Chapter 286: Annihilation (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 286: Annihilation (2)
I sent our fragile Emperor Without Disease crew back to the Murim Alliance first.
Peng Geuk-jin and Hwangbo Ryung had been smart enough to keep their heads down when the Leader of the Black Lotus Union appeared, so they were relatively fine. Pae Jin-gwang and Ju Won-jang, however, were in pretty bad shape after taking a few hits.
"Sigh. How are you guys going to survive in this harsh Murim when you’re so delicate?"
"Yeah, yeah, look at the big man over here, you bastard!"
"You know, people in the Transcendent Realm don’t poop."
"You little—!"
Pae Jin-gwang flew into a rage at my teasing, though shouting was all he could manage since he couldn't even stand up straight. Regardless, the incident was settled for now.
After the Emperor Without Disease crew left and the remaining Black Lotus Union members slunk away under my watchful gaze, I began to walk leisurely, chatting with the Murim Alliance Leader.
"By the way, is it okay for you to just wander around like this? What about the restrictions?"
[Simply walking around doesn't trigger the restrictions.]
"What’s up with that? Shouldn’t they be a bit stricter?"
[It is a realm you will soon reach yourself. Let’s just say things are flexible.]
Though we called it a leisurely pace, I had gained an understanding of spatial manipulation from watching the Thousand-Mile Traveler, and the Alliance Leader was a master of the Profound Realm.
As we folded space with every step, our speed easily surpassed the speed of sound—if not light itself.
"Wow, so this is the Black Lotus Union? It looks fancy. Seems much nicer than the Murim Alliance."
[The level of authority is different, is it not?]
"I guess their Leader was stronger than you?"
[Ho ho, that fellow was a step below me.]
"Sounds like a lie."
[Well, would you like to verify it yourself?]
"I’ll pass."
The two of us—well, one of us being a god—entered the Black Lotus Union as naturally as if we were walking into our own homes.
"It’s a surprise attack from the Righteous Faction!"
"You cowards! Strike them down!"
The martial artists guarding the union rushed us in a panic, but they were just kids at the Super Peak Realm at best.
When I casually unleashed the Emperor Sword Form, they all slammed their heads into the ground, instantly silenced.
"Aw, how cute."
[Stop bullying the children and let’s get going.]
"I’m younger than them, though?"
[……?]
The Alliance Leader looked at me like I was talking nonsense.
He narrowed his eyes, seemingly trying to peer right through me, but for some reason, his vision couldn't properly capture the essence of my soul.
Not too long ago, he had been able to see my soul clearly. Had I really grown this much in such a short time?
"What are you looking at?"
[You... how old are you?]
"Hmm…"
I furrowed my brows and started doing the math.
I was twenty-four when I fell into the Murim. About three years had passed, so twenty… seven. Then, by international age reckoning…
"Twenty-five?"
[Stop talking nonsense.]
"No, I’m serious."
[Fine. Don't tell me if you don't want to.]
"The great Alliance Leader can’t even trust a man’s word."
[The head of an organization must naturally be suspicious of everything.]
"Didn’t ask, don't care."
[……?]
Before long, the two of us (again, one being a god) found the building where the Union Leader resided.
Since the place where the Alliance Leader stayed was the Alliance Leader’s Hall, this place was probably called the Union Leader’s Hall.
Clack—!
As I opened the well-oiled doors and stepped inside, my Qi Sensing picked up nothing but empty space.
I could even sense souls now. The fact that my Qi Sensing picked up absolutely nothing meant there was truly nothing there.
It made sense, considering the Union Leader had been completely extinguished.
"Let’s see…"
Stepping further into the Union Leader’s Hall, I spread my Qi Sensing to thoroughly search the area.
It didn't take long to find a hollow space deep underground.
My eyes met the Alliance Leader’s.
Simultaneously, we both leaped through space, arriving in the deep underground chamber.
The place was pitch black, without a single speck of light. However, neither of us needed it. Walking naturally through the darkness with piercing vision, I soon discovered an altar.
"Is it this?"
[Indeed.]
The Alliance Leader stroked his chin as he examined the altar closely.
[An altar, huh…]
"Is the Murim Alliance’s different?"
[Ours is a sword.]
Just because it took the form of a sword didn't mean it contained enlightenment strictly regarding swords, but it did feel strange for someone who didn't use one.
[I suppose this form is better.]
"Then swap them."
[If only that were possible.]
"Is there anything you can do?"
[I can cut things.]
"Ah."
I shut my mouth.
Aside from the altar, there was nothing else in the underground space.
Whirrr—!
As the swastika pattern engraved in my eyes rotated, the mysterious power dwelling within the altar became clearly visible.
My Insight, which had developed further as my status rose, analyzed that power piece by piece. Soon, I realized the true nature of the energy residing there.
"It’s definitely something left behind by someone at the Profound Realm."
The current Black Lotus Union Leader—no, is he the former Leader now? That guy…
"Wait, hold on."
[What is it?]
"What was the Black Lotus Union Leader’s name? I don't remember hearing it."
[It was Je Mu-geuk.]
"Hmm… sounds a bit tacky. No wonder he didn't go around revealing it."
[You do not know my name either.]
"Oh."
Now that he mentioned it, it was true. I had heard his Divine Name, 'Star Blade God,' from the Union Leader, but I had never heard the Alliance Leader’s actual name.
One would think the names of the Alliance Leader or the Union Leader would be common knowledge in the Murim, but even I, who prided myself on being (somewhat) knowledgeable, had never heard them once.
"Is being the Alliance Leader not that big of a deal?"
[Power dwells within the True Name of a god. Those who have not attained the proper status cannot even utter that name carelessly.]
"What happens if they do?"
[It draws the god’s attention.]
"I mean, really? You’d go and take someone’s head just because they called your name?"
[Why would I do something so bothersome? The mortals simply take care to be cautious on their own.]
"'Mortals,' he says. That’s discrimination."
[If a god chooses to discriminate, what can those insignificant things do about it?]
"The audacity of this guy…"
I knew it from the moment he started talking about Divine Blood and casually suggesting we get rid of someone else’s fiancé.
This arrogant prick.
As I’ve said repeatedly, those who are masters must always be wary of this phenomenon—let’s call it 'Arrogant Master Syndrome.'
Just look at this Murim Alliance Leader; his personality is a wreck because he has no one to answer to.
You can see it in how the formula 'Master = Old Fart' holds true in the Murim. They're personality-disordered pieces of trash who will crush your head the moment you make a slip of the tongue.
And since the young children aspiring to be masters are growing up watching such people, the future of this Murim is truly lamentable.
[…Wait, isn't that a bit harsh?]
"If you’ve got a problem with it, let’s go a round, restrictions be damned."
[There is no need for me to suffer such a loss.]
"Suit yourself."
With a smirk, I approached the altar. I immediately felt a sensation, as if some kind of power was scanning my body.
Hummm—!
Then, the altar fell silent without any further reaction.
I blinked.
"What gives?"
[It was testing your qualifications. Since this is enlightenment intended for the next Union Leader, it will not react to someone who has not even reached the Profound Realm.]
I looked at the Alliance Leader in disbelief.
"Then why did you bring me here?"
[I thought you might be able to do something. I had a feeling it would work for you.]
"I’m still in the Transcendent Realm, you know."
[Normally, those in the Transcendent Realm cannot even dream of things like creation.]
"What about the Profound Realm?"
[It is a bit difficult even for those in the Profound Realm.]
"A bit?"
[…Martial arts are fundamentally about the karma of destruction, not creation. It is not strange that creation is impossible.]
"That’s a long way of saying you can’t do it."
I stood with my weight shifted onto one leg, staring at the incredibly insolent altar.
Testing qualifications, huh…
I wondered what method it used to judge. The presence of a physical body? Or the status of the soul?
On a whim, I created a puppet and stood it before the altar.
[What? Wait, hold on.]
The Alliance Leader was startled by the puppet, having seen it for the first time, but I ignored him.
However, the puppet also failed to pass the altar’s test. It seemed that even a body made of Qi didn't satisfy the conditions.
Then…
This time, I detached my Mental Imagery and floated it in the air. It was the Mental Imagery of a deep blue sky.
[…You can detach your Mental Imagery entirely?]
Leaving the Alliance Leader behind to marvel at every little thing, I waited in silence.
But this time, the altar didn't react at all. It seemed it didn't even consider the Mental Imagery alone to be human.
The Profound Realm didn't just refer to souls that had lost their physical bodies; it referred to those who had become gods themselves. It made sense that simply floating a Mental Imagery wouldn't be recognized as the Profound Realm.
"Arrogant bastard."
I had to admit it. As I was now, I couldn't meet the altar’s criteria. At least, not through conventional means.
[That is a shame. I really thought it might work for you.]
The Alliance Leader offered a half-hearted consolation and immediately continued.
[More importantly, what was that earlier? I knew you could create things with Qi, but to think you could even create a living being. From what I saw, you detached your Mental Imagery and placed it into a body created from Qi…]
"Hey, you’re distracting me. Be quiet for a second."
I placed my hand on the altar and focused.
To the Alliance Leader, it looked like I was wasting my effort.
The reason he had told me about the legacy left by the gods of the past was because I possessed extraordinary qualities, and he thought I might somehow meet the qualifications.
But it had just been proven that my qualifications were still lacking. As long as that was the case, the altar would not react no matter what I did.
Since the legacy of the past gods wasn't some safe containing a few gold bars, the idea of opening it by force wasn't just arrogance—it was plain stupidity.
So, he had hoped I would satisfy his curiosity instead of wasting energy on a useless endeavor…
"Ah, there we go."
[What? No, seriously, how did you do that?]
The Alliance Leader gasped in shock.