The Owner Of The Thousand Gold Coins Is A Military Official - Chapter 64

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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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Chapter 64

 

Geomma, who had been watching with interested eyes, thinking this might be a new method of expressing a desire to be killed, soon noticed what changes were occurring at the tip of that sword and his gaze changed.

 

The internal energy beginning to gather at the tip, a change that would be difficult to perceive unless viewing it from such close proximity.

 

There was no visible change to the eye, but the magnitude of the power being contained was growing ever greater.

 

Like trying to pour an entire jar’s worth of liquor into a small cup.

 

Naturally, it was an impossible task.

 

No, it was a concept he had never even considered.

 

Though he had made that comparison, watching the change before his eyes quietly, it wasn’t at the level of a jar.

 

It felt like trying to contain a river in a teacup.

 

And if one were to shatter all that had been contained at once.

 

It was something proven by long history.

 

Damming up river water before the rainy season, then breaking the dam when enemies passed through that route.

 

The suddenly swollen current and rapid flow were things that even well-trained soldiers could hardly endure.

 

Moreover, if a master who had reached a certain level handled internal energy in this way, the change would be even greater.

 

“You said with your own mouth that you killed him using something Pokdanma created. Does that mean Pokdanma created this method of internal energy manipulation?”

 

“That is correct.”

 

At the unhesitating answer, a slight puzzlement arose in Geomma’s eyes.

 

“Did you know Pokdanma originally?”

 

“How could I know such a person? I came to do what needed to be done, and merely saw him in the process.”

 

He appeared not just young in level but childlike, yet after killing one of the Seven Great Demons with his own hands, he showed no particular emotion.

 

Even if not excessive vanity, one would expect to feel at least some pride.

 

To the child before his eyes, Pokdanma seemed to be an existence that couldn’t even inspire much pride.

 

“So you’re saying you simply watched and learned that method created by Pokdanma, whom you saw for the first time…”

 

Now the boredom and languidness could no longer be found in Geomma’s eyes.

 

After pondering briefly, Geomma soon pulled out the hairpin that had been stuck in his hair.

 

Geomma’s temperament was somewhat revealed.

 

The hairpin was carelessly inserted, appearing as if he had simply arranged the hair that flowed down and got in the way.

 

Geomma began infusing internal energy into the hairpin he had pulled out.

 

He started to imitate exactly the internal energy manipulation method of Cheongun that he had just observed.

 

“Hmm…”

 

His expression seemed somewhat dissatisfied.

 

From Cheongun’s perspective, he had executed it almost perfectly.

 

“It wouldn’t be useful unless one could handle it freely.”

 

Then he returned the power he had been manipulating back to its original state.

 

Originally, power is harder to draw back in than to release outward.

 

After reproducing a manipulation method he had never tried before just from seeing it once, he didn’t stop there but drew the power back in.

 

Cheongun had no particular difficulty since he had already mastered a relatively similar manipulation method to near perfection, but Geomma was an exception.

 

“Is it finished now? Geomma?”

 

At Cheongsoso’s question, Geomma leisurely shook his head.

 

“I haven’t seen it directly yet. I need to check one thing.”

 

“…?”

 

What was he going to see?

 

Since Cheongun hadn’t heard anything separately, he couldn’t grasp what this was about.

 

“Follow me out.”

 

Geomma soon left the room first with his sword.

 

Looking at Geomma with just one door between them, he felt a strange sensation as if they were in different spaces.

 

“Aren’t you coming out?”

 

It was an ordinary sword that neither emitted light nor was pure white.

 

He had thought there would be something special about a sword used by Geomma, but perhaps it felt that way precisely because it wasn’t special.

 

Cheongun, who had been watching Geomma looking at him with just one door between them, also rose from his seat.

 

Following such Cheongun, Cheongsoso also stood up together.

 

‘…What tremendous pressure.’

 

Crossing this one door felt like crossing a crossroads between life and death.

 

Did Cheongsoso feel this too?

 

He could sense her hesitation about crossing this door.

 

Geomma’s gaze, gestures, attitude.

 

Not a trace of killing intent emanated from any of it.

 

He had simply left the room and told them to come out, that was all.

 

This must be Geomma’s temperament and spirit.

 

Thud.

 

Cheongun’s foot stepped precisely on the door frame.

 

This too was Geomma’s temperament and spirit.

 

Since he knew what that one step of Cheongun’s meant, he showed a light smile.

 

“Not bad.”

 

Now, what would Geomma ask of Cheongun?

 

Previously, it had been things like receiving a move or directly crossing hands.

 

Did Geomma also desire the same thing?

 

Cheongun had faced many reclusive masters and experts of the previous generation like Gomujin, the Patriarch of the Tang Clan, Geou, and others.

 

He had acknowledged their strength and also shown respect.

 

However, from Cheongun’s perspective, Geomma was a bit different.

 

A slightly higher realm.

 

If he had to compare, it seemed like a level closer to the sky than the ground on which two feet stood.

 

A strange tension hung in the air.

 

Sensing this, Geomma slowly approached Cheongun.

 

Clack, clack.

 

The sound of his sword scraping the floor could be heard along with his footsteps.

 

“Why. Are you trembling?”

 

He asked if he was trembling.

 

Was he trembling?

 

Honestly, he wasn’t sure.

 

What kind of trembling this trembling was.

 

It seemed like a trembling he had felt countless times in his previous life, but he couldn’t remember.

 

Yes, this was exhilaration.

 

The exhilaration that rose when facing a true strong opponent.

 

However, he couldn’t know exactly what this exhilaration was directed toward.

 

So perhaps this was why it was called exhilaration?

 

“Are you going to kill me?”

 

“That could happen.”

 

It wasn’t words that could be dismissed as a joke.

 

“Still, that expression of yours is quite interesting. Even the old monsters I remember weren’t this rigid.”

 

Geomma, who had approached right up close, brought his face near as if it might touch.

 

Even so, when there was no particular change in Cheongun’s expression, he soon lifted his body.

 

“How do you think I appear to you?”

 

The tip of Geomma’s sword that had been scraping the floor now pointed forward.

 

“Do I look pitiful, driven from my nest?”

 

Whooom.

 

Along with a resonant sound that lightly shook the surroundings, internal energy began to be manipulated in Geomma’s sword.

 

It was refreshing and clear internal energy.

 

Was this person really from the Demonic Sect?

 

Until he heard the answer from those lips directly that he was indeed Geomma, he felt he might not know.

 

It was puzzling.

 

How could he not sense any demonic energy from Geomma’s internal energy?

 

“Or perhaps, it might appear differently.”

 

The tip of Geomma’s sword slowly traced a diagonal line, cutting through the air.

 

Slowly?

 

No, this was slow enough to be called sluggish.

 

Rather than swinging the sword, it moved at a speed that made one wonder if he had simply relocated it.

 

Geomma’s internal energy was clear and pure, yet its sharpness was like an ice sheet.

 

The impression of a flower made from ice that never melts would perhaps be most fitting to describe Geomma’s internal energy.

 

“What do you see?”

 

Geomma’s sword returned to its sheath, but the trace it had carved through the air remained.

 

Sword energy imbued with pure sharpness floated in the air, maintaining its form without moving.

 

‘…A monster indeed.’

 

That seemed to be the word that best described Geomma.

 

However, this monster had never appeared in the world.

 

At least according to Cheongun’s memory.

 

“You simply appear to be observing.”

 

“Me? What am I observing? The Sect?”

 

“Simply wherever your eyes reach.”

 

Quite a unique answer.

 

There had been several who received such questions.

 

Yes, the current Sect Leader, who was previously the Junior Patriarch, had also received a similar question.

 

That was before he left the Sect, though.

 

Those who admired Geomma’s swordsmanship overflowed within the Sect, and the Junior Patriarch of that time was also one of them.

 

He remembered how displeased he had been, asking why such words were spoken.

 

“Did you think it was a foolish question with a wise answer?”

 

“More precisely, wouldn’t it be a wise question with a foolish answer?”

 

“Huhu…”

 

It had been a question about his state, yet an answer about action had returned.

 

“Indeed. Do I appear to be watching from the sidelines?”

 

Cheongun intuited it.

 

This question would be the last question.

 

At least for this time.

 

Therefore, he answered without hesitation.

 

And this too was sincere.

 

“You appear to be in contemplation.”

 

Contemplation, contemplation.

 

It wasn’t the answer he had wanted.

 

Yet, strangely, it seemed more pleasing than the answer he had wanted.

 

It meant he himself didn’t know what he truly wanted.

 

“Contemplation…”

 

Geomma began repeating the word contemplation.

 

Even after quite some time had passed, Geomma did not open his closed eyes.

 

“Wun, don’t tell me this is…”

 

“…Hah.”

 

A hollow laugh escaped.

 

Had he gained enlightenment?

 

From a single word of Cheongun’s?

 

“It appears so.”

 

“Enlightenment to Geomma…”

 

He was already a monster who had achieved rejuvenation, and now he had gained enlightenment on top of that.

 

Cheongun had always thought the world was unfair.

 

That had been the case in his previous life as well, and it remained an unchanged thought now.

 

The only difference was that previously he had been on the unfortunate side, and now he was on the fortunate side.

 

However, seeing Geomma, he wondered if true unfairness might be something else entirely.

 

“I will stand guard.”

 

“Me too.”

 

Who would dare set foot in Geomma’s quarters carelessly?

 

Directly witnessing the moment when a martial artist of Geomma’s caliber gains enlightenment is absolutely not a common occurrence.

 

It was also a path Cheongun would have to walk someday.

 

Enlightenment is inevitable for a martial artist.

 

No one could know how long it would take.

 

It could be tomorrow, seven days and nights, or even a fortnight.

 

They would simply help as much as they could.

 

“When Father reached the extreme demonic level, they say it took him a full month after gaining enlightenment.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Yes. It was long before I was born… it’s been decades.”

 

It wasn’t even during his Junior Patriarch days.

 

Since it was when the current Sect Leader was a candidate for Junior Patriarch, the Sect Leader was certainly a tremendous monster as well.

 

“What about you, Wun?”

 

“I…”

 

After pondering briefly, Cheongun looked at Cheongsoso and answered.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“You’re saying you’ve experienced enlightenment before?”

 

“That too, I don’t know.”

 

It was a more fundamental question.

 

Could the enlightenment gained in his previous life truly be called Cheongun’s enlightenment?

 

The current Cheongun and the Cheongun of that time were completely different people.

 

Of course, his personality and memories were the same, but everything else was different.

 

Therefore, Cheongun’s answer of not knowing was paradoxically closest to the correct answer.

 

“Don’t you have too many secrets?”

 

A voice tinged with slight dissatisfaction.

 

At those words, Cheongun looked straight into Cheongsoso’s eyes and said.

 

“As if you’re the only one.”

 

“Where is there a person without secrets?”

 

What a shameless person.

 

Well, that’s probably how she survived in the cracks of this Demonic Sect.

 

“Soso has always been shameless.”

 

Then came Geomma’s voice.

 

He hadn’t even sensed his presence.

 

“Geomma…?”

 

“It’s not wrong, is it? Huhu.”

 

“It seems you’ve obtained it.”

 

“I have. Thanks to you. Still, I should finish what I was doing first.”

 

Geomma pointed to the sword energy he had created, speaking as if nothing had happened.

 

“Try doing the same.”

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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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