I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 288

"Gegeck..."

Finally, I was able to cut off my tail.

It had been with me for so long—possibly the longest-lasting and most powerful tail.

Had my tail ever been this thick before?

I could understand why Tus swallowed his saliva every time he saw it. It was quite tempting.

No, it wasn't just Tus.

My followers had started making strange expressions whenever they saw my tail growing thicker.

At first, it was treated as something of a relic of Gae Gak Sect, and they had all tasted it once, so they must have known the value of my current tail.

They swallowed their saliva, but sadly, this tail couldn’t be shared.

This was only for the Master.

It was a thick tail with a red cloth tied to it.

Cutting such a tail felt refreshing, but at the same time, it felt a little regretful.

It almost felt like the tail was speaking to me.

Saying that it had been enjoyable to be together all this time.

Normally, I’d be crying and begging it not to go, but I wasn’t an ordinary lizard.

Without hesitation, I cut off my tail.

If I didn’t cut it off, a great disaster would happen.

There’s a mysterious story that a lizard doesn’t have just one tail, but two, so it might seem okay to lose one, but when you experience it firsthand, the story changes.

It’s a precious tail, and no matter how many there were, I couldn’t lose it.

Besides, if I delayed, the problem wouldn’t just stop at one tail.

I had heard the shocking news that I could turn into a female lizard if I didn’t cut it off, undergoing Gyeohwabojon (Transformation Preservation Ritual), so how could I afford to waste time?

That, above all, couldn’t happen.

I was almost there.

Once I dealt with Jinryong, no one would be able to stop me.

Then, I could live a comfortable life, and days of carefree lounging would continue.

But in such a situation, changing my gender would be out of the question.

So, I finally cut off my tail, and up until that moment, there were no problems.

However, the side effects came when the Master lightly touched my tail to taste it.

I had already been in poor health, and I immediately fainted.

"Gerolong."

When I came to, I was lying on the Master’s bed.

To exaggerate a little, the amount of energy I accumulated was more than all the elixirs I had consumed combined.

Cutting off the tail at once meant side effects were inevitable.

It would be a lie to say I didn’t feel regret, but it was okay.

Helping the Master was the priority.

The energy I lost wasn’t originally mine, and there were marvelous elixirs left in my nest.

The Neidan of Qiongqi and Bihui were being purified.

Each one would likely have better efficacy than my tail.

Though the recovery power was far lower than that of the tail, which was custom-made for the Master, the internal energy itself would certainly be greater.

It was Neidan from a legendary beast-level spirit.

"Gerong..."

The Master gently stroked my head with one finger.

"Remarkably clean and pure internal energy."

It couldn’t be helped.

My body acted as a kind of filter, taking in the bad elements of the elixir and concentrating the good elements in my tail.

"Frost-cold Yin energy, warm Yang energy like the sun, and numerous other energies all converged in one place."

The Master evaluated my tail as though savoring it.

Hearing that made me feel a little proud.

"Hiya, my disciple. You've truly become much stronger."

"Gegeck!"

The Master extended his left pinky finger toward me.

What was that?

Was he asking me to do something?

Well, since he’s asking, I’ll do it.

Wang.

Thud.

The moment I touched his finger, he lifted me as if he had been waiting for it.

"Geek."

Dangling like that, he gently tickled my belly with his other hand.

"To think that the little lizard I saw back then has already reached the level of advanced stage."

"Gegeck."

Yeah, time flies.

It feels like it was just yesterday when I took a stance in front of the Master, and now I’ve reached advanced stage...

Wait, advanced stage?

Not Super Peak?

When I looked at the Master with that expression, he nodded lightly, as if he had expected it.

"Yeah, now you can be called advanced stage, not Super Peak."

"Geck?"

"From the expression, it looks like you didn’t know."

I could understand that I had the power at the level of advanced stage.

The realm was Super Peak, but my physical strength was stronger than most advanced stage masters.

But the Master’s words meant that my level itself had reached advanced stage.

"I’ve been wondering about something. There’s an instability. The vessel has expanded to the level of advanced stage, but there’s no enlightenment. It’s still a half-baked level, but still, it’s undeniable that you’ve reached advanced stage."

The vessel has expanded to advanced stage?

I hadn’t realized any enlightenment though?

How could I have reached advanced stage so soon after becoming Super Peak?

With that expression, the Master smiled faintly.

"Try to use a sword energy."

Right, the biggest difference between advanced stage and Super Peak is the presence of sword energy.

I raised my front leg, half believing in it.

Naturally, sword energy formed.

The sword energy gathered like threads, then condensed into a sword form.

A definite shape appeared as a blue energy wrapped around my claws.

"Gegeck!"

"What did I say? I told you you’ve definitely reached advanced stage."

Am I really at the advanced stage?

Why?

...

No way...

Is it... Shimma, that bastard?

— Hmph. I expanded the body I'll use as I please. Do you have a problem with that?

A problem?

I should have said this earlier, Shimma-sensei.

Giving me two techniques, and forcibly pushing me to the advanced stage.

Could it be that he's actually a better guy than I thought?

"My disciple has entered the harmonious advanced stage, so if only our hearts were the same, I’d love to share a drink."

Sensei drinking?

I want to see you drunk.

...Of course, I don't think my teacher would ever get drunk.

And if he did, it’d be a disaster if he has a bad habit.

If there was some habit of turning a perfectly fine lizard into a mummy by hugging it too tightly, no one would be able to stop it.

But suddenly being at the advanced stage... It feels like a new experience.

At the same time, I can't help but feel a little deflated.

After all, it wasn’t something I achieved on my own. It happened while Shimma temporarily took control of my body.

"My disciple’s advanced stage isn’t accompanied by natural enlightenment. At first, it may seem no different from an ordinary advanced stage, but as you grow stronger, it will inevitably become unbalanced."

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I see... Could that be the case?

It seems inevitable.

If reaching the advanced stage is this easy, the other advanced beings would be furious.

"On the other hand, if natural enlightenment accompanies the stage, you could become stronger than you are now."

"Eh!"

You’re telling me to gain enlightenment after reaching the advanced stage?

Is it like paying back what you took?

"Three Flower Blooming Technique—when three flowers bloom and the three Yangs appear at the upper dantian, it may just reach the heart."

Three Flower Blooming Technique!

I remember hearing about that from Cho-Do as well.

I didn’t quite understand it at the time.

"Since you’ve come here, and we need to heal the internal injuries, what better time could there be?"

Right, right.

Since my whole body is worn out, I do need to heal these internal injuries.

And it seems like the hot springs Seolhwa mentioned might be nearby.

If that’s the case... then of course...

"Ke-rong, ke-ro-ro-ong."

Heh heh...

I let out the kind of laugh that a Bicorn would make.

I really didn’t want to do this, but the world won’t leave me alone.

Sensei, come here!

"Get into position, I’ll personally guide you."

...Huh?

"Ge-e-e-ek?"

"What's that expression? It’s the look of a lizard who had its meat snatched away."

It wasn’t "Ke-ro-ro-ong" after all?

I’m injured, you know?

"The more so, you must focus more on your training."

"Ge-ge-ge-ge-ek!"

What’s with this "Sensei, come here"? I’m stuck in your hands, unable to move.

Aaaagh!

I’m an advanced-stage master, damn it!

*

Bihui and Qiongqi haven’t returned.

The absence of two advanced-stage spiritual beings must’ve been baffling even for Jinryong.

Of course, it wasn’t that he underestimated the power of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

The spiritual creatures were not to be dismissed lightly, even if they weren't unified.

Moreover, the leader of the group bearing the name Heavenly Demon Cult was so strong that she could carve an indelible wound into Jinryong, and the Cheonho, rumored to be in contact with gods, was a difficult opponent in a different sense.

There were many other strong figures too.

That’s why Jinryong considered the possibility of defeat while sending out Qiongqi and Bihui.

However, their failure and the silence from them was another matter.

Qiongqi, that’s acceptable.

He was a strong spiritual being, but he wasn’t truly loyal to Jinryong.

If he met an entity that could give him the death he longed for, he would dive straight in without thinking about what came after.

That’s why Jinryong chose Qiongqi.

To deal a crippling blow to the Heavenly Demon Cult and, at the same time, gain a reason for war.

But Bihui was different.

He was the eldest son of the Yongsaengguja, a being that could use the name of a dragon.

Furthermore, unlike Qiongqi, he was a spiritual being with strong defensive capabilities.

How could such a being die without sending any word?

That doesn’t make sense.

Even if there really was a being who could subdue Bihui in one blow...

There would’ve been word of it.

If it was a being that strong, Bihui would’ve sent word before even encountering it.

Bihui was that kind of being.

Even if death was approaching, he would fulfill his duty as a spiritual being.

But there’s no word from Bihui.

It’s not just about strength; it’s like there’s something special about him.

For instance, a being that could shake Bihui’s resolve.

But could such a spiritual being exist in this world?

A being with the strength to overwhelm Bihui and something so special that Bihui wouldn’t even dare to look at it?

At least in this generation, no.

...Perhaps in the previous generation.

If we include ancient spiritual beings, there could have been such a being.

A figure crossed Jinryong’s mind.

A tail with an old death.

The earth dragon that could face Jinryong, a monstrous being that could be called death itself.

It’s said that Jinryong defeated him in his last moments, but in reality, it was different.

When the claws of Gomodo, who had massacred thousands of spiritual beings, finally touched Jinryong’s neck, the battle ended.

Gomodo disappeared without a trace.

As if he was never in this world at all.

Others who saw that scene from a distance claimed that Jinryong killed Gomodo, but Jinryong knew better.

Gomodo wasn’t dead.

He was alive, and would return one day.

Jinryong knew this, and that’s why he couldn’t act recklessly during Gomodo’s absence.

"...Why have you returned, brother?"

Jinryong spoke quietly, looking into the air.

His massive white body slowly began to stir.

Gomodo had returned.

Extreme evil, extreme poison, extreme sound.

The energy from the wounds he received that day began to amplify.

The bitter pain.

The death marks etched into Jinryong’s body that could never be erased.

Jinryong roared into the sky.

The true dragon.

A sky dragon capable of facing Gomodo, a divine beast that could be called life itself.

"Spread the word to the central plains."

Realizing that Gomodo had returned, Jinryong decided to use everything he had prepared.

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"It’s time to form the Martial Alliance."

The martial artists of the Murim had been brainwashed by him for a long time.

Brainwashing wasn’t something that grand or complicated.

Simply put, he had defined Gomodo as evil and had Jinryong accepted as a human ally.

From the humans’ perspective, Gomodo would just seem like a monster to be defeated.

That’s why the spiritual beings of Kunlun and the martial artists of the central plains...

Jinryong’s plan was to unite these two forces, march to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, and obliterate Gomodo, as well as the annoying Heavenly Demon Cult.