Chapter 198 : Jaseung, Attempts
Chapter 198: Jaseung, Attempts
The result of his bold appearance was anticlimactic.
Contrary to Yeo Su-in's expectation that Baek Seolyoung would naturally spare him some time, Baek Seolyoung flatly refused his request.
"I apologize, but I haven't yet received news that guests from the Cult have formally arrived at the Alliance. I must take my leave now."
Although it was a refusal mixed with a sharp rebuke, suggesting she should follow the proper procedures to meet him, Yeo Su-in was not offended.
Baek Seolyoung had been considerate of his feelings, speaking in a gentle voice and even bowing slightly.
In the end, Yeo Su-in could not stop her as she refused and departed.
The First King descended and stood behind Yeo Su-in.
"Did you see the look she gave me just now?"
"She is a very arrogant young woman."
Yeo Su-in turned back to the First King. At his displeased gaze, the First King realized his mistake and quickly bowed his head.
"I apologize."
"Think before you speak. You need to read the atmosphere."
"I will keep that in mind."
Yeo Su-in soon looked toward where Baek Seolyoung had disappeared, smiling contentedly.
"They said she was beautiful, but she's smart too. Usually, when someone approaches so abruptly, curiosity is sparked. They would normally ask why did they come to see me? Maybe I should listen to their story. Besides, someone with my face is quite decent, right? Why? Am I wrong?"
When Yeo Su-in asked, the First King quickly replied,
"No, you are magnificent."
"I'm not magnificent, just moderately attractive. Anyway, it's difficult to refuse someone so heartlessly, but she cut me off completely and left. That's why I say she's smart."
"Yes, I agree."
The First King's honest thoughts were like this.
'It seems he's deeply taken with her. Then why doesn't he just overwhelm her?'
If it were him, he would have kidnapped her and just ravished her. What reason did the successor to the Demonic Cult Leader have to hesitate?
With a woman so beautiful, he would act first and worry about the consequences later. Wouldn't that be the mark of a true Demonic Human?
'If he worries about all the proper procedures, how is that any different from those Orthodox Faction bastards?'
The First King, who was grumbling internally, suddenly remembered something he had forgotten.
"Ah, and we received a message from the headquarters."
"What does he say?"
"It seems the Cult Leader is very angry about the failure of the Black Way Alliance headquarters subjugation. The order is to return immediately."
"Angry huh. He was planning to eliminate that mysterious faction or whatever it is anyway. The order of things just changed. He's only showing anger to save the Elder Demon Lord's face, that old man."
Since the relationship between the Elder Demon Lord and Yeo Su-in was poor, this meant the Cult Leader intended to scold Yeo Su-in for his failure to boost the Elder Demon Lord's spirits.
"Send a letter saying I'll return as soon as possible. I suppose I need to save my master's face too."
The First King acknowledged Yeo Su-in. Although he was younger than him, his ability to see through people was superior not only to his own but to anyone else he knew.
"And formally notify the Murim Alliance that we have arrived. If they want to meet formally, then we'll meet formally."
The emotion in Yeo Su-in's eyes was a precarious goodwill, one that no one could predict what feeling it might change into.
* * *
Lee Jaseung's eyes widened when he confirmed the contents of the box.
He truly had not imagined that such a thing would be inside the box.
The Elixir, a medicine pill lined up in rows on the red velvet lining the bottom of the box were, surprisingly, Demon Restoration Pills.
There were three rows of ten, making the total number thirty.
The final words followed the phrase that commanded him to open the box. Through them, he could understand why his father had painstakingly hidden this here instead of giving it to his son directly.
"I had considered taking them myself. However, I realized that even if I consumed all these Demon Restoration Pills, I could never change my constitution and master the Nine Divine Demonic Arts to its pinnacle. I believe the same is true for you. But I do not believe the same constitution will be passed down to your children. I hope this helps you sever the harsh curse I have passed down and restore the prestige of the Heavenly Demon. Written on this date, Yeonbaek leaves this to his son, Yeongang."
Lee Jaseung was overcome with emotion before the thirty Demon Restoration Pills.
The cost of manufacturing even a single Demon Restoration Pill was truly astronomical. After realizing his own constitution, Ho Yeonbaek had used his position as the Heavenly Demon to leave behind the maximum possible legacy for his son.
A single sheet of paper was tucked into the side of the box.
Lee Jaseung took it out and read it. It contained instructions on how to consume the Demon Restoration Pills. Ho Yeonbaek suggested several methods related to this. The methods differed depending on one's physical condition, age, and level of martial arts technique.
Lee Jaseung carefully read it. Of course, since it was the Demonic Cult's method, it was not necessary for Lee Jaseung. Even if Lee Jaseung were to consume this, he would melt it down using his own method.
Nevertheless, Lee Jaseung read it meticulously.
The methods of circulating Qi varied for each scenario, but the results were nevertheless optimal, truly outstanding.
This led to a series of exclamations from Lee Jaseung, such as, 'Oh, to achieve such an effect with this kind of method!'
In other words, the Nine Divine Demonic Arts's Qi circulation technique itself was perfect.
Lee Jaseung was newly struck by how truly formidable the Heavenly Demon Sect's Nine Divine Demonic Arts was.
The feeling he got from the explanation related to the Qi circulation technique matched the precise, perfect fit he had felt as his martial arts technique developed recently.
A longing arose again. Not as the Black Way Alliance Leader, not as an ambitious man dreaming of unifying the world, but as a martial artist, he longed to confront the Nine Divine Demonic Arts directly and defeat it.
Furthermore, not just the Nine Divine Demonic Arts, but a confrontation with the Nine Divine Demonic Arts manifested with the Heavenly Demon Soul.
Of course, as far as he knew, no master had ever defeated the Nine Divine Demonic Arts manifested with the Heavenly Demon Soul. Only a legend had been passed down from the past that a martial arts technique called the Silver River Meteor Sword had shown equal skill to the Nine Divine Demonic Arts.
In any case, Lee Jaseung had to make a decision.
What should he do with these thirty Demon Restoration Pills?
Although he felt somewhat sorry toward Ho Yeonbaek, giving them to Ho Yeonshin was excluded from the options. If Ho Yeonshin, who was already strong enough, consumed all of these, a truly terrifying enemy would be born.
Should he divide them among Baek Seolyoung and his subordinates?
They would be able to see a much greater effect than if he consumed them.
Lee Jaseung's current status was like this.
Five hundred and forty years worth of extreme Yang Inner Qi.
One hundred and eighty years worth of extreme Yin Inner Qi.
How much would his Inner Qi increase if he consumed these thirty Demon Restoration Pills? The more Inner Qi one possessed, the less one gained from consuming an Elixir, medicine pill. Furthermore, with five hundred and forty years worth of Inner Qi, it was difficult to expect any Inner Qi gain from an Elixir, medicine pill.
But with thirty Demon Restoration Pills, the story was different. The quantity was enough to expect more than sufficient gains.
Lee Jaseung pondered for a moment and then reached a conclusion.
He would keep only the one he had acquired earlier and consume the other thirty himself.
There were several reasons, but the biggest reason was the enemies he had yet to meet.
Opponents whose fighting outcome was unknown.
The man whom Ho Yeonshin believed to be his first Cult Leader, and the Asura Demon Sect Leader Yao Hong, were both opponents whose limits were unknown. And even Yim Sayeon, who was currently on his side but whose future intentions were uncertain.
Since the land was a place where masters were as numerous as grains of sand on the seashore, there was no telling what other masters might pop out from where.
Even if things went well, if a final absolute master appeared and swept everything away at once, there would be nothing more devastating.
That was the public reason for the overall benefit, but there was also a personal reason.
He was currently stuck at the second sublevel of the Transcendent Peak Realm. The desire to possibly reach the first stage by consuming this Elixir, medicine pill.
Yes, that was clearly greed.
Even Lee Jaseung, who usually did not display greed in martial arts technique, felt a little greedy this time.
In any case, all of that would only be possible if he safely dissolved all thirty of these Demon Restoration Pills.
Lee Jaseung sat cross-legged and took a deep breath.
Lee Jaseung, who was about to put a Demon Restoration Pill into his mouth, briefly stopped his movement. He stood up, as if he had remembered something belatedly.
He read the instructions on consuming the Demon Restoration Pills that Ho Yeonbaek had left again.
"……Perhaps?"
Lee Jaseung's eyes twinkled. Although it contained the operational method of an absolute Demonic Art that he could not apply to himself, he had gained an understanding through it.
Lee Jaseung closed his eyes for a moment and visualized what he was about to do. He intended to attempt something new, not simply dissolving the Demon Restoration Pills into Inner Qi.
The current five hundred and forty years worth of extreme Yang Inner Qi he possessed.
How much could he increase it with thirty Demon Restoration Pills? One hundred twenty years? One hundred eighty? Two hundred forty?
It was unknown. But one thing was clear, because his current Inner Qi was already five hundred and forty years worth, there was a definite limit to the gain, even if he consumed all the Demon Restoration Pills.
The gain of merely a couple hundred years worth would be too disappointing for the result of consuming thirty Demon Restoration Pills.
That was why he intended to attempt this.
The attempt to combine not only the five hundred and forty years worth of Inner Qi but also the one hundred eighty years worth of extreme Yin Inner Qi to be reborn as a new kind of Inner Qi. Easily put, the attempt to combine the extreme Yang and extreme Yin to make them one.
Of course, until now, he had used the extreme Yang and extreme Yin Inner Qi separately and effectively. He used extreme Yang for Asura, and extreme Yin for Dream Phantom, and the Yama's Dagger Art demonstrated greater power when executed with extreme Yang.
He was even able to win against the Eternal Life Buddha because his Inner Qi was divided into extreme Yang and extreme Yin.
But now, he felt that the time for change had come.
He would combine everything and be reborn as a new Inner Qi.
But this attempt was dangerous, an attempt whose result was completely unknown, one that no master he knew had ever tried.
Lee Jaseung slowly put the first Demon Restoration Pill into his mouth.
The Demon Restoration Pill had an intense fragrance. Before he could taste it, it melted in his mouth and flowed into his stomach.
Lee Jaseung continued to consume the Demon Restoration Pills. The speed of consumption gradually increased.
One, two, three, four, five…… nine, ten…… seventeen, eighteen, nineteen…… twenty-one, twenty-two…… twenty-eight, twenty-nine, and finally, thirty.
As thirty Demon Restoration Pills entered his body at once, a truly enormous energy raged within him.
Lee Jaseung drew up all the Inner Qi from his Dantian. Not only the extreme Yang Inner Qi but also the extreme Yin Inner Qi was drawn up completely. The two different Inner Qi mixed together.
They were not merely running through the blood vessels together.
Lee Jaseung began to deliberately blend the two Inner Qi. This was not something that would end with a heterogeneous feeling.
That alone brought a huge shock to his body, but the real process was just beginning.
He then mixed the immense Inner Qi from the Demon Restoration Pills with them all at once.
An extremely difficult feat, something no master he knew had ever attempted, was now being attempted.
Lee Jaseung's Dantian and blood vessels had been strengthened beyond measure through the process of increasing his Inner Qi earlier. Otherwise, this feat could not have been attempted in the first place.
Kwakwakwakwakwa.
Lee Jaseung's internal force overflowed throughout his entire body like a flooding river.
The internal forces gathered, then scattered, dashed to the left, and then suddenly changed direction to the right.
Smack! Slam! Smack!
With each shift, small explosions erupted throughout his body.
The pain that followed was so intense that even Lee Jaseung, who was resistant to pain, had to grit his teeth to endure it.
He felt as if his whole body was being swept away and flying somewhere, and then as if he were plummeting from the sky at a terrifying speed.
Tremendous events unfolded within Lee Jaseung's blood vessels. Light and darkness intermingled, and moments and eternities intersected.
When the time was right!
The internal forces that had been surging through his body finally began to coalesce completely into one. The energies converged into his Dantian. Just as their speed seemed to be gradually increasing.
Swish.
Like a great darkness sucking in the distant stars of the night sky, all the internal force in Lee Jaseung's body was instantly sucked into his Dantian.
Lee Jaseung's Dantian swelled as if it would burst.