Chapter 147: Golden Summit (1)
Chapter 147
Golden Summit (1)
"Hah."
Se-woon slowly exhaled and opened his eyes.
A storm of terrifying energies swirled violently around him as he sat cross-legged before gradually settling into harmony.
It was still the dead of night, the sun not yet risen. Se-woon had already returned to the Tang Family of Sichuan at some point.
Three hours earlier, after concluding matters with Gong Sun-beon, he had returned to his family and devoted himself to training in his quarters until now.
Having completed his internal meditation, Se-woon's eyes were clear and serene, like those of a Taoist monk who had attained enlightenment.
'With the acquisition of the Black Blood, the harmony between energies has improved beyond comparison.'
Previously, channeling more than one energy simultaneously placed an immense burden on Se-woon's body.
So, until now, he had suppressed one energy to focus on another.
But with the addition of the Black Blood, which enhanced his soul's vitality and strengthened his physical life force, he no longer felt the same strain even when unleashing multiple energies at their peak simultaneously.
If he refined this newfound sensation further—
'Before long, I might be able to wield different Heavenly Net techniques with each hand.'
In simpler terms, he could unleash the Extinction Thread with his right hand and the Ice Wheel Technique with his left.
Se-woon let out a short sigh.
'Martial arts truly have no end.'
But the sense of accomplishment was fleeting.
Soon, a shadow of unease darkened his expression.
'Even with this rapid growth, the pinnacle of the Mystic Realm still feels distant. And yet, just how far has that bastard, the Blood Demon, reached?'
The thought of the Blood Demon weighed on him.
Based on his enlightenment at the Beast Palace, Se-woon was now at the threshold of the Mystic Realm.
Through relentless training, he was gradually grasping the path toward mastery.
An unprecedented rate of growth in the history of martial arts.
Yet, despite this, Se-woon felt an endless void of inadequacy and anxiety.
The stronger he became, the more he realized the terrifying depth of the Blood Demon's power—the same power he had witnessed before his regression.
The more you know, the more you see.
'......Is his strength truly confined to the Deathless Realm?'
Lately, that doubt had been gnawing at him.
Since no one had ever reached the Deathless Realm before, he had assumed the Blood Demon's power lay just beyond the pinnacle of the Mystic Realm.
After all, the Blood Demon had effortlessly toyed with Sword Emperor Yoo Jin-hak, who had reached the pinnacle of the Mystic Realm before the regression, as if twisting a child's wrist.
But now that he had ascended to the Mystic Realm and gained insights and opportunities he hadn't before, a vague realization dawned on him.
'......What if his realm lies beyond the Deathless Realm? What if the ultimate limit of martial arts, transcended through Reverse Heaven Energy, isn't merely the Deathless Realm?'
Anyone in the martial world would dismiss such thoughts as nonsense.
But Se-woon's reasoning was grounded in evidence.
Whoosh!
Even now, coiled within his upper dantian, pulsing with unmistakable malice—
'Reverse Heaven Energy.'
The Blood Demon's power, Reverse Heaven Energy, was precisely that.
Like flames raging in purgatory, the Reverse Heaven Energy violently expanded its presence.
Among all his energies, it was the only one that refused to harmonize with the Black Blood.
The stronger the force trying to balance it, the more it swelled in mockery.
'Hah, my Reverse Heaven Energy has already surpassed the fourth star and reached the fifth.'
Upon entering the Mystic Realm, it had reached the fifth star. If he attained mastery, it would break through the sixth.
And if he reached the pinnacle, like the Sword Emperor, it might reach the seventh.
'And if the eighth star is the domain of the Deathless Realm......'
Before his regression, the Blood Demon had undoubtedly "perfected" Reverse Heaven Energy. Just how far into the unknown had he gone?
'He shattered the divine providence of time and sent me back to the past.'
Only a being equal to the creator of providence could break it.
If that were true, could someone like him—merely standing on the earth—
Ever hope to defeat the Blood Demon?
No, could he even stand against him?
Sssk!
As Reverse Heaven Energy surged, a dark aura flickered in Se-woon's eyes—
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the power of the Extinction Thread activated.
The turbid haze in Se-woon's eyes was completely cleansed by the demon-suppressing force of the Extinction Thread.
His heart lurched, and he steadied his shaken mind.
The Reverse Heaven Energy had momentarily plunged him into the throes of a Heart Demon.
Now freed from turmoil, his mind felt refreshingly clear as he reaffirmed his resolve.
'There's no need to worry already. My limit isn't confined to the pinnacle of the Mystic Realm.'
That's right. Even if his opponent were a god—
He would simply advance until he could shatter even that.
With that firm resolve, Se-woon decided to rest his eyes for a while.
Unfortunately, Se-woon couldn't enjoy a deep sleep.
He had barely dozed off when Jang Il came to wake him.
"Now, onto the next matter."
With urgent family affairs piling up, Lady Yeo-seon arrived barefoot, and the two began discussing various matters.
As the chief instructor training the Tang Family's warriors, Lady Yeo-seon also served as the deputy head.
The family's head, Elder Son Gun, had been so impressed by her efficiency that he openly declared her his successor.
Then, Lady Yeo-seon spoke.
"Hmm, so you're saying we should secretly distribute preventive medicine for the Cursed Poison that the Heaven-Piercing Gang faction plans to spread, disguised as relief grain to the villagers?"
"Exactly."
Gong Sun-beon, now a slave, had been restored to his original appearance and sent back.
Se-woon had also ensured all the materials for the Cursed Poison were returned with him.
It was all to deceive the Heaven-Piercing Gang leader, the Qingcheng Faction, and Ghost Shadow.
At the same time, measures were taken to prevent civilian casualties from the Cursed Poison the Qingcheng Faction would release.
Outwardly, it would resemble an epidemic, but the lethal threat was entirely neutralized.
"How is the training of our family's warriors progressing?"
"You need not worry. The Tang Elite Unit, as well as all our warriors, have significantly improved their realms."
War with the Qingcheng Faction was imminent.
Before that, the family's combat strength had to be solidified.
The Thousand-Sight Instructor's prowess was on full display.
As the finest instructor in both orthodox and unorthodox circles, Lady Yeo-seon meticulously guided each warrior.
The Tang Family's warriors, once solely focused on hidden weapons, had now reached comparable heights in poison techniques.
Combined with Se-woon's customized weapon distribution, their combat power had surged to perfection.
"Has the announcement of our shift to neutrality been fully conveyed?"
"Yes, Family Head."
Lady Yeo-seon answered without hesitation.
"They declared they would follow only your orders, paying no heed to external opinions. No matter what others say, they remain solely the Tang Family."
"......!"
Se-woon had declared their shift to neutrality and bluntly told his subordinates:
Those who wished to remain orthodox were free to leave the family.
And he had meant it.
Subordinates who didn't truly follow him would only become liabilities.
But astonishingly, not a single member chose to leave, despite the shocking revelation.
Instead, most of his kin worried about how much hardship must have driven him to this decision.
More than restoring the family's martial prowess to its peak, seeing them united as one family again filled Se-woon with immeasurable joy.
"How is the Divine Maiden faring?"
"She is currently researching spells in the quarters we prepared. It seems she'll be immersed in her studies for at least another month."
"Hmm, good."
Se-woon nodded in satisfaction.
Indeed, the Divine Maiden Sect Leader and Seo Su-rin still hadn't returned to their sect's headquarters, remaining with the Tang Family.
'I never imagined the tales of the Thousand-Sight Instructor would unfold like this.'
Surprisingly, Lady Yeo-seon's abilities played a pivotal role.
Before the regression, the Thousand-Sight Instructor had gained fame for an unexpected incident.
She had once engaged in an equal discourse on martial theory with Alliance Leader Yoo Jin-hak, revealing insights rivaling his own.
["P-please, say it again. What exactly seems to be the problem here?"]
["Hmm, restricting the spell formula solely to the Yang domain disrupts the harmony. Instead, try adjusting it like this......"]
["Oh! Ohhh!!"]
By chance, Lady Yeo-seon had discussed sorcery with the Divine Maiden, posing questions and thoughts that came to mind.
As if blessed by beginner's luck—
Her unique perspective, untainted by conventional sorcery, seemed to grant the Divine Maiden new enlightenment.
Now, separate from Se-woon's collaboration, Lady Yeo-seon was aiding her progress.
With this, the Divine Maiden had no intention of returning to her sect.
Guests who had previously arranged to visit the sect's headquarters were now coming to the Tang Family of Sichuan instead.
Seizing the opportunity, Se-woon prepared quarters, training halls, and workspaces for her within the inner estate.
The Divine Maiden was deeply grateful for the warm hospitality, but—
"We must raise the temperature of the pot so slowly that the frog doesn't realize it's trapped."
"Understood. We'll ensure she never suspects she's in a snare."
Se-woon and Lady Yeo-seon conversed like true villains.
Their discussion soon reached the final agenda.
"The Namgung Family's withdrawal from the Martial Alliance is accelerating."
It was about the Namgung Family, led by Namgung Myeong.
Originally, it seemed the Namgung Family and the Elder Faction would remain in the Alliance for at least another year, but lately, they had been acting suspiciously.
"They must have sensed something amiss in the unfolding situation."
"Well, considering how every attempt to seize power has failed, only a fool wouldn't notice."
"True."
Following Se-woon's advice, Yoo Jin-hak and Jegal Hoon had covertly thwarted all the Elder Faction's schemes.
Thus, sensing something was off, they were now planning to withdraw from the Alliance sooner than expected.
"Fortunately, their trust in us remains firm."
"How could they suspect anything? Not with all those treasures we've been sending."
"Indeed. That foolish family head was practically drooling over those worthless fakes."
But Namgung Myeong's suspicions never turned toward Se-woon.
After all, Se-woon periodically sent substantial quantities of treasures.
Of course, they were the lowest of the low-grade—
The same counterfeit Divine Artifacts he had shown to the Black Market.
Though they lasted slightly longer than the Black Market's versions—
'By the time I devour the Qingcheng Faction, those treasures will be utterly worthless.'
Se-woon smirked, imagining Namgung Myeong's bewildered face when his treasures turned to trash overnight.
"Hah, with this, all preparations before departure are complete."
"Yes, it seems so. You've worked hard, my lord."
"Indeed. At dawn tomorrow, I'll depart. Ensure the escort carriage is loaded with the 'coffin.'"
"It's already prepared, as you instructed."
Se-woon smiled in satisfaction.
At least this journey wouldn't be far.
Like the Tang Family, his destination lay within Sichuan.
The place was—
'Mount Emei.'
The Emei Sect of the Divine Tiger Doctor.
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