Chapter 288: Annihilation (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 288: Annihilation (4)
The entirety of the Central Plains was ablaze with an unbelievable rumor.
It was a claim so absurd it bordered on absolute nonsense: the Leader of the Black Lotus Union, a peerless master of the Profound Realm, was dead.
However, the source of this rumor was far too significant to be dismissed as mere hearsay.
The news had originated directly from Transcendent Realm masters. It had simmered within the inner circles of their respective clans before eventually leaking to the outside world. The tale went roughly like this:
The Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord, Lee Seo-jun, had engaged the Leader of the Black Lotus Union in a fierce battle, and with the timely arrival of the Alliance Leader, he had finally claimed the great villain's head!
"The Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord has truly lived up to his name! He actually annihilated the ultimate evil!"
"Do you actually believe that nonsense? How long has it even been since he first made a name for himself in the Murim?"
"Why shouldn't I? Do you think a rumor of this magnitude would spread like wildfire without a shred of evidence?"
"Still, isn't it just a bit too far-fetched?"
There were those who stubbornly refused to believe it. However, once they caught wind of the news trickling out from the Black Lotus Union itself, they could no longer mock the believers.
The Black Dragon Sect and the Great Black Mountain Sect had sealed their gates and gone into self-imposed isolation. Sama Hyeon, the Chief Strategist of the Black Lotus Union, had vanished without a trace. Furthermore, reports were pouring in that the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord had been spotted deep within the Union’s territory.
Even so, most martial artists found it hard to swallow that the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord had actually achieved such a monumental feat against the Union Leader himself.
Ignorant commoners simply thought, 'Wow, the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord must be someone incredible' (in fact, many commoners didn't even know the Union Leader was dead). But those with even a modicum of martial knowledge knew, if only through legends, just how powerless a mere human was against a god-like being of that caliber.
But then, Ju Won-jang—a man who suffered from a chronic condition where he might literally die if he didn't involve himself in an interesting situation—and Peng Geuk-jin—who was incensed by the mere idea that his precious "Peng Seo-jun" was being doubted—rose up indignantly to set the record straight.
– The Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord is an absolute monster. With a single gesture, he caused the Leader of the Black Lotus Union to lose his mind and go on a rampage, inflicting massive damage upon himself.
– Anyone who dares slander the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord will have their head split open by the Peng Clan’s saber.
Once these declarations spread, the martial artists of the Murim finally began to wonder.
Regardless of the exact details, a groundless rumor wouldn't spread this widely or persist this long.
And so, a new, awe-struck whisper began to drift across the Central Plains: Is the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord now the strongest man in the world?
* * *
The Black Lotus Union had fallen.
To put it bluntly—no, to put it accurately—they were absolutely fucked.
The martial artists of the North Sea Ice Palace felt like bashing their heads against a wall and knocking themselves out for a few years, if only they could.
It wasn't that they felt any particularly strong sense of loyalty to the Black Lotus Union.
Though they were lumped together under the banner of the "Seven Evil Black Sects," the martial artists of the Ice Palace barely even registered that they were considered part of the Evil Sect.
But regardless of their own self-perception, the rest of the world firmly saw the Ice Palace as part of the Demonic Path.
No, I mean, sure, we’re technically part of it, but that’s just because of our location! We’re not actually evil!
...But there was no one around to listen to such pathetic pleas.
At this rate, things were going to get exceedingly bad. In vulgar terms, they were truly fucked.
The Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord—that terrifying, blood-crazed monster—might come charging in to wipe the Ice Palace off the map just to live up to his moniker.
And even if it wasn't him, it was a foregone conclusion that the Righteous Faction would invade under the righteous pretext of "unifying the Murim."
"We have to do something."
"Like what?"
"We’ve already declared our gates closed. Whether we flee or fight to the death..."
"Stop talking nonsense about fighting to the death. And flee? Where can the people of the Ice Palace go once they leave the North Sea? Are you planning to just abandon the Ice Crystals?"
"Then what do you suggest we do?"
"We’re just fucked, that’s what."
"Why are you people, who don't have a single damn solution, arguing about what's possible or not?"
"I'm saying we're going to become 'nothing' because we don't have anything! If you're already nothing, how can you become more of nothing?!"
"Everyone, please, maintain your dignity..."
"Stop talking about being fucked and start writing your wills."
"A will? What’s the point? The person I’d send it to will probably be dead too."
"You! Do you have to say it like that!?"
The elders, their nerves thoroughly frayed, bickered over the smallest things, only to fall back into despair as the grim reality of their situation sank in.
It is simply the way of the world that when one's face repeatedly flushes red with anger and then turns pale with fear, dizziness inevitably follows.
Eventually, looking as though they might collapse at any moment, the elders gathered their resolve and sought out their only remaining hope: the Palace Master.
Of course, they knew. They knew full well that even the Palace Master likely had no clever solution.
Baek Seol-hyang, the North Sea Ice Palace Master, was undoubtedly a brilliant martial artist. She was a master whose internal energy was likely unrivaled in the world (though they couldn't quite bring themselves to call her a brilliant leader). But how could a single Transcendent Realm master overturn the tides of the entire Central Plains?
Nevertheless, the elders clung to a sliver of hope.
They believed that the world, as seen through the eyes of a Transcendent Realm master, must be fundamentally different from what those below perceived.
...Actually, they didn't have much choice but to believe that.
The elders gathered in front of the Palace Master’s room and caught their breath.
The Palace Master was just behind this door.
Every elder knew that her nature was not cruel, but in such an extreme, life-or-death situation, there was no telling how she might react.
With grim determination, they placed their hands on the door handle, fully prepared to physically stop her if she chose an extreme path—like screaming "I'll kill them all!" or "I'll just die!"
"Well then..."
"Wait."
Just then, one elder raised a hand to her lips. At the gesture for silence, everyone held their breath.
The elder pointed toward her ear, signaling that she heard something.
Had the Righteous Faction already arrived?
The elders tensed, frantically scanning their surroundings.
— Heh-hem. Ta-da-dan~
Through the heavy silence, a cheerful humming drifted out.
It was definitely coming from inside the Palace Master's room.
'Could it be...!'
One elder’s eyes widened in horror.
'Has a crazed killer from the Righteous Faction already...?'
While the other elders lamented, assuming the Palace Master had finally snapped and lost her mind under the pressure—
SLAM!
That one elder, fueled by righteous rage, smashed the door open and burst into the room.
"How dare you do this to the Palace Master...!"
"Eek!?"
The elder, her hands wreathed in freezing Ice Soul Divine Energy, locked eyes with Baek Seol-hyang—who was right in the middle of cleaning her room.
"Huh...?"
The elder’s bewildered gaze fixed on Baek Seol-hyang.
The feather duster in her hand, the slight, joyous upward curve of her lips, the way she had been humming a tune while wiggling her hips...
From the throat of the elder, who stood frozen as if witnessing a transcendent being beyond human comprehension, a faint, squeezed-out voice emerged.
"Palace Master...?"
"Ah."
Baek Seol-hyang’s mouth fell wide open.
It was exactly what it looked like.
Baek Seol-hyang had been happily cleaning her quarters, feeling immensely proud that her friend’s name was soaring to the heavens. In her excitement, she had completely failed to notice the presence of the elders gathered right outside her door, and now she was paying the price.
"G-Get out this instant...!!!"
Baek Seol-hyang’s embarrassed roar thundered across the North Sea.
* * *
Surprisingly, Baek Seol-hyang managed to salvage the situation.
"So... you’re saying you have a way to resolve this?"
"I told you! The Ice Palace has Young Palace Master Baek Seo-jun, doesn't it?"
"We all know his talents are exceptional... but even so, to resolve a situation of this magnitude..."
"I guarantee it! It’ll be fine! The truth is, well... I happen to be close friends with the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord."
"What?"
"I’ve even been invited to his wedding this spring. So don't worry about a thing and just focus on rebuilding the Ice Palace."
"Palace Master. I’m sorry to say this, but... has your Qi Deviation returned...?"
To put it more bluntly: 'Have you lost your damn mind?'
"Y-You wench...! How dare you speak to the Palace Master like that!"
Panting with a flushed face, Baek Seol-hyang cleared her throat and composed herself.
'Heh, hehe...'
Even as she acted angry, she struggled to hide the smug smirk threatening to break out on her face.
And why wouldn't she?
Her very first friend was currently being hailed as potentially the strongest man in the world, and thanks to that amazing friend, the Ice Palace would be entirely spared from disaster!
'He wouldn't pretend not to know me, would he...?'
A brief flicker of anxiety crossed her mind, but she trusted her friend.
They had shared drinks, cleaned the Ice Palace together, and he had even given her a Clear Heart Pill last time. They had done so much together, hadn't they?
"That’s enough, everyone return to your posts! If any of the disciples are anxious, make sure to reassure them!"
Baek Seol-hyang believed in him.
Since she was invited to his wedding in the spring, and since he had even promised he would come to pick her up himself, there was no way her friend had forgotten her.
'...He hasn't, right?'
She decided to just believe.
Regardless of the elders' doubts, Baek Seol-hyang was happy.
* * *
After resting for a few days, Seo-jun finally began "unboxing" the large bundle he had dragged all the way from the Black Lotus Union.
"Gasp...!"
Wrapped in white cloth and bound tightly by Seo-jun’s specialized binding ropes, Sama Hyeon, the Chief Strategist of the Black Lotus Union, gasped for air as he lifted his head.
"This place is..."
"The Namgung Clan."
Seo-jun crouched on the floor and looked coldly down at Sama Hyeon.
Sama Hyeon didn't bother resisting. Lying helpless on the floor, he merely tilted his head to meet the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord’s gaze.
The Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord and the Namgung Clan.
There was no one in the Murim who didn't know of their deep relationship.
Sama Hyeon was well aware that the Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord was engaged to Namgung Su-ah, the eldest daughter of Namgung Jin-cheon, and that he had followed Namgung Jin-cheon as if the man were his own father.
So, this situation wasn't exactly strange.
The Evil-Annihilating Heavenly Lord had infiltrated the Black Lotus Union and kidnapped the very man who had orchestrated the hunt for Namgung Jin-cheon.
Sama Hyeon didn't know how the boy had managed to infiltrate the Union while the Leader was present.
He only knew that the Leader hadn't intervened, and that he had been dragged all the way to the Namgung Clan.
His future was equally predictable.
"...What do you want?"
"You're more cooperative than I expected."
"What can a mere strategist do before a master of the Transcendent Realm? Resistance is meaningless, and my head doesn't contain any information vital enough to bargain with."
Sama Hyeon’s eyes searched Seo-jun’s. With his keen senses, Seo-jun could read a variety of emotions swirling in those depths.
They were emotions that could be broadly categorized as absolute resignation.
After staring at Seo-jun for a long moment, Sama Hyeon spoke.
"I have no regrets. For our victory, the death of Namgung Jin-cheon was an absolute necessity. His strength exceeded my expectations and ruined the initial plan, but I did the best I could at the time."
To someone like Seo-jun, Namgung Jin-cheon was a father figure, an object of immense respect, and an unshakable pillar of support. But to Sama Hyeon, he was nothing more than the Righteous Faction’s most powerful chess piece—a piece that had to be captured.
That was the cold nature of war.
That was the nature of a strategist in war.
One had to treat the countless lives on the battlefield as mere numbers, categorize them by strategic importance, and coldly calculate what to sacrifice and what to take.
"I did my best from my position. That is all I have to say."
With those words, Sama Hyeon fell silent.
Seo-jun, looking down at him, slowly stood up. Even Sama Hyeon, a man who had seen all walks of life, could not pierce the deep emotions hidden beneath that placid expression.
"I suppose so. That is what war is."
Seo-jun lightly tapped Sama Hyeon’s forehead and then turned, leaving the building where the strategist was being held.
— Aaaaaaaagh...!!
Sama Hyeon’s bloodcurdling scream echoed faintly behind him.
What Seo-jun had given him was raw pain, refined and amplified by Primordial Unity. He had taken the sheer, suffocating agony he had felt upon losing Namgung Jin-cheon and converted it into a physical sensation to bestow upon the strategist.
Exactly that much.
No more, no less.
Seo-jun stood still for a moment, looking up at the vast sky, before moving on.
Walking through folded space, his steps soon came to a halt.
Two rounded graves.
Seo-jun gazed silently at the two tombstones erected before them and smiled faintly.
"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law... the wedding is soon."
A gentle breeze stroked his hair.
* * *
After some time had passed and the martial artists of the Namgung Clan had fully extracted all necessary information from Sama Hyeon, Seo-jun accepted his soul into Primordial Unity.
From then on, Seo-jun immersed himself entirely in training.
To be precise, he focused on reviewing the Altar's Enlightenment and digesting the Essence of the Black Lotus Union Leader.
While he merely continued to slowly digest the Union Leader’s Essence, the Altar's Enlightenment proved to be a far greater help than he had ever expected.
'So, this is what it was.'
Seo-jun’s eyes sank into a deep, profound calm.