Chapter 294: I’m Not Buying It (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 294: I’m Not Buying It (2)
“Well? What do you say?”
For a moment, I could only stand there, utterly dumbfounded by Bi Eejin’s question.
What is this guy on about? A disciple? He’s seriously telling me his master is looking for a disciple, and that he wants me to take the spot?
Sure, he mentioned his master, but we both knew that his so-called “master” was none other than the Dishonored Venerable—Bi Eejin himself.
Is this guy not even a little embarrassed…?
Any lingering respect I had for him from my past life vanished in that instant. This man was even more unhinged than I’d thought. A disciple? Seriously? Was he actually proposing I become his disciple?
My reply was immediate.
“I’m not buying it.”
I rejected him outright.
“Good, then I shall… Wait, what?”
Bi Eejin’s face twisted into an expression of shock that looked completely out of place on him. Did he genuinely expect me to accept? How arrogant could he be? Then again…
It is him, after all.
This was an offer to become a disciple of a Heavenly Venerable—the Dishonored Venerable himself.
Becoming the disciple of one of the three figures who had reached the very pinnacle of the martial world, touching the heavens themselves, meant not only learning his martial arts but inheriting his fame and prestige.
So yes, it made sense that he’d be shocked by my refusal. But even so…
The Dishonored Venerable, huh?
He really made me think.
The martial arts he created hadn’t been seen in the world for over a century, much like the Moonlight Dance used by the Sword Emperor. Considering that the Divine Arts of the Ten Sect Alliance and the Four Noble Clans took centuries to perfect, it made me wonder if his techniques were flawed or incomplete.
But that can’t be right.
I could say that with certainty. I’d seen them with my own eyes. The Dishonored Venerable’s martial arts were far from incomplete. I’d never witnessed anything so seemingly foolish yet overwhelmingly powerful in my life.
Unlike the Sword Emperor, who refined existing arts to make them his own, the Dishonored Venerable claimed to have built his techniques from the ground up.
Is that even possible?
I couldn’t imagine reaching the level of a Heavenly Venerable in under a hundred years while also creating an entirely new martial art. That was what made his arts so incredibly valuable. Any martial artist with half a brain would kill to learn something like that.
But sadly, I didn’t have the time to master a completely new system.
“Shouldn’t you check if I’m even qualified to learn it in the first place?” I asked, summoning flames into my palm and showing them to Bi Eejin.
Ah, damn… my Dantian aches.
My body was already saturated with the Qi of the Gu Flame Wheel Art, and I’d reached the mature stage of the Peak realm—my body was nearly one with my Qi.
To learn new martial arts, you needed compatible Mind Arts so you could layer them together.
For example, since the Gu Flame Wheel Art primarily used Flame Qi and Combat Qi, my Qi had developed to complement those attributes. Trying to learn a completely different martial art in my current state…
Is he trying to make my meridians explode?
The idea was absurd.
Bi Eejin’s shocked expression began to fade, as though my reason for refusing had registered.
“Oh, you needn’t worry about that,” he said, sounding almost reassuring.
What? There’s actually a way? I perked up, listening intently.
“It’s quite simple. You empty everything inside you and refill it with something new.”
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
I cursed aloud, stunned by his words. The man was even crazier than I’d imagined. He was telling me to purge all the Qi in my body and replace it with a new Mind Art just to learn his martial arts.
“Can you stop talking nonsense?”
He was basically asking me to throw away everything I’d built up just to learn a new Divine Art.
What absolute rubbish.
Who in their right mind would do such a thing? Especially someone at the Peak realm like m—
…Wait.
Mid-thought, I remembered something. If he was saying this so matter-of-factly, did that mean this madman had actually done it himself?
That… would be possible.
It would explain why he spoke as if it were the most normal thing in the world. An ordinary person wouldn’t do it, but someone who became a Heavenly Venerable? None of them were normal.
But I had no intention of following suit.
“I’m not doing it. Do you really think I’m insane enough to discard everything I have and start over with something new?”
My answer was firm. I’d built up too much Qi, and I still had a long way to go. I couldn’t afford to throw it all away for a new Divine Art.
I don’t have much time.
Time was a luxury I never had.
I might look like a genius to him, but I’m not.
I wasn’t gifted enough to start learning a new martial art from scratch after losing everything. The Dishonored Venerable was likely making this offer because he saw me as the perfect candidate to inherit his legacy. To others, I probably looked like a heaven-sent prodigy.
That’s how most masters think—they want to pass down what they’ve mastered. Sure, some might not care, but most of the ones I knew did. It’s one of their driving motivations.
But why go through the trouble of teaching their arts to disciples?
Probably because they want to leave a mark on history.
They want their legacy to live on through their disciples. They chase things like clan honor, sect reputation, the weight of their name. But to me, it was all meaningless.
Although, I don’t think that man… has such a goal.
Not that I cared enough to uncover his true intentions. I just wanted to stay out of the spotlight.
In his eyes, I probably seemed to possess an Omnipotent Body. That’s likely how everyone saw me. But I wasn’t talented enough to learn the Dishonored Venerable’s martial arts, nor did I have the time.
Every minute was precious. And even if I did have the time, I wasn’t sure I could master a whole new system.
“Find someone else. I’m not doing it.”
I turned and began to walk away. I’ll admit, I did have a second thought.
Taoist Qi, Blood Qi, and even Demonic Qi are already mixed together inside me. Could I really layer another on top?
Maybe it was due to my Demonic Absorption Art or some hidden power within the Gu Flame Wheel Art, but I could use each of those Qi types without my body exploding. For a moment, I considered learning the Dishonored Venerable’s arts after all…
But that’s a gamble…
I had no idea what would happen if I tried something so risky.
“I hope you find a good di—disciple, I mean disciple. I’ll be taking my leave n—”
Just as I was about to make a run for it once I’d put some distance between us, I heard his voice from behind.
“How troublesome. I didn’t expect you to refuse such an offer.”
I turned my head and, to my shock, saw that the Dishonored—no, Bi Eejin—was suddenly right in front of me.
Damn it.
I’d failed to sense his presence due to my Dantian’s poor condition, but his speed was also a factor.
Bi Eejin spoke again. “According to my master, it would be rather difficult to find someone else suitable besides you.”
“…And how long has Brother Bi known me?”
“…”
Bi Eejin hesitated, clearly caught off guard by my question. It seemed he’d slipped up.
“…Rumors travel far and wide, you know.”
“Ah, I’m sure. So what? What are you going to do about it?”
Was he going to try and force me to go with him? I hadn’t thought him so ill-tempered, but his actions suggested otherwise.
Running and hiding… would be difficult.
From his earlier ambush and his movement just now, it was clear that escaping him in my current state was impossible.
As I pondered my options, Bi Eejin raised his hand and showed me something—a blue band.
For a moment, I thought it was his, but then…
“…Huh?”
I felt something strange. I checked my pocket and realized the band he was holding was mine.
I let out a madman’s laugh and asked, “…Are you going to take that from me?”
Losing a blue band didn’t change much. I could always get another from someone else or take one from the Demons in the forest.
Bi Eejin clenched the band in his hand and spoke again, “I understand your position, so how about a different offer?”
His tone had shifted. I wasn’t sure if it was intentional, but it was probably his normal way of speaking. I didn’t comment on it.
“If you can take this band back from me, I’ll give up.”
I was dumbfounded, amused by his apparent kindness. “And why would I need to do that?”
“If you don’t, I’ll simply follow you and continue to be a nuisance. Does that sound agreeable?”
“What?”
What was he even saying?
“I’ve thought it over and observed your reactions. It seems you don’t particularly care for anything related to the Heavenly Dragon Academy. You’re probably similar to me.”
“…No? I really want to go.”
How did he know?
“It didn’t seem that way, but if it’s true, then shouldn’t you accept this offer?” He waved the blue band in his hand.
He was more cunning than I’d thought. Was he doing this because I’d refused?
What an oppressive person.
I hadn’t seen him that way before. If that wasn’t the case, then it meant he needed me so badly that he was resorting to this.
Why is he going this far?
I studied Bi Eejin’s eyes. He had no intention of letting me go. He seemed prepared to disqualify me if I didn’t accept his challenge.
“…What happens if I fail to take the band?”
“It’s rather foolish to assume you’ll lose before the fight even begins.”
“I’m just that kind of person.”
I wasn’t going to be swayed by his words.
“I won’t have to become a disciple or anything, right?”
“Of course not. I’m not the type to force people into things they don’t want.”
“You mean Brother Bi, right?”
“…That’s right. I misspoke. I meant my master.”
He smiled. How absurd. With behavior like this, how had he not been exposed? Oh, maybe that was why he rarely left the clan.
“However, if you fail to take this band from me…”
“If I fail?”
“Then all you have to do is meet my master once.”
“…The Dishonored Venerable?”
“Correct.”
What did he mean by meeting him once? He was literally standing right in front of me.
…Not that I can say that.
What was Bi Eejin’s goal? Why did he want me to meet the Dishonored Venerable?
Is this his last resort?
Well, I didn’t know. It was highly likely he’d try to persuade me, but if all I had to do was meet him…
“Then I shal—”
Pow-!
A painful impact snapped my head back.
“Ugh…!”
What the hell was that?
“…Oh?”
Bi Eejin looked impressed after throwing the punch. I steadied myself to keep from falling.
“To dodge it slightly in that split second. You’re as impressive as I expected.”
“Seriously… What are you doing?”
“Hmm? What are you talking about?”
I rubbed my nose, speechless. Bi Eejin smiled and waved the blue band.
“Did you perhaps think it would be as simple as snatching the band?”
“…What?”
“I never said I wouldn’t fight back.”
This cunning old man!…Wait.
I’d seen this before.
Oh. I remember!
I recalled when the current First Elder, formerly the Second Elder, knocked out Peng Woojin in one strike after he begged to participate in the Nine Dragons Tournament.
-…Second Elder, weren’t you supposed to be the one dodging?
-Haha! This old man said no such thing!
Sigh… They say birds of a feather flock together.
That old man had no normal friends at all.
Thankfully, the punch only grazed me, but it still made my head spin.
I almost got hit square on the chin.
If I hadn’t moved instantly, I would’ve been knocked out cold.
“…Sigh.”
To be tangled up with this man, of all people… Seriously, was I being punished just for bullying Gu Jeolyub a little?
Crack.
How annoying. I already have too much to deal with.
After lightly stretching, I reinforced my Dantian.
Ache—
It still hurt, but I could endure it for now if I clenched my teeth. Keyword: for now.
Sss…
I channeled my inner Qi. I felt my body expand as Qi flowed from my Dantian. If I couldn’t use my Qi properly, I had to cheat and use something else.
[Grrr.!]
This damn beast reacted fiercely when I circulated my Qi. The bastard was oddly sensitive to it.
Blood Qi.
It was better than using Demonic Qi for now. This was a more effective way to boost my power instantly.
Will once be enough?
I didn’t know, but I had to try.
“Hmm?”
Bi Eejin’s expression changed as he noticed the shift…
Press.
But I shot toward him the moment my feet pushed off the ground. I led with my left shoulder and reached out with my arm. The power of Blood Qi, which I hadn’t used in a while, was greater than I’d expected.
Bi Eejin flinched and moved as well. He noticed my arm was aimed at his wrist, the one holding the blue band.
But my target wasn’t his wrist.
Because I was much faster than he anticipated, he was slightly slow to realize it was a feint. My arm broke from its trajectory.
“…!”
Only then did Bi Eejin understand what I was really aiming for.
Wham-!
But it was too late. My fist had already sunk into Bi Eejin’s stomach. Confirming the hit…
Swoosh!
I immediately detonated Qi from my fist.
Kwaaa-!
Qi scattered everywhere, forming waves that stormed forth and threw everything into chaos.
* * *
Slaaam-!
A mysterious explosive sound echoed from the other side of the mountain. Namgung Bi-ah stood motionless in a field, her gaze steady as she scanned her surroundings.
She could sense the hidden eyes and the foul stench of those watching her, but such threats were trivial to her now.
…Yellow.
She reached into her pocket, feeling the red and blue bands she had already secured.
She still needed to find a yellow band, and she had found someone who had one—or rather, the yellow band had found her.
Across the field stood the source of the stench permeating the air. Namgung Bi-ah frowned slightly, trying to place the figure before her. There was something familiar about him.
Who was he…?
“What a coincidence, running into you here.”
“? Oh.”
The young man’s voice triggered her memory. It was the same man she’d seen with Wi Seol-Ah last time. There was something else about him—something she couldn’t quite recall—but the details eluded her.
“I hope you remember who I am this time, Sword Dancer.”
“…”
Namgung Bi-ah remained silent as he spoke. He acted as if he knew her well. For some reason, she felt no urge to respond, and her memory of him was faint.
The young man’s face twitched slightly as he noticed her lack of recognition.
“There’s this bastard… and now this…”
His muttered words drifted past her ears, tinged with frustration.
“I’m not fond of it… Not at all…”
The kind eyes he had once shown her sharpened, growing cold and predatory. But the transformation was brief; he quickly masked it with a smile.
“It seems we both have something the other wants. So, how about it? A moment with me.”
He needed a red band, and she needed a yellow one. His malevolent intent mingled with the stench, making Namgung Bi-ah’s stomach churn.
But then, memories of her fiancé surfaced in her mind, bringing her a sense of calm.
She longed to see him, but she knew she had to wait.
Namgung Bi-ah realized she needed to stand up for herself, to become stronger and more capable. Only then could she truly be of help to him, could she stand proudly by his side.
Determined, she resolved to overcome the vile presence before her and any other obstacles in her path.
“…”
In response to the young man’s offer…
Shwish—
Namgung Bi-ah drew her sword, pointing it at him with unwavering resolve.
Then…
Crackle—
Lightning Qi crackled around her, causing her hair to lift and wave.
“…Sky of Thunder.”
She spoke quietly, and the once clear, colorless sky erupted into a storm, lightning bolts striking the field with fierce intensity.