Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Appearance of the Ice Dragon
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“I've had a recent insight and tried blending some martial arts.”
“Impressive!”
Gwan Ryongjin nodded as he looked at Cheon Taesan.
“Just as the rumors say.”
“Pardon?”
Gwan Ryongjin shook his head.
“Nothing. Seeing those sword marks on the wall stirred my competitive spirit, that's all.”
Gwan Ryongjin was being frank about his feelings.
“It was just assassins bursting in, and I'm nothing more than a scholar, after all.”
“Is that so? I see.”
Gwan Ryongjin ordered his subordinates to clear the dirt that had fallen from the broken door and wall.
“Clean this up.”
Cheon Taesan called over the innkeeper.
The innkeeper fidgeted nervously, unsure of what he might say.
“Innkeeper, I'll cover the repair costs for the broken door and wall. How much will it be?”
“Oh? Scholar Cheon, what are you talking about?”
Gwan Ryongjin stepped forward.
“Assassins caused this mess—why should you pay for repairs?”
Cheon Taesan gave Gwan Ryongjin a wry smile.
“Hero Gwan Ryong, the assassins attacked, true, but the innkeeper still bears the loss. As one of the parties involved, I can't just look the other way. It's not right for him to suffer alone.”
Cheon Taesan paid the innkeeper the repair fee he quoted and sent him on his way.
“Spending money on something so unnecessary...”
Gwan Ryongjin muttered as if he'd never seen such a thing before.
He had never once paid for damaged goods after causing a ruckus at inns, relay stations, or teahouses.
He figured that was for the owners to handle.
In the world of the unorthodox, the weak had to bow to the strong.
“Consideration for the weak isn't solely a virtue of the orthodox martial world. Didn't Supreme One Mag Yeoheun say that those who draw blades against the defenseless should have their arms severed? He decreed that the law of the jungle applies not to ordinary folk, but among those who cultivate martial arts. That's why even the orthodox world holds the Supreme One's philosophy in high regard.”
Gwan Ryongjin pondered deeply for a moment before asking Cheon Taesan,
“In your view, scholar, what's the best way for a martial artist to grow stronger?”
Gwan Ryongjin had been feeling a plateau lately. That's why he'd constantly agonized over how to get stronger.
Curious how a scholar, not a warrior, might approach the question, he hoped it might offer a clue to breaking through.
Cheon Taesan smiled faintly in response.
“That question reminds me of something Hero Mag Yeoheun of the unorthodox once said.”
As Cheon Taesan mentioned Mag Yeoheun again, Gwan Ryongjin's expression grew solemn.
“He spent his entire life frantically chasing the ultimate martial art, yet never perfected his own.”
“Yes. One of the Supreme One's famous quotes.”
“Indeed. From his words, I think we can find your answer, Hero Gwan Ryong. Before coveting others' arts, perfect your own to grow strong. Complete your martial art, your mind, your body first. Others' are mere mirages.”
“Oh!”
Seeing Gwan Ryongjin marvel at his words, Cheon Taesan thought him quite innocent.
“Exactly! You're a scholar worthy of the Supreme One's invitation.”
Then his face clouded over.
“What's wrong?”
“Our branch lord isn't the ordinary sort. I'm just worried if you can hold your own, Scholar Cheon.”
Gwan Ryongjin fretted that such an excellent scholar might fall victim to a wastrel.
Unlike his concern, Cheon Taesan smiled.
Fearing he might badmouth the branch lord, Gwan Ryongjin shook his head and headed downstairs.
I didn't think the poison and assassins were orchestrated by the same person.
There were clear signs the assassins were targeting Yeoseol, not me precisely.
'They prowled the rooms to confirm their target.'
The only ones who could know Yeoseol's identity were the elder faction of the Ice Palace.
'Elder Yu Yeongrip, whom Jong Sobin mentioned, seems involved. And the poison was Gal Woheon's doing.'
With the Blood Cult vanished and Yu Yeongrip and Gal Woheon emerging, I grew increasingly uneasy.
The danger to Yeoseol had spiked more than to me.
'Should I have left her at the Nangong Family after all?'
I shook my head.
When I'd suggested she stay at the Nangong Family, she'd clung to my arm, eyes brimming with tears.
'That look of abandonment—I couldn't possibly leave her behind.'
I knew that feeling all too well to ignore it.
Humans cling more to their lacks than their happiness, and I'd been no different.
And I had my own issues.
Better to keep her close than leave her anxious in my absence.
'Yes, just be cautious. And if Yeoseol falls into danger, let her learn to escape it herself—that's best.'
With that in mind, I decided teaching her the Ghostly Scholar's arts was wise.
I hadn't planned to go that far originally, but now wasn't the time to be picky.
'Mastering the Ghostly Scholar's arts would make Yeoseol even stronger.'
I asked Yeoseol, who stared at me like a cat.
“Yeoseol, how did you manifest the Ice Dragon?”
“I formed the Heavenly Dragon from the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique, then infused it with the chill of the Ice White Asura Sword, and it turned white.”
“Hm.”
I'd hoped for details on the technique's flow or intent, but that was all she gave.
'Genius happens. I've heard it plenty.'
I picked up the Vault of Heaven Sword and said,
“Like this?”
I drew out the essence of the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique to form the Heavenly Dragon, then pulled internal energy from my dantian to infuse the Ice White Asura Sword's chill.
The dragon's form turned white from the tail up, stopping midway along its body.
With a six-year dantian, coating the whole thing was impossible.
“Hm, a calico cat.”
Yeoseol's offhand remark stung.
A calico has white dominant with two other colors—mine looked just like a four-legged white calico.
She wasn't mocking me.
“Big brother lacks the internal energy, so the freezing fizzled out.”
“But I don't have a dantian?”
Having studied martial theory and grasped energy manifestation, Yeoseol wondered how she'd done it without one.
It was time she knew the truth.
“Yeoseol, you're special. You can use internal energy without a dantian.”
Yeoseol tilted her head.
“Your body absorbs natural qi directly into internal energy—no need to store it in a dantian first.”
“Ah, so that's why swinging a stick as a kid sliced flowers clean.”
“Right. Imagine that on a person?”
“That's why big brother always warned me not to do it around people.”
Yeoseol was piecing it together herself.
“Yes. Now you get it. How long does it take a martial artist to store energy in their dantian and emit sword qi?”
“Over thirty years of training? If they're talented?”
With my teachings and what she'd seen and heard at the Nangong Family, Yeoseol had many insights.
“And how old are you?”
“Me? Hmm, maybe a dozen or so?”
With no memories, she couldn't say for sure—just guessing from her growth.
“Yet you emit sword qi. Weird, right?”
“It is. Never thought of it that way.”
“What would others think of such a gifted Yeoseol?”
Yeoseol blinked upward at my question.
“Hm, admire me? No, envy? Nah. Maybe kill me for being too good?”
Still naive about human nature, she listed possibilities.
“Bad people might kidnap you to study how you do it—dissect you till you die.”
Yeoseol shuddered suddenly.
“I hate that.”
Memories of her Ice Sacred Body life must have resurfaced.
“That's why I say don't show martial arts carelessly.”
“So you made it seem like you killed the assassin earlier. If I did it, it'd be suspicious.”
“Exactly. Now you understand.”
I stroked Yeoseol's head.
'Her talent will be found out someday, but I hope it's delayed. All I can do is guard her as long as possible. I need to grow strong enough no one dares touch her.'
That's why I'd come here—to feed this energy-stealing dantian.
“Yeoseol, no worries. Just diligently learn the arts I teach. Got it?”
“Yeah, I'm not worried. Big brother's here. I just listen to him.”
Strangely, her words comforted me, turning into a smile.
Someone relying on and trusting me felt like warm hot spring water filling my heart.
It warmed the emptiness within.
After seeing Yeoseol asleep with Eunbi, I stepped out.
'Good she's not anxious. Scary to know someone tried kidnapping her.'
The inn's interior was swarming with Hyeoncheon Sura Unit members glaring fiercely on guard.
It felt excessive, but after one attack, I couldn't stop them.
I returned to my room and extracted my dantian.
Still the size of a thumbnail.
'This wondrous thing deserves better than just 'dantian.' Time for a name.'
Looking at it floating in the air, I said,
“How about Theft Dantian?”
Steal () fit perfectly.
“Nah, too weak. Outer Dantian? Boring. Thief Dantian?”
I chuckled.
“Why fixate on stealing? Even if it pilfers others' energy, calling it a thief dantian feels off. Fine, it flies around, so Flying Dantian.”
I grasped the dantian.
“From now on, you're Flying Dantian.”
Fly () matched brilliantly.
“I'll make you three jia worth. Few warriors have ever reached a three-jia dantian.”
Three jia was its capacity limit—no more accumulation.
Thus, half-jia (30 years) masters are first-rate, one-jia (60 years) peak.
Adding half-jia each: transcendent, enlightened, profound realms, and three-jia (180 years) is life-death boundary.
Most die before first-rate because they don't live that long.
That's why warriors risk all for spirit pills or beasts' cores.
Instantly gaining years of cultivation? They'd do anything.
“Hyeoncheon Gate's Dragon Blood Pill should give five to ten years' worth, right?”
That meant I could forge a ten-year Flying Dantian at least.
“And its power would grow stronger too.”
Imagining swallowing the Dragon Blood Pill and empowering it made me grin.
'Seeing this, who would call me a scholar? A warrior in scholar's robes. No wonder rumors persist—my own doing.'
I realized the false rumors about me stemmed from my own actions.
Three hundred jang ahead of the inn lay a small hillock.
Some twenty men began ascending it one by one.