The Martial God with Psychic Powers

Hyeok Ryeon Ho, the First of Jungcheon, was in a good mood.

It felt like everything was falling into place.
The day to teach those arrogant brats of Baekyeong High Division—who strutted around thinking they were something special—a harsh lesson wasn’t far off.
His subordinate in the hierarchy, Jang Son Cheon Gi, asked:

“What if those bastards don’t make a move?”
“Then we’ll draw the other High Divisions to our side. We’ll promise them the protection of Jungcheon, make them High Divisions under our umbrella. After that, we pressure Baekyeong. If Baekyeong attacks another High Division, then we’ll have a justification to move. After all, we said we’d protect them—so wouldn’t we have no choice but to act?”
“Weren’t we only allowed to accept challenges?”

“Isn’t attacking a High Division under our protection the same as a challenge to us? That’s how I see it.”
At Hyeok Ryeon Ho’s words, Jang Son Cheon Gi let out a short laugh.
“You’re right. It counts as a challenge.”

“Then we’d better get ready. Let’s bring in the most useful—the North—first.”
“I’ll get the kids ready to move.”
 
****

The First of the North’s Heukho High Division, Sagong Mang, was meeting with the person sent from Jungcheon.
“So you’re saying… we should come under Jungcheon’s command? That’s what this is?”
“That’s right. Do that, and no one will be able to lay a hand on Heukho.”

“But there’s Baekyeong.”
“Do you think the likes of Baekyeong could possibly stand against Jungcheon?”
Sagong Mang let out a dry laugh.

The Baekyeong he had experienced… was truly strong.
But was it stronger than Jungcheon?
It was a hard question.

“Hahaha! I understand it’s not an easy decision to make on the spot. We’ll give you some time. Discuss it and let us know your decision.”
“From the looks of it, you’re not telling just us this, are you?”
“Correct. All the Firsts of the North’s High Divisions are receiving the same message. The sooner you decide, the better your position will be.”

Sagong Mang nodded.
“All right. I’ll discuss it and let you know the result.”
“When the decision’s made, just send a letter to Hyeok Ryeon Ho, First of Jungcheon, stating you’ll be joining Jungcheon.”

“Understood.”
The man from Jungcheon stood up with a satisfied smile.
“I hope you make a wise decision.”
Leaving behind those words, he exited.

The leadership of Heukho all turned to look at Sagong Mang.
As Sagong Mang stood up, the students asked,
“Where are you going?”

“This isn’t something I can decide alone. I’m going to meet our senior, Ho Cheon, who graduated. I want to hear his opinion.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“Then I’ll be back.”

 
****
When his beloved junior came to see him, Ho Cheon greeted him with a beaming smile.

“Hahaha! Look who it is!”
“Please forgive this unworthy junior for only now coming to greet you.”
“What are you talking about? Just coming to visit me like this is more than enough. Come on, let’s go inside.”

“Yes, sir.”
After ushering him in and having simple refreshments brought out, Ho Cheon asked,
“So, what brings you here?”

“Well… I’ve run into a problem I can’t decide on my own.”
“What kind of problem?”
“Actually… Jungcheon High Division has offered to bring us under their command.”
“What?”

“They said if we come under their umbrella, they’ll protect Heukho High Division from all threats. But since the other party is Jungcheon, I can’t make the decision lightly.”
Ho Cheon nodded.
He understood the dilemma.

“What would you do, if you were in my position?”
Ho Cheon quietly looked at Sagong Mang.
He probably didn’t know about Yeon Woo Jin’s existence.

That’s why he was worrying like this.
Forget Jungcheon—even if an elite corps from Mushincheon stormed in, Baekyeong wouldn’t falter.
“If it were me, I’d side with Baekyeong.”

“Sir? The opponent is Jungcheon, though?”
“You don’t know Baekyeong’s true strength.”
“Baekyeong’s true strength?”

“Yeah. I don’t doubt that the current First of Baekyeong you know isn’t inferior to Jungcheon’s First.”
“The opponent is Jungcheon. The First of Jungcheon isn’t just from any family, but from one of the Five Peak Divine Clans—the Hyeok Ryeon Clan. We’re talking about Hyeok Ryeon Ho, known to be at the First Star of the Hwagyeong level. He’s beyond High Division level.”
“Baekyeong’s First is also beyond High Division level. So you don’t need to worry.”

“Sir?”
“Baekyeong’s First has already been raised to match Jungcheon’s First.”
What was he saying?

He kept talking like someone had prepared Baekyeong’s First.
Even now, he was saying Baekyeong’s First had been set to match Jungcheon.
As Sagong Mang stared at him with a baffled expression, Ho Cheon spoke again.

“Believe me. Side with Baekyeong. Everything will work itself out if you do.”
“You really think we should follow Baekyeong, sir?”
“Yes. Jungcheon is a setting sun—no, it’s already set. Baekyeong is the rising sun.”

“You think that highly of Baekyeong?”
“Why do you think Jungcheon is trying to pull in all the other High Divisions right now?”
“To strike Baekyeong, isn’t it?”

“And why would they strike Baekyeong?”
“Because they can’t stand Baekyeong being called the strongest High Division in Mushincheon?”
“That’s part of it, yes—but there’s another reason.”

“Another reason?”
“I recently got wind of this: this year’s entering students at Jungcheon High Division are on the level of regular High Divisions.”
“What?”

“So then, where did the talents who should’ve gone to Jungcheon end up?”
“Don’t tell me… Baekyeong?”
“Exactly. That’s why Jungcheon’s reacting in such a panic. If this continues, Baekyeong will replace Jungcheon in just a few years.”

“I had no idea.”
“This trend was already visible last year. Didn’t you see that even the young master of the Shin Clan joined Baekyeong when they fought last year? And this year, even more heirs from high-ranking sects have probably entered. Then what about next year? Already, to the students of the mid-level academies, Baekyeong is an object of admiration. You can’t fight the flow of the times.”
Sagong Mang looked utterly shocked after hearing Ho Cheon’s words.

“I didn’t know there was such a situation.”
“Jungcheon is desperate right now. If they don’t break this momentum, they’ll truly vanish. That’s why they even relaxed some of their restrictions and allowed challenges to be accepted.”
“But if Baekyeong doesn’t challenge them, it’s pointless, isn’t it?”

“Even if you tell Baekyeong not to challenge them, they will. Baekyeong’s final goal was always Jungcheon.”
“Sir? W-What do you mean by that?”
“To unify all High Divisions. That includes Jungcheon. And it’ll happen. So stick with Baekyeong. Jungcheon will lose to them.”

“How can you be so sure?”
Ho Cheon smiled faintly as he said:
“Because Baekyeong has a god (神).”

“Pardon?”
“That’s all you need to know. Just do as I say—if you want to keep Heukho alive.”
Hearing Ho Cheon’s words, Sagong Mang only grew more confused.

He’d come hoping for a clean solution—but had only picked up another headache.
“You’re the First of Heukho High Division now. Your decision determines Heukho’s future. So choose wisely.”
“This is so difficult.”

“That’s the burden of the First.”
Ho Cheon gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.
“Stay strong.”

“Yes, sir…”
Sagong Mang had come hoping to solve his dilemma—only to walk away with one more.
 

****
When Sagong Mang relayed Ho Cheon’s words exactly as they were, the expressions of the Heukho High Division leadership turned grim.
“Senior Ho Cheon wouldn’t say anything that would harm us.”

“Then… are we deciding to continue following Baekyeong, just as we have until now, trusting Senior Ho Cheon’s words?”
“Can Baekyeong really beat Jungcheon?”
They were clearly uneasy.

They had never had to make a decision this difficult in their lives, which made it all the more frightening.
That was when news from other High Divisions began pouring in one after another.
“Baekho High Division has joined under Jungcheon!”

“Jeokho High Division as well, now under Jungcheon…!”
“Hwangho High Division has submitted to Jungcheon!”
News came that all the other High Divisions in the North had decided to join Jungcheon’s ranks.

“We’re the only ones left. We’re the only ones who haven’t made a decision.”
“What should we do?”
“We’ll follow your decision.”

All eyes turned to Sagong Mang.
He lowered his head and remained deep in thought for a long while.
Then, lifting his head, he spoke.

“We… will stay the course.”
A once-in-a-lifetime decision made for the first time in his life.
The others nodded.

“All right. Then we’ll follow your lead.”
Sagong Mang was moved as he looked at the kids who were willing to follow him without complaint.
He had to repay this trust.

I need to go to Baekyeong myself and see with my own eyes.
To confirm whether the decision he made was truly the right one.
To find out whether Senior Ho Cheon’s advice was solid.

Sagong Mang decided to verify it for himself.
If his decision turned out to be wrong—
Then he would need to prepare a countermeasure ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) quickly.

 
****
The news that all the High Divisions of the North—excluding Heukho—had chosen to follow Jungcheon, was soon delivered to Yeon Woo Jin as well.

The others raged, demanding that they go and teach them a lesson right now.
But Yeon Woo Jin simply smiled and said,
“It’s natural. A new generation has arrived, after all. What surprises me is that Heukho chose us.”

“Maybe it’s because they’ve clashed directly with us before, and that’s what led to the decision?”
“No. More likely, they listened to the advice of Ho Cheon, who experienced me firsthand. Still, I’m surprised they followed it.”
Yeon Woo Jin smiled with satisfaction.

“They placed their faith in us, so we should give them something solid to believe in, too.”
“How?”
“They’ll probably come here to confirm it in person. When they do, show them—our true strength.”

“They’ll come?”
“Yes. They’ll come to verify whether their decision was correct. And to prepare, just in case it wasn’t.”
“How much should we show them?”

“Just take them to Baekyaksa and show them everything. They made their choice in faith—this is the least we can do.”
“Understood.”
 

****
A few days later.
Just as predicted, Sagong Mang arrived at Baekyeong.

Sunwoo Baek greeted him with a smile.
“I knew you would come.”
“Pardon?”

“You’re here because you’re uneasy, aren’t you? To see for yourself whether your decision was right.”
“Th-That’s correct.”
“You showed us your trust—so of course we must repay that.”

Sagong Mang was shocked.
That they knew he would come, and that they had prepared for it in advance, startled him.
To speak so confidently—that could only mean they were absolutely certain of themselves.

Sagong Mang found himself tensing up without realizing it.
Somehow, the feeling that the decision he made might truly have been the correct one began to excite him.
He followed Sunwoo Baek to Baekyaksa.

“This used to be an abandoned temple, but we’ve restored and repurposed it ourselves.”
“I see…”
Sagong Mang looked around the area.

To say it had once been an abandoned temple—it was far too clean for that.
There were even brand new buildings.
It wasn’t an ordinary scale.

Eventually, they reached an area where many students were immersed in their training.
Seeing the students training, Sagong Mang was struck with shock.
“A-Aren’t they actually fighting for real? Aren’t they getting hurt?”

“Of course they are. How else could it be proper training?”
“Excuse me?”
“Training must be like real combat. That’s the path we pursue.”

“But their injuries look serious—shouldn’t they be treated?”
“That level’s fine.”
Fine?

They were drenched in blood from head to toe.
ZZZEUGGGHHH—!
KWA-KWANG—!

FWOOOOSH—!
Everywhere they passed, shockwaves from power clashes echoed through the air, winds swirling in their wake.
And every single one of them was strong.

Yet even as the First of Heukho High Division, Sagong Mang didn’t feel confident that he could defeat a single one of the people training there.
“These students here—are they Baekyeong’s main force?”
“Those kids? No, they’re just intermediate-level students. The main force is training in the area we’re heading to now.”

He thought they were the advanced students because they were so powerful—but apparently, they weren’t.
Then how strong must the advanced ones be?
Sagong Mang looked at Sunwoo Baek, who was guiding him personally.

He felt absolutely nothing from him.
He just seemed like an ordinary man.
Which made it even more terrifying.

In Murim, the one you should be most wary of is the one who seems ordinary.
If someone feels “normal,” that means they’re far beyond your level.
Chills…

There’s no way Baekyeong’s First could be weak.
And yet if he felt ordinary?
That meant he was far beyond Sagong Mang’s level.

Just how strong is he?
Could he really stand against Jungcheon’s First?
That question kept spiraling endlessly in his mind.

Then, as if reading him like a book, Sunwoo Baek smiled faintly and asked:
“What is it? Are you worried whether I can face Jungcheon’s First?”