Chapter 18
Chapter 18
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Assimilation of Will and Intent
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“…Someone was tailing me?”
Namgung San-yeong instinctively stepped back as she looked at the aquatic cadavers, her face filled with shock as she asked.
“That’s right.”
“So it really was that bastard behind it…!”
“The technique for manipulating wraiths is quite unique. And the level is pretty high too. This kind of thing is only passed down in secret within certain factions. It seems your household’s illegitimate son has quite the powerful backer?”
Namgung San-yeong’s face hardened rigidly.
“Hmm, this won’t do. The cost-benefit doesn’t add up. We’ll need to add two more crates.”
“What—”
“We can’t take this lightly either, you know?”
“You—!”
Namgung San-yeong trembled with fury at the Divine Lord’s brazen attitude, but soon she had to nod.
“Fine. But you have to handle the job cleanly. Uncover the identity of the mastermind for sure, and take full responsibility for turning that illegitimate son into an aquatic cadaver.”
“The customer is as good as king. How could we dare defy a king’s command? Hahaha!”
When the Divine Lord shook the bell in his left hand, darkness tore open beside Namgung San-yeong, and a man appeared.
His entire body was wrapped tightly in black bandages, exuding a sinister aura.
He was the Divine Lord’s disciple and assassin.
“You called for me, Master?”
“Chase them.”
“Yes, sir. Let’s go!”
When the man raised one arm high, a massive eagle far larger than a man burst forth from among the aquatic cadavers and perched on his forearm.
And then.
Fwoosh!
With a black whirlwind, he vanished.
* * *
I finished the drinking party and returned to the White Battle Hall with Tang Gyujin.
“Can I ask you just one thing?”
“Yes, of course. Sister, aren’t you heading back to your room?”
“What’s the point? I’d just be bored alone anyway.”
As she spoke, Tang Gyujin quickly scanned the surroundings of the White Battle Hall.
As if checking whether something was hiding.
「She seems to be trying to protect the Young Lord from any potential demonic beasts sent by her mother.」
「For a Blue Castle Sect girl, she has a fine character!」
She knew Namgung San-yeong’s personality better than anyone, so she was preparing for any contingencies.
I knew she wouldn’t listen even if I said it was fine, so I didn’t bother stopping her.
What could I do? It satisfied her sense of duty that way.
Instead, to signal not to interfere with training, I gripped my staff and assumed position.
There was something I wanted to check.
“Why did you break Yu Chang on the training ground and immediately challenge me to a match?”
“Does a spar need a reason?”
“But there is one. For you, beating Yu Chang would’ve been enough to mark a successful comeback. Losing to me, on the other hand, would’ve made even that pointless.”
So that’s what she’d been beating around the bush about?
Swish, swish—
I slowly unfolded the Blossoming Mountain Staff Technique as I answered.
“My answer is the same.”
“?”
“Sparring doesn’t need a reason, does it?”
“!”
“At first, there were various reasons layered in… But simply put, I wanted to spar with you, sister, and we did. That’s it. And who taught me that—”
Swoosh—
Thwack!
The staff slammed satisfyingly into the scarecrow’s nape.
“It was you, right? That’s what it means to be a martial artist, isn’t it?”
“!!”
Tang Gyujin asked no further questions.
Her face seemed to be mulling something over.
It looked like she’d been grappling with some worry or koan.
Just as my mindset had given her new insight, I hoped I’d been able to help her even a little.
I focused back on training.
But I directed my awareness not to the staff, but to my dantian.
During the spar with Tang Gyujin, something had clicked into place, hadn’t it?
After that, circulating my qi felt much smoother, and my body’s movements more fluid.
If I could figure out what was different from before, it’d help my training even more.
But.
‘…There’s no real difference?’
There was no notable change in my dantian.
「Is there a problem, Young Lord?」
「If you need anything, leave it to me! I’ll help!!」
「In my youth, I served as an instructor at the Soul Demon Palace’s training grounds! I’m top-notch at teaching, so ask me!」
As the wraiths clamored at my mutterings, providing a chance to shine, one seemed decent.
His name in life… I didn’t remember.
Let’s just call him Wraith One.
‘I definitely achieved Bright Yang Manifestation, right?’
「Ooh! To reach that level in just over two months since starting martial arts. As expected, the Young Lord’s talent rivals even the great Founding Heavenly Demon—」
‘Cut the crap.’
「Yes, sir.」
‘Why does it feel like this?’
「Well, if it’s not too rude, may I examine your noble body, Young Lord?」
‘Go ahead.’
They couldn’t harm me anyway, being bound to me.
Wraith One cautiously entered my body, examined the interior thoroughly, and soon reached a conclusion.
「This seems to be… Not certain, but likely due to Assimilation of Will and Intent.」
‘Assimilation of Will and Intent?’
「Yes. Have you never felt it yourself, Young Lord? Unlike sorcery, qi circulation sometimes veers slightly off course.」
‘Yeah, I have. I thought it was just the difference between sorcery and qi back then.’
Sorcery was my specialty, so I could fine-tune it quickly if uncomfortable.
But qi was new, so I didn’t fully grasp its nature yet, leading to frustrations more than once or twice.
Unlike sorcery, it didn’t follow my will easily.
That’s why, after this spar, when qi circulation became as natural as sorcery, I wanted to pinpoint the cause.
「Qi is also called功力 or karma-force. Its depth and quantity vary greatly by accumulated功. So at a certain point, the practitioner’s will and intent imprints on the qi as its nature.」
‘So qi embodies the practitioner’s will and intent. Like the primal soul in sorcery?’
「Precisely. But—」
‘My qi was a bit different. It had Yeon Un-hwi’s accumulation and Tang Un-hwi’s.」
「As expected of one who hears one and knows ten—」
‘Wanna die?’
「I’ll shut up, sir.」
Now I got it.
‘All this time, my qi operation wasn’t smooth because the souls were different?’
「It seems so.」
‘So now it’s smooth because Tang Un-hwi’s accumulation has merged into Yeon Un-hwi’s?’
「That’s not assimilation; that’s fusion. And qi rarely fuses. Everyone’s soul temperament differs.」
If qi fused easily, those practicing Absorption Arts like Soul-Draining Great Law would’ve conquered the world—that was Wraith One’s explanation.
‘Accumulations don’t mix normally? Then what about my case?’
「That’s—」
Wraith One hesitated, gauging my mood.
‘I won’t hit you, so explain properly. Or I’ll turn you into a wraith pill right now.’
「W-Well, it’s n-not certain, but it s-seems you’ve a-accepted the c-concept of T-Tang Un-hwi that you’d s-separated until now.」
My mind flashed.
‘I’ve stopped rejecting my life as Tang Un-hwi?’
「M-More precisely, you’ve a-accepted it—」
Now it made sense.
Until the spar with Tang Gyujin, I’d viewed myself and ‘Tang Un-hwi’ separately.
Like a third party just observing.
But during the spar, my mindset changed completely.
I got serious about martial arts.
Martial arts are one’s life and mindset—that was Tang Gyujin’s teaching.
I’d taken it fully to heart.
In other words, ‘Yeon Un-hwi’ now fully encompassed ‘Tang Un-hwi’.
Simply put, I’d devoured it.
Pfft.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Sorcery had a similar concept.
—Unity of Spirit and Flesh.
To wield sorcery more naturally, the body as the vessel for the soul needed development too. Synchronization of spirit and flesh was crucial.
I’d finally reached that stage—how could I not be thrilled?
‘So, how far has this Assimilation of Will and Intent gone?’
「It seems to be actively progressing. Currently around seventy percent.」
‘Higher assimilation means faster martial progress, right?’
「Yes.」
‘Good. That’s all I need.’
I grinned widely.
Who wouldn’t love continuously growing stronger?
Moreover, higher assimilation strengthened my sorcery too.
Training martial arts boosted sorcery—how could I not focus more?
Alright, staff training’s enough for now.
What to try next?
My eyes landed on one of the weapons hanging on the wall.
A spear.
A weapon from ancient times, the progenitor of poles and spears.
‘Bring it.’
「As you command!」
Wraith One hurriedly flew over, levitated the spear with telekinesis, and placed it in my hand.
A suitable art came to mind.
Battlefield Spear Method.
An ancient technique learned by chariot soldiers who specialized in spears before deployment.
Simple, but perfect for honing the spear.
Mix in Blossoming Mountain Staff Technique, and it’d be even better.
Fwoosh!
My body moved. Qi followed, permeating the spear with a pleasing hum.
Like Tang Un-hwi’s spirit awakening.
Claaaang!
* * *
Tang Gyujin was still pondering the koan Un-hwi had thrown at her.
‘Just wanted to spar with me, that’s all?’
He’d changed.
Changed so much.
But was that bad?
No, quite the opposite.
The Un-hwi she remembered had been a quiet child who couldn’t even meet people’s eyes properly.
Now, he joked freely with her and gave such profound insights.
He’d even befriended Tang Gon, forging ties with the Mad Wind Brigade that most had forgotten.
Now Un-hwi knew how to build his own fortress.
Which made her think all the more.
She couldn’t let the fortress he’d only just begun building crumble.
After this incident, her mother would surely try something against Un-hwi.
The South Palace Clan, aiming to swallow the Nine Dragons Branch Family via her cousins and extend influence to the Sichuan Tang Clan, would obviously target Un-hwi too.
So until his fortress grew taller, wider, and stronger, someone had to guard the gates.
And… only she could do it, she thought.
It was then.
Chill!
A sudden shiver ran up Tang Gyujin’s back.
The personality of the dormant Blue Ghost Mask Root awakened.
「Hee hee hee hee! What’s up?」
Tang Gyujin’s eyes flashed coldly, as if donning a ghost mask, as she scanned the surroundings.
Un-hwi had sensed something too and turned his head somewhere.
Run away, Young Lord.
At that moment, the giant spider’s last words rang in Un-hwi’s ears.
Ziiiiing!
Suddenly, a white mist began rising from the ground they stood on.