Chapter 24
Chapter 24
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Embroidered Uniform Guard
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Horrific pain!
Breathing cut off!
My tongue twists.
"Eeeeeek!!!"
In that instant, I discovered myself letting out a sound like a pig being slaughtered.
"... Mmph!!"
But I quickly stifled the voice as much as possible and forcibly seized the internal energy rampaging through my body like an active volcano. I swiftly scanned the surroundings, then calmed my internal energy and pinched my cheek, nose, and uvula once each. Feeling the pain, I relaxed my entire body and lay back down in the stable.
"......"
Once again, I was lying in the stable at around ten years old in the middle of the night. A chill seeped out from the pile of straw meant to block the morning dew. I even missed that chill, quietly curling up my legs and leaning against the straw wall.
"Haa..."
Lucky.
I'm really lucky.
A tear of joy trickled down my cheek.
This time, I had sensed death approaching and resolved to avoid the possibility of being tortured while barely clinging to life. In that situation, refusing the Iron Blood Sect Master's challenge to duel and fleeing would, given his personality, likely lead to him torturing me to death in the most agonizing way possible. And if tortured, there was a high chance I'd confess about the Heavenly Dark Secret Book.
So I deliberately accepted the duel, fought as far as I could, and died. At least dying in battle meant they couldn't keep me alive to humiliate me. After dying a few times, I could prepare my mind even when facing death.
But this was all in the realm of 'luck.'
I had regressed twice with the Heavenly Dark Secret Book, but there was no guarantee it would work a third time. Because I didn't know a single thing about its contents. So it was like jumping into fire with wet straw, half gambling that I could regress again.
As a bonus, to reduce the pain of death, I deliberately circulated my internal energy with a breathing technique to induce analgesia. The one who beheaded me was a Peak Expert, so it was clean and instantaneous, minimizing the pain.
That's why this time I didn't scream wildly from the pain but managed to hold it in. In terms of hurt, it was like getting whipped across the uvula.
In the end, I got lucky.
I'd returned like this, and my internal energy was intact.
On top of that, I had the knowledge, formations, and illusion techniques learned from Mang Ryang, so I was much better off.
"......"
But no words came out of my mouth.
To be precise, I was too depressed to speak.
'Damn it. In the end, I couldn't take down a single Twin Gate Temple monk.'
And I realized just how absurdly difficult it was to enter the Imperial Palace and retrieve the Nameless Death Book. Mang Ryang seemed to have planned assuming I was a supreme expert, but in reality, I couldn't even beat a Peak Expert casting Sword Flame.
Even that Ghost Shadow Swordsman who sliced me down in three hundred fifty breaths would die against ten Embroidered Uniform Guards. The mere fact that just ten of them could kill such a monstrous Peak Expert meant the Embroidered Uniform Guards' average prowess was terrifyingly high.
Inside the Imperial Palace, over thirty such Embroidered Uniform Guards roamed, not to mention they could trap intruders with formations at any moment, and elite torturers from the Eastern Depot were guarding as well. I even felt self-reproach for what insane thoughts I'd had.
'No. With this level of power, it's impossible.'
Retrieving the Nameless Death Book was currently out of the question.
Even the world's greatest thief would have to stake their life on it.
Maybe only a supreme, unrivaled absolute expert who could look down on other ultra-Peak Experts could attempt it?
I even thought it might have been better to die sooner and grasp my place.
"Hmm... Still, there are gains."
I faintly smiled as I organized in my head what I'd gained from this reincarnation.
First. Acquired the internal energy of the Millennium Snow Ginseng.
Second. Acquired scholar-level knowledge plus formation and transformation techniques.
Third. Memorized the Imperial Palace map in my head.
Fourth. Gained experience in a deathmatch with a Peak Expert.
Fifth. Learned that famous righteous sects are bloodless bastards.
Especially the fifth one stuck in my heart.
I berated myself.
"Damn it. I'm still a retard."
How naive I'd been.
No matter which of the six great righteous sects I challenged to a duel, it would have been the same. It was just a matter of sooner or later—they never forgive those who tarnish their honor. From the moment I picked a fight with them, I was fated to be crippled or die. As people say, a wanderer raising their skills through dueling was just a dreamlike tale from novels.
To gain real combat experience, you need real combat.
You have to corner the opponent to kill them outright to avoid future repercussions.
It was such an obvious truth, yet I'd been lost in dreams of the martial world.
Still squatting with my arms around my knees, I kept thinking.
From this incident, I clearly understood a Peak Expert's prowess and the gap with my own skills. To close it, I'd need at least ten years of training, as he himself said. So if I just trained in martial arts for ten years, I could become a Peak Expert too.
But—how exactly?
Just picking up forms and swinging a sword at empty air for years on end doesn't improve skills. I need someone to point out my deficiencies and advise on improvements.
Otherwise, I'd have to fight similar-level opponents risking my life each time to improve myself, but this death taught me it's a dangerous act where even ten lives wouldn't suffice. It'd be convenient to gain enlightenment mid-deathmatch and grow stronger, but that's not realistic.
Nor would beating up weaklings for safe gains improve me. If I started that, it'd just be relying on internal energy to smack around below First-Class Experts, but this deathmatch taught me such fighting is useless against true Peak Experts. It might work on Instructor Lim Geom-dang's level, but not against Iron Blood Sect elders.
I kept thinking, but there was no better way than training under a 'master.' I'm not a genius, so I need to absorb all teachings from an excellent master first, then train independently later. An obvious fact I'd forgotten in joy after getting the Millennium Snow Ginseng's internal energy.
Thinking about it, I'd only properly learned martial arts for three years. I trained hard then, but after that, I just roughly adapted to combat, with no real improvement. Just a massive increase in internal energy.
So I have to go to the Azure Dragon Martial Hall.
My master is there.
The one who can give the best advice for the martial arts I'm practicing now!
I'd reached a conclusion, but I sighed.
"Haa... What the hell do I do?"
Me joining the Azure Dragon Martial Hall now would be the height of absurdity and cause terrifying dissonance. It's like a ten-year-old kid who mastered their secret martial arts and internal arts, plus harbors the terrifying internal energy of the Millennium Snow Ginseng, suddenly asking to be a disciple.
If I were Hall Master Triple Excellence Lee Gwang, I'd freak out and chase him away or kill him myself. That's how bizarre I'd become.
This was my third reincarnation, but my worries deepened further. I shook my head to shake off the sticky feeling, then stood up.
"Eh, whatever. First things first."
What I have to do.
No—what I must do.
Two things.
First. Go to the cave and get the Heavenly Dark Secret Book.
Second. Go to Yellow Mountain and get the Millennium Snow Ginseng.
'If I do both, it'll take about a month? Whatever.'
Tadak.
Without hesitation, I turned my back on the Village Chief's house and started lightfoot skill toward the cave. With my current power, wiping out the Village Chief's entire family would be like flipping my palm, but since it felt too easy, I didn't need to do it right away.
'Hmm... Feels like I forgot something important... What was it?'
I tilted my head briefly, but at this point, I couldn't figure out what. Probably because I was lost in other thoughts.
It took much less time to reach the cave than in my second reincarnation. My running speed was at least three times faster, and my stamina didn't tire, so it was natural. By the time the morning sun had just risen past dawn, I was inside the cave.
This time, to save time, I didn't buy a copper shield. Instead, I picked up some large stones by the roadside. And decided to pass the arrow trap guarding the Heavenly Dark Secret Book.
"No need to bother blocking them. I know where the arrows shoot from."
Muttering, I infused internal energy into a stone and hurled it from afar at the arrow mechanism. The stone, loaded with mighty internal energy, had enough force to pierce a human body.
Kwaang!
The wall shattered, and I saw the hidden arrow launcher crumple inside. I'd bypassed the trap easily.
But at the same instant, a roar shook the ground.
Kurururung.
"... Gasp! Damn it!!"
Realizing this signaled the cave collapsing, I rushed in, clutched the box to my chest, and leaped out. Using lightfoot skill, I successfully jumped to the opposite cliff.
Moments later, I saw the cave entrance fully collapse, boulders tumbling down the cliff. I checked the Heavenly Dark Secret Book in the box and sighed in relief.
"Whew, good thing. That was close."
I shouldn't use this method again. Better to bother blocking arrows with stones or a copper shield. Even now, I'd escaped by a hair's breadth, so no reckless attempts.
With the Heavenly Dark Secret Book secured, I buried the box in the ground, tightly wrapped the book in my inner pocket. I must never let it leave my body, so I'd carry it somehow from now on. I immediately began the journey to Yellow Mountain.
I could go to the Azure Dragon Martial Hall, but right now I felt like shutting up and just eating the Millennium Snow Ginseng first. No guarantee I'd learn anything there, and while hesitating, better to get the internal energy boost.
"Alright, let's go!"
This was my third fun Yellow Mountain trip.
Terbek terbek.
I walked at first, then started running whenever possible. The road to Yellow Mountain was very long and boring, so I wanted to save even a little time. Of course, I'd still have to hunt mountain animals, wash in streams, and dig roots. I hated sleeping outdoors because my back hurt too much.
Fortunately, thanks to my Yellow Mountain survival, I was very accustomed to this, and with higher internal energy, my hunting skills improved vastly. Hunting wild animals barehanded succeeded eight out of ten times now, so no more wandering near starvation like before.
Tadadak...
On a mountain about a day's walk from Yellow Mountain, I was roasting a frog. A day's walk on foot, so if I hurried and ran, I'd reach in two hours, and three more to the secret ginseng spot. Practically, 'tomorrow' I'd eat the Millennium Snow Ginseng again.
My clothes were already in tatters, but I didn't care. What bothered me was not knowing if this was a poison frog. Anyway, had to eat something, so grilling it first.
I swallowed hard.
So hungry.
I want to eat this...
Eating a poison frog wrong could paralyze nerves, turn your face purple, and kill you. Back when living on Yellow Mountain, I nearly died from one, but a passing villager saved me with antidote herb.
And that villager was a pharmacist who taught me essential knowledge.
'Poison frogs' bellies swell when grilled, right?'
I calmly watched the frog. Sure enough, plop—its belly puffed up. Definitely a poison frog that could kill. Disappointed, I tossed the skewered frog anywhere.
"Eh, fuck."
Gotta starve again today.
I sprinkled asbestos gathered nearby around my sleeping spot to ward off snakes, then settled for the night, feeling glum. My nose tingled a bit.
Even if someone else could regress, would they live suffering like me?
Am I the only weirdo doing stupid shit?
Is this really the way to live an easy life?
...But no matter how I thought, I couldn't ask anyone else.
If thinking yields no answer, don't think.
Chiriruk chiriruk.
Grasshoppers chirped noisily.
Thus, the night before the third reincarnation's second Millennium Snow Ginseng passed away.