Chapter 17 – Damn Horse Bastard

===================

Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read more at Nineheavens.org

===================

Chapter 17 – Damn Horse Bastard

The sky, where the thick clouds that had been pouring rain had now vanished.

As gray dusk began to fall, Cheol Ryu-heun sat at his study desk with his chin propped on his hand, lost in thought.

'For the first time in all the history of the martial world. A body like this.'

Ten days ago, he had poured all the medicinal energy of elixirs amounting to nearly two hundred years' worth of internal energy into body reconstruction and finally achieved Bone Replacement and Marrow Cleansing.

However, the results completely overturned existing expectations and common sense.

Due to the bizarre phenomenon of the lower dantian, middle dantian, and upper dantian being destroyed, energy circulation including breathing exercises and cultivation became free without limitations.

Simply put, his entire body from the top of his head to the tips of his toes had transformed into one large dantian.

Taking energy circulation for example, he could accumulate energy whenever he wanted without needing to assume a meditative posture like sitting cross-legged.

It meant he could gather internal energy like meditating without any restrictions – while running, walking, or eating.

He had already confirmed the wondrous effects of energy circulation multiple times while returning on horseback.

As another example, when fighting Gul Ma-hun, the release of internal energy outward occurred instantly without the interaction of major acupoints.

This was because just as the three dantian had unified, the countless acupoints of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and Twelve Primary Channels had also merged into one large whole.

The conditions for internal energy cultivation methods themselves had changed – ignoring the absolute laws accompanying internal energy.

This was also why Gul Ma-hun's surprise sword energy acupoint strike hadn't worked earlier.

A body where all the existing acupoint locations had been cleanly erased.

It was something that shouldn't be possible.

He never expected that the unexpected loss of the three dantian would become a blessing in disguise, granting him a body that had never existed before.

Not even the Heavenly Demon, Sword Emperor, Evil Emperor, Martial Immortal, or Blood God of the past had possessed a body that exhibited such unfathomable effects.

Soon, a faint smile spread at the corner of Cheol Ryu-heun's mouth.

'A newly born body along with a dramatically risen internal energy level… In any case, I've taken a good first step.'

Suddenly, the words of the unidentified wanderer flashed through his mind.

-For a Divine Martial Sword said to be unprecedented in history, you're nothing much.

'As he said, the unprecedented sword in all of history was shattered in vain. But in return, I've gained an unprecedented body in all of history.'

His goal was perfect revenge.

This body, unprecedented in ancient and modern times, would become the foundation for growth and advancement to achieve that goal.

Still, it wasn't yet time to be satisfied.

The body belonged to a realm outside the martial knowledge accumulated over the past thousand years, so more research was needed.

He had grasped the basic essentials of the internal energy cultivation method, but there were surely other effects yet to be discovered.

That was why he needed to try various things whenever he had time.

'First of all…'

Cheol Ryu-heun took something out from his clothes.

A bluish pill.

It was the Great Restoration Pill, Shaolin Temple's representative elixir.

Crunch crunch.

Having chewed and swallowed the Great Restoration Pill in one go, he leaned back comfortably in his chair and began circulating his energy.

After a little time passed.

Cheol Ryu-heun suddenly stopped the energy circulation, and a peculiar light flickered in his eyes.

'Would you look at this?'

He had consumed the Great Restoration Pill, said to be effective regardless of martial arts attribute – not just any elixir – yet his internal energy level remained unchanged.

'Hmm, befitting an unprecedented body, there seems to be an invisible wall blocking the advancement process. I need to break that down to reach a higher level than now.'

There was no need to try consuming something else.

It would be meaningless.

When even the Great Restoration Pill, which always showed effects with proper consumption, didn't work, what else would… He would only waste precious elixirs.

'If I had been reborn with my unique divine power intact from the start, would this have been easily resolved in one go?'

Fresh regret arose.

For the immense divine power that had vanished along with the destruction of his original body.

But he didn't dwell on irreversible matters.

He just needed to find a way to solve this problem himself.

A solution definitely existed.

That's how the worldly affairs he had witnessed for a thousand years had been.

The wanderer would be no exception either.

If he continued to cultivate with Cheol Ryu-heun's transformed body, he would surely be able to surpass him.

'Wait.'

A thought flashed like light.

Cheol Ryu-heun's internal energy foundation was the White Peak Great Mental Cultivation Method, which only direct disciples of the sect could learn.

However, since the nature of his body had changed, he needed to restructure its essentials.

'That's it! If I use the White Peak Great Mental Cultivation Method as a framework and graft on the essentials of other high-level mental cultivation methods, I could create a mental cultivation method suited to my body!'

Perhaps that would be the clue to breaking down the wall blocking the advancement stages.

Let's do it.

Well, if it doesn't work, try until it does.

Of course, it would be problematic if it took too long.

That was obvious.

Just as his time was passing, the wanderer's time wasn't standing still either.

'I'm curious. When I meet that wanderer someday and reveal my identity as the Divine Martial Sword, what kind of reaction will he show…'

When he was a Divine Martial Sword in the past, people always called him that.

Divine Martial Sword.

Meaning that when the owner awakened the sword's mystical power, they would reign as the 'God of Martial Arts' of that era.

In truth, the appearance was no different from an ordinary iron sword, but since the latent divine power overwhelmed other divine weapons, no weapon name suited it better than Divine Martial Sword.

Of course, depending on the owners of different eras, it had been given other names like Demon Sovereign Sword, Heaven Emperor Sword, or Supreme King Sword.

But people always habitually called it the Divine Martial Sword, and it naturally became established as the official weapon name.

"Wait. The history of this Divine Martial Sword isn't over yet."

After his monologue, Cheol Ryu-heun picked up the Gan Jiang leaning against the side of the desk and rose to his feet.

* * *

Having finished their daily routine, the disciples dragged their tired bodies to the dining hall and began the dinner that the duty team had prepared in advance.

Since everyone had worked their bodies hard, they seemed to have no strength even to hold chopsticks, but their expressions were brighter than ever.

Of course, it was because of Cheol Ryu-heun's influence.

They had all been greatly impressed by his outstanding martial prowess against the Thousand Snake Gang.

"The afterglow still hasn't faded."

"Same here. Just thinking about it gives me chills…"

"But exactly what level has the Sect Master reached?"

"Who knows, maybe close to the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan Province?"

"Even so, that's a bit much… Those five are said to rank among the best even when looking at the entire martial world."

"Actually, Mount Heng's Sword Hero, who's said to be even stronger than the White Snake Head Sword that died by the Sect Master's hand today, lost in ten moves to one of them."

"Hey, you shouldn't believe all the rumors. Besides, the Sect Master probably hasn't shown all his power yet either."

At that moment, the dining hall door burst open and Cheol Ryu-heun made his appearance.

"Sect Master, you've arrived."

Hyeop Mu-geuk and the others each stopped eating and greeted him.

However, Cheol Ryu-heun barely acknowledged it with a nod and went straight to sit at a dining table.

"Food."

At that, a disciple hurriedly brought out a bowl of food.

Cheol Ryu-heun cleaned his plate in no time and strode out the door before anyone could say a word.

"Sect Master! Just a moment – where are you going in such a hurry?"

At the question from Hyeop Mu-geuk, who had followed him out, Cheol Ryu-heun answered indifferently.

"Outside."

"Pardon?"

"I told you I'm busy. Things that need to be sorted out should be dealt with quickly."

"What matter might this be…?"

"If you wait, you'll find out. Just do your personal maintenance. I'll be back before the hour of Hai-cho (9 PM)."

"Yes… Understood."

Hyeop Mu-geuk had no choice but to firmly suppress his curiosity.

"If you're curious about the Elder's condition, go visit him."

"I was just about to bring him his meal. Has his existing illness improved?"

"By now he should be trembling with joy."

With that, Cheol Ryu-heun disappeared without looking back.

* * *

The stables on the southwest side of White Peak Sword Sect.

As if reflecting their not-so-abundant circumstances, there were only three horses tethered inside.

Just then, a figure appeared like a ghost beside the workers – the bandits who had become laborers – who were cleaning up the place.

"Bring a horse."

It was Cheol Ryu-heun.

The startled Tae Sa-ja stopped sweeping and was about to say something when a dull sound rang out.

Thwack!

At the same time.

"Guuaagh!"

One of the workers broke through the fence and went flying, slamming into the wall with a thump before falling to the ground.

"Guh… huff… that damn… horse… bastard…"

The worker passed out with those words.

From the looks of it, he had been badly hit by the horse's kick.

Cheol Ryu-heun quietly walked over and opened the front of the worker who was sprawled beneath the wall.

A horseshoe mark clearly stamped on the center of his chest.

"Not bad. He even knows how to control his strength. If he hadn't, the guy would have been crippled the moment he got kicked."

Tae Sa-ja then addressed him with a flustered expression.

"The horse that the Sect Master has been riding won't touch any feed. Whether it's gotten sensitive or something, whenever we try to feed it anything, it just acts violently…"

"I forgot."

"Pardon?"

"That one won't eat unless it's ginseng now."

"G-G-Ginseng…?"

"Because of the Thousand-Year Immortal Ginseng I gave it a while ago, its eating habits and even its constitution have changed."

Tae Sa-ja and the other workers had blank looks in their eyes.

Insane, what is he saying! A mere horse won't eat unless it's ginseng? Do you know how much each one costs? Honestly, there's not even enough for people to eat!

But Cheol Ryu-heun just walked into the stables with an unconcerned expression and brought out the muscular horse he had been riding.

"From now on, make sure to obtain ginseng and feed it no matter what."

Right after, he climbed onto the horse's back, grabbed the reins, and shouted "Hya!"

Boom!

The horse kicked off the ground and crashed straight through the wall, shooting forward like a gale.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-!

The workers, their faces tearful, clutched at their hair and cursed internally.

Aaagh! Why did he break through the wall again when he was leaving! We haven't even repaired the northern wall yet, and this just piles up our work!

One worker looked at Tae Sa-ja standing beside him and grumbled.

"Tch, isn't he deliberately tormenting us? Does he really have any intention of teaching us first-rate martial arts?"

The moment those words ended, Tae Sa-ja glared with fierce eyes and bellowed.

"You fool, shut up! That person is the light of this world and the salt thereof – you insignificant lot dare not doubt him!"

Then he vigorously waved the broom in his hand like a vanguard general on a battlefield.

"Come, come! Move it, slaves! Dream of the day you'll become martial artists stronger than the snake head and work without sleeping every single day!"

Aargh! You stop it too! You're too passionate! If we work without sleeping every day, we'll die, we'll die before that!

* * *

Hyeop Mu-geuk carried a square food tray and arrived at the door of Yeop Hwon's quarters.

"Elder, are you resting comfortably? It's the Chief Supervisor. I've brought dinner to check on your health."

But what reached his ears was not an answer, but.

"Haaahng!"

A strangely peculiar moan.

"E-Elder? Are you alright?"

"Yes… Come in… I, huuaaahng!"

Hyeop Mu-geuk reached for the door handle and then hesitated.

What was this?

This discomfort and unpleasantness that made him not want to open the door.

"Hahng!"

For some reason, it felt disturbing!

B-But still… he should at least leave the food, right?