Heavenly Realm
After discussing with the Sword Demon, I concluded that negotiations needed to be made with the Master of Twelve Rules, the supreme being of the Twelve Rules. As I contemplated my next steps, one clear conclusion emerged.
“First, we need to sort out the Martial Sect. After that, let’s head to Goryeo.”
“Goryeo?”
“There’s something about the city called Shindan. It feels like there might be some mystical defenses in place. Even if you can use Teleportation to get there, it’s not wise to raise unnecessary suspicions in front of the Master of Twelve Rules.”
Understanding his words, I nodded.
“So you’re saying it would be better to use Jeong Cheol-wook’s influence to establish a foothold in Goryeo’s capital first?”
“Exactly. We can decide whether to join the Twelve Rules after that.”
It was indeed a brilliant plan. Instead of directly approaching the Master of Twelve Rules in Shindan, we would secure the support of Goryeo’s powerful figures! This way, the Master of Twelve Rules would never dare to recklessly attack the Shadowless Gate, and even if the proposal to join the Twelve Rules failed, the Shadowless Gate would remain safe.
The Sword Demon continued,
“Starting today, we shall sort out the sect’s assets within three days.”
As soon as the Sword Demon was determined, everything progressed swiftly. Utilizing the chaos while the Sword Demon busily organized the sect’s affairs, I decided to take initiative in Goryeo.
Whosh!
I used Teleportation to arrive in Goryeo and met Hwa Seong-myeong. The moment he spotted me, a look of surprise crossed his face.
“Wow. You’ve popped up again like a daytime spirit.”
I bowed my head and said,
“I have an urgent matter to discuss today.”
“Hmm?”
I explained our situation with the Shadowless Gate, our desire to relocate to Goryeo, and the need for the support of the Jeong Clan. As I spoke, it seemed that Hwa Seong-myeong fell deep into thought. Watching him, I cautiously added,
“So, I was hoping you could mention this to Jeong Cheol-wook first.”
“Hmmm… It’s not difficult, but…”
Hwa Seong-myeong trailed off,
“How do you plan to convince Jeong Cheol-wook?”
“Well…”
“The Shadowless Gate is the top martial sect among the rogue sects! Bringing over the Hua Clan’s reputation is on a whole different level. Jeong Cheol-wook is no fool; he knows that permitting such a powerful rogue sect to migrate would incite significant backlash from the Twelve Rules.”
“I’m confident in persuading the Master of Twelve Rules.”
“That will only come after convincing Jeong Cheol-wook, I presume.”
Hwa Seong-myeong sighed.
“But I should mention, for such a substantial matter, a bribe of gold nuggets won’t suffice. He is the most powerful noble in Goryeo, so he lacks no wealth, fame, or treasures. Think of a better approach and come back.”
“……”
After pondering, I asked,
“Would something comparable to the Elixir of Longevity or a treasure suffice?”
“If it’s that level, it may be plausible… But does such a thing even exist?”
Nodding, I retrieved Black and White Lotus and Twin Broadswords from my inventory.
“This should do.”
“Gasp…!!”
Hwa Seong-myeong’s eyes bulged as he immediately recognized the value of the Black and White Lotus. As I explained their worth, he was astonished, trembling slightly, and finally said,
“It seems… feasible. I’ll make the report once.”
“Thank you.”
“But, could you spare me just one Black and White Lotus?”
I smiled brightly, saying,
“If you ask nicely, I can certainly give you that.”
“Leave it to me!”
Hwa Seong-myeong started negotiating for the price of a single Black and White Lotus. That very day, he visited Jeong Cheol-wook to discuss the migration of the Shadowless Gate. Curious upon hearing this, Jeong Cheol-wook requested to see me.
As I approached Jeong Cheol-wook, he stroked his beard thoughtfully and remarked,
“I’ve heard of the Shadowless Gate. It’s said to be the leading rogue sect among the Eight Demons of Martial Daos.”
“That is correct.”
“Hmm… First, I would like to see the items.”
“Certainly. Here they are.”
When I presented Black and White Lotus and Twin Broadswords, he seemed to hum in amazement. Even as Goryeo’s most powerful noble, the temptation was palpable. After contemplating for a moment, Jeong Cheol-wook said,
“Your intentions are commendable, but I require assurance.”
“Assurance, you say?”
“As you mentioned, although the Shadowless Gate is categorized as a rogue sect, it is still considered the head of the rogue factions in public perception. The Twelve Rules will certainly view you as a potential problem. Do you have any evidence to improve this unfavorable view?”
In other words, he wanted reassurance that the Shadowless Gate wouldn’t cause problems in Goryeo. From Jeong Cheol-wook’s standpoint, this was a perfectly reasonable demand. I pondered for a moment before responding,
“I believe this is a matter that we can resolve with the Master of Twelve Rules. Convincing him shouldn’t differ from persuading the Twelve Rules themselves.”
“Ho ho… You think you can actually persuade that monstrous figure?”
“Monstrous figure? Isn’t he still just a human?”
“……”
My calm retort left Jeong Cheol-wook momentarily taken aback. Then, he suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
“Ha ha ha! Of course, neither the Emperor of the Central Plains nor I dare to treat the Master of Twelve Rules lightly. The greatest concern is not the Emperor, but indeed the Master of Twelve Rules himself.”
“……!!”
“Very well. If you’re that confident, I’ll consider organizing a meeting. If you’re willing to take full responsibility, then I’ll trust you.”
Jeong Cheol-wook had a surprisingly open side to him. If he had been more miserly, he would have pressed for more conditions, but thankfully, he had decided to accept the Shadowless Gate. Sighing in relief, I realized the negotiations had concluded successfully.
“Thank you.”
After returning to the Shadowless Gate and reporting the outcome to the Sword Demon, he was filled with joy.
“You did excellently! No one in the world could have provided such swift and certain results like you!”
“The challenge lies in persuading the Master of Twelve Rules.”
“Hmmm. That might indeed be the most tedious part…”
The Sword Demon frowned at me and asked,
“Was that all the Black and White Lotus you gave to Jeong Cheol-wook?”
“No. I can actually collect more from the Misty Mountain.”
The Black and White Lotus blossomed abundantly, so I could gather at least a few dozen. I hadn’t done so until now simply because I didn’t feel the need to go that far. Even having five to seven Black and White Lotus would be more than enough to achieve our objectives.
Then the Sword Demon said,
“Then gather ten more for me.”
“Understood.”
“And I also feel that we might need a strategist for our Shadowless Gate. My body isn’t enough to handle all the planning and operations.”
I comprehended what the Sword Demon was suggesting.
“Are you suggesting we bring in Mangnyang?”
“He is one of the greatest talents in the world. In fact, I think it’s already overdue.”
I shook my head vigorously.
“I don’t want to do that.”
If I had wanted Mangnyang to join, I should have done so at the very beginning of my 16th reincarnation. Personally, my desire to strengthen myself caused me to deliberately leave him behind. Now, if I were to take him in, I had no idea what resentment I might face. I’d feel embarrassed to even face him.
The Sword Demon, as if reading my thoughts, calmly said,
“I understand where you’re coming from. But there’s no need to think like that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Mangnyang is not the sort of person who would resent you or cast you aside over such trivialities. Haven’t you known him for a long time by now? In fact, he’s usually quite pleased whenever you choose him.”
Pointing directly at me, the Sword Demon continued,
“You’ve always been Mangnyang’s lord.”
“……”
“Mangnyang would unquestionably understand you. And with the changed circumstances now, he will devise the best strategies. Don’t you think?”
Lord!
Hearing those words made my breath hitch. I had always felt I owed Mangnyang a huge debt of gratitude and lived with that sentiment, never considering the concept of lordship and strategist.
The Sword Demon, stroking his chin, remarked,
“Additionally, I find it somewhat unsettling. Perhaps only with Mangnyang’s wisdom can we hope to persuade the Master of Twelve Rules. I have a feeling about that.”
“Hmm…”
“Go on now. There’s no need to hesitate.”
I was half-pushed out of the Shadowless Gate. However, I didn’t immediately want to use Teleportation, so I chose to sit down on a nearby hillside and think for a long while.
I had left Mangnyang behind for nearly seven years of personal training in this life. I didn’t even think of seeking him out because I felt so guilty for neglecting him. I was also scared he would chastise me for leaving the world’s evils unchecked.
But as the Sword Demon said, thinking this way was foolish.
‘Let’s apologize to Mangnyang.’
Mangnyang would understand my choices.
I reached that conclusion in my heart. Then, after collecting ten Black and White Lotus from the Misty Mountain, I used Teleportation to set off for Jinrang Valley.
Whosh!
Upon arriving at Jinrang Valley, I made my way toward Mangnyang’s residence. While I could have directly approached him, I wanted to make a formal visit instead of startling him like a spirit.
However, along the way, something felt off.
“… Where is the Mangyun Formation?”
I sensed that the Mangyun Formation, which Mangnyang always spread around his residence for protection, was absent. This meant that Mangnyang hadn’t deployed it. What could be the reason? Curious, I quickened my pace toward Mangnyang‘s thatched house.
The thatched house seemed to exude an eerie atmosphere. Even in broad daylight, it clearly smelled musty, suggesting it had been deserted, with mold growing inside. I searched inside the house again, but there were none of the bookcases or texts that Mangnyang typically kept.
‘What happened here?’
I descended from Mangnyang‘s residence and inquired among the villagers of Jinrang Valley about his whereabouts.
One of the villagers, smoking a pipe, replied,
“Are you referring to Mangnyang? That guy left saying he was going to train.”
“… What?”
He tapped his pipe against the ground and continued,
“Well… he made a decent living as a Taoist. He must have been among the wealthiest in this province. But suddenly, he just ditched everything to go learn magic somewhere.”
“Magic?”
“Well, he’s a Taoist, so that’s only natural.”
His words seemed correct, but I knew that wasn’t the case. If I hadn’t granted him the Makiya through the Sacrifice Ritual to unleash his talents, Mangnyang’s magical talents were minimal. It didn’t make sense for him to leave everything behind to go learn magic out of nowhere.
“So where did he go?”
“Hmm… I’m not sure.”
“Is there anyone who might know?”
The villager scratched his head and said,
“I don’t know. He sometimes paid me to do tasks, but he was quite the mystery when it came to himself… There’s no one in Jinrang Valley who would know that.”
“……”
I believed him. Mangnyang naturally wouldn’t reveal himself easily, nor would he be sloppy enough to leave traces around Jinrang Valley. If he really went off searching for magic, it made sense that no one would know.
After contemplating, I decided to head to a nearby village where Cheon Woo-jin was located.
Whosh!
After hiding the Heavenly Secret in a pine forest, I made my way into the village where Cheon Woo-jin resided. If discovered, I could die, but I was desperate enough to take that risk, given how agitated my heart was.
Sure enough, just as I entered the village and walked around twenty steps, a thick fog unexpectedly rolled in, making visibility nearly zero. Through the fog, I spotted Cheon Woo-jin approaching slowly.
Though seven years had passed, his appearance was almost unchanged. He still looked like a youthful rural lad. With sharp eyes, Cheon Woo-jin glared at me and said,
“A martial artist of the Rogue World, I see.”
“……”
“Yet what is that peculiar divine energy flowing through your veins?”
“Divine energy?”
“Don’t play dumb. You definitely possess a Treasure Pin.”
Having pointed that out, Cheon Woo-jin aimed his finger at me and declared,
“Whichever sage’s disciple you are, back off. Otherwise, I shall enforce my strength against you.”
“Disciple of a sage? I’m not that.”
“Then who are you?”
“I am Baek Woong. I have come here to ask about not your life but the whereabouts of your senior, Mangnyang.”
“……!!”
Upon hearing my words, Cheon Woo-jin exhibited surprise, narrowing his eyes at me.
“How do you know about my senior?”
“I’m his companion. Suddenly, he vanished from Jinrang Valley, and I thought a fellow sect member might have some information.”
“I can’t trust you.”
Cheon Woo-jin rebuffed, waving his hand dismissively.
“It seems I must subdue you to extract the truth.”
“Wait!”
Before I could finish, he suddenly launched an attack.
Whoosh!
Clouds rushed toward me in an overpowering wave, obscuring my view. I felt a chilling pressure; there was nothing I could do. Frantically, I used Myeolhonbo to barely evade the clouds, hearing Cheon Woo-jin’s voice echoing from beyond the mist.
[ Are you using the Supernatural Magic? Regardless, you cannot escape the Fog of Illusion.]
Supernatural Magic?
This probably referred to Myeolhonbo, but I had no clue what he meant.
‘Hmm… I suppose escape isn’t entirely possible.’
Even with the exceptional speed of Myeolhonbo, dodging Cheon Woo-jin’s mist would eventually have its limits. As long as he could manipulate the fabric of space and time within this illusion at will, there was no way I could win.
With no other choice, I took out the Makiya and held it tightly. I hoped this might somehow provide a solution.
Then, I swung the Makiya at the advancing mist.
Slash!
In that instant, the previously thick fog scattered, revealing a stunned Cheon Woo-jin standing there, left in a state of disarray. He clutched his left hand, blood oozing from it. It seemed likely that he had been injured by the energy blast from my Makiya.
Gasp… I broke the illusion!!
Had I really just shattered Cheon Woo-jin‘s illusion?
I couldn’t believe it, blinking in disbelief at my own actions.
Cheon Woo-jin, ignoring the pain in his hand, stared at me with eyes wide open. Then, his expression shifted to one of shock,
“Ch… Chilyo!? You mean you are the master of the Seven Stars?!”
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