Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Hypnosis
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He let out a heavy, turbid breath.
It felt like every ounce of energy had drained from his body. His vision spun, and his temples throbbed. The familiar aftereffects of pouring his mind into intense focus on something.
'Damn these herbs.'
He squeezed his eyes shut tight. Even with them closed, the afterimage lingered—the herbal compendium he'd been staring at moments ago. Golden-thread lotus, white-flower sedge grass, dragon's gall herb... Bizarrely named plants floated aimlessly in his mind.
Where was this place? Why was he doing something as idiotic as this?
Questions he asked himself whenever reality started to fade.
I am Shadowless. Just half a year ago, I was an unemployed bum in South Korea, until a ridiculous accident dumped me into this martial world.
With no abilities or background to my name, the only thing I could rely on to survive was one thing.
Hypnosis, a skill I'd picked up on the sly back in modern times.
He opened his eyes again and glared at the compendium before him. Dozens, hundreds of illustrations of herbs and their effects filled the pages. It was the foundational text of the Healer Immortal Sect.
'I remember every single thing in this book perfectly.'
He whispered softly to himself. The subtle vibrations carried by his voice flowed straight through his eardrums into his brain.
'Whenever I open this book, every detail will rise before my eyes like a photograph.'
Hypnosis. A technique that directly intervened in the mind, twisting perceptions, deceiving senses, and manipulating memories. What he was using now was the most basic form: self-suggestion to enhance memory.
Without it, there was no way he could memorize even one book like this. His brain just wasn't that sharp. He had none of the wuxia protagonist genius where you glance once and remember everything. He was just an average guy—no, a bit lazier, an unemployed slacker.
...Well, back in modern times, he'd been called pretty gifted in his own way. When the hell had his mind turned to stone like this? Life really was unpredictable—one moment you're on top, the next you're toast. Anyway, to avoid bombing this exam, he had to cram this now. But of course, not a damn thing was sticking.
"Senior Brother—! What are you doing?"
A clear, lively voice rang out from afar. He knew who it was just from the sound.
Bang Soso.
His junior sister from the same batch, and the one who'd brought him to the Healer Immortal Sect in the first place.
He turned his head. A beautiful woman in pale pink training robes was running toward him, beaming. And her most striking feature by far was...
Bounce.
Her enormous breasts, jiggling wildly with every step, threatening to burst right through her robes. Massive tits. The kind you rarely saw even in modern times—straight out of a comic book, unreal in scale. The first time he'd seen them, he'd nearly stopped breathing.
"Hiding away here with your books again. You're going to get a headache."
She'd closed the distance in no time, panting lightly as she spoke. Up close, the sheer volume was even more overwhelming. The glimpse of deep, white cleavage between her slightly lowered collar made his senses reel.
She always wore that smiling face. Innocent, utterly guileless. Which made her all the more dangerous. Lose yourself in that smile, and before you knew it, you'd be swept up in her pace.
"Just... taking a breather."
He forced a casual tone and closed the compendium. He didn't want her spotting any traces of hypnosis. In the Healer Immortal Sect, it would surely be treated as heresy or forbidden sorcery.
"Your face is so pale if you're just taking a breather. You look like you pulled an all-nighter. Here, eat this."
Soso pulled a small packet from her bosom and held it out. Warmth radiated from it. Inside were a few pieces of fragrant medicinal candy.
"......"
"I snuck it from the kitchen without the Elder knowing. You've been pushing yourself too hard lately, Senior Brother. It's because of the Promotion Exam coming up, right?"
She plopped down beside him casually, resting her chin in her hands as she looked up. Her round, wide eyes brimmed with pure concern.
Promotion Exam.
His stomach twisted at the words.
The Healer Immortal Sect held periodic exams to raise disciples' ranks and teach them new healing arts and cultivation methods accordingly. It was his last chance after half a year of wasting away.
The problem? He had zero talent for healing arts. He'd stick the wrong acupoint nine times out of ten, and his brews turned perfectly good herbs into poison. Minus hands all the way.
Somehow hiding it all and scraping by until now was a miracle.
"It's nothing. If I just do things as usual, it'll work out."
He forced a smile and popped one of the candies into his mouth. Sweetness spread across his tongue, but the exam was anything but sweet.
"You sure you're okay? I heard Master Hyehyang is overseeing this one personally... She's going to be super strict."
Im Hyehyang.
Elder of the Healer Immortal Sect, his master, and Soso's as well. A peerless expert called the next Healer Immortal, with the temperament of ice itself—a beauty to match.
He still couldn't fathom why she'd taken a talentless hack like him as a disciple. Just thinking of her sent a chill down his spine.
"She's the master. Of course she'll be strict."
"Still... Senior Brother, you're amazing in other ways besides healing arts."
Soso's eyes sparkled as she spoke. He knew exactly what "other ways" she meant.
A few times, in dire situations, he'd used hypnosis on her. Of course, he hadn't called it that outright. He'd passed it off as a "secret art to calm the mind." Naive as she was, she'd bought it hook, line, and sinker, treating him like some profound mental cultivation master.
"That's just a side trick. In the Healer Immortal Sect, they judge you on healing arts."
"No way! I really think you're amazing, Senior Brother... It makes me mad that no one else sees it."
Soso pouted, genuinely upset. The sight was so cute he couldn't help a chuckle. She was so straightforward and honest. Comforting, yet somehow uncomfortable. He didn't deserve that pure goodwill.
It was right then.
"What are you doing here?"
A voice like cracking ice—cold and clear—came from behind.
He and Soso jumped in unison and whipped around. A woman in pristine white robes stood there, gazing down at them with emotionless eyes. How long had she been there?
Im Hyehyang.
His master. Not as exaggerated as Soso's, but she too boasted an overflowing bust.
"M-Master!"
Soso shot to her feet in a panic, hiding the packet behind her back like a guilty child.
He stood as well, bowing respectfully.
"Greetings, Master."
Hyehyang's gaze lingered on Soso for a moment before shifting to him. Her eyes were like fathomless abysses; meeting them made him feel like all his secrets were laid bare.
"Shadowless. How long do you intend to linger on the fringes?"
Her voice was calm, devoid of scolding or anger. Yet it chilled his heart more than any shout.
"......My apologies."
"I'm not here to hear apologies. Soso, you go on ahead."
"But Master, Senior Brother is...!"
"I said go."
Her tone dropped an octave, and Soso deflated like a whipped puppy. She glanced helplessly between him and Hyehyang, eyes glistening, before scurrying away.
In an instant, just he and Hyehyang remained in that corner of the training grounds. Heavy silence crushed the space between them.
She simply stared, wordless. Under that gaze, he felt utterly exposed. Even the mental barriers reinforced by hypnosis seemed frail before her.
After a long silence, she finally spoke.
"You know this Promotion Exam is your last chance."
"......Yes, Master."
"Half a year. It's been half a year since I took you in. Yet I see not the slightest trace of growth in you."
Her words pierced his chest like daggers. No falsehoods, no room for excuses.
"I want to know why. Do you truly have no interest in healing arts? Or... do you simply lack the talent?"
He clamped his lips shut. Should he admit he had no talent? It might get him kicked out of the sect on the spot. He had no confidence surviving this world alone without the Healer Immortal Sect's protection.
Taking his silence as affirmation, perhaps, Hyehyang let out a small sigh.
"Never mind. I didn't come for your answer."
She brushed past him. A faint orchid scent tickled his nose. She glanced down at the herbal compendium.
"Staring at this won't help, no matter how long. Not with your methods."
His heart plummeted. His methods? Did she know about the hypnosis?
He couldn't bring himself to look up at her expression.
"If you can't prove your worth in this Promotion Exam, I have no further reason to keep you."
It was a verdict. Cold, resolute, with zero room for mercy—a final ultimatum.
With that, Hyehyang turned and walked away without a backward glance. Her white robes fluttered in the wind, growing smaller and smaller.
He stood rooted there for a while. Strength drained from his limbs. His mind went blank.
Prove his worth.
It wasn't just about showing healing skill. It was proving his right to exist in the Healer Immortal Sect—in her presence.
How? Him, utterly devoid of healing talent—how the hell was he supposed to do that?
Frantic footsteps approached. Soso had come back.
Her face full of worry, she parted her lips to speak.