Chapter 340
Chapter 340
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 340
Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After my audience with the White Lotus Cult Leader concluded, I headed to where Jin So-cheong and Mang Ryang were. An elder from the Council of Elders was waiting as if on cue and guided me near the garden, so finding them was no issue. I stole a glance at the elder's lightness skill.
'This one's a Supreme Peak Expert too.'
The Council of Elders had at least twenty members. That meant there were over twenty Supreme Peak Experts who could shake the world anywhere in the Central Plains. The Council's forces alone were enough to crush the Central Plains. And if you added the masters of the Three Great Martial Lineages, the Three Great Dharma Protectors, and the Cult Leader's power on top of that—what would that look like?
As I mulled over such thoughts, the elder spoke.
"We're here."
Mang Ryang and Jin So-cheong were waiting where we'd arrived. Upon seeing me, Mang Ryang said,
"Baek Woong. This is the Young Cult Leader of the White Lotus Cult. Pay your respects."
Mang Ryang and Jin So-cheong were already bowing deeply. I followed suit and said,
"I, Baek Woong, appointed as a Dharma Protector of the Thunder God Style, pay my respects to the Young Cult Leader."
The Young Cult Leader gazed at me steadily.
"You needn't use honorifics with me."
"Pardon?"
"The Young Cult Leader and Dharma Protectors are equals. Speak to me as a peer."
I scratched my head at those words. I'd never known the Young Cult Leader and Dharma Protectors were on such terms. But even after witnessing the Cult Leader's majesty, I couldn't bring myself to treat the Young Cult Leader casually. Reluctantly, I replied politely.
"Ah... Understood."
The Young Cult Leader smiled and said,
"Thanks to the black and white lotuses you brought, I was saved. I will surely repay the debt for saving my life."
"Not at all. How could we expect reward for serving the Cult?"
"Grace and grudges must be repaid clearly, after all."
There was a touch of warmth in the Young Cult Leader's words. It seemed genuine gratitude toward us. Mang Ryang half-rose and said,
"Has the Young Cult Leader trained in the Water God Style?"
"Indeed."
"As expected... Your profound realm is extraordinary. It surprised me."
In response to Mang Ryang, the Young Cult Leader answered bitterly.
"There are five experts in the Water God Style superior to me. Claiming the title of Young Cult Leader with this level of skill always fills me with shame."
"Haha, one with such immense talent is far too humble."
"No, not at all."
The Young Cult Leader hurriedly denied it but didn't seem offended. He'd naturally taken a liking to us. His gaze shifted to Jin So-cheong beside me, and he said,
"You must be Jin So-cheong, whose name is renowned in the martial world. I heard about the Nangong family incident not long ago."
"It was no tale of valor, so I am embarrassed."
"No, I think it was plenty admirable."
In an instant, the Young Cult Leader's gaze sharpened.
"If I'd known of that matter, I would have exterminated the Nangong family's nine clans."
"......"
It didn't sound like a joke at all—chilling.
Jin So-cheong said bitterly,
"It's an inauspicious tale. Instead, allow me once more to congratulate the Young Cult Leader on your full recovery."
"Thank you. I'm about to take my leave now, but where will you three be heading?"
"We must carry out the mission given by the Cult Leader."
"I wish you certain success."
"Thank you."
With that, the Young Cult Leader departed with his attendants. We didn't stir until long after he'd vanished from sight.
As we walked, I spoke to Mang Ryang using sound transmission words. Sound transmission was an advanced technique that took focus, so the less demanding sound transmission words were more convenient.
[Mang Ryang. He seems fully recovered.]
[Indeed. From our talk, not only has he regained his health, but the black and white lotuses seem to have boosted his internal energy as well.]
[As Young Cult Leader, he probably never freely consumed the sacred lotuses here in the Cult, right?]
[That's... It appears eating sacred lotuses alone hits a limit in energy accumulation, but the black and white lotuses break through it somewhat. A synergistic effect, it seems.]
[Hmm.]
I let out a silent groan inwardly. Did that mean combining sacred lotuses and black and white lotuses produced synergy? News to me.
'Then I can consume sacred lotuses too.'
I'd repeatedly taken black and white lotuses until now, but the gains had diminished at my limit. If I obtained sacred lotuses now that I'd joined the White Lotus Cult, my energy would advance further.
Of course, Mang Ryang had likely already considered this. He didn't bring it up and instead said something else.
[Baek Woong. Every move we make is under surveillance. Inside the White Lotus Cult, let's only converse via sound transmission words or telepathy.]
[Won't no conversation at all arouse suspicion?]
Mang Ryang chuckled softly.
"Baek Woong. Wasn't the Young Cult Leader impressive?"
[Just say whatever casually with your mouth.]
Catching on, I replied offhandedly.
"Indeed... Quite the presence."
[Got it.]
I'd had this experience once before with the Sword Demon. Jin So-cheong seemed to pick up on our cue as well, blending speech and telepathy similarly.
"Haha! Already smitten?"
[When do you plan to leave the White Lotus Cult?]
"Don't joke."
[First, let's scout the sacred lotus sites. Then we can move—no rush.]
We thus wove conversation and telepathy cleverly, using sound transmission words for our secret talk. Mang Ryang's energy wasn't up to sustained telepathic dialogue, but with sound transmission words, we managed a long exchange.
Back at our lodgings, we slept soundly. The next day, we began in earnest. To raise our energy, we petitioned the Council of Elders for sacred lotuses. Soon, a reply came from the Cult Leader.
One of the Three Elders—guarding the entrance to the Cult Leader's hall—snapped irritably,
"Follow me."
Trailing the Three Elder beyond the Cult's residential area into the outer fortress, treacherous gorges began. After crossing three or four mountains and traveling dozens of li further, the Three Elder halted.
"Enter this cave."
Deep inside as instructed, we found a basin like where we'd gotten the black and white lotuses. Five artificial ponds held blooming pure white lotuses.
Mang Ryang exclaimed in admiration,
"These are all sacred lotuses?"
"Correct."
The Three Elder said curtly,
"One per person! No more."
"Is that the Cult Leader's order?"
At Mang Ryang's retort, the Three Elder bristled.
"Greedily taking multiples? Don't make me laugh. Sacred lotuses are the Cult's treasure—we can't hand them out lightly!"
"Answer my question. Is it the Cult Leader's command?"
"...No."
Mang Ryang chuckled.
"We received a mission from the Cult Leader. Our petition was approved because the Cult Leader deemed sacred lotuses necessary for it. Isn't that right?"
"......"
"We're not seeking them for personal gain but strictly for the mission. If your unilateral decision leaves us underprepared and the mission fails—what then? I'm quite curious."
"You—"
Unable to contain his rage, the Three Elder struck.
Flash!
In the next instant, Jin So-cheong and I blocked Mang Ryang. The Three Elder's hand halted before my blade, Jin So-cheong's inches from his throat. In a blink, we'd exchanged moves, fully neutralizing his attack.
The Three Elder retreated with a crestfallen look. Jin So-cheong said quietly,
"We didn't come here to fight. Drop the stubbornness."
"Fine. Then tell me this: you're confident you'll use multiples precisely for the mission without waste? If even a little is squandered, on the Council of Elders' name, I won't let you off!"
As the Three Elder growled his threat, Mang Ryang nodded.
"Of course! We'll handle it properly. Now step aside."
"Urgh...!!"
The Three Elder clenched his fists, seething, then sighed.
"Hoo... I'll be watching."
The Three Elder's reaction seemed overblown, but handling supreme spirit herbs like sacred lotuses warranted caution. We were the ones being unreasonable, demanding more than one. Yet compromising here was pointless—Mang Ryang's calculation was to trust the Cult Leader's magnanimity and push boldly.
Thus, we harvested a full ten roots. Hundreds bloomed across the five ponds, but taking ten noticeably emptied them. The Three Elder's expression shifted constantly as he watched.
He glared fiercely until we sealed our acupoints to leave.
"You bastards... Just you wait..."
"......"
Unexpectedly, we'd earned the Three Elder's grudge, but it was unavoidable. The value of ten sacred lotus roots was immense enough to justify it. Back at our lodgings, we each consumed one and circulated our energy.
Hummm!
"Ooh!"
I cried out in exhilaration.
The black and white lotus energies—yin-yang infused and settled in my Eight Extraordinary Meridians—reacted to the sacred lotus, surging wildly! A first for me. I focused my mind to control the flow.
The clashing cold and hot energies soon enveloped my body like a massive volcano in a grand momentum. Ordinarily a searing agony, but habituated to vast energy, I felt no anomaly. Once I'd fully circulated the Great Celestial Circuit to absorb the sacred lotus energy, I sensed another advancement.
'Amazing!'
Already world-shaking, now my limit for unleashing it all at once had leaped forward. I could confidently say I'd hold clear superiority over Lee Gwang in a fight. No one short of a Dharma Protector could handle me—such cocky confidence swelled.
Mang Ryang and Jin So-cheong also felt major gains from the sacred lotus. Not quite my level, but they'd never be called energy-deficient anywhere. Compared to peers, their internal energy—several times stronger—equaled decades of orthodox cultivation.
Mang Ryang grinned.
"Baek Woong. This should suffice."
"For what?"
"Use the sacred lotuses to draw in the Thunder God Style successors."
His eyes gleamed.
"Their ultimate secret art plus sacred lotuses... They won't resist."
Of course, that was for the watchers' ears. He was sending us separate telepathy.
[This will reveal the traitor who betrayed Lee Cheong-un too.]
Feigning admiration, I continued the double-talk.
"Brilliant!"
[How will you uncover the traitor's identity?]
Mang Ryang smirked.
"Heh. Excellent."
[Negotiating with sacred lotuses will show who's unusually eager. Why? The Cult's policy shifted without their knowledge, so they'll approach us actively to probe. Narrowing suspects that way is certain.]
I scratched my head.
"Speaking of, time for dinner. I'm starving."
[Do we really need to find the traitor? Useless for the big picture, no?]
"Let's try that famous Goryeo chicken ginseng soup. They say the White Lotus Cult's top chef in the village below makes it."
[Hardly. Finding the traitor is key to pulling Lee Cheong-un to our side later.]
I started.
"What? Chicken ginseng soup!"
[Spare Lee Cheong-un without killing the Vermilion Bird?!]
Mang Ryang's eyes grew solemn.
"Exactly... That very chicken ginseng soup!"
[We'll consider it. Once we know the traitor's identity, you can use it in your next reincarnation, Baek Woong.]
"Never dreamed we'd get chicken ginseng soup."
[I hadn't thought that far.]
Mang Ryang shuddered with fists clenched, proclaiming grandly.
"Let's savor it proper!"
[Advisors always keep all possibilities open.]
"Ooh!"
[Always learning something.]
"Chicken ginseng soup's been trendy in Goryeo for a decade—derived from the Immortal Furnace dish. Uses precious ginseng, so rare and hard to get: top-tier cuisine! Only from red celestial ginseng or higher among the cyan, red, black, white varieties can it be made! And we get to eat it!"
[Just remember it well.]
"Indeed...!!"
[Understood. I'll keep it in mind.]
That wrapped our double-talk with Mang Ryang. Sound transmission words allowed only one-on-one, so Jin So-cheong—unable to hear—tilted his head.
"Is chicken ginseng soup that good?"
"......"
Unsure what to say, I just smacked my lips.