Chapter 130
The foundation of this monster's achievements. The Golden Core. Even if his body was normal and he could regenerate using the demonic art he had learned, the Golden Core that was the source of his cultivation would require a massive blood cloud filled with life force to be consumed if it were split. And my Invisible Sword pierced through Won Rip's defensive barrier, passed through his body, and then struck his Golden Core directly. “Ah…” At first. The man's face showed confusion. The very next moment. He understood what was happening. And the next instant. The man's face twisted like a demon's. And I swung the Invisible Sword once more. Crack! This time the Invisible Sword penetrated even the Golden Core and severed his Nascent Soul. And. “Ah… ahaaaaaaaak!” The man began screaming in a voice that sounded as if it had never existed before. Pshk. Pshk. No matter how high his realm climbed, even a Law Body with his Nascent Soul damaged and Golden Core shattered was only at the level of Foundation Establishment. Crack! When I struck his meridians again, law power began seeping out from his meridians. With the Golden Core shattered, the demonic art was also showing its limits. His regeneration power weakened. The man's realm fell once more. Shiiiii… Not even early Core Formation, but Foundation Establishment level. “Ah, aaaaah!” The man screamed madly. “Huu…” I took a deep breath. Adjusted my breathing. Currently my body was in a state that should have already been dead due to the influence of the False Death of Yu Gong Mountain. But, having reached the realm of Woltoapcheon, my formless sword, merged with my flesh, forcibly clung to a life that should have died. My meridians were already completely severed, and my Golden Core was shaking as if it would shatter. The moment I recalled the Invisible Sword flowing through my meridians back into my consciousness, my flesh would collapse. I looked at Won Rip. Finally, I had him. The man was now crawling on the ground like a dog, clinging to the Bongmyeongin and sobbing. “Why… why… Cheon-un is following me, why…” I approached him with an expressionless face. “This is impossible, there must be something wrong with the Bongmyeongin…!” The man staggered away from me in a panic-stricken face, trying to escape. But he suddenly realized there was nowhere to run to. His cultivation had already fallen to Foundation Establishment. His remaining law body was only at that level. If he left here and fled, his cultivation would fall even more wretchedly. Won Rip looked at me. “T-tell me the secret of the castle… just stop for a moment…!” I approached him. “Wait, don't come closer! If you don't want to tell me about the castle's secret, what about Blood Demon Jinhae Gwang? I can tell you about Blood Severing Forest Decree or Blood Ghost Temple Refinement!” Thud, thud… “T-t-then! There's still a lot of spirit stones and elixir in the underground of the castle! I'll give you all of them!” Thud… “All, tell me everything you want. I'll listen to everything. Let's join hands and enjoy a world where Heavenly Persons are superior!” Every step I took forward, the man retreated. “The Bongmyeongin! I can tell you the story hidden in the Bongmyeongin! Calm down, calm down! Tell me what you want. What you want…” And I finally approached the man. And I kicked his leg with full force. Puok! “…! Kuaaaaaak!” With my foot filled with the Invisible Sword, his both legs were cleanly severed. The man fell over and screamed. “Ah, aaaak! Are you going to torture me?” The man forced a smile and looked up at me. Crack, crrrr… That snail-like regeneration power hadn't completely disappeared yet, slowly regenerating his legs. “K, kuh… U-useless. You can see for yourself, but even if my body explodes, it won't kill me…! Didn't I say it? I survived after being hit with Seo Huel's three seconds! That much pain is nothing if you just use the sense-blocking in Blood Demon Jinhae Gwang…” Buung! I grabbed the air. A semi-transparent red flag appeared in my palm. The Five Elements Blood Curse Flag. The flag used for inserting seals or curses on the opponent, a flag of pain. Won Rip, seeing the Five Elements Blood Curse Flag, smiled wickedly. “I don't know how you learned the technique of the Blood Curse Flag, but you know, don't you? I also learned the Five Elements Blood Curse Flag. If you're thinking of using the Five Elements Blood Curse Flag to torture me or cast a seal, that's not a good idea. I am not affected by the Blood Curse Flag. Let's stop this inefficient conversation and talk about something else…” Zuuung! On the Five Elements Blood Curse Flag in my hand, the Yin Soul Ghost Curse began to take root. The tiny curse word dirtied the Five Elements Blood Curse Flag. After a while, the Five Elements Blood Curse Flag changed from a blood-red flag to a pitch-black darkness flag. Overlapping the curse of the Yin Soul Ghost Curse that governed the pain, and weaving the law technique that governed the pain of the Five Elements Blood Curse Flag, a completely new law technique was created. Possible because I had reached the extreme understanding of pain through the Yin Soul Ghost Curse. “Black Ghost Curse Flag.” I named the newly created flag. And, looking down at the panicked Won Rip, I stabbed the Black Ghost Curse Flag directly into the freshly regenerated leg of Won Rip. “…!!!” Won Rip couldn't even scream properly. His face turned deathly pale in an instant. The words about not being able to block pain seemed to mean the pain of curse-based law techniques didn't work. I summoned the Black Ghost Curse Flag again. “The Five Elements Blood Curse Flag doesn't work… but this one is pretty good, isn't it?” “…! …! …!” “It seems you're satisfied.” Puok! I stabbed the Black Ghost Curse Flag into his other leg again. The two legs of Won Rip were fixed by the Black Ghost Curse Flag. Won Rip lay there frothing blood and twitching. “Don't worry. I'll stab a few more and end it.” Twitch! Won Rip's eyes rolled back as he froth blood and looked at me. And. Bupeong! The man formed a core and exploded his own legs with the explosion power, flying far away. But he couldn't fly far. Only a few steps. It was a funny situation, but no laughter came out. “I told you not to worry too much. I'll stab a few Black Ghost Curse Flags and won't do much torture.” I walked towards the man with an expressionless face, holding a black flag in one hand. The man with both legs cut off crawled desperately away from me using both hands. His regeneration seemed even slower than before, as if his stamina was almost gone. “Just crush the rest of your Golden Core. Pull out your limbs and throw them north, south, east, and west. Then tear the remaining body apart.” Thud, thud! The man crawled away from me with all his might. “Just leave your head behind and scatter the rest of your Nascent Soul pieces. Don't worry. I'll send you without doing more torture than I said.” Thud, thud… I raised the Black Ghost Curse Flag towards the man crawling away with both hands. Puok! “…!” I stabbed the Black Ghost Curse Flag into his thigh. And I stabbed the black flags into various parts of his lower body. To prevent him from running anymore. “Where might the Golden Core fragments be…” I started searching for Won Rip's Golden Core location with the Black Ghost Curse Flag. And, the man shouted. “S-save, save me! I'll tell you about the techniques of Blood Lord! You can use me as a slave. Blood Demon Jinhae Gwang, Blood Severing Forest Decree, everything related to this castle. Everything about the Bongmyeongin. I'll tell you everything. Even if you torture or curse me, please save me…” “…” “J-just don't kill me, I'll do anything. W-what about this?” The man kneaded the half-remaining black mask on his face. And, the man's body shape changed slightly. And, when the man removed his hand from his face. The man had the face of a beautiful woman. Won Rip's voice became faint. “T-this body is mixed male and female. Either is possible. If you want, I'll serve. Do as you like. Please, please just save me.” “…” “Any kind of beauty can be realized. Do you like mature ones? Do you like younger ones? Please, please let me serve…! I w-want to live.” I approached the man with an expressionless face and grabbed his hair. “Beauty obtained by grinding people? I don't care.” “P-please… w-what about this?” Twitch. The man began to change into a familiar face. “If you haven't forgotten the woman who was with you then… even with her face, I'll serve…” I released his hair and stood up. And, before the man completely changed into her face. I kicked his upper body with full force. Puok! The man's upper body exploded. Crack, crrrr… The man squeezed his last regeneration power and slowly regenerated his upper body. I looked down at the man regenerating his face and spat. “Shut your mouth. If you open that disgusting mouth once more, I'll pull out your jaw.” “U, um…” Twitch, twitch… The man, realizing I was serious, changed his face. No eyes, no nose, no mouth, no ears. A completely faceless face. That was the true face of Won Rip. Not male, not female, not human. Just a dirty demon, the essence of the man. “Don't worry. As I said, I won't torture you. I…” I said while looking at the faceless man. “I'm about to give you a blessing right now.” Puok, puok! I fixed both arms of the man with the Black Ghost Curse Flag and continued slowly. “How great it is that you can end your life… I am about to give you such an excessive blessing.” “U, uuu…” The man seemed to have something to say, but because I had threatened to pull out his jaw if he opened his mouth, he only twitched his face. “You must have worked hard to come this far. I'll let you forget everything. I'll let you let go of everything and rest…” Puok! When I finally stabbed the last Black Ghost Curse Flag into the location of his lower abdomen fragment. Crack! A mouth appeared on the faceless face of Won Rip. Won Rip screamed as if in pain, his face with only a mouth. “T-that! What kind of blessing is that! Don't say nonsense! I, I want to live! I don't w-want to die! I don't want to die!” I silently began tearing off his limbs one by one. But even while his limbs were being torn off, the man screamed in a panicked voice. “Please, just curse me! No, curse me! S-save me! Even if you curse and rape me, please just save me! Why, why do I have to die! Me!” “Of course I want to torture you too. But…” I said while looking at the sky with an expressionless face. “Right now. How many tormented souls are there who wish for your death as soon as possible…” “How many tormented souls are there who wish for your death as soon as possible… The many people who died tragically at your hands will be desperately waiting for you in the underworld.” So, I couldn't drag this out any longer. I tore off his both arms and threw them south and north. “I don't want to die! Haaaa! If I die, there's nothing! It's just the end! Death is a blessing? Then I've blessed many people by doing all the things I've done until now! Tell me, you madman! If death is a blessing, then what is life a curse? What kind of dog shit is that! What are your standards for blessing and curse?” I tore off his legs and threw them east and west. “What is the difference between blessing and curse! If that's what you said, I only gave you blessings! Why are you punishing me as if I'm the villain who scattered curses everywhere! Don't make me laugh! You're just wanting revenge on me!” Crack, crack, crack! His body began to be torn bit by bit. “Don't say crazy things like killing me is mercy! Please, please save me! No, I'm sorry.” As his body gradually disappeared, the fear intensified. Won Rip screamed even louder. “I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I did everything wrong, please save me. D-don't do that. Stop, stop! Stop it!” And finally. Crack! The man's flesh was completely torn apart. [I will live! I will live…] The Nascent Soul hidden in his flesh, now almost shattered and about to scatter, appeared. And began to desperately flee. I reached out my hand. Chak! The Invisible Sword extending from my hand struck Won Rip's Nascent Soul. Patssusu… Won Rip's Nascent Soul scattered. I retrieved Won Rip's head. A head with a mouth that had appeared while screaming without a face. A hideous and bizarre head. I pulled the red blood cloth he was wearing over his head. Thud, thud… I slowly cleared through the remains. “S-Soo-sa…” Beyond the remains, Core Formation cultivators recovering from their injuries were seen. I showed them the blood cloth containing Won Rip's head. Relief appeared in their eyes. “Finally… that monster…” Complex expressions appeared on Cheongmun Jung-jin's face. Relief, achievement, revenge, regret… Whatever emotions I couldn't express. Among the Core Formation cultivators, none had a healthy body. All had limbs cut off or crippled. “For now… Seo-sa. We can't return to the family immediately, it seems we'll have to recover energy here for a few weeks.” Cheongmun Jung-jin said to me. Cheongmun Jung-jin, the traitors' forces. Survivors of Wall Heaven, North, and East cultivators, including Ma Rihuangcheon. They were currently suppressed by the summoned ghosts of Seo Ran. By body condition alone, his condition was the best. Of course… Thud, thud… His emotional state seemed the hardest, but Seo Ran, the remnant of the Seopmyeong Ship. Clinging tightly to the broken helm that Song Jin had held until the end, he wept silently with a hollow expression. To those who lost something precious, I didn't offer empty comfort. I just stood beside him. And for a long time, we mourned Song Jin together. Thud… thud… How much had he cried. Seo Ran staggered to his feet. “Even in this lifetime… no, even in this lifetime is funny, but… when I was alive… Master always said. One day, we must part…” “…” “I didn't know it would be today. It's too sudden.” “…” “But, if Master sees this appearance of mine… he would be angry and tell me to get up right away.” Seo Ran wiped his tears and slowly stood up. “It will be hard. From now on, I will continue to train the techniques Master taught me. And one day, I'll defeat him and ask the Dragon King. About everything…!” He was a stronger man than me. The man's eyes were full of resolve. But I could see the sadness behind the resolve. “My body condition is the best, so I'll take you with me. Senior-nim's condition right now…” “Seo Doo.” I put a hand on Seo Ran's shoulder and said. “You don't have to push yourself. Mourn Song Jin…” “…” Seo Ran, who had been silent for a moment, turned his head and covered his eyes with one hand. “I'm sorry. As I said… I think I need to stay here for a few more days.” “…” I patted Seo Ran's shoulder. After that, I looked at the Bongmyeong Castle still floating in the sky. Taat! I squeezed all my strength and kicked off to climb the Bongmyeong Castle. The Bongmyeong Castle was still floating in the air, and even very slowly. Even very slowly, it was restoring. I looked at this strange castle for a moment and searched through the remnants of the Bongmyeong Castle. After a while, I could see the corpse of Wall Moon Castle. I retrieved his remains and brought them down to the ground. I handed Wall Moon Castle's remains to Cheongmun Jung-jin. “Please, recover them properly.” “…” Cheongmun Jung-jin and the remaining Core Formation cultivators were recovering the remains of the others. I placed the glass shards into the pocket of Wall Moon Castle. And then. “Seo… sa?” One of the Six Great Clans of Seongje Kingdom. The head of the Jun Clan family cautiously approached me. “Seo-sa, you hunted the monster, didn't you?” “Yes.” “While we were investigating, we confirmed that there is an enormous amount of spirit herbs, spirit stones, law bodies, and wealth piled up in the underground of the monster's castle… so it seems that the Seo-sa, who has the greatest contribution in hunting the monster, has the right of choice…” I said with an expressionless face. “Not needed.” “Ah…!” Relief appeared on the faces of the Core Formation cultivators who had gathered around me. “Ah, then perhaps.” The Jun Clan family head asked me with a sly expression. He pointed to Won Rip's torn body pieces and asked me. “D-do you have no interest in the remaining flesh of the Nascent Soul cultivator? If we make pills with that, it will have amazing effects… and just researching the flesh of the Nascent Soul cultivator might be a great help in reaching the Nascent Soul… perhaps this too…” I nodded with an expressionless face. “I only need Won Rip's head. I don't need anything else.” “Ah, I see. The head is the Seo-sa's contribution, you can take it. Haha, then… we will accept it as meaning we can take the monster's flesh…” They asked me while looking at my eyes, and I nodded. Immediately after giving their permission, they rushed towards Won Rip's corpse like a pack of wild dogs. I threw Won Rip's corpse to the pack of dogs last. Then, walking through the desert, I began heading towards Cheon-saek Castle. *** It's hot. Hot. The remaining law power was almost gone. My Golden Core, my meridians. Any moment, if I released the Invisible Sword, my body would collapse. Thud, thud… I walked staggering through the desert. Taat! Whenever my stamina returned, I would fly hundreds of li on the power of the Invisible Sword, but when my stamina ran out, I would fall back to the ground and repeat walking through the desert. If I had asked Seo Ran, I would have reached Cheon-saek Castle quickly, but I couldn't steal the mourning time of someone who lost something precious. I held the Colorless Glass Sword at my waist and the head of Won Rip in one hand. And headed towards Cheon-saek Castle. Far. And wide. “Huk…” I staggered from the scorching heat of the desert. Puok! To prevent myself from falling, I summoned the Black Ghost Curse Flag and stabbed it into the ground. Ugly, but the power of the Yin Soul Ghost Curse was surging a lot. But because of the nature of the Yin Soul Ghost Curse, it didn't help healing, and even if I used it as inner energy, the unique moist poison remained, so it wasn't helping my body condition at all, which is why I hadn't used it until now. ‘Anyway, I don't even plan to live much longer.’ I wasn't at the level of making several more curse dolls to dump my injuries on. To be precise, death had already come, and I was forcibly holding on to the realm of Woltoapcheon. Even flying with the Core Formation cultivators' air-step technique was impossible. Air-step technique was a law technique that borrowed the power of the Golden Core, and if even a little shock was added to my Golden Core, whether I was forcibly holding on with the Invisible Sword or not, the Golden Core would shatter. ‘Well, a staff would be usable.’ Puok! I summoned the Black Ghost Curse Flag, stabbed it into the ground, and took the next difficult step while thinking. When I looked back, several black flags were planted in the desert and fluttering. Originally, curse words and blood flags. Were law techniques with the property of disappearing on their own if left alone. In the case of the Blood Curse Flag, if inserted into the upper dantian, it became a seal and remained semi-permanently. But if left outside like this, it disappeared. But this thick pain of mine, this pain overflowing so much. Kept the black flags like this for such a long time. ‘How long will it last?’ Perhaps it would disappear after I died. I looked at the black flags for a moment, then summoned the Black Ghost Curse Flag again and took the difficult step. And whenever my stamina returned a little, I repeated flying on the power of the Invisible Sword. And when my stamina ran out, I staggered, stabbed the black flags into the desert, and repeated walking. *** How far have I come? Was it now a month? I seemed half insane. More difficult than when I fought Won Rip. Scorching sunlight. Mouth drying up. Entire body complaining of pain. Hope for a fragile death by releasing the Invisible Sword. And above all, the most painful thing was. ‘Lonely.’ To be precise, me, slowly walking alone through the desert to find Cheon-saek Castle, was drowning in pain as if going insane. Puok! I stabbed the Black Ghost Curse Flag into the ground again. Recently, changes had been occurring again in the curse flags. The part with the flag had become not a flag, but a large lump hanging down like a tumor. That appearance was even more hideous than before, and even the shape gave off an aura of malice. Puok! I, as my pain worsened, continued walking forward, planting the stick with the lump attached to the desert, becoming more and more hideous and more and more bizarre. ‘Hyang-hwa… Sun-ja.’ Yes. Clearly, this life was not meaningless, there was meaning. But, meaning was there, wasn't there also pain? In this world full of pain, was living really good? ‘Pain… is painful.’ This desert frying. Was like hell. I was walking towards death, planting the milestone of pain in hell. ‘When… will I arrive?’ *** Another month had passed. Thud… Thud… Puok On the black ghost flag I summoned, or rather the stick that had been the black ghost flag, A lump the size of a head had begun to grow beyond the tumor. That lump was filled with malice, and if touched, it seemed like it would spread dark curses everywhere. Now, whether this thick lump of malice would disappear even after I died was questionable. ‘I don't know…’ Anyway, in a world full of pain. Whether a few more bizarre lumps of malice were added or not. Would it matter? Puok! I planted the stick with the lump attached and supported my body not to fall, taking a deep breath. Paang! Some stamina returned. I flew again on the Invisible Sword. When I had flown for a long time. Far away, something familiar appeared. And. Thud! I finally couldn't overcome the power and sat down where I was. ‘What meaning is there in going that far…’ Now, I just want to rest comfortably… Puok! I summoned another stick and planted it in the ground. ‘Still, just a little more… let's go…’ Clearly, in their memorial, I had sworn to offer this man's head… Puok, puok, puok… After planting the milestone of pain several times and staggering, how far had I walked? Soon Cheon-saek Castle was close. Flashing. ‘…?’ Just now, it seemed like something was standing in front of me. Was it my imagination? Huuiiii… The sandstorm blew. I saw footprints of someone disappearing in the sandstorm in front of me. ‘Footprints…?’ Someone had been standing in front of me. And then. Huuiiii! A cold wind blew. I looked far away. From the direction of Cheon-saek Castle, I saw a dark cloud covering the sky. The dark cloud spread out and soon began raining from all around. Swooooaaaah― Rain fell on the desert. I stood dazed and opened my mouth to catch the rainwater and drink it. ‘Why… is it raining?’ It wasn't a day for rain. To be precise, sudden fox rain. When I was staggering and walking. ‘Um…?’ Clearly. On the site of Cheon-saek Castle, which should have been ruins. White things began to appear. “Eh…?” I ran to check them with an expressionless face, ignoring the pain as if my whole body was tearing. “Eh, eh…” No words came out. “Eh…” Thud, thud, thudthud! I ran through the desert. And finally reaching Cheon-saek Castle, I looked around with dazed eyes. White figures were waiting for me. All the people who died in Cheon-saek Castle, massacred by Won Rip. Buk Jung-ho and Cheongmun Ryeong were looking at me with kind smiles in the rain. “…” I looked at them silently. And slowly. I placed Won Rip's head on the ground. Thud, thud… I squeezed the last bit of strength with my trembling hand and attached Yin Fire with the curse word to Won Rip's head. The pitch-black Yin Fire burned Won Rip's head sizzling even in the rain. Finally, I did it. ‘Now… can I… be at ease?’ At that time, Cheongmun Ryeong pointed to somewhere. I grabbed my collapsing body. Cheongmun Ryeong was smiling faintly. I, as if mesmerized, began walking towards the place Cheongmun Ryeong pointed to. Buk Hyang-hwa's workshop. --- REMINDER: All system notifications, comments, letters, status windows, and special in-universe content MUST use styled blocks with inline CSS from the templates. Never output them as plain
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