Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Living Intent Qi
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The Living Intent Qi was one of the three realizations required to reach Super Peak, a realm unto itself.
Weaving qi and intent together to bring them to life.
The result was realizing one's intent through qi.
For example, like this.
'Intending to slash, and the slash manifests.'
The true essence of the Hyeongsan Yinblood clan's techniques lay in hand skills, including the Kwonjang Finger Law, allowing peak experts to wrap their hand qi from fingertips to forearms.
Just moments ago, Baek Yang-hui had severed such a man's arm with a single sword stroke.
His intent to cut had merged with his qi, making it reality.
'Living Intent Qi. The realization of manifesting intent through qi.'
A realm that could only be embodied once qi and intent were unified.
Currently, his Harmonious Heaven Qi and Pure Qi had merged into Harmonious Heaven Pure Qi, so he hadn't yet attained Living Intent Qi.
But thanks to Seongcheol's ability to amplify both qi and mental imagery, he had forcibly embodied it.
'Amplifying both qi and intent, then forcing them together.'
It was like boiling water pushing up a pot lid.
Something utterly impossible under normal circumstances, but his previous life's realizations had made it possible.
The outcome was the death of Hyeongsan Yinblood.
"......Urgh ......ugh......"
The thin line across Hyeongsan Yinblood's throat gradually widened.
Blood beaded up, then cascaded down like a waterfall.
The head that hit the ground stared wide-eyed, as if unable to accept its own death.
"Hahaha, boasting only of your schemes—how utterly pathetic!"
"Among all the Peerless Righteous Helpers I know, you're the lowest scum!"
The mockery Hyeongsan Yinblood had hurled at his father in his previous life flashed through his mind.
Even the deaths of his most precious family, all stemming from this man, replayed like a regurgitated nightmare.
'Father. I've finally avenged you.'
His father in this life was alive and well, but the emotion was overwhelming nonetheless.
Neatly severing Hyeongsan Yinblood's head had been one of Baek Yang-hui's lifelong goals.
"Ugh......!"
Suddenly drained of strength, he dropped to one knee, using his sword like a crutch.
'The price of drawing on a realm I haven't fully embodied.'
He hadn't even unleashed his full power, yet the fatigue rivaled it.
His meridians buzzed painfully, and his head grew foggy.
"Clan Leader!"
"Kill that bastard!"
"N-no, capture him alive!"
In pursuing Hyeongsan Yinblood, he'd reached the center of the black path formation.
Spotting his exhaustion, the surrounding black path martial artists swarmed like rabid dogs.
But.
"Seol-ha."
Ding-ring!
Baek Yang-hui's sword still trembled, the blade infused with Jeogal Seol-ha's sonic waves unleashing terrifying energy.
🎵 COMBINED FORMATION 🎵 Jade Sound Eagle Roar!
"Kraaaagh!"
"How can an exhausted foe still wield such power......!"
The beautiful jade tones rang out repeatedly.
The melody, both qi wave and sonic blast, struck like lightning on a lightning rod, absorbed into Baek Yang-hui's blade.
-Kiyaaaaah!
The resonated, amplified force tore through all directions.
And that was enough.
"Adu. You're late."
Adu, a giant cloaked in fiery light, had silently positioned himself to guard Baek Yang-hui.
"Sorry. You okay, Yang-hui?"
"Yeah. Take me back."
Instead of replying, Adu scooped him up and erupted with flames.
⚡ PR AJÑA GREAT ABILITY ⚡ Golden Light Repels Evil!
Thudding backward in Adu's arms, Baek Yang-hui sensed his companion's qi and chuckled softly.
'Come to think of it, this guy's a monster through and through. He's already embodied Living Intent Qi.'
Of course—if not, he couldn't train against Jeogal Seol-ha's sonic arts.
No matter how much Shaolin martial arts he knew, without living qi responding to attacks, he couldn't endure.
A peak expert who had realized Living Intent Qi before even turning twenty, essential for Super Peak.
It hit him anew just how terrifying a monster Adu was.
'No wonder rumors swirl that Shaolin is raising the world's greatest talent.'
Shaking his head to clear the thought, he hardened his gaze.
Killing the enemy leader Hyeongsan Yinblood had fully shifted momentum their way.
But the real fight was just beginning.
The Baek Clan's true foes had never been the black path rabble.
'To face that... I need to recover first.'
Before meditating, though, he had a few orders to give.
—Chui-dal.
—Yes, brother.
—Head to the Namgung Clan bastards.
The Namgung Clan had pulled back far to clear a path for the black path forces.
Tracking their position and movements in real-time was now crucial.
—Brother Gu.
—Speak, little brother.
—Handle the cleanup, please.
It was best to kill as many Honam black path thugs as possible.
Blood Lord Gu-ak would handle it cleanly.
—Seol-ha.
—Yes, senior brother.
—You did great. Thank you, truly.
—No need.
—This is the last stretch. Go welcome our esteemed guest who's traveled far.
Watching Jeogal Seol-ha leap away, Baek Yang-hui finally sat cross-legged.
'Lucky to have Seol-ha around.'
To drive a dagger into Namgung Cheon-hu's throat, they needed one powerful strike.
Jeogal Seol-ha would play a key role again.
'The problem is we only had three days.'
Eh, if it doesn't work, it doesn't.
'It's a gamble anyway. Give it our all and leave the rest to heaven.'
For that, he needed to restore his body as much as possible.
Dozens of black path leaders remained, despite killing Hyeongsan Yinblood.
The battle was far from over, but he began meditating immediately.
'Thank goodness for Pure Qi.'
Pure Qi. The energy that guided all things toward purity and righteousness.
As Harmonious Heaven Pure Qi coursed through his meridians, his inner energy and depleted mental strength replenished.
When Baek Yang-hui opened his eyes, having recovered about eighty percent, a voice spoke.
"Heh heh heh, benefactor. You possess remarkably pure qi."
A kindly smiling middle-aged monk.
Baek Yang-hui blinked in confusion.
'How did a monk get here?'
He had retreated to the deepest part of Baek Clan Manor to meditate.
Not just normally secluded, but amid a fierce battle outside—yet an outsider had entered?
And he'd even asked Adu to stand guard... Wait, Adu, you...
'He's smiling?'
The middle-aged warrior-monk even had a hand on Adu's shoulder as he sat there.
Like old friends.
Only then did Baek Yang-hui notice the monk's robes, dyed like mud.
In the world, only Shaolin monks wore such garments.
'No, more than that... what the hell!'
The moment he sensed the intruder, he'd instinctively heightened his qi perception.
Yet he felt nothing.
Simple: the monk before him had achieved Return to True Realm.
In other words, a Super Peak master.
'A Shaolin disciple, and a Super Peak expert?'
"Monk, may I ask your dharma name?"
"Of course. This humble monk is Beop-gak."
Shaolin monks received dharma names cycling through Hye, Beop, Gong, Gye, Mu, Myeong based on generation.
Beop generation meant elder status in current Shaolin.
But that wasn't the point.
Baek Yang-hui remembered the name Beop-gak all too well.
'Vice Shaolin Abbot! Future Heavenly Martial Ten Honors! What the fuck!'
Thirty years from now, this middle-aged monk would become Shaolin's abbot and ascend to the Heavenly Martial Ten Honors.
A colossal figure had appeared out of nowhere.
'Why now? Because of Adu?'
Beop-gak's next words dispelled his doubts.
Not entirely positively, though.
"Benefactor, it seems my junior has caused you trouble."
"Adu... is your junior, monk?"
"Yes. Young and unrefined, yet all the more precious for it. Amitabha."
Baek Yang-hui repeated it for the third time in his mind.
'What the fuck! Adu was a disciple of the Heavenly Martial Ten Honors?'
Beop-gak was known as a disciple of the current Shaolin abbot, and Shaolin abbots had always claimed one of the Heavenly Martial Ten Honors seats.
A feat possible only for the thousand-year guardian of the North, Shaolin!
"Great Monk, what brings you to our humble abode?"
"To retrieve my junior, of course."
"Hm? Wasn't Adu on pilgrimage training?"
Martial sects periodically sent disciples into the jianghu for experience.
Shaolin called it Yeonhwa Pilgrimage.
"My junior was not permitted Yeonhwa Pilgrimage. He's still a novice monk without a dharma name."
A novice? That eight-foot giant... putting that aside.
He'd wondered why Adu, with no 'A' in Shaolin's generations, called himself Adu.
Sure enough, not a dharma name.
'And a novice at that. Means he hasn't formally entered. Some backstory, no doubt.'
He'd first met Adu in a city near An-hui.
Lingering in the secular world without pilgrimage suggested complications.
But.
What mattered to Baek Yang-hui was different.
'Beop-gak the Great Monk! Talk about a windfall!'
Man proposes, heaven disposes! He'd planned to entrust the final gamble to fate, but a house-sized boon had rolled in.
Baek Yang-hui's mind raced.
'Opportunity knocks—seize it!'
"Monk, then you came to our home to take Adu?"
"Yes...... Ah."
A different shade of embarrassment crossed Beop-gak's face.
"Since you didn't invite me, I'm an unbidden guest, and as such, entering deep into your home uninvited is rude. I apologize, benefactor."
In the jianghu, where might makes right, which Super Peak master would apologize for something so trivial?
Especially with hundreds clashing around his junior's location as an excuse.
Beop-gak's heart was purity itself.
'As expected of Shaolin.'
Truth be told, he'd anticipated this reaction when mentioning the clan manor visit.
"Adu is my friend, and Great Monk, you're his senior brother, so how could you be an unbidden guest? If it bothers you, may I make one small request?"
"Great Monk is too lofty a title for this humble one. A request... since my junior owes you, anything without burden."
"Ah, it's truly minor. Just follow me."
"Pardon? That's all?"
Meeting Beop-gak's innocent eyes, Baek Yang-hui grinned.
"Yes. That's it. Let's go!"
"B-benefactor?"
He'd received the Namgung Clan's location from Baek-ri Chui-dal and others.
Girded with only his sword, Baek Yang-hui took to the air.
'It's been too long, Namgung Cheon-hu. Let's end this today if possible.'
Even while dashing, he received homing pigeons nonstop, scribbled replies on the backs, and sent them off.
About an hour later.
Baek Yang-hui came face-to-face with Namgung Clan warriors sitting around a campfire.
"Hm? Baek Yang-hui?"
Seeing the emotions flicker across Namgung Cheon-hu's face, Baek Yang-hui spat out the words he'd held back for so long.
"Hey, you dog-fucking bastard!"
Namgung Cheon-hu's face twisted savagely.