Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: A New Destiny
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—Bu Eun-seol, the Sip-ma-jeon-in of Nang-ya-gak, overwhelmed the Dae-ui-go-su!
The incident where three Dae-ui-go-su were defeated by a single Sip-ma-jeon-in.
After what came to be known as the Janggeom Mountain Manor incident, a great stir swept through the martial world.
Until then, the consensus in the martial world was that the Sip-ma-jeon-in were a step below the Dae-ui-go-su.
But the Sip-ma-jeon-in of Nang-ya-gak had defeated Gwan Seok-cheon, a Dae-ui-go-su from the Diancang Sect, at Janggeom Mountain Manor.
And he had even crushed the combined assault of Han Seong and Cheong Cho-hyeon, Dae-ui-go-su from Janggeom Mountain Manor and the Emei Sect.
—How is that possible? It must be a false rumor.
Most martial artists who first heard the rumor refused to believe it.
No matter how formidable the martial arts of a Sip-ma-jeon-in were, the Dae-ui-go-su were all rising talents who had reached the transcendent realm.
It was impossible for one person to face two of them alone.
—The Eighteen Arhats of Shaolin and the Seven Masters of Wudang have mobilized to find the Sip-ma-jeon-in of Nang-ya-gak.
But the leading masters of Shaolin and Wudang had descended into the martial world, searching for the Sip-ma-jeon-in of Nang-ya-gak.
This move by Shaolin and Wudang ultimately proved that the events at Janggeom Mountain Manor were all true.
—They are trying to restore the fallen prestige of the Nine Great Sects!
The Sip-ma-jeon-in of Nang-ya-gak had triumphed over the masters of the majority of the Nine Great Sects.
Unable to tolerate this, Shaolin and Wudang had moved to avenge their humiliation.
But after the Janggeom Mountain Manor incident, the Sip-ma-jeon-in of Nang-ya-gak had not shown himself in the martial world.
* * *
Nang-ya-gak, Iron Staff Peak.
At the edge of a sheer cliff sat a man in a neat posture.
Through his lustrous black hair, a high nose and a smooth jawline were visible.
His features were so beautiful that, were it not for his thick eyebrows, he could have been mistaken for a peerless beauty. It was Bu Eun-seol.
“The very picture of an immortal.”
Just then, a scholar in fluttering green robes approached from behind.
He was a middle-aged man with the air of an immortal and a languid gaze.
His clear eyes made him seem like a carefree wanderer, unburdened by the world's troubles.
But in reality, he was a formidable figure capable of turning the martial world upside down. He was the Vice Lord of Nang-ya-gak, Dan Cheong.
“Vice Lord.”
As Bu Eun-seol rose and bowed his head, Dan Cheong smiled warmly.
“Were you cultivating your energy?”
“No, sir.”
As Bu Eun-seol straightened, a faint haze of delusion clouded his eyes.
Staring intently at that gaze, Dan Cheong spoke calmly.
“It seems you were reminiscing about him.”
“No, sir.”
Though he said that, a blurry hue still spread through Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
“Have you fully recovered now?”
“Yes, sir.”
After felling the Dae-ui-go-su, Bu Eun-seol had immediately returned to Nang-ya-gak.
Part of his intention was to safely recover and recuperate from his deep internal injuries.
But more importantly, there was the recurring strange symptom.
He had returned to ask Hyeol-geum-gang about the bizarre phenomenon of his internal energy increasing every time he was injured.
However, when Bu Eun-seol returned, Hyeol-geum-gang had already left Nang-ya-gak.
When Bu Eun-seol asked of his whereabouts, he was told that not even the Pung-un-dae knew.
“I haven't even been able to repay his grace, I didn't expect him to leave so soon.”
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had been taught martial arts by several masters.
But the ones he truly considered his masters in his heart were Sa-u and Hyeol-geum-gang. That was why he never forgot to climb Iron Staff Peak whenever he returned to Nang-ya-gak.
An internal energy art.
It was the foundation of a martial artist, a lighthouse guiding the way through a vast, boundless sea.
In the martial world, even if one had many masters, the one who imparted their internal energy art was revered as the highest master.
This was because, excluding sleeping hours, the master had to stick by the disciple every day to help cultivate their internal energy, and only after long hours of interpreting the oral formulas until their mouth went dry could the disciple barely grasp the basics.
In short, imparting an internal energy art was on the same level as painstakingly raising a complete stranger's newborn child.
And Hyeol-geum-gang had raised that newborn into a young man possessing one of the highest levels of internal energy in the martial world.
“He promised to impart the Reverse Polarity Divine Art to a disciple of this Pavilion. It was merely a condition of exchange, so you owe him nothing.”
“That's not true.”
“Not true?”
Bu Eun-seol shook his head firmly.
“Because the elder did not just impart an internal energy art to me.”
“What do you mean by that?”
After a moment's thought, Bu Eun-seol pointed to the cliff face below where he had been sitting.
There, words had been carved with a sharp finger wind.
—By the time you seek this humble monk again, you will likely be feeling something strange in your body.
But do not worry. It is a phenomenon that occurs as the Primal True Qi I previously infused into you merges with your own body's true qi.
“Primal True Qi?”
Dan Cheong blinked, reading the engraved words.
There, it was written in detail why Bu Eun-seol’s energy had increased so drastically.
And the reason why his internal energy increased every time he was injured was also explained.
“Hyeol-geum-gang, did he infuse his Primal True Qi into you?”
“Yes. When my true qi went rampant while I was learning the Reverse Polarity Divine Art, the elder unsparingly infused his to treat me.”
“Hmm…”
Dan Cheong spoke with a very serious expression.
“May I check your pulse?”
“Of course.”
As Bu Eun-seol extended his arm, Dan Cheong tried to place two fingers on his wrist.
*Twang.*
But before he could even touch the pulse point, a spring-like repulsive force erupted, fiercely flicking his fingers away.
‘Hmm?’
Feeling puzzled, Dan Cheong stared intently at Bu Eun-seol.
“I am only checking your pulse, there is no need to be so guarded.”
“What are you talking about?”
But something was strange.
Bu Eun-seol was just blinking, as if he hadn't felt a thing.
‘Could it be… he didn't create that repulsive force intentionally?’
Flustered, Dan Cheong put strength into his two fingers and forcibly gripped Bu Eun-seol’s wrist.
‘This is!’
As Dan Cheong assessed Bu Eun-seol’s true qi circulation and energy level, the focus in his eyes vanished.
‘To think this boy's level of internal energy was this high…’
Dan Cheong's tightly clenched teeth parted on their own.
Bu Eun-seol’s internal energy level was well over one hundred and eighty years’ worth.
‘One hundred and eighty years… One hundred and eighty years?’
Although a martial artist's victory wasn't decided by internal energy level alone,
at this level, he wouldn't be pushed back even in an internal energy contest against the contemporary masters.
‘Hyeol-geum-gang has created a monster!’
“Is something wrong?”
Dan Cheong, who had been staring wide-eyed with his mouth agape, cleared his throat at Bu Eun-seol’s question and composed his expression.
“It is nothing. Your internal energy is quite substantial.”
“Thank you.”
Releasing his hand from the wrist, Dan Cheong muttered in a low voice.
“Well, in all the world, the only art that can infuse one’s internal energy into another is the Reverse Polarity Divine Art.”
Then, after glancing around Iron Staff Peak for a moment, he spoke again.
“It seems Hyeol-geum-gang has left you behind as a version of himself.”
Dan Cheong was mistaken.
He thought that the level of internal energy Bu Eun-seol had achieved was all thanks to the Primal True Qi infused by Hyeol-geum-gang.
What if he knew that the majority of the Primal True Qi infused by Hyeol-geum-gang lay dormant deep within Bu Eun-seol’s eight extraordinary meridians?
He would have jumped up in shock right there on Iron Staff Peak.
“But this is not entirely a good thing.”
Dan Cheong said with a worried expression.
“If one's internal energy increases rapidly through elixirs or external help, several problems can arise.”
“What kind of problems?”
“What do you think would happen if you gave a sharp, precious sword to someone just beginning to learn swordsmanship?”
Dan Cheong calmly continued his explanation.
“It is the same with internal energy arts. If you cannot control the suddenly increased energy, it can actually harm your body.”
Thanks to the breathing method Bu Jan-yang had taught him, Bu Eun-seol had built a stronger foundation than anyone and had accumulated immense internal energy in his dantian.
Therefore, he was already at a level where he could delicately control his one hundred and eighty years of internal energy, but…
Dan Cheong was worrying over Bu Eun-seol like a clerk at a money exchange advising a newly rich commoner on how to manage his wealth.
“Do not worry. I will strive to do even better.”
Even Hyeol-geum-gang, who had imparted the Reverse Polarity Divine Art, had remained at the fifth stage.
That alone was enough for him to stand his ground against the world's masters without yielding an inch.
The stages beyond were truly uncharted territory.
But Bu Eun-seol felt his own level was lacking and vowed to achieve even more.
“Yes.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, Dan Cheong smiled warmly.
“I am sure you can do it.”
“But what brings you all the way here in person?”
Bu Eun-seol had noticed the worry etched on Dan Cheong’s brow and asked cautiously.
“Did you receive a message from the Ma-jeon?”
“I did.”
Dan Cheong let out a deep sigh and said.
“The Demonic Heavenly Emperor has finally come out of seclusion.”
Bu Eun-seol was not greatly surprised.
He had already been given a hint by the Lord of the Pung-un-dae, and besides, it was a matter that had nothing to do with him.
“It doesn't matter. I have no intention of becoming a candidate for the Ma-jeon's succession anyway.”
“What did you say?”
Dan Cheong wore a peculiar expression.
“But you have already killed three Dae-ui-go-su.”
“It was not for the sake of becoming a candidate for the Ma-jeon's succession.”
“Hah.”
Dan Cheong let out a strange exclamation.
He was proud of Bu Eun-seol, who lacked ambition and thought of Nang-ya-gak as his own home.
But at the same time, it was utterly bewildering.
“The position of the Ma-jeon's successor is something every demonic practitioner dreams of. Do you have no ambition?”
“I am a disciple of Nang-ya-gak. Is that not enough?”
“Hahaha.”
Dan Cheong burst into a hearty laugh at Bu Eun-seol’s answer.
A pleased smile spread across his lips, as if he were watching a doting grandson.
“If the Lord had heard that, he would have been greatly pleased.”
The smile on his lips soon faded, and Dan Cheong shook his head with a serious expression.
“First, to answer your question, that is impossible.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you must become the successor of the Ma-jeon.”
It was an unexpected answer.
“Me?”
As Bu Eun-seol looked bewildered, Dan Cheong spoke with a solemn expression.
“That's right. And there are three reasons for it.”
Gazing at the distant sky for a moment, Dan Cheong spoke gravely.
“First, although you are young, you have mastered the practical martial arts of this Pavilion so fundamentally that it is meaningless to practice any more martial techniques.”
Pausing for a moment, he continued in a low voice.
“Therefore, learning other martial arts from the masters of this Pavilion has become a pointless endeavor.”
It was an accurate assessment.
The Mu-sang-cheon-ryu that Bu Eun-seol had learned contained all the techniques of the world's sword arts.
There was a single reason for this.
In the past, Dan Cheong had imparted all the variations of the world's sword arts to Bu Eun-seol through a single sword form.
And Bu Eun-seol had mastered all those variations in just one year. Not only that, but he had also developed his swordsmanship on his own by competing against martial masters based on those variations.
Therefore, he no longer needed to learn the martial arts of the Nang-ya-gak masters.
“What is the second reason?”
“Is your only goal not to become stronger? To that end, learning the martial arts of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor will be a much faster path to strength than training in this Pavilion.”
“I have yet to properly master the martial arts I've already learned.”
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
“And I believe I can become strong enough with the martial arts of this Pavilion alone.”
Dan Cheong inwardly nodded.
In fact, Nang-ya-gak had produced the world's number one master several times.
It was just that there were few who could perfectly digest its mysterious and unpredictable practical martial arts.
If one could master it completely, they could reign as the greatest under heaven.
“Of course, that is true. But is that not an equally difficult path?”
“I will succeed.”
“Well, perhaps you might. But because of this third reason, you must go to the Ma-jeon.”
Pausing for a moment, Dan Cheong said with a serious expression.
“The Lord of the Ma-jeon has summoned you personally.”
This time, even Bu Eun-seol could not hide his surprised expression.
“The Demonic Heavenly Emperor?”
“That is right. The Chong-gyo-ryeong apparently told the Lord of the Ma-jeon your story.”
The Dark King, Yeop Hyo-cheon.
He was a master belonging to the Seven Kings of the God of Death and also the Chong-gyo-ryeong of the Ma-jeon, and he had only spoken briefly with Bu Eun-seol.
So why would he have told his story to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor?
“In truth, with what the Sip-ma-jeon-in have done so far, they have more than put up with the schemes of the successors of the Ten Demonic Sects.”
Dan Cheong said, as if to resolve Bu Eun-seol’s curiosity.
“But now that a talent has appeared who has broken through it all with dignity, he likely means to prevent them from playing any more dirty tricks.”
Bu Eun-seol recalled Yeop Hyo-cheon smiling warmly in the darkness.
Looking back now, it seemed he had been on the side of the Sip-ma-jeon-in all along, orchestrating the entire situation.
“Seeing as the Lord of the Ma-jeon has come out of seclusion, our Lord will also likely come out soon. So it is best you go to the Ma-jeon before that.”
“Why is that?”
“Because if the Lord comes out of seclusion, he will never let you go before the Lord of the Ma-jeon.”
Glancing at Bu Eun-seol, Dan Cheong grinned.
“This Vice Lord wishes for you to meet the Lord of the Ma-jeon and face various trials to grow faster and stronger. But the Lord… holds a sense of rivalry toward the Lord of the Ma-jeon.”
“A sense of rivalry…”
Mulling over Dan Cheong’s words, Bu Eun-seol asked with a puzzled expression.
“Then the reason the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and the Lord went into seclusion was…”
“Yes. It is time you knew.”
Gazing at the distant sky for a moment, Dan Cheong said in a low voice.
“The reason the Lord and the Lord of the Ma-jeon entered seclusion at the same time is… because the two of them fought until the heavens and the earth tore apart.”
*Thump.*
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes widened as if he had been struck on the back of the head.
The Lord of Nang-ya-gak and the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had fought each other?
The authority of the Twin Heavenly Emperors of Righteousness and Demonic paths, who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, was absolute.
No matter how much the Lord of Nang-ya-gak was a world-shaking transcendent belonging to the Three Demonic, Three Exalted…
Compared to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, called the absolute ruler of the demonic path, the difference was described as being that of heaven and earth.
“It is not well known in the martial world, but the Lord of the Ma-jeon and our Lord have been competing in martial arts for a long time. The reason the Demonic Heavenly Emperor was able to ascend to his throne was also because he constantly competed with our Lord.”
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol’s heart pounded.
Did that mean the Lord of Nang-ya-gak was a master on par with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor?
“In that case… has the Lord also reached the pinnacle of the Realm of Infinity?”
“No one has ever witnessed the duel between the two. How then could this one possibly gauge the martial arts of the Lord or the Lord of the Ma-jeon?”
In truth, Dan Cheong was a peerless master who had reached the edge of the Guk-cheon-gyeong and was on the verge of entering the Realm of Infinity.
Even so, he could not dare to fathom the martial境界 of the Lord of Nang-ya-gak or the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, who had reached the supreme state known as the limit of the Realm of Infinity.
“However, even within the same Realm of Infinity, there are differences according to enlightenment. Besides, above that lies the unknown realm called the Realm of Heavenly Intent, does it not?”
Watching Bu Eun-seol, whose eyes sparkled like a child's, Dan Cheong smiled faintly.
“In any case, there is nothing more I can tell you. The leader of the Baek-dae is also out in the martial world for various matters…”
The Lord of the Pung-un-dae, Baek Yeon, was traveling the martial world and commanding his information network upon hearing the news of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor’s return.
Now that a figure who could change the landscape of the righteous and demonic martial worlds had reappeared, he intended to meticulously grasp the trends and flow of the martial world.
“The Ma-jeon will soon send an envoy.”
Dan Cheong patted Bu Eun-seol’s shoulder.
“Now, go and challenge a new destiny.”