Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 76: Into Another Danger (1)

The Sword Palace Squad and the Demon Subjugation Group spent a quiet night.

They couldn't exactly throw a drinking party at the Ilguk Sect, which had just suffered heavy losses, and since they had to depart for Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress the next morning, everyone went to bed early.

I, however, still had work to do, so I stayed awake to practice energy guiding. Energy guiding was surprisingly addictive; once you started, the urge to keep going was hard to shake.

Back when I was a mere small fry, I used to mock the masters who shut themselves away in cramped rooms to cultivate instead of meeting women. I thought they were fools who didn't know how to live. A man’s energy, I believed, should be spent elsewhere—specifically, below the belt.

But now that I was actually doing it properly, I found myself unable to break free.

I clung to my cultivation like a man possessed by a feverish love. They say only one in ten people ever truly falls into a romantic fever, but this "cultivation fever" seemed to claim ten out of ten. Its addictiveness was undeniable.

Not long into my session, I sensed a familiar presence.

Seeing that everyone else was asleep, I quietly stepped out into the garden.

"You've arrived?"

I cupped my fists toward the darkness, and a voice responded from the shadows.

"So you knew? I hid my presence, yet you detected me so easily. Your reputation is indeed well-deserved."

To think I’d live to see the day high-level masters told me my reputation was well-deserved. I’d really made it in the world.

A man stepped out from the darkness.

It was Gan Cheon-seong, the Blood Wood Black Hand of Ancient Wood Valley.

"I expected you. You have something to collect, don't you?"

Gan Cheon-seong nodded.

"Indeed. With a Gu insect squirming in your dantian, I didn't think you'd be foolish enough to hand the manual over to the Nine Dragons Group Leader without a second thought."

"You're right. I've already prepared a transcription."

"We speak the same language, then. Shall we make the trade?"

"Remove my Gu poison first, and then I'll give you the manual."

"Before that, I’d like to see if you've transcribed the manual accurately."

I had anticipated he would say that, so I had split the manual in half beforehand.

"Then take a look at this half."

When I tossed him the partial manual, Gan Cheon-seong let out a short laugh.

"You certainly are thorough."

Gan Cheon-seong moved closer to a torch and skimmed through the pages. After examining it for a long while, a satisfied smile spread across his face.

"It's the real thing."

"Of course it is. What would I gain by playing tricks with the manual? I’d only risk making an enemy of Ancient Wood Valley."

Gan Cheon-seong nodded in agreement. There was no reason for me to provoke his sect.

"Then, if I remove ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Gu, will you give me the rest?"

"Naturally. For your information, the other half isn't on my person; I’ve hidden it elsewhere. One can never be too careful in this world."

"A man who doesn't take such precautions has no business earning his keep with a blade in the Murim. I understand."

Gan Cheon-seong approached me.

"Let’s move somewhere more secluded, away from prying eyes. Removing the Gu takes time, and being out in the open might arouse suspicion."

We moved to a dark corner of the guest quarters. Once there, I took a seated cultivation posture, and Gan Cheon-seong sat down in the lotus position as well.

"I will begin the removal now. Follow my instructions."

Gan Cheon-seong placed his hand on my dantian.

A warm energy enveloped the area. The Gu, which had been quiet until then, began to squirm, causing a stinging sensation in my dantian. Gan Cheon-seong kept his eyes closed, guiding his internal energy.

I waited for his word, expecting the Gu to be extracted any moment.

However, Gan Cheon-seong suddenly pulled his hand away, a look of bewilderment on his face.

"This... this makes no sense."

"What's wrong?" I asked, sensing that something had gone awry.

"The Gu isn't following my energy. The Sacred Wood Blood Gu is tamed by the Ancient Wood Divine Art, so it should follow my lead, but for some reason, it's rejecting my energy."

"Is that even possible?" I asked, worried.

"In my opinion, the fact that it won't follow my energy means it has assimilated with yours. Try to circulate your energy as if you're concentrating it in your dantian."

I focused on gathering my internal energy into my dantian.

"Ugh!"

A pain sharper than before flared up. It felt as if a needle were stabbing and stirring inside me.

Gan Cheon-seong watched me intently before speaking in surprise.

"Truly mysterious. How did the Sacred Wood Blood Gu become assimilated with your energy?"

"Can you still get it out?"

Gan Cheon-seong nodded at my question.

"Of course. Since it's assimilated with your energy, it can be expelled."

"Can't I just kill the Gu with my internal power?" I asked, thinking of a simpler solution.

"That would be suicide. Because of the Gu's inherent toxicity, if it dies inside you, not only will your dantian be destroyed, but you'll also die from the poison it releases."

"Then how do I get it out? It hurts just to gather my energy."

Gan Cheon-seong spoke in a grave tone.

"You must expand your lower dantian to allow the Gu to move. Then, if you circulate your energy according to the oral formula I give you, you can expand the dantian and force the Blood Gu out. How many minutes does it take you to complete one Major Heavenly Cycle?"

That question put me in a bind.

A Major Heavenly Cycle? All the energy guiding I’d done so far was just the Small Heavenly Cycle.

A Major Heavenly Cycle is only possible once the Ren and Du meridians are fully unblocked. It involves sending energy through every single blood vessel in the body, something usually only possible for those with at least sixty years' worth of internal energy.

Where was I supposed to get that kind of power?

But Gan Cheon-seong, clearly mistaking me for a top-tier master, seemed to believe a Major Heavenly Cycle would be child's play for me.

"Hurry, begin the Major Heavenly Cycle. As you do, follow the formula I tell you, and the Gu will slowly crawl up your throat and be expelled through your mouth."

Ah, damn it. This isn't right.

Why did things always have to get so complicated?

I stared blankly at Gan Cheon-seong, feeling trapped. I couldn't exactly admit I couldn't perform a Major Heavenly Cycle. I had no choice but to talk my way out of it.

"Due to the nature of my martial arts, I'm currently in a state where I cannot perform a Major Heavenly Cycle."

"Hmm? There's a martial art like that?" Gan Cheon-seong tilted his head.

"It's not the art itself, but rather my current condition."

"Is that so? I suppose it's possible. There are many strange martial arts and mental cultivation methods in the Murim."

Gan Cheon-seong took my word for it. He probably figured I had no reason to lie when I was the one who wanted the Gu out as soon as possible.

"Is there no other way to expel it without the Major Heavenly Cycle?"

"There is. Gu insects are originally born in pairs, male and female; if one dies, the other follows. The Sacred Wood Blood Gu is no different. I can bring the male specimen and use it to lure out the Blood Gu in your dantian."

I let out a sigh of relief. Even if I couldn't do it right now, knowing that the male specimen was the key meant I didn't have to worry too much. It was just a matter of time.

"Then, once you bring the male specimen, I'll give you the other half of the manual."

Since it was a fair trade, Gan Cheon-seong agreed.

"Understood. But before then, do not attempt to remove the Blood Gu by performing a Major Heavenly Cycle on your own. You absolutely need the formula I’ll provide. If you try to force it out, the Blood Gu will die, so be careful."

It was a natural concern for him to have.

"I'm not an idiot; why would I do something so reckless? What would I gain by making an enemy of Ancient Wood Valley? It's much better for me to give you the manual and maintain a good relationship. You don't need to worry. Even if I were to learn the formula and expel the Gu myself, I would still give you the manual."

"I appreciate you saying that. If we obtain the manual, we won't just turn our backs on you either."

"Thank you. I'll hold you to that."

Gan Cheon-seong seemed to find my words reasonable and accepted them easily.

"I will bring the male Blood Gu from Ancient Wood Valley and find you at Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress. You'll be there by then, won't you?"

I nodded.

"Yes. We depart for Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress tomorrow morning, so you can find me there."

"Understood."

With those final words, Gan Cheon-seong quietly slipped away from the Ilguk Sect.

Now, everything I had to handle here was finished.

Even though I hadn't removed the Gu yet, my heart felt lighter. Once I reached Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress, Gan Cheon-seong would arrive, and after expelling the Blood Gu, all my worries would vanish.

However, my journey toward Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress was about to be diverted to an unexpected place.

And that unexpected place was somewhere I never wanted to visit again—a place that made me shudder just thinking about it.

Nothing ever went according to plan.

Then again, I couldn't even time my own bowel movements, so why would I expect the affairs of the world to follow ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my will?

*

Now, the real tour begins.

Since becoming the "New Dragon," I’d had many brushes with death, but I’d also gained a lot.

I’d earned the magnificent title of the New Dragon of Sichuan and gained the support of other sects.

More importantly, I’d gained Jeok Yeong, which was the most valuable prize of all. Plus, since Jeok Yeong had amnesia, he was easy to keep by my side.

"Squad Leader, what are you going to do once you get paid this time?"

Poison Wolf Ibu asked as he looked at me.

The reward we were set to receive this time wouldn't be small.

"Me? Well, I'm not sure. What about you, Ibu?"

At my question, Ibu scratched his head.

"Haha, as for me, I'm going to take all the money I've saved and find a wife. It's time I settled down. I'm thinking of staying with you as an official warrior of Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress. It's all your fault, Squad Leader. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even think about staying put."

He joked, subtly placing the responsibility on me.

"What about you, Brother Gu?" I asked the Smiling Face Sword.

"Same here. I’ve spent my life wandering the Murim with no intention of settling down, but if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you're going to be at Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress, I plan to stay there too. Wouldn't we be invincible if we stuck together?"

As the Smiling Face Sword spoke, So Gu-chi asked a question.

"Squad Leader, do you intend to stay at Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress indefinitely?"

I turned the question back on him.

"Why do you ask, Brother So?"

"Because you don't seem like the type of person who would be satisfied with just Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress. Shouldn't you enter the Martial Alliance? Your fame is going to spread throughout the Murim; you should be soaring higher."

Sim Geol chimed in.

"Of course! The Squad Leader isn't someone who would be satisfied with a place like Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress. He's someone who could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lead the Nine Dragons Group in the Martial Alliance. Definitely."

Hearing their words, I replied.

"I don't have that much ambition. I only hope to live quietly and die quietly. That's why I remain a small fry. And I will be a small fry forever."

Everyone stared at me blankly.

Among them, the gaze of the Twin Heroes of Guiyang was particularly bothersome.

"I'm sorry to you all. Your 'lord' has no ambition and is content being a mere warrior in a small sect. But as I’ve said before, you're free to leave whenever you wish."

I only really needed Jeok Yeong by my side, so it didn't matter to me if the other "small fries" left.

"Lord, we didn't choose you because of your ambition. Even if you live as a small fry without ambition, as long as you act with righteousness, that is enough for us. We will stay with you until the end."

The Seven Cats shouted in unison.

"That's right, Lord! We will follow you even if the path leads to hell."

These guys certainly know how to talk.

As the atmosphere grew heated, Doyeon asked slyly.

"So, Young Hero Eo, what are you going to do once you've earned your money?"

I didn't say a word and simply gave a knowing smile.

If I told them, they’d all be disappointed.

You see, my dream...

It wasn't to be the Martial Alliance Leader or the world's strongest master.

My lifelong dream was to own a magnificent tavern.

Isn't that a grand goal?

If you keep swinging a sword, the day eventually comes when you get stabbed and die. Wouldn't it be much better to run a tavern and live in luxury for the rest of your life?

Just thinking about it made me restless.

With my current level of fame, if I opened a tavern in Chengdu, raking in money would be a piece of cake.

I could use the rewards from the Martial Alliance and Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress, and if that wasn't enough, I could borrow some from Ancient Wood Valley or the Nine Demons Chamber, since they owed me.

Then, I’d use Jeok Yeong as the assistant manager, and the Twin Heroes of Guiyang and the Seven Cats could handle operations and security. It was perfect.

Basking in the warm sunlight atop my horse, I began to design my future.