Chapter v16c13

Ji-cheon had made a deal with the devil once before. The fatal flaw of such a deal was that it inevitably led to further entanglements, much like a debtor borrowing from a loan shark for a momentary reprieve. The devil, once it had sunk its claws into you, never let go. And now, the devil’s hand was reaching out to him again. He couldn’t deny the intoxicating allure of the temptation.

“Power… You’re saying there’s a way?”

“Of course. As I said, my mission is to fulfill the wishes of others! A burning desire for revenge fueled by jealousy… Ah, how magnificent! It’s intoxicating!” The masked man exclaimed, writhing with excitement.

“Jealousy? Are you saying I’m consumed by such a petty emotion?” Ji-cheon’s temple throbbed. He couldn’t accept that he was driven by something so trivial. He had to be righteous. Bi Ryu-yeon was evil, a threat to his goddess, and he was the righteous warrior who would vanquish him, crush him like a bug. Justice had to prevail. He wasn’t doing this out of jealousy. This self-justification was a common tactic used by those who exploited justice and faith for their own gain.

“It’s important to be honest with yourself. I admire your passion. It’s hot, intense, capable of consuming everything, even yourself.”

The masked man’s mocking tone grated on his nerves, but Ji-cheon decided to let it go. Arguing was a waste of time. He had learned to ignore the sound judgment of others, selectively accepting only the praise and flattery of his followers, especially those in the Ice Phoenix Protection Squad.

“So what’s the way?” Ji-cheon asked impatiently.

“Well, let me see…” The masked man rummaged through his robes.

“Huh? Where is it? That’s strange…” He couldn’t find it.

“Don’t tell me you lost it.”

“Oh, no, of course not… I’m sure I put it somewhere… Where did I drop it…? Ah! Here it is! Found it!”

He pulled something out of his waistband and presented it to Ji-cheon.

“This is the key to victory!” He declared, his voice booming like a street vendor.

“A high-purity, concentrated, special Qi Explosion Pill! I call it the Blood Explosion Pill!”

It was a single, blood-red pill wrapped in red paper.

“What is this?”

“It’s a specially crafted Qi Explosion Pill. It temporarily amplifies your internal energy.” The masked man explained.

“They sell similar pills in the market, even the Orthodox Alliance uses them. But those are child’s play compared to this. This one is incredibly effective. Five times stronger than the usual pills! I guarantee it. You can return it if it doesn’t meet your expectations.”

Ji-cheon scoffed.

“Return it? Where? How? Am I supposed to cut open my stomach and retrieve it?”

He had meant it as a joke, but the masked man’s response was different this time. His playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a chilling coldness.

“Of course. You have to be willing to cut open your stomach. They call it seppuku in the island nation, don’t they? They draw a cross on their stomach. One horizontal cut, one vertical cut. They say it’s a spectacular sight, with all the guts spilling out. You can’t achieve your dreams without that kind of commitment, can you, Young Master Wi?”

Ji-cheon shuddered. The masked man’s brief but intense aura was the same as the one he had felt before. He was demanding his life. And Ji-cheon, blinded by rage, was willing to risk it.

“But be warned. The side effects are severe. It will be very painful. I’m telling you this now so you don’t blame me later. I’m a benevolent fairy, after all.”

*You’re a devil!* Ji-cheon thought.

“You’re not backing out now, are you?”

“Of course not!”

He was ready to sell his soul to the devil.

He had learned that the first step was the hardest. Once you stepped into the mud, the second step was much easier.

“How do I use it?”

“Patience, patience. You’ll find out tomorrow.” The masked man said, smiling.

“You’re saying this is related to tomorrow’s trial?”

“Of course.”

“So you know what tomorrow’s trial is?”

How did he know something they didn’t even know? Who was he?

“I heard things.”

Ji-cheon wasn’t fooled.

“I don’t think their security is that lax.”

“Don’t be too curious, Young Master Wi. We’re just trying to help you because we admire your ambition. We’re on your side.”

“For now.”

*They’re just waiting to stab me in the back.* Ji-cheon thought, but he didn’t say it out loud. They were still allies, for now.

“Good luck, Young Master Wi! I hope you achieve your goal. I wouldn’t want to think you’re incompetent enough to fail twice with all this preparation. Farewell!”

The masked man vanished into the darkness, his words leaving a bitter taste in Ji-cheon’s mouth.

“…”

He stared at his palm. It wasn’t a dream. The red pill in his hand was proof.

“Alright! If they’re going to hand it to me on a silver platter, I’ll take it! I don’t care what it takes! She’ll never be safe as long as he’s alive. He’s evil! He needs to be eliminated. I’m doing this for her! No one cares about her more than I do… My noble sacrifice will save her!”

He muttered to himself, his eyes unfocused, his fist clenched.

*The Third Trial: The Water and Fire Trial*

He learned that morning that the Fire Trial and the Water Trial would be combined into a single trial, the Water and Fire Trial. It was an announcement, not a request for opinions.

But curiosity got the better of Yoon Jun-ho, and he raised his hand when they were told they could ask questions. It was a brave act.

“Why are the Fire Trial and the Water Trial being combined? Is there a special reason?”

He was embarrassed to ask in front of so many people, but he preferred knowledge to ignorance.

“You want to know why?” The Law Enforcer in charge of the trial replied. He had introduced himself as So-gwang, a man in his mid-fifties with a commanding presence. The five black lines on his sleeve indicated his high rank among the Law Enforcers. His demeanor was more formal than the others.

“Yes!” Yoon Jun-ho replied without hesitation.

“Then choose!”

“Choose what?”

“A plausible reason, or an implausible reason. Choose one!”

He looked at Yoon Jun-ho as if he were an idiot.

“Well, I’d like to hear the plausible reason first!”

“Have you heard of the saying ‘Heaven is above, Earth is below’? Heaven is Qian, the Creative, the Yang. Earth is Kun, the Receptive, the Yin. But that’s in the Pre-Heaven Eight Trigrams. In the Post-Heaven Eight Trigrams, Yin and Yang are usually represented by Li, Fire, and Kan, Water. Have you heard of the saying ‘Water and fire do not oppose each other’? Or the concept of ‘mutual dependence’?”

“No.” Yoon Jun-ho shook his head honestly.

“You call yourself a martial artist, and you don’t even know the basics… Are you sure you’re in the right place?”

The crowd burst into laughter. It was mostly coming from those who looked down on him, mainly from the Heavenly Martial Academy, with a few from the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. Yoon Jun-ho’s face burned with shame.

“Those who laughed, raise your hands!” So-gwang said.

Several people raised their hands.

“Good job mocking him! Now, can any of you answer my question?”

Silence.

“What? You mocked him without even knowing the answer? How shameless! I’m impressed.”

Now it was their turn to blush.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, instead of supporting your comrade, you mock him… How pathetic! Has the Mount Hua Sword Conference fallen so low?”

The crowd was silent, some struggling to contain their anger and shame.

“‘Water and fire do not oppose each other’ means that they depend on each other, even though they seem to be opposites. Of course, water overcomes fire, but fire doesn’t attack water back. Instead, fire overcomes metal, metal overcomes wood, wood overcomes earth, earth overcomes water, and water overcomes fire, completing the cycle. They seem to be opposites, but they’re all part of a harmonious cycle.

Furthermore, in the Pre-Heaven Eight Trigrams, Yin and Yang are represented by Qian and Kun, but in the Post-Heaven Eight Trigrams, which represent the manifested world, they’re represented by Li and Kan. Li corresponds to fire, and Kan corresponds to water. It’s not inaccurate to say that water and fire symbolize Yin and Yang in the manifested world.

Yin and Yang can’t exist separately. They need each other. They face each other, depend on each other. That’s called ‘mutual dependence.’ So Li, Fire, and Kan, Water, are inseparable. That’s why it’s possible to test both aspects of a single theme. In this case, Qi can represent fire, and the integration of Qi can represent water. ‘Yang changes, Yin integrates.’ Yang is active and changing, while Yin is passive and integrating, like many streams converging into a single river!”

His explanation was eloquent and seamless, as if he were reading from a prepared speech. But few understood it completely.

“Then… what’s the implausible reason?” Bi Ryu-yeon asked. His instincts told him that this was the real reason.

“Because it’s a pain in the ass! It’s easier to do two things at once. Less work! One less trial. It’s a very economical approach, don’t you think? It’s so artistic, it’s almost touching.”

So-gwang seemed genuinely moved, but his answer was as absurd as Bi Ryu-yeon had expected.

“That’s it…?”

Bi Ryu-yeon had hoped for something more, but the imposing Law Enforcer put an end to his hopes.

“Do you need another reason? That’s it! It’s enough!”

He had made his point.

“Now, let me explain how the Water and Fire Trial will proceed!”

Ignoring the murmurs of the crowd, So-gwang moved on. He didn’t want to dwell on this any longer. But the trial itself was also controversial. It forced the participants to make a difficult choice.

“Damn it! I can’t do this! I won’t do it!”

“You’re telling me! How can I trust these guys with my life? It’s suicide!”

“You’re telling us! I’d rather die than work with you guys! Screw this!”

One of the men lay down on the ground in protest. This wasn’t just happening in their group. It was happening in all the groups.

As expected, there was chaos. Without trust, there was only fear. And the possibility of betrayal was high. But the Law Enforcers were merciless.

“Then you forfeit. I don’t have any points to give to those who don’t participate!”

His voice was cold and unforgiving.

The participants, trapped in a no-win situation, had no choice but to accept their fate.

But some were still reluctant.

“Are you crazy? I can’t do this! To think I have to do this trial with these guys… It’s a nightmare! I refuse!”

Wi Ji-cheon shouted, his voice filled with disgust. He didn’t even try to hide his disdain. He didn’t seem to care what others thought of him. He was like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.

“But you know we’ll be disqualified if we don’t all participate, right?” Hyo-ryong said, trying to calm him down. He didn’t like Wi Ji-cheon, but he couldn’t let him ruin their chances.

“This is insane. Why don’t you just give up?”

“I can’t.” Hyo-ryong replied firmly.

Bi Ryu-yeon, Oh Bi-wan, and the others watched their argument, not wanting to get involved. But Oh Bi-wan didn’t bother hiding his displeasure. He was a man of strong principles, a respected elder of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. He couldn’t stand Wi Ji-cheon’s attitude. He knew this trial was dangerous, but he couldn’t give up. They had already been disqualified from the Metal Gate Trial, and they were falling behind. They couldn’t afford to lose any more ground.

*It seems like that young man, Hyo-ryong, understands that.*

He could tell that Hyo-ryong didn’t like Wi Ji-cheon. He never addressed him as “senior,” even though he was older. Bi Ryu-yeon was the same. But he was still trying to persuade him because he knew how important this trial was. Oh Bi-wan felt a strange sense of familiarity whenever he looked at Hyo-ryong.

*Have I met him before…?*

He didn’t feel like he was looking at a stranger.

“Think about it again. You’re not really going to give up on the Mount Hua Sword Conference, are you? No woman would like a man who gives up so easily. You know that, right?”

Hyo-ryong finally played his trump card. And it worked.

“Fine, I’ll do it!”

It seemed like that was the deciding factor.

“Thank you.”

“But I have one condition.” Wi Ji-cheon said, his face serious.

“Absolutely not!”

The answer was immediate and firm. But it wasn’t Bi Ryu-yeon who spoke. It was Hyo-ryong. He was outraged. He hadn’t expected Wi Ji-cheon to make such an absurd demand.

“Why not? Are you defying your senior?”

“I said no!” Hyo-ryong stood his ground. He seemed more agitated than Bi Ryu-yeon.

“You’re just saying no without giving me a reason? I could refuse to participate in this trial. You know how dangerous it is to combine our internal energies, don’t you?”

“W-Well…”

It was true. The Water and Fire Trial was beyond anyone’s expectations. It wasn’t about crossing a pit of lava or climbing a waterfall. They could have done that, but they didn’t. Instead, they were led to a smooth rock face on the north side of the mountain. It was a black, polished rock, seemingly impenetrable.

The instructions were simple. Each group had to combine their internal energies to break the rock. The group that created the largest and deepest crack would win. If even one member refused to participate, the group would be disqualified.

But despite the simplicity of the task, all the groups were protesting. The problem was the “combining internal energies” part.

Combining internal energies… It was a technique that allowed multiple people to amplify their power by pooling their Qi. But it was more complicated than it sounded.

Qi originated from a single source, but it took on different characteristics depending on the cultivation method and application. This was called “the individuality of Qi.” It was like the five elements, which originated from Yin and Yang, but had different properties. Once Qi had taken on different characteristics, it was difficult to combine it again. It was like trying to mix oil and water. It was almost impossible without a deep understanding of the principles of Yin and Yang, the five elements, and the flow of Qi. It wasn’t just about transferring Qi from one person to another. Healing techniques were relatively simple. They didn’t have any major side effects. But using someone else’s Qi to amplify your own power was dangerous. If the Qi wasn’t compatible, it could backfire, causing Qi Deviation. Healing Qi was gentle and slow, while offensive Qi was powerful and fast, making it harder to control.

That was why combining internal energies was usually only practiced between close disciples who had mastered the same martial arts and trusted each other with their lives. But to do it with strangers, with rivals from different sects, was like asking for a group suicide.

Combining internal energies required trust. It was a shortcut to death without it.

And the most important factor was the order. The most skilled person had to be in the front, acting as a conduit for the others’ Qi. The others were just channels. And the closer you were to the front, the more skilled you had to be. The difficulty of the first position was ten times greater than the second. It was a position of great responsibility and risk.

The key was to minimize the loss of Qi during the transfer. It was important to have a lot of Qi, but receiving more Qi than you could handle was dangerous.

Receiving too much Qi could cause Qi Deviation, or even death if your meridians ruptured.

But Wi Ji-cheon was demanding that Bi Ryu-yeon take the first position. That was acceptable.

“You know how dangerous it is to combine internal energies, right? I agree that Bi Ryu-yeon should be in the front. He’s proven himself. But that doesn’t mean you can be second!”

Wi Ji-cheon had nominated himself for the second position. Hyo-ryong, who knew the history between them, was horrified. He knew how dangerous it was. He trusted a stray dog more than Wi Ji-cheon, who had a history of bullying them. He was sure Wi Ji-cheon was blinded by jealousy.

The Water and Fire Trial was far more dangerous than the Wooden Gate Trial, where they had to run a relay race, or the Metal Gate Trial, where they had to climb a cliff while tied together. He would rather do those trials a hundred times over than this one.

But the organizers of the Mount Hua Sword Conference weren’t looking for ordinary people. They were looking for exceptional talent, for those who could overcome extraordinary challenges.

That was why they were satisfied with this trial, and why it would never be abolished.

Hyo-ryong, knowing the danger, wanted to minimize the risk. Putting Wi Ji-cheon behind Bi Ryu-yeon was like handing him a bomb.

“Fine! Let’s ask him then. Ask your cowardly friend.” Wi Ji-cheon said, turning to Bi Ryu-yeon. He was trying to control his anger.

“It seems like you’re afraid to not have him behind you. Is that true? Are you that much of a coward? I’m disappointed. I thought you were better than this!”

It was a blatant provocation, using words and phrases he would never normally use.

*He’s not going to fall for that, is he?*

Hyo-ryong knew his friend was surprisingly susceptible to such provocations. But he trusted Bi Ryu-yeon to make the right decision. He wasn’t an idiot…

“Alright!”

He was an idiot.

“Good, that’s the… What? What did you say?”

Hyo-ryong stared at him, his jaw dropped.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course! He’s begging me so desperately. I can’t refuse. I’m a generous person.” Bi Ryu-yeon replied, his voice calm and confident.

Wi Ji-cheon, who hadn’t begged or pleaded, was speechless.

“Ryu-yeon, are you sure about this? Are you really okay with this?” Hyo-ryong whispered urgently.

“Don’t worry. It’s nothing. It’ll be fine.”

“Do you really think so…? You’re the only one. Why did you accept his provocation…? This is different. We’re talking about transferring Qi. Anything could happen. It’s dangerous even between fellow disciples. Do you understand?”

“Just relax and watch. He wants to win too, doesn’t he?”

“There are many ways to ruin someone’s body. Overloading them with Qi is one of them. And you’re the conduit! Everyone’s Qi will flow through you. He could easily sabotage you.”

Hyo-ryong’s assessment was accurate, and his concern grew.

“We’ll see. If he tries anything…” Bi Ryu-yeon said, his voice low and menacing, “He’ll learn that every action has consequences. And sometimes, those consequences are very costly.”