Chapter 65

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Translated by Seoulbound

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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**

I was puzzled as I felt the lightning energy contained in my extended palm force amplify.

‘Could it be?’

I wondered if the lightning energy was perhaps about to run wild.

It was a worry that arose because electromagnetic force was a power that even the grand civilization of the butterfly dream could not easily control.

However, that was not the case.

I knew the moment the spirit of my upper dantian rippled and the wave of true qi unfolded like a picture before my eyes.

The electromagnetic waves generated by the cultivation power and true qi were meeting and amplifying with someone else’s electromagnetic waves.

‘Resonance!’

The resonance of cultivation power that had been shown in the internal gravity method of the Cloud-Dispelling Divine Palm.

At this very moment, that phenomenon was occurring.

Moreover, right beside me, with the young elite of the Namgung Clan whom I had met only two days ago.

Not by intention, but by a coincidence.

At that moment, my master’s words came to mind.

-…Because the Namgung Clan’s sword studies also touch upon the formulas of the Four Symbols Wind and Thunder Palm.

‘Ah.’

Since the Namgung Clan’s sword formulas also had formulas similar to the Four Symbols Wind and Thunder Palm, they showed similarities in the operation of true qi.

Thanks to that, the electromagnetic waves formed by true qi caused a resonance phenomenon.

However, my only worry was how Namgung Hyo-sin would view this phenomenon, but.

‘Good!’

Namgung Hyo-sin reacted without hesitation.

Without clinging to the formulas of the Boundless Firmament Sword, he extended it exactly as the sword path advanced.

The moment the talent of one of the Eight Talents of the Rising Wave shone brilliantly.

The sword vibrated, and the sword controlling the air pressure condensed charged particles.

Then, lightning arose from the tip of the sword along the extending heavy layer of air.

A lightning sword qi, which was in no way inferior to the palm force of the Four Symbols Wind and Thunder Palm’s fifth form: Raging Torrent of the Accumulated Plate, cleaved through space and aimed for the Dark Shadow Blood Master.

The lightning energy, combining palm force and sword force, crushed the diamond-like claws raised by the Blood Master and exploded against her chest.

Rumble-!

The delayed sound of thunder echoed long like a dragon’s roar within the high-level realm.

“Cough-heup-!”

Dark red blood flowed from the Blood Master’s mouth.

A proper blow had been dealt to the Blood Master, who played above the high-level realm.

However, we could not let our guard down.

She was a Blood Master who came from the main headquarters of the Dawn Sky Blood Cult.

Unless her neck was severed, her regenerative ability would be close to infinite.

I immediately stamped my foot.

There was no pain as if my body would be paralyzed while handling the lightning energy like before. It was the result of the union of wind and thunder.

‘Here I go.’

A small discharge occurred over the stamped step, and the vitality of my muscles was amplified.

The moment the influence of the lightning energy mixed with my cultivation power added speed to the Cloud-Climbing Step, I was able to temporarily display the speed of an expert at the stage of Three Flowers Gathering at the Peak, a high-level realm.

In addition, Namgung Hyo-sin and Taoist Su-gyo were also throwing their bodies and dashing toward the Dark Shadow Blood Master.

However, despite suffering a profound wound, the Blood Master was still a Blood Master.

“You bastard!”

At her reaching gesture, dark red demonic energy stretched out in strands, exerting an actual physical influence.

‘Ugh!’

My advancing body felt resistance as if it had fallen into water.

It was the same for Namgung Hyo-sin and Taoist Su-gyo.

At that moment.

“Om iriji isilli surodam…”

Along with the sound of chanting, a golden light shone from behind.

The drag force that had been restricting my body gradually began to dissipate.

“Shaolin!”

An unpleasant, high-pitched scream rang out from the throat of the Blood Master, who had been uttering an alluring and enchanting voice.

In addition, Goeng-mu, the Shaolin Luohan Hall Master who was chanting the sutra, heavily extended his arm.

As the golden brilliance vibrated and extended.

Space warped, and the flow of natural energy distorted.

‘Arhat Divine Fist!’

I did not miss it and captured with both eyes the manifestation of the famous ultimate art among the Shaolin seventy-two ultimate fist arts.

“…bisaya bisaya sabaha.”

The golden fist force containing the Dharma power of the Diamond Sutra Mantra ruthlessly swept over the Dark Shadow Blood Master’s weakened body.

“Kyaaaack!”

Along with a hair-raising screech, the wall crumbled and the Blood Master’s body was swept away by the fist force and sent flying.

The external scenery revealed in that manner.

A faint sunlight was appearing above the peaks surrounding the area of Ado.

Amidst the melee with the blood ghouls, the Hour of the Ox, the most ominous hour with the strongest Yin energy among the Twelve Earthly Branches, had passed, and the end of the Hour of the Tiger was reached.

At the moment the sunrise began like that.

“Kyack!”

“It is sunrise!”

“Everyone to the shade!”

A significant number of the blood ghouls who had been fighting the fierce battle began to throw themselves into the darkness to escape the rising sunlight.

Some of them could not even control their bodies as their skin burned.

“Kaaack!”

As the number of burning blood ghouls increased, the number of blood ghouls fleeing to hide themselves also rose along with it.

The moment some blood ghouls who could act even under the sunlight realized the gravity of the situation, they began to retreat.

As the deep darkness began to lift like that.

In the inn operated by the Hao Sect, only bloodstains and the remains of some blood ghouls that had burned down, leaving only ash and bones, bore witness to the previous night’s fierce battle.

One thing was certain.

‘Everyone is safe.’

Both Group Jiazi and Group Bingzi had survived.

To be healthy and long-lived.

The young orphan who used to wander the back alleys of Xiangyang hated death. And since he had overcome a significant portion of that death tonight.

He had practically achieved the happiness of his current life.

Greeting the dawn sunrise, Namgung Hyo-sin looked down at his own hand.

**

‘Sovereign Sword Form!’

It was clearly a family martial art executed by his own hand.

However.

‘How did I do it?’

He could not remember.

He had merely moved true qi and thrust his sword in accordance with the synchronization that rippled in the spirit of his upper dantian.

Although the strange sensation as if the sword moved him rather than him moving the sword was still unforgettable.

‘I cannot do it again.’

The sword he swung a few times while cleaning up the area was still just the sword force and routine of the Boundless Firmament Sword.

The heavy sword strike of the Sovereign Sword Form flashing with lightning energy was not reproduced.

At that moment, Namgung Hyo-sin turned his head following a faint energy wave rippling beside him.

“Ah, Taoist Su-gyo.”

“…”

They were acquaintances.

Because they had a connection of meeting at the ‘Dragon and Phoenix Gathering’ in which the young elites of prestigious families and the Nine Great Sects participated.

Of course, that did not mean they had shared a deep friendship.

While Namgung Hyo-sin had wanted to strike up a friendship, it was because the person named Su-gyo was originally someone who did not meet people.

It was literally just to the extent of knowing each other’s faces.

Such a Su-gyo suddenly approached first.

For Namgung Hyo-sin, who knew Su-gyo’s personality, he had no choice but to be puzzled.

On top of that, there was an astonishing thing.

“You have obtained a new sword, haven’t you?”

Su-gyo spoke to him first.

Namgung Hyo-sin replied while hiding his inner agitation.

“…! Yes, that is correct.”

Standing side-by-side with the surprised Namgung Hyo-sin, Su-gyo wore a faint, barely visible smile and continued.

“Everyone who meets Young Brother Yeon ends up like that. He is a friend who is like a secret manual left by an unparalleled expert. When you are with him, you find yourself walking a path that was once completely invisible.”

“Did Taoist Su-gyo also have a similar experience?”

At Namgung Hyo-sin’s question, Su-gyo nodded.

“The unification of the Clear Clouds and Red Sunset. Although it is not perfect yet, I have opened the door.”

Having been unaware of that fact due to his mission in the Hahuang area, Namgung Hyo-sin did not hide his amazed expression.

“Congratulations. I heard it was the long-cherished wish of the Qingcheng Sect, but you have finally achieved it.”

“…I received the crucial concept and formulas from Young Brother Yeon. I merely drew that thought into reality.”

It was an astonishing secret story.

Did it not mean that a young disciple of another sect gave the decisive inspiration to restore a lost divine art?

Normally, it was something that could not happen.

Even if it did happen, Su-gyo was speaking of the matter, which would usually be kept quiet, as if it were nothing.

“I am telling you this because it seems Brother Namgung has experienced something similar to me.”

What could that mean?

While he was wondering.

“That sword that spewed lightning. It does not easily reproduce, does it?”

“…Exactly.”

Both Su-gyo and Namgung Hyo-sin were geniuses.

Geniuses who had never easily met a wall.

To them, a wall was something that would fall over if they put in effort for a few days.

The experience of not being able to reproduce a sword path they had already displayed once was a foreign experience to them.

Therefore.

“Perhaps that might become a Heart Demon.”

“?!”

Su-gyo looked down at his own sword and spoke, just as Namgung Hyo-sin had done moments ago.

His face, which looked slightly bitter yet somehow exuded a sense of confidence, was strange.

Glancing at Namgung Hyo-sin, Su-gyo opened his mouth again.

“If a Heart Demon does visit you, accept the fact that there are classes even within talent. If you do, your mind will be a bit more comfortable, and a path will become visible.”

It was advice given by one who had already passed the path to one who was still walking it.

The advice offered by one who had seen a talent beyond heavens to one who had seen less of it was warm.

Namgung Hyo-sin bowed his head to express his gratitude.

“Thank you for the advice.”

“Not at all. Had Brother Namgung not realized the lightning sword, it would have been a night where someone died. Consider it a comrade’s goodwill.”

Leaving those words, Su-gyo slowly turned his body and walked away.

In addition, Namgung Hyo-sin was able to ease his slightly heavy mind while looking at the rising sunlight.

He was able to harbor the hope that he would be able to complete the Sovereign Sword Form even without Yeon Baek-jung’s help.

In addition.

‘If I ever need help… I can just ask for it.’

Since the Affectionate Swordsman Namgung Hyo-sin was not a shy man like Taoist Su-gyo of the Qingcheng Sect.

‘I should get closer to him.’

Having thought of the solution, he saw Yeon Baek-jung in the distance.

A spoonful of favor was added at the sight of him helping the disciples of the Hao Sect clean the inn.

It was not to seek benefit.

At the sight of the young Taoist who made him naturally want to become close, Namgung Hyo-sin joined the cleaning with a pleased smile.

There was still a lot to clean in the inn, which remained a mess.

The ones who cleaned the inn where the ashes of the blood ghouls were piled up were, naturally, those who worked at the inn.

**

They were all disciples of the Hao Sect.

And the person who commanded them?

Since it was Won Tae, the leader of the Hao Sect’s Ado Branch.

‘Huuh.’

He sighed as he glanced at the remains of the blood ghouls that had burned and vanished.

Although the red sword at his waist rippled, he was no longer shaken.

‘Indeed. This is the end of those things called immortals.’

In accordance with the fresh realization, he pushed aside the sentiments that tried to soak his chest, separated the bone fragments and powder, and put them in a jar.

‘One to the Murim Alliance, and one to the main sect.’

Finishing the classification, he straightened his waist, glanced at the morning sunlight, and headed to his office.

In that place, inside a book that was left half-written, a three-character name and information regarding the owner of that name were densely recorded.

-Yeon Baek-jung.

-A disciple belonging to the Wudang Sect’s True Martial Pavilion, Greedy Wolf Unit.

-A disciple of Immortal Gangwon, Myeong generation.

-Martial Arts: Sword Art Upper-Middle. Fist and Palm Close Combat Highest-High. Potential Supreme-High.

-Special Notes: Capable of operating lightning energy.

Below that, Yeon Baek-jung’s deeds related to this mission were also recorded in detail.

Won Tae wrote in the rest of last night’s deeds.

-…Exhibited hot-bloodedness by standing against the Dark Shadow Blood Master, who possessed skills beyond his own, to save the wounded and comrades. Although it is good for gaining fame in the Righteous Path, at times that temperament could also become a weakness…

Having written up to that point, Won Tae suddenly stopped his brush.

‘Mmm…’

Won Tae let out a low groan inwardly.

Yeon Baek-jung was the savior who had saved his life, and furthermore, the lives of the members of the Hao Sect’s Ado Branch last night.

Since he had also been in the guest room where Group Jiazi and Group Bodhi/Bingzi gathered last night, he knew that fact better than anyone.

And they were not the only ones in that place.

The Blood Master of the Dark Shadow Bloodline was also there.

Had Yeon Baek-jung and the two members of the Eight Talents of the Rising Wave not appeared in time?

‘I would have died.’

He had survived thanks to the warriors of the Murim Alliance and Yeon Baek-jung, rather than the Hao Sect’s main headquarters. Yet Won Tae himself was about to record information regarding his savior and send it to the main headquarters.

It would not matter if the Hao Sect was a prestigious righteous sect of the Righteous Path like the Beggars’ Sect, but the Hao Sect was a sect between righteous and evil.

Although the independent authority of each branch leader was strong enough due to being spread all over the world that some branches cooperated more with the unorthodox evil factions while others did with the righteous elite sects.

It meant that it was unknown whether this information, once it reached the main headquarters, would act only beneficially for Yeon Baek-jung, who was the subject of the info.

Therefore, after pondering for a moment, Won Tae closed the book.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door of his office.

“Branch Leader, it is Seok-gyu.”

“Come in.”

Since Seok-gyu, a disciple of the Hao Sect dispatched from the main headquarters, was a liaison officer who periodically delivered the branch’s information to the main headquarters.

“Has the information document to go to the main headquarters been completed?”

“…Not yet.”

“As expected. You could not write it all due to yesterday’s events. Then when will it be completed?”

“…Come back tomorrow morning.”

“Yes. Understood.”

After the subordinate left in that manner.

Won Tae pulled out one more new book.

It was a book identical to the previous one.

However, the one difference was that in this book, Yeon Baek-jung’s name and information were recorded only very briefly.

“Please travel safely. I wish you martial fortune.”

**

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I received a lot of help. Take this.”

“It is fine. The blood ghouls killed yesterday alone are enough compensation for this matter.”

The Hao Sect’s Ado Branch Leader flatly refused the pouch offered by Martial Aunt Hye-won, and in the end, he handed over two small jars instead.

“These contain the collected remains of the blood ghouls.”

Although they were things of no value to martial artists.

“Thank you. They will be of urgent use.”

Since the Wudang Sect possessed three lineages.

To the disciples of the secret arts lineage who dealt with non-human monsters and anomalies, or the disciples of the Taoist studies lineage who investigated all things in heaven and earth, the jars handed over by the Ado Branch Leader would be of great help.

In that manner, the members of Group Jiazi and Group Bingzi boarded the carriages called by the Murim Alliance and set off on their return journey.

“Please be careful on your journey. Amitabha.”

“Do not worry about the matters here and return safely. Yuanshi Tianzun.”

The path of return receiving the send-off of the renowned masters of Shaolin and Mount Hua, as well as the members of Group Dingzi and Group Gengzi.

It was a journey returning comfortably along the official highway rather than returning secretly along mountain paths as before.

Which meant.

That there was plenty of time to practice.

I devoted myself to accumulating qi while the carriage was moving, and practiced the sword and fist-palm alternately while the carriage stopped.

“Making fresh progress day by day, Young Brother Yeon.”

Together with the Namgung Clan’s Affectionate Swordsman, who now comfortably called me Young Brother Yeon.

“…Not a single human breath can be felt. Shall we exchange a brief sword match?”

And through training with Taoist Su-gyo, who still avoided people, the level of maturity of my Tai Chi Sword Manual’s sword art deepened so rapidly that I could practically feel it.

In addition, since Martial Aunt Hye-won personally oversaw my fist and palm methods.

“If you raise your arm about an inch more, you will be able to target all the vital acupoints.”

“And if their torso gets longer, I lower it again?”

“Indeed. You can do at least that much, right?”

“Of course.”

Experience regarding fist and palm methods was also accumulated rapidly.

‘Good.’

After a supremely fulfilling time had passed.

We passed through Gansu, which was full of soil dust, went through Shaanxi, which had a suitable mix of mountains and plains.

And returned to Shaolin once again.

It was a point in time when summer was descending from its peak and cold winds began to blow in the mornings and nights.

At the Shaolin Temple’s mountain gate reached in that manner.

‘What is it?’

As if something unusual had occurred again, the renowned masters of each sect were lined up at the mountain gate.

“The Wudang Sect’s Bringer of Chaos!”

They were shouting my moniker, which I disliked for being ferocious, with voices full of hostility.

Along with an intuitive feeling that some mind-disturbing event was taking place.

‘Ah, what is it this time.’

A sigh came out naturally.