0099 : Dark Heaven Village
The clone of the Dharma Protector, wearing a Black Tiger mask, strode towards me with an unnerving grace that felt entirely different from any technique I had witnessed before.
‘The clone disappears after taking a strong blow just once.’
It only needed to graze me — even a mere brush would suffice. After all, a clone made of Qi is inherently unstable. Therefore, if I could land even a single touch on my opponent here, victory would be mine.
However, the Dharma Protector’s clone came to a stop. Then, in a stiff voice, it spoke.
“Is it Thunder God Sect? Thunder Spirit Eight Forms, you say?”
“Do you know the Thunder God Sect?”
“Haha, you’re pretending not to know. The Wind Spirit Sect and the Thunder God Sect have been rivals for ages, so it’s only natural we know each other’s techniques well.”
Recognizing just a simple Qi stance proved his words to be true. Moreover, considering he was the leader of the Wind Spirit Sect, he might be more familiar with the Thunder God Sect than I was.
Kugugugu
The Dharma Protector’s clone raised its left hand, where a swirling Wind Bullet had already formed. The potential of that Wind Bullet was something even I could not measure. It was powerful enough that the space around it visibly distorted to the naked eye. The Dharma Protector chuckled coldly.
“A novice of the Thunder God Sect. Let’s see what you can do.”
Tuwung!
As he flicked his fingers in succession, terrifyingly fast Evil Bullets were fired at me. I hurriedly moved my spear to fend off the attack, managing to deflect four out of five shots. One bullet grazed me and passed by my waist.
Just as I was adjusting my stance to counterattack, a figure like a ghost flowed right in front of my eyes, and the Dharma Protector’s clone unexpectedly threw a One Punch.
Kwa-kwang!!
“Ugh!”
I unleashed my internal energy to absorb the blow from the front, but the heaviness of it dug deep into my bones. Even though it was only 20% of his power, it stole my breath momentarily. With the weight of that single hit, I felt the gap in our strengths vividly.
As my breath caught, my feet were dragged backward, pushing me away from my stance.
‘Damn it. He’s too strong…!!’
I only needed to graze him. If I could just make contact, I could obliterate the Dharma Protector’s clone. I thought this and unleashed my attacks in dispersing patterns. My spear’s fury swept through the air in an instant, but just as the Dharma Protector’s clone came close to me, it suddenly split apart.
Shisshishek
“Huff…”
It was an extraordinary technique. The Dharma Protector’s clone moved with a fluidity that resembled dancing, effortlessly flowing like wind without even brushing against my spear, at a level my current skills couldn’t possibly touch. While I dazedly watched the graceful flow, the Dharma Protector’s clone retreated with a whistle, then chuckled.
“What are you surprised about? Is it your first time seeing the Wind Spirit Step?”
My face flushed with embarrassment.
He then mischievously grabbed the stance of the Wind Spirit Sect again and said,
“Little rookie. Just watch.”
Wiiing
A buzzing sound reminiscent of a swarm of bees erupted around the Dharma Protector’s clone. As I remained tense and on guard, he declared,
“This is the secret technique of the Wind Spirit Sect—Wind Demon Annihilation.”
Swasasasa…
“……!!”
In that instant, the Dharma Protector’s clone multiplied, stepping towards my front as if copying itself. Amazingly, instead of fading away, a new clone seemed to emerge with every step it took. The clones circled around me in an orbit, and I didn’t dare attack. Each clone exuded an energy so real that I couldn’t discern the true body among them.
‘Is there really such a martial art in this world?!’
Only after around twenty clones had formed did they begin their attack in unison. I swung my spear and blocked their bare-handed strikes, yet the clones didn’t disappear. Instead, they approached even more powerfully, forcing me to use Thunder Shadow Step to evade.
Kwa-kwang
I began to unleash the Heaven Thunder Infinite Spear (천뢰무극창). The energy coalescing at the spearhead intensified, and the power of Thunder Spirit surged, sending shockwaves that repelled the clones. Clones that couldn’t be dealt with by the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms were expelled when I unleashed the Heaven Thunder Infinite Spear for a second to the third count, defeating more than half of them. Just then, one of the circling clones began to laugh.
“Uhaha, the Heaven Thunder Infinite Spear! Looks like you’ve learned everything?”
“Don’t get cocky!”
I gritted my teeth and concentrated the spear’s power into a single thrust. As I channeled my focus, the foundational principles of Ran, Na, and Chal engraved themselves in my mind. My concentration sharpened the technique, making it even more precise and faster, eventually turning the storm of spear flashes into a deadly zone within five feet. Each time the clones came into contact with my rotating spear tip, they were shredded apart.
Pereok!
“Huff…!!”
I gasped in shock at the sudden attack. A figure that had appeared like a swift specter struck my face. Though I managed to withstand it using my protective talisman, my head spun. If it had been even slightly stronger, my neck might have been broken.
At the same time, the clones, moving around me, shouted in chorus.
[Wind Demon Annihilation—Extreme Blood Wind Divine Fist!]
And, as if on cue, a flurry of strikes—hand chops, kicks, fists, and knee strikes—poured down upon me from all sides.
[Shadow Fist!]
“Kugh.”
Perababerubek
Just as I blocked an attack from one side, a kick came flying in from another, striking me in the abdomen. I swung my spear in response, but there was nothing there to hit.
[Hosoo.]
“Ugh.”
As I swung my spear, this time a knee strike came flying from below, aiming upward.
Pereok
[Janggwae.]
Stepping back, I was met with an uppercut followed immediately by a stomp to my lower abdomen.
Kwa-jik
[Pilbo.]
As I hunched over, an elbow struck my back as if waiting for that moment.
The clones began to attack me in succession, kindly naming their martial arts techniques. They appeared from all directions like goblins, grabbing at my limbs, some even attempting to break them. The astonishing part was that each clone possessed a level of mastery akin to that of a renowned master, and as soon as I allowed them to close in, I found it nearly impossible to escape.
If I hadn’t bolstered my protective talisman with my crude internal energy, I would have likely been beat to death by now.
[Biksa.]
Pereok
A palm strike from below hit my chin, sending me upward. For a brief moment, I lost consciousness.
Perababerubek
“Uwaaaah!”
I screamed, unable to regain my wits amidst the relentless barrage of blows. Even as I lifted my protective aura using massive internal energy, I saw stars before my eyes. I finally realized why I was so helpless.
‘Damn it… I can’t distinguish between the clone and the real body at all! And they can change their positions freely while passing through my attacks…’
This was the epitome of clone techniques I had ever seen in my life! While Ilgwang could also cast clones, he couldn’t match this level of precision, quantity, and skillful manipulation of feints and truths. I finally burst my internal energy using the grand technique of 발 발 (Bal Bal).
Kwa-kwa-kwang
[Whoa!!]
Simultaneously, I let out a lion’s roar. A bright flash erupted from my body, erasing a number of the clones. Once that phase was over, I found myself facing the Dharma Protector’s clone again, which casually leaned against a tree with its arms crossed.
The Dharma Protector, observing my battered state, spoke with interest.
“Your skills are indeed sufficient to qualify for the Thunder God Sect’s license to practice. And that enormous internal energy of yours is intriguing. Hahaha…”
I clenched my teeth as I watched the Dharma Protector laughing leisurely. It was no surprise that Miho had chosen to evade rather than engage; the difference in their dimensions was apparent.
Even though he was only using 20% of his power, the gap in skill felt like that between an adult and a child, rendering me unable to lay a finger on him. The prolonged assault, despite being at half strength, only made my situation worse.
“Ugh… Why?”
“What do you mean, ‘why’?”
The Dharma Protector tilted his head as I growled.
“Why come all the way to Goryeo to chase us? I want nothing to do with the White Lotus Sect.”
“Haha… Well, that’s understandable.”
The Dharma Protector’s clone had slightly thinned out. Even it seemed he had been draining energy from long usage of clones and secret techniques. Yet, he showed no signs of recognizing his disadvantage.
“The pure Essence you’ve discovered holds the Original Form. It is essential for achieving great things, so we cannot simply ignore it.”
“The Original Form, you say?”
“Yes. So come along willingly. If you do, I won’t kill you.”
“There are far more miserable fates than death.”
“Hahaha… it’s probably the same. Why are you struggling so much?”
The clone, still chuckling, adopted a fighting stance once more. Realizing things were getting serious, I sighed deeply.
“Phew. This isn’t going to work.”
“What do you mean it won’t work?”
“I’ve been too arrogant, trying to conserve my moves in this situation.”
“What…?”
Without answering, I steadied my breathing. Lightning flickered in my eyes.
Thunderclap!
Boom!
The moment I finished speaking, my body moved at tremendous speed, tracing lines across the necks and limbs of the clones. It was likely a speed they could not react to given their strength. The Dharma Protector’s clone looked in disbelief at the wounds appearing on its body, then turned to me. Trembling, it said,
“You… you can’t be… using the Battle Call?”
“Shut up and disappear.”
Pereung
And with that, the Dharma Protector’s clone vanished. I sighed, calming the aches throughout my body with Hwa Ta’s breathing technique.
“Damn it… he’s incredibly strong. He didn’t even give me a moment to observe.”
Knowing it was a clone with only 20% of the Dharma Protector’s strength, I aimed to extract information about his techniques rather than obliterating him completely. After all, defeating the clone wouldn’t affect the real body. However, due to the overwhelming hits from Wind Demon Annihilation, it felt like I was on the brink of death, forcing me to use one of my two secret techniques, Thunderclap, to quickly bring it down.
‘Starting now, it’s going to get serious.’
The Dharma Protector realized that I could use the Thunderclap technique. Ilgwang mentioned that Thunderclap was a very specialized technique, passed down only among a few in the Thunder God Sect scattered across the Central Plains. It was often said that having Thunderclap was the reason the Thunder God Sect surpassed the Wind Spirit Sect. Thus, the enmity the Wind Spirit Sect held for ‘Thunderclap’ would surpass usual animosities.
Kugugugung!!
Sure enough, loud noises of destruction echoed from the perimeter barrier. A tremendous surge of energy unlike anything before was hammering down on the barrier like a sledgehammer. The attack clearly bore signs of anger, indicating the Dharma Protector had become enraged.
However, the disappearance of the clone with 20% strength meant he could currently use only 80% of his power. Clones, despite their convenience, weren’t commonly used in real combat because destroying the clone resulted in a significant loss of energy. Recuperating the energy lost by the clone was impossible in a short amount of time.
Uuuu – !!
After a while, the ceremony at the Cheongseong Altar concluded, and the barrier grew even stronger. I leaned against a tree, feeling a moment of relief. Miho, who had come down from the ceremonial altar, spoke.
“Good job. We were in a life-threatening situation, but you handled it well.”
Exhausted, I replied while leaning against the tree.
“That guy is a monster. What if an 80% strength clone gets inside here?”
Miho smiled reassuringly at my concern.
“Don’t worry. The barrier we just established can completely block off even a clone. This barrier was created by three Grand Sorcerers sacrificing their sacred objects, so we should be able to withstand at least a day.”
“Is the effect of the barrier really a day?”
“Indeed. We’ll need to come up with a plan while we’re inside.”
As Miho said this, she turned to Great Master Seo San.
“Hey, do you have any good ideas? You saw the Dharma Protector’s strength just now; how can we deal with that monstrous human?”
“Hmm. Indeed, the Dharma Protector is a超人 (superhuman). If he attacks, none of us here could last more than 50 seconds.”
Great Master Seo San’s serious expression reflected the gravity of the situation. After a moment of contemplation, he said,
“I think we need to go to the ruins beneath the Cheongseong Altar.”
“Ruins, you say?”
“Follow me.”
We followed Great Master Seo San toward a building made of stone heaps behind the Cheongseong Altar. It looked like it had been built a very long time ago. As we passed through the grassy patches between the stones, Seo San suddenly stopped at a certain spot and shouted,
“Ha!”
Rumbling
At that moment, the ground before us split apart, revealing a massive staircase leading underground. Miho and I gaped in shock. I never expected something like this to be hidden in the mountain! With a sharp look, Miho turned to Great Master Seo San and said,
“You tricked me. No, the entire Manisan Mountain is a ruin.”
This mountain, over 150 layers high, concealed a gigantic hidden space and ruins within.
“I apologize. However, this secret is far too significant to reveal carelessly.”
Miho scoffed.
“Is that so? You also wish to avoid death, don’t you? You ought to be grateful to the Dharma Protector.”
“Follow me.”
“Hmph!”
Step by step
The four of us descended slowly. The light was provided by Ujeong summoning flames and Miho conjuring will-o’-the-wisps, so visibility was not an issue at all. Leading the way, Great Master Seo San remarked,
“Just so you know, Binseung won’t be able to tell if the Seven Luminaries are here or not. I only know this place is a very ancient ruin. And there’s a presence of malignant madness.”
“Madness, you say?”
“I believe it’s a ruin that predates the Cheongseong Altar by a long time. Over the years, the Cheongseong Altar simply happened to be built on top of it; the form and style of this ruin are quite different from what we know.”
“Stop talking and hurry up. That monster might break the barrier at any moment.”
Step by step…
I was enveloped by a strange sense of déjà vu. Even though this was my first time here, it felt as if I had been here before. After walking for a while along the staircase, I suddenly realized the reason for my surprise.
“……!!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
I settled my startled heart.
Now that I thought about it, the staircase and the carvings around me were remarkably similar to those I had seen at the Water Wednesday ruins! Though the location and humidity were completely different, it was clear that this was a ruin designed by the same creator as the Water Wednesday ruins.
My thoughts turned to conviction. Soon after, we emerged into a vast cavern filled with ancient-style rooms larger than those in the Water Wednesday ruins. However, the carvings and jars scattered around were all similar to what I had seen before.
And Great Master Seo San stepped up onto an altar. He sighed and said,
“This is the end of this ruin. As you can see, nothing of particular value has been discovered. No books or credible relics have been found. If anything, it’s that stele.”
In front of the altar stood a stele.
It was inscribed with strange words.
“Hmm.”
In that moment, I felt an even stronger wave of something crashing into me than when I stood before the Water Wednesday ruins. It felt as if a gigantic hand was forcefully rummaging through my brain. I felt something inherent in my humanity being devoured.
After a moment of dazedness, I examined the stele.
‘It’s readable.’
Surprisingly, unlike the few words I managed to decipher from the Water Wednesday ruins before, this time I could read more than two lines. As I calmly observed, I began to realize something.
[ Before you… the Guardian… the one who obtains… trials… spill blood on the altar… the room of offerings… the Guardian… comes from the moon… having touched filth from the underworld… washed clean by water… the sun… storm… the moon is born… a great… oath… bond… a great blood… covenant…. ]
I became increasingly certain that the blood must be spilled on the altar.
And that a “room of offerings” exists, likely for undergoing trials to obtain the Seven Luminaries.
At the same time, I pondered.
Could I truly pass this trial?
Of course, I could easily pass the Water Wednesday trial now that I was in this country. However, that was due to multiple encounters with the spider’s emergence patterns, strengths, and attack methods that I learned through dying several times. If I had to face the Guardian without any information, my chances of survival would undoubtedly plummet.
In an unfortunate yet fortunate turn of events, I was accompanied by Miho and several Grand Sorcerers at this very place. I took a deep breath and called out to my companions.
“Please listen to me for a moment.”
I explained that I had deciphered the contents of the stele, and that spilling blood on the altar would summon the Guardian, who likely protects the Seven Luminaries. By the end of my explanation, the three of them could not hide their astonishment.
Thud
In particular, Great Master Seo San was so taken aback that he nearly fell over.
“T-This ruin has existed since the Gojoseon era, and countless scholars have researched it since then. Yet, no one has ever succeeded in interpreting the strange words on this stele. And you, Baek Woong, claim to have deciphered it?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but it seems so. We’ll find out if we spill blood on the altar.”
“Heh. Just how powerful is this Guardian monster?”
“The Guardian I faced previously was one I could certainly defeat with my strength. However, I can’t say how strong the Guardians elsewhere might be. One thing is certain: any ordinary peak practitioner wouldn’t last more than 50 seconds against that monster before being devoured.”
While I spoke, Miho gazed past the altar and remarked,
“It seems you’re right. I sense an unsettling magical energy beyond the wall. There’s definitely some kind of evil spirit present.”
“… Hmm. But if that’s the case, what exactly does the Guardian protecting the Seven Luminaries entail?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Binseung has also heard whispers regarding the Seven Luminaries, so I have some idea. There exists a Seven Luminary in this Goryeo land, while another, the Seven Luminaries Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword, is in Dongyoung. So then, what Seven Luminary is here?”
“……”
That was indeed a peculiar thing. Could it be that another unknown Seven Luminary was concealed beneath this Cheongseong Altar? Yet, it was hard to believe that nobody had ever discovered or even suspected it throughout a millennium.
It seemed Miho was particularly invested in this matter, deep in thought. After a moment, she wore a look of realization and said,
“Baek Woong, tell me everything on the stele. There might be a clue.”
I recounted all that I could interpret from the stele as Miho requested. Upon hearing it all, she seemed to understand.
“Okay, I got it. What’s here is the true Moon Guardian.”
“What does that mean?”
Miho chuckled softly.
“Are you familiar with the Three Divine Characters of the Dongyoung creation myth?”
“I don’t know much about it.”
“It refers to Amaterasu Ōkami, Susanoo, and Tsukuyomi no Mikoto, and the stele undeniably relates to their birth.”
“……!!”
Miho burst into laughter.
“Aha! It’s strange, isn’t it? Why do the celestial beings of Goryeo and the three divine figures of Dongyoung seem so alike? Ultimately, the same entity existed in ancient times and the legend passed down through generations, leaving only the Seven Luminaries as the central divine weapons.”
“That means…”
“The Moon Guardian Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword was originally here, not in Dongyoung. And even with just its influence radiating from this spot, it has been protecting the Dongyoung land.”
“Didn’t it disappear during the Genpei War?”
“That was never in Dongyoung to begin with. Perhaps the Eight Extremes or Eight-Footed Crystal would have been conveniently attached to the Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword to create an illusion similar to the celestial beings. Otherwise, there’s no way the main entity could have reigned beside the Emperor for decades without any trace of the Seven Luminaries.”
Miho’s hypothesis was outrageous, but it seemed like the most plausible explanation given the current circumstances. Above all, no one but Miho, who had bewitched the Emperor and was closest to the secret of the Dongyoung mythology, could have deduced this fact.
Miho continued,
“In that light, the description of the Guardian as ‘one who comes from the moon’ likely means that this Guardian was an ancient being once called the creation deity Izanagi no Mikoto. That explains everything!”
Ecstatic, Miho jumped up and down. It was only natural; her dream of obtaining the Seven Luminaries and returning to the heavenly realm was now within reach. However, I couldn’t allow myself to be swept up in joy and cautiously addressed Miho,
“Mi, Miho.”
“What is it?”
I gulped and continued,
“I may not know much about the Three Divine Characters or Izanagi, but if what you say is true, then does that mean that if we spill blood on this altar, the ancient being, the creation deity Izanagi, will be summoned as the Guardian to attack us?”
“……”
The room fell into silence.
I trembled in disbelief.
‘So that’s why this ruin is many times larger than the ruins of the Madya.’
The scale and power of the Guardian about to be summoned would be incomparably intense, far exceeding that of an immense spider. How would one even gauge the strength of an entity revered as a creation deity in ancient times?
Now I realized I had a choice to make.
Would I attempt to break the seal of the Moon Guardian Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword and fight the Guardian to win, or would I find another way?
—————————= Author’s Note =—————————
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