Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: The Abandoned Ones
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Martial God (100)
They were the abandoned ones.
'It's coming.'
Ak Muyoo sensed the Demon Formless Palm shooting toward him.
'I'll take it first and send it back.'
Ak Muyoo gritted his teeth.
Boom!
The massive energy of the Demon Formless Palm slammed into Ak Muyoo's chest.
"Kugh!"
An immense shockwave ravaged his insides.
Blood gushed from his mouth in thick clots as he screamed and plummeted downward.
"Muyoo!"
Startled, Ara revealed herself.
As the naked Ara appeared, Tareu stared at her in shock.
That was when the arm of the falling Ak Muyoo moved. The arm that had seemed unconscious pulled back the bowstring.
Until then, Tareu had been too focused on Ara to notice Ak Muyoo.
Twang!
"Huh!"
Her eyes widened as if they might tear.
A blurry object appeared in her pupils. It was the Dark Current Arrow Ak Muyoo had fired.
Thud!
The Dark Current Arrow burrowed into Tareu's forehead.
"Aaack!"
Tareu let out a wretched scream and flew backward, crashing harshly.
Thump!
Only then did Ak Muyoo hit the ground.
"The matriarch has fallen!"
"The leader has fallen!"
With Tareu's death, the morale of the Black Sand Black Dragon Heaven warriors plummeted. They hesitated and began to retreat.
Ak Muyoo sprang to his feet.
"Graaaah!"
Roaring ferociously, he charged at them.
Raaar!
Zabujong also charged after Ak Muyoo.
"Retreat!"
"Fall back!"
As Ak Muyoo rushed forward, the Black Sand Black Dragon Heaven warriors turned their camels and fled. Once they had cleared the plaza, Ak Muyoo collapsed forward.
"Muyoo!"
Ara rushed to his side in alarm and helped him up.
"Are you okay?"
Ara asked.
"Yeah. But you're naked."
"That's not important right now, you idiot."
"Still, you should cover up. Here, use this."
Ak Muyoo pulled the Windbreaker Robe from his bosom and handed it over.
Ara let go of Ak Muyoo and wrapped the Windbreaker Robe around herself.
"You aimed for that, didn't you?"
"Aimed for what?"
"That moment when she got startled looking at me."
"When a naked woman suddenly appears out of nowhere in midair, anyone would be startled."
Boom!
Ak Muyoo collapsed forward again. This time, Ara didn't panic like before.
"Anyway, you..."
She finished wrapping the Windbreaker Robe and helped Ak Muyoo to his feet.
"Are you alright?"
Mok Woo approached and asked.
"I said so just now."
"Said so..."
"This guy comes back to life just by talking."
"Good grief!"
Mok Woo scratched his head.
Soon, Ma Dunjirang and the Wall Brain group approached.
Mok Woo's group watched them tensely. If they attacked while Ak Muyoo was down, they'd have to fight again.
"I keep my promises once made."
Ma Dunjirang said, sensing Mok Woo's concern.
"That's fortunate for us."
"First, let's move that man."
Ma Dunjirang said.
"Yes."
Mok Woo picked up Ak Muyoo.
Ara gathered Ak Muyoo's belongings. The group descended underground again.
The place they took Ak Muyoo was Ma Dunjirang's residence. His residence had three bathtubs, two of which were filled with liquids fetched from the Five Elements Supreme Pool and Chaos Pool among the Heavenly Gods Five Elixirs.
They had been prepared for recovery from fatigue.
"Put him in that one."
Ma Dunjirang pointed to the tub filled with the liquid from the Chaos Pool.
"Got it."
Ara nodded, stripped Ak Muyoo of his clothes, and first checked his wounds. A clear handprint in the shape of a palm marked his chest.
She removed his pants and placed him in the tub. But Ak Muyoo kept slumping to the side once inside. The tub was round, with no edge to lean against.
"You're a handful in every way."
Ara shook her head and stripped down, entering the tub to rest Ak Muyoo's head on her shoulder. She stayed like that, passing the time.
Her way of passing time was simple. She continually reviewed the Secret Heaven martial arts. Time flew by as she ruminated endlessly. She first recited the Chaos Secret and skimmed the Illusion Demon Twelve Forms. She reviewed every verse without missing a single one, visualizing the movements and internal energy flows in her mind. She trained in the arts without rest.
Suddenly, she felt eyes on her and opened them.
Ak Muyoo had his eyes open, staring at her.
"What are you doing?"
"Holding you up so you don't drown. Aren't you grateful? It's touching."
"Yeah. Thanks."
"Huh?"
"What?"
"Did you hit your head when you fell?"
"No?"
"But..."
"What's the problem?"
"You don't know how to say thanks."
"I'm plenty polite. But is it okay to just barge in naked like this?"
"Naked?"
Ara looked down.
"Huh?"
She was startled. It had been murky like mud when she entered. Now it was crystal clear.
"Why?"
"When I first put you in, it was like a swamp."
"And now it's clear?"
"Yeah."
"It's because I'm a vessel."
"What's a vessel?"
"It means a container that holds energy."
"So you can hold it but can't use it?"
"A water jug doesn't drink the water when it's thirsty. A rice container doesn't eat the rice. A jewelry box doesn't wear the jewels. It just holds them."
"..."
Ara gazed quietly at Ak Muyoo.
"How long has it been?"
"No idea."
"Let's get up."
He rubbed his chest and rose from the tub.
"The problem is..."
Ara stood and spoke.
"What problem?"
"When I hear it, you sound so pitiful."
"I am pitiful."
"That's true, but you don't seem pitiful at all. That's the problem."
"Aren't you being too open in front of me?"
Ara looked as if she'd forgotten she was naked.
"There's no spot your hands haven't touched, so what."
"That was for treatment."
"Even if it was for treatment, you still touched me."
"Then what about doctors?"
"You're not a doctor."
"So what are you trying to say?"
"Your gaze doesn't feel awkward at all. Not embarrassing either."
"Sheesh."
Ak Muyoo shook his head, dressed, and went outside. Being underground, he couldn't tell if it was day or night.
As the two emerged, Mok Woo's group approached.
"Are you alright?"
Mok Woo asked.
"Yeah."
Ak Muyoo nodded.
"Is it night or day now?"
Ara asked Mok Woo.
"It's night."
"No wonder I'm tired. I'll go rest first."
Ara said her goodbyes and left.
"I'll step out for a bit."
Ak Muyoo went outside to the plaza where they'd fought the day before. The buildings around the plaza were brightly lit. They seemed to be cleaning and repairing them.
Ak Muyoo circled the plaza, picked up the fallen Dark Current Arrow, cleaned it thoroughly, and slotted it into the seventy-four quiver.
Ma Dunjirang, who had been watching Ak Muyoo from afar, approached.
"What are you doing?"
Ma Dunjirang asked.
"This."
Ak Muyoo showed him the Dark Current Arrow.
"It seems like an incredible weapon."
"It's what elevates me to the level of an average internal energy martial artist. Of course, not the really strong ones, just everyday warriors. You could make fakes, but this one's made of a metal that can't be replicated."
"What material is it?"
"Glass Hard Hair."
"A precious metal."
Ma Dunjirang helped Ak Muyoo search for Dark Current Arrows.
"Here's one."
He picked one up from the ground and handed it to Ak Muyoo.
"Both the Chacha Kingdom and here—there's no martial arts at all. Why is that?"
The Chacha Kingdom had martial arts, but not from Paradise Country. The Great Heaven Demon Palace was Central Plains martial arts too.
"It's because of the Absolute Six Heavens."
"Why them?"
"As they went to the Central Plains, they shattered all the martial arts left behind by those who stayed. They took those who knew martial arts with them and killed those who refused to go."
"Why would they do that?"
"I don't know for sure since I didn't live in that era, but around the time they left Paradise Country, the Absolute Six Heavens must have become tyrants."
"They saw themselves as the center of the world. So those who wouldn't go to the Central Plains were branded traitors."
"That's probably it."
"In the end, they were abandoned."
"Yes. We are descendants of the abandoned ones."
"Tch!"
Ak Muyoo clicked his tongue softly.
"Honestly, it's our fault too. We had a few martial arts—not strong ones—but only a handful of leaders learned them."
"Why make that decision?"
"Because for us, trapped underground unable to leave, martial arts weren't necessary."
"Unable to leave underground?"
"Truth is, we can't go out during the day."
"What does that mean?"
"If sunlight touches our skin, we burn immediately, and standing in it for an hour means we die."
"Is it a disease?"
"We don't know what disease it is or why it happened. We can't see sunlight and can only be active at night."
"I see."
Ak Muyoo nodded. He continued circling, searching for more Dark Current Arrows, but gave up without finding five.
He moved his lodgings near the Shadowless Lake.
There, he compiled manuals from the martial arts he knew. He wrote all the Sun Heaven and Secret Heaven arts, plus those from the Heaven Earth Sun Command.
He took the book to Ma Dunjirang.
"What's this?"
"Sun Heaven and Secret Heaven martial arts, plus lost Border Wastes arts."
"Why give this..."
"Consider it payment for the arm."
"The arm was my fault for losing it. Thanks to you, I came to my senses—I gained something more precious than an arm. I should be the one thanking you."
"It happened to connect with me. If you insist, I have the Sun Killing Manual, Secret Heaven Ruyi Ink, and Fear Demon, so I'm like the leader of three factions. Please accept it as atonement for abandoning you in the past."
"...Thank you."
Ma Dunjirang took the manual. Then he said,
"I'll give you a gift too."
"A gift?"
"We have a little Transparent Demon Steel."
"Transparent Demon Steel?"
"It's similar to Glass Hard Hair."
"If made into a weapon, it'd be a divine sword..."
"I gave you that, so I must give something in return."
"No need to..."
"It puts my mind at ease."
"I'll gratefully accept. But is there a forge here?"
"There is. And Elder Kang is very skilled."
"I'll make it myself."
"I'll guide you."
Ma Dunjirang led Ak Muyoo outside.
"Here it is."
In the courtyard, he kicked a large rock lightly.
"This is Transparent Demon Steel?"
"Yes. Try scratching it with a blade."
Ak Muyoo drew Fear Demon and swung lightly.
Kaaang!
A sharp metallic sound rang out as transparent metal appeared.
"Whoa?"
Ak Muyoo stared blankly at Ma Dunjirang. The Transparent Demon Steel wasn't small. It looked enough for hundreds of Dark Current Arrows.
"Could this be the same material as this?"
Ak Muyoo partially drew his Sun Heaven Sword to show.
"Probably."
Ma Dunjirang nodded.
"I've gained a treasure. Thank you."
Ak Muyoo clasped his hands in respect toward Ma Dunjirang.
"You're welcome."
Ma Dunjirang smiled faintly.
"I'll return your internal energy too."
"No need."
"No. It's useless to me anyway, but... on one condition."
"..."
"No more of that weird pose."
"Heh!"
Ma Dunjirang chuckled.