Chapter 523
Chapter 523
Chapter 523. Facing Again (4)
Perhaps the Zhurong Palace Head also noticed what I had noticed, because wrinkles formed between her brows.
“Excuse me for a moment.” (Zhurong Palace Head)
And the moment she rose from her seat, a voice came from outside.
“Father! As of this moment, I will no longer live as a person of Zhurong Palace!” (Maeng Hyeon)
At that, the Zhurong Palace Head opened the door and went out, and we followed after her as well.
In the courtyard, Young Palace Head Maeng Hyeon was standing and shouting toward the conference hall.
“Father may have stripped me of my qualifications as Young Palace Head, but do not misunderstand! I am leaving of my own feet.” (Maeng Hyeon)
Hoo…….
When I heard it from Miss Seohyang, I just thought that must be how it was, but actually hearing it with my own ears was absurd.
So he cannot let go of his pride until the very end…….
When I glanced at the Zhurong Palace Head, she was sighing with a hand pressed to her forehead.
I could feel the Zhurong Palace Head’s deep fury.
By the way, I can sense the qi of the black path from Young Master Maeng Hyeon.
It means he has already made contact with people of the black path.
That must be why he is acting so confidently.
The Young Palace Head of Zhurong Palace becoming black path…….
Well now, that will be quite a sight.
Zhurong Palace is a place as sensitive to the qi of the black path as the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
And yet the fact that he feels no aversion means he is already not normal.
Be that as it may, first we have to deal with that man.
Zhurong Palace is a concern too, but this is a problem that could directly affect my own safety.
The reason I participated in these talks as the Young Palace Head of Seolpung Palace is because this place is closed off.
It seems he made contact with the black path while I was inside the library yesterday.
Considering the timing, he probably has not said much yet.
He seemed to have no idea at all that I was Seonhyeop Mirang or that I was a person of the Eunha Trading Company.
That is fortunate.
I asked him.
“So, what did the people of the black path offer you?” (MC)
“……!” (Maeng Hyeon)
“Did they say they would help you take Young Palace Head Bing Haerin as your companion? Or did they say they would give you the seat of Zhurong Palace Head?” (MC)
“…….” (Maeng Hyeon)
His eyes widened.
“I only threw out a guess, but it seems I was right.” (MC)
At that sight, the Palace Head of Zhurong Palace burst into anger.
“You baaaastard! Are you in your right mind right now? How dare you! Of all the places you could go, you try to entrust yourself to the black path?” (Zhurong Palace Head)
Even so, Young Master Maeng Hyeon snorted and resisted.
“Ha! I am a child Father abandoned! What does it matter to Father where someone like me goes?” (Maeng Hyeon)
Wow…….
He has swallowed his manners whole and washed them down with water.
Fwoosh!
Flames rose from the Zhurong Palace Head’s body. It must mean she was that thoroughly enraged.
Sigh, that bastard…….
He is going to be beaten half to death.
But would that man really not know that?
The fact that he is still acting like this means he has something he trusts.
“And Father. I was not trying to entrust myself to them. I already have.” (Maeng Hyeon)
It was then.
“Uwaaaak!”
“Stop them! It is the enemy!”
At the sounds coming from far away, the Palace Head gritted her teeth.
“You bastard!” (Zhurong Palace Head)
As expected…… it seems the attack by the black path group has begun.
This must be what Young Master Maeng Hyeon was relying on.
In truth, when Miss Seohyang told us about this, I wanted to stop it.
But she said this.
That letting them invade would be a far better decision when considering the future.
And that everything would be resolved well, so we should not worry.
Still, I cannot be at ease.
Because the future can change at any time.
So through Young Palace Head Bing Haerin, I had the elites of the Northern Sea Ice Palace prepare to fight.
But…… even so, a question remained.
Young Palace Head Maeng Hyeon knows that the elites of the Northern Sea Ice Palace have come here for the Ice-Flame Talks.
And he must have told the black path group that information as well.
Yet they still carried out this attack?
There is definitely something more to this.
At that moment, a mighty qi began flowing out of Young Master Maeng Hyeon.
There was no way the Zhurong Palace Head would fail to notice it.
“You! What on earth have you done?” (Zhurong Palace Head)
“Ah, this? Those who decided to join hands with me gave me a very good gift. A spiritual medicine that turns one into a Transformation Realm master in one stroke.” (Maeng Hyeon)
A spiritual medicine that turns a peak master into a Transformation Realm master in one stroke?
It is not as though such spiritual medicines do not exist.
If one encounters a miraculous encounter, that is.
But if one’s realm rises through a spiritual medicine obtained by such a miraculous encounter, the qi is perfectly clear.
Not an abominable qi like that!
In other words, it means he ate a spiritual medicine made through something the people of the black path should not have done.
And I know of such spiritual medicines.
There is one among them with the greatest effect.
To think that has already appeared?
In my previous life, it had appeared several years later.
At the time, a black path sect had once become infamous around Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi.
It was thanks to the spiritual medicine they created, and its name was the Extreme Martial Awakening Pill.
“Uaaak!”
“We-We are being pushed back!”
“Stop them! I said stop them!”
Judging by the sounds I heard, the battle situation on our side did not seem good.
It looks as though there are people over there who have been made to consume the Extreme Martial Awakening Pill too.
Since it is not easy to make, it seems they only had a few people take it.
At that moment, one Zhurong Palace disciple came running.
“Palace Head! The battle situation is not good. Among the attackers, there are several masters above the transcendent peak!” (Disciple)
At that, I could see the Zhurong Palace Head conflicted. Zhurong Palace and her son…….
Because neither was something she could easily give up.
Even if that son was a scoundrel who had gone astray.
So…….
“Palace Head, I will take care of that scoundrel son.” (MC)
“What do you mean?” (Zhurong Palace Head)
“They need you there right now, Palace Head. Are you going to let Zhurong Palace collapse like this?” (MC)
“…….” (Zhurong Palace Head)
“I will beat that bastard into his senses if I have to. So please go quickly.” (MC)
“Khuk!” (Zhurong Palace Head)
The Zhurong Palace Head clenched her fists tightly and said.
“I have no shame, but I ask this of you.” (Zhurong Palace Head)
“Do not worry. I will do my best to beat him up.” (MC)
Then I turned my head and looked at Young Palace Head Bing Haerin.
“Young Palace Head, you should also join the martial artists of the Ice Palace.” (MC)
“Is it truly all right to leave you here alone?” (Bing Haerin)
“Yes.” (MC)
I nodded confidently.
“…….” (Bing Haerin)
Young Palace Head Bing Haerin looked at me for a moment, then let out a sigh and nodded.
“Understood. Please take care of yourself.” (Bing Haerin)
“Do not worry about me. Both of you, please hurry and go.” (MC)
“I leave it to you.” (Zhurong Palace Head)
“Do not die.” (Bing Haerin)
The two left words of concern to me and hurriedly left.
Then I spoke to the guards and Palgap who had run to where I was.
“Martial Artist Seo Woo, please protect Miss Seohyang. And the rest of you, please move a little away from here.” (MC)
“Liege!” (Martial Artist Seo Woo)
“This is an order. I will not hear objections.” (MC)
There were several reasons I gave that order.
First, it was because facing a Transformation Realm master many against one is actually more difficult.
One’s comrades only get in the way.
So it is better for me to fight alone.
Second, I have a way to break that man.
The problem is that the aftermath affecting the surroundings is rather large.
“Well, you are the sort of person who would flee first if you did not have a plan.” (Palgap)
Palgap moved first.
As expected of Palgap. He knows me too well.
Only then did the other guards also follow Palgap and move.
I turned my head, looked at Young Master Maeng Hyeon, and said.
“Now it is just the two of us.” (MC)
“Hmph! It does not matter! I only need to kill you and then deal with the rest.” (Maeng Hyeon)
Shrrng.
I drew my sword and said.
“But before that, should you not first consider whether you can defeat me?” (MC)
“You are right.” (Maeng Hyeon)
He looked at me and sneered.
“I disliked you from the very beginning. Starting with how you interfered between Young Palace Head Bing Haerin and me.” (Maeng Hyeon)
Swish!
At that moment, his form shot toward me like an arrow.
Slash!
At the blood seeping from my arm, I bit my lip.
Though it is a shortcut, he has certainly become stronger.
I took a deep breath and gripped the Silver Mist Sword tightly.
I cast away any thought of looking down on my opponent.
The opponent right now is incomplete, but in any case, he is Transformation Realm.
He may be weaker than Master, but in exchange, he is far more dangerous.
Because Master swings his sword for the sake of my growth, while this opponent swings his sword solely to kill me.
Tat!
Again, his form shot toward me, and I desperately blocked his attack.
Clangclangclangclangclang!
The continuous ringing of sword against sword echoed in all directions.
I suffered wounds all over my body, but none were fatal.
After exchanging dozens of moves like that, I could tell that my prediction was correct.
He is certainly far weaker than Master.
The power contained in his sword is weaker, and his speed is much slower. His swordsmanship and inner arts are clearly playing separately.
Of course, merely having a great deal of inner arts cannot be called true Transformation Realm.
Only when one possesses the corresponding enlightenment and training and achieves Sword Unification can one be called true Transformation Realm.
Thanks to that, I was able to deal with him more easily than expected.
Of course, I only mean it was not as difficult as expected. I absolutely do not mean it was easy.
Fwoosh! Fwoooosh!
Because the power of the sword wrapped in flames was tremendous.
Thanks to that, my clothes were a mess, scorched or burned all over.
Even I, who did not sweat no matter how hot it was because I had learned ice arts, was sweating.
In other words, that meant it was time to use the Extreme Ice Sword.
After facing the arrangement the Founder had prepared, I thought this.
Please, let nothing happen this time.
Nothing happen, my ass.
Look. The very next day, a situation where I need to use it appears like this.
Aigo…… such is my lot.
But I can lament my lot later. Right now, I have to beat that bastard up and subdue him.
Hooo…….
I raised my sword.
For the Extreme Ice Sword, even I, who almost never had occasion to sweat, had to sweat. Because I had to use the water of my body’s sweat to lower the temperature of my inner arts to the extreme.
“Hoo…….” (MC)
I inhaled and looked at Young Master Maeng Hyeon.
Tat!
He charged toward me again.
Seeing that his eyes had become slightly unfocused, it seemed his reason was gradually disappearing and he was moving instinctively.
In other words, his inferiority complex toward me and the instincts remaining in his body were controlling that body.
Chaaak!
I calmly assumed my starting stance and raised my concentration.
When I concentrated to the extreme, his movements seemed to slow.
And the Silver Mist Sword began glowing blue.
Just before the tip of Young Master Maeng Hyeon’s sword touched my chest.
Right now.
I released the qi of the Extreme Ice Sword.
Kwaaaang!
As opposing energies collided with each other, the aftershock spread in all directions.
The heat of the Extreme Ice Sword became a counterfire against Young Master Maeng Hyeon’s fire arts, greatly reducing the momentum of the fire arts.
At the same time, the cold qi of the Extreme Ice Sword surrounded the surroundings and froze them over.
Sseuk.
In the white cold air rising in wisps, I lowered the Silver Mist Sword.
Crackleshatter.
The ice on my body fell onto the ground, which had frozen hard, and shattered.
I looked down in front of me.
There, Young Master Maeng Hyeon, with an expression of disbelief, was supporting his half-frozen body with his sword and looking at me.
“H-How? How did you defeat me, a Transformation Realm…… Are you also Transformation Realm?” (Maeng Hyeon)
“No.” (MC)
If I had already reached Transformation Realm, I would have subdued that man in one strike.
“Th-Then? How?” (Maeng Hyeon)
“Because your realm was not a perfect Transformation Realm.” (MC)
“What? I am undoubtedly Transformation…… Keheok!” (Maeng Hyeon)
He suddenly covered his mouth with his hand and vomited blood.
“As expected, you have reached the limit and the side effects are appearing.” (MC)
“Side effects?” (Maeng Hyeon)
“Yes. It is only natural.” (MC)
I nodded.
“You said you ate the pill they gave you and became Transformation Realm in one stroke, correct? But can a body and mind that are not prepared to meet the realm of Transformation Realm endure that?” (MC)
I continued with an indifferent expression.
“Judging from the look of it, it seems you were not told about the limits or side effects of that spiritual medicine.” (MC)
“Wh-What does that…… Th-Then what happens to me?” (Maeng Hyeon)
“If my guess is correct, the blood vessels throughout your body will burst, your muscles will rupture, your qi center will also break, and your inner arts will scatter…… Your body will become one that can never again learn inner arts, let alone use them.” (MC)
“……!” (Maeng Hyeon)
“You will be lucky if you can walk again.” (MC)
At my words, his eyes widened.
“N-No! That cannot be! Do you know how much I did to reach this realm…….” (Maeng Hyeon)
Unfortunately, what I said was not my guess.
It was something that had actually happened in my previous life.
The stronger martial arts one used, and the more martial arts one used, the faster that limit arrived and the worse the side effects became.
That was why that black path sect quickly reached its limit despite possessing the Extreme Martial Awakening Pill.
At first, they must have won and grown without hesitation, but how many people would want to eat it after seeing those side effects?
So whatever it is, eating it in a hurry makes you sick.
At the time, the Martial Alliance stepped in to resolve the matter involving them, and its influence in the Yunnan region became quite large.
If I resolve this incident quickly, I should be able to prevent the Martial Alliance’s influence from growing as well.
Just as Miss Seohyang said, things will be resolved well.
Crunch, crunchcrunch.
Young Master Maeng Hyeon’s muscles began twisting, and at the pain, he let out strange screams.
“Uak! Uaaaak! S-Save me! Uaaaak!” (Maeng Hyeon)
I clicked my tongue and struck his mute acupoint.
His strange screaming was hurting my ears.
“Tsk, tsk. That is why you should not pick up and eat just anything.” (MC)
In Young Master Maeng Hyeon’s case, because he had overused his inner arts to counter the Extreme Ice Sword, the side effects also came faster.
By the way, what on earth broke this man so much?
Suddenly, the taste in my mouth turned bitter.
As soon as the attackers were dealt with, the Zhurong Palace Head came running urgently.
I pointed at Young Master Maeng Hyeon, who had collapsed on the ground, and said.
“Fortunately, his life is not in danger.” (MC)
“Side effects?” (Zhurong Palace Head)
“Yes. You know of them.” (MC)
“I guessed.” (Zhurong Palace Head)
Then she let out a sigh and dry-washed her face.
“For the future of this palace, I deposed that boy from the position of Young Palace Head. But that decision nearly put this palace in danger instead.” (Zhurong Palace Head)
“No. You did well. He is a person who called the black path into Zhurong Palace just because he was deposed from the position of Young Palace Head. What do you think would happen if such a person became Palace Head?” (MC)
“Ah…… That is true.” (Zhurong Palace Head)
I cannot tell her, but he ruined Zhurong Palace quite magnificently.
But now, that future will not come.
And now is not the time to be depressed like this.
“Palace Head, this is not the time for this.” (MC)
“Hm?” (Zhurong Palace Head)
“You must beat up the bastards who passed Zhurong Palace’s information to the black path.” (MC)