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“I thought his suggestion was totally out of the blue, but I could see how it might work.”

Until now, there had been options available, but they often lacked the necessary conditions. The identity of the Master of the White Lotus Sect was ambiguous, and with the imperial palace as the main enemy, simply killing him often didn’t lead to an improvement in the situation. Even if we took out the Master, the imperial palace’s power would still remain intact.

However, looking at it from Dokgo Seong’s perspective within the Thunder God Lineage, he certainly had the capabilities to go after the Master. If he could gain strength to topple the imperial palace, the biggest obstacle remaining would likely be the Master of the White Lotus Sect himself, making it a plan worth considering.

After some thought, I replied, “I’ll do it. But first, I want to become a disciple of the Master and find out his secrets.”

Just keeping in mind that it was possible to kill the Master could shift the entire situation significantly.

Dokgo Seong nodded vigorously. “That’s a good idea. If we’re planning something big in the future, we should always be ready to remove the Master. He would definitely be our greatest obstacle in terms of martial arts and strategy.”

“What happens to the White Lotus Sect if the Master is killed? Does one of the Dharma Guardians take over?”

“That’s uncertain. Those qualified to be the leader would likely compete for it.”

Dokgo Seong murmured, “The Thunder God Sword Dance I taught you will come in handy during that time.”

“Indeed.”

There was no rush to kill the Master right away. After fully understanding his secrets, we could eliminate him at that point, and then the competition for leadership would commence among those eligible. At that time, I would have a chance to participate in the contest for the Master of the White Lotus Sect.

It was indeed a plan with a good chance of success. While I was thinking that, Dokgo Seong spoke again. “And don’t hold too much hatred towards Lee Kwang. He wasn’t always this prickly.”

I flinched! Those words brushed over my heart like a touchy subject. Maybe that’s why I replied rather curtly, “That’s between me and Lee Kwang, Master.”

Dokgo Seong sighed. “I don’t know what kind of life he lived after his time with the White Lotus Sect, but he was once a peerless talent at the Thunder God Lineage during his teenage years, looked up to as a disciple of the Grand Master. He was expected by everyone and had a cheerful personality. I think the hardships of time made him tough and prickly.”

“…”

There was a sense of lament in Dokgo Seong’s voice. After all, he must have felt guilty about not being present when the Thunder God Lineage was purged. It could have been a feeling that things might have been different if he had remained with the Thunder God Lineage.

I shook my head. “I don’t want to commit cruel acts against someone who knows nothing. I’m planning to settle it with him one-on-one later.”

After showing my memories with the obsidian, my plan was to fight and defeat him one-on-one. I felt I had to repay the grudge of a hundred years.

“I think you haven’t been very honest with Lee Kwang all this time.”

“Well, he was an opponent who dealt in obvious moves.”

“Sounds like you’ve suffered a lot.”

Hearing my sharp tone, Dokgo Seong muttered bitterly and turned his head away. “Do as you see fit. But I really hope you give him one chance.”

I was surprised that Dokgo Seong thought so much about Lee Kwang. Maybe there was something about that statement that resonated with me, so I nodded in agreement.

“Understood.”

Until now, I had only harbored thoughts of vicious revenge against Lee Kwang. However, since Dokgo Seong was speaking so kindly, I felt it was necessary to have an open conversation with him at least once, to consider things positively. After all, there could be a real reason behind why Lee Kwang became twisted over time.

Once our conversation concluded, Dokgo Seong said, “Then let’s train hard until a month from now.”

“Sure.”

No more chatter was necessary. From that day on, I trained tirelessly on the Thunder God Sword Dance, and it seemed Dokgo Seong and Cheongwol were putting all their effort into mastering the techniques of the Wudang Sect as well. In particular, Cheongwol seemed determined to make up for lost time by training like her life depended on it.

About a month passed swiftly, and we began our journey to find the Old Sage of Mount Tai. Dokgo Seong handed each of us big straw hats and said, “We have places to search in our own way. You should go gather information about the Old Sage from the Fire Spirit Techniques and then meet up at Mount Tai.”

“When do we meet?”

“About a month should do it.”

“Let’s do that.”

Dokgo Seong looked at me intently and said, “Just a reminder, Han Baek-ryeong is definitely not an easy woman. She’s climbed to the very top of the Fire Spirit Techniques as a woman, so don’t let her kindness fool you. Even the likes of Lee Cheong-un had difficulty dealing with her.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

With a zap, I left Dokgo Seong and Cheongwol and set off with a snap. Anyway, it seemed they wanted to move freely on their own, so there was no need to awkwardly tag along. I could gather information about the Old Sage of Mount Tai alone for a month, and then catch up with them later.

The first place I headed to wasn’t the Fire Spirit Techniques but the Shadowless Gate, where the Sword Demon was located. I met with the Sword Demon and shared everything that had happened up to now. He stroked his chin, seemingly interested, and said, “I see. Dokgo Seong will definitely be a powerful ally.”

“I apologize for deciding at my own discretion.”

“Not at all. You’re the reborn one, and the initiative belongs to you. Proceed as you deem fit.”

With a chuckle, the Sword Demon reclined in his chair. “Speaking of the Old Sage of Mount Tai… he has always been a bit suspect from back in the day. Whether it was Geol-seon or the Master of Zen Myung-ho, all were somewhat exposed in the Jianghu, yet he remained shrouded in mystery. No intelligence organization knew anything about him.”

“Is he some sort of puppet for the imperial palace?”

“Who knows. No matter how mighty the imperial palace is, they probably wouldn’t treat someone like the Old Sage like a mere underling.”

He continued calmly, “It would be better to see it as a cooperative relationship. The Old Sage likely has some ulterior motive for associating with the palace.”

“Hmm…”

“Either way, if it’s about uncovering the Old Sage’s identity, count me in. I was intending to take control of the Eight Demons of the Demon Path anyway, so this works out well.”

Suddenly something crossed my mind, and I asked the Sword Demon, “Has the Sorcerer Dokgo Jun come by recently?”

Previously, the Dharma Guardian Dokgo Jun had come to force the Sword Demon, leader of the Eight Demons of the Demon Path, into submission. The likelihood of the same thing happening in this reincarnation was high. The Sword Demon shook his head.

“I expected that, and mentally prepared myself, but he hasn’t shown up.”

“He hasn’t come?”

“Perhaps your actions after reincarnation influenced him. Even though he didn’t attend the gathering of the Eight Demons, he’s still nowhere to be seen.”

“…”

It’s true I had taken actions that might impact the White Lotus Sect in this new life. I had met Han Baek-ryeong, talked with her, and toppled the owners of the Twin Gate Sect as she suggested. But how was toppling the Twin Gate Sect’s owners supposed to affect Dokgo Jun’s feelings?

“If it doesn’t work out, we can look into it in reverse. Anyway, I wish you success.”

“Good luck to you too.”

With a wave, I departed from the Sword Demon and shifted to the next destination. I arrived at Jinrang Valley, curious whether Mangnyang had finished his training and come back. However, after three months, I was faced with the curt Cheon Woo-jin again.

“My older brother isn’t here.”

“He hasn’t come yet?”

“Don’t ask me.”

Indeed, every time I saw him, he was such a surly guy. Internally annoyed, I gazed at him for a moment before saying, “Please let Mangnyang know that the Old Sage of Mount Tai is related to the imperial palace.”

“Understood.”

Just then, I heard a familiar voice coming from beneath a pine tree. “What the hell… what crime did I commit to be treated like this?”

Glancing over, I saw Zhuge Sa trapped in a hut among the pines, unable to move. It seemed he was being restrained by Cheon Woo-jin’s sorcery. Cheon Woo-jin shot him a cold glare and said, “Consider yourself lucky I didn’t seal you in another dimension.”

“Damn it…” I approached the grumbling Zhuge Sa and asked, “Do you know anything about the Old Sage of Mount Tai?”

“Huh? Who are you?”

“I’m Baek Woong, a friend of Mangnyang.”

Zhuge Sa rested his chin on his hand while lying in the cramped hut and looked at me, soon retorting, “You must be a fool. I’m in this mess because of Hyun, why would I tell you anything?”

“…”

“Anyway, that Hyun should be picking smarter friends.” Zhuge Sa scoffed.

“Hey you. I’ll tell you about the Old Sage of Mount Tai if you let me out of here. I can’t stand being cooped up any longer.”

At that moment, Cheon Woo-jin, who had been watching from the back, loudly interrupted, “Don’t waste your breath. He can’t help you even if he wants to.”

After hearing Cheon Woo-jin’s words, Zhuge Sa muttered, “There’s something about that bastard Cheon Woo-jin that makes him seem like a resentful guy with nothing to give, huh?”

“I completely agree.”

We briefly conspired behind Cheon Woo-jin’s back.

“Great… I’ll take a nap, so you two can leave.”

Zhuge Sa finally flopped down and started snoring. Clearly, he had realized escaping from Cheon Woo-jin’s seal would be futile. I had never seen Zhuge Sa like this, which felt fresh, but on the flip side, it showed how formidable Cheon Woo-jin’s sealing techniques were that Zhuge Sa ended up so defeated.

‘I could probably let him out, but…’

Maybe if I wielded Xuyou and swirled it around, something might happen. But whether that would work without him being freed was uncertain. Even if I could break Cheon Woo-jin’s barrier, it raised a question of whether releasing Zhuge Sa—an unpredictable variable—would actually be helpful.

Turning back toward Cheon Woo-jin, he eyed me with disdain and said, “Don’t associate with guys like him. He looks fine on the surface but is actually a wicked sorcerer.”

“I know.”

“And it wouldn’t hurt to stop gossiping about others.”

Cheon Woo-jin sounded truly annoyed. I scratched my head and chuckled.

“I’ll think about it.”

With a snap, I headed next to the Sagong Escort Agency. I remembered working there for a few years to gather information near Mount Huang for the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. I walked into the Sagong Escort Agency’s entrance to find the Escort Leader.

Finally, I caught a glimpse of a beautiful woman in a white cloak commanding the escorts. Her clear, captivating eyes proved that she boasted exceptional beauty that could draw anyone’s gaze. Even as someone who has seen countless beauties in life, it was undeniable that she had top-tier looks that were extraordinary.

I blinked for a moment, then approached her. “Excuse me.”

“Hmm? What is it, little guy?” She smiled sweetly at me. Using the Heavenly Blood Sealing Technique to suppress my internal power and energy, she appeared to view me as just an ordinary child. I opened my mouth to speak, hesitating before sending her a secret message.

[I came to inquire about the Old Sage of Mount Tai.]

“……!!”

Sa Gong Lin’s expression turned shocked. After glancing around, she said, “Who are you?”

“I am Baek Woong. My purpose is as I mentioned.”

“Go back. I have nothing to say.”

Sa Gong Lin replied firmly. I didn’t blame her; asking about her master’s whereabouts outright would lead to no one giving away information. I figured this was an expected outcome and sent her another secret message.

[The pressure from the Huashan Sect is likely growing. I plan to visit Mr. Sagong Hwan, the leader of the escort agency, to assist in that matter. Can we talk again afterward?]

“……”

She looked at me with a troubled expression. “I don’t know what you’re after, but the Sagong Clan isn’t so easy to play with.”

“I don’t intend to mess with you. I merely want to proceed in a advantageous manner for both of us.”

Just then, armored martial artists in white robes rushed out from the back. “What’s going on, Lin?”

“Brother!”

They included the expert Sagong Pae, who was Sa Gong Lin’s older brother. He saw me and shouted furiously, “How dare you make a move on my younger sister, you brat!”

Seemingly having misunderstood, Sa Gong Pae drew his sword and charged at me. I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity, glancing at him before effortlessly deflecting his attack using my Qi Energy without so much as lifting a finger.

“Hey!!”

Sa Gong Pae kept flailing his sword, clueless about what was happening. Seeing as I hadn’t moved at all, he continued to look foolish for a good fifty seconds, appearing as if he was performing a dance in thin air before finally realizing something was off and coming to a stop.

Sa Gong Lin let out a sigh while watching the scene.

“That’s some incredible skill. Are you a Half-Transition Master?”

“I really don’t want to draw blood unnecessarily. It would be wiser for us to deal with each other intelligently.”

“……”

She said almost helplessly, “Please follow me.”

 

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