Unexpected Talent
Around Un Hu's quarters, countless Taoists were milling about in a dense crowd.
He was Kunlun's great elder and spiritual pillar. Every disciple had received his care and leaned on him—no one was absent.
"Master. What should we do about this?"
A young Jeong generation disciple's eyes welled with tears, drawing a regretful sigh from his master, a Heo generation Taoist.
"We've been too neglectful. We should have at least given him regular Push Palace Pass Acupoint treatments."
Another middle-aged Taoist offered comfort.
"Junior brother, don't worry too much. He'll shake this off and rise soon enough."
"I believe so too."
The young disciple's eyes sparkled.
"Right? Surely Grand Uncle Un will?"
"Of course he will."
Heo generation was filled with worry, but he feigned calm to give hope to the Jeong disciples.
The elder Un generation, however, felt differently.
Infinite mercies of the Buddha. He's finally going.
Heh. I thought he'd ascend to immortality, but even Eldest Brother is human after all.
His time had come; they had no choice but to let him go.
Un Hu's dantian was shattered, leaving him weaker than an ordinary old man without martial arts. He'd survived this long only thanks to his profound Taoist virtue.
They too would follow him soon enough, murmuring Taoist scriptures with bitter expressions...
"Make way! It's urgent!"
A shout shattered the atmosphere heavy with anxiety and sorrow.
Everyone turned in surprise to see Heo Cheong gripping Jeong Gwang's wrist, charging through like madmen.
Jeong and Heo generations' eyes burned with fervent hope.
If it's Jeong Gwang—the one shaking up Kunlun—he might save Un Hu.
Only Un generation inwardly shook their heads.
Not even Jeong Gwang can manage this.
Even forcing Tai Chi Rejuvenation Divine Art as a trick won't help—Eldest Brother's dantian is destroyed.
Heo Cheong and Jeong Gwang dashed through them into Un Hu's quarters.
In the small, austere room sat three people.
Un Hu lay pale as death, Un Yeon checking his pulse at the wrist, and the sect leader murmuring scriptures with eyes closed.
"Master!"
Heo Cheong cried out, but Un Yeon and the sect leader showed no reaction.
Only Un Hu smiled faintly.
"It's late—why come now?"
"This disciple brought Jeong Gwang. If it's Jeong Gwang, he can save you..."
"Heh. I'm just fulfilling my allotted lifespan. It's the natural way."
"How can you say that? You'll rise healthy soon, Master."
"You rascal. What kind of Taoist clings so greedily...? Cough. Cough."
Jeong Gwang stared silently at Un Hu hacking up phlegm.
He hadn't been this frail.
It felt like just yesterday he'd carried Jeong Gwang across vast Kunlun, sharing stories.
This was so far from the happy dreams he'd seen—leaving a strange feeling.
But that gaze is the same.
No fear, only boundless compassion.
Even the world's cheekiest man, Jeong Gwang's father, had feared death at the end.
The mightiest Jeong Gwang had died with lingering regrets.
Yet Un Hu was different.
So detached to the last.
Truly fitting him, but...
It doesn't suit him.
Shouldn't someone like him at least ascend to immortality?
Un Hu's lips parted then.
"Jeong Gwang."
"Yes, Grand Uncle."
"My time approaches—don't grieve."
"I'm not."
"Hahaha. Good. That's you. Ugh. Cough. Cough."
As laughter turned to pain, Un Yeon and the sect leader infused qi.
They transmitted to Heo Cheong and Jeong Gwang.
We can't hold Eldest Brother long.
Say what you must, without regrets.
Heo Cheong's reddened eyes faltered. Calm unless it involved his disciple Jeong Gwang, words failed him.
"I have so much to say, but this disciple is too dull..."
"Heh. Thought you grown, but still a child. No worries for you—you've grown well and will continue to."
Un Hu's gaze shifted to Jeong Gwang, lingering with a faint smile.
"So, any discomforts?"
Jeong Gwang smiled unwittingly.
Thinking of others even at the end—pure Un Hu.
"Not many."
"Haha. Thought so. Even if some dislikes, the goods outweigh—livable, eh?"
"And you, Grand Uncle?"
"Eh? Oof, hit where it hurts. How am I?"
After a pause, he nodded weakly.
"Same here. Regrets aplenty."
"Hahaha."
"Heh. Why laugh again?"
"Realizing even you're just human."
"Ouch. What'd you take me for till now? Merely an old Taoist. Heh heh."
Laughing a while, Un Hu fixed on Jeong Gwang—as if seeing not him, but his future self far off.
"I have greed too. Wanted to see a dragon rise from Kunlun again."
"Pfft, that's it? Wait, and I'll show you."
"Heh heh. Brat, asking me to live decades more?"
"Nah. A year tops."
Everyone in the room, Un Hu included, gaped in disbelief.
A dragon soaring meant the founding ancestor's divine display bursting Azure Dragon Nimbus.
Even for Jeong Gwang, reaching that realm in a year was...
Wait.
Heads tilted.
Jeong Gwang's current level was...?
High enough that a year would do it?
Moments later, all but Jeong Gwang shook heads in unison.
"Impossible."
"Huh?"
Un Hu spoke for them.
"Heh. Looking forward to a year hence. You'll handle it, but cherish your body always."
"It'll really happen."
"Heh heh. Yes, yes."
"For real."
"Heh heh. I know."
Jeong Gwang was dumbfounded.
Like indulging a bratty grandson.
Why wouldn't a proper Taoist believe him?
What was so hard?
A year was tight, but doable.
"You don't believe me."
"Heh. That obvious?"
Worried he'd hurt feelings, but Un Hu's color worsened.
Jeong Gwang felt odd—like something stolen.
He was the taker, not taken.
"See for yourself then."
"Heh heh. Yes, see for my... Huh?"
Suddenly, Jeong Gwang pressed both hands to Un Hu's lower abdomen.
"What're you doing?"
"Useless. Let him go in peace."
Un Yeon and sect leader scolded, but Jeong Gwang ignored, infusing qi instead.
Wooooong—
"Heh..."
Un Hu's face eased slightly.
But his mind didn't.
"No need. Time come, go natural."
"My way's natural."
"Heh. Such words? Wrong thinking."
"It's what you wanted."
"...?"
"Remember what you said when I became Master's disciple, your grand-disciple?"
"What do you... Ah!"
Un Hu's eyes widened.
Long ago, holding infant Jeong Gwang, words resurfaced clearly.
Grow upright.
Heh. Lad, shocked? Too much to ask?
Yes, greedy. Standards vary—upright's hard.
Correcting: Become one who holds to what you deem right till end.
I beg you.
Un Hu couldn't fathom.
Before he could walk, yet remembered?
Jeong Gwang's next words confirmed.
"I'll do what I deem right, as you said."
"What...?"
"Might hurt—bear it."
"Hurt? What... Ugh!"
Jeong Gwang's hands glowed, vast qi devouring Un Hu's body.
Transmission hit Un Yeon and sect leader.
Keep infusing qi.
Stunned, they nodded at his earnest face.
Didn't know how, but trusted him.
Damn.
Jeong Gwang frowned.
Un Hu's state worse than thought—not just shattered dantian, but all meridians damaged, life force leaking.
Scoured mental knowledge.
First, anchor his spirit. Demonic Spirit Soul Control Art to knead brain...
No.
That scatters will for control—no thrill even seeing my dragon form.
Right. Un Hu's a supreme Taoist—holds spirit alone.
Then trap leaking life force...
Ah!
Force vanishing anyway—don't trap, erase it.
Go with Dark Soul Zombie Refinement Great Law.
Soul stains a bit, but life's dirt happens...
"Jeong Gwang."
"Yes?"
"Want clean passing. Let go."
"..."
Jeong Gwang sighed inwardly.
Why so picky?
No demonic arts then.
Only Kunlun left.
Slowly circulated qi, observing Un Hu's internals.
"Said you were Kunlun's top once—really were strong, huh?"
"What? Heh heh. Yes, bit mighty."
"Intact dantian, could've been Tai Chi Sword Venerable level."
"Tch. Compare me to him? I dare not... But how do you know him?"
Jeong Gwang pondered silently.
Un Hu had talent.
Clean heal, teach new Kunlun arts—he might reach Tai Chi Sword Venerable someday.
Then Jeong Gwang could leave carefree.
Good. Make him guard Kunlun long.
Very long.
Best as undying ghost clinging to Kunlun.
Resolved, he forced Un Hu upright.
Onlookers hesitated at his confident eyes.
Truth: no certainty.
Work? See when tried.
Un Hu might die—didn't care.
If fails, brag to Primordial Heavenly Venerable: died to True Heavenly Demon.
Pressed to lotus position.
Met eyes firmly.
"Don't lose consciousness."
"Suddenly what?"
"Promise first."
Couldn't ignore Jeong Gwang's burning gaze, heavy tone.
"Heh. Yes."
Gaze to Un Yeon, sect leader.
"You two, infuse qi like before."
"Ah, got it."
"L-like this?"
"Yes. Perfect."
Uneasy Heo Cheong interjected.
"D-disciple. Me?"
"Just stay, Master."
"Ah, okay."
"Here we go!"
"...What?"
As all puzzled, Jeong Gwang spread legs before Un Hu.
Gripped fist rose to ceiling.
Viewers recalled market herbalists stacking tiles for breaking demos.
Heh.
No way.
Absurd.
Fine.
"Haaap!"
Jeong Gwang's fist, wrapped in pale qi, smashed down on Un Hu's Crown of the Head with immense force.
Precisely the fatal acupoint, Baihui at crown center.
"No!"
Un Yeon, the sect leader, and Heo Cheong's piercing screams rang out as they watched in disbelief—but
Kwaaaang!
drowned by the massive explosion as fist struck Baihui.