Chapter 182
Chapter 182
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
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Jin So-cheong stood before the Illustrious Dragon Elder and the Shaolin Divine Monk without a hint of agitation.
This meant he had long surpassed the level where he would rejoice or despair at an enemy's strength.
The peerless experts before him noticed this and seemed intrigued.
"What a remarkable fellow. Are all from the Thunder God Clan such monsters?"
The Illustrious Dragon Elder muttered, and Jin So-cheong chuckled softly.
"Not at all. Let's not eye each other with needless suspicion."
The Shaolin Divine Monk standing beside him spoke up.
"Since this concerns Wudang Sect and the Thunder God Clan, this monk shall step aside for now."
With a swish,
No sooner had he spoken than his figure gracefully drifted toward the entrance.
It seemed at first glance like he was opting not to interfere, but in truth, he had seized a position to block the retreat and launch a pincer attack if needed.
Even a Shaolin Divine Monk was still a denizen of the jianghu.
The Illustrious Dragon Elder looked at me and said,
"Are you truly able to wield the Turtle Shell Sword and the Tianzhu Sword?"
It appeared that earlier, Clear Breeze Daoist and the others hadn't merely been discussing among themselves—they had used the Thousand Li Sound Transmission Art on the approaching Illustrious Dragon Elder from afar.
Otherwise, he couldn't have asked such a pointed question right away.
I nodded.
"They confirmed it with their own eyes."
The Illustrious Dragon Elder turned back, and Clear Breeze Daoist, the Wudang Sect Leader, clasped his hands in salute and said,
"It is true, Martial Uncle. This Baek Woong has mastered Wudang's secret ultimate techniques."
"Hmm..."
The Illustrious Dragon Elder let out a low hum before saying,
"Then accept our terms! What are you hesitating for?"
Clear Breeze Daoist looked troubled.
"Martial Uncle, the Thunder God Clan has been designated a public enemy of the jianghu, and they recently annihilated the Yellow Mountain Sect. Moreover, they are highly suspected in the White Lotus Cult's civil strife. Negotiating with such demonic path fiends would tarnish our sect's honor."
The Illustrious Dragon Elder heard him out and sneered coldly.
"Hmph... Very well then, little one."
"Are you referring to me?"
"Indeed."
I was inwardly baffled.
The Illustrious Dragon Elder's appearance was that of a boy in his early teens—far smaller than I, who was nearing adulthood—yet he called me little one!
Still, one doesn't quibble with a rejuvenated immortal like him, so I listened closely.
"Do you have any rebuttal to Clear Breeze Daoist's words?"
"Of course."
I calmly delivered the response I had prepared in advance.
"First, the public enemy status likely stems from the destruction of several sects attributed to us. But those bloodbaths were not our doing, and even if they were, we had no reason to invite suspicion before launching our founding war."
Clear Breeze Daoist shouted indignantly.
"That's mere circumstance. In fact, the victims were marked with martial arts from your Thunder God Clan."
"You call us part of the White Lotus Cult, yet you seem utterly ignorant of their martial styles."
"What?"
"The White Lotus Cult has the Four Great Martial Styles: Thunder God, Water God, Fire God, and Wind God. The Thunder God Clan was exiled from the White Lotus Cult half a century ago and scattered, but we had been together for a thousand years prior. Thus, the Four Great Martial Styles share foundational arts, and we can mimic each other's basic natural spirit qi manifestations."
Whoooosh
As soon as I finished speaking, I summoned wind from my hand.
It wasn't at a lethal level, but it was a clear display of Wind Spirit Qi.
After hearing the explanation from Lee Gwang, I had squeezed in practice time and mastered it in short order.
Seeing the Wind Spirit Qi, the Wudang disciples let out low hums, and I continued.
"This is Wind Spirit Qi. Thunder God Clan experts can wield basic Wind Spirit Qi, and Wind God Clan masters who have earned transmission rights can use Thunder Spirit Qi."
"Hmm."
"Who fed you information to brand us as vicious beasts? Before these bloodbaths, the Thunder God Clan wasn't even known in the jianghu. Who pinpointed our arts so precisely?"
"......"
Clear Breeze Daoist fell silent, his face stiffening as if something occurred to him.
I pressed on relentlessly.
"Our designation as public enemies was the Wind God Clan's doing. We merely exercised legitimate self-defense against their preemptive strike. We annihilated the Yellow Mountain Sect because it was the Wind God Clan's base in the Central Plains."
"You expect us to swallow such a tall tale?"
"Why not?"
"The Yellow Mountain Sect joined the Nine Great Righteous Sects over a decade ago, and their Dragon-Phoenix Divine Sword, Dragon in the Clouds, is a renowned righteous elder. The elders have verified that his arts align with the Yellow Mountain Daoists' lineage. We can't dismiss all that on your glib tongue!"
I chuckled and replied,
"But surely you harbor doubts about the Yellow Mountain Sect's bizarrely potent arts. You've witnessed feats impossible with their native Daoist martial arts on multiple occasions. And you know they possess unidentified techniques as well."
This was a point Mang Ryang had pointed out to me.
"......"
As Mang Ryang predicted, Clear Breeze Daoist looked flustered again.
I had struck at the unease gnawing at him.
I stated firmly,
"Listen well. The Wind God Clan, one of the White Lotus Cult's Four Great Martial Styles, also boasts a thousand-year history. Their arts outclass the Yellow Mountain Sect's Daoist martial arts by several levels, so blending in Wind God insights to subjugate them is child's play. As a martial arts practitioner yourself, you should grasp whether my words hold water.
Moreover, we can have the White Lotus Cult Leader vouch for this—whether the Yellow Mountain Sect truly belongs to the Wind God Clan."
"I-Is that true...?"
"Indeed."
This was laced with a bit of bluff.
I didn't know if the White Lotus Cult Leader would actually vouch, but from his perspective, the Anti-Heaven Alliance had become vital in seeking a cure for his son's strange illness.
Weighing that against the Wind God Clan, we'd likely take precedence.
Bluff or not, it wasn't an outright lie.
Up to that point, the Illustrious Dragon Elder, who had listened calmly from the side, interjected.
"So, you were merely preemptively attacked, the true public enemies are the Yellow Mountain Sect and Wind God Clan, and their annihilation was self-defense?"
"Consider it yourself, Elder Daoist. Even while breaking the Righteous Heaven Alliance's encirclement, we avoided mass slaughter and focused on self-defense. If we were truly public enemies and beasts, would we have any reason to do so?"
"Hmm... The jianghu is rife with deceptions, so your words aren't easily credible. Then allow me one question."
The Illustrious Dragon Elder leisurely leaned back in his chair and said,
"Then it's also true that your Thunder God Clan originally belonged to the White Lotus Cult—making you latent enemies of the Central Plains martial world. How do you answer that?"
I replied without hesitation.
"Enemies? You overestimate yourselves."
"What...?"
"The Righteous Heaven Alliance isn't the White Lotus Cult's enemy. True enemies are those who must fight to the death until one exterminates the other, no?"
I glared at the Wudang experts in the hall and continued,
"But if the White Lotus Cult Leader willed it, the Righteous Heaven Alliance would be annihilated in less than half a year, and the Eight Wastes and Nine Provinces would lie beneath their feet. The reason the Righteous Heaven Alliance endures as the jianghu's hegemon is simply that the White Lotus Cult Leader has no desire to invade the Central Plains!"
"......!!"
At my words, Clear Day Daoist and Clear Cloud Daoist beside him bristled.
They roared in unison.
"You fiend! How dare you insult Wudang!"
Paaat!
Clear Day Daoist's tremendous palm force merged with the five-colored energies from Clear Cloud Daoist's twin palms and hurtled toward me.
It was a cooperative strike, likely the Wudang Cotton Palm.
When a transcendent art like the Wudang Cotton Palm was unleashed by a peak expert, it became a terrifying technique that seemed poised to shred my body.
'Ugh...!!'
In that instant, I wavered between dodging and not.
But I halted my movement.
For I had glimpsed the Illustrious Dragon Elder's figure shift just before.
Pang!
With a single palm thrust, he casually swept his hand, and Clear Day and Clear Cloud Daoists' palms dissipated into the air.
The Illustrious Dragon Elder glared at them and bellowed,
"Fools! How dare you strike at an envoy?"
"M-Martial Uncle."
"What you're doing truly dishonors Wudang. Kneel!"
"Yes."
At his command, Clear Day and Clear Cloud Daoists knelt to the side.
It was absurd to see hoary-haired Wudang transcendent experts in such a state, but it underscored the Illustrious Dragon Elder's immense seniority and prowess.
He sighed and said,
"Hoo... Clear Breeze, you and I both know the boy's words ring true, don't we?"
To the Illustrious Dragon Elder's question, Wudang Sect Leader Clear Breeze Daoist replied with a somber expression.
"Yes, Martial Uncle. It's true we cannot withstand the White Lotus Cult's might."
The Illustrious Dragon Elder turned to me and said,
"But then, does that mean the Thunder God Clan qualifies as an enemy to stand against the White Lotus Cult?"
"Naturally."
I answered resolutely.
"Before our recent founding war, we negotiated with the White Lotus Cult Leader. Under the premise of fulfilling one condition within ten years, the independence of the Central Plains Thunder God Clan was guaranteed. I believe this qualifies us to confront the White Lotus Cult as the Thunder God Clan."
"What is that condition?"
"Apologies, but I cannot disclose it until you accept our terms."
After a long contemplation, the Illustrious Dragon Elder said,
"We accept the terms."
"Martial Uncle."
"You know full well that the public enemy label is meaningless now. And with the White Lotus Cult involved, we cannot be shackled by empty reputation. An era approaches where only the strong will survive."
His body was that of a child, but his words brimmed with sagely wisdom.
Clear Breeze Daoist sensed it too and, ceasing objection, clasped his hands and said,
"As you say, Martial Uncle."
The Illustrious Dragon Elder grinned and said,
"However, you must meet one condition of ours in turn."
"What is it?"
"You will stay with Wudang Sect from this moment and impart all our ultimate techniques. Only then will it be fair, no?"
I nearly agreed, but Mang Ryang crossed my mind.
With little time left in Mang Ryang's lifespan, I needed to tend to him with my medical arts from now on to extend his life.
Wasting time at Wudang would be disastrous.
"I'm afraid that's impossible right now. But I will surely impart them later."
"That won't do."
The Illustrious Dragon Elder eyed me coldly.
"I don't know how urgent your clan's affairs are, but there's no guarantee when you'll return. Isn't it paramount that you stay now and hand over the secrets?"
"To think Wudang distrusts people so."
"Don't talk nonsense. This negotiation was impossible from the start, yet we've made great concessions. You're the ones scheming to deceive us."
He wasn't wrong.
As I pondered, Jin So-cheong stepped forward from beside me.
"I stake my warrior's honor on this. My junior brother will absolutely keep his word."
"Fine. You'll keep it eventually. But when?"
"My junior brother will come to Wudang within three years at the latest to transmit the arts."
"How convenient. And if it exceeds three years? What then?"
Jin So-cheong stated firmly,
"Then this Jin will come to Wudang and offer my life."
"......!!"
What was this!?
I transmitted to Jin So-cheong in shock.
[Senior Brother, what are you saying?!]
[I heard Mang Ryang has just over two years left. Even extending his life, this should suffice, right?]
[No, why are you staking your life?]
[If you staked yours, they wouldn't believe it. This is better.]
[But...]
[Don't worry. This is the best way.]
While we conversed via transmission, the Illustrious Dragon Elder stood with arms crossed, deep in thought.
He soon rested his chin on his hand atop the chair and said,
"Jin So-cheong, was it? You are undoubtedly a once-in-two-centuries genius. I've never seen or heard of your like."
"You flatter me."
"Yet you offer your life? Is that sincere?"
"A man speaks but once."
"...Very well, I believe you."
Thus, we concluded negotiations with Wudang.
Our terms: Wudang would inform the Righteous Heaven Alliance of the truth and work toward coexistence.
Wudang's terms: I would return within three years to impart their ultimate techniques.
The Illustrious Dragon Elder wanted me to stay immediately but accommodated our Thunder God Clan's urgency.
As we prepared to depart post-negotiation, the Shaolin Divine Monk addressed Jin So-cheong.
"Might you be the son of General Jin Cheon-hwi?"
Jin So-cheong halted at the words.
He replied softly,
"Why do you ask?"
"This monk received much aid from General Jin Cheon-hwi. His heaven-piercing strategies saved my life more than once. And your appearance... resembles his in youth..."
"......"
The Shaolin Divine Monk seemed all but certain.
Jin So-cheong stood silently before responding.
"Unless you become allies of our Thunder God Clan, this is not for discussion."
"I suppose so..."
The Shaolin Divine Monk smiled faintly and pressed his palms together.
"Namo Amitabha."
We left Wudang and returned to the Thunder God Clan via flying swords.
Upon arriving at the temple where the Thunder God Clan resided, Jae Hu welcomed us warmly.
"You're back, Senior Brothers!"
"Where are the others?"
"In personal training."
Soon after, we joined Lee Gwang and Mang Ryang in the meeting hall and recounted events.
Having heard it all, Lee Gwang smiled in satisfaction and praised me.
"Well done, Baek Woong. We've bought some breathing room."
"Thank you."
Lee Gwang's smile signified the negotiation's gravity.
Without Wudang's mediation, clashes with the Righteous Heaven Alliance would remain brutal.
Mang Ryang, having rested, had regained some color, and after sipping hot tea, he said,
"Return to the Azure Dragon Martial Hall at an opportune time. When the moment arrives, the Righteous Heaven Alliance will send someone."
"So I shall."
Lee Gwang gazed steadily at Mang Ryang and said,
"Now comes the crucial part. After the armistice with the Righteous Heaven Alliance, how do you plan to proceed?"
"In my view, the Thunderclap Three Venerables are likely already circling near the Azure Dragon Martial Hall."
"What makes you say that?"
"They think as we do. Having confirmed the Thunder God Clan's power, they'll await the right moment to join."
Mang Ryang flicked his Five Flowers Seven Gold Fan and continued.
"The issue arises if, even after they join, we fail to obtain the Thunder God Clan's Final Ultimate..."
"Then there's no choice. We'll hold out for ten years, awaiting other Thunder God Clan experts."
"......"
Mang Ryang stared at Lee Gwang before saying,
"If I may ask just in case: suppose the White Lotus Cult Leader permits revenge on the Wind God Clan but demands the Thunder God Clan take their place—what then?"
Mang Ryang's words rang plausible, making Jin So-cheong and Geuk Ho flinch beside me.
They had considered such a scenario too.
Lee Gwang replied curtly, as if unworthy of discussion.
"Impossible!"
"So the White Lotus Cult Leader must be eliminated to settle the score?"
"Don't misconstrue. The Wind God Clan alone could never topple the Thunder God Clan at its peak. My master was twice as strong as Dragon-Phoenix Heaven. The Thunder God Clan was purged because the Cult Leader willed it."
Lee Gwang clenched his fist and declared,
"The root of all evil is the White Lotus Cult Leader! Without removing him, the Thunder God Clan has no future."
"Then why do you think the Thunder God Clan was exiled?"
I thought Mang Ryang too direct.
Lee Gwang had nearly killed him once before—such boldness!
My heart raced fearing his killing intent, but surprisingly, Lee Gwang answered calmly.
"Even I cannot say."
"You don't know?"
"Indeed. My master, the Thunder God Clan's Dharma Protector Lion, and the Cult Leader were the closest of friends. Then one day, he returned gravely wounded from the Cult Leader's hand and was exiled—the very day the Thunder God Clan scattered."
"Hmm..."
"It's no longer my concern why the Cult Leader expelled us. Countless Thunder God Clan experts perished, lives ruined because of it. The Cult Leader must atone."
"Understood. We have no choice but to strike the White Lotus Cult."
Mang Ryang replied crisply, then continued.
"But now you must honor my request as well. With Thunder God Clan matters settled, aiding the Anti-Heaven Alliance is only fair."
"What aid do you seek?"
"Assassination!"
Lee Gwang fell silent, then implicitly agreed by asking,
"Whom shall we assassinate?"
Mang Ryang's eyes gleamed sharply, slightly sunken.
"The Imperial Guard Chief, Inner Yellow Pavilion Lord Je Gal-bu, and the Alchemist!"
"......!!"
"You must kill these three."
Lee Gwang hummed thoughtfully, pondering not feasibility but the most efficient method.
Sure enough, his response was precise.
"It will take at least a year. Give us two, and success is eighty percent likely."
"It must be within one year."
"So urgent?"
"Yes. As we grow stronger, so do they. It may already be too late."
"Hmm... I'll consider it."
After the bold conclave between Lee Gwang and Mang Ryang concluded, I confronted Mang Ryang.
"Mang Ryang, what are you thinking?! Je Gal-bu is your brother!"
Indeed.
Je Gal-bu: Central Plains Guardian, Inner Yellow Pavilion Lord, Grand Diviner, transcendent expert, and sorcerer.
He is of the Je Gal Clan—and Mang Ryang Je Gal-hyeon's blood brother.
For Mang Ryang to request aid in assassinating him was shocking.
Mang Ryang replied gravely.
"...No helping it. I don't wish to kill Je Gal-bu, but it's unavoidable."
"What do you mean?"
"If my uncle Je Gal-sa were alive, he'd devise strategies against him even at my death's cost. But the Thunder God Clan's might alone can't handle the palace faction with Je Gal-bu. We must eliminate him now, while the palace's power is nascent, for any chance of victory."
Mang Ryang coughed, then added,
"One more thing... They've likely crafted a new Portrait Ghost by now. The same trick won't work twice. This time, we must kill them outright to eliminate future threats."
"Aren't you overcautious? The Imperial Guard Chief and Je Gal-bu are far weaker than White Lotus Cult Dharma Protectors in raw force."
In my eyes, this life's greatest obstacle was the White Lotus Cult.
We might not need to fight them outright, but their overwhelming power could devour the palace effortlessly.
Thus, I figured the palace could wait—but Mang Ryang viewed it as a dire threat.
As he rested seated, Mang Ryang continued.
"...You know the Wind God Clan collaborates with the palace."
"Yes. That Dragon-Man they showed at Yellow Mountain was likely the Alchemist's creation."
"What makes the palace fearsome isn't individual leaders' power. They wield outer arts borrowing otherworldly evil gods' authority, capable of reversing any battle. Je Gal-bu's involvement proves it."
"What do you mean?"
"As I said in your previous life, Je Gal-bu is brilliantly cunning. He doesn't force losing sides but joins winners. What does that imply?"
My expression hardened.
Mang Ryang sighed.
"Je Gal-bu realized as a youth that the palace holds a trump card to defeat the White Lotus Cult. That's why we must topple the palace swiftly."