Chapter 128
In the place Lee Seong-jun had left, Go Taehyeon, who was looking at the Dragon Reversal Test that had crumbled to powder, turned his head and asked.
"How was it?"
"Just as you said, he showed more than expected."
A hollow laugh flowed from Jazan's lips as he spoke.
It was understandable, considering it was the Dragon Reversal Test.
Made with the blood of the dragon race drake, it had high mana sensitivity, so the basic defense of the barrier was high, and it even had self-healing abilities.
Moreover, around the core, the drake's heart, special defensive barriers were placed, so there were as many as three layers of protective measures.
It was a work of such high quality that even Jazan, who had created countless barriers, could call it a masterpiece without exaggeration.
'If we're just looking at defensive capabilities, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's among the top of my barriers...'
In fact, the majority of hunters who boasted of being rankers had failed to break through the Dragon Reversal Test and tasted the bitter cup of defeat.
Just breaking through the Dragon Reversal Test could be said to demonstrate excellent skills counted among the top rankers.
But.
"...This is the first time the Dragon Reversal Test has been broken so perfectly."
Although most rankers had failed, it wasn't that no one had passed the task until now.
However, no one had broken through the Dragon Reversal Test as perfectly as Lee Seong-jun.
'Most chose one of two methods.'
It wasn't for nothing that he had suggested moving outside to Lee Seong-jun as he was warming up earlier.
The most common type among those who broke through the Dragon Reversal Test was to pierce through the barrier purely with strength.
And in colliding with the triple defense shield surrounding the Dragon Reversal Test, they created enormous aftermath in the surroundings.
However, Lee Seong-jun left no aftermath at all.
He was the type to analyze, understand, and break through the barrier, which could be called the second method.
'Clearly, he started with the second method.'
But it wasn't purely based on knowledge that he broke through the barrier.
Rather, at the last moment, when destroying the core of the barrier, the drake's heart, he displayed a power more ferocious and destructive than anyone else.
It meant he accurately analyzed the barrier to open a path that could be called a living gate, and only struck the core inside.
He possessed both strength and knowledge.
"Most of the guys called rankers had abilities below their reputation... Lee Seong-jun was completely the opposite."
Rather, the rumors had been understated.
The Lee Seong-jun he directly faced was excellent to a degree incomparable with any other ranker.
Naturally, a smile curved on Jazan's lips.
"He's a gem, an absolutely amazing gem."
It wasn't an exaggeration to say he was the best talent he had personally discovered.
'With Lee Seong-jun... he'll become a very reliable contingency plan.'
Although he could feel some relief, he couldn't be completely at ease.
The uncertainty of the future could bring about unknown variables.
And to a mage, uncertainty and variables were like poison.
'Knowing there's poison in the body, I can't just leave it alone.'
Having finished his thoughts, Jazan opened his mouth while meeting Go Taehyeon's gaze.
"I'll be going now, but could you get me a ticket to China?"
"China?"
"I heard a guy named Jin Jayun from the Dragon-Subduing Fortress has become a new ranker, shouldn't we give him a chance too?"
"Understood, I'll have a ticket ready for you to leave right away."
Jazan smiled at Go Taehyeon's dignified response and stood up from his seat.
* * *
Lee Seong-jun, who had left the Hunter Association, headed home.
His steps were lighter than ever before.
He had obtained the elixir, the Ten Thousand Year Divine Water, which could be called his goal.
Moreover, the Ten Thousand Year Divine Water he had directly faced was a top-grade elixir containing a massive amount of energy.
'An elixir of this level would be something you couldn't get even if you had the money...'
He understood why Go Taehyeon had shown such an attitude when they first talked on the phone.
'Thanks to this, I'll be able to grow faster than I thought.'
Lee Seong-jun, with a satisfied smile, pulled open the front door.
"I'm home."
He greeted out of habit, but there was no response.
Looking at the time, his sister Lee Seoyun should have been home, but it seemed she had gone out.
It was a somewhat awkward situation, but there was no need to mind it.
'No, this is better.'
Since there was no one in the house to worry about, he didn't need to worry about any aftermath that might occur after consuming the elixir.
Lee Seong-jun, drawing a smile on his lips, immediately moved to the shelter equipped in the basement.
Originally built for emergency situations, with solid durability and thorough security, there couldn't be a better space for absorbing the elixir.
'Still... it would be good to make a separate training room in the house I bought in Paju.'
If he secured a large space where various trainings could be conducted, the efficiency of training would improve several times.
Although he wasn't overflowing with money, it wasn't to the extent that he needed to scrimp on places where spending was necessary.
As he was thinking about various things, Lee Seong-jun had already sat cross-legged in the center of the shelter and downed the Ten Thousand Year Divine Water he had received from Jazan in one gulp.
Gulp.
He could feel the powerful energy that passed down his throat quickly spreading throughout his body, immediately realizing it was a top-grade elixir.
'This is really amazing.'
In the past, when he absorbed the Forest's Blessing and Earth Dragon Pill, which he had purchased for a total of 30 billion won, the effect was incredibly good.
But the Ten Thousand Year Divine Water he had just swallowed was on a different level from the previous two elixirs, explosively emitting energy.
'I'm looking forward to seeing how much effect it will have.'
Suppressing the expectation in one corner of his mind, Lee Seong-jun focused his mind and took a breath.
"Heuup..."
At the same time, as he drew up the internal energy of the Blood Ghost Asura Divine Art, the energy arising from the upper, middle, and lower dantians spread throughout his body.
The blood energy circling inside his body swept up the energy of the Ten Thousand Year Divine Water he had just drunk, and slowly began to absorb it into his body.
Although the blood vessels should have expanded and overloaded due to the explosive energy contained in the Ten Thousand Year Divine Water, it was no problem for Lee Seong-jun.
Like clouds drifting leisurely, Lee Seong-jun very naturally regulated the blood flowing in his body, absorbing the energy more safely and surely than anyone else.
As the body absorbed the energy of the Ten Thousand Year Divine Water that was gradually seeping in, it rapidly ran towards its limit point.
'I'll be able to see the effect I expected... no, even more than that.'
Although he was inwardly uttering words of admiration, he hadn't lost his focus.
The flow of internal energy, just like at the beginning, definitely absorbed the energy of the elixir.
Eventually, the power residing in his body reached its limit point.
Normally, he would have to go through considerable effort to break through his own limits, but for Lee Seong-jun, who had accumulated experience and knowledge in the Thousand Continents, this situation was all too familiar.
Thump! Thump!
As his heart emitted violent beats, he began to perfectly balance by evenly dividing the explosive energies into the vessels of the upper, middle, and lower dantians.
Whooosh-!
With a fierce wind sound, Lee Seong-jun, sitting cross-legged, rose into the air, and as his body was dyed in golden radiance, he could be certain.
'At this rate... I should be able to cross the barrier.'
Feeling an enormous amount of internal energy rising, Lee Seong-jun recited the mantra of the Blood Ghost Asura Divine Art in his mind.
'All things return to blood, born of blood and returning to blood, cultivating the self, able to govern one's own body, and regulating the family, able to govern what is made of one's own blood...'
Naturally, the will engraved deep in his consciousness, in his soul, followed.
It wasn't just the body that responded to the intense will.
The world around shook.
Whooosh-!
The energies of the area rotated in a vortex-like form, enveloping Lee Seong-jun's surroundings.
Energies with different properties took on various colors, unfolding a colorful scene like a rainbow.
At the moment when these beautiful colored energies enveloped Lee Seong-jun's entire body.
Woong!
With a resonating sound, the blood energy that shot up through the heavenly pillar point took the form of a red dragon and absorbed the five-colored energies gathered in the area.
The dragon that had absorbed the energies of the five elements into one rapidly fell towards the heavenly pillar point it had shot up from, and at the moment it was absorbed into Lee Seong-jun's body as if being sucked in, it disappeared.
Paang-!
A huge shockwave of five colors spread in all directions, reminiscent of a brilliant fireworks display.
But the commotion was brief. With a loud explosive sound, the world that had been in turmoil quickly fell silent as if nothing had happened.
Then, Lee Seong-jun's body, which had risen, slowly descended.
It was a quiet scene as if nothing had happened.
But Lee Seong-jun's body had definitely undergone a change.
Seureu-reuk.
Divine light burst from the two eyes of Lee Seong-jun as he lifted his closed eyelids.
'I did it...!'
He had reached the 8th star of the Blood Ghost Asura Divine Art.
It meant he had reached the realm of hyeongyeong, the realm praised as the number one under heaven.
Naturally, there was no way the Force system would miss such a change.
Ding-!
[As you perfectly absorbed the Ten Thousand Year Divine Water, the treasure of the elves, all stats (Strength, Agility, Constitution, Blood Energy) increase by 10.]
[As the Blood Ghost Asura Divine Art reaches the 8th star, it evolves to SSS+ grade.]
[A new change occurs in your body.]
[All stats (Strength, Agility, Constitution, Blood Energy) increase by 10.]
[The absorption speed of energy in the atmosphere greatly increases, and the Blood Energy stat periodically increases!]
Confirming the green hologram window that appeared before his eyes, an exclamation mixed with astonishment flowed from Lee Seong-jun's mouth.
"...Insane."
It was a natural reaction.
He had achieved a total of 80 points of growth at once, a growth considered impossible to achieve just by leveling up.
Moreover, as the Blood Ghost Asura Divine Art reached the realm of the 8th star, he had broken through the limit that could be called a wall.
'From now on... unless I'm hit by an attack wrapped in strong energy, I won't even receive a small wound.'
It meant he had attained what is commonly called an indestructible body.
'With my current body condition...'
Even if he were to engage in a reckless brawl with Cabilo, the boss monster of the Red Gate he had faced before, he was confident he could overwhelm him.
It meant he had achieved tremendous physical growth.
However, the harvest gained from crossing the barrier wasn't just physical growth.
With a smile, Lee Seong-jun stretched his hand into the air, and red blood energy began to rise in the empty space.
'Finally, I can freely manipulate internal energy.'
It wasn't just a concept of simple emission.
Now he could generate energy not just in his body, but in the air where his gaze reached.
It meant he could control qi with his will. Unlike before when he was confined within standards and frames, it meant he could now freely display martial arts.