Chapter 373: At The Sea (3)

Chapter 373: At The Sea (3)

Chapter 373: At The Sea (3)

In the meantime, I realize that Ham Jin's cultivation has significantly advanced.

"Ham Jin, you've already reached the late Qi Building stage."

Taat!

I arrive in the middle zone of another star and ask,

[Ah, actually...I briefly watched the person called Jang Ik and the Wuji Ghost King sparring in the Astral Realm. Although I fainted halfway through for some reason...thanks to that, I had an epiphany and gained new enlightenments, obtained a new divine ability, and my cultivation rose.]

"You've gained quite an opportunity. Congratulations. What's the new divine power?"

In response, Ham Jin moves his body to form a hand seal and draws spiritual power from his dantian to his fingertips.

'This is...?'

The spiritual power of Ham Jin's Silica Earth Great Wall Secrets turns into a dark ink-like light.

It's a darkness that has a similar quality to the darkness of outer space.

As Ham Jin swings his fingertip, the ink light turns into an ink-colored blade, an Ink Blade (墨刃), which flies across the star and slices through a small mountain.

Kugugugugu!

"....!"

A definite Core Formation level strike!

"...Impressive. Did you create this by observing the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One cleaving stars?"

[Yes. Thank you for the compliment!]

Judging by its form, it seems to be a divine power created from the epiphany gained by watching Jang Ik's strike.

'Indeed, even at the Qi Building stage, observing a Star Shattering stage strike could provide enough enlightenment to create a divine ability.'

Of course, using this one technique drains all of Ham Jin's spiritual power, but since Silica Earth Great Wall Secrets is a method where spiritual power continuously surges as long as the dragon vein is controlled, it isn't a major drawback.

Once he reaches the Core Formation stage, he will likely be able to use it continuously, making it a lifesaving trump card for Ham Jin.

Wo-woong!

I ask another question as we move through the middle zone again.

"What's the name of this technique?"

[I named it Black Blade Slash (黑刃斬)! It's fitting since it's black, and it represents my resolve to cut down the Black Tomb Old Devil who tried to take over my body. The Black Tomb Old Devil was a great fate that threatened me, so I named it with the determination to cut down my fate!]

"Black Blade Slash...an excellent name."

I nod and immediately create a method to refine Black Blade Slash and make it a technique one can cultivate with, combining Silica Earth Great Wall Secrets to form Black Blade Maturing Secrets (黑刃長成訣).

[TL/N: Black Blade Slash is 흑인참, Silica Earth Great Wall Secrets is 규토장성결. MC took the beginning of Black Blade Slash (흑인) and the later of Silica Earth Great Wall Secrets (장성결) and named it 흑인장성결. However, the hanja for 장성 is different, hence it means Maturing Secrets, not Great Wall Secrets.]

Over the course of several days and nights, we cross numerous middle zones and finally return to Ham Jin's world.

Kuuung!

"Whew..."

I emerge from Ham Jin's body, congratulating the exhausted Ham Jin.

"Thank you. I've gained a lot thanks to your cooperation."

"No, I am the one who received an excessively great opportunity!"

"I will grant you a spirit fruit to extend your lifespan later. Let's meet in the Upper Realms someday."

Paaatt!

As I reclaim my consciousness, I smile at Ham Jin, who bows deeply as I return to the Ancient Force Realm.

Ham Jin watches Seo Eun-hyun disappear into the void and looks at his fingertips.

Tststst!

For a moment, his nails turn black, and then a sharp Black Blade forms on his hand.

'Black Blade Maturing Secrets...to bestow such an excellent method. How can I ever repay this grace?'

Ham Jin ponderes and finally makes up his mind.

'Yes, that person told me to meet him in the Upper Realms. Someday, I will ascend! I will become a Heavenly Being beyond even what my master could aspire for, and ascend to the Upper Realms! I will become someone who can assist the great Wuji Ghost King! I will properly join the Wuji Religious Order!'

He finally sets a goal for his life.

It is to ascend and repay the grace he received from the Wuji Ghost King by standing by his side!

Boooong!

When Ham Jin swings his hand, a sharp black blade shoots out from his hand and cuts through a nearby cliff.

"I will refine this Black Blade countless times and definitely reach him!"

Thus, it won't be long before Ham Jin, who trains in the Black Blade Maturing Secrets, becomes a Core Formation Sage God and earns the title of Black Blade King (黑刃王).

The legend of Black Blade King Ham Jin has just begun.

Blink—

I open my eyes.

'Since I've been focusing my primary consciousness entirely on my avatar while fighting Jang Ik, my main body was in a comatose state.'

My comrades must have been greatly alarmed.

Clenching my teeth, I think of Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon.

The depths of the Ancient Force Realm's Deep Sea.

Within the hull of the Salt Bones Ship.

Two women are arguing inside a prison cell within the ship.

"No, you shouldn't have rushed in recklessly!"

"It's you who should have at least run and reported it! What were you thinking?"

Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon are confined in adjacent cells, their limbs bound as they argue.

"Are you telling me to abandon our followers and run away?"

"Your loyalty is admirable! Now we're both stuck here together, what good is that?"

After arguing for a while, the two, exhausted and panting, sigh deeply.

"What a mess this is..."

"Tell me about it..."

After some time, the cell next to the one where they are held opens, and Yuk Yo is thrown in.

The Fighting Ghost Race warriors who threw Yuk Yo then toss Baek Rin into the cell next to hers, laughing as they move away.

Kim Yeon looks at Yuk Yo.

Although the Fighting Ghost Race doesn't usually abuse their prisoners, it seems Yuk Yo was often dragged in front of Jin Ma-yeol and mistreated.

"...Haah...we need to escape quickly."

At Kim Yeon's words, Buk Hyang-hwa chuckles dryly.

"How do you plan to escape? Even if we get out of here, the Salt Bones Ship is submerged in the Deep Sea so we can't get outside."

"Didn't I manage to control your Buk Hyang Fleet? I think I can control this ship too."

"Wake up. My Buk Hyang Ship was half-controlled by a puppet mechanism, making it possible to take control. The Salt Bones Ship, on the other hand, is entirely a manually operated dharma treasure. You won't even have the opportunity to seize control."

Hearing this, Kim Yeon suddenly asks Buk Hyang-hwa a question.

"Then...why not modify this Salt Bones Ship into your Buk Hyang Ship?"

"What?"

"Last time, I saw you quickly modify the ship I had seized and took it back, right? Can't you modify this ship to control it as well?"

"It's possible...but how would we do that? We're both tied up like this."

"Hmm..."

Kim Yeon smirks and moves her arm a few times.

Then, all of a sudden.

Clang, clang, clang!

The chains binding her arms snap.

Seeing this, Buk Hyang-hwa's eyes widen in astonishment.

"B-Breaking the dharma treasure that suppresses spiritual power...with brute strength...?"

"Spiritual power is suppressed, but my internal energy isn't."

Kim Yeon says with a gentle smile.

"Of course, I can't win against those Fighting Ghost Race bastards in a head-on fight, so a frontal assault is impossible. I'll free you too, so you need to modify this ship as quickly as possible to escape. Got it?"

Wududul!

Bending the bars and moving into Buk Hyang-hwa's cell, Kim Yeon releases her cuffs.

Buk Hyang-hwa looks at her for a moment in a daze before smiling.

"Alright, Unnie."

Jin Ma-yeol, the captain of the Fighting Demon Pirate Gang, is staring outside with a cold expression from his captain's cabin.

Due to the heavy spatial compression, the interior of the Salt Bones Ship is extremely vast, akin to a Nether Crossing Ship, making his captain's cabin the size of a small city.

Kuuung!

Jin Ma-yeol looks out through the window of the captain's cabin.

"Even a day earlier...I need to obtain it as soon as possible. But Yuk Yo, that fish-headed bitch..."

Gritting his teeth, he glares at the scenery outside.

He is staring down at the gigantic Sea Dragon statue deep within the depths of the Deep Sea.

"The secret art of Purple Soul Filling the Heavens (紫魂滿天) is within reach..."

A strange excitement fills Jin Ma-yeol's eyes as he gazes at the Sea Dragon statue.

"Yes...let's wait just a bit longer. Then...I will achieve the state of Unaging and Undying (不老不死) with this mortal body!"

***

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