Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
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A few days later, Mangnyang took me along to escort Dongbang Mugeuk back to the White Lotus Church headquarters. This time, having decided that Jin So-cheong's protection wasn't necessary, Mangnyang used Bi-eung and Mok-gap to travel there with just the two of us. Dongbang Mugeuk was blindfolded and restrained the entire way, and only when we reached the main gate of the White Lotus Church was the blindfold removed. Upon seeing the church, he recoiled in shock.
"You bastards... what are you scheming?"
"As per our deal, we're handing you over to the White Lotus Church Lord."
At that, Dongbang Mugeuk's face suddenly filled with fear. He stammered in panic.
"N-No, surely you're not planning to... dispose of me..."
Mangnyang smiled faintly and replied.
"If that were the case, we would've done it back in Jinrang Valley. Why go through all this trouble to bring you all the way here? The Church Lord won't harm you either, so relax."
As Mangnyang reassured him, Dongbang Mugeuk eyed him warily before speaking.
"What's your angle?"
"Nothing much. We're just passing on the information in your stead and taking over the tasks you're supposed to handle from here on out."
"......!!"
Dongbang Mugeuk gritted his teeth, sparks flying from his eyes.
"You thieving scum...!! You've stolen my achievements! You sons of bitches!"
"Can't argue with the truth, but keep in mind we treated you quite gentlemanly."
"What?!"
"If we'd really meant to bury you for good, we had far better ways to do it, as you well know."
"......"
His face paled. Just as Mangnyang said, they could have kept up the pretense with the Church Lord to the end, confined him in Jinrang Valley for life, and quietly assassinated him without anyone the wiser. The Church Lord had no obligation to coddle Dongbang Mugeuk that far.
Yet moments later, Dongbang Mugeuk overcame his fear and snarled.
"There's a limit to a thief's audacity. You'll get what's coming to you..."
Mangnyang stared at him blankly before replying.
"In the end, you're not really losing out, are you?"
"What bullshit is that?"
"Whatever reward you were promised for the scouting, showing up before the Church Lord now won't change much anyway. You can just live comfortably at the White Lotus Church. It won't be much different from before."
Dongbang Mugeuk snorted at Mangnyang's words.
"Don't make me laugh. How would you know what my reward was?"
"We know plenty. It was the introductory manual to the supreme Respiration Flow martial art, right?"
"Huh...!!"
In that instant, Dongbang Mugeuk's eyes froze like a rabbit's. He was accustomed to hiding his emotions, but this answer was truly unexpected, causing him to lose control. It was a response that flustered even a grizzled monster who'd lived decades.
Soon, Dongbang Mugeuk spoke, his hands trembling.
"H-How... how did you know?"
"We have our ways. Anyway, you're impressive. Must be over seventy, and still consumed by martial ambition... Well, the Respiration Flow arts of the world's greatest, the White Lotus Church Lord, are worth coveting."
"Ugh."
That was right.
Using Miho's enchantment, we'd extracted every last secret from Dongbang Mugeuk—including the reward the Church Lord had promised him upon successful scouting. It was none other than instruction in the Respiration Flow, the secret divine art of the Church Lord's martial lineage. Considering how insular the Respiration Flow was, transmitted only through bloodlines, this was an extraordinarily generous offer even from the Church Lord.
Mangnyang kept prodding.
"But seriously, how long do you plan to live? Mastering the Respiration Flow from now would take at least ten years, and even delaying aging with internal energy, you'd be lucky to last twenty or thirty more... What glory are you chasing that you'd risk venturing all the way south?"
"You wouldn't understand."
Dongbang Mugeuk ground his teeth in response.
"Is it so wrong to crave the world's greatest martial art? Born from lowly origins, I've clawed through endless hardship and trials to reach this age. In the martial world where the strong rule all, pursuing supremacy is only natural."
"I'm not saying you're particularly wrong. Just that at your age, you could live out the rest comfortably, yet you have that kind of passion—it's admirable."
"Heh... Mocking me, are you? And a bastard like you stole all my scouting results?"
"Don't be too harsh. You might just be luckier than you think."
"What...!!"
"The moment you start cultivating the Respiration Flow, it might bring you death and suffering."
I'd expected Dongbang Mugeuk to explode in rage at Mangnyang's words, which peaked at the ultimate sarcasm, the perfect capstone.
"......"
But unexpectedly, Dongbang Mugeuk went as still as if struck by lightning, saying nothing. It wasn't mere refusal to engage but a thoughtful silence. Mangnyang's retort had apparently struck a raw nerve.
Moments later, we encountered the White Lotus Church's youth unit again and were led by them to meet the Three Elders of the Elder Council. Perhaps because it was our second visit, the Three Elders didn't interrogate us much and instead verified Dongbang Mugeuk's face.
"The Heavenly Wanderer Fiend, Dongbang Mugeuk."
"That's right."
"You're a bit late fulfilling the promise, aren't you?"
"Unavoidable circumstances arose, so please understand. If you're suspicious, feel free to inspect his entire body."
"Of course we will."
The Three Elders patted Dongbang Mugeuk down as if brushing off dust, but it was actually an advanced internal energy search to check for hidden weapons or poisons. They skipped it on us probably just to guard against self-destructing assassins.
"No issues. Follow us."
We followed the Three Elders and were granted an audience with the Church Lord once more. As before, he lay reclined behind his dais.
[You've arrived.]
Without needing the Three Elders' command, we paid our respects and said.
"We've brought him."
[Well done. Dongbang Mugeuk, step forward.]
Dongbang Mugeuk shuffled ahead hesitantly and spoke.
"Ch-Church... Church Lord. I..."
[I know the full story. Rest easy—I've acknowledged your efforts sufficiently. The promised reward will be granted.]
"......!!"
In that moment, Dongbang Mugeuk's eyes wavered. It was an impossible conflict for him, its seed planted by Mangnyang. Standing there trembling, he agonized for a long while before speaking.
"Th-Thank you, Church Lord."
He bowed low, as if kowtowing. The Church Lord flicked his fingers from behind the dais, and the remote internal energy seal on Dongbang Mugeuk seemed to lift instantly. Regaining his full power in a flash, Dongbang Mugeuk glared at us murderously but soon whipped his head away.
[Dongbang Mugeuk, retire to the guest quarters for now. We'll speak later.]
"Understood."
Dongbang Mugeuk left following the waiting maids, and the Church Lord addressed us.
[Half-Heaven Alliance Leader. Any leads on the Seven Essentials?]
"We'd like to, but circumstances don't permit it."
[What do you mean?]
"As you may know, with the Thunder God Flow allied to the Half-Heaven Alliance now branded a public enemy of the martial world, we're overwhelmed. As I mentioned before, it's a matter of survival, so I regret not resolving it smoothly."
[Hmm.]
The White Lotus Church Lord fell silent for a moment before speaking.
[That matter will be handled today, so worry not.]
"Thank you."
[The deadline for the Thunder God Flow is ten years, but you must find leads on the Seven Essentials far sooner. To that end, I'd like to offer some assistance.]
Mangnyang's expression shifted. He calmly clasped his hands in salute and said.
"We appreciate the offer, but without other interferences, we can pursue it as quickly as possible with our own strength."
[With help, you could find it even faster. Are you refusing my aid?]
"If our confidential plans leak, wouldn't it undermine our organization's momentum?"
[Very well, then. I'll trust you this time. But if my emissary visits next and you're unsatisfied with the response, you'll pay the corresponding price.]
"You speak wisely."
[If you ever need Sacred Lotus or church experts, just say the word. I'm fully prepared to support you.]
"Thank you."
After the conversation ended, Mangnyang and I left the White Lotus Church. Mangnyang's face was unusually pale, his distress evident, so I looked at him with concern.
"You alright?"
"...Not at all. If you hadn't channeled your internal energy to me, my meridians would've snapped right there, killing me."
I'd been subtly transmitting my internal energy to shield Mangnyang from the intangible pressure. Even with my support, though, each exchange with the Church Lord had drained him. We returned to Jinrang Valley together, entered a quiet house, and rested.
"Whew..."
For the next half shichen, Mangnyang lay speechless, as if fainted. When he woke, he spoke.
"I never want to go back. Felt like dipping my foot in death."
"From the talk, the Church Lord's urging is intense."
"It's about curing his son's unprecedented curse, a lifelong obsession waited decades for. Of course it is. We never should have touched something like this."
Mangnyang spoke with a sigh. His words hid the meaning of a regrettable bad move forced upon him. He'd likely strived to establish the Thunder God Flow, ultimately choosing to shoulder the burden himself.
He continued.
"If I'd accepted help there, an Elder Council elite... or a Respiration Flow master would have been assigned to me. That would've ended everything. We can't accomplish anything under their watch."
That made sense. Even two or three of them could trouble Lee Gwang with their supreme peak expert prowess. Neither the Thunder God Flow nor Half-Heaven Alliance yet had the means to control them.
"Hmm... worst-case scenario."
"Well, we've cleared one hurdle. Take comfort that the Church Lord is relatively magnanimous. But his emissary won't let it slide next time, so we need countermeasures from now on."
"Indeed."
Mangnyang added as if it just occurred to him.
"Oh, right. If you survive to the end, keep an eye on Dongbang Mugeuk's fate."
"What do you mean?"
"I showed him mercy today, but he ultimately chose the path to death."
I pondered Mangnyang's words deeply. Then, slapping my knee, I said.
"You're saying to check if Dongbang Mugeuk survives cultivating the Respiration Flow."
"Exactly. I felt sorry for him and sowed doubt about the Respiration Flow, but he couldn't overcome his martial greed. If so, we can turn it into useful intel."
"......"
Could Dongbang Mugeuk survive cultivating the Respiration Flow?
That would be crucial information. The Respiration Flow, transmitted only through bloodlines and notoriously insular, surely had massive reasons barring outsiders. If Dongbang Mugeuk survived unscathed, it meant the Respiration Flow was just another martial art. But if he died mid-cultivation, it held great significance.
'More and more reasons to stay alive.'
As I mused, Mangnyang said.
"The Church Lord gave that answer but clearly wouldn't halt the Wind God Flow until Dongbang Mugeuk was returned. Now that we've handed him over and gotten confirmation, orders to stand down the Wind God Flow operations—including Yong Bi-cheon—should come soon. No need to worry about fighting them anymore."
"Fortunate."
"The issue now is negotiating with the Righteous Heaven Alliance. Direct talks hold no chance of success, so it's time for you to move."
"Me?"
"Think about it. Something only you can do."
I blinked in confusion before realization dawned.
"Wudang Sect!"
"Right."
Mangnyang stared at me intently and said.
"Your training and real combat experience should be sufficient now. Go to Wudang Sect and prove to the hidden elders of the previous generation that you've come to return Wudang's supreme martial arts. Then use that debt to sway Wudang into smoothing negotiations with the Righteous Heaven Alliance."
I marveled at Mangnyang's scheme.
'No waste at all.'
Back then, I'd been baffled why this plan emerged, but as events unfolded over time, there were no squanders or errors in Mangnyang's strategies. It naturally guided me into the future as if it had to be that way.
"Got it! I'll convince those stiff-necked tigers for sure."
"Hmm... But we must prepare for contingencies too..."
Mangnyang staggered, clutching his head as if in pain.
*Cough!*
He suddenly vomited blood. Shocked at the sight, I rushed to support him and checked his pulse. No major issues with his meridians, but his vitality had clearly waned even further in that short time.
"Wh-What is this...? Why's your condition so poor?!"
I asked in alarm. Just months ago, Mangnyang had been hale and hearty during training, but now his body creaked on the verge of collapse. Hastily applying the Vital Energy Diagnosis Method and inserting golden needles to stabilize him, Mangnyang chuckled casually.
"Haha. Too long in celibacy... Being the heartthrob, introduce me to a peerless beauty."
"Damn it! In the mood for jokes? Mangnyang, don't move a muscle for the next month—pure rest."
I scolded him as a physician. Objectively, Mangnyang was in a patient's state. Pushing further risked chronic illness or complications. To avoid that, he needed full rest and recovery.
Mangnyang laughed softly.
"Don't worry. Once you handle Wudang quickly and wrap up Righteous Heaven Alliance talks, I'll have time to rest... Might sleep the whole day then."
"...Got it. Don't fret. I'll succeed for sure."
I gritted my teeth and replied.
'It's my fault.'
This was barely noticeable when he only managed Half-Heaven Alliance. Operating the organization, training in martial arts and sorcery, devising schemes for Thunder God Flow, and ceaseless motion had maxed out Mangnyang's fatigue. Even elixirs couldn't fix the accumulated exhaustion—any more strain, and he'd die.
It all stemmed from moving for my sake. Regret gnawed at me inwardly, but I resolved to carve out rest time for him somehow. Abandoning everything now was impossible; I had to do my utmost.
Lying on the bed, Mangnyang said.
"Go to Wudang with Jin So-cheong."
"With Jin So-cheong?"
"He'll be more help than a heavenly army or demonic horde. With him, I won't worry."
"Understood. Fine, but you—rest easy today. No work."
"Hahaha! If you insist, I'll catch a quick nap..."
Mangnyang promptly passed out. Even in sleep, the Five Fires Seven Golden Threads never left his hand. Likely ready to deploy them and scheme anew anytime.
"......"
I gazed at him with mixed feelings before rising.
I had to go to Wudang Sect with Jin So-cheong.