Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Seol-young's Desperate Deal
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"...Sorry."
"...Hoo, no, it's fine."
Seol-young bowed her head.
She waved her hand dismissively at me, accepting my apology.
Fortunately, no qi deviation had set in.
On the contrary, thanks to Seol-young placing her hand on my face, my extreme yang internal energy clashed with her yin energy.
It had turned into a kind of training session.
Because of that, my internal energy had grown quite a bit.
Yeah, now I could actually feel the internal energy inside me.
Before, the amount had been so minuscule that I couldn't sense it, but now there was a warm something slowly heating my body from within.
"...Now, do you believe me?"
Seol-young nodded, clenching and unclenching her hand, which still held some lingering warmth.
"...You really have talent."
"Right?"
"Yeah, to the point where I can't understand why you even joined the Mundane Martial Academy."
I gave a wry smile.
The Mundane Martial Academy truly had a terrible reputation.
Even the cadets attending it badmouthed it.
Well, turning around that kind of evaluation was one of the pleasures of reading wuxia novels.
Of course, that was Pung-un's job, not mine.
Hang in there, Pung-un.
I was plenty busy just trying to win over Seol-young.
When I snapped back to reality, Seol-young was locking eyes with me.
Gazing into those lake-blue eyes made me feel like I was being drawn right into them.
"...Let's make a deal."
"Huh?"
The terms of the deal were simple.
I would master the Solar Heart Method and cure her illness.
In return, she would grant any request I made.
"The entire North Sea Ice Palace will help you."
True to her exotic appearance, Seol-young hailed from the North Sea Ice Palace, a sect somewhat removed from the Central Plains.
She was even the young palace lord, essentially the next in line to lead, holding the position of second-in-command.
Now that I thought about it.
There was a graceful elegance in her every movement, exuding subtle refinement.
"North Sea Ice Palace..."
I'd heard the name before—it was from a wuxia novel I'd read.
Though its influence on the Central Plains was somewhat limited due to its location, its scale rivaled any major sect or clan there.
And now, the North Sea Ice Palace was offering to support me with elixirs, weapons, and even their secret manuals without holding back.
Considering the palace's size, it would undoubtedly be a huge boon for me.
But on the other hand, I had my doubts.
"...Is it okay to discuss something like this without consulting anyone?"
This was the full backing of the entire North Sea Ice Palace.
No matter how high Seol-young's position was, she was still just a young junior.
She couldn't make promises like that lightly.
"...Yeah. They'd do even more than that..."
Her expression didn't change, but Seol-young's aura seemed to darken slightly.
There was some circumstance there, but I didn't pry.
"So? How do we cure your illness?"
Up to this point, the conditions felt overwhelmingly in my favor.
But a deal always meant gains came with losses.
"...First, I should explain what illness I'm suffering from."
"What is it?"
"It's called Nine Yin Severed Meridians."
"Nine Yin Severed Meridians."
In fact, Nine Yin Severed Meridians was one of the common illnesses in wuxia novels.
Different characters in different situations all had it, but it was always described with two consistent traits.
It was extremely difficult to cure, and those afflicted with it had short lifespans.
Every wuxia novel agreed on those two facts.
"I'm dying."
Seol-young stated her impending death calmly.
I'd half-expected it.
From the fetish prompt that seemed to seek her savior, to her high rating of five and starting over with basic martial arts.
It all fit together once I recalled she had Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
"There's only one way to cure it."
With that, Seol-young explained the treatment.
For Nine Yin Severed Meridians, where yin energy blocked the meridians, slowing the circulation of internal energy and qi until death—
the only cure was to use extreme yang internal energy to burn away the obstructing yin energy.
The problems were that people with extreme yang internal energy were exceedingly rare, and the treatment itself carried great risks.
"Risks?"
"If something goes wrong during the treatment, I might die."
It involved burning the yin energy clinging to the meridians.
Danger was inevitable.
As if the story wasn't over, she looked at me next.
"And you might lose your internal energy too."
The yin energy from Nine Yin Severed Meridians was different from ordinary yin energy.
I might end up consumed by it instead, freezing my dantian solid.
I see.
So that was the deal.
Gains came with losses.
No need to agonize over it.
"I'll do it."
"..."
Losing internal energy was a massive risk for any martial artist, but not so much for me.
Besides.
Saving Seol-young and becoming her savior.
That was the only way to open her heart.
Seol-young's eyes widened slightly at my answer.
But it was only for a moment.
Returning to her usual expressionless face, she stared at me intently before turning her back.
"...Thank you."
With a voice that barely rose above a whisper, she thanked me and slowly walked toward the dorms.
Deal sealed, I suppose.
I headed back to my dorm too.
Jeong-seon was still lying there, face full of dissatisfaction.
Seeing me enter, he unusually spoke first.
"Hey, uh... how's Seol-young?"
"Seol-young?"
"Same as usual?"
"Yeah, seemed like it."
"Phew... good. I didn't want to make an enemy of the North Sea Ice Palace."
Only now did he sigh in relief, wiping his face.
Apparently, me being the only one unaware that Seol-young was the young palace lord of the North Sea Ice Palace.
Well, in a world where even exam takers looking like neighborhood uncles could hit martial arts forms on sight.
"Sorry to Instructor Cheol-woong, but teaching Seol-young is impossible."
With that, Jeong-seon raised his voice, venting his complaints.
"No expressions, barely answers, it's all because everyone's spoiling her."
He slapped his bedding with his hand.
"No basic manners!"
"..."
Did he not remember?
How he treated me yesterday?
Barely answering, no basic manners...
I stared at Jeong-seon intently.
Then I nodded vaguely, affirming his words.
"Yeah, sure."
"Sigh, and I have to teach her like this for another five days..."
With that, Jeong-seon kept sighing, cursing Cheol-woong one moment and defending him the next, repeating the cycle.
What could I say.
It was Jeong-seon fighting himself.
Ignoring him, I sat on my bedding and assumed a meditative posture.
Before sleep, I circulated my energy once more, focusing on the power—my internal energy—within my body.
A small but swift energy darted through me.
As soon as I started circulating, it eagerly roamed, devouring hidden yin energy throughout my body and growing stronger.
Wondering if I could control this internal energy at will, I lightly focused my mind, and part of it gathered near my arm as intended.
I felt a subtle warmth in my arm.
Continuing to manipulate it, at some point I could even move the internal energy without formal circulation.
"Hoo..."
When I came to, quite some time had passed.
The dimly lit outdoors, like an overcast day, had turned pitch black.
"Instructor Cheol-woong..."
Jeong-seon was already asleep, mumbling creepy sleep-talk.
If Jeong-seon were the young palace lord of the North Sea Ice Palace, Cheol-woong might've been kidnapped by force.
I quietly stood, recalling the movements Pung-un had shown, and took up a stance.
Among the sequence Pung-un demonstrated, I decided to try the lightning-fast sword thrust.
I slowly gathered internal energy in my arm.
Strength, speed, Weapon Technique. And internal energy.
Using everything at my disposal, I focused solely on velocity.
"Hoo..."
Exhaling slowly, I concentrated all my power into my arm.
Suddenly, energy surged from my dantian through my waist, chest, shoulder, and into my arm like boiling water, and at that precise timing, I thrust my hand forward.
Ssshhk—
Pang.
The air split as if sliced by a sword, my extended sleeve fluttered in the wind like shaken laundry, producing a crisp pang.
Then silence fell.
"...Did it work?"
As the one thrusting, I couldn't tell.
It was fast, but I couldn't clearly feel the difference between using internal energy or not.
Crackle.
Then, tiny fragments fell from the wall in the direction I'd thrust.
"Was there always a mark like that?"
It was shallow, but it caught my eye.
Whatever the result, I wasn't disappointed.
I still had time left.
[Remaining Period: 3 Months]
"Is your name really Sung Han?"
"Hoo... Yeah, it is. So what?"
"I see... It suits you perfectly."
Five days later.
I unleashed my internal energy in the clearing in front of the dorm, executing the Mundane Sword Technique.
It wasn't exactly like Pung-un's demonstration, but I swung the sword guided by my senses and Weapon Technique.
As a result, I earned passing marks from Pung-un.
[Hidden Quest Cleared.]
[Gain recognition for Mundane Sword Technique from Pung-un or Cheol-woong.]
[Acquired Mundane Sword Technique LV.2]
And just like that, I obtained the Mundane Sword Technique.