episode_0038

The long, drawn-out martial arts tournament finally concluded with the finals. The victor was Cheongun. That was me.

For the first time in the history of the Tang branch, a champion had emerged from a one-person sect. And with a bizarre weapon, a fishing rod, no less.

Everyone had clearly witnessed the unconventionality and danger of the bizarre weapon, but it was an undeniable fact that victory had been seized through a strange technique that went against the mainstream flow of traditional martial arts.

If the fact that the formidable rising stars of the orthodox factions and the unlearned martial artists were miserably defeated by a boy much younger than them were to spread throughout the entire Jianghu, what kind of ripple effect would it cause? There would be no greater humiliation than this.

But what could be done? The tournament was already over, and the decided outcome couldn’t be overturned.

The remaining aftermath was a problem they had to solve amongst themselves, and Cheongun’s interest was now focused on only one thing.

“We sincerely congratulate Cheongun, the victor of this Tang branch tournament! Along with the honor of victory, we bestow upon you the ‘Heavenly Spirit Elixir,’ a wondrous medicinal pill containing the essence of the Tang Sect. As promised, the treasury will be opened to the champion!”

This was precisely why he had bothered to participate in the martial arts tournament. The Heavenly Spirit Elixir.

It was an artificial elixir with the character ‘Dan’ (丹, meaning pill or elixir) at the end of its name.

Elixirs are made by processing and aging natural ingredients and internal energy in appropriate proportions, making them rare treasures that, due to their nature, can only be manufactured by high-level martial artists sensitive to qi.

If even a single moment of the manufacturing process fails, it becomes poison. Even if successful, its efficacy varies depending on the quality of the internal energy used, making its value more precious than gold.

In most sects, only elder-level martial artists can manufacture them, and even then, the manufacturing method differs from person to person, resulting in vastly different effects and properties for each elixir produced by various sects.

Among them, the Heavenly Spirit Elixir handled by the Tang Sect could be considered the finest.

Isn’t the Tang Sect known as the Ancestors of Poison?

While most people associate poison with death, that’s not actually the case.

The pinnacle that living creatures refine to survive in extreme environments is poison. Historically, it can be called the crystallization of the essential essence of survival and evolution.

Therefore, poison, conversely, is the essence of health preservation and vitality.

So, naturally, the quality of elixirs handled by the Tang Sect, the Ancestors of Poison, was of the highest grade.

The reason martial artists aimed for victory was more for this Heavenly Spirit Elixir than for access to the treasury.

“Will you absorb the Heavenly Spirit Elixir now, Champion Cheongun? If you wish, an elder of the Tang Sect will personally assist you with protection and qi guidance.”

Cheongun fell into momentary thought.

Unfortunately, Cheongun didn’t need elixirs.

When a martial artist hits a wall at some point, an elixir is what forcibly replenishes their lacking internal energy.

However, Cheongun had a constitution that allowed him to absorb natural qi into internal energy simply by having a demon beside him.

So, no matter how potent the elixir, it was inferior to simply having one demon by his side.

But when something good was offered, how could he refuse?

It was human nature to accept something good, even if it wasn’t strictly necessary.

So Cheongun accepted it for now. How much was this worth? How could he give up on it? Even if he couldn’t consume it, he had to take it.

When he returned to the inn where he’d unpacked his belongings, he felt the intense gaze of Jeok Hwaryeon slowly following him in.

“…”

All the way from the arena to the inn, she had been staring at the pill container, gulping repeatedly.

Cheongun subtly lifted the pill container high.

Simultaneously, Hwaryeon’s gaze slid upwards with it.

This time, he turned it to the left.

In response, her gaze also turned to the left.

“Hwaryeon.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know what this is?”

“…? It’s the Heavenly Spirit Elixir.”

That’s right. The masterpiece of medicinal pills, the Heavenly Spirit Elixir.

“Do you want it?”

“…!”

Jeok Hwaryeon glanced up at Cheongun. Her eyes sparkled, as if he could see the illusion of a wagging puppy’s tail.

“Should I give it to you?”

“If you give it to me, I’ll pledge my lifelong loyalty to Sect Leader-nim.”

“Hmm, but the Heavenly Spirit Elixir is incredibly expensive, isn’t it? From how you look right now, you don’t seem that desperate…”

“What should I do first? Just tell me. Should I bark?”

“You’d bark if I told you to?”

“Woof woof! Whine, whimpers!”

“……”

She actually did it. Honestly, he was a little surprised.

What’s more, her dog sounds were quite convincing. And rather cute.

“Hwaryeon.”

“Yes.”

“You want this so badly?”

“Why? Is that not enough? Should I even try walking on all fours like a dog?”

“Oh, that would be interesting too.”

“…No, shouldn’t the Sect Leader stop something like that?”

“Why would I? It’s entertaining to watch.”

Jeok Hwaryeon clicked her tongue.

“So, seriously, should I do it?”

“Why are you so proactive? Now that I see it, isn’t this what *you* want to do? It seems you’ve always been interested in imitating dogs.”

“What kind of dog-like… *Sigh*, alright. It’s the word of the Sect Leader-nim, who is like the heavens, so I suppose I must obey.”

Jeok Hwaryeon placed both hands on the floor, knelt, and prostrated herself, looking up at Cheongun with stray hairs half-covering her face.

Cheongun felt a strange emotion at the sight.

Was this the power of the Black Forest Sect Leader… no, the Heavenly Spirit Elixir?

“Is that enough?”

Hwaryeon’s eyes sparkled. It was clear she was expecting payment for the performance she had just put on.

Cheongun opened the container and took out a spherical medicinal pill with a jade-like glow.

Hwaryeon’s eyes fixated precisely on the pill.

Cheongun moved the pill, held between his fingers, back and forth.

Hwaryeon’s gaze stuck to the pill like a magnet, darting around.

As he drew a circle, Hwaryeon’s head rotated in a full circle.

And a moment later.

“Hwaryeon, catch it!”

Cheongun flicked the medicinal pill.

At the same instant, Hwaryeon vigorously pushed off with both legs and leaped into the air.

She stretched her body out as if pouncing on prey, snatching the medicinal pill from mid-air.

—Gulp!

Then, with a triumphant grin, she smiled widely.

Simultaneously, a faint blue haze began to slowly rise around her body.

It was a sign that the Heavenly Spirit Elixir’s internal energy had fully filled her narrow dantian.

“Huu…”

Jeok Hwaryeon casually turned around and removed her outer robe.

With her shoulders and waist completely exposed, she sat cross-legged on the floor, clad only in a thin, single-layered garment.

To fully absorb the elixir, one must perform qi circulation exercises. Since waste and sweat would undoubtedly stream from her entire body, removing her outer robe could be considered a wise choice.

“Sect Leader, please stand guard for me.”

Hwaryeon closed her eyes immediately after saying that.

A martial artist’s most defenseless moment is when they perform qi circulation exercises, mobilizing all their senses as she was doing now.

That’s because if a martial artist in that state is disturbed, their qi and blood will flow backward, causing qi deviation and leading to their demise.

Therefore, the act of asking someone to stand guard during qi circulation is not merely a request, but a symbolic token of trust.

It was like the final stage of trust a martial artist could show: “I can entrust even my life to you.”

In a way, it could be seen as Hwaryeon’s response to Cheongun’s gift.

****

Cheongun spent a few days in Sichuan Province.

This was partly because it took Hwaryeon a considerable amount of time to fully absorb the Heavenly Spirit Elixir, and partly because he was busy ransacking the Tang Sect’s treasury for items needed to manufacture Gu poison and sending them to the Black Forest Sect’s main headquarters.

Meanwhile, the Tang Sect was in absolute chaos.

They, too, had witnessed the tournament with their own eyes. Thus, the fact that Cheongun had absorbed the Tang Sect’s secret poisons and converted them into internal energy was nothing short of a complete shock.

Not only that. The spectators who watched the tournament, the participating martial artists, and even the officials.

Every single one of them had Cheongun’s name deeply etched into their minds.

This was due to the extraordinary facts that Cheongun was merely a boy who hadn’t even passed his coming-of-age ceremony, and that his weapon was a fishing rod.

Countless people came and went in Sichuan Province. Naturally, all of them exchanged stories about this Tang branch tournament, and Cheongun’s name was also on everyone’s lips.

Among them, Emei Sect’s sect leader, Abbess Miwol Seo Jeongah, gave an evaluation of Cheongun.

‘While his somewhat crazed words and actions are akin to a rogue, his martial talent is truly a realm that can be called peerless under heaven.’

Her words spread and were modified, eventually being condensed into a short phrase:

‘Crazy bastard. But incredibly strong.’

Furthermore, rumors about his fishing rod, which could be considered Cheongun’s symbol, and rumors that he was the Sword Sovereign’s disciple, and simultaneously the leader of a demonic sect, spread far and wide.

As these rumors circulated repeatedly among those who loved to gossip and those who had directly encountered Cheongun, a nickname emerged:

Crazy bastard. But heaven-sent talent. Sword Sovereign’s disciple, yet doesn’t use a sword.

Thus, Mad Heaven No Sword!

Of course, Cheongun’s intentions were not consulted.

However, a nickname is something bestowed by others, not created by oneself.

Starting from Sichuan Province, rumors of a rising new expert spread, and along with them, Cheongun’s nickname became widely known.

Cheongun didn’t mind.

Wasn’t it somewhat cool? Crazy, with heaven-sent talent, and doesn’t use a sword?

Of course, it was a nickname that would make his master, Jin Mooseong, faint in shock, but Cheongun rather liked it.

So he returned to the Black Forest Sect’s main headquarters and spent his time there.

And then.

“Sect Leader.”

Jin Cheonwoo strode forward.

Unlike usual, he had grown a full beard. Cheongun saw him and clicked his tongue.

“Filthy fellow.”

“Huh?”

“Walking around looking so messy, no wonder your nickname is ‘Black Swordsman.’ How terrible must your reputation be to have ‘Black Man’ as a nickname?”

“Damn it! It’s not ‘Black Man,’ it’s ‘Black Killing Sword’!”

“That or that.”

“They’re completely different!”

Jin Cheonwoo flared in anger, then cleared his throat and continued his report.

“Anyway, Sect Leader. I have news to deliver.”

“What is it?”

“A letter personally delivered by the Haomun Sect Leader.”

Cheongun, having taken the letter, tilted his head.

“Just the core. Summarize it briefly.”

“The Haomun Sect Leader wishes to see the Sect Leader in person.”

“So, why?”

Jin Cheonwoo hesitated, then finally replied.

“They’re asking if you’re interested in joining their ranks.”

At those words, Cheongun asked.

“The Haomun Sect Leader came in person?”

“Yes. She was a woman.”

“…A woman? Are you sure?”

“…? I’m certain.”

Hearing the answer, Cheongun pondered for a moment, then suddenly stood up, walked past Jin Cheonwoo, and headed out the door.

“I’ll be back.”

“…”