Chapter 336 : A Martial Arts Genius Ascends
Chapter 336: A Martial Arts Genius Ascends
The martial arts Jang Woo-hyun saw within Lee Tae-seong's memories were not techniques Lee Tae-seong had personally experienced just once. They had been repeated anywhere from five or six times to dozens of times, allowing Jang Woo-hyun to reproduce every martial art Lee Tae-seong had shown him.
From the very beginning, the martial arts Lee Tae-seong had revealed through his memories had all been prepared for Jang Woo-hyun.
Training, effort, enlightenment, spiritual medicines, or Inner Cores. None of them were necessary.
When Jang Woo-hyun's overwhelming talent met Lee Tae-seong's preparations forged through thousands of repeated lives, everything changed.
His overwhelming talent allowed him to completely master every martial art he had witnessed in those memories, guiding Jang Woo-hyun toward the next world.
Boom! Boom!
The sound of something falling echoed out, and countless Projections appeared before him. Every fragment of his Thought Fragment had become another Jang Woo-hyun.
The first one to catch his eye was the Projection that had used Five Elements Qi to create the powers of Yin and Yang.
Within the Projection's body, Yin and Yang collided.
KWAAANG!
The opposing forces crashed together and exploded, causing the Projection's body to tremble as though it would shatter.
But it did not stop there.
It controlled the exploding energies and merged Yin and Yang into one once more.
Black and White Mad Demon True Qi.
A unique energy created by combining orthodox martial arts and demonic arts.
Exactly as Lee Tae-seong had explained, it replicated the Black and White Mad Demon True Qi by combining different energies.
The next Projection performed a martial art similar to the Silent Night Three Swords Jang Woo-hyun had learned. It unleashed a massive slash, infused the sword with condensed Internal Energy, then detonated the gathered power.
After that came one unfamiliar demonic art after another: Seven Killing Blade, Black Slaughter Demonic Art, Violet Lightning Explosive Blade, Roaring Blood Battle Body, Extreme Cold Yin Demon Body, and many more.
Martial arts of the unorthodox path that emphasized swift growth, explosive power, and rapid strikes unfolded one after another, while elsewhere, profound and heavy orthodox martial arts were displayed.
After passing through the martial arts of the Lower Realm came the bizarre martial arts of the Central Heavens Realm.
Once every martial art had been performed, the Projections transformed into rays of light that illuminated the path before Jang Woo-hyun.
As more Projections disappeared, the light increased, forming a single road.
When nearly all of the more than one thousand Projections had vanished—
Jang Woo-hyun took a step forward.
Before he knew it, he had already left the sphere created from the Dragon King's Scale and now stood in a different space rather than the Demonic Spirit Realm.
Straight ahead of him...
A single road made entirely of brilliant, multicolored light stretched into the distance.
It looked as though hundreds of rainbows had been fused together.
"The Path of the Martial God."
His second Ascension was not a path opened through the help of Heaven, but one he forged with his own hands.
Jang Woo-hyun stepped onto the radiant path.
Thunk.
The instant he took a step, the entire world receded behind him and shrank away.
It felt as though he had left Heaven itself and climbed to the very edge of the universe.
Turning his head, he saw an indistinct world.
On one side of that unstable world, monsters and humans—including the Wind-Passing Great Sage—were still fighting.
Jang Woo-hyun swung the hand holding the Dragon King's Scale.
A portion of the world was sliced away, causing everyone engaged in battle to freeze.
After gazing below for a brief moment, he turned around and continued walking along the Path of Light.
Thunk.
The world that appeared to be the Demonic Spirit Realm had already shrunk to the size of his palm.
The end of the Path of Light remained invisible.
It seemed he had a very long journey ahead.
As he took another step, his body became transparent.
Shrrrk.
Without him even being aware of it, blades erupted from inside his body.
Like when he donned the Dragon King's Scale Armor, silver blades covered his entire body.
His Microcosm opened, creating an entirely new body.
At that moment—
Bang!
A fierce gust of wind burst from Jang Woo-hyun's left shoulder.
The brand left by the Wind-Passing Great Sage could no longer endure and disappeared.
Sitting atop his left shoulder was a tiny white monkey no larger than his palm.
"What... is this?"
Jang Woo-hyun asked as he turned his head.
"Hahahaha! It's the end, so I came to say goodbye."
Earlier, the Wind-Passing Great Sage had patted Jang Woo-hyun's shoulder and secretly placed a Projection within the brand.
Even if they had to part ways, he wanted to say one final farewell.
"I've had a great time."
The tiny Wind-Passing Great Sage extended his fist.
Jang Woo-hyun smiled faintly.
There had been something he wanted to ask anyway, so the timing was perfect.
"Monkey, what exactly is destiny?"
Muk Geom-yeong had once told him that what he needed to do now was his destiny.
Jang Woo-hyun did not truly believe in such things, but Muk Geom-yeong was not someone who would speak carelessly.
That was why he wanted to hear the thoughts of the Wind-Passing Great Sage, who had lived for countless years.
"Destiny? Destiny is like a flowing river."
"A flowing river..."
Jang Woo-hyun repeated the words.
It seemed to describe his current situation.
Regardless of his own intentions, he had been swept along by an enormous current.
"So in the end... all you can do is flow with it."
"What are you talking about? I said it's like a river."
"If it's a river, doesn't it naturally flow?"
"Destiny is like a river. You might get swept away by the current, or you can dig into the earth and change its course. Sometimes you can even bury it under dirt. And of course... you can swim upstream as well."
"Ah..."
Jang Woo-hyun had interpreted it too simply.
The Wind-Passing Great Sage had meant something entirely different.
"What? Do you think destiny's got you cornered? Don't worry about that."
Jang Woo-hyun looked at him with a questioning expression.
"If it's you, you won't swim upstream."
"You'll just cut the whole damn river apart with your sword."
The Wind-Passing Great Sage swung his tiny hand as though slicing something apart.
"And since when did the Immortal-Slaying Division ever overcomplicate things? Once you've decided who the enemy is, you go crush them. That's all there is to it. Hehehe."
"Yeah. That's all there is."
Jang Woo-hyun chuckled together with him.
"Well then, it's time for us to pa— Huh? What's going on?"
The Wind-Passing Great Sage suddenly stopped speaking.
He flailed both arms wildly and shook his head.
A moment later—
Crack.
With a snapping sound, Son Goku's face emerged from his shoulder, while half of his body transformed into golden fur.
"Hey, what is this?"
"I also made some preparations so I could properly bid Brother Jang farewell."
When the Wind-Passing Great Sage had patted Jang Woo-hyun's shoulder earlier, Son Goku had secretly done exactly the same thing.
Apparently, this had all been preparation for this very moment.
"You? Why?"
"Just wait."
The two-headed monkey raised his left arm, clenched his fist, then opened it.
Light gathered together, forming a golden lotus.
"Brother Jang, take this. It'll help you later."
"Help? What are you—"
"Brother! We'll talk later—later! Not now! Just take it quickly! Hurry! There's no time! Don't ask questions!"
Pressed by the urgency in his voice, Jang Woo-hyun accepted the Golden Lotus.
It seemed Son Goku had another purpose from the very beginning.
As Jang Woo-hyun opened his mouth to speak, Son Goku quickly shook his head.
As though saying anything now was forbidden.
"I'll take my leave now. The two of you finish saying your goodbyes."
With that, Son Goku's Projection fell silent.
"I seriously have no idea what all this is about. Anyway, there's no more time. I can't follow you any farther. It's been fun."
"You've always been helping me. I'll repay the debt someday. See you later."
"See you later?"
"Yeah. See you later."
The Wind-Passing Great Sage's eyes widened.
Jang Woo-hyun was ascending to the Upper Realm.
Once he reached that place, their bond should naturally come to an end.
Yet Jang Woo-hyun spoke as though meeting again was the most natural thing in the world.
"Hehehehe."
Somehow...
It suited him perfectly.
If it were Jang Woo-hyun, perhaps they really would meet again.
"Hahahaha! Fine then! We'll meet again, my friend!"
The monkey monster had become tiny.
Its body was split evenly into two colors.
It now had two heads.
But despite all that...
It was still the Wind-Passing Great Sage.
Just as they had done during the first battle they fought together in the Central Heavens Realm—
Jang Woo-hyun bumped his fist against the monster's fist.
It was the farewell between a human and a monster who had become friends.
With that final greeting, the Wind-Passing Great Sage's Projection disappeared.
Jang Woo-hyun continued walking forward.
'I don't know anything about destiny.'
Complicated things like that could wait until later.
Just as the Wind-Passing Great Sage had said—
His enemy had already been decided.
The one who toyed with humanity's fate.
The one who twisted the laws of the world as he pleased.
The mastermind behind everything.
The True Immortal who had attacked Jang Woo-hyun again and again.
'Three Thousand Radiant Silver Treasure Heavenly Venerable.'
It was finally time to meet him.
'I told you to wait.'
'I'm coming now.'
When he had shattered the silver palm...
Jang Woo-hyun had definitely said those words.
And today...
He turned them into reality.
"A new Martial God has been born."
With Muk Geom-yeong's declaration, the entire Demonic Spirit Realm trembled.
Where Jang Woo-hyun had once stood, a white line stretched all the way to the end of the sky.
It looked like a colossal tower.
Or perhaps...
A gigantic pillar of white light.
That was the passage Jang Woo-hyun had created.
The trail marking his journey toward the Upper Realm.
"To think I would witness a Martial God ascending from the Demonic Spirit Realm."
Sambong's face was filled with satisfaction.
Just as he had expected, Jang Woo-hyun's talent had guided him into the next world.
Because of the battle between the Seven Great Saints, Sambong, and Muk Geom-yeong...
One-tenth of the Demonic Spirit Realm had already been destroyed.
And—
"Join the fight when it's time, you bastards!"
"Kyahaha! You're still weak!"
The two Great Monsters who had joined the battle—
The gigantic centipede and the Nine-Headed Serpent—
Had been overwhelmed by the Wind-Passing Great Sage and Son Goku and were forced to flee.
After defeating them, the Wind-Passing Great Sage and Son Goku rejoined the battlefield.
Eight of the greatest powerhouses in the Central Heavens Realm were now fighting in one place.
As a result, the Demonic Spirit Realm itself continued to crumble apart.
Just as the battle grew increasingly intense—
An enormous force suddenly descended from the heavens and separated both sides.
Its power was so overwhelming that even the world's restoration could not repair the damage immediately.
Both sides entered a brief stalemate.
While everyone stepped back, the Bull Demon King finally spoke.
"That is enough."
His deep voice caused the Roc Demon King and the Lion Camel King, who had been about to move, to stop.
Leaving his younger brothers behind, the leader of the Seven Great Saints stepped forward.
Despite fighting a battle that had destroyed one-tenth of the Demonic Spirit Realm...
The Bull Demon King had not suffered a single wound.
"Son Goku."
Son Goku, who had been casually twirling the Ruyi Staff, stiffened.
"What was your true purpose in coming here?"
With a single sentence, the Bull Demon King drew everyone's attention.
"Uh... Big Brother, you already knew?"
"If there were no special reason, you would never have come to the Demonic Spirit Realm."
The leader of the Seven Great Saints was not merely powerful.
His insight was equally extraordinary.
He could see through the hidden intentions of others.
"Haha. As expected, you're not someone easily fooled."
Son Goku awkwardly scratched his head with the tip of the Ruyi Staff.
"What? You didn't come here to help me?"
The Wind-Passing Great Sage walked over and kicked Son Goku in the backside.
"I came for both reasons. It's not like I didn't help you. Besides, it's honestly hard to interfere in your fights, Brother. You'd just start fighting for no reason."
"What do you mean both reasons? You just used me because you needed me."
Apparently upset, the Wind-Passing Great Sage continued kicking Son Goku while Son Goku kept speaking despite getting hit.
"Let's stop fighting for now. I came because there's something I need to say. You humans should stop for a moment too."
"So that explains why the Bull Demon King wasn't eager to continue."
There had been a reason he patiently waited while Jang Woo-hyun and his companions talked.
From the very beginning, the Bull Demon King had never intended to fight seriously.
"Human. Do not address Big Brother that way."
The Lion Camel King growled at Muk Geom-yeong.
"What else should I call a bull-headed monster? If you don't like it, we can continue."
The provocation caused the Lion Camel King's aura to surge like a storm.
"Fine! Then today I shall—"
"Hey! Hold on! Just wait a moment! Even if you're going to fight, at least hear me out first. No, to be precise, they're not even my words. I'm just the messenger."
"Then whose words are they?"
"Just wait a moment. Let's get this over with."
Dodging another kick from the Wind-Passing Great Sage, Son Goku quickly leapt backward before straightening himself.
"We've been waiting for this moment."
He pointed toward the white line stretching all the way to the end of the heavens.
"I don't know if you're aware of this, but whenever someone undergoes Lesser Ascension to become a True Immortal, or completes Ascension to become a Martial God, every gaze is drawn toward them."
"And during that time... no one can see what is happening nearby."
This did not apply only to the beings of the Upper Realm.
When a True Immortal appeared, Heaven focused upon delivering the Heavenly Tribulation.
When a Martial God ascended, Heaven focused upon observing the new path they had created.
Even Heaven's own consciousness became completely absorbed, while the surrounding area was concealed by a new power.
"This is the only opportunity we have to talk."
Unlike before, Son Goku's smile vanished with a serious expression, he continued speaking.