The Wizard Who Endured the World of Murim - Chapter 97

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Surviving in the Martial Realm as a Mage: Episode 97
“Senior Guard, have you heard the news?”
“What news?”
“I heard the Faction Leader is giving us a chance to go to the Upper Realm. Are you planning to go?”
The former master of Sungwha Island on the Yangtze River, where the Black Dragon Faction now made its base.
The son of Gyolyong Chae-ju Sun Tae-go.
Soon Hong-dan asked the question toward Cheolhyeol Sword Maeng Ryeo with an expression of detachment.
Cheolhyeol Sword Maeng Ryeo.
Once a renowned fixer of the Liu Chang River, notorious even among peak masters for his ruthless methods, he chuckled softly while eating fried freshwater fish as a drinking snack.
“Of course I’m going. Aren’t you planning to go, little brother?”
“I’m still deliberating. I hear the Heavenly Demon Sect and other martial masters of renown are all ascending. I wonder if there’s even a place for a greenhorn like me.”
“Heh heh, our little brother still lacks wisdom. If your father were in this situation, he would have charged forward without hesitation.”
“….”
“Your father’s greatest strength was his ability to recognize opportune moments. In that one skill alone, he was truly remarkable.”
Soon Hong-dan’s lips twitched slightly.
Then he exhaled deeply.
Soon Hong-dan’s cultivation level still lingered at the threshold of peak mastery.
He could be called the weakest among the peak masters dwelling on Sungwha Island, yet he was only thirty-three years old.
Considering his age, this was no small achievement whatsoever.
And yet, being in this place only made him feel perpetually inadequate.
Glug glug—
Maeng Ryeo, watching Soon Hong-dan’s cup across from him run dry, poured cheap baijiu to the brim and spoke.
“A person must seize opportunity when it arrives. From my perspective, seasoned as I am, this looks like an extraordinary opportunity. Why do you hesitate?”
“Sigh, as I mentioned before, there are simply too many masters ascending, including those from the Heavenly Demon Sect.”
Maeng Ryeo nodded.
“So you’re afraid that even if we ascend to the Upper Realm, you’ll end up serving beneath them without any chance to cultivate?”
“…Well, honestly, there’s some truth to that.”
“Do you think things would be different if you stayed here?”
“That is….”
The sudden question struck Soon Hong-dan silent.
Now that he thought about it, it was a painfully accurate observation.
Even in the Lower Realm, the environment was hardly conducive to leisurely cultivation alone.
There was simply too much work to do.
“Come with me to ascend. Once we reach the Upper Realm, things will surely be better than they are now.”
“Hmm, I suppose that’s true?”
Cheolhyeol Sword Maeng Ryeo gazed at his younger brother, who was like a foolish nephew, and brought his cup to his lips.
Then he spoke quietly.
“I have a feeling our Faction Leader will accomplish something extraordinary. Being beside such a person, perhaps something remarkable will rub off on us.”
“Hmm… that certainly has persuasive power. Alright! Fine. Let’s ascend to the Upper Realm together.”
“Good. That’s how it should be.”
The minimum standard to ascend to the Upper Realm.
That was none other than reaching the Peak Realm.
Anything below that, and one could not ascend simply by wishing to do so.
“I’ve heard the Upper Realm is saturated with spiritual energy in all directions? They say the pressure is so intense that one’s body would rupture.”
“I’ve heard the same.”
The Black Dragon Faction Leader had spoken of it.
The spiritual energy was so dense and concentrated that anyone below the Peak Realm would have their entire body torn apart the moment they were exposed to the raw energy of the Demon Immortal Realm, he had warned.
He said this was inevitable without sufficient foundational cultivation.
In a sense, the Peak Realm masters currently in the Black Dragon Faction were unexpectedly receiving a stroke of fortune.
“Well, since we’re ascending anyway. I’m thinking of attempting the Hwagyeong Realm this time, Senior Guard.”
“Shouldn’t you aim for the Transcendent Realm first to follow proper progression?”
The two of them thus
discussed this sudden stroke of fortune and savored their final night in the Lower Realm.
* * *
“Is everyone aboard?”
“Yes, Master.”
A considerable number of people were boarding the Black Dragon Ship.
“There are two hundred Peak Realm masters in total, sixty-one Transcendent Realm masters, and four Hwagyeong Masters.”
“The numbers are quite substantial.”
It was not bad at all.
As the Black Dragon Faction gained renown in the Lower Realm, masters from the surrounding areas naturally joined.
As a result, the number of capable individuals had grown considerably.
“This is just the right number for initial settlement.”
Not too many, yet not too few either.
Precisely adequate.
Though unintended, they had naturally been filtered.
“In the Lower Realm, this level of military force could crush even major sects instantly. But in the Upper Realm, we must be cautious of those around us—it’s somewhat disconcerting.”
“There’s no helping it. We’re heading to the Demon Immortal Realm of the Upper Realm.”
Moreover, demons fundamentally possessed far superior physical constitution.
Even at the same realm level, one had to regard them as at least one or two tiers higher.
‘If they get beaten around by such creatures, they’ll grow on their own.’
Ilhyang had no intention whatsoever of bringing martial masters to the Upper Realm and nurturing them safely within his protection.
Rather, though cruel in method,
he planned to actively drive them out beyond the outpost.
So those destined to die would die,
and only those meant to survive would be brought along and tested.
“What about supplies?”
“They’re packed full. We’ve prepared enough to last at least three years without concern.”
“And provisions?”
“We’ve stockpiled over a year’s worth, focusing on items with long shelf lives. Do you need more, Master?”
“No, it’s fine. This works perfectly. I’ll be bringing supplies up in batches anyway.”
The greatest weakness of the Upper Realm’s Demon Immortal Realm was the food supply problem.
Since self-sufficiency would clearly be impossible, I had to purchase vast quantities of provisions from the Lower Realm and transport them up.
‘The Celestial Watchers can survive on grass roots, but martial artists like us cannot.’
Generally, a martial artist’s food consumption was three to four times that of an ordinary person.
Although our non-combatant personnel numbered only 167, I calculated provisions for a thousand people.
“You’ve been reviewing the techniques I taught you, yes?”
Ilhyang touched the Stone Tower and asked casually, as if merely passing the time.
Gong Jeol-gang smiled meaningfully before responding.
“Of course, Master. The joy of learning something new each day keeps me from sleeping.”
“That is precisely the right attitude. A mage must think that way.”
Ilhyang smiled faintly upon seeing the dark circles beneath the elderly Gong Jeol-gang’s eyes.
It was clear he wasn’t merely speaking words—his dedication was evident in his actions, and I was satisfied.
“If you reach the 5th Circle in the Lower Realm, I will bring you to the Upper Realm as well.”
“Then it won’t be long. I shall redouble my efforts.”
Ilhyang patted Gong Jeol-gang’s shoulder several times, noting his unwavering confidence.
Then I slowly approached the Black Dragon Ship where everyone had boarded.
And then.
I chanted the rune language in a low voice, as if singing.
The Black Dragon Ship, which had towered higher than the Magic Tower, began rapidly shrinking.
Soon it stood level with the Magic Tower.
In just a moment’s glance, it had transformed to the size of my palm.
Holding the miniaturized ship lightly in my hand, I suddenly remembered something and spoke.
“Ah! Now that I think about it, guests will be arriving soon.”
“Guests, Master?”
Were new Murim experts joining us as planned?
Indeed, there was no safer place in all of Tianxia than here.
But Ilhyang’s next words were enough to startle Gong Jeol-gang.
“Yes. The Murim Alliance will likely send guests soon.”
“The, the Murim Alliance?”
Gong Jeol-gang’s face suddenly became tense.
And with good reason—Gong Jeol-gang was a former Murim expert.
More precisely, he was from Cheonsa-ok, which had once been a Murim organization.
That was why he instinctively flinched at the mention of the Murim Alliance, his words faltering.
“Don’t worry. They won’t cause any trouble.”
Sword King Namgung Jang-cheon.
That old man had surely conveyed my intentions to the Murim Alliance.
‘I told him to bring everyone who wants to go to the Upper Realm.’
I was expecting even more people to gather here.
Of course, nothing here came without a price.
Once I ascended to the Upper Realm, I would be bound to serve under Ilhyang for ten years, after all.
Naturally, I could refuse unreasonable orders, and I could reject commands that would tarnish my honor as well.
‘I’ll bring all of them to the Immortal Celestial Realm.’
Beside the Jayun Sect.
I planned to unleash the Murim Alliance’s masters upon that place, where Ilhyang had established a new sect and was living in rented quarters.
The Murim Alliance had no particular connections to the Upper Realm like the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect or the Blood Cult did.
At least for a while, they wouldn’t harbor any misguided ambitions.
Rather, the Murim Alliance would be able to further hone their secret martial technique called Chamseon Melbeop—a method to counter the Celestial Watchers—by observing the Celestial Watchers nearby.
Of course, if necessary, I intended to gradually assist the Murim Alliance’s training from the sidelines.
I was deeply curious about how their martial arts would develop through direct confrontation with the Celestial Watchers.
‘And while I’m at it, I should properly research this “small world” that the Murim Alliance fellows speak of.’
A small world.
It was a somewhat unique concept of cultivation that martial artists without spiritual roots had created as a substitute.
From what I’d briefly heard from Namgung Jincheon, it seemed like a compressed version of the Mental World.
Yet it was still new knowledge that even I hadn’t fully grasped.
‘If I observe the martial artists more closely over time, I’ll probably come to understand what this small world truly is.’
Thanks to this, the Murim Alliance would be able to use the 4th Realm Spirit Vein in the Upper Realm where they had no connections, so this was hardly a bad arrangement.
“Then let’s depart.”
In any case, the Murim Alliance was a matter for later.
First, I opened the door leading to the Demon Immortal Realm.

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