Chapter 57
—Gooooooo!
A wave of ki imbued with an indescribably immense power.
—Swaaaaaa, kwagang!
The ki wave went against the powerfully falling waterfall and finally scattered in the air with a great explosion.
‘The Young Cult Leader’s martial arts are…’
‘Truly at a heaven-shaking level!’
‘Someday, he will surely be able to follow the Cult Leader…!’
A strange light appeared in the eyes of the crowd.
Because what the Young Cult Leader had just shown was a marvelous move that contained the manifestation, operation, and explosion of Gang Qi all at once.
It was something that could only be achieved by reaching the ultimate realm that humans could reach, breaking away from the worldly formula of third-rate, second-rate, first-rate, peak, and peerless.
This was proof that the Young Cult Leader was a martial artist of the divine who had mastered the legendary realm of Sword Control with Ki.
The Young Cult Leader was none other than Wi-ji Chan.
“Young Cult Leader! Your martial arts are improving by the day, so now you can probably even enter the ranks of the ten great masters of the world!”
“That’s right! Among your peers, no one will be able to even follow in your footsteps!”
“By the time you reach the age of thirty, you will probably not be able to find an opponent in the world, except for the Cult Leader!”
Three men dressed in luxurious black cloaks.
The two, the leader and vice-leader of the Cheonryeongdae, which was skilled in stealth and infiltration in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and played a key role as scouts in large-scale battles, and had now been reorganized into the Young Cult Leader’s direct unit, flattered Wi-ji Chan.
But just because it was flattery didn’t mean they were telling a lie.
Of course, mentioning the ten great masters of the world was an exaggeration, but since they were truly impressed, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it was a loyal advice rather than flattery.
But,
“Haha. Leader, Vice-Leader. Why are you all like this? The ten great masters of the world? Not a chance. Hahaha. You’re praising me too much.”
Wi-ji Chan laughed heartily and denied their words.
At that, the leader, Hyeon Dong-hwa, said playfully.
“Haha. Young Cult Leader. How can you say such a thing? Isn’t your modesty excessive?”
“No, Leader. Even in the Unorthodox Path, how many masters are there? Not to mention the elders of our cult, but even the general chiefs of the Green Forest and the Yangtze River, the Jang brothers, and Senior Dongbang Il-yeong of the Dongbang family are people who have reached the realm beyond the heavens. And what about the Orthodox Path? Things like the ten great masters of the world are still a distant future.”
Just then.
—Guuuuuu!
Someone was rushing towards the group like a flash of lightning.
The speed and the powerful pressure were truly terrifying.
“We greet the Cult Leader!”
“We greet the Cult Leader!”
“We greet the Cult Leader!”
“We greet the Cult Leader!”
At the same time, Wi-ji Chan and the members of the Cheonryeongdae all knelt and greeted the figure.
He was none other than the cult leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and Wi-ji Chan’s father, Wi-ji Gang.
“Chan-ah.”
“Yes, Cult Leader.”
“It’s not an official occasion, so just call me Father.”
“Yes, Father.”
Wi-ji Chan nodded and performed a respectful cupped fist salute.
At that, Wi-ji Gang’s gaze briefly turned to the empty air, and then he opened his mouth with a voice filled with complicated emotions.
“You were wrong.”
“Yes?”
“You were wrong when you said that things like the ten great masters of the world are a distant future.”
“Father…”
It was a surprising thing.
Although the distance between the two was considerable, Wi-ji Gang had heard all of Wi-ji Chan’s words.
‘As expected of the Cult Leader!’
The members of the Cheonryeongdae were at a loss for words at Wi-ji Gang’s hearing.
In that moment, Wi-ji Gang’s low words continued again.
“Chan-ah. Your father said that your talent is not inferior even when compared to his. In my opinion, you have sufficient talent. You are worthy of being called my son.”
“Father.”
“But you have a big weakness. Do you know what that is?”
“I do not know, sir.”
“It is your soft heart.”
At that, Wi-ji Chan lowered his head with a hardened face.
“You resemble your dead mother. Not only your face, but also your heart. I am truly displeased with that.”
“…”
“You need to have a little more confidence. In fact, haven’t your martial arts surpassed the extreme and reached the extreme demon? If you just strive a little more in the future, the ten great masters of the world will by no means be a dream.”
“Do you really think so? Even if the Unorthodox Path is one thing, aren’t there countless masters in the Orthodox Path? There must be quite a few who have reached the realm of creation, so how can I dare…”
“You’re wrong. Usually, the extreme demon is compared to the realm of creation of the Orthodox Path, but that is a misjudgment of the world. How many people in the current Orthodox Path do you think have gone through all the stages of the realm of creation, such as the Five Qis Returning to the Origin, the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, and Bone and Marrow Cleansing?”
“That is…”
“Among the masters of the realm of creation, the majority are incomplete. To be honest, with your current martial arts, you can easily face a decent sect leader level of the Orthodox Martial Path. Of course, you’ll have to risk your life.”
Wi-ji Chan didn’t know what to do with himself at Wi-ji Gang’s words.
‘Are my martial arts really at that level?’
But Wi-ji Gang was confident in his son’s martial arts.
‘Chan will be like that. No, even if he isn’t, he must be!’
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!
Looking back at its past history, it was the strongest armed group that had never lost its hegemony since its founding.
Although the previous cult leader, Wi-ji Un, and the God of War, Moyong Cheon, had an implicit agreement not to conquer the opposing camps of the unorthodox and orthodox, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult still had the power of the number one in the world as a single force.
If he was the young cult leader of such a Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!
He must one day become the number one in the world, and he must become an iron ruler whom no one would dare to disobey.
Therefore, Wi-ji Gang could not help but always worry about his son’s soft heart.
“The child named So-ah.”
As So-ah’s name was mentioned from Wi-ji Gang’s mouth, Wi-ji Chan’s eyes widened.
“In his lifetime, your father said that the child named So-ah was so outstanding. Is that true?”
“So-ah is a child whose insight is stronger than his martial arts talent. He is a child who can truly enjoy training and laugh even in the midst of extreme pain.”
“Hah… how difficult. He’s a very scary brat. If he were a child born with a martial body or a legendary heavenly martial body, I might not know. But a person who truly enjoys painful training. Hohoho.”
Wi-ji Gang burst into laughter.
But for some reason, it seemed like a hollow laugh tinged with bitterness.
“Father. What about So-ah…”
“Because that child will one day become your rival.”
“Yes?”
“That child is the disciple of the God of War. In other words, he will grow up to be a master representing the Orthodox Martial Path in the future. Then your confrontation can be said to be fate.”
“Father. I have no intention of fighting So-ah. So-ah is like a younger brother to me…”
“Nonsense!”
Wi-ji Gang raised his voice and cut off his son’s words.
“That child is your lifelong rival. Don’t say such weak things.”
“I understand.”
Wi-ji Gang answered reluctantly.
It was because he didn’t want to argue with his father over a trivial matter.
“Strive, and strive again. This father believes in you.”
“I will obey your command!”
With those words, Wi-ji Gang moved away as quickly as he had first appeared.
It was a Heavenly Demon’s Reigning Steps that was admirable even when seen again.
‘Father. So-ah and I will change the landscape of the Jianghu. The unorthodox and orthodox can coexist, and So-ah and I can be good friends, good brothers. I will definitely make it so!’
Wi-ji Chan had no intention of fighting his younger brother, So-ah, whom he was pleased just by thinking of, in pursuit of a hollow name like the number one in the world.
Until then, it was definitely like that.
***
Qinghai.
A vast land with a huge area.
Therefore, some saw Qinghai as the Central Plains, and some saw it as a remote region.
In particular, the Kunlun Sect, the main sect of the current Martial Alliance leader, Ha Won-sang, was so far from the center of the Central Plains, almost close to Tibet, that trade was not very active.
“Wow! So this is Qinghai. They say that those who have set foot in Qinghai must climb the Kunlun Mountains. Since we’ve come this far, shall we go to the Kunlun Mountains?”
Wang So-yeong, who had reached Qinghai after many twists and turns, said as she looked around with curious eyes.
At that, So-ah snickered and reprimanded her.
“Pfft. So-yeong-ah, do you even know where the Kunlun Mountains are to say such a thing? Stop it, you brat. I can’t carry you anymore. I’ve done enough.”
“I know, I know. I was just saying. So can you please shut up?”
“Your words are getting rougher.”
“I learned it from you.”
“I’ve never said such vulgar words.”
As So-ah feigned ignorance, Wang So-yeong, as if she was dumbfounded, pouted her lips with narrowed eyes.
“I’ve never seen a person who messes with people with their mouth like you in my life. Weren’t the robbers of the Mad Wind Sand actually internally injured by your words?”
“Again, again! Useless talk. Stop talking nonsense and let’s just stop by Qinghai Lake.”
“Qinghai Lake?”
“Yeah. It’s not far from here. Anyway, we have to pass through Qinghai Lake to get to Manju-jang, so the route also matches. Since it’s the biggest tourist spot in Qinghai, we have to stop by once.”
“Alright.”
The two smiled brightly and hurried their steps.
After walking diligently for an hour, as expected, the grand view of Qinghai Lake appeared before their eyes with a large crowd.
“Wow. It’s beautiful.”
“It is. It’s really nice.”
Qinghai Lake was a place that embraced the natural scenery of heaven, where the desert and snow-capped mountains coexisted.
Some called such a Qinghai Lake ‘the blue tears of the plateau,’ and even So-ah, who had traveled the world for many years in the past, was seeing Qinghai Lake for the first time, so his heart opened up and he felt as if his eyes were being opened.
“This journey is also over now.”
“It is. Thanks to you, I was able to find the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade, so I’m glad.”
“What’s the big deal? It’s a job I’m getting paid for.”
“Ugh, that damn money talk!”
Wang So-yeong snapped in annoyance at So-ah’s words that shattered the atmosphere.
She couldn’t understand why So-ah was so obsessed with money.
But So-ah, who knew the recently tilted financial situation of the Moyong Family better than anyone else, was desperate for every penny.
“By the way, So-ah.”
“Huh?”
“If you like money so much, do you want to work a little more?”
“What kind?”
“After we give the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade to Manju-jang and exchange it for the internal dan of the Sun Fire Carp, you’ll escort it to the North Sea Ice Palace. With your Swift Whale Steps, it won’t take that long to get to the North Sea. How about it?”
“Ah! I was thinking of doing that anyway.”
“Really?”
“Of course. You said your father’s condition is not good, right? How much time will you waste if you go to the North Sea at a leisurely pace with your skills? I have to escort it myself.”
A strange light appeared in Wang So-yeong’s eyes.
To be precise, the request she had made to the Liaoning Escort Agency was to deliver the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade to Manju-jang.
But So-ah was going beyond that and taking responsibility for the subsequent matters, so she felt a sense of gratitude.
But,
“Instead, you know.”
“What?”
“Come to think of it, I think we need to adjust the request fee.”
As expected, it was about money again.
“Alright. What the hell, how much should I raise it? I’ll take care of it when I get back to the North Sea.”
“No. I don’t like the irresponsible words of ‘I’ll take care of it’.”
“Then what? How much is it?”
“I was originally going to get about three gold ingots, but come to think of it, it seems like I’m losing out. From Liaoning to the Great Desert. From the Great Desert to Qinghai. From Qinghai back to the North Sea. This is, if you convert it to the cost of chartering a carriage, I think I should get about ten gold ingots. It’s a great journey that would have taken more than a year if it weren’t for my infinite stamina. Considering all this and that, about twelve gold ingots can be said to be a reasonable fee. But since there was a mistake by the Liaoning Escort Agency, considering that part, exactly ten gold ingots. Let’s make it ten.”
Ten gold ingots was a huge sum of money, equivalent to 5000 silver taels.
It was an absurd level for simply transporting one escorted item.
“So-ah.”
“Yes.”
“Did you perhaps live in poverty when you were young? There’s no such money ghost as this money ghost.”
“Yeah, I lived without. No, I was an orphan.”
“Hah…”
“So don’t even think about cutting a single penny.”
“Alright… I get it, I get it.”
Wang So-yeong had no choice but to accept So-ah’s proposal, crying and eating mustard.
After that, the two briefly enjoyed the breeze of Qinghai Lake, had a light cup of tea, and then set off on their journey again.
A little later…
The best medical family, which everyone wanted to visit because of its fame as a medical family, but which no one could just enter.
—Manju-jang.
The sign of Manju-jang, engraved with a dragon-and-snake-like handwriting, unfolded before the eyes of So-ah and Wang So-yeong.
‘We’re finally here!’
The time had come to find the internal dan of the Sun Fire Carp, which was called the number one spiritual beast in the world.
(End of Chapter)