I stopped walking.

It wasn’t because of the blowing sandstorm. The question I had asked him before was very important to me.

“When I asked if time could be slowed down inside the Space-Time Illusion Technique, you answered like this: ‘Damn it, does that even make sense!’”

I remembered exactly what he had said.

“In fact, the Gyoju and previous Gyojus have tried, but it was impossible.”

“Your memory is good.”

After a pause, Pungcheon Gyoju spoke.

“That statement is both true and false.”

“What do you mean?”

“No matter how much you study and train, it really was impossible. I still feel the same: ‘Damn it, does that even make sense!’”

“Then what is false?”

“I told you it was nonsense, but in fact, there is a secret technique quietly passed down among the Gyojus. It’s called the Time-Heaven Secret Art (Sicheon Bisu, 時天祕術).”

Hearing that, my heart surged. Reading my emotions, Pungcheon Gyoju quickly added,

“Don’t get your hopes up. No one has ever actually mastered Sicheon Bisu. No matter how much they studied or trained, it was just a waste of time. I even doubt if it’s a proper secret art.”

Still, I felt stirred. This matter was that important to me.

Pungcheon Gyoju continued his explanation.

“According to the records left behind, Sicheon Bisu was created about two hundred years ago by Gyoju Yeon Myeongdeok (燕銘德) when he retired and lived in seclusion. He succeeded in making the time inside and outside the Space-Time Illusion Technique flow differently. Inside, one hour passed, but when he came out, less than half an hour had gone by.”

Pungcheon Gyoju emphasized again that this was an impossible feat.

“But after Gyoju Yeon, no one achieved it. It’s understandable — Yeon was the most profound in internal energy in Pungcheon Gyo history and was born with Cheonmu physique, reaching unimaginable heights in martial mastery. So ordinary people could not understand the secret art he left behind. Or perhaps his secret art was faulty.”

“Then why are you telling me this?”

Our gazes met in midair.

“Let me ask first. Why are you interested in this impossible thing? Of course, everyone dreams of such a space, but you seem to have a reason beyond mere wishful thinking.”

There was a reason. It was because of Guhwamagong.

If I mastered Guhwamagong, I must achieve great success. Moreover, my goal was not just the tenth star great success but the twelfth star great success.

But absolute time was lacking. Maybe for other martial arts, but not for Guhwamagong’s twelfth star great success. It was no easy task.

“There is someone I want to train against thoroughly and beat up.”

“Adding training to your current skill and saying you’ll beat them? Whoever it is, they’re in trouble.”

Yes, as the Gyoju said, one of us was mistaken — either Hwamu-gi or me.

“When you first asked that, I never imagined a moment like this would come.”

Then an astonishing statement slipped from his mouth.

“I will pass the Sicheon Bisu to you.”

Our eyes met in midair. Though no one had achieved mastery of this secret technique, it was not a skill to give to others lightly.

“Though I never succeeded… you might succeed.”

When my eyes trembled, questioning why he was offering this kindness, Pungcheon Gyoju laughed heartily and revealed his feelings.

“Didn’t you say you would take me as your master in here?”

“!”

“Isn’t it natural for a master to pass down secret arts to his disciple?”

I was truly moved. I knew who he was — human enough to have greed but also regretting what he had given me so far.

Yet he was willing to give more — to share his treasured secret technique again.

“Will you regret it later?”

“If I regret, so be it. I’m someone with a knack for regret, aren’t I?”

At that moment, my heart tightened. He was truly giving everything for me. Seo Dae-ryong once told me that if you give one, they give back ten. That was what I owed Pungcheon Gyoju. I gave one, and he returned ten.

I bowed deeply on the spot.

“Please be spiteful and boastful. I will accept it all my life. Truly, thank you.”

Surprisingly, Pungcheon Gyoju’s eyes grew moist as he helped me up.

“I don’t even know if this is something to be thanked for. I’m worried I might steal your mental energy and time by passing down a secret I never mastered.”

“Leave what comes next to me.”

“Now, listen carefully.”

Pungcheon Gyoju passed on the key phrase (gugeol) of Sicheon Bisu. He checked several times if I had memorized it well.

“If this is possible, would the slowed time differ depending on the person?”

“Probably.”

“Then maybe when the level of Sicheon Bisu reaches its peak, the time there might even stop.”

“Dreaming of flying without even walking?”

“I’m greedy for martial arts.”

We smiled at each other.

“That would be beyond human ability.”

“I’ll try to surpass it.”

“Though I think it’s impossible, since it’s you, I have some hope. I wonder how much you’ll astonish me with this.”

He had no idea how grateful I was at this moment. I would hone Sicheon Bisu until I shocked him.

I opened a space with the Space-Time Illusion Technique alone and began practicing Sicheon Bisu there.

Whoooosh.

The swirling wind sounded mysterious. I hadn’t yet passed the initial stage of the key phrase, but already the required internal energy was enormous. I understood why no one had achieved this and gave up.

The complexity of the secret art was one problem, but the huge amount of internal energy required was another. Even if successful, the time I could remain there would be extremely short, making the secret art feel meaningless.

Moreover, if I trained martial arts inside, extra internal energy would be consumed, making it even harder.

But it meant something to me.

My internal energy was purer and more majestic than anyone else’s in this martial world.

Also, I had firm belief. Like other top-level martial arts, as the level of Sicheon Bisu rises, the efficiency of internal energy would rapidly improve. Even the Wind God’s Four Treasures was like that: the higher the level, the faster the speed and the less internal energy required.

I learned Sicheon Bisu with certainty that it would succeed. I trusted myself. I too had Cheonmu physique and was confident my current level was higher than Yeon Myeongdeok’s when he created this secret art.

The next day, I met Go Wol in the yard.

“Anything good happen?”

At Go Wol’s question, I glanced at Pungcheon Gyoju standing beside me.

“Something good.”

Quick-witted Go Wol guessed it had to do with Pungcheon Gyoju.

“You always say you hate meeting the prince but what did he bring this time?”

Pungcheon Gyoju looked away, pretending not to listen.

I smiled and asked Go Wol,

“How about you?”

“I think I need more time. Now is not the time for thinking but for watching.”

He meant monitoring and observing the opponent to find gaps in Yalyulhan’s routine.

He was busy all day, receiving and sending dispatches, meeting messengers, and returning. But I wasn’t worried since Pungcheon Gyoju was with him.

“Take as much time as you need. Handle it carefully.”

“Yes!”

“I’ll bring something delicious. Let’s have dinner together.”

I planned to feed him something truly special tonight.

That day, I sold some Night Bright Pearls left on the battlefield and bought four roots of Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng (Cheonnyeon Seolsam).

Having traveled all over Jungwon before my regression and experienced everything, I knew a secret seller near the Satan Alliance headquarters who dealt in rare medicines.

Though the price was very high because of the rarity, I didn’t hesitate to spend money.

Returning to the inner quarters with the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, I called Geugak Soma, Go Wol, and Pungcheon Gyoju. I put the roots down before them and firmly said,

“Now, one root each. No refusals. You must take it right here in front of me.”

As when sharing medicine with Geugak Soma, I was not the type to share herbs with others. Still, I wanted to share this with them.

It was support for Geugak Soma before the fight, a gift for Pungcheon Gyoju who gave me his secret art, and a tonic for Go Wol who had endured much.

Pungcheon Gyoju joked,

“Why refuse such a good thing? Anyone who refuses must refuse to me!”

Go Wol’s face clearly said, ‘I don’t need it, please give it to the prince.’ But he understood I was telling him not to refuse.

Go Wol nodded, and Geugak Soma expressed thanks with his eyes.

So the four of us took the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng together.

Though my internal energy was so profound that Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng barely touched me, it was still quite helpful for the others. Especially for Go Wol, who had the least internal energy, it would restore both his internal energy and physical strength.

-Take care of your health, Go Wol.

I even sent him a mental message.

Go Wol thanked me with deep eyes.

Finally, Go Wol found a way.

“I have researched Yalyulhan thoroughly. His residence is inside the Satan Alliance main compound. He wakes up, trains, eats, spends time as leader of the Geukdobyeongdan, and goes to the alliance hall when summoned. He spends all his time inside Satan Alliance. Since Jisaeng and Aecha’s deaths, he hasn’t gone outside at all.”

Yalyulhan, suspecting ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ the alliance leader was after him, guarded himself carefully, making it hard to find an opportunity to strike.

“That won’t be easy.”

“No. Killing him inside the alliance is several times harder.”

Even if it wasn’t hard, killing him inside Satan Alliance must be avoided. Since Bisa-in allowed this mission, we had to show respect to Satan Alliance.

“I wondered if Oreu Shingum and Hyeollyun Geop were living inside Satan Alliance like Yalyulhan.”

Go Wol looked at me and asked my opinion.

“They wouldn’t.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because both are martial world traitors. There is an agreement between the Martial World Alliance and Satan Alliance: traitors must never be sheltered.”

Pungcheon Gyoju interrupted.

“Do you think those heretics would keep that agreement?”

“Yalyulhan would.”

“Why him?”

“He wouldn’t want the alliance leader to have a weakness on him. If the leader attacks him, there would be no better pretext.”

Pungcheon Gyoju nodded as if he hadn’t considered that.

Go Wol continued.

“Exactly. Oreu Shingum and Hyeollyun Geop do not live inside Satan Alliance. So I tried to find where they live.”

“They must be near the main compound, right?”

“Yes. But they hid so well it was hard to find. So I changed strategy. I watched people who might visit there.”

“Who? Yalyulhan?”

“No. Cha Hwan.”

The last survivor among the four assassins, Cha Hwan.

“He acts as Yalyulhan’s right-hand man. Someone has to serve and attend to a veteran like Oreu Shingum, and it wouldn’t be just anyone.”

I thought it was a proper approach. Go Wol was clever.

“While watching Cha Hwan, I found something peculiar. He buys Shanxi Fenjiu liquor once a month.”

Go Wol added with a meaningful gaze,

“Oreu Shingum’s hometown is Shanxi. According to information from Tongcheongak, Fenjiu was his favorite liquor.”

“So Cha Hwan is bringing the liquor to Oreu Shingum.”

“Yes. Following him, I found Oreu Shingum’s residence.”

“Well done!”

“The problem is Yalyulhan. Since this incident, he has stayed indoors and hasn’t met Oreu Shingum. But I found this in the Tongcheongak report. Look.”

As I looked at the data he handed me, I glanced at Go Wol with a meaningful expression.

“Oreu Shingum’s birthday is soon!”

“His ninetieth birthday. No matter the day, on this day, Yalyulhan and Hyeollyun Geop will visit to celebrate.”

Go Wol’s eyes gleamed.

“We take him out that day. No need to risk taking them all at once. We kill them one by one, spaced out. First Oreu Shingum, then all visitors in order. One by one.”

I patted Go Wol’s shoulder strongly.

“You did well finding that out.”

“Thanks to the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.”

He smiled, but still looked worried.

I looked at Geugak Soma.

“It’s an old man’s birthday, so I guess we have to celebrate too.”

Geugak Soma’s eyes blazed blue flames.

“From now on, leave it to us!”