Chapter 344: Kneeling
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Translated by Frog in the Well
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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To hand over two thousand bottles of Golden Yang Immortal Dew and a Rank 7 sword.
Since the Sacred Scale Alliance was founded, it was the first humiliation experienced in hundreds of thousands of years.
And with good reason,
for who would dare to act so insolently in the Sacred Scale Alliance’s stronghold?
The faces of the Sacred Scale Alliance Dao Sovereigns went blank.
There was no sense of reality. It felt as though they were having a terrible nightmare.
Some pressed their foreheads as if their heads ached, seemingly even feeling dizzy at the unbelievable reality.
No one knew that the conflict with Jin So-myeong would yield such a result.
Just what kind of madman in the world would suddenly invade like this? And alone, at that.
In the midst of the silence at the situation no one had anticipated,
Jin So-myeong, who was stroking the vibrating blade, said:
“If you do not want to, I will not force you.”
“…?”
“Because having a refreshing fight is also not bad.”
A refreshing what?
It was an extremely calm tone of voice, as if saying the weather was good today.
The Sacred Scale Alliance Dao Sovereigns, who only twitched their lips in dumbfoundment, looked at one another.
Just how were they to interpret those words?
Was he truly suggesting a fight?
The Dao Sovereigns gathered in this place right now alone exceeded twenty. And they were continuing to gather one by one.
What would happen if they fought like this?
The Crocodile Flood Dragon Patriarch, who was estimating the chances of victory, groaned.
Jin So-myeong did not look strong at all on the outside.
No particularly outstanding points were visible, but in truth, this was not very good news.
Unless the information obtained so far was completely false,
Jin So-myeong was a powerhouse.
Therefore, the ordinariness visible before his eyes was rather goosebump-inducing.
Because it meant that all his energy was being perfectly controlled.
Examining the surroundings, everyone’s expressions were dark.
Everyone in this place was unable to see through Jin So-myeong’s strength.
It signified that Jin So-myeong’s ability to handle energy was more superior than all their senses combined.
Just as no one dared to step forward.
“A precious guest has arrived, yet my greeting is late.”
An old man with a long beard appeared and lightly bowed his head.
“I am called Seo Go-muk, holding the position of Supreme Elder in the Sacred Scale Alliance.”
At a glance, he had a similar appearance to Jin So-myeong, but he was different if looked at closely.
Because red-brown scales sprouted here and there on the skin not covered by clothing, and a hazy illusion of wings composed of flames shimmered on his back.
The mid Unity stage.
Although Seo Go-muk, who possessed the most outstanding strength in the Sacred Scale Alliance, stepped forward, Jin So-myeong’s attitude did not change.
“Two thousand bottles of Golden Yang Immortal Dew and one Rank 7 sword. If you only give me that, I will cleanly forget what has happened so far.”
The condition spat out in a calm tone was truly dumbfounding.
It was to the extent that veins popped on the foreheads of the Dao Sovereigns who had only just arrived.
“Two thousand bottles of Golden Yang Immortal Dew… that is too excessive. Hearing on my way, they said Cultivator Jin came to bestow mercy. Did I hear incorrectly?”
“This is my mercy.”
“Sigh…”
The complexion of the Supreme Elder staring at Jin So-myeong grew increasingly dark.
Could it mean that even to the Supreme Elder at the mid Unity stage, it would not be easy?
If so, it was a truly astonishing thing.
As one becomes a high-ranking cultivator, the gaps between realms grow increasingly larger.
Around the Unity stage, a single layer’s difference could not be ignored.
Comparing simply magic power, the 1st layer and the 2nd layer differed by over fifty percent.
How much more would the sub-realm difference be?
To put it slightly bluntly, it was no exaggeration to say there was a gap at the level of an adult and a child.
“You are truly forcing a difficult choice. If you suddenly visit like this and ask to hand over wealth, how would our position be?”
“Amusing words. Having sent as many as fourteen Unity stage Dao Sovereigns, do you blame me now?”
“…”
“Again, if you do not want to, refuse. After we have a fight, you will learn what the mercy I spoke of meant.”
The silent Supreme Elder closed and opened his eyes tightly, then firmed his expression.
“Since you speak so… very well. Let us compete one-on-one. I will verify if Cultivator Jin has the qualification to speak such arrogant words.”
“One-on-one?”
“Yes. If I lose, I will comply as requested. The opposite case… there is no need to speak of it.”
The Dao Sovereigns watching from the side exchanged glances.
They did not share a single word of voice transmission, but everyone sensed the Supreme Elder’s intention.
It meant to watch the two compete, and join in if a chance of victory was seen.
Whether he knew that or not, Jin So-myeong simply smirked and tilted his head.
The moment silence flowed.
Red light emitted from the Supreme Elder’s wings, and the atmospheric temperature soared rapidly.
The moment the semi-transparent wings took substance.
The rays of light stretching in all directions condensed and became thousands of iron chains.
Clatter!
Instantly surrounding the surroundings in layers, they emitted intense heat, and space itself melted.
The completed spell bound Jin So-myeong before a blink of an eye, and the sky grew dark before they knew it.
A massive sun.
A bright red sphere vomiting blazing heat plummeted toward the ground.
Everyone watching admired. It was strength worthy of the Sacred Scale Alliance’s Supreme Elder.
However, exactly one person.
Jin So-myeong’s reaction was different.
He did not even care about the sun falling toward the ground.
He simply aimed his sword quietly, and disappeared suddenly at some point.
The Supreme Elder, with widened eyes, tried to do something, but…
Crunch!
the sound of bones shattering and flesh being pierced came first.
At the brief noise, everyone’s gaze gathered in one place.
“Ah.”
The sigh let out by someone represented everyone’s heart.
A bizarre scenery was visible.
“Ugh…”
The Supreme Elder, who had displayed mighty power, spat out blood in a surge, and a sword was lodged in his chest before anyone knew it.
To put it in a slightly different expression.
Jin So-myeong, appearing across the void, drove his sword into the heart.
It was an event that occurred even before they could perceive it.
“…”
In that incomprehensible sight.
The iron chains that had been surrounding Jin So-myeong in layers just a moment ago split into thousands of pieces and scattered.
And,
a slanted line was drawn across the sun plummeting toward the ground.
Rip!
The sun that was emitting heat split in two, and the single slash line spread rapidly.
Dividing from two into four, four into eight, it split into countless pieces and faded away like dust.
It was something that occurred even before the sun falling from the sky could touch the ground.
At that disastrous result, they had no choice but to realize.
That Jin So-myeong was faster than anyone else here.
Therefore, no matter how many they were.
No matter if their realms were high or low.
No matter how strong a spell they possessed.
It was all in vain.
To be fast, to move beyond perception, was what it meant.
If they could not react to that speed, even battle could not be established.
The Supreme Elder, who spat out blood to the point where his front collar was stained red, staggered backward.
Hastily sealing his heart pierced by the sword and stanching his torn skin, he gasped for breath.
“Indeed, I have understood. Cultivator Jin truly came to bestow mercy.”
He saved his life because Jin So-myeong’s Sword Qi did not slash even his soul, but he had almost died by a single sword strike.
The Supreme Elder, harboring a bitter smile, gestured to the Dao Sovereigns who wore blank expressions.
“What are you all doing standing still? Hurry and bring the Golden Yang Immortal Dew Cultivator Jin spoke of.”
“…We are sorry, but even combining all the Golden Yang Immortal Dew in the Alliance, it does not reach two thousand bottles.”
As Jin So-myeong, who was flicking blood droplets off his sword, narrowed his eyes, the middle-aged man in charge of supplies spoke hastily.
“If we combine everything in the storehouses, about thirteen hundred bottles will come out. If we add the Golden Yang Splendid Leaves and the Purple Cloud Immortal Herbs, which are the raw materials for the Golden Yang Immortal Dew, it will be worth roughly two thousand bottles. However…”
The hesitating middle-aged man continued.
“The Golden Yang Splendid Leaves and the Purple Cloud Immortal Herbs are not yet fully grown, so they must be raised for about five hundred years more.”
“Five hundred years… fine. I will overlook that much.”
A moment later.
Having received his dues, Jin So-myeong departed leisurely,
and the Dao Sovereigns, who fully experienced the feelings of the weak, sighed.
A single cultivator who had only just ascended to the Unity stage. He alone overwhelmed the Sacred Scale Alliance.
Was this truly reality?
Although the affair was wrapped up somehow, they could not escape from the shock…
Just how long did the uncomfortable silence continue?
The Crocodile Flood Dragon Patriarch, whose expression was exceptionally bad, burst out in anger.
“Supreme Elder. Do you truly intend to end it like this?”
“If we do not end it? What and how do you want to do?”
“…If we all joined forces, we would have been able to kill him.”
“Haha.”
The Supreme Elder shook his head.
“Cool your head. If we fight Jin So-myeong, Dao Sovereigns will die in heaps. To be more cold-headed, even if we do our best, there is no guarantee we can kill him.”
“If we activate the formations installed in the Alliance and surround him…”
“Sigh. For you to say such words even after seeing that absurd escape art just now. Is there anyone here who can catch up to Jin So-myeong?”
“…”
“If Jin So-myeong decides to wage guerrilla warfare, how do you intend to face that?”
Everyone shut their mouths.
In fact, the combat strength the Sacred Scale Alliance could mobilize was not that much.
No, it was on the very large side, but it was insufficient to face Jin So-myeong.
If they calculated the combat strength they could mobilize in an emergency like just now, they would barely exceed seventy, let alone a hundred.
Of course, the Unity stage Dao Sovereigns belonging to the Sacred Scale Alliance exceeded five hundred…no, four hundred.
But mobilizing all those personnel at once was realistically impossible.
To maintain a large-sized faction like the Sacred Scale Alliance, hundreds of immortal cities and mines were needed,
and it was because almost most of the Dao Sovereigns were being mobilized to guard those lands.
If they moved all of them, claiming they would face Jin So-myeong, the Sacred Scale Alliance had no choice but to suffer irreversible damage.
In a word, there were too many places to guard.
It was an inevitable weakness possessed by large-sized factions.
For that reason,
at the question of whether they could face Jin So-myeong if he decided to wage guerrilla warfare, no one could refute.
The Supreme Elder, who looked around the Dao Sovereigns showing uncomfortable signs, let out a sigh.
“Let us assume that by some stroke of luck we killed Jin So-myeong at the cost of immense sacrifice. Even if we killed him in that way, what future would be left for us?”
“Ahem.”
“What is more important than dignity is practical benefit. How do you intend to stand against a monster no different from a natural disaster? Just forget it.”
“…If today’s affair spreads, jackals who look down on us will come sniffing around.”
“We only need to pick one of those jackals and trample them severely. If we set an example, the riffraff will all bow their heads.”
“Hmm.”
“A few seeking opportunities will leap in, but fighting them is better than dealing with Jin So-myeong.”
The silent Dao Sovereigns finally nodded, and the Supreme Elder spoke.
“Everyone, do not be so dejected. Because after a short while, everyone will come to know.”
“What do you mean?”
“That being defeated by Jin So-myeong is not such a shameful thing.”
“Ah…”
The Supreme Elder, who glanced up at the sky, added a word.
“And being outstanding is not necessarily only good. Because branches grown too long are bound to be broken by the wind.”
These words were valid for everyone.
The atmosphere, which had been disastrous like a funeral, loosened slightly, and the Supreme Elder, who harbored a faint smile, paused.
“Ah. Just asking to be sure, you did not play any other tricks on Jin So-myeong, did you?”
They had worked truly hard to wrap up the conflict, but if another problem arose,
and Jin So-myeong came looking again…
it was tiring to even imagine.
He had asked just in case, but strangely, there was no one who answered this easy question.
Around the time the Supreme Elder’s expression firmed rigidly.
Someone who was avoiding his gaze cleared his throat.
“Actually, we leaked the rumor that Jin So-myeong possesses a Heaven-Defying Treasure.”
“…”
“Of course, since it was conducted covertly, you do not have to worry too much.”
“…”
The Supreme Elder, whose expression changed several times in an instant, closed his eyes tightly.
As if suppressing a surging anger, he barely spoke in a finely trembling voice.
“Right now, whew… stop it even now. Before it is too late.”
***
One day.
A bizarre story spread.
The Sacred Scale Alliance, no different from the ruler of the Dark Heaven Xuan, knelt to a single person.
Who would believe a bad joke, a prank-like nonsense?
Naturally, they did not believe it.
They merely snorted or smirked and let it pass. They did not take it seriously.
However, a few,
or several factions listened to this absurd rumor, and engraved the name of Jin So-myeong in their memories.