Chapter 969
Chapter 969
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 969
Chapter Title: Path of Radiant Ascension
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The door to Wi Yu's house swung open, and Wi Yu and Namgung Seol stepped outside. Namgung Seol's face was etched with exhaustion. Wi Yu, on the other hand, remained utterly composed—at least until she laid eyes on the new structure that had sprung up in the clearing.
"What in the world is this...?"
She couldn't even recognize it as a house. Not that it was surprising. It was a boxy, squarely modern home, utterly at odds with this world's culture.
"It's a house! You told us to build a place for us to live in, Lord Wi Yu, so that's exactly what we did!"
Mi-ryeong chirped in a bubbly tone, her attitude carrying a subtle hint of pride. Though I was the one who had to hassle the dwarves for it, I thought.
"A house? Never mind the unfamiliar design... How could you possibly construct something this massive in so little time? Did you use sorcery?"
Surprise rippled across Wi Yu's formerly serene face.
"We did use some sorcery, but even that couldn't whip up something like this in a snap. We had help from my husband here."
Wi Yu's gaze shifted to me.
"How on earth did you manage it?"
"I'm just a little special and talented, Master."
"I see. We'll gloss over the details for now. I'll accept that this is a house. The world seems to have changed radically while I was holed up on Nakwol Mountain... I suppose I can understand that much."
Wi Yu wasn't grasping it at all. This world's culture hadn't shifted much from a thousand years ago, nor would it anytime soon. If change had been desired, it would've happened ages ago. Civilization here had stalled at a certain level.
"Still, it's far too large for just two people. And that shape clashes horribly with the surrounding nature."
"It only feels off because it doesn't blend with nature. Come inside and take a look, Master. It's plenty big for five people."
"...Five? Are you expecting guests I don't know about?"
"What a harsh thing to say. Of course, that includes you."
"I have my own home to live in."
"Just check it out once. I guarantee you'll like it."
"I have to admit, a house like this piques my curiosity."
Wi Yu headed toward the modern house as she spoke. Namgung Seol followed, her eyes sparkling with interest. They opened the thick front door and stepped inside, with Mi-ryeong leading the way. Unlike the Namgung sisters, who were strangers to modern conveniences, Mi-ryeong was right at home. She kicked off her shoes at the entryway and hopped inside.
"This feels great... If only we had internet, it'd be perfect. Oh, that room's mine—dibs!"
Mi-ryeong pointed to a room on the second floor—the one farthest inside.
"Do we really have to take off our shoes? It's inconvenient."
Wi Yu frowned. This world followed a shoe-on indoor culture by default.
"Every house has its own rules. It might feel strange at first, but you'll get used to it and find it comfortable."
"...I'm not planning to live here yet, but since these are the house rules, I'll respect them."
She slipped off her shoes and ventured further in. The plush sofa and TV immediately caught her eye.
"This chair is surprisingly comfortable. Not sure about that black rectangular thing, though..."
"Have a seat. That's a TV, but it won't do much without the generator hooked up."
"TV? No idea what that is. ...This chair really is soft and cozy."
The dwarf-crafted sofa was a hit. After savoring its comfort for a while, Wi Yu stood up again.
"What's that? Looks like kitchenware, so I assume it's the kitchen...?"
"Yes, the kitchen."
"Having the kitchen tucked away inside is unusual."
The fridge and induction cooktop weren't functional yet. They toured the rooms one by one, assigning some to Namgung Rin and Namgung Seol.
"It's a bit odd, but... it's clean. I like it."
Namgung Rin seemed reasonably satisfied.
"I'm Gaga's wife, so I'd prefer sharing a room."
Namgung Seol puffed out her cheeks at getting separate quarters.
"We're under the same roof, so it's fine."
They could meet up in ten seconds flat if they wanted.
Wi Yu grew more intrigued by the house as time passed, zeroing in on the finer details.
"These walls... I can tell a master craftsman carved them by hand. The more I look, the more impressive it gets."
Wi Yu nodded repeatedly in admiration.
"Master, why not stay here for a few days? If you don't like it, no hard feelings."
"It's not that I dislike it. Just unfamiliar, that's all. I know it's remarkable. Since it's such a rare experience... maybe a few days wouldn't hurt."
"Great decision. Your room is the largest one on the first floor. It even has its own bathroom."
I led her to the bathroom. Mi-ryeong already knew the setup, but the Namgung sisters and Wi Yu didn't.
Wi Yu flushed the toilet and turned on the faucet, letting out a gasp of wonder.
"Water this accessible... Washing must be so convenient. How does it work?"
"Sorcery."
Running water up a remote mountain like this was no small feat. But with a skilled sorceress like Mi-ryeong, it was a breeze. Water was nearly limitless, and wastewater would just drain somewhere into the woods.
"Incredible. Though now I'm getting hungry for dinner. You didn't forget to prepare, did you?"
"It's what you ordered, so of course we did. To the dining table."
I summoned food from my inventory and laid it out on the table. Wi Yu's jaw dropped at the feast that filled it.
"You built a house in no time and whipped up all this...? My common sense says it's impossible. Especially ingredients like chicken and eggs that don't exist on Nakwol Mountain. Sorcery again?"
"Sorcery isn't a cure-all,"
Mi-ryeong muttered under her breath.
"Not sorcery. I'll explain later. For now, let's eat."
Wi Yu nodded, picking up her chopsticks. She grabbed the nearest dish—a chicken salad—and popped some into her mouth.
"...Exquisite. Is this chicken? My eyes are drawn more to the fresh veggies and dressing, though. You made this yourself?"
"Glad it suits your taste. Oh, and I didn't make these. Dig in for now."
"I've lived a long life, but this flavor is new to me. My taste buds are thrilled."
Wi Yu's chopsticks didn't stop moving.
???
I spent a few days on Nakwol Mountain.
I gave Wi Yu a rough rundown on myself. She seemed surprised about my ability to travel between worlds, but that was it. She didn't pry. If anything, Namgung Rin and Namgung Seol showed more curiosity toward me.
Wi Yu adapted to the modern house splendidly. Her favorite ritual became showering after a day's work, then sinking into the sofa with a cold beer. She raved about the beer especially. Truth be told, she loved all kinds of alcohol without discrimination.
Once accustomed to the modern digs, she ignored her old shack entirely. It tacitly became a storage shed.
Namgung Rin trained daily under Wi Yu's guidance, swinging her sword tirelessly. Of course, I didn't leave her alone. Whenever I had a moment, I'd visit and fill her pussy with cum. The old stick Wi Yu scolded me a few times, but mere nagging couldn't stop me. Lately, she'd just sigh at the sight of me.
Namgung Seol spent most days with Wi Yu. The master was teaching her martial arts from scratch, since she knew nothing. Wi Yu never half-assed instruction, so Seol running to me teary-eyed became routine.
Mi-ryeong couldn't just lounge around either. Wi Yu put her to work—setting up barriers around Nakwol Mountain and reinforcing the existing ones, from what Mi-ryeong told me.
And as Wi Yu's disciple, I received her teachings. Compared to Seol, it was just two to three hours a day.
"Yu-jin, you've already mastered martial arts. Care to show me what you've got?"
"If that's what you want, Master, of course."
I demonstrated before her.
Yeongcheon Style and Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Yeongcheon Style was my go-to swordsmanship, while Heavenly Demon Divine Art packed raw power as a demonic art. Thankfully, this world didn't blindly shun demonic arts.
"Both are flawless arts. That Heavenly Demon Divine Art especially? It's so refined, you have to wonder if a human even created it."
I flinched. Truthfully, Heavenly Demon Divine Art wasn't human-made. It came from the Demon King Ma-cheon—or whatever that enigmatic god truly was.
"What about Yeongcheon Style?"
"It's on a different path, but excellent nonetheless. That said, I spot a few areas for improvement. The biggest issue is how it demands freakish talent in its movements. I get it—it's optimized for power and speed."
Improvements.
Her words instantly brought Jin Se-young to mind. That's exactly what she wanted: refining Yeongcheon Style.
"Can it be improved?!"
"It'll take time, but... research could make it possible. You have no intention of abandoning Yeongcheon Style or Heavenly Demon Divine Art, do you?"
"None at all. I think it's too late for me to learn something new."
"You're right—it is too late. To master my Empty Spirit Divine Art or Heaven's Edge Martial Union, you'd have to scrap those two entirely and start over. Too time-consuming and inefficient."
"...I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. I accepted you as a disciple knowing full well. Seol will inherit Empty Spirit Divine Art and Heaven's Edge Martial Union, so don't worry."
"What now?"
"Draw your sword. I need to gauge your skill and Yeongcheon Style more closely."
I silently drew my blade from my waist. Wi Yu extended her hand toward the air. Far off, a plain sword hanging near the storage shed by the house flew straight to her grasp. Fluid, effortless sword telekinesis.
If she were an enemy, I'd have ditched survival hopes and jumped to another Playful Life world.
"Here I come!"
I activated Moment and closed in on Wi Yu. Sword aura blazed along my blade, lightning crackling fiercely.
My blade aimed precisely for her throat. But I never expected it to actually cut.
Wi Yu's sword moved late—only when the lightning-tipped edge was inches from her neck. Ridiculously, my sword bounced away.
I hadn't seen it. Hadn't sensed it. Before her, I was little more than a glowing bug.
I stepped forward with true energy. Dust erupted around us in a plume. Wi Yu remained unfazed.
Black winds howled, poised to shred her body. Wi Yu swung leisurely at them. Space tore from her sword tip. The lingering rift erased the winds without a trace.
My jaw dropped. She rent space with a casual swing—a monster. My odds of beating her? Less than 0.1%.
"Your sword's resting. Surely that's not all you've got?"
"I was just too shocked...!"
I reignited my resolve and charged again. But nothing changed. I couldn't even nick her clothes.
"Heavenly Demon Divine Art is perfectly honed. Not something I'd tamper with."
"So we'll refine Yeongcheon Style instead?"
"If you ditched it, things might differ. My advice? Skip Yeongcheon Style and focus solely on Heavenly Demon Divine Art."
"I can't abandon Yeongcheon Style!"
Heavenly Demon Divine Art was a demonic art. Depending on the world, it could cause headaches.
Besides, Yeongcheon Style existed as a trait in the Playful Life app. Dropping it wouldn't make it vanish.
"Can't improve it overnight. Keep training for now. Your swings earlier were too hasty. Practice slow, deliberate strokes."
"...Yes!"