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In the vicinity of the Master of the White Lotus Sect, a flash of brilliance from the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance illuminated the moment.

“Cough!”

“Oof.”

The Master of Zen was sent flying by the force of a punch, while the Bright Dragon took a hit and ended up with broken ribs, collapsing in agony. As for Lee Kwang, he knew the vibe was way too intense for his basic moves, so he fully focused on dodging instead of attacking.

Thud!

Jin So-cheong and the Sword Demon took hits but somehow blocked them. However, in that moment of stiffness, the Sect Leader launched an attack, causing their stance to crumble significantly. Despite using their ultimate techniques to defend, their sheer strength was just too overwhelming to fully withstand.

Crash!

Except for the Master of the White Lotus Sect, nobody was standing firm.

It all happened in barely a second. They were all top experts in the martial arts world, yet just one activation of the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance from the Master of the White Lotus Sect was enough to subdue the majority! Even Jin So-cheong and the Sword Demon couldn’t muster a counter.

‘Huh?’

Oddly enough, the Master of the White Lotus Sect didn’t direct his attack at me. As I pondered this and locked eyes with him, he spoke.

[ This isn’t a place for a boy like you. Stay back. I don’t want to harm a child. ]

“……”

It then hit me that I still had my internal power intentionally suppressed. I had a chuckle realizing that the Master of the White Lotus Sect didn’t even consider me an enemy.

“Master, I have a question.”

[ Hmm. ]

Hu Woong.

It seemed like he felt I wasn’t even worth conversing with as he waved his hand to send me flying away. Even that simple gesture concealed such immense force that a violent wind surged, nearly blowing away the palace. But I unleashed all the internal power I could muster.

Boom!

[ ……!! ]

When his aura clashed with my emitted power, it dissipated, causing the other experts from the White Lotus Sect watching to stir and the Dharma Protectors to flinch in surprise. It was a common understanding that nullifying the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s attack with just internal power was impossible.

‘ Since my internal power outranks that of the Master of Zen by a long shot.’

As the Master of the White Lotus Sect stared at me blankly, I asked,

[ Have you half-transitioned? ]

“I’ll leave that to your imagination.”

[ Fine, I’ll acknowledge that you have a right to be here… ]

I sensed the Master of the White Lotus Sect was going to launch another attack soon, and I felt the tension rise. The last time, he had merely given a slight introduction to the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance; the next attack would undoubtedly be much more terrifying. So I blurted out my next question.

“If sacrificing 30,000 lives could save 10 billion, would that sacrifice be justified?”

This was a question I had wanted to ask again, triggered by a story of Master Mangnyang from Yeodong-bin’s past recollections – it felt eerily similar to the actions of the Master of the White Lotus Sect I had encountered during my 19th cycle.

Silence enveloped the space.

My question seemed completely out of context, as the others around looked taken aback, but not the Master of the White Lotus Sect. With six Peak Experts surrounding him, he casually stroked the mask of anonymity, showing no concern at all. He then spoke.

[ It’s quite the random question. Why do you ask me such a thing? ]

“I just want to know.”

[ A curious one, aren’t you. ]

A slight chuckle escaped the Master of the White Lotus Sect as he finally answered my question.

[ To save 10 billion at the cost of 30,000, that sacrifice is beyond reasonable. ]

“How can you assert that so easily? Are 30,000 lives not lives?”

As I challenged him, he replied.

[ You seem to be quite the strange being. Your martial skills are impressive. ]

“……”

[ You all seem to have come for a special purpose… First, answer me this question. ]

His emotionless gaze fell on me.

[ So if we let 100 billion die, is there assurance that 30,000 would live? ]

“That’s… not guaranteed, but isn’t there a way to save all 30,000?”

[ The notion of sacrificing 30,000 emerged precisely because there was no way to prevent the demise of 100 billion, yes? It seems the roles have been reversed. ]

“It’s a slim possibility, but I wanted to ask if it’s right to give up just because the odds are low.”

[ For some reason, I feel like I understand what you’re trying to say… ]

After a moment of silence, he said,

[ If such a situation were to arise, I would not hesitate to sacrifice the 30,000. Not everyone can be saved. ]

“Would that still apply even if those 30,000 were your followers?”

[ Indeed. ]

His answer came without hesitation.

But at that moment – I felt a significant shift in the energy coming from the Dharma Protectors watching behind the Master of the White Lotus Sect. It was a momentary change, but I could sense it. The emotions of Han Baek-ryeong and Cheon Woo-jin had surged dramatically, creating a ripple effect.

‘ Was that worth shaking things up?’

The implications of this ripple effect would need to be observed later. Regardless, what mattered now was confirming the Sect Leader’s true intentions, which caused a crack in the mindset of the Dharma Protectors. The Master of the White Lotus Sect continued speaking.

[ You seem to have come from the hidden world. Therefore, I will capture all of you here today and learn about you gradually. ]

Grrrr…

Rumble…

A mandala flickered around the Master of the White Lotus Sect, its aura shaking the very fabric of space like ripples on water. The core of the mandala seemed to swirl, revealing a dark void. I knew this phenomenon marked the moment he was about to unleash the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance as an offensive. Simultaneously, it conveyed the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s intent to pour everything into easily subduing us.

‘ Time to do this.’

At this point, attempting to save only our allies seemed increasingly unrealistic.

Since things had escalated this far, it was now time to see if I could hold my ground against the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s prowess.

In that brief moment, Jin So-cheong, the Sword Demon, and I exchanged glances. Although we hadn’t exactly signaled each other, there was a mutual sense shared only among experts. Our common ground was that we were all trained in similar martial arts, including the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortals Divine Art, essentially making us kin.

The Heart of Heaven’s Abundance is an invincible technique where offense and defense meld, but it isn’t without its flaws. It wouldn’t be right to call it a weakness because all martial arts rely on context, and with proper strategies, their effectiveness can vary significantly.

It was the Sword Demon who made the first move. Channeling his intent, he summoned countless shadow blades. They manifested in various weapons, flying in response to his gestures and forming his Hand’s Control Sword technique.

Wham!

However, the instant those shadow blades reached the forefront of the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance, they shattered like glass. They simply lacked the strength to penetrate the immense power surrounding that mandala. The Master of the White Lotus Sect’s Primordial Spirit embodied infinite internal strength, bolstering that mandala with nearly boundless defense.

But this was merely the first step in the unspoken strategy the Sword Demon and I had silently agreed upon. As the Master slightly increased his focus on the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance to reinforce his defenses, Jin So-cheong spun into action according to the intricacies of the Three Treasure Technique and charged at the flickering shadow blades that were on the verge of vanishing.

Whoosh!

Just as the shadow blades were about to disappear, a mystical light shot from the spear tip of Jin So-cheong’s weapon like an arrow, revealing that it was a new ultimate technique formed by combining the Five Elements Qi and Reverse Celestial Wheel. Adding pursuit-style techniques to the ability to manipulate any elemental attribute of the Five Elements Qi, it extended like noodle strands, sweeping over the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance’s vulnerable areas.

Crackle!

‘ My turn!’

Truth be told, I had moved nearly simultaneously with Jin So-cheong. Although I didn’t know what technique Jin So-cheong would employ, I was confident that he would create an opening in the mandala for me to exploit. As the qi from the Thunder God enveloped the mandala, it made the Master of the White Lotus Sect momentarily pause. I unleashed the maximum amount of power I could muster.

Thunder God Sword Dance!

Thunder Sword!

The power of the National Seal merged with the internal power I held, rapidly transmuting into the energy of the Thunder Sword, which charged through my blade, singing with a vivid blue light. It was a tiny gap, but I was able to spot and exploit that minuscule opening, thrusting with all my might.

Swish!

My sword tip sliced through the mandala’s defenses. The Master seemed to have sensed this too, redirecting his gaze toward me at that very moment. The Thunder Sword was infused with the power capable of slicing through the Protection Energy Technique, making it almost impossible for even someone with the Absolute Realm training such as him to escape. However, the Master’s response was delayed just enough for my sword to pierce through his space, driving straight into his chest!

Crash!

At that instant, as the Master swung his right palm to escape, a barrage of strong qi fired at me. I quickly used the Three Treasures Technique to dodge as I savored the sensation.

‘ This would have been a completely unforeseen strike, yet he managed to switch his defense into retaliation… The Heart of Heaven’s Abundance really is incredible.’

The not-so-obvious flaw of the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance was that when transitioning between offense and defense, a slight gap would emerge. However, even this minor gap was insufficient to be called a weakness, as the Master’s general defensive strength was impervious to any expert without proper training.

Nevertheless, having known the Master for so long, I along with my companions had enough skill to tease out that minor flaw, and so we had taken a shot at it. And in the following moment, we recognized that this was a strategy that could indeed work against the Master of the White Lotus Sect.

Swoosh!

We three began to encircle the Master of the White Lotus Sect in a tight Three Talents Formation. As the Master’s guards, the Master of Zen, Bright Dragon, and Lee Kwang snapped out of their stupor, they kept their distance and positioned themselves for further offense. All were skilled martial artists capable of quickly recognizing the overall situation, determining the optimal formation for an attack.

Even in a situation where he was under ambush, the Master of the White Lotus Sect smiled with satisfaction.

[ To think you would overcome the absolute difference with technique… Have you truly perceived the weaknesses of my mandala? ]

“Dodge!!”

I shouted briefly. The reason being that while the Master was employing six Harmonies Assembly, he subtly summoned the mandala, preparing numerous hidden attacks.

Boom!

“Cough!”

The Master of Zen and Bright Dragon managed to fend off two of the invisible strikes from the mandala, but the third caught them, sending them flying backwards, leaving them unconscious. Lee Kwang, however, managed to hold on and retreated swiftly, seemingly an outcome influenced more by mindset than skill difference. The Master of Zen and Bright Dragon had ambitiously stepped into the danger zone while contemplating a counter alongside me, yet Lee Kwang hadn’t harbored such thoughts, allowing him to escape unscathed.

I secretly gritted my teeth.

‘ He truly is a monster…’

How can the Master of the White Lotus Sect, capable of even the highest experts in the martial arts world such as the Master of Zen, kill in just a few moves, not be a monster? The leap in internal power was meaningless in the presence of the Master’s infinite Primordial Spirit. Even with the advantage of having a rough understanding of his flaws and habits through past lives, and forming a strategy with my companions, there didn’t seem to be any clear way to win.

It was clear that the only ones who could take down the Master of the White Lotus Sect were the three of us. There was an unspoken acknowledgment of that fact between both friend and foe alike. Amidst the fleeting moment of murderous intent, the mandala summoned by the Master of the White Lotus Sect began to howl.

Woooohh—

Just before the mandala unleashed its power, we all simultaneously activated our techniques.

Shadowless Soul Steal Technique!

The Ninety-Nine Rational Returns Technique!

Thunder Sword!

Individually, we unleashed our respective high-level techniques to counter the mandala’s attack while also reading the trajectories of the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s formidable onslaught. In an instant, thousands of dazzling rays filled the air as we meticulously diverted the Master’s attack and patiently prepared our counter-strike amidst heightened tensions.

As the moment of Heart Command approached, I could hear the Master murmuring softly in the void of nothingness.

[ I’m truly enjoying this. ]

Beneath the mask of anonymity, the Master appeared to be grinning.

[ Please don’t disappoint me. ]

At that moment, I understood.

He was ready to welcome a worthy adversary capable of handling his techniques, and he was utterly immersing himself in the thrill of combat.

Crash!

‘ My hands are tingling.’

It had been two hundred and fifty seconds since we began our joint assault. Although the three of us had never practiced together, each of us keenly understood the intricacies of formations and joint attacks, creating the most fundamental Three Talents Formation while reading the movements of our foes through the distance. Because of this, the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s Heart of Heaven’s Abundance struggled to hit us accurately, prolonging the battle.

“Ohhh…!!”

“What kind of duel is this…!!”

The onlookers were utterly astonished, unable to grasp the level of the duel at hand, only witnessing the swirling winds and flashes of light. The actual participants felt the battle was dragging on.

At this rate, we would lose.

I wasn’t the only one sensing this; Jin So-cheong and the Sword Demon were likely feeling it too. Although all three of us possessed high skill levels thanks to our past experiences, that alone wasn’t enough to withstand the Heart of Heaven’s Abundance. To truly seize the victory, we needed even greater strength, and at this point, we were still falling short. The fact that the Master of the White Lotus Sect wielded infinite strength with the Primordial Spirit testified to such a reality.

Furthermore, given that he possessed infinite internal power and stamina, a prolonged battle would only favor him.

Of course, I still had the strength of the National Seal at my disposal, allowing me to hold my ground as best as I could during this head-on confrontation, but after a thousand seconds, even that wouldn’t be enough.

Just as I was mulling over my next move.

Whoosh…

All of a sudden, the Master of the White Lotus Sect lowered his energy and descended to the ground. He ceased all attacks and counterattacks, becoming as immovable as a fortress, leaving us with no choice but to encircle him in silence.

The Master spoke.

[ The outcome is already quite obvious. You understand that, don’t you? ]

“……”

Of course, he wasn’t foolish; he knew long-term victories guaranteed him success.

[ However, your martial arts can’t simply be summed up in one phrase as predictable. ]

“Master! What do you mean?”

At his following words, we momentarily froze.

[ If you pledge your allegiance to me here today, I will forgive everything and would like to acquire your martial arts. ]

 

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