Chapter 119: Intensive Training Week (4)

Chapter 32

In retrospect, it was obvious.

There was no other force capable of secretly harboring such a terrifying ultra-master besides the Heavenly Destruction Society.

Having encountered a fragment of the Heavenly Destruction Society before, Gon Ya-pyeong felt cold sweat trickling down his back.

“…What do you want from me?”

“You should know. If you rejected the Society’s proposal, you should have expected a reaper to come.”

*Whoosh.*

As if to show his anger, the flames dancing on the man’s palm grew even whiter.

“Did you think you could steal from the Society and escape?”

“Wait! There’s a misunderstanding!”

“Misunderstanding? Oh, I strive for perfection.”

*Whoosh!*

“Ugh!”

As the flames burst forth, Gon Ya-pyeong realized he was surrounded by a wall of fire.

“If there’s a flaw, I burn it away.”

It was hot. He could barely breathe.

The heated air entering and exiting his lungs was cooking his organs.

*Whoosh.*

He tried to muster his 120 years of internal energy to resist, but it was futile.

“So, will you hand over the goods and become a comfortable pile of ashes? Or will you stubbornly let your limbs burn away in agony?”

“Either way, I’d like an answer.”

Facing the intense questioning, Gon Ya-pyeong gritted his teeth.

*Sizzle.*

‘Escape is impossible. I’m going to die like this.’

The extreme yang energy was so powerful that even his protective energy, which could block most sword energy, was burning away.

At this rate, using his protective energy to escape with floating cloud steps was impossible.

Cornered, Gon Ya-pyeong began to beg.

“Please, spare me!”

“Where are the Society’s elixirs?”

“They’re… they’re gone.”

“Your answer is too slow. I’ll take it as choosing the painful way.”

*Sizzle.*

As the flames intensified, Gon Ya-pyeong finally confessed.

“I don’t have them! They’re not with me.”

“What do you mean? They said they handed the elixirs to you. Do you take the Society for fools?”

“They did come to me and handed over some elixirs.”

But.

Gon Ya-pyeong spoke weakly.

“They were buried when my hideout collapsed. I was being chased by the Murim Alliance.”

Despite his explanation, the response was cold.

“You’re more useless than I thought.”

Contempt was added to the killing intent.

Gon Ya-pyeong’s heart sank, and he quickly shouted.

“I-I’ll do whatever you want!”

“Hmm. I can’t trust an idiot who can’t even keep track of his goods.”

“I’m a thief! I failed this time, but there’s nothing in the world I can’t steal.”

The man replied sarcastically.

“For a thief, you’re quite unimpressive.”

Faced with continued contempt, Gon Ya-pyeong had no choice but to reveal his trump card.

‘Ugh. I went through so much trouble to get this.’

But he had no other way to beg for his life.

Finally, Gon Ya-pyeong pulled out a small bundle of silk from deep within his pocket.

“What’s that?”

“Shadowless Silk.”

“…Oh. Shadowless Silk?”

For the first time, an expression appeared on the man’s face.

“…I was so focused on obtaining this that I didn’t have time to consider your proposal.”

“The real Shadowless Silk. This is the first time I’ve seen it. It’s not something easily obtained.”

Fortunately for Gon Ya-pyeong, the heat around him began to subside.

“If you can steal Shadowless Silk, you’re not entirely useless.”

The man said.

“Alright. I’ll give you a chance.”

“R-Really?”

“But I can’t just let someone who ran away go free.”

The man pulled out a small wooden box from his sleeve and threw it.

Picking up the box and opening it, Gon Ya-pyeong found a sinister, dark red pill inside.

“Take it. Then I’ll spare you.”

“W-What is this?”

“Gu Poison.”

The man’s answer made Gon Ya-pyeong grit his teeth.

‘Gu Poison.’

Gu Poison is a special parasitic poison that grows in the mountains of Tian Shan. Hundreds of these parasites are placed in a jar and fed small amounts of poison. They fight and cannibalize each other until only one male and one female survive. These two are then bound by a spiritual contract, creating the Gu Poison.

The male and female are spiritually connected, so if one dies, the other goes berserk and kills the host.

‘It means they’ll kill me if I don’t obey.’

This wasn’t just a threat it was a promise of death.

‘I made a mistake! I didn’t realize they could create Gu Poison.’

It’s rare and difficult to obtain or make, so its existence is hardly known.

“It’s not an ordinary Gu Poison.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think something made with the Society’s special techniques would be ordinary?”

The man spoke confidently.

“This Gu Poison helps surpass human limits.”

Gon Ya-pyeong’s eyes widened.

“You mean…”

“The limit of human effort. It’s a shortcut to surpassing the peak level, old thief.”

A shortcut to surpassing the peak level, known as the Wall of Lamentation because so few can overcome it.

Gon Ya-pyeong’s eyes widened in shock.

“How about it? Will you accept the offer?”

Unconsciously, Gon Ya-pyeong’s jaw moved slightly.

So he didn’t hear it.

– There might be some side effects.

The man’s ominous muttering.

***

After Gon Ya-pyeong left.

A figure in red descended beside the man standing at the cliff, hands behind his back.

“Greetings, Heavenly Apostle.”

The figure prostrated, pressing his forehead to the ground.

Despite receiving such extreme reverence, the man didn’t move.

He just stared at the distant clouds, forming and dispersing.

After a long time, the man spoke.

“Have you found the Reincarnation Stone?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.”

The man clicked his tongue and grumbled.

“Just when it was almost done, an obstacle appeared. It’s become troublesome.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect the Murim Alliance to intercept the shipment.”

“They’re not to be underestimated. Even the Beggars’ Sect’s nose is useful?”

Anyway.

“What about the other Apostles?”

“They’ve created a new altar.”

“Make this altar bigger and more secretive.”

This must not happen again.

“Of course, but first.”

The man’s lips curled into a smile.

“This Apostle must awaken first.”

*Whoosh.*

The man’s form flickered and vanished from the cliff.

***

Peace returned to the swamp.

As Wang Woo promised, a leisurely life followed.

The visitors were few and efficient, and the swamp had become a special training ground for the elite, thanks to Wang Woo’s intervention.

This allowed Cho Un-hwi to enjoy fishing leisurely during the day.

“Leisure is nice, but it’s boring.”

As the Murim Excursion approached, even the assistants rarely visited.

“They said they had preparations.”

They ran off, saying it was a secret. I don’t know why.

‘It’s not bad, though.’

Even Wang Woo, who usually hovered around for various reasons, was absent.

– I’ll be busy for a while.

When asked why, he said it was related to the Beggars’ Sect.

As one by one they left.

Poof!

Days of fishing all day began.

“I shouldn’t have let Yeon-seong go.”

Looking at the empty fishing hook, Cho Un-hwi lamented.

If Mok Yeon-seong were here, he wouldn’t be coming up empty-handed.

“Damn fish. Just wait!”

Throwing stones into the water in frustration, Cho Un-hwi reached into the basket.

“What? It’s empty?”

Today, there were especially many fish that ate the bait and swam away.

“Tsk.”

Grumbling, Cho Un-hwi stood up.

“The bait must be the problem.”

The worm farm is good.

He had dug the ground, covered it with fine mud from the swamp, planted rare Sichuan moss, and even added a canopy.

It was an ideal environment for worms to grow.

“Maybe it’s too comfortable, and only lazy worms are born.”

No guts. No guts.

Muttering, Cho Un-hwi looked beyond the swamp.

“Should I switch to wild worms grown in the rough swamp?”

Thinking it was a good idea, Cho Un-hwi headed towards the swamp without hesitation.

***

The size of the mock training ground is always mind-boggling.

A huge swamp in the prime land of the Murim Alliance.

“Well, it keeps me from getting bored.”

For an average person, it would take all day to explore, but Cho Un-hwi had already scouted the area.

His agile footwork allowed him to cross land, puddles, and swamps quickly, reaching the innermost part in no time.

“Wild worms grown in the swamp are the best. Yes, definitely.”

Muttering to himself, he suddenly sensed a faint presence ahead.

“What? Someone else is here?”

Sometimes people got lost or sneaked in without permission.

No one would come this deep into the swamp by accident.

“They must have snuck in.”

He would send back those who got lost, but those who sneaked in were thrown into the swamp.

“Two of them? Wow, jackpot.”

The worst were those sneaking in for a tryst.

With few opportunities for men and women to meet, it was understandable they sought hidden places.

Unfortunately, the swamp had a lonely marriage-age demon.

“I’ll throw them into the swamp five times each.”

No, I’m in a bad mood today, so maybe ten times.

Throwing the woman in first and gauging the man’s reaction could be fun.

Or vice versa.

As he approached the rude intruders with sinister thoughts.

“Huh?”

Cho Un-hwi saw someone waving at him.

A familiar face.

“Instructor.”

More precisely, familiar faces.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

One clueless guy.

“Hello.”

And a woman with a pale face and sharp eyes.

Without any sign of surprise, she gently put down the centipede she had been handling and spoke.

“It’s our first time meeting like this.”

Her butterfly hairpin stood out beside her unusually light-colored hair.

‘Why is she here?’

Amidst his wavering gaze, the woman placed her hand over her chest and spoke.

“I am Tang Ae-hui of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”

An old adversary from a long and bitter history.

“I’ve heard a lot about Temporary Instructor Cho Un-hwi.”

A former comrade who survived the final battle.

The Venom Butterfly of the Sichuan Tang Clan greeted him with a light bow.