Chapter 514 - Just Let Me Hold It Once.
So you truly are of your mother's bloodline.
My heart dropped at the words spat from my father's mouth.
"What did you say?"
Thinking I might not have heard properly, I asked again.
I had to.
Because the words I had just heard were too momentous to simply gloss over.
'Of Mother's bloodline?'
It was an obvious thing. After all, I was my mother's child.
No.
'It wouldn't matter even if I weren't.'
Honestly, I wouldn't have cared even if it weren't the case.
I had even entertained the thought that I might not be.
I had heard that Mother was a calamity that had befallen the previous generation.
Which meant she was not human.
It meant she was something inhuman, like Xue Mo or Tian Mo.
I had considered the possibility that I might not be her flesh and blood.
Still, still, it didn't matter.
'Even if I am not of my mother's bloodline.'
Because I was her child.
Those winter paths where she held my younger sister in her arms, held my hand, and walked alongside me.
I had not forgotten those days when I could endure the cold thanks to the warmth of that hand.
So it didn't matter.
Words that should not have mattered.
'Then what were those words just now....'
If I turned out not to be my mother's biological child here, things would get complicated—going so far as to ask whose family's son I was.
And it couldn't be said I wasn't my father's son—anyone could see I was his child.
Whatever the case, it was all fine.
So even the confirmation that I was indeed my mother's child was something to welcome, but.
The important thing was why those words came out now.
And why while looking at my changed appearance, of all times.
"Just now.... what do you mean by those words?"
"..."
Looking at my appearance, which had become strange by anyone's standards, he recalled my mother.
Even the way he spoke, filled with longing, was foreign no matter how I looked at it.
The meaning of such words was soon.
'It means he saw this kind of appearance from Mother too.'
It was a rather dazing statement.
What did it mean that Mother too had such an appearance?
Leaving aside Father's longing, it was a terribly chilling statement to me now.
I knew one person who exuded the same atmosphere as my current self.
'No, exactly two.'
I wasn't sure about one of them, so I left it.
The other one I was sure of.
'Xue Mo.'
I hated to admit it, but it was certainly so.
The sensation of that damned bastard who smiled at me.
That arrogant, loathsome gaze and look in his eyes—I could feel them in my appearance.
I had thought this part was a matter of the blood qi.
The blood qi Xue Mo had planted in my body—I thought the atmosphere similar to Xue Mo was because I had absorbed it completely and undergone transformation.
That is what I had thought.
'If Mother had also exuded this feeling.'
That was a bit of a problem.
The reason being.
Xue Mo was a calamity. Mother was also a calamity.
Then what am I, exuding the same feeling as those two?
[Boy.]
As my thoughts deepened, Noya urgently cut in.
It was likely a warning that any further was dangerous.
But the thoughts did not stop.
Yeonilcheon's words came to mind.
"-You are a calamity."
Words I had forcibly dismissed as nonsense.
No, words I had tried to dismiss but had become lodged in my heart.
That gradually became clearer.
Am I truly a calamity?
Those damned thoughts began to fill my head.
And amidst this.
Amidst all this, no less.
Do you know what was even more damned?
It was that I was starting to think that even if I were a calamity, it didn't really matter.
'Fuck... am I crazy?'
It hadn't been a year since I had resolved that I shouldn't become a calamity, at the very least.
And yet. What was this state now?
Thinking that it didn't matter even if I were a calamity—it couldn't not be chilling.
Was this also an effect of the transformation?
Fucking hell.
Like hell it's fine. Fine, my ass—what's fine about it?
I wanted to slap myself to come to my senses right away, but I held back because Father was in front of me.
Get a grip. At this rate, I'm really fucked. Or am I? Am I already fucked?
"Third."
"...!"
I barely returned to my senses at Father's voice.
Now was not the time to fall into contemplation.
What mattered was that talk of Mother had come from Father's mouth.
I was about to ask again about this.
"I will go up first."
"...Huh?"
I had to make a blank expression at the words Father abruptly spat out.
"Going up first...?"
"Suddenly?"
At my words filled with absurdity, Father raised his head and looked toward the ceiling.
"It seems the Patriarch of the Tang Clan has arrived."
The words that the Poison King had arrived outside.
Hearing that, I too unleashed my senses, but I couldn't feel anything.
All I felt was still emptiness.
'Is it because of that thing outside?'
Did he call it the Fire Wheel?
The power to change the color of the sky and erase presence.
As long as that is floating, I can't detect the opponent's presence either?
Just what principle caused such a phenomenon to manifest?
Just as a sudden curiosity flashed by.
Father moved his steps and brushed past me.
Did he really intend to go up just like this?
"Wait a moment. Father. Our conversation isn't...."
As I tried to move to grab Father, his gaze turned to me.
"You are not yet qualified."
I had to furrow my brows deeply at Father's words.
"A condition?"
"...What qualification do you mean. What qualification is needed to hear about Mother?"
Did he mean for me to take the position of young patriarch? If so, since it was something I had to do anyway, he could have just told me.
My irritation was rising and I was about to snap, but.
"Have you forgotten what I said before?"
Father cut me off and spoke.
"I clearly told you to reach Nine Stars."
"...!"
"You have not yet reached it."
The condition that if I wanted to know where Mother was, I had to raise the Jiuyan Huolun Gong to Nine Stars.
Did this mean it was also a condition for hearing this story?
'What bullshit.'
Hearing a damn story once is so fucking hard.
I had just reached Seven Stars now; when in the world would I reach Nine Stars?
It was so far away.
Even if I tried not to feel impatient, it was too far.
'...It was somewhere I barely reached even in my past life.'
Due to the rough nature of fire arts, handling it and accumulating realm was incomparably difficult.
It was a place I had reached only by pouring in enormous amounts of internal energy; how long would it take via the proper path?
'I'll go mad.'
It was hard to grasp.
How many years? I would be grateful if it were just a few years. It was a realm I had climbed to now only thanks to my past life's experience and all sorts of fortuitous encounters.
'But I can't throw this away and go the way I did back then.'
The solid foundation I had built until now.
If I abandoned this and climbed based on internal energy like in my past life, everything would return to nothingness.
I knew from past experience that raising only the realm was a meaningless act, so I couldn't do that.
So I thought about throwing a tantrum to make him just tell me, but.
'That... wouldn't work either.'
I could tell by looking at Father's eyes.
They were resolute eyes that said he would absolutely not tell me unless I reached Nine Stars.
Nothing could be done.
It wasn't something I could beg for while ignoring that.
You act up only when you can handle the consequences.
Knowing that I had just offed Tianzun, how could I act up?
I held it in tight.
While I was barely suppressing the urge to ask, Father shifted his gaze again.
Watching him, I decided to ask something else.
"...But."
I sneakily pointed behind me with my hand.
"That.... no, how are you just going to leave that person...?"
At my words, Father slightly turned his head. Where my hand pointed.
Fwoooosh....
Tianzun was still engulfed in flames and burning.
"..."
Father's expression changed as he looked at that.
I definitely saw it.
Father making an "oops" kind of gaze.
"...Surely he didn't forget?"
After setting him ablaze like that himself?
'No... way.'
It couldn't be. There's no way Father forgot.
Father looked at Tianzun for a moment, then quickly turned his head as if erasing his brief hesitation.
"...Leave him be. It will not take long for the flames to die down."
At Father's words, I examined Tianzun's flames.
'Not putting them out means there's a reason he has to stay like that.'
Earlier, he had definitely said it was to burn something.
'What was he trying to burn?'
Something besides the flesh was being burned.
I had not understood those words. Did the secret technique Father used have another use?
Clack.
While I was thinking about this, Father moved toward the entrance.
Should I follow?
What should I do? Such a worry flashed by.
Then.
"Wait here. I shall bring the Poison King."
"Yes...? Me?"
Wait here watching that burning Tianzun and the First Elder?
Father's words felt a bit strange.
If the Poison King was coming, wouldn't just waiting be enough?
Looking at it, the formation that was covering this entrance too.
'...I think Father tore it apart.'
It was crushed and flattened; if one knew the location, it seemed they could find it quickly.
So just as I was wondering if I couldn't wait together.
"Did you not have something to investigate here?"
"...!"
I had to swallow a groan at the words that struck me like a thud.
Father had noticed from the start.
That I had business in this space.
'...Oh, damn.'
Along with what Tang Jemun had said.
It was a space that seemed likely connected to the Heavenly Martial Body birth plan.
No, it definitely was.
If not, there was no reason to build something so deep underground, much less hide it with such a thick formation system.
Moreover.
'The atmosphere is different somehow.'
The poisonous energy I had felt since arriving.
And even the demonic beast corpse faintly visible beyond the back.
For now, internal energy and killing intent were filling the space due to the battle, but there was something else.
'Could that mean....'
Father's words saying he would unnecessarily go outside to face the Poison King.
I thought I understood the hidden intention there.
He would buy some time.
'Find out what you need to find out?'
Sweat dripped as I grasped Father's intention.
I wondered just how much he had figured out. Feeling a chill in my heart, I first gave my regards.
"...Thank you."
"..."
Pssh-!
The sound of embers bursting was heard.
When I raised my head, Father was already gone from that spot.
As I looked vacantly at the empty spot, Noya spoke to me.
[He's got you all figured out.]
"...Tell me about it."
I should have just obediently waited until he returned.
I moved unnecessarily and caused a problem.
"...Tch."
I clicked my tongue once and moved my steps.
Discovered was discovered. Since he had made time for me, I had to find out what I could.
Where I headed was still in front of the First Elder, who was trembling.
"Hnng... th-that...."
The First Elder was shaking as if half out of his mind.
No matter how I looked at it, his condition wasn't good at all.
"Hnngh... g-g-g... h...."
An already old man who now looked even more frail.
I let out a slight sigh at that.
"What a shame."
Since it had come to this, there was nothing more for me to do or say.
I had wanted to reduce him to this state myself.
"It really is a shame, isn't it?"
I asked with lowered eyes, but the First Elder only looked at me as if seeing something fearful.
"Mo...nster... monster...."
"Monster?"
Was he talking to me? Or to Father?
Probably similar for both.
Though the meaning differed.
'Wonder if I can find out anything.'
The First Elder's mind had already collapsed. I wondered if it was an act, but it didn't seem so.
Just what had happened to him to be broken like this?
In this state, even torture wouldn't work.
'Then, should I catch the other bastards who were in on it and ask them?'
The First Elder couldn't have been the only one involved.
No matter how much influence he had, he didn't seem like that great of a person.
I figured things would get a bit annoying.
"Hm?"
I discovered something strange from the trembling First Elder.
I could see him clutching something tightly with both hands.
What is it?
Seemed like he was holding something.
As I reached out my hand to check it.
"Ah... you can't...! This... this at least...!"
The First Elder began resisting as if realizing I was trying to snatch it.
Annoying.
"Should I just tear it off along with the arm?"
"...!"
At the words I spat out in annoyance, the First Elder stopped moving.
"T-tear? Ah... don't...."
Had he reacted to the words about tearing off the arm?
Why?
Whatever.
What mattered was that he had reacted.
"Right. If you don't hand it over, I'll tear that arm right off."
Ah, of course, this wasn't a threat.
I really intended to tear it off if he didn't give it.
I didn't have time to waste bickering with words.
Whether the First Elder realized I meant it.
He extended his hand toward me with a face crushed by fear.
What was he holding to react like this?
And he wouldn't open his clenched fist.
So.
Crunch-!
"Kuaaaaaaagh!"
I grabbed the First Elder's wrist and crushed it.
A scream burst out and pierced my ears.
I thought about smashing his mouth too, but.
His grip loosened and I could see the object he was holding, so I decided to let it go.
"What is this?"
I tilted my head looking at the fallen object.
It was a gem. And a small one at that.
Why had he been holding something like this?
I casually picked up the gem from the floor and examined it more closely.
It didn't seem like there was anything more to it.
Just as I was wondering if it was just a gem.
Bzzzt-!
"...!"
The gem in my hand suddenly began vibrating.
Moreover, the energy within surged and spread in all directions.
As the energy brushed by, my body reacted on its own.
It was vicious.
The poisonous energy contained within aside, the amount of energy thrashing about was enormous.
"...Hah."
Looking at this, I was certain.
There was something in this gem.
I immediately thrust the gem toward the First Elder.
"What is this?"
I asked, but the First Elder was still stammering, showing he wasn't in his right mind.
Even so, his eyes were glued to the gem.
"Hmm."
If it came to this, I couldn't get proper information.
If his body had broken down, maybe, but a collapsed mind was unavoidable.
Did I really have to catch another guy?
As such a worry flashed by, another thought came to mind simultaneously.
There was one method.
However, it was a method I didn't much like.
"...Still, I should check."
I wondered if it could affect even the parts where his mind had collapsed.
But it was better than not trying.
Now was not the time to weigh this and that.
Kwak-!
"Kuk...!"
I grabbed the First Elder's throat.
Thump-!
My heart beat heavily.
Energy spread out.
I felt my eyeballs growing hot.
The energy bound to my heart crossed over through my hand and burrowed into the First Elder.
"Kuuuugh!"
The First Elder's body shook violently at the sudden energy.
Without stopping, I pushed the energy in.
The First Elder's flesh, which had been gradually devouring my energy.
Feeling that, I imbued my will into the energy.
[From now on, I am.]
This was similar to.
[Your heaven.]
The method the Tian Mo had once used.
******************
Hannam.
Deep underground beneath it.
A place where cold air so frigid it could freeze the air itself swirled.
There, a young man lay with his eyes closed.
The young man who lay as if dead.
Vrrrm....
"...Mm."
He opened his eyes at the sudden sense of foreignness.
At this, the woman guarding his side flinched.
Because it was not yet time for her master to wake.
The woman examined the young man cautiously, as if watching his mood.
The young man's characteristic red eyes were gleaming, and amidst that, the woman could see.
That her master was somehow holding a smile.
"Tsk, tsk...."
Without stopping at that, the young man—Xue Mo—let out a laugh.
How could he not?
"Interesting."
Xue Mo brushed his chest with his hand.
Thus he could feel more clearly.
It had been severed.
One connection line he had tied deeply. Snapped! It broke.
He had deemed it rather precious and tied it carefully, so for it to break like this.
Whose doing was this?
He pondered briefly, but Xue Mo already knew the answer.
He had actually headed to Sichuan. That place was the Tang Clan's territory.
Was it the Tang Clan's doing? No, they did not have such power. Not even worth suspecting.
The value the current Tang Clan possessed was none other than.
The place that child had gone to.
The place the one he had his eye on had gone to. That was all.
Could this be a coincidence?
Xue Mo thought not.
And.
He wished it weren't so.
He had hoped it wasn't.
If that child had grown powerful enough to sever his thread, it was the very thing he wished for.
For the paradise he dreamed of as well.
"Mu Hui."
"Yes."
Mu Hui answered Xue Mo's call. Xue Mo was not looking at Mu Hui.
Much farther than that.
He was looking at a very distant place.
"Send word to Wudang."
And he smiled.
Xue Mo was feeling it.
That paradise was not far from arriving.
"Tell them that it seems we may proceed with things a bit faster."