Chapter 170
Chapter 170
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 170
Chapter Title: Falcons in the Fold
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Once you reach the level of a Super Peak expert, you gain the ability to fly through the skies.
To be precise, through Void Stepping, you can literally leap across the empty air, giving you the sensation of true flight.
In his previous life, Baek Yang-hui had, of course, experienced looking down at the ground from great heights many times.
But...
'This kind of refreshing vista is a first for me.'
It was an altitude so high that the group below appeared as tiny specks.
A height that even Void Stepping could never attain.
"Kyaa-hoo!"
The exclamation burst out unbidden, and a voice came from beside him.
"Bro, what's up with you all of a sudden?"
Ah, right. His body was still on the ground, after all.
Feeling a bit sheepish, he replied.
"I just learned what this falcon's ability is."
"Well, it is pretty fast."
"Not just that. Experiencing it firsthand is the quickest way to know."
Concentrating his mind, he felt the spiritual thread connecting him to the white falcon.
It was then, as he sent an image through the thread urging it to connect with Chui-dal.
'This guy? Still got a high-and-mighty attitude?'
He was rejected.
Spirit beasts usually had foul tempers. Having transcended the limits of mere beasts, possessing special abilities, and living for long ages, they tended to look down on other lifeforms.
That was why he'd come on strong at first, talking about eating it or whatever.
It was best to seize the initiative right from the start, whether devouring it or taming it.
Even now, look at it—arrogantly refusing.
'It's not like that? Impossible?'
Through the spiritual thread came an image of flustered panic.
What, so there was another reason?
Fine, then he'd have to explain it verbally.
"I'm connected to the falcon spiritually. Sharing its vision seems to be its ability."
Just like Yang-hui moments ago, the whole group shivered in awe.
"No way!"
"That's possible?"
"Who knew it was such an incredible spirit beast!"
Observing everything from such lofty heights, looking down on the land?
Since ancient times, strategists leading great armies had placed great importance on ascending high mountains to survey the terrain and monitor enemy movements.
The familiarity of the term "mountain fortress" stemmed from building castles atop peaks for just such purposes.
In other words, with a single bird, they could gain tremendous strategic advantage.
"See? We almost regretted it, stomping the ground if we'd eaten it."
"I never really meant to eat it anyway? Probably."
Baek Heon-so and Chui-dal, clinging to his left and right arms like they were spying, craned their necks in.
Having these two grown men acting like this sparked instant irritation.
"Get off me, you idiots. You won't see anything like that."
He brushed his arms casually and curled up the corner of his mouth.
"Anyway, let's properly search for the Bladepeak Venomhawk now."
Issuing the command through the spiritual thread, the white falcon subtly adjusted its wings.
Even at this altitude, the landscape below whipped by rapidly—the flight speed was no joke.
'Hmm. The thread feels thinner the farther it goes.'
Fortunately, the Bladepeak Venomhawk's nest wasn't far enough to snap the thread.
Perched in a nest built into the cliff face of one razor-sharp peak, the white falcon flapped its wings, explaining something.
-Kyaah?
-Kyaahhh!
The Bladepeak Venomhawk, its eyes brimming with suspicion and wariness, rose up.
Near the nest lay heaps of bones and shed skins that appeared to be from venomous creatures.
-Kyaah?
-Kyaahhh!
The Bladepeak Venomhawk seemed utterly distrustful. If it were human, it'd be sweating bullets. Still, the white falcon kept flapping insistently.
About an hour passed like that.
Finally, both hawks spread their wings and took flight.
"Oh. Looks like it succeeded in persuading it."
"Hui, my brother—is that true?"
"Yeah. For now, it's flying this way together."
"Ooooh!"
Dang-gun let out a cheer, thrusting one arm high.
Taming the Bladepeak Venomhawk was a major long-cherished goal for the Tang Clan.
The reason was simple.
If they could tame and study the Bladepeak Venomhawk, which survived by devouring various poisons, they might find the key to transcending their clan's limit of immunity to a hundred poisons.
"It's not fully persuaded yet."
"Doesn't matter. Just being able to observe it up close is more than satisfying."
Soon, the two hawks appeared.
The white falcon landed near Yang-hui, but the Bladepeak Venomhawk perched atop a distant tree.
-Kyaah. Kyaah.
"Dang bro, it says give it a shot at taming since it's brought it here."
"I'll try."
Dang-gun rummaged in his bosom and pulled something out.
A vividly colored frog, limp and clearly dead.
Yang-hui's expression soured slightly.
Who carries a venomous corpse in their pocket, if not in some traveling bag?
'As expected of the Tang Clan. They do have their quirks that set them apart from ordinary folk... Would Dang bro get offended if I thought that?'
Dang-gun cautiously approached the Bladepeak Venomhawk.
As the distance closed, its attitude sharpened; five jang was the limit.
Carefully tossing the frog corpse onto a nearby treetop, Dang-gun backed away.
'Trying to lure it with food first.'
The Bladepeak Venomhawk cocked its head side to side, pondering deeply, then flew to the branch with the frog.
Normal wild animals won't eat food given by humans.
Due to wariness, some species won't even touch a dead carcass.
But the Bladepeak Venomhawk hesitated and poked at the frog with its talons before pecking away repeatedly.
Thanks to the white falcon, it seemed to have at least minimal trust.
'Devouring poisoned meat like it's nothing.'
Well, the Bladepeak Venomhawk lived by eating poison creatures from the start.
The Tang Clan surely wanted to study its ability to consume various poisons without dying.
"Everyone, if you have any venomous creatures, pull them all out."
"Got it."
"Understood."
"Brother, here for now."
Once the Bladepeak Venomhawk finished the poison frog, Dang-gun narrowed the distance again with another venomous corpse, cautiously.
This time, he got a bit closer.
Repeating this several times.
Finally, the distance shrank enough for the Bladepeak Venomhawk to come down to the ground for the corpses.
"Follow me, and you can eat these to your heart's content. My clan will catch venomous creatures for you every day."
Comparing livestock and wild animals, livestock undoubtedly had better quality of life.
No need to roam mountains and fields hunting, and they got safe nests.
Cows or pigs might get eaten, but that wouldn't happen to a Bladepeak Venomhawk.
-Kyaah!
At last, the Bladepeak Venomhawk perched on Dang-gun's forearm and tore into the poison creature.
Blood dripped steadily, and intense poison fumes wafted, but...
Dang-gun, unfazed, smiled with genuine delight.
Affection dripped from his gaze at the hawk.
-Kyaahhh!
After devouring the last one thoroughly, the Bladepeak Venomhawk waddled up his arm to perch on Dang-gun's shoulder.
Closer to his breathing now, even the young clan leader had to pop an antidote pill.
"Hui, my brother. Could you ask the white falcon to relay the Venomhawk's thoughts?"
"Sure. Hey, what'd it say it did?"
-Kyaahhh!
"It says it'll follow? The food was tasty."
"For real?! Uhahaha!"
'Oh. First time seeing Dang bro laugh that heartily.'
And it wasn't just Dang-gun. All the Tang clansmen cheered uproariously.
Taming the Bladepeak Venomhawk was a bigger aspiration for them than expected.
"Truly grateful, Hui, my brother!"
"No big deal. I didn't do much."
"Without the white falcon, it wouldn't have eaten our poison offerings from the start. We've tried similar things many times, so I know."
"If you put it that way, sure. Then put in a good word with the Tang elders."
"Of course. They'll be sincerely thrilled."
Just looking at Dang-gun's grin, wide enough to split his cheeks, made it believable.
'Talk about pie falling from the sky while sleeping—no, while cultivating.'
With that thought, he glanced at the white falcon.
Sensing the gaze, it turned its head slyly, checking his mood.
Sigh. It made him feel a bit guilty for no reason.
He had been too cold earlier.
"Hey. What're you gonna do?"
-Kyaah...
"If you want to go back, I'll release you and all your friends."
He owed the Bladepeak Venomhawk a debt now.
Couldn't treat it like before, threatening to eat it or whatever.
What you receive, you must repay.
"Plus, once a year, I'll bring mountains of meat here. Thanks for the help."
The white falcon shook its head side to side, pondering.
Then it cried out again.
-Kyaahhh!
"Oh, really?"
-Kyaah!
"Unexpected. Thought you'd bolt for sure. Alright, from now on, your name is Won-woo."
Won from "far," woo from "feathers"—meaning feathers that reach afar.
"Won-woo. You and your friends are all part of the main family now. I'll treat you like the Venomhawk, living in luxury. Of course, you'll have to flap those wings for me now and then."
One spirit beast and dozens of falcons had fallen into their lap.
He'd provide expensive meat daily and safe nests free from predators.
In return, they'd serve as messengers.
That much was just wing exercise.
-Kyaahhh!
As Won-woo cried affirmatively, the dozens of perched falcons joined in unison.
-Kyaahhh!
-Kyaahhh!
-Kyaahhh!
It sounded like laughter filled with agreement.
Yang-hui grinned too.
"Looking forward to it, Won-woo."
-Kyaah!
Emotion gleamed in Won-woo's eyes.
From fearing they’d be eaten to being shown kindness—resentment melted into gratitude.
Suddenly, Won-woo spread its wings and soared skyward.
"Huh? Where you going?"
-Kyaahhh!
The others stayed put, so not fleeing.
Some final errand before leaving?
As he wondered, the spiritual thread connected.
'Ah, got it. Going to its nest.'
Cleaving the wind, Won-woo landed in its own nest on a cliff of a blade-like peak, like the Venomhawk's.
Then it talons-grabbed something round.
'That...! Why's that in a bird nest?'
A metal sphere engraved with complex patterns, cracked straight down the center.
'Iron Orb!'
It was an Iron Orb.
He'd learned of it obtaining the "World's Greatest" legacy while rescuing Chui-dal.
In the Sword King Tomb, it had sealed the Blood Cult's demonic sword.
A sealing sphere containing a spirit core of condensed sword energy.
Suddenly, lingering mysteries clicked into place.
'So Won-woo here was connected to Sword Sage Yeo Dong-bin.'
That explained why it flocked during cultivation, and why it cried pitifully at his harshness.
'A spirit beast raised by Yeo Dong-bin? That makes its incredible abilities make sense.'
Soon Won-woo returned to Yang-hui.
The Iron Orb dropped onto his palm.
Its aura confirmed a spirit core inside.
'They say swallows bring swallow-wort, but falcons fetch spirit cores.'
"Bro? What's that?"
"Feels like some mysterious energy. Definitely not ordinary."
Come to think of it, no one here knew about Iron Orbs.
Not even Chui-dal or Dang-gun had seen one directly.
Aside from Gu-ak, it was everyone's first.
"Right. Looks like it has a spirit core inside."
Infusing sword energy, it clicked open.
Yang-hui offered the spirit core to Chui-dal.
"Eat it."
"Huh? Looks exactly like a spirit core, though?"
"It is. Just eat it, you punk."
He had one thing to test.
No time for long talk—he shoved it in forcibly.
"Bro, why suddenly—mmph!"
Chui-dal’s eyes filled with shock and emotion—then he scowled.
Chewing, he spat out the core.
"Bro. This is just like a rock? Don't spirit cores melt smoothly in your mouth? Too big to swallow."
"......"
Silently retrieving it.
Then popping it whole into his own mouth.
It melted smoothly.
'As I thought. Only I can consume spirit cores of condensed sword energy.'
Seemed so.
A long-held suspicion had become fact.