<h4>Chapter 32</h4>


    “Phew.”


    It took Leonard a few hours to open his eyes, and he slowly took deep breaths. The five-colored light around him only flickered for a moment, and he stared into the void with half-dted pupils. For an instant, his pupils seemed to look like those of a reptile.


    He had realized and gained a lot of things. It was undoubtedly a great achievement, but there were definitely parts he needed to reflect on.


    <i>I was too hot-blooded. I failed to fully realize how much my body had deteriorated.</i>


    This was a problem stemming from the imbnce in his vitality, energy, mind, and body. After he became Leonard, it had been a while since he had engaged in a life-threatening battle, so he had overlooked the danger right under his feet while cutting down his opponent. It would have been an unforgivable mistake if he were still in the body of the Sword Emperor Yeon Mu-Hyuk, but now he was in the body of fourteen-year-old Leonard.


    The mistake he hadmitted was a reminder that it was easier to be harmed if he didn’t look at his weaknesses and recklessly attacked the opponent’s stone. It was the most fundamental tactic in Go.


    <i>From now on, I have to be more careful.</i>


    Of course, being hot-blooded was not only regarded as a w. Whereas an experienced martial artist had gone through all sorts of hardships and possessed wisdom that a young onecked, the younger generation was armed with a courage that had yet to be worn down. Most youths eventually met their downfall after being driven by their own recklessness, but Leonard possessed the wisdom of an experienced veteran, which he shouldn’t have had.


    “The penta-core merged into one, so should I call this a single-core?”


    Leonard was slightly perplexed because of the small marble in his body. The marble was known as the Five Elements True Dragon Ring, and it had been created by drawing the power of the Five Elements to Leonard’s middle dantian. It could even mimic the pulsations of the heart, which was proof it was functioning as a substitute organ.


    When Leonard had broken through to the External Force Tier, a wave of qi had spread throughout his body, granting him the ability to even block the prating sight of a Creation Realm expert. Unless someone opened up and dug into his skeletal structure, no one would realize his growth.


    The Five Elements True Dragon Ring was an unknown phenomenon, so it only made him unnecessarily anxious in more ways than one.


    <i>Well, I will know once I absorb some mana stones or spirit herbs.</i>


    He brushed off the dilemma he had no answer to and instead smiled satisfactorily as he re-confirmed his aplishment.


    He had almost exhausted the resources that he had set aside, but he was able to advance a few Minor Tiers while saving his own life. He had also received much more than what he had invested and had enough surplus to spare.


    <i>I’m in the Third Degree External Force Tier. It’s even better than I had expected.</i>


    The amount of qi he now had was iparable to the amount he had when he was at the Tenth Degree Body Refining Tier, and the flow of his internal energy had already surpassed more than one <i>gapja.</i>[1]


    Considering that Hayden, Ian, and Gale were still at the Second Degree External Force Tier and possessed a little less than one <i>gapja</i> of internal energy, Leonard’s internal energy was too far ahead despite them only being one Degree apart.


    At this rate of growth, if his internal energy continued to increase, he might even surpass five <i>gapjas</i> by the time he reached the Tenth Degree External Force Tier.


    <i>Even during my days as the Sword Emperor, I only had three gapjas of internal energy. I can’t believe I will easily have more than twice that amount before even crossing into the level of a Creation Realm expert.</i>


    Leonard had the internal energy to freely wield augmented qi, the power that symbolized an Apex Realm expert. Even the Divine Monk, a martial artist known as the strongest in internal energy cultivation, could not ever surpass four <i>gapjas</i>. Leonard had easily surpassed that limit.


    “Hmm?”


    Leonard was absorbed in his newfound power when he suddenly noticed something he had overlooked. When the red troll self-destructed, the air inside the cave had ignited, turning into a zing inferno filled with heat and smoke. So, why was he able to breathe without any issues?


    <i>... Is it the ability of this tree?</i>


    Leonard easily came to a conclusion, and he ced his hand on the golden tree’s withered bark. He could no longer feel any trace of vitality. It was dead, leaving only one thing behind—thest fruit it had produced before withering.


    <i>Why do I feel a familiar aura from it? Did it perhaps absorb all the power of the dragon-shaped energy?</i>


    Leonard examined the golden fruit in his palm, then soon stashed it inside his subspace pouch. ncing at the withered tree, he left a few words behind.


    “I will nt your seeds somewhere else. Thinking about it, you are my savior.”


    This tree was one of the reasons why the shockwave of the me storm unleashed by the red troll’s self-destruction was lessened. With its immense vitality, it not only confronted an explosion containing its opposite attribute but also fiercely shed against it, not letting itself be passively swallowed up.


    As a result, Leonard’s injuries were somewhat lessened thanks to the tree’s desperate struggle, even though the tree was ultimately overwhelmed by the power of the True Demon Tier demonic beast. If he had damaged the tree in an attempt to harvest its useful parts and put them inside his subspace pouch, he might not have been able to withstand the me storm and might have perished together with the red troll.


    <i>We somehow helped each other out, huh?</i>


    There was no reason for him to stay in this cave any longer. It had been several hours since he broke through to the External Force Tier, and he had to return immediately to avoid raising any suspicion.


    As Leonard turned away from the tree, he ced his hand on his waist, and upon realizing that his sword was damaged, he clenched his two fingers together.


    It was the Sword Finger Stance. By pointing the index and middle fingers together, he formed a stance simr to holding a sword. It would have been difficult for him to control the Five Elements Sword Qi without a sword when he was in the Body Refining Tier, but Leonard was no longer the same person he used to be.


    One Origin Five Elements Cultivation Method


    Five-Star Splitting Sutra: Explosion


    A clear qi burst forth from his two fingers, coloring the air vividly and forming a me sword. He had managed to materialize external qi.


    His proficiency went beyond simply emitting qi from the sword or body, but rather, he reached the level to control the emitted qi and materialize it into a form. This was a technique that even those in the Sixth or Seventh Degree External Force Tier could not easily handle, let alone someone in the Third Degree External Force Tier like him.


    “Go.”


    ording to Leonard’smand, a streak of crimson me darted forth.


    Five Elements Augmented Qi


    Crimson Burning Sword: Flight


    At the moment when the mound of dirt left behind by the red troll’s explosion glowed brightly, the me sword fell apart and exploded violently. The destructive power of the fire element could be considered the strongest among any of the Five Elements Sword Qi techniques.


    The mound of dirt exploded instantly, opening a way through. With the still-hot air gushing out, a strong gale formed. It tousled Leonard’s hair as he walked with his back against it. Just like when he had entered, there was no one in the rest of the empty cave as he walked out. No trolls wereing to swap ces this time either, as if they hadpletely entrusted the cave to the red troll.


    Rather than that, there was something else that caught Leonard’s attention.


    “You didn’t escape? That was unexpected.”


    The corpse of the lycanthrope, the True Demon Tier demonic beast that had shed with the red troll,y on the floor. Considering its speed, Leonard had thought that the lycanthrope would have fled even if it couldn’t win, but they seemed to have fought to the bitter end.


    He also spotted a crystalline substance, which appeared to be a high-grade mana stone. Leonard wasted no time and collected it, then he harvested the leather of the corpse’s intact parts. He actually had nothing to wear, as his clothes had been burned away. It reeked of a beast’s foul odor, but he had no other choice.


    <i>Sigh, I look exactly like a barbarian.</i>


    Leonard mocked his own appearance and left. The sun was rising from the east. With his lightness art, which had be a few times faster after he reached the External Force Tier, he quickly went across the forest like a wolf.


    Leonard’s first adventure came to an end sessfully.


    ***


    The Gpagos Ind was isted due to the strong currents surrounding the ind, which even well-builtrge ships could not cross. The currents were so strong that they asionally caught and crushed sea monsters. They could possibly be crossed with a sailboat made of special minerals such as mithril or orichalcum, but ships made of wood or iron would never be able to withstand the harsh environment around the ind.


    “We have arrived. This is the Gpagos Ind.”


    If one could somehow cross the currents, entering Gpagos itself was not impossible. While there were numerous flying monsters like griffins and wyverns in the central part of the ind, it was not feasible to block the unwee visitorsing from outside the ind.


    Late at night, a group of individuals disembarked on a deserted beach and began to take stock of their numbers. There were thirty-two people. It didn’t take long for them to count their numbers, as they were not arge group.


    “We’re missing two people.”


    “It seems they couldn’t ride the currents, and waves had knocked them into the sea.”


    A man with a grim expression grumbled at his subordinate’s report. “What a way to die in vain! They put their lives on the line for our homnds, yet the heavens remain oblivious to their loyalty.”


    “...”


    “...”


    Dispelling the gloomy atmosphere, the man dered boldly, “But even if the heavens turn away from us, I will remember. All of us will be the stars that illuminate the future of the Kurdish Kingdom.”


    “All hail the Kurdish Kingdom!”


    The Kurdish Kingdom was located in the western part of the continent, and it was a small kingdom bordering the Arcadian Empire to the east. Until just a few centuries ago, it was a nation renowned as the holynd of knights and a dominant nation reigning over the western part of the continent. However, its glory had long since faded.


    When the Arcadian Empire was entering its golden era, the Order of the Red Dragon alone had overpowered and wiped out the entire force of the Kurdish Kingdom’s knightly orders, which had set out with high spirits. Since then, the Cardenas family had be the new holynd of knights. The Kurdish Kingdom had relinquished centuries of glory in a single battle.


    “Those cursed demons of the Cardenas...! Did you think we would endure such disgrace forever?! We will capture your cursed offspring growing here and expose the sins hidden in their blood!”


    The very existence of the Kurdish Kingdom’s Order of the Shadow was not known, and they were a knightly order whose chain ofmand and ranking system were unclear even to the royal family, with the exception being the king.


    As an organization that shed blood in the shadows, their deaths were also not known, and there was no recognition or reward. Moreover, they were not even given the luxury of retrieving their corpses and belongings during operations. Only fanatics willing to sacrifice their lives regardless of this dared to enter the organization.


    “Do not feel guilty because they are children. They are nurturing demons with their blood, and if left alone, they will soon turn into a thorn that will threaten the Kurdish Kingdom.”


    The Fifth Shadow of the Kurdish Empire, the leader of those who infiltrated the Gpagos Ind, narrowed his eyes, his gaze gleaming with killing intent. His subordinates did not cower or hesitate. Instead, their eyes were dyed red, as if infected with the Fifth Shadow’s bloodlust.


    “That is a matter of course, sir!”


    “We won’t leave a single one of them behind!”


    “Just give us the order!”


    The knights born in the Kurdish Kingdom could not help but feel a sense of inferiority toward the Cardenas family. It was a humiliating defeat engraved in their kingdom’s history. The knights from all over the continent witnessed the plunge in their honor. Their baseless belief and anger gave the knights a push in the back like an inextinguishable fire, fueling the knights with the notion that they had to reim all the glory and honor that the Cardenas family currently possessed.


    “Do not be afraid. Even if the demons of the Cardenas are strong, no one on this ind can oppose me.”


    Fanning their already boiling morale, the Fifth Shadow drew his sword. From the handle to the de, the sword was painted ck. He pointed the ck sword at the sun, and with all the hatred in him, he shouted, “There is no sun that will rise forever! The day the Cardenas fall and the Kurdish Kingdom rises is right under our noses!”


    A ray of light burst forth from the de of his ck sword. It formed a de that was a few meters long and had an emerald-green aura. This aura was known as augmented qi in murim and as augmented sword energy in this world. Even those at the Apex Realm could only muster making it a few inches long. The length of the de was proof that the Fifth Shadow was strong.


    “I will show you that no evil can defy me in the face of my Transcendence Tier!” he yelled; the Kurdish Kingdom’s Transcendence Tier knight was now on the opposite side of the Gpagos Ind.


    1. Gapja is the quantifier for the amount of internal energy. One gapja equals sixty years’ worth of cultivation. ?