Chapter 274: Chapter 274

Heavenly Realm

After receiving the invitation to join the White Lotus Sect, I found myself deep in thought, unable to easily leave the Han Clan. At first, I thought of coming up with a plausible excuse to escape, as this proposal had taken me completely by surprise.

‘Joining the White Lotus Sect? Really?’

While I had considered this during my past lives, I had never acted on it! The current state of the White Lotus Sect was such that the Thunder God Lineage had been purged, leaving the remaining Three Great Styles to support the leader. Given this situation, joining as someone who had learned the martial arts of the Thunder God Lineage would surely result in being looked down upon or killed. That’s why I had been wandering around in search of the Thunder God Lineage’s martial arts and forcefully joining the Blue Dragon Martial Arts.

However, this situation was clearly different from before. Han Baek-ryeong had guaranteed my safety as the Dharma Protector. In the White Lotus Sect, there was only one person above the Dharma Protector, and that was the leader, so this held significant meaning.

This might be a rare and unique opportunity not easily obtained throughout my reincarnation. Sitting in my luxurious room, I pondered thoughtfully.

“Is the food to your liking?”

At that moment, the Han Clan’s young lord, Han Jin-seong, walked into my room. I glanced at him and replied softly,

“I’m enjoying everything.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Han Jin-seong then spoke to the woman beside him.

“Ji-hwa, greet him.”

The woman, with a radiant beauty, smiled and politely greeted me.

“Baek Woong, nice to meet you. I am Ji-hwa.”

“Pleasure to meet you. It’s an honor to see Ji-hwa, the renowned beauty of Luoyang.”

“No need for such flattery…”

She was indeed Han Jin-seong’s cousin sister and one of the Four Beauties of Luoyang known for her beauty. I recalled that during my previous life, I almost married her due to Han Baek-ryeong’s matchmaking, becoming a son-in-law of the Hwa Family. I couldn’t help but admire her appearance once again.

‘So stunningly beautiful…’

Her facial features, grace, and elegance surpassed any ordinary noblewoman by leaps and bounds. Even now, dressed casually without much adornment, she could captivate nearly any man’s attention. Her reputation as the most beautiful woman in Luoyang was richly deserved.

However, after experiencing the appearances of many mesmerizing beauties like Mi-ho, Han Baek-ryeong, and Sagong Rin in my previous life, I wasn’t easily swayed just by beauty alone. Han Jin-seong said,

“You seem lost in thought. How about joining us for a little outing in Luoyang?”

“Well…”

“I have something I really want to show you.”

I was well aware that Han Jin-seong wasn’t the type to aimlessly go out for leisure. There had to be some hidden agenda behind his sudden proposal for an outing. Especially while on a crucial mission like searching for General Hwang Yeon, he wouldn’t casually make such an offer to me. So I nodded.

“I’ll rely on you.”

“Haha, there’s no need to be tense; it will be nothing serious.”

We soon set off in the Han Clan’s private carriage. When I saw the appearance of the coachman, I was a bit surprised.

‘A master of the Hwa Family?’

Outwardly seeming like an ordinary coachman, he was actually quite a formidable martial artist. He was far superior to a mere guard of the Golden Eagle Guards and seemed close to the strength of a Celestial Warrior. No one would believe that an ordinary coachman’s skills matched those of a clan elder. As my expression changed, Han Jin-seong said,

“Safety first, so we need to have capable individuals, be it a coachman or a guard.”

“Does the Han Clan hold any grudges against rival factions?”

“Haha… The martial world is a tangle of entanglements like a spiderweb. Especially for influential families like ours, there are enemies aplenty.”

“I see.”

Clop, clop, clop

Inside the carriage, Ji-hwa gazed at me curiously, asking,

“I’ve heard that you’re very young yet possess incredible martial skills. Quite impressive!”

“……”

“I hope we can meet more often.”

When a beauty shows kindness, most men can hardly compose themselves. But with no one I could trust in this place, I struggled to respond genuinely to her. Then Han Jin-seong interjected.

“We’re heading to the Longmen Grottoes.”

“The Longmen Grottoes? The place with hundreds of thousands of Buddha statues?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I let out a low hum.

“But isn’t civilian access prohibited there?”

The Longmen Grottoes, a breathtakingly enormous archaeological site, was off-limits to the public and heavily restricted. I had considered visiting it once before when I was in Luoyang, but due to those restrictions, I hadn’t pursued it further. Han Jin-seong continued,

“Due to the Han Clan’s influence, it’s a straightforward matter. Only high-ranking officials or children of the nobility are allowed, but they will let us in easily.”

“Hmm… But why the sudden trip to the Longmen Grottoes?”

“Haha. I’ll explain when we get there.”

We chatted about various topics as we traveled for nearly half a day in the carriage. Upon arriving at the Longmen Grottoes, the grand entrance of the cave came into view. As we stepped down from the carriage and approached, the guards blocked our way, but Han Jin-seong quickly persuaded them with just a few words.

“Wow, it’s stunning as ever, no matter how many times I come here.”

Ji-hwa exclaimed in awe as she took in the views of the grottoes. I glanced around indifferently, thinking,

‘This is impressively large.’

Walking beside me, Han Jin-seong said,

“This is the largest Buddhist relic remaining from the Tang Dynasty. Not just in Luoyang, but I doubt there’s anyone in Henan Province who hasn’t heard of the Longmen Grottoes.”

“Thanks to you for the tour.”

“Glad to hear it.”

While strolling and chatting for about half an hour, Ji-hwa took a slight detour to rest, during which Han Jin-seong brought up something.

“Actually, the Longmen Grottoes have a strong connection to the White Lotus Sect.”

Is this where the main point comes in? I watched him closely as he continued speaking.

“This area known as Fengxian Cave was reconstructed at the command of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. The main statue of Vairocana Buddha you see there took about three years to complete, and many members of the White Lotus Sect participated in creating the various statues.”

“I know the history of the White Lotus Sect dates back to the time when the Tang Dynasty was on the decline. This sounds odd…”

“It wasn’t until the later Tang and Southern Song dynasties that we established a proper organization, but the White Lotus Sect had traces dating back to early Tang. So, you could view the Longmen Grottoes as relics of the early White Lotus Sect, even artifacts from its founder.”

“Impressive…”

If that’s the case, the history of the White Lotus Sect might be far older than a thousand years! I was pure amazed when Han Jin-seong added,

“Did you know that the founder of the White Lotus Sect was part of the Buddhism?”

“I think I’ve heard something like that.”

“He’s also the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism.”

“……!!”

I was taken aback. Having decent knowledge of Buddhism, I immediately understood what Han Jin-seong meant, so I couldn’t hide my surprise.

“That’s impossible… Are you saying that the origins of the White Lotus Sect are the same as those of the Shaolin Temple?”

“That’s correct.”

“If you were to say that across the martial world, you’d only be met with laughter.”

“True. If you mention Bodhidharma as the founding ancestor, no one would believe it.”

Bodhidharma!

This figure is said to have come from the West to the Central Plains and founded the Shaolin Temple during the Six Dynasties. He also created numerous legends during the reign of Emperor Wudi of the Liang Dynasty and was the founder of Zen Buddhism. He is a monumental figure in the history of Buddhism. I continued to inquire,

“Moreover, when Bodhidharma arrived at the Central Plains, he was already over a hundred years old. And if he continued to live until the later Tang Dynasty, he would have been several hundred years old by then. So where in the world could such a person be?”

“Who knows, he might not even have been human.”

“……”

“More accurately, he might have been a grandmaster who, after transcending human limitations, refined the teachings of the White Lotus Sect during the later Tang Dynasty, causing it to thrive.”

In that instant, a memory of the past flooded back to me.

[The founder of the White Lotus Sect was a highly accomplished monk in the Buddhist teachings. During the late Tang dynasty, when humanity was corrupted and ordinary people suffered greatly, he was filled with anguish. He sought out a being who could transcend human power, resolved to create the White Lotus Sect to bring about nirvana utilizing that being’s powers, having obtained a mantra summoning an outer deity.]

[However, your concerns have merit. If the original texts left by the founder of the White Lotus Sect were deciphered to fully harness the power of an outer deity, it could be dangerous. After all, the founder is also credited with founding Zen Buddhism, so texts of the outer deity’s teachings would likely be scattered across all forms of Buddhism. Thus, we shouldn’t have to worry for at least a thousand years.]

“……”

A highly accomplished monk in the Buddhist teachings.

The founder of Zen Buddhism.

Everything seems to fit. At the time, I had no particular thoughts about it, but the fact that the founder of the White Lotus Sect was also the founder of Zen Buddhism had indeed been mentioned by Mage Mang-ryang. Furthermore, the information Mage Mang-ryang offered was possibly due to the exchange of certain artifacts, eradicating any doubts about its authenticity.

The founder of the White Lotus Sect was none other than Bodhidharma, the greatest figure in Buddhism!

As I organized my thoughts, Han Jin-seong continued,

“For this reason, the White Lotus Sect maintains a favorable sentiment towards the Shaolin Temple. After all, they represent brother sects sharing a common origin. The fact that they treated Shaolin Temple with a somewhat lingering attitude among the Eight Directions is attributable to this.”

“I see… But why are you choosing to share such information with me now?”

Han Jin-seong fell silent for some time at my question, then sighed deeply, saying,

“Tell me, what do you believe is the ultimate goal of the White Lotus Sect?”

“……?”

Han Jin-seong let out a bittersweet smile and said,

“When I first reached the peak of the Hwa Family’s martial arts, I thought their aim was to unify the martial world and dominate it. However, as I began to uncover more of the White Lotus Sect’s secrets and approached its hidden legacies, I started to think it was not that simple.”

“So, you mean their purpose isn’t to dominate the martial world?” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Realistically speaking, it’s as simple as snapping fingers for the White Lotus Sect to become the supreme authority of the martial world. There’s hardly any force left that could rival them. In terms of power, even the imperial palace could not compete.”

“……”

“Once the disease plaguing the minor sects is cured, the leader could unify the land at a moment’s notice.”

I found myself agreeing with his words. Back in my tenth life, as soon as the Black and White Lotus infiltrated the White Lotus Sect, they dominated the martial realm. So I tilted my head, pondering Han Jin-seong’s words.

“What could be the problem?”

“Given my position, I’ve met with the leader a few times, and he often speaks as if unification is trivial. He seems to have an even greater goal.”

“A greater goal?”

“I can’t say for sure. But as a successor of the Hwa Family, I’m not in a suitable position to inherit the leader’s aspirations.”

I began to contemplate Han Jin-seong’s words. Then I realized the underlying meaning of his intentions and spoke up.

“You wish for me to uncover the leader’s true intentions?”

“Exactly.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you, as a member of the Thunder God Lineage, are not part of any of the other Three Great Styles’ factions. Thus, you are relatively free from the influence of factional interests, and the leader may be more likely to trust you. Moreover, your family head is currently recommending you as a direct disciple to the leader.”

“……!!”

A direct disciple of the leader?

My expression changed to one of shock, and Han Jin-seong continued explaining,

“For reasons unknown to me, the family head believes the leader would accept a direct disciple who is not from the Seong Joon lineage. That’s why I’m sharing this with you.”

“I’m at a loss as to why.”

I crossed my arms and shook my head.

“You are known as the most handsome man in the realm, have immense wealth, possess extraordinary martial skills, and are clever as well. Why would someone like you be so curious about that?”

Han Jin-seong stood in a position envied by all men in the world; it was rumored that numerous noblewomen from Luoyang lined up to court him while many affluent young men admired him as well. He was someone who had everything to be envious of.

“That’s exactly why I’m curious.”

With a solemn expression, Han Jin-seong continued,

“Even though I was born into privilege, everything is vulnerable to being lost due to the whims of the leader. It’s natural to want to understand the true intentions of someone who holds such absolute power over my life.”

“……”

Suddenly, I recalled Han Baek-ryeong’s reaction when she tried to offer Ji-hwa to me. During that time, Han Jin-seong had outwardly shown no response, but he had expressed his gratitude to me with a sword gift when I rejected her.

‘This person also suffers from the fate of being a puppet.’

Having power, intelligence, wealth, and beauty means nothing if you’re merely serving someone else’s agenda. Han Jin-seong’s situation stirred some unknown emotions within me.

After some thought, I spoke to Han Jin-seong,

“If I do uncover the leader’s true intentions, what will you offer me?”

“I came here today to find a quiet place to discuss just that.”

Han Jin-seong continued,

“I will grant you my fifteen treasure shops, riches, and jewels. I will also generously support you with talented individuals and martial experts. In return, ascend to the position of the leader’s successor.”

“……!!”

“Will you accept?”

I recognized this as a significant proposal. Though Han Jin-seong appeared young and seemingly lacking in power, in reality, he was the successor to one of the most powerful factions in the world and possessed immense wealth. His assistance would undoubtedly be of tremendous value to me in the future. Initially skeptical due to the temptation of such an offer, I soon convinced myself it was a sound decision.

‘Han Jin-seong wants to support me to elevate my status within the White Lotus Sect.’

And perhaps he sought to gain a position equivalent to Han Baek-ryeong himself if I succeeded greatly. In that sense, this deal benefits not just me but also Han Jin-seong. I thought there was no downside to it and nodded my head.

“Alright.”

“Good choice.”

The deal was struck.

After finishing our exploration of the Longmen Grottoes about an hour later, we returned to the Han Clan’s main house. As we sat in the carriage, admiring Luoyang’s night scenery, Han Jin-seong said,

“Tomorrow, I would like you to visit the Twin Gate Sect.”

“The Twin Gate Sect? Why there?”

“Because the family head has given me orders.”

From his words, I sensed that something was about to get chaotic in the near future.

“She said for you to teach the leaders of the Twin Gate Sect a lesson.”