Chapter 189: Adversary (8)

To travel from Shaanxi to Anhui, one had to pass through either Henan or Hubei.

Of course, some might say it was hardly a long journey. After all, one only had to cross a single province along the way.

But...

The Central Plains were vast.

Even one province could rival an entire country in size.

Fortunately, one month was more than enough time.

Every participant in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was a martial artist.

For anyone capable of using Lightness Arts at a reasonable level, even running from the westernmost reaches of the Central Plains to the easternmost would take no more than a month.

There was no question they could make it from Shaanxi to Anhui.

“...To be honest, I can’t say I’m entirely free of concern.”

“Is that so, Master?”

“Yes.”

The ones speaking were Myeonggon and Eunsong.

Soyak merely sat quietly before them and listened.

With Elder Jeonggang gone, Myeonggon was now the highest-ranking person they could consult regarding Soyak.

“I find it difficult to believe the Sword Sovereign would stoop to such underhanded means. And yet, at the same time... he is exactly the sort of man who might.”

“I agree.”

Rumors of Soyak’s martial prowess had already begun to spread.

Rumors traveled faster than feet. Namgung Ak might not know yet, but there was no guarantee he would remain ignorant for another month.

Besides, he was the Alliance Leader.

He could demand relevant intelligence from the Beggar Union whenever he wished—or simply receive it without asking.

“...Eunsong.”

“Yes.”

“How far do you think Namgung Seon has progressed?”

Eunsong fell silent in thought.

The first time he had seen Namgung Seon was also at the Ilji Gathering.

He had witnessed the Boundless Azure Sky Sword as Namgung Seon clashed spectacularly with Cheon Soyak head-on.

At the very end, Namgung Seon had even brought out a form of the Imperial Sword Form.

And at that moment, he had displayed the Imperial Sword Form in a complete and flawless state.

His Dragon-Phoenix Instant-Kill Slash...

Strictly in terms of form, it had honestly resembled even the Sword Sovereign’s.

His talent was overwhelming.

He possessed the sort of aptitude that, though born into a human body, might truly reach the heavens.

“...By now, he should have made considerable progress even within Transcendent Apex.”

“Not the Transformation Realm?”

“No. At most, I would say he may have reached the very end of Transcendent Apex.”

The very end of Transcendent Apex.

And the middle stage of the Transformation Realm.

There was no need to spar to know how that would end.

No one was foolish enough to insist that one had to compare the two directly to know which was greater when the gap was that large.

“What if the Sword Sovereign spends the entire month teaching Namgung Seon?”

“It still wouldn’t be possible. The wall of the Transformation Realm is not something one can cross that way.”

Eunsong had not reached the Transformation Realm himself, but he knew enough about it in theory.

Even talent that reached the heavens could not break through that wall in a single month.

Not unless some extraordinary rare opportunity presented itself.

But Namgung Seon had already received too many blessings.

He must have consumed countless spirit medicines and learned supreme arts that would themselves qualify as rare opportunities for anyone else.

And with a grandfather who stood at the very end of the Transformation Realm personally overseeing his martial arts, one could practically say that a rare opportunity was being placed in his hands every hour.

But could a human being truly grasp every one of those opportunities and insights?

Impossible.

Even the Sword [N O V E L I G H T] Sovereign himself had not managed such a feat.

What good was it to pour endless opportunities, spirit medicines, and teachings bordering on rare opportunities into someone?

There was a limit to how much human comprehension could absorb within the span of a single month.

And Namgung Seon, too, was still human. He remained bound by those limits.

“Then Soyak will be the winner of this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.”

“Most likely.”

“What do you think, Eun Jeong?”

At that moment, Eun Jeong appeared beside the wooden porch.

“How did you know I was there, Master?”

“You think I wouldn’t notice that? Tell me.”

“I have nothing useful to say. I’ve never seen this Namgung Seon boy myself.”

Myeonggon let out a heavy sigh, then nodded.

Because Eun Jeong was right.

How could he assess the ability of someone he had never even seen?

Besides, judging talent in others was hardly Eun Jeong’s particular strength.

Eun Jeong’s strengths lay in his own early-stage Transformation Realm prowess and his talent.

“Then I’ll change the question. Do you think a martial artist at the very end of Transcendent Apex could devote himself to training for one month and reach the Transformation Realm?”

“If we assume he’s twenty years old and only recently reached the very end of Transcendent Apex... impossible.”

“So you agree.”

Even Myeonggon had needed three years to progress from the middle stage of Transcendent Apex to its very end.

Crossing the wall of the Transformation Realm was more than twice as difficult.

No matter how extraordinary a genius Namgung Seon might be, accomplishing that in a month was close to impossible.

Once his thoughts reached that point, Myeonggon could not help staring at Cheon Soyak.

Seventeen years old.

Middle-stage Transformation Realm.

Even if one took the most talented youth born into the mortal world as a model and assumed he received every conceivable spirit medicine and teaching bordering on a rare opportunity, it should still have been impossible.

Of course, Soyak possessed talent surpassing all of that.

And she had also received the sacrifice of Elder Jeonggang, the Mount Hua Sword Emperor.

She had the Harmonization Scripture left behind by Mount Hua’s Great Grand Master.

Falling Plum Elegy.

And the Falling Blossom Tranquil Edge.

But Namgung Seon was no different in that regard.

He had been given the Azure Sky Heart Method and Azure Sky Force.

The Boundless Azure Sky Sword and the Imperial Sword Form.

“And the Sword Sovereign knows all of this as well.”

At Myeonggon’s words, the room fell silent.

Ultimately, there was only one reason they had gone through this entire discussion.

To prevent, however unlikely the possibility, any harm the Sword Sovereign might inflict upon Cheon Soyak.

Anhui was the Namgung Household’s backyard.

Of course, overpowering Soyak, who had reached the middle stage of the Transformation Realm, would be impossible for ordinary martial artists.

For something like that, the Sword Sovereign himself would have to move.

But poison was another matter.

An energy-dispersing poison could temporarily scatter one’s internal energy, and there were many other poisons capable of producing lethal effects, even if only temporarily.

There was no need to kill Soyak or permanently cripple her and invite unnecessary rumors.

They would only need to tamper with her once.

During her fight with Namgung Seon.

Reaching the Transformation Realm did not grant immunity to all poisons or make one’s body impervious to blades.

Mastery over poison belonged only to those who studied poison.

True immunity to all poisons was something possessed by a master such as the Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Family, who had reached the Transformation Realm through poison arts.

Naturally, Cheon Soyak possessed no such immunity.

Which meant that even a middle-stage Transformation Realm master could be placed in danger by ingesting the wrong poison.

Of course, killing someone like her instantly would be difficult.

A master who could manipulate internal energy freely could gather even the effects of intoxication within the body and expel them.

Poison was not fundamentally different.

The difference was that intoxication did not damage the body while being gathered and forced out.

Poison did.

Until it was completely expelled, it could inflict horrific damage and terrible pain.

And if that pain exceeded a certain threshold...

Eventually, the victim would lose even the minimum concentration required to control their internal energy.

Then they could only die helplessly.

Of course, poisons that destructive were neither colorless nor odorless, so with sufficient caution they could be avoided.

And the Namgung Household was not the Tang Family.

They did not possess the ability to create some extraordinary poison that was powerful yet completely without color, smell, or taste.

Myeonggon gathered his thoughts and spoke quietly to Soyak.

“Soyak.”

“Yes, Great Grand Master.”

“I know full well that you cannot simply give up this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.”

Soyak slowly nodded.

There was no chance Myeonggon and Eunsong had failed to reach the same conclusion Soyak had the night before.

Soyak needed fame, if only to protect herself.

And even more so...

For the great work she intended to accomplish.

“That is why you must be careful.”

“I will.”

“We will not send anyone with you. You have already reached the middle stage of the Transformation Realm. Anyone weaker than you who accompanied you could become a hostage instead.”

“I understand.”

In other words, this journey had to be made entirely alone.

Soyak understood both Myeonggon’s words and what lay beneath them.

If anyone traveled with her, the Namgung Household might seize that person and use them against her.

Meaning...

No matter who went, they would be in danger.

What kind of heartless person would knowingly send their own disciple or disciple-grandchild into such danger?

Myeonggon and Eunsong, at least, were not such people.

Of course, Cheonjeong would object to this decision with everything he had...

But Soyak no longer needed anyone else’s protection.

She was already the foremost sword of Mount Hua after Jeonggang.

“I’ll return safely, so you needn’t worry.”

“Yes. Nothing would please me more.”

Soyak gave Eunsong, Myeonggon, and Eun Jeong a cupped-fist salute, then rose from her seat.

She would spend the rest of the day packing.

And early the next morning, she would depart.