novelraw Chapter 206 : Chapter 206
Chapter 206 : Chapter 206
Chapter 206. A Clue (2)
Paeng Daecheol wore a surprised expression.
But the ones who were more surprised were not Paeng Daecheol, but my companions.
"D-don't tell me you're planning to tell him that?"
Dang Sopyeong asked with a face that screamed, "Are you crazy?"
Of course, I was in my right mind.
"In many ways, it seems better to tell Young Master Paeng."
That Dang Clan guy glanced at Paeng Daecheol, then came up to me and whispered.
"No matter, we've only known him for a few days, yet you're going to pass on the Fighting Venerable's heart art. Isn't that a bit excessive?"
Junior Sister Baek Hyang remained silent, but she seemed to feel the same way.
Junior Sister Choyeon also appeared indifferent at a glance, but her eyebrows were slightly lowered.
I scanned my companions and then asked Paeng Daecheol.
"By any chance, have you heard the moniker 'Fighting Venerable'?"
"Is there anyone in the martial world who does not know of the Fighting Venerable?"
Paeng Daecheol's eyes, who asked back, widened like lanterns.
"D-don't tell me... Are you saying that you, Great Hero, know the Fighting Venerable's heart technique?"
When I nodded, he asked again.
"H-how do you know the Fighting Venerable's heart technique...? Ah! Don't tell me you were a disciple of the Fighting Venerable, Great Hero?"
I raised the Master's Blade.
"I am a swordsman."
"Ah... But then how do you know the Fighting Venerable's martial arts...?"
I briefly explained for his sake, as he was looking puzzled.
"That old monster once kidnapped me. For the crazy reason that he wanted to compare the Sun Moon Infinite Sword I had learned with his divine art."
"...He seems to be even more of a character than the rumors suggested. Huk! Th-then don't tell me you won the duel against the Fighting Venerable?"
"That is not the case. On the contrary, since he had won, he told me to do as he said and thrust a martial arts manual upon me, telling me to find a successor who could learn his martial arts in his stead."
Paeng Daecheol's eyes trembled violently after hearing the full explanation.
"Th-then don't tell me you are going to pass on the Fighting Venerable's martial arts to me?"
"That is right."
"H-how can you give me such a great gift...?"
His expression showed that the gift was so great that he found it hard to believe.
Even though he was a worldly person who wanted to become a great hero and be treated well by people, seeing him like this, he was also a truly simple fellow.
And it was because he was this kind of person that I had chosen him.
To calm the surprised Paeng Daecheol, I calmly explained the reason for choosing him.
"First of all, although it was not my intention, that Thunder Essence broke because of me, did it not? So, I thought of passing on the Fighting Venerable's Primordial Origin Heart Art as a way to replace your Thunder Qi."
I continued speaking for the still dazed fellow.
"The second reason is because of the Fighting Venerable. As I said before, I was looking for a successor who could master the Fighting Venerable's martial arts. And a swordsman at that."
As I said that, I looked at the Thunder Dragon Blade in his hand.
Paeng Daecheol similarly lowered his head and looked at the Thunder Dragon Blade in his hand.
Then, Paeng Daecheol, who raised his head again, asked.
"C-can I really master the Fighting Venerable's martial arts?"
I readily nodded.
But I couldn't go on about the future Thunder Disaster.
I gave a suitable answer.
"Although you obtained the divine art of the ascended Thunder Blade Emperor, in any case, your martial arts are on par with Hwangbo Ak over there, aren't they?"
At that, Hwangbo Ak snorted.
"Hmph. Brother Jin, that's all because of the characteristics of that Thunder Art he learned! If we fight properly, I am a cut above him!"
Ignoring him, I continued.
"If you continue to train diligently with your best effort, you will surely be able to achieve mastery someday."
"Sob. Thank you so much for believing in me, Great Hero."
I added one last thing to the moved Paeng Daecheol.
"And the third reason is because you, Young Master Paeng, answered that you wanted to become a chivalrous hero. The Fighting Venerable's martial arts is a martial study that would not be lacking even if it were called a divine art. If it falls into the hands of a villain, it is bound to become a disaster for the martial world."
And if that guy were to grow into a disaster for the martial world, then I would have to kill him with my own hands.
The future had changed.
Yet, if he were to grow into a villain again, then in the end, it would be because of me.
"For these reasons, I am planning to pass on the Primordial Origin Heart Art to you, Young Master Paeng. So, will you join us until you master the divine art?"
Paeng Daecheol, who had no reason to refuse, immediately cupped his fists and bowed his head.
"I can only thank you and thank you again for your grace, Great Hero!!"
As he said that and raised his head, there was a shimmer of moisture in Paeng Daecheol's eyes.
Eyes like those of a deer.
It was a gaze that gave me a sense of déjà vu.
Because it was the same gaze I encountered every time I exchanged greetings with the rising generation of the Twin Heroes Alliance.
***
For the next few days, training and travel continued.
Jin Yuseong stuck close to Paeng Daecheol and had to explain the essentials of the Primordial Origin Heart Art to him over and over again.
As it was a martial art that could be called a divine secret technique, the essentials were also long and complicated.
When he broke it down and explained it so that he could understand the essentials, the content multiplied several times over.
In other words, it meant that Paeng Daecheol had understood that long and complicated content in just a few days.
It was partly because of Paeng Daecheol's outstanding talent, and also because he had already reached a fairly high realm.
And now.
"Haa. Hoo."
Paeng Daecheol was performing breathing exercises while sitting in a cross-legged position.
It was the process of newly dyeing the dantian, which had been trained with the Thunder Heart Art, with the color of the Primordial Origin Heart Art.
While guiding his qi according to the essentials he had understood and memorized over the past few days, Paeng Daecheol thought.
'I will definitely achieve mastery.'
He had a premonition from the time he was learning the essentials.
A premonition that with this martial art of the Fighting Venerable, he could replace the Thunder Heart Art.
Of course, it could not be a perfect replacement.
Thunder Qi was the purest natural energy, and also the most destructive.
It was impossible to replace it with artificially formed energy.
But the energy of the Primordial Origin Heart Art was one of the most hegemonic among those artificial energies.
Also, because it was an artificial energy, the training was also relatively simple.
At least, there was no need to get struck by lightning every time.
But the real reason he wanted to master the Primordial Origin Heart Art was different.
'I cannot disappoint the Great Hero Ghost Sword!'
It was the heart technique of the Fighting Venerable, who was called the sky of the martial world.
To think he would pass on such a heart technique to him, who had only traveled with him for a few days.
Where else could one find such grace?
In addition to being grateful for that grace, Paeng Daecheol was greatly moved by Jin Yuseong's great generosity.
Paeng Daecheol was completely unaware that Jin Yuseong intended to kill him with his own hands if things went wrong.
'And I will make a name for myself as the second-greatest chivalrous hero after the Great Hero Ghost Sword!!'
After operating the Primordial Origin Heart Art with this mindset for a while.
"Haa. Hoo."
With a final exhale, Paeng Daecheol snapped his eyes open.
Unlike when he operated the Thunder Heart Art, there was no shimmer of Thunder Qi around his eyes.
Jin Yuseong, who had been watching him quietly, nodded and said.
"It seems you have more or less passed the first stage."
"To be able to know that just by looking. You truly are a great hero!"
Although it was possible because of his special second eye, Jin Yuseong did not bother to explain it.
'...Somehow, no matter what I say to explain, he seems like he'll just keep spouting strange nonsense.'
As he had expected, regardless of what Jin Yuseong said, Paeng Daecheol repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
"Ah, and thank you so much for standing guard!"
"The future will be important. When you try to display the Thunder Blade Art with the energy of the Primordial Origin Heart Art, there will often be parts that do not fit."
"Yes, Great Hero! I will do my best to learn it!"
Jin Yuseong let out a faint sigh and turned his head.
His gaze was directed at Choyeon.
As if understanding the meaning behind Jin Yuseong's gaze, Choyeon sat down in a cross-legged position without a word.
Soon, the energy flowing from her dantian began to swim through her blood vessels.
The ceaselessly flowing energy, after passing through her Ren meridians, reached the Gate of Life and Death.
The internal energy that Choyeon had accumulated so far. On top of that, the energy of the spiritual medicine that Dang Sopyeong had given her last time.
With nearly a gapja of energy accumulated, she was finally attempting to open the Gate of Life and Death.
Every time the massive internal energy struck the Gate of Life and Death, a terrible pain surged.
But Choyeon did not even bat an eyelid.
This level of pain was nothing.
Compared to the torture training she had received when she was in the assassin training center of the Red Moon Falling Flowers, it was nothing special.
No. Rather, it felt more bearable now.
Back then, she had endured the harsh torture simply to survive. And to save her younger brother.
But it was different now.
It was not something she was doing because someone had ordered her to.
It was not Jin Yuseong's coercion either.
It was something she was doing because she herself wanted it.
'I hope there will be no more people like me.'
For this reason, she wanted to become even a little bit stronger.
Senior Brother Jin Yuseong and Older Brother Nam Geon. Senior Sister Baek Hyang. And even the peculiar Young Master Dang Sopyeong.
She wanted to be of even a little more help to them.
BOOM!!
With an explosion, the first Gate of Life and Death crumbled.
The massive energy that had broken through the embankment now surged up through the Du meridians.
Before long, the second Gate of Life and Death, located near the Hundred Convergences Acupoint, also crumbled.
As the Ren and Du meridians connected, the massive energy flowed without obstruction.
Choyeon, who was swimming in that endless flow, naturally fell into a state of selflessness.
Jin Yuseong, who was watching Choyeon with a hopeful thought, smiled faintly.
He could see it with his eyes. Choyeon's energy, flowing loftily without any problems.
Finally, even Junior Sister Choyeon had set foot in the supreme realm.
No. In the first place, Choyeon's perception and understanding of the sword had reached a higher level.
It was just that her internal energy had not been able to keep up.
After she had sorted out her current enlightenment, he felt that she would reach a level beyond Sword Unification.
Jin Yuseong glanced over and surveyed his companions.
Junior Sister Baek Hyang and Hwangbo Ak were already at the very edge of the supreme realm, seeking their final enlightenment.
Dang Sopyeong's hidden weapon and poison arts had also reached a high level.
Because of the characteristics of his martial arts, even a very skilled master could die at Dang Sopyeong's hands depending on the situation.
As for Nam Geon, unless it was a master at the level of freely controlling enhanced qi, they would not be his match due to the characteristics of the martial arts he was learning.
Paeng Daecheol could also become a master on par with Junior Sister Baek Hyang or Hwangbo Ak if only his Primordial Origin Heart Art settled in.
Looking at their faces, his mind felt a little more at ease.
'I hope you all survive.'
He wanted them not to die.
He wanted them not to die in vain while being with him, living with the same will as him.
And the battle with the Demonic Cult was waiting for them.
Unlike the Jin Yuseong of his past life, he knew very well now.
'Yes. It is impossible for me to face all the trash in the world alone anyway.'
He needed his companions' help.
At the same time, he wanted them not to die.
That was why he was so happy with his companions' growth.
Because they could get even a little bit closer to that absurdly difficult goal.
And Jin Yuseong knew.
Another way to reach that high goal.
'Before the Cult Leader grows any stronger, I must somehow master the Sun Moon Infinite Sword.'
***
A few days later, they arrived at the Seomoon Clan.
They had a simple reunion with the Seomoon Clan head and the children of the clan.
In addition, they made some requests to Blacksmith Great Jade Yeo and his daughter Yeo Yun.
"The swords of Nam Geon and Junior Sister Choyeon here have been broken."
"Hah... I can understand Miss Choyeon's sword, but Great Hero Nam's sword is not something that would break so easily."
Blacksmith Yeo, who was muttering with a surprised face, nodded his head.
"I understand. I will try my best to forge stronger and sharper swords for the two of them."
That Dang Clan guy, who had been waiting for an opportunity, cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Ahem. Father, I think I will need some new hidden weapons too."
"Where on earth is your father here?"
"......Ahem. Th-that is, Elder. I-I think I will need some hidden weapons too."
At that Dang Clan guy's words, as he watched his expression, Great Jade Yeo replied with a very displeased face.
"Hmph. I will be busy making the swords for these two, so go talk to my daughter."
"Yes! I will do that!!"
That Dang Clan guy quickly got up and gave a signal to Yeo Yun with his eyes.
At that, Yeo Yun also glanced around and then got up.
After the two of them left, Great Jade Yeo's expression became even more displeased.
"Ehh. Tsk."
Just then, a martial artist from the Seomoon Clan suddenly rushed to find them.
"Great Hero Ghost Sword! The clan head is looking for you!"
It was strange for him to be looking for him so suddenly when they had just talked a quarter of an hour ago.
With puzzled faces, Jin Yuseong and his companions headed for the Clan Head's Hall.
And there, a middle-aged beggar was with the Seomoon Clan head.
"So the Great Hero Ghost Sword was really here!"
The beggar, who was showing his delight, quickly composed himself.
"Oh my, look at me! I have found it, Great Hero Ghost Sword!"
"Don't tell me you have found the base of the Demonic Cult?"
Various thoughts flashed through Jin Yuseong's mind for a moment.
It was because of the Thunder Blade Emperor's words.
If he went there now, he would not be able to escape a dog's death.
But he couldn't just leave it be, knowing the location of their base.
However, contrary to Jin Yuseong's worries, the beggar quickly shook his head.
"Isn't there another place besides that Demonic Cult? I have found a trace of the Heavenly Emperor Cult!"