Chapter 98
Chapter 98
The Turning Point
It was an utterly shocking proposal to take him as a disciple.
The other exceptionally favorable conditions were surprising enough, but—
"I will teach you all the secret techniques and forbidden arts of my sect."
—the most extraordinary part was his offer to impart all of Mount Hua's martial arts.
And for good reason. If—
'If he truly means those words...'
—Sword Emperor Yoo Jin-hak was offering everything he had.
Among the five disciples of past Sword Emperors, only one—the first disciple—had ever been granted the opportunity to learn the Sword Immortal Yeo Dong-bin's martial techniques and the Yangyi Divine Art.
From the second disciple Jegal Seo-ah to the last, fifth disciple Lee Ho-seong, none of the others had ever been taught Mount Hua's martial arts.
Yoo Jin-hak had done this to firmly establish his first disciple as his sole successor—to prevent any potential conflicts over succession within the sect.
Yet now, he was making this very offer to Se-woon.
'This is tantamount to giving me a chance at succession.'
If he could only surpass the first disciple in their competition—
Se-woon could inherit everything the Alliance Leader had built within the Murim Alliance.
With the Sword Emperor's martial arts, reputation, influence, and backing—
He would have more than enough to contend for the position of the next Alliance Leader.
Even if the Alliance were split in two by Namgung Myeong, legitimacy would remain on his side—the Murim Alliance was still the Murim Alliance.
But setting all that aside, the greatest immediate benefit for Se-woon was the opportunity to be taught by the world's foremost martial artist of this era.
Yoo Jin-hak was a warrior who had reached the pinnacle of the Mystic Realm—a realm even the Se-woon of the past timeline had never touched.
'And now, it seems he's even glimpsed the threshold of the Life and Death Realm.'
The moment they met, Se-woon had to focus all his energy to suppress the Reverse Heaven Energy raging in his upper dantian—the energy, driven solely by its instinct to devour powerful forces, had sensed the Sword Emperor's breakthrough.
Perhaps due to the insights and epiphanies gained through Se-woon's interference in various events—
Yoo Jin-hak appeared to have truly discovered the gateway to the realm beyond the Mystic Realm—the Life and Death Realm.
Beyond the Mystic Realm lay the Realm of Life.
Beyond the Extreme Demonic lay the Realm of Death Transcendence.
Together, they formed the Life and Death Realm.
But no one in the martial world knew what power this realm held—only its name.
No records existed beyond the faint mentions in ancient texts.
An uncharted realm no one had yet reached.
Learning martial arts from Yoo Jin-hak, who had glimpsed this transcendent realm, would allow Se-woon's prowess to skyrocket in a short time.
No—he might even gain far more than he had ever hoped for.
If the Buddhist arts imparted by the Divine Monk were combined with the Sword Immortal's Taoist techniques—he could potentially create an unprecedented orthodox divine art that fused the pinnacle of both Buddhism and Taoism.
Judging by this alone, refusing Yoo Jin-hak's offer would seem impossible unless one were utterly insane.
But why then—
After hearing the proposal—
Instead of anticipation for the future, fear of the past began rising in Se-woon's chest?
At this moment, only one question remained in his mind:
'...Was the Blood Demon from the past timeline truly at the Life and Death Realm?'
Unlike before his regression, having rebuilt his martial foundation from the ground up—
Things he hadn't seen then were now becoming visible.
The more he recalled the Blood Demon's strength from his memories—
The deeper it seemed, like a bottomless abyss—more ferocious and formidable than even the Four Fiends, the monstrous gods of legend.
'It never made sense that he let me pierce his head in the first place.'
No matter how perfectly timed his strike had been, it should have been impossible.
Why had the Blood Demon allowed it?
And why had he said "We'll meet again"?
If his regression had all been part of the Blood Demon's scheme—
If the Blood Demon stood at a realm far beyond the Life and Death Realm—
What could he possibly do?
Just as his body was drowning in terror and dread—
'What else? I'll fight him head-on.'
—Whoosh!
With that single thought, the fog in his mind began to clear.
Unbeknownst to him, the effects of the Three Lifetimes Sutra and Golden Armor Energy had simultaneously activated.
Fear and dread washed away like water.
'If he's above the Life and Death Realm, I'll just climb higher than him.'
In the void left by vanished fear, only will and resolve remained.
This wasn't solely the result of the Divine Monk's Three Lifetimes Sutra.
'And this time, I won't be fighting alone.'
He would walk forward with those who had staked their lives on him.
Had he not gained the realization someone had imparted during his battle with Bai Yacha Heo So-chang—
He would surely have been consumed by the terror of this moment.
Thus, Se-woon's answer was decided.
"...I apologize, Alliance Leader."
"Tch, refusing even my command? Have you forgotten who stands before you?"
Yoo Jin-hak, as if expecting this, doubled down with the full authority of the Murim Alliance Leader.
But the next moment—
Se-woon said something entirely unexpected.
"Though I'm honored by your offer, taking someone who isn't an Alliance member as your disciple will only invite further discord and complications."
"...?"
What in the world did that mean?
Yoo Jin-hak was baffled by Se-woon's words—"someone who isn't an Alliance member."
The Sichuan Tang Family had secured its place among the Seven Great Families, and Tang Mu-yeol had even attained an elder's position—how could he not be an Alliance member?
Then, with a gaze filled with unwavering resolve—
"Alliance Leader, I will soon withdraw from the Murim Alliance."
"?!"
Se-woon delivered the shocking statement.
What had he just heard?
Ah, yes.
Tang Se-woon, the heir of the Sichuan Tang Family, had just declared he would leave the Murim Alliance.
...
'What kind of—?!'
Yoo Jin-hak's thoughts short-circuited momentarily before he snapped back to reality.
Unable to hide his bewilderment, he urgently pressed Se-woon:
"What in heaven's name are you saying?? Leaving the Alliance, just like that?"
"Exactly as I said, Alliance Leader."
"Tch."
Unlike the flustered Yoo Jin-hak, Se-woon's tone was eerily calm.
The Sword Emperor exhaled sharply, utterly dumbfounded.
He was truly planning to leave the Murim Alliance.
Then what of all the plans they'd laid together until now?
'Ah.'
Suddenly, a thought struck Yoo Jin-hak.
He voiced it to Se-woon:
"Are you saying you intend to continue your double agent role even after leaving the Alliance to join Namgung Myeong's faction? Did you refuse discipleship because it would complicate your position among them?"
No matter how he looked at it, this was the only reason Se-woon would leave.
But Se-woon shook his head.
"No. The moment they form their new alliance, they'll discard me."
"...!"
"They're only using me to sow chaos among your faction's elders. Once I leave the Alliance, I'll have outlived my usefulness to them."
"Then why on earth...?"
As Yoo Jin-hak stared at him with incomprehension—
Se-woon began his reply with grave solemnity.
"As you've witnessed firsthand, Alliance Leader, the abyss rooted in this martial world is far too deep and vast."
"—!"
Images flashed through Yoo Jin-hak's mind—the ruined villages of displaced peasants, the blood-red sky during the Gaebong Blood Sect's massacre.
"And as I mentioned earlier, Namgung Myeong's faction represents an unstoppable tide. Within it, the conflict between righteousness and evil will escalate uncontrollably."
Se-woon's voice was firm.
"This cannot continue."
"...!"
"A divided Murim Alliance's half-strength could never stand against that abyss—no, against the demons lurking in the darkness."
"...!!"
Yoo Jin-hak found himself speechless before the raw intensity in Se-woon's voice.
Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, he could only listen.
"Alliance Leader, you must hold the Alliance stronger than ever. Meanwhile—"
After a brief pause, Se-woon continued.
"—the Sichuan Tang Family and I will temporarily step away from the righteous path and return to the space Between Righteousness and Evil."
"!!"
"There, we will accomplish what only this path makes possible."
At the entirely unexpected term, Yoo Jin-hak's eyes widened like lanterns.
Between Righteousness and Evil.
Literally, factions existing in the gray zone between orthodox and unorthodox sects.
All such factions claimed neutrality.
It might sound appealing.
But reality and how the world treated them were entirely different.
Recognized by neither orthodox nor unorthodox factions, they became prey to both.
The Sichuan Tang Family had once been classified this way due to their vicious methods.
But hadn't they spent generations striving to shed that label, eventually securing their place firmly among the orthodox factions?
And now he was willing to abandon all that to return to the gray zone?
What could possibly require such a path...?
Meeting Yoo Jin-hak's bewildered, concerned gaze, Se-woon offered a faint smile as he spoke.
"The Murim Alliance will grow stronger and more united under the new conviction you've forged today. But that strength will only function within the orthodox path's ways."
"You may check and weaken Namgung Myeong, but you'll never fully dismantle and reclaim what they've taken. That isn't the path of righteousness you've walked all your life."
"But that's alright. Your efforts alone are enough. And in the chaos to come, your path will be indispensable. Please continue walking the righteous way and protect everyone from the looming threats."
—Whoosh.
A chilling silence filled the space.
Then, with eyes blazing like wildfire—
"To slay demons, I will follow the path of chivalry—but not the righteous way."
"...!!"
At those words, Yoo Jin-hak felt as though a sledgehammer had struck his skull.
Only then did he grasp Se-woon's plan.
"You—don't tell me—!"
"If orthodox and unorthodox factions won't unite, we can't defeat the demons. But the unorthodox factions are dominated not by heroic free spirits but by vile scum like Namgung Myeong."
—Whoosh!
—Rumble!
"...!!!"
"I will walk the path of supremacy alone. And—"
Se-woon unleashed all his hidden powers at once—save for the Reverse Heaven Energy.
Golden Armor Energy, Divine Poison Energy, and Innate True Energy harmonized spectacularly under the Three Lifetimes Sutra's influence.
"—I will seize control of the Unorthodox Alliance."