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Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

After a short while, I headed to Hebei with Mangnyang. I ended up in a remote northern village of Hebei, choosing the closest spot to the Azure Dragon Gate.

Mangnyang examined the map and said, “According to the intel from the Bancheon Alliance, it seems like if we travel three hundred li northeast from here, we’ll reach the Azure Dragon Gate.”

“Three hundred li? That’s a breeze. Let’s hurry!”

With a Thud!, we dashed forward. We sprinted across fields and leaped over rivers. However, after about a hundred li, Mangnyang seemed out of breath.

“Huff… Huff… Hold on a sec…”

“Huh? Already tired?”

Is he wearing out too quickly? I tilted my head, and Mangnyang let out a laugh of defeat.

“Ha… Ha… Normal humans can’t sprint a hundred li like a horse… I haven’t rested even once… Hah… Hah… I thought with the internal power I gained from the spiritual pill, I could run this much… but you haven’t even broken a sweat…”

“……”

It finally dawned on me just how monstrous my stamina was. Even Mangnyang, a first-class expert in the martial world who had excellent internal power, became exhausted from sprinting a hundred li. I realized my lack of consideration for him.

“Sorry about that.”

“Huff… Let’s take a break.”

“Nope. I’ll just carry you.”

“What? Uh….”

Without hesitation, I hoisted Mangnyang onto my back and activated the Soul Removal Technique and Thunderclap to sprint once more. Going to the North Pole was a long journey where I had to control my speed, but with only two hundred li left, I could unleash my speed without holding back.

Swish!

The sound of air being sliced through echoed. I was running ten times faster than a horse without stopping. The space around us seemed to shrink—much like the miraculous teleportation technique. Mangnyang, riding on my back, tightened his grip on my shoulder.

Before long, I reached the top of the mountain. With my impressive eyesight, I observed a large building complex below.

“Over there?”

“That’s right. That’s the Azure Dragon Gate.”

In my mind, I assumed that Red Moon must be hiding his true identity from the martial world. Otherwise, there’s no way he could openly build such a large structure and operate a sect. Beneath that imposing facade, he must be quite cunning and intelligent.

“Hmm… Is it fine if we approach head-on?”

“Of course not. Red Moon wanted to meet us in the nearby Stone Forest Village.”

“Stone Forest Village? Is that where it is?”

From the mountain’s peak, I spotted a small village about three li away from the Azure Dragon Gate. Nodding in agreement, I carried Mangnyang to the Stone Forest Village.

Thud!

I set Mangnyang down in front of the village. It seemed he had recovered, as he wiped the sweat from his brow and said, “You carried me without tiring?”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

My internal power and stamina had diminished but were quickly replenishing. If I rested for just a bit, I’d return to peak condition.

“You must be in the top five in the world with that skill of yours.” Mangnyang commented in awe, taking the lead.

“They say there’s a cave behind the village chief’s house. Red Moon should be waiting there.”

“What a roundabout way of doing things… Why is Red Moon being so secretive?”

“Because he can’t withstand any potential attacks from the White Lotus sect’s Elder Council members. He’s always on guard against their ambushes.”

“……”

I suddenly realized that Lee Kwang was unusual. Lee Kwang boldly stood out in the world under the protection of the True Heaven Alliance, but so far, the White Lotus sect hadn’t dared to touch him. However, that approach required a fair amount of audacity, while most, like Red Moon, would prefer to stay hidden.

After a while, we arrived at the cave. A middle-aged man in a red outfit stood at the entrance.

“Who goes there?”

Mangnyang replied, “We are the ones who defy heaven.”

“Enter. He’s been expecting you.”

The man stepped aside. I guessed he was quite the expert himself.

‘I can sense subtle Thunder Spirit energy from him; it must mean he’s a cultivated master of the Thunder God lineage…’

Since Red Moon trusted him enough to bring us here, it was safe to say he was dependable—a master of the Azure Dragon Gate with serious Thunder God martial arts skills. As we stepped deeper into the cave, the light from the torches brightened our surroundings, and at the end, Red Moon was indeed waiting for us.

He glanced at both Mangnyang and me before asking, “Who is the leader of the Bancheon Alliance?”

“That’s me.” Mangnyang raised his hand without hesitation, to Red Moon’s surprise.

“You? Not that monster?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Hmm…”

Red Moon mumbled to himself, sitting down in a prepared chair.

“Sit over there. Let’s have a chat.”

“Of course.” Mangnyang and I took our seats. Red Moon stared at us intensely and finally spoke, “Is Jin So-cheong really that amazing of a talent?”

“Absolutely. There’s no one else in the world with better martial talent, probably on par with the White Lotus leader.”

“Then why haven’t we heard of him until now?”

“Because Samjeol Lee Kwang kept him hidden. That was his greatest secret for taking revenge on the White Lotus.”

Red Moon gave a chilling smile. “Heh… I don’t care about that punk. Jin So-cheong’s talent is what matters most.”

“We fully support you. If you wish, we could help Jin So-cheong head to the Azure Dragon Gate.” Mangnyang proposed.

Red Moon waved his hand dismissively, “Not yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“We need to see for ourselves and judge him. Is there no way to do that?”

After a moment’s thought, Mangnyang responded, “Of course, there’s a way.”

“Speak it.” I couldn’t help but feel shocked by what Mangnyang said next.

“This warrior here is also a descendant of the Thunder Spirit lineage resisting the White Lotus sect. If he faces off against Jin So-cheong, you’ll surely understand.”

“……!!”

“You can just come to the sparring arena and watch.”

I was taken aback and looked at Mangnyang, who wore a nonchalant expression.

Red Moon gave another glance at me, then said, “I’ve been suspicious since we entered. There’s a hidden impressive internal power… You’ve certainly mastered the Thunder God lineage martial arts; you’re no less than an ultimate expert.”

“……”

He must have sensed my level of internal power. On the surface, I may appear similar to the Heavenly Spirit Pill, making him cautious.

“Who are you?”

For a moment, I hesitated. How can I reveal myself in this situation?

Just as I was conflicted, Mangnyang spoke on my behalf, “He is someone who took the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng and trained under an unnamed Thunder Spirit master. Due to his incredible internal power, he attained a high level of martial arts from a young age but was affected by the side effects, resulting in his youthful appearance that doesn’t age like normal.”

“Hmm… Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng…!!”

I found myself at a loss for words. While Mangnyang’s statement was a lie, it held enough truth to make responding difficult. After explaining up to that point, Mangnyang smiled and added, “…But this warrior’s talent is nowhere close to Jin So-cheong’s. Doesn’t that make it worth looking forward to?”

“……”

Red Moon considered our conversation for a moment, then said, “Fine. Let’s do that.”

Following that, Mangnyang and Red Moon discussed how to arrange a duel between Jin So-cheong and me before exiting the cave. I confirmed our lack of follow-up while we traveled about twenty li away and then spoke, “Mangnyang, what was that about? A duel with Jin So-cheong? You didn’t mention anything to me!”

“If I had told you in advance, you would have freaked out and refused to go. You wouldn’t even be here now.”

“……”

Can’t argue with that logic. Mangnyang looked at me and said, “Don’t you think you need to check yourself out? You need to objectively know Jin So-cheong’s current skill level and understand where you stand yourself. The other stuff is just a bonus.”

I hesitated, “But…”

“Whether you win or lose, it doesn’t matter, just clash with him.”

“What if I win? Wouldn’t that be a problem?”

Mangnyang looked at me, puzzled by my concern. “Not really. If Red Moon and Green Moon aren’t blind, they’ll immediately recognize Jin So-cheong’s remarkable talent. Personally, I actually hope you win.”

“Why’s that?”

“Why, you ask?” Mangnyang chuckled.

“I received the memories of the obsidian from you. Unlike when I heard of your journey in stories, I know just how many hardships you’ve faced. So how can I not support you?”

“……!!”

He trusts me that much? Right now, Jin So-cheong has to be at the level of an ultimate expert, and I’m likely at a similar stance. I wasn’t in danger of being humiliated; however, Jin So-cheong’s talent was incredibly daunting to face off against. Not to mention I had lived every moment feeling overshadowed by that talent. My true self didn’t want to fight him.

But if my friend Mangnyang has that much faith in me, it’s a different story. I felt a fire of fighting spirit and competitiveness rising within me as he spoke.

“Also, if you defeat Jin So-cheong, the look on Lee Kwang’s face would be priceless.”

“That’s right! Let’s do it!”

Now that’s a face I want to see!

As I stoked the flames of determination, Mangnyang added, “I’ll send the sparring application to Lee Kwang via a Bancheon member. I aim for about a month, so it would be best for you to hone your skills before then.”

“A month is such a short timeframe…”

A month won’t be enough to make a considerable leap. Mangnyang seemed to anticipate my thoughts.

“Right now, you’re at the peak of the ultimate level, so making fast improvements won’t be easy. Then the answer is clear? It’s about learning from an even stronger master.”

“Who?”

“If you could learn from the Dharma Guardian of the White Lotus sect, it would be certain, but you’d prefer to keep a low profile around them. There is, however, one suitable person.”

So, we returned to Jinrang Valley together. Mangnyang made a request to Miho.

“Miho, first head back to Dongyoung and gather the obsidian. Only you can handle this.”

Miho nodded. “Of course. I’ll utilize my political influence to gather all the obsidian and find a mine for it. If there’s plenty of obsidian, there’s much Baek Woong can do.”

“Thank you.”

“No need for thanks.”

Miho smiled, ruffling my cheek. “I have also decided to take action to help you, Baek Woong.”

Miho’s attitude was drastically different this time. Until now, she had seemed indifferent as long as my life was spared, but now she took an active approach, something the former Miho would never have done. I grasped Miho’s hand tightly, saying, “Thank you, Miho!”

“Hmph! Do you think I’ll be embarrassed by it?”

Suddenly, Miho wrapped her arms around me and kissed me.

“……!!”

That surprise kiss sent a jolt down my spine. It was different from the playful teasing I had done before; now, an intoxicating energy flowed through my body. I could feel my face turn a bright red as I struggled to breathe.

After some time, Miho pulled back and offered a captivating smile. “Heh heh, this time it’s genuine.”

“Ugh…”

I was at a loss. Miho’s genuine charm overwhelmed me, triggering urges far stronger than before. As I fumbled, Mangnyang grumbled in shock, “Ugh… So cheesy…”

“Hmph! If you’re jealous, go get a girlfriend too! Kya-ha-ha!”

Mangnyang leaned closer, whispering to me, [Calm down your passions.] Miho gazed at me with curious eyes. “You’re quite impressive.”

“……!!”

I dashed away to a secluded area, doused myself in cold water, and focused intensely on cultivating the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique, reciting the Thunder Spirit Classic desperately.

“Aaaah!!”

Begone, distractions!

Begone, distractions!

After about half a moment, my inner self calmed down, and I was able to return to Jinrang Valley.

“Kya-ha-ha… Took you long enough?” Miho giggled, but I couldn’t even look her way.

‘This isn’t good.’

If Miho continued to be alluring, I might lose control. Before, Miho was just toying with humans, but now she genuinely liked me and was using all her charm to win me over.

“Alright, let’s go!”

“Huh?”

I took Miho’s hand and quickly flew to Dongyoung’s Heavenly Emperor’s Palace. I set Miho down at the palace.

“Please take care of the obsidian!”

“Hey, wait a moment…”

Then, in a flash, I returned to Jinrang Valley. In that brief moment, I felt I had exhausted my energy and gasped for breath.

“Huff… Huff…”

Miho is a menace. Next time I see her, I might just lose control and leap at her.

Mangnyang chuckled as he observed me. “Why do you react so little when you see the stunning beauties like Seo Mun-hye or Sagong Lin but crumble so easily to Miho?”

“……”

Do you need to ask? I thought in frustration but decided to brush it off, fearing a rebuttal from Mangnyang.

“Anyway, have a good trip. I wish for your success.”

“Leave it to me.”

Shortly after, I found myself back in a familiar setting.

When I arrived, the Guard Warriors seemed unfamiliar with my face, questioning, “Who are you?”

This was not my first visit under the name ‘Baek Woong,’ but since I had undergone surgery to change my appearance, they wouldn’t recognize me. I replied, “I’m So Woong. I’ve come to deliver a gift for the Sect Leader.”

“A gift? What kind of gift?”

“I’m afraid I can’t say unless I see him in person.”

The gatekeepers went inside to report before returning to say, “Enter.”

I stepped inside the sect and soon met the Sect Leader. A mature man with a masculine appearance awaited me, observing me with womanly eyes.

“So Woong, you say? What’s your relation to Baek Woong?”

“I’m his younger brother.”

“You’re saying you’re siblings? You don’t look alike at all.”

“I hear that quite a bit. But I’ve studied in the same sect as my brother.”

I knew he had already sensed my internal power and martial skills, so I cleverly mixed my words. With my voice changed from the surgery, how could he suspect I was Baek Woong?

“……”

The Sect Leader paused for a moment before asking, “Well then. What gift does Baek Woong’s younger brother have for me?”

“This.”

I presented him the Muramasa. The Sect Leader inspected the Muramasa thoroughly, nodding in admiration. “Indeed, this is Yodo Muramasa! What a splendid gift!”

“I’m glad you’re pleased.”

“So… when you present such an exquisite weapon, there must be a reason. Speak of your business; I will hear you out.”

I humbly stated, “I wish to learn swordsmanship from the master of the Shadowless Gate, Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong for a month.”

Upon hearing my request, the Sword Demon nodded in agreement. “Of course. With your skill level, I believe it’ll be quite enjoyable for the next month.”

“Thank you.”

Indeed.

This place was none other than the strongest heretical sect in Henan, the Shadowless Gate!

And I was about to learn swordsmanship from Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong in exchange for the Yodo Muramasa—this was the path that suited me best to reach my desired level of sword skill.

 

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