Chapter 158: Chaos (2)

With a single strike, the massive artifact and thousands of autonomous puppets were smashed to pieces. As everyone who witnessed the scene was left in shock, unable to move, Lee Ga-hang spread her movement technique with a smile.

“Jang Dae-hyeop!”

The monster she had encountered in the Lower Realm. No, a True Immortal who had descended to the Lower Realm.

Jang Woo-hyun’s power, when faced as an enemy, was nothing short of calamity and terror itself. But when encountered as an ally, it was akin to gaining a thousand troops and ten thousand horses.

“Euhuhuhu.”

A strange giggle escaped from Lee Ga-hang’s lips, overjoyed for reasons only she knew.

‘As expected, he’s incredible!’

She hadn’t been in the Central Heavens Realm for long, but in her hectic schedule without time to adapt, she had met numerous races and masters.

And in the process, she realized that the person she had met—Jang Woo-hyun—was on an entirely different level.

It wasn’t just a matter of strength.

Even within the Five Wheel Five Elements Cult, there were many stronger than Jang Woo-hyun. But that was only in comparison to the Jang Woo-hyun of ‘those days’ in the Dawn Continent.

—Who knew how much stronger he would be when they met again.

That had been Lee Ga-hang’s thought, and the Jang Woo-hyun she had met again today was indeed far stronger than before.

When Jang Woo-hyun waved his hand at the center of the explosion, the dust that had scattered in all directions was swept away, and the shattered land was somewhat restored.

Lee Ga-hang swiftly rushed over and landed nearby.

“It’s been a while, Jang Dae-hyeop!”

“Huh? Lee Gungju?”

Jang Woo-hyun widened his eyes at the familiar face.

Meeting Lee Ga-hang, who had once helped him in the Dawn Continent, now in the Central Heavens, was indeed a strange coincidence.

The Central Heavens Realm was vast, and it had taken two months to return from the Cultivators’ Domain back to the Central Heavens Martial Realm.

That was only because Yong Seo-hee had been with him—if Jang Woo-hyun had been alone, it might have taken several years.

While flying over the outskirts of the Central Heavens Martial Realm, Jang Woo-hyun and Yong Seo-hee happened upon people fighting a massive artifact.

As they approached, Jang Woo-hyun sensed a familiar energy emanating from within the giant artifact.

‘Cultivator?’

A fundamentally different energy than that exuded by martial artists or spellcasters.

As soon as he identified the user of the artifact as a Cultivator, Jang Woo-hyun attacked immediately.

He didn’t hesitate, nor did he deliberate.

Spending months in the Cultivators’ Domain had taught him how foolish it was to try to understand those creatures.

Now, if they were Cultivators, he would simply destroy them on sight, no questions asked.

With an imitation of Ma Moon-gi’s Falling Thunder, Jang Woo-hyun destroyed the giant artifact, the Cultivator hiding within, and all the puppets scattered around in a single strike.

“Jang Dae-hyeop!”

Through the scattering dust from the explosion—

Upon hearing a familiar voice, Jang Woo-hyun tilted his head.

He waved his hand to blow away the swirling dust and the residual shockwaves that still dominated the surrounding space. Then, a familiar face landed nearby.

“It’s been a while, Jang Dae-hyeop!”

“Huh? Lee Gungju?”

Lee Ga-hang, whom he had met in the Dawn Continent, was the one calling out and running toward him.

“Yes! I’m Lee Ga-hang of the Vermilion Bird Palace in the Dawn Continent!”

Her crisp and eager reply brought a smile to Jang Woo-hyun’s face.

“You’ve ascended.”

“Yes! It’s all thanks to you, Jang Dae-hyeop! And thank you for saving us!”

“What’s going on here? What did I just destroy?”

“It was a Dharma Treasure that generated puppets. We encountered it while moving and ended up in a fight. Didn’t you already know?”

At her question, Jang Woo-hyun shook his head.

“I was elsewhere. I only just arrived in the Central Heavens Martial Realm. It was a coincidence that I passed by and helped.”

“I see. Oh? Then if you just arrived from elsewhere, does that mean you don’t know about the current situation in the Central Heavens Martial Realm?”

“The situation? What’s happening?”

“Ah… just a moment. Where should I even start…”

Lee Ga-hang paused to organize her thoughts. In the meantime, others who seemed to be her companions ran over.

“Daeju-nim!”

“Daeju!”

Dozens of martial artists.

All seemed to be from the Five Wheel Five Elements Cult, as they carried the Five Elements Qi in their Middle Dantian.

“Daeju? You haven’t been ascended for long and already hold a title? Impressive. You’re with the Five Wheel Five Elements Cult, right?”

“Well… it’s not that I’m particularly capable… the Five Elements Cult is a bit complicated right now.”

“Daeju, who is this person?”

A young man who seemed to be one of Lee Ga-hang’s subordinates approached cautiously and asked.

“This is Jang Dae-hyeop. Everyone, show your respect. He saved us.”

At Lee Ga-hang’s words, her subordinates stepped forward to express their gratitude. In response, Jang Woo-hyun introduced himself.

“I am Jang Woo-hyun.”

As soon as the name was spoken, murmurs broke out among the crowd. After all, it was the same name that had suddenly risen to prominence a few years ago.

The young man who had stepped up earlier spoke again to satisfy his curiosity.

“Jang Woo-hyun? Are you… the one they call the Cheonrin Sword Alliance?”

“Yes, that’s right. I did have such an alias.”

“Oh! What an honor, Jang Dae-hyeop! I’m Yeop Jun-yi of the Vermilion Bird Hall, Five Wheel Five Elements Cult. It’s an honor to meet you.”

As people learned his identity, admiration erupted, and the murmuring grew louder.

It was no surprise. The name Jang Woo-hyun, known from the gathering of the Ten Sects and Three Clans, had already spread far and wide.

He had rescued Beastkin alongside the Fierce-Fisted Heroine of the Beast King Sect, had ties with the Sect Leader of the Taeguk Sect, and was acknowledged by the Cheon Gyeong-jin of the White Forest Society.

It was perhaps the fastest-spreading name in recent centuries.

“But… how do you two know each other…”

Though Jang Woo-hyun’s name was widely known, he hadn’t made any recent appearances or news, so his image had faded somewhat in the public’s mind. The fact that Lee Ga-hang, who had only recently ascended, knew him piqued Yeop Jun-yi’s curiosity.

“Hey now, is that really important? And what do you—huh?”

At the same moment Lee Ga-hang turned her head—

“A dragon!”

“Prepare for battle. A dragon is coming!”

The martial artists of the Five Elements Cult around them gathered their Qi and braced themselves for battle. Their target was Yong Seo-hee, flying toward them.

The dragon soaring through the sky transformed into a human and descended to the ground a fair distance away.

“Divine Dragon Family!”

“Daeju!”

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

At the sudden turn to hostility, Jang Woo-hyun frowned.

“What are you trying to do right now?”

It was a short sentence, but the force behind it was not insignificant.

Just the expression of displeasure was enough to crush the surrounding space. The martial artists nearby tensed their entire bodies to keep from collapsing.

“She’s with me.”

“…Jang Dae-hyeop’s companion? Hey, step back! Everyone, back off! Jang Dae-hyeop, it’s a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

“First, we should explain the current situation in the Central Heavens Martial Realm. Please, suppress your energy for now.”

As Jang Woo-hyun withdrew his aura following Lee Ga-hang’s explanation, the martial artists of the Five Wheel Five Elements Cult let out deep sighs of relief.

“Jang Dae-hyeop, the Central Heavens Martial Realm is currently at war.”

At the sudden word, Jang Woo-hyun’s brow slightly furrowed.

‘War’, an entirely unexpected word.

“It began with the clash of the Six Heavens.”

Ignoring Jang Woo-hyun’s surprise, Lee Ga-hang continued her explanation.

The six heavens of the Central Heavens Martial Realm.

They were the peak martial artists, individuals so powerful that few could match them even across the entire Central Heavens Realm—those who had one foot in the Realm of Transcendence.

They were practically recluses, yet suddenly, two of them began fighting, and that marked the starting signal.

“The battle between Dragon Heaven Lord and Sword Sky Lord is said to have ended in Dragon Heaven Lord’s victory.”

For ordinary martial artists, what mattered most was what happened after their battle.

If the clash had remained merely a matter between those who stood above the heavens, what followed directly affected the Central Heavens Martial Realm.

“The first to move were the Three Clans.”

The thirteen factions of the Central Heavens Martial Realm, represented by the Ten Sects and Three Clans.

Among them, the Three Clans were the first to begin the war.

“The Divine Dragon Family, which follows Dragon Heaven Lord, joined hands with the Gyeong Clan and attacked the Sword Heaven Family.”

“What? The Divine Dragon Family attacked the Sword Heaven Family? And they teamed up with the Gyeong Clan?”

Yong Seo-hee, who had quietly approached and was listening behind Jang Woo-hyun, raised her voice.

She had been imprisoned by Yang Jeon-gun for a long time and was unfamiliar with current Murim affairs, but the story she had just heard made no sense to her.

The Divine Dragon Family.

A lineage said to have inherited the blood of dragons.

Though people like Yong Seo-hee held no prejudice, most members of the family were deeply elitist and looked down on other races. That was why it was hard to believe that the Divine Dragon Family had allied with another clan.

And the fact that it was with the Gyeong Clan—an organization known for its mad ambition to rule Murim—made it all the more incomprehensible. She could believe it if the Divine Dragon Family had teamed up with the Sword Heaven Family to attack the Gyeong Clan instead.

“So that’s why you reacted like that earlier?”

“I’m sorry. We had to be cautious, thinking she was part of the Divine Dragon Family.”

As Yeop Jun-yi bowed his head, the other martial artists of the Five Elements Cult behind him also apologized.

“Is the Five Elements Cult involved in that conflict too?”

Jang Woo-hyun asked, thinking their reaction was too extreme just for assuming someone was a member of the Divine Dragon Family.

“We’re not fighting them directly, but… we’ve suffered because of them.”

Yeop Jun-yi, with a hardened face, added from beside Lee Ga-hang.

“The Left Dragon Technique of the Five Elements Cult staged a rebellion, and that’s connected to the Divine Dragon Family.”

“The Left Dragon Technique…”

Jang Woo-hyun knew of the Left Dragon Technique of the Five Wheel Five Elements Cult. He had seen him at the meeting hosted by the Samcheong Taeguk Sect.

“You must have seen him at the last gathering. He attacked the Cult Leader along with his followers. The Dharma Treasure he used at the time came from the Divine Dragon Family.”

“Ah…”

Yong Seo-hee shrank back as she realized why the Five Elements Cult was hostile toward her. Jang Woo-hyun subtly stepped forward to shield her.

“So it was internal conflict within the Five Elements Cult?”

“Yes, and it’s not just us. Radiant Light Sect also had internal strife.”

Hyeonwol, the second-in-command of Radiant Light Sect, had attacked the Sect Leader and become the new leader. During that process, those who supported or resisted the old leader were mostly eliminated.

“The Bing Palace and Solar Palace are fighting among themselves, and the Beast King Sect is also struggling to fend off enemies. The entire Central Heavens Martial Realm is practically at war.”

While Jang Woo-hyun had been away, the Central Heavens Martial Realm had plunged into chaos.

“What’s the situation with the Beast King Sect right now?”

Hearing the name of a sect he was connected with, Jang Woo-hyun’s voice quickened.

“Bi Ik-ryeon is moving openly now. There are factions supporting them, and even unknown Cultivators are aiding them.”

“What?”

Those who had hidden in the shadows and plotted were now revealing themselves.

And there was something else strange.

The clash of the Six Heavens, the war among the Three Clans, internal conflicts in Radiant Light Sect and the Five Elements Cult, and the sudden activity of Bi Ik-ryeon.

‘All of it happened around the same time?’

None of these were small events, and yet they all erupted within a span of just a few years. As if someone had orchestrated it all from behind the scenes.

Even someone as dense as Jang Woo-hyun could tell it was too suspicious.

“The Beast King Sect is likely engaged in battle not far from here. I met some of their martial artists recently and received a Telepathy Division token from them. We had requested their support before you arrived, but since they haven’t shown up yet, it seems things aren’t going well for them either. And that massive artifact you destroyed—there’s a chance it was targeting the Beast King Sect.”

The moment he heard there was trouble with the Beast King Sect, Jang Woo-hyun’s face hardened.

“Where is it?”

“We don’t know the exact location. They said they were moving to rescue Beastkin…”

“Orabeoni, if it’s the Beast King Sect, I can find it.”

Yong Seo-hee interrupted and stepped forward.

“Really? Lee Gungju, I’ll see you next time.”

“Huh? You’re leaving?”

“Yes. Seo-hee, let’s go.”

Without even a proper farewell, Jang Woo-hyun moved quickly.

Yong Seo-hee turned into a dragon once more, let Jang Woo-hyun climb on, and soared into the sky.

After circling above for a while, Yong Seo-hee suddenly stretched her neck toward a direction and quickly flew off.

“He’s gone.”

Just like how he had appeared, Jang Woo-hyun vanished swiftly. Watching his retreating figure for a moment, Lee Ga-hang began tidying up the scene in preparation for the next encounter.

‘I made the wrong call.’

Dan Hong blamed herself.

While moving to eliminate the Beast King Sect’s enemies alongside Maeng Ye-ju, she happened to rescue an injured Beastkin—and heard a troubling story from him.

—It was someone wearing a mask with horns. The village elders were treating the injured person, but some bad guys attacked.

Dan Hong knew who the spellcaster the Beastkin was talking about was.

The Antlered White Mask of Radiant Light Sect.

A spellcaster who had been expelled for refusing to follow Hyeonwol during Radiant Light Sect’s rebellion.

By a coincidental opportunity, a Beastkin village had become entangled with him.

A fleeing Beastkin had cried and begged Dan Hong to help the village, but she didn’t move immediately.

‘There will be strong ones.’

The Antlered White Mask was one of the Ten Elders of Radiant Light Sect. If someone had been pursuing him, they were certainly powerful, and Dan Hong could not make a hasty decision.

After much contemplation, Dan Hong had decided to abandon the Beastkin village. It seemed unlikely they could defeat the enemy with their current forces.

But Maeng Ye-ju had opposed the idea.

“Let’s go rescue them.”

It was a reckless and foolish idea.

Even so, Dan Hong had no choice but to follow Maeng Ye-ju’s decision. It was because of this side of her that Dan Hong had chosen to support her, and abandoning her now would render that support meaningless.

In the end, Dan Hong and Maeng Ye-ju led their subordinates and set out to rescue the Beastkin.

They intended to quickly recover the Antlered White Mask and then join forces to fight somehow.

But the Antlered White Mask itself had been a trap.

‘To think he had already been cursed…’

At first, they had fought alongside the Antlered White Mask. They weren’t significantly overpowered either.

But at some point, the Antlered White Mask’s body began to burst open in various places, and he lost consciousness.

He had not been in a normal state. The enemies had already placed a spell on the Antlered White Mask and used the Beastkin to lure Dan Hong and the Beast King Sect.

Dan Hong swung her arm and shattered the massive wave of fire that had been rushing toward her and the martial artists of the Beast King Sect. Her gaze turned toward the man floating in midair atop a red cloud.

‘This won’t be easy.’

The man standing on the red cloud was Manun, also one of the Ten Elders of Radiant Light Sect, like the Antlered White Mask. Behind him stood a giant wooden giant, over two hundred jang tall. Every time it shook its body, seeds fell from it and rapidly grew into numerous wooden soldiers.

“Uaaaaaah!”

A little distance away, Maeng Ye-ju and Jin Ha-un were fighting a high-tier expert from Bi Ik-ryeon.

Their condition was not good. They weren’t defeating the enemy—just barely managing to defend themselves.

A martial artist of the Boundless Realm, a spellcaster no weaker than him, and even a Cultivator of the Refined Void Stage.

It was a force Dan Hong could not handle on her own.

The only reason they weren’t already wiped out was that Manun hadn’t launched his strongest attacks yet, aiming to capture Dan Hong and the Beastkin alive.

【It is time to end this.】

The massive wooden giant conveyed its will.

“What a shame…”

Standing atop the red cloud, Manun clicked his tongue in regret.

Unlike the original plan to annihilate the Beast King Sect, Manun intended to capture Dan Hong and the Beastkin alive and extract fragments of the power left by the Divine Beast King from their blood.

But Bi Ik-ryeon and the Ascension Cult wanted someone like Dan Hong eliminated quickly. He had bought some time by convincing them, but now it was his turn to yield.

‘It can’t be helped.’

Regretfully, Manun began preparing a powerful spell technique.

Moments later—

Burning red clouds covered the sky.

Kuuuuuuuuuuu—

The blazing red clouds spewed out massive meteors. Everyone turned their heads to the sky at the force they felt.

As the overwhelming destructive power of the spell made everyone tense—

“Hm?”

“Huh?”

“…!”

Dan Hong and the other figures at the level of the Boundless Realm suddenly jerked their heads.

Their eyes fixed on one direction.

They saw a massive presence flying in from the far side of the sky.

‘A dragon?’

At first, they thought it was a dragon exuding a powerful force. But upon focusing their senses, they quickly realized it wasn’t.

What truly gave off that awe-inspiring presence wasn’t the dragon—but the man sitting on its head.

He rose upward and then kicked through the sky.

Kwaaaaang!

As the air exploded, he turned into a beam of light.

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