---

**

The first sensation I felt was a refreshing coolness.

Then came a heaviness.

“…Kugh!”

Cheongeop howled. Amidst that trembling, I felt my blood vessels quaking all over.

The roots of Cheongeop, which were spreading through my blood, began to twist slightly. It repeatedly contracted and expanded, squeezing my blood channels.

It wasn’t simply being pushed aside.

It was merely devouring the incoming power.

This wasn’t my intent. I was just trying to gather this power into my dantian along the blood channel.

But Cheongeop was rampaging recklessly. This was beyond my expectations. It was different from the last time I consumed the spirit pill.

Was Sma playing a prank or something…?

—Crack!

Now is not the time to think about anything!

I urgently initiated Su-ryeon. My body’s skeletal frame was twisting in real-time.

Terrible pain. But I was convinced that if I lost consciousness now, everything would fall apart.

Qi was rampaging uncontrollably, and I might lose everything I had painstakingly gathered.

I desperately held on. I made sure to push at least a part of the gnawed Qi into my dantian.

My body rattled. It felt as if my flesh was softening like mud, with bones protruding outward.

Something was leaking out from my body. I couldn’t even distinguish whether the liquid was blood or sweat.

Cheongeop was killing me.

At the same time, it was saving me.

I gritted my teeth and endured. The pain lasted for more than half a day.

The amount of Qi accumulated in my dantian was merely 1/5 of what I first encountered. The rest had been completely devoured by Cheongeop.

As I gasped and stood up, I realized that a foul smell permeated everywhere. I crawled to where there was water, twitching.

I washed my entire body and moistened my dry lips. It seemed like I had spent a full day in my nest.

The roll call time had long passed. I lay back down, staring at the sky as I regulated my breathing.

I felt Cheongeop wriggling within me. If there was any good news, it was that my body had grown a bit.

My skeletal structure had changed. I felt like my size had slightly increased, and the strength of my bones had also solidified.

Most importantly, it felt as if the foundation had been laid. I reached out my hand. It was weak, but I could channel energy to the tip.

Undulating currents of Qi.

Shadowy yet visible signs of authority.

“…Haha.”

I had entered the threshold of the peak.

Not just a fleeting moment, but for sure.

The balance of my Qi body was completely established.

. . .

Directly after ascending to the threshold of the peak, many things had changed.

My body had become lighter. If I jumped lightly, I could leap twice as far as before, and even without channeling Qi, my punches were infused with power.

The power of Ilma had also strengthened. The naturally unfurled first form could pierce even the surface of a rock if I channeled Qi, allowing me to capture beasts I could never dream of catching before.

How about Dan Hoon Choo? I could awkwardly cut through rocks now. The form remained a bit difficult, not as precise as what Twenty-Nine had done…

The important thing was that I could cut what I previously couldn’t.

“Huuh.”

Even my exhalations began to flow naturally.

Understanding started first, but thanks to the spirit pill, the Qi supported me.

Although my body felt somewhat lacking, Cheongeop helped by gnawing at the spirit pill.

I lightly unleashed Ghostly Spirit Step. The shape itself had become somewhat presentable; it seemed I could move on to the next one now.

The first application form of Ghostly Spirit Step.

The hidden form of Ghostly Spirit Step (귀영보隱).

I tried to mimic the form I had seen from Twenty-Nine.

The noticeably quiet sounds and shadows. It felt like the sound echoed softly as if I were trampling on darkness.

I heard that if I properly mastered the hidden form, I could completely eliminate presence and sound…

But I still couldn’t replicate it all at once. There remained sound and presence.

Was it just that she and I were different?

Having acknowledged that I still lacked talent, I could only strive to catch up with consistent effort.

With Ilma, Dan Hoon Choo, and even Ghostly Spirit Step.

I threw myself into martial arts training. Now I could even consume huge beasts instead of just regular ones.

As my food supply increased, my Qi naturally accumulated.

About half of that was being silently taken away by Cheongeop. But I was satisfied with that.

As I moved my body, the persistent pain had transformed into a mild ache. If Cheongeop could fully settle, I wouldn’t feel this pain anymore.

If so, aside from moments of regeneration, I wouldn’t experience pain at all.

I was very pleased with the continuous good news. Especially the fact that I would be able to sleep deeply without writhing in pain at night, that was the best part.

My skills slowly began to build up. I reached out for the second application form of Dan Hoon Choo.

In the hidden form of Ghostly Spirit Step, the sounds were almost negligible. I had the confidence that I could now bypass even the head of a Black Heaven Sect warrior.

From wolf-like beasts to the massive four-legged beasts deep within Demon Valley.

I devoured everything I could consume. I feasted and feasted, gradually accumulating strength.

Ilma was right. The explosive growth close to joy had ceased.

It boiled down to simply taking one step at a time.

Forgetting to mark the days, I repeatedly fell asleep against my sword and woke up again.

“…….”

A new successor arrived at my nest.

She was called Twenty-Nine.

A peculiar white hair peeked out from underneath her mask. She was slightly taller than Twenty-Nine.

However, the strength of her martial skill was far from that of a novice. The level was different from when I first came in.

Top-tier. Perhaps that much.

…It felt as if she was looking towards the peak.

Of course, it wasn’t definite. I could probably ascertain it by testing swords against each other. But she didn’t even give me the opportunity to do that.

The newly arrived Twenty-Nine didn’t say anything to me. She seemed to already know the situation inside the Demon Valley and quietly acted as if I wasn’t there.

Since she didn’t initiate conversation, I refrained from speaking. I could sense her tense aura just from the Qi flowing through her body; even if I spoke first, I didn’t expect kind words in return.

But she was clumsier than I anticipated. While she seemed stiff and thorough in her actions, there was an odd awkwardness about her.

For instance, searching for the puddle we had found yesterday without success.

Or inadvertently eating rotten moss and suffering.

Or reporting for roll call in another place because she couldn’t find her nest.

I realized a full ten days after the new Twenty-Nine arrived.

—She’s a bit of a ditz.

Watching her actions was almost laughable. Eventually, unable to hold back any longer, I subtly initiated a conversation.

After all, we needed to coexist in the same space.

If she wanted to keep her distance, I decided to teach her only what she needed at the time.

“The puddle is over that way. It’s a place that no one uses. It’s relatively close, so you can get your drinking water there. It should be better than a distant one.”

“…….”

“The nests may look similar on the surface, but faint numbers are carved into the rocks. Even if you can’t see them, you can tell by feeling them with your hands. I recommend not getting too close to those lying down. Twenty-Nine. Everyone is as sharp as a knife.”

I slyly caught a beast and placed it in her area. The feeling of being full from eating might differ even though the cause of my stomachache was similar.

The new Twenty-Nine quietly watched me without any response, but three days later, she spoke for the first time.

“Do you… like me?”

“Eh?”

“You’ve never seen my face, so why would you like me? If that’s the case, I want to decline in advance. I have no interest in men. In fact, I even despise them.”

I was rejected without a confession.

I shook my head at the unexpectedly bizarre question.

“I’m just helping because we’re in the same situation. If you misunderstood, I apologize. If it makes you uncomfortable, I won’t meddle anymore.”

“…Is there really no ulterior motive?”

“There isn’t.”

I couldn’t help but feel ridiculous, completely severing the conversation this time. After a while, maintaining distance from her while minding my own business, she approached instead.

In her hand was a snake. Her slightly injured hand looked like it had been scraped against the ground rather than bitten by the snake.

Getting bitten by your first hunt is torment on another level. While that poison isn’t deadly, it certainly makes for a nauseating and unpleasant experience.

She presented her glorious first trophy to me. Her somewhat prickly tone remained.

“Eat this. Thirty.”

She wasn’t a noble like Seongja Myung.

But at the very least, it was clear she was someone who understood gratitude.

I glanced at the snake she extended towards me. It had been quite some time since I graduated from eating such things…

Even if I did eat it, the amount of magic I could gain from it would be minimal, and the feeling of fullness would be less.

“It’s okay. You should eat it, Twenty-Nine.”

“…Are you dismissing my intentions?”

“Eh? Not at all, but… I just don’t feel particularly hungry…”

“Are you bragging about how you can casually catch large beasts?”

“What are you talking about?”

I asked in disbelief. Twenty-Nine extended the snake to me once again.

“Otherwise, please accept it. I hate being indebted to others. I won’t accept unreciprocated help.”

“…….”

I reluctantly accepted the snake. The more I thought about it, the weirder my feelings became.

What was this?

I received something in return but felt like I had been scolded for it.

“…I’ll enjoy this.”

I accepted it. From then on, the woman brought me snakes a few more times.

“Eat up.”

It felt awkward to discard what I had accepted, so I ate it after all. She didn’t leave until she had watched me eat it all.

What was this? Why was this happening?

Even though she was wearing a mask, I could feel her obvious gaze—it was stifling. Had I made the wrong choice?

Was she perhaps embarrassed about having received help, thus retaliating in a roundabout way…?

I didn’t know this woman. And the unknown made me uneasy. The previous Twenty-Nine was blunt, but her intentions were somewhat transparent. She never beat around the bush.

But what about this woman?

It felt like there was poison hidden within her kindness.

So, I decided to decline the snake she offered again.

“I’m full.”

“…Huh?”

I sensed Twenty-Nine glaring from behind her black mask.

“If so, how am I supposed to repay this debt?”

“You don’t have to repay it…”

“I don’t like being indebted to men for anything. So eat it. Even if you have to force it down.”

“Isn’t that kind of backwards?”

“Even if it is, eat it.”

What a bothersome woman.

In the end, I refused again.

“I don’t want to eat it.”

“……”

From that day on, Twenty-Nine stopped coming to me.

With her ineptitude, I started managing things on my own again.

I also didn’t feel compelled to offer her anything. As time passed, our current relationship solidified naturally.

Both sides kept their distance from each other.

It grew increasingly natural for me to imbue my sword with Qi at the tip of Dan Hoon Choo. I could feel the faint impression of the realm of peaks I had dimly understood slowly taking shape.

What about Ghostly Spirit Step? My speed increased. Although deploying the hidden form slightly reduced that speed, the presence became nearly visible, aiding me in hunting beasts. If I linked it with Ilma, a tremendous assassination technique lay before me.

The feeling of steady progress lingered in my fingertips. The pain from Cheongeop had lessened, and at the same time…

Sometimes I felt something swirling within my body.

What could this be? Could it be that Cheongeop’s abilities weren’t just to twist my frame and grant regenerative abilities?

As I pondered this, the sword I wielded became tattered. I realized I needed to tend to the maintenance of my weapon.

I had to repair my sword. This was Seongja Myung’s sword. Naturally, I wanted it to last long.

Thus, I asked the personnel who came for inspection during roll call.

“…A blacksmith?”

He stroked his chin.

“Impossible. However… the blade is certainly dull. Though the form is intact, it wouldn’t serve its purpose well. I will provide you with a new weapon. Return the old sword.”

“……”

It was somewhat bittersweet, but there was no choice. I nodded and returned the sword.

However, the men returned a day later and handed me a piece of paper.

“I’ll give you a week. Entrust your items to the nearby blacksmith. This is a map and a letter. Bring this along, and they’ll prioritize your request.”

“…Eh? Why?”

“It’s the command of the Blood Demon Leader.”

The Blood Demon Leader.

It seems they really wanted to ride the coattails of Ilma.

It had been about half a year since I stepped back into the Demon Valley. I stood up with my hair tied back.

I could feel gazes upon me. They seemed envious, wanting to die but unwilling to express it due to pride.

Now that I think of it…

The condition of his sword was also a mess.

“…May I have the company of Twenty-Nine?”

“What? There are limits to the conveniences I offer. How dare you…”

“I would appreciate it if you could just ask the Blood Demon Leader.”

Did he think I was leveraging the influence of the Blood Demon Leader?

From the mask, I could sense an unseen face twisting in realization. It seemed he was glaring at me in refusal, but turned away.

The next day, when he showed up for roll call, he nodded at me and Twenty-Nine.

“From tomorrow on, it will be for seven days. If you don’t return by the deadline, I will send pursuit parties.”

I nodded.

It was a long-awaited outing.

 

---