829——————==

True Martial Home

Puff…

“Graaaaack!!”

I screamed and collapsed right there. Both of my arms had been ripped off! My right arm was sliced off by the Moon Sovereign’s Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword, and my left arm was torn off by the Cosmic Fragment like a rag. The pain was so intense I almost blacked out, but a moment later, a green light enveloped my shoulder, and my arm regenerated.

Whoooom

“Get up and prepare.”

“…”

“Okay, let’s go.”

No way!!

I was focusing all my energy to unleash the Peerless Technique, but at that moment, another attack came at me that completely surpassed my senses as an expert. Before I could even cast the Peerless Technique, my legs were torn away, sending me flying into the air.

Thud!

I flew through the air with my legs and crashed down, rolling on the ground. Blood pooled beneath my tongue as I shuddered for a moment until I noticed the green light regenerating my legs.

“Get up and prepare.”

“Ugh…”

“Okay, let’s go.”

What the hell!!

I cursed inwardly, but there was nothing I could do. The attacks from the Master of the Twelve Joules were overwhelmingly powerful, comparable even to the divine power wielded by those at the level of the Three Sovereigns. Even if the Master of the White Lotus Sect attacked with full force, I could still activate the Peerless Technique—what in the world is this power?!

This was no longer human!! Among all the humanoid foes I’d faced, this was an overwhelmingly superior force, leaving me almost speechless. I staggered to my feet and said,

“What is that power…?”

The Master of the Twelve Joules replied emotionlessly.

“Your questions are too quick. You’ve only died five times so far, haven’t you?”

“Just…”

Puff!

Before I could finish speaking, I felt my teeth shatter and the Cosmic Fragment pierce my mouth. If a plain iron shard could break my jaw, surely this was fatal.

The word ‘death’ felt like a hammer striking my consciousness as pieces of my tongue burst forth, and crimson blood obscured my vision.

This… this is…

But as I swayed, green light enveloped me once more, and I felt my body recover. Stretching out my hand, I noticed the Master of the Twelve Joules casually healing me with the powers of the Moon Sovereign.

“Don’t worry. It’s not instant death.”

“……”

“You seem very afraid of torture, but it’s clear you’ve rarely experienced genuine torture. So, let me show you what it feels like.”

I wanted to retort, but the sharp pain that had just crushed my teeth and tongue made it impossible for me to say anything. Yet even amidst that, I focused my mental strength.

“This time, I’ll burst your eyeballs.”

Whoooom

Once more, the Cosmic Fragment flew heavily through the air. However, this time it was within a range where I could execute the Peerless Technique. Whether he was underestimating me or whatever, I finally had a chance!

Peerless Technique!!

Just as I quickly coordinated my Yin-Yang energy to offset the Master of the Twelve Joules’ power, he suddenly withdrew his attack and activated the Eight Trigrams that were floating around him—also known as the Eight Foot Jade. It emitted a bright light, and I suddenly felt my entire body engulfed in Yin Fire.

Whoosh!

“Graaaaack!!”

I felt the blue flames consuming my body, rapidly draining my mental strength. The Master of the Twelve Joules snickered.

“You’re using the Peerless Technique just because I’m giving you an opportunity to attack. If you had aimed correctly, such shabby tricks would never work.”

“Cough… The Yin energy…”

The Moon Sovereign possesses the innate ability to manipulate Yin, meaning he forcibly amplified the Yin energy, breaking the balance that the Peerless Technique controls! But as the Master of the Twelve Joules said, had I unleashed the Peerless Technique with perfect timing, there was no way he could disrupt it like this. The Master kept launching unavoidable attacks, so my hasty execution of the Peerless Technique was my fault.

Fwoosh!

“Ugh… Graaaaack.”

I let out a fading scream as I staggered, having had my eyeballs sliced cleanly off by the Master of the Twelve Joules’ Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword. Blood gushed out from where my eyes once were.

“Now, you can at least use your heart’s eye, right?”

He seemed to have intentionally taken only my sight while inflicting severe injury.

‘Ah, this is bad.’

Though I’d refrained from using it so far, now it felt like it was truly do-or-die. I quickly drew the National Seal from my wooden armor and activated its powers to the max. At the same time, I poured all my Spirit Power from the National Seal into the internal realm like a tidal wave.

Ka-Grrrrraaaaw!

I had no choice but to forcibly awaken the Seven Luminaries!!

I was completely wide open, but the Master of the Twelve Joules didn’t attack me. Instead, he commented with amusement.

“Yeah, you’d use something like that. Now, let’s see if you can break the seal of the Seven Luminaries by brute force.”

Kooowww!

Lightning swirled around me. It felt like a rain cloud gathering above, ominous and powerful, but I realized that the power of the internal realm wasn’t awakening. No matter how much power I infused, it merely continued to store energy, and the condensed force wasn’t exploding into awakening the Seven Luminaries.

‘Dammit…’

As I sank into despair, the Master spoke.

“You can’t break it.”

“……”

“The seal of the First Character isn’t so easily broken. Both Chi You and the Emperor are tied to it.”

“Even without breaking the seal, there are still things I can gain.”

“Uh…?”

Ssssssss…

At that moment, I felt a powerful spirit soaring from within the internal realm. Though the mighty spirit didn’t appear visible to me, who had just lost my sight, it spoke to me through spirit language.

[You! Have you awakened my existence?]

“… Yes.”

I responded.

“O spirit of the internal realm! Fight against the enemy before me.”

[Very well.]

Spirit Awakening!!

The Spirit Power originally awakens the spirits residing within treasures or divine artifacts. Though my Spirit Power at that level normally wouldn’t suffice to awaken a spirit of the Seven Luminaries, I had indeed predicted that by pulling all the power from the National Seal and cramming it in, I would succeed in making the spirit awaken!

Then the Master of the Twelve Joules said with an almost bitter voice.

“Awakening the spirit of the Seven Luminaries. This is an accomplishment that even hundreds of geniuses have yet to achieve with years of scientific research. Yet somehow, a medieval human has achieved it through sheer will… Such envy.”

Shiiink!!

As the Master of the Twelve Joules relaxed, I used both the Heart’s Eye and the Palace Examination Technique to sense my surroundings and launch an attack against him. The spirit of the internal realm moved in sync with me, and when the two of us executed a joint attack, the Master of the Twelve Joules didn’t just sit idly by; he raised his hand.

Demon Beast.

Moon River Tranquil Night Armor.

Simultaneously, a light erupted from the gloves he’d been wearing, freezing the spirit of the internal realm in an instant. I was taken aback; I thought the spirit of the internal realm was a powerful entity, yet it froze in one blow.

‘Could it be Absolute Zero?!’

I had underestimated Ha Eun-cheon’s Wuwei far beyond belief, but it seemed the Moon River Tranquil Night Armor was also a terrifying entity. An artifact powerful enough to seal the spirit of the Seven Luminaries could hardly be found in this world, surpassing any average treasure. When I managed to slice through Ha Eun-cheon’s throat, he didn’t even glance at me; he merely responded apathetically.

Heavenly Unrestrained Technique.

Thunk!

In that instant, I found myself on the receiving end of a counterattack, my chest collapsing inwards. The counter was so exquisitely executed that I had no means to deflect it. If I didn’t predict it in advance, capturing such a perfect angle and moment seemed impossible, yet it had happened. As I coughed up blood and collapsed, the Master of the Twelve Joules’ hand came down on top of my head.

“……”

“Baek Woong, how do you feel?”

As I knelt, the Master of the Twelve Joules spoke.

“If I properly fought using the Seven Luminaries, it would feel like winning only by brute force, so I tried to engage strategically, but still, it’s no match, is it? If I employed my martial arts techniques, you wouldn’t even get close to touching the hem of my garment. If I threw down a spirit puppet or two with the Light Spirit Amulet to create a protective barrier, you’d be nothing but dead.”

That was true.

I felt the overwhelming disparity in power but didn’t show it and snapped back.

“Why aren’t you splitting my skull open?”

“Don’t rush. I’ll kill you for sure before you can give up.”

The Master of the Twelve Joules sheathed his hand momentarily and continued.

“Hey. Why do you feel the need to save the world?”

“……?”

What does that even mean?

I lifted my sightless eyes to look at the Master of the Twelve Joules, who healed my eyesight using the power of the Moon Sovereign. He stared straight into my eyes and said,

“You’re just an extremely lucky nobody with the Heavenly Secret. Other than that, you rank among the absolute lowest of all humans. Do you really think you can defeat the Old Ruler or the Outer God and save everyone?”

“That’s nonsense. I’m doing this because I want to do it; why do I need to justify my ‘qualifications’?”

“I find it funny that I even say this, but you’re already a twisted being. If you look back at the memory of the Obsidian, you may have the motivation to save the world, but the obsession that gets you there isn’t human. Have you never thought that was strange?”

“……”

I felt like I had heard that a few times before. After a moment of silence, I replied.

“It is strange.”

It’s time to acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged.

“Right. Just hand over the Heavenly Secret to me. I can finish everything and save the world before dying ten times. There’s no reason for me to walk the path of the unrecognized savior for hundreds to thousands of lifetimes in this horrible life, right?”

“Maybe.”

I slowly rose from my position and glared at him.

“But, Ha Eun-cheon, there’s no reason it has to be you saving the world, right?”

As I refused to break my resolve, the Master of the Twelve Joules looked bewildered.

“… What do you want? Do you want to repeat your past lives a few more times to gain the title of King of Humans, King of the World? You don’t really want to give up the Heavenly Secret and the ability to rebirth, do you?”

“What I want… is just to see this through since I’ve started.”

“……”

“I admit I have a desire for the rebirth ability. But my life is no longer just mine.”

“Are you speaking of the weight of the souls of the comrades who sacrificed for you in the past?”

“Exactly.”

“Kekekeke…”

With a wry smile, the Master of the Twelve Joules slowly turned his back to me, creating some distance. He said over his shoulder,

“Who isn’t like that? Do you think no one is like that? Damn you!!”

Puff!

Once again, the Master activated the power of the Seven Luminaries, rendering me utterly fatigued. He pressed down on my head as I lay amidst a sea of blood.

“Have you ever seen a sworn brother being devoured alive by tentacles? Have you seen a friend offered as a sacrifice to a malevolent god?”

I couldn’t respond. I was struggling just to survive under the immense pressure exerted by the Master of the Twelve Joules. His voice became filled with malice as he pressed down harder.

“Did your lover risk her life to rescue the citizens of your country only to have that same lover captured and toyed with by a malevolent god? Can you imagine the sight where the Old Ruler devours millions of souls after the fall of a once-great hero?”

“……”

“I’ve seen it firsthand. It’s a shit show, huh, cough cough.”

The Master of the Twelve Joules lowered his head. The rage seeping through his facade shot straight into my own eyes.

“I can never fail. I must not fail. To overcome that end, I’ve cast away everything. When I came to this world, I was gambling everything on a single chance! And now… to think that infinite opportunities lie within my grasp…”

“……”

He gripped my collar tightly, desperately saying,

“Baek Woong… give me the Heavenly Secret. With this level of power, I’ve been telling you that I can save the world in your place, right? You haven’t failed yet, but I have already failed… please.”

I didn’t know how to respond.

The Master of the Twelve Joules, who had killed me countless times and repeatedly deceived me, was infuriating, yet somewhere deep inside, his fervor and despair resonated within me like looking into a mirror. It was as if I realized I could no longer simply hate him when faced with the sincerity of the Master of the White Lotus Sect.

A realization struck me.

– If I fail in the future, I might become just like him.

I steeled my resolve and placed my hand over his gripping mine.

I replied,

“Get lost. I won’t give up.”

The Master of the Twelve Joules’ gaze became even colder.

“Fine, let’s see you try.”

Puff!

That was when it happened. Suddenly, the ceiling exploded dramatically, causing the ground to shake violently. The Master of the Twelve Joules had pierced through my limbs with the Cosmic Fragment and glanced up at the ceiling. Then he spoke,

“Yun Sa. What’s going on?”

Swish swish swish!

In that moment, Yun Sa, who had been decapitated, silently regained his original form and appeared intact. He spoke,

“Lord. Asura has invaded the ship.”

Ha Eun-cheon said incredulously,

“Dammit… The rumor of the strongest of the Eight Parts of the Divine was true? This place was designed to counter the Old Ruler, yet he broke through by force? What about Wind Master and Yu?”

“They’re dead.”

“Shouldn’t have asked. Now I’m feeling worse.”

Grumbling, Ha Eun-cheon ordered Yun Sa,

“Seal the spirit of the internal realm, which is frozen due to the Moon River Tranquil Night Armor. It seems it will come undone soon. And seal off the ship’s compartments.”

To which Yun Sa looked shocked.

“My Lord!! You must escape immediately! Asura cannot be contained with compartment sealing. His power is…”

“I know. But can’t you see that I’ve drawn forth the powers of the Seven Luminaries? I’m gambling everything on this. Asura is unimportant. Getting the Heavenly Secret from this bastard in front of me is a hundred times more vital.”

“But… if we keep this up, the whole ship will collapse.”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s the same anyway if I can’t get Baek Woong to surrender.”

With that, Ha Eun-cheon glared at me with fierce eyes.

“Though it’s a bit premature, Baek Woong, shall we conduct a historic experiment together? Follow me.”

“What… are you talking about?”

“Ha.”

Ha Eun-cheon deftly pulled the Heavenly Secret from my pocket. After briefly staring at it, he grinned widely.

“I’m going to unleash the waves of the Primordial Void upon this.”

“……!!”

“If you won’t give it willingly, then I’ll just have to forcefully test how I can achieve rebirth.”

I gasped, shouting,

“Stop!! Do you even know what you’re about to unleash…?”

“I do. After the fusion of Primordial Void and Chaos, the world will restart… You know this, don’t you? I’m merely provocation to artificially trigger that response.”

“The world might end.”

“Kekeke.”

Ha Eun-cheon, grinning madly, grabbed my collar and hoisted me up, whispering into my ear.

“Did you not do it before?”

Snap!

As he snapped his fingers, the Reincarnation Cannon from before appeared. Aligning it with the angles, Ha Eun-cheon placed the Heavenly Secret at its tip, backing away from the spot.

A brief silence.

Then Ha Eun-cheon’s mouth opened.

“Fire.”

Simultaneously, the Reincarnation Cannon erupted in flames.