018. She Was Wise
018. She Was Wise
A space transforming with tremendous vibrations.
Though there was no change in the scenery, Sama Damcheon, who possessed the Hwa-an-geum-jeong, and Sa-ma Ryang, a master of formations, could tell.
The formation currently managing Cheonmyeong-dong was simultaneously distorting, meaning the conditions of the Samun (Death Gate) and the Saengmun (Life Gate) had been altered.
"Who on earth changed the formation of Cheonmyeong-dong? It was practically fixed by being anchored into Mount Mo's dragon vein...!"
"Hmm. Moreover, the illusions meant to make one lose their way have completely vanished. The result of the formation is the isolation of the inside from the outside. It seems to block outsiders from entering recklessly, and to leave, it requires three people to be inside."
"...Son. Did you have expertise in formations?"
"Not expertise, just superficial knowledge. I could perceive it because my eyes are the Hwa-an-geum-jeong."
"What the hell?!"
It seemed she heard a word she couldn't just let pass, so Sa-ma Ryang looked up, saw the pupils of the two, and burst out in shock.
Because she saw that the eyes, which were as black and captivating as black pearls, had now become red eyes glowing like burning flames, and the pupils had become the very essence of a brilliant golden light.
Having witnessed the manifestation of the legendary Monkey King's absolute eye technique, how could she pretend not to know and let it pass?
"No, so the Hwa-an-geum-jeong actually exists?"
"Mother. Do you remember where I said I was trapped?"
"The mad Great Immortal Daera's... No, what the hell?"
Normally, she would carefully consider each word for dignity, pondering repeatedly in an instant before uttering them, but today she was overusing 'what the hell.'
It was because she had been given such a massive shock that shook her thinking.
Her gaze turned toward Sama Damcheon. She had guessed that the mad Great Immortal Daera was a bit of a stretch and that he might have found great opportunities by visiting the tombs of ancient predecessors.
After all, who would believe such a preposterous story about the Great Immortal Daera's opportunities? But then the Hwa-an-geum-jeong appeared, and the highly advanced martial arts visible at an age not even two years old.
On top of that, a dual cultivation technique at the level of a divine art that even improves the opponent's constitution when mingling bodies.
Even the Madocheonseong-gong he had just given her was a treasure that would cause bloodshed in the martial world if it spread.
As the mystery of her son began to gain credibility, Sa-ma Ryang trembled with joy. Right now, Sama Damcheon was in this relationship with her as a transaction, but if he later became sincere, how far could the family be revived?
Just having one top-tier master would make a declining family leap up and achieve continuous success.
But if Sama Damcheon, who seemed fit to be the world's number one, continued to stay with the Sama Clan, becoming the world's number one family wouldn't just be a dream.
"Do you have any other skills right now?"
"After I killed a yellow dragon and ate its heart before, I can also transform into a dragon. Should I show you?"
"......."
Beyond the borders, there are demons and spiritual beings. At the story of killing a dragon, which such beings worship as a god, Sa-ma Ryang couldn't continue speaking.
She was now a Sa-ma Ryang who had gained the confidence that she wouldn't be surprised anymore no matter what mysterious skill he showed.
She had concluded that her new son, Sama Damcheon, was someone for whom no eccentric act or world-shaking skill would be strange.
"Anyway, with the Hwa-an-geum-jeong, you can probably see this formation's Life Gate too. Finding the Life Gate would be faster than the unreasonable condition of needing three people."
"It seems you could just go out the entrance. I have a clone technique, so the condition of three people doesn't seem very meaningful."
"Did you obtain the legacy of the Great Sage Heaven's Equal or something?"
"It's just that collecting this and that made it similar. If it were the Great Sage Heaven's Equal's legacy, I should have the Yeoui-geumgo-bong, but I don't. My main weapon is a sword from the start."
The two chatted about this and that as they headed toward the exit of Cheonmyeong-dong. Clearly, something unusual had happened outside, but neither of them showed any great tension.
That was because Sama Damcheon trusted his own martial prowess, and Sa-ma Ryang had learned martial arts from such a son and confirmed at least a glimpse of his strength.
In other words, both believed that whatever happened, they could solve it with force.
Since the formation that twisted the path had changed, leaving was quick.
"The exit."
"I'll create a clone now. Once there are three, it should release on its own...?"
Kugugugugu.
As soon as they arrived at the exit, the formation began to release, and the two made blank expressions. Without even fulfilling the condition of three people, it released on its own, and they instantly found themselves outside Cheonmyeong-dong.
And the scene that entered their view was, well, not good.
From Geum Wi-un, who looked seriously injured, to the low-level Jiangshi surrounding them on all sides, an old woman who appeared to be a sorcerer, and two servant Jiangshi.
"What... is this situation?"
"Don't know what it is, but it seems a fucked-up situation has occurred, Mother."
Sama Damcheon's Hwa-an-geum-jeong detected remnants of necromancy on the numerous Jiangshi surrounding them. He had expected that since he and his comrades had conquered the Tower, those who remained on the lower floors would have returned.
But the fact that the first ones he met were black magic users, and trash using necromancy at that, made Sama Damcheon feel extremely displeased.
"Keuheok!"
Perhaps internal injuries had flared up.
Geum Wi-un suddenly coughed up blood and fainted on the spot. It was obvious he would die from blood loss if left like that, so Sama Damcheon urgently stopped the bleeding with pressure points.
After taking care of the unconscious man and handing him to Sa-ma Ryang, Sama Damcheon boldly shouted toward the old woman, Mae I-ran.
"Tsk. Even if it's only been three weeks, to do this to my father. Bring it on, you villain."
Mae I-ran, who had been assessing the situation due to the seemingly extraordinary strength, was momentarily dumbfounded by Sama Damcheon's shout.
"What the hell is this bastard... It was all because of you bastards that he ended up like that, so why are you barking at this mistress?"
"Even bullshit has its level, doesn't it?"
"You insignificant thing, really...!"
As if frustrated like someone getting angry at being blamed for something they didn't do, Mae I-ran pounded her chest and pointed accusingly.
"What do you think it means that you two came out of that formation that requires three people to exit? You two bastards went against the natural order, stuck together, got her pregnant, and were counted as three, weren't you!"
"...Even bullshit has its level, doesn't it?"
This time, the reply was delayed because something hit home.
'But wasn't Mother infertile?'
That's why he hadn't worried about pregnancy and had recklessly ejaculated inside her. Even though he could kill the sperm with his dual cultivation technique and only inflate her yang energy, he had ejaculated everything raw.
But now, to hear she was pregnant, Sama Damcheon couldn't help but be flustered.
"Tsk! Where is a lowly lackey of the Blood Cult barking? This family head has a body incapable of bearing children. If that weren't the case, would I have had no children for over ten years?"
When Sa-ma Ryang pointed out as if telling her to stop talking nonsense, Mae I-ran snorted and retorted.
"Then that unconscious guy must be a seedless watermelon."
"My husband has an illegitimate child, though?"
"Then you were fooled. How would you know if some man ejaculated and she just claimed it was his child because they had relations?"
"......."
The corners of Sa-ma Ryang's eyes twitched with anger. Clenching her fist and trembling, her expression was one of genuine rage reaching its peak.
And rightfully so. Over the long years, how many times had the elders scorned her for being infertile, and how many times had her position as family head been threatened?
In this era where Confucian ideology is deeply rooted, being unable to have children is a sin for a woman.
If she hadn't boasted overwhelming martial prowess within the Sama Clan, it was highly likely her position as family head would have been taken away several times.
But to find out all of that was the opposite? And then to have an illegitimate child and label her as infertile?
If you endure this, you're an idiot.
'Should I kill him?'
Briefly considering whether to finish off the momentarily unconscious Geum Wi-un.
It was a point that showed how serious Sa-ma Ryang was.
"Right now, the fact that I committed adultery with Mother is not important."
"...Is he insane?"
In terms of evil, the fanatics of the Blood Cult are among the top.
And Mae I-ran, as an elder of the Blood Cult, would easily rank within the top ten in terms of evil deeds committed in this martial world.
Even such a Mae I-ran was left speechless by Sama Damcheon.
How could the fact that a mother and son were sticking together not be an important issue? At least by Mae I-ran's common sense, it was an impossible judgment.
"What's important now is that this old hag harmed Mother."
"...Old hag? Did you just call this <Blood Spirit Granny> Mae I-ran an old hag?"
"Yeah. You smelly old hag. Ugh, the smell. Do you even wash?"
"......."
The most primal insult she had heard since handling special Cheon-gang-si and becoming a master. An insult, yet not an insult, that statement was enough to shake Mae I-ran's composure.
The problem was that her composure wasn't just shaken; it was completely shattered.
An old monster who has lived by stealing the bodies of young female masters with the Ihon-daebeop (Soul Transfer Technique) as she aged does not anger easily.
If she got angry or flared up easily, she would have been swept away by the storms of the martial world and died long ago.
"You bastard who's sticking with your mom."
Instead, filled with rage, her head instead became cooler.
"I'll definitely make you my Cheon-gang-si."
As if saying now it's for real, she formed a hand seal with her hands.
"Behold! This is this mistress's Cheon-gang-!"
Kwajik. Kwajik.
"?"
What sound is this? Mae I-ran looked down and stared blankly.
There lay her masterpieces, their heads caved in and collapsed.
In front of them stood Sama Damcheon, holding a fist shrouded in fierce energy.
"That..."
"What were you going to do to me?"
As if telling her to say it again, he waited. No, as if intending to listen properly, he even turned his ear toward Mae I-ran, ready to listen.
Toward such a Sama Damcheon, Mae I-ran knelt on the ground.
"That... by any chance, do you need a sorcery user?"
She was wise.