Chapter 218. Blooming (3)

At Dang Sopyeong’s words, Nam Geon violently shook his head.

“I-I’m not smart. T-taking elixirs won’t help me much.”

“What are you talking about, Brother Nam! Everyone else has already opened their Gate of Life and Death. The only one left is you.”

“B-but.”

“And think about it! Even now, your Mighty Sword Art has a power that most people can’t even block. But if your internal energy increases and you add sword qi to it? It will definitely be a great help!”

A voice responded to Dang Sopyeong’s words.

From beyond the bushes behind Dang Sopyeong.

“I think so too, Nam Geon.”

Dang Sopyeong and Nam Geon, startled like people caught doing something wrong, looked in that direction.

Jin Yuseong emerged, parting the bushes.

“S-since when were you there?”

“You were walking around with a face like you were plotting something strange again, so I followed you just in case.”

Dang Sopyeong tried to argue, but Jin Yuseong ignored him and looked at Nam Geon.

“If you open the Gate of Life and Death, it will surely be a great help.”

“……W-what if I fail? I-I’m not afraid of dying. B-but the elixir is a waste.”

“We will assist you. Trust this one’s medical skills and my eyes.”

As Nam Geon still seemed to be hesitating, Jin Yuseong added.

“Do you perhaps not trust us?”

“N-no! I-I trust big bro and Sopyeong!”

***

Nam Geon sat down on the ground cross-legged.

While Dang Sopyeong was giving Nam Geon the elixir, Jin Yuseong advised him.

“Continuously absorb the elixir’s energy and circulate it along your blood vessels. While wrapped in the energy from your dantian. And after absorbing all the elixir’s energy, at once, along the Ren meridian……”

As the explanation grew longer, Nam Geon showed a confused expression.

Jin Yuseong changed his mind.

“I will infuse my energy into you. Operate your internal energy following my energy.”

“O-okay, big bro.”

Jin Yuseong, who sat cross-legged behind him, placed his palm on his back.

“Begin.”

After wearing an expression full of tension for a moment, Nam Geon tossed the pill into his mouth.

A strong energy, along with the scent of plum blossoms, began to emanate from the pill that went down his throat.

At the same time, a warm energy from behind him penetrated Nam Geon’s body.

It was Jin Yuseong’s internal energy.

Jin Yuseong used his internal energy to envelop the energy flowing from the pill.

In response, Nam Geon also operated his internal energy and imitated Jin Yuseong.

But the speed at which Nam Geon’s internal energy enveloped the elixir’s energy was too slow.

It was his first time operating his internal energy in this way.

At this rate, a significant portion of the energy from the pill Dang Sopyeong had made could be lost in vain.

But the pill’s internal energy was still staying in Nam Geon’s body.

“Haa. Hoo.”

Every time he took a deep breath in and out, a part of the energy tried to escape.

And each time, Jin Yuseong forcibly held back the escaping energy.

While Jin Yuseong was buying time, Nam Geon slowly but steadily absorbed the pill’s energy.

It was very slow at first, but the speed gradually increased.

Jin Yuseong suppressed the corners of his mouth from rising.

‘As expected.’

It was Nam Geon’s strength. Slow but steady.

And once he was on track, his speed rather accelerated.

He could truly be called a late bloomer.

When Nam Geon’s internal energy had finally embraced all the elixir’s energy.

Jin Yuseong’s internal energy, which had been holding onto the elixir’s energy, showed a different movement.

It began to race through Nam Geon’s blood vessels.

Operating internal energy in another person’s blood vessels was a very dangerous act.

But there was no major problem.

Since Jin Yuseong had already reached a certain level, his handling of internal energy was very meticulous.

Moreover, Nam Geon’s blood vessels were very large and strong.

It was thanks to the efficacy of the Iron Blood Golden Skin Art he had learned.

Furthermore, an excellent physician was on standby right next to him.

‘I-I’ll follow big bro.’

Nam Geon’s energy also began to descend along the Ren meridian, following Jin Yuseong.

Jin Yuseong’s energy had stopped at the Meeting of Yin Acupoint.

Nam Geon’s energy also reached there.

– Now, break through the Gate of Life and Death in front of you.

Jin Yuseong’s sound transmission.

Nam Geon gladly followed his will.

An explosion was heard as the Gate of Life and Death and Nam Geon’s energy collided.

BOOM!!

An enormous pain shot up.

That is to say, it was an enormous pain to others.

Compared to the pain he had experienced while training the Iron Blood Golden Skin Art, it was not that serious.

As if he were training the Iron Blood Golden Skin Art, Nam Geon continuously struck the Gate of Life and Death.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A minor problem occurred.

While concentrating on breaking the Gate of Life and Death, Nam Geon’s control weakened.

The elixir’s energy was trying to escape.

Jin Yuseong, who was watching this, operated his energy.

His internal energy enveloped the elixir’s energy again.

Furthermore, Jin Yuseong’s internal energy began to push Nam Geon’s energy from behind.

As stronger pressure was applied, a hole was finally punched in the Gate of Life and Death.

BOOM!!

Nam Geon’s energy broke through the hole and advanced towards the Du meridian.

Afterward, Nam Geon, who had reached the Hundred Convergences Acupoint, began to break through the next Gate of Life and Death.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!

The feeling of his head shaking.

As expected, it was familiar.

How many enemies had aimed for his head during life-and-death duels?

‘I-it feels like fighting the bad old man from the Sichuan Sword Clan.’

After striking the Gate of Life and Death for a while, recalling the time he was tormented by Jang Ik in the past.

This time, too, Jin Yuseong’s energy pushed him from behind.

BOOM!!

With an explosion, a hole was punched in the Gate of Life and Death in his head as well.

***

Jin Yuseong carefully removed his palm.

“Is it over?”

At Dang Sopyeong’s question, Jin Yuseong nodded and got up.

How long had it been since they looked down at the cross-legged Nam Geon together?

“Haa. Hoo.”

With a deep breath befitting his large frame, Nam Geon’s eyes flashed open.

“Congratulations. You have now become a proper transcendent master, Nam Geon.”

“Hahaha. A person who was already smashing the heads of transcendent masters is now a transcendent master. It’s strange in many ways.”

At Jin Yuseong and Dang Sopyeong’s words, Nam Geon scratched his head in embarrassment.

“C-can I be helpful now?”

“What are you talking about, Brother Nam! You have always been a great help.”

“The Tang clan guy is right.”

Jin Yuseong smiled faintly and added.

“Still, let’s see how much you’ve improved.”

Nam Geon got up and drew his greatsword.

Watching him, Jin Yuseong said.

“Nam Geon. Swing your sword with all your might.”

“O-okay, big bro.”

Unlike his answer, Nam Geon did not swing his sword right away.

He took a ready stance and composed his breathing.

At the same time, internal energy flowed through the blood vessels of his entire body.

He was about to perform the first form of the Sun Moon Infinite Sword, Crimson Lotus Ascension.

Jin Yuseong, who was watching the scene with his second eye, smiled bitterly and said.

“Nam Geon. Now that you’ve opened the Gate of Life and Death, you don’t need to operate your internal energy that way.”

Nam Geon was operating his internal energy by circling around the Gate of Life and Death.

It could be called a half-baked Crimson Lotus Ascension.

This was a problem that arose because he had practiced too hard so far.

“Ah!!”

Only then did Nam Geon realize his mistake and operated his internal energy again.

Like his usual way of speaking, his internal energy flowed somewhat clumsily.

He had reached the transcendent realm, but he was not yet used to the sensation.

But Jin Yuseong did not say anything more to Nam Geon and just waited patiently.

Because Nam Geon would adapt through steady effort anyway.

It was as Jin Yuseong had expected.

The slow flow gained acceleration.

After repeating rotation and amplification, a rough and massive energy gathered towards Nam Geon’s greatsword.

An intense sword qi swirled around Nam Geon’s sword.

At the same time, Nam Geon raised his greatsword high up.

Mighty Sword Art’s first form, Mountain Collapsing Strike.

It was the form Nam Geon was most confident in.

Nam Geon’s greatsword literally tore through the air and fell on Jin Yuseong’s head.

“Heo.”

Letting out a hollow laugh, Jin Yuseong also swung his Master’s Blade to meet it.

Enhanced qi was already condensed on his sword.

He realized it instinctively.

If he faced it with the same sword qi, his body would be split in two along with the Master’s Blade.

No matter how outstanding a famous sword the Master’s Blade was.

With an explosion, the two swords clashed.

BOOM!!!

The dirt floor they were standing on cracked and was crushed.

A tornado shot up, and sand and blades of grass swirled in all directions.

At the same time, Jin Yuseong’s entire body’s muscles swelled.

Veins popped up on his forearms and wrists as if they would burst through the skin at any moment.

His arm throbbed as if it would fall off at any moment.

Jin Yuseong, who had reached a much higher realm than Nam Geon, had swung his sword with almost all his might, yet they were evenly matched.

‘Just looking at this one blow, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it unparalleled in Jianghu.’

Just as Jin Yuseong was having such a thought, an unforeseen event occurred.

CRACK!!

An ominous noise. At the same time, Nam Geon’s greatsword shattered.

“Hmm?”

Nam Geon’s power was so strong that the greatsword’s durability could not withstand it.

“……T-the sword broke. W-what do I do, big bro?”

“……Ahem. It seems you need a weapon suitable for your strength.”

Anyway, Blacksmith Yeo had already been commissioned to make one before they left their closed-door training.

“So, it will be fine when we visit the Seomoon Clan after finishing our closed-door training.”

“T-then do I have to train with this until the c-closed-door training is over, big bro?”

Nam Geon held out the broken greatsword and asked.

While Jin Yuseong was wondering what to do about this, he felt a presence from the side.

It was Choyeon.

“Senior Brother. A guest has arrived from the Seomoon Clan.”

“That’s a relief. If someone has come from the Seomoon Clan, it means it’s time to descend the mountain anyway.”

Either they had found the Demonic Cult’s headquarters, or a problem had arisen in the process of chasing the Demonic Cult.

It was one of the two anyway.

***

Jin Yuseong, Nam Geon, and Dang Sopyeong moved, following Choyeon.

In the place Choyeon guided them to, all their comrades were already gathered.

And there, a middle-aged swordsman dressed in the martial uniform of the Seomoon Clan was present.

“I greet the Great Hero Ghost Sword!”

“Thank you for coming all this way. More importantly, it seems an urgent matter has arisen. What has happened?”

Jin Yuseong’s feelings were a little complicated as he asked.

He had not yet mastered the Sun Moon Infinite Sword.

Even if they had found the Demonic Cult’s headquarters, it would be difficult to face the Cult Leader.

But he also didn’t want the search for the Demonic Cult to drag on.

At Jin Yuseong’s question, the man from the Seomoon Clan cautiously opened his mouth.

“Actually, a small problem has arisen in the search for the Demonic Cult.”

Putting aside his disappointment, Jin Yuseong asked again.

“Could you tell me the specific problem?”

“After Shaolin and the Beggars’ Gang began to seriously roam beyond the borders, a strange atmosphere began to circulate in Jianghu.”

The martial artist said that recently, several sects in various parts of Jianghu had begun to earnestly attempt to expand their influence.

“Suddenly?”

“That’s right, Great Hero. It seems they were wary of Shaolin and the Beggars’ Gang until now. They claimed to be of the Righteous Path, but there are frequent cases where they act like Underworld factions.”

“……So the hypocrites have shown their true colors.”

The martial artist from the Seomoon Clan nodded with a miserable expression.

On the other hand, Jin Yuseong had a strange expression.

‘How coincidental.’

The timing was too perfect.

No matter how much they were wary of Shaolin and the Beggars’ Gang.

It reeked of something fishy in many ways.

‘It seems the trashy bastards have pulled some kind of trick again.’

It might even be related to the Demonic Cult.

Thinking that it was for the better, Jin Yuseong took a step forward.

“We must head to the Seomoon Clan right away.”

It was time to finish their closed-door training and return to the Jianghu.

After packing only what was immediately necessary, they descended Mount Hua.

After descending the steep mountain for a long time.

Dang Sopyeong asked with a curious face.

“But who are those hypocrite bastards? Isn’t there a central figure, or someone who is particularly tyrannical?”

Dang Sopyeong’s face, who had asked the question, soon contorted.

Among the sects and clans mentioned by the martial artist from the Seomoon Clan, a name of a clan very familiar to Dang Sopyeong was included.

“The Sichuan Sword Clan is also swallowing up surrounding forces indiscriminately.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep