Chapter 631
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Yeodong-bin flew into the interior of Luoyang, standing atop his sword using the Sword Flying Technique. As expected, he came into contact with the leader of the Han Clan.
The current leader was a character named Han Geum-wol, known as the Jade Dragon God. As soon as he met Yeodong-bin, he said, “Sword Saint, it wouldn’t be wise to confront Empress Wu Zetian directly right now.”
“Do you know something?”
Han Geum-wol nodded and replied, “After the world fell into chaos, Empress Wu grew wary of personal threats and summoned the top martial artists to form the Six Heroes. They’re all renowned experts in the Martial Arts World, and I was once part of that group. However, I have since left.”
“I’ve heard about that. Why did you step away from the Six Heroes?”
“Because I refused a proposal that required me to lend my strength.”
“……?!”
With a sigh, Han Geum-wol continued, “Not long ago, a figure known as Sang Gwanwna secretly proposed something to all of the Six Heroes. She claimed she could offer even greater strength and asked if they would follow her…. At first, I thought it was madness, and so did the other heroes, so we ignored her. However, one by one, they began to be swayed.”
“Sang Gwanwna.”
“And it seems they’ve been crafting something under the Imperial Palace for quite some time.”
Sang Gwanwna! On the surface, she was just a palace maid, but in reality, she was much more. With Empress Wu’s favor, most official documents were dictated through her, earning her the title of Inner Servant. After the Empress’s ascension, she wielded immense power within the palace, essentially becoming the de facto chancellor of the Tang Empire.
‘And she was the one who defeated me…’ Yeodong-bin had been tracking her since learning her name. He discovered that she manipulated politics and the economy behind the scenes with hidden immense power. True to form, she had begun to lure top martial artists in the palace into corruption.
What exactly is Sang Gwanwna?
Taking a moment to think, Yeodong-bin replied, “So the Six Heroes, the current top martial artists, have probably received some strange power, making them much stronger.”
“Indeed. The current Imperial Palace is like a lion’s lair. Even the most skilled would die the moment they try to break in—your Eight Immortals are no exception.”
With that, Yeodong-bin stood up abruptly and coldly stated, “Lead the way.”
“Wha…?”
“My goal is to investigate Empress Wu. I won’t waste time out of fear for my enemies! If you help me just a bit, I can finish this task swiftly.”
Han Geum-wol’s handsome face, reputed as the most striking in the martial world, twisted in disbelief. “Did you even hear what I said? Six of the top ten martial artists in the current Tang Dynasty are there…”
“So?”
“……”
“Follow me. There’s no time to waste.”
Thud!
Using the Sword Flying Technique, Yeodong-bin leaped into the sky. Han Geum-wol stared at his back blankly before reluctantly using the Flash Step to follow after him.
Moments later, they entered the Imperial Palace, and Yeodong-bin blended his aura with the surroundings to conceal his presence. Han Geum-wol sent him a message in awe.
[Impressive. Sword Saint, is your Stealth Technique really that exceptional?]
[You must know Empress Wu’s location. Where is she?]
[I will guide you.]
Having spent time in the palace as a part of the Six Heroes, Han Geum-wol was well acquainted with the layout. As he guided Yeodong-bin through numerous palace buildings, they soon reached the inner court. Yeodong-bin sensed a powerful aura surrounding him.
Hiss
There were six auras in total. They slowly revealed themselves as they surrounded Yeodong-bin and Han Geum-wol, all wearing masks. The one in the center crossed his arms and spoke.
“Han Geum-wol. How dare you bring an outsider into the palace… the Han Clan’s lineage will be obliterated.”
Han Geum-wol scoffed. “Ha! You’ve wanted to wipe out our clan ever since I left the Six Heroes. Don’t pretend to be magnanimous…”
“Heh heh heh… I don’t know who you brought, but this will be your grave.”
With a loud laugh, he charged at Han Geum-wol with unbelievable speed. Han Geum-wol drew his sword, activating the Sword Technique.
Dragon King Sword!
Clash!
The legendary Han Geum-wol clashed with the attacker, creating a thunderous sound. Yet in an instant, Han Geum-wol was injured, his face paling and blood spurting from his mouth as he staggered back.
“Gah….”
The attacker laughed, having easily overpowered Han Geum-wol. “Hahaha! Is that all you’ve got, Han Geum-wol?”
“Blood Lion… how did a mere leader of the Heretical Sect achieve such power….”
Han Geum-wol was in disbelief. For someone of his caliber, a supreme expert in martial arts, to be dominated was unfathomable, especially by someone from the Heretical Sect!
“Hehe! In fifty exchanges, I could behead you alone. I’ve always found your handsome face annoying.”
Blood Lion urged the other five to capture him. “Get them!”
Whoosh!
The five masters, including Blood Lion, surged forward simultaneously. In that moment, Sword Saint Yeodong-bin’s eyes sparkled with determination.
Heavenly Escape Sword Technique!
Six Intent Saintly Heaven Diagram!
As Yeodong-bin unleashed his will, countless sword energies burst forth like a torrential downpour, sweeping across his path. Two of the rushing Six Heroes screamed desperately, using their Protection Energy Technique to block, but soon they were reduced to mincemeat.
Thud!
It was like piercing wet paper with a needle.
“Aaaah!”
“What… what is happening?!”
Seeing their comrades turned into flesh mush, the remaining three were shocked into activating their techniques to evade. However, in that moment, Yeodong-bin suspended his sword in the air and initiated the Mind Control Technique.
Control Sword!
Yeodong-bin’s gaze ignited with fierce flames.
Heavenly Escape Sword Technique!
Ultimate Overlord Slash!
The most furious and powerful strike among the 96 techniques of the Great Overlord!
Whoooosh!
In the blink of an eye, ten Control Swords were unleashed, growing to immense proportions that seemed ready to cleave Mount Tai. The giant Control Swords rushed at the three remaining Six Heroes with astonishing speed, an attack they couldn’t evade or block, no matter their martial prowess.
Boom!
Thud thud thud….
The Ultimate Overlord Slash sliced them apart, turning them into piles of blood. Moments later, chunks of flesh rained down from the sky. Yeodong-bin retrieved the Control Sword slowly, sheathing it behind him in silence.
“……!!”
Han Geum-wol, having backed away to tend to his injuries, stared in shock. Trembling, he stammered, “My goodness. Sword Saint, you’ve reached the Absolute Realm.”
“…….”
Yeodong-bin didn’t respond, not out of rudeness or failure to hear him. He was preoccupied with two things that had caught his attention after defeating the Six Heroes.
First, he felt he had finally grasped how to channel the rain energy while executing the Six Intent Saintly Heaven Diagram. His encounters with the peak experts allowed him to refine his technique further, and he would soon distinguish the energies of heaven and earth more sharply.
Second, the Six Heroes were not fully annihilated. One remained.
Yeodong-bin shot a glance at what appeared to be empty space. Though it seemed vacant, he released a powerful killing intent toward it, and soon, a new sword master emerged.
“Yikes… aren’t you a bit too strong?”
“Why didn’t you join your five companions in their assault?”
“Because it would be pointless. Unlike those fools, I understand the gap in our abilities. And fighting isn’t my specialty.”
The figure chuckled as he continued, “I’ll take my leave now. If you stir up trouble in the palace, it’ll make my job easier… it’s worth it to have come in after Han Geum-wol.”
“Who are you?”
“I am the world’s greatest thief! Call me the Divine Thief!”
Quick as a flash, he used a Stealth Technique to disappear.
Woosh!
Yeodong-bin shot a lone Control Sword toward him before he vanished, but the Divine Thief effortlessly deflected the attack. As he withdrew the Control Sword, Yeodong-bin thought to himself, ‘He’s an incredible master. While the others were mere trash, he’s on another level, nearing the Absolute Realm….’
That last attack had equal power to the one that ripped the Six Heroes apart, yet it hadn’t scratched the Divine Thief. This was a clear indication that he was far from Yeodong-bin’s level. If they were to battle directly, he was confident of victory within two hundred exchanges, knowing instinctively that the Divine Thief feared confronting him directly, as it wasn’t in a thief’s nature to fight.
Just as he gauged the opponent’s strength, the Divine Thief echoed through the inner sanctum.
[I’ll give you a useful piece of information. The underground of the Sang Gwan family is suspicious.]
It was clear he aimed to manipulate Yeodong-bin to achieve his own goals, probably to steal something from the palace.
“……”
After a moment of silence, Yeodong-bin reached out to heal Han Geum-wol’s injuries. Once the latter recovered, he stood, astonished.
“Today felt like a glimpse into another dimension. But is it really alright for a Taoist Master to open the killing aura so easily?”
“It’s fine. They aren’t human anymore.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, green blood seeped from the corpse of the fallen Six Heroes, and demonic beasts began to rise from the pool of blood. As Han Geum-wol stared in shock, Yeodong-bin remarked with a tone that held a hint of sarcasm, “It’s quite common in this era. A powerful martial artist taking in demon powers to pursue strength becomes a monster….”
“…….”
“The Divine Thief hasn’t accepted any demonic powers, so he was spared.”
With a flick, Yeodong-bin easily disposed of the newly formed beasts. He then instructed, “You should return now. And seek assistance from the White Lotus Sect.”
“…Understood.”
Han Geum-wol was forced to accept that he would be a burden.
Thud!
Yeodong-bin entered deeper into the palace. As he went further, he felt the foul stench and wicked aura of the Otherworldly Realm growing stronger, and discovered the horrific structures of that place laid bare before him. The Fire Dragon Incarnate observed the scene from inside the Divine Sword and commented, [So, you’ve transferred the Otherworldly Realm of Dark Heaven Village here.]
“Master, has Empress Wu turned into an Otherworldly being as well?”
[I’m not sure… but something feels off.]
“What do you mean?”
[If one seeks to gain power, they wouldn’t summon this kind of atmosphere. This space seems more like it’s been prepared for a special ceremony.]
“……?”
Though Yeodong-bin didn’t fully understand, this was a feeling only the incarnation of the Fire Dragon, the embodiment of the Shenglong, could sense. As he descended the spiraling staircase shaped like a whirlpool, he found a woman standing at the bottom.
In noble attire with an exquisite appearance — though slightly wrinkled, her face appeared no older than thirty, pale and translucent. At once solemn yet exuding a condescending arrogance toward others, she was none other than Empress Wu Zetian, the ruler of the Tang Empire.
Upon discovering Yeodong-bin, she spoke, “I received a report shortly before. Are you the Sword Saint Yeodong-bin?”
Yeodong-bin nodded and pointed his sword at her. “I come here as a representative of the Eight Immortals, and I shall take your life, Empress Wu.”
Initially, his mission was to scout, but knowing that she was blatantly channeling the powers of the Otherworldly Realm, he couldn’t let her off easily. Yeodong-bin intended to settle this on the spot. When Empress Wu felt the killing intent directed at her, she flinched, but remained unfazed as she spoke.
“Sword Saint, what happens when I die?”
“…What do you mean?”
“You are a transcendental being; you should be able to answer my question.”
Yeodong-bin looked at Empress Wu calmly. She appeared to lack the combat power to oppose him, yet he kept his guard up and answered her question.
“You won’t be able to reach the Underworld properly.”
“Then?”
“Your soul will be taken to the Celestial Realm for judgment first. The Great Immortals will meet to assess your sins initially, and the Sanqing and the Jade Emperor will ultimately decide your fate.”
“Judgment. When I face that judgment, how severe will my punishment be if my sins are grave?”
“You would be confined within the Thunder Pearl of Mount Kunlun for hundreds, thousands of years of penance.”
“Heh heh heh… that’s all?”
Empress Wu smiled bitterly. “Is that really all?”
Her tone seemed to imply she looked down upon him, leaving Yeodong-bin bemused. “What do you mean? Do you think that punishment is trivial?”
“Well… I wouldn’t know unless I experienced it, but at least the punishment you mentioned seems less severe than the hell of doom I witnessed through Sang Gwanwna.”
“……!!”
The hell of doom! Yeodong-bin understood what it represented. As he stiffened in thought, Empress Wu continued speaking.
“Sang Gwanwna demonstrated to me what happens after death. The path where capable souls become wandering ghosts, leaving the earthly realm, the road to the Underworld… and how all of that ultimately leads to being devoured by the Old Ruler forever, enduring endless pain in living hell.”
“This is nonsense.”
“It’s possible that Sang Gwanwna deceived you… but I believe her claims to be true.”
Empress Wu gazed blankly into the void for a moment and said, “I once thought of this Tang Empire as my own child…. I believed my children would continue to rule it, so I’ve spent my life eliminating corrupt officials and suppressing the nobility while working to ensure my subjects could live in peace.”
“……”
“I sacrificed my own safety and devoted my whole being to reviving the Empire.”
Those words were true. Though Empress Wu faced countless criticisms from the populace, she was indeed a tenacious and politically savvy woman who greatly rejuvenated the Tang Dynasty during her early rule. Had it not been for the overwhelming presence of monsters and Otherworldly beings, she would have been revered as an unprecedented sage ruler. This led scholars to wonder why Empress Wu faced repeated failures in governance.
“But if after death everything leads to hell… what does it all mean? Sword Saint Yeodong-bin…. If everything in the world is bound for despair… what significance does governing the world and wielding imperial power hold?”
Yeodong-bin hesitated to respond to Empress Wu’s question.
Because he understood her words contained a kernel of truth.
The end! With a vague understanding of what lay beyond, Yeodong-bin could grasp Empress Wu’s despair. While he remained silent, she spoke again.
“That’s why I am determined to become a god.”
“A god?”
Empress Wu calmly elaborated, “With the help of Sang Gwanwna, after ascending to the Dark Heaven as a god, I will gather the souls of the subjects living in the Tang Empire to save them from the end. If I become a Lesser Deity, I’ve heard I can build my own realm and gather my clan there.”
“What…?”
Yeodong-bin stared at Empress Wu with incredulity, but her gaze held no malice or deceit; it was completely sincere.
“Sword Saint Yeodong-bin… I wish to save my people by becoming a god.”
She regarded him with calm eyes.
“Am I wrong?”
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