NOVEL NEXT Chapter 855
Chapter 855: True Martial Home
I started changing masks endlessly as commanded by the Supreme Thief. I thought the more I changed, the better it would be, but the Supreme Thief had different expectations.
“What’s the point of changing so much? You should start by trying on various masks first.”
“Various masks?”
“You can practice the intricate techniques later. For now, just make sure to try them all out meticulously. But don’t overdo the emotion stealing.”
Swish!
I grew accustomed to wearing and removing masks. After the first day, not sleeping and just switching them nonstop left my mind in a haze, and I felt like I had tried over two hundred masks already. I could have changed more, but if I neglected even a bit of emotion stealing, the Supreme Thief would consider it a failure and order me to repeat it.
‘Still, starting with two hundred might end this training in about seven weeks…’
So I continued switching masks for thirteen days and nights.
“Hmmm…”
No matter how I thought about it, it felt like I had already surpassed a thousand, right?
When I told the Supreme Thief that I felt I had exceeded the training goal, he bluntly replied.
“Did you really think you’d just do a thousand and stop? Of course, you need to master more than that!”
“Then how many do I need to master?”
“Funny question. How many human emotions do you think there are?”
“…”
“If you weren’t a fool, you wouldn’t answer seven—joy, anger, sorrow, and desire. Human emotions are countless. Naturally, the emotions a mask master should express are also innumerable, and if you delve into specific areas, it’s beyond imagination. A thousand just won’t cut it.”
“Even so, if I’m going to train, I need some kind of goal. Mastering all those emotions isn’t feasible.”
“Hmph… Why don’t you try using the Mysterious Thousand Faces technique to transform into another form?”
Swish!!
As I transformed into the form of an ordinary thirty-year-old man, the Supreme Thief crossed his arms and said,
“You transformed into a non-existent arbitrary shape using the mask. There might be a person like that in reality, but it’s highly unlikely. So how do you think that person has lived?”
“…I can’t know that.”
“You fool. That’s the point. Every time you wear a mask, you have to steal not just emotions but also the non-existent life behind it. You have to steal it, create it anew, and recreate a history that doesn’t exist. That’s how you prolong the duration and eliminate discomfort. Bring in the ‘history’ of another mask to support that mask.”
“Hmmm….”
“The more masks you steal, the better the Mysterious Thousand Faces becomes. The more, the better; just increase the numbers. When you reach a certain identity stage, I’ll let you know.”
“I understand.”
Recognizing that it made sense and that I indeed needed to increase my mastery, I then kept my mouth shut and diligently practiced mask arts. As the days went by, the number of masks I changed lessened, but the precision training deepened, requiring even more focus. I realized this was an incredibly demanding training on my mental and physical stamina.
‘If I hadn’t gone through Hell Training multiple times until now, I would have gone mad long ago…’
The world of mask arts seemed profoundly intricate. Building this level of mastery in reality would take decades, if not impossible. My ability to endure stemmed from the resilience gained through Hell Training, along with my exceptional stamina and tenacity.
Swoosh…
My training was halted by the Supreme Thief one hundred and ninety days later.
“Stop.”
Having forgotten time while training in this infinite space, I turned to the Supreme Thief. He opened his mouth.
“That’s enough. You’ve achieved what a typical mask master would collect in a lifetime.”
“Already done?”
“Come on, don’t kid around. You pulled all that off without eating, sleeping, or resting—just pure training! An average human would take a lifetime to invest that much time into mask arts. It’s rare to find someone with that kind of determination.”
The Supreme Thief, who had a bitter smile, continued.
“Looks like you’ve lived an extraordinary life.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Honestly, I expected you’d be crying about dying ten times over. But you haven’t, which means your life hasn’t been ordinary. Seeing you endure this harsh training without complaints says it all.”
“I’ve done a lot of Hell Training.”
In fact, compared to my training like cutting a hundred thousand times or mastering Sword Strength and Peerless Technique, this training wasn’t that difficult.
“Ha, well. Let’s move on to the next stage.”
“The next stage?”
He nodded and said,
“At this stage, the Mysterious Thousand Faces can already be used in real combat. You’re already a renowned mask master. However, since you’re processing your thoughts while wearing a mask, there’s a high risk of being caught by high-level martial artists in the martial world. To put it bluntly, it’s similar to the perverse techniques you’re using.”
“Hmph.”
“Still, it has the advantage of a much longer duration and less energy consumption compared to perverse techniques.”
That means there’s a risk of being exposed to the top ten martial artists in the world like the Master of the White Lotus Sect, the Leader of the Twelve Joules, Pasun, or Yong Junil. They are all either in the Absolute Realm or close to it.
“So to make the Mysterious Thousand Faces more perfect, a high-level training is necessary. Once I teach you this, my passing on is complete.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s the training to draw out the [Essence].”
“Essence?”
“Until now, you’ve been stealing masks and lives that don’t exist as a mask master. That’s fundamentally hollow, so those with insight will easily catch the discomfort. However, it’s possible to draw out the essence that resides deeper in the abyss using the mask as a medium.”
“…?”
The essence of the abyss?
Does such a thing exist?
Seeing my confusion, the Supreme Thief said,
“I didn’t know initially either. With just the first stage of the Mysterious Thousand Faces, I roamed freely through the Tang Dynasty martial world, never experiencing hardships. But as I set my sights on the Xuanyuan Sword, I often encountered the absolute experts hidden throughout the world, and my techniques didn’t work on them.”
“Absolute experts? Like the Ten Great Masters of the Tang Dynasty?”
The Supreme Thief growled, annoyed.
“Are you joking? Those fools only had a high reputation; give me time, and I could kill them all by myself. Don’t compare me to such weaklings.”
“…”
“There were, however, some truly exceptional masters hidden in the martial world that could even trouble someone like Yeodong-bin. For instance, the Sword Master of the Shadowless Gate, Seomun Sang, or the Sea King from the Southern Sea, who suppressed the Imugi… There were three major figures. Anyway, I got stuck in training for several years, and during that time discovered this advanced level in the secret techniques.”
“Wait?! There were three master-level experts like Yeodong-bin?”
The Supreme Thief seemed to realize he had misspoken and waved his hands.
“I just meant it like that; their actual skill was similar to mine, but Yeodong-bin is on a different level. The strongest in the Tang Empire and the martial world is still the Sword Master Yeodong-bin, and that fact will never change. However, there were subtly many geniuses who were on the threshold of the Absolute Realm.”
“…Hmm.”
“Anyway, I was training, but… darn it! You made me forget what I was going to say.”
The Supreme Thief grumbled, sorting his thoughts before continuing.
“For instance, um, could you transform into the Sword Master Yeodong-bin while wearing a mask?”
“Only in appearance…”
“You can imitate the Sword Master Yeodong-bin’s appearance with the Mysterious Thousand Faces, but you can’t replicate his abilities, right? You wouldn’t be able to use the Sword Technique of the Six Intent Saintly Heaven, which is at the Absolute Realm level.”
“Right.”
Honestly, if I transformed, I might be able to use the Six Intent Saintly Heaven Sword Technique, but that would only be because my original self continued Yeodong-bin’s progress. When transformed with a mask, replicating his inherent ability would be impossible.
“What’s the reason?”
After pondering, I answered.
“Because while wearing the mask, I’m just maintaining my essence to ‘steal.’ The essence doesn’t blend.”
“Exactly. You understand well. This restriction applies not just to the Mysterious Thousand Faces but also to the transformation techniques of the Daoist methods. When using the transformative techniques of Qimen Dunjia, you can follow the physical abilities of that form, but you cannot replicate the mental powers. This is because, as you said, the essence of the mind does not merge or get muddled together.”
“Hmm.”
“Of course, transformation techniques are powerful methods, so it’s possible to temporarily copy the abilities of weaker beings. You can digest that.”
The Supreme Thief steepled his fingers and continued.
“So how do we take on the abilities of the transformed opponent?”
“……? Didn’t you just say it was impossible?”
“Breaking that limit is the second stage of the Mysterious Thousand Faces training. Hehe. It will eliminate the discomfort of transformation while making it the strongest technique in the world.”
“……!!”
It’s possible?!
As my eyes widened in surprise, the Supreme Thief said,
“It’s simple. The essence of the abyss! If you can awaken it, the Mysterious Thousand Faces will become the most perfect transformation technique in the world, and at the same time, it will become a versatile technique to copy the opponent’s power.”
“Really? I can copy the powers of beings stronger than myself?”
“There are limits, but yes! It’s possible.”
No way!
I was so excited that I yelled.
“Please teach me!”
“Hehe.”
The Supreme Thief, pleased with my reaction, chuckled before saying,
“You have to steal the opponent’s mask.”
“Eh? I already stole the mask…”
“That mask and this mask are different. The mask you stole in the first stage and the emotions are, to be honest, creations of the ‘fictional’ existence you made, right? They are illusions projected from within you. Since your skill as a mask master is so high, you can’t tell the difference between the illusion and the reality. However, the mask you steal in the second stage is the essence that exists in the opponent’s soul… the essence of the abyss.”
The Supreme Thief’s eyes sharpened.
“You’ll truly become a thief of personalities. By stealing that person’s essence, you will be able to use the same abilities as them temporarily.”
“What’s the difference?”
“I can’t explain it to you. The first stage just overlays emotions through the medium of the mask, but this time, it mixes in the ancient arts from the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors… it’s the realm of power.”
The Supreme Thief, who had been mumbling, said,
“Just so you know, all the training you did earlier was merely the foundation for this.”
“……”
“You could die, so brace yourself.”
The eight basic skills of a thief listed in the treasure texts of white transformation.
The world’s number one stealing technique, Technique of All Things.
And based on the Technique of All Things, the Mysterious Thousand Faces.
All of this was preparation to achieve the ultimate stage of the Mysterious Thousand Faces. I felt a surge of tension and clenched my teeth.
“Yes, I’m resolved.”
Death is not scary at all.
At this point, if I were to fear death, it would be laughable.
What truly scares me is wasting time and opportunities.
Seeing my determination, the Supreme Thief slowly raised his hand.
“The mask of the abyss has ‘eyes.’ If you can awaken those eyes, you can make it your own.”
“Eyes…?”
“From now on, recite the spell I’m going to teach you.”
The spell flowed slowly from the Supreme Thief’s lips. The spell was a jumble of letters with no meaning or sense connected, and upon listening carefully, it appeared to be heavily laced with ancient language. With my knowledge, I couldn’t entirely grasp its identity, but it sounded like pronunciations from the Oracle Bone Script era.
After repeating the total of 108 characters of the incantation many times, the Supreme Thief said,
“This incantation has the ability to scrutinize the opponent’s mask and awaken its eyes. As you master the spell, you’ll gradually be able to visualize the mask that exists behind the opponent and witness the scene of those eyes awakening.”
“What happens when the eyes awaken?”
“It means the opponent’s essence has opened its eyes. You have to quickly steal the mask in that state.”
“Quickly? Is there a reason I need to hurry?”
After hesitating, the Supreme Thief replied,
“…You should say it’s a disaster. A massive calamity will occur.”
“A calamity?”
“When the mask opens its eyes, it distorts reality. It can’t be anything good. I warn you, once an eye is opened, you either close it or swiftly steal it. Never let the mask keep its eyes open for too long.”
“……”
“Both you and the opponent will face destruction.”
The Supreme Thief seemed hesitant to explain that ‘calamity.’
‘Why is that?’
Could there be a secret that even a thousand years later, his successor cannot reveal?
“I understand.”
I tilted my head, but for now, I began repeating the incantation as instructed by the Supreme Thief. I heard that the more I recited it, the stronger it would become, allowing me to wield it more effectively.
How much time had passed since I started reciting the spell like a parrot?
The Supreme Thief seemed to determine that I had achieved enough and said,
“Good. That’s it for my transmission.”
“……”
“It seems it’s almost time for us to part ways. So take care.”
“Wait, hold on.”
“Why?”
I stammered, surprised.
“The second stage of the Mysterious Thousand Faces training was just learning and reciting incantations, wasn’t it? Aren’t we going to test it out and practice through practical experience?”
“You’re quite the training addict…”
The Supreme Thief muttered with an exasperated sigh.
“I’m sorry. Normally, I’d do it like that, but it’s too dangerous.”
“Dangerous?”
“This is my seat. If I were managing things directly after dying, it would be different, but I’m merely a lingering thought. If we put the second stage of the Mysterious Thousand Faces training into practice here, something serious might happen. So you’ll have to return to reality and practice the rest on your own.”
“Something serious? What do you mean by serious?”
“…It’s something I can’t talk about. It’s a painful memory for my original self.”
A painful memory?
“……”
The Supreme Thief muttered an apology.
“I can only tell you to be cautious when using the ability to steal the essence of the abyss. I hope you don’t use it unless it’s absolutely urgent. For everything else, consult the original self.”
“Wait…”
“What is it now?”
“You promised to tell me the technique for reaching other dimensions and how to survive there. You need to share that.”
“Oh dear, I nearly forgot!”
The Supreme Thief smacked his knee and said.
“To reach another dimension, you have to pass through the Death Sea of Aokigahara! And to survive there, you just need to make good use of the Mysterious Thousand Faces I just taught you. It’s quite simple, isn’t it?”
“……”
I already knew all that!
Since passing through the Death Sea to cross dimensions was information I had heard from the Prophet, it was utterly ridiculous.
‘Well, what can I do…’
However, this was ultimately information I could gain because I knew the Prophet and had had a special agreement with him, which I wouldn’t normally access. I was just too quick in gathering the information, and the Supreme Thief’s insight was genuinely fair.
Instead, I inquired about the second piece of information: survival skills.
“Using the Mysterious Thousand Faces for survival in another dimension? What do you mean?”
“When you arrive in another dimension, you’ll understand what I mean. It’s the trick to explore for over a thousand years.”
“……?”
“It also solves issues of food, water, and air. Just use your brain well.”
As the Supreme Thief said that, his form began to grow fainter.
Swoosh…
Was he about to send me out of this space?
Before he vanished, he said something odd.
“Hey, Yeodong-bin. Just watching that kid train must have been boring, right? I was getting bored, so I thought I’d chat with you.”
Yeodong-bin?
Swish!
“……”
In an instant, I felt I had returned to reality. Even though the time I spent there was close to a year, the scene before me had changed in the blink of an eye. As I dazedly blinked, Zhuge Sa asked,
“What’s wrong?”
“Zhuge Sa. I just met the Supreme Thief.”
“What?!”
I handed Zhuge Sa the obsidian and explained the encounter I had with the Supreme Thief. After receiving the obsidian, Zhuge Sa pondered deeply before saying,
“…Interesting.”
“So what should we do now?”
“There’s nothing to think about.”
Zhuge Sa opened his mouth.
“Go and subdue Miyamoto Musashi at once. With your current abilities, there’s no need to hesitate anymore.”