Chapter 350
After gaining the Sword Demon as an ally, I hesitated, thinking of Mangnyang.
‘Um… This feels a bit awkward.’
My death in the last life occurred because I rashly rushed to kill the Vermilion Bird without properly considering the ominous omen given by the Three Masters. In other words, it was entirely my fault. Therefore, it felt somewhat shameful to see Mangnyang’s face directly.
After pondering for a moment, I thought,
‘Let me obtain something else before seeking out Mangnyang.’
There’s no guarantee that this would make Mangnyang happier, but I felt it would somehow lessen my own embarrassment. Naturally, this plan was tied to Yeodong-bin’s Azure Dragon Divine Sword.
Azure Dragon Divine Sword!
It was a divine artifact used by Yeodong-bin during his lifetime. He lost the sword when he battled Great Evil at Mount Ye before ascending, so my first step was to search for his divine artifact at Mount Ye.
‘Mount Ye is in Jiangxi Province…’
Jiangxi Province is located south of the Yangtze River, stretching down from Anhui. Having never really visited the Jiangxi side, I found it difficult to remember any specific locations, so I decided to use Divine Technique to traverse rivers and mountains towards Jiangxi Province.
On the way, I caught a glimpse of Payang Lake. Payang Lake was a vast body of water that stretched so wide it seemed to reach the horizon. I briefly enjoyed the scenery of Payang Lake, recalling lakes I had seen in Mongolia.
Nearby, I encountered a fisherman who lived off the lake and asked him about Payang Lake.
“Anything interesting about Payang Lake?”
The fisherman blinked his eyes and replied,
“Well… it’s the battle between Chen Youliang and the Founder.”
“Isn’t Chen Youliang the greatest rival of the Hongwu Emperor?”
“That’s right… He led an army of 600,000 to fight the Hongwu Emperor, but even with that numerical advantage, the Hongwu Emperor emerged victorious.”
While tearing into a dried fish, the fisherman continued,
“Even though I don’t know much, there are likely many sunken ships at the lake’s bottom.”
“That makes sense.”
“There are plenty of bandits lurking around here, so be cautious. If you go just twenty li deeper into the mountains, even the martial artists may find it dangerous.”
It seemed like the fisherman’s advice was well-intentioned. Indeed, this place looked like the entrance to Payang Lake and a boundary, with enough signs of people around a large village. However, going further into the wilderness seemed to invite trouble with bandits.
Of course, I had no real reason to fear bandits, yet there was an uneasy feeling nagging at me.
‘What is this… Is it Yin Energy?’
An eerie chill ran down my spine. I wondered if it was just my imagination, but no, it was definitely a gloomy and terrifying aura I sensed. However, this felt different from the lethal pressure of martial artists—closer to a sinister premonition.
As I pondered the reason for this feeling, it suddenly struck me.
‘Right!’
Wooooo
I went to an isolated area and gathered the energy in my ten meridians to activate the techniques of the Heavenly Spirit. Then, I sensed the presence of spirits, and soon the immense aura of lingering spirits filled the surroundings. I couldn’t help but be startled after a moment.
‘Are there truly this many Grudge Spirits?’
Immediately, I spotted the Grudge Spirits. Souls filled with grudges wandered aimlessly along the riverbank. Some were submerged beneath the water, while others peeked their heads out from the surface, and a few floated close by. However, one thing was certain: there were at least thousands of them.
The sheer number of vengeful souls here was the reason for my feeling of Yin Energy. However, I found it strange.
If there were so many Grudge Spirits, people must have felt this long ago, right?
Wouldn’t exorcists have warned the townsfolk?
Yet, people, including the fisherman, seemed to live perfectly fine in the village while I was the only one feeling this chill. Something was clearly off, but as I attempted to approach and touch the Grudge Spirits, I understood why.
‘So that’s it…’
At that moment, what I was perceiving were not actual spirits. The remnants of memories from the past were embedded in this place, projected to appear as if spirits existed. Since these were mere past memories, ordinary people wouldn’t feel them. I realized what had caused this situation.
The techniques of the Heavenly Spirit can read the remnants of memories!
This appeared to be a power that could be acquired even without the practitioner being conscious of it. However, I was at a loss, not knowing how to utilize this trivial ability. To put it another way, it was merely an ability to glance at memories of the past and intuitively perceive them.
‘If I keep it, it might be useful someday.’
I didn’t think much of it and left Payang Lake. Once I departed, I formally entered Jiangxi Province and arrived at a large city, looking for an express courier station towards Mount Ye. After paying the courier servant at Yadong Courier, I asked for directions.
“Mount Ye? It’s a three to four-day journey by horse from here… If you head northeast along the official road, you should find it. Here’s a detailed map…”
The courier handed me a simple map he usually carried, making him the most reasonable person to ask such questions. I nodded vigorously and thanked him.
“Thank you very much.”
“You seem like a young child from a martial arts family; it must be tough to travel alone.”
“Not at all… By the way, what does Yadong Courier mean?”
The courier glanced at the signboard and said,
“I don’t know well either, but the chief always seems proud of that name. I heard it has some profound meaning. Our courier has a rich history.”
“I see! That’s a splendid name.”
“Haha, don’t forget Yadong.”
I parted ways with the courier and dashed straight toward Mount Ye. As I entered the foothills of Mount Ye, I planned to activate the Heavenly Spirit’s techniques to gather information.
Wooooo
‘There are… two powerful spirits nearby.’
I called forth the mighty spirits, clearly glimpsing their forms—one was an enigmatic Taoist, and the other was a beautiful maiden playing the guzheng. My curiosity piqued, I inquired about their identities.
“Who are you?”
[ I am Songpungsan In.]
“And you?”
[ I am Hye Won.]
“……”
Unlike the previous instances with prominent historical figures, I couldn’t quite pin down these individuals. However, since they appeared drawn here by the Heavenly Spirit’s techniques, they must have been remarkable figures in their lifetimes, leaving significant legacies. Scratching my head, I asked them,
“I’ve come searching for Yeodong-bin’s divine artifact, the Azure Dragon Divine Sword. Do you happen to know anything?”
To my question, Songpungsan In raised an eyebrow and replied,
[ If I did, I would possess it myself. But during my 89 years of practicing the Way at Mount Ye, I have never laid eyes on such a thing.]
“89 years?”
I felt astonished. The length of Songpungsan In’s practice was remarkably long. Afterward, I questioned Hye Won, and she plucked the strings of her guzheng, saying,
[ I’ve also never sensed such powerful energy while building temples with my followers. The Azure Dragon Divine Sword is not at Mount Ye.]
“So no treasures or elixirs can be found around here?”
[ Nope.]
[ Not at all.]
“……”
Why on earth did I come to Mount Ye?
Feeling hollow and aghast, I drooped my shoulders when Hye Won spoke, as if she had just thought of something.
[ Oh, there’s one mysterious place nearby.]
“Where?”
[ At Incense Burner Peak, there’s a peculiar rock formation. If you dig around there, you might find something.]
Following Hye Won’s words, I ascended Incense Burner Peak. This peak is renowned for its stunning beauty in Mount Ye, but due to its treacherous terrain, human footprints were rare. Although I intended to reach the area and follow her instructions, I struggled to find my way in the dense mountains.
[ Let me guide you.]
Eventually, growing impatient, Hye Won possessed me.
Tap tap
Hye Won, who possessed me, led me deep into the mountain valley until we came across a waterfall. Then, she breached a cave in the middle of Manjangan Cliff and descended below, where vibrant mushrooms bloomed all around. Beneath the shade of the mushrooms lay the geometric rock formation Hye Won had mentioned.
Hye Won said,
[ I came here alone for fun once. It looked dangerous, so I didn’t dig through the rocks, but there might be something there.]
‘You came here for fun? This isn’t a place for a leisurely outing…’
[ When one is too bored, it happens.]
‘……’
I closed my mouth in astonishment. Falling into a cave in the middle of a giant waterfall sounds like a leisurely activity? Hye Won might not be widely known, but she must have been an astonishing character. After dismissing the two spirits, I descended toward the curious rock formation.
Rumble
The ground trembled, and I could hear the sound of wind from inside. I focused my vision hard on the darkness and indeed found a hole in the middle of the boulder. I pondered for a moment before crawling inside the hole.
And there it was; a chilling sensation washed over me.
“……?”
Within a vast and deep darkness, it felt like the body of a colossal creature. No, I even felt like I was touching the skeleton of something. An ominous premonition flitted through my mind, but I dismissed it and continued downwards.
“Blocked.”
I mumbled in the pitch-black darkness. After some time, I realized it was indeed blocked. I wondered what this place was, but it clearly felt extraordinary. I thought about pushing through forcefully, but if the cliff collapsed, that would spell disaster, so for now, I decided to exit.
I emerged into the clear sunlight and asked Yeodong-bin.
[ Yeodong-bin, something strange happened just now.]
As I relayed my eerie experience from within the waterfall’s interior, Yeodong-bin listened quietly before replying.
[ You said it was the Incense Burner Peak?]
[ That’s right.]
[ My sword must be there.]
[ No… They said it isn’t.]
No matter how I thought about it, this terrain doesn’t seem fit for a divine sword. When I denied it, Yeodong-bin spoke resolutely.
[ Young one, go to the opposite side of Incense Burner Peak and view the waterfall from a distance.]
Tap
I followed Yeodong-bin’s advice. The grand spectacle of Manjangan Cliff waterfall was now laid out before me. Yeodong-bin seemed to squeeze in to share my sight and said,
[ Did you notice anything?]
[ What should I have noticed?]
[ Observe well the size and length of that waterfall.]
[ It’s very long and wide. But what does that have to do with… ]
[ Doesn’t it resemble a dragon?]
[ ……]
I stared blankly at the waterfall of Incense Burner Peak.
Rumble
The grandeur of nature itself stood before me. A vast waterfall stretching dozens of spans wide lay in front of me. Under normal circumstances, I would have marveled at such a scene, but not right now. My thoughts transformed as I stared, viewing the massive cliff of cascading water as a single living creature, and the sheer size left me feeling awed.
A great dragon!
The image of a colossal dragon took shape in my mind. With a trembling voice, I spoke,
“Could it be that the curious rock formation I just entered…?”
[ The Great Evil I last defeated was the Evil Dragon sealed in ancient times. After slaying it, I pierced its heart and sealed it in Mount Ye.]
Yeodong-bin spoke firmly.
[ The Evil Dragon must have merged with nature to become the mountain itself for self-preservation.]
“That means… that sheer cliff is the Evil Dragon?”
[ Yes. And I suspect the cave you just entered is like the Evil Dragon’s throat or esophagus.]
“Cough…”
I let out a voice of shock in reaction to such a colossal revelation.
Could it really be that the cliffs of Incense Burner Peak were once the malevolent, gigantic Evil Dragon? I scratched my head and sighed.
“Thank goodness. I guess if I dig a bit deeper into that cave, the Azure Dragon Divine Sword will come out.”
[ Young one, I can’t be certain about that.]
“Huh?”
[ You’ll find out if you try…]
At last, I began to use my internal energy to forcefully probe the bottom of the cave beneath the curious rock formation.
Crash!
The cliff crumbled as my body was flung out into the air. I quickly activated Divine Protection and managed to do several flips in mid-air to avoid the fall, witnessing massive boulders tumbling down the waterfall. I had narrowly escaped certain death and gasped for air. Yeodong-bin said,
[ Hmm… Obtaining the Azure Dragon Divine Sword may require demolishing this entire cliff, young one.]
“Breaking the cliff isn’t an overly difficult task.”
[ No, it would be futile.]
“Huh?”
[ I can sense my divine artifact when I am near it. However, I can feel that it isn’t close by.]
After saying this, Yeodong-bin continued,
[ Perhaps, over the course of a thousand years, someone has discovered and taken the Azure Dragon Divine Sword.]
“Who could have taken it?”
[ Well… I’m not quite sure.]
In that instant, I realized.
I had come up empty-handed.
There were some repetitive parts in the content; I’ve revised them!