Chapter 379: I Promise
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The guest retainers shuddered at the meaningful words of Cheol Ryu-heun as the Divine Martial Sword.
The path of a new Martial God.
Seeing him speak to that extent, the belief that he would advance down that path became even more firmly solidified.
However, this juncture had to be safely overcome.
Only then would the achievement their benefactor Cheol Ryu-heun desired follow.
He had said it was the final stretch.
That meant this moment was the same as the fork between success and failure.
Namgung Sang-rin fired up his Fighting spirit anew.
“I will definitely be of help!”
Hae Su-yeon also steeled her resolute Fighting spirit.
“Of course! Me too!”
Cui Lan, Seol Pan-gyo, and Mae Yak-bang also entered combat readiness, each radiating passionate gazes.
The Divine Martial Sword, having nodded his head, said while keeping his gaze fixed on the front.
“There’s no need to actively engage in the fight. Just supporting is enough. Your part is to maintain concentration, that’s all. So leave the head-on battle of power to me.”
At those words, Namgung Sang-rin’s pupils flickered as he murmured.
“I understand what you mean. We just need to faithfully perform the role of dantian, energy channels, acupoints, and Internal energy with a firm spirit.”
At that moment, a KUNG! sound rang out.
The Dongbang Ya that had transformed into a giant like a towering boulder took a heavy step.
Hae Su-yeon, who saw that, posed a soft question.
“But what caused that sudden transformation?”
“As you know, the incarnations of agony that remained were the strongest among them. They all finally felt it. That combining forces is advantageous. That’s why they clumped together and changed into the form of a giant like that.”
Mae Yak-bang, standing at the rear, immediately understood that.
“Ah! So that’s it! In other words, befitting soul energy that is connected to a kind of self, they felt a sense of crisis…”
At that, the Divine Martial Sword spoke with an expressionless face.
“Yes, you understand quickly.”
At that, Seol Pan-gyo was inwardly impressed.
At her mind that comprehended the essence faster than himself.
‘As expected, Lady Mae is…’
He was reminded of the sword discourse from last time.
It had been like that then too.
Mae Yak-bang’s application ability and calculation method regarding sword discourse was clever.
Setting martial prowess aside, her talent shone through again.
And he adopts a mindset of reflection once more.
That he must work harder.
That only martial prowess level is not the factor that judges a master’s grade.
On the other hand, the competitive spirit unique to martial artists also activated in him.
KUNG, KUNG, KUNG, KUNG-!
The giant Dongbang Ya closed the gap while holding an enormous sword upright.
Simultaneously.
HOOOOOOOOOONG-!
A powerful wind-cutting sound as if it would split the entire mental realm.
The huge blade dropped down accompanied by tremendous pressure.
Not to be outdone, the Divine Martial Sword raised his sword in a striking block and faced it head-on.
KKAAAAAAAAANG- KUAAAAAANG!
In the midst of the mental realm convulsing, the guest retainers scattered.
And
PAPAPAPAPA-
They moved like lightning around Dongbang Ya’s left and right sides.
Their intention was to occupy the rear and attempt a combined attack.
At that moment.
Dongbang Ya whirled his sword with nimble movements unbefitting his huge frame.
His body turned around at some point.
Following that movement, the horizontally swept blade gleamed chillingly.
Exquisite swordsmanship performing both offense and defense in one breath.
The trajectory was simple, but the changes hidden within were complex.
JJEOJEOJEOJEOENG- KKAGAGAGAGANG!
The guest retainers swiftly stopped and defended against the sword technique.
Before the terrifying power, all were pushed backward.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
‘Uk…!’
The complexions of Namgung Sang-rin, Hae Su-yeon, and the others changed.
The instant they blocked Dongbang Ya’s blade, their minds became dizzy.
The reason was one.
It was precisely because stray thoughts that hindered concentration had assaulted them.
Precisely, each person’s agonies.
That’s right.
Namgung Sang-rin remembered the day bloody winds swept into his family, Hae Su-yeon the day her master Kang Hee-san left, Cui Lan the terrible day her parents were murdered… Seol Pan-gyo and Mae Yak-bang also had moments they didn’t want to remember invade their minds.
Thus, the agonies each had buried in their hearts had been forcibly made to surge up and shake their hearts.
In the midst of that, all of them realized.
That it was the attribute and power of the unified, enlarged Dongbang Ya.
Also,
The meaning of the words Cheol Ryu-heun had spoken.
-Your part is to maintain concentration, that’s all.
Yet at that moment, within their sight was captured the scene of Cheol Ryu-heun and Dongbang Ya exchanging sword strikes.
JJEONG, JJEOJJEONG… KWANG, KWAKWANG…!
An evenly-matched stalemate where superiority was difficult to determine.
It was a fight of whoever tires first.
In other words, it depended on maintaining mental power.
Namgung Sang-rin, having hurriedly corrected his posture, shouted.
“Now if we just respond well, we can win!”
Hae Su-yeon, standing beside him, radiated a resolute gaze.
“Yes! Let’s avoid direct collision and focus only on supportive movements as the Sect Master said earlier!”
Following that, Cui Lan, Seol Pan-gyo, and Mae Yak-bang also chimed in.
“Hmph! I can’t submit to such nasty stray thoughts!”
“Now, let’s really do this!”
“That’s right! Sir Seol!”
Meanwhile, the Divine Martial Sword heard his companions’ shouts while working his technique.
‘Hu. Those fellows, they’re pretty good. I thought they’d flounder a bit.’
They had all splendidly cast off the remnants of agony in an instant.
Thereby, the extremely concentrated mental power was again completely bound into one.
In other words, the mystical application of the existing harmonious unification had been reinforced as if breaking through a limit.
As if having replenished Internal energy and raised cultivation.
Power welled up.
Through the indomitable mental power linked with all the guest retainers.
PEOHEONG, PEOHEOHEONG, PEOHEOEONG-!
The power of the sword the Divine Martial Sword fiercely swung changed.
In the midst of that, Namgung Sang-rin, Hae Su-yeon, and the other guest retainers helped while busily moving to and fro in all directions.
Dongbang Ya’s huge frame began shrinking bit by bit.
Because of the mighty mental power loaded into the Divine Martial Sword’s sword strikes.
That power became ever more powerful, and the enlarged Dongbang Ya was finally pushed back bit by bit.
KKWAAAAAAANG, KKWAAAAAAANG-!
As the Divine Martial Sword continuously charged without rest, Dongbang Ya retreated before that terrifying momentum.
KWAKWAKWANG, KWAKWAKWANG, KWAKWAKWANG…
Violent sounds echoed, and below that, Dongbang Ya shrank noticeably.
Before they knew it, there was almost no difference compared to the companions.
They were winning.
No.
Victory was assured.
Yet the guest retainers’ gazes were calm.
They were not excited.
An unmoving mind maintained like a quiet deep sea.
Probably, the transcendent mental power had guided them to the realm of selfless absorption.
PEOHEOEOENG-!
With that explosion.
SEUSEUSEUSSEUT, SEUSEUSEUSSEUT…
The appearance of the shrunken Dongbang Ya was becoming hazy.
Semi-transparently.
It was a phenomenon preceding annihilation.
The Divine Martial Sword rapidly closed in directly in front of him and drew down his sword.
“It’s over.”
His voice was buried in the explosion and disappeared.
KWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWAKWANG-!
* * *
The mental realm outside the mental realm.
Cheol Ryu-heun, who had been standing upright, suddenly felt something.
‘This is…?’
It was a gaze heading toward the meditating Divine Martial Sword.
Because intangible energy had been sensed from him.
How should he put it?
A feeling as if some huge wave that couldn’t be seen with two eyes was gathering together, quietly yet fiercely swirling.
It was a power as if it would overturn heaven and earth.
Cheol Ryu-heun intuited.
Success.
He was certain that he had finally obtained enlightenment.
Suddenly.
DEUDEUDEUEU… DEUDEUDEUEU…
An unknown vibration occurred in the mental image space.
Following that.
He flinched.
Cheol Ryu-heun was surprised and looked to the side.
There was nothing there.
However, he felt something again.
Some huge power that couldn’t be seen with two eyes.
‘What is it? For some reason, an enormous amount of energy feels like it’s swelling up in a mass over there…’
At that moment, the nameless divine being of the Celestial Father rang a Secret Sound Transmission.
-The more I see, the more amazing. A spiritual inner elixir made intangible…
At that, Cheol Ryu-heun immediately looked up at the void.
“What I just felt is… an invisible inner elixir?”
-Yes. It’s something that can only be refined through mental achievement. Also, that is absolutely impossible to achieve with human ability alone. Some power close to that of a divine being is needed.
“Ah, so that’s how it is. Indeed, the self of the Divine Martial Sword that possesses divine power…”
Cheol Ryu-heun was newly impressed.
At that moment, the divine being of heaven spoke meaningfully.
-I’m quite curious. Since he hasn’t awakened yet, shall I briefly look into it? How he accomplished it…
No sooner had those words ended.
CHARARARARRAT-
An enormous sheet of paper was generated on one side of the mental realm.
Following that, within it, a scene like reality was drawn.
It was the scene of the Divine Martial Sword party confronting the wanderer in the dreamworld.
And it soon came vividly alive and moved.
Everyone died, died, and died again.
By the wanderer’s overwhelming and miraculous martial force…
Cheol Ryu-heun shuddered upon seeing that.
Furthermore, he had also perceived who the wanderer in the bamboo hat was.
‘It’s you!’
The villain who had killed his precious master, Sagong Woon.
It was the first time.
Seeing him.
Though he couldn’t confirm the facial features.
The fight was not that long.
Following Gun Mu-ak, the scene ended with the Divine Martial Sword’s death.
Thus, the large sheet of paper quietly disappeared.
SEUREUREUK…
A majestic Secret Sound Transmission was heard again.
-He sublimated the mental enlightenment from the dreamworld into an inner elixir. No wonder…
That’s right.
What had been felt earlier was a lump that had been intangibly created inside the Divine Martial Sword’s body after the dreamworld confrontation.
-Does your heart become unsettled upon actually seeing him?
The divine being’s question, and Cheol Ryu-heun’s soft answer.
“No. I’m fine. There is nothing I can do, is there?”
Cheol Ryu-heun’s gaze soon turned toward the Divine Martial Sword.
“I just… hope that he will succeed.”
Suddenly, the Divine Martial Sword in meditation posture exploded with energy light.
FLASH!
Before long, the light vanished.
CHEUCHEU, CHEUCHEUCHEU, CHEUCHEU…
Five strands of mysterious smoke puffed out.
They soon changed into the forms of the guest retainers.
Cheol Ryu-heun was certain once more.
‘He succeeded.’
Soon, the Divine Martial Sword, having opened his eyes, raised his body up.
“You are remarkable.”
It was the voice of Cheol Ryu-heun advancing through the distance.
Meeting his gaze, the Divine Martial Sword received the words expressionlessly.
“You peeked at the dream?”
“Ah… You felt that.”
“Yes, how do you feel?”
“I wonder. Let’s just say… it feels strange.”
Immediately after, the Divine Martial Sword walked forward thud by thud and stopped in front of Cheol Ryu-heun.
Then, lightly patting his shoulder, he let out a soft voice.
“All matters are my share, living in this place. I promise. I will definitely put an end to it with my own hands.”
Cheol Ryu-heun nodded and showed a warm smile.
“Yes, I believe you.”
Thus, he soon rode a light beam that fell from heaven and ascended, disappearing.
A brief stillness.
Soon, the Divine Martial Sword turned around and gazed at the guest retainers.
“Everyone, go outside. I will now begin the final achievement.”
Yes, the time had come.
Time to completely recover the divine power from his Divine Martial Sword days and substantially improve his martial prowess level.
After that… he would eliminate all the enemies of the Shiwan Mountains.
Just as the wanderer had done in the dream, with overwhelming and miraculous power.