“I did it!”

I cheered aloud. I was truly happy—so happy that I jumped up and down right there.

Finally, I had taken the first step with the Sicheon Secret Technique.

Though the time difference wasn’t significant yet, the fact that I accomplished it was what mattered.

What if I kept honing the Sicheon Secret Technique and doubled that time difference? That would mean I’d have twice the training time compared to others. ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) Three times, four times... What if the Sicheon Secret Technique reached its peak?

The crucial factor was internal energy. The larger the time gap, the more internal energy it would require.

I needed to gather more internal energy and raise the level of the Sicheon Secret Technique.

Everything depended solely on my effort.

The next day, I collected all the remaining money on the battlefield.

I sold even the remaining Night Bright Pearls.

With that money, I headed to the Cheondok Forest.

“Junior Sect Leader, welcome.”

Today, the steward himself came out to guide me. Probably he came to greet me now that I was Junior Sect Leader.

“Just treat me as usual.”

“That’s impossible.”

Not only that— even the poison masters I passed greeted me politely, bowing respectfully unlike before.

“You did well not to wage civil war with the Great Prince.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

I arrived at Duke Dok’s residence, and the steward left.

Duke Dok wasn’t home. Looking around, I found him training his poison skills nearby in the forest.

Seeing that, a smile appeared on my lips.

Two venomous snakes coiled protectively beside Duke Dok. Those were the very snakes he had named long ago.

From Duke Dok’s fingertips, black smoke puffed up, forming a shape. Surprisingly, the smoke shaped into a rabbit.

As the rabbit-shaped smoke flew forward, the snakes chased after it, like excited dogs running after a thrown ball.

When a snake struck the rabbit, the black smoke vanished with a pop.

Then new smoke appeared from Duke Dok’s hand—this time a butterfly fluttering. Again, the snakes chased the butterfly excitedly. Much faster and nimbler than ordinary snakes. Then the smoke disappeared once more.

The snakes raised their heads expectantly, tongues flicking, waiting to see what would come next.

Then Duke Dok released a large, massive smoke figure shaped like a tiger. The snakes, startled, vanished into the forest.

They must have thought the tiger was chasing them.

But no. Duke Dok was pacing back and forth, deep in thought. Even while training, he acted as if he was in his own world.

When he noticed me, he was surprised.

“When did you arrive?”

“Since the rabbit hopped. Could that really be poison?”

“If that were true, the snakes would all be dead.”

Meaning even the spirit snakes couldn’t withstand his extreme poison.

“That was harmless smoke used for practice. If I used real poison every time I trained, the forest would be destroyed.”

He wasn’t sparing poison—he was sparing the Cheondok Forest.

“So, Duke Dok, you train too?”

“They say martial artists fear me the most, right?”

Hyeolcheondoma, Geugak Soma training by staring at the wall, and now Duke Dok—each Majon trained in their own way. Like a swan paddling furiously underwater.

Duke Dok sat on a rock, wiping sweat, and asked,

“What brings you here?”

“I came because I wanted to see you.”

“If you wanted to, you would’ve come earlier.”

“I was busy.”

“You had time to drink with Chwima though?”

“Has that rumor spread already? How tight-lipped people are.”

I sat down beside him.

“How does it feel being Junior Sect Leader?”

“Exciting. New martial art, new home. People are polite, I don’t have to be on edge fighting my brother anymore. Isn’t that natural?”

“Surprising. Somehow I thought you wouldn’t be excited.”

“I like being noticed. Why else would I talk so much?”

As we talked, Duke Dok drifted into his own thoughts. Whether he was thinking about me, the poison technique he displayed earlier, or the vanished snakes, I couldn’t tell. These moments no longer bothered me. I seemed to be starting to understand his world.

After a while, Duke Dok glanced at the small leather pouch I held.

“What’s that?”

I handed him the pouch filled with receipts.

He was shocked when he checked the amount.

“That’s quite a lot.”

“Please use this money to buy highly toxic elixirs.”

The elixirs sold on the market were too expensive and ineffective for their price.

But elixirs made from poison herbs or poison pills were comparatively cheap. Mostly used for special cases or treatments.

Thanks to this, as the Invincible One Against All Poisons, I had a chance to get elixirs at a low price. I hadn’t intended to spend money on elixirs because I had enough internal energy, but the Sicheon Secret Technique changed my mind.

“Why elixirs? You still have plenty of internal energy.”

“I’m greedy for internal energy.”

After a moment, Duke Dok asked,

“Planning to conquer the martial world?”

“Yes, I am.”

He must have known I wasn’t that kind of person.

“Give me that money. I’ll kill them all for you.”

A smile naturally appeared on my lips.

“That’s reassuring just to hear.”

“Then the money’s on me.”

“Elixirs make me even more reassured.”

A dragon appeared from Duke Dok’s fingertips.

It roared fiercely in the air before flying toward me.

Boom!

It collided with my face and vanished in smoke as Duke Dok said,

“Come back in twenty-one days.”

Duke Dok would spend the money far more economically and effectively than I would.

Of course, I didn’t forget to remind him.

“Don’t forget to buy the elixirs while you’re distracted. Look me in the eyes. If you forget, no poison experiments.”

Duke Dok didn’t respond and resumed training.

Looking from afar, crows suddenly flew up everywhere. Watching the black smoke bursting in all directions, I wondered what would happen if it were real poison. No wonder everyone feared Duke Dok most.

I divided my training time again.

Fifty percent to the Sicheon Secret Technique, forty percent to the Ninth Calamity Demon Skill, and the remaining ten percent rotating among Cheonma Host Protection Skill and Kwonma’s Fist techniques.

The core martial art was important, but supporting techniques were equally vital. The Wind Spirit’s Assistance would complement the Ninth Calamity Demon Skill. When the sword fell from my hand in critical moments, the Lightning Water Fist would protect me. And at the final moment, the Cheonma Host Protection Skill would defend me. The key was balance among these martial arts.

It had already been ten days since I began full training in the Ninth Calamity Demon Skill.

The mental method was now quite familiar to my body. The amount of innate energy built up from training this mental method was incomparable to my previous methods, and the recovery speed of internal energy was much faster.

After training, I sat by the window drinking tea when a message came from Cheonma Hall.

When I arrived at Cheonma Hall, Father and Commander Sama Myung were waiting together.

Whenever Sama Myung was present, it always meant an order was coming.

I walked slowly into that tense place.

After greeting Father and Sama Myung, I said confidently,

“With this face inherited from you, Father, is it finally time to show it to the world?”

Father’s lips curled slightly.

“Your nonsense never seems to tire.”

“I try to be funny, even if the world is serious. Where are you? I’ll handle everything.”

Sama Myung smiled and said,

“Your handsome face should be shown another time. We’ve summoned you here for a different reason.”

The reason I was summoned was something I didn’t expect.

“Now that you are Junior Sect Leader, you must step down from your position as Hwangcheon Gakju and choose a new Hwangcheon Gakju.”

Recently, most of the Gakju duties had been entrusted to Seo Daeryong, as I was too busy. There were other reasons as well.

“Who do you intend to appoint as the new Hwangcheon Gakju?”

I asked, and Sama Myung glanced at Father.

Unexpectedly, Father said,

“You decide.”

I was surprised. I never expected to be told to choose the next Hwangcheon Gakju.

“As Junior Sect Leader, you should have that authority.”

It was truly a moving statement. Father was no longer seeing me as his son. He was seeing me as the future Cheonma. The Sect Leader was seeing the Junior Sect Leader.

And I was firm in my thoughts about Hwangcheon Gakju.

“If it were any other position, I wouldn’t care. But Hwangcheon Gak is the most important organization for the sect’s discipline. Therefore, a proper person must hold it.”

Hence, my recommendation was!

“I want to appoint the special investigator of Hwangcheon Gak, Seo Daeryong, as the next Hwangcheon Gakju.”

Father and Sama Myung weren’t very surprised. They likely expected this.

“He works well. Responsible. Even has a good background. He is Hyeolcheondoma’s top disciple. Oh, and he entered Hwangcheon Gak as a senior.”

Sama Myung cautiously interjected,

“As you said, Investigator Seo is good. But his experience may still be lacking for the position.”

“That lack of experience probably won’t be a problem inside Hwangcheon Gak. He’s already shown his ability while handling my duties.”

That was why I entrusted Seo Daeryong with my responsibilities—to prove he could serve as Gakju.

“The leader of an organization is more about character than experience. Look at the old army and the current one. When Jang Ho became leader, the whole organization changed.”

Neither Father nor Sama Myung could deny that. I said firmly,

“I recommend Seo Daeryong! I guarantee him.”

Father looked down at me quietly and said,

“Don’t make reckless guarantees.”

Even as Cheonma, Father was still Father.

That afternoon, while training hard, Seo Daeryong came to see me.

He looked extremely excited.

“I’m coming from Cheonma Hall.”

Apparently, Father and Sama Myung thought it necessary to meet Seo Daeryong personally.

“I thought I was going to faint. I still can’t breathe well.”

Seo Daeryong staggered and leaned on a wooden mannequin in the corner.

“I heard from the General that you recommended me as the next Hwangcheon Gakju.”

Seo Daeryong buried his face in his hands.

“Me, a Gakju? And a Hwangcheon Gakju at that? Thinking about it now, I can’t breathe.”

He was panting like someone who had just broken through heaven and earth.

“If it’s so hard, you don’t have to do it now. You can do it later.”

“Right? Isn’t that so? No, no. When will I get such a chance again? Ah! Me, a Gakju.”

Seo Daeryong paced madly around the training hall.

He tripped over some weapons and fell, sitting on the floor, head down.

“So did you come to say you can’t do it?”

Then Seo Daeryong pulled something out of his pocket. He had his back turned, so I couldn’t clearly see.

“What is that?”

“My new second-in-command.”

“What do you mean?”

“The second-in-command office at Hwangcheon Gak used to have a flowerpot gifted by Master Ilhwa Geomjon. Now this is the new second-in-command.”

He stood and walked over, holding it out to me. It was an identification plaque. Embellished with the symbol of Cheonma Hall, inscribed with four bold characters:

Hwangcheon Gakju (黃泉閣主).

“They’ll have a formal appointment ceremony later.”

Seo Daeryong had been appointed Hwangcheon Gakju. Father and Sama Myung recognized my first decision as Junior Sect Leader.

His eyes trembled as he looked at me.

“How can I refuse? You even vouched for me. How could I decline? I vowed to dedicate my life and work hard. But I don’t remember much after making that vow. I don’t even know how I left Cheonma Hall. Ah! Did I even properly greet the Sect Leader? When I came to, this plaque was in my hand.”

I hugged Seo Daeryong tightly.

“Congratulations, right hand. Congratulations, Hwangcheon Gakju.”

His face was filled with passion. A mere investigator became Hyeolcheondoma’s top disciple, and now the Hwangcheon Gakju. I could barely imagine what he felt.

“You might curse me before a terrifying enemy someday. ‘Why didn’t you let me live as a normal investigator?’”

“You’ll listen to that complaint, right?”

“As many times as you want.”

“Then I’ll give it a shot.”

“Becoming Hwangcheon Gakju and learning martial arts will be harder. But work like hell. When you’re old, you’ll want to but your body won’t keep up.”

“You speak like someone who’s been there.”

“I’m the Junior Sect Leader who knows everything, remember?”

We smiled at each other contentedly.

“I have more advice to give my grandson now.”

“I didn’t recommend you for my sake or yours.”

“Really?”

“For those the Hwangcheon Gak you lead will protect. Those who suffer injustices just because they’re weak.”

Seo Daeryong’s eyes sparkled. The dark, gloomy past was gone. There was only the present version of him who could do anything entrusted to him.

With a warm gaze, he smiled and said,

“Did you know? The flowerpot I nurtured, no, the third-in-command flowerpot has borne fruit.”

Yes, Daeryong. Nurture Hwangcheon Gak well like that flowerpot.

On the day I promised Duke Dok, I headed to Cheondok Forest full of anticipation.

I had been focused on martial arts training. Eat and train. Sleep and train. Eat and train. I slept soundly on my new bed, cooking at least one meal myself daily. Sometimes I invited the guards to eat with me.

And I trained all day. I trained hard with the feeling that it was my last chance. At least my failure shouldn’t be from lack of effort.

“Has Duke Dok been well?”

The steward replied to me,

“He’s been busy. This is the first time he’s gone out for so long.”

I felt sorry and choked up, knowing how much he hated going outside.

I arrived at Duke Dok’s residence.

As I opened the door, a different scent than usual struck my nose.