Celestial Realm
I first revealed the existence of the Golden Eagle to Dokgo Seong. Although it was a secret that was hard to disclose, Dokgo Seong was the one who would teach me the secret techniques of the Thunder God Lineage, making our relationship likely to become close in the future. It would be troublesome if I hid it and got a response implying that I was toying with him.
Hearing about the Golden Eagle, Dokgo Seong surprisingly didn’t show much surprise.
“I see.”
“Isn’t it surprising?”
“If, as you said, you truly lack significant talent, then it’s obvious you received help from the artifacts. I assumed you’d have some special tools.”
“But… the thing is…”
Dokgo Seong replied calmly.
“It wasn’t like your Golden Eagle, but the White Lotus Sect also had unique artifacts. So there’s nothing to be too shocked about.”
“……!!”
I was taken aback.
‘Could it be that the White Lotus Sect has them too?’
Are you telling me that magical tools like the Golden Eagle and Mok Gap exist? I hurriedly asked Dokgo Seong.
“What kind of artifacts?”
“The divine artifacts held by the leader of the White Lotus Sect, as well as several treasures passed down through the lineage of the priests. I’m not sure who holds them now, but those certainly existed.”
“Divine artifacts… what kind of abilities do they have?”
“Well, they could control the climate or something…”
Dokgo Seong continued in a tone that seemed indifferent.
“Anyway, those are mage’s matters. I don’t know much more than that.”
“Yes…”
To Dokgo Seong, unique artifacts of inner strength seemed to have no value whatsoever. He is a hardcore martial artist with the belief that anything outside of a weapon is as good as trash. While I felt a bit disappointed, I realized I had obtained a clue as well.
‘So the White Lotus Sect also has precious magical tools.’
Or perhaps magical tools made by the powers of their ancestors might exist.
After organizing my thoughts, I said to Dokgo Seong,
“Then I will head to Dongyoung. Please hold my shoulder.”
Whoosh!
I arrived at the Obsidian Mine in Dongyoung, a place I had previously visited with Miho. There weren’t many people around, and since it wasn’t too far from the city, I felt this spot was suitable. I told Dokgo Seong,
“I need to mine some obsidian. Could you wait a moment?”
“Why obsidian?”
“I need it badly.”
Dokgo Seong stood on the hill, gazing at the miners in Dongyoung dozens of feet away. He frowned after observing their nearly bare attire.
“This truly is a land of barbarians. Hurry up and finish.”
“Yes.”
I used the Hidden Void technique to swiftly sneak into the mine, avoiding the attention of the miners. While I could have subdued them using martial arts, it was better not to spread any rumors, so I chose to conceal myself. I successfully returned to the spot I had scoped out before and extracted a large piece of obsidian.
After mining the obsidian, I returned to where Dokgo Seong was by using the Floating technique. Dokgo Seong said nonchalantly,
“Isn’t there any quality steel instead of this obsidian?”
“Is it for a weapon?”
“Yes.”
I shook my head firmly.
“I’m sorry, but the steel from Dongyoung is of very poor quality. Additionally, the weapons produced here are not up to standard.”
“I see.”
Dokgo Seong seemed disappointed, but there was nothing to be done.
Although I had high hopes because the swords produced in Dongyoung were said to be very sharp, the truth was that the metal quality was low and the manufacturing techniques were crude. The swords were made based on a craftsman’s rough intuition, making it difficult to utilize their characteristics properly. Perhaps due to this, the durability of the weapons was weak, comparable to a candy stick.
“If you really need a weapon, I can buy you a good sword from the Central Plains.”
“That’s fine. I was just saying.”
“Then let’s head towards Mount Busa.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Dokgo Seong and I headed towards a village near Edo City. To reach Mount Busa, we had to go a bit further beyond Edo to arrive at Honshu Island. Going east of Honshu Island would lead us to Mount Busa, and the adjacent magic sea would be the Aokigahara Sea of Trees.
Dokgo Seong glanced at Edo City and said,
“Is that the city of the barbarians?”
“Yes. It is said to be the de facto capital of Dongyoung.”
“Then the king of the barbarians must live there.”
“That’s correct.”
Just then, Dokgo Seong began to voice an unexpected idea.
“Then let’s go there.”
“Excuse me?”
“I want to see what barbarian swordsmanship is like. It’d be fun if I know someone there.”
“Wait, just a moment…”
Thud!
Out of nowhere, Dokgo Seong started to dash towards Edo City. Though I described it as running, Dokgo Seong’s movement technique was extraordinarily fast, and he could move as if flying. I had no choice but to hurriedly follow him using the Hidden Void technique.
‘What is he thinking?!’
This was something I hadn’t expected at all. I just intended to check out the Aokigahara Sea of Trees with Dokgo Seong, but I never anticipated him charging towards Edo. Naturally, I couldn’t predict what Dokgo Seong would do next.
Dokgo Seong easily leaped over the city wall and landed in the downtown area. I followed him down to the ground. Dokgo Seong asked,
“Who is the best master here?”
He didn’t seem inclined to be persuaded.
‘His eyes are gleaming with excitement…’
It felt like Dokgo Seong was intent on finding a way to fight the barbarians’ swordsmanship. In this situation, telling him not to engage would only fuel his anger.
So, with a feeling of half-hearted resignation, I calmly explained,
“In Dongyoung, there are expert swordsmen above regular wannabe warriors called sword masters (劍豪), and among those sword masters, the clan leaders are considerably stronger. And there are three individuals who are even stronger than the clan leaders.”
“Oh? Sounds interesting. How strong are those three?”
“They might be similar to or perhaps a bit stronger than me.”
“I see.”
After briefly mumbling, Dokgo Seong looked at me and said,
“It seems you know some of those people. Guide me to them.”
“……”
I contemplated for a moment before saying,
“Please promise me you won’t kill or injure them.”
“I promise.”
“Then let’s first visit the Yagyu Clan.”
The three top sword masters of Dongyoung that I knew were:
Kamizumi Nobutsuna
Miyamoto Musashi
Tsukahara Boku Ten
Among them, the only one I had met in person was Kamizumi Nobutsuna, and I didn’t think meeting Miyamoto Musashi would be worthwhile since I knew his skills weren’t that impressive. As for Tsukahara Boku Ten, he was said to be an expert close to Nobutsuna, but his whereabouts were uncertain because he wandered the world. Therefore, I had no choice but to inquire at the Yagyu Clan’s gate to find out Nobutsuna’s whereabouts.
I thought my outfit might stand out, so I purchased some simple clothing from a cloth shop and got a long conical hat. I covered my face with the hat like a wandering monk and knocked on the Yagyu Clan’s door.
One of the Yagyu Clan’s disciples spoke nervously.
“Who is it?”
“A wandering warrior. I’ve come to challenge the clan leader of the Yagyu Clan.”
“……”
The disciple looked at me as if he found it amusing and suddenly swung his sword. It seemed he intended to teach the wandering warrior a lesson without hesitation. However, his level barely scraped the second-rate of the Central Plains, so I easily waved him aside, throwing him away.
Clang!
“Ouch…!!”
The loud noise attracted the attention of other disciples, who suddenly rushed over, drawing their swords and preparing to attack. As I faced their fierce intentions, I felt unfazed, reminiscent of watching kittens puffing up their tails.
‘Are these guys considered warriors?’
A few swings of my sword would likely trigger a bloodbath. No one could clearly block or evade my move, I was certain of that. Just when I was pondering how to handle the situation, one of the warriors spoke.
“Guests have arrived. Nice to meet you.”
A swordsman stepped out among the disciples. He was Yagyu Munenori, the current clan leader of the Yagyu Clan. He stepped forward and bowed slightly, taking a moment to gauge the situation before turning pale.
“Th-this…?”
Then he shouted angrily into the surroundings.
“Everyone, go inside! You fools!!”
“Yes…!”
Under Yagyu Munenori’s roar, the disciples scampered into the building in a hurry. Yagyu Munenori had also reached the level of a peak expert, so he seemed to instantly recognize our prowess. He understood right away that he wasn’t at the level to deal with us.
Yagyu Munenori trembled a bit and then asked in a shaky voice,
“W-who are these supreme masters…?”
I glanced at Dokgo Seong, who seemed completely uninterested in Yagyu Munenori and was instead distracted by a butterfly fluttering nearby. It seemed Yagyu Munenori’s power was akin to that of a weed in Dokgo Seong’s eyes.
I had no choice but to answer him.
“We’ve come from the continent to challenge the top sword masters of Dongyoung.”
“The continent…!!”
“I’ve heard your Yagyu Shin Kage Ryu has an outstanding swordsman, Kamizumi Nobutsuna, under investigation. As the clan leader of the Yagyu Clan, you must know his whereabouts.”
“……”
Yagyu Munenori gritted his teeth and replied,
“The grandmaster is not here.”
“Then where is he?”
“That is…”
I didn’t want to waste time on this. Now that Dokgo Seong hadn’t promised not to kill or injure them, I wanted to finish this quickly and explore the Aokigahara Sea of Trees. So I began to threaten Yagyu Munenori.
“The person standing behind me is a master who is twice as strong as I am. And I could wipe out your Yagyu Clan in a single flash. If you hesitate to answer, it will yield unfavorable results for you.”
“Ugh…”
Yagyu Munenori answered sullenly,
“The grandmaster is currently training at the entrance to the Aokigahara Sea of Trees.”
“……?!”
I went blank.
To think I had come all this way, and he is in the sea…!
I decided to inquire a bit more.
“What do you mean?”
“The grandmaster has felt the limits of his swordsmanship for several years and has been undertaking rigorous training against strong demons in the Aokigahara Sea of Trees.” Beyond that, I don’t know.”
“Hmm… Do you perhaps also know where Tsukahara Boku Ten or Miyamoto Musashi are?”
“Tsukahara Boku Ten is inside the sea with the grandmaster. As for Miyamoto Musashi, I hear he is teaching swordsmanship in Kumamoto.”
“I see. You truly keep good tabs on the great swordsmen.”
As I decided to compliment Yagyu Munenori, he suddenly looked perplexed.
“What do you mean? The great swordsman?”
“……?”
“Miyamoto Musashi is not someone worthy of that title. He may be skilled, but he is by no means comparable to the grandmaster. If you are searching for Dongyoung’s great swordsman, you’d better exclude Miyamoto Musashi.”
“He’s not at the pinnacle?”
“The grandmaster would say that he accidentally acquired an exceptional secret technique that made him talented but cannot aspire to more than a second-rate swordsman.”
“……”
It seemed there was a lot of embellishment surrounding Miyamoto Musashi’s reputation. Yagyu Munenori’s disdain suggests that he didn’t think highly of him. If he saw Musashi as a mere flash-in-the-pan with fame, I had to consider that perhaps Miyamoto Musashi himself was the problem.
I gathered some more information from Yagyu Munenori and then left the Yagyu Clan. Using my movement technique, I quickly exited Edo City and briefly explained the information I had gained to Dokgo Seong. He grumbled disdainfully.
“Did you mean to tell me that was the famed swordsman of Dongyoung?”
“Yes. He’s probably the best of the age.”
“That’s hilarious.”
Dokgo Seong scoffed. While some might say he was being arrogant, he had every right to be, given his qualification. In his eyes, anyone below a peak expert would be like cockroaches.
“Anyway, we need to head to the Aokigahara Sea of Trees.”
“Agreed.”
Two hours later, we arrived at the entrance of the Aokigahara Sea of Trees. As soon as we arrived, Dokgo Seong seemed to sense a strong energy and sprinted off in a certain direction.
Thud!
Moments later, I saw Dokgo Seong before a building, facing two middle-aged men. There were two sword fighters in their forties or fifties with tense expressions, drawing their swords.
Clang!
Dokgo Seong lightly flicked his sword, and the two swordsmen managed to block it by a hair’s breadth. As if playing a game, Dokgo Seong leisurely dominated the space, while the swordsmen focused on using their will to fend off his attacks.
After approximately thirty strokes had passed, Dokgo Seong stopped attacking and murmured,
“For a bunch of barbarians, they’re quite good. I was impressed.”
I walked up next to Dokgo Seong and bowed to the two swordsmen.
“Kamizumi Nobutsuna and Tsukahara Boku Ten, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Indeed. The swordsmen who had just exchanged blows with Dokgo Seong were the revered masters of Dongyoung. They were individuals who had reached extraordinary heights due to their own efforts in this mecca of martial arts where it was hard to find peak experts. In particular, Kamizumi Nobutsuna was someone I was well-acquainted with; I had met and conversed with him multiple times in my past life.
Kamizumi Nobutsuna asked,
“Who are you? You are an impressive master…”
“We are masters of the Thunder God Lineage from the continent. This is Dokgo Seong, and I am Baek Ung.”
I deliberately introduced us not as noblemen but as masters of the Thunder God Lineage to make conversation easier.
Surprisingly, Kamizumi Nobutsuna looked shocked.
“Dokgo Seong?!”
Then he hastily bowed his head to Dokgo Seong, greeting him in clumsy Central Plains dialect.
“It has been a while. It’s good to see you, Dokgo Seong.”
Dokgo Seong seemed bewildered when he heard this top swordsman from Dongyoung greet him in Central Plains dialect, and from the way he retained the distinct tone of Shin Gang, it was clear he knew about Dokgo Seong’s background as a White Lotus Sect member.
“Who are you?”
“I am Kamizumi Nobutsuna. Over a hundred years ago, I visited the Thunder God Lineage. You were the one who guided me then.”
“Oh…”
After looking at his face intently, Dokgo Seong seemed to recognize him.
“That Dongyoung swordsman from back then! No wonder I find your face familiar.”
“……”
I couldn’t help but be dumbfounded as I observed them.
Kamizumi Nobutsuna was saying he visited the Thunder God Lineage over a hundred years ago when he was still young. He had previously spoken to me about the impressions he formed regarding the Four Great Martial Arts when he visited. Who would’ve thought that the one who introduced the Thunder God Lineage to him would be Dokgo Seong himself!
‘How old is he, exactly?!’
Dokgo Seong only appears to be middle-aged, but there’s no doubt he must be incredibly old. As I gawked at their reunion, Tsukahara Boku Ten beside him spoke up.
“We were in the process of cooking. Would you like to join us?”
“Sure.”
So, we ended up sharing a simple meal prepared by the great swordsmen. It consisted of rice and vegetables arranged in a modest manner. Kamizumi Nobutsuna said,
“What brings you to this magic realm?”
“We came because the Dharma Protector mentioned that he had entered this place. He has gone into the sea searching for what’s called the Round Moon Heavenly Killing Technique.”
“……”
Upon hearing this, both great swordsmen paused their eating and exchanged glances.
“Is it him?”
“Have you seen him?”
Tsukahara Boku Ten stood up and walked towards a large wall. He peeled back a paper that concealed the wall, revealing letters that seemed inscribed with spiritual energy. Tsukahara Boku Ten said,
“This building serves as a forward base for entering the sea. A spell barrier is set up to guard against great demons, and there’s also a mental defense array. This was created by some master who attempted to challenge the sea before us, and they wrote their aspirations on it.”
On the wall were concise sentences written in the Central Plains language.
[ I shall find the Round Moon Heavenly Killing Technique and kill the sect leader! ]
“……”
“There’s a good chance this indicates that someone entered the sea to seek the Round Moon Heavenly Killing Technique. They must have been staying here, fighting against demons, while practicing martial arts.”
Needless to say, it was the Dharma Protector of the Thunder God Lineage, who was also one of the Thunderbolt Three Saints—Blue Moon!
He was the one who constructed this building and had entered the Aokigahara Sea of Trees to find the absolute martial art, Round Moon Heavenly Killing Technique!
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