Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
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Upon returning to Jin Rang Valley, we went straight to see Lee Gwang again. Thanks to using the Flying Sword to travel swiftly, not much time had passed. We found the Thunder God Style disciples tending to him with lanterns lit, as he lay asleep.
Having stimulated his vital points strongly while sealing his inner energy, I had put him into a deep slumber.
I approached slowly, but at that moment, Sa Gong-rin drew her sword.
*Ping!*
The sword tip halted, trembling, right in front of my throat. I realized her swift swordsmanship was incomparably faster and more precise than what I had seen before. In just two months of training, she had made tremendous progress. Glaring at me, she said,
"Step back."
"I'm just here to release the seal on his inner energy."
"How can I trust that? Even Jin So-cheong betrayed us."
I had nothing to say and could only stand still. As a Thunder God Style disciple, it was indeed unthinkable to let me approach. If I harbored ill intent and struck a fatal point, Lee Gwang would die on the spot.
Then Jin So-cheong stepped forward and said,
"Take my life as hostage, then."
"......!!"
Without hesitation, Jin So-cheong strode up and stood before Sa Gong-rin, utterly defenseless. She asked,
"What's your intent?"
"Exactly as I said. A man's word is his bond under heaven—no need for further talk."
"Are you truly prepared to lay down your life to my sword, senior brother?"
Her blade moved soundlessly. It seemed she had already reached peak-level swordsmanship.
Sa Gong-rin's sword energy drew a bead of blood from Jin So-cheong's throat. One twitch, and his neck would snap open, killing him instantly. Yet Jin So-cheong said steadily,
"Yes."
Geuk-ho, watching from the side, grumbled gruffly,
"Rin, stand aside."
"Senior Brother Geuk-ho."
"I'll take responsibility. That guy's never gone back on his word."
Sa Gong-rin sheathed her sword. Awkward silence on my back, I approached Lee Gwang, released the seal, and woke him from his sleep.
Moments later, Lee Gwang's eyes snapped open, and he sat up. Surveying the room and seeing everyone gathered, he grasped the situation immediately. He glared at me and Mangnyang briefly, then looked at Jin So-cheong with regret.
"So-cheong... why did you..."
Jin So-cheong knelt right there.
"I'm sorry, Master. But it was the path I believed to be right."
"......"
Lee Gwang let out a groan. Contrary to our expectation that he'd lash out upon waking, the mental shock of being subdued by his own disciple seemed greater. Sitting on the bed with only his upper body raised, he remained silent for a long while before saying,
"...I don't want to see anyone right now. Everyone out."
Lee Gwang turned his head and lay down.
No one in the room could defy his words. We all left quietly. I thought the Thunder God Style disciples might berate me or Jin So-cheong or vent their rage, but unexpectedly, they said nothing—making me feel even more ashamed.
*Whish*
Instead, Geuk-ho stood arms crossed, facing the forest's chill wind, and spoke.
"Hey, you're the Semi-Heaven Alliance Leader, right?"
"Yes."
As Mangnyang replied, Geuk-ho continued without looking at him.
"Master will side with you."
Mangnyang stared at him blankly, and Geuk-ho irritably added,
"We've come this far, so we'll have to follow your lead."
"Then that's good for me."
"Damn it."
He spat a curse and fell silent.
*He knows it too.*
Of course, Geuk-ho and the Thunder God Style disciples knew. Rebuking me or Jin So-cheong wouldn't change anything. It all hinged on Lee Gwang's will, but since he couldn't bring himself to kill Jin So-cheong, he'd have no choice but to align with the Semi-Heaven Alliance.
Even if they broke away on their own, having made a ten-year pact with the White Lotus Cult, they'd suffer total losses. Lee Gwang might have felt a massive threat from Mangnyang at first, but now sobered and cooled, he'd stand with the Semi-Heaven Alliance going forward—that was what Geuk-ho had read.
But this didn't mean the Thunder God Style had fully submitted. If Mangnyang didn't navigate carefully from here, they could strike the Semi-Heaven Alliance in the back anytime. The silver lining was that Geuk-ho seemed half-understanding rather than resentful toward Jin So-cheong.
That day, we lit a fire at the temple, had a simple meal, and slept. I couldn't sleep a wink, but decided to think positively.
*Tch. It'll work out somehow.*
Lee Gwang summoned everyone when the sun was high the next day.
"Semi-Heaven Alliance Leader. I apologize for targeting your life earlier."
Lee Gwang's voice had regained its strength. His eyes gleamed with vitality, showing he'd fully recovered his mental fortitude overnight. Mangnyang bowed with clasped hands and said,
"I accept. We won't speak of it again."
"Thank you."
Lee Gwang looked at me and Jin So-cheong beside him and said,
"I'll let your actions slide too. Consider this matter never happened."
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
With the situation roughly settled, Lee Gwang asked,
"Semi-Heaven Alliance Leader. Then tell me—what happened after you subdued me?"
"Of course."
Mangnyang recounted everything: our visit to the White Lotus Cult, our talk with the White Lotus Leader, and receiving Pa-cheon's blessing from Elder Mangnyang. Listening intently up to that point, Lee Gwang said,
"So... the White Lotus Young Leader's strange illness is the work of an evil god, not human. The White Lotus Leader will seek clues and the Seven Essentials, delegating that to the Semi-Heaven Alliance."
"Yes."
"Why make that choice? Once the Young Leader recovers, the White Lotus Cult will emerge unchecked, crushing the Thunder God Style before it can grow."
Mangnyang flicked his clasped hands and replied,
"Let me ask in turn: if we hadn't informed them, do you think they'd have failed to find a cure on their own?"
"......"
"Entrusting the search for a cure to the Semi-Heaven Alliance means, put differently, that we can control them. We'll get full intel on our enemy too. We can secure a cure when needed and use it for further negotiations with the White Lotus Cult. No downside."
"That's overly optimistic. I don't think we've built that level of trust yet."
Considering it a key persuasion point, Mangnyang gulped down water from a nearby cup. Then, with grave eyes, he said,
"Think carefully. The White Lotus Cult has already infiltrated the Han family in the imperial capital Luoyang with Fire God Style guardian warriors and extended influence over the Nine Great Sects, Eight Great Schools, and even the Eight Demonic Sects via the Wind God Style. They've laid the groundwork to seize the world anytime."
In this situation, rejecting them outright and extracting info unilaterally is impossible. Unless we seize both the Embroidered Uniform and the Beggars' Sect leadership simultaneously—utterly impossible.
"Hmm."
"The White Lotus Cult is our greatest foe. We must keep them close and draw out maximum intel. Our actions from now on are crucial."
Lee Gwang pondered Mangnyang's words deeply. Only after about half an incense stick's time did he nod in agreement.
"You're right."
"Thank you for understanding."
"...Semi-Heaven Alliance Leader Mangnyang, you possess truly exceptional talent. If only So-cheong had gained your allegiance..."
Letting out a sigh-like sound, Lee Gwang's cold gaze turned to me. Feeling an inexplicable killing intent, I flinched, and he withdrew it. Then he continued,
"Very well. So the White Lotus Leader will block Yong Jung-il's next move. What do you predict will unfold?"
"He won't block it outright—just clean up afterward once it happens. We'll have to hold out until then."
"Hmm... as expected of the martial world's public enemy."
"No doubt."
Having listened, I questioned Mangnyang.
"What do you mean? Public enemy of the martial world...?"
Mangnyang's calm explanation made my eyes widen.
"Right now, somewhere, corpses brutally slain with Thunder God Style techniques are being created. The Righteous Heaven Alliance's Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Schools will investigate, uncover the Thunder God Style as the White Lotus Cult's sinister spies, and declare them the martial world's public enemy."
"......!!"
"So it's too late to stop it now. Evidence, witnesses, and politics will all be wrapped up—we can't intervene."
What was this!?
Flustered and bewildered, I turned to Lee Gwang, who gave a wry smile and explained.
"Baek Woong, listen well. What the Semi-Heaven Alliance Leader described is the most common sect extermination tactic in the martial world. Not just this time—the Righteous Heaven Alliance and Eight Demonic Sects have designated and wiped out public enemies many times."
"Th-then the Nine Great Sects will gang up on us?"
"Precisely: the Nine Great Sects' armed forces at Yong Jung-il's request, the Five Great Families' righteous warriors, and a token few demonic experts from the Eight Demonic Sects. Public enemies are meant to be crushed by righteous and demonic factions together."
"......"
Lee Gwang and Mangnyang seemed intimately familiar with how public enemies were designated. Probably because Lee Gwang was a battle-hardened veteran with detailed martial intel from his former imperial palace days. Mangnyang just seemed the type.
Mangnyang said calmly,
"It's a blatant ploy, but so textbook and ironclad that even knowing it, we can't block it. Yong Jung-il is the sect leader of Yellow Mountain Sect among the Nine Great Sects, with massive sway in the Righteous Heaven Alliance. Few could openly defy his strong-arming—maybe just Mount Zhongnan's Leader Yeon Jeong-hong."
"Yeon Jeong-hong..."
Hearing Yeon Jeong-hong's name jogged my memory.
Mount Zhongnan's Foremost Sword, Yeon Jeong-hong!
He'd left a fiercer impression on me than the Ten Elders combined. Even when they threatened a joint assault, unflinching Jin So-cheong had tensed at Yeon Jeong-hong's appearance. He was undoubtedly a transcendent peak expert, an ultra-elite sword master beyond the absolute peak.
"Wait. How will they fabricate Thunder God Style technique traces? How can they even use Thunder God Style martial arts?"
"In my view, the Thunder God Style and Wind God Style share basic techniques. Isn't that right?"
Mangnyang's eyes turned to Lee Gwang, who sighed.
"You're correct. The Four Great Styles—including Thunder God and Wind God—have coexisted for a thousand years, so their foundational inner arts and fist techniques overlap significantly. They diverge only in advanced stages; even they can use basic Thunder Spirit Energy."
"......!!"
"We can use Wind Spirit Energy too. Like this."
*Whooong*
Wind-like energy surged above Lee Gwang's palm. Sharp and refined enough for combat. He must know a secret method to channel Wind Spirit Energy via the Thunder Dragon One Qi Art using esoteric techniques. Withdrawing the wind energy, he continued,
"Likewise, Fire God and Water God Styles are intertwined. The Four Great Styles, passed down from ancient times, are based on natural energies—they can't help but resemble at the root."
It felt like learning a precious fact. Amazed, I asked Lee Gwang,
"Then if I train, can I handle Fire Spirit Energy or Water Spirit Energy too?"
"Yes. But your inner energy roots in Thunder Spirit, so you can't go beyond basics. Due to clear mutual generation and restraint."
"Um... then why haven't you told me this until now?"
"Because knowing it would only hinder your training."
"......"
Lee Gwang phrased it diplomatically, but it basically meant [You're talentless, so focus on learning what I teach]. Probably the same in past lives.
Then, awkwardly, he said,
"Of course, you could learn it easily now. I'll teach you right away if you want."
"Yes, thank you."
He apparently felt it improper to push my talent limits relentlessly, given my contributions to the Thunder God Style so far.
Mangnyang said,
"We have two choices."
"What are they?"
"One: use Baek Woong's armor to flee entirely to Dongyeong. Two: stand and fight as the martial world's public enemy in the Central Plains."
"Benefits of the latter?"
"The Thunder God Style has opened its gates, so its name will echo across the Central Plains—even if as infamy. And the scattered Thunder God Style masters everywhere will hear the news."
"Hold out until they join us, you mean."
"If possible."
Listening, I objected to Mangnyang.
"Even if we can hold out, why would those masters join a public enemy Thunder God Style? High chance of death if they come."
To my question, Mangnyang just smiled faintly.
Lee Gwang, listening beside, chuckled.
"You think our Thunder God Style is full of rational types who weigh pros and cons?"
"......"
It was irrefutably true—hard to argue.
Mangnyang said,
"Then let's send envoys to rivers-and-lakes sects the day after tomorrow and hold the gate-opening ceremony. Even if designated public enemies, martial world's unwritten rule bars attacks during the opening ceremony."
"Sounds good."
Thunder God Style Gate-Opening Ceremony!
A declaration of war against the Wind God Style's scheme.