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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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In Heavenly Bright Moon, there were three ways to increase internal energy.
The first was to level up through training, battles, and spars.
The second was enlightenment through events.
The kind of enlightenment often seen in martial arts stories.
It would increase internal energy and overall stats.
And the last, third method,
Was consuming elixirs.
As you might expect, the easiest way was the first: consistent training.
Enlightenment was event-based, so it wasn’t something you could just achieve whenever you wanted. Elixirs that increased internal energy were hard to find, and most of them were located in secret realms or hidden places.
Even then, you usually had to go through events to learn their location, and there were countless times when you would go through all the trouble of clearing a secret realm only to leave empty-handed.
In other words, it was common knowledge that obtaining elixirs through secret realms was practically impossible unless you knew how and where to obtain them.
And that meant,
If you knew how and where to obtain them, it was entirely possible.
“Haaa…”
Sayoon, who had finished regulating her breathing with a low exhale, slowly opened her eyes. The paleness on her face had given way to a slight blush.
“Huh? Senior Sister Yoohee…?”
“I told you to stay put, what were you doing here…?”
One of the worried girls ruffled Sayoon’s hair. Even I, an outsider, could clearly see the affection in her touch.
“No, I thought that man was in danger… I’m a disciple of the prestigious righteous Hongseong Sect, so…”
Help the weak, uphold justice.
She was just trying to put the teachings of the Hongseong Sect into practice, and she did.
As Sayoon explained with a flushed face, Yoohee, who had been silent for a moment, flicked her forehead.
-Thwack!
“Ow!”
“Even so, that was too dangerous! Who did you even fight?!”
“Gak-jun of the Sly Wolves.”
At my words, Yoohee’s face contorted even more. And another forehead flick.
I understood how she felt.
“The Sly Wolves, you mean that evil…? No, what were you even thinking…”
“Senior Sister said we need to know how to face danger if it means upholding justice and righteousness…”
“The youngest… talking back?!”
-Thwack!
Another forehead flick. Sayoon, clutching her head, pouted, and Yoohee, fuming, started to lecture her, saying she would have a lot to say when they got back.
“She did it to help me, so please don’t be too harsh.”
“Sigh… Anyway, are you alright? Any injuries?”
“Thanks to Miss Sayoon, I’m unharmed. Ah, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Yu Wol. I run an inn and a store in Seomhwa Village.”
“Ah… Oh?!”
Yoohee seemed surprised when I bowed slightly. But only for a moment. She bowed slightly in return.
“Yoohee of the Hongseong Sect.”
The other Hongseong disciple next to her also introduced herself. After the brief exchange of greetings, I took a step back, taking advantage of the awkward silence.
“Well, I did receive Miss Sayoon’s help. I can’t just do nothing in return. If you need anything, I can provide it from my store. I heard the Hongseong Sect doesn’t accept money.”
“Ahaha… yes, that’s right. The teachings of our Hongseong Sect emphasize that with great power comes great responsibility. And I heard from Senior Sister…”
That she would treat all the Hongseong disciples to a grand meal at the inn soon.
As she spoke briefly, I nodded.
“That’s separate from this. It’s almost lunchtime now, why don’t you all come have a meal?”
“Oh… that’s alright…”
-Growl…!
Who was that?
Whose stomach growled?
I looked at the three of them, and one of them, the girl who had just fought so fiercely, blushed.
“Well, that answers that.”
Of course, I didn’t forget to take care of Gak-jun’s body.
There were plenty of people who would report it to the authorities for a few coins.
After watching the guards take away Gak-jun’s body and the groaning thugs, I led the three girls to the inn.
When we arrived, the cook had already arrived. It wasn’t quite lunchtime yet, but he should be able to prepare a meal.
If I let them order whatever they wanted, they would probably just order cheap dishes like noodles or dumplings, so I placed the order myself.
As I ordered several of the more expensive dishes on the menu, Sayoon’s face paled.
“T-those are too expensive… I didn’t help you expecting this. And also…”
“It’s fine, I said.”
I cut her off and sat down at a nearby table.
“More importantly, Miss Sayoon, you said you were the youngest of the Hongseong Sect… You’re quite strong.”
“Oh, that’s…”
Sayoon glanced at Yoohee and then, after she nodded, let out a small sigh.
“Senior Sister has been giving me some extra training lately. That’s why…”
Extra training from Hongryeon?
Why?
And how much had she learned?
But I couldn’t ask any further because Yoohee’s gaze was too intense. After all, it was an internal matter of the Hongseong Sect.
The important thing was that Sayoon had learned more of the Hongseong Divine Art than I had expected, which wasn’t a bad thing for me.
If she became stronger, it would make it easier to prevent the Hongseong Sect’s destruction, the event I had to stop at all costs.
“I see.”
As I nodded, one of the dishes arrived. It was an appetizer made with stir-fried eggplant and other vegetables, seasoned with various spices to enhance the flavor.
The three girls’ eyes sparkled at the sight.
“Well then, please enjoy your meal.”
“Aren’t you going to join us?”
“Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable for you if I was here? Don’t feel pressured, just enjoy your meal. And I’ll let you know in advance, you can each take a box of candy with you when you leave. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Huh? C-candy too? I’m okay…”
“You saved me from a lot of trouble, Miss Sayoon.”
I smiled, and Sayoon hesitated for a moment before forcing a smile.
With that, I returned to my room.
All I had done for Sayoon since I came to this world was send a letter and a silver coin.
But the fact that her martial arts had improved meant that my actions had somehow affected the original story and changed things.
If those changes were positive, I needed to do more.
More, more.
I continued to think as I smoked a cigarette in my room. How much time had passed? When I went outside, the inn was filled with customers.
The Hongseong disciples who had been there earlier seemed to have already left. Their table was now occupied by two burly men who looked like herb gatherers, enjoying their lunch of cheap Hongju and noodles.
“Innkeeper.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“We heard from the Hongseong disciples earlier… that you were attacked…”
One of the inn workers, who also doubled as a guard when trouble arose, spoke worriedly, and I smiled.
“It was nothing, don’t worry about it.”
Yes.
There were more important things to worry about.
A few days had passed since the attack.
I had been on high alert, preparing for a possible second attack, but perhaps thanks to the direct intervention of the Hongseong Sect,
There were no problems. So, around the time when the inn usually became crowded with customers looking for a drink, I finished my preparations and went outside.
I couldn’t rule out the possibility of another attack, but I couldn’t just stay holed up in the inn.
It seemed like no one was following me…
“Sigh…”
Relying on the moonlight, I arrived at Mount Hongseong.
The beautiful sacred mountain where the Hongseong Sect had resided for generations.
The reason I was climbing this sacred mountain, filled with thousand-day plum blossoms, in the middle of the night was simple.
“Hmm…”
Halfway up Mount Hongseong, a bit further west from the Dragon Head Rock, I climbed down a cliff and found a path hidden between the rocks.
I walked down the path, concealed by thick bushes and trees, and soon, a large cave appeared.
Elixirs that helped increase internal energy couldn’t be obtained unless you knew where and how to find them.
Even in Heavenly Bright Moon, a lot of research and events were required to learn their locations.
That’s why obtaining elixirs was so difficult.
But what if you already knew?
Then there was no easier way to become stronger.
That’s why I came to this cave.
I was aiming for one of the secret realms of Mount Hongseong, which only became accessible towards the end of Part 3.
There was an elixir inside, so I had to make sure she cleared it.
I entered the cave and found a magic formation that acted as a trigger.
Normally, you would need to learn how to disable it through events, but I already knew how.
I touched the pressure plate and the decorations, disabling the formation. At the same time, a section of the wall vanished.
A large stone door was revealed inside.
I took a step towards the stone door, emanating a red aura, and the moment I did, the red aura blocked my way.
[Who seeks entry?]
“I am the owner of the only inn and the only store in Seomhwa Village, and someone who wishes for the well-being and prosperity of the Hongseong Sect.”
[We do not know you.]
I knew it.
But I wasn’t actually planning to enter. I just wanted to confirm if this was the place I knew.
So, I stepped back, and the red aura, which had been pulsating with a sense of vigilance, subsided completely.
Alright, now that I had confirmed it, should I head back?
“Tsk…”
I thought to myself as I descended the mountain, relying on the moonlight.
Actually, there was an easier way to prevent the destruction of the Hongseong Sect.
Just send a letter to the Hongseong Sect informing them about the Iron Blood Clan and warning them about a possible attack.
And I had already sent it.
The problem was how they would react to it.
-Crunch… crunch…
I recalled the letter I had sent a few days ago. The content was simply to warn them about a possible attack from the Iron Blood Clan that could lead to the destruction of the Hongseong Sect.
The problem was that the Hongseong Sect received a lot of letters like that.
They were a prestigious righteous sect, a sect with the powerful deterrent known as the Sword Saint.
Although small in number, not only their senior disciple Hongryeon, but also her junior disciple Ryuhyeon and a few others were strong enough to be renowned in the martial world and had deep connections.
Not to mention the reputation of the Hongseong Sect itself.
Naturally, many people wanted to use the Hongseong Sect for their own purposes.
One way to do that was to send letters warning them about potential dangers or asking for their support in dealing with some hidden evil force in the martial world.
Apparently, there had been quite a few people who tried to use the Hongseong Sect in the past by sending letters like that.
So, the chances of them believing the letter I sent were slim.
At the very least, I needed to build some trust before I could influence the entire Hongseong Sect… but considering that even the Martial Alliance couldn’t control the Sword Saint, would that be easy?
“Sigh, what can I do?”
I already knew it wouldn’t be easy. The best I could do was to do my best within my capabilities.
I pondered my next move as I walked back to the inn, and
“Hmm?”
I noticed someone standing in front of the inn. A woman with striking fiery red hair.
It was Hongryeon, the senior disciple of the Hongseong Sect, whom I had met once before.
“Who are you waiting for?”
“Oh? Where have you been?”
“Just taking care of some business. Judging by your question, you must be here to see me. Why are you waiting outside instead of inside?”
“Haha… well, things are a little tight this month.”
She laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of her head, and I shrugged.
Indeed, the Hongseong Sect was always struggling financially.
Even if she waited inside, she would have to order at least a cup of tea, so it seemed like she was trying to save even that expense.
“So? What brings you here?”
“Oh, about that…”
Her awkward expression changed. As she was about to say something with a serious look on her face,
-Whoosh!!
A dagger flew out of the darkness, slicing through the air. Hongryeon dodged it with a slight tilt of her head and frowned at the source.
“Tsk.”
“Hohoho… the senior disciple of the Hongseong Sect having a secret rendezvous with a man in the middle of the night. How interesting.”
A sweet, high-pitched voice.
I couldn’t help but grit my teeth the moment I saw her.
Of course, it wasn’t because of her appearance.
Her slightly upturned eyes, her curvaceous body accentuated by a skin-tight outfit that was practically a pair of tights.
Anyone would be captivated by her long, slender limbs, her narrow waist, and her ample hips.
But there was only one reason why I had to frown at her.
She was Chae-jin, the senior disciple of the Moonjeong Sect, led by the “Sect Master” who was responsible for Sayoon’s forced defeat event.
But why was she here now? Shouldn’t she be busy with her activities at the Martial Alliance?
“Avoiding a confrontation with me…”
As her sweet voice turned icy cold, Hongryeon replied nonchalantly,
“There are more important matters to attend to.”
“Ha! Meeting a man is more important?!”
“No.”
She let out a small sigh and spoke slowly.
“Obtaining an elixir for my youngest is.”
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