Chapter 178
Chapter 178
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
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When I returned to Jin Rang Valley with Seo Mun-hye, Mang Ryang and the rest of the Thunder God Clan were all there. Miho was pouting sulkily, and Mang Ryang gave an awkward laugh as he said,
"You're at the peak of popularity."
Normally, I would have brushed off Mang Ryang's joke, but right now, with everyone watching, I couldn't say a word. Especially Lee Gwang's impassive expression made me feel like I'd catch hell if I slipped up. After a moment's thought, Lee Gwang spoke.
"Explain what happened."
I recounted how I'd ended up bringing Seo Mun-hye along. Of course, I didn't mention going to the Sword Demon for sword teachings—I just said I'd stopped by the Shadowless Sect at their request to visit again. Asking for teachings from someone who wasn't even my master could rub Lee Gwang the wrong way. He looked a bit suspicious but soon turned to Seo Mun-hye.
"Young Lady Seo Mun-hye. Does the Shadowless Sect truly wish to ally with our Thunder God Clan?"
Seo Mun-hye answered calmly, without missing a beat.
"Yes. My father said we could lend the power of the Eight Demonic Sects."
"Hmm..."
Lee Gwang seemed conflicted by the unexpected alliance proposal. Then Mang Ryang, who had been listening, chimed in with a sigh.
"Leaving that aside, is Young Lady Seo Mun-hye here merely as an envoy to the Thunder God Clan?"
"No. I've come to join the Thunder God Clan."
The room froze in an instant.
Seo Mun-hye—the Shadowless Sect's prized daughter, one of the top young experts in the martial world, and a likely successor to the sect—was joining the Thunder God Clan! The implications were huge. I looked at her in shock, and she smiled brightly as she said,
"Triple Excellence Lee Gwang. Will you allow it?"
Lee Gwang fell silent for a moment before replying.
"There's no reason not to. The Thunder God Clan doesn't turn away those who seek to join."
"That's a relief."
"But the Thunder God Clan's arts could clash with the Shadowless Sect's, turning poisonous for you...?"
"I've prepared for that. I'll have to make it work somehow."
"Even if it means clashing with your Shadowless Sect someday, you won't hesitate?"
"Of course."
Her answer was unwavering. Lee Gwang seemed impressed by her resolute attitude and nodded.
"If you want it that badly, then I, Lee Gwang, accept you into the Thunder God Clan."
He then received her formal bow of initiation, forging the master-disciple bond. With that, Seo Mun-hye shed her Shadowless Sect status to become the Thunder God Clan's youngest disciple. For a renowned female expert whose name rang through the martial world, it was an astonishingly humble choice. She was skilled enough to found her own small sect anywhere.
Once the initiation was done, Lee Gwang said to her,
"I'll give my answer on the Sword Demon's proposal within three days."
"Understood."
"And I don't have time to teach you our arts right now, so train on your own for the time being."
"Yes."
His tone had shifted to casual address, but that was only natural. Until moments ago, she'd been a Shadowless Sect expert and an outsider; now she was the clan's youngest disciple. With the discussion more or less wrapped up, Lee Gwang called me and Mang Ryang to a quiet room.
Seated around the table, Mang Ryang spoke first.
"Triple Excellence. Allow me to explain the situation to Baek Woong first."
"Go ahead."
"Baek Woong. As you've heard, thanks to our disciples' efforts, we crushed the Yellow Mountain Sect that day, destroyed their sacred manuals, and wiped them out. Afterward, I joined the Thunder God Clan's experts here in Jin Rang Valley and headed straight to Jang Ryeong Valley."
I tilted my head, feigning ignorance.
"Why Jang Ryeong Valley?"
"To recruit my uncle, the Mad Scholar Zhuge Xie, as the Thunder God Clan's strategist."
"The Mad Scholar Zhuge Xie...? He's the lord of Jang Ryeong Valley?"
"That's right."
"But why go to the trouble? You could handle it all on your own."
Mang Ryang smiled bitterly.
"You must have realized from recent events. The Anti-Heaven Alliance and Thunder God Clan joined hands for mutual gain, but long-term, things could go south. Even if they do, infighting would be inefficient and lead only to mutual destruction. Without a solid intelligence network or strategies, the Thunder God Clan can't survive what's ahead.
That's why I thought it best to have the Mad Scholar Zhuge Xie as a backup strategist for emergencies. Both the clan and the alliance will only grow, so it's essential."
"......"
Though he didn't say it, I knew it tied to the Mandate of Heaven. Believing he had two years left to live, Mang Ryang was securing a wise leader for after his death.
I hadn't needed to ask, but I did to check for other reasons. Hearing it from him soured my mood.
'Don't worry, Mang Ryang. I'll find a way to extend your life.'
Composing myself, I said to him,
"So you brought back the Mad Scholar Zhuge Xie?"
"......"
Mang Ryang's face darkened. As he hesitated, Lee Gwang answered flatly from beside him.
"He's dead."
"What?!"
What was this?
I'd assumed they'd recruited him, but he was dead!
Staring at Lee Gwang in shock, he poured warm tea into a cup and said,
"When we arrived, he'd been dead for quite some time. They'd already held his funeral in Jang Ryeong Valley."
"Why? How did he die?"
"They said it was suicide."
"Suicide...!!"
I muttered in dismay, and Mang Ryang said,
"I don't understand it either. Why my uncle would take his own life. But if he chose suicide, there must have been a reason."
"Just who is this Zhuge Xie? Even if it's rude to say about the dead, he lived large as lord of Jang Ryeong Valley—why sudden suicide...?"
"Wealth, glory, honor—none of it meant anything to him."
Mang Ryang murmured reminiscently.
"No one doubted his genius, but he was always extremely pessimistic. He lived only to mock and scorn the world. So his suicide isn't that shocking..."
"......"
Even hearing that, I couldn't picture the man.
As I puzzled over it, Lee Gwang said,
"Baek Woong. No need to dwell on the dead. We came back from Jang Ryeong Valley empty-handed. More importantly, what do you think of the Sword Demon's proposal?"
"Hmm..."
Lee Gwang changed the subject—and it was the most pressing issue. Should the Thunder God Clan ally with the Eight Demonic Sects? I'd been mulling it since bringing Seo Mun-hye here, but no clear answer came.
I subtly passed the buck to Mang Ryang.
"The Anti-Heaven Alliance Leader's judgment seems wisest."
Mang Ryang grinned mischievously.
"Come on, Baek Woong. If you've brought home a bride-to-be, shouldn't you take responsibility?"
"B-bride-to-be?"
"Seo Mun-hye is famed as the radiant flower among the martial world's young ladies—how'd you win her heart? Ha ha."
"......"
As I hemmed and hawed, Lee Gwang chuckled heartily.
"Enough, Anti-Heaven Alliance Leader. Personally, I'm thinking of rejecting the proposal."
"As I figured."
"The Eight Demonic Sects have no honor or loyalty. Aligning with them would just give the Righteous Heaven Alliance ammunition later."
Rustle.
Mang Ryang unfurled the Five Fires and Seven Golds Scroll. The playfulness left his eyes, turning serious.
"You're right, Triple Excellence. At least until the Thunder God Clan is on solid ground, we should avoid ties with the Eight Demonic Sects. Especially with Fighting Demon—one of the Eight Demonic Sovereigns—in the Wind God Clan."
"Hmm, that's troubling."
Grunting, Lee Gwang asked Mang Ryang,
"Anti-Heaven Alliance Leader. Beyond Fighting Demon, the Wind God Clan's influence permeates the martial world. How far do you think it reaches?"
"The obvious ones are Yellow Mountain Sect and Fighting Demon, but in truth, at least twice that in hidden forces. Likely underlings from Fire God or Water God Clans too."
"Annoying."
"The White Lotus Cult could unify the Central Plains but chooses not to—that's the problem. They're truly frightening."
Mang Ryang continued,
"Now, our next task is negotiations with the Righteous Heaven Alliance."
"Isn't it too soon? They're probably furious right now."
"No, now's perfect timing. If grudges deepen, the righteous sects won't back down until everyone's dead. We extend the hand, and they'll accept it to save face."
Lee Gwang smiled coldly.
"I can picture their faces. Quite amusing."
Mang Ryang glanced at me.
"With your help, Baek Woong, it'll go smoothly. But I have a question."
"What?"
"Do you know anything about the Thunder God Clan's other inheritors?"
"......"
Lee Gwang fell silent before saying,
"I don't follow your intent."
"No offense for prying into sect secrets, but if the joined inheritors can't become proper forces, we'll be in trouble."
"I see. No worries there. Plenty of monster-level ones will show up."
Lee Gwang leaned back slowly.
"Especially... the Thunderbolt Three Venerables. They're probably still alive. If they and their disciples join, it'll be immense."
"Thunderbolt Three Venerables?"
"Previous generation Thunder God Clan experts, same rank as my master."
"Are they strong?"
"What's the point of saying it? They reached super-peak as youths—even now, they'd be old monsters."
Thunderbolt Three Venerables!
Previous generation Thunder God Clan experts!
Lee Gwang's confidence suggested they were legends in raw power. And they weren't the only survivors—uniting the scattered Thunder God Clan across the continent would make it formidable.
A thought struck me, and I said to Lee Gwang,
"Those types have huge egos—they won't cooperate easily."
"Naturally. They'll demand leadership on arrival."
"Then..."
"Don't worry about that."
Lee Gwang drew a firm line. From his tone, I knew he had a plan for the Three Venerables. Mang Ryang wrapped up.
"Then that's settled."
We discussed details and parted. After leaving Lee Gwang, Mang Ryang pulled me aside to a secluded spot.
"Baek Woong. I insisted on having you at the meeting today."
"......?"
"I haven't said it, but General Hwang Yeon and his clan are gathering a massive army in Hebei—including the Northern Dragon Troops—under Anti-Heaven Alliance support. They're plotting something big soon, and once it starts, I won't have time for Thunder God Clan matters."
"Huh...!!"
I let out a groan.
'Right, that slipped my mind.'
General Hwang Yeon had been kidnapped and imprisoned in the Great Thunder Prison by the Imperial Guards. In past lives, I'd saved him via Bi Eung, but this time, busy with the Thunder God Clan, I'd neglected it. Mang Ryang had stepped in instead. Looking at him, I said,
"So from now on, I need to keep Lee Gwang in check?"
"Not quite. Just remind him you're not only a Thunder God Clan disciple but also the bridge to the Anti-Heaven Alliance."
"Ah."
"In other words, he'll share key info with you in major matters ahead. But it'll be filtered, so don't take it at face value. You need experience discerning truth from it."
"I get it."
Lee Gwang would treat me not as a mere disciple but as the Alliance's envoy. Yet it also meant no full trust. Still, my unique position among disciples meant I had to sift important intel and relay it to Mang Ryang. Feeling the weight, I steeled myself inwardly as he continued.
"The Thunder God Clan will surely prosper. If it stands alone, it'll surpass the Righteous Heaven Alliance's Nine Great Sects alliance in one leap. But think carefully now."
"About what?"
"Whether that's truly right."
"......?"
"Consider it well. You're overlooking one fact."
What fact?
I pondered deeply. I'd unquestioningly nurtured the Thunder God Clan because its rise served my goal of toppling the imperial palace. But Mang Ryang raising it now, on the cusp of completion, meant something.
It hit me.
"...The reason the Thunder God Clan was purged by the Cult Leader!"
"Exactly."
Mang Ryang nodded approvingly.
"You've gained real wisdom. A bit more polish, and you could be a strategist."
"You're saying the Thunder God Clan harbors evil too?"
"Hmm, 'evil' is too crude. But haven't you felt their path is too domineering?"
"......"
True enough. Their sweeping aside all obstacles was exhilarating, but it ignored others' positions—pure hegemony. I'd even begged Lee Gwang for mercy at the Yellow Mountain Sect massacre. Mang Ryang folded the Five Fires and Seven Golds Scroll.
"The Thunder God Clan is strong but no righteous sect. Without the purge, they'd have dominated the world with supreme martial prowess. So consider the impact on the martial world if they rise."
"Lee Gwang doesn't bully the weak."
"But he'll bend personal justice for the group."
"Hmm."
Mang Ryang sighed.
"Sigh, if only Uncle Zhuge Xie were alive—I could entrust the clan to him... As is, it's dangerous."
"What do you mean? Too domineering means too strong to handle?"
"Overly rigid breaks. The too-strong snaps. I can't be sure how far Lee Gwang will compromise with the Righteous Heaven Alliance. With Wind God Clan forces lurking everywhere, he might even push for all-out war."
"Th-that's reckless."
I said, face paling. The current Thunder God Clan could wipe a couple Nine Great Sects, but the full Righteous Heaven Alliance? Central Plains' super-peak experts swarming with peaks—that was another level. Surely Lee Gwang wasn't that foolish.
But Mang Ryang said firmly,
"Watch closely. Keep them from overrelying on their power. Otherwise, they'll face destruction soon."
"Got it. I'll do exactly as you say."
After parting with Mang Ryang, I went to Miho. Oddly, she was chatting with Seo Mun-hye. Spotting me, Miho huffed,
"Hmph! Mr. Popular's here."