Chapter 778
Even as his breath was fading, Jeong Cheong-ja couldn't suppress his curiosity and cautiously asked:
"Might I inquire who this person you mentioned is?"
"Ah, that would be..."
Namgung Un scratched his head.
After all, how could the Young Clan Head of the renowned Namgung Family openly declare that he had the Heir of the Demon Hall as his sworn brother?
"My sworn brother is someone who has left the secular world to undertake solitary penance, so you likely wouldn't know of him, elder."
"I see."
Namgung Un swiftly changed the subject.
"Well, that's how it is. Hahaha."
"Your swordplay breaks free from the framework of conventional Sword Studies—unrestrained and unbridled. At first glance, it might seem incapable of reaching profound heights, yet..."
Jeong Cheong-ja retrieved a small box from his robes and handed it to Namgung Un.
"...it may instead transcend worldly boundaries to achieve limitless accomplishments. Though I'd say the Namgung Family's sword techniques have somewhat... confined you, wouldn't you agree?"
"How did you—"
Namgung Un's mouth fell open.
Not only had Jeong Cheong-ja seen through his realm of mastery, but he had also discerned the thought Namgung Un had never dared voice aloud:
—Why are the main family's sword techniques so rigidly bound to the framework of the Heavy Sword Art?
Startled that even his unspoken doubts had been perceived, he quickly protested:
"I would never entertain such thoughts!"
Namgung Un desperately defended himself.
"As a descendant of the Namgung Family, how could I possibly harbor such disrespectful notions?"
Judging by Jeong Cheong-ja's profound gaze and noble bearing, he was clearly a senior master of the Righteous Path.
If word of this conversation ever reached his father, Namgung Un, the man would undoubtedly fly into a rage and mete out severe punishment.
"What does it matter if you think so? You're inherently free-spirited, and that reflects in your swordsmanship. Even the Namgung Family Head must—"
"No, absolutely not!"
Namgung Un jumped up in alarm.
"If you so much as hint at this to the Family Head, I'm done for! Please, elder, spare my life!"
"Worry not."
Jeong Cheong-ja shook his head.
"Regrettably, I have no connection to the Namgung Family Head, so I couldn't relay such words even if I wished to."
"Ah... Is that so?"
As Namgung Un's expression relaxed in relief, Jeong Cheong-ja smiled faintly.
"Open the box. Inside lies the answer to the question you've long harbored."
When Namgung Un opened it, he found a small tassel.
"What is this?"
"The Wind and Cloud Sword Manual."
"The Wind and Cloud Sword Manual..."
It was the legacy of the Greatest Sword Under Heaven from three centuries past—the Edge-of-the-World Sword Immortal.
This manual was said to contain thirty Outer-Heaven Sword Studies.
During the Martial Arts Tournament hosted by the Heavenly Martial Brigade leader, when Mu-gyeol pointed out Baek Mu-seong's bizarre sword techniques, Baek Mu-seong had claimed to have acquired this manual alongside the Divine Sword Sect's martial arts.
But that had been a lie.
The true original had been in the possession of the Three Pure Realms.
"You're saying this tassel is the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual?"
"Indeed."
Jeong Cheong-ja gave a faint smile.
"The Edge-of-the-World Sword Immortal was not only peerless in swordplay but also deeply versed in Esoteric Ritual Arts. And he knew this manual could only be wielded by someone as unhindered and free as himself."
Jeong Cheong-ja slowly extended his hand.
"Try attaching it."
Namgung Un couldn't comprehend it.
A sword tassel as a sword manual? How could such a thing be possible?
Swish.
Namgung Un fastened the tassel to the end of his sword hilt.
"I don't... feel any difference."
"Hohoho. Is that so?"
Jeong Cheong-ja chuckled before speaking.
"Actually, that is—"
Tsk tsk tsk tsk.
Just then, the Overlapping Pupils People ascended Heavenly Lion Peak and began encircling them.
Flame Qi. Ice Shot. Tang Pae's Death Line.
Having withstood all three attacks, the Overlapping Pupils People's bodies now gleamed like diamonds, enveloped in a strange hard qi.
Thud. Thud.
Their ranks suddenly parted, and a man with blackened eyelids and lips stepped forward.
At last, the leader of the Black Ring—the secret organization of the Demon Hall that commanded the Overlapping Pupils People—had arrived.
Jeok Go-seong.
"You're already on the verge of death."
Having reached the pinnacle of the Demon Gate Great Art, Jeok Go-seong instantly discerned the condition of Jeong Cheong-ja, who had used the Soul-Returning Art.
"What a waste of my visit. You'd have died on your own anyway."
He spoke irritably.
"Offer your neck. I need to take your head back with me."
But then—
"What in the world do you eat to turn your lips that black?"
Namgung Un stepped in front of Jeong Cheong-ja.
"And you look at least thirty years younger than this elder here, yet you have no manners whatsoever?"
"What kind of lunatic—"
Jeok Go-seong furrowed his brow, then finally took note of Namgung Un's face and the Golden Needle Sword before nodding.
"So you're that Namgung Family brat, Namgung Un."
Jeok Go-seong sneered coldly.
"The Namgung Family's time to die hasn't come yet..."
A dark light surged in his eyes.
"Scram!"
BOOM.
His roar shook the entirety of Heavenly Lion Peak, and a sharp killing intent radiated from the assembled Overlapping Pupils People.
It was a truly blood-chilling display—yet Namgung Un only laughed heartily.
"Telling someone to 'scram'? How exactly does a person even scram?"
"It's simple. Crawl away on all fours."
"Ahh."
Namgung Un grinned.
"Now that's a fine idea."
BOOM.
The entire peak trembled momentarily.
Then, as if the sky itself had turned black, a mountainous pressure and sword energy descended upon Jeok Go-seong and the Overlapping Pupils People.
The Supreme Sword Studies—the pinnacle art that had elevated the Namgung Family to leadership among the Eight Great Clans.
The Emperor Sword Form had been unleashed.
'Huh?'
But Namgung Un, who had executed the sword technique, was even more astonished.
As the Young Clan Head, he had only mastered the Emperor Sword Form's First Three Styles so far.
So how had he just unleashed a sword form with power comparable to the Last Three Styles?
"Evade it!"
Jeok Go-seong shouted urgently.
The Emperor Sword Form was the grand lineage of the world's heavy swords.
Merely being within its range was enough to shatter even a Vajra Bronze Man with its overwhelming force.
Rumble—
Jeok Go-seong and the Overlapping Pupils People hastily dodged, but—
Boom.
The sword's range was so vast that several of the Overlapping Pupils People were pulverized on the spot, collapsing into bloody heaps.
"Namgung Jeong, that bastard has gone mad."
Jeok Go-seong spat out in irritation.
"He's already passed down the Emperor Sword Form to a brat who just became the Young Clan Head?"
'Right? I haven't even been taught it yet.'
For a moment, Namgung Un wore a dazed expression before suddenly bursting into laughter, his hand resting on his waist.
"Your mouth is as foul as your lips are black!"
Then, with his hand still on his hip, he lied with a face full of confidence.
"This isn't the Emperor Sword Form—just a sword technique the Family Head taught me for emergencies!"
Though he said that, Namgung Un's mind was racing.
'Even though I was the one who executed it, this wasn't a Righteous Faction sword technique... What the hell just happened?'
In truth, the sword form he had just unleashed wasn't quite the Emperor Sword Form—it was a unique heavy sword technique somewhat blended with Unorthodox Faction methods.
But its power was so similar to the Emperor Sword Form that even a master like Jeok Go-seong had been completely fooled.
'Ah.'
Then, realization struck Namgung Un.
'So this is the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual.'
The Wind and Cloud Sword Manual was a kind of Black Divine Artifact.
Among its thirty sword techniques, it instantly combined the ones that matched the wielder's intent—
A living, breathing sword manual in the truest sense.
'With this, I can win.'
Namgung Un smiled as he gazed at the tassel tied to his sword.
With the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual, he could freely unleash sword techniques without being bound by rigid forms.
"Try scurrying away like a cockroach one more time. If you do, I'll send you back in one piece."
"Kill that bastard!"
Enraged, Jeok Go-seong roared, and a hundred Overlapping Pupils People began pouring their attacks onto Namgung Un.
Boom.
Namgung Un attempted to execute the Emperor Sword Form's First Three Styles again.
'Huh?'
But something was strange.
Despite performing the same sword technique, the overwhelming power from before didn't manifest.
Swish-swish-swish-swish!
In that instant, the Overlapping Pupils People swarmed him, slashing with razor-sharp claws.
"Wha—?!"
Flustered, Namgung Un let out a startled cry before unleashing his signature move—the Azure Sky Flying Swallow Sword.
Sssshhh—!
A hundred streaks of sword qi layered the air like embroidery before suddenly cascading down like a torrential downpour.
Boom-boom-boom!
The Overlapping Pupils People struck by the sword qi were blasted dozens of feet away with explosive force.
Though similar to the Azure Sky Flying Swallow Sword, it had once again fused with a unique sword technique.
Thud-thud-thud!
But the Overlapping Pupils People sprang back up.
This time, their skin shimmered with an eerie luster, and every time they were struck by sword techniques, a strange metallic resonance rang out alongside their forceful energy.
While facing Tang Gon, they were killed by the swift, unavoidable Tang Pae's Death Line.
Now, they had returned with bodies that were absolutely impenetrable.
"Good!"
Realizing they now possessed bodies akin to Vajra Indestructibility, Namgung Un began spinning his Golden Needle Sword at blinding speed.
By nature, he was free-spirited and lighthearted—ill-suited to the solemn and dignified sword techniques of the Namgung Clan.
So much so that even the Family Head, Namgung Jeong, had modified the Azure Sky Flying Swallow Sword—a technique typically practiced by the clan's women—to suit his temperament before teaching it to him.
But now, with the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual in hand, Namgung Un no longer needed to be constrained by the Namgung Clan's sword forms. He could freely wield whatever techniques he desired.
Whirrrrr—!
The razor-sharp Golden Needle Sword spun at hyper-speed, boring into the hardened bodies of the Overlapping Pupils People.
Rather than targeting their reinforced areas, he precisely aimed for their joints, intending to render them combat-ineffective.
It was a method strikingly similar to how Bu Eun-seol had dismantled the Iron Hammer Iron Corpse Warriors of the Yin-Knot Demon Grounds in the past.
"This is great!"
Even surrounded by Overlapping Pupils People, Namgung Un darted freely through the battlefield, unfolding sword techniques in all directions.
Though the Namgung Clan specialized in heavy sword techniques, mastering them required learning a variety of sword energy methods.
Thus, from a young age, Namgung Un had already mastered numerous sword energy techniques scattered across the martial world.
Now, through the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual, he could unleash them freely.
"This bastard's enjoying himself!"
But as Namgung Un struck down the swarming Overlapping Pupils People, he became so engrossed in the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual that—
He momentarily forgot about Jeok Go-seong's presence.
"Die!"
Like a ghost, Jeok Go-seong appeared behind Namgung Un and unleashed a full-powered twin-palm strike.
He had seized the one unavoidable opening—a fleeting moment where Namgung Un couldn't evade—and poured forth palm energy carrying the might of the Heaven-Shattering Form.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion sent dust flying in all directions.
When the dust settled, a shocking sight unfolded.
"Elder!"
Before Namgung Un could be struck by the palm energy—
Jeong Cheong-ja, having detonated every last ounce of his life force, had rushed forward with arms outstretched.
And taken the full brunt of the attack in his place.
Drip—drip—
Already at the end of his lifespan, he had almost no internal power left in his body.
The bones throughout his shattered body crumbled under Jeok Go-seong's palm energy, and his internal organs burst apart in a gruesome spectacle.
"E-Elder!"
Namgung Un cried out in panic as he hurriedly tried to support Jeong Cheong-ja, but the old man shook his head weakly.
"It's alright, it's alright. This isn't your fault."
Jeong Cheong-ja smiled kindly at Namgung Un, who was frozen in shock, unsure of what to do.
"This is simply this old man's fate."
"Hmph. Lucky you."
Jeok Go-seong sneered coldly as he stepped toward the fallen Jeong Cheong-ja and Namgung Un.
"No matter how strange your sword techniques are, against my Nine Nether Underworld Prison Hand—"
But then—
Whoosh.
Without even the faintest Sound of Breaking Air, a massive shadow descended upon Heavenly Lion Peak, blotting out the sun.
A woman stood there, seven feet tall, her lustrous hair cascading freely.
It was none other than So Ok-rim, the successor of the Three Pure Realms, whom Jeong Cheong-ja had been desperately searching for.
She had not been on Heavenly Lion Peak but had been training her martial arts on the opposite mountain, Flying Tiger Peak.
When Namgung Un's Heavy Sword shook the very foundations of Heavenly Lion Peak, the sound had drawn her here.
"Grandfather."
So Ok-rim's voice trembled as she approached the fallen Jeong Cheong-ja.
"Why... why are you like this?"
"You've come."
Jeong Cheong-ja smiled brightly.
By heaven's grace, he had been allowed to see So Ok-rim one last time.
"Why are you here, Grandfather? You should be at Mount Jumulama—"
So Ok-rim's pupils wavered like rippling water.
The grandfather who had always been there in the archives whenever she visited.
The one who had held her as a child, reading her countless books, and later explained martial arts manuals to her—
Now lay before her, his bones shattered, dying.
"All of them are dead. This old man barely managed to escape to find you."
"Who—"
A blazing light erupted from So Ok-rim's eyes.
"Who did this to our elders?!"
"Me."
Jeok Go-seong chuckled darkly as he stepped forward from behind.
"I did it."
His lips curled into a smirk as he looked at So Ok-rim.
"Those rat-like old men, hiding like vermin in Mount Jumulama—"
Jeok Go-seong couldn't finish his sentence.
An overwhelming pressure crushed down on his body.
"Impressive internal energy."
Jeok Go-seong was no ordinary man—he was the leader of the Black Ring, trusted even by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
His Great Art was unmatched, and his martial prowess stood above all others.
"But with your level of skill—"
Hwaak!
A blinding white light surged toward him in an instant.
As if gathering all the light in the world and detonating it at once, a radiant brilliance erupted—
And with it, a Shockwave like a tidal wave began to spread outward.
Red, blue, violet, gold—countless colors swirled together before scattering into tens of thousands of tiny flames.
Galaxy Severance.
A technique said to be capable of splitting not just the heavens, but the very Milky Way—the final secret art of the Star Emperor—had been unleashed in an instant.
Kwarururur—
Where Jeok Go-seong had stood, only a viscous, lava-like liquid remained.
The leader of the Black Ring, the Great Demon Ancestor who had terrorized the martial world for decades—
Jeok Go-seong had been reduced to boiling liquid in a single breath, crossing the River of Three Crossings mid-sentence.
Tremble.
So Ok-rim's fingertips shook faintly after unleashing Galaxy Severance.
This was a martial art that shared the same principle as Bu Eun-seol's Harmonization—
Even with her innate divine power and body of steel, she could not unleash it more than once in her current state.
"You've done well."
Jeong Cheong-ja closed his eyes faintly, as if he had no regrets left.
"Grandfather!"
So Ok-rim rushed forward, pouring True Qi into Jeong Cheong-ja's Life Gate Acupoint.
But his body, already drained by the Soul-Returning Art, was nothing more than an empty husk.
"Go there and refine your martial arts once more."
Jeong Cheong-ja grasped So Ok-rim's hand.
A mysterious five-colored radiance lingered on her palm before etching a small map into it.
"You must master the martial arts there. Only by uniting with the scattered successors of the Three Pure Realms can you face the demons soon to emerge in the martial world."
"What are you talking about?"
"The Baekri Clan did not destroy the True Demon—they only sealed it. And now, its familiars are revealing themselves to break that seal."
Jeong Cheong-ja spoke apologetically.
"We were never part of the Mystic Sects—we were the Three Pure Realms."
Then he stretched out his hand.
A mystical radiance flowed into So Ok-rim's mind, transferring knowledge to her.
But with Jeong Cheong-ja's life force exhausted—
She could only receive fragments: the Three Pure Realms, the Baekri Clan Secret Vault, and the True Demon with its familiars.
"That's not it!"
So Ok-rim cried out desperately, tears streaming down her face.
"Someone who hasn't even appeared yet—they couldn't have destroyed our home! They couldn't have killed the elders!"
The True Demon had not yet emerged.
Which meant the one who destroyed Mount Jumulama couldn't possibly be it.
"That doesn't matter now."
Jeong Cheong-ja did not speak of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor or the Demon Hall.
If he did, So Ok-rim would charge straight into the Demon Hall and be killed on the spot.
"You'll know soon enough."
"Who is it? Who?!"
"Ok-rim."
Jeong Cheong-ja mustered the last of his strength to speak.
"First, master your martial arts. And then—"
He clasped both of So Ok-rim's hands tightly in his own.
"Find a descendant who can enter the Baekri Clan Secret Vault. Once you find them, everything will be revealed."
"Grandfather..."
"I'm sorry for burdening you so much, Ok-rim."
Jeong Cheong-ja spread his arms, gently cupping So Ok-rim's face before smiling brightly.
"Be happy."
With those final words, Jeong Cheong-ja breathed his last.
Jeong Cheong-ja, the keeper of the Worldly Affairs Pavilion—
One of the few who had devoted his life to stopping the calamity of the Three Realms and upholding the will of the Baekri Clan.
One of those who had raised So Ok-rim, the successor of the Three Pure Realms.
Now, he was gone.
A man who had spent his entire life buried among stacks of books.
He had completed the long journey from Tibet to the Central Plains.
And in the arms of Seo Ok-rim, whom he had raised like his own granddaughter,
he fulfilled his final duty and drew his last breath.
What could there possibly be to regret? What could be left wanting?
"Honored Elder."
Namgung Un, who had been standing nearby, also bowed deeply in mourning as Jeong Cheong-ja passed.
Then, he spoke to Seo Ok-rim.
"Lady Hero, I am Namgung Un, the Young Clan Head of the Namgung Family."
Namgung Un clasped his hands together with utmost respect.
"Though I only met the Honored Elder today, I was deeply moved by his noble character and came to admire him greatly."
Then, with a voice filled with resolve, he continued,
"If you intend to carry on his legacy or seek vengeance, I shall lend you the strength of my family."
Though he did not know the full circumstances, Namgung Un had gathered from their conversation
that Jeong Cheong-ja had spent his life saving countless people and upholding justice in the martial world.
"It's alright."
Seo Ok-rim wiped her tears and carefully lifted Jeong Cheong-ja's body.
"I can handle everything myself."
"Lady Hero..."
"Thank you... for helping my grandfather."
With tears still glistening in her eyes, Seo Ok-rim smiled brightly at Namgung Un.
That smile carried the gratitude she felt toward Namgung Un,
who had helped the grandfather who had raised and taught her with such devotion.
"Well then."
Whoosh!
In an instant, Seo Ok-rim soared into the air and vanished into the distant sky.
Namgung Un stared blankly at her disappearing figure before absentmindedly touching the tassel on his Golden Needle Sword.
"Dark clouds are gathering over the Rivers and Lakes."
Having witnessed today's events, he could sense that a great upheaval was coming to the martial world.
"In that case, both my family and I must prepare for the chaos ahead."
Clench.
Namgung Un tightened his fist.
"Brother Bu."
As he gazed at the distant sky, Bu Eun-seol's face involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
"I, too, will grow stronger."
The martial world had always appeared peaceful, but in truth, it had been rotting away, diseased beyond measure.
And now, at last, the true force that had cast these dark clouds over the martial world was beginning to reveal itself.
The only one who could stop it was his sworn brother—Bu Eun-seol.
Namgung Un would hone his strength
so that one day, he could fight by his side.
It was a beautiful pavilion.
Its elegantly curved tiled roof stretched toward the heavens, and its pillars were carved with mysterious emblems.
Beside the pavilion stood a young man, posture straight as he gazed up at the night sky.
His robes, a blend of white and blue, were adorned with intricate embroidery along the sleeves and collar.
Though the night sky was graced by a mesmerizingly beautiful moon, his eyes remained fixed on the distant stars.
"Change is slowly taking place."
As if conversing with the stars themselves,
the shadow murmured softly, his gaze still locked on the heavens.
"But she, too, has changed."
The star he was watching shimmered with an eerie, breathtaking radiance.
"She should be burning with vengeance. How is she emitting such a beautiful light?"
Swish.
The young man stepped out from the pavilion, revealing himself under the moonlight.
He possessed well-balanced features and a tall, imposing physique.
His deep, profound eyes flickered with a mysterious glow, as if they could pierce through anything.
"Why is that?"
In response to the young man's question,
"Perhaps it is because of him."
A masked man in black had appeared before him, prostrating himself.
He had not been there when the young man was observing the pavilion,
but the moment the young man stepped into the moonlight,
the masked man emerged as if in sync.
"Sword King, Seon-u Jin."
"Seon-u Jin?"
The young man's eyes gleamed.
"You mean the one who became the chief of the Martial Alliance's Secret Intelligence Bureau?"
"Indeed."
The masked man bowed his head.
"At first, they seemed to be testing each other's limits, so I assumed it was merely a temporary alignment of interests—a case of 'Wu and Yue sharing the same boat.'"
The masked man continued cautiously,
"But after enduring numerous trials together, it seems they've built mutual trust... Whenever he is at the Martial Alliance, they are practically inseparable."
"Mutual trust, you say."
"Correct. They seem to trust each other enough to visit the Gongson Clan together. After all, ever since his days as a Third-grade Commander, he has supported her in every way to become the next Alliance Leader."
The masked man added,
"Perhaps because of that, her usual cold aura has somewhat faded, and she smiles more often now."
"She... smiles?"
The young man's indifferent expression shifted entirely.
"That woman... smiles? Hahaha!"
After bursting into sudden, hearty laughter,
Snap.
He abruptly stopped and spoke coldly.
"This cannot be left alone."
"It's merely a slight change in temperament."
"Impossible. Once someone resolves to seek vengeance, nothing should sway their heart. Especially not her—the Star of Great Wisdom."
The young man fixed the masked man with a sharp gaze.
"If she has truly changed, she must be restored. Otherwise... it could greatly hinder the Grand Endeavor we've been advancing."
Swish.
As he finished speaking, the young man extended his hand.
Then, as if it had always been there, a letter slowly descended into the masked man's waiting palm.
"Deliver this to her. And..."
His voice grew solemn.
"Remove the cause."
"But..."
The masked man spoke carefully.
"If we mobilize the Jungson Clan again and still fail to eliminate Seon-u Jin... they will inevitably decipher Heaven's Will."
He lowered his head.
"There are reports that the Fist Adept appeared precisely because he detected traces of your movements, Young Master. If that is true, this assassination attempt will be impossible to evade."
"No, it doesn't matter."
The young man smirked.
"If Seon-u Jin is truly capable of handling assassins sent by the Jungson Clan, all the better."
With the excited expression of someone heading to watch an enthralling Beijing Opera, he opened his mouth.
"Using Seon-u Jin as a shield will be the perfect opportunity to clash against the blades aimed at me."
The Masked Man's eyes widened as realization struck him.
This man had predicted failure again and again...
And in doing so, had crafted an inescapable trap.
"I can't speak for anything else, but this time, Seon-u Jin will definitely die."
The Masked Man could state it with absolute certainty.
Even if Seon-u Jin were a Master surpassing the level of the Four Gods and Seven Kings...
This time, death was inevitable.