Chapter 104
Chapter 104
A strange standoff continued.
Hyeonu had never imagined that Youngho would speak in such a rude tone, but the one at fault first and foremost had been his own Master.
Just as Hyeonu was about to stop his Master at once—
Krrr—!
With the cry of a beast, a White Tiger that seemed to have appeared from nowhere stood guard at Youngho’s side.
Baring its snow-white fangs and growling, the sight of the White Tiger was enough to make even Hyeonu, a master of the Transformation Realm, feel his knees weaken.
Such a thing would have been impossible for an ordinary White Tiger.
Hyeonu’s Master withdrew his Martial Presence and said,
“I apologize. I have committed a discourtesy.”
“Then don’t expect good words to come out of my mouth.”
The young man nodded as if acknowledging that Youngho’s words were correct.
“That is true. And I too have my position to consider, so I will speak casually as well.”
Receiving Youngho’s gaze, the young man looked at Youngho’s group with tense eyes before speaking.
“My name is Jeongun.”
For an instant, Youngho’s pupils widened greatly.
“Jeongun of the Wudang Sect?”
“Yes.”
At that, Horyeung let out an exclamation as if realizing something.
“Could it be the Sword Immortal?”
“I have been called that.”
At Jeongun’s reply, everyone except Youngho and Horyeung could not hide their confusion.
“That sounds very much like a Taoist-style title.”
As if responding to Kang Hosan’s words, Jeongun stroked his long beard and said,
“At one time, I was Wudang’s sword. Though the current generation would not remember.”
Youngho let out a faint chuckle.
“I never expected someone who disappeared more than thirty years ago to be here. And judging by the looks of it, you disappeared to raise a disciple.”
Jeongun looked at Youngho with clear eyes. After quietly observing him for a long while, he let out a deep sigh.
“For what reason have you come here? Most of those who came here did so to kill me….”
The one who reacted most strongly to Jeongun’s words was none other than Hyeonu. His once-innocent face was now twisted like that of a malevolent spirit.
Youngho shook his head.
“No. Entering this place was purely by coincidence. We want to leave as well.”
Jeongun’s face showed surprise.
“A coincidence?”
“Yes.”
As if he could not believe it at all, Jeongun tilted his head from side to side and muttered,
“This too must be fate….”
After murmuring to himself for a moment, Jeongun looked at Seonpung, who had released the Bone-Contraction Technique and revealed his true form, and asked Youngho,
“A spirit creature?”
“More precisely, the offspring of a spirit creature.”
Jeongun nodded as if satisfied.
“I once again apologize for my earlier mistake. So would you speak with me for a moment?”
“A conversation…….”
Youngho smiled faintly.
“Judging by the Martial Presence you displayed earlier, you do not seem inclined to converse.”
“That is true. But at the same time, there is something I am curious about.”
“Speak.”
Hyeonu frowned at Youngho’s rude manner of speech, but Jeongun slowly approached Youngho. Soon arriving directly in front of him, Jeongun unfolded a Qi Barrier.
It was no ordinary Qi Barrier. It was one formed using Hardened Force, something only possible upon reaching the Transformation Realm.
Now, even a master of the Transformation Realm would not be able to hear the conversation between Youngho and Jeongun from outside the barrier.
Youngho met Jeongun’s eyes with an indifferent expression.
“What is it that you wish to say, that you would deploy a Qi Barrier even your disciple cannot hear through?”
Jeongun, eager to resolve his doubt as quickly as possible, ignored Youngho’s words and asked,
“How did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“No… you said you are of the Unorthodox Faction, correct? Then perhaps you would not know.”
At Jeongun’s abrupt and strange words, Youngho wondered if the Sword Immortal had fallen into senility.
However, at the words that soon left Jeongun’s mouth, Youngho could not help but tense his muscles.
“How did you come to meet an Immortal?”
A meeting with an Immortal.
The meaning of those words was simple. Before he knew it, Youngho’s pupils grew cold as they widened.
His expressionless face was so chilling it naturally instilled fear in any who beheld it.
At the bone-chilling sight, Jeongun swallowed and said,
“So it is true that you met an Immortal?”
“How do you know that?”
Jeongun glared at Youngho with wide eyes and said,
“Because it is the path I pursue.”
It was not easy to face the eyes of Youngho, which resembled an abyss.
All the more so when they were Youngho’s eyes.
Yet Jeongun did not retreat, and appreciating that spirit, Youngho nodded.
“Explain.”
Though the tone was unbelievably rude for someone addressing the Sword Immortal, Jeongun did not seem to care and spoke at once.
“I sense Immortal Energy from you. And not just a trace, but a very dense Immortal Energy. For such Immortal Energy to remain in one’s body, one must have met an Immortal in person…….”
Letting out a deep sigh, Jeongun continued,
“It seems you had an extraordinary fortuitous encounter.”
“How can you sense what you call Immortal Energy from me?”
“That is because I am a Half-Immortal.”
“…What?”
It was an absurd statement. A Half-Immortal?
“Half Immortal, half human—are you referring to the Half-Immortal I know?”
“Yes. I am still only halfway. In a few months, I will depart for the Immortal Realm.”
Even more absurd than the claim of being a Half-Immortal.
“You will go to the Immortal Realm? A human?”
“Immortals were originally human as well. It is merely that their enlightenment transcended humanity.”
“You would have to comprehend the principles of nature… something like that.”
“You know a little.”
“I could not help but know.”
“Indeed, having met an Immortal yourself, that would be the case.”
A brief silence allowed both to organize their thoughts. Jeongun spoke first.
“There is a saying: All Rivers Return to the Source. If one’s enlightenment in martial arts reaches a certain level, it becomes possible to ascend to the Immortal Realm.”
“That would be damn hard. Even the Heavenly Demon cannot go there—how could I?”
It was a reasonable statement. Even the Heavenly Demon had not yet reached a depth of martial enlightenment sufficient to ascend to the Immortal Realm.
‘But someday, he will.’
The Immortal Youngho had met had clearly said that the Heavenly Demon would destroy the world.
‘And for some reason, it seems the Heavenly Demon also retains some memory from before my Regression.’
There were many things to consider.
After staring at Youngho’s face for a moment, Jeongun smiled in satisfaction.
“Would you perhaps be willing to travel together with my disciple for a short while?”
“Not particularly.”
A blade-sharp refusal. Yet Jeongun did not give up and continued speaking.
“Though you are of the Unorthodox Faction, the fact that you met an Immortal means there is no issue with your humanity.”
Youngho openly displayed his irritation.
“So what?”
“Even for a short time, could you show Hyeonu the world?”
Youngho looked toward where Hyeonu stood and said,
“Your disciple is strong. It would not be strange to say he has already stepped into the Domain of the Absolute.”
Countless scars could be seen across Hyeonu’s body.
To have attained that level of Martial Might, he must have endured grueling effort. His flesh must have been torn apart countless times; there likely had not been a single day when his body was whole.
After gazing at Hyeonu with faint pity, Youngho shook his head.
“If you truly care for your disciple, it would be better for him to return to Mount Wudang and quietly refine his Martial Might.”
“Then he would become a frog in a well.”
Youngho looked at Jeongun with indifferent eyes.
Those shoulders, firm as Mount Tai, did not seem like they would bend their will.
“My disciple must know. He must know the pressures under which the common people live—and what it means to be human. He must see, feel, and learn.”
It was orthodoxy. An argument so correct it left no room for rebuttal.
“This boy does not yet know the world. If he is careless, he may be deceived and killed by those of the Unorthodox Faction. Poison and Hidden Weapons—if there are those with sufficient skill, even a master of the Transformation Realm can be killed.”
“You think he could fall into a trap? Your disciple?”
“That would be the case. He is too naive and does not understand how the world works. The current Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect is my disciple, so if he returns to Wudang, things will work out somehow—but the process is the problem.”
“The process?”
“Yes. He is curious and will likely stir up trouble wherever he goes. The problem is that he needs someone to restrain him. Hyeonu has already entered the realm of the Absolute. Only another Absolute can stop an Absolute.”
In short, Jeongun was asking Youngho to teach his disciple restraint.
Youngho pondered briefly.
‘Come to think of it, was there a warrior in Wudang who reached the level of an Absolute?’
No. Before his Regression, there had not been a single one.
There had been those at the level of the Ten Great Masters Under Heaven, but none who had stepped into the Domain of the Absolute.
Which meant…?
‘That bastard must have died while wandering the Martial World.’
As Jeongun had said, he likely fell into a trap and died.
Judging by Jeongun’s tone, it seemed that even those within the Wudang Sect did not know of Hyeonu’s existence.
Had he worn Martial Robes embroidered with the Taiji Symbol, it might have been different—but the Hyeonu before him wore plain clothing that any commoner might wear.
Even one who had entered the Domain of the Absolute would be at least half as strong if caught in poison or various traps.
No matter how mighty a mountain lord might be, if dozens or hundreds of wild dogs swarmed him, he would fall. Hyeonu, too, would have eventually collapsed from exhaustion.
‘Should I accept?’
He had little choice. To prepare for war against the Demonic Cult, strong talent was essential. All the better if that talent possessed upright character and proper understanding.
Simply put, having an Orthodox Sect member who had entered the Domain of the Absolute would be ideal.
‘I cannot let someone like that die a dog’s death.’
Youngho let out a deep sigh.
“Fine. I just need to escort him to Mount Wudang, correct?”
“I am truly grateful.”
“Forget it. If your disciple were mediocre, I would not have helped.”
“Even so, I will repay you. I shall inform Hyeonu in advance—if you ever have a request of Wudang, I recommend paying a visit.”
“I’ll gladly accept.”
Jeongun dispelled the Hardened Force Barrier and called out to Hyeonu,
“Hyeonu, come here for a moment.”
“Yes, Master.”
Though Youngho was not particularly pleased with the way Hyeonu still regarded him with caution, he refrained from speaking in order not to interfere with their farewell.
In an instant, the surrounding air sank heavily. Even as though a massive Mount Tai pressed down upon his shoulders, Hyeonu merely let cold sweat trickle from his temples.
Jeongun spoke in a dignified voice laced with Immortal Energy,
“You are Wudang’s sword. More than anyone in Wudang, you must stand at the forefront and cut down evil foes. And if anyone seeks to harm Wudang, it is your role to cut them down.”
Hyeonu’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
Seeing the resolve in Hyeonu’s eyes, Jeongun smiled in satisfaction.
“I entrust Wudang’s future to you, Hyeonu.”
Hyeonu opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before finally speaking in a trembling voice he could not suppress.
“…Are you leaving?”
“Yes. This will be the last of our time together.”
When Jeongun signaled with his eyes, Youngho nodded and led his group away to give them space.
Half a shijin later, Hyeonu gathered his belongings and approached Youngho.
“I look forward to your guidance from here on.”
Youngho smiled faintly.
“The sun is setting, so let’s leave the forest quickly.”