Letting Them Have It (6)
Kuguguguung!
A colossal sword glow blazed as it struck straight at Jeongryongdo.
On the opposite side, a golden blade light sliced through it like butter.
It was my strike, and Kim Young-hoon's.
'It took so long.'
Why did it take us so long to hit Jeongryongdo?
There was a reason for every second.
First, betrayal.__BACKTALK__
Jin Ma-yeol's true nature was known to both me and Kim Young-hoon, and we knew he'd stab us in the back the moment he got the chance. So we had to find a way to restrain him.__BACKTALK__
To stop Jin Ma-yeol from betraying us, I had to recover the Hyeonggo Paper that controlled the contract between Yuk Rin and us, and slowly raise it toward Bongrae-do.__BACKTALK__
It was an incredibly difficult task because we had to lift the material through the All-Heaven Sword with the soul's rank, and it ate up quite a bit of time.__BACKTALK__
Second, even if we saved Baek Rin, how were we going to bring him all the way to Bongrae-do?__BACKTALK__
Even if we saved Baek Rin, if Yuk Rin came after him again, there was no way out. So we had to bring him back to Bongrae-do as quickly as possible before Yuk Rin could do anything.__BACKTALK__
Thanks to our experience in the Goryeok Realm, Jin Ma-yeol and Buk Hyang-hwa helped us come up with a plan.__BACKTALK__
“Let's use the Intermediate Zone as a midpoint and leap across the sea areas.”__BACKTALK__
No matter how deep we could dive, the Yeonggolho couldn't reach the depth of Bongrae-do to dive all the way down.__BACKTALK__
So her advice was to dive until the Yeonggolho could dive, then create an Intermediate Zone to leap across the sea areas and bring Baek Rin over.__BACKTALK__
Thanks to her advice and Jin Ma-yeol's cooperation, it took even more time to modify the Yeonggolho to use as an Intermediate Zone.__BACKTALK__
During that process, there was some friction with the Tuma Pirates, and Jin Ma-yeol sometimes felt displeased, so the modification time stretched out, and because of all those reasons, it was only after eighty-odd years that we finally came to save Baek Rin.__BACKTALK__
“Looks like it's going well. The plan had better have no mistakes. Yuk Rin has already obtained enough Salt Crystals to reach the level of Yeomhae Gurook and turned it over, and nearly a hundred years have passed since then, so his power is probably beyond imagination.”__BACKTALK__
Uung!__BACKTALK__
A projection of Jin Ma-yeol appeared beside me, arms crossed, and spoke.__BACKTALK__
I glared at him.__BACKTALK__
“If your pirate bastards had cooperated from the beginning, it would have come up much faster.”__BACKTALK__
“It's strange that someone would spend so much time just to save one subordinate. Besides, you modified my ship like that, so of course I'd feel resistance, right?”__BACKTALK__
“You ended up accepting it because you benefited from it too. Thanks to Buk Hyang-hwa's modification, your ships have nearly ten times the performance of before.”__BACKTALK__
“Even so, they're just subpar versions of the Buk Hyang-ham's ships.”__BACKTALK__
“Enough small talk. It's time to start. You should move properly.”__BACKTALK__
“Who said that?”__BACKTALK__
Jin Ma-yeol shot back curtly before dissolving his projection.__BACKTALK__
Kugugugugu!__BACKTALK__
At the center of Jeongryong Palace.__BACKTALK__
There, Yuk Rin, now completely familiar with the body of a whale, revealed his true form.__BACKTALK__
Around him, several Four-Pillar stage subordinates revealed their bodies.__BACKTALK__
Ziiing-__BACKTALK__
As soon as he showed himself, the entire sea of the Goryeok Realm began to hum.__BACKTALK__
It seemed the Yeomhae Gurook indeed had good compatibility with the Goryeok Realm's sea.__BACKTALK__
Zziirrrt-__BACKTALK__
'He's gone mad…'__BACKTALK__
From the opposite side, Kim Young-hoon sent a message that it was worrying, but I knew.__BACKTALK__
'The sea area of the Goryeok Realm is basically the same as his territory.'__BACKTALK__
The Heavenly Tribe spreads a harmony domain, and the Earth Tribe integrates it into their body.__BACKTALK__
So what about those who do both?__BACKTALK__
It was simple.__BACKTALK__
They could do both 'integrating' and 'assimilating' at the same time.__BACKTALK__
[Did you forget what you couldn't defeat me with your pathetic clone last time? Coming to find me after a hundred years when my divine skill has grown even greater… Is it asking me to erase even that pathetic clone?]__BACKTALK__
Uuuung!__BACKTALK__
Yuk Rin's body gradually began to shape itself into a blue sea.__BACKTALK__
His mane was like raging waves.__BACKTALK__
His scales were like waves.__BACKTALK__
Ziiing-__BACKTALK__
On top of that, the entire Wijeong Sea Area began to resonate around Yuk Rin.__BACKTALK__
I broke out in a cold sweat.__BACKTALK__
Right now, basically, that guy could take the entire Wijeong Sea Area into his territory as well as his assimilated domain.__BACKTALK__
Therefore, that meant he was a Four-Pillar stage Integration/Unification member in reality.__BACKTALK__
'Almost on par with my real body…!'__BACKTALK__
He didn't even have the Triple Taiji; he had to pull out the full Heavenly-Earth-Mind Mystery.__BACKTALK__
But I smiled faintly.__BACKTALK__
“That really is scary.”__BACKTALK__
Buung!__BACKTALK__
Ignoring whatever he was muttering, I struck him once more with a single step before the throne.__BACKTALK__
Kwadeuddeuk!__BACKTALK__
It looked like transparent scars had been carved into Yuk Rin's body, but they were restored in an instant.__BACKTALK__
With moon-like eyes gleaming, he laughed in a booming voice.__BACKTALK__
[You're foolish. You kept holding on even after I gave the imperial prince a chance to escape? It's true that catching you is difficult, but since the entire sea area is basically my territory, you've been inside my belly the moment you stepped onto the Wijeong Sea Area.]__BACKTALK__
“Indeed, it seems you've become quite skilled with the Yeomhae Gurook. So you're a bit scary with just the clone. But didn't you make a mistake?”__BACKTALK__
I said with a sly smile.__BACKTALK__
“If you've reached the Integration level, you don't fight a battle you know you can't win.”__BACKTALK__
[Ahahaha, you have something hidden…]__BACKTALK__
“Enough with the yapping. Let's get to it.”__BACKTALK__
I set my posture and struck him once more with the All-Heaven Sword.__BACKTALK__
He received the blow again but chuckled.__BACKTALK__
Now these wounds were nothing more than those of a Core Formation cultivator who had lost his head, and he looked far healthier than before.__BACKTALK__
[Is this the ultimate power of the Wugeuk Sect's master, the sect leader's power? Nothing has changed in a hundred years. Ahahahaha!]__BACKTALK__
“Ah… that's right.”__BACKTALK__
I smiled faintly and moved around Yuk Rin's surroundings, drawing his gaze with my movements.__BACKTALK__
It was fun.__BACKTALK__
Until eighty-odd years ago, it was me and Kim Young-hoon who faced Yuk Rin head-on, with Young-hoon using his speed to draw him out.__BACKTALK__
But now, it was me who drew him out and focused on dispersing his attention.__BACKTALK__
The reason was simple.__BACKTALK__
Kugugugugu!__BACKTALK__
From behind, Kim Young-hoon, who had been concentrating, lit up his eyes.__BACKTALK__
Thanks to Jang Ik's enlightenment and empathy, Kim Young-hoon had been given the chance to empathize with Jang Ik for eighty-odd years in a cramped land.__BACKTALK__
Sticking Jang Ik's saber into Kim Young-hoon for eighty years.__BACKTALK__
Can you imagine?__BACKTALK__
Drdrdrdrd!__BACKTALK__
[W-what?]_BACKTALK__
The sea area shook.__BACKTALK__
The All-Heaven Sword's enlightenment acquired while empathizing with me, and the enlightenment of heavenly guidance and human luck that I shared with the Heavenly Person and Four-Pillar stage disciples, and something a man had incorporated into his weapon after all that.__BACKTALK__
The light across the entire Wijeong Sea Area seemed to be drawn into a small island in an instant.__BACKTALK__
It wasn't a mistake.__BACKTALK__
In fact, during that short moment, the天地 energy of the entire Wijeong Sea Area had been sucked into that tiny island.__BACKTALK__
The sword named Ling Guang.__BACKTALK__
That sword had become one with a single man's hand and body.__BACKTALK__
He was soon Ling Guang, and Ling Guang was soon him.__BACKTALK__
In an instant, I saw a vision of a golden phoenix roaring from behind Yuk Rin's back.__BACKTALK__
[Y-you…]__BACKTALK__
Around Yuk Rin, white grains of spiritual energy like salt crystals bloomed.__BACKTALK__
It looked like he had instantly changed from a blue dragon to a pure white white dragon.__BACKTALK__
The white dragon Yuk Rin glared at Kim Young-hoon and opened his mouth.__BACKTALK__
From his mouth erupted a dragon's breath that could engulf an entire sea area, compressed and launched out.__BACKTALK__
It was clearly stronger than a hundred years ago!__BACKTALK__
This was the power of the dragon.__BACKTALK__
But do you know what?__BACKTALK__
There is a bird called the Golden-Winged Phoenix.__BACKTALK__
With one wing flap, it creates thunder and severs the world's cycle,__BACKTALK__
and is said to devour dragons.__BACKTALK__
Ling Guang Ka-byeok-hyeong.__BACKTALK__
First Form.__BACKTALK__
The martial art Kim Young-hoon created after seeing Jang Ik's enlightenment.__BACKTALK__
Ling Guang Ka-byeok-to.__BACKTALK__
Its first form.__BACKTALK__
“Golden Wings, Extinguishing Light.”__BACKTALK__
The sword that concentrated the light between heaven and earth was swung.__BACKTALK__
The next instant.__BACKTALK__
All light between heaven and earth was cut off.__BACKTALK__
That was the only way to describe it.__BACKTALK__
As if the Wansuigungmurok was cast over the entire world, nothing could be perceived for an instant.__BACKTALK__
And in that fleeting moment, when the 'world of not perceiving' finally disappeared and perception returned,__BACKTALK__
I could feel the illusion that a golden light had descended upon the entire world.__BACKTALK__
It was like a vision of golden wings briefly hiding the light and then shining softly once more.__BACKTALK__
'Yuk Rin is…'__BACKTALK__
I looked at the place where Yuk Rin had been.__BACKTALK__
Yuk Rin was not there.__BACKTALK__
I looked at the opposite horizontal line where Kim Young-hoon, who had swung the sword, was standing.__BACKTALK__
'There he is.'__BACKTALK__
After receiving Kim Young-hoon's strike, Yuk Rin had bounced all the way to the edge of the sea area's horizontal line.__BACKTALK__
It was unbelievable that he had bounced so pathetically from a place that was basically inside his own territory, so immense humiliation and disgrace emanated from Yuk Rin in the distance.__BACKTALK__
'It's humiliation, but it was a pretty meaningful blow.'__BACKTALK__
In terms of the Core Formation, it wasn't just that his body was cut; a significant amount of power had been depleted in his golden core.__BACKTALK__
“Now do you understand, Yuk Rin?”__BACKTALK__
I said with a sly smile.__BACKTALK__
“Our full power is already equal to yours.”__BACKTALK__
As if hearing my words, his eyes rolled back and became pure white heat.__BACKTALK__
The consumption of qi was a bit, but his endurance would run out.__BACKTALK__
The power of the Heart Tribe clone was the same as the real body.__BACKTALK__
Originally, I had thought Yuk Rin's power with the Yeomhae Gurook was unexpectedly strong, so I had planned to fight Kim Young-hoon in tandem.__BACKTALK__
But after seeing that last blow, my thinking changed.__BACKTALK__
Tadak!__BACKTALK__
Kim Young-hoon passed me by and exchanged glances with me.__BACKTALK__
Now Yuk Rin would face Kim Young-hoon alone.__BACKTALK__
I stared at the servants of Jeongryong Palace looking in the direction where the imperial prince had bounced, my face blank, and thrust the All-Heaven Sword at them.__BACKTALK__
“From now on, I'll count to ten. If you surrender, you won't have to suffer.”__BACKTALK__
At my words, several Four-Pillar stage disciples of Jeongryong Palace flinched and spat killing intent.__BACKTALK__
Probably, they had no intention of surrendering.__BACKTALK__
Maybe because my clone was only as good as an early Integration level compared to Kim Young-hoon, they were rebelling like that.__BACKTALK__
“One, two, ten.”__BACKTALK__
I counted to ten using the counting method I learned from Geumsin Cheonroe-mun, then swung the All-Heaven Sword straight away.__BACKTALK__
'Wait for us, Baek Rin.'__BACKTALK__
We're here to save you.__BACKTALK__
Slow, slow…__BACKTALK__
Yuk Yo, holding Baek Rin's skull, had successfully reached the depths of Jeongryong Palace.__BACKTALK__
Already, sparkling jewelry adorned every part of her body.__BACKTALK__
“…What is this? If it were Father's personality, he would have sent a proxy to warn me by now.”__BACKTALK__
However, even though we had reached the area she was worried about, there was no sign that Yuk Rin was stopping her.__BACKTALK__
A sly smile appeared on Yuk Yo's face.__BACKTALK__
“You must be fighting well outside. Father not even noticing that I've entered this far….”__BACKTALK__
Uuuung-__BACKTALK__
Baek Rin's skull rattled.__BACKTALK__
“But wouldn't there be something to protect, like a gold talisman? Don't worry. With Father's personality, he would protect it himself rather than entrust it to others.”__BACKTALK__
Kiiiik-__BACKTALK__
Yuk Yo, with a confident face, swung open a door to the inner chamber of Jeongryong Palace.__BACKTALK__
In her eyes came a large altar and spiritual plaques with several basic gold talismans hanging above it.__BACKTALK__
“Father is confident in his ability, but doesn't trust others, so he protects almost all treasures with his own hands and rarely accepts help from subordinates. You can tell that he left even the gold talisman that can be broken by just a Core Formation cultivator.”__BACKTALK__
Uung- uuung-__BACKTALK__
“What is that?”__BACKTALK__
Yuk Yo smiled faintly as she approached the plaque.__BACKTALK__
“It's Father's ancestral tablet. My great-great-grandfather inscribed his 'name' on this Hyeonggo Tablet. It's an artifact made to achieve Star Shattering stage advancement, but unfortunately, he passed away from some plague before he could achieve Star Shattering stage advancement.”__BACKTALK__
On the plaque was engraved the word 'Yuk Woong' in the language of the Sea Dragon Tribe.__BACKTALK__
“This is a name plaque that proves the existence of my great-great-grandfather, and at the same time… it is a symbol that proves that my great-great-grandfather has received recognition as the owner by the Sea Dragon King.__BACKTALK__
This name plaque is, at the same time as the identification, a contract that proves that my great-great-grandfather was recognized by the Goryeok Realm as the Sea Dragon King! And Father is changing the name on this plaque to hand over the kingship of the Sea Dragon King to himself, intending to become the true Sea Dragon King.”__BACKTALK__
A thrill of joy flashed in Yuk Yo's eyes.__BACKTALK__
“With this… I can finally break free from Father's hand!”__BACKTALK__
Uung- uuung-__BACKTALK__
She slowly approached the Hyeonggo Tablet.__BACKTALK__
Baek Rin's skull rattled wildly, but somehow, the more she approached the Hyeonggo Tablet, the more her eyes became hazy.__BACKTALK__
It was as if she was being enchanted.__BACKTALK__
And the next instant.__BACKTALK__
Uuuuuung!__BACKTALK__
By Baek Rin, who was shaking as hard as possible to transmit his voice, Yuk Yo snapped out of her daze and hurriedly lowered her head.__BACKTALK__
Kwa-aang!__BACKTALK__
Sweating profusely, she looked back at where the thing that had brushed past her head had struck.__BACKTALK__
Long nail scratches had appeared on the inner chamber wall.__BACKTALK__
From those nail scratches, thick black mist was spewing out.__BACKTALK__
Slow, slow…__BACKTALK__
Someone walked out from the shadows of the inner chamber.__BACKTALK__
It was Yoon, with half of his eyes rolled back, releasing a thick black mist like smoke.__BACKTALK__
[I… cannot… touch… the master's… thing…]__BACKTALK__
Yuk Yo gulped in surprise.__BACKTALK__
“Ah, Father used someone else to protect the Hyeonggo Tablet that he values as much as his own life?”__BACKTALK__
Yoon shouted as if he was not in his right mind.__BACKTALK__
At that ghostly roar that sounded like a ghost's cry, Yuk Yo vomited blood from her mouth and began activating the jewelry she had stolen during the journey to the inner chamber.