Chapter 122
Martial Alliance Headquarters—
Abbess Hongryeon was poisoned, but she had no time to spare for recuperation.
There was the matter of the White Lotus Cult, and the tasks she had to take over from the former Alliance Leader, Ha Won-sang, were piled up like a mountain.
However, drawing on her long experience as the leader of the Emei Sect, she processed the numerous tasks with swift efficiency.
She evenly distributed the first-term graduates of the academy, the cadres, into five divisions named after Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, sending them out to the branch offices spread throughout the Central Plains, while also focusing on handling and responding to the White Lotus Cult.
Furthermore, she selected pro-Alliance Leader figures to create a 'Secret Organization Task Force' and secretly devoted her efforts to rooting out spies.
Zhuge Hyuk, the official second-in-command, supported Abbess Hongryeon's enthusiasm and focused on establishing future plans and policies for the survival of the Orthodox Path. For the time being, the Moyong Family, Baek In-hwa, the Beggars' Sect, the Zhongnan Sect, and the Shaolin Temple expressed their intention to actively support Abbess Hongryeon.
Although she had become the Alliance Leader in a foggy political situation where one could not see an inch ahead and during an unstable time, she did not consider herself unlucky, as she had powerful allies.
Moreover.
'So-ah will definitely find the antidote.'
She trusted So-ah more than anyone.
Her trust in him was gradually becoming close to blind faith.
A master in her 70s, an old woman.
It was indeed a laughable matter for the leader of the Martial Alliance, who led the entire Orthodox Path, to rely on a young man.
But in the current martial world, who would dare to look down on So-ah?
Setting aside the fact that he was the disciple of the God of War, Moyong Cheon, he had the Bandit King and the Waterway King as his sworn brothers, had a special relationship with the mysterious figure from Goryeo, and was under the protection of the Martial Alliance Leader, the Beggars' Sect Leader, and the Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace.
Furthermore, So-ah's martial arts had long since transcended such worldly backgrounds.
No matter how stubborn one was, they could not look down on one of the Ten Great Masters of the Orthodox Path.
Currently, So-ah's fame was truly shaking the entire martial world.
***
Liaoning, Moyong Family Estate—
Moyong Baek's party, upon returning to the family estate, could not hide their astonishment.
Their schedule had been prolonged due to an unexpected incident, but it had only been less than three months since they had left home...
In that time, the Moyong Family estate had changed beyond recognition.
Splendid annexes and pavilions had been built around the main house.
Befitting new buildings, they boasted a refined beauty, and at a glance, it was clear that an astronomical amount of construction costs had been invested.
'Ah...! Our ancestors should have seen this!'
'Although it's not as grand as the Namgung Family, the masters of Anhui, this is still... How happy Father would have been if he were here.'
Moyong Baek was moved with excitement, and Yeon So-so was so touched that tears almost welled up in her eyes.
But it was too early to be surprised.
As Moyong Baek's party entered the estate, their eyes became as wide as lanterns.
"Family Head!"
"Madam!"
Along with the cheerful greetings of familiar faces.
"Ah! You must be the Family Head!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I came from Gwangju..."
"I'm from Hubei..."
"From Jilin Province..."
"From Jiangxi..."
Because members of the Moyong clan, who had gathered from all over the country, were greeting them with polite and respectful attitudes.
"Ah...!"
A short gasp escaped.
How long had he dreamed of this?
It would still take a long time to gather all the scattered Moyong clan members in the world.
But at this moment, Moyong Baek was engulfed in a sense of accomplishment, as if he had achieved a long-cherished wish.
'Father... thank you for sending So-ah to me.'
He couldn't even remember how many times he had expressed such gratitude to his deceased father in his heart.
But every time, in every matter, Moyong Baek could not help but be surprised by So-ah's drive and ability, and even now, looking at the clan members who had come to the estate, he felt truly grateful to So-ah and his father.
'Yes... I must accomplish the many things that my father's generation could not. So that in So-ah's, Hwa-ah's, and Su-ya's generation... our family can live in a glorious era that is not inferior to the Namgung, Tang, and Zhuge families. I must do my best!'
As he was immersed in such emotions, an elderly man, who was Moyong Baek's sixth cousin, appeared with a young man of fine build.
"Baek-ah."
"Yes, Uncle."
"Yes?!"
At the old man's words, Moyong Baek and the young man reacted at the same time.
At that, the old man laughed, and Moyong Baek and the young man stared at each other blankly.
"Hoho. I wasn't calling the Family Head. I was calling this child."
"Ahem. I see, Uncle..."
"Kehkeh! How could I speak informally to the Family Head? Anyway, Baek-ah. This is the Family Head of our main family. Hurry up and greet him."
At the old man's words, the young man hurriedly bowed to Moyong Baek and cupped his fists.
"Ah! You must be the Family Head. I am Yi Baek, who has recently been accepted as an external disciple of the main family. I entered as the top disciple of Master Jin."
At that.
"Ah! So you are So-ah's top disciple?"
Not only Moyong Baek, but Yeon So-so also looked at Yi Baek with shining eyes.
"But why are you so wet? As if you were caught in the rain..."
"Um... that is, Family Head. I'm not wet from the rain, but my clothes are soaked because I sweated a lot."
"Sweat?"
At Yi Baek's words, Moyong Baek could not hide his surprise.
And for good reason, as Yi Baek's clothes were so drenched, like a drowned rat, that it was hard to believe it was from sweat.
However.
"Hoho. Family Head. Don't even mention it. This child's perseverance is so tenacious that he is always in this state because he immerses himself in training all day long, except for when he eats and sleeps."
'No...!'
He didn't know how many times he had been surprised today alone.
'I heard he was the son of Chairman Yi Kun-hee of the Yi family of Shandong... I thought he would be arrogant and lazy. How can he be so diligent?'
As expected, So-ah must have a good eye for people.
Subconsciously, Moyong Baek had wondered if Yi Baek's background had been a factor in So-ah choosing him as his top disciple.
But the reality was different.
The innocence and purity, and the disposition and temperament glimpsed in Yi Baek's eyes and behavior, which held a flame-like passion, resembled the So-ah of the past.
"Did you say your name is Yi Baek?"
"Yes, Family Head."
"You seem to be working hard."
"Yes..."
"I heard you are the son of the Yi family of Shandong."
"That is correct."
"If you are the son of the Yi family, shouldn't you be learning business and dreaming of becoming the wealthiest man in the Central Plains in the future? But why are you so dedicated to martial arts?"
At Moyong Baek's question, Yi Baek could not answer readily.
But soon, his two eyes shone with a firm conviction.
"That is..."
"..."
"Because I am a disciple of the Moyong Family."
A moment of silence.
At the unexpected answer, everyone in the hall was speechless.
At first glance, it seemed like a trivial answer.
But there could be no clearer answer than that.
"That is enough."
Moyong Baek simply patted Yi Baek's shoulder once and turned away.
But Yeon So-so could see the faint smile on his face.
A smile of utter joy.
***
"Wow! These things are really crazy, crazy! Damn it, you xxx!"
A string of curses erupted from So-ah's mouth as he poured out Fist Aura like a storm of fists.
So-ah had thought that the eighteen Vajra Copper Men were some kind of illusion.
So, he had believed that although it wouldn't be easy, he could subdue them if he used all his strength...
Unfortunately, the bastards were not just Vajra Copper Men in appearance, but 'genuine' Vajra Copper Men, boasting an iron-blooded endurance.
Kwa-aaang!
"Please!"
Kwa-aaang!
"Just!"
Kwa-rururung!
"Die! Huh?"
After hitting them again and again, he realized that the bastards were as hard as the Snow Mountain Giants he had experienced in the North Sea.
The silver lining was that thanks to the <Protective Talisman> given by Jeon Woo-chi, he could automatically defend himself even if his body was exposed to the attacks of the Vajra Copper Men.
To make matters worse, as if even that had run its course, for the first time, So-ah's body was hit.
'Keut...'
A pain as if he had been hit by a sledgehammer intensely stimulated So-ah's nerves.
It was, without a doubt, the greatest crisis he had faced since his confrontation with the Rain and Heavenly Demon Sword, No Yeong-myeong.
But just then.
A strange phenomenon manifested from So-ah's body.
A blue smoke began to rise from his entire body.
'This is...?'
So-ah instinctively realized that the power he had felt when Jeon Woo-chi recited the 「Prayer of Blessing」 just before entering the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons was related to this current power.
And...
'My body feels like it's going to fly.'
The efficacy of the prayer of blessing was far superior to that of the <Protective Talisman>.
Even amidst the fierce offensive of the Vajra Copper Men's palms, fists, and kicks, So-ah's body followed the path of survival like a scattering mirage.
Kwa-aaang, kwa-rururung!
Now, every time he executed a technique, a deep blue lightning automatically flowed out from So-ah's fists and palms, and as if it was working, the bodies of the Vajra Copper Men crumpled like twisted steel.
'Right! The effect of this prayer of blessing will also last for a certain period of time like the protective talisman and then disappear.'
So-ah sensed that this overflowing power was by no means permanent.
Therefore.
'I have to make a decisive move.'
This very moment, when an unprecedented power from a spell resided in his body, was the only way to draw out all his strength and annihilate the Vajra Copper Men in one fell swoop.
Immediately, So-ah amplified the power of the <Great Purity Ultimate Divine Pill> sleeping deep within his body and, at the same time, raised his Great Whale energy to its limit.
At that.
An unexperienced, immense power flowed from his lower dantian to his middle dantian.
From the middle dantian to the upper dantian.
It then spread to every corner of his fine meridians and finally awakened all the cells in his body, exploding like an active volcano.
'Ah...!'
That power was like a mighty wave.
At the same time, So-ah, who had released the black iron from his four limbs, shot out at a speed that was truly impossible to follow, like a ray of light.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-gang!
Starting with the thunder-infused Heaven-Shattering Consecutive Cannon, the grand feast of the Ten-Second Invincible Arts, which was all-weather and fiercely powerful, from the Iron Head Art, Human Sword Strike (elbow), Heavenly Bird Lightning Strike (knee), High Killing Eight Walls (shoulder), to the Tsunami Explosion Kick (kick), embroidered the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons.
Kwa-rururung!
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
It was truly a terrifying display of empty-handed martial arts.
Every time he struck, a gust of wind reminiscent of a waterspout unfolded, and a great fog arose between heaven and earth.
In that moment.
So-ah's thoughts stopped.
A state of selflessness.
The series of powerful ultimate techniques, derived from a transcendent state of no-thought and no-self, went against the laws of nature and achieved a supersonic speed that humans could not produce.
Kwa-rururung!
At some point, So-ah's body seemed to have stopped, as if it were not moving.
But the lightning still surged, and lightning bolts struck down on the eighteen Vajra Copper Men.
'I am...'
Only then did So-ah suddenly come to his senses.
For a moment, So-ah had lost consciousness in the subspace of his soul, but as he recognized the situation, he could not help but be surprised by his own immense power.
'I am...'
So-ah, who had been unconsciously extending his fist towards the chest of a Vajra Copper Man, had reached the state of 'no-thought, no-self' that his grandfather had spoken of in his lifetime.
Namely.
—So-ah. In life, when your will transcends the shell of your physical body, you will experience a state of 'awakening'. When that time comes, you will understand why your grandfather emphasizes tenacity. The outcome of a battle is never determined by the level of one's martial arts. Only strong tenacity, only tenacity can draw it out.
He had reached the 'awakened state'.
Instead.
'The awakened state is accompanied by tremendous aftereffects...'
The price was by no means light, but.
Fortunately, by the time he realized it.
Kwa-rururung!
So-ah's Fist Aura was neatly smashing the head of the eighteenth Vajra Copper Man.
Ka-ga-ga-gang...
A gruesome roar of tearing metal.
At the same time, surprisingly, the eighteen Vajra Copper Men, who had been horribly crumpled and smashed, vaporized with a poof! and scattered into the air.
Also.
Just like in the trial of the first room, in the place where the eighteen Vajra Copper Men had been, a white piece of paper in the shape of a person leisurely flew away on the wind.
"So they were illusions after all."
It was then.
[You have overcome the trial of the second room. You will be given the <Vajra Copper Man Divine Pill> and a gift from the manor keeper... O chosen one... I hope to meet you in the third trial...]
Only after hearing the summons did So-ah, whose whole body had relaxed, lose consciousness and collapse to the ground.
Thud—
But even as he collapsed, So-ah,
'I did it! I hit the jackpot!'
...curled the corners of his lips as he saw the rewards of the second room pouring out in a dazzling array of colors.
Just then.
"Kik-kik—"
A baby beast with a strange appearance, like a monkey but clearly not a monkey, smiled and leaped onto the stomach of the collapsed So-ah, tickling his face.
(End of Chapter)