NoveLight ™
"The audacity…"
Bang Ryunil, now little more than a charred and bloodied figure, groaned and spat curses through the acrid haze.
The underground chamber was a scene of utter devastation:
And within it, Bang Ryunil lay in a pathetic state, coughing up blood.
“This is madness! Was he trying to assassinate a direct descendant of the Grand Elder? No… it didn’t seem intentional…”
Cold sweat trickled down Soho’s back.
The man had claimed this device matched the power of the Thunderstrike Jade, hadn’t he?
“Whistle-worthy, huh? Works even better than I expected,” came Kalstein’s relaxed voice from behind her.
If this truly were as powerful as a Thunderstrike Jade, the scene wouldn’t have been this extreme. No, this far surpassed its destructive force.
“This… this exceeds the Thunderstrike Jade! What exactly did you do?!” Soho demanded.
“Oh, just a recent modification I tried out. Worked better than expected,” Kalstein replied, nonchalantly.
Modification? Did he… create this himself?
Soho’s eyes flickered with disbelief.
In terms of raw power, it was slightly below a Thunderstrike Jade. But the problem wasn’t just the power.
The shattered defensive artifacts, including the one Bang Ryunil had activated in desperation, were reduced to ash. Even the protective spell Soho had hastily deployed had been nearly nullified. Without it, Bang Ryunil would have been killed outright.
How could this be possible…?
The explosion had almost no traceable energy. Yet, her protective spell was almost entirely ineffective.
An explosion resistant to energy-based defenses?
Her defensive spell had been significantly weakened, an impossibility for most artifacts.
“This is insane…”
Kalstein’s cheerful tone broke through her thoughts.
“Well, lucky for him, he’s still alive.”
Lucky?
If Soho hadn’t acted quickly, Bang Ryunil would be dead—no doubt about it. A direct descendant of the Grand Elder, nearly killed in what could easily be seen as an experiment.
“Ha, ha, ha.”
Kalstein’s smug smile irritated her beyond measure. A vein throbbed visibly on Soho’s forehead.
“Y-you… bastard…”
The half-burned Bang Ryunil growled through his scorched lips, his rage palpable. Despite his pathetic condition, the fury in his gaze could have pierced steel.
His blackened body, barely clinging to life, trembled as he attempted to rise. He had clearly suffered severe injuries, some of which would likely leave lasting scars.
But this couldn’t continue—for Bang Ryunil’s sake, Maeyoung Pavilion’s reputation, and this enigmatic man’s own protection.
With a flick of her wrist, Soho launched a recovery pill into Bang Ryunil’s mouth.
“Ugh! Mmph—!”
“You’ll recover better if you’re unconscious.”
“Mm! Mmgh—ack…”
Thud.
Bang Ryunil collapsed, limp and silent.
Soho shook her head, her tone heavy.
“Maeyoung Pavilion does not involve itself in external disputes.”
“Of course,” Kalstein replied, his smirk unshaken.
His unbothered demeanor exuded a confidence that made further scolding feel meaningless.
Soho sighed internally. She couldn’t deny the benefits of maintaining a connection with someone like this.
A man capable of creating, modifying, and casually testing weapons surpassing the Thunderstrike Jade.
Annoying as his smug expression was, it came second to the lucrative potential of doing business with him.
“Well, let’s discuss this upstairs. If you have other artifacts, I’d be interested in seeing them.”
Despite her irritation, the unmistakable scent of immense profit emanated from the insufferable young man before her.
Maeyoung Pavilion thrived on pragmatic gain above all else.
***
Bang Ryunil was carried away, seething with fury, grinding his teeth as blood dripped from his lips.
“Haha. So, feeling a little better now?”
“…Are… are you talking to me?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you get smacked around last time?”
“….”
[That… that madman.]
Jang Ilhong’s expression was a mix of gratitude and awkward confusion, while the old master Goe Yu let out a long sigh.
“Are you sure about this? This is going to cause no small amount of trouble later…”
“I’m actually looking forward to it. Haha.”
[This one truly courts death at every turn.]
There was no way he could be killed on the spot; too many eyes were watching, and Maeyoung Pavilion’s rules were strict.
Even so, Soho flinched at Kalstein’s muttered words as he spoke to himself, seemingly without care for the consequences.
“…Haa.”
The manager of Maeyoung Pavilion also looked like he had aged several years in the span of a few moments.
“As I mentioned, this incident has nothing to do with Maeyoung Pavilion. You’ll have to deal with the aftermath yourself.”
Her authority and responsibility only extended within the bounds of the Pavilion.
“That’s exactly what I wanted.”
“….”
“But speaking of which…” Kalstein’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.
“What level is your cultivation?”
“…I cannot disclose that.”
“Hoho.”
There were certainly unique aspects to Maeyoung Pavilion. Kalstein idly tapped the armrest of his chair with his finger.
The manager, he thought, was likely the strongest cultivator he had encountered so far.
Though her exact level was unclear, her aura when she first appeared had been enough to make his skin prickle.
It was no wonder Bang Ryunil hadn’t dared to act recklessly despite his anger; her presence alone had likely restrained him.
Though, thanks to her intervention, that fool had escaped with his life.
“Anyway, you said you’re interested in selling artifacts in bulk? If they’re like the one you just demonstrated, we can buy them at the highest price.”
“Haha, the artifacts I want to sell in bulk are flight devices.”
“…Flight devices?”
“Yep.”
The subsequent transaction was swift and efficient.
The primary focus was on selling Skyboards, a relatively inexpensive model.
They were unloaded en masse, causing quite a stir among the staff.
The Skyboards were designed to be usable even by those with almost no energy reserves. While they had a limited operational time, exposure to sunlight was enough to recharge them.
A flight device that even low-level cultivators could use without exhausting their energy?
And it was all offered under an exclusive supply agreement.
Even the manager, typically composed, could not hide her astonishment.
In exchange, Kalstein secured a guarantee that his requests for materials would be prioritized.
He also sold a few high-density plasma compression grenades for good measure.
“Well, looks like I won’t have to worry about resources anymore,” Kalstein mused.
The Skyboards alone were enough to eliminate any financial concerns.
[You’ll be raking in spirit stones by the cartload. This… this is absurd.]
“Is this… even real?”
“The manager was easy to work with. If you need anything, let me know, okay?” Kalstein said with a sly grin.
“!!”
Jang Ilhong was overwhelmed with excitement, barely able to contain herself. Even the old master Goe Yu seemed pleased.
[You must acquire that item, whatever it takes!]
As part of the deal, Kalstein received a small antique from the eighth floor as compensation—a seemingly insignificant stone.
[Hmm… this is…]
Even the old master couldn’t identify it immediately, promising to examine it later.
“With the contract in place, let’s head back.”
Kalstein now had a steady supplier for materials to mass-produce artifacts and pills.
Of course, the pills weren’t for sale just yet. His immediate priority was producing cultivation-enhancing pills for personal use.
“For now, the Skyboards will keep the spirit stones flowing.”
The only downside? That arrogant lackey had sensed something was amiss and fled before Kalstein could deal with him.
Meanwhile, the girl Yu Yu had received an overwhelming reward.
Thanks to Kalstein’s transaction, her sales performance had skyrocketed.
As they left Maeyoung Pavilion, Yu Yu dashed out on her tiny legs and hugged Kalstein’s leg tightly, tears welling in her eyes.
“Thank you so much!”
“Aren’t you worried you’ll get in trouble?”
“Th-this much… the manager will surely understand!”
“Haha.”
Kalstein and his companions returned to their secluded stronghold through the hidden paths.
Now with a reliable trading partner, ample resources, and the guidance of the old master Goe Yu, Kalstein saw little reason to reappear in Huageum Gate.
“Time to train?”
“Train?”
For now, there was no need to venture out again.
Meanwhile, chaos erupted within Huageum Gate.
A disciple of the gate had severely injured a direct descendant of the Grand Elder?
The gate’s enforcement division was relentless in their search, but Kalstein was nowhere to be found.
And it wasn’t just the enforcement division searching for him.
Despite the widespread efforts, Kalstein remained elusive.
On the rare occasions he visited Maeyoung Pavilion, he used the concealment techniques taught by Goe Yu to move undetected.
And so, ten years passed.
***
"I'm back, Aria."
[Was your trip successful?]
"Of course. I'm on the verge of advancing to Determination Stage."
[Is that so?]
The Determination Stage—the rank following the Accumulation Stage and Condensation Stage.
Even reaching the Determination Stage was enough to walk with pride within the sect.
While the Condensation Stage was also respected, it was mostly associated with administrative roles that managed the sect's daily affairs.
But the Determination Stage was different.
It represented becoming a key force in the sect's power structure.
"Maeyoung Pavilion is gathering the necessary materials for my advancement, but it seems it won’t be an easy process."
Even though Maeyoung Pavilion was exceptional, it wasn't equipped to churn out Determination Stage cultivators at will.
"Anyway."
Until Maeyoung Pavilion delivered the materials required for his breakthrough, Kalstein had some time to spare.
"Hmm."
Kalstein hadn’t been exclusively immersed in the Celestial Alliance.
He periodically returned to check on the Galactic Empire’s affairs and oversee the operations of the Dimensional Integration Community.
The past few months had been particularly hectic for him.
"How’s the puppet technique coming along?"
[Its effectiveness is remarkable. It also works exceptionally well with the possession bodies.]
The techniques Kalstein had acquired were being thoroughly researched across various fields.
Among them, the puppet technique showed the most potential for broad applications.
[If the research concludes successfully, integrating the entire community shouldn’t be difficult.]
"Hahaha."
The plan was progressing steadily.
"Let’s see…"
Kalstein closed his eyes, focusing on the ether within his body.
Thrum—
The vast ocean of ether within him, akin to an infinite sea, rippled briefly.
Shhhhh—
But that was as far as it went.
There was a reaction, but it didn’t move as he intended.
"Hmm… It’s still hard to utilize in my main body."
The problem was the sheer magnitude of his ether.
Using it through a possession body posed no issues, but in his primary form, it required a higher-level technique to manage.
"Well, at least…"
The techniques he had learned in the Celestial Alliance weren’t entirely useless.
The methods he had acquired were being distributed to everyone in the World.
Of course, Aria’s assistance was invaluable in adapting and fine-tuning them for individual needs.
"How’s it working out?"
[It’s quite effective….]
The Martial Immortal Corps and the community’s transcendent beings had all become deeply invested in the ether cultivation techniques adapted from Celestial Alliance methods.
The result was obvious—their combat capabilities had skyrocketed.
Even the Sephiroth faction found itself hesitating to provoke them recklessly.
"And what about Prohydan?"
Unfortunately, the search for Prohydan remained fruitless.
[It’s possible they’ve already escaped the World.]
"Hmm… Can they be tracked?"
[The search is ongoing, but it will take time. There are still too many uncharted areas.]
The Sephiroth and monster factions within the World had undergone significant changes as well.
They were aggressively expanding their territories, gearing up for an all-out war.
"For now… expanding has been more advantageous than direct confrontation."
But that strategy wouldn’t hold forever.
"Is it time to properly take control of the World?"
[Master’s direct involvement will likely be necessary.]
Kalstein shook his head.
Retirement had once been his dream.
And yet, here he was, working harder than ever.
[By the way, Master.]
"Hm?"
Another issue?
[Bersia seems to have awakened.]
"Really? I guess I should check on them."
At least, for once, it wasn’t bad news.
Nice