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Chapter 835: Side Story - Being Ban Ta's Disciple (4)
After Ban Ta's appearance changed,
Makli Hyun-ah truly lived in enormous chaos.
Ever since feminizing, Ban Ta followed all of Makli Hyun-ah's schedules every single day.
Whether he ate, took care of business, or even slept together with Ahn Geum, he came under the blanket with him and made him review what he taught that day.
His understanding of cultivation has been rising quickly...but Makli Hyun-ah feels like he is going crazy.
But there is someone who seems even more likely to go crazy than Makli Hyun-ah.
It is Ahn Geum.
She looks like she is about to lose her mind from Ban Ta's groundbreaking lunacy.
"Even when we eat, when we take care of business, when we wash, even when we sleep, he follows us into the blanket and keeps whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper-ing... Is that a Sacred Master!? It's an evil spirit!!"
"...D-Don't scold M-Master too much..."
While Ban Ta suppresses another rebellion, Makli Hyun-ah stops Ahn Geum, who is pouring out harsh trash talk at him.
Ahn Geum speaks with a face that says she is furious.
"What kind of nonsense is that? No matter how much he's your master or your parent, does it seem normal to you to follow you into the blanket and whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper in your ear, saying he's making you review what you learned today!?"
"Still, Master is Master..."
"You keep saying nonsense... Hey, wait a second."
Ahn Geum suddenly stares hard into Makli Hyun-ah's eyes and turns serious.
"...Hey. Don't tell me... No, right?"
"..."
"Ah, please... Tell me it's not true..."
Ahn Geum lets out a sigh and looks up at the sky, and Makli Hyun-ah can't help but blush.
Makli Hyun-ah has fallen in love with three people in his life.
His first love was Makli Hyun-ah's older sister, Lee Seo-ah.
Until Lee Seo-ah, in third grade of elementary school, went to a kendo academy and said she is going to practice what she learned, then beat him with an umbrella like she is beating a dog on the hottest day, Makli Hyun-ah truly loved Lee Seo-ah.
His second love was Ji Hwa, the guild master of the Loot Farming Heavenly Lord Guild that he joined while playing games.
He fell in love at first sight when he saw the photo posted on her SNS.
Until Ji Hwa hit him with a truck, he truly loved her.
And his third love...
He only managed to discover it after coming to the Purple Gold Realm.
Makli Hyun-ah, with his face reddened, clears his throat and shakes his head.
"What are you talking about? There's no way I like Master. Chivalry is dead!"
He discovered Ban Ta's new appearance and fell in love.
Seeing Makli Hyun-ah's face and eyes like that, Ahn Geum looks at him with eyes mixed full of emotions like he's pathetic, pitiable, disgusting, miserable, and pitiful.
"What is it that you like so much? Is it the face? Ah, well, the figure is good too, sure."
"I'm telling you it's not! What are you talking about!?"
"You liked the guild master too, didn't you?"
"No! Not at all!"
"If the face is pretty, you fall right away. Hm, no, more than that, the guild master and the Sacred Master have some kind of a similar feel... Is it just your type? Do you like strong women?"
"I'm telling you it's not!!!"
"Thinking about it, Lee Seo-ah had that kind of feel too. Did your older sister influence you and give you that taste? Well, even now you're holding hands with me because you're trying to find your older sister... You really liked your older sister a lot since you were little, didn't you?"
"Don't make me into some weirdo!! I said no!!"
Makli Hyun-ah screams as if he is wronged, and Ahn Geum speaks while picking her ear as if it is noisy.
"Well, since it's come to this, there's nothing we can do. Sacred Master Ban Ta is going to keep following us around, and you also look like you have no intention of stopping it somehow because you like Sacred Master Ban Ta following you around... No matter what I do, it won't mean much. I'll wait for your realm to rise, and during Axis Foundation Practice I'll take you around with me and examine your body."
"Do whatever you want."
Makli Hyun-ah turns his head away from Ahn Geum for no reason, with the feeling that she has found out his secret.
But Ahn Geum grabs his chin, turns it back, and smiles.
"It's not something that works just because I do whatever I want. It's only possible when you quickly cross the Heavenly Being stage and rise to the realm that corresponds to the Four-Axis stage."
"Why are you grabbing my chin...? No, more than that, I also want to reach the level of the Four-Axis stage as soon as possible! But Master says that before I raise my realm to the Four-Axis stage, I must break through not with social authority through people, but by sensing the Plane of Soul myself, converting the power of the soul into authority power, and only then breaking through the realm—so what am I supposed to do!?"
"Hmph, so dull. Do you still not know why your master Sacred Master Ban Ta leaves me, who tried to kidnap you, even though we are engaged, right by your side without placing any constraints or restriction spells on me?"
"Uh, uhh?"
Ahn Geum grabs Makli Hyun-ah's chin, forcefully presses her lips to his, and blows an enormous amount of ghostly energy into him through her mouth.
"Mmph, mmph!"
When an overwhelming amount of ghostly energy is injected all at once, the whites of Makli Hyun-ah's eyes turn black and his pupils turn white, becoming reversed.
At the same time, his lips, fingernails, and toenails also stain black.
"Puha!"
Only after she blows ghostly energy into Makli Hyun-ah up to a limit he absolutely cannot endure does she finally pull her lips away.
Makli Hyun-ah, with his face reddened, rubs his own lips.
"Digest it and convert it into social power. It's going to increase your growth speed."
"Y-You..."
"If you and I stay stuck together, I can blow in ghostly energy that straddles the Plane of Soul and accelerate your growth speed, so that's why he doesn't put any constraints on me. Digest it as soon as possible and convert it into social power. That way your realm rises, I can use cultivation as an excuse to take you around and investigate you, and you can save your older sister too. Isn't that right?"
"..."
Makli Hyun-ah blushes and nods.
"...Okay."
It is a somewhat embarrassing method, but,
In any case, it is something that is necessary in the process of Makli Hyun-ah saving his family.
Thus, from that day on, he moves forward, cooperating with Ahn Geum while continuously converting ghostly energy into social power.
***
A few months pass.
Makli Hyun-ah, together with Ahn Geum, is called to Ban Ta Castle's Ban Ta Hall where Ban Ta handles his work, and he hears shocking news.
"Uh...pardon...?"
"Wh-What did you say?"
Ahn Geum also seems just as shocked, blinking along as she listens to Ban Ta's words.
Ban Ta looks at the two and clicks his tongue.
"What do you mean, what? Since the preparations to reach the Four-Axis stage are complete, I'm telling you to go out to other Middle Realms and do Axis Foundation Practice."
"Does that mean...you are saying I may take Makli Hyun-ah outside the Purple Gold Realm?"
Ahn Geum asks again, as if she didn't expect Ban Ta to let Makli Hyun-ah go to other Middle Realms.
"Of course I am uneasy about you. You Radiance Hall believer brat has a record of trying to kidnap my disciple. But recently an annoying existence began stirring, trying to revive, and even a True Immortal called the Owner of the Antimatter Sea is sending a strange sign. Because of that, it's become a bit hard for me to pay attention to Hyun-ah. On top of that, after the God of Heavenly Punishment died, the Heavenly Tribulation stopped being controlled and has become far stronger than in the mythic age 40 billion years ago. You know that too, right?"
"Yes, I have read about it in the myth records."
"Right. And if there is someone helping, the Heavenly Tribulation itself becomes stronger. And cultivators belonging to Ban Ta Castle are influenced by the altruism inherent in my very existence, and that itself is treated as Immortal Art, so they are unconditionally treated as 'receiving my help.' Meaning inside the Purple Gold Realm, the Heavenly Tribulation unconditionally becomes stronger."
Ban Ta continues while looking at Makli Hyun-ah and Ahn Geum.
"For that reason. Even though you feel uneasy, for my disciple's sake, I permit you to go around to Middle Realms such as Vast Cold, Nether Ghost, Ancient Force, and the True Devil Realm for Axis Foundation Practice."
"...Are you not afraid that I will receive help from a True Immortal and kidnap Hyun-ah again?"
"Hmph, try it. I have already taken measures."
Snap!
When Ban Ta snaps his fingers, Makli Hyun-ah is already moved to the seat beside Ban Ta.
"Uh, what is this...huh!?"
However, Makli Hyun-ah realizes that it is not that he moved to Ban Ta's side, but that only his spirit was dragged straight over to Ban Ta's side in an instant.
"I have already planted my mark. If those other True Immortals try to kidnap my disciple recklessly, I made it so I can immediately summon my disciple's soul to the Purple Gold Realm. With the authority of the Purple Gold Realm Sacred Master, I can increase something like the number of revivals of a Four-Axis stage cultivator to infinity, so whenever my disciple suffers a major mishap, I can just summon only the soul and revive him in the Purple Gold Realm."
"Thorough."
"It concerns my disciple, so of course. And through this, every night when Hyun-ah falls asleep, I will summon my disciple's soul and give supplemental lessons, such as cultivation guidance."
"Heheok!"
Makli Hyun-ah goes blank.
Before, he could at least sleep, but from now on he won't even be able to sleep.
Still, Ahn Geum does not seem to care and nods.
"Well, do as you please on that point. As long as you guarantee time alone for the two of us, whatever."
"Good. Then start with raising your realm right away, and prepare to move to other Middle Realms immediately!"
"Y-Yes? Pardon?"
Makli Hyun-ah blinks at the sudden change, but nothing changes.
After a while, he boards Ahn Geum's Nether Crossing Ship and moves to the Mind Domain among the eight regions of the Purple Gold Realm, a place from which he can move to other Middle Realms.
Kugugugu!
On the Nether Crossing Ship, besides Ahn Geum and Makli Hyun-ah, a few more people also board.
They are the Qi Building stage attendants Ban Ta attached to Makli Hyun-ah, and Makli Cheon-sa, who has recently completed Heaven and Earth Unity and advanced to the Integration stage.
"You don't have to follow along."
"I am also going as Hyun-ah's guardian and your monitor. Inside my body, a single strand of the Sacred Master's split soul resides. In a distant dimension where the Purple Gold Realm's principle does not reach, if you try to kidnap Hyun-ah to another Heavenly Domain, the Sacred Master will immediately descend into me and punish you."
"That's scary. Sorry, but that is not going to happen, so please don't just interfere with my time with Hyun-ah."
"As long as you don't do anything suspicious."
Makli Cheon-sa, who follows along as Makli Hyun-ah's guardian and Ahn Geum's monitor, sits on the Nether Crossing Ship and prepares to help Makli Hyun-ah with his Heavenly Tribulation that is about to arrive.
Wo-woong!
In one part of the Mind Domain, where sacred flower pollen blooms in full and makes it look like a Peach Garden Paradise, a dimensional gate to another Middle Realm opens.
Ahn Geum pilots the Nether Crossing Ship and flies into the dimensional gate with the others, then speaks to Makli Hyun-ah.
"Start the Four-Axis stage advancement the moment we leave the Purple Gold Realm. If you advance after arriving in another Middle Realm for no reason, the Heavenly Tribulation could get weirdly tangled because of other energies."
"Hmph, I know too, so don't worry."
Makli Hyun-ah sits in a lotus position and prepares to advance, and Ahn Geum watches him for a moment, then quickly controls the Nether Crossing Ship and goes out beyond the Purple Gold Realm's boundary.
And in the next moment,
Tsuaaaaat!
In a strange world also called Avīci, Makli Hyun-ah, Makli Cheon-sa, and Ahn Geum's group can see a lone figure.
Waiting with a glass-colored Three Great Ultimates floating behind her, she is none other than Makli Hyun-ah's older sister, Lee Seo-ah.
With an expression twisted like an evil spirit, she glares at Ahn Geum and speaks.
"Where are you trying to go? Are you daring to try to kidnap my younger brother to Radiance Heaven again!?"
"Hmph, ridiculous. I'm just going to do Axis Foundation Practice with Ban Ta's approval."
"You? With Ban Ta's approval? What did you give Ban Ta?"
"Well, I didn't really give Ban Ta anything. Because..."
As if she is teasing, Ahn Geum shrugs, walks up to Makli Hyun-ah's side as he prepares to advance, and smiles slyly.
"We got engaged."
"...What?"
Lee Seo-ah stares at the two with a stupid look, and Ahn Geum covers Makli Hyun-ah's mouth as if to block what he is about to say, then speaks to Lee Seo-ah.
"Since the engaged couple is going on a honeymoon...don't worry about it anymore and get lost. He's mine now."
"...You...you bitch..."
Bbudududuk...
Lee Seo-ah's complexion starts turning stark white.
At the sight of her looking as if the blood drained from her face from sheer rage, Makli Hyun-ah's knees start going weak.
He knows very well what happens when his older sister makes that expression.
'Wait, don't cover my mouth! I have to explain to Noona!'
"Mmph, mmphmphomph!"
But Ahn Geum, as if she found something amusing, clamps down even harder on Makli Hyun-ah's mouth and makes a villain-like smile.
Seeing that smile, Lee Seo-ah shouts in a voice brimming with fury.
"Don't talk about Hyun-ah...like he's an object!!"
"Ahaha, 'don't talk about him like he's an object'?"
Ahn Geum sneers even more, then grabs Makli Hyun-ah's chin and, right in front of Lee Seo-ah, forcefully kisses him again.
Through her mouth, powerful ghostly energy enters Makli Hyun-ah once again.
His eyes turn reversed again.
That sight looks as if Makli Hyun-ah is being contaminated by Ahn Geum's ghostly energy.
'Ah...this is bad.'
Makli Hyun-ah feels as if he hears, right by his ear, the hallucinated sound of Lee Seo-ah's last thread of reason snapping.
"You have enough energy, right? Now start advancing. From now on, we're entering a dimensional leap."
Kurung, kururung!
Makli Hyun-ah tries to shout something, but after he sees Lee Seo-ah's eyes, he decides to quickly advance to the Four-Axis stage and raise his realm first, and then explain it to Lee Seo-ah.
'Right now, Noona is blind with rage and can't see anything. So I shouldn't provoke her more for no reason. It's faster to prove that this wasn't something forced on me, but a kiss that helps me!'
Kurururung!
Dark storm clouds rise above Makli Hyun-ah and the Nether Crossing Ship.
Right after, Makli Hyun-ah feels raindrops falling.
"Rain? The form of the Heavenly Tribulation?"
The Confucian Family Method's Heavenly Tribulation usually comes in the form of a disaster, but when it is in a state where it is not easy for any disaster to hit, the disaster simply assumes a Transformation form and strikes the target directly.
And the Confucian Family Method's Heavenly Tribulation, after taking a Transformation form, is [Black Rain].
Among Makli Cheon-sa, the Rabbit Seven Heavenly Lords, and Badger, who decide to stand as Law Protector while Makli Hyun-ah takes the Heavenly Tribulation—
Badger opens her mouth.
"From what I hear, the Heavenly Tribulation of each cultivation system falls in the shape that the one who created that cultivation system fears the most. For the one who made the Immortal Family, the most terrifying is Heavenly Lightning, the embodiment of connection...and for the Mountain Divine Spirit who made the Confucian Family Method...maybe something in the form of [Black Rain] is what they fear the most."
"Hooh...that is an interesting bit of common knowledge."
Swaaaaaaaa!
Makli Hyun-ah begins to be struck by the Heavenly Tribulation.
The black rain falling from inside the black storm clouds gradually grows more numerous, and it grows stronger as time passes.
It looks as if a [Black Sky] itself is falling down onto Makli Hyun-ah.
'Kuuuuugh!'
And as she watches Makli Hyun-ah take the Heavenly Tribulation, Lee Seo-ah goes berserk.
"Making my little brother...take Heavenly Tribulation in this theoretically unstable Avici that isn't even inside the boundary!? You...I can't forgive you...I can't forgive you!"
"Sorry, but then what can you even do?"
Ahn Geum sneers at Lee Seo-ah and launches the Nether Crossing Ship.
"If it's inside the Purple Gold Realm like last time, maybe, but if it's outside, the Nether Crossing Ship's dimensional leap is much faster, you know? Then, bye!"
Flash!
The Nether Crossing Ship kindles ghost fire and begins to leap toward a distant dimension, and Ahn Geum knows that unless one is at the Star Shattering stage, a human body can never chase down the Nether Crossing Ship.
Even if someone is a Three Great Ultimates cultivator, there is still a limit.
It is just when she thinks that.
"...!"
Kwagwagwang!
During the dimensional leap,
She is horrified as she sees Lee Seo-ah catch up to the Nether Crossing Ship.
"Wh-What the!? How did you follow...?"
And soon she realizes.
'Damn, did I tease her too much...?'
Clang, clang...
Lee Seo-ah's shadow has turned into dozens of chains.
"Come. O Owner of Obsidian Chains. Borrow my body, and..."
Kadududuk!
Something begins to cover Lee Seo-ah's body.
"Slaughter the slave of light and save my younger brother!"
From beyond a far-off dimension.
The True Immortal called the Owner of Obsidian Chains begins to cover Lee Seo-ah's body.
"Damn it, damn it!"
Ahn Geum breaks into a cold sweat and accelerates the Nether Crossing Ship's leap even more, but Lee Seo-ah, who borrows a True Immortal's power and clings to the Nether Crossing Ship, does not come off easily.
And soon, covered in dozens of chains, she lets out a monstrous scream with the Three Great Ultimates floating behind her back.
: : You called well. This Star Lord will purify the slaves of light... : :
A bizarre voice begins to echo between the obsidian chains, and just when Ahn Geum is seized by fear,
Clang!
The shoulder of the being called the Owner of Obsidian Chains is grabbed by someone.
: : What...? : :
"Up to here, it is still right in front of the Purple Gold Realm, you know?"
Perhaps because a male form is more suitable for battle, Ban Ta, who changed his appearance back into a male Transformation form, has already chased after them and is pulling at the True Immortal that descended upon Lee Seo-ah.
"Do not bully my disciple. It would be good if you got lost, right now. A mere split soul can't deal with me!"
Kwaaaaaang!
Ban Ta finishes speaking, then pulls the Owner of Obsidian Chains in and separates them from Ahn Geum's Nether Crossing Ship.
With relief mixed into her gaze, Ahn Geum does not even look back and quickly launches the Nether Crossing Ship toward the next Middle Realm.
: : Ahahahahaha! : :
Left behind in one part of Avīci with Ban Ta, the Owner of Obsidian Chains laughs heartedly.
: : Rather, how do you intend to do anything to me in Avīci which is not even the Purple Gold Realm? Ban Ta, if it is you at your peak then perhaps, but...with your lifespan nearly spent, and you forcing yourself awake during your dormancy period, you can not defeat this Star Lord. : :
Kiiiiing—
The Owner of Obsidian Chains.
Behind their back, the glass-colored Three Great Ultimates that Lee Seo-ah created begins to shine brilliantly and illuminate Ban Ta.
That Three Great Ultimates grows larger than what Lee Seo-ah called forth, and soon it rotates as if it is large enough to swallow Heaven and Earth.
: : Moreover, this descent body practices the Three Great Ultimates, and inherited the will of the Lord. As I am now, limited to a short battle, I can bring out power at the level of an Upper Immortal. : :
All of Avīci shakes, and the world seems to hum.
Immediately after, with a single palm thrown by the Owner of Obsidian Chains, Ban Ta is flung straight beyond the distant Avīci.
Kwagwagwang!
: : Pitiable being. You should set down your greed and make good use of the opportunities the Lord granted you. The Lord has already given you dozens of opportunities... : :
After finishing their words, the Owner of Obsidian Chains turns around and reaches out their hand to chase the Nether Crossing Ship.
It is then,
Kwagwagwang!
From behind, a purple fist comes flying in, and the Owner of Obsidian Chains is knocked back again as far as Ban Ta was flung, spitting blood through Lee Seo-ah's body.
: : What...? : :
As they quickly steady themselves, what they see is Ban Ta, floating something behind his back from the spot where they were standing.
"Three Great Ultimates? So what?"
Kiiiiiing!
The purple in Ban Ta's eyes begins to blaze even more fiercely.
The Owner of Obsidian Chains opens their eyes wide.
"You little punk...I have been at the Sacred Vessel stage since before you were even born. How dare the likes of you look down on me?"
Kiiiiiing!
Behind Ban Ta's back.
A gigantic purple Three Great Ultimates is spinning.
Ban Ta's inherent authority.
Purple Three Great Ultimates.
"Today, I will teach you manners."
Seeing his disciple off on the road to finishing a cultivation that is both long and short...
Ban Ta charges at the True Immortal for his disciple.