Chapter 341: It Seems We Have Messed with the Wrong Person
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Translated by Frog in the Well
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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***
Having chased and beheaded the fleeing Cheong Eung, Jin So-myeong scanned the battlefield.
Having confirmed that everyone except himself was dead, he only then exhaled his held breath.
Crackle!
The skin of his entire body cracked like a dry rice paddy, and bundles of silver lightning popped out.
The lightning rampaging at will felt as though it was roasting even his soul.
“Argh…”
Enduring the pain of his skin turning to ash, a bitter smile came out naturally.
He had almost died while undergoing the Lightning Tribulation.
In fact, the black Lightning Tribulation pouring down by the hundreds of strikes was somewhat bearable.
Because the black lightning was an energy he had become familiar with while deploying the Lightning Escape Art.
However…
The silver Lightning Tribulation that fell at the end. That thing, which plummeted down like a ray of auspicious light, was the problem.
A single strand of silver lightning, thinner than a spider’s web, overwhelmed hundreds of black lightning strikes all by itself.
Could he call it silver lightning?
It was in a different class from the black Lightning Tribulation.
The moment he saw the silver lightning plummeting from the sky, he had a premonition of death.
In the goosebumps that made all his body hair stand on end, he reflexively deployed the Moon-Deducing Dao Scripture,
and swung his sword toward the lightning bolt.
It was an event that occurred even before his reason could make a judgment.
‘As for my lifespan… did I use about five hundred years?’
Strangely, he could not remember the moment he cleaved the lightning well, but tracing his hazy memories, it seemed he had consumed roughly that much.
“My goodness.”
A chuckle came out on its own.
To think he used the Moon-Deducing Dao Scripture, which he had not even used when dealing with twelve Unity stage Dao Sovereigns, just to deflect a single strand of silver lightning…
Although it was an unexpected loss, what could he do about what had already passed?
At any rate, it was fine since he had safely passed the Lightning Tribulation thanks to it.
“Limitless. Are you okay?”
He spoke to Limitless, which was still enveloped in the silver lightning, but the reaction was weak.
Wooong…
A vibration like mumbling in sleep was all.
‘What should I do about this?’
Fearing the sword would melt if left alone, he raised his magic power as an urgent measure.
He tried to suppress the thunder Qi flowing along the blade, but it was not as easy as he thought.
When he suppressed it with magic power, it instead absorbed the magic power and grew in momentum.
It emitted increasingly intense heat, and if this continued, it seemed even Limitless would melt away.
Carefully observing the silver lightning that grew more dangerous the more he touched it, he guided it into his dantian very gradually.
He intended to absorb it with the Chaos Origin Wheel and digest it slowly.
‘This works.’
The Chaos Origin Wheel was a divine ability derived from the Primordial One Qi Art.
True to a cultivation method that gathers all energies existing in the world to reproduce the primordial Qi of the beginning, it swallowed even the strangely strong Lightning Tribulation well.
However, the joy did not last long.
Because when he had absorbed about half of the thunder Qi flowing through the sword, the Chaos Origin Wheel reached its limit.
To think even the Chaos Origin Wheel found it hard to bear. How should he handle this?
‘It seems it would be resolved if I raise the proficiency of the Primordial One Qi Art…’
That was not something that could be finished in a day or two.
Just as he was contemplating other solutions, a decent method came to mind, and he tried it immediately.
Wooong!
He deployed the Chaos Sky Shattering Annihilation Palm and compressed it into a bead shape.
He brought it close to the blade and had it absorb the silver lightning…
‘Oh.’
The silver lightning flowing along the blade was sucked into the Chaos Sky Shattering Annihilation Palm,
and the dark red Chaos Sky Shattering Annihilation Palm bead was instantly dyed silver.
Woooong…!
The moment the Chaos Sky Shattering Annihilation Palm fluctuated as if it would explode, he quickly pulled it away from the sword.
‘It worked.’
He succeeded. He transferred a portion of the thunder Qi flowing along the blade into the Chaos Sky Shattering Annihilation Palm.
He carefully examined the bead completely dyed in silver, and because it seemed like it would explode at a mere touch, he was slightly anxious.
After contemplating for a moment, he deployed the Black Cloud True Scripture.
Gathering the black mist to envelop the bead, the Chaos Sky Shattering Annihilation Palm that felt like it would explode any second turned like an ordinary iron bead.
Sealing it with the black cloud that interfered with Divine Sense detection, the thunder Qi that had been goosebump-inducingly strong was barely felt.
‘I should call it the Silver Thunder Bead.’
Although a terrifying Lightning Tribulation was contained within, it looked ordinary on the outside, making it perfect for inducing carelessness.
‘I could even use it like a bomb.’
It seemed he could handle an ordinary Unity stage Dao Sovereign simply by throwing a single Silver Thunder Bead.
Of course, since the Lightning Tribulation was an extremely useful energy if only he could digest it, he had no intention of wasting it in such a manner.
Unless it was an exceptionally urgent situation, he would not use the Silver Thunder Bead for offensive purposes.
At any rate, setting aside the completed Silver Thunder Bead, he deployed the Chaos Sky Shattering Annihilation Palm once more.
He absorbed the thunder Qi flowing through the sword in the same manner, and repeated making it into a Silver Thunder Bead when the Chaos Sky Shattering Annihilation Palm reached saturation.
Having handled all the energy rampaging in his body as well as the sword in that way, as many as fifteen Silver Thunder Beads were created.
‘This is enough.’
Being liberated from the Lightning Tribulation that seared his soul and body, he felt like he could live.
Just as he was storing the Silver Thunder Beads in his subspace and catching his breath.
Wing?
Limitless, which had regained its senses before he knew it, popped out of the sword and hovered around the surroundings.
It flew around noisily like a dog wagging its tail, and seeing that its condition looked better than expected, he was relieved.
Then, suddenly.
He felt that the sharpness harbored by Limitless had grown noticeably stronger.
‘It will soon ascend to the 7th rank.’
It was probably because he had ascended to the Unity stage. True to a natal magic treasure, it grew stronger according to the growth of its master.
Smiling with satisfaction, he flicked his fingers.
Clack!
He gave it the sharpness that had become even keener upon his ascent to the Unity stage, and after a long time, gave it a generous amount of his Supreme Great Ability.
!!!
Was it happy to taste the Supreme Great Ability after a long time?
Watching Limitless rejoice while flying here and there, he entrusted it with the remaining energy from deploying the Moon-Deducing Dao Scripture.
‘With this much, I should be able to use the Burning Moon Slash about three times.’
Estimating the amount of energy, he nodded.
“Go back to the nest and rest a bit.”
Woooong…!
Limitless, swollen plumply like a pufferfish, emitted light.
Scattering fingernail-sized Sword Qi to draw a circle in the void, it disappeared with a pop.
It had returned to its nest in the Secret Realm of the Mind.
‘The handling of the Lightning Tribulation is about done.’
Since the thunder Qi contained in the Silver Thunder Beads and the Chaos Origin Wheel could be digested over time, it could be said that the urgent problem was handled.
Next was the time to verify how much stronger he had grown after ascending to the Unity stage.
【Jin So-myeong】
【Lifespan】: 324 / 38,010
【Realm】: Unity Stage, 1st Layer
【Supreme Great Ability】: 1.1 trillion / 10 trillion
【Magic Power Amplification】: +332%
【Divine Abilities】: <Secret Realm of the Mind>, <Myriad Flows Restoration>
“Haha.”
Just looking at it brought a smile to his face.
First of all, the maximum limit of the Supreme Great Ability had increased exactly fourfold, from 2.5 trillion to 10 trillion.
Since the current recovery cycle of the Supreme Great Ability was ten days, it meant that 1 trillion of the Supreme Great Ability was recovered every day.
‘1 trillion every day.’
It was an absurdly large amount.
【Cultivation Methods】
Primordial One Qi Art (Orthodox, 62 trillion / 300 trillion)
Nine Successes Golden Body Art (Orthodox, 7 trillion / 100 trillion)
The cultivation methods that had been burdensome to touch because the required amount of the Supreme Great Ability was too large were now no longer a concern.
Because he could raise their proficiency with just a year or two of intense investment.
And also.
Not only the Supreme Great Ability, but his magic power had also increased greatly.
‘Comparing it to my days at the great circle of the Void Refinement stage… I can consider it to have grown about five times larger.’
Upon becoming an Unity stage cultivator, the basic total amount of magic power expanded rapidly,
and it was thanks to the fact that while deploying the Moon-Deducing Dao Scripture to pass the Lightning Tribulation, the Magic Power Amplification amount increased from +301% to +332%.
Divine Sense?
Naturally, it had grown stronger.
Even during the late Void Refinement stage, scanning a radius of twenty-four thousand kilometers was the limit…
but it grew to thirty thousand kilometers upon reaching the great circle of the Void Refinement stage, and grew once more upon ascending to the Unity stage, reaching sixty thousand kilometers.
A radius of sixty thousand kilometers.
It was a vast sense, enough to grasp an ordinary continent or sea at a single glance.
Having become an Unity stage Dao Sovereign in name and reality, his basic weight class had expanded rapidly.
Suddenly, curiosity arose.
Adding up all this immense growth, just how much stronger had he become?
He pondered seriously.
Based on myself from the great circle of the Void Refinement stage, what would happen if five of them attacked at the same time?
Fighting a virtual battle in his mind, it seemed he could win with minor injuries.
Then what about ten of them?
It was slightly ambiguous. It seemed he could win somehow, but if he made even a slight mistake, he might lose.
Comparing it in this way, he got a sense of roughly how much stronger he had become.
‘I can estimate that I have become roughly five to six times stronger.’
Deciding to examine the detailed changes slowly later, he checked the Silent Life Token.
A treasure that blocked the gaze of Great Ascension stage entities.
He checked the lifespan contained in the Silent Life Token, and its lifespan consumption had noticeably increased compared to when he was in the Void Refinement stage.
‘Is it about five hundred years every year?’
Calculating the vital energy contained in the Silent Life Token as lifespan, it was approximately 1.1 million years.
It meant it would be completely depleted after twenty-two hundred years.
It signified that he must become a Great Ascension stage cultivator within that time… but he believed he would be fully capable of doing so.
Tapping the scabbard, he shifted his gaze to the status window.
【Lifespan】: 324 / 38,010
Although it was a number that naturally brought a chuckle, he calmed his emotions and contemplated seriously.
Comparing his remaining lifespan of nearly forty thousand years with the vital energy contained in the Silent Life Token, they did not balance.
‘If I consume all of this right now…’
I would be able to grow much faster.
At the thought that suddenly came to mind, he narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
Since he had only just broken through the realm, there was no need to decide too hastily.
Deciding to judge carefully how to use his remaining lifespan, he withdrew his gaze from the status window.
Since he had roughly checked his physical condition, it was now time to inspect his harvest.
‘Let us see.’
Lining up the five storage pouches side by side, a smile naturally formed on his face.
They were things he had set aside whenever he had a spare moment while fighting the Sacred Scale Alliance Dao Sovereigns, and thanks to being placed in his subspace, they were perfectly fine even inside the Lightning Tribulation.
The remaining storage pouches had burned up in the Lightning Tribulation without any time to retrieve them, but it was fine.
‘It is a relief just to have saved five.’
Sweeping his gaze across the Dao Sovereigns’ storage pouches, he reached out his hand.
***
A certain hall where clear spring water trickled.
Could he call it the meeting room of the Sacred Scale Alliance?
In that place where the direction the Sacred Scale Alliance would advance was usually decided,
a dreadfully heavy silence flowed.
“…”
A few only twitched their lips, and no one dared to speak first.
Just how much time passed like that?
“Hmm.”
“Sigh.”
Sighs leaked out from here and there.
“So.”
The words spoken as the long silence broke were truly absurd.
“Are you saying it is correct that the investigation team we sent has been wiped out?”
“…Yes.”
“And the culprit is the one called Jin So-myeong?”
“Yes. According to the last message sent by the investigation team, it is almost certain.”
“Eleven Unity stage Dao Sovereigns. No, twelve of them died without even being able to flee… Haha.”
Who could have possibly expected it?
They had simply gone to easily handle a single Void Refinement stage cultivator. They had also intended to explore the ruins as a side task.
By a single choice that was not strange at all, over ten Unity stage Dao Sovereigns were slaughtered.
“…”
Silence flowed once more, and this silence was slightly long.
Because they were contemplating how to accept this situation, or rather, how to resolve it.
Unity stage Dao Sovereigns were each highly precious combat assets, yet as many as fourteen of them died in just a few years.
What would happen if this matter became known?
All kinds of packs of jackals would come sniffing around. To take a huge bite the moment the Sacred Scale Alliance wavered.
It was a headache. Just how were they to settle this matter?
“First of all, we must show that we are in good health. The best way would be to kill Jin So-myeong.”
Handling the culprit of the matter to show off their strength. There was no method as effective as this.
Of course, killing Jin So-myeong did not mean the problem would be solved, but it was far better than not killing him.
“But what on earth happened in the ruins for the Dao Sovereigns to be slaughtered?”
“They might have utilized the restrictions of the ruins, or Jin So-myeong might have companions.”
“Companions… that is indeed the most rational. Perhaps another faction set a trap.”
Since a disastrous result had already come out, they had no choice but to be on guard.
“Phew. At any rate, we must kill Jin So-myeong, so how should we go about it?”
“Hmm.”
Since it would be truly fatal if they failed again this time, they had to move as cautiously as possible.
Just as everyone was submerged in worry.
“But what if.”
The Dao Sovereign who had been exceptionally quiet since earlier opened his mouth.
“What if they were all defeated by Jin So-myeong? What if there were no companions and he was alone?”
“…If so.”
If they were slaughtered by truly a single person without any special tricks.
“It would be the worst. Because it would mean we have provoked a monster we should not have touched.”
They could only hope it was not the case.