-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: To the Outside
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Quite some time has passed since the day I began serving Maeng Ak as my master and lord.
Before entering the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon, my lord taught me the incantation for a certain cultivation technique.
He said the technique was related to the divine arts of some unorthodox master, but I don't remember the details.
Well, it doesn't matter, since its effects are incredible.
Come to think of it, life is full of strange twists.
I, born an illegitimate child in the Sichuan Tang Clan, a prestigious family of the Orthodox Faction, am now somehow learning unorthodox martial arts.
And to top it off, I belong to the Demonic Cult.
If someone from the Orthodox Faction saw me now, they would surely point and call me the world's biggest scoundrel.
But what can I do?
Back then, I was in no position to be picky.
Now that things have improved a bit,
even if someone were to ask if I regret it, I would say no.
Thanks to the cultivation technique my lord taught me, I'm growing stronger by the day.
He promised he would teach me more, including martial forms, the next time we meet.
I am eagerly counting down the days until then.
All while working hard and learning in the infirmary to be of some help to my lord.
Today has been especially busy.
It's the day of the joint battle, the second test in the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon.
Well, thanks to that, I was able to hear news of my lord.
It was the first news I'd heard since we parted, so I was truly glad.
But what could have happened?
Everyone used the word "monster" when referring to my lord.
They said he's become someone that even the Five Phoenixes, One Dragon dare not touch.
When my lord said he was entering the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon, I was honestly a little worried.
It was obvious he would be a nail sticking out in the pocket that is the Divine Hall.
And such nails are usually the first to get hammered down.
But my lord didn't seem to fear some paltry hammering in the slightest.
From what I've heard, it's as if he used it as a tempering process instead.
Of course, he was anything but ordinary when we first met.
I still vividly remember the chills I felt from the ultimate technique he showed me.
But to be called a monster in the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon, a place full of incredibly promising individuals...
For me, who hasn't seen him in a while, it was hard to even imagine.
Just then, my Senior Brother, Ma Hye-cheon, pointed to a cadet who had been defeated by my lord's team.
"Go change that patient's bandages."
"Yes, Senior Brother."
The name written on the cadet's uniform was Kim Mu-myeong. He was someone even I, who hadn't been in the Demonic Cult for long, knew of.
He was one of the Rising Stars being nurtured by the Sword Heavenly Pillar Gate, centered around Geom Cheon-ha.
I knew it was rude, but I asked as politely as I could.
"Excuse me, Cadet. I know this is improper, but would it be possible to hear about the team you faced?"
As soon as I finished speaking, he shot me a fierce glare.
"Is this necessary for my treatment?"
He even gave me a reason himself; I was grateful. I quickly took the bait before he could get more upset.
"Yes, well. As a physician, it's a great help to know about the one who inflicted the injury."
Just then, Senior Brother Ma Hye-cheon cleared his throat behind me.
*Ahem.*
Ma Hye-cheon, who happened to overhear, must have been dumbfounded.
A guy who's just started learning the basics of medicine calling himself a physician.
He probably wanted to stick a large needle in the back of my head, but he must have calmed down after seeing my broad back.
Anyway, I ignored the piercing gaze on my back and stared intently at Kim Mu-myeong.
As if to say, "Hurry up and answer."
"There was nothing to it. That lowly orphan just got lucky and dodged my sword. I was just unlucky enough to get hit by a stray blade."
Ha. Look at this bastard.
It seems his grudge against my lord runs deep.
Even I, who was just learning the basics, could tell how overwhelmingly he had been defeated by my lord.
The size of his gaping wound was the size of the opening he had left.
And yet he calls it mere luck.
On top of that, what? A lowly orphan?
How dare he spout such nonsense about my lord.
As his disciple, I couldn't just stand by.
*Shing.*
I stopped wrapping the bandage and drew a large needle from my side.
It was so large that its menacing size made it look like a hidden weapon at a glance.
"It seems the stray blade hit a rather bad spot. I'll give you some acupuncture, so just sleep it off."
"W-Wait."
Kim Mu-myeong tried to back away in fright, but I had already channeled the internal energy gained from the technique my lord taught me.
*Plunge.*
The needle plunged precisely into a vital point that caused extreme pain but prevented him from screaming.
It was one of the vital points I'd seen in an acupuncture book I stole from the Demonic Doctor's room.
"Guh."
Kim Mu-myeong's complexion instantly turned pale.
"Don't you worry, Cadet. It hurts a little, but the effect is immediate."
All Kim Mu-myeong could do was tremble and glare at me.
What can you do? He has to pay the price for insulting my lord in front of me.
Only after he fainted did I remove the needle, turn around, and stand up.
Behind me stood Senior Brother Ma Hye-cheon with a look that said, "You're hopeless."
That's right. In fact, it wasn't just Kim Mu-myeong; I had given a taste of my needle to several other cadets who dared to insult my lord.
But it's fine.
If I make the fainted guy drink a bowl of fatigue-relieving tonic before he wakes up, he'll feel like it actually worked when he comes to.
There were even some guys who came back for more despite knowing the pain, so I wasn't worried about any repercussions.
"Haha. Don't worry, Senior Brother. I'll take care of it…"
"Enough. This isn't the first or second time. By the way, what is that?"
"Huh?"
Ma Hye-cheon pointed at the sleeve of the foaming, collapsed Kim Mu-myeong.
I followed his gaze and saw a wooden box had fallen out.
"I'll check it."
*Flick.*
"...!!!"
The moment I opened the small wooden box, my eyes nearly popped out.
A poison pill.
And a potent one at that, no less deadly than the ultimate poisons of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
"What is it?"
"Ah, it seems to be a pill he takes for anxiety. I'll make sure to give it to him when he wakes up."
As my senior brother waved his hand dismissively and left, I secretly took the poison pill out of the wooden box.
'He holds a deep grudge for losing to my lord. I don't know what he might do with this poison pill. I should replace it with a harmless one.'
I quickly hid the poison pill in my sleeve and went to the dispensary where the tonics were brewed to get another pill.
The color and size were nearly identical; unless one was an expert in poisons like me, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
*Swoosh.*
I placed the wooden box back in Kim Mu-myeong's sleeve and poured the fatigue-relieving tonic into the bastard's mouth.
And so, my secret mission to protect my lord was complete.
Just then, the moon happened to appear outside the window.
Seeing it made me think of my lord.
"I wonder if my lord knows how hard I'm working here."
I wished for my lord to return even a day sooner. With the promised martial forms, of course.
* * *
*Thud.*
Just like the day before, the Chief Instructor stepped onto the platform of the Grand Training Hall.
Today, he was here to announce information about the third test, the martial tournament, and the rewards for the second test.
*Sweep.*
He slowly scanned the Grand Training Hall and saw the cadets looked somewhat excited.
It was likely due to anticipation for the rewards and anxiety about the next test.
Come to think of it, their numbers had dwindled quite a bit.
Fifty teams. With only 250 cadets remaining, the hall felt almost empty compared to the first day.
'There were over a thousand of them.'
The Chief Instructor looked at the surviving cadets with a pleased expression.
His fierce appearance caused the cadets who saw it to flinch in surprise.
Of course, even that looked endearing to the Chief Instructor.
Especially Maeng Ak over there, who seemed to be getting bigger by the day.
'Is he still growing even though he's reached adulthood…?'
Somehow, he now seemed to be on par with Jo Gwang-uk, who had been the largest cadet.
I thought he was exceptional in internal energy and technique, but now it seems he could become a top master based on his physical prowess alone.
'I wonder how the Elders will react at the upcoming tournament. Keuk.'
The Chief Instructor recalled how he had gone on and on about Maeng Ak in front of the Elders last night.
'Ah, right. Where is my head?'
He then remembered the reason he was on the platform and began to speak.
"Seeing your faces, you all seem well-rested. Youth is a wonderful thing. Ahem. Anyway, I will first explain the martial tournament."
The cadets perked up their ears at his words.
They couldn't help it, thinking the information he was about to give would determine their future.
"The martial tournament will be held in fifteen days at the Main Plaza."
An entirely unexpected location came from his lips.
Everyone had expected the next test to be held here in the Grand Training Hall.
But the Main Plaza, outside the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon?
*Murmur, murmur.*
The training hall quickly grew noisy as the cadets began to chatter amongst themselves.
In response, the Chief Instructor had to stomp his foot.
*BOOM!*
"Everyone, quiet! I repeat, the time is fifteen days from now. The place is the Main Plaza. The high-ranking officials of our Cult will personally come to watch you.
Furthermore, the tournament will be conducted in a sparring format, as the name suggests. However…"
The Chief Instructor paused mid-sentence, grinned, and threw a glance at Maeng Ak.
Maeng Ak just tilted his head with an expression that said, "Did the old man eat something funny?"
He couldn't understand why the man was looking at him.
The Chief Instructor, with his chilling smile, spoke again.
"There will be no bracket. On the day of the tournament, teams will be randomly reformed. There will be twenty-five teams in total. You will be divided into these twenty-five teams and will fight the other nine members of your team simultaneously. In other words, ten of you will form a team and spar until only one remains. When the tournament is over, only 25 cadets will remain in the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon."
"...!!!"
All the cadets in the Grand Training Hall were shocked once again.
However, this time, it didn't get noisy.
Almost every cadet was too stunned to even make a sound.
The Chief Instructor smiled as if this was the reaction he had expected and continued.
"Hahaha. You all have such wonderful expressions. Don't worry. If you train diligently during the remaining time, you can close the current gap. Exactly fifteen days. You are free to use the personal training chambers. And before you enter them, make one request to me. That is your reward for the last test."
"...!!!"
The cadets, who thought there could be no more surprises today, found their eyes widening once again.
One request.
It would be different for each cadet.
A cadet lacking internal energy might ask for an elixir; one with low-level martial arts, a secret manual; one wanting a weapon, a treasure.
Whatever it was, as he had said before, it would be a great help in breaking through their walls.
Each cadet was mentally debating what to request.
Just then, the first person to make a request to the Chief Instructor stepped forward. It was none other than Maeng Ak.
"Chief Instructor. Is a pass to leave the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon also possible?"
"Ha!"
This time, it was the Chief Instructor's turn to be surprised, his mouth agape.
Not an elixir, not a secret manual, not a treasured sword, but a mere leave pass.
He truly hadn't imagined it.
"Puhahahaha! You got me there."
Maeng Ak's request wasn't unpleasant, but granting it was another matter entirely.
As long as he was within the fences of the Divine Hall, the organizers—the Council of Elders—had a reason to protect him.
But if he were to walk out of the Divine Hall on his own two feet?
From the Cult Leader, who was uncomfortable with him, to the Gate Lords of the Five Heavenly Pillar Gates, they would all be scrambling to kill him.
No matter how he thought about it, it seemed he had to refuse the request for Maeng Ak's own good.
"I'm sorry, but I can't grant that request…"
But what was this?
He had started to speak while looking at Maeng Ak to refuse, but he couldn't finish the sentence.
The words wouldn't leave his mouth.
'Keuk! What is this aura…?! I thought he was a latent dragon, but was he already a fully grown one?!'
The moment his eyes met Maeng Ak's, an immense pressure crushed the Chief Instructor's entire body.
He felt like a rabbit standing before a fierce tiger.
What was even more shocking was that the surrounding cadets hadn't noticed a thing.
An overwhelming momentum that could crush him, a transcendent master.
Maeng Ak had compressed it and aimed it so that only he could feel it.
He understood it conceptually, but it was a level of skill he wouldn't even dare to imitate.
'Is he already two levels above me…?'
Maeng Ak was a cadet who had just reached adulthood.
Yet he was two levels higher than him, the Chief Instructor.
That meant he had broken through to the Profound Realm at the mere age of twenty.
Who was he to worry about whom?
The Chief Instructor reluctantly nodded and accepted the request.
"You audacious brat… I'll accept your request."
He would surely get an earful from the Elders, but it seemed better than trying to say no to that brat right now.