Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: A Total Cheat
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[That’s enough.]
‘But it’s true.’
[No matter how god-like your talent is, Master, it's impossible to see the Primordial Chaos in just one month. Besides, you're far too lazy.]
To see the Primordial Chaos, one must grasp its true meaning and know how to reveal its mysteries.
That wasn't all.
If that were all, countless warriors would have mastered it.
One had to possess a soul gifted from the heavens.
A soul of pure white, innocence itself.
A clean soul, a canvas upon which anything could be drawn.
The Primordial Chaos Art could not be seen just by having overflowing internal energy, nor could it be seen by reaching the absolute realm.
‘I'm telling you, it's true!’
[I-Is that really true?]
‘Yeah! O-Over there.’
[...Do you find this amusing?]
‘...You're not falling for it?’
[You should say something that makes sense. You must be terribly bored.]
In truth, Namgung Urin had no time to be bored.
He was lazy with his training, but he did many other things.
Surprisingly, Namgung Urin dedicated a lot of time to physical training.
He said that in a crucial moment, physical strength could be a lifeline.
How he knew so much, having never set foot in the martial world.
Perhaps because of this, Namgung Urin's shoulders looked broader than when he first entered the secluded training chamber.
And he never missed washing himself clean every day.
The secluded training chamber had an underground spring, like a small lake.
So he could wash every day.
He also changed his martial arts uniform daily. So he did laundry every day.
He was impeccably neat.
Here, where no one was watching.
Namgung Urin truly spent a lot of time on such useless things.
‘This is no fun.’
[Yes. Not fun at all. So please focus on your training.]
"Damn. This is annoying."
It had never been like this.
If he set his mind to it, he learned it. If he wanted to do it, it was done.
Of course, he quickly grew tired of that too.
Because it was too easy, he lost interest just as fast.
But the Primordial Chaos Art was not easy, which was good.
His interest was sustained.
However, that too didn't last long.
Still, this was too much!
There should be some satisfaction in learning.
Straining his eyes to see something that wasn't even there was pure torture.
So he decided to play a little prank.
To change the mood.
But it wasn't changing.
If anything, it felt even more depressing.
"Sigh."
Right, let's focus.
Namgung Urin recalled the thunderbolt that had struck the Namgung Family two months ago and focused on his training again.
Five days passed like that.
‘I see it! This time, it's for real!’
[That's truly astonishing.]
‘The dust.’
[That your nonsense can be so consistent.]
‘How dare you call your master's words nonsense.’
[There's a limit.]
Right now, Namgung Urin's feelings were anything but reasonable.
He was going mad with frustration.
If he spent his days like this, when would he ever get strong enough to take revenge?
The Sword Demon wasn't going to wait around forever without dying, and the Martial Alliance Leader wouldn't stay in his position indefinitely.
To drag them down while they were still in their positions—wouldn't that be proper revenge?
Vowing revenge, Namgung Urin sat cross-legged again.
Another ten days passed.
"I-I see it!"
[Ah, yes.]
‘I'm telling you, I really see it!’
[Yes. I see it too. That you're going mad, Master.]
‘You can see that too?’
[Indeed. I can see that too.]
‘Hey.’
[What? Are you going to have another fit?]
For the past few days, Namgung Urin had been screaming like a madman, jumping around, and throwing all sorts of tantrums.
The Primordial Chaos Art had truly thought its master had gone insane.
But now, it finally understood. This was Namgung Urin's true nature.
It was enough to make the Primordial Chaos Art, which had no tongue, click it in dismay, thinking it couldn't have chosen a worse master.
‘I'm telling you, I really see it this time.’
[Sigh. Master. You'll really go mad at this rate. Please, stop.]
"Ugh."
It's frustrating.
So frustrating.
‘Why don't you believe your master?’
[Master, would you believe a madman who claimed he could get blood from a stone?]
I wouldn't believe a sane person who said they could get blood from a stone, let alone a madman...
‘...Hey! You just called me a madman, didn't you? Didn't you!’
[Look at what you're doing. How could I not say that?]
‘I'm telling you, it's real this time. I can really see it. The Primordial Chaos.’
[I can't see it.]
The Primordial Chaos Art could see everything that Namgung Urin could.
‘I'm really going to lose my mind.’
[Be my guest.]
‘Do you even know what the Primordial Chaos looks like?’
[...I don't.]
The Primordial Chaos Art had never seen it, so there was no way it would know.
It wasn't as if the Primordial Chaos Art had created itself.
And it certainly hadn't mastered itself either.
‘It's like... uh... how should I put it? ...It sparkles. It's too fine to be seen with the naked eye, but I can see it because it sparkles.’
[...This is scary, Master.]
‘Huh? What is?’
[I'm starting to think my master has really, truly gone mad.]
‘Hey! I swear! Really!’
[It's not some child's toy, what do you mean it sparkles? If you're going to play a prank, at least make it fresh and innovative.]
Namgung Urin jumped up and down on the spot.
[Oh my. Now you're adding a fit to the performance?]
‘Wow. You know what the Primordial Chaos is? Do you?!’
[I am the Primordial Chaos Art. How could I not know?]
‘You said you've never seen it! So what do you know?!’
The Primordial Chaos Art sensed that Namgung Urin's prank was dragging on for quite a while.
[...It's true I haven't seen it... But, Master?]
There was no reply from Namgung Urin.
[Is it really true? Can you really see it? You're not going to say 'Fooled you!' are you?]
If it could see it, it wouldn't have dismissed its master like this, but the Primordial Chaos Art could not see the Primordial Chaos.
That was why it still didn't believe Namgung Urin's words.
Not that they were believable.
"Ah, whatever! Believe it or not."
Deciding he didn't care anymore, Namgung Urin focused on the Primordial Chaos.
Namgung Urin's words were true.
Right now, countless sparkles were visible to his eyes.
They were innumerable.
Yes.
The air was probably spread out just like that.
Everywhere.
[Master?]
Namgung Urin ignored the Primordial Chaos Art's words.
[Are you sulking?]
Namgung Urin paid no mind to whatever the Primordial Chaos Art said, lost in the mystery of the Primordial Chaos.
"It's beautiful."
The whole world seemed to be sparkling.
Even though this was an underground secluded training chamber, it looked beautiful.
[...]
When I was young, my father, my mother, and I once went to see the night streets of Hefei, the heart of the Namgung Family's territory and Anhui's most bustling city.
From a distance, the bustling streets of Hefei looked truly splendid.
The countless twinkling lights looked so magnificent to my young eyes.
But these particles of Primordial Chaos before me now felt not splendid, but abundant and cozy.
Like my kind father's chest.
Like my warm mother's embrace.
That was why it was beautiful.
At that moment.
The Primordial Chaos suddenly focused on Namgung Urin.
That was how Namgung Urin felt.
It was impossible for the particles, so fine they were invisible, to have eyes, but the sparkles were watching him.
"...What is this?"
It wasn't scary, but a sense of tension filled the air.
All the particles of Primordial Chaos within the secluded training chamber slowly moved toward Namgung Urin.
Soon, all the particles enveloped him.
The particles chattered as if greeting him warmly.
And then.
"...Whoa, whoa, whoa."
Suddenly, Namgung Urin's body levitated into the air.
The particles of Primordial Chaos had lifted his body.
Witnessing Namgung Urin's body levitating, the Primordial Chaos Art couldn't help but be astonished.
[...Master...]
The Primordial Chaos Art realized that Namgung Urin's words had been true.
[Y-You really did see the Primordial Chaos...]
The Primordial Chaos Art could not see the Primordial Chaos.
But seeing this phenomenon, it couldn't help but believe.
How could it not believe?
A person's body was floating on its own.
Namgung Urin was far from being an absolute master capable of performing Sky-Walking, the art of walking on air.
Very far.
Considering his age.
[Does this even make sense...?]
It's only been a month.
A few more days had passed, but it was safe to say it had been a month.
The Primordial Chaos Art had said that Namgung Urin possessed god-like talent, but this was truly...
It was enough to make one wonder if a god had possessed a human body.
If gods truly existed, that is.
Namgung Urin continued to levitate in the air.
The particles of Primordial Chaos examined every nook and cranny of his body, tapping it, and moving seamlessly in and out of him, meticulously checking everything.
To see if this guy was truly worthy of seeing the Primordial Chaos.
If he had the ability to handle it.
[How can this be...]
The Primordial Chaos Art felt it too.
The Primordial Chaos was moving through Namgung Urin's body.
* * *
It was his first year locked in the secluded training chamber.
He no longer complained about having to be locked in the training chamber for five years.
The Primordial Chaos Art had sparked infinite interest and fascination in Namgung Urin.
Completely immersed in the art, Namgung Urin had no time to be bored.
The Primordial Chaos rapidly accumulated in his dantian and meridians.
So much so that he wondered, ‘Is this a demonic art?’
No, it wouldn't be a lie to say its speed was even faster.
Furthermore, the Primordial Chaos of the art replenished itself when emptied.
There was no need to perform separate breathing exercises to circulate his energy.
The Primordial Chaos Art was completely overpowered.
[Master, please...]
"Shut up! After all the crap you gave me for being lazy!"
[Back then...]
He really was lazy.
He hadn't slept for three days.
It was obvious he would once again lose himself in training for days on end without sleeping or washing.
This had been Namgung Urin's routine for the past year.
He had lost weight, his eyes were sunken.
It was hard to tell if he was a person or a beggar.
No, a beggar would probably look better, so what was the point of saying anything?
The Primordial Chaos Art wondered if a person could really change that much.
Its master had been utterly lazy, but now he was learning the Primordial Chaos Art with such passion, wasn't he?
No, he was working himself to death, wasn't he?
It was to the point where it wondered if he was even the same person.
This was all because of the Divine Shadow Arts contained within the Primordial Chaos Art.
The Primordial Chaos Art contained various martial arts.
Each one was a martial art so profound that even the term 'divine ultimate art' was insufficient.
Since it was the Primordial Chaos Art that no one had ever mastered, what more could be expected?
The Divine Shadow Arts that Namgung Urin was obsessed with was not like the sword arts, movement techniques, or palm arts that warriors of the martial world learned.
The Divine Shadow Arts was shadow.
It wasn't that Namgung Urin's shadow moved like a shadow; the shadow had its own thoughts and martial power.
It was no different from having another Namgung Urin.
Of course, it was inferior to Namgung Urin in every way, but it was clearly another personality flowing from within him.
It seemed Namgung Urin was madly obsessed with it because of this unique aspect of the Divine Shadow Arts.
[You'll really ruin your health like this, Master.]
‘You're disturbing my concentration! Will you please just shut up?’
[Sigh.]
Since the Divine Shadow Arts was not a martial art, it had no forms.
One simply had to chant the incantations, deeply understand them, and immerse oneself in that world.
In other words, it was a technique that required one to sit cross-legged and meditate all day long. At least, until the shadow of the Divine Shadow Arts appeared.
So how could his body possibly remain healthy?
Two more days passed like that.
Flash!
Namgung Urin opened his eyes.
Crack!
As Namgung Urin stood up, a loud cracking sound came from his knees.
"Uwaaaaah!"
Namgung Urin screamed like a madman.
[Are you all right? Are you in your right mind?]
‘Why? You want me to be mad?’
[Yes.]
‘Yes? Are you serious?’
[Yes. If a madman goes mad, wouldn't he seem like a sane person?]
The Primordial Chaos Art had concluded that Namgung Urin was a madman.
‘Really? Then I guess I shouldn't go mad.’
[Why not?]
‘Because I like the way I am now.’
[What the... Don't you ever think about the people around you?]
‘Why should I?’
[Humans are beings that are meant to live together. That's why relationships are so important. Don't you know that?]
‘You think I don't know?’
[Of course. How could you not know, my master? You're so great. Truly. So why are you like this?]
‘What's wrong with me? My face is amazing. My talent is amazing. My family is... finished, but I can just revive it. I'm not lacking anything.’
[What do those things have to do with relationships?]
‘People are like that. If you have a good family, they flock to you. If you have great martial power, they flock to you. If you have a handsome face, they flock to you. When people flock to you like that, relationships form. Don't they?’
[...I suppose so. But why is someone so smart like this?]
It was asking why his personality was such a complete mess.
‘I don't really care. I don't feel the need to hang out with people. It's a hassle. So I just need people who listen to me well.’
[Like me?]
‘Yeah. Someone like you.’
[I'm having a hard time, Master.]
‘That's great. Let's say our goodbyes now.’
[Yes, I also... w-wait, no way?]
‘It's been fun, and thanks for everything.’
[A-Are you serious?]
‘Yeah.’
There was no reason not to believe him now.
[Master, you're a complete... cheat.]