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Pa-at!

We arrived at an undisclosed location near Guangdong Province. This mountainous region, overlooking the province, held the secret base of the Bancheon Alliance, which was sheltering many survivors. Just not long ago, the Nine Lotus Sect’s attack had wreaked havoc, leaving the city in ruins and claiming countless lives.

‘How many people died?’

At least tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, must have been slaughtered or sacrificed. Knowing the horrors of that situation made me sigh, but this wasn’t the time to dwell on it. Upon entering the secret base, a person wearing a conical hat was there waiting for us.

The hat-wearing figure trembled in surprise upon seeing me.

“Y-You look just the same as before!”

“……?”

Then, he bowed and performed the martial salute.

“My Lord! Seongha Yeon Jong-hwi greets you!”

“Huh!”

I jumped at the mention of that name—Yeon Jong-hwi?!

However, as he removed his hat, revealing the face of an older man, my shock only deepened. The passage of time was undeniable, yet his former handsome features remained, making it clear that he was still quite the looker.

Yeon Jong-hwi wiped away tears from his eyes as he spoke.

“My Lord, it’s been over fifty years… a long time it has been… I have diligently carried out all my missions during that time.”

“Missions? What do you mean?”

“I received orders from Lord Zhuge Sa in the past. The order was to find the traces of the Ten Great Masters of the World.”

What?!

This was news to me. When I glanced back at Zhuge Sa, he casually replied,

“At that time, Yeon Jong-hwi was difficult to use in direct combat, but he couldn’t just be left idle either. So I leveraged his obscurity and employed him as a spy to gather information from the Jianghu. He was also tasked with uncovering details on the Ten Great Masters of the World.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“If you knew about Yeon Jong-hwi’s undercover activities, you would have only worried unnecessarily. Knowing your character, you would have become a distraction if he were in danger, so it was better for me to keep it to myself.”

“……”

“Yeon Jong-hwi was quite skilled. The quality and quantity of information that could be obtained depended on the undercover martial artist’s ability, and he executed almost every mission perfectly over those fifty years. There likely wasn’t anyone in the Jianghu more capable than Yeon Jong-hwi.”

Yeon Jong-hwi, wiping away tears, replied, “Thank you for the praise.”

So that’s how it was.

Understanding the situation roughly, I nodded and asked Yeon Jong-hwi, “What about the information on the Ten Great Masters of the World?”

“That concerns the information about the Ten Great Masters while you lived your ‘first life’, my Lord.”

“Hmm.”

“Lord Zhuge Sa predicted that regardless of how history unfolded, anyone who possessed the skill to sit amongst the Ten Great Masters would reveal themselves over time. However, to prepare for the possibility that it might not happen, he instructed me to gather all martial arts information and trace their whereabouts. So I spare no effort for fifty years to learn about them.”

“……!!”

When Yeon Jong-hwi glanced at Zhuge Sa, he slightly nodded as if giving his approval, and Yeon Jong-hwi spoke up.

“I focused primarily on the Fist Star, Heavenly Demon, and Poison King, as those three were the ones you didn’t know the identities or names of, unlike the other seven.”

“I see.”

“As a result, I succeeded in learning their names and the sects they are affiliated with to a certain extent.”

“Really?!”

This was quite a significant achievement!

Feeling a rush of excitement, Yeon Jong-hwi continued, “The Fist Star is someone named Yi Hon from Goryeo.”

“Is he from the Twelve Joules?”

“No, he isn’t. It seems he mastered the fist techniques through self-study and is currently untraceable. His skill level is definitely higher than that of Seongha. I’m not sure if he has reached the Absolute Realm.”

“Hmm.”

I nodded. This was crucial information I needed to remember.

“The Heavenly Demon appears to be currently fighting alone against the Nine Lotus Sect.”

“Alone?”

I asked back, bewildered, and Yeon Jong-hwi replied.

“For some reason, none of the Nine Lotus Sect’s evil techniques work on the Heavenly Demon. In fact, there’s evidence that he grows stronger every time he defeats a member of the Sect. He even… devoured a Bishop to defeat him.”

“Devoured?”

“There are rumors that all types of demon arts are ineffective against him.”

“What on earth is he?”

“Seongha tried to uncover his identity, but the only thing known for sure is that he carries the surname Gongsun.”

“……”

“His skill level is… definitely in the Absolute Realm. I saw him from a distance, and he was incredibly powerful.”

The Heavenly Demon was becoming more and more of an enigma. Would it be better to find out who he was later?

“Finally, the Poison King, Tang San. He’s in his fifties but is extraordinarily powerful. Like the Heavenly Demon, he operates alone. His whereabouts remain uncertain, but…”

In his fifties? That means he must have been a child or just born around the time of my previous life?

Yeon Jong-hwi hesitated for a moment before continuing, “He’s the greatest genius in the history of the Sichuan Tang Clan. He mastered the legendary secret technique, the “Sky-Flower Rain,” and wields the Formless Poison skill, earning him the title of Poison King. He has a record of annihilating ten thousand fanatics from the Nine Lotus Sect with his Formless Poison.”

“Huh…!!”

Hearing such a terrifying record made my jaw drop.

Ten thousand fanatics from the Nine Lotus Sect! To take on ten thousand of those madmen without regard for life was a feat even a regular army would struggle against! Having experienced the fanatics’ strength firsthand, I couldn’t help but be shocked by the sheer number.

‘And Formless Poison, huh…’

During my visit to the former clan leader, Tang Mu-gyeok, while I was digging up information on Dongbang Mu-gyeol, I heard about the Formless Poison.

[Normal poisons are ineffective. The Curse Poison differs from others in that it lacks any physical medium or pathogens. Even if a poison is extremely toxic, it’s still impossible under normal circumstances. However, there exists one poison that can sever the very cause and effect of sorcery.]

[Formless Poison! It’s the supreme poison theorized to exist.]

[That’s merely a theoretical concept. Neither our Sichuan Clan nor anyone in history, including the Wan Poison Gate and the Forgetting Soul Valley, has ever been able to create Formless Poison. We only aim to strive toward that ultimate realm.]

[The principle of Formless Poison lies in the ability to dismantle the most fundamental chains of existence in anything. Naturally, a poison of material origin can be blocked by another substance. But if a poison exists that can exist without any material foundation, then there’s no way to create an antidote or defense against it, is there?]

[Hehe, and as I practice the art of poison, I often feel as if I’m dreaming. It’s similar to the mindset that regular martial artists have when they pursue the peak of martial arts.]

“……”

According to Tang Mu-gyeok, no one has ever achieved Formless Poison throughout history. This is because Formless Poison transcends physical connections, being able to demolish the very ‘concept’ itself. It’s a contradiction that shouldn’t inherently be possible by human power, yet it seems the future Poison King Tang San had crossed that limit.

After that, I heard about the other Ten Great Masters from Yeon Jong-hwi. All the others I was already familiar with, and as for the Three Great Masters of the Orthodox Sect, aside from the Master of Zen, the others had gone missing. It was only natural since Geol-seon was among the Eight Parts of the Divine, and the Old Sage of Mount Tai was Zhuge Yulong.

Thinking it over, I declared, “I must meet the Heavenly Demon and the Poison King.”

“Haha. If you had shown up in the Seven Days of Darkness earlier, I would have recommended it.”

Zhuge Sa suddenly burst into laughter. “But now that the High Bishop of the Nine Lotus Sect is set to perform the evil deity summoning ritual in just two days, where would we find the time?”

“Damn it…”

Just as I frowned, Jin So-cheong, who had been listening, interjected.

“I may not be able to summon others, but I can definitely call on Poison King Tang San.”

“Hmm?!”

“I owe him a debt from when we fought the Nine Lotus Sect. If I use a signal, I can summon him within half a day.”

“Hmm… then it’s worth a shot.”

Immediately, I took Jin So-cheong with me and moved quickly to the vicinity of Sichuan to the place he mentioned, using the light body technique. Upon arriving in the quiet mountain area, Jin So-cheong engraved some kind of symbol on a large tree. After approximately two half-moments, when we returned to the spot, someone was standing beneath the tree.

The young man standing there wore a dignified demeanor and spoke with a smile, “The Divine Spear, Jin So-cheong, seeks me? That’s something new. Even someone like you, a God of Battle, asks for help at times?”

Stepping forward, Jin So-cheong replied, “Poison King, the Nine Lotus Sect has fallen upon Guangdong Province.”

“……”

“If the High Bishop performs the ritual in Luoyang, humanity will be done for. I need your assistance.”

“Does that mean you’ve also lost to the High Bishop?”

When Jin So-cheong nodded subtly, Poison King Tang San shrugged.

“Then forget it. If you can’t defeat the monster, how can I?”

“He will be defenseless while performing the ritual. We only need to break through the bishops of the Nine Lotus Sect.”

“Haha! That’s not completely impossible… but it’s still impossible.”

“With your strength, we can manage.”

It seemed Poison King Tang San took quite some time to consider. Then he said, “Who’s that ugly fellow standing over there?”

Who else could he be referring to but me?

Jin So-cheong briefly answered Tang San’s question, “He’s the one who helped me become this strong. If he assists, you might also reach my level.”

“Ha ha! Isn’t that a bit too blatant?”

“I speak the truth.”

“Um… alright then. Let’s introduce ourselves.”

As Tang San directed his gaze toward me, I cupped my hands respectfully and said, “I am Baek Woong.”

“So, what exactly is your connection to the Bancheon Alliance or the Divine Spear?”

“We are simply allies striving for a common goal.”

While I thought to myself that Tang San was a rather troublesome character, I also felt I had to make the most of this meeting. So, I took out the obsidian from my pocket and presented it to him.

“Accept this, and you’ll understand its significance.”

“Sorry, but I’ll pass.”

Tang San smirked and waved his hand dismissively.

“Ever since the Nine Lotus Sect showed up, the world has been full of their evil arts. You think I’m going to accept something so suspicious?”

“Um…”

At that moment—

Pa-at!

“Cough.”

Jin So-cheong lunged forward and attacked Tang San, who hurriedly countered. Seeing the techniques of the Tang Clan’s ultimate techniques rapidly unfolding from Tang San, I could tell he was also a master of the Absolute Realm.

However, in no time, Jin So-cheong swiftly subdued him. In merely about fifteen seconds, Tang San had been brought to his knees, his blood circulation sealed.

“Damn it! What the hell is this?”

Tang San shouted angrily, but Jin So-cheong silently took the obsidian from my hand and placed it in Tang San’s grasp. Then he looked at me and said, “Baek Woong, transmit the memory.”

“……”

I can’t believe that someone of such immense skill could be subdued in an instant! I couldn’t even begin to guess what Jin So-cheong’s capabilities would be in fifty years. As I finally transmitted my memories, Tang San trembled before looking at me with a bewildered expression.

“What… a reborn person… such a thing…”

“I apologize for forcing my story upon you, but we’re pressed for time, and you must help me.”

I continued, “Please tell me all you know about the Formless Poison.”

“Hehe…”

Tang San seemed to wear a profound smile. After a while, he said, “Alright. If you intend to save humanity, it would be good to lend my strength. And since you’re a reborn person, it wouldn’t make sense for me to refuse. However, there are a few conditions for teaching you about the Formless Poison.”

“What kind of conditions?”

“Take care of my younger self, and teach me the Seven Great Techniques and the Eight Immortals Divine Art. And…”

At the next condition, I felt utterly dumbfounded.

“You must painfully murder the One-Handed Demon and his wife, as well as their offspring. Also, you must wipe out all the masters of the inner Tang Clan. That is the condition.”

“……”

One-Handed Demon Tang Mu-gyeok was the previous clan leader, renowned as an ultimate master among the Five Great Families during the time of my previous life. I didn’t have any particular grudge against him, yet I was suddenly being ordered to kill him?

Furthermore, telling me to eliminate the inner clan masters effectively meant obliterating the Sichuan Tang Clan!

As I was taken aback by this outrageous proposal, Tang San said, “If you don’t want to, feel free to forget it. Either way, I’ll achieve what I just said by the time I’m in my twenties.”

Upon hearing this, Yeon Jong-hwi, who was beside me, gasped in horror.

“Y-You don’t mean… the incident from thirty years ago when the masters of the Tang Clan perished?”

“That’s right. I did it. I severed all the lifelines of those Tang Clan bastards.”

“……”

I was in utter shock to discover that the future genius known as the Poison King harbored such profound hatred toward his own bloodline!

Just then, Zhuge Sa, standing next to me, commented coolly, “Baek Woong, just agree to the request.”

“What?!”

“Is destroying the Sichuan Tang Clan such a big deal? Compared to obtaining the Formless Poison, it’s nothing. Just comply.”

Was this the right thing to do?

But I soon realized the significance of acquiring the power of Formless Poison. If it could eliminate the ‘concept’ itself, it would be incredibly useful in the future. Left with no choice, I nodded.

“I understand.”

“Hehe… good.”

Shortly after, Tang San, having returned to his senses, began relaying all the information and techniques regarding Formless Poison. I spent about an hour absorbing the knowledge with the others, and as Tang San concluded his explanation, he said, “Regardless of whether you like it or not, is it finally time? Let’s go!”

Seeing Tang San quickly acknowledging and accepting the situation, I realized he was indeed an extraordinary individual, a future powerhouse capable of ruling the Jianghu. I pondered.

‘As Poison King said, it won’t do to just charge in for a massacre.’

I would certainly need to learn more about Tang Mu-gyeok and the Sichuan Tang Clan later.

“Oh, right.”

Before taking action, I decided to visit the Prophet first.

Pa-at!

“It’s empty…”

Had the Prophet also relocated? The Astana I once knew was deserted, with only the biting wind sweeping through.

Eventually, upon returning from Astana, we all used the Golden Lamp technique to swiftly move near Luoyang.

Pa-at!

“Ugh.”

As I arrived in the village near Luoyang, a surge of ominous evil energy enveloped me, causing an intense feeling of discomfort. It felt as though I had walked into a den of demon beasts, with a sticky blood aura rising everywhere, as creatures unrecognizable as humans crawled through the surroundings. Moreover, plants resembling demon beasts stirred to life around the land.

It was as if I had stepped into the Death Sea of Aokigahara! This signified that this place had long since transformed into a demon realm. No living humans were in sight, only a maddening silence that flowed heavily around.

“Is this the threshold for not getting detected by the Bishop?”

Bearing witness to Zhuge Sa’s words, he remarked, “Baek Woong, use the Palace Examination Technique to scout inside Luoyang.”

“Understood.”

Using the technique, I activated it to observe the interior. A powerful aura radiated from about six directions, and at the heart of Luoyang stood a colossal altar reminiscent of the one once built by the Master of the White Lotus Sect. Atop the altar, celestial immortals were impaled like skewers, creating a horrific sight, with some even seen being mistreated.

Additionally, beneath the altar, I spotted demon beasts feasting on humans, or humans bound by tentacles, portrayed giving birth to eggs. The scene was so horrendous that merely witnessing it felt as if it could drain one’s mental strength away.

But before all this horror, the figure atop the altar drew my eyes immediately.

Clad in a Black Robe, although their body was concealed, their power was undeniably vast. They were likely even stronger collectively than all the bishops combined! That figure certainly eclipsed Xiang Yu’s Fighting Spirit!

‘That must be the leader of the Nine Lotus Sect.’

Could it be said to be the closest existence to a god among mortals?

A great chaotic aura emanated from them, making it difficult to discern whether they were human or divine. Realizing my eyes were starting to pain, I ceased my observation using the Palace Examination Technique.

Then I remarked, “They seem deeply focused on something. It seems like they are in the middle of a ritual.”

“Good. Then we should attack.”

Zhuge Sa ordered me.

“Baek Woong, now’s the time to unleash Mu-wang’s Tower’s power!”

 

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