Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Seol Ha-ryeong's Ascension
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- The northern snowy mountains of Kunlun
Mu-heun, Un-pyo, and Pa-sun ascended the snowy mountain. It was a reunion with the party they had sent ahead. Mu-heun greeted Seol Ha-ryeong and Yang-baek with a pleased expression.
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
“Hoho~ Has it only been two days?”
Seol Ha-ryeong pouted as if she had been bored to death while waiting. However, Mu-heun could sense that she hadn’t just been playing around.
‘Her energy has grown sharper.’
Mu-heun let out a soft chuckle and got straight to the point.
“Have you acquired all the herbs I requested?”
At Mu-heun’s question, Ha-ryeong’s pout vanished as she replied.
“Of course. You asked for Houttuynia cordata, motherwort, horny goat weed, cornelian cherry, and Japanese pepper tree, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. But what about the Kunlun Snow Ginseng?”
“Finding the Kunlun Snow Ginseng was the hardest part. I searched the entire mountain and barely found three.”
“...You mean to say you found three of them?”
“...Yes?”
“That’s incredible.”
Mu-heun was genuinely amazed.
He had spoken to Seol Ha-ryeong as if it were something that could be found with a bit of searching, but in truth, Kunlun Snow Ginseng was not an easy herb to find. In his past life, Mu-heun had planted, searched for, and acquired countless herbs, but... he had only seen Kunlun Snow Ginseng once in his entire life, even after turning seventy.
In other words, Kunlun Snow Ginseng was an herb that even the most experienced herbalists, who roamed the mountains of the Central Plains, would be lucky to see once in a lifetime, and only if heaven willed it.
That was why he had asked her to find it... but he had made the request assuming she wouldn't be able to. Yet, as if to prove all such stories false, Seol Ha-ryeong had found three.
‘This is a miracle.’
For those who practiced Yin or Ice arts, the snow ginseng was a spirit herb that could explosively increase their internal energy. To martial artists, finding even one was a stroke of incredible fortune, yet here were three!
‘Amazing... How is this possible?’
Mu-heun couldn't hide his admiration and asked.
“How did you find them?”
“I was just searching the mountain when I felt a cold energy from somewhere. It wasn't like snow... more condensed, something like that? So, I dug it up just in case, and it matched the drawing the Dragon Demon gave me, so I figured this must be it.”
“...!”
‘I see. There was a reason why herbalists and martial artists couldn't find it easily.’
Kunlun Snow Ginseng was a spirit herb with strong Yin energy. Therefore, it resonated with the energy of those who practiced Yin arts.
That explained how Seol Ha-ryeong had managed to find three of them.
‘To begin with, there aren't many practitioners of Yin arts in the martial world. Such people wouldn't be climbing mountains to look for snow ginseng, and even fewer would come all this way believing in a legend like the Kunlun Snow Ginseng.
Furthermore, it’s difficult to spot unless it’s a specific time of year, so of course, finding Kunlun Snow Ginseng would feel next to impossible!’
It was a stroke of heavenly luck.
She had found them because all the timing and coincidences had aligned perfectly.
“By the way, Lord Dragon Demon, I’ve been meaning to ask since I first dug this spirit herb up... How many of these do you need? The ginseng’s Yin energy is reacting with my own... Would it be alright if I consumed one?”
“Of course. I only need two. You should take one now. I will assist you with your energy circulation.”
“Oh, really?”
“Certainly.”
Seol Ha-ryeong had only asked on the off chance, but Mu-heun readily agreed.
Having received his permission, Seol Ha-ryeong immediately sat down, tossed the Kunlun Snow Ginseng into her mouth, and began to chew. It seemed she had been holding back for quite some time.
Mu-heun asked Pa-sun, Un-pyo, the Heavenly Demonic Corpse Hyeok, and Gu Yang-baek to stand guard for a while and helped Seol Ha-ryeong with her energy circulation.
“Regulate your breathing. I will help you.”
“Yes. Thank you!”
Absorbing a spirit herb dense with Yin energy was dangerous even for those who practiced Yin arts. Therefore, it was necessary for Mu-heun to use his fiery energy to protect Ha-ryeong’s body.
He would guide her energy circulation to protect her heart and various organs, helping her absorb the Yin energy.
“I will begin.”
“You can trust me.”
He guided the condensed Yin energy of the snow ginseng to settle stably in Ha-ryeong’s dantian. The explosive Yin energy was transmitted to Mu-heun as well, but any Yin energy that reached him was nothing more than food for his Heavenly Demonic energy.
Mu-heun simply helped prevent Seol Ha-ryeong’s overflowing Yin energy from harming her body as she consumed the Kunlun Snow Ginseng.
After two hours, Seol Ha-ryeong had converted a significantly larger amount of Yin energy into internal energy, finally digesting most of the Kunlun Snow Ginseng’s power.
A colossal wave of cold energy spread across the snowy mountain, and the energy circulation session ended.
Mu-heun let out a long sigh and said.
“Hoo. Congratulations.”
“I don’t know how to thank you, Dragon Demon.”
Seol Ha-ryeong smiled, beads of sweat on her brow.
Un-pyo, Pa-sun, and Yang-baek, who had felt the fragments of cold energy and rushed over, asked.
“What happened?”
“Lady Ha-ryeong has entered the realm of a Pinnacle Master.”
“What? I-Is that really true?”
It was true.
While helping Seol Ha-ryeong circulate her energy, Mu-heun had realized it. Her energy was already close to the pinnacle. If she could fully digest the Kunlun Snow Ginseng, she would step into that realm.
“Yes. Lady Ha-ryeong now possesses the martial skill of an Elder.”
“...!”
Of course, Ha-ryeong’s martial prowess had already been approaching the pinnacle. But transcending the realm of a Transcendent Master was no easy feat. It was a domain impossible to reach without an epiphany.
However, Ha-ryeong had already grasped a clue through her spar with Mu-heun. Thus, she had suddenly broken through the wall.
“Ha... Truly amazing.”
Yang-baek didn't show it, but a competitive fire ignited within him. Of course, the realm of a Transcendent Master was by no means a low level, and he knew he was exceptionally strong for his age.
But while he had been briefly separated from Mu-heun, Un-pyo and Pa-sun had reached the same Transcendent realm as him, and now Seol Ha-ryeong, who had been at his level, had surpassed them all.
Naturally, a sense of urgency welled up inside him.
Mu-heun did not miss Yang-baek’s feelings. However, thinking that this emotion would ultimately nourish his growth, he simply smiled and gave orders for everyone to get ready.
“With everyone growing like this, our mission will be much easier. Our next destination is the Emei Sect. Lady Ha-ryeong will have much to do there. I’ll explain on the way, so let’s depart.”
“Yes!”
***
Mu-heun's party used their movement techniques to travel at high speed.
After about two days, they passed through Qinghai and entered Sichuan Province.
“We’ve finally entered Sichuan.”
This was the land of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the Demonic Cult's biggest headache at present. It was also home to the Qingcheng Sect, known as a branch of the Nine Sects One Union, and the Emei Sect, known as a sect of women.
A land where one of the Five Great Families, pillars of the Orthodox Sects, and two of the Nine Sects One Union existed.
Moreover, with recent hostilities at their peak, it was a land where a member of the Demonic Cult was surrounded by enemies on all sides.
Throughout the journey, Mu-heun questioned Seol Ha-ryeong about Yin arts.
“I’ve heard that women with dense Yin energy are often consumed by it and die easily. Yet, you handle your Yin arts magnificently, Lady Ha-ryeong.”
“Hoho~ What are you trying to say?”
“I’ll be direct. What efforts must one make to properly digest Yin energy?”
Seol Ha-ryeong found Mu-heun's question strange, but thinking that he wouldn't ask something useless, she told him everything she knew.
“The most dangerous aspect of Yin arts is that your own internal energy can turn against you. No matter how powerful the Yin arts you use, your body temperature must never drop. To protect your body temperature, you must shroud your entire body in a protective aura and minimize the circulation of Yin energy from your dantian within your body.”
“Are there any other methods that those consumed by Yin energy could use?”
“They can simultaneously shroud themselves in extreme Yang energy. Just like you helped me with my circulation. Of course, the energies must be kept separate, not merged.”
“How does one shroud themselves in extreme Yang energy?”
“Initially, a master with extreme Yang energy can infuse them with their ki, or they can ingest herbs with strong Yang energy, like solar herbs, to neutralize it. However, if the Yin energy is too strong, these are merely temporary measures, not a fundamental solution.”
“Then what should be done after the temporary measures?”
“One must practice moving ki with extreme delicacy.”
“Moving ki?”
“Yes. By condensing the Yang energy present in nature and absorbing it into the body, you can fill your body with Yang energy and maintain a normal body temperature. Then, you transfer the Yin energy from your dantian to the nature that has been deprived of its Yang energy.”
“So you take nature’s warm energy and then give it your cold energy... That way, you maintain your health by absorbing Yang energy, and at the same time, the power of the Yin arts you use becomes much greater.”
“Exactly. That is the way to efficiently use extreme Yin energy.”
“I see. In that case, someone born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians could avoid an early death if they learn Yin arts.”
“That’s right. It is said that the Nine Yin Severed Meridians can be cured by consuming the inner core of a spirit beast with powerful Yang energy, like a Solar Fire Carp, but even that is not a guaranteed method.
As I mentioned before, it merely neutralizes the innate Yin energy with Yang energy.”
“If you can control it, there would be no need to neutralize it.”
“Yes. But controlling Yin energy is not an easy task. Not only is the ki manipulation difficult, but if even a single meridian for channeling Yin energy is blocked, one cannot even attempt to learn it. The moment you try to circulate the ki, your meridians will freeze and block, leading to death.”
“You don't have to worry about that.”
‘I was one of the three great Divine Doctors of the Central Plains in my past life. Do you think I would speak without knowing about blocked meridians?’
Mu-heun was pleased to get a satisfactory answer from his conversation with Ha-ryeong, and even more pleased that it matched his own predictions. Afterward, Mu-heun continued with some casual conversation...
“By the way, Lady Ha-ryeong, how did you come to join the Divine Cult?”
“That... I don’t remember very well myself.”
‘Just as I thought...’
While helping Ha-ryeong with her energy circulation, Mu-heun had sensed something strange. Her internal energy was far too pure for a member of the Demonic Cult. And faintly, it felt as though something within her was being suppressed by some kind of sorcery.
‘I can look into that later.’
Based on the knowledge of Yin arts he had learned from Seol Ha-ryeong, Mu-heun tried to circulate the Yin energy that lay dormant in his dantian.
Afterward, he taught Yang-baek, the assassin, about the art of disguise as they headed towards the Emei Sect.
“If you can use disguise, it will be a great advantage in your path as an assassin.”
“Do you think I can do it?”
“Changing your body shape might be difficult, but I can teach you how to slightly alter the structure of your face.”
“Lord Dragon Demon...”
Yang-baek was purely amazed by Mu-heun.
‘The scale of his heart is different.’
Passing on one's skills without any compensation was undoubtedly a difficult thing to do. But seeing him teach so magnanimously, he could understand why so many cult members were so enthusiastic about this man.
At this moment, everyone traveling with Mu-heun was clearly taking a step forward because of him.
Yang-baek realized that Mu-heun was someone who had a profound influence on those around him. And that influence was greater, and better, than he had ever imagined.
On their journey to carry out their mission, the party's trust in Mu-heun was growing ever deeper.
***
- Shenlong, Sichuan Province
After traveling for three days and nights, everyone was quite exhausted.
“This place is called Shenlong in Sichuan. At this pace, we should reach the Emei Sect by tomorrow, so let's rest here for a bit.”
“Yes!”
Mu-heun's party entered the Black Dragon Inn located near the town of Shenlong and got rooms.
“I’ve arranged a room for each of you, so please rest comfortably.”
“Yes!”
He got rooms for Pa-sun, Un-pyo, Seol Ha-ryeong, and Gu Yang-baek. Mu-heun took the Heavenly Demonic Corpse Hyeok and Cheon-hyang into his room, locked the door, opened the window, and said.
“You’ve waited a long time, Cheon-hyang.”
[Chirp!]
The Heavenly Fragrance Owl, a spirit beast brimming with Yin energy, flew in through the window and approached Mu-heun, followed by the Heavenly Demonic Corpse.
Mu-heun held a root of Kunlun Snow Ginseng in his hand and looked at Cheon-hyang.