871——————==

True Martial Home

Where the voice was coming from, there stood a tall and lean man dressed comfortably in martial clothes. Not hard to tell that he resembled Jin So-cheong quite a bit, so it wasn’t difficult to recognize him as Jin Cheon-hwi.

‘But still… is this how things are going…?’

It wasn’t much different from when I saved Lee Cheong-un. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, a strange discomfort made me tilt my head slightly. Just then, Zhuge Yulong looked at Jin Cheon-hwi and suddenly used a technique.

Five Elements Transforming into Fire!

Pure flames formed like three arrows shot toward Jin Cheon-hwi. There was no chant or preparation involved, but you could tell the power of the five elements was formidable by just looking at it. Anyone less capable would’ve ended up with a hole through their chest, but at that moment, Jin Cheon-hwi nimbly dodged the attack.

Whoosh.

Jin Cheon-hwi, having evaded the attack, spoke up.

“What the hell are you doing, Yulong?”

“Bind him.”

Boom!

Zhuge Yulong didn’t stop there; he clenched his hand, causing a lump of earth to shoot up and engulf Jin Cheon-hwi. It seemed like a type of earth technique, and the unexpected ambush combined with its wide range seemed to bury him entirely. However, just as the dirt mound formed, Jin Cheon-hwi burst out of the pile, his body wrapped in radiant energy.

‘Quite significant skills.’

It was evident at first glance that Jin Cheon-hwi was at least a Peak Expert.

Then, escaping from the mound, Jin Cheon-hwi yelled in an irate voice.

“What on earth is going on!”

“……”

Zhuge Yulong stared back at him and replied.

“There’s no one but you who has mastered the basic methods of Shaolin’s Luohan Walking Technique to the extent of wrapping yourself in Iron Man Qi.”

“Do you doubt that I’m real?”

“For now, yes.”

Jin Cheon-hwi chuckled lightly and responded.

“I have no idea what’s going on. I clearly remember being buried alive at the emperor’s command that fateful day. I lost consciousness amidst the pain and thought for sure I was going to die. But when I came to, I found myself standing right here in the ancestral temple.”

“……”

“Could it be that you revived me with some sort of zombie technique?”

Watching the exchange, I began to sense a pattern.

‘Zhuge Yulong is also suspicious of Jin Cheon-hwi.’

It was clear that the situation was strange, and the circumstances that Jin Cheon-hwi had come back to life through some power were hard to swallow. If I was feeling this discomfort, there was no way Zhuge Yulong, the smartest person in the world, and Zhuge Sa wouldn’t be doubting him as well. Then Zhuge Yulong responded.

“It’s not a zombie technique. Staying here for too long will attract too much attention, so let’s move somewhere else.”

“Understood.”

Swish!

We all used divine techniques to head towards the Inner Imperial Pavilion, and as soon as we entered, Zhuge Yulong snapped his fingers, activating some sort of barrier. I felt like we were in a space isolated from the outside, and the lamps within lit up brightly. Once we were all seated, Zhuge Yulong spoke.

“Cheon-hwi. Let’s cut to the chase; I suspect you.”

“That’s pretty obvious.”

“So I want to confirm your identity. Before you died, you entrusted me with a plan. Can you share that plan here?”

Jin Cheon-hwi frowned slightly, seeming displeased at Zhuge Yulong’s request. He looked at the rest of us before speaking.

“Who are these people? You and I had agreed not to disclose our plan to anyone, and suddenly you want me to spill it in front of these outsiders?”

“They are trustworthy. One is my brother, Zhuge Sa, as you know, and the other is a companion of his.”

“And who is that woman?”

“She’s the daughter of the Shadowless Gate’s leader from the Eight Demons of the Demon Path. Her name is Seo Mun-hye.”

Seo Mun-hye subtly nodded her head in silence to acknowledge Jin Cheon-hwi. She hadn’t made much noise prior but had been quietly guarding us in case anything happened. Jin Cheon-hwi examined our faces and when he looked at me, his eyes brightened.

“Oh… you’re quite an interesting friend.”

“I’m not a suspicious character either, Jin Cheon-hwi.”

“And what’s your name?”

“Baek Woong.”

“Baek Woong… Baek Woong… hmmm… nothing special, really.”

Jin Cheon-hwi seemed to be pondering my name for some reason, looking increasingly perplexed. I couldn’t quite understand why, but he eventually said.

“The reason I find it interesting isn’t because of your appearance. I sensed that your martial arts have transcended the mundane and are near the Absolute Realm. Could you be a Half-Transition Master?”

“I’m not a Half-Transition Master.”

“Hmm… then is it really possible to reach that level at your age?”

“I can share my story later. For now, I’d prefer if you follow Zhuge Yulong’s suggestion.”

“Alright then.”

Jin Cheon-hwi seemed to take a moment to choose his words carefully before slowly speaking.

“Yulong, the plan we made was to prevent the [End of the World].”

“……”

“After saving the Great Ming Empire, it all started from a little spirit to try and save the world as well…”

The End of the World?!

“I was engaged in war with the northern tribes when I unexpectedly met Dae Jo Young, the founder of Balhae, and learned a prophecy about the future of the world from him. I realized the prophecy held ominous details about an impending apocalypse and conveyed that information to you. And you, in turn, used your wife’s divine aura to peep into the future to verify its truth.”

“……”

Dae Jo Young?!

Flabbergasted, I turned to Zhuge Yulong. Why was Dae Jo Young being brought up here? It seemed Zhuge Sa was shocked too, as his eyebrows twitched, and all eyes turned to Zhuge Yulong, who weighed his reply heavily before nodding.

“That’s correct.”

“We paid a hefty price. As a result, realizing Dae Jo Young’s prophecy was true, we made a grand plan to save the world following the Great Ming Empire. This plan was to contact the world’s darkness and gain strength to protect the human race from the impending doom.”

“……”

“However, due to unfortunate circumstances, I couldn’t stay on track with the plan to the end… So you orchestrated my death, and I remember agreeing to that. That’s why I died.”

“That’s right.”

“Is there anything else you want to say?”

“… None.”

Zhuge Yulong’s expression shifted from resolute to a more sorrowful one, indicating what he had kept hidden all along. Zhuge Yulong glanced at Zhuge Sa and said.

“There’s no longer any room for suspicion. He truly is Jin Cheon-hwi.”

“Seems like it. But there’s one thing left unsaid, brother.”

“Are you referring to why I plotted the death of my comrade, Jin Cheon-hwi?”

“Since we’re in the same boat now, I’d really like to know that too.”

“……”

As Zhuge Yulong hesitated, Jin Cheon-hwi spoke instead.

“That’s not an easy story to tell, so can I summarize it for you, Zhuge Sa?”

“Go ahead.”

“The Celestial Realm had continually cast doubt on the bond between Yulong and me. Even after sending a Celestial Commander to kill Yulong’s wife, they still categorized us as high-risk individuals, incessantly eavesdropping and surveilling us. If things continued like this, we wouldn’t be able to act until our time ran out, so we decided to fake an internal conflict, pretending to kill each other to show the Celestial Realm.”

“Hmm.”

“That’s why Yulong put in place a puppet emperor to feign corruption, planning to assassinate me through political means. I found that plan reasonable and accepted it, ultimately leading to my death.”

Zhuge Sa contemplated for a moment before asking.

“Was that plan your idea?”

“Yes.”

“There must’ve been more than one way to do it.”

“There could’ve been other methods. But I was scared that the Celestial Realm’s doubts might extend to my lineage. They could wipe my family out in an instant if they so desired, so I entrusted my successor to Yulong and accepted my death. Fortunately, it seems Yulong has cleared the suspicions and has diligently proceeded with the plans.”

“Do you know where your son is and what he’s doing?”

“I don’t.”

Jin Cheon-hwi’s expression darkened for a split second.

“After sharing this much information, you must tell me what you know about my son.”

While I observed the conversation between Jin Cheon-hwi and the strategists, I felt a swirl of confusion.

‘There’s definitely something dodgy about Jin Cheon-hwi. But… talking to him makes those doubts fade.’

It seemed he was only speaking the truth. I wasn’t the only one sensing this; it appeared everyone was struggling to pinpoint the hidden truths in Jin Cheon-hwi’s words. No matter how much more I tried to suspect him, the strong humanity he exuded prevented me from viewing him as anything but human. It was virtually impossible for a chaotic entity to mimic humanity so perfectly.

Zhuge Sa spoke up.

“You mentioned meeting Dae Jo Young and hearing a prophecy—can you share the contents of that prophecy?”

“Of course…”

Jin Cheon-hwi began to recite a prophecy consisting of 192 characters. While the verse was packed with ambiguity and implicit meanings, it often hinted at the world’s end, spoke of the return of the [Old Ruler], and even alluded to the existence of the Evil God and the carnage caused by Chi You’s Eight Parts of the Divine, depicting how mankind, equipped with scientific advancements, would rise to resist it.

‘It’s real.’

I could tell Dae Jo Young’s prophecy was genuine. Other people might dismiss it as nonsense, but having vividly experienced the apocalypse, I knew it was all true. The reason Zhuge Yulong had endured the discomfort of Black Obsidian was likely anticipated by this prophecy.

“Who was Dae Jo Young, the founder of Balhae? Was he a Divine Being?”

“He was a being fully transformed into a spirit. I encountered him in the northern snow mountains, and he had completely shed his physical form, as if he were a pure Great Immortal. He seemed to wander the world with immense power and delivered the prophecy to me before vanishing.”

“Hmm.”

At that moment, as Zhuge Sa pondered deeply, he suddenly used a suspicious fishhook to get my attention.

[Baek Woong. Listen well. From now on, any mentions related to reincarnated people are strictly prohibited. And conversations premised on that should also be avoided as much as possible. It might be better to say nothing at all.]

[What?]

[Don’t let on. The game has only just begun.]

……?

What on earth was Zhuge Sa talking about?

But since he insisted on keeping it under wraps, there had to be a valid reason, so I decided to trust him.

“It’s now time for you to tell me about my son. What happened to him?”

I noticed Zhuge Sa was deep in thought, so I took the initiative to respond.

“Your son, Jin So-cheong, is being raised by Lee Kwang and is now a capable martial artist. He has also become the successor of the Thunder God Lineage.”

“……”

At that, a truly peculiar expression crossed Jin Cheon-hwi’s face.

“… Lee Kwang? Is that true? Him…”

“Yes. He retired after getting involved in political strife, never marrying and dedicating himself to raising Jin So-cheong. He’s currently serving as the leader of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.”

Jin Cheon-hwi gasped in astonishment.

“Ha! I can’t believe it… that’s something I never expected.”

Zhuge Yulong, listening beside us, spoke.

“I wanted to protect him, but Lee Kwang was unexpectedly keen on shielding Jin So-cheong, so I couldn’t intervene much. Not long after, he took the child and left for rural living, and since he didn’t seem to harbor any ulterior motives, I just let it be.”

“Hmm… I never thought Lee Kwang would be that kind of person. It’s truly surprising.”

“I also did not anticipate this turn of events.”

Eavesdropping on their conversation left me flabbergasted.

‘I heard they were close friends, but the other two view Lee Kwang as someone who would never take care of a child?’

I might have a clue. Given Lee Kwang’s personality during his prime, it makes sense.

‘But… what exactly was Lee Kwang thinking?’

Knowing that two of his close friends held that opinion suggests it wasn’t a mere change of heart. What in the world led Lee Kwang to voluntarily take in Jin So-cheong from infancy all the way to adulthood? In this era, a bachelor, no matter how high his honor and power, not marrying is tantamount to losing face—a contradiction of the highest order from Lee Kwang.

While I was deep in thought about Lee Kwang, Jin Cheon-hwi suddenly stated.

“I believe I now have the right to hear the events leading up to this. What chaos has ensued?”

In truth, now that we were at this point of clarity, there was no longer any need to hide anything from Jin Cheon-hwi. Just when I was about to speak up, Zhuge Yulong interjected.

“Cheon-hwi, I’m sorry.”

With Zhuge Yulong’s next words, the atmosphere in the room stiffened.

“From now on, we will seal you. Please cooperate.”