Reincarnation of the Martial Emperor

Chapter 26: If you try any funny business.

It was air.

Not the damp, underground air, but real air filled with the essence of the mountaintop.

“Hoo……”

I slowly took a deep breath, calming my insides.

Jade Awakening, which governed the Governing Vessel.

The Sea of Ki, which controlled the Conception Vessel.

A tremendous sense of exhaustion emanated from the two dantian, and a ringing constantly echoed in my ears, but my heart felt relieved.

How long had it been since I had poured out my internal energy to this extent?

‘Was this the first time since the Heaven and Earth Net?’

As I was chuckling, the dawn broke after about two hours of waiting.

The revealed terrain was unfamiliar.

The mountainside of some nameless mountain.

I surveyed the forest stretching in the distance, but I couldn't see any pavilions.

That meant this mountain was quite a distance from the Jaegal Clan.

That steward sure brought me far.

Just then.

The sound of a pile of dirt crumbling was heard from behind, and soon the Blood Demon started swearing.

“Kuuugh! You bastard!”

Hoo, did he mean he broke through that hellish Heavenly Terrace Pass head-on, just like me?

However, he had no experience dealing with the crude mechanisms of the Demon Subjugation Secret Cave.

Although his martial arts might have been superior to mine, he must have had quite a few close calls with death.

“How was my martial art? I think this is probably the first time I’ve shown it properly.”

“……”

Compared to my time as the Martial Emperor, was it half? No, thirty percent?

It was definitely not a satisfactory level.

But I had trained with all my might.

The opportunity to consume the Great Cycle Pill was not one that came easily.

I dared to say that, including my entire past life, I had never pushed my body and mind this hard.

That was why I wanted to hear the Blood Demon’s sincere evaluation.

Whether by a twist of fate, the only one who had watched the arduous training process from beginning to end was that Demonic Cultist.

“What kind of martial art is that? It’s the struggle of a madman desperate to die.”

I let out a smirk.

Even though his mouth was spouting such words, his bloodshot eyes were telling a different story.

Only then did I feel relieved.

Since that eccentric man’s eyes were colored with wonder, I no longer needed to doubt the results of my training.

‘Did I advance by about ten years, at least?’

I had anticipated it would take thirty years to recover the martial arts of my prime.

One might ask why I set such a long period, but it couldn't be helped.

This wasn't a matter of bone structure or talent, but a matter of timing.

The earlier one was initiated into martial arts, the better.

The age of eighteen was a time when the bone structure was already solidifying and the ki meridians were closing.

If it hadn't been for the Great Cycle Pill, and if I had been just one year later, I would never have been able to dream of the divine might of my prime.

“By the way, where is this?”

The Blood Demon, who was examining the terrain in detail, frowned.

“You crazy bastard, you ended up cutting Peak-and-Valley Mountain in half.”

“Huh? Peak-and-Valley Mountain?”

This was the mountain range I had seen to the north of the Jaegal Clan?

But it was strange.

Shouldn't it have been a bigger mountain than this?

“Half of the mountainside has caved in. But it's strange. If the mountainside was this devastated, a landslide should have occurred, and the area below should be in chaos by now.”

Startled, I hurriedly unfolded the Galaxy Eternal Spirit Steps and descended towards the foot of the mountain.

And then, I froze in a daze.

It wasn't that I couldn't see the Jaegal Clan's pavilions near the forest; they had been buried under a giant pile of dirt.

‘Huh… The entire rear garden is…….’

Fortunately, the place where the dirt from Peak-and-Valley Mountain had descended was the outer courtyard.

However, the rear garden where the Wind and Cloud Creation Formation had been spread, decorated with all sorts of rare flowers and strange plants, was completely buried under the dirt.

……This, the situation seemed quite serious.

“Hey! Blood Demon! This is a secret between us!”

“……What are you talking about.”

“The fact that I smashed the mechanism! It’s a secret!”

“……”

He was looking at me like I was a crazy person, but I paid him no mind.

The Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom, an old man who would do anything for the prosperity and well-being of the Jaegal Clan.

What if that eccentric old man found out that I was the cause of this terrible disaster?

Just the thought of it made me squeeze my eyes shut.

But just then, dozens of figures were approaching, climbing over the pile of dirt.

I could now tell just from the energy they emitted that they were the Shadowless Terrace.

Soon, a familiar old man's face came into view.

‘O-Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom!’

How was that old man so fast?

I frantically smeared dirt on my face and shouted at the Blood Demon.

“Hurry up and hit me anywhere, just once!”

“……What is that all of a sudden?”

“Damn it, I'm ready to have a bone broken, so hurry up!”

In an instant, a sinister killing intent formed in the Blood Demon’s eyes, and the Ki Art flowing from his palm exploded on my thigh.

A burning sensation, as if my blood were boiling, washed over me faintly.

You heartless Demonic Cultist bastard.

You could have just gone easy, but you had to sprinkle in the Red Mist Demonic Art in the middle of all this? Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novelFɪre.net

“Hwi-ya—!”

Confirming the Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom running towards me with teary eyes, I collapsed as if fainting.

“Sob, Grandfather……”

“Heavens and gods! You’re not dead! You survived, thankfully!”

I repeatedly forced myself to hold my breath and then let it out.

Every time I gasped for breath like that, the Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom also panted along with a face full of pity.

“Yes, yes, my grandson. First, take a slow, deep breath. You are safe now…… How much you must have suffered all this time. But what on earth happened?”

I squeezed out non-existent sorrow with all my might and delivered a wholehearted performance.

“Suddenly, an earthquake occurred, and all the caves of the Nine Phoenix Gates collapsed. I thought I couldn't proceed with the gates any further, so I had no choice but to give up……”

“Ah, the heavens have truly helped. Well done. It is far more important to survive than to protect a man's pride. There is no need to blame yourself at all.”

“Yes……”

The Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom then glared sharply at the Blood Demon.

“Do any of you have a spare mask?”

One of the Shadowless Terrace warriors, who had been standing stiffly like a statue, rummaged through his robes and offered a mask.

“You there. Wear that.”

The Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom’s eyes were full of contempt as he looked at the Blood Demon.

The Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom, who had turned away from the Blood Demon as if he had seen something filthy, shouted again at the Shadowless Terrace warriors.

“You two, support Hwi-ya and take him to the Clan Head. The rest of you, follow this old man.”

“Where are you going?”

“It would be a big problem if more earth were to wash down again. I will remain here to prepare for aftershocks, so you go down first and recuperate.”

As I was bowing respectfully to the Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom, I glanced at the Blood Demon.

He was smiling strangely.

‘He’s smiling?’

Right.

It was time to re-establish discipline once more.

* * *

I couldn't meet my father right away.

Due to the sudden disaster, all the laborers from the Xiangyang area were mobilized.

On top of that, the General of Xiangyang and Fancheng, who protected Hubei Province, dispatched his troops, and even the magistrate of Xiangyang came to command hundreds of carts.

I couldn't help but be amazed at the prestige of the Five Great Clans, which I had only heard about.

If this was the extent of the Jaegal, just how much more amazing was the Namgung Clan, said to be the number one family under the heavens?

As expected of the Jaegal Clan, masters of civil engineering and mechanics, the restoration work proceeded quickly.

In just half a month, they had cleared all the dirt that had stretched from the mountain ridge and had even completed a giant temporary earthen wall.

The day after my father held a grand banquet to commend the workers who had helped in the sudden disaster.

I was finally summoned to the Clan Head's Hall.

Of course, the Blood Demon was with me.

The Blood Demon, who was leaving the residence with me, suddenly looked at me strangely.

“Don’t you feel any guilt?”

“No?”

Why was the collapse of Peak-and-Valley Mountain my fault?

It was the fault of the Jaegal Clan for putting that damn Demon Subjugation Secret Cave right in front of the Martial Emperor’s eyes.

If the Black Spirit Valley had unfolded before their eyes, nine out of ten of them would have gone crazy too.

I had tormented the Orthodox Faction quite viciously with that trap.

The Blood Demon shook his head from side to side.

“Truly vicious. Even I, who has seen more than enough demons wearing human skin, have never seen a scoundrel as shameless as you.”

“That’s not something a vicious Demonic Cult Bishop should say.”

“As expected, you have no conscience.”

“So? Does that mean you don’t want to meet Jin Gang-cheon?”

“You, again…… Well, since we’re on the topic, let me ask. Where is Jin Gang-cheon now?”

Pfft.

“Do I look like some naive waiter at a shabby inn to you?”

“You……!”

“Just wear your mask properly. If you don’t want to get stabbed by the Sword Saint.”

The Blood Demon, who had been shaking his head as if there was no solution, soon sensed a presence and hid behind me.

The person running towards us, covered in dirt and in a disheveled state, was a young man I had never seen before.

“Brother Hwi!”

“Huh?”

Who was this?

I carefully examined the face of the imposing young man who was suddenly calling me brother.

Then, I was startled.

His narrow eyes and stubborn mouth resembled the boy from my childhood.

“Is that you, Yeong?”

“Yes! Brother!”

Wow, could a person change this much in just three years?

The boy who used to have long, flowing hair and looked like a delicate young girl was now a real man. His soft, high-pitched voice had also become manly and deep.

And that height.

It was no exaggeration to say that he seemed to have grown twice as tall.

“Why have you grown so much?”

He was truly a dignified general.

To the point where he would be considered a crane among chickens among the lanky Jaegal Clan members.

“Haha! I had a bit of a grudge against food, you see! I just ate well and slept well!”

I was so surprised that my eyes were instinctively examining his bone structure.

For a sixteen-year-old to have such a magnificent physique, this boy could truly be called a natural-born warrior blessed by the heavens.

But.

He seemed even more surprised than I was.

“What on earth happened to you in the Nine Phoenix Gates? At first, I really thought it wasn't you, brother!”

Hmm, had I changed quite a bit too?

Well, of course.

After pushing myself to such extremes.

Even I could feel my changed aura so clearly, there was no way that boy, who idolized me, wouldn't feel it.

“Let’s catch up later.”

“Ah! You’ll be seeing Father now. I understand. Then I will be waiting, brother!”

Seeing the boy, who had been denying reality with an anxious heart, grow into such an imposing figure, somehow made my heart feel warm.

“How much more attention are you going to draw here?”

The Blood Demon's slanted eyes, visible through the mask, were constantly scanning the surroundings.

Sigh, what a coward.

No matter what, there was the dignity of the Blood Demon, yet how could he be so chicken-hearted?

Well, if the Great Murim Alliance had fallen and he had lived as a wanderer alone in the territory of the Orthodox Faction, would I have become like that too?

Soon, I limped past the Crouching Dragon Hall and arrived at the Clan Head's Hall.

I had been recuperating for half a month, but my leg still hadn't fully recovered.

The Blood Demon’s demonic art was truly no ordinary thing.

Creak.

As I opened the door to the Clan Head's Hall, as expected, the Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom and the Great Young Master, Jaegal Cheon, were seated to the left and right of my father.

As the Blood Demon tried to sit down after me, the Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom glared.

“You will stand over there.”

The Blood Demon silently retreated to a corner of the Clan Head's Hall.

Only then did I realize his situation.

Now that Xinjiang had fallen, whether he was the Blood Demon or whatever, they were all just remnants.

He had the martial prowess to fight the Shadowless Terrace, but he couldn't dare to do so.

If his identity as the Blood Demon were revealed, the Wuchang branch of the Murim Alliance would immediately move, and dozens of Heaven and Earth Nets would be spread around the Jaegal Clan.

“I cannot fathom it.”

My father’s first words were filled with many emotions.

Contrary to him, I could now feel my father's level clearly at a glance.

Quite a prosperous external ki.

But an unrefined, sharp energy.

It was the typical aura that appeared when one's initial moves could not keep up with their outstanding internal Ki Art.

‘Around the edge of the Pinnacle, perhaps.’

It could be said to be the martial prowess of an elder of a decent sect, but it was infinitely lacking for a supreme leader of a clan.

“Tell me. Is what I am seeing with my own eyes the true improvement of the Yellow Core Great Luo Art?”

In that moment, startled, I contorted my face without restraint and gave a signal to the Blood Demon.

If you try any funny business, you're dead, Blood Demon.