Chapter 108
Chapter 108
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Dragon's Blood (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After that, exploring the cave proceeded very smoothly.
Above all, the priceless treasures discovered with every search were enough to bring a bright smile to Ouyang Jue's face.
A slight tap would reveal an inner core that felt like it belonged to a spiritual beast, and breaking open a hollow-feeling spot would yield a famed sword.
Though not as remarkable as Severing Manifestation or the Dragon's Tear Sword he had acquired earlier, they were still weapons refined enough to pile up mountains of corpses.
As the count of these items gradually surpassed ten, Ouyang Jue found himself muttering.
“If I had known, I would have brought a wrapping cloth.”
“What are you going to do with all these swords? Planning to become a sword merchant?”
Ouyang Jue replied to the Omniscient One’s jest with a serious expression.
“Who would I be doing that for? Of course, I must take them to the Mount Hua Sect.”
“If you do that, rumors will spread that you’ve robbed a royal tomb or something.”
Saying that it takes but a moment for a rumor to be embellished into truth, the Omniscient One looked at Ouyang Jue with a profound gaze.
It was a side of the Omniscient One he hadn't seen while dealing with the Black Dragon—his true self.
But today, he didn't seem particularly trustworthy.
Ouyang Jue clicked his tongue and pointed at the Omniscient One’s attire.
“Speaking of royal tombs, it looks more like you’re the one who robbed one.”
“…”
At those words, the Omniscient One glanced down at his own clothes.
From the golden crown that seemed to belong to an ancient dynasty, to the folding fan he held, which emanated a mystical aura.
And what were those jade rings dangling from every finger?
The beryl bracelet engraved with strange patterns was a sight to behold as well. Anyone who saw him would mistake him for a member of a traveling opera troupe, not the Omniscient One.
Ouyang Jue asked in a nonchalant voice.
“If you brought a mask too, you could probably perform Bian Lian.”
“…How did you know?”
“So you did. Well, that’s impressive.”
As if genuinely impressed, Ouyang Jue brought his hands together before starting to gather the famed swords.
Then, he suddenly asked the Omniscient One.
“By the way, Omniscient One.”
“Yes?”
“Do the other members of the Eight Evils also have stories like the Black Dragon?”
To that question, the Omniscient One answered firmly.
“What does a story matter? The life one has lived is the proof of their soul, the karma itself.”
“…”
“Even if they had such stories, the remaining members of the Eight Evils have committed atrocities even more horrific than the Black Dragon. They are fiends who have forsaken all human decency.”
“Is that so.”
Since Ouyang Jue had inwardly sympathized with the Black Dragon's story, his voice became a little melancholic.
Wasn't the Ouyang Jue of his past life a fiend himself?
He had caused the annihilation of the Mount Hua Sect, which had taught him since childhood, and had even killed all his martial brothers with his own hands.
What's more, when Bai Duanxian died, what was he doing?
He had wandered, oblivious to that fact. Even if he had known, he probably wouldn't have gone to him.
The Bloodhound wasn't called the Bloodhound for nothing. If the disposition of those days had remained with him, the fiend the Omniscient One spoke of would have been him.
Thinking that far, Ouyang Jue let out a deep sigh.
“Huuu.”
At Ouyang Jue’s sigh, the Omniscient One paused his exploration of the cave and looked at him.
“Do you think villains have no reasons? It's harder to find an evil deed without a story behind it. Sometimes, that becomes one of the pillars that shapes the world. Like when the stubbornness of a petty man changes history.”
“…”
“You might not know this, but the Maoshan Sect was never a group that followed only the righteous path. At times, they learned heretical arts and threw the martial world into chaos. That's why the teachings of Maoshan always pursue the middle way. ...The killing I have committed is likely such an issue as well.”
“Then what about the dragon?”
At Ouyang Jue's abrupt question, the Omniscient One gave a meaningful smile.
“Perhaps my predecessors used a workaround because a dragon was too much to handle. If they taught it heretical arts and it turned evil, they would have to kill it, but if an ancient dragon came looking for them, Maoshan itself might be wiped out.”
Ouyang Jue expressed his honest thoughts.
“How human.”
“In other words, while it was a good deed, it was born from a desire to avoid trouble or difficulty.”
As if his throat was dry, the Omniscient One gulped down from the gourd flask beside him.
“...Gulp. Well now, to think that Gongcheong Seokyu, a rarity outside, is just lying around here diluted.”
“Really?!”
“Have a drink.”
Whoosh, thud.
Ouyang Jue easily caught what the Omniscient One threw, took a swig from the gourd, and immediately began to circulate his inner energy.
The wounds from his fight with the Black Dragon had all healed, but the internal energy he had expended was not yet fully replenished.
Watching him with a gentle smile, the Omniscient One spoke in a serious tone.
“The Eight Evils, unlike people who can change with enlightenment or time, are fiends who disrupt the human world. They are fundamentally different from the villains who roam the current martial world.”
“…”
“Whatever evil deeds you may have committed in the past, can’t you just atone for them with your future actions?”
Saying this, the Omniscient One smiled as he recalled the past.
“One of my predecessors, who once threw the martial world into chaos with necromancy, later became an eccentric healer and saved countless lives. Of course, he personally visited the clans he had harmed and apologized. He spent the rest of his life on crutches because of it.”
“…”
“Speaking as someone who has lived a long time and watched the world for just as long... life is long. One's worth can always change depending on the life they lead from now on. Don’t forget the past, but don’t let it hold you captive.”
Pat, pat.
With those words, the Omniscient One stretched and rose to his feet.
After that, about two hours passed.
Having finished circulating his energy, Ouyang Jue cast a deep gaze in the direction the Omniscient One had gone.
“Then and now, you always manage to ease my inner turmoil.”
He may have saved the Omniscient One's life this time, but Ouyang Jue didn't think he had repaid his entire debt.
No, he was actually planning to become even more indebted.
Considering the future revival of the Mount Hua Sect and the great enemy known as the Eight Evils, he needed to borrow his power more than ever.
In particular, he greatly hoped that the formation arrays set up around Maoshan could also be used for the Mount Hua Sect.
‘...Before that, I should gather all of this and take it to the Mount Hua Sect.’
Wouldn't they need this much strength to handle the reputation of having the Omniscient One as a resident?
Ouyang Jue silently gathered the inner cores and famed swords.
***
A few days later.
Having explored the deepest parts of the cave, Ouyang Jue selected only five treasures from the dozens he had found.
As the Omniscient One had said, he would have to use his body if a fight broke out, and if an inner core were to accidentally fall from his pocket, it would be like a walking fortuitous encounter.
If that happened, he might become known not as the Plum Blossom Sword Hero, but the Golden Sword Hero.
If every Tom, Dick, and Harry started following him around, that would be the worst.
Ouyang Jue looked at the Omniscient One and smiled.
“It’s about time I get going.”
“Has it been that long already…”
“Of course. It’s been a little over a week since we met.”
The Omniscient One frowned, looking disappointed.
“Why not stay for a drink before you go?”
“No need. Aren't you free to leave once the energy of Maoshan stabilizes anyway?”
At those words, the Omniscient One offered a faint smile.
“That’s true. Thinking about it now, I feel relieved. I was always worried the Black Dragon might escape whenever I scattered things like Severing Manifestation.”
“Come visit Mount Hua anytime. It’ll be your home later on, after all.”
“Hahaha. Would the Sect Leader even allow it?”
“Of course! Who would refuse if the Omniscient One were to stay as a guest elder?”
“Such flattery.”
Staring intently at each other's faces, the two suddenly found the situation amusing and burst out laughing.
It was because they both knew this parting would not be a long one.
Just a week. He wondered how they had grown so close in such a short time.
Ouyang Jue might not know, but the Omniscient One was practically a living witness to the history of Taoism.
That was why the Omniscient One asked one last question.
“Are you really not going to tell me, even now?”
“…”
At that, Ouyang Jue awkwardly pressed his lips together.
The Omniscient One’s senses and premonitions, honed over hundreds of years, not to mention his ability to read the heavens.
The secret Ouyang Jue had been hiding was one thing, but the familiarity he had shown from their very first meeting was also highly suspicious.
It was only because it was the Omniscient One that he had managed to hold back his curiosity and ask only at the very end.
But Ouyang Jue had his reasons.
‘If the Omniscient One finds out that I've returned from a past life... knowing his personality, he would jump into a pit of fire to help me. I can't just ask for his help recklessly when I'm not fully prepared.’
Moreover, wasn't he currently a target for many enemies?
There were likely many within the Martial Alliance who did not look kindly upon his existence.
But if the Omniscient One joined the Mount Hua Sect as a guest elder... it would draw immense attention. Perhaps another member of the Eight Evils, having noticed the Black Dragon's demise, might even make contact.
At that point, the entire Mount Hua Sect would have to face the unprecedented fiends known as the Eight Evils.
Ouyang Jue calmly assessed their strength.
‘That alone is still too much for us.’
It might be different if Jin Mu-wol or Dan U-ryeong helped. But that was a gamble with an unknown outcome.
In Ouyang Jue's judgment, they seemed focused on protecting the Plum Blossom Cave.
There must have been a reason they never appeared in his past life.
Therefore, now was the time to part ways and focus on building their respective strengths.
Ouyang Jue shook his head with a bitter expression.
“Someday, when the time comes that I can speak of it, I will tell you then.”
“Then let’s talk about it then.”
The Omniscient One sensed something unsettling about Ouyang Jue. At the same time, he felt a great sense of disappointment.
They had fought the Black Dragon together, risking their lives, yet it felt as if Ouyang Jue was hiding something from him.
But he believed there must be a reason.
The reason for risking his life to save a complete stranger, a spellcaster, couldn't possibly be a light one.
The Omniscient One watched Ouyang Jue turn his back and said,
“There’s something I haven’t told you yet!”
“...?”
“From now on, instead of worrying about speech or titles, how about we become friends!”
At those words, Ouyang Jue stopped in his tracks. His shoulders flinched at the emotion stirring within him.
Friends.
Ouyang Jue fought back the stinging sensation in the corners of his eyes and nose.
His nose began to prickle, and his eyes felt strangely sore.
His voice caught in his throat.
“...Let’s do that!”
“Once the essence of Maoshan stabilizes, I’ll come visit Mount Hua! I’ll be looking forward to that Xifeng liquor from Shaanxi!”
“At Mount Hua, it’s Plum Blossom wine, of course!”
“Haha, of course!”
The Omniscient One once again clasped his hands towards Ouyang Jue, who was walking away.
Then, he chanted a prayer to the heavens.
May fortune always be with that warrior on his path.
May his path always be straight, so that his righteous spirit never falters in anguish.
As the Omniscient One was chanting his prayer, the cry of a bear was heard.
“Groooar!”
“Oh, is that you, Daewoong?”
The Omniscient One tickled the belly of the spiritual beast, Daewoong, who had grown quite a bit.
“You rascal! After eating all that stuff, you’ve become a monster. Are you planning to become a Black Bear instead of a Black Dragon?”
“Groar?”
“The inner cores you ate were worth a fortune in gold... Never mind, you rascal! Since you've eaten so much, it's about time you started learning some martial arts!”
Especially considering the dark clouds that would gather in the future.
The Omniscient One also decided he needed to prepare for the future and approached Daewoong.
“Groooan…”
Rustle.
Daewoong took a small step back.