Chương 462: The Place The Snake Cannot Find (4)

The world isn't flat... but round?

And... it's connected to the world of Penglai Island?

I am confused by this nonsensical truth.

The reason for my astonishment is simple.

'It's exactly the same as the Head Realm.'

I thought it was because of fate.

Even though Qi is scarce and the Plane of Soul doesn't exist, fate itself exists in the form of attraction force. I though that was why everything, down to the alleyways of Cheon-saek City and Cheon-eum City, was the same.

In short, I believed the fate of this world is identical or at least similar to the fate of the Head Realm.

However, what does it mean that the world isn't flat but round?

This isn't simply a matter of debates like the flat earth theory or spherical earth theory.

'It's the fact that the form of attraction force must be completely different.'

The difference between a flat world and a spherical one is that the force of gravity operates completely differently.

Since fate is attraction force, it means that the fate of this world is entirely different from the Head Realm.

However, I've confirmed it in the alleyways of Cheon-saek City, and again in Shengzi, Byeokra, and Yanguo.

The groups and places in this world are almost identical to those in the Head Realm.

That means that in this world, there is something absolute called fate, and if the form of that fate is not similar to that of the head Head Realm, it would be impossible for it to exist like this.

Even so, this world is not flat.

What does that signify?

'It means this is a place controlled by a being capable of manipulating fate.'

Of course, it could simply be that the Owner of Salt Mountain left this world behind and set it up that way, but I don't think that's the case.

I recall the 'someone' who spoke to me by the campfire back on Ascension Path.

'That someone said they would not let it go if a snake is brought into this world.'

In other words, there's something akin to an 'administrator' in this world.

And that 'administrator' is observing us in real-time.

Of course, one could think that this world is merely a dream created based on our memories.

But that's not it.

'It's not just a simple dream.'

Recently, I've started finding more and more evidence that this world isn't merely a dream.

'This world might be another dimension, similar to the dimension cluster of the Ancient Force Realm.'

Thus, under the assumption that this world is not merely a dream but 'another dimension,' I concluded that an 'administrator' exists in this world.

'I hope the one managing this world doesn't harbor malice toward us...'

Amidst this confusing situation, I pray that the administrator of this world doesn't send malice our way.

While I'm organizing my thoughts, the bandaged monster's attack comes flying at me again.

Tukwang!

Once again, a stream of water surges up.

After seeing the dead sailors, I glare at the bandaged monster.

"What wrong did they commit...? No, forget it."

I know well the nature of these kinds of people.

They possess a disposition infinitely close to evil, the nature of devil path leaders (魔頭).

There's no need for me to understand them.

Kirik, kiriririk!

The bandages wrapped around my body wriggle as if they are alive.

Bang!

I leap into the sky and start to dance in the air.

Bo-oong!

Starting with daggers, dozens of bizarre weapons fly toward the bandaged monster.

The dagger that was the first to fly at them.

Pishitt!

The dagger grazes the bandaged monster's Protective Gang Qi, inflicting no damage.

But next comes a spear!

Kwang!

With a sound like thunder, the spear embeds itself into the bandaged monster's Protective Gang Qi.

The bandaged monster is pushed back slightly.

'With the next attack, I'll push them further into the sea. I have to change the battlefield to prevent the remaining sailors from dying...'

Just then, the bandaged monster sneers, inhales deeply, and lets out a deafening roar.

"Uwoooohhh!!"

Kugugugugu!

The entire sea vibrates!

The sheer sound alone, without any internal energy or spiritual power, seems to make my brain tremble.

Then, from behind them, spells start to erupt forth.

Chwaaaaaa!

It's blood.

Their blood starts to flow down into the sea, and the remaining sailors floating on the water begin to burst and die.

"You bastard!"

It's when I shout.

Clap!

The bandaged monster forms a hand seal.

At the same time, the sea starts to move.

'Are they someone who primarily mastered water-attribute spells? Damn it. Since spiritual energy isn't easy to sense in this world, I have to observe what element they're using first before judging.'

A sea of blood rises in waves from all four directions, crashing toward me.

Bang!

I kick off the air and rise into the sky.

Chwaaaaa!

The waves of the sea of blood trying to trap me from all four directions begin to devour each other and collapse, then starts to bloom a flower in their place.

'That's...?'

Chwarak, chwarararak!

Where the waves have subsided, a red flower begins to bloom and grow towards the sky.

Chalalalalala!

Salt.

It's red salt, stained with blood.

The salt covers the entire sea, forming a massive crystal. That crystal starts to form coral.

Coral that looks like a grotesque mixture of human limbs, faces, and bodies.

In an instant, that coral-shaped salt crystal creates a coral island.

Chwaaaak!

When the bandaged monster lands on the coral island, all the moisture on the island evaporates in an instant.

They form a hand seal.

Kugugugugu!

The coral island begins to rise into the sky.

The bandaged monster manipulates the coral island as if controlling a flying fortress.

Flash, flash!

Beams of light shoot out from the grotesque red coral island made of salt crystals.

'Madness!'

Tadatt!

I narrowly dodge the beams from the coral island.

Even in this world where spiritual energy is hard to sense, the energy coming from the beams is treacherous.

'If I get hit, I'll die on the spot.'

Kirik, kiririririk!

I move the bandages and step through the air.

Surung— At the same time, I draw a sword from my robe.

The treasured sword of a desert tribe.

The treasured sword called Howling Resplendent Sword (絶叫玲瓏劍), said to have been forged by an artisan from Manli who picked up a black stone from the desert and was refined through generations.

'So, it's a sword made from the Black Castle, huh?'

It's essentially a relic of Yang Su-jin's shrine.

Anyway, this Howling Resplendent Sword has only one ability.

The more despair it consumes, the sharper, keener, and stronger it becomes.

It doesn't matter whether it's the despair of the opponent or the despair of its owner.

Crack...

I channel the pain I feel in my heart essence into the Howling Resplendent Sword.

Wiiiiiiing— The Howling Resplendent Sword glows with a murky purple light as it begins to strengthen.

'Even though I can't feel the Plane of Soul, there are dharma treasures here that blatantly use the power of the Plane of Soul... this world truly is incomprehensible.'

After briefly analyzing the structure of the Howling Resplendent Sword, I fail to understand anything and swing it at the monster in front of me.

Bo-oong!

As the beams from the red salt coral island strike the Howling Resplendent Sword, they are immediately split apart.

Breaking through the beams from the salt coral island, I charge at the bandaged monster.

Chwarararak!

The bizarre weapons dance, swirling around me.

As the power of the bizarre weapons concentrates at a single point, they deflect the monster's attacks and occasionally counterattack toward the salt coral island.

Paaaatt!

Our exchange of blows gradually accelerates.

Piiiiiii— At some point, I feel the surroundings become silent.

I've broken through the sound barrier.

As I move, the air is displaced, creating shockwaves.

But even as the shockwaves burst around me, they appear slow to my eyes.

Boo-oong, boong, boong!

I quickly circle around the salt coral island, searching for an opening.

'There are no openings.'

Even while moving at a speed that breaks the sound barrier, the bandaged monster doesn't reveal any gaps.

'They haven't learned martial arts.'

What this person has learned isn't Martial Arts.

It's simply movements meant for slaughtering, butchering, and trampling others.

Movements not systematically learned, but rather acquired through repeated acts of slaughter.

'But even though they haven't learned martial arts, they don't show any openings against me.'

That can only mean one thing.

This person's combat experience is... beyond imagination!

'... Is that even possible? To not show any openings against someone like me who has reached Void Shattering... with just the experience gained at the Qi Building stage?'

What kind of life has this person lived?

I briefly circle around them, and when I find no openings, I decide to create one and push forward.

Taatt!

The spear touches their Protective Gang Qi.

Paatt!

The monster's hand moves as if they were waiting to grab the spear, but in that brief moment, I swap the spear for the sickle.

The blade of the sickle catches on their arm.

Using the sickle hooked on the monster's arm as leverage, I release my bandages.

Chwararak!

At the same time, I move behind the monster in an instant and bind them with the bandages.

"Pathet... hut!"

Just as the monster tries to break free from the bandages, the spear I retrieve pierces their side.

Of course, being a Qi Building cultivator, their entire body is filled with Protective Gang Qi, so they don't take any damage.

But it's the third time.

The spear has struck their Protective Gang Qi three times.

And through the two previous strikes, I've already discerned the vibration frequency of their refined pure spiritual force through the bandages tied to the spear.

Though Heaven and Earth spiritual energy follows different laws from the material realm, when it enters the body of a cultivator at the Qi Building stage and becomes pure spiritual force, it mixes with the laws of the material realm to some extent.

The frequency that exists only in matter also becomes present in pure spiritual force.

I raise the Howling Resplendent Sword, letting it cry.

Perhaps realizing what I am about to do, the bandaged monster draws upon the energy of the red coral Island to its fullest.

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Mountain Echoes Valley Responds!

Ting!

From the Howling Resplendent Sword, a wail-like sword cry erupts.

Sword Energy, in the form of a sword wave, starts to shake the entirety of the pure spiritual force flowing through their spiritual veins.

"Kuaaaaaagh!"

The bandaged monster, writhing in agony, draws even more power from salt coral island.

In an instant, Paatt!

The salt coral island emits a brilliant light, and a gigantic beam, unlike anything before, shoots toward me.

Seeing that beam, I feel a sense of déjà vu.

'Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade?'

I begin manipulating the bizarre weapons using the Heavenly Silkworm Controlling Ghost Art.

Chwarak, chwarararak!

The bizarre weapons start to rotate around me.

As they spin, they each unleash different techniques.

These are techniques modified from Severing Mountain Swordsmanship to suit each weapon.

In an instant, 22 techniques converge, and I compress the ultimate move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship before letting it erupt.

"Severing!"

Kwadudududk!

Dozens of bizarre weapons shine as they start to split the incoming beam.

"Mountain!"

Dudududuk!

The move of Severing Mountain cleaves the beam apart and heads straight for the bandaged monster, who has exhausted the power of the salt coral island.

Flash!

In an instant, the power of Severing Mountain strikes the bandaged monster, and I swing the Howling Resplendent Sword one last time, opening my mouth.

"Sorry."

For having to kill you.

'I didn't want to kill a disciple of Cheongmun Ryeong...'

Then.

Kwaduduk!

Amidst the swirling light, a hand wrapped in bandages shoots out and grabs my face.

"... Umph!!?"

Chiiiiii— As the aftermath of Severing Mountain subsides, what I see is the bandaged monster with smoke rising from their entire body.

'H-How!? I resonated the entirety of their pure spiritual force through Mountain Echoes Valley Responds and made it explode. Their spiritual veins should be in ruins... not to mention, that last move was meant to kill!'

That recent move was strong enough to cleave a mountain in half!

And yet, the bandaged monster, a mere Qi Building stage cultivator, hasn't died.

The bandaged monster meets my gaze.

They smirk and say,

"... It was amusing but... what an arrogant name. Severing Mountain? You will split a mountain? Ha, haha, ahahahaha!!!"

They laugh maniacally.

"Go ahead, wave that pathetic toothpick around for a hundred days! Do you really think you can split a mountain with something like that? Maybe you can crush a sandcastle. Change the name. Instead of something like severing a mountain, call it 'Sandcastle Crusher,' or something like that! You! Can! Never! Split a mountain!"

Mocking Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, they tighten their grip on my face.

Like they're about to crush my skull and kill me.

'N-Need to use poison...'

Feeling my mind clouding, I prepare to use the Infinite Fighting Monster Hidden Weapon Technique.

But my mind grows hazy.

At the last moment, I feel my body instinctively use Fighting Monster Hidden Weapon Technique before fainting.

Just before I lose consciousness, I have the strange thought that I see Cheongmun Ryeong.

"Stop... It. Might... die... Heal... Killed people again..."

'Master...'

With the image of Cheongmun Ryeong as my last thought, I completely lose consciousness.

Blink!

The moment I regain consciousness, I feel a wet cloth on my forehead, bandages wrapped around various parts of my body, and the scent of medicine.

"This place is...?"

"Please lie down. Your body hasn't fully recovered yet."

"Huh...?"

A female physician, who seems to have been treating me, comes in with what looks like a medicinal decoction.

But instead of focusing on anything else, I blankly stare at her face.

It's Buk Hyang-hwa.

"Why... are you here...?"

"Pardon? I'm a physician, so I'm here to treat people. What do you mean?"

"No, what I'm saying is..."

It's when I'm flustered.

"I brought her."

At the entrance to the room where I'm lying down, a large person stands leaning against the doorframe, speaking to me.

"You...!"

It's the bandaged monster.

"Master ordered it. He told me to heal you. So, I found someone you adequately need. Just accept the treatment."

"Wait, you..."

"Shut up. I know what you want to say. I, too, want to kill you so badly my hands are itching, but Master personally ordered that you not be killed. You are to participate in the upcoming disciple recruitment test according to Master's command. When you've recovered enough, come out."

Saying only what they want, the bandaged monster leaves the room, and I am left with a dumbfounded expression, sitting in the room with Buk Hyang-hwa.

Inside a manor in Clear River County.

Gazing up at the sky from the rooftop of one of the buildings, Choengmun Ryeong speaks to the bandaged monster who approaches from behind.

"Did you find a good physician?"

"I brought someone he needed."

"Well done. However... didn't I tell you not to kill recklessly?"

"I did not kill recklessly. I am currently expressing my deep gratitude to the marine creatures and sailors that allowed me to use my spells."

"... Huu... Am-ah. What am I to do with you?"

"Please punish this disciple."

"..."

Cheongmun Ryeong glances back at his disciple, 'Gak Am,' and after a sigh, looks back up at the sky.

"... Enough. Reflect on your actions."

"Yes. Thank you for your mercy, Master..."

Gak Am withdraws, retreating from behind Cheongmun Ryeong, while Cheongmun Ryeong mutters quietly to himself.

"... I wonder if the child saved this time can inherit my legacy..."

Hwiiiiii— Looking up at that Cheongmun Ryeong from below, Gak Am wears an ambiguous expression.

Their eyes seem to hold both affection and contempt.