Chapter 329

Chapter 329
Chapter 329. Spirit Hunt (4)

—

The Red Light Sword hit the ground with a heavy clatter.

“……Y-you, you actually had the ability to speak?!”

I tightly gripped the Sun Ape, but the spark of vitality was rapidly draining from its gaze.

“Why…… just why! Why couldn’t you have spoken up earlier?!”

A steady stream of crimson kept gushing from the puncture wound in its chest.

An overwhelming surge of remorse and self-reproach washed over my consciousness like a massive wave.

If I had only delayed my strike by a mere moment…….

“My…… fortune…….”

The vision of my future self letting out a joyous roar while resting upon a massive pile of glittering gold and silver completely dissolved into nothingness.

How could my fortune possibly be this dreadful…….

As I sat trapped in my own misery, a sudden wave of clarity washed over me, chilling my racing thoughts.

Hold on, didn’t this creature distinctly utter the words ‘Heavenly Demon’ right before it expired?

“…….”

What could possibly be the mathematical probability of crossing paths with an articulate primate, only for its very first utterance to be ‘Heavenly Demon’?

A person would probably have a higher chance of stumbling upon a legendary legacy by leaping blindly into a deep ravine.

“And to make matters worse, I had to be the absolute fool who failed to realize its nature and ended its life, I am truly a……”

I cursed my own stupidity repeatedly until I finally gave my head a firm shake to dispel the chaotic thoughts.

A simian creature somehow connected to the ‘Heavenly Demon.’

Long before I could ever hope to exhibit it to the public for a profit, this creature’s ultimate destination would have undoubtedly been the deepest subterranean cells of the Justice Hall within the Martial Arts Alliance.

On top of that, as the individual responsible for capturing it, I would have certainly been hauled away right alongside the beast.

If a mere animal can speak human language, would anyone honestly fail to wonder about the master behind it? I know I would be consumed by curiosity.

Curious enough to practically dissect that owner’s skull just to figure out what bizarre notions drove them to instruct a beast in uttering the phrase ‘Heavenly Demon.’

“Yes…… eliminating it was actually the correct choice. You made the right call, Jin-so-woon…… Wait, why does my face feel wet? Could it be drizzling?”

I steadied my racing pulse and picked up the Red Light Sword a second time.

“Exactly, who needs an absolute mountain of wealth anyway? Securing a powerful inner dantian is far superior. A core extracted from a specimen like this will undoubtedly elevate me to the ultimate position under heaven.”

Indeed, it absolutely would.

Offering these words of self-consolation, I sliced through the sternum of the Sun Ape.

*Screeech.*

As the ribcage parted, a torrent of dark blood spilled outward.

Pausing briefly for the flow to subside, I pried the cavity fully apart, exposing its inner anatomy.

Yet, when I shifted the viscera aside from the exact area where a spiritual core ought to reside, nothing but a tiny speck, no larger than a piece of grain, was faintly glowing.

“……Does a Sun Ape store its internal essence in a different part of its anatomy? Yes, that has to be the explanation.”

I thoroughly inspected the entrails and probed further into the body cavity, but…

“This cannot be happening……”

There was absolutely no trace of a proper internal core anywhere to be found.

Could this truly be reality?

“…….”

How could such a utterly wretched predicament even come to pass?

Had I anticipated this outcome, I ought to have spent my energy domesticating and instructing it.

*Tang-ma-myeol-sa* (Drive out wickedness and obliterate demons).

The phonetics are close enough, so if I had simply forced it to recite that phrase instead, I could have avoided any trouble with the Justice Hall, turned it into a massive public attraction, and raked in an absolute fortune…….

“Aaaaargh!”

*Thud! Smash! Crash! Thud! Smash! Crash!*

After unleashing my pent-up fury upon the surroundings for a considerable duration, my sanity gradually reasserted itself.

“Whew……”

I gazed intently at the minuscule Sun Ape core resting upon the tip of my index finger before tossing it directly into my maw.

I knew the sheer bitterness would consume me if I didn’t salvage at least this much from the ordeal.

Slowing my breathing, I systematically reviewed the facts of the situation once more.

Number one: A spiritual entity makes its home within the depths of Muk-rim.

Number two: The pupils and staff from The Academy attempted to track down and capture one of these mythical entities—the great Sun Wukong…… rather, the Sun Ape—and ultimately botched the attempt.

Number three: Through sheer coincidence, I managed to ensnare the Sun Ape, and it actually possessed human speech.

Number four: However, the singular phrase it managed to utter was ‘Heavenly Demon’…….

What kind of absurd mess is this?

*Scratch, scratch.*

I rubbed the back of my neck repeatedly, yet no clarity came to ease my frustration.

“Does any component of this actually add up?”

It was a sequence of occurrences that defied all logic, even as the person who had personally experienced and outlined them.

Supposing an official account detailing these events reached the Bureau of Universal Information, wouldn’t Jegal-so-myeong immediately tear the parchment to pieces and cast it into a fire?

“Then again, it is not as though I ever planned on filing a formal briefing.”

The truly alarming detail lay in the fourth realization rather than the third.

An articulate primate is staggering on its own, but the reality that the opening statement from this ‘Demonic Wukong’ was ‘Heavenly Demon’ changes everything.

What hidden tie could possibly link the legendary Spirits native to Muk-rim with the infamous Heavenly Demon?

“Those cursed lunatics truly manage to insert themselves into absolutely everything.”

My existing vexation was already immense, but this realization only compounded my agitation.

Should our paths cross, I wanted nothing more than to smash their heads open before demanding an explanation.

How on earth do you manage to teach a primate how to converse?

And no, it has nothing to do with monetary gains. It truly does not.

“Sigh…… time to head back.”

Noticing a convenient depression in the ground nearby, I deposited the remains of the Sun Ape into it and raked soil over the top.

While the signs of a fresh burial remained somewhat apparent, the surrounding terrain was already so thoroughly devastated that it didn’t look particularly suspicious.

Sealing my lips, I turned with the intention of making my way back to where my comrades were stationed, when suddenly…

*Whoosh.*

An intense heat began to ignite deep within my dantian.

I had previously consumed various Poison Dabs along with other spiritual cores throughout my time in Muk-rim, yet I had never found it necessary to engage in deep cultivation or rhythmic respiration to process them.

Because the reservoir of essence stored within my core was already so immense, executing my standard routines sufficed to assimilate any external energy, and whenever I employed the Blue Dragon Ring for absorption, even that minor effort became redundant.

This particular instance, however, defied that pattern.

The spark, which commenced as a mere ember, was actively utilizing the vast inner strength stored within my system as kindling to expand exponentially.

I was already thoroughly dejected over losing such a highly valuable vocal creature, and now the core belonging to that very primate was actively consuming my own hard-earned vital energy.

“What kind of absurd, ridiculous situation is this now……”

Hastily dropping into a meditative lotus posture, I endeavored to guide my internal currents, but the burning point showed absolutely no indication of diminishing.

If anything, it was pulling in greater amounts of force, blazing with absolute fury.

The scorching sensation originating from my core rippled through my entire anatomy via the major pathways.

Despite utilizing the Wind Spirit to keep my outward temperature stabilized, the searing internal heat engulfed my entire frame as though it intended to reduce me to ash.

‘Th-this can’t be!’

The absolute worst aspect of this predicament was that my accumulated internal reserves were actively evaporating due to the influence of the alien core.

Do you have any concept of the sheer effort it took to amass this power……!

Summoning every ounce of my willpower, I marshaled the entire reservoir of my inner strength to envelop and stifle the scorching point simultaneously.

My rationale was that a vast, ocean-like sea of internal energy could effortlessly smother a localized heat source no larger than a speck of grain.

Yet, the reality was far different.

‘Cease this instantly, you absolute madman!’

The blazing temperature persisted in bubbling over, widening its perimeter.

The tighter I tried to compress my personal essence around it, the further the heat radiated outward.

A terrifying realization struck me that any misstep could result in my entire physical form melting away like hot wax.

This ordeal was pushing me to the brink of insanity.

I needed to subjugate this thermal energy by any means necessary. Or perhaps expel it entirely…….

‘Hold on… expel it?’

The memories of the tactical maneuvers executed by the Sun Ape flashed through my mind.

The exact manner in which it ignited its own fur to project intense thermal waves outward.

……But could a human being safely replicate a technique meant for a beast?

There was absolutely no leisure to ponder the philosophy of it any further.

At this rate, it felt as though every single one of my internal pathways would be scorched to nothingness.

“Haaaa……”

Shifting my core internal energy toward one flank of my vessel, I isolated and channeled only the rogue thermal forces.

The Sun Ape’s inner dantian, which had been steadily leaking heat along my primary pathways, began to surge through my physical frame with wild abandon the moment I loosened my suppression.

As the searing current forced its way through every primary channel and minor meridian, excruciating agony flared from the tips of my fingers all the way down to my toes.

It genuinely felt as though my physical structure was liquefying deep within a blazing furnace.

Just as I reached the absolute limit of my endurance, I forcefully discharged the thermal energy outward from my body, utilizing the same method one might use to purge the vapors of liquor through their pores.

*Whoosh!*

Even with my vision shrouded in darkness behind closed eyelids, I could perceive a brilliant illumination radiating outward.

‘Was that effective?’

I could distinctly perceive that the oppressive heat within my primary channels and fine meridians had diminished substantially.

Nevertheless, because the core flame deep within my center threatened to flare up once more, I continuously expelled the excess heat through my skin.

*Whoosh!*

The resulting radiance was even clearer than the previous burst.

Cracking my eyelids open slightly, I observed small, flickering embers catching onto the withered foliage scattered across the ground around me.

“Good grief.”

It was astounding enough to simply vent the dangerous temperature from my system, but to discover that I was physically producing open flames was incredible.

Regardless, now that the efficacy of the method was proven, there was no reason to hesitate.

*Whoosh.*

*Whoosh.*

With each successive burst I released, the volatile crimson energy dispersed into the surroundings, causing the raging fire centered in my dantian to slowly dwindle.

A considerable amount of time must have elapsed in that manner.

By the time I finally emerged from my deep trance-like state of focus, the destructive thermal force that had been eroding my center had completely vanished.

“Whew……”

Though the active fire within my core had dissipated, I did not receive the impression that the Sun Ape’s inner dantian had been obliterated or lost.

In fact, it felt quite the contrary.

Raising my hand to eye level, I directed my willpower down into my knuckles.

Instantly, my fist radiated a glowing, crimson heat.

“…….”

This was undoubtedly the very same mystical trait that the Sun Ape had manifested during our clash.

Upon inspecting my core reserves, I found that my overall quantity of internal strength remained entirely unchanged.

The exact volume of energy that the Sun Ape’s inner dantian had drained during its initial flare-up had been completely replenished by the core itself.

“……To think that the Sun Ape’s inner dantian possessed this sort of quality.”

While it is hardly rare for an experienced martial artist to master elemental fire styles, if word ever got out that I had unlocked such a specialized trait simply by swallowing a single core, there was no doubt that No-jin-ha and the rest of the faculty would make a massive scene.

“In any case, it truly earns its reputation as a genuine Spirit.”

I desired to further investigate the properties of the Sun Ape’s inner dantian, but my current circumstances permitted no such luxury.

“A fair amount of time remains before dawn breaks, but under these conditions……”

My garments had been completely reduced to cinders, meaning I was on the verge of returning completely exposed.

After creeping back toward the campsite of my group while clad in a makeshift garment fashioned out of braided foliage, I transmitted a quiet telepathic signal requesting that someone bring me a fresh set of clothes.

Moments later, the rustle of approaching footsteps signaled the arrival of someone, whom I assumed to be Geum-pyo, but…

“What in the world do you think you are doing…… *Eeek!*”

Hold on, why did Geum-pyo’s voice sound so uncharacteristically—

“…….”

It was actually Sa-ryeon, who had shrieked in surprise and dropped the bundle of garments onto the dirt.

My message had been directed at Geum-pyo, so why on earth had she shown up instead?

Quickly deploying the Flying Dragon Claw, I hooked the dropped attire and pulled it into my grasp.

“I am hardly completely bare, so what warrants such an extreme reaction?”

Granted, while I had woven them in a hurry, the foliage still resembled a legitimate set of attire.

If there was any detail to mock…… or rather, any feature to be taken aback by, it was simply that the design looked somewhat tribal.

“Y-y-your…… what exactly occurred to your actual garments?”

For whatever reason, Sa-ryeon’s complexion flushed a deep crimson, and she continuously shifted her eyes away in sheer embarrassment.

Seeing her react in such a fashion made me feel quite self-conscious as well.

“……Let’s just say there was a minor complication during my outing.”

“What sort of complication…… *sniff, sniff*, do you honestly intend to put those on right now?”

“Is there a problem?”

“*Sniff, sniff*, can you seriously not detect that odor? Did you happen to tumble directly into the waste pit of some wild beast?”

Precisely as Sa-ryeon pointed out, the moment I raised my forearm to my nose, a truly wretched stench assaulted my senses.

I had completely failed to perceive it earlier because my physical body had always remained remarkably immaculate up until this point.

“…….”

Wading into a nearby pool of water I recalled passing earlier, I began scrubbing my flesh vigorously with a smooth rock, causing a murky, yellowish fluid to rinse away from my skin.

“Ugh, gross…… precisely how many days have you gone without taking a proper bath?”

Why did she even accompany me to the water? I explicitly motioned for her to stay back.

“Setting that aside, I specifically requested Geum-pyo’s assistance, so why are you the one here? It shouldn’t even be your shift for sentinel duty.”

Sa-ryeon shot me a thoroughly incredulous look.

“Whose actions do you think forced us into this mess to begin with?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Had some sort of crisis unfolded at the camp during my absence?

“Are you aware of the absolute uproar Instructor No-jin-ha caused during the night?”

“Pardon?”

“He abruptly stormed into our camp area in the dead of night, bellowing at the absolute top of his lungs. He demanded to know where our *Dae-sa-hyung* had run off to, questioned whether you had sneaked out to track down a Spirit, and insisted that we present you immediately.”

Sa-ryeon maintained a piercing stare as she spoke further.

“The instructor was throwing a massive tantrum, and sure enough, *Dae-sa-hyung* was completely missing from his bed. Consequently, we all genuinely concluded that *Dae-sa-hyung* had embarked on an unauthorized Spirit Hunt.”

Had the instructor deduced my disappearance while he was trailing the Sun Ape himself? Or had he caught sight of me actively pursuing the Sun Ape?

Depending heavily on which of those two scenarios was accurate, the strategy I needed to employ for my alibi would shift entirely.

Moreover, should the truth slip out that I had consumed the prize of the Sun Ape, it possessed the potential to spark an immense controversy down the line.

The complications would hardly be limited to the simple matter of who swallowed the inner core.

It would inevitably trigger an investigation stretching from which party contributed more heavily to subjugating the Sun Ape, culminating in an argument over who rightfully held legal claim over the valuable inner core.

“Well, I am completely finished.”

If I conceded any wrongdoing, I might be forced to shell out a staggering sum in restitution.

Paying damages for the Sun Ape’s inner dantian?

I would genuinely prefer death over watching that kind of wealth slip out of my possession.

To begin with, our Tae-eul Sect doesn’t possess anywhere near that amount of capital anyway.

Dousing myself with another handful of water, I pressed Sa-ryeon for details.

“Hmm…… what were his precise words? Did he throw a fi— rather, did he make a scene yelling, ‘Did you sneak off to track a Spirit!’?”

“How could I possibly recall the exact phrasing? I am not *Dae-sa-hyung*.”

“Try to remember carefully. It is a critical distinction.”

“Why does that detail matter so much?”

“Because asking ‘Did you sneak off to track a Spirit!’ implies suspicion, whereas stating ‘You went to track a Spirit!’ implies certainty, and my entire defense relies on that nuance.”

“……*Dae-sa-hyung*.”

Suddenly, a look of profound realization mixed with dread washed over Sa-ryeon’s features.

“It cannot be……”

She advanced with a heavy stride right toward the edge of the pool.

Wait, why exactly are you gripping a rock in your fist right now?

“Did you actually manage to capture a Spirit?”

Good heavens, why must my juniors possess such sharp intuition?

I seriously doubt whether this hidden truth can be preserved for long.