NOVEL NEXT Chapter 789
Chapter 789: True Martial Home
Master Hyuncheon was in despair.
What was I supposed to say to him?
“I won’t give up…”
But as I was about to say it, I ended up swallowing those words instead.
Master Hyuncheon had already seen all 24 cycles of my memories, and he knew my resolutions and journey.
Yet, overwhelmed by an unbearable despair, he crumbled and expressed his agony to me.
This situation was different from before. My previous companions had inquired about “the odds” while simultaneously looking forward to a future where they would play their own roles by my side.
So, for them, considerations about their own abilities or future prospects weren’t that significant. The apocalypse felt so vague, and proving that I wasn’t an unreliable figure was what mattered most to them.
However, Master Hyuncheon didn’t speak from that perspective.
In the purest form of helpless truth, he was simply asking what could possibly be the answer. Trying to tell him that I wouldn’t give up and would move toward the future would only be meaningless.
What good would it do not to give up?
The world was already hell!
“……..”
This was my first time experiencing something like this. Until now, I had constantly recognized my own inadequacies and rushed forward without a moment’s respite, never considering the perceptions of ordinary people.
At the same time, I felt a strong sense of guilt for bringing an unwarranted despair to Master Hyuncheon.
In the end, I had dragged him into my troubles and caused him pain.
I had no words to say.
No…., at this moment, anything I said would be meaningless to him.
As I fell silent, Master Hyuncheon seemed to gather his emotions and broke the silence.
“I’m sorry. Though I know how you must feel during your rebirth, I’ve lamented instead…”
“It’s alright. I’m the one who should be sorry.”
“Baek Woong. Honestly, when I first saw the memories of the obsidian, I shamelessly thought I wanted to follow you, but I just realized that I’m nothing but a hindrance now. Please don’t give me obsidian anymore….”
“Ah….”
For a moment, Master Hyuncheon’s request overlapped with past memories.
[Baek Woong. You know…. we’re friends, right?]
[I’ll help you right now, but will you do me one favor as a friend? If you promise that, I’ll do my best to help you now.]
[From the next reincarnation, don’t include me as a companion. Just let me live as I am.]
[Baek Woong. That’s my life. The hope for revenge is gone, and day by day, living with my anger against the White Lotus Sect, that life too is my life.]
Extreme Tiger…..
Extreme Tiger had said something similar. When I summoned him with the king’s power to break through the trials of Wood Element, he had refused to be a companion any longer. It was impossible not to overlap Master Hyuncheon and Extreme Tiger at that moment.
While I had understood Extreme Tiger’s words back then, deep down, I was still hurt. It wasn’t because I regretted giving him spiritual pills or answering to his fortuitous encounters, but purely because I expected a companion like him to walk the same path as me.
Moreover, back then, I hadn’t had the time to ask Extreme Tiger for a proper explanation, which only added to my disappointment.
When I fell silent, Master Hyuncheon spoke.
“If I were to become your companion, with the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng and Black and White Lotus or strong martial arts techniques, I could become an expert among the top ten in the world. However, even the unparalleled genius Jin So-cheong cannot defeat a god, much less do anything with that level of martial arts… There’s no need for you to feel guilt…..”
“That’s not… the issue! How can you perceive a companion solely in terms of efficiency?”
“I suppose you could say that…. But Baek Woong, do you know what has changed the most since the fourth round when we were together in subjugating the Nine Lotus Sect?”
“What is it?”
“Hope. Currently, there is no hope.”
“Hmm….”
As I let out a low sound, Master Hyuncheon continued.
“This may be my first time saying something like this, but… your journey has now become too steeped in despair to blindly expect a future of improvement and new information. If you obtain help from your unyielding will and outstanding companions, maybe you could have the potential to eliminate one of the Three Sovereigns. But regardless, nothing would change….”
“There are changes. Based on the results, the next round will produce even greater achievements. Haven’t we made incremental improvements until now?”
“Did we worry about such things when we first battled the Nine Lotus Sect in Taekyung Village? We believed once we defeated the Nine Lotus Sect, everything would somehow work out….”
That unexpected question hit me hard, making me feel a bit punched in the gut.
“…we didn’t, did we?”
“That’s the difference. Your companions, each one an exceptional hero and talent, don’t show it, but the moment they receive the obsidian, they must recognize their own deaths and failures. Right now, there’s no sign of hope….”
“What that…”
“Isn’t it harsh? They walk the path of Asura simply for knowing the truth….”
I had no comeback. My vague feeling of guilt regarding my companions had been pinpointed perfectly.
Master Hyuncheon slowly closed his eyes and continued speaking.
“Baek Woong, the strategies that the geniuses of the Zhuge clan provide you are all correct and brilliant, but remember that they are also humans. They can forsake selfishness because they excel, but in return, they tend to neglect themselves. Subconsciously, they can become riddled with wounds.”
“That might be true.”
“If you want to become the king of humans and save the world, you must first show them hope. No matter how much they are geniuses, they cannot follow you indefinitely down a hopeless path.”
“I’ll keep that in mind!”
I felt truly grateful for Master Hyuncheon’s advice.
‘I see it now!’
Hope!
That was the point I had overlooked.
As I had pushed forward until now, stubbornly thinking it was enough for me alone not to give up, I had reached a point where I had to look around me as well. And though no one had specifically mentioned it to me, creating hope and shining a light on it was precisely what I needed to do myself. Master Hyuncheon’s words had helped me realize this fact.
At the same time, my mind felt clear. Regaining my composure, I spoke to Master Hyuncheon.
“Master Hyuncheon, do you think it’s impossible to gather the Seven Luminaries and save the world?”
“To be honest, if I only consider your memories…. it seems like an impossible trial from the start. It’s so bleak that even Zhuge Sa wants to gather the Seven Luminaries first and extinguish the immediate fires….”
At that moment, Master Hyuncheon’s eyes momentarily regained some vitality.
“However, it might indicate that your path has become much shorter….”
“What do you mean?”
“You can now let go of many burdens…. The restrictions you’ve held unknowingly have been released, so that is a fortunate thing.”
“…..?”
“Beyond what I could explain, it would be better to have Mangnyang or Zhuge Sa explain it to you later.”
“Understood.”
As I conversed with him, I became acutely aware of Master Hyuncheon’s vast knowledge, wisdom, and insight. In the past, when we had merely swung martial arts around and hunted fanatics, I hadn’t fully grasped what made him a well-respected figure in the martial world. From the very beginning, if he hadn’t been exceptionally talented, he wouldn’t have earned the qualifications to become an elder of the Wudang Sect, nor would he have established a separate Daoist temple after separating from them; he had undoubtedly stood out among the hundreds of talents accepted by the Wudang Sect every two years.
‘If only I had shared memories with Master Hyuncheon from the very start and traveled together….’
I felt a pang of regret, but soon realized this was a pointless thought. Given that I would inevitably have to face gods, that would become a trivial issue down the line.
Paat!!!
“Please accept this.”
After taking Master Hyuncheon to Taejeong Temple, I handed him the Black and White Lotus. However, he returned it to me and said,
“Anyway, according to Zhuge Sa’s strategies, you won’t live long, and this world will soon come to an end…. Keep this for your journey.”
“Hmm…. understood.”
“I’ll spend the remaining time doing what I always wanted to do but never could.”
With those words, he entered Taejeong Temple and did not come out again. I sensed a firm resolve in his last statement, as if he had already accepted that his fate was death. I once again felt a pang of sorrow at that fact and bit my lip.
‘I didn’t intend for this.’
No, perhaps I had underestimated the notion of forming companions too easily?
At the same time, a fierce determination ignited within me.
‘I need to find hope! I need to seek out genuine hope that can counter the gods, separate from the strategies the other planners have provided!’
Until now, I had walked on stubbornly out of spite, vowing not to be defeated by the gods, but now it was a different phase. To fulfill my dream of achieving divine killing, I needed a clearer and more specific “means.”
So far, I had hoped that the Seven Luminaries would serve that role, yet it had fallen apart pitifully; thus, I had to find an alternative.
If the Seven Luminaries wouldn’t work, then what could eliminate a god?
“……perhaps.”
I had high hopes for the thought that had sprung to mind. However, it was an endeavor that could be tougher than gathering all the Seven Luminaries and passing their trials, simultaneously leaving me feeling a sense of emptiness.
Exceed the gods with martial arts!
Would that even be possible?
At the moment, with just half a foot into the Absolute Realm, the great feat seemed like an impossible dream. I had seen many experts reach the Absolute Realm, yet almost none had truly struck a blow against a divine status. Even Jin So-cheong, wielding the technique of Galaxy Island, had died after using it, leaving no methods available for me now.
But still, I thought I should seriously study the method further. At the same time, another possibility crossed my mind.
The Dharma Technique of Non-Birth Mother!
It could be the ultimate weapon that might turn this world upside down in a way different from martial arts. I carefully pondered over it.
‘Alright… let’s seek more methods.’
Initially, I had planned to go to the Imperial Palace to negotiate with Zhuge Bu, give him the obsidian to make him a companion, and then leverage his skills to easily acquire the White Lotus Sect’s letter of confirmation. That was Zhuge Sa’s strategy and, at this point, the most accurate and efficient approach. But I decided to act contrary to Zhuge Sa’s scheme.
Why?
Even though I had experienced multiple times that listening to Zhuge Sa would lead to rewards and going against him would result in trouble, I still wanted to choose this path. Perhaps it was a bizarre stubbornness born from Master Hyuncheon’s despair.
I wanted to prepare a bit more carefully.
Paat!
Immediately, I soared away on a Golden Lamp.
The place I headed to was a desolate mountainside, the most deserted and remote area among the places I ventured during my adventures, located around the boundary with the transformists in the Central Plains. As I recalled, this area could be described as devoid of people. The moment I arrived at this quiet place, I confirmed the presence of the Divine Sword Technique within me.
Wooong
‘It’s connected….’
It had broken off when the Heavenly Mysterious Woman had suddenly gone missing in the last round, but it resumed when she reappeared as the protector of Yi-Il. At realizing I could use the Divine Sword Technique, I immediately called out to Yeodong-bin.
“Come forth, Yeodong-bin!”
Silence. Yeodong-bin couldn’t have missed my call, but with no demonic beasts around, he was probably ignoring my summons due to caution for me, an unfamiliar person, summoning him out of the blue. Of course, anticipating this, I called out again.
“What you desperately need is the Law of Cause and Effect, right? I’ll offer the Law of Cause and Effect, so come out this instant!!”
Sssss
At that, Yeodong-bin’s manifestation appeared before me. He gazed at me expressionlessly and spoke.
[Do you understand what it means to offer the Law of Cause and Effect? What do you intend to do by summoning me?!]
“I need you to teach me about the gods.”
[Nonsense….]
He attempted to disappear again, but I gritted my teeth and called out with a desperate voice.
“Damn it!! I’m asking you to teach me about that god or whatever he is! A thousand years ago, the humans of the Ten Thousand Realms suffered because of him, yet he has no intention of saving those fearful of the impending apocalypse! What the hell is that never-ending vortex!!”
[……]
At that moment, Yeodong-bin’s manifestation froze. The killing intent began to creep into his gaze, and with a grin, I spoke to him.
“I don’t care if the god doesn’t want to meet me. If necessary, I will prove that I deserve to face that bastard, even if I have to duel him!!”
What kind of being is he that he acts so high and mighty?
I must meet that god at all costs!
[Do you mean that…. sincerely?]
“If it weren’t sincere, would I go this far?”
[….You do not have a connection with the god. And I have no authority to connect you with that god.]
“If there’s no connection, I can create one.”
[Don’t be stubborn.]
At that moment, I forcibly drew out my intent and formed the sword form of Heavenly Escape Sword Technique, revealing the shape of the Six Intent Saintly Heaven Diagram.
Chiriling!!
The fusion spun like a ring in an instant. It drained my mental strength momentarily, yet Yeodong-bin had a markedly surprised expression.
“You can also display the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique and the Six Intent Saintly Heaven Diagram….”
[Just an imitation.]
“Even an imitation is fine. Acknowledge me.”
[…..]
A moment passed before Yeodong-bin replied.
[Yeonja, can you stake your life on it?]
“Of course.”
That was the moment.
Swaaat
Yeodong-bin’s expression changed as if he were a demonic mask, startling me, but in reality, his expression hadn’t genuinely changed; it was merely his imposing aura morphing into a murderous intent that led to that misconception. Even while standing at the brink of the Absolute Realm, I felt my body stiffening under his killing intent. The murderous intent he displayed was on a different level from what I had experienced from him before.
‘Is this… what the legendary Demon Mask feels like?’
I could only guess at the slaughter that would have arisen had he forsaken the righteous path and taken the demonic one. The greatest sword master who possesses an unprecedented amount of murderous intent and talent was Yeodong-bin himself.
[A reckless one…. Endure for one hundred seconds in battle with me. Then, I shall grant your wish.]
“Deal.”
[Be aware, however, that if this is merely a price for your connection with the god, I cannot show you mercy. A spot must remain open for someone to challenge the ‘gate’.]
Srleng
With that, Yeodong-bin received my consent and materialized into reality in exchange for my lifespan. As he slowly drew his sword, there was not a trace of emotion in his voice.
[It’s my first time killing a person like this.]
That was a genuine statement, but I did not lose my fighting spirit.
I wouldn’t hesitate any longer.
If there is a way, I’ll try anything.
That is the way to create “hope”!