Chapter 486

Chapter 486

Namgung Rak looked at Jin Ja-gang in surprise.

“Don’t even think about persuading Great Buddha! If the discussion goes wrong, Great Buddha will certainly use force.”

“If dialogue doesn’t work, I’m thinking of doing the same.”

Namgung Rak became flustered, unable to understand.

“In that condition?”

Jin Ja-gang’s body was battered all over. Torn and cut… his breathing was rough from internal injuries. His head was also cracked and continuously bleeding.

So in Namgung Rak’s view, Jin Ja-gang was absolutely not in a condition to do anything.

“Even when you should be recuperating immediately…”

“Great Buddha will think so too. Baek Li-jung will confirm it. He clearly saw my condition with his own two eyes before he left.”

At Jin Ja-gang’s words, Namgung Rak couldn’t close his mouth.

Great Buddha would certainly be caught off guard. No one would think he would come looking for him in such a condition.

However, that was only possible if Jin Ja-gang was threatening. Such a wrecked state couldn’t pose any threat.

But Namgung Rak couldn’t say it was recklessness.

Jin Ja-gang had until now… no, survived even from more dire straits than now. Saying anything to such an asura, even out of concern, would be useless interference and a waste of time.

Namgung Rak thought very briefly and said.

“The Arhat monks can be stopped. However… if Great Buddha steps forward directly, it will be hard to hold out for two days.”

Jin Ja-gang shook his head.

“Two days isn’t enough.”

Namgung Rak answered with a grave expression.

“That’s the time we can buy only by tightly locking the doors and enduring with trap formations. Great Buddha Beom-bon is the greatest expert in Shaolin Temple’s history. Once the trap formations are breached, not even half a day will be possible afterward.”

That the Namgung Family, renowned throughout the world for trap formations, could only hold out for two days was conversely proof of how strong Great Buddha and Shaolin Temple’s martial power was.

“Shaolin Temple’s last location was Shandong. They were returning after finishing the Righteous Dharma March in Shandong, so they’ll reach Mount Huang within a day or two.”

Jin Ja-gang fell into silent thought.

Then he shook his head again.

“Two days until Shaolin Temple arrives at Mount Huang, plus two and a half days more would be less than five days total. Time seems insufficient.”

“Even if it becomes five days, it’s the same. If you run with all your might day and night across eighteen hundred li, you can get there within five days. However, after running like that, your internal energy will be depleted and you won’t be able to fight.”

“That’s right.”

“Then what difference would it make even if they can hold out for three days?”

“It makes the difference between whether the Namgung Family can be saved or not.”

Namgung Rak’s heart sank at Jin Ja-gang’s heavy tone.

“I’d like to ask one thing.”

“Speak.”

“Can you endure humiliation?”

“Humiliation?”

Jin Ja-gang made a shocking proposal.

“Tell your family home to surrender.”

Namgung Rak’s eyebrows twisted. The tips of his eyebrows trembled with shame.

Surrendering to Shaolin Temple wouldn’t be accepted. They would have to pay money to the Righteous Alliance to convey the intent to surrender.

“You mean to buy time with false surrender? Get past the immediate crisis and change position later?”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong asked cautiously.

“Would the Righteous Alliance, who fought to the death until just now, accept the Namgung Family? If they don’t accept the Namgung Family, they’ll be heard saying they pick and choose surrenders to their taste. Then sects trying to surrender to the Righteous Alliance afterward will hesitate. But I don’t know if that Unbreakable Heavenly Sword fellow would care about such things.”

“That’s possible, but it doesn’t really matter.”

Namgung Rak said with a hardened face.

“It’s not something that doesn’t matter. Even if it passes immediately, holes blocked with lies gradually grow and eventually can’t be blocked later. That applies not only to the Righteous Alliance but to my family home as well. If we falsely surrender, we may preserve our immediate lives, but the family’s spirit will be tarnished and eventually become a rag. We can’t survive by going that far.”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

“That’s not what you mean?”

Jin Ja-gang asked.

“Isn’t the Namgung Family contaminated?”

Namgung Rak said firmly.

“I can’t guarantee it. So I won’t do things like false surrender. It’s better to all die together.”

“If you can’t guarantee it, then you should convey the message to surrender even more.”

Both Namgung Rak and Dan Ryeong-gyeong had doubts about Jin Ja-gang’s words.

It was hard to understand why Jin Ja-gang kept saying to do false surrender. Namgung Rak was an elderly expert who experienced all kinds of hardships and lived through large and small conspiracies and schemes of the martial world. Yet even he couldn’t easily understand Jin Ja-gang’s words.

Jin Ja-gang said.

Instantly Namgung Rak realized.

Jin Ja-gang was suspicious of the Namgung Family.

He was assuming there might be contaminated people inside the Namgung Family.

What if someone colluding with outsiders incited them to fight without activating the trap formations? What if they went outside to fight Great Buddha without trap formations?

Namgung Rak looked at Jin Ja-gang. How could he think so deeply at that age?

Jin Ja-gang said again.

“Half a day. If they hold out for three days by adding half a day to two days, the Namgung Family can survive. However, if they only hold out for two and a half days as you predicted, the Namgung Family can’t be saved.”

Namgung Rak looked at Jin Ja-gang for a moment and said.

“I don’t know what you can do by buying three days. But while you’re going, do me one errand.”

Namgung Rak picked up a spear shaft lying on the ground to use as a cane and held out Divine Ladle River Sword to Jin Ja-gang.

“Can you deliver it when you meet my family people?”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t accept it.

“Aren’t there Namgung Family disciples who went down earlier?”

“…Ah, right.”

When Jin Ja-gang looked at Namgung Rak as if wondering why he was saying useless things, Dan Ryeong-gyeong quietly smiled and added her words.

“Divine Ladle River Sword is a treasure sword that prevents vitality from ceasing. Since it’s the elder’s consideration, accept it. Even for a short time, using Divine Ladle River Sword will greatly help in managing internal injuries.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Namgung Rak. However, he still didn’t accept it.

“If you had explained it that way from the start, wouldn’t someone spare the trouble of saying one more thing?”

“When you get old, you lack conversation partners so you go around in circles even with the same words. Wanting to say one more thing. But why aren’t you accepting it?”

“Because I can’t guarantee I’ll bring it back intact.”

“Does the Namgung Family’s craftsmanship seem so laughable to you?”

Namgung Rak struck the leather-wrapped handle of Divine Ladle River Sword with his fingers. Internal energy seeped inside the leather.

Ting.

A metallic sound rang from inside and the entire sword resonated.

“From the handle to the blade without a tang, the sword body to handle is made of one solid piece of iron.”

Since internal energy flows ceaselessly, the sword can’t endure without considerable durability. Divine Ladle River Sword was made as one body to maximize durability.

Jin Ja-gang finally accepted Divine Ladle River Sword.

Then Namgung Rak asked Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s understanding.

“I need to teach our errand boy the method of using Divine Ladle River Sword. Please endure even if it’s inconvenient.”

“Please do.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong stepped back.

Namgung Rak looked at Jin Ja-gang and began moving his lips.

Jin Ja-gang’s expression stiffened slightly. The incantation Namgung Rak was telling him wasn’t simply a method to handle Divine Ladle River Sword.

Absolute Slow Sword, the martial art that made Namgung Rak rise to the position of Sword King.

It was the main principle penetrating the entire techniques of Absolute Slow Sword.

Absolute Slow Sword is based on Self-Realization Nature.

Self-Realization Nature refers to the property where the energy of great nature and all things in the universe tries to find the position of their true nature. The energy of all things in the universe endlessly moves to return to its fundamental state, no matter how much it’s distorted and twisted.

Self-Realization Nature always heads toward consistent completion and thus always harbors strong energy.

Therefore, Absolute Slow Sword manifests Self-Realization Nature by intentionally transforming the energy of great nature, which is not destroying great nature through reverse heaven energy movement like demonic path techniques, but a process to draw out the power of great nature trying to return to its original state.

What must not be forgotten is that Absolute Slow Sword is never slow, but rather to avoid destroying the energy of great nature.

Self-Realization Nature!

So the appearance of Absolute Slow Sword being slow is an illusion. In reality, it has already completely seized the surrounding space before the technique begins. In that state, when it forcibly suppresses the space and the power of great nature trying to restore the suppressed space to its original state, Self-Realization Nature, begins to manifest, that energy naturally embeds in the sword technique.

So the power of Self-Realization Nature appears before the sword technique, making the sword technique appear slow.

When the energy of Self-Realization Nature manifests, sharp Initial Shot Sword Energy occurs first to signal the beginning of Self-Realization Nature. Then Settling Energy flows in to support the back of Initial Shot Sword Energy. When excavation is done with Initial Shot Sword Energy and foundation is laid with Settling Energy, restoration of space begins and Wind Thread Energy starts splitting the distorted space. And when Self-Realization Nature reaches its peak, Fixed Sword Energy gathers the split spaces and returns them to their original form.

This is Absolute Slow Sword.

Namgung Rak, having transmitted all the incantation and interpretation, exhaled shallowly as if refreshed.

“You’ll use it somehow.”

The entire essence of Absolute Slow Sword can’t be fully understood in a short time. However, just as the expansion technique of explosive force that Sword Empress Im Yi-eon taught Jin Ja-gang developed into Asura World Annihilation Soul, the basic principle of Absolute Slow Sword could become a new enlightenment for Jin Ja-gang.

“Should I recite it once more if once isn’t enough?”

“No. That’s enough.”

“If you had asked me to tell you once more, I was going to take the sword back.”

Namgung Rak’s frivolous joke made Jin Ja-gang form a very small smile.

“When I leave, go to Sichuan.”

He said to go to Sichuan, not the Namgung Family. That also meant Jin Ja-gang couldn’t guarantee the Namgung Family’s survival at all.

“Will no one survive?”

“I don’t know. Just please convey the message to surrender to the Namgung Family as quickly as possible.”

Jin Ja-gang greeted Namgung Rak and Dan Ryeong-gyeong and immediately left.

Yeong-gwi and Son-bi were waiting, having returned in the distance.

Drip, drip.

Blood stains Jin Ja-gang shed remained behind his limping steps.

To go meet Great Buddha in such a condition.

Namgung Rak still couldn’t believe it. However, he understood the reason Jin Ja-gang had to go.

“Shaolin Temple’s Righteous Dharma March eliminates allies, and the Righteous Alliance continuously increases enemies. Unbreakable Heavenly Sword fled today, but when the Righteous Alliance’s bulk grows larger, it will become harder to handle then.”

And if Unbreakable Heavenly Sword and Great Buddha hide inside it, then they would have to endlessly face the subordinates they send.

Like today.

“So now is… the best time to strike the enemy’s leader.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong also quietly murmured to herself.

“Poison Dragon is an undeniable predator.”

He devours the enemy before their bulk grows larger.

He instinctively knows when and how to move to devour the opponent’s head.

He’s accustomed to thinking as a predator.

Namgung Rak nodded as if agreeing with Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s thoughts.

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Namgung Rak looked at Jin Ja-gang in surprise.

“Don’t even think about persuading Great Buddha! If the discussion goes wrong, Great Buddha will certainly use force.”

“If dialogue doesn’t work, I’m thinking of doing the same.”

Namgung Rak became flustered, unable to understand.

“In that condition?”

Jin Ja-gang’s body was battered all over. Torn and cut… his breathing was rough from internal injuries. His head was also cracked and continuously bleeding.

So in Namgung Rak’s view, Jin Ja-gang was absolutely not in a condition to do anything.

“Even when you should be recuperating immediately…”

“Great Buddha will think so too. Baek Li-jung will confirm it. He clearly saw my condition with his own two eyes before he left.”

At Jin Ja-gang’s words, Namgung Rak couldn’t close his mouth.

Great Buddha would certainly be caught off guard. No one would think he would come looking for him in such a condition.

However, that was only possible if Jin Ja-gang was threatening. Such a wrecked state couldn’t pose any threat.

But Namgung Rak couldn’t say it was recklessness.

Jin Ja-gang had until now… no, survived even from more dire straits than now. Saying anything to such an asura, even out of concern, would be useless interference and a waste of time.

Namgung Rak thought very briefly and said.

“The Arhat monks can be stopped. However… if Great Buddha steps forward directly, it will be hard to hold out for two days.”

Jin Ja-gang shook his head.

“Two days isn’t enough.”

Namgung Rak answered with a grave expression.

“That’s the time we can buy only by tightly locking the doors and enduring with trap formations. Great Buddha Beom-bon is the greatest expert in Shaolin Temple’s history. Once the trap formations are breached, not even half a day will be possible afterward.”

That the Namgung Family, renowned throughout the world for trap formations, could only hold out for two days was conversely proof of how strong Great Buddha and Shaolin Temple’s martial power was.

“Shaolin Temple’s last location was Shandong. They were returning after finishing the Righteous Dharma March in Shandong, so they’ll reach Mount Huang within a day or two.”

Jin Ja-gang fell into silent thought.

Then he shook his head again.

“Two days until Shaolin Temple arrives at Mount Huang, plus two and a half days more would be less than five days total. Time seems insufficient.”

“Even if it becomes five days, it’s the same. If you run with all your might day and night across eighteen hundred li, you can get there within five days. However, after running like that, your internal energy will be depleted and you won’t be able to fight.”

“That’s right.”

“Then what difference would it make even if they can hold out for three days?”

“It makes the difference between whether the Namgung Family can be saved or not.”

Namgung Rak’s heart sank at Jin Ja-gang’s heavy tone.

“I’d like to ask one thing.”

“Speak.”

“Can you endure humiliation?”

“Humiliation?”

Jin Ja-gang made a shocking proposal.

“Tell your family home to surrender.”

Namgung Rak’s eyebrows twisted. The tips of his eyebrows trembled with shame.

Surrendering to Shaolin Temple wouldn’t be accepted. They would have to pay money to the Righteous Alliance to convey the intent to surrender.

“You mean to buy time with false surrender? Get past the immediate crisis and change position later?”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong asked cautiously.

“Would the Righteous Alliance, who fought to the death until just now, accept the Namgung Family? If they don’t accept the Namgung Family, they’ll be heard saying they pick and choose surrenders to their taste. Then sects trying to surrender to the Righteous Alliance afterward will hesitate. But I don’t know if that Unbreakable Heavenly Sword fellow would care about such things.”

“That’s possible, but it doesn’t really matter.”

Namgung Rak said with a hardened face.

“It’s not something that doesn’t matter. Even if it passes immediately, holes blocked with lies gradually grow and eventually can’t be blocked later. That applies not only to the Righteous Alliance but to my family home as well. If we falsely surrender, we may preserve our immediate lives, but the family’s spirit will be tarnished and eventually become a rag. We can’t survive by going that far.”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

“That’s not what you mean?”

Jin Ja-gang asked.

“Isn’t the Namgung Family contaminated?”

Namgung Rak said firmly.

“I can’t guarantee it. So I won’t do things like false surrender. It’s better to all die together.”

“If you can’t guarantee it, then you should convey the message to surrender even more.”

Both Namgung Rak and Dan Ryeong-gyeong had doubts about Jin Ja-gang’s words.

It was hard to understand why Jin Ja-gang kept saying to do false surrender. Namgung Rak was an elderly expert who experienced all kinds of hardships and lived through large and small conspiracies and schemes of the martial world. Yet even he couldn’t easily understand Jin Ja-gang’s words.

Jin Ja-gang said.

Instantly Namgung Rak realized.

Jin Ja-gang was suspicious of the Namgung Family.

He was assuming there might be contaminated people inside the Namgung Family.

What if someone colluding with outsiders incited them to fight without activating the trap formations? What if they went outside to fight Great Buddha without trap formations?

Namgung Rak looked at Jin Ja-gang. How could he think so deeply at that age?

Jin Ja-gang said again.

“Half a day. If they hold out for three days by adding half a day to two days, the Namgung Family can survive. However, if they only hold out for two and a half days as you predicted, the Namgung Family can’t be saved.”

Namgung Rak looked at Jin Ja-gang for a moment and said.

“I don’t know what you can do by buying three days. But while you’re going, do me one errand.”

Namgung Rak picked up a spear shaft lying on the ground to use as a cane and held out Divine Ladle River Sword to Jin Ja-gang.

“Can you deliver it when you meet my family people?”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t accept it.

“Aren’t there Namgung Family disciples who went down earlier?”

“…Ah, right.”

When Jin Ja-gang looked at Namgung Rak as if wondering why he was saying useless things, Dan Ryeong-gyeong quietly smiled and added her words.

“Divine Ladle River Sword is a treasure sword that prevents vitality from ceasing. Since it’s the elder’s consideration, accept it. Even for a short time, using Divine Ladle River Sword will greatly help in managing internal injuries.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Namgung Rak. However, he still didn’t accept it.

“If you had explained it that way from the start, wouldn’t someone spare the trouble of saying one more thing?”

“When you get old, you lack conversation partners so you go around in circles even with the same words. Wanting to say one more thing. But why aren’t you accepting it?”

“Because I can’t guarantee I’ll bring it back intact.”

“Does the Namgung Family’s craftsmanship seem so laughable to you?”

Namgung Rak struck the leather-wrapped handle of Divine Ladle River Sword with his fingers. Internal energy seeped inside the leather.

Ting.

A metallic sound rang from inside and the entire sword resonated.

“From the handle to the blade without a tang, the sword body to handle is made of one solid piece of iron.”

Since internal energy flows ceaselessly, the sword can’t endure without considerable durability. Divine Ladle River Sword was made as one body to maximize durability.

Jin Ja-gang finally accepted Divine Ladle River Sword.

Then Namgung Rak asked Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s understanding.

“I need to teach our errand boy the method of using Divine Ladle River Sword. Please endure even if it’s inconvenient.”

“Please do.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong stepped back.

Namgung Rak looked at Jin Ja-gang and began moving his lips.

Jin Ja-gang’s expression stiffened slightly. The incantation Namgung Rak was telling him wasn’t simply a method to handle Divine Ladle River Sword.

Absolute Slow Sword, the martial art that made Namgung Rak rise to the position of Sword King.

It was the main principle penetrating the entire techniques of Absolute Slow Sword.

Absolute Slow Sword is based on Self-Realization Nature.

Self-Realization Nature refers to the property where the energy of great nature and all things in the universe tries to find the position of their true nature. The energy of all things in the universe endlessly moves to return to its fundamental state, no matter how much it’s distorted and twisted.

Self-Realization Nature always heads toward consistent completion and thus always harbors strong energy.

Therefore, Absolute Slow Sword manifests Self-Realization Nature by intentionally transforming the energy of great nature, which is not destroying great nature through reverse heaven energy movement like demonic path techniques, but a process to draw out the power of great nature trying to return to its original state.

What must not be forgotten is that Absolute Slow Sword is never slow, but rather to avoid destroying the energy of great nature.

Self-Realization Nature!

So the appearance of Absolute Slow Sword being slow is an illusion. In reality, it has already completely seized the surrounding space before the technique begins. In that state, when it forcibly suppresses the space and the power of great nature trying to restore the suppressed space to its original state, Self-Realization Nature, begins to manifest, that energy naturally embeds in the sword technique.

So the power of Self-Realization Nature appears before the sword technique, making the sword technique appear slow.

When the energy of Self-Realization Nature manifests, sharp Initial Shot Sword Energy occurs first to signal the beginning of Self-Realization Nature. Then Settling Energy flows in to support the back of Initial Shot Sword Energy. When excavation is done with Initial Shot Sword Energy and foundation is laid with Settling Energy, restoration of space begins and Wind Thread Energy starts splitting the distorted space. And when Self-Realization Nature reaches its peak, Fixed Sword Energy gathers the split spaces and returns them to their original form.

This is Absolute Slow Sword.

Namgung Rak, having transmitted all the incantation and interpretation, exhaled shallowly as if refreshed.

“You’ll use it somehow.”

The entire essence of Absolute Slow Sword can’t be fully understood in a short time. However, just as the expansion technique of explosive force that Sword Empress Im Yi-eon taught Jin Ja-gang developed into Asura World Annihilation Soul, the basic principle of Absolute Slow Sword could become a new enlightenment for Jin Ja-gang.

“Should I recite it once more if once isn’t enough?”

“No. That’s enough.”

“If you had asked me to tell you once more, I was going to take the sword back.”

Namgung Rak’s frivolous joke made Jin Ja-gang form a very small smile.

“When I leave, go to Sichuan.”

He said to go to Sichuan, not the Namgung Family. That also meant Jin Ja-gang couldn’t guarantee the Namgung Family’s survival at all.

“Will no one survive?”

“I don’t know. Just please convey the message to surrender to the Namgung Family as quickly as possible.”

Jin Ja-gang greeted Namgung Rak and Dan Ryeong-gyeong and immediately left.

Yeong-gwi and Son-bi were waiting, having returned in the distance.

Drip, drip.

Blood stains Jin Ja-gang shed remained behind his limping steps.

To go meet Great Buddha in such a condition.

Namgung Rak still couldn’t believe it. However, he understood the reason Jin Ja-gang had to go.

“Shaolin Temple’s Righteous Dharma March eliminates allies, and the Righteous Alliance continuously increases enemies. Unbreakable Heavenly Sword fled today, but when the Righteous Alliance’s bulk grows larger, it will become harder to handle then.”

And if Unbreakable Heavenly Sword and Great Buddha hide inside it, then they would have to endlessly face the subordinates they send.

Like today.

“So now is… the best time to strike the enemy’s leader.”

Dan Ryeong-gyeong also quietly murmured to herself.

“Poison Dragon is an undeniable predator.”

He devours the enemy before their bulk grows larger.

He instinctively knows when and how to move to devour the opponent’s head.

He’s accustomed to thinking as a predator.

Namgung Rak nodded as if agreeing with Dan Ryeong-gyeong’s thoughts.

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