Chapter 323: Hands-on Training (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 323: Hands-on Training (3)
Two months had flown by since I started attending the Academy.
The bitter grip of winter was finally loosening, making way for the gentle touch of spring. The frozen earth began to thaw, as if preparing a stage for the flowers to bloom. Yet, without any effort on my part, another year had been added to my cursed age.
Fucking hell.
I never gave much thought to my age in my previous life, but now, each passing year was a stark reminder of how little time I had left. It wasn't exactly a cheerful thought. Unlike most people, I knew I had to squeeze every drop of usefulness from my remaining days, making each one count.
A month had passed since my little expedition into the Academy's basement to find the secret vault, and things had changed considerably since then.
First, the Murim Alliance had finally been alerted to the vault's existence. Although they couldn't launch a full investigation while the Academy was still in session, they'd cordoned off the area with a powerful Formation. On top of that, they'd assigned extra instructors to night patrols—a direct result of the trouble the Sleeping Dragon and I had stirred up.
I was sure they resented us for it. It was completely unnecessary and pointless.
I do feel a little guilty about that.
I remembered all too well how much I hated patrol duty in my past life, so I did feel a twinge of sympathy for them. But what could I do? I had my own problems to worry about. I couldn't afford to lose sleep over others.
Tsk.
Anyway, the Murim Alliance had asked for my "cooperation" in their future investigation of the area. Let me be clear—they called it "cooperation." Instead of interrogating me, they wanted my help explaining how I'd discovered the secret vault. This was probably thanks to my background and my title as the True Dragon.
And the First-Class Beggar’s Pass must have helped.
The fact that the Beggar’s Sect had vouched for me was undoubtedly a major factor. Thankfully, it seemed to have worked. Of course, I'd probably still face punishment for breaking curfew, but I wasn't too concerned about that.
Next on the list is the issue with the Sword Queen.
She had agreed to keep the Qinghai Sword occupied in exchange for my help finding a treasure called the Stone of Mount Hua. According to her, it was hidden inside the secret vault. Even if that were true...
What can I do since that place no longer exists?
The Sword Queen said it was fine that I couldn't find it, but her expression told a different story.
But it seemed like there was a bigger problem than that.
A more pressing issue had emerged.
Huh? Did she hear something from the Qinghai Sword?
I had no idea what they'd discussed, so I let it slide for now.
There was another, more immediate problem.
What am I supposed to do about this thing wrapped around my arm?
The cloth bound tightly around my left arm was becoming a real nuisance. It was a light pink strip, wrapped around my arm like a bandage, but it was far from ordinary. For starters, it clung to my skin with a tenacious grip, and no matter what I tried, I couldn't remove it. It was as if it had become a part of me.
Moreover,
It might’ve been a different story if it were just a normal piece of cloth.
A faint—
No, was 'faint' even the right word?
It was subtle, yet paradoxically dense.
I could feel the same thick, potent Taoist Qi on my left arm that I had sensed when Elder Shin saved me in the vault. This was unmistakably the Taoist Qi of Mount Hua. Because of it, the energy throbbed, resonating and practically broadcasting my location.
The real problem was... I had no idea what this cloth even was. The fact that Elder Shin had awoken and taken control of my body to claim it meant he recognized it—likely a relic from his past. Yeon Il-Cheon's memory did say the vault had been prepared for Elder Shin, after all.
So what is it then?
Just what kind of treasure was this? It was ridiculous to add another item to my already growing collection, especially one this conspicuous.
It doesn’t even seem to have any special power.
Should I just consider it a cloth that emits Taoist Qi? Or was there some hidden function I hadn't discovered yet?
It’s frustrating that the one person who could explain everything had fallen back asleep. After saving me at a crucial moment, Elder Shin had drifted back into slumber.
Not only that,
The beast went silent as well.
The creature that had been relentlessly howling for food every day had gone quiet since that moment. Did it disappear? No, that didn't seem likely. I could still feel it lurking inside me.
As time passed, more and more mysteries seemed to pile up around me, swirling until my mind was lost in a haze. Did they think they were fish?
Tap, tap.
I absently tapped the table with my fingertip—an old habit of mine whenever my thoughts became tangled.
…I’m finished with the vault.
I'd also developed the habit of shelving questions I couldn't answer, a recent adaptation. With so much to do, I couldn't afford to be bogged down by unanswerable mysteries. I had to set them aside and focus on immediate problems. It was a form of thought suppression, I suppose.
Tap, tap.
My finger continued its rhythm as a face and a name surfaced in my mind.
…The bastard is from the Beggar’s Sect, so they are hard to find as of now. What about the other one?
There was only one reason I kept memorizing these people.
There are more of them than I expected. Can I really eliminate them all?
I was compiling a mental list of all the bastards I needed to kill. I'd learned by now that justice was a farce—a lesson burned into me after the calamity descended upon the world. Most of those who called themselves the Orthodox Faction projected an image of heroism while their true nature was rotten to the core. Seeing how more from the so-called Orthodox Faction ended up joining the Demonic Cult than those from the Unorthodox, I began to wonder if the Unorthodox Faction was actually the lesser evil.
This was why I had chosen to attend the Heavenly Dragon Academy. I had to eliminate anyone who needed to die. I needed to raise my martial prowess, to become strong enough to carry out these executions without a hitch.
Woong.
Again.
I frowned at the familiar sensation. Lately, I'd been getting these dizzy spells from time to time. They passed after a moment, but the nauseating feeling always left me in a foul mood.
"Sigh."
I started to wonder if it would be better to just throw up and get it over with.
"...Student."
Maybe it’s because I've been slacking in my training? I should probably—
"Student Gu Yangcheon."
"...!"
I hadn't even heard him—I'd been spacing out. I snapped back to reality and looked up to see Cheol Hwanho glaring at me with a deep frown. Right, I was in the middle of a lecture.
"Yes?"
"I called you three times and you didn't answer. Should I take that as you not paying attention?"
"I did respond. You must've missed it as I was too quiet."
"...Is that so."
It was an obvious lie. Cheol Hwanho probably knew it too, judging by the disgusted look on his face. I didn't realize a person could look that disgusted. You learn something new every day, I guess.
"Since you claim to have been paying attention, I suppose I can ask you a question?"
"Yes, I shall answer."
"Please explain why the Blue-Sky Birds are less active during the nigh—"
"It's because they breed during that time. They must be perverted as they only do it at night."
"…"
"Oh, and their only real weakness is their beak. But since they can't fly, just catch them and burn them al—"
"Thank you."
"Of course."
He ignored me, even though it was genuinely good advice. Blue-Sky Birds are part of the blue Demons. Despite having wings, they can't fly. They also have surprisingly long necks for creatures that resemble chickens. Regardless, they were one of the few demon species that reproduced, and strangely, they only did it at night. Thanks to that, it's rare for a martial artist to be ambushed by them after daytime, making them easy to hunt at night.
I guess my answer was right—Cheol Hwanho resumed his lecture with a disappointed sigh.
I should focus though.
And by focus, I mean focus on pretending to pay attention, rather than actually listening.
A little more, huh.
It wouldn't be long before the moment I'd been waiting for arrived. As the lecture ended, Cheol Hwanho said this before leaving the room.
"Hands-on training is coming up soon. Don't forget."
I nodded, hearing his words. This was the moment I'd been waiting for all week.
Usually, I'd chat with my group after finishing my daily lectures and grabbing a meal. It was the only time I really got to take a mental break. Lately, though, I've been using that time to train instead. My group had become busier, and I needed to continue working on myself.
Push my arm more.
Swoosh! Pow!
I focused on my stance and unleashed a burst of Qi. A faint trail lingered in the air. It was disappointing; my timing was off.
…It’s still hard to release it fast enough. Maybe I should incorporate more feints?
Even though I should've been focusing on mind training, I found myself moving like this, still thinking about that fight.
If speed is my only advantage, I'll eventually get caught and lose.
The Dragon Warrior, or rather, the Dishonored Venerable. My fight with him that day left me feeling frustrated, driving me to train like this whenever I could.
What’s the problem?
I was much faster than him. I had more Qi than him, too. Yet despite all that, I couldn't get close, and he dodged every attack no matter how I approached. He was slower than me, yet somehow faster at the same time. Was it the difference in how we saw things?
I learned where I needed to improve after that fight, but it wasn't easy. Despite losing to the Dishonored Venerable, a master of close combat, I had no excuses. A loss was a loss. I didn't feel frustrated by the defeat. I'd experienced plenty of losses in my life, and I knew catching up to geniuses was nearly impossible. This only made it more important for me to find an answer.
It would’ve been nice if I were a bit smarter.
I'd be more efficient, and I'd make better use of my body in the future. What would it be like if I were half as smart as the Man of Heaven? I let my mind wander to useless thoughts like this out of frustration.
Blaze.
I pulled the flames back into my body, channeled the heat to my Dantian, and took a deep breath. The field was already saturated with the heat I had poured out.
"What do you think?"
I asked the person who had been quietly watching me as I drew in my Qi.
"...Hmm?"
It was a hollow answer. As expected.
Of course, it was Namgung Bi-ah who had been watching.
"What did you think?"
"...You were cool…?"
"No, not like that…"
For a second, I almost smiled. I ended up training with Namgung Bi-ah because everyone else was busy, so I asked her to join me for the first time in a while. She usually leaves halfway through my training, but I asked her to stay today until the end.
I hadn't seen Tang Soyeol recently, and while Wi Seol-Ah showed up daily as if it were routine, she left today with a disappointed look, probably because she had something else to do. Moyong Hi-ah had been busy ever since the start of the Academy, and I learned that Gu Yeonseo was doing something with her group today, so I dragged Namgung Bi-ah here, as it seemed like she was free.
"Did you see any flaws?"
I didn't expect much help from Namgung Bi-ah, but I asked anyway—after all, she was a Peak Realm martial artist, a genius destined for greatness.
Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head for a moment before looking directly into my eyes and responding.
"Too fast…"
"Then I'll go slower for y—"
"You seem a bit rushed."
I assumed it had been too fast for her to follow, but Namgung Bi-ah's answer was different from what I expected.
"Rushed?"
"Mhm… You seem rushed."
I repeated her words in my mind, flexing and unclenching my fists as I thought. Rushed, huh. I knew I'd been feeling rushed lately, but had it seeped into my movements too?
I need to fix that.
I nodded. If Namgung Bi-ah could see it, it was definitely something to be concerned about.
After observing me a little longer, Namgung Bi-ah spoke again.
"...Want to do it?"
I paused for a moment after hearing her.
"I told you, use full sentences."
I sighed and reminded her. Namgung Bi-ah clapped her hands, realizing she had forgotten. For a second, I panicked.
"Do you want to… spar?"
So, it's spar, as expected. Now that I think about it, I've never sparred with Namgung Bi-ah before. She had been bugging me for a spar ever since my regression, but I never accepted. Then, one day, she just stopped asking.
"Oh right, you stopped asking me to spar after a while."
I wondered if she was asking now because it had been so long, or if her intentions were different this time.
When I responded, Namgung Bi-ah brushed her hair back and spoke.
"...Scary…"
Scary?
"Sparring with me?"
"No…"
Namgung Bi-ah's blue eyes locked onto mine.
"You were… scared of sparring with me."
"…"
Time seemed to freeze for a moment.
"Scared? Me?"
"Mhm."
I wondered what she meant, but I already knew. I didn't want to fight with Namgung Bi-ah, even if it was just a light spar.
"So… that's why I stopped asking. I'm fine with it."
"But you just did."
"Maybe… you would feel better after."
"No, I probably would feel much worse."
"Then it's fine."
Namgung Bi-ah returned to her usual calm expression, as if she had no regrets. Her mood was always quick to change.
"Will you… ever?"
"...You speak as if a spar is that precious of a thing."
"It's not?"
"Nah, it is."
When the calamity ends, when the world finds peace again—when there are no more threats and only calm remains—then I'd spar with her. Though it felt strange to put such weight on a simple word like "spar."
"Seol-Ah too?"
"...!"
My eyes widened at Namgung Bi-ah's unexpected words. She had brought up Wi Seol-Ah out of the blue. What did she mean by her question?
Huh?
Could she know what Wi Seol-Ah said to me?
"What are y—"
"...Just kidding…"
I asked with a shaky voice, but Namgung Bi-ah just smiled lightly. She waved her fingers at me, gesturing for me to come closer. She was treating me like a dog. Despite complaining, I still went over.
"What are you doi—"
Pat, pat.
When I got close, Namgung Bi-ah began to pat my head, her hand moving in that slow, deliberate way.
"...It's all okay."
"...What are you doing?"
I asked, stunned by her sudden gesture, but Namgung Bi-ah simply smiled warmly.
"...I feel good… when you do this… to me."
"And?"
"So… I'm doing it for you too…"
She was trying to cheer me up. I wasn't necessarily feeling bad to begin with. Funnily enough though, her actions did make me feel a little better. When I saw how hard Namgung Bi-ah was trying to pat my head, I couldn't help but smirk.
That was enough training for today, thanks to her.
A full moon hung in the night sky. A figure, their gender indistinct, stood atop the wall surrounding the Heavenly Dragon Academy. It was a tiny spot, just outside the Qinghai Sword's reach. The figure stood silently, watching, their gaze fixed on one person below.
Flutter.
A bird landed on their shoulder, quiet as the night. The figure removed the letter tied to the bird's leg, handling it with practiced ease.
-After four days, advance.
"…"
The mission would begin soon. They crumpled the letter, and the bird on their shoulder vanished like mist. After the bird disappeared, so did the figure. Leaving no trace, as if they'd never been there at all.
The figure's name was the Dark King. The ruler of the night.