Chapter 242: The Future of the Asura Race Is Over There (2)

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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“Finished in a single strike? An early Soul Formation stage cultivator finished a late stage?”

At the shocking result, the expressions of the Asuras turned as if they were dreaming.

Blinking their eyes, they verified the scene reflected in the mirrors repeatedly.

Astonishment and disbelief.

The feelings felt by the spectators watching from across the entire Red Lotus Realm could be summarized in just two words.

“Crazy.”

“…Was the opponent weak?”

“No way! Senior Hyeon-gwang was not someone to be looked down on like that. Was he not someone who slaughtered same-grade cultivators several times?”

“Ah, that is true.”

“It is just that Senior Jin was far, overwhelmingly stronger.”

The spectators, who could not gather their senses at the unbelievable shocking scene, soon let out shouts.

“A new star! A new star appeared in our Asura Race!”

The astonishment and disbelief did not last long.

Even though their common sense was denied, they sent enthusiastic cheers instead of anger.

Fitting for a race that regarded strength as a virtue, they accepted the result.

“Waaaaah!”

When Jin So-myeong, who showed an absurd miracle, departed to search for another spiritual herb as if nothing had happened, the wild enthusiasm grew even larger.

***

At the same time, the Unity stage Asuras who watched the Sacred War at the entrance of Horyong Province showed a similar reaction.

“He is fast.”

“I do not like him playing with a Magic Treasure used by human trash, but his instantaneous acceleration alone is the best.”

“Hoho, it is a proper Spell and Body Dual Cultivation seen after a long time. Seeing that his physical body and magic power are in harmony, he seems to have mastered a top-grade cultivation method… by any chance, is he a direct disciple raised by you all?”

The Unity stage Asuras looked at each other, but no one particularly stepped forward.

“If he is not your disciple… hmm. No matter how I look at it, he does not seem like an ordinary rogue cultivator. I do not know which tribe he is from.”

“Judging by his name, he seems to be from the southern border.”

At that moment when conjectures about Jin So-myeong continued.

A purple-skinned beauty who was deep in thought said.

“However, it is a bit strange. To think someone possessing such outstanding strength has not made his name known until now.”

“Indeed… with that level of strength, it is normal that he should have shaken his reputation since the Nascent Soul stage, no, even since the Golden Core stage.”

“Did a true rogue cultivator obtain a fortuitous opportunity and rise to the Soul Formation stage?”

Right at that moment.

Jin So-myeong, who kicked off the ground, wielded the Fire Cleaving Great Saber once more, and someone’s head fell.

The one who blocked his front amplified his energy by even bursting his own heart, but it did not affect the result of ending in a single blade strike.

“…Did you see just now?”

“Absurd. To think he becomes even faster from there. Has he not already surpassed the Soul Formation stage level?”

It was a speed that distantly transcended his realm, unbelievable for an early Soul Formation stage.

At that moment when a strange silence continued.

“If that man is a true rogue cultivator.”

An old man with a strange heat dwelling in his eyes continued speaking.

“If he reached such a realm by cultivating alone without a single proper teaching… perhaps we are seeing the future of the Asura Race right now.”

“Hmm.”

“It is to the point of being terrifying how strong he will become the moment he rises to the Unity stage.”

There was no rebuttal.

Although the times Jin So-myeong revealed his strength were few, those brief moments were sufficient to buy the admiration of the Unity stage Celestial Lords.

“However, of all things, to think he participated in the Sacred War… I hope he survives.”

“How about pulling him out even now? We cannot let such a talent die in vain, can we?”

“Nonsense! If he is a proper talent, he will survive in the Sacred War too. There is no need to give him special privileges.”

“Is there any need to be stubborn? If he is someone with that kind of aptitude, he does not even need to undergo the Sacred War. If we support him properly at the racial level, he might even reach the Integration stage.”

“Preposterous. With what qualification do we, who are at the Unity stage, discuss the Integration stage?”

“That is…”

“Furthermore, what a true genius needs is not trivial support or the like, but trials that threaten his life. Pulling him out of the Sacred War right now is not helping him, but hindering him.”

At that moment when a dispute continued over the treatment of Jin So-myeong who showed shocking strength.

The purple-skinned woman glanced her gaze.

“Ra-heuk. Your expression has been bad since a while ago, is there something uncomfortable?”

“…It is nothing.”

Ra-heuk, who had been staring at Jin So-myeong without a single word since the Sacred War began, shook his head.

In fact, he was doubting whether Jin So-myeong was the human sword cultivator who made a commotion not long ago.

In case of doubt, he unfolded a secret technique that amplified his senses to examine him in detail, but because it was observed through the mirrors, he could not judge accurately.

Ra-heuk, who had been silent for a long time, narrowed the corners of his eyes.

Although various factors were suspicious, his doubt was rather cleared away due to the appearance of Jin So-myeong running wild confidently as soon as the Sacred War began.

Unless he was an insane madman, or a fool who could not even tell front from back.

In the end, Ra-heuk, who took his gaze off Jin So-myeong, opened his mouth.

“More than that, I have something to say about the Blood Sacrifice to be held this time.”

“Ah, Ra-heuk, you said there is information that must be found out in this Blood Sacrifice, right? That there is someone you must find?”

As gazes gathered, Ra-heuk explained calmly.

“Five years ago, while being swept by the Nine Heavens Wild Wind, a human fell into the Red Lotus Realm…”

Listening to the commotion caused by the unnamed human sword cultivator, the expressions of the Unity stage Celestial Lords turned strange.

“So. Are you saying we must hold a Blood Sacrifice right now just to find a single Soul Formation stage sword cultivator?”

What was a Blood Sacrifice?

Literally, it was a ceremony to pray for a wish by offering lives as sacrifices.

After making various preparations like installing a formation and offering countless lives, one could even unfold a secret technique that accompanied a large cost, like divination or a curse.

Although it was a highly powerful method, due to the fatal disadvantage of having to offer living lives, and moreover, high-tier cultivators, as sacrifices, it was an extreme move that was not easily used even in the Asura Race.

However…

if one thought carefully about the conditions to hold a Blood Sacrifice, it matched exceptionally well with the Sacred War.

That countless high-tier cultivators must die in a pre-arranged place? It was merely a condition that would be naturally satisfied once the Sacred War progressed.

Because of that, this opportunity was precious.

Since there was no particular loss if they held the Blood Sacrifice using the Soul Formation stage cultivators who would die in the Sacred War as sacrifices.

Although there was a rumor that those offered as sacrifices suffered a miserable state after death, the Asuras, for whom struggle was daily life, did not care about such superstitions.

Rather than such a minor worry, what they could obtain through the Blood Sacrifice was more important.

The crisis to befall the Asura Race, the location of spiritual objects absolutely necessary when challenging the Unity stage, the method to open a hidden secret realm, and so on.

Depending on how it was used, the Blood Sacrifice was precisely something through which truly useful information could be obtained.

Yet, to go out of the way.

To hold a Blood Sacrifice just to find a single human Soul Formation stage sword cultivator. It was difficult to accept.

“Are you serious? The opportunities to unfold divination through this Sacred War are at most five or six times. You will invest one of them in some Soul Formation stage human?”

“It has that level of value.”

At the extremely firm reply, the Unity stage Celestial Lords let out groans.

“…Is it not because of the desire for revenge for losing your son?”

“Do you think I would make such an emotional judgment? If we fail to kill that human at this opportunity, we will absolutely regret it.”

“Heh. To that extent.”

How long did the silence continue?

Someone who was locked in deep thought opened his mouth.

“Understood. I will trust your judgment. We will find out his whereabouts with the divination to be unfolded in the first Blood Sacrifice.”

There was no one who opposed further.

They decided to track the human Soul Formation stage sword cultivator once sufficient sacrifices accumulated as the Sacred War progressed.

Having obtained the desired result, Ra-heuk unconsciously looked at Jin So-myeong reflected in the mirrors.

He was slicing down all those who blocked him by wielding the red horse-slaying saber, and he was strong to the point of feeling his common sense being warped.

He was outstanding enough that it would not be an exaggeration to call him the future of a race.

But if someone possessing such aptitude is a human…

‘He must absolutely be killed.’

A chilly light brushed past the glass-like eyes that stared at Jin So-myeong.

***

Before he knew it, a week passed since the Sacred War began.

The actions Jin So-myeong did during that time were consistently identical.

He released his Divine Sense reaching a thousand li to find the ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs in the surroundings,

and, boom!

whether there were competitors nearby or not, he rushed without hesitation and used them for cultivation.

As a result.

In just a week, he came right before breaking through the minor realm.

‘Just one more ten-thousand-year spiritual herb, and it is the mid Soul Formation stage.’

There was a reward for running wild while risking the danger of having his identity discovered by the Unity stage cultivators.

Letting his eyes shine, Jin So-myeong kicked off the ground.

At that moment when he ran to a place ten kilometers away and reached out his hand toward the spiritual herb grown in the crevice of the rocks.

Rumble!

Suddenly, the entire earth shook as if an earthquake broke out, and a heap of soil surged high enough to cover the sky.

Roar…!

The moment the heap of soil that turned like a dragon roared, an invisible shockwave devastated the vicinity of a hundred li in all directions.

Cleaving the shockwave by wielding the Fire Cleaving Great Saber reflexively, he protected the spiritual herb.

Throwing the spiritual herb dug out by its roots roughly into his sub-space, he narrowed the corners of his eyes.

‘Ta Mu-reuk?’

The Asura who sneaked an attack without a single word after hiding deep underground felt familiar.

He had investigated the renowned strong individuals before participating in the Sacred War, and one of the Asuras mentioned first no matter who he asked was Ta Mu-reuk.

The moment his gaze met the man with a desolate impression looking down at this side while stepping on the head of the Earth Dragon.

Crash!

Over ten earth pillars surged, and Earth Dragons with lengths reaching several kilometers flew in.

Opposing the Earth magic spells rushing mercilessly, Jin So-myeong did not stay still either.

He poured magic power into the Fire Cleaving Great Saber, the 5th-rank high-grade Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure obtained at the grand auction.

Whoosh!

The moment sharp aura dwelled in the fierce flame rising from the red horse-slaying saber.

The Earth Dragons that rushed with roars were split into dozens of pieces and returned to heaps of soil.

“…I express respect to your strength.”

Ta Mu-reuk, who murmured as if admiring, clasped his two hands,

and the heaps of soil that fell divided into dozens of pieces merged into one to become a giant great mountain.

Hummm!

At that moment when it plunged vertically toward the crown of his head while causing a pressure that crushed his shoulders.

Whoosh…!

From the shadow created as the sun was covered by the great mountain, another Asura popped out.

“Die!”

His eyes, which were bloodshot with burst capillaries, were by no means normal no matter how one looked at them.

Following the Asura who threw away defense as if he had already prepared for death and lunged his fist,

from the left rear,

a green dagger that approached secretly without even a faint sound of wind tried to pierce his spine and dantian.

‘Is it poison?’

The real secret strike that flew in while drawing attention from the front.

If it were an ordinary person, they would have been hit without even being able to respond, but how many fierce battles had Jin So-myeong undergone until now?

With a little exaggeration, it would not be an exaggeration to say he fought throughout his entire life.

It was clearly a sharp sneak attack, but this much was insufficient.

Pushing more magic power into the Fire Cleaving Great Saber, he spewed flames in all directions.

Of course, he could not stop the Soul Formation stage Asuras who prepared for death with merely this level of flames.

Still,

making the surroundings a sea of fire to block the vision was possible.

Crackle…!

The moment faint lightning Qi shimmered.

A bloody line was drawn on the neck of the one who lunged his fist,

and the one who stabbed the green dagger from behind was split vertically along with the great mountain falling from the sky.

“…!”

Ta Mu-reuk, who was unfolding Earth magic spells, tried to do something, but to Jin So-myeong accelerated by the Lightning Escape Art, he was too slow.

Whoosh!

The red horse-slaying saber thrown like a javelin drew a single straight line,

and Ta Mu-reuk, whose dantian was pierced, turned to ashes engulfed in fierce flames without being able to leave a single word of last testament.

In the wilderness that before long regained tranquility,

Jin So-myeong, who paid a silent tribute for a moment while looking at those who rushed without even sparing their lives, recovered the Fire Cleaving Great Saber and took the storage pouches.

Subsequently, sitting cross-legged in that exact spot, he swallowed the ten-thousand-year spiritual herb he had prepared in advance.

‘Let us go.’

At least for this exact moment, he forgot all worries.

He concentrated only on advancing toward the mid Soul Formation stage with all his mind and strength.

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