Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: New Ability
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I'd thought about it before, but I'd held off trying to circulate two energies at once, worried they might clash.
But the more I handled my internal energy, the clearer it became that circulating spirit energy alongside it caused no issues.
The spirit meridians were part of the blood meridians, after all, yet there was no conflict between internal energy and spirit energy.
This was probably only possible because of my Heavenly Martial Sacred Body constitution.
'Hm?'
I realized that when my internal energy and spirit energy brushed past the 13 spirit meridians, those meridians—filled with the spirit energy I'd gained in Hwaryeong Village—had transformed into something like a dantian.
'My God, the spirit energy and internal energy are fusing?'
In other meridians, they stayed separate like water and oil, yielding paths to each other. But upon reaching the 13 spirit meridians, they merged.
'But can I make use of this phenomenon?'
No matter how much I pondered, it didn't seem particularly useful.
'Ah, maybe!'
Then an idea flashed through my mind.
Spirit energy had limits against physical matter—it could enable Threefold True Fire, but not techniques like Object Manipulation in the Air or Flying Leaves Storm.
Only the spirit energy crystal, my inner core, reacted to my emitted spirit energy to perform Object Manipulation.
Spirit energy couldn't exert force on objects with weight.
'But if internal energy and spirit energy have fused, couldn't I pull off Object Manipulation or Flying Leaves Storm, which were impossible with spirit energy alone?'
I gathered my internal energy and opened my eyes.
Guiding internal energy through the 13 spirit meridians, I directed it toward the half-empty teacup and thrust my hand upward, releasing the energy.
The teacup, half-filled with tea, smoothly floated into the air.
"Whoa!"
As I exclaimed in awe, the teacup dropped with a clunk, spilling its contents.
My breath had escaped with the exclamation, sapping the energy's power.
'Object Manipulation on something as light as a teacup is something only peak experts can manage. In truth, you need to reach the Hua realm to wield Sword Energy Projection.'
That was basic common knowledge in the martial world.
Buoyed by excitement, I scanned my surroundings and pulled a sheet of paper from the inkstone holder.
Riiip!
I tore off a corner, slipped it between my fingers, and executed one of Ghostly Scholar's techniques: Paper Flick of Nine Oxen Strength.
Paper Flick of Nine Oxen Strength was a finger flick technique powered by spirit energy. I'd tried it several times but given up when spirit energy failed to produce any projection force.
Its principles matched those of typical martial arts, where you infuse hidden weapons with internal energy.
I wedged the torn paper between my index and middle fingers, loaded it with the fused internal-spirit energy, and flung it.
Pew!
The paper, empowered by internal energy, hardened like iron plate and shot through the air.
Thud!
It embedded precisely into the room's pillar.
No way this could happen with less than half a unit of internal energy.
It was the twenty years' worth of internal energy in my secondary dantian, fused with spirit energy, that made it possible.
Since I'd pioneered this myself, if Ghostly Scholar knew I was using Paper Flick of Nine Oxen Strength this way, he'd have treated me as a senior.
Suddenly, I felt grateful to Ho Hyeonbyeok.
If I hadn't stepped up to help him, I never would have achieved this fusion of internal energy and spirit energy.
It might be a reward for the loyalty that drove me to save a friend.
'Life has its moments where good intentions turn to malice, but plenty where kindness returns kindness.'
I saw it as the fruit of a heart devoted to a friend.
I kept tearing paper and unleashing Flying Leaves Storm until the pillar was thickly studded with white sheets.
"Not Flying Leaves Storm anymore—White Leaves Storm fits better."
The white paper made "White Leaves Storm" the perfect name.
"Somehow, I keep getting stronger without even realizing it. At this rate, no one would believe I'm not a martial artist. Might have to hide my power a bit from now on."
Great strength drew followers, and groups formed—that was the way of the martial world.
So I figured I might need to conceal my abilities.
"What's this?"
Even rotating three strands of spirit energy, my energy sense barely extended past a hundred jang.
I'd been shocked when the spirit energy from the cave expanded it to that range.
But fusing internal energy and spirit energy stretched it to three hundred jang, startling me badly.
The sensation of my field of view expanding felt like becoming an eagle soaring high, gazing down at the earth.
The flood of information from the extended sense gave me a headache for a while.
As the expanded sense attuned to the flow of qi, the currents of water became vividly clear.
Once accustomed to the greater range, I detected blood flows within three hundred jang.
'If I infuse Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique with internal energy, spirit energy, and even murderous intent, couldn't I manifest a vivid Heavenly Dragon form?'
When fighting the Demonic Cult's Fourteen Constellations' Fifth Fragrance Mistress, I'd faintly shaped a Heavenly Dragon.
That had briefly earned me the moniker Heavenly Dragon Scholar.
That's when it happened.
Suddenly, over a hundred blood flows registered in my energy sense.
'Human blood flows.'
Detecting over a hundred at this hour meant one thing.
I rushed outside and alerted Ho Hyeonbyeok and Myeong Ujong to the enemy raid.
Ho Hyeonbyeok was skeptical at first.
"Really? Why isn't my energy sense picking up anything?"
As a near-first-rate expert, he found it puzzling.
Myeong Ujong caught on quickly.
"Brother Ho Hyeon, Scholar Cheon is the master who slew ten Demonic Cult first-rate experts in an instant."
"What? Taesan?"
We hadn't discussed martial arts much since arriving at Ho Hyeonjang, so there'd been no chance to mention my skills.
Ho Hyeonbyeok knew only that I'd come to help him—he'd never considered me an expert.
And why would he? Two years ago at the Murim Alliance, I'd been little more than a bookish scholar who couldn't perform a single form.
In truth, I'd memorized all the martial manuals in the Alliance library by then, but I'd never shown it.
"Back then, he was just a guy obsessed with medicine and liquor. When did he learn martial arts?"
I brushed it off vaguely.
"After you retired to the countryside, I trained steadily. Plus, I had a stroke of fortune and grew stronger."
"Slew ten first-rate experts easily? Even peak experts would struggle with that."
"They let their guard down because I'm a scholar, and I used hidden weapons."
"Still impressive."
Ho Hyeonbyeok muttered as if well aware of the Demonic Cult's viciousness.
"It was a stroke of fortune."
I gave him advance warning so he wouldn't be shocked when he saw my skills in the coming fight.
"No time to question it now—we need to plan our response. Over a hundred of them."
To the still-doubtful Ho Hyeonbyeok, I said,
"Trust Scholar Cheon. He's a true master."
Ho Hyeonbyeok replied gravely.
"No real countermeasures. We ambush them when they scale the manor walls—that's it."
Myeong Ujong instructed his bodyguard.
"Bring it."
The bodyguard fetched a large travel sack.
Myeong Ujong gazed at it proudly.
"I prepared for a large-scale battle. Cost me a fortune to acquire these. The Weapon Sect's lord wouldn't budge without bribes. Rushed here, so I couldn't grab more—another twenty if I'd had time."
"Thank you, Little Branch Lord. I'll repay this debt someday."
Myeong Ujong shrugged with a smug grin, spouting the usual unorthodox rhetoric.
"An unorthodox man carves grudges in stone but kindness in sand. No big deal—don't sweat it."
Seeing him puff up with pride after his bravado made him seem oddly endearing.
'Sounds familiar.'
I thought of Mak Yeohyeon and chuckled inwardly.
Myeong Ujong ordered his subordinate, who opened the sack and revealed the contents.
Ho Hyeonbyeok recognized them immediately.
Slender bamboo tubes with protruding fuses at one end.
"Scorpion Tail Storm Barrels," inscribed on the tubes.
Scorpion Tail meant a barrel loaded with scorpion venom hidden weapons.
Scorpion Tail Storm Barrels were a signature product of the Profound Heaven Sect.
Each one packed enough punch to take down a first-rate expert.
A dangerous weapon perfect for inflicting heavy casualties early on.
I said, eyeing the barrels,
"Distribute one to each Heavenly Asura Squad member and use them just before initial clash."
"Do it. Night hides the needles—invisible and deadlier. Could halve their forces if we're lucky."
"Exactly. If we play it right."
Myeong Ujong clicked his tongue.
"Wish the Dragon Squadron Leader and his fifteen elite Heavenly Asura Squad hadn't gone to Iljimun."
"We'll manage. We've got the Scorpion Tail Storm Barrels."
The others still hadn't sensed the Demonic Cult raid.
"They're within a hundred jang now."
Ho Hyeonbyeok stared at me in wonder for detecting what he couldn't.
Reasonable—I'd transformed into a peak expert in no time.
"I sense their presence."
Finally, Myeong Ujong's bodyguard spoke up.
"Over a hundred."
My words gained credibility.
"No need for a defensive siege with these. Better to charge out. Storm Barrels work best without obstacles in the way."
"You're right. I'll lead the Ho Hyeonjang warriors too. Only about thirty, but we'll join you."
"That'll do."
Ho Hyeonbyeok approached as I spoke.
"Taesan, be careful. Pull back if it's dangerous. I don't want you hurt. Don't force fights you can't win. Even if my clan falls, I couldn't bear seeing you die."
Ho Hyeonbyeok left me with words of caution.
"You be careful. Don't charge ahead recklessly. I've already opened my killing intent for a friend."
I turned from Ho Hyeonbyeok and approached the Heavenly Asura Squad.
"The Little Branch Lord has temporarily granted me command. We'll form the Profound Heaven Sect's Great Roc Shattering Heavens Formation to deploy the Scorpion Tail Storm Barrels. I'll take the head—left wing, right wing, rear guard, step up."
Myeong Ujong and the Heavenly Asura Squad warriors flinched in surprise.
The Great Roc Shattering Heavens Formation was the Profound Heaven Sect's unique assault array, beloved by its warriors.
Their faces screamed, 'How does he know this?'
I told Ho Hyeonbyeok to handle the rear in the formation.
The Ho Hyeonjang warriors' levels were lower than the Heavenly Asura Squad's.
"When I call 'Shed Wing,' don't stray beyond three jang. On 'Regroup Wing,' return immediately."
Shed Wing meant breaking from formation; Regroup Wing, reforming.
"On Shed Wing, fire the Scorpion Tail Storm Barrels."
I directed the Heavenly Asura Squad.
They nodded once, signaling trust.
Seeing I knew the formation as well as their Dragon Squadron Leader eased their fears.
"The Heavenly Asura Squad truly lives up to its elite reputation. Facing Demonic Cult rabble without flinching."
I deliberately praised them to Myeong Ujong to boost morale.
"No need for second words—it's nagging. Folks say unorthodox lack power compared to Demonic Cult, but that's ignorant nonsense from those who've never seen our true strength. Unorthodox are mighty. We cherry-pick the best from orthodox, demonic, and unorthodox arts."
I nodded—there was truth in it.
That's why unorthodox arts were called crude, yet they birthed uniquely terrifying techniques.
"They're coming."
"Little Branch Lord, retreat to the manor."
"No. I'll watch my men's valor from here."
I smiled inwardly at Myeong Ujong.
'Bluster that steels his subordinates.'
Sure enough.
The Heavenly Asura Squad perked up at their Little Branch Lord's intent to observe.
The enemy had likely sensed something by now anyway—time to fan the flames with high spirits.
"Plenty of villains, empty hells! Who sends villains to hell?!"
"We do! The Heavenly Asura Squad!"
My shout drew reflexive roars from the dozen-plus warriors.
Of course.
It was the battle cry of unorthodox supreme Mak Yeohyeon.
I charged forward, the warriors fanning out behind like a phoenix spreading wings.
"Hah, no sign of the Squadron Leader. But how does that scholar know our Heavenly Asura Squad's battle cry?"
"That's what puzzles me. He moves like a veteran Profound Heaven Sect commander with over a decade under his belt."
In the distance, the Demonic Cult horde rushing toward them began emerging in the moonlight.
"The moon will soon run red."
Myeong Ujong murmured in a grim tone.