Yeop Inyeong
Ever since arriving at the Medical Hall, I'd learned so much and made tremendous progress in my cultivation. To think that someone like me, who knew nothing about pill refinement or body refinement, had grown this far! A swell of pride and self-admiration welled up inside me.
But there was still so much more to learn. Artifact forging techniques, talisman crafting and usage, and even formations. My thirst for knowledge burned brighter than ever.
Of course, mastering all these would cut into my cultivation time. Still, I believed they were all interconnected—studying a variety of arts would reveal synergies between them.
Back at the cave, I checked my physical condition. My skin had taken on a tough, bronze hue, firm and resilient. At this level, I could probably tank hits from cultivators of my own realm barehanded. Hell, I even felt confident sparring with a Qi Refining 10th stage expert.
To test the Iron Skin Art's power and expand my training chamber, I punched the cave wall. Rumble rumble rumble—the entire cavern shook as the spot I'd struck crumbled in an instant.
I widened the rough areas with punches and shaved down the finer details with my Water Foot Sword. Once the work was done, I realized I needed a formation to protect the cave.
Sure, nothing major would happen within the sect grounds, but better safe than sorry. Martial artists' formations wouldn't work on cultivators, so I needed a cultivator-grade one.
Formations were typically deployed using formation artifacts, with spirit stones placed at the central formation eye and key nodes to sustain them long-term. The better the spirit stones, the stronger the formation's effects.
What I needed now was a consciousness-blocking restrictive formation and a defensive one to ward off cultivators' senses.
Ordinary Qi Refining cultivators rarely used formations—they required formation artifacts and consumed spirit stones, so only the wealthy could afford them.
Wondering where to learn them, I recalled seeing basic formation manuals while organizing the Library Pavilion's first floor. I hopped on a flying artifact and shot straight there.
Stepping onto the first floor after so long filled me with emotion. Back then, I'd been a mere Qi Refining 3rd stage nobody. Now, I'd come so far.
I headed to the formation bookshelves, pulling out volumes one by one and devouring them. Since we couldn't take books out, I memorized everything on the spot.
An hour later, I found what I wanted: a formation that blocked consciousness and provided defense, with low spirit stone consumption—perfect for Qi Refining cultivators. Its name was the Metal Binding Formation ().
With the right formation secured, the problem was the formation artifact. How was I supposed to get something that rare?
No matter how I racked my brain, nothing came to mind at my current level. I let out a deep sigh.
"Haa... how am I supposed to get one?"
"Get what, exactly?"
A calm woman's voice sounded right behind my back. Startled, I whipped around and bowed.
"Yuseong pays his respects to the Pavilion Lord."
Yeop Inyeong, the Library Pavilion Lord, stood right in front of me. As expected of the Nascent Soul stage—no presence at all. How long had she been watching me?
The intellectual beauty who looked to be in her thirties asked, "Judging by the formation books, you're stuck on getting a formation artifact?"
"Yes. At my level, I can't think of a way to obtain one. Please bestow your wisdom, Pavilion Lord."
Yeop Inyeong pondered for a moment before speaking.
"I respect a Qi Refining disciple studying formations, so I'll share some info. Formation artifacts are incredibly hard to forge. If you leave it to the Unkak Sect's artifact forgers, you'll just waste materials."
The sect's artifact forgers couldn't make formation artifacts...?
"Then even Senior Brother Baek Gong can't do it?"
"Baek Gong? That kid at the shop? He might be able to once his forging improves, but not now."
Calling Senior Brother Baek Gong—who was over 200 years old—a kid?
"Does that mean the Unkak Sect can't produce formation artifacts internally?"
Yeop Inyeong frowned slightly.
"We used to have an exceptional artifact forger who could make them. But one day, he vanished without a trace. Even the Sect Leader searched personally but found nothing. Rumors flew, but the most likely conclusions were that he left on his own or was kidnapped by demonic cultivators."
"Then where can I get a formation artifact?"
"If you have the materials, head to Dancheol Fortress in the Gaun Mountains. They're allied with our Unkak Sect, so provide materials and payment, and they'll forge it. Or do a job they request in exchange. They're open to deals."
Dancheol Fortress... I'd have to visit once I gathered materials.
"Thank you for the enlightenment."
Yeop Inyeong nodded curtly and vanished in a flash. Whew, thanks to the Pavilion Lord, I had solid intel.
Formation artifact materials weren't easy to come by anyway, so for now, I'd focus on other training. I left the Library Pavilion and returned to the cave.
Once there, I trained the Iron Skin Art in the newly expanded chamber. My goal was to steadily reach the 10th stage.
With three bottles of Body Strengthening Pills from the Medical Hall Lord, I'd hit 8th stage in no time. The issue was from 9th stage on—you couldn't advance just by sitting; it required bloody real combat, clashing bodies with beasts.
After Iron Skin Art training, I began circulating my qi. Deep in meditation, I sensed a presence outside the cave. Pausing, I opened my eyes to see her, right on cue.
"Yuseong, long time no see."
Moyong Wol ran over with arms wide. I spread mine just as wide and pulled her into a tight embrace. I'd missed her scent.
"Yuseong, I heard you joined Master's experiments. Is it over now?"
"Yeah, thanks to the Hall Lord, I learned the Iron Skin Art and got some Body Strengthening Pills."
She touched my arm and said, "It's real. Your skin's all bronzed and way more solid."
"Even down there's gotten harder. Wanna taste?"
"Come on in."
We dove into a passionate session of the Yin-Yang Art.
Afterward, I asked her, "Wol-i, you're at Qi Refining 8th stage. When do you think you'll hit 9th?"
"With Master hooking me up with pills, pretty soon."
Lucky her. If only I had a master...
A beautiful female master who supplied pills and spent nights with me—now that'd be the dream. An image of the Medical Hall Lord flashed in my mind. I'd received so much from her already. Someday, I'd repay those favors.
I loved this Unkak Sect. I'd never forget the grace from the sect or the help from its people. If the sect faced crisis, I'd step up without hesitation. If it were destroyed, I'd avenge it.
Musing on the sect's future, I drifted off to sleep.
I ran into So Mu at the Medical Hall after a while.
"So Mu, what's on the agenda for the Medical Hall today?"
He replied, "The Hall Lord said once you bring back a Rank 2 beast, the Iron Giant Ape, your duties here are done."
Iron Giant Ape... A gray-furred monkey beast, agile with incredibly tough flesh among its kind. Hard to kill if it fled.
But I was different. At Qi Refining 7th stage with Iron Skin Art 5th stage, combining spells and body arts, I far outclassed peers in my realm.
The only downside: after catching it, no more Medical Hall duties meant no more seeing the Hall Lord.
"Got it. I'll hunt down that Iron Giant Ape."
Pushing aside my regrets, I set out. With luck, I'd find one in a month. Without, I might wander the Gaun Mountains for over a year.
If time dragged, I'd plunge into the depths—beast-infested territory where an Iron Giant Ape was bound to appear.
While tracking traces, I smashed any huntable beasts barehanded to hone my body. I tempered the Iron Skin Art in real combat across the Gaun Mountains.
After a fruitless week, I wished for a spirit beast with detection abilities. Spirit beasts were tamed demon beasts or those friendly to cultivators. Raising them required special methods and spirit stones for supplies, so not everyone could.
Only the top sect in the Gaun Mountains, the Beast Taming Sect, raised one per disciple.
Daydreaming about a spirit beast, my consciousness scan picked up an Iron Giant Ape in a cave.
I approached stealthily with the Silent Stealth Spell, checking for other beasts. Luckily, this seemed its territory—no others around.
Sensing me despite my stealth, the Iron Giant Ape burst from the cave. About three meters tall, covered in gray fur, with disproportionately long arms like a monkey beast.
It roared and swung a fist at me. I considered drawing my Water Foot Sword but decided to test body arts first.
I didn't dodge—instead, I countered with my own punch. Boom! The explosion sent both me and the ape flying five meters back.
Its body was no joke. A simple clash made my organs rumble and bones ache. The ape hesitated, recognizing a tough foe.
I charged into its guard, unleashing a frenzy of punches and kicks. We blocked, dodged, struck—full-body brawling at close range.
Sometimes I even took its punches on purpose. Bang! Bang! Bang! Our brutal fistfight shattered rocks and trees, leveling the area.
We fought relentlessly for an hour, drenched in blood and sweat. Finally, the blood-soaked Iron Giant Ape showed fear and tried to retreat.
"Too late to run."
I chased with Body Lightening Technique, hurling White Thread Flying Blades. They sliced through the air in streams.
I could only control three with consciousness at once, so I threw in sets of three. Thud thud thud! Ten blades embedded, yet it kept fleeing desperately.
"Tough bastard."
To finish it, I aimed the Water Foot Sword at its head and launched an ice spear at its heart. Screeech!
The sword pierced its skull, the spear its chest. The Iron Giant Ape screamed and collapsed.
I recovered my White Thread Flying Blades and Water Foot Sword, then stored the corpse in my storage ring.