Chapter 740: From the beginning.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 740: From the beginning.
Splish.
I looked around at the sound of shallow waves.
Splish… splish….
I could hear the sound, but I couldn’t feel the water.
The space was a void of black ink. I could barely see a single step ahead; everything else was swallowed by pitch-black darkness.
Where was this? What was happening on the outside?
Questions flickered through my mind, but I didn’t dwell on them. Experience had taught me one thing: overthinking these situations was a waste of time.
As always, all I had to do was focus on what was right in front of me.
With that thought, I met the old man’s eyes.
‘Wow.’
He had one hell of a nasty look on his face.
That was my first impression of him.
He wore a white martial arts uniform with a plum blossom embroidered on the chest. The old man was clearly tall, even while sitting cross-legged with his chin propped on his hand. His deep, crimson pupils were striking as he looked down at me.
Thump.
My heart pounded as I stared back.
Thump.
Thump.
It wasn't a tremor born of emotion. It was Qi. The Elder Shin’s Qi inside my body was resonating with ‘that man.’
Which meant…
‘Is he Elder Shin?’
Was the old man before me the Shin I knew?
As I stood there wondering, the old man voiced his own confusion.
[How strange.]
He spoke, his voice laced with bewilderment.
[Brat, what in the world are you? Why do you possess that?]
He was referring to the Taoist Qi of Elder Shin inside my body. The old man seemed to have sensed it too, his expression one of utter bafflement.
[What is your identity?]
My identity, huh? I let out a smirk at the old geezer’s question.
“That’s what I’d like to ask you.”
He had Elder Shin’s appearance and spoke with Elder Shin’s voice. Since he possessed Elder Shin’s Qi, there was a high probability that he was, in fact, Elder Shin.
And yet.
“What are you?”
Strangely, I didn’t think this old man was Elder Shin.
[Who am I, you ask?]
The old man smirked back. Wow, his smile was terrifying. He truly had the face of someone with a foul temper.
[You called for me so desperately, yet you do not know who I am?]
“I wasn’t looking that hard. I just called out once because it was on my mind, and you came running.”
[Hoho.]
Plum blossom petals fell with his laughter. They were an alien sight in this black void. A tiny petal landed softly on the water’s surface.
Vwooom.
Ripples spread out like a vibration.
[I am the 8th Sect Leader of the Great Mount Hua Sect.]
Before I knew it, the old man had descended from the rock and appeared right before me.
[They call me Shincheol, the Divine Sword of Mount Hua.]
Facing those crimson eyes at such close range, my skin tensed instinctively. My body was on high alert.
[Is that introduction sufficient?]
“...”
His words were exactly what I’d expected. The old man introduced himself as Shincheol, and from what I could see, he was definitely that old geezer.
But why on earth…
“Hmm.”
Why did I keep feeling like this old man wasn’t Elder Shin?
[Now, speak. Brat, who are you to have been searching for me so desperately? And also...]
The old man’s fingertip pointed at my chest.
[Tell me why my Qi resides within your body.]
Poke.
The tip of his finger jabbed my chest.
And then.
Fwoosh!
The Taoist Qi in my body surged, beginning to swell within my meridians. It felt like flower petals blooming to their fullest. The sensation was refreshing and warm, and for a moment I considered letting it flow, but…
Grip!
I seized the spreading Qi and locked it back inside my heart.
[Hah.]
The old man let out a dry laugh at my reaction. I paid him no mind.
“I received this Qi from its owner, of course.”
[Hmm?]
“He was an old geezer with a nasty temper and a lot to say.”
Pat, pat.
I brushed the spot where his finger had touched.
[Nonsense. I have never given such Qi to a brat like you.]
The old man scowled, looking at me as if I were talking nonsense, so I corrected him.
“Yes, I didn’t say I received it from you. I said I received it from the owner of this Qi.”
[And I am saying that Qi is my—]
“It’s not.”
I cut him off with a frown.
“This Qi. I told you it’s not yours.”
Swoosh!
[…!]
The old man’s eyes widened. It was likely because something had suddenly appeared in the hand I’d used to dismiss him.
Solar Light.
The treasure of Mount Hua and Elder Shin’s beloved weapon was now gripped firmly in my left hand.
[How do you have that…?]
“I’m curious too. What the hell are you?”
His appearance. His voice. The aura he exuded. Even the Taoist Qi in my body. Everything pointed to the old man being Elder Shin, but…
“Why are you wearing Elder Shin’s mask?”
I didn’t believe it. My instincts were screaming at me. This old man was not the Elder Shin I knew. And I trusted those instincts without a shred of doubt.
[…Ha.]
At my confident words, the old man’s face twisted into an expression of disbelief.
And at the same time.
Shriiiik!
A crimson bandage appeared in the old man’s hand, gradually taking the form of a sword. It was Solar Light—the same Solar Light that had been crimson before I touched it.
[This is truly a strange affair.]
The old man gripped Solar Light, slung it over his shoulder, and continued speaking as he stared at me.
[Brat. You are not my successor, and yet you possess the things I have arranged. I only recently gave this to the child, so what is your identity? Were you perhaps the child who entered the secret vault first…? No. If so, it is impossible that I would not have known.]
A secret vault. Was he talking about the one Yung Pung found in Shaanxi? It seemed he meant that secret vault—the one where Yung Pung said he had received a voice and Qi.
[I do not understand. What in the world are you?]
“As for what I am, you can ask that successor of yours.”
From what I knew, it didn't seem like he could communicate with Yung Pung separately. Well, that was his problem.
“Unfortunately, I’m also in a situation where I can’t talk to my old geezer.”
The one person I needed to ask was currently away helping me.
“If you’re really the Divine Sword of Mount Hua, what is a man long dead doing here?”
[A foolish question.]
The old man’s answer was unhesitating.
[I have unfinished business, and I feel apologetic for having to borrow my successor’s hand… but it was unavoidable.]
“Unfinished business… Is it perhaps because of the Blood Demon?”
[—!]
My words made the old man’s expression crumple.
[…How do you know of that?]
“Hmm.”
Looks like I hit the mark.
‘Which means…’
This old geezer knows a fair bit about the Blood Demon. That was strange.
‘Elder Shin didn’t know.’
That man had lost most of his memories and knew very little. It was so bad that I once told him he was useless for anything other than being a noisy ghost. Of course, he did get his act together a bit toward the end. But before that, he was a man who didn’t even know why he had died.
Considering that…
‘…Huh, is this one the real deal?’
For a moment, I felt a jolt. Just based on feeling, this one seemed more useful.
‘Should I switch?’
If they’re both similar geezers anyway, switching wouldn’t be a big—
— What did you say, you bastard?
“...”
I whipped my head around. I was sure no one was there, but I thought I heard someone cursing. Gave me the creeps.
‘Just kidding. Kidding.’
Jeez, can’t even take a joke. I chuckled inwardly and turned back. It didn’t matter if the thing in front of me was fake or real. Whatever I believed was real was real to me. And to me, this guy was a fake. That was enough.
[I asked how you know of that.]
“I heard. Here and there.”
Heard it so much my ears are about to fall off.
[You heard…?]
“Yes. I heard from the Light of Might of Shaolin.”
The Light of Might I met at Shaolin told me.
“I heard from the Heavenly Poison of Sichuan.”
Tang Jaemoon, whom I met in Sichuan, also told me.
“And I heard from the Thunderous Sword in the goddamn North.”
Namgung Myung, who was guarding the ice crystals, told me as well.
“Also.”
I listed off the people who had tormented me in the past, one by one. Ah, let’s leave out the great senior Tang Jaemoon. Far from tormenting me, she only ever helped.
“I heard from Yeon Il-Cheon, too.”
The old man’s reaction was most pronounced when I finally mentioned Yeon Il-Cheon.
[...]
I could see his expression contort. So, I decided to deliver the final blow.
“Oh, and for your information, the Thunderous Sword told me that I am the reincarnation of the Divine Sword of Mount Hua.”
[What did you say?]
The old man’s face was a sight to behold as I spoke while cleaning my ear.
“So the reason I can’t trust you is…”
[Do not speak such nonsense.]
He spoke with blazing eyes, truly enraged.
[There is no way my reincarnation would be as ugly as you.]
“…What the fuck did you say?”
[Brat. Do not speak so carelessly with that mouth of yours.]
“This old geezer has a really shitty way of talking, doesn’t he…?”
My mood soured considerably. Shit, what is this feeling? As I was grinding my teeth and glaring at the old man, he added, as if he’d realized something.
[Yes, I thought it was strange from the beginning.]
His voice was filled with conviction.
[I thought it was odd that Solar Light would not listen at Wudang, but now, hearing your words and that final piece of nonsense, I believe I understand.]
Had he really figured something out?
[You are a spy for the Blood Demon.]
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
Figured it out, my ass.
[I felt something was flowing differently than expected. As I thought, it was his ploy.]
“From the looks of it, you won’t believe me even if I say no, right?”
[If that is truly the case, then this is a mistake.]
“Right, you don’t believe me.”
Looking at the situation, things were already twisted. But isn’t it pretty fucked up that the reason it’s twisted is because I’m his reincarnation?
‘Shiiiit…’
A sigh escaped me automatically. Now, it didn’t matter if he was Elder Shin or not. That wasn’t my goal in the first place.
“…Whatever. Just tell me the circumstances that led you to remain here. And why you chose Yung Pung as your so-called successor. Tell me that.”
[What foolish words. I do not trust you, so why would I tell you such things?]
“Right. We don’t trust each other.”
I admitted it. We didn’t trust each other one bit. That didn’t matter either.
Ssk.
[Hmm?]
I raised my fist and spoke to the old man.
“But you have things you want to ask me, don’t you? If so, I think this conversation could get a little easier.”
I smiled brightly.
“Let’s have a round.”
[...]
It was a method I had used on the Emei Sect Leader just a few days ago. The situation was very different, but the advantage of this method was that it could be used anywhere.
“So, let’s agree that the winner gets to have their questions answered.”
A clean way for us to both get what we want. Arguing is futile and meaningless. When words fail, this is how things are meant to be settled.
Hearing this, the old man gave me a strange look and then...
[Haha.]
He suddenly burst into laughter.
[I disliked everything about you, but this one thing, I like.]
As he spoke, he stabbed the Solar Light he was holding into the ground.
Shudder!
The moment I saw that, the hair on my body stood on end. Oh… this is crazy.
‘Wow. I think I’m screwed.’
How long had it been since I felt this sensation? He hadn’t done anything special, yet my survival instincts were screaming. To have such overwhelming power from just that simple movement…
[It is good to be drunk on your own strength. And in truth, brat, you are strong. However, if you are requesting a duel with me based on that belief….]
“Are you crazy?”
[Hmm?]
As he was building up his momentum, I shouted to correct him.
“Of course you have to go easy on me.”
[…Huh?]
“A grown adult is going to fight a kid with all his strength? Isn’t that just plain cheap?”
[...]
“Whether you fight on two feet, use only one finger, or hold your breath and close your eyes. You have to do something like that!”
[…Don’t you think your examples are a bit of a mess?]
“So what, you’re going to fight for real? If you win like that, you think I’ll talk?”
[...]
“I’ll be so pissed off I’ll never say a word.”
At my words, the old man made a face of utter disgust.
[…Brat, you seem to have very little pride.]
“Yeah. I’ve found that holding onto that stuff doesn’t help at all.”
[That is true.]
The self-proclaimed Elder Shin nodded immediately, as if in agreement.
[There is nothing more helpful for survival than knowing your place.]
He might be a fake, but he was certainly easier to talk to. When I said things like this to other people, they would just stare at me as if they didn’t understand.
[Good.]
Whoosh.
He pulled Solar Light from the ground. It spun and came to rest on his shoulder. It was the same motion as before, but strangely, I could smell the scent of plum blossoms.
[I will respect your wish and set a condition.]
I could even smell the fragrance in his voice. Was this some kind of combat stance?
[Just ten moves. I will concede that much. If you, brat, can land even a single strike on me within those moves, I will acknowledge it as your victory—!?]
Before the old man could even finish stating his condition, I hurled the Holy Spear at him with all my might.
FWOOOSH—!
KRA-BOOOOOM—!!
The Holy Spear reached the old man and exploded. The black ink on the ground surged outward, a testament to the sheer force of the impact.
That was the power of condensed Qi exploding at close range. I felt a renewed sense of awe at the incredible martial art I had created, but…
“Tsk.”
I showed a hint of disappointment as I assessed the situation.
“Ah, what a shame. I thought that one would work.”
At the center of the explosion, the old man was scowling at me. Solar Light was still in his hand. It was a surprise attack I had prepared, but it was a pity—it hadn't even caused a scratch.
The old man brushed off his clothes. That was it, even after a direct hit from the Holy Spear? The difference in our levels felt immense. As a martial artist, I felt a sense of respect welling up.
I conveyed that feeling to the old man.
“I attacked before you finished talking, so this attack is void, right? That means I still have ten chances left.”
[...]
My shameless words should have earned me a rebuke, but the old man just shook his head, as if even that was too much trouble now. After a moment, he looked at me and spoke bluntly.
[It seems...]
And at the same time.
[Brat. You need to be taught a lesson.]
Rustle—!
Plum blossom petals bloomed in all directions.