Chapter 609
Chapter 609
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 609
Chapter Title: Radiant Ascension Path
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The place we arrived at using the spatial transfer scroll was an old, abandoned inn where no one had lived for a long time. Spiderwebs draped the ceiling, and the wooden floor was so grimy it was rotting away.
Sung Ji-gon was still passed out, sprawled on the floor. He looked uncomfortable, but I had no reason to fix his position for him.
'Where the hell is Jik Seong-mi? Did she really choose to die fighting Shin Gong-se? Nah, she's not that stupid.'
My worries were unfounded. Jik Seong-mi appeared soon after. She looked around in bewilderment before staring straight at me.
"Just who the hell are you?"
"You already know about me. Sung Yu-jin of the Meteoric Sword Sect."
"Bullshit! You expect me to believe a random swordsman from the Meteoric Sword Sect not only has a spatial ring but also a paper that lets him use shrinking earth technique?"
"Believe it or not, that's the truth. I am Sung Yu-jin of the Meteoric Sword Sect."
"......"
She stared at me blankly, then clicked her tongue and scanned the surroundings again. Peering out the inn's window, she saw overgrown vegetation and the sky slowly darkening.
"...Where is this place?"
"An abandoned house about an hour's ride from Payang City. Used to be an inn, but now it's barely good for sheltering from the rain."
"I need to head back. Now that the Ahyeon Clan has shown their true colors... the Jik Escort Agency is...!"
I grabbed her wrist to stop her from rushing out.
"Too late for that. The Ahyeon Clan has allied with the Meteoric Sword Sect. Even if you go, you alone can't turn the tide. You'd just end up captured as a hostage to pressure the Jik Escort Agency."
"Ugh! Then what the hell am I supposed to do?!"
"I can help you."
"......How?"
"I'll give you the paper I just used—the spatial transfer scroll. Use it, and you'll be near Hodan City in an instant. Head back to the Jik Escort Agency and warn them of the situation."
"If I go back alone now, my father will suspect me. He'll think I abandoned the escorts and fled. Better to fight and die here."
"Forgot about the Thousand-Li Mirror I promised? Throw in the Nakang Sect's spellbook, and the story changes."
I pulled items from my inventory one by one and set them on the half-broken old table.
Even with the answers right there, Jik Seong-mi grimaced, unable to reach out easily.
"......What do you want?"
"Heh. You know what."
I took a fluffy bed from my inventory and dropped my pants.
Jik Seong-mi closed her eyes. She pondered deeply for about three minutes, then opened them again.
"......Fine."
"Oh? Your tone changed."
"I don't like it, but right now, you're my benefactor. If offering this body you've already taken my purity from can get me out of this mess... then I'll gladly give it."
That wasn't all. Having seen what I possessed, she couldn't dismiss me as before. This world respected the strong, and to her, I looked like a hidden powerhouse.
She approached the bed, starting to undress. White semen I'd shot into her pussy trickled down her thighs. Still a body that got me hard just looking at it.
"For the Jik Escort Agency?"
"For the Jik Escort Agency... and for me."
Jik Seong-mi came right up to the bed. I grabbed her wrist, pulled her in, and laid her down.
The time of carnal bliss began anew.
???
After about four nonstop hours of sex, Jik Seong-mi and I lay on the bed. She nestled obediently in my arms. If someone saw us, they'd think we were lovers—she followed me without resistance. Even if it was for her goals, I liked her attitude.
I lazily stroked the tip of her right breast.
"Satisfied?"
My dick twitched. I could go again if I wanted. But thinking ahead, I couldn't just keep fucking. For my plans, it was time to let her go.
"More than satisfied. Here, as promised, these are all yours."
"Ahh."
I gave her breast one last squeeze, regretfully.
Jik Seong-mi sat up. Free from my embrace, she dressed and donned the Thousand-Li Mirror. Her intent was obvious—she wanted to check the situation in Payang City.
"How's it looking?"
"......The surviving escorts seem to have scattered to escape the fighting. Ahyeon Clan and Meteoric Sword Sect warriors are clashing."
"Yeah?"
"Meteoric Sword Sect is at a disadvantage. They're being overwhelmed by the Ahyeon Clan's power—more of our men are dying even now."
"I see."
"......Doesn't that piss you off? Men from your own Meteoric Sword Sect are dying."
"Not really. Even if they all die, I don't care. Would make things easier, actually."
Things were proceeding as in the original story. The process differed slightly, but the sect's destruction was certain.
I turned to look at Sung Ji-gon. Sitting cross-legged in the corner of the inn, he was absorbing spiritual medicine energy.
'With the Snow Ginseng, other herbs, and the Wisdom City Pill, he'll reach the Emerging Will stage.'
I'd given Sung Ji-gon the earth-based martial art, Treasure Cart Divine Skill. It was what the Nakang Sect leader practiced with his spells. The name was a bit grandiose for what it was, but most arts were like that, so whatever.
Jik Seong-mi prepared to tear the spatial transfer scroll and glanced at me.
"...I'll never forget this favor."
"Favor? This was a fair trade."
"No. It's a favor. My body's not worth more than these items. I'll repay this debt someday."
"Sure, repay it with that body."
Her intentions were crystal clear. Knowing I wasn't ordinary, she was trying to forge a connection to use me.
Any other guy might've been annoyed, but she was a beauty. No reason to feel bad.
Jik Seong-mi tore the scroll and vanished.
'Guess it's my turn to take some spiritual meds.'
I pulled out the Snow Ginseng and other herbs. Making pills would've been more efficient, but I lacked the time and know-how. Radiant Ascension Path was still reinforcing Storm Breaker, so unusable.
I shoved all the herbs into my mouth at once. Each had a slightly different taste, but they shared one thing: they were fucking bitter.
'Urk...'
I held back the urge to puke and circulated the Celestial Heaven Energy Technique. The Meteoric Sword Sect's heart method didn't suit me well.
'Normally you'd take them one by one... Eh, it'll be fine. Too much hassle otherwise.'
I focused on absorbing the herbs' energy until dawn. Aside from some stomach pangs, no side effects.
I opened my eyes as the sun began to rise.
At some point, I'd entered a trance, fully immersed in the Celestial Heaven Energy Technique. Sung Ji-gon was still seated cross-legged. I could feel energy leaking from him—he was attempting the Emerging Will stage.
'With this, I've got 56 Heavenly Jade total. Nice that they give them per sub-stage starting from Emerging Will.'
A Special Mission Has Been Created!
We Can't Just Take It Lying Down!
📍 Objective: Kill Shin Gong-se within 10 days!
🎁 Success Reward: 50 Heavenly Jade
The Cheon-gang-seong System, silent for months, finally gave a mission.
'No penalty quest. Could ignore it, but 50 Heavenly Jade is tempting.'
'With 50 Heavenly Jade, I can hit VIP 1.'
???
Sung Ji-gon finally stirred around noon.
With hazy eyes, he spotted me and burst into laughter.
"Haha! Yu-jin! I reached Emerging Will! Emerging Will stage!"
"Good for you. Congrats. You're in the ranks of recognized geniuses now."
"Psh, not like you. So, what's next? Back to Payang to help the Three Elders fight?"
"Too late even if we did. Two more won't change the battle. We're heading back to the Meteoric Sword Sect."
"......Won't Father or the elders chew us out? We fled the fight."
"Nah. We've got this."
What I held was the Nakang Sect leader's spellbook. Not a magic tool, but still valuable. Bringing it back would force even Sect Leader Sung Go-dan to acknowledge our contributions.
"Report that the Nakang Sect's magic tool was taken by the Ahyeon Clan... and fake some battle wounds."
"Think it'll work? Saying the Ahyeon Clan betrayed and attacked the Meteoric Sword Sect means we're enemies with them from now on."
"Probably not. The Ahyeon Clan is stronger than us. They'll sweep the Meteoric Sword Sect quick now that they've got the tool, then either fight the Jik Escort Agency or enter a cold war."
The Meteoric Sword Sect was the big loser here.
"The sect's done for soon. Time to prep an escape. Gotta grab the girls worth taking."
"Escape? Where to?"
"Gotta think, but I've got a candidate. My maternal family."
I scratched my head. Couldn't take every woman from the sect, but I could ensure they escaped safely.
'Can't let the ones I've fucked die like dogs.'
Most women I didn't care about, but some I liked were in the mix.
'And I haven't banged Sung So-jeong, Sung Ji-gon's sister, yet.'
We decided to run back to the sect. A spatial scroll would've been instant, but too fast might raise suspicions.
'Avoid suspicion from Sung Go-dan at all costs.'
???
"The Ahyeon Clan betrayed us?!"
"Is that true?!"
"Those filthy Ahyeon bastards...!"
Upon arriving at the Meteoric Sword Sect, Sung Ji-gon and I briefed the sect leader and elders. The Ahyeon Clan betrayed us, nearly wiping out the Meteoric Sword Sect and Jik Escort Agency forces; they took the Nakang Sect's Thousand-Li Mirror magic tool. That's the story.
"Urgh..."
Sung Ji-gon and I acted outraged. Our clothes were bloodied, bandages wrapped here and there—self-inflicted wounds.
"Our power was insufficient to recover the magic tool. But... we did retrieve the Nakang Sect leader's spellbook!"
"No! You've done well!"
Sung Go-dan took the spellbook, praising us while his eyes glued to it, unblinking.
'Calculating its value.'
The elders were much the same, scheming among themselves.
"The sect leader is right! The Nakang leader was a renowned spellcaster in the area. Even if not his tool, his spellbook is treasure!"
"We could train a spellcaster with it or sell to another spell sect. Not a bad idea."
Coming back empty-handed would've gotten us reamed for fleeing.
'The Meteoric Sword Sect deserved to fall. How it's survived this long with greedy fucks like this at the top is the real mystery.'
Some elders were sane, at least.
"Sect leader! We can decide on the spellbook later! Urgent matters are our men still in Payang and the Ahyeon Clan!"
"Not just them! Think the Jik Escort Agency will sit idle? We betrayed them first, then got betrayed—now both are enemies. Worst-case scenario! We need countermeasures!"
"True worst is if Jik Escort and Ahyeon attack together. One's already too much—both? Sect's doomed."
The meeting dragged on. No real solutions, just "we're screwed" on repeat.
"...Sung Yu-jin. Sung Ji-gon. You're dismissed. Rest up—you're injured."
"Yes, Sect Leader. We'll take our leave."
We got credit, but no rewards. Nothing.