Chapter 229 – Even a carefully built tower can collapse in an instant (1)

"Keuk! How on earth did the defense perimeter get breached?"

"We don't have time for such idle talk now. Move quickly."

"Yes, Master."

Cho Yeon-woon and Jang Il-san rushed outside at the sudden commotion.

"Lord!"

"Senior!"

Outside, the warriors of Hundred Battles Sect had already gathered.

Jang Il-san shouted at them.

"There's no time. Yeon-woon, lead the disciples to check the internal defenses, and the rest will come with me to fend off the external attack."

"Yes, Master."

"Understood!"

Cho Yeon-woon and the disciples of Hundred Battles Sect answered in unison.

As Jang Il-san and his disciples ran outside, Cho Yeon-woon and his juniors rushed towards the inner sanctum of the Shouzhou branch.

Cho Yeon-woon gritted his teeth. In his hand was the Hundred Battles Victory Banner.

This was the first battle under the Hundred Battles Victory Banner. He couldn't afford to look unsightly.

Just then.

"Cho Yeon-woon."

Shuaang!

Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out along with an intense sword energy. Cho Yeon-woon, unflustered, unleashed the Eight Desolate Divine Fist towards the sword energy.

Pueong!

The sword energy dissipated as it collided with the fist energy.

Cho Yeon-woon's gaze turned towards the one who had launched the sword energy.

"You are?"

"It's been a while."

The man who had launched the sword energy answered coldly.

The man with an icy expression was none other than Jo Ja-gyeong, the leader of the Heaven-Turning Squad.

The Heaven-Turning Squad was positioned around Jo Ja-gyeong. Having clashed with them once before, Cho Yeon-woon's disciples couldn't help but be tense.

"Jo Ja-gyeong, was it?"

"You still remember."

A look of tension appeared on Cho Yeon-woon's face.

Jo Ja-gyeong was the strongest opponent he had ever fought.

"How did you…?"

"I came looking for you."

"For me?"

"You're the only opponent I couldn't settle things with."

"For such a foolish reason?"

Cho Yeon-woon briefly wore an expression of disbelief.

An important battle that would determine the fate of the Murim Alliance and the Demonic Cult was taking place. The Demonic Cult sought to establish a demonic world by overthrowing the Murim Alliance, while the Murim Alliance aimed to defeat the Demonic Cult and establish justice in the martial world.

To bring up personal grudges in such a crucial battle?

"Are you insane?"

"Hmph!"

Jo Ja-gyeong snorted at Cho Yeon-woon's incredulous words. His eyes brimmed with killing intent.

Jo Ja-gyeong pointed his sword at Cho Yeon-woon.

"Only one of us will survive here today, Cho Yeon-woon."

"Damn it!"

Cho Yeon-woon clenched his teeth.

Even at this moment, fierce battles were raging throughout the Shouzhou branch. It was frustrating to be held back by Jo Ja-gyeong at such a critical time.

However, Cho Yeon-woon soon changed his mind. After all, Jo Ja-gyeong was also a warrior of the Demonic Cult. And one holding a very important position at that. Perhaps facing Jo Ja-gyeong wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Very well."

With that answer, Cho Yeon-woon thrust the Hundred Battles Victory Banner into the ground with all his might.

Kwang!

With a thunderous sound, the Hundred Battles Victory Banner was deeply embedded in the ground.

As the wind blew, the massive flag fluttered, displaying its tremendous majesty.

The moment he confirmed the reality of the flag, Jo Ja-gyeong's face hardened like a stone statue.

To the warriors of the Demonic Cult, the Hundred Battles Victory Banner was a symbol of humiliation. This was no different for Jo Ja-gyeong.

"How fortunate. That flag… I'll tear it to shreds."

"Try if you can."

Cho Yeon-woon wiggled his fingers.

His figure, standing tall under the Hundred Battles Victory Banner, was reminiscent of a war god.

"Chaat!"

Jo Ja-gyeong kicked off the ground and charged. The sword in his hand emitted a dazzling light.

The Battle Sword Flow.

Among the numerous branches of the Demonic Cult, this sword technique was said to shine particularly bright in actual combat, and it was now unleashed towards Cho Yeon-woon.

Jjeoeong!

With the clash of the two as a signal, the warriors of Hundred Battles Sect and the Heaven-Turning Squad collided.

***

While the Shouzhou branch was in extreme chaos due to the Demonic Cult's invasion, Eum Yu-gyeong raised her head to look at the sky.

She saw a kite that had achieved its purpose flying away freely.

"Demonic Heaven Practitioner has moved."

Sang Han-cheon possessed several highly secretive military units within the Demonic Cult. Unlike ordinary warriors, they specialized in only one or two fields.

Infiltrating through the air using kites, or digging tunnels to create secret passages, were not difficult tasks for them.

The basic plan of Sang Han-cheon was to have these units secretly infiltrate enemy territory to cause internal chaos, and then attack from the outside in response.

The issue was the timing of the raid. Eum Yu-gyeong thought the raid would take place a few days later. In fact, Sang Han-cheon had told Eum Yu-gyeong the same thing.

"Yet they moved this quickly, does this mean they still don't trust me?"

A dark shadow fell over Eum Yu-gyeong's face.

She had expected it to some extent, but when the suspicion actually manifested, her heart felt unbearably heavy. Even for Eum Yu-gyeong, the Holy Maiden, Sang Han-cheon was a formidable existence. Especially the fact that she couldn't read his true intentions at all weighed heavily on her mind.

"In this situation, I must secure the sacred object without fail."

She had already discovered the whereabouts of Sage Taeul and the Xuandao Sect. It was just that the security was too tight to approach.

Eum Yu-gyeong unleashed the Ethereal Mist Technique. This was a secret divine technique of the Demonic Cult that concealed one's true body and presence in the atmosphere.

As Eum Yu-gyeong moved with her lightness technique while hiding her appearance with the Empty Spirit Cloud Mist Technique, her eyes took in the sight of numerous corpses and people fighting.

Corpses formed mountains, and the blood they shed formed streams. The Shouzhou branch, which had been full of vitality just a few hours ago, was now deeply shrouded in the aura of death.

Far more warriors of the Murim Alliance had died compared to those of the Demonic Cult. Eum Yu-gyeong's heart was not at ease as she observed this scene.

Although they fought due to different ideologies and affiliations, the warriors of the Murim Alliance were still people.

'How long can a divine cult's holy war, built upon the corpses of so many, be sustained?'

Human grudges are not easily forgotten even after decades or centuries. Moreover, grudges built on blood do not disappear even after several generations. This tendency was especially strong among martial artists who had cultivated their skills.

They couldn't continue a fight that would never end. To prevent such a worst-case scenario, the sacred object was necessary.

Eum Yu-gyeong increased her speed and arrived at the place where Sage Taeul and the warriors of the Xuandao Sect were staying.

"Stop them!"

"Yaaah!"

An intense battle was already taking place there.

Black shadows who had infiltrated the Shouzhou branch riding kites were attacking the Xuandao disciples and Sage Taeul.

Eum Yu-gyeong immediately recognized their identity.

'The Phantom Demon Squad.'

It was a secret military organization under Sang Han-cheon.

Everything about the Phantom Demon Squad was shrouded in absolute secrecy. Only Sang Han-cheon knew how many there were and what their backgrounds were.

For a warrior with combat prowess like Eum Yu-gyeong, dealing with one or two members of the Phantom Demon Squad wasn't too difficult. But when five or more of them gathered, it was a different story.

The Phantom Demon Squad was a group whose collective power increased dramatically when they worked together, more so than their individual strengths. Above all, the warriors of the Phantom Demon Squad did not fear death.

Every human feared standing at the crossroads of life and death. That was the instinct of living beings. But such a thing did not exist in the Phantom Demon Squad.

If Sang Han-cheon ordered them to cut off their arms, they would do so without hesitation, and if ordered to die, they would jump into a fire pit without hesitation.

That was the Phantom Demon Squad.

The Phantom Demon Squad charged towards the Xuandao disciples like moths unafraid of death.

Kwaddeuk!

The eerie sound of flesh being torn and bones breaking echoed.

If swords didn't work, they would throw their bodies into the fight – that was the way of the Phantom Demon Squad. As a result, only horribly mutilated corpses remained where they had passed.

At that moment, there was a warrior emitting an intense aura.

"How dare the heretics of the demonic path come here. You must be crazy to want to die."

With an angry voice, the old warrior wielding a famous sword inlaid with seven-colored jewels was none other than Sage Taeul, the leader of the Xuandao Gate.

Shwaaak!

Every time he swung his sword, sharp sword energy extended out.

Even in the face of the terrifying sword energy that cleanly cut through pillars and shattered walls like thin paper, the Phantom Demon Squad was not intimidated at all.

Kakakakakang!

Five swords simultaneously blocked Sage Taeul's sword energy. A single sword would have been cut by Sage Taeul’s sword energy, but when five swords and internal energy combined, they blocked it without much difficulty.

Sage Taeul's eyebrows twitched.

"How dare you!"

Filled with rage, he lifted his body into the air.

The Southern Sky Sword in his hand spewed out fan-like sword energy.

Kiiaaaa!

A ghostly wail rang out as the seven-colored sword energy, seemingly mixed with seven different lights, cut through the air.

In that instant, the bodies of over ten Phantom Demon Squad members exposed to the seven-colored sword energy froze like stone statues. The sharp ghostly wail had stimulated their eardrums, momentarily robbing them of their sense of balance.

Seongdung!

The seven-colored sword energy cut through their bodies and passed.

For a moment, the Phantom Demon Squad members stood dazed, then red lines appeared on their bodies as if drawn by a brush. Blood flowed along the red lines, and then their bodies split in two and collapsed.

It was the technique of Returning to Heaven Demonic Shadow.

As the ultimate technique of the Cold Light Demon-Subduing Sword, the highest martial art of the Xuandao Sect, it had the effect of subduing all evil spirits.

Sage Taeul continuously unleashed the Returning to Heaven Demonic Shadow technique. Every time the fan-like seven-colored sword energy extended out, a Phantom Demon Squad member inevitably lost their life. Yet, the Phantom Demon Squad members charged towards SageTaeul without hesitation.

Sage Taeul's eyes flashed ominously at their disregard for their own lives.

"They're just like those guys."

Suddenly, the memory of that day came to mind.

That time thirty years ago when he had invaded the holy land of the Demonic Cult.

Back then, similar beings had blocked him. Those who did not fear death at all, like lifeless puppets.

The only difference from those he was facing now was that these current opponents seemed a bit more complete.

They were more vicious and stronger. And smarter too. The ones he had faced thirty years ago had charged in recklessly as if unaware of the concept of joint attacks, but the ones he was facing now skillfully coordinated their attacks.

"Wicked Demonic Cult members. It doesn't matter how many of you come at me. Today, I will kill you all and establish justice in the martial world."

He raised the Southern Sky Sword high. The seven-colored jewels embedded in the sword emitted light.

At that moment, Eum Yu-gyeong's eyes flickered.

'Could it be?'

She launched her body towards Sage Taeul.

Tak! Tak!

With just two leaps, Eum Yu-gyeong reached right in front of Sage Taeul, and her sword was fiercely drawn.

Shwaaak!

Her sword aimed for Sage Taeul's wrist. Greatly angered by this,Sage Taeul shouted and created a sword barrier.

"You wretched woman! How dare you ambush me."

Jjeoeong!

Eum Yu-gyeong's sword was deflected. But she skillfully moved her wrist and swung her sword again.

Her sword aimed for Sage Taeul's vital points.

Shuuuu!

The Falling Moon Divine Sword, passed down only to the Holy Maiden, was unleashed.

Sage Taeul momentarily felt a dizzying sense of isolation, as if heaven and earth were trapped in the sword shadow, and his body trembled.

In that moment, a sword energy resembling a falling moon descended towards Sage Taeul.

Kwaaang!

Dust rose, and Sage Taeul was flung back with a stifled groan. His complexion was deathly pale, suggesting he had suffered no small internal injury.

Eum Yu-gyeong followed up, striking his chest with a palm strike and twisting his wrist.

"Kuhek!"

Sage Taeul coughed up blood and lost his grip on the Southern Sky Sword.

Eum Yu-gyeong snatched the Southern Sky Sword with her golden thread technique and disappeared from Sage Taeul's sight in an instant.

"No, it can't be!"

Sage Taeul's desperate cry at suddenly losing his sect's treasure echoed throughout the hall. But his cry was soon drowned out by the Phantom Demon Squad.

Shortly after Eum Yu-gyeong disappeared, someone walked out of the darkness.

It was a man in his early forties wearing a blue robe. The man with a particularly striking pale complexion, as if he had never been exposed to sunlight in his life, was none other than Sang Han-cheon of the Demon Sky Water Division.

"Hmm!"

He gazed meaningfully in the direction where Eum Yu-gyeong had disappeared.

It was peaceful.

Not because the state inside his body was quiet like the surface of a windless lake.

Even though hot and cold energies alternately rose and fell, being created and disappearing, the process itself maintained the body’s equilibrium, giving a sense of peace.

‘So this is what it meant when they said yin and yang are harmonious only when they maintain relative equilibrium?’

Mutual Opposition of Yin and Yang. Yin and yang oppose each other but mutually restrain one another.

Mutual Dependence. Yin and yang are opposite but depend on each other and utilize one another.

Mutual Waxing and Waning. Yin and yang repeat declining and generating, maintaining harmony without bias.

Mutual Transformation. When the states of opposition, dependence, and waxing and waning reach their extreme, yin and yang naturally become yang and yin respectively, achieving the primordial equilibrium without distinction between yin and yang.

The Primordial Limitless differentiated into yin and yang to become the Supreme Ultimate, yet the Supreme Ultimate again seeks the primordial Limitless.

That is Primordial Unity!

Flash!

Jin Ja-gang achieved enlightenment. Though his eyes were still closed, he received a shock as if a blind person had opened their eyes.

His heart was greatly moved, bringing tears as if he had seen a sad scene, and laughter as if he had witnessed something joyful.

But his mood was very good. As his internal energy continued circulating through the mystery of Water Ascending, Fire Descending, he felt a pleasure he had never experienced before.

He felt as if the dirty things inside his body were continuously being washed away, his ruptured qi and blood were being restored, and he was being reborn.

As if just a little more and he would return to a pure white pristine state!

“You brat.”

“Huh?”

“Look at this greedy fellow? You’ve grasped opposition, dependence, and waxing and waning all at once?”

“A fellow who doesn’t seem to have talent is really working hard. Has effort surpassed lack of talent?”

“But why skip transformation? Tsk tsk. So impatient.”

“Stop it. You’re far from reaching Primordial Unity.”

“Don’t act beyond your station and get up.”

The voices continuously interfering with Jin Ja-gang scattered his concentration.

Jin Ja-gang even felt killing intent toward those interfering. His body shivered. He even had the illusion that his own body was being invaded by his own killing intent.

His body began to ache.

‘Don’t interfere with me!’

Jin Ja-gang’s desire for the enlightenment he was experiencing was that intense. And the more so, for some reason he felt his body becoming stiff and rigid.

“Won’t you get up?”

‘Just a little, just a little more!’

Jin Ja-gang realized his head was heating up and the internal energy in his body was going berserk. The internal energy that had been flowing naturally and healing his body suddenly tried to become a dagger and tear him apart.

‘Ugh! Just, just a little more.’

Jin Ja-gang sweated profusely.

“If you don’t get up, I’ll touch your thing.”

Perhaps because he heard such an absurd statement, at that moment Jin Ja-gang’s breathing stopped short and he woke up instantly.

‘What kind of…’

Jin Ja-gang looked ahead with an incredulous face.

A young old man with red cloth wrapped around his eyes was standing there. Though “young old man” was a very strange expression, it was a thought that came because he looked young on the outside but was clearly an aged elder.

He was a mysterious Taoist from whom no aura could be felt no matter how sharply he raised his qi perception. He was even hollow like wind, like a tree.

“Ahh…!”

An exclamation of regret naturally burst out. But the Taoist clicked his tongue and said.

“You don’t have the ability but forced yourself to learn martial arts, so you ended up like that.”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t know what the Taoist meant. However, when he looked at his left arm following the Taoist’s gaze, he was greatly surprised.

Black sweat was seeping out from the pores of his left arm, forming droplets. But this didn’t give a clean feeling at all. The sweat droplets looked dirty and unpleasant just to see. Not just his left arm, but his entire left half was like this.

Yet his left half felt more refreshed and light than ever before. It seemed to be because this filthy black sweat had flowed out.

Jin Ja-gang tried to endure the disgust and wipe the sweat with his clothes.

“It’s Turbid Energy. Leave it alone.”

But it began seeping back into the pores it had emerged from, wriggling as if alive.

That nauseating filth was returning into his own body!

Then this refreshing feeling in his left half that seemed to make him fly would disappear and he would return to a blocked and uncomfortable body.

Jin Ja-gang’s hair stood on end. He got goosebumps. He felt like he absolutely shouldn’t leave it alone.

But there must be a reason the Taoist stopped him. Jin Ja-gang bit his lower lip tightly, enduring the urge to wipe it immediately, and looked at the Taoist.

The Taoist asked.

“Why do you think I explained the theory of yin and yang to you?”

Jin Ja-gang thought for a moment and then realized.

This filthy black sweat was turbid energy that had been blocking the qi and blood of Jin Ja-gang’s left half. Naturally, if the turbid energy disappeared, Jin Ja-gang’s left half qi and blood would become clean.

However, if that happened, the equilibrium with his right half would be broken.

Mang Ryo had forcibly opened Jin Ja-gang’s right half qi and blood and even implanted the Mad Blood Heaven technique. On top of that, Jin Ja-gang had continued developing only his right half’s qi and blood.

He had thought that someday he could open his left half with that power.

But his left half never opened at all. The more Jin Ja-gang’s right half developed, the more solidly his left half hardened.

Opening qi and blood meant dying from qi and blood destruction due to the Mad Blood Heaven technique, so the turbid energy of his left half had chosen Meridian Blockage by solidifying itself to protect Jin Ja-gang’s life.

The more the right side opened, the more the left side closed. When the right side softened, the left side hardened. When the right side’s circulation became smooth, the left side’s circulation was blocked.

This contradictory yet simultaneously natural phenomenon was the harmony of yin and yang that Jin Ja-gang’s body in its special situation had achieved by itself.

He had thought his body’s balance was seriously tilted, but rather, it was the result of another balance for survival.

“It seems you understand now. Then you also know how your body can return to normal?”

“Mutual Transformation.”

“Smart.”

Mutual Transformation of Yin and Yang. The realm where yin becomes yang and yang becomes yin.

When that time came, the distinction between yin and yang would disappear, allowing the turbid energy of the left side to be eliminated.

While Jin Ja-gang was thinking, the turbid energy was completely absorbed into Jin Ja-gang’s left half. Stains remained on his skin.

Jin Ja-gang immediately stood up and cupped his fists.

“I was rude. I am deeply grateful for your teachings.”

“Right. I am Woo-am. You said you wanted to see me?”

Venerable Woo-am!

“Since the talk will be long, let’s move to another place.”

Venerable Woo-am walked ahead. As Jin Ja-gang followed him, he clearly felt the changes that had occurred in his body. His body had become much lighter than before.

* * *

Venerable Woo-am walked well despite not being able to see, moving briskly. Yet he was almost as fast as running.

Venerable Woo-am crossed the boundary line that Taoist Bok-cheon had drawn. When Jin Ja-gang stopped, he looked back.

“What’s wrong?”

“There are some complications in going that way.”

“It’s fine.”

Venerable Woo-am smiled while slightly stroking his beard.

“I am the sect leader.”

“I see.”

There was no need to say anything more. Jin Ja-gang again followed behind Venerable Woo-am.

They walked up a precarious plank road only a few spans wide as if it were nothing.

After walking for at least one watch period, the place Venerable Woo-am brought Jin Ja-gang to was a peak that rose steeply along a side ridge of Qingcheng Mountain.

On a small clearing where a few people could lie down, there was a large, square rock with a go board placed on top.

Venerable Woo-am climbed onto the rock and sat down, having Jin Ja-gang sit across from him at the go board.

“Do you know how to play Go?”

Go is the game of baduk.

“I haven’t had time to enjoy it.”

“If you’re young, act like a young person. Don’t lump things together with arrogant answers.”

“I was grateful for the earlier teaching, but…”

“Don’t teach others about character? Do you know how many people beg me to receive that one teaching?”

“If I’m alive, I’ll repay the debt someday.”

“It’s fine. With that attitude, you don’t need to repay it. You’re going to die soon anyway.”

No matter how tough Jin Ja-gang was, these weren’t pleasant words to hear. Jin Ja-gang’s expression hardened, but somehow knowing this, Venerable Woo-am laughed.

“You’re feeling very bad right now, aren’t you? Thinking what kind of old man this is.”

It wasn’t a sarcastic tone but an amused one.

“Though it may be hard to believe, I have tremendous goodwill toward you. Because you changed someone I couldn’t change for decades. So I’m tremendously grateful to you. If the disciples of this mountain saw me talking this much, they’d be shocked.”

“Honestly, it doesn’t feel like the attitude of someone who’s grateful.”

“I’m the sect leader of Qingcheng, aren’t I? If I became sect leader and then bowed and scraped while expressing gratitude, it wouldn’t look dignified. You should understand that much.”

Jin Ja-gang was speechless.

He spoke as if he didn’t care about things like the position of sect leader, yet unexpectedly he did care.

How should one carry on a conversation with such a person?

As Bian Bu had said, Qingcheng Taoists had strong personalities, making them inevitably difficult to deal with.

“I understand.”

“Good, you’re magnanimous. Then I’ll teach you go.”

“I’ll learn go later.”

“It would be good to learn now. If you know go, you’ll be able to see the world.”

“Can you play go when you can’t see?”

“A fool who can’t play go despite having perfectly good eyes is more of an idiot than a blind cripple.”

“Hahaha.”

Jin Ja-gang couldn’t help but laugh. It wasn’t wrong, but he was serious then not serious, doing whatever he pleased, so laughter just came out.

“I promise. It will be fun.”

Venerable Woo-am also laughed.

“There are stones there, so pick them up.”

Jin Ja-gang was about to casually pick up the stones placed beside him when he was greatly surprised.

They weren’t smooth and pretty shaped stones like the ones Venerable Woo-am had placed. They were round, thick shells that were all different shapes.

“They’re Clam Shells. It would be good to make them from carnelian, agate, yellow dragon jade, or jade, but we can’t enjoy such luxury in these deep mountains, so we have no choice but to make and use them ourselves.”

Using seashells that only come from the sea in deep mountains was even more luxurious!

“Since I can’t see, they need to make clear sounds so I can tell where you place them. So don’t think of doing it carelessly and carve them well.”

Venerable Woo-am’s stones were reddish stones. Venerable Woo-am picked up a red stone piece, placed it between his palms, and rubbed his palms together.

Scrape scrape. Grind grind.

The stone was ground and stone powder fell like scales.

After roughly making a round shape, he used his fingernail to push and carve the edges on the side. Then he bent his right index finger, fitted the stone into the bent space, and polished it by pushing with his thumb.

After holding the stone and feeling it all over, he nodded in satisfaction.

Venerable Woo-am held the go stone between his index and middle fingers and raised his hand.

“Since it’s your first time, I’ll go first. I’ll start at Small Eye.”

Click.

A crisp sound rang out as the go stone was placed.

A flat, round stone with a reddish luster was placed on a line next to a black dot in one corner of the four sides of the go board.

“You should place yours here. The opposite side where there’s a dot. That’s the Flower Point.”

But Jin Ja-gang just held the shell and stared at it.

Venerable Woo-am urged Jin Ja-gang.

“What are you doing? I’m waiting.”

When Jin Ja-gang didn’t answer, Venerable Woo-am smiled.

“Just playing doesn’t excite you? Then let’s do this. After we finish playing one game of go, I’ll tell you an old story. If you want the Jade Void Nine Light Five Thunder Toad Technique, you won’t be able to resist listening.”