0071 : 伏魔殿 (Folding Magic Hall)
The place I followed the Black Snake Society Leader to was an abandoned house with no signs of life. However, after taking two or three steps inside and passing through a small room, a well-organized space emerged, which could clearly be said to be a stronghold of the Martial Arts World.
The Black Snake Society Leader sat down in a chair with his subordinates and spoke.
“Esteemed Guest. Come to the Gabi Pavilion in two days at Hai Time. If you give the password ‘I want to drink plenty of the soaked plum wine’ there, you’ll be able to enter the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament Venue.”
I memorized the time, place, and password he mentioned. My memory is quite good, so I won’t easily forget it. I internally repeated it and then asked him.
“What can I gain if I win in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament?”
“Hehe… Isn’t it too late to ask? Esteemed Guest, you really just want to fight purely, and that’s why you accepted my proposal.”
The Black Snake Society Leader chuckled as if he found something amusing. Then, he gulped down a bottle of alcohol on the table and said.
“I don’t dislike someone like you. You somehow smell like one of our kind.”
“Shut up and answer my question.”
The Black Snake Society Leader shrugged and said.
“Alright, alright. The Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament consists of a total of five rounds and is held irregularly. To be precise, it won’t be held until all the participants have gathered. Only when 32 martial artists have gathered will Tuma decide to hold the event. You are the last martial artist I recruited.”
“So what do I get if I win?”
“Secret Techniques, Spiritual Pills, and Treasure!”
“…….!!”
“That’s why even the public enemies of the Martial Arts World risk their lives to participate in this tournament. Isn’t it enticing?”
The words of the Black Snake Society Leader were shocking.
Could it be true that they offer Secret Techniques and Spiritual Pills—things as precious as life itself to martial artists—along with treasures? It was hard to believe that Tuma, the leader of the Mado Eight Gates, would provide such things.
“Secret Techniques, Spiritual Pills, and Treasure. If such things exist, shouldn’t Tuma keep them for himself? Why would he do something beneficial for others?”
At this, the Black Snake Society Leader smirked and explained.
“It may sound like a lie, but it’s not. Tuma is a battle enthusiast who loves both fighting himself and watching others fight. Therefore, he managed to bring the powerful and high officials of Luoyang under his influence to create the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament. He wanted to witness the fierce battles among the strongest fighters who risk their lives, putting aside all grudges.”
“That alone doesn’t explain everything.”
“True, true. In reality, the Secret Techniques, Spiritual Pills, and Treasure aren’t something Tuma provides. There are rumors of a certain powerful figure assisting Tuma in organizing the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament. The fact that Tuma doesn’t even think of taking those rewards for himself indicates that this figure’s power is indeed formidable.”
“Hmm… is it really true?”
“Yes. The Secret Techniques, Spiritual Pills, and Treasure are all real.”
The Black Snake Society Leader took another swig from the bottle of alcohol and said.
“By the way, the last tournament’s winner received the Turning Wheel Blade Technique, Silver Dew Fruit, and Purple Spirit Moon Blade. Even now, it was an incredible reward.”
“……”
“Hehe, don’t you want to know the rewards for this tournament? If you give me just one more gold bar, I’ll tell you not only the rewards but also all the backgrounds of the participants.”
With a loud bang!!
“Ugh…!!”
The dagger I flung from my hand quickly pierced through the space and sliced off the neck of the alcohol bottle that the Black Snake Society Leader was drinking from. Producing a tremendous noise, it smashed through the wall and continued flying a dozen meters out. The other members of the Black Snake Society simultaneously drew their weapons and charged at me, but when I unleashed the Thunder Cloud Palm, they were sent flying backward by the force.
“Uaaah…”
As a cloud of dust rose, the Black Snake Society Leader sat there with a slightly pale complexion, holding the severed neck of the bottle. I pointed my sword at him and said coldly.
“Don’t mess around. One gold bar is enough. If you think you can’t afford the worth of the gold bar, remember that I have the intention to strike you down at any moment.”
“… Understood. I was just joking, so please put away your sword.”
Swish.
As I sheathed my sword, the Black Snake Society Leader raised his hand to stop his subordinates. I thought I wouldn’t mind having a showdown with the Black Snake Society at this moment, but he seemed to have picked up on my fighting spirit. He spoke, seemingly in disbelief.
“Baek Woong, esteemed guest, do you really not value your life?”
“What?”
“Even if we were to be annihilated, we could probably take one of your limbs with us. Why do you keep thrusting your neck into the tiger’s mouth?”
I raised my killing intent.
“Did you think I followed you here without such determination! It seems I really need to face death to come to my senses.”
Zing.
“Ah, I see! Stop it. Esteemed Guest, you are indeed a terrifying person.”
As I drew my sword to raise the Thunder Blade, the Black Snake Society Leader flinched and waved his hands in denial. Being someone deeply immersed in the dark arts for a long time, he had developed an instinctual ability to discern whether someone was simply threatening him or was genuinely serious. Upon realizing that my intentions were sincere, he seemed to decide to stop making unnecessary threats.
However, that was only natural. In dealings with the dark arts or heretical sects, showing even a hint of weakness would mean getting devoured. Although the Black Snake Society Leader appeared lighthearted and slick on the surface, it was clear he would resort to all sorts of cowardly tactics to attempt to kill me if push came to shove. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he spoke.
“Anyway, since I’m thinking of betting some money on you, I’ll share the information about the participants and the rewards.”
“About time,” I replied.
“The information on the participants is organized in this book, so check it later.”
I received a slim book that the Black Snake Society Leader tossed to the side. It was thin but undoubtedly contained the names and details of martial arts masters. It was likely information about those participating in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament.
“The rewards for the winner are the Yang Family Spear Technique, Kunlun Elixir, and Seven Treasures Blood Sword.”
“The Yang Family Spear Technique!!”
I was startled at the mention of the Yang Family Spear Technique.
‘One of the Three Great Spear Techniques of the World!’
Lee Kwang often spoke of it as a habit. While the spear techniques of the Thunder God Sect were the number one in the world, he said there were indeed rivals in the form of the Emei Spear and the Yang Family Spear. He explained that these three spear techniques were the true Three Great Spear Techniques of the world. Emei Spear was the essence of the martial speaking technique, while the Yang Family Spear was considered the pinnacle of combat martial arts. For Lee Kwang, who had such pride, to compare it to the Thunder God Sect meant it was truly an unparalleled martial skill in the world.
The Black Snake Society Leader scratched his head.
“I don’t know much about the Yang Family Spear Technique, but the Kunlun Elixir is comparable to the Shaolin Grand Elixir. And the Seven Treasures Blood Sword is a legendary treasure worth a whole city.”
“You don’t know well?”
“I find it hard to determine if it’s really that remarkable. Since Tuma’s insight can’t be wrong, I’m just going along with it.”
“……”
I realized that the Black Snake Society Leader genuinely did not understand the value of the Yang Family Spear Technique. This was in stark contrast to what Lee Kwang had passionately praised about it being one of the Three Great Spear Techniques. It seemed there was a significant gap between Lee Kwang’s understanding of unparalleled martial arts and the knowledge of the general public. Perhaps the Yang Family Spear Technique had never gained significant fame in the world.
The Black Snake Society Leader crossed his arms and said, “And just in case, don’t even think about offending or attacking Tuma. If that happens, no one in the world will leave that place alive.”
I smirked.
“That’s not the case. It’s probably because your neck would end up along with theirs, right?”
“……”
Hitting the nail on the head, the Black Snake Society Leader was dumbfounded.
“Esteemed Guest, are you truly out of your mind? Knowing that I am the Black Snake Society Leader, the ruler of the dark forces in Luoyang, and still provoking me like this? This is madness!”
“In the end, you’re just a subordinate of the Shura Sect. How could I be intimidated regularly by you when I plan to participate in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament?”
“Hah… I must say, you are really something.”
The Black Snake Society Leader waved his hand in disbelief. It appeared he no longer wished to continue the conversation since my reasoning did not conform to common sense.
“I have one question. Isn’t it the case that in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament, one cannot win unless one kills their opponent?”
“It’s not always the case. You just need to break your opponent’s will and hear them declare defeat. But I’d say most would prefer to be killed instead.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the defeated will have their limbs severed, and their internal energy sealed, making them slaves. In the case of female martial artists, they would be sold to southern pirates and become sex slaves aboard their ships for the rest of their lives. Wouldn’t they prefer to be killed? It seems much more merciful to me.”
“……”
I frowned. The Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament was far more brutal than I had expected. Given the Black Snake Society Leader’s description, it appeared that several tournaments had already taken place, resulting in many ‘examples’ of defeated participants. I nodded.
“Alright then. I’ll see you later.”
The Black Snake Society Leader said, “In any case, I’ll see you in two days. I wish you good fortune, Esteemed Guest.”
After exiting the Black Snake Society, I was about to return home but decided to head toward the Han Clan.
‘Let’s check the situation there for now.’
Since unexpected events had derailed my schedule, I felt it was necessary to monitor the movements of the Han Clan. Although there were still no guards posted at the Han Clan, esteemed guests were observing my actions from various corners.
“Stop right there.”
Out of nowhere, a man clad in black appeared with agile martial arts skills, blocking my path to the Han Clan. He was the youngest member of the Heonwon Sect.
“Why are you blocking my way?”
“You seem to have gotten into some trouble with the Open Sect or the Black Snake Society. What were you thinking? If you hadn’t come, our Heonwon Sect would have been sent to find you.”
Swish, swish.
The remaining members of the Heonwon Sect revealed themselves. They surrounded me with considerable wariness. As I glanced around, the first one to speak said,
“I have nothing against you participating in the Imperial Palace’s competition alongside the Dragon War God. We have no particular desire for such events. However, we cannot allow you to stir trouble everywhere and drag the Han Clan into the mess.”
“I have nothing to do with the Han Clan. I’m just doing my own thing, so move aside.”
“That’s not possible. I’ll show you a harsh lesson to prevent you from acting recklessly.”
Woosh, woosh.
The members of the Heonwon Sect simultaneously drew their knife energy. Their internal power wasn’t strong enough to significantly pressure me, but I realized that since each of them was a remarkable master, facing their attack head-on would be quite troublesome.
As I frowned, a clear voice rang out.
“Enough of that, you Thunder fools.”
I recognized that voice from before. Slowly walking out from the building of the Han Clan was a beautiful woman with black hair, wearing a fierce expression. She was Han Baek-ryeong, the Family Head of the Han Clan and a master of the Half-Return Transformation.
Upon seeing Han Baek-ryeong, the Heonwon Sect lowered their weapons.
“My apologies, Family Head.”
“While I appreciate your loyalty, there’s no need to cause a ruckus over such matters. Ensure that the other esteemed guests remain calm as well.”
With that, I felt the presence of several figures fading away. I realized that not only the Heonwon Sect but also at least a dozen esteemed guests with notable martial skills from the Han Clan were surrounding us. If they had all attacked at once, I would have surely been dead.
I swallowed hard, and Han Baek-ryeong glared at me, saying,
“Follow me.”
“Understood.”
Cautiously following Han Baek-ryeong, I entered the inner building of the Han Clan. The Han Clan’s architecture was subtly large and spacious, and as I ventured a bit further inside, a broad hallway stretched out like a maze. After trailing behind her for about a moment, we arrived at the garden with the pond I had seen last time.
Han Baek-ryeong said,
“It seems you’re really desperate to die. What made you think of participating in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament?”
“How do you know that?”
“Hmph, even if I stay here, I can learn more than you would at the Open Sect. You’ve been causing quite a stir these past few days, clearly seeking death.”
“……”
After throwing this incisive statement, Han Baek-ryeong stepped onto a small wooden bridge over the pond. After admiring the koi in the pond for a while, she remarked,
“Surprisingly, I didn’t realize your passion for becoming stronger was this intense. If you worked diligently for just ten years, you’d reach martial skills on par with the leaders of the Nine Great Sects. Why such haste?”
Her tone surprisingly carried little killing intent. After some contemplation, I replied earnestly,
“Because the goal I’m aiming for is even stronger than that.”
Han Baek-ryeong’s eyes gleamed in surprise.
“There aren’t many who are that strong. Who exactly are you planning to fight?”
“……”
“Hmph, it’s no concern of mine. I have my suspicions about a few.”
Muttering that, Han Baek-ryeong continued,
“But you need to be careful. While you’re planning to gain battle experience from the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament, that thought is utterly foolish. With your current skills, you wouldn’t even last to the second round.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t think my skills are lacking that much.”
“Oh really? If you think that, then take this.”
Han Baek-ryeong raised her hand.
Kugugugu.
“……!!”
I widened my eyes. The enormous pressure seemed capable of shattering my arm as it collided in three layers during our first encounter! It manifested visibly as it surged forward, shimmering in white. As I hurriedly drew my sword, pouring all my strength into defending against the Thunder Blade, Han Baek-ryeong casually pushed the pressure toward me.
Kawabam!
With a thunderous explosion, I felt my entire body freeze white, sliding along the ground. It felt as if my skin was coated in frost, and despite managing to defend with the Thunder Blade, I realized I had been pushed back three feet.
Such a tremendous world-class martial skill!
Han Baek-ryeong chuckled softly and said,
“In the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament, there are at least three or four people who could dodge or counter that technique without difficulty. By martial arts standards, there are those who have surely surpassed the peak and entered the supreme level, likely past major figures of the past or concealed notorious individuals.”
“Such masters will be participating?”
I couldn’t believe it. Supreme-level masters aren’t easily seen. They are akin to the leaders of the Nine Great Sects or equivalents. Even if they are heretical sect leaders, having three or four such figures competing in a mere tournament is astounding!
“One of Palma’s goals is to draw them out. I won’t go into details, but there are circumstances.”
“……”
“Even if you try to leverage the advantage of your internal power against them, the likelihood of you being killed is very high. These are individuals who have experienced the worst of battles.”
“W-What? How do you know about the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament?”
“I told you, even by just sitting here quietly, I can gather information equal to that of the Open Sect.”
As I shook off the frost clinging to my body, Han Baek-ryeong crossed her arms and said,
“Danger typically lurks in the shadows rather than in the light. Your skills would likely allow you to place within the Golden Eagle Guard at the Imperial Palace’s competition, but you would be perfectly suited to be brutally killed in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament.”
“Are you stopping me for the honor of the Han Clan?”
“That too, but your martial arts are very reminiscent of the Azure Dragon. If you are known to someone, it could cause trouble, so I’ve decided to protect you.”
“What do you mean…”
As I was taken aback, Han Baek-ryeong spoke.
“Let me make it clear, you little brat. It’s far too early for you to enter the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament. Have you not considered why someone as ambitious as the Black Snake Society Leader would give up his secret techniques and spiritual pills for a chance to contend? To win in the Dark Realm Martial Arts Tournament, you must possess skills on the level of a Grandmaster.”
“Urgh…”
“If you understand, then stay put in the annex. Before I truly decide to kill you.”
I was left immobilized by Han Baek-ryeong’s threat. Truly, she was at a level of a supreme master like Samjeol I-gwang, someone beyond my reach. To resist her intangible pressure, I would need to elevate my martial abilities to a comparable level.
Having risked my life to reach this point, I spoke out in despair.
“Then don’t just talk—help me! Assist me in becoming stronger!”
“Help you? Why should I?”
“I have things I must do. If I don’t grow stronger quickly, it may be something I can never achieve in my lifetime. Have you ever thought about the despair of someone who must always risk their life in battles?!”
“……”
Han Baek-ryeong fell silent.
After a long moment of contemplation, she finally spoke.
“Alright, if you’re that adamant about it, I’ll grant your wish.”
Swish, swish, swish.
With a swift motion, Han Baek-ryeong summoned a pair of blue and red twin swords seemingly from thin air. Holding the swords, she adopted a sword stance, her eyes gleaming.
“Watch closely as I show you this technique.”
Chirring – !!
It felt as if a colossal bird took flight. I witnessed blue flames and red flames intertwining in countless strands, while an overwhelming force swept through. To be precise, it was a power so immense that it sliced the world in two amidst the flowering blades of energy.
Within that immense pressure, I felt all the pores of my body open up, turning everything inside out. The two distinct energies compressed and intersected chaotically, and I came to the realization that discerning the changes was beyond my capabilities. The sword lights, which even distorted space itself, cut through the air.
Dantian.
“……!!”
I saw the cleaved space clearly, the crack marking its passage. The sword energy passing through, akin to a phoenix, felt illusory. It was my first time witnessing such powerful and unpredictable sword techniques, leaving me mesmerized.
Is there truly such swordsmanship in this world?
Thud.
After completing her demonstration, Han Baek-ryeong controlled the twin swords and thrust them into a rock. The dual blades penetrated it as if piercing tofu. After showcasing that, Han Baek-ryeong said,
“You must have felt something if you consider yourself a swordsman after watching that.”
“What technique is that?”
“True Night Moon Shadow from the Fire God School.”
Han Baek-ryeong added her final words as she walked away.
“It’s a perfect technique to correct your foolish shortcomings.”
—————————= Author’s Note —————————=
I revised the text due to discussions about power inflation. I apologize for the inconvenience. 😭
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