Celestial Realm
After returning to the Shadowless Gate with the Sword Demon, news came that the Wind Spirit Sect had been wiped out. It was likely that Lee Kwang had intervened to obliterate them. Achievements made by just two individuals were indeed formidable, yet I found it easy to predict the Thunder God Lineage‘s downfall.
‘They can’t possibly win in the end.’
Even when Mangnyang and I had done our utmost to assist, we were ultimately thwarted by the demon king Dalki of the Imperial Palace. One might question whether we could manage the Dharma Protector Lions before reaching him. At this rate, it seemed certain that Jin So-cheong would meet his end somewhere in the coming years.
Noticing my heavy expression, the Sword Demon seemed to guess my thoughts and said,
“Now isn’t the time to worry about others. If you don’t assist me, the Shadowless Gate won’t have a future.”
“Yes.”
“We should look into negotiating with the Twelve Rat Clan before relocating to Yodong.”
As he muttered this, something popped into my head.
“Why not offer the Black and White Lotus to the Twelve Rat Clan?”
“Hmm. That’s not a bad idea.”
I had already mined a considerable amount of Black and White Lotus, stacking it up in my Mok Gak. Moreover, the Sword Demon had significantly boosted his internal strength by consuming it over the past six years of training with me. Though Black and White Lotus fell short compared to Thousand Year Ginseng in terms of pure internal power amplification, it was indeed a remarkable elixir.
The Sword Demon pondered for a moment before responding.
“… I’m not entirely sure.”
“What?”
“I can’t quite grasp what kind of person the Twelve Rat Lord is.”
Having opened the discussion, the Sword Demon continued,
“The only time you’ve faced the Twelve Rat Lord directly was during that battle with the Twelve Rat Clan’s leaders, and you lost that duel.”
That was an embarrassing memory, prompting my face to flush red. However, the Sword Demon waved his hand dismissively.
“Losing to the Twelve Rat Lord isn’t something to be ashamed of. He must be at least as strong as the Dharma Protector Lions, if not stronger.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“The issue lies elsewhere. Even trying to deduce his character from your conversation offers no clarity on what kind of person he is or what he desires. Even if he claims to protect the East from the Other Races, having such a grand and abstract goal doesn’t provide insights into his personality. Furthermore, the Twelve Rat Lord has also fed you false information.”
“Hmm…”
The Sword Demon was right. That was precisely why Mangnyang had advised me not to trust the Twelve Rat Lord. The Sword Demon continued,
“I think I was being a bit simplistic. That was my mistake.”
“It’s alright. We can’t let ourselves be used by the White Lotus Sect for millennia.”
“Of course, if you wish to offer the Black and White Lotus to be integrated into the Twelve Rat Clan, they would likely accept it. However, I feel I specifically need to learn more about the Twelve Rat Lord beforehand.”
“How should we go about that?”
“We’ll have to think it over.”
I wracked my brain alongside the Sword Demon. If Mangnyang were here, he would have surely provided some brilliant scheme or insight about the Twelve Rat Lord by now. I regretted not having an expert strategist at this moment.
About half a Shin later, a sudden thought struck me.
“The Zaryeong Moonblade!”
“Hmm?”
“The Twelve Rat Lord specifically traveled to the central plains to claim the Zaryeong Moonblade as the championship prize during the martial arts competition. The reason he needed the Zaryeong Moonblade might be significant, don’t you think?”
In my view, this could be an opportunity to grasp a clue about the Twelve Rat Lord.
“Hmm…”
The Sword Demon crossed his arms, seeming surprised as he contemplated. Soon, he replied,
“There was a rumor that the Zaryeong Moonblade contains the world’s foremost martial arts techniques. I believed the Twelve Rat Lord took it for that reason. Are you suggesting there might be another reason?”
“Yes.”
I nodded and stated,
“The Zaryeong Moonblade could be similar to the magical tools I have, like the Bite or the Mok Gak.”
“……!!”
“If the Twelve Rat Lord possesses extraordinary martial arts, and he took the risk of coming to the central plains just for the Zaryeong Moonblade, then that’s the only conclusion I can draw.”
Hearing my words, the Sword Demon appeared impressed.
“Indeed… I never even thought of it that way. Impressive!”
“No, it’s just basic logic…”
“No, it’s not. From a martial artist’s perspective, that’d be hard to conceive. You’re able to think of such things because you are a reincarnated person!”
Clapping his hands, the Sword Demon leaned back in thought, saying,
“Hmm. Moreover, magical tools are made by beings known as Magicians among the Other Races. In other words, it implies that the Zaryeong Moonblade is directly related to the Other Races or their deities, the [Ancient Rulers].”
“That does seem possible.”
“… I can gradually see things taking shape.”
The Sword Demon seemed deep in thought. Then he said,
“Baek Woong. It seems we must take action right away.”
“Shall we go to the Twelve Rat Clan?”
“No. We’re headed to Douma.”
Douma?
I looked at the Sword Demon in surprise, and he explained,
“Well, we do have a debt to settle with him, so it works out perfectly! Let’s head to Nanyang immediately.”
“Isn’t it too dangerous?”
“Right now, when the Thunder God Lineage has destabilized the Wind Spirit Sect, there may never be another chance. You could say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity created by the Thunder God Lineage. Douma must be dealt with at once.”
“Ah!”
“We need information from Douma.”
The Sword Demon spoke with unwavering resolve. At that moment, I realized something.
‘Decisiveness…!!’
The Sword Demon was not merely intelligent. Once he made a decision, he would quickly weigh the circumstances and act without hesitation. And given that he had never been wrong in his judgments thus far, that was probably how he continued to thrive as a top figure within the Martial World. I decided that I must learn this trait from the Sword Demon.
Whoosh!
After using my Bite to teleport to a deserted alley in Nanyang, the Sword Demon began,
“The lair of Douma is in the Dragon Cloud Palace.”
“The Dragon Cloud Palace? I haven’t heard of it before…”
“It’s an abandoned palace of the old imperial family that’s no longer in use. He quietly operates the Shura Sect from there.”
The Sword Demon had detailed information about Douma. After learning about the disappearance of his daughter, Seomun Hae, at the martial arts competition, it seemed he had dug up extensive information about Douma. His confidence in relaying this was evident.
I followed the Sword Demon to the Dragon Cloud Palace. It was located in a relatively secluded area within Nanyang, situated at the border of the outer and inner city. From a distance, I saw the desolate palace standing on a low hill about thirty Chang high. As crows cawed past the setting sun, the Sword Demon said,
“First, let’s kill them all.”
“Yes.”
It was straightforward. I didn’t harbor any good feelings towards Douma, so it was simply a matter of killing him. With that agreement, we raced towards the hill where the Dragon Cloud Palace was located, eager to fight. On the way, I was cautious of any barriers, but none appeared. It seemed that, given this was indeed their true lair, they opted not to place barriers to avoid raising suspicion.
Swish!
Upon entering the dimly lit, creepy palace beyond the entrance of the Dragon Cloud Palace, a sinister aura emerged. Though I couldn’t sense anyone nearby, my instincts warned me that several masters lurked in proximity. The Sword Demon seemed to sense them too, as he sent me a mental message.
[Douma is over there. I’ll lead, so just follow me.]
A faint thread of silence flickered. The Sword Demon vanished the next moment, dashing with incredible speed as he swiftly dispatched three masters in our path with Hogyeo Sword. The dead didn’t even have a chance to scream. The speed was so incredible that I could tell the Sword Demon had drastically improved his martial arts since our last encounter.
As the blood freely flowed from a hidden source, Shura Sect masters sprang forth from every direction. Perhaps realizing that their concealment had been discovered, they unleashed a fierce malice and glared at me.
“You scoundrel!”
“Die!”
Slash!
I could tell that there were about ten Shura Sect masters, and they were surrounding me for a collective attack. Although their numbers were few, every single one had the training of a martial artist.
However, I easily dodged all their attacks using the Annihilation Step and thought,
‘Is this the best the Shura Sect has to offer? Their level is on par with the Golden Guards.’
With a strangely calm reasoning flowing through my mind, I swiftly pierced through the gaps of my enemies, incapacitating them effortlessly.
Fwoosh!
“Krah!”
Four Shura Sect elite members collapsed with blood spurting from their mouths as they fell lifeless. I didn’t even need a weapon to strike; my bare hands carried enough internal force to spur them to bleed at the seventh meridian. It took me hardly more than a few seconds to annihilate the Shura Sect elite. Grabbing the neck of the last Shura Sect master, I lifted him into the air.
“Khrrk… you… master…”
As I coldly gazed down at the Shura Sect master squirming in my grip, I stated,
“You’ve just run out of luck.”
Had it been me seven years ago, I probably would have consumed at least 200 seconds here if I had been unable to use Thunder Shadow. The Shura Sect elite members might have been quite extraordinary for the Martial World, but now that I could manipulate intent, they felt like nothing more than children to me. There was no need for Thunder Shadow at all.
“Heh… just… kill me…”
“Very well.”
Crack!
As soon as I finished speaking, I tightened my grip and ended his life. Tossing the corpse aside, I moved forward, following the path the Sword Demon had taken. Since not much time had passed, I figured he was already engaged with Douma.
My assumptions were proven correct; as I reached the innermost chamber of the Dragon Cloud Palace, a sudden flash of sword light burst forth.
Crash!!
A great gust of dust erupted. Within the depths of the palace, Douma, looking utterly beaten, held back his grief, while across from him stood the Sword Demon. It seemed that the Sword Demon had continuously pressed the attack, leaving Douma bloodied and on the verge of collapse.
Douma cried out,
“Sword Demon! Why are you attacking me?!”
The Sword Demon coldly replied,
“Have you forgotten about my daughter?”
“……!!”
Douma looked shocked, as if questioning how I knew that, but quickly regained his composure, his expression turning cold. He had likely surmised that after the pirate island debacle, Seomun Hae had safely returned to the Shadowless Gate. Nevertheless, he questioned,
“Then why now…?”
“You’re not needed to know the why.”
“Urgh…”
The Sword Demon took a step forward, mockingly regarding Douma.
“Having you as my equal always annoyed me. It’s time to finally end this.”
“……”
Douma appeared deeply humiliated by the Sword Demon’s words. In reality, the Sword Demon could have finished him off ages ago but was toying with him, as if a cat plays with a mouse. Yet, Douma twisted his mouth into an ugly grin and replied,
“Ha ha… yes… You were exceptional among the Armies of Eight. I always envied you… It seemed as if there was a realm of mastery that I could never reach, no matter how much I fought or honed my skills.”
What on earth was he trying to say?
As the Sword Demon regarded him, Douma continued,
“But, you’ve come too late… I’ve already acquired the power of the Dragons!”
Boom, boom, boom!
Suddenly, a black light emanated from all over Douma’s body. Taken aback by this sudden change, the Sword Demon hurriedly activated Hogyeo Sword to pierce him into hundreds of pieces. However, Douma was still in the midst of transforming into something else, even as he was pierced and sliced apart by the Hogyeo Sword.
Shruuur!
It looked as if black clay was being shaped into a dark form, radiating ominous light. At this point, his attack appeared to have little effect. Watching from a distance, I recalled something.
‘Was it the monster the Thunder God Lineage encountered when they attacked the Hwangsan faction?’
Jin So-cheong had mentioned when he went after the Hwangsan faction’s leader Yong Junil, two Dharma Protectors accompanying him transformed into Dragon-like monsters. They eliminated the beasts somehow, but their strength seemed formidable enough to allow them to lose track of Yong Junil. It appeared that Douma, belonging to the Wind Spirit Lineage, could also transform into such a Dragon monster.
‘What on earth is that?’
This was absurd.
What exactly is Dragon power?
As I desperately attempted to gather my thoughts, pooling my intent into my sword, the Sword Demon sent me a mental warning.
[This is perfect timing. We should retreat from this place right now.]
[But he’ll be dangerous once he transforms into a Dragon!]
[This was all expected. Don’t worry, let’s just get out of here.]
Vroom, vroom…
In that moment, immense energy surged from the Sword Demon, making me gulp. White energy began to flicker around him, resembling living flames as it slowly enveloped his sword. The Sword Demon chuckled lightly,
“Anyone within a radius of fifty Chang is in danger.”
Following the Sword Demon’s advice, I quickly used the Annihilation Step to escape the area. Once I was far beyond fifty Chang,
Boom, bang, bang!!
An initial explosion erupted.
[Roaaaar!!]
Within moments, Douma had transformed into a black dragon, rampaging and charging at high speed. The form he had taken was no longer human; he resembled more of a monstrous entity.
‘What extraordinary speed!’
Douma, having turned into a Dragon, exceeded the capabilities of even peak masters easily.
I shuddered as I watched from afar.
Intent began to gather.
The Sword Demon seemed to dance with his sword, flowing through the motions seamlessly. His form appeared as if it were merging with the currents of nature, truly representing the epitome of martial arts.
Boom!
As the intangible aura bellowed, the Sword Demon warded off Douma‘s furious attacks, his eyes half-closed. I could hear his voice beckoning from the depths of the intent realm.
Noble Sword!
True!
Shadowless Soul-Disrupting Technique
Swish!
It was as if the Sword Demon’s sword had vanished and transformed into a cluster of photons. The entirely intangible essence of his sword technique reversed momentum and cleanly severed Douma’s left arm. As the dragon scales flew away into the void, Douma, having transformed into a dragon, paused in confusion, finally realizing something was awry.
It was indeed a strange situation. Judging by speed and strength, the Dragon-transformed Douma appeared overwhelmingly superior, yet he was being countered?
However, since I could observe the flow of intent, I understood precisely what had transpired. I also shuddered, swallowing hard.
‘Countless… uncountable… what on earth…’
The Blade of Infinite Limit!
A torrent of photons hovered in the air, surrounding Douma in the battle. According to the techniques of the Shadowless Soul-Disrupting Sword, the Sword Demon could turn his weapon into the world’s most famous sword, transforming it into a tool of slaughter whenever he pleased! However, it seemed the photons couldn’t selectively target only Douma; rather, surrounding structures within the palace were being shredded alongside him.
Eventually, as Douma attempted to attack once more, he stumbled backward, as if pushed by an invisible force. In reality, he was enduring innumerable slicing attacks from the countless photon strikes aimed at him, and with his robust physique, the thrusts only appeared to shove him back.
Thwack!
Not being able to withstand the deluge of light slashes, Douma’s dragon scales erupted from his form. Realizing he was on the brink of death, he howled like a dragon in despair as the Sword Demon, unfazed, casually waved his fingers, manipulating his noble sword.
Boom!
With a resounding explosion, Douma’s limbs were torn apart. Only moments before, hundreds of slashing attacks had cascaded down. It was a sight as helpless as wings being ripped from a bird.
While the Dragon’s power appeared incredible, when confronted with supreme martial prowess, one would find it unable to move and thus face death. I stood at a distance, fully aware of the impending reality, trembling.
This was the power of intent transformation!
A manifestation of imagination, transcending the physical limits inherent within the human form!
[Grrraahhh…]
Boom!
A heavy sound shook the ground. Douma finally fell, completely deprived of his limbs. Blood and foam spilled from his mouth. At this point, the Sword Demon could end his life with a single choice.
However, the Sword Demon did not finish him off, retracting the realm of intent he had created.
As the Sword Demon lowered the barrier, I approached him, getting a better look at Douma’s state. He appeared to have been gravely harmed; the transformation had unraveled back to his human form due to the extensive damage he had sustained.
“Cough… ugh…”
As Douma thrashed in despair, the Sword Demon crossed his arms and asked,
“Douma. Do you wish to die?”
“Kill… just kill me. To think that I can’t win even in my transformed state…”
He genuinely seemed hopeless, as if tears were about to flow. He had strongly expected that attaining the power of a Dragon would render him invincible, to consider himself utterly unmatched. Yet, having fallen to the pure intent of the Sword Demon, he appeared defeated and desolate.
But the Sword Demon smiled coldly.
“You’ve lost. You are aware that the fate of a loser lies in the hands of the victor, according to the laws of the Martial World, right?”
“Ugh…”
“Baek Ho-beom. Spare this man’s life.”
With the Sword Demon’s words, I realized he was a true master among the Martial World.
“I can’t let you die so easily for having harmed my daughter.”
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