A Frozen Tidal Wave, A Silent Storm
The massive tidal wave remained frozen, as if time itself had stopped.
As Seo-jun slowly lowered his hand, the wave began to dissolve.
Ssss────────
Starting from the top, the enormous volume of seawater disintegrated, shrouding the surroundings in a misty haze. By the time the wave had completely vanished, leaving no trace, the sky was painted in shades of ash.
Drip…
Dark clouds began to weep, and soon, the rain poured down in earnest.
Standing beneath the cascading rain, Seo-jun lifted his gaze toward the heavens.
“How far can the miracles achievable by mere humans extend?”
The Sword God, a human, had once cleaved the sun. Seo-jun had summoned a tidal wave, only to let it rain down as water.
Ending his brief contemplation, he stepped down onto the sea. Chun-bong, who had been staring at him in awe, scratched her soft cheek.
“…This is crazy.”
She had thought that, after reaching the transcendent realm, she might have caught up with him to some extent. But it was an absurd misconception.
What transcendent warrior could pull off something so casually?
They said he had reached the Demonic Flame State but not the peak of the Flame Realm. To Chun-bong, such claims were nonsense.
Perhaps his realm wasn’t labeled as the Flame Realm, but her brother was clearly in a place far beyond reach.
“Good grief.”
Chun-bong glanced at the remnants of the wave, her grandfather’s sword mark still unchanged amidst the chaos.
“One day….”
She vowed silently to become a martial artist who could stand proudly beside her brother. Her lips pressed firmly together as her tongue flicked briefly, sealing her determination.
“Hey… guys?”
Namgung Sua’s voice snapped Chun-bong out of her thoughts.
“Hm?”
Namgung Sua silently gestured toward the shoreline. A crowd of people had gathered, all staring in their direction.
“Ugh.”
Chun-bong’s face flushed with embarrassment.
She rushed over and slapped Seo-jun’s back.
“Hey, hey! Let’s go already!”
“Alright.”
Seo-jun chuckled and wrapped an arm around Chun-bong’s and Namgung Sua’s waists.
“Then let’s head somewhere else and enjoy the sea at a leisurely pace.”
Since they were already by the ocean, it wouldn’t hurt to find a scenic spot to watch the sunset.
With these two by his side, there was nothing more he could ask for.
*
“We’ve Identified the Culprit”
The Grand Commander, Jegal Tong, received the report.
“The former master of the Great Black Mountain Sect, Ryeo Won.”
“Hm…”
Jegal Tong didn’t lift his gaze from the map spread out before him. Try as he might, he couldn’t decipher Sama Hyun’s intentions.
“Deploying a transcendent warrior at the forefront to cut across from the east to the west… Is he trying to destabilize the western region?”
He had already heard the reports: three transcendent warriors from the Black Lotus Union were causing chaos in Zhejiang Province.
Not only that, but transcendent warriors of the Black Lotus Union were running rampant in various parts of Zhongyuan.
“Has he lost his mind?”
If the righteous sects managed to capture or kill these masters, the Black Lotus Union would suffer irreparable damage.
Jegal Tong knew enough about Sama Hyun to understand that he wasn’t the type to recklessly throw away his forces without reason.
This current chaos had to be a distraction, a bait for something larger. But what could Sama Hyun be after? As far as Jegal Tong could see, there was nothing in the righteous sects’ possession worth such a gamble.
“Have we identified any movements from other transcendent warriors?”
“None, as of yet.”
Then could this truly be an attempt to reclaim the western territories? Jegal Tong furrowed his brow.
“Let’s reevaluate.”
Ryeo Won, a transcendent warrior, was leading his forces westward.
Among those caught in the conflict, six key figures stood out:
Cheongryo of Mount Hua Bojung of Emei Heobaek and Heoryang of Wudang Peng Juhyeon of the Peng Clan Namgung Yeon of the Namgung Clan Though they played significant roles within the Sixteen Great Sects, their loss wouldn’t cause irreparable damage.
Namgung Yeon’s connection as the younger sibling of Namgung Jincheon, the Namgung Clan’s patriarch, was slightly concerning, but even that wouldn’t pose a major issue.
The leaders of the Sixteen Great Sects rarely moved lightly. Even if Namgung Jincheon himself were to take action, there would be little for the Black Lotus Union to gain.
“Targeting Namgung Jincheon?”
Ridiculous. Impossible.
To accomplish that, they’d need Je Cheon-hyeok leading the charge with at least three other transcendent warriors. If they diverted such a force, they risked losing several of the Seven Black Gates.
“Even if they managed to set the stage for such an outcome, the gamble is far too risky.”
What if they lost two or three transcendent warriors in the process?
Aside from the symbolic victory of eliminating the Namgung patriarch, the losses would outweigh the gains.
Would anyone not understand that one versus three is a poor trade?
Even if that one was the strongest under heaven, Zhongyuan was vast—far too vast for such a sacrifice to make strategic sense.
If three warriors could cover more ground than one, their tactical value would always be greater.
While a full-scale war or hit-and-run tactics by a supreme master could change the equation, such scenarios were implausible.
The presence of the Demonic Cult, transcendent warriors, and the defenses of the Namgung Clan all complicated the situation further.
“I can dismiss this possibility.”
Then what else could it be?
The transcendent warriors rampaging through Shaanxi, Shanxi, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang?
Ultimately, it was meaningless.
While their actions caused significant harm, the loss of a transcendent warrior far outweighed the damage inflicted.
After a long period of silent contemplation, Jegal Tong came to a conclusion.
“Assign Ryeo Won to the Headmaster of Mount Hua. Simply driving him away will suffice. There’s no need to risk unnecessary casualties. Additionally, inform the Headmaster of the Shared Paths Sect to keep a close eye on the western movements. If they attempt to sever the west’s spine, we must respond immediately.”
“Yes, sir!”
“One more thing. Pay close attention to the search for the missing key figures. Even if they’re dead, we need to recover their bodies.”
“Understood!”
*
“...It’s Done.”
Sama Hyun’s lips curled into a sinister grin as he observed the movements of the righteous sects.
Jegal Tong, ever cautious and meticulous, had made his predictable move—a safe play that ensured no loose ends. But this time, that very tendency became his undoing.
“Heh, hehehe…”
The subordinate delivering the report shuddered at the sight of Sama Hyun, his bloodshot eyes fixated on the map before him.
“This is madness.”
A gamble so reckless that if the strategy were even slightly deciphered, everything could be lost.
Yet, Sama Hyun had brought himself to the brink of success. Just one more step.
“I understand.”
From Jegal Tong’s perspective, it would have been almost impossible to decipher Sama Hyun’s true intentions.
A single piece amidst a sea of decoys—bait scattered carelessly, designed to mislead and confuse.
And that piece? It was none other than the strongest martial artist under heaven. Capturing such prey would require the hunter to bring overwhelming force.
If the plan failed or even encountered minor delays, the Black Lotus Union would suffer irreparable losses.
What if the prey didn’t even appear?
The Black Lotus Union had already bled profusely to prepare for this hunt.
One formation alone had cost them dearly:
100 masters at the pinnacle of the Absolute Realm 500 first- to second-rate warriors 3,000 ordinary soldiers And that was just for a single formation.
If the plan faltered even slightly, all that effort would amount to nothing.
This was a strategy that could only be attempted with absolute knowledge of the opponent’s thoughts, tendencies, and character.
But if Namgung Jincheon, the prey, acted exactly as Sama Hyun predicted…
“This war will be the Black Lotus Union’s victory.”
Sama Hyun was certain.
*
“So, there’s been no word from Yeon?”
“Yes. We’ve lost contact with both Changcheon Division Leader and the entire Changcheon Squad.”
Namgung Yeon—Namgung Jincheon’s younger sister.
Though they shared blood, she was markedly different from him in many ways.
If Namgung Jincheon was a calm and serene sky, Namgung Yeon was a stormy and tempestuous one.
“This doesn’t feel right….”
Namgung Jincheon rose from his seat.
Within the Namgung Clan, there were few martial masters left. While there were still enough to defend the clan, most of their forces had been deployed for the ongoing war.
There were some capable of being dispatched to rescue Namgung Yeon, but…
“I’ll go myself.”
His unease couldn’t be ignored.
The war, the weight of the Sixteen Great Sects—none of it mattered to him.
Namgung Yeon was his family. That alone was reason enough for Namgung Jincheon to act personally.
He didn’t expect anyone to understand. Ever since he lost his wife, nothing had been more important to him than his family.
Stepping out of the patriarch’s hall, he glanced up at the clear sky. Delving deep into its mysteries, he glimpsed a foreboding sign.
“Calamity (凶).”
The sword at his waist unsheathed itself and began to hover in the air around him.
The heavens didn’t reveal everything. A transcendent martial artist could even rewrite fate.
Namgung Jincheon didn’t bother overthinking it. Regardless of what the heavens foretold, the option of not saving his sister didn’t exist.
With that, he moved forward.
He sat atop the floating sword, speaking firmly.
“While I’m away, Myung, you will lead the clan.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Good. I leave it in your hands….”
Sssss—
With a sound like paper being torn, Namgung Jincheon disappeared.
Namgung Myung silently watched his father’s form vanish into the distance.
*
Across the Sands of Time and Space
Namgung Jincheon cleaved through space itself as he advanced.
Though he merely sat atop the sword, it pierced through the fabric of the world, carrying him swiftly to the northernmost edge of Shaanxi.
By the time his feet touched the ground, only a fleeting moment had passed since he left the Namgung Clan.
The land was desolate, ravaged by the passing of a transcendent martial artist. The air was dry, and not even intact corpses remained.
Namgung Jincheon scanned the area silently until he found faint traces.
These were markings so subtle that only someone of his caliber could detect them.
“A trap.”
The scene was a blatant invitation.
Yet he couldn’t summon reinforcements.
Namgung Yeon was likely still alive, held as a hostage. Any misstep could put her life at risk.
His sword hummed, circling protectively around him as Namgung Jincheon moved forward.
Folding space as he traveled, he soon arrived in the heart of a desert, where sandstorms clouded his vision.
There, in the distance, was his sister.
Namgung Yeon.
Far from Shaanxi now, he had reached the heart of the Black Lotus Union’s territory.
Few could have followed the faint trail to this place, and even if they had, the journey would have taken them far longer.
Support was unlikely to reach him in time.
“Yeon….”
Namgung Yeon, bound and restrained, shouted in anger.
“You fool…! Run while you still can!”
Before her words even finished, four figures emerged from the swirling sand.
Standing by Namgung Yeon’s side, Namgung Jincheon recognized them all.
Je Cheon-hyeok, patriarch of the Heaven-Sundering House. Hyeok Mun-yak, leader of the Gilyeon Sect. Geom Yul, master of the Sword Sect. Neung Pyeong-ho, Division Leader of the Black Lotus Union’s direct forces. Four transcendent martial artists.
“Activate the formation!”
Surrounding them were about twenty warriors at the pinnacle of the Absolute Realm.
BOOM—!
A formation erupted, isolating the area. Inside the barrier were only Namgung Jincheon, Namgung Yeon, and the four transcendent opponents.
“You truly came. Alone, no less.”
Je Cheon-hyeok faced Namgung Jincheon directly, with Hyeok Mun-yak to his right, Geom Yul to his left, and Neung Pyeong-ho at the rear.
“Could this place be my grave…?”
Namgung Jincheon, the Heavenly Sword Sovereign, smiled genuinely at the thought of his long-sought end.
“However….”
He couldn’t simply die here.
If his wishes were to bring his children into the fray, that would be unforgivable. If he had to leave, he would take every enemy with him, ensuring his children would not carry the burden.
“I can entrust the rest to the children….”
He harbored no lingering doubts. With a reliable son-in-law now part of the family, his children would not falter.
“Come at me….”
Whether he survived or not didn’t matter.
What did matter was protecting his sister.
That was how Namgung Jincheon had always lived.