Chapter 108
Chapter 108
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village
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I rose the next morning and stepped out onto the deck. The deck just before dawn was cool, infused with an inexplicable sense of reverence. The salty sea air tickled my nose, and I found myself staring blankly at the ocean.
'They say nature and poets don't mix.'
People often think it's natural for poetry to describe nature. They believe a great poet's calling is to vividly depict landscapes and mountains.
But that wasn't true. When a human faces nature—poet or genius alike—they are simply overwhelmed. No poetic inspiration arises. Nature isn't some lightweight thing to be casually described; it's not satisfied by mere depictions of scenery. It's something to revere in awe.
Poetry must ultimately express humanity. A poet can enjoy nature but must not become lost in it. Indeed, the world's famous poems all lay bare human affairs—raw and elegant.
Poetry must not transcend humanity.
That was the conviction backed by the translator of the Three Hundred Tang Poems I had read.
As these thoughts swirled in my mind—
"......?"
A phantom appeared.
A shadowy figure stood in the center of the dim deck. From that figure in white robes, I sensed an indescribable auspicious aura, and soon a refreshing energy flowed into my body.
The phantom spoke to me.
[Heavenly Escape means concealing oneself from the heavens.]
Shuwaa—
Before the phantom's face, a sword materialized like an illusion. Astonishingly, it floated proudly in midair without being held by any hand. I couldn't help focusing on it, as a terrifying power emanated from its tip.
[But that's only the surface meaning. The true essence is different: using that concealed essence to reach forbidden places—that is Escape.]
"What are you talking about?"
[As you may have guessed, I am the Sword Spirit of Sword Immortal Yeo Dongbin.]
Sword Spirit!
The pinnacle of sorcery, said to be wieldable only by transcendent immortals. Rather than appearing in person, it was like projecting the moon's reflection in water. Sword Immortal Yeo Dongbin was speaking to me indirectly through his sword spirit.
The sword spirit continued.
[Listen well. You are currently in grave danger. I had planned to gradually awaken your spirit and impart it then, but I will now transmit the Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship to you immediately.]
"Grave danger?"
[Look around. Dawn is breaking, yet thick fog blankets the sea endlessly. A mighty being targets you.]
"......!!"
I hurriedly scanned the surroundings. As it said, it was too dark for mere pre-dawn gloom. Moreover, the visibility was poor due to the fog churning like a sea of clouds.
The sword spirit said,
[Using divine energy, I've slowed time briefly, but we have little leeway. Unless you master and adapt the Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship sufficiently, you won't survive here.]
It spoke so urgently—it must truly be a desperate crisis. I steeled my resolve and nodded.
"Fine, I'll learn it. But starting with forms will take time..."
[Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship is not human martial arts. Thus, there are no forms.]
"......!!"
I gaped in disbelief.
Martial arts without forms? What kind of thing was that?
I'd heard that even peak experts, upon reaching the highest realm where they freely wield intent, abandon forms entirely. But a martial art starting without forms wasn't even worth discussing as a topic. Realm and martial art are entirely different.
Yet the sword spirit spoke matter-of-factly.
[Listen carefully. Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship has Essentials instead of forms. Master one Essential completely, then proceed to the next.]
"Essentials..."
[The first Essential is Trust. You must believe without doubt.]
At that moment, a sword shot from the sword spirit—like sword control arts. I couldn't block or dodge it. It pierced my heart precisely, yet no pain came. Instead, a refreshing clarity spread through my mind like an explosion.
What is this?
Something's changing. I feel something changing within me. I can't explain it well, but the scope of my perception and thought expands, flipping my mindset entirely. As dizziness made me stagger, the spirit's final words imprinted in my ears.
[Don't try to understand—accept it. That is how to enter the Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship.]
Saa—
Before I could ponder those words, the surrounding space suddenly accelerated violently. The air, which had moved sluggishly even with breaths, now surged wildly. It must have been the slowed time from Yeo Dongbin's divine energy resuming its normal speed.
Kugugugu...
The ship, lazily riding the sea breeze, began slowing gradually. The fog thickened further, eventually enveloping the vessel in dark, dreamlike haze. It was a blatant anomaly, and a watchman on deck screamed.
"Big trouble!!"
Tang tang tang tang....
He rang the alarm gong furiously. Moments later, not just the crew but the escort warriors, Great Dragon Merchant Leader, and Western Palace Escort Bureau Master rushed out. Such rapid, intense ringing signaled extreme emergency.
The Great Dragon Merchant Leader scowled.
"What's going on?"
The watchman, truly panicked, didn't respond but urgently spoke to the captain. The captain listened long, nodded, then turned to the merchant leader.
"Bad news. Seems we've entered a windless zone."
"What? Windless zone?"
"Yes... The fog doesn't make sense, but the wind has completely stopped."
The merchant leader exploded.
"Captain, do you take me for a fool? I've spent decades in trade, amassing sea knowledge and experience! Do you think I don't know windless zones occur only in specific deep ocean regions? Never in history has one formed in the Yellow Sea! This route absolutely can't spawn one!"
The Great Dragon Merchant Leader wasn't just a fat pig. He was a trade expert rivaling the captain in knowledge and experience. The captain knew this and couldn't refute the logical point.
"T-That's true... It shouldn't be possible..."
The captain sighed deeply.
"I can't explain it. But the wind has indeed stopped completely."
"Ugh... And what's with this fog?"
"Seems like sea fog, but it's bizarre."
"What's bizarre about it?"
The captain glanced around before explaining.
"Sea fog forms where warm and cold currents clash. But that implies sea breezes are blowing—conditions for fog require wind. Normally, windy areas produce sea fog."
The Western Palace Escort Bureau Master, listening beside, groaned. He grasped the implication.
"Hmm... So sea fog and windless zones can't coexist."
"Yes. Survivors of windless zones say visibility is crystal clear—not a trace of fog, horizon sharp."
"But now that contradiction has occurred..."
"......"
The leaders fell silent, struggling for words amid the confusion.
I knew why a windless zone was dire.
Without wind, the ship barely moves. Human power might cover mere 100 chang a day at best. Stranded mid-ocean, food runs out, leading to惨めな annihilation.
The captain said helplessly,
"Dawn might disperse the fog. We'll stand by the crew and prepare for emergencies."
"Do that. We'll monitor from the deck."
"Yes."
Despite the early hour, people bustled silently in the fog. I watched, when Seo Munhye approached and spoke.
"Young hero. What will you do?"
"What can I do... Nothing much in this situation."
Channeling qi to unleash Thunder Cloud Palms might scatter some fog. But pointless now—the ship isn't moving anyway.
I could blast qi-force massively for recoil to propel the ship—likely the only way out. But I held back, watching silently for a reason.
Yeo Dongbin's sword spirit manifested before me with a warning.
And said to escape crisis with Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship.
This windless zone and fog weren't natural—a trap targeting me.
Rash action could spell disaster.
As I stared ahead grimly, Seo Munhye said,
"Young hero. I'll guard my sisters and the mobility-impaired."
"Good. Take care of them."
"Yes."
As she vanished into the cabins, I pondered the sword spirit's words again.
'Believe?'
Told to believe out of nowhere—what did that even mean?
So, while standing vigil on the foggy deck, I quietly sat cross-legged. Hiding in cabins would slow response.
......
About an hour passed in the fog. Sunrise time long gone, yet still shrouded in indistinct darkness, fog denser. No breeze at all—an ominous silence swept the area.
I'd never seen such eerie seas.
Evidently not just me—seasoned crew showed anxiety and impatience. They live threatened by every natural whim, hypersensitive to anomalies. Some scratched heads neurotically, cursing.
'Morale's dropping.'
Not just crew—the captain, merchant leader, and escort master gathered aside wore irritation and unease. Approaching them, I said,
"If the sun doesn't rise soon, shouldn't we find a way?"
"Even if we want to, what? Can't row this massive ship."
"Then what's your plan?"
Standing still means food runs out. Merchant ships stock just enough for the voyage plus seven days. In seven weeks, we're done. Mutiny and cannibalism loomed possible.
The merchant leader said,
"No idea... This route's routine—how could this happen?"
Then—
Kuooh—
From the darkness came a roar like a colossal beast's wail. It rang clear and intense to everyone aboard. Thinking another demon beast, I drew my spear—oddly, others reacted differently.
"U, ugh..."
"Uwaaa...!!"
Crew collapsed to knees. Terror-stricken, they babbled nonsense, pounded the deck, or curled in corners clutching heads. Glancing aside, captain, merchant leader, escort master same—their eyes half-mad.
"Euk, urk, urk..."
"Hiiik... No... We'll all die..."
"Uwaaa..."
Some screamed into vomiting.
What the hell?
Dumbfounded, I grabbed and shook the merchant leader's shoulder.
"Snap out of it! Why suddenly?!"
"Hiiik... Ah... No... Please... Ugh, my head..."
Moments ago, most rational, calmly planning—he now slurred like blackout drunk. Eyes quaking, chest heaving—not normal.
The ship paralyzed in an instant!
I scanned other areas urgently, but a clear voice rang out.
"Useless. Ordinary humans can't withstand this demonic qi."
"You?"
I turned. There stood the girl from last night—appearing, cursing me out, vanishing via advanced spell. Arms crossed confidently, she jerked her chin toward the fog.
"See. The fog itself is sorcery. Amplifies human delusion, disrupts emotions. Plus that roar's demon so intense—humans enduring would be the oddity."
"...I asked who you are."
"Hmm. But you're utterly unaffected. Even pure yokai couldn't stay this calm—impressive. This trial will mean something."
Muttering to herself, the girl beamed.
"Ahaha, I'm Miho. Nice to meet you, Baek Woong."
"......!!"
I startled.
Appearance totally changed—I hadn't recognized. But closely, it resembled her frequent disguises. Calling herself Miho, wielding high sorcery—only one I knew fit.
"Miiihhoooo!!"
"Eek?!"
I lunged, hugging her fiercely. Tears burst forth.
"Uwaaaaa..."
"......?!?!"
"Sorry, sorry..."
Miho panicked at my sudden tearful embrace. Normal humans would suspect and guard her—not hug like this, beyond expectation.
But to me, Miho was adventuring comrade, savior, who staked her life shielding me at the end. Rage still boiled at myself for not overcoming alone.
Now, reincarnated, she stood alive before me.
Joy beyond words.
"H-Human. Let go."
Shurik—
Panicking, Miho teleported a zhang away. Tilting her head,
"Are you truly mad? Charging defenseless, crying in this crisis—what kind of freak are you? Utterly incomprehensible."
Her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Sorry..."
"I did nothing warranting your apologies. Stop it."
Miho grew serious.
Wiping tears, I said,
"Did you come for the Queen Mother of the West's trial?"
"Hmph, you suspected something. Then you know my identity."
"Yes. Attendant to the Queen Mother of the West, descended to earth—Nine-Tailed Fox seducing the Dongyoung Emperor."
Miho eyed me curiously.
"Baek Woong. Did you tell the Queen Mother about me?"
"Yes."
"I want details."
"I'd love to, but first—confirm: your trial is aiding me?"
Miho nodded at my question.
"Yes. Protecting and helping you for ten years—that's my trial."
"Then you ascend to the heavenly realm after."
"Hmph... You know my circumstances well."
I sighed.
"Anyway, good enough. Situation's dire—help me. How do we fix this?"
"Indeed, not much time."
Muttering, Miho said,
"I sense the spell's source—a sorcerer's qi beyond the fog. And that roaring monster approaches. Eliminate them, and we break this."
"Two of them?"
"No time. Decide within half a shichen. Your response?"
Her eyes gleamed with curiosity. To her, I'm bizarre human—using crisis to test me. Her asking my opinion, unlike her usual reckless self, proved it.
After thinking, I said,
"Miho. With your skill, you can take out the fog's sorcerer?"
"Of course. Not hard."
I accepted her confident reply. Even against two-legged monsters, unless utterly transcendent, Miho wouldn't fear. As half-demon yokai, resistant to demonic qi. As great yokai spanning Central Plains, Peninsula, Dongyoung—such confidence natural.
"Eliminate the sorcerer. Meanwhile, I'll protect the ship from the monster."
"Sure?"
"Yes. Once sorcerer's gone, monster slows or vanishes. Just hold till then."
"Got it. Be careful."
Hwiririk!
Miho flipped into air, summoning odd wing-frame, gliding shipward slowly. Usable for levitating flight. Back on Mani Mountain fleeing, she skipped it—too slow, protector yaksha would've caught up.
I called Seo Munhye out. Seeing paralyzed deck, she gasped. I told her,
"Quick—get everyone inside and prepare. Massive monster attacks soon."
"Monster?"
"Help me."
"Got it."
We hustled scattered people into cabins. Then stood vigil on deck.
Kuuu...
Something swam from dark sea depths. The writhing, oozing aura-thing soon revealed form through fog.
"......!!!"
Seeing its foggy outline, I nearly dropped my sword.
"That... that thing."
A massive, translucent something!
Beast several times ox-sized, lizard-like transparent body dangling, flapping translucent wing-things. Comfortable in water, partially submerged.
"Flying Cavity Intestine!!"
The demon beast summoned via Seven Desires in Gold Guards past—the one that killed me—now here.
The Flying Cavity Intestine sluggishly hauled its slimy body aboard deck. Spotting living me and Seo Munhye, its crimson-flickering eyes flashed. Whipping winds swirled near tentacle-limbs. No natural-born creature.
Kiruruk
Gal-like cry, but headache hit me.
'Damn...'
Instinct screamed: far stronger than past individual. Most physical attacks pass through—mine largely useless.