Chapter 563
Chapter 563
Chapter 563. The Divine Transformation Art (2)
Seeing my surprise, Master calmly spoke as though there was nothing to worry about.
“You do not need to be surprised. It is not harmful to Warrior Jinyu. When he wakes up, he will feel new.” (Master)
Then she said to Palgap,
“Lay him down in the bedchamber.” (Master)
When I nodded, Palgap approached Warrior Jinyu and picked him up.
“Please.” (Eun Seoho)
“You do not need to worry.” (Palgap)
And so only Master and I were left there, and I asked Master,
“May I ask for an explanation?” (Eun Seoho)
At this, Master nodded and said,
“I released a restriction.” (Master)
“Pardon? When you say…… a restriction?” (Eun Seoho)
“Someone had placed a restriction on Warrior Jinyu’s body. A restriction that prevents him from disobeying orders.” (Master)
So that was why she had been staring at Warrior Jinyu so openly.
“If my guess is correct, there is a high possibility that the one who placed the restriction was the Alliance Leader himself.” (Master)
The Alliance Leader?
Considering Warrior Jinyu’s original identity, that could be the case, but right now Warrior Jinyu was supposed to be dead, was he not?
“Then does that not mean there is a high possibility the Alliance Leader knows Warrior Jinyu is alive?” (Eun Seoho)
“That is not the case. According to what I have grasped, the restriction placed on Warrior Jinyu was only a restriction that prevented him from disobeying orders. It cannot perform any function beyond that, but…… if a return order had been given, Warrior Jinyu would have had no choice but to obey that order.” (Master)
“But there was no sign of that.” (Eun Seoho)
“That is because the energy of the Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Art you learned was suppressing the energy of that restriction.” (Master)
“So that was it!” (Eun Seoho)
“Still, if he had been nearby, the Alliance Leader might have noticed, but…… it seems such a thing did not happen.” (Master)
It was thanks to the fact that, just in case, I had made him stay inside the inn as much as possible in Luoyang.
“In truth, because that restriction was hidden deep within him, I had not noticed it until now, but I was able to notice it thanks to Warrior Jinyu’s realm rising.” (Master)
“Pardon?” (Eun Seoho)
“Because I felt that the blood and qi of his acupoints were blocked and suppressed by something.” (Master)
“So you released the restriction that was suppressing that blood and qi.” (Eun Seoho)
“That is right. I used the energy of the Supreme Yin Ice Sea Divine Art to extinguish the energy of the restriction.” (Master)
Master smiled.
“Warrior Jinyu’s efforts shone through. If not for his constant effort, I would not have noticed the restriction.” (Master)
If that had happened, it was chilling even to think about it.
If we had failed to notice the restriction and simply relied on the transformation art while acting in Luoyang, and the Alliance Leader had noticed it…….
“I owe you a great debt, Master.” (Eun Seoho)
“He is also the future of our Snow Wind Palace, so should I not pay even more special attention?” (Master)
“I will do well.” (Eun Seoho)
Jinyu had a dream.
His childhood in the Snow Wind Palace.
There was a martial artist from the North Sea Ice Palace who often came to see him.
She would always hold him warmly in her arms, and he liked falling asleep in her embrace.
She said to him in a tender voice,
“Your name, Jinyu, takes one character each from your father’s name and mine. I hope you will live happily in this world.” (Mother)
Time passed, and when he began to understand the world little by little, he realized it.
That female warrior had been his mother.
But from the moment he came to know that, she no longer came to see him.
Because he was rather mature for his age, he vaguely guessed it.
That his mother could no longer come to see him.
Instead, he spent his days imagining the father he had never seen even once.
Then one day, when he turned seven.
People who said they had come from his father’s clan came to visit, and he headed to his father’s clan with them.
His heart pounded with expectation that he would be able to live with his father.
But little by little, he began to feel that something was strange, and when he arrived at the clan, he realized his guess had been correct.
His father had already passed away.
The people of the clan, who did not even ask his name, immediately sent him away to a strange place.
From then on, his winter began.
They were painful days.
There were far too many times when he wanted to give everything up.
Even as the children who endured the harsh training with him died cruelly one by one, he did his utmost to survive.
Perhaps that was because of the words of his mother that he still remembered.
“I hope you will live happily in this world.” (Mother)
Because he thought that if he was somehow alive, a chance to live happily would come.
After surviving that harsh training, he finally came to understand why he had to undergo such trials.
It was because of the Martial Alliance Leader.
Because the Alliance Leader needed people who would devote their lives to him.
On the day he formally became the Alliance Leader’s hidden sword, he received the name Yeon Gyeseung.
Before then, he had only been called by a number, but he had received a proper name.
Then he drank a red liquor of unknown identity and lost consciousness.
When he woke up a few days later, he felt something suffocating.
And he became unable to disobey the Alliance Leader’s orders, and if the Alliance Leader commanded it, he had to kill anyone, regardless of age or gender.
Whether they were guilty or not did not matter at all.
Thinking he could no longer live like this, he tried to take his own life, but his body would not follow.
Because the Alliance Leader had not permitted it.
Then one day, the Alliance Leader gave an order.
“Go to the Hyungmun Sect and kill a man named Jiun.” (Alliance Leader)
“I obey your command.” (Jinyu)
That day, his life changed.
Because thanks to the consideration of the Hyungmun Sect Leader, he became Young Captain Eun Seoho’s escort warrior.
In truth, he had not wanted to become greedy.
But when he realized that this was what the happy life his mother had spoken of was like, he began to desire it.
That was why he did not tell Eun Seoho about his condition.
Because he feared that if he told Eun Seoho, he would no longer be able to enjoy such a life.
Moreover, he hated the thought of Eun Seoho worrying because of him.
And while being with him, much of that suffocating feeling had disappeared.
However, recently, the suffocating feeling had gradually begun to grow worse. It even felt as though something were tightening around his neck.
Inwardly, he had prepared himself.
If a problem arose because of him, he would take his own life at any time.
That would be the repayment he owed Eun Seoho and his comrades, who had accepted him without any conditions or price, and the repayment of grace to the Snow Wind Palace, which had cared for him.
But…….
Jinyu looked down at his own two hands.
The thing that had been strangling him had vanished.
His body was light.
It was his first time feeling this way. His body was so light that he felt as though he could go anywhere.
So he ran to his heart’s content, and ran again.
As he moved his body freely like that, he heard a voice calling him.
“Jinyu.” (Mother)
He turned his head.
There was a cluster of light burning brightly toward him, and inside it was a man and a woman.
He could not see their faces, but he felt he knew who they were.
His father and mother.
“You have gained true freedom!” (Father)
“Now all you need to do is live happily.” (Mother)
Warrior Jinyu stretched out his hand toward them. When his hand touched them, he felt that his parents were smiling.
“……!” (Jinyu)
He woke from the dream.
The person before his eyes was Eun Seoho.
“L-Liege!” (Warrior Jinyu)
“How do you feel?” (Eun Seoho)
“Uh…….” (Warrior Jinyu)
Come to think of it, something felt different.
The thing that had made him feel suffocated recently had disappeared, and power overflowed through his whole body.
Had it not been a dream?
The headache was gone, and so was the suffocating feeling that had been tightening around him.
He answered Eun Seoho’s question.
“I feel very good. It feels clear and refreshing.” (Warrior Jinyu)
“That is a relief. Congratulations on reaching great completion.” (Eun Seoho)
“Pardon?” (Warrior Jinyu)
“You have entered the transcendent realm.” (Eun Seoho)
I looked at Warrior Jinyu, who was sitting on the bed with a flustered expression.
He seems very flustered.
“Pardon? I am transcendent?” (Warrior Jinyu)
“Master told me that you had been under a restriction, Warrior Jinyu.” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Warrior Jinyu)
Seeing that his expression hardened without any sign of puzzlement, it seemed he had an idea.
I did not urge him and waited for him to speak.
“Liege.” (Warrior Jinyu)
“Yes.” (Eun Seoho)
“I have been deceiving you all this time.” (Warrior Jinyu)
He bit his lip.
“When I think of the grace you have shown me, I should have told you something was strange…… but I did not.” (Warrior Jinyu)
“It is all right.” (Eun Seoho)
“I am not all right. Have I not done something no different from betraying you, Liege?” (Warrior Jinyu)
He looked terribly pained.
But such an expression did not suit Warrior Jinyu.
“Were you planning to kill me?” (Eun Seoho)
“No! Absolutely not!” (Warrior Jinyu)
Warrior Jinyu nearly jumped.
I smiled and calmed him.
“Then what betrayal is that? I am actually grateful. For how hard you tried to protect me even in that situation. It must have been truly difficult.” (Eun Seoho)
“Liege…….” (Warrior Jinyu)
“Ah, if you are going to give thanks, thank Master. She is the one who released the restriction.” (Eun Seoho)
I rose from my seat.
“Be wholly happy that you have reached the transcendent realm. That is a realm you achieved entirely through your own efforts, Warrior Jinyu.” (Eun Seoho)
.
.
.
The news that Warrior Jinyu had become transcendent was passed on to my escort warriors as well.
“Is that so?” (Warrior Seowoo)
“This is something to celebrate.” (Warrior Yeo Eungam)
“It is truly enviable.” (Warrior Ipil)
The escort warriors sincerely congratulated him.
But it seemed as though sparks were flying from their eyes.
It looks like they will spur their training even harder from now on.
I said to them,
“I am saying this out of needless concern, but please do not overdo it too much. If you collapse or even suffer qi deviation, it will be serious.” (Eun Seoho)
“Understood.” (Warrior Seowoo)
“We will keep it in mind.” (Warrior Yeo Eungam)
By the way, does this mean Warrior Jinyu will be able to properly use the transformation art Master is teaching us?
That is a good thing.
I had felt Warrior Jinyu’s absence quite a bit in Luoyang.
The next day.
Master began teaching us about the transformation art in earnest.
“The transformation art I will teach you is called the Divine Transformation Art.” (Master)
Divine Transformation Art.
It meant a transformation art that created something completely new.
“The Divine Transformation Art has a total of six stages, and once one reaches great completion, one can change even one’s energy and become an entirely different person.” (Master)
Master looked at Miss Seohyang and spoke.
“At Seohyang’s realm, she will be able to reach the first stage or the beginning of the second stage. Even that much can change her atmosphere, so it should be usable.” (Master)
“I will do my best to learn.” (Miss Seohyang)
Master nodded and continued her explanation.
“Because the Divine Transformation Art requires inner arts to maintain that appearance, it has a drawback. You become weaker while using the transformation art.” (Master)
“How much weaker?” (Eun Seoho)
“In my experience, it felt as though my realm had dropped by one stage.” (Master)
Then does that mean Warrior Jinyu and I will only be able to use power around the peak realm?
At that moment, Warrior Jinyu said,
“If I can guard by your side, Liege, it does not matter even if I become somewhat weaker.” (Warrior Jinyu)
At his words, I nodded as well.
In my case, I would not be using the Divine Transformation Art all the time, only briefly when necessary.
It was an amazing transformation art, enough to fully offset that degree of drawback.
Several days passed after the matter with Warrior Jinyu.
Even while learning the Divine Transformation Art, I did not put off my duties and dealt with them one by one.
What I was dealing with now was the issue of securing Jakpunggi.
“Young Captain, please check this.” (Miss Seohyang)
“Yes.” (Eun Seoho)
I received the documents Miss Seohyang held out to me, and as I was checking them, Palgap’s voice was heard.
“Young Master! A guest has come.” (Palgap)
“A guest?” (Eun Seoho)
Ah! Come to think of it, I can sense a familiar energy.
I rose from my seat and said,
“I will come out now.” (Eun Seoho)
What I sensed was Master Jinyoung’s energy.
But why had he come all the way to the office instead of the reception room?
Was it that urgent?
I opened the door and stepped out as I said,
“Master, even if you do not go that far, I will not run away.” (Eun Seoho)
“Is that true?” (Master Jinyoung)
“Yes.” (Eun Seoho)
“Put your hand on your heart and say it again.” (Master Jinyoung)
“……Please wait a moment. I will prepare to go out and come back.” (Eun Seoho)
A quarter hour later.
I headed to the Imperial Palace with Master Jinyoung.
On the way, I asked him,
“By the way, what is this about?” (Eun Seoho)
“I do not know well either. His Majesty urgently sought you, so I came to bring you.” (Master Jinyoung)
Judging by Master Jinyoung’s expression, he knew something but was deliberately saying he did not.
What in the world is going on?
I arrived at the Imperial Palace and immediately headed to His Majesty the Emperor’s office.
The eunuch announced me inside, and the door opened.
I offered the highest courtesy, and the Emperor said,
“Raise your head.” (Emperor)
“Your imperial grace is boundless.” (Eun Seoho)
“So, I hear you ran an errand for the Martial Alliance Leader this time?” (Emperor)
“Yes, Your Majesty.” (Eun Seoho)
Why are you asking when you already know everything?
“I went through quite a bit of hardship thanks to it.” (Eun Seoho)
“You remember the letter I sent, do you not?” (Emperor)
“Of course. I am not going anywhere, so you need not worry.” (Eun Seoho)
I continued.
“How could I go anywhere with the one who stands above all in the empire here? That would be the most unprofitable thing of all.” (Eun Seoho)
“That is an answer like you.” (Emperor)
The Emperor laughed.
“The reason I called you is that I have one thing to ask.” (Emperor)
“Please ask.” (Eun Seoho)
“Do you know a man named Gwak Myeonghyeon, Head Escort of the Changin Escort Agency in Hubei Province?” (Emperor)
“……!” (Eun Seoho)
At that name, I was momentarily flustered.
Because I had never imagined Master’s name would come from the Emperor’s mouth.
He must know not only her relationship with me, but even the fact that she was staying at the Beijing branch right now.
So I had to answer well.
I answered with the feeling of walking a tightrope.
“She is my master. May I dare ask why you are asking about my master?” (Eun Seoho)