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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: A Song of Ice and Fire (1)
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After escaping Granny Hong Sundeuk's chaotic rampage.
I submitted a request for an overnight leave and stayed at my main residence instead of the academy for two days.
Master Seo seemed quite displeased.
"Know yourself and your enemy, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."
Who knew when or where a century-old Jiangshi, bouncing around, might try to snatch me, so I needed to prepare countermeasures.
A sudden curiosity arose, and I unfolded the paper I had carefully folded and tucked away inside my Celestial Silkworm Black Dragon Robe.
It was a roughly drawn map of the ancient, primitive, uncivilized land of China, and I examined the locations of the secret techniques marked here and there.
[Yunnan Stone Forest – Xiaowuxiang Gong]
[Hunan Dongting Lake – Six Meridian Divine Sword]
[Gansu Dunhuang – Lingbo Weibu]
[Liaoning Phoenix Mountain – Life-Death Talisman]
[Shandong Mount Tai – Bahuang Liuhe Gong]
[Zhejiang Mount Putuo – Dugu Nine Swords]
"The travel route is truly legendary."
At least Dongting Lake is relatively close.
I wished there were explanations for the martial arts too.
Only the cold text, "For explanations of martial arts added by the mod, please check the cafe," remained.
Does it mean I won't know if it's dung or bean paste until I taste it?
Considering the cases of the Northern Darkness Divine Art and the White Rainbow Palm Force, most of them would probably be bean paste.
But seriously, every single one of them was incredibly far away.
Even if I quit the academy and just raced through a tour of China, it would take not just months, but years.
I guess I'll just have to collect them one by one when the free semester starts in the fall.
The game ends the moment you graduate, but reality doesn't.
"…!"
At that moment.
A profound realization dawned in my mind.
Come to think of it.
Anyway, probably no one else but me can read these mod-added martial arts. Probably.
In that case.
I could just tell someone trustworthy the general locations, let them have the treasures, and just ask them to bring me the secret manuals with the strange writing, right?
Me.
Am I perhaps a genius?
Maybe I have the makings of a small to medium-sized business owner?
After all, life is a continuous cycle of exploitation and subcontracting.
"Come out. It's training time."
With a mournful gaze, I shoved the map back into my robe and followed Master Sword Demon.
In front of a Hwajeong master, I was also the subordinate.
"Today, learn demonic arts instead of the sword."
"Huh?"
"A disciple… talking back?"
"Ack!"
Feeling my gaze turn defiant, Old Man immediately struck me on the head with his sword sheath.
Do masters inherently enjoy cracking their disciples' heads?
I rolled around on the floor, overwhelmed by the pain.
But Geum Sihyun, who would become the pride and pillar of the orthodox Murim.
I couldn't easily succumb to demonic arts here.
"It seems you've really gotten on that old hag Sundeuk's bad side. Fighting her with your current level is a distant dream, so shouldn't you at least be able to escape?"
"That's true, I guess…?"
"This venerable one's Soulmoon Demonic Eye (魂月魔眼) was created by imitating the Heavenly Demon's martial art, the Heartmoon Nine Constellations Art. Once you reach a certain level, you can accurately sense qi waves over a very wide area."
Old Man closed his eyes.
"Let's see, Ruri is currently at the market with her friend and a spirit animal. Seeing as it's a small spirit animal, is it a mouse spirit animal?"
"Oh."
My trust in Master Sword Demon increased by 200%.
As it was, Miss and I, both as kind-hearted as we are large, would be doting on Ruri all day.
…I won't bother saying the nasty thought that it's a martial art optimized for stalking.
It would have been good if the explanation had just ended there.
"This venerable one is still an undefeated swordsman. What do you think is the secret to that?"
"Surely not with the power of the Soulmoon Demonic Eye?"
"Indeed. It's best to avoid opponents you absolutely can't defeat, so there was no chance of losing."
"…Is that right?"
"Old Man, is that correct?"
It seems like it might be correct?
It's… persuasive…?
Anyway, it aligned with my self-preservationist philosophy.
"Please impart your teachings."
"Alright."
We agreed to learn.
Following the incantations Master Sword Demon chanted, I sat cross-legged, closed my eyes, and slowly circulated my qi.
As expected of a demonic art, unlike conventional orthodox martial arts, the true qi flowed in the reverse (逆) direction.
Even I, a martial arts novice, felt it was a direct path to qi deviation or a straight course to demonic corruption.
Fortunately, the vast, ocean-like Northern Darkness True Qi flowed smoothly, unbothered by the reverse current, like powerful salmon swimming upstream.
"Tsk."
Old Man, who was observing the qi flowing within my body, clicked his tongue.
It seemed he was subtly hoping for me to succumb to demonic corruption.
"Hmph."
From now on, this martial art is an orthodox martial art.
I can do whatever I want with it.
Your name is now Soulmoon Divine Eye (神眼).
After renaming it, it feels a bit salty, but Divine Eye is still better than Demonic Eye, isn't it?
The Chengqi (承泣) acupoint, the one directly below the eye, gradually felt more tingly and warm.
When I was young.
It felt similar to when some bastard rubbed toothpaste under my eyes while I was sleeping on a school trip.
At the same time, despite my eyes being closed.
A sensation of my surroundings expanding, as if I had opened my mind's eye, washed over me.
First, I sensed the intense presence of Master Sword Demon, who was closest to me—his body refined, every muscle like a sword, and an immense inner strength permeating his entire being.
Soon after, I perceived the people doing chores inside the Mangum Manor, even the patrolling guards—
"Stop. Cease now."
I obediently followed Master Sword Demon's words.
"Ah…"
What I had just perceived seemed to overlap as if projected onto physical bodies in reality.
As if seen through an infrared camera.
It felt strange to clearly see people even beyond the wall.
"Indeed, a genius is a genius."
"Hmph."
"A disaster sent by heaven, that's what you are."
"Tsk."
At least, it wasn't something I wanted to hear from a middle-aged pervert who named himself 'MalangLover'.
"The core concept itself is based on defying heaven (逆天), so excessive training will strain your qi and blood. Some have even gone blind from it, so get accustomed to it slowly."
"…Are you teaching something like that to your only disciple right now?"
"Then just get sucked dry and die by Sundeuk."
"I've always wondered where your profound insight came from, Master, but it was from this Soulmoon Divine—no, Soulmoon Demonic Eye, wasn't it?"
He didn't bother to reply, but.
Old Man's lips twitched.
He was a middle-aged pervert who liked compliments.
Even if my environmental sensing ability developed, there were too many things I couldn't see without eyes, so I shouldn't overexert myself.
After enduring the harsh beating session, disguised as training, that followed, I checked my smartphone and saw a message.
[Sister Seol: Can you help me with something?]
What is this?
What does it imply?
* * *
Fortunately, there was no repeat attack from the Red-Headed Alliance on the way from my main residence to the academy.
"Long time no see!"
Since we forged our camaraderie during the Mount Taebaek incident.
Sister Seol, who had gradually started speaking informally with me, greeted me happily again today.
It seemed she was from the North and was quite sensitive to heat, as she was wearing rather thin clothes.
"Hmm."
Indeed, fashion is all about thin clothes.
"Well, it's nothing else, but I was hoping you could help me with my training a bit. Do you have some time?"
"If it's Master Sword-Wielder's request, then it's naturally a disciple's duty to help, isn't it?"
"That darn 'Master Sword-Wielder'."
Sister Seol made a pouty face that didn't suit her age.
After hearing the full story.
In the end, it seemed that idiotic Murong Taek had generously offered the fortuitous encounter to Sister.
Honestly, if I had an older sister who took good care of me, I might have done the same.
In my past life and this life.
Why do I only have useless younger sisters?
"Well, I've been continuously training in the Blazing Shadow Heart Art, so I think I can definitely help you."
"Thanks! Shall we go right now, then?"
There was no reason not to help.
I followed Sister Seol to the instructors' private training room, located deep within the training hall.
Compared to what was provided to the regular disciples, it was much wider, and unlike the walls that merely had crude black iron spread over them with stone fragments attached, these walls looked noticeably sturdier.
It was proof that our tuition fees were being lavishly squandered on the instructors' luxurious living!
"Do you know about ice crystals?"
Cutting off my random thoughts, Sister Seol became a "Captain Exposition."
Roughly, the gist was that ice crystals were like an incredibly amazing elixir for those who trained in Yin-related martial arts.
"The Ice White Divine Art can be called a supreme art in the ice-attribute martial arts lineage, but it's still somewhat lacking compared to the pure Yin (純陰) contained within an ice crystal. So, to fully absorb the ice crystal, you need to add some Yang-attribute qi to its energy to slightly reduce its purity. I'd like Sihyun to help me with that process."
"I see."
Roughly, it's like you can't drink pure 100-proof alcohol.
So you add some water to make it like 70-proof Bacardi before consuming it. That's the feeling.
I completely understand.
Soon after, just as I was about to place my palm on Sister Seol's back, near the Shenzhu (身柱) acupoint, as she sat cross-legged.
"Could you close your eyes for a moment?"
"… ? Yes, ma'am."
I obediently did as I was told.
*Rustle.*
*Rustle.*
"…!"
A strange sound began to be heard, one that maximized a man's imagination.
While feeling early symptoms of arrhythmia.
"…That's enough. It seems the qi flows better when we make direct contact…"
Sister Seol's voice, tinged with a slight embarrassment, echoed in my ears.
When I slightly opened my eyes.
A back as pure white as if sculpted from ice, different from Ruri's, which I had glimpsed before.
It seems I'm destined to feast my eyes on backs in this life.
"Th-th-then, shall we begin?"
Despite being twenty-eight, she seemed nervous about the situation herself.
Stammering slightly, Sister Seol placed the icicle-shaped ice crystal she held in her hand into her mouth and began circulating her internal energy.
*Melt—*
As it instantly melted.
"Ugh."
"Ugh."
I clearly felt an unprecedented surge of power surging within Sister Seol's body.
Feeling the massive pure Yin energy pouring through her acupoints.
Matching Sister Seol's flow, I added my Northern Darkness True Qi, which had been raised with Yang-attribute energy, gradually adjusting the purity.
Sweat began to trickle down my body, but from Sister Seol's body, a powerful chill, strong enough to instantly freeze my sweat into ice, swirled around.
However.
"…!"
The energy contained within the ice crystal was vast, overwhelmingly vast.
Sister Seol's already pale complexion rapidly turned even more ashen.
An endlessly pouring, overwhelmingly powerful pure Yin energy, which couldn't be suppressed even with my assistance, was raging.
…Surely it's not because it's a mod-boosted elixir, right?
Pushing that ominous thought to the back of my mind.
I tried to pour even more true qi to help, but.
The energy was so immense that even a transcendent martial artist couldn't handle it, and gradually, both of us began to be overwhelmed by the ice crystal's energy.
I felt it instinctively.
If we managed to endure this, it would be qi deviation.
Otherwise, it could lead to death, with all the meridians throughout our bodies freezing, starting from the Dantian.
"Sister, just hold on for a moment! Please excuse my impertinence!"
This was no time to think about propriety.
If I let Sister Seol die like this, I wouldn't be able to face Yongtaek.
…Come to think of it, if Yongtaek had consumed it, that bastard would have just died.
After pouring as much qi as possible into Sister Seol's body at once.
As soon as I took my hands off her back, I immediately moved to Sister Seol's front and placed my hands on her middle Dantian and lower Dantian.
Firm abdominal muscles that were no less impressive than my own.
And a modest, yet noticeably present, soft….
*Thump…*
Hark! (喝)
Even in this critical life-or-death situation, I chastised my brain, which was still multitasking.
Focus.
If I can't handle this, I'll freeze to death along with her.
My hands felt like they would freeze from the raging ice crystal energy, but I calmly brought forth the Northern Darkness Divine Art with all my might.
If water pouring into a vessel is about to overflow.
You just need to transfer that water into another vessel.
The only way for both of us to survive this situation is.
For me to become another vessel for the ice crystal.