Chapter 49: The Solitary Rigid Heaven's Intent Rod
“We got it! If you let it slip now, none of you can call yourselves men anywhere!”
Hasina's shout drew cheers from every sailor aboard. As all the crew of the Radiant Sand Ship moved as one to capture the sandworm, every task flowed smoothly like water.
The sailors hauling the rigging unfurled every sail, catching the wind to close in on the sandworm's body. The mages aboard channeled their mana, readying the ship's magic. Below deck on the Radiant Sand Ship, the gunnery master barked orders at his artillery crew as they prepared the magic cannons.
“Starboard harpoon cannon loaded!”
“Port harpoon cannon loaded!”
The gunners' faces brimmed with anticipation as they loaded steel harpoons longer than a man was tall and thicker than his body. Forged by melting iron gathered under the desert sun and tempered ten times in the chill of desert nights, these were the gunnery master's prized possessions, cherished like his own children. He'd poured every coin from monster hunts—save his wife's allowance—into making just two of them. Half the crew's gazes mixed eager hope for their power with relief that they'd no longer have to toil over them.
Peering through a small peephole to track the sandworm's movements and adjust the cannon's angle, the gunnery master signaled. The gunners ducked behind bulkheads and hit the deck.
“Fire!”
Boom!
The gunnery master had spared no effort, using catalysts crafted by the Golden Sand Tower's weapon smiths with rare materials and perfect timing, then pouring mana into the cannon until he was drained just to withstand their explosive force. Even as the recoil sent him tumbling backward, his eyes stayed glued to the flying harpoon.
As the iron harpoon streaked forth and buried itself deep in the sandworm's flesh, a thrilling shiver coursed through him.
It hit!
The sandworm, pierced by what was a mere splinter against its massive bulk, writhed in agony with a piercing shriek. Gripping a nearby pillar, the gunnery master bellowed,
“Brace for impact!”
Moments later, the chain uncoiled with terrifying speed before snapping taut, yanking the Radiant Sand Ship forward viciously.
Crash! Clatter!
Objects inside tumbled wildly as the ship surged ahead at unimaginable speed from the sudden acceleration. Thrilled and laughing, the sailors roared in unison.
“Move your asses! Lose it now, and you're all idiots! Just bury your heads in the sand and die!”
“Got it!”
“You know the captain goes in first, right?”
Grinning despite the captain's bellows, they rushed to their posts.
“Port chain—one and a half turns!”
“One and a half!”
The starboard chain pulled harder than port, tilting the ship rightward. At the captain's shout, the crew cranked the port winch. It took immense force even for a slight adjustment; everyone piled on, heaving, wedging it to hold, then turning again until they'd managed one and a half revolutions. Only then did the Radiant Sand Ship properly slice through the desert sands.
“Hahaha! New top speed record!”
Over countless hunts for massive desert monsters aboard the Radiant Sand Ship, they'd harpooned backs and hung on for the ride. The sensation of a pained beast dragging them was a rush of speed and thrill like no other. Anglers felt the tug on their lines with their hands, but sailors felt the prey's thrashing with their whole bodies.
Yet nothing matched this exhilaration. The taut harpoon transmitted every convulsion of the quarry, and after the grueling battle of hauling and easing chains to keep it hooked, they'd claim a colossal prize—one for the ages, etched into their lives and Aldamina's history. No brag needed; just mention it in a tavern, and the whole place would cheer and cover your tab. Participating alone was glory worth passing down generations.
“Raaagh!”
Exhausted from harsh ship life and sun-baked bronze skin, they'd pushed beyond limits, faces mottled with burst capillaries and bloodshot eyes from internal bleeding. Yet they all grinned.
“Fire straight ahead—anything in range, loose!”
Every cannon and ballista on the Radiant Sand Ship fired until ammo ran dry in a barrage. Little damage, but the sandworm—tasting pain for the first time—panicked at every prick, bolting blindly.
For half a day, fatigue set in. Each twist of its body demanded frantic adjustments from the small ship: sails trimmed, sand ballast shifted for balance below deck, chains tightened or slacked. Tasks that would break others, but the crew's eyes burned fierce.
Catching it would secure the area for a century. And beyond future gains, this sandworm had devoured their parents and ancestors countless times—it was blood enemy.
"I'll kill it for sure."
With the crew's willpower enduring bodily exhaustion to buy time, Suhyun finished his preparations.
“Time to wrap this up?”
“Catch it, and every maiden in Aldamina will cheer for you—including me.”
Steering to keep the ship from capsizing amid the chaos, weary Hasina flashed a sultry, playful smile of encouragement.
“Sounds good already. Gotta catch it.”
Suhyun pulled a pillar crafted from [Spine of the Mountain-Supporting Monolith] from his inventory. Its weight sank the bow deep.
“Hey, lift the prow!”
Even with Suhyun's maxed Lightening Technique reducing mass and all ballast sand shifted aft, the pillar's heft listed the front precariously.
Throw (Lv8)
Skill for hurling objects with precision.
• Accuracy of thrown object: +40%
• Speed of thrown object: +70%
• Range of thrown object: +300%
• Kinetic energy of thrown object: +50%
• Control over thrown object: +40%
• Control trajectory with mana expenditure.
• Retrieve with mana expenditure.
• Repeat identical throw once with mana expenditure.
Spear Throw (Lv2)
Humanity began qualifying as lords of creation by hurling spears.
• Spear throw accuracy: +50%
• Spear penetration: +10%
Yue Family Spear Arts - Yue Hu's Charging Throw
Channeling mana into the pillar continuously, Suhyun made the sandworm sense its threat and thrash wildly to flee. It shook desperately to dodge the spear throw, but such movements couldn't evade even an ordinary harpooner's shot, let alone Suhyun's.
The pillar, hurled with Mount Tai-piercing might, punched through the sand and embedded in the sandworm's body.
Kieeeek!
With the sandworm's scream, the magic Suhyun had woven into the pillar activated. Like tree roots seeking water in barren soil, mana extended from the pillar and hardened into massive stone.
Even as the sandworm burst from the sands in agony from the piercing and hardening within, the pillar stood unyielding.
Confirming the pillar firmly anchored in the sandworm, Suhyun leaped atop it light as windblown sand—but the result was anything but light.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art - Qi Family Chapter - Heavenly Demon's Dominion Step
The first step, Dominion Step, seized and sensed the surroundings. Suhyun dominated the space, nullifying the sandworm's control, reading it like an open book. Every weakness and body part laid bare before his eyes.
Peering into its innards, Suhyun smirked wickedly and took the second step.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art - Qi Family Chapter - Mount Tai Heaven-Pressing Step
Mount Tai Pressing Heaven Step borrowed the mountain's weight to crush the sky. All sand within hundreds of meters lost mass and floated skyward—save the sandworm, shrieking in torment.
This heaven-defying step absorbed the mass of everything nearby into one footprint. Seeing the sandworm writhe, Suhyun tilted the pillar to hoist it skyward, impaled and dangling.
Stripped of mass by Mount Tai Pressing Heaven Step, it thrashed futilely; dust-weight couldn't dislodge the rooted pillar.
With Dominion Step usurping sand control and dissecting its anatomy, Suhyun formed a sword finger with index and middle on his right hand.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art - Qi Family Chapter - Heavenly Demon Great Sun Transfer
Heavenly Demon Qi shot from his fingertip like sunlight, severing the sandworm's nerve clusters. No mere nerves, these amplified and accelerated signals with mana for swift giant-body movement. Destroyed, its motions slowed to a crawl—preparations complete.
Confirming the sluggishness, Suhyun fetched a massive hammer and ornate priestly robes from inventory, donning them.
A sacrifice impaled on a great pillar, hoisted heavenward. A grand wind path linking empire and eastern continent. A priest to officiate. All conditions met.
“In this desert, blessed most by the sun's grace, I offer as sacrifice a beast that lurks underground, devouring man!”
With Suhyun's incantation, he struck the desert once with the hammer; sands settled flat. Twice, and they formed an altar cradling the pillar. Thrice, and brilliant sun-like flames bloomed atop it.
Fueled by yang qi in desert sands, the fire blazed eternal as a candle. The sandworm flailed wildly, but the pillar tolerated no rebellion from its offering.
“Heaven's purest fire descends to dwell in sand; I awaken sand's pure flame with human breath to wield heavenly fire beyond fate.”
Blowing into the heavenly fire, it shifted from white to gray as sky yang mingled with Suhyun's Heavenly Demon Qi—ready to forge weapons.
Suhyun raised the hammer, striking the pillar thrice. Blood poured from the sandworm's wound, soaking it.
“Receive blood from one who hid deep from the sun above, draw sun's light from below—awaken! You are guardian post, spirit pole, pillar; my will reaches heaven, shattering a thousand li.”
Guardian posts and spirit poles drew heaven's light above and earth's nourishment below; Suhyun's reversed it, drawing earth above and heaven below.
As sandworm blood met heavenly fire, Suhyun sliced his palm with a ritual dagger and gripped the juncture.
“Where heaven and earth meet stands man; I bridge them, my will supreme. Heaven and earth's power merge at my command.”
Blood mingled: upper red with Suhyun's and sandworm's, lower gray from fire.
“Imprint magic with sacrifice's soul; absorb its soul, gain its power. Grow harder devouring stone; all hardness shatters before you.”
Desert yang depleted, fire faded; the limp sandworm dropped dead to the sands.
“Reborn as mine, I alone define you.”
At Suhyun's words, its body—thicker than his—shrank to slightly taller than him: a rod.
“Before you, all else loses hardness. Your name: Solitary Rigid Heaven's Intent Rod.”