Chapter: 647
Saaaaaaaah—!!!
A cold air poured down. The pressure was so tremendous that I couldn’t even breathe.
“Turn it off…!”
I tightly shut my mouth and let out a sigh. That was the fullest extent of my defiance.
Swish-! My blood vessels expanded as the energy surged in.
As I tried to forcibly absorb it, the pain was no joke.
And still, it couldn’t be stopped.
‘If I block it, it’ll explode.’
If I attempted to obstruct the flow, my body would burst from the strain.
It was that kind of energy.
The invading cold air passed through my blood vessels and began to accumulate in my heart. No, “accumulate” is too gentle a word to describe what was happening.
I was forcibly stuffing it all in. I was cramming every bit of cold air that had spread across the North Sea and was lingering inside the princess into my heart.
‘Damn it.’
How on earth did it come to this? I could barely keep up with the energy while racking my brain for a solution.
At this point, all I could do was endure.
It was overwhelmingly vast, far too much for me to handle.
It felt like trying to trap waves in a jar.
Even knowing I couldn’t take in any more, Madocheon Heupgong refused to stop; it was like it was on a mission to consume everything it could.
As a result, the cold air continued to infiltrate my body. The Nine Flames Fire Lun Gong was activated, releasing heat, but it couldn’t keep pace with the immense quantity flooding in.
“Ugh…!”
As I let out a groan, cold air seeped from the corner of my mouth. It was the energy leaking out from deep within me.
This was the first time this had happened since I began studying Flame Arts.
My dilated blood vessels were gradually transforming that pressure into pain.
My bowl was teetering on its limit.
It had barely been a moment since I received any energy, and it was already packed full.
I abandoned my foolishness, expanded my bowl in vain, but it was still completely filled. I tried to hold it all in without letting it spill over, but I had no idea how long I could endure this.
Even the rising energy was all bitterly cold.
If I couldn’t dilute it with heat, my body would freeze first.
‘A dilemma.’
That’s exactly what I looked like now.
‘Shit.’
If I had known it would turn out like this, I wouldn’t have even touched it.
At first, I thought it was destiny, but it definitely felt more like someone holding a knife to my throat.
‘The cold air from the North Sea is all coming in.’
Was this some unpredictable event caused by the ice breaking and the princess collapsing?
‘This is really annoying.’
Even if it wasn’t possible, this was an immense energy repository accumulated through hundreds of years by the Ice Palace’s bloodline, all using their life force as collateral.
That vast energy was being poured directly into me.
‘Is this all the energy that bastard should have absorbed?’
It could very well be.
That guy was said to be steadily accumulating energy for his resurrection, and when the moment came, he failed due to an unforeseen event, so perhaps that’s what this was about.
Creek-!
“Guh-!”
The energy swelled beyond my blood vessels into my muscles.
The excessive amount of energy was gradually affecting my physical form as well.
‘What should I do?’
The bowl was already at its breaking point.
Energy was leaking out, and I was packed full.
I could block it to some extent, but if it filled my whole body and burst…
‘I’m going to explode.’
My body, unable to handle the energy, would rupture, causing all of that chilling air to spread back out across the North Sea.
With the ice already shattered, there would be nothing left to stop it.
‘The North Sea will be engulfed in a cold wave, becoming a desolate wasteland.’
Saaaaahh… The coldness continued to creep into my arms and back.
I could feel the heat in my skin giving way, freezing over.
Damn it.
The tips of my fingers reaching toward the princess froze.
If I died here, the North Sea would come to ruin.
I clicked my tongue at the notion.
‘That’s a bit troubling.’
I didn’t mind whatever trouble the North Sea got into. Honestly, whether it meant death or cold engulfing everything, I couldn’t care less.
But…
‘There are kids.’
If Woohyuk had had an accident, it would be fine to leave him be. And Pajeon would survive anywhere you tossed him, so that wouldn’t be a concern either.
But you little bastard—if I die, then the Thousand-Year-Old Star will become a complete mess, meaning it would be better to perish right here.
However, losing Namgung Bi-ah and Dang So-yeol was unacceptable.
‘So what do I do now?’
Death didn’t scare me. I thought about it, but if my dying meant that those two were toast as well, well… that sprung some fear into me.
Was this foolishness?
‘No.’
This felt a lot more like greed than foolishness.
The prowess I obtained by becoming a dragon is classified as greed. That’s definitely a form of greed.
My unquenchable greed made it so that I couldn’t just let it go.
‘If that’s the case, then what now?’
Yangcheon, don’t ask me this.
You already know the answer deep down.
‘Idiot.’
I chuckled to myself without realizing it.
Is this a question-and-answer session now? I have truly lost it.
Hoo-!
I stirred the energy within my body.
Swish–!!
The cold air seemed to sense my movement and began to lash about more violently.
Even aware I was at my limit, the Magic Heavenly Absorption technique kept attempting to consume everything.
I hadn’t fed it much mana lately, so it almost seemed like it had lost its mind.
‘Were you that hungry?’
I’ve been too occupied to separately feed it mana stones lately. So perhaps that was why it was angry.
‘But it wouldn’t actually think of killing its master, would it?’
I was trying to believe it, but deep down, it felt more like a mere hope.
As I began to stir the energy, the volume of cold air I was absorbing increased severalfold.
Damn it.
After I provided a roof overhead and fed you, is this how you’re going to repay me?
‘Alright, let’s give this a shot.’
I clenched my teeth hard and put forth my power.
Hurrrurr—!!!
The Guyeonhwaryun Technique whirled rapidly inside me.
The energy was still streaming in, coating my palms. Should I try to manipulate the energy in this state, it could easily lead to possession by magic if I’m not careful.
‘So what? There’s no other choice.’
There simply wasn’t an alternative.
I couldn’t use delicate applications of energy like other geniuses.
The only approach I knew was how to smash things.
‘Let’s see who ends up in a worse spot.’
If the cold kept barreling in without end, all I needed to do was catch it and melt it.
Internally, the cold and heat were clashing, creating a whirlpool of energy within me. Opposing forces began to collide, gradually forming waves.
It was madness. A mistake here could lead to immediate explosion or possession by magic.
Knowing this clearly, I still couldn’t bring myself to stop.
‘Either way, I’ll die whether I lose or stop.’
Once you light the fire, there’s no turning back.
It was either capturing the cold and trapping it in my body or freezing to death when the heat couldn’t hold out.
Victory or defeat.
There were only those two outcomes.
What I was curious about was—
‘If I could consume it all, how much could I gain?’
I wondered how substantial the energy would be if I could trap all of that cold.
‘Probably at least double.’
It would be a storm of energy.
It was a quantity too vast for any human to swallow. If I could just succeed, it would be a magnificent sight.
Kwuk-!!
It spun.
The ice that tried to overtake my bowl and freeze my body was colliding with the heat trying to resist it, swirling together in a wild spiral.
It was rough and sharp. It felt like my flesh was being torn apart.
‘But hey, what’s the harm? This much is manageable.’
Thankfully, my resistance was honed through my training in Tuapacheonmu. I could just chuckle at the sensation of my skin being shredded and torn.
The issue lay with the—
‘Bowl.’
The vessel already brimming with energy had hit its limit.
That was the real problem.
If I added just a bit more, it’d overflow.
No, it was already overflowing and seeping into my flesh.
Given the circumstances, this would have been deemed a fortunate twist. Perhaps it could have led to an opportunity for transformation.
‘But it’s useless to me.’
It would have been fine if it were just the right amount, but my body couldn’t withstand it, and an excessive amount was pouring in.
Whoosh whoosh–!!
‘First, clear the bowl.’
I unleashed more heat, pouring it out. If there wasn’t enough room, I’d just create some.
Cheeeeeeek!
Something began to emanate from my body, as if ripening. The friction with the cold air had caused it.
Using up more energy led to even colder air filling me.
The two seemed ready to duke it out, almost as if they would destroy the entire house.
The cold energy was forced into the empty space in my bowl.
Boom! The moment I twisted the flow to force it in, I felt a backlash.
“Cough.”
Thud! The blood that burst from my mouth splattered onto the princess’s chest.
“Hoo…”
As I exhaled, cold air followed. Lucky for me, I had released a considerable amount of heat, but my body was freezing at an alarming rate.
My movements grew sluggish as my breathing slowed.
Yet somehow…
‘For some reason, my mind is clear.’
There was almost no sense of crisis washing over me.
I felt no fear. I had no hesitation.
Cuuk-!
I harnessed the cold, transforming it back to heat. My bowl was full.
My body expanded as if claiming to be full, but it was just a nuisance because no matter how often I emptied it, it continued filling up.
‘Then let’s take some outside first.’
Whoaaaaahh…
I grabbed the flowing cold air and swung it outward. The energy twisted and spread widely as it poured out.
“…her.”
I faintly sensed Pajeon sighing.
Had I made a mistake?
‘I’m not sure.’
Whether I was doing the right thing or why I was acting like this, I had no clue.
For now, I moved only under my pounding heart and instincts.
Even knowing I’d die if I mishandled the energy, I had no hesitations in twisting its path.
Wheeeeeeee—!!
The energy I couldn’t contain swirled outward, hastily spinning around.
By injecting a slight heat, I could even move the cold air as if it became my energy.
It piled and piled.
The cold air streams began to overlap until they appeared as a single layer.
That indicated how immense the energy was.
‘This is incredible.’
I was using heat to manipulate and confine that energy—not even mine to begin with.
It surprised me to think I’d impulsively charge ahead without even checking how on earth I was doing this.
‘If I stop or hesitate, I’ll explode immediately.’
So much was filling the bowl, I had no choice but to release some of it outside.
It felt like an action driven more by impulse than logic.
‘This is working.’
Why?
I didn’t quite understand it myself.
But, if it worked, that’s what mattered. Now’s not the time to analyze each step.
‘The crucial part is starting from now.’
Swish…
I sensed a hollow feeling.
It indicated that the outpouring cold air had finally come to an end.
‘That means…’
The heavy energy now dispersed all around me comprised all of the cold air that had blanketed the North Sea.
I didn’t bother looking to check on things.
Right now, my priority was to manage that cold enveloping the princess.
‘Just a bit more.’
Attempting to spin the cold air while absorbing other energies proved harder than expected.
However, challenging didn’t equate to impossible.
Focus!
Swish–!!
I could feel that the residual cold air was dwindling. Oddly, it seemed to be apprehensive. I couldn’t help but smirk at the thought.
‘Are you scared?’
Surely, that couldn’t be right. Something felt as if it had shrunken and withdrew completely.
‘Then why are you acting up? Giving me a headache.’
There was no mercy.
I wrapped all the cold air tight with my intangible energy, using the Magic Heavenly Absorption technique to hoover it all in.
Shhhhhhhh—!!!
The last of the cold air filled the empty space in my bowl.
‘It’s over.’
All traces of the princess’s cold air had been absorbed. Feeling that, I pushed myself upright.
The sheer volume of energy I had consumed left my stomach feeling heavy.
‘How ridiculous is it to feel sick from overeating energy?’
Is this what one would describe as an indulgence? It didn’t feel particularly pleasant.
Furthermore…
‘I still haven’t fully finished the job.’
The cold air that had amassed around me remained in circulation, and the energy surging inside was still restless.
If I couldn’t manage this much, how was I to contain such a vast amount of energy floating around?
‘Should I expand the bowl?’
It was already a hugely expanded bowl.
I had no confidence that it could expand any further.
‘Then…’
What about the opposite?
Since I couldn’t expand the bowl, let’s reduce the volume of what’s contained within it.
Should that happen, I could hold them all.
Cuuk-!
I clenched my fist.
Thump- My heart raced fiercely while the residual heat began to emerge.
At the same time, I commanded the heat retained within the cold air to obey.
‘Compress.’
Swaaaaaaahh…
The rotation quickened.
The cold air imprisoned in my bowl began to accelerate, spiraling through my energy.
I aimed to elevate the speed while pushing for further compression.
The cold air that circled around began to rush toward me.
Sensing my motive, I could feel a flare of resistance rising from the cold.
“Hah.”
You’re putting up a fight?
Cuuk-!
I exerted more determination.
At this, energy began to explode in reaction, banging angrily against the threshold as if it could burst at any moment.
Thud! My blood vessels threatened to shatter in my eyes.
I brushed it aside.
‘Faster.’
And smaller.
I never thought I would use the art of rotation and compression in this manner. It felt like the wisdom I had gained over my lifetime was paying off substantially.
Kiinnnng—!!!
Just when I felt close enough, I opened my fist, adjusting the flow.
Before I knew it, the cold air outside was being sucked into my palm.
Phew-!!
The potent energy surged, causing a rush of wind pressure.
When I felt that sharp energy flowing through me,
Woof.
Finally, the cold coalesced on my hand into a crystalline shape akin to a jade ball.
It was the size of a human head.
Within it, an overwhelming energy reverberated.
Now that I had successfully gathered it all, it was time for my feast.
Bam—!
I activated the Magic Heavenly Absorption skill on that sphere, gobbling it down in one swift motion.
With the compression completed, the energy flowed into my body without much resistance.
The cold air filled me naturally, settling within my heart, merging with the princess’s cold.
As soon as I felt that…
“Hoo—!”
Whoosh whoosh—!!!!
Flames ignited from within, engulfing the cold surrounding me.
This was my way of purifying the cold.
So much cold air, but my flame was infinitesimally small alongside it.
Even so…
‘I can do this.’
My flame wouldn’t yield to that.
That resolve surged within me.
Boom—! Boom boom boom–!!!
What a violent clash it was! One mistake could easily shatter my vessel.
The frozen, sluggish body presented challenges, and the diminished heat made it all the more demanding.
But…
‘You’re greedy, aren’t you? You need to devour at least this much!’
If I couldn’t even handle this, how would I dare to consume anything else?
Hurrrurr—!!!!
I continued to fan the flames.
If it felt even slightly insufficient, I wouldn’t hesitate to call upon my innate abilities.
HUAAAAHH–!!
The flames, driven by insatiable greed, swallowed the cold constantly. The cold, desperate to survive, tried to disrupt this.
‘Just stay quiet and let me do my job!’
Like swinging my fist, I relentlessly tore into the cold.
As time passed by…
“…Phew…”
I could barely exhale, feeling the sensation wash over me as my eyes fluttered open.
“Ah.”
Gulp.
My hand brushed against my forehead, indicating something had dripped down.
My body was drenched in sweat.
“…”
I raised my hand slightly to take a look.
Hwaruk-!
Flames leaped from my palms, forming a small jade sphere, which I tossed onto the bare ground.
That diminutive jade flew off far and crashed into the ground.
KWA-BOOM!
Unexpectedly, it exploded with immense force, contradicting its size.
“Hmm.”
Seeing the ground flaring wildly from the explosion, I was finally able to confirm it.
My capacity for wagering had surpassed what I once was in my previous life.
Moreover…
“…it has reached the composition.”
This indicated that the deep lessons of the Nine Flames Fire Lun Gong had finished settling into my composition.
This could only mean one thing—
My level had finally breached the barriers of my former self.
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