Chapter 235
Chapter 235
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 235
Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm
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After discussing it with the Sword Demon, we reached the conclusion that I needed to negotiate with the Sovereign of the Twelve Laws, the supreme ruler of the Twelve Laws.
And while pondering what to do next, I arrived at one clear decision.
"First, we should sort out the sect's affairs. Then we'll head to Goryeo."
"To Goryeo?"
"The city called Shindan probably has some kind of shamanic defenses in place. Even if you could get there using the teleportation bead, it wouldn't be wise to arouse unnecessary suspicion from the Sovereign of the Twelve Laws."
I nodded, fully understanding his point.
"You're saying it's better to use House Lord Jeong Cheol-uk's influence to establish a foothold in Kaesong, Goryeo's capital, first."
"Exactly. We'll decide whether to join the Twelve Laws after that."
It was certainly a clever plan.
Instead of going straight to Shindan to meet the Sovereign of the Twelve Laws, we'd first secure the protection of Goryeo's power brokers!
That way, the Sovereign wouldn't dare attack the Shadowless Sect recklessly, and even if our proposal to join the Twelve Laws failed, the sect would remain safe.
The Sword Demon continued.
"Starting today, we'll liquidate the sect's assets within three days."
Once his command was given, everything proceeded smoothly. And taking advantage of the Sword Demon's busyness in wrapping up the sect's affairs, I decided to lay the groundwork in Goryeo first.
Flash!
I used the teleportation bead to arrive in Goryeo and met with Physician Hwaseo Myeong. He looked quite startled upon seeing me.
"Huh. You appear like a goblin again."
I clasped my hands in salute and said.
"I've come today with an urgent matter to discuss."
"Hm?"
I explained the Shadowless Sect's current situation, our desire to relocate our base to Goryeo, and our need for the Jeong Clan's help. As he listened, Physician Hwaseo Myeong's face grew pensive. Gauging his reaction, I said.
"That's why I was hoping you could bring it up with House Lord Jeong first."
"Hmm... That's not a difficult task in itself, but..."
Hwaseo Myeong trailed off.
"How do you plan to convince House Lord Jeong?"
"Well..."
"The Shadowless Sect is the foremost demonic sect in the Central Plains, isn't it? This is on a whole different level from relocating the Hwaseo Family's clinic from Hebei. House Lord Jeong isn't ignorant of the martial world—he knows full well that allowing a powerful Central Plains sect like yours to migrate would provoke serious backlash from the Twelve Laws."
"I have confidence in persuading the Sovereign of the Twelve Laws."
"That comes after getting past House Lord Jeong first."
Hwaseo Myeong sighed.
"I'll say this upfront: for an issue this massive, gold bars or the like won't sway House Lord Jeong. As Goryeo's premier noble house, he lacks for nothing in wealth, fame, or treasures. Come back once you've figured out an approach."
"......"
I thought it over carefully before saying.
"Even something like a priceless elixir or treasure on par with Millennium Snow Ginseng?"
"That might just do it... but does such a thing even exist?"
I nodded and pulled out the Black-White Lotus and Twin Ancient Swords from my spatial pouch.
"This should suffice."
"Hah...!!"
Hwaseo Myeong instantly recognized the Black-White Lotus's true value, his eyes widening in shock. As I explained the worth of the Black-White Lotus and Twin Ancient Swords, he trembled with astonishment before saying.
"It... it should work. I'll present it to him."
"Thank you."
"But couldn't you give me just one root of the Black-White Lotus?"
I smiled and replied.
"If you handle this well, I can certainly provide that much."
"Leave it to me!"
Hwaseo Myeong soon proved worth every root of the Black-White Lotus. That very day, he visited House Lord Jeong Cheol-uk and brought up the Shadowless Sect's relocation. Intrigued, House Lord Jeong Cheol-uk requested to see me.
When I arrived before House Lord Jeong Cheol-uk, he stroked his beard with evident interest and said.
"I've heard of the Shadowless Sect before. They say it's the preeminent sect among the Eight Demonic Sects of the demonic path in the Central Plains."
"That's correct."
"Hmm... For now, I'd like to see the item first."
"Yes. Here it is."
He let out a low hum upon seeing the Black-White Lotus and Twin Ancient Swords. Even for Goryeo's top nobleman, it seemed like an irresistible temptation. After a moment's thought, House Lord Jeong Cheol-uk said.
"Your sincerity is clear, but I need assurance."
"Assurance, you say..."
"As you mentioned, even if the Shadowless Sect is merely classified as demonic rather than truly righteous or neutral, the world still sees it as the leader of the demonic sects. The lords of the Twelve Laws will undoubtedly view you as a problem. Do you have any proof that you can improve that negative perception?"
In other words, he wanted assurance that the Shadowless Sect wouldn't cause trouble after arriving in Goryeo. It was a perfectly reasonable demand from his position. I thought for a moment before replying.
"I believe that's a matter the Sovereign of the Twelve Laws and we can resolve. I've heard that persuading the Sovereign is no different from persuading the Twelve Laws themselves."
"Oh? You truly have the confidence to sway that monstrous figure?"
"Monstrous? In the end, he's just a man, isn't he?"
"......"
My calm response left House Lord Jeong Cheol-uk momentarily stunned. Then, he burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Even the emperor, or the heads of my Jeong Clan or the Yi Clan, can't treat the Sovereign lightly. The one we find most daunting in this world isn't the emperor of the Central Plains—it's the Sovereign of the Twelve Laws."
"......!!"
"Very well. If you're that confident, I'll arrange a meeting. If you're willing to take full responsibility, I'll trust you."
House Lord Jeong Cheol-uk had a subtly magnanimous side. He could have haggled like a shrewd merchant and pressed on several more points, but instead, he agreed to accept the Shadowless Sect for now. Realizing the negotiations had gone relatively successfully, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you."
After handing over the Black-White Lotus and Twin Ancient Swords, I returned to the Shadowless Sect and reported the results to the Sword Demon, who was greatly pleased.
"You did splendidly! No one in the world could have achieved such swift and solid results like you."
"The real issue is persuading the Sovereign of the Twelve Laws."
"Hmm. That'll be the trickiest part..."
Frowning, the Sword Demon said to me.
"Is that Black-White Lotus you gave House Lord Jeong all of it?"
"No. I can actually dig up more from the pond on Yellow Mountain."
The pond was full of lotus blooms, so I could harvest at least dozens more. I'd held off until now simply because I hadn't seen the need to stockpile so many. Even a handful of Black-White Lotuses had been more than enough for our purposes.
At that, the Sword Demon said.
"Then harvest about ten more."
"Understood."
"And I've been thinking—it's about time the Shadowless Sect had its own strategist. Handling these major affairs that require brainpower is overwhelming, even if I had ten bodies."
I caught his meaning.
"You're suggesting we bring in Mang Ryang?"
"He's one of the world's greatest geniuses. Honestly, we're already late in doing so."
I shook my head firmly.
"I'd rather not."
If I wanted to recruit Mang Ryang, I should have done it at the start of this sixteenth reincarnation. I'd deliberately left him alone to focus on my personal training. Bringing him in now might earn me his resentment, and I had no face to show him.
As if reading my thoughts, the Sword Demon said calmly.
"I think I know what you're worried about. But there's no need to feel that way."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm saying Mang Ryang isn't the petty type to resent or abandon you over something like that. After all this time together, don't you know him yet? On the contrary, he was always delighted whenever you chose him."
The Sword Demon stated it bluntly, pointing at me as he continued.
"You've always been Mang Ryang's liege lord."
"......"
"Mang Ryang will surely understand you. And he'll devise the perfect strategy for our changed circumstances. Don't you think so?"
Liege lord!
Hearing that made my breath catch. I'd always felt indebted to Mang Ryang for his great favors, living as if repaying a debt. I'd never approached it from the perspective of lord and strategist.
Stroking his chin, the Sword Demon said.
"Besides, something feels off. We might even need Mang Ryang's wisdom to persuade the Sovereign of the Twelve Laws. I have a hunch."
"Hmm..."
"Come on, go see him. No need to hesitate."
I left the Shadowless Sect, half-pushed out. But I didn't teleport right away—instead, I sat on a nearby wild mountain, lost in thought for a long while.
In this life, I'd neglected him for nearly seven years to focus on personal training. I felt so guilty I couldn't even bring myself to visit. I feared he might berate me for letting the world's evils run rampant.
But if the Sword Demon was right, this line of thinking made me the fool.
'Apologize to Mang Ryang.'
He would understand my choices.
I resolved myself inwardly. First, I harvested ten more Black-White Lotuses from Yellow Mountain, then used the teleportation bead to head to Jin Rang Valley.
Flash!
Upon arriving in Jin Rang Valley, I made my way up to Mang Ryang's familiar dwelling. I could have gone straight there, but I wanted to visit properly rather than startling him like a goblin.
Yet midway up, something felt off.
"...No Mang Un Formation?"
The Mang Un Formation Mang Ryang always kept active around his home for protection was gone. That meant he hadn't deployed it. Puzzled, I hurried up to his thatched hut.
The hut exuded a desolate air. Even in broad daylight, it clearly seemed abandoned, reeking of mustiness, with mold creeping inside. Scanning the interior again, I saw none of Mang Ryang's usual bookshelves or tomes.
'What happened?'
I descended and asked the people of Jin Rang Valley about Mang Ryang's whereabouts.
One of the villagers who acted as his subordinate puffed on his pipe and said.
"You mean Sage Mang Ryang? That fellow up and left for training, or so he said."
"...What?"
He tapped his pipe on the ground before continuing.
"He made a decent living as a Taoist, with wealth topping the county—quite the rich man. Then out of nowhere, he ditched it all to go learn sorcery somewhere."
"Sorcery?"
"He's a Taoist, so isn't that natural?"
His words sounded plausible at first, but I knew better. Unless I gave him Mok Ya to perform the blood ritual and unlock his talents, Mang Ryang's sorcery aptitude was minimal. It made no sense for him to suddenly leave empty-handed to study sorcery.
"Where did he go?"
"Hmm... No idea."
"Isn't there someone who knows?"
The villager scratched his head.
"Dunno. He paid for occasional jobs but kept himself shrouded in mystery. No one in Jin Rang Valley knows his business."
"......"
I figured he was right. Mang Ryang was cautious about revealing himself and not careless enough to leave traces in Jin Rang Valley. If he'd truly left to pursue sorcery, no one would know.
After some deliberation, I headed next to the village near Luoyang where Illusion God Cheon Woo-jin resided.
Flash!
I'd hidden the Heavenly Dark Secret Book in a pine grove before entering the village. Approaching Cheon Woo-jin risked death, but my churning emotions demanded it.
Sure enough, after about twenty steps into the village, a thick illusory mist suddenly enveloped the area, visibility dropping to zero. From beyond the fog, Cheon Woo-jin slowly approached.
Even after seven years, his appearance was almost unchanged—like a youthful rural lad. Fixing me with sharp eyes, Cheon Woo-jin said.
"You're a martial artist from the rivers and lakes."
"......"
"But what is that uncanny divine energy flowing through your body?"
"Divine energy?"
"Don't play dumb. You're carrying a treasure, no doubt."
Pointing at me, Cheon Woo-jin said.
"I don't know whose disciple you are, but get lost. Or I'll make you."
"Disciple of some sage? That's not me."
"Then what are you?"
"I'm Baek Woong. I'm here to learn about your senior brother Mang Ryang's whereabouts."
"......!!"
Cheon Woo-jin flinched at my words. Glaring warily, he muttered.
"How do you know about my senior brother?"
"I'm his comrade. He suddenly vanished from Jin Rang Valley, so I thought a fellow disciple might know and came here."
"I can't trust that."
Cheon Woo-jin retorted, then flicked his hand.
"Guess I'll have to subdue you and hear it out. Try blocking this."
Flash!!
At that instant, an enormous mass of clouds surged toward me, blotting out heaven and earth. No intent was detectable, and the sudden assault left me helpless. Panicking, I barely dodged with Soul Extinguishing Step, only to hear Cheon Woo-jin's echoing voice from beyond the clouds.
[Using spirit possession sorcery? It won't get you out of the Illusion Fog Formation.]
Spirit possession sorcery?
He must mean Soul Extinguishing Step, but I didn't understand.
'Hmm... I can't evade forever.'
Though Soul Extinguishing Step's terrifying speed let me evade the fog for now, it had limits. As long as space and time in this illusion were under his control, I had no path to victory.
With no choice, I drew Mok Ya. A faint hope that it might hold the key.
I swung Mok Ya at the oncoming mist.
Crack!
Suddenly, the pervasive fog scattered, revealing Cheon Woo-jin standing there with a dismayed look. He clutched his left hand, blood dripping from it—likely injured by the sword qi when I'd swung Mok Ya moments ago.
'Whoa... I broke it!!'
I'd shattered Illusion God Cheon Woo-jin's illusion?!
Even I could hardly believe it, blinking in astonishment.
Ignoring the pain in his hand, Cheon Woo-jin stared piercingly at my hand. Then he cried out in shock.
"Th... the Seven Luminaries! You're the master of the Seven Luminaries?!"