Translator/Editor: TranslatingNovice

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

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Chapter 23: Refining (2)

"Kim Hyung."

"What is it?"

"Why are those called cultivators so heartless?"

"... How would I know that?"

I frowned, thinking about the conduct of cultivators.

From the monsters we encountered at the beginning of the regression, who ignored everything we said.

To the cruel method of pill-making by the Makli Clan.

And the cultivators of the Jin Clan who rummaged through the dead and criticized us for trying to bury them.

'I can understand searching the bodies, a hundred times over.'

But why do they think burying the dead is a waste of time?

Why are their thought processes so different?

"... Perhaps, since they have been seeing the world of the Five Energies Converging to the Origin from birth, their way of thinking is different from ours. Plus, they've spent their whole lives not treating mortals as humans."

I sighed, frustrated.

The cultivators of the Jin Clan informed us of the next gathering place and left the village, closing the formation of the Makli Clan territory and flying away on their flying devices.

We were currently following them.

"... A difference in perspective?"

Or is it the inherent arrogance of cultivators?

Or is it that all cultivators turn out that way?

I wondered if it was right for me to become a cultivator.

And so we continued following the guidance of the Jin Clan cultivators, heading off to destroy another stronghold of the Makli Clan.

Five years had passed since I left the Imperial Palace.

"Ha, look, Eun-hyun, it's your face."

"..."

I saw my face on a wanted poster, wandering around the marketplace.

Not just mine.

Kim Young-hoon, as well as countless martial arts masters who followed him, were on wanted posters.

The charge was treason.

"Treason. What nonsense. After all, it's just the lower forces of the cultivator clan. Even if they issue wanted posters, we can walk around the streets without any problems, thanks to the facial manipulation technique you created."

"That's good to hear."

Over the past five years, I had developed a technique called Reverse Appearance Technique, using my medical knowledge and transformational skills to manipulate facial muscles and change appearances.

Thanks to that, we could walk around the streets freely, even though we were wanted.

"So, where's the next stronghold?"

"It's on the western side of Lianshan City, on the hills. One of Makli Clan's pill-making furnaces is located there. This time, the furnace we are going to destroy is especially huge, so there will probably be a lot more cultivators from the Makli Clan."

"That's likely."

"And from what I've heard, there are also a significant number of peak martial artists raised by the Makli Clan. They are not just simple Jaingshi but actual peak martial artists, so we need to be a bit more cautious."

Peak martial artists.

I looked up at the sky.

35 years since regression.

‘It took around 10 years to reach the mid stage of the Pinnacle Realm since the regression and now 25 years later…’

My realm had not changed.

'Is my talent not enough to reach the Three Flowers Gather at the Summit?'

Three Flowers Gather at the Summit.

Kim Young-hoon and other experts of that realm have been consistently giving me clues regarding it.

"The third color."

Red thread signifying hostility.

Blue thread signifying self-will.

Beyond that, the realm that could only be reached by identifying and reading the third intent.

But.

‘In the clash of martial arts, what is there beyond me and you?’

And yet, there's definitely something that exists beyond me and you.

The very existence of the Three Flowers realm itself proves it.

Throb.

Ignoring the screaming pain in my hand, I held the sword and felt the intent of those around me as I walked down the street.

I can see the intent of others.

I can see my own intent.

But beyond that, no matter how hard I look, I can't see anything.

"Enlightenment still hasn't come."

Even when I asked Kim Young-hoon about Three Flowers Gather at the Summit, I couldn't understand his words well.

Originally, when Kim Young-hoon reached the peak, he didn't go through the early or middle stages but directly achieved Three Flowers .

Asking him about transitioning from the middle stage to Three Flowers was nonsensical.

Of course, I asked other masters of Three Flowers how to transition into it, but the answers I got were:

—Immerse yourself in the state of selflessness."

—Understand that there is no you and no me

—Contemplate the nature of pure martial arts.

All of these answers were metaphysical in nature.

"It’s not like someone is staying in this place because they don't want to fall into a state of selflessness."

Ignoring the tearing pain in my hands, I swung my sword for years.

No matter how much I maintained the unity of sword and body, and fought life-threatening battles multiple times.

The miracle of suddenly leaping to a higher realm never happened to me.

While it wasn’t as despairing as when I first reached the peak, climbing higher required tremendous talent and effort again.

‘There are many peak masters there, huh…’

The stronghold of the Makli Clan, located to the west of Lianshan City.

‘If there are many masters, I might gain at least something by fighting them.’

Somehow, I felt that the stronghold discovered by the Jin Clan this time seemed like a trap.

It was a judgment I made after hearing from one of the Jin Clan cultivators about how they found the stronghold and its level of force.

‘The Makli Clan wants to capture Kim Young-hoon as well as the Jin Clan.’

And me, a traitor to the Imperial family as well.

That's why, I had the thought that they would be fully prepared to face us this time

‘But I'm not worried.’

I glanced at Kim Young-hoon walking beside me.

He had been writing a book recently.

The title of the book was ‘Secrets of 'Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martials Arts”

‘He said it compresses and further deepens the profound insights from the six volumes of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts Scripture, integrating them completely into one unified text.’

Like the 'Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts', 'Record of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts', and 'Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Scriptures', it was a book of profound knowledge that I couldn't understand even when I looked at it.

But one thing was certain.

Kim Young-hoon had surpassed the realm of his previous life.

And now, such a person could inflict significant damage on a Core Formation cultivator and quickly escape!

"A trap is of no use."

We would easily destroy their stronghold this time as well.

Lianshan City.

‘This is the place I fell in my very first life before regression.’

It had been a very long time since I had visited.

‘Here I made soap, gathered herbs, brewed liquor, begged robbers to spare my life…’

Memories of those miserable times came flooding back.

"Now, let's go west."

"…Yes."

Has the daughter of the Ju family has been born?

Is the house of Lord Geum still filled with servants strutting around arrogantly?

Does the persimmon tree of the Sung family still bear fruits well?

After looking at Lianshan City for a while, I ran west following Kim Young-hoon.

Memories that no one but I remember.

Memories that only I know of, changed by my power of regression.

It is truly a miraculous, incredibly grateful ability.

But that's why this ability has to disappear.

These memories that only I will know will continue to accumulate, and the more they do, the harder it will be for my mind to endure.

Therefore, I will definitely go to the previous world and eliminate this power.

And—

‘Until then, I will remain human.’

As a human, I will live a human life.

Absolutely.

I will not become corrupted by the devilish path like the cultivators of the Makli Clan, nor act against human morals.

Of course.

‘Those filthy devilish bastards won’t be allowed to run wild in front of me either.’

Those who strayed from the proper human way would also have to be punished, as long as I could reach them.

Tadat!

Arriving at the destination with Kim Young-hoon, there were already Jin Clan cultivators in red robes and other peak masters gathered.

"The judgement that this Makli Clan's stronghold is likely a trap came out in the Jin Clan's elder council. Therefore, one-third of the Jin Clan's elder council has personally come forward.

Thus, you martial artists must also fight with all your might."

Among the red-robed cultivators, a considerable number of Qi Building cultivators with substantial consciousness domains were mixed in.

"I understand. Do not worry. I always fight with my best."

"Hmm, good. Then, let's open the formation."

Woong―

As one of the elders of the Jin Clan completed a hand seal, the air began to distort.

We followed the elders of the Jin Clan into the formation and soon, just like before, we could see a village.

This village was about twice the size of any territory of the Makli Clan we had seen before, with not just straw houses but also a significant number of tiled mansions.

And then,

"...It was a trap after all."

The cultivators of the Makli Clan were forming a formation and sealing spells in front of the village.

"Form (結)!"

The cultivators of the Makli Clan simultaneously formed their hand seals and shouted an incantation.

At the same time, an enormous barrier, unlike any we had seen before, surrounded the territory of the Makli Clan.

"Water (水)!"

Simultaneously, dozens of cultivators formed another hand seal and used a different spell.

Shaaaah!

At the same time, a massive surge of water gushed from behind the cultivators, rushing towards us outside the barrier.

The water reeked of rotting corpses, and I had a feeling that even a single drop touching me would be disastrous.

"Elders, to the front!"

The Qi Building cultivators of the Jin Clan stepped forward and formed their hand seals.

"Flame (炎)!"

Hwarurururu!

A wall of flames appeared.

The massive wall of flames blocked the water and began to evaporate it on contact.

"Push forward!"

Chiiiiii―

As the cultivators of the Jin Clan stepped forward one by one, the giant wall of fire also moved forward in sync.

“Mortal! We will open a path, so you break through the barrier!”

“Understood!”

Paaang!

Kim Young-hoon kicked off the ground and charged forward.

He leapt into the air and, stepping on thin air itself, headed towards the barrier.

Woong!

As Kim Young-hoon extended his hand, energy seemed to gather in it, and a sphere of Gang Qi burst forth from his palm.

'That must be the realm Kim Young-hoon achieved by condensing and integrating the 6 volumes of the Scripture'

The Gang Qi didn't gather chaotically in the air but was released cleanly from his body, forming a sphere in an instant.

I don't know for sure, but he must have reached and surpassed the realm the previous Kim Young-hoon stepped foot in.

‘On top of that, compared to before, the time it takes him to compress Gang Qi is much shorter!’

Before the battle began, I remembered the Secrets of Gazing Cultivation and Exceeding Martial Arts that Kim Young-hoon had given me.

'If I pass this technique on to Kim Young-hoon in the next life.'

He would surpass this realm again.

Kwaang!

Kim Young-hoon launched the sphere at the barrier.

A loud explosion roared, and a gust of wind blew.

However, this time the barrier only shook slightly and remained steadfast.

'As expected, the Makli Clan was thoroughly prepared this time!'

But Kim Young-hoon, without any sign of panic, extended his palm again.

And another sphere of Gang Qi burst forth.

Kwaang!

The barrier was hit by consecutive explosions.

Cracks began to form in the barrier.

Kim Young-hoon extended his palm once more.

Kwaang!!

More cracks appeared in the barrier.

Kim Young-hoon extended his palm again.

With each attack, more and more cracks appeared in the barrier.

At some point.

Pakang!

Unable to withstand Kim Young-hoon's attacks any longer, a hole was blown open in the barrier.

"Everyone, head towards the barrier!"

"Burn down the business of the Makli bastards!"

The cultivators of the Jin Clan rushed towards the hole created by Kim Young-hoon, and the peak masters also rushed through the gap into the inside of the barrier.

"Die, you devil bastards."

And when I, too, entered the barrier with my sword,

Pang!

The sound of air tearing apart, and something long rushed towards me.

It was a halberd.

Kaang!

I exerted sword silk and blocked the halberd. I could see the face of the person holding the halberd in front of me.

I couldn't stop my pupils from shaking.

"...Leader?"

Leader of the Shadow Guards.

My former superior was blocking me.

Behind him, the members of the Shadow Guards were lined up, holding various weapons.

"...It's been a while."

"...I don't know a traitor like you."

Vroom!

The leader swung his halberd.

Seven red threads of intent emanated from his halberd.

I countered his red threads with my own blue threads.

My blue and his red crossed in the air.

"A traitor, you say. Leader, do you know what the current Imperial family is doing?"

"...I know."

Vroom!

He swung his halberd again.

I parried his halberd with my threads while dodging and swinging my sword silk.

"You know and yet you're loyal? Is that what a human should do?"

"...Before we are human, we are the limbs of His Majesty the Emperor. Limbs do not think. They only move as commanded! Since His Majesty has ordered me to capture you, I will not think either."

"How frustrating! In the eyes of the Emperor, mortals like us are not the same humans as him! We are not his people but livestock he raises!"

Leader spun with his halberd, thrusting it three times, then extended Qi Silk towards me.

I danced the Transcendent Peaks Step to dodge Leader's attacks and countered with Landscape Painting, covering my sword with sword silk and striking back at his qi silk.

"Loyalty should be given to someone deserving, not to him. All that comes from serving him is the death of helpless commoners!"

Our threads of red and blue intertwined.

Then, breaking through my defense, Leader aimed his knee at my waist.

"Keuk!"

I was hit by Leader’s kick and floated in the air, turning once before landing.

'He's improved. The Leader...he…'

He stands on the threshold of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit!

“…Are they any different?”

At that moment, Leader asked me with a gloomy expression.

“The Jin Clan who you are with…are those former imperial bastard any different?”

“Compared to those devil bastards…”

“No. The former royal Jin Clan you came with, they are also cultivators. The only difference from the current Imperial family is the degree; they both see mortals as bugs! Do you think you're on the side of justice? Wrong! It's just a matter of scope and degree.

Those bastards will also grind down the people of Yanguo. They're no different but all the same!"

"..."

Woosh, woosh, woosh!

As he swung his halberd, the wind seemed to be sucked into the Leader's chest.

His qi silk swirled and shot towards me.

'I can't block it!'

Like my ‘Qi Mountain, Heart Heaven,’ an attack that can't be stopped even if anticipated.

"If there's no difference, at least I won't turn my back on the loyalty I've given now!"

The movement of his halberd converged to one point and shot towards me.

The Qi silk on his halberd strengthened and began to evolve.

Paaat!

A brilliant light burst forth.

Gang Qi!

"...If that is your belief."

Seeing the Gang Qi rushing towards me, I relaxed the power in my sword.

"I will respect that as well."

As I removed my sword intent, the sword silk around my sword disappeared, leaving only pure sword energy.

In that state, I brought my sword to meet the halberd charging at me, receiving its power with my sword.

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Echoing Valley!

"...!"

Surprise flickered in the Leader’s eyes.

And then, I rotated once, returning the Gang Qi infused into my sword back at him.

Flash!

Light flashed.

And where the storm of light subsided, Leader stood, his right hand severed.

“…My defeat. Truly, no matter how many times I witness your swordsmanship, it’s unfathomable.”

“…It is a swordsmanship too grand for someone like me.”

“Too grand? How could that be? Just that move just now, there was an enlightenment of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit in it. It was the most beautiful technique I've ever seen."

He smirked.

"I spent my entire life practicing martial arts, hoping to reach Three Flowers, but once I did, I realized I was just a lesser version of a cultivator. Unless it's the legendary realm of Five Energies Converging to the Origin, martial arts will always be secondary to cultivators. Hahaha, Seo Eun-hyun. Do you understand? Nothing matters in front of cultivators."

"..."

“If nothing in martial arts hold meaning, then all that's left is the meaning I give to it. The meaning I gave was loyalty, and the one I offered that loyalty to just happened to be the current Emperor.”

He smiled sadly.

“Only, the will you and I hold is different…is what I…regret…”

Cough, cough…

Leader coughed up blood and collapsed.

No more life flowed from him.

He was dead.

"...Why didn't you join the fight?"

I asked the other members of the Shadow Guards.

If they had intervened while I was fighting Leader, I might have died.

"...It was Leader's request. If we joined, deputy-leader would start using hidden weapons and poison, so he asked us to let him have a pure martial duel."

"...You still call me deputy-leader."

"Once a superior, always a superior. Once loyalty is given, it is forever."

"Yes, you too remain loyal to the current Imperial family."

I gave a sad smile to my former subordinates.

"I am sorry."

I might have to kill you today.

Papabat!

As soon as I finished speaking, all members of the Shadow Guard drew their weapons and charged at me.

Chak!

First, I scattered poison and drew out hidden weapons.

Infinite Fighting Hidden Weapon Technique.

Double Killing Snake.

Pying, Pying!

I threw two hidden weapons, each coated with a different poison, at the Shadow Guards.

All eleven Shadow Guards avoided the poisoned hidden weapons with minimal movements.

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Landscape Painting.

Entering Mountain.

Flowing Ridge.

Deep Mountain.

After wielding my sword in the Landscape Painting style, I shifted to a low stance to target their balance, then used winding thrusts to control their movement.

Then I closed in and slashed.

"Hah!"

However, the Shadow Guards quickly dodged and each wielded their weapons against me.

Infinite Fighting Hidden Weapon Technique.

Triple-Headed Snake.

Shuk!

I fitted three hidden weapons on my left hand and swung them like a claw at the closest guard.

After swinging three times to create distance, I coated the hidden weapons with poison and fired them in succession.

Pying, Pying, Pying!

While the three Shadow Guards who were charging at me dodged the hidden weapons, the ones behind them leapt over their heads and swung their weapons at me.

Sword, blade, curved sword, chain sword, dagger.

Different weapons rushed towards me.

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Bouldered Cliff.

Boom, boom, boom!

I spun my body, wielding my sword in an all-encompassing defensive and offensive posture.

At the same time, I took out poison powder from my pocket and spread it around.

Infinite Fighting Hidden Weapon Technique.

Illusionary Misty Snake.

Amongst the poison powder, I sent other poisoned hidden weapons targeting the Shadow Guards.

Taking advantage of their moment of distraction to dodge the hidden weapons.

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Entering Mountain.

I shifted to a low stance to aim for balance.

"Ugh!"

“Damn it, is this supposed to be the same mid-peak realm…?”

“As expected of deputy-leader.”

Crack.

I took out an antidote pill, chewed it, and gripped my sword until it felt like it would shatter.

The pain in my hand screamed like it would break, but I ignored it.

"Don't open your mouth. If you want to live, use the breath suppression technique. The poison powder I just spread doesn't poison through the skin."

Quickly applying paralysis powder to a cloth, I covered the sword blade and prepared another move.

'Though it's not a sword technique, but a saber technique.'

But since they share the same root, they can be used similarly.

Severing Vein Saber Method.

Mountain Wind.

Five Consecutive Strikes.

Piiing!

A devastatingly fast thrust split the air five times at a speed too fast to react to.

"Guk, gurk..."

Five members of the Secret Guards collapsed after being hit by my sword coated with paralysis powder.

'Six left.'

As I faced the six Shadow Guards charging at me, I grasped another hidden weapon.

Infinite Fighting Hidden Weapon Technique.

Red Snake.

I threw three hidden weapons at the approaching soldier wielding dual swords, each timed differently.

The first targeted his forehead,

The second, immediately following, aimed at his ankle.

The third, following that, targeted his lower abdomen.

The trajectory of the intent of these hidden weapons was akin to a red snake.

Ting!

His dual swords deflected two hidden weapons, but he couldn't deflect the third.

I swiftly charged in using Transcending Peaks Steps and used Transcending Peaks.

Chak!

With the front of the Shadow Guards chest being slightly sliced a shallow cut formed on his skin.

He soon collapsed on the sport from paralysis.

"Are you going to keep coming at me?"

I asked the remaining members.

"Truly the skills of deputy-leader."

"Truly a seasoned veteran."

"The difference in skills coming from that vast combat experience is simply insurmountable..."

They smiled at me, each holding a spear, moon blade, dual heavy swords, ring, and sword.

“If all cultivators are the same in the end, we found ourselves agreeing with the Leader’s thought to at least serve the one we’ve currently pledged our loyalty to.”

I smiled bitterly.

"That's right."

Even if the Jin Clan regains control of the Imperial family, the situation for mortals might not change.

But maybe, just maybe, it would change a little.

It was with that shallow hope that I pushed forward with my actions.

"Come at me, all of you."

A ring is thrown at me.

A spear pierced towards me.

A moon blade swung from the opposite side of the ring.

The guy wielding the dual broadswords swung his swords from the opposite side of the spear.

The guy with the sword leapt up as if flying and striked down at me.

Meanwhile, countless trajectories of intent targeted me.

Red and blue lines drew numerous arcs around me.

It felt like my brain was going to burn.

How can I escape this crisis?

How can I!

Just then, amidst those numerous trajectories, I suddenly saw 'a third color.'

Puhwak!

The spear grazed my waist.

The energy on the spear tore the flesh from my waist.

Infinite Fighting Hidden Weapon Technique.

Triple-Headed Snake.

Ping!

I put three hidden weapons on my fingers, each coated with paralysis poison, and threw one at the Shadow Guard who swung the spear.

My hidden weapon easily penetrated his trajectory and hit his shoulder.

The ring spins targeting my head.

I threw a hidden weapon to alter the trajectory of the ring, and then threw the last hidden weapon at the guy who threw the ring.

Again, my hidden weapon easily penetrated his trajectory and embedded in his thigh.

Two of the guards became incapacitated.

Three are left.

I see something.

Between their threads and mine.

A third color, neither red nor blue.

Shuk!

The dual broadswords swing from right to left below.

I bent my waist to dodge the broadsword.

But a long cut appeared from my forehead to my left jaw from the sword energy on the broadsword.

The moon blade targets my waist.

If I dodge upwards, I’ll become a target for the guy striking from above, and if I dodge downwards, I’ll be cut by the dual broadswords preparing their next move.

But amidst the red and blue threads,

In this life-or-death fight, my focus was on the emerging third color.

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship,

Secluded Valley.

Heavenly Lake.

Using the Secluded Valley I twisted and deflected the trajectory of the guy striking down with the sword, and with Heavenly Lake, I momentarily stopped the action of the guy swinging the moon blade.

In the meantime, the dual broadswords wielder who had completed his next move swung his broadswords at me again.

In an instant, I threw hidden weapons coated with paralysis poison at the arms and legs of the Shadow Guards with the moon blade and sword.

Then, I swiftly extended my sword toward the dual broadswords wielder.

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Echoing Valley!

Between the blue and red.

The color that appeared was purple.

The Shadow Guard's intent and my intent.

That purple intent, which could not be determined who it belonged to between the two of us, showed me a new trajectory between him and me.

I followed this new path, countering the dual broadswords wielder's move with Echoing Valley.

Kaang!

My sword cleanly sliced through his broadsword.

As his weapon was severed, the guard seemed about to draw a dagger and charge, but I was faster in throwing my hidden weapon.

“Ke, keuk… That movement. It was as if I was facing Leader.”

"..."

"…You could have killed all of us. That way, it would have been much easier and you could have not been injured. Why did you choose such a difficult path…? Even if you didn't kill us, if you had resolved to cut off a limb or two, it would’ve been far easier to subdue us…”

I briefly replied to the fallen dual broadswords wielder.

"You called me deputy-leader

"…Keuk. You are an interesting person."

"…"

"That movement just now. It looked similar to Leader’s. An attack that suddenly breaks through the trajectories… I didn't see a red line, but the ability to suddenly penetrate the trajectory… Did you gain a new perspective? Have you… reached Three Flowers Gather at the Summit?"

I shook my head bitterly at the question.

"No. I am sorry, but I haven’t reached that realm."

"Then…"

"I’m getting a sense of it. Slowly, I’m stepping into that domain.”

The third color.

The purple intent was sometimes visible, sometimes not.

It didn't appear consistently.

So, to see purple consistently,

I would need to continue fighting battles where life-and-death were on the line.

Just then.

Someone approached me.

Someone familiar to me as well.

From my time in the Shadow Guards, someone I had guarded a few times.

The Crown Prince.

Makli Hyun.

“Astonishing. For a deputy-leader’s skills to be of this level. Father had a reason for sending me.”

"It's been a while, Your Highness. If you've been watching since earlier, why didn't you intervene?"

"Why intervene? It wouldn't be fun if I did. And don't call me 'Your Highness.' Today, I'm here representing a branch of the Makli Clan, not as a member of the Imperial family."

"Fun… The entire Shadow Guards could have died at my hands. Is that fun for you, Your Highness?"

"Don't call me 'Your Highness'… Well, since you keep calling me that, I'll tell you something. Do you know why I became the Crown Prince?"

The Crown Prince began to expand his domain.

His red threads started to engulf the surrounding space.

"Because I reached the same Qi Refining 4th Star as my father at a young age! Regardless of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit or whatever, they can barely compete against Qi Refining 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Star. Do you think you, who is not even in the Three Flowers Gather at the Summit, can defeat me?"

"…I'll ask again. Do you find this fun?"

"Tch, it's not fun. Enough talk, come at me."

As always, he was an annoying guy who used to bother the Shadow Guards when I was guarding the Emperor.

He was an arrogant bastard who questioned our necessity every time he spoke.

But he had the right to be arrogant.

Because he was strong.

So strong that no matter how many martial artists gathered, they could not stand against him.

Even ordinary Three Flowers Gather at the Summit masters would have to risk their lives against him.

However, I hadn't entered Three Flowers, just barely stepping into its boundary.

Fighting against him would surely lead to my death.

But why?

I can feel a smile forming on my lips.

'Ah, yes.'

Because it's okay even if I die.

I've grasped the clue to enlightenment, so what does it matter if I die the next moment!

"…Take care, all members of the Shadow Guards. I am now…going to die."

As I attained enlightenment in the morning.

It's fine if I die in the evening.

To embody this enlightenment.

I am going to die today.

I ran towards the Emperor's son, the Crown Prince, with my sword in hand.

Seeing the faint purple light, for some reason, I felt like I could do something I never dared to attempt even after several regressions.

I swung my sword.

The martial doctrine that had always been in my head, but I could never understand.

The Record that leads to Heavenly Martial Arts!

As I entered the red consciousness domain of the Crown Prince, I used the martial art I had long longed for.

"Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts."

The next moment, Seo Eun-hyun's form disappeared like a phantom.