Chapter 826: Ilcheonkyo.

Kwaduk-! As the roof collapses, sword blades suddenly pour down.

Figuring out the count, there were five.

Five sword tips rush towards my neck. One, even seeing that, I didn’t bother to move.

Because I knew they would stop anyway.

Just as expected, the swords didn’t come all the way, stopping right before my neck.

What was peculiar was that although there were five swords, no one was holding them.

Five swords floating in mid-air. They were aimed at my neck.

Flying Swords?

Even a person of considerable skill would struggle just to float one, yet here were five.

Moreover, it didn’t even look difficult, allowing me to vaguely glimpse the power of the Sky Opening Sect Leader.

The swords were sharp, looking like they could pierce my neck at any moment. Seeing this, I spoke to the Sky Opening Sect Leader.

“My, my. I just asked a question, but you sure react aggressively.”

As I said, shrugging my shoulders, the Sky Opening Sect Leader asked me with cold eyes.

“What are you?”

“Hm?”

To the question ‘What are you?’, I answered as if it were obvious.

“Should I reintroduce myself from the beginning? It’s a bit bothersome, but for people like us, I guess I can do it again.”

Ppudeuk-!

I offered to start over, but the Sky Opening Sect Leader just gnashed his teeth hard.

I’m showing sincerity, but this guy has no manners.

“What? You don’t like it?”

“Do you intend to keep playing word games?”

“Games? Is this fun…? Well, if it’s fun, that’s good.”

“…Haa.”

Saaaah–! A significant killing intent spread from the Sky Opening Sect Leader.

The released energy instantly filled the room. If it were any stronger, it would affect the protective formations already set up.

“Do you truly wish to die here?”

He spoke while emitting strong killing intent. His voice was thick with it, making it utterly chilling.

But.

“Old man.”

Amidst that killing intent, I simply smiled and spoke to the Sky Opening Sect Leader.

“Stop crawling up on me. You’ll rip your own mouth open.”

“This punk….”

Geugeuk.

The tips of the five swords trembled. Observing that, I added to my words to the Sky Opening Sect Leader.

“If you don’t believe me, shall we try? Let’s see what happens?”

“Because they worship you as the Holy King in the Alliance, it seems those below have gone blind. I told you last time, didn’t I? The world isn’t just what you see.”

The world isn’t just what you see. That was truly a right statement.

Especially for me, at least.

That’s why it’s strange.

“Yes, that’s certainly true.”

I wrap my index finger around my thumb.

It’s not to clench my fist tighter.

It’s me controlling myself, in case I lash out.

“Someone who knows all that, why are you acting like this?”

“What?”

“If you see the world so clearly. Why keep burning away the lifespan you have left?”

Kkik.

I move my upper body, getting closer to the Sky Opening Sect Leader.

Because of that, the sword nearby touched my neck.

The Sky Opening Sect Leader’s eyes widened in surprise.

The sword tip dug in slightly, making a wound.

I could feel blood trickling out.

It stings. Just the right amount.

“Is there something I can’t see? That can’t be right. If your eyes are that good… it doesn’t make sense that you can’t see.”

“You punk….”

“Do you think you can kill me if you try? That sounds pretty crappy.”

I couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling up.

I slowly raised my energy.

“Did I look like such a pushover? Someone like you could just laugh me off?”

“…!”

The Sky Opening Sect Leader’s face contorted.

At the same time, the sword touching my neck vibrated.

It seemed about to move.

Sensing this, I immediately said.

“Old man. Choose wisely.”

The sword hesitated slightly.

“If you keep needlessly showing off your pride. I’ll have no choice but to make a mess of things. How about it, want to see a sword dance?”

“Do you think those words will scare me?”

“Then go ahead and try. I’ll kill all the guys you brought outside right now.”

“…”

Hearing that, he frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? You fucking…”

Is he trying to play dumb? I added, incredulously.

“If you keep annoying me, besides you old man, the six guys you brought outside. I’ll kill them too.”

Mentioning the exact number made the Sky Opening Sect Leader’s eyes twitch. It seemed he didn’t expect me to figure it out.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know? That would be disappointing. Oh, just in case, I’m not going to blame you for bringing friends, so don’t worry.”

I had clearly told him to come alone, but I expected he wouldn’t come alone, of course.

I had already detected all the presences around the Alliance.

It was the Dark King, not me.

Of course, even if it wasn’t the Dark King, I would have noticed.

The Dark King is just more accurate than me.

“So, don’t do troublesome things like this. You didn’t come to meet me just to show off, right? We joined hands because our goals aligned. Correct?”

“…”

As I spoke, blood flowed from my neck.

This was clearly a warning.

A warning that if he crossed the line one more time, I’d flip everything over.

And that’s exactly what I’d do.

If he pushes further, it’s best to get rid of him.

Using him would be convenient, but not enough to risk using him when I can’t control him.

It might seem impossible to win when a sword is touching my neck.

However, the Dark King was already waiting behind the Sky Opening Sect Leader.

He just hasn’t noticed.

I can kill him anytime, whenever I want.

Whatever fortuitous encounter the Sky Opening Sect Leader might have had, it seems he hasn’t reached the point of noticing the Dark King yet.

I see a flicker in his eyes.

“So… stop this stupid power struggle and calmly remove the sword. Or, shall we really get serious?”

I focused strength into my heart, channeling energy into my acupoints.

The energy pulsed, spreading throughout my body, preparing for a real battle, not just a show.

The sword tip was embedded in my neck.

It didn’t matter.

If he wanted it, I’d wipe him out like this.

Just as I was about to unleash my coiled killing intent and expand my muscles.

“…What is it you want to know?”

At the Sky Opening Sect Leader’s words, I paused my energy for a moment.

He had finally backed down.

I replied, lifting the corners of my mouth.

“You asked what I was curious about earlier.”

One Heaven Teachings (一天敎). I definitely asked about it.

At that question, the Sky Opening Sect Leader frowned.

“How on earth could you…!”

He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing intensely.

He seemed to have recalled something.

“You punk, don’t tell me-!”

“Hm?”

I tilted my head at the Sky Opening Sect Leader’s reaction.

As if I knew nothing.

Of course, I already knew inside.

“What’s wrong?”

“…”

Unable to speak, the Sky Opening Sect Leader wore a troubled expression.

He was probably thinking of one particular incident.

The merchant group allied with the Sky Opening Sect this time. The incident where I wiped out one of their bases.

That news likely reached the Sky Opening Sect Leader’s ears, not just theirs.

Yet, in this situation, someone who knows about One Heaven Teachings appeared.

He must be thinking this.

Perhaps this guy was the mastermind behind the attack.

He’s definitely thinking that, but.

“Well.”

That’s just suspicion.

There’s no physical evidence.

The Dark King wouldn’t have left anything like that, and if there were evidence, he wouldn’t be acting like this.

That’s why the Sky Opening Sect Leader can’t easily make a move.

“Do you have something to say?”

At my casual remark, the Sky Opening Sect Leader barely managed to speak.

“…How do you know about One Heaven Teachings?”

Are you the culprit?

It seems he wants to ask that, but he held back just now.

The answer to that was simple.

“What about it?”

“What?”

“I told you last time. That my eyes are wider and deeper than you think.”

I said, pointing to my eyes.

“The important thing isn’t that, is it?”

What matters isn’t how I know, but that I know.

That’s what I told the Sky Opening Sect Leader last time too.

However.

“There’s a contradiction in your words.”

“Contradiction?”

“If your eyes truly see so much. You wouldn’t need to ask me about One Heaven Teachings, would you?”

“…”

Oh.

‘Look at this old geezer.’

He dug in sharply.

Right. Just as the Sky Opening Sect Leader said, if I had such an extensive information network, I wouldn’t need to ask him like this.

Still, the fact that I summoned him to ask is itself a question.

Furthermore.

‘He must be gaining a vague certainty.’

He’ll be certain that I was involved in whatever happened.

So, was this a bit of a slip of the tongue?

‘No.’

Thinking about it that way, it wasn’t.

“Right. There’s no need. But I gained something from this, didn’t I?”

“What do you mean?”

“The suspicion that you are definitely involved with One Heaven Teachings.”

“…!”

“Can you deny this too? I don’t think you can.”

The Sky Opening Sect Leader’s brow twitched.

Strictly speaking, this was honestly just wordplay.

I knew he was involved with One Heaven Teachings from the start.

The information from my past life was shallow yet deep.

It had been helping me throughout this life, pretending not to.

“Even if I don’t know the specifics about One Heaven Teachings. Old man. I know you’re connected to them. That’s enough, isn’t it?”

“Enough…?”

“Yes, it’s enough reason to ask you.”

“…”

Trembling eyes and beard.

And the slowly rising energy.

In the gradually boiling situation, as if signaling imminent danger.

This time, I was the one who reacted first.

Seuk.

I straightened my advancing body, creating distance.

As I did, the sword slightly embedded in my neck also moved away.

Seeing me suddenly create distance, the Sky Opening Sect Leader’s expression changed too.

Sensing that change, I said.

“Actually, it doesn’t matter if you don’t answer.”

“…What?”

At my casual remark, the Sky Opening Sect Leader’s eyes widened.

He seemed quite flustered that I backed off after asking, but that reaction was also what I wanted.

“I did ask out of curiosity, but right now, I just wanted to see your reaction. If you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to force yourself.”

Anyway, I had ways to find out, so there was no need to stick to this old man.

This was just a pretext.

“So, are you going to tell me?”

“…”

“Judging by your reaction, you don’t seem inclined to tell me.”

Confirming this, I created full distance.

“I think I’ve confirmed enough… We’re both busy, so you can leave now. I was just curious if you were doing the job I asked you to do well.”

I reached out and patted the Sky Opening Sect Leader’s shoulder.

Even then, the swords were still floating in the air.

“You must have had a hard time getting here. I don’t have anything to give you, so get home safe….”

“Did you ask what One Heaven Teachings is?”

I stopped talking at the interrupting voice.

It was the Sky Opening Sect Leader speaking.

I reacted with surprise to his appearance.

“What? Are you going to tell me?”

“Do you know what the current orthodox sects are like?”

“Suddenly?”

The current orthodox sects? I tilted my head at the abrupt question.

The current orthodox sects… As I pondered with a questioning look, the Sky Opening Sect Leader added, as if waiting.

“People probably don’t understand it well, but the current orthodox sects… are rotten from the root-.”

“They’re rotten from the root. Very, very deep.”

“…”

Seeing his words, I chuckled sheepishly.

“Ah, the words I was thinking of just came out… Sorry, please continue.”

“…”

“…”

The words didn’t continue any further.

It seemed I had made a slight mistake.