The Seduction System

"The Black Lotus Sect..."

Baek Yisoo mentioned the name of this magnificent and influential organization. He understood why the tattoos were in the shape of black lotuses. He could not imagine that the assassins after him belonged to one of the founding organizations of the Blood Moon Alliance.

"According to legend, the founder of the Black Lotus Sect, the Dark Master, was a man with a unique talent for martial arts. We know that in his youth he set out to increase his power and shape the world of Murim according to his vision. During this time, the Dark Master trained disciples in his own unique ways, and these disciples eventually spread throughout Murim, forming the foundations of the sect."

Baek Yisoo thought that the Black Lotus Sect was an organization created in reaction to the Murim Union. Because the Blood Moon and the Murim Union were two different alliances representing two different poles. One represented good and the other represented evil. And they were always at war.

"When the Dark Master lost his life in battle with the God of War, he left behind a deep legacy and talented students. The Dark Master's youngest disciple, Black Spirit, is thought to be the one who systematically organized the sect. Under the guidance of Black Spirit and other disciples, it became a true organization and took the name Black Lotus.

Over the years, the Black Lotus Sect developed both martial arts skills and dark magic techniques. Working in secrecy, it became one of the most powerful and feared organizations in the Murim world. By infiltrating political power plays and the inner workings of martial arts schools, the Sect expanded its influence.

Strangely, nothing is known about its membership numbers, branches and agents. But given the power they unleashed at the Blood Moon Peak, they may be the most powerful organization in Blood Moon."

The Green Dragon was a senior staff member of the Green Valley, an alliance of bandits and gangs. He had at least first-class martial arts skills. Although they didn't have a very systematic organizational structure, they had far more assets than anyone else in Shaanxi.

"Green Valley is just a small part of a whole. We are connected to the Emerald Forest. Do you know how powerful the Emerald Forest is? They have the power to fight all the martial schools and sects in Shaanxi at the same time."

The Emerald Forest and the Black Lotus Sect... Baek Yisoo suddenly felt dizzy from the growing perspective. He now understood the meaning behind the frog in the well. For him, the well was Yulin City. But even Yulin City was only a small province in Shaanxi.

And his Baek Clan was part of Yulin City.

"But here's the thing. The Black Lotus Sect's power comes from secrecy. Every sect can have one of their own. That's what scares people, if you make the Black Lotus Sect your enemy, you can't trust anyone..."

Everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The Black Lotus Sect had managed to infiltrate many sects and clans over the centuries. Assassinations, terrorist attacks, manipulations, it had grown in power. So it seemed impossible to deal with.

"Does he have any enemies? Who is the current sect leader?"

Baek Yisoo was rightly insanely worried right now. With such an organization after him, he had little chance of survival. The most logical thing to do was to take refuge with the enemies of the Black Lotus Sect based on the saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

"We only know the nickname of the current sect leader. Shadow Master, other than that we have no other information. He has never attended a Blood Moon Peak. He hasn't shown himself or tried to make a name for himself. We only think he is a very powerful martial artist.

Enemy of the Black Lotus Sect... I think there is only one organization that fits that description. The White Dragon School... The Black Lotus Sect and the White Dragon School have been sworn enemies for two generations. During the War of Good and Evil, the leader of the White Dragon School was assassinated. This assassination is known to have been carried out by the Black Lotus Sect. Since then, the White Dragon School has been fighting against the Black Lotus Sect."

White Dragon School... Baek Yisoo had heard of this school for the first time.

"The White Dragon School is an old and respected school that believes martial arts should only be used for defense and meditation. It's normal that you haven't heard of it. Although they are quite powerful, they don't open their doors except for the Martial Arts Tournament."

The Green Dragon's story had opened Baek Yisoo's mind.

'The Black Lotus Sect is a highly dangerous organization that has mastered stealth, dark magic and martial arts. To protect myself from this sect, I have to stay hidden, find powerful allies, constantly gather information and develop defensive measures. The unknown nature of the sect's inner structure and the possibility of its agents being everywhere makes it especially necessary to be careful and vigilant.'

Dark magic, Baek Yisoo knew that apart from martial arts, tribes in the west practiced a strange type of martial arts called magic. Dark magic had to be a variation of that type of magic.

'I should leave the Baek Clan and go under the command of a larger organization.

"You don't need to worry so much, though. They won't send a Master for someone as weak as you. They will send a small team of first years instead."

Although Baek Yisoo was upset that he said 'weak like you', he knew he was right. It had only been a day since he had started using his inner energy, and this was hardly his infancy. He knew he was very weak. But there was a problem.

A team of first years would have been more than enough to kill him.

"What difference does it make?"

"Unless they send a Master, I can protect you within the city limits. But if they send a Master, even God might not be able to protect you, let alone me."

"Are the Masters that powerful?"

"Of course they are. Of the hundred strongest martial artists in the Murim Union, more than half are Master level. They can bring down an entire city wall with a single punch. They can also use Elemental Qi. Because they can use their martial arts to their full potential, fighting a Master is harder than fighting a hundred first-rate martial artists."

The Baek Clan's madam and patriarch were also at the Master level. Baek Yisoo had heard rumors that Instructor Mo had also reached the Master level in the past.

He was curious about that.

"What level are the Baek Clan's madam and patriarch?"

Green Dragon answered patiently. "As far as I know, the two leaders of the Baek Clan are at the same level. The patriarch of the Baek Clan is a highly experienced and powerful Master who trained in martial arts from a young age. I know that he uses the Baek Clan's inherited technique, an improved version of the White Water Way. He has great skill in Water Qi. He has the strength and ability to become a trainer of Mount Hua."

Baek Yisoo had served under the Baek Clan for almost twenty years, but he had only seen the patriarch once or twice. From what he remembered, he was a huge and ruthless man like a bear. He was not well known in the clan, mostly because he went to the front lines to fight for the Celestial Demon Sect.

'I think his name was Namwook.'

"As for the Baek Clan's madam... she was a talented disciple of Mount Hua. I know that because of her mastery of the Plum Blossom Sword Art, she was summoned to the Mount Hua Sect several times to teach and inspire. Like the Patriarch, she is an experienced Master... but they say she has fallen into decline over the past few years because she hasn't shown herself." said the Green Dragon.

"Is that why all the sons of the Baek Clan are training in the Mount Hua Sect?"

"Maybe.

Baek Yisoo nodded his head in agreement. It was a good thing that the Baek Clan had two masters. At least it would be safe in Baek Clan territory.

Now that he had asked everything on his mind, there was only one thing left.

"Well, these notebooks..."

He showed me the notebook he had received from Poison Shadow and the one the Green Dragon had given him. Two notebooks made of leather, the size of a foot.

Green Dragon took the notebooks and looked at Baek Yisoo.

"What do you think it is?"

"Encrypted information?"

"Yes." Green Dragon opened the notebook and pointed to the seemingly random combinations of letters. "Large organizations have their own encryption techniques to prevent information leakage. These notebooks you see here must have been saved for the archive."

Baek Yisoo's eyes lit up. If the Green Dragon was so knowledgeable, he must know how to decipher the passwords in these notebooks. If he did, and if they could decipher the codes, they could learn about the great mystery that was the Black Lotus Sect.

Seeing the sparkle in his eyes, the Green Dragon nodded.

"You are not the first person to get hold of such notebooks."