Chapter 104: I Have a Master. (2)

I have a master (2)

Why is Namgung Bi-ah lying in my room?

Seeing that, Shin Noyah speaks to me, looking utterly dumbfounded.

[…Just how far have you gone while I wasn’t around….]

‘Where do you think I went?’

I ignored Shin Noyah, who lamented as if disappointed he couldn’t see.

Since it would become troublesome if she woke up, I first grabbed some clothes and secretly slipped out.

After finishing washing my face, I changed my clothes.

I wrapped my injured shoulder with cloth to stop the bleeding, and burned the blood-soaked clothes, burying them in the ground.

Afterwards, the servants might cry seeing that one set of clothes was missing… but I couldn’t just leave it as it was.

After roughly finishing my preparations, I came back into the room.

Now, this is where the problem starts.

“What should I do with this kid?”

Seeing Namgung Bi-ah rubbing her face into the blanket for a long time, I couldn’t hide my predicament.

It’s not like I can just throw her somewhere.

“…Seriously, why are you sleeping here instead of your own room?”

I heard that if she doesn’t train during the day, she usually takes naps in my room, but did she come in while I was gone?

I didn’t think that was the case.

‘Does this mean I have to sleep among the guards?’

Normally, I wouldn’t have a problem staying awake for a day. But the fatigue I felt now was so intense that I couldn’t possibly stay awake.

Could this also be a side effect of Shin Noyah controlling my body?

[If so, it wouldn’t be physical fatigue.]

As Shin Noyah said, I was feeling it to some extent.

Even if I used muscles I hadn’t used before, I’ve trained them, so even if I were tired, it wouldn’t be this much.

Then, the fatigue must be mental.

‘I wonder if this can be filled by sleeping, though.’

I really felt like I couldn’t possibly stay awake any longer.

I couldn’t sleep next to her, but I couldn’t not sleep, so I grabbed the remaining pillow, came out to the floor, and flopped down.

[…You still can’t even take what’s offered, huh.]

‘…After all this time, do you really have to pick a fight?’

[I thought it was because you were young back then… but since you’ve traveled back in time, you’re not young anymore, so how do you think I feel seeing you getting old and still acting like this?]

‘Speaking like that, Noyah, you haven’t really done much yourself anyway….’

I realized my mistake mid-sentence. I felt like I had said something too harsh.

‘Noyah…?’

[…]

‘I’m sorry. What I just said might have been a bit harsh….’

I called out a few more times, but Shin Noyah remained unresponsive.

Finally, after offering a few apologies that received no reply, I decided to succumb to the overwhelming sleepiness.

Today marks the end of my schedule at Mount Hua.

All that’s left is to meet Mae Hwa-seon before I leave, and I plan to depart for Sega within three days at the latest.

The true end was slowly approaching.

Perhaps soon, the Murim Alliance will discover the branch’s basement and contact Mount Hua.

If that happens, will the second Jehwajeon be held today?

I didn’t have much interest in the Mount Hua Sect, so I don’t know the details, but if they hear about it, they might postpone or cancel the Jehwajeon.

Because that damn pool of blood is, in a way, no different from a human sacrifice.

‘Still, if it is held.’

There were two possibilities, as far as I could see.

One is that they hear the news but proceed anyway.

If I had to guess the reason, it’s probably because they don’t want to alert Hwa-eumhyeon about this matter.

The death of the Plum Blossom Sword Master would only amplify the anxiety here.

Indeed, when they first discovered the branch, they seemed to try and handle it as quietly as possible.

‘Though it might be different regarding the Jehwajeon.’

The second is.

The information isn’t delivered, or it’s delivered late.

The latter is the shittiest scenario and something I didn’t want.

It would indicate that their influence runs deeper than expected, so I had to hope it wouldn’t happen.

‘…For now, let’s sleep.’

Thinking further wouldn’t likely bring any coherent thoughts with my hazy mind.

Overwhelmed by sleepiness, I quickly lost consciousness and fell asleep.

And not long after, I was able to wake up.

I forced my tired eyelids open.

Thankfully, this time it wasn’t an unfamiliar ceiling.

How long did I sleep? Seeing the sunlight, it doesn’t seem like I slept for too long.

As I tried to force myself up, a hand pressed down on my head, stopping me.

‘…!’

The sudden situation jolted me fully awake from my half-dazed state.

Now that I saw, I realized I was resting my head on something other than a pillow.

It was soft and fluffy, but that’s not the point.

The touch against my cheek carried a faint scent of skin.

“You can stay lying down longer.”

The monotonous tone from above, carrying a sense of personality, meant there was no need to wonder who it was.

I was currently resting my head on Namgung Bi-ah’s lap.

I asked in bewilderment.

“…What are you doing?”

“…You fell asleep late.”

“What does that have to do with this…?”

“…Seol-ah… was here until just now, then left.”

She lightly ignored my question and told me Wi Seol-ah’s whereabouts.

“I waited for you to wake up, she’ll be disappointed….”

“Now that I’m awake, she’ll be fine. Move your arm, let me get up.”

Even though she clearly knew I was awake, Namgung Bi-ah kept pressing my head down, preventing me from getting up.

Just as I was wondering if I should force myself up, Namgung Bi-ah asked.

“…Where did you go last night?”

“…”

“You promised… you’d tell me.”

It was something I couldn’t easily answer.

Who could have known Namgung Bi-ah would come to my room while I was asleep?

Besides, I don’t think I ever definitively promised to tell her.

“Well….”

“You smell like blood….”

“…!”

I shut my mouth at Namgung Bi-ah’s words.

I washed up and even used heat to dissipate it, but could I not have erased all the blood scent?

Or perhaps.

‘…Is it because of the flower in my pocket?’

A flower grown by consuming blood; it wasn’t large, so I had wrapped it in cloth and kept it in my pocket.

I couldn’t really smell anything, but Namgung Bi-ah had a rather sensitive sense of smell.

As I hesitated to answer, Namgung Bi-ah sighed softly and continued.

“I had a nightmare… I wanted to see you… but you weren’t in the room.”

“That… wasn’t my fault, was…”

“But I’ll forgive you for everything.”

“Huh?”

She won’t blame me for disappearing without a word, nor will she ask where I went that I smell so much like blood.

“…Just stay like this for a moment….”

To Namgung Bi-ah’s quiet whisper, I couldn’t reply and simply relaxed my body.

The hand that had been firmly pressing me down gradually softened.

I felt a hand stroking my hair.

In the end, I half-gave up and decided to just stay lying down.

[…If there is a god, please send this son of a bitch to hell.]

I almost burst out laughing at the sudden curse.

It felt like Shin Noyah’s curses, which I hadn’t heard in a while.

---

Freed from Namgung Bi-ah’s grasp, I immediately went up to the training grounds. Because I was held longer than expected, I had to move quickly.

I had to think about the Jehwajeon and what to do with the flower in my pocket, but…

What needed to be done before that was to review the battle with the Rakshasa.

In a way, it was a realization.

Before I forgot, I had to recall the sensation Shin Noyah had tried so hard to convey.

Shin Noyah didn’t use many artifacts.

To be precise, it means a small amount compared to the internal energy I possess.

Of course, it’s true that the energy contained within the precious item was pure and clear.

Furthermore, recalling Shin Noyah’s life, I could understand being able to display such a form with my body.

But that didn’t explain the reason behind the method Shin Noyah showed.

Because I shouldn’t be any different.

‘There’s a difference between a warrior using weapons and a martial artist, but…’

Unlike those who imbue their beloved weapons with righteousness, the difference with a martial artist who contemplates the body itself is clear.

If you were to break it down, there would be hundreds of reasons, but…

Ultimately, the biggest difference lies in the changes according to one’s realm.

As the body itself is the weapon, it was exposed to much danger.

Of course, this couldn’t be used as an excuse either.

‘From the perspective of a blood relative of Gu Clan, it’s meaningless.’

That’s what using fire arts entails.

Moreover, since one must apply flames, gauntlets are merely cumbersome.

In the end, as Shin Noyah said, it was all about how well one could compress and use it efficiently.

[You and I are different.]

As I stood on level ground circulating internal energy within my body, Shin Noyah spoke.

[I too have experienced realms, so I possessed considerable internal energy, but I couldn’t fight by filling it up as if discarding it, like you do.]

As Shin Noyah said, that was originally my way of using martial arts.

Expelling the endless demonic energy obtained through the Demonic Absorption technique.

I compensated for deficiencies with quantity and broke through where needed with force.

Because I knew I wouldn’t lack anything even if I did.

And the habits solidified like that continued into this life.

‘After consuming so many fortuitous encounters, the lack of internal energy is my fault.’

I had to quickly break free from the thought that it was unavoidable because I hadn’t reached a certain realm.

Shin Noyah’s words came to mind.

‘That way, the end is clear, don’t you know?’

If it were a path I hadn’t taken, I might not have bothered listening to Noyah’s words.

However, in my previous life, I couldn’t reach the Perfection of the Nine Flames Wheel Technique.

‘Let’s recall the sensation.’

I had been thinking I was using the secret techniques of the Nine Flames Wheel Technique.

In fact, even in this life, I’ve won fights I shouldn’t have been able to win with it.

Perhaps that’s why I interpreted the meaning of ‘containing heat’ so simplistically.

[I won’t necessarily tell you to change your method.]

‘After showing me something like that?’

[I merely showed you a different path; if your internal energy is sufficient, isn’t your method also a viable one?]

If the internal energy is sufficient, that is.

Since I’ve decided to use demonic arts in this life just like the previous one, my internal energy will eventually increase.

The authority of the Heavenly Demon is truly bizarre like this.

‘But if I do that, it’ll just be the same as my previous life.’

Eventually, I’ll hit a wall, and I won’t be able to do anything.

Whether it’s the Peak or the Flower Realm, reaching higher realms wasn’t important to me.

The Perfection of the Nine Flames Wheel Technique.

I had to aim for that place.

To do so, I realized I needed to find a different method than in my previous life.

Fortunately, the master for that was closer than anyone.

[Who decided I’m your master? You’re really trying to freeload now.]

‘You use my body as you please, so you should at least pay rent.’

[You’re shameless now!]

I circulated my cultivation technique and contained the heat within my body.

I felt a surge of heat rising within me.

‘It’s the same up to this point.’

Now, I had to recall the sensation Shin Noyah had made me feel.

The pressure inside my body felt like a raging typhoon; if I had only heard the explanation, it would have taken ages, but…

I had experienced it firsthand, so it was no different.

Whooosh…!

Recalling the sensation as closely as possible, I applied my internal energy.

The pressure I felt immediately made my shoulders tremble.

‘This… how do I maintain it?’

Maintaining direction amidst the rushing flow of internal energy required truly absurd delicacy.

And at the same time, I had to prevent it from leaking out.

I already knew how to do it through my body.

I just had to endure and let it flow as my body remembered, but even that was difficult.

[If you’re going to steal someone else’s meal and freeload, you should at least endure that much; how much more do you want spoon-fed?]

‘I didn’t say anything.’

From my perspective, Shin Noyah was still holding a grudge about teasing him earlier.

[…Hmph.]

The gust starting from my dantian churned within my body, spreading in all directions.

Yet, it didn’t leak outwards.

I controlled my breathing so it wouldn’t even escape my lips.

Enduring the explosive internal energy made veins naturally bulge on my neck.

The internal energy, condensed into a single point, finally began to nudge the middle dantian.

Sssup-

The middle dantian, which I hadn’t touched thinking I wasn’t ready.

This time, I gathered my internal energy and thrust it in without hesitation.

My instincts told me this was the moment.

Kwaaaaaaah-!

As if confirming my prediction was correct, the wall of the middle dantian, and then the breached point, were easily flooded by my internal energy like a tsunami.

Hwaak-!

Only then did the contained internal energy burst forth from my body, releasing heat around me.

[…You really are freeloading.]

“Hoo…!”

I raised my hand, wrapping my internal energy around it.

The aura, which had been blooming like heat haze, stabilized, enveloping the surface.

Seeing that, I said.

“Thank you.”

I couldn’t help but thank Shin Noyah.

Thanks to him, I broke through the middle dantian.

[It displeases me greatly that you reach a place countless warriors dream of, yet your reaction is so lukewarm.]

“…It’s only the beginning.”

Peak.

I had stepped into a realm I thought would take about a year.

It was much earlier than expected.

The timing aside, it felt like the direction I needed to go was finally set properly.

I wouldn’t abandon my original method, but I vaguely knew what I needed to blend into it.

[Will it be alright even if you don’t consolidate your energy?]

“To some extent, it seems to be flowing on its own, so it’s fine.”

[That’s fortunate; you should already know what to do, so you don’t need me to meddle unnecessarily.]

“Yes.”

[Then. We have things to discuss now, don’t we?]

“…Yes.”

At Shin Noyah’s words, my heart sank heavily in an instant. The reason I had tried so hard to leave the lodging immediately included this as well.

Starting from last night until now, Shin Noyah had been silent.

I knew this was out of consideration for me.

Even when he didn’t know I had regressed, he had said he had questions for me.

By now, the number might be incomparably greater.

[There are so many things I want to ask you, but first, I want to ask one most important thing.]

“What will you do if I refuse to answer, or if I answer falsely?”

[That too is your choice, and I intend to respect it.]

It’s heavy.

Shin Noyah’s trust felt heavy.

Although my perception of him was that of a flippant old man with a foul mouth, on the other hand, I acknowledged that he was a hero who protected an era.

I had seen and experienced too much to deny it now.

[First, I will ask.]

Finally, Shin Noyah asks me.

[What is the Heavenly Demon (天魔)?]

It was immediately about the Heavenly Demon.