Chapter 459: Change (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 459: Change (3)
What in the world was that?
That was the first thought that crossed the Heavenly Venerable’s mind.
What was he looking at?
Whoosh-!
The entire figure was engulfed in raging blue flames. There was something deeply unsettling about the sight—a being burning with an azure fire that seemed to consume nothing and everything at once.
What was that thing?
Crack-!
“!”
The figure’s arm twitched, then moved.
Instinctively, the Heavenly Venerable’s hand tightened on the hilt of his sword.
Tch…
He frowned, realizing with irritation the tension coiling within him. There was only one reason for such a reaction: he, a Heavenly Venerable, felt threatened by the entity before him. He didn't even know what it was, yet his nerves were on edge.
Squeeze-!
Gripping his sword tighter, he channeled his Qi. His eyes flicked to the spot where the young man should have been lying dead.
He’s gone.
The Heavenly Venerable was certain. He had felt the clear, unmistakable sensation of his blade piercing the boy’s heart. It was a fatal wound—no human could have survived it.
…What is this trickery?
Not a trace remained. No pool of blood, no imprint of a collapsed body. The ground was clean, as if nothing had ever happened.
Whoosh-!
The Heavenly Venerable turned his attention back to the towering flames. His confusion only deepened with each passing moment. How was that thing alive? More importantly,
Is it even the same person?
He questioned whether the creature standing before him was the young man he had just killed. Its presence felt entirely different—alien and overwhelming. The Heavenly Venerable, with his heightened senses, could normally perceive an opponent’s Qi flow, even the rhythm of their heartbeat.
But now.
…Unfathomable.
He could read nothing. No heartbeat echoed in his ears; no scent of life reached his nose. By all accounts, the young man was dead. So how was he standing there?
Is he even…
Was he ever human to begin with? If not, then what?
A torrent of possibilities flooded the Heavenly Venerable’s mind, but one stood out starkly.
A Demon?
Yes. A Demon.
In his eyes, the young man seemed closer to a fiend from the abyss than a mortal man. A cold sweat traced a path down his wrinkled cheek.
Driven by that chilling sensation, he acted. His sword became a blur.
Swish-!
Shing-!
The sharp blade cleanly severed the figure’s arm. It fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
The figure simply stared at its disembodied limb for a moment, then slowly lifted its head, its gaze locking onto the Heavenly Venerable once more.
Huh? Is that all?
Fine by me if you won’t resist.
With that thought, the Heavenly Venerable prepared to swing his sword at its neck.
Tremble…
“…?”
A strange sensation crept up his arm. He looked down at his hand, the one holding the sword.
“…What?”
He saw it clearly now. A slight tremor ran through his body, causing the blade in his grasp to quiver. Why? Why was he shaking?
He tried to steady himself with his Qi, but it was futile. Something was wrong. After a moment of grim contemplation, the Heavenly Venerable bit his lip.
He understood the reason for his body’s rebellion.
It was fear.
His expression crumbled completely at the realization. He was afraid? What a joke. To feel such dread before something that wasn’t the Heavenly Demon, the Sword Emperor, or even the Dishonored Venerable or the Celestial Sword? It was unthinkable. A wave of humiliation washed over him.
Rumble-!
Qi erupted from the Heavenly Venerable’s body, shooting into the sky and coalescing into a dark, swirling cloud. He could hold back no longer. Having received the ‘approval,’ there was no need for hesitation. He swung his sword again.
His arm still shook, but he pushed through the discomfort.
It was a devastating wave of power, the kind only a martial artist who had transcended mortality could unleash. An overwhelming torrent of Sword Qi sliced through the air, aimed directly at the figure’s neck. Whatever this thing was, decapitation would surely end it.
Craaaack-!
The forest shook with a monstrous sound as the attack tore through the earth in its path. It seemed the figure would be utterly erased.
Riiip-
But then, a change occurred in the figure’s body. Its mouth began to stretch open, slowly, unnaturally.
Kyaaaaaa-!
An unimaginable roar erupted from it.
Craaash-!
That was not all. The shout unleashed a concussive wave that obliterated everything in its vicinity. The Heavenly Venerable’s mighty Sword Qi was swept aside like dust, and even his dark clouds were violently dispersed.
“…!”
The Heavenly Venerable tried to react to the sudden counterattack,
Swoosh-!
But the figure, wreathed in blue flames, was already charging toward him with terrifying speed.
It moved with brute force, the ground shattering under each step.
The Heavenly Venerable tightened his grip on his sword. The figure was fast, but he could still track its movement.
Just as he was about to draw his blade, his eyes widened in horror.
The figure’s arm had regrown.
Was it because of his shock?
The Heavenly Venerable’s counterattack faltered for a split second. It was all the opening the figure needed. A fist wreathed in blue fire slammed into his shoulder.
Then.
Booooom-!
With a deafening roar, blue flames exploded outwards, consuming everything.
* * *
Craaack-!
I heard the sound of something breaking.
What was it? I wanted to look, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t see anything.
It wasn’t because my eyes were closed. It felt like the very space around me was submerged in an absolute blackness, a darkness so profound that straining my eyes was useless.
There was only one thing I could do in this void.
Craack-!
Sit still and listen to the incessant sound of something shattering.
Huh.
Crack-! Crack!
It sounded like an object being relentlessly cracked apart, or something being torn by immense force. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it was an unpleasant, grating noise.
Tap-!
I covered my ears with my hands. Thankfully, I could move them. I tried to block out the sound, but it was no use.
Crack.
Ah.
Instead, it became even clearer. That was when I understood. This sound wasn’t coming from the outside. It was emanating from within me. That’s why closing my eyes and blocking my ears only made it more distinct.
Crack- Crack-!
The endless noise began to grate on my nerves. What was this sound? I’d never heard anything like it. An involuntary frown creased my face.
…Just shut up.
I screamed the words internally, but the noise didn’t stop. If anything, it grew louder, as if provoked by my defiance.
Damn it.
A curse escaped me. Why was I hearing this? Better yet, why was I even in this situation? I had no answers. My memory was a complete blank.
To be honest, as annoying as the noise was, a part of me wanted to just stay here, floating in this nothingness. I didn’t want to do anything. I didn’t want to think at all.
What had I been thinking about before? I couldn’t remember, but the way my heart grew heavier the harder I tried suggested it was nothing good.
Maybe…
If remembering hurts this much, maybe it’s better to just stay here? It was… comfortable, in a numb kind of way. Resigned, I decided to just go with the flow.
Crack-!
“Ugh!?”
I curled my body inward as a deafening noise was accompanied by a searing pain that erupted through my entire being.
“Cgh… Huff…”
A groan was torn from my throat. The agony was so intense I nearly screamed.
Craaaack-!
The pain worsened in tandem with the escalating noise. It was unbearable. I would have gladly chosen to lose consciousness if I could.
Why did it hurt so much? Why was I feeling pain?
“Ugh… Hugh…”
It felt like my insides were dying. After a while, a realization dawned on me amidst the suffering.
Ve…ssel…
This was the sensation of my vessel cracking. That was the first thought that surfaced.
Memories began to trickle back. The Immortal Healer had told me my vessel had reached its limit. He’d said I wouldn’t last more than a few years without the proper medicine.
Why was I remembering this now? I was certain this pain was connected to my vessel. But that sparked another question.
Why?
Why was this happening now? Why was my vessel cracking apart? Why was I in this place?
I strained to remember, but my mind remained a fog. All I could feel was a strange fear, a deep frustration, and that horrifying, all-consuming pain.
Slam-!
“Ugh.”
I convulsed again as an explosive vibration rocked my very core.
At the same moment,
Whoosh-!
Flames erupted, illuminating the entire space in an instant and banishing the oppressive darkness. The light was so bright it stung my eyes.
Yet, I couldn’t look away.
“What… is happening?”
An unbelievable sight was unfolding before me.
Woong-
In my newly brightened vision, a giant sphere floated in the air. It was as large as a house.
Was it blue?
Purple?
A dark red?
I couldn’t tell. Despite its vivid color, I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was. It was indescribable.
If I had to put it into words, the giant sphere looked like an egg… an egg that was cracking open.
What was that thing? I stared at it, my mind blank.
Crack-!
A loud noise came from the egg. It was the same sound that had been echoing in my ears. The noise that had originated from within me was now coming from the egg.
I watched, transfixed.
“Ugh…!”
But when a large crack snaked across the egg’s surface, that familiar, intense pain wracked my body again. Clutching my stomach, a thought occurred to me.
Wait… maybe.
I stared at the giant egg. It cracked, and I felt pain. Putting the two together, I arrived at one conclusion.
“…Is that… my vessel?”
Was that what the vessel inside my body looked like? I didn’t know for sure, but something in my gut told me it was.
Patter-
Pieces of the shell began to fall away. A strange, viscous liquid started to seep from the cracks forming at the base of the egg. It looked like water, but its sticky, clinging appearance made it unsettling. Just the sight of it made me deeply uncomfortable.
A nervous dread filled me as I watched it gradually break apart.
What should I do?
I pushed the pain aside and focused on the egg. I’d been told I would die if my vessel broke, right? That meant I had to stop this. I couldn’t let it shatter. I still had so many things to—
“…Things to do?”
I paused. What things? Why was I here? What had I been doing until now? My mind was a fog.
I couldn’t recall anything, but my body moved on its own. Was it instinct? Or some deep-seated knowledge I wasn’t aware of? It felt like my very being was fighting to prevent the egg from breaking.
I reached my hand out, aiming to stop the cracks from spreading.
Would it even work? At that moment, it didn’t matter. Regardless of the outcome, I felt compelled to try.
Just as my fingertips were about to make contact,
“…You troublesome little brat. Tsk, tsk.”
A voice came from behind me, and I froze solid.
Swoosh-!
A cascade of flower petals poured forth, carrying a pleasant fragrance. They swirled around the egg, enveloping it completely. The pink petals held a sacred, warm energy that felt soothing.
I caught one and looked at it. A plum blossom. It felt familiar. Where had I felt this before—?
Thump-!
“Agh!”
My head was suddenly pushed down from behind. Wincing, I clutched my head and turned around with an annoyed glare.
Standing there was the one who had struck me—an old man with white hair, dressed in traditional robes, rubbing his hand as he stared at me. He had sharp eyes and an expression that promised a foul temper. He was tall and relatively thin.
As I stared at the irritated old man, he let out a deep sigh and spoke.
“Tsk, tsk… you rotten kid. You really do cause trouble wherever you go. In the end, you even force this old man to make a move.”
He complained as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Hearing his tone, the name left my lips before I even realized it.
“…Elder Shin?”
Elder Shin.
It was him.