810——————==

True Martial Home

Well, of course, that’s a load of bull!

The vibe in the air suggested it was not the right time to toss around ridiculous claims. I unintentionally threw the name of the Martial God into our conversation, hitting the most sensitive nerve of Pasun, and if it turned out to be a complete lie, he would totally go wild without a care for the consequences. I took a deep breath and calmly stared at him.

“I know someone who has already met the Martial God.”

“I know there are people like that. So what?”

“I can find out how to meet the Martial God from him. If you want, I can introduce you.”

“…Hoo hoo hoo!”

Pasun cracked a sly smile, but there was a glint of something dangerous in his eyes.

“Do you think I haven’t met someone like that?”

With his sword hanging low, Pasun continued.

“Among the Martial World of Tianzhu, there have been peerless experts and masters who reached the Absolute Realm. I’ve lived for thousands of years and met them. Some of them even met the Martial God and gained a ‘way.’”

“Is that so?”

“But those guys just told me I was ‘unqualified’… they denied my efforts completely…”

“…….”

I understood what Pasun’s words meant. I’d heard it before in my past life.

“You killed them, huh?”

“Yeah. The ones that deserved to die, I killed! Some I spared, but all those who underestimated me… they’re all dead! I tore apart Hindu saints and the Law King Raja!”

A chill of bloodlust flickered in Pasun’s eyes. Then he suddenly yelled at me.

“Human! Speak clearly! Do you really know how to meet the Martial God? You mean to say you know a way to meet that damn bastard looking down on me, Pasun, the Asura!!”

“….!!”

I could see Pasun’s emotions swirling with tremendous annoyance, jealousy, and longing. It became evident that his desire to meet the Martial God wasn’t just simple admiration. Like comforting a child, using him for my gain was impossible.

‘Maybe Pasun wants to kill the Martial God…’

It didn’t matter how I sliced it, my opponent was an absolute being who’d been immersed in martial arts for thousands of years!

I realized my persuasion was getting tougher, but I regained my composure and replied.

“I know a way. But I have something to ask.”

“What do you want to know?”

“You’re one of the Eight Parts of the Divine, the Eight Apostles of Chi You, huh? You came here as a mercenary, but surely Chi You hasn’t decided to lend his power to Peng Zuo, has he?”

“…….”

Pasun’s expression changed to something peculiar.

After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “I have no reason to tell you that… but.”

“But?”

“If you tell me a way to meet the Martial God, I might spill the beans on the entire situation.”

Great, he took the bait.

From my standpoint, even getting him willing to ‘negotiate’ counted as a success. Now that conditions were laid out, Pasun wouldn’t recklessly attack to ruin things. I kept my cool and calmly responded.

“Let’s talk about something else. Comparing the benefits you gain from working for Peng Zuo and those I receive from knowing how to meet the Martial God, it’s hard to say which side is better, don’t you think?”

“You dare to negotiate with me?”

“Unless you have a pressing reason to help Peng Zuo, you’re merely a hunting dog fighting to the death for someone else, aren’t you? We don’t really have any grudges against each other, so a compromise is possible. That’s what I’m trying to say.”

“Hmm….”

Pasun’s expression tightened as he contemplated. I pressed, determined to seal the deal.

“Do you know about the Divine Realm? I know a couple of people who have seen that realm, and I have a crucial clue! If this sounds like bull to you, feel free to do what you want.”

“Divine Realm…? Hmm… is that true? Others have mentioned it as well.”

“Absolutely.”

I nodded. It was a bit of bluster, but Pasun looked genuinely intrigued. Then he said,

“Fine, I’ll withdraw from this fight. But you must teach me how to meet the Martial God!”

“Of course.”

A triumphant smile spread across my face. I’d managed to negotiate to get the Eight Parts of the Divine to step back!

“But before that… come forward.”

“……?”

Huh?

As Pasun beckoned me with his finger, I wore a puzzled expression. He aimed his sword at me and said,

“Your sharp tongue has achieved quite the mastery, but I dislike those who only rely on tricks. If you don’t prove your abilities as a martial artist, I can’t trust your words.”

“Come on. Let’s have a match.”

Suddenly, all eyes turned to me.

What’s happening?

It seemed like things were about to smooth out, but now we were in a fight mode?

‘Is this a fight for recognition?’

I was flabbergasted but then let out a hollow laugh toward Jin So-cheong.

“Jin So-cheong. Don’t intervene, even if I die.”

“…I understand.”

“Others too.”

My companions looked at me with concern in their eyes. Yet, there were various complicated feelings lurking behind them, and it wasn’t just simple worry.

What happens to the world if ‘I’ die?

Those comrades who accepted the obsidian somewhat guessed that; thus, they couldn’t take my potential death as just losing a fellow companion. My death would not merely end in sadness.

I felt a heavy burden forming in my heart, making me feel guilty toward my comrades. But I steadily gathered my thoughts and walked forward. I was breaking a promise with Zhuge Sa, but this was unavoidable. In this situation, I couldn’t refuse the Asura’s proposal. If I didn’t clash my true martial might against him, there’d be no satisfying him.

‘Alright, this is what I wanted.’

To face a strong adversary in this manner.

I stepped ten paces forward toward Pasun and halted. Slowly placing my hands on my waist, Pasun’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I assumed you were a fist master, but you excel with a sword.”

“You can tell that just by looking?”

“I’ve acquired various techniques of the Absolute Realm, so I can gauge an opponent’s skill level easily. You’ve got quite the talent.”

His words seemed like praise, but deep down, it felt like he looked down on me, realizing I wasn’t his equal. I bitterly smiled and replied to Pasun,

“Why do you want to fight so badly? You already possess tremendous power being under Chi You’s command, unmatched except by the Three Sovereigns of the world.”

“Do I need a special reason to want to fight? I just want to train in martial arts to become the strongest martial artist in the world. It’s enjoyable.”

“So you’re fixated not on power, but on martial skills?”

“That’s right.”

Swoosh—

Pasun conjured a swirling black orb with dark energy hovering above his hand. Given its immense chaotic power, he could probably annihilate an entire city with just that orb. The Asura of the Eight Parts of the Divine truly had immense power wielding the Force of Chaos.

But Pasun looked dissatisfied with the orb, clenched his fist, and crushed it instead.

“This chaotic power feels pointless. And the more you use it, the more you realize there’s always someone stronger out there… If I can raze a nation with this power, then an [Absolute Being] could destroy the world. It’s just emptiness. Doesn’t that sound boring?”

“Well then, your loyalty to Chi You is also meaningless. Why did you even become one of his subordinates knowing he seeks the power of chaos? Isn’t that contradictory?”

In an instant, Pasun wore a very sorrowful expression. He briefly grimaced, then said,

“Let’s see where your skill lies.”

Is it starting now?

Pasun raised his sword high above his head and brought it down heavily.

Absolute Realm

Thousand-Handed Guanyin

“……!!”

Is he starting with a deadly move?!

No exaggeration, the arms conjured only by intent sprouted like a halo behind Pasun, and simultaneously, a thousand sword strikes aimed to tear me apart from every direction. The speed and transformation surpassed what one would call a simple sword move known as the Quick Sword or Transforming Sword in Jianghu, reaching far beyond the level that could be countered by just mere reflexes. I almost felt trapped in a prison of light.

‘He’s strong…!!’

If this had been the me before undergoing extreme training in this life, I might have managed to survive this Thousand-Handed Guanyin by employing the Three Treasure Technique and Bowing Sky Slash, but I would’ve lost an arm or a leg. No matter how excellent my martial arts were, I’d still face limits when clashing with the martial prowess of the Absolute Realm.

I can read his moves.

Even if I tried to dominate the world with the Three Treasure Technique, I still wouldn’t be able to catch up to the thousand hands of this Thousand-Handed Guanyin. The opponent had erected a Heavenly Pillar of Intent, which further distorted the laws, while the Three Treasure Technique would inevitably hit the limits of the phenomenal world. A genuine Absolute Realm Three Treasure Technique user could effortlessly handle the Thousand-Handed Guanyin, but the current me would struggle.

‘But even though it’s not the Absolute Realm, there are ways to contend…’

That’s what I had trained intensely over the past decade for. I held onto my self-confidence and composure, slowly extending my arms forward. After taking the Horse Stance, I thrust my palms forward decisively. I recalled how Jang Sam-bong the Divine had instructed me on how to fight against the Absolute Realm.

[All Absolute Realms practice ‘theoretically invincible’ principles. If left alone, all Absolute Realms are undoubtedly the strongest martial arts. Thus, when fighting an Absolute Realm master, you must start by disrupting the integrity of their martial arts.]

[Integrity?]

[Yes. You need to shatter the balance created by their Heavenly Pillar of Intent.]

Creating a contradiction requires some groundwork.

Bang!!

I dodged the flow of his attack and unleashed my qi. I had trained under Jang Sam-bong the Divine to read my opponent’s flow of attacks. The foundation I learned from Thunder God Lineage’s Lee Cheong-un allowed me to adapt relatively quickly.

At that moment, Pasun attempted to strike at my acupoints, exploiting the gaps in my movements with precision, yet I responded without wasting a breath, executing Tai Chi gracefully.

Peerless Technique!

‘This is all I have left!’

Barely squeezing through that extreme narrow gap between life and death, the ultimate martial intent surged to my throat like a raging tide. I felt the impulse to simply tear apart the skies with my intent, but that would only result in my body bursting. I strained to harmonize the ultimate force and inhaled the Yin energy, suppressing the tide, immersing entirely in my inner spiritual world.

Yin and Yang encounter.

The power is harmonized, turning to emptiness.

But the void exists yet does not exist. (無無明亦無無明盡)

‘Please…!!’

I knew that if I made even the slightest mistake, the Peerless Technique would fail, leaving me at the mercy of Pasun’s attack before my body burst apart. It was a dangerously reckless attempt, but paradoxically, it helped me maintain extreme calm. The threat posed by the Peerless Technique outweighed the imminent danger, allowing me to focus on battling myself.

Wiying

It felt like my vision was being sucked in. At the same time, I could sense the integrity of Pasun’s Thousand-Handed Guanyin beginning to distort as my Peerless Technique nullified all of his strength, creating a balance of Yin and Yang that enveloped the world.

Pabababat!

“……!!”

The thousand hands of the Thousand-Handed Guanyin vanished in an instant, revealing Pasun standing awkwardly. The Peerless Technique had obliterated the Thousand-Handed Guanyin! I wanted to counterattack, but I felt an immediate drain on my strength. My stamina and internal energy had been entirely poured into executing the Peerless Technique.

‘Damn! I still don’t have enough strength to move right after using the Peerless Technique….’

Only upon reaching the Absolute Realm would I find the freedom to retaliate. For now, I could only defend myself.

“Ho!?”

Pasun’s face displayed astonishment, but a moment later, he launched another attack using a different technique of the Absolute Realm.

Explosive Destruction Sword

This time, a powerful slash descended like a tidal wave. The Explosive Destruction Sword’s might would surely give even Master of the White Lotus a hard time, if not more powerful than that—it was no weak attack. But I gritted my teeth and prepared to use the Three Treasure Technique.

‘This time I have to hold out without the Peerless Technique.’

Pabababat

The Peerless Technique may be invincible in defense, but it demands all of my strength, so I can’t use it frequently. I had always been dissatisfied with this, but Jang Sam-bong the Divine explained it to me.

[Those who reach the Absolute Realm are all Grand Masters and peerless experts in their own right. Even matching the Peerless Technique with the opponent for just a moment would allow them to discern my identity. They would then unleash continuous strikes to induce my weakness.]

[But won’t that just increase the chances of me failing the Peerless Technique? I can only defend as it is….]

[Listen, the truth is, that’s not a weakness at all. Being unable to attack implies you can only defend.]

Initially, I didn’t grasp the meaning of that. However, as I awakened the Peerless Technique and entered deeper training, I finally understood what it meant.

Ta-da!

The harmony of Heaven, Earth, and People lingered at the tips of my toes as the Three Treasure Technique naturally distorted the space around me. The Three Treasure Technique revolved around the Cave-Collapsing Sword, granting me the ability to manipulate space. Just as the power of the Explosive Destruction Sword surged as if it could cleave through thirty strata, my body adjusted like a willow as I moved in sync with the speed of the attack.

Swoosh—

Like oil floating on water, I cleverly avoided the residual speed of the Explosive Destruction Sword, perfectly executing the Three Treasure Technique to evade. As I stepped back once, Pasun twisted the tip of his sword, launching a deadly thrust, but this time I drew my sword like lightning, deflecting his point with a Thunder Sword.

Clang!

The entire sequence flowed as smoothly as water, resembling a dance shared between Pasun and me. The Master of the White Lotus watching from the sidelines was left in awe.

[You read the flow!]

Indeed.

Those who mastered the Peerless Technique learned to perceive the flow. They reached the ultimate principle where they could read the flaws present in the opponent’s martial arts, canceling the impact and ensuring their own safety! Naturally, the entirety belonging to the Peerless Technique was elevated consequently.

Flying Heavenly Vitality Jewel

Next, countless powerful jewels surged around Pasun as they aimed to strike me, but this time, as I caught my breath, I could once again deploy the Peerless Technique. I positioned myself in an advantageous space while flowing the energy of the Flying Heavenly Vitality Jewel, preparing to unfold the Peerless Technique once more.

Crunch!

‘Ugh’

That feeling as if my ribs were under pressure emerged. No matter what, every single one of his attacks stemmed from the Absolute Realm, so the accumulation of damage was unavoidable, and pain resided in my body. Although I endured through sheer grit, I couldn’t fathom what would happen if the Peerless Technique failed due to this pain. It felt like I was walking on a tightrope, yet it strangely heightened my focus.

I received and redirected.

Letting go and channeling my strength into the ground.

I fought with staunch adherence to the fundamentals of defense!

‘I can still do more!’

It was at that point that about thirty seconds passed.

Boom!

Pasun flung a ball of condensed energy at me in frustration and retreated. After I sliced through that energy with the Thunder Sword and redirected what remained with the Peerless Technique, he made a strange face and said,

“You’re quite the peculiar one. You’ve mastered so much martial arts, yet you’re still not at the Absolute Realm. Nevertheless, you seem to have learned how to deal with the Absolute Realm’s methods pretty well.”

“…Is that a compliment?”

“Not sure…. I’ve lived for thousands of years in the martial world, but you are the first to meet such criteria. Normally, someone with the talent and hard work to acquire such variety would easily reach the Absolute Realm, but here you are.”

“…….”

He chuckled in disbelief.

“That doesn’t mean you lack talent; otherwise, you wouldn’t have reached this level, nor would you have mastered several peerless martial arts… heh, your very existence is a contradiction.”

I felt as though he had instantly grasped my inner strength.

Swoosh—

As I fell silent, Pasun sheathed his sword and said,

“Receiving my sword without wounds for thirty seconds, I will acknowledge your skill. I salute you as a martial artist and will withdraw from this matter.”

A sigh of relief!

I secretly breathed out in relief and said,

“Wait a minute… you still haven’t answered my earlier question.”

“What question?”

“Is it under Chi You’s orders that you help Peng Zuo?”

“No idea how you know about my lord, Chi You, and my identity, but….”

Pasun wore a grim expression as he continued,

“Lord Chi You suddenly went missing. Including myself, the Eight Parts of the Divine are currently wandering the world in search of him.”