The martial art I was mastering, Golden Rooster Freeform, was a peculiar technique created by a master named Giseong. It originally stemmed from methods used to train fighting roosters.

Giseong was an exceptional master, but unlike the sages of old who wandered the martial world flaunting their skills, he was not a man who boasted about his prowess.

Most masters of the Daoist school did not practice martial arts to harm others; rather, they pursued them in hopes of achieving longevity and immortality. Regardless, Giseong was a master who did not cower even before King Xuan of Zhou, but few had properly inherited his Golden Rooster Freeform.

It was extremely difficult to achieve mastery.

That was because its ultimate goal was immortality.

If one were to interpret it through the narrow perspective of a martial artist, it meant reaching the state of invulnerability to blades and swords. The idea behind the technique was that a turtle, having attained invulnerability, could roam freely across the world.

Golden Rooster Freeform consisted of five stages:

 

Each stage contained a secret technique and was further divided into palm techniques and blade techniques. Since I had not lost my memory, all I needed to focus on was the internal cultivation technique, which was classified according to one's level of internal energy.

When I first learned about this classification, I was taken aback.

Why would a rooster, upon reaching enlightenment, transcend its own limits and become a Golden Turtle?

Apparently, Giseong’s original hobby was raising fighting roosters, and it seemed he regarded martial artists and fighting roosters as being similar.

Just as I saw martial artists as crazy monkeys.

Whether they were crazy monkeys or fighting roosters, it made no difference to me, so I found this classification rather fitting.

The Wooden Rooster stage focused entirely on maintaining a composed and immovable mind, which I actively utilized when dealing with my inner deviation.

From the second stage, Flaming Rooster, any weapon or body part infused with internal energy would become engulfed in heat.

This was because Golden Rooster Freeform was a martial art that fundamentally relied on extreme yang energy.

It was only after I broke through the Flaming Rooster stage that I started gaining notoriety, and by the time I reached Fighting Rooster, I had acquired the skills befitting a true expert.

To be precise, I had broken through Transcendent Rooster, but before reaching the Golden Turtle stage, I had caused enough chaos in the martial world to be flung back into the past. That summed up my personal history in the martial world.

Transcendent Rooster meant moving with absolute freedom, unrestricted breathing, and fighting not by following rules but by freely altering them.

I had always put immense effort into reaching the final stage, the Golden Turtle. However, just as it was absurd to think that a normal human body could be completely impervious to blades and spears, reaching the Golden Turtle stage was an arduous and grueling process.

But this time was different.

It was merely a premonition, yet it felt overwhelmingly good.

After just ten cycles of internal circulation in my secluded chamber, my Wooden Rooster level had risen at an astonishing pace.

If I were given enough time, I could break through to Flaming Rooster in no time at all.

I had been holed up in my room, relentlessly repeating the circulation of my internal energy, when I finally opened my eyes.

It was already dawn.

The surroundings of Zaha Inn felt eerily quiet.

As my internal energy circulated through my meridians, my senses became sharper. Relying on them, I checked for any human presence, any trace of breathing around me, before entering a light sleep to rest.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Since enemies were still lurking nearby, I had no intention of sleeping soundly just yet.

With my eyes closed in a light sleep, the powerful figures from my past life flashed through my mind, one after another, in no particular order.

Even those who had roamed the martial world before I gained strength appeared.

Thinking of them, I found myself smirking unconsciously.

Those who had shown me even the slightest kindness, I would help. My undeniable enemies, I would trample without mercy.

To achieve that, there was no choice but to continue meditating for endless hours, skipping meals and holding in my bodily urges.

After all, internal energy cultivation was something that only truly blossomed through enduring days of restraint.

It might be an odd metaphor, but it was the truth.

***

As soon as I woke up at noon from my light sleep, I felt hunger.

The snacks I had bought yesterday had been completely cleaned out by Cha Seong-tae the night before.

Perhaps because of my empty stomach, I suddenly thought of the gukbap from Chunyang Restaurant, my regular spot.

A bowl of gukbap would be good right about now.

On a whim, I rummaged through the inside of Cha Seong-tae’s robe and unexpectedly found a heavy money pouch. Judging by its unfamiliar shape, it was clearly not mine—it was his.

Lucky me.

After lazily rubbing the sleep from my eyes and washing my face, I headed to Chunyang Restaurant, glancing around the neighborhood as I walked.

Despite the fact that Jo Il-seom and Jo Ik-yeol had ascended to the afterlife last night, Ilyang County was as quiet and peaceful as if nothing had happened.

However, the rumor that I had killed Jo Il-seom had already spread overnight, so whenever the townspeople saw me, they widened their eyes as if they had seen a ghost. No one greeted me normally; they all just clammed up and kept their mouths shut.

When I entered Chunyang Restaurant, the owner, Jang Deok-soo, flinched the moment he saw me.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Deok-soo hyung, gukbap.”

“Ah, yeah. Sit over there.”

A short while later, an enormous bowl of gukbap was placed in front of me. It was filled with various cuts of meat, a few thinly sliced vegetables, and a spicy seasoning that enhanced the flavor. This dish, simply called Chunyang Gukbap, was something I hadn't eaten since leaving Ilyang County.

It wasn’t originally a dish from the Central Plains. It was a fusion of noodles enjoyed in the Baekwol Region, where the Yue people lived, mixed with rice.

It wasn’t that I was being sentimental, but eating this gukbap—something that could only be found at Chunyang Restaurant in Ilyang County—nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Since Jang Deok-soo was watching me, I casually said,

“It’s a bit spicy today. My eyes are sweating.”

“Oh, really? I added a bit more seasoning. Was ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) it too much?”

“It’s perfect.”

Jang Deok-soo grinned.

It was definitely spicier, warmer, and more delicious than I remembered.

As I filled my stomach, Jang Deok-soo leaned in and whispered,

“…So, they’re saying you killed that Jo bastard. Is it true?”

“I killed him.”

Jang Deok-soo muttered in disbelief.

“How the hell did you kill him? Jo Il-seom was the strongest around here.”

“How else? He picked up a blade, flailed it around, and the weaker one died.”

We both chuckled.

“And Jo Ik-yeol?”

“That bastard came to the inn to kill me, but he ended up in the grave he had his men dig for me.”

“The son of a bitch went around trying to kill people at night—serves him right. Serves him damn right. When Jo Sam-pyeong gets back, I’ll make sure to inform him. I should also warn the other shop owners in advance. Those bastards were planning to start a gang and extort tribute money regularly. Trying to run human trafficking in this peaceful town… You did well killing them. Want another bowl?”

“I’m good.”

When I placed the gukbap money on the table, taken from Cha Seong-tae’s pouch, Jang Deok-soo gave me a puzzled look.

“What the hell? You always eat for free.”

“When have I always eaten for free? I’ve paid sometimes.”

“Didn’t we agree to settle with chicken noodle soup?”

At that, I suddenly remembered something from the past and smirked.

“Oh, right. You said it tasted so bad you couldn’t eat it. In that case, I should pay with money instead.”

“Damn, you really have changed. Alright, take care.”

After finishing my meal, I took a stroll around Ilyang County, as if I were patrolling it. Part of my intention was to check on the safety of the townspeople, while another part was to make sure no unexpected factors would interfere with my training.

I figured nothing significant would happen until Jo Sam-pyeong returned. Most people had assumed that if the Jo brothers formed a gang, they would start demanding regular tribute, so they welcomed their deaths. That much was confirmed through Jang Deok-soo.

With that settled, I returned to my small room at Zaha Inn and threw myself back into training Golden Rooster Freeform.

I had considered hiding in the quiet mountains for a while, but after weighing the variables, it was safer to stay in this shabby inn.

I devoted my entire day to internal energy cultivation, only leaving for Chunyang Restaurant whenever I felt hungry.

Cultivate, eat, shit.

That was the path to becoming a martial master.

How could a normal human not go insane?

Whenever my back and legs stiffened from prolonged meditation, I would take a walk and carefully observe every corner of Ilyang County.

Like a Wooden Rooster, I erased all emotions and focused solely on my training.

Meanwhile, my internal energy accumulated steadily and rapidly.

Compared to my past life, my progress was so fast it was almost disorienting.

By the time I had spent over twenty days shut in Zaha Inn, my body was fatigued from consecutive light sleep cycles. However, I had completely mastered Wooden Rooster and entered the Flaming Rooster stage.

It was a miraculous speed.

Of course, since I had trained rigorously in my past life, my achievements were naturally progressing faster.

The only issue was that, as a result of my training, my room had become a complete mess, resembling a beggar’s den.

This was due to the impurities expelled from my body while advancing from Wooden Rooster to Flaming Rooster.

And sure enough, my room reeked of hell.

But this unbearable stench was proof of my success.

My body had been purified.

As I advanced through the stages, my physical condition became clearer, like pure water, so I wouldn’t have to experience such an odor again.

Upon closer inspection, my skin had gained a radiant sheen, my hair had become softer, and, most importantly, my vision had sharpened significantly.

With this breakthrough, my five senses had also improved.

Unlike raw strength or martial techniques, senses were directly tied to survival and decision-making. In the harsh martial world, refining them was crucial to staying alive.

I clenched my fist and infused it with internal energy. A sharp thrill ran down my spine.

I’ve gotten stronger far faster than I expected.

I had once considered Golden Rooster Freeform merely as a means to treat inner deviation, but now my perspective had changed.

I might become far stronger than before.

For martial artists, rapid advancement in martial arts brought a sense of satisfaction greater than any other joy.

I was even starting to have the ridiculous worry—What if I actually become an immortal at this rate?

At that moment, Cha Seong-tae’s voice rang out from outside.

“Ugh! What the hell is this smell? It reeks like something’s rotting. Ugh…”

As I stepped out of my room, Cha Seong-tae recoiled with a horrified expression.

“Did you shit yourself? Urk…”

He clamped his hand over his mouth as if about to vomit and bolted outside Zaha Inn.

“That bastard, seriously… Wow.”

For a moment, even I was at a loss for words.

Watching Cha Seong-tae dry-heave outside the inn, I had a thought.

This lifetime, I would live for the sheer joy of tormenting that idiot.

Just then, Cha Seong-tae let out a loud retch and vomited all over the ground.

“……”

As I felt a deep, bubbling sense of murderous intent, I stepped outside.