Chapter 139: Help Me!

Jang Woo-hyun, having returned to the cave, infused an immense amount of internal energy into Kim Min-soo’s projection through the formation.

Although Kim Min-soo’s projection had become faint, it didn’t disappear entirely. He regained consciousness only after three days had passed.

“Wow, damn, I almost died. No, in this case, should I say I was nearly annihilated?”

Despite facing the crisis of vanishing, Kim Min-soo hadn’t lost his smile.

“Senior Kim, you saw it too, right?”

“I didn’t see it clearly. It felt like my brain was being ripped apart. What did you see?”

Jang Woo-hyun explained the scenes he had witnessed.

“Was it something like the memory of a Martial God? I guess just seeing the memories of such tremendous beings can be fatal.”

All he did was glimpse fragments of an old memory, yet his mind was shattered, and his head nearly exploded.

“Then what about me?”

“Maybe it’s because you saw it through me? You were looking at the memory filtered once through my mind. That’s probably why you’re fine.”

Though not entirely certain, the theory was convincing enough that Jang Woo-hyun nodded in agreement.

“There was also a memory about the Celestial Wolf Emperor.”

“Celestial Wolf Emperor? Who’s that now?”

“He’s a Martial God of the Beastkin.”

Jang Woo-hyun explained what he experienced while pursuing Bi Ik-ryeon.

“So you’re saying you’re finding fragments of the Martial God’s power in the blood of the Beastkin? And you use that to strengthen martial artists. Is that even possible?”

“To a certain extent, yes. Though it’s not perfect.”

“Then it’s confirmed that what you saw wasn’t an illusion, but someone’s memory. Since the Celestial Wolf Emperor was annihilated in that memory, the Ascension Cult must be trying to find that power from the blood of the Beastkin. But this… it’s gotten way too big.”

The White Forest’s minority tribes from outside the Dawn Continent, the annihilated Celestial Wolf Emperor, and the black entity that opposed the Martial Gods.

Among the truths they had learned through memories, not a single one was a simple matter.

As a tangle of complex thoughts continued to unravel, Kim Min-soo shook his head rapidly and brushed it all off.

“Let’s just go back to the mountain for now. Whether it’s Martial Gods or the upper realm, we should focus on what we can do.”

Though they’d uncovered a grand incident, there was nothing the two could do about it at the moment. Even if they wanted to investigate, it was impossible here.

The two of them rushed up the mountain where the spell formation had been installed.

Climbing toward the cave, Kim Min-soo faced something even more serious than the war of higher beings.

“This is… going to get complicated.”

His face hardened as he came to a halt.

“What’s wrong?”

“The condition isn’t good.”

Only after moving did Kim Min-soo fully grasp the state of his projection.

It had been nearly a hundred years since Kim Min-soo’s projection descended onto the Dawn Continent.

Even if it had been made well, it was about time for problems to arise. The projection had been severely damaged after contact with the memories of a higher existence.

“The spell formation I created has to be used by the two of us. It was designed for two people. But in this condition, it seems impossible.”

“Is it completely impossible?”

Following Kim Min-soo, Jang Woo-hyun also tensed his expression.

“There might be a way. But if we want to make it so you can use it alone, it’ll take more time. At least ten years. Maybe even twenty.”

The spell formation could be modified for single use. That wasn’t a difficult task for Kim Min-soo.

But there was one problem.

“I don’t know if this body will hold up.”

In its current state, it was uncertain how long his projection could maintain its form.

“With that body, the maximum strength you can output is the Absolute Realm, right? Then can’t we substitute someone else? There are other people in the Absolute Realm.”

“Who?”

“Lee Ga-hang, the Palace Head of Vermilion Bird Palace.”

“Oh, your girlfriend? Whoa! Just kidding. Joking. Put the blade down. I was just messing around.”

At the nonsense, Jang Woo-hyun reached for the hilt of Mukya.

“If you cut me now, this body might just vanish. I’m that weak. So don’t do it.”

“Do you think this is the time for jokes? The situation’s gotten serious.”

Jang Woo-hyun furrowed his brow at Kim Min-soo’s playful attitude.

“Anyway, she’s not an option.”

“Why not?”

“Absolute Realm isn’t enough. The person must have at least touched the Realm of Transcendence. Otherwise, they won’t be able to withstand the burden, or even if they do, they’ll miss the critical moment. I originally created the formation for someone who fell from Central Heavens.”

They discussed a few more ideas, but at the moment, there was no viable solution.

Having momentarily lost direction, the two stood in silence, each lost in thought.

The forest and mountains were blanketed in snow.

As he silently surveyed the surroundings, Kim Min-soo spotted a white feline beast in the distance along the ridge.

“If only I could say ‘Woo-hyun, I’ll help you’ and use the pouch hanging on my belly, that would’ve been great.”

“What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Don’t you know the cartoon? The one with the blue cat. He always pulls out weird inventions from a four-dimensional pouch and helps the protagonist. Seeing that made me think.”

Kim Min-soo pointed at the feline beast he had been looking at.

The creature, having hunted a small animal, was now running off with it in its mouth.

Seeing the cat-like beast reminded Kim Min-soo of the cartoon he had seen on Earth.

Jang Woo-hyun looked at both the distant creature and Kim Min-soo, then sighed.

When would this man finally stop spouting nonsense?

“I’m just frustrated. That’s all.”

“Enough with the pointless talk. Let’s try to find a way.”

“I’ve got nothing. I don’t care if it’s a blue cat, red dog, or black horse—anything, just help us.”

“What do you mean red dog or black horse? Haah, why not just a white monkey… huh?”

As he spoke, Jang Woo-hyun’s eyes widened. A certain being came to mind.

“Senior Kim.”

“Hm? What?”

“Is it allowed to summon a high-level being for help? When using that formation?”

“A high-level being? Who is it? It’s possible. Bringing them here would weaken their power, but if they’re of a high enough level, it wouldn’t be different from a Martial Artist in the Realm of Transcendence. Did you think of something?”

At the question, Jang Woo-hyun smiled. He had found a solution.

Though he didn’t have a blue cat that could pull anything out of a pouch, he did have a white monkey that could help him.

“So I’m telling you, now’s not the time for us to be fighting each other.”

Lee Ga-hang slammed her hand on the table as she sat across from No Yuk.

“How long are we going to fight in this tiny space? There’s a higher place to reach. Are you just going to grow old and die here?”

“……”

No Yuk, the Black Tortoise Sect Leader, who had spent over a year healing from internal injuries, now had to face Lee Ga-hang, who had stormed in suddenly.

From the day she arrived, she had been badgering him to let her use the Martial Arts Repository of the Black Tortoise Sect.

“I’m telling you, it’s meaningless. Now’s not the time for us to be like this. We should cooperate, elevate our cultivation, and head toward the higher realms. How long are we going to keep growling at each other?”

“I understand the Palace Head’s intention. But what does that have to do with entering our sect’s Martial Arts Repository?”

“You’re being so frustrating. Black Tortoise Sect is an old sect, right? So besides secret manuals, there must be mysterious artifacts or ancient records inside. I’m just trying to find something useful there.”

“Then why should I be the one to permit that?”

“How many times do I have to tell you? This isn’t the time for us to be fighting each other!”

No Yuk stared at her in curiosity, fascinated by how relentlessly she pressed him.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face? Or is it because I’m pretty? Not that it’s anything new.”

‘What on earth happened?’

She was different from before. The thought of her calmly sitting and repeating the same conversation for days was something he couldn’t have imagined.

‘She would’ve just punched first, no doubt.’

The Lee Ga-hang he had known would absolutely have done that.

“Is he really that amazing?”

He subtly asked about the man who had caused her transformation.

“……That person. Not ‘he.’ That person.”

Lee Ga-hang sternly shook her head. That monster couldn’t be addressed carelessly.

No Yuk didn’t know Jang Woo-hyun’s true abilities, as he hadn’t seen the battle against the Thunder Sect Leader Ma Moon-gi. If he had, he wouldn’t have spoken that way.

“You shouldn’t speak of him carelessly. Even though he’s far away—hm? Someone’s coming.”

Sensing an approaching presence, Lee Ga-hang stopped talking.

Soon after, No Yuk’s subordinate lightly knocked on the door, seeking permission before entering.

“Sect Leader.”

“What is it?”

“A man has come to see the Palace Head.”

“To see the Palace Head?”

No Yuk looked at Lee Ga-hang, and she shrugged as if to say she didn’t know either.

“Yes, he said you’d know right away if you heard his name. There was a slight conflict with him earlier… Though he’s young, he appeared to be quite a high-level expert.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he seemed to be a Four-Wheel Expert, so Elder Yuk rushed out immediately.”

“Ha!”

At the mention of an expert, Lee Ga-hang laughed. There were no longer any experts on the Dawn Continent who could defeat her.

The Greatest Under the Heavens.

Though she hadn’t reached it purely by her own skill, she was nonetheless currently the strongest in the Dawn Continent. Moreover, during her time with Jang Woo-hyun, she had gained and grown immensely.

“If he’s a young man, it’s obvious.”

Lee Ga-hang’s personality was abrasive, but her appearance was exceptional. Coupled with her status as Palace Head of Vermilion Bird Palace, men had clung to her since her youth. Naturally, she had always crushed such types.

‘Stayed quiet for a while and now they’re swarming again.’

Like moths drawn to fire.

After spending quiet time in the White Forest and returning, it seemed those moths were gathering once more.

“Time to teach him a lesson.”

She hadn’t earned the title of Southern Absolute without reason, yet such men kept appearing as if they thought little of her for being a woman.

Lee Ga-hang stood up.

It was time to return as the Absolute of the southern Dawn Continent.

‘I should probably burn off an arm while I’m at it.’

Vermilion Flame Queen, Lee Ga-hang. Another of her aliases was the Crazy Woman of Scorching Flame.

She had only been lying low by Jang Woo-hyun’s side. Her true personality was infamous.

When she had gone to find Jang Woo-hyun, her sudden declaration not to fight had left other sect leaders thinking, “That crazy woman is up to her usual nonsense.”

“You really have no learning ability, huh.”

Watching the riled-up Lee Ga-hang, No Yuk muttered to himself, “That’s probably not it,” but didn’t correct her misunderstanding.

Given the current situation, it was easy to guess who the young expert visiting Black Tortoise Sect might be, but she clearly hadn’t realized.

“Go and politely escort him. And tell Elder Yuk not to act rashly under any circumstances.”

“Eh? Yes, understood.”

At her subordinate’s response, Lee Ga-hang waved her hand.

“No need. Why would we be polite to someone like that? I’ve never even met him.”

As Lee Ga-hang took a step forward, the surrounding air grew hot. Revealing her power, she laughed.

“So, what was his name again?”

“He said his name was Jang Woo-hyun. Jang Woo-hyun.”

“Oh…”

The smile vanished from Lee Ga-hang’s face, and her complexion turned pale as she had been radiating overwhelming energy.

“Hey, you bastard! Why are you telling me that just now?!”

Boom!

Whatever the urgency, Lee Ga-hang smashed through the building wall and dashed out.

“S-Sect Leader, did I do something wrong to the Palace Head…?”

The subordinate who had been scolded cautiously spoke up.

“Pay it no mind. The Palace Head is simply a bit… peculiar.”

Through the broken wall, Lee Ga-hang could be seen flying with wings of flame spread behind her.

‘What happened to her?’

Anyone with a bit of thought would realize that someone visiting both the Black Tortoise Sect Leader and Palace Head of Vermilion Bird Palace wouldn’t be ordinary, yet she hadn’t noticed at all.

What on earth had happened in the White Forest? She used to just be ill-tempered, not this dense.

Looking at her departing figure, No Yuk shook his head and stood up.

“Since an honored guest has arrived, prepare accordingly.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

After dismissing the subordinate, No Yuk also moved to greet the unexpected guest.

“So bored.”

A white monkey with his lower body buried in a mountain.

Windstorm Great Saint stared blankly up at the sky.

He could have left this place at any time, but he remained unmoving out of a sense of self-reflection.

He occasionally thought, ‘Maybe I should start moving again,’ but since nothing fun came to mind, he simply lay back down.

Fighting freaks in some corner of the Demonic Spirit Realm had gotten old. Such battles no longer entertained him.

‘That one was fun, though.’

Fighting alongside a human he had branded with a mark had been immensely enjoyable.

Though it was his projection and not his true body, combining efforts with someone vastly stronger to face a challenge had been exhilarating.

‘Maybe I’ll gather a few of the kids and go dragon hunting with a projection?’

He considered going after a few high-tier monsters or spirit beasts but discarded the idea. Forcing the situation didn’t seem like it would be fun.

Lying on his back with hands clasped behind his head, Windstorm Great Saint’s eyebrow suddenly twitched.

“What the hell?”

Someone was calling him from a great distance.

It was a summoning signal from the Lower Realm.

“Oh no. Going to the Lower Realm is boring as he… huh? Huhh?”

Windstorm Great Saint was powerful enough to easily refuse a summoning. He had been about to reject it when he was startled by the energy and sprang up.

Rumble!

As he stood, the surrounding area shook as if hit by an earthquake.

“What is this? A brand?”

What he felt was the energy of a brand he had marked.

Had he branded someone in the Lower Realm? In the past few hundred years, that had only happened once.

And that person should be in the Central Heavens Realm now, not the Lower Realm.

“Huh?”

He wondered if he had forgotten about marking someone, but upon closer inspection, realized that wasn’t the case.

This wasn’t a simple brand. It was a brand he had infused with layers of power.

There was only one person he had ever branded that way.

A human who had defeated him in the Lower Realm and fought alongside him in the Central Heavens Realm.

A man with absurd talent who even opposed mysterious higher beings.

“Jang Woo-hyun!”

The name left Windstorm Great Saint’s mouth.

A human who ascended to the Central Heavens Realm could not return to the Lower Realm. Especially for martial artists, the heavens would not allow it.

Yet Jang Woo-hyun was now in the Lower Realm.

Not a projection—his true body had descended to the Lower Realm.

“That bastard, what is he up to now?!”

A man who remained an enigma. But that’s what made him the most fun.

“Wahahahaha!”

Suddenly overjoyed, Windstorm Great Saint burst into laughter. The shockwaves from his laughter shattered everything around.

The mountain had already begun collapsing when he stood. Now, the earth and debris surged anew with his mirth.

“I’m coming!”

Thrilled, Windstorm Great Saint created a projection and responded to the summoning from the Lower Realm.

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