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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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“This is driving me crazy! How dare you consume the demon core without a second thought…!”
“Is it really that serious?”
“Even seasoned martial artists fall into Qi Rejection the moment they consume the demon core!”
“Gasp!”
Really?
“Seriously?!”
“You frustrating fool! How can you be so reckless? You’re truly an idiot! This is preposterous!”
The Jade Flower Sword pounded her chest in frustration, venting her anger. Well, I understood that it was poisonous and consuming it was dangerous, as she had said.
But I was fine?
I even gained internal energy.
“Celestial maiden, please calm down. But I’m perfectly fine. In fact, my internal energy even increased.”
“…Ah. Now that you mention it.”
The Jade Flower Sword, who had been hitting her chest, looked at me.
Then, stroking her lips, she scrutinized my face, slowly circled me, bent down, and checked my body thoroughly.
“This is strange. Did you really consume a demon core?”
“Yes.”
“And you gained internal energy?”
“To explain the exact situation…”
Since it was confirmed that inner cores were poisonous, the information from the Jade Flower Sword, who was stronger than me, was crucial.
I explained how I went to exterminate the Gobulins, caught the chieftain, and absorbed its core.
“I see. So that’s why you had accumulated internal energy despite being a vagrant.”
“It’s a kind of fortuitous encounter. I thought I had obtained the greatest fortune in the world when I saw the core.”
“Ignorance breeds audacity… Haa. How can there be such a foolish man?”
The Jade Flower Sword sighed.
“Alright. Since you haven’t shown any adverse effects, I can tentatively conclude that you might have a special constitution.”
“Special constitution!”
I have a special constitution!
“Could it be the Heavenly Martial Body?!”
“What’s that… Haa. Never mind. Whatever it is, having a special constitution isn’t confirmed yet. Problems could arise suddenly. Demon cores are poisonous. Do you understand? You must accept that unexpected side effects may occur.”
“Th-then, what should I do?”
“Follow me.”
“Huh?”
Follow her?
“You saved my life, so I’ll repay you accordingly. We’ll go to my family estate and have a skilled physician examine you. That way, we can determine more accurately if there’s a problem. If any issue is identified, we’ll focus on treatment.”
“Oh! Thank you!”
This is a relief!
Honestly, the moment I heard that inner cores were poisonous, I almost collapsed in fear. I had unknowingly consumed poison. It felt like I had become a primitive man who ate a pufferfish.
But I’m truly grateful that she’ll examine me properly and even provide treatment.
“Since there seems to be no immediate problem, there’s not much else to do for now. I will personally examine you briefly later.”
“I’d be grateful if you would!”
“Then let’s take care of the aftermath.”
“Yes!”
We went back to check on the collapsed martial artists.
Most of them had fainted from internal injuries, but some were regaining consciousness.
They were all circulating their Qi to heal their injuries. The weary administrator was doing the same. Once they all regained consciousness, we could conclude the matter.
“Hey! Jaemison! You did great! That last throw of the Isangjego was spot on!”
“Hehehe, I can’t believe it actually worked. You’re a crazy lunatic.”
“A man’s gotta do something when he risks his life.”
“I have to admit, you’re something else…”
Jaemison grinned.
“By the way, you ate a demon core?”
“Yeah. But…”
“Kek… You’re such an idiot. If you eat the demon core, you’re lucky if all you get is just Qi Rejection.”
“But I’m fine, I tell you!”
“That’s truly strange… Someone eating the demon core and being fine. I’ve never heard of such a thing. You truly are the lunatic I acknowledge.”
Am I really someone with a special constitution?
I had a light meal and rested with Jaemison. When I mentioned going to Namgung Sega for my reward, he was incredibly envious.
“No way!”
Just then, the Jade Flower Sword shouted.
Wondering what was happening, I ran over to find the Jade Flower Sword examining the corpse of the sorcerer we had killed.
Did something come out of it?
“What’s the matter, Celestial maiden!”
“This sorcerer… wasn’t a living person, but a Jiangshi.”
“Huh? A Jiangshi?”
I examined the sorcerer’s corpse.
He was a grotesque figure wearing Taoist-like clothes and carrying a skull staff. But he wasn’t human, but a Jiangshi?
“I don’t know much, but aren’t Jiangshi just monsters? The hopping kind?”
“Those are low-level Jiangshi. This sorcerer was a Huanhun Jiangshi, capable of more sophisticated movements. And this one even opened a Hell Gate? Based on our fight, he was also skilled in sorcery.”
“Yes, he was.”
“This is truly unbelievable. A mere Jiangshi opening a Hell Gate to summon a Hayagriva? Impossible.”
But it happened.
“Then, what, this was an incredibly powerful Jiangshi? Or its creator was an incredibly powerful being? Something like that?”
“Precisely.”
The Jade Flower Sword looked at me with a serious expression.
“That being would be capable of creating this kind of Jiangshi.”
“That being?”
“The Death Fairy, Cheongmiin.”
“Death Fairy, Cheongmiin!”
The Death Fairy Cheongmiin?!
“Who is she?!”
“She’s a notorious witch infamous throughout the Middle Kingdom. Due to her evil and cruel nature and countless atrocities, she has been designated a Public Enemy of the Middle Kingdom.”
“A Public Enemy of the Middle Kingdom!”
Not a Public Enemy of the Martial World, but of the Middle Kingdom?!
“The Death Fairy has caused countless bloody conflicts, and in the process, created numerous Jiangshi. With her sorcery, creating a Jiangshi of this caliber is possible. But that staff…”
The Jade Flower Sword pointed at the skull staff.
“Judging by the strong bloody aura emanating from that Bone Staff, it’s definitely a treasure of the Blood Cult.”
“The Blood Cult…!”
A treasure of the Blood Cult!
“But this is strange. The Death Fairy was supposed to be opposed to the Blood Cult. Could they have joined forces? If so, it’s a serious problem.”
It seemed very serious, even if I didn’t understand everything.
Serious enough to make her beautiful face wrinkle.
The Blood Cult are incredibly evil. A crazy cult that wants to paint the world in blood. And the witch called the Death Fairy is said to be transcendently evil.
If those two joined forces?
It seemed clear that a disaster would occur. A huge disaster.
“This seems really serious.”
I came to close one labyrinth, and what is all this?
Fighting a Hayagriva, getting involved with the Blood Cult and the Death Fairy.
This doesn’t feel good at all.
Forming a connection with the Namgung Sega is a good thing, but I have a feeling this won’t end normally. Could I be caught in the vortex of some conspiracy?
“Ugh…! My Lady! Are you alright?!”
A martial artist from Hacheondae who had regained consciousness spoke.
“I’m fine. Quickly, continue circulating your Qi. I’ll stand guard.”
“Thank you!”
“It’s my duty.”
We rested until all the martial artists regained consciousness.
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Afterward, we collected the bodies, Hayagriva’s greatsword, the sorcerer’s Bone staff, and other spoils of war, then exited the labyrinth.
They would escort the bodies of the Hacheondae martial artists back to their main estate. The bodies of the vagrant martial artists who died within the labyrinth were buried nearby.
The survivors received silver as a reward.
I heard that the Namgung Sega would investigate and distribute the deceased vagrants’ shares to their families in conjunction with Haengdomun.
Even though the vagrants were technically opponents, seeing them honor their agreements increased my already high trust in the Jade Flower Sword even further.
Namgung Serin was truly a celestial being.
“Well, Jaemison. Take care. See you later.”
Jaemison also received a hefty reward for his final contribution. However, since I played the decisive role, I was the only one going to receive this reward.
“Hehehe, tell me what happened when you get back.”
“Sure.”
After parting with Jaemison, I went to the Jade Flower Sword.
“I’m ready to depart.”
“Yes. Then please board the carriage.”
“Huh?”
Board the carriage?
“Could I leave my exhausted benefactor unattended? We need to check your pulse, so please get in.”
“Uh, uh…”
“Are you perhaps thinking of refusing the honor of riding in the same carriage as me?”
“No!”
I briefly glanced around, but no one was looking at us strangely. I boarded her carriage as instructed.
“Oh.”
Inside, there was a maid, as still as a statue. She was so silent I almost mistook her for a doll.
I thought about greeting her, but since she remained quiet, I did the same.
Soon, the Jade Flower Sword boarded, and the carriage departed.
“…”
But then.
Being in this small carriage with her… made me quite nervous. Very nervous.
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just a little tired.”
“Indeed. It’s natural to be tired after such a fierce battle.”
“Yes. Ah, but I’m covered in blood. Is that alright?”
“I’m covered in blood too, so it doesn’t matter.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“By the way, that demon core. Are you really going to consume it?”
“Ah.”
I had taken the Hayagriva’s inner core. However, I wasn’t planning on consuming it right away. Even though I was fine, it was still poisonous.
“I’m thinking of consuming it more cautiously.”
“So you’re still planning to consume it.”
“Yes.”
How could I give this up?
Even knowing it’s poison, I felt my internal energy increase after consuming the chieftain’s core. To me, inner cores were a precious treasure.
Moreover, it was the core of the mighty Hayagriva. Just thinking about how much my internal energy would increase from consuming it made my desire explode.
Furthermore, when I struck the Hayagriva, I saw purple sparks flying from my sword. I knew that power stemmed from my internal energy.
The desire for more internal energy.
I couldn’t resist it.
“Cases of humans absorbing demon cores are… I’m not sure, but I believe they’re extremely rare. Therefore, I don’t recommend it. Even if you were fine last time, something might happen this time.”
The Jade Flower Sword expressed her genuine concern.
I appreciated her concern, but I didn’t think I could give up this inner core.
“Oh my. Geun-hyeop. Your eyes.”
“Huh?”
“Well, a martial artist who has tasted the core once can never truly be free from it. Even I, who has consumed many elixirs, still desire more.”
“Hehehe, I see we have something in common.”
What martial artist could give this up?
“It’s natural to want to consume it even if it’s risky. But wouldn’t it be safer to consume it after we understand your constitution more clearly?”
“That’s what I’m thinking. I’ll try it after I get examined and am certain it’s safe.”
“Fufu, wise choice.”
The corners of her eyes curved.
I almost held my breath.
Wasn’t she just too beautiful?
Being so close in this confined space, I felt her figure even more intensely.
Come to think of it, the aroused Hayagriva had sexually harassed her earlier. It was mainly about her figure, and seeing her again, it truly was a figure that stimulated lust.
Her chest was so large that it was visible even through her martial attire.
Moreover, a pure aura emanated from her, along with a subtly sweet fragrance, making me feel increasingly strange.
“Huu, it’s hot.”
Just then, the Jade Flower Sword slightly pulled open the front of her martial attire. I momentarily hoped to catch a glimpse of her skin, but fortunately, her clothes weren’t that loose.
“By the way, Geun-hyeop.”
“Yes.”
“How long do you intend to keep stealing glances at my body? Are you truly a pervert? My chest is burning.”
“No, what?! When did I! It’s a misunderstanding!”
“Fufu, I’m joking.”
What a terrible joke!
“Anyway. Don’t you have any stories to distract us from this heat?”
“I’ll tell you one right away!”
I had to do something before she mistook me for a pervert!
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Thanks again simzy!