847——————==

True Martial Home (진공가향)

When I realized I had to successfully pickpocket the Leader of the Nine Great Sects, the Master of the Twelve Joules, and the Emperor within a month, I started to ponder how to proceed.

First of all, none of them had martial arts skills higher than mine, and I felt confident I could easily defeat them head-on.

However, that was irrelevant since pickpocketing isn’t about brute force.

Stealing from experts?

That was going to be a tough gig.

I’ve successfully pickpocketed countless passersby in Luoyang after mastering my craft, never failing even once, but those folks were all ordinary people who had no martial training.

If they were experts, their internal energy would inherently boost all their physical abilities, plus they would have superior senses, making it nearly impossible to trick them and steal.

Moreover, the higher their cultivation level, the more they possessed their unique “domain,” where everything within it would raise suspicions.

After some thought, I decided to gather information on thievery for a few days.

Accordingly, I sought out the Sword Demon for advice.

“You want to know the famous thieves in Jianghu?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

Before diving into their lives, I needed to know how these notorious expert thieves operated.

While I could gather info from the Open Faction, the leader of the Open Faction was also one of my targets, so I preferred getting solid intel from the Sword Demon, an ally.

“Hmm… Are you thinking about something ridiculous? Do you think I hold that kind of info?”

“You’re pretty much the boss of the Eight Demons of the Demon Path…”

“That’s true enough.”

The Sword Demon, forced a wry smile before speaking.

“If we’re talking about the most famous thieves in Jianghu, there’s only two names to know.”

“Two names?”

“First is the White Faced Divine Lord, Fang Liu Xiang. This guy is a freak from the Correct and Neutral Sect and is considered the best in disguise techniques. He’s managed to pull off substantial heists several times using those skills. That said, he doesn’t just pickpocket; he’s more of a rogue living freely in Jianghu. He’s at the Peak Expert level, quite the character.”

“Hmm.”

“Then there’s Kwayoung. No one knows his real name, but he’s currently the best master thief in Jianghu. Rumor has it he might have connections to the bureaucracy, possibly being a secret agent cultivated by them.”

“What makes you so sure Kwayoung is the best?”

“He’s pulled off a hundred heists, both major and minor, without ever being noticed, and no one has laid a finger on him. He’s never failed in a pickpocketing job. That guy is a serious talent.”

“Hmm…”

“The problem is that Kwayoung doesn’t take private commissions. He steals solely for his own objectives, and money doesn’t seem to be his motive.”

It seemed despite the odds, there were many talented individuals in Jianghu. After some thought, I spoke to the Sword Demon.

“Can you set up a meeting with Fang Liu Xiang or Kwayoung? Please help me.”

“How can I assist you?”

“Since you’re the owner of the Shadowless Gate, you should have some sway.”

Hearing my words, the Sword Demon burst into laughter.

“Haha! That’s true. While I can’t promise Kwayoung, I can certainly introduce you to Liu Xiang. Consider it a way to repay Hyea’s debt in a small way.”

I accepted the Sword Demon’s letter of introduction and headed to the location he specified.

Fang Liu Xiang was living humbly in an unnamed mountain village six hundred li away from the Shadowless Gate.

Upon arriving at a hut on the outskirts of the village, I sensed someone watching me from a distance.

I sent out a signal using the Six Harmonies Assembly.

[Are you the White Faced Divine Lord? I’m here on the Sword Demon’s introduction.]

Swish

The White Faced Divine Lord revealed his presence. He was a good-looking man in his late thirties with a slender build.

He studied me with a wary gaze before extending his hand. After I handed him the letter, he read it and said,

“This is definitely the unique seal of the Shadowless Gate. After receiving help from the Sword Demon, I had planned to live in seclusion and assist him with any requests… Can I repay him through you?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t understand. You can use the Six Harmonies Assembly, so can’t you live freely by relying on your strength? Why seek out someone like me, a mere commoner?”

Even as a Peak Expert, he seemed to quickly assess my skills.

It was only natural to fear, yet his willingness to step forward indicated how significant the Sword Demon’s favor was to him.

“I came to ask you about the philosophy of thievery.”

At my words, the White Faced Divine Lord’s face took on an odd expression.

“The philosophy of thievery…?”

I showed him the Secret Technique of the White Faced Divine Transformation and explained my current situation.

After listening, Fang Liu Xiang carefully studied the secret technique for roughly half a moment.

Then he suddenly exclaimed,

“You are Baek Woong, correct? Have you mastered all the martial arts here?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… Stealing from an expert using a technique like the One Moment Thievery.”

With a distressed look on his face, he stood up and tossed me a few silver coins.

“Put those in your pocket and turn around to walk slowly.”

Following his instructions, I did as he said, and the White Faced Divine Lord stealthily approached my back and brushed past me.

In that very moment, he effortlessly swiped the silver coins from my sleeve while saying,

“Given your level of martial skills, you should have noticed the stealing immediately. There was no sound, but tricking an expert’s senses with such petty tricks is nearly impossible.”

“True.”

“What I just used was the technique of One Moment Thievery taught in that book. However, that technique is more of a culmination of tips that common thieves acquire over years of practice—nothing special. Thus, using it for pickpocketing against someone at the Peak Expert level is impossible.”

“I heard you successfully stole from Peak Experts.”

“That wasn’t pickpocketing; I used my disguise techniques to infiltrate a stronghold and pilfered unnoticed. That’s a whole different domain.”

The White Faced Divine Lord said, “You’d be better off ambushing the sect leader to take what you want directly.”

“That’s not pickpocketing; that’s robbery. That’s not thievery; that’s outright banditry.”

“True enough…”

“Please think of some methods. The Sword Demon said you were the best thief he knew in Jianghu.”

“……”

The White Faced Divine Lord seemed to get fired up.

While my comment was an improvised lie, it appeared to sufficiently motivate him.

He lowered his head, deep in thought, before suddenly coming up with an idea.

“Alright, I will teach you my ultimate technique.”

Fang Liu Xiang stepped into his house and came out with something that looked like flimsy leather, apparently meant for the face.

As soon as I saw it, I said, “That’s a mask!”

A tool used to disguise one’s face.

In fact, anyone who refines the skill of changing masks does so to switch masks quickly.

“Indeed, it’s a top-notch item.”

“Infinite Face Mask?”

“Not quite.”

“I know wearing a mask makes your disguise techniques more natural and complete. Do you mean for me to practice my disguise using a mask?”

The White Faced Divine Lord started walking slowly.

“As you’re aware from training with the One Who Wears Masks, once one reaches a certain level in disguise art, they can instantly change their appearance. It accelerates the adjusting of muscles. Practicing with a mask helps solidify the mental image in your mind, aligning the results with that imagery. If that acceleration reaches the boundary of mastery…”

Whoosh!

“…..!!”

I was utterly stunned.

In just two steps, the White Faced Divine Lord transformed into a gorgeous woman!

This was a level of disguise far beyond common sense; it was practically magic.

Could it truly be possible to change one’s entire body in such a brief moment?

“How on earth did you do that? Is this some kind of transformation technique?”

“This is not a transformation technique. This is the ultimate secret passed down through ancestral lines, the Transformation Art! A technique that requires a mask, allowing muscle and bone changes to be accelerated beyond the ordinary, enabling instant full-body reshaping.”

“Your voice has completely changed to a female tone.”

“Of course, I’ve changed my vocal cords as well… Now, my muscles and bones are entirely female.”

What an extraordinary skill!

I scratched my head and replied, “The name of that secret technique is a bit… strange.”

Swish

The White Faced Divine Lord returned to his original appearance.

“As you can see, this technique is a secret art, so you can’t use it for long. It places a great strain on your body. As a result, there have been instances where the technique wore off and people returned to their original forms, but… women make for a great disguise while thieving, and it’s easier to pass for a woman…”

The White Faced Divine Lord’s voice trailed off.

“… I’ve been called a pervert for it.”

“Is it just me or has this happened before?”

“Well, it’s something I’ve come to terms with… I just call it what it is.”

“……”

While the connotation might not be great, it was undoubtedly an amazing technique.

Creating transformations is an incredibly difficult skill, requiring substantial talent to achieve mastery; thus, I had half given up on it. But this Transformation Art afforded me an effect as good as true transformation in a short amount of time.

The White Faced Divine Lord continued, “Three days should suffice for me to teach you the Transformation Art. Normally, it would take a year, but you’ve achieved a commendable level with the One Who Wears Masks, so you already possess the foundational skills in disguise and transformation.”

“You want me to use that secret technique for pickpocketing?”

“Correct. This is the only method to successfully pickpocket someone at the Leader level of the Nine Great Sects.”

Fang Liu Xiang’s gaze sharpened.

“With your level of expertise, you should easily execute lightning-fast moves to create a ‘split second’ when the other party is completely unaware. Create a window using the Transformation Art for a stable approach! Use nearby figures as cover!”

“Umm…!!”

“By the way, no thief in the history of Jianghu has successfully pickpocketed someone at the level of the Leader of the Nine Great Sects. I’m rooting for your success, so don’t let the pride of the Continental Thieves down.”

I began learning the Transformation Art from Fang Liu Xiang.

Indeed, this technique required mastery in disguise, usage of masks, and transformation skills.

However, as he stated, my foundation was solid, permitting me to master it in just two days instead of three.

Fang Liu Xiang handed me the Infinite Face Mask and said, “Take my mask with you.”

“But you’ll need it too.”

“I’ve never taught my secret art to anyone in my lifetime. You could say I’ve passed down my lineage to you, so I hope you’ll use it well. I’m retiring from thievery now.”

“……”

I felt like my debts just increased.

With the mask in hand from Fang Liu Xiang, I secretly returned to Luoyang to observe the trainees of the Iron Blood Gate.

‘Those guys seem to be at the Second-Class level. I need to see if my pickpocketing can work on them first… huh?’

I spotted a familiar face and my interest piqued. I kept an eye on the figure emerging from the Iron Blood Gate, a sagely expert wearing a straw hat.

The Ghost Shadow Swordsman Jin Pyeong, it’s been a while.

He was the one who once had my neck in his grip!

I quickly disguised myself as an ordinary-looking woman and changed into women’s clothing, passing through the bustling street alongside Jin Pyeong casually.

As I neared him, I activated the Thunder God Lineage technique.

Thunderclap!

Temporarily, my physical capabilities skyrocketed, and in that instant, I accelerated my body’s speed to deploy the One Moment Thievery.

In blinding speed, I snatched the silver coins from beneath Jin Pyeong’s sleeve.

Was it successful?

Step by step, I walked three paces, but he showed no reaction.

After walking ten paces without incident, Jin Pyeong’s figure had completely vanished into the crowd.

Upon reaching a nearby alley, I changed my outfit and released the Transformation Art.

“Ha ha ha….”

I did it!

Even the Peak Expert Ghost Shadow Swordsman Jin Pyeong didn’t notice!

With that confidence, I headed straight to the nearest sect of the Nine Great Sects, the Huashan Sect, and laid eyes on the compound where the sect leader resided, keeping a close watch on a disciple closest to him, almost ambushing him.

After swiftly knocking him out and switching to his attire, I enacted the Transformation Art to follow the Huashan Sect leader.

I then unleashed the Thunderclap again to execute the One Moment Thievery once more.

The items I pickpocketed quickly slipped into my sleeve.

Clap

Yes! I stole it!

I casually strolled out in front of the Huashan Sect leader, changed my clothes, and examined my prize.

To my shock, something unexpected lay in my sleeve.

“Ah…! This is…”

The Huashan Sect Leader’s Spirit Guardian?!

It was a symbol of the sect leader’s authority, something even more precious than gold and silver treasures, as it represented the sect. It appeared he had carried it with him wherever he went.

With this, I could command any Huashan Sect disciple across the continent.

Seeing such a significant item stolen, I pondered what to do next, deciding to take it easy.

‘So what…’

This little Guardian can’t be more important than my training!

Afterwards, I continued to raid the Zhongnan Sect, Clear Stream Sect, Tianchang Sect, and Wind Spirit Sect to successfully pickpocket more items from the leaders.

Crossing the Amity Sect, perhaps it might have been tough as they had many women, but I was able to breeze past them since my Transformation Art could transform me into a woman.

The leader of the Open Faction was a pushover too; stealing from him wasn’t a challenge, but dressing as a beggar was a bit of a hassle.

There were times when the Spirit Guard appeared amongst the spoils, and I found a decent amount of gold too.

With only the Wudang Sect and Shaolin Temple left to steal from, I found myself in a pickle.

‘The Wudang Sect Leader is quite tough… and the Shaolin Sect leader is no slouch either… plus there’s Yong Junil.’

Both the Wudang Sect and Shaolin Temple leaders were top-notch contenders.

These guys stood amongst the upper echelons of Peak Experts, so getting within proximity could be risky.

Naturally, the renowned figures of the Orthodox Sect, the Bright Dragon and the Master of Zen, who had nurtured them, stand in my way.

Additionally, Yong Junil is a Reborn Person with formidable martial skills, making it difficult for my current self to overtake him easily.

Who knows what his Absolute Realm is at; given the levels he’s aspired to, it would require a feat to pickpocket from Yong Junil.

“Fine, here goes nothing!”

I closed my eyes and charged towards the Wudang Sect and Shaolin Temple. Contrary to my expectations, I successfully stole without causing a scene and was left with only the Huashan Sect.

“……”

Now that I thought about it, deceiving a Peak Expert’s senses wasn’t as tricky as I’d imagined.

Combining the Thunderclap and my tremendous internal power certainly created momentary speeds quicker than expected.

With great confidence, I decided to take on my final challenge among the Nine Great Sects—the pickpocketing of Yong Junil.

I knocked unconscious a certain elder from the Huashan Sect, using his appearance to transform and crawl close to Yong Junil.

Yong Junil was strolling by the nearby lake with the elders from the Huashan Sect, likely leaning toward an afternoon walk today.

After walking for quite a while, he suddenly spoke up.

“Doing well, elders. Recently, I’ve heard quite an interesting rumor.”

“What rumor might that be?”

“The Leaders of the Nine Great Sects have allegedly been pickpocketed and lost their Spirit Guardians. It seems a new expert thief has emerged in Jianghu these past few days.”

“That sort of thing…!!”

“Well, in order to successfully pickpocket, one must approach using disguise techniques after all. You folks…”

While saying this, Yong Junil glanced meaningfully at each elder and suddenly issued an unexpected command.

“Show me the sword form I taught you right here.”

Sword Form?!

‘What?! Did this jerk seriously pass down the Four Divine Sword Form to the Huashan Sect elders?!’

I was left absolutely shocked.

The Four Divine Sword Form!

It was crafted by Yong Junil, who had reincarnated hundreds of times, mastering all martial arts of the Four Great Families, and was considered the pinnacle of the Four Great Families’ techniques.

He passed that down to these elders?

Scanning my disguised self, Yong Junil spoke.

“Soo Jeong-gyeom Ma Lei, you go first.”

As Soo Jeong-gyeom turned into Ma Lei, I couldn’t decide what to do.

After some hesitance, I said, “Um, I seem to have forgotten it.”

“……”

“I’m sorry, I’ve got a lot on my plate…”

The faces of the other elders near Yong Junil turned cold.

I thought I was caught and contemplated making a run for it, but surprisingly, Yong Junil simply smiled gently and said,

“Haha, a thief wouldn’t slip up that easily. Then let Jin Chun-kyung show me.”

“Yes, sir!”

Elder Jin Chun-kyung began enthusiastically demonstrating the sword techniques.

As I watched his movements, I quickly noticed something amiss.

‘Huh…? This isn’t the Four Divine Sword Form?’

Having faced off against Yong Junil employing this technique, I was more familiar with it than anyone else.

However, Elder Jin Chun-kyung’s enactment was distinctly different from the Four Divine Sword Form.

After his demonstration finished, Yong Junil clapped and said, “Well done.”

“Thank you.”

“Never forget the sword techniques of the Huashan Sect. That is how we can keep our influence in the Nine Great Sects…”

“……”

Having finished his words, Yong Junil seemed to let go of any suspicion, relaxing as he resumed his walk by the lake.

Watching his reaction, I sighed with relief.

‘Phew. He meant the sword techniques of the Huashan Sect, not the Four Divine Sword Form… the older practitioners’ martial arts left behind…’

Indeed, the Huashan Sect elders were individuals from the Wind Spirit Sect, masters of Wind Spirit technique.

Additionally, in order to align with the core identity of the Nine Great Sects, it seemed they practiced the ancient martial arts left by the original practitioners residing in the Huashan Sect.

If I had recklessly showcased the Four Divine Sword Form at the mention, it could have spelled disaster!

The moment Yong Junil appeared to let his guard down, I swiftly activated the Thunderclap and executed the pickpocketing technique.

Clap

Did I get it?

Luckily, Yong Junil didn’t seem to notice.

As soon as the stroll finished, I darted away from the Huashan Sect, wearing a broad grin.

‘I did it!!’

I successfully pickpocketed from the Leader of the Nine Great Sects!

Next up was the Leader of the Twelve Joules!

I immediately headed to the Zhuge Clan and presented the treasures I stole from the Leaders of the Nine Great Sects. Zhuge Sa nodded in appreciation.

“Quite quick indeed. Baek Woong, you…”

“Yeah?”

Zhuge Sa seemed genuinely impressed.

“It seems you have a talent for thievery.”

“……”

Clap

I set off with an uneasy expression towards the quarters of the Twelve Joules Leaders to continue the heist, feeling a bit off about it.

Now that all that’s left is to pickpocket the Ming Dynasty Emperor, why do I have this unsettling feeling?

… Why is that?

Though I got a compliment, it didn’t make me feel particularly happy…