In five days, my skills developed dramatically, as if each day was better than the last.
I truly put in the effort, sacrificing sleep for training upon training.
Combined with the training methods left behind by Miss Yeo Il-ye and the guidance from Black Cat, I experienced explosive growth. I could feel that I had doubled in strength compared to before I climbed the mountain.
Ah, so this is what [First Class] feels like.
However, the one regret I had was my martial arts. I deeply missed the martial arts texts I had shelved away. I tried to stretch my limited knowledge of the [Mighty Tiger Fist] but ran out of energy before I could finish even one form.
After reaching first class and attempting the Mighty Tiger Fist, I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t use it effectively in real combat.
But in the Outcast Inn, all the outcasts trained in the Mighty Tiger Fist every morning. Until now, I had been watching thoughtlessly, but this was actually not training; they were merely reminiscing about Tang Do-gyeong.
Tang Do-gyeong is terrifying. Just how far has he reached in winning over the hearts of the other outcasts?
“First of all, it’s clear that your condition was intentionally created. To put it simply, understanding that technique seems necessary for a complete cure.”
“Is that so?”
As the Poison Doctor filled a vessel with the blood he had drawn today, he continued speaking.
“The ratio and structure of the clots would be impossible unless designed by someone. To eliminate the majority of the clots that contained the spirit of the blood, a spiritual medicine infused with faint energy was needed. It’s not something you eat but must consume in a different way… Figuring out how to do that is one thing, but who would invest such precious medicine into you?”
It was true. In a world where anyone could reach first class, who would use valuable spiritual medicine on someone like Iryu?
“Your blood considered the balance of yin and yang in the five elements. You sealed your path as a martial artist, yet you also paid attention to this aspect. Anyway… that’s why I prepared this.”
“What is this?”
“This is the method I created for channeling energy. The name is… well, the Soju Hwa Loon Method. This Soju Hwa Loon Method burns the energy of the spiritual medicine to clear the clots in your blood vessels. You can think of it as weaving the treatment from before with my energy technique.”
“Obtain and consume the spiritual medicines of the five elements and the seven attributes. Once you find and consume them and channel your energy through the Soju Hwa Loon Method, the clots in your body will gradually be eliminated. You’ll lose about 80-90% of the medicinal effects of the consumed healing medicines, but once you consume the seven medicines, you’ll be able to reach your peak.”
“As for what comes next… I can’t guarantee that. Your blood is quite peculiar… Once you remove the evil spirits, the composition of the other clots is designed to become looser. After consuming all the medicine, another path may open up.”
“Are you saying there are staged seals on my body?”
“That’s one way to look at it. Even though you sealed it so thoroughly, I can’t understand how you left room for it to be undone.”
Could it be that my past was like an experiment of the Demon Sect? Regardless, after hearing the unsettling explanation from the Poison Doctor, I felt that delving into my past should be done with thorough preparation.
By the way, gathering seven spiritual medicines won’t be easy. It’s not like Dragon Balls; getting even one is challenging, let alone seven for a mere threshold!
“Come back when you reach your peak. We need to see the progress of your body at that time.”
Truly, the famous Poison Doctor of the Central Plains. After doing so much, he had every right to wash his hands of it all, yet he was willing to wait for me, who might not reach my peak anytime soon. I was touched.
“And… what do you plan to do with Maki?”
Seeing the subtle hint in his expression made me smirk. Strictly speaking, Maki was the captive I had caught. After all, the elder needed someone to take care of things at his age.
“What about the blood?”
“I’ll just have to cleverly cover it up. If he stays by my side too long, he might catch on.”
Wasn’t the whole premise that only fresh blood would work…? Well, I guess the risks of collapsing the setting would be handled by the Poison Doctor. Nodding in agreement with his medical enslaving of Maki made the Poison Doctor’s expression relax a bit.
“With the young lady of the moon phase… Hoo, that’s something you’ll have to figure out.”
“Haha, understood.”
I gestured a goodbye to Poison Doctor Tang.
“Thank you, Elder. I never expected you would treat me with such sincerity.”
The Poison Doctor had discreetly looked out for me—telling me about Black Cat, moving according to my words… Well, there was no denying he had offered up the secret technique too.
I should consider this a kindness received.
“Heh, don’t worry about it. It’s all thanks to the generosity you’ve shown to the Tang Clan. I’ve also broadened the horizons of medicine while observing your condition, so there’s no need for excessive formality.”
The Poison Doctor elegantly waved away my gratitude.
“Well… seeing as I’m saying this, it seems it’s about time for me to leave.”
“Yes, Elder. It’s time for me to head back.”
The time to return to Sacheon City was nearing.
* *
“Ah.”
The long journey to Yunnan had finally ended. After such a long absence, returning to Sacheon with Black Rib meant meeting those piercing stares again.
“Each time I arrive back, I feel this damn gaze; it truly feels like I’m back in Sacheon City.”
“Yeah, I don’t miss it much but it feels familiar nonetheless.”
“So, Senior, what do you plan to do now?”
“We’ll focus on training and requests for a while.”
First and foremost, I needed to learn the martial arts of first-class status. Getting this down would require practical experience through requests, as I had to blend that knowledge into action as well.
Finally, I could properly enjoy the real advantages of being a Sacheon Outcast.
A practice without the threat of death. That’s what it truly means to be a Sacheon Outcast.
Originally, martial arts are ideally a harmonious fusion of practice and real application. However, low-level martial arts cannot be used in real scenarios for practical reasons.
But Sacheon Outcasts are free from such constraints.
Why aren’t the unskilled martial artists using their techniques in real combat? Because there’s a risk of defeat and death.
But the practice of the Sacheon Outcasts is a scenario where losing is simply part of the game, and the opponent understands this, so they don’t target the lives of the outcasts or use underhanded tactics. As long as I don’t get bitten by that rookie I met in Gyeongsu Market…what was his name? Gang-jun?
Anyway, I could use the techniques freely without worrying about my head rolling off in real combat. This means I could quickly raise my martial arts attainment through the ideal training method that harmonizes practice with real-world applications.
“I’ve returned!”
As I entered the Outcast Inn, loudly declaring my arrival, the outcasts momentarily gazed at me before starting to throw out comments. It was quite common for outcasts to be absent for extended times—whether dealing with family affairs or going about trading spiritual medicines or secret texts.
Since I returned around dinner time, most of the outcasts gathered on the first floor. After dinner, they would kill time, and those who wanted to train would head upstairs to sleep.
Returning alongside Black Cat during this tedious evening made us the center of attention.
“Ho Cheon-an! Stop making noise and get inside quickly!”
And among them was Yu Sa-yeon, who usually spoke in a sharp tone as well.
“You said it was personal, but it took you quite a while.”
“Well, it turned out that way. I’ll be focusing on requests for a while.”
“’For a while’… Hmm.”
Yu Sa-yeon scanned me from top to bottom, wrinkling her forehead.
“You’ve reached first class? Why the sudden urge to start training your martial arts again?”
“Fufuf, have you noticed [I] have reached first class…?!”
Yu Sa-yeon looked at me with a perplexed expression, but I stood tall, shoulders back, gazing at her with an air of confidence. I, Ho Cheon-an, achieved first class after seven years! You should be more impressed!
“Why do you look so smug?”
“…Huh?”
“I find it hard to believe. First time I’m seeing someone who hasn’t made much achievement in the Outcast Inn. If you lack talent, that’s one thing, but for someone with skill to spend day after day dawdling about in the gambling den and reading martial arts novels like a drifter, then just barely scrape your way up to first class, what’s there worth boasting about?”
“No…”
A sudden tightness enveloped my chest. Of course, I could see how I might appear. But with all those impurities, there was no way I could rise beyond second class martial artist, so why should I waste my effort? It felt like trying to eat five sweet potatoes in one sitting without water! An unbearable suffocation! I couldn’t just express it bluntly, and no come-back word came to mind, and in the middle of my gaping, Jeong Sam, who had come close to greet me, spoke in my ear.
“Sister, did Senior Ho really reach first class?”
“Is that lazy guy? Tch, tch. Well, it took him seven years but he did make it to first class. Aiyoh, the laws of heaven have surely collapsed!”
“Indeed! It’s shocking that a guy who spends day and night flirting around and reading martial arts novels is now on the same level!”
“Ah! How careless! If he had lost control over his Qi the night before, he could very well be defeated, so don’t underestimate him!”
Hahaha!
The outcasts erupted into loud laughter. Watching them, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of reflection.
“Hah, I regret it.”
At my muttering, Yu Sa-yeon made a face of realization.
“Hey, don’t get too hurt. But seriously, congratulations on reaching first class. I’m genuine about that. However, it is true that you focused more on other things than on training your martial arts.”
Yu Sa-yeon hastily tried to console me. Realizing too late that she had teased me too much.
“Hey! You all stop it! Regardless, we should celebrate your reach to first class!”
Finally, noticing my downcast expression, the outcasts hurriedly added their thoughts.
“Cough! That’s true, though. Congratulations on your achievement.”
“Yeah, since you’ve finally reached first class, keep striving forward!”
Seeing the camaraderie expressed by them, I solemnly spoke.
“We need to tighten our discipline a bit.”
When Yu Sa-yeon forcefully handed over Black Cat to me? We established the discipline to prevent strikes. When Go-bu-rin slacked off, I knocked the Golden Clan’s cart to re-establish discipline.
But why? Why did I never once think to establish discipline among these outcast fellows?
Perhaps that’s because the Sacheon Outcasts were the folks who looked down on me the most in this world? I can’t believe I overlooked this matter.
Looking back, the Sacheon Outcasts had constantly shown me a disappointing side.
As a martial artist, I should’ve treated martial arts solemnly, yet when Black Cat showed up, they didn’t hesitate to rashly throw out moves until they were short of breath.
Sigh. I can rationalize that as just the charm of Black Cat. I can’t blame them for not possessing the same iron will and slight resistance to bewitchment that I do.
But what were they doing during the Tang Do-gyeong incident?
Because they saw the qualities of a Great Hero in Tang Do-gyeong, didn’t they readily offer me up to him? Was that all? When gambling with Tang Do-gyeong, didn’t they shout insults and vent their anger, shaking my mental state?
Why did the Sacheon Outcasts, in the Outcast Inn, side with Tang Do-gyeong instead of supporting their own?
That alone created a significant challenge to my mental fortitude during the gambling session. Their coordination, ridicule, and pressure! That was tantamount to a severe betrayal.
And what followed? Tang Do-gyeong stayed momentarily, and they showed their ugly sides as they split over his presence. Claiming their loyalty and divine justice was real while outright condemning the other side!
In the face of profit, camaraderie and solidarity are just mere illusions, and they revealed their ugly truths!
As for their ignorance displayed on that literary day!
What’s all this about the Heavens and Earth? Seriously, there’s a minimum standard of knowledge one should have! You ignorant fools!
These dudes were a problem from A to Z. Upon reflection, there’s also the problem of that shallow bond between Jeong Sam and Yeo Jin-sang.
How much disdain and ridicule had I endured from them simply for being [second class]? Yes! Someone, I don’t remember, had openly attacked my martial arts skill during the gambling match with Tang Do-gyeong!
It’s true that my martial arts hadn’t improved; however, if you think so, shouldn’t you boldly say it to my face instead of cowardly hurling stones while hiding in anonymity? Such despicable and shameless behavior!
These outcasts were rotten apples who needed true education!
Unquestionably, this wasn’t a time for me to arrive at the Outcast Inn to share the news of my rise to first class, expecting an outpouring of congratulations.
I thought I could naturally gather everyone for drinks that would last through the night to brag about my achievement, but I quickly realized that this was not the atmosphere that was happening, and my heart sank in disappointment.
To truly embody the spirit of the Sacheon Outcasts and advance this community, it was essential for me to enforce discipline, and the one capable of fulfilling that duty was none other than me, the first class master, Ho Cheon-an.
With a solemn heart, I picked up the torch of determination in my soul and declared:
“Starting tomorrow morning, everyone get ready in the training hall!”
