Chapter 16: Position Exam (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Position Exam (3)
The plan suggested by the Lesser Conversation Sword had landed me a massive catch.
I had assumed Song Jwa-baek would be too afraid of Haeakcheon to teach me the cultivation method of the True Blood Golden Body, but he had fallen for the "fellow disciple" line hook, line, and sinker.
He must have truly loathed the idea of treating me as his Senior Brother.
In a way, the Lesser Conversation Sword had read the boy’s mind perfectly.
-Still, a kid is just a kid.
Indeed, he wasn't even twenty yet. At only sixteen or seventeen, it would be difficult for him to weigh the gravity of his actions. Moreover, the bond of being under the same master likely swayed him further.
But what a pity.
Haeakcheon wasn't the type to care about such sentiments.
Right now, the boy was happy to be rid of the "Senior Brother" title, but soon enough, he would be clinging to my pant legs, begging to call me that again.
-How is it, Wun-hwi?
The Namcheon Iron Sword asked as I circulated the True Blood Golden Body.
If I had to put my current sensation into words, it felt as if all the blood in my body was surging upward. It was almost identical to the feeling of being hung upside down from a cliff.
-You’ve turned incredibly red. Your face looks like it’s about to explode.
The Lesser Conversation Sword remarked, sounding as if it were clicking its tongue.
I understood why it said that. I, too, realized what it meant for blood to circulate this rapidly.
‘It’s hot.’
It felt as if a sudden heat was flaring up throughout my entire body. I could see why they said it was impossible to endure without a special constitution. Haeakcheon supposedly used this cultivation method in battle, but for someone with an ordinary constitution like mine, it felt like something that should never be attempted.
-Does it seem to be working?
‘It is. Definitely.’
The Yang and Cold energies, which hadn't budged while I was using the Sohyeon Heart Method, began to move. Cold and hot energies started flowing into my Dantian little by little. The key was to maintain this balance perfectly.
It hadn't even been half an hour.
"Huff, huff. I can't go on any longer."
Usually, when one circulates a heart method, the body finds balance and enters a state of peace. In contrast, the more I practiced the True Blood Golden Body, the faster my blood circulated, heating my entire body. My heart raced as if I had just sprinted, making it exhausting. It was impossible to maintain the cultivation for long.
-It might be better to combine it with the Sohyeon Heart Method for the time being.
-Yeah. You’re completely drenched in sweat right now.
Drenched in sweat while meditating? This was a first for me.
Still, there were results. The energy that had barely gathered after three days of the Sohyeon Heart Method had accumulated in my Dantian several times faster. I didn't know how much Yang and Cold energy remained in my vessels, but if I continued practicing the True Blood Golden Body even in small bursts, I would be able to accumulate internal energy much more quickly.
‘Six months.’
Could I reach the level of a First-Rate Master in internal energy within that time?
Just then, I sensed a presence outside the cave. The only ones who knew of this place were Haeakcheon and the twins, so who could it be?
Tap!
Someone entered the cave with a light movement. It was a woman with her face concealed by a white veil. I recognized her eyes. She seemed to be one of the four women who guarded the Blood Hand Witch.
Clasp!
She offered a fist-and-palm salute and spoke.
"Young Master. Could you spare some time? The Sixth Blood Star is looking for you."
The Sixth Blood Star wants me?
*
I followed her to the vicinity of the Six Blood Valley’s main hall. When I asked how she found me, she said Song Jwa-baek, who was at the summit, had told her.
There was a small clearing on the right outskirts of the main hall. Instead of the Sixth Blood Star, two other women were there.
-Isn't that her?
The Lesser Conversation Sword recognized one of them—or rather, a young girl. With a pale face and delicate features, it was Dam Ye-hwa, who had entered as a training disciple alongside me. She was receiving some kind of martial arts instruction from one of the white-veiled women.
‘Ah!’
It must have been around this time. I remembered that Dam Ye-hwa had been selected as a disciple of the Blood Hand Witch while still a training disciple. She must have caught her eye.
As I arrived, they stopped their training. The woman who had guided me told me to wait there and ran toward the main hall. We could have met inside the hall; why did she call me to the outskirts?
"You're the person from back then, right?"
I had intended to wait quietly, but Dam Ye-hwa spoke to me. She seemed to remember me. Then again, I was the first to eat the Blood Drum and the last to receive a disciple grade, so it would be stranger if she didn't remember.
"It’s been a while," I replied with a slight nod.
Dam Ye-hwa looked young, but since she was a girl, I couldn't bring myself to treat her as roughly as I did Song Jwa-baek. When I first saw her, her face was filled with fear, but now she looked quite bright and confident. It was likely because she had been chosen as the Sixth Blood Star's disciple.
"You're training as an Intermediate Training Disciple, right?"
Huh? It seemed she didn't know I had become the disciple of a Venerable. Seeing her triumphant expression, she appeared itching to brag about becoming the Sixth Blood Star's disciple. It was understandable, but she was still just a child.
"I am..."
"That's enough, Junior Sister."
The white-veiled woman stopped Dam Ye-hwa from continuing. The girl's shoulders slumped, and she bowed her head.
"I'm sorry, Senior Sister."
The discipline between the senior and junior was well-established. Perhaps embarrassed at being scolded while trying to show off, Dam Ye-hwa moved a distance away.
Before long, the Blood Hand Witch, Han Baek-ha, appeared. I didn't know how many sets of those black clothes she owned, but she always carried the grim aura of a grim reaper. However, Young Lady Ha Yeon was nowhere to be seen. The two veiled women, presumably her disciples, followed behind her like shadows, but the lady was absent.
Clasp!
Just as I was about to greet her loudly with a salute, Han Baek-ha raised a hand to stop me.
"That's enough."
She walked straight up to me and pulled something from her robe. It was a sect token. Holding it up with her characteristically expressionless face, she spoke.
"The disciple of a Venerable is truly impressive."
She seemed to be using formal language out of respect for Haeakcheon. Thanks to that, Dam Ye-hwa, who had just learned I was a Venerable's disciple, stood behind her with wide eyes. Yes, my backing is a bit higher than yours.
But why was Han Baek-ha saying this while holding the token?
"Sixth Blood Star, what do you mean by that?"
"I heard you made a bet?"
‘Hmm...’
She must have heard it from Young Lady Ha Yeon. I didn't know how much had been told, but since Han Baek-ha knew about the bet, that token undoubtedly belonged to the young lady. I was troubled that she had chosen to deliver it through the Blood Hand Witch of all people.
"Young Lady Ha Yeon is..."
"You cannot see her right now."
I wanted to ask why, but this woman was as terrifying as the woman with red eyes. She was someone who would cut off her own finger without blinking an eye... Wait.
There was a bandage wrapped around her hand.
-Did she really cut her finger?
Looking at the bandage, the area where the finger should have been cut seemed intact. It was strange. Did she somehow reattach it?
-Didn't that Divine Healer of Ten Thousand Ailments fix it?
As the Lesser Conversation Sword suggested, it seemed to be the work of the Divine Healer. They said he could cure anything except death, but I hadn't expected him to be able to reattach a severed finger like that.
-Impressive. I wonder if he can reattach a severed head?
If your head is cut off, you die, you stupid sword.
Regardless, with medical skills that miraculous, I was glad I had secured the token. Han Baek-ha clicked her tongue.
"To demand the Lady's sect token as a wager... I don't know where you get such audacity."
Her voice and gaze suggested she was displeased. It was likely because I had demanded the token of the person she served. Why couldn't the lady have given it to me herself? Sending the Blood Hand Witch only made things difficult. Sigh.
"Bring it here."
At Han Baek-ha's command, one of the female disciples behind her brought me a small bundle. As I looked at it curiously, Han Baek-ha spoke.
"These are medicinal herbs that will help recover your vitality."
Ah...
Young Lady Ha Yeon must have prepared this. Did she remember that I had used my Innate True Qi to perform lightness skills and sent these for me? If so, she was quite thoughtful.
Han Baek-ha placed the sect token on her palm and extended her hand for me to take it.
[Baek Ryeonha.]
Baek Ryeonha? That must be Young Lady Ha Yeon's real name. I suspected it was a pseudonym, but I hadn't expected her to just reverse the syllables of her name.
As Han Baek-ha tilted her head slightly, signaling me to take it, I hesitantly reached for the token on her palm.
Right then.
Swish!
She dropped the token. As I hurriedly reached down to catch it—
Snap!
Han Baek-ha’s hand moved like lightning, her Golden Snake Hand gripping my wrist. Her technique was so profound that I was caught even though I saw it coming.
What should I do? Her internal energy was so deep it felt bottomless; I couldn't just shake her off.
‘Ah!’
At that moment, a cold energy surged through the pulse point in my wrist. It was Han Baek-ha’s internal energy. As it invaded, the tiny bit of energy in my Dantian moved instinctively. However, the gap was so vast that my energy merely twitched before freezing in place, as if paralyzed by fear.
"Sixth Blood..."
"It would be best to keep your mouth shut."
Her energy roamed through every corner of my body before vanishing. Still holding my wrist, Han Baek-ha spoke.
"It seems your vitality isn't as depleted as I feared."
‘Ah...’
Was she checking my physical condition? Did she have to startle me like this just to check? Or was there another purpose?
Regardless, I learned one good thing. Even though she had inspected my body with her internal energy, she hadn't noticed my Innate True Qi at all.
‘This is good.’
Neither a Venerable nor the Blood Hand Witch of the Seven Blood Stars had noticed. The Middle Dantian was proving to be a perfect trump card.
Then, the corner of her mouth curled into a smirk.
"The Venerable must have been in a hurry, seeing as he even fed you spirit medicine."
"Pardon?"
"I heard your Dantian is in the process of recovering. You shouldn't overdo it. Trying to build internal energy too hastily could ruin it again."
I had never taken any spirit medicine. Her words meant she had mistaken the absorbed Yang and Cold energies for the effects of medicine. The Divine Healer was right; it really did have an effect similar to spirit medicine.
‘Wait...’
If this is the case, won't Haeakcheon make the same mistake later? If he inspects my body with his internal energy, he might think the same. I needed to find a plausible excuse. If all else fails, I’ll have to blame the Divine Healer again.
Slide.
She released my wrist. How much would I have to train to be able to counter her Golden Snake Hand?
I bowed to her and tucked Baek Ryeonha’s—no, Young Lady Ha Yeon’s—sect token into my robe. Han Baek-ha spoke to me again.
"I hope you don't use that token for anything useless."
Useless things. It was a warning. I figured it was a reasonable warning for someone who was Baek Ryeonha’s subordinate. I suppose I can leave now?
Clasp!
"Then I shall take my leave, Sixth Blood Star."
As I turned to go, she suddenly spoke.
"Shall we make a bet as well, Young Master?"
"Pardon?"
What kind of scheme was this now? Was she trying to trick me into giving back the token she just returned? As if reading my mind, she spoke.
"Are you worried I'll take back what the Lady gave you? Don't worry. Since I hear you're so good at betting, consider this a small payback from that child's master."
If it wasn't about taking the token, then what? If it felt wrong, the best course was to decline. I clasped my hands politely and bowed.
"How could I possibly bet against the Sixth Blood Star? Please, withdraw your—"
"If you win, I will teach you one of my techniques. It won't be on the level of a Venerable's, but it will be useful."
‘...A technique?’
What did this woman take me for? Did she really think I’d fall for that? Even if it smells sweet, poison is poison. It’s only natural to spit it out.
"I am honored, but how could I covet the Sixth Blood Star's techniques and—"
She cut me off again.
"If I win, you simply have to ask your master, the Venerable, to reconsider the proposal I made to him once more. Isn't it simple? You won't lose much by doing so."
So that was her goal. She wanted to persuade Haeakcheon by any means necessary. I still didn't know whose side Haeakcheon was leaning toward.
-Still, there’s no harm to you.
It certainly wasn't a bad deal. I could at least pass on the message. However, whether I could win or lose depended on what the bet was.
"Ye-hwa."
She called Dam Ye-hwa forward. As the girl stepped out hesitantly, Han Baek-ha spoke.
"This child is a Low-Rank Warrior candidate I took in three days ago."
Since she had no prior martial arts training, she was a Low-Rank candidate. That was why I knew she had entered the Blood Hand Witch's tutelage.
"I will be staying in the Six Blood Valley for a while to treat and care for the Lady, and I will be teaching this child during that time."
"......"
"Coincidentally, there is a position exam in six months. I intend to raise this child into a High-Rank Warrior by then."
She said it casually, but it was an incredibly arrogant statement. She was claiming she could turn someone into a First-Rate Master in just half a year. Then again, it was better than Haeakcheon. That man had ordered me to not only become a High-Rank Warrior but to take the position of a Great Leader. This was exactly why martial artists went to such lengths to find a great master.
"The bet is simple. We will see which of you becomes a High-Rank Warrior first."
Confidence shone in Han Baek-ha’s eyes. It was understandable. She had taken Dam Ye-hwa in because she recognized the girl's latent talent. She proposed this bet because she was certain she could mold her into a First-Rate Master within six months.
"......What if we both become High-Rank Warriors?"
"Then the two of you will duel to decide the winner."
It was a quintessentially martial world way of thinking. There was no room for a vague draw.
*
-You said you’d spit out the poison, but you ended up accepting the bet.
‘I have to aim higher than that anyway. It’s killing two birds with one stone.’
My goal wasn't just to be a High-Rank Warrior. It was to become a Great Leader. It might be a gamble, but this would serve as motivation. If I won, it was an opportunity to learn a technique from one of the Blood Cult’s top experts.
-Even if you lose, it’s not so bad. You just have to tell him to reconsider.
‘No, that’s not it.’
-Huh? Why?
‘If I deliver that message, regardless of the bet, it will give that old man the impression that I’ve been recruited by Baek Ryeonha’s side.’
That was likely her hidden motive. That would be poisonous for me right now. I had learned something during my life as a spy.
-And what’s that?
‘Don't bet unless you're certain.’
-You learned that as a spy? It sounds more like a gambler’s rule.
‘It’s a similar principle.’
-How so?
‘When a power struggle like this breaks out, you shouldn't lean toward one side.’
-Why? Isn't that plump girl better than that thousand-year-old fox? At least she seems well-disposed toward you.
In terms of personal rapport, that was true. However, her kindness likely included the calculation that I was a Venerable's disciple. She could use me as a pawn to move Haeakcheon.
-I suppose that’s true. Still, I like the other one even less.
You don't know anything. For all I know, the woman with red eyes might currently hold the most power within the Blood Cult.
-Why? How can you know without even seeing her?
‘If she didn't, she would have tried to persuade Haeakcheon like Young Lady Ha Yeon—no, Baek Ryeonha—did.’
-Oho. That makes sense.
The woman with red eyes had only asked me to send her regards to Haeakcheon. Her tone and manner were full of composure. That alone suggested she likely held the upper hand in terms of influence. And crucially, she didn't hide herself.
‘Therefore, it’s dangerous to hastily join one side.’
If Baek Ryeonha failed to become the Cult Leader, those who sided with her would inevitably fall. They would be used and then discarded to a miserable death. It was true in the Orthodox Faction, but even more so in the Evil Faction.
-I think I get it.
‘What?’
-The reason why you, someone without a Dantian, survived so long as a spy.
Exactly. In this world, you die if you lack wit. And you die if you lack strength. That was why, in this life, I craved strength even more.
*
As So Wun-hwi left the clearing, a plump woman wearing a white veil appeared. At her arrival, everyone, including the Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha, bowed in respect.
The plump woman was none other than Baek Ryeonha. She had originally been about as plump as one of the other veiled women, but in the past few days, she had lost a noticeable, if not massive, amount of weight.
"Did he accept?" Baek Ryeonha asked Han Baek-ha.
Han Baek-ha nodded in response.
"He did. He doesn't seem quite as clever as you suggested, My Lady."
Han Baek-ha was confident she would win the bet. This child, Dam Ye-hwa, whom she had discovered, had the perfect body for learning the Blood Hand Jade technique—better than any disciple she had ever taken in. If she taught her intensively for six months, she would surely become a First-Rate Master.
"If we win the bet, it will be easier to persuade that bizarre old man through the boy."
Han Baek-ha was certain.
"I wonder."
"Do you doubt my judgment, My Lady?"
"I trust it. However..."
"However?"
"That man... he seems like someone who never makes a bet he's going to lose."
Baek Ryeonha had also been certain she would win when she bet against So Wun-hwi. Yet, she had lost. At her words, Han Baek-ha smiled.
"Fufu, do not worry, My Lady. With this child's talent, there is no way we can lose."
"Please, trust me and leave it to me!" Dam Ye-hwa said, her voice filled with fighting spirit. She was determined to win for the sake of the master who had chosen her.
.
.
.
And so, six months passed.