Emperor Namgung Mu of the Thousand Years - Chapter 31

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#031

Blood Consumption .

An auxiliary technique that assists movement, learned by assassins who cannot learn ascending mental cultivation methods.

It has the advantage of momentarily drawing out explosive physical abilities, but at the same time, its limitations are also clear.

Compared to the existing orthodox martial artist methods that are infinitely strengthened according to the amount of internal energy accumulated in the danjeon, it has clear limitations like demonic arts of the demonic path. There is no continuous growth either. In the end, it was even considered a taboo and vulgar trick that was no match at all for systematic martial artists who used the danjeon, dismissed as inferior.

Although my master created and passed down the Pasabeolsik, strengthening it by opening temporary meridians for me who had no internal energy, there are still limits in the end.

This was because it was based on temporary meridians that were artificially pioneered and opened by inserting silver needles like tattoos from the beginning, rather than the mind and body’s danjeon and meridians that infinitely expand and reorganize according to the accumulating internal energy.

And the method I thought of was,

precisely the expansion and strengthening of those meridians used for Pasabeolsik as an assassin, using abundant internal energy.

“I wonder if it will really work as I think. Most martial artists would call this method insane…”

The meridians used for blood consumption were not originally present in the human body, but were artificially created by opening additional pathways using silver needles.

Since those meridians had also become accustomed to internal energy, it might be possible to pour internal energy into them to expand them like natural body meridians, but the benefit gained compared to the internal energy consumed was minimal.

Orthodox martial artists who already dismissed this as a trick had the superior alternatives of danjeon and meridians that responded well to internal energy anyway, and rather than wastefully consuming precious internal energy on expanding temporary meridians, they would naturally go the orthodox route. They probably wouldn’t even be interested, and what martial artists knew was not even Pasabeolsik, but the even more inferior trick called blood consumption.

But I am different.

With Bukmyeong Singong, I definitely have an active method to supply internal energy more abundantly than martial artists who passively depend on mental cultivation methods to grow their internal power.

Compared to the strengthening, the Pasabeolsik of my senior brother that I learned definitely has exceptional amplification compared to general blood consumption.

Based on rapidly increasing internal energy, I don’t give up on growth by accumulating internal energy in the danjeon like existing martial artists do, while simultaneously strengthening Pasabeolsik that assists explosive movement, though momentarily.

This was a method that my actual master, Amje, had partially used.

But he too had limits to the internal energy he could supply, so at most he strengthened and used only two forms.

And now I was thinking of overall Pasabeolsik strengthening, like growing the danjeon.

This was precisely the sure-win method I had found.

Massive internal energy that was just stored like stacked firewood might make one feel secure, but it was meaningless without a huge furnace that could explosively draw out firepower all at once.

The furnace to burn in, the means to raise firepower must also be overwhelmingly large for the stacked pile of firewood to have meaning.

‘I’ve come to pursue both growth as an orthodox martial artist and growth as an assassin, paths I couldn’t walk in my previous life.’

In the end, I struggle to escape from the past, yet I keep bringing clues from that very past to continue escaping from it – this contradiction brings a bitter smile.

‘In the end… there is no wasted effort, and everything somehow comes back around…’

I hesitated for a moment before injecting internal power.

‘Since this is currently a test, rather than opening a new form, let me first strengthen what exists and solidify it properly.’

This was something I had only watched my master do from the side.

I don’t know what variables might explode.

I swallow my saliva.

To expand, I inserted additional silver needles toward the shoulder and arm along the ends of the expanded meridians I had carved on my back before.

I take a deep breath, sit cross-legged, and begin operating internal energy.

One full cycle of the one and a half cycles of carefully stored internal energy is consumed in this process as the meridians of Pasabeolsik that will draw out immediate reactions expand.

“Krrgh…”

My back became soaked red with blood that seeped out, then dried into scabs from the heat emanating from my body and fell off.

‘The scattered internal energy is regrettable for now but it’s fine. The internal energy in my danjeon keeps accumulating anyway. Besides, the strengthening of Pasabeolsik definitely has limits.’

The origin of Pasabeolsik was originally created by assassins with weak meridians carving temporary meridians with needles and opening pathways.

I can tell intuitively.

If the existing one was about three-star achievement, through this stage I should be able to raise the intensity to at least five-star level.

The amount consumed this time was a full cycle, but this was because I was pioneering meridians for the first time. As it’s repeated and mastered, the internal energy lost in the middle will decrease.

Since this was internal energy I had tried to gather like blood and sweat throughout my previous life,

I hesitated until the very end about whether boldly consuming internal energy like this was the right path.

But I decided to do it.

-Wooooong…

I devoted myself to cold sweat and expanding the meridians of Pasabeolsik.

‘First… the first form, Body…!’

Fortunately, my body followed along as I had thought.

I immerse myself.

I concentrate and expand.

Thus, based on internal energy supplied by Bukmyeong Singong, I began pioneering and walking a new path that no one in the Martial Arts World had attempted – simultaneously pursuing growth as an assassin and growth as a martial artist.

To surpass others, one must shoulder risks.

To advance on shortcuts that will overtake others, one must throw oneself into thickets that those walking verified and safe paths would never walk.

My own path.

My own path where I can overwhelm them…!

Thus I completed the meridian expansion of the first form, Body.

And just as I was about to begin the meridian expansion work for the second form, Speed.

-Clang clang clang cla-…!!!

The bell rings and then cuts off as if severed by a blade.

And a thread-like sound heard from outside the carriage.

“Gah…”

“…!!”

My body freezes.

Though it’s a split second, receiving it through my ears and recognizing what that information means takes only one breath.

The bell sound just now meant someone had approached.

And what I faintly heard was definitely the coachman’s voice.

-…

And without a moment’s hesitation, I pulled out the silver needles embedded throughout my body and sprang up.

“Damn it! Finally…!”

I expected this.

Right.

Setting aside Bugaju, even that Sword Master bastard wouldn’t just leave me alone like this.

I think of every countermeasure I know. Simultaneously, I assume the worst-case scenario where dozens of enemies would be spread before my eyes. I kicked once and smashed through the carriage door, bursting out.

“Coachman! Are you alright?! What’s happen-“

“Phew, what a surprise. Why are you jumping out so startled? Anyone watching would think bandits attacked or something.”

“…!”

Winter sky.

Red dusk.

Under that red dusk, a man with flowing jet-black hair stood alone.

He ignored me and patted the shoulder of the coachman who was trembling like an aspen leaf.

“Were you startled? Ah, sorry. I don’t really like noisy things, you see. Here, a gift.”

The man drops the bell in front of the coachman with a thud.

It was crushed exactly as his bare grip had left its mark.

The coachman’s face turned pale blue, unable to even make a ‘hiccup’ sound.

He could only tremble with his jaw shaking, looking like he might faint at any moment. The man seemed amused by the coachman’s reaction and laughed before looking at me.

“Anyway, you came to the right place. We finally meet. The boatman’s… name was Namgung Hwi… right?”

“You… are…?”

The tall man wearing chains that hung diagonally as if covering one eye spoke cheerfully.

“Oh my, finally talking. The Sword Master was interfering so much I couldn’t have a conversation. Haha. Look here, it seemed a bit awkward to just talk, so I bought some food too. Do you like dumplings? I do.”

-Kiiiiiii…

The sound of dying insects, which shouldn’t exist in winter, spreads under the red dusk.

My breath catches.

The air freezes.

The long shadow touching my feet under the dusk sways cheerfully.

“Huh? Why is your face turning pale? Hmm. Why are you like that? How disappointing. Anyone would think I’m going to eat you. Look here. I really bought dumplings. Here. Right here.”

He picked up a steaming dumpling, and without caring about my reaction, popped it into his own mouth.

“Munch munch… Mm, market-style meat dumplings are the best after all.”

Under the blood-red dusk, in the deathly silence where all sounds had died, only the sound of him chewing dumplings echoed.

-Thump.

My forehead becomes damp.

My nose tip reacts sensitively.

At this very moment,

Standing in this place is not Namgung Hwi, the fourth young master of the Namgung Family, but me as my past life who lived as Amje.

‘This can’t be. No. This feeling is-.’

It was precisely the ‘fear’ that any human would feel when facing a life-or-death situation.

In my past life, it was a sensation I had felt throughout my lifetime.

But at the same time, it was a vivid field sensation I had hardly ever felt since entering this current life.

In such peaceful times, in the martial arts world, there’s no way to experience emotions that only mayfly lives would feel – those who advance from the bottom, risking their lives as collateral every single day.

Especially for me, who was growing at an incomparably faster pace than in the past.

The more skilled an assassin, the more sensitively they react to that fear, calling it death’s visit.

They simply suppress it through experience and training.

Being most sensitive to that scent is precisely the characteristic of assassins advancing from the very bottom.

It wasn’t even simple fear.

All my senses as an assassin were warning me. There were no openings. No, the very concept of openings didn’t exist for that man. Just by standing there, he was a complete world unto himself. None of the first-rate masters I had met in my past life, not even my master, had emanated such a perfect aura that annihilated the surroundings.

What is this.

What is this…

Nothing made sense – not my reflexive reaction to someone without weapons, not the current situation, nothing.

Had there ever been a single instance like this since I began my current life?

No.

I desperately, rationally groped through everything I knew about the man before me.

In my past life, when I was actively operating, the Namgung Family was already in decline, so I hadn’t heard much about the Five Great Patriarchs of the Namgung Family.

But just one person.

Even before I began operating as an assassin in earnest, there was one existence I knew in detail through both his alias and stories.

Alias: One Evil Eight Divine Beings.

From the unbelievable rumor that he alone tore apart and killed a thousand cult members,

The sole survivor of Kunlun,

The mad Taoist,

To the nickname Monkey King of Kunlun.

Among countless aliases in my past life, and according to my master’s assessment, he was one of the most absolute beings in this martial arts world, and until his death by poisoning, no assassin or evil heretic wanted to get involved with him.

But I thought all of that was exaggerated.

After all, he was dead.

“Why are you… here? Weren’t you… on a mission?”

“Haha, I happened to be in this area. I even pushed myself to meet you before entering the Sichuan Tang Family. But my original plan has changed a bit. Haha, Young Master Hwi’s current reaction is quite interesting.”

Sword Master Hwirong took a step toward me. As the distance narrowed, suffocating pressure crushed my heart.

“Interesting…?”

“In this peaceful era, you seem strangely accustomed to killing people. Isn’t that right?”

“…”

“Hmm, I’ve been wondering whether to say this since I thought it was nonsense, but it seems I should.”

At my silence, he laughed as if finding it even more amusing.

-Step.

He approaches forward.

He places the hand holding the dumplings at his waist.

He extends one hand toward me.

One, two, three.

His fingers spread and point at me.

And from within his pitch-black long bangs, ominous golden eyes gleaming like black water pierced through me.

“You’re an assassin, aren’t you?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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