A Modern Man Who Got Transmigrated Into the Murim World

When a person is too shocked, their tongue doesn’t work properly.

“Uuuh…”

The Martial Alliance had been preparing for over ten years to plant a mole in the Black Heaven Sect.

Through meticulously crafted false bonds and risking their lives, they finally created the fictional figure “Dark Heaven Slayer” and succeeded in gaining the trust of the Black Heaven Sect’s leader, deceiving him in the process.

It was truly the biggest secret in the martial world.

If it became known that the Dark Heaven Slayer was actually Silver Phoenix Lord, it would not only jeopardize Silver Phoenix Lord’s personal safety, but also tarnish the reputation of the Martial Alliance, and the existence of the Silver Phoenix Sect would be at risk.

Silver Phoenix Lord could hardly believe this reality.

The martial arts he had been practicing were ancient techniques from a bygone era.

The eight arts of the Devil Dao, particularly those of the Red Demon Immortal Sect, which stood in direct opposition to the heavenly paths.

In the present martial world, there was no one who could recognize these techniques.

Why was it that this person, Jo Hwi, could see through his martial arts?

Most martial artists in the world had no knowledge of the Red Demon Immortal Sect.

The reason he had learned this ancient martial art was that the demonic energy was almost imperceptible from the outside.

Even if the martial arts of the corrupted Demon Immortals were known, the essence was originally the study of the celestial way (Xian Dao).

Even someone who practiced orthodox, righteous martial arts could not easily pierce through the muddied essence of the celestial energy.

“Quite a high level of mastery. Is this really the martial art of the Central Plains?”

The energy emanating from Silver Phoenix Lord.

The mathematical structure of the energy was truly astonishing.

The perfection of it was higher than any martial art Jo Hwi had encountered before.

However, Jo Hwi was not particularly interested in the opponent’s martial arts.

“Wait a minute. If the Dark Heaven Slayer is really Silver Phoenix Lord, then it means the Martial Alliance knew about the plans of the Black Heaven Sect and the Green and Red Union ahead of time, right? That makes me angry all of a sudden.”

Unable to suppress his curiosity, Zhuge Yun opened his mouth.

“Who is the Dark Heaven Slayer?”

Jo Hwi chuckled and replied.

“Oh, you know. It’s like the Martial Alliance’s top-secret, most trusted expert. The one they rely on the most. That guy was in the Black Heaven Sect.”

Even the Martial Alliance had such a figure.

A rumored person called “Secret Heaven.”

But this person… was Silver Phoenix Lord, the so-called Secret Heaven of the Black Heaven Sect?

Zhuge Yun, burning with rage, turned his intense gaze toward Silver Phoenix Lord.

“Is this really true? Silver Phoenix Lord?”

“…”

Silence, at times, is a form of affirmation.

Zhuge Yun quickly realized that Jo Hwi’s words were the truth.

‘The Martial Alliance knew every move of the Black Heaven Sect, yet they still sent me to the Namgung Family?’

It was hard to believe.

The orthodox martial world was vast.

Because of this, not everything could be handled with fairness and transparency.

However, that didn’t mean the Martial Alliance acted like a group of power-hungry individuals, similar to the Three Overlords of the Sampaecheon.

Of course, the Martial Alliance sometimes put interests (利) ahead, but it always tried to maintain the right principles and order in all its actions as much as possible.

The foundation of the Alliance lay in its strict logic and cold reason. It sought to maintain justice and virtue without deviating from the righteous path.

If this foundation crumbled, it would be impossible for the many martial factions with strong personalities to unify and cooperate.

But now, the Martial Alliance had ignored the Black Heaven Sect’s invasion of Heifei? Worse, had they manipulated the situation to bring the “Jo Ga Dae Sang Hoe” under their control?

If all of this was true, it was a matter Jo Hwi could not ignore, even if he had a great respect and loyalty to the Martial Alliance.

Above all, the original sin lay with the Zhuge family.

The Martial Alliance’s key strategies and tactics had come from General Zhuge Canhui and his Military Department.

“Uncle…!”

Was all of this really his uncle’s will?

Zhuge Yun was in turmoil, his mind confused to the point of almost vomiting.

The roar of Namgung Jangho, filled with fury, echoed once more.

“The Martial Alliance, a beacon of righteousness, has dared to use disorder to oppress my family?!”

Rumble!

The intensity of the rage coming from Namgung Jangho was so great that it unleashed a terrifying pressure Jo Hwi had never experienced before.

That overwhelming imperial aura—the same kind used by the head of the family and their heirs when practicing the Changcheon Da Yeon Sin Gong.

Jo Hwi, too, was taken aback and quickly grabbed Namgung Jangho’s shoulder.

“Wait… wait a second.”

Jo Hwi stared at Silver Phoenix Lord with a bizarre expression.

“Hold on. I think you’re in big trouble now. What you did, no… what the Martial Alliance did, goes beyond espionage. This is pushing it too far, don’t you think? If the fake name ‘Dark Heaven Slayer’ gets exposed, those people who are already angry because of me might go to war, don’t you think?”

“…”

“Wow. Just thinking about it from another perspective gives me the chills. If I were in Namgung-hyung or Zhuge-kwan’s shoes and realized the Martial Alliance’s Silver Phoenix Lord was behind all this, I’d want to kill the alliance’s leader myself.”

It was then.

Sssssss.

A dark, ominous energy began to engulf the surroundings.

A chilling demonic aura emanated from Silver Phoenix Lord.

The intensity of the murderous intent was so dense that even Jo Hwi felt his body instinctively shrink away.

‘Intention!’

Jo Hwi tensed, raising his sword high.

The powerful intention emanated from the demonic energy.

It was undeniably the aura of an absolute martial soul.

The problem was, aside from the Swordmaster, no one Jo Hwi had met so far exuded such an intense aura of strength.

The man before him was definitely stronger than the Seven Warlords of the “Changcheon Sword Sect” or even the Black Heaven Sect’s absolute ruler, “Dark Heaven Slayer.”

It was astonishing.

Silver Phoenix Lord.

This figure, shrouded in mystery, was a person whose name was barely known in the martial world.

To think that such a person held martial arts surpassing the martial world’s absolute rulers was a fresh shock to Jo Hwi.

Jo Hwi instinctively realized that the power radiating from Silver Phoenix Lord was not something beneath him.

The Dark Heaven Slayer he had met in the Black Heaven Sect’s great battle had never been this powerful.

When the Heaven’s Absolute Sword Command was cast, that figure had been lying down.

Everything about him had been a façade, a deception.

“Everyone, out of the meeting room!”

Jo Hwi’s eyes, now completely white again, glowed brightly.

The murderous intent emanating from Silver Phoenix Lord was overwhelming.

Even if it meant dying together, Silver Phoenix Lord seemed determined to kill everyone who knew his secret.

In an instant, Jo Hwi’s Iron Sword and Silver Phoenix Lord’s Silver Sabers collided fiercely.

Clang! Clang!

Boom!

Just a few clashes, and yet the shockwaves and pressure caused the roof of the meeting room to be blown off.

When the blue flames began to spread in all directions once again, a powerful sword force erupted from Jo Hwi’s iron sword.

A blindingly bright white sword force shot out.

Silver Phoenix Lord silently generated his martial soul into his silver sword.

A chilling blood-red aura of force.

Namgung Jangho bit his lip so hard that it bled. The legendary realm he had devoted his entire life to reaching was unfolding right before his eyes.

Jo Hwi, with indifferent eyes, performed the Three Swords.

He knew very well the immense power behind those slow-moving Three Swords, and Namgung Jangho, watching from the sidelines, understood it better than anyone.

Silver Phoenix Lord immediately recognized the exceptional maneuver within the three white sword forces and took a stance, standing tall like a celestial being.

Clang! Clash!

Each time their swords clashed, another powerful shockwave spread in all directions.

The shockwaves were so intense that the skin of both Zhuge Yun and Namgung Jangho began to crack.

Namgung Jangho could feel the blood flowing from his seven orifices as he gritted his teeth in anger.

“Let’s go! We’re in the way! We’re stopping Lord Jo from unleashing the Heavenly Sword Style!”

Zhuge Yun nodded fiercely in agreement and, together with Namgung Jangho, attempted to use their lightness skills to exit the room.

Ssssss.

A massive evil aura began to pour out of Silver Phoenix Lord’s body.

A sticky wave of darkness surged, engulfing the entire meeting room.

Namgung Jangho, feeling the overwhelming might for the first time in his life, had no intention of retreating.

“W-What is that?”

Is that even martial arts?

Zhuge Yun was equally stunned.

Jo Hwi, whose eyes were glowing white, stared at the scene with a mix of awe and horror.

Up until now, every martial art he had encountered had some form of physical flaw or limitation.

But the extraordinary, flawless physical laws hidden within this dark demonic aura were completely different.

All the information that flowed into his mind was perfect and complete.

Could something so perfect exist beyond the martial arts of the Heavenly Sword Sect?

Kukukukukuku!

At that moment, the dazzling white light from Jo Hwi’s eyes spread throughout his body.

The intent of the Heavenly Sword Style.

The Eighth Technique.

The Dao of Heaven’s Void (Tianxia Kong Kong Dao).

It was the perfected form of the Heavenly Sword’s “Heaven’s Void Empty Sword,” the highest-level sword move that Jo Hwi could execute at that moment.

Ssssss.

Silver Phoenix Lord’s eyes widened.

As soon as his opponent raised his iron sword, a wave of white energy crashed toward him, and for an instant, it felt as if space itself had disappeared.

Space disappearing? Right here, where he was standing?

Boom!

Silver Phoenix Lord stared blankly at his hands.

The second joints of his index and thumb fingers had completely vanished, as if the space around them had been compressed into a single point.

The feeling was so horrifying that had he not immediately withdrawn, he would have already been a dead man.

Silver Phoenix Lord silently began to staunch the bleeding while keeping his gaze fixed on Jo Hwi.

“Sword God?”

He asked, though his bloodshot eyes gradually began to calm, as if he were withdrawing from the fight.

For an expert like him, withdrawing from the battle meant putting aside all fighting intent.

Jo Hwi responded with a strange expression.

“You recognize it?”

The Sword Tomb Sword, or Sword God’s technique, was a martial art that had been lost for centuries.

Moreover, even when it existed, the martial arts of the Sword God were a mystery to most martial artists of that time.

However, Silver Phoenix Lord immediately recognized that the martial arts being used were those of the Sword God after only a brief exchange of sword techniques.

At that moment, the voice of the Sword God echoed in his mind.

– I will borrow your body for a moment.

“Excuse me? I can handle this. Don’t push yourself.”

– It seems you have something to say.

Indeed, as soon as Silver Phoenix Lord recognized that the opponent’s martial arts were those of the Sword God, his fighting spirit had dissipated.

Whoosh!

Before long, the Sword God, possessing Jo Hwi’s body, slowly opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on Silver Phoenix Lord.

“Ah, you are from the Red Demon Clan.”

Silver Phoenix Lord trembled slightly.

He was even more shaken than when the true identity of the Dark Sky Killer was revealed.

“W-What…?”

The Sword God smiled faintly.

“How could you expect not to recognize the energy of the Red Dragon One Origin Art flowing so strongly from you?”

“…”

The Sword God looked at the sword in his hand and smiled contentedly.

“Good sword.”

Clink.

He then pulled out a chair, sat down, and gestured to the chair across from him.

“You should sit too. It’s best to remove that mask.”

What is going on?

Silver Phoenix Lord felt oddly calm despite the unexpected way his opponent was treating him, almost as though he were a child.

Could a person’s temperament really change so drastically in an instant?

Silver Phoenix Lord silently removed his mask.

Underneath, his face was ordinary and unremarkable.

Clink.

Driven by a strange instinct, Silver Phoenix Lord found himself sitting across from the Sword God.

At that moment, the roof of the meeting room, which had been blown away, slowly began to reform and float back into place.

As shadows slowly filled the room, everyone’s gaze turned upward.

The massive roof was gradually covering the room again.

Everyone was stunned by this incredible sight. The only person faintly smiling was Jo Hwi.

No matter how oblivious someone might be, they couldn’t fail to recognize his divine status.

Boom!

“The sun was too harsh, but it’s much better now. Go ahead, speak.”

Silver Phoenix Lord’s eyes glowed with suspicion.

“…What?”

The Sword God looked at him with deep, contemplative eyes and smiled slightly.

“Then I’ll ask first.”

The natural light of the Seven-colored Heart (the divine radiance of the Sword God) flickered in his eyes.

“Do you still serve the Tianzhong Seat, the Divine Seat?”

Divine Seat!

The moment those words left the Sword God’s lips, Silver Phoenix Lord shuddered and immediately threw aside his chair, falling to the floor in a bow.

Cold sweat poured down his face, and his eyes were filled with fear and reverence, as if he was deliberately distancing himself from something terrifying.

Jo Hwi, sharing the Sword God’s senses, felt a mix of disbelief and confusion upon witnessing Silver Phoenix Lord’s reaction.

Just hearing that name made him bow down in fear?

The Sword God smiled bitterly.

“There’s no need for an answer.”

The Divine Seat.

That name alone made even the mighty Three Gods, revered as divine, seem insignificant.

To the Sword God, the martial world was just a small part of the vast human realm.

No human knew the true will of the Divine Seat.

Those who observed, traveled, played, decided, led, or destroyed—it was all too vague, and the true essence of the Divine Seat and its followers remained shrouded in mystery.

Even the Sword God, despite his connection, had only brushed against those faint traces and did not know the true nature of the Divine Seat.

What was clear, however, was that the corrupted celestial faction, the Demon Heaven Sect, followed the Divine Seat.

“How is it that the successor of the Sword God…?”

Silver Phoenix Lord raised his head and looked at the Sword God with confusion in his eyes.

The Sword God.

The only human who dared to oppose the mighty and divine Divine Seat.

According to the records of the Demon Heaven Sect, the Sword God was said to have met a tragic end.

The historical texts claimed that the Sword God had died horribly.

The Sword God of legend was someone too incredible to believe.

It was astonishing that a man without the study of the Celestial Path could achieve Natural Essence and the mastery of the Great Way.

This man, with his overwhelming abilities, had singlehandedly shattered half of the Demon Heaven Sect’s power.

The only human ever to fight against immortal beings.

He had even matched the strength of the Divine Seat’s favored disciples.

Yet, he had been torn apart by the Reverse Heaven Sea Sun Secret Art of the Dragon Demon Clan, ending his life in a shattered form.

Afterward, the Demon Heaven Sect completely erased all traces of the Sword God from the martial world.

His martial arts, his relationships, his legacy—everything he had left in the world was completely wiped away.

Opposing the Divine Seat was akin to defying heaven itself.

No human who denies the Divine Seat like that should ever appear again.

However, the Sword God’s legendary sword techniques remained like a myth within the Demon Heaven Sect.

For centuries, several demon clans, including the Dragon Demon Clan, analyzed and reinterpreted his sword techniques. But despite their long efforts, they could never complete a countermeasure against it.

In particular, the Void Force (空空力) contained in the Sword God’s techniques was an unknown and incomprehensible domain, impossible to grasp or replicate.

And now, that terrifying Void Force of the Sword God had materialized before them.

The sword that could erase space.

Even in the history books of the Red Demon Clan, the awe towards the Void Force in the Sword God’s sword was profound.

“Isn’t it astonishing? The laws of causality set by the heavens are frightening for this very reason. No matter how much you try to erase it, the will of the heavens cannot be stopped. The Divine Seat…”

A profound divine aura shimmered in the Sword God’s eyes, and it felt like everything in the world was fading away for a moment.

“And now, for what reason have you appeared in the world again? For amusement? Or is it another trivial observation?”

“…”

Silver Phoenix Lord remained silent, and the Sword God nodded quietly.

“Yes, as expected. There is no need for words between us. The whirlpool of causality has brought you and me together, and this meeting is the result of a single cause, a single deed.”

As the Seven-colored Heart radiated from the Sword God’s eyes, his legendary sword sent out a tremendous wave, which concentrated at a single point in space.

“Let the killing be forgiven.”

Whoosh!

With the sound of a soft wind, the space Silver Phoenix Lord had occupied vanished.

Nangong Zhangho and Zhegai Yun stood frozen, unable to hear what had been said between Silver Phoenix Lord and the Sword God. They could only stare blankly at the crescent-shaped crater that had appeared in the floor of the meeting room.

The once indomitable master of Absolute Domain, Silver Phoenix Lord, was now a pool of blood within the pit.

Even though they had seen it with their own eyes, they could hardly believe it.

Such a bizarre event had never been heard of or seen in the martial world.

To them, this was no longer the martial world they knew.

* * *

Jo Hwi brushed aside the entire incident without much explanation to his companions, simply dismissing it as the hidden side of the martial world.

In fact, Jo Hwi had once received a vague warning from Lord Cao Cao about “them,” but this was the first time he had directly encountered their presence.

What was certain now was that Jo Hwi had caught the attention of “them.”

He was amazed at their ability to manipulate alliances and factions behind the scenes, much like the secretive control of global powers, such as the modern “Freemasons” or “Illuminati.” Though he wasn’t one to believe in such conspiracy theories, experiencing it firsthand had changed his perspective entirely.

Who were the Divine Seats?

Could they truly be gods?

Did gods even exist?

So many questions flooded Jo Hwi’s mind, but he soon let out a small chuckle and smiled.

In the end, dwelling on questions with no answers would only complicate things further.

Though he still didn’t know why “they” were interested in someone like him, who was just a mere businessman, he decided that if the cards were already on the table, he would accept it.

He had people like Lord Cao Cao, who was always level-headed, and Lord Man Sangjo, who was wisdom incarnate. Most importantly, he had the great Sword God by his side.

And, of course, himself, Jo Hwi.

Over the past few years, Jo Hwi had deeply realized how powerful the reasoning of a modern human could be in this martial world.

Whether it was “them” or “Sama,” they would eventually clash, but he would never be caught defenseless.

First, he would devour the Jiangxi region and expand the scope of the Great Merchant Guild. Under the guise of a commercial guild, he would conceal his true strength and build an enormous force that no one would dare underestimate.

He had already learned from the great historical figures and modern powerhouses how they devoured the world. He knew how to do it himself.

Perhaps this was why Nangong Zhangho’s gaze had become even more subdued, as if he were growing afraid of Jo Hwi.

Not only could Jo Hwi not be fathomed in terms of martial prowess, but his mind and strategies were also growing deeper by the day.

Nangong Zhangho had witnessed every step of how Jo Hwi single-handedly crushed the thousand-strong Black Heaven Alliance of the Three Demon Heavens.

It was impossible to see him as just a mere man.

What would happen if he became an enemy of Jo Hwi?

What would happen if the Nangong family withdrew their hand from the Great Merchant Guild?

Just the thought of it made Nangong Zhangho shiver in fear.

At that moment, Yeom Sangrok, leading Jang Ilryong, Jin Gahye, and Han Seolhyeon, entered the meeting room.

Yeom Sangrok’s face was filled with curiosity.

“Hmm? What’s going on here? Why is the ceiling like that?”

The meeting room, turned into a mess from the confrontation with Silver Phoenix Lord, was now in chaos.

At that moment, Jang Ilryong recoiled in horror and stumbled backward.

“Ahhh!”

In the center of the floor was a perfectly half-circle shaped crater, filled with chilling blood.

Jang Ilryong frantically wiped the blood from his shoes while shouting.

“Damn! What is this blood?!”

Suddenly, Jin Gahye knelt down with an excited look on her face.

She then dipped her finger into the blood and tasted it, savoring the flavor.

“Hmm, this blood is rich in Yang energy. This is from a man over forty, right? Is he dead?”

Her pale face, with blood smeared at the corners of her mouth, grinned wide, sending a chill down everyone’s spine.

Yeom Sangrok trembled.

“Damn, this pale, greedy woman! Even in the middle of this, she’s still obsessed with it?”

The Black Serpent King’s inner technique, *Blood Serpent Heart-Deep Power*, was based on bloodsucking and energy absorption.

“Obviously, this is human blood. It’s still warm, so of course, it’s normal to want to taste it, right? But where’s the body?”

Her eyes shone like jewels, reminiscent of a heroine from a romance comic.

Jo Hwi did his best to ignore her gaze.

Ugh, that Dracula-like woman.

He had known from the moment she bought all that expensive bear blood with the gold coins he gave her that something was off.

Jin Gahye, when not on scouting duty from the roof, was obsessed with drinking bear blood and focusing on her energy cultivation in her room.

Jo Hwi immediately realized her obsessive fixation on internal energy as he watched her regularly consume blood and practice energy cultivation according to a strict schedule.

At that moment, Jin Gahye suddenly flipped her eyes to pure white and trembled uncontrollably.

Soon, her body arched like a bow toward the ceiling.

Yeom Sangrok gasped in horror.

“Ugh! That creepy woman! After tasting the blood, she suddenly starts shaking with pleasure? What the hell? Why is she like this all of a sudden?”

Her face still bore a blissful smile, as if the ecstasy hadn’t yet faded.

Gradually, she snapped out of the feeling and turned her trembling voice toward Jo Hwi.

“This, this is the first time I’ve tasted such powerful energy-filled blood! Whose blood is this? Could it be… *Huajing*?”

That’s it!

This was exactly why even the wicked Black Heaven Alliance had forbidden Jin Gahye and the Black Serpent King from drinking human blood.

Those who practiced *Blood Serpent Heart-Deep Power* were intensely addicted to the blood of powerful masters.

The higher a martial artist’s cultivation, the more unique and potent the energy and vitality in their blood.

Jo Hwi bluntly replied.

“Probably from an Absolute Realm expert.”

“Absolute Realm!”

Jin Gahye’s face froze in shock!

No wonder a single drop had made her entire body feel so heated!

Without hesitation, she buried her face in the blood pool.

Splash!

“Ugh!”

Everyone grimaced and turned away from the sight, as if they’d seen something they shouldn’t have. Jo Hwi also stood up from his seat.

*Rattle.*

“Well, we need to eat lunch, so let’s move to the inn.”

Zhegai Yun, still pale and staggering from nausea, spoke up.

“Ugh! Let’s go quickly!”

The group moved to the nearby Jiangxi Inn.

The innkeeper, spotting Jo Hwi, hurriedly ran out to greet him. But Jo Hwi wasn’t interested in such exaggerated service.

“During business hours, just treat all customers with respect. I don’t expect special treatment. This isn’t a place for gratitude right now.”

“Ah, understood. Chairman… no, customer!”

Just as Jang Ilryong was about to order a variety of delicious dishes, Jo Hwi stopped him with a sharp command.

“Six bowls of noodles! Three bottles of Hanbingju! That’s it!”

The big eater Jang Ilryong smacked his lips in disappointment.

Due to Jo Hwi’s obsession with noodles, lunch had consistently been the same dish — noodles — for some time now.

At least he had ordered Hanbingju, though.

After placing the order, Jo Hwi immediately turned his attention to Han Seolhyeon.

“I see you’re happy with the new noodle chef. Please, don’t let them go.”

“I understand.”

“Alright. Did you confirm the route I proposed? Do you think you can manage it?”

Han Seolhyeon’s ice arts were undoubtedly outstanding, but even she had limits.

At least once every two days, she would need to visit all the ice warehouses at each business site around Poyang Lake and replenish them. Jo Hwi wasn’t sure how much her energy could handle that.

“I’ll be visiting 32 locations with Manager Jang. It’s impossible. I won’t even be able to cover half of them.”

“…Half?”

This would ruin the plan.

He couldn’t reintroduce the large ice warehouse into the plan now.

He had already allocated all the funds with Han Seolhyeon’s efforts in mind, and there was no room for adjustment.

The only remaining option was for Jo Hwi to support her using the ice arts he had learned, even though he wasn’t proficient.

“Such a pity.”

As the chairman of the Great Merchant Guild, he absolutely had to assist in ice production every two days.

This would make significant adjustments to many of their plans inevitable.

“I couldn’t take the Tianbingling like you, older brother.”

Zhegai Yun, who seemed to have thought of something, tilted his head in confusion.

“Tianbingling? Tianbingling…”

He struggled to recall it, looking increasingly frustrated until suddenly, his eyes widened.

“I got it! There’s plenty of it at the Tang family!”

Jo Hwi furrowed his brows.

“The Tang family? Are you talking about the Tang family from Sichuan?”

“Yes. During the Great Northern War, many artifacts from the North Sea were looted by the Wulin Alliance, and among them was Tianbingling.”

“But why would it be with the Tang family?”

“I heard it’s essential for research on poisons. The Alliance handed over all the Tianbingling to the Tang family. There must have been some kind of agreement between them.”

“Hmmm…”

After a moment of deep thought, Jo Hwi turned back to Han Seolhyeon.

“If you take the Tianbingling, will you be able to visit all the business sites around Poyang Lake by yourself?”

“Absolutely.”

Jo Hwi nodded silently.

“I see.”

At that moment, a scream echoed through the air.

“AAAAAAH!”

“Someone, help!”

Shivering with ecstasy, Jin Gahye staggered toward them.

Her face covered in blood, she wiped her forehead and licked her lips.

“Ahh… where’s the body?”

* * *

Finally, the scene at the smelting workshop in Nanchang was in full swing.

Jo Hwi observed the dozens of massive kilns made from clay and sighed deeply in regret.

From the perspective of a modern person, the technology of this era was incredibly crude.

Just look at the grueling process to extract steel.

A furnace, as tall as a person, made from clay.

Inside, charcoal and iron ore were mixed together, and a foot-operated bellows was constantly pumped to produce just five nyang (approximately 12kg) of steel in one full day.

There were about seventy such furnaces in the workshop.

Despite the huge labor involved, the total amount of steel produced daily was only about 20 jin (12kg).

In terms of volume, it barely amounted to much.

A few handfuls, perhaps?

This vast workshop, with around 250 workers rotating shifts on the bellows, was only able to produce that much steel. It was only natural that Jo Hwi was feeling frustrated.

It felt suffocating when you were used to watching scenes of molten metal pouring from modern furnaces on TV.

That’s why in this world, steel weapons, farming tools, and jewelry were still traded at high prices.

Considering that the workers’ wages were ridiculously cheap by modern standards, it was still a good deal.

But if modern labor costs were applied to such a process?

Jo Hwi couldn’t even imagine how much the price of raw steel would skyrocket.

At that moment, the workers in the smelting workshop began to pick up their hammers, and Jo Hwi turned away, disgusted.

“Damn.”

The scene that angered him the most when watching the process at the smelting workshop was this.

Every morning, the workers would destroy all seventy furnaces.

These clay kilns, heated to over a thousand degrees for the entire night, would have turned into ceramics and could no longer be reused.

The workers would then have to carry clay from the small river to the workshop and stack it as tall as a person, then fill it with charcoal and iron ore, and fire the bellows.

This process alone took half the day.

Jo Hwi was absolutely furious at the inefficiency.

At this rate, it might take decades just to finish building a multi-story complex.

Even after a week of producing raw steel ingots, they would be lucky to create a single H-beam.

“Is it possible to operate a modern furnace?”

Given that charcoal was the primary heat source, it seemed impossible.

‘Should I try mining coal?’

Although expensive, coal was sometimes available in the market, usually being bought by the wealthy and nobility. Occasionally, coal could be found in the local markets.

However, with the current mining and coal-extraction techniques in the Central Plains being so underdeveloped, there were almost no places where coal could be mined, except for open-pit mines where the coal veins were close to the surface.

If workers accidentally hit a weak layer of rock while using pickaxes, the mine would be rendered useless.

To develop a mine, explosives were essential. It was not a task that could be done manually.

Then, suddenly, a thought struck Jo Hwi.

‘Huh?’

Something flashed through his mind like a lightning bolt.

‘Is explosives really necessary?’

There were countless martial artists in the world of the Central Plains who could pulverize rocks with a single punch or palm strike.

If the rumors about Shaolin’s legendary techniques like Baibo Shingquan or Arahanshinquan were true, there would be no need for explosives at all.

If he could hire those uneducated monks, overturning a coal vein would be a piece of cake.

If coal, a major fossil fuel, could be mined in large quantities, the dream of operating a blast furnace would no longer be just a dream.

But how would he go about it?

Shaolin, more prestigious than even the Nangong family?

The saying “天下功夫出少林” (All martial arts come from Shaolin) wasn’t just an idle boast.

Even the Sword Saint had claimed that Shaolin’s hidden strength was far beyond what was known.

To ask renowned martial artists to work as mere laborers in a mine?

The moment he mentioned it, the monks in seclusion might come rushing out and smash his skull with their Zen staffs.

Even the likes of Kongkong Dashi, a top figure of the Wulin Alliance, and other leading experts, such as the Jiahai Sword Saint from the Huashan Sect, would be insulted.

The Sword Saint himself had said that his skill level was still not on par with the top-tier martial artists of the Seven Immortals, who were the best of the best.

“Hmmm…”

Once again, Jo Hwi sighed in frustration, when suddenly, Jang Ilryong approached him.

“Big brother, that muscle-bound guy is back!”

Who was calling whom “muscle-bound” now?

Jo Hwi furrowed his brows and spoke.

“Who are you talking about?”

“That guy from Hebei, you know? The one who arm-wrestled with me the other day? He came again, probably to complain about being turned away from Habinguan.”

“Ah…”

The eldest son of the Wugudowang (King of the Martial World), the notorious Pingang from Hebei.

He had already been turned away several times because of the strict water management policies at Habinguan.

That incident had already become a widespread story in the martial world.

Every time that happened, he would come to the Great Merchant Guild, causing trouble.

But it couldn’t be helped.

While it was customary to let common people in, there had to be some standards, right?

It wasn’t that he wanted to be rude, but honestly, Pingang was just too unattractive. Even in modern times, it was rare to find someone as ugly as him.

Moreover, the strict water management at Habinguan had already caused dissatisfaction even among the children of high-ranking officials.

If they let someone as conspicuously ugly as Pingang in, everyone would be demanding entry as well.

“Ah, that guy is such a headache.”

How far was it from Hebei to Anhui?

It would take a normal man about a month to walk that distance.

And now, for the sake of this grievance, Pingang had even come all the way to Poyang Lake.

His passion could be acknowledged, but it was really starting to become a nuisance.

That said, he couldn’t just outright reject the son of one of the Five Great Families.

“Where is he now?”

“He’s at the Jo Ka Inn.”

The Jo Ka Inn?

Wasn’t Han Seolhyeon there, preparing to fill the small ice warehouses at each store?

A sense of foreboding began to rise in Jo Hwi, and he hurriedly quickened his pace.

“Let’s go quickly.”

* * *

As expected…

Han Seolhyeon was covering her eyes with both hands as she tried to avoid looking at the sight before her. Pang Gak, his muscles bulging and veins pulsating like a serpent, was striking one pose after another, clearly trying to show off.

*“Ahem! Ahem! Hmph!”*

He rolled up his sleeves, exposing his massive forearms, and continued making exaggerated poses, all while pretending to clear his throat and look away, as if trying to appear nonchalant, but it was obvious he was flexing to show his masculinity.

*“Hah! This must be what the South is like, huh? Ahem!”*

The humid and hot climate of the southern Yangtze River region, particularly the Poyang Lake area, was undeniably uncomfortable, but was it really so hot that it warranted stripping off his shirt?

*Flap!*

He pulled off his shirt, revealing his incredibly developed upper body, his muscles and veins almost writhing like snakes. Seolhyeon quickly covered her eyes with both hands.

*“Oh my!”*

Pang Gak, seeing her reaction, smiled proudly, his face beaming with satisfaction.

Jo Hwi, witnessing this, shook his head in disgust.

*“Ugh, disgusting.”*

As Pang Gak grinned widely, revealing his yellowish teeth, Jo Hwi couldn’t help but grimace at the sight.

At that moment, Pang Gak moved to lift his pants, revealing his muscular thighs, but before he could do so, a voice interrupted.

*“That’s enough.”*

Startled, Pang Gak froze and adjusted his posture, only to see Jo Hwi, who had a sword strapped to his waist. Pang Gak sneered at the sight.

*“Hmph! So you’re just another worthless sword wielder, huh?”*

Pang Gak pulled out his massive ink-colored sword, placing it onto the table with a flourish, sneering.

*“This is a real weapon of a man, not some toothpick.”*

He continued to glance at Seolhyeon, still trying to flaunt his masculinity.

Jo Hwi let out a thin sigh.

*“Sigh… Did you come all this way just to show off your muscles and your weapons?”*

Pang Gak’s expression shifted as he finally remembered the real reason for his visit.

*“Are you seriously going to keep refusing me, the young master of the Great Northern Pang Clan, Pang Gak? Let me in right now! If you don’t, I’ll destroy your Habinguan this time!”*

His voice sounded like a threat, full of bravado, but strangely, his eyes were filled with an almost desperate longing.

*“Please, just let me in! I want to be with the women too!”*

Jo Hwi shivered slightly, disturbed by the strange emotion in Pang Gak’s eyes.

Jang Ilryong, who had been standing by, stepped in.

*“No. Go back.”*

*“Why! Why can’t I go in?!”*

Jang Ilryong’s face was completely emotionless, as if he had returned to his role as the gatekeeper of Habinguan. His expression conveyed nothing but utter indifference.

*“Because you’re ugly.”*

*“Ah!”*

Pang Gak was taken aback by the bluntness of the response. He had never heard such a direct insult before. Even his own mother would look away and say he had “character” when she saw how ugly he was.

Now, to hear it so plainly from a stranger… It stung.

His anger flared, and a haze of frustration clouded his vision.

Suddenly, Pang Gak slammed his fist down with a loud *“Thud!”*

*“You! It’s on!”*

Jo Hwi signaled to someone in the background.

*“Cheong Ah.”*

*“Yes! Yes, President! I’m on my way!”*

The confrontation was about to escalate.

As Cheong Ah entered and politely greeted, Jo Hwi gestured to the floor of the inn.

“The self-supporting wood has broken into three pieces. It might break further, so be sure to charge that person for everything.”

“Yes, President!”

Cheong Ah quickly moved to comply.

At that moment, Pang Gak, in his usual rough manner, lunged toward Jo Hwi, attempting to grab him by the collar.

“Stop it. The others are eating.”

Those about to flee from the scene, startled by the chaos, all turned to look at Han Seolhyeon.

Han Seolhyeon, tidying up the scattered dishes on the inn’s floor with graceful movements, momentarily draped the veil over her shoulders, causing the atmosphere in the inn to heat up.

*“Ahhhhh! How could this be?”*

*“A, a beauty! An unparalleled beauty!”*

*“My goodness!”*

Everyone was on the verge of kneeling before her overwhelming beauty.

Even Pang Gak, a young, strong man, was no exception.

*“S-so… lady…!”*

Pang Gak, who had never felt his heart race except when swinging a sword, now realized for the first time how it felt to be moved in such a way.

He couldn’t even look at her properly; it felt too shameful.

*“Is this what a goddess looks like?”*

“Ah, I asked you to adjust your veil properly earlier, didn’t I?”

*“Ah, sorry.”*

Han Seolhyeon quickly fixed her veil after being scolded by Jo Hwi.

At that moment, Pang Gak, completely forgetting his earlier confrontation, suddenly approached Han Seolhyeon and bowed deeply.

“The small prince of the Northern Heaven, Pang Gak of the Pang Clan, respectfully greets you! May I know your name, Lady?”

Jo Hwi’s eyes gleamed with interest. Though usually a carefree and playful man, he was still from a prominent family, and he knew how to properly follow etiquette.

Just then, Jang Ilryong rushed in and stood between Pang Gak and Han Seolhyeon.

*“Hey! Get out of the way!”*

Pang Gak, wanting to see Han Seolhyeon, kept glancing around, but Jang Ilryong’s large frame made it difficult.

*“Hey! How dare you look at our Seolhyeon like that! Get lost!”*

Jang Ilryong scoffed.

*“Hmph! How dare you think about her? Dream on!”*

But then—

*“I’m from the Seolpung Han Clan of the Northern Sea, the 17th descendant, and my name is Seolhyeon.”*

Seolpung Han Clan?

In the martial world, the Seolpung Han Clan could only refer to the formidable and feared rival clan of the Northern Sea, the Ice Palace.

*“…B-Binggung?”*

Pang Gak’s already unattractive face twisted further as if he couldn’t accept the reality. He roughly shook his head and clutched his chest in disbelief.

*“Ugh! They say love is cruel!”*

All his frustrations now turned toward Jang Ilryong.

*“You! It’s on! If you’re a man, you won’t back down from a fight!”*

*“Fine! Let’s see who dies!”*

*“I’ll fight you with my hands! I don’t need a weapon to beat you!”*

*“You bastard!”*

Just as Jang Ilryong was about to throw a punch, Jo Hwi intervened.

*“Wait, wait a second.”*

Pang Gak, with a look of frustration and curiosity, turned to Jo Hwi.

*“What now?”*

*“You said ‘fighting technique’? Does the Pang Clan have a martial art?”*

Pang Gak looked at Jo Hwi as if he were some fool.

*“Do you mean to say that you, a self-proclaimed martial artist, have never heard of the Pang Clan’s Hongwon Byeongnyeokjang?”*

*“Hongwon Byeongnyeokjang?”*

The mention of such a powerful martial art piqued Jo Hwi’s curiosity even more.

*“Is it stronger than Baekbo Shin-Gwon or Arahan Shin-Gwon?”*

Pang Gak’s forehead tightened as his veins bulged with anger.

*“Hmph! Even if Shaolin’s martial arts are known for their precision, my Hongwon Byeongnyeokjang is just as powerful!”*

A sly smile appeared on Jo Hwi’s face as he looked even more intrigued.

*“Would you like to test your strength against me?”*

*“Test?!”*

*“Ah, let’s call it a wager.”*

Pang Gak’s expression twisted in disbelief.

Did this scrawny guy, who could barely speak properly, actually think he could stand up to him? He was carrying a sword, but it didn’t mean anything. How much martial skill could someone like him have?

But a wager for unlimited entry to Habinguan? That was something he couldn’t ignore.

Pang Gak’s face gleamed with greed.

*“You won’t back down, right?”*

*“I should be the one warning you. Do you know what a ‘labor contract’ means?”*

*“Hmph! A man’s word!”*

*“A heavy gold promise!”*

Pang Gak scoffed and sat down at the table, preparing for the contest. Jo Hwi smiled slightly and also sat down.

Watching a fight unfold was always the most entertaining.

The customers in the inn all eagerly watched, their faces flushed with excitement at the sudden arm wrestling match.

*“No internal energy?”*

Jo Hwi placed his arm on the table, speaking gruffly.

*“I don’t mind. You can do whatever you want.”*

Pang Gak’s face lit up with confidence. There was no way he would lose, but a wager was a wager.

To make sure he won, he needed to eliminate all uncertainties.

*“Alright, no internal energy then!”*

Now Pang Gak was certain of his victory.

With those puny arms, what could Jo Hwi possibly do against his own powerful limbs?

Arm wrestling wasn’t just about strength; it was also about momentum.

Pang Gak glared fiercely at Jo Hwi and grabbed his hand, determined to win.

But then, something felt strange.

The moment their hands touched, Pang Gak felt as if he were gripping a stone, so unnaturally hard.

A strange and foreboding sensation crawled down his spine.

*“Did you really not use internal energy?”*

*“Why, did you think I would?”*

A true martial artist would manifest internal energy in his eyes, but Jo Hwi’s expression remained calm.

Clearly, there was no sign of energy emanating from Jo-hwi’s eyes.

Pang-gak, visibly flustered, was struggling.

Jo-hwi barely managed to hold back his laughter.

“Shall we begin?” Jo-hwi asked.

Sensing something was off, Pang-gak poured all his strength into trying to move Jo-hwi’s arm.

However.

With the omnipotent power of his Sword Heaven body, Jo-hwi immediately adjusted the coefficient of friction of the vector values to nearly infinite.

“…Huff!”

Sweat began pouring out like rain.

Pang-gak’s arm could not budge an inch against Jo-hwi’s, which had become as unyielding as a thousand-year-old rock.

Pang-gak was putting all his might into it, to the point where his vision began to blur.

Meanwhile, Jo-hwi, though feeling the weight of the force, was not overly concerned.

After all, Pang-gak’s outer energy, comparable to Shaolin’s, was considerable.

But it was no match for the Sword Heaven body.

Then, with a simple twist of his arm, Jo-hwi—

“Ugh!”

Pang-gak’s body, along with his arm, was sent crashing under the chair.

Pang-gak lay there, unable to even think of standing up, staring vacantly into the air. His pupils were blank, as though he were dreaming.

Jo-hwi nonchalantly took out the “Labor Contract” and some charcoal from his pocket.

“The terms can be adjusted as we go along, but I’ll start drafting the outline.”

Jang Il-ryong doubled over with laughter.

“Hehehe! Serves you right!”

Meanwhile, the inn’s patrons and staff were stunned, their faces frozen in shock.

What kind of place was the Habei Pang family?

Their ignorant obsession with external martial arts was famous throughout the martial world.

They were a band of sword-wielding warriors who worshipped strength above all else, even more so than any other faction.

Pang-gak, a hulking figure, was supposed to be one of the strongest in Habei—yet he was utterly overwhelmed by Jo-hwi in such a bizarre and incongruous scene.

Anyone watching would have bet on Pang-gak winning, and if there were bets placed, most would have lost their money, their faces full of regret.

Pang-gak sprang up like a spring, shaking his head violently.

“This… this is sorcery! There’s definitely some trickery at play here!”

Jo-hwi, as if having expected this, calmly continued drafting the contract, extending his left hand toward Pang-gak, keeping his eyes focused on the contract.

“Try to move it, if you can.”

An immense provocation!

How dare he shatter the pride of the Pang family!

With a snarl, Pang-gak grasped Jo-hwi’s left hand, applying all his strength.

His face grew redder.

“Th-this! Why… why can’t I overpower him?” he thought.

Even more shocking was that Jo-hwi was calmly writing with his right hand, not even breaking a sweat.

The “Labor Contract” was extended toward Pang-gak, who was sweating profusely.

“I’ve drafted the basic terms—the position, wages, performance bonuses, and duties. Read it over, and if you’re okay with it, just sign. Of course, if there’s anything you want changed, let me know, and I’ll make adjustments.”

Pang-gak stared blankly, loosening his hand, his pride crumbling as anger and frustration flooded his mind.

Then, pulling out his black sword, Pang-gak glared fiercely.

“To think you’d go back on your word—how dare you try to use a weapon now?”

He felt a slight vibration spread through the inn.

Jo-hwi’s entire body radiated a white mist, and the energy surrounding him shimmered like foam.

Pang-gak’s face froze in terror as he realized what was happening.

This was not just internal energy, it was the manifestation of true martial power—*True Martial Flower*.

The pinnacle of martial mastery, transcending the physical realm into the mythical—something only true masters could achieve.

“How can someone like him have reached that level?” Pang-gak thought in disbelief. “I, even I, the so-called ‘genius of the North,’ haven’t reached that stage yet!”

Seeing Jo-hwi’s true nature, the man he had thought of as a mere scholar was, in fact, a true martial master.

“Wait… you’re a martial artist?” Pang-gak murmured, completely deflated.

At this moment, Jo-hwi stopped channeling his Sword Heaven energy and held up the labor contract once more.

“We’re going to be prospecting together. Once we find a vein, you’ll help mine coal alongside the rest.”

“M-mine coal?” Pang-gak stammered.

Born as a scion of a prestigious family, he had spent his whole life training in martial arts. He never imagined that he’d be asked to mine coal.

He could hardly believe what he was hearing, his eyes blinking in confusion.

“Do you have any idea what you’re asking me to do?” he asked, his voice trembling.

“One word,” Jo-hwi replied, emotionless. “You made a promise, didn’t you?”

“Ch, Chungcheon-gum,” Pang-gak muttered, the last vestiges of his dignity eroding. “But this is too much!”

Yet, Jo-hwi remained calm, holding out the contract.

Pang-gak, though barely holding onto his pride, signed the document.

And then, something unexpected happened.

“Aaaah!”

The sharp, chilling pain that pierced Pang-gak’s back caused him to freeze in horror as he quickly adjusted his posture.

In one hand, Jin Ga-hee held a small knife, and in the other, a cloth soaked with blood!

“Wow! This is amazing! It’s the blood of such a strong man!”

Jin Ga-hee buried her face into the cloth, savoring the blood.

Jang Il-ryong looked at her in disbelief.

“Th-this crazy woman! She just stabs someone out of nowhere?!”

Jo-hwi sighed softly.

After tasting the blood of the Absolute Realm, now this insane woman was asking for his blood to be used for the Moon Summit. Was there anyone in this world—no, in the entire history of Earth—whose insanity could match hers?

“Mm! Incredible! This immense vitality! Huff!”

Jin Ga-hee twisted her body, savoring the taste of the blood as Pang-gak stared at her blankly.

“Ugh…”

Despite her pale and sinister appearance, Jin Ga-hee was quite a beauty. As a lifelong virgin, Pang-gak found it hard not to be stirred by her presence.

Pang-gak activated his Overlord’s Force to immediately stop the bleeding from his back and approached Jin Ga-hee, bowing courteously.

“I am Pang Mo, the Black Tortoise Young Master of the Northern Sky Pang Family, one of the Five Great Houses. May I know your esteemed name?”

Jo-hwi and Jang Il-ryong exchanged a strange glance.

How could his greeting be identical to the one he gave Han Seol-hyun? He must have practiced that line thousands of times while looking at the mirror, imagining himself as the noble hero.

What was even more absurd was that despite the woman stabbing him, he still treated her with such politeness. Clearly, this man was beyond thirsty.

“My name? I’m Jin Ga-hee,” she replied.

“Jin Ga-hee!”

Pang-gak’s face flushed red as he successfully learned her name. This was the first time he had introduced himself to a woman and learned her name, just like when he had done with Han Seol-hyun. Was he actually good at this?

“Is your cultivation level… extraordinary?”

“Haha! You’re quite perceptive, Young Master!”

Jin Ga-hee grinned, her eyes full of curiosity, and began running her hands over Pang-gak’s muscular body. Pang-gak shivered uncontrollably.

“Wow! This is external energy, right? It looks like something beyond the Golden Bell Shield!”

“Golden Bell Shield?! My family’s Overlord’s Force is far beyond such mediocre techniques!”

“Ah! Then even if you get injured, you’ll recover quickly, right? Oh wow, your back has already healed!”

Jin Ga-hee clucked excitedly and carefully pulled out the small knife again.

“Could I try stabbing you again?”

Pang-gak flinched.

What kind of woman casually talks about stabbing someone like that?

“Of course! A little scratch on a man like me is nothing to worry about,” he replied with forced nonchalance.

“Yay! Thanks!”

Without further hesitation, Jin Ga-hee thrust the small knife into Pang-gak’s arm, causing a wound, and then bit his arm.

*Chomp.*

“Ahhh!”

Pang-gak’s face twisted into an increasingly strange expression.

Jo-hwi hurriedly stood up and prepared to leave.

“Let’s go to work. If we stay here any longer, I think I might lose my sanity.”

“Agreed, Hyung!”