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“What do you think you’re doing, you little rascal?”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol and Baek Won-sangma shaped up to attack me, brimming with confidence. After all, they didn’t even consider the possibility of losing to me!

“What the heck… this guy…!”

Whoosh!

Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s insane power gathered in the form of strong Qi in his hands. Baek Won-sangma wasn’t taking it easy either, summoning their sword qi as they readied themselves for a fight.

‘Definitely three Peak Experts. This would normally be a tough battle.’

But that was the past. As soon as I laid eyes on them, I got a grip on how to handle it. I grinned and said to Dongbang Mu-gyeol, “Why the rush? What’s the rush to fight right now?”

“I’ll give you a reason right now!!”

With a loud shout, Dongbang Mu-gyeol charged toward me. With a whoosh, the air ahead lit up in an instant. Just like before, the wide, fan-like destruction tore through the ground, showcasing his immense power.

‘Whoa.’

In that moment, I smoothly dodged Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s attack using the Soul Removal Technique. As I did, I cleverly tossed a dagger from my pocket, and since Dongbang Mu-gyeol was just a bit stiff from attacking, he couldn’t avoid the dagger. He barely managed to avoid a direct hit, but a long streak of blood marked his thigh.

Although Dongbang Mu-gyeol had taken a powerful elixir from the White Lotus Sect, his martial skills weren’t anything special. I could read his techniques and counter with enough expertise.

Ignoring the situation, Baek Won-sangma quickly drew their sword and unleashed the Moon Maiden Sword at me. I had beaten one of Baek Won-sangma in a face-off before, but it was undeniable that each of them was at the very beginning of becoming Peak Experts. Their combination attacks were no joke either.

A butterfly-shaped sword strike slashed through the air, diminishing my space to dodge. They sensed the speed of my Soul Removal Technique like true experts and came at me with well-timed attacks. I held my ground, gathering power in my hand and countered with the Thunder God Fist.

Crash!

The clash of the Thunder God Fist and the sword strike produced a thunderous noise. A great resonance echoed through the air, sending the Baek Won-sangma trio flying backward several meters. They quickly flipped in the air to soften the landing, but their faces showed clear signs of shock.

“Ugh!”

“What the…?”

Having lightly repelled their flurry of attacks, I smirked. “I can play with you, but you’ll have to pay the price.”

“Grr…”

Though I said it lightly, my tone carried a hint of killing intent. They seemed to have caught on to the underlying meaning, proving they had the skills to back it up. Dongbang Mu-gyeol relaxed his shoulders slightly and said, “Are you perhaps a Half-Transition Master? Your martial art can’t be just that…”

His voice had taken on a polite tone. I smirked inwardly and shot back, “Isn’t it better to get down to what brought you here first? Why did you come looking for me?”

After a brief hesitation, Dongbang Mu-gyeol replied, “I felt a massive aura rippling from a distance. So, I was waiting here to uncover its source.”

“I see.”

As Peak Experts themselves, they could sense powerful auras. And since I hadn’t bothered to hide mine because I was tired, they easily identified my presence. Naturally, they must have been curious about the giant aura’s owner—me.

Dongbang Mu-gyeol asked, “Who are you? How do you know about our identity?”

I gazed at him quietly and replied, “What good will it do to explain? You said ‘visitors are not kind’ and immediately tried to attack me, why should I tell you anything?”

“I see…”

Just as Dongbang Mu-gyeol was about to charge again, I interrupted him with a smile, “Haha, I’m just kidding.”

“Huh?”

“I was dispatched from the Elder Council directly affiliated with the Master of the Sect. But I have different orders than yours.”

“……!!”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol and Baek Won-sangma exchanged startled glances. My claim of being from the Elder Council pertained to their doubts. My appearance as a Half-Transition Master and knowing Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s identity put the pieces together for them.

‘Well, it’s a lie, but…’

Looking at me with a perplexed expression, Dongbang Mu-gyeol asked, “Wh-what mission?”

“Why would I tell you that?”

I turned my head and continued, “What’s certain is that my mission is different from yours. Stay out of my way, and go along your path.”

“Ugh… I can’t believe this.”

“Well then.”

As I turned to leave, Dongbang Mu-gyeol quickly called out, “Wait! Just a moment!”

As I halted my steps, Dongbang Mu-gyeol cautiously spoke. “If I believe you’re from the Elder Council, would you help us with our mission?”

Excited internally, I thought, ‘Here it comes!’

I had considered that if I pretended to be from the Elder Council and asked for collaboration, they would find it suspicious. So I had planned to act nonchalant and slowly distance myself, expecting Dongbang Mu-gyeol to signal me. A person like him wouldn’t ignore someone so shady.

As soon as he bit the bait, I leisurely replied, “Isn’t your mission to find the seed of the Dragon Flower Tree? What can I help with?”

“Huh, you even know that… you’re the real deal.”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol gasped. He seemed to have thrown away all doubts now, speaking earnestly, “In fact, we’ve been facing difficulties negotiating with the Zhuyong Tribe. Right now, we were heading to the White Lotus Sect’s Yunnan branch to gather supplies we can offer them.”

“……?”

Recalling past memories, I remembered the information Dongbang Mu-gyeol had revealed when Miho had enchanted him.

[ I received an opportunity to review the Ancient Library as a tribute of the Sacred Lotus presented to the Black Prince Naresuen, the overlord of Southern Barbarian… At that time, I encountered a suspicious clan and ended up making additional trades… ]

[ I was able to speak both the Southern Barbarian and Vietnamese dialects, but lacked the ability to interpret the ancient scripts from the library… Those wanting to receive the Sacred Lotus offered to interpret those ancient scripts… And Naresuen commissioned them for further assistance… I was able to interpret the library’s collection with their help… along with seeing the remains of the Giants.]

[ Descendants of the Yan Emperor, Shennong, from the legend of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors… namely, Chi You, Gu Bo, Gong Gong, and Xing Tian—all mighty beings… They left behind mysterious ruins in a place far beyond the Southern Barbarian’s Five Wu… ]

[ With the help of that suspicious tribe… they called themselves the Zhuyong Tribe… I was able to enter their domain and discover something terrifying… ]

“……”

Having operated the Thunder Spirit Classic during that conversation, I remembered every detail. Reflecting on the situation Dongbang Mu-gyeol was in now, I had an idea of what might be happening.

‘I see. This guy was heading to the White Lotus Sect’s Yunnan branch to get the Sacred Lotus.’

The mission to gather resources likely meant obtaining the Sacred Lotus to present to the Zhuyong Tribe. After obtaining the Sacred Lotus, he would surely aim to interpret ancient texts through their negotiation. I pieced together everything while pretending to not have a clue and asked, “Zhuyong Tribe? What are they about?”

“Uh, well, it’s somewhat complicated to explain… but anyway, they’re supposed to help with the interpretation so we can find clues for the Dragon Flower Tree. They’ll offer the Sacred Lotus as compensation.”

“The Sacred Lotus…? So they crave internal power as well.”

“I don’t know. They’re quite strange…”

Stumbling over his words, Dongbang Mu-gyeol continued, “Since you’re a master of the Elder Council, you could surely secure the Sacred Lotus even better than I could. Please help us.”

“Hmmm.”

I contemplated my next move. Dongbang Mu-gyeol might be from the White Lotus Sect, but his position was ambiguous, caught in limbo. It wouldn’t be easy for him to secure the Sacred Lotus on his own in Yunnan. Thus, he sought my help as a master of the Elder Council to obtain it more easily.

Of course, I wasn’t really a master of the Elder Council, so complying wasn’t an option. But I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

‘If luck permits, I might meet the Zhuyong Tribe soon.’

The Zhuyong Tribe likely had connections to the Otherworldly Race, and I was hoping to engage with them through the Muwang Tower aimed at Fire Spirit. By pretending to assist Dongbang Mu-gyeol, I could reach my goal.

Having made my calculations, I casually said, “If I help you, what do I get in return?”

“I’ll assist you as best as I can on your mission. Once I get the Sacred Lotus, I’d essentially have completed my own mission…”

I knew Dongbang Mu-gyeol was lying. His real mission involved obtaining the seed of the Dragon Flower Tree, meaning he had quite a way to go.

Securing the Sacred Lotus, interpreting the ancient texts, then delving into the Giant’s ruins and heading south where the Fire Spirit was located. His journey was only just beginning, but I also knew he planned to head back to the White Lotus Sect midway. No matter how skilled he was, he wouldn’t dare venture to the edge of the world.

‘Well, if it’s just about the interpretation, that’s true.’

Lost in thought, I said, “Make sure to introduce me to the Zhuyong Tribe. And I want to participate in negotiations too.”

“What… you know the Southern Barbarian dialect?”

“Not what I was implying, if it’s like this, I’ll need to report your mission’s progress to the Master of the Sect. So I’ll have to observe it closely. And you should immediately comply with my requests.”

Finding no flaws in my words, Dongbang Mu-gyeol narrowed his eyes. “Even if you’re from the Elder Council, you really have some spunk. Just how much can you help?”

“Answer me first. What’s your decision?”

“… Understood. I’ll follow your demands.”

Agreeing to my terms, Dongbang Mu-gyeol looked amazed as I pulled out two pairs of Black and White Lotuses from my pocket. Seeing the flower appear out of nowhere shocked him greatly.

“Whoa!”

“Here you go. We can use this to negotiate with them.”

“Is… is this the Sacred Lotus? The one I know is just white.”

“It’s a Sacred Lotus modified and cultivated at our sect. It possesses far more power than the standard ones. It’s still classified information.”

“……!!”

“Well then, let’s go.”

Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s jaw dropped as he exclaimed, “Incredible! Truly the Elder Council…”

He couldn’t not believe me. After all, the appearance of the White Lotus was almost indistinguishable from the Sacred Lotus, the only difference being the added black lotus arching beside it. Even if he wanted to doubt it, he had no grounds to.

“Oh, by the way, how should I address you?”

I, feeling cheeky, replied, “Just call me Yeodong-bin.”

“…Sure thing.”

With a whoosh, I took a brief rest before following Dongbang Mu-gyeol and crew southward for quite some time. They really came from the Southern Barbarian, making a long stretch past the borders of the Central Plains. After running like a maniac for a while, Dongbang Mu-gyeol started giving me minor details.

“We’re headed to the royal palace of Black Prince Naresuen, the ruler of the Southern Barbarian. He’s an incredible master, and his forces are no joke, so we have to proceed with extreme caution.”

I shot a sideways glance at Dongbang Mu-gyeol. ‘He’s issuing a warning?’

Dongbang Mu-gyeol was infamous for being a brash jerk in the Central Plains Martial World. He had no qualms about causing chaos with his sophisticated martial skills, openly robbing from the Four Talents Sect among the Five Great Families. He had a trashy personality, but he was also very confident in his abilities. For him to warn me meant something serious.

I jumped over a large tree and replied, “Wasn’t the Southern Barbarian a land of savages? So this Naresuen guy mastered martial arts?”

“It seems so. It feels like he’s skilled in Fist Techniques, the level I sensed was impressive. He probably uses the Mind Control Technique.”

“……!!”

I was surprised internally. Masters capable of employing the Mind Control Technique were rare. Even in the expansive Central Plains, they were hard to come by. For a king of a nation to reach that level of martial art was indeed peculiar. According to Dongbang Mu-gyeol’s assessment, Naresuen’s skills could rival or exceed his.

‘Looks like Southern Barbarian martial arts exist after all.’

While I was thinking, Dongbang Mu-gyeol said, “I honestly thought securing the Sacred Lotus would take at least a year, but we’re alive.”

“Well… you’ll have to help me with my task as well moving forward.”

“Ugh.”

As we chatted casually, it took about two days before we finally entered the thick Southern Barbarian jungle. Breaking through the dense thicket, a huge city came into view, looking completely foreign compared to anything I had seen so far.

“This place is called Ayutthaya.”

“Ayutthaya?”

“The capital of the Ayutthaya Empire.”

It had a peculiar name, but I figured it made sense for the Southern Barbarian. Following Dongbang Mu-gyeol into Ayutthaya, I found that the roads were surprisingly well-maintained, and the clothing of the people reflected a certain decorum. Moreover, it seemed to be an irrigated city, equipped with amenities, and it was undoubtedly populated.

As I noticed soldiers here and there brandishing firearms, I froze. “Guns?”

Noticing my surprise, Dongbang Mu-gyeol glanced at me. “So you know about guns? Their soldiers are quite a few among the gunmen.”

“Uh-huh. But these…”

I let out a hum, remembering what the Lord of North Sea Ice Palace had talked about in the past.

[ This is a gun that uses gunpowder to fire, using the method of matchlock guns. The ones brought to the Wa Kingdom are probably similar to these. ]

[ As you might have guessed, reloading this is quite tricky. But if many soldiers line up and fire in sequence, it could unleash incredible power. It’s not to be underestimated! ]

[ Furthermore, the current firearms technology of Arasa has advanced, and now gear-driven guns are deployed in actual combat. Although the structure is complex, it doesn’t use matchlocks, making it much easier to handle, and also usable by cavalry soldiers. ]

The Lord of North Sea Ice Palace had explained that firearms were broken down into various types. One method employed matchlocks which required ignition and were notably heavy and long. These matchlock guns had spread widely, reaching both the Great Ming Empire and the Wa Kingdom.

More advanced than matchlocks were gear-driven guns. Using friction with flint inside a mechanical device, they ignited, thus providing a higher level of safety since they didn’t use matchlocks. However, they were less durable and had complex designs, mainly used by the Imperial Guard, which matched the technological advancement of the Arasa Empire.

But the guns I was seeing now were different. They didn’t seem to utilize matchlocks, so they weren’t matchlock guns—but they didn’t resemble gear-driven guns either. They looked far more refined, and there was something odd about the long rods strapped to the soldiers’ waists.

My curiosity piqued as I continued to stare at the firearms, and Dongbang Mu-gyeol remarked, “I heard Naresuen frequently interacts with the various kingdoms of the western regions. Those are probably the latest firearms from the western world.”

“Do you happen to know the name?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but they say it can be fired right after pulling the trigger without the use of flint…”

“Hmm.”

I cocked my head. It sounded unique, but that meant this was currently the best technology in firearms?

And just like that, I followed Dongbang Mu-gyeol toward the audience with Black Prince Naresuen.

 

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