Transformation Realm.
It was the supreme martial prowess, a state one could only reach after breaking through the wall to the realm of Three Flowers Gather at the Crown and Five Qi Return to the Origin. Yet, he had just declared he would reach that level in two years, despite not even having gained enlightenment on the Peak Realm.
'Is it that difficult?' As if reading Mok Gyeong-un’s thoughts, Blue Spirit spoke. -Try dying and coming back to life a hundred times. See if that's possible.
No, if you can do it, this master will call you Master for the rest of my life and serve you. 'You're coming on quite strong.' The corner of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth twitched.
The reason Blue Spirit was clicking her tongue and reacting so strongly was simple. First, she too had been called a genius who might appear only once in several hundred years, yet it had taken her twenty years to reach the Transformation Realm.
Of course, even this had shocked everyone, as she had achieved it at the young age of twenty-eight. 'And this isn't some bygone era.' It was said that the martial world had once enjoyed a brilliant golden age.
There had been a time when an unparalleled genius appeared, who was called the Little Sword Immortal at a young age and led the martial world, but that time was not now.
“I hope you keep that promise.”
“Pardon?”
At Mok Gyeong-un's sudden remark, Lee Ji-yeom, the Corpse Blood Valley Master, asked what he meant. Mok Gyeong-un shook his head. He hadn't intended to say it aloud, but he wanted Blue Spirit to hear. -Just wait two years.
You will come to know this master's greatness. Mok Gyeong-un gave a faint smile at Blue Spirit’s boast. From her and Valley Master Lee Ji-yeom's reactions, he had already realized he had made an absurd declaration, but his grandfather always used to say something.
[You never know anything until you try. Your nature, too...] -Zap!
“Ugh.”
“Lord?”
As Mok Gyeong-un brought a hand to his forehead and groaned, Valley Master Lee Ji-yeom asked in confusion. At his question, Mok Gyeong-un slightly furrowed his brow. What was that just now?
He was someone who never forgot anything once he remembered it. He even remembered every word his grandfather had said to him since he was a child, but he couldn't recall what was said after those words just now.
'Why?'
When he tried to recall it, his head began to ache as if it would split open. He could endure most pain, but this ache was like his entire brain was being carved out, causing him to scowl involuntarily. 'Why is this happening?'
His grandfather had said something else to him, but he couldn't remember. Whenever he tried to uncover it, as if it were intentionally hidden, a headache would come. A memory shrouded in mist.
Mok Gyeong-un finally gave up trying to force the memory. '... Could it be?' Did grandfather do this?
A small doubt bloomed. But his grandfather didn't know anything like acupuncture, and he had never done anything special to him. A sense of wonder arose, but he had no time to dwell on it now.
Mok Gyeong-un smoothed his expression and spoke.
“I'm fine. More importantly, may I ask you a few things?”
“Please, ask as you wish.”
Lee Ji-yeom, who had been looking at him with a worried expression, replied. Mok Gyeong-un then asked.
“Do you happen to know of someone called the Ghost Sword?”
To that question, Valley Master Lee Ji-yeom answered casually.
“Is there anyone who doesn't know of the Ghost Sword, one of the Eight Stars?”
The Ghost Sword. He was one of the eight masters known to have reached the highest realm, second only to the Six Heavens, the pinnacles of the current martial world.
“I'm not very familiar with the current state of the martial world.”
“Ah...”
Lee Ji-yeom nodded as if he understood. The era when his lord, a vengeful spirit, was active was a full hundred years ago, so the masters renowned then and now were completely different. Lee Ji-yeom said.
“The Ghost Sword's sect and identity are unknown. He appeared suddenly one day and his infamy grew as he fought life-and-death duels with renowned masters of both the righteous and demonic paths.”
“Infamy?”
“Yes. It could hardly be called fame, because no one who fought him survived.”
“No one survived?”
“Yes. That is why his infamy was so great.”
'Huh?'
Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head at those words. He had been told that Mok In-dan, the Manor Lord of Lotuswood Sword Manor, had fought him and been injured. Could it be that this fact was largely unknown?
While he was wondering, Lee Ji-yeom exclaimed "Ah!" and spoke as if he had remembered something.
“There is exactly one person who survived.”
“Someone who survived?”
“Yes.”
'It must be the Manor Lord of Lotuswood Sword Manor, right?' Mok Gyeong-un was certain of it but asked without showing his thoughts.
“Who is it?”
“I hear that Baek Sa-ha, the Annihilating Poison King, one of our Society's Five Kings, exchanged dozens of moves with the one called the Ghost Sword.” '!?'
What?
It wasn't Manor Lord Mok In-dan? A completely unexpected person was mentioned. Mok Gyeong-un asked back.
“He fought... with the Ghost Sword?”
“Yes. It is a rather famous tale within our Society. I recall the Annihilating Poison King happened to fight him a few months before the Ghost Sword disappeared.”
At Lee Ji-yeom's words, Mok Gyeong-un furrowed his brow. From Valley Master Lee Ji-yeom's words, he could discern two facts. One was that Lee Ji-yeom did not know that Mok In-dan, the Manor Lord of Lotuswood Sword Manor, had also fought the Ghost Sword and survived.
And the second fact he learned was a bit disappointing.
'Hm.'
Mok Gyeong-un had come here thinking the Ghost Sword might be a master of the Heaven and Earth Society. But if he had fought someone like the Annihilating Poison King, one of the high-ranking executives here, they might be adversaries rather than allies. 'Did I bet on the wrong horse?'
If I knew this would happen, should I have gone to the Imperial Palace? As he was thinking this, Lee Ji-yeom asked.
“Is there a problem?”
“Ah. I had heard that the Ghost Sword was a hidden master of the Heaven and Earth Society. But listening to you, Valley Master, I'm thinking that might not be the case.”
There seemed no need to mention the former, as he didn't know anyway. Besides, Manor Lord Mok In-dan didn't seem to know much about the Ghost Sword either. Then Lee Ji-yeom spoke.
“Ah! That rumor did circulate quite a bit.”
“It circulated?”
“Yes. It made sense, as all the people the Ghost Sword targeted and killed were masters of the righteous and demonic paths. The only exception was our Society's master, the Annihilating Poison King. I heard that in the middle of a long fight, the Ghost Sword was the first to stop the battle and retreat.” '...
He retreated first?' At those words, Mok Gyeong-un's eyes narrowed. Another possibility had just emerged.
If he exceptionally clashed with a master from the Heaven and Earth Society, only to be the first to retreat, it's possible he did so because they were allies.
“So, you're saying he could be a master of the Heaven and Earth Society?”
“I do not know. The Annihilating Poison King was also vague about what happened back then... and there was another rumor.”
“Another rumor?”
“There was also talk that the Ghost Sword was the Lord's personal guard, acting under his secret order.”
“Personal guard?” -It seems they still maintain that system.
It seemed Blue Spirit knew about this. Lee Ji-yeom continued speaking.
“The Lord always has a personal guard protecting him. It is rumored that his martial prowess is actually on par with the Five Kings.”
“On par with the Five Kings... is that strong?”
“Very strong. Among the Five Kings, two are peerless masters who have reached the Transformation Realm, and the other three have reached the pinnacle of the Supreme Realm.” -What?
Blue Spirit couldn't hide her surprise at this. It was understandable, as during the era she was active, there were almost no executives who had reached such a realm. But had things changed so much in a hundred years? -Well, I'll be.
Has the level of the Heaven and Earth Society risen that much? Then again, that was the early period of the Society, a time when they were still building their power. Considering that, they had now grown into one of the great powers that divided the current martial world into three, so perhaps it was only natural.
“Ah! Since you are not familiar with the current situation, I should mention this. The two of the Five Kings who have reached the Transformation Realm are called the Eight Stars in the current martial world.”
“Oh.”
In that case, it made a certain amount of sense. If the Lord's personal guard was strong enough to rival the Five Kings, it was plausible that he could be the vanished Ghost Sword. Mok Gyeong-un then asked.
“So the Ghost Sword's identity still hasn't been revealed?”
“Yes, that is correct. However... perhaps the Annihilating Poison King, who fought him before he disappeared, might know some clue.”
“The Annihilating Poison King might know... I see.”
“Yes. Because he is the only one who fought him and survived. But it is not certain. Why do you ask about this?”
“Ah. It's not particularly important, so you don't need to worry about it.”
At those words, Valley Master Lee Ji-yeom gave him a curious look, but soon stopped questioning and nodded his head.
“I understand.”
Looking at him, Mok Gyeong-un thought him to be quite steadfast. He felt he could understand why Blue Spirit cherished the people of the Lee family. In any case, this gave him two clues.
'The Annihilating Poison King... the Lord's personal guard.' The Annihilating Poison King was someone who might have a clue about the Ghost Sword, and the Lord's personal guard was a candidate who could be the Ghost Sword. The mark left on his late grandfather.
Mok In-dan, the Manor Lord of Lotuswood Sword Manor, who had a similar wound. 'It won't be long now.' On this journey of revenge that began with only the clue of a wound and footprints, an outline was finally beginning to form.
If it was certain that the one called the Ghost Sword had truly killed his grandfather, then he was the target of revenge who must be killed. Mok Gyeong-un's lips twitched. A strange light appeared in the eyes of Valley Master Lee Ji-yeom as he watched.
'Killing intent...'
He was suppressing it as much as possible, but the faint killing intent leaking out was extraordinary. It was very dense, so to speak. He tried not to question it, but it seemed certain that his Lord held some very ill feelings toward the one called the Ghost Sword.
Just then, Mok Gyeong-un spoke.
“Oh, right. What exactly is the Corpse Blood Valley trying to do?”
“Pardon?”
“I've been playing along to infiltrate this place, but I don't recall anything like this when I was around.”
“Ah. You can see it as a process of sorting out the rough gems.”
“Rough gems?”
“Yes. As I mentioned when you passed the second gate, the gates are a process for selecting and placing personnel in the right positions. If one passes all the way to the final gate, a great opportunity is given." "What is that?" "The opportunity to be placed under high-ranking executives or to become their disciple is given.”
“A disciple?”
“Yes. At the point where one has passed all the gates, they can be called the greatest talent.”
The gates of the Corpse Blood Valley are difficult to pass even for those who have trained diligently in martial arts since childhood and are called martial geniuses. But if one were to pass all these gates, they would be worthy of being called the greatest talent.
These top talents are given the chance to be chosen by the executives attending the Final Gate.
“By high-ranking executives, do you mean the Five Kings?”
“It could be the Five Kings, the Three Division Masters, and also the Four Valley Masters, including myself.”
The Five Kings, the Three Division Masters, and the Four Valley Masters. These were the executives who led the Heaven and Earth Society, its very foundation. 'So that's why.'
Mok Gyeong-un now understood why the boys were risking their lives in the Corpse Blood Valley. If chosen by the executives to become their disciple, they would gain immense power within the Heaven and Earth Society and learn transcendent profound martial arts. How could they miss such an opportunity?
This was the reason they were trying to seize it, even at the risk of their lives. Valley Master Lee Ji-yeom spoke cautiously to Mok Gyeong-un.
“Please forgive the disrespect I have shown you, my Lord.”
“No, it's fine. You did it out of ignorance. It's nothing.”
“Now that I know, this subordinate will make arrangements to get you out.”
“Get me out?”
“That is correct. The Lord's order was to have you participate in the gates of the Corpse Blood Valley, but there was no order to keep you alive at all costs, so I can easily process it as if you died.”
If so, his Lord could escape the Lord's sight and have time to secretly recover his martial arts here in the Corpse Blood Valley. As he was thinking this, Mok Gyeong-un shook his head.
“No. I don't think that will be necessary.”
“Pardon? Why would you...”
There was no need for his Lord to willingly endure such hardships. As a lord who had already reached the supreme realm, wouldn't he be able to return to his former level if he just entered secluded training by himself? Just then, Mok Gyeong-un spoke.
“I should make the most of this situation.”
“What do you mean by making the most of this situation?”
“You said if I pass the gates, I can become a disciple of the executives?”
“That is true, but there is no need...”
“What kind of wound do you think hurts more?”
“Pardon?”
What does he mean? To the perplexed man, Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly and said.
“A wound that festers from the inside and bursts is much more painful than a surface wound.” '!!!!!!'
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, a strange light glinted in Valley Master Lee Ji-yeom's eyes. He understood the intention behind Mok Gyeong-un's words. Believing he had been understood, Mok Gyeong-un spoke.
"Then shall I get a recommendation?"
"A recommendation?"
“In your opinion, Valley Master, among those executives, whose favor would be the most advantageous to catch?”