Nano Machine to 445

 Chapter 437: To Changbai Mountains (3) Chun Inji, the former Lord of the Demonic Cult, looked at the two people’s reactions and continued his story. “After years of preparation, this grandfather of yours and Saint Gu-jung, with a strong sense of duty in our hearts, pretended to be subdued and infiltrated them.” Since this was the most important part, Chun Yeowun concentrated on his words. It was said that they were captured. When they woke up after losing consciousness from the battle, he arrived at a place he presumed to be the base of the Blade God Six Martial clan. “I was prepared for anything… yet, it was a difficult time.” They didn’t try to immediately brainwash the captured men. At first, they tried to persuade them into voluntarily giving out information about the Yulin and the Demonic Cult. Natural, they didn’t give in, and it didn’t take long for the polite people to resort to threats and torture. “… they did everything they could think of to make Gu-jung and I give in.” Thinking back on that time, Chun Inji’s complexion darkened. No matter how strong he was physically and mentally, the memories of being tortured by them were so strong that it was etched into his bones. ‘Grandfather…’ Chun Yeowun had seen the revived body of Chun Inji. In order to wash away the dirt on his body which had accumulated since getting caught, Chun Yeowun had removed his clothes to clean him, seeing the traces of torture, he could barely contain his anger. “But it was foolish. I took the measures and thought that if I hold on and be patient, I would be able to get information about them.” But the torture lasted for 10 long years, and it devastated him. In the pain which was inflicted on him, his pride and ego disappeared. “At the end of the day, I learned nothing.” Chun Inji thought he could resist the worm in his head like Master Ju-am, but it didn’t work out the way he wanted to. While the Yulin and the Demonic Cult were busy devising countermeasures, the Blade God Six Martial clan too were improving themselves. In order to grow, they too began to learn everything about their ancestors. “They ended up closing off my internal energy flow for ten years.” As his internal energy was stopped, he couldn’t force the worm out, and his body and mind, which had turned weak due to the torture, had no other choice but to lose. “… this is embarrassing, but I don’t remember a single thing that I did under orders. But there was no way I could die either.” Chun Inji thought that he would never wake up from the control of the monsters, but it changed. Believing that he was completely brainwashed, he was placed into the Spirit Squad, and they began to use him in earnest. At that time, he was able to escape from a few orders given by using Reverse Health Preservation. “When I realized that I could get control of myself for a few seconds despite being under their control, I began to figure out their purpose.” However, since the entire Blade God Six Martial clan was made up of toplevel warriors, deceiving them wouldn’t be an easy task. Sometimes, it would take an entire month for Chun Inji to regain consciousness, and as things happened, he gradually began to get confused. “It seemed like the worm was getting used to my technique.” The first time he used Reverse Health Preservation, he could feel his vision clear up, but from one point on, everything was blurry, and the pain only increased. He guessed that Saint Gu-jung was in the same situation. “… did you find anything?” At the question, Chun Inji shook his head. “They are quite good at what they do. I couldn’t understand more than half of anything they said because they were using code language and simplified Chinese characters so that information wouldn’t leak out.” ‘Ah! No… simplified Chinese?’ At those words, something came to Chun Yeowun’s mind. Simplified Chinese was used to write a book called Treasure of Godliness, which was the direction for the Blade God Six Martial clan. If Chun Yeowun could see those characters, he could read them with the help of Nano. ‘Ah… it’s a pity.’ If only Chun Inji had escaped with it, Chun Yeowun could have interpreted it, but considering the condition Chun Inji was in, just getting out alive was enough. With regret, Chun Inji spoke. “Ugh, every time they would plan something, I took time to transcribe the letters.” “Is that true?” At the puzzled question, Chun Inji answered. “No matter how impossible it was to interpret, I tried to figure out their true purpose, but would they let me live if they found out? The problem was to get the copies.” As the spirit squad was put in the field, getting by information was tough. And there were many instances where the spirit squad wasn’t around while the information was being relayed. But after a long wait, an opportunity came. “To obtain the Dragon Turtle, I managed to learn that.” Chun Inji, who couldn’t miss out on the opportunity he obtained after thousands of hardships, hid the copied paper in the Hubei province on his way to the north. He wanted to hide it close, but he had to do it discreetly due to surveillance. “It was confusing, but from the investigation I did, this old man has to remember those cryptic words.” Chun Yeowun’s eyes twinkled at those words. If the records of the Blade God were known, their real purpose could be discovered. What came next was the same as what Dan Baekhyun had said. Chun Inji, who was temporarily released from control while dealing with the dragon, entrusted his slate and asked for help. “Who would have known that you would come to save your grandfather like this. I think this is a blessing from Chun Ma.” “Grandfather…” Chun Inji’s sincere voice made Chun Yeowun choke. He was looking at the true leader of the Sky Demon Order. As they looked at each other drenched in their own emotions, Chun Yeowun, who controlled himself, asked. “By the way, earlier, you said that we shouldn’t let the cores of the five spirit beasts fall into their hands. Is there any reason?” To that, Chun Inji replied with a serious expression. “You might not believe this, but… what they are doing, they want to attain the cores of the five spirit beasts to gain huge power.” “What do you mean?” “… to gain eternal immortality.” “Eternal immorality?” Eternal Immortality. It literally means to enjoy life forever and never disappear. “Eternal immortality? Former Lord, is that even possible?” “If what they were talking about was true… then it probably is.” “Huh!” Marakim, who wouldn’t normally show much reaction, was shocked. Immortality is known to be a myth, but if it was indeed true, then it was a good enough reason to spend as much time and resources as they had. ‘Ah!’ Suddenly, something came to Yeowun’s mind. When Nano faced complications because of the Dragon Turtle’s lightning, he ended up seeing things from the future. At that time, he heard of someone who was called the Blade God, who had reached the level of natural wonder by living close to a thousand years. ‘Right! If that Blade God I saw in the video was real, he must have attained immortality.’ Chun Yeowun realized that what he saw in the video was true. That was when he became aware of one more fact. ‘According to the original timeline, he must have obtained all five cores?’ A clear thing. But it isn’t happening now because of Chun Yeowun. Starting with the Imoogi inside the Sky Demon Sword, then the Flame Qilin in the Royal Shrine, and now the Dragon Turtle and the spiritual power of the Great Bird, all were acquired by chance. ‘Like someone set them…’ All the cores got absorbed by himself. Now all that was left was the core of the Feng bo. And if what Chun Inji was saying was true, if the core of Feng bo could be obtained, Chun Yeowun would gain eternal life. ‘Ah!’ He didn’t wish for immortality, but it was absurd to listen to. In a bright voice, someone spoke. “This might be a good thing.” “?” “If the head of that clan managed to gain immortality, the entire Wulin would have fallen into his hands. But I am glad that you have three cores.” ‘… four… huh. No.’ He was about to say four but decided to stay silent. “Yeowun-ah. Thankfully you took in the core of the dragon, but the Blade Lord must have tried to get the core of the Great Bird from the Potala Palace.” It was something that Chun Inji heard the warriors of the Blade God Six Martial clan talk about on their way to the Ice Palace, that the Blade Lord was going to Potala Palace to get the core of the Great Bird. ‘Huh?’ Chun Yeowun’s eyes lit up. He had obtained the core of the Great Bird, but from what Chun Inji said, there had to be another one alive. ‘Ah, it could be because the divine object of the Ice Palace is too old.’ Chun Inji, who didn’t know that Yeowun had obtained the core of the Great Bird, continued his story. “If that person has obtained the core of the Great Bird, he will learn that the core of the dragon got taken away, and he will try to get the core of the Feng bo, the last one.” He felt that this situation had to be taken advantage of. “You have taken three, but that man, he is a monster who can’t be compared to any master this old man has ever seen.” Chun Inji remembered the first time he went to the base. At that time, the Eun Jarim, who were put into the spirit squad, and twenty masters attacked the Blade Lord. Chun Inji, who was conscious at that time, thought it to be the best opportunity to get rid of him. But the results were shocking. Two Supreme Masters and eighteen Superior Masters worked together, but not one was able to touch the Blade Lord. “Yeowun-ah. That man is a monster. If he obtains two cores, he will be stronger than you, who has three cores. It will be a tough fight.” ‘hmm…’ He’ll have to fight to know the results. Apart from obtaining the last core, he wondered how strong the Blade Lord was. Chun Inji thought that the situation had been used to their advantage. “Hurry and take the core of Feng bo and get ahead of him. If that happens, no matter how much he tries, he won’t be able to handle you.” Energy rose in Chun Inji. The thought of his grandson obtaining four cores made him feel proud, and that way, the Blade Lord would have no chance against Yeowun. Chun Inji really considered this situation to be a blessing on the Cult. “Yeowun-ah. It must be fate that this old man lived all this time to see you.” “… I’m grateful too.” “Not just that.” Chun Inji shook his head. “This old man saw the sword of the Blade Lord. It isn’t something that a human body can do.” It wasn’t wrong to say that the sword was something that transcends the limits of the human body. Chun Inji brought up the main point. “The only sword which can go against theirs is the Sword Force of the Sky Demon left behind by the ancestor. You must have seen that, right?” Chun Yeowun nodded at that question. Behind the sapphire stone, he came to know about the sword. However, it was unfinished, not going beyond five forms. “Before infiltrating the Blade God Six Martial clan, I tried to use the Sword Force of the Sky Demon. At least, I tried to make it into something which exerts more power.” Chun Inji considered his efforts as well-spent. He was convinced that if Yeowun could learn it, then he would be able to face the sword of the Blade God Six Martial clan. “You need to hurry, and I will pass it to you today. I could only learn 70 percent, but with your abilities, the dead technique of the Sword Force of the Sky Demon can be saved.” Chun Inji said it with a smile. He was happy to think that he could fulfill his duties as grandfather and former lord. ‘Ah…’ At that, Chun Yeowun had an embarrassed expression. “Huh? What is it?” He thought that his grandchild would be happy to learn the sword, but the reaction was different from what Chun Inji had expected. “Gr… Grandfather. I apologize. I have already found the method that was left on the sapphire stone monument and completed the Sword Force of the Sky Demon.” “… WHAT?!” Chun Inji turned pale and yelled as he heard Yeowun’s words. His intentions turned into nothing in an instant. ‘… W-what has my grandchild been doing until now?’ His eyes were filled with despair and humiliation at the same time. How would Chun Inji react if Chun Yeowun said that he combined the Sky Demon Sword and Extreme Art of the Blade God into a new sword technique? Chapter 438 - To Changbai Mountains (4) Chapter 438: To Changbai Mountains (4) The fifth day after the former Lord Chun Inji woke up, After finishing their journey to the North Sea Ice Palace, Chun Yeowun and the people of the Demonic Cult began to head back to Jianghu, despite wanting to head back right after he woke up. It was because they had come across two problems. The first was Chun Inji’s body was severely damaged and needed time to recover. [Then, Grandfather. I will show you the Sword Force of the Sky Demon and then imbue energy into you.] But the man refused, saying that his way was better than the cult’s way. As said, Chun Inji managed to efficiently use the Reverse Health Preservation and started to move within three days. The second problem was the demand for food. Although the cult did suffer casualties during the battle with the dragon and the Yulin, the remaining people still needed food, and more than five hundred men were still alive. In the process of going to the North Sea Ice Palace, the Demonic Cult had used up all their food, so they had to fill up before they could head back. If the North Sea Ice Palace hadn’t collapsed, it would have been a lot easier to replenish their food. “Master. Won’t you stay a little longer?” Baekhyun, the new king of the palace, suggested that Chun Yeowun stay longer, but Yeowun, who had already done everything he could inside the palace, had no time to spare. Chun Yeowun said it was because they had to head to Liaoning Castle right away. Moreover, if the Demonic Cult’s men continued to stay on the island, it wouldn’t do any good for Baekhyun, who had to unite the palace officials. “You’re talking nonsense.” “Ah, no. Why would I talk nonsense? There is still a lot to learn…” “I taught you everything that I could teach. I have also passed down the method for the Ice Cold of Heaven. Later, I’ll check and see if you’ve learned it properly.” “Huh?” At Chun Yeowun’s words, Baekhyun couldn’t hide his emotions. He liked the feeling of finally being able to enjoy his freedom after Yeowun left, but Yeowun’s last words felt like a stab in his back. “To check?” “You’re my first disciple. I won’t ignore you that easily.” Although he only taught the Ice Cold of Heaven to Baekhyun, Baekhyun was still his disciple. It was Chun Yeowun’s smooth ploy to take the North Sea Ice Palace under his wing, and as long as Baekhyun was his disciple, there was no way he could rebel. “Five members of the Six Swordsmen (The unit under the Six Swords) will reside here, and I will periodically check if you’re neglecting your training or not through them.” “… I will not disappoint you.” Baekhyun answered with a pale face. ‘Tch!’ Chun Yeowun clicked his tongue internally. While teaching Baekhyun, Chun Yeowun understood one thing about him. Although Baekhyun lacked basic talent, he didn’t have any interest in learning the family technique despite being from the royal family. Dan Jucheon, who was now in the Demonic Cult, was also disappointed about that. Although Baekhyun had the legitimacy and the support, if the future of the Ice Palace was considered, then Dan Jucheon was much more qualified to be the king. ‘Well, maybe luck does play a major role?’ Baekhyun was someone who had luck on his side. If he hadn’t met Chun Inji, the former Lord of the Demonic Cult, then nothing good would have happened to him. “Lord. All the preparations are done.” “Good work.” Marakim announced that they were all ready. Chun Yeowun, who told Baekhyun to not neglect his training, got on the boat. Hu Bong, the lieutenant, spoke to Chun Yeowun, who got on the ship and walked towards the boat’s head. “Lord, since we took the palace under our wing, wouldn’t it be better to change the name of the North Sea? For example, Sky Demon North Branch. Kya~ wouldn’t that be a kill…” Tak! “Auk!” Hu Bong, who was hit on the back of his head, turned to see Hou Sanghwa, one of the Six Swords, looking at him with a sneer on her face. “Yah! Do you think my head is a drum?” It was a wail along with a warning. “Be careful about what you say. Lieutenant. Hu. Bong!” “… Eh.” Hu Bong, who listened to Hou Sanghwa’s words, decided to keep his mouth shut. On the ship, which crossed the lake, there were new members of the Demonic Cult. Dan Jucheon, who turned into the 3rd Great Elder, and the royals who followed him. From the elders of the North Sea Ice Palace, Elder Seol Young-gwi and two others joined Dan Jucheon. However, Chun Yeowun didn’t care about it. [Even if three elders decided to come with me, what would happen to the North Sea Ice Palace?] [… Understood. We will consider this as the final order from the former deputy king.] Of course, Chun Yeowun had no intention of letting Dan Jucheon gather supporters. Until he could trust him. Still, in order to save Dan Jucheon’s face, around a hundred of his supporters were allowed to follow him. However, there were two other people besides the ones from the Ice Palace. [Miss. What are we supposed to do?] It was Moyong Yuu, son of Moyong Kang, who sent the telepathic message in an anxious tone. The person he sent it to was Jegal Sohi, the second head of the Yulin contingent, who was standing next to him. Why were they staying in the palace instead of returning back with the Yulin troops, which left the Ice Palace three days ago? [Don’t worry too much. Lord Moyong. As long as we are being considered hostages, no one will harm us too easily.] [… that cold-blooded person?] Moyong Yuu shuddered. They were being held as hostages of the Yulin while letting the rest of the contingent leave. At first, Chun Yeowun tried to deal with those who tried to take the core of the dragon, but then he decided that clashing with the Yulin wouldn’t do any good and decided to take hostages from them. ‘Because the Blade God Six Martial clan still has to be dealt with.’ Moyong Kang was humiliated, yet he accepted it. To save his troops. Fortunately, Chun Yeowun said that he would decide whether to release the hostages or not after discussing it with the Great Leader of the Forces of Justice. [Miss Jegal. I think that we should escape when the chance comes. We don’t know when that cold-blooded monster will change his mind and decide to cut our arms off or kill us!] With all that happened, Moyong Yuu was extremely scared of Chun Yeowun. Even in their first meeting, he knew that Chun Yeowun was stronger than him, but now he was plain terrified. [… do you think you can escape?] Jegal Sohi responded with a question. She understood Moyong Yuu’s feelings, but how could they escape from the monster’s hand? [Do not give up! Miss Jegal! It’s said that even when the sky falls, there will be an opening for us to rise, but when an opportunity arises, should we at least try…] “Lord Moyong,” “Eik!” Even before he could complete it, someone had called for Moyong Yuu. The one who approached him was Baekgi, one of the Six Swords, who stood with a calm face. Moyong Yuu, who was trying to come up with plans to escape, stuttered. “Wh-what is it?” “The Lord is calling for you.” “Lo-Lord Chun? Wh… why? I didn’t do anything and stayed quiet.” Moyong Yuu looked terrified as Jegal Sohi shook her head. ‘Ugh, how do you plan on escaping? Lord Moyong.’ There was nothing he could do against the Lord of the Demonic Cult, Chun Yeowun, but to at least plan an escape, he should be less frightened. “You’ll find out when you come.” Moyong Yuu, who was called over, turned white in front of Chun Yeowun. To him, Chun Yeowun asked. “I heard that the Moyong clan is from the Liaoning province?” It wasn’t a question he thought he would be asked. He was worried that Chun Yeowun was planning to become the hegemon of the Moyong clan. Contrary to his concerns. “When we arrive in Liaoning, guide me to Changbai Mountain.” “Huh? Chang… bai mountain?” The purpose of Chun Yeowun’s summon was for him to guide them. That evening, the Demonic Castle in the Ten Thousand mountains. Chun Yujong, who had recovered a lot, was able to move freely. His recent routine was to receive treatment in the morning and restore his internal energy in the afternoon. He was recovering to his original state with steady efforts. A guest had come to visit him while he was training in the room. It was the Right Guardian, Submeng. Submeng, who seemed different from usual, visited him to deliver good news. “Di—did they find my father?” Chun Yujong couldn’t hide his surprise at the news which was delivered to him. The man had gone missing twenty years ago, and he assumed that he was dead. But that didn’t seem to be the case. “Don’t be so shocked. Lord didn’t just find the former lord, but he also managed to make the North Sea Ice Palace affiliated with the cult!” “What?” He asked Chun Yujong to not be surprised, but it would be weird if he wasn’t. Although Chun Yujong went through numerous wars since he gained power, he never got such results. “The North Sea Ice Palace? Ha!” And Chun Yeowun was really amazing. He changed the State Religion shortly after becoming the Lord and then turned the capital into a realm of the Demonic Cult. And he even managed to get North Sea Ice Palace into his own hands. “Isn’t this because his conviction was recognized that they decided to turn into disciples of our Lord? Such great news for our cult! Chuckle!” Right Guardian, Submeng was excited as he talked about it. Seeing him like that, Chun Yujong thought of his dead wife. ‘Hwayeon… your child is much better than me.’ He never dreamed that the new Lord would be so talented. He would have liked it if she was alive to see this day. Still, it was supposed to be a happy day. He even thought of having a drink after a long time. “I feel nice. Right Guardian. Since you brought me good news, get some alcohol…!” Crash! Before he finished what he was saying, Chun Yujong threw sword qi to the window. He was so rushed that the sword qi hadn’t taken the shape of a sword and stayed near the half-opened window. “For-former Lord?” Tat! Crack! Right Guardian, Submeng, who was puzzled as he saw Chun Yujong leave through the window, followed him. Chun Yujong’s eyes narrowed as he looked around the garden in front of the residence, which was lit by torches. “What are you doing?” Chun Yujong tilted his head to answer Submeng’s question. “I thought someone was eavesdropping on our conversation. Maybe I was mistaken.” “Huh? What do you mean?” Despite the Six Swords not being present, this residence was supposed to be heavily guarded. Moreover, even though he wasn’t fully recovered, Chun Yujong was still a former member of the five strongest warriors. “Maybe it is because your internal energy is damaged. Phew. Come on in.” “Hmm… I guess so.” Chun Yujong shook his head and went back into the residence with Submeng. On top of the Ten Thousand Mountains, not far from the castle. Woong! At the top of the peak, the land shook with blue light. Chi-chi-chik! The space seemed to crackle. In the empty space, what seemed to be a fabric made of some unique material disappeared and reappeared repeatedly. Crck! “Damn it.” A person with unique colored clothes appeared where no one was present. There was something there from the beginning, but it just looked like no one was there. Drip! His clothes were cut below the waist, and blood was dripping. “I should have been completely invisible to the naked eye, but to notice me, he is a monster.” Despite approaching them carefully, he got caught. The man with unique colored clothes looked at his cut and saw smoke rising from a square bag he had. “Ugh!” The man took it out of the bag. And threw it with all his might. Bang! Woo! The circular smoking object flew through the air and was soon sucked into space with a roaring sound. The man who looked at it mumbled. “Damn it, one is gone.” Thud! The man, who sat on the floor, looked at the other two circular objects in the bag, both identical to the one thrown before. He shook his head, knowing his original plan had gone awry. The man who sighed mumbled. “…Ah, the original plan has gone to waste. I can’t walk from here. I might get caught…” Beep! Beep! Beep! At that time, a strange mechanical beeping sound came from the bracelet on the man’s hand. Annoyed. “Tch… did they already detect me just because I used two? They’re fast!” The man hurriedly took out another circular object from the bag and did something, then space shook with blue light, and his figure disappeared. Chapter 439 - Guardian of Changbai Mountain (1) Chapter 439: Guardian of Changbai Mountain (1 ) The base of the Forces of Justice. The main conference venue where all major matters of the Forces of Justice and the Yulin were decided. Due to keeping the other major powers in check and the other major roles they played as one of the three major factions, the leaders couldn’t gather for quite some time. Moreover, especially since the leaders were scrambling to uncover the Blade God Six Martial clans plan, it took even more time. However, despite waiting such a long time, the leaders of the Forces of Justice had gathered. The number of leaders gathered couldn’t be compared to when they were discussing the non-aggression treaty. At the top was the seat of the Great Leader. On either side of him were foreign affairs Gam Woon-seo and internal affairs Ha Ji-jin. At the first seat on the right side of the table, people were seated in sequential order by military rank. 1st leader, Shanxi Sword Master, Mu Gu-cheon 2nd leader, Shaolin Temple’s head, Saint Gak-yeon. 4th leader, Hangsan clan, under the Shaolin Temple, Monk Sathi. 5th leader, Wudang clan, Hyun Jinja. 6th leader, Mount Hua clan, Poong Chungwun. 8th leader, Head of the Four Skies clan, Dang Pil-yeon. 10th leader, Elder of the Jeom Jang clan, Ho Hyeon-ja 11th leader, Beggars association head, Hong Palwoo 12th leader, Elder of the Kong Tong clan, Elder Cheong-su. 13th leader, Jegal clan head, Jegal Young. 14th leader, Jongnam clan, Elder Jeokyang. 16th leader, Jinju family head, Yeon Young-in. 17th leader, Habuk clan’s head, Peng-gyu In addition to the leaders and heads of each clan, each combat group that held power stood in the room. The only ones who couldn’t attend were four leaders and two commanders. Of course, they had reasons for not being able to attend. They were 7th leader Moyong Kang, who hadn’t returned from the North, Hwang Bo-neung, who died in the North Sea, the head of the Nam Gung clan who died in the Jin Castle, and the 9th leader who was killed in a surprise attack by the Blade God Six Martial clan in his province. And the two commanders who didn’t attend were Yeon Buso, who was depressed, and Kang Soah, who went to the North and lost his life. ‘The atmosphere isn’t that serious.’ Poong Chungwun of the Mount Hua clan thought while looking at the room. The heads of each clan had gathered. With such strong people gathered, the atmosphere should’ve been intense. ‘Why were we summoned so urgently? What happened?’ For the ones who didn’t know, it was suspenseful, so they wondered why. The Great Leader looked at all the leaders with a hardened expression. 1st leader Mu Gu-cheon, who was the closest to Yi Mok, was the one who opened his mouth. “Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to the leaders and commanders who responded to the emergency order. We don’t have much time, so I’ll get right to the point.” Woong! Everyone knew that something had happened. What was the reason for such an emergency meeting that one of the five strongest warriors, Yi Mok, had to call for them right away? “Come in.” As the order from Yi Mok fell, a man in a black uniform entered the room. The man, with half white hair and drooping eyes, was Mak Wijong, the temporary captain of the Black Shadow group. ‘Why is it that person?’ ‘Lieutenant Mak? Wasn’t he part of the north’s contingent?’ A few people who knew him were puzzled. No one was allowed to attend the meetings of the leaders unless they were a commander or above. ‘Didn’t he leave for the North Sea with Commander Kang?’ In their last meeting, there were a few leaders who knew that Kang Soah, the second son of Yi Mok, was sent to the North Sea as the leader of the contingent. But the contingent hadn’t returned, so why was this man back? Thud! “The new commander of the Black Shadow group, Mak Wijong, greets the leaders.” “Commander?” Everyone was shocked, unable to understand what happened. The commander of the Black Shadow group is Kang Soah, and he was the one who created the group, there was no way he would give up the title. Unless he died. “Great Leader, what does this mean?” 2nd leader, Gak-yeon, was asking the question when Yi Mok cut off his words. “First, we will listen to his report.” “Amitabha.” It was embarrassing that he was asked to be quiet, so Gak-yeon kept mumbling sutras. Unless something happened, there was no way that their Great Leader would act as such. At that, Mak Wijong spoke. “I will get to the main point. We have found the base of the Blade God Six Martial clan!” “Blade God Six Martial clan!!!” Mumble Whispering and mumbling rose at the unexpected news. After a portion of their province was taken away, the leaders tried their best to find their base. Despite creating several troops, everyone went missing, and no one managed to get any information. At that moment, one leader raised his hand while speaking. “Hold your horses. Now, the new commander, Commander Mak, found something that no leader has been able to find until now?” At that, Mak Wijong spoke with a light smile. “Yes. Leader.” “Where the hell is this so-called place?” Peng-gyu, the head of the Peng family, who lost his arm after meeting Chun Yeowun in the Imperial Palace, asked. The other leaders focused on Mak Wijong, wondering what his answer would be. As everyone looked at him, waiting for an answer, he pointed to Zhejiang province, which was under the Yulin’s territory. “It’s right here.” “Isn’t that Mount Huang?” The place where Mak Wijong pointed to was Mount Huang of Zhejiang province. A scenic spot, but the mountains around it were rough and surrounded by steep peaks. If it was there, then it was the best place to hide their base. ‘Ah! This is why the emergency meeting was issued?’ All the leaders now understood the reason. If what they found was indeed true, it made sense to call in all the leaders. If the base could be identified for sure, which no one knew until now, Yulin could wage war. “Commander Mak! That’s great. This achievement deserves great praise!” Jegal Young, the head of the Jegal clan, spoke in an excited voice. But not everyone believed that. Hong Palwoo spoke. “How did Commander Mak find their base? Up until now, even the beggars association members over there always ended up dying.” After striking the forts of Yulin, the defense against the Blade God Six Martial clan had become firm. Even the beggars, who were known to be information gatherers, were killed or disappeared after entering the Zhejiang province, which was why he felt suspicious about it. “I understand why you think that way. But please see this first, leader.” At the request of Mak Wijong, the Great Leader nodded his head. As the room doors opened, two men came in with something much larger than an average cart. “Th-this?” “Goodness!” Everyone was shocked by what they saw. What was in the cart was the head of the dragon with his eyes turned over. Hyun Jin-ja, a leader, shouted in shock. “The Dragon Turtle!” It was the head of the dead dragon. The head’s size itself resembled the legends of the dragon. “Amitabha!” Gak-yeon closed his eyes at the sight. Most of the other leaders who saw it got up from their seats to get a better look at the severed head of the dragon. Drrr! It wasn’t the end of the meeting. Another cart came in, loaded with something hidden in woven straw cloth, decomposing corpses were inside it. However, each body was unique. “H-head is?” Their heads exploded. “Euk!” Everyone covered their noses at the same time. Hong Palwoo burst out at the sight of dead corpses. “What the hell are these corpses?” “They’re members, masters of the Blade God Six Martial clan.” ‘!?’ Hong Palwoo, who was shocked, approached the corpses at the word ‘master’. There was a simple way to know if one was from the Blade God Six Martial clan. Those belonging to the clan, the ones who were masters, had restrictions placed on them, making sure that no information would leak even when captured. Tak! Hong Palwoo’s eyes trembled as one hand covered his nose, and the other looked for the pulse. The same symptoms that the other corpses of the Blade God Six martial clan in the past had. “… true. He is right.” When the verification was done, the room became noisy. At that, Yi Mok spoke in a loud voice. “I hope everyone quiets down and goes back to their seats!” At the loud order from Yi Mok, everyone went back to their seats, and the room became silent. When it became silent, Yi Mok brought up the main topic. “As we have all seen, there is the head of the dragon and then corpses of the Blade God Six Martial clan. Commander Mak of the Black Shadow group has successfully tracked those who were fleeing from the North Sea and found the base of that beastly clan and captured the dragon’s head.” At the brief praise from the Great Leader, Mak Wijong nodded his head. It wasn’t something to be happy about. Certainly, according to the words of the Great Leader, it was indeed a great achievement for the Forces of Justice. It was something that no one else has ever accompanied. “The evidence is solid, but I have a question.” Someone raised the hand with doubt. It was elder Cheong-su. He had resigned from the position of leader, but when he managed to win the bet he placed against Peng-gyu, he was given his position back. “What do you mean? Elder Cheong-su?” “Of course, the head and corpses seem very credible, and I will acknowledge them, but how did you find their base, which no one else managed to find?” Mak Wijong tried to avoid that question previously too. Moreover, if they tried to bring out a theory that he could have stolen the dragon’s head and returned, they wouldn’t trust him at all. To that, Mak Wijong answered without hesitation. “What elder Cheong-su asks is right. If they had their full strength, I wouldn’t have come back alive.” “Hmm? Now, do you mean to say that they weren’t their usual selves?” “Yes. When I secretly pursued them and found their base in Mount Huang, almost all their forces seemed tired. If we all head there right away, we will be able to subdue them.” “Ah!” At those words from Mak Wijong, everyone looked at each other. They could guess how important this meeting was. ‘Are we finally going to move?’ Yi Mok must have decided to wage an all-out war against the Blade God Six Martial clan. All the leaders who ran the Yulin met at one place, the Forces of Justice’s base. ‘If what he says is true…’ If they gathered all their power and went to their base, they would wipe out the entire clan. Of course, only if it was clear that the Yulin had the upper hand would a war do any good. “Military leader.” “Yes.” At the call from Yi Mok, the military leader, Yoo Beom-ryeo, seated to the right, got up. He took out three chess pieces from his pocket and placed one knight on the so-called base of the Blade God Six Martial clan. Tak! Then, two more knights were placed on the left and upper sides of the mountain. Two rooks were placed on the north and left sides. “King?” When everyone was puzzled, Yoo Beom-ryeo opened his mouth. “This is information that the Great Leader recently got from the Forces of Evil. Recently, the head of the Blade God Six Martial clan, the Blade Lord, led his army to Lhasa.” “Ugh!” “That means?” The leaders couldn’t help but be shocked at the unexpected news. If so, their main base was indeed empty. Yi Mok spoke while pointing to the two knights on the north. “Perhaps some might already know this, but the clan seems to have aimed all their power into getting the core of the dragon in the North Sea.” Woong! When Yi Mok said that, those who didn’t understand began to mumble at the sudden realization. The fact that the contingent went north was made public, but the reason wasn’t disclosed. Who knew that the dragon, a spirit beast, was what the Blade God Six Martial clan was aiming for. Yoo Beom-ryeo spoke. “From the information gathered so far, we found out that their goal is to conquer the entire Jianghu.” Yoo Beom-ryeo. He had the official position of military leader, which meant he was the Military Commander of the Yulin. Ever since the Blade God Six Martial clan turned into a pain for Yulin, he asked numerous people as well as Jegal Sohi with numerous commissions and analyzed them. At that time, Mak Wijong brought in his information, making him realize what the Blade God Six Martial clan was aiming for. “They targeted the Imperial Palace, the North Sea, and the spirit beast in Lhasa.” Their purpose became clear. Their reason for constantly cornering the other factions while avoiding any counterattacks, everything came clear. “Amitabha! The spirit beasts? Which means they are aiming to covet the cores just like they did with the Flame Qilin in the palace?” Yoo Beom-ryeo nodded in response to Gak-yeon’s question and pulled something out of his sleeve. A book, “Moral Sutras of Heaven?” It was one of the Three Great Books. A book that talked about myths and legends, which the scholars didn’t acknowledge. “What about that book?” At that, he turned to a page and spoke. “As Saint Gak-yeon said, the Blade God Six Martial clan are targeting the spirit beasts. To be precise, they are aiming for the cores of the spirit beasts.” “The cores? For the sake of power?” “Well, honestly, it’s just another legend in this book but seeing how they are aiming for the cores of the five spirit beasts, I’m certain.” “What the hell is that? Just answer already.” Hong Palwoo urged him as he was running out of patience. “They seem to believe that immortality is possible.” “Immortality?” “It’s said here that the one who attains the five cores of the beasts will attain eternal immortality.” All the leaders and commanders who were listening thought that it had to be a mistake. Everyone knew that the core of any spirit beast would give immense power and even prolong a person’s life. However, the term ‘eternal immortality’ meant real immortality. Chapter 440 - Guardian of Changbai Mountain (2) Chapter 440: Guardian of Changbai Mountain (2) Hong Palwoo of the beggars association asked with a frown. “Hold on. Unless this old man has heard something wrong, you are actually referring to the immortality that was supposedly coveted by some emperor?” “Yes.” Mumble! ‘Immortality?’ ‘This has to be some kind of joke! Does the Blade God Six Martial clan really believe in such bizarre legends?’ ‘Did they really analyze our enemies?’ The room became noisier. It was a natural reaction when the Military Commander of the Forces of Justice decided to base his findings on a mysterious book which the scholars didn’t even acknowledge. At that, the Great Leader spoke in a loud voice. “Of course, not many people believe it. That is also the case with this Great Leader. However, the important thing isn’t the concept of immortality. According to the information gathered by the Military Commander and Commander Mak, we know we can corner those bastards. Military Commander!” At those words, Yoo Beok-ryeo pulled out two knights with the letters of ‘Conquest’ written on them. He placed one knight on Mount Huang, the base of the Blade God Six Martial clan, and the other on the Changbai mountains southeast of Liaoning province. As everyone looked there, Yoo Beom-ryeo opened his mouth. “The Great Leader has decided to wage an all-out war for the future of Yulin.” ‘!!!’ The words of an all-out war made all the leaders in the room become serious. There have been many minor wars between the three major factions for the past decades, but there has never been an all-out war. However, now they were planning for such a war. ‘Was this why the commander of the west was called? But, if we decide to move, wouldn’t the Forces of Evil in the west put us in a dangerous situation?’ Hyun Jin-ja, an elder of the Wudang clan, was concerned about it. As if reading his thoughts, Yoo Beom-ryeo explained. “Currently, the Forces of Evil is in a very chaotic state as a civil war is going on. And this is the perfect time for us to wage war.” “What about the Demonic Cult? Since we are allies with them and we have decided to go all out, wouldn’t having them with us reduce the amount of damage that we take from the Blade God Six Martial clan?” Jegal Young of the Jegal clan asked. At those words, all the leaders nodded their heads. When going to the war against the Blade God Six Martial clan, if the Demonic Cult participates, then the Yulin would get to conserve their power. In addition, there were concerns that the Demonic Cult would stab them in the back. At that moment, a strong objection was raised by a man. “There is no need to get help from the Demonic Cult in this all-out war! And as the Military Commander has mentioned, this is for the sake of the future of Yulin and the Forces of Justice!” Anger rose in the man’s eyes as he spoke. “Great Leader… what does this mean?” “According to the reports from Commander Mak, the Demonic Cult and their Lord are in the North Sea.” “The Demonic Cult is in the North Sea?” Everyone seemed puzzled at the unexpected information. Not long ago, they knew that the Demonic Cult was busy with the establishment of their new academy. So why did the Lord of the Demonic Cult head to the North Sea all of a sudden? Mak Wijong resolved the doubts of the leaders. “The core of the Dragon Turtle has gone into the hands of the Demonic Cult’s Lord, Chun Yeowun. He is also aiming for the other cores just like the Blade God Six Martial clan.” “The Lord of Demonic Cult is aiming for the cores of the spirit beasts?” Everyone’s complexion darkened. That monster, which was difficult for them to handle without any cores, was aiming for the cores? Which meant, if the core did fall into his hands, then Chun Yeowun must have gotten stronger than before. Peng-gyu spoke. “No. I don’t know about this concept of immortality, but isn’t it too dangerous to let that core enter into the hands of that monster?” Yoo Beom-ryeo answered. “The war is to prevent that from happening.” “Huh? What do you mean? The core has already gone to him, how do you plan on preventing that?” “It isn’t over yet.” Yoo Beom-ryeo pointed his finger at Changbai mountain. “I don’t know about the spirit beasts and stuff. However, according to the rumors, there is a legend about the Feng bo in Changbai Mountain.” “No… are you talking about the white tiger?” The leaders close to the mountains, who heard of the rumors, immediately mumbled the words ‘white tiger’. They heard about some magical beast walking around in Changbai Mountain. But they never expected it to be a spirit beast. “This book here talks about one of the five spirit beasts, the Feng bo. If you look at the description in here, it resembles the white tiger, a spirit beast in Changbai Mountain.” “God…” If the white tiger was indeed a spirit beast, then it’s bound to have a core. Then, as Yoo Beom-ryeo mentioned before, the spirit beast would surely be targeted by either the Blade God Six Martial clan or the Demonic Cult or both. If either of those two clans gets the core, then the Yulin is bound to disappear in an instant. “Ha, shouldn’t we stop them?” “Right. The all-out war is for our sake!” Yoo Beom-ryeo pointed to the knight on the map, indicating the power of the faction. “From now on, the Great Leader will divide the forces into two groups which will head for Mount Huang and the Changbai mountains.” All the leaders listened to the entire plan without raising any doubts. Perhaps, it was because this all-out war would determine the future of the Yulin. Smirk. The corners of Mak Wijong’s lips went up while looking at the leaders and commanders of the Forces of Justice. ‘Commander Kang… your death has turned into a spark which gives rise to a huge flame.’ At the same time, the Great Plains. The procession of the Demonic Cult’s warriors continued in the southeast direction. In five days, they crossed half of the Great Plains. Unlike when they first entered the place for the first time, despite coming across barbarians, they never attacked them. The news that Asara, the War Chief who had hegemony over the Great Plains, got both his arms cut off spread all throughout the land. Unknowingly, Chun Yeowun, who was known as the ‘Demon God’, turned into an object of fear among the barbarians. Swoosh! The warriors of the Demonic Cult lit bonfires here and there. As the day darkened, the procession stopped, and the people were busy setting up fires. Unlike when they were in a hurry because of the dragon, they headed south this time and had sufficient rest. “Uh? Are those Ger?” Hu Bong looked amazed at the barracks and other things they brought from the Ice Palace. The barracks they brought were from the Ice Palace, which were portable ones that could be used in the Great Plains. They had a cylindrical wall and a dome top. “Can we use that?” “Lieutenant Hu, didn’t you say that you wanted to try it?” Dan Jucheon asked. Throughout the journey, Hu Bong followed Dan Jucheon’s horse, saying that their tents were weird, and he insisted that he should be given one. “Oh oh! The inside is so cool!” “… I’m glad you like it.” Hu Bong was elated when he entered the Ger. This man, Hu Bong, didn’t seem to be that skilled, but his energy seemed like he was at the level of an elder. Dan Jucheon asked Mong Mu, the 6th elder who was looking at the Ger from close by. “Do you want one too?” “I’m fine. Rather. I hope you could give one to our Lord.” “Ah!” Mong Mu thought that Dan Jucheon didn’t want to give one to Chun Yeowun. But the truth was when he looked around, he couldn’t find Chun Yeowun. “The Lord is?” “Probably with the former lord.” “Ah, are they training?” “Huhuh, I guess so.” They all knew that Chun Yeowun and Chun Inji would separate themselves from the troops to train. A bonfire was lit in a place on a meadow a few miles away from the troops, and an old man was wielding a sword. The old man with little hairs growing out like a beard was the former Lord, Chun Inji. Chow! Chow! Chow! His sword, which was unfolding in front of the fire, was the Sword Force of the Sky Demon. The splendid trajectory of the sword unfolded. Chun Inji’s sword, which unfolded until the fourth form, filled him with satisfaction. “That was wonderful, grandfather.” “Huh, thank you. You know this by following the basics.” Chun Inji realized how simple the technique Chun Ma made was. Chun Ma who made the Sword Force of the Sky Demon was a genius. Chun Inji didn’t know that by subsequently using each form, the technique only became stronger. ‘Upsetting.’ Chun Inji felt lost. It would have been better if he had built up more internal energy before using the technique, but it was impossible for him to change from Reverse Health Preservation back to the Demonic Cult’s way that easily. “Oh, would you like to practice the fifth one too?” “The fifth form is a lot harder than you think.” The theory was clear. However, it wasn’t easy to unify 24 swords into one. Still, Chun Inji was proud as he could properly learn the technique. “Yeowun-ah, I’m sorry for what you had to go through.” Chin Inji apologized to Yeowun. In a way, he should be the one who taught his grandson, but now, his grandson was the one teaching him. “No. Since you are the former Lord, learning this sword isn’t so weird.” “However, the fact that this old man, who resigned from the position of the Lord, is trying to learn the martial arts of the cult, the best technique…” “… not the best.” “Huh?” At Chun Yeowun’s words, Chun Inji was puzzled. The Sword Force of the Sky Demon was the best martial art created by their ancestor. However, the second generation Chun Ma denied that it was the best. “What do you mean? The Sky Demon Sword isn’t the best?” Chun Yeowun pondered for a while before opening his mouth to explain. He didn’t want to tell him, but then Chun Inji had devoted his life for the sake of the Demonic Cult, which meant that he deserved to know it. “…” “… on the valley cliff, the sword left behind by Chun Ma was unfinished.” “Unfinished?” Chun Inji titled his head at the words he was hearing for the first time. At that, Chun Yeowun lifted his sword and spoke. “You’ll understand it better if you see it for yourself.” With those words, Chun Yeowun moved, drawing a delicate trail with his sword under the moonlit night, and unfolded the sword. Chow! Chow! Chow! Chow! Chun Inji’s eyes trembled as he looked at Chun Yeowun’s sword. He thought that he couldn’t be shocked anymore, but he was wrong. He couldn’t help but be astonished when he saw the true sword, the swordplay of Chun Yeowun was thrilling. “Uh-how did you get that sword?” If his eyes weren’t seeing things wrong, the new sword was mixed with the Sword Force of the Sky Demon and the Extreme Art of the Blade God. The sword was turning into something which would be difficult for the human body to unfold. ‘Is this really a sword that humans can use?’ When he finished the sword, Chun Yeowun spoke in a calm voice to Chun Inji, who was shocked. “This is it.” “Th-that is the unfinished sword that the ancestor made?” Strictly speaking, it was a sword technique that no one tried to complete. When Chun Inji was in thought, Chun Yeowun spoke. “… I named it Sword Art of the Demon God.” Sword Art of the Demon God. This legendary sword technique was something that no one except for Chun Yeowun could learn. Chapter 441 - Guardian of Changbai Mountain (3) Chapter 441: Guardian of Changbai Mountain (3) After four days of procession, they were finally moving towards Changbai and arrived at the northern border of Liaoning province. In the meantime, some changes occurred. It wasn’t just the former Lord Chun Inji who mastered the Sword Force of the Sky Demon. Crackle! Heeing! Thunder qi emanated from the body, making the horse get excited. Despite being good at handling horses, he was unable to stop the horse from running wild. Tat! Eventually, he had to get off the horse. “Hahahah! If you have trouble controlling the thunder qi, you might not be able to ride a horse for the rest of your life.” Ko Wanghur laughed wildly and made fun of the man who came down from the horse. The person he laughed at was Bakgi, the Third Sword of the Six Swords. Crackle! Lightning flashed across his entire body. “Tch!” He tried several times to ride a horse but kept failing again and again due to his body unconsciously releasing thunder qi. How did Bakgi end up getting thunder qi? A small trigger made it happen. The members of the Six Swords, who had been together ever since the days of the academy, often honed their skills through battles among themselves. Originally, Bakgi used to fight against Ko Wanghur. However, as if Mun Ku becoming stronger wasn’t enough, Ko Wanghur had suddenly reached the Superior Master level. In order to overcome the huge gap between them, he learned a new martial art created by Chun Yeowun, but that wasn’t enough to fill the gap between them. Meanwhile, the worst thing happened to him. [Wah! I won for the first time. Hehehe!] He ended up losing to Hu Bong. Unlike the other Six Swords, Hu Bong always followed Chun Yeowun and gained experience, and somehow Hu Bong seemed different. ‘Unbelievable! For me to lose to Hu Bong…’ He was incomparable to the past. It wasn’t like he hated Hu Bong, but it was true that he hated Hu Bong slightly as a martial artist. And the feeling of losing within five seconds was even more miserable. This created a ripple inside Bakgi, who had no other desire but to be the strongest under his Lord, Chun Yeowun. ‘… I must be crazy.’ Bravely, he drank the dragon’s blood. All the warriors of the Demonic Cult had seen how the officials of the North Sea Ice Palace who drank the blood had turned into soot, so they knew that it had to be diluted. However, Hu Bong succeeded in taking in the blood of the Flame Qilin, but it was done because Hu Bong was in a drastic situation. Even if Bakgi died, he wanted to try it. And the result. Crackle! Just like Hu Bong, who was able to generate flame qi, he got thunder qi. Of course, he was on the verge of death. If it wasn’t for Chun Yeowun, who appeared at the right moment and calmed the raging thunder qi in his body, Bakgi would have died. However, despite absorbing the thunder qi, controlling it was difficult. [It’s different from Hu Bong. It may be because the dragon died recently, so more qi seems to remain in the blood.] Chun Yeowun judged it as such. And his prediction was almost right. The blood of the Flame Qilin in the shrine was diluted for ages. [If the thunder qi in his body can be completely circulated, then the thunder qi won’t come out unconsciously.] That was what the former lord, Chun Inji, had said after checking Bakgi’s condition. At first, he couldn’t understand what Chun Inji was saying, but then he explained it in an easy-to-understand manner. [You need to reach the Superior Master level.] [… what?] If reaching that level was an easy task, then Bakgi would have climbed it at once. Recalling that Hu Bong was much lower than him when taking in the blood of the Flame Qilin, Bakgi thought that it would be the same for him. He managed to take in the thunder qi, but he didn’t manage to level up. ‘… were Hu Bong’s qualities superior to mine?’ He was confused. In the academy, Hu Bong was the weakest. Bakgi couldn’t understand just how much Hu Bong had grown. Looking back at Hu Bong, who was riding his horse, Bakgi sighed. “Uh.” Hu Bong never wanted to compete with anyone. He was just faithful to his responsibilities, and he attained enlightenment as if he was being rewarded for it. ‘I was stupid. He is he, and I am me.’ He came to that realization. Martial arts wasn’t something that could be treated hastily. Rather than being envious of Hu Bong or Ko Wanghur, it was important for Bakgi to steadily walk on his own path. Crackle! Crackle! “Kuk!” When he relaxed a little, the thunder qi got released once again. Hu Bong, riding his horse, spoke with a serious voice. “I understand Bakgi’s feelings. With great power comes great responsibility.” ‘This bastard…’ Bakgi turned angry at the words, which didn’t seem to console his emotions. But the words that followed. “I, too, couldn’t sleep for nights as I was trying to suppress the sweltering heat in my body. Hehehe.” It was close to a joke. ‘… to be pushed by this guy.’ His heart, which tried to acknowledge Hu Bong, disappeared. And he understood one thing, he had to work very hard to get ahead of Hu Bong. “Ugh! Bakgi!” Hu Bong was embarrassed by Bakgi’s attitude, which seemed to ignore Hu Bong. Chun Inji, the former lord, looked at them with a smile. “You’ve got interesting people.” Chun Yeowun, who was riding alongside him, nodded. When he first met Hu Bong, he was trying to oppress Chun Yeowun, but now he was someone who brightens everyone’s mood. Chun Yeowun was more than satisfied with having Hu Bong as his subordinate. It was then when someone riding a horse caught up with them. “You ca-called for me?” It was Moyong Yuu, the son of Moyong Kang. He looked nervous every time he went to Chun Yeowun. “Since we are close to Liaoning. You can guide us to Changbai from here.” “…L-Lord Chun. Are you really going to Changbai Mountain?” “Hm?” The last time they talked about Changbai Mountain, Moyong Yuu had a dark expression on his face. However, even now, he seemed to have the same reaction, as if he knew something about that mountain. At Moyong Yuu’s actions, 6th elder Mong Mu, who was next to him, asked. “You are only asked to provide guidance. How dare you question the plans of the Lord…” Sh! “Ah!” Chun Yeowun raised his hand and interrupted him. And asked Moyong Yuu. “Why are you looking at me like that?” At first, he thought that maybe Moyong Yuu was intimidated by his presence, but it didn’t seem like that was the only reason. After hesitating for a while, Moyong Yuu opened his mouth. “Outsiders might not know, but there is an unwritten rule for people living in Liaoning province.” “Unwritten rule? What is it?” “… the rule states that one should never enter Changbai Mountain.” “What?” Their destination was that very mountain. According to Chun Inji’s information, the Feng bo is the spirit beast inside Changbai Mountain. However, there is an unwritten rule that no one should enter that mountain, which sounded absurd. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “I-I didn’t mean to say it like that. It was just something that my father and grandfather always told me to follow. Because of that, despite being from Liaoning province, I have never even been to the beginning of the mountain in my entire life.” “What kind of unwritten rule is that?” 6th elder Mong Mu clicked his tongue. He knew that the Changbai Mountain was right between the two countries. And no one country could control the entire mountain. “I’m telling the truth.” “You have no idea why?” “… my grandfather said that there was a monster guarding the entrance of the mountain. And if I didn’t want to die, he told me not to go to that place.” “Monster?” Chun Yeowun tilted his head as he sent a telepathic message to Chun Inji. [Maybe he is talking about the white tiger.] It was just a random guess. When Chun Yeowun waited, Chun Inji sent his response. [… I don’t remember it perfectly, but somehow, this old man remembers hearing something like that.] [Sorry?] [The people of the Blade God Six Martial clan used to talk about the monster protecting Changbai Mountain. However, if this old man’s guess is correct, then us entering might be difficult, just like the child has said.] What the hell was in Changbai Mountain? [Do you have any guess as to who or what is in there?] At Chun Yeowun’s question, Chun Inji looked into his eyes and responded. [East God!] Two days ago, The area where the southern border of the Jilin province met with the eastern border of the Liaoning province. The land to Changbai Mountain was steep, and the land vibrated with hundreds of hooves and thousands of steps. Dududud! As the land shook, a large army was advancing. In the middle, there were flags that held the symbol of Justice, fluttering in the wind. The large army belonged to the Yulin. The army had 5,000 members in different uniforms, made up of elite soldiers and various clans. Those who rode at the forefront were seven leaders of the Forces of Justice and some commanders. Leader Mu Gu-cheon, the commander along with leader Gak-yeon of the Shaolin temple, 3rd leader Monk Sathi, 11th leader Hong Palwoo, 10th leader Ho Hyeon-ja, 16th leader Yeon Young-in, and 17th leader Peng-gyu were all heading for Changbai Mountain. Behind them was the new commander Mak Wijong followed by five more commanders and fifty smaller clan heads. Thud! Thud! “This is the first time we’ve moved like this.” Ho Hyeon-ja, who was riding the horse, clicked his tongue as he watched the large army follow them. They were all members of the Yulin faction. All the people in the army were elite warriors. With this force, if they wanted to, they could even destroy a castle in half a day. “Amitabha. I don’t know if taking this many people to Changbai is right.” Monk Sathi, who was riding next to him, spoke. Yoo Beom-ryeo, who was in charge of the operation, had only let a measly number of warriors stay behind to defend each clan, and every elite who could be found was gathered and sent to Changbai Mountain. “I also share the same opinion as Monk Sathi. It would have been better to give more people to the unit raiding their base.” At those words, Hong Palwoo spoke. “Despite hearing about the operation, I don’t understand why so much power is being sent with us.” “Leader Hong Palwoo. It isn’t like that. The reason that so many people are being sent to the mountain is that the core has to be obtained by us…” It wasn’t understandable. Even though the spirit beasts are known to be strong, with the force of Yulin, they would be able to get to the core in less than half a day. Gak-yeon, who was listening to it, spoke. “Amitabha. Leader Ho might not be familiar as it hasn’t been long since you turned into a leader.” “What do you mean? Saint?” “Why do you think that all the top-rank warriors and the leaders are being pushed to Changbai Mountain?” “T-to persuade the guardian of Changbai Mountain? Even if he is one of the Five strongest warri…” “It has nothing to do with being the five strongest warriors.” Before he could finish, Hong Palwoo intervened. “What is that supposed to mean?” “That monster is locked up in Changbai Mountain and didn’t take a single step out of there. If that monster decided to move in earnest, maybe that monster would be called the best in Wulin.” “The best… in Wulin?” Hong Palwoo’s answer made Ho Hyeon-ja doubt his ears. He knew that this monster was the oldest of the five strongest warriors. However, he could understand why Yi Mok and the other leaders were so scared of this person. “Honestly, it isn’t just about the talks, but if the Great Leader was right, our plan isn’t just to convince him, as he is someone that can deal with the Demon God.” It was one of the three orders they received from Yoo Beom-ryeo. The first, to persuade ‘the man’ who guards the mountain, the second, obtain the core of the spirit beast, and the third, create a trap where the Demonic Cult and the Blade God Six Martial clan would be attacked. That’s the most ideal scheme, but all this would only be possible if that monster agrees. “I can see it.” While they were having a conversation, 16th leader Yeon Young-in spoke while looking at the vast mountain. In the distance, the huge white peaks of Changbai Mountain began to rise. If they followed the path, they would soon enter the mountain. “I hope that he’ll join our side.” “I hope he gets convinced.” Whether the advance squad which left ahead of them succeeded in persuading him or not, they had to wait near the forest to know. The time to move forward. Mu Gu-cheon, who was at the forefront, moving ahead, suddenly stopped. The other leaders looked at him, hoping he would tell them why he stopped, but a disgusting smell that wafted through the wind filled their noses. “What is this?” “Smells like blood.” There was no way that they didn’t know the smell of blood. The smell of blood which greeted them gave them an ominous feeling. Hong Palwoo was the one who spoke. “Something seems to be wrong. This is blood…” It seemed one or two people had died, and it wasn’t a nice smell. The people were worried. At the part where the mountain starts, something happened. Goooo! ‘Huh!’ “This!” Cha! The men who were in the lead grabbed their weapons at the sudden energy they felt. Everyone thought that it was their final moments. In the path they were supposed to walk, a strong aura and ominous energy. ‘This is a terrible feeling.’ It was as if the forest was telling them, ‘another step and I’ll attack’. However, advancing wouldn’t be possible if they decided to head through the forest. Mu Gu-cheon, the commander, raised his hand and commanded the troops. “Move Forward.” “Yes!!” As soon as the orders fell, something shocking happened. Thud! In the middle of the road which leads into the mountain, an unidentified person wearing a bamboo hat appeared. A great gust of wind blew around him, and the leaves on the trees seemed to rustle. Wheein! At the unusual sight, Saint Gak-yeon mumbled in a trembling voice. “East Challenger God!” Chapter 442 - God of the East, Ark Wui (1) Chapter 442 God of the East, Ark Wui (1) ‘East Challenger God?’ Woong! The moment when 2nd leader, Saint Gak-yeon mumbled those words, all the leaders of the Forces of Justice and the clan heads were astonished. East Challenger God, Ark Wui. He is one of the Five Strongest Warriors of Jianghu. Called the God of the East, he was the only man of the five strongest warriors who wouldn’t use any weapons and only his fists. Among the five, he was the first one to be given the title of God. ‘Is that person really the East Challenger God?’ ‘Was it really true that he is hiding in Changbai Mountain!’ The people of Jianghu didn’t know his whereabouts. Ark Wui was a name they heard for a brief time before the man disappeared, but in reality, only a few people in Wulin knew the truth. ‘Amazing.’ ‘For such energy to come out with simple moves…’ Even the leaders of the Forces of Justice were looking at the man with trembling eyes. All he did was come down, and the energy around them fluctuated. It was as if he controlled the air around them. All five thousand troops of the Yulin went stiff, unable to move because of the sense of suffocation from the man. However, his purpose was malicious too. ‘The thick smell of blood… and the East Challenger God… not good.’ “Amitabha.” Gak-yeon, who looked at the man in front of him, had a stern expression. Even though he didn’t want to be that stiff, he couldn’t help it because of the hostile energy the man was giving out. The advance squad, which should have been waiting for them, couldn’t be seen, and the entrance only gave out the smell of blood. [Saint Gak-yeon, do you see the bloodstains on the man’s clothes?] Peng-gyu sent a telepathic message to Gak-yeon, who was in his thoughts. He was so stuck in the overwhelming sense of intimidation that he didn’t see it, but there were bloodstains on the man’s white coat. ‘This…’ They didn’t want what they were thinking to turn out to be true. The advance squad seemed to have failed in persuasion and died at the hands of the person who thought that the unit had malicious intentions. That was when Hong Palwoo sent a message. [… I, I think that the plan should be abandoned.] It didn’t seem like they would be able to persuade him anytime soon. 1st leader and commander, Mu Gu-cheon, didn’t share his thoughts, but his hand was trembling while holding the sword on his waist. Mu Gu-cheon, who was ready to leave, looked at the other leaders, and they nodded in agreement, and he spoke to the man blocking their path. “Are you the God of the East, Ark Wui? I am Mu Gu-cheon, leader of the Forces of Justice and the Shanxi Sword Master.” Even if a conflict arises, they wanted to try negotiating one more time. Even if the advance squad failed to convince him and got annihilated, bringing the God of the East to their side despite the losses didn’t seem like a bad idea, he was an ally they wanted. It was because this man could compete against the Demon God, Chun Yeowun and the Blade Lord. ‘We’re different from the two hundred people in the advance squad.’ The two hundred elite warriors in the advance squad were dead. Now there weren’t any first-class elite warriors, but they had 5000 men with them. Even if the God of the East was skilled, he wouldn’t attack them in haste. ‘Why isn’t he saying anything?’ The man didn’t respond but turned his head slightly and glanced in the direction of Changbai Mountain. As if he was conscious of something. Although he didn’t affirm his identity, he didn’t deny it either, so Mu Gucheon brought up the main topic right away. “You must have heard what our intentions are from the man leading the advance squad?” Looking at the blood, it was evident that he met with the warriors. However, if Mu Gu-cheon asked him to take responsibility, confrontation might happen, so he only mentioned them. “God of the East. There seems to have been some kind of misunderstanding, but we will do our best to prevent future crisis…” “Leave.” ‘!?’ That was the first time the man in the bamboo hat had spoken. The problem was that his words were more like a warning. “Lord. As you might have heard, there are forces aiming for the spirit beast of…” “Leave right now.” ‘… he isn’t listening.’ Had someone else said it, they would have tried to be more persuasive. However, this man in the bamboo hat didn’t seem to leave any room for negotiation. Mu Gu-cheon looked at the other leaders, and they too sighed as they nodded their heads. ‘I wished he would join us… we can’t help it. Even if it requires sacrifice, we need to obtain the spirit beast’s core.’ The fact that this man, who was presumed to be the God of the East, was still guarding the place meant that neither the Demonic Cult nor the Blade God Six Martial clan had arrived. If so, they had no choice but to push through with their power. “Nothing else can be done.” Srrrng! Mu Gu-cheon pulled out his sword. He may not be one of the five strongest warriors, but he was still a leading martial artist in the Yulin, and he was called one of the best swordsmen. “Amitabha.” Golden brilliance shone from the hands of Gak-yeon. After Gu-jung, Gak-yeon was the only one who was notable in taking up the position. Chang! Likewise, the others too drew their weapons and raised their energy. Since the opponent was one of the five strongest warriors, everyone had to do their best in subduing the man without taking much damage. ‘I thought that we could talk it out and solve it, but it doesn’t seem like he wants to… for now, step back and watch what happens. I will be able to tell if the rumors are exaggerated or not.’ The new commander of the Black Shadow group, Mak Wijong, looked at it and decided not to move ahead. The energy from the unknown man was too strong. Mu Gu-cheon gave signals to the other leaders with his eyes. If the first plan failed, the second plan was for all the leaders and warriors to work together and suppress the supposed God of the East. ‘I wish it didn’t come to this.’ For their end, they advanced and decided to open the formation that they worked on during their journey to the mountain. The leaders of the Forces of Justice moved into a dipper-shaped formation, and with each posistion, the power only increased. Goooo! When they were getting ready, the man in the bamboo hat opened his mouth again. “This is the last warning. If you don’t leave now, all your lives will be in danger.” At the warning close to the threat, Ho Hyeon-ja mumbled. “Goodness. No matter how great of a warrior he is, to act like this in front of 5 thousand warriors!” They realized that their levels were very different. Mu Gu-cheon shook his head and shouted. “Move ahead! Now!” Phat! When the orders fell, all the leaders of the Forces of Justice who were on the frontlines began to move out. Woong! Anticipation stood in the eyes of the people who were behind watching it. Although they failed to persuade him, did there really have to be a confrontation between the two? As the seven leaders leading the troops moved, they surrounded the man. ‘I will be the north lead!’ Mu Gu-cheon, one of the best swordsmen, decided to take the lead seat of the formation. The dipper formation was created by a pioneer in strategies, and it was based on the constellations and the harmony of Yin-Yang. The north lead was the weakest in the formation, which was why Mu Gucheon had taken that spot. Tat! The moment he took his position, he was ready to unfold the Linked Invincible Sword. Once the formation was done, not a single person bothered with basic techniques. Chowchowchow! From the moment the north lead decided to attack, the attacks would only increase. ‘Yes!’ Even Mu Gu-cheon, who was unfolding the sword, could feel how perfectly the formation was done. “God of the East! Feel my sword!” Mu Gu-cheon’s exquisite sword aimed for the man. Indeed, he only concentrated on his sword and didn’t bother thinking about how the opponent would respond. It was then. Rnnnng! ‘This?’ The man slightly stretched out his fist towards the sword. It wasn’t any special fist technique. It was just a simple fist. Mu Gu-cheon was puzzled, until, Grrrr! ‘What is this?’ Space seemed like it shook, and the outstretched fist made an invisible gust of wind erupt. Cha! Cha! Cha! “Th-this can’t be…” His sword, which was hit by the wind, wasn’t just pushed back, it shattered into pieces, the very sword which was treasured by his family. Shocked at his broken sword, he decided to gather his energy to avoid any internal damage. Puck! Thud! “Kuak!” The unknown man’s kick hit him in the ribs. With the sound of breaking bones, the body of Mu Gu-cheon flew dozens of steps away. “How could this happen?” The six leaders couldn’t hide their bewilderment. Even though he was the East Challenger God, Mu Gu-cheon was trained and experienced. Such a person got taken down with just one kick and one punch. That wasn’t all. Punch! “Ugh!” Before long, the man arrived near Peng-gyu. Shocked, Peng-gyu tried to defend himself, but the man’s fist hit him faster than he could defend. Punch! “Kuak!” It seemed like he had been hit with a dagger to his chest, coughing up blood. ‘This monster.’ Two of them were taken down in an instant. This man was super strong. The problem wasn’t overpowering him. The problem was that they had to be ready to die. Chachachahca! Deciding so, Ho Hyeon-ja moved stealthily and decided to stab him in the back. However, his sword didn’t even reach the man. Srrr! ‘This?’ As soon as the sword touched the form of the man, he dispersed like smoke. As they were trying to find the man’s location, they heard the cry from Monk Sathi. “Up!” ‘Up?’ A completely unexpected location. He tried to create distance to avoid it, but it was already too late. Bang! “Kuak!” Crack! Ho Hyeon-ja, whose neck broke with just one punch, got his knees pushed into the ground. What outstanding power. “Help us! Saint!” Path! As he moved towards Monk Sathi, he began to unfold the sword of the Hangsan clan. ‘Amitabha!’ Hearing her cry, Gak-yeon tried to help by shielding the leaders from this madman’s unstoppable attacks. Tatatata! A golden shot stretched out from his palm, hitting the man wearing the bamboo hat. Whoo! Papapak! The man didn’t move back but only rotated his posture. Shockingly, the energy which was shot at him got absorbed by his body. “What is all this?” It was an incomprehensible phenomenon. Shockingly, the man pretended to punch Gak-yeon, who was thirty steps away. Gak-yeon was shocked, as the space in front of him shook. Phut! “Kuak!” With a huge gust of wind, Gak-yeon got pushed back as he coughed up blood. He quickly used ‘Diamond Never Breaks’, but he couldn’t stop the wave of energy penetrating his body. “Saint!!!” Hong Palwoo cried out as he saw Gak-yeon flying. It was the first time that he had seen saint Gak-yeon suffer so helplessly. ‘Th-this isn’t right!’ He couldn’t believe it. The man, who defeated the saint with just one punch, didn’t bother and quickly knocked down Monk Sathi, who was trying to strike his neck. The remaining leaders were Hong Palwoo and Yeon Young-in. ‘Ugh, that person is different. He isn’t human.’ They knew that he was a monster, but this man was different. He didn’t act like he was trying his best either, he just lightly punched, and the best of the Forces of Justice got thrown to the ground with a punch and a kick. Which meant that they weren’t even drawing out the full power of the opponent. “… ugh! Leader Hong!!!” As he was in disbelief, the shouts from the commanders entered his ears. When he came back to his senses, he saw the man defeat Yeon Young-in and walk towards him. “Da-Damn it!” Chow! Hong Palwoo unfolded the sword of ‘Sleeping Dragon in Water’ (Meaning the Sleeping Dragon would drown in water). It was a method where the opponent was meant to die. As the sword unfolded, dust began to rise everywhere. “Kwak!” Puck! Whoops! He didn’t even know that he had been hit; the fist had come for his stomach. Hong Palwoo’s consciousness got cut off with the pain of his organs getting hit. “This… is impossible.” “For the leaders to be defeated…” The clan heads and the commanders who were supposed to take part in the formation were shocked. All seven of them had fallen to the ground and showed no signs of waking up. Hesitant about losing their lives, but Mak Wijong shouted. “W-we don’t have time to watch! We are five thousand! We need to work together…” At that moment. Goooo! All the people, including Mak Wijong, looked at where the energy rose to see energy gathering at the man’s right fist. The energy seemed strong enough to bring down the entire mountain in front of them. “N-no!” The place where the man was aiming for was where Mak Wijong and his men were gathered. The commanders and the clan heads who sensed that shouted. “Spre-spread away…” Before they could even finish. The man’s fist stretched across the distorted space. Kwak! With the sound of everything being destroyed, the gust of energy centered around the man’s fist struck where the warriors were gathered. Kwakwakwang! The ground cracked, the trees were uprooted, and the wind was being pushed. It wasn’t an attack to stop them from attacking. The gust of energy was to make sure that no one would be able to take one step into the mountain, it was to destroy every one of them. The only things that could be heard were the cries of the warriors who had been hit and swept away by the gust. “Kuak!” “Kaaak!” There was no exception. ‘… we need… to move!’ Woong! “Ackk!!” Even Mak Wijong, who was ready to run away with his tail between his legs, was swept away by the wind and fell down unconscious. As the gust blew, warriors collided with each other, only causing secondary damage. The people in the back row were the only ones who didn’t get hit, but they were too shocked. ‘… how…’ Around a thousand people and the leaders were scattered all around. It was hard to believe that a single man had caused so much damage. All the people had one thought running through their minds. ‘This is the power of God of the East, Ark Wui!’ A monster out of monsters. Seeing strong people lose in front of them, the warriors lost their will to fight, and the man in the bamboo hat spoke in a loud voice. “If you have no intention to die, take them and get lost.” Chapter 443 - God of the East, Ark Wui (2) Chapter 443: God of the East, Ark Wui (2) A truly rare sight. There were around four thousand men of the Yulin still standing, unhurt. However, despite the enemy being just one person, they all lost their will to fight. It was natural for them to act as such, they just witnessed the incredible abilities of the man in front of their eyes. Woong! Everyone was confused at the words of the man in the bamboo hat. ‘Does he mean that?’ ‘Is he really going to let us leave?’ It could be that the man was showing generosity, but it was hard to believe. “I told you all to get lost quickly.” Bang! As the man took one step, the ground beneath his feet cracked. ‘Is he leaving?’ Everyone looked at each other puzzled. At that time, several clan leaders, who were unharmed despite being hit by the gust of wind, looked at the conditions of those on the ground and noticed something. ‘Ah! He didn’t die!’ They thought that at least seven to eight hundred men would be dead in an instant. They checked out of fear, apart from those who were swept up by the wind and landed on their necks, the others still seemed to be breathing. ‘That is why he asked us to take them.’ Contrary to their expectations, the man showed mercy. If so, there was a high probability that the leaders who fell down were also unharmed. ‘If that monster has shown mercy, we need to back down.’ After all, they knew that they had no chance of winning. Yu Doji, the leader of the White Rock Sword clan, decided to accept the mercy they were being granted. Pak! “Thank you for showing us mercy. Lord, God of the East. We will do as you said.” Despite him speaking so politely, the man didn’t even look in his direction. It wasn’t because he was arrogant, it was because he didn’t want to talk to them. “Hurry up.” “Understood. Warriors of the clans, pick up your own comrades.” “Yes!!” All the major leaders were down, making him the only one in command. The clans, who were ordered by Yu Doji, hurriedly picked up their fallen leaders and comrades. And in unison, they straightened their formation and changed direction. “Retreat. Start!” “Yes!!!” The clans who were able to lift up the injured hurriedly retreated with a look of relief. Their fear, which was created by the man’s overwhelming power, made them hurry back to their clans. ‘We should all be happy here. Sigh.’ It was no different for Yu Doji, the leader of his clan. He was fortunate to be going back to his clan. Creep! There was a strong sense of murder that stimulated the five senses. Goosebumps rose all over his body, and in a brief moment, his entire body began to get drenched in cold sweat. ‘N-No way…’ For a moment, he wondered if the man had changed his mind, so he quickly looked back. However, the man in the bamboo hat was nowhere to be seen. ‘What is with this murderous intent even after the God of the East disappeared?’ The entire forest of Changbai looked like a ferocious demon. The more he stayed, the more suffocating it felt. Yu Doji, who felt a vague fear rise because of the murderous intent, urged the people to hurry. “Move, hurry!” “YES!!!” Likewise, the warriors who sensed the murderous intent moved faster. The forest which leads to Changbai Mountain wasn’t large. But because of the overgrown greenery, even the slightest sunlight wouldn’t enter the place, making it dull. Tak! The man in the bamboo hat, who headed into the mountains, was moving. He looked to the bushes. Rustle! The bushes trembled violently as if they felt fear. The place which was giving out the murderous intent that was sensed by the retreating unit was here. A voice came from the place, which was obscured by the bushes and the darkness. “Isn’t this different from what you promised?” The language didn’t seem like the native language of Jianghu. The man in the bamboo hat shook his head left and right as if he understood the words, and the man spoke again. “Didn’t you decide not to interfere with the crawling ones?” “They left.” “Ah!… your expectation of finding a suitable person is truly tearful. I see that you went further from the beginning of the mountain to block them. But how long will this be possible?” “Keeping the oath.” “Oath? Hahahaha, you bastard. What was it? Six days until the ten years are completed. Look forward to it. Look forward to dying by my hands.” Ssrrrr! With those words, the murderous intent spread in all directions subsided. The existence of the person hidden in the shadows disappeared. “Sigh…” After staring at that place for a long time, the man in the bamboo hat had disappeared as well. At the same time, a mountain peak about five miles from the beginning of the Changbai Mountain. Above it, a man with bandages covering his face and body, a man who looked like a thief, was looking in the direction of Changbai Mountain. He looked at the mountain while clicking his tongue. “… even though it has been over 20 years, he’s still undefeated. That monster still protects the place.” He was here to observe if the monster still lived, and he did. The man, too, had participated in the battle which took place in Changbai mountain with the leaders of the Blade God Six Martial clan, and it was a nightmare he would never forget. The monster in the mountain was the one who managed to delay their plan by twenty years. “Master Hwang-heol?” “That isn’t the problem. I didn’t expect the other factions to move first. Did information leak?” They had come from the Potala Palace without rest. All to prevent the Demon God from reaching the mountain first. But this was unexpected. ‘With that number of people, around 4 to 5 major clans had joined in. Did such a huge army try to enter Changbai mountain?’ It was hard to think of it as a simple coincidence. The fact that the Yulin brought in such numbers to enter the mountain. There was only a guess he could form. “Master Hwang-heol! Isn’t it possible that the Yulin too are aiming for the spirit beast?” “… it seems very likely.” It was impossible to guess how they knew or if the information had leaked, but it looked like the Yulin was aiming for the spirit beast too. This was bad. Not just the Demon God, but another faction was involved. “If that is true, we are out of time. Are we supposed to wait for the Blade Lord to arrive?” There were currently two leaders and two hundred people. Even if their individual abilities were superior, the number of Yulin warriors was too great. “Right. That would be better. But… maybe this is good.” “?” The man in bandages smiled as he spoke to the man beside him, who seemed curious. “Well, we now know that the monster in the mountain can collide with the Demon God, so we won’t have to deal with it.” “Ah!” That was their purpose in the first place. Their purpose was to make the monster and the Demon God collide. It would be better if both of them died, but even if that didn’t happen, the one who lives would be too injured to fight them. “They are the problem.” The man in bandages looked at the retreating army of Yulin. They were trying to quickly get out of the mountain, yet they still had the power and number to march into the mountain at any time. “Will they stay here despite losing like that?” “If their purpose is the core, they will simply retreat, but if the information that their leaders lost spread, they would try to fight back, as that is their best solution.” If the man in bandages hadn’t arrived on time, he wouldn’t have been able to guess what happened. In that sense, it could be said that he was fortunate. “Then what do we do?” “If possible, we should take out the power of the Yulin.” So that they could get rid of all nuisances at once. If that happens, he will regain the trust of the Blade Lord, which he lost. The man next to him nodded his head and agreed. “… but, Master, who do you think will win?” He knew what fight the man was referring to. The man in bandages pondered for a moment and then answered. “God of the East.” It has been four days since the Yulin had failed to enter Changbai Mountain. Although the Yulin was devastated by the confrontation with the powerful man, they didn’t withdraw from the worst outcome. They established their camp around 200 miles to the north. Originally, they intended to head west or northwest, where establishing a food supply would be easy because of the Moyong clan. [Northeast would be the best, but…] The mountain to the northeast was rugged and made up of country people, so entering that place didn’t seem like a plausible choice. The army of 5000 wasn’t just noticeable, but it could also create friction between the residents of the clans. Fortunately, they managed to find a place surrounded by mountains on three sides. For two days, they were in dire straits. It was because the wounded leaders had to recover. Fortunately, by the fourth day, most of the leaders woke up and even recovered from their internal injuries. Those who recovered the fastest were the leaders of the Forces of Justice. Of course, not all. Unfortunately, there was one casualty among them, leader Ho Hyeon-ja. Unlike the others, his neck was broken, and he died. In the barracks, which was put up for temporary meetings. The leaders who had gathered were sighing with a heavy feeling. Since they had 5000 warriors, they all thought that they could take down the God of the East. But the results were absurdly disastrous. They gathered for a meeting, but not a single person could open their mouth. “Amitabha. There is one thing I can’t understand.” Gak-yeon was the one who spoke first. Making the others look at him. “There were unfortunate casualties, but four days ago, the God of the East managed to push us out without causing much harm to the troops.” Everyone nodded at that. If the man had made up his mind and attacked them, it was definite that the Yulin troops would have died. Almost half of the troops could’ve been annihilated. “Actually, even I have the same thought.” At that time, Yu Doji joined the conversation. Then Hong Palwoo asked. “What do you mean?” “Like Saint Gak-yeon said, it seemed like the God of the East was trying to prevent us from entering the mountain rather than trying to fight us.” At that time, Mu Gu-cheon spoke as if he remembered something. Before the battle, he looked around the mountain, as the God of the East was conscious about something. Peng-gyu, who was frustrated, burst out. “What nonsense is that? How could that monster annihilate so many people of the advance squad if he had no intention of harming us?” At that, Gak-yeon spoke. “Amitabha. That is what I am trying to point out. Why did he let us go after annihilating the advance squad?” It was absurd. The leaders only suffered injuries. At the very least, it meant that the God of the East tried his best not to kill anyone. “Perhaps the one who annihilated the advance squad…” At that time, someone interrupted Gak-yeon’s words. “Hold on. Aren’t you taking this matter too lightly?” He was the commander of Black Shadow troops, Mak Wijong. When he suddenly interrupted them, leader Yeon Young-in spoke in a displeased manner. “Even if you took the position of Commander Kang in recognition of your achievements, do you think you have the right to intervene in the leaders’ conversation?” It was a warning. Not a single person in the barracks regarded Mak Wijong as a true commander. No matter what clan they were from, the position of commander was based on the skills of a warrior. However, Mak Wijong was given that position in haste because he managed to find the Blade God Six Martial clan’s base. ‘Just watch, you pathetic men.’ Although his intentions were different, Mak Wijong bowed his head. “I apologize if I offended you. I am saying this because it seems like many of you leaders are taking this sacrifice lightly.” “What?” “Surely, the loss of troops was moderate. But they were all valuable comrades and family members.” ‘This person…’ Yeon Young-in, who was about to get angry, frowned and went silent. If it was ignored that the sacrifice was small, then the other clans would find it unpleasant. “Besides, leader Ho Hyeon-ja was also a leader of the troops. I just don’t think that it is wise to jump to the conclusion that we can’t deal with him and let the matter go.” Hearing that, Gak-yeon looked at Mak Wijong and sighed. “Amitabha. Right. Commander Mak is right. If you think about it, I was taking the victims lightly.” As a monk, he was ashamed of it. The others didn’t raise any objections either, as there was some truth in Mak Wijong’s words. Of course, not everyone was of the same opinion. Yu Doji didn’t seem convinced. “I’m assuming here, but there seems to be something other than the God of the East that’s dangerous in Changbai Mountain. Just because Commander Mak thinks that we are taking the victims lightly doesn’t mean that we head back into the mountain.” He couldn’t still forget that murderous intent he felt from the forest when he was retreating. And it was definite that God of the East wasn’t the one who was releasing that intent. During the four days that they waited for the leaders to recover from their internal injuries, Yu Doji concluded that the God of the East had appeared to make sure that no one stepped into the mountain and they got killed by the murderous intent lurking inside the forest. “Ha! Aren’t you being too pretentious here, leader Yu Doji? Who else could have touched the advance squad if not for the God of the East himself?” Peng-gyu was the one who asked. As a response to that, another master who was unharmed like Yu Doji spoke. “You fainted at that time, so you mustn’t have felt it properly, right? Don’t you think you are taking the words of Master Yu too lightly?” “What? Are you trying to put the blame on me?” It was an emotional outburst. Mu Gu-cheon, who was silent till then spoke. “Please calm down! What matters isn’t that. We don’t have much time. The first and second plans have failed, so the last plan laid by the Military Commander needs to be implemented.” They all nodded with the words of Mu Gu-cheon. The purpose of their deployment was to prevent the spirit beast in the mountain from entering the hands of the Demonic Cult and the Blade God Six Martial clan. “Amitabha. The commander is right. There is no point in arguing with each other. Right now, we need to go ahead with the other plan. We have to help our faction by taking down the God of the East who is guarding Changbai mountain.” Monk Sathi said those words to help Mu Gu-cheon. The plan that Yoo Beom-ryeo made was done in preparation for the worst possible situation. Originally it wasn’t a plan made to deal with the God of the East, but rather, it had to be done because they couldn’t even enter the mountain. However, seeing that the God of the East was enough to take them down, they were forced to implement the third plan. “Even if God of the East blocks the leaders of the Demonic Cult and the Blade God Six Martial clan, with our remaining power, he can be dealt with.” From the viewpoint of the Yulin, the core of the spirit beast was very important. The Demonic Cult and the Blade God Six Martial clan, their plans had to be stopped. Looking at Mak Wijong, Hong Palwoo spoke. “Commander Mak. You returned from the North Sea, so I believe you, but this plan cannot be implemented until Chun Yeowun of the Demonic Cult comes into the mountain. And let’s hope that your prediction is right.” New hurdles. Like Yeon Young-in, Hong Palwoo emphasized the point several times during the meeting. Not concerned, Mak Wijong responded. “Don’t worry, leader. Despite coveting the core of the Flame Qilin, Lord Chun came all the way to the north to get the dragon core. He will definitely come to Changbai Mountain.” Liaoning was a place where major clans of the Yulin stayed. In order to enter Changbai Mountain, the Demonic Cult would have to enter the domain of the Yulin. There was no way that they wouldn’t get informed of the Demonic Cult entering Liaoning. “If we prepare in that time, we may be able to kill the Demon God and not just for the sake of the core but for the future of the faction too.” “That’s a fun plan to implement.” “What’s fun about that… what?” Mak Wijong looked around to see who said that. However, no one in the barracks said that, as they all looked around to see who spoke. “Who said that just now?” “Me.” ‘This voice?’ A voice they heard somewhere. It was then. Woong! At the barracks entrance, the area shook, and in a place where no one was, an unidentified entity in black iron armor appeared. A monster covered in black except for its radiating eyes. “Uh!” All the leaders in the barracks pulled out their weapons. Visor! Visor! “Wh-who?” “How did you break into the barracks?” Among all the leaders in the barracks, not a single one sensed this unknown man’s presence. Even Mu Gu-cheon, who was the strongest leader here, couldn’t. Flustered at that, they all looked at the man with glowing eyes in shock, who soon revealed his identity. Wheing! The moment his face was seen, Peng-gyu, and even Monk Sathi, turned pale. “L-Lord Chun!” Lord Chun Yeowun of the Demonic Cult. It would be strange if they couldn’t remember the face of the man who took away their precious arms. It was the same with Mak Wijong. ‘Ho-how is… this person here?’ Chun Yeowun looked at Mak Wijong and spoke with a smirk. “I wondered where you disappeared to. I see that you were planning trickery over here?” Chapter 444 - The End of the Alliance (1) Chapter 444: The End of the Alliance (1) Seven days ago, the academy branch opened inside the capital. An unexpected visitor arrived there. Since the academy inside the capital was critical, 12th elder Gu Chuyong was asked to look after the opening on the orders of Lord Chun Yeowun. While Chun Yeowun led the Six Swords and their men to the North Sea, he and Wang Jing took charge of the academy’s opening. Seeing the people waiting in the reception room of the academy, Gu Chuyong couldn’t hide his shock. “Elder Huan! Ah… elder Yin is here too,” They were elders of the Demonic Cult, 2nd elder Yin Moha, and 7th elder Huan Yi. It would only be possible for an elder to come if the Lord returned or gave some orders. However, Chun Yeowun, the Lord of the Cult, hasn’t returned yet, and somehow the elders have come. “Are there any orders from the Lord?” “Fufufu, no. We just came to look.” “Huh?” Gu Chuyong frowned at the sight of the woman who smiled with her hands covering her lips. If they came without any orders from the Lord, in a way, it was treason. With narrowed eyes, Gu Chuyoung spoke. “Elder Huan, you’re in a position where you shouldn’t leave the base unless told to, but if you move without orders from our Lord…” Before he could finish, Huan Yi pulled something out of his sleeves. A paper. “Order of Chun Ma!” Everyone in the reception room knelt down on one knee at the sight of the order, which held the seal of Chun Ma. “The 12th elder must be aware of the Order of Chun Ma?” “Ugh!” Huan Yi spoke again as he held onto the paper. “Fufufu, I am not dogmatic. For this very day, the Lord of the Sky Demon Order has entrusted me with this.” Just as Huan Yi explained. During Chun Yeowun’s long period of absence from the Demonic Cult, the authority to manage the cult was delegated to 3rd elder, Mun Yun. However, Huan Yi, too, was given an order when Chun Yeowun was away. He had the right to prepare for any emergency situation. “Is it an emergency, is it because of the movement of the Forces of Justice? But, we sent a letter to the North Sea and the main base too, but there was no response yet.” One of Huan Yi’s eyebrows rose at Gu Chuyong’s words. It was the same with elder Yin Moha. The information to the north of the Yellow River was cut off after Chun Yeowun, and the Six Swords went to the North Sea. “As expected. It hasn’t been that long, so you might not have noticed yet. 12th elder.” Gu Chuyong tilted his head as he didn’t understand Yin Moha’s words. 7th elder Huan Yi looked at lieutenant Yuk Shim-myeong. Wondering, he spoke. “Lieutenant Yuk Shim-myeong of the Ghost Illusion clan.” “What? Ghost Illusion?” The lieutenant of the branch was assigned by none other than the Lord. Gu Chuyong was unaware of that and was stunned. Because the Lord hadn’t mentioned it at all. “I apologize to Elder Gu. This was a direct order from the Lord, so I couldn’t reveal my identity.” “Huhu, this is a little…” “I too apologize to Elder Gu. Because this was the main point of the opening, we sent him here to create a base for us. Huhuhu.” Contrary to the apologetic words, they seemed rather happy. Gu Chuyong shook his head at their words. “Then, shall we hear the urgent report first? Were people sent to the main base too?” “Haven’t heard anything yet about the Yulin, but I was thinking of heading down there and checking for myself.” Recently, based on the information they gathered, more than half the people of the Ghost Illusion clan inside other clans have lost contact. It had only been five days, but for the Ghost Illusion clan, which collected information in a short period of time, this was trouble. “From the Yulin faction’s Military Commander, Yoo Beom-ryeo, it must be his doing. Something must be going on for the people who never touched our clan to touch us and get information for their advantage.” Huan Yi stroked his chin with his right hand and looked concerned. Yoo Beom-ryeo was the most difficult person to deal with. After the strategist Jegal Sohi stopped by their cult, they knew about this man’s existence and that he was trying to learn about the Blade God Six Martial clan. “Does the elder not know that the entire force of Yulin is moving?” “Entire force?” Yuk Shim-myeong of the Ghost Illusion clan explained it. It meant that the entire force of Yulin was divided into two forces, one to the northeast and the other to the southeast. Since so many were moving, they could grasp a few facts, and they tried to get the information back to the cult. “Ha! For the Yulin to plan something like this!” Yin Moha became angry at that. But for Huan Yi, all this information made pieces fall into the big picture. Like putting up a messed-up puzzle together. ‘The power of the Yulin is maintained only to protect itself from the southern part of the Yellow River. This is to prevent and notice our cult’s movements. However, the fact that our information network is being confused by them…’ “It seems like it is the life and death of Yulin this time.” “Life and death? Then our cult?” The alliance was still alive, but they didn’t understand why the Yulin was doing this. To the puzzled question, Huan Yi spoke. “The reason why we didn’t touch them is because of our new academy. Maybe that was why they had an easy chance to block off our information.” “But how long will they block? They should know that we will catch on.” No matter how much was being blocked, there was a time limit to when people would start noticing. Of course, if the information was being given in scattered form, but for the Demonic Cult, who was always on guard, it would only seem strange. “The reason is simple. They are trying to do something with all their might. They could be concerned about what came from the North Sea, but… they are moving too fast.” Huan Yi had gotten a report from the Six Swords on what happened in the North Sea. Knowing that the Yulin too coveted the core of the Dragon Turtle, Huan Yi knew that friction would arise sooner or later. But he didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. ‘It must be because of the death of the Great Leader’s second son.’ Huan Yi had no doubt in the judgment of the Lord, but for the Great Leader of the Forces of Justice, it turned into an opportunity to move. No matter how rational the Great Leader was, his two sons were destroyed. Anyone would have trouble suppressing their emotions. “Even if this calls for being scolded by the Lord, coming here did good. Somehow, splitting their forces into two and sending one northeast seems like it has something to do with the Lord.” “Hold on! If I understood Elder Huan’s words correctly, we didn’t get any letters from our troops which left the North Sea.” 12th elder Gu Chuyong said. The Yulin must be desperately trying to block information. To that, Huan Yi replied with a smile. “That is why Elder Yi and I came here. Don’t worry. Huhuhu.” With that mumbling, they looked in the direction where the Yulin’s base was located. “It has been a long time since I wanted to fight with my brains against that Yoo Beom-ryeo. I need to teach him that such stupid tricks don’t work on us. They only look like they work because we play with them. Huhuhu.” “H-how are you here?” All the leaders of the Forces of Justice and Yulin were in shock. This was entirely different from the plan they had to follow. They made sure to block as much information about them as possible from the cult as their march progressed to Changbai. ‘We even mobilized the best people we had to block the information going to the North Sea, so how?’ Mak Wijong was speechless at the unexpected situation. Step! Step! As Chun Yeowun slowly approached him, the leaders of each clan drew their swords and shouted. “St-stop!” “How the hell did you enter here?” No matter how skilled he was, there’s a limit to how much he could hide his energy. It was broad daylight, and now the entire unit was on alert. Everyone was out guarding. ‘We couldn’t see him till now, and then he popped out. What kind of trick is he using?’ Shocking, even the leaders of the Forces of Justice were the same. Even Gak-yeon couldn’t feel Chun Yeowun until he showed himself. He was so sure that no one was around their barracks. ‘This is a success.’ Chun Yeowun was satisfied as he looked at their expressions. Among the functions of the Nano Suit, which were opened up as the lock was released, there was one thing that Chun Yeowun wanted to try the most, and it was ‘transparency mode’. It allowed light to pass through his body as if he didn’t even exist. Of course, it had a weakness too. If there was rain or any other environmental changes, the suit function would get affected. In addition, it was something that could only be used for a short while to hide on the battlefield. “How can you be this rude even if you are a leader of the alliance?” Yeon Young-in was the one who came ahead and shouted at Chun Yeowun. Although he only took one step ahead, he couldn’t hide the tension in his eyes as he met with the Demon God. ‘Leader Yeon!’ Peng-gyu and Monk Sathi looked bewildered at him. He didn’t know, but provoking the Demon God was the worst thing anyone could do. “Rude… who is being rude?” Ssh! Chun Yeowun reached for Yeon Young-in’s head. Despite wanting to raise his sword, he wasn’t able to do it. Thud! “Kuak!” Great energy suppressed him. Shocked by the energy which suppressed him, he tried to counter it, but. Th-thud! “Kuakk!” Rather, he kept getting crushed into the ground. ‘Wh-what power is this?’ The leaders inside the barracks couldn’t hide their bewilderment as they looked at that. Yeon Young-in was a leader who was at the beginning of the Superior Master level. They couldn’t imagine how such a strong person was getting crushed by a simple release of energy. ‘Unbelievable? Did his energy grow from before?’ Hong Palwoo’s eyes widened in shock. That was when he remembered Mak Wijong’s report. ‘He got the core of the Dragon Turtle. I can see the truth right in front of my eyes.’ Otherwise, such power made no sense. It was the first time that he saw a Superior Master get suppressed by energy alone. If things kept going like this, then only horrible things would unfold for them. “Lord Chun!” Hong Palwoo spoke out in a rush as he didn’t want anyone to get hurt. He spoke with the utmost caution. “Please release him. We are still in an alliance. Doing this is too much, especially without talking it through.” At his words, Chun Yeowun lowered his hand. And Yeon Young-in was released. “Gasp… Gasp…” The man gasped for breath. Just by looking at the sweat dripping down his face, they could tell just how desperate he was. But Hong Palwoo was glad. He thought that there was no room for discussion seeing Chun Yeowun rage like that, but it felt like they had hope when he stopped. “Thank you, Lord Chun!” Pak! Hong Palwoo thanked him. However, Chun Yeowun began to walk again and headed for one place, where Mak Wijong was. “Before that, let me solve personal matters.” As Chun Yeowun approached, three leaders who were near him stepped back. Just feeling the energy radiating from his body was enough for them to walk away. However, they couldn’t let Chun Yeowun kill the person he wanted to. “S-stop! Lord Chun!” Chun Yeowun gently waved his hand towards them. As if a massive wave slammed into them, the three of them were thrown sideways. “Huh!” “Ack!” Thud! Those who tried to stop him were thrown away. When the people between him and Mak Wijong disappeared, Chun Yeowun opened his mouth. “When you touch other people’s things, you have to pay the price.” “… what do you mean by that? How can you say…” Listening to those words, Chun Yeowun tilted his head. “This is strange. You were at the Super Master level then and today too, so how are you dealing with the thunder qi which is flowing through your body?” ‘!?’ At those words, Mak Wijong’s face hardened. ‘How did he know? I dispersed the energy in my dantian all throughout my body…’ It was something he learned. It had the effect of lowering the internal energy. A technique to hide his growth after taking in the qi by scattering his internal energy throughout his body. However, the original martial arts he learned would become impossible to unfold. And it was banned, as the moment they would need to release the qi would be a huge disadvantage, so it was deemed weak. ‘Is it because of the thunder qi?’ While taking the dragon’s head, he drank its blood, and thunder qi was generated. At first, he was unable to control it, but in less than a month, he managed to control it and even hide it. ‘Great Leader Yi Mok couldn’t even notice it. Is it because he absorbed the core?’ Without that, he couldn’t have noticed the qi in Mak Wijong’s body. Mak Wijong was at a loss on how to deal with the situation. Even if he lifted the ban on the qi, he wasn’t Chun Yeowun’s opponent, but if he tried to run away, maybe he would have a chance. It was then, “Amitabha! Lord Chun! You are being too much.” Sss! At that time, Gak-yeon of the Shaolin Temple came and stood between the two. He wasn’t the only one. Even Ma Gu-cheon appeared next to him and opened his mouth while his hand was ready to grab the sword. “Lord Chun. It’s our first time meeting. I am Ma Gu-cheon. I’m here as the commander. Please consider our alliance and talk about this…” “Woah, I am exhausted with this alliance thing.” “What?” “Move.” Chun Yeowun stretched out his hands and pretended to make a gap between Gak-yeon and Ma Gu-cheon. At that moment, as if a wall of energy was created, it pushed the two leaders away. ‘What amazing power!’ The two were shocked, seeing how they got pushed. Thud! “Kuak!” “Euk!” The two were pushed three steps away. Unlike Yeon Young-in, who was pushed away like a straw doll, these two were at the end of the Superior Master Level, so the difference was huge. “Lo… Lord… Chun… Stop!” “Amitabha! Let’s talk…” “You’re pretty good.” Wooong! ‘!?’ As soon as his words finished, the two leaders trembled. Energy stronger than before was forced on them. Saint Gak-yeon and Mu Gu-cheon, who were barely holding on, got pushed away helplessly. ‘Does having this energy even make sense?’ ‘How could those two get pushed away like that?’ They couldn’t believe it. They knew that Chun Yeowun is a Divine Master, but they never imagined that he would be this strong. Because the gap between them seemed too large, they would all lose if the others didn’t intervene right now. It was then, Crackle! “Thanks to both the leaders!” A great power emerged from behind. A sword surrounded with lightning flashes went for Chun Yeowun, who was pushing the two leaders away. The person who unfolded the sudden thunder sword was Mak Wijong. “Commander Mak?” Be lifted the ban on the qi, but it wasn’t at all perfect. Drawing out internal energy, he unfolded the lightning sword. ‘This is the gap!’ At first, he tried to escape, but seeing how Chun Yeowun was using both hands to suppress the leaders, he decided that it was the right opportunity to strike and aimed for a surprise attack. ‘Die by someone weaker than you!’ “Die!” Crackle! Pak! “Ah?” Because he was so close, Mak Wijong thought that the attack would work. However, the sword with blue lightning suddenly disappeared, and his sword was stopped by the bare hands of Chun Yeowun. “H-how can you stop the thunder qi?” Crackle! The lightning was still raging. Chun Yeowun wasn’t even using his thunder qi. All he was wearing was that black armor, so getting electrocuted should be easy, but that wasn’t happening. “I see.” “What?” “This thunder qi.” At that very moment, the thunder qi of the blade, which was stuck in his two hands, began to flow back. However, the level of qi flowing back was different. Crackle! In an instant, a lightning storm filled the entire barrack, and the body of Mak Wijong, who was holding the sword, was covered in light. “Kuaaaakkkkk!”