The Celestial Immortal Divine Art
"Where the hell am I now?"
Ryeong opened her eyes to a world of pure, featureless white. She had only blinked, yet her surroundings had completely transformed. Most people would have panicked, but she kept her composure. She had already suffered far worse. Getting yanked into another realm in the middle of circulating her qi was just another annoyance. Her thought process was already fundamentally warped compared to ordinary people.
"Hey, old man. I know you're there, so come on out."
Her instincts were as razor-sharp as ever. She had just become aware of a cultivation art named the Celestial Immortal Divine Art for the very first time. She had been circulating the Primordial Unity Art, so how could an entirely different mental method activate using the exact same mnemonic verse? Someone had clearly tampered with her, and right now, the only person capable of pulling such a trick was Hyeok. After all, that old bastard was the one who had turned him into a her.
"It hasn't been that long. Have you been well, Cheonsal?"
"What the hell do you want from me?"
"You ask the wrong question. I desire nothing from you, but there are things you yourself must come to desire."
"What kind of bullshit is that?"
Ryeong scowled. Was talking in riddles some kind of racial trait for immortals? She wanted nothing more than to tear that smug look off his face, but she had already experienced his overwhelming power firsthand. She wasn't foolish enough to rush him blindly. The problem was that Hyeok could read her thoughts like an open book.
"How does it feel, living in a woman's body?"
"It sucks. But honestly, it's not all bad. Plenty of fools underestimate me and come looking for trouble."
To Ryeong, gender wasn't actually the biggest deal. She had certainly been enraged at having her manhood stripped away, but being a woman came with distinct advantages. Having lost her original strength anyway, she had rationalized that this new form wasn't the worst outcome. In fact, she had already amused herself by toying with weaklings who charged in thinking she was easy prey. That was made possible because her Heaven-Killing Art naturally concealed every trace of her internal qi.
"Things were far too rushed back then, so we could not finish our conversation," Hyeok said. "There is a task you must carry out."
"Pass. I don't lift a finger without compensation."
"I shall grant you a wish. Any wish you desire, so long as it causes no harm to others."
"Oh? Now you're speaking my language."
Her sour mood brightened a fraction. To be honest, she held plenty of grudges against Hyeok, but so long as there was profit to be had, she could let bygones be bygones. Besides, the repetitive routine of living as one of the Four Great Evils had grown dreadfully boring anyway.
"A catastrophe will soon descend upon the Central Plains. Prevent that calamity."
"Why don't you do it yourself?"
"We, the immortals of the Celestial Realm, are forbidden from directly intervening in the mortal world. Your case involved rather exceptional circumstances... but in any case, we cannot stop this disaster ourselves."
"So you're making me your proxy?"
"Precisely."
A dry chuckle escaped Ryeong's lips. A calamity was coming to the martial world, and an immortal was asking one of the Four Great Evils to stop it? Was he out of his mind? Out of all the people under the heavens, why her? Ryeong was genuinely curious.
"Because you are the suited one."
"The suited one?"
"In time, you will come to understand. Our time is nearly up, so let us conclude our conversation here."
"What?! Hey, you bastard, you can't just leave! I've still got a mountain of questions!!"
"Protect the five sacred relics. Under no circumstances must they fall into their hands."
"Hyeok! You old fart! Who the hell are 'they'?! Tell me who they are before you go—fuck!"
Hyeok's figure faded into translucence. Ryeong lunged forward to grab him by the collar, but he vanished like a mirage, and she was instantly pulled back into her physical body mid-cultivation.
"Gah!"
She gasped for air, hyperventilating. Fortunately, the circulation of qi had concluded smoothly. Panting heavily, Ryeong pressed a hand against her chest, right over her middle dantian.
Is this... the Celestial Immortal Divine Art?
A core smaller than a single knuckle had formed within. From that tiny core flowed a pure, sacred energy unlike anything she had ever felt in her life. Her cultivation realm hadn't shifted, yet she could tell her internal energy output had more than doubled.
A peerless divine technique. Nothing less could describe it.
"Protect the sacred relics? First he tells me to perform chivalry, and now he changes his tune."
A new objective had taken shape. Her original plan had been to steal the sacred relic from Mount Qingcheng and use it to force another meeting with Hyeok. But she had reconnected with him in an entirely unexpected way and received a mission with the promise of any wish granted in return. Stop those plotting to bring ruin to the Central Plains. Keep the sacred relics out of the hands of this mysterious group called "them."
For now, Qingcheng, the Tang Clan, and Jongnam each possess one.
The whereabouts of the other two remained unknown. Since the first three were distributed across the western and central regions of the realm, she could only guess that the remaining ones were somewhere in the east.
This could be fun.
A conventional life of righteous chivalry went completely against Ryeong's nature. After all, when someone forced you into a position where you couldn't kill, it was only natural to want to kill even more. Yet now her primary objective was stealing sacred relics? And that counted toward chivalry? She'd get on that right away.
This suited her far better. Rather than gently protecting people, seizing the prize so that peace was enforced through deterrence—it was practically the same logic as maintaining a balance of terror.
The Celestial Immortal Divine Art is only at the first stage, but it should let me unleash the power of a second-rate expert.
The Jongnam Sect held the Tang Clan's sacred relic. To slip that artifact out of their hands, she needed to build ties with the sect's upper echelon. Her current martial prowess wasn't nearly high enough to steal it by force and run, so currying favor to get closer to the relic was her best bet. Her agenda for tomorrow was set.
"Your expression is troubled. Has something happened?"
"Ah, no, Master. It is only that my martial cultivation has plateaued."
"Reaching the first-rate realm at your age is already a remarkable feat. If you continue to apply yourself diligently, you will perceive the wall before you, and in time, an opportunity to shatter it shall present itself."
"Thank you for your guidance, Sect Leader."
In the quiet hours of early dawn, Jinyeong was conversing with Taecheong Jin'in, the Sect Leader of the Jongnam Sect and his revered master. His face was dark because of the restriction Ryeong had placed upon him the previous day. A gag restriction bound him, preventing him from breathing a single word even to his master. Though Taecheong Jin'in showed concern for his state of mind, Jinyeong had no choice but to lie. If he didn't, the seal would rupture his heart, killing him instantly.
"I hear this year's Dragon-Phoenix Martial Tournament will be held in three months. Prepare yourself well; I hope to see you achieve great results."
"Thank you for your encouragement, Sect Leader."
"It should be time for your morning training. You may go."
"...Yes, Master."
With a conflicted expression, Jinyeong bowed deeply and rose to his feet. Taecheong Jin'in saw him off with an unwavering, gentle smile. The moment Jinyeong left the Sect Leader's quarters, however, the gentle master vanished, replaced by the cool, discerning gaze of a sect's supreme leader.
"Samyeong."
"Yes, Jin'in."
"It appears something transpired between Jinyeong and the young lady who arrived yesterday as our guest."
"Shall I investigate?"
At the guard warrior Samyeong's question, Taecheong Jin'in pondered for a moment before shaking his head.
"Keep them under surveillance for now. Nothing more."
"Understood."
Taecheong Jin'in was a master revered by all across the realm. He never condemned an innocent without incontrovertible proof. Even when suspicions arose, he refrained from hasty action until decisive evidence surfaced. That was his unbending principle, and the very secret behind how the present-day Jongnam Sect maintained its standing as the Number One Sword Sect of Shaanxi. Having received his master's order, Samyeong melted into the shadows. Taecheong Jin'in watched the sun slowly cresting the horizon and murmured under his breath:
"Whether this portends a favorable change or not... we shall have to see."
Meanwhile, at the training grounds for Jongnam's third-generation disciples, the young pupils began their day with vibrant vigor. Jinyeong was slightly late due to his audience with the Sect Leader, but he quickly fell into rank and resumed practicing Jongnam's foundational sword technique, the Eight Clouds Sword. The sun climbed high into the sky, and the moment it reached its zenith—
"Training concluded! All disciples, proceed to the dining hall!"
Elder Hwang Un, who oversaw the third-generation disciples, called an end to the morning session. The announcement was met with disciples collapsing onto the dirt. Yet even in their exhaustion, pride shone on their sweat-drenched faces. Each day of grueling practice brought noticeable progress, fueling their resolve. Jongnam was indisputably the premier sword sect of Shaanxi, and that collective glory bolstered the confidence of every last disciple.
"Working hard?"
Jinyeong flinched.
Ryeong had appeared beside him as he leaned against a pillar, catching his breath. Her complete lack of presence startled him to his core. The gaze of every nearby disciple snapped toward them. Having already caught wind of rumors from their martial uncles the previous night regarding Jinyeong and this visiting lady, they pricked their ears, pretending not to listen while hanging on every word.
"Lady Ryeong. What brings you here?"
"Just curious to see what you were up to. Here, have some water."
"...Thank you."
Jinyeong had meant to refuse, but the words died in his throat. Her cold gaze made it terrifyingly clear that she would slaughter him on the spot if he didn't drink. Of course, through the eyes of the other disciples, that intense stare looked like something else entirely.
"Actually, I wanted to ask for a sparring match."
"A spar?"
"Yeah. Last night, I finally managed to generate some internal energy!"
A wave of excitement rippled through the eavesdropping disciples. Jinyeong shot them sharp glares, trying to silence them, but their whispers only grew louder.
"My father used to run a martial arts hall," Ryeong continued brightly. "I learned the basic forms, so I'm pretty confident! What do you say? A quick spar?"
Now she's inventing a father who ran a dojo?
Jinyeong's jaw tightened. He knew her true, terrifying power all too well. How could he possibly agree? Seeing his hesitation, the other third-generation disciples eagerly chimed in.
"Booo! Is this the great Sword Dragon? Can't even grant a lady a friendly spar?"
"Hey, if you're going to act like that, strip that title off your name!"
"What's wrong with this guy? Hey, Jinyeong! If you're too tired, want me to step in?"
"No. I'll do it."
When his junior, Jinyu, stepped forward to volunteer, Jinyeong forced himself to accept. There was no way in hell he could let that monster spar with anyone else.