Behind Yeon Woo Jin’s radiant smile, it was as if light itself was blazing outward.Only then did she understand.Why Yeo Hwarin had called this man a Divine Being.Holy Abbess Seongmo, who had been caressing the peaceful face of her sleeping disciple, turned to Yeon Woo Jin with words of gratitude.“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to see my disciple sleep peacefully for the first time in a very long while.”“I’ve only temporarily suppressed her power. By tomorrow, the same thing will happen again.”“Then what must be done? Please tell me the method.”Yeon Woo Jin fell into thought.This time, the phoenix’s energy was far too strong.On top of that, it had awakened forcibly, and her body hadn’t even gone through its proper awakening—meaning it was currently in a state of extreme rage.If he personally subdued it, it would stay obedient, but only while he was by her side.This girl needed to completely make the phoenix’s energy her own.It was similar to what the Azure Dragon Physique had gone through—but even more difficult.Myung Cheon, who possessed the Azure Dragon Physique, had at least been aware of the Azure Dragon’s energy and was making an effort to claim it as his own. This one, however, seemed to have no awareness of it at all.In such a case, the body and the phoenix’s energy could not harmonize, preventing the proper manifestation of power—and at any moment, an outburst like the one earlier could occur.So first, she needed a period to become aware of the phoenix’s energy and adapt to it.“Hm… This one will take quite some time.”The first step was to calm the enraged phoenix’s energy.After that, within a set period, her body would need to reach the level of awakening that would satisfy the phoenix’s energy.Yeon Woo Jin addressed Holy Abbess Seongmo.“I’ll need to stay here for a few days. Will you allow that?”“…What?”“I’ve heard this place is a forbidden zone.”“Ah! Of course! Not just for a few days—stay as long as you wish. Please, just save my disciple.”“Understood. Then I’ll be making use of this place.”“Yes! Is there anything else you need?”“Food. Roughly… enough for about four months.”“Four months?”“Yes. That’s about how long it’ll take to completely set things right.”Holy Abbess Seongmo nodded at his words.“I understand. I’ll give orders to have it prepared immediately.”He then spoke to Yeo Hwarin.“I’ll need your help by my side. Since she’s a woman, I’ll need assistance.”Yeo Hwarin smiled and nodded.“Give the word at any time. I only follow my lord’s will.”Then Holy Abbess Seongmo spoke.“I will help as well. I am her master—my assistance will be of even greater use.”Yeon Woo Jin studied her for a moment, then nodded.“Good. I also needed to pass on the Annihilation Sword Art to you. We can do that at the same time.”At his words, Holy Abbess Seongmo recalled what Yeo Hwarin had told her—That Yeon Woo Jin had come here to pass on the Annihilation Sword Art.But what was this about ‘doing something together’?Seeing her curiosity, Yeon Woo Jin said,“I’ll personally transmit the Annihilation Sword Art to you.”“…What? Y-you mean, not just giving me the manual?”“No, I’ll give you the manual as well. But since learning from a manual takes time, I’ll also teach you directly.”“You’ve mastered the Annihilation Sword Art?”“Yes.”“With a man’s body, that shouldn’t have been easy.”Before he could reply, Yeo Hwarin laughed.“There is no martial art my lord cannot master. He has even learned the Bingbaek Divine Art of the Northern Sea—why wouldn’t he master the Annihilation Sword Art?”To think he had mastered the Bingbaek Divine Art, known as the pinnacle of Yin Cold Inner Arts.Then mastering the Annihilation Sword Art would not have been too difficult for him.Holy Abbess Seongmo assumed Yeon Woo Jin must possess an unusually strong Yin energy for a man.But that was a grave misunderstanding.He had already reached the pinnacle of all energies within the Five Elements.Though she felt a twinge of displeasure at him having mastered the Annihilation Sword Art, she had expected as much—after all, Martial Deity Heaven possessed the manual.And she was curious.Just how far his mastery of the Annihilation Sword Art went. ****Holy Abbess Seongmo’s disciple, Hye Seon, regained consciousness.“Master?”“Yes, are you awake?”“Yes. Where is this?”“The Forbidden Grounds.”“Ah…”While answering, Hye Seon suddenly exclaimed,“I don’t hurt anymore. Am I cured?”Holy Abbess Seongmo shook her head.“No. We’re only about to begin the treatment. And it will not be an easy process.”Hearing her master’s worried tone, Hye Seon smiled.“It’s fine, Master. That means I can be cured, doesn’t it?”Holy Abbess Seongmo nodded.“Then that’s enough. If I can be cured, I can endure any pain.”“…I’m sorry. It was my own foolish ambition that drove you into such suffering.”“No, Master. You did it all for me. I truly am fine.”Such a kind child.To think she had subjected her to such pain…She barely held back her tears—if she cried here, her disciple would only worry.“Thank you for thinking that way. Don’t worry. I will make sure you no longer suffer.”“Yes.”When their conversation ended, Yeon Woo Jin stepped forward.“Shall we begin?”“…Who is this person?”At Hye Seon’s question, Holy Abbess Seongmo replied,“He is the one who will heal you.”Hye Seon immediately rose and bowed politely.“Benefactor, I place myself in your hands.”Yeon Woo Jin grinned.“Don’t worry. From now on, I’ll make sure you’ll never be in pain again.” ****Yeon Woo Jin began strengthening Hye Seon’s body with the Flow-Reversal Heavenly Muscle Formation, while constantly absorbing the phoenix’s energy so it couldn’t run rampant.Then, one day—Unable to bear it any longer, the phoenix’s energy spoke to him.—Stop taking my energy!—If I don’t, you’ll cause trouble again.—That’s a misunderstanding!—A misunderstanding? I saw her suffering because of your energy.—No! I released my energy to protect her.—To protect her? What do you mean?—There are those who are after her.—After her?—Yes. I released my power on purpose to keep them from getting close. Do you have any idea how hard it was? Releasing power before full awakening—it’s no easy feat!That was unexpected.From its voice, it didn’t seem to be lying.—You think I’m lying? I am the energy of one of the Four Divine Beasts. Why would I need to lie to a human?—Who’s after her?—That, I don’t know. It wasn’t a common type of energy.—Not common?—Yes. Cold, oppressive… like a deep darkness.There was only one such energy.Demonic energy.Someone with demonic energy was after Hye Seon?Why?Wait.Yeon Woo Jin recalled a line he had once read—When demons emerge into the world, the only force that can stop them is the power of the Four Divine Beasts.Given that the Demonic Sect was soon to appear, and that beings with the power of the Four Divine Beasts were now surfacing all at once, the workings of Heaven truly were strange.So they had come to eliminate Hye Seon to suppress the Four Divine Beast’s power?—Where are they now?—They burned away in my energy.—What?—They tried to abduct her. So I released my power and burned them.Abduct?So killing her hadn’t been the goal?Yeon Woo Jin asked Holy Abbess Seongmo,“Does the world know that Hye Seon possesses the Phoenix Constitution?”“Yes, they do. It was a great event for our sect… I wanted to boast of it…”I see.So that’s how those with demonic energy found their way here.A Four Divine # Nоvеlight # Beast Constitution that was publicly known.Which meant—If they used a Four Divine Beast Constitution as bait, people from the Demonic Sect might show themselves.Yeon Woo Jin stroked his chin in thought.Holy Abbess Seongmo, noticing his expression, asked worriedly,“Is something wrong?”“No. I just have something to think about. The treatment is going well, so you needn’t worry.”“I understand. I place my trust in you, Benefactor.”Yeon Woo Jin nodded and resumed his conversation with the phoenix’s energy.—I’ll strengthen her body so it can fuse with you.—That’s what I want. I wish to be with her as soon as possible.—You mean it?—I do. She is kind. I want to protect her.The phoenix’s energy had no intention of harming Hye Seon.It even seemed to like her.Yeon Woo Jin smirked.What he thought would take a long time might actually go much more smoothly.—Good. I’ll believe you. But if you’re lying…A deep whoom—An immense force surged from Yeon Woo Jin’s body.Holy Abbess Seongmo startled in shock.The overwhelming presence of an absolute being, one she could not even hope to approach.The phoenix’s energy was equally shaken.—You won’t survive.—H-how can a h-human… have… such power…?—Remember that.Completely overwhelmed, the phoenix’s energy replied meekly,—…Understood.—Good. Then stay quiet. While I’m here, nothing will touch her.—…I entrust her to you. ****“Have there been any suspicious people here lately?”Holy Abbess Seongmo was startled by the question.“H-how did you know?”“So there have been?”“Yes. In fact… that’s why we’ve tightened our defenses.”“I see.”“How did you know?”“Hye Seon’s energy told me.”“…What?”“The phoenix’s energy told me. That someone tried to harm her, and it released its power to protect her.”“You can converse with the phoenix’s energy?”“Yes.”“…Just where do your abilities end, Benefactor?”“It’s a small skill.”Small skill?How could this possibly be called small?The overwhelming aura she had felt earlier—It was like being gazed upon by a god from far above.A being toward whom any act of disrespect would be unthinkable.That was the presence Holy Abbess Seongmo had felt from Yeon Woo Jin.“For now, since the phoenix’s energy likes Hye Seon, all that’s left is to strengthen her body so she can fully wield its power.”“I-is that so?”“Yes. Thanks to that, this will be finished sooner than expected.”He then looked at her.“You’ll need to undergo it as well, Sect Master.”“…Undergo what?”“Body strengthening.”“Oh, please, spare me. Look at me—at my age, what use is strengthening this body?”“No. If you want to learn the Annihilation Sword Art, you have to. I’ll adjust it for your age.”In that moment, she saw it—Yeo Hwarin looking at her with a pitying gaze.What was that?Why that look?A sense of foreboding crept over her.“Well then, as the saying goes, strike while the iron’s hot—let’s begin right away.”“B-benefactor, p-perhaps I should think it over…”“No. We’ll do it now. Lady Pavilion Master, would you assist me?”“Yes, my lord.”Yeo Hwarin took hold of Holy Abbess Seongmo.“Come along, Sect Master.”“L-lady Pavilion Master—”“You’ll be twenty years younger. This is a stroke of fortune, Sect Master.”She was still a woman.At the words ‘twenty years younger,’ her eyes lit up.“R-really?”“Yes. Don’t you see me? I became younger too.”Looking at Yeo Hwarin’s beauty—To think she could become like that?He had said she would become younger, not prettier—but she heard only what she wanted to hear.All her earlier apprehension vanished into the distance.“I’ll do it.”Determination blazed in Holy Abbess Seongmo’s eyes.

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