Possessing Nothing

Chapter 215 – Forest of the Fairies (2)

Translated by : betterdays

Proofread by : Hogu

Lee Sungmin’s face turned completely blank. Sima Ryunju said that a weak dog would always bark the loudest.

The intention and reasoning behind the proverb was clear. However, it was Wijihoyeon who was being called a ‘weak dog’ as well.

Lee Sungmin asked with a trembling voice.

“……Wijihoyeon is…. Weak?”

“Huh?”

Sima Ryunju frowned as he looked at Lee Sungmin.

“Ah.”

Sima Ryunju chuckled as if he had realized something.

“You’re misunderstanding something. The curse of Qian Zun has been lifted. You killed Qian Zun, didn’t you?”

“……yes.”

“Of course. Thanks to you, Qian Zun’s curse has been lifted, and her condition has returned to a normal state.”

“Then what the hell are you talking about? Being weak and barking loudly? What does that have anything to do with Wijihoyeon?”

“It means exactly what I said it to be.”

Sima Ryunju turned around nodding his head to Lee Sungmin to follow him.

“The curse was lifted. That annoying brat asked me to spar to test her returned power the past few days.”

Sima Ryunju took the lead while strolling. Lee Sungmin listened to Sima Ryunju while watching the lion’s mane from his mask, swaying around Sima Ryunju’s shoulders.

“I spent three days playing around with the Minor Heavenly Demon. Are you curious about what the results were?”

“……I am.”

“Well, you’re no fool, are you? I already told you what happened. She was talking big about her abilities, however, she couldn’t even last 10 seconds against this old man.”

(T/N : Sima Ryunju and Heoju both have this old way of speaking where they refer to themselves as old men, just clarifying.)

Sima Ryunju spoke in a relaxed voice, and Lee Sungmin doubted what he heard.

Lee Sungmin stopped moving.

Ten seconds. It meant his idol, his goal from before he decided to see the pinnacle of martial arts, Wijihoyeon, did not even last 10 seconds against Sima Ryunju.

“…That must be a lie.”

“Is there any reason for me to lie? If you can’t even fathom it, try to meet the Minor Heavenly Demon and ask her yourself. I doubt she’ll want to explain what actually happened in those ten seconds about how she couldn’t even stand up and was coughing up bits of blood.”

Sima Ryunju grinned.

It was unbelievable for Lee Sungmin. Wijihoyeon was the Minor Heavenly Demon. The daughter of The Heavenly Demon himself! She was talented beyond belief and stronger than anybody in the same realm as her.

Of course, it’s not that Lee Sungmin did not meet stronger martial artists than Wijihoyeon. He had met Guan Zun, who was stronger than Qian Zun, and he had met a few of the 5 Black Stars in Predator, He had come across Arbeth, Volander, Geniella, The Mad King Juwon and even a former black star who was the former king of monsters, Henemy.

But he didn’t want to admit it. No matter how strong Sima Ryunju was, he couldn’t believe that Wijihoyeon could not even last 10 seconds against him.

“……I can’t believe it.”

“There is no need for me to convince yourself of the truth.”

Sima Ryunju raised his hand. As he caressed the air, the space he touched began to distort.

“This way.”

The space split and tore apart cleanly like a warp. It was a similar technique to what Yana had displayed in front of him at the City of Endless Night.

Sima Ryunju went through the gap in space, and despite hesitating, Lee Sungmin followed along.

As they moved through the gap in space, in front of Lee Sungmin was still forestry, but it was far different from the forest where Lee Sungmin was just before.

The trees were higher, greener, more lush, and beautiful flowers were blooming everywhere with rich and abundant, natural life energy.

Lee Sungmin, who was breathing unconsciously, was surprised. The amount of natural energy was purifying some of his breathing technique’s missed circuitry flows. This was the breathing technique he was using to suppress losing his humanity. It was a huge boon for Lee Sungmin.

Lee Sungmin looked around in embarrassment.

“This is the true Forest of the Fairies. It’s a place not accessible to just anyone.”

Sima Ryunju said with a smile.

“You still suspect that the Minor Heavenly Demon did not suffer defeat to these hands? Why do you think that? Is it because you’re some altruistic warrior who knows the ways of the world or something?”

“She, the Minor Heavenly Demon…No… Wijihoyeon is strong. She’s a genius with more talent than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

“The Minor Heavenly Demon fought against Qian Zun and fought him to a draw. But she didn’t even come out of the draw victorious as she was cursed. Despite being in the Peak Realm and having such a feat, of course it’s an understatement to say she’s talented. Of course, The Minor Heavenly Demon is still young, so she can be much stronger in the near future.”

Sima Ryunju said with a big smile.

“But right now she only amounts to that much. And it’s laughable to say that she’s a genius with more talent than anyone else. I admit her excellent talent for martial arts. But you shouldn’t say things like that so easily. This old man is much stronger and talented than she is when I was her age.”

“That’s….”, Lee Sungmin struggled to refute him.

“And-“

Sima Ryunju turned around.

“Do you remember what you said last time?”

“What?”

“Later, if I didn’t keep my promise, You’d try and ‘kill me’ no matter what.”

“What…that…”

It was time for Lee Sungmin to answer back, but he was speechless.

Sima Ryunju disappeared.

The movement of Sima Ryunju was so covert and swift that Lee Sungmin could not even begin to comprehend when Sima Ryunju had disappeared. As Lee Sungmin was embarrassed and tried to look around for Sima Ryunju…

Bang!

With a loud sound, Lee Sungmin felt a pain as if his hips were being torn.

The searing pain and image of his body flying upwards came to mind. Lee Sungmin’s body, which rose to the sky, fell to the floor.

In his two lives thus far, Lee Sungmin had felt several and innumerable forms of pain, and he could be confident that he had become somewhat resistant to pain. But not now.

There was no time to even coat himself in internal energy to serve as a barrier. The black heart, which started to react when he was in dangerous situations inside of his body, did not even come up with a reaction either.

Lee Sungmin groaned while holding his butt, which was burning and throbbing like he had just gotten spanked, with both hands.

It was the first time in his life that he was hit on the butt this hard.

“Raise yourself.”

Sima Ryunju stood with his hands behind his back calmly. He glanced down at Lee Sungmin, who was lying down with his hands covering his bum.

“This old man is stronger than you, and greater in knowledge than you. So isn’t it natural for me to defend my honor if you threaten me?”

“Oh, my God…!”

“Shush. You’re annoying to listen to. Do you want to get hit again?”

Sima Ryunju raised his right hand and shook it. When Lee Sungmin saw it, he shut his mouth with a crumpled facial expression.

It was an obvious choice between whether he wanted to get hit again or not.

“……no……”

“Yeah. That’s the way it should be.”(T/N : Such a dominatrix lmaooo)

Sima Ryunju spoke in a pleased voice.

Lee Sungmin raised himself by rubbing his burning butt with his hands. In Lee Sungmin’s head, Heoju wasn’t only laughing but cackling at how much of a fool Lee Sungmin was made by Sima Ryunju.

‘What… how can one person be so fast……?’

Lee Sungmin chewed on his lower lip. Lee Sungmin had finally entered the Transcendent Realm and felt genuinely confident in his strength these days… maybe even a little arrogant, but he could not grasp the movement of Sima Ryunju.

Lee Sungmin followed behind Sima Ryunju, who started walking again while touching his sore butt with his hands.

“When you killed Qian Zun, didn’t another one of the Six Divinities intervene?”

“……I met the swordmaster, Guan Zun.”

“Seeing that you are alive, it seems that both Guan Zun and Qian Zun are dead.”

“Yes.”

“Hm, so how was the fight against Guan Zun?”

Sima Ryunju asked with a genuine smile as if Lee Sungmin had finally said something worth talking about. Lee Sungmin answered honestly.

“He… Was strong.”

“But, he must have died because he was weaker than you. If Qian Zun and Guan Zun are dead…… there are only four of them left.”

A small group of glittering lights flew to Sima Ryunju.

Lee Sungmin opened his eyes wide as he noticed tiny fairies flapping their wings in the light.

Even though he had heard several stories about fairies, it was his first time seeing them in person.

“Ryunju, Ryunju. Are you bringing a guest again?”

The fairies sat on the shoulders of Sima Ryunju and chattered endlessly. Sima Ryunju left the voices of such fairies alone and continued to talk.

“Congratulations on entering the Realm of Transcendence. You’ve just started to learn how to walk.”

“Walk?”

“Yes, baby steps. Just as there is a threshold at the very pinnacle of the Peak Realm, there is a threshold within the Realm of Transcendence. From the perspective of this old man, your skills are only enough to be called learning to walk. But your strength is still better than the Minor Heavenly Demon’s.”

“……what do you mean by that?”

“It means that you are stronger than the Minor Heavenly Demon right now.”

Lee Sungmin stopped walking.

He glared at the back of Sima Ryunju, which was strolling in front of him with patient steps.

Sima Ryunju, who paced a few more steps, stopped moving and looked back when Lee Sungmin did not move further.

“………I’m stronger than Wijihoyeon?”

“Yes, if you’re to be considered learning how to walk, then she is learning how to crawl right now…Something like that, but you’re both children in the eyes of this old man.”

“I can’t believe you.”

“You’re such a stubborn bastard.”

Sima Ryunju laughed in vain at Lee Sungmin’s answer.

“Why are you being such an idiot when you, yourself, know the extent of your skills? The Minor Heavenly Demon has not been able to last even ten seconds against this old man, but you should be able to at least endure ten seconds against me. Probably around 15 seconds? What the hell do you take me for when I’ve measured both your strength clearly with my own two eyes? Do you find this old man to be delusional when I say you’re both weaker than a child?”

“Neither me, nor Wijihoyeon, is weak.”

“You’re not weak. But you’re not strong either. You’re…… very strange. Did you learn your martial arts from the Minor Heavenly Demon? Or is it because she is your goal, your yearning and your ideal that you did not expect to surpass?”

Sima Ryunju asked with a chuckle. Lee Sungmin’s lips trembled at the words.

He wanted to refute Sima Ryunju, but Lee Sungmin couldn’t come up with any words.

Because Sima Ryunju was right. Wijihoyeon was one of Lee Sungmin’s goals, she was his wall, his strength and also his ideals.

Most of the martial arts that Lee Sungmin learned were taught to him directly by Wijihoyeon, and his Nine Heavenly Spear Techniques was created by her.

“Is it unacceptable to you that the Minor Heavenly Demon, your goal, your former wall, your ideal, is now weaker than you?”

Sima Ryunju asked once more. Lee Sungmin still did not answer. Sima Ryunju laughed at Lee Sungmin’s stubbornness.

“That’s a funny guy. Why did you aim for her? Do you want to be like her? Do you not want to become your own person? Is it frustrating that the person you have admired for so long is now worse than you? Do you have no balls as a man?”

“……that’s….”

“Don’t get me wrong, kid. Just because you are stronger than The Minor Heavenly Demon right now, doesn’t mean you will be stronger than her forever. As long as you don’t take the initiative in training, The Minor Heavenly Demon will distance herself from you again once more and surpass you.”

At those words, Lee Sungmin felt relieved. He didn’t want to be so weak that he could not be with Wijihoeyon. He wanted to travel with her when they were in Genavis, but he was left behind because he was too weak. He could acknowledge his strength if it meant not losing her once more.

Whoosh-

Sima Ryunju suddenly vanished and reappeared right in front of Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin stepped back in surprise as Sima Ryunju’s eyes narrowed through the eyes of the mask as if he was inspecting Lee Sungmin and scrutinizing over something.

“Kid.”

Sima Ryunju opened his mouth.

“You were relieved to hear the words of this old man just now. You only believed and accepted my words that you were clearly stronger than the Minor Heavenly Demon when I said you would be left behind if you didn’t.”

“Is it… is it wrong?”

“You were not in the least pleased that you had surpassed your goal, and even acknowledge that you were in a higher position than The Minor Heavenly Demon until I spoke those words.”

Sima Ryunju’s voice cooled down.

“What the hell do you want to do with yourself? Why is it that everyone who reaches the Realm of Transcendence feels as if they are gods and get complacent? Why are they so stubborn and complacent and give up their goals because they believe they are simply ‘strong enough’?”

A fierce spirit rose from the Sima Ryunju. The fairies, who were hovering around Sima Ryunju’s shoulders, shook and trembled with their flinching bodies.

“Do you want to be satisfied with your simple and small accomplishment? Are you satisfied that you met your goal and ideals, but knowing she’ll surpass you with a higher goal than what you have and then leave you behind once more?”

“……no.”

Lee Sungmin squeezed out his voice. No, it was true that he had aimed for Wijihoyeon, in the back of his mind.

However, that was not the only way to reach his final goal of seeing the end of martial arts. He was strong, he felt like he had finally found purpose with his own spear after fighting for so long and meeting so many new people and places. He wanted to see it with his own two eyes. Just how far he could go.

“It’s just…… I’m just surprised… Because the Wijihoyeon I’ve known has always been stronger than I.”

“If you were content and willing to enjoy being under the Minor Heavenly Demon forever, this old man was going to kill you here and now.”

The fierce spirit subsided peacefully as if it was all a lie.

“If you are to become a disciple of this old man, you must be the best in the world. If you lack the drive and passion to be so, then you should just drop dead. Don’t you know, that even if we are not able to claim we are the best or strongest right now, we should always know that we shall achieve those dreams and goals as long as we work towards them in earnest.”

Sima Ryunju said so and turned around with a jerking motion.

Lee Sungmin, who was listening to the solemn words, realized that something was strange.

“Wait.”

“What is it this time, brat?”

Sima Ryunju stopped walking once more and asked Lee Sungmin in an annoyed voice.

“A disciple of you…? What do you mean? Why are you saying that to me?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you.”

Sima Ryunju laughed in vain.

“I intend to make you my disciple.”