Chapter 362: Eight Exalts (5)

Read it only at Nineheavens.org

Zhuge Yan was right. Right now, without me doing anything at all, my Legitimacy was rapidly increasing.

Just as she had said, the common people undoubtedly believed that I was the manifestation of a god. Even if an emperor was said to possess a god-given bloodline, he was ultimately human. The manifestation of a god versus a god-given bloodline. Whose side one would take was an exceedingly obvious matter.

I had thought this would be a time purely among martial artists, but in a way, I had ended up gaining something greater than what I had sought to obtain through this torrential rain.

‘With this level of Legitimacy value, I can understand why Zhuge Yan told me to push the narrative of divinity.’

If I were to call myself a god here, my Legitimacy would actually rise even further.

Even now, my Legitimacy was climbing steeply. It meant that rumors about me were continuously spreading to every corner of the Central Plains. Along with the groundless rumor that I was the manifestation of a god.

‘It’s dizzying.’

In truth, it might be an absurd dilemma. Just because I called myself a god did not mean I would actually become a real god, after all.

However, the reason I was deliberating was precisely this. It was the names of the talents that could now be purchased with Legitimacy.

[ Transcendence — Grade 2 ]

[ Price: 3,000 Legitimacy ]

[ Extraordinary Appearance — Grade 2 ]

[ Price: 2,000 Legitimacy ]

As I looked at the names of the talents that required interpretation once again, I discovered a peculiar point.

The price of Extraordinary Appearance had clearly been one thousand in my memory, but it had risen to two thousand. Since it was related to price, at least, there was no way my memory was mistaken.

Did Grade 2 mean a system where talents became more expensive the more one bought them? But right now, that held little significance for me. Because right now, I had accumulated well over ten thousand Legitimacy.

‘Since they are Grade 2, no matter which talent I buy I won’t lose out, but…….’

Still, since I was expending Legitimacy, I wanted to buy something certain if possible.

[ Celestial Martial Physique — Grade 2 ]

[ Price: 3,000 Legitimacy ]

And the most certain thing here, in my eyes, was the Celestial Martial Physique.

While the other talents were all abstract, the Celestial Martial Physique was definite. It was a complete superior compatibility to the Grade 3 Martial King’s Body that I currently possessed.

There were various special physiques in the martial world, but the one counted as the absolute supreme among them was indeed the Celestial Martial Physique. A body that would appear barely once in a thousand years, if at all. Those who possessed the Celestial Martial Physique in the history of the martial world remained as legends.

Of course, even now, I was already someone leaving unprecedented history in the martial world. No one treated me as a mere younger-generation talent anymore. Because I had defeated the Eight Exalts.

However, the martial world was not the entirety of my objective. It was the Imperial Palace and the Immortal Realm operating secretly behind it. They wielded profound and miraculous arts using immortal techniques. Although I too understood the principles of immortal arts, since I did not know exactly where their limits lay, I had to become as strong as possible.

I crossed my legs into the lotus position and purchased the Celestial Martial Physique. The moment I bought the Celestial Martial Physique, a reaction immediately came from my body.

“……Ugh.”

A severe pain that I had never experienced when purchasing the Martial King’s Body suddenly assailed me.

Sure enough, perhaps because it was a physical body from myths, it seemed to be something different. I immediately closed my eyes and observed my own body.

It was truly a wondrous sight. The joints and bones inside my body were being dismantled piece by piece and reassembled.

Now that I thought of it, there had been Rebirth through Bone Cleansing among the Grade 4 talents as well. Had I bought that, I wondered if I would have undergone a process like this.

Though it was described as bones being reassembled, the agony of every joint breaking occurred directly inside my body. It felt as if I would lose consciousness if I let go of my mind for even a moment, but I gritted my teeth and endured.

Still, perhaps because the time I had spent as a martial artist was not in vain, my mind became even clearer as it stood against the unbearable pain.

After the endless kalpas of agony passed. Immediately, vitality began to surge from within my body. I sprang to my feet. It felt as though my eye level had risen slightly as well. Had I grown a bit taller after undergoing rebirth? It was an astonishing phenomenon.

I gripped my shoulder and rotated it once. It was not just my imagination; it genuinely felt as though my joints were twice as smooth. The body itself had changed. Confidence welled up that I could master any martial art right now. A feeling that I could execute the martial arts I currently possessed with even greater power. I could feel it. Now, I was a recognized expert in the martial world.

I opened the door leading to the staircase going up. It was the staircase returning to the New Justice Association Master’s office.

The moment I opened the door to the Association Master’s office, I immediately heard voices searching for me.

“Association Master! Association Master! Where are you!”

Originally, whenever I entered the cultivation room, I locked the door to the Association Master’s office, so there was no one in the room. Outside the office, I could hear people moving around, searching for me.

Because the soundproofing of the cultivation room was made so well, the noise from outside had not been heard at all.

The moment I opened the door, I looked at Zhuge Yan, who was hurriedly searching for me in the hallway. Her face was flushed red from running around so frantically.

“Why are you looking for me like this? I haven’t died.”

“No, where on earth were you?”

“The cultivation room you made for me. The soundproofing was so good that I couldn’t hear.”

“……Ah, the cultivation room. I thought that might be the case. Even so, you should have come out a bit earlier.”

“Why?”

“How many days do you think have passed? Four full days have passed! The other members of the Eight Exalts are waiting as well.”

“Four days?”

I was astonished. Had aligning and reassembling my joints taken four whole days? It was understandable that Zhuge Yan, who rarely showed panic, was acting like this.

Originally, we were supposed to face each other every two days, so leaving four days completely empty without a word must have put Zhuge Yan in a difficult position as well.

“Where are they?”

“They are waiting in the reception room.”

“Understood.”

I immediately headed toward the reception room. Even before entering, sharp and prickly energies were already leaking out through the cracks of the reception room door.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting so long.”

I lightly made my presence known before entering. Instantly, sharp gazes fastened onto me. The Blue Moon Sword Exalt was not visible, perhaps still recuperating, and only the remaining four Exalts remained.

“Oho. It is the exceedingly busy New Justice Association Master.”

“You must be very busy. To completely ignore your promise with us to this extent.”

Fighting Exalt Jang Gwang-yeong and the Dark Exalt immediately sneered. Indeed, because they were people who had never been stood up like this, they reacted all the more prickly. Zhuge Yan must have had a hard time dealing with them as well. I did not think Namgung Jin-hyeon or Gakwon would have pressured Zhuge Yan.

“There was a circumstance.”

“And what might that circumstance be?”

“I attained an enlightenment.”

At my words, the people who had been pretending to look elsewhere instantly whipped their heads around.

“Enlightenment?”

“Yes. While reviewing the duel with Immortal Tae-seong, I gained profound insight.”

“Hoh…….”

Only then did the prickly energy of the Fighting Exalt and the Dark Exalt recede. Attaining enlightenment as a martial artist was something to be blessed. It was not something to scold over being two days late. Even if they belonged to unorthodox sects, they were eminent masters of the martial world, so they knew that much.

“Congratulations.”

“You have advanced to yet another realm.”

Namgung Jin-hyeon and Gakwon offered their congratulations first. I cupped my hands and received their greetings.

“Khmm. It only makes us look awkward for getting angry over nothing.”

“Indeed, who would have thought he would gain enlightenment just like that? Enlightenment rarely comes even three times in a martial artist’s life. In any case, congratulations.”

The Fighting Exalt and the Dark Exalt grumbled, but they did not withhold their congratulations toward me.

“In any case, I apologize for unintentionally making you wait.”

“No, well, if you attained enlightenment, it cannot be helped.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

In the first place, the Fighting Exalt and Dark Exalt were merely grumbling; they did not seem to have been particularly furious.

“Then, since I feel apologetic for taking up your time, I would like to make a proposal.”

“A proposal?”

“From now on, I will fight without any rest periods.”

“……What?”

At my words, prickly energy once again leaked from the people who had quieted down. The same was true for Namgung Jin-hyeon and Gakwon, who had not been emitting any until a moment ago.

“Young friend, no matter what enlightenment you attained, enlightenment is something that is absorbed over time even after attaining it, not applied immediately.”

Namgung Jin-hyeon spoke in a heavy voice. The only side that worried about me was indeed the Namgung Clan, who belonged to the same New Justice Association.

“Facing the four of us in succession. That seems like an act of looking down on us far too much.”

“Those are extremely provocative words.”

“……Benefactor. What you said just now seems to be a bit of a mistake.”

The Dark Exalt, Fighting Exalt, and Fist Exalt could not hide their displeasure. What I had said just now had clearly provoked the Eight Exalts.

And Namgung Jin-hyeon’s words were generally correct, but they did not apply to me. Because the Martial Talent Shop took immediate effect from the moment of purchase.

“There is no reason to be so angry. Is it not enough as long as I win?”

I smiled faintly. Now, even Namgung Jin-hyeon could not shield me. Fighting spirit welled up vigorously from the bodies of the Eight Exalts.

“Those are correct words. There is no need to argue back and forth; we can just proceed immediately.”

Jang Gwang-yeong spoke. Next to Tae-seong, Jang Gwang-yeong seemed to be the oldest.

We headed out to the warehouse grounds of the East Lake Merchant Association outside. The completely overturned ground had also been leveled to a certain extent. Zhuge Yan and Namgung Hwi seemed to have gone through quite some trouble.

“They came out.”

“It really is the Eight Exalts and the New Justice Association Master.”

“It seems the New Justice Association Master didn’t run away after all.”

“After defeating the Blue Moon Sword Exalt like that, why would he run away? He probably just rested longer to heal internal injuries.”

Naturally, it was not only the Eight Exalts who had waited for me. Martial artists from all corners of the Central Plains had all gathered to watch this unprecedented duel.

Jang Gwang-yeong and I stood facing each other. Jang Gwang-yeong looked at me with a smirk. It was the face of a predator before a hunt.

“I remember when I first fought you. Was it at the black market in Shaanxi?”

“Back then, it couldn’t even be called a fight. Senior Jang went easy on me by a wide margin, didn’t you?”

“That was certainly true. But to think that the fellow I went so easy on is now standing equally with me like this. It truly gives a sense of how times have changed. It makes me wonder what I’ve been doing all this time.”

“You don’t need to feel so much self-reproach. It is simply that I am special.”

“Hearing those words makes me feel even more self-reproach.”

I said it as a joke, but Jang Gwang-yeong unexpectedly took it seriously.

To be fair, Jang Gwang-yeong had been someone who continually wanted to fight me since some point.

“Still, since I am the senior, it is only right that I yield the first strike.”

“Naturally so.”

I only provoked them when it was just the Eight Exalts; I had no intention of belittling the Eight Exalts in a place where everyone was watching. Because they were martial artists fully worthy of respect.

“Then, here I come.”

“Come.”

I gripped my sword. The feel of the sword hilt winding into my hand was different. The Celestial Martial Physique was truly different in every aspect.

I kicked off the ground. Here, there was something I had overlooked.

I had never used martial arts even once after obtaining the Celestial Martial Physique. It was because Zhuge Yan had sought me out so urgently.

As the speed and power exceeded my own perception, I could not even align the point of impact and flew past Jang Gwang-yeong’s side.

When I brushed past Jang Gwang-yeong, I looked at him, and he was completely unable to follow my movement.

And in the place I had passed, a fierce gale blew belatedly. Jang Gwang-yeong also belatedly realized that he had lost track of me and looked back at me with dazed eyes.

“……Just what kind of enlightenment did you attain?”

Jang Gwang-yeong spoke in a stunned voice.

He, I, the watching Eight Exalts, and the martial artists all realized it.

I was a completely different person from who I had been four days ago.