One fortunate thing was that Namgung Chang-hwi had a certain knack for strategy and tactics.

As Seo-jun had learned earlier, the Namgung family was quite famous for its mastery of mechanical formations. It seemed that everyone in the family had a strong head for such matters.

Truly, the Namgung family.

Seo-jun couldn’t help but question whether the Namgung family, rather than the bloated Shaolin, was truly the pinnacle of the orthodox sects.

‘Let’s make the Namgung family great again!’

With a red flag raised in his heart, Seo-jun made a suggestion.

“If charging in with everyone is too risky, what about a small strike-and-retreat mission? I’m quite good at that sort of thing.”

“Certainly…”

Even from the brief time Namgung Chang-hwi had observed him, it was clear that Seo-jun’s martial skills were specialized for large-scale destruction.

In a battlefield like this, where large forces clashed, his techniques would shine.

“But are you sure? Killing that many people could take a toll on you mentally. If you’re not careful, it could disrupt your mind and lead to Qi Deviation.”

“It’s fine. I’ve already made peace with it.”

Seo-jun’s unwavering gaze met Namgung Chang-hwi’s, sending a shiver down the man’s spine as he rubbed his arms uneasily.

“Very well, then. Just be careful. Hitting them hard is important, but getting out safely should be your top priority.”

“Sure thing. Monk, do you have any other thoughts?”

Venerable Jibeak folded his hands in prayer.

“Amitabha… I am ever reminded of my shortcomings.”

“Uh… right.”

Not entirely sure what that meant, Seo-jun nodded anyway.

“Alright, then. Do you have any information on the Black Lotus Sect warriors?”

“No, I don’t know a thing. Please fill me in.”

Namgung Chang-hwi nodded reluctantly and began explaining.

Currently, three Absolute Stage masters had been identified: Heuk-gweol of the Black Mountain Sect, Chuk Mugang of the Black Dragon Gate, and Baek Yeon-hada of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

All three were from the Seven Evil Sect, each one a formidable opponent.

“Come to think of it, I don’t know much about the Seven Evil Sect either. Could you explain that?”

“How can you not…? Well, I’ll explain.”

The Seven Evil Sect includes: the Sama Clan, Northern Sea Ice Palace, Black Mountain Sect, Giryon Sect, Pacheon Clan, Sword Sect, and the Black Dragon Gate.

These seven sects and clans make up the Seven Evil Sect. The reason why even clans are referred to as “sects” is tied to historical events, but the explanation would be too long.

“Ah, I see.”

Seo-jun clapped his hands together in realization.

“So, that’s how it is.”

At present, their opponents included three Absolute Stage warriors. With the Northern Sea Ice Palace warrior among them, they might as well count it as two.

‘Northern Sea Ice Palace? They’re weaklings.’

If things went well, Seo-jun thought, they might not need to hold out at all—they could just wipe them out entirely.

After hearing the details about their enemies' martial arts, Seo-jun left the tent.

He headed towards the place where he sensed Jang Geuk’s energy. Jang Geuk was chatting with other warriors, and the atmosphere seemed quite good.

The Namgung warriors, monks, beggars, and a few unaffiliated martial artists were all mixed together.

“Hey, old man. Let’s go take care of something.”

“Oh, my lord! Take care of something? What’s going on?”

“I’m going to stir things up.”

“Haha, now that sounds interesting.”

Jang Geuk grinned and waved to the warriors he had been talking to.

At that moment, one of the beggars stepped forward.

“Could we join you?”

“You?”

Jang Geuk raised an eyebrow, and the beggar nodded.

“The man who just died, Chwikugae, was part of our family. He may have been a fool, but we still have a score to settle.”

“Ah, so you’re a man of pride.”

“Just a simple beggar.”

“Haha! I like you even more now!”

Jang Geuk looked to Seo-jun, as if asking for his opinion. Seo-jun pondered for a moment.

Luring the enemy and swarming them? If that were possible, they would have already captured all four of the Absolute Stage warriors by now.

The key to this mission was to strike fast and retreat just as quickly. Could the Beggars' Sect really contribute to that?

Seo-jun thought it over but didn’t see much benefit in having them along.

“Sorry, but it might be tough this time.”

“Nothing to apologize for. We’ll wait for another opportunity.”

The beggar smiled, bowing his fist in salute. The other warriors followed suit.

Seo-jun smiled back and returned the gesture.

“Let’s all survive.”

•  

As they walked, Seo-jun gave Jang Geuk a simple briefing.

“Got it? I go in, strike hard, then retreat fast. You’ll be on standby in case things go south. That’s it. Easy, right?”

“It’s easy to say, at least.”

“Come on, don’t jinx it before we even start.”

Seo-jun chuckled as he surveyed the area.

The northern part of Shanxi was a highland region, with open visibility, not exactly ideal for an ambush.

The only advantage was the falling snow, which somewhat obscured the view. That was better than nothing.

“Hah…”

Seo-jun exhaled, watching his breath puff out in the cold air. He caught a snowflake as it fell, watching it melt away in his palm.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, he muttered.

“When I get back to the Namgung family, I’ll have a snowball fight with Chun-bong.”

“Well, by then, she might really have come out of seclusion.”

“I hope so.”

He wondered if her cheeks had really lost all their roundness.

Seo-jun had already taken some precautions, such as creating a new version of the Cheongun Divine Art, leaving out the Immortal Art. Perhaps this might help preserve Chun-bong’s chubby cheeks.

Of course, that was just wishful thinking. It wouldn’t be that easy.

“Alright, you wait here, old man.”

“Hm? Aren’t we going together?”

“I’m going to throw one big punch and then run. If things heat up, come join me.”

“Understood. I’ll be ready.”

Leaving Jang Geuk behind, Seo-jun sprinted off, leaving no trace in the snow.

Jang Geuk’s eyes gleamed as he watched.

This was the skill of walking without leaving footprints—a sign of a master. But considering Seo-jun could already walk on water, it wasn’t all that surprising.

‘Doesn’t seem like I need to worry.’

It didn’t seem like anything could seriously endanger a man like Seo-jun.

•  

Seo-jun moved quietly, extending his senses wide.

With his Sovereign Sword Form in play, nothing within range escaped his notice.

He recalled the movements of assassins he’d encountered.

‘I’ve seen enough of them.’

Those night visitors, always sneaking in. Seo-jun mimicked their movements, layering his internal energy over them smoothly.

Swoosh—

His presence faded. While it wasn’t a full stealth technique, it was good enough for now.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, whipping snow into his face. Seo-jun pulled his collar up, shielding himself.

Then, his senses picked up the Black Lotus Sect warriors. Seo-jun froze.

‘What to do…’

The decision was quick. He already knew which technique was perfect for taking out large groups.

Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art.

Right now, he needed more range than precision.

His thoughts briefly wandered to the sword his father-in-law had shown him—cutting wide swathes of the sky, yet capable of precise focus at the same time.

How had he managed that blend of range and precision?

After a moment of contemplation, Seo-jun kicked off the ground.

Whoosh! His body soared into the air.

From high above, the snowy landscape stretched out beneath him, blending with the falling snowflakes as he clasped his hands together.

Snap—!

A taiji symbol formed between his palms. He had used it so much lately that it had become quite stable.

But that wasn’t the important part right now.

The sky, the snow… and something else.

Half-lost in thought, Seo-jun recalled the mantra of the Sovereign Sword Form. At the same time, he remembered the mantra of the Yellow Cloud Divine Sword his father-in-law couldn’t even fully master.

Could he really grasp it?

The doubt was fleeting. Seo-jun simply surrendered to the sky, the snow, and the pull of gravity as he descended toward the ground.

‘Snow, huh.’

On impulse, he chose to wield Cheongun Divine Art instead of Yellow Cloud Divine Art. He combined it with Snow Plum Blossoms. The blossoming snowflakes merged with the chaotic energy of the Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art, blending into the swirling energy ball.

Bringing the sky down to the earth—that’s all he needed to do.

Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art – Snowy Sky

Whirr—

The energy ball left Seo-jun’s hands and expanded as it hit the ground.

It exploded outward, scattering snowflakes, which were actually shards of sword energy.

The white sky Seo-jun had created quickly turned blood-red.

“Aaaah…!!”
“Ambush…!”
“Argh…! Spare me…!”

It was carnage. The explosion of the Heaven-Reversing Sun and Moon Art, combined with the flying Snow Plum Blossoms, instantly claimed lives.

Both the warriors outside and the hastily built structures were torn apart, killing many.

Seo-jun steadied himself, suppressing any hint of wavering, and kicked off the ground again. If he could escape now, the mission would be a success.

“Capture him!”

Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy. The magic the Black Lotus Sect had prepared activated.

Rumble—!

Hexagonal pillars of earth shot up from the ground, trying to trap Seo-jun.

His eyes quickly analyzed the magic.

‘Interesting.’

Magic. Though he didn’t understand the complicated theories behind it, it was similar to martial arts in the way it manipulated energy to cause effects.

It was essentially like magic in some ways, but different from Qi techniques.

The process seemed complex, and Seo-jun wasn’t knowledgeable enough to replicate it after just one look.

But he could interfere with it.

Thud—

Placing his palm on one of the pillars, Seo-jun flipped his hand over. Instantly, the pillars reversed direction.

Boom—!

The redirected magic struck the Black Lotus Sect warriors, killing them in droves.

Seo-jun gained a small realization.

‘The Five Elements.’

He wasn’t entirely sure, but it seemed to be a magic based on the Five Elements. The process was likely intricate, but such complexity was meant to compensate for a lack of ability.

‘This is too easy. Why go through all that trouble?’

He might not fully understand the theory, but he grasped the feeling of it, and that was all he needed.

Having disrupted the magic once, Seo-jun activated it again.

Five Elements, Earth, Launch.

Rumble—!

The ground surged upward again, this time under his control. The pursuing warriors were buried beneath the rising earth.

Slash—!

One warrior cut through the pillars, leaping at Seo-jun. But then, Seo-jun noticed something.

‘A blind man?’

The warrior’s eyes were covered with a black cloth.

Seo-jun’s senses picked up the subtle vibrations of Qi around the man. He understood immediately.

‘He’s using Qi to sense the world instead of his eyes.’

A grin spread across Seo-jun’s face.

This was clearly an Absolute Stage master that Namgung Chang-hwi hadn’t mentioned. But instead of concern, Seo-jun felt excitement.

“You shouldn’t try to use Qi against me.”

Snap—!

With a flick of his fingers, Seo-jun froze the blind man in place.