Chapter 83: Deathbed (1)

Chapter 83: Deathbed (1)/translatingnovice

The momentum of the Formless Sword alone shatters most of the martial arts created by Kim Young-hoon.

However, using his newly created martial arts as a sacrifice, Kim Young-hoon's saber pierces through and slices through the air, targeting Seo Eun-hyuns neck.

On the other hand, although Seo Eun-hyun's Formless Sword is ferocious, it still needs half of a half-breath more to descend and reach him.

'I will win!'

Its when Kim Young-hoon laughs as if his mouth might tear.

Above Seo Eun-hyun's left hand, a brilliant five-colored glow bursts forth.

Among the Seventy-Two Earthly Sha True Words, the Earth Penalty True Word materializes through the five elements spiritual power.

'Did he create it without reciting the mantra, by just manipulating the flow of spiritual power?'

Judging by its quick formation, it seems like a spell that has been prepared from earlier and has just been completed.

The spiritual power solidifies in the void, condensing firmly.

Its a type of spell that condenses spiritual power to trigger an explosion!

'It doesn't matter, he can't hit me anyway.'

It will only take as much time to blink an eye for Seo Eun-hyun to complete his spell and launch it at Kim Young-hoon.

Yet, in that amount of time, Kim Young-hoon's saber will have already reached Seo Eun-hyun's neck!

That's what he thought...

Boom!

Seo Eun-hyun did not launch the spell in his left hand.

Instead, he grasps the spell with his hand imbued with Pure Spiritual Force and looks at Kim Young-hoon.

Along with Seo Eun-hyun's intent, the name of his technique echoes.

Infinite Fighting Hidden Weapon Technique, Direct Serpent.

The Formless Sword, which seems to be striking down at Kim Young-hoon, has already changed its form and resides in Seo Eun-hyun's left hand.

The spell overlays on the Formless Sword and is shot at Kim Young-hoon.

If it continues like this, it would be a counter-strike.

'And if it's a counter-strike, this monstrous guy with Gang Qi flowing in his veins will win.'

Even if his neck is half-cut, as long as the spinal cord is not severed, he probably won't die, thanks to the Pure Spiritual Force spreading life force throughout his body.

Its a judgmental defeat for Kim Young-hoon.

'No.'

Rumble!

Kim Young-hoon squeezes out all the energy in his body.

'I'll be prepared to die, just like Seo Eun-hyun!'

It feels as if his upper dantian is about to explode.

But Kim Young-hoon doesnt care and further ignites his talent, the sensation he had since he first opened his eyes in this world.

The joy of cultivating martial arts.

He forgets everything else.

'How can this not be enjoyable?'

Kim Young-hoon creates another martial art.

This new martial art is not just about physical agility or pouring out slashes.

In a paused world.

Golden threads spurt out from all over Kim Young-hoon's body.

The threads, moving at the speed of light in the world of an instant, gather around his arms and into his grip, connecting to the Surpassing Radiant Saber he holds, completely enveloping the saber.

On the surface of the Surpassing Radiant Saber, thin thread-like veins form, creating blood vessels and meridians.

Kim Young-hoon contemplates and ponders over martial arts.

Internal energy, techniques, and intent.

All are a part of martial arts.

And the Inner Core harmoniously connects everything, maintaining balance in martial arts.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

Suddenly, Kim Young-hoon recalls this and ponders over the existence of the Inner Core.

'What is the Inner Core?'

The Inner Core is basically where the Gang Sphere settles in the dantian, mixing with the nature of the dantian to form something new.

Then, what is the dantian?

Why does the Gang Sphere, used externally, get depleted when its energy is exhausted, but the dantian recovers its power?

Kim Young-hoon's senses lead him to the answer as he questions.

'It's because they're connected.'

The dantian is connected to the body's blood vessels and meridians.

It's connected to physical life.

Thus, empowered by the vitality of life, it continuously draws energy from the atmosphere, nurturing internal energy.

The Gang Sphere, although containing consciousness, is not truly connected to vitality, so it keeps depleting.

In that brief moment, Kim Young-hoon's talent leads him to a new idea.

If he creates external meridians and blood vessels to emit energy and infuse life force into the Gang Sphere, wouldn't that Gang Sphere become another Inner Core existing externally?

Beyond the resistance to the depletion of energy, can it be possible that, due to being connected to life force, one can continuously recover strength?

Or could it become a new source of power?

Kim Young-hoon's Surpassing Radiant Saber is the union of nine Gang Spheres and his domain of consciousness.

'Here I go.'

Breathing life into the Surpassing Radiant Saber, he creates a new dantian outside his body.

The Surpassing Radiant Saber begins to burn even more brilliantly.

The Surpassing Radiant Saber, in a completely still world, surpasses through all perception and cognition, rushing towards Seo Eun-hyun after slicing through his spell.

The Formless Sword infused with Seo Eun-hyun's spell rapidly changes form and targets Kim Young-hoon, but due to the hasty change, it only manages to head towards his shoulder.

Swoosh!

Boom!

Delayed by the breaking of the sound barrier, sound belatedly explodes, and the dust that rises around them is pushed away in a circle.

Kim Young-hoon's Surpassing Radiant Saber is touching Seo Eun-hyun's neck, while Seo Eun-hyun's Formless Sword is touching Kim Young-hoon's shoulder.

"I..."

Its Kim Young-hoon's victory.

"I won!"

Churk, Walkak

Blood spurts from Kim Young-hoon's eyes, nose, and mouth, having overstrained his upper dantian by rapidly activating his talent.

Kim Young-hoon's Inner Core is also empty, and the brilliance of the Surpassing Radiant Saber seems to extinguish at any moment.

Seo Eun-hyun sighs.

"...If it had been a real fight, I would have died. Yes, I admit defeat."

"Ha, haha, hahaha...!"

Kim Young-hoon laughs, covered in blood.

He has finally succeeded in surpassing him.

Fizz...

The golden light embedded in Kim Young-hoon's saber is retracted back into his domain of consciousness, and Seo Eun-hyun's Formless Sword returns as well.

"By the way, what was that? That thing at the end."

"I theorized I could turn the external Gang Sphere into an Inner Core by connecting it to a dantian outside the body like Surpassing Radiant Saber.

I created an additional source of power outside the body and used it to momentarily enhance the Surpassing Radiant Saber beyond its limits."

"Huh..."

Seo Eun-hyun looks at Kim Young-hoon with a stunned expression.

"Did you... create that martial art in the midst of battle just now?"

"If the idea is there, it's certainly possible to create such martial arts. You probably can learn it even more easily. You originally emit energy outside your body to perform spells..."

Suddenly, Kim Young-hoon glances around while talking to Seo Eun-hyun.

He hasn't had a chance to pay proper attention until now.

"Being a cultivator... without difficulty..."

He only thought the surroundings were destroyed, and the terrain damaged.

He hadnt considered 'how' it differed from the original terrain.

"...You'll be able to learn it."

The terrain altered by Seo Eun-hyun scattering his Formless Sword in all directions forms a battle formation.

The battle formation has spell characters carved into it as sword marks, with five overlapping formations centered around Seo Eun-hyun.

Gradually, Kim Young-hoon's treatment is coming to an end.

Several days passed.

Kim Young-hoon gets up and swings his saber again.

"So, what now?"

He asks me.

"Now that you're a Qi Building cultivator, you can easily become an elder in any clan."

"Elder, huh... That could be good, but."

I look towards the south, far away.

"There's a friend I need to meet."

"A friend to meet? Who might that be?"

"Oh, remember that dragon-like creature that captured Deputy Manager Oh? It seems he has a job for me."

I briefly explain Seo Ran to him and say,

"It seems he wants me to help his descendant and defeat a Core Formation level ghost. I'm thinking of giving it a try."

"Hmm, a Core Formation level ghost."

Kim Young-hoon, upon hearing my summary, grins.

"That sounds fun. Let's go beat it up together."

"Alright, then shall we go meet that dragon's descendant first?"

Kim Young-hoon and I cross the Black Wind Sea and head towards Seo Ran's abode.

Thump, thump!

Kim Young-hoon and I kicked through the air and arrived at Seo Ran's cave.

If we used Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation as before, we could have flown, but knowing its a trap set by Seo Hweol, it became an option we shouldnt learn.

"Is it down there?"

"Yes, it is."

"Then shall we swim..."

Just as Kim Young-hoon is about to hold his breath,

I stop him and draw my Formless Sword.

"Why bother swimming? Let's just ask the owner to come out, though I feel sorry for him."

"Hmm?"

Rumble!

I fee; sorry for Seo Ran, but it seems we needed to cause a bit of a commotion.

Formless Sword!

Whoosh!

With a single strike, the sea splits apart.

The water all the way above Seo Ran's cave is torn open by the Formless Sword, and a path to his dwelling appears before us.

"Is the owner home?"

I use the language of the demon race to vibrate spiritual energy and shout. After a while,

Seo Ran crawls out of his abode in his dragon form.

"...What brings seniors to this place...?"

He looks at us, Kim Young-hoon and me, with great caution.

Swoosh!

The divided sea merges again, and Seo Ran emerges from the water to meet our eyes.

I show him the Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation given by Seo Hweol and explain.

"The Sea Dragon King Seo Hweol asked me to help you, his descendant, break the barrier of Black Bone Valley. This demon beast manual is the proof.

Would you like to accept our help?"

After looking at me and the manual, Seo Ran's expression brightens.

"Se, seniors, if you could help me, I would be grateful. But you are humans, and I am a member of the demon race, can you trust me..?"

"...I've already heard everything from the Sea Dragon King. Including your origins."

I look at Seo Ran as I speak..

At those words, Seo Ran bows his head slightly, sighs softly, and emits light.

He transforms into his demi-human form, with scales and a tail.

"...I apologize for not greeting you in my true form from the beginning. Knowing this fact, you must be truly requested by the King."

Seo Ran smells faintly and speaks..

"Understood. Then, I ask for your help. Please assist me in breaking the barrier."

I look at him.

Calling me a senior, this feeling is somewhat strange.

In this life, perhaps we can't be friends.

But I won't let him die.

"Let's do that. Lead us to the barrier."

Seo Ran, Kim Young-hoon, and I head towards the sea area where the Nether Crossing Ship of Black Bone Valley is hidden.

Swoosh!

"Wow, magnificent."

After breaking through the illusionary and ghost barriers set up by Black Bone Valley, we look at the Nether Crossing Ship positioned at the center of a massive water barrier.

Kim Young-hoon is overwhelmed by the sight and exclaims in awe.

"That's the barrier."

Seo Ran points out the barrier surrounding the Nether Crossing Ship to Kim Young-hoon and me.

A barrier that will dissolve if we remove the eight formation flags inside.

However, the barrier easily accepts those with pure human lineage, posing no problem.

Kim Young-hoon and I approach the barrier.

Like my previous life, we just need to enter and remove the flags.

"Please help me break through this barrier."

"Alright, then..."

At that moment,

Boom!

A flash of golden radiance strikes one side of the barrier.

Kim Young-hoon had slashed at the barrier surrounding the Nether Crossing Ship with his Surpassing Radiant Saber.

The barrier shakes violently and wavers..

"Oh, no, senior. There's no need to smash the barrier like that...!"

Seo Ran seems panicked as he speaks to Kim Young-hoon.

However, Kim Young-hoon just smirks and readies himself again.

"Ah, well, I don't know much about spells and such. So I just tried brute forcing it... But this."

Kim Young-hoon's Surpassing Radiant Saber begins to emit a golden brilliance.

"Seems like I can smash it. Do we really need to dismantle it the hard way?"

Boom!

He swings the Surpassing Radiant Saber again, and the barrier wavers once more.

"Oh, no..."

Seo Ran is taken aback by the unexpected development.

But I just chuckle at the scene.

If Kim Young-hoon is doing so, I can't be outdone.

Boom!

I take out my Formless Sword and, like Kim Young-hoon, batter the barrier.

The barrier starts to shake wildly.

Paaat!

With my strike, the barrier trembles and a faint crack appears.

Translator Notes: Extra chapter donated by Fugman, lil bruh, and maxr. Thanks for the support! 1 more to go.

Poor barrier. Those humans just need to kindly remove the flags stuck inside but instead barrier-san gets jumped lmao.

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