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“What a terrifying pain!”

Breath cut off!

My tongue twisted.

“Kyaaaaaaaack!!!”

In that moment, I found myself letting out a sound like killing a pig.

“… Urgh!!”

But I quickly stifled that voice as best I could and desperately tried to regain control over my internal energy, which was swirling like an active volcano throughout my body. I cast a quick glance around and then calmed myself down as I pinched my cheeks, nose, and throat once. Feeling the pain, I let my strength drain and collapsed back onto the barn floor.

“……”

Once more, I lay on the floor of the barn, reminiscent of me in my early teens. The chilly air from the hay pile meant to keep out the morning dew flowed over me. I actually missed that chill and hugged my knees against my chest, leaning against the hay wall.

“Hah…”

I’m lucky.

I really am lucky.

A tear of joy rolled down my cheek.

This time, I sensed death looming and resolved to avoid getting tortured to stay alive at all costs. If I refused the Iron Blood Gate’s sparring demands and tried to escape, given their nature, they would probably torture me to make it as painful as possible. And if I got tortured, there was a high chance I’d spill the beans about the Heavenly Secret.

So, I deliberately accepted the sparring match and fought until I died. At least if I died fighting, they couldn’t just let me live and humiliate me. After trying to die a few times, I managed to brace myself mentally for it.

But this was all in the realm of ‘luck.’

I had reversed time with the Heavenly Secret twice, but there was no guarantee I’d do it a third time. That was because I didn’t know a single thing about the Heavenly Secret. So I kind of felt like I was gambling, diving into a fire while balancing a stack of hay. Believing I could reverse time again.

On top of that, to combat the pain of dying, I artificially increased my internal energy through a breathing technique to alleviate the suffering. The person who would end my life was a peak expert capable of a clean and swift kill, so the pain was less terrifying.

This time, I managed to hold back my screams instead of going berserk from pain. In terms of pain, it was like getting whipped around my throat.

In the end, I was lucky.

I had come back like this, and my internal energy was intact.

Plus, I had gained knowledge in techniques and formations from Mangnyang, so I was much better off.

“……”

Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

To be precise, I was too depressed to say anything.

‘Damn it. In the end, I couldn’t bring down a single one of the Twin Gate Sect members.’

And I realized how absurdly difficult it would be to enter the Imperial Palace and come out with the Nameless Ritual Book. Mangnyang seemed to have assumed I was a peerless master, but in reality, I couldn’t defeat a peak expert skilled in Sword Flame.

Even against the Ghost Shadow Swordsman who cut me down in 350 seconds, I would still die against 10 of the Golden Eagle Guards. The mere fact that ten of those monsters could take down an expert so easily showed how terrifyingly high their average combat power was.

In the Imperial Palace, there were over 30 such Golden Eagle Guards wandering around and, on top of that, they could constantly use Qimen Dunjia to trap intruders, not to mention that the Duke of Guanzhong was also monitoring them. I felt self-reproach for ever thinking I could pull this off.

‘No way. With this power, I don’t stand a chance.’

Getting out with the Nameless Ritual Book was impossible for now.

Even if I were the greatest thief in the world, I’d have to risk my life for that task.

Could I even try that as someone who’s unbeatable among peak experts?

To be honest, I even thought it might be better to just die quickly and figure out where I stand.

“Hmm… But at least there are some gains.”

I managed to faintly smile as I organized in my mind what I had gained from this life.

First, I obtained the internal energy of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.

Second, I gained scholarly knowledge and insights into Qimen Dunjia techniques.

Third, I memorized the map of the Imperial Palace.

Fourth, I gained experience from fighting against peak experts.

Fifth, I learned that the prestigious martial clans are a bunch of bloodsucking bastards.

Especially the fifth point stuck with me.

I reproached myself.

“Damn it. I’m still an idiot.”

How naïve I had been.

If I had approached any of the six major clans of the Twin Gate Sect for a spar, it would have gone the same way. It’s just a matter of timing; they would never forgive someone who tarnished their honor. From the moment I provoked them, my fate was sealed as either becoming a fool or dying. Just like everyone in the world says, a wandering hero enhancing his skills through sparring is a story fit for novels.

If I want to gain real combat experience, I need to face real combat.

I have to push my opponents to the point of death to avoid future repercussions.

Such an obvious truth, yet I seemed to have been lost in the dreams of the martial world all this time.

I sat down squatting with my legs held, continuing to ruminate.

This event had definitely made it clear to me the significant gap between my skills and that of a peak expert. If I want to close this gap, I would need at least 10 years of dedicated training, as I heard it from my own mouth. Well then, with just 10 years of martial arts training, I could also become a peak expert.

But – how exactly?

Just collecting basics all alone while mindlessly practicing my sword moves at empty air won’t enhance my skills. I need someone to point out my shortcomings and offer guidance for improvement.

If not, I have to risk my life fighting similarly skilled fighters to improve myself, but with my life at stake, that’s an incredibly dangerous act, something I just realized through this death. If I gained enlightenment through a life-and-death struggle, that would be convenient, but realistically, such situations are quite rare.

Then again, trying to raise my skills by pummeling underlings won’t lead to any improvement. If I do start going for it that way, I’d just be beating the first-rate and below players relying on my internal power, and this kind of sparring would be of no use against true peak masters, which I learned this time around. It might work against Sword Hall Master Gyo Joon, but not against elders of the Iron Blood Gate.

I kept thinking about it, but it seemed like there was no better way than training under a ‘Master.’ I’m not a genius after all; I can’t just soak up training from a great master and then become independent afterward. It’s a painfully obvious point, but after receiving the internal energy of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, I seemed to have forgotten it out of joy.

When I think about it, I’ve only genuinely learned martial arts for three years. I’ve been rigorously studying during that time, but afterward, it’s just been a hodgepodge adapting to the field, so there hasn’t really been any enhancement in martial arts. My internal energy had only skyrocketed.

If that’s the case, I need to go to the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.

That’s where my master is.

The master who could give me the most suitable and beneficial advice for the martial arts I’ve learned!

It may have sounded resolved; however, I sighed deeply.

“Hah… What do I do now?”

Entering the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School now would be pure insanity and would definitely generate a terrifying discomfort. It’s like a child in their early teens with the ridiculous internal energy from the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng and the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School’s secret techniques suddenly asking to be taken in as a disciple.

If I were Samjeol Lee Kwang, I’d either get panic-y or be killed by my own hand. That’s how strange a person I’ve become.

Even in my third rebirth, my worries only deepened. Shaking my head to shrug off uncomfortable thoughts, I stood up.

“Ugh, I don’t know. I guess I’ll just do what I need to do for now.”

What I need to do.

No – what I must do.

That’s two things.

First. Go to the cave and obtain the Heavenly Secret.

Second. Go to Mount Huang and get the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.

‘If I can pull this off, it might take about a month? Well, whatever.’

Tydaht

I boldly turned my back to the Village Chief’s house and began to perform light-body techniques toward the cave. At my current power, wiping out the Village Chief’s family would be as easy as flipping a hand, but thinking it was too easy made it seem unnecessary to do right away.

‘Hmm… I feel like I’m forgetting something important… what was it?’

I tilted my head for a moment, but at this point, I couldn’t identify what I’d forgotten. I must have been lost in different thoughts.

It took a much shorter time to reach the cave than in my second rebirth. My running speed had increased at least threefold, and with no fatigue, it was only natural. By the time morning sun rose, I was inside the cave.

This time, I didn’t bother to buy a copper shield to save time. Instead, I picked up a few large stones I found by the roadside. Then, I decided to pass through the arrow mechanism guarding the Heavenly Secret.

“No need to go through all that trouble to block it. I know where the arrows are shot from.”

I muttered as I infused my internal energy into the stones. Then I hurled them toward the spot where the arrow mechanism was located from a distance. The powerful internal energy-filled stone wielded enough physical strength to pierce through a human body.

Boom!

The wall shattered, and I could see the hidden arrow mechanism getting destroyed. I casually broke through the trap.

But at the same time, a loud boom echoed, and my feet trembled.

Grumble, grumble!

“… Huh! What the hell!!”

I realized this was a signal that the cave was collapsing and quickly rushed in, cradling the box in my arms and ran out of the cave. I succeeded in leaping onto the opposite cliff using light-body techniques.

A moment later, the entrance to the cave crumbled entirely, and I could see a pile of rocks tumbling down the cliff below. After checking the Heavenly Secret inside the box, I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Phew, thank goodness. That was close.”

This method is something I shouldn’t try again. Even if it’s tedious, I’d better use stones or a copper shield to block arrows. I barely managed to escape the cave this time, so I definitely can’t be reckless in the future.

After obtaining the Heavenly Secret, I buried the box in the ground and tightly stuffed the book into the inner pocket of my clothes. It was something I should never drop, so I planned to carry it with me by any means necessary. I promptly set out on my journey to Mount Huang.

I could also head to the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, but I felt it was better to eat the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng first. There’s no guarantee I could learn anything there, and getting my internal energy up using the ginseng seemed like a more immediate benefit.

“Alright, let’s go!”

This was already my third trip to Mount Huang.

Thump, thump!

I started by walking, but began running as time allowed. The road to Mount Huang was extremely long and boring, so I wanted to save every bit of time I could. Of course, I still had to catch some wild animals, wash myself in the valley, and eat roots. Sleeping outside would strain my back too much.

The silver lining was that I had become very accustomed to the mountain life at Mount Huang, plus my elevated internal energy made my hunting skills significantly better. I could catch wild animals without tools about 8 out of 10 times, so I no longer wandered the mountains in a state close to starvation like I used to.

Thud, thud…

About a day’s walk from Mount Huang, I was roasting a frog on a certain mountain. If I started hurrying now, I’d probably arrive at Mount Huang within two moments, and it would take about three moments to reach the hidden spot with the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. Practically speaking, I could say I would be consuming the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng again ‘tomorrow.’

My clothes were already getting tattered, but I didn’t care. What concerned me was not knowing if this was a poisonous frog. Regardless, I had to eat it, so I was heating it up first.

Swallowing,

My stomach was too hungry.

I want to eat this…

If I eat a poisonous frog, I could end up paralyzed all over, and my face could turn purple and die. Before, when I was living at Mount Huang, I almost died from eating a poisonous frog, but a villager passing by fed me an antidote herb that saved me.

And that villager was an apothecary who provided me with essential knowledge.

‘They said poisonous frogs expand when heated, right?’

I calmly watched the frog. Lo and behold, its belly puffed up. This was a poisonous frog I could potentially die from eating. I tossed the frog skewered on a stick anywhere in disappointment.

“Ugh, damn it.”

I have to go hungry again today.

After sprinkling some asbestos I found nearby around my sleeping spot to keep snakes away, I started my vigil, feeling somewhat listless. The tip of my nose twitched slightly.

Is it just me, or do people who’ve reversed time go through all this hardship and suffering like me?

Am I the only one doing something ridiculous like this?

Is it really worth it to live a comfortable life going through all this hassle?

… But no matter how much I think about it, I can’t ask anyone else.

If thinking won’t yield answers, then I won’t think.

Chirp, chirp!

The sounds of insects filled the air.

That’s how the night of my third rebirth, the night before I consumed the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng for the second time, drew to a close.

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