Chapter 33
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Enlightenment Comes from Unexpected Places
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Nangong Mubaek stared at me with eyes brimming with utmost seriousness.
A thirst for enlightenment.
It was the gaze of a martial artist desperate to break through a wall.
"I thought the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique would be perfect with just more power and speed. But I realized there's one more thing needed."
That one thing wasn't something I lacked—it was what someone else needed.
I could already manifest the Heavenly Dragon with spirit energy.
Yet despite having ample internal energy, the warriors of the Nangong Family couldn't bring it forth.
Nangong Mubaek nodded, urging me to continue.
"Something was missing from this perfect sword art, and watching your sword forms today finally made me realize what it was."
Not just Nangong Mubaek—even Yeowon, the girl from the Ice Palace, had her eyes sparkling as she listened intently to my words.
"I realized that 'Slay the Non-Human' is what perfects the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique while watching your martial arts earlier."
"Ah!"
At my words, Nangong Mubaek let out a long sigh and shuddered.
"Slay the Non-Human."
Non-Human Slayable—it meant that only those who were not human could be killed.
"The Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique is not rooted in mercy. But later generations misinterpreted it, leaning toward compassion. Metaphors and allegories all point to insights on extinction and the reason for existence. In truth, this sword art's foundation is a fierce killing intent: kill anything that isn't human."
Nangong Mubaek nodded.
"When our family laid the foundations as an upright clan, the Vault of Heaven Unfettered was our flagship sword art. They must have toned down the killing intent to avoid drawing scrutiny from the world."
Since Nangong Mubaek knew the changes to the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique, he grasped my point immediately.
"That's right. That's why the killing blows lacked murderous intent and became fatal flaws."
Earlier, when I'd been kicked by the Venom Arm Ghost, it was during the Heavenly Dragon Coiling Ascent—the fourth form that included a brutal cross-slash to spill the enemy's guts.
But because it was so vicious, the sword form had been designed to hold back there.
Originally, the Venom Arm Ghost's innards should have spilled onto the ground, but that hesitation turned into a weakness, letting him counterattack.
A youthful girl's voice rang out.
It was Yeowon, who had been playing the role of the fake Ice Sacred Body.
"But what's the difference between infusing killing intent and using internal energy?"
Listening to interpretations of another sect's martial arts was taboo.
But her question was so innocently bright that it didn't even register.
Besides, neither I nor Nangong Mubaek were the type to nitpick over such things.
'What does a girl like her know anyway?'
That thought took precedence, so I let it slide.
"Killing intent is will, little miss. The form gains true power only when backed by will. It doesn't unleash the raw force of internal energy, but it's the core that binds it all. And killing intent is a form of spirit energy. That's why we sense an assassin's murderous aura from afar—it's a tangible sensation of spirit energy."
As I explained to Yeowon, I had my own realization.
'They say the best way to learn is by teaching. It's true.'
I arrived at the idea that killing intent could be spirit energy.
'I've been thinking of spirit energy too narrowly. Killing intent is a power, a form of spirit energy.'
I'd mastered the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique enough to manifest the Heavenly Dragon, but dismissed it as lacking true power without deep internal energy. In reality, it was the lack of that spirit energy called killing intent.
And this enlightenment didn't stop with Nangong Mubaek and me.
"Ah! Ah! Ah!"
Letting out successive gasps, Yeowon suddenly drew her sword and charged at a Demonic Cultist.
Watching this, Jong Sobin and Hwayeong jumped in alarm and rushed to protect her.
"Yeowon! Get a hold of yourself!"
But a ferocious chill exploded from Yeowon's Snow Wind Sword Technique, sweeping toward the Demonic Cultists.
Jong Sobin reached out to stop her but froze in shock, grabbing Hwayeong instead.
"Third Protector! That's..."
The Snow Wind Sword Technique was a basic art any Ice Palace disciple could learn.
Of course, it paled in comparison to the Ice White Asura Sword learned by the top disciples.
Yet Yeowon's Snow Wind Sword Technique was emanating an icy aura that overwhelmed even the Ice White Asura Sword.
"Yes. It can't be just the power of the ice crystal. I've never seen the Snow Wind Sword Technique executed so flawlessly."
Jong Sobin murmured.
"Third Protector, have we been overlooking a once-in-a-lifetime treasure right beside us?"
Jong Sobin knew Yeowon had reached this state after asking Scholar Cheon something and hearing his answer.
"It seems the Scholar gave Yeowon some kind of enlightenment."
At that moment, Nangong Mubaek approached the fight and unleashed his sword forms. Astonishingly, one Demonic Cultist fell to their combined blades in less than ten exchanges.
And without exchanging a word, the two charged at the Venom Eye Ghost together.
"No way..."
They attacked in perfect harmony, like partners who'd trained together for years.
The Venom Arm Ghost, who had been toying with them all along, now faced them with a tense expression before clutching his abdomen and retreating.
A cross-shaped bloodline had been carved into his belly.
Immediately after, the right arm clutching it fell clean off.
White frost covered the shoulder joint—it was Yeowon's doing.
And soon, his abdomen split open in a cross, spilling his guts.
The Poison Eye Ghost stared in shock at the scene.
Nangong Mubaek said to Yeowon,
"Leave that one-eyed bastard to me. I must avenge my comrades."
"In the Ice Palace, they say vengeance belongs to the dead, but it's as precious as the living's own life. So I'll yield to you, young miss."
Yeowon blinked her frost-laced eyebrows and nodded.
Nangong Mubaek flashed her a smile before charging at the Poison Eye Ghost.
Around then, Jong Sobin approached me.
The moment she felt they were safe, one person came to mind.
"Scholar Cheon. Captain Wang is in danger. He's holding off a Demonic Cult division leader."
Nangong Mubaek was now pressing the Poison Eye Ghost relentlessly.
I no longer worried.
With Jong Sobin, Hwayeong, Yeowon, and the White Tiger Unit squad leaders there, nothing could go wrong.
The two super-first-rate experts were threats, but one was well within their ability to handle.
"Head straight to the Nangong Family once this is cleaned up."
"Is that okay?"
I said it thinking of Yeoseol there.
"Doesn't seem like the time to quibble over that. Better dodge the storm first."
"Got it."
"Then I'll leave this place to you."
It was then.
A cry of astonishment erupted from the Nangong Family warriors.
"Waaah! It's the Heavenly Dragon!"
I turned toward the noise.
I saw the faint form of the Heavenly Dragon I'd manifested with spirit energy before, now striking the Poison Eye Ghost.
'Nangong Mubaek's killing intent turned into spirit energy and summoned the Heavenly Dragon at last. He's reached the essence of the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique.'
Seeing that, my worries vanished, and I unleashed the Guyu Ghost Infant Phantasm Divine Art to its limits.
Watching the scholar vanish like Phantom Shift in an instant, Jong Sobin murmured,
"What on earth is that scholar's true identity?"
"Whatever it is, he's no ordinary man. Though he insists he is with every fiber of his being."
Jong Sobin turned to Yeowon and said,
"Now I see—my eyes were clouded like knotholes. To have such a treasure right there and not notice."
"Same here, Little Palace Lord."
"Doesn't that make her a genius?"
"And there's someone who awakened that child into a genius in a single moment."
"Sigh. Coming out into the world, there are so many geniuses. It's frustrating. Back in the Ice Palace, I thought I was the greatest genius under heaven."
"You have more than enough talent to be called a genius, Little Palace Lord."
"No. Look at that."
As Nangong Mubaek unilaterally overwhelmed the Poison Eye Ghost and pierced his last remaining eye with his sword, Jong Sobin shook her head.
"Compared to Young Master Nangong or Yeowon, what kind of genius am I? Next to them, I'm barely a talented prodigy at best."
Hwayeong gazed at the Little Palace Lord, who had gained worldly insight, with eyes full of both admiration and pity.
If I had the leisure, I'd rotate the third origin energy to gain new internal energy, but there was no time now.
Strength and speed had definitely increased.
I could tell from deploying the Guyu Ghost Infant Phantasm Divine Art.
Before, it took two or three steps to cross a rooftop; now, one step sufficed.
It felt twice as fast, and I struggled to adapt to the acceleration.
'Gotta get used to this through practice.'
Even geniuses don't adapt to speed without training.
I soon soared toward the streets, where killing intent billowed like heat haze.
Wang Cheong felt sorrow that mutual destruction was his last resort.
He'd been stuck at the peak of the Supreme Realm for ages, long abandoning hopes of breaking through.
'I know it. With my talent, Supreme Realm is my limit.'
Beyond Supreme Realm lay a world unreachable by effort or passion alone.
In the jianghu, countless warriors never even reached first-rate despite lifelong training, so reaching Supreme Realm was a blessing.
But the talented ones challenged the pinnacle of martial arts.
And in those challenges, he'd seen countless prodigies fall.
A warrior who'd shattered the wall he'd longed to break and reached Transcendent Realm.
Even if from the Demonic Cult, he felt respect deep down.
"You're mad to die."
O Juhyang retreated, her voice thick with wariness.
Wang Cheong's attacks were pure offense.
And O Juhyang realized his intent.
"You bastard! Trying to take me with you? Dream on!"
Slash!
Wang Cheong took a sword strike to the chest but pressed deeper into O Juhyang's guard.
And finally thrust his blade into her thigh.
For an attack after suffering over ten wounds, it was feeble, but Wang Cheong was satisfied with the result.
"Hahaha! I don't crave mutual death. But trading my life for one arm of the White-Haired Maiden Witch? That's a fair deal!"
O Juhyang frowned.
The world's most terrifying attack came from one who'd abandoned all.
A Supreme Realm master resolved to sacrifice his life wasn't to be taken lightly.
"Fine! I respect your resolve. At least I'll leave your corpse intact."
O Juhyang decided to go all out too.
Wang Cheong exploded all his internal energy into lightness skill toward O Juhyang again.
His lightness skill lagged behind hers, making it hard to connect.
He planned to settle it with his final ultimate technique.
At least one of her four limbs would fall, he believed.
Wang Cheong had that much confidence.
The White-Haired Maiden Witch O Juhyang summoned all her internal energy for the first time since arriving in Hefei.
Her nails extended jaggedly by an inch from the sword energy.
She intended to tear Wang Cheong apart with her hook-like claws.
Though keeping his corpse whole might prove difficult.
It was then.
Whoosh!
An immense pressure crashed down from above.
Like the massive tidal wave he'd seen as a child at the beach, it made him forget Wang Cheong momentarily and look up.
A gigantic Heavenly Dragon dove talons-first, like an eagle snatching a squirrel.
O Juhyang swung her hooks to rip out the dragon's claws.
Clangclangclangclang!
A horrific screech like nails on iron rang out long.
With Wang Cheong's strike added, O Juhyang was involuntarily pushed back ten zhang.
"Cough!"
Without her protective aura, her side would have been pierced; without her profound energy, the dragon would have torn her apart.
Six of her ten hooks were snapped halfway.
Wang Cheong, seeing Scholar Cheon descend from the sky riding the Heavenly Dragon as if he'd come down on it, murmured unwittingly,
"Heavenly Dragon Scholar."
The scholar blended so perfectly with the Heavenly Dragon, like a celestial being astride a dragon.
And soon O Juhyang's voice exploded.
"What scholar scum dares use sorcery?!"