New Realm
", you say?"
Rather than feeling joy, confusion ca first.
'Isn't it too early?'
In the current martial world, just being accepted into the Heavenly Martial Hall was enough to make one famous.
From that mont on, no one regarded you as just another rising star of the world.
Your martial arts level would be comparable to the elites of most sects, so it was only natural.
However, being promoted to two stripes had a different aning.
Promotions weren't based on martial skill alone, but on ritorious accomplishnts in assigned tasks.
Unlike upon admission, there was no test for promotion.
They judged wholly by what had been achieved.
It was said countless warriors would spend five years in the Heavenly Martial Hall without a single promotion.
No matter how powerful your martial prowess, without appropriate achievents, you remained with just one stripe.
That was why the honor of bearing two gold stripes weighed so differently.
It was the fruit of labor devoted to supporting the common people.
To be called a hero was not undeserved.
'But...'
Jeong-un recalled the two-striped warriors he had seen in the Heavenly Martial Hall so far.
He had observed several of them, including Lee Si-geon and Baek Sang, feeling their ki firsthand.
Regardless of their personality or temperant, even just in martial prowess, the difference between one-stripe and two-stripe warriors had been clear.
Thus, despite the publicly stated standards, Jeong-un had thought martial achievent was also taken firmly into account.
'For to be considered their equal?'
He had vaguely thought that soday he'd naturally stack up a few more stripes.
But he hadn't expected it to co so soon.
Jo Yoo-hyeon looked at Jeong-un's face and smiled as he spoke.
"You've accomplished quite a lot so far. On your first mission, you slaughtered all the Evil Faction bastards who kidnapped the children; at Nokmun Mountain, you saved three companions and survived alone within; and in Dangyang County, you tracked down and annihilated a hidden cult. Especially..."
Jo Yoo-hyeon's tone fell a little.
"The Blood Cult was unprecedented. There have been those who drained essence and stole vitality before, but this is the first ti they've ford a true organization with a structured system. Honestly, this isn't welco news for us."
"......"
Jeong-un marveled inwardly at the speed of the Heavenly Martial Hall's reporting system.
After making his report to Yeom Baek, he had t with Zhuge Cheon-woo almost imdiately.
For Jo Yoo-hyeon, who had been waiting for him at the door, to know all the details so quickly—it was proof of how systematic the Heavenly Martial Hall really was.
'But still, there's no ntion of the Demonic Cult.'
In Jeong-un's view, the resurfacing of the remnants of the Demonic Cult—thought to have vanished—seed a far graver problem.
They were the descendants of the rebel group who once defied and threatened the royal family.
It would hardly be strange if an extermination order was issued imdiately.
'Perhaps they're worried about causing panic.'
The tis were already turbulent. News that the wicked rebels had returned would definitely create a huge uproar.
After finishing his thoughts, Jeong-un slowly parted his lips.
"For ..."
"...?"
"There's no particular significance in such distinctions. As long as they're all eliminated, that's all that matters."
"No significance...?"
Jeong-un nodded.
"No matter what they call themselves, to they're all the sa scum. If they harm the common people, they're targets that must be exterminated."
"......"
Jo Yoo-hyeon gazed quietly at Jeong-un.
'He truly doesn't care about his own achievents.'
So the rumors were true. He even seed almost detached.
Most people cared at least a little about how their accomplishnts were appraised.
So even went so far as to exaggerate the scale in their final reports.
To raise their perceived rit, they'd repeatedly emphasize that those they'd killed weren't re Evil Faction thugs.
'Plus...'
This cult had hidden itself amongst the major sects of the martial world. One could only imagine how cunning and cruel they must have been.
Any other martial artist would have boasted at length about how savage their enemies were, even though it wouldn't be a flattering story.
Yet the boy before him remained utterly composed.
Even though he had just been promoted to two stripes.
Most would consider it a great clan honor.
'His character is different. He truly has the temperant of a great hero.'
While Jo Yoo-hyeon was silently admiring him, Jeong-un was lost in entirely different thoughts.
'I've such a long way to go.'
Receiving rewards for great achievents?
For Jeong-un, it was only the stinging mory of a crushing defeat that remained most vivid.
'... That guy.'
He had realized it—there were people in the Central Plains living in the sa land, yet dwelling in an entirely different world.
That one who used techniques beyond the boundaries of spells and martial arts had proven it.
'Demonic Cult or not—'
He didn't care what that man called himself.
What mattered was that he was soone who had to be eliminated—and that Jeong-un was still lacking.
His first defeat had been bitter, but it was also what awakened him to his own competitive spirit.
Thus, the only way forward was to keep forging ahead.
"Well, that's all for today. It was a pleasure eting you, warrior. I wish you success."
Jo Yoo-hyeon bowed deeply, and Jeong-un clasped his fists in greeting in return.
Just as he was about to turn away—
"Ah, from here on, a servant from Blue Scale Hall will guide you to your new quarters."
"New quarters?"
Jo Yoo-hyeon continued,
"Didn't you know? Starting from two stripes, each gets a single room. The second floor of Blue Scale Hall, to be exact."
"... Ah!"
A sharp exclamation escaped Jeong-un's lips.
"...?"
Jo Yoo-hyeon eyes widened.
The boy who had remained so composed while discussing his reward now bead with a clear smile.
"I'd best get going, then."
He then vanished with such speed it was nearly like using a lightness skill.
Jo Yoo-hyeon watched him disappear in a daze and murmured,
"Was that the best news of all...?"
* * *
For a while, Jeong-un devoted himself to training in his new quarters.
When he arrived, the servants had already moved and arranged his belongings in his new room.
Baek Il-gang, who had shared his previous room, was out on a mission.
Jeong-un's vacant spot would be filled by another one-stripe warrior.
When soone gained a private room by promotion, the remaining ones would rge and share—the system seed intentional.
'Even though there must be free rooms, it's done on purpose.'
In this respect, it felt almost like the military.
There was a clear hierarchy and treatnt based on promotion.
After eting Zhuge Cheon-woo, Jeong-un saw things in a different light.
To him, it almost seed like they were encouraging rit to earn better treatnt.
'It is certainly convenient.'
Right then, Jeong-un was sitting cross-legged atop his bed.
For a few days after moving, he'd passed the ti this way.
Being alone made internal training and ditation far easier.
He spent ti slowly and ticulously observing his own body.
He carefully examined the unfamiliar internal energy and One Illumination Movent Technique's true ki filling his lower dantian, as well as all the twelve main ridians and various acupuncture points running through him.
This deep ditation was possible only because he felt utterly secure.
Even when resting and replenishing at the Huayeon Gate, he hadn't gone this deep.
'Even though I've been operating One Illumination Movent Technique without rest, still...'
Ever since he began thinking of the internal energy filling his lower dantian as an elixir, he'd been constantly chipping away at it.
He rembered how, after taking a cultivation pill at the Yu household, he'd refined the gained internal energy through the mysteries of One Illumination Movent Technique, turning it into pure energy.
It wasn't without effect—a portion of that energy was gradually transford into One Illumination Movent Technique's true ki.
It was just so slow.
To begin with, One Illumination Movent Technique wasn't a cultivation thod for rapidly accumulating true ki.
It was a martial art that slowly and steadily shaved down natural energy into pure ki for accumulation.
'Do I need another cultivation thod?'
After all, all cultivation thods work by absorbing the energy of nature, circulating it through your ridians, and storing it within the body.
Depending on the phrase and secret of the thod, the path of accumulation would differ.
The One Illumination Movent Technique he used now had been conceptualized when reading the Yu household's cultivation thod secret manual and feeling frustrated.
Being a thod he'd created himself, it fit him perfectly.
But to obtain—or invent—a whole new cultivation thod now?
'No, let's not get hasty.'
Had it not been for the unfamiliar internal energy filling his lower dantian, he never would have even considered such a thing.
Though there were so constraints when using extraordinary slash techniques like Traceless Flash, it had never been enough to get in the way.
Hadn't he even invented a heavy sword move like Jeok Cheong Subdues the Dragon?
It was best to acknowledge the pros and cons of his current state.
Obsessively trying to create sothing new would be unwise.
'Experience will resolve it.'
Realization always cos with ti.
Jeong-un decided to wait for the next mont of insight.
"Hey, Annihilating One-Slash!"
A playful voice ca from outside his door.
There was only one person who'd address Jeong-un that way.
Jeong-un got up, walked over, and opened the door.
"What is it?"
He was greeted by Baek Sang's grinning face.
"They said you haven't left your room to visit the training hall as usual, so I was a little worried."
Then, spotting Jeong-un's left arm, he flinched.
For now, two gold stripes adorned his sleeve.
"Aha, now I suppose I can't even speak to you so casually, can I?"
"Just act as you always have."
"Alright, then."
Strictly speaking, the warriors of the Heavenly Martial Hall left their outside affiliations and support behind.
Within the Hall, order was determined solely by the number of gold stripes.
Now that Jeong-un had two, he was by rights Baek Sang's equal.
"Co, let's walk a bit. A little chat will do us good."
So, Jeong-un set out with Baek Sang.
As they left the main gate of Blue Scale Hall, several gazes fell upon them.
People looked at him with renewed eyes.
There were even those staring outright at Jeong-un's left arm.
"That's Annihilating Sword and the Mount Hua Sword Dragon."
"The Annihilating Sword really did reach two stripes."
"That quickly...!"
"Isn't he the first among this year's intake?"
Jeong-un found their reaction a little extre.
Just one more stripe.
He was surely not the first to accomplish this.
Baek Sang, perhaps reading Jeong-un's expression, chuckled and said,
"You really are fast. It's very rare to reach two stripes in just a few months. I'd say you're the fastest ever."
"I don't see what it matters. It's not as if anything drastically changes imdiately."
After all, isn't the work the sa? That was what Jeong-un thought.
Train inside, accept missions, venture into the martial world.
"There is a difference."
"And what's that?"
"You can now duel against other two stripes."
"... Duel?"
Baek Sang ca to a sudden stop.
"Exactly."
Jeong-un recalled how Baek Sang had often sought him out at the public training hall.
At first, he'd thought maybe Baek Sang intended a duel, but warriors of different ranks were forbidden from dueling, so it never happened.
'Then...?'
Jeong-un asked, looking over at him:
"Do you want to have a duel today?"
"..."
Baek Sang gazed steadily at Jeong-un.
Was he calculating his chances of victory? The silence stretched.
Jeong-un t his gaze.
Even beneath his slightly loose uniform, he could feel the solid aura.
From his very first impression, it was clear Baek Sang had sothing remarkable about him. It had been disappointing that they couldn't duel.
Finally, Baek Sang grinned and said,
"No, on second thought, let's not. I really just wanted to talk today. I've got a mission coming up, so it'd be troubleso to get injured. But it'd be no fun if I went easy either."
"You just got back not long ago, and you're heading right out again?"
"That's what being two stripes ans. There are a lot more solo missions. You'll see soon enough."
Then, glancing sidelong at the gold stripes on Jeong-un's arm, he continued,
"You've just stepped into a new realm. Don't you think there are plenty who've been waiting for a chance to make a na by taking you down? They'll try to claim your honor for themselves."
For Jeong-un, that was welco news.
He always enjoyed dueling powerful opponents.
"I'll look forward to it,"
Jeong-un replied calmly.
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