Chapter 144: Leaving White Flower Peak
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 144: Leaving White Flower Peak
Step. Step.
Sun-woo walked slowly into the stone cave.
This was the very place where Sun-woo had first split a boulder in two; now, the Yin-Yang Demon used it almost like a private cell.
"You've come?"
The Yin-Yang Demon spoke, having sensed Sun-woo’s presence.
"Yes, Master."
Sun-woo asked him in a notably serious tone.
"Are you truly not coming with me?"
Sun-woo watched the Yin-Yang Demon as he spoke again.
"Have I not told you repeatedly? I am not going."
The Yin-Yang Demon replied with a firm voice.
"If you come with me, I will see to it that you are served a feast every single day."
Despite the firm refusal, Sun-woo pressed him again with a persuasive tone.
The Tang Clan was currently in a situation no different from a flickering candle in the wind. In such a state, having a powerhouse like the Yin-Yang Demon by his side would be no different from gaining an army of thousands. If the man would simply stay at the Tang Clan, Sun-woo would be able to move freely with peace of mind.
"Hmph. I have already reached the stage of a Half-Immortal. Do you think I would be swayed by something as trivial as food?"
The Yin-Yang Demon merely snorted at the proposal.
"It’s not like you have anywhere else to go!" Sun-woo argued.
The Yin-Yang Demon was a man branded as a Public Enemy of the Murim. Furthermore, had he not killed his own masters, the original Yin-Yang Twin Demons, and even stolen the Demonic Cult’s protective martial art, the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth?
The Yin-Yang Demon was a being welcomed by neither the Orthodox Faction nor the Demonic Cult. Where else could he possibly go?
"I have a place to visit," the Yin-Yang Demon continued calmly.
"Where are you going?"
"Qinghai."
The Yin-Yang Demon answered nonchalantly.
"Qinghai!?"
Sun-woo’s eyes widened like saucers at the answer.
"Why are you going there all of a sudden?"
Sun-woo asked, genuinely confused. From what he remembered, Qinghai wasn't exactly a neighborhood with much to see. Most of it consisted of mountainous terrain where farming was difficult, and the rugged landscape made it hard for even animals to live, let alone for people to hunt. Naturally, the population was sparse.
Why would the Yin-Yang Demon go to such a desolate place?
"There is something I must confirm."
The Yin-Yang Demon spoke with a resolute tone.
"What do you mean?"
"The Demonic Cult."
"Ah!"
Sun-woo let out an exclamation of realization. Qinghai wasn't completely empty. At the edge of those rugged mountains lay the headquarters of a massive martial power known as the Demonic Cult.
"Did you not say it yourself? That the Heavenly Demon has been resurrected."
It was true. The Poison Demon had told Sun-woo that he invaded the Tang Clan to announce the resurrection of the Heavenly Demon and the Demonic Cult’s resurgence. Sun-woo had passed that information along to the Yin-Yang Demon.
"I must see for myself whether that bastard has truly returned or not."
The Yin-Yang Demon continued, a faint, amused expression on his face.
If the Poison Demon had been bluffing, that was one thing, but if his words were true, it was incredibly troublesome. Someone like Lee Jae-won was merely a greenhorn with strength that didn't match his actual experience—like a child holding a masterwork sword that fought on its own.
But the Heavenly Demon was different. He was a natural-born destroyer with an irresistible power.
"Why bother confirming it?"
"If he truly has been resurrected, I intend to kill him."
The Yin-Yang Demon answered with a composed attitude.
"You’re going all the way to Qinghai just to kill the Heavenly Demon!?" Sun-woo asked, still not quite understanding.
"If that fellow returns, things get annoying."
The Yin-Yang Demon continued with a bored expression.
The Heavenly Demon.
It was a title that made one's heart tremble just by hearing it. Over his hundreds of years of life, the Yin-Yang Demon had encountered three Heavenly Demons.
In his youth, there was the Gwangcheonma who had issued a Kill Order against him; then the Blood Heavenly Demon who had died by his hand; and finally, the Heavenly Demon Emperor who had invaded the Central Plains twenty years ago.
The Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult used the title 'Heavenly Demon' from generation to generation. However, there was only one who was ever called 'Emperor.'
He was the first Heavenly Demon, rumored to possess the Power of Immortality. A legendary figure said to reappear once every few centuries, plunging the Murim into terror each time.
Of course, every time he appeared, he was stopped by extraordinary figures like Bodhidharma or Zhang Sanfeng, but with every resurrection, he returned to the Murim even stronger than before.
About twenty years ago, the Yin-Yang Demon had exchanged blows with him and realized the man wasn't human. Even if you blew off his arm or snapped his leg, he would simply regenerate and keep attacking. It was beyond frustrating, especially since the man possessed power equal to his own, which was then at the peak of the Profound Realm.
In the end, they had retreated without a clear victor, but the encounter remained a memory of a nuisance he never wanted to face again.
"Isn't it actually a good thing if he's resurrected?" Sun-woo asked.
If the Demonic Cult rose up and clashed with the Uicheon Alliance, wouldn't that be beneficial? Lee Jae-won might even die in the process.
But the Yin-Yang Demon’s refusal was adamant, and Sun-woo fell silent.
"It is not a good thing," the Yin-Yang Demon said firmly. "Even if that fellow reached the Life and Death Realm—the stage of a Demonic Immortal—during this resurrection, he still cannot defeat Lee Jae-won."
"What!?"
Sun-woo asked back in disbelief. The current Lee Jae-won was only at the Profound Realm. How could a Heavenly Demon who might have reached the Life and Death Realm be unable to win?
"Did I not tell you before? The world is being tuned for Lee Jae-won."
The Yin-Yang Demon frowned as if he had a headache.
"No matter how strong the Heavenly Demon becomes, he will ultimately be defeated by Lee Jae-won. Just as it has happened in the past. And then, Lee Jae-won will obtain a power far greater than anything he had before."
"......Ah."
Sun-woo let out a gasp of realization.
Plot Armor.
That was it. Lee Jae-won possessed Plot Armor. No matter if the characters in this world reached the Profound Realm or the Life and Death Realm, he would chew through those talents with his Plot Armor and climb even higher.
"So, must I not kill him?" the Yin-Yang Demon added nonchalantly.
"Will you be alright?" Sun-woo asked with concern.
Even for him, this was too dangerous. As a former reader, Sun-woo knew the identity of the Heavenly Demon Emperor better than anyone. He was the first Heavenly Demon who founded the cult, a monster with the Power of Immortality who resurrected every few centuries. Each time he returned, he was stronger.
When he had died at Lee Jae-won’s hands in the original story, his level was at the peak of the Profound Realm. This resurrection meant he could very well have ascended to the Life and Death Realm.
Sun-woo felt a sense of unease. The Yin-Yang Demon was the World's Greatest Martial Artist, the strongest under heaven. But the Heavenly Demon was a monster outside the standard scales. He couldn't help but be worried.
"Who do you think I am?"
The Yin-Yang Demon gave a smirk.
Hearing those words, Sun-woo’s expression turned gloomy. It seemed the man truly had no intention of coming along.
"Why do you look so pathetic?" the Yin-Yang Demon asked, watching him.
"How can I not feel pathetic when I am parting with my master?" Sun-woo replied in a somber voice.
He meant it. Aside from the fact that he felt safe with him, the Yin-Yang Demon’s mere presence had been a great source of strength for Sun-woo. The thought of parting made his heart heavy.
"We shall meet again when the time is right."
The Yin-Yang Demon spoke as if to comfort him. Despite the consolation, Sun-woo only lowered his head further.
The Yin-Yang Demon shook his head. No matter how many times he saw it, he didn't like this overly soft-hearted nature.
He truly has a temperament ill-suited for the Murim, the Yin-Yang Demon thought, clicking his tongue inwardly.
.
.
.
.
.
The next day, after performing a deep bow to the Yin-Yang Demon, Sun-woo left the Baekgeom Sect’s hideout, taking Ok-ryeong and Yorang with him.
*
"Do I really have to wear this?"
Yorang fidgeted with the black veil covering her face, looking frustrated.
"It’s because Lady Yorang is too beautiful. There’s no other way."
Ok-ryeong, standing beside her, soothed the grumpy Yorang with a gentle voice. She, too, was wearing a white veil over her face.
"Uuuugh... but it’s so uncomfortable."
Despite the comforting words, Yorang’s pout was visible even through the cloth. Until recently, she had never worn such bothersome things. Being forced to wear one now made it feel even more annoying.
"Wear it even if it’s annoying. Do you want to get tangled up with weirdos again?"
Sun-woo, standing next to them, spoke firmly to Yorang. Because of the Dragon and Phoenix incident in Gyunhyeon, he knew all too well how lethal Yorang’s beauty was. The first thing Sun-woo had done upon reaching a nearby village was buy veils.
In truth, he should have made her wear one much sooner. Moreover, Ok-ryeong was a beauty who drew just as much attention as Yorang. Having two such lovely women by his side was a guaranteed recipe for disaster.
However, Yorang was in a foul mood because the veil prevented her from eating her tang-gwa.
"It’s uncomfortable! Uncomfortable!"
"Just wear it. If you take that off, you’re in for a beating."
Sun-woo shouted at Yorang with feigned severity.
"I still hate it!"
Yorang shouted back, refusing to back down. She had been beaten half to death by the Yin-Yang Demon recently. A fist from Sun-woo didn't scare her at all.
"Should I go bring Master back?"
"............"
In an instant, Yorang’s chattering mouth snapped shut. Though she had grown quite bold lately, she was still terrified of the Yin-Yang Demon. After all, he was the one who had toughened her up in the first place. She shuddered at the thought.
Sun-woo chuckled at the sight. The Yin-Yang Demon must have treated her quite harshly for this brat to listen so perfectly.
"By the way, are we going straight to the Tang Clan now?" Ok-ryeong asked curiously.
"No."
Sun-woo answered with a firm tone.
"Then where?"
"First, I need to find out exactly what’s happening with the Tang Clan."
Sun-woo’s expression hardened. It had been long past the two months he had promised while training in the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth. Furthermore, because of Yorang and himself, they had made enemies of the Five Great Clans, so the Tang Clan was likely in a very difficult position.
He had to find out what measures the Five Great Clans had taken. It would be a relief if nothing had happened, but if they were persecuting the Tang Clan, he couldn't just stand by.
He would resolve this entire situation before returning.
*
Yoseong, Shandong Province.
"Haaaaa-aaaam~"
A middle-aged man sitting at a desk opened his mouth wide and let out a massive yawn. Soon after, he slowly leaned forward and slumped onto the desk. It seemed the fatigue accumulated over time had finally caught up with him.
Phew... shhh... phew... shhh...
Before long, the sound of the man’s snoring began to echo through the room.
BANG!
It was then. A thunderous roar exploded in the ears of the sleeping man.
"Wh-what!?"
The middle-aged man bolted upright and looked around. There was nothing there. He tilted his head in confusion. He had clearly heard a loud noise that rang in his ears.
But the room was perfectly silent. Thinking he might have hallucinated, the man slumped back onto the desk. He felt like he was losing his mind, perhaps from working through the night recently. He made a mental note to get some herbal medicine before closing his eyes again.
That was when it happened.
"Branch Manager!"
An urgent voice calling for him came from outside the door. The man ignored it, hoping it was another hallucination.
Thud!
"Branch Manager Samcheok!"
The door swung open, and the voice became even clearer. Samcheok realized the voice calling him was very real.
"Oh, for fuck's sake!"
Hearing the voice, Samcheok stood up irritably.
"What! What! What! What! What!"
Samcheok shouted in annoyance, glaring at the person who had called him.
"S-Something terrible has happened!"
The man who had called Samcheok was Do-chil, the Deputy Branch Manager of the Yoseong Branch.
"If this isn't actually 'terrible,' you’re dead meat, you hear me?"
Samcheok spoke, radiating murderous aura toward Do-chil. What could possibly be so important that it interrupted his precious sleep? If it turned out to be something trivial, Do-chil would not be safe.
"I-It’s a raid!"
"Wh-what!?"
Samcheok asked in shock. Who on earth would suddenly raid them?
KABOOM!
Right then, the door to Samcheok’s office shattered, sending splinters flying everywhere.
Thump.
And there, lying on the floor in front of the door, was his guard, Jo-chil.
Samcheok’s eyes went wide. Who was Jo-chil? He was the guard known as the 'Three-Foot Sword' who protected Samcheok like a shadow. He was a Peak Martial Artist, one of the strongest in Yoseong.
Who could have possibly beaten him into a pulp like that?
Step. Step.
The sound of footsteps reached his ears.
"Hey."
The owner of the footsteps finally revealed himself. It was a young man dressed in a black martial arts uniform.
"You want to die?"
The man spoke, his face twisted into a deep scowl.
Samcheok’s face turned deathly pale.