Chapter 307 : A Method
Chapter 307: A Method
After finishing his meeting with Kim Min-soo, Jang Woo-hyun immediately intended to head to the Demon Realm.
Since Seon Tae-gyeong, an exceptional spellcaster, was among the group, he thought reaching the Demon Realm would not be difficult, but—
“All pathways leading to the Demon Realm are likely blocked.”
The plan encountered an obstacle from the very beginning.
“To be more precise, it would be correct to say that the pathways usable by the Captain, connecting the Central Plains Murim and the nearby regions, have been sealed.”
“What do you mean by that? The monkey crossed over without much trouble.”
“That situation was different. First of all, strange beings belonging to the Demon Realm naturally have an easier time moving to other Middle Realms or Lower Realms. And the Great Sage’s clone that traveled with us was not particularly powerful.”
The clone of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven that had accompanied them for some time was roughly equivalent to an Infinite Realm martial artist.
Compared to the current Jang Woo-hyun, it was an extremely small amount of power, and Seon Tae-gyeong could summon a clone of that level.
Furthermore, traveling from the Demon Realm into another world and entering the Demon Realm from another world were entirely different in difficulty.
“Would it be difficult to create something like the pathway we used when we fell into the Blood Devouring Realm?”
“The Heaven-Connecting Blood Realm Gate was a spell Hyun-wol prepared over a very long period of time. As the Captain already knows, a tremendous amount of power was used for it.”
They had sacrificed the Five-Wheel Guardian Deity, who possessed strength comparable to the Ten Seats, and in the Blood Devouring Realm, Baek Jeong-ak, one of the Eight Kings, had aided Hyun-wol.
Seon Tae-gyeong was a talented spellcaster as well, but even he could not create something like the Heaven-Connecting Blood Realm Gate alone.
“You were also able to return so quickly from the Blood Devouring Realm because you used the Heaven-Connecting Blood Realm Gate.”
The distance between Middle Realms was so vast it was difficult to explain physically.
Without using special methods, it could easily take years just to travel.
“The pathways leading to the Demon Realm are not physical spaces. They are more like holes or cracks torn into the world itself. You can think of them as similar to the Spatial Transfer Spell Formations or Heavenly Wood we use. Naturally, the previous Sword Heavenly Lord would never have allowed such holes to remain, so he sealed every one he found.”
Because of the Guardian Sword Heavenly Lord who protected the martial world, there were no remaining pathways leading to the Demon Realm within the Central Plains Murim and the nearby regions.
“If the pathways in the Central Plains Murim are sealed, then there must be pathways elsewhere too, right?”
“Yes. If we leave the territories of the martial world and head toward the cultivators’ domains or beyond the Central Plains Murim, we might find some. The Middle Heaven is unimaginably vast. However, since we do not know their locations, we cannot know how long it would take to find one.”
“Huh? Then are we going to beat up cultivators again?”
Thinking another battle might happen, Seo Ryeom excitedly jumped into the conversation.
However, the moment he saw Jang Woo-hyun’s expression, he shut his mouth and quietly stepped back.
Though he was lighthearted and mischievous, Seo Ryeom was not lacking in awareness.
Leaving behind Seo Ryeom, who retreated into a corner only to get scolded by Mak Ya-wol and Gongson Jung-rak, Jang Woo-hyun organized his thoughts.
‘There’s no time to waste in the cultivators’ territories.’
Even if most Great Ascension cultivators had hidden themselves away, their domains were entirely different from the Central Plains Murim.
He was not afraid of fighting, but he needed to avoid getting dragged into troublesome situations that would waste time.
Based on his experience, cultivators were all insane.
“There’s no other method, is there?”
“I apologize. At the moment, I cannot think of anything else either.”
No matter how exceptional Seon Tae-gyeong was as a spellcaster, he could not create something from nothing.
The companions who had fallen into thought one by one began speaking.
“Let’s go hunt cultivators. If we grab a few and beat them up, we’ll probably figure it out easily.”
“And how long would it take to get there and start fighting again? The distance isn’t exactly short.”
Seo Ryeom’s suggestion was immediately dismissed by Mak Ya-wol.
“There is one martial artist who freely travels between Middle Realms, but…….”
As Gongson Jung-rak trailed off, everyone’s gaze turned toward him.
“……It’s the Demonic Heavenly Lord.”
“Come on, why would you even bring that up?”
“Seriously. That’s not even funny.”
The moment the name Demonic Heavenly Lord was mentioned, Mak Ya-wol and Seo Ryeom reacted with disgust.
The Demonic Heavenly Lord, Muk Geom-yeong.
A being called not merely the strongest in the Central Plains Murim, but the strongest in the entire Middle Heaven.
Fighting him would be far more troublesome than simply heading into the cultivators’ domains.
“Brother Cho, do you have anything?”
“The only thing that comes to mind are dimensional merchants who wander throughout the Middle Realms, but those people aren’t someone you can meet just because you want to. Right now, I don’t have a method either.”
“Then Tae-gyeong and Brother Cho are out. As for the Captain and the old man, you two are useless in situations like this. Seo-hee, the Divine Dragon Family doesn’t have anything hidden away that could help, right? Then you’re out too. Yu-hye’s probably the same. Ha-un, you don’t have anything either, right? Looks like there’s no method for now.”
“I just thought of something.”
“Hm?”
“What?”
“What is it?”
Having gathered everyone’s attention, Jin Ha-un spoke the thought that had just come to him.
“Let’s go ask the Great Human Kingdom for help.”
“The Great Human Kingdom? Why suddenly there?”
Gongson Jung-rak, who had only joined the group later, did not understand, but the others all let out small exclamations at the mention of the Great Human Kingdom.
“That’s right!”
“Oh, the Great Human Kingdom existed.”
When they had rescued the giants whose power was being stolen by the Giant King Ban Un-hwang, Po Uk, their representative, had said this:
-We have a ship in the Great Human Kingdom. One capable of reaching very distant places.
Jin Ha-un had remembered the ship Po Uk mentioned back then.
“Lady Cho-su, do you think it’s possible?”
“Well. I can’t guarantee it, but I think it’s worth hoping for. Considering they said it can travel great distances. Even if it can’t take us directly to the Demon Realm, reaching somewhere nearby or somewhere with another pathway more quickly would still be useful. It doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”
At Cho-su’s words, everyone nodded.
Seeing the reactions of his companions, Jang Woo-hyun also made his decision.
‘We’ll go to the Great Human Kingdom and ask for help.’
It was not certain, but it was currently the most useful method available.
And coincidentally, there was something else he needed to confirm there as well.
‘The Record Keepers of the Great Human Kingdom.’
The people who might possess records regarding the True Martial God.
Because of Jin Ha-un’s suggestion, the Demon-Extinguishing Brigade’s next destination was decided.
---
The Great Human Kingdom belonged to the Middle Heavenly World, but it was located far from the place called the Central Plains Murim.
Jang Woo-hyun considered traveling alone with Shrinking the Earth, but ultimately decided to move together with the group.
There were things to organize, and things they needed to discuss.
“Did you have something you wanted to say?”
Though Jang Woo-hyun had gathered his companions together because he had something to discuss, he found it difficult to open his mouth.
Everyone looked confused, but Cho-su and Jin Ha-un could roughly guess what he was about to say from his expression.
“Woo-hyun.”
To ease Jang Woo-hyun’s burden, Cho-su spoke first.
“You’re planning to go to the Demon Realm alone, aren’t you?”
“Huh? What do you mean the Captain’s going alone?”
Everyone around them flinched in shock.
Other than Cho-su, every single one of them stared at Jang Woo-hyun with shaken eyes.
“Isn’t it obvious? Even if we go along now, we’ll just become baggage.”
“Now hold on there, Brother Cho. Why would we just be baggage? Even if I look like this, I’m considered one of the top experts of the Hundred Martial Assembly. The Captain’s just too strong. We’re not weak.”
“The place we’re heading is the Demon Realm. It’s different from the Middle Heaven.”
Even if there were countless powerful martial artists and battle-crazed warriors, the Central Plains Murim still possessed civilization.
There were cities, and there were rules and boundaries most people followed in common.
Even in the martial world of Blade Mountains and Sword Forests.
Because of that, even powerful martial artists were restricted by organizations and could not always act freely.
But the Demon Realm was different.
That place was no different from a jungle filled with savage beasts.
“If someone as strong as Woo-hyun enters, even the chaotic Demon Realm won’t be able to ignore it. We won’t know who attacks or what kind of creature suddenly appears. Demon beasts aren’t beings we can predict. And it’s not like there are only a few of them either.”
Demon beasts.
Strange and sinister existences.
Impossible to predict with a human mind.
“Thunder Fortress and the rest of us might be able to help. But what happens if we encounter someone as strong as Woo-hyun? He might have to protect all of us while fighting. Unless it’s the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, we’d only be baggage.”
It was such a cold and rational assessment that no one could easily respond.
But there was still one Beastkin who refused to give up.
“Right, well said. The Captain’s there, and once we reach the Demon Realm, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven will be there too. It’ll be fine even if we move together. The Captain and the Great Sage could handle any strange creature.”
At Seo Ryeom’s words, Cho-su snorted.
“I think everyone here is misunderstanding something.”
Cho-su looked around once at all the companions before speaking.
“The Great Sage Equaling Heaven isn’t our ally. He only traveled with us because of Woo-hyun.”
It was true.
They had spent time together, but no one except Jang Woo-hyun had ever been comfortable around the Great Sage Equaling Heaven.
The Monkey King Great Sage Equaling Heaven.
The battle-crazed Great Demon of the Demon Realm.
If Jang Woo-hyun had not been there, that monster might have ripped apart one member of the group every time they spoke.
“…….”
At Cho-su’s pointed remark, Seo Ryeom could not say a single word.
Once even he fell silent, the entire area became quiet.
“Lady Cho-su is right. I think this is something I have to handle alone.”
The Demon Realm was dangerous, and if he wanted to find Kim Min-soo quickly, moving alone would be easier.
“But still…….”
At times like this, Jin Ha-un hated Jang Woo-hyun’s talent more than ever.
His talent was so overwhelming that it was difficult not only to stand beside him, but even to follow behind him.
He wanted to help somehow, yet he always ended up unable to.
“Why are you saying you’re not helpful?”
Seeing Jin Ha-un’s gloomy expression, Jang Woo-hyun immediately realized what he was thinking.
“If you weren’t there, I might not have fought properly in the Blood Devouring Realm. And if the people here weren’t around, fighting the Divine Dragon Family wouldn’t have been easy either. We wouldn’t have found traces of Senior Kim. I’m only going alone this time. Actually, if you think about it, I won’t even be alone. The monkey will be there once I reach the Demon Realm.”
Even after Jang Woo-hyun tried comforting him, Jin Ha-un’s mood did not improve much.
“We haven’t even separated yet, so why are you acting like that? We’re still going together to the Great Human Kingdom first. Woo-hyun doesn’t even know where it is anyway.”
“Uh…… that’s true.”
Seeing that Jang Woo-hyun remained exactly the same both in the Central Plains and the Middle Heaven, Jin Ha-un finally let out a small laugh.
Just as the atmosphere around him improved slightly—
Yong Seo-hee approached the group.
“Oppa!”
Urgency filled Yong Seo-hee’s face.
Everyone immediately focused on her, wondering what had happened.
“People from the Heavenly Sword Family have arrived at the main house. They’re looking for you, Oppa.”
The Heavenly Sword Family that had collapsed and disappeared after losing to Yong Cheon-myeong and the Divine Dragon Family.
The group that followed the Sword Immortal had requested a meeting with Jang Woo-hyun.
---
The Demon-Extinguishing Brigade, which had been preparing to head toward the Great Human Kingdom, changed course and headed to the main house of the Divine Dragon Family instead.
Jang Woo-hyun wanted to meet the followers of Sword Immortal Yeo Dong-bin anyway, and since it was not far off from their original route, he did not hesitate much.
An open field quite some distance away from the main house of the Divine Dragon Family.
As Thunder Fortress descended, people approached it.
There were roughly twenty of them.
Every one of them possessed exceptional skill.
Even compared to the members of the Demon-Extinguishing Brigade, they were not inferior.
Unlike the Demon-Extinguishing Brigade, however, those twenty-plus people moved as though they were a single entity.
It felt like a gigantic sword thrusting forward.
The most eye-catching among them was the short old man standing at the front.
Despite his wrinkled face, the aura he emitted was the sharpest among the martial artists of the Heavenly Sword Family.
“Yeo Il-mun.”
Gongson Jung-rak, who had been following directly behind Jang Woo-hyun, recognized the old man.
“He is the Great Elder of the Heavenly Sword Family. As for his realm— ah, I suppose there’s no need to explain.”
The auras of the Heavenly Sword Family martial artists fluctuated slightly.
Gongson Jung-rak was a famous expert of the Hundred Martial Assembly.
Seeing him treat the man before them with such respect naturally caused their reactions.
However, Yeo Il-mun’s aura remained unchanged.
From the beginning, he had already roughly sensed Jang Woo-hyun’s level of strength.
“Hah, who do these bastards think they are, throwing around their aura like that?”
Apparently displeased by how proudly the Heavenly Sword Family martial artists stood, Seo Ryeom stomped forward first.
Perhaps because he was frustrated over being unable to follow Jang Woo-hyun, he wanted to vent his irritation on someone.
“You bastards, how dare you stand so stiffly in front of—”
“We greet our benefactor.”
“We greet our benefactor!”
Beginning with Yeo Il-mun, the Heavenly Sword Family martial artists clasped their fists and bowed.
“They’re not raising their heads, they’re bowing.”
Seo Ryeom, who had approached as if ready to start trouble, suddenly found himself with nothing left to say halfway through.