Chapter 2559 – 2559. Ascending To The Light

I looked around. It was full of corpses. Most of them were martial artists belonging to the Fire Dragon Gate, but some were ronin or commoners mixed in.

They had been caught in a battle. It wasn’t an ordinary battle, but one where poison was rampant, so it was only natural. Moreover, the Fire Dragon Gate had trained in both poison and fire techniques, so their bodies were inherently poisoned. As they became corpses, that poison spread.

‘It’s a good thing I didn’t detonate the Blood Thunder recklessly.’

If I hadn’t confined the Blood Thunder’s space, not only the brothel but more than half the city would have been blown away.

I headed towards the Fire Dragon Gate. I declared to the stragglers left at the Fire Dragon Gate.

“From now on, the Fire Dragon Gate is mine. You who belong to the Fire Dragon Gate are also mine. If you run away, you die.”

I took over the best building in the city. They knelt before me and submitted. There were no complaints. They knew very well how strong an absolute master was.

“Bring all the courtesans in the city. Also, bring all the Fire Dragon Gate’s martial arts manuals, elixirs, poisons, and all other assets and offer them to me.”

I settled into the Fire Dragon Gate and began to live a life of leisure. Of course, I didn’t forget to train in my spare time.

The Fire Dragon Gate had built a training ground underground, perhaps to prevent the spread of poison. They had spent a lot of money, so the training ground was quite decent. It was small, but there was also a spiritual vein flowing through it.

I took out an elixir from my inventory.

A round pill containing pure spiritual energy.

The Eight Immortals Pill.

This elixir didn’t have the effect of increasing internal energy. Instead, it temporarily amplified one’s perception. It was an elixir to be taken when overcoming a wall, pursuing enlightenment, or learning and practicing important techniques.

I put the Eight Immortals Pill in my mouth. My perception was amplified, and my senses became more sensitive. It was a temporary effect from the elixir, so I immediately began training.

‘…Actually, it’s not even training. It’s to find out the cause of the collision between the Demonic Qi of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and the Lightning Qi of the Lightning Heaven Style.’

First, I operated the Lightning Qi with the Lightning Heaven Art of the Lightning Heaven Style. The flashing Lightning Qi raced through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.

Crackling.

Blue currents of electricity sparked around my cross-legged body. I calmed the Lightning Qi. Most of the Lightning Qi disappeared, but some remained in my meridians.

I operated the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Demonic Qi wriggled and stirred in my dantian. And the remaining Lightning Qi and Demonic Qi clashed.

Crack!

The victim of that clash was my body. My blood and Qi twisted, and my internal organs were damaged.

“Cough!”

I coughed up blood. At that moment, I felt a sense of coolness rather than pain. Of course, it was also painful due to the internal injuries.

The Lightning Qi collided with the Demonic Qi as if it had a will of its own. The Demonic Qi didn’t stand still against the rampaging Lightning Qi. The Demonic Qi also began to rampage. Since I was operating the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, the Demonic Qi was overwhelming. The Lightning Qi was quickly suppressed.

“Cough.”

The problem was that I had suffered internal injuries even in that short moment.

‘Still, I roughly understand what happened. It’s because the Lightning Qi has become stronger as the level of the lightning has increased.’

When strength increases, one’s shoulders rise. The Lightning Qi became fiercer as it grew stronger. Of course, I could suppress it if I tried. However, it consumed concentration. There was no room to focus on the Lightning Qi during a battle where there were many things to pay attention to.

‘It’s also a problem that my body has become too accustomed to lightning.’

The immediate solution that came to mind was to operate the Lightning Heaven Style and the Heavenly Demon Divine Art completely separately. So, in a way, it wasn’t a serious problem.

‘It’s not like I can simply switch between the Lightning Heaven Style and the Heavenly Demon Divine Art like in the world of God’s Atlantis.’

[God’s Atlantis], which is assisted by the system, would have no problems.

‘Can’t I use the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and the Lightning Heaven Style at the same time? At least, I wish they wouldn’t repel each other.’

When I need the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, I use the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. When I need the Lightning Heaven Style, I use the Lightning Heaven Style. If I’m going to use them, I should use them flexibly.

I pondered a solution, but nothing came to mind.

‘…I don’t know, so I should ask Wiyu. It’s good to have a teacher at times like this.’

I used the space transfer of the Heavenly Gang System.

『A special barrier is interfering with space transfer.』

My eyebrows twitched.

‘A barrier? There’s no barrier in the Fire Dragon Gate. I already checked.’

Still, just in case, I spread my senses. I refrained from emitting electromagnetic waves because the Lightning Qi and Demonic Qi would clash again and cause internal injuries.

There was no barrier within the reach of my senses. I tried space transfer again.

『A special barrier is interfering with space transfer.』

‘…So, there’s a barrier in a place that my senses can’t reach.’

There was a way to find out.

[Opening the Heavenly Eye.]

Through the Heavenly Eye, I looked at a farther place. The farther the distance, the more concentration was needed, but with my current abilities, I could observe even a thousand miles away without difficulty.

I found the barrier.

A very large hemispherical barrier was installed centered on the city where I was. The barrier was in the form of a net, and it was gradually decreasing in size.

‘The Martial Alliance’s Heavenly Net! Not only space transfer but also teleportation won’t work.’

They were preparing to capture me for sure. It seemed that capturing me alive was their top priority.

I took out a space movement scroll from my inventory. Space movement that was done by a different principle than magic, using items from another world.

Zzzzzzzzz.

I moved to Fallen Moon Mountain.

Wiyu was sitting on the living room sofa, eating beer and watching a drama. A tank top and dolphin shorts. She looked like a jobless swan sister who was lazing around. …She actually had nothing to do.

“Master!”

“What is it.”

“Please give me guidance!”

I explained the collision between the Lightning Heaven Style and the Heavenly Demon Divine Art to Wiyu. Wiyu drank her beer with a nonchalant expression. I don’t know why she likes alcohol so much when she doesn’t even get drunk. If she were drunk, I would pounce on her right away.

“When you think about it, martial arts are just a means, a tool. Don’t forget that fact.”

“……So, what should I do? Should I learn a new martial art?”

“That could also be a method for now. But there is only one fundamental solution. Train diligently.”

“…….”

It seemed like it wouldn’t work even if I forced it. I had a feeling that if I touched Wiyu now, I would enter hell training. I greeted Wiyu and returned to Tongbisi.

• • •

While I was wasting time rolling around with the courtesans, a guest came to visit.

A government official.

To be precise, the chief constable, who was the head of the constables.

He was the highest-ranking official in this rural city. His cultivation was at the early stage of the Fifth Qi.

The man with the goatee raised his chin and said.

“Greetings. I am Yoo Kang-baek, the chief constable of Tongbisi.”

“You have no manners. If you’re going to greet someone, bow your head first.”

I exerted my will and pressed down on him.

Yoo Kang-baek’s face contorted. He tensed his lower body and barely endured the pressure. He must have felt like an insect being trampled, but he didn’t collapse and held on.

“…Stop it. I am the chief constable of Tongbisi! I am an official serving His Majesty the Emperor! I warn you, do not intimidate me!”

“So, you’re borrowing the Emperor’s authority after all.”

“Even if I die at your hands, His Majesty will not know. To His Majesty, I am just one official…! But the government and the army will kill you who killed me! Are you not afraid of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?!”

“You really want to die, don’t you?”

Yoo Kang-baek’s lips curled up.

“If you could have killed me, you would have done it already! Go ahead and kill me!”

I let out a hollow laugh and swung the Fire Lotus Flying Dagger.

Lightning Heaven Style (雷天流) Lightning Flash (雷光).

A red trajectory flashed and cut off Yoo Kang-baek’s right arm.

“Kuaaak?! Th-this bastard is really attacking me?! Are you not afraid of the government! The army! His Majesty the Emperor?!!”

“His Majesty the Emperor must be quite something. Even a trash like you can be so confident in front of me.”

“What makes you so arrogant! You have touched an official of His Majesty the Emperor! The Namgung Clan? The Heavenly Demon Cult? They are nothing before His Majesty the Emperor!”

“Hehe. I’ll show you something interesting.”

I took out a letter from my inventory.

A luxurious script written on the finest paper, and the imperial seal stamped below it.

Yoo Kang-baek’s eyes widened as if they would tear. He seemed to have forgotten the pain as he looked at the paper with the seal on it again and again.

“If you’re an official, you can’t not know what the seal stamped here means.”

“I-I-I-Imperial Edict…!!”

Yoo Kang-baek hurriedly knelt and slammed his head on the ground.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor!!”

He bowed. To be precise, not to me, but to the edict. The edict with the Emperor’s seal had the same authority as the Emperor.

I approached Yoo Kang-baek and carefully stomped on his head.

Thump. Thump.

“What did you say earlier? What made you so arrogant? Do you understand why I’m arrogant?”

“I-I made a mistake! Please forgive me! If I had known it was His Majesty the Emperor’s edict, I would have bowed my head from the beginning!!”

“You little shit. You only understand your place when I show you… Ah, just in case, if you spread the rumor that I have an edict… you know? Then your entire clan will die. Do you understand?”

“Yes. Yes. Of course. B-but, what is your relationship with His Majesty the Emperor?”

“You little shit. Are you suspecting me right now?”

“It’s not that… The edict was about inviting the Fallen Moon Goddess to a banquet….”

“The Fallen Moon Goddess is my master. I was on my way to the Imperial Palace on her behalf. I have some time to spare now, so I’m just having fun.”

“Yes. Yes…. Is, is that so.”

“Your reaction is not good? You don’t believe me right now? Should I call the Embroidered Uniform Guard? I have a friend among the top-ranked Embroidered Uniform Guards, should I call him? Huh?!”

“No! No! I believe you!!”

“Behave yourself, you little shit.”

“Yes. Yes. I will behave!!”

The effect of the edict was outstanding. It was just an invitation, but because it had the imperial seal, it was recognized as an edict.

“Hey. Get up.”

“Yes!”

Yoo Kang-baek stood up like a flame. He lowered his eyes and looked at me cautiously, sweating profusely.

“You are an official of His Majesty the Emperor, so I will spare you. Instead, you take care of all the troublesome things. Make sure no unnecessary rumors come out from the government.”

“I will take care of it for sure!”

“I’ll say it again. It’s a secret that I have an edict. Keep your mouth shut. If even a rumor comes out… I’ll think you’re the culprit.”

“My mouth is heavier than anything!”

“Then get lost.”

“Yes. Yes. I will leave…!”

“You little shit. You have to take your arm with you.”

Yoo Kang-baek hurriedly picked up his right arm that had fallen on the floor and retreated.

I was satisfied with the power of the edict.