Chapter 111 – Heavenly Dragon Brigade (6)

“People will simply think it’s remarkable. A family that turned the impossible into the possible. When in fact, the person who reached the Profound Realm has been the same person all along. Isn’t that right, Ancestor?”

At Yu-jin’s words, a bright smile bloomed on Kang Yu-hyeon’s lips. It was a smile that felt intrinsically the same as the sinister one Yu-jin wore.

Suddenly, Kang Yu-hyeon waved his hand, and an iridescent ring of light flew toward Yu-jin.

*Flash!*

In that instant, thirteen golden wings formed from Yu-jin’s body and wrapped around him. The ring of light Kang Yu-hyeon had sent struck them.

There was no great explosion. The wings protecting Yu-jin had simply deflected the ring, sending it soaring high into the sky.

“You truly have reached the Profound Realm. Truly. Hahahaha!”

Kang Yu-hyeon’s mad laughter continued for some time. Then, he looked at Yu-jin with eyes glinting with an iridescent light.

“I am the Heavenly Sword Emperor, Kang Myeong-un.”

The moment the truth was revealed.

Kang Yu-hyeon, exuding a powerful aura, was like looking at the Heavenly Demon himself. It was clear that he, too, had surpassed the realm of an ordinary (?) Profound Realm master.

But Yu-jin’s eyes remained relatively calm as he looked at Kang Yu-hyeon. The accomplishments he had achieved were too great for him to tremble at such a display.

“Is it a combination of the Soul Separation Grand Art and the Soul Absorption Heart Art?”

The Soul Separation Grand Art was a type of sorcery that erased the soul contained within another’s body and replaced it with one’s own, thereby stealing the vessel.

However, because the art itself was complex and excessively wicked, it was naturally forbidden in the martial world and had completely disappeared.

The Soul Absorption Heart Art was a technique for transferring everything the user had learned—their internal energy, essence, and enlightenment—to another person, typically used by a master to pass on their legacy to a disciple.

On the surface, it seemed benevolent, but it had a fatal flaw: if the natures of the giver’s and receiver’s qi did not match, the receiver’s body would be torn apart. For this reason, it too had fallen into disuse.

But for a man who had lived for hundreds of years—Kang Yu-hyeon, no, the man who should now be called Kang Myeong-un—solving such a flaw was not particularly difficult.

“Indeed, you are remarkable. Hardly anyone knows the details anymore. It is called the Soul Plunder Grand Art. The ultimate technique I created by combining the Soul Separation Grand Art and the Soul Absorption Heart Art.”

“Doesn’t the Soul Absorption Heart Art have a fatal flaw?”

Though all qi originates from a single source, it develops different properties depending on the training method and application. Once qi has been altered in this way, it is not easy to merge it again. It simply does not mix well.

The flaw of the Soul Absorption Heart Art stemmed from the strong repulsion that occurred when trying to forcibly merge such disparate qi.

Of course, Yu-jin knew very well how to fix this problem. But he wasn’t the only one.

“Can’t you just have the children learn the same martial arts?”

Making them learn the same martial arts was easier said than done. People have different talents and constitutions, so there was no guarantee a disciple would always learn the exact same arts as their master.

That was why great sects would slightly modify techniques to suit each disciple. And attempting to use the Soul Absorption Heart Art under such conditions would have resulted in everyone’s death.

But what if, knowing it was inefficient, one made no modifications at all? No, what if one targeted children with nearly identical talents and constitutions? It would create the perfect conditions for using the Soul Absorption Heart Art.

“I took countless women to bed to produce children with talents and constitutions as similar to my own as possible. And even if they were not a perfect match, I twisted the meridians of the most talented child to create a body worthy of an absolute being. Thanks to my efforts, the children could easily reach the Transformation Realm. Then, I would tell them I would pass down the position of family head. I would promise to transfer all my internal energy, essence, and enlightenment.”

What happened next was obvious. The heirs of each generation, tempted by Kang Myeong-un’s words, received his internal energy, essence, and enlightenment through the Soul Absorption Heart Art.

But they received one more thing. Kang Myeong-un’s soul.

He used the Soul Separation Grand Art to transfer his soul into the heir’s body. Then, under the pretext of closed-door training, he would buy time and slowly consume the heir’s body he had transferred into.

“Then isn’t it already too late for me? I have learned completely different martial arts from you. If we were to use the Soul Absorption Heart Art, both our bodies would be destroyed.”

“Do not worry. I have thought of everything. Do you know of the Two Principles Divine Art?”

The ultimate heart art of the Wudang Sect, capable of merging things that could never be combined. But it was also known as an art that no one could master.

In truth, it was a derivative of the Primordial Chaos Divine Arts that Yu-jin had learned. But what was certain was that if Kang Myeong-un used the Two Principles Divine Art to separate Yu-jin’s internal energy from his own, he could consume Yu-jin without much trouble.

“I see.”

“But my son, why do you think I have told you all this?”

“To take my body, of course. But you know, and I know, that you can’t do that right now.”

If Yu-jin and he were to fight seriously, the entire area would be completely annihilated. And given their respective positions, neither of them could fight with their full strength at this moment.

“You think you can stand against me. But I want you to know this. Children who share my blood can never defeat me. It’s impossible, but even if you were stronger than me, it would not matter.”

As he spoke, Kang Myeong-un pointed a finger at Yu-jin. In that instant, Yu-jin felt every blood vessel, muscle, and bone in his body twist.

Yu-jin quickly sent a mental transmission.

At that moment, a pain he had never felt before washed over him.

“Kuaaargh!”

The immense agony made Yu-jin collapse to the ground, screaming. It was a pain of a nature that not even an absolute being could endure.

Kang Myeong-un laughed as he watched Yu-jin dying in agony. Only after a short while had passed and Kang Myeong-un withdrew his finger did Yu-jin feel the pain subside.

“Haa… haa…”

As Yu-jin gasped for breath, a constant stream of blood and saliva flowed from his mouth, and his eyes had nearly lost focus.

“There is a Gu-poison called the Dark Blood Gu. The mother of this Dark Blood Gu is the King of Gu-poisons. Its own venom is formidable, but the most interesting feature of the Dark Blood Gu is its child. The child gu, born from the mother gu, merges with my children as they form in their mothers’ wombs and lives in their heads for their entire lives. And you have one in your head as well. As long as that child gu is there, you can never escape my grasp.”

As Kang Myeong-un spoke mockingly, Yu-jin glared at him with blood-red eyes.

“Tsk, tsk. You still don’t know your place.”

“Kuaaaaaargh!”

Kang Myeong-un stimulated the child gu in Yu-jin’s brain again, and Yu-jin let out another loud scream. No matter how he tried to endure it, the pain was too intense to bear. Kang Myeong-un walked over to the fallen Yu-jin and stomped on his head.

“Uwaaaargh!”

Kang Myeong-un savored Yu-jin’s pain-filled groans as if listening to music.

“And another thing. Do you really think you can defeat me, no matter how much power you gain? I have combined the power of over ten masters of the Transformation Realm. Not just their internal energy, but their essence and enlightenment are all within my body. With all this power, I have already surpassed the Heavenly Demon and can be called the greatest in all of history. To think you would try to defeat me… how utterly laughable.”

*Thwack!*

As soon as he finished speaking, Kang Myeong-un kicked Yu-jin. Yu-jin coughed up blood and rolled across the ground.

“Once I deal with the Western martial world, I will take your body. So until then, enjoy everything you can as the leader of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade. It will be your last pleasure, kuhahahaha!”

With those final words, Kang Myeong-un vanished from the spot. But Yu-jin remained on the ground.

The women approached Yu-jin. Their hands were all stained with blood. It was from clenching their fists so tightly to endure the sight of Yu-jin in agony.

“Master…”

Hwa Un-wol hurriedly helped Yu-jin up, and he gave her a faint smile.

“You all did well to hold back… you really did…”

The mental transmission Yu-jin had sent before collapsing in pain was directed at his women. It was an order not to come out, no matter what happened to him.

Thankfully, the women had endured until the end. Supported by them, Yu-jin circulated the Nine Heavens Divine Demonic Arts, and his severely injured body regenerated in an instant, returning to its original state.

“This is!”

While the other women all knew, Hwa Un-wol, who was still unaware of Yu-jin’s regenerative ability, wore a shocked expression. Yu-jin pulled her into his embrace.

“I have this ability too. By the way, this seems like a really romantic place to share our love, don’t you think? Shall we enjoy it properly?”

Yu-jin spoke and then kissed Hwa Un-wol. Despite the sudden kiss, Hwa Un-wol did not panic, instead wrapping her arms around Yu-jin’s waist and responding.

After the kiss, Yu-jin had Hwa Un-wol bend over and immediately lifted her skirt. Without hesitation, he thrust his member into her exposed petals.

Knowing that this was a dual cultivation for healing rather than simple pleasure, the women quickly erected a qi barrier to block anyone from approaching.

Meanwhile, Yu-jin moved his hips relentlessly, and Hwa Un-wol cried out in pleasure.

“Haang! Haang! Haang!”

“I will be the final victor.”

The remnants of pain that lingered even after regeneration vanished with each act of their union.

Yu-jin muttered to himself as he enjoyed Hwa Un-wol’s hot body.

On the final day, Kang Yu-hyeon—no, Kang Myeong-un—would realize that the cards he held were meaningless.

“Haaaang!”

All he could see now was Hwa Un-wol, panting in pleasure, and the other women waiting for their turn.

***

At last, the Heavenly Dragon Brigade was officially launched. Not only the Eight Dragons and Five Phoenixes, but thirty of the most outstanding rising stars from each sect had gathered in one place. And the Moon Empress, Na Ye-jin, stood by Yu-jin’s side to act with them.

The people looked upon these young masters with eyes full of expectation. No one wanted to hear news of defeat anymore. Everyone wanted these young masters to turn the tide.

It was understandable, as even the weakest member of the Heavenly Dragon Brigade could wield a blade aura.

Since each sect had proven they were betting their future on them, no one dared to dismiss them simply because they were young.