Chapter 285: Sunflower Manual
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 285: Sunflower Manual
A trying time for the great lizard had begun.
Perhaps because the Heart Demon had spammed large-scale techniques using my body, my size had shrunk, and my body felt awful, as if every bone had been shattered.
“Geeeek…”
So, I was just lying still, focusing on my recovery.
My followers came to visit as if I were sick, each bringing a few gifts. Lying there and being fed was actually quite fun.
“You can’t do that again. Understand? Well, I doubt something like this will happen again, but still.”
I was sitting on Baek Rang’s lap, eating the dried fruit she was feeding me.
“Gerong.”
It feels like I’ve become a pet, and it’s not a bad feeling.
For a moment, I wondered where the dignity of a Divine Beast had gone, but I guess it wasn’t that important.
“By the way, your forelegs seem a bit prettier.”
“Geek?”
My forelegs are prettier?
I lifted my stubby forelegs.
In fact, the symbols of a Gomodo—that is, my symbols—were not just a long tail, but also long forelegs.
Most of my fights were also handled with my forelegs.
Aside from techniques like the Gaegaek Death Beam, my main attacks were: swiping with my forelegs, swiping hard with my forelegs, swiping super hard with my forelegs, and imbuing my forelegs with the aura of storm and thunder to swipe unbelievably hard.
But now that my body had shrunk?
My forelegs and hind legs were all small.
I was no different from a black-scaled gecko.
In other words, my paws were currently in the same state as Soyeong’s chest—not something you could judge as pretty or not.
And why ‘pretty’ of all things?
Weren’t there words like ‘cool’ or ‘threatening’?
“No, how should I put it? Should I say they have a scent I like?”
“Gek gek.”
I don’t know what she’s talking about, but I’ll pretend to listen.
I popped a piece of dried fruit that was tucked between Baek Rang’s chill pouches into my mouth.
This was the height of luxury, but it was all necessary for my recovery.
“Hmph.”
Suddenly, Baek Rang buried her nose in my short arm.
“Geeeek.”
It’s a bit much when you do that to something the size of a Green Basilisk.
“Cold energy? Chill? Yin energy? Anyway, I feel something like that.”
Was it because I came back from the dead?
There was no way I should be emitting cold or Yin energy.
I was a lizard of pure Yang energy.
Yep, that’s right.
“See? It’s cold right here.”
Lizards are cold-blooded, that’s just how they are.
…Wait.
Could it be?
Half in disbelief, half in anticipation, I half-opened my eyes and called up the status window.
“Gek.”
Gek-tatus Window.
Skipping past the notification that I had reached max level, I checked my skill window and found some very unfamiliar guests had arrived.
「White Hand Demonic Art」
「Black Killing Demonic Palm」
Who are you?
*
I shifted around on the soft surface and stared into the air.
In reality, I was staring at my status window, but my followers probably thought I was just looking at empty space.
The four Tang sisters seemed unfazed, having seen me do this many times, but the other followers were worried that something had gone wrong with my head.
“Ugh… Why are you doing this to me?”
“Gek gek.”
Just stay still.
“Ugh… Yes, this shamelessness is the true nature of a male…”
It seemed a great tragedy had befallen the talent of the Gaegaek Cult.
Come to think of it, there was a fatal problem: among the official members of the Gaegaek Cult currently in my territory, only two satisfied the ‘gerorong’ standard.
So I had no choice but to alternate between Baek Rang and Taotie.
“But on my stomach is a bit… No, it’s nothing…”
Things were good when I was with the Snake Queen.
Back then, there was ‘gerorong’ everywhere I looked.
Of course, it was just one Snake Queen who met the standard, but because she’d coil up and hold me, it felt like ‘gerorong’ was all around me.
That was enough commentary from the waterbed. With my lizard eyes, I glared at the two uninvited guests.
「White Hand Demonic Art」
A demonic art of extreme evil, extreme cold, and extreme Yin.
It grants the user white hands that glow with a blue light like jade, and the forearms become impervious to swords and blades.
Their hardness is comparable to an Adamantine Body, and it is a demonic art that accompanies a vicious cold energy that penetrates the skin and seeps into the enemy's dantian.
「Black Killing Demonic Palm」
A demonic art that takes the form of the oldest poison.
The infiltrated poison not only rots the enemy's tissues but also generates additional poisonous aura from within, making detoxification impossible.
It is said to be the most overbearing and most wicked demonic art.
I had suddenly acquired two demonic arts.
Of course, it wasn’t like I had any aversion to demonic arts at this point.
My master was part of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and the Nine Yin White Bone Claw I used was also a demonic art.
But these were on another level.
I liked that both were martial arts that used the forelegs, so I could definitely make use of them.
Of course, there were bound to be side effects, which made me a bit hesitant, but the more cards you have in your hand, the better.
And I could guess why I had these skills.
The Black Killing Demonic Palm and the White Hand Demonic Art were the techniques the Heart Demon had used with my body.
Watching the scene in my mind’s eye, I had thought about copying them with my Reverse Scale if I got the chance.
But I never imagined they would be directly internalized in me like this.
Was this a gift left to me by the Heart Demon?
That guy, he should have said something.
I would have increased the area of the cloth for him.
I was deep in thought about the White Hand Demonic Art and the Black Killing Demonic Palm, staring intently at my status window.
“Yawn, why are you up on that traitor’s… I mean, Taotie’s belly without sleeping?”
The tragic spirit beast whose home was destroyed.
Chodo spoke with a yawn.
As promised, I was making a place for her in my territory.
The Durigaeraduns were chuckling as they built what looked like another cozy bedroom, and Chodo seemed more or less satisfied.
She, too, had now become a member of the Gaegaek Cult.
Her martial power was one thing, but she was also knowledgeable in a different way from Soyeong.
If Soyeong was a physician, should I call Chodo a researcher?
She was also in charge of storing the two very valuable spoils of war I had recently obtained.
The inner cores of spirit beasts like Bixi and Qiongqi couldn’t be consumed right away.
We weren’t on good terms, but she and Bixi were siblings, so it seemed right for her to keep it until I ate it.
For spirit beasts of Qiongqi and Bixi’s level, their byproducts would be extremely valuable, not just their inner cores.
Their shells and fur could have been used to create decent armor for all the members of the Gaegaek Cult, but everything except the inner cores had turned to ash.
That just showed how powerful the Black Killing Demonic Palm and the White Hand Demonic Art were. I’d have to be careful when using them.
“Gek gek.”
And since Chodo was here, it would be a good idea to ask for her advice.
She probably knew the most about Gomodo.
Taotie was older than Chodo, but she didn’t seem to know much.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Gek.”
Still, I’m glad you at least have ‘gerorong’.
I pushed my small body up and walked over to Chodo.
“The Black Killing Demonic Palm and the White Hand Demonic Art. They were two of the signature techniques of the Gomodo. Are you saying you can replicate them now, sir?”
Maybe not replicate them completely.
They were registered in my skill window, but it would probably take a while before I could use them at will.
“Gegegek.”
Still, they weren’t without effect.
Thanks to the Black Killing Demonic Palm, my poison felt even stronger, and thanks to the White Hand Demonic Art, my arms felt tougher.
“Indeed… I can feel that aura. But while the Black Killing Demonic Palm is one thing, the White Hand Demonic Art is too dangerous a technique…”
Is the White Hand Demonic Art stronger than the Black Killing Demonic Palm?
Based on the descriptions, the Black Killing Demonic Palm seemed more dangerous.
“The Black Killing Demonic Palm is a technique that suits your constitution, Hero. Since you mainly use poison arts and fight with your forelegs, it could be called the optimal martial art for you. But the White Hand Demonic Art is different.”
Isn’t the White Hand Demonic Art similar?
“The White Hand Demonic Art is a martial art of extreme Yin.”
Yeah, I know that much.
“And your body, Hero, is close to one of extreme Yang.”
“Gek?”
Right.
If I had to choose between Yin and Yang, I was closer to Yang.
The power I wielded was the power of Wood, so it belonged to Yang rather than Yin.
“Using a martial art of extreme Yin with a body of extreme Yang is extremely dangerous. No, it’s something that should be considered nearly impossible.”
I just saw it in my status window and thought it was a windfall, but did the Heart Demon actually hand me a bomb?
If I’d known, I would have punished him a little more harshly.
“Of course, if your Yin and Yang were in a state of harmony, it wouldn’t be theoretically impossible. But in that state, the power of Yin would naturally weaken, and it wouldn’t be able to display its original might.”
In other words, for me right now, the White Hand Demonic Art wasn’t a very useful martial art.
So much for that.
But that was fine. I still had the Black Killing Demonic Palm.
Even if I didn’t use it now, a day would come when I could use the White Hand Demonic Art.
Chodo’s eyes stared intently at my arm.
Why was everyone staring at my arm?
There’s nothing I can do for you even if you look at me like that.
“Umm… And there is one biggest problem.”
There’s a side effect?
“As I said before, the White Hand Demonic Art is originally a demonic art of extreme Yin. So if this state continues…”
Chodo’s gaze shifted to my hind legs.
Her face slightly red, she continued in a calm voice.
“Have you ever heard of the Sunflower Manual?”
“GEEEEEK!”
What is that! How could you say such a thing to me!
“If you cannot handle the martial art of extreme Yin, your body may change into a body of extreme Yin. In other words, you will no longer be male, but female…”
A shock, as if I’d been hit on the head with a hammer, washed over me.
The Sunflower Manual?
This was more dangerous than my life-and-death battle with Qiongqi.
No, what kind of martial art changes your gender just by learning it?
Then what about the previous Gomodo?
Why did he learn this?
“Kieeeek!”
“Jjaeeeek!”
“Kkaegaeng!”
The spider, bird, and wolf, who had been dancing around, all screamed at once.
Hey, why are you guys so surprised?
“Umm… This may be presumptuous of me, but I have a feeling that something truly tragic will happen if you reach the state of the Sunflower Manual, Hero.”
Yes, that must be prevented at all costs.
“Huhu…?”
A Durigaeraduns that had been busily building a house dropped the log it was holding.
Looks like the news was a shock to you too.
“One wife… multiple wives?”
The confused Durigaeraduns.
“Huuuhm… Gourmet…?”
“Gah! Heresy! Heresy!”
“Huhu… one husband, multiple wives…”
“One hus… band, multiple wiiiives!”
The Durigaeraduns instantly split into two groups.
Then they began to clash with their two giant horns.
“Huhuhu… one husband, multiple wives… Yuri harem!”
“GAAAAAH! Duriputu!”
…I don’t want to ask why they’re fighting.
“Gegegegek.”
There was only one thing I wanted to ask.
What should I do?
The answer to how I, with my extreme Yang body, could save myself after learning an extreme Yin martial art.
“…Normally, your body would have started to change slowly from the moment you learned the martial art, but fortunately, Hero, you have a different constitution than others.”
That’s right. I’m no ordinary lizard.
“Haven’t you been storing all the elixirs you consume near your tail? Most of the extreme Yin energy will also be there, so cutting off your tail should solve the problem.”
Cutting off my tail will solve it!
Then this is simple.
I was planning to cut off my tail soon anyway.
I was going to go after I recovered a bit more, but it seemed I had no choice but to go in this state.
What if I rested here and my other tail just snapped off?
It should be sufficiently aged by now, and my internal energy has increased exponentially after defeating Bixi and Qiongqi, so it should be in the perfect state to offer to my master.
So, the next destination is the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
It’s time to begin Operation: Clumsily Offer the Tail.
“Gegek.”
And while I’m at it, at the hot spring Seol-hwa promised, with my master….
It’s not like I’m having any weird thoughts. I need to recover, too, so it can’t be helped.
“Gerororong…”
Indulging in such happy delusions, I looked for a cloth to tie around my plump tail.