Chapter 104: Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda (4)

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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Watching the scholar sowing discord to his clone, how should he put it…

Only a chuckle came out.

Jin So-myeong, who was only shaking his head because it was both funny and absurd, paused.

He suddenly realized that the completeness of the Blood Spirit Clone was far higher than he had thought.

When combined with the authentic-grade Thousand Transformations Art, even a mid Golden Core stage cultivator did not notice it was a clone.

‘Indeed. From being able to use all abilities except for the Supreme Great Ability, it is not an ordinary clone.’

At that moment when he was inwardly admiring.

“Fellow Daoist. Give me an answer. Do you really think it is right that only you are suffering to attack the restriction?”

Watching the scholar persistently clinging onto the issue, irritation surged.

Actually, if it were usual, he would have drawn his sword around this point. Because there was no reason to listen to nonsense.

However, he was reluctant due to the subtle sense of incongruity he had felt ever since entering the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda.

‘Is this murderous intent truly mine…?’

Should he call it intuition? He could not lightly dismiss the doubt that arose somewhat out of the blue.

“Look here. What in the world are you worried about? If you and I join forces, dealing with that guy is an easy matter.”

Looking at the scholar who was chattering to persuade the clone, he endured just one more time at the very last.

For some reason, he felt like he had to clearly address it right now.

Just in one-in-a-million chance, could it not be that the scholar simply hated persecuting the weak so much that he was interfering?

Operating the clone that stood bluntly, he spoke.

“Forget it. I don’t need any help, so just leave.”

At the firm refusal, the scholar twitched his eyebrows.

“What a frustrating person. I don’t know how friendly the two of you are, but if only one person breaks the restriction like this, the difference in strength between the two will grow larger and larger. Do you know why?”

“…”

“When the restriction is broken, spiritual Qi will rage, but since your spiritual power is depleted, rather than cultivating, you must recover first. Isn’t that so?”

“Well, that would be so.”

“During that time, that guy will raise his realm. It means that as time flows, the relationship between the two of you will become even more unfair. You will likely be treated like a slave soon.”

The scholar looked at it as if asking if it understood, but the clone was still blunt.

Because its expression was simple, it even looked like a simpleton.

“Huu! This is the first time I’ve seen such a cowardly sword cultivator. Fine. Just wait quietly. I will handle it myself.”

Murderous intent brushed past the scholar’s gaze as he looked at Jin So-myeong. Seeing that, he felt like he knew what the fellow’s true intention was.

‘His goal was simply to make me and the clone suspect each other so that we would be reluctant to launch a joint attack.’

Perhaps he did not believe that sowing discord would actually work. He likely thought it was enough if they could not join forces even for a brief moment.

Seeing his dark true colors revealed made him feel thoroughly relieved.

At any rate, if it was an enemy who visited with murderous intent, he could kill them without any hesitation whatsoever.

‘This is definitely my emotion.’

Was it because of the relief brought by certainty? When he could not hold back and burst into laughter, the scholar’s eyebrows knitted tightly.

“What is so funny to a guy who is about to die?”

“Forget it. It is just as well, since I happened to need a sparring partner.”

It had been exactly half a year since Jin So-myeong obtained the Blood Spirit Clone divine ability.

Although he could manipulate the clone freely because he had cultivated diligently in his own way during that time, he had not experienced actual combat yet.

He wanted to test how strong the clone infused with 30% of his power would be.

As Jin So-myeong backed away to a distance and gestured, the clone stepped forward.

“…I cannot understand. Not only breaking the restriction, but you will also take charge of the battle? Has that guy become your real master or something?”

“Stop talking nonsense and steel yourself. If you die too quickly, you won’t even serve as a sparring partner, will you?”

As the clone warned while pointing the sword, the smile that hung at the corners of the scholar’s mouth vanished completely.

“Ha. The master and the slave are exactly the same. Low-realm bastards must be crazy to die…”

Kwang!

The moment the clone stamped its foot. The ground split as if exploding.

The clone, which rushed in an ambush, swung the Five Elements Sword horizontally.

Right before the blade enveloped in Sword Qi reached his neck, the scholar, who clicked his tongue shortly, pulled out a folding fan as white as snow.

Saaa…

The cool chill that embroidered the air caught the sword blade. At that moment when the rapidly slowed-down clone came to a complete stop.

“Hmph.”

The scholar, who snorted, extended his palm. The chill originating from his palm condensed into the shape of a hand and struck the clone.

Kwa-aaaaang!

Simultaneously with an impact like being struck by a massive force, the clone, which flew back like a cannonball, was buried deep in the ground.

“Ignorant fool who doesn’t know their place. Stay stuck down there quietly. I will kill your master and become your new master. Since you like breaking restrictions, I shall use you for that purpose.”

Speaking leisurely without a single speck of dust on him, the scholar glanced at Jin So-myeong.

He had a gaze as if asking if he was still going to stay still, but Jin So-myeong merely pointed to the clone buried in the dirt.

The scholar, who paused, turned his head.

Looking at the clone that popped out of the pit, he frowned. Although it was covered in dirt, it appeared reasonably intact.

“…What a reasonably sturdy body.”

Chwak!

The moment the scholar, whose gaze sank, unfolded the folding fan.

The five white tigers depicted on the fan moved as if alive and then popped out of the folding fan.

-Keuheoheoheong!

The white tigers, which erupted menacing murderous intent, rushed in simultaneously.

Biting, tearing with claws, and trampling with their giant physiques. The clone surrounded by the white tigers became covered in blood in an instant.

Curving the corners of his mouth up, the scholar glanced at Jin So-myeong and said.

“Do you still have leisure left? It would be best for you to attack soon too.”

When he chuckled and gestured with his chin instead of answering, the scholar’s eyebrows twitched.

His pupils, as he looked at the clone with a look of disbelief, trembled minutely.

During the brief moment he looked away. The necks of two out of the five white tigers were sliced.

The movements of the clone, which was pushed back unilaterally at first, became more refined as time flowed. This was because his proficiency in handling the Blood Spirit Clone soared rapidly through actual combat.

“…You were a much rougher person than I thought.”

Staring blankly at the claws brushing right in front of its pupils, the clone, which calmly stabbed its sword, was like a sword ghost that did not care about its life at all.

Seogeok!

In the end, even the last white tiger had its neck severed.

The white tigers torn apart by Sword Qi fragmented like a broken jar and returned to cold air.

The clone was not intact either.

Blood dripped through the torn clothing. It was literally a mess, but its eyes were overflowing with vitality. There was even a smile hanging at the corners of its mouth.

Although it was because his skill in handling the Blood Spirit Clone had improved, to an outsider who did not know the circumstances, it was no different from a lunatic crazy for fighting.

The scholar, who had not lost his composure from beginning to end, became serious for the first time.

“Hmm… I apologize. I mistook the person…”

The scholar, who had become polite again before he knew it, tried to back away, but it was already too late. Since the situation had come this far, there was no way he would let him go.

Kwang!

A red line was drawn in the air. This was because the clone, whose entire body had turned crimson with blood, rushed forward.

The scholar, who was blocking the clone by summoning an ice barrier, spoke as if annoyed.

“Tsk, you should know when to stop.”

The moment the scholar, who clicked his tongue, opened his palm.

Kugugung!

The surroundings darkened, and a palm massive enough to blot out the sky plunged down.

He generated a gust of wind with the Wind Transformation Body Force.

Simultaneously with the whirlwind soaring in the shape of an awl piercing the center of the palm.

Jjeong!

The palm that plunged down like a meteor shattered like a broken glass window.

‘So easily?’

The instant Jin So-myeong, who sensed something strange, pulled his vigilance tight.

Hwieeeeing!

The shattered palm turned into a freezing storm and raged.

The clone surrounded by the blizzard froze in an instant. It solidified like an ice statue and could not move.

Right before the sharply generated ice awl pierced the space between its eyebrows.

Pajijik!

Red lightning scattered in all directions.

The moment lightning hotter than flames wrapped around its entire body, the distance between the scholar and the clone disappeared.

Kwareureung!

It poured Sword Qi like crazy toward the scholar who was frightened out of his wits upon seeing the Lightning Escape Art.

“What…”

Whether he finally felt that something was strange, the scholar, who failed to flee several times, grit his teeth.

He glared at the clone as if to kill it, appearing to realize that he could not escape from this place without dealing with it.

Kwadeudeudeuk!

The cold air scattered in all directions gathered into the scholar’s fan.

“Die!”

The moment the folding fan, aimed like a thrusting spear, pointed at the clone. The cold air concentrated at a single point rushed in as a pure white beam of light.

It was fast.

Although it was a strike that could not possibly be avoided, it was simultaneously an opportunity.

Spiritual power and blood energy. He raised all energies to amplify physical capabilities and…

Stabbed his sword directly against the pouring cold air.

Jjeojeojeok!

Indeed, the spell of a mid Golden Core stage cultivator putting forth his full power was different.

Starting from the sword tip to the wrist, it froze in an instant.

A split second.

Because he instinctively felt that this was the point where victory and defeat were decided, he pulled his concentration to the absolute limit.

Right before it went past the forearm and froze the entire right arm. He imbued the wind generated by the Wind Transformation Body Force with Sword Qi.

Within the slowed-down world.

Chwa-ak!

He cut off his own right arm.

A fountain of blood erupted from the hollow shoulder. Toward the scholar who was backing away with a startled look.

Ppeo-eok!

He drove a fist into the pit of the stomach. Of course, it was not a simple punch.

Acceleration using the Lightning Escape Art, Sword Qi, and Wind Transformation Body Force. It was a strike delivered by gathering everything he had accumulated in one place.

“Keu-heok!”

Plunging into the ground along with a loud noise, the scholar coughed up blood.

Just a single blow. His neat appearance vanished without a trace. Before the fellow, who had turned into a beggar, could regain his senses, he continued to press hard.

“W-Wait…!”

He shouted desperately, but there was no intention of giving him time. Right now, the clone was almost at its limit. He had to finish it as quickly as possible.

Kwang!

Kicking the staggering fellow’s flank, he stamped down on the abdomen as if stamping a foot.

The scholar’s expression changed moment by moment.

At first, he felt aggrieved. He seemed unable to accept being beaten up without even properly displaying the strength he possessed.

It made sense in its own way. The scholar’s spiritual power was still sufficient. It was simply that he could not collect his senses due to the clone that pressed without a moment to rest.

Naturally, the sense of grievance did not last long.

When he coughed up blood for the third time. The pupils that were filled with bewilderment and anger were dyed with terror.

“Fellow Daoist! Wait, just a moment, really just a moment!”

Muttering words that would not even work, unable to properly cast spells, he blindly poured out only cold air.

Whether it was the first time he had been cornered to this extent, he completely lost his composure.

With his hair disheveled like a wild bush, he tried to escape somehow.

He struggled to get away from the clone that clung like a rabid dog even after losing an arm, but the battle had already tilted.

Kwareung!

The clone that cast the Lightning Escape Art dug into his chest.

Striking the heart with its single remaining palm, it raised the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art.

Pajijijik!

With the Five Elements Divine Thunder containing flames, it completely burned not only the meridians but also all the internal organs.

“Kkaaaaaaak!”

How long did the scream filled with terrible pain continue?

Teolseok!

The scholar, who turned as black as charcoal, collapsed.

Right before dying. Squeezing out his last strength to raise his head, he stared not at the clone but at Jin So-myeong.

“Just how did you employ such a lunatic as a subordinate…”

Whether he was that curious about it, he asked with a quite earnest expression, but there was no intention of giving him an answer. Why would he explain his divine ability in detail to an enemy?

“Dammit…”

When he did not answer, the head of the trembling scholar dropped with a thud. In the end, he breathed his last without even resolving his curiosity.

“Hmm.”

Within the wasteland that regained its silence.

Jin So-myeong, who alternately looked at the dead scholar and the one-armed clone, stroked his chin.

‘The clone is even stronger than I thought…’

The Blood Spirit Clone had no need to fear injuries.

Actually fighting, it was a far more powerful advantage than what he had vaguely thought.

Usually, it is said that giving up flesh to take bones is a gain, but the clone was different.

It could simply push forward blindly.

Even if it gave up its life and only cut off an arm…no, a single finger…it was a gain.

‘If I use the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration on top of this… it is literally a living bomb.’

Jin So-myeong, who was reflecting on the battle, moved his steps.

Melting the Five Elements Sword, which was still frozen, with fire-attributed lightning Qi, he packed the scholar’s storage pouch and folding fan.

“Oh.”

He scanned the scholar with his Divine Sense to see if there was anything he had missed, and a Buddhist rosary was worn on the wrist, and a necklace made by threading jade stones was also visible.

First, he examined the necklace. He wondered if it was a Magic Treasure, but looking closely, it was just a Jade Slip.

‘Why would he go out of his way to make a Jade Slip into a necklace and wear it?’

He could have stored it in his storage pouch. At the moment he tilted his head and infused his Divine Sense.

[The probability that this Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda is not normal is extremely high. Always keep this fact in mind and be cautious.]

At the sentences rising in his head, his eyes narrowed.

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