Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Blue Bee Honey Temple (2)
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After a long ride, Si-woo and Dang Hwa-rin dismounted from their horses. Their bodies ached all over from being in the saddle the entire day.
Si-woo watched Dang Hwa-rin stretch and asked,
"Can you tell me about sword aura?"
"Sword aura...? Why the sudden interest?"
"It feels like I'm almost at first-rate."
"What? How long has it been since you hit second-rate? And don't you have barely any internal energy?"
Si-woo scratched his cheek. Explaining the external mana core would be awkward.
"Anyway, let's say that's the case."
"Sword aura... Huh? Hold on."
Dang Hwa-rin drew a dagger and half-closed her eyes. A chill unlike her usual warmth emanated from her.
Si-woo admired her beautiful face for a moment, but his gaze shifted to the dagger.
- Hum
A faint haze rose from the dagger. Si-woo's eyes widened slightly.
'Sword aura? When did that happen?'
Her energy felt different from before.
Dang Hwa-rin shook her head, and the haze vanished. Her cheeks flushed faintly.
"Haa... Now I get it. Sword aura is all about concentration."
Si-woo had plenty to say, but he offered congratulations first.
"Congrats. When did you break through to first-rate?"
Her eyes turned sweet and tender. Emotion filled her face, her fingertips trembling just a bit.
"Ahem... After doing that with you, Si-woo, my energy felt off all day. I had a hunch! Hehe."
She gazed joyfully at the dagger, then turned to Si-woo.
"Now it makes sense what my master said. Sword aura is, in the extreme, just condensing your energy through intense focus."
"Concentration? No matter how hard I try, it won't happen."
Dang Hwa-rin smiled at Si-woo as if he were adorable.
"Of course not. You think ordinary focus is enough? Even decent first-rate warriors need meditation to build up the concentration for sword aura."
"Ah, so that's why the Iron Martial Workshop guy couldn't use it last time."
"He was probably at the very start of first-rate. With his injury, he wouldn't have had the focus to swing sword aura around."
"I see..."
Noticing Si-woo's faint disappointment, Dang Hwa-rin shook her head.
"Bring some iron up to my dagger."
She closed her eyes and focused; haze rose from the dagger once more.
Si-woo pressed a shuriken against her dagger.
"Huh?"
With a slight resistance, the iron shuriken shattered into pieces. The cutting power was insane.
She opened her eyes and said,
"A true first-rate warrior wields sword aura fluidly even in battle. Clash swords with one, and yours shatters. You gonna fight a master bare-handed?"
Si-woo pictured it and shook his head.
If their sword was that sharp... even superior technique wouldn't save you; it'd be over in a flash.
Dang Hwa-rin thought for a moment before continuing.
"And... there's a way to use sword aura even if your concentration falls short."
"What's that?"
Dang Hwa-rin blushed faintly.
"Normally, I shouldn't share this... but since it's you, Si-woo, I will."
Her touching words made Si-woo pull her into a tight hug—then he yelped in surprise.
"Ow, hot!"
He'd been pricked by the hidden needles in her top. She laughed and gently pushed him back.
"Ahaha...! I warned you it's dangerous. You can't just grab me like that!"
Si-woo eyed her top. Her massive breasts jiggled enticingly, yet he couldn't hold them freely.
It felt tragic.
For her sake—and to ditch those damn needles—he resolved to give her a sub-space item.
Dang Hwa-rin gave Si-woo a small smile and continued.
"Ahem... Anyway, the easy way to wield sword aura is through forms."
Si-woo recalled third-rate warriors chopping down while yelling "Mount Tai Crushing Strike."
"Forms? Like Mount Tai Crushing Strike?"
"Yeah, that grandiose name for a simple overhead chop."
The Mixed Origin Qi Art was a pure cultivation method without dedicated forms. A few existed, but they were beyond his current level.
"Put simply, forms train your body to remember a sequence of moves."
"What does 'body remembers' mean?"
"Simplest example... chopsticks? You handle them freely without thinking, right? You don't go 'spread fingers, pinch food, close them...' do you?"
"No."
"Repeat a motion endlessly, and eventually your body does it on autopilot, no brainpower needed. Train it to remember dozens of thrusts and slashes, give it a name—that's a form."
Dang Hwa-rin went on.
"Once a form is muscle memory, you get two big advantages."
"Two?"
"Yeah. First, you can move faster than thought can process..."
Si-woo thought of his go-to moves. Footwork paired with a sword thrust—a sudden dash into a stab.
"And it makes using sword aura way easier, like I said."
Si-woo mulled it over and understood.
"Mind holds the sword aura steady while the body swings the sword on its own?"
Dang Hwa-rin nodded.
"Exactly. Even with weak focus, you can fight with sword aura. It'll be rough compared to the real deal, but it's still sword aura. Master that much, and you're a solid first-rate warrior."
"Got it..."
Thinking of sword aura made Si-woo's heart pound. Just one more wall to climb.
She took one more day to stabilize her new realm, then they rode on. Time was now razor-thin.
Cheongbong County, near Iyang City.
They'd arrived at the village housing the Blue Bee Honey Temple.
For such a small place, it bustled with people coming and going.
Population density rivaled Hunan Province.
But something felt off.
Si-woo scanned the surroundings, puzzled.
"Everyone's faces look so grim."
"Yeah...? I heard it was a pretty wealthy village."
They grabbed a passerby for directions and reached the Blue Bee Honey Temple.
He'd vaguely pictured a monk-filled monastery, but this hummed like a busy merchant outpost.
Watching the workers hustle, he muttered,
"Is this really a temple...?"
A soft voice floated from nearby.
"Hehe... It was a temple once upon a time, but not anymore. Just a legend now."
A voluptuous woman with ample breasts greeted Si-woo and Dang Hwa-rin.
Her short Taoist robes left her pale skin fully on display. She looked more like a hands-on laborer than a traditional priestess.
Mid-thirties, radiating the allure of an enticing married woman.
But a legend?
Sensing Si-woo's curiosity, the woman smiled. Her eyes lingered on his face, her demeanor growing warmer.
"Long ago, an immortal descended here and battled an evil serpent. He slew it and rebuilt our ruined temple. Then he commanded us to protect the Blue Bee."
Si-woo tilted his head. An immortal guarding mere honeybees? Weird tale.
"Commanded you to protect the Blue Bee?"
"Yes. That's when we started working with Blue Bee Honey. Who knows if the legend's true."
Her lips curved seductively. Her alluring gestures held him captivated.
Dang Hwa-rin poked Si-woo, snapping him back to reality.
"Ah, I'm Choi Si-woo. We came on a request from the Hao Sect."
The woman blinked in surprise at his words.
"Ah...! Looks like our wires got crossed."
"Pardon?"
She apologized to Si-woo.
"Sorry, but Blue Bee Honey production has plummeted lately, so we canceled the request."
"Canceled?"
"Yes. Still, you made the trip, so we'll offer some compensation. My apologies."
As Si-woo pondered, she called to someone and gave instructions.
"Bring two cups of Blue Bee Honey tea."
"Yes, ma'am."
Soon, a fragrant tea arrived, steam curling warmly from the cups.
The woman handed cups to Si-woo and Dang Hwa-rin.
"This is a little gift to express my regret. It's my special recipe—hope it suits your taste."
Her expression brimmed with confidence, belying her humble words. Clear pride in her brew.
"...Thank you, but didn't you say supplies are short?"
"Oh, thank you for your concern, but this much is no trouble."
Dang Hwa-rin's eyes narrowed at the woman's smile. Some feminine instinct prickled her.
Unlike the wary Dang Hwa-rin, Si-woo lifted his cup. The aroma was intoxicating.
'If it's poisoned... I'll bail to reality.'
No bad blood, and this beauty of a priestess didn't seem the type to harm him. He relaxed halfway.
Slurp.
The warm sip hit first with sweet honey notes. Then a bitter herbal tang faded into subtle sweetness and velvety smoothness.
As he drank, he felt his internal energy tick up ever so slightly.
His sensitivity from the Mixed Origin Qi Art let him sense it. Perfect elixir for his modern clanmates.
Lots of this, and they'd all level up fast. Plus, it tasted amazing.
Would sell like hotcakes back home.
That smooth finish especially hooked him. And it tasted... familiar.
'This smoothness... milk?'
For some reason, the priestess's massive breasts stood out.