Chapter 33
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 33
“Shouldn’t Peak Lord Ju be looking for a spirit plant farmer? This lad just concocted a Spirit Recovery Pill.”
“Did the ingredients for that pill fall from the heavens? How could anyone produce a medicine of such quality without a profound understanding of spirit herbs?”
Peak Lord Ju Gyeong-rim of Hundred Herbs Peak pinched a bit of the dregs left inside the pill cauldron and rolled them between his fingertips.
“You can’t achieve this through flame control alone. This is the craft of someone who knows how to pour devotion into his herbs.”
“Which is precisely why he must study alchemy.”
“Which is precisely why he must study spirit plant cultivation.”
Both pairs of eyes turned toward Lee Hyun at the exact same moment.
Lee Hyun pondered his options.
Which path brings me closer to the recipe for the Vitality-Raising Pill?
Naturally, the most direct route was becoming an alchemist. The real problem was that he had no way of knowing when the sect would ever entrust him with concocting a Vitality-Raising Pill.
Even mortal artisans rarely revealed secret family recipes to outsiders. A cultivation sect would certainly never hand a pill recipe capable of breaking through the bottleneck between the middle and late stages of Qi Refining to an outsider who had only just walked through the front gate.
Perhaps it might be easier to deduce the recipe while working as a spirit plant farmer on Hundred Herbs Peak. After all, Hundred Herbs Peak would be the one cultivating and supplying the herbs for the Vitality-Raising Pill.
Yet alchemy isn’t solved simply by knowing the ingredients. I need the refinement sequence, the precise heat control, and the method of harmonizing their medicinal properties. There’s no reason to take a detour.
Lee Hyun looked up and spoke.
“I wish to learn alchemy.”
A thoroughly satisfied smile spread across Go Won-hak’s face.
“Did you hear that, Ju?”
Peak Lord Ju wore a look of deep regret.
“To truly master alchemy, one must first understand spirit plants and medicinal herbs. An alchemist who only inspects his ingredients after tossing them into a cauldron will never rise above mediocrity, no matter how well he controls the fire.”
“I will keep that in mind, Elder.”
“Even if you enter Pill Cauldron Peak, the doors of Hundred Herbs Peak will always remain open to you.”
The disciple supervising the examination chimed in with some hesitation.
“Elders, we have yet to verify the applicant’s bone age and spiritual roots.”
“Is that not a mere formality?” Go Won-hak waved a dismissive hand, then turned his gaze back to Lee Hyun. “Finish the remaining entry procedures and come straight to Pill Cauldron Peak. If there are no disqualifying issues, I shall accept you as my registered disciple.”
“Thank you, Elder.”
Peak Lord Ju turned to leave, tossing one last remark over his shoulder. “Do not become an alchemist who burns his herbs and blames it on bad luck. If you ever change your mind, come to Hundred Herbs Peak.”
“Are you putting a curse on someone else’s disciple?”
“It is advice worth its weight in spirit stones.”
Bickering back and forth like old rivals, the two old men strode out of the pavilion.
The rogue cultivators waiting for their results stared at Lee Hyun with naked envy. It was virtually unheard of for an unaffiliated rogue cultivator to draw the attention—and favor—of two Peak Lords before even officially joining the sect.
Lee Hyun realized he had vastly underestimated his own alchemy skills.
They gave us three sets of ingredients. Succeeding on the very first try and drawing this much attention was careless of me…
Yet when the alchemy test officially concluded, it turned out Lee Hyun was the sole applicant who had passed.
…On second thought, it’s a good thing I succeeded on the first try after all.
Guided by an attendant, Lee Hyun made his way to an adjacent pavilion.
Inside the spacious hall stood an array of magical artifacts and measuring formations. Over twenty applicants had passed the initial stage; unlike the brutal alchemy trial, a fair number had made the cut in other specialized trades.
The queue waiting for the bone age inspection gradually shortened. A few spots ahead of Lee Hyun stood a large, broad-shouldered young man. Judging solely by his sunburnt face and thick, scarred forearms, he looked like an ordinary mortal laborer, yet the unmistakable aura of the 5th layer of Qi Refining radiated from his frame.
“Place your right hand here.”
The man set his broad palm upon a stone slab. Silver runes resembling human hand bones were etched deeply into the polished surface.
Moments later, the patterns flared to life. A hazy, pale light swept from the man’s fingertips through his wrist and straight up to his elbow.
Wuuung—
Slender rings of light rose one after another above the stone slab.
The examiner frowned as he counted the luminous rings and inspected their color.
“Your bone age reads as eighty-three.”
“Pardon? But I am twenty-seven!”
“Twenty-seven?” The examiner shifted his gaze between the man’s weathered face and the glowing stone slab. “Have you taken a Rejuvenation Pill or an Appearance-Preserving Pill?”
“No, sir! How could someone like me afford such exorbitant medicine?”
“What about a Body-Refining Art?”
“I’ve only practiced a bit of mortal external martial arts.”
The examiner paused, as if a thought had suddenly struck him. “Did you happen to take Bone-Tempering Powder recently?”
“What? Yes! How did you know? I took a dose on my way here.”
“Did you buy it in the south?”
“I bought it at a market in the Namryeo Kingdom. It was mid-grade Bone-Tempering Powder crafted by the Azure Tide Pill Pavilion of the Azure Tide Merchant Alliance.”
“That explains it. The medicinal efficacy of Bone-Tempering Powder seeps directly into the bone matrix. Before it is fully metabolized, the traces of the medicinal age belonging to the herbs linger within the bones. The formation on this slab read those herbal traces as years you have lived.”
A troubled, anxious look washed over the man’s face. “Then what should I do?”
“How long has it been since you consumed it?”
“About ten days.”
“We will test you again in a month. By then, the residual medicinal traces should have faded, and we can determine your true bone age.”
“Does that mean I pass or fail?”
“I shall mark you as provisionally passed for now. Proceed with the rest of the tests. However, if it turns out you lied when we retest your bone age next month, do not lament whatever punishment awaits you.”
Relieved and overjoyed, the man bowed repeatedly and stepped back. The examiner immediately called for the next applicant.
Lee Hyun watched the man’s retreating back, his mind racing.
Bone-Tempering Powder interferes with bone age assessments?
That was an unexpected, vital piece of information.
As the line moved forward, Lee Hyun casually struck up a conversation with the disciple guiding applicants nearby. “If bone age testing can be skewed so easily, doesn’t that cause massive loopholes?”
“What kind of loopholes?”
“Couldn’t someone seeking to join the sect use Bone-Tempering Powder to fake their age?”
The disciple scoffed lightly. “It works the other way around. Taking Bone-Tempering Powder only makes your bone age register higher than it actually is, never lower. Anyone wanting to enter a sect wants to appear as young as possible; who would intentionally try to look like an old fossil? At the same cultivation realm, a younger disciple receives far better evaluations and has a far higher chance of receiving dedicated sect resources. Artificially inflating your bone age only makes you look untalented and mediocre.”
“Indeed. That makes sense.”
Lee Hyun nodded as if enlightened, but internally, his heart leaped with excitement.
To think bone age can be made to read older than it really is!
It was a loophole entirely useless to everyone else. To normal cultivators, appearing older was equivalent to declaring oneself worthless trash.
For Lee Hyun, however, it was an absolute godsend.
The next time I need to infiltrate another sect or faction, I can use Bone-Tempering Powder to artificially age my bones.
Currently, he was more than capable of concocting Tier 1 Bone-Tempering Powder himself.
The primary ingredients and supplementary spirit plants of Bone-Tempering Powder had an acceptable range of medicinal age dictated by the recipe. Depending on the herbs’ age, the dosage, and the duration between consumption and testing, the reading on the magical artifact would fluctuate. If he experimented a few times and figured out the exact ratios, he could manipulate any bone-testing artifact to display whatever age range he desired.
Combine that with physical disguises, along with concealing his true aura using the Spirit-Concealment Technique and Qi-Concealment Technique…
I can construct an entirely seamless, unassailable identity.
In truth, even before stepping foot into the Everlasting Spring Sect, Lee Hyun had worried incessantly about the bone age test.
Unlike the true span of time he had lived, his physical bone age was permanently frozen at nineteen. Combined with a cultivation base at the 6th layer of Qi Refining, he appeared far too exceptional for a wandering rogue cultivator, risking heavy suspicion and unwanted scrutiny.
Yet having lacked any method to falsify his bone age, he had been forced to take the risk and walk in blindly.
While he contemplated the possibilities, the applicants ahead finished their examinations one by one.
“Next.”
Lee Hyun stepped forward and stood before the stone slab.
“Name?”
“Lee Dong-i.”
“Place your right hand here.”
Lee Hyun pressed his palm flat against the stone slab.
A pale, misty luminescence slowly swept up from his fingertips to his elbow.
Wuuung—
Slender rings of light surfaced one after another, hovering in the air.
“Bone age nineteen…”
The examiner began jotting down the character in the ledger, then froze. His head snapped up, staring straight at Lee Hyun.
“Wait. Nineteen years old… at the 6th layer of Qi Refining?”
“Yes, Senior.”
“It says here you are a rogue cultivator. Do you have a master?”
“No, sir. I taught myself using an inheritance left behind by my late parents.”
“Were your parents cultivators as well?”
“Yes. My father harvested spiritual herbs and hunted low-grade demonic beasts, while my mother could craft a few basic Tier 1 pills.”
“Where are they now?”
“They set out for the southern sea when I was young and never returned.”
Lee Hyun let a faint, bitter sorrow settle across his features.
Naturally, the story was entirely fabricated.
In the vast South Sea, countless islands were not even recorded on maps. Ships vanishing into raging oceanic storms or falling victim to rampaging demonic beasts were everyday occurrences. A background as the orphaned son of missing rogue cultivators was nearly impossible to verify, yet mundane enough to avoid raising flags.
The examiner studied Lee Hyun’s expression for a brief moment before his tone softened noticeably.
“They must have left behind a decent stash of pills and spirit stones.”
“I have already consumed most of what they saved.”
“You had good parents.” The examiner sighed, dipping his brush in ink and writing down a few additional notes in the ledger. “Next, we shall check your spiritual roots. Place both hands here.”
When Lee Hyun pressed both palms against the crystalline orb, three distinct colors of light blossomed from deep within its core.
“Triple spiritual roots. Average quality.”
A subtle hint of disappointment flickered across the examiner’s face.
“Is there a problem, Senior?”
“No, no problem at all. It’s simply that your cultivation realm is so remarkable for your age that my expectations were naturally skewed. Reaching the 6th layer of Qi Refining at nineteen is truly an extraordinary feat for a rogue cultivator. Had you possessed twin spiritual roots or better, recommending you as a direct disciple candidate to the Elders wouldn’t have been out of the question…”
The examiner shook his head slightly, offering an encouraging smile. “Still, do not be disheartened. Becoming an inner-sect disciple is already an incredible achievement. Besides, didn’t Elder Go personally say he would take you in as a registered disciple?”
“Yes, Senior.”
“If you work diligently as an alchemist on Pill Cauldron Peak, you will surely be entrusted with significant responsibilities. By the way… since you have already reached the 6th layer of Qi Refining, what you seek most right now must be the Vitality-Raising Pill, correct? If you accumulate enough contribution points for the sect, you will eventually be able to exchange for one. But because they are exceptionally precious, even inner-sect disciples must perform arduous missions for a long time to earn one. Many 6th layer cultivators in the sect simply buy them with spirit stones instead.”
“Spirit stones… How much does one pill cost?”
“When supply is steady, around one hundred and fifty low-grade spirit stones. These days, however, the price easily climbs to two hundred. And keep in mind, that is strictly the internal sect price; outside on the open market, it readily fetches two hundred and fifty stones apiece.”
“That is quite steep. What about Foundation Establishment Pills?”
“Foundation Establishment Pills…” The examiner laughed bitterly. “Our Everlasting Spring Sect cannot concoct Foundation Establishment Pills on its own. Even with a mountain of spirit stones, obtaining one here is nearly impossible; you would have to seek an opportunity in the wider cultivation world outside the sect. Still, you are only nineteen. Even after you reach the 9th layer of Qi Refining, you will have plenty of time to search.”
At long last, the tedious registration process drew to a close.
While waiting to receive his official identity token, Lee Hyun reflected on the examiner’s words.
Come to think of it… why was I so obsessed with concocting the Vitality-Raising Pill myself?
He was no longer the penniless, desperate cultivator he had once been.
Buying fifty pills all at once would be impossible without arousing suspicion, of course. But what if I alter my appearance, disguise my identity, and steadily purchase one or two at a time from the various merchant markets surrounding the Everlasting Spring Sect? I can place each pill into a high-grade jade box, seal it with preservation talismans so the medicinal efficacy doesn’t degrade, and store them safely in my storage pouch.
Right. Instead of agonizing over acquiring an elusive pill recipe, I can just buy the Vitality-Raising Pills bit by bit and stockpile them.
Until I gather all fifty pills, I can cultivate steadily to the absolute peak of the 6th layer of Qi Refining right here in the Everlasting Spring Sect while refining my alchemy craft. If I manage to secure the recipe along the way, that’s simply a bonus.
Having cleared every procedural hurdle, Lee Hyun received a set of fine green robes, a sect identity token, and a thin booklet outlining the sect’s rules and taboos.
A small cauldron emblem was neatly embroidered onto the sleeve of the robe. The front of the identity token bore the intricate carving of a lush, ancient tree, while his new name and peak affiliation were engraved onto the reverse side.
Lee Hyun donned the robe over his Force-Dispersing Underarmor and secured the identity token to his waist.
This is my first time becoming an inner-sect disciple.
Back at Cheongha Valley, he had been a lowly outer-sect disciple. At the Bureau of Heavenly Service, he was merely an expendable retainer. He had also served as the hidden society leader of the Heaven-Seizing Society and a guest alchemist for the Azure Tide Merchant Alliance.
Yet this was the very first time he had formally stood as an official inner-sect disciple of a true cultivation sect, addressing a genuine elder as his master.
Outside the pavilion, a broad flying boat spanning five zhang in length floated silently in the air. The vessel’s hull was constructed from pale brown spirit wood, its edges engraved with flowing leaf motifs.
“I heard someone here is assigned to Pill Cauldron Peak. Who is it?”
“That would be me!”
Lee Hyun stepped forward and lightly boarded the vessel.
A cultivator who appeared to be in his late thirties stood at the helm. Embroidered on the sleeve of his green robe was the exact same cauldron crest that Lee Hyun now wore.
“A pleasure to meet you, Junior Martial Brother. I am Na Gyeong-mun of Pill Cauldron Peak. My cultivation is at the 9th layer of Qi Refining… and as Master’s registered disciple, I am your senior martial brother. I’ll give you a brief overview of our surroundings before we reach the peak.”
“Thank you, Senior Martial Brother. I am in your care.”
Wuuung—
With a low hum of power, the spirit boat ascended smoothly into the sky.
A sprawling veil of faint azure mist hung between the entrance examination pavilion and the towering nine peaks of the Everlasting Spring Sect. At a casual glance, it seemed like ordinary mountain fog, but when viewed through the Qi-Observation Technique, countless complex runes and array lines could be seen weaving in and out of existence.
Na Gyeong-mun raised his identity token toward the mist.
Wuuuung—
A shimmering, circular passage split open through the dense azure fog. The instant the flying boat glided across the boundary, the surrounding air and spiritual pressure shifted dramatically.
Sss—
Pure, dense Heaven-and-Earth spiritual qi poured naturally into his pores. The ambient spiritual energy here was vastly superior not only to Tunnel No. 2, but even outstripped most of the spirit vein cultivation seats he had used back in the Heaven-Seizing Society.
“Surprised?” Na Gyeong-mun chuckled warmly, noting Lee Hyun’s stunned expression. “This is the inner boundary of the Nine Peaks Rejuvenation Formation. It locks in the spiritual qi born from our nine peaks so not a single wisp escapes into the outside world. Should an enemy ever dare invade, it immediately transforms into our sect’s Mountain-Protecting Grand Formation. This concentrated environment is precisely why inner-sect disciples are granted personal quarters within the peaks.”
“What an incredible formation. Can the sect truly sustain the monstrous consumption of spirit stones needed to maintain such a massive grand array indefinitely?”
“Spirit stones?” Na Gyeong-mun laughed. “It isn’t operating at full offensive power right now. When an array is crafted to seamlessly harness the natural harmony of heaven, earth, and the surrounding mountains, it barely expends any spirit stones at all. Of course, only peerless formation masters possess the skill to construct such a marvel. This is all part of the glorious legacy left behind when our Everlasting Spring Sect’s Golden Core patriarchs invited grandmasters of the Dao of Formations in the ancient past.”
A deep sense of pride rang clearly in Na Gyeong-mun’s voice.
Beneath the flying boat, the magnificent expanse of the Everlasting Spring Mountains unfurled like an immortal painting.
At the center of the vast mountain range, nine grand peaks rose majestically, arranged in a wide, harmonious circle.
Atop the tallest peak in the very center stood rows of ancient, jade-roofed pavilions. In the lush, expansive valley below, crystal-clear lakes and vibrant spirit fields stretched out, dotted here and there with the faint, shimmering barriers of minor defensive formations.
The northwestern peak resembled a colossal, singular spirit field that encompassed the entire mountain. Terraced fields cascaded down its slopes like verdant green stairs.
To the west, several thin plumes of dark smoke drifted lazily into the azure sky.
Na Gyeong-mun pointed toward the peaks one by one.
“The grand peak in the center is Everlasting Spring Peak. It houses the Sect Leader’s estate, the Elders’ Council, and the Scripture Pavilion. To the northwest is Hundred Herbs Peak, where all sect medicinal plants are cultivated. And to the west lies our destination, Pill Cauldron Peak.”
The flying boat banked gently, altering its course.
“That peak over there, flanked by the towering silver pillars, is Formation Craft Peak. That is where our sect works with formations, cauldrons, and magical artifacts. The eastern peak flashing with radiant sword-light is Spring Sword Peak. The remaining mountains are Spirit Beast Peak, Outer Affairs Peak, Earthfire Peak, and Nectar Peak, though you will become familiar with them all in due time.
“Matters internal to a peak are governed entirely by its Peak Lord, while major affairs that concern the entire sect are deliberated at the Nine Peaks Council, which gathers all nine Peak Lords together.”
Lee Hyun silently committed the geography, flight paths, and architectural layouts to memory as he listened.
According to Na Gyeong-mun, the Everlasting Spring Sect possessed a founding Grand Sect Master at the Golden Core Stage. However, having lived for over five hundred years, he was mostly in deep seclusion and rarely intervened in worldly matters. The current active Sect Leader stood at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, while the majority of the remaining Peak Lords had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage. In truth, the daily governance and supreme authority of the Everlasting Spring Sect rested firmly in the hands of these nine Peak Lords.
As the vessel passed near Outer Affairs Peak, Na Gyeong-mun gestured toward the base of the mountain.
Dozens of bustling merchant shops and massive stone warehouses lined the valley floor. Heavily laden merchant carriages and small transport skiffs moved in and out of the district in a ceaseless flow.
“Outer Affairs Peak essentially functions as a massive commercial hub operated by the sect. It sells our refined pills and surplus spirit plants to the outside cultivation world and procures vital raw materials. If you ever wish to take on external sect missions or trade personal goods, that is where you will go.”
The flying boat continued its journey westward.
As they drew closer to Pill Cauldron Peak, the rich, multifaceted aroma of medicinal refinement grew overwhelmingly thick. Scorching waves of heat rolled through the wind, carrying a complex blend of bitter, sweet, and pungent herbal fragrances, intertwined with the sharp metallic tang of superheated cauldrons and baked stone.
Along the rugged mountain slopes, hundreds of alchemy chambers were clustered together like an enormous honeycomb. Near the base were numerous modest rooms utilized by outer disciples, new recruits, and Tier 1 alchemists. Higher up the mountain, the pavilions and private refinement halls grew vastly larger and more opulent.
The rhythmic, echoing clangs of metal cauldrons resounded across the cliffs.
Kwhang!
A sudden explosion rattled the air as thick black smoke billowed out of an alchemy chamber halfway up the cliffside. Moments later, the heavy stone door was kicked open, and a young cultivator with a soot-blackened face and singed hair stumbled out, coughing violently.
Lee Hyun observed the bustling, smoke-shrouded mountain with intense fascination.
The infrastructure here is remarkably complete. Drawing subterranean earthfire all the way up a high mountain peak must have required immense resources and engineering…
With a gentle descent, the flying boat touched down upon a broad stone landing platform nestled halfway up the slopes of Pill Cauldron Peak.
Na Gyeong-mun led Lee Hyun toward a pavilion adorned with vivid red tiles.
Three bold characters were carved deep into the plaque hanging above the entrance:
[Yang Fire Courtyard]
Within the pavilion grounds, lecture halls, medicinal herb storehouses, and living quarters of varying sizes for disciples were arranged in orderly rows.
“The Yang Fire Courtyard is where Tier 1 alchemists who enter Pill Cauldron Peak learn the fundamental arts of pill refining.”
Na Gyeong-mun gestured toward the residences sprawling out behind the pavilion and the alchemy chambers carved into the opposite mountain slope.
“Disciples’ residences lie to the west, while the communal alchemy rooms are situated along the eastern ridge. I will explain the detailed rules later. For now, let us pay our respects to Master first.”
They ascended toward the upper reaches of Pill Cauldron Peak.
At the end of a stone path that wound along the rugged mountainside stood a quiet, secluded pavilion. Bamboo drying racks laden with medicinal herbs sat scattered throughout the courtyard alongside cauldrons of various shapes and sizes. Beneath the eaves to one side, rows of glazed black earthenware jars stood neatly aligned, filled to the brim with failed pills. A dense, aged medicinal fragrance hung heavy in the mountain air, saturating the entire grounds.
Inside the pavilion, Go Won-hak sat cross-legged behind a low wooden table.
On the wall behind him hung a painted portrait of an ancient Daoist seated in meditation before a pill cauldron. Beneath it rested an incense altar dedicated to Pill Cauldron Peak’s past Peak Lords and ancestral alchemy patriarchs.
Upon the low table sat two cups of steaming tea and a small bronze incense burner.
“You’ve arrived?”
“Greetings, Elder Go.”
“You should be calling me Master now, not Elder.”
“This disciple has yet to offer his formal respects.”
“True enough. At least you understand proper etiquette.” Go Won-hak gave a slight nod and turned his gaze toward Na Gyeong-mun. “Prepare it.”
Na Gyeong-mun lit three sticks of incense, their fragrant smoke curling upward, and handed them to Lee Hyun.
“Pay your respects to the founding patriarchs of Pill Cauldron Peak first,” Na Gyeong-mun instructed quietly. “Though the ceremony is simplified for a registered disciple, you must still formally enter the ancestral lineage.”
Lee Hyun gave three deep bows before the altar, stepping forward to plant the incense sticks firmly into the burner.
Na Gyeong-mun then lifted a teacup from the table and passed it to him.
Accepting the cup with both hands, Lee Hyun knelt down before Go Won-hak. He bowed three times until his forehead nearly brushed the floor, then raised the tea forward in offering.
“Disciple Lee Dong-i pays his respects to Master.”
“Good.”
Go Won-hak accepted the cup and took a steady sip.
From a compartment beneath the table, he withdrew a heavy, weathered register. Its leather cover was stained a scorched dark red, and the parchment inside was densely inked with names and dates of entry.
Beside certain names, small red dots had been marked; across others, stark, decisive lines of black ink had been slashed through the characters.
Picking up a writing brush, Go Won-hak inscribed the name ‘Lee Dong-i’ and the current date into the final empty space on the page.
“From this day forth, you are my hundred and seventh registered disciple.”
Catching the subtle flicker of surprise that crossed Lee Hyun’s expression, Go Won-hak stroked his long beard and offered a dry chuckle.
“Do not let your expectations run wild. Being a registered disciple merely means your name is officially recorded under my seat, granting you the privilege of attending my public lectures. Those who receive my personal, direct guidance are only my personal disciples.”
He tapped the thick register with the end of his brush.
“You may attend the lectures I hold once every month, and you will have permission to browse the alchemy archives one tier higher than the communal library of the Yang Fire Courtyard. Should you hit a wall in your pill refining, you are permitted to ask me questions in person once each season. However, all medicinal ingredients, cauldrons, and high-grade cultivation caves must be earned through your own contribution points, just like any other inner-sect disciple. And should you ever attempt to use my name to pursue private profit or cause trouble, your status as my registered disciple will be stripped on the spot.”
“This disciple will keep Master’s words firmly in mind.”
Hearing those conditions, Lee Hyun actually felt a wave of relief wash over him. He preferred being left to his own devices far more than being kept under a watchful eye.
“For the time being, focus on mastering the foundations of alchemy here in the Yang Fire Courtyard.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Gyeong-mun. Show Dong-i to his quarters and go over the rules of the courtyard.”
“Understood, Master.”
Lee Hyun clasped his hands and bowed deeply. “This disciple takes his leave.”
* * *
Na Gyeong-mun led Lee Hyun back down toward the western slope of the Yang Fire Courtyard.
Unlike the eastern ridge, where cramped alchemy chambers clustered together like a sprawling honeycomb, the western hillside was dotted with detached houses surrounded by spacious courtyards, set well apart from one another.
The two came to a halt before the outermost residence on the perimeter.
When Na Gyeong-mun slotted Lee Hyun’s identity token into a groove carved beside the doorway, a faint ripple of spiritual light washed over the wooden gate and the stone courtyard wall.
Wuuung—
With a low hum of shifting arrays, the heavy wooden door swung open on its own.
Inside, the residence consisted of a main bedroom, a quiet cultivation chamber, and a dedicated processing room outfitted for preparing raw herbs. Within the cultivation chamber, a basic Spirit-Gathering Formation had been engraved into the floor, accompanied by a shallow recess chiseled into the stone wall to accommodate a spirit stone.
As Lee Hyun cast a discerning eye over the rooms, he noticed distinct traces left behind by a previous occupant—signs that someone had lived here until quite recently.
“It looks as though someone was staying here not long ago,” Lee Hyun remarked. “Is it truly fine for me to take over this residence?”
“Senior Martial Brother Gwak, Master’s thirty-first registered disciple, used to live here.”
“Did he relocate to a better residence?”
“He died.”
“…I see.”
A strange, uneasy premonition tightened in Lee Hyun’s chest. He looked back toward the path they had walked, then turned to his senior.
“By the way, Senior Martial Brother.”
“Speak.”
“If I am the hundred and seventh… Master has taken over a hundred registered disciples under his name. Yet on our way up and down the peak, I hardly saw anyone else around. Where has everyone gone?”
Na Gyeong-mun paused, glancing back at him with an entirely nonchalant expression.
“Ah, were you wondering about that? Almost all of them are dead.”
He gave Lee Hyun’s shoulder a brisk pat.
“The path of cultivation is inherently fraught with peril. You had best get used to it quickly, Junior Martial Brother.”