Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm
Lee Gwang suggested returning to the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, but Jin So-cheong replied,
“That won’t be possible.”
Lee Gwang’s eyebrow twitched. He pondered for a moment before asking,
“Why not?”
“Because I’m planning to infiltrate the White Lotus Cult from the inside.”
“…...”
Lee Gwang’s expression turned peculiar. I noticed Jin So-cheong was playing a bold card and glanced at him, as did Mang-ryang. What on earth was Jin So-cheong about to say?
Jin So-cheong continued,
“Hmm!”
“With the help of these two beside me, I gathered more information. As a result, I recently had the chance to meet Han Baekyeong, a key figure in the Fire God Style. I negotiated with her and was accepted into the White Lotus Cult.”
Normally, this would be the point where Lee Gwang exploded. To him, the White Lotus Cult that banished the Thunder God Style was an enemy beyond redemption. Yet, unexpectedly, he fell silent, deep in thought, before saying,
“Continue.”
“Master. Realistically speaking, reviving the Thunder God Style with just you and me is impossible. Even if we track down the Wall Thunder Three Venerables or Dugok Castle, it’s still hopeless. The White Lotus Cult is the unchallenged supreme power of the current martial world.”
“Hmm…”
“I plan to become the Cult Leader’s disciple, learn his martial arts, and uncover his weaknesses.”
“…...!!”
This time, Lee Gwang’s expression changed visibly. I sensed his patience reaching its limit. His left hand was clenched so tightly that blood dripped down. But he held back once more, letting out a deep sigh before speaking.
“So-cheong. That’s far too unrealistic.”
“Why do you think so?”
“I’ve heard you single-handedly destroyed the Nangong Family, and I’ve gauged your skill. It seems you’ve obtained some fortuitous encounter and grown stronger. Am I right?”
“Yes.”
Jin So-cheong nodded and said,
“I acquired the Seven Great Ultimate Arts, the legacy of Immortal Jang Sam-bong.”
“Jang Sam-bong! The founding patriarch of the Wudang Sect?”
“That’s right. Through my own training, I’ve achieved a certain level of proficiency.”
Lee Gwang’s face lit up with genuine joy, free of any pretense. He smiled brightly and said,
“Excellent! Truly splendid! That’s undoubtedly a supreme art of an era.”
Pleased as he was, Lee Gwang’s expression soon sobered as he continued,
“But the Cult Leader is a terrifying man. The last time I saw him, he hadn’t revealed even thirty percent of his secrets to his own elite guard, the Council of Elders. There’s no guarantee that becoming his disciple will let you uncover his weaknesses—in fact, you’ll likely be counterattacked.”
“How can you be so certain?”
Lee Gwang stared piercingly at Jin So-cheong and said,
“When my master, the Thunder God Style’s Dharma Protector Lee Cheong-un, fell to the Cult Leader, he told me on his deathbed that he didn’t even know one percent of the Cult Leader’s true martial arts. At the time, Master was the second-in-command of the White Lotus Cult, closer to the Leader than anyone after Dugok Jun—yet he knew nothing of the Leader’s true hand.”
“That’s…”
“No matter how different the Water God Style and Thunder God Style may be, Master was an extraordinary genius. Do you think the White Lotus Cult Leader, who deceived even him to the end, will fall easily to you, So-cheong?”
“…...”
It was a story I’d never heard before.
‘Lee Cheong-un must have been struck by lightning from a clear sky.’
Whatever the reason for their clash, once the duel between the White Lotus Cult Leader and Lee Cheong-un began, the Leader fought with techniques Lee Cheong-un had no knowledge of. Of course, the Leader’s superior martial arts secured the victory, but the fact that he constantly checked and deceived even his allies for his own triumph proved he was an extremely cunning fox, aged centuries.
Above all, even the Four Divine Beasts’ Vermilion Bird, possessor of the world’s greatest stratagems, had suffered setbacks because she couldn’t predict the Leader’s next move. Clearly, the Cult Leader was profound not just in martial prowess but in mind games as well. In that light, Lee Gwang’s concerns weren’t mere meddling—they were entirely justified.
But Jin So-cheong responded firmly,
“The deal with the Fire God Style is already done. I intend to head to the White Lotus Cult’s main headquarters.”
“That’s a path to death.”
“Master… Then what other way do you propose to defeat the White Lotus Cult Leader?”
“…...”
Lee Gwang had no answer. Jin So-cheong pressed on patiently,
“You plan to gather the Thunder God Style’s surviving inheritors and fight back, but that’s the least realistic option. You know nothing about the White Lotus Cult after decades of change, yet you’d rally scattered remnants.”
“We have to try to know.”
“We don’t even have the Heavenly Spirit Pills.”
“Hmm…”
Lee Gwang turned away uncomfortably. Anyone else would have faced his immediate scolding or violence, but the opponent was none other than Jin So-cheong. With Jin So-cheong superior in actual strength—and even if not—Lee Gwang could never lay a hand on him. For Lee Gwang cherished and loved Jin So-cheong more than his own son.
Jin So-cheong’s eyes gleamed.
“I’m confident I have talents equal to Dharma Protector Lee Cheong-un. And the White Lotus Cult Leader will try to use me. While we use each other, I’ll uncover the Cult’s secrets as much as possible and dismantle it from within.”
“…...”
Lee Gwang fell silent. But unlike before, his face showed deep anguish—like a parent frustrated by a wayward child. After a moment, he said,
“So-cheong. Think it over again. You say opposing the White Lotus Cult is unrealistic, but it’s not at that point yet. Gather the inheritors, build a major faction, ally with the righteous sects, and even the White Lotus Cult won’t touch us easily. Revenge can take a hundred years—don’t rush.”
“A hundred years? That’s absurd.”
Jin So-cheong continued incredulously,
“The inheritors’ thirst for revenge isn’t infinite. At most, it lasts to their generation or the next. The Thunder God Style’s arts are exceptional, so later inheritors will choose real lives over futile vengeance. Without swift action, the Thunder God Style will truly perish.”
“We don’t need such weaklings in our lineage.”
“That’s contradictory. When we need every hand we can get, why demand more from others?”
“Ugh…”
I could clearly see sweat beading on Lee Gwang’s forehead as he floundered. It was as if he’d met his natural predator. Watching this, I realized,
Lee Gwang would boldly defy even an emperor or the Vermilion Bird, but he turns utterly weak before Jin So-cheong, whom he cherishes.
Lee Gwang wasn’t one to bow to authority. Precisely, he distinguished loyalty from authority clearly, allowing him to uphold patriotic devotion as a loyal subject. But even he couldn’t stand against affection over authority.
Flustered, Lee Gwang said,
“Fine. Suppose you go to the White Lotus Cult Leader and become his disciple. Do you plan to learn the Water God Style’s arts then?”
“I might, if necessary.”
Jin So-cheong replied, then added,
“But first, I intend to focus on uncovering the secret of the Heavenly Spirit Pills.”
“Hmm!”
“With that infinite inner energy, we’d truly have a chance.”
“…...”
Unlike before, Lee Gwang now pondered Jin So-cheong’s words earnestly. Calmly rebutted, he began considering the plan’s feasibility. After deliberating, he said,
“So-cheong. I understand your intent now. So, can you calmly tell this master everything that’s happened in the meantime…?”
“Yes.”
Soon after, we sat with Lee Gwang, and Jin So-cheong introduced us. Mang-ryang was a wandering sorcerer, and I was a Thunder God Style inheritor. As Jin So-cheong recounted events suitably, Lee Gwang’s expressions shifted endlessly.
When the tale ended, Lee Gwang gathered his thoughts and said,
“Understood. If that’s your will, I’ll do my utmost to help.”
“You approve?”
“With one condition.”
Lee Gwang stared steadily at Jin So-cheong and said,
“Come with me to pay respects at the grave.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve avoided it so far, fearing the White Lotus Cult’s eyes and worrying over the remains of the Four Venerables. But with your plan, it no longer matters. Before executing the grand scheme, praying to our ancestors is the duty of descendants.”
In saying this, Lee Gwang exuded the dignity of a true martial arts grandmaster. His personality was like a mad dog’s, but he was still one who led a famed martial lineage. Jin So-cheong nodded without hesitation.
“Understood. A few days’ delay is fine. But where…”
“Wuhu in Wuwei, Gansu Province.”
Lee Gwang gazed into the distance with slightly sad eyes and said,
“That’s where my master drew his last breath.”
The room fell into a solemn silence.
Lee Cheong-un, the mightiest Dharma Protector in Thunder God Style history!
The land where he perished from wounds inflicted by the White Lotus Cult Leader was Wuhu in Wuwei.
The sudden shift left me slightly uneasy, but Mang-ryang sent me a transmission.
[It’s fine. This is a great opportunity.]
[What do you mean?]
[It’s a huge gain, so just follow quietly.]
[…Alright.]
With the discussion settled, Mang-ryang clapped and said,
“Well then, Triple Excellence Lee Gwang. Do you know if there are Fire God Style or Wind God Style underlings nearby?”
“Of course.”
“We can’t strike them rashly, and traveling under their surveillance to that land feels ominous. Allow me to assist with sorcery.”
“Sorcery?”
“Watch closely.”
Mang-ryang chanted a spell while holding the Five Yellows Seven Metals Thread. Soon, talismans descended over our bodies, and a divine seven-colored glow swirled around. The glow circled our hearts briefly before sinking in and vanishing without trace.
“Let’s go.”
Mang-ryang had us join hands, then took a step forward.
Swoosh!
“…...!”
“Gasp!”
We all cried out in shock. For in that single step, the surroundings had completely changed! No lightness skill could achieve this, so we martial artists were stunned. With each step, the scenery shifted, dazzlingly so.
After about twenty steps, Mang-ryang finally stopped. Wiping sweat from his brow, he said,
“I used the Great Earth Contraction Technique for travel, so no ordinary tracking spell can follow.”
Dumbfounded, Lee Gwang asked Mang-ryang,
“You’re an incredible sorcerer. How far did we go?”
“One step covers twenty li, so four hundred li.”
“Four… four hundred li?”
It was astonishing. In that brief moment, we’d passed at least twenty villages or eight mountains. Traveling like this, not even the legendary Thousand-Li Pursuit Fragrance could track us unless applied.
Lee Gwang stood dazed for a moment, then gripped Jin So-cheong’s hand tightly.
“You’ve gained fine allies. I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you.”
“…...”
Watching from the side, complex emotions surged within me.
This wasn’t Lee Gwang’s usual two-faced deception. Because it was Jin So-cheong, it was sincere praise from the heart. What Jin So-cheong did today would have sparked a hundred clashes with me, yet Lee Gwang never opposed him once. Proof he treated Jin So-cheong entirely as a parent would a child.
I felt inexplicably wronged.
‘I never even asked to be treated like Jin So-cheong. But if you’d shown even that much care or trust to others, I…’
How many times had Lee Gwang struck me viciously from behind? It was unbelievable how affection and trust could be so biased and disparate. Intense hatred for Lee Gwang boiled up, and I wanted to unleash sword aura and kill him. With my current skill, I could gain the upper hand.
But in that instant, Mang-ryang quickly gripped my shoulder and transmitted,
[Calm down!]
I snapped to my senses and suppressed the faint killing intent. But it was enough for Mang-ryang to notice, so likely Lee Gwang had too. Sure enough, Lee Gwang glanced at me slyly and said oddly,
“Why are you directing killing intent at me? Did I do something wrong?”
I couldn’t answer immediately. How could I explain that pointless past-life grudges had built up into hatred? Moreover, to him now, we were mere strangers who’d just met. I had no grounds to apply past debts to him.
Biting my lip, I said,
“My apologies. My martial realm is still immature, so I can’t fully control my killing intent. It surges involuntarily as a side effect…”
“Hmm… Must be one of the Ghost Sect’s martial lineages. I’ve heard of such things.”
Lee Gwang nodded vaguely and turned away.
“Be careful in the future.”
“Understood.”
Even as I replied, my heart wasn’t at ease.
Riding Mang-ryang’s Great Earth Contraction Technique onward, I realized why.
‘Ah.’
If I don’t clash with Lee Gwang over Thunder God Style matters, he acts normally.
So while I inwardly sighed in relief at avoiding conflict, I was slightly disappointed that the chance to kill him had vanished.
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