Chapter 1239: Scorched World

Snake.

It was the word Mother spoke.

‘Eat a snake?’

What did she mean by suddenly telling me to eat a snake? A snake? What kind of snake?

‘It wouldn’t be just any snake.’

She wouldn’t mean eating a snake crawling around. I pondered if she really meant that…

but then.

‘Nah.’

It couldn’t be. I wanted to believe it wasn’t, but just in case, I stared intently at Mother.

“……It’s not just any snake, is it?”

At my words, Mother’s brow furrowed slightly.

“……You eat just any snake?”

“…….”

Her eyes seemed to ask if people actually ate such things. What was that? It felt really unpleasant?

“I don’t.”

“Then why are you asking about such a thing?”

“……No…….”

I couldn’t bring myself to say it was because I thought Mother might eat one.

All I felt was a sense of injustice.

“You told me to eat a snake. So what are you telling me to eat?”

When I asked what kind of snake she meant, since a snake is just a snake.

“You’ll know.”

“……Me?”

“Yep! You know.”

Mother said with a smile.

‘I know?’

I know which snake I’m supposed to eat? As I pondered this in confusion.

“You need to find the beginning.”

Mother continued speaking, and just as I was about to ask more about it.

“Break time is over!”

A loud voice came from behind. It was the announcement that the sparring matches had to resume.

Damn.

“……I’ll be back after this.”

“Do well!”

Mother waved her hand. With only her words about eating a snake lingering, I headed back to the sparring stage.

‘Snake…….’

What could the snake signify? As I pondered this.

Halt.

My steps suddenly stopped.

-You need to find the beginning.

Beginning.

The beginning of what? If the point where I lost my strength was the start of my transformation… was she referring to the beginning of that?

‘What was the start of that transformation?’

If the starting point was when I began transcending humanity, that would be the Shedding.

But the Shedding was ultimately caused by something else.

‘The Blood Demon’s energy.’

If the energy the Blood Demon injected into me during the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was the problem, then it was the problem.

No, if it was even before that.

‘……Perhaps.’

The word ‘snake’ brought one thing to mind.

‘Is it that thing in Sichuan?’

Yeon’s Family’s Secret Records. The giant snake I encountered there.

Could that snake signify the beginning? If it was the start of a fortuitous encounter, then that fit.

Moreover.

‘The energy I obtained there.’

I recalled the strangely sacred energy.

I had wondered why my cultivation hadn’t increased significantly despite the gentle energy.

‘Perhaps.’

Is it that?

If it’s a snake, that’s the only possibility.

‘Eat the snake.’

So, do I need to go find that snake and eat it?

‘……I was planning to go there anyway.’

My purpose for heading to Sichuan was precisely that. If this connects like this.

‘I definitely have to go and check.’

It seemed I absolutely had to go to Sichuan.

---

Break time ended, and the second round of matches began.

Since the number of participants wasn’t that large, the sparring matches proceeded even faster than expected.

Even without that, the number of participants had already significantly decreased due to the anomaly.

‘……Why did they pick only me?’

The six sparring matches I fought alone.

In the process, the Flying Dragon Unit had already been eliminated, and other units also suffered considerable losses.

These stubborn martial artists always cause troublesome things.

They could have just let it go, but I don’t know why they needlessly do things like this.

However, if there was someone consistently achieving victory amidst all this.

Clang-!!

“Iron Dragon Unit’s Gimunhak wins!”

The person who was the leader of the Iron Dragon Unit. That fellow who had said something to the Flying Dragon Unit’s leader seemed relatively better.

‘Gimunhak.’

His sobriquet was something like Peerless True Sword, wasn’t it? Although it seemed like a somewhat childish sobriquet, he appeared to be quite a strong fighter, unlike his title.

He seemed to be someone who used dual-wielding sword techniques, and his skillful handling of them marked him as an incredible martial artist.

‘Hmm.’

Not bad. Someone like that would be quite decent.

With a quiet personality and seemingly no unnecessary arrogance, he seemed like a decent person.

Though I’d need to observe more closely to get a better read.

‘Hmm.’

It was the same for the other Sword Units.

Although the members of the Sword Units themselves seemed a bit weak, the leaders’ abilities were quite outstanding.

That was only natural.

To become the leader of one of the Eight Sword Units, one had to possess at least that level of skill.

It didn’t even make sense to compare them with any random riff-raff.

Furthermore.

‘……Over there.’

I looked towards where Taehoan was.

It was the only Sword Unit that had maintained a perfect undefeated record so far.

‘Divine Dragon Unit.’

The martial artists of the Divine Dragon Unit.

Their level was also outstanding.

It wasn’t for nothing they were called the elite of the Alliance. They certainly displayed a level of martial prowess different from other Sword Units.

‘If things go well…’

It was to the point where a regular Sword Unit member could potentially contend with a unit leader.

‘They really are the elite.’

I could tell they were strong.

I could tell just by seeing how everyone else tried their best to avoid fighting them. They were all likely trying to steer clear.

‘Hmm.’

As I watched them, observing quietly.

“Next.”

Someone moved at the referee’s word. It was a Divine Dragon Unit member I had been watching.

He was a sharp-featured man.

He looked slightly under twenty, but considering he was a martial artist, he had probably passed that age.

He was a martial artist specializing in kick-based techniques.

He stepped onto the sparring stage and, according to the rules, pointed someone out.

“I challenge the Sword Peak of the Azure Dragon Unit.”

‘Oh?’

He pointed out an unexpected person. Soyi, while experienced, was strictly considered a junior member, so I never thought the Divine Dragon Unit member would choose her.

She also looked at the man with surprised eyes for a moment, but since it was the rule, she stepped onto the sparring stage without complaint.

“Thank you for choosing me.”

“No. I wanted to experience the promising talent of Mount Hua.”

There was a strange emotion in his mention of Mount Hua. It didn’t feel good. There was a sense of negativity.

The preparations finished quickly. Since their bodies were already warmed up, there was no need to wait.

The referee immediately announced the start.

Swishhh-!!!

Light rebounded from the tip of Soyi’s sword. It was the beautiful sword energy characteristic of the Mount Hua Sect.

“Come forth. I’ll yield the first move.”

“…I appreciate your generosity.”

Whoosh-!!

She darted in gracefully. Soyi showed no hesitation. It was probably because she had already recognized her opponent as a strong fighter.

She plunged forward and sharpened the tip of her sword.

It wasn’t a standard thrust.

‘The beginning of a sword path.’

She moved nimbly, but without any tremor. It meant she had practiced this sword technique countless times.

Not bad. Soyi was fully qualified to be called the Sword Peak.

She was destined to become the Sword Queen in the future. Her talent couldn’t possibly be shallow.

However.

Thump-!!

“Ugh!”

Her opponent was unfavorable.

The member of the Divine Dragon Unit, known as Chu Yeongyeon. Soyi’s sword energy collapsed under a casually thrown punch from him.

Her balance wavered from the precise strike to the flat of her blade. She barely managed to adopt a footwork technique and attempted a counter-attack by utilizing the recoil, but.

“You’re slow.”

Thwack-!

“Kuhk!”

Soyi, struck on the ankle, had her footwork completely tangled. The blooming leaves faltered. Her sword path collapsed crudely.

‘Hah.’

He was a martial artist, sure, but the matchup was unfavorable.

Her true power would only manifest if she maintained her sword path.

‘He specialized in disrupting that.’

Chu Yeongyeon’s fighting style made him the kind of opponent swordmasters dreaded the most.

A man excellent at dismantling sword paths and close-quarters combat.

And amidst all this.

‘With the difference in cultivation levels too.’

There was no answer. It looked like a fight where Soyi had almost no chance of winning.

Soyi knew that better than anyone, but still.

“Hooep!”

She took a breath and charged at Chu Yeongyeon once more.

“Hmm.”

Seeing this, Chu Yeongyeon moved lightly.

Thump-! Clack-!!

Every time his movements unfolded, Soyi’s sword path was severed. Shallow blows landed intermittently.

She tried increasing her speed, putting more power into her sword. But.

Boom-!!

“Nngh!”

A burst of internal energy sent her flying back.

Screeech-!!

She braced herself, using her toes to support her momentum as she slid back. Worry clouded Soyi’s face.

‘That last hit. It was quite significant.’

Her side. The spot she was hit, whether she noticed it or not, must have been throbbing painfully. It was a blow delivered with such speed that she momentarily missed it due to the lack of energy.

Speed implies power, and as if to prove it, Soyi wore a pained expression.

“Kuh… ugh.”

She seemed to be struggling desperately not to kneel. Just as her appearance began to seem somewhat pitiful.

“…Disappointing.”

Chu Yeongyeon suddenly spoke up.

“I heard this Sword Peak was quite outstanding, so I wondered just how great she was. Compared to the reputation of Mount Hua, you seem rather lacking.”

“…….”

Perhaps trying to provoke her, Chu Yeongyeon suddenly uttered sharp words.

Hearing that, Soyi’s face contorted.

“…This is a match between you and me, senior. Why mention Mount Hua?”

It seemed the mention of Mount Hua made her uncomfortable.

At this, Chu Yeongyeon chuckled slightly.

“My apologies.”

I knew it the moment I saw it.

That was mockery.

“However, since Mount Hua is undeniably attached to your name, isn’t your low skill level damaging Mount Hua’s reputation?”

“What does that have to do with this match?”

“Nothing at all. It’s just… I suppose I’ll be a little disappointed.”

Crack.

Chu Yeongyeon relaxed his grip. Seeing that, I knew.

‘That guy.’

I had wondered if he was perhaps trying to impart some lesson until now.

‘He was just playing with her.’

He was simply toying with Soyi. Her reaction made it even clearer.

‘Does he dislike Mount Hua?’

Or does he just dislike Soyi?

I couldn’t tell, but.

‘I don’t like him.’

For starters, I’ve started disliking him.

And quite a lot, at that.