WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
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◈ Xianxia Cultivation with a Dragon Heart ◈
Chapter 58: A Deal with the Righteous Alliance Leader
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Dok Junseong's half-unfocused eyes turned toward the remains of their beloved sword.
The Budding Sword, Dok Junseong's pride and treasure, had always ranked within the top fifty of the Hundred Great Swords of the martial world. At times, it had even felt like an old friend. Seeing it cut apart was utterly unreal.
“This... This is impossible...”
Dok Junseong muttered without realizing it, then looked at Han Yujin. All the arrogance from before had vanished.
No matter how much they wanted to deny it, they were not a fool. Their opponent had sent their treasured sword flying with nothing but the fingers of one hand while holding some beast in his arms. If Han Yujin had wished it, it might have been Dok Junseong's neck rather than the sword.
And yet, overcome by an inexplicable sense of grievance and desperation, Dok Junseong bent at the waist as though intending to slam their forehead into the ground.
“S-Senior, please exchange one more move with me. Please allow me a chance to attack...!”
“You want me to receive one of your moves?”
“Yes! Please!”
Han Yujin had already achieved his purpose, but there was no harm in making it more certain. Besides, the more he saw of a martial artist's full strength, the better. He readily nodded.
“But didn't you lose your weapon?”
“I will get another immediately!”
Dok Junseong gave a brief bow as if asking him to wait, then turned and disappeared at once.
With every step, their figure shot forward like lightning. It was truly fast, comparable to when Han Yujin had used the Windcloud Steps at full power during the Entry Stage.
'They seem stronger than the Yin Demon Gu Lord?'
As that thought crossed his mind, less than a minute passed before Dok Junseong returned with a couple of swords, presumably borrowed from the gate guards. They placed the remaining swords on the ground and fastened one at their waist.
When Dok Junseong removed the scabbard of their treasured sword, the brief look of grief on their face was both a little funny and pitiful.
'I shouldn't let my guard down.'
Han Yujin steadied his loosening tension and nodded as his opponent finished preparing and took their stance.
“Begin.”
“I will give it everything I have.”
The solemn tone made Han Yujin tighten his focus further.
Dok Junseong spread their legs and lowered their stance. Then, their sword flew from its scabbard like a bolt of lightning.
Flash Lightning Twelve Sword Thunders.
Even in Han Yujin's slowed perception, the blade came at him with considerable speed. It split into twelve paths in an instant, aiming for vital acupoints across his body.
It was a method of wielding Aura that glittered brilliantly like stars.
Han Yujin immediately recognized it as Aura and only then realized that Dok Junseong was a master of the Transformation Realm, one realm above the Yin Demon Gu Lord.
Fortunately, even the full-power swift sword of a Transformation Realm master could not surpass his Divine Sense and perception.
The Violet-Gold Radiance that burst forth at the proper moment blocked the incoming sword aura without difficulty. Then a hand wrapped in denser Violet-Gold Radiance caught the true sword with only its fingers and brought it to a halt.
At that instant, Dok Junseong spun through the air and twisted the sword free. As soon as they landed, they erupted in a flash of light, circled to Han Yujin's left as though leaving afterimages, and thrust again.
It was an advanced martial art called Light Shadow Steps, extraordinarily swift and imbued with the principles of illusion to confuse the opponent's perception.
Boom!!
The sword that came crashing in seemed slightly slower than the earlier technique, but it was exceptionally insidious in how it induced misjudgment. The true attack shot in from another angle a beat later.
It was an illusory sword art disguised as a swift sword, called Thunderclap Heavenly Lightning Wandering Shadow. If one focused only on the sobriquet Flash Thunder Sword and the rumors surrounding Dok Junseong, it was a trump card that could easily catch them off guard.
However.
Once again, the sword was caught helplessly between fingers wrapped in Violet-Gold Radiance.
And as though to prevent Dok Junseong from escaping as before, a current of water-like energy burst forth as well, pinning the sword in place under immense pressure.
Crack!
Unable to withstand the opposing forces of Dok Junseong and Han Yujin, the sword broke apart.
Dok Junseong quickly retreated, then bowed with the utmost respect toward Han Yujin, who had not moved even a single step.
“I have been completely defeated.”
“Mm. Yes.”
Han Yujin nodded in satisfaction. He could now roughly judge the combat strength of a Transformation Realm martial artist.
As long as he did not let his guard down, there was no chance of being defeated. No matter how many opponents there were, he could likely escape whenever he wished.
Then.
Seeing Han Yujin's expression and attitude, Dok Junseong seemed to think of something. Rather than merely bowing, they dropped to their knees.
“Please tell me your esteemed name, Senior.”
“Han Yujin.”
“If it is not too rude, may I ask which sect you belong to?”
“Why?”
“If possible... I wish to become your disciple!”
Han Yujin looked slightly taken aback.
Whether Dok Junseong noticed or not, they lowered their head and spoke with deep sincerity.
“I, Dok Junseong, began as a wandering martial artist with no sect. To rise to my current position after joining the Righteous Alliance, I endured countless hardships and trials. I take some pride in having overcome them thus far, but... I simply cannot find a path to the Profound Realm.”
Having said that much, Dok Junseong prostrated themselves and cried out.
“I do not wish to stop here and settle for what I have. Please accept me as your disciple! I swear to heaven that I will serve you with utter devotion!”
Han Yujin's eyes narrowed slightly.
'So there are plenty of ways for us to use each other, is that it?'
Though defeated, Dok Junseong was a Transformation Realm master firmly established in the Righteous Alliance. Their influence could not be small. At the same time, Han Yujin possessed enough strength to subdue a master of the Transformation Realm, yet his name was entirely unknown.
The more he considered it, the less harm there was in having a disciple who swore to serve him with utter devotion.
The relationship between master and disciple was not limited to the warm, loyal sort found in novels. There could just as easily be relationships where both sides exchanged benefits like an employer and subordinate.
Of course, accepting Dok Junseong as a disciple immediately would not look right. Dok Junseong surely understood that as well. They had merely revealed their intention to make a deal directly.
'What would happen if I taught spells to a martial artist?'
Curious as well, Han Yujin looked down silently at the prostrated Dok Junseong for a while before speaking.
“I do not wish to accept someone I met today as my disciple so suddenly.”
“Of course, I know how unreasonable my request is. Please do not take offense. I ask only that you understand the depth of my desperation. If even the slightest hypocrisy or falsehood is mixed into my actions today, I will kill myself immediately.”
Their tone and manner truly held a certain degree of sincerity.
“You do not know what kind of person I am, either. We need to interact a little and learn about each other.”
“...A-Are you saying you will accept me?”
Despite their imposing appearance, Dok Junseong lifted their head with a hopeful expression.
Han Yujin silently nodded.
“I need one box each of Awakening Grass and Awakening Incense, one box of Awakening Grass seeds and its cultivation method, and various secret formulas for making Awakening Incense.”
“I will procure them all within a week!”
Dok Junseong bowed again with the deepest respect, dealt with all traces of their sparring, and left the area.
Watching Dok Junseong leave, Han Yujin thought that having one subordinate with broad influence would certainly not be bad.
Even if he did not trust Dok Junseong completely and only used them when convenient, it would save considerable effort.
* * *
The next day.
Invited by the Righteous Alliance Leader, Han Yujin headed for the headquarters' central district while still holding Muyong in his arms.
The warrior guiding him was filled with respect in both manner and gaze. It seemed word had spread of Han Yujin's achievement in dealing with the Yin Demon Gu Lord and the result of his spar with Dok Junseong. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain such reverence.
'This doesn't feel bad.'
He restrained the urge to puff out his chest as he arrived at a place that undeniably carried a solemn atmosphere.
After passing through a pleasant corridor and entering the reception room, he found an elderly person already waiting. Though old, their hair, brows, and beard were all a vibrant silver. Even sitting still, they seemed full of vigor.
Baekhwa Sword Venerable Han Mujeong.
A master of the Profound Realm and former elder of the formidable Sun Gate, Han Mujeong was reportedly famed for having slain two Transformation Realm masters of the unorthodox faction at once during the war between the righteous and unorthodox factions over thirty years ago.
“Welcome.”
Though Han Mujeong led the formidable organization known as the Righteous Alliance, the Alliance Leader treated Han Yujin with considerable courtesy. The Alliance Leader even rose from their seat and personally pulled out the chair opposite.
“Thank you.”
Han Yujin returned the courtesy and sat down. By nature, he tended to treat others as they treated him.
As the Righteous Alliance Leader returned to their seat, several maidservants entered and set out tea and refreshments. It was clearly no ordinary tea, as even Han Yujin, a cultivator, found its fragrance quite pleasant.
After they all left, the Righteous Alliance Leader began by expressing gratitude in a gentle voice.
“I am deeply grateful that you saved the future of our righteous path from the clutches of the Dark Shadow Demon Cult.”
“I did not do it deliberately. That fellow called the Yin Demon Gu Lord may as well have killed himself.”
The Righteous Alliance Leader gave a hollow laugh at Han Yujin's way of describing someone attacking him.
“I also heard that yesterday you exchanged a few moves with the commander of our Black Tiger Corps. I heard you showed them considerable consideration in many ways...”
“It was merely a spar. They asked for a lesson, so I indulged them.”
“Indeed, you are magnanimous.”
They continued chatting comfortably for a while. The tea was as smooth as its fragrance suggested, and Han Yujin was very pleased with it. They even exchanged several remarks about tea.
Once or twice, the Righteous Alliance Leader's gaze drifted toward Muyong in Han Yujin's arms. However, perhaps the Alliance Leader found it awkward to ask, the beast was not mentioned at all.
Once the atmosphere had become sufficiently relaxed, the real topic emerged.
“May I ask why you have come to the Righteous Alliance?”
An unknown master of the Profound Realm had appeared and settled here. The Alliance Leader could hardly ignore that.
Han Yujin did not beat around the bush and immediately stated his purpose.
“You have likely investigated enough to know that I have no particular connection to the martial world and know very little about it. Naturally, I am very interested in various martial arts.”
“Martial arts... You mean that you want secret manuals?”
“Precisely. Is there any way I could obtain them?”
“Why do you want such things? You do not intend to learn them yourself.”
Han Yujin nodded.
“I want to compare them with what I have learned, strengthen what I have, or perhaps create something new.”
“You seek the path of a Grandmaster.”
The Righteous Alliance Leader stroked their beard once, as though they understood but clearly found the matter somewhat difficult.
“Well, once one reaches a realm like ours, it is something everyone considers at least once. Seeing all the martial arts under heaven and creating new, superior martial arts.”
“Exactly.”
“However... there is a reason it remains only a thought. What faction would readily hand its martial arts manuals to a stranger?”
The Righteous Alliance Leader sighed. Then Han Yujin asked,
“Would it still be difficult in the form of a trade?”
“A trade? What kind of trade?”
“For example.”
As he spoke, Han Yujin raised one hand and cast a small Flame Projectile Art.
The fireball was no larger than a walnut, but terrifying heat instantly filled the room. The Righteous Alliance Leader tensed at once, eyes sharpening.
Han Yujin dispersed the Flame Projectile Art himself and said,
“I will exchange this technique of mine for the Sun Gate's martial arts. Naturally, both sides would swear not to reveal them.”
A complex expression appeared on Han Mujeong's face. Before becoming the Righteous Alliance Leader, Han Mujeong had been an elder of the Sun Gate.
The heat just felt was considerably threatening even to someone who had long believed there were few in the martial world capable of matching them. If the Sun Gate could obtain a martial art of that level, it would clearly benefit the sect.
“The question is whether the secret can be kept...”
“Does the Righteous Alliance have martial arts manuals of its own?”
Han Yujin asked because he naturally assumed it did. The Righteous Alliance Leader readily nodded.
“Of course. However, there will not be a single advanced martial art among them that meets your standards.”
“As I said earlier, I know little about the martial world. Even the lowest-grade manuals are enough to broaden my knowledge.”
“I see... Is that so...?”
The Alliance Leader stroked their beard again while pondering something.
Then the Righteous Alliance Leader suddenly asked,
“May I ask which sect you belong to?”
It was a somewhat sensitive question. Han Yujin had expected it, so he smiled and answered readily.
“It is called the Five Elements Sect. You will never have heard of it. It belongs to neither the righteous, unorthodox, nor demonic factions.”
“The Five Elements Sect, indeed, I have never heard of it. Is it one of those mysterious sects passed down to a single successor, the kind one only hears about?”
Han Yujin looked into the empty air above for a moment, then nodded.
“It is something like that now.”
“It seems there is a story behind it. In any case, you have personally stated that your sect belongs to none of the righteous, unorthodox, or demonic factions. That puts my mind somewhat at ease.”
Though words alone could hardly put the Alliance Leader's mind at ease, the Righteous Alliance Leader said so and considered something again.
Then the Alliance Leader suddenly asked,
“I heard that you already possess one piece of the treasure map.”
“I received it from Seogwang Gahu. He said it was payment for saving his life.”
“Ha ha... Then, once the treasure map is complete, would you be willing to join the expedition?”
The other side had proposed what Han Yujin secretly wanted.
“If you promise to lend us your strength then, opening the Righteous Alliance's Scripture Pavilion will not be difficult. Naturally, an oath not to reveal anything will be required.”
“Good. You need not worry about leaks.”
Han Yujin answered so readily that the Righteous Alliance Leader paused for a moment before laughing.
“Then I'll be in your debt until then.”
“I would be pleased to do so. Would you perhaps be willing to remain as a Guest Elder?”
“I will need to think about that.”
The two seated across from one another smiled pleasantly and continued enjoying their tea.
* * *
Rather than returning to Gyeongbin Pavilion, Han Yujin immediately told the warrior guiding him to take him to the Scripture Pavilion.
The Scripture Pavilion was larger than expected and heavily guarded. Having received the Righteous Alliance Leader's direct permission, Han Yujin entered without difficulty.
“It has three floors in total.”
To summarize the guide's explanation, the martial arts manuals here either did not belong to any particular faction or had been partially donated by sects that had joined the Righteous Alliance.
The higher floors held more advanced martial arts. The third floor, the highest, even contained several martial arts that could lead one to the Transformation Realm. The guide added that Dok Junseong's martial arts had come from here.
“I'll wait outside.”
After finishing the brief explanation, the guide went outside, and Han Yujin began examining the collection in earnest.
'So Dok Junseong really did begin as a wandering martial artist.'
They would not dare tell a lie that could be exposed with even a little investigation.
'Why did they insist on becoming my disciple? Do they want to avoid being caught in the internal politics of the righteous factions? Do they think their sincerity would not be accepted by others given their circumstances? Or did they assume that someone like me, who appeared alone, would be easy to persuade?'
Perhaps Dok Junseong wanted to secure a position beneath a newly emerged important figure of the Profound Realm without having to worry about seniority and harassment. Depending on how they saw it, it might feel like an incredible opportunity.
In any case, there could be many reasons. Even the irrational feeling that they were bound by fate could be one.
As he thought, Han Yujin rapidly skimmed through the many martial arts manuals on the first floor. With Divine Sense, he could grasp their contents without even taking them from the shelves and opening them.
His discernment as a Dharma Soul Stage cultivator also let him roughly judge what to discard. In no more time than it took to drink a cup of tea, he was climbing the stairs to the second floor.
'They are all little better than miscellaneous books.'
They were not completely without use, but none seemed worth remembering.
Fortunately, the manuals on the second floor were somewhat different.
Those donated by ancient factions belonging to the Righteous Alliance had sufficient depth, though the latter portions were missing. They also did not feel as though the path ahead had been blocked.
In particular, the martial arts of the Seogwang Clan, Biryuu Clan, Hyeonbaek Sect, Unhae Sect, and Samsara Buddhahood Temple caught his attention.
They caught his attention not so much because they were especially outstanding as because they focused more on the fundamentals of martial arts, lacked any special attribute, and felt broadly applicable.
Han Yujin intended to distribute this world's martial arts on Earth, so he could not ignore that aspect.
Contrary to his expectations, the martial arts of the Sun Gate were too heavily biased toward the fire attribute to his liking. They would undoubtedly be powerful, but they would also clearly create various restrictions on later growth.
'Unless this path can lead all the way to the True Immortal Stage.'
There would be many ways to overcome such restrictions, but for a martial art, it was truly arrogant.
After carefully memorizing all the martial arts worth remembering, Han Yujin went up to the third floor.
The third floor was clearly smaller, and only a few manuals were stored there. Focusing closely, Han Yujin examined them one by one with Divine Sense. Sometimes he nodded, while other times he shook his head.
'So that is why the Righteous Alliance Leader permitted it so readily.'
He had expected much after hearing that several advanced martial arts there could lead one to the Transformation Realm. Yet there were only three such martial arts, and all of them seemed to have blocked paths beyond that point.
Unfortunately, the Bright Light Heart Thunder Art, the heart method Dok Junseong had likely learned, was the same. Han Yujin did not know who had created it, but if it had been intentional, the creator had truly been shameless.
'It seems they never wanted their subordinates to reach the Profound Realm.'
Han Yujin held that martial arts manual for a while, pondering how he could make good use of it, before returning it to the shelf.
If Dok Junseong learned the truth, they would realize that the Righteous Alliance had thoroughly used them as a pawn.
Then whom would they cling to?
'Naturally, only me.'
He did not know how useful Dok Junseong would remain afterward, but gaining one reliable subordinate would not be bad.
By the time Han Yujin had read every martial art on the third floor several more times, perfectly memorized them, and left the Scripture Pavilion, the sun had set and risen again.
The warrior guide, who seemed to have waited all night, stood there looking somewhat tired before quickly pulling themselves together.
“You waited the whole time? You did not need to do that...”
Feeling apologetic, Han Yujin encouraged the guide before heading straight for Gyeongbin Pavilion. He had finished memorizing the martial arts. Now it was time to reflect on them and fully digest them.
However.
When he arrived at Gyeongbin Pavilion, he sensed quite a few unfamiliar presences with Divine Sense.
They belonged to over ten new maidservants who had come to attend him. Not only were they all young and beautiful, but they clearly bore traces of martial training. Listening to their conversations, he learned that every one of them came from a renowned clan.
'Ha.'
It was an extremely traditional and obvious beauty trap, but effective for that very reason.
'Well... It is not some sinister scheme. They merely want to draw me to their side, so there is no need to reject them outright.'
Suppressing the urge to clear his throat, Han Yujin stepped inside.
Then, among the maidservants bowing respectfully in greeting, he spotted a familiar face and stopped without realizing it.
It was Eun Miryeong, the Clear Stream White Phoenix of the Hyeonbaek Sect. She had far too much fame and skill to be here.
“Why are you here?”
It seemed strange that a major sect like the Hyeonbaek Sect, rather than a clan, would use a beauty trap. The question slipped out on its own.
Eun Miryeong lowered her head slightly in answer. Han Yujin could not miss the faint redness spreading across her earlobes.
“I volunteered.”
“...”
Han Yujin glanced around once, then simply nodded.
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