Chapter 9
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: The Interest Rate on Insults is 66% Daily Compound (1)
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Three sunrises had already greeted me at the Hundred Flowers Academy.
Once you move out and live independently or in a dorm, it's inevitable that you'll get lazy.
Especially since I'm a night owl.
Even back home, I was the type who preferred sleeping in until late lunch, making the most of the day, and crashing at dawn.
But.
That routine had finally come to an end.
"Geum hyung, get up. Time for morning training."
"Ugh......"
No luck with roommates at all.
Unhak, who was technically my junior by birth year, was a training maniac.
He didn't just enjoy training alone—he found the meaning of life in spreading the joy of cultivation to those around him. A true madman.
I forced my heavy eyelids open after staying up until dawn rereading manuals and browsing the galleries.
"I prefer qi brunch over qi breakfast......"
"What nonsense is that? Quit talking rubbish and gear up quick. We're gonna be late."
Not a sweet cohabitation with a beauty waking me up.
But a horrific dorm life with a sweaty guy rousing me.
This.
Is hell.
Still, dashing a lap around the dorm brought back faint memories of army days.
And sitting cross-legged in my personal training room, circulating the Lesser Heavenly Circuit—it felt pretty refreshing.
Better than breakfast! Qi breakfast!
I began properly internalizing the incantations of the Blazing Shadow Heart Formula I'd memorized yesterday.
The Blazing Shadow Heart Formula was fundamentally a yang fire technique.
It had the minor drawback of not matching Lava Heart, but attribute-based arts were rare and valuable anyway.
People hurt when cut by blades.
People burn when touched by fire.
So fire-attribute martial arts let you hurt and burn at the same time.
A perfectly obvious principle of physics.
I'd heard spoilers that the training was tricky and grueling, but skimming the manual yesterday hadn't given that impression.
Sss...
With eyes closed, I felt the qi around me stir, slowly drawing it in like a breath, then exhaling.
Repeating the intake process, I sensed a stark difference from the heart methods I'd learned before.
Normally, you gathered yin and yang qi indiscriminately into your dantian without bias, building it solidly.
But with the Blazing Shadow Heart Formula, the yin cold qi slipped out through the perineum, while only the yang hot qi piled densely into my dantian.
Right after.
"Grrgh......"
Suppressing a leaking groan, I finally understood Unhak's warning.
Hot navel, cold asshole......!
At least it didn't explode and drive out the existing yin qi in my dantian.
But the alien sensation during intake had me shuddering nonstop.
Still, more came in than went out, so my dantian—which had been oversized but underfilled—finally hit a real estate boom.
Power...... I can feel it......
By the third loop of the pre-recorded incantation playback, I opened my eyes and slowly straightened up.
Not being a game, I had no clue if I'd reached 1-star or 2-star or whatever.
"Status window!"
......Yeah, no.
I'd already yelled it in five languages right after possessing this body.
Still, feeling a fiery new presence wriggling inside made me proud.
I wanted to ride this momentum and tackle the Northern Bright Divine Art too.
But visualizing just the first few lines brought a clear intuition.
This.
Is no First-Rate hack can touch.
Probably need at least Peak realm to even scratch the surface, so shelve it for now.
Today was the last day of orientation.
No more cult-like preaching sessions.
No more elementary school field trip-style campus tours.
The new students, split into groups like classes, gathered together for the first time since the entrance ceremony.
"Oh, right."
Spotting Myo Narang—Rat Girl—giving a distant nod, I remembered I hadn't passed on the Heavenly Beast Heart-Returning Art yet.
But.
First message to a girl?
Not easy......
Next time, hand it over coolly at the right moment, or just send the PDF.
Of course, after I review it once more myself.
No martial art in the world is useless once learned.
Might as well grab some benefit if I'm doing a good deed.
But.
"Yongtaek-ah. You need to shit or something?"
"......My surname is Moyong, given name Taek......"
"Yeah, Yongtaek-ah. Why you been all shriveled up since earlier?"
The guy who'd been lively with jokes right up to entering the auditorium was now all wrinkled and pitiful-looking.
Unhak had regressed to kid mode amid all the girls, silently meditating in muteness. Driving me nuts.
Why are my roommates all trash-tier?
Making an S-rank like me lose face. Tsk tsk.
Despite my kind concern, Moyong Taek shrank his presence like he didn't want eyes on him, just breathing quietly.
But.
"Lowborn scum. Told you not to stand out."
I instantly got why.
"......Hyungnim."
"Who’s your hyung? Don’t speak my name with that filthy mouth."
A man who resembled Moyong Taek but sharper-faced approached, not hiding his displeasure.
Whispers.
"Hak, know anything?"
"Heard the Moyong Family discriminates harshly against branch lines...... Looks like Moyong hyung's one too."
True to his Beggars' Sect roots—like a walking martial wiki—Unhak spilled info on point.
Got it.
Jealousy toward a talented bastard son. Classic cliché.
Can't even call his rich dad and older bro? Moyong Gil-dong it is.
My gut said.
This was 100% picking a fight on purpose.
For a guy who hated the sight of him, that tongue was awfully long.
Felt a bit sorry for Moyong Taek getting bullied over birth, but family matters—I shouldn't butt in.
Still soured my mood a bit.
Not just the guy coming solo to hassle; his gang had slinked up behind him.
Around twenty, swarming like that? Kinda lame.
And among them, one I hated.
Ok Cheongja.
Shaanxi hometown meant occasional ties to Mount Hua or Mount Zhongnan folks.
That one's the worst of the bunch.
Our eyes met, and we both grimaced simultaneously.
Unlike his face—like stamped by an iron mace at a doljanchi—mine still looked good wrinkled. My win.
Then.
"Tch. Lowborn should at least pick good friends—beggar spawn and money-grubber? You're dragging down the Moyong name."
"......?"
Mid-personal attack on Moyong Taek, the Moyong whatever splashed damage my way.
I could self-deprecate as a money-grubber family jokingly, but some stranger hurling slurs out of nowhere?
Blood rushed to my head.
I glared at the Moyong punk, fists clenched tight after his bullshit.
Wanted to spin-kick him dead on the spot.
Two reasons I held back.
Me striking first makes it my fault.
And despite the beggar insult, Unhak tugged my hem seriously, subtly stopping me.
......Times like this, 'Clear Mirror Still Water' trait annoys me.
Forces rational thought even under clear insult.
"......Tch. Vulgar."
The Moyong punk scraped my nerves one last time and stormed off.
Smack!
"Ack......!"
I whacked Moyong Taek's back hard, his face like a stray dog in dog days heat.
"You moping 'cause of that punk?"
He nodded weakly at my words.
Sympathy welled up—how bad must it be if he can't even whimper in that situation?
But pity for a man is a luxury.
"Yongtaek-ah."
"Hm......?"
"In the martial world, the strong one's the hyung, right?"
"Then I'm your hy──"
"Unhak, read the room."
Was gonna say something nice, but butts in.
I glared at the Moyong punk's crew snickering from afar and murmured low.
"I could forgive someone calling you lowborn."
Moyong Taek shot me a 'what bullshit' look.
"But calling me a money-grubber? Never."
I won't do anything to harm me or my family usually.
But insult interest is 66% daily compound.
Letting this slide is the real loss.
After a brief moment to compose ourselves, we killed time with jokes like nothing happened.
And.
"Those wishing to join the advanced class, stay behind!"
Hesitated yesterday, not today.
"Whoa, hold up, lemme just──"
Unhak and I grabbed the slyly escaping Moyong Taek's shoulders and pinned him down.
Moments later.
People ebbed out like tide from the auditorium.
Fewer remained than expected.
Two hundred total, about forty left.
Of course, that cocky Moyong Wicheon was there.
Turns out he had reason to brag—supposed genius about to shatter Peak walls soon.
In this cramped academy full of late-geniuses, everyone's a prodigy.
Even that barely visible Cheon Luri's topknot amid the crowd—she's probably Peak late-stage from the start.
Compared to that.
Soon Peak? Just First-Rate, no?
The training hall doors shut tight again.
"This instructor is moved by your disciples' spirit! Such high advanced class signup—how can this not be the martial world's blessing!"
The fist technique instructor from my memory stepped up to set the mood.
"Yet martial arts training is a lifelong path! For the unprepared, advanced class is no different from indulgence. Thus, we shall hold a test!"
Murmurs rose, especially from general admission students.
"A test......?"
"They gonna cut us in half here......?"
Prestige sect admits stayed calm.
Info gap showing.
Reading the mood, perhaps.
"The test will be sparring! Losing doesn't mean elimination! Martial arts are for real combat application—proving your skills suffices for qualification! You may choose your own opponent; if not, I'll pair you arbitrarily!"
Relief spread at the explanation.
Of course, stone-faced Luri from start to end.
Wonder if she even gets it.
Silence fell, then faint whispers.
Smarter ones already hunting WWE fodder.
But.
"Then──"
"I'm Geum Sihyeon from Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress! There's one I admire—may I request a lesson from them!"
As Moyong Wicheon moved to speak, I stepped forward first and shouted loud.
All eyes on me.
"I've heard Moyong Family's Young Master Moyong Wicheon is top among late-geniuses. Granting me a chance to witness your arts would be the greatest honor for this lowly-born."
My words rippled massively through the hall.
Moyong Wicheon glared openly, displeasure bare.
Clear as day.
Planned to grab easy Moyong Taek and flex.
Kid's dim, loves gambling, all shriveled and off—but.
Three days rooming together? He's a friend.
No watching him get bullied idly.
Plus.
Collect today's interest.
Principal's separate, of course.
Meeting Moyong Wicheon's gaze, I arched then dropped a brow.
Mouthing.
- Scared?
Added a stroke in case he dismissed me as unworthy.
"......I accept your challenge."
Got under his skin.
Not a bad start.
Excitement stiffens body and mind.