Chapter 100 – Returning to the Palace (7)

Yu-jin bowed his head, rose from his seat, and left the grand hall. The emperor’s conquest of the Western Regions would be discussed later with his ministers, and it was not a matter for Yu-jin to interfere in.

“Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven…”

Yu-jin thought of the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven as he walked.

Hailed as the greatest martial artist from the Potala Palace, with its centuries-old tradition, ten thousand martial artists from the Western Regions followed him, and he even had the support of their royal family.

But none of that was particularly important to Yu-jin. What he truly feared was the Great Dharma Master’s power.

To even injure him, one would need a martial art with power equal to or greater than the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword.

‘In the original story, Yong-hoon was the one who killed the Great Dharma Master, but he didn’t do it alone.’

In the original story he wrote, Kang Yong-hoon joined forces with the Sword Empress, known as the greatest female martial artist of the current era, and the Thunder Sword Emperor, the former patriarch of the Namgung Clan, to attack the Great Dharma Master. Three of the Central Plains’ absolute masters had swallowed their pride and attacked as one, just to take down a single man.

But the Great Dharma Master did not die easily. He didn’t have regenerative abilities like the Heavenly Demon or Yu-jin, but his defensive power was immense. He possessed a powerful protective energy called the Heavenly Light Body Armor, which was equal to or even surpassed the Golden Wheel Heavenly Aura in terms of defense, making him immune to most attacks.

To even injure him, one would need a martial art with power equal to or greater than Kang Yong-hoon’s in the original story, or the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword that Yu-jin was now learning.

“And it’s not just his defense that’s strong.”

Moreover, having mastered countless martial arts of the Western Regions, he was a monster among monsters.

In the original story, the three absolute masters of the Central Plains fought for three days and nights before they could finally kill the Great Dharma Master.

In the process, the Thunder Sword Emperor lost his life, and the Sword Empress had to recuperate for over a year, which gave a measure of the Great Dharma Master’s strength.

“But I am confident I can defeat the Great Dharma Master.”

However, that wasn’t the real problem. The problem was the Divine Sword Emperor, Kang Yu-hyeon—his father. If he joined the Martial Alliance as the Divine Sword Dragon, he would inevitably have to work with the True Dragon Sword Clan.

That meant coming face-to-face with the Divine Sword Emperor, Kang Yu-hyeon, and frankly, Yu-jin wanted to avoid seeing his ‘father’ at all costs.

“Even if I’ve hidden myself thoroughly, ‘father’s’ eyes are all over the Central Plains. He’s probably already gauged the extent of my power by now. He certainly doesn’t want me to get any stronger, so he’ll make his move when I show an opening after fighting the Great Dharma Master.”

But he couldn’t avoid fighting the Great Dharma Master either. Besides himself and Kang Yu-hyeon, there was no one among the absolute masters of the Central Plains who could defeat him.

While there were a few other absolute masters like the Thunder Sword Emperor and the Sword Empress, it was far from certain that their martial arts could penetrate the Great Dharma Master’s powerful protective energy.

“Well, I’ve gathered powerful female martial artists around me to prepare for all these scenarios, so I won’t just be a sitting duck.”

To protect himself, Yu-jin had been gathering numerous female masters. With Bukri Eun and Han So-un by his side, in particular, it was certain that even Kang Yu-hyeon wouldn’t dare make a move easily.

“And now, if I add just one more person, my victory will be assured.”

The final woman Yu-jin was targeting was the one who held the title of ‘Sword Empress’.

* * *

The Western Regions are located southwest of the Central Plains. For them to advance into the Central Plains, they would naturally have to pass through either Sichuan or Gansu.

The martial artists of the Potala Palace headed for Sichuan. Strategically, this was a strange move.

Sichuan was home to major sects like the Sichuan Tang Clan, the hegemon of the region, as well as the Emei and Qingcheng Sects of the Nine Great Sects. In contrast, Gansu’s only major sect was the Kongtong Sect, also of the Nine Great Sects.

In other words, the Potala Palace was choosing to attack the stronger Sichuan, leaving the weaker Gansu alone. This also meant that the martial artists of Sichuan were being utterly disregarded.

“The martial artists of Sichuan have been completely slighted, and you’re telling us to run? What are you talking about!”

The patriarch of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the Dark Poison King, Dang Jin-hak, roared in fury at the martial artist dispatched as a messenger from the Martial Alliance.

The messenger was a man named Yun Ho-jun, the Storm Sword, who served as a guardian in the Martial Alliance.

“I’m not telling you to run, Patriarch! This isn’t just the forces of the Potala Palace on the move! It’s no exaggeration to say it’s the entirety of the Western Regions’ martial world! There’s no way the martial artists of Sichuan alone can stop them!”

The Dark Poison King, Dang Jin-hak, was a master of the Transformation Realm and one of the Twelve Kings. And while the Sichuan Tang Clan’s assassination and poison techniques were exceptional, it was uncertain if they would work on the Great Dharma Master.

And even if they did, it was impossible to stop ten thousand martial artists from the Western Regions with the forces of Sichuan alone.

It wasn’t that Dang Jin-hak didn’t know this. But martial clans and sects were fundamentally the local powers of their regions. It was unthinkable for them to abandon their homes and flee.

“The Qingcheng and Emei Sects have already resolved to head to the Martial Alliance. To fight and die here would be a dog’s death, Patriarch. Surely you can feel it even more keenly than I can—this intense fighting spirit!”

Just as Yun Ho-jun said, the fighting spirit of the Western Regions’ martial artists was so immense that it reached them even from a great distance.

And Dang Jin-hak, whose senses were the sharpest among them, understood its meaning best.

As Yun Ho-jun had said, the forces of the Potala Palace were an enemy they couldn’t defeat, no matter how prepared they were to die.

Lost in thought for a moment, Dang Jin-hak soon shouted loudly.

“Jin-un!”

“Yes, brother!”

At Dang Jin-hak’s call, a middle-aged man stepped forward. His aura was incredibly fierce, marking him as no ordinary master.

“Take all the clan members except for the Poison King Brigade and join the Martial Alliance. I will remain with the Poison King Brigade and show them the spirit of Sichuan’s men.”

“Brother!”

“Patriarch!”

Yun Ho-jun and Dang Jin-un cried out in alarm at Dang Jin-hak’s words. But Dang Jin-hak’s decision was unshakable. In the end, the two failed to persuade him.

“Kekeke, if it’s the patriarch’s command, well, that doesn’t sound too bad.”

“We’ve lived long enough anyway, and we’ve already passed down the clan’s ultimate techniques to the younger generation. It’s not a bad way to go, dying like a true warrior.”

The martial artists of the Poison King Brigade stepped forward. They were all old men with snow-white hair, but no one there would dare dismiss them as merely old.

The members of the Poison King Brigade were also known as the elders, and it was no exaggeration to call them the strongest martial artists of the current Sichuan Tang Clan. They all smiled, exuding confidence.

“Take this.”

Dang Jin-un unconsciously reached out and took the two secret manuals Dang Jin-hak handed him.

On the cover of the top manual were the words *Ten Thousand Poisons True Arts*. It was the Tang Clan’s ultimate poison art, a technique said to be learnable only by the patriarch.

The other manual was the *Dark Heaven True Arts*, which contained the clan’s supreme assassination techniques. The secrets to the *Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers*, the pinnacle of the Tang Clan’s assassination arts, were also within the *Dark Heaven True Arts*.

“Jin-un. The moment you arrive at the Martial Alliance, you will be the patriarch of the Tang Clan.”

Finally, Dang Jin-hak handed Dang Jin-un the patriarch’s token.

“Take good care of my son and daughter at the Martial Alliance.”

He was referring to Dang Geon-woo and Dang Ga-hee. Dang Jin-un nodded in response.

“I… I will bear it in mind… brother…”

Dang Jin-un fought back tears as he tucked everything he had received into his robes.

“Now, go with the rest of the family.”

The attack units were already prepared for battle, and the other clan members who did not practice martial arts had already been sent to evacuate, so it was not difficult for the remaining people to leave.

“Brother… Are you really not coming with us?”

“Are you defying the patriarch’s command?”

“N-No, sir!”

At Dang Jin-hak’s low question, Dang Jin-un hastily denied it. In the end, he led the martial artists of the clan and headed for the Martial Alliance headquarters with Yun Ho-jun.

And so, the thirty elders of the Poison King Brigade and the Dark Poison King, Dang Jin-hak, waited for the martial artists of the Western Regions to arrive.

When his resolve spread throughout Sichuan, a death squad of some three hundred warriors soon gathered from all over the province.

They were men who had gathered to show the spirit of Sichuan, even if it meant dying.

* * *

Four days later. The martial artists of the Western Regions, led by the Potala Palace, finally arrived in Chengdu, the heart of Sichuan. Their garments were magnificent, and their movements were impeccably solemn.

But it was not their appearance that the martial artists of Sichuan feared. An intense fighting spirit, so powerful it seemed to shake the very ground, was bearing down on them.

“They’re insane…”

Their fighting spirit was so intense that it even unnerved the great Dark Poison King, Dang Jin-hak. The martial artists standing behind the Poison King Brigade began to stir uneasily.

They had joined the death squad fully prepared to die, but the sheer presence of the Western Regions’ martial artists was so overwhelming that it made their resolve seem meaningless.

“Do not be afraid! We have already resolved to die! We are here only to show the spirit of Sichuan’s men! So do not be afraid!”

Dang Jin-hak infused his voice with internal energy and shouted, finally calming the warriors. After all, none of them had joined the death squad expecting to win.

The martial artists of Sichuan hardened their resolve and gripped their weapons tightly. And finally, the monks of the Potala Palace and the warriors of the Western Regions approached them.

“Did you really think you could stop us with just this?”

An old monk spoke to the Sichuan warriors with a sneer unbefitting of a monk.

But Dang Jin-hak did not fall for the provocation. He could tell that the monk was a master whose skill was in no way inferior to his own. And behind him stood six more masters of the same caliber.

“That is enough, Lawang. These are men who have remained, prepared to die. You should commend their will, not mock it.”

As a young man in golden monastic robes stepped forward and spoke, Lawang and the countless other martial artists of the Western Regions immediately bowed.

Not one of them dared to look the young man in the eye.

In contrast, Dang Jin-hak and the Sichuan warriors could see the young man clearly, and they were utterly shocked.

A subtle pressure crushed down on them, making their very souls cry out in terror.

“My disciple has been rude. I am the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven.”

It should have been strange for a young man to refer to himself as ‘this old monk’, but the Sichuan warriors couldn’t even process that thought. They could only stare at him with blank faces.

“This old monk commends your will. Therefore, I have decided to grant you a measure of mercy. I will give you one quarter-hour. Show me your ultimate techniques to your heart’s content. Before you die, you should show what kind of men you were.”

The Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven spoke mercifully, but the content of his words was a complete dismissal of the Sichuan warriors.