Chapter 320: Wudang Sect (3)

Some time had passed since the Zhuge and Wudang factions joined forces.

After their first joint battle, they endured several more skirmishes before finally reaching Dengfeng County in Henan Province.

"We've finally arrived."

"That's Mount Song, the sacred land of the Buddhist sects… Truly one of the Five Great Mountains of China."

The group admired the scenery, relieved to be nearing their destination.

'There won't be any more fighting now.'

That was the common thought. Dengfeng County was close to Mount Song, where the Shaolin Temple was located, so the chance of encountering trouble here was negligible. The decreasing frequency of conflicts as they approached the Shaolin Temple's sphere of influence was proof of that.

"As expected of the Shaolin. They've maintained such peace. Thanks to them, our journey has been relatively smooth."

"The Shaolin must have put in extra effort, considering it's been a while since the last gathering."

As everyone relaxed, observing their surroundings…

…Elder Unyeongjin of the Wudang Sect was lost in thought, a serious expression on his face.

'…His name was Ha Seunghoon, wasn't it?'

He had been preoccupied with the young man from the Zhuge Clan's envoy. The talented individual who had caught his attention since their first meeting.

'Impressive.'

His interest had grown after their first joint battle. How could it not, having witnessed his growth firsthand?

'Improving day by day. He truly embodies the saying.'

He, a Transcendent Realm expert, couldn't have missed the young man's changes. He had not only noticed Ha Seunghoon's rapid growth but also that it was influenced by the martial artists around him.

'He seems to have been heavily influenced by our Wudang style…'

That was the reason for his current contemplation. The young man's swordsmanship and movements were becoming increasingly similar to the Wudang style, but it wasn't enough to accuse him of anything. He hadn't stolen any secret manuals or copied any techniques. He had simply adapted and improved his skills based on his observations in real combat. He couldn't fault him for that. The Wudang Sect didn't have a monopoly on flexible swordsmanship.

Unyeongjin, unaware of 「Mimicry」 and its related abilities, could only ponder the matter. And more importantly…

'It would be a waste to let him go.'

He had noticed something during their journey with the Zhuge Clan: the bond between Ha Seunghoon and the Zhuge Clan wasn't as strong as he had initially assumed. They interacted formally, like strangers, not like long-time companions. Even Zhuge Junghyeok, the leader of the Zhuge Clan envoy, treated him with a certain distance. And the most crucial factor…

…was that the foundation of the young man's martial arts was completely different from the Zhuge Clan's style.

'Perhaps I was mistaken. If he's not a disciple groomed by the Zhuge Clan, but merely a guest offering temporary assistance…'

A glint appeared in Unyeongjin's eyes. Perhaps he could recruit him to the Wudang Sect? He seemed to have a natural aptitude for the Wudang sword style. Offering him superior martial arts as bait could be a good strategy.

'It wouldn't be as good as learning the Wudang's internal energy cultivation techniques from a young age, but with his potential, it wouldn't be a significant problem.'

The world had changed. Even for those pursuing the Dao, strength was essential in these turbulent times. While he couldn't teach the Wudang's teachings to just anyone, the young man's character, based on his observations, was acceptable.

'There's plenty of time. I'll bring it up casually.'

Unyeongjin glanced at the young man, who was observing the surroundings like everyone else. There was plenty of time to talk before the gathering began.

As Unyeongjin pondered the matter, the group continued their journey and finally arrived at their destination.

"Amitabha, welcome. You must be tired from your long journey."

They had reached the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song.

"Hugo is growing smoothly."

Hugo, alias Ha Seunghoon, the avatar who had gone to Ganghwange alone to train as a martial artist, was now entering his growth spurt, having received support from Harley after Harris laid the foundation.

'「Heavenly Body」, and now 「Nameless Art」.'

A nameless martial art. He had tried naming it, but the system didn't react. It seemed its direction wasn't yet fixed.

'A growth-type skill means it will continue to evolve based on the user's actions.'

There was no point in worrying about it now. He just had to continue on his path, as he always had.

"Hubert is still analyzing the secret manuals."

Hubert was busy examining the numerous martial arts manuals they had acquired from raiding various sects, in addition to his usual tasks. But unfortunately, they hadn't found any S-rank or higher techniques yet.

'There are a few A-rank ones.'

And even those were only obtained from the Shura Sect, a large unorthodox sect led by a Transcendent Realm expert. While A-rank techniques were considered valuable even in major sects, they weren't satisfying for him, having experienced the S-rank 'Mooyoo Palgwae Bigong'.

'Still, should I learn a few? They might be the key to evolving 「Nameless Art」.'

He nodded after a moment of consideration.

After finishing his thoughts on Hugo, he turned his attention to Harley, who was also in Ganghwange.

'Harley worked hard too.'

While most of his actions involved destruction and slaughter, he had still contributed, earning them a considerable amount of Karma.

He had hoped Harley would learn some useful martial arts while he was in Ganghwange…

"…It's not easy finding something suitable for Harley. I expected as much."

He sighed and shook his head. He had tried teaching Harley systematic martial arts techniques countless times. He had been excited about the possibilities, considering Harley's unmatched physique. But the results weren't satisfactory.

'It wasn't completely useless, though.'

Harley's performance in battle was proof of that. He had learned how to use his body and exert his strength more efficiently, a testament to what could happen when a monster learned human techniques. But when it came to higher-level techniques, refined and systematic martial arts, it was a different story. It was like forcing him to wear ill-fitting clothes; he couldn't utilize his full power.

'For Harley, a punch thrown instinctively is stronger than a technically perfect one.'

He had hoped to find a suitable martial art in Ganghwange, a world overflowing with unique and unconventional styles, but…

…he hadn't found anything yet.

'Well, I'll find something eventually. A high-level technique that perfectly suits Harley isn't common.'

Hugo… no, Ha Seunghoon's journey through the Murim world had just begun. He would encounter various martial arts and secret manuals as he became more active. He could choose something suitable then.

'It's not urgent.'

He had just arrived at the Shaolin Temple, but the gathering wouldn't begin for a while. It took time for people from all over the continent to gather. So, today…

"Hmm, should I get some chicken?"

…as a treat for Hugo, who would be forced to endure a vegetarian diet at the temple.

Deep within the northern mountain range, in the Undead Castle, enveloped in its usual eerie aura…

[Hmm, this is unusable.]

…a chilling voice echoed from a laboratory deep within the castle. A sinister voice that could make the faint of heart lose consciousness and even freeze the bravest heroes in their tracks.

[I had some hopes, but… I'll just store it for now.]

It was Hans, the Immortal King, the bane of Auterica. He had returned to the Undead Castle after dealing the final blow to the Society Master, stealing a portion of his divinity, and recovering from his injuries. He had been engrossed in researching a new, intriguing material. Which had just ended in failure.

Swoosh—

He waved his hand, and several corpses on the laboratory tables vanished, swallowed by shadows. The corpses, their faces pale and bloodless, were dressed in unusual attire not seen in Auterica.

They were the Ganghwange experts provided by Harley.

'It seems difficult to turn otherworlders into undead using conventional methods.'

It was different from turning Awakened into undead. These individuals were born and raised under the laws of Ganghwange, making them foreign entities in Auterica. As if this world itself rejected their otherworldly mysteries.

'Well, they're all practitioners of Ganghwange's internal energy cultivation, so it's the same.'

The best way to turn them into proper undead was for Hans to go to Ganghwange himself. As an Awakened who defied the laws of the world, he could use black magic there without any problems. The quality of the results might be lower due to the lack of advanced equipment and materials…

[No, wait.]

Hans's eye sockets flickered with a sudden realization. It was natural for the efficiency to drop when using this world's undead creation techniques in another world. Then he just had to supplement it with techniques usable in that world.

'I heard there's a jiangshi creation technique in Ganghwange.'

While the Zhuge Clan didn't practice such dark arts, he had easily acquired information about it during his intelligence gathering. He had even heard about it from Zhuge Huimei, who had spent her life confined to her room, reading books.

'It's a technique mainly used by factions like the Demonic Cult and the Blood Cult.'

As they operated in the shadows, they lacked manpower compared to those in the light. So, they developed various methods to compensate, and one of them was the jiangshi technique, which allowed them to control the corpses of powerful individuals.

[Heh heh— Jiangshi technique, interesting. I wonder what would happen if I applied it to other undead… especially the Awakened.]

He had heard that while jiangshi were difficult to create, even mass-produced ones possessed power surpassing that of first-rate experts. Hugo, with his enhanced external martial arts due to his skills and stats, and further strengthened by 「Nameless Art」, was barely at the peak of first-rate, on the verge of Transcendent Realm…

'I should pay them a visit.'

Hans stroked his jawbone as he left the laboratory. There wasn't much for him to do in Auterica now. Heinrich, at the Holy Land, was preparing for the final battle against the Immortal King. He would have to leave eventually, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to visit his future home beforehand.

'I should check on my subordinates first.'

And so—

—the invasion of the otherworldly Demon King loomed over the crumbling Murim world.