Chapter 300: A Fight Without a Bell (4)
It was nearly midnight that day when Yeon Ho-jeong regained consciousness.
“Ugh? Father?”
“Are you awake?”
Yeon Wi was drinking tea with a smile.
“I saw your state earlier. I thought you would wake up around now.”
Yeon Ho-jeong scratched his head.
“What time is it now?”
“It just passed midnight.”
“I see.”
Yeon Wi said with a proud face.
“Congratulations. You have finally obtained the Divine Elixir.”
Yeon Clan Divine Elixir.
It was the path to the peak of the Yeon Clan’s martial arts, and the beginning of mastering the Yeon Clan’s final vision.
In the history of the Yeon Clan, the ancestors who formed the Divine Elixir did not exceed three.
Of course, it was not because the abilities of the other ancestors were lacking. Forming the Divine Elixir was a difficult task, but there were surprisingly many past Clan Heads who gained realizations worthy of looking toward the Yeon Clan Divine Elixir.
In other words, whether to form the Divine Elixir and head toward the vision, or to maximize the martial arts one had learned and enter the path of a new creation, was a matter of choice.
Yeon Wi chose the latter, and Yeon Ho-jeong chose the former.
Nevertheless, the reason Yeon Wi was surprised was that forming the Yeon Clan Divine Elixir itself required an extreme realization of the Yeon Clan’s divine arts.
“The Divine Elixir is like an inexhaustible spring. However, since it is on a different track from a regular dantian, you will have to struggle for a while to handle it.”
“Yes, I thought so too.”
Yeon Ho-jeong repeated clenching and unclenching his two fists.
‘Certainly.’
The flow of true qi had changed.
A Murim person who has learned internal power trains their dantian. Among them, there are warriors who train only the lower dantian, and there are warriors who train all three dantians: upper, middle, and lower.
And even while training the three dantians, there were cases where there was a specific dantian that was primarily trained.
Yeon Ho-jeong was exactly like that. His upper dantian was in full bloom with the realization of the Dark Emperor, and thanks to that, he could possess instantaneous destruction techniques and an eye that allowed him to deal with masters several levels higher even with small power.
The Four Gods Martial Arts and the Four Divine Qi protected the body based on the middle dantian, and by solidifying the lower dantian with the Jade Gauze True Formula, he stably implemented all the martial arts he possessed.
It was different now.
The Yeon Clan Divine Elixir, filled with the Jade Gauze True Qi and the Dragon Robe Divine Qi, along with the Four Divine Qi, made the middle dantian like an iron-walled fortress. The energy was so solid that it even felt stifling, as if something were stuck in his solar plexus.
On the other hand, the lower dantian was empty, in the same state as he had refined it with the Jade Gauze True Qi.
It was not that he had lost his lower dantian. He could draw true qi of the Five Great Divine Arts from the Yeon Clan Divine Elixir at any time to change the nature of his martial arts.
The range of change was free. As much as it was complex and would be difficult to handle, if he perfectly embodied it, he could even change the overall characteristics of his martial arts with instantaneous internal power operation.
If the Four Gods Martial Arts were an excellent weapon, the Yeon Clan Divine Elixir was like a forge of true qi that could change the characteristics of that weapon in an instant.
‘As expected.’
A proud smile appeared on Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.
‘My prediction was correct.’
If he masters the remaining arts of the Five Great Divine Arts in the future, the Yeon Clan Divine Elixir will also become complete.
If that happens, he can operate a vision in which all parts such as speed, power, endurance, destructive force, and stabilization have reached the extreme. Cultivating the field with the Jade Gauze True Formula instead of cultivating the Great Heaven Qi had truly become a move of god.
Yeon Wi patted Yeon Ho-jeong’s shoulder.
“Congratulations. To form a Divine Elixir at that age, it is something that has not happened in the history of this family.”
Yeon Wi treated Yeon Ho-jeong as if he had not heard about his past.
The past is only the past. Yeon Wi tried to see his eldest son’s present. This was because it was absurd to disparage his current achievement just because he had gained such a realization in the past.
Yeon Ho-jeong also knew his father’s heart.
“Thank you.”
“The cold is piercing. On the other hand, the snow has stopped. Since the moonlight is also beautiful, in my heart, I would like to help you even a little in embodying the qi of the Divine Elixir through a duel with me, but since I have something to consult with you about, I think I will postpone the duel.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes sparkled.
“Did something happen?”
Yeon Wi told him everything that had happened today.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.
“I see. I was going to tell Father separately.”
“It is fine. Whether I find out late or early, in the end, it is enough that I know.”
“So, what did the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions say?”
“That is……”
Yeon Wi smacked his lips.
“She said she would give an answer by tomorrow morning.”
“Hoh.”
The corners of Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth curled up.
Leaving aside that the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions was a spy for the Cult, her character itself was quite beautiful and delicate.
She had her own fortitude, but that fortitude was useless in front of the Clan Head of one of the Six Great Clans. Especially, Tang Kwan’s sense of pressure was so great that it would make even a master of the same level nervous. With a mental strength like that of the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions, it would not have been easy to endure.
“Did Clan Head Tang just watch that?”
“He did.”
“……Eh?”
Yeon Wi smiled.
“That man, Clan Head Tang, has changed a lot from before. Of course, his characteristic pride and overbearing side are the same, but even so, he did not push recklessly like before.”
He did not push recklessly in the past either.
Tang Kwan’s overbearing appearance was merely one of countless masks to facilitate external activities. In fact, he was a person who had a record of successfully achieving impossible tasks with a sharp aura and terrifying arrogance.
In other words, Tang Kwan was also a nine-tailed fox. It was just that he was wearing a viper’s mask despite being a fox.
“And he told me to deliver these words to you.”
“Please speak.”
Yeon Wi hesitated for a moment. No matter how much it was a message, the target was his son. It was a bit embarrassing to deliver these words without changing a single syllable.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
“It is fine. It is better to hear direct words without any embellishment.”
“Then I will deliver it.”
“Yes.”
“He said that he would start the fire on his end, so you should either clean it up or try to make it even bigger to the best of your ability.”
“Oho.”
Yeon Ho-jeong stroked his chin.
“I expected it when I heard that he went to the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions without a word, but as expected, he does not seem to have any intention of just sitting still.”
“He is a person who hates being swayed by someone. Just accepting your proposal and running as a candidate would have been a big concession for him.”
To be precise, it was not a concession but a deal.
However, Tang Kwan could have reached a conclusion with the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions even without necessarily dealing with him. If one thought that far, as his father said, it was a concession.
‘That concession would have also been his final winning move to check whether he could active in the Murim Alliance.’
The world is like that. Before a Great Cause, protecting one’s own life and proving one’s own value was the priority.
Looking at it from that perspective, Tang Kwan was certainly a formidable figure.
“I understand what you mean. Then, I will go to the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions.”
Yeon Wi was surprised and asked.
“In the middle of the night?”
“Of course. What if she says she will not stand as a sponsor tomorrow morning?”
“It is late at night. Why not visit her early in the morning instead?”
“No. Now is better.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed with fire.
“I let a worm-eaten beast in, and she must not act up without knowing that grace. I will have to pick up the switch.”
* * *
Rustle.
Gi Wu-hui’s face hardened.
“It is Hidden Shadow Number One.”
“……That is right.”
She turned her back.
In a shadowed corner, a man in black wearing a mask was already kneeling.
Gi Wu-hui’s eyes wavered.
“How did this happen?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I know your concealment skills are great, but…… this is the Murim Alliance.”
“I am aware.”
Hidden Shadow Number One’s concealment skills rivaled those of the top assassins in the Central Plains Murim.
Furthermore, the Murim Alliance was too huge to be considered a single alliance. It would not be an exaggeration to call it a small nation.
Especially, the outer castle was no exaggeration to say it was the width of several large villages. Since not everyone living in the Murim Alliance was a master, it would not be very difficult to infiltrate if one could just scale the walls.
However, the inner castle was different.
The inner castle was the area where more than seventy percent of the Murim Alliance’s power was concentrated.
It was not the numbers, but the level of the warriors. The place where the top experts of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang and the Six Great Clans were concentrated was precisely the inner castle.
There was no one who was not a master at every step, and yet Hidden Shadow Number One had infiltrated such a dangerous place.
Hidden Shadow Number One lowered his head.
“Except for this once, unless it is a special situation, it will be difficult to see you again for the time being.”
He took out a small wooden box from his chest.
“Please take this.”
“……What is this?”
“We have stationed people from our Cult in the pharmacy, stables, and ironworks of the Murim Alliance’s outer castle.”
“……!”
“What is in the wooden box is a colorless and odorless scent that only those who have received special training can smell. Once every forty-five days, you just need to write down only the important matters among the Murim Alliance’s information and deliver them to the outer castle spies.”
“…….”
“When delivering, just apply that scent to your residence. The sense of smell of the trained spies can catch that scent even from fifty li away. They will visit within half a day, so you can deliver the information to the spy.”
Gi Wu-hui swallowed her saliva.
“You mean…… for me to do this?”
“It is an order from the superiors.”
“…….”
“It is something that does not suit the Holy Maiden’s nature. Therefore, please return to our Cult at once.”
“…….”
“Whenever the Holy Maiden makes up her mind, she can return to our Cult at any time. Once you return, the Holy Maiden will be able to hold power that places all people under your eyes.”
“……Hidden Shadow Number One.”
“Since it will be difficult to see you again for the time being, I will take this opportunity to commit one more rudeness.”
Gi Wu-hui sighed.
Hidden Shadow Number One continued speaking.
“It is true that there are many people who talk a lot about the Holy Maiden’s origin. However, that is literally nothing more than gossip. If you knew how much the Cult Leader cherishes the Holy Maiden, you would not say that their eyes are scary……”
“Hidden Shadow Number One.”
“……Yes, Holy Maiden.”
“I am sorry, but I have finally made my choice.”
Hidden Shadow Number One’s eyes wavered.
“Holy Maiden!”
Gi Wu-hui’s eyes were soaked with sadness.
“It was you, wasn’t it?”
“……What are you saying?”
“The person who killed my mother, it was you, wasn’t it?”
“……!!”
“Your regret toward me was real. However, tell me. Is the reason you are trying to change my mind that pure? Are you not trying to persuade me for yourself, to return to the throne you sat on before?”
“S-Holy Maiden!”
“The reason I have not made any particular response to your words in the meantime is because I knew that even if I fought with you, it would be of no benefit to me.”
Gi Wu-hui’s pupils, which had been soaked in sadness, gradually cooled down.
“But not anymore. Because I have also made my choice.”
“…….”
“Although I do not know what the end will be, I intend to fight in my own way.”
Hidden Shadow Number One said in a somewhat subdued voice.
“……Holy Maiden.”
“…….”
“Do not misunderstand and lis……”
It was then.
‘……!!’
Hidden Shadow Number One’s eyes bulged as if they would tear.
Thud.
His mouth would not open. In an instant, his body, which had lost strength, could not move even a single finger at his will.
‘W-What is this?!’
Why is it suddenly like this? Did he get hit by poison?
It was then.
“Indeed, it was like that.”
Hidden Shadow Number One felt goosebumps all over his body.
“All our fights are like that. It is not a fight that starts when a bell rings with a ‘ting’. Setting aside preparations and everything else, the side that strikes first gets the benefit, which is no different from a scuffle between back-alley thugs.”
An immense killing intent was seething in the voice mixed with laughter.
Hoo.
A pitch-black shadow blocked Hidden Shadow Number One’s field of vision.
Chirrring. Chirrrrring.
The sound of iron chains clashing evoked a terrifying fear.
The shadow, Yeon Ho-jeong, gave a mad smile.
“You should have come after the bell rang. What is this, are you a moth or something, are you not too brave?”