episode_0002

Vast energy surged wildly within his body, as if about to explode.

Then, opposing energies, having lost control, tore through blocked meridians and began raging throughout his entire body.

The furious energy, branching out in all directions, broke through the Conception and Governing Vessels, which had been turbidly blocked by impure qi.

In the human body, there are pathways through which qi flows.

The Conception Vessel and Governing Vessel, combined as the Conception and Governing Vessels, can be said to be the equivalent of highways among them.

The opening of the Conception and Governing Vessels means that the internal energy (Naegong) from the dantian permeates and circulates throughout the body.

This means that the true qi (Jingi) accumulated in the dantian will not dry up, and high-level techniques can be easily executed.

Simultaneously, the entire body’s subtle meridians were also opened.

As the subtle meridians opened, the seething innate qi (Seoncheonjigi) began to be absorbed seamlessly into the fine capillaries that extended into every corner of the body.

The physical foundation of the Pure Spirit Body was completed.

Cheongun’s senses were heightened to their limit.

Changes in his body began to occur moment by moment.

The natural qi (Jayeonjigi) absorbed through the subtle meridians steadily filled his dantian.

If internal energy (Naegong) is natural qi refined and processed, then unprocessed, pure qi is called natural qi.

The Empty Spirit Body is a physique that absorbs natural qi.

Now that his Empty Spirit Body was activated, Cheongun no longer needed to refine and process natural qi separately.

Since he could freely manipulate the natural qi spread throughout the heavens and earth, there was no need to accumulate internal energy.

“Wow.”

Cheongun purely marveled.

His body felt so light, as if he could fly.

His empty dantian was overflowing with natural qi, surging in like a tide.

The qi, beyond full and overflowing, was expelled in the form of steam through all the subtle meridians in his body.

[Unique Trait: Overthrowing the Demonic Cult! is active!]

Words floated before his eyes.

A faint, wry smile formed on Cheongun’s lips.

No martial artist could transcend a realm in such a way.

But in a game, it was possible.

Moreover, wasn’t this world coincidentally within a game?

Thus, Cheongun quickly began to adapt to his changes.

Cheongun grinned, swaying the fishing line in his hand from side to side.

Crackle crackle—!

The fishing line, imbued with internal energy, unleashed materialized sword energy, clawing at the ground.

Namgung Yul gaped, as if dumbfounded, while Sauncheon, having witnessed a realm he had only heard about with his own eyes, couldn’t even breathe loudly.

A rude brat dressed like a beggar.

Sauncheon’s first impression of Cheongun was merely that.

Even if he knew how to handle internal energy, he was at best a street ruffian.

His aura, his presence—everything felt insignificant.

But now, that thought was utterly uprooted, heading towards a different possibility.

‘Damn it! He’s a master!’

It was astonishing enough that he could stiffen that thin fishing line and wield it like a sword, but to even infuse and release such clear sword energy—

A master, and not just any master, but at least one who has entered the peak realm of ultimate mastery.

Damn it! How is this even possible?!

A rookie who had just shed his boyhood, yet at the peak of ultimate mastery!

“Um, may I ask which esteemed deceased master you are?”

“Why are you calling me a deceased person? Do you want to die?”

“……”

Cheongun sneered and took a step forward.

Sauncheon, his face pale, stumbled backward.

The killing intent emanating from the approaching absolute master weighed down on his heart.

Sauncheon eventually stomped his foot and shouted.

“Attack!”

Simultaneously with his shout, five masked figures, who had arrived unnoticed, burst out from beyond the thickets.

Judging by how they held their swords and imitated a formation to surround him, they seemed to be somewhat elite lowlifes.

Cheongun casually swung the fishing rod in his hand, swishing it around.

The fishing line, flying with a swish, stirred the air as if performing a masterful technique, then pierced through the foreheads of each masked figure one by one, as if stringing beads.

“Argh!”

The masked figures, their foreheads unexpectedly pierced, made various gurgling sounds as they lost their balance and collapsed.

It wasn’t even a sword, but a fishing line.

A mere fishing line had sent five martial artists to the River of Three Crossings in a single move.

“Crazy!”

Sauncheon recoiled in disgust at Cheongun’s overwhelming martial prowess and activated his footwork.

In an instant, Cheongun’s figure leaped a distance of about one zhang (approximately 3 meters) and appeared before Sauncheon.

Sauncheon, startled by the footwork that seemed to literally cross space, frantically turned his body, but his legs tangled and he fell.

“!!!”

He’s going to die.

He’s really going to die!

“P-please, spare me!”

“Why don’t you just die gracefully?”

The brutal technique that skewered five people with a fishing line.

An appearance so young it seemed almost childish.

And that eccentric personality and way of speaking.

That man must surely be a legendary master of the unorthodox path who underwent bone-cleansing and marrow-purging!

“Why are you doing this to a fellow member of the unorthodox path?!”

“Damn it! Who are you calling unorthodox?!”

“Ugh!”

Cheongun immediately beat Sauncheon.

Knowing that hitting him with full force would surely kill him, he adjusted his strength and hammered his entire body.

Thud thud thud thud!

He just beat him, without any regard for techniques or anything.

He beat him, beat him, and beat him again.

Because he still had something to ask him.

“Mister.”

“Y-yes?”

“You’re from the Demonic Cult, aren’t you?”

How did he know that?

Sauncheon swallowed hard.

“Your answer?”

“Y-yes, that’s right!”

“But why is someone from the Demonic Cult here?”

“Although I was once part of the Demonic Cult, that’s just the past. Now, I am with the Black Forest Sect’s…”

“So. You’re not affiliated with the Demonic Cult now?”

“Th-that’s right.”

Cheongun nodded.

So even if they wash their past, a demonic cultist remains a demonic cultist.

The system’s accuracy was, as expected, beyond doubt.

“So, you’re saying among the many demonic cultists, you’re just a nobody?”

“That’s right.”

“You have nothing, so you must know nothing either, right?”

“Th-that’s also right.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Cheongun sighed with disappointment and stood up.

“Tsk. What a bust.”

“P-please, just my life…”

Before Sauncheon could even finish his sentence, Cheongun casually swung the fishing line.

Simultaneously, the fishing line, flying discreetly, pierced through Sauncheon’s forehead.

The sword energy carried by the fishing line burrowed into his forehead, tearing apart all his nerves.

Cough, Sauncheon coughed up a mouthful of blood and his body trembled.

The keenness that filled his eyes vanished, and he simply slumped to the ground.

“……”

Namgung Yul, who had been quietly watching, turned pale.

There wasn’t even a special technique involved.

He simply swung the fishing rod back and forth, and the martial artists lost consciousness and fell like autumn leaves in the wind.

She swore she had never imagined encountering an absolute master of such a realm in this manner.

‘This is… a fortuitous encounter!’

Big fish play in big waters.

However, sometimes in life, there are reclusive eccentrics who defy the principles of the world and the rules of Righteousness and Unorthodoxy.

The man before her was clearly a reclusive eccentric who had abandoned the mundane world.

His seemingly youthful appearance was probably a miraculous feat of reversion to childhood, a legendary realm only heard about in tales.

“Are you okay?”

Cheongun asked, bending at the waist.

“I am Namgung Yul. Thank you for saving my life.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“May I ask for your esteemed name, Great Hero?”

“Cheongun.”

“Great Hero Cheong.”

Namgung Yul cupped her fist in a salute.

Cheongun also casually exchanged a cupped fist salute, then slowly began to get to the point.

“Excuse me?”

“Yes?”

“I’m in a bit of a hurry. Because I saved you, I wasted my fishing trip today, and now I’m marked by the Black Forest Sect or whatever, so I have to move my residence, you know?”

Namgung Yul tilted her head.

Namgung Yul couldn’t understand.

A martial artist of Great Hero Cheong’s caliber wouldn’t be troubled even if the entire Black Forest Sect showed up, would he?

“Then I’d become very inconvenienced, wouldn’t I?”

“Yes.”

“How did such a problem occur?”

“W-well, because you saved me from danger…”

“Exactly, that’s it.”

Only then did she realize the intent behind his question.

Martial artists do not forget favors or grudges.

It was the nature of the martial world to somehow repay even the smallest favor or grudge, but he was literally her life-saver.

To merely receive help and then wash one’s hands of it was a martial artist’s disgrace.

Naturally, it was her duty to pay him the promised reward.

No, it was the custom of Jianghu to express gratitude by adding even more to it.

However.

“Great Hero Cheong.”

“Speak.”

Namgung Yul spoke, carefully observing Cheongun’s expression.

“U-um, I don’t have any money on me right now.”

A vein pulsed.

A thick vein pulsed on Cheongun’s temple.

Namgung Yul hurriedly added, her voice flustered:

“Th-there’s a branch of the Righteous Alliance about a day’s journey from here! If you accompany me there, I will definitely pay you the promised reward.”

“Hmm…”

Cheongun nodded vigorously.

What was a mere day when he was getting a whole gold ingot?

This much after-service was trivial, truly trivial.

“Alright. I’ll accompany you.”

“Thank you so much, Great Hero Cheong.”

“Then let’s depart immediately.”

Namgung Yul subtly glanced at Cheongun’s face.

As soon as he heard the confirmation of payment, his face regained its color and his expression brightened.

Cheongun walked on, letting out his characteristic sly smile.

Namgung Yul stared blankly at Cheongun’s retreating back, her eyes bewildered.

“…”

What was that?

Wasn’t he a reclusive eccentric?

For someone who supposedly abandoned the mundane world, his desire for money seemed excessively strong…