Chapter 338

Chapter 338

What type of human is strong against adversity!

Originally, when you throw such a question at people, all kinds of answers are bound to come out. Some might say that people with strong minds are strong against adversity, while others might say clever people are strong against adversity.

Strictly speaking, that’s not completely wrong. Strong people would have a greater threshold for enduring hardships and trials, and clever people would have a higher probability of recognizing wise methods to face adversity. However,

Nevertheless, if you ask those who have experienced countless hardships and adversity and climbed to the ‘summit’, the overwhelming majority would probably answer like this.

No matter how weak, no matter how dull.

Those who persistently faced adversity and hardship and ultimately succeeded in overcoming them will ultimately be strong against the next round of adversity to come.

-Fast.

Sangwi’s summit. Under the sky where the black moon rose.

Heukya, who had been resting her chin and directing her gaze downward, monotonously expressed her sentiment at the scene unfolding below her eyes. The sight of warriors escaping the influence of hallucinations faster than expected.

-Remarkably, strong.

In this world, humans who confront adversity head-on and smash through it are rare.

Most humans try to avoid adversity by turning their eyes away from the adversity that has befallen them.

Some become completely frustrated before adversity, while there are those who, afraid even to be frustrated, close their eyes and cover their ears, evading it as if such adversity never existed.

Originally, most of this world is filled with such people. Those who avoid crises, pursue safety, and ultimately adapt to inertia. Such people are ‘ordinary’ after all.

However, then what about the world’s development?

Where does human development come from?

-It was always that way.

Only a minority of people escape the ordinary and pursue what lies ahead, and the majority follows the ‘ahead’ thus pioneered.

-That was precisely the physiology of humans I witnessed. Truly bizarre beyond measure.

Is it altruism that comes from living a short life despite having reason? Or is it simply because their essence is good?

-What do you think, the first to climb up?

“Hehe.”

When Heukya quietly threw a question toward the old man revealing himself, the old man, Geomseon, showed an awkward smile.

“Well, this old body has never had such philosophical thoughts. Because I’m a simple person.”

-…….

“More than that, where did the others go? I thought there would be a horde of monsters that fled here.”

-A horde of monsters? Ah, you mean those inferior things.

Heukya, who had been quietly thinking about Geomseon’s words, flowed a pleasant laugh.

-I cleared them away since they didn’t seem like they’d be helpful.

“Cleared away…… you mean killed them?”

-Who knows. Perhaps I sent them around back to strike at your rear, or perhaps I absorbed them with my Monster Energy. What do you think?

“Hehe, didn’t I say? That this old man is a simple person who doesn’t know such things well.”

-…….

Watching Geomseon, who just brushed off even light psychological warfare with laughter, Heukya, with a displeased expression as she furrowed her brow, shook her head and continued speaking.

-You climbed up faster than expected. The Monster Technique I deployed is simple, but it wouldn’t have been easy to overcome and climb up.

“When you live long, your sleep becomes light.”

-Sleep.

“Struggling while fallen into phantom dreams doesn’t suit this old, old body.”

Watching Geomseon, who smiled faintly and tapped his sword, Heukya looked down at Geomseon with a serene gaze.

-You’re overflowing with confidence unbefitting your station.

“Confidence? What did this old man say?”

-Why didn’t you wait for the others?

“Hmm.”

-You couldn’t have failed to hear about how strong I am.

Heukya is monstrously strong. That’s a fact needless to say.

-I’m strong enough to tear apart someone of your level in a short time. Yet purposely climbing up alone would be recklessness.

“Recklessness.”

At Heukya’s words, Geomseon, who had been tapping his sword with his hand, clasped his hands behind his back and directed his gaze downward intently while smiling faintly. And the question that followed.

“Have you ever properly seen my sword?”

-……What?

“Without having seen it, how can you so easily speak of recklessness? You’re rash to a degree unthinkable for a monster who has lived tens of thousands of years.”

-Rash. Me?

“That’s right.”

Cold.

Feeling Heukya’s killing intent bursting forth with his body, Geomseon raised the corners of his mouth a bit more. His trembling grip.

“The path of a warrior is boundless and cannot be expressed in just one or two ways.”

-…….

“Taeag is a naturally robust man. His strength in being able to crush Mount Tai with his two fists is his advantage. What about Ilryun? Is there a warrior in this world who can handle Ki as delicately as him?”

If Ilryun approached the extreme through sensation, Taeag approached the extreme by utilizing his innate physique. Their youth must have been tumultuous enough that the modifier ‘monster-like’ wouldn’t be lacking.

“All geniuses are like that.”

It’s not just them specifically. Most of the Sipcheon are like that, most of the Chilryun are, most of the Samgong are.

The expelled monk Bulgwae was Shaolin’s most promising disciple more than anyone, Geomje was a monster who from his youth had rumors swirling that he would elevate the Baek Ri Family to the ranks of the premier families, and as for the Sado Alliance Leader, he was a remarkable figure who established the Sado Alliance from nothing.

Most masters who reached Shinhwa-gyeong stood out from childhood. The realm of Shinhwa-gyeong wasn’t easy enough to climb without talent. However,

What about Geomseon?

“This old man, you see. Had nothing he was good at.”

-…….

“My internal energy was ordinary. My physique was ordinary. My five senses were ordinary. Even the martial arts I learned and my background were ordinary. I was a warrior found anywhere in the Murim—that’s what I’m saying.”

It took a month to enter internal energy cultivation, and half a year to fully learn the Samjae Sword Technique.

Unlike others who could be called geniuses, Geomseon, the warrior Wi Jihak, wasn’t a human who could be called a genius. Talent far too base compared to the dream of ‘wanting to become the number one under heaven’ that didn’t even fit his station.

“Everyone said you can’t do it. But this old man didn’t care.”

-Why?

“Because I thought the only thing that could break me down was myself.”

If you don’t have strengths, create strengths. Fortunately, he was confident in accumulating things.

Like building a house with bricks, he began stacking swordsmanship one by one. At first he was incredibly slow and didn’t stand out either. He was pointed at as a dunce and laughed at as a fool. But what were the results?

“Now, there’s no one in this world who can assert they’re stronger than this old man.”

Swiiish!

Geomseon, who laughed pleasantly, slowly drew his sword.

“You said climbing up alone was recklessness?”

-…….

“I know. That this old man alone cannot handle you. Perhaps even enduring might be difficult.”

However,

“Nevertheless, there are times when it must be done. Just as someone named Nakcheon did before me, there are times when time must be bought.”

What would happen if he went down now and Heukya began rampaging?

Those who haven’t all escaped the hallucinations yet or haven’t united their forces would be defeated one by one and fall without bringing out all their capabilities. Certainly a terrible massacre would unfold.

“I have no intention of letting that happen.”

-Do you think it’s possible?

“Beyond whether it’s possible or not, it must be done. And you see.”

Geomseon, who burst into laughter, aimed his blade at Heukya. And at that moment, the noise bursting forth.

Chaaaaaaaaa-!!!!!

“If there was no hope at all, I wouldn’t have even stood in this position.”

Refined blue-white chains extend forth.

Watching the hundreds and thousands of blue-white chains extending from all over Sangwi’s body in an instant to restrain her, Heukya looked at Geomseon with indifferent eyes. Geomseon drawing an arc with his eyes while smiling faintly.

“It’s a fox-catching trap prepared by all the illusion masters of the Central Plains working together. Do you like it?”

-……You prepared a lot.

“You’re not an opponent who can be handled with just so-so preparations.”

Even doing this, he probably can’t endure for long anyway. At most, can he endure for about a moment?

However, if he can endure for that much time, it’s enough. Below, countless people are already starting to climb.

‘My whole body aches as I age. I hope they come before it’s too late.’

Geomseon, who repeated a wish that wasn’t a wish to himself, slowly raised his blade. And.

“Then, play with me.”

──!!!

The next moment, Geomseon’s sword became a single gust of wind.

***

The personnel were organized quickly.

“Oh, isn’t that Uicheon Sect Leader?”

“Alliance Leader.”

When I reflexively answered the form approaching while deploying lightness technique from far away and speaking, the Sado Alliance Leader, who had been flying while fluttering his long robe, waved his hand pleasantly. The Sado Alliance Leader looking at me while smiling faintly the moment he landed.

“Looking at your appearance, you don’t seem to have been caught up in hallucinations…… looks like you were doing the same work as me?”

“If that work is waking those who fell into hallucinations, yes.”

When I nodded affirmatively, the Sado Alliance Leader, who crossed his arms as if understanding, directed his gaze behind himself.

“I woke everyone up behind here and sent them up. There’s probably no need to go there. What about your side?”

“I can’t assert it, but I woke most up and sent them up.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. There were people who woke up early along the way, so I received help.”

“That’s quite fortunate. This side also received help from Daehwalbeol. Probably no one remains.”

“Then…….”

“We should go up.”

The Ki wave bursting from Sangwi’s summit since earlier.

The owner of the blue-white Sword Ki covering the world entwined with Monster Energy is obviously who, without saying. The one who always wears an easy smile yet hides tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of sword strikes within that bosom—Geomseon must be facing off against Heukya.

“Those sent will arrive first and help, but you know we can’t rely on that, right?”

“……If we delay even a little, we’ll be annihilated.”

“Right.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who lightly received my words, chuckled.

“Ilryun went up, Daehwalbeol went up.”

“…….”

“But that doesn’t change things much. Heukya is still stronger than humans, and this place is Heukya’s battlefield.”

Heukya is strong. But Heukya at Sangwi’s summit is even stronger.

That’s because there’s a tremendous difference between the environment during the Great Sealing and now. During the Great Sealing, Heukya was in the position of a sudden intruder, and that meant she had never seen the terrain advantages that monsters could see.

“Sangwi’s summit must have become Heukya’s domain.”

Daeyogyeong. Sinseonggok.

Just because it was absorbed doesn’t mean the characteristics of that Monster Realm completely disappear. If Sangwi’s summit brought over those Monster Realm characteristics as they are, even pouring humanity’s total strength wouldn’t guarantee capturing Heukya.

“Seems like everyone who should be sent up has been sent up.”

“…….”

“Coincidentally, here are two people with free hands. Two people who’ve dealt with Monster Realms to the point of being sick of it.”

What can be done?

“We need to destroy the Monster Realm, right?”

Watching the Sado Alliance Leader, who shrugged his shoulders, ask, I chuckled and also drew up my internal energy.

“Is there any question?”

“Good.”

If we can’t defeat Heukya on her throne, there’s one thing to do.

“We dismantle the Monster Realm, Sinseonggok.”

It’s time to drag the queen down from her throne.