ISS-Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Honestly speaking.

I did have thoughts that perhaps elixirs or martial arts manuals might come out as rewards. The rewards that had appeared so far were all related to martial arts or the sect.

But what is this?

“Haejuseo, Talent Elixir, and Characteristic Unlock?”

Frowning at the unfamiliar names, I read each description one by one. And shortly after.

“……This is incredible.”

I couldn’t help but be amazed.

Superior Grade Haejuseo

When used, removes all curses and heavenly afflictions up to superior grade. This applies to congenital curses and heavenly afflictions as well, and shows slight mitigation effects even on curses above extreme superior grade.

Superior Grade Talent Elixir

When consumed, permanently ‘considerably’ increases the talent desired by the consumer. Does not affect talent grades of extreme superior or higher.

Inherent Characteristic Unlock

Unlocks the inherent characteristics of sect members. Unlocked inherent characteristics will ‘bloom’ through certain opportunities, and until they ‘bloom,’ they remain as originally possessed dispositions.

Even with the same disposition, they can bloom into different characteristics depending on accumulated karma and opportunity.

Caution. Characteristics can be poison or medicine. Be cautious with unlocking.

“Mmm…….”

First, the Superior Grade Haejuseo.

If I understand correctly, this must be an item that removes curses. However, the real issue isn’t the curses but something else. That is.

“Heavenly affliction removal…….”

What is a heavenly affliction?

Simply put, it refers to the disabilities individuals possess. Being born unable to see, or born without one arm, or living without being able to see light, and so on.

But with just this Haejuseo, most heavenly afflictions can be nullified. It can bring light to the blind and sound to the deaf.

It’s an incredible treasure. A treasure with effects I’ve never heard of or seen before. However.

Does that mean the others are inferior to it?

“That’s not it either.”

I focused my attention on the Talent Elixir and narrowed my eyes.

“It increases talent……?”

Fundamentally, talent isn’t something that can be artificially raised or lowered.

Internal energy can be accumulated over a longer period or by consuming elixirs, and bones and muscles can be reforged through Bone Transformation or great methods, but the enlightenment itself that comprehends martial arts cannot be changed by anyone. However.

If there’s an elixir that increases such talent?

“……A bloodbath would occur the moment it appears in the kangho.”

Even if there are some limits, superior grade talent is by no means low. It’s obvious that a bloodbath would occur the moment it appears in the kangho.

I slowly sighed and rubbed my forehead. Anyway, I’ve confirmed up to the second one, so only the last one remains.

Inherent Characteristic Unlock

“Characteristic unlock.”

After reading the description, I slowly frowned. I understand roughly what it is, but there was one part I didn’t understand.

“It can be poison?”

These options are given as ‘rewards’ for completing my commission. Ultimately, they should benefit me, not harm me. However.

“Yet it specifically says it can be poison.”

Unlike the other two rewards that only have ‘benefits,’ this reward is one that ‘could be beneficial or harmful.’ What that means is just one thing.

High risk, high value.

With the three options before me, I slowly closed my eyes. Soon, hypotheses rapidly flashed through my mind.

Thinking logically, I should naturally choose the Talent Elixir. The Haejuseo has no immediate use, and the Talent Elixir is an item that definitely raises talent.

I could use it myself or even use it on Seohwa. Perhaps I could use it on other disciples who will join. Since it’s an item with no risk, its applications are infinite.

However.

Is that really the case?

After pondering briefly, I nodded and reached out my hand. And.

Shortly after.

“Good.”

[You have selected a reward.]

[From now on, the characteristics of disciples will be unlocked.]

Confirming the golden light visible only to me swirling around Righteous Heaven Manor.

“Let’s give it a try. Come on.”

I let out a snicker.

The next day.

Looking at Seohwa who was strangely full of motivation, I quietly spoke.

“Let’s start full-scale training from today.”

“Yes! But Munjunim.”

“What is it?”

“Can I really reach a level where I can spar with a Baekgeommun disciple in just one month?”

At Seohwa’s question sparkling with intelligence, I shook my head with a snicker.

“Normally it would be difficult.”

“What?”

“We’ll match the level, but the disciples coming from Baekgeommun will be those who have learned martial arts for several years.”

No matter how talented one is, this is somewhat a separate matter. Isn’t it natural?

Those who have just learned martial arts cannot accumulate internal energy in their bodies. Even if they’re very talented and immediately feel the inner energy, the amount accumulated over a month would be meager.

Of course, there’s the method of feeding them elixirs. However, digesting elixirs as one’s own also comes after becoming somewhat familiar with the True Energy Guidance Method. Ultimately, in normal cases, it’s difficult for someone who trained for one month to establish proper sparring with someone who trained for several years.

However, that’s only in normal cases.

“You can do it.”

“……Really?”

“Yes. Because you have the Extreme Yin Body.”

The Extreme Yin Body is a constitution that naturally accumulates internal energy in the body.

Although that internal energy is biased toward yin energy, the fact that it accumulates internal energy itself isn’t much different. The internal energy accumulated that way becomes Seohwa’s and will be dormant in various blood passages, and once the dantian is created, it will immediately nest in the dantian.

Ultimately, speaking of internal energy itself, there’s a high probability that Seohwa won’t be inferior to Baekgeommun disciples. At least I was judging it that way.

“What I’ll teach you this month is one sword technique, one mental cultivation method, and one footwork technique.”

“Three? Can I learn them all?”

“It’ll be fine. What I’ll teach is only basic techniques. They won’t be difficult to learn.”

“Ah……. Then will we learn sword technique today?”

“No.”

“What? Then footwork? Or mental cultivation?”

I showed a mischievous smile toward Seohwa who looked at me with an expectant expression.

“None of the three.”

Seohwa, who blinked at my answer, maintained silence before carefully opening her mouth.

“Then, what will we learn today? Ah, is it that after all? In martial arts novels, when you enter a sect, they tell you about the sect’s history and such…….”

“What history would a newly established sect have? If anything, you’re a witness to history.”

“Then…….”

“Horse stance.”

Horse stance, commonly called the horse stance, is nothing less than the best basic technique for building stamina.

Martial arts are performed with the body. Naturally, stamina is needed. Therefore.

To learn martial arts, shouldn’t stamina be built first?

“The goal is half a shichen. Begin.”

“What?”

“Begin!”

“B-Begin!”

Watching Seohwa, who was startled by the thunderous voice and hurriedly took the horse stance, I grinned and stroked the sword sheath of Righteous Heaven Sword. Then, immediately, a semi-transparent window appeared before me.

[Opening Uicheonmun disciple Seohwa’s status window.]

Name: Seohwa

Age: 17 years old

The first disciple to enter after Uicheonmun was established.

Her enlightenment is very excellent due to her superior grade Extreme Yin Body.

Currently in a state of reduced stamina due to lack of activity for some time.

Dispositions that haven’t bloomed into characteristics – Diligence, Adversity, Responsibility

Yesterday, I ultimately chose Inherent Characteristic Unlock among the three rewards.

The reason was simple. Characteristic Unlock was the only one among the three rewards without a ‘grade’ attached.

‘If it’s divided into superior, middle, or lower grades, that ultimately means there are multiple items.’

If there are multiple items, that likely means there are multiple opportunities to obtain them. In contrast, Inherent Characteristics is a situation where if I miss it now, there’s no guarantee when they can bloom again.

Judging that way, I chose Inherent Characteristics, and the result is this.

I can now check Seohwa’s status window.

‘Diligence, Adversity, and Responsibility.’

I let out a groan while checking Seohwa’s dispositions. Each one matches Seohwa’s situation.

Seohwa’s diligence goes without saying, and her sense of responsibility has already been proven. Adversity… I’m not sure if this can be called a disposition, but it fits Seohwa’s circumstances.

However, the important thing isn’t that.

‘I need to somehow make these dispositions ‘bloom’ into characteristics.’

I don’t know how to do it. But haven’t sufficient clues already been revealed?

What’s needed is an opportunity. A single spark to evolve the dispositions Seohwa possesses into characteristics.

“M-Munjunim.”

“What is it?”

“How long do I have to do this?”

“Half a shichen.”

“What……?”

“You have to do it for half a shichen.”

I wore a small smile watching Seohwa’s face turn tearful.

I’ve got a sense of it to some degree. What remains is just practice.

“Your hands are dropping. Posture straight.”

“S-Straight!”

Well then, shall we finish stamina training first?

A night when the moonlight shines bluish.

Creeeak!

Seohwa, who carefully opened the door of the separate quarters and came out, headed to the training ground and plopped down looking up at the sky.

“It’s hard…….”

Exactly two weeks since sending the letter to Baekgeommun.

During that time, Baek Riyun made Seohwa do horse stance. The justification was that basic stamina needed to be trained.

Seohwa had no choice but to accept that justification. Because of long indoor living, even Seohwa herself could see that her basic stamina was at a terrible level.

Doing horse stance to build stamina. Seohwa could understand that sufficiently. Even if it was hard, it wasn’t something Seohwa’s patience couldn’t endure. However, what truly shook Seohwa’s heart was just one thing.

She was ‘only’ doing horse stance.

“……Only two weeks are left now.”

In normal cases, it’s impossible to defeat a martial artist who has learned martial arts for years after only learning for a month. Seohwa knew that too. However, even so, shouldn’t she at least show a decent performance?

Baek Riyun, the sect master, cannot participate in the exchange tournament. Then the only disciple remaining in Uicheonmun is Seohwa herself. Yet despite that, Baek Riyun is only making Seohwa do horse stance.

That was stirring up Seohwa’s anxiety.

“Why won’t he teach me……?”

Perhaps.

Not only is her stamina insufficient, but her talent doesn’t meet Baek Riyun’s standards. Because she ultimately entered Uicheonmun through Baek Riyun’s goodwill—in other words, she’s someone whose qualifications weren’t verified.

If he expected talent and gave her a sword, but upon opening it up, she had no talent whatsoever, and so Baek Riyun gave up on her?

“……Let’s not think negatively.”

From the beginning, Baek Riyun had declared that he would only make her do horse stance until her stamina reached a certain level.

No matter how lacking her talent is, Baek Riyun isn’t the type to easily give up on people. If he were, he wouldn’t have saved her in the first place.

Seohwa, who slapped both her cheeks with both hands at the negative thoughts that kept rising, slowly entered the separate quarters and moved toward the bedroom. And just as she was about to open the bedroom door, a memory suddenly surfaced.

“I forgot to organize the silk…….”

Remembering that she hadn’t organized the leftover silk scraps after making clothes, Seohwa turned and headed to the workroom. And.

Soon, when Seohwa arrived at the workroom.

Seohwa’s complexion turned deathly pale.

“The silk… decreased?”

Although it was scattered and hard to distinguish at a glance, she could tell. Seohwa, who possesses skilled-level sewing ability, knew exactly how much fabric she had used.

About half a bolt had disappeared from the one bolt of silk she had taken out. What that meant was one thing.

The silk had been stolen. And without Seohwa knowing.

“M-Munjunim……!”

Seohwa, who urgently regained her senses, ran quickly toward the main quarters. Her heart pounding without stopping for even a moment.

“It’s my fault. It’s my fault……!”

Since the silk was in the separate quarters, she, who was in the separate quarters, should have managed it. No matter how much training she was doing, how could she not know that much silk was being stolen right in the next room?

Biting her lip while blaming herself, Seohwa steeled herself. Because even if she would be punished, she had to inform Baek Riyun of this fact first.

‘There’s a light……!’

Seeing the light faintly flowing from the main quarters, Seohwa braced herself for interrogation and headed to Baek Riyun’s bedroom. And.

“Mun……!”

Having come in front of the bedroom, Seohwa, who was about to shout while carefully looking at the half-open door, saw the scene inside and closed her mouth. Because.

“……Ugh, this is difficult.”

“I need to finish this before the horse stance training ends.”

Baek Riyun, holding a needle, was glaring at the fabric that was halfway to becoming clothes, his hands covered in wounds from needle pricks.