Chapter 232 - Are You Going to Regret This Again Later?

I stopped walking.

It wasn't because of the sand-laden wind. The question I had asked him before was tremendously important to me.

"When I asked whether you could make time pass more slowly within the Art of Space-Time Transposition, you answered, 'Bah, you brat! Does that make any sense?'"

I remembered his exact words.

"You also said that you and the previous cult leaders had actually tried it, but it was impossible."

"You have a good memory, too."

After a brief pause, the Wind Heaven Cult Leader said,

"That was both true and a lie."

"What do you mean?"

"It really was impossible, no matter how much we studied and trained. I still feel the same way. Bah, you brat! Does that make any sense?"

"Then what was the lie?"

"I told you it was nonsense, but there was actually a secret method passed down privately among the cult leaders. It is called the Secret Art of Heavenly Time."

My heart surged the instant I heard that. Reading my emotions, the Wind Heaven Cult Leader hastily added,

"Don't get your hopes up too much. No cult leader has ever managed to learn the Secret Art of Heavenly Time. However much we studied and trained, it was nothing but a waste of time. I even doubt whether it is a valid method."

Even so, excitement still coursed through me. That was how important this was to me.

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader continued his explanation.

"According to the surviving records, it was created two hundred years ago by Yeon Myeongdeok, the cult leader of the time. After stepping down and retiring into seclusion, he succeeded in making time pass differently inside and outside the Art of Space-Time Transposition. A watch had passed inside, but when he emerged, not even half a watch had elapsed."

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader stressed once again that this was impossible.

"But no one has achieved it since Cult Leader Yeon. That is hardly surprising. He possessed the deepest internal energy in the history of the Wind Heaven Cult, and he was born with a Heavenly Martial Physique. His martial attainment was indescribably high. An ordinary person simply couldn't understand the method he left behind. Either that, or his method was nonsense."

"Then why are you telling me this?"

Our gazes met.

"Let me ask you something first. Why are you interested in this impossible feat? Of course anyone would dream of such a space, but you seem to have a reason beyond a vague wish."

I did have a reason. The Nine Calamities Demonic Art.

Once it was passed on to me, I had to attain complete mastery. Moreover, my goal wasn't tenth-level complete mastery, but twelfth-level complete mastery.

Yet I simply didn't have enough time. It might have been different with another martial art, but twelfth-level complete mastery of the Nine Calamities Demonic Art was no easy task.

"There's someone I want to beat the hell out of after training to my heart's content."

"With your current skills, you want to train even more before beating him? Whoever he is, he's picked the wrong opponent."

Yes, just as the cult leader said, someone had picked the wrong opponent. Whether it was Hwa Mugi or me, one of us had truly met his match.

"When you first asked me about it, I never imagined a moment like this would come."

Then came an astonishing declaration.

"I will teach you the Secret Art of Heavenly Time."

Our gazes met. Though no one had managed to master this secret technique, it could hardly be something he wanted to give away to an outsider.

"I may have failed... but perhaps you could succeed."

My trembling gaze asked why he would show me such kindness. With hearty candor, the Wind Heaven Cult Leader revealed his feelings.

"Didn't you say you would take me as your master within this space?"

"!"

"Isn't it only natural for a master to pass a secret method on to his disciple?"

I was genuinely moved. I knew something of the kind of man he was. He was as greedy as he was human, and he regretted what he had already given me.

Yet here he was, offering more. He was giving me another of his secret techniques.

"Are you going to regret this again later?"

"Then let me regret it. I'm something of an expert when it comes to regret, aren't I?"

Emotion welled up in me at those words. He truly was giving me everything he had for my sake. Seo Daeryong had once called me someone who returned ten things for every one he received. Those were words I ought to say to the Wind Heaven Cult Leader. I had given him one thing, and he was repaying me tenfold.

I dropped to the ground and bowed deeply.

"Be as cantankerous as you like. Remind me of your generosity all you want. I'll put up with it for the rest of my life. Thank you, truly."

Instead, it was the Wind Heaven Cult Leader whose eyes grew hot as he helped me to my feet.

"I don't even know whether this deserves your thanks. I'm more worried that teaching you a secret technique I never mastered will only waste your mental effort and time."

"Leave what comes next to me."

"Now, listen carefully."

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader taught me the mnemonic formula for the Secret Art of Heavenly Time. He checked several times to ensure that I had memorized it correctly.

"If this really is possible, the degree to which time can be slowed would vary from person to person, wouldn't it?"

"I suppose so?"

"Then perhaps, if someone someday reached the pinnacle of the Secret Art of Heavenly Time, they might even be able to stop time there altogether."

"You haven't even learned to walk, and already you're dreaming of flying?"

"I have quite an appetite for martial arts."

We looked at each other and laughed.

"That would be beyond human ability."

"Then I'll try going beyond it."

"I think it can't be done, and yet because it's you, part of me looks forward to it. To seeing how much you'll surprise me with this."

He would never know how grateful I was at that moment. I would hone the Secret Art of Heavenly Time without fail and leave him utterly astonished.

* * *

Alone, I opened a space with the Art of Space-Time Transposition and once again employed the Secret Art of Heavenly Time within it.

WHOOOOOSH.

The sound of the wind swirling around me had a mysterious quality. I had yet to progress beyond the initial stage of the formula, but it already demanded an enormous amount of internal energy. I could see why everyone had abandoned it without succeeding.

The complexity of the secret art was a problem, but the amount of internal energy it required was far too great. Even if they succeeded, it would drastically shorten the time they could remain here, making the method feel pointless.

And if they were to train in martial arts here as well, that would consume additional internal energy, making the prospect even more daunting.

But it had meaning for me.

My internal energy was so pure and vast that no one in Murim could compare.

I also had a firm conviction. Like other supreme martial arts, the Secret Art of Heavenly Time would rapidly become more efficient in its use of internal energy as my attainment rose. The Wind God's Four Steps was a case in point: the higher my attainment, the faster I moved and the less internal energy it required.

I practiced the Secret Art of Heavenly Time with absolute confidence that I would succeed. I believed in myself. I too possessed a Heavenly Martial Physique, and I was confident that my present martial attainment surpassed Yeon Myeongdeok's at the time he created this method.

* * *

The following day, I ran into Go Wol in the courtyard.

"Has something good happened?"

At his question, my gaze turned toward the Wind Heaven Cult Leader standing beside him.

"Something good did happen."

Quick-witted as he was, Go Wol realized it had something to do with the Wind Heaven Cult Leader.

"You're always saying you can't stand the Second Young Master. What have you given him this time?"

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader looked off into the distance, pretending not to hear.

Smiling, I asked Go Wol,

"How are things on your end?"

"I think I'll need a little more time. Right now, it's time to use my eyes rather than my head."

He meant that he was keeping watch and observing our opponent, seeking a vulnerability in Yelü Han's daily routine.

He was busy all day, receiving and sending carrier-pigeon messages, going out to meet informants and returning. Of course, with the Wind Heaven Cult Leader accompanying him, I wasn't worried.

"Take as much time as you need. Proceed carefully."

"Yes!"

"I'll bring back something delicious, so let's have dinner together."

I intended to serve them something truly special that evening.

* * *

That day, I sold some of the night-shining pearls I had deposited at the bank and bought four roots of thousand-year snow ginseng.

Before my regression, I had wandered all across the Central Plains and experienced all manner of things. I knew a black-market merchant near the Unorthodox Alliance headquarters who sold spiritual medicines.

His prices were extremely high, since he dealt in things that were difficult to obtain, but I spared no expense.

Returning to the safe house with the thousand-year snow ginseng, I summoned the Wicked Laughing Demon, Go Wol, and the Wind Heaven Cult Leader. I laid the roots before them and declared firmly, leaving no room for argument,

"Now, we're each having one root. I refuse to accept any refusals. You must take it right here in front of me."

As I had said when sharing a spiritual medicine with the Wicked Laughing Demon, I wasn't someone who shared such medicines with others. Even so, I wanted to share this with them.

It was encouragement for the Wicked Laughing Demon ahead of our battle, a gift for the Wind Heaven Cult Leader who had given me even his last secret technique, and a restorative for Go Wol after all his hard work.

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader joked,

"Why would anyone turn down something this good? Anyone who wants to refuse can give theirs to me!"

Go Wol's face plainly said, 'I don't need it, Young Master. Please take it yourself.' But he knew that my warning against refusing had been directed at him.

Go Wol bowed his head, while the Wicked Laughing Demon expressed his gratitude through his eyes.

And so the four of us took the thousand-year snow ginseng together.

My internal energy was so profound that I had reached a point where even thousand-year snow ginseng barely made a dent, but it would still be quite helpful to the other three. In particular, for Go Wol, who had the least internal energy, it would be exceptionally effective not only in increasing that energy but in restoring his exhausted body's vitality.

"Take good care of your health, Strategist Go."

I even sent him a special sound transmission.

His gaze deepened as he conveyed his gratitude.

* * *

At last, Go Wol found a way.

"I've conducted extensive investigations into Yelü Han. His residence is in the Unorthodox Alliance's inner compound. He rises in the morning, trains, eats, and spends his working day as commander of the Ultimate Corps. If summoned to the Alliance Leader's Hall, he goes there. He spends all his time inside the alliance. Since Ji Saeng and Ae Cha died, he hasn't gone outside at all."

Mistakenly believing that the leader of the Unorthodox Alliance was targeting him, Yelü Han was exercising extreme caution. That made finding an opportunity to strike him no easy matter.

"This won't be easy."

"No. Attacking him inside the alliance would be several times more difficult."

Even if it weren't difficult, killing him within the Unorthodox Alliance was something we had to avoid. Since Bi Sain had authorized this operation, we ought to show the alliance due courtesy.

"I wondered whether the Divine Sword of Five Thunders and the Blood-Wheel Calamity were also living inside the alliance with Yelü Han."

Go Wol looked at me, asking for my opinion.

"They won't be there."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because both have been declared enemies of the entire martial world. The Orthodox Martial Alliance and the Unorthodox Alliance have an agreement never to shelter anyone given that designation."

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader interjected.

"Would those unorthodox bastards honor an agreement like that?"

"Yelü Han is the one who would want to honor it."

"Why would he?"

"Because he won't want to give the alliance leader anything to use against him. If the leader moves against him, there could be no better pretext."

The Wind Heaven Cult Leader nodded, his expression showing that he hadn't thought that far ahead.

Go Wol resumed.

"You've assessed it precisely. That's correct. The Divine Sword of Five Thunders and the Blood-Wheel Calamity aren't living inside the alliance. So I tried to discover where they were living."

"Surely their residences must be near headquarters?"

"Yes. But they were hidden so thoroughly that I couldn't find them easily. So I changed my approach. I watched someone likely to visit them."

"Who? Yelü Han?"

"No. Cha Hwan."

Cha Hwan, the last survivor of the four.

"He acts as Yelü Han's right-hand man. Someone must attend to and entertain an old master like the Divine Sword of Five Thunders, and that task wouldn't be entrusted to just anyone."

I judged that to be the right approach. Once again, Go Wol had made an intelligent assessment.

"While watching Cha Hwan, I discovered something unusual. He always buys Shanxi Fenjiu once a month."

With a meaningful look, Go Wol added,

"The Divine Sword of Five Thunders is from Shanxi. According to the information sent by Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, Fenjiu was his favorite liquor."

"So he's taking that liquor to the Divine Sword of Five Thunders."

"Exactly. Following that lead, we tailed Cha Hwan and identified the Divine Sword of Five Thunders' residence."

"Well done!"

"The problem is Yelü Han. Since these incidents, he has refrained entirely from going outside and hasn't been meeting the Divine Sword of Five Thunders either. But while reviewing the material from Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, I found this. Take a look."

As I examined the document he handed me, I looked up at Go Wol meaningfully.

"The Divine Sword of Five Thunders' birthday is coming up!"

"His ninetieth birthday, at that. Whatever they might do on other days, Yelü Han and the Blood-Wheel Calamity will go to congratulate him on this one."

Go Wol's eyes gleamed.

"We'll finish them that day. There's no need to risk dealing with them all at once. We'll eliminate them one at a time, at intervals. First we'll kill the Divine Sword of Five Thunders, then eliminate everyone who visits him in turn. One by one."

I gave Go Wol's shoulder a hearty pat.

"You worked hard to uncover all this."

"It's thanks to the thousand-year snow ginseng."

Though he smiled, his expression remained worried.

I looked at the Wicked Laughing Demon and said,

"It's the old man's birthday. We ought to go congratulate him too, shouldn't we?"

Behind the eyeholes of his mask, the Wicked Laughing Demon's eyes began to blaze with fierce blue flames.

"Leave the rest to us!"