Chapter 270: Three Punches
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Translated by Frog in the Well
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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“In the first place… what I promised was merely to turn a blind eye to using the 6th-rank divine treasure at the succession ceremony. Therefore, strictly speaking, it cannot even be said that I broke the promise.”
“Ha.”
At the calm tone of the Castellan of Heavenly Feast Prefecture City, veins bulged on Je Hyeon-muk’s forehead.
“I am not trying to fight, so calm down. Although I understand it is a situation for Elder Je to be angry, this matter, I swear to heaven, has nothing to do with me.”
“This is absurd. Are you saying right now that a mere Soul Formation cultivator sliced through a 6th-rank divine treasure imbued with my spiritual power?”
“Although it is difficult to believe. Yes. That is correct.”
In his sudden irritation, he even spoke informally, but the Castellan was peaceful throughout.
“Damn it.”
Ultimately, unable to find anything to say, he merely muttered curses.
He wanted to argue firmly, but since the other party did not respond, he lost his steam. It felt like being angry at an inanimate object like a rock or a wall.
In the end, he had no choice but to throw aside his seat and stand up.
“Just a moment. Are you by any chance going to pursue Junior Jin right now?”
“Hmph. Where I go is my business. Do I have to report even such things to the Castellan?”
Since he even swore an oath, it must be true that this incident had nothing to do with the Castellan, but still, his words did not come out nicely.
Just as he was about to leave the Heavenly Feast Pavilion while replying roughly.
“Pursuing Junior Jin does not seem to be a wise idea. I heard a highly strange rumor from the Asuras not long ago.”
“…”
“Although my words might not be heard properly right now, please calm your emotions and think again. This is entirely for Elder Je’s sake.”
He met eyes with the Castellan, but the latter merely shook his head quietly, showing no intention of letting him know what rumor it was.
Although it was a behavior that felt oddly uncomfortable…
“Hmph.”
Snorting, he left the Heavenly Feast Pavilion.
Jin So-myeong?
A low-born rascal whom I have never even heard of dares to.
He seems to possess a fairly sharp sword, but even so, he is at the Soul Formation stage.
As long as I do not let down my guard.
No, even if I grow extremely careless, there was no possibility of a problem arising.
***
Meanwhile, Jin So-myeong had left Heavenly Feast Prefecture City and arrived at a desolate plain.
Scanning the wasteland where only dust rolled about, lacking even ordinary beasts, let alone human presence, Jin So-myeong nodded his head.
‘It is a perfect place.’
There was absolutely nothing to care about. It was a place perfectly suited to have a clash with someone.
Stopping in midair, he pulled out the jade box he had stored in the subspace.
Cheolkeok.
Opening the jade box sealed with talismans, the fruit wrapped in golden clouds could be seen.
Although it was already the several-th time he checked it, it was certainly the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit.
‘To give the genuine article so easily. It is fascinating…’
Although he inspected it meticulously with the Lightning Insight Spell-Breaking Eye, there was nothing particularly wrong.
He was to the point of being slightly bewildered since he had not expected the Castellan of Heavenly Feast Prefecture City to hand over the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit so gently.
Suddenly.
The voice transmission the Castellan of Heavenly Feast Prefecture City had secretly sent when he received the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit came to mind.
[I will give just one piece of advice to a highly talented junior. The enemy of the human race is not only the Asura race, so it would be best to refrain from actions that stand out too much.]
For to be an existence hostile to the human race other than the Asuras…
Did he mean the Insect-Armor Race?
Also, the Castellan had said this.
‘That those who ascended to Void Refinement through the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit must dedicate one thousand years of lifespan to the human race’s Unity stage Dao Sovereigns…’
Currently, there were a total of three Unity stage Dao Sovereigns in the human race, and it was said that the lifespan of one of them was not long.
[If the Unity stage Dao Sovereign enters reincarnation, the Asuras who were watching for an opportunity will invade. In order to delay that period even slightly, the lifespans of Void Refinement cultivators are needed.]
Since this was not a private matter but one on which the fate of the entire human race depended, he had requested him to make a decision from a grand perspective.
Although he did not know whether it was true or not, according to the voice transmission the Castellan sent at that time, it was so.
‘The lifespan of the Unity stage Dao Sovereign is drawing to an end…’
Of course, Jin So-myeong did not agree with the Castellan’s words.
Would he obediently comply when they demanded one thousand years of lifespan out of nowhere?
He merely replied that he would think about it, and
The Castellan nodded without a word and handed over the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit. As if it did not matter what choice Jin So-myeong made.
“…”
Just as he was lost in various thoughts while gazing blankly at the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit,
A faint sound of slicing through the air was heard beyond the horizon, and
Fifteen Soul Formation cultivators who flew in while scattering escape light surrounded the area.
“Jin So-myeong. Leave the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit and go. Then I will let you go gently.”
Staring at the middle-aged woman speaking in a chilly voice at the absolute front, he turned his gaze.
The cultivators forming the encirclement kept their distance from each other, and judging by the formations scattered in small groups, it seemed multiple factions were mixed.
“Are you talking about this?”
As he swung the jade box containing the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit, a sound of swallowing gulp could be heard.
“If I hand over the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit, you will let me live… That is an interesting statement. However, to whom among you do you mean for me to hand it over? Shall I give it to that woman at the front?”
The Soul Formation cultivators who were staring at the jade box as if possessed paused, and
Retrieving the jade box naturally, he continued speaking.
“Even on the off chance that I hand over the Profound Lotus Precious Fruit gently, how many among you would survive? Go back while I am speaking nicely.”
Just as a strange silence flowed for an instant,
“Shut up! There is no need for everyone to be swayed by those words. We can just kill him first and then worry among ourselves.”
“…Very well.”
Looking at the eyes bloodshot in red, he shook his head.
“You are blinded by greed. If you leave now, there would at least be a possibility of survival.”
“Hmph. No matter how much of a sword cultivator you are, can you deal with all of us simultaneously? Stop bluffing. Unlike Je Won-tak, we do not let down our guard.”
Starting with the middle-aged woman who spoke sharply,
The Soul Formation cultivators narrowed the distance while maintaining the encirclement.
At that moment.
Kkihihihihihi!
Bizarre ghostly wails echoed throughout heaven and earth, and
The expressions of the Soul Formation cultivators turned blank, and they suddenly strangled themselves.
Ppudeudeuk!
A bizarre sound echoed from their joints all over their bodies, starting with their necks.
“Kuuu…!?”
The moment they let out groans as if in agony.
Ultimately, even their skin rotted away in an instant.
The faces of the few who snapped back to their senses belatedly turned pale. Gripped by terror, they tried to flee somehow, but it was useless.
“Keok!”
Blackish blood poured from their seven orifices, and they turned into corpses emitting a rotten stench, falling to the ground.
And,
The Void Refinement demonic Heavenly Lord who appeared from the sky.
Je Hyeon-muk glared at Jin So-myeong, who was the only one standing fine, as if to chew him alive.
“You rascal. Did you by any chance wait for me?”
“Can you not tell by looking? Since you attached such a thing, I had no choice but to wait if only out of curiosity.”
When Jin So-myeong pointed at the transparent ghost clinging to his shadow, the old man’s gaze turned even cooler.
“You left it alone even while knowing the Shadowless Ghost had clung to you?”
As he tilted his head to answer instead, Je Hyeon-muk’s breathing grew rough.
“That cheeky rascal dares to…! Fine. Know that you will not even die gently. I will make you beg to be killed.”
He was so angry that even his voice trembled.
He looked as if he had lost his reason in rage, but he could not be believed. That was merely his outward appearance; the real trick lay elsewhere.
Was it thanks to his Divine Sense that had reached the Void Refinement grade?
He could clearly feel the ghosts that were secretly surrounding the area.
The transparent figures crawling out from the corpses of the Soul Formation cultivators who had just died were forming a formation, and it was not difficult to grasp its purpose.
To prevent Jin So-myeong from fleeing.
The intention to capture him alive and torture him was clearly visible.
It was a ruthless decision, but somewhat disappointing.
To focus only on surrounding the prey so that it could not escape, when it would not be enough even to lay groundwork for an exchange of blows…
Of course, spreading the encirclement secretly could not necessarily be said to be bad.
However, the problem was that his own defense became vulnerable because of that.
“Grandfather and grandson are identical.”
“What?”
“Growing careless without even knowing you are about to be defeated.”
Just as Je Hyeon-muk, who scowled tightly, tried to say something.
He unfolded the Blood Wings.
And,
Awakening the Golden Body Dharma Image asleep within his mindscape, he simultaneously cast the Purple Lightning Escape Art.
In the split second that carved an instant.
Within the world that slowed down rapidly as he became one with the purple lightning, he even added A Single Flash Lightens the Heavens.
“…!”
The straight punch launched with all his might flew across the air.
The air pushed by the fist containing overwhelming power turned bright red.
Je Hyeon-muk’s pupils, which were widened so much that his eye corners seemed about to tear, dilated slowly.
He tried to do something belatedly, but it was far too late.
The ghosts that had been surrounding the area to prevent Jin So-myeong from fleeing were of no help whatsoever at this moment.
The moment the fist phantom flying while tearing through the air struck Je Hyeon-muk’s solar plexus.
Kwaaaaang!
A thunderous roar like a bomb exploding echoed.
The bracelets, necklaces, protective talismans, and so forth worn by Je Hyeon-muk; all kinds of defensive Magic Treasures turned to powder in an instant.
“W-Wait…”
Did he realize only now that something had gone wrong?
Je Hyeon-muk, whose face had turned ash-grey, waved his hand in a hurry, but Jin So-myeong did not stop.
Keeping tightly close to Je Hyeon-muk who was trying to widen the distance somehow, he unleashed the second punch, and
Thousands of ghosts that were pouring out from the shadow scattered to pieces.
“No!”
Simultaneously with a scream mixed with resentment and despair.
The Blood Wings entered the second circulation.
Identical to before, yet the power contained within was on a completely different dimension.
The third punch followed, and
Ppeok!
Centering around his upper body hollowed out in a circle, Je Hyeon-muk evaporated without leaving behind even a handful of blood.
He could not even let out a proper scream, let alone last words.
As the energy amplified by the Blood Wings was added to the Golden Body Dharma Image possessing overwhelming physical power, even a simple fist wind became an ultimate skill possessing a fatal might.
Caught in the pressure of the bright red heated air, not even a single bone fragment could maintain its shape and turned into gas.
‘No, you cannot even block this much?’
Although he had struck all kinds of secret techniques possessing mighty power…the Blood Wings, A Single Flash Lightens the Heavens, the Purple Lightning Escape Art, and the Golden Body Dharma Image…all at once by targeting the careless gap, even so.
Just as he was bewildered since he won far more easily than expected.
Jjeong…!
The storage pouch Je Hyeon-muk was wearing exploded along with a sound like breaking glass, and all kinds of treasures contained inside poured down like rain.
‘Oh dear.’
For the storage pouch to burst.
It meant he had failed to properly control the power contained in his fist.
Although it could be called a good thing since he had found room for improvement, organizing the battlefield was the priority for now.
Hwi-i-ing!
Stirring up a wind, he swept up and gathered all the treasures pouring like rain.
Skulls of unknown identity, lumps of blood, violet flower petals emitting a pungent fragrance, and so forth.
He scanned them roughly, and they were all items likely to be used only when cultivating demonic arts.
‘Indeed, demonic cultivators are…’
Even if he fought and won, the harvest was disappointing.
As he thought so, he paused.
Because the Lightning Insight Spell-Breaking Eye suggested a new usage for the demonic spiritual objects.
‘That they can be used to cultivate the Primordial One Qi Art?’
He could immediately realize what the matter was.
The Primordial One Qi Art was a cultivation method to reproduce the Primordial One Qi of the beginning that existed before all creation was born.
In front of the first One Qi that existed alone even before all things in the world were born, the distinction between righteous and demonic was useless.
In theory, the Primordial One Qi could absorb any energy, and it was only by doing so that it could reach the true Primordial One Qi.
In any case.
It was a good thing that a usage had arisen for the useless demonic spiritual objects.
Nodding his head at the unexpected benefit, he circled around the area once.
He also packed all the storage pouches of the Soul Formation cultivators who had died futilely after pursuing him for no reason.
‘Now, I only need to focus on cultivation for the time being.’
Just digesting the harvest obtained this time well was sufficient for him to reach Void Refinement.
It was a perfect fit if he broke through Void Refinement within thirty years and then went to the secret realm held in the Blue Cloud Sea Region.
‘Good.’
Jin So-myeong, who scanned the battlefield once again to see if he had missed anything, nodded his head.
He returned to the Plateau Desert where the Thunder-Pattern Hermit Lizard’s crystal cave was located.
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