The Martial God with Psychic Powers

At the word “recruitment,” Yang Giwoo nearly cursed aloud.
What had happened to him wasn’t recruitment—it was coercion and a beating.

He was following them because he had no choice, just to stay alive.
He had considered running away, but that too depended on the opponent.
And the opponent standing before him was none other than the master of Cheonmudae, famed throughout Mushincheon—the one called the Swift-Slaying Sword Emperor.

And that man, the one whom even such a being addressed respectfully as “young master” and followed with unwavering deference—who in the world was he?
There wasn’t a single shred of information about him.
“Isn’t Hao Clan, along with the Beggar’s Union, one of the greatest intelligence organizations in the Central Plains?”

“That’s correct. In fact, by sheer scale, it surpasses even the Beggar’s Union. Its information quality may fall slightly behind, but in terms of quantity, it is far more vast.”
Yeon Woo Jin nodded and turned his gaze toward Yang Giwoo.
“Just to confirm… you weren’t dragged here through threats or violence, were you?”
Yang Giwoo saw it.

Cheon Ho Seong, glaring at him from behind Yeon Woo Jin with those terrifying eyes.
“N-No! I—I came here of my own free will!”
It was disgraceful, but what choice did he have?

In the Central Plains, strength dictated status.
And running wasn’t an option either.
It wasn’t some minor faction he was dealing with—it was Mushincheon itself.

Perhaps… this was for the best.
Maybe joining Mushincheon under these circumstances wasn’t such a bad outcome after all.
That was how he tried to console himself.

Seeing Yang Giwoo’s expression, Yeon Woo Jin thought to himself.
‘He definitely got dragged here through threats…’
It was not the face of someone who came willingly.

Still, he was here now, so he might as well put him to use.
“Have you heard anything about me?”
“Huh? No, I haven’t. I was only told there was someone I should serve.”

At Yang Giwoo’s reply, Cheon Ho Seong stepped forward.
“Shall I introduce the young master to this fellow?”
Yeon Woo Jin nodded once.

With a proud smile, Cheon Ho Seong declared in a boastful tone:
“Listen carefully, you fool. This man here is the grandson of the Mushincheon Lord himself, the one destined to become the next Mushincheon Lord, and the one prophesied to unify the Central Plains—the greatest figure across the ages.”
The torrent of information came crashing down all at once.
Yang Giwoo stared blankly at Yeon Woo Jin.

His expression practically screamed: What did I just hear?
“You should consider yourself fortunate. The Hao Clan is becoming part of the next Mushincheon Lord’s forces.”
Part of the next Mushincheon Lord’s forces?

That was the kind of thing one only dreamed about.
Yet here it was, unfolding into reality before his eyes.
With an expression of disbelief, Yang Giwoo looked at Yeon Woo Jin and asked:

“Is… is this true?”
“It is.”
It had to be true.

Now it made sense why the Swift-Slaying Sword Emperor treated him with such deference.
But… next Mushincheon Lord?
Wasn’t the competition for the young lord’s successor still underway?

Besides, if the Mushincheon Lord had a grandson like this, why hold a competition at all?
Could it be… he was already strong enough to inherit the position?
No… wait.

Hadn’t Cheon Ho Seong just called him the greatest across the ages?
Yang Giwoo’s mind was spinning in confusion.
He needed the truth.

“You curious just how powerful the young master is, boy?”
“Y-Yes, I am.”
“Even if dozens like me were to gang up on him, they couldn’t scratch him.”

That couldn’t be true.
From what Yang Giwoo knew, the Swift-Slaying Sword Emperor was at the Eighth Star of the Hwagyeong Realm.
And dozens of such figures couldn’t defeat him?

In all of the Central Plains, only the Mushincheon Lord himself held that level of might.
Clearly, Cheon Ho Seong was exaggerating because this was his young master.
Yang Giwoo filtered the statement accordingly.

“I-I see. Truly… that is incredible. It is the honor of three lifetimes to serve such a man.”
“You don’t believe me, do you?”
Cheon Ho Seong narrowed his eyes and leaned in close, causing Yang Giwoo to jump back in alarm.

“N-No, I believe you! Truly!”
Cheon Ho Seong was about to press him further, but Yeon Woo Jin’s voice interrupted.
“That’s enough.”

Immediately, Cheon Ho Seong withdrew behind Yeon Woo Jin, standing at attention with genuine reverence.
It was remarkable.
This wasn’t obedience forced by status—it came from deep, wholehearted loyalty.

Yeon Woo Jin smiled as he spoke:
“I look forward to working with you.”
“I-I will serve you with the utmost devotion!”

“Now that you’ve become one of mine, I should give you a gift, shouldn’t I?”
Yeon Woo Jin handed Yang Giwoo a wooden box.
“W-What is this?”

“An Inyeondan.”
“Gasp! Th-This is… that Inyeondan? The one said to be nearly impossible to obtain?”
Yeon Woo Jin nodded calmly as Yang Giwoo opened the box.

The moment the lid lifted, a cool, refreshing fragrance wafted into his nostrils, as though cleansing body and mind.
It was real.
A single Inyeondan was worth one hundred gold taels.

But at auction, they often sold for over five hundred taels apiece.
“Take it now.”
“Huh? But… how could I accept something so precious…”

“I can make more for you if needed.”
“W-What?”
Did he say… make more?

Surely not…
“Y-You made this Inyeondan yourself, young master?”
Yeon Woo Jin nodded.

Unbelievable.
The Inyeondan, along with the Jowhadan, had shaken the entire Central Plains.
Every faction had mobilized their networks to uncover the source of these miraculous items.

And the creator… stood right before him.
Yang Giwoo stared at the Inyeondan in his hands.
All across the Central Plains, sects anxiously waited for the next batch to appear.

But this man was offering to make them anytime.
Suddenly, Cheon Ho Seong’s words echoed in his mind:
You should be grateful for such a fortunate opportunity.

Perhaps it truly was a stroke of fortune.
Loyalty began to swell within him of its own accord.
“Take it now.”

“N-Now?”
“Yes.”
Yang Giwoo looked once more at the Inyeondan, then shut his eyes tightly and swallowed it whole.

 
****
The effects of the Inyeondan were exactly as the rumors described.

Yang Giwoo’s cultivation jumped by a full two stages.
He had gained enlightenment long ago but lacked the internal energy to break through—but with just one Inyeondan, he had surpassed that wall.
It meant that the single pill contained enough internal energy to elevate his cultivation by two entire levels.

Yang Giwoo found himself bowing before Yeon Woo Jin without thinking.
To receive such a miraculous pill simply for becoming his subordinate…
This man was on another level entirely.

And if even the Swift-Slaying Sword Emperor served him… staking his life and the Hao Clan on this man was worth considering.
Yeon Woo Jin handed him a sheet of paper bearing a drawing.
Receiving it with utmost respect, Yang Giwoo asked:

“What is this?”
“It’s called a Jimaha. Mobilize every resource of the Hao Clan to find it.”
Glancing at the drawing, Yang Giwoo commented:

“What an unusual object.”
“It’s of utmost importance. Use all your resources to locate it.”
“Understood!”

Cheon Ho Seong chimed in:
“What exactly is that thing?”
“It’s an artifact that reveals the gateway to the Demon Realm.”

“What?”
Both Cheon Ho Seong and Yang Giwoo stared at Yeon Woo Jin in unison.
“Th-The Demon Realm?!”

“Why are you suddenly talking about the Demon Realm?”
“Cheongi Jin-in has divined the return of the Heavenly Demon to this world. The Heavenly Demon is the king of the Demon Realm. His return means there is a rift connecting to the Demon Realm somewhere.”
“Th-The Heavenly Demon? Are you saying… the Demonic Cult is returning?”

“Yes, exactly.”
“That… that can’t be…”
With trembling hands, Yang Giwoo stared at the sheet of paper.

This wasn’t merely important—it was a matter that concerned the fate of the entire martial world of the Central Plains.
“I intend to visit the Beggar’s Union and request their assistance as well.”
“Shouldn’t we inform the Lord of Mushincheon as well? That way, we could mobilize Mushincheon’s intelligence network.”

“My grandfather already knows. I’m on my way back from meeting with him.”
“Ah… I see.”
“You didn’t know, did you?”

“Pardon? Know… what?”
“That the place where Mushincheon now stands used to be the location of a rift connected to the Demon Realm. It was the site of the Heavenly Demon Cult, wasn’t it?”
“What?”

Cheon Ho Seong looked at Yeon Woo Jin with a face of complete ignorance.
Yang Giwoo clapped his hands as if a memory had suddenly returned.
“Ah! Now that you mention it, I remember! That’s right! Mushincheon was built on the ruins of the old Heavenly Demon Cult.”

Cheon Ho Seong asked cautiously:
“Then… does that mean the Lord of Mushincheon was aware of this? Did he build Mushincheon there to stop the Demon Cult before they could rise again?”
“No. He assumed that if he occupied the place, the remnants of the Heavenly Demon Cult would come to reclaim it.”

“What?”
“He wanted to clash with the Heavenly Demon Cult—that’s why he built it there.”
Yeon Woo Jin’s response left both men speechless.

A moment later, Cheon Ho Seong let out a hollow laugh and muttered:
“That… certainly sounds like the Lord of Mushincheon. I had momentarily forgotten what kind of person he is.”
He had been spending so much time around Yeon Woo Jin lately, he had almost forgotten.

The Lord of Mushincheon was the most battle-hungry, war-obsessed madman in the Central Plains.
“Now that you know the full story, please do everything in your power to find it. We need to locate it as soon as possible.”
“Y-Yes! I’ll issue a full mobilization order right away!”

As Yang Giwoo hurried out, Cheon Ho Seong spoke up:
“I shall make inquiries myself as well.”
After the two left, Yeon Woo Jin, now alone, paused in thought for a moment before stepping outside.

 
****
The place Yeon Woo Jin headed to was the Namgoong Clan.

Fortunately, the patriarch, Namgoong Cheon, was home.
Namgoong Cheon greeted Yeon Woo Jin with a broad, beaming smile.
“You’ve arrived.”

“Have you made progress?”
“Hahaha! Of course. I’ve already mastered up to the Eighth Star.”
“Congratulations.”

“It’s all thanks to you, my benefactor. But… what brings you here so suddenly?”
At Namgoong Cheon’s question, Yeon Woo Jin got straight to the point.
“I wish to meet with the Beggar’s Union leader. But I’ve heard they do not meet with just anyone. Could you help make the connection?”

“The Beggar’s Union leader? Is something going on?”
Yeon Woo Jin glanced around briefly, then spoke quietly:
“Let’s talk inside.”

Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Namgoong Cheon acted swiftly.
“Let’s go to my chambers. This way.”
Once inside Namgoong Cheon’s private quarters, Yeon Woo Jin handed him a paper bearing a drawing.

“Have you ever seen something like this?”
“Hmm… It’s my first time seeing such an item. What is it?”
“It’s called a Jimaho.”

“Jimaho? I’ve never even heard the name. What does it do? At first glance, it looks like a simple figurine.”
“It’s an artifact that reveals the gateway to the Demon Realm.”
“What? The Demon Realm?”

“The Heavenly Demon Cult will soon reappear in this world.”
Namgoong Cheon’s eyes widened in shock.
“T-The Heavenly Demon Cult… You mean the demonic faction that once wiped out half the martial world?”

“Yes.”
Namgoong Cheon swallowed hard.
“To stop them, we must first locate the gateway to the Demon Realm. And for that, we need this artifact.”

“I will do everything in my power to help. But… shouldn’t we reveal this to the world immediately?”
Yeon Woo Jin shook his head firmly.
“If this spreads publicly, it’ll only create chaos. And in that chaos, the fanatics who revere the Heavenly Demon will exploit the situation. For now, it’s crucial to quietly strengthen our forces and prepare.”

“That makes sense.”
“Within the week, I’ll send you a batch of Inyeondan. Give them to your clan’s elites and train them to the utmost limit.”
“Understood.”

“We still don’t know the extent of the enemy’s strength. So assume the worst-case scenario and train them ruthlessly.”
“Yes! I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And… as I mentioned earlier, I need to meet the Beggar’s Union leader. But they supposedly don’t meet with just anyone. Do you have any connections?”

“You want to meet them regarding the Jimaho?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t have a direct connection, but I can arrange one through the head of the Peng Clan.”

“Is that so? The Peng Clan… they’re based in Hebei, right?”
“Yes, correct. The Beggar’s Union’s main headquarters is also located there.”
“Then, on the way, I should stop by the Hwangbo Clan and deliver their martial manual, then head over to Hebei.”

“I’ll accompany you.”
Yeon Woo Jin shook his head.
“Stay here and continue your cultivation. Master the Emperor’s Sword Manual as quickly as ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) possible.”

“Understood. Then… at least take my son with you. He’s well acquainted with both the Hwangbo Clan and the Peng Clan—it’ll make introductions easier.”
Yeon Woo Jin thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Very well. In exchange… I’ll make sure your young master receives thorough training.”

There was something unsettling about Yeon Woo Jin’s faint smile, but knowing full well his strength, Namgoong Cheon nodded without hesitation.
“He may be lacking, but I entrust him to you.”