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Thwump!

A heavy light flies in.

The moment I sensed it, a chill ran down my neck. Though I narrowly escaped the deadly range with my peak expert instincts, as I took a breath, blood gushed from my neck.

Splurt!

“…!!”

I hurriedly used my internal power to staunch the bleeding and assessed my opponent’s sword path. Simultaneously, I could objectively inspect my own physical state.

I had a fatal wound but wasn’t dead. The depth of the cut was enough to suggest instant death was possible, but thanks to my indestructible body, I seemed to be okay. Perhaps my opponent noticed this as his eyes glimmered for a moment before unleashing a series of snake-like sword forms.

Clash! Clash!

The sword’s strength clashed in the air with a flash. Yong Junil executed three strikes, making two cuts to the upper body and one thrust to the lower. Simple as it seemed, I realized my area was left open during his second assault and had to roll to avoid it.

As I sprang back up with a buoyant light-body technique, I saw a powerful steel sword flying straight at me. I couldn’t help but cheer inwardly.

‘If it’s a brute force attack, I have the advantage!’

With my overwhelming internal power, I couldn’t possibly lose to anyone short of someone like a Zen master or Deung Gwak! Confidently, I prepared to counter Yong Junil’s strike, but then, something bizarre happened.

Thwack!

“Gah.”

I staggered back. Mangnyang shouted beside me in surprise.

“Baek Woong!”

Ah, my side got sliced. Blood began to surge forth, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful just to be alive.

‘Hah… Hah…’

I was completely caught off guard.

This wasn’t just a superficial cut; it should have cleanly severed my side, taking a chunk of my upper body along with it. The real kicker was that just moments ago, the Invincible Sword flew at me, hitting harder than it looked. Yong Junil’s accomplishment with that sword was terrifying, to say the least.

I was going to die at this rate!

In a panic, I released my Fire Spirit, intensifying the power of the Seven Luminaries. At the same time, I summoned the strength of the National Seal to boost my regeneration ability. A strange force radiated from my body, and Yong Junil gripped his sword tightly, preparing for a single strike.

BANG!

A thunderous explosion erupted, but I couldn’t see Yong Junil being pushed back. In contrast to the peak experts who were overwhelmed by my strength and barely managed to cope, he stood firm right in front of me.

Yet, he seemed a bit unsteady.

‘What was that just now…’

I felt suspicious.

For just a short moment, there seemed to be a glow emanating from Yong Junil’s sword, and it vanished completely from my sight! When that intangible blade reappeared, it was holding its ground against my powerful strike. I sensed Yong Junil muttering during a moment of focus.

[My sword form is incomplete.]

Before I could grasp what that meant, I lost control and unleashed the Seven Great Techniques and Thunder God Sword Dance against Yong Junil with reckless abandon. Every single strike of mine, fueled by the strength of the National Seal and the Seven Luminaries, was impossible for even the Dharma Guardian to face head-on, forcing Yong Junil to evade instead.

The momentum continued in my favor. No matter how famous Yong Junil’s swordsmanship was, the Heavenly Contraction Sword was equally formidable, and my power surged endlessly like a volcano. It was only natural.

‘I’m going to win!’

But just when I saw an opening in Yong Junil’s guard and was ready to slice through, I suddenly halted. I paused because he [didn’t evade].

I found myself staring blankly into Yong Junil’s eyes. Surprisingly, he looked at me with very clear eyes, devoid of any killing intent. Then he spoke.

“Aren’t you going to strike?”

I withdrew my Fire Spirit and replied, “Ten Seconds.”

Indeed.

Yong Junil sensed the ten seconds had ended and judged the battle to be over! Being a peak expert myself, I realized his intention and ceased my attack. In this situation, it didn’t feel right to take his life.

Yong Junil said, “The words about the Fire Dragon Incarnate are true. The wound on your neck has already healed… I truly apologize for daring to suspect and attack a divine being.”

Suddenly, Yong Junil lifted his sword to slice his own right arm. I was shocked and rushed to stop his self-harm.

Clang!

“What are you doing?”

“Will you not accept my apology?”

“That…”

I wanted to say something, but I momentarily lost my words. Yong Junil’s sudden appearance and desire to sacrifice his arm as an apology were so unexpected that I couldn’t process it. Then Mangnyang, watching from the side, chimed in.

“The Fire Dragon Incarnate sees no reason to make an enemy of you. He merely stopped this needless act of self-pacification. Do you understand now?”

“Haha! Is that so…”

Yong Junil laughed heartily. Just then, Deung Gwak rushed out from the depths of the large mansion, exclaiming.

“What is happening here?!”

As Yong Junil glanced at Deung Gwak, he said, “It has been a while, Elder Deung.”

“Hmph! Yong Junil…”

It appeared they were acquainted. Deung Gwak, looking bewildered, stared at us and said, “First, stop the quarrel and all come inside. Let’s talk inside.”

We followed Deung Gwak into his mansion. As expected from a high official, he owned a vast estate that rivaled even the wealthiest. Given its size, it was undoubtedly among the most affluent in Luoyang. Moreover, the interior was adorned with what seemed to be exquisite silver, gold, and lavish decorations.

As Mangnyang surveyed the guest room, he commented sarcastically, “I’ve heard that Elder Deung works for the weak, the commoners, and earnest scholars, yet it seems you aren’t living frugally yourself.”

Deung Gwak casually replied, “Just because I profess to be part of the opposition working for the weak doesn’t mean I must be poor. I assure you, this fortune has been passed down since my ancestor Deng Ai of the Three Kingdoms period and was earned legitimately.”

“I see.”

“As expected of the renowned Zhuge Clan, you’re quite adept at assessing others, Zhuge Hyun… or shall I say, Master Mangnyang?”

As Deung Gwak slyly revealed this, Mangnyang replied, “It’s impressive that you recognize me, given I’m merely a lowly scholar.”

“There isn’t anything surprising about that. I’ve heard the tales of Master Mangnyang, the remarkable seer and fortune-teller of Jinrang Valley; many high officials have found your advice immensely helpful.”

Deung Gwak chuckled, “From my perspective, that’s just the fruit of wisdom.”

“Haha. Please just call me Mangnyang from now on.”

“Very well.”

While Mangnyang laughed it off, I felt a sense of shock. Throughout our encounters, Mangnyang had always seemed sharp, deftly exposing alleys, but against Deung Gwak, he was gracefully turned back on his remarks.

‘So he is indeed a crafty politician.’

Deung Gwak suddenly turned his gaze to Yong Junil. “Yong Junil, it’s surprising to see you, one who has always been in Huangshan, come this far. Could it be about the White Lotus Sect?”

I was slightly taken aback by Deung Gwak’s words. It implied he knew Yong Junil was the leader of the Huashan Sect and the successor of the Wind Spirit Sect. While he didn’t directly mention the Wind Spirit Sect, such familiarity suggested they were well-acquainted.

In response to Deung Gwak, Yong Junil, arms crossed, replied, “I’ve heard the rumors that the Fire Dragon Incarnate has turned Luoyang upside down. On top of that, I’ve heard my father suffered a defeat at his hands. I couldn’t resist checking his strength.”

It seemed this was related to the incident where the Fire Dragon Incarnate had sent Cheon Woo-jin flying with just a whistle. Deung Gwak narrowed his eyes and responded.

“I suspect it’s not merely that…?”

“…”

“Did you come for revenge?”

“Not at all.”

Yong Junil replied definitively, displaying disinterest as he gazed out the window. He seemed to not want to converse anymore.

“Well, this was close. It seems martial artists almost had an incident due to their physical tussle.”

Deung Gwak nodded to me. “I apologize to the Fire Dragon Incarnate. My inquisitiveness for knowledge and curiosity got in the way of proper decorum.”

It felt awkward when Deung Gwak showed me such respect, but as Mangnyang subtly urged me to accept it, I nodded and replied, “It’s nothing serious.”

“So, what brings you all to my ancestral home?”

This was the crux of the matter. Instead of me, Mangnyang leaned forward and spoke up.

“Elder Deung, I must ask, we are deeply interested in how the Confucians and the Fire Spirit Sect plan to reshape the order of the Imperial Palace and the Great Ming Empire. We came to hear the opinions and outlook of the parties involved.”

“As expected…”

Deung Gwak let out a hum as if unfazed.

“I was just speaking with Han Baek-ryeong until yesterday. Tomorrow, the emperor’s enthronement ceremony will take place, and a grand construction of the new Imperial Palace is set to begin. To prepare for this, I’ve sent out public notices across all regions to summon skilled carpenters to the Imperial Capital. The foundational work on the palace should be completed in about two years, restoring it to its former glory.”

“That’s not the type of information I seek.”

“Then what do you wish to know?”

“I’m asking how a respected elder like you, leading the Confucians, intends to govern this nation as the new regime emerges.”

At Mangnyang’s inquiry, Deung Gwak fell silent. He rested his chin in thought.

“So the Fire Dragon Incarnate and your subordinate are keenly interested in human affairs?”

Though he spoke condescendingly, Mangnyang stood firm. “You should respond seriously. The flow of power surrounding the Great Ming Empire is entirely up to us.”

“No one could tell you apart from the Zhuge Clan with that sharp wit. Understood.”

Deung Gwak sighed deeply, intertwining his fingers as he continued.

“Our Confucianism is… an organization that fights against divine beings with the help of the gods. I suspect this will continue in the future. We’ll do our utmost to ensure no evil forces invade the Imperial Palace like before.”

Fight against divine beings with the help of the gods?

Both Mangnyang and I exchanged astonished glances at this unexpected claim.

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t Confucianism a community of scholars striving for societal clarity, taking a secular perspective? Why is the notion of divinity coming from the lips of your leader?”

“Well. For those who only know the surface world, I might have answered that way. But now, with the Fire Dragon Incarnate before me, who recently matched powers above human capacity and fought against this world’s monsters, ignoring this reality while debating Confucianism would be a deception of its own. After all, you have a foot in the underlying world, no?”

“Hmm.”

“Many Confucians overlook this, but the essence of Confucianism is empiricism. Metaphysics without reality is a taboo for us.”

With a wry smile, Deung Gwak continued, “As I said earlier, our Confucianism has actually been a secret society fighting against the beings from the otherworld since the Silver Age. We’ve endeavored to steer the ideology of this Ancient Middle Kingdom towards the righteous path, a coalition of scholars and warriors created during the time of Confucius.”

“…….!!”

As Mangnyang pondered this, he asked, “Could you elaborate further?”

“Certainly. Of our founder, the most renowned is Confucius himself. He roamed the warring states, spreading teachings and accepting disciples for the sake of a righteous system and spirit, yet that was merely part of our Confucian activities. Since before him, we had opposed human sacrifices and evil arts. Therefore, we engaged in dialogues and sometimes compromises with other schools of thought like the Legalists and Mohists to create a secular world devoid of religion… and we’ve been doing this for thousands of years.”

Curiosity piqued, I asked, “Why did the intellectuals of China strive to distance themselves from religion for thousands of years?”

“Because of the evil divine entity known as the [Old Ruler].”

Deung Gwak’s calm gaze met mine as he spoke.

“This world easily falls into evil and is inherently prone to it, leading humans to seek power by appealing to malevolent gods. Thus, we had to mold a shell called [reality] for humanity and continuously impress upon them that religion was nothing more than foolish and misguided superstition.”

“A shell?”

“Once one begins relying on divine entities, a person’s self becomes infinitely passive. If one can freely believe in a religion, it’s but a moment before a wicked empire, enthralled by human sacrifices, arises. Our Confucians worked hard to prevent that.”

That sure sounded convincing.

‘Considering things like offering ceremonies, it makes sense.’

Even as the Confucians fiercely opposed the rulers’ atrocities, in the end, Qin Shi Huang resorted to the offering ceremony, leveraging the power of the Three Sovereigns. It seemed a natural inclination for rulers to grasp at divine power.

As Mangnyang mulled this over, he said, “But there’s one thing that’s unexplained.”

“What is that?”

“What force could have enabled you to contend with the otherworldly races and the [Old Ruler]?”

“…”

“Those entities possess far too much strength to be faced on mere human might alone. Simply constructing a secular system based on Confucianism would be inadequate for resistance. You’ve been acting for thousands of years, yet by what means could you manage that?”

Mangnyang had a point. Even a high-level otherworldly being could appear like a god to a mere human. Despite how ideologically correct the Confucians might claim to be, if they tried to oppose with raw strength, they would be crushed. After all, even peak experts cultivated martial arts for decades would find themselves slain by the otherworldly races.

“As stated earlier, it’s by the power of the gods.”

Deung Gwak spoke gravely.

“No… I should say that the very founding of our Confucianism was by the will of that god. It’s a contradiction. While we, Confucians, exclude religion and deity from our beliefs, our essence flows from divine intention…”

“Which god?”

“Rather than god, we call it the [Great Will].”

Deung Gwak explained, “Ever since ancient times, there has existed a divine entity that instilled the will to widely ‘benefit humanity’ into the human subconscious, one that bestowed its blessings upon those with strong will and ability. The concept of righteous naming we follow was hinted at by that entity, which Confucius then articulated.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Mangnyang, do you know the phrase, ‘The North Star is fixed in its position while the other stars revolve around it’ (為政以德、譬如北辰居其所而衆星共之)?”

Mangnyang nodded.

“It’s a famous saying from Confucius. It implies that the ruler should perform righteous governance from his position, supported by his vassals.”

“But it means more than that.”

“What?”

“That phrase carries with it spiritual authority.”

Deung Gwak made a shocking declaration.

“The theories and teachings circulating among the Confucians aren’t just about discussing the mundane world. Within them lies a type of ‘power’ infused by that divine being’s authority, as I mentioned earlier. This ‘power’ influences words and thoughts, enhancing the innate talents within humans and providing them with the anti-demon strength to oppose malevolent entities, turning into the righteous name that resists evil summonings!”

“……!!”

“Therefore, even a renowned Confucian who knows none of the martial arts or mystical techniques can drive away wicked spirits or demons with sheer will. It’s a power that rivals that of Daoist practitioners or monks.”

“Is that so…”

“Thus, we have safeguarded humanity for thousands of years with the aid of such a benevolent divine presence.”

The moment I heard those words, Mangnyang wore a gravely serious expression.

Then, he sent me a secret transmission.

[Baek Woong. Do you grasp what I’m implying?]

[A bit…]

I understood what Mangnyang was hinting at.

Because as I listened to Deung Gwak, similar powers immediately came to mind.

‘The blessing of Great Creation!’

The power granted by Master Mangnyang to humanity!

A colossal force capable of defying fate and opposing the otherworldly races surely stemmed from none other than Master Mangnyang himself!

 

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