“… The Imperial Palace? Azure Dragon?”
“Yes.”
“……”
Dokgo Seong’s expression shifted to one of disbelief, as if he had just heard something unfathomable. He then said, “Well, leaving that guy aside, what about Jin So-cheong, the disciple Lee Kwang took in?”
“She’s quite the talent known as the Best Under Heaven.”
“……!!”
“If not, there’s no way Lee Kwang would take her as a disciple.”
“Hmm… That makes sense…”
As I muttered, Dokgo Seong turned to the Sword Demon and asked, “Sword Demon. You know the intricacies of the Thunder God Lineage, so why haven’t you placed this child in it?”
“I don’t quite understand what you mean.”
“The Thunder God Lineage is currently in a position where every day is a struggle for survival. You must know that placing him under the guidance of a Sect Master from the same lineage would be beneficial for both parties. Why take unnecessary risks?”
The Sword Demon replied with glimmering eyes, “Threatened? Really?”
“…What do you mean?”
“From what I see, the Thunder God Lineage has been granted considerable leniency by the White Lotus Sect.”
“What?!”
“Isn’t it true?”
The Sword Demon continued nonchalantly. “As far as I know, the current top successor of the Thunder God Lineage, the Three Refined Master Lee Kwang, is under constant surveillance by the Wind Spirit Sect. If the Wind Spirit Sect’s Dharma Guardian had sent out their experts long ago, or if the White Lotus Sect had mobilized their top fighters, the Thunder God Lineage would have been destroyed long ago. However, for some reason, the White Lotus Sect only seems to be aware of their whereabouts without taking any direct action.”
“Ugh!”
“The same goes for the Thunderbolt Three Saints. While they are secretly operating the Azure Dragon Gate and the Black Moon Society in hiding, if the White Lotus Sect decided to spread their information network, they could easily track them down. The reason they’re still alive until now is simply that the White Lotus Sect hasn’t bothered to take any action.”
The Sword Demon’s every word was a cool and objective assessment of the current state of the Thunder God Lineage. This was because, unlike Mangnyang, he was capable of judging the dynamics of the Martial World from a different perspective as a leader of the Heretical Sect. For that reason, Dokgo Seong was left speechless, a bulging mouth held shut without a retort.
“There must have been orders from the Master of the White Lotus Sect behind this. The Dharma Guardian of the Wind Spirit Sect, Yong Bi-cheon, would want nothing more than to crush the Thunder God Lineage immediately, but he is forced to obey the Master’s commands to refrain. In other words, you all have comfortably survived for decades thanks to the compassion of the Master of the White Lotus Sect.”
“……”
“Don’t you think it would be even riskier for me to carelessly send my disciple to Lee Kwang and provoke the Wind Spirit Sect? Do you even know the true intent behind the Master of the White Lotus Sect? What is the true meaning of their actions? You don’t have a survival plan but think it advantageous to send a disciple to the Sect Master?”
“Hrrk!”
Dokgo Seong exhaled a sound of distress as the Sword Demon’s words were too logically sound. After standing in a daze for a while, he said, “Y-You truly know so much.”
“In any case, since you’ve promised with your own mouth, you must teach Baek Ho-bok the techniques of the Thunder God Lineage. But first, I have something I want to know.”
“What is it?”
“You’ve identified yourself as an expert of the Thunder God Lineage, yet you didn’t mention your lineage or why you are hiding in Dragon King’s Valley. I wish to hear that clearly.”
“That would be wise. It seems sharing this with you would be the better option.”
It seemed our information had touched his heart, and Dokgo Seong decided to open up. He looked at us for a moment and then spoke.
“Once more, let me introduce myself. I am Dokgo Seong, affiliated with the Thunder God Lineage, and a senior brother of the previous Dharma Guardian Lee Cheong-un. I can be considered higher in seniority compared to the Lee Kwang you spoke of.”
“……!!”
The senior brother of the previous Dharma Guardian of the Thunder God Lineage Lee Cheong-un! That meant he was effectively equal to, if not more significant than, the Thunderbolt Three Saints. In fact, amidst the current White Lotus Sect, few could match him in age and seniority. Therefore, that meant he had surpassed a hundred years old based on appearance alone. Upon hearing this, the Sword Demon countered.
“So you were present when the Thunder God Lineage fell?”
“No. I wasn’t there at that time.”
Dokgo Seong shook his head and continued, “I had left the White Lotus Sect before that. I wanted personal time for martial arts training and had received the permission of the Dharma Guardian. I only learned later that the Thunder God Lineage was expelled by the Master.”
“So, you’ve been residing in the Dragon King’s Valley since half a century ago?”
“Yes.”
Finally, I could understand Dokgo Seong’s oddly passive attitude. He was among the most senior members of the Thunder God Lineage, but he had originally left the White Lotus Sect to devote himself to training. Even after hearing about the fall of the Thunder God Lineage, he couldn’t directly go confirm it due to the circumstances. He could only continue his training in the Dragon King’s Valley, hoping for a better future. For someone like him, the talk of reviving the Thunder God Lineage must be nothing short of shocking.
“Still, you should have come out to the Central Plains at least to gather the remaining Thunder God Lineage members.”
“… That was because Jun came directly to find me.”
“Jun? You mean the Dharma Guardian of the Su Shin Sect, Dokgo Jun?”
Dokgo Seong nodded.
“I left the Dokgo clan to pursue the martial arts of the Thunder God Lineage, but originally, I am his cousin. He soon came looking for me, knowing I was in the Dragon King’s Valley, to tell me the Master would no longer pursue the Thunder God Lineage, advising me to act cautiously. He assured me the lineage would be preserved.”
“So you were indeed from the Su Shin clan.”
“I’ve cut all ties with the clan now.”
The details were becoming clearer. The Sword Demon seemed to recognize that Dokgo Seong was being truthful and pondered deeply. Then he remarked, “It seems your reasons for not venturing to the Central Plains go beyond that. Were you perhaps in the process of completing your martial arts?”
“Yes.”
Dokgo Seong crossed his arms and said, “It’s foolishness to venture into the martial world without my skills being complete. Practicing martial arts here is the best choice for me. I need to gain enough strength to stand against the Dharma Guardian.”
“Are you referring to the martial arts of the Thunder God Lineage?”
“Yes.”
“Sounds good. Then I have a question.”
“What is it?”
The Sword Demon glanced at me. I understood the look and stepped forward to speak.
“I have currently achieved mastery of the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique, and I’m close to learning the Thunder Dragon Sword. However, I’ve heard that upon achieving mastery over the Thunder Dragon Sword, there’s also a final technique of the Thunder God Lineage I can access.”
Dokgo Seong stared at me blankly before responding, “Yes.”
“What is that technique?”
“Your master didn’t teach you what it is?”
“When I was young, I was too busy learning the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique.”
“That’s understandable…”
Dokgo Seong mumbled, “The final technique of the Thunder God Lineage’s sword play is the Thunder God Sword Dance.”
“Thunder God Sword Dance? Does that mean it’s the dance of the Thunder God?”
“Correct.”
Dokgo Seong looked up at the sky and explained, “Unlike practical spear techniques, the sword play of the Thunder God Lineage developed as part of ritual ceremonies. The Thunder Shadow Sword Technique was a guardian martial art for priests, and the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique was used as a dance during rituals that infused it with various transformations. The Thunder Dragon Sword was used to aid the rituals during the heavenly thunder ceremony, ultimately presenting the utmost respect to the divine through the Thunder God Sword Dance.”
“……!!”
“To have mastered the Thunder God Sword Dance means you are equipped with the priest’s capabilities, and thus, you qualify to become the Master of the White Lotus Sect.”
Dokgo Seong’s answer was entirely unexpected.
‘Is that really how it was?’
Lee Kwang, while training me, continuously remarked that “swordplay is weak.” I had thought it was merely because he had a strong pride in spear techniques. But in truth, it stemmed from the fact that the Thunder God Lineage’s swordplay had been more about rituals rather than practical application. I’d often heard about the origins of swordplay, yet I never imagined it would relate to a position as the Master of the White Lotus Sect.
Listening seriously to this, the Sword Demon interjected, “Then the Thunder God Sword Dance must also be a technique of the Stage of Intent. You’ll likely need to fully comprehend the pathways of both the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique and the Thunder Dragon Sword to use it.”
“That’s right.”
“What do you think would happen if the Thunder God Sword Dance clashed against the peak technique of the Thunder God Lineage’s spear techniques? Assuming their proficiency was equal?”
Upon hearing the Sword Demon’s question, Dokgo Seong grimaced as if poked in a sore spot. After grinding his teeth for a moment, he answered, “The spear techniques would have a 90% chance of winning.”
“As expected.”
Dokgo Seong seemed to defend himself, saying, “The Thunder God Sword Dance isn’t entirely devoid of practical application. Surely, a master of the Thunder God Sword Dance could become a top expert in the martial world. However, the spear techniques of the Thunder God Lineage that have been honed through countless real battles over a thousand years are, in their own right, the ultimate techniques of the martial world. In a situation of equal skill, the spear master would always hold the upper hand.”
As I listened to this, I realized what the Sword Demon had been worried about.
‘The sword is weaker than the spear…’
In the Stage of Intent’s martial arts, masters can bridge each other’s boundaries with techniques of Intent. However, that doesn’t mean the inherent advantages of the spear simply vanish. It might even be said that without accessing the techniques of Intent, swordplay would continue to find itself at a disadvantage against spear techniques.
The Sword Demon’s concern was that even if I achieved mastery over the Thunder Dragon Sword and then entered the final technique of the Thunder God Sword Dance, if the outcome was not too favorable, it would lead to problems!
If effort is put forth equally, the spear techniques would be significantly more potent. The reason Lee Kwang had no hesitation in passing down the swordplay’s final techniques to me was likely because he already knew there was a limit with swordplay.
However, this was not something to blame Lee Kwang for. Originally, he had repeatedly stated that the spear was the strongest, yet I chose this path since swordplay suited me better. This is an inherent limit tied to the martial arts of the Thunder God Lineage itself.
As I found myself at a loss for words, the Sword Demon remarked, “Dokgo Seong. Did you perhaps hide out in Dragon King’s Valley to overcome those limits of the Thunder God Lineage’s swordplay?”
“… You truly are a terrifying person to make such deductions.”
Dokgo Seong sighed. “Yes. As a practitioner of the Thunder God Lineage’s swordplay, I have felt its limits painfully since seventy years ago. Ever since then, I have been contemplating how to improve the swordplay. I set out to the Dragon King’s Valley to focus solely on my research a few years before the Thunder God Lineage fell, believing that the swordplay could become even greater than the Thunder God Sword Dance.”
“So did you have any results?”
“……”
Dokgo Seong fell silent, then said, “Sword Demon. Do you know why I’m sharing these secrets so openly?”
“What is it?”
“Entrust your disciple to me. If you do, I will share the essence of the Thunder God Lineage’s swordplay with him. If not, I cannot accept him as my disciple.”
“That was my intention from the beginning.”
“No. You must agree to one more thing.”
A glint of madness flickered in Dokgo Seong’s eyes. It was the kind of craziness only a master devoted to martial arts for a lifetime could possess. “Don’t blame me if this child dies during training.”
Just how grueling did he intend the training to be?
As the realization of the gravity of his words chilled me, the Sword Demon paused briefly before saying, “Of course. I’d prefer it that way.”
“One man’s word is like a golden decree.”
“I will come again soon. At that time, we can begin the transfer immediately.”
“I will wait.”
With that, the two of us left the Dragon King’s Valley. I felt a bit worried and turned to the Sword Demon, saying, “Master, I haven’t fully perfected the Cave-Collapsing Sword and Heavenly Contraction Sword yet. Learning further secrets of the Thunder God Lineage’s swordplay in this situation…”
“What are you saying? Do you think you’ll fully master those?”
In disbelief, the Sword Demon shook his head. “It’ll take too long. You’ve probably realized your progress has been stagnant for a few years now.”
“… Yes.”
That was true. Under the careful guidance of the Sword Demon, I had taken in his insights on sword techniques, including the Cave-Collapsing Sword and Heavenly Contraction Sword, but it had been stagnant for several years with little growth. The Sword Demon continued, “For a born genius, mastering the Seven Great Techniques of the Wudang Sect over a lifetime is an extremely difficult task. If you wish to grasp the essence of the Cave-Collapsing Sword and Heavenly Contraction Sword as is, it’d take at least a hundred years.”
“Huh…”
“That’s why another turning point is necessary. I believe that while you learn the purification of the Thunder God Lineage’s swordplay, you’ll enhance your own talent and martial experience. I think that’ll stimulate you to elevate your stagnated swordplay skill.”
“… Is that really possible?”
While it sounded easy, I knew well how difficult it would be to put that theory into practice. Just how grueling had it been to brute-force my way towards the realm of Sword Strength? If my talent fell short and things went awry, I might suffer even more than I had before.
After a moment of silence, the Sword Demon declared, “You should believe that way. Otherwise, you’ll never surpass Lee Kwang even after a hundred years.”
“……”
The Sword Demon and I returned to Shadowless Gate using the Golden Lamp technique. Then, he said, “To proceed with the next plan, we need to stabilize the gates. For a few days, you should warm up and check your martial arts.”
“What is the next plan?”
The Sword Demon stretched out comfortably in a chair and replied, “I’ll tell you after you spar with Lee Kwang.”
I swallowed hard. The day of fighting Lee Kwang as the third party was approaching at last.
