Chapter 495 - Let Me Hold It Just Once.
If not, I would have died.
At the words Sinui spat out, I felt my mind waver for a moment.
"That child possesses an enormous qi. A vast qi that others cannot even feel."
I had taken those words to mean a vessel of a completely different size from others.
Because usually, saying one's qi is large means that.
But.
"You are wrong."
Sinui gave an answer of denial regarding this.
"That child does not have a vessel at all."
What does that mean? I couldn't understand Sinui's words.
To think that a vessel, the source of power that humans possess, let alone martial artists, was absent.
Does that even make sense?
"Yes, that is precisely the problem. The fact that she possesses such vast qi without having a vessel."
"In your case, the problem was that your qi was too large compared to your vessel, causing it to begin cracking."
"That child... the problem was that she had no vessel to speak of from the very beginning."
Not that her inside was hollow and completely empty.
But that it was so vast it could not be comprehended.
"If that happens, what do you think will occur?"
"I don't know. I've never even heard of having qi without a vessel."
"Qi without a vessel is bound to dissipate. And if that happens, what do you think becomes of the child who is essentially the qi itself?"
I couldn't answer at all.
Because I didn't know what Wiseora's condition was like.
"She will dissipate."
All I could do was endure my pounding heart.
"Her physical body will either dissipate or collapse."
"I estimated that period to be three years. Even that is generous; in truth, no one knows how long she will last. No one even knows how that qi is holding out in the first place."
"Therefore, the Sword Venerable requested me to create a vessel for that child."
While listening to the words.
At words that grated on my ears, I raised my head.
The talk of making a vessel.
Did she mean it could be made? I thought it was a somewhat contradictory situation.
Sinui had clearly told me there was no way to fix or do anything about my vessel.
It meant that Sinui, who had just delivered a terminal diagnosis to me, had now heard a request from the Sword Venerable to make a vessel.
When I asked again as if I couldn't understand, Sinui continued speaking to me with a somewhat dark expression.
"I do not know how to fix a vessel, but creating one is not impossible. I tell you in advance, this is not the domain of medical arts, so do not be curious about it."
Creating a vessel.
Then what was the use of the Demon-Sealing Stone?
"It was an item for that purpose."
The Demon-Sealing Stone was an item for making a vessel?
Was it used to seal Wiseora's qi?
"Sealing that much qi is impossible. The role of the Demon-Sealing Stone is indeed sealing. But it was not for the qi."
Then what was it? A seal for what? To that question, Sinui gave an answer.
"The Demon-Sealing Stone was used to create a vessel and seal it so that it would not break."
In other words, it was not used to seal Wiseora's qi, but to seal the form of the vessel.
This meant that the vessel Wiseora currently possessed was an artificial one.
"Then, what do you think was the material for that vessel?"
What could it be? The material for a vessel that could hold that much qi... Honestly, there was one thing I suspected.
I dearly hoped it wasn't that.
Because if that were the case, it would be too enormous a matter.
However, unfortunately, my guess was not off the mark.
"It is precisely the Primordial Qi that humans possess."
At the words Sinui spat out with a furrowed expression, I had to bite my lip.
It was something I had dared not think of.
"It was the most suitable material to withstand the qi."
That meant they had extracted a human's Primordial Qi to make the vessel.
Truly... from whom had they extracted the Primordial Qi?
Perhaps because I frowned subconsciously and looked at Sinui, Sinui spoke to me with a sigh.
"Do not worry, I did not extract another's Primordial Qi without permission... Rather, if they had tried to do so, I would have refused."
Then who?
I asked Sinui. Sinui spoke to me with a somewhat composed expression.
"To contain that much qi, an equally powerful Primordial Qi was needed. And wasn't such a person right beside you?"
That couldn't mean...
"The Alliance Lord."
I swallowed dryly at Sinui's words.
"His Primordial Qi was poured out to create that child's vessel."
My mouth fell slightly open at those words.
Because I hadn't thought the Sword Venerable would go that far.
If the vessel is the source of power that humans possess, then Primordial Qi is the source of life.
It meant that the Sword Venerable had extracted his own Primordial Qi and poured it into Wiseora.
If so, what of the Sword Venerable's condition?
He had the record of surviving until the Heavenly Demon Great War in his previous life, so he wouldn't die immediately, but...
"Though losing Primordial Qi does not mean it is permanently consumed... the Alliance Lord's condition is probably not very good."
It was true that the Sword Venerable's power was considerably weakened right now.
Moreover, if a vessel was made with such Primordial Qi, would that vessel even be okay?
"As I said, that too is a temporary measure."
Naturally, Sinui said no.
"Like you, she must be in a state where she has to take medicine to endure."
If she doesn't take it?
"Though I do not know what method you used to create a new vessel... since that child's situation is different from yours, I do not think there will be a good result."
It was truly bitter words.
Because it meant that Wiseora was still in a considerably dangerous state.
"However, if as you say, you caused a change in the vessel yourself... then I cannot be certain either. An exception has occurred."
It came down to doubt rather than certainty.
Even so, the situation had not improved.
"...What should I do?"
I thought while walking quickly.
I finished talking with Sinui and came outside first. She said she would give me the Baekmaseok later when she checked my physical condition.
I had learned that Wiseora was secretly taking medicine, and I had learned of her condition as well, but...
There was nothing I could do.
I wondered if perhaps, like me, a change might appear as the vessel broke, but...
"Would an artificial vessel be included in this as well?"
It was questionable whether this would even apply to Wiseora, who had no vessel to begin with.
I didn't know.
Had the Divine Sword of my previous life been in such a situation too?
It probably was.
Because it was.
"Jang Seonyeon, that bastard must have used this to corner me."
I ground my teeth, recalling how he had approached me as if threatening me with Wiseora's physical condition.
It was like shit. No matter how much stronger I had become after the regression, it seemed the fundamentals hadn't changed.
That was truly infuriating.
"I have to run faster."
I had to push my body harder.
I would grind and grind away to somehow create results. I had to.
[Calm yourself. You are overheating.]
Noya gave a warning. At those words, I held my breath and closed my eyes.
I could feel that I was overheated, just as he said. Since getting worked up could ruin an otherwise workable situation, I applied my internal energy to cool my emotions.
Doing so, I felt somewhat better.
"...Thank you."
After greeting Noya, I turned around and checked on those following behind.
I was barely able to finish things one by one, so it was too much to think about other matters all at once.
Right now, I was moving together with others.
Among them, I looked at Uhyeok and asked,
"...What is that?"
"Hmm?"
Uhyeok was carrying something on his shoulder while utilizing lightness skill.
Looking closely, it seemed to be a wild boar.
Uhyeok, hearing my question, smiled broadly and said to me,
"Ah, this. A gift for my master."
"...A wild boar?"
"My master likes wild boar meat."
"..."
My brow furrowed at those words.
"Aren't you guys Taoists? Why are you always stuffing your face with meat..."
I wanted to shout that, but barely held back.
It wasn't as if that crazy bastard being strange was a rare occurrence, so even if his master was strange, it wouldn't be strange.
I should just give up. That was easier.
I let out a small sigh and looked beside Uhyeok.
There was another person there, none other than Namgung Bia.
I looked at Namgung Bia, who was following with a sleepy expression as usual, and asked,
"Why are you following me?"
At my question, Namgung Bia met my gaze.
"...Can't I...?"
Her characteristic drowsy voice was heard.
"No, it's not that you can't... I don't even know if you can."
I had been about to say she wasn't forbidden, but changed my words because I wasn't sure.
I was currently on my way to meet Goeseon with Uhyeok.
Goeseon had been the one to suggest meeting first.
Because we hadn't finished talking yet.
But was it okay to take Namgung Bia to see him?
While I was preparing to go meet Goeseon, Namgung Bia had seen me and started moving with me, saying she would follow too.
Come to think of it, I hadn't even asked Uhyeok if it was okay.
Regarding this, Uhyeok spoke with an unconcerned expression.
"It'll probably be fine. My master isn't the type to care about such things."
"That's a relief then..."
The fact that Goeseon was born into the Namgung clan bothered me a little.
If there had been no problems within the household, she wouldn't have left and joined a martial order...
"She told me herself not to worry too much. So it'll be fine, right?"
Since Goeseon had a record of saying such things, I decided to think that it would be fine for now.
But.
As always.
Not a single thing went according to my expectations.