Chapter 208: If There Is No Path, Then I Must Create One
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 208: If There Is No Path, Then I Must Create One
Creeeak… CRACK!
WHOOSH!
The inferno raged on, an unstoppable force of nature devouring everything in its path. The flames danced to an unseen rhythm, swirling and leaping at the command of the man’s guiding hand.
Through the heart of the conflagration, the man advanced, his steps measured and calm. The thick mountain fog that should have barred his way instead recoiled, dissipating before the scorching heat of his advance. The firestorm swept forward like a hurricane.
THUD!
But then, as if striking an invisible wall, Gu Cheolun came to an abrupt halt.
The First Army behind him stopped in unison.
"A barrier formation," Gu Cheolun stated, having identified it with a single glance. The flames had been summoned for this very purpose—to reveal the hidden defenses.
"We should analyze it," suggested the Vice-Captain of the First Army. As the unit's formation expert, this was his domain.
"Unnecessary," Gu Cheolun dismissed him. There was no time for such delicacies. Not here. Not now.
Hiss…
The Blazing Wheel of the Gu Flame Wheel Art expanded, enveloping Gu Cheolun in a vortex of fire. As it grew, his black hair began to glow, shifting to a deep, fiery crimson.
SWOOSH!
The air around him distorted, pulling inward as if sucked into a vacuum. Above his calloused palm, a sphere of pure energy condensed. The Qi within was so potent it warped the very space around it.
-Clench!-
He closed his fist around the sphere. "We just need to break it."
With those words…
The entire mountain trembled from a mere gesture.
* * *
BOOOOM-!
An earth-shattering roar echoed, and the very sky seemed to shake. It wasn't the heavens themselves, but the massive formation barrier protecting the stronghold that shuddered under the assault.
Is he always this… direct?
I nearly lost my footing watching the spectacle. I had expected Father to come, but I never imagined his arrival would involve painting the sky crimson and simply obliterating the barrier instead of dismantling it.
I stared up at the blood-red heavens.
Some things never change.
A scarlet sky was the hallmark of one nearing the pinnacle of the Gu Clan's martial arts. Whether Father had truly mastered the ultimate technique, I didn't know, but his power was undeniable. Rumors claimed he stayed within the clan because his prime had passed, but having witnessed his might during the Demonic Cult incident, I knew better. Father's prime wasn't over; if anything, he was far stronger now than in his youth.
As I gazed upward, Namgung Bi-ah spoke beside me. "This is… Father-in-law…?"
"Yeah, it's my… wait, what?" I paused, her choice of words giving me pause. That was an… unusual way to address him. "What did you just call him?"
I asked, confused, but she was still transfixed by the sky, offering no reply. Well, it wasn't important enough to dwell on.
CRASH!
Another deafening impact resounded. He was truly committed to smashing his way through.
[Oh, would you look at that! He’s using the same method as a certain someone.]
"…"
[The spitting image, truly.]
Elder Shin, who had been quiet since our discussion about the Fog Dragon, chose this moment to pipe up. Annoying, but I couldn't disagree. Father's methodology was eerily similar to how I had operated in my previous life.
-Move!-
-To the east! The Flaming Demon is here!-
The violent shaking of the barrier finally forced the members of the Black Palace into the open.
What about the Palace Lord?
I didn't need to look far. A plume of black fog was already spreading beneath the red sky.
Is he going straight for Father?
I had assumed he would be more cautious. Strangely, it seemed the Palace Lord was choosing a direct confrontation.
This is better, actually.
If the Palace Lord was distracted by Father, my task would be easier. I had no doubt Father could handle him. The Lord of the Black Palace was one of the Four Emperors and Five Kings, but if he couldn't match the legendary Three Venerables, then Father would not lose.
Having confirmed the situation, I rose to my feet, concealing my Qi presence.
It seems the others haven't arrived yet.
Before coming here, I hadn't just sent a letter to Father; I'd also sent one to the Hao Clan, addressed to Do Unchu, the head of their Shanxi branch. They were apparently still verifying the information. Whether the Hao Clan's leader was truly here in the main palace, I didn't know, but I was certain this was the main palace. Their help would be useful, but not essential. I'd also considered leveraging Namgung Jin's name to enlist the Murim Alliance, but the Alliance was… unreliable. Ironically, I trusted the Unorthodox Hao Clan more than the so-called righteous Murim Alliance.
-…What… will you do?-
As I stood, Namgung Bi-ah's telepathic voice reached me. The fact that she could communicate like this, having just reached the Peak Realm, was astounding. Was she self-taught? Shoving my questions aside, I focused on the present.
-We're going in.-
-How…?-
-Through the hole we made earlier.-
The breach in the wall was right before us. With most guards drawn away by the commotion, the timing was perfect. Of course, a few sentries remained.
Four of them. Three at the Second-Rate level, one at the First-Rate.
Not a significant threat.
Shing!
Before I could even speak, Namgung Bi-ah had already drawn her sword, reading my intent. Lightning Qi crackled along the blade. I prepared to signal her telepathically.
-On the count of one, two, three, we'll— hey!-
I hadn't even finished the count. The moment I thought "three," she was already charging. I cursed my mistake and followed close behind.
"...!"
One of the guards noticed her, his mouth opening to shout—
Slice-!
Her sword was faster, a flash of light severing his throat. And then the slaughter began. With every swing, another enemy fell, necks severed faster than thought. Instant death. By the time I caught up, it was over. Four martial artists lay dead, having had no chance to react.
She flicked the blood from her blade, and I could only stare, baffled. Noticing my gaze, she looked confused. "...Should I not have done that?"
"…"
Her words left me speechless. But there was no time. I pushed the matter aside, and we slipped into the palace.
* * *
The interior was vast, far larger than it appeared from outside. While I couldn't survey it fully while hiding my presence, I could tell it dwarfed even the sprawling Gu Clan estate.
How did they hide a structure this massive?
The power of a barrier formation isn't infinite. Concealing an area this size, making it completely invisible from the outside, should be nearly impossible. The energy required would be astronomical.
I have to admit, the Great Oni is a genius.
That old man was the most talented artificer I'd ever known, but this… this was like building the palace in a separate dimension altogether.
…Now, where is Gu Huibi?
Finding her was the priority. The Marble of Celestial Captivation had already been used and was now dormant, its guiding light extinguished. Even when active, it only pointed in a straight line, not showing the path. I was on my own.
She seems to be in a dungeon.
The marble's last indication pointed downward. Gu Huibi was likely in the basement.
Swish!
A blade of air skimmed past my cheek. Simultaneously, a figure ahead of me crumpled to the floor, blood spraying.
-Enemy. Focus.-
-…Thanks.-
Namgung Bi-ah had already dealt with the threat. But how had she sensed them before I did? My senses were honed by a lifetime of experience; they shouldn't be inferior to hers. Yet she consistently detected dangers first—finding the formation's weakness earlier, and now this. Was it simply a difference in innate perception? It felt like more than that.
"Intruders…!"
Crack.
"Guh…!"
A man who spotted us shouted, only to have his neck snapped before he could finish. Even while lost in thought, my body moved on instinct. The chaos outside hadn't emptied the palace entirely. But Namgung Bi-ah was proving far more capable than I'd anticipated.
There's no hesitation in her.
This was undoubtedly her first time killing, yet she showed no hesitation. It was… abnormal.
Even I…
I remembered the first life I took in this body—the tremors, the visceral shock. In my past life, I'd been sick for days afterward. But Namgung Bi-ah displayed no such turmoil.
"Aghh…!"
Another enemy was consumed by her Lightning Qi.
Her control over it is exceptional, too.
She wielded the Lightning Qi with a skill that was almost unnatural, enveloping both herself and her sword seamlessly.
-…Above.-
At her warning, I unleashed a torrent of flames upward. I'd sensed them this time. Figures trying to ambush us from the ceiling fell, shrieking and ablaze. I flushed them out; she cut them down.
Our coordination is… impressive.
Despite never fighting together before, we moved in perfect sync. It reminded me of my battles alongside that damned Demonic Sword Queen in my previous life, where words were often unnecessary. Back then, we were both powerful enough to operate independently. Now, this complementary teamwork was surprisingly effective.
As we pressed deeper into the palace…
Flash!
A blade of light shot toward my face. I jerked my head aside, and in the same moment, Namgung Bi-ah, from behind me, launched a bolt of Sword Qi infused with lightning at the attacker.
It was sharp, precise…
Zap!
But the attack was shattered mid-air by our opponent.
Gathering my Qi, I looked ahead. A voice rasped, dry and rough.
"I wondered what rats were scurrying about. It's you two."
Tch.
A man stood before us, clad in the black uniform of the palace, a sword in his hand.
Dammit.
I didn't know who he was, but his aura screamed danger. The fact that I couldn't gauge his cultivation realm was proof enough.
Is he beyond the Fusion Realm?
Uncertain, but his power was undeniable.
"You two are younger than I expected. What are you…" the man began.
Namgung Bi-ah didn't let him finish. Her sword, blazing with lightning, carved a fierce arc through the air.
The man's eyes widened slightly. Recognizing the potent energy, he brought his own blade up to block.
CLAAAAANG!
The sound was less a metallic clang and more a violent explosion of force.
"...You…!" The man was forced back a step, shock evident on his face. He had clearly reassessed her strength in that single clash.
Despite sensing that his realm was not inferior to hers, Namgung Bi-ah pressed the attack without a moment's pause. Her swordplay was different from what I'd seen before—sharper, faster, and… fundamentally altered. I'm no swordsman, but I could feel the change.
[…Wow.]
Elder Shin sounded genuinely impressed.
[It seems that child truly is the miracle of the Namgung Clan.]
His tone was proud, but I wished he'd shut up. This was hardly the time.
As the man parried Namgung Bi-ah's strike and prepared to counter, I lunged forward.
"...You!" His focus snapped to me, his expression hardening.
Blaze.
But my body, engulfed in blue flames after activating my Blood Qi, was faster than he anticipated.
…!
His sword, poised for an attack, swiftly shifted to a defensive stance. My fist, charged with Qi and aimed directly at his blade, connected.
KRA-BOOM-!
The impact was colossal, hurling the man backward. He tumbled across the floor several times before springing back to his feet, unharmed—the blow was meant to create distance, not inflict damage.
"You little bastards…!! How dare you…?!" he roared, beginning to summon his Combat Qi. But his expression shifted to alarm as he saw the flames intensifying in my palm.
"What are you trying to do…?!" He seemed to realize my intention.
I grabbed Namgung Bi-ah and pulled her close. At the same time, she launched another wave of Sword Qi to distract him. Seizing the opening, I detonated the condensed flames in my hand.
KABOOM-!
RUMBLE-!
The explosion ripped through the corridor, collapsing the ceiling and floor, bringing walls crashing down. Behind the rubble, a different wall was revealed.
…Hah.
I withdrew my Qi and let out a heavy breath. The recoil from the Blood Qi wracked my body, but I pushed through the pain.
[Move quickly. You cannot endure this for long.]
I know.
This was merely a delaying tactic. From our brief exchange, I knew our opponent was a Fusion Realm expert. Fighting him to a finish, even with Namgung Bi-ah's help, was a gamble I couldn't take, especially with reinforcements undoubtedly on their way.
…They must have heard the explosion.
We had to retreat. Now.
"We're going down," I said to Namgung Bi-ah, who was staring at the collapsed rubble with a hint of disappointment.
"Hmm?" She looked around, but there was no staircase in sight.
I was drawing on experience from my past life.
…I didn't want to resort to such a crude method…
But with enemies closing in, I had no choice. I channeled my Qi, summoning flames back into my palm. My dantian screamed in protest from the earlier strain, but I ignored it.
If there is no path, then I must create one.
Breaking things was, after all, a specialty of mine.
Without hesitation, I pointed my hand at the floor and unleashed another controlled explosion.
The ground level was now one floor lower.