Chapter 211
Chapter 211
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 211
Chapter Title: Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If it was only about a month, then time was short. The sooner I trained, the better, so the moment our conversation ended, I channeled my internal energy to its maximum.
Rumble...
The instant my internal energy reached its limit, lightning flickered in my eyes, and the ground trembled. I hadn't consciously used any technique, but the sheer power of my internal energy lifted nearby pebbles into the air. Watching from about thirty feet away, the Sword Demon spoke in a tone of disbelief.
"I couldn't believe it at first, but it's incredible. Your internal energy must be at least ten times greater than mine..."
"I don't have much else to boast about."
"Hah! So humble."
The Sword Demon smirked and continued.
"Normally, with the gap in our internal energies, I wouldn't even be able to stand here properly. That's the common sense of the martial world you know. Yet here I am, holding my ground and chatting with you. How do you think that's possible?"
I pondered his words before answering.
"It's the power of intent."
"Exactly."
The Sword Demon had his arms crossed. He stared at me intently and went on.
"My will is forming a pillar of light piercing the heavens and earth right now. I'm naturally dispersing the oppressive force of your internal energy with my intent. Do you understand what that means?"
"Not really."
"It means you can't pressure someone who's mastered and can freely wield their intent just with internal energy. There are only a handful of people in the world with more internal energy than you."
"Ah...!!"
I got it!
That's why Lee Gwang, Jin So-cheong, and the Dharma Guardians hadn't flinched at my overwhelming internal energy. It wasn't just a difference in realm—they could naturally shrug off the dominance of internal energy with their intent. That left only a pure clash of martial skill, so there was no reason for those peerless masters to fear me.
The Sword Demon continued.
"But don't think your internal energy is useless. Intent is an advanced application with heavy consumption. Without internal energy to secure your foundational abilities, destructive power, and stamina, you can't produce real might with intent alone. Do you get what I mean?"
"Yes."
He was right. If internal energy were truly useless, the White Lotus Church wouldn't go to such lengths cultivating spirit lotuses to mass-produce peak experts. No matter what, internal energy was the precious foundation that enhanced a warrior's basic capabilities. Plus, the Dharma Guardians with their infinite internal energy from the Heavenly Spirit Pills held an overwhelming advantage over even the Thunder God Style masters without them—that proved it.
The Sword Demon said.
"Now, then. Burn through that internal energy however you like."
"Hmm... Should I try to deplete it as fast as possible?"
"Of course. If you just hold full power deployment, it'll take all day."
Hearing that, I realized I had no choice.
'Ugh... Even if I pour it out wildly, it regenerates so fast I can't deplete it easily. In that case, maybe I should use Thunder Roar here.'
Thunder Roar was a technique that devoured massive amounts of internal energy, making it perfect for this situation. If I unleashed it and went all-out, I could probably burn it all in about fifteen minutes.
'What should I do...?'
My hesitation boiled down to one thing.
Thunder Roar was the Thunder God Style's ultimate secret technique!
Among the countless secret arts and skills of the Thunder God Style, it was the pinnacle, passed down only to a select few like Lee Gwang. Given its tremendous power, exposing it to outsiders was risky in itself. And if the clearly genius-level Sword Demon, Seron Daeryong, saw it multiple times, he might spot weaknesses or even replicate something similar. That's why in past lives, I'd always hesitated to show it to him carelessly.
But I quickly made up my mind.
'Screw it. Who cares! I ditched the Thunder God Style!'
Even if I planned to build it as a counterforce to the White Lotus Church later, my current pissed-off mood wouldn't let me care. I'd just realized how thoroughly Lee Gwang had fooled me all this time, and in this life, I wasn't even affiliated with the Thunder God Style—I didn't even know him. There was no pointless loyalty holding me back from leaking Thunder Roar.
Decision made, I immediately unleashed it.
"Haat!"
Boom!!
In an instant, thunder essence surged, enveloping my body in lightning. The vivid thunder essence made me look like a monster forged from lightning bolts. The Sword Demon's surprised expression was visible.
"What?"
Zing—
The moment he reacted, I unleashed every ultimate technique I'd mastered, holding nothing back. It started with Thunder Shadow Swordsmanship, flowing into the sword forms of the Ten Thousand Convergence Sword Arts, then seamlessly transitioned into fluid spear variations.
That was exactly 150 exchanges. From there, sword qi and sword flames swirled with the lightning, as I began executing Coiling Void Sword and Heavenly Pivot Sword. As I displayed the Wudang Sect's world-shaking ultimate arts, I realized my understanding had deepened far beyond before. It must have been from the intense group training with the Thunder God Style folks.
The flow accelerated, my sword speed flickering erratically. I shredded the flower petals drifting around me into sixteen pieces in an instant, chaining into my most confident sword skill, Thousand Slashes Ten Thousand Slaughters. It was the flashiest opening form from the Ten Thousand Convergence Sword Arts.
Screeech.
After Thousand Slashes Ten Thousand Slaughters' thousand slashes ended, as if on cue, I hurled a massive thunder blade into the sky. It was Heavenly Thunder Blade, the technique I both loved and hated. The dozens-of-feet-wide lightning bolt sliced through the heavens, cleaving the clouds in half.
'...Still some internal energy left.'
I pondered what to do, then finally slammed a Thunder Spirit Seal into the air. The Thunder Spirit Seal that Lady Wol had taught the Thunder God Style disciples was one of their top palm strikes, with devastating power. Its especially wide range made it perfect for crowds of fodder.
Boom boom boom.
Only after firing dozens of Thunder Spirit Seals did my internal energy plummet, leaving me with just a thread of true qi. By then, my stamina was shot too—I stood there panting. The Sword Demon spoke in bewilderment.
"Wha... You've mastered some incredible arts. Who the hell is your master? Truly one of the world's great eccentrics."
"...Just... a foul-tempered bastard."
Breathing heavily through my back, I slowly sat down. As I tried to assume the lotus position, the Sword Demon suddenly smacked my Achilles tendon with his wooden sword and yanked me up.
"Hey! Don't try to recover your energy. Deploy sword forms again from that state."
"Pardon...? Right now?"
"Of course. Intent isn't just strong mental fortitude. To gain transcendent ability, you have to smash your mental limits dozens of times and shed a layer. Most awaken it in life-or-death battles or after great enlightenment, but with your excessive internal energy, those paths have huge barriers."
"Understood."
I gritted my teeth and forced myself into stance. As I assumed the sword's basic posture, the Sword Demon bellowed.
"Move! Move no matter what! Until your heart bursts!"
"......!!"
It was a feeling I hadn't had in ages. Until now, I'd always preserved minimal internal energy out of fear of death and conserved stamina, so I'd never pushed to this extreme. The long-forgotten, body-shattering agony swept over me—it was pure hell.
'Ugh... Gah...'
No one who's never felt this could understand. The sensation of your body tearing apart fiber by fiber, your mind unraveling, wanting to collapse right there. Hearing "keep going" makes you want to kill the one who said it. The moment you try the next move, it feels like blood will spray from all seven orifices and you'll die.
But I moved.
'I've already wasted decades! I can't keep circling forever even if it's hell right now!!'
I screamed inside. Become stronger before my humanity wears away completely! Otherwise, achieving a "happy life" and my "goals" would be impossible. With resolve to regain my sanity even from hell's depths, I struggled to move.
Sparks flashed before my eyes. A phenomenon when stamina hits its limit. Those flashes ruin your vision if you don't snap out of it quick—you'll collapse before you know it. I repeated to myself that I needed to bolster my mental strength and stood again.
"Uwaaaah!!"
I screamed as I moved.
All to awaken intent!
If I could gain intent somehow, I didn't care if my body exploded right here!
When I came to, I saw the ceiling of the Shadowless Gate. I regained my senses and sat up, but my clothes had already been changed. As I raised my upper body from the bed, a familiar voice came.
"You're awake?"
The Sword Demon was entering the bedroom. He'd probably sensed my qi the moment I stirred. He pulled a chair beside me, sat, and said.
"You've been out for exactly half a day."
"I see..."
"Feel like you've awakened to intent?"
I sat there blankly, thinking, then shook my head.
"No..."
"Then what do you think that training you endured was?"
I spoke my honest feelings.
"Just... hellish training."
"Right. Zero efficiency—just pure hell training. Nothing but a stamina-building loop of pushing to the limit, recovering, repeat. Only martial novices go through this."
"......"
"Don't think you can master it overnight. What matters is whether you can grasp your will at its breaking point or not."
In other words, the hell training was just the means. The key was drawing out the ultimate will called "intent" in that near-fainting state at the end. As I understood and nodded faintly, the Sword Demon said.
"But one of the techniques you used has me curious."
"Please speak."
"That swordsmanship freely pulling and pushing space... It's remarkably similar to what the Nether Dragon used. Do you have ties to the Wudang Sect by any chance?"
"......!!"
I looked at him in shock.
The Nether Dragon—Wudang's de facto strongest master, who'd achieved rejuvenation! A close friend of the Righteous Three Sages! Why was the Nether Dragon coming up here?
But I quickly pieced it together logically.
'Right... The Nether Dragon already knew Coiling Void Sword and Heavenly Pivot Sword! And per the Wudang sect leader, he was practically the only one in modern Wudang studying those sword arts. Yeah, that tracks...'
After thinking it over, I said.
"My master isn't from Wudang. And I didn't learn that swordsmanship from him."
"What do you mean?"
"I had a fortuitous encounter and obtained a previous-generation Wudang master's secret art. It wasn't a manual—it was his enlightenment flowing directly into my mind, so I picked it up haphazardly. I don't even know the name of the art."
As I fudged it, the Sword Demon marveled.
"I see... So that's it."
"But does this Nether Dragon guy use similar swordsmanship? How did you know?"
"Hmm... Well."
The Sword Demon lifted his teacup, took a sip, and continued.
"Because he's my worthy rival."
"Pardon?"
"The Nether Dragon's fame isn't widely known, but he's truly in the top tier of the righteous faction's masters. He's achieved rejuvenation and sword-heart unity—what more is there? His skill is half a level above even the Righteous Three Sages, so I can't clash with the righteous faction carelessly because of him."
"......!!"
I couldn't help but be stunned by his words.
'Does that mean Wudang's Nether Dragon is on the same level as the Sword Demon, Seron Daeryong?'
When peerless masters who dominate the world evaluate others, they strip away bias and judge coldly. Boosting or downplaying has no meaning—they have to be objective. Admitting him as a worthy rival meant the Sword Demon—undoubtedly the strongest of the Eight Demonic Sovereigns—and Wudang's Nether Dragon were equals in martial prowess.
The Sword Demon went on.
"Of course, it's not like I'm judging without seeing him fight. About twenty years ago, the Nether Dragon and I clashed in a fierce battle. That's when his divine swordsmanship stuck in my memory. It freely bent or pulled space—just like yours."
"I see."
A sudden thought struck me, and I asked.
"Then how do the two of you compare to the White Lotus Church's Dharma Guardians?"
"Hmm... That's really digging at my pride."
Had I misspoke again?
"S-Sorry."
The Sword Demon gave a wry smile and waved it off.
"No. Everyone wonders but no one asks outright. You're the first."
"My apologies for the rudeness."
"Ahem. My answer to that is: 'Absolutely not.'"
"The Dharma Guardians are that strong?"
He nodded at my question.
"Yes. I've fought one myself, so I can say that confidently."
"......!!"
"It was... yeah, about ten years ago. It was a Water God Style Dharma Guardian. This guy who called himself the Water God Style's Dharma Guardian sneaked into the Shadowless Gate, curious about the skills of the one ruling the Central Plains' unorthodox sects."
Warming up, the Sword Demon gulped down the now-cold tea and said.
"It was a total rout. I couldn't last a hundred exchanges against him."
That much?
Comparing the skill of the Wind God Style Dharma Guardian, Yong Bitian, whom I'd seen, to the Sword Demon's, I said.
"But that was ten years ago. With your current level as Shadowless Gate Lord, you could beat him now."
He stared at me evenly and replied.
"You talk like you've seen the Dharma Guardians yourself."
"I just... figured you'd made huge progress in ten years."
As I glossed over it, he chuckled.
"Maybe. But the Water God Style Dharma Guardian, Dokgo Jun, I faced back then was utterly overwhelming. I thought even if the Nether Dragon and I teamed up, we couldn't win."
"Th-That can't be..."
I muttered softly.
I'd faced Dharma Guardians multiple times and tested my skills against them plenty. I'd even witnessed Thunder God Style masters clashing with them often. The people who knew their prowess better than me were probably just the absolute peak experts from Fire God or Wind God Styles.
And the Wind God Style Dharma Guardian Yong Bitian's level, as I recalled, wasn't enough to overwhelmingly crush the Sword Demon. At best, he'd overwhelm with the Heavenly Spirit Pill's infinite energy and eke out a decision victory in a prolonged fight.
'Is the Water God Style Dharma Guardian exceptionally strong?'
That had to be it.
Come to think of it, the Water God Style was said to be the strongest among the White Lotus Church's current Dharma Guardian styles. If true, then Dokgo Jun—as the White Lotus Lord direct descendant and Water God Style leader—likely outclassed the others.
This was crucial intel. As I mulled it over, the Sword Demon said.
"You must have some connection to the White Lotus Church you can't reveal. In that case, let me give you some clear advice."
"Yes..."
"Never fight the White Lotus Church. And if you must, never touch the Water God Style. Their martial arts are beyond human realm."
"......"
Chills ran down my spine.
The Sword Demon's skills alone freely wielded sword-heart unity, making it hard to call superior or inferior to Lee Gwang's. A bona fide transcendent master dominating the martial world. It was unbelievable that even he warned to absolutely avoid fighting the Water God Style.
What exactly was the Water God Style's martial art?
As I pondered inwardly, the Sword Demon said.
"Alright, time to get up. With only a month, no time to waste. From now on, dive straight into training the moment you wake."
"Understood."
I gritted my teeth. No matter my resolve, abusing my stamina to the worst extreme and rolling until blackout dozens of times was insane torment. My head felt like it would burst thinking of the hell ahead, but I forced myself toward the training ground.