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Chapter 519 – Just Hand It Over Once

In a memory I couldn’t quite place…

A peculiar red light flowed around me. The dampness filled the air, and my body felt cold enough to freeze.

Shivering, I could feel the stiff breath lingering throughout my body.

Amidst such uncomfortable sensations…

– Not bad at all.

A voice echoed.

A chilling voice mixed with an unknown laughter.

Within it, I sensed a pungent blood scent. I wanted to figure out what was happening, but my head, bowed low, refused to lift.

It felt as if I shouldn’t dare to look at them.

In that state, staring only at the ground, once again, the voice came.

– Yes, you shall do nicely. Child of Raichun.

I felt a caress at my throat.

– From now on, you are my servant. Be glad about it.

Chuckle.

With that cold laughter, the tenuous thread of my sanity snapped.

And then…

My closed eyes opened.

“…!….”

In a flash.

The dried-up old man regained his senses and sprang up.

Stumbling, he hastily lifted his body and scanned the surroundings.

“… Where is this…?”

Startled.

As I was about to panic in this unfamiliar space, a wave of pain rushed in, and I clutched my head.

What is happening?

Why does my head hurt so much?

I desperately tried to suppress a moan, but even that was a struggle.

“Ugh….”

As the old man endured the pain, those around him finally reacted.

“The Heavenly Lord has awakened…!”

“I will report to the Clan Leader!”

“Bring a physician! Get a physician!”

It’s noisy.

The old man, sweating profusely while observing the commotion around him.

On a normal day, such sounds wouldn’t seem significant.

But for some reason, they felt incredibly loud.

“Haah… Haah….”

He took a deep breath.

The pain was still there.

With his head about to split, the Heavenly Lord had to ponder.

Where is this place?

Why am I here?

I couldn’t comprehend anything.

The Heavenly Lord clasped his head and shut his eyes.

It felt like gaps of memory had left him empty.

What is going on?

Just when the Heavenly Lord was lost in his questions amidst the pain…

“You’ve awakened.”

A familiar voice rang out.

The Heavenly Lord managed to look up, finally setting his gaze above.

“Look at you, making such a fuss. Tsk tsk. Quite the sight, isn’t it?”

“… You.”

Another elder looked down at the struggling Heavenly Lord with a pitying gaze.

It was none other than…

Shin Yi.

Right after making it clear that Nahi had no choices.

I left her trembling behind and continued on.

If it were up to me, I would have liked to feed her the gems right there.

‘But now isn’t the right time.’

I simply informed her of the situation. To let her know and understand. She had a task to fulfill.

‘It would be a waste to discard her just like that.’

Tang Deok had a role to play.

For now, I was focused on keeping her around and taming her, but eventually, she too would have a purpose.

In comparison, Nahi was quite useless.

She could serve as an informant, but given the state of the Tang Clan, there was no need to bother.

So where could she be used?

‘No need to use her at all.’

Not particularly necessary.

Level? Nahi’s realm was peak. She was on the verge of becoming a complete peak, but that level was common in the Central Plains.

‘Common… maybe not, but there are plenty.’

Using her as an assassin could work, but…

If I needed to find a purpose for her, I couldn’t come up with one right away.

‘I’ve already thought of someone else to use for that purpose anyway.’

Even without Nahi, I had already considered another candidate, so there was no need to keep Nahi around.

As such, originally…

‘I planned to use her and dispose of her suitably.’

I never intended to keep Nahi alive for long.

Once the schedule with the Tang Clan was over, I intended to remove her altogether.

I meant that even if I didn’t kill her, I had no plans to give her a significant role.

‘But now, she has some value.’

The gems still rattling in my hand.

To use them for an experiment.

‘If it goes well, great; if it fails, it can’t be helped.’

If Nahi managed to absorb this gem with my assistance, and that created a usage for her, then that’d be a good thing.

Even if the experiment fails, I wouldn’t mind at all.

That’s Nahi’s current situation.

‘Even if successful, I need to see what follows.’

If her realm increases, how far will she rise?

If her body changes, what will it become? I needed to observe that.

‘It’s a bit tedious to try, isn’t it?’

Being in a situation where I had to monitor everything one by one was rather annoying.

Should I just eat it myself and call it a day?

If my energy increased, managing this would mean more work, but I could always reduce my relaxation time to balance it out.

In reality, I really wanted to do just that.

“Ah, this is so frustrating.”

What bothered me was that I couldn’t do just that.

There was a reason I was doing this.

“Why did I find such a thing.”

Not only the gems, but there was also one more thing troubling in my possession.

Another item obtained by interrogating Elder Lee with Demon Energy.

Rustle.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.

It was an old letter, not particularly large or thick.

But the contents inside were concerning.

“… Hmm.”

A birth plan for the Heavenly Martial Body. The years that went into it, the most suitable materials and ratios gathered for its creation.

Including the methods to be used in the essence.

All of those explanations were written in the vision that now rested in my hand.

[Do you intend to use that?]

The voice of Noya, asking that, had a sharp emotion somehow laced in it.

I understood the meaning behind that voice.

“Are you crazy…? To use this.”

Noya was afraid I would use this.

Looking at just what’s written here, this letter was a terrifying tool for a human to use.

Gathering such things was already difficult.

Not to mention gathering demon beasts with poisons.

‘Over a hundred humans needed to be collected.’

That too, only the ones under the age of consent.

This detailed how to refine them into essence and grant changes to the vessel and physical form.

Key materials included their bloodlines and innate abilities.

Extracting those was incredible enough. Adding the poisons of demon beasts’ blood to that?

Surely, it was a mad scheme.

I frowned while looking at the gem in my hand.

“The Righteous Faction, just to make this one thing.”

Even while downplaying it, inside, I thought differently.

A potion that could turn anyone into a Heavenly Martial Body just by consuming it.

This, without a doubt, held great historical value.

Even if the method seemed far removed from human ethics.

‘… If this vision gets out into the world, it would cause chaos.’

Many were there in this world who threw ethics aside.

The knowledge of that meant this was not something to be easily shared with the world.

[Is that truly your only reason?]

‘… It wouldn’t be, right?’

I shook my head at Noya’s sardonic words.

Of course, that wasn’t my only reason.

Since when did I possess that kind of altruism to care about such things?

The reason I was concerned was singular.

If it was possible to convert the body of an ordinary person into a Heavenly Martial Body, then that was of enormous value.

So…

‘I want to use it, if I could.’

Rather than giving it to someone else or destroying it, I wanted to find a way to use it myself.

[… You little brat.]

‘I understand.’

Noya’s shadowy voice made me involuntarily chuckle.

‘Don’t worry. I have no intention of doing what Noya is worried about.’

Noya must be worried about me using this method written in the vision.

I felt a strange emotion knowing that she saw me as such a trashy individual, yet I decided not to say much.

After all…

‘I wasn’t without my concerns.’

If I could create several and feed them to reliable people to help them grow, I’d thought it would help in future wars.

‘But that crosses a line.’

I didn’t want to take it that far.

That action would cross the ‘line’ I’d established. I couldn’t go that far.

That line was one that I possessed to still identify as human.

‘Even if my body may no longer be human.’

Even as my body changed and circumstances shifted.

The scant line where I could still see myself as human, this action crossed that threshold.

‘So, I must look for other methods.’

I couldn’t use the written instructions as they were.

The reason the poison was included in the medicine was solely for the sake of the Tang Clan’s bloodlines, excluding that.

If there was something I could use in place of human bloodlines and innate abilities…

‘… Perhaps I could find a different way to use it.’

Even if the potion loses some of its inherent power.

I was pondering whether it could yield something similar in effect.

That was the train of thought I was in.

If I could pull it off, this would certainly assist in the coming Blood Calamity.

[That’s a dangerous thought.]

‘Yes, I’m aware of that.’

I nodded to Noya’s warning.

I did know how perilous this idea was.

Yet…

‘Is it not worth attempting?’

[…]

‘I think it’s better to try than not at all. It’s good to give it a go and then give up if it fails, right?’

[True… that ideal is both your flaw and strength.]

Until it’s proven impossible, I would try and then let it go.

In my previous life, I couldn’t do that, so I vowed to change this life with this belief.

‘For now, I’m not saying I’ll carry this out immediately.’

Even excluding gathering humans, even excluding seeking demon beasts, I’d need the materials.

Not counting herbs, that were worth a fair amount.

Gathering all of those would surely take quite a bit of time.

‘Even if I gather the herbs, doing the essence is included, of course….’

I’d need substitutes for humans and demon beasts. Confirming whether such alternatives exist surely took precedence.

‘Whether or not they exist is a mystery.’

If found, it would hold considerable advantages for my future plans.

‘Surely superior to any potions from Shaolin or Hwasan.’

If created, it would be a superior item to Daehwan Pill, Jaso Pill, or Poison Heavenly Pill.

Given that it would change the human body and expand the vessel, it would undoubtedly be an extraordinary tool.

Moreover…

‘… It’s a guess, but.’

While I won’t know about human blood, something that could replace an innate ability.

I had a thought on that.

Whether it would succeed or fail, I couldn’t say.

‘First up, handle Nahi.’

To confirm whether this medicine indeed worked, and to see what state she ends up in.

If deemed useful, only then would I commence action.

‘… I need to establish the path before I reach adulthood.’

Time is tight.

Until I reach adulthood, there are three years.

Within that time, I needed to construct a direction and firmly outline my plans.

This too relates back.

“Haah….”

As I pondered through complex thoughts, I found myself at my residence.

Most likely, my father was handling the Poison King’s request, and with the entire clan in an uproar.

My residence should remain relatively quiet.

‘Then, what I need to do inside is…’

Today’s task.

‘… What should I do about the Thunder Fang?’

The Thunder Fang I had shoved away in the drawer due to the noise. The person inside it assumed to be Nangong Ming…

I needed to finish up that conversation before my father arrived.

Just as I thought that and stepped into my residence…

“… Hmm?”

In a place that should be quiet, I felt a bustling presence.

– No! You madman!

Along with the raucous noise unheard of before.

That sharp voice…?

‘Is that the voice of Baek Cheon-gyeom?’

That lady’s voice echoed through my residence.

… Why would that lady’s voice be heard in my dwelling?

‘What is she up to now?’

I was already getting nervous.

Every time that lady came over, something strange tended to happen, and it worried me extremely.

“Ugh….”

After letting out a huge sigh, I entered the residence.

And just as I anticipated, I was met with unexpected sounds that made me gasp.

“… What did you say?”

The issue was that the one making that unexpected sound wasn’t Baek Cheon-gyeom.

“Where do you think you’re going…?”

“…”

With wide eyes, I heard the question from the woman standing before me.

“… To the North Sea….”

With blue and white hair flowing long reached the ground.

A beautiful woman with exceptionally white skin.

My fiancée in this life, and the one who died for me in my previous life.

Nangong Bi-ah looked at me and reiterated.

“… I’m going to the North Sea….”

 

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