Chapter 2563 – 2563. The Ascension To The Light

A few days passed, and Seong Ji-gon appeared before me. Sal-wang was beside him.

She was a little different from the Sal-wang in my memory. She was definitely a venomous old hag, but the old woman standing there now was even wearing mismatched makeup and grinning foolishly.

Seeing her clinging to Seong Ji-gon, it was clear she had been conquered.

“Yujin. Ha Mae has something to say.”

Seong Ji-gon spoke calmly as always. Ha Mae? Putting aside Sal-wang’s name, wasn’t ‘Mae’ (妹) a term used for a younger woman? If he had to use a term, ‘Jie’ (姐) would be more appropriate.

I suppressed the curiosity that momentarily flared up. There was no need to nitpick and listen to their story.

I turned my gaze to Sal-wang. She was grinning at me.

“I am grateful to you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have met Gaga, and I wouldn’t have realized my destiny. Thanks to you being my bridge, I have found true love.”

What the hell is she talking about? This old hag.

I held back the words that were about to burst out. Even if she was an annoying old hag, she was Seong Ji-gon’s woman. That alone was enough reason to respect her.

“…It’s fortunate that you found your destiny, even late in life. Well, congratulations.”

“Hehe. I’ll tell you who the client is, as a special favor. The client is San-wang (山王). San-wang is targeting you. He asked us to kill you or at least cripple you before he arrives.”

“I had this image of San-wang as a magnanimous person… but he’s a dirty bastard.”

“He’s a dark and insidious fellow. But his skills are the real deal. He’s on his way, so it’s best to be careful.”

“The previous San-wang died by my hand. The current San-wang won’t be any different. More importantly, what’s the relationship with the Namgung Clan?

“Aren’t you already guessing? There’s no relationship with the Namgung Clan. The one who joined hands with me was Namgung Tak, the already deceased Cheongun Daeju. I happened to find Namgung Tak on the street before coming to this city. From the start, Namgung Tak was displeased with you. I often heard him badmouthing you with his colleagues. After some investigation, I found out that Namgung Tak was in love with your wife. I thought I could use this, so I secretly met with Namgung Tak and agreed to join forces for this one matter.”

Namgung Tak had acted independently, without any connection to the Namgung Clan. After hearing the situation, I nodded in understanding.

It was what I had expected. If the Namgung Clan was going to kill me, there was no reason to send Namgung Tak to ambush me. It would be more certain to quietly take me to the Namgung Clan and kill me there. Cowardly? The righteous sects would actually be happy to have killed the future Heavenly Demon.

“How did you get in, bypassing the Martial Alliance’s Heavenly Net?”

“The Martial Alliance thoroughly investigates those leaving the Heavenly Net, but they only do a cursory check on those entering. It was easy to get in by disguising ourselves with Cheongun Dae. Their arrogance regarding the Heavenly Net is quite something.”

“They must be confident, that’s why they’re still using something like the Heavenly Net. And there’s also the purpose of putting on a show.”

Just then, Seong Ji-gon looked out the window and said,

“Yujin. It looks dangerous out there, should I help?”

Outside the window, in the sky, a net-like barrier was faintly glowing gold. The Martial Alliance’s Heavenly Net had closed in so much that it was visible to the naked eye.

“Wouldn’t things get more complicated if you, an imperial general, got involved?”

“It’s okay to cause a few incidents. I have enough connections. Just my teacher alone is Guwol Seonja, who was the teacher of the former Crown Prince. And the opponent is just the Martial Alliance. I’ll probably just get a scolding?”

The Martial Alliance, a pillar of the martial world, was just the Martial Alliance from the perspective of the imperial army.

“It’s fine. I’ll take care of this myself.”

“Well, if that’s the case. You’ll handle it well since it’s you. Oh, right. Did you know that there’s a millennium anniversary banquet in two years? It’s a banquet hosted by the Emperor himself at the Imperial Palace. Would you like to go together this time?”

“Ah. That?”

I took out the Emperor’s invitation from my inventory. Seong Ji-gon’s eyes widened when he saw the imperial seal. He couldn’t hide his admiration.

“As expected, Yujin, you had a plan.”

“Of course. Hehe.”

Seong Ji-gon and Sal-wang soon disappeared using the space-movement scroll I gave them. It was a bit unsettling that Sal-wang had learned about the space-movement scroll, but Seong Ji-gon would manage her.

‘Among the old women who became Seong Ji-gon’s women, not a single one has ever betrayed him.’

And there never would be. From the old women’s perspective, a man like Seong Ji-gon was impossible to find.

• • •

The city was sealed off.

The Martial Alliance’s Heavenly Net had enveloped the city. I felt a pressure as if something was pressing down on my shoulders. My inner energy was being suppressed by the Heavenly Net. Moreover, I constantly felt a gaze from the sky, as if I was being watched.

I sent the courtesans I had been playing with away. Soon, the masters of the Martial Alliance would come crashing in. Even I, with all my abilities, couldn’t be confident in protecting all of them while fighting.

As I was left alone, taking out my tablet to watch some porn, I sensed the approach of dozens of presences.

‘Two absolute masters of the Samjeong level. About twenty Ogigyeop? And the rest are at least five hundred Chulji level.’

It wasn’t unusual that there were so many Ogigyeong masters, who were at the level of the heads of small and medium-sized sects. The Martial Alliance was made up of the Eight Great Sects and the One Alliance. They were renowned righteous sects. With the strength they had built up over thousands of years, they had raised many Ogigyeop masters.

‘They must have received a lot of support. And the headquarters of the famous sects are on fertile land with flowing ley lines.’

The famous sects were selective about the disciples they accepted, choosing only those with talent.

I put the tablet back into my inventory.

Kwa kwa kwa kwang!

I felt through my senses that hundreds of people were firing palm strikes at the building I was in. I raised a qi barrier to block the collapsing roof. Debris and dust rose in a thick cloud.

The wind blew. An artificial wind mixed with energy. The wind created through sorcery blew away the dust and debris. I endured with my protective qi. I couldn’t be blown away by such a wind, how embarrassing.

I looked at the two absolute masters of the Samjeong level standing in front of me.

“Haha. Is this the famous Heavenly Net of the Martial Alliance? You’ve wasted your efforts. I never had any intention of running away from the start.”

One was a Taoist holding a sword. Seeing the plum blossoms painted on his Taoist robe, he seemed to be from the destroyed Hwasan Sect. His gaze towards me was full of murderous intent.

“You demon, you only talk big. The plum blossoms of Hwasan have not yet withered. Today, the sword of Hwasan will drink the blood of its enemy and bloom again…!”

The other was a Taoist with long white hair and a long white beard, with a divine aura. He held a sword, but he had the mysterious atmosphere unique to sorcerers.

“Calm yourself, Mae Hwa Parang (Plum Blossom Wave). You are too agitated right now. Regain your composure. I worry that you might fall into a demonic state due to your desire for revenge.”

“You Taoist. What is your name?”

“I am Yulgura from the Gongdong Sect.”

“So you’re Taeheo Jin-in (Great Void True Man), an elder of the Martial Alliance.”

I had learned the names and inner energy of the Martial Alliance elders beforehand. They were so famous that even the waiters at the street inns knew them.

‘To complete the trial, I have to kill one of them.’

The energy I felt from Mae Hwa Parang and Taeheo Jin-in was similar. I didn’t know their exact combat power, but they were at the same level in terms of their cultivation. Mid-stage of the Samjeong level. A little higher than me.

‘Mae Hwa Parang, who is enraged, seems easier to deal with than the composed Taeheo Jin-in.’

Mae Hwa Parang Mak So’s eyes were bloodshot with revenge. Even if a righteous sect’s inner cultivation was pure, problems would arise if one was that angry.

I aimed the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger at Mae Hwa Parang and shouted,

“Mae Hwa Parang! I challenge you to a one-on-one duel! A life-or-death match! Let’s fight until one of us dies!! Surely you’re not going to chicken out and refuse?!”

“Fine, you bastard!! I will cut off your head and honor the spirits of the Hwasan Sect disciples who died!!”

He took the bait.

I was about to smile inwardly when,

“Gah (喝)!!!”

Taeheo Jin-in shouted. A wave of pure inner energy swept out from him. Mae Hwa Parang’s eyes, which were about to go berserk, returned to normal.

“Mae Hwa Parang! Calm yourself! Our goal is to capture So Cheonma Seong Yujin alive! We didn’t come here to kill him! Even if we kill So Cheonma here, it won’t cause the Demonic Cult to collapse! Even if you want revenge, you must distinguish the time and place!!”

“…Ahem. It was a slip of the tongue. I showed a shameful sight. As you say, I must distinguish the time and place….”

“Are you scared? Are you not confident?”

I tried to provoke him, but it was no use. Mae Hwa Parang suppressed his anger and glared at me.

“It seems your life won’t end today, so consider yourself lucky.”

I raised my middle finger at Mae Hwa Parang. Even if he didn’t know what it meant, there was such a thing as atmosphere. Mae Hwa Parang’s eyebrows twitched.

“Listen, So Cheonma. Surrender here. We will place a restriction on you, but we will not kill or torture you. I promise you in the name of the Gongdong Sect and the Martial Alliance.”

Taeheo Jin-in spoke in a serious tone. I scoffed at him.

“The Nine Great Sects have not always been righteous. They have been corrupt and have engaged in dirty tricks. And the Gongdong Sect? It’s a nobody among the Nine Great Sects. If the Wudang Sect or the Shaolin Sect had suggested surrender, I would have seriously considered it. But no matter how I think about it, surrendering to the likes of the Gongdong Sect is just not right.”

“…Are you insulting the Gongdong Sect right now?”

“I want to insult you, but I don’t know enough to insult you. Honestly, the Gongdong Sect is worse than the destroyed Hwasan Sect.”

“You bastard! How dare you mention the Hwasan Sect!!”

Mae Hwa Parang interjected, shouting in anger. Taeheo Jin-in closed his mouth as if I wasn’t worth his time. But I could see that his eyes were burning with anger. Insulting a sect was like insulting one’s parents.

Taeheo Jin-in spoke, infusing his voice with inner energy.

“…From now on, we will subdue So Cheonma Seong Yujin. The warriors of the Jinryongdan, execute the Hundred Evil Extermination Formation (百人惡滅陣). The sorcerers, unleash the true power of the Heavenly Net.”

I was about to make a preemptive strike before they could form their ranks when the sorcerers began chanting their spells before me.

Jiiiiing.

The power of the Heavenly Net poured down on me. I felt my body become heavy as lead. In contrast, the movements of the enemies forming ranks became faster.

‘They’re weakening the enemy while strengthening their allies. I expected a difficult fight, but… it’s beyond my expectations.’

I slowly raised my right foot. The Heavenly Demon Qi of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art began to stir from my dantian. It was slower and heavier than usual. But the Heavenly Demon Qi moved according to my will.

I stepped down, as if trampling on this world.

Heavenly Demon Divine Art (天魔神功), Heavenly Demon Sovereign Step (天魔君臨步).