Chapter 71
“So this is where the Black Snake Society leader has brought me, huh? A desolate old house!”
But stepping just a couple of steps inside and passing through a small room, I found myself in a surprisingly organized space—clearly, this was a base for martial world forces.
The Black Snake Society leader, sitting in a chair surrounded by his subordinates, said, “Young Hero, come to Gabi Pavilion in two days at Hai Time. The password is ‘I want to drink as much soaked plum wine as I can,’ and you’ll be let into the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament.”
I memorized the time, place, and password. My memory is pretty sharp, so I won’t likely forget. In my head, I repeated it and then asked, “What do I get if I win the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament?”
The leader chuckled, “Ha! You’re asking that too late, aren’t you? You really just want to fight, don’t you?”
He kept laughing as he downed a bottle of alcohol from the table.
“I don’t dislike someone like you. You have a scent of kinship about you.”
“Shut up and answer my question.”
The Black Snake Society leader shrugged, “Alright, alright. The Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament consists of five rounds and is held irregularly—specifically, whenever there are enough participants. It only happens when 32 martial artists gather, at which point the Demon Lord makes the decision to host it. You’re the last martial artist I recruited.”
“So what do I get if I win?”
“Secret Techniques, Spiritual Pills, and Treasures!”
“…….!!”
“That’s why even martial world enemies risk their lives to participate. Isn’t it tempting?”
The leader’s words were shocking. The idea that they’d offer secret martial arts techniques—a martial artist’s life—or treasures was hard to believe, especially coming from the Shura Sect leader of the Eight Demons of the Demon Path.
“If there are Secret Techniques, Spiritual Pills, and Treasures, shouldn’t the Demon Lord keep them for himself? Why would he do something good for others?”
The Black Snake Society leader chuckled again and clarified, “Believe it or not, the Demon Lord loves to fight. He enjoys both fighting himself and watching others do so. So, he pulled in the powerful figures from Luoyang, creating the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament. All to satisfy his desire to see fierce warriors fight—forsaking all grudges.”
“That barely explains it.”
“Sure, sure. Actually, those Secret Techniques and Treasures aren’t provided by the Demon Lord himself. There’s a powerful figure helping him organize the tournament, as per rumor. Given the Demon Lord wouldn’t even think of pocketing that reward, it seems this power is significant.”
“Hmm… Is it true?”
“Yep. Secret Techniques, Spiritual Pills, and Treasures—totally real.”
As the Black Snake Society leader downed another bottle of alcohol, he added, “By the way, the last tournament’s winner received the Turning Wheel Blade Technique, Silver Dew Fruit, and the Self-Controlled Moon Blade.”
“… Wow.”
“Hehe. Want to know the rewards for this tournament? Just give me one gold bar, and I’ll tell you all about the rewards and even the participant’s details.”
BOOM!
“Ugh…!!”
Before I knew it, I had thrown my dagger, piercing through the space and severing the neck of the bottle the leader was drinking from. It crashed into the wall with a tremendous sound, flying out another ten steps further. The Black Snake Society members pulled out their weapons and lunged at me, but as I unleashed the Thunder Cloud Palm, they were thrown back by the force.
“Aaaah…”
As a cloud of dust settled, the Black Snake Society leader sat there, a now-crippled bottle neck in hand, looking a bit pale. I aimed my sword at him and said coldly, “Don’t mess with me. One gold bar is enough. If you can’t match that value, just know I’m willing to cut your neck any time.”
“… Understood. Just kidding, so can you put your sword away?”
Swish
As I sheathed my sword, the Black Snake Society leader raised his hand to stop his men. I wasn’t in the mood for a full-on brawl at that moment, but he sensed my readiness and asked in disbelief, “Young Baek Woong, are you really willing to risk your life?”
“What do you mean?”
“Even if we get wiped out, we could take one of your limbs. Why do you keep sticking your head into the tiger’s mouth?”
I glared fiercely, “Did you think I came all this way without resolve? I guess you really won’t understand until you’re dead.”
Clang!
“Ah, I get it! Stop! You really are a frightening person!”
As I drew my sword again to lift the Thunder Blade, the Black Snake Society leader waved his hands in panic. Having spent so much time in the Black Dao, he had developed the instinct to discern whether someone was messing around or serious. Upon realizing I was genuinely serious, he seemed to drop the unnecessary threats.
This made sense. Showing even a hint of weakness around the Black Dao or Heretical Sects could lead to being devoured. While he seemed lighthearted, I knew he’d pull any cowardly trick to kill me if he had to. The Black Snake Society leader took a moment to catch his breath and said, “Anyway, I plan to bet some money with you, so I’ll let you know the info and rewards for the participants.”
“You should’ve said that sooner.”
“I’ve compiled the participants’ information in this book. Check it out later.”
I caught the thin book he tossed my way. It was thin, but it definitely contained names and details of martial artists in the martial world. Probably information on those participating in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament.
“And the rewards for the winner are the Yang Family Spear Technique, Kunlun Immortal Pills, and the Seven Treasures Blood Sword.”
“Yang Family Spear Technique!!”
I was taken aback by the name. ‘One of the Three Great Spear Techniques!’
Lee Kwang often talked about it like a habit. The Thunder God Lineage spear techniques would be the best in the world, but if one were to compare, the Emei Spear and Yang Family Spear were its rivals. He explained that these three spear techniques were the greatest spear techniques in the world. The Emei Spear was the essence of the unarmed combat techniques, while the Yang Family Spear was regarded as the extreme of practical martial arts. For Lee Kwang to consider it comparable to the Thunder God lineage spoke volumes about its superiority.
The Black Snake Society leader scratched his head. “I don’t really know what the Yang Family Spear Technique is, but I do know that the Kunlun Immortal Pills are similar to those from the Shaolin Temple.” He paused and added, “The Seven Treasures Blood Sword is a legendary treasure worth a whole castle.”
“You’re not too sure, are you?”
“Honestly, I’m a bit confused about whether it’s great or not. I’m just trusting that the Demon Lord wouldn’t get it wrong.”
“……”
I realized he genuinely didn’t know the value of the Yang Family Spear Technique. In stark contrast to Lee Kwang, who revered the technique, the Black Snake Society leader’s ignorance of its reputation was evident. It seemed there was a considerable gap between the understanding of the faceless powers and what Lee Kwang had told me.
The Black Snake Society leader folded his arms and warned, “And just in case, don’t think about offending or attacking the Demon Lord. If that happens, you won’t survive that encounter.”
I chuckled. “I doubt that. You’re probably just worried about your own neck there.”
“……”
My remark hit close to home, and the Black Snake Society leader was speechless. “Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea I’m the ruler of the Luoyang underworld? And you’re provoking me like this?!”
“You’re just bottom-tier in the Shura Sect. How am I supposed to be scared of you guys when I’m entering the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament?”
“Hah… You’re something else.”
Clearly shaken, the Black Snake Society leader waved his hands in resignation, clearly no longer wanting to discuss further.
“Quick question, isn’t victory in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament only acknowledged if you kill the opponent?”
“Not necessarily. You just need to break their fighting spirit and hear their defeat declaration. But most would rather just die than surrender.”
“Why’s that?”
“The losers often end up as slaves with severed limbs and sealed internal energy. For female martial artists, it’s worse; they get sold to southern pirates and live out their lives as sex slaves. Would you want to surrender? It’s far more merciful to just be executed.”
“……”
I frowned. This Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament was far more brutal than I’d imagined. Given the leader’s comments, it seemed this tournament had happened several times before, and there were plenty of losers who’ve already become examples. I nodded in understanding.
“Alright. I’ll see you then.”
The Black Snake Society leader called after me, “We’ll see you in two days. I wish you success.”
As I left the Black Society and headed home, I decided to check in on the Han Clan first.
‘I might as well check the situation since things have gone awry.’
Approaching the Han Clan, I noticed the guard warriors were still absent, but esteemed guests were observing my every move.
Swish!
“Stop right there!”
A man in black appeared with impressive agility, blocking my way into the Han Clan. He was the youngest in the Heonwon Sect.
“Why are you blocking me?”
“Looks like you’ve trouble with the Black Society or the open faction. What were you thinking? If you hadn’t shown up, our Heonwon Sect was coming to find you!”
Swish, swish!
The remaining Heonwon Sect members revealed themselves, surrounding me with considerable caution. As I scanned them over, the first guy spoke, “We don’t want to take part in your ambitions or participate in the Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament with the Demon Lord. However, we can’t let you drag the Han Clan into all this chaos.”
“The Han Clan has nothing to do with this. I’m just minding my own business, so let me pass.”
“That’s not happening. I’ll have to show you a lesson to keep you from moving recklessly.”
Two simultaneous tricks ignited with energy from the Heonwon Sect. While none reached me significantly, their collective power could complicate things if they attacked at once. I realized all of them were formidable experts, and a direct engagement might be troublesome.
Just as I was starting to frown, a clear voice rang out, “Stop, you thunderous brutes!”
I recognized that voice from before. The dark-haired beauty in the Han Clan building had stepped out, glaring fiercely, making her way toward me. The elegant beauty was none other than Han Baek-ryeong, the clan leader and an expert in Half-Transition Martial Arts.
Realizing she was present, the Heonwon Sect members withdrew their weapons. “My apologies, Clan Leader!”
“I appreciate your loyalty, but there’s no need to create a ruckus over this. Everyone else should calm down.”
As she spoke, the tension in the air began to subside. I observed that there were numerous skilled guests from the Han Clan, at least a dozen, surrounding the area. If they had lunged all at once, I could have easily ended up dead.
As I swallowed hard, Han Baek-ryeong glared at me, “Follow me.”
“Understood.”
Carefully, I followed Han Baek-ryeong into the inner building. The Han Clan was deceptively large and spacious, revealing a sprawling corridor that twisted like a maze just a little deeper inside. After walking for about a moment, we arrived at the pond estate I had seen before.
Han Baek-ryeong remarked, “You must really want to die to even think about joining the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament.”
“How do you know this?”
“Hmph, even just sitting still here, I gather more information than you would open your mouth for. You’ve really been stirring up a fuss these past few days.”
“……”
With that sharp retort, Han Baek-ryeong climbed onto a small wooden bridge over the pond. After a moment admiring the koi fish, she continued, “Frankly, I had no idea you were so eager to grow stronger. If you keep pushing yourself like this for another ten years, you could rival the leaders of the Nine Great Sects. Why the rush?”
But unexpectedly, her voice carried little malice. I pondered for a moment before answering sincerely, “Because the opponents I aim for are even stronger.”
Han Baek-ryeong’s eyes widened in surprise. “There can’t be many like that. Who on earth are you looking to fight?”
“……”
“Hmph, I have a few suspects in mind.”
She mumbled and added, “But just be careful. While you’re looking to gain real combat experience through the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament, it’s foolish to think you can survive.”
“What do you mean? I don’t think my strength is that lacking.”
“Is that so? If you believe that, then take this.”
Han Baek-ryeong lifted her hand.
Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming pressure radiate from her! When I first met her, it felt as if she could crush my arm with sheer power! The aura shimmered white in a way I could see, representing a tangible display of her strength. I hastily pulled out my sword and unleashed every bit of energy into the Thunder Blade as she casually pushed that energy towards me.
BOOM!
As the deafening sound echoed, I felt as if my entire body was freezing. The immense chill blasted down, and in that moment, I was pushed back several steps, the coldness almost paralyzing my skin. Even while I had shielded with my Thunder Blade, I felt the distance of at least three steps after that impact.
This technique was incredible!
Han Baek-ryeong, with a chuckle, said, “In the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament, at least three or four participants will have the skill to dodge an attack like that or to block it effectively without breaking a sweat. Most are experts who’ve crossed the boundaries into the peak and have the means to hide their identities.”
“So there are such experts participating?”
I couldn’t believe it. Peak experts were rare; they were on par with leaders of the Nine Great Sects. Even the lower paths couldn’t muster this caliber on pure skill!
“Drawing those individuals to fight is part of the Eight Demons’ plan. I won’t go into details, but there’s a backstory to it.”
“……”
“Despite trying to leverage your internal energy against them, you’re likely to be hunted down and brutally killed. They’ve seen it all.”
“W-What? How do you know all this about the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament?”
“Didn’t I tell you? Even sitting here quietly, I have access to information that matches the open factions in town.”
As I shook off the frost clinging to me, Han Baek-ryeong crossed her arms and said, “Remember: danger often comes from the shadows. Your strength might suffice to allow you entry into the Golden Eagle Guard for the Imperial Palace Martial Arts Tournament, but in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament, you’d be a prime target.”
“Is it for the Han Clan’s honor that you want to stop me?”
“That and your martial arts resemble the Azure Dragon’s way far too much. If it were to become known, it’d cause trouble, so I’ve taken it upon myself to protect you.”
“What?”
My surprise was clear, and Han Baek-ryeong retorted, “Just know that it’s not the right time for you to compete in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament. Have you thought about why the Black Snake Society leader would bet money and forego secret techniques or spiritual pills? If you want to win, you must possess skills on the level of the Grand Masters.”
“Crack…”
“If you understand, stay in your separate room until I change my mind.”
I was left speechless by her threat. Clearly, she was at a level beyond even the Three Splendid Experts. To resist the Formless Qi, I would need to raise my martial arts to at least a similar level.
Having come all this way fighting for my life, I spoke with conviction. “Then don’t just talk; help me! Make me stronger!”
“Help you? Why should I?”
“I have something I must achieve! If I don’t get stronger faster, I might never do it. Have you ever considered the despair of someone who must stake their life on every challenge?!”
“……”
Han Baek-ryeong fell silent.
After some thought, she finally said, “Fine. If you insist, I’ll help.”
Then, using her Void Object Manipulation, she produced a pair of blue-and-red twin swords. Holding the twin swords in a stance, her eyes sparkled with determination.
“Watch closely; this is the method I’ll teach you.”
Whoosh—!!
The colossal force of the slash felt like a gigantic bird taking flight. Blue and red flames intertwined in a dazzling display, cutting through the air like a whirlwind. It wasn’t just a technique; it felt like a storm, tearing through reality. The immense pressure made it feel as though my entire body was opening up, ready to implode. Managing to interpret such a technique was beyond impossible. Eventually, the sword’s trajectory cut through the space like a hot knife through butter.
Break Heaven!
“……!!”
I could audibly see the crack in the space from the clean cut. The soaring shape of the flame, resembling a phoenix, felt like a dream. I stood frozen, utterly mesmerized, having never seen martial arts this powerful and variable.
Such techniques exist in the world?!
As she completed her demonstration, Han Baek-ryeong caught the twin swords, throwing them against a rock with consummate ease. The blades pierced the stone as if it were tofu. After showing off, she commented, “As a beginner swordsman, you’ll have noticed something significant from that demonstration.”
“What was that technique?”
“Fire Spirit Techniques—True Night Moon Reflection.”
With that, Han Baek-ryeong walked away, leaving one last remark, “This is the perfect basic technique to correct your foolish flaws.”
