〈Chapter 104〉 The Master Exists • (1)
•••How did he know?
It certainly seemed like he hadn't noticed anything about my regression.
Could he have been acting...? As if answering my question, Shin Noya spoke.
'When the beast inside you consumed you and fell asleep, I could see many things.'
[What do you mean...]
'There was much I could not see, but I also saw the things you could not say.'
[...]
'I too have many questions now, but this is not the situation to focus on such things. Cease your useless thrashing and feel.'
If I could move my body, I might have collapsed on the spot right then.
Shin Noya's words were that shocking.
'Instead of wavering like that, inspect even one more thing.'
It was a resolute statement. Just what did he see and what was he thinking to say this to me?
Grip.
My dantian flinches.
Even if I try not to feel it, I feel it vividly. It felt even more so because it was so different from the method I had been using.
Is this the sensation of blooming plum blossoms? It seemed as though very small plum blossom petals were actually scattering around me.
Something all disciples of the Huashan Sect dream of.
To have it unfolding within my body gave me a strange feeling.
'You are not blooming them.'
Just as I was gradually becoming assimilated into the hazy sensation, Shin Noya spoke.
'If you think it ends with blooming plum blossoms, it is futile.'
These were words from none other than a master who left his name in the history of the Huashan Sect.
'Having bloomed them, you must embrace them. The path begins from there.'
Listening to Noya's words, I could observe a bit more. Just how many winds were blowing inside my body. Though it appeared calm on the outside, a typhoon embracing plum blossoms was raging within.
'Do you understand why I told the disciples of Huashan to complete the vessel of their body first?'
Even with perfect control, I could feel qi leaking out.
Was this because of a frail physique?
'I think you know this as well. The martial arts of the Gu Family are no different from this.'
As Shin Noya said, I knew to some extent.
The end of spewing flames is ultimately embracing heat. It would be correct to think that the Gu Family's ultimate technique embraces heat to maximize physical capability.
'Did you think that truly requires using a lot of internal qi? No. It is simply that much leaks out.'
My body moves.
Rather than holding the sword, it would be more accurate to say I am carried by the wind.
It sways gently.
Was there such flexibility in my body? It was astonishing.
'Tsk... To think I must teach what I couldn't even teach my disciple to such a demonic brat like you.'
.
.
Even while saying that, the sword path extends forward.
Nachal bares his teeth and moves desperately.
"This...!"
Even having become one-armed, Nachal's speed was definitely faster.
But strangely, the blade was reaching where Nachal would arrive first.
Shwik-! Shweeek!
"Ugh!"
The tip of the sword slices across Nachal's body here and there. The remarkably precise sword targeted the tendons of his limbs.
However, unlike Shin Noya's sword, the fully bloomed plum blossoms of the spiritual wind only dropped fragile leaves.
'Do not mistake your role. Having bloomed and embraced the plum blossoms, you must ultimately return as a swordsman.'
The pouring plum blossoms are unnecessary.
One leaf more brilliant than that is enough.
Shin Noya seemed to be saying exactly that.
'Your ignorant method is only possible because your internal qi is like a sea, and the end is clear. Do you not know that yourself?'
In my past life, I had demonic arts, so there was no shortage of internal qi.
But in the end, I could not reach the supreme realm.
Recalling that high and wide wall, it still felt overwhelming.
'Therefore, realize it.'
Swinging the sword only a few times.
That was enough to neutralize Nachal, a peak-level assassin.
With all his tendons severed, the one-armed man collapsed on the ground, sending a gaze filled with fear and emptiness.
He should have been superior not only in internal qi capacity but also in speed and strength.
Yet he was toyed with like a puppet by a single sword.
"Monster... You are... truly a monster..."
I understood Nachal's words spoken in despair. I could understand it better than anyone.
I didn't use any more internal qi than necessary.
I even set aside the internal qi I had and only used the energy that the demonic artifact had swallowed.
I could understand what Noya wanted to show me.
But it was a story far too difficult to comprehend and realize through personal experience.
Every joint aches. It meant there were that many muscles I hadn't been using. Even accounting for the difference between a swordsman and an unarmed fighter, it was no excuse.
I had simply been using my body less.
'Do not obsess over internal qi.'
[Did you use such a troublesome method just to teach me that?]
'If I left you alone, you would have died. What else could I do? I made the great effort to help you, so don't grumble unwillingly and bow in gratitude.'
[•••Thank you.]
I conveyed my gratitude at Shin Noya's words.
It was true that he helped me, and it was also true that he sought to bestow precious teachings.
Thanks to that, the arrogant heart that had been complacent about my regression vanished in an instant.
The realm I had reached in my past life and everything else felt utterly futile.
I realized once again that the road ahead was still long.
Shin Noya exhales through his nose and approaches Nachal.
Though it was based on his teachings, I knew Shin Noya was somewhat enraged.
Perhaps because of the coldly dead disciples of the Huashan Sect around us.
It was more surprising that he wasn't dominated by emotion and didn't waver in that moment.
"•••Kill me."
Nachal said in a dry voice.
In between, Nachal even attempted to flee, but it was all blocked by the sword path.
In the end, Nachal's eyes lost all hope. Nor did he cling to life.
He must have known that begging would not be listened to.
"•••Not being able to report about you to the Palace Lord is my only regret. Hehe... Still, do not get arrogant! The heavens are already on our side!"
"It's been that way since ancient times, but children of this faction are never in their right mind."
Thump-!
As if bothered to hear more, I drove the sword into Nachal's heart.
It was too insignificant an end for the death of a peak-level martial artist.
"If I may ask, do you have any complaints about killing him without torture?"
[Hearing that tone from my voice is a bit strange.]
"•••There are times when one cannot lend their body."
[I have no complaints.]
In the first place, torture was nearly impossible for an assassin of that level.
Not to mention the poison pill he would have kept in his mouth, even if his acupoints were sealed, there would be countless ways to take his own life.
Honestly, there might have been methods if I looked for them, so it was a bit regrettable, but considering Shin Noya's feelings, conceding this much was right.
Shin Noya moved his forearm around and spoke as if disappointed.
"•••To be tired from moving just this much, what a waste of a body."
[How long do you plan to use it...]
"Do not rush me. Anyway, this is my limit now."
Saying so, he slowly walked somewhere.
The place Shin Noya walked to was where the disciples' corpses lay.
As if the rotting stench didn't matter, he calmly knelt and closed his eyes.
I didn't know what Shin Noya was thinking as he closed his eyes, but it must have been an emotion I could not comprehend.
Shin Noya, who had been sitting quietly like that, quietly spoke.
"It is done now. Just like you, I too have many things I wish to ask you, but let us speak of that later."
•••Thump!
With a sensation of something resonating, my vision returned to normal.
Fortunately, I could move my body again without any problems. The sensation of my consciousness swapping was much more harrowing than I had imagined.
"...Noya."
[Yes.]
Fortunately, it seemed Noya hadn't disappeared this time. Worried there might be issues, I moved my body a little, but there were no particular problems.
Feeling relieved about that, I asked bitterly while looking at the situation around me.
"Should we take them to the Huashan Sect?"
It was a question asked while looking at the corpses. Shin Noya answered my question without hesitation.
"Do not take on unnecessary burdens. It is not your responsibility, and you know you cannot do so either."
"..."
As Noya said, I couldn't take the corpses with me.
Of course, it would be possible if I took the time, but there were many parts that would be overwhelming to explain.
[Take only that flower. That one.]
At Shin Noya's words, I looked behind me. Nachal's original purpose was that flower, he had said.
I approached the flower little by little. My feet soaked in blood splashed with each step.
The bubbling blood was hot, but the temperature couldn't harm me.
As I got closer, the energy felt even stronger. How on earth could a flower bloom in such a blood puddle?
"These bastards... Just what did they make bloom?"
There might be dozens of red flowers in the world, but I had never heard of flowers that grow by drinking blood.
If I tried to think of one, there was indeed one thing that came to mind.
"•••Is it a Demonic Realm after all?"
A hell-like space where common sense doesn't apply. If it's a plant from that place, it would be understandable.
An ordinary spiritual herb wouldn't emit such vicious energy.
What I was simply curious about was what they intended to make with this and where they would use it.
I brought my hand to the plant. Fortunately, nothing happened, and the Mado Heavenly Absorption Art didn't activate.
[You don't ask if it wouldn't be better to leave it as is.]
'If I leave it here...'
The ones to discover it would ultimately be the Murim Alliance. There were many reasons tangled up here and there, but the Murim Alliance discovering it wasn't a good thing.
Drip-!
When I applied force, the flower was pulled out by the roots far too easily. As the flower was pulled out, the boiling blood around it instantly calmed down.
It seemed this flower was the cause of everything.
[Aren't you afraid?]
"What do you mean?"
[You reached your hand toward something unknown, yet there is no sign of fear.]
"..."
Demonic Realm, a name and memory that was suffocating just to imagine, but also a word I had been close to enough to be sick of. Even so, I had acted too carelessly just now.
'I need to be careful.'
I examined the flower, but aside from everything from the petals to the roots being red, it was just an ordinary flower.
If only it didn't have internal qi that made my holding hand tingle.
An ordinary spiritual herb loses more than half of its spiritual energy the moment it is discovered and pulled from the ground.
Moreover, the stem part, unlike the leaves, scatters as time passes, so it must be consumed immediately.
"This doesn't lose its energy."
That was why it was even more frightening.
If there had been a problem when I pulled it out, I would have considered burning it, but for now, I put it inside my robe.
I climbed out of the puddle and tidied myself up. Because of the blood that had risen to my ankles, a portion of my lower garments was dyed in blood.
My increasingly throbbing body was also a problem. It was probably because Shin Noya had used my body.
"Is it really alright to leave it as you said?"
[..It is fine.]
The three words Shin Noya uttered contained far too many unspoken words.
I at least wanted to get rid of that vile blood puddle, but I couldn't yet emit enough heat to evaporate it.
In the end, there was nothing to do but leave.
I put my hands together for the dead, and before exiting the cave, I approached the dead Nachal and brought my hand to him.
[What are you doing...?]
Suuuuur...
The demonic energy Nachal possessed was drawn in through my palm.
Looking only at the amount of demonic energy excluding internal qi, Nachal had a smaller amount than Yaheol.
Seeing that, Shin Noya spoke as if dumbfounded.
[You said you didn't want to do that, so why are you doing this?]
"It seems you've learned a lot."
That was something I had never told Noya. Even watching me absorb demonic energy, Shin Noya didn't seem particularly surprised.
Just how far did he see while staying quietly inside my body?
Moreover, I couldn't understand the intention of the bastard who had shown him such things.
[This is also the reason why I have much to tell you later.]
"•••I simply realized that this is not a situation relaxed enough to be picky while making up petty excuses."
In the end, to calm the fellow rampaging inside my body, I had to consume demonic energy, and I had to realize that a peaceful era where I could afford to choose methods while spitting out excuses wasn't going to last long.
If I didn't, it felt like I would lose everything.
How much time had passed since I purified the Sword Empress's demonic energy, only to have to fill my body with it again right after? Even knowing I had to adapt, I couldn't help but frown.
In the end, I only rose to leave the cave after extracting all the demonic energy from Nachal's body.
When I returned to the Huashan Sect, the sun was already rising.
It felt like far too many things had passed while the moon was up.
Both body and mind were exhausted. I needed to train so I wouldn't forget the sensation of when Shin Noya moved in my stead.
But right now, not only was my body exhausted, my mind was also tired from the sudden influx of information, so I wanted to rest first.
I left the breathless Nachal among the coldly stiffened corpses with traces planted, and since I had opened the mechanism, the Murim Alliance would discover it before long.
Then it would become uproarious once again.
[What do you plan to do with the flower?]
'Well, seeing as it belongs to Huashan in a way, I'm also thinking I should return it.'
Noya's voice asking the question also sounded very tired. As he said earlier, it seemed more fatigue had accumulated than expected.
At my words, Noya spoke in a voice mixed with a sigh.
[Do not do that.]
It was a strange thing to say. Given Noya's position, I thought he would want it returned by all means.
[In a sense, this is a story about how many children might have been sacrificed for that flower.]
'So shouldn't we return it even more?'
[You have no way to explain how you came to possess it, and even if the current Sect Leader receives it, the most he could do is plant it in the Plum Blossom Cave.]
Then what did he want me to do? Was he telling me to swallow it?
[You had better swallow it instead.]
'Have you lost your mind?'
Even if ominous energy might be mixed in, I knew the flower contained no small amount of dao energy.
Moreover, as Nachal had called it the original liquid, I could feel just how deep and dense its energy was.
But still...
[You greenhorn, you said you harbored a will, yet you're still looking for justification.]
At Shin Noya's words, it felt like something slammed into my head with a thud.
[Do not use guilt-ridden hypocrisy as a justification to hesitate. You should know better than anyone what the method of atonement is.]
"..."
Just how far into my memories did he see to be able to say this?
I was too afraid to ask, so my mouth couldn't open.
Does Shin Noya... also know that I annihilated Huashan in my past life?
[•••Rest for now. It wouldn't be good for anyone to see you in that state.]
"•••Yes."
The forearm injured by Nachal was in a roughly stopped bleeding state, but my legs soaked in the puddle were beyond help.
I carefully opened the door to get clean clothes to change into after washing.
"•••Hm?"
[Hm?]
In the room that should have been empty, something was stirring.
The culprit must have been tossing and turning, as her clothes were disheveled, revealing pale skin.
"Why is she sleeping here again?"
Holding onto my blanket and fast asleep was Namgung Via.