977——————==

Soul of the Evil God

My words froze the room.

Lee Kwang maintained a stiff expression, but you could tell he was shaken from the cracks spreading in his facade. He was keeping it together for appearances, but looked like he wanted to shout at any moment.

Then, Geuk Ho stepped forward, irked.

“From what I hear, you’re acting a bit too recklessly! Do you understand the meaning of being a Grandmaster of the Thunder God Lineage?”

“…I know very well.”

Few understood it better than I did.

Looking at Geuk Ho, I felt more of a sense of pride than annoyance. After all, he knew Hong Gil-dong was a master of the Absolute Realm—there’s no way he’d miss that. Yet, he stepped forward confidently after witnessing Hong Gil-dong being torn to shreds in ten seconds.

‘Geuk Ho really has no filter when it comes to speaking his mind.’

At the same time, it crossed my mind that Geuk Ho might grasp the essence of the earlier confrontation better than I anticipated. No matter who I was, facing the master of the Absolute Realm would mean at least three hundred seconds of a deadlock, but perhaps he realized I had struck while he was vulnerable and careless.

“I have already been recognized as a Grandmaster by the likes of Nok Wol and the Ghostly Spirit Sect. I have mastered all sword techniques of the Thunder God Lineage and have diligently trained in the Thunder God Sword Dance, which is a qualification of a sect leader. Furthermore, I am also the Emperor of this continent; is there anyone more suited to be a master of the Thunder God Lineage than I?”

“……”

Geuk Ho looked at me with a hint of doubt, pondering whether what I was saying could be true, yet allowing for the possibility that someone of my caliber could potentially threaten him.

To dispel Geuk Ho’s suspicions, I unfolded the Thunder God Sword Dance.

Swish!!

The Thunderbolt Technique surged, and as the sword dance commenced, the initial moves of the Thunder God Sword Dance tore through the air like a tempest. Naturally, having practiced the dance thousands of times, there was no room for error.

A deep suspicion appeared on Geuk Ho’s face. It seemed he was starting to consider that I might indeed possess the qualifications of a Grandmaster.

Suddenly, Lee Kwang shouted furiously.

“Your Majesty! I knew you were in league with the forces of darkness, but how did you acquire our sect’s martial arts through wicked methods? It’s outrageous!”

“What…?!”

I was taken aback; there was no way Lee Kwang could fail to recognize my mastery of the Thunder God Sword Dance, yet he was reacting like this. I briefly wondered if he had also cast away his pride, but soon after I understood why.

“You may no longer be human. Now that we know that wicked beings are writhing behind the scenes of this world, I will not be duped by such nonsense!”

Lee Kwang pulled out his spear.

I began to comprehend the situation.

‘So he heard something from the Twelve Joules? Forming an alliance with them allowed him to learn about the hidden world… Does he think I am using dark sorcery to wield the spirit arts of the Thunder God Lineage?’

While it’s not entirely impossible, it could be done with the right use of the Portrait Immortal. Still, I never expected Lee Kwang to flat-out deny my abilities. I could do nothing but feel exasperated.

What to do?

Yet I soon realized I didn’t need to deliberate anymore. Rather than try to convince Lee Kwang, I decided to act as originally intended.

“Hmph!”

Tydaht

Soul Removal Technique

I closed the distance in a heartbeat, charging at Lee Kwang. As I did, Geuk Ho also activated the Soul Removal Technique to block my way. At that moment, I cast the secret technique, Heavenly Light, creating numerous illusions. Geuk Ho seemed surprised by my Heavenly Light and countered with his own. In an instant, our surroundings shimmered with blue illusions like blue thunder flashing in the air.

I immediately sensed a gap in Geuk Ho’s Heavenly Light and lunged through, maneuvering behind Lee Kwang. Just then, Lee Kwang hurled his spear at me, but I dodged it effortlessly and tried to mark his back with my acupuncture technique.

Whoosh!!

At that moment, the Masters of the Twelve Joules intervened, unleashing a sword attack and a mighty force. I grimaced, recognizing their significant skill.

‘Damn it… These guys are no joke.’

Given the situation, attempting to land my acupuncture mark would only put me at risk of being trapped, so I abandoned that plan, dodging fluidly while delivering a swift kick to Lee Kwang’s leg.

Thud

“Ugh.”

Shhshshh

As I returned to my original position, Lee Kwang stumbled, losing his balance and dropping to one knee.

Seeing this, I smirked.

“I had you kneeling on one knee. Wouldn’t it be a proper show of loyalty to kneel on the other for the Imperial Family?”

“……!!”

Lee Kwang glared at me furiously, but realizing the gap in our strengths, he merely pressed his lips together, fuming. Enjoying the sight of his trembling gaze, I spoke to the other Masters of the Twelve Joules nearby.

“As you can see, I’m a part of the Thunder God Lineage, which is a family matter between us. How about you outsiders step back for now?”

“……”

The four Masters exchanged glances for a moment. Then, among them, a beautiful young man with black hair chuckled and replied.

“Sorry, but we can’t do that, Your Majesty. We’ve come here to help the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School until the very end, so the outsiders would actually be you.”

I had anticipated this response. However, seeing that they seemed to regain their composure after the display of force in taking down Hong Gil-dong, I raised an eyebrow.

‘What’s going on? There should have been at least some shock…’

Losing a master of the Absolute Realm should have shaken them, no matter how strong they were; the Absolute Realm isn’t something you just pick up on a whim, it embodies tremendous power that resonates throughout martial arts history. Yet, the four in front of me seemed unfazed and were even brimming with fighting spirit still.

Could it be that losing Hong Gil-dong isn’t such a huge loss to them?

I thought about that as I coolly asked.

“Who are you to speak like that? State your identity.”

“There’s no reason to reveal it… but out of respect for your martial might, let me inform you.”

The young man placed his hand gently over his chest and continued.

“Emperor of the continent, I am Yang Man-chun, one of the clan from the Twelve Joules. I will give it my all, so I hope for your guidance.”

Yang Man-chun?

‘Is his main weapon a sword? Seems like a formidable master.’

Upon closer inspection, he was beautifully crafted enough to mistake him for a woman if you weren’t paying attention, but clearly, he was male.

Hearing the name Yang Man-chun didn’t ring any bells for me, and I tilted my head while the other three introduced themselves.

The monk and the one wearing general’s attire said in turn.

“I am Ui Cheon, one of the clan from the Dan.”

“I am Bae Jung-son, one of the clan from the Dan.”

The last one, with a somewhat sour expression, reluctantly introduced himself, still seeming hesitant to pay respect to an emperor.

“…I am Yi Seong-gye, one of the clan from the Dan.”

He appeared to be in his thirties, and he bore the solid impression of a military officer or general. It also looked like he had a bow slung across his back.

Yi Seong-gye?

I felt like I had heard that name somewhere…

While I tilted my head, I soon realized that was irrelevant and spoke up.

“What you mean by giving it your all, is that you are prepared to fight me to the very end?”

Yang Man-chun slightly nodded.

“Indeed.”

“You all seem to be weaker than Hong Gil-dong, though.”

“In a life-or-death struggle, such comparisons are meaningless. Even when options are as thin as a thread, snatching away life is the essence of combat, isn’t it? Additionally, if two or more of us join forces, I believe we stand at least on par with the Grand Elder.”

Clearly, a master of words. I couldn’t help but smirk in response.

“Haha. Seems like you’re just all talk…”

“Care to prove it?”

“I would love to, but I still see you all as outsiders, so I don’t want to waste more breath.”

Saying that, I used the suspicious fishhook to communicate with Mangnyang.

[Mangnyang. What should we do?]

[Bae Woong. Thanks to the Soul Exchange Technique, I’m able to share my vision with you and understand the situation.]

So, Mangnyang hesitated for a bit before he said.

[It’s not advisable for you to take direct action anymore. Given how far they’re pressing in, these fellows might have a way to ambush and take you out. If you die, everything ends, doesn’t it?]

[So what now?]

[From now on, this is our subordinates’ task, so please issue a command.]

Although he put it indirectly, I understood what Mangnyang meant.

“……”

Is it really that hard to talk things through with the Thunder God Lineage?

Lost in thoughts, I reluctantly raised my hand slowly.

“Very well. Then I will allow you to fight the White Lotus Sect.”

Tydaht!!

The moment my hand signal dropped, dozens of shadows jumped over the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School’s fence, landing inside and radiating an immense internal power that pressured everyone around. These were the elite Sacred Lotus People, known as peak-level martial artists in Jianghu.

Moreover, in front of the Sacred Lotus People were three masked figures leading the charge. Upon seeing them, Yang Man-chun let out a low hiss.

“Hmm… Dharma Protectors, huh…”

That’s right.

The Dharma Protectors of the Su Shin Sect, Fire Spirit Techniques, and Wind Spirit Sect were all here in person. Each of them possessed the Infinite Internal power of the Heavenly Spirit Pill, making it nearly impossible for anyone in Jianghu to stand against a Dharma Protector. One of them, Han Baek-ryeong, wearing a fox mask, knelt before me and spoke.

“Your Majesty, please give the order to suppress them.”

“…Capture Lee Kwang and Geuk Ho alive. The rest can be killed without hesitation.”

“Your word is law!!”

Bang!

As soon as I finished speaking, the Sacred Lotus People charged at the four members of the Twelve Joules like lightning. I watched them with my arms crossed, and at that moment, the monk who had introduced himself as Ui Cheon brandished his staff.

Haedong

Tiantai Sect

Immovable Ming Wang Technique

Boom!!

“Kuh-huh!”

“Ugh.”

When Ui Cheon swung his staff, a massive intangible barrier formed and repelled all the Sacred Lotus People.

‘Is that a barrier?’

If it can repel dozens of peak-level masters, Ui Cheon’s technique must be remarkable. Immediately, the wind spirit master, Yong Bi-cheon, ignited with rage as he unleashed a bright attack.

“Hahaha! Let me break this puny barrier with sheer strength!”

Boom boom boom!

In an instant, ten wind bullets conjured by the Heavenly Spirit Pill slammed into the barrier simultaneously. I knew from experience that the power of those wind bullets was staggering, even for me, so I understood the barrier wouldn’t last long.

However, as the wind bullets started cracking the barrier, Yong Bi-cheon suddenly gasped.

“…Cough?!”

Bam!

He stumbled back a few steps, clutching his left hand, where an arrow had embedded itself. The shooter turned out to be Yi Seong-gye, who had introduced himself earlier. He stared coldly at Yong Bi-cheon while drawing his bowstring again.

‘Did he find a gap in Yong Bi-cheon’s defense and hit him with a lethal strike?’

In Central Plains, such archery prowess was virtually non-existent. Even if Yong Bi-cheon was distracted while launching wind bullets, hitting him at such a crucial moment would demand divine-level skills. Yi Seong-gye’s skills were evidently no less than that of a Divine Archer.

“Break his barrier!”

Soon after, both Dokgo Jun of the Su Shin Sect and Han Baek-ryeong of the Fire Spirit Techniques combined their strengths to shatter Ui Cheon’s Immovable Ming Wang Technique while Yang Man-chun and Bae Jung-son charged at them. The Dharma Protectors initiated their counterattack, and a storm of strong qi swept through the hall.

Kwang!!

Bang! Crash!!

“……!!”

After observing a brief skirmish lasting about ten seconds, I recognized that they all possessed nearly equal martial prowess. Given how they fought evenly, it seemed ultimately the Dharma Protectors would win with the power of the Heavenly Spirit Pill, but in terms of pure martial arts skills, they were certainly not inferior. This suggested that every single member of the Twelve Joules stood at the threshold of being peak experts, and I could hardly believe my eyes.

‘How can there be this many powerful masters in such a small peninsula?’

Then, something even more surprising occurred shortly after. When Dokgo Jun attempted to press forward using pure martial skill, failing to make much headway, he fell back and summoned a Water Dragon, which was an attack supported by infinite internal power and proved nearly impossible to counter from the defenders’ standpoint. Once the Water Dragon surfaced, I thought victory was a foregone conclusion, no matter how fiercely the others struggled.

“Hah!”

“Yahhh!”

Suddenly, Yang Man-chun and Bae Jung-son roared, and I could see formidable ki surging from their bodies. The two combined their power and unleashed a joint sword technique, charging head-on against the Water Dragon!

Crash!

Boom!

[…Hmm…]

Dokgo Jun’s Water Dragon shattered, and he staggered back. It seemed he wasn’t severely injured, but he looked psychologically shaken.

[To break the power of the Heavenly Spirit Pill…!!]

That’s right.

The Water Dragon’s fearsome aspect was its ability to draw on infinite internal power. At that point, no matter how skilled the opponent, they couldn’t compete; only a master of the Absolute Realm or an equivalent powerful technique could hope to overcome it. Yet, just moments ago, the duo from the Twelve Joules had broken it—an unfathomable achievement signifying they had drawn upon power attributed to the Heavenly Spirit Pill’s infinite strength.

‘Hmm.’

In that moment, I noted the vast, green energy encircling Yang Man-chun and Bae Jung-son’s bodies. I realized that energy was seeping into them.

‘Is that the power of the World Tree…!!’

Now, things made sense. If they could harness the World Tree’s power directly, they would possess a strength beyond conventional understanding.

However, I thought the ability to wield that power was limited to areas near the World Tree, namely the Divine City—how could they utilize it here in Central Plains?

While lost in such thoughts, I gradually drew my sword.

‘It seems it’s time to engage in battle.’

Mangnyang had warned me that taking direct action wouldn’t be wise, but if I fought now, I would seize an overwhelming advantage. Even if there were risks to my life, I couldn’t let this perfect opportunity slip by. I was gradually convinced that those four members of the Twelve Joules were key subordinates of Zhuge Clan, which heightened my battle intent.

As we fought, I was sure the Master of the White Lotus Sect would join in, and victory was all but guaranteed!

Just then.

“Your Majesty, how about we call it a day for now?”

Woosh!

Suddenly, space opened up, and four additional shadows made their appearance.

I glared sharply at the figure in the center.

“Zhuge Clan. What kind of foul scheme are you plotting using the Thunder God Lineage?”

The figure at the center wore the traditional disguise of the Zhuge Clan, flanked by the three Masters. The Zhuge Clan member chuckled lightly.

“You, who designated the White Lotus Sect as the national sect and allied with the darkness of the Imperial Palace to create an unprecedented force—what are your intentions? Do you plan to unify the world?”

I retorted.

“I have no such ambitions. Surrender Lee Kwang and Geuk Ho. They’ve not done anything wrong to fall victim to your schemes.”

“That’s out of the question. They sought our assistance for the revival of the Thunder God Lineage; how could we simply turn them away?”

“You tricked them into it!”

I spoke firmly before calling out to Geuk Ho.

“Geuk Ho!! At least you come here! You must understand what the true path for the Thunder God Lineage is!!”

“……”

I implored with a voice full of desperation.

“You might think of the entire White Lotus Sect as your archenemy. But as the new lord of the Thunder God Lineage, I’ve already asserted control over the White Lotus Sect. There’s no conflict in principles!”

“Indeed…”

Geuk Ho appeared to hesitate, consideration flashing across his face. Then, after a moment, he began to walk towards me.

However, his steps were soon blocked by Zhuge Clan’s Cosmic Fragment. The Zhuge Clan member raised the Cosmic Fragment, preventing Geuk Ho’s advance and chided him.

“What are you doing? Don’t make the foolish choice of siding with that dark faction now. That guy is a bad one.”

“If what you say is true, then this would indeed be a foolish act.”

Geuk Ho paused, then spoke in a resolute voice.

“But I will trust only what I see and judge! The Thunder God Sword Dance performed by that guy… it was real!”

Geuk Ho pushed past the Cosmic Fragment and walked forward. The Zhuge Clan member momentarily fell silent before breaking into a sly grin.

“Well then. Believe what you want to believe.”

Klang!!

The moment Zhuge Clan member lunged at Geuk Ho with the Cosmic Fragment, attempting to tear him apart with the Twelve Joules’ skill, I charged forward using the Soul Removal Technique to block Zhuge Clan’s attack. After stopping their strike, I growled.

“You dirty rat.”

“Better to slay than watch the enemies multiply, don’t you think?”

I had my suspicions about him, but seeing it for myself irritated me even more!

Zhuge Clan member licked his lips and said, “Hmm, let’s call it a draw for today… We’ll meet again.”

Whoosh!!

As soon as he finished speaking, the Zhuge Clan member vanished in an instant, taking all his allies with him through the combined techniques of the three Masters. I glanced back at the spot where Hong Gil-dong’s body once lay.

‘The corpse has vanished too.’

In any case, removing a master of the Absolute Realm from the equation was a major gain. I may not have come away with tangible benefits after clashing with Zhuge Clan, but there were still many questions swirling in my mind.

‘How did they manage to harness the power of the World Tree… even here deep in Central Plains?’

I had to unravel this mystery.

After the intense battle subsided, I summoned Jin So-cheong, who was now the Soul of the Four Great Experts of the Imperial Palace. Jin So-cheong entered the chamber where the Emperor awaits, kneeling before me.

“I, the Soul of the Four Great Experts, greet Your Majesty.”

I gazed intently at Jin So-cheong and asked.

“Jin So-cheong. Who was your mentor?”

“My master is the previous Azure Dragon, Lee Kwang.”

“Of course, Lee Kwang trained you for over ten years. But who helped you rapidly elevate your skills in a short time?”

“What do you mean…?”

“There’s no need to hide it. Two moments ago, the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School was taken down, and Lee Kwang is currently missing, fleeing from the subjugation forces. Geuk Ho is protecting him here.”

Jin So-cheong showed no signs of wavering.

Jin So-cheong wouldn’t betray our side even if he were ensnared by a rebellion nor cave to threats. As a result, I resolved to change my approach.

“I’m not threatening you or Geuk Ho. If you wish, I will set you free from the Imperial Palace. However, you must speak honestly about what you know.”

“Your Majesty, there’s nothing to share. Please just execute me.”

“Whose death does that serve? For the Thunder God Lineage? For Lee Kwang?”

“……”

“You understand better than anyone what an insignificant death would mean. Can you truly assert that Lee Kwang is a mere pawn of the Twelve Joules?”

As Jin So-cheong remained silent, I pressed on.

“Jin So-cheong. I won’t ask you to throw everything away. Just share what you know about that master.”

I could forcibly extract information using the Soul Exchange Technique or even use the Obsidian to turn him into an ally. However, that would be dishonorable toward Jin So-cheong, so I preferred to resolve the matter with words. Moreover, if I employed the Obsidian, it was highly likely that the information would simply flow to the Twelve Joules, thereby leading me to exercise restraint.

Then Jin So-cheong slowly lifted his head, which he had lowered to the ground. He gingerly reached for his spear and spoke.

“Then, teach me a technique.”

“What?”

“I’ve come to understand that you possess hidden powers through your close proximity. If I can verify that strength, I shall reveal everything to you.”

“Very well…”

I smiled wryly.

“Let’s have a spar.”