Chapter 14: Descending Immortal Spreading Snow (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 14: Descending Immortal Spreading Snow (1)
The Blood Demon.
He was a giant of a man who united all manner of Black Path and Evil Faction martial artists to give birth to the Blood Cult.
His rise forced the Orthodox factions, who were being pushed into a corner, to launch the Martial Alliance. Even the Peerless Fortress, which possessed the greatest military strength as a single entity, joined hands with them, leading to the Great Orthodox-Evil War.
During that fierce conflict, the Blood Demon, Leader of the Blood Cult, lost his life to a combined attack by numerous peerless masters.
At that time, the Martial Alliance and Peerless Fortress sought out every single one of the Blood Demon’s relatives—the core of the cult—and wiped them out to ensure the Blood Cult could never rise again.
Or so I thought.
“The Leader’s... granddaughter is alive?”
Hae Ak-cheon nodded, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
A lot of shocking things were happening in a single day. To think the Blood Demon’s bloodline still remained.
“You’re lucky. You were able to meet such a noble person up close.”
Luck aside, it was astounding. Who could have imagined that I would come face-to-face with the descendant of the Blood Demon, the very person so many Orthodox martial artists had tried to erase from existence?
No wonder this crazy old man had so readily accepted the Divine Healer of Ten Thousand Ailments’ proposal.
“Do not tell your junior brothers.”
“I understand.”
“And find it no matter what. This concerns not only your Dantian but her safety as well.”
The Blood Demon’s bloodline.
Her safety was of paramount importance to the Blood Cult. This explained why they were mobilizing even the training disciples to find the herb.
-Woon-hwi. Didn't I tell you?
‘What?’
-A person needs to pick the right side to stand on. Hurry up and find that herb.
The Lesser Conversation Sword spoke excitedly.
It was right. This was a golden opportunity to become the savior of the person who might become the next Cult Leader.
Hae Ak-cheon also called the twins to help with the search.
From what I heard, most of the Blood Cult members belonging to the Six Blood Valley and those brought by the Blood Hand Witch were mobilized for the search.
Gu Sang-ung, the Bloody Unit Leader, and the Blood Hand Witch were also searching with fire in their eyes, so everyone had scattered, desperate to find it.
Then again, searching together would have been a waste of manpower.
-But what are you doing here?
I was currently in the cave where the remains of the Namcheon Sword Guest lay.
Instead of searching for the herb, I was sitting in front of a campfire, circulating my Innate Heart Method. The Lesser Conversation Sword asked in frustration.
‘I’m circulating my energy.’
-What if someone else finds the herb first?
‘They won’t.’
The Lesser Conversation Sword clicked its tongue at my confident tone.
-It would be better to find it quickly. Won't you feel cheated if you dawdle and someone else snatches it?
‘I told you, they can’t find it.’
-Why not?
‘Right now, the herb’s flower buds are buried, so they won’t even be able to spot them.’
-What does that mean?
‘Why do you think it took three more days to find the herb, even after mobilizing the intermediate training disciples?’
-You’re the one who regressed; how should I know?
‘Then just wait. Even the Divine Healer of Ten Thousand Ailments didn't know exactly when the buds of the Descending Immortal Spreading Snow would bloom.’
Judging by how the sun had tilted slightly from its zenith, it was around the hour of the Sheep (1-3 PM). Moving now would only mean waiting in the cold for a long time. It was better to stay warm here.
Time passed, and the sun began to set, casting a red glow across the sky.
-Are you going to move now?
‘Let me check a bit more.’
Once the sun had completely set, small lights appeared at the foot of the mountain. They were torches. The lights moved here and there before eventually gathering and heading toward the main hall of the Six Blood Valley.
‘Now.’
I had been waiting for this moment. I grabbed the Namcheon Iron Sword and descended from the mountain peak.
As I came down, the pitch-black darkness and the lack of any human presence made the atmosphere incredibly eerie.
-It’s spooky. Looks like everyone else has withdrawn.
‘Because it’s dark.’
-You waited on purpose.
The current weather was miserable for anyone trying to search for herbs relying only on torches. Everything was covered in white snow; how could they find anything in the middle of the night?
Now, when no one else was searching, was the perfect time.
-Tap!
Though it was dark, I knew the exact location where the herb grew, so I used my Lightness Skill to race toward it with unstoppable momentum. While not as miraculous as Hae Ak-cheon’s movement, the Namcheon Sword Guest’s Body Lightening Method was still quite useful.
‘This feels good.’
Even the cold wind brushing past me made my heart flutter. In my past life, the thing I envied most about those who learned martial arts was this Lightness Skill. The feeling of running over the snow with the dim moonlight as my companion was beyond words.
However, that feeling didn't last long.
-Tak! Tak!
An alien sound echoed in my ears. It was coming from somewhere behind me.
-Woon-hwi.
‘I know.’
I nodded slightly at the Namcheon Iron Sword’s warning. I thought everyone had withdrawn, but it seemed that wasn't the case. Someone was following me. I needed to shake them off.
“Whew.”
I think this was the first time I had circulated the Life Bright Divine Art to the third stage outside of training. A hot energy surged from my chest and flowed down to the Gushing Spring points on the soles of my feet.
In that instant, my speed doubled.
-Whoosh!
The surrounding scenery blurred past me. Unless the opponent was at least a First-Rate Master, I believed it would be difficult for them to keep up with my speed.
And yet...
-Tak! Tak! Tak!
The sound still reached my ears. Just who was following me? To keep up at this pace, they had to be at least an advanced warrior.
‘Namcheon, can you see who it is?’
I asked the Namcheon Iron Sword strapped to my back.
-.......Impressive.
‘What is?’
-A rather plump woman is using a Lightness Skill at a speed comparable to yours.
‘What?’
In an instant, the image of the veiled woman I had seen at the outhouse earlier flashed through my mind. Just in case, I stole a glance behind me.
‘Ha!’
It really was that veiled woman.
-Tak! Tak! Tak! Tak!
I had wondered if she could even use a Lightness Skill given how much weight she carried, but she was keeping up with surprising speed. She shouted as she chased me.
“Stop right there!”
She was telling me to stop. This was driving me crazy. She was an unexpected obstacle. If I stopped here, I might have to give up on finding the herb today.
-Hang in there. With that much body mass, she won't be able to run for long.
The Lesser Conversation Sword’s words made sense. No matter how fast her Lightness Skill was, it would be hard to maintain it for long with that body. If I stalled just a bit longer, I might be able to lose her.
It was right then.
-Woon-hwi! Watch your back!
Startled by the Namcheon Iron Sword’s shout, I looked back. In that moment, I witnessed an incredible sight.
The plump, veiled woman was gliding horizontally over the snow like a hawk, her body stretched out as she lunged toward me.
‘What is that?’
What kind of movement technique was that? Her speed was so great that she caught up to me in an instant. She reached out, attempting to use the Golden Snake Hand.
‘Tch!’
I twisted my body as much as possible to avoid her hand. However, her hand turned red and curved toward me in an eerie, unnatural direction.
-Whack!
I hurriedly tried to block it with the Namcheon Iron Sword, but her hand was faster. As the red hand touched my left shoulder, a chilling energy surged through me. I lost my balance and went tumbling across the ground.
“Agh!”
-Crash!
I rolled nearly ten times before I finally came to a stop.
-She’s a higher-level master than you.
I didn't need the sword to tell me that; I had already experienced it firsthand. After that tumble, my entire body ached so much I couldn't easily get up.
Then, someone’s face suddenly loomed over me.
“I told you to stop.”
‘Ah.....’
The plump woman’s veil had come off. Whether it had fallen off while she was using her Lightness Skill or she had taken it off, her face was revealed—and she was prettier than I expected.
She had porcelain skin and round, clear eyes. If she hadn't been so overweight, she would have been considered quite a beauty.
But that thought only lasted a moment.
“......Why did you chase me? You scared me.”
“What?”
When I took the offensive, she furrowed her brows. Did she really think I would just tell her why I was trying to lose her? Her lips twitched before she spoke.
“I followed you because you were hurrying somewhere alone in the middle of the night.”
“What does it matter to you where I go, Young Lady?”
I decided to be firm. It wasn't like I had committed a crime against this woman. But then, she struck a nerve I hadn't expected.
“Oh, really? But I heard the Venerable One’s disciple has a problem with his Dantian. You certainly use your Lightness Skill well for someone like that, don't you?”
“........”
This was exactly why I had waited for a time when everyone would have withdrawn, but I had no luck. Still, it wasn't like I didn't have an excuse.
“......I used my Innate True Qi to perform the Lightness Skill.”
“What? Innate True Qi? Are you saying you exhausted your life force just to use a Lightness Skill?”
She asked back in shock. Anyone would think of life force depletion when they heard "Innate True Qi." Overusing it was that dangerous.
“You don't believe me? Do you want to check?”
I held out my hand. Anyone who could manipulate internal energy could check another person’s condition by injecting their Qi. Though, of course, they wouldn't be able to verify the Innate True Qi.
As I stood my ground confidently, she hesitated before sighing and saying, “You could die doing that.”
“What else can I do? I don't have a Dantian, so this is the only way I can use a Lightness Skill.”
“It’s a foolish thing to do. If you don't want to die young from exhausting your vitality, you’d better stop doing that.”
Was she worried about me? For a subordinate of the notorious Blood Hand Witch, she didn't seem like a bad person. Though she did seem to have a strong appetite.
“.......That’s why my master and I are working so hard to treat my Dantian, isn't it?”
At my words, she looked at me with a slightly pitying expression. She must have felt sorry for me since I claimed to be using my life force just to move around.
“Now that your suspicions are cleared, may I get up? My back is freezing from lying in the snow.”
That wasn't a lie. It was genuinely cold. At my playful remark, she let out a small chuckle and reached out her hand. I took it and stood up.
-What are you going to do? Are you giving up for today?
The Lesser Conversation Sword asked me. If I took her with me to find the herb, the credit would be split. I had to find it entirely on my own to receive the Divine Healer’s token and claim the merit of saving the Blood Cult Leader’s granddaughter.
‘I might have to.’
Just as I was thinking that, she spoke.
“Did you say your name was... Young Master So Woon-hwi?”
“You seem older than me, so please, speak comfortably.”
At that, her expression turned flat. Did I say something wrong?
-My previous master used to say: no matter how old a woman looks, treating her as if she's younger is the way to live a smooth life.
I realized my mistake at the Namcheon Iron Sword’s advice. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she spoke in a pouting tone.
“How could I, when you are the disciple of a Venerable One? Besides, I’m not that old.”
“Ah...... No wonder you looked younger than me. I only said that because your martial arts are so outstanding that I wondered if you might be older.”
“Don't try to fix it now.”
She was quick-witted, too. Women were difficult, both in my past life and this one.
“I am Ha Yeon, the second disciple of the Sixth Blood Star.”
She introduced herself with a fist-and-palm salute. As expected, she was a disciple of the Blood Hand Witch.
“I thought it was unusual how your hands turned red. So you really are a disciple of the Sixth Blood Star.”
Blood Hand Jade. It was the signature martial art of the Blood Hand Witch. I had heard that the more one practiced her hand techniques, the redder their hands became, eventually taking on the color of blood.
‘I guess today is a bust.’
If she was a disciple of the Blood Hand Witch, it would be difficult to lose her. Rather than wasting energy, it seemed better to make up an excuse and try again tomorrow.
“Whew. I was going to look for the herb a bit more, but it’s gotten too dark, so I don't think I can continue. I should probably head back...”
“Liar.”
“What?”
“Young Master So, you know where the herb is, don't you?”
Her words caught me off guard, nearly leaving me speechless. I didn't expect her to strike so suddenly while we were talking smoothly. I tried my best to deny it nonchalantly.
“If I knew, would I have been searching until the middle of the night?”
“I wonder.”
“What do you mean, 'I wonder'?”
“Today alone, I’ve been wandering around for nearly twelve hours. I ran into the Venerable One himself a couple of times during that time.”
Ah....... I was starting to feel a bit uneasy.
“But strangely enough, I didn't see you even once, Young Master.”
“It must be a coincidence. I’m not exactly the type to stand out.”
She smiled brightly at my words.
“That can't be right. How many people among the searchers are wearing the uniform of a training disciple?”
There were three: the twins and me. This woman was smarter than she looked.
“It’s quite mysterious, isn't it? Appearing just when everyone else is withdrawing to search for the herb.”
“My, my. It’s a coincidence, but I can see how it might be misunderstood.”
I had to brush it off. I couldn't afford to show any weakness here.
“Young Master, can you really identify the herb without even brushing away the accumulated snow?”
“.........”
When I remained silent, she spoke in a meaningful voice.
“And finally, the deciding factor was something I felt while chasing you. You were using your Lightness Skill while looking straight ahead, without even glancing around, as if you were a person with a definite destination.”
The Lesser Conversation Sword let out a sigh.
-What are you going to say now?
This woman was too smart for me to come up with another excuse. It seemed there was no point in trying anymore.
“Young Lady Ha, you are truly clever.”
“Are you admitting it?”
“Whew. Since you’ve observed that much, I have no room for excuses.”
Her face brightened at my words. She seemed genuinely happy.
“You know where the herb is, right? Right?”
“I’m not certain, but I have a place in mind.”
“Then let’s go together!”
She spoke excitedly. To this, I replied with a deadpan expression.
“Is there any reason I should do that?”
“What?”
“I need the Divine Healer’s token, and this is a golden opportunity to claim the merit of helping a noble person. Is there any reason for me to share that?”
I spoke honestly.
“That’s stingy!”
“How is it stingy? You’re the one being stingy, trying to hitch a free ride on my efforts without doing any work yourself.”
“........”
“It seems today is a wash anyway, so I’ll be heading back.”
“Are you really going to be like this?”
“Yes. I am.”
“Hmph! Fine then! I’m going to follow you from now on until you find that herb.”
“........Do you really want to claim the merit that badly?”
“Merit? Ha!”
She made a subtle expression at my words before finally answering.
“It’s not because of the merit. I just really want to save the person I serve. Is it so wrong to be a little greedy for that?”
The person she served was likely the Blood Cult Leader’s granddaughter. Since the Sixth Blood Star, the Blood Hand Witch, had been guarding her, it made sense. I thought Ha Yeon might even be close to her.
Still, the merit was mine.
“I’m the one who’s going to save her, so you don't need to worry.”
“You’re too much.”
Her face flushed, and she bit her lip hard. Then, she spoke in a persuasive tone.
“Don't be like that, Young Master. I’ll let you have all the credit and the Divine Healer’s token. Let’s just go together. That much is fine, isn't it?”
“You’ll give me all the credit and the token?”
“Yes. Even if we find it together, it’s not like the merit disappears. And who knows? If we’re lucky, the Divine Healer might give tokens to both of us.”
The probability wasn't zero. If we said we found it together, what could the Divine Healer do? He had made a public promise, so he had to keep it.
“If that happens, I’ll give you the token I receive as well. Then you’ll have two.”
My ears perked up at her words. Having not one, but two of the Divine Healer’s tokens... It wasn't a bad deal.
-That sounds good. Accept it. She’s probably going to keep following you anyway.
‘Let me stall a bit first.’
If I jump on it too quickly, I’ll look like a total opportunist.
-Whether you do or not, you probably already look like one.
Hey, a person can be a little greedy. Anyway, with these conditions, it seemed okay to take her along. I pretended to deliberate, stroking my chin with my eyes closed.
“Whew, I don't know if I can trust you, Young Lady.”
“Tch. Why are you so suspicious? What do I have to do for you to trust me?”
I was only doing it because it felt awkward to accept immediately, but she thought I was genuinely suspicious. She was looking at me with an anxious face. Did she really want to share the merit that badly?
“Just in case, don't even think about running away or trying to lose me. You know I’m much faster than you, even if I look like this, right?”
‘!!!’
The moment I heard her words, a great idea struck me.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Young Lady. Then how about we do this?”
“Do what?”
“To solidify our trust, let’s add one more thing besides the Divine Healer’s token. We might not even get the token, after all.”
“Add one more thing? What exactly?”
Her eyes narrowed. She seemed instinctively uneasy.
“Teach me that movement technique you used earlier—the one where you stretched out and glided horizontally.”
“What?!”
I had been coveting that movement technique that allowed for such instantaneous acceleration. It looked just like a soaring hawk.
“Ha!”
Ha Yeon was dumbfounded. Was it my imagination, or was steam actually rising from her head?
Ha Yeon and I were heading toward the location of the herb. In the end, she had reluctantly accepted my proposal.
[You know how rude it is to demand another martial artist’s techniques, right?]
[I know.]
That was exactly why I had made the proposal. If she didn't accept, she would have to go back, and if she did, I had narrowed her choices so that she had no choice but to pass on that mysterious movement technique.
-You’re quite something yourself.
Even the Lesser Conversation Sword clicked its tongue at my cunning.
[Fine. I’ll teach you. But there’s a condition.]
Her condition was simple. I was not to use the movement technique she taught me recklessly. I was only to use it in times of dire need, and if I did use it, I had to make sure the opponent died.
She seemed like a nice person, but a member of the Evil Faction was still a member of the Evil Faction. Ultimately, she was telling me not to reveal the technique. The condition was acceptable. After all, a movement technique that provided such acceleration was perfect as a trump card.
‘It was a good trade.’
-Tak! Tak!
While we were using our Lightness Skills at a matched pace, Ha Yeon asked me.
“Young Master So..... You haven't told anyone about what happened earlier today, have you?”
It seemed the incident at the outhouse was still weighing on her mind.
“I’m still debating whether to mention it since I received one less silver coin than promised.”
“That’s so petty!”
She shouted, her face turning bright red. I was only joking, but she got so worked up.
“Well, since I’ve received something much better, I’ll erase it from my memory.”
“You promise?”
“I promise. Hmm, but surely you didn't chase me just to ask that?”
“Just to ask that? It’s important to me!”
She really didn't want to be found out. Well, I wouldn't want anyone to know I was secretly eating beef jerky in an outhouse either.
“Is it much further?”
“We’re almost there.”
I had heard that I just needed to go between these two mountain peaks. Then, in front of the frozen waterfall...
“Wow!”
An exclamation escaped Ha Yeon’s lips. As we passed between the peaks, a wide snowfield came into view, and amidst it, purple flower buds were poking their heads through the snow.
It was the Descending Immortal Spreading Snow.
“We found it! Young Master, to think it was in a place like this.”
She was so overjoyed she didn't know what to do with herself. Was she that happy to have gained merit? Or was she happy because she could save the Blood Cult Leader’s granddaughter?
“Now, let’s harvest it and head back...”
-Woon-hwi! Throw yourself forward!
‘!?’
At the Namcheon Iron Sword’s shout, I reflexively used my movement technique and lunged forward. I hadn't sensed anything, so what was it?
It was right then.
-Pa-pa-pak!
“Ugh!”
Before I could even turn my head after lunging forward, someone rapidly struck my pressure points. I collapsed forward, paralyzed.
Just as my consciousness was about to fade, the hot Innate True Qi surged from my chest and spread to the struck areas.
A sound reached my ears.
-Pa-pa-pa-pak!
The sound of hands clashing against hands.
“Who are you people? Ah!”
Following that, I heard Ha Yeon’s voice.
Since she was a more accomplished martial artist than I was, she had fortunately managed to evade the ambush.
“Stop right there!”
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
The sound of footsteps racing across the snow using a lightness skill grew increasingly distant. It seemed she was in pursuit of the attackers.
Moments later, a series of soft pops echoed from the pressure points on my back, and my paralyzed body regained its mobility.
Is this the power of Innate True Qi?
I hadn't expected it to neutralize a pressure point strike on its own. It seemed this energy possessed many hidden properties yet to be discovered.
—This is no time to be standing around, Un-hwi! Look! The bastards who ambushed you snatched the herbs and bolted.
Just as the Lesser Conversation Sword said, several stalks of the Descending Immortal Spreading Snow had been ripped from the snow. They must have been tailing us.
If even Young Lady Ha Yeon—a first-rate master—hadn't sensed them, they had to be at her level or higher.
—Hurry, after them! They’re going to steal all the credit!
The Lesser Conversation Sword urged me on. But was there really a need to give chase?
—What?
I walked over to the remaining stalks of Descending Immortal Spreading Snow still poking through the snow. Five yellow beads were nestled within the purple petals. A smirk tugged at the corners of my lips as I looked down at them.
Because these aren't fully matured yet.
If they wanted to stab us in the back, they should have waited until the very end. Idiots.