Chapter 331

Words : 2608 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

Chapter 331 Se-Hoon’s eyes gleamed as he stared at Li Kenxie. “...What nonsense is this?” Looking up, Li Kenxie furrowed his brows and stared at Se-Hoon with a look of irritation. He was giving a chilling glare that would have silenced most people, but Se-Hoon repeated his words without hesitation. “I asked if you were the one who made the Five Element Equipment.” Each word was enunciated, as if he had no intention of letting the question slide. Noticing that, Li Kenxie narrowed his eyes before letting out a sigh. “You’re quite a persistent one, alright.... What makes you think that?” “I found evidence.” When he defeated Apostate, Se-Hoon had entered his synesthetic mindscape and encountered the fake Li Kenxie. In there, the fake, created by a fragmented piece of his own synesthetic mindscape, appeared real on the surface but was essentially akin to an actor playing a specific role. Thus, its actions should have been based purely on “what Li Kenxie might have done,” but what the fake did was unexpected. It accurately portrayed Li Kenxie’s old habit of venting his frustration by pounding a cliff with his forehead whenever his mind was a mess. The fake Li Kenxie, which Se-Hoon had created within his synesthetic mindscape, had perfectly enacted a habit that the real Li Kenxie had before he became a Perfect One. At first, Se-Hoon had thought it was just a coincidence before ruling that out not long later. While the S-rank Li Kenxie and the Sacred Craftsman Li Kenxie may seem similar, they’re fundamentally different. Considering that one was completely different as a child compared to their middle ages, the likelihood of the fake Li Kenxie coincidentally reproducing such a habit was near impossible. Therefore, Se-Hoon came to a single conclusion: Something indirectly told me about Li Kenxie’s past. If that were the case, then it wasn’t strange it had reproduced an old habit of Li Kenxie’s before becoming a Perfect One. And the object that provided him with the information could only be one. “That. The synesthetic mindscape contained within that.” Se-Hoon was pointing at the Verdant Lotus Spear, which he had handed over to Li Kenxie. “...” Li Kenxie once again looked down at the Verdant Lotus Spear. Then, after a moment of silence, he slowly spoke. “I see. Now that I’m looking at it, there are indeed traces of a deep connection left in it. Given how deeply it corroded you, you're fortunate to have reclaimed yourself.” His dismissive attitude was no longer there, replaced by a calm one. Seeing that, Se-Hoon took on a serious demeanor. I need to be careful from now on. Before the regression, Se-Hoon hadn’t known that Li Kenxie had forged the Five Element Equipment. So, from now on, he had no idea how Li Kenxie would react. The reasons could vary, but he felt it was best not to antagonize a Perfect One if possible. Thus, Se-Hoon carefully asked, “Can you tell me why you left the Five Element Equipment unattended—” “If you knew...” Li Kenxie coldly cut off Se-Hoon’s words. “...would it change anything?” It was as if he was saying, “What could someone like you possibly do with that knowledge?” Yet, despite facing such an arrogant question—one only a Perfect One could ask—Se-Hoon didn’t even hesitate. “Yes. It would change everything.” “...What?” “Just look at how the Fire Heaven Greatsword turned out so brilliantly.” Se-Hoon grinned at the baffled expression on Li Kenxie’s face. “If you tell me why you left the rest unattended, maybe I can fix them all, too.” “...” Dumbfounded by Se-Hoon’s confident words, Li Kenxie stared at him blankly for a moment before bursting into a quiet laugh. “What an arrogant brat...” The nerve of the kid—claiming he could improve weapons forged by him, the Scared Craftsman himself. If it were anyone else, Li Kenxie wouldn’t have let such nonsense slide, but seeing how the boy before him had already produced tangible results... dismissing it as mere gibberish didn’t seem plausible. “...Tsk. Bring me a chair.” At his words, Se-Hoon quickly brought over a chair from one corner of the workshop, which Li Kenxie sat on before proceeding to tell his story, recalling old memories. “It must have been about thirty-three years ago, before I became a Perfect One.... Back then, I was obstructed by an obstacle, my mind in turmoil.” It was when Li Kenxie had grasped the basic clue of how to conquer the Tower of Heroes, yet was completely lost over what exactly he needed to do to achieve it. Every day, he forged and broke countless weapons, losing himself in his thoughts, when one day, a question occurred to him. “And one day, I started to wonder... were these swirling thoughts that clouded my mind really necessary?” “...” “Perhaps others would have come to a different conclusion, but I decided they weren’t necessary at all. So, I started discarding the unnecessary.” Gathering all the wealth and power he gained as an S-rank hero, Li Kenxie sat in front of a forge and discarded everything that weighed him down as he reflected on his life. “I abandoned my family’s inherited techniques, the strength an old friend passed on to me as he lay dying, the life force I had tempered for decades, and the talents I discovered too late.” For the sake of the goal he pursued and the path he needed to tread, Li Kenxie stripped everything away and tossed it into the forge, never to be recovered, transforming them into weapons. “And the moment I discarded the last thing that blocked my path, I realized what I truly desired.” Recalling that moment of enlightenment, Li Kenxie glanced at the Sun-Eclipsing Blade in his hand. Though Se-Hoon’s efforts had changed it greatly, the remnants of the emotion he discarded last—compassion—remained within it. It’s been a long time since I thought about this... Once again remembering what he had forsaken to become a Perfect One, Li Kenxie looked back at Se-Hoon. “The Five Element Equipment are the things I abandoned during that process. Simply put, they’re impurities of my identity. That’s why I discarded them after conquering the Tower of Heroes.” To others, they were Legendary-tier weapons. But to Li Kenxie, they were nothing more than trash bags holding unnecessary remnants. Having now heard the full explanation, Se-Hoon momentarily fell into thought before asking, “Then why didn’t you just melt them down with the Sacred Flames?” “I intended to, but my disciple stopped me. He said that while they were useless to me, they might serve as clues for others seeking enlightenment.” Li Kenxie recalled his first disciple, who had stopped him in front of the forge during his youth. “So I left them to him. And, as you know, he scattered them across the world.” “You mean Caden Miller, right?” “Yes. It was before Mingmei came along.” Gaining confirmation, Se-Hoon began pondering deeply. So Caden scattered the Five Element Equipment.... Was that part of Offering’s plan too? What could have been his purpose? Regardless, given that Caden was the leader of Offering, Se-Hoon couldn’t let his guard down. “Do you happen to know why he did that?” “I do not. Nor do I care,” Li Kenxie denied with a shake of his head. “You’re quite cold.” “If I intended to cling to them, I wouldn’t have discarded them in the first place. That’s just how they are to me.” Though he didn’t say it aloud, Li Kenxie had no intention of reclaiming the Five Element Equipment. They were already finished, and he held no lingering attachment to them. However, upon seeing Se-Hoon’s Sin-Eclipsing Blade, he was no longer as indifferent as before. If he truly does intend to use them as materials, I suppose I could allow it. What could Se-Hoon create from the impurities he had discarded? For the first time in a long while, Li Kenxie felt a flicker of interest. Hmm... Should I tell him about who Caden is right now? Meanwhile, Se-Hoon was lost in thought. How would Li Kenxie react if he found out that his disciple was the leader of a group of lunatics conducting human experiments? Mulling over it, Se-Hoon quickly made his decision. I’ll let it go for now. The situation called for careful observation, since he hadn’t secured a definitive opportunity yet. If he told Li Kenxie now and the other side caught wind of it, Offering might go underground and completely disappear from his radar. Besides, I’m not sure yet. Despite the blood spilled over the Five Element Equipment, Li Kenxie hadn’t even batted an eye. Then, what would he think about his disciple’s deviation? Thinking about the possibilities, Se-Hoon decided the best course of action for now was simply to keep Li Kenxie close, using him as an ally while gathering more information on what kind of person he truly was. “So, are your questions all answered now?” “Hmm... Yes, I think this is enough for now.” “I wasted my time on something so trivial...” Muttering under his breath about his dissatisfaction, Li Kenxie was just about to stand up when he suddenly remembered something and turned his gaze to Se-Hoon. “What are you planning to do with Fei? Just to be clear, I won’t allow her to be sent back to that son of mine.” Briefly deliberating over what to say, Se-Hoon first asked for confirmation. “What you want for your granddaughter is the ability to control the power of Anatta, specifically the Sacred Flames that stem from it, correct?” “Yes.” “If that’s the case, I have something in mind.” Spontaneous combustion syndrome, where Sacred Flames ran wild and consumed one’s entire body, was a problem Se-Hoon was determined to solve. He thought it was tragic to see talented heroes die meaninglessly, and solving the problem would yield immense benefits as a bonus. If I can help control the Sacred Flames, I’ll also be able to treat those whose synesthetic mindscapes have collapsed. Given the number of heroes who had retired or become invalids due to that problem, the solution would benefit humanity greatly. “Can you do it right away?” “I’ve laid the groundwork, but I plan to take it slow and gather people to research it together.” “Hmm...” Thinking about Se-Hoon’s plan, Li Kenxie then stood up. “Do as you like. We won’t know until we see the results, anyway.” Se-Hoon bowed his head. “Thank you.” Regardless of how their wager turned out, Li Kenxie entrusting his granddaughter to Se-Hoon was a sign of trust, and it warranted that level of courtesy. “No need to thank me...” Looking a little awkward at Se-Hoon’s gratitude, Li Kenxie cleared his throat. “Ahem. So, do you have any other businesses?” “Businesses?” “Yes. If there’s anything you’re planning, say it all now. Don’t bother me later.” Se-Hoon fell into contemplation. He told me to speak up now, so as long as it’s not something too troublesome, he’ll probably go along with it. Se-Hoon had been planning to wait a bit longer, but currently, it seemed harmless enough to proceed. In fact, he was confident that he had successfully recruited Li Kenxie, so Se-Hoon smiled slightly. “Then, is it okay if I borrow your name for a little?” It was time to set the plan he had prepared with Eun-Ha into motion. *** The headquarters of the Seraphim Guild was in the USA, in San Francisco. Celebrated as one of the world’s top one hundred guilds, it excelled in both hero training and the weapon industry. But recently, the internal atmosphere was bleak. “The number of new recruits has plummeted.” “Who’d want to join when even existing members are leaving?” Until last year, countless heroes had knocked on Seraphim’s door. Now, not a single foot crossed the threshold. Of course, it was only natural after Eun-Ha, the guild’s face, had filed a contract termination lawsuit, which fueled rumors of internal problems. “There are even rumors that they’ve been blacklisted by the Perfect Ones. This is basically the end for them.” “Are those rumors true, though?” “I don’t know. But judging by how Ryu Eun-Ha and Lee Se-Hoon seem pretty close, it makes sense, doesn’t it?” Losing Eun-Ha was a blow on its own, but being targeted by Se-Hoon—and all of the Perfect Ones standing behind him—was fatal. No matter how prestigious the Seraphim Guild had been, it was powerless before the Perfect Ones. Their business partners knew that too, so they all began cutting ties. Is this the end of our guild? In the guildmaster’s office at the top of the building, a red-haired woman, Yuriel Oppenheimer, scowled as she read through a stack of documents. Though the Seraphim Guild still had enough of a foundation to endure for now, at their current rate, they’d be kicked out of the top one hundred guilds within three years—and that was only if things went well. Should the other side launch a deliberate attack, the guild could collapse overnight. It’s meaningless to hold on... I might need to jump ship. Regretful as it was to abandon something she had built, it was wiser to cut her losses and move on. Swiftly settling on that option, Yuriel recalled the candidates she had been scouting. For now, Mercator seems better than the black market. Mercator was an exclusive wholesale guild that sold goods only to the world’s wealthiest and most powerful individuals. Yuriel had even infiltrated several of their branches herself. If she moved there and steadily gained influence, there would be no problem. The issue would then be Ryu Eun-Ha.... Would it be cleaner to dispose of her since she’s no longer useful? If she had shown more results, Yuriel might have given her more time. But ever since meeting Se-Hoon, Eun-Ha had stopped using their weapons, halting all progress. A long moment of deliberation passed, and Casper—the Succession member who had taken Yuriel’s form—reached a decision. I’ll just let her be for now. Although unusable at the moment, if another Watcher secured Se-Hoon, she could still be leveraged. With that decision made, Casper began organizing his thoughts to focus on other projects while leaving various safety nets in place. Bang! The office door burst open all of a sudden as a secretary entered, face pale as a sheet. “G-Guildmaster! We’re in big trouble!” “...What is it?” “The Association suddenly showed up...” But before the secretary could finish explaining, investigators in black suits entered the guildmaster’s office. And at the forefront stood Seon-Woo. “Yuriel Oppenheimer. You are under arrest for human experimentation and developing bioweapons. We have authorization to kill, so we do not recommend resistance,” Seon-Woo declared calmly. The mention of arrest and even kill authorization left Casper momentarily stunned. He bit his lip tightly. “Who would spread such absurd nonsense?” Although the Seraphim Guild’s technology had roots in bioweapons, the final results were indisputable. Casper had prepared for such accusations since the beginning and was about to respond as planned when— “This person here said so.” Seon-Woo held up a document stamped with a bright red seal and displayed it for all to see. These are all bioweapons, alright. — Li Kenxie Casper’s expression twisted into one of pure shock.

Chapter 331

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