---

So here I am, trying to figure out what’s going on.

I entered the village, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious as I made my way toward the square. After wandering around for about two hours, I concluded this place was disturbingly peaceful.

“What on earth?”

I sat at an inn, mulling over the utter tranquility around me. Apparently, this village was the ‘first place’ where the Golden Eagle Guards and sorcerers conducted human sacrifices. I’d expected it to be a smoldering mess three years later, but no chaos in sight? That was confusing.

‘Something must be up. If things have changed, there has to be a reason.’

I clutched my head, recalling the only significant change I could think of: finding some treasure during my last life, believed to be the secret treasure of the Seven Luminaries, and leaving it with Master Mangnyang. Other than that, my usual routine of internal training and eating Snow Ginseng hardly counts as a cause for such a huge shift.

But really, how could my simple treasure hunt through spider-infested ruins stop anyone’s sacrificial plans? It felt way too disconnected for me.

After considering my options, I stood up; if I wanted answers, I’d have to see for myself.

“Time to go.”

I headed towards the largest mansion in the village, which had a secret passageway from the well leading straight to the kitchen. This place, once struck by the Golden Eagle Guards in my previous life, was home to a family that had perished without a trace, leaving no survivors.

Four guard warriors stood by the mansion’s entrance. I shot them a quick glance and contemplated, ‘To barge in or take my sweet time…?’

The real reason for entering this mansion was apparent; it was the wealthiest and most powerful family in the area, holding the biggest secrets and information. After three years, they’d likely know what had changed and what’s been happening.

I approached the guards confidently. As soon as they spotted me, swords were raised in warning.

“Halt! Who are you?”

“I’m here to become a guard warrior like you.”

“Do you even know you’re on Hua Clan’s territory?”

I nodded. “Of course. I know this is the richest family in Taekyung Village.”

“You think this clan hires just anyone? This isn’t a place for someone that young!”

“Seems like that’s not your decision to make…”

“You little—!!”

Before the guard could finish, a lovely, well-dressed young lady stepped out from inside the mansion.

“What’s all this commotion?”

“Ah, my lady,” the guard squeaked.

She had an elegant, probably priceless silk outfit on, so it was clear she belonged to the Hua Clan. She seemed in her 20s. The guard stumbled over his words.

“This drifter suddenly wants to be hired as a guard warrior…”

“Hmm…?”

She looked at me with curiosity. While she wasn’t quite the awe-inspiring beauty like Sagong Lin or Mo Yong-yeon, she definitely turned heads on the street. Her attractive demeanor hinted that she might even be the most stunning woman in Taekyung Village.

“Are you a martial artist?” she asked. “You seem confident in your skills.”

I played along. “Yes, actually. I ran out of funds while traveling and was hoping to survive as a guard warrior.”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t hire a drifter without verifying their identity. It’s a matter of trust, you see.”

She spoke with such grace and clarity that I felt a bit embarrassed to argue back. Clearly, her status in the Hua Clan was respectable, so I thought about my next move.

“I actually visited this village three years ago. It was peaceful and lovely back then, and I thought it would be a great place for practice, which is why I returned. But it seems it wasn’t meant to be. My apologies for being rude.”

I decided to step back. I still wanted that insider info. Just when I turned to leave…

“Wait! Are you really confident in your skills?”

“…? Yes?”

She smiled softly. “If so, will you take care of the Blue Demon Four Evils that are causing havoc near Taekyung Village? If you could eliminate them, I could offer you a position as a guard warrior in our clan.”

The guard captain gasped. “My lady! Those are vicious bandits that even the local government is struggling against!”

“That’s why I’m asking,” she said confidently. “It’s a good chance to evaluate his martial spirit and skills.”

“Well… if that’s your wish…”

It didn’t take long for me to realize she just offered me a quest. I needed to take down those four bandits to earn my spot in the Hua Clan. I had a perfect opportunity to test my skills, so I nodded.

“Sure. What’s your name?”

“How rude to ask for a name before giving yours. Please introduce yourself first.”

She spoke with authority. I chuckled and replied, “Baek Woong.”

“I’m Hua Ryu. Come visit me after you take care of the bandits.”

After that, she returned to the mansion, leaving the guards with their jaws dropped.

“Hey, you! What did you do?” asked the captain, still confused.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you know the Blue Demon Four Evils are part of the Eight Demons of the Demon Path? They’ve conquered many bandit groups; they’re not your run-of-the-mill villains!”

The Eight Demons of the Demon Path? They were a group of martial artists known for their unique blood arts. If the Blue Demon Four Evils were just a pack of bandits, they surely wouldn’t be anything I couldn’t handle.

“Have they been around the Hua Clan for a while?”

“Why should I tell you?”

“You’re rude.”

“You think this is a place for petty talk? Now scram!”

My point was made, so I left the mansion. Over the next two hours, I buzzed around Taekyung Village asking questions. The conclusion? Nothing unusual happened here in three years!

‘Not a single thing.’

Without my past life memories, this place looked as ordinary as can be. A far cry from the rampant fanaticism and the bloody sacrifices in my last visit. No sorcerers, no Golden Eagle Guards playing hide and seek; it seemed like no one had even stepped foot here.

So what next?

After a moment of pondering, I murmured, “Maybe I should visit Master Hyuncheon.”

By the time I arrived at Taejeong Temple, dusk was settling in. As I stood in front of the temple, young disciples glanced at me cautiously. I greeted them, “I’m Baek Woong from the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. I’m here to ask the master something important.”

“The master is currently meditating; please wait a moment.”

Following the disciples’ lead, I sat quietly in the reception room. Instead of just waiting a quarter of an hour, it stretched to nearly an hour before Master Hyuncheon finally appeared, his aura radiating calm and strength.

“Greetings. I’m Hyuncheon.”

As he assessed my energy, he seemed taken aback. “…What a surprise. This is remarkable; have you turned halfway into a master?”

“Not exactly. Just a fortunate event, that’s all.”

“Hehe, today you’ve opened my eyes.”

“Say, have you noticed any sinister energy or suspicious groups around here over the past three years?” I inquired.

“Hmm… not that I know of. I’ve been away from the Wudang Sect for some time, but here, it’s extremely peaceful. A great place for training with nature.”

So, Master Hyuncheon’s presence was enough to deter the bandits and rogue groups around here. If he said everything was fine, Taekyung Village had genuinely enjoyed tranquility.

“I heard rumors about the Blue Demon Four Evils causing trouble nearby…”

“Not here; if you go about fifty miles further, a vast valley appears, and I’ve heard they’ve established their territory there.”

“Why don’t you take them down?”

“I would love to, but everything I do relates to the honor of the Wudang Sect. If it fails, those bandits might retaliate against the villagers or disciples.”

“I get it.”

“Ah… Sorry, I’m just rambling.”

He chuckled somewhat ruefully while sipping his tea. I pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Have you heard of the Secret Treasure of the Seven Luminaries?”

“Oh, yes I know of it. It’s as legendary as the Eight Immortals.”

“A legend?”

“Haha, but such things likely don’t exist, do they? I’d sooner believe in the tale of the great Shennong gathering immortality herbs in the East Sea.”

Master Hyuncheon looked at me with a blend of humor and skepticism regarding the Treasure of the Seven Luminaries. It was quite different from how Master Mangnyang treated the treasure as a serious matter. Perhaps the Wudang mages focused more on internal cultivation compared to the Huashan masters.

“I heard from a sorcerer that whoever obtains the Secret of the Seven Luminaries could gain power even if they lack martial skills. Is that true?”

“Ah… it’s merely a legend. But let me think…”

As Master Hyuncheon collected his thoughts, he replied earnestly. “The Seven Luminaries embody the natural forces of the world, from the Moon to the Sun. The treasures symbolize lunar, fire, water, wood, metal, earth, and solar energies—massive power, indeed. Yet even though these legends have existed since antiquity, nobody truly believes or actively seeks them out.”

“Why not?”

“Because they seem too fantastical—especially the Fire Luminary has the power of the Yan Emperor, said to be obtainable only at the southern edge of the earth. Who would take that seriously?”

“Yan Emperor, you say?”

“Indeed,” he replied, wearing a bemused smile. “Legends say the power of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors is hidden in the Seven Luminaries. Since it borders on myth, even Sima Qian, the historian, regarded it as mere folklore. The more you ponder, the less sound it appears.”

“….”

But his words sent chills down my spine. ‘The power of the Three Sovereigns…’

Unlike the rest, I could not dismiss those words because, after all, someone like Master Mangnyang validated the existence of the Seven Luminaries. I managed to uncover a treasure believed to be linked with that legend. If the powers of the Three Sovereigns truly were concealed within the Seven Luminaries, our situation would change.

I would need to pursue the truth behind the Seven Luminaries more aggressively!

As those thoughts circled in my mind, I turned to Master Hyuncheon. “Master Hyuncheon, could you help me with one last request?”

“What is it?”

“I wish to hunt down the Blue Demon Four Evils.”

“…!!”

“While I might struggle alone, we can surely defeat those vile beings together.”

Master Hyuncheon erupted with joy as he grasped my hand, his face beaming. “Of course! With our combined efforts, those villains will be no issue at all.”

As a peak expert, he surely hesitated to engage those top-level bandits alone, especially when they maintained a stronghold lead by first-class masters. Being human, there were limits. But now, he saw an opportunity in me, someone with ultimate internal cultivation.

“Let’s go straight away!”

“Agreed! Together, we will bring justice back to Jianghu!”

Without wasting another moment, we gathered our gear and set out for the Blue Demon Mountain, where the Blue Demon Four Evils were holed up. It was fifty miles away, but with our peak skills, we made the trip in less than half an hour.

As darkness fell, we spotted properly constructed bandit hideouts, with torches flickering in abundance. Based on the number of torches, there were surely over a hundred bandits lurking around.

“Quite the crowd of bandits. If this many are outside, there must be double inside.”

“Probably hundreds more. That’s why the local army is so concerned.”

“But if we take down the Blue Demon Four Evils, the rest should be easy.”

“Hmm, I’ll trust you on this.”

“Then let’s move!”

With a swift motion, we rushed toward the hideout. The bandits, upon noticing us, froze in shock.

“Intruders—!”

But before they could sound the alarm, my sword was already slicing through their ranks. Master Hyuncheon also moved swiftly, dispatching them before they even formed a counterattack. It took barely ten seconds to break through their defenses and breach the interior.

‘That’s them.’

Upon entering, I sensed a powerful energy emanating from four shadowy figures. Recognizing them as the infamous Blue Demon Four Evils, I took the lead and unleashed the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique.

SLAM!

The four sinister-looking men glanced around in apparent shock. Each of them seemed to be first-class experts, armed and ready to engage, clearly aware of the disturbance outside.

The skinny one among them exclaimed, “What do you want, you fools?”

“…”

I noticed they stood bare-armed, surrounded by a foul odor. Behind them were frightened women who had clearly been abducted and mistreated. They must have kidnapped them from nearby villages for their perverse desires.

SWOOSH!

Having just arrived, Master Hyuncheon frowned at the appalling scene. “Savage beasts!”

“Master Hyuncheon, let me handle those two, and you deal with the others.”

“Of course.”

With the power of Thunder Blade swirling around me, the energy surged from Master Hyuncheon’s sword. As soon as the Blue Demon Four Evils realized we were peak experts, they turned pale in fear.

“Ugh…”

Alone, they would struggle to take down even one of us. With two of us charging in, they stood no chance. One of the men, appearing guilty, shouted, “Who are you? We could pay you if you let us go!”

“I’m from the land of the dead, so just hand over your necks!”

With a smirk, I taunted the Blue Demon Four Evils before launching the Thunder Shadow Step right into their midst. Oddly enough, they didn’t even react as my sword swung toward them.

SWISH!

As my blade cut through and severed one of their necks, blood spurted out everywhere. I realized my speed was far beyond what it used to be; I was practically transcending my previous limits.

Master Hyuncheon matched my pace, swiftly taking out the bandit wielding a heavy club. Just two or three moves from him, the bandit’s wrist was severed. Before anyone realized what was happening, the massacre commenced. Within barely twenty seconds, all four of the Blue Demon Four Evils were nothing but lifeless bodies.

As I wiped the blood from my sword, Master Hyuncheon expressed his admiration. “Baek Woong, your skills are truly remarkable. You are the pride of Jianghu.”

“No need to flatter me… But I think the remaining bandits are about to come rushing in.”

“What should we do?”

I paused to think, then picked up the severed head of one of the Blue Demon Four Evils. “With the loss of their leader, these bandits will likely go on a rampage, looting villagers indiscriminately. We should prepare for that.”

“Hmm… So you mean…”

“If it bothers you to break the killing code, why not escort these women to safety? I can handle everything else myself.”

Master Hyuncheon sighed. “How can I put all this on you, young one? I’ll stick by your side to the end now that we’ve decided.”

“Alright then, let’s begin.”

I dashed toward the remaining bandits and threw the severed head right into their midst. Shocked by the sudden appearance of their leader’s head, they went pale.

“AHHH!”

I roared. [The Blue Demon Four Evils are dead! There’s no point in fighting you now!]

“Run!”

They stumbled back in fear, quickly scattering like leaves in a storm. Although some tried to rally a leader to keep them under control, it was already too late. Without the will to fight for their slain leader, all it took was that single act to break their morale.

I pursued the fleeing bandits, unleashing the Thunder Blade as I cut through them furiously.

SLASH!

With every swing of my sword, limbs flew off, and heads rolled. In less than half a moment, I had slaughtered nearly a hundred of them. The blood-soaked ground was a testament to the havoc unleashed, but I remained focused, killing without remorse. As I began to enjoy the thrill, it became clear that this mere exercise had become quite an exhilarating session for me.

‘Truth be told, I’m just using this as practice.’

While I had no intention of seriously joining the Hua Clan’s guards, I merely needed some training before facing the Black Night Gate.

The bandits were the perfect fodder for honing my skills, and no one would bat an eye at their deaths. With the Thunder Blade and Heavenly Gathering Kill at my disposal, I had turned a mere bandit hunt into a combat training session. Of course, Master Hyuncheon remained unaware of my true motives.

SLASH!

By the time I took down the one hundred fifty mark, there were hardly any bandits left standing. As I wiped my bloodied hand on my clothing, I muttered, “This was fun. At least my skills with the Heavenly Gathering Kill have improved.”

It wasn’t exactly something to brag about, but I felt like I had not only improved my techniques but also gained valuable experience before going up against the Black Night Gate. Once I finished wiping my hands, Master Hyuncheon approached me and spoke.

“Baek Woong, I’ll take the women to a safe place now.”

“Thank you.”

As I felt the weight of the bandit hunt lift, I sank to the floor. Surrounded by a sea of blood and dismembered bodies, my eyes remained cold and detached. Something deep within me felt shattered, yet I didn’t ponder deeply on it.

‘I won’t head to Mangnyang. I haven’t reached the strength I promised yet.’

My eyes glinted with resolve. ‘With this momentum, I’ll challenge the Black Night Gate!’

If I victorious against them, I would have finally gained enough strength to stand proudly. Just the thought made me chuckle.

For some reason, my hands felt a tingle of anticipation.

Amidst that weird sensation of excitement, I slowly started to deny it. I feared that the moment I acknowledged it, something within me would change forever.

 

---