NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 154
Chapter 154: The New Post-Stimulation Indicator
‘Lee Cheol-soo, huh?’
Wi Soryeon recalled her memories of the Orthodox Faction Competition.
When she volunteered to head to the Gongdong Sect Main Base to notify them of the competition’s date.
The moment she met him in front of the mountain gate.
While sipping that awful tea.
On the day of the competition.
The sharp sword strike from Lee Cheol-soo, who was below her level, a mere amateur, flashed through her mind. Alongside that, the memory of her torn clothes during the mid-match came rushing back.
Losing in the wager, she had to call him ‘older brother’…
‘Older brother… How could I…’
Wi Soryeon’s face flushed red. She bit her lip.
If she met him again, she would have to call him that once more. She had forgotten.
No.
The truth was, she hadn’t forgotten. She had been thinking about it all along. That day’s confession still lingered in her mind.
His words—vowing to take responsibility for her after becoming a hero who would encompass the martial world and the country—echoed clearly in her ears.
Her heart raced. The truth was, she wanted to see him again. But he belonged to the Orthodox Faction, and she was a part of the Evil Faction.
Moreover, the Black Dragon Society had permanently withdrawn from Gansu Province as a consequence of her defeat in the Orthodox Faction Competition. Even if she wanted to meet him, she couldn’t. So, she had buried this in her heart.
In fact, she had been harboring doubts.
Two years.
A long or short time, depending on how one looked at it. But ever since Lee Cheol-soo’s words that day, Wi Soryeon had replayed them every single day. Moreover, Lee Cheol-soo had begun to stand out in the Orthodox Faction Martial World after the competition.
During the Hangshan Great War, he defeated So Geom-hu, and at the Yongbong Society, he triumphed over the Orthodox Faction’s top Post-Stimulation Indicator, the Sword Dragon Jin Paeseon, rising to the position of the new Sword Dragon.
‘The top Post-Stimulation Indicator of the Orthodox Faction, huh…’
Sword Dragon Jin Paeseon.
The Black Dragon, known as the top talent of the Evil Faction by many. Naturally, she had heard of the top Post-Stimulation Indicator of the Orthodox Faction, Jin Paeseon, alongside her name, in the mouths of the gossipers. They represented the future of their respective factions. It was impossible not to feel competitive with an opponent like that. She believed a day would come when their futures would be decided through combat.
She had heard that he had thoroughly defeated that Jin Paeseon. Even to the point of being completely naked.
‘Naked? That absurd habit of exposing oneself still persists…’
Even if she tried to block it out, the news of Lee Cheol-soo, who was becoming more renowned each day, continued to reach her.
She couldn’t forget, even if she wanted to.
Yet, wanting to meet him didn’t guarantee she could.
Two years.
A short time, or perhaps a long period, in which her feelings for Lee Cheol-soo had become a chaotic mix of love and hate, growing like a snowball until they became something she couldn’t manage.
‘Damn it…’
But today.
An order came down for her to accompany him. She was confused. She didn’t know whether to like it or hate it, to laugh or cry.
But her heart was beating fiercely.
She could meet him again.
He hadn’t forgotten her, had he? After tearing clothes in front of the others and vowing to take responsibility.
Her face turned crimson. Since that day, the number of women around him had increased. But the Black Dragon still remained that same old appearance.
Not a trace of womanly charm, rather, she resembled a gnarled man more.
Wi Soryeon’s gaze shifted toward Jeoksawol. The ultimate beauty was there. If she were as beautiful as her, then perhaps he…
“Are we going?”
Jeoksawol’s seductive voice pulled her from her thoughts. Wi Soryeon had no choice but to nod.
“I will go.”
If it meant she could meet him again under the pretense of being the world’s top Post-Stimulation Indicator, she could go anywhere.
Seeing this, Jeoksawol smiled.
She already knew of the Black Dragon’s hidden affection. She knew that the Black Dragon liked him.
That’s why she was sending the Black Dragon to Heavenly Mountain. The Black Dragon was the top Post-Stimulation Indicator of the Evil Faction. Unlike that arrogant girl of the Orthodox Faction, she was a loyal subordinate who diligently followed her orders as the Sado Family’s head. She couldn’t dare defy Jeoksawol. To confront the arrogant Jin Soso would require more than mere Swordsmanship.
Thus, the Black Dragon was essential.
Of course, she didn’t intend to send just the Black Dragon.
‘I’ll have to go as well.’
To appoint the world’s top Post-Stimulation Indicator.
The Heavenly Horse had indeed said so. So now was the time to head to Heavenly Mountain in the guise of Baek Myeon-am-gun’s second disciple, Yeon Sowol, the third concealed identity.
‘It’s been ages since I’ve played the role of a Post-Stimulation Indicator.’
Recalling her days as a Post-Stimulation Indicator over 40 years ago, Jeoksawol smiled.
In a place where Jin Soso and Swordsmanship were absent.
She would return to her youth and capture Lee Cheol-soo’s heart.
Jeoksawol’s crimson eyes sparkled.
*
Shaolin Temple, Dalma Cave.
I was wrapping up my last agenda before heading to the Gongdong Sect.
That was a meeting with Sinseung.
Inside the still-dark Dalma Cave, as the faint light of the yellow candle illuminated the darkness, I was drinking the tasteless leaf tea that Sinseung had continued to serve.
“I heard you’re going to Heavenly Mountain.”
“Nothing is confirmed yet.”
“Did I hear you demanded the Heavenly Horse’s Absolute Safety Guarantee? Haha, the Heavenly Horse will accept your offer. The Heavenly Horse of today is that kind of person.”
Sinseung chuckled lightly.
He wasn’t wrong. For the Heavenly Horse of this era, the authority of the Heavenly Horse, or perhaps the existence of the Heavenly Horse Church, might not hold any significance.
I nodded at Sinseung’s words.
“I don’t mind if he accepts. After all, it’s a place I’ll have to go sooner or later.”
“Calm and composed as always. I heard you won the Yongbong Tournament. Congratulations, Sword Dragon.”
Sword Dragon.
Hearing that made my lips twitch again.
“Of course, people will call you the Goeryong instead of Sword Dragon.”
However, I couldn’t help but stiffen at Sinseung’s next words. Is this monk for real?
“Thank you.”
I forced a disheartened thank you while suppressing my bubbling frustration.
Then…
Swoosh.
He pulled out a secret martial arts book from his robe.
On the worn cover, the characters ‘Dharma Wheel Holy King Technique’ were inscribed.
“What is this…”
I trailed off upon seeing the secret manual.
The Dharma Wheel Holy King Technique. I had never even heard of it in my past life.
“The reason I summoned you today is to deliver the Dharma Wheel Holy King Technique. Don’t worry, it’s not a Shaolin Supreme Technique. It’s merely a personal compilation of my insights.”
A compilation.
Though he called it a compilation, it looked like anything but an ordinary technique.
He intends to give me this?
Of course, Sinseung hinted it wasn’t a Shaolin technique, so it was fine to accept. But a martial art he compiled from his insights?
“…The Dharma Wheel Holy King Technique is a technique dealing with Anti-Demon Magic Power, perfected recently in preparation for facing the Demon Sect and his subordinates. You’ll be the first, but I also plan to distribute it to the Heavenly Alliance.”
Sinseung added further explanation.
If it had been developed from the very beginning as a technique against the Blood Sect, I would have understood why he was passing down the Dharma Wheel Holy King Technique to me.
“The Heavenly Horse’s Absolute Safety Guarantee command will come down, but it may not protect you in every situation. Furthermore, the Demon Sect has a deep connection with the Blood Sect; the Demon Cave Bloodline is one. Since the Demon Sect is still an unknown domain, it would be wise to take at least one token for self-defense.”
The connection between the Demon Sect and the Blood Sect.
The extreme factions of the Demon Sect branched off to form the Blood Sect.
At least, that’s how the origins of the Blood Sect began during the late Yuan Dynasty.
After the founding of the Ming Empire by Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, he expelled the Demon Sect from the Central Plains to the outer regions—because the connection between the Blood Sect and the Demon Sect had not yet vanished.
Thus, Sinseung’s words were undoubtedly correct.
“…During the Orthodox Faction War, the Demon Sect was a puppet organization controlled by the Blood Sect. The previous Heavenly Horse, whom I personally dealt with, was one who cultivated Blood Techniques. I don’t know how things are now, but…”
His tale of the Orthodox War spilled from his lips.
No way.
I didn’t know that the Demon Sect had been a puppet organization of the Blood Sect during the Orthodox War?
Then the true shadow behind the Orthodox War was… the Blood Sect?
My mind raced. It was easy to speculate that the Blood Sect manipulated the Demon Sect to initiate the Orthodox War, likely with the aim of unifying the martial world and inciting rebellion to ascend to the heavens again.
It was probably chosen because the Blood Sect had split off from the Demon Sect.
Moreover, the Demon Sect differed from the Orthodox Faction. Assertions in the Demon Sect endorse might makes right, with the only prohibition being betrayal of the teachings.
Unlike the Orthodox Faction, the Demon Sect venerates pure force itself. Forbidden sorcery or martial arts are accepted without prejudice, allowing any means to grow powerful. The most atrocious demonic arts or the Orthodox Faction’s formal techniques, or even the Blood Sect’s Blood Techniques, are all permissible. It is rightly called the Demon Path.
Thus, the Demon Sect is the ideal place for the Blood Sect’s agents to hide.
Yet, thanks to the efforts of the Heavenly Alliance and Sinseung, the Orthodox War ended with the defeat of the Demon Sect and the victory of the Orthodox Faction.
“So the Heavenly Horse of the day was also a subordinate of the Blood Sect who practiced Blood Techniques?”
“That’s not the case. The Heavenly Horse of that time had no relation to the Blood Sect. Rather, it was the opposite. The Heavenly Horse was the one who eradicated all Blood Sect remnants from the Demon Sect. However, there remains a possibility of Blood Sect remnants within the Demon Sect. Until the last Heavenly Horse, the influence of the Blood Sect was still present.”
Clearly, the Heavenly Horse of that time was an outlier.
Even under the iron-fisted rule of the strong shall survive, weak shall perish, the Demon Sect is ultimately an organization formed by people.
Of course, like the six great influential families of the Orthodox Faction, there are also martial arts families within the Demon Sect that monopolize martial arts to produce the strong. Most of the high-ranking officials, including the Heavenly Horse, came from those families.
Without connections of blood, familial, or political ties, one would end up as a third-rate martial artist in the Demon Sect. While it preaches merit-based evaluation, in reality, it operates as a cartel that monopolizes high-ranking positions through their martial arts.
But the Heavenly Horse of that era was a third-rate nobody, without ties to any prominent martial arts family. Unsurprisingly, he likely had no connections with the Blood Sect either.
‘I see now why the Blood Sect has been striving to seize control over the Orthodox Faction, even pulling off something like Cheongdam Meeting.’
With the rise of the Heavenly Horse, the control over the Demon Sect weakened, leading them to want to dominate the Orthodox Faction.
By the way, one of the three powers represented by the Jeongsama has fallen into the hands of the Blood Sect.
While my hypotheses may be somewhat simplistic, the hidden forces behind them possess undeniable potential.
Swoosh.
Sinseung handed me a small token.
“In times of emergency, break this token. Then, reinforcements from the Heavenly Alliance will arrive.”
“Understood.”
I accepted the unassuming token, which felt weak but was evidently treated with some special technique.
“…Please take care. Amitabha. I wish for your safe return. May luck be on your side.”
With a sincere expression, Sinseung spun the prayer beads as he prayed for my fortune.
“There won’t be any problems.”
I said that and got up from my seat.
Now, all my business at the Shaolin Temple was complete.
Before heading to my next destination, the Demon Sect… it was time to return to my enjoyable home, the Gongdong Sect Main Base.
*
In the lower village of Gongdong Mountain, Gansu Province.
At the highest level of Gonhwa Pavilion.
Baek Myeon-am-gun’s hand trembled as he unfolded the letter hanging from the latest envoy.
The contents of the letter were shocking.
This time, the Heavenly Horse hosted a martial arts tournament to determine the world’s top Post-Stimulation Indicator, and Jeoksawol… that is, his master announced in one-sided notification that Yeon Sowol, Baek Myeon-am-gun’s own disciple, would participate while posing as her.
The mask he wore while guarding Gongdong Mountain shook fiercely.
A headache surged.
Yeon Sowol.
Known to the world as the second disciple of Baek Myeon-am-gun, but actually an alias of Jeoksawol.
Now she planned to use her disguise for her journey to the Demon Sect.
A top talent of the Evil Faction impersonating a Post-Stimulation Indicator.
Surely, this had to be because of Lee Cheol-soo.
“Phew. Let’s stay calm. Stay calm. AAAAAHHH! Master!”
To participate as a Post-Stimulation Indicator? Isn’t this a bit overboard?
If the master was absent, all related tasks would fall upon him and the Sado Family’s commander.
There was no way he could handle such a hellish workload. Recently brought in as a mistress, he hadn’t even had a chance to share a bed and now had to work to death! What kind of situation was this?
Swallowing those words, Baek Myeon-am-gun wrote a reply with trembling hands.