Chapter 14
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 14
Of course, this didn't apply to Ise.
"That won't do. Let's do it when you're actually ready."
Though he wanted to test his strength against Hae Un-chan, he wasn't stupid enough to overexert himself right before an important exam.
"Excuse me, you two?"
Just then, an unfamiliar, clear voice called out from behind them.
The owner of the voice was a girl who stood two or three heads shorter than them. She had snow-white hair, golden eyes, and skin as pale as jade.
"Wow, you're really pale. Was there someone like this around?" Hae Un-chan marveled.
"She was standing right next to you when they called up the pre-selected candidates," Ise pointed out.
"Ahaha... Calling someone 'pre-selected' right to their face... My name is Ryeong of the Seol Clan."
"You're really tiny, too. How'd you pass the third exam?"
A vein throbbed on Seol Ryeong's forehead, but she forced herself to swallow her temper. What an extraordinarily rude brute.
The answer came from Ise instead.
"She seems to specialize in the Borrowed Power Art. She kicked a guy who rushed her full force right in the groin until he bled, so it makes sense she passed."
"What, are you interested in her? Why were you watching so closely?"
"It was hilarious watching the guys behind her sneaking kicks between people's legs or fighting while guarding their crotches, so it stuck in my memory. Though, of course, I memorized the fights of everyone who passed."
"All one hundred and twenty of them?"
"Because I don't know who I'll have to fight, or when."
Seol Ryeong, who had been standing there blankly, chimed in with a fake smile plastered on her face.
"Hey, could you not treat me like a wooden puppet? The person you're talking about is standing right here listening."
"Sorry. What do you need?"
"It's nothing much. There's a team evaluation in two days—an exam where a group of four hunts down a Demon Ghost. Could you let me join your team?"
At Seol Ryeong's words, Hae Un-chan tilted his head. "You want to be on our team?"
"Yep! You both fight really well. I'm aiming to be a Shaman, so if we have to deal with Evil Spirits, I'll definitely be useful. Plus, my goal is to join the Vermilion Bird Hall and become a Talisman Crafter or Artifact Crafter, following in the footsteps of Senior Hong Mi-hui! It wouldn't hurt to get on my good side now, right?"
Ise turned to Hae Un-chan. "Talisman Crafter? Artifact Crafter?"
"A painter who draws talismans and a blacksmith who crafts Dharma Artifacts."
"You definitely couldn't be a Talisman Crafter," Ise stated bluntly.
"Where did that come from? Besides, I never intended to be one anyway," Hae Un-chan grimaced and shot back.
Seeing this, Seol Ryeong couldn't hold it in any longer and snapped, "Did you just disrespect the arts?!"
"...Me? When?"
"For daring to insult the Four Great Arts, you must accept me as your teammate! Otherwise, when I enter the Vermilion Bird Hall in the future, I'll tell Hall Master Hong Mi-hui that you called her a mere painter. She'll probably separate your body into a head, torso, and legs!"
Watching her make a throat-slitting gesture with an utterly unthreatening expression, Hae Un-chan burst into laughter.
What an adorable little thing taking this exam.
"My, what a terrifying threat. But there's a problem—we haven't formed a team yet either. In fact, we didn't even know such an exam existed. Hey, are you teaming up with me?"
"I don't care either way," Ise replied.
"Then sure, why not. Hey, Seollong, if you're fine with it, join us."
"It's Seol Ryeong! Alright then, starting today, I'm eating with you guys!"
Without even waiting for a response, Seol Ryeong naturally settled into a seat beside them. She immediately scolded them to eat slowly, only to look absolutely appalled when they mentioned they were going back for several more refills.
"Looks like we gained another chatterbox."
Ise let out a faint sigh.
Fortunately, he didn't mind it.
*
Within the Training Center, there weren't many areas permitted for applicants trying to enter the Great Martial Dao. However, walking just a short distance toward the slope near the main gate revealed a desolate cliff filled with all kinds of bizarre rock formations.
It was a landscape truly worthy of being called a magnificent view.
The scenery of Cheongsan was admirable, but something else mattered far more to Ise.
A massive concentration of spiritual energy.
If Cheongsan were to be summarized in a single phrase, that would be the most precise description. Like a boiling cauldron, endless spiritual energy welled up from all across the mountain, blanketing the surroundings.
Sitting cross-legged in quiet meditation made the spiritual energy and demonic energy flowing through his body feel distinctly vivid.
How do I use this power?
He could feel it, but he had no idea how to wield it. He tried various methods, but just as one could not move their internal organs at will, no matter how hard he focused, his abdominal muscles only rippled awkwardly.
Even so, something had changed.
Ise gripped a fallen old tree trunk with one hand, then let go.
Simply awakening to spiritual energy had transformed his physical body. It felt as if he stood on the boundary between human and superhuman. His vision brightened, his five senses grew sharper, and the muscles throughout his entire body became firmer and more resilient.
If I can start using spiritual energy in earnest, I'll become even stronger.
Ise was eager to finish the exams quickly and start utilizing this power.
Right then, his heightened senses picked up a presence.
Light footsteps. Short strides. A soft aura.
A small girl.
"There you are!"
It was Seol Ryeong, who had joined their team yesterday.
"Can't you two stick together? I was looking for you forever."
Ise offered a light nod in greeting.
"A notice was posted this morning. Tomorrow is the team exam, so we need to form groups of four."
"What are the details of the exam?"
"There were no details. But I told you yesterday, right? It's an exam to hunt Demon Ghosts."
"Is there any chance it'll change?"
"The Great Martial Dao exam is a famous tradition in itself. Though plenty of people still fail even knowing what it entails." Seol Ryeong pressed Ise further. "By the way, do you have a fourth teammate in mind? You keep vanishing, and Hae Un-chan says he left everything up to you, so people keep pestering me. How did they even find out? Good grief."
In fact, several applicants had already approached Ise since first light, boasting about how many times they had taken the exam while acting incredibly arrogant.
In truth, it didn't matter much who joined, but since he didn't know the exact details of the exam, it was tricky to pick someone specific.
"Honestly, I don't really care who it is. But when they strut up boasting like that, it makes me want to pick them even less."
"You're definitely far from becoming a true Daoist. By the way, are you going to keep speaking casually to me? I'm seventeen, you know."
"Seventeen? Is this your second time taking the exam?"
"No! It is not! I couldn't take the exam last year. Due to personal reasons. I just couldn't take it!"
If it's a no, just say no. Why yell about it?
Ise dug at his tingling ear before speaking to Seol Ryeong.
"I really don't care who it is, so if there's an applicant you want to bring along, feel free to choose."
"Really? No take-backs!"
Looking excited, she scampered off with quick, short steps.
That kid really needs to eat more food... After offering that mild worry, Ise resumed his cultivation training.
*
The fourth exam was an optional one.
An optional exam meant literally that—a free choice to take it or not. It was designed not to disqualify anyone, but rather to grant extra points to applicants who possessed other talents, even if their martial prowess fell slightly short.
In that context, a concept called "Specialization" existed among Great Martial Dao cultivators—a system unique to the Great Martial Dao.
The 'Nang Pavilion', which subdued Demon Ghosts with martial arts.
The 'Medical Apprentice', which handled medicine, as well as the crafting of medicinal pills and poisons.
The 'Shaman', skilled in incantations, Dharma Artifacts, and talisman crafting.
The 'Dark Snake', specialized in outpost breaches and defenses using tracking, stealth, mechanical devices, formations, construction, and Qimen Dunjia.
Hae Un-chan didn't even enter this test, stating he would focus only on what he was good at.
Ise had no intention of choosing any specialization other than the Nang Pavilion, but since he wanted to acquire a diverse range of skills if possible, he decided to take all the exams. For learning was something one could never delve deeply enough into.
The time limit is until today anyway. And since they said there's no restriction on the number of exams I can take...
He planned to manage his time well and attempt all three remaining exams.
The first place he headed was the Medical Apprentice exam grounds.
As soon as he stepped inside, the pungent scent of herbal medicine struck his nose. At the front of the venue lay two types of pills, with a vast array of medicinal herbs, plants, and poisons lined up before them.
The exam was simple.
Craft one medicinal pill and one poison pill that were as similar as possible to the ones displayed. Any ingredient could be used freely, though the amount of Spirit Herbs and Spirit Creature by-products allocated per person was limited.
Only one submission was allowed.
Ise picked up the medicinal pill. Then he asked the examiner, "May I taste it?"
"No."
Hiding his disappointment, he brought it to his nose and sniffed it. A wide variety of scents were blended together. Faintly, he could sense spiritual energy.
Curious, Ise asked again, "I thought the Great Martial Dao didn't deal with medicinal pills made from Spirit Creatures?"
"We simply do not intentionally defy the natural order. Collecting Spirit Creatures that died naturally, trading for them to craft medicinal pills, or consuming crafted pills out of necessity isn't something we actively forbid. However, the synergy between the secret cultivation arts of the Great Martial Dao and medicinal pills themselves isn't particularly good."
"I see."
It crossed his mind that it sounded like a rule made purely for convenience, but Ise quickly shifted his line of thought. There was no need to look at an organization he was about to join through a negative lens.
"What, do we sound like cultists to you?"
"I didn't harbor thoughts quite that disrespectful."
"Shall I tell you something even more disrespectful? We also pillage. We plunder resources from other cultivator sects, merited families, and demonic path sects to use as our own."
As Ise scratched his head, the examiner added jokingly, "Normally, pillaging corrupts one's spirit, but it's fine if the opponent is a cultivator."
"May I ask why?"
"Do you really think taking back from thieves would build up karmic resentment from their grudges? That's why mortals must be treated with care, while cultivators should be slaughtered on sight for the good of the world."
Perhaps the Great Martial Dao hadn't become the public enemy of the cultivation world by accident.
He stopped his disrespectful thoughts and returned to his testing station.
After experimenting with a few concoctions, he submitted the pill that seemed most potent alongside a poison pill reeking with toxic energy.
"Six points and seven points. A total of thirteen points."
Surprised by the higher-than-expected score, Ise uttered a low exclamation. Was it thanks to his heightened sense of smell and his heavy exposure to mountain herbs since childhood?
"May I eat the one I made?"
"Shove just anything into your mouth and you won't escape sudden death."
Ise accepted the advice and headed toward the next testing ground.
Next was the Shaman exam grounds.
Perhaps because it was relatively more popular than the Medical Apprentice path, a fair number of applicants were gathered here. He spotted a familiar face—the snow-white little cultivator, Seol Ryeong.
"You're still taking the exam?"
"I wanted to practice a bit while I was at it. It's been a while, so it's not going very well..."
Seol Ryeong was sweating profusely as she painted onto a talisman paper.