Yeon Cheon Baek’s words made Sa Ma Cheon smirk.“What’s this? That voice sounds uncertain. For the great Yeon Cheon Baek to answer without confidence, unable to boast of victory—today I’ve lived to see a rare sight.”“Damn it! That’s only because you haven’t seen our Woo Jin’s true power. That brat isn’t human. On top of that, he’s growing stronger by the day, and as if that weren’t enough, he even works hard at it. And he’s still young! How could I possibly defeat him?”“Oh! So that’s your way of admitting you can’t win.”“Yes! I can’t win! Satisfied now?!”“Kuhuhu. To think I’d live to hear those words from your own mouth. Life is full of surprises.”At Sa Ma Cheon’s words, Yeon Cheon Baek fumed, then suddenly chuckled.“Wait! If I think about it, that opponent is my grandson, isn’t he? I should be proud instead. Hehehe. The one who surpasses me is my own grandson.”Yeon Cheon Baek’s lips curled into a broad grin.“Our Woo Jin will make this Musincheon a place none can dare approach. Hehehe. He’ll even accomplish what I could not—uniting the Central Plains without difficulty. As for me, I’ll spend my twilight years watching that unfold.”“Well, well. You’re already thinking of handing over your seat?”“In my heart, I’d hand it over this very instant.”“Then why not skip the complications and just say the seat goes to the strongest?”“No. That would be boring. All the hardships you’ve endured would be wasted, and I don’t want that.”“Since when have you ever cared about me like that?”“I’ve always thought of you. You’re indispensable to Musincheon.”Sa Ma Cheon smirked faintly, not displeased with Yeon Cheon Baek’s words.“Not the worst thing to hear.”“You registered our Woo Jin as a candidate for Little Heavenly Lord, didn’t you?”“Yes. I registered him as my disciple, for now.”“Mm. It can’t be helped. If word got out that he’s my grandson, they’d all be scrambling to flatter me, insisting Woo Jin must be made Little Heavenly Lord.”“Then we proceed as originally planned.”“Wait. Wasn’t your plan to bring as many sects of the Central Plains as ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) possible under our command?”“That’s right.”“Let’s add one more condition.”“What?”“Include even the sects already under us.”“What?”“The sects under us now all follow me. But when Woo Jin becomes Musincheonju, he’ll need their recognition anyway. So why not have him secure it beforehand?”“…Hmph. There’s sense in your words. Very well. I’ll amend the plan. Then I’ll take my leave.”Once Sa Ma Cheon departed, Yeon Cheon Baek grinned, murmuring in a low voice.“I’m looking forward to it. To seeing how our Woo Jin will make Musincheon his own. Hahaha.”Still laughing, a thought suddenly struck him.“Wait… what is our Woo Jin doing right now, I wonder?”He was curious.Yeon Cheon Baek’s expression softened with longing before he rose from his seat.Then, with a look of resolve, he strode off somewhere. *****Northern Heavenly Gate (Bukcheon Gate).Gate Master Sa Se Hwang sat with a deeply displeased expression.“Still no word?”“Th-that is correct. It seems they must have failed.”“Failed?”“Could it not have been a trap set by Blazing Fire Divine Palace? A snare to lure us out.”“Then what of the men we sent?”“They may have been captured by Blazing Fire Divine Palace—or wiped out entirely.”Bang!Crack—!“Don’t bring me guesses—bring me facts!”The blow of his fist split the thick paulownia desk in two, collapsing it to splinters.Dust rose like fog from the floor, filling the room with a grim aura.“Y-yes, Gate Master! I will mobilize the entire intelligence corps and ascertain the truth without fail!”“Move at once!”“Yes!”When the subordinate left, Sa Se Hwang pressed his forehead, grimacing.“Haa… not one of them pleases me…”He thought perhaps the reason they were always outmatched by Blazing Fire Divine Palace was the lack of talent.He resolved that one day he would set a date to tour the Central Plains and recruit true talent.As he tried to banish these vexing thoughts, noise erupted outside.The headache that had begun to subside started throbbing again.“What now? What are they raising such a racket about this time?”Just as he began to wonder—“G-Gate Master!”A panicked voice rang out from outside.“What is it? Why such clamor outside?”“A-a raid!”At the word “raid,” Sa Se Hwang sprang from his seat.“A raid? Blazing Fire Divine Palace?”“N-no!”“Then?”“M-Musincheon!”“What?”What nonsense was this?Why would Musincheon attack here?“What are you babbling! Why would Musincheon attack us!”“It’s true! The… the Hell Darkness Emperor himself has led warriors to strike us!”“What? The H-Hell Darkness Emperor?”That was Musincheonju’s hidden sword.“How do you know it is him?”“He declared it himself! He said he is the Hell Darkness Emperor!”Declared it outright.There was no group under Heaven daring enough to impersonate Musincheon.That meant his subordinate’s words were highly likely to be true.Sa Se Hwang swallowed hard.“Y-you must flee, Gate Master!”“Flee? Have you forgotten I am the Gate Master?”“I know! But if you do not live, how will Bukcheon Gate be rebuilt! We’ve already sent the Young Gate Master to safety!”“Silence! Do you take me for a contemptible wretch who would abandon my men and flee? Never!”“Please! You cannot match the Hell Darkness Emperor!”“As if I didn’t know that! But that doesn’t mean I’ll abandon you and escape alone! Where is he? Take me to him!”“Gate Master!”“That is an order!”“Khk…!”“At least my son has fled. He will rebuild Bukcheon Gate in time.”“Gate Master…”Without another word, Sa Se Hwang took up the sword he cherished most and strode outside.His subordinate hurried to follow.Outside, his men were throwing their lives on the line, meeting the enemy head-on.The elders of Bukcheon Gate had also emerged, standing firm to block the invaders.At that moment, one elder spotted Sa Se Hwang and cried out.“Gate Master! Flee at once!”The other elders too saw him.“Damn! That fool we sent to evacuate him has brought him here instead!”“What are you doing! Protect the Gate Master!”The elders rushed to his side in alarm.“Gate Master! You must flee!”“We’ll hold them here! Please, go!”“We sent someone to spirit you away, yet you came out yourself?!”At their words, Sa Se Hwang roared.“What are you saying! I am the Gate Master of Bukcheon Gate! Where would I flee!”“It is Musincheon! Musincheon has come for us! These are not foes you can stop! Please, flee!”“The Hell Darkness Emperor has not yet spotted you! If you escape now, you can live to rebuild Bukcheon Gate!”“Look out!”Slash!A black shadow lunged.Sa Se Hwang cut it down, crimson blood fountaining and spraying across the elders.Clang—! Boom—!With a burst of sword wind, Sa Se Hwang scattered the flying blood, then turned his gaze on the black shadow.As expected, it was an enemy.Ping—! Slash!With a powerful swing, he shook off the blood from his blade and looked to the elders.“Without me, you’d already be dead. So enough of this talk of fleeing—let us join forces and break through this crisis together.”The elders exchanged reluctant glances, then nodded.“All disciples of Bukcheon Gate, hear me! I, Sa Se Hwang, stand with you! Do not yield!”Uwooooo!At the Gate Master’s appearance, the morale of Bukcheon Gate surged.At once, they launched a fierce counteroffensive.Sa Se Hwang took in the situation.“The enemies are not as strong as I feared. Aside from the Hell Darkness Emperor, they are manageable.”“You’re right, Gate Master. We must have tensed up just from hearing ‘Musincheon.’”“The problem is the Hell Darkness Emperor has yet to act.”“That one might not even be him. The forces he leads are called the Hell Dark Shadow Squad, Musincheon’s reapers of the underworld. They’re not supposed to be this feeble.”“This elder speaks true. Perhaps Musincheon has sent a false figurehead.”“They might not be Musincheon at all. Too weak for that name.”At their words, Sa Se Hwang nodded.He felt the same.“For now, we must test the Hell Darkness Emperor’s true strength.”“You intend to confront him yourself?”“Who among us but I can stand against him?”“But…”“If he is truly the Hell Darkness Emperor… then we are already as good as dead. One way or another, we must try.”Drawing his blade diagonally, Sa Se Hwang fixed his gaze on the man calling himself Hell Darkness Emperor.Something was strange.His eyes seemed devoid of soul.His posture, as if lacking selfhood.Something was wrong. Yet Sa Se Hwang folded his fists respectfully and greeted him.“To meet the famed Hell Darkness Emperor thus is an honor! I am Sa Se Hwang, Gate Master of Bukcheon Gate!”At his greeting, the pupils of the Hell Darkness Emperor darkened as he moved.From between his lips seeped a chilling voice.“So you are Sa Se Hwang.”What insolence, addressing him so.Sa Se Hwang felt the veins rise on his forehead but held it back as he replied.“First meeting, and you show no courtesy. Is this how Musincheon teaches its men to behave?”“Musincheon… Khhk!”Suddenly the Hell Darkness Emperor clutched his head.Then he lifted his face again, expression dark.“Choose. Serve us—or die, all of you.”“Hahaha! Thanks for the offer, but you lack the basics of negotiation. That is not how it’s done.”“So you choose death.”Whoooosh—Dark energy surged from the Hell Darkness Emperor’s body, pressing down on all around him.“Khk!”“Th-this energy!”“Was it truly the Hell Darkness Emperor himself?”It was a power like something just risen from the depths of Hell.Even Sa Se Hwang was shaken by the oppressive force binding him.The Hell Darkness Emperor was far greater than imagined.“Gate Master! We must combine our strength!”“I lend you my power!”“My strength as well!”Sa Se Hwang grimaced.“Damn it! I hate to accept it, but we have no choice.”He absorbed all the elders’ internal energy.Whummm—As vast qi converged, a resonance arose.Sa Se Hwang’s body swelled greatly, then returned to normal, while the elders collapsed to the floor, drained.“Rest here. I will return.”Sword in a diagonal guard, Sa Se Hwang charged the Hell Darkness Emperor.Thaat—!He kicked off the ground, soaring into the air, striking first.“Heavenly Strike (Cheongeok)!”In an instant, black sword qi like a rift in the heavens shot toward the Hell Darkness Emperor.He did not even move to evade.Was he mocking them?Better so.Then be split in two and die.With a smile of triumph—Crack!The Heavenly Strike split apart, shearing past on either side of the Hell Darkness Emperor.Boooom!The colossal explosion behind him showed the true might of Heavenly Strike.Sa Se Hwang stared at him in horror.“I… I couldn’t even see him move. Is the gap between us truly this vast?”Unbelievable.The Hell Darkness Emperor of Musincheon.He had heard countless stories, always with a laugh.Stories always grew exaggerated in the telling.But this was not.“They weren’t exaggerated at all…”

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