Chapter 119 – Revenge, and a Trap (1)

Han Won-ha swore to take revenge upon realizing that Yu-jin was the fiend who had nearly annihilated his family and killed his father and younger brother.

But the more he investigated for the sake of his revenge, the more he learned of Yu-jin’s power, which was far beyond what he could dare to face.

Not only the Imperial Court but also the Namgung Clan, renowned as the most traditional among the Five Great Clans and considered the best of them, was backing Yu-jin.

In addition, the Cheonsan Lee Clan, known as the strongest individual power after the True Dragon Sword Clan, was also supporting Yu-jin. Such formidable strength was not something Han Won-ha could handle.

‘Of course, it wouldn’t be impossible with time.’

If he were to become the head of the military faction he currently belonged to, it wouldn’t be impossible to pressure Yu-jin and exact his revenge. But the fury boiling in his chest was too great to postpone his vengeance for that long.

They say a gentleman’s revenge takes ten years, but he was no gentleman. At last, an opportunity came for Han Won-ha, who so desperately craved revenge.

News that Yu-jin was acting together with a group called the Heavenly Dragon Brigade reached his ears as he was preparing for the western campaign.

With his outstanding martial arts, exceptional leadership, and profound knowledge of military strategy, it was only natural for him to represent the military faction in the war.

As a result, there was one significant advantage for him: he could constantly receive information from the Eastern Depot. He could now easily obtain information about martial artists, which had been difficult to access before.

‘The most important thing in this war is coordination with the martial artists.’

While the martial artists of the Central Plains tied down the Western Regions’ martial world and defeated them, the Imperial army planned to advance into the Western Regions and completely occupy them.

The military strength of the Western Regions had been greatly diminished as almost all their martial artists had set out to conquer the Central Plains, and the Empire had more than enough power to seize such a land.

Given the situation, the Beggars’ Sect and the Underworld Sect had formed an alliance with the Eastern Depot, allowing the Imperial Court to know what operations the Martial Alliance was conducting and how they were moving. And that information was immediately passed on to Han Won-ha.

‘This is a chance given to me by the heavens.’

Having obtained information on what Yu-jin would do next, Han Won-ha headed straight for Chongqing, where the Western Regions’ martial world was based.

By regulating his body with his superior martial arts and switching horses, he was able to minimize his travel time.

And at last, he stood before the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven, who was called the god of the Western Regions.

‘So this is the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven. What an overwhelming presence.’

It felt like seeing a divine beast, a dragon, rather than a human. Just meeting his eyes felt as if his very being was being read. The Master’s youthful appearance didn’t even register in his eyes.

In contrast, the disciples standing beside the Great Dharma Master all watched Han Won-ha with wary eyes. Seeing this, Han Won-ha felt a laugh rising from within.

He lacked the skill to even scratch the disciples of the Great Dharma Master, let alone the Master himself. It was laughable that they were so cautious just because he was wearing armor.

“There is no need to be on guard. I have merely come to make a deal.”

“Hmph? A deal? I have no deals to make with someone from the Central Plains!”

“Lawang.”

Lawang, who had been watching him with the most suspicion, fell silent at the Great Dharma Master’s command.

At that sight, Han Won-ha could once again feel the powerful presence of the Great Dharma Master.

Even to his eyes, which were on a lower plane of mastery, Lawang was an incredible expert, yet the Great Dharma Master had subdued and calmed the man’s spirit with a single word.

‘His Majesty the Emperor may be called a dragon, but this man might be the true dragon.’

Han Won-ha thought to himself as he began to speak.

“I desire one thing! The death of Kang Yu-jin. You also know that he and his Heavenly Dragon Brigade are an obstacle. I have information on where and how they will operate.”

Han Won-ha could see the bewildered expressions on the faces of the Great Dharma Master’s disciples.

And understandably so. Yu-jin’s exploits had been truly remarkable. If he hadn’t been the fiend who killed his family members, Han Won-ha himself would have admired Yu-jin’s achievements and pondered how to coordinate with him to attack the forces of the Western Regions.

But in his heart, Yu-jin was already a dead man, and one could not coordinate with the dead.

‘They lack information. This is the land of the Central Plains, and the forces of the Beggars’ Sect, the Underworld Sect, and the Eastern Depot are spread throughout. And all information has been cut off due to the Heavenly Dragon Brigade’s activities. They have no choice but to take the hand I’m offering. But it is truly difficult to meet the Great Dharma Master’s gaze.’

Although it was clearly a good proposal, the Great Dharma Master did not answer easily and simply stared at Han Won-ha.

Han Won-ha could feel cold sweat trickling down his spine.

But he did not turn his head away from the Great Dharma Master’s gaze, continuing to look at his opponent steadfastly. Despite the man having a younger face than his own, he felt no awkwardness.

“What is your name? And your rank?”

“My name is Han Won-ha, and I serve as a Lieutenant General of the Empire.”

Thinking that the Great Dharma Master had taken the bait, Han Won-ha smiled. He then handed over all the information he had on the Heavenly Dragon Brigade to Nima.

Upon receiving it, Nima felt a thrill of joy. The documents detailed the future movements of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade, the group that had brought him great humiliation.

Unlike their previous actions of simply intercepting the Western Regions’ detachments, their new movements were aimed at completely severing the hands and feet of the Western Regions’ martial artists.

“Master, we must verify this more closely, but for now, this information all seems to be genuine.”

At Nima’s words, the Great Dharma Master looked at Han Won-ha with emotionless eyes and spoke again.

“You are from the Central Plains. May I ask why you wish for Kang Yu-jin’s death?”

“Revenge. He murdered my father. As a man, is it not my duty to avenge my father’s death? However, my own power is insufficient, so I entrust it to the Western Regions’ martial world.”

“Murder by another’s hand? How dare you look upon us as…”

“Lawang, I do not recall giving you permission to speak.”

Flinch!

A powerful aura emanated from the Great Dharma Master’s entire body, and Lawang whimpered and stepped back again.

“Why give information only on the Heavenly Dragon Brigade?”

“You and I are fundamentally enemies. If I had the power to kill Kang Yu-jin myself, I would not have reached out to you. Unfortunately, I lack such power. But to kill him, I will not hesitate to join hands with you, my enemy. However, do not ask me for any other information. You are still invaders, and I have a duty to repel you.”

As he spoke, Han Won-ha drew the saber from his waist and held it to his own neck. It was a powerful expression of his will to give no further information.

“Sheathe your saber. I have one thing to say to you. Will you not become my disciple?”

At the Great Dharma Master’s words, Han Won-ha stared at him with a look of utter shock. But the ones who were even more surprised were none other than the Great Dharma Master’s current disciples.

“Master, how can you accept someone from the Central Plains!”

Lawang and the other disciples, who had been silent for a moment, all rose in protest. They were all of noble blood from the Western Regions and held great pride in their lineage and current standing.

To accept a man from the Central Plains with unknown intentions? It was absolutely unthinkable.

Despite this, the Great Dharma Master did not so much as twitch an eyebrow, simply waiting for the man’s answer.

“The Western Regions and I are enemies…”

Han Won-ha replied with great difficulty, resisting the Great Dharma Master’s powerful temptation.

“You may go now. No one will harm you, and I shall grant your request.”

In the end, the Great Dharma Master sent Han Won-ha away, and Han Won-ha was able to leave Chongqing safely, under the murderous glares of the Western Regions’ martial artists.

“Kang Yu-jin… You, I will definitely…”

Even if he couldn’t be the one to cut off his head, Han Won-ha desperately wished for Yu-jin’s death.

While revenge was the primary reason, on the other hand, if Yu-jin died, he could also pursue Ju Yun-hui, who was not yet formally married.

‘I will no longer cling to power and let her go.’

With that resolve, Han Won-ha galloped back to where his soldiers were.

* * *

“Master, that man must have some ulterior motive.”

Lawang spoke as soon as Han Won-ha had left. He already disliked people from the Central Plains, and he couldn’t help but be enraged by the man’s blatant attempt to use the Western Regions’ martial world.

“But the information is highly likely to be real.”

Nima had compared the information Han Won-ha provided with what they already possessed and found no signs of fabrication.

The Heavenly Dragon Brigade’s movements had already seemed unusual, and the information from Han Won-ha was eye-opening.

Then, the Great Dharma Master spoke.

“It does not matter. Whatever his intentions, his desire for Kang Yu-jin’s death was genuine.”

Having transcended humanity, the Great Dharma Master could discern truth from falsehood just by listening to someone speak lightly. And Han Won-ha’s wish for Yu-jin’s death was real.

“Nima, did you not say it yourself? That the Heavenly Dragon Brigade must be dealt with.”

Aside from the trouble they had caused so far, killing all the members of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade would undoubtedly create great chaos among the highest echelons of the Martial Alliance.

Furthermore, the common people and lower-ranking martial artists who had placed their hopes in these new heroes would lose that hope.

No matter who wanted what, the Heavenly Dragon Brigade was a foe the Western Regions’ martial world had to kill.

“That is correct. But to move our forces carelessly…”

The only problem was that the Heavenly Dragon Brigade had two masters of the Transformation Realm.

Although their side had the absolute master, the Great Dharma Master, as well as seven other Transformation Realm masters, they could not move rashly. They didn’t know when or how other masters from the Central Plains might make a move.

This was the greatest weakness of the Western Regions’ martial world. While the average quality of their martial artists was far superior, the Central Plains had a greater number of transcendent masters who had reached the Transformation Realm or higher.

The Great Dharma Master knew well that reality doesn’t always unfold as one desires, even though he believed his disciples would win.

So, he had no intention of sending his own disciples. They were meant to play their part on a grander stage.

“You may enter.”

As soon as the Great Dharma Master’s words ended, a single monk revealed himself.

The monk who appeared before them not only wore robes different from those of the Potala Palace but also, unusually, wore a sword at his waist, unlike other monks who mainly practiced palm techniques.

Lawang, Nima, and the other disciples of the Great Dharma Master could not hide their tension at his sudden appearance.

From his movements alone, they could gauge the monk’s realm. He was a master at least on par with them.

“Should I thank you for summoning me like this, Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven?”

“Insolent!”

At the monk’s words, Lawang shouted with a cold face. His master was a god. A god whom everyone had no choice but to respect. No matter how powerful the opponent was, he should not show such an attitude in front of his master.

“He has every right to speak to me that way, so quell your anger, Lawang.”

The seven disciples could not hide their astonishment at the Great Dharma Master’s words. Who in the world was this man for the Great Dharma Master to say such a thing?

“Because he is the abbot of the Great Thunderclap Temple.”

Great Thunderclap Temple.

A legendary esoteric Buddhist temple located between India and the Western Regions, a sect that had once vied with the Potala Palace for supremacy in the Western Regions.

A sect whose main techniques were energy arts, palm arts, and sword arts modeled after the strongest and fastest lightning in the world. Its power had nearly collapsed when the Great Dharma Master unified the Western Regions’ martial world.

“If I take care of those brats from the Heavenly Dragon Brigade, will you keep your promise?”

The promise was that after the Western Regions’ martial world destroyed the Central Plains’ martial world, they would not interfere with the Great Thunderclap Temple’s missionary work in the Central Plains.

“I shall.”

The abbot of the Great Thunderclap Temple, Pian, smiled at the Great Dharma Master’s words. A brat like Kang Yu-jin was no match for him.