"Seong Jigun passes! Next, Sung Yujin! Step onto the arena unarmed!"
The booming voice of Third Elder Seokjuk, who was overseeing the martial arts trials, echoed across the arena.
I stepped onto the arena and met Seong Jigun's eyes as he descended. He seemed confident in my success.
Countless gazes fixed on me from all directions.
Today's initiation ceremony was a rare event, held only once every few years. As such, Sect Leader Seong Godan and most members of the Meteor Sword Sect were in attendance.
Seong Godan sat at the highest point. To his left were the Elders, while to his right sat his seventeen wives and concubines, a dazzling array of beauty like a gathering of flowers.
Wow. They're all stunningly beautiful.
Seong Godan's wives were of high status, being daughters of renowned sect leaders from neighboring cities or daughters of high-ranking officials.
Unlike his wives, his concubines were of somewhat lower status, with some even being former servants.
I scanned the surroundings and offered a cupped-fist salute to everyone present. All those around me held higher ranks, and failing to greet them could lead to trouble.
"Seong Sojeong of the Meteor Group! Step onto the arena unarmed!"
Seong Sojeong, known as Meteor's First Beauty, glided gracefully onto the arena. She wore the Meteor Group's signature white martial robes.
Wow. It's like a walking flower.
She had flawless, porcelain-white skin and pure, delicate features. Her long, ebony hair was pulled back, revealing her forehead.
Tall and slender, she possessed the lean, muscular physique of a martial artist. Her chest was a modest B-cup, a bit smaller than I'd hoped.
I wonder if her pussy is as clean as her skin looks.
Seong Sojeong greeted the surrounding people with a cupped-fist salute, just as I had done, before turning to me with the same gesture.
Clack!
"Please take care of me, Senior Sister."
"You too, please take care of me."
Seong Sojeong smiled warmly at me.
I had known for days that she would be my opponent.
I'm known as the most talented prodigy of my generation. And Seong Sojeong isn't just beautiful she's also one of the Sect's top young geniuses!
The Sect's upper echelons, recognizing my exceptional talent, had summoned Seong Sojeong to face me.
Even if I lost, it wouldn't matter. The point wasn't victory or defeat, but showcasing our skills.
Seong Sojeong and I drew our swords and assumed our stances.
Our stances were different. I adopted the basic Silver Star Sword stance, while she took the Meteor Sword Art stance.
Seong Sojeong held an overwhelming advantage in this duel. She was familiar with the Silver Star Sword, while I knew nothing of the Meteor Sword Art.
More importantly, she had recently reached the first rank of the Will Manifestation Stage.
As a prodigy, she received extensive support from the sect, allowing her to reach the Will Manifestation Stage at the young age of twenty-three.
"Remember, this duel is for show," Third Elder Seokjuk told us. In other words, we were to avoid dangerous attacks.
"Yes," I replied.
"Yes," Seong Sojeong echoed.
Seokjuk nodded at our responses and raised the flag in his hand above his head.
I'm sorry, but I have to win this.
After researching the Original Work, Bright Ascension Chart, and carefully considering my options, I decided to reveal a portion of my true strength.
"To receive the Sect's support, I need to demonstrate a certain level of skill."
More than anything, pretending to be weak didn't suit my temperament.
"Begin the sparring match!" Seokjuk declared, lowering his flag.
Seong Sojeong charged at me first. Most martial artists her age would freeze up during their first public sparring match, but she was showing consideration.
Or maybe she just wants to defeat me quickly and get it over with.
Crackling.
Blue lightning crackled from the sword in my hand.
I parried Seong Sojeong's blade, the lightning surging along her sword and into her body. Her expression turned to shock as she hastily retreated.
She wasn't electrocuted? Well, I did deliberately hold back.
I pretended to be serious, glancing around at the crowd.
Everyone who saw me was astonished. Sect Leader Seong Godan and the Elders, in particular, leaped to their feet, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Fire, Water, Wood, Metal, Earth.
Thunder Qi was a Spirit Qi that didn't belong to the basic Five Elements Qi. It was a force that could only be wielded through specialized Martial Arts, Spirit Pills, or innate talent.
Seong Godan and the Elders must think I was born with the Thunder Spirit. Heh heh.
In this world, individuals born with specific elemental energies occasionally appeared. Such individuals were said to possess a Spirit.
If someone was born with the Fire element, they were called a Fire Spirit; if with the Ice element, an Ice Spirit, and so on.
"Senior Sister, are you not coming?"
"...How do you use Thunder Qi?"
"It just... happened as I practiced."
I would speak vaguely about Thunder Qi, letting them believe I was a genius.
"If you won't come, I'll come to you."
I wrapped my sword in Thunderbolt and charged at her.
Don't unleash the Thunderbolt too strongly. If I do, they'll suspect me instead of thinking I'm a genius.
Seong Sojeong focused more on dodging my sword than blocking it, as the Thunderbolt flowed along the blade. Still, she couldn't evade forever. Gradually, she began parrying my strikes.
I could see her reluctance to engage my sword.
Using the Silver Star Sword's footwork, I closed the distance. As she swung her sword in surprise, I threw a punch.
Thwack!
"Ugh?!"
My fist landed squarely on Seong Sojeong's abdomen. She gritted her teeth and blocked the sword she swung at me.
Clang!
Seong Sojeong's arm twitched. A faint Thunderbolt had passed through, causing a mild electric shock. Her concentration had been disrupted by the earlier attack.
If my opponent knows about the Silver Star Sword, there's no reason to stubbornly stick to it.
Though Seong Sojeong was hailed as a genius, she was still only twenty-three years old. Unlike Hunters in the real world, she had been pampered within the Sect, fed Spirit Medicines, and trained relentlessly. Her lack of practical combat experience was inevitable.
"Senior Sister, to your right," I whispered to Seong Sojeong. Her gaze shifted to her right.
Heh heh. Naive fool.
I launched my right foot at her left side. Seong Sojeong couldn't evade and took the hit.
"To my right, that is."
"You! Where did you learn such tactics?! It's like..."
"Evil? Senior Sister, I don't care what you call me. I'll do whatever it takes to defeat you."
"...!"
Seong Sojeong gritted her teeth and rose to her feet. She swung her sword at me, her fury channeled directly into the blade. The sword's speed increased, but the finesse of her swordsmanship vanished.
She's only ever fought fair.
I, however, had never fought fair. I feigned attacks to escape or spouted lies to confuse her.
After ten minutes of this, Seong Sojeong dropped her sword.
"...Sung Yujin passes!"
Third Elder Seokjuk, who had been officiating, declared the result. He had tacitly approved of my underhanded tactics. Judging by his glare, he seemed to hope Seong Sojeong would use this defeat to grow stronger.
I lowered my sword and clasped my hands in a respectful bow to the surrounding crowd.
The people stared at me in shock, murmuring among themselves. Before descending unarmed, I glanced at Seong Sojeong, who was staring blankly at me.
With this, I've finally made a proper impression on everyone.
"Since when have you been able to control Thunder Qi?"
Seong Godan, a middle-aged man with a beard, asked me. Around him, five elders watched me intently.
"Not long," I replied.
"Why didn't you inform the sect?"
"I wanted to keep it as a trump card to defeat Senior Sister Seong Sojeong."
"..."
I wasn't even twenty yet. They would understand to some extent.
"How far can you control Thunder Qi?"
"What I demonstrated in the duel earlier is my full capability."
"Show me," Seong Godan said.
"Yes."
I raised my right hand. Thunderbolt crackled into existence on my palm. Seong Godan and the Elders watched the Thunder Qi intently.
"...He hasn't mastered any special Mind Method," First Elder Seongdam declared. "I can't sense any movement of his Internal Energy. This Thunderbolt isn't being manipulated through a Mind Method or a Magic Tool."
"So you're saying..."
"Sect Leader, Sung Yujin is a natural. He's definitely a Thunder Spirit."
"...I see. What do you suggest we do?"
"We should actively support him. As a Thunder Spirit, he'll demonstrate exceptional power from the Foundation Establishment Realm onward."
Seong Godan stared at me with a complicated expression.
I could easily guess why.
He's probably jealous.
Seong Godan was a petty man despite his great power, driven by greed and jealousy. If I hadn't been his son, he might have tried to kill me.
The Meteor Sword Sect claimed to be righteous, but its Sect Leader, Seong Godan, was nothing more than a hypocritical hypocrite, pretending to be a virtuous gentleman.
"...We need to hold a meeting. Sung Yujin, you may leave now."
"Yes, sir!"
I bowed to them and stepped outside.
As soon as I left, Seong Godan and the Elders began their meeting.
One thing was certain: they would support me. They couldn't afford to let a talent like me go to waste. The real question was how far they would go to support me.
Heh heh. They'd better cough up some top-tier Spirit Medicines and weapons.
A few days after the initiation ceremony...
The enhancement of the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger was finally complete.
I stared at the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger, which I had retrieved from the Bright Ascension Chart.
Its appearance hadn't changed much. The crimson blade and black hilt remained the same.
I swung the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger to test its performance. The blade had become sharper, its durability had increased, and it now possessed a special ability.
Crackling!
When I channeled Thunderbolt into the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger, crimson lightning erupted instead of the usual blue. This Crimson Lightning was far more destructive than the Thunderbolt I could generate myself.
"Whoa. This thing is overflowing with style!"
After swinging the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger a few more times, I inserted a Spirit Medicine into the Bright Ascension Chart.
The Spirit Medicine provided by the Meteor Sword Sect was the Thunder Purification Pill. Though a low-grade Spirit Medicine, it contained Thunder Qi, making it a rare and difficult-to-obtain treasure.
"They only gave me this Spirit Medicine, though."
The support wasn't on par with what Seong Sojeong received, but if I proved myself further, the Meteor Sword Sect would undoubtedly increase their assistance.
I wasn't disappointed. One of my plans involved stealing the medicinal herbs and Spirit Medicines from the Meteor Sword Sect.
"I'll steal everything."
Medicinal Herb Garden.
This was where the Meteor Sword Sect cultivated medicinal herbs and refined Spirit Medicines.
The Medicinal Herb Garden lay deep within the sect's territory, considered its most heavily guarded area. Access required permission from either Seong Dochun, the Lord of the Medicinal Garden, or Sect Leader Seong Godan himself.
Seong Dochun was the sect's second-in-command, a Rank 1 practitioner of the Five Elements Qi, making him second only to Seong Godan in power. He was also Seong Godan's nephew.
I monitored the Medicinal Herb Garden using modern technology. I attached a camera to a small drone and flew it inside to record footage.
"It's impossible to sneak into the Medicinal Herb Garden."
A Formation is in place that immediately detects any living being human or animal that enters the garden. The fact that the drone went unnoticed suggests the Formation doesn't react to inanimate objects.
Moreover, the eight individuals stationed in the Medicinal Herb Garden are among the Meteor Sword Sect's most formidable experts. A direct confrontation would be suicide.
"Disguising myself to infiltrate would be equally difficult."
As a residential area, the Medicinal Herb Garden requires regular deliveries of daily necessities by servants. Naturally, the garden's martial artists keep a vigilant watch over the servants' every move.
"Seong Dochun... that bastard never even leaves his quarters."
Seong Dochun, the Lord of the Medicinal Herb Garden, didn't even attend the entrance ceremony. He remains holed up in the garden, never venturing out.
"There's no way to steal it through conventional means."
I spent my days mulling over my plans while going about my routine.
My routine was unremarkable.
I would tease the servants with Seong Jigun and occasionally venture into the city to bed women.
I practiced the Meteor Sword Art and sparred with Seong Sojeong from time to time.
Seong Sojeong seemed deeply shaken by her defeat against me, as she personally approached me to request sparring matches. Through our banter, we grew considerably closer.
The Thunder Purification Pill, provided by the Sect, was enhanced and consumed within two weeks.
Just one more step. If only I could take that one last step...
Unfortunately, I failed to reach the Entry Stage 6th Rank.
If I raid the Medicinal Herb Garden this time and consume the Spirit Medicine, I can definitely reach Entry Stage 6th Rank.
Special Mission Time Limit: 21 days, 2 hours, 35 minutes, 11 seconds
Checking the remaining time, I felt a surge of anxiety. Failing this mission would mean forfeiting three Body Strengthening Pills.
...There's no choice. This is the only way.
After careful consideration, I realized there was only one reliable method to steal the Medicinal Herb Garden's herbs and Spirit Medicine.
I have to poison the well.