Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village
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The beggar suddenly swung his dog-beating stick at me. His movements seemed slow at first, but the moment he entered my attack range, they transformed with astonishing speed. I could tell his technique was incredibly precise, without any openings, so I didn't clash head-on and retreated instead.
Clang!
The beggar's dog-beating stick collided with my spear once. The impact sent him sliding backward through the air.
"Ow ow ow..."
Whoosh.
He flew about two zhang before flipping in midair and landing gracefully on the ground. Surprise was evident on his face. I heard him mutter.
"Well, well... truly impressive... Even at full power with the Dream Heaven Divine Art, I'm pushed back like this. What terrifying inner power..."
"Who are you?"
I couldn't treat him lightly. Though he'd been repelled after clashing inner forces with me, he'd taken no damage and recovered perfectly. Most experts couldn't block my attack like that—their weapons would shatter, leaving them in ruins. The fact he hadn't even spat blood meant this beggar's inner arts were extraordinarily profound.
The beggar grinned.
"Heh heh, I'm the Beggar Clan Leader, Heavenly Dragon Beggar. And you? Some young White Lotus Cult Young Church Lord?"
I replied curtly.
"You're picking fights over nothing. What's the chance a random passerby on the road is the White Lotus Cult's Young Church Lord? And where's your proof I even follow them?"
"Hah! I'm the Beggar Clan's Heavenly Dragon Beggar, and the odds of a brat in his teens having inner power several times mine are about the same."
"......!!"
I flinched in shock. It was a name I couldn't ignore.
Beggar Clan Leader, Heavenly Dragon Beggar Gu Ik-hwan!
He was the king of a million beggars scattered across the world, the leader of one of the Nine Great Beggar Clans—the pillars of the righteous faction. I'd heard his name countless times while investigating the Nine Great Beggar Clans. Moreover, as the direct disciple of one of the Three Great Righteous Elders, his martial prowess was said to be exceptional.
Seeing my wary expression, the beggar spoke.
"I sensed a storm-like aura and followed secretly, only to see a mass of energy transcending the mortal world pass by. But you're just a kid. So I figured you had to be a rejuvenated Dharma Guardian or the Young Church Lord."
I chuckled.
"Fine, let's say you're Heavenly Dragon Beggar Gu Ik-hwan. Think you could take on a Dharma Guardian or Young Church Lord alone? I've heard they're monstrous."
"Of course I wouldn't be that arrogant. That's why I brought plenty of friends."
"Friends?"
Swish swish.
Experts appeared from all directions. They'd been trailing me at a distance and gathered at the beggar's signal. I realized they were seasoned martial artists with advanced lightness skills, and I frowned. There were over fifty of them.
Heavenly Dragon Beggar Gu Ik-hwan burst into laughter.
"The Righteous Heaven Alliance's Heavenly Sword Squad and Earth Sword Squad are all here. Reinforcements will arrive soon too."
Righteous Heaven Alliance!
I couldn't help letting out a groan. It was the alliance formed with the Nine Great Beggar Clans at its core, essentially created by the righteous factions to check the Eight Demonic Sects. They elected a Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader periodically, rallying under him to purge the evil paths. The Heavenly Sword Squad and Earth Sword Squad were independent armed units formed by the alliance.
'All first-class experts or better... elites.'
I grimaced. Their collective strength rivaled the Imperial Guards. In terms of actual skill, it was like being surrounded by five squads of them. If peak experts were mixed in, they'd be extremely dangerous. And I still hadn't gauged Heavenly Dragon Beggar Gu Ik-hwan's full power.
I said to him.
"I'm just a practitioner of my sect's arts. No connection to the White Lotus Cult."
"Who in the world would believe a young hero's word? We know the White Lotus Cult uses something called the Sacred Lotus to cultivate young boy and girl experts. You could be a spy scouting the Central Plains, so come along quietly with us for now."
Heavenly Dragon Beggar showed no sign of dropping his suspicion. From what he'd said, he'd been tailing me for days, preparing thoroughly before ambushing me. With the possibility I was the Young Church Lord or a Dharma Guardian, he couldn't afford the slightest carelessness.
I pondered.
'What now?'
By my nature, I'd explode in anger and fight Heavenly Dragon Beggar and the squads. I'd think my inner power could handle it. But long experience had taught me that never resolved situations favorably. Even if I crushed them here, it'd create pointless enmity with the Righteous Heaven Alliance afterward.
With no choice, I thought about what Mang-ryang would do.
'What would Mang-ryang do?'
I racked my brains. Surely some solution would come. Giving up thought and resorting to force inevitably led to death. A saying from Mang-ryang surfaced.
'Some things don't convey if unspoken.'
Then a good idea struck, and I spoke up. I'd reveal myself honestly.
"Has Heavenly Dragon Beggar ever heard of the Azure Dragon?"
As a top righteous faction executive, I switched to polite speech. He shrugged.
"The Four Divine Beasts? No idea what you mean."
I caught him playing dumb. Thrusting out my spear, I said.
"It's a pity you haven't heard of the Death God of the Imperial Palace who once shook Shaanxi's martial world."
"......"
Murmurs.
The Righteous Heaven Alliance experts from the Heavenly and Earth Sword Squads encircling me showed surprise. Mostly from the Nine Great Beggar Clans, they couldn't be ignorant of the Azure Dragon's legendary might. Naturally, Heavenly Dragon Beggar, the Beggar Clan's top intelligence head, knew. He stared at my spear and spoke.
"I've never heard of Azure Dragon Lee Gwang having such a young disciple. He has one named Jin So-cheong."
"I'm not his direct disciple but a distant junior of sorts—we're of the same school. Our Azure Dragon Martial Hall's martial arts are essentially the same."
"Hmm..."
"No reason for me and the Righteous Heaven Alliance to clash."
Heavenly Dragon Beggar eyed me intently, judging my truthfulness. After a long silence, he called out.
"Pae-eok! Jun-tae! Sang-gi!"
"Yes!!"
Three middle-aged swordsmen stepped forward. Their auras were outstanding, at the entry to peak expert level. Heavenly Dragon Beggar positioned them before me and said.
"They're from the Zhongnan Sect and Mount Hua Sect. They've witnessed the Azure Dragon's arts up close. If you want to prove you're his disciple, demonstrate here."
"You know that's rude and taboo in the jianghu, right?"
Testing him, he replied as if helpless.
"Of course. But without proof, we'll have to subdue you by force."
"No choice then."
I slowly raised my spear. Before the watching Righteous Heaven Alliance experts, I began unfolding the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms fluidly.
Swish swish swish.
It started calm as still water, but as the forms progressed, my movements grew more agile, incorporating circular motions in the finer details. Soon, fusing with the Thunder Shadow Step's Heaven-Earth Kill footwork, the spear trembled like shimmering white light.
"Ooh..."
The middle-aged swordsmen's eyes wavered.
Grinning, I added more variations to the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms. Through relentless training at the Azure Dragon Martial Hall—tens of thousands of reps on the basics of lan, na, chal—I wielded the spear like an extension of my body. Master the fundamentals, and applications follow; the same form could manifest sixteen ways.
I felt the spear blade whirl. Twisting inner and outer, it generated fearsome vibrations. Balance aligned between lower and upper body, unleashing the motion.
Pabababam!
My body merged with the spear, spinning like a windmill in a four-zhang space. The blade created afterimages, confusing eyes, then spiraled out dazzlingly. Merging Thunder Spirit Shocking Heaven—subduing heaven, earth, and man's three seats—with lan produced rain-like lights. In a breath-held instant, I chained all eight forms continuously.
Rumble rumble rumble.
When the demonstration ended, a zhang-wide hole gaped in the rock mountain behind me—from my final chal thrust. Those watching were stunned.
The three middle-aged swordsmen, who'd observed most intently, looked to Heavenly Dragon Beggar.
"No room for doubt."
"All those forms are the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms."
"Such skill is impossible without years under a spear master."
They concurred. Active in the Righteous Heaven Alliance but righteous experts from the Nine Great Beggar Clans, they had no reason to lie about martial arts.
"Hmm..."
Heavenly Dragon Beggar narrowed his brows, flustered by the unexpected. He'd come with elites confident in his judgment, but I'd proven myself.
Helpless, he cupped hands in salute.
"I apologize formally for offending you, young hero. Heavenly Dragon Beggar Gu Ik-hwan at your service. You seem a descendant of a famed righteous sect."
"Apology accepted."
"May I have your name now, young hero?"
"Baek Woong."
"Young hero Baek Woong, but I can't let you go just yet. Most rude, but I earnestly request you accompany us to the Righteous Heaven Alliance."
I stared at him silently. Righteous executives prized justification above all; with this pretext, force wasn't an option now. His accompanying experts, being righteous folk, wouldn't act against logic. Sure enough, he sighed.
"Sigh... Frankly, the White Lotus Cult's threat grows, with reports of their experts lurking everywhere. We can't overlook even minor risks."
"What do you propose?"
"Give us time to vouch for you. We won't harm you—just visit the alliance briefly. We'll repay this rudeness."
I nodded.
"Understood."
I followed Heavenly Dragon Beggar to the Righteous Heaven Alliance. The experts trailed, watching me, but I ignored it. Deep down, they knew I wasn't a White Lotus spy. Heavenly Dragon Beggar's insistence was the intel chief's obsession.
'If I play it right, I can glean some alliance intel.'
I was glad I hadn't flared up earlier. Unlike evil path brutes who fought blindly, the righteous valued justification. They risked life against justified evils but never struck without cause. Knowing that, I could exploit it.
Some time later, we reached Zhangping on the Henan-Shandong border. A grand five-story pavilion loomed—the entire grounds seemed the alliance's. Entering the main gate with Heavenly Dragon Beggar, the squads followed.
Martial artists abounded everywhere, confirming this as the righteous factions' cradle.
Creak.
The gate closed. He led deep inside to a dim hall like a grand shrine. He shouted.
"Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader! I think I made a big mistake. This young hero isn't White Lotus."
Swish.
A white-robed man emerged from the shadows. Appearing late forties, sword at his waist, the so-called Leader laughed heartily.
"Hahaha... I'm relieved instead. If that boy were truly the Young Church Lord or a Dharma Guardian, we'd have shed much blood today."
"Heh heh... I was confident in holding out with Dream Heaven Divine Art till reinforcements."
As Heavenly Dragon Beggar puffed up, the Leader said bitterly.
"Heavenly Dragon Beggar, only those who've fought Dharma Guardians know their terror. I still nurse grudge for the arm they took, but facing one again might buckle my legs."
Flutter.
His left arm was gone. He'd survived a Dharma Guardian but paid with it. Staring, I said.
"I'm Baek Woong. If I may, are you Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader Wi Ji-hon?"
The white-robed man smiled calmly.
"Indeed. I am Wi Ji-hon."
He led the Nine Great Beggar Clans and the righteous alliance, hailed as the Wi family's greatest sword genius. He'd received Wudang Sect's supreme Taiji Wisdom Sword, while leading its lay branch—a transcendent righteous peak expert. His fame was so vast, my past lives' ears rang with it constantly.
"Leader. Here's what happened..."
Heavenly Dragon Beggar explained events to Wi Ji-hon. I listened warily for twists, but he was straightforward. Wi Ji-hon nodded after hearing all.
"I see. Fortunate. Not a White Lotus spy, and the Azure Dragon has such an outstanding junior."
"Minor misunderstanding, but I'm not Elder Azure Dragon's direct disciple. Same lineage, different master."
"I know. He told me himself."
"......?"
I puzzled. The Thunder God Style's multi-transmission secret shouldn't be shared lightly—why tell Wi Ji-hon? Seeing my confusion, he smiled wryly and sent a transmission.
[Lee Gwang and I share intel. In exchange for me concealing the Thunder God Style thoroughly, he swore no anti-righteous acts and to fight White Lotus if needed. You're of that style too—no worries.]
So Azure Dragon Lee Gwang's peaceful hall mastery stemmed from this deal. He revealed enough lineage for righteous reassurance; Wi Ji-hon controlled info to aid him.
Wi Ji-hon said.
"Also, no Sacred Lotus scent on you, young hero Baek Woong. I'm certain you're not White Lotus."
"Scent?"
"Sacred Lotus grants terrifying inner power quickly, but the body emits white lotus fragrance. Faint, but unhideable from keen noses. Easiest way to spot their experts."
"I see."
New intel: excessive inner power plus the scent flagged White Lotus. As I memorized it, Wi Ji-hon asked.
"Where were you headed, young hero?"
"To Goryeo via Shandong."
"Goryeo? Why there?"
"Many famed martial schools; for training and broadening horizons."
He said, surprised.
"Goryeo, Liaodong, and eastern martial world host the Twelve Laws—mighty sects. Underestimate them at peril."
"Twelve Laws?"
"Hmm..."
Wi Ji-hon explained.
"During Goryeo's dynastic shift, the Twelve Laws intervened, preserving it and reforming internally. Their influence sways a kingdom's regime—not to be trifled with."
"Hmm... I'll be cautious."
"We were rude to you, young hero. I apologize formally."
"No need."
As I scratched my head, Wi Ji-hon told Heavenly Dragon Beggar.
"I'm giving him a Righteous Heaven Alliance token. Your thoughts, Heavenly Dragon Beggar?"
"No objection. I'll declare the Beggar Clan's aid too."
"Hahaha... splendid."
Things had turned unexpectedly well.
'Good start?'
Crisis averted through smart handling—I'd met the Leader, gained alliance aid, token, and funds. Enough to reach Shandong's ships with Righteous Heaven Alliance and Beggar Clan support.
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