805——————==

True Martial Home

I immediately moved from Sichuan to Luoyang with Zhuge Bu. As soon as I returned to Luoyang, I was momentarily speechless at the surreal sight before me.

“This is….”

Woooooo

In the center of Luoyang, a gigantic black tower stood irregularly. It appeared as though strange tentacles extended from the tower’s windows, swaying in the air, defying all laws. Among the twisted structures resembling ‘trees,’ bizarre demon beasts writhed, looking straight out of a nightmare. It was an utterly incongruous sight, as if the dark dreams had been summoned into the world.

Zhuge Bu, standing beside me on a nearby hill, said while gazing at Luoyang, “I suspect it’s a sort of magic. I think they summoned parts of Dark Heaven Village and glued them into this space.”

“Was it the demon sorcerers who attacked Luoyang?”

“Technically, it was Peng Zuo. He initiated that magic under the guise of a ‘seed,’ and just like that, 30% of the center of Luoyang was eroded.”

“….”

Many must have died. As I frowned at the thought of that tragedy, Zhuge Bu continued, “That magic seems to have the property of expanding infinitely, but for some reason, it stopped right there. I suspect it’s thanks to Master Mangnyang.”

“Uncertain. He could have stopped Peng Zuo from the start, so why didn’t he…?”

“The Luoyang that Master Mangnyang wants to protect seems to fall outside our concept. As long as the battle ground is unharmed, he’s not overly concerned. It’s a blessing that it’s kept to this level.”

I turned to Zhuge Bu. “You mentioned you had a way to contact the Bancheon Alliance. Let’s hear it now.”

“I was just about to say that. It’s possible to make contact with the Bancheon Alliance immediately.”

I headed toward Dragon Cloud Palace with Zhuge Bu. I was puzzled because I knew that Dragon Cloud Palace was an old, unused imperial palace. The reason I knew this was that I had been there before.

‘This is the secret base of the Eight Demons of Martial Daos and the Shura Sect.’

In my past life, I had infiltrated Dragon Cloud Palace with the Sword Demon to hunt down Tuma. Back then, the Sword Demon used the Mind Control Technique to win against Tuma, who had transformed into a dragon person.

As I glanced at Zhuge Bu, seeking an explanation, he spoke up. “All forces, including Tuma and the Eight Demons of Martial Daos, have submitted to the Leader of Bancheon Alliance. The current leader of Bancheon Alliance could well be deemed the supreme being of the heretical sect.”

“Hmm.”

“The orthodox sect, including Master of Zen, was mostly favorable towards Bancheon Alliance, so the imperial palace has been essentially at war with the entire martial arts world. I was curious about the source of the Leader of Bancheon’s incredible power, but now that I’ve received the obsidian, I finally understand….”

It seemed that the Sword Demon, as the Leader of Bancheon Alliance, had displayed tremendous ability. Shortly after, Zhuge Bu entered the heart of Dragon Cloud Palace, and amidst the old building that seemed like its roof could collapse at any moment, he slowly spoke up.

“Jin So-cheong. As promised, I’ve brought Baek Woong.”

Swoosh!

In that moment, the space flickered, and Jin So-cheong appeared. She looked almost as if she hadn’t aged a day. As soon as I saw her, I shouted out of joy.

“Jin So-cheong!!”

“Baek Woong. Did you give the obsidian to Zhuge Bu?”

“Yes. How have you been?”

“…Hmm, as expected…. It seems Zhuge Sa deliberately refrained from contacting you to avoid disrupting your training.”

Jin So-cheong, who had been murmuring to herself, said, “Baek Woong. There’s much we need to discuss. I don’t know how much Zhuge Bu has told you, but let’s quickly convey everything.”

Jin So-cheong led us into the interior of Dragon Cloud Palace, and as we walked a bit further, the eerie ruins transformed into a neat, well-organized interior. Waiting inside were other familiar faces I recognized.

“Let me introduce them. These are the current members leading the Bancheon Alliance.”

Yeon Jong-hwi, Bai Li Jeong-woon, Sa Ma-gyeong, Dokgo Seong, Deung Gwak, and Master of Shadowless Sword.

“……!!”

Yeon Jong-hwi was set to become known as the Tenth Great Master, and Bai Li Jeong-woon was a descendant of a prestigious family I randomly encountered in Sichuan. Furthermore, Sa Ma-gyeong was an outstanding strategist and barrier specialist, Dokgo Seong was a peak expert from the Thunder God Lineage, Deung Gwak was the leader of the scholars, and Master of Shadowless Sword, Namgung Jo, had once been called the Greatest Sword under Heaven during his prime.

Creek

The six seated individuals rose almost simultaneously to pay me reverence.

“Nice to meet you, Baek Woong!”

It seemed that the Leader of Bancheon Alliance, the Sword Demon, had gathered capable individuals from my past life among various methods and means. Moreover, it appeared they were all somewhat aware of my previous life, judging by their greetings.

‘Well, it wouldn’t be possible to gather such strong personalities without that knowledge…’

As I returned the greetings, everyone took their seats. Jin So-cheong, sitting across from me, addressed me.

“Baek Woong. You must recognize their faces.”

“…….”

Noticing my hesitation, Jin So-cheong sent a secret transmission.

[Miho and Cheon Woo-jin are currently out on a covert operation. Bright Dragon and Master of Zen are mobilizing the True Heaven Alliance from their respective sects to assist us.]

Got it.

I nodded in understanding as Jin So-cheong asked, “Baek Woong. How aware are you of the current situation?”

“During the talks between Bancheon Alliance and the imperial palace, the Western demon sorcerers, led by Peng Zuo, attacked the meeting place, Zhuge Sa was captured, and the Leader of Bancheon Alliance, the Sword Demon, went missing. I also heard that the captured Zhuge Sa is likely within the Western Fleet of the Southern Seas. I’ve also gathered that the hideous black tower grotesquely looming over Luoyang is Peng Zuo’s magic….”

“It seems you’ve heard quite a bit.”

“Jin So-cheong. Just how strong was Peng Zuo? What on earth made him so powerful…?”

At my question, Jin So-cheong sighed.

“Honestly, if it were just Peng Zuo’s true power, we could have managed it. However, once he began utilizing the power of the Golden Crow, we stood no chance. When we faced an extinction crisis, Zhuge Sa took a final resort and negotiated with Peng Zuo, barely allowing us to escape annihilation and making him retreat.”

“Impossible! You and Cheon Woo-jin were there at the time too, right?”

I exclaimed in shock, and Jin So-cheong replied, “It was the power of the Seven Luminaries. If a being that was originally strong gains even one Luminary, the power released is beyond imagination. Sure, if all of us had combined forces against just Peng Zuo, we could have had a chance, but even those Western demon sorcerers who followed him were all supreme demon sorcerers; we were overwhelmingly outmatched.”

I couldn’t help but wonder about this and suddenly, Jin So-cheong bowed deeply to me.

“I apologize! If I had been stronger, this mistake wouldn’t have happened.”

“No, what right do I have to say anything? On the contrary, I’m just relieved to see you alive again.”

I waved my hands and said, “Forget that for now; we need to hurry and rescue Zhuge Sa. We can’t even get in touch with him through the Suspicious Fishhook, so he must be in grave danger. Let’s head to the Southern Seas.”

“…….”

However, Jin So-cheong and the others remained silent in response to my words. A strange silence filled the air, and I looked around, eventually noticing that Deung Gwak, the leader of the scholars, was the first to speak.

“We can’t engage in a fight without hope.”

“What?”

“The power of Peng Zuo that I witnessed that day was beyond imagination. You and your companions, being reborn, have dealt with transcendent beings before, but for ordinary humans like us, it was sheer shock. To be honest, I can’t even imagine being able to win against such an opponent.”

Deung Gwak calmly gazed at me as he said, “Reborn Person Baek Woong! You have freed the power of the Golden Crow and wear over ten treasures, yet do you have the confidence to fight against a Great Immortal who is the descendant of the Three Sovereigns? If you do not show that hope, we cannot act.”

“……!!”

I realized that not only Deung Gwak but everyone in the room resonated with his perspective. They had all witnessed the overwhelming power of Peng Zuo, who had unleashed the Golden Crow on the day of the attack, and it was obvious they had lost their fighting spirit.

As their gazes focused on me, I pondered for a moment before replying, “I can win.”

“Hah! I heard from the Leader that you haven’t even reached the absolute realm yet, but Peng Zuo is a transcendent who can suppress even those masters of the absolute realm head-on. Are you really considering such a suicidal act?”

Deung Gwak cynically replied, but I did not lose my resolve, staring firmly at the gathering and saying, “No matter how you see me, I am still me. Of course, I would likely lose if I fought Peng Zuo directly, but I am a reborn person, and you are not. The power gap is a trivial issue when it comes to saving my companions.”

“What? You’re saying a reborn person can overcome a power gap?”

“Of course.”

“Is that a ridiculous claim…? Hah!”

Suddenly, Deung Gwak stood up abruptly and shouted.

“If that’s the case, how about proving it with your current ability?”

“What do you mean?”

Deung Gwak’s subsequent suggestion genuinely caught me off guard.

“All the officers here will combine forces against you. If you can withstand their combined attack for more than three hundred breaths, then we will heed your words!”

What a preposterous suggestion. Even Deung Gwak alone was among the world’s top peak experts, and given that Master of Shadowless Sword and Dokgo Seong were originally aiming for the absolute realm, there was a high likelihood that Yeon Jong-hwi and Bai Li Jeong-woon had acquired considerable skill with the Sword Demon’s guidance. Sa Ma-gyeong was a barrier specialist, so battling him would likely be a hassle too. Thus, ordinarily, I would never have considered accepting such a proposal.

“Alright.”

However, I calmly accepted the challenge as soon as the proposition was made. Deung Gwak appeared startled.

“What…? Do you mean it?”

“If we fight in Dragon Cloud Palace, it will collapse. Let’s compete in a wider space.”

“…Understood. Don’t blame me if you die.”

“Of course.”

We soon traveled to a desolate mountain twenty miles away from Dragon Cloud Palace. Surrounded, the six Bancheon officers raised their weapons. I briefly assessed each of their capabilities and was taken aback by my findings.

“…….”

My eyes were fixed on Bai Li Jeong-woon and Yeon Jong-hwi. Moments later, Deung Gwak announced, “Then let’s begin!”

Paaat!

The first to attack me was Dokgo Seong. In a fleeting moment shared by peak experts, Dokgo Seong, with a slightly angered expression, murmured to himself.

[Reborn Person. You’ve freely taken the vision of my Thunder Sword. Let’s see that skill of yours!]

It seemed the Sword Demon had said everything. With a bitter smile, I observed the overwhelming energy of Dokgo Seong’s sword. Originally, his strikes were an immense fast sword, and their trajectories were so erratic that avoiding them was nearly impossible, but I kept a close watch on their changes and gradually settled into the stance of Tai Chi.

Then, just a split second later, my Tai Chi met his sword strikes while I executed the technique of relaxation, pulling him toward me with a subtle shift of my body. The seemingly impossible sword strikes passed by me like a thin thread, causing Dokgo Seong to momentarily lose his balance.

Not missing the fleeting opportunity, I immediately extended my left palm to strike his shoulder, and Dokgo Seong quickly evaded the attack, bouncing back in retreat. However, in that moment of retreat, he gasped.

“Ugh!”

Wobble

Dokgo Seong staggered slightly. The reason was that I had managed to draw my sword and left a small cut on the skin over his heart; my internal power was so strong that he had sustained internal injury. Though he had narrowly avoided any critical points, I nonetheless succeeded in delivering a counterattack.

Following Dokgo Seong, it was Deung Gwak’s turn to attack. I charged into the center of the space against his vast energy. Normally, such positioning could be difficult to perceive; however, I learned during my past training in Tai Chi that establishing this angular advantage could drastically improve my chances.

Swish

It felt like my body flowed like a liquid. Quickly shifting my energy, I maintained the balance of yin and yang and spun around. As I did, my powerful energy surged towards Deung Gwak, who steadied himself with an impressive protective technique but countered my strike. However, that counter was exactly what I had wanted; I smiled slyly and stepped forward again.

Thud!

“Ugh!!”

Deung Gwak hastily crossed his arms to block my strike, but he couldn’t hold on and was sent flying into the sky. Going airborne, Deung Gwak soared twenty feet before crashing back to the ground and rolling ten more feet, struggling to regain his footing under the force of my strike.

Phew phew phew!!

This time, Yeon Jong-hwi loosed five arrows without a sound, just before striking my critical points. In fact, I was aware that Yeon Jong-hwi was firing his arrows, but with the combined assault from the other experts, I had no leeway to respond. I realized that using my protective technique wouldn’t suffice against Yeon Jong-hwi’s specialty.

‘One Arrow, a Hundred Kills!’

That was his nickname and specialty. In fact, it referred to a secret technique of his ancestral martial arts, enabling him not only to control the arrows he shot but also to split his energy, instantly transforming one shot into a hundred. This technique could be used for devastation or assassinating powerful foes with a single concentrated shot. In other words, if I casually let one arrow through while merely relying on my protective technique, I could die from its hundredfold piercing power.

My response was to use the Three Treasure Technique to sense the heaven, earth, and people while simultaneously swinging my sword to sever the arrow tips. Although I considered deflecting it with Tai Chi, I didn’t quite have that level of confidence yet, so I opted for a quick counter with the sword technique.

“Hah!”

As my sword struck and deflected the arrows, Yeon Jong-hwi snapped his fingers, and with that, coupled with his technique of relaxation, a strike surged towards the back of my head. I dodged yet again using the Three Treasure Technique just as Yeon Jong-hwi’s barrage began.

Just after blocking Yeon Jong-hwi’s attack, Master of Shadowless Sword dashed in, demonstrating a spirited shout.

“I’ve never seen a skilled person like you!”

“`

 

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