NOVEL NEXT WORLD Ch 74
**Chapter 73**
“Chairman, the preparations are complete.”
The cautious voice of the General.
As reported by the General, the workers of the Black Heaven Alliance (Heukcheollyeon) were lined up, waiting for Jo Hwi’s orders.
After scanning them with a satisfied look, Jo Hwi shouted loudly.
“Good! The recovery is fast! Let’s ride this momentum and raise one floor each day!”
The workers of the Black Heaven Alliance went pale simultaneously!
If they raise one floor per day, then the entire structure will be completed in five days?
Has this man finally gone insane?
“Isn’t this too much? What are we? We’re not laborers! Even laborers can’t work like this!”
“Right! We’ve endured so much, focusing on martial arts, just to die on the battlefield! If you’re going to make us keep doing these menial tasks, then just kill us all! We can’t bear this humiliating disgrace any longer!”
The Black Heaven remnants had endured this far because, as long as the Black Heaven Leader was alive, they couldn’t give up hope.
Even the Leader himself had endured humiliation and stayed captive, planning for the future, so how could they leave the Leader?
However, not long ago, they received the shocking news that the Black Heaven Leader had been executed by the hands of the Southern Sect Lord, which was a thunderbolt out of the blue.
It was the news that shattered their lives and dreams.
**Clang!**
As someone drew their sword, at the same time, all the Black Heaven remnants quickly pulled out the dangerous weapons they had been hiding and glared at Jo Hwi with murderous intent.
“Ho, you dare dream of a rebellion?”
Among them, there were some who were considered to possess martial skills equivalent to elders in any sect, such as the Celestial Killers (Cheonsal).
The entire training hall was filled with an overwhelming killing intent as the Black Heaven remnants released their murderous aura, but Jo Hwi didn’t even flinch.
“You’re all warriors, so you must feel it, right? The difference between you and this sword technique.”
Jo Hwi gestured toward the sky.
“The gap in realms is so vast, it’s almost meaningless to even mention it.”
It was a bold and arrogant declaration, comparing himself to the heavens, but the Black Heaven remnants didn’t deny such arrogance.
*Hehe.*
The man who was smiling sinisterly was Ma Yeom-rang, or *Ma Yeom-rang* Wi Ji-ak.
A former Celestial Killer who had once fought against Nam Gung Jang-ho, he was now the actual leader of the Black Heaven remnants.
“If we can’t dream of the Black Heaven’s martial world again!”
“Then what?”
“We don’t need to drag our miserable lives on any longer!”
“Ho? A shared death?”
At Jo Hwi’s question, Ma Yeom-rang Wi Ji-ak sneered again.
Riding the sword and soaring into the sky, killing such a monstrous man would be an impossible task.
Even if they wanted to die together, there was no way to do it.
“Do not underestimate the sword in the sky! All who follow the Black Heaven shall burn their souls in the abyss!”
Screech!
As a few of the Celestial Killers (Cheonsal) rushed toward Jo Hwi with their weapons, Jo Hwi noticed the faces of the Ghost Killers (Gwisal) in the rear growing increasingly lifeless.
This was a typical premonition when a martial artist’s heart was about to be pierced.
**Clang!**
In the blink of an eye, Jo Hwi drew his sword and deflected the Celestial Killers’ attacks, his eyes blazing like fire.
“These bastards! You call yourselves martial artists, and this is all you’ve chosen?”
Is this what they had chosen after everything? A collective suicide attempt?
Wi Ji-ak, who was clutching his torn hand after his weapon had been deflected, looked bewildered.
What is this madman talking about?
Isn’t he a disciple of the sword god who rides a sword in the air?
Impossible to oppose.
Impossible for a shared death.
This is the position of the *Sogyeomshin* (Sword God) in the current martial world.
For such a tremendous power to go unnoticed by him?
If he couldn’t even feel that, then the only way to preserve a martial artist’s dignity was to die by his own hand.
Finally, from Jo Hwi’s entire body, a prayer, mysterious and unfathomable, emanated, and for the first time in a long while, the absolute sword spirit manifested.
**The Absolute Sword Spirit of the World.**
This supreme sword spirit, born of intense concentration, could shatter all physical forces within a range of a hundred feet.
Soon, all the Black Heaven remnants collapsed, their faces full of confusion.
This sight!
It was exactly the same as the one described by the Black Heaven Eight Kings, not a single deviation.
Everyone had believed it to be a deadly poison, but it was eventually proven to be something else.
Surprisingly, the Black Heaven Leader had been certain that the sword spirit was the sacred technique of the sword god.
A legendary realm that could only be manifested at the peak of the Absolute Realm.
Having experienced that legendary technique firsthand, Wi Ji-ak could hardly regain his composure.
All his powerful internal strength, his iron-like muscles, were utterly useless.
To move, there was an unprecedented interference from the mysterious sword spirit.
Could this be called martial arts?
At that moment, Jo Hwi’s gaze fell on the weapons scattered as the Black Heaven warriors fell.
“Ha? Look at these bastards?”
For several months now, Jo Hwi had forbidden them from carrying weapons.
These were men with such violent and reckless temperaments that they often caused trouble when drunk, even hurting people.
The discarded weapons were astonishing.
Someone had taken the bars of a prison cell and expertly sharpened them into a sword-like shape.
Another had turned a steel plate into a star-shaped throwing weapon, which he attached to a chain to create a whip.
The most ridiculous one, though, was someone who had somehow stolen a large statue of Maitreya Buddha and carved it into a spear.
The shape was so grotesque and cruel that if this creativity had been used for studying, the person would have surely passed the highest exams with ease.
Looking at the perfectly sharpened spearhead made from the Buddha’s head, Jo Hwi clicked his tongue.
“What the hell is wrong with this bastard? He made a spear out of Maitreya Buddha’s head like it’s some kind of triangular Buddha. Don’t you have any Buddhist heart? You’ll go to hell for this.”
“Shut up!”
Jo Hwi sat down heavily on Wi Ji-ak’s back, who was still struggling on the ground.
“Sigh, did I kill the Black Heaven Leader for nothing?”
The Black Heaven remnants, still struggling on the ground, cursed.
“Son of a bitch!”
“Die, bastard!”
“You’re the lowest of the low!”
Jo Hwi chuckled.
“Reflexes, you bastards. How dare you trash talk me, a son of the South?”
It had been only a few days since the Black Heaven Leader’s death, and they couldn’t bear it, resorting to a collective suicide attempt!
Indeed, taking away a person’s hope was the cruelest act.
Even these cruel and venomous martial artists were once passionate men.
In the past, they ran like the wind, dressed in dark robes, shouting “Black Heaven! Heukcheon!” as they clashed swords in countless battles. Those were unforgettable days in their martial world.
“Hmm.”
Jo Hwi hadn’t forgotten that the Black Heaven remnants were “men” too.
But no matter how much he thought about it, no sharp solution came to mind for continuing to use them as laborers.
There are things in this world that money alone cannot solve.
“Problem, problem.”
The **Cao Family’s Complex Heavenly Tower** had just started its first shovel of construction.
Without the Black Heaven warriors, trained in countless mock battles, it would be impossible to complete it within the deadline.
“How can I earn your trust?”
As Jo Hwi pondered, he heard Wi Ji-ak’s sneering voice.
“Hmph! You dream of earning our trust? We endured because the Supreme One was alive, waiting for the right moment. We never had any intention of cooperating from the start!”
Pa Yeom-gwi and Jeok Yeom-do added their voices.
“Now that the Black Heaven Leader is gone, we are all dead souls! That is the law of our faction!”
“Hmm?”
In an instant, Jo Hwi’s eyes, shining like those of a hawk, turned toward Jeok Yeom, who was lying on the ground.
“Did the Black Heaven Faction have a code of conduct?”
“We, the Black Heaven Faction, are the proud rulers of the southern region! Do you think the faction, governed by the lord of Poyang Lake, could be run without a code?”
For a moment, Jo Hwi grinned wickedly.
At the sight of Jo Hwi’s expression, Jeok Yeom’s back began to sweat, his body drenched with a chilling sense of dread.
“Then tell me about that code. What process is necessary for a new Black Heaven Lord to rise to power?”
What is this bastard saying?
Jeok Yeom, almost out of his mind, burst into an insane, mocking laugh as he lay on the ground, shouting toward the sky.
“Hahaha! You madman! The one who destroyed the entire Black Heaven Faction with his own hands is now talking about installing a new Black Heaven Lord?!”
Meanwhile, Wi Ji-ak looked up at Jo Hwi with a face full of disbelief.
“How are you planning to find the Elder Lords of the Black King Division?”
“The Black King Division?” Jo Hwi asked, confused.
Jeok Yeom’s eyes blazed like fire.
“The Black King Division is the most powerful decision-making body in the Black Heaven Faction, equal in authority to the faction leader himself.”
The Black King Division, composed of the previous generation of esteemed elders from the martial world, was one of the most powerful factions within the Black Heaven. They were known for occasionally defying the authority of the faction leader, and their most significant power was the right to elect the Black Heaven Lord (Black Heaven Dae-Sal).
When the unanimous vote of the Eight Kings and the decision of the Black King Division were combined, only then could a new Black Heaven Lord be installed.
“Hoh, so where are these Black King Division elders now?” Jo Hwi asked, intrigued.
Wi Ji-ak, with a look of helplessness, mumbled under his breath.
“The location of the Black King Division is the Black Heaven Faction’s greatest secret. Even the Eight Kings, and possibly even the Black Heaven Lord himself, do not know. Perhaps even the Lord…”
Wi Ji-ak trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.
He could not bring himself to say that their leader, the Black Heaven Lord, had likely been waiting for the Black King Division to make a move.
The last hope of the Black Heaven Faction, the Black King Division.
Just as there were powerful masters living in hiding in remote areas on the orthodox side, there were also former masters on the unorthodox side who had soaked the martial world in blood and now gathered in groups to exert their influence.
Had they not united their strength in the first place, the Black Heaven Faction would never have come into existence.
“Then I suppose the Black King Division is essentially a separate organization, despite the ‘black’ in its name. If even the faction leader doesn’t know its location, there must have been no regular communication. That means the decisions made by the Black King Division were communicated secretly through covert appointments… Hoh, they seem rather arrogant. I can already sense the narrow-mindedness and eccentricity of those stubborn old men.”
Wi Ji-ak’s pupils began to tremble violently.
That’s the *Sogyeomshin* (Little Sword God) for you.
With just a few clues, Jo Hwi had already accurately grasped the internal power structure of the Black Heaven Faction and even saw through the conflicts between them.
What was terrifying about the *Sogyeomshin* was not his mastery of the sword but his terrifying mental acuity.
The unparalleled strategic mind in that man’s head was something the martial world had never encountered before.
Anyone living in the **Cao Family’s Grand Assembly** would never deny this fact.
“Thank you for the useful information. Oh, and…”
Just as Jo Hwi felt the strange force binding the Black Heaven remnants gradually begin to dissipate…
*Tsutsutsutsu*
The various weapons they had dropped onto the ground slowly began to rise into the air.
*Creek-* *Creek-*
Soon, the crude weapons gathered and contorted, merging into a sphere-like shape. Then, they turned a deep crimson and fell to the ground with a thud.
Everyone’s mouths dropped open in shock.
This was unimaginable—Jo Hwi’s *Yeomgong* (mental technique) at work!
Could such a thing be called a divine skill that a mere human could possess?
“Do you all want to die that badly?”
“…”
“….”
With his expression completely neutral, Jo Hwi asked, but no one dared speak a word.
“This is why I hate the martial artists of the world. Is a martial artist’s honor that important? Does your pride feed you? Right now, across the world, there are countless people wandering through mountains and rivers, gnawing on roots and leaves just to survive. Don’t you feel any shame?”
Jo Hwi’s gaze grew colder.
“Shall I dig even deeper? Haven’t you all already lost your martial souls? Your souls were dead the day you dropped your weapons and begged for your lives from me. So what is this absurd resolve you’re showing today?”
“What do you mean…!”
Before Wi Ji-ak could protest, the *Sogyeomshin* declared:
“You already threw away your weapons and begged me for your lives back then, didn’t you?”
“What, what?!”
Wi Ji-ak, who had been about to charge at Jo Hwi, suddenly froze, his arms hanging limply at his sides. His anger surged, but sadly, he couldn’t refute Jo Hwi’s words.
“Even with your faction leader beneath your feet, you couldn’t draw your swords and charge at the enemy. If you still had the soul of a martial artist, it would have died that day, wouldn’t it?”
From afar, Yeom Sang-rok, listening to Jo Hwi’s words, shook his head in disbelief, clicking his tongue.
“Without even a sword in hand, he’s more of a killer than a murderer.”
With nothing but a sharp tongue, Jo Hwi relentlessly pierced the hearts of the Black Path men!
His scathing words today would leave wounds in their hearts deeper than any blade could inflict.
“Why are you pretending to be warriors now, when you’re no longer even real martial artists? You’re just workers for the Cao Family Grand Assembly. That’s all you are. Never make those shabby weapons again…”
“Shut up, you crazy bastard! Just kill me with a blade! Are you planning to kill with words?”
Yeom Sang-rok, his eyes blazing with fury, rushed at Jo Hwi in a fit of rage.
Though Yeom had been spitting and siding with the others like they were comrades in the same unorthodox faction, Jo Hwi paid no attention to him.
“Soldiers who are defeated fight with all their might, but they’re still called defeated enemies, right? You’re not even worthy of that. I never saw you as enemies to begin with. You knelt without ever having fought. How could you be enemies? Hah!”
Jo Hwi’s mental attack struck the Black Path men hard!
Their eyes, blank and lifeless, stared into empty space, as if they had lost all sense of human spirit. They looked like they had lost their country, their souls hollow.
“Are you prisoners then? No, I don’t take prisoners. You came here willingly to join the Cao Family Grand Assembly, so you’re just ordinary workers for the Grand Assembly. And yet you have the nerve to pretend you’re martial artists? What a bunch of fools.”
– Good grief!
– Hah…
As humans, when we see grotesque or brutal scenes on TV, we instinctively look away or grimace.
That’s exactly how the dignitaries of the Underworld felt in this moment.
Still, the ways of the martial world do exist, after all!
Even if one chooses to express things more diplomatically, to speak so directly and ruthlessly, aiming to destroy a person’s very soul… it was shocking!
“Your words are as sharp as your tongue, Sogyeomshin.”
Wi Ji-ak glared at Jo Hwi with killing intent, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. You could clearly feel how humiliated he was.
“A true martial artist! If there’s a chance for the future, then even in the face of shame, one must endure to survive! If you speak so contemptuously of a warrior’s perseverance, how many in this world could truly stand tall?”
“That’s right! Exactly!”
Yeom Sang-rok nodded solemnly, completely agreeing with Wi Ji-ak’s words.
As Wi Ji-ak said, enduring shame is a martial artist’s virtue.
If Jo Hwi was right, then those who fled in the midst of bloody battles to preserve their lives were no longer true martial artists.
Who could dare to say that Liu Bang, who humbled himself before the might of Xiang Yu, was not a true ruler?
Enduring a moment’s humiliation without reacting in anger, bearing it with patience, was also a form of courage.
Countless generals in history have died because they couldn’t control their rage in moments of insult.
“*Sigh*…”
Jo Hwi sighed deeply.
He had cruelly driven the Black Heaven Faction remnants in an attempt to pacify the Black King Division’s issues, but everything had fallen apart in the end because of that damn Wi Ji-ak.
The journey ahead was long, but now, he had to split his time searching for the Black King Division’s elders.
But those bamboo-like old men seemed like they wouldn’t budge unless a new Black Heaven Lord appeared.
“Hey, Ji-ak.”
Wi Ji-ak’s face turned blank for a moment as he wondered if he had misheard.
The man who had struck fear into others with his incredible strategy—now being called Ji-ak?
Yeom Sang-rok, barely holding in his laughter, spoke.
“Are you serious? Saying that is like calling Zhuge Liang ‘Galuan.'”
Jo Hwi flinched, his face turning red.
“Dammit! I might not have known! So Wi Ji (尉遲) is a surname, huh? My bad. Anyway! Laws, huh? Fine! Those who love the law will eventually be destroyed by it. I’ll make sure you learn that lesson through your very own Black Heaven Faction laws! I’ll make sure to use you like slaves under the new Black Heaven Lord!”
Jo Hwi glared at Wi Ji-ak, his face transforming into one of a demonic spirit, as if he wanted to kill him.
“You’ve lost even the command of your workers today! Of course, there’s no monthly payment either! If I find the Black King Division, I’ll make sure you, Wi Ji-ak, are the new Black Heaven Lord! You’ll serve as a slave under me, as will the rest! To you, General Yi!”
“Yes, Chairman.”
General Yi, hands clasped and bowing respectfully, received Jo Hwi’s command.
“The construction of the Cao Family’s Heavenly Heaven Compound will be halted for now. I’ll be away for the next half month.”
General Yi’s face hardened with concern.
“Today, the area around the Huoyan Plain is teeming with people hoping to see the construction. Some have even set up camp for days to witness the spectacle… perhaps it would be better to continue calming them down…”
“Didn’t you say you’d do nothing without the orders of the Black Heaven Faction’s law? Well, then, according to that damn law!”
With those words, Jo Hwi had already mounted his steel sword and was soaring far into the sky.
—
“Hehe, hehe…”
Hong Ye hummed a tune, counting the receipts, clearly in a good mood.
To think that the absolute ruler of the Night Butterfly Sect, known as *One Night, Ten Thousand Strategies and Flower Butterfly*, was acting so casually.
Dark Ghost, watching her with a look of disdain, couldn’t hide his disapproval.
“Heh, could you leave already?”
Hong Ye hated the look in his eyes, which seemed to carry a mocking sneer.
If it weren’t for the agreement with the Cao Family Grand Assembly, she would have kicked him out long ago, but that was the reality she had to begrudgingly accept.
“You should know. As long as you’re on duty, I have to monitor your every move,” Dark Ghost said coldly.
Dispatched by the Cao Family Grand Assembly, Dark Ghost had been keeping a close watch on Hong Ye.
The reason was simple—she had broken the agreement with the Cao Family and sold information about Sogyeomshin to outsiders.
Naturally, this had enraged Jo Hwi, who had then sent Dark Ghost to keep a thorough surveillance on Hong Ye.
“Can’t you see I’m organizing the ledgers? I’m done with my work,” Hong Ye snapped.
At that moment, Dark Ghost’s sharp senses detected an enormous wave of energy.
“Ha! Hoo…!”
In an instant, his back broke into a cold sweat, but soon he sighed in relief.
It was the familiar aura of *Sogyeomshin*.
“It seems your work isn’t quite done,” he remarked.
“What’s going on?”
Hong Ye was about to snap, *Why are you deciding that?!*, but suddenly, the ceiling of the office collapsed, and the damn *guy* appeared.
There was only one person who would dare visit the headquarters of the Night Butterfly Sect in such a fashion.
“Hello, traitor.”
“Ugh…”
Hong Ye dropped her head, feeling the ache in her mind.
If there was one major mistake in her life, it was making a deal with that insane man.
“Why! Why do you always appear by breaking through the ceiling?”
Jo Hwi, with his usual indifferent expression, smirked.
“Because it’s easier?”
“Crazy!”
“Why’s a smart woman like you acting like this? Is it easier to prove your identity to the annoying middlemen, go through secret passageways filled with mechanisms, pass through a flower garden full of battle formations, get your entire body disarmed, and then come here? Or is it easier to just smash through the ceiling with one sword and stand in front of you?”
“*Hah…*!”
Thanks to that man, every fifteen days, she had to change the office, but he always managed to show up by tearing through the ceiling.
If she could, she honestly wanted to sever her ties with the Cao Family Grand Assembly right then and there.
“You’ve had it tough. Ghost.”
“I’m just doing my job.”
—
“You don’t have any complaints, right?”
“…”
Dark Ghost wasn’t sure whether Jo Hwi was talking about his duties here or about the death he had caused by entrusting Chunseon to the open lord.
Jo Hwi’s blunt reply continued.
“You must have grown attached by now. Sorry.”
Finally, Dark Ghost gave a bitter smile, and Jo Hwi turned his gaze back to Hong Ye.
“I have a request. Night Butterfly Sect.”
Hong Ye’s face went pale.
Every time that Sogyeomshin formally called her by her sect name, *Night Butterfly Sect*, it meant he was about to ask for a request that would cost her dearly.
“I-I won’t negotiate!” she said, rising abruptly to flee through the back door of the office. But Jo Hwi was already blocking her way with a mocking grin.
“Hey, it’s going to be difficult if you keep acting like this.”
Hong Ye recoiled in horror.
“What the hell! What kind of leader are you? Even the street thugs don’t intimidate people like this!”
“Sit down while I’m still being polite. You’re the one who turned me into this ragtag leader. When you trample on trust, you should have expected this much.”
“What the hell did I do wrong?”
Jo Hwi looked at Hong Ye with disbelief.
“You sold my information to the Tongcheonzonshin side, didn’t you?”
“To… Tongcheonjonshin? Is that the nickname of that terrifying person?”
“Look at this! Damn it!”
Even in this situation, Hong Ye instinctively exhibited her professional mindset.
But she quickly realized her mistake and closed her mouth tightly, though it was already too late.
Instead, she straightened her shoulders and took a step forward confidently.
“The Night Butterfly Sect is an intelligence organization. I’m an intelligence merchant, too. How many times have you taken so much information from the Night Butterfly Sect without paying properly?”
“Didn’t you once say you’d take my information in exchange for money?”
“Well said! Do you think an organization like ours would gather information and not use it?”
A cold, icy voice flowed from Jo Hwi, whose eyes had turned as cold as ice.
“So? So you sold my information to Tongcheonjonshin? Because of that, I got struck by a bolt from the clear sky and spent three thousand years in prison?”
“W-What? What are you talking about?”
If Tongcheonjonshin hadn’t come to the Four Rivers, she wouldn’t have been hit by the terrifying *Law Heavenly Thunder*.
Jo Hwi couldn’t contain the burning anger inside him, thinking it was all because of this woman.
“Just thinking about it makes me angry. Should I just destroy everything?”
To think he could say something so casually as to wipe out the Night Butterfly Sect!
The problem was that Hong Ye knew he had the power to actually do it.
“Wait, just a moment!” Hong Ye said, her face tense with anxiety as she stared at Jo Hwi.
“Does this Tongcheonjonshin person have any connection to Tongcheongyo (the Heavenly Tongue Sect)?”
“He is the leader of the sect.”
In that instant, Hong Ye sharply turned her head.
“Then it’s not him!”
“What are you talking about?”
“It means the person who asked for your information is not from Tongcheongyo!”
Could it be a third party?
Was there another force targeting her and the Cao Family Grand Assembly?
Jo Hwi furrowed his brows and asked again, “How can you be so sure?”
“Observing Tongcheongyo is a matter of life and death for the Night Butterfly Sect. If it were them, we wouldn’t have missed it.”
“Why did you risk your life to observe Tongcheongyo?” Jo Hwi asked with a confused expression.
“Who do you think is keeping the closest watch on Tongcheongyo?” Hong Ye asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Mm…”
At that moment, Jo Hwi understood everything.
A sinister religion that had been disturbing the people for over a hundred years.
The only entity that would be paying such close attention to such a place was the Imperial Family.
The Imperial Family was the largest client of the Night Butterfly Sect.
That’s why the Night Butterfly Sect prioritized keeping watch over Tongcheongyo.
“Then who the hell is taking my information? Do you have any clue?”
Hong Ye looked pale as if even thinking about it terrified her.
“I don’t know anything. But one thing is certain…”
“What’s certain?”
Hong Ye swallowed nervously.
“He’s not from our world… he’s beyond us.”
Jo Hwi looked stunned.
In this context, *our world* meant the world of the martial world.
The vast land of Zhongyuan, commonly known as the *world*.
It might have seemed like a vague term, but Hong Ye, the head of the Night Butterfly Sect, had a sharp and far-reaching insight that transcended that of ordinary humans.
She was saying that this person was beyond a mere human; he was a divine being.
“Evidence?” Jo Hwi asked, his tone now darkening.
Her eyes, filled with melancholy, glinted coldly.
“His one move destroyed the Hoyeolchil Yahon.”
Jo Hwi remembered that Hong Ye had once confidently claimed that even if the entire Night Butterfly Sect were destroyed, as long as the Hoyeolchil Yahon remained, they could rebuild.
*Hoyeolchil Yahon*.
The strongest military force of the Night Butterfly Sect, the ultimate mystery of the martial world.
“They are the Night Butterfly Sect’s most powerful military organization, and the mystical force of the martial world,” Hong Ye said.
“Well, I could do that too,” Jo Hwi replied.
To which Hong Ye, bitterly smiling, responded without hesitation.
“Even though you’re Sogyeomshin, you’re still just one person. You couldn’t defeat Hoyeolchil Yahon. I can guarantee that.”
How could Hong Ye, who knew her own abilities best, be so certain of this?
“Are they that strong?”
“They were raised with the goal of being the greatest in the world from the start,” she replied.
“What? Does that mean they can even fight against someone like Jeong Byeong?” Jo Hwi asked in disbelief.
“I can’t guarantee it, but it’s possible. There are a few members of Hoyeolchil Yahon who practice magic,” she said.
This woman wasn’t joking.
There had to be solid reasons behind her certainty.
Unlike followers of the Divine Sovereign or celestial beings, there were no individuals who had cultivated spiritual power in the current age.
But there were some who could use magical power, and they occasionally appeared in famous magical schools.
However, they were so mysterious and secretive that contacting them was nearly impossible.
The idea that Hong Ye could command such mysterious individuals was something that even Jo Hwi found astounding.
‘Is it an ancient pact from the past?’
The mystic Taoists of the Taoist sects do not interfere recklessly with the mortal realm.
Had the previous generation of the Night Butterfly Sect not formed any special ties with them, they would never have been able to command such Taoists at will.
Nonetheless, the fact that a Taoist capable of using magical power was part of the strongest military organization and was able to annihilate it with a single move was truly remarkable.
As far as Jo Hwi knew, no such person existed in the martial world.
If such a person existed, it would be someone from beyond the martial world—someone from the outside.
This could only be explained by the followers of the Divine Sovereign.
“Hmm…”
At last, Jo Hwi’s mind began to soften slightly.
Now that the strongest military organization of the Night Butterfly Sect was gone, Hong Ye probably had no other choice but to comply.
The Divine Sovereign, who could control even Tongcheonjonshin as an avatar, could easily manipulate an information organization in the martial world using its pawns.
“You must’ve had a hard time.”
With a bitter smile, Hong Ye quickly turned her gaze away from Jo Hwi.
However, Jo Hwi couldn’t help but ask what the Divine Sovereign’s pawns were trying to learn from her.
“What kind of information did they take from me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t know?”
What kind of nonsense was this?
Instead of answering, Hong Ye swept her long hair up, revealing her entire face.
“What’s that?”
A massive scar covered her forehead and the back of her head, still vividly red.
It looked like someone had grabbed her head entirely with their hand.
For a woman, such a large scar could be a wound that would last her entire life.
“This is all.”
“No, I mean, what kind of scar is that?”
Still trembling slightly in fear, Hong Ye continued her answer.
“He just grabbed my head once and left. After that, I was unconscious for more than half a month.”
“Huh?”
At that moment, Jo Hwi heard a voice filled with certainty from the *Black Darkness Master* in his mind.
– It’s a form of magic.
‘Magic?’
– There are traces of magical power that examine and probe a person’s memory still lingering in her head. It’s likely a form of *Siphoning Evil Spirit Extraction Technique*.
*Siphoning Evil Spirit Extraction Technique*.
A peak form of magic that even ordinary magical power could not attempt.
As the leader of the Heavenly Celestial Sect, Cheon Woo Ja had once felt a deep thrill just thinking about this technique.
Even in his time, the *Siphoning Evil Spirit Extraction Technique* had been regarded as something either imaginary or legendary.
“Crazy…!”
To think that simply grabbing someone’s head could absorb their memories?
This was an insane ability that could control the world as one pleased.
Jo Hwi shook his head, letting out a thin sigh.
“Ugh… This is getting more ridiculous.”
Hong Ye, the master of the Night Butterfly Sect, controlled an unimaginable amount of information.
If they had stolen all of her memories, it was as if the Night Butterfly Sect itself had been stolen.
That person had likely grasped the entire ecosystem of the martial world in one go.
If such a person were involved with the new martial alliance?
Jo Hwi could not even begin to fathom what kind of danger might befall him.
Sogyeomshin and the Cao Family Grand Assembly would need to become even stronger than they were now.
“I want to find the *Black King Tribe* (Heung Wang Bu). Hong Ye.”
The title Jo Hwi had used to address her had changed.
Only one word had changed, but why did this subtle shift make his heart race and fill him with relief?
Hong Ye quickly shook off her strange feelings, as she resisted the urge to ponder them.
“What if I don’t want to make a deal? Are you going to threaten me again?”
“Didn’t we already get into this together when we decided to work in the underworld? So why are you being so uncooperative?”
“It doesn’t feel right to say we’re in the same boat when only one side is taking all the losses.”
Jo Hwi paused for a moment, thoughtfully rubbing his chin.
“Hmm…”
After a brief moment of contemplation, Jo Hwi quickly proposed a new offer.
“Right now, what you need most is probably a new power to protect the Night Butterfly Sect, right?”
Hong Ye bit her lip and cautiously nodded her head.
“I won’t deny it.”
Jo Hwi’s soft smile continued.
“Anyway, there’s no real meaning to any money transactions between us. I’ll solve your troubles in return.”
“How?”
Jo Hwi roughly pulled a red thread from the tassel hanging from his robe and then infused it with his consciousness.
Hong Ye stared at Jo Hwi, who was holding out the thread without saying much.
“What do you mean?”
Jo Hwi grinned.
“It’s not just any thread. My consciousness remains in it. If something happens, just burn it.”
“Burn it?”
Jo Hwi replied confidently.
“When the consciousness remaining in the thread disappears, I will sense it immediately. As long as this *Sogyeomshin* exists in the Central Plains, I’ll come to rescue you within half a day.”
“What do you mean!”
“Whether the target is the Night Butterfly Sect or you, this *Sogyeomshin* will definitely come to your aid once. How about it? I think this is more than enough for the price of finding the *Black King Tribe*.”
Although it was a one-time deal, it was essentially guaranteeing the survival of the Night Butterfly Sect through *Sogyeomshin*. This was more than enough as payment for finding the *Black King Tribe*.
Even though the mysterious old men of the *Black King Tribe* were hiding, they couldn’t escape the attention of the Night Butterfly Sect.
“There’s a condition.”
Another condition?
Jo Hwi frowned in annoyance at Hong Ye’s bold response.
“You bought the mercenaries from *Palmuza* and are still asking for more conditions? Do you know that too much of something good can cause indigestion?”
Ignoring Jo Hwi’s complaint, Hong Ye turned to the leader of the Night Butterfly Sect who was standing nearby and handed him the thread, continuing with a graceful tone.
“You heard, right? If anything happens, burn this.”
The leader of the Night Butterfly Sect froze with wide eyes.
“What about the master?”
She quickly turned back to Jo Hwi.
“I, Hong Ye, will go with you to the *Black King Tribe*.”
What kind of ridiculous condition was this?
Jo Hwi definitely didn’t want any extra baggage.
“No! It’s not happening!”
Hong Ye immediately sat down and began to meditate in a lotus position.
“I’ll do some breathing exercises before we move. Is that okay?”
“No, I said no!”
Suddenly, Hong Ye jumped up with an angry expression and held the thread she had retrieved from the leader, offering it to Jo Hwi.
“Then let’s call off the deal. You can spend the next three months searching for the *Black King Tribe* or *White King Tribe*.”
Jo Hwi immediately looked like he had been struck with a blow.
“Damn…”
—
Those who had hidden away to avoid the eyes of the martial world often took residence in secluded mountains or remote temples.
However, even they hadn’t completely severed ties with the world. It was just that continuing old grudges with the mortal world interfered with their self-cultivation.
But the old men of the *Black King Tribe* were different.
Their goal wasn’t to practice martial arts and cultivate themselves, but to secretly manipulate the chaotic martial world.
In simple terms, they placed *Heukcheonryeon* in the front to absorb all the pressure from the righteous factions while they themselves took the biggest share of the profits.
Where they were hiding was surprisingly in a bustling inn on a major road.
“There it is.”
“What?”
Hong Ye’s blunt response left not only Jo Hwi but also his fully prepared companions looking confused.
Yeom Sang-rok chuckled.
“Wow, this is completely unexpected. Those shady old men were actually running an inn right in the center of Poyang Lake?”
What’s more, the innkeeper of this *Yukju Inn* was someone Jo Hwi knew very well.
The innkeeper, Seo Dae-sang, had an exceptionally warm and friendly face, and he was quite well-regarded in the Poyang Lake area.
However, his business acumen was so poor that he had been repeatedly urged by those around him to close the inn.
Jo Hwi had always wondered why he hadn’t sold the inn despite its mounting losses, and it seemed there was another reason.
Hong Ye yawned and spoke again with a lazy expression.
“*Hah…* It’s not an ordinary inn. Why are you pretending like you don’t know?”
Yeom Sang-rok’s eyes grew suspicious.
“You mean it’s a *Black Shop*?”
Jin Ga-hee also acted as if she understood.
“A *Black Shop*? It’s too quiet, don’t you think? There aren’t even any guards watching the perimeter.”
A *Black Shop*is a term for a secret or illicit business operating under the guise of an ordinary establishment.
A *Black Shop* is a disguised business often found in the territory of the *Evil Factions*.
In other words, the inn was merely a facade for other secret activities, running covert operations under the guise of a legitimate business.
Hong Ye let out a slight chuckle.
“No need for any guards.”
“Why?”
Yeom Sang-rok’s question was natural.
The businesses of the *Evil Factions* thoroughly disregard the Imperial laws.
It’s common sense to have guards placed at every corner to prepare for inspections by the authorities.
“Obviously, there’s no need to stand guard.”
“Hmm…”
At that moment, the curtains of the *Yukju Inn* were pulled back, and an old man appeared.
He was Old Seo, known for his good-natured demeanor throughout the Poyang Lake area.
However, the man who had always greeted others with a warm smile was now glaring at Jo Hwi and his group with a twisted, malicious expression.
Jo Hwi immediately sensed something was off. He could tell that the old man’s demeanor was not as it had been.
The person Old Seo was glaring at wasn’t anyone else but Hong Ye, the notorious *Night Butterfly Sect* leader.
“You damn woman! What the hell are you doing? Not only did you come to my place in broad daylight, but you brought a hidden burden with you?”
“That’s the issue, Old Hong. Do you think I came to see you just for fun? I must have some backing behind me.”
Old Seo, or rather, Hong Sal’s face turned even redder with anger.
The person accompanying Hong Ye was none other than Jo Hwi, the small sword deity who had devoured Poyang Lake.
Having come with that cunning woman, they were certainly here for ulterior motives, so there was no need to hide his *Sahongryeongong* (*Four Red Link Techniques*).
“Hmm.”
The feeling Jo Hwi got from Hong Sal was surprising.
The atmosphere around him was thick with a murderous aura, filled with the sense of intent to kill.
It didn’t take long for Jo Hwi to realize that this was a powerful technique that was steeped in murderous intent.
“Seems like there’s no need for guards, then.”
Anyone capable of manipulating intent like that could easily sense the presence of any being within a large radius.
It didn’t matter what tricks they used; their presence could be sensed by someone like him, who had mastered the ultimate *Wuji* (*Boundless*) vision.
Jo Hwi gave a curious glance at Hong Sal.
“Looks like our innkeeper is more impressive than I thought. It’s strange though. No matter how much you obscure your intent, you can’t fool the eyes of *Sogyeomshin*.”
The answer came from Hong Ye.
“That’s the special feature of *Sahongryeongong*, which Hong Sal has mastered. It’s a martial art that allows one to even imitate death itself.”
As is typical with the *Evil Factions’* killing techniques, *Sahongryeongong* was particularly specialized in concealing one’s intent.
Even so, it was surprising that Hong Sal had managed to avoid detection by *Sogyeomshin*.
This meant that his killing technique was far from simple.
Jo Hwi was now more intrigued than ever and wanted to see what these shady old men were up to.
“Let’s see what secret business you’re running.”
Hong Sal stepped forward to block Jo Hwi, his expression calm yet filled with hidden intent.
“No matter how skilled you are, I’ll still value my life.”
“What? Life?”
What was this old man talking about?
Was he blocking his path and threatening him?
Not wanting to harm the helpless old man, Jo Hwi sighed deeply, his eyes sharpening.
“That’s more like something I’d say. Despite how I look, I’m someone who believes in protecting children, women, and the elderly.”
“Heh! You crazy bastard!”
Hong Sal sneered cruelly, unleashing his murderous intent, and the entire street in front of the inn turned dark, bathed in a blood-red aura.
“You’re a worthless scum unfit to live in this world. Didn’t your sect teach you to avoid targeting women, children, and the elderly when wandering the martial world?”
Jo Hwi narrowed his eyes slightly.
Although the martial world was filled with schemes and treachery, the idea of excluding women and children from protection was something Jo Hwi found distasteful.
Having grown up in modern times, where elderly and pregnant women are respected on buses, Jo Hwi had no intention of accepting such an idea.
“Your view is so dark that it makes the world seem pitch black.”
As Jo Hwi mocked him, he revealed the full scope of his *Sogyeomshin’s* vast and limitless spiritual power.
The combination of *Geomcheon Daesingong*, *Mashin Gong*, and *Mushin’s* *Mugye* formed Jo Hwi’s unique realm of intent, a power that was beyond what the Central Plains martial world could comprehend.
Hong Sal froze in place.
Even the *Black King Tribe* would evaluate *Sogyeomshin* as something at the highest level of *Zheng* (the ultimate truth), or the very beginning of *Ziran* (natural Dao).
Hong Sal thought that if he could buy some time, the *Black King’s Ten Exterminators* would arrive, and he’d have a chance to win.
But this was completely unthinkable.
It felt like facing a massive mountain, or rather, something akin to the sky itself.
Under such an expansive universe, he felt like nothing more than a mere creature.
Could this truly be the realm a mere martial artist could reach with their intent?
Yet, the vast, infinite sky-like power Jo Hwi had manifested suddenly disappeared.
Instead, a small point appeared in front of *Sogyeomshin*.
Jo Hwi had known what that point represented.
It was the essence of his unique martial technique, a technique that could destroy the entire space with that one small point.
The fear was overwhelming, unlike anything he had ever felt.
The space around the point began to warp and collapse in its wake, distorting and crushing everything in its path.
“What kind of martial art is that…?”
“The *Tianxia Kongkong Dao*.”
Jo Hwi said with a nonchalant expression.
“I haven’t tested it out directly yet. I’m curious though. I wonder just how much destructive power my new *Tianxia Kongkong Dao* has.”
“….”
“At least, I feel like it could erase something like Poyang Lake in an instant.”
“Y-You crazy bastard!”
The edges of Jo Hwi’s robes, which had been flapping wildly, gradually calmed down, and with it, the pinnacle of *Tianxia Kongkong Dao* also disappeared as if wiped away.
“Martial power in the martial world means nothing to *Sogyeomshin*.”
It was an incredibly reckless statement, but Hong Sal did not dare to refute it.
Jo Hwi’s eyes sank endlessly, as if falling into a bottomless abyss. His demeanor, no longer resembling that of a human, exuded an intensity that could obliterate a person’s natural reason with its force.
“Let’s go.”
Jo Hwi started walking toward the inn again, and Yeom Sang-rok and Jin Ga-hee quickly followed.
“Okay! Oppa!”
“Ugh…”
For a moment, Yeom Sang-rok wondered if Jo Hwi’s claim of having trained martial arts for three thousand years in a mysterious place might actually be true.
Otherwise, he couldn’t explain what he had just witnessed.
Feelings of fear and jealousy were emotions that arose within the scope of being human.
If Jo Hwi had reached such a level of inhuman power, how much stronger must the *Shinjo* (God Seat), whom Jo Hwi spoke of with reverence, be?
Overwhelmed by this thought, Yeom Sang-rok shook his head vigorously.
It was a story from beyond his reach, a tale of the heavens, something he couldn’t possibly comprehend.
He tried to comfort himself, telling himself that he could just observe and enjoy the benefits from being near *Sogyeomshin*.
*Creek, creek…*
As they entered the inn, the curtain was pulled back, and as expected, there wasn’t a single guest inside.
Jo Hwi silently extended his intent over the entire inn.
Soon, he chuckled lightly.
“Underground. Too clichéd and obvious.”
*Crack!*
The section of the floor where Jo Hwi had directed his gaze was ripped away completely.
Yeom Sang-rok couldn’t even feel what technique Jo Hwi had used. He stared at him in sheer awe.
“That’s… a person, right?”
Hong Ye, who had followed behind, shook her head in disbelief, her face as pale as a ghost.
“This… is… too much…”
Hong Ye was even more shocked than Hong Sal had been.
How could a human with reasoning accept the state of Jo Hwi’s power as something normal?
The title *Sogyeomshin* carried weight, no doubt, but it was nothing compared to the Three Gods.
However, what she was witnessing now was on the level of, or perhaps beyond, the Three Gods described in the *Martial World Chronicles*.
Had she not witnessed it firsthand, she never would have believed it. At this point, she might even consider Jo Hwi a real god.
Only then did Hong Ye realize how significant it was to be under the protection of *Sogyeomshin*, even if just once. She had just grasped the greatest stroke of luck in the *Yajeob* history.
“Underground, could it be an underground dogfighting ring or a gambling den?”
Hong Ye, trying to pull herself together, carefully shook her head.
“The *Black King Tribe*’s *Chongta* wouldn’t be involved in such lowly businesses, right?”
“Well, let’s check it out.”