As the energy of the spiritual fruit gently flowed into him, dense Immortal Qi began to gather around his once pea-sized dantian.
He couldn't use it yet—not until he refined it—but…
If he could cultivate and store Immortal Qi in his dantian, he would be able to unleash power several times greater than others.
And that wasn't all.
Once enough Immortal Qi accumulates, I should be able to use my divine abilities from the Heavenly Realm again.
After all, he wasn't just a general of the Heavenly Army—he had once been an immortal.
If the right conditions were met, using divine powers would be no problem at all.
Of course, that'll take considerable training first.
Still—
This weak body is changing.
First, the impurities scattered throughout his body were expelled, leaving him refreshed and cleansed.
The wounds from the lightning strike had already healed completely.
On top of that, his muscles had grown, and his frame had broadened—truly worthy of being called the work of a fruit from the Immortal Realm.
At this rate, I'd call it nothing short of a complete rebirth.
Outwardly, there was little change.
His build had grown slightly sturdier from the muscle gain, but since he was still a growing boy, people would likely think nothing of it.
Inside, however, everything had transformed—his body had evolved into one perfectly suited for martial cultivation.
If this keeps up, I should be able to reclaim my peak human-level prowess in no time.
Baek Ri-won was thinking that when—
"Young master, I've brought your meal—Ugh!"
A-cheong, who had been about to enter, suddenly clamped a hand over her nose and gagged.
Why is she retching with food in front of her…? Oh.
Come to think of it, he did smell a bit right now.
Hadn't he just expelled all the impurities from his body, leaving his insides perfectly clean?
So it wasn't exactly strange for her to react that way.
First thing's first—time for a bath.
Everything else could come afterward.
Following A-cheong's guidance, he washed himself in the bathhouse, then enjoyed the meat dishes she had brought with great relish.
He had expected they might discriminate in food because he was a concubine's son, but apparently that wasn't the case.
Or… wait. Could this actually be the discrimination?
If so, the current Baekri family must be quite wealthy.
Not that I'm complaining.
With that thought, Baek Ri-won patted his stomach and rose from his seat.
"Cheong-ah, like I said earlier, I've lost my memories—where's the training hall?"
"Huh? You're going to the training hall right after eating?"
A-cheong's eyes widened in surprise.
Her expression said plainly: You?
"There's no way young master would be this… diligent."
"I've decided to be diligent from now on. Just show me the way."
Though her master's sudden change in behavior was strange, there was no reason for A-cheong to refuse.
However, when they arrived at the training hall, Baek Ri-won frowned.
"This is it? There are way too many people."
Indeed, the training hall was filled with groups of what appeared to be the clan's martial force, all training together.
It didn't particularly bother him…
But still—wasn't there a separate training ground reserved only for blood relatives of the clan head?
Sensing his unspoken question, A-cheong hesitantly explained:
"Well… the madam gave orders forbidding you from entering there…"
"Heh. And the clan head just stood by and let that happen?"
"Ah, the clan head has been away for more than half a year now. He's currently serving the Martial Alliance, and he's been saying the work keeps him extremely busy."
"So that's how they've been able to pull something like this off. I get it now."
Baek Ri-won nodded.
He had grasped the general state of affairs.
And I also know what I need to do to seize power.
The real question was whether or not he should take control of this clan's strength.
If he wanted to, he certainly could—but was there really any need?
Yes, there is.
The answer came to him immediately.
Hunting down Honcheon Main alone will be difficult. I'll need to leverage an organization's power.
That meant he had to make this clan's power his own.
It was probably the fastest and easiest way forward.
In that case…
There was no need to pick a fight for access to the bloodline-only training grounds.
Baek Ri-won instead headed to the training hall used by the clan's retainers.
"Master Won?"
"Didn't they say he was struck by lightning and collapsed not long ago?"
"What's he doing here…?"
"Is he looking for someone?"
The martial artists in the training hall murmured in confusion.
Judging by their surprise, the original Baek Ri-won must have rarely—if ever—shown up here.
But things are different now.
Without a word, Baek Ri-won picked up a wooden practice staff and began running laps in a corner of the training hall.
Silent. Steady.
It was the martial artists who became flustered instead.
Some, curious, walked over to ask.
"Uh, Young Master… what exactly are you doing?"
"Building stamina. What else?"
To learn martial arts, you first needed a foundation of physical strength—and running was the most basic way to build it.
Running was the most effective way to build stamina.
But his answer must have been shocking, because what he got in return were stares tinged with disbelief.
Baek Ri-won ignored them and kept running.
Fortunately, thanks to the spirit fruit enhancing his physical abilities, he didn't end up vomiting after just a lap or two.
"Phew…"
Still, after several laps, he could feel the fatigue setting in.
He immediately sat cross-legged and began to lightly regulate his breathing and circulate his energy.
Doing breath circulation in a place full of external distractions—most people would think you were crazy if they saw it…
But for me, controlling my qi to this extent is nothing.
Even as a human, he had been hailed as a prodigious martial artist.
And with the training he'd undergone while living in the Celestial Realm, there was likely no one on earth who surpassed him in manipulating qi.
W–Why is the young master suddenly doing that?
Of course, the onlookers were alarmed.
If someone so much as bumps into him right now, it could be a disaster!
Looks like he's never trained before—he doesn't know you're only supposed to do breath circulation alone or with a master present.
What should we do?
What do you mean, what should we do? We stand guard so no one disturbs him.
No matter how oppressed he might be, he was still the patriarch's blood relative.
If something were to happen to him right in front of them—and they could have prevented it but didn't—
the patriarch's fury would fall squarely on them. And that could quite literally cost them their heads.
No matter what, protect the young master until he finishes his breath circulation!
Members of the Baekun Unit—one of the Baekri Clan's elite martial squads—whispered among themselves, then closed ranks around Baek Ri-won in a protective circle.
A short while later, Baek Ri-won finished his breath circulation and looked at them with a puzzled expression.
After all, it was strange to suddenly find the Baekun Unit forming a human wall around him.
"What are you all doing over there?"
"What are you doing, young master? Don't you know it's dangerous to practice breath circulation out in the open?
"I know it's dangerous. But this way is more efficient, isn't it?"
"…Excuse me?"
"Why bother going all the way back to my room to do breath circulation, then coming back here?
It's better to just do it here and keep building stamina right away."
"What on earth…"
Baek Ri-won said that and immediately started running again.
The Baekun Unit members who were watching wondered if they were dreaming.
The Baek Ri-won they knew had never been like this.
He's risking danger just to get in more training time?
That was the kind of thinking only martial arts fanatics would have—certainly not the timid, cowardly Baek Ri-won they were used to.
"What do you make of this?"
"Seems like he got struck by lightning and had some kind of enlightenment…"
"Do you think he'll keep this up from now on?"
"Eh, something like that."
"But honestly, do you think it'll last?"
"I give it… three days. Most people keep at it about that long after setting a goal."
"Keh-heh, then want to bet on it? I'll say four days."
"Deal. No backing out!"
Of course, just because his actions had changed didn't mean their perception of him had shifted drastically.
Naturally so—how could you judge a person based on a single day's effort?
In fact, they were so sure it wouldn't last that they secretly started a betting pool behind his back.
Even the most optimistic bettor didn't think he'd keep it up for more than half a month.
But…
One day, two days, three days, four… ten days, half a month…
Since that day, Baek Ri-won came to the training grounds every single day to build his stamina.
He worked so hard that he ended up staying later than anyone else.
In the end, even the Baekun Unit and the other members of the Baekri Clan's household had to admit it—
The frail third young master had changed.
Deep inside the Baekri Clan's estate—
The residence of the Second Madam.
"…I've heard that Woni has changed lately. Is that true?"
Yoo So-yeon, the second wife of the Baekri Clan's lord and mother of the fourth young master, Baek Ri-cheon, was receiving a report from Baekun Unit's leader, one of her faction's men.
The Baekun leader hesitated for a moment. The woman before him didn't dislike Baek Ri-won as much as the First Madam did, but her disregard for him was the same all the same.
He wondered whether telling her the truth would simply provoke her anger.
But after only a brief pause—
"Yes. Ever since the third young master lost his memory, he's changed as if he's become a completely different person. Even within the Baekun Unit, more and more people are beginning to acknowledge him."
In the Baekri Clan, there had long been many who disliked Baek Ri-won.
Not merely because he was an illegitimate son, but because he was timid and made no effort to learn martial arts.
The Baekri Clan was a prestigious martial household that had produced Shin Chang, once the greatest under heaven.
As such, they respected martial prowess and valued those who devoted themselves to training. Baek Ri-won had once been the exact opposite of that ideal—until now.
"Hmph. Struck by lightning and reborn as a new man… how peculiar. Cheon-ah, what do you think?"
"I can't just sit by and watch him steal the Baekun Unit's support!"
Baek Ri-cheon answered with vigor.
He was already slightly behind in the race to become the next heir, overshadowed by his elder brothers.
If he lost the Baekun Unit—a rare pocket of his remaining support—he could easily see what his future would become. It was not something he could tolerate.
"Then what do you plan to do? You mustn't use direct force against him."
Given how long the two had been training in martial arts, challenging him to a duel would be sheer folly.
Even if Baek Ri-cheon was two years younger than Baek Ri-won, everyone in the clan knew the difference in their martial skill.
If he won, it would be worth little; if he drew, or worse, lost—the consequences would be unthinkable.
Fortunately, Baek Ri-cheon seemed to understand her meaning at once. He nodded and said—
"In that case, I'll beat him at the very thing he's confident in now."
"The thing he's confident in?"
"I'll do the exact same stamina training as he is!"
Baek Ri-cheon declared, pounding his chest proudly.
Yoo So-yeon gazed at her son.
It wasn't a bad choice… so why did she still feel uneasy?
"Baek Ri-won! I hear you've been showing up at the training grounds every day lately, unlike before."
While Baek Ri-won was warming up for his daily run, a boy who looked a year or two younger approached and spoke to him.
Baek Ri-won asked with disinterest,
"Who are you?"
"W–Who am I? It's me! Baek Ri-cheon!"
"Oh. The fourth one."
Hearing the name, Baek Ri-won realized who he was.
It was the first time one of his blood relatives—someone he'd never met before—had come to see him.
"You're going for a run today too, right? I'll run beside you, so you'd better work hard not to collapse first."
Without further explanation, Baek Ri-cheon began running alongside him.
Baek Ri-won couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
What a cute kid.
His intentions were obvious.
He probably wanted to crush Baek Ri-won in stamina so the other clan members would see who was superior.
It was exactly the kind of thinking you'd expect from someone his age—and in truth, it wasn't a bad tactic. It could even yield some decent results.
However…
One lap, two laps, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten…
"…"
Unfortunately for Baek Ri-cheon, Baek Ri-won's stamina had grown to a level incomparable to when he'd first started.
An ordinary person couldn't improve this much in just two weeks of training.
But Baek Ri-won had consumed a spiritual fruit from the Immortal Realm.
Thanks to it, his stamina and inner energy had increased exponentially—so much so that it was hard to believe he was the same man from half a month ago.
In the end—
"Huff… huff… haah…"
Gritting his teeth stubbornly, Baek Ri-cheon struggled to keep up—until he finally collapsed to the ground with a thud.
His eyes were filled with shock.
What on earth is going on!?
He couldn't comprehend it.
How could he possibly be losing… in stamina of all things?
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