Episode 273. The Third Master More Dangerous Than Wanzhang Cliff.

As soon as my arm healed cleanly, I spent over twenty days doing nothing but circulating qi and regulating my breath.

For some reason, I felt chances to secure such a quiet stretch of time would be rare.

Since converting the power of the Heavenly Jade into internal energy often made drowsiness come over me, I also slept to my heart’s content.

The speed at which my internal energy accumulated was so unrealistically fast that it felt as if my body was forcibly taking rest. In other words, I came to understand for myself that accumulating internal energy was a process of raising the grade of the body.

Even while I lay there, senselessly drunk on sleep, I sometimes heard Yoran’s voice outside.

Third Master, are you still sleeping?

Master, aren’t you going to eat?

Master, you shouldn’t sleep for too long.

Master, did you stay up all night again yesterday?

I could not remember what I answered, yet Yoran’s questions continued to circle in my head.

One day, when the suspicion arose that, at this rate, I might become intoxicated by qi circulation and fail to wake, I stopped without lingering regret. Since the worry in Yoran’s tone had been growing stronger and stronger, I took the situation somewhat seriously.

Accepting both my own wariness toward the side effects of the Heavenly Jade and Yoran’s warnings, I barely escaped from the qi circulation I had been so focused on that I could not come to my senses for the first time in a long while.

How should I describe this feeling?

It was like rising from the grave called a bed and arriving at Zixia Inn. It also felt as if I had been submerged in deep water the entire time I was circulating qi, and with the boundary between dream and reality blurred, it took another two hours just to come back to my senses.

Of course, there were results.

Before I knew it, the realm of the Golden Turtle Unfettered Art had entered Chogye (超鷄).

This was truly an unrealistic speed of growth. Just what had I exchanged in order to build up this internal energy?

Even if one is not a martial artist, a person will fall into qi deviation if all they do is work.

No matter how much of a martial artist one is, training and nothing else will drive a person negatively insane, so I suitably returned to being a man of Yiyang County with nothing to do.

When I looked into the mirror at the inn, a face no different from that of a Beggars’ Sect expert blinked back at me.

‘Let’s train in moderation too.’

After I came down to the first floor for the first time in a while and was breathing in the cold air, the Four Great Evildoers drifted over and took seats near me.

The Lust Demon looked at me and said,

“The neighborhood wreck has appeared. A few days ago, Physician Murong stopped by and left this, saying it was paralysis poison. Bumpkin, are you listening to me?”

Bumpkin, all of a sudden……

I looked at the Lust Demon and answered,

“I’m listening.”

“Do something about that beard. You’re a catfish, all right, but you look like a bumpkin catfish.”

As the Lust Demon started picking at me, my sleepiness gradually fled.

Without much thought, I took out the Flash Dagger and began shaving. After cutting away the beard grown over my chin, cheeks, and sideburns with the dagger, I tied my hair back and sliced off the ends as well. Still without much thought, I pulled up the hair that had fallen to the floor with the Heavenly Jade Star-Absorbing Great Art, stuck it to my palm, then burned it away with the Golden Turtle Unfettered Art and sent it flying.

Watching this, the Lust Demon silently shook his head.

As I sat there blankly for a while, Yoran came out of the inn carrying a kettle and poured me a cup of water.

“Third Master, your skin is very rough. Drink some water.”

I smiled for the first time since waking.

“Yoran’s skin looks like jade. Is it because you drink a lot of water?”

“Exactly. Hurry and drink.”

After I drank three cups of water in succession, I let out a long breath.

“Wow, I feel alive.”

After Yoran went inside, the Sword Demon asked,

“Sect Leader, did you achieve something? Your bearing seems to have changed.”

“I probably got a little stronger. Just a very little, slightly, about a pinch of salt in the seasoning?”

“That is something to congratulate.”

I nodded.

“I do think I focused on qi circulation with a comfortable mind, but it also feels like I just slept the whole time. It’s hard to say.”

The Lust Demon nodded.

“It was our first time seeing you live as quietly as a dead mouse like this.”

Only then did I notice that the surrounding scenery had changed somewhat.

“Will the first snow fall soon?”

The Ghost Demon looked up at the sky and said,

“Does it snow in Yiyang County too?”

I nodded.

“It’s rare. While I was lying down, I sometimes heard the sound of swords clashing. Naturally, that must have been Eldest Brother and Yukgap going at it, right?”

The Sword Demon and the Ghost Demon nodded at the same time.

“Meeting Second Brother was a fortunate encounter for me. Since he faced me only with swordsmanship that could hold out, I became rather more accustomed to the Dugu Heavy Sword.”

The Ghost Demon nodded.

“Even if it was only sparring, occasionally thinking that I might be beaten to death by Eldest Brother’s sword was a great help to my training too.”

Perhaps because they were swordsmen, they seemed to have helped each other through their bouts. If so, I was not the only one who had grown stronger by about a pinch of salt in the seasoning. If the four of us could somehow be swept along and become stronger, there could be nothing better.

“That’s good news.”

I revealed what I had thought about several times while circulating qi.

“I’ll rest a little today, then go to Wanzhang Cliff by myself.”

The Lust Demon asked,

“Why Wanzhang Cliff? Do you have a lover on the cliff?”

“What lover, you madman? And even if I did, why would they be at Wanzhang Cliff?”

Come to think of it, I had fallen beneath Wanzhang Cliff because of that bastard.

“According to our Teacher Murong, it’s terrain that may harbor a spiritual medicine. Since that’s what an outstanding herb gatherer says, I should at least be able to dig up some fleeceflower root or lingzhi. The terrain is fairly rough, so I can’t send the flimsy Murong Bai. I’ll have to go myself.”

“Who’s going to eat it?”

“Who knows. Spiritual medicines can only be eaten when there’s a connection, so if possible, I’m thinking of giving it to Yoran or Murong Bai.”

The Lust Demon was impressed.

“You’re going all the way there to find spiritual medicine for your disciple? You’re one amazing Third Master.”

I looked at the Lust Demon.

“Did you initiate her into the Ice Art?”

“She’s memorizing the mental method first.”

Since the Lust Demon had also been promoted from eldest senior brother to youngest master, it seemed he had not merely been playing around.

The Ghost Demon worried about me.

“Sect Leader, is there any need to go alone? Let’s go together.”

I repaid the Ghost Demon’s kindness by picking on him.

“With Yukgap’s lightness skill, it’ll take you half a day longer to follow me.”

“Mm.”

“Not a chance. Yukgap, you should train your lightness skill too. You can’t survive with swordsmanship alone. Aren’t you the slowest among the four of us?”

The Sword Demon nodded.

“That’s true.”

“Not good. Qinggong is an extension of footwork. The more you focus on learning it, the more it’ll help your swordsmanship too. A swift sword can’t be done with the sword alone. It needs footwork to support it. An iron-wall defense is fine, but when you’re toying with an enemy, it’s better to evade.”

The Ghost Demon answered curtly.

“Understood. I’ll have to train separately.”

I also told him a specific method of training.

“When it comes to qinggong, the youngest is actually pretty fast. Don’t train by yourself, groaning away like Cha Seong-tae. Practice chasing after the youngest, and you’ll come to realize something. His personality is also so damn annoying that if you chase him in a panic, you’ll get quite heated. People can naturally run faster when they’re pissed off. I know because I’ve tried it.”

The Lust Demon let out a sigh.

“Just do one thing. If you’re going to praise me, then only praise me. If you’re going to call me an idiot, then only call me an idiot.”

I looked at the Lust Demon and answered.

“Idiot.”

“…….”

“In any case, my internal energy has deepened too, so I need time for my body to adapt. I plan to go and come back at full speed. Obtaining the elixir is the objective, but the process is qinggong training.”

The Ghost Demon asked me.

“What are you going to do if you move alone and the Scholar’s forces latch onto you? Chumyeong must be waiting for his chance.”

Only then did I look around at the three of them and convey my change of heart.

“If there are other Scholars too, I’ll run without hesitation. Like Brother Deuk-su said, I’m going to live modestly and long. Well, to tell the truth, I was always rather good at running away. Nothing new about it.”

When I smiled faintly, the three of them laughed through their noses as well. Even if I left Ilyang County for a while, solid forces were standing by, so I was not particularly worried.

You could say it was a point where I only had to worry about myself.

* * *

I tightened the knot of the bundle slung over my back once more at my chest. It was a simple bundle containing a change of clothes and snacks, the poison Moyong Baek had packed for me, the money I had put in, an empty box, and a small bottle.

I looked in turn at the faces of the Sword Demon, the Ghost Demon, the Lust Demon, Brother Deuk-su, and Junior Sister Hong, who were standing in a line in front of the Zaha Inn, then knelt on one knee and called my disciple.

“Yoran.”

“Yes, Master.”

Yoran came closer and met me at eye level. When I suddenly said I was going on a journey, worry and surprise were mixed together in Yoran’s large eyes.

How could there be so many emotions in a child’s gaze?

Perhaps she was a little surprised that all the adults had come out to see me off. So to erase such useless worry from her eyes, I had no choice but to smile as brightly as I could.

“Your Third Master is going on a trip. Listen well to the other masters while I’m gone.”

“Yes.”

“And to your eldest senior brother too?”

“Of course.”

“And play nicely with the bored Chief Steward Cha.”

“But I heard you’re going to a place called Manjang Cliff?”

“Who said that?”

“I actually overheard it. Isn’t it a dangerous place?”

I smiled as I looked at Yoran.

“Your Third Master is more dangerous than Manjang Cliff. If I go there, Manjang Cliff is the one that becomes dangerous.”

“Understood.”

“It’s hard memorizing the cultivation method, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“If your head gets too tangled up, ask your Second Master to teach you swordsmanship.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I had no particular words of farewell to exchange with Yoran, so I held out my fist. I meant for us to bump fists, but Yoran grasped my fist with both of her small hands.

“Third Master.”

“Hm?”

“Please come back safely. I’ll be cheering for you.”

“All right.”

For a moment, Yoran and I exchanged looks. Now that I thought about it, this was the first time in my life I had ever received such pure encouragement.

I stood up, looked around at everyone, and gave a brief farewell.

“I’ll be back soon……see you when I return.”

The farewells of wicked men were very simple. Meeting eyes once and nodding was all there was to it. Perhaps because of Yoran, Brother Deuk-su and Junior Sister Hong did not bring up any needless words of worry either.

I trudged along, then looked back at the Zaha Inn.

Wicked men and those who could never become wicked men were watching me from in front of the Zaha Inn, and the sight itself looked like a painting. It was something I had thought before, but even standing together like this, Brother Deuk-su did not look weak at all. It was simply that his way of life was different and he had not learned martial arts like us; the painting made it clear that Brother Deuk-su, too, was a man as strong as the Four Great Villains.

Yoran waved both hands with a bright expression.

I stood there blankly and smiled for a while like the village fool. The reason I thought it was good to deliberately make Yoran the disciple of all the Four Great Villains was because I hoped those devilish bastards would someday be able to smile foolishly like me.

“I’m off.”

I engraved the scene of the Zaha Inn in my memory, then unleashed my qinggong and soon left Ilyang County behind. Perhaps because my internal energy had reached a deeper level, even as I grew farther away, I could hear Yoran and the villains’ voices quite clearly.

“Wow…… Third Master is incredibly fast.”

“Your Third Master is the fastest at qinggong.”

“Really?”

“Eldest Brother, isn’t that right?”

“Well. I’d have to race Third to know that.”

“It seems your First Master and Third are tied for first place for now.”

“Understood. Then is Second Master the slowest?”

“Mm…….”

“Yoran is quick on the uptake. That’s right. At least when it comes to qinggong, I’m not at the bottom.”

...In truth, at first, I took Yoran as a disciple because I pitied her.

I did not consider conditions such as her talent for martial learning, personality, physique, or comprehension. But when I thought about it carefully, the ones who were truly pitiful were the Four Great Villains.

Because no matter what circumstances one is in, living brightly is happiness, and living darkly is misfortune.

The Four Great Villains, myself included, are all bastards with dark and stifling sides, so there is not much about us that is better than Yoran.

If, in the pitch-black hearts of bastards like these, the feeling of thinking of a disciple were to grow.

Would that feeling itself not become a light that brightens the darkness?

That is why I am running off on purpose, saying I will obtain an elixir for Yoran.

In truth, it would be good if I found one, but it would not matter if I failed.

Right now, I am running alone, but I am running with the hope that the other three will also face change in one way or another.

If those three masters can look after a young disciple like Yoran and raise her into a proper expert…….

Then the revolution I proposed to the White-Robed Scholar will have gained three more wicked men, no different from new additions.

Therefore, the reason I am now running like a madman is.

For Yoran and Moyong Baek, of course, but also for the Sword Demon, the Ghost Demon, and the Lust Demon.

No matter how the gangho turns, I have never forgotten the revolution.