Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
“Master, what does that guy’s remark mean?”
Before I knew it, we had returned to Jinrang Valley. After thoroughly checking for any pursuers from the Wind Spirit Sect, we all got into my Void Walking technique and moved to Jinrang Valley simultaneously. This way, no pursuer could track our whereabouts.
Upon returning to Jinrang Valley, I performed Qi Gong Healing on Lee Kwang, infusing him with vital energy. He looked quite exhausted, likely due to the fierce battle, and was in a somewhat injured state. After receiving the treatment, Lee Kwang’s complexion seemed to improve significantly.
Once Lee Kwang regained his momentum, he answered my question.
“That guy plans to use the Zheng Tian Alliance to torment us.”
As he said this, Lee Kwang sneakily glanced at Mangnyang.
“Isn’t that right, Lord of Bancheon Alliance?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Mangnyang also came to this place where the Thunder God Lineage resides. Even after the healing, it was significant that Lee Kwang allowed someone outside the Thunder God Lineage to approach him in this way, indicating his trust in Mangnyang. Mangnyang sighed while spreading the Five Elements Killing Formation.
“Haah, Huashan Sect‘s Sect Leader Yong Junil… he’s probably the direct descendant of the Wind Spirit Sect‘s Dharma Protector Yong Bichun. If we consider genealogy, he is most likely Yong Bichun’s legitimate son. But even so, given that he hasn’t been in the Central Plains for more than thirty years, the martial prowess and intellect he possesses in establishing a clan within the Nine Great Sects cannot be taken lightly.”
“Hmph. A guy like him can be taken down in one strike.”
“However, it can’t be done. He is a disciple of the Wind Spirit Sect, as well as the leader of a Nine Great Sects clan.”
“That’s the problem.”
Mangnyang and Lee Kwang seemed to frown as they pondered over Yong Junil. It made sense; if he were merely a disciple of the Wind Spirit Sect, they could just rush in and beat him to death. But as the leader of a Nine Great Sects clan, it was a different situation altogether.
While it may now be within the realm of possibility for Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong to wipe out the Huashan Sect, they couldn’t act without basis. Because taking down the Huashan Sect would inevitably provoke the Nine Great Sects as well. And it would instantly turn the Thunder God Lineage into the target of the righteous sects in the Central Plains.
Mangnyang said,
“Currently, Lee Kwang is maintaining the Thunder God Lineage under an agreement with Zheng Tian Alliance’s Wei Zhi-hun. Of course, since the identity of the Thunder God Lineage cannot be openly revealed in the martial world, Zheng Tian Alliance provides protection. But Yong Junil’s words imply he is attempting to pressure Wei Zhi-hun and turn the Thunder God Lineage into a potential adversary against Zheng Tian Alliance.”
“I think so too.”
I asked Mangnyang, “If the Thunder God Lineage has done nothing to the Zheng Tian Alliance, then why would we be deemed enemies?”
“The essence of the Thunder God Lineage is the White Lotus Sect‘s Four Great Militia. In other words, it originally was a sect that protected the White Lotus Sect, which constitutes a sufficient reason to oppose the Imperial Family. Therefore, Zheng Tian Alliance, which must maintain a close relationship with the Imperial Family, cannot accept the Thunder God Lineage as allies.”
“Can’t we simply say we plan to take down the White Lotus Sect?”
“Heh… There’s doubt whether such words would resonate with the Zheng Tian Alliance.”
Mangnyang sighed as he spoke.
“Yong Junil was openly threatening us with that strategy because he has enough confidence. In other words, no matter what excuses we make, it indicates that the Huashan Sect‘s political influence is powerful enough to separate the Thunder God Lineage from the righteous sects.”
“Is that so…?”
I was taken aback but soon realized that the situation wasn’t as good as Mangnyang suggested.
‘In reality, we negotiated with the White Lotus Sect to obtain the Thunder God Lineage, and if the Huashan Sect, which belongs to the Wind Spirit Sect, tries to manipulate events through their own narrative, we will undoubtedly be branded as pawns of the White Lotus Sect.’
While in actuality, the Thunder God Lineage was preparing to stand against the White Lotus Sect, conveying this sincerity to the Zheng Tian Alliance would be difficult. From the perspective of the Nine Great Sects, it would be easier to monitor and oppose the Thunder God Lineage, which they might perceive as spies of the White Lotus Sect.
I hesitated and asked Mangnyang, “Isn’t the leader of the Zheng Tian Alliance, Wei Zhi-hun, a fair and wise person? If we explain things to him well…”
“Hmm.”
Then, Lee Kwang, who had been silent, chimed in.
“Baek Woong, while Wei Zhi-hun is indeed an outstanding figure, a genius of martial arts in the history of the Wudang Sect with wisdom and skill, I can assure you he won’t listen to us.”
“Why not?”
“He may personally understand that we are right, but as the head of an organization, it is only natural for him to regard us as enemies.”
“……”
“He is the Leader of Zheng Tian Alliance.”
Mangnyang picked up from what Lee Kwang said.
“I share that sentiment. Moreover, the Huashan Sect, as a member of the Nine Great Sects, possesses both influence and public trust that overshadow the Thunder God Lineage. If they decide to turn our group into pawns of the White Lotus Sect at a meeting of the Zheng Tian Alliance, we will have no way to recover.”
“Hmm.”
I asked Mangnyang, “If we are the Thunder God Lineage, they are the Wind Spirit Sect. Why not just go and declare that the Huashan Sect belongs to the Wind Spirit Sect?”
“And how do you prove that?”
“That’s simply about the martial arts of the Wind Spirit Sect…”
I trailed off, realizing something didn’t add up.
Mangnyang smiled wryly.
“That’s the problem. The experts of the Nine Great Sects know that the White Lotus Sect has the Four Great Martial Clans, but they have no real knowledge about the specifics of their martial techniques. This is because the White Lotus Sect Master has controlled the sect, keeping their forces contained. Simply put, if the Huashan Sect experts openly use Wind Spirit Sect martial arts, they’ll just assume it’s the Huashan Sect‘s martial arts.”
“So if we counter their claims we are the Thunder God Lineage, they’ll call it mere speculation…”
“Then we wouldn’t be able to operate under the Thunder God Lineage name, making it difficult to gather and organize the successors of the Thunder God Lineage scattered across the Central Plains. The very purpose of organizing would be compromised.”
“Hmm.”
“Moreover, people like Yong Junil, who are meticulous, would likely create multiple schemes.”
It was a challenging issue.
Abandoning the name of the Thunder God Lineage to create an organization would allow us to temporarily evade the political offensive from the Huashan Sect, but accomplishing the goal of gathering successors of the Thunder God Lineage and achieving the Final Ultimate within the next ten years would be out of reach. And regardless, even if we denied it, the Huashan Sect would still contrive some plot to paint us as enemies of the Zheng Tian Alliance.
As I contemplated this, Lee Kwang spoke up.
“Lord of Bancheon Alliance, I’ve decided to postpone the organization.”
“Hmm…”
“After all, we have already delayed this task. Delaying it by another year won’t be catastrophic. We will refine our skills and solidify ourselves first before moving forward.”
Lee Kwang had showcased incredible skill during the recent martial confrontation. The Dharma Protector himself was caught off guard by his Sky Annihilation and his sky-slicing thunder techniques! If he further develops those techniques, the martial arts of the Thunder God Lineage would evolve to a new level. Lee Kwang’s suggestion seemed to be the best course of action given the current circumstances.
Mangnyang pondered for a moment before replying.
“That may be alright, but it underestimates Yong Junil too much. If we go down that road, we will ultimately fall victim to his schemes.”
“Are you overestimating Yong Junil? If we don’t make a move, he won’t have a way to act.”
Mangnyang shook his head firmly.
“No, it’s not an overestimation. I believe rather that you, Lee Kwang, are underestimating Yong Junil.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yong Junil entered the martial world alone, won the support of the Huashan Sect apprentices, and even managed to raise elders and disciples to elevate his clan within the Nine Great Sects in a short time. In terms of abilities, he ranks among the top five champions of the Central Plains martial world. He is definitely not someone to be taken lightly.”
With that, Mangnyang continued,
“If we give Yong Junil time, he will escalate unfounded rumors, strengthen Zheng Tian Alliance‘s influence, and hatch plots against the Thunder God Lineage to ruin our reputation. In fact, he may already be doing so. If we do not actively counter his schemes, we will soon find ourselves in a corner.”
Thud!
In that instant, I felt my heart drop. Hearing the expression “a cornered rat” made my head pound, and suddenly, an illusion appeared before my eyes.
‘What is this?’
It was a vision of a stunning beauty, singing while plucking the strings of a guzheng. With alabaster skin and azure eyes, this beauty was crying sorrowfully. I got momentarily lost in the vision before snapping back into reality, feeling as if my wits had been snatched away.
Lee Kwang remarked,
“Let’s get to scheming.”
“I do have one idea brewing, but it’s a risky move that will require risking my life, and even then, the success rate is fifty-fifty.”
“I can’t believe you have such a dangerous scheme in mind!”
“Yes, but it must be done.”
“…”
Lee Kwang fell silent for a moment before saying,
“I’ll listen, but you’ve got to convince me.”
“Understood.”
Mangnyang took a deep breath and glanced between Jin So-cheong and me, then declared,
“We will visit the Master of the White Lotus Sect a few days from now.”
“What… What did you say? The Master of the White Lotus Sect?”
At this unexpected news, everyone except Mangnyang was stunned. Mangnyang calmly surveyed the hall and explained,
“I thought it might come to this, so I secured some insurance during the meeting. I aimed to arouse the curiosity of the Master of the White Lotus Sect and make him interested in our Bancheon Alliance.”
I felt as though I had been hit on the head with a hammer, mumbling in confusion,
“Going to meet the Master of the White Lotus Sect is tantamount to suicide!”
Having discussed the Thunder God Lineage with the Huashan Sect, it was practically a gamble relying entirely on fate. If the Master decided to wipe out the Thunder God Lineage right then and there, our end would be near. Sure, I could use Void Walking to evacuate us, but considering the Master’s martial prowess, it felt dubious whether I could shield us from impending doom.
So, I was genuinely relieved not to have been killed this time, yet now, to directly visit the Master himself? Dying at the hands of the Master of the White Lotus Sect would be a secondary concern—even before that, the Dharma Protectors or the other masters of the White Lotus Sect might just kill us first! No one in their right mind could ever think of such a thing.
Certainly, some individuals like Touyou and Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, or Dongbang Mukyeol, managed to meet the Master of the White Lotus Sect unscathed, but they were originally outsiders without prior entanglements with the White Lotus Sect. However, we had a hostile relationship with the White Lotus Sect; it was only a matter of time before we clashed blades again. This was quite the treacherous endeavor.
Mangnyang looked at me with an intense gaze and asked,
“How many people in this world can control Yong Junil?”
“Um… It would be, presumably, the Master of the White Lotus Sect and the Dharma Protectors.”
“True. But the Dharma Protector of the Wind Spirit Sect is an enemy, while the Dharma Protector of the Water Spirit Lineage remains neutral, offering little hope of restraint for Yong Junil. Additionally, the Dharma Protector of the Earth Spirit Lineage has no relationship with us, and we have no idea what he thinks. So, the only option left remains to persuade the Master of the White Lotus Sect directly, preventing Yong Junil from scheming.”
“……”
I was flabbergasted.
“Why not just ditch the Thunder God Lineage and change the name for the organization? That seems like a better option.”
“Baek Woong. The current environment is a path that leads only to death if we withdraw and hide ourselves. It might bring temporary comfort, but later on, we would lose all opportunities for a comeback. Instead of that, we must risk our lives to find a way out.”
I understood what I was hearing, yet I couldn’t make sense of it. Were we really supposed to risk our lives to persuade the Master of the White Lotus Sect given the influence of Yong Junil? Any ordinary person would think Mangnyang had gone insane and would agree that my concerns were valid.
However, Mangnyang had never been wrong in his judgment before. So, as I wrestled with my thoughts, Lee Kwang asked,
“What specific approach are you planning to take?”
“That’s entirely up to me. I’ll stake my life to make it happen.”
“Such vague statements don’t suffice. It’s not just your life at stake; all our lives are on the line here.”
Lee Kwang’s expression turned fierce as he felt the gravity of the situation as well. He was clearly concerned about Mangnyang’s reckless plan, and just as he was on the edge of exploding, Mangnyang interrupted.
“Then I’ll need more information.”
“What kind of information?”
“I need to know what the Final Ultimate of the Thunder God Lineage is, and why you, Lee Kwang, have yet to inherit it at all. Without that knowledge, we can’t even start.”
“Are you asking me to reveal the secrets of our sect to an outsider?”
Mangnyang retorted curtly,
“If you hadn’t kept the existence of the Final Ultimate hidden from everyone in that meeting, this wouldn’t have been a problem! Because of that, everyone gathered at that moment nearly perished at the hands of the White Lotus Sect. What happens if the same situation arises again?”
“Hmm.”
Lee Kwang let out a deep sigh as he recalled the shock everyone felt when the Master of the White Lotus Sect mentioned the Thunder God Lineage’s Final Ultimate. While Mangnyang’s suggestion could have been dismissed before, the gravity of the situation left Lee Kwang with no choice but to share.
“Lord of Bancheon Alliance, should you leak this secret outside, I will go to any lengths to erase everything connected to you.”
“Don’t try to frighten me; I am prepared for anything.”
“Alright then.”
Lee Kwang began to outline it slowly,
“The reason I haven’t spoken of the Final Ultimate is because I believed that in my generation, I wouldn’t be able to reclaim it. The Final Ultimate is a fantastical technique that even my master could not comprehend.”
“What do you mean? Isn’t it the case that a successor must master the Final Ultimate?”
Mangnyang’s inquiry was valid; no matter how difficult a technique was, it should hold meaning if a successor could learn it. If it were too difficult, it wouldn’t even qualify as an ultimate technique but rather a flawed or incomplete method.
“Absolutely… Unlike the other three major sects, the Final Ultimate of the Thunder God Lineage was indeed incomplete and has historically never been mastered by anyone.”
“Unfinished… What is this…”
Lee Kwang’s follow-up statement was shocking.
“First of all, mastering the Fist, Sword, and Spear techniques up to the Final Mastery is a prerequisite. After that, you can complete it with the help of three world-class masters of the Thunder God Lineage. The issue is, even after completing that, you must forget everything learned and completely overhaul your martial foundations in order to attain the Final Ultimate.”
“……!!”
“How can one acquire the three masters of the Thunder God Lineage and where those secrets to achieving the Final Ultimate might lie! I have only ever known a vague outline of it, not the specifics of the technique at all. And even if we successfully gather them, how plausible is it that we could abandon everything we’ve learned to start anew in our training?”
With that, Lee Kwang sighed harder than I had ever seen him.
“Nonetheless, the reason that this incomplete technique is referred to as the Final Ultimate is that, according to the judgments made by the masters of the Thunder God Lineage throughout its thousand-year history, this practice is the only path to reach the pinnacle. My master was a prodigy of the Thunder God Lineage’s history and was a Dharma Protector, but even he never attained the Final Ultimate,”
“……”
“Honestly, this isn’t about a Final Ultimate or a technique at all. It’s nothing but a dream.”
Lee Kwang’s master had been a Dharma Protector of the Thunder God Lineage but suffered from a catastrophic ambush during a purging of the Thunder God Lineage. Lee Kwang had salvaged his master just in time, but I’d heard he didn’t hold out long before passing away.
“How can I disclose such techniques to my disciples? It would surely be a distraction resulting from such fruitless fantasies.”
“I see…”
As Mangnyang pondered, he asked,
“Then at least can you tell me the name of the Final Ultimate?”
Lee Kwang emphasized strongly,
“Martial Soul!”
In that moment, an ominous premonition welled up within me.
It seemed as if I would have to embark on an arduous adventure to attain something that would cost me my very blood and flesh. Regardless of how much I sensed anxiety, Mangnyang nodded, wrapping things up.
“Understood. That’s sufficient.”
“What next?”
“We’ll be going to the White Lotus Sect, and I’ll bring Baek Woong and Jin So-cheong along; they’ll be necessary for my protection.”
“I don’t think you understand me. I cannot agree without hearing your concrete plan first.”
“I already spoke to the Master of the White Lotus Sect about this scenario.”
Once Mangnyang brought this topic up, he added,
“And if we join hands with the White Lotus Sect, we could rapidly attack and destroy the Imperial Palace.”
“What?!”
Lee Kwang leaped to his feet in anger. Mangnyang, unaffected by this reaction, said,
“It’s the most cunning strategy! If the White Lotus Sect actively intervenes, they could take down not just the Imperial Guard, but also Divine Messenger and Zhang Wu in one fell swoop. Plus, even the schemers will be swept away at once—how could this not be advantageous?”
“Are you seriously… planning to ally deeply with the White Lotus Sect?”
Lee Kwang questioned in a low voice. This was tantamount to deciding to have Mangnyang executed.
Mangnyang either noticed this or chose to ignore it and grinned,
“Go ahead, kill me if you must. Either way, if this fails, we are all as good as dead.”
Stop!
Lee Kwang almost drew back his weapon before stopping in his tracks. This wasn’t due to having thought through Mangnyang’s statement deeply; rather, it was because Jin So-cheong had blocked his path, grabbing ahold of Lee Kwang’s spear level. Lee Kwang stared at Jin So-cheong in confusion.
“Let go of this!”
“Why do you want to kill him?”
“Lord of Bancheon Alliance is too dangerous; I can no longer manage him, and he must die.”
Lee Kwang seemed determined not to listen any further. Signs of dissent had long been brewing, and with Mangnyang constantly reaffirming his audacious strategies, Lee Kwang felt both fear and dissatisfaction simultaneously. To him, killing Mangnyang was a self-evident course of action if he felt he couldn’t handle things anymore.
Then Jin So-cheong spoke up,
“In that case, I’ll stop you from proceeding.”
Everyone’s attention was immediately drawn to Jin So-cheong.
For the first time, Jin So-cheong, who had always obeyed Lee Kwang’s will, stood up against him. He fixed a steady gaze on Lee Kwang, clear in his conviction.
“This is the path I believe is right.”
“……”
The standoff between Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong continued for about a quarter of an hour.
An unbearable silence finally shattered when Lee Kwang lowered his spear. With a heavy sigh, he declared,
“Alright, there’s no choice now…”
Pabah!
At that moment, Lee Kwang, seemingly about to relent, suddenly lunged forward, aiming for Mangnyang’s neck. The speed was so swift that even I, standing close, felt I would have to sacrifice a limb to save him. Just as I braced to throw my body in the way…
With a thud, Lee Kwang suddenly collapsed to the ground. Standing over him was Jin So-cheong, having immobilized him with a blade hand technique.
“Gah…!!”
I gasped in shock.
The scene before my eyes was undeniable;
Jin So-cheong had subdued Lee Kwang! Even more astonishingly, it had been done without Lee Kwang being defenseless; with just a mere use of Dharma Name, Jin So-cheong had knocked him unconscious in an instant.
I could see Lee Kwang’s movements barely, while Jin So-cheong’s were so fast they barely registered. The implications were massive, and I found it hard to speak.
‘No way…’
Lee Kwang had cornered the Dharma Protector of the Wind Spirit Sect in a short-lived battle.
Yet now, Jin So-cheong had developed to the point of surpassing even Lee Kwang in just two months!
Subduing him without killing him indicated a significant gap in their abilities. Furthermore, the Dharma Name Jin So-cheong had just displayed seemed to have transformed into a previously unknown technique. He appeared to have evolved it into his unique form.
Jin So-cheong bitterly remarked,
“Let’s go.”
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