Martial Arts Ain't Anything Special-Chapter 64: Supreme Law of Essence Absorption (2)

The inner core of the massive snake.

It was still a demonic creature with an aura close to the Transcendent Realm despite being somewhat weak from starvation.

There was a considerable amount of qi accumulated within its inner core and could make for quite a good spirit pill if it was absorbed properly.

“Hmm.”

However Chunbong couldn’t consume a demonic creature’s inner core. The only one here capable of doing so was Seojun, but frankly, spirit pills weren’t of much significance to him.

Should I just store it for now?

Seojun tucked the inner core into his clothes.

If he found a way later on through like qi transfer or something, he could feed Chunbong the spirit pill’s qi.

“Doesn’t seem like there’s anything else worth taking, yeah?”

“Yes. Even the snake’s skin seems useless likely from prolonged starvation..”

“Oh well.”

Shaking his head, Seojun impulsively absorbed the surrounding death qi.

“Bleh.”

It tasted bad.

He immediately spat it out, frowning.

“Should we head back to the inn? It’ll be dark soon.”

“That sounds good.”

“You heard her? Let’s go, Chunbong.”

Seojun picked up Chunbong, who had been poking at the snake’s corpse.

“I can walk on my own...!”

“No way~”

“What do you mean no way!”

“You’re usually fine being carried. Now Geum Chunbong, stay still since I wanna hold you.”

“Sigh.”

Chunbong sighed and looked at Namgung Suah, raising the corner of her mouth slightly. It was a confident smile as if to say, see?

Seeing this, Namgung Suah opened her eyes wide and then chuckled.

“Hmph.”

Chunbong pouted and leaned closely into Seojun’s arms.

He started walking back the way they came, carrying her.

Since they had come this way before, they quickly reached the place where the rock had been without hesitation.

“Huh?”

Now that he looked, something was visible among the shattered rock pieces.

Seojun picked it up and examined it closely.

“Is this... a talisman?”

There was only a corner piece remaining and something written in what looked like red paint on a yellow background.

Perhaps it wasn’t the rock itself absorbing inner qi, but the power of this talisman.

Truthfully, if the rock hadn’t broken, he had planned to try breaking the cave walls, but if the talisman was the cause, the walls would probably have had similar properties to the rock.

Well, maybe not.

Chunbong, still in his arms, nodded as well.

“That could be the case. But the walls, you bastard, what were you thinking trying to break them? What if this place collapsed and we got buried alive?”

“Oh, is that so? Now that you mention it, I guess you’re right?”

“Jeez...! I told you to think before doing things!”

“Hehe.”

While Chunbong was scolding him, Namgung Suah called out to them, seeming to have discovered something.

“Everyone, look at this.”

There were very faint characters remaining on the cave wall where she pointed.

“Hm... Can’t make anything out.”

Seojun quickly gave up and held Chunbong forward for a translation.

After stretching her neck forward and back, squinting her eyes, and deciphering the faint characters, Chunbong read it out.

“Caution.... Danger... Do not touch...”

“Oh boy.”

Seojun scratched his head and glanced towards the depths of the cave.

“Well, everything turned out fine anyway, so I guess it doesn’t matter?”

“Right. You would’ve gone in even if we’d seen this before entering.”

“As expected of Geum Chunbong. You know me so well.”

“What’s with that? Of course I do.”

Heh, Seojun picked up the confidently smiling Chunbong and left the cave.

Outside, the sun was starting to set.

“It’ll be nearly morning by the time we reach the inn, won’t it?”

“Still better than sleeping outdoors.”

“That’s true.”

Chunbong, being in her growth phase, could sleep while being carried.

Seojun was confident he could be the perfect transportation, with no shaking whatsoever.

“Shall we go~?”

“Yes, Young Expert.”

Namgung Suah responded, subtly pressing close, close enough for their shoulders to almost touch.

She smiled brightly, a sweet scent wafting from her.

This is terrifying...!

It seemed like he’d need to lock the door well when they reached the inn.

*“Oh no...”

Hyeun gritted his teeth as he looked at the vanished traces of the demonic adept.

That evil demonic adept had somehow shaken off Shaolin’s pursuit and suddenly disappeared.

Hyeun took a deep breath to calm his troubled mind and looked at Ji-am.

“Fourth Uncle, what should we do?”

“First, we should go where the traces lead, shouldn’t we?”

Ji-am stared intently at the footprints on the ground as he continued speaking.

“We will split into groups of three to chase the demonic adept. His concealment technique is extraordinary, so always on guard and immediately signal if you find anything suspicious.”

“Yes!”

The Shaolin disciples split into groups and scattered.

Unlike the other groups, Ji-am formed a pair with Hyeun and stroked his beard while letting out a cold sweat.

“Hyeun, if my memory serves me right, that demonic adept should be the one called the Soul-Stealing Demon.”

“The Soul-Stealing Demon... You mean the one who fled from the Demonic Cult?”

“Yes. He may have fled after losing in a life-and-death battle, but he is not an opponent to be taken lightly.”

The Soul-Stealing Demon’s specialty was palm techniques and qi arts unleashed using his vast qi.

Though his inner qi was said to be turbid from practicing the Supreme Law of Essence Absorption, he was still a demonic practitioner who had reached the Transcendent Realm, so caution was necessary.

“Then will the others not be in danger?”

“No, Shaolin’s martial arts are the natural counter to the Soul-Stealing Demon’s. Since he cannot steal the inner qi with the Supreme Law of Essence Absorption, he will not risk confronting Shaolin unnecessarily.”

If he were to harm a Shaolin disciple, the Soul-Stealing Demon would face pursuit from all of Shaolin.

As an old master with considerable experience in murim, he wouldn’t make such a mistake.

“That is why our role is crucial. When the children maintaining the encirclement drive the Soul-Stealing Demon in, we must strike decisively and subdue him.”

That was why he kept Hyeun with him.

Though among the youngest of the disciples pursuing, Hyeun’s martial prowess was exceptional, regardless of his spiritual cultivation.

His martial strength alone made him a candidate for the next Abbot.

Of course, that was far from possible right now, but if Hyeun could cleanse the troubles in his heart, he would become one of the most promising candidates.

“I understand, Fourth Uncle.”

“Good, let us depart as well.”

In this direction was a forest dense with trees. The Soul-Stealing Demon was likely headed there as well since it would be easy to hide there.

Ji-am set out with a calm mind.

*“It’s pitch black.”

The forest which was already shadowy from the thick trees, plunged into complete darkness as the sun set.

Seojun with Chunbong in his arms, was using his free hand for light to see in the darkness.

“Young Expert, shall I tell you a scary story?”

“...No? Why would you?”

“Isn’t it fun? Especially in this atmosphere.”

Namgung Suah chuckled and pointed around.

Chirping insects and rustling wildlife filled the forest with their unseen presence.

The occasional rustling sounds mixed with the pitch darkness created an atmosphere where one might accept it as natural even if a ghost suddenly appeared.

“I don’t like scary stories.”

“Oh my? That’s unexpected. Why is that?”

“You’re asking why... well, because they’re scary?”

Hearing him say that, Chunbong, who had been quietly nestled in his arms, snorted.

“And you call yourself a man.”

“Hey Miss Geum. Want me to stop carrying you?”

“Who said you’re allowed?”

Chunbong wrapped her arms and legs around Seojun, clinging tightly.

I’ll let it slide because you’re cute.

Seojun shook his head and asked.

“Do you like scary stories, big sis?”

“Hmm... I neither like nor dislike them.”

“Oh, that’s an adult woman for you.”

“Fufu, if a ghost pops out, I’ll protect you.”

“Wow, thanks big sis~!”

As Seojun chuckled, Namgung Suah stared at him before subtly clinging to his arm.

“I guess I’ll need to stay close to protect this Young Expert, right?”

“Oh...”

She’s very proactive.

Feeling the soft sensation against him, Seojun rolled his eyes before quickly nodding and moving forward robotically.

Namgung Suah smiled slyly seeing this.

“It seems this Young Expert isn’t very used to women, contrary to expectations.”

“What do you mean? I’m totally an expert, practically a grandmaster.”

“Really? Doesn’t seem that way...”

“It’s true. I’ve been in hundreds of relationships.”

“What the hell?”

The quiet Chunbong suddenly looked up.

Seojun patted her back to calm her down again and added.

“Well, I read about it... But isn’t that basically dating? It’s indirect experience, you know?”

“Aha... That usually doesn’t count as experience.”

“That can’t be true...!”

Seojun was shocked to realize this cruel truth.

Namgung Suah moved even closer to him, standing on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

“Then, Young Expert... Oh my?”

Seojun pulled Namgung Suah back while gently setting Chunbong down, then thrust his fist into the air.

Boom!

A shadowy figure’s outstretched palm met his fist with a clash.

“Sharp reflexes, I see!”

The old man grinned wickedly as he seized Seojun’s fist, gathering his inner qi.

The Soul-Stealing Demon, Hyeok Mukang.

Against such a young man, victory in a qi battle was assured, his vast reserves of inner qi made that certain.

He was even confident he could kill the women with his free hand while engaging in this qi fight.

His Supreme Law of Essence Absorption could drain not just inner qi, but even true qi itself.

It was as if he could devour the opponent’s qi like a spirit pill.

“This old man will gratefully partake of your qi!”

The Soul-Stealing Demon began to overwhelm his opponent with qi while using the Supreme Law of Essence Absorption to steal his inner qi.

His demonic qi even invaded the opponent’s body to make them naueous, so he expected an easy victory.

“Hehehe...! The purity of this qi! What a fortuitous encounter!”

“Oh, thanks I guess?”

“What...! You—How can you still speak...!”

“Well, you know... Can’t you? You’re doing it just fine yourself.”

Seojun observed the Soul-Stealing Demon while studying the demonic qi coursing through his body.

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Its whimpering and fawning appearance was about a quarter of a quarter of a quarter of a quarter as cute as Chunbong.

Moreover, the Primordial Divine Art qi that the Soul-Stealing Demon absorbed raced through his body, providing a very accurate map of his meridians.

“I see, so it’s like this?”

This is unusually simple. Much easier than normal.

Seojun ignored the Soul-Stealing Demon’s resistance and instead forcefully yanked his demonic qi.

Behind his own head, three hideously twisted flowers bloomed.

A natural transformation as his body embraced the demonic qi.

Having instantly mastered the Supreme Law of Essence Absorption, Seojun beamed.

“Wow, I appreciate it!”