Published at 18th of November 2020 07:25:15 PM
Chapter 76.1: 76.1
Terms used in this chapter:
The Heart Sutra – one of the most revered Buddhist sutras in both Chinese and Japanese cultures . Some of its lines include: Form does not differ from the void, and the void does not differ from form . Form is void, and void is form . Most Koreans don’t know what it means, but because it seems deep, it is often used in situations where one tries to look cool/deep . Though in this chapter, Jude seems to know its real meaning, so he uses it to calm himself down . I won’t explain what the lines mean, as there are different interpretations of it, but just know that ‘form’ can refer to one’s body, and ‘void’ can also mean emptiness .
Level is a thug – Korean gaming slang that means that as the levels increase, the stronger or better one’s skills or abilities are . It’s actually hard finding a good explanation about this slang, but it just means that a weak character can become as strong as a thug if they had a higher level . When this slang is used on bosses, it means that boss’ high level makes it so strong that it is like a thug/bully towards the player .
One’s eyes are covered with bean pods – a Korean idiom which means to only see good in someone after falling in love with them . (T/N: OMG, is this a confession, Jude?)
Inside the lodging prepared by the Gentle Snow Breeze tribe .
Jude, whose face, neck, back of his hands and so on were covered in saliva, stared down at the floor with a look of liberation .
Cordelia was curled up on the blanket and asleep with a happy face .
“Huu…Form does not differ from the void, and the void does not differ from form . Form is void, and void is form…”
After reciting lines from the Heart Sutra, Jude covered Cordelia with a blanket and sat down on a chair in exhaustion .
“So exhausting . ”
It was physically and mentally exhausting .
But he eventually smiled afterwards .
Because the curled-up Cordelia’s face looked so happy .
‘Will she make a fuss when she wakes up tomorrow?’
The side effect of Beast Mode made her act like a puppy cat, but her memories of it won’t disappear .
Several experiments have already revealed that .
A rather wicked smile appeared on Jude’s face as he thought of how Cordelia would act tomorrow .
In fact, Jude had already formed a plan on how to tease her .
“How peaceful . ”
Just a few hours ago, they had a life-and-death battle against a mid-ranking demonic human, so it wasn’t really peaceful at that time .
After he smiled again, Jude washed his face with water from a basin before he sat on the floor with his back towards Cordelia .
‘The Essence of the Blue Moon . ’
As he silently stared at the blue gem in his hand, Jude straightened his back and closed his eyes .
Reality wasn’t exactly the same as it was in the game, but it was still a world that had many similarities with the game .
An example of that was the level .
Like what he told Cordelia, as the level increased, the overall stats also increased .
Level is a thug, and just as the saying goes, Jude was originally born with a weak body, but after reaching levels 40-42 now, the strength of his body was high enough to look down on most ordinary knights of Count Bayer .
His muscle strength had also become stronger, and it was at a level that the strength/power he can exert was almost like a superpower .
‘It’s not some kind of built-in muscle though . ’
Jude had become quite strong, but that doesn’t mean that he became a muscular man like Landius .
However, his power was nearly twice that of a typical adult male .
‘Because these days, I feel like Cordelia is as light as a feather . ’
He was fine with holding her on his arms or carrying her on his back .
Though it was also true that he had been carrying her a lot these days .
‘Well…maybe it’s a little like bean pods covering my eyes . ’
When he thought of that, Jude cleared his throat and tried to clear his mind again .
Didn’t he sit with his back on Cordelia to get rid of all the distractions in the first place?
‘Anyway . ’
Leveling up was the surest and most basic way to become strong .
‘But this alone is not enough . ’
One’s body becomes stronger when they level up .
Not only did the physical and muscle strength increase, but the physical body itself was strengthened, and the stamina and defensive abilities also increased .
But there was no tech/skill tree here .
‘This is the most painful thing . ’
In the game, new skills appeared just by leveling up, but this was reality, so no matter how much he leveled up, no new skills had appeared .
‘Cordelia’s case is a little different though . ’
Cordelia had the witch’s spell book .
It was a magical spell book wherein more pages could be opened when she reached a specific level, so Cordelia was able to learn new magic spells at certain levels, just like a game .
But that didn’t apply to Jude .
‘In the end, the only means to become strong now is to level up and the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors . ’
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He had to open a new door of the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors .
Landius had said that it was how he gained new abilities .
‘I’ll be able to evolve the Twenty-Four Gale Steps . ’
When the first door was opened, the Thirty-Six Worldly Steps became Twenty-Four Gale Steps .
When the second door opened, a whirlwind was added to his Twenty-Four Gale Steps .
Following this pattern, it was highly likely that the Twenty-Four Gale Steps would evolve again when the third door is opened .
‘All right, let’s open the third door . ’
The Essence of the Blue Moon contained the power of the pure moonlight . If he can absorb it all, he would be able to open the third door .
Jude closed his eyes and focused his mind .
Cordelia’s breathing from behind his back slightly disturbed his mind, but he soon calmed down his mind .
With a pure and serene mind, he entered a state where he accepted the power of the moonlight from the Essence of the Blue Moon .
The pure energy of the moonlight entered his body .
It was so clear and pure that it seemed to be harmful to ordinary people .
But not for Jude .
Jude already possessed a pure energy due to the meeting of both Yin and Yang energies .
When both Yin energies met, they became one with each other without much difficulty .
T/N: Moonlight is Yin energy, so when combined with Jude’s Yin energy, the two becomes one .
Jude slowly controlled his breathing .
He recited the mnemonic chant of the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors, bringing the Yin energies inside and outside of his body into one .
Jude forgot the time .
He was isolated from the passage of time .
The pure and clear energy of the moonlight that accepted the power of the moon, spread throughout his body .
He collected his breathing, and he controlled his breathing .
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Jude felt it .
The last meridian which had been blocked by his Gueumjulmaek was pierced .
As the energy of the moonlight spread throughout his body, his meridians also began to open .
His meridians completely opened .
His inner Qi freely cycled his body .
A door emerged in Jude’s mind .
The third door .
The third door of Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors .
Jude slowly opened the door .
He opened it at the same time it was installed .
He had already done it twice .
The opening of the third door was the same as the opening of the first and second doors .
No .
It was different from before .
Jude could feel it .
Everything was pitch black .
A white light appeared in this black area .
It covered the sky and the ground .
There was someone who stood in that white world that spread out on the pitch-black darkness .
He or she .
He didn’t know yet .
It was an unrecognizable existence at the level of the third door .
But he or she saw Jude .
They had a smile on their face .
A person who sat inside that white world .
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A silhouette of a person who seemed to have been drawn with rough ink lines .
He or she began to move .
He or she made a slow but clear move, as if telling Jude to look carefully .
And that was the moment .
A new chant came to Jude’s mind .
A clear voice echoed in his head .
It became a little clearer and more visible .
It was a woman .
The figure of a woman who seemed to be drawn with rough ink lines taught Jude .
New movements, a new chant, and a new skill .
Black Dragon Release Technique .
The woman said . She stretched out her hand . At that moment, a giant black dragon rose from her palm and struck the white world .
Roaaaaaaar-!
The black dragon roared . It smashed and destroyed the white world .
The woman turned to Jude .
Once again, she smiled brightly, and raised her hand to point at Jude . She pretended to use the skill again .
Give it a try .
You can do it .
Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors’ Black Dragon Release Technique .
Jude recited the chant .
His aura moved . His Cheonmujiche responded . It naturally knew what to do and how to do it .
“Black Dragon Release Technique . ”
Jude said .
He stretched out his hand .
***