Episode 433

​​The world undergoes upheaval, and the warrior seeks the truth.

 

Lee Gwak lived in the deepest part of the Mad Martial Sect, not because he was reclusive, but because it was the quietest area in the sect.

 

There weren’t many occasions where he had to step forward and lead the Sect directly. Lim Sobo and Cheong Un-san handled most affairs, allowing Lee Gwak to comfortably focus on developing martial arts.

 

The first thing he did was study dozens of martial arts manuals thoroughly. Of the martial texts provided by the Mad Martial Sect’s disciples, only few were substantial.

Most were crude and theoretical.

 

Those who possessed real martial prowess rarely shared their manuals—and for good reason.

 

The renowned sects of Jianghu strictly guarded their unique martial arts, to the extent that they wouldn’t even leave copies out of fear they might leak. Because of this, it was nearly impossible for martial artists from newer sects to access authentic martial teachings.

 

Fortunately, Lim Sobo had managed to acquire a few worthwhile manuals.

 

Soul-Burning Sword

 

100 Collapsing Fists

 

Six Palm Technique

 

Cloud-Treading Steps

 

They couldn’t be called supreme techniques, but they were solid martial arts built on firm foundations. The only reason they hadn’t reached greater heights was due to the lack of talent among those who practiced them.

 

Lee Gwak read every manual, from the low-grade ones that were little better than scrap paper to the four decent ones.

 

While others dismissed obscure phrases as meaningless, Lee Gwak pondered and analyzed them endlessly, turning page after page. Naturally, it took him a long time to finish them all.

 

He lost track of time, completely immersed in the manuals.

 

Except for the occasional meal, he devoted himself entirely to studying martial texts. Many began to worry that he might collapse from exhaustion.

 

Of course, a master of Lee Gwak’s caliber wouldn’t suffer from mere overexertion, but the concern wasn’t entirely unfounded.

 

 

He read so much that the pages were worn out and torn. The manuals ended up tattered like rags, but their contents were engraved vividly in his mind, down to every last character.

 

Still, he kept reading and rereading.

 

He only stopped when the manuals were too damaged to continue.

 

“Hah!”

 

Lee Gwak exhaled deeply and closed the last page of the manual he was reading.

 

Crinkle—

 

As if waiting for that moment, the thoroughly worn manual crumbled into dust.

 

Lee Gwak stood up.

 

He had no idea how much time had passed—nor did he care.

 

For Lee Gwak, the passage of time was irrelevant.

 

Swish—

 

He took a step.

 

It was the Cloud Treading Steps.

 

Cloud Treading Steps embodied the ever-changing nature of clouds, containing the profound principle of infinite transformations.

 

Just as no two clouds in the sky were identical, Cloud Treading Steps had no fixed form.

 

The key was maintaining balance while remaining prepared to shift at any moment. However, its complex internal energy techniques made it inefficient, and the movements were so intricate that even moderately talented martial artists struggled to master it beyond the fifth level.

 

That was why Cloud Treading Steps, despite its solid foundation, never became one of the supreme techniques of the martial world.

 

Yet Lee Gwak saw great potential in it.

 

“Minimize the variations.”

 

Infinite transformations were a strength, but most people could never move like clouds.

 

Lee Gwak decided to reduce the variations to eight.

 

The eight fundamental changes he envisioned were the most streamlined and essential.

 

Rather than reducing the variations further, he focused on maximizing destructive power.

 

The core question remained: How can I infuse this movement with more power?

 

Swish—

 

Lee Gwak practiced the eight variations himself.

 

He planned to perfect the form first, then figure out how to circulate internal energy through it.

 

In an instant, his afterimages filled the spacious residence.

 

He was surpassing the eight variations—approaching the infinite transformations of the original technique.

 

But this was only possible because it was Lee Gwak.

 

Within the Mad Martial Sect, only a few like Cheon-wol, Lim Jimun, and Lee Gwak himself could move this way.

 

But this footwork was not meant for them.

 

It was for those far less skilled.

 

He needed to simplify it further to make it easier to understand, while leaving room for growth so that new variations could be added over time.

 

Lee Gwak realized there was much more to consider than he had initially thought.

 

If this were a martial art only he would use, he wouldn’t need to be so careful.

 

But this was for others.

 

“The eight variations lead to eight paths, and the eight paths return to one. This will serve as the foundation for any martial art.”

 

Swish—

 

He repeated the same motions endlessly, refining them.

 

As he moved, he contemplated how to make each action more efficient, how to eliminate unnecessary movements.

 

His motions grew increasingly precise.

 

But they packed explosive power.

 

Like a tightly coiled spring releasing its energy, his footwork now contained immense force.

 

At this level, muscles would strain, and internal energy would churn violently.

 

Lee Gwak thought about the disciples of the Mad Martial Sect who would learn this technique.

 

To withstand such a simple yet explosive footwork, they would need a robust internal energy method.

 

“A simple yet unshakable internal energy technique.”

 

As he practiced the steps, he circulated the technique he had conceptualized.

 

This was highly dangerous.

 

The internal technique he envisioned was still in its infancy.

 

The internal methods of renowned sects were refined through countless trials and errors—proven and stabilized over time. In contrast, what Lee Gwak was improvising had no such validation.

 

A single misstep could lead to Qi Deviation.

 

Lee Gwak was well aware of this. But he was confident.

 

The Eight Snakes Art he had mastered was one of the most stable internal techniques in the world. Though he couldn’t apply its principles directly, he could use it as a reference to test his new method.

 

Tap—

 

As the energy flow jammed, his qi pathways began to twist.

 

Lee Gwak immediately stopped and rerouted his internal energy.

 

If one path was blocked, he would take another.

 

He used his own body as a canvas and tried countless new ways of circulating energy. On that blank slate, new paths for qi were gradually drawn.

 

Since beginners and weak warriors would be using this method, it had to be thoroughly tested.

 

He subjected his own body to the test.

 

He returned to the basics, checking every detail from one to ten.

 

He was even more meticulous than when he had created techniques for Lee Cheong, Lee Soo-ah, or his recent disciples.

 

It felt like he had returned to the days of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

Back when he had been paralyzed by Gwan Il-hyeon’s rage, unable to move a muscle.

 

Back then, his only hope was the Yoga Secret Manuals pasted to the ceiling.

 

However, he hadn’t concentrated as intensely as he had back then. Back then, it wasn’t just about learning martial arts, his very life had been at stake.”

 

Now, Lee Gwak found himself in a similar state.

 

By re-examining everything from the fundamentals, he recalled those experiences and immersed himself with an almost eerie intensity.

 

There were countless trials and errors.

 

Sometimes his qi pathways were blocked, causing internal injuries; sometimes his movements were mismatched, and he tripped over his own feet.

 

For an absolute master like Lee Gwak, such struggles were exceedingly rare. To an outsider, it might even seem humiliating. But Lee Gwak didn’t see it that way.

 

In fact, he found the entire process exhilarating.

 

If he fell, he could get back up.

 

If his Qi tangled, he could untangle it.

 

If he was injured, he could heal.

 

Martial artists grew stronger through such trials.

 

Lee Gwak was no exception.

 

Having reached the pinnacle of martial arts, further progress was difficult—yet by returning to the basics, he discovered there was still room to improve.

 

A faint smile touched his lips.

 

The realization that he could still grow stronger, that there was still potential left, filled him with satisfaction.

 

That’s how he spent his time.

 

***

 

The Myriad Merchant Troupe was based in the grandest and most opulent manor in the world. It was so large and magnificent it could be called a fortress.

 

Even the braziers in their training halls were crafted by renowned artisans, a testament to their century-long accumulation of wealth and art.

 

However, the Jade Heaven Alliance destroyed it all just a few years ago.

 

“Tch! Damn thieves, look what they’ve done to us.”

 

A middle-aged man clicked his tongue as he sipped his drink. Despite his plain appearance, his robes were exquisitely luxurious.

 

His name was Eun Won-ho, the Supreme Leader of the Myriad Merchant Troupe and the Merchant King—the wealthiest man in the Jianghu.

 

He was currently staying in one of the secret safe houses that the Myriad Merchant Troupe had established across the land.

 

Although it was called a “safe house,” it was more lavish than most noble estates.

 

This place near Lake Hongtaek was known as the Lotus Family Manor.

 

The Lotus Family Manor had over a hundred years of history as a prestigious estate. But in reality, it was a hidden safe house secretly managed by the Myriad Merchant Troupe.

 

Because so many forces targeted them for their wealth, the first leader of Myriad Merchant Troupe had built and maintained secret havens like this one for generations.

 

They were used whenever the sect was in danger—or when the leader felt personally threatened.

 

This was the first time Eun Won-ho had used this manor.

 

He had used other hideouts before, but ever since the meeting at Bang Clan’s inn, he had stayed here.

 

Even a man as picky as him found the Lotus Family Manor pleasing.  Still, no matter how lavish, it couldn’t compare to the main estate, which had been destroyed by the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

That was his only regret; otherwise, his lifestyle was perfect.

 

“Sigh… I hope Il-myeong is doing well.”

 

He mumbled, raising his glass.

 

As a precaution, he had never stayed with his son.

 

If something happened to both of them at once, it could bring down all of the Myriad Merchant Troupe.

 

He didn’t even know where Eun Il-myeong was hiding, nor did his son know where he was.

 

Tch! If it weren’t for the failures of Nine Dragons Clan and Wudang Sect…

 

He clicked his tongue again.

 

He invested astronomical amounts of funds in the Nine Dragons Clan and the Wudang Sect, hoping they would help restore Myriad Merchant Troupe’s power.

 

But those hopes were shattered.

 

“That bastard… Lee Gwak!”

 

Crack!

 

Without realizing it, he clenched his fist and crumpled the silver wine cup in his grip.

 

Lately, wherever the Myriad Merchant Troupe’s investments failed, Lee Gwak was involved.

 

Both the Nine Dragon Clan and the Wudang Sect had suffered humiliating defeats at his hands, weakening their influence. With things like this, the Myriad Merchant Troupe’s plans were crumbling.

 

“Maybe I should have just invested in Lee Gwak instead.”

 

Eun Won-ho wore a regretful expression.

 

A true merchant doesn’t act on emotions.

 

Even enemies can be business partners if it means profit.

 

In that regard, he had failed as a merchant. His prejudice had blinded him to Lee Gwak’s potential, leading him to reject any collaboration.

 

And this was the result.

 

The Nine Dragons Clan and the Wudang Sect setbacks.

 

In that sense, he had failed as a true merchant. He let prejudice keep him from approaching Lee Gwak.

 

This was the price.

 

The Nine Dragons Clan and the Wudang Sect suffered.

 

The Myriad Merchant Troupe’s massive investments were on the brink of ruin.

 

Eun Won-ho blamed it all on his poor judgment.

 

“Phew… There’s nothing easy in this world.”

 

He tossed the crumpled cup aside and reached for a new one.

 

But when he went to pour more wine, he realized the bottle was empty.

 

He called out toward the door.

 

“Bring me another bottle!”

 

“……”

 

No response.

 

A deep furrow formed between his brows.

 

His attendants were supposed to be on standby outside his door at all times. For there to be no answer was unthinkable.

 

“Is no one out there?”

 

“……”

 

Again, silence.

 

Just as he roughly set down his cup and rose to his feet—

 

Slam!

 

“S-Sir! Terrible news!”

 

A servant burst in, panic etched across his face.

 

Eun Won-ho looked at him with a murderous glare.

 

“Where did you go, leaving your post?”

 

“T-The thing is… outside… it’s… chaos…”

 

The servant stammered, unable to finish his sentence.

 

Only then did Eun Won-ho sense that something was seriously wrong.

 

He left the servant behind and hurried outside.

 

Rumble!

 

A fierce surge of qi was raging through the Lotus Family Manor.

 

At the center of it stood a man.

 

Recognizing who it was, Eun Won-ho’s eyes widened.

 

“Ja Hong-cheon.”

 

The master of the Jade Heaven Alliance had come to visit the Lotus Family Manor.