Chapter 1002
Chapter 1002
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 1002
Chapter Title: Radiant Ascension Sword
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Baewoon lifted one of the Black-Clad corpses that looked relatively intact. Only the head remained. No hair, bumpy skin, and missing mouth, nose, eyes, and ears. The only thing vaguely human-like was the shape of the skull.
"...A yokai?"
The one who asked the ridiculous question was the sole yokai among the remaining nine. He was pretending to be human, but no one there was unaware of his true identity.
"They're Mingin. Souls sold to the underworld, freed from the cycle of reincarnation. They may look similar to yokai, but they're entirely different beings."
Baewoon tossed the head into the air. His white spear sliced it cleanly in half. Dark brain matter splattered onto the floor with a wet thud, its cross-section revealing more blackness within.
"The three Mingin are disqualified. Thus, only the remaining nine have the right to challenge the 20th floor trial. Anyone wish to forfeit?"
"......"
No one who had come this far was about to back out. Conquest of the Wanmu Tower was within reach.
At that moment, one person raised a hand. The yokai ronin who had asked the question earlier.
"You said Mingin. Why kill them only now?"
"Until ten days ago, they weren't Mingin. Just sorcerers borrowing a fraction of the underworld's power. But in the end, they sold their souls and became Mingin."
"...Why contract with the underworld? Is escaping reincarnation that appealing?"
"It varies for each Mingin. The benefits are plentiful. Among them, no lifespan limit and access to higher realms of power. These were mere small fry."
"No lifespan... That's..."
"Enough. Look it up later. Your task now is the 20th floor trial. No forfeits, then? Follow me."
We followed Baewoon. The space was square, walled on all sides. About the size of a school auditorium.
'Not ordinary walls. Reinforced with sorcery?'
Plenty of room for a fight.
"The 20th floor trial begins here. One at a time. The rest wait outside. You can watch from out here. First challenger..."
Baewoon pointed. His finger landed on Jeongbin.
"Amitabha..."
Jeongbin muttered softly. No hint of panic. Even as Baewoon spoke of the underworld and Mingin, he remained composed.
"Shaolin defrocked monk, Jeongbin. You already knew of the underworld and its denizens."
"Yes. I was taught they are beings that must not be tolerated."
Of course. They rejected the core Buddhist principle of reincarnation.
"I heard the underworld originally supported and guided reincarnation, but changed at some point."
"I don't know the details. What I know is they oppose His Majesty's will."
Baewoon and the rest of us left Jeongbin inside and stepped out.
Baewoon glanced at one wall. An image appeared, showing the scene within. Jeongbin stood calmly, hands in prayer position, chanting sutras.
Arms crossed, Baewoon spoke.
"Begin."
Not to us. To someone—or something—else, somewhere.
A bizarre sorcery circle etched itself on the floor where Jeongbin stood. The space ahead warped, and a being emerged.
A martial asura with two heads and four arms. Its faces were ferociously demonic, yokai-like.
"...An asura. Summoned under the Gourmet Monk's influence. As expected."
We watched the projection intently.
Jeongbin didn't flinch at the asura's appearance. He assumed a stance. Golden light radiated from his skin, his eyes blazing fiercely.
"Namu Amitabha... Asura! Slumber here!"
Jeongbin's palm strike slammed into the asura's abdomen. It staggered back two steps, then grinned.
"This space reeks unpleasantly... but killing a damned monk makes it worthwhile."
The asura and Jeongbin clashed.
We held our breaths, watching. Their skills were evenly matched. A single mistake could end in death—fierce and perilous.
After a while, the asura began to falter. I recognized it immediately: Shaolin martial arts held an elemental advantage over the asura.
"It's over."
Baewoon muttered.
Jeongbin's Vajra Palm crushed one of the asura's heads. One head remained. Undeterred, Jeongbin hammered the asura's body with more strikes. It couldn't hold, exploding in death.
"Gourmet Monk Jeongbin. Pass."
As if hearing Baewoon, Jeongbin bowed with hands clasped.
Baewoon continued calling challengers. The second warrior failed against an underworld being and died. The third barely won. The fourth was Hwangbo Gahye.
Her opponent: a nude female monster with six breasts, nipples pitch black. Hwangbo Gahye grimaced.
"Why'd I get this filthy bitch?"
"Hee hee hee. Because you're the filthy one!!"
The monster sprayed black breast milk as it charged. Hwangbo Gahye's hem dissolved on contact. Gritting her teeth, she swung a fist blazing red.
I glanced around briefly. Except for Baewoon and Jeongbin, the men gawked slack-jawed at the monster woman, faces flushed with lust. Their crotches bulged obviously.
'Mental influence? Even from outside.'
Luckily, it didn't affect women like Hwangbo Gahye.
She beat the monster to death and passed the trial.
Seong Jigon challenged sixth.
The monster before him wore a familiar face.
"Huh, Father?"
Seong Godan.
This world's father to me and Seong Jigon. Lord of the Meteor Sword Sect. The man I killed.
"You fool. If you'd stopped Sung Yu-jin, I wouldn't have died. You unfilial wretch!"
"Y-You're really Father?"
Seong Jigon blinked, face full of confusion.
"Can't even recognize your own father now? Among my sons, you had talent but were dim-witted. No use for a son like you."
"You're saying you're really Father, not some monster pretending?!"
"Still don't get it, idiot? I even know you've been screwing my wives!"
Seong Godan roared in hatred, swinging his sword.
Meteor Sword Style.
The Meteor Sword Sect's technique unfolded from his blade.
"Crazy. The real Seong Godan?"
I muttered unwittingly. Baewoon's eyes flicked to me.
"The underworld is another name for hell. Hell is the realm of the dead. It's common for the deceased to reject reincarnation and become underworld beings."
So that was genuinely Seong Godan.
"But remember: it's no longer human. Just a monster in human skin. ...Your brother seems to recognize it as his father. He'll lose."
Baewoon all but declared Seong Jigon's defeat. But not me.
"No. Seong Jigon will win."
"...That dumb-looking face? No chance."
"I know him better than you, General Baewoon. A few years ago, yes, he'd lose. But."
Seong Jigon had grown. He admired knights-errant yet faced reality. Naive and clumsy? Maybe once. Not anymore.
'All an act.'
His mind was probably racing right now.
'Acting to seduce the old ladies. They say women like him a bit naive to warm up faster.'
Don't fall for the clumsy facade.
Seong Jigon faltered under Seong Godan's attacks. The father beamed, overwhelming him.
"I'm your father! Hah! Dare point a sword at your dad? You're not that unfilial Sung Yu-jin! Seong Jigon! My good son!"
"F-Father...!"
"Yes! I'm your father! Come here, Jigon! Join me! Become Mingin together, escape reincarnation, live eternally! Together, son!"
"Father... I..."
Seong Jigon's strength waned. Seong Godan laughed gleefully, raising his sword high. Then his head flew.
Seong Jigon had struck the moment it let its guard down.
Roll...
Seong Godan's head tumbled across the floor. Astonishingly, it didn't die, snarling in rage.
"You bastard! Daring to deceive your sky-like father!"
"Father. I prefer this world. Hell women? Saw one earlier—ugly as sin. Six tits? Doesn't turn me on."
"I'll kill you!! Seong Jigon!!"
The headless body convulsed, twisting into a horrific form with crackling sounds.
Whoosh!
Five chains shot from Seong Jigon's sleeves, binding the body.
"Father. Perfect timing. Got something to show you."
Seong Jigon pulled a pouch from his bosom, scattering its contents over Seong Godan. Pubic hair. Short strands rained down.
"W-What?!"
"Pubes. From Father's wives... our mothers. They tasted great. Still visit sometimes to fuck their pussies. Mothers say my cock's better than yours."
"Y-You!! Seong Jigon!! You vile traitor!! Die!! DIE!!"
Seong Godan stuck out his tongue, elongating like a frog's toward Seong Jigon's neck. Seong Jigon didn't flinch. He severed the tongue, stomped the head to pulp.
"You die. I'll fuck your wives properly!"
Seong Jigon slashed the chained body to shreds. It was over. Seong Godan lay still.
I turned my gaze aside.
Baewoon gaped in shock. Moments later, sensing my look, he coughed and schooled his expression.
"Ahem. Thought he was sane, but he's nuts. ...Still, that unshakable mind deserves praise. Seong Jigon, pass."
The ninth and last was me. Three had died before my turn, but no way I'd fail this trial.
Rumble...
An incomprehensible sorcery circle formed on the floor. The space ahead twisted.
Out came Oji-mu.
Limbless, swimming through the air like in the sea. Seeing me, it grinned—literally tearing its mouth wider.
"Nice to see you, Sung Yu-jin! I sold my soul to kill you!"
"That's what you got for your soul? Cheap one, huh."
Fish heads adorned where Oji-mu's arms and legs should be. Piranha-like, razor teeth. Dorsal fins on its back propelled it through the air.
"Once I kill you, I'll drag Hwangbo Gahye to the underworld..."
Boom!
Lightning crashed from the ceiling onto Oji-mu. It grimaced, shuddering in pain, but maneuvered fine. I charged.
'Acceleration, Moment.'
Shadow Heaven Style: Thunder Light.
Already dead. No time for chit-chat.
"Hwangbo Gahye's already my woman."
My sword slashes carved lines across its body. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
Oji-mu couldn't even scream, reduced to minced meat splattering the floor.
'Too easy... Ugh?!'
Suddenly, my nape chilled. I sensed something on the ceiling.
"A messenger! Damn it! Why won't the door open?! The barrier's reversed?!"
It clung upside-down to the ceiling.
A blue-skinned man in black robes and hat, pale eyes fixed on me, scribbling in a ledger.
"Sinner with the power of stars. Die here."
Muttering sinisterly, it showed me the ledger.
.
My name in three characters.
Thud!
My heart stopped.