Chapter 431
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 431
Chapter Title: Hmm. It's Tricky.
"You're here."
After leaving the Pavilion Lord's residence and parting ways with Han Seol-bing, Ha Mu-baek sought out his master.
Wi Ji-gun greeted him with a smile, as if he'd been waiting.
"My apologies."
Ha Mu-baek bowed his head deeply.
Wi Ji-gun simply continued to smile kindly.
"How is this your fault? You have so many children to look after."
Wi Ji-gun had watched the Fierce Dragon Corps' final training alongside them, disguised as Ji-gunwi.
They were truly impressive children in his eyes.
Ha Mu-baek was responsible for all two hundred of them.
He couldn't easily spare the time.
And when he could, the stench of blood still lingered on his body.
Just when it seemed to fade, he was plunged into endless busyness.
Busy enough that he had to train the Fierce Dragon Corps children in his stead.
"How much time do we have?"
"The Youth Combat Festival starts tomorrow... so about two days."
This year's Youth Combat Festival was scheduled over two days.
Even though it could be done in one, Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul had decided on two to ensure proper rest.
"Hmm. It's tricky."
Wi Ji-gun stroked his chin beard as he spoke.
What about himself?
He recalled old memories.
It had taken roughly four days, as he remembered.
Wi Ji-gun gazed steadily at his disciple.
Comparing his own martial prowess back then...
It paled in comparison to the man before him now.
Hadn't Ha Mu-baek already surpassed his own realm?
Wi Ji-gun had entered the cave ignorant of what the Primordial Fragment even was.
Yet Mu-baek not only knew what it was but had triumphed over one in battle.
"Two days should be plenty for you."
Wi Ji-gun nodded as he spoke.
"I'll do my best."
"Good. You said you'd leave after the children depart. Now is the only time."
Since Ha Mu-baek had already encountered a Primordial Fragment.
With the blood stench fully gone now.
He could delay entering the cave no longer.
"Let's go."
Wi Ji-gun and Ha Mu-baek vanished from sight.
The master and disciple unleashed their full speed with the Thousand-Li Shadow Step.
Their destination: Dongting Lake.
It wasn't for nothing that he'd chosen Qinglan Island as his seclusion spot.
Dongting Lake.
There lay the Infinite Sword Sect, the sect of Wi Ji-gun and Ha Mu-baek.
The two raced unimpeded and arrived at Dongting Lake.
Yet their legs did not stop.
They dashed straight across the lake's waters.
It was the supreme lightness skill of Water-Skimming Flight and Lake-Crossing Stride.
Thus, they reached the center of Dongting Lake.
A place shrouded in thick fog all year round, through every season.
Fog conjured by formations.
Wi Ji-gun took the lead.
Ha Mu-baek had only been here a few times before.
Knowing the safe path, Wi Ji-gun stepped out the directions first, and Ha Mu-baek followed close behind.
The place they arrived at.
A vast island.
Larger than the Dragon Training Pavilion by double, at least.
No one knew of this island in the heart of Dongting Lake.
Not even the lake's fishermen, who always turned back when caught in the surrounding mists.
This was one of Dongting Lake's great mysteries.
Infinite Sword Sect.
It seemed like a once-glorious sect fallen into decline.
Even the main gate at the entrance was dilapidated.
"Tch."
Wi Ji-gun clicked his tongue regretfully at the sight.
"Do you wish to revive it?"
Ha Mu-baek asked, reading his master's heart.
"It's merely following the natural order."
The sect of Ha Mu-baek, who had reached the pinnacle of the world.
A place whose transmitted divine arts and ultimate techniques touched the world's end.
Yet to call this decline mere natural order...
It was incomprehensible.
"Come on."
Wi Ji-gun led the way.
Dust thick on the crumbling walls told how long this place had been abandoned.
Thus, they reached the sect's central hall.
A small pavilion stood there.
Its doors long rotted away.
Wi Ji-gun stepped inside first and triggered the mechanism.
Grrk. Gruunk. Grrrk-gruunk.
With creaking, raucous sounds, stairs descending underground appeared.
Wi Ji-gun stepped aside.
"Go on."
Won Pyeong-sam and Yeong So-hyang.
The two had left Chang'an.
Because of Yeong So-hyang's winds.
Since she'd become the disciple of Won Pyeong-sam, who practiced demonic arts.
She had to sever all ties with the Hao Clan as much as possible.
Yet they couldn't stray too far from Chang'an either.
They needed to hear news of the commission to the Hao Clan.
Thus, Yeong So-hyang chose Mount Ye as their destination.
A mountain a short distance northeast of Chang'an.
In truth.
The areas around Chang'an weren't ideal for practicing demonic arts.
Mount Hua lay to the east, Zhongnan Mountain to the south.
The Nine Great Sects' Huashan and Zhongnan Sects were right next door.
Even so, she chose Mount Ye.
Partly because it's darkest under the lamp, and partly because it was a deep mountain.
And because its famous hot springs drew wanderers, making it a place martial artists rarely visited.
Famous hot springs meant something else too.
The mountain brimmed with fiery qi.
In other words.
The mountain's fire energy could mask Won Pyeong-sam's demonic qi to some degree.
That made Mount Ye the optimal spot around Chang'an.
"Excellent."
Won Pyeong-sam murmured softly as they ascended Mount Ye.
The mountain's energy was superb.
Fiery qi surging up as if ready to burst through the earth.
A terrible place for poison arts, but.
Ideal for any other martial arts.
Be they orthodox, unorthodox, or demonic.
Thus, the two found a suitable spot in a deep valley.
A place with four or five deep caves.
And two or three unknown hot springs nearby.
They settled there.
After spending a day there.
The next dawn.
In the pitch-black darkness all around.
Won Pyeong-sam and Yeong So-hyang sat facing each other in the lotus position.
"Listen well. About your constitution."
Solemn words.
"It's the Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Physique. The ultimate aptitude for all Heavenly Arts."
Heavenly Arts.
Yeong So-hyang had heard from Baeksan that the arts Won Pyeong-sam so exalted were demonic arts.
She tilted her head.
By her understanding, her constitution only resisted the Curse of Annihilation.
"I heard my constitution only resists the Curse of Annihilation. How could..."
"Annihilation? What's that?"
Won Pyeong-sam asked at Yeong So-hyang's words.
She explained the Curse of Annihilation in detail.
The cursed art that turned people into jiangshi at its peak.
"That garbage..."
Won Pyeong-sam said with clear distaste.
Yeong So-hyang still watched him.
"That so-called Annihilation art is nothing but filthy drivel."
A merciless verdict.
"The Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Physique is a body born for Heavenly Arts. Naturally, it limits such crude arts' effects."
"But even I can only resist the Curse of Annihilation, not reject it outright..."
"I'd need to see the manual myself, but... they made it so vile and crude. Even the ancient Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Physique can't refuse it."
Won Pyeong-sam sighed in disgust.
"But that's only because you hadn't encountered a Heavenly Art. With one, the Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Physique overcomes all under heaven. That's why I boldly claimed I'd raise you to the Transcendent Demonic Realm in a year."
Yeong So-hyang focused on his words.
"The Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Physique is innately thus. Yet you've practiced something mismatched like Blood Sea Ghost Corpse Field, so progress is naturally slow."
To be precise, Yeong So-hyang's attainment in Blood Sea Ghost Corpse Field was far from slow.
On the contrary, remarkably swift.
Without a master, relying solely on the manual, reaching such a level in so short a time— she was likely unique through the ages.
"Forget Blood Sea Ghost Corpse Field. Learn the Won Clan's secret Heavenly Art that I'll impart. A new world will open. And when you ascend to the heavens with me, you'll learn countless Heavenly Arts there."
Heavenly Arts.
Yeong So-hyang knew well.
Won Pyeong-sam exalted his own as Heavenly Arts.
But the truth was, they were demonic arts.
'My constitution is suited for demonic arts...'
Complicated feelings.
She was an unorthodox warrior from the Hao Clan.
Yet even unorthodox warriors shunned and despised demonic arts.
And now.
She was told her body was heaven-sent for such demonic arts.
'Then I'll learn them. And place the world beneath my feet.'
Orthodox Sects.
Unorthodox too.
So they can't shun or despise me.
Instead, make them revere me.
I'll become the world's greatest.
That was Yeong So-hyang's resolve.
Then, vengeance would come naturally.
She chose to believe Won Pyeong-sam's words.
"Understood, Master."
At Yeong So-hyang's reply.
Won Pyeong-sam smiled in satisfaction.
"Focus intently on the incantation I'll now impart. With your gifts, you won't need to memorize—it'll come naturally."
Won Pyeong-sam slowly began reciting the incantation of his unique demonic art.
Raging Flame Sun Heavenly Art.
Originally, Raging Flame Sun Demonic Art.
A demonic art modeled after a fragment of the Manhwang Scriptures.
The pinnacle among all demonic arts under heaven, of utmost Yang.
An art that could incinerate all creation, the very incarnation of flame.
Not ordinary flame.
Mad flames.
Raging blaze.
"Don't doubt teaching utmost Yang Heavenly Art to a woman. The Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Physique knows no such limits."
Won Pyeong-sam's added words after reciting the full incantation.
But Yeong So-hyang heard nothing.
She was already immersed deep in the incantation.
Won Pyeong-sam was right.
She didn't try to memorize.
She simply focused and listened.
Each character etched into her mind like into bone.
And she swam deeply through its depths.
Won Pyeong-sam offered no separate explanations or teachings.
He'd recited the incantation once, that's all.
Yet.
She felt she understood its meaning.
Her dantian's inner energy moved naturally along the incantation.
The faint energy stirred slowly, then surged like a torrent.
It incinerated the Blood Sea Ghost Corpse Field energy in her dantian without a trace.
And in its place settled the Raging Flame Sun Demonic Art's energy.
Demonic qi.
Slowly, demonic qi began to rise from her body.
Won Pyeong-sam watched with eyes full of ecstasy.
'As expected! My eyes didn't deceive me!'
The Won Clan's treasure art, crown jewel of the Eight Demonic Won Clan—one of Heaven's Ten Pillars.
Just from hearing the incantation once.
And already emanating demonic qi to this degree.
Even Won Pyeong-sam had never seen or heard the like.
He knew even that exalted Sovereign of Heaven, the Heavenly Lord, hadn't achieved this.
"Heh. Heh heh heh heh."
Only laughter escaped him.
How could it not?
He'd come to the Central Plains seeking traces of Manhwang and Shakyamuni.
And found this priceless gem of the ages.
Going to Chang'an, to the Hao Clan's Yega Pavilion.
Was it not the pull of fate?
"Keep listening closely."
Won Pyeong-sam sent a transmission laced with inner energy.
Knowing ordinary transmission wouldn't reach her ears now.
She was in ultimate concentration.
Not by intent, but the instinct of the Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Physique.
Thus, he could freely send energy-infused transmission.
Knowing it wouldn't break her focus.
"The Raging Flame Sun Heavenly Art..."
Won Pyeong-sam transmitted all the insights he'd gained in life.
Even if instinct comprehended the demonic art's essence.
Limits remained.
Instinct was instinct.
To shatter those limits, he passed on all his insights.
Believing the Vermilion Bird Blood Spirit Physique's instinct would use them as fertilizer to reach far greater heights.