Chapter 318

Chapter 318
## Chapter 318

Wudang Sect (1)

A short while ago.

On the boundaries of Yungjung Mountain, the territory housing the primary estate of the Zhuge Clan.

A lone individual, blending seamlessly into the natural landscape not far from the mountain pass, silently kept watch as a caravan of riders and wagons departed through the concealed gateway of the grand defensive array.

‘A departure of that scale all at once… Ah, the gathering of the Murim Alliance must be drawing near.’

The observer remained perfectly motionless, maintaining complete erasure of his vital presence.

He bided his time until the travelers had vanished entirely from view, then cautiously rose to his feet after ensuring the surrounding area was completely deserted.

“Phew, truly a testament to the Zhuge Clan. I was nearly detected.”

The mature practitioner, clad in tattered, threadbare vestments, brushed the grime from his garments and let out a quiet breath.

He rolled his tense shoulders to ease the stiffness, then directed a analytical look back toward the mystical boundaries of the Zhuge Clan and knit his brows.

‘No anomalous signatures detected within. Is the source still contained deep inside the Zhuge Clan’s domain?’

His name was Qingguan, a mystic of the Maoshan Sect. He had spent days following the trace of a peculiar spiritual resonance he initially detected back at Dongting Lake, pursuing it across the land to this very spot.

His own lineage, the Maoshan Sect, stood on equal footing with the Zhuge Clan regarding the mystical arts, yet he found himself unable to infiltrate any closer to their inner sanctum. Ultimately, his expertise lay in sorcery, not martial stealth.

‘This is highly unusual. Given his historical behavior, he shouldn’t be maintaining this level of silence.’

Yet, despite the prolonged vigil, no definitive evidence had come to light.

Furthermore, no correspondence or updates had arrived from his fellow sect members stationed in neighboring provinces.

“Haha, could my calculations be wrong… Perhaps Mount Wudang is the true destination? Yet the spiritual alignment points far more heavily toward this location… Did my divination fail me?”

Giving up now, however, was not an option.

With another soft sigh, he unslung his pack and retrieved his ceremonial implements.

This endeavor was clearly going to demand far more time.

Concurrently, a few days following these events,

Another traveler from a foreign realm materialized in a completely different province, initiating his own designs…

Yet Qingguan, utterly absorbed in his immediate investigation, along with the rest of the inhabitants of this land, remained entirely unaware of the shifting tides.

—

“Yes, this should suffice. Onto the subsequent destination.”

Locating a concealed treasury amid the shattered masonry of a ruined estate presented no challenge for Harley, whose sensory capabilities far exceeded normal human limitations.

A single heavy step allowed him to map the density and subterranean structure of the ground beneath him, while his mastery over Ki granted him the ability to perceive what lay behind solid barriers.

Wealth and artifacts were promptly secured within his 「Subspace Storage」, esoteric manual texts were forwarded to Hubert for deciphering, and several pristine specimens of the deceased were dispatched to Hans…

Having gathered his plunder, he walked away from the devastation with casual steps, his mood elevated by the substantial rewards of the raid.

Shortly thereafter,

A small gathering of roughly half a dozen Taoist ascetics, clad in formal vestments, advanced with great vigilance toward the shattered remnants of the estate.

“…What manner of devastation is this…”

“Could this truly be… the aftermath of the Shura Sect?”

“Utterly erased. The reports we received… were entirely accurate…”

They surveyed the pulverized grounds of the martial manor, their expressions growing increasingly grim with every passing second.

They had journeyed here specifically to verify the preposterous rumors circulating through the region, only to find the stark reality far more severe than the accounts suggested.

Shattered pavilions, deep craters gouged into the earth, casualties strewn across the soil, and the heavy, metallic odor of slaughter…

The structural ruins offered a vivid testament to the violence that had transpired.

And yet…

“Senior brother, pray observe this detail.”

“…The fallen warriors are missing.”

“Precisely. Not the entire sum, but… looking closely at the displacements, they systematically gathered only the most formidable martial artists.”

“This was no act of reverence to grant them a final resting place.”

A cold dread settled over them as they continued their examination of the site.

“There are clear markings of excavation among the collapsed structures over here! Someone was hunting for hidden assets…”

“Were they pursuing a particular treasure?”

“Even if that were so, to execute a siege of this magnitude single-handedly…? Is it possible they operated with hidden allies?”

“…Yet the physical evidence aligns perfectly with what the witnesses described…”

Their features darkened significantly as they reviewed the accounts provided by those who lived through the assault.

The fractured, terrified recollections of the surviving sect members echoed in their thoughts.

A towering, muscular titan clad in unfamiliar garments, appearing without warning.

His brutal, mocking laughter, the systematic tearing down of their ancestral halls, and the futile, desperate resistance offered by their brethren.

Such uniform accounts from entirely separate witnesses could not be dismissed as mere delusions of terror.

“…Senior brother, would it not be wiser to rendezvous with the Zhuge Clan? Their traveling party is reportedly in close proximity.”

“I concur. A terrifying entity capable of erasing the Shura Sect unaided is currently at large. Traveling alongside their contingent would afford greater security…”

“…Let us withdraw. We shall carry this intelligence back to the Sect Leader and await his judgment.”

The disciples of the Wudang Sect offered a solemn, respectful gesture toward the grounds of the fallen manor before turning on their heels.

They hastened back to realign with their main contingent and deliver their findings.

Following this stark confirmation of the rumors, the leadership of the Wudang Sect resolved to initiate formal contact with the Zhuge Clan.

This tactical choice would soon unite the envoys of both factions—groups that had previously maintained a watchful, guarded distance despite sharing a generally cooperative history.

—

“The Shura Sect is no more?”

“So that explains the sudden vacuum of information. Such an event occurred?”

“If these reports hold true, our own safety is compromised. The patriarch of the Shura Sect, Mad Demon Kwangak, wielded power at the pinnacle of the Master Realm. Even combining our strength with the Wudang Sect, matching an adversary who dismantled them completely seems uncertain…”

“We cannot permit anxiety to paralyze us. We must take proper measures…”

The unexpected overture from the Wudang Sect sent waves of murmurs through the ranks of the Zhuge Clan’s travelling party.

Hugo, tracking the surrounding dialogue with his heightened perception, gave a quiet, measured nod.

‘…Ah, so that is how the situation unfolded.’

To put it plainly…

‘The complications stem from my actions.’

He rubbed the nape of his neck, feeling a brief touch of self-consciousness.

The geographic positions of the Wudang Sect and the Zhuge Clan were not vastly separated.

Roughly a hundred kilometers in a direct line.

With their trajectories bound to intersect, it was only a matter of time before they crossed the path of destruction left by Harley’s offensive.

They could easily have synchronized their journeys from the outset had they chosen to do so.

‘Evidently, political friction or specific agendas kept them apart initially. Regardless, those individuals belong to the Wudang Sect.’

He cast his eyes over the two factions, noting the senior representatives engaged in dialogue a short distance away.

An elder representing the Zhuge Clan stood beside a mature Taoist priest of exceptionally composed and elegant bearing, both displaying deeply somber countenances.

‘…A master-level combatant? Quite fitting for the Wudang Sect, a true cornerstone of the orthodox factions. Even their defensive escort outclasses our own.’

In the past, discerning such nuances would have eluded him, but his acquisition of the 「Heavenly Ki Body」 had profoundly elevated his sensitivity to internal energies.

‘The utility of this trait is extraordinary. It has accelerated my refinement of medicinal elixirs tenfold. At this pace… ’

Amused and satisfied with his internal development, he smiled to himself, when suddenly,

“………!”

…his line of sight collided directly with that of the senior Wudang cleric.

A sudden chill traveled down his spine the instant their eyes met.

He experienced a sensation akin to being entirely dismantled and scrutinized in a fraction of a second, despite the encounter lasting only a moment.

Noticing the subtle shift in the cleric’s expression, Hugo immediately broke eye contact, masking his reaction with a polite, neutral expression.

‘…I allowed myself to become entirely too complacent.’

The ease with which he had overcome the master-level patriarch of the Shura Sect had left him overly confident.

‘The one who achieved that victory was Harley, not Hugo.’

The Realm of Mystery represented an ascension beyond mortal constraints, whereas the Master Realm stood as the absolute peak a normal human practitioner could attain.

Hugo, who had yet to cross the threshold into true transcendence, remained structurally inferior to a true Master Realm practitioner.

At least for the moment.

‘Ultimately, it changes little. Hugo’s current repertoire consists strictly of the martial foundations obtained from Ganghwange… However, the Wudang Sect… With the right approach… ’

The cleric before him was not merely a representative of one of the twin peaks of orthodox martial arts, but a confirmed Master Realm adept.

Remaining in close proximity to such an individual provided a prime chance for observation and growth.

‘Granted, my foundational grasp of martial theory remains incomplete, but the surroundings are currently filled with… practical reference material.’

The senior Wudang cleric, concluding his consultation with the Zhuge Clan representative, turned and strode back toward his fellow sect members.

Hugo kept his eyes anchored upon him, careful to project absolute neutrality.

‘I wonder what unique methods they possess?’

He had already thoroughly analyzed the combat styles of the Zhuge Clan escort, finding them somewhat lacking in raw martial dynamism.

While he had extracted some intriguing concepts from their defensive arrays—which blended mystical seals with martial footwork—his immediate objective centered on refining pure combat techniques.

From that perspective, the elite personnel of the Wudang Sect represented ideal subjects for study.

‘Do not be possessive of your arts; allow me to observe.’

A significant portion of the journey toward their ultimate destination, the Shaolin Temple, still lay ahead.

And engineer an appropriate scenario to observe them was well within Hugo’s capabilities.

—

“What a profound pity… A truly tragic waste…”

Rejoining his disciples following the discussion with the Zhuge Clan leadership, Elder Yunhyeon of the Wudang Sect slowly shook his head, offering a deep, regretful sigh.

“What troubles you, Honored Elder? Did the consultation yield poor news…?”

One of his junior pupils, a young martial artist, tilted his head in confusion, though the senior master offered no immediate reply. He simply closed his eyes, his mind returning to the image of the youth he had just encountered.

An extraordinary physical framework developed through flawless conditioning, coupled with an exceptionally dense store of internal reserve energy for someone of his years—suggesting the consumption of rare, potent medicines.

Most fascinating of all, however, was his intrinsic physical constitution, which appeared to naturally vibrate in alignment with the ambient Ki of the world.

The phenomenon strongly mirrored the legendary Empty Spirit Body, an apex physical constitution spoken of in ancient lore that permitted a practitioner to bypass the standard constraints of internal energy development by achieving absolute resonance with the natural order.

‘Granted, his current state does not fully mirror that mythic paradigm, yet… should he cultivate his traits to absolute maturity, the results are unpredictable.’

This realization was precisely what brought such regret.

The youth was undeniably a generational phenomenon, an individual destined to serve as a monumental asset to whatever sect claimed him, yet he appeared to be firmly rooted as a premier disciple of the Zhuge Clan.

Though both lineages operated under the banner of the orthodox alliance, they remained natural competitors, their spheres of influence bordering one another closely.

Furthermore, the present era was one of immense volatility, with every faction desperately maneuvering for security.

‘…Yet his profound internal conceit poses a severe hazard.’

Yunhyeon had detected this trait clearly, enabled by the pristine clarity of his own orthodox internal cultivation.

The young man harbored no genuine reverence for his position… rather, he was quietly evaluating every individual present as though they were beneath him.

It was not an overt demonstration of malice or rudeness, but rather… a detached, clinical observation, reminiscent of a mature adult watching the simplistic games of toddlers.

Such an attitude was entirely inappropriate for a youth of his standing, save for those rare, legendary hermits who had entirely detached themselves from mortal concerns.

‘He would have met a swift end by now had he crossed paths with a master of volatile temperament. The Zhuge Clan must be sheltering him fiercely.’

It was highly probable they had included him in this expedition to blunt that very arrogance—to show him the vastness of the martial world and instill a necessary sense of modesty.

His raw potential was far too extraordinary to allow it to be ruined by pride.

“Mmm, I find myself curious to witness the practical application of his talents…”

Elder Yunhyeon murmured under his breath, gently running his fingers through his beard as he pondered.

He simply could not dismiss the intuition that the youth possessed… an exceptional destiny.

Whether he would rise to shake the very foundations of the land or shatter under the weight of his own unbridled nature was a question only time could answer.

“It would be quite fortuitous if an appropriate occasion arose to evaluate him.”

He had arrived at a conclusion that mirrored the thoughts of another explorer on that path, though whose intent would ultimately dictate the outcome…

…was an answer yet to be revealed.