Chapter 311

Chapter 311
## Chapter 311. The Embers of Evil (4)

—

The technique known as Bing-gong—or Ice Arts—functions entirely by giving physical form to Yin energy.

Conceptually, the principle is straightforward, yet bringing such frozen energy into the physical world is an immensely grueling task. The primary danger lies in the reality that while this frigid power dwells within, it persistently corrodes the practitioner’s physical vessel. The human body naturally demands a stable, warm temperature to survive, but the chilling nature of Ice Arts relentlessly strips away that vital warmth, slowly draining a person’s longevity. Consequently, while internal styles based on Yang energy are incredibly diverse and widespread, true Ice Arts are rare enough to be counted on a single hand.

Fundamentally, when practitioners navigate internal energy, they utilize the inherent strength of that power rather than physically manifesting its elemental traits.

‘That is, unless you count those absolute lunatics from the Demonic Cult.’

Those depraved bastards threw standard logic entirely out the window long ago. They actively harness elemental traits to breathe scorching flames and manifest freezing frost out of thin air. Such methods defy the natural laws governing energy.

Ultimately, mastering Ice Arts is a harrowing endeavor. It demands a specific, compatible physical constitution, alongside a thoroughly stable foundational method. On top of that, a practitioner must completely abandon all alternative martial arts. Because the nature of Ice Arts stands in direct opposition to standard internal cultivation—especially the Yang-style arts that dominate the martial world—trying to cultivate both simultaneously is the equivalent of soaking oneself in oil and diving headfirst into a roaring furnace.

Within the wider Jianghu, the only known technique capable of safely balancing Yin and Yang energy concurrently is the famed Yin-Yang Taiji Divine Art belonging to the Wudang Sect.

…And yet, in this very moment, I am actively utilizing it.

“Haha, I must have had far too much to drink. To think I’m actually channeling Ice Arts.”

Setting down his empty cup, he reached for another, driving his inner qi forward exactly as he had done a moment prior.

*Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!*

Once again, the ceramic vessel grew bitterly cold to the touch.

“Haha, this is completely insane.”

*Slap— Slap— Slap—*

Feeling as though his cognitive faculties were slipping, he struck his own cheeks three times in rapid succession to snap himself out of it.

“Goodness!”

The young woman who had originally demonstrated the Ice Art beside him retreated in sheer astonishment, though he was far too preoccupied to give her any mind.

This time, So-un grasped the entire bottle of alcohol and channeled his internal energy directly into it.

*Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!*

“…….”

Staring blankly at the frost forming along the exterior of the bottle, he poured the chilled liquid into his cup and drank it down, driven by a lingering sense of disbelief.

“Whew! Now that is crisp.”

“…… Holy.”

“…….”

It was hardly an appropriate reaction given the absurdity of the circumstances, but the refreshing, ice-cold drink tasted twice as exquisite as usual.

“……Young Master, if I may ask,” Hae-ryeong began, her voice laced with immense caution. “Have you somehow mastered the Yin-Yang Taiji Divine Art of the Wudang Sect?”

That particular technique was a supreme secret passed down solely to the Sect Leader of Wudang or the direct heir chosen to succeed them. Even within the Wudang Sect itself, the living practitioners who held that knowledge could be counted on one hand.

“……Then, by some chance, are you actually a follower of the demon……?”

“…….”

“Uh, wait, that can’t be true, right? Tell me I’m wrong.”

“…… shreds if I know.”

I honestly have no clue either. It’s driving me completely mad.

Hae-ryeong promptly dismissed the woman who had displayed the initial Ice Art. The girl had no business overhearing the rest of this conversation.

Besides, I was now perfectly capable of chilling the Hwa-bing-ro on my own before drinking it.

I lifted the bottle and looked toward her. “Can she truly be trusted?”

If word ever got out that I could command Ice Arts…

“You need not worry about her loyalty. If I couldn’t trust her explicitly, I would never have shared my martial arts with her in the first place.”

*Drip-drip-drip.*

Watching me continuously pour more alcohol into my cup, Hae-ryeong knit her brows in deep disapproval.

“……Can you seriously stomach liquor at a time like this?”

“I am drinking for the sake of rigorous evaluation.”

“What on earth does that mean?”

“I need to figure out exactly what is happening to me.”

While draining an entire bottle of Hwa-bing-ro, he conducted a variety of small tests.

To start, the absolute potency of this Ice Art was remarkably low. It wasn’t low simply because he was holding back his Yin energy; no matter how much internal qi he flooded into the action, the temperature refused to drop below a specific freezing point. It merely radiated just enough chill to make a drink thoroughly refreshing. It lacked the raw power to freeze an object solid or serve any offensive purpose.

‘Can this even be classified as a true Ice Art?’

In short, while he could manifest the cold energy, it was completely useless in actual combat. It only qualified him to work at a tavern chilling liquor for guests, much like the woman from earlier.

‘……Though I doubt the clientele would appreciate a warrior doing that.’

“Young Master, what exactly is running through your mind right now?”

“Ahem, it’s nothing.”

Secondly, his core internal energy remained completely unaltered. This was the riddle that baffled him the most.

No matter how intently he examined his dantian or guided his qi through its pathways, his fundamental internal strength remained exactly the same. The core essence of the Tae-eul Qi he had always possessed was entirely unchanged. Yet, the moment he took this Tae-eul Qi and modified its flow to mirror the basic circulation of Ice Arts—

*Swoooooosh—*

A distinct wave of freezing energy radiated outward.

‘I’m losing my mind here.’

He genuinely could not comprehend the underlying mechanism that allowed this frigid energy to surface. Furthermore, his control over it was merely a clumsy imitation of Ice Arts’ framework, far from a properly mastered technique.

‘This is an incredibly dangerous situation.’

If a martial artist does not fully comprehend the nature of their own internal energy, it inevitably becomes a volatile hazard threatening their very life. It meant carrying an unpredictable explosive inside one’s own body, with absolutely no indicator of when it might detonate.

“……Young Master?”

Sensing the grim shadow falling over his features, Hae-ryeong and Gun-baek Yang inquired softly, “Are you feeling alright?”

I need to investigate this further. Rather than offering an answer, I simply raised the container.

“Is there any more Hwa-bing-ro left?”

“…….”

“I need to run a few more tests.”

For the first time, a sharp crease formed on Hae-ryeong’s forehead.

“My literal survival depends on this,” I urged with absolute sincerity.

“……Sigh.”

After draining two additional bottles of Hwa-bing-ro, Hae-ryeong finally cast me out, claiming the establishment was entirely out of alcohol.

‘How incredibly ungenerous! Especially after I brought her such valuable intelligence.’

Despite consuming a total of three bottles of Hwa-bing-ro, the extra insights gained were sparse.

First, as long as he maintained a steady flow of internal qi, a mild degree of cold would consistently manifest. Furthermore, even if he abruptly terminated the Ice Art’s circulation mid-way, his internal energy returned to its natural state without any lingering discomfort or foreign sensation. Essentially, he could convert the energy into frost, but returning it to its original form caused zero adverse side effects.

‘Thank goodness for small mercies.’

That realization offered a profound sense of relief. At the very least, his dantian hadn’t sustained any structural damage.

Hae-ryeong had relentlessly pressed him on how he had acquired an Ice Art, but he had no answers to offer. Strictly speaking, he hadn’t actually learned the art at all. If there was a single variable that warranted absolute suspicion—

‘Azure Dragon Pill, you utter nightmare of a relic…….’

That wretched thing felt as though it would pop into his mind at any second to complain, *‘Why must you always blame everything on me?’* Yet, it remained the prime suspect. If he had to pinpoint any singular occurrence that had fundamentally altered his physical composition recently, it was his encounter with Je-geum-hak—the man whose essence had proved so nourishing.

Furthermore, Je-geum-hak had been a dual Yin-Yang master capable of wielding both hot and cold energies simultaneously. Because he had been half-conscious from the brutal beating he had endured during that fight, his recollections were fractured, but the solitary moment his dantian experienced a violent shift was when he forcibly siphoned Je-geum-hak’s internal strength using the Azure Dragon Pill.

Evaluating the facts, the blame rested squarely on the Azure Dragon Pill.

With the standard Heaven-Devouring Great Art, a practitioner merely drains an opponent’s internal energy without truly assimilating its elemental nature into their own core; the stolen energy simply manifests in its original form. If the Azure Dragon Pill had absorbed Je-geum-hak’s Ice Art, and he was now successfully channeling that exact power…

‘The timeline fits perfectly.’

Ancient records detailed that past masters of the Heaven-Devouring Great Art similarly wandered the world unleashing entirely incompatible types of energy. The notorious Blood-Sucking Ghost Demon Gyu-jung Go, who held ownership of the Azure Dragon Pill in a past era, was known to command as many as ten distinct variations of internal force. Naturally, harboring such unharmonized energies eventually shattered their sanity or induced fatal internal energy deviation.

For that exact reason, the entire martial world recognized that the technique was far too dangerous to touch, entirely separate from its status as an outlawed style banned by the Martial Alliance.

The real dilemma, however, was that my current circumstances differed slightly.

The entire reason I could utilize the Azure Dragon Pill in the first place was because these varying energies refused to fracture or conflict within my dantian. Even now, I had been breathing easy because the internal forces remained perfectly stable alongside one another. So why had I suddenly gained the ability to manifest Ice Arts?

Regardless of the mechanics, one truth remained undeniable.

‘Curse those absolute fiends from the Demonic Cult…….’

Every bit of this chaos was their doing. If not for those lunatics, there would be absolutely no reason for my physique to become this utterly bizarre.

Just as I was mentally hurling a barrage of profanities at the cultists and Je-geum-hak alike—

A sudden, faint presence manifested directly behind me.

“……What do you think you’re doing?”

“Sigh…… how on earth did you spot me?”

“What do you mean, ‘how’? You didn’t even attempt to conceal your presence. Your energy signature is radiating completely out in the open.”

The figure who poked her head out to walk beside me was none other than Sa-ryeon.

“I’ve been trying to master the art of stealth, but it’s proving to be incredibly challenging.”

“You already possess the Turtle Breathing Step, so why waste your time on that?”

“The Turtle Breathing Step causes a delayed reaction when channeling internal qi. I read that true stealth allows you to completely mask your presence even while actively using your internal energy…… wouldn’t that be far more effective in a life-or-death battle?”

She wasn’t wrong; proper stealth was far superior for clandestine infiltration or quick assassinations.

“There’s a highly effective stealth manual kept inside the Library of Ten Thousand Books. You should seek it out later.”

“Have you already memorized the contents of the entire Library of Ten Thousand Books?”

Indeed—back during my previous life.

“Honestly…… what kind of monstrous genius are you?” Sa-ryeon remarked, shaking her head in sheer bewilderment. “Anyway, where are you returning from at such a late hour?”

“Where are *you* coming from at this time of night, Sahyung?”

“I was away attending to a matter of utmost importance.”

Did she have any inkling that I worked tirelessly day and night to ensure the lasting peace and security of the Tae-eul Sect? She almost certainly didn’t. And it was best to keep her in the dark. Such is the silent, heavy burden borne by the First Disciple……

*Sniff, sniff.*

“What are you doing now……”

“Hold still for a moment!”

Sa-ryeon abruptly lunged forward, her nose twitching as she cast a highly accusatory glare my way.

“Is that the distinct scent of alcohol?”

“……True diplomatic and critical matters inherently require the presence of spirits.”

“Oh? And what exactly was this critical matter?”

“Ahem…… things are still in motion. I shall enlighten you when the proper moment arrives. More importantly, what is that?”

Attempting to swiftly pivot the conversation, I gestured toward the cloth bundle cradled tightly in her arms.

Sa-ryeon glanced down. “Just some sugar candies and sweet treats. I wanted to give our younger martial siblings a reward for training so diligently today.”

“…….”

*Smack.*

A sudden pang of guilt struck me for enjoying the comforts of the Sohwa-ru entirely by myself, even if my trip there had been strictly for business purposes.

“……You truly are remarkable, Ryeon-mae.”

When I reached out to gently pat her head, Sa-ryeon nimbly ducked away from my hand.

“What is wrong with you today!”

“This sort of care is traditionally the obligation of the First Disciple.”

“If you’re actually aware of that, then start acting like it.”

For some reason, a wave of remorse washed over me regarding how relentlessly I used to curse Gye Cheol-yeong during my past life. Now that I occupied the role of the First Disciple myself, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was truly any difference between his actions and my own……

‘No, wait. Comparing myself to that absolute scoundrel is taking it a step too far. My apologies to my own dignity.’

That tyrannical piece of garbage abused his authority over us constantly. Placing him and me on the same baseline was practically a direct insult to my character. Absolutely out of the question.

As I desperately tried to purge those unsettling thoughts from my mind, Sa-ryeon spoke up without warning.

“It’s fine, Sahyung…… honestly, you are doing a wonderful job as our eldest brother.”

“Eh?”

While I blinked in confusion, Sa-ryeon pressed on.

“You managed to recover our Great Grandmaster’s long-lost inheritance, and…… even though it seemed entirely reckless at the time, you guided the younger disciples straight through the regular examination. By any metric, you are fulfilling your duties beautifully, Sahyung.”

“Did I really guide them? Those rascals just managed to keep pace on their own feet.”

Sa-ryeon, who had been trailing a pace behind me, abruptly came to a dead halt.

“Hm? Why stop all of a sudden? Did you spot a phantom?”

“A while back, Eun-ho told me something. He mentioned that during the regular examination, the sheer exhaustion and agony made him want to abandon the trial entirely. But he said that your back, Sahyung, remained fixed right before his eyes…… so he pushed through by focusing solely on your broad shoulders ahead of him.”

“…….”

“He said that merely by following the silhouette of your back, he somehow found himself standing at the gates of the Martial Academy.”

What sort of grandiose nonsense has Eun-ho been spreading to people?

Feeling incredibly self-conscious, I quickly blurted out the first counterargument I could think of. “What are you talking about? Young Lady Nam-gung and Young Lady Seong were leading the charge right alongside us at the time.”

Sa-ryeon let out a long, weary exhalation. “Why do I even bother trying to have a serious conversation with you, Sahyung……”

She locked her gaze directly with mine once more.

“As our First Disciple, just keep forging ahead exactly as you have been. I will ensure the younger siblings are looked after.”

With that solemn declaration, sounding almost like a lifelong oath, Sa-ryeon resumed her stride. This time, she walked a step ahead of me.

Staring at her retreating figure, a mixture of humbleness and immense pride welled up within my chest. Ultimately, in a chaotic Jianghu doomed to be torn apart by the impending War between Justice and Evil, safeguarding the Tae-eul Sect entirely on my own would be an impossible feat. It was an incredible blessing that they were marching forward right beside me.

As I hurried my steps to catch up to her, my thoughts drifted back to the peculiar events of that regular examination.

‘Wait a second……’

If I recalled correctly, I had also unleashed the power of the Azure Dragon Pill against the members of the Shadow Soul Squad out in the Bok-yang Plains.

And at that exact time……

‘Didn’t my dantian undergo a massive expansion back then as well?’

Stopping dead in my tracks, I raised my hands and stared intently at my palms. A wild theory flashed through my mind: If I had managed to absorb the elemental property of Je-geum-hak’s internal force while draining his qi…… wouldn’t it stand to reason that I had absorbed the intrinsic nature of the Shadow Soul Squad while consuming theirs?

Yet, reflecting on the days since, I had never once experienced shards of bone erupting from my limbs or my flesh splitting apart and stitching itself back together like those monsters did.

‘Well, obviously. That’s because those traits require undergoing a horrific physical modification that only total psychopaths would subject themselves to.’

The mere thought sent a shiver down his spine. If bone blades suddenly burst from his flesh while strolling through the Martial Academy, or if his skin began tearing open and fusing shut in plain view of the righteous factions, he would instantly be branded a demonic public enemy across the entire Jianghu without a second thought.

In any case, the absence of physical mutations was a massive relief. The true question lay in internal alterations.

The trademark technique of the Shadow Soul Squad was their terrifying [Darkness Assimilation]—an ability that rendered them completely imperceptible within shadows.

Hold on a moment……

‘Wow…… this is insane.’

Does this mean…… I have accidentally acquired the absolute pinnacle of stealth arts?!!!

Desperately suppression my exploding excitement, I called out to the figure ahead.

“Sa-ryeon.”

“Yes?” Sa-ryeon paused and tilted her head back toward me.

“I am about to attempt something…… whatever you see, make sure you don’t panic.”

“……What?”

“It appears my physical body has undergone a rather profound transformation.”

“Excuse me?”

“And please, swear that you will keep this an absolute secret.”

“……Sahyung.”

Before she could question me further, I began executing the stealth principles I had memorized from the Library of Ten Thousand Books. While the manual itself detailed only a mediocre technique, if I truly possessed the inherited trait of [Darkness Assimilation], this basic skill should theoretically act as a catalyst to trigger the Shadow Soul Squad’s signature camouflage.

If successful, I would vanish from the physical world entirely.

Activating the technique, I crept silently toward Sa-ryeon’s position. Once within arm’s reach, I threw my arms out wide and began waving them frantically through the air right before her.

“…….”

Sa-ryeon remained entirely motionless, offering no response whatsoever.

Emboldened, I slipped directly behind her and twisted my body around, then danced to her flank, before finally planting myself directly in front of her face to wave my arms once more.

Throughout the entire display, Sa-ryeon didn’t bat an eye.

Incredible. What am I supposed to do with this newfound godlike power? I have transformed into a force capable of inflicting the exact same psychological terror upon the demons that they once inflicted upon the people of the Central Plains. Utilizing this [Darkness Assimilation], those monsters will soon learn what true dread—

“Sahyung……” Sa-ryeon muttered suddenly, breaking the silence. Then, she turned her head.

……And looked directly into my eyes.

Wait. Straight at me?

Uh-oh. How on earth is she tracking my position?

The awe vanished from Sa-ryeon’s face, replaced instantly by the exact same look of profound pity Hae-ryeong had given me earlier, accompanied by a heavy sigh.

“Sahyung, are you completely wasted? Why are you hopping around back and forth like a total lunatic?”

“…….”

“Are you certain it’s your body that has a problem, and not your mind?”

……Ah. So I didn’t actually inherit [Darkness Assimilation] after all?

I quickly straightened my posture, spun around, and began marching forward with dignity.

“I am simply overjoyed that your martial boundary has reached such unparalleled heights, First Disciple.”

“……Why have you suddenly adopted that bizarre, deep tone of voice?”

“Ahem-ahem! My, the moon is exceptionally luminous tonight.”

An agonizing wave of pure, unadulterated embarrassment crashed over me.