Chapter 99 – Returning to the Palace (6)

Kang Yu-hyeon didn’t know everything about Yu-jin, but he knew that Yu-jin had fought and lost to the Heavenly Demon at Mount Cheon and that he was the one who had captured the Mad Demonic King.

Through this, Kang Yu-hyeon realized that Yu-jin had reached the Profound Realm.

“This is a first, but it’s refreshingly novel. Things had been getting dull.”

Kang Yu-jin was the first of his sons to reach the level of an absolute master. Yet, Kang Yu-hyeon felt only intrigue, not fear. He was far stronger than the world knew, and Yu-jin, who had just (?) reached that state, was no match for him.

“By the way, now that the Northern Sea Ice Palace has formed ties with the Central Plains, that old man in the west must be getting restless. It seems I’ll be meeting you sooner than I thought, my son. Struggle. Thrash about until the very end. But remember this: all that awaits you is despair and darkness.”

A chilling aura flared from Kang Yu-hyeon’s body before vanishing.

***

While Yu-jin was being tormented, news that the Northern Sea Ice Palace had formed ties with the Central Plains spread far and wide.

Not just throughout the Central Plains, but to the lands beyond as well. And this news stirred a certain man who had been gathering his strength.

“The Central Plains, filled with greed, has finally begun to extend its wicked claws to the lands beyond.”

As the young monk in golden robes rose from his seat, seven elderly monks followed behind him.

Outside, all the monks of the Potala Palace were already seated, chanting Buddhist scriptures in solemn tones.

“We must protect it. Our land, our home.”

Before the Central Plains could extend its claws, they had to strike first and break its will. They could not afford to lose their resolve and fall as futilely as the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

“We are not like the Northern Sea Ice Palace. We will not go down without a fight.”

The young monk paused and gazed to the east. Toward the land that would one day extend its claws toward them—the Central Plains.

The land they had sworn to conquer before it could conquer them—the Central Plains.

The time to fulfill that vow had come.

“Let us go. To the Central Plains.”

The Potala Palace, rulers of the Western Territories. At its apex, the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven finally made his move. So that they would not fall as futilely as the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

And that news immediately shook the Empire and the martial world.

***

The news of the Potala Palace’s movement reached not only the Central Plains but also the Western Heaven Demonic Cult, situated in the northwest.

“To think he’d move as soon as the Northern Sea Ice Palace fell. He must have been quite impatient.”

The Heavenly Demon, the strongest in the martial world who reigned over the land of demons, the Western Heaven Demonic Cult, chuckled at the news of the Great Dharma Master’s advance. However, the Demonic Brain, Gong Se-ui, could not simply laugh it off like the Heavenly Demon.

“The Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven is serious. He is leading ten thousand martial artists from the Western Territories in a full-scale advance.”

Not just ten thousand soldiers, but ten thousand martial artists. Nothing was more fearsome than that.

“I know. Hasn’t he been quietly building his strength for decades now? Of course he’s serious if he’s finally making a move.”

The Heavenly Demon nodded with an amused smile. The Great Dharma Master was one of the four masters in the current martial world whom he acknowledged.

The countless monks he had personally trained, and the martial artists of the Western Territories who revered and followed him. Their combined power was comparable to that of the Western Heaven Demonic Cult.

“The martial world of the Central Plains is also gathering its forces. If the martial artists of the West and the Central Plains clash head-on, both sides will surely suffer great losses, regardless of who wins. If we attack then, we can certainly make the Central Plains our land, as we have long desired, my Lord.”

“Demonic Brain, are you saying we should invade as soon as their war is over?”

“Yes, my Lord.”

Gong Se-ui answered the Heavenly Demon’s question respectfully. He believed this impending war was a heaven-sent opportunity for the Western Heaven Demonic Cult. It was that advantageous for them.

“I permit you to begin preparations for the invasion of the Central Plains.”

“I obey the Lord’s command.”

Gong Se-ui replied respectfully once more. The Heavenly Demon looked at him and spoke again.

“Who do you think will be the victor in this war in the Central Plains?”

“If I may be so bold as to predict, I believe the martial world of the Western Territories will be victorious. Their average skill level overwhelmingly surpasses that of the Central Plains. Moreover, the Great Dharma Master is one of the few martial artists Your Lordship acknowledges. I have also heard that the seven disciples he personally trained possess power equal to our cult’s vice-lords. What’s more frightening is that he has indirectly trained over a hundred disciples.”

“The Central Plains has more masters. The Phantom Emperor who protects the Emperor cannot intervene, but there are roughly five or six absolute masters who can. And the masters of the Twelve Kings also possess power nearly rivaling the Great Dharma Master’s seven disciples or our own vice-lords. And yet, you still predict a victory for the West?”

“That is correct.”

Gong Se-ui replied to the Heavenly Demon’s question. His tone was filled with conviction.

“Unlike our cult or the Potala Palace, the people of the Central Plains’ martial world cannot unite as one. They are selfish enough to always consider their own interests, even when faced with grave danger. I do not believe they can defeat the martial world of the Western Territories, who are united in purpose.”

Gong Se-ui’s words made sense. The martial world of the Central Plains lacked the ability to act with a single will like the Western Territories or the Western Heaven Demonic Cult. This was because they could not ignore the interests of their numerous great sects and clans.

Even if they managed to unite in purpose, it was unlikely they would fight with all their might. However, the Heavenly Demon thought differently.

“The Central Plains will win this war.”

Gong Se-ui wore a surprised expression, but the Heavenly Demon simply smiled and said no more.

At that, Gong Se-ui bowed his head and retreated.

“The Central Plains… an interesting place. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen ‘him’ in a long time either.”

The person from the Central Plains who had first piqued the Heavenly Demon’s interest. It was a connection from hundreds of years ago, yet the Heavenly Demon still remembered those days clearly.

However, the one who had intrigued him more recently was more prominent in his memory.

The man who had recently intrigued the Heavenly Demon was none other than Kang Yu-jin.

The only one in this world qualified to stand on the same level as him. The Heavenly Demon believed that even ‘he’, a connection that had lasted for hundreds of years, was nothing compared to Kang Yu-jin.

“My kindred spirit, have you grown stronger? If you are still in the same place when we meet again, I will take your life.”

The Heavenly Demon’s will was transmitted to the Central Plains.

***

*Ugh.*

A sudden chill made Yu-jin shudder involuntarily.

*Huh? A chill?*

For him, who was immune to heat and cold, to feel a chill was impossible. But Yu-jin dismissed the inexplicable phenomenon and looked ahead.

The Emperor and the Phantom Emperor were there. Upon hearing that the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven from the Potala Palace had made his move, the Emperor had swiftly summoned the Phantom Emperor and Yu-jin.

Though both were hegemons of the lands beyond, the Potala Palace’s power was on a completely different level, incomparable to the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

In the Northern Sea Ice Palace, Yu-jin could have run rampant on his own, but trying the same against the Potala Palace would surely end in bloodshed, even if his body prevented him from dying.

*The original story has completely gone off the rails now.*

Yu-jin sighed inwardly.

In the original story, the Potala Palace’s invasion happened long after Kang Yong-hoon reached the Profound Realm. And in that battle, Kang Yong-hoon killed the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven and was recognized as the undisputed strongest in the martial world.

But now, unlike then, the Potala Palace had advanced much faster than in the original story, prompted by Yu-jin half-destroying the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

At this point, even Yu-jin could do nothing about this deviation. He looked at the Emperor.

“How far have they advanced?”

the Emperor asked the Phantom Emperor, his face grim.

“The first line of defense has already been completely breached. The garrison stationed to block the Western Territories has been annihilated, and the nearby sects and clans have also been wiped out.”

The Phantom Emperor spoke calmly, but the content of his report was staggering. Only three days had passed since the invasion from the West began, yet the carefully established line of defense had crumbled. The Emperor himself trembled slightly at their formidable power.

“You have always told us that to stop the Potala Palace, we must gather the full strength of the Central Plains. Are the martial artists moving now?”

Although he could mobilize a million soldiers, moving them all would create a significant vacuum in the Empire’s defenses, so it wasn’t feasible. That was why the help of the martial artists was crucial.

“Yes. They are already moving, centered around the Martial Alliance. They too know well that if they fall to the Potala Palace, their future will be lost.”

As the Phantom Emperor said, the Martial Alliance, centered around the Five Great Clans and the Nine Sects, was on the move.

The Cheonsan Lee Clan, which had suffered greatly in the previous battle against the Demonic Cult, was excluded, but with the True Dragon Sword Clan also joining the Martial Alliance, their combined strength was something even the Potala Palace could not dare to ignore.

Their movement meant that all the absolute masters of the Central Plains were taking action.

“We detest pointless battles, but if they attack first, that is a different story. We will not stand idly by. The defense of the Central Plains will be left to the martial artists, while our soldiers will attack the Western Territories. If their homeland is in flames, they will have no choice but to turn back.”

If the full strength of the Central Plains’ martial world was combined, it would be difficult for even the Potala Palace to win easily. While the average quality of their martial artists was superior, the Central Plains had a greater number of absolute masters.

While they were clashing, the Emperor planned to attack the Western Territories, which would have a significant gap in its defenses.

*Strategically, it’s brilliant.*

The Emperor’s response was logical, even in Yu-jin’s view. Just then, the Emperor turned to Yu-jin and spoke.

“Yu-jin, there is something you must do as well.”

“Please speak, Your Majesty.”

“In your capacity as the Divine Sword Dragon, you will move with the Martial Alliance. We are grateful they have risen for the sake of the Central Plains, but we cannot trust them completely. With that much power gathered, there may be those with ulterior motives. You are to thoroughly identify and eliminate such individuals.”

The Emperor’s command wasn’t particularly difficult. But regardless of the mission’s difficulty, Yu-jin did not want to join the Martial Alliance, even though he had no choice but to act as the Emperor’s agent in the martial world.

*I heard the True Dragon Sword Clan has also joined the Martial Alliance. That means ‘Father’ must be on the move as well. I’m confident I can win even now, but I’d prefer to face him under more favorable circumstances.*

However, Yu-jin knew full well that he could not act as he pleased.

“I will obey your command, Your Majesty.”

“And if you have the chance to kill the Great Dharma Master of Shaking Heaven, you must do so. Given the circumstances, move immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”