Chapter 104: The Title of Number One Under Heaven (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 104: The Title of Number One Under Heaven (3)
How could I ever forget this sight?
It was undoubtedly the moment I had beheaded Jakyeongjeong, the apostate disciple who had betrayed my master, the Sword Immortal, at the Fuse.
I remembered it vividly, as those were the last words I had spoken to the wretch.
I never imagined that this would be Jakyeongjeong’s Spirit Fragment.
Not only had I taken his head, but I had also burned his body to ash just to ensure there would be no lingering threats.
Not a trace should have remained, so how did he return as a Spirit Fragment?
‘Ah!’
The memory held by the Spirit Fragment, which I had been questioning, scattered like mist. The scene shifted, and something else surfaced.
A face appeared.
It was a middle-aged man with long eyebrows and a plain, unassuming impression.
My perspective was rooted in the memories stored within the Spirit Fragment; currently, I seemed to be lying on something resembling a bed.
‘Is this a cave?’
Looking around the middle-aged man, I could see the hollows of a cavern. The cave, flickering with torchlight, felt desolate.
The middle-aged man spoke to me with a brightened expression.
[Do you recognize me?]
The Spirit Fragment within the memory replied to his question.
[...Who are you?]
At those words, the middle-aged man’s expression hardened. He looked up, staring toward a corner of the cave, and spoke in a voice laced with fury.
[What is the meaning of this? He does not recognize me.]
Then, a voice drifted from that direction.
[I believe I warned you. There is a difference between moving a soul from a physical body and containing it within something like a spiritual medium.]
It was the voice of a young woman.
The accent and tone felt familiar, as if I had heard them somewhere before.
The middle-aged man rebuked the woman irritably.
[Do not mock the arts of the Tao.]
‘Taoist arts?’
Then was this middle-aged man a Taoist?
It was possible. He appeared in the memories of Jakyeongjeong’s Spirit Fragment. Since there were Taoists who followed Jakyeongjeong, it was a distinct possibility.
The woman’s voice spoke again.
[Whether it be Taoist arts or anything else, this body has personally proven that once the physical form is lost, the soul becomes unstable.]
[Was there nothing wrong with you?]
[Wrong? If something were wrong, I wouldn’t even remember you, Noejang.]
‘!!!’
If I hadn’t misheard, the woman had called this middle-aged man Noejang.
Noejang was one of the three loyal subjects who had served the Golden Emperor since three hundred years ago.
I had heard he possessed the greatest martial prowess among them, but I had never encountered him—neither three hundred years ago nor now.
It was still difficult to grasp the full situation.
Then, the man called Noejang spoke to the woman in an irritated voice.
[Restore his memory by any means necessary. He must be saved.]
[If he was that important, you should have stopped his body from being burned to ash in the first place.]
At her words, Noejang muttered in a bitter tone.
[Had I done that, I would have died as well.]
[You? You would have died?]
The woman asked back, sounding incredulous.
Noejang changed the subject.
[That is none of your concern. Regardless, whether burned or not, a dead body is bound to decay after so much time has passed.]
[Then the soul is destined to be even more unstable.]
Listening to their conversation, I could deduce one more thing.
Given that the man called Noejang mentioned the body being burned, he was undoubtedly referring to the time I had incinerated Jakyeongjeong.
‘...Did he infiltrate the Fuse?’
There was no other way he could have seized Jakyeongjeong’s soul and spirit.
As expected, this man Noejang seemed to be a Taoist connected to the Fuse, just like Jakyeongjeong. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to enter and exit the Fuse so freely.
‘He’s no ordinary man.’
Though I hadn't learned the Tao from my masters, anyone capable of performing Taoist arts to the extent of sealing a soul into a medium was someone who had attained a high level of enlightenment.
The man called Noejang said to the woman:
[I don’t care how long it takes. You must restore his memory.]
[I told you, there’s nothing to be done about memories that have already been lost.]
[Are you giving up without even trying?]
[The concept of giving up is...]
Before she could finish, Noejang reached out toward the source of the voice.
A sound of intense pain erupted from that spot.
[Aaaagh...]
It seemed he was applying pressure with his True Qi.
[You seem to have forgotten already. The fact that I am helping you so that that man cannot find you.]
At his words, the woman’s voice gasped out.
[...Cough, cough... You call yourself... a loyal subject... but it seems... you are not. Seeing how... you speak so freely... now that he is gone...]
[It is not for a wench like you to interfere, Cheol Su-ryeon.]
‘Cheol Su-ryeon?’
Then the owner of this voice was Wicked Heart Granny Cheol Su-ryeon?
A shocking fact was revealed.
The accent and tone had been familiar, but because the voice itself was so different, I hadn't recognized it immediately. Now that I knew it was Cheol Su-ryeon, there was no mistaking it.
[I... wondered... why you were... helping so... willingly.]
[Did you think I would show kindness without utility? Fulfill our pact. If you don’t, you will die before you can achieve what you desire.]
[Ggggh.]
Once he finished speaking, Noejang withdrew his True Qi and turned back toward where the Spirit Fragment lay.
He spoke to the fragment.
[Whether you have your memories or not, from this moment on, you are Jakyeongjeong.]
[Jakyeongjeong?]
Shhh!
With those words, the Spirit Fragment’s memory scattered like mist and began to transition again.
Because a Spirit Fragment only retains memories tied to strong Mental Focus, not every detail remains.
However, one thing was now certain.
The fake Lee Jeong-gyeom I had killed was a being resurrected using Jakyeongjeong’s soul and spirit. It was essentially the same as how Cheol Su-ryeon had switched bodies.
However, based on what I had seen so far, although he was resurrected, he had been in a state of total memory loss.
‘Come to think of it...’
The fake Lee Jeong-gyeom I had unleashed my rage upon had spoken as if he had heard everything—from the events at the Fuse onward—from someone else, rather than having experienced them himself.
That meant his memories were still not fully intact even then.
Could such a person truly be called Jakyeongjeong?
Shhh!
The memory shifted again.
It was another dark cave, and through the flickering torchlight, I saw Noejang sitting in meditation.
He spoke to the Spirit Fragment.
[Concentrate. What you have achieved now is everything your former self had already mastered.]
[I understand.]
[Normally, it would be best to practice the Tao again for the sake of enlightenment and understanding, but since that is of little use, I shall pass down the Demon Path to you.]
The Demon Path?
Was he referring to that sinister transformation that had caused the fake's energy to explode?
Noejang continued.
[The Tao is infinitely close to the Immortals. Just as there is Yang, there is Yin; the opposite must exist. That is the Demon Path.]
[What is the Demon Path close to?]
[A good question. The Demon Path is close to pure Evil. It can become Wickedness and even embrace the Bizarre.]
[Is it stronger than the Tao?]
[The Demon Path can perform everything the Tao has achieved.]
At Noejang’s words, the Spirit Fragment asked another question, sounding curious.
[Then can it also restore my forgotten memories?]
[I will recover those for you by any means. You, Gyeongjeong, must focus on recovering your original strength.]
The Spirit Fragment also seemed to want his memories back. It was only natural to feel frustrated when one couldn't remember anything.
[If I recover my strength, can I kill the successor of the Sword Immortal who killed my former self?]
[........]
Noejang fell silent at the question.
Then, he spoke to the Spirit Fragment with a voice full of grim determination.
[I will ensure you can kill him with your own hands. But the important thing is not revenge.]
[Not revenge?]
[We must achieve what you and I set out to do. To do that, the thing in your memories...]
What was it?
Noejang’s voice cut out.
The memory suddenly became jumbled, the voice vanished, and it skipped immediately to another memory.
‘Why?’
I couldn't understand it at all.
If it was significant enough to remain in memory, it had to be something important; it couldn't just end there.
While I was wondering, another memory began.
The subsequent memories were of the Spirit Fragment receiving instruction from Noejang.
As those memories followed one after another, everything the Spirit Fragment—no, the reborn Jakyeongjeong—had acquired began to be internalized as if I had learned it myself.
‘The True Scripture of Qi Mastery... the Demon Path...’
It wasn't just martial arts.
Knowledge related to the Demon Path was accumulated within his memories.
As Noejang had said, the Demon Path was very similar to the Tao, and one could perform the techniques of Taoists who had achieved high levels of enlightenment.
The prime example was the Ground Shrinking Technique.
However, like the true Tao, the Ground Shrinking Technique seemed to require a very long period of Demon Path cultivation to be used properly.
The Spirit Fragment within Lee Jeong-gyeom had not yet reached a proficient level.
But as I recalled the memories of practicing the Ground Shrinking Technique, a doubt began to form in my mind.
‘...Could that man be Noejang?’
Recalling these memories, I thought of the man who had beheaded Jakyeongjeong.
That man could use the Ground Shrinking Technique.
According to the memories, the only ones who had properly honed the Demon Path were the reborn Jakyeongjeong and Noejang.
Therefore, there was a high probability that the man was Noejang.
‘Hmm.’
It was strange.
If he had gone so far as to resurrect Jakyeongjeong with his soul and spirit, he must have had an attachment to him.
And yet, he had beheaded him rather than rescuing him, fearing he might divulge a secret.
Not only that, but he had also tried to dispose of Lee Jeong-gyeom, who held the man's Spirit Fragment.
Just what kind of secret did he possess?
Then, after a long stretch of training memories, the scene shifted to a different memory.
Shhh!
But this was different from before.
I felt an overwhelming sense of dread and terror coming from Jakyeongjeong’s Spirit Fragment.
‘Where on earth is this?’
Was this really a memory?
It was a place boiling with heat, the air shimmering with haze in every direction.
It looked like a valley, but instead of water, something hot, glowing orange and black, was flowing through it.
Jakyeongjeong’s Spirit Fragment wailed in agony.
The reason was that the Spirit Fragment was submerged in that glowing, hot substance.
[Aaaaagh!]
Jakyeongjeong’s Spirit Fragment struggled through it and forced himself out.
His body had melted away, leaving only his upper torso as he crawled out, unable to withstand the searing pain.
[Aaaagh! Why, why was I put in there? Noejang... Noejang! Where are you? What just happened?]
The Spirit Fragment desperately searched for Noejang.
Then, he spotted him kneeling somewhere.
[Noejang?]
The Spirit Fragment crawled toward him.
Because his body was burning even as it recovered, the pain continued unabated.
Ssssss!
[Ggggh!]
Even I found this memory horrific.
Noejang’s voice drifted faintly into the ears of the crawling Spirit Fragment.
[Aaaah! ...I have waited fervently for this day. Gyeongjeong has finally... remembered the oral formula for the Spirit Treasure Brush Method... the Dharma Tool that has been binding you, Lord, for hundreds of years.]
It was hard to understand exactly what he was saying.
Since I was seeing this through Jakyeongjeong’s memories, if he couldn't understand it, neither could I.
Then, a bone-chilling voice reached the Spirit Fragment’s ears.
[....................]
He was clearly saying something, but it was unintelligible.
What was certain was that Jakyeongjeong, upon hearing this voice, writhed in agony. It seemed painful just to hear it.
Jakyeongjeong, nearly screaming, looked up at the source of the voice.
There, a humanoid being—whose entire body was not only charred black from burns but was little more than a skeleton—was being held captive by chains engraved with golden characters.
‘!?’
The moment he saw that being, Jakyeongjeong fell into a state of profound shock.
[A... aaaah...]
The being turned its gaze toward Jakyeongjeong.
There were no whites in its eyes; they were entirely black.
Those eyes looked less like a human's and more like a serpent's.
Overwhelmed by terror, Jakyeongjeong must have collapsed on the spot, as the memory cut off there.
‘What was that?’
I was left in a state of confusion after seeing this memory.
I couldn't tell what that being in the Spirit Fragment's memory was.
The moment I saw it, I felt a chill run down my spine, as if I were looking at something that wasn't human.
Just what was the identity of that being?
Shhh!
While I was questioning this, another memory followed.
The location had changed.
It was another cave, and Noejang was pointing to a sword with complex patterns engraved on it, resting atop a rock.
[This is the Calamity Slaughter Sword.]
Ah... so that was the Calamity Slaughter Sword?
At Noejang’s words, Jakyeongjeong’s Spirit Fragment spoke.
[The Calamity Slaughter Sword? Have you finally found one of Gu Yaja’s five Demon Swords?]
[Yes.]
[He will be pleased.]
[No. I will not hand this sword over to him.]
[You won't?]
[No. We must hold at least one so that we can seize ‘it’ for ourselves at the decisive moment.]
At those words, the Spirit Fragment agreed.
[Ho. I see. Then we just have to wait for the moment he finds all the other swords.]
[Yes. But before that, I must take precautions.]
[Precautions?]
[I am going to place your Spirit Fragment in here.]
[My Spirit Fragment?]
As the Spirit Fragment looked on in confusion, Noejang spoke with a meaningful smile.
[If the successor of the Sword Immortal learns of his plan, he will surely try to obtain the Demon Swords first to stop him.]
[As expected, Noejang, you are like Zhang Liang himself. But I am perfectly alive, so how do you plan to extract my Spirit Fragment and move it into the sword? Besides, this sword already contains another Spirit Fragment filled with resentment.]
[She will do it for us.]
Snap!
With a flick of his fingers, someone walking with a metal staff adorned with bells entered the cave.
Upon seeing her, Jakyeongjeong muttered in a displeased voice.
[Cheol Su-ryeon.]
“Master. Why is Brother So acting like this?”
“...I do not know either.”
Former Alliance Leader Baek Hyang-muk shook his head as he answered his disciple, Lee Jeong-gyeom.
They had watched So Woon-hwi extract the wicked energy, which appeared to be a Brilliant Star, from Lee Jeong-gyeom’s body and absorb it.
But after absorbing it, he had closed his eyes and his body was trembling. He was even breaking out in a cold sweat.
“Could something have gone wrong?”
“He is the successor of the Sword Immortal, a man called a transcendent. There is no way he would be harmed by something like this.”
At his master’s words, Lee Jeong-gyeom frowned and said:
“It’s strange. Ever since the Brilliant Star that was inside me was sucked into Brother So, his energy has been growing larger and larger.”
“What?”
“...His energy is subtly changing and increasing even further.”
At Lee Jeong-gyeom’s words, Baek Hyang-muk was beyond surprised; he was at a loss for words.
How could his energy rise after absorbing a Brilliant Star?
Lee Jeong-gyeom, who was sensitive to the resonance of Qi, wouldn't say such things lightly.
‘Ha!’
He was already as strong as a monster; if his energy rose even further, what would happen?
It was at that moment.
Baek Hyang-muk looked toward the east.
Soon after, Lee Jeong-gyeom looked in the same direction.
“It seems the Martial Alliance has made its move.”
“It appears so.”
A large number of people were flocking toward this location.
“Well, it would be stranger if no one noticed after all this commotion.”
This place wasn't very far from the Martial Alliance.
If it had been a simple fight, it might have been different, but the chaos had been close to a natural disaster, leaving a massive hole in the mountain.
It was only a matter of time before they noticed.
“What should we do?”
At Lee Jeong-gyeom’s question, Baek Hyang-muk looked at So Woon-hwi, who still had his eyes closed.
The people from the Martial Alliance would arrive here shortly.
If they stayed here, they would have to explain the situation that had unfolded.
“Hmm...”
How would the martial artists of the Alliance react when they saw the state of the mountain?
It was incredibly awkward to think about what to say.
If So Woon-hwi were awake, he was clever enough to come up with a good excuse, but Baek Hyang-muk himself was not accustomed to that kind of silver-tongued talk.
“There’s no helping it.”
Still, he couldn't just leave So Woon-hwi behind and flee.
“For now, let us stand guard over him.”
“Understood.”
They had to protect him, as leaving him alone might lead to problems.
The presences drew closer.
Judging by the vast energy he felt, it seemed Ardent King Hegemon Jin-gyun was leading the way.
Their silhouettes began to come into view.
Just then, So Woon-hwi opened his eyes.
“Brother So!”
“Are you awake?”
It was a relief that he had regained consciousness at the perfect time.
So Woon-hwi spoke to them.
“There is somewhere I must go urgently.”
“What?”
Vrooooom!
No sooner had he spoken than So Woon-hwi’s figure was sucked into a suddenly warping space.
‘!?’
Seeing him vanish out of thin air, the master and disciple were left dumbfounded.
“What was that just now?”
It wasn't Lightness Skill or anything of the sort.
Setting aside what it actually was, they were momentarily flabbergasted that he had suddenly disappeared, leaving them behind.
Swish, swish, swish!
In the meantime, Deputy Alliance Leader Ardent King Hegemon Jin-gyun, along with the elders of the Martial Alliance and the masters of each hall and sub-hall, appeared where they stood.
Upon arrival, they were struck with horror at the sight of the massive hole in the mountain and the forest that had been reduced to ruins.
“How can this be...”
“How did the mountain end up like that?”
The sight was even more shocking than it had been from a distance.
Deputy Alliance Leader Jin-gyun, spotting Baek Hyang-muk, rushed over and asked:
“Why are you here? And what on earth happened?”
Jin-gyun’s gaze was fixed on the mountain with the hole in it.
At his question, Baek Hyang-muk took a deep breath and exhaled.
Since he lacked the wit to come up with an excuse on the fly like So Woon-hwi, there was only one answer he could think of.
“Ask the Lesser Sword Immortal.”
“The Lesser Sword Immortal?”
“For he is the one who made the mountain look like that.”
‘!!!’