Chapter 91

A Rose and an Onion (2)

Baek Socheon walked out of the battlefield.

He had just deposited the 300,000 nyang he had received from Meol Jiryun.

Adding the 300,000 nyang to the 100,000 he already had brought his balance back up to 400,000 nyang.

He had spent nearly all the money he had earned over his lifetime buying spirit medicines, leaving himself with only 100,000 nyang. Yet once again, he had accumulated enough wealth that he would never have to worry about money for the rest of his life.

He had possessed an enormous fortune, lost it, and then regained it. It still didn't quite feel real. In any case, having more money was certainly better than having none. Especially if he intended to live a free life someday.

Baek Socheon stopped briefly on his way back into the Alliance.

Construction of the sparring arena was in full swing at the Martial Alliance's central training ground.

The arena was being built on such an enormous scale that it nearly filled the vast training ground. The workers constructing it all said it was the largest sparring arena they had ever built in their lives.

Since sword qi and even sword aura might be unleashed during the match, they were making the arena as large as possible while also keeping the spectators far away.

In a little over ten days, the match would take place there.

There was no telling what kind of scheme Yeom Sawon, thoroughly provoked by Yeom Hwasin, might come up with, nor what other unforeseen variables might arise.

Baek Socheon headed toward the Heavenly Dragon Secret Ground.

Increasing his wealth was all well and good, but right now, increasing his martial prowess was more important.

It felt good to enter the Heavenly Dragon Secret Ground again after so long.

And the thing he was happiest to see here was, of course, the Dragon Spring.

Baek Socheon stripped off his clothes and immersed himself in the spring.

"Ah, this is nice."

The happiness of soaking in a warm hot spring in the middle of winter was such a primal pleasure that it naturally made one wonder what more they could possibly need.

And when that hot spring possessed the miraculous ability to help accumulate even more internal energy during qi circulation, there was even less to complain about.

Cheongeuk was good. The Alliance Leader was good. Protecting peace was all well and good.

But sometimes, a man needed a place where he could simply be alone.

After circulating his true qi through a complete cycle while soaking there, all the fatigue that had accumulated in his body disappeared.

The reason he had come here rather than the secret training ground was to practice fighting without internal energy. Inside the Heavenly Dragon Secret Ground, he couldn't freely use his internal energy anyway.

Still immersed in the Dragon Spring, Baek Socheon thought about Meol Jiryun.

Pressuring her had certainly produced results. He had confirmed that she really was Meol Saeng's daughter and discovered that she had ulterior motives.

As a bonus, he had even obtained the enormous sum of 300,000 nyang.

Yeom Hwasin and Meol Saeng.

Yeom Sawon and Meol Jiryun.

They were four people, yet at the same time two.

Two, yet at the same time one.

They were using every method imaginable to destroy the Martial Alliance and eradicate the spirit of the orthodox factions.

During the previous war, Baek Socheon had thought about something.

Good was always at a disadvantage compared to evil.

The orthodox factions were expected to uphold chivalry and justice, and sometimes those very principles became shackles around their ankles. Something regarded as a clever scheme when used by an unorthodox faction became hypocrisy when used by an orthodox one.

Baek Socheon believed the orthodox factions needed to change as well.

But from that point onward, maintaining the line became crucial.

If they crossed that line, they would become no different from the unorthodox factions.

That was why the orthodox factions were slow and frustrating.

Even so, Baek Socheon had never once regretted choosing the orthodox path.

Yeom Hwasin had once said to him,

You buttoned the very first button wrong.

Yes.

Perhaps he had.

But that didn't mean Baek Socheon wanted to wear the clothes of the unorthodox factions instead.

His regret was about the life he had lived, allowing himself to be swept along by circumstances. It was never regret over failing to choose the unorthodox path.

No.

If anything, he despised them.

They mocked the hypocrisy of the orthodox factions while disguising every manner of evil deed as freedom.

Splash.

Baek Socheon submerged his head completely beneath the Dragon Spring before resurfacing.

One thing never changed.

He had to cultivate enough strength to defeat Yeom Hwasin.

If he could break Yeom Hwasin's Vajra Indestructible Body, all these worries would come to an end.

After leaving the Dragon Spring, Baek Socheon began practicing martial arts without using internal energy.

He had become accustomed to always using internal energy during his training, so practicing without it felt different.

It was completely unlike the days when he had simply trained without internal energy in the past.

And during that process, he realized something.

At some point, his martial arts had advanced by another level.

This growth wasn't limited to any particular martial art.

It was an overall advancement in his understanding of martial studies.

It was a gift he had naturally gained through the process of learning four Greatest Martial Arts of All Time.

I hadn't even realized it.

This had never happened before.

Whenever he achieved progress in martial arts, he had always noticed immediately.

But this time, he had failed to recognize his own advancement.

He realized that his current realm had moved beyond the stage where changes could simply be "noticed immediately" and had entered an entirely new realm.

His martial arts had improved, but at the same time, they had also become more profound.

Once he grew accustomed to this stage, he would probably regain the ability to immediately recognize any further changes.

"Hahahaha!"

Baek Socheon burst into hearty laughter.

A martial artist by nature, nothing brought him greater joy than advancing to a higher realm of martial arts.

Can I achieve Great Accomplishment in all four Greatest Martial Arts of All Time? Just how far can my martial arts ultimately go?

Putting aside his goal of killing Yeom Hwasin, he was genuinely curious simply as a martial artist.

His training continued.

Baek Socheon focused particularly on practicing the Heaven-Overturning Nine Fists.

He needed to subdue Yeom Sawon while concealing his internal energy.

To anyone watching, it had to appear as though he had used no internal energy whatsoever.

There was another consideration.

That bastard would fight with everything he had.

Baek Socheon needed to knock him unconscious with a single blow and end the match immediately.

For that reason, he thought using fist techniques would be better than swordsmanship. In particular, the early forms of the Heaven-Overturning Nine Fists utilized the opponent's own strength against them.

He alternated between qi circulation in the Dragon Spring and practicing the Heaven-Overturning Nine Fists.

This training continued for several days.

When Baek Socheon finally emerged from the Heavenly Dragon Secret Ground, he received word from Zhuge Hyeon.

When he went to see him, Zhuge Hyeon delivered the news he had been waiting for.

"The report concerning what you asked me to investigate has arrived."

Baek Socheon had previously asked him to investigate the internal division within the Blood Cult.

"What did you find?"

"Meol Jiryun was telling the truth. According to the report, a conflict has arisen between Meol Saeng and Jeok Parap."

"And their relationship now?"

"They reportedly had a major argument in front of everyone and have since fallen out with each other."

"Hmm."

"What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking that perhaps even their division itself has been fabricated."

"Is there a reason you think that?"

"No. It's merely a feeling. Forgive me for bringing up something so baseless."

"Not at all. If anything, the fact that it's your feeling makes me trust it more."

"Pardon?"

"Once your instincts start being right, don't they tend to keep being right endlessly?"

"I've been wrong plenty of times too."

"And if you're right this time?"

"Then sending Meol Jiryun here must have been the will of the entire Blood Cult."

Zhuge Hyeon's expression turned grave.

It would be a situation every bit as dangerous as Yeom Hwasin sending Yeom Sawon here to kill him.

"For now, pretend you know nothing and continue dealing with her normally. I'll handle Yeom Sawon and Meol Jiryun. And discreetly strengthen the security around the Alliance Leader and the Strategist."

"Understood. What are you planning to do?"

Baek Socheon smiled faintly and left him with an enigmatic remark.

"After smelling like onions for so long, I'm starting to miss the scent of roses."

***

"Why are you bringing me here again? You naughty man."

Baek Socheon had once again brought Cheongeuk to the secret training ground.

"Naughty? What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. There you go pretending again."

Her face reddened.

Of course Baek Socheon knew.

That was precisely why he could tease her like this.

"Come here."

"Why?"

Baek Socheon stepped closer.

Cheongeuk gently closed her eyes.

It seemed as though Baek Socheon was about to kiss her, but instead, he leaned toward her ear and whispered.

"I have a favor to ask."

Cheongeuk opened her eyes and pouted.

"What favor?"

"Teach me your stealth art."

"What?"

Cheongeuk stared at him in surprise.

"Yours must be the best among all stealth arts, right?"

Just as Baek Socheon said, Cheongeuk's Submerged Shadow Divine Steps ranked among the three greatest stealth arts in the martial world.

"Not really. You always find me like some kind of ghost."

"That's because I'm a ghost. It's not like there are many other ghosts like me around, right?"

"Judging by that overflowing arrogance, you certainly are our Baek Socheon."

"Teach me."

Cheongeuk blinked at him.

"What's with this confidence? Is my secret art something I hand out to anyone who comes along?"

"I taught you the Wind God Movement Art too."

"I never asked you to teach me."

"The result was the same either way."

"Why do you need a stealth art badly enough to make arguments that don't even suit you?"

"Because I need it."

"You won't be able to learn it quickly."

"The student is outstanding, and the teacher is even more outstanding, so I'm sure I'll learn quickly."

"Your respect for your teacher earns you a passing grade!"

"Haha."

"Fine. I'll teach you. But you'll have to pay tuition."

Baek Socheon gave her the kiss he had withheld earlier.

Their tongues intertwined, drawing out pleasure from deep within them.

"This man! You think this little thing is enough to pay me off?"

"Of course not."

Baek Socheon embraced her and soared into the air.

Just as it had that day, a gentle force enveloped them like a soft cushion.

The gentle energy not only supported their bodies but also formed an invisible barrier around them, preventing even the wind from entering.

Within that cozy space, the two made love.

It felt different from their first time.

Pleasure that had been overshadowed then by excitement and nervousness now drew them into even deeper ecstasy.

After their breathless lovemaking, the two swam in a nearby lake and washed themselves beneath a waterfall.

They caught a rabbit, roasted it, and ate until their hunger was gone. Then they walked around the area hand in hand.

It was the sort of time that naturally made them think they could happily live like this for the rest of their lives.

Only after receiving her tuition in full did Cheongeuk finally begin teaching him the Submerged Shadow Divine Steps.

Baek Socheon memorized the entire mnemonic formula after hearing it only once, astonishing her yet again.

Of course, there was already precedent. During their carriage journey in the past, Baek Socheon had shocked her by memorizing the entire Heaven-Overturning Nine Fists.

And memorization wasn't his only exceptional talent.

Now that his understanding of martial arts had advanced another level, Baek Socheon began learning the stealth art at an astonishing speed.

It reached the point where Cheongeuk actually asked,

"You already knew my Submerged Shadow Divine Steps before this, didn't you?"

"It's because I have such a good teacher."

A certain expression came to Cheongeuk's mind.

He's devouring the entire martial art whole.

Of course, Cheongeuk herself deserved a great deal of credit.

There was a clear difference between simply passing down a martial art and teaching it without holding anything back.

Cheongeuk did the latter.

She even taught him tricks she would never reveal to anyone else—the very essence of the martial art that she had personally discovered through years of using the Submerged Shadow Divine Steps.

The results appeared four days later.

Four days later.

Cheongeuk stood there alone.

She slowly moved through the area, carefully examining her surroundings.

Baek Socheon was hiding somewhere nearby.

Is he over there? Or there?

There were several places where she suspected he might be hiding.

But she couldn't pinpoint him.

She focused every bit of her concentration on detecting Baek Socheon's presence, yet all she could sense were vague traces. She couldn't determine his exact location.

Swish!

Cheongeuk chose one location and hurled a dagger.

But it struck nothing but empty space.

Baek Socheon revealed himself from the opposite side.

"You missed on purpose, didn't you? So I wouldn't be embarrassed."

Of course she hadn't.

And she knew perfectly well that Baek Socheon knew that too and was simply teasing her.

"Of course. Other experts might be fooled, but no one can escape my eyes."

"And here I was getting excited because I thought I'd hidden myself properly."

"Stop it!"

Cheongeuk shouted.

"I'm seriously starting to question my entire existence here!"

In just four days, Baek Socheon was already displaying a level of stealth comparable to hers.

It was utterly absurd.

"When that happens, don't blame yourself. Blame the other person."

Cheongeuk immediately pointed at Baek Socheon and shouted,

"You're insane!"

It wasn't an insult.

It was the highest praise she could give Baek Socheon.

Normally, even Baek Socheon couldn't possibly have learned it this quickly.

"My martial arts recently advanced another level."

"My goodness. You still had another level left to climb?"

"Apparently."

"No wonder the Airborne Bed felt softer. I'm jealous. I'm genuinely, truly jealous."

"You don't need to be. You can climb higher too."

"What?"

"You're younger than me, and your martial arts are below mine. So why do you think you can't improve any further? Even I'm still improving."

"My goodness! I can still advance further?"

Baek Socheon understood why she reacted this way.

It was because she had started not as a martial artist, but as an assassin.

She hadn't originally approached martial arts as martial arts, but as killing arts.

Her goal had probably never been to comprehend the ultimate truths of martial arts.

Her goal had been to perfect the art of killing.

"Don't define your own limits."

"Okay."

She was someone willing to do anything if it meant becoming stronger.

And when the goal was this enticing?

"First place for me in the Martial World Ranking, and second place for you. How does that sound?"

"Just imagining it gives me a thrill."

The two looked at each other and laughed.

"But why did you learn a stealth art?"

"There are several reasons. Having an opportunity to learn the world's finest stealth art is reason enough."

"Other than reasons that make me feel like I got the short end of the deal?"

"I'm going to peel an onion."

"What?"

Cheongeuk's eyes widened.

Baek Socheon smiled.

"I'm going to uncover Meol Jiryun's true intentions."

Only then did Cheongeuk realize that he had compared Meol Jiryun to an onion.

"How?"

"By secretly infiltrating her quarters."

"Her bedroom too?"

"If necessary."

"I'll keep watch on her."

"No. I need to do it myself."

"Why? Afraid I might kill your pretty little future fiancée?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"Because I'm afraid you might kill an ugly, scheming woman from the Blood Cult who's nowhere near as beautiful as you."

"Correct answer again!"

Of course, the real reason was the danger.

If her conspiracy involved the entire Blood Cult, an extremely dangerous situation could unfold from this point onward.

Baek Socheon formally expressed his gratitude.

"Thank you, truly, for teaching me the Submerged Shadow Divine Steps."

Cheongeuk lowered her head slightly and murmured,

"But... I think the tuition was a little insufficient."

"Then I'll just have to pay more."

Baek Socheon embraced Cheongeuk and once again soared into the air.

That day, Baek Socheon paid three times the tuition.