The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 353
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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 353. Still Remaining…
“Stop… No matter how strong you are, it’s impossible to burn away all the poison in this vast space with Samadhi True Fire. Your internal energy will be completely depleted and you might even suffer internal injuries.”
Seeing the small flame that arose in Ha Mu-baek’s palm, Dang Ja-cheong tried to dissuade Ha Mu-baek.
Ha Mu-baek simply maintained an indifferent expression.
He threw the small flame created by the fire he had conjured toward the center of the Poisoned Earth before his eyes.
The flame that fluttered like a butterfly’s wing beats.
Landed on what was presumed to be the center of the Poisoned Earth.
At that moment.
Whoooooosh!!!
It transformed into flames that would burn the world, pouring out fierce and violent fire in all directions.
“Gasp!”
Dang Ji-yeon was startled and sucked in a breath.
“Wh-what is this…?”
Dang Ja-cheong looked at the scene unfolding before him with disbelieving eyes.
This was not something like Samadhi True Fire.
This was not fire created by internal energy.
Then what on earth was it?
How could a human create such flames that were not Samadhi True Fire generated by internal energy?
Ha Mu-baek’s expression was utterly calm.
“What exactly is that fire?”
“I obtained this small power through a minor connection.”
At Ha Mu-baek’s words, Dang Ja-cheong looked at him with stunned eyes.
It was around early this year when he had met him in Muchang.
To deal with the vicious poison created by Blood Cult remnants.
And then in less than half a year since then.
In that short time, The Man before his eyes had changed beyond recognition.
He was already a monster.
Yet he had grown even more like this.
It was a frightening rate of growth.
Generally, the higher one’s realm becomes, the slower growth becomes.
But Ha Mu-baek was shattering such principles as if asking what such logic meant, growing stronger.
The flames were madly burning everything around.
The more intense the flames became, the weaker the poison energy felt.
Fire is the natural enemy of poison.
It was natural if one thought about it.
“Indeed, fire is the best for eliminating poison.”
Ha Mu-baek said with a bright smile.
Dang Ja-cheong nodded with a complicated expression.
‘The timing was good. To obtain fire energy in the North Sea and then have trouble with poison energy arise.’
If there hadn’t been Han Seol-bing’s request for help, if he hadn’t gone to the North Sea.
In fact, Ha Mu-baek would have been in quite a difficult situation.
If he were alone, passing through those Poison Lands wouldn’t have been a problem.
But Dang Ja-cheong and Dang Ji-yeon were with him too.
If he focused on blocking the poison energy, he couldn’t move quickly, and if he used Lightness Skill to pass through that place at maximum speed, they would be exposed to the poison energy defensively.
Even with Ten Thousand Poisons Cannot Invade Body, this was land permeated with poison essence energy.
It was dangerous.
Ultimately, all the poison had to be detoxified and neutralized, but there was no telling how long it would take for Dang Ja-cheong and Dang Ji-yeon to do this in the Southern Barbarian Wilderness.
Setting fire was also problematic.
Since this place had already become a Land of Death, there was nothing to burn.
So the plan Dang Ja-cheong had been thinking of was.
‘I was going to cut down trees from the surroundings and set fire…’
Since burning with fire was fastest, he had thought that way.
But Ha Mu-baek accomplished it with a single gesture.
And with much higher heat at that.
Not only the poison but even the surrounding Ground was melting.
While Ha Mu-baek was calmly watching the space filled with flames, he frowned.
At the same time.
The hot heat felt from the flames became even more intense.
It was enough to make Dang Ja-cheong unconsciously step back.
The same was true for Dang Ji-yeon.
Dang Ja-cheong looked at Ha Mu-baek with questioning eyes.
Just moments ago he had clearly had a relaxed face, so how did he suddenly change like that?
He even stretched his hand forward again.
Once more, flames burst forth from his hand.
“Ugh.”
Dang Ja-cheong hastily drew up his internal energy and stepped back.
The Body Protection Energy he deployed enveloped not only himself but also his granddaughter Dang Ji-yeon.
This was because she wasn’t at a realm where she could withstand such sudden heat.
Only after stepping back about ten paces could he barely manage to handle the energy Ha Mu-baek was emitting.
“St-stop! Not only the poison, but all the surrounding Ground will melt!”
At Dang Ja-cheong’s shout, Ha Mu-baek slowly drew back the flames.
Even so, the terrible heat remaining on the earth made their skin sting.
“What tremendous fire energy… It’s questionable whether a human could possess such a thing… Why did you suddenly do that?”
“I apologize.”
Only after drawing back the flames did he notice Dang Ja-cheong and Dang Ji-yeon’s situation.
It was because he had concentrated too much.
“I got carried away with competitive spirit.”
Ha Mu-baek said while looking at the Ground that was still bubbling and boiling.
“Competitive spirit?”
This was the task of burning poison from empty Ground.
It wasn’t something to show competitive spirit about.
Dang Ja-cheong’s gaze turned toward the poisoned Ground.
After a moment, he nodded slightly.
“Still remaining…”
He sensed the poison energy that was weak but still remained.
Most of the poison had burned away and disappeared in the flames Ha Mu-baek had created.
But only one weak and faint poison energy remained.
The culprit that had brought them to This Place.
The poison essence.
What was presumed to be that poison energy had withstood Ha Mu-baek’s flames.
What had naturally scattered and disappeared before the natural flow of time.
Had resisted and endured against the artificial force of the flames Ha Mu-baek had unleashed.
“It seems I burned away about half of it… but if I do more than that, this Ground won’t be able to withstand it.”
This was the moment when Dang Ja-cheong burst out shouting toward Ha Mu-baek.
Come to think of it, the poison energy from the Poison Well had also weakened.
“How long do you think it will take for the ground to cool down?”
“If we wait for it to cool naturally, it seems like it would take a full day.”
Dang Ja-cheong nodded at Ha Mu-baek’s answer, then stopped.
He said a day if they waited for it to cool naturally.
Those words contained the implication that it could be cooled artificially.
“You mean you could cool it down?”
Ha Mu-baek nodded.
“But it’s not a method I’d particularly recommend.”
Ha Mu-baek recalled the experiment he had conducted.
When he exposed rocks that had been subjected to extreme heat to extreme ice energy again.
Unable to withstand consecutive exposure to opposing energies, they had shattered.
If he were to spread ice energy now to cool this place.
Twin Gorge might collapse.
It was safer to let it cool gradually.
“If you say so, then it must be so. Then we’ll wait.”
That much.
Was a tremendous reduction in time.
If Ha Mu-baek hadn’t made the flames more intense out of competitive spirit midway, it could have passed even faster.
Since the poison energy from the Poison Well had already weakened, there would be no problem for the three of them to cross this ground.
“…What on earth happened? No, if this was truly done by human hands, who could it be?”
All the poisonous creatures across this vast land had died and disappeared.
This was impossible without the Poison Well.
However, the Poison Well simply existed in its place, becoming more refined.
It wouldn’t spread its poison energy this widely.
Then it meant human intervention was involved…
It was frightening.
A person who could utilize the poison of the Poison Well.
***
Yeo Hong-gi headed toward Yeon Ja-gyeong.
In his bosom was the completed Purple Light Acid Poison.
Originally, he had planned to delay for a few months before handing it over to Yeon Ja-gyeong.
Due to unexpected variables, he was delivering it now.
With the sect in danger, he couldn’t remain seated in the Jeongcheon Alliance as a valley master.
To leave the Jeongcheon Alliance, he had to deliver results to Yeon Ja-gyeong.
Otherwise, he would never be able to leave the Jeongcheon Alliance.
“You’ve come?”
Yeon Ja-gyeong greeted Yeo Hong-gi with a somewhat awkward demeanor.
He had no choice.
Hadn’t their last meeting been just like that?
It had been reproach, reproach, reproach.
“Family Head. I’ve completed it.”
Yeo Hong-gi briefly got to the point.
At those words, Yeon Ja-gyeong’s eyes widened.
There was only one thing he could claim to have completed.
“The, the Purple Light Acid Poison?”
To Yeon Ja-gyeong’s slightly trembling question, Yeo Hong-gi nodded and answered.
“Yes. Here it is.”
Yeo Hong-gi took out a glass bottle from his bosom and held it out.
A glass bottle filled with white powder.
“With this amount, even Ha Mu-baek would have his internal energy disappear for a full day.”
Yeon Ja-gyeong’s eyes gleamed.
He had obtained the absolute trump card he had yearned for.
Now.
Ha Mu-baek.
There was no need to worry and fret over how that bastard might move.
“Kuhh. Kuhhhhhh.”
Perhaps that’s why.
Even with Yeo Hong-gi right before his eyes.
Yeon Ja-gyeong couldn’t contain the laughter that spilled from his lips.
Because he had fulfilled the lifelong wish he’d harbored since learning of the human called Ha Mu-baek.
“And.”
At Yeo Hong-gi’s continued words, Yeon Ja-gyeong stopped laughing and looked at him.
“I believe I’ve discovered the identity of the fiend that caused the incident in Namman.”
Once again, Yeon Ja-gyeong’s eyes widened.
Just last time, he had reproached him repeatedly for learning nothing about the poison that caused the Namman incident.
But now he was saying he had not only completed the Purple Light Acid Poison, but also discovered the identity of that fiend.
‘Was my judgment wrong… He’s far more outstanding than I thought.’
Perhaps that’s why.
For just an instant, Yeon Ja-gyeong felt threatened by Yeo Hong-gi.
“Remarkable. In just a few days.”
Yeon Ja-gyeong concealed such feelings and spoke as if impressed.
“It was coincidence. Since the fiend is presumed to be from Bongok… I only found out because of that.”
Yeo Hong-gi continued to present one surprising statement after another.
“What do you mean by that…”
“Someone cast out from Bongok. A traitor who survived and gained power, it seems.”
There was no need or reason to explain all the details.
A cast-out traitor.
Those words were sufficient.
In reality, it was Cheondok Valley that had betrayed.
But that was a shameful secret that had to be hidden.
“I didn’t know Cheondok Valley’s poison arts were so advanced.”
Since it was poison that could penetrate Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity.
So said Yeon Ja-gyeong.
Yeo Hong-gi shook his head.
“Though there was some trace of Bongok’s poison arts energy… it seems he encountered some opportunity after fleeing to Namman.”
He couldn’t know what kind of opportunity that was.
Though he had his suspicions.
The absurd Myeongdokgong he had heard about from his Master.
Recalling what he’d heard about the Ten Thousand Desolations Soul-Stealing Underworld Poison Art.
However, no matter how he thought about it, that was too absurd.
Even Yeo Hong-gi himself couldn’t believe it.
“Huh…”
Yeon Ja-gyeong let out a frustrated sigh.
“The fiend’s target is probably our Cheondok Valley. So I think I need to return to the valley.”
This was Yeo Hong-gi’s true purpose.
“…”
Yeon Ja-gyeong said nothing at all.
He stared at the glass bottle, then looked at Yeo Hong-gi.
Then looked up at the ceiling.
His thoughts were complicated.
“Since the sect is said to be in a precarious crisis, I should naturally go see. No, this isn’t just Cheondok Valley’s crisis. That beast probably won’t stop at Cheondok Valley…”
Yeon Ja-gyeong’s words implied that the Central Plains could be next after Cheondok Valley.
For a moment, Yeo Hong-gi’s face hardened stiffly.
Because that was a worry that required the premise that Cheondok Valley would fall.
He had just heard talk that the sect where he served as Valley Master would collapse.
There was no way he could maintain his composure.
“Ah, that was a slip of the tongue. I apologize.”
Yeon Ja-gyeong quickly recovered.
He looked intently at Yeo Hong-gi.
“I understand Valley Master Yeo’s circumstances requiring urgent departure. But isn’t there one more thing you need to give?”
Yeon Ja-gyeong said while looking at Yeo Hong-gi with sharp eyes.
‘As expected of Family Head Yeon. I had hoped, but he doesn’t let things slide easily.’
Yeo Hong-gi swallowed his disappointment inwardly.
It didn’t matter anyway.
Because he had not only the Purple Light Sanggong Poison but also Divine Annihilation.
“Ah, in my joy at completing the Purple Light Sanggong Poison, and with worry for the sect too. My mind was complicated and I forgot.”
Saying so, he put his hand into his robes again.
And pulled out a small glass bottle.
This one was filled with a black liquid.
“This is the antidote for Purple Light Sanggong Poison. Enough for a hundred people.”
Yeon Ja-gyeong nodded and collected both glass bottles.
‘Cunning bastard.’
The completion of a new poison isn’t when the poison is made, but when the antidote for that poison is also completed.
A poison without an antidote risked poisoning even the caster.
Yeo Hong-gi had clearly said he had completed it.
That meant he had completed the antidote as well.
But the fact that he didn’t present it initially meant.
Despite acting like his subordinate all this time, he still didn’t completely trust him.
Though the same was true for himself as well.
“When you return to Cheondok Valley, how do you plan to deal with that beast?”
“I’m thinking of taking some Purple Light Sanggong Poison with me. Since it’s a Sanggong Poison that can poison not only those with Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity, but also masters of Poison Arts. If I can make him lose his internal energy, he won’t be able to use those terrifying poison techniques.”
At Yeo Hong-gi’s answer, a thin smile appeared on Yeon Ja-gyeong’s lips.
It wasn’t just Ha Mu-baek.
He had also secured a countermeasure against the potential disaster threatening the Central Plains.
“Then, we’ll need to test whether this is truly completed.”
Yeon Ja-gyeong held his breath and carefully opened the lid of the bottle filled with white powder medicine, spilling a tiny amount of the powder onto a small plate on the tea table.
If Purple Light Sanggong Poison was completed, it would be absorbed not only through breathing but through mere skin contact.
Recalling the previous explanation, Yeon Ja-gyeong pushed the small plate toward Yeo Hong-gi with extreme caution.
And looked at him calmly.
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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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