Reincarnation of the Martial Emperor

Chapter 27: I don't want to.

If that Blood Demon bastard started blabbering about Jin Gang-cheon or the One Ki Divine Origin Art right now, it would be the end.

The complicated twisting of my plans would be one thing, but more importantly, I couldn't think of a suitable excuse.

Of course, if things went south, I could also inform the Wuchang branch that the next Blood Demon was brazenly walking around in the Jaegal Clan.

But why?

If you crunched a sugar candy all at once, it might be sweet for a moment, but you couldn't savor that sweetness for long.

I wanted to work that Blood Demon bastard like a servant.

For as long as possible.

“……That is correct.”

Whew.

Fortunately, the Blood Demon was cooperative.

He knew it too. How dangerous the consequences would be if he had a falling out with me here.

“……Is that really true?”

My father’s voice was trembling violently.

It was the strict clan law of this stubborn Jaegal Clan that one who had completed the Nine Phoenix Gates could not speak carelessly about the experience.

And yet, my father was casually mentioning the Yellow Core Great Luo Art.

In other words, this matter carried a weight that could not be measured even by the clan law.

“……”

The Blood Demon was just staring at me without a word.

He would play along, but it probably meant that I had to handle whatever came next on my own.

“That man… ah, no, not the instructor, but I improved it, Father.”

In an instant, everyone’s gaze gathered on me.

The Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom’s voice, filled with admiration, echoed in the Clan Head’s Hall.

“I-is that truly a fact?”

“Yes. While preserving all of its power, I have removed all the unique characteristics of the Yellow Core Great Luo Art. Even if a lama from the Western Regions Esoteric Cult were to witness it himself, it would not be easy to find any trace of the Yellow Core.”

“What!”

My father, who rarely wavered in any situation, shot up from his seat, his eyes wide.

Hmm. Was the fact that I knew about the history of the Yellow Core Great Luo Art such a shocking thing?

The Blood Demon, who was calmly receiving everyone’s questioning gazes, soon let out a low voice.

“It is a misunderstanding. I have never said a single word to this man about the origin of the Yellow Core Great Luo Art.”

I smiled nonchalantly and said.

“The one who first mentioned the Yellow Core Great Luo Art was none other than you, Father. Surely you didn't think I wouldn't know about the representative internal art of the Four Hegemons of the Outer Regions?”

“……You have never experienced Jianghu, have you?”

“Come on, it's something you can learn just by reading any of the rolling-around Jianghu Secret History Records. Father, you treat me too much like a child.”

Suddenly, the Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom shouted sharply.

“Can you show this grandfather!”

Hmm.

My mind quickly became complicated.

It wasn't that the Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom’s request was burdensome, but that I couldn't easily judge to what level I should show him.

If I showed excessive martial prowess, my plans would be disrupted by their excessive expectations.

If they felt it was insufficient, the Nine Phoenix Gates would be rebuilt, and the meaningless sacrifices would continue.

As I was engrossed in such thoughts, I slowly began to activate my Conception and Governing Vessels.

Woooooong—

Along with a low resonating sound, a tangible ki was emitted through my palm.

The hazy waves of ki that had been playing with the air soon gathered densely and began to shine coldly.

An energy that resembled the cold starlight of the Northern Dipper.

The martial artists of the world.

Called this cold and powerful energy ‘Gang’.

“H-how can this be……!”

Enhanced Qi.

A boundless realm completed when one who has reached an unshakable path of martial arts gains the ultimate enlightenment.

And I had revealed it through the ki emitted from my palm, without even borrowing the sharpness of a blade.

For a martial artist who understood the difficulty of From Sword Qi to Enhanced Qi, and its arduous process, this sight would by no means be meaningless.

Of course, I maintained it for a moment, then erased the Enhanced Qi as if it had been washed away.

“This is as far as I can maintain it for now. At present, it is difficult to incorporate it into my techniques.”

A sense of disappointment soon appeared in the Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom’s sparkling eyes.

The pinnacle realm under the heavens, Enhanced Qi.

However, if the time it could be maintained was as fleeting as this, it held little meaning. That old man knew that as well.

The human mind was so fickle.

Did they think it was easy to produce Enhanced Qi like this after only three years?

This was something that even I considered a miracle.

It had taken me, the Martial Emperor of my past life, a full twenty years to complete this cold Enhanced Qi.

To achieve such Enhanced Qi at the mere age of twenty?

Had such a martial artist ever existed in the long history of the Murim?

“Then does that mean it is the improved Yellow Heaven Flood Dragon Hand?”

Yellow Heaven Flood Dragon Hand.

It was the palm technique of the Esoteric Cult that paired with the Yellow Core Great Luo Art.

The greatest martial art in the history of the Western Regions, said to overwhelm Shaolin's Great Strength Diamond Palm.

My father believed that the Enhanced Qi that had erupted from my palm was a glimpse of that Yellow Heaven Flood Dragon Hand.

“Unfortunately, that is not it. This is just the manifestation of Enhanced Qi by materializing my internal energy.”

My father, who had been silent for a while, shifted his gaze to the Blood Demon.

“Is everything Hwi-ya said true?”

“It is.”

My father’s eyes quickly showed suspicion.

“It is something our family has researched for two hundred years and still failed to complete. You, a master of martial arts, also wasted decades and only killed our family’s innocent children, did you not?”

The Blood Demon remained silent.

“I simply cannot accept it. Tell me what you are hiding, without omission or addition.”

Depending on how one heard it, the words sounded strange.

The one who made the claim was sitting right next to them, yet he insisted on hearing it from the Blood Demon’s mouth?

“Why can’t you believe me?”

“You will remain silent.”

“No, did you not hear what I said? I’m telling you I’m the one who improved it.”

“Shut up!”

My father’s face was contorted with extreme anger.

“It is something that the countless geniuses in our family’s history have clung to while swallowing their blood! We have poured all the capabilities of the Divine Skill Jaegal into researching and improving the divine art! Do you have any idea what state of mind this father was in when I entrusted the research to that man?”

Well, he had revealed the family’s shame to the Blood Demon of the Demonic Cult, of all people.

It wasn't that I didn't understand his feelings.

It wasn’t pleasant to have to respond with deception to someone showing such sincerity, but what could I do?

I still couldn't tell the truth, and even if I did, there would be no one here who could understand it.

It was frustrating.

This whole situation where I couldn't say that I was Jin Gang-cheon.

“A great master of martial arts spent decades and couldn’t even find a clue, yet you, who knows nothing of martial arts, dare to say you did it? And in just three years?”

Well, I never thought I’d be saying this so often.

“Because I'm a genius.”

“Th-this rotten bastard!”

My father, who had swung his arm back as if to strike me, soon let out a sigh and massaged the back of his stiff neck.

It wasn't like I was comfortable with this situation of constantly patting myself on the back either.

Around that time, I gave the Blood Demon a look, my brows furrowed deeply.

As I glared at him as if to eat him alive, he finally nodded as if he had lost.

“This man is indeed a genius. In my entire life, I have never seen a martial talent that reached the heavens like this man.”

The great Blood Demon was shamelessly playing along without a change in his expression.

Still, as if his suspicious heart was not yet appeased, my father soon glared at me and opened his mouth venomously.

“Then tell me the circulation formula.”

“……Here?”

“A man who can draw out the Enhanced Qi of the world cannot perform the Sound Transmission Secret?”

Damn, this wasn't part of the plan.

In that moment, a clever idea came to me.

“Looking at it, isn't the order of things reversed here?”

“The order?”

“You lost to me back then. It’s not right to just gloss over it like this.”

Just as I had boasted, the Great Tiger Gang had moved north, which meant I had clearly won that bet.

I was definitely supposed to receive my father’s internal art method as a reward.

As I was enduring my father’s glaring gaze for a long time, a transmitted voice suddenly echoed in my ears.

Surprisingly, my father was telling me everything, from the circulation formula to the diagrams for its application.

After concentrating and confirming all of my father’s transmission, I couldn't help but wear a bitter smile.

‘A typical approach of scholars.’

This improvement of the Yellow Core Great Luo Art was not done by that Blood Demon.

This was clearly the result of two hundred years of contemplation by the Divine Skill Jaegal.

Solely pursuing efficiency and results.

Traces of directly violating the theories of martial arts were abundant everywhere.

As such, I let out a long sigh and looked at my father.

“Why did you give up the Shenque?”

“What do you mean?”

“This is like sacrificing the Heavenly Mechanism Divine Movement for the sake of the Water Crossing Principle. It means you went against the current to move a rock.”

The power of an energy that was exerted against the principles set by the heavens was not whole.

One should not go against the natural order, even if it meant taking a roundabout path.

Human reason, which pursues rationality and efficiency, was dangerous in this way.

Martial arts was precisely about continuously enduring such temptations.

The devil was not far away.

If one couldn't handle hardship and only sought the easy path, the one that would inevitably arrive at some point was the devil of qi deviation.

“This…… the immediate efficiency might soar, but in the end, all balance will be broken, and it’s a Ki Art that cannot achieve great mastery.”

This was surely a result that was in line with the Jaegal Clan's family tradition.

Since they were people who had dealt with mechanisms that exerted immense power by using or sometimes going against the forces of nature, they must have considered efficiency in every process.

“The way you utilize Qian Li and Zhong Zheng is the same. Why did you have to block them? Do you think the power of the Yellow Core can be maintained even after blocking such a vibrant energy?”

“Th-that is……”

Before my father could even answer, I had already pronounced a death sentence on this Ki Art.

“Since you only pursued efficiency, of course, the short-term results would be extreme. But that’s all. In this way, all growth will stop before you even reach seventy percent. That’s where it ends.”

My father’s complexion turned pale.

It was probably because I had accurately pinpointed his condition that he was so surprised.

The Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom looked at my father.

“Is it as Hwi-ya says?”

My father couldn't answer easily.

He probably couldn't easily believe my ability to grasp the problems of the Ki Art in an instant, just by hearing the incantations, circulation formula, and application diagrams.

But this was necessary.

Otherwise, there was no way to persuade that suspicious and cunning father of mine.

“I will close our family’s Nine Phoenix Gates. Instead, I will open a proper martial hall that teaches martial arts. I will take charge of that. Ah, of course, the instructor will help me too.”

The Blood Demon’s eyes were screaming in disbelief, "Why me again?"

I lightly smirked, ignored him, and looked at my father again. Fresh chapters posted on NovєlFіre.net

“Do you still not believe me?”

Finally, my father slowly opened his mouth.

“What have you decided to name it?”

I smiled brightly as I looked at my father.

As expected, he had realized in an instant that I had planned everything in advance.

“The Martial Emperor Pavilion.”

The Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom soon tilted his head.

“Why such a name of all things? It will not do. It is a name that immediately brings to mind a man who gives me a headache.”

This was non-negotiable.

Soon, I looked at everyone with eyes full of madness.

“How long do you think you can protect this giant family with just the Shadowless Terrace?”

“……”

“……”

In that awkward silence, my father spoke again.

“I will contemplate that matter. For now, solving the immediate problem comes first.”

“What problem?”

The Old Man of Heavenly Wisdom said.

“For the past three years, our Clan Head has been constantly plagued by the requests of the Namgung Clan.”

“The Namgung Clan Head?”

My father gestured with his eyes to a corner of the Clan Head’s Hall and opened his mouth gravely.

“Look at that.”

On top of a small side table.

Countless letters with some sort of dark blue pattern were piled up.

“They are the challenge letters sent from the Namgung Clan.”

Don’t tell me these bastards?

Three years had passed, and they still hadn’t forgotten?

“Until now, we have politely refused their requests for a meeting with the excuse of being in closed-door training. They have been pestering us ceaselessly, and it is becoming difficult to hold out any longer. You will go to the Namgung Clan yourself.”

Namgung Sejin, why did I have to go see that persistent and vile old man?

“I don't want to.”