Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Hunt (6)
I walked a step behind the mysterious old man.
The old man maintained the same walking pace even though he knew I was following him.
I also knew what he was looking for. And soon discovered that place.
It was a mountain surrounding a luxury residential area. Halfway up the mountain was a small clearing that had formed naturally. I faced the old man there.
There was no need to greet each other. What the old man and I wanted to do was clear.
'Just beat him up first and ask questions later.'
The old man seemed to be thinking the same thing.
The old man started first. As if announcing the start of the fight, he swung his hand and shot out a whip-like cord.
The cord that shot out like a snake from his wide-sleeved clothing flew straight toward my neck. I caught the approaching cord. But the cord broke off weakly, unexpectedly.
'Damn.'
The cord that had cut off its tail like a lizard shot out once more and wrapped around my ankle, which had lost its stance.
Thud!
I put strength into my ankle and held firm, and the cord became taut. The old man showed a smile and put in strength, and I too didn't avoid the ensuing tug-of-war.
The tautly stretched cord didn't move in either direction. Both the old man and I were surprised by that sight.
'He's no pushover?'
The old man had the same expression.
Snap!
Eventually, when I drew up more internal energy, the cord couldn't withstand it and broke in the middle. The moment the cord broke, I ran toward the old man. Yongcheon. Using my maximum speed, I threw a punch toward the old man's face.
The old man didn't confront it but dodged the attack with footwork and moved behind me. Heavenly Dragon Force. The moment I touched the ground, I used leg techniques to kick behind me.
Bang!
This time the old man blocked with his arm, and blade-like energy waves spread out.
Swoosh!
The old man's clothes tore and scattered in all directions. When his white clothes were torn, his firm muscles appeared.
The energy waves left wounds on his muscles, and blood pooled in places. However, it didn't dig in deeply. The old man hurriedly escaped the range of the energy waves and brought his hand to his waist.
Shing!
Finally, a real weapon came out. It was a well-honed sword that could capture sunlight.
"Shall we see your true identity now?"
Gangwon. I, too, drew sword energy from both fists and rushed at the old man.
Clang!
The old man took a diagonal stance and deflected the first Gangwon to the left. It was such a fluid movement that I almost lost my balance. In the meantime, the old man's sword came straight and quickly toward my neck in a direct line.
Clang!
I struck it away with sword energy from the opposite side, lowered my stance, and slashed at the old man's ankle. Though it was an invisible, formless sword, the old man skillfully lifted his foot just enough to deflect the attack.
Thud!
The old man forcefully stomped the foot he had lifted onto the ground and attempted another thrust. In an instant, I had the illusion that the sword tip multiplied into dozens, and all the vital points on my body were in danger.
'Swift sword.'
It was an incredibly swift sword. I wasn't in a position to retreat backward. Instinctively sensing danger, I leaped high upward. The moment the old man looked up at me floating in the air, I drove down Falling Dragon Fist.
The old man also didn't confront it and tried to retreat quickly, but he couldn't completely escape the range of Falling Dragon Fist. The energy wave struck him and left a large wound on the old man's shoulder.
"Huuu."
The old man put strength into his drooping shoulder and stood upright. Like that, we watched each other, separated by the range of Falling Dragon Fist.
"The reincarnation was not in vain. To compete directly with the Heavenly Demon like this."
His voice was as relaxed as his expression. The opponent knows me. He probably found out by fighting. The characteristics of Heavenly Demon Divine Art are so distinct that anyone can recognize it once they experience it.
"Who are you?"
I saw the opponent's swordsmanship but didn't remember it. It was a martial art I had never encountered before.
"If there's a connection, we'll meet again."
"Do you think you can escape?"
"Looking at your age, you'll have grown even more next time. I look forward to it."
The old man suddenly deployed light footwork and left the place. I hurriedly tried to chase after him, but a tingling shock came up from my ankle.
'Damn it.'
It was a wound I got while dodging the old man's swift sword earlier. It was cut quite deeply, so chasing after him was too much. A fight where we both left wounds.
'A mysterious master.'
This was the first time in this life that such a result occurred.
"It feels like I've returned to the martial world?"
There was some discomfort, but it wasn't to the point of being unpleasant. Rather, my blood boiled.
"It's getting more and more interesting."
I watched the place where the mysterious master had left for quite a while.
***
I used the Witch's teleportation ring to return to Korea.
Swoosh!
I heard the sound of water first.
'Why isn't it the laboratory?'
Usually, the Witch is in the laboratory. It had always been like that every time I teleported until now. Water splashed on my wounded ankle, and a stinging pain came up. A space filled with steam.
"Hm?"
The Witch was glaring at me. Eyes filled with killing intent. It was the Witch's appearance I had seen in my previous life. But the Witch's hair was different from usual. It was covered with foam. Foam. Sound of water. Water splashes from the floor. And the Witch's intense killing intent.
"Turn your head."
The Witch was taking a shower.
"Ahem."
I coughed unnecessarily and left the bathroom.
'I should run away, right?'
There's no need to stay long in an unfavorable place for no reason.
'Is this a bit petty?'
We're people who have even seen death together, so what does it matter? I just left that place.
***
I returned to the lodging and told Jimun Seo-saeng about the mysterious old man. So Iryeon wasn't home because she had a schedule, and Cheong Ak-sal had followed her as a bodyguard.
"I don't know who it is either."
"Could it be someone I didn't meet in my previous life?"
"Although the Heavenly Demon Cult unified the martial world, there were many sects that didn't participate in that fight."
Most of the major sects participated. However, as Jimun Seo-saeng said, there were many sects that didn't take either side. Since they were small sects, there was no need to oppress or eliminate them.
"There are many mysterious sects that disappeared without a trace."
"That's right."
It was highly likely one of them.
"Perhaps Ihwagung?"
There were about three representative mysterious sects I hadn't met. These were sects whose very existence wasn't even certain. The first was Ihwagung. The second was Podalrapgung. The third was Bukhaebinggung. These three sects didn't appear until the martial world was unified. So Iryeon regretted this part the most.
"If they really existed, it would be an interesting fight."
"You look pleased."
"To be honest, I don't dislike it. The fights so far have been a bit boring."
"Your identity as Cult Leader might be revealed."
"They'll find out eventually anyway. If I move directly, I won't be able to hide for long anyway."
Jimun Seo-saeng nodded and changed the subject.
"I'd like to meet the man named Kim Mu-jin."
"I was planning to do that anyway. Proceed with the detailed negotiations yourself."
"Understood. Then let's treat your wound first."
A wound still remained on my ankle. The bleeding had stopped, but the trace was clear. Jimun Seo-saeng brought a medical kit himself and sealed the wound. I could do it with internal energy, but this way it would definitely heal faster.
"Why did he kill Wang Sa-baek?"
"I judge that the counterattack has begun."
"Is that so?"
"There are more skilled fighters than expected. It won't be a level that the hunters can withstand."
Masters beyond my expectations was appearing.
"The fact that they moved directly means they judged that they had gathered enough power to respond to Hunter Hall. Now the time has come when the hunter becomes the prey."
"Was this something you expected?"
"I was certain the moment I met the Cult Leader. For them to succeed, they should have found the Cult Leader before you grew in strength. They failed, and that failure won't be the only one."
It was as he said. Then what's important is what comes after.
"What do you expect will happen if Hunter Hall collapses?"
"A new game will be created. The game will change depending on how the state acts."
"Will it involve the state?"
"It's not certain yet."
There's no need to judge hastily. I just need to do what I have to do right now.
"Don't you feel regret?"
"About what?"
"About ordinary life. The Cult Leader doesn't necessarily have to give that up."
"Ordinary life."
Going to school, meeting friends—there was a time when I did such things. Actually, it wasn't a bad life.
"Do I deserve that?"
"You do. Rather, you need to enjoy it a little."
"Enjoy."
I laughed.
"So you're telling me to play around a bit?"
"That's right. You didn't refuse to enjoy yourself in your previous life, did you? In this life, you're giving up too many things."
"Will it be a problem?"
"Yes. To clearly understand this world, you need to mix with them. Understanding this even after becoming an absolute being is very important."
It was as he said. My standards are still based on my previous life in many ways.
"But there's an obstacle."
"If it's something I can solve, I'll do it."
"It's something even you can't solve."
"Is there such a thing?"
I said with a sigh.
"I'm a minor. Everything I want to do requires me to be an adult."
"Ah, I see."
Jimun Seo-saeng couldn't insist any further either.
"Should I just pretend to be an adult and play?"
"That's a bit..."
"I guess so, right?"
Jimun Seo-saeng is sensitive to public opinion about me. Especially since this society has many means of recording.
"Aren't there many ways to have wholesome fun?"
"Wholesome things aren't fun."
"That's true."
Jimun Seo-saeng agreed with me on this part too.
"I'm going to focus on training for the time being, so don't look for me unless it's important."
"Understood."
The encounter with the mysterious old man had become a stimulus. I went straight into my room and began training.
***
Burning the internal energy of Baekhoehyeol to perform extreme energy circulation was a strange experience. When the internal energy overflowed beyond control, it all flowed out through the Saemaek once it reached the limit point.
When my body felt empty like that, the two Dantians rapidly emitted internal energy. It felt like emptying a well completely and filling it with new water.
The problem was that the energy meridians received a shock as if they would tear, but as this was repeated, I began to build resistance to it.
'The energy meridians are becoming solid.'
This, too, was a strange experience. Usually, energy meridians and blood vessels feel more like they're opening wide and refreshing rather than becoming solid.
This is called the expansion of energy meridians and blood vessels, one of the basics of internal energy training. But the energy meridians were becoming solid. Like a child at play, I became immersed in the changes in internal energy.
How much time had passed, what day it was today—these weren't important. What was most important to me now was satisfying my curiosity. I continued training with only minimal meals.
'Quite some time has passed.'
This was the only recognition I could manage. Even this recognition seemed like a fleeting thought that appeared and disappeared for a moment.
As such, a long time passed, at some point I became able to burn and disperse the internal energy of Baekhoehyeol all at once and quickly enter energy circulation. By the time it became as natural as if it had always been that way, the pain in the energy meridians also completely disappeared.
'Fast.'
Based on the flow of internal energy becoming faster, it emptied in an instant and filled in a moment. This flow brought two changes.
The amount of internal energy emitted increased dramatically, and the recovery of depleted internal energy also became faster.
The feeling of all the cells in my body coming alive and running wild.
I didn't dislike it. Enjoying that feeling, I raised the flow of internal energy to the extreme.
Once again, the internal energy escaped control. But a change occurred. The internal energy that should have escaped through the Saemaek began to rapidly circulate along the normal path, receiving strength from the two Dantians.
As the uncontrollable internal energy rapidly circulated through the energy meridians, my consciousness gradually became hazy.
'It's different.'
It was different from the state of selflessness I usually experienced. An intense sense of rejection arose. Pain came up from the Saemaek all at once, and I felt like cracks were forming in the energy meridians that had become solid.
'I need to stop.'
No one knew what the outcome would be. Because this was a phenomenon that didn't exist even in martial arts records. It could be an aftereffect created by the two Dantians.
"Huuu."
I wrapped up the long training session. Only then did all the pain disappear.
"What was that?"
I couldn't understand it yet.
'It's a path no one has taken.'
It was dangerous, but at least this much was certain.