Chapter 13

Anmok

"Mine? This Spirit Pill?"

"Yes. Each division of the Divine Sword Corps is a group comparable to the core forces of the Nine Sects. The materials provided along with the budget include Spirit Herbs and Spirit Pills. There aren't many, but... Of course, there are no grand things like Azure Jade or Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. I heard that Shaolin's Great Revitalizing Pill is included, but that's not within my jurisdiction."

Ma Jin smiled.

"You look like you want to take me as your master. Unfortunately, the laws of the Imperial Phoenix City prohibit master-disciple relationships among its own martial artists, out of concern that they might privately influence missions."

"I am grateful, but I didn't think that far."

"Understood."

"Should I perform the bow of gratitude? Can I bow here?"

"Do it if you're not afraid of the consequences of the strict laws."

He took the Spirit Pill that Ma Jin had tossed to him with a smirk.

Jeong Yeonshin looked down at the white pill.

He had never seen such a thing at the Jeong Family Manor, let alone had the chance to observe it.

Not because the head of the family hated him, but because a small martial arts family like his would never have something like a Spirit Pill.

"Your level of internal energy should allow you to benefit greatly from this. Have you ever taken a Spirit Herb before?"

"No."

"Absorbing the energy of the herb into your internal energy isn't something ordinary circulation can achieve. Otherwise, you might just waste the precious effects. I can help you. Let's go."

"Division Leader."

"Hmm?"

"Why are you being so kind to me?"

It was a question that a person tainted by the secular world would not have asked.

It was a question that only a boy with nowhere to go could pose.

The scar on Ma Jin's face twitched pleasantly.

"I'm not treating you specially. Everyone in the Divine Sword Corps is the same. After you've experienced life-and-death missions a few times, you'll understand."

He patted the boy's shoulder and walked past.

Jeong Yeonshin, who had been staring at his back, slowly followed.

Hyeon Wonchang, who was looking at him with envy, was nudged by Jeong Yeonshin.

* * *

There was a reaction. Not just the high-level experts of the two martial arts groups were present at the sparring match; the news spread quickly.

"Series Sword Maiden! They say a great hidden dragon has joined your side?"

"Hidden dragon?"

"Why? The news is out. They say a young swordsman in white sparred with the Heaven's Blade Corps. Isn't Gyu Ik Hwan of the Heaven's Blade Corps a skilled swordsman? He certainly wouldn't have been able to match the Blue Rank of the Imperial Phoenix City."

"No. I don't know about a hidden dragon, but he is indeed a monster. It's hard to describe... The anticipation is overshadowed by a sense of unease."

"Unease?"

Series Sword Maiden Baek Milyeo spoke again to the martial artist from another group.

"Yes. He is sincere and not arrogant. Sometimes he says the right thing without hesitation, which can be annoying, but he is basically respectful. However..."

"However?"

"He is incredibly adept at dissecting martial arts. Cheong Myeong, isn't that right?"

The man with the blue eyes and hood next to her nodded with a light smile.

"Unseen talent."

"Even when I use Cunjing (inch force) in sparring with others, he somehow stands beside me and performs the same technique in a different stance. Even though it's quite annoying, when I look back, his technique is much more precise. He has a natural talent for reinterpreting techniques."

"Before that, he has to learn them first."

Cheong Myeong interjected lightly.

"True. I think if he hadn't joined the Imperial Phoenix City, he would have surely died somewhere."

"There's no way a martial arts sect would keep such a person alive."

Baek Milyeo and Cheong Myeong were now in conversation. The martial artist who had been pushed to the background frowned.

"What are you talking about? Are you teasing me? I don't understand."

"Neither do I."

Baek Milyeo muttered and gestured to Cheong Myeong to deal with this guy.

In the hall of the Divine Sword Corps, the Blue Rank experts, including Cheong Myeong and Baek Milyeo, naturally surrounded the area.

There were martial artists hidden on the roof, and others who were calmly conversing with visitors but never moved from their positions.

Inside the hall, which was the center of the surveillance network, were Jeong Yeonshin and Ma Jin.

Ma Jin, who had placed his hand on the boy's back in a cross-legged position, spoke.

"I don't know how much of the pill's effects you can absorb. Even if it seems to fall short of expectations, don't act rashly. You can always build up your internal energy, but if your Dantian or meridians are damaged, it will take a long time to recover. If you don't want to remain stagnant, remember this."

"Yes, Division Leader."

The sincerity shown by the entire Divine Sword Corps towards the junior was truly immense.

To Jeong Yeonshin, it seemed almost excessive. He wondered if this was what a sect was like.

A rarely felt emotion tickled his mind.

"Listen. It's truly remarkable that you've already formed the Grand Circulation. You don't need to circulate energy through the lower body meridians. Think of it as connecting the major upper body meridians by linking the ends of the Conception and Governor Vessels. The essence of taking a Spirit Pill is to place the energy of the pill into the flow of your internal energy and continuously circulate it until it is fully absorbed. When the circulation becomes unstable, I will intervene, so don't be alarmed and just go with it."

"Yes."

Jeong Yeonshin put the Spirit Pill in his mouth. It didn't taste like much.

It is said that the best Spirit Pills, like the Shaolin Great Revitalizing Pill, dissolve on the tongue the moment they are eaten, but this one needed to be chewed and swallowed.

Soon, energy began to rise from the pill inside his body.

The circulation of energy was over in the time it took to drink two cups of tea.

Ma Jin didn't even have a chance to help. He had a look of resignation on his face.

"Congratulations. You've absorbed it completely. All of the energy."

"Yes. The increased internal energy is incredibly robust. It's nothing like what I had before."

Jeong Yeonshin, who had never taken a Spirit Herb or Spirit Pill before, marveled as he observed the energy inside his body. It was exactly as he had been told.

His internal energy, which had been extremely weak, was even less than what the Imperial Phoenix City's Spirit Pills could provide.

'You've fought well with such weak internal energy. Now you finally have internal energy befitting the White Rank.'

Ma Jin said, his face now more relaxed.

"I need to leave. Both the Division Leader and the seniors. This is too much."

"Is it burdensome?"

The scar on Ma Jin's face, which ran down to his chin, twitched. Now it was a familiar, friendly smile.

"It shouldn't be. After you've exchanged lives a few times in the martial world, it will become natural. The higher your martial arts, the better."

"While establishing your reputation, right?"

As long as you survive, you can repay the favor, big or small. He said this to himself as he saw Ma Jin nod.

"I want to go out into the martial world."

* * *

He performed the bow of gratitude over a dozen times in response to the seniors' congratulations. He was so formal that he was almost exhausted.

'Cheong Myeong and Baek Milyeo seniors don't seem like martial artists. They touch shoulders and heads without hesitation.'

Excessive physical contact among martial artists is often uncomfortable.

In the martial world, where favors and grudges are intertwined, who knows if someone might use a powerful technique like Neijia Zhong Shoufa to shake up your insides.

While he had gained the seniors' favor through the sparring match with the Heaven's Blade Corps, Jeong Yeonshin himself had yet to fully integrate into the Divine Sword Corps.

The power he had gained from the Spirit Pill was even stronger, but his mind was exhausted.

When he returned to his quarters, it was different.

"Are you going to practice again?"

Hyeon Wonchang asked with a look of exasperation. Jeong Yeonshin nodded and left the room.

'The Grand Training Hall is too burdensome now.'

The Divine Sword Corps had two types of training halls.

The first was the Grand Training Hall, used for group training and to receive announcements about missions and laws.

The second was the Small Training Hall, where the Divine Sword Corps' experts practiced secret techniques other than the Ma Guang Jue.

He passed by the Grand Training Hall. A large building without a roof came into view.

It felt like a maze built on the ground. The energy waves emanating from inside were already extraordinary.

It wasn't just Jeong Yeonshin who was practicing.

For someone whose internal energy had reached a certain level, it wasn't difficult to discern the energy waves of others.

He passed by rooms where people were present, looking for an empty one.

Even if he couldn't feel the energy, he avoided places where a curtain of plain cloth, which served as a door, was hung, just in case.

When he found an empty training room, a voice came.

- Junior!

It wasn't a loud voice but a telepathic one, a courtesy in the Small Training Hall.

They were careful not to disturb anyone who might be having a moment of enlightenment.

He turned to see Series Sword Maiden Baek Milyeo standing there, emitting waves of energy from her hands.

She was a senior who was hard to approach, having cultivated a domineering martial art and exuding a stern aura.

He cautiously approached at her gesture.

- Why are you doing this?

His telepathic communication, which he had learned along with the Ma Guang Jue, was still a bit clumsy.

The voice should have been firm and clear, but to Jeong Yeonshin, it still sounded like a gentle breeze.

It was due to his insufficient level of internal energy, also known as Huohou.

Fortunately, Baek Milyeo didn't seem to mind.

- I need a sparring partner. Are you willing to take a move?

- Did you have an insight? Congratulations.

- It's just a small clue. Don't tell me you're going to say you can't spar after showing such a match?

- The noise will be loud. Is it okay?

- Let's go outside.

The two left the Small Training Hall. They walked in silence until they were near the Grand Training Hall, where Baek Milyeo spoke.

"If you had a training plan, I'm sorry. I was in a hurry. The insight came suddenly."

"Actually, this might be better. Solo training can be done anytime, but getting to see Series Sword Maiden's techniques is a rare opportunity."

"Why are you talking about my techniques? My specialty is swordsmanship."

"You were focusing on your hands while sheathing your sword, weren't you? If you were practicing drawing the sword, it would be different. But as Series Sword Maiden, you can unleash fast sword techniques no matter where your hands are."

Baek Milyeo smiled softly at his calm response. It was a smile that suited her cold eyes.

"Baek Senior is enough."

By the time they finished talking, they had arrived at the Grand Training Hall.

Some people who enjoyed practicing in open spaces and a few who were practicing the Ma Guang Jue nodded at them.

"Let's start by sparring."

"I'll let you have the first move."

Since coming to the Imperial Phoenix City, he had heard this offer of letting him have the first move countless times.

Baek Milyeo smiled and gestured.

She was empty-handed, using both hands, while Jeong Yeonshin drew his sword without hesitation.

And he was astonishingly fast, his wrist caught in an instant.

She had lunged in and grabbed it in one swift motion.

It was an incredibly swift Golden Claw technique. A Blue Rank martial artist was this strong even without being complacent.

He could barely see her hand coming.

'Not yet. Ma Guang Jue.'

His left hand remained.

He tried to strike with a palm following the route of the energy, but the distance was too close to apply force. Instead, his body was drawn closer.

At that moment,

The back of Baek Milyeo's hand, which was about an inch away, struck his abdomen.

"Ah!"

A powerful strike, unbelievable given the distance.

His body was pushed back, but his wrist remained caught.

Jeong Yeonshin's Ma Guang Jue automatically took over, and in an instant, he struck her knee with the energy of the Shijiqing technique.

Baek Milyeo, massaging her arm that had been pushed back, had a look of surprise and satisfaction.

"You used the energy of the strike dynamically. I felt it, and indeed, your Cunjing technique has become more efficient. You might be able to apply more force."

She said, sounding pleased.

"Have you been practicing Cunjing?"

"An expert in the Ma Guang Jue can't just use swords. Cunjing is very useful in close combat. If the opponent is protected by energy, you can start by breaking their defensive energy."

Jeong Yeonshin spoke cautiously.

"Can I make a suggestion, Senior? I've always had a sensitive energy sense. I noticed something about your energy circulation."

"Can you see the movement of energy? Surely not, even for you."

"I only observe the energy waves that spread outward with the strike. How could I see the energy that remains inside the body?"

"That alone is unbelievable. Such a sense of energy... Only a purple-ranked expert might possess it."

She was referring to the hierarchy of the Imperial Phoenix City, which progresses from white to purple.

Baek Milyeo, who had widened her eyes slightly, soon calmed her gaze and continued.

"But you... We've felt it too. Yes, I'll listen gratefully, Junior."

She smiled playfully at the end.

Jeong Yeonshin, looking puzzled, spoke.

"I've been learning strikes from the Division Leader recently, but Senior Baek's palm technique seems more suitable for Neijing (internal force). The way you circulate energy seems to match Neijia Zhong Shoufa."

"Hmm?"

"Using the same energy for Neijing would be much more... Ah, have you already reached that level in Neijia Zhong Shoufa?"

"What?"

Baek Milyeo's eyes widened slightly.