〈 Episode 423 〉 Suryong River. (4)
Back when the Red-grade first appeared.
Countless disasters struck the Central Plains.
Unlike the Green or Blue grades, they produced only a single demonic beast, but the damage from that one creature was enormous.
Even Peak masters would normally survive against most demonic beasts.
But with the emergence of the Red-grade beast, that obvious assumption was shattered.
And the era of peace, barely maintained until then, began to crack.
The reason was simple.
Red-grade demonic beasts were immune to inner qi.
The meaning contained in this single short line caused every disaster and calamity.
The sword troops who originally hunted demonic beasts were those who used the inner qi within their bodies to slay them.
They had to be able to cut and tear through tough hides.
They had to be able to shatter hard bones.
Thus, it was common sense that all who hunted demonic beasts were martial artists who used inner qi.
But starting with the Red-grade, these were creatures that shattered such common sense.
Around their bodies, an incomprehensible membrane hung like armor, and this membrane possessed the property of absorbing inner qi.
Attacks mixed with inner qi were invariably absorbed, and once the inner qi was gone, the attack couldn't pierce the beast's hide.
They possessed massive bodies and strength incomparable to the Blue-grade.
And since even martial artists' attacks no longer worked, it was only natural that they began to run rampant.
Even though only one appeared at a time, at first, that single beast couldn't be stopped, and the northern lands were reduced to ruin.
That is what a demonic beast immune to inner qi was.
Therefore, in my previous life, martial artists felt helpless against Red-grade beasts for the first time. But as always, people found a way even in despair.
The Red-grade beast's defensive barrier definitely absorbed inner qi, but its capacity was not limitless.
This was a fact discovered by the Heavenly Lord of my previous life while hunting Red-grade beasts.
Once the membrane absorbed a certain amount of inner qi, it would break.
After breaking it, one could capture the beast with inner qi as easily as a lower-grade beast.
But the problem was that the amount of “inner qi beyond a certain threshold” was tremendous.
To put it in numbers, if a martial artist who had reached the Hwagyeong poured out all of their inner qi completely.
Only then would the barrier break.
In other words, unless one was a Hwagyeong martial artist with an extraordinary amount of inner qi, hunting Red-grade beasts was impossible.
Though they had gained a sliver of hope for hunting demonic beasts, the conditions were far too苛刻.
Eventually, just as many were sinking back into despair.
A certain rumor arrived.
It was news that a martial artist who had remained at the Peak had succeeded in hunting a Red-grade beast.
This was approximately one year after the Red-grade beasts had begun their activity.
Many asked him. How had he done it? They wondered if he was a martial artist with far more inner qi than his realm would suggest.
But the young man was from a Taoist sect and not someone with a great deal of energy.
So when asked how on earth he had fought and hunted that beast.
The young man answered the question thus:
[“They are not all the same. Like the sea, where there are deep places, there are also shallow ones. Aim for those places.”]
At first, it sounded like nonsense.
But before long, it became a massive thread of hope.
The membrane was not uniform.
Just as the sea had deep places, it also had shallow ones.
It meant that within the powerful membrane that absorbed inner qi, there were spots where its density was weak.
If they found those spots and attacked, they could damage the beast. And it was more effective in breaking the membrane.
The young man had found these parts and targeted the beast.
The martial artists who confirmed this were filled with hope. It was a method found after nearly a year.
However.
Another problem arose there.
Finding where the barrier was weak and where it was deep within the transparent membrane was yet another problem entirely.
How could one know what they couldn't see?
When asked about this as well, the young man answered with a rather sleepy expression:
[“It is a feeling.”]
A truly absurd answer.
The Peak martial artist who had hunted a Red-grade beast in my previous life.
Hidden Dragon Wuhyeok had spat out such an answer.
Swoosh—!
A sword strike bearing Dao qi traced a flawless curve.
It then slid along the snake's back scales and landed a short blow.
Crack—! Clang—!
It was a rather blunt sound for something made by a sword.
Kraaaack—!
The impact was certain, and the beast screamed and thrashed.
Each time, the crashing waves made it bothersome to keep my balance.
I focused my gaze and observed the barrier spread around the demonic beast.
‘It's cracking little by little.’
I could see the barrier enveloping the beast cracking bit by bit.
It must have deepened slightly from Wuhyeok's strike just now.
Seeing that, I kept speaking without pause.
“Slightly to the right, near the gills.”
At my words, Namgung Bia immediately sent a lightning strike.
The position I described wasn't exact, but Namgung Bia didn't hesitate.
The lightning strike that flew soon after entered precisely the spot I had described.
Fzzzt—!
The lightning energy was absorbed by the membrane and vanished, but it didn't matter.
“Pierce it.”
Swoosh—! Before my words even finished, Wiseola wrapped golden energy around her blade and quickly thrust her sword.
As the tip touched the membrane, it cracked slightly, and a gap opened.
Without me needing to mention it, someone was already flying toward that spot alongside Wiseola.
The pride of the Wudang Sect. Wuhyeok fired his Dao qi into his sword.
Crack—!
Ssssh—!
A long wound was inflicted on the snake's body.
Strange turquoise blood trickled from the wound.
At that, the snake let out a short scream and curled its body.
And its body was already covered with countless wounds like these.
Seeing that, I smiled inwardly.
‘Their improvement is damn fast.’
I was the one giving orders, but the synergy between the three was growing better with time.
I had wondered why they meshed so well from the start, but now they were practically without gaps.
At first, it felt like I was merely giving positions and they were charging in sequence.
Now, they had already grasped it themselves and were using my words only to confirm.
They had identified the spots where their swords needed to reach.
They were probably using my words to confirm in case they were wrong.
Terrifying.
‘It's been less than a quarter of an hour since we started.’
But how were they adapting already?
I hadn't even properly taught them how to see yet.
‘This is why talents are scary.’
In my previous life, the Hidden Dragon had discovered the difference in the membrane.
Literally, it meant there were weak parts and strong parts.
Finding these parts and attacking them intensively was the characteristic of hunting Red-grade beasts.
Otherwise, one would have to pour out an enormous amount of inner qi to subdue it, and if that was impossible, this was effectively the easiest method.
But there was a huge problem here.
It wasn't about seeing the minute gaps, but feeling them.
While looking at a transparent membrane that all looked the same, one had to feel with instinct where it was shallow and where it was solid.
‘It's easier said than done. Like hell it works.’
When I tried it myself, it wasn't as simple as it sounded.
Where would one find the time to examine such things while facing that giant rampaging demonic beast?
A conversation I had with the Hidden Dragon in my previous life came to mind.
[“Just try to listen. Then you'll know?”]
[“You bastard…. Do you think this is some kind of instrument? What do you mean, listen!”]
[“Oh! Dodge!”]
Recalling that bastard Hidden Dragon who taught like absolute garbage made my teeth grind on their own.
People called them the Shooting Star Generation and went wild over the present geniuses.
But the point where one truly felt this was after the outbreak of the Red-grade.
From there on, it was truly a battle of talent.
The ability to identify the differences in the membrane was a matter of how delicately one could sense energy.
This was immediately the difference in the talent of a martial artist's energy sense.
How great of a difference this was:
Even those at the same realm.
A time difference naturally occurred in how quickly they found the membrane's weak points.
This led to how long one had to face the beast.
It meant the probability of dying from exhaustion while merely holding out was higher.
And even if they held out, most ended up being devoured by the beast.
While Hwagyeong martial artists would flee or be eaten because they couldn't defeat the beast.
News would come that a Peak martial artist had hunted a beast.
The period when the geniuses called the Shooting Star Generation shone.
That coincided precisely with the appearance of the Red-grade beasts.
And among them, those three were possessors of talent representing such a generation.
Even if I hadn't explained like this, they would've figured it out on their own eventually.
And the same would be true for the Poison King and the White Lotus Sword.
Because reaching the Hwagyeong itself meant one had no small amount of talent.
So then.
“Three steps to the left from there.”
If one were to ask what I was, who had deemed himself neither genius nor fool.
“Put more energy into your swing than before.”
At least in this field, no one was more of an expert than me.
At my words, the three moved in orderly fashion.
In that gap, I shifted my gaze here and there and observed the beast's movements.
I am not a genius.
The reason I had lived with those words on my lips was right there.
In my previous life, I had been especially incapable of grasping such differences in energy.
There was a time when I worked as a sword trooper for the Martial Arts Alliance, and without the help of the Hidden Dragon or others, I had struggled to hunt Red-grade beasts.
Even effort could not achieve it.
Because this was not a realm attainable through training.
No matter what I did, I couldn't grasp that difference in energy.
Even the dullest dolt would eventually feel the difference.
But I couldn't even manage that.
I truly felt nothing, and as a result, I was treated as a hopeless fool and received contemptuous gazes.
A guy who picked up the crumbs falling by the Hidden Dragon's side.
I think I heard something like that.
I won't deny it.
Because without Wuhyeok, I wouldn't have endured that time.
Therefore, it was an era when I could only scream at my meager talent.
“Two of you, draw its attention from the left. The remaining one, circle to the right.”
But if one asks how this is possible now, it is thanks to the Heavenly Demon Absorption Technique I possess.
The energy of a demonic beast is demonic energy.
Thus, demonic energy dwells within the beast's demon stone, and the Heavenly Demon Absorption Technique absorbs this.
Perhaps due to its influence.
When it comes to demonic energy, I can sense it with uncanny precision.
What looked like a transparent membrane spread around the beast to others.
To my eyes, it was merely a black, murky membrane.
Shallow and deep parts within it?
Forget feeling them; I could see them clearly.
The reason I could grow insanely strong right after becoming a Demon and receiving authority from the Heavenly Demon.
Against demonic beasts with such characteristics, as long as my level matched, I could be stronger than anyone.
This was what I had done like crazy in my previous life; how could I not know?
‘It's almost at its limit.’
Since we had only been targeting weak points, the membrane the bastard possessed was already in tatters.
Originally, that was how it worked: when one place collapsed, another place developed a flaw.
Shatter one weak point, and another place grew weaker. One just had to find that and keep breaking it.
Kraaaack—!
Under the combined assault of the three, the creature seemed exhausted and only screamed.
Fortunately, it didn't seem to be that strong of a beast.
The cold sweat I had shed was because a Red-grade beast had appeared in the first place, not because I feared the beast's strength.
‘At this point, it should be enough.’
Seeing the barrier crumbling away, I turned my head.
“Lord Tang.”
“...!”
I called out to the Poison King, who had been staring at me with a shocked face.
The Tang Family Head's pupils were shaking greatly as he looked at me for some reason.
‘Hmm.’
I suppose it was because of the way I hunted the beast....
It annoyed me that another useless misunderstanding seemed to be forming around me, but it couldn't be helped.
“I think you may enter now.”
“...Is it because that qi barrier... has disappeared?”
Oh....
‘So he noticed after all.’
It seemed the Poison King had also realized that the beast possessed a barrier that absorbed inner qi.
Was that why he was so surprised?
“It hasn't all disappeared. But I think we can overpower it with force now. It will crumble soon.”
“...Young Master Gu.”
“Yes.”
“What in the world is your true identity?”
Hearing the Poison King's question, I tilted my head.
A question I hear often these days.
I recalled the time when Dang Deok asked me a question and I unwittingly answered “Heavenly Demon.”
‘Why did I do that?’
It was still a mystery.
Why on earth had I given such an answer?
Had I been annoyed because the world seemed to be trying to make me the Heavenly Demon?
I don't know. At that time, it felt like I had to answer that way.
“I don't know what you mean. I am merely a martial artist of the Gu Clan.”
“...You know well that is not what I am asking.”
“No. I don't know.”
As I shook my head roughly and gave my answer.
Kwoong—!
Kraaaaack—!! The beast let out a rough scream.
Wondering why, I checked, and it was the aftermath of someone swinging a sword in Wiseola's place.
It was the White Lotus Sword.
...When did that woman get there?
“Hahaha!”
The White Lotus Sword laughed brightly, clearly ecstatic.
‘Ha.’
I let out a hollow breath seeing that.
The spot the White Lotus Sword had struck was the beast's weak point.
‘Did she figure it out while watching?’
If that wasn't a coincidence.
It seemed the White Lotus Sword had realized the method of hunting Red-grade beasts.
Perhaps due to the difference in realm.
The White Lotus Sword's swing twisted the snake's balance.
Crumble.
The membrane enveloping the beast shattered and scattered like dust. The barrier had finally collapsed.
Seeing that, I finally moved my steps.
Splash.
Walking on water felt awkward, as it had been a while.
Originally, it was a highly advanced skill that required delicate control of inner qi.
‘But those guys are more insane than me.’
Unlike me, who had reached the Hwagyeong, it was more absurd that those three, who still remained at an incomplete Peak, had succeeded.
I had explained it half-heartedly, figuring they wouldn't get it, but they had gone and done it anyway.
Anyway... they were talents that baffled me every time I saw them.
Splash.
I took another step and ignited flames in my body.
Fwoosh—!
The fighting environment was over the river, so it was somewhat bothersome.
But it wasn't too big of a problem.
‘This should be enough.’
Thud—!
I leaped with force.
The snake was quite large, so I had to jump high enough to match it.
There was one reason I hadn't joined the fight until now and had only been giving orders to the kids.
First, it was to give them experience against Red-grade beasts.
Second was.
‘To avoid wasting unnecessary strength on breaking the barrier.’
It wouldn't have been a big deal even if I used it.
But I had to minimize the risk as much as possible. I needed to be able to respond if an unexpected situation occurred.
But the reason I was joining now.
‘I have to eat the demon stone.’
Of course I had to obtain the demon stone the Red-grade beast possessed.
Even if the situation was flowing strangely due to the beast's appearance.
I couldn't miss the demon stone it possessed. Just how much energy was contained within it? I was in dire need of strength, so I couldn't afford to miss such things.
While the creature staggered from the White Lotus Sword's blow and couldn't come to its senses.
I burst into flames and rapidly approached it.
I gathered flames in my hand.
I couldn't feel the bothersome qi barrier.
Fortunately, it seemed to have all shattered.
As I approached the creature's scales, I sharply extended my fist wrapped in powerful energy.
Pu-uk—!
My arm pierced through the creature's scales.
Comparing our sizes, mine was pitifully frail, so it seemed impossible to wound it.
It didn't matter. What mattered was that my arm had entered the creature's insides.
I immediately gathered my inner qi to a single point and condensed flames at my fingertips.
A Flame Jade was created at my fingertips.
And simultaneously, without hesitation, I detonated it inside the snake's body.
Kwoooaaaack—!
Kraaaaack—!!!
Sensing the heat from its body, the creature thrashed and dove into the water.
It seemed to be trying to extinguish the flames, but flames created by inner qi don't go out so easily.
I detonated the Flame Jade and intensified the flames.
‘Tch.’
Since it was underwater, I couldn't breathe, but my realm was what it was, so I could endure as long as I needed.
For now, I had to focus solely on severing this creature's breath.
Just as I considered using demonic energy due to its stubborn thrashing.
[...Wh...why...]
A voice came from somewhere.
What? A voice transmission?
[Great One... Are you... abandoning us...!!!]
It was a scream that seemed to tear my ears.
What the hell was this, all of a sudden.
‘What?’
I shifted my gaze slightly and saw it.
The demonic beast, swept by flames and gradually dying.
Was looking at me and shedding tears of blood.