Chapter 86: Pursuit (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 86: Pursuit (1)
My entire body was bathed in brilliant lightning, blue sparks arcing across my skin.
This was the Adaptation of Thunder Energy.
In the case of the Thunder Sword Cheondun, it could be described as the unity of the sword and thunder energy. However, since the Thunder Wall Cheondun is based on my own body accepting that thunder energy, it is impossible to learn if the physical vessel cannot withstand it.
But thanks to something that had entered my mind, it became possible.
My gaze naturally drifted toward Cheondun, which the Sword Immortal was holding.
That voice that had echoed in my head.
No matter how much I thought about it, it couldn't have been anyone but Cheondun.
Interestingly, the Sword Immortal Master’s gaze was also fixed on Cheondun, not me.
I was about to call out to him when he spoke.
"So, you were still lingering in the past after all."
"What do you mean by that?"
At my question, the Sword Immortal Master shook his head.
"It is nothing."
I was puzzled by his words, but I didn't press further.
One thing was certain, though: the owner of that voice was undoubtedly Cheondun.
Perhaps because it was a called a Dharma Tool, it was distinctly different from ordinary swords.
-Are you ignoring me? I’m starting to feel hurt.
You know I didn't mean it like that.
It meant that, much like the Demon Swords, the power inherent in the sword itself was immeasurable.
I hadn't even made physical contact by grabbing the hilt, yet I had become able to handle thunder energy after hearing that voice.
It was as if the sword had granted me permission to use its power.
If given the chance, I wanted to know why Cheondun had remained silent until now and only just started speaking.
But now didn't seem to be the time.
The Sword Immortal Master approached me and spoke in a calm voice.
"You are finally ready to learn the Thunder Wall Cheondun."
The Master gripped the hilt of the Dharma Tool Cheondun in a reverse grip and plunged the blade into the ground.
In that instant, thunder energy rippled out in all directions along the floor, scattering blue sparks.
Crackle-fizzle!
Simultaneously, the ground scorched as a bolt of lightning surged upward from the earth.
It looked as if a dragon commanding lightning was ascending to the heavens.
"Ah...!"
The sight was truly spectacular.
"This is the first form of the Thunder Wall Cheondun. Shall we begin?"
I unconsciously swallowed hard.
I had three days left.
Could I really master this within that time?
Three days had already passed.
To master the Thunder Wall Cheondun, I had barely slept for two days.
I had only just managed to get about an hour and a half of deep sleep.
It wasn't a long time, but it was enough to circulate my energy and replenish my physical strength.
This was the top floor of the Jeongyang Hall.
Seven seats were empty, and only Great Immortal Jeongyang sat upon a stone throne.
Great Immortal Jeongyang fanned himself slowly with a large fan before speaking.
"Time truly flies. It feels like only yesterday you arrived here."
I could relate to those words.
At first, I thought this time would never pass.
But as I began receiving teachings from the various masters, three years and eight months had vanished in the blink of an eye.
Learning something new even after Breaking the Wall is a truly joyful experience.
Perhaps that was why I felt a lingering sense of regret.
If I had the leisure and wasn't in this situation, I felt like I would have wanted to study even more.
-I guess being a Taoist is your true calling. Why don't you just join the priesthood while you're at it?
Not to that extent.
For someone like me, who has strong desires for wealth and fame and many attachments to the secular world, that would be difficult.
At the very least, the Taoists of the Fuse are those who have let go of everything in the secular world.
I can't do that.
Regardless, I have to go back.
"There were moments that felt both short and long. Above all, I am sincerely grateful to the various masters and to you, Great Immortal Jeongyang."
They had opened my eyes to a new world.
During my training at the Fuse, I realized my shortcomings more than I had actually learned.
I had been overlooking those things because I was so busy dealing with countless incidents, so this became a great opportunity for me.
"You have also cultivated much discipline mentally. Hohoho."
"......I am embarrassed that you say so."
Even while saying such kind things, he sometimes seemed to see right through me with terrifying clarity.
Great Immortal Jeongyang was the leader of the eight Taoists here and the teacher of the other seven.
Perhaps that was why he was more intimidating than the others at times.
"Then, I must perform one final check before you leave the Fuse."
"I understand."
At Great Immortal Jeongyang's words, I steadied my energy.
Then, I slowly opened my Middle Dantian and circulated my Innate True Qi throughout my body.
As I gradually raised my internal power, Great Immortal Jeongyang focused on my face.
More accurately, he was looking at my eyes.
-No change yet.
The Lesser Conversation Sword spoke to me.
If it was right, it meant that even though I had opened my Middle Dantian, there was still no change in my left eye.
Normally, the moment I opened it, my left eye would glow as a Golden Eye.
But that was no longer the case.
This was because, for over three years, Great Immortal Jeongyang had straightened out the complexly tangled internal energy within my body and treated me with mysterious medicinal herbs.
It was a feat possible only for him, the most skilled in alchemy at the Fuse.
Great Immortal Jeongyang said to me, "Try raising your energy further."
Up to 6-star, it was still stable.
In that case, I felt I could increase my internal power a bit more to 7-star.
As I raised my power, Great Immortal Jeongyang watched intently.
It still seemed fine.
I immediately proceeded to 8-star internal power.
Then,
-It changed. But still...
"It would have been better if we had more time, but I suppose we must be satisfied with this."
Great Immortal Jeongyang said to me with a smile.
In truth, I was grateful for even this much.
Previously, I had to fight with one eye closed just by opening my Middle Dantian, but now there was no change up to 7-star internal power, allowing me to use my Innate True Qi with peace of mind.
I performed a fist-and-palm salute to Great Immortal Jeongyang to express my gratitude.
"Even so, all of this is thanks to you, Great Immortal."
"It would have been ideal to completely stabilize the instability, but it cannot be helped. If you change your mind even now, I can give you the Dragon-Tiger Golden Pill."
At those words, I waved my hands in refusal.
"No. How could I possibly accept such a thing?"
The Dragon-Tiger Golden Pill that Great Immortal Jeongyang mentioned.
It was said to be made from all sorts of miraculous ingredients and could infinitely extend a human's lifespan.
In other words, the Dragon-Tiger Golden Pill was an elixir of immortality.
Accepting it would be the same as choosing the path of a Taoist who must cultivate the Dao.
"Hohoho."
As expected, he had made the offer as a joke, knowing I would refuse.
That aside, the other masters had also occasionally told me to turn my back on the secular world and become their disciple, which was quite awkward every time.
"Please understand that it is not my path."
"I know. However, if you ever change your mind, let me know."
"I will."
"Then, let us head out now. Come here."
"Pardon?"
Great Immortal Jeongyang gestured for me to come closer.
Thinking he had one last thing to say, I approached him.
Then, Great Immortal Jeongyang lightly placed his hand on my shoulder.
In that instant, my surroundings blurred, and suddenly, the other masters were standing there.
It wasn't that they had appeared; the location itself had changed.
'Ah!'
It was the Ground Shrinking Method.
They said he was the most profound in the Dao among all the Taoists, and unlike the others who could only move themselves, Great Immortal Jeongyang had moved me here just by placing a hand on me.
This was the southern entrance of the Fuse.
Great Immortal Jeongyang looked at the masters and spoke.
"Master Jo didn't come."
At those words, Master Jo, who was holding the Yin-Yang Plate, replied.
"I was originally supposed to attach the final scripture, but Senior Brother Jang said he would do it."
"I thought he had grown attached because he was so focused on teaching until the very end, but that is unexpected."
"Instead, he asked me to deliver these words to Un-hwi."
"To me?"
As I looked on in confusion, Master Jo smiled and spoke.
"He said he would check if you neglected your spear training when you return. Isn't he quite the tsundere?"
A chuckle escaped me at those words.
He was the type of person who acted gruff but secretly looked out for others.
Unlike people in the secular world, most of the eight masters here were pure-hearted.
That was why many of them were honest in expressing their emotions.
I could tell just by looking at Master Ha, the woman holding the lotus, who was trying so hard not to meet my eyes.
-I think that woman Taoist just genuinely dislikes you.
If she disliked me, she wouldn't have taught me in the first place.
She was just prideful.
Couldn't he tell just by the way she was glancing at me?
She was just pretending not to care because of the things she had said before.
The Sword Immortal Master approached me and spoke.
"The time has come."
"I feel a bit sad to leave."
"This old man feels the same. However, if you bring that child to the Fuse, we shall meet again, so it is not an eternal parting, is it?"
"That is true."
"When you go to the secular world, do not forget the request this old man made."
"I am keeping it in mind."
The request the Sword Immortal Master made to me as I finished my training was regarding the Great Dao Heavenly Thunder Sword Method.
He urged me to refrain from using the Great Dao Heavenly Thunder Sword Method unless it was an unavoidable situation where my life was threatened.
In particular, he told me never to use the sword technique against ordinary people.
I agreed with him.
Most of what I learned here at the Fuse was like that, but the Great Dao Heavenly Thunder Sword Method was on a different level.
It was certainly a power that could not be used recklessly.
"That is enough then."
"Then I shall immediately go and capture Jagyeongjeong, who betrayed your wishes, Master."
"Wait a moment."
I was about to depart after giving a fist-and-palm salute to everyone when Master Han, who held the flute, called out to me.
"Yes?"
"I have something to give you before you go, Un-hwi."
"Pardon?"
Master Han pulled out a blue silk pouch from his robes.
I wondered what it was as he handed it to me.
As I took the pouch, I felt a slight tingle.
"I have imprinted you as the owner using a spell. It is a precious item, so I took measures to ensure you wouldn't lose it."
'Imprinted me as the owner?'
"What is this?"
"It is a pouch that can store anything."
I raised an eyebrow and asked back.
"......This thing?"
How could he say such a thing about a pouch barely the size of a palm?
Just then, Master Han reached his hand into the pouch.
To my surprise, his hand went in all the way to his elbow.
My eyes widened.
"Hahahaha! Didn't I tell you? It is a pouch that can store anything."
Shloop!
When Master Han pulled his hand out of the pouch, a flute identical to the one hanging at his waist appeared.
"It is a gift. It is not a Dharma Tool, but it is made of immortal jade, so it is hard enough that even most precious swords cannot cut it."
"Ah!"
"Besides this, the other masters here have each put a gift inside, so I hope you find them useful."
"How could I possibly...?"
"It pains us more that we can only do this much for you, who will be suffering as our representative."
Moved by his words, I looked at the masters.
The seven Taoists looked at me and gave warm smiles.
-To be precise, it's six.
Just as the Lesser Conversation Sword said, the moment our eyes met, Master Ha, who was holding the lotus, snorted and turned her head away primly.
Her acting like that only made me more curious about what she had put inside.
"Once you put your hand inside, you will naturally know how to take things out. Ah! And you can also put that wooden case on your back inside here."
"The size doesn't seem right..."
"Give it a try."
Will this really work?
I took off the wooden case, opened the pouch wide, and brought it close.
In that instant, amazingly, the wooden case began to bend from the part touching the pouch, and then it disappeared as if being sucked inside.
-Whoa. That's totally amazing!
That wasn't the only surprising thing.
Even though the wooden case was inside, the weight of the pouch remained light.
-Seriously?
It was truly mysterious.
I had received techniques from the Taoists, but I hadn't learned such mystical spells.
They said it was because such things couldn't be learned without cultivating the Dao.
Looking at this, they truly were incredible people.
'This is useful.'
With this, I wouldn't have to entrust my swords to someone else in a wooden case.
I could just hide them in here whenever necessary.
"It's about the size of that small warehouse over there, so use it appropriately."
"Thank you. I will use it well."
If I kept various clothes in the pouch, it would also be great for using the Body Transformation Art.
I felt like I had received a truly useful gift.
-Why does it feel like you're only thinking of ways to scam people?
Scamming? It's a strategy to deceive the enemy.
Regardless, the useful gift put me in a good mood.
"Now, go. Become the representative of our Fuse, capture Senior Yeo's foolish disciple, and return with the Dharma Tools."
"I understand. I shall be on my way then."
Swish!
I gave one last fist-and-palm salute to the masters, levitated the Namcheon Iron Sword using Prison Torture, and stepped onto the blade.
When Great Immortal Jeongyang looked somewhere and nodded, the ground began to shake, and soon, mist began to swirl in the forest at the southern entrance of the Fuse.
Swirl, swirl!
The mist rapidly covered the entire southern forest.
This phenomenon must have been caused by Master Jang attaching the final scripture paper to the hollow at the center of the Fuse.
The Fuse was back in its flow.
I had to leave quickly.
They said the time wouldn't be far off from when Jagyeongjeong had just left the Fuse.
I hoped there wasn't much of a difference.
Whoosh!
I soared into the air and immediately exited the misty forest.
The moment I passed through the mist, the sight of the Fuse behind me vanished instantly.
'Ah!'
However, as I left the Fuse, I bit my lip at the scenery unfolding around me.
The place that had been covered in snow, almost like a frozen wasteland, had thawed before I knew it, and a warm breeze was blowing.
New buds were sprouting on the once-bare branches.
The transition from mid-winter to spring meant there was a discrepancy of at least a month or two.
-......At that rate, he must have hidden himself well.
That would be problematic.
I wanted to catch him as quickly as possible and return.
I pulled out a small disc-like object from my robes.
This was the Needle Board, designed to track Dharma Tools, with a needle set to rotate.
Since I couldn't track Jagyeongjeong blindly, I had received this, which could detect the energy of the Dharma Tools.
-Didn't they say this can only track him if he uses a Dharma Tool?
Yeah.
The problem was that the Needle Board would only react if he used a Dharma Tool.
Therefore, I had no choice but to keep watching until it moved...
-Un-hwi!
Rattle, rattle!
Just then, the needle of the Needle Board began to move rapidly.
He was definitely using a Dharma Tool.
Moreover, judging by how violently it was moving, he wasn't very far away.
'Namcheon! Let's go northeast!'
-Understood!
The Namcheon Iron Sword flew swiftly toward the northeast.
I might be able to catch that bastard Jagyeongjeong before long.
I felt tense.
I had trained like my life depended on it at the Fuse, but the opponent had four Dharma Tools.
I had to be fully prepared to suppress him.
Tremble, tremble!
The needle of the Needle Board was shaking incredibly fast.
It seemed I would arrive soon.
I raised my head and looked straight ahead.
In that instant, I couldn't help but fall silent at the sight unfolding before my eyes.
-What is that? Is that an army?
About two li away, an army that looked to be tens of thousands strong was marching slowly in a procession toward this location.
To call it a mere coincidence...
Tremble, tremble!
The needle of the Needle Board was pointing exactly toward that army.
'What on earth is this?'
The problem was that it wasn't just any army.
The character written on the golden flag raised high on a pole at the front was none other than 'Emperor' (皇).
'......It's the Emperor's army.'