846——————==

True Martial Home

While I was getting the hang of the Secret Techniques of the Transformation into a White Dragon, I paused to consider what my next move should be.

‘Hidden conditions…’

At this rate, I was merely picking up eight subpar martial arts skills. Techniques like the Heavenly Escape and Transformation seemed difficult, but honestly, they weren’t that hard after all. Compared to mastering the Thunder God Lineage’s highest techniques or the Seven Great Techniques, they were more like a drop in the bucket. If I really set my mind to it, I could probably master them all in under a year.

However… the Divine Thief must’ve added some hidden requirements to these martial arts. Simply practicing them wouldn’t suffice; I would have to fulfill certain conditions while cultivating them to follow in his footsteps. Even if I wanted to hunt for the Divine Thief, I couldn’t use the Heavenly Secret technique to locate him, as I couldn’t even tell if he was alive or dead. I’d need to know his whereabouts to employ the technique.

‘Hmm… hidden conditions… how do I… find them?’

As I pondered, a sudden thought struck me.

“… Oh? Now that I think about it.”

Had I been overlooking something crucial?

To find the hidden conditions, I had to make sure of that first!

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I started devising a plan and sprang into action. I used the technique to fly directly to the Han Clan’s estate in Luoyang.

Whoosh

I pressed against the wall of the Han estate, employing both invisibility and stealth techniques to completely mask my presence. There would be a faint trace of energy upon appearing, but only one peak expert in the Han Clan could potentially notice that, and even they wouldn’t raise any suspicions.

Shh

After taking a moment to catch my breath, I slowly maneuvered using the invisibility technique, lighter than a feather. Nearby servants and companions passed by, completely oblivious to my presence. Even the guest fighters lying in wait around the manor failed to notice me. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in my stealth skills, but I decided not to get cocky, considering the considerable strength of the invisibility technique.

Swish

I arrived at an inner chamber deep within the Han estate. This place was a sanctuary only accessible to the clan’s high-ranking members or direct descendants. Drawing on my memories, I detected the presence of someone nearby and pinpointed their exact location.

‘There he is. Is he training?’

It was about ten paces away. I couldn’t see him from the front, but I could sense movement in a room on the left. The aura was dancing around, suggesting he was probably practicing the Fire Spirit Techniques. I wanted to creep closer to observe, but it was an obvious way to get caught, so I decided to stick to my original plan.

Whoosh!

I used the Soul Removal technique to quickly close in on my target for a surprise attack. He seemed startled by the sudden ambush, but quickly regained his composure and retaliated, leading to a loud clash of energies in the air. However, at that moment, I had already maneuvered around him and jabbed his acupoint with my index and middle fingers.

Bam!

As soon as his acupoint was struck, he staggered, his energy suppressed, and dropped to his knees.

Thud

“……!!”

He seemed genuinely shocked and unable to retaliate in that split second. No matter how stealthy I was, he was still a formidable expert himself. I quickly sealed his voice with a pressure point, positioning myself quietly behind him to send a silent message.

[Han Jin-seong. I have something to ask you.]

Indeed.

The one I had subdued was Han Jin-seong, the Young Master of the Han Clan!

His martial skills had reached the pinnacle stage, but in this surprise attack, he was someone I could easily suppress in a second. Trying to turn to look at me before even having a chance to see my face, he found himself utterly immobilized. I sent him another secret message.

[About the treasures in Longmen Grottoes… what circumstances allowed you to acquire them?]

“……”

[I came to ask this. If you’re willing to cooperate with my question, nod. If not, shake your head.]

Without hesitation, Han Jin-seong nodded. I released the pressure point to allow him to speak, loosening his shoulders just enough. Looking back at me, he asked,

“Who are you? A master skilled in Half-Transition technique?”

He could express his confusion but didn’t scream or lash out once he realized the futility of resisting me in this state.

I stepped forward to face him directly and calmly responded to his question.

“That may be the case. If you provide answers to my inquiries, I’ll gladly leave without causing you any trouble. However, if you lie, I assure you, I will return.”

With a warning against deceit, Han Jin-seong slowly began to relay his thoughts.

“The treasures from Longmen Grottoes were gathered by our Han Clan through the establishment of a merchant association on the continent. To be precise, they are of the quantity bestowed upon me by the clan leader.”

“By clan leader, you mean Han Baek-ryeong of the Fire Spirit Techniques.”

“… Yes. You know about us.”

“Rest assured, I am not an enemy of the Fire Spirit Techniques. I have no connections with any other factions of the White Lotus Sect nor with the sect leader.”

“……”

I continued, “Han Jin-seong, I’m sorry, but I’ve come to claim all the treasures from Longmen Grottoes. However, I have a significant question regarding the White Dragon Transformation techniques.”

“Hmm…”

“If you inherited the treasures of the Fire Spirit Techniques from your clan leader, you should have thoroughly examined them before sealing them away in Longmen Grottoes. Yet, this White Dragon Transformation technique, no matter how I view it, seems to merely be a collection of third-rate martial arts that the inheritor of the Fire Spirit Techniques wouldn’t find valuable. What reason could there be for keeping it alongside such powerful treasures?”

This was my biggest curiosity.

Han Jin-seong had received these treasures from Han Baek-ryeong, the clan leader of the Fire Spirit Techniques. So why was the White Dragon Transformation technique, alongside powerful artifacts like the Azure Dragon Halberd and Platinum, kept in the same vault? If he could assess its value, he should have realized it was rubbish. I needed to understand his reason for preserving it.

Han Jin-seong appeared astounded, “You… how audacious to come here and demand to know why such a piece of trash is mixed in with my treasures!”

He hit the nail on the head. I scratched my temple and replied.

“I didn’t steal the treasure for my own selfish sake! I can confidently say both the Azure Dragon Halberd and the Platinum serve a greater cause. But the White Dragon Transformation technique seems to conceal some profound secret, which is why I had the audacity to challenge you, its original owner.”

“How brazen.”

“Please, I beseech you.”

After a moment of consideration, Han Jin-seong spoke, “I too have found this perplexing, but the White Dragon Transformation techniques were given to me by Lord Han Jin-myeong of the Jade Dragon’s legacy, that top thief of the great era. That’s why, as a descendant of the Han Clan, I couldn’t afford to discard it and have kept it close.”

“… Han Jin-myeong?”

“Yes. He was the head of the Han Clan during the Tang Dynasty, under the reign of Empress Wu.”

In that instant, I felt like I’d just been hit in the head with a hammer.

Jade Dragon Han Jin-myeong!

Wasn’t he a character who appeared in Yeodong-bin’s recollections?!

[Yeodong-bin, if that’s the case, then approaching Empress Wu directly is out of the question.]

[After the world fell into chaos, Empress Wu recruited the top martial masters to form the Six Heroes. All members of this group are the Ten Great Masters of the Martial World, and I was at one time also among them. However, I have long since departed.]

He was a human ally who had supported the Eight Immortals and was known as one of the top ten masters of the era. When Yeodong-bin set out to investigate Empress Wu in Luoyang, he infiltrated the palace along with him, and thanks to the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique, managed to survive when confronted by the Phantom, a member of the heretical sect’s top ten masters.

After barely escaping that brush with death, he apparently allied with the White Lotus Sect to entrust the entire Han Clan to them. Following that, he had joined the Fire Spirit Techniques and elevated the Han Clan into a prestigious family within the White Lotus Sect over the following millennium.

So why had this Jade Dragon Han Jin-myeong passed the White Dragon Transformation techniques to the Divine Thief?!

I looked at Han Jin-seong, astonished, and asked, “Han Jin-seong! What on earth does that mean? Do you know the details behind this?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m in the dark regarding that matter as well.”

“Wouldn’t the clan leader, Han Baek-ryeong, know?”

“Do you think I have a way to find out? Please, I’m begging you; leave the Han Clan alone and depart. I won’t hold a grudge against you for the theft and your intrusion.”

Han Jin-seong’s earnest plea startled me. He was right; pressing further was unnecessary, but at the same time, I felt a dark choice creeping into my mind.

… I could use the Soul Exchange Technique on Han Jin-seong.

Then, I could squeeze out the information from him and use it to take down Han Baek-ryeong.

Then I could employ her to…

‘… No, no!!’

I quickly shook my head. If I used the Soul Exchange Technique in a link, manipulating one after the other, I would undoubtedly become a truly vile villain.

Instead, I sought a compromise and asked Han Jin-seong, “Alright. Where is the grave of Han Jin-myeong?”

“What… are you suggesting? Are you contemplating selling our ancestor’s tomb?”

“No, I’m planning to inquire with his spirit directly. I have the ability to summon spirits.”

“That’s insane.”

“If you’re skeptical, I can take you there to show you.”

“If I refuse to reveal the location of the grave…”

I threatened, “If you don’t cooperate, I will kill all the guest fighters of the Han Clan and eliminate Han Baek-ryeong. Just so you know, I could easily do that.”

Of course, I didn’t mean it.

“……!!”

“Let’s handle this amicably.”

Han Jin-seong flinched. After a moment, considering the situation, he weakly opened his mouth.

“… There’s a shrine of the Fire Spirit Techniques near Longmen Grottoes. The items there are enshrined on the altar.”

“Alright. Let’s go.”

I hesitated to threaten Han Jin-seong, who had been kind to me, but there was no other option. I would sincerely apologize and find a way to repay him later. Though it was a threat, it was more courteous than controlling him like a puppet with the Soul Exchange Technique.

Whoosh

I used the technique to bring Han Jin-seong with me to the vicinity of the White Lotus Sect, quickly heading toward the shrine of the Fire Spirit Techniques. Upon arriving and ascending all the stairs, Han Jin-seong, wide-eyed, exclaimed, “Teleportation? This is hard to believe… who are you?”

“There are many plaques. Which one contains Han Jin-myeong’s soul?”

Normally, I could just summon a strong spirit right after arriving, but since this shrine dated back over a thousand years, the potential presence of other powerful spirits like Han Jin-myeong was high. Thus, it was necessary to identify the correct plaque with precision.

“It’s that one over there.”

“Hmm.”

I picked up the plaque Han Jin-seong indicated and activated the Heavenly Secret technique.

Boom!

A moment later, one of the Ten Fingers of flame extinguished, and the spirit of Jade Dragon Han Jin-myeong appeared before me. Thanks to the Heavenly Secret technique, he became visible even to ordinary eyes, startling Han Jin-seong, while the spirit spoke to me.

[What do you wish for by summoning me…?]

“Jade Dragon Han Jin-myeong. What I seek is all the information you know about the Divine Thief and the White Dragon Transformation techniques. Answer all my questions.”

Han Jin-myeong’s spirit flinched, but I pressed on, “What led you to receive the secret techniques of the White Dragon Transformation?”

[Hmm… why do you want to know that?]

“Let’s not waste time. After all, you need to help me fulfill my wish to ascend to paradise, right?”

[That much is true… but I promised to keep that a secret with the Divine Thief.]

“You’re dead now, right? Forget about the promises you made when you were alive.”

[Hmm, I suppose so.]

Nodding quickly, Han Jin-myeong continued, [After I dedicated myself to the Fire Spirit Techniques and successfully rose to the status of Elder within fifteen years, a being came to visit me.]

“Was it the Divine Thief?”

[Indeed.]

“What kind of relationship do you have with him that allowed you to receive a visit?”

[His character was that of a free spirit lacking any restraints, yet he was also a person of loyalty; he was my drinking companion. You could say we were intimate friends.]

As I contemplated, my mind raced.

‘If that’s true, it means the Divine Thief visited after the battle against Yeodong-bin and the Great Dragon 15 years later…’

What had the Divine Thief been up to for fifteen years?

While I mulled over this, Han Jin-myeong continued his tale.

[The Divine Thief traveled across the realm and, having finally found what he sought, entrusted the secret technique of the White Dragon Transformation to me to keep safe. He told me it would be fine for me to practice it as well.]

“He found what he had been looking for? What was that?”

[Ah, hold on… it was certainly the location of the true Xuanyuan Sword.]

“……!!”

[However, he deemed the location extremely perilous and wanted to leave a successor behind, so he entrusted the White Dragon Transformation techniques to me… ]

I couldn’t help but be astonished.

‘He found the true sword?!’

The Divine Thief had only received credible information from Gongsun Byeok, the leader of the Gongsun Clan, and in reality, the Xuanyuan Sword that Gongsun Byeok possessed wasn’t genuine but merely a replica. No one, not even the prophet, could identify the true Xuanyuan Sword, let alone knowing what it was. And yet, the Divine Thief claimed he had found the true one?!

I was incredulous and demanded, “W-where exactly is that place?”

[He didn’t disclose that to me. He only left behind a clue.]

“A clue?”

Nodding, Han Jin-myeong elaborated, [To fully master the White Dragon Transformation techniques and become the supreme Divine Thief, one would naturally stumble upon their own track.]

“Supreme Divine Thief…?”

I had a nagging suspicion but quickly deduced the information.

It was unmistakable.

The ‘hidden condition’ was to master the White Dragon Transformation techniques and become the supreme Divine Thief!

Perplexingly, only by achieving this mastery would I uncover the whereabouts of the Divine Thief, and figure out where he had gone!

Yet even with this revelation, I still wasn’t completely convinced and questioned, “Where is the merit in that? How can such a low-grade martial art allow someone to become the supreme Divine Thief, and how could being recognized as the supreme Divine Thief reveal the whereabouts of the Divine Thief?”

[Hmm… now that you mention it… ]

“Now that I mention it?”

[Being the supreme Divine Thief means one can steal even that which can’t be stolen. That’s likely the clue.]

“……”

Stealing that which cannot be stolen?

What kind of wordplay is this?

I was baffled, but at the same time, a light bulb flickered in my head. This wordplay was the philosophical riddle thrown out by the supreme Divine Thief, marking the inception of an over-thousand-year treasure hunt. I said to Han Jin-myeong, “Alright. Now let me ask, did that person from the Gongsun Clan, Gongsun Byeok, leave any further details?”

[He did mention a little about that. He managed to locate the two younger brothers of Gongsun Byeok; Gongsun Jung, the eldest, and Gongsun Seok, the second son, but they had been assassinated by unknown assassins. However, the youngest daughter, Gongsun Hye-ran’s whereabouts remain totally elusive. It’s said she has a strong likelihood of inheriting the Gongsun bloodline.]

“……”

The heirs marked by the martial world had struggled to survive, but it seemed the two elder brothers had both met their demise. I expressed my grim realization, “I understand now. You may go.”

After sending Han Jin-myeong back, I turned to Han Jin-seong and stated, “I apologize for my rudeness. As you can see, I sought merely to acquire the information I desired, with no intention of harming your clan.”

“Who exactly are you? Can you truly summon a spirit from a thousand years ago? I’ve never heard of such a technique.”

Han Jin-seong marveled and asked, “Are you perhaps interested in allying with the Han Clan? You don’t seem to be a malevolent person; we would support you with all our strength.”

“… I appreciate the offer, but I’d have to decline. Please forget what you saw today.”

I returned Han Jin-seong to his original spot and left the Han estate. Normally, I would have sought assistance from the Han Clan, but I had already entrusted all plans and operations to Zhuge Sa. Without informing him, enlarging my allied forces would only cause unnecessary disruptions. If needed, Zhuge Sa would request assistance later, and we could potentially collaborate with the Han Clan then.

Upon returning to Zhuge Sa, I relayed the information I had acquired this time.

Zhuge Sa responded, “This is all secondary information. The main point is whether you see a chance to decisively overpower Musashi. Do you think there’s a way to create variables with the White Dragon Transformation techniques? It seems like you’re taking a long detour.”

“……”

“So, what’s the plan?”

“Well… I guess I will have to train, but I’m unsure how to go about it.”

“Ha ha ha… Taking down Musashi should be easy, yet here you are, making it such a chore. If that’s the case, I’ll set you a challenge.”

Zhuge Sa opened his mouth.

“Steal something from the Leader of the Nine Great Sects, the Sect Leader of the Twelve Joules, and the current Emperor of the continent using the ‘Illusory Touch’ technique. If you manage that, you can rightfully declare yourself the supreme top thief.”

“……”

“Oh, and keep in mind, you can use stealth techniques, but invisibility is off-limits. If you can’t accomplish this within a month, you might as well just go ahead and take care of Musashi instead. I don’t want any further wasting of time.”

I was left stunned.

Steal from the top figures in the world within a month?

Was that even possible?

“Tch… Guess there’s no avoiding it.”

Yet, I clenched my jaw.

I’d stake my claim on the will of the Reborn-person from tens of thousands of iterations, and I would make it happen!