Chapter 647: Ninth Stage
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 647: Ninth Stage
Sshaaaaa—!
A deluge of icy chill cascaded over me. The sheer weight of the pressure made it impossible to even draw breath.
“Ghhk…!”
I let out a low groan through clenched teeth. It was the most resistance I could muster.
Swoosh—! My meridians strained and expanded as the energy surged in. The agony of it forcing its way inside was excruciating.
Yet, I couldn't stop it.
‘If I block it, I’ll explode.’
If I tried to halt the flow, my body wouldn't be able to handle the backlog and would burst. The energy was simply that overwhelming.
The raging Ice Qi bypassed my meridians and began to accumulate in my heart. No, 'accumulate' was too gentle a word. Such a mild expression didn't fit this violence.
It was being forcibly stuffed inside. Every scrap of Ice Qi that had blanketed the North Sea, along with the concentrated essence from the Palace Lord’s body, was being crammed into my heart.
‘Dammit.’
What the hell was happening? I barely managed to withstand the onslaught while trying to find a solution, but for now, all I could do was endure.
The sheer volume was too vast to manipulate. It felt like trying to pour the entire ocean into a single jar.
Worse, even though it was obvious I couldn't take any more, the Demonic Absorption didn't stop. As if possessed by an insatiable hunger, it continued to gorge itself, cramming everything in.
As a result, the Ice Qi kept flooding my system. My Gu Flame Wheel Art flared to life, radiating heat, but it was no match for the sheer volume of frost.
“Kngh…!”
As I groaned, a mist of cold air escaped my lips. It was energy leaking from the inside out. This was the first time such a thing had happened since I first mastered the Gu Flame Wheel Art.
My distended meridians were screaming in pure agony, and my vessel, having reached its absolute limit, was starting to buckle. It felt like no time at all since the influx began, yet I was already full to bursting.
My vessel had expanded when I cast away my regrets, yet even that newfound space was now completely occupied. I was desperately holding on to keep it from overflowing, but there was no telling how much longer I could last.
To make matters worse, the energy filling me was a vicious, biting Ice Qi. If I couldn't dilute it with heat, my body would freeze solid from the inside out.
I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
‘Fuck.’
If I’d known it would turn out like this, I never would have touched it. I thought it was a fortunate encounter at first, but instead of a blessing, it was like holding a knife to my own throat.
‘All the Ice Qi spread across the North Sea is flowing into me.’
Was this some anomaly caused by the ice crystal shattering and the Palace Lord collapsing?
‘Son of a bitch, for real.’
It was a massive concentration of energy, accumulated over centuries by the bloodline of the Ice Palace, who had staked their very life force to build it. And now, every drop of it was pouring into me.
‘Was all this energy supposed to go to Mang?’
It was possible. He had said he was steadily gathering energy for his resurrection but failed at the last moment when something went wrong. This might have been his intended prize.
K-k-k-k-crack—!
“Ghak—!”
Beyond my meridians, even my muscles began to swell. The overwhelming volume of energy was starting to warp my physical form.
‘What do I do?’
My vessel is at its limit. The energy is overflowing, seeping into my very flesh. I can barely manage that, but if my body fills up and the pressure peaks…
‘I’ll be blown to pieces.’
My body, unable to contain the power, would detonate. In the aftermath, the released Ice Qi would sweep across the entire North Sea once more. With the ice crystal already shattered, there would be nothing left to anchor it.
‘The North Sea will be buried under a permanent cold wave and become a land of death.’
Sshaaaa—! The Ice Qi continued to burrow into my body through my arms and back. I could feel my skin freezing over as my internal heat failed to keep pace.
Crack, crackle.
The tips of my fingers, still extended toward the Palace Lord, were freezing solid. If I die like this, the North Sea is finished.
The thought made me click my tongue internally.
‘That would be a bit of a problem.’
I couldn't care less about the North Sea itself. Honestly, whether its people die or the land is entombed in ice has nothing to do with me.
But.
‘The others are here.’
Woo Hyuk caused enough trouble that I wouldn't mind leaving him behind. The Dishonored Venerable is the type to survive no matter where you throw him, so he’s fine too. As for that bastard, the Sword Demon, if I die, his Heavenly Killing Star nature will flare up and he’ll become a total wreck, so it’s probably better for him to die here anyway.
But Namgung Bi-ah and Tang Soyeol... I couldn't let them die.
‘So what should I do?’
I’m not afraid of death. Or so I thought. But if my death means those two die here as well, then that is a little terrifying.
Is this a lingering regret?
‘No.’
It feels more like greed than regret. They said the power I gained upon ascending as a dragon was Avarice. So this must be greed. I’m just so greedy that I refuse to let this happen.
‘Then.’
Then, what must be done?
Yangcheon.
Don’t ask. You already know the answer.
‘Idiot.’
I laughed despite myself. Am I talking to myself now? I must be well and truly insane.
Fwoosh—!
I forced the Qi inside my body to move.
Swooosh—!
As if sensing my intent, the Ice Qi surged even more violently. The Demonic Absorption, sensing I was at my limit, doubled down on its attempt to devour more. It was as if it had gone feral because I hadn't fed it enough Demonic Qi lately.
‘Was it really that hungry?’
I’ve been so busy lately that I haven't fed it any Demonic Stones. Is it throwing a tantrum?
‘Still, it wouldn't try to kill its master, right?’
I tried to believe that, but it felt like wishful thinking. The moment I tried to manipulate my Qi, the rate of absorption spiked.
That fucking bastard. I’ve let it live rent-free, fed it, and nurtured it, and this is how it repays me—by trying to turn me into a bomb.
‘Fine. Let’s do this.’
I grit my teeth and pushed my power to the brink.
Fwoooosh—!
Inside my body, the Gu Flame Wheel Art began to rotate at high velocity. Energy was still screaming in through my palm. To attempt to manipulate my own energy in this state meant that one wrong move would likely trigger a total Qi deviation.
‘So what? There’s no other way.’
There really wasn't. I don't know how to perform delicate Qi manipulations like those geniuses. All I know how to do is break things.
‘Let’s see who breaks first.’
If the Ice Qi was going to rush in endlessly, then I would simply grab it and melt it all down.
The Ice Qi and my heat clashed, swirling into a violent vortex inside me. As the opposing energies collided, they created a bone-shaking vibration. It was madness. One slip and I’d either explode or lose my mind to the chaos.
I knew that perfectly well, but I couldn't stop.
‘I’ll die if I lose, and I’ll die if I stop. There is no difference.’
Once you light the fuse, there’s no turning back. Either I somehow cage the Ice Qi in my body, or my heat fails and I freeze, burst, and die.
Victory or defeat. Those were the only two options.
But that made me wonder.
‘If I can devour all of it, how much will I gain?’
If I succeeded in containing this much Ice Qi, how much internal energy would I obtain?
‘Probably double what I have now, at least.’
It was a storm of Qi. An amount that no human should be able to swallow. If I could just succeed in claiming it, the results would be spectacular.
Grind—!
It spun.
The Ice Qi trying to seize my vessel and freeze my blood, and the heat trying to incinerate it, clashed and churned into a raging maelstrom. It was rough and sharp, a sensation like my very flesh was being shredded from the inside.
‘But, well. This much is nothing.’
Thankfully, my body had been tempered by the Heaven Destruction Art. I could laugh off the feeling of my flesh being ripped. The real problem was...
‘My vessel.’
The vessel that was already full and at its limit. That was the bottleneck. A little more and it would overflow. No, it was already overflowing, seeping into my physical frame.
Normally, this would be considered a legendary fortunate encounter. If I were lucky, I might even have aimed for a Rebirth.
‘But that’s useless to me.’
A moderate amount would be one thing, but this was more energy than even my physical body could handle, and the tide showed no sign of receding.
Fwoooosh—!
‘First, empty the vessel.’
I ignited my heat even stronger and vented it. If there’s no space, you just have to make some.
Tssssssss—!
Steam hissed from my body as if I were being cooked alive. It was the friction of the heat meeting the Ice Qi. The more energy I used and emptied, the more Ice Qi flooded the vacuum.
The two energies fought a war of attrition. At this rate, the foundation was going to collapse. I shoved the Ice Qi into the newly created space in my vessel.
Thump—!
A backlash hit me from forcing the flow.
“Cough.”
Splat—! Blood sprayed from my mouth, staining the Palace Lord’s chest.
“Huuuu...”
I exhaled, and a frosty breath escaped. Having used up a significant amount of heat, the speed at which my body was freezing accelerated. My limbs grew sluggish, and my breathing slowed.
And yet…
‘For some reason, my mind is perfectly clear.’
I didn't feel a sense of crisis. I wasn't afraid. I didn't hesitate.
Grip—!
I seized the Ice Qi with my heat. The vessel was full. My physical body, as if protesting that it was full too, began to swell. No matter how much I emptied, it just kept filling. It was becoming an annoyance.
‘Then, I guess I’ll have to put it outside for now.’
Fwoooosh—!
I grabbed the flowing Ice Qi and flung it outside my body. The energy twisted and spread out in a wide arc.
“…Hah.”
I vaguely heard the Dishonored Venerable let out a gasp. Did I do something wrong?
‘I have no idea.’
I had no idea if what I was doing was right, or why I was even acting this way. Right now, I was just moving as my pounding heart and my instincts commanded. Even knowing that one misstep in handling my Qi would kill me, I didn't hesitate to twist its flow.
Whoooosh—!
I spread out the energy I couldn't contain and forced it to rotate rapidly. By infusing a minuscule amount of heat into it, I found I could control even the Ice Qi as if it were my own. It piled up, layer after layer.
The gathered streams of Ice Qi overlapped so much that they began to look like a solid barrier. That’s how vast the energy was.
‘How strange.’
To think I could control and contain so much energy... energy that wasn't even mine, just by using my heat as a tether. And to do it so suddenly, without even checking if it was possible.
‘If I’d stopped or hesitated, I would have exploded instantly.’
There’s too much to fit in the vessel, so I’ll just put it outside for a bit.
It was a completely insane thought that I’d acted on without realizing it.
‘It’s actually working.’
Why was it working? I didn't understand it myself. But if it works, it works. Now wasn't the time for a lecture on theory.
‘The important part starts now.’
Sssss...
I felt a sudden sense of emptiness. It meant the endless torrent of Ice Qi had finally stopped.
‘Which means…’
This heavy energy now swirling around me was the entirety of the Ice Qi that had plagued the North Sea. I didn't look to see what it looked like. Right now, dealing with the Palace Lord’s remaining Ice Qi was the priority.
‘Just a little more.’
Absorbing the rest of the energy while keeping the external Ice Qi rotating was harder than I thought. But it was difficult, not impossible.
Focus.
Swooosh—!
I could feel the last remnants of the Ice Qi. For some reason, it seemed to be hesitating. Seeing that, I smirked.
‘Scared now?’
That shouldn't be possible, but the energy seemed to have shrunk back.
‘Shouldn't have messed with me. Pissing me off like that.’
No mercy.
I wrapped my formless energy completely around the Ice Qi and, using the Demonic Absorption, sucked it all in.
Shwiiiiik—!
The last of the Ice Qi entered the empty space in my vessel.
‘It’s over.’
I had absorbed all of the Palace Lord’s Ice Qi. Sensing this, I pushed myself up. I had sucked in so much energy that I felt physically bloated.
‘Feeling sick from eating too much energy. How absurd.’
Should I call this a luxury? It didn't feel very good. Besides...
‘It’s not completely over yet.’
The Ice Qi I’d gathered was still swirling around me, and the energy that filled my body had yet to be properly subdued. I couldn't even contain what was already inside, so how was I supposed to hold all the energy around me?
‘Do I have to expand my vessel again?’
My vessel was already stretched to its limit. I didn't know if it was possible to expand it any further.
‘Then…’
What about the opposite? If I can't make the vessel bigger, I’ll just shrink the volume of what’s inside. That way, I should be able to fit it all.
Grip—!
I clenched my fist.
Thump—! My heart pounded fiercely, and the remaining heat revealed itself. At the same time, I gave a command to the heat that was binding the Ice Qi in the air.
‘Compress.’
Swaaaaa—!
The rotation sped up. The Ice Qi inside my vessel was also swept up by my own energy and began to spin. Gaining momentum, I began to crush it.
The Ice Qi swirling around me gathered toward me. As if sensing what I was trying to do, I could feel a wave of resistance from it.
“Ha.”
Defying me?
Grip—!
I applied more force. In response, the energy created a backlash, pounding at the gates as if about to burst out.
Pop—! A blood vessel in my eye burst. I ignored it.
‘Faster.’
And smaller.
To think I’d use the fine art of rotation and compression here. Seems the things I’ve learned in my life weren't so bad after all.
Kiiiiiiing—!
When I felt it had come close enough, I unclenched my fist and controlled the flow. The external Ice Qi was then sucked into the palm of my hand.
Fwoooosh—!
The potent energy fluctuated, unleashing a blast of wind pressure. Just as I was getting used to the sharp feel of the energy…
Voom.
The Ice Qi finally condensed into a shape like a Flaming Sphere above my hand. A sphere the size of a human head. I could feel an overwhelming energy radiating from within it.
Now that I’d finally succeeded in gathering it, it was time to feast.
Gulp—!
I used the Demonic Absorption on the sphere and quickly swallowed it. Because it was compressed, the energy flowed into my body without much resistance. The incoming Ice Qi naturally settled in my heart, merging with the Palace Lord’s Ice Qi.
The moment I felt it…
“Huuu—!”
Fwoooosh—!
I ignited a flame inside me and threw it over the Ice Qi. It was time to purify it.
An immense amount of Ice Qi. Compared to it, my flame was endlessly small. Even so.
‘I can do this.’
My flame will not lose to that. I was certain of it.
Thump—! Thump-thump-thump—!
It was a violent battle. One wrong move and it wouldn't have been strange for my vessel to shatter. My frozen, sluggish body was also a problem, and the small amount of heat made it even harder.
But.
‘You’re greedy, aren't you? You have to be able to devour at least this much.’
If I can't even eat something like this, how will I eat anything else?
Fwoooosh—!
I kept igniting the flame. If my firepower wasn't enough, I would even use my innate Qi.
Kyaaaa—!
The flame, full of greed, ceaselessly devoured the Ice Qi. The Ice Qi thrashed about, trying to survive, but…
‘Stop struggling and stay still.’
Like a swinging fist, my flame repeatedly tore into it. And after some time had passed…
“…Huuu…”
I was finally able to let out a breath and open my eyes.
“Ah.”
Drip.
Feeling something trickle down, I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. My body was soaked in sweat.
“...”
To check, I lightly raised my hand.
Fwoosh—!
A flame rose up, quickly forming a small Flaming Sphere. I tossed it toward an empty patch of ground. The tiny Flaming Sphere flew into the distance and landed.
And then…
KABOOOOOOOM—!
Contrary to its appearance, it caused a massive explosion.
“Hmm.”
Watching the ground get torn apart by the blast, I was finally certain. My Qi capacity had surpassed that of my peak in my past life.
Furthermore.
“…I’ve reached the Ninth Stage.”
My Gu Flame Wheel Art had finally reached the Ninth Stage.
Which meant…
My level had finally surpassed that of my past life.