***
While Jin Wi-dong was harboring such thoughts, Lee An-jeong let out a deep sigh.
"Phew... anyway, that means I have to go outside, right? To do that, I'd have to be promoted to a formal disciple. If I reveal my realm, it would be possible right now, but what if I can't use this spirit vein anymore?"
Lee An-jeong had reached the 3rd star of the Qi Condensation stage a long time ago and was already capable of becoming a formal disciple, but he was not doing so.
It was because he feared that if he rose to the main mountain, he might no longer be able to use the spiritual qi of the spirit vein felt from deep underground.
In the main mountain, there were several Golden Core stage grand cultivators and numerous Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.
If it were them, just as Jin Wi-dong had appeared previously after sensing the energy of the spirit vein, there was a concern that he might be caught drawing upon the energy of the spirit vein.
Lee An-jeong preferred to continue living as a miscellaneous labor disciple as he was now, as long as he could freely use that spirit vein anyway.
At those words, Jin Wi-dong felt it was absurd and shouted loudly.
- You brat, is there not the Miscellaneous Labor Disciple Retreat that happens once every three months!
- If you place within the top five there, you can go outside for a month, so couldn't you visit On-ju City then?
"Huh? That’s right! There was that method?"
- Yes. So, make sure to place within the top five and depart for On-ju City.
- If you seek them out using the forty-five Spirit Qi Elixirs you've made in the meantime, you'll be able to obtain those medicinal herbs and still have plenty to spare.
- Although the ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Elixir might be difficult.
"Haha! That’s true, isn't it? It’s absolutely perfect!"
Lee An-jeong rejoiced while fingering the Spirit Qi Elixirs contained within his storage pouch.
Since he had already reached the 6th star, which was the peak of the early Qi Condensation stage, the Spirit Qi Elixirs would likely not be helpful to him.
Therefore, as Jin Wi-dong said, if he utilized the Spirit Qi Elixirs to obtain other ingredients, it seemed it would become easy to obtain replacements for the two medicines he was worried about.
- And while you are at it, obtain a cultivation method as well.
- During the early Qi Condensation stage, there isn't much of a difference, but from the mid-Qi Condensation stage onward, learning a usable cultivation method will double your power.
- It will also increase your cultivation speed.
"Oho! A cultivation method? Can't you teach me one of the methods you've mastered, Jin-dae-hyung, like the Wuji Alchemy Method?"
When Lee An-jeong asked like that with an expectant expression, Jin Wi-dong replied with a sinister laugh.
- Hehe. There is nothing I cannot teach you!
- However, the demonic cultivation methods I've mastered involve extracting the spirit roots of the living and extracting the souls of the dead to cultivate.
- Hehe. Do you still wish to learn?
"What? Damn it! Forget it. Of all the things to master, you mastered such heinous things. I won't learn them!"
- What, you brat? Does it make sense for you to call that heinous after you performed the cruel act of even extracting my soul essence blood?
"Aish, that’s that and this is this!"
Lee An-jeong spoke like that and glared at Jin Wi-dong’s Nascent Soul while bulging his eyes.
Lee An-jeong, who had been an ordinary third-year high school student in South Korea, did not want to learn through such cruel and inhumane methods, no matter how great the cultivation method was.
- Hehe. Anyway, there isn't even anything you can learn at your level.
- They are things that can only be mastered once you have at least surpassed the Foundation Establishment stage.
"What? Aish, they were things I couldn't learn anyway! Who are you teasing?"
- Ehehehe— Yes! You brat!
"Aish! Maybe I should just melt your essence blood right now!"
- W-what, you punk? You petty bastard!
It was when Lee An-jeong and Jin Wi-dong were bickering like that.
Just then, the sound of a bell was heard from afar.
Dong—
It was the sound of a bell ringing once for a long duration.
"Ah! Is it already supply day? That’s good! I was almost out of talismans as well."
Lee An-jeong thought it was perfect, calmed his startled heart, and quickly left the training cave.
When he went outside, Mak Cheong-un was already heading that way some distance ahead.
The fellow was deep in thought about something.
"Mak Cheong-un, what are you thinking about so much?"
In response to Lee An-jeong’s question, Mak Cheong-un looked back at Lee An-jeong, greeted him while stuttering, and then fell back into thought.
"Ah? L-Lee An-jeong. I-it’s nothing much."
'Hmm? What is it? Is there something bothering him?'
Looking at Mak Cheong-un, he was still in a state where he had not even entered the Qi Condensation stage.
It seemed the fellow was very worried about his own state, which had been at a standstill for over two years.
'He really is a dullard among dullards? How can someone have so little talent for cultivation! Poor bastard!'
Lee An-jeong felt pity for such a Mak Cheong-un.
He didn't care about the others, but his heart went out to Mak Cheong-un, who had stepped forward to get beaten with him when Lee An-jeong was being bullied by Hwang Cheon’s group due to his lack of strength.
It seemed that if the fellow could at least reach the 1st star of the Qi Condensation stage, his worries would be resolved to some extent.
'Aish, it's a bit of a waste to give him a precious Spirit Qi Elixir, so what should I give him?'
Just then, the low-grade spirit stones piled up by the dozens in his storage pouch occurred to Lee An-jeong’s mind.
They were no longer of much use to Lee An-jeong.
However, for Mak Cheong-un, who could not sense spiritual qi, that amount of low-grade spirit stones would likely be sufficiently helpful.
Lee An-jeong pulled out dozens of low-grade spirit stones from his storage pouch and held them out to Mak Cheong-un.
"Mak Cheong-un, here! You take this!"
At those words, Mak Cheong-un took on a startled expression, looked at them, and asked.
"T-these are low-grade spirit stones, aren't they? Why are there so many? But you're saying you'll give all these to me?"
In response to Mak Cheong-un’s stuttered question in surprise, Lee An-jeong brushed his empty hands with an indifferent expression and spoke while making up a rough excuse.
"Yeah. As you saw last time, I obtained quite a lot of these by looting Cheon Mong-han’s storage pouch, right? But since I'm the Soft-Root Bloodline, I practice body-strengthening and don't cultivate spiritual qi. Therefore, I don't need these low-grade spirit stones! In that sense, Mak Cheong-un, you take all of this!"
"What? Y-you're telling me to take these precious things? E-even if you don't use them, you can sell them later, can't you? Why are you giving them to me?"
In response to Mak Cheong-un’s question, Lee An-jeong tilted his chin up, put strength in his neck, and spoke.
"So make sure you treat this Hyung-nim well! You punk! If you really want to pay me back, cultivate quickly and pay me back two or three times over next time! And make mid-grade spirit stones at that! Got it? Ahem."
Lee An-jeong spoke like that, waved his hand dismissively, and walked forward.
In fact, to Lee An-jeong, who had plenty of Spirit Qi Elixirs worth 50 mid-grade spirit stones each, those dozens of low-grade spirit stones were indeed not very important.
Mak Cheong-un, who was unaware of this, could not help but be moved by Lee An-jeong’s appearance.
'Wow! How can someone be like that? I misunderstood Lee An-jeong! I thought he was a selfish and self-centered fellow, but looking at him now, he is a very manly fellow, isn't he?'
Then, he ran quickly, approached Lee An-jeong’s side, cupped his fists, and expressed his gratitude.
"Th-thank you! Lee An-jeong. I-I will never forget this favor. Tell me whenever there is something you need my help with. I will help you even if I have to risk my life!"
Sincerity could be felt in Mak Cheong-un’s eyes.
Lee An-jeong, who found it quite burdensome and awkward, felt as if goosebumps were rising on his skin.
'Ugh—that guy is really acting damn burdensome!'
"Forget it, punk! Say that after you at least reach the 1st star of the Qi Condensation stage!"
Lee An-jeong spoke like that while scrubbing his goosebump-covered forearms and walked ahead.
Then, a certain question suddenly occurred to him.
Had it not been said that Mak Cheong-un was from the same clan as Mak So-hyang?
They seemed to be quite a prestigious family, so why was Mak Cheong-un living so poorly without even any cultivation resources?
"Hey! Mak Cheong-un, but didn't you say your Mak family was quite a prestigious family? Aren't they at a similar level to Cheon Mong-han’s family?"
"Uh, uh... y-yes, that’s right..."
"But why do you have so few resources? Just looking at Cheon Mong-han last time, he was secretly carrying mid-grade spirit stones and even talismans worth 50 mid-grade spirit stones in his storage pouch."
At Lee An-jeong’s question, Mak Cheong-un scratched his head with a gloomy face and showed a bitter smile.
"Th-that’s... actually, although I am of the Mak family, I am from a branch line, and because my father committed a great crime against the family, I was almost treated like a nuisance. Unlike Mak So-hyang, who is the daughter of the Clan Head..."
As it turned out, although Mak Cheong-un was from a prestigious family, he had apparently not received those benefits at all in reality.
'This brat, he was a very pitiful fellow, wasn't he? Hmm. The Mak family...'
While having such thoughts and walking, the supply station came into view.
Lee An-jeong and Mak Cheong-un went straight to the supply station, stood in line, and received this month’s supplies.
Just like before, no one tried to pick a fight with Lee An-jeong.
There was only the sleepy-eyed fourth-generation disciple Gong-son-yeon, who observed Lee An-jeong with an interested gaze.
<><><>
The mountain gate of the Bu-yeon Sect, where a high wall was cast.
Gun Ga-rim and Beom Gon, third-generation disciples belonging to the Outer Hall, were descending the mountain to preside over the periodic retreat once again.
"Beom Gon, how are those new recruits we brought three months ago doing?"
"Well, it's about the same as usual. Most of the children still haven't entered the Qi Condensation stage."
"Hmm. Is that so? Wasn't there a lowest-grade fellow among them back then? You know, that fellow we thought was dead. What happened to him?"
At Gun Ga-rim’s question, Beom Gon’s expression slightly crumpled.
"Ah, that fellow named Lee An-jeong? As for him, he naturally hasn't even properly risen to the 1st star of the Qi Condensation stage."
"As expected, right? Since he has the lowest-grade mixed spirit root, it's only natural. Honestly, I wonder how much longer we have to uselessly recruit lowest-grade fellows because of Elder Yeon Cheon-geuk’s precedent!"
Just then, Beom Gon’s words slightly trailed off as he replied.
"Exactly. However, that fellow..."
"Hmm? Why are your words trailing off. What about that fellow?"
Beom Gon replied as if spitting out the words, with an expression as if the mere thought of it was unpleasant.
"It seems that a fellow has learned a body-strengthening technique."
"What? A body-strengthening technique? Haha... for a person practicing cultivation to learn such a body-strengthening technique. As expected of a lowest-grade! Wait..."
Gun Ga-rim, who was bursting into a sneer, stopped talking as if something occurred to him and muttered with a serious expression.
"Body-strengthening? Come to think of it, it was said that Elder Yeon Cheon-geuk also learned that three thousand years ago...? With the same lowest-grade mixed spirit root... and even a body-strengthening technique... surely, it couldn't be? For a mere waste-grade fellow like that to possess talent similar to Elder Yeon Cheon-geuk... I also, what is this bizarre thought! Ahem..."
"What is the matter? Sahyeong?"
"It’s nothing. But why is your expression like that?"
In response to Gun Ga-rim’s sudden question, as if trying to shake off his own useless thoughts, Beom Gon replied in a tone mixed with a sigh.
"Whew... well, it seems that guy’s body-strengthening technique has quite some achievement, as he apparently defeated a fellow named Hwang Cheon, who is at the 1st star of the Qi Condensation, and his cronies. In short, he has mastered a body-strengthening technique at the level of the 1st star."
'W-what? S-surely...?'
Gun Ga-rim, who was inwardly startled by those words, hid those inner feelings as best as he could and asked nonchalantly.
"H-Hwang Cheon? Isn't that the fellow who thrashed that Lee An-jeong guy during the retreat three months ago? Huh... to think he took revenge in only three months. He’s quite a persistent fellow! For such a guy to learn a body-strengthening technique of all things! How pathetic!"
"Yes, well, anyway, since it's a body-strengthening technique at the level of the 1st star of the Qi Condensation stage, it's nothing that great."
'Level of the 1st star? Of course, that's it!'
Only then did Gun Ga-rim feel relieved and click his tongue once as if displeased, then changed the subject and asked.
"Pathetic fellows, to be defeated by a mere body-strengthening practitioner! Anyway, there's no one among the miscellaneous labor disciples who has reached the 3rd star yet?"
"It seems there are several fellows who have reached the late 2nd star, including a fellow named Cheon Mong-han, but they haven't reached the 3rd star yet."
"If it's Cheon Mong-han, is that the one who entered with the family's Yellow-grade talisman?"
"Yes, that's correct. Therefore, it seems the victory this time will likely go to him. If he obtains the one Spirit Qi Elixir, which is the prize for winning, he will rise to the 3rd star in an instant."
"I suppose so. That fellow is fully deserving of it!"
'As I thought! Why would I see such a guy and think of Elder Yeon Cheon-geuk? Honestly, I...'
While Gun Ga-rim praised Cheon Mong-han like that outwardly, he felt inwardly relieved regarding Lee An-jeong and moved his steps down toward the mountain gate along with Beom Gon.
***