LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 744
Chapter 7: The Dark Heaven Village
Zhuge Sa coughed lightly, a hint of blood staining his lips. He turned to Yong Junil, who stood nearby, and said, “Do you remember? I ordered a total of five tasks that day.”
Yong Junil’s response was cold. “I remember. But don’t think I am obligated to fulfill all your requests.”
“I don’t care about your obligations. What matters is whether you did them or not.”
“Well, it didn’t seem to harm me, so I went ahead with it.”
With a swift motion, Yong Junil raised his hand. “First, as you can see, I’ve successfully managed the White Lotus Sect and eradicated the Su Shin Sect.”
At that moment, someone stepped forward, unmistakably a martial expert. Just by their presence and aura, it was clear they could dominate the Jianghu.
“Secondly, I have brought Dokgo Seong into the newly established Thunder God Lineage as a Dharma Guardian.”
Indeed, the individual now walking beside Yong Junil was Dokgo Seong, who had been studying martial arts in the remote regions of Sichuan. His skills seemed to have dramatically improved, making it hard to assess his current level.
His body radiated a terrifying thunderous energy. Dokgo Seong must have significantly enhanced his martial power.
Yong Junil glanced at Dokgo Seong to the left before focusing on the woman standing to his right. Her beauty was ethereal, a sight that could make the phrase “gorgeous beyond compare” seem understated.
“Thirdly, I’ve made Sagong Lin from the Sagong Escort Agency my direct disciple and designated her as the successor to the Wind Spirit Sect.”
I remembered her well. She was the illustrious daughter of the Sagong family, with finely carved features and flawless skin. Her clear, captivating eyes drew in the gaze of anyone who looked at her. When I first beheld her, her beauty inspired awe rather than desire, unlike any other woman I had seen during my countless lives.
However, since she had never met me in this life, she looked at me with an indifferent and cold expression. I scanned her for any signs of overpowering personality but found none, just a guardedness towards an unknown visitor.
“Fourthly, I subdued the fortress of the Su Shin Sect and retrieved all the books contained there. Oh, and the descendants of the fallen Bai Li clan—Bai Li Jeong-woon and the Yeon Royal Family’s descendant, Yeon Jong-hwi—are currently being trained in the Wind Spirit Sect.”
“There was one last thing,” I added.
“…”
“Hehe.” Zhuge Sa chuckled awkwardly.
Looking at his expression, I could tell that Zhuge Sa wanted to confirm the potential of those he’d overlooked throughout my past lives.
Five years ago, Zhuge Sa was well aware that the White Lotus Sect would eventually collapse. He understood that only Yong Junil could stabilize the chaos and rebuild the sect. Thus, he decided to make several minor requests to keep Yong Junil away from the sect leader’s watchful eye.
Dokgo Seong, Sagong Lin, Bai Li Jeong-woon, and Yeon Jong-hwi shared a common trait: they had shown considerable potential in my past lives or harbored some questionable aspects. By gathering capable individuals for Yong Junil, I hoped to observe their potential and secrets over time.
In fact, that strategy was proving effective. I couldn’t guarantee I could personally nurture them for five years, but Yong Junil had taken on that task.
Yet while it was mostly for checking Dokgo Seong’s Absolute Realm, the other three had different reasons. I wanted to assess Bai Li Jeong-woon and Yeon Jong-hwi’s talents, while Sagong Lin hid an intriguing secret.
After a moment’s hesitation, Yong Junil finally spoke. “… As for the last point, based on the information about the Supreme Thief and the Xuanyuan Sword that you provided, I attempted to trace the whereabouts of the divine artifact, but to no avail.”
Zhuge Sa raised an eyebrow, seemingly disbelieving. “Is that true? You’re not just saying that to cover up a find, are you?”
“Believe it or not, that’s your concern. Just remember, I had no obligation to entertain that request.”
Yong Junil’s response was icy as he continued, “Now, I need to understand why you’re here at our sect.”
Zhuge Sa glanced at me, signaling it was my turn to speak. I cleared my throat and addressed Yong Junil, “Lord Yong, my name is Baek Woong. Do you know who I am?”
Yong Junil nodded. “Of course. You were the first to reveal yourself when Jin So-cheong challenged the previous sect leader, and numerous informants sought your whereabouts after that. However, you vanished without a trace even during the Sacred Altar Tree fight.”
“…”
I felt a chill from Yong Junil’s answer. ‘He’s avoiding mentioning that I killed his father, Yong Bi-cheon, alongside my companions…’
He likely knew through indirect channels but chose not to discuss it here. This implied he intended to approach our conversation without letting personal grievances interfere. Of course, this didn’t mean he had forgotten about the grudge.
I looked at him and said, “There may be animosity between us. However, I wish to propose a deal that benefits us both.”
I could force my way through and steal from him, but I preferred not to resort to such extremes. In this cycle of reincarnation, one never knows who will turn out to be friend or foe; thus, reckless actions would be unwise. I wanted to resolve matters as equals, since I too was a martial artist of the Thunder God Lineage.
“Speak.”
“I propose that you, Dokgo Seong, Sagong Lin, and yourself partake in a friendly martial arts competition—a Three vs. Three match. However, it won’t be just a mere friendly bout.”
“A price?”
“If we win, you must answer one question of ours honestly and allow us to investigate the books obtained from the Su Shin Sect.”
“And if you lose?”
[KUWOONG!]
I drew the Flame Elemental Sword and planted it into the ground. “This is the Flame Elemental Sword, one of the seven treasures. Should we lose, we will hand over this treasure to you without condition.”
“…!!”
Yong Junil’s eyes widened, filled with unmistakable greed.
“What do you say?”
“Wait… I need to verify that it is indeed the Flame Elemental Sword.”
“Go ahead.”
With a swift motion, I threw the sword at Yong Junil, confident he wouldn’t simply run away with it. If he were that dim-witted, he wouldn’t have been successful in reconstructing the White Lotus Sect. Yong Junil caught it effortlessly and examined it slowly, eventually nodding.
“It’s real. As the sect leader of the White Lotus, I accept your wager.”
He tossed the Flame Elemental Sword back to me. I caught it and replied, “… Fine.”
Yet, I was left with lingering questions. How could he be so certain it was the real Flame Elemental Sword at first glance? What kind of knowledge and insight could he possess to identify a legendary artifact long sealed in the southern continent’s remote areas?
But one thing was for sure—he was fully aware of the existence, value, and significance of the Seven Treasures! Had that not been the case, he wouldn’t have accepted the wager.
“Furthermore, participation in this competition will be limited to ‘humans.'”
I flinched at that statement. “What do you mean by that?”
“It means that any powerful divine beings nearby cannot participate.”
“… Understood.”
It seemed he had the ability to sense divine powers. This wasn’t a unique ability; those who reached the Absolute Realm often possessed such primal instincts.
Reluctantly, I accepted his conditions and readied myself for the match.
The first duel was between Jin So-cheong and Dokgo Seong. Normally, Jin So-cheong would be the last to compete, but there was a reason for this change. I wanted to secure at least one victory.
Jin So-cheong faced Dokgo Seong, who observed her with a complex gaze and said, “I heard you’re Lee Kwang’s disciple. I wonder how the world has unfolded this way.”
“I, Jin So-cheong, of the Thunder God Lineage, am honored to meet you, elder.”
She bowed deeply before continuing, “May I ask how you came to join the newly reformed White Lotus Sect?”
“Yong Junil promised to resurrect the Thunder God Lineage, forgetting the idea of revenge. With the death of the previous sect leader, who was the epitome of all evils, and the destruction of his father at the hands of the Thunder God Lineage, the old grudges are settled. Now it’s time for restoration, not revenge,” Dokgo Seong said regretfully.
“I see…”
“You don’t understand why I’ve come to your sect today, but I will do my utmost for the Thunder God Lineage.”
[WHOOM!]
A surge of energy erupted from Dokgo Seong’s sword. Jin So-cheong watched him with focused eyes and said, “I cannot fight for the Thunder God Lineage at this time.”
“Then what do you fight for?”
Jin So-cheong aimed her spear at Dokgo Seong and declared, “Only for the king!”
[ONE SLASH!]
Their clash ended with a single strike. A fleeting river of time danced between them, and Dokgo Seong’s sword grazed Jin So-cheong’s neck while her spear pierced his heart.
Or so it seemed.
In reality, their strikes had narrowly missed each other’s vital points, both frozen in motion as if time itself had stopped. I had seen the previous exchange clearly and couldn’t help but exhale quietly.
Dokgo Seong’s materialization of power was so swift that human capabilities couldn’t hope to block or evade it. I had evaded a strike from Dokgo Seong in the past, but it was nothing compared to this speed, akin to a bolt of lightning.
The blade had transformed into a streak of lightning—pure Absolute Realm manifestation—but its directness made it overwhelmingly powerful.
Yet, Jin So-cheong seamlessly flowed through his strike with her Thunder Spirit Technique, embedding her spear in Dokgo Seong’s vital point. In return, Dokgo Seong, also at the Absolute Realm, retaliated with the Thunder God Sword Dance, and Jin So-cheong responded in kind.
What unfolded was a rapid exchange of counters, both their techniques nullifying each other in a standoff of willpower!
That was merely a single breath.
Furthermore, it was an extended duel of Absolute Realms.
I considered it a tie, but soon, Dokgo Seong relaxed his stance and sighed, “Hoo, I admit defeat.”
“…”
“In this scenario, for you to concede even a single stroke, you must be the greatest genius in the history of the martial world…”
“I appreciate the concession,” Jin So-cheong replied.
A concession? I was bewildered; I hadn’t seen it. I glanced at Tang San beside me, only to find he shared my confusion.
“… I don’t understand.”
What kind of concession just occurred?
No concession was clear from where I stood. However, the nuance was something only Jin So-cheong, Dokgo Seong, and Yong Junil watching from afar could perceive. It was a subtle ripple that only someone at a very high level of the Absolute Realm could read.
‘Dokgo Seong has definitely reached the Absolute Realm.’
What realm had Jin So-cheong attained?
As I pondered this, Yong Junil, seated at a distance on the throne, spoke up.
“The first duel was a loss for our side. Next, I will send out Sagong Lin.”