Cheongun stood up, parted the disciples, and came out to extend his hand.
“Your name is Ise, right?”
Ise was incredibly grateful that he remembered his name correctly.
Unse, Inse, Sipse, Ise.
He had encountered so many people who confused his name while trying to find every possible “se” imaginable that it was almost enough to bring him to tears.
“You remembered.”
“Of course I did.
I haven’t forgotten our duel that day for even a single day.”
Cheongun laughed heartily before tilting his head.
“But what brings you all the way out here?
Aren’t you from the Eastern Conti—”
– Keep it a secret that I’m from another continent.
Ise hurriedly cut him off with Voice Transmission.
Cheongun replied through Voice Transmission.
– Oh?
A cross-continental spy?
– Not that.
I’m looking for something.
– Understood.
Fortunately, Cheongun readily agreed.
As the two exchanged nothing but Voice Transmission without speaking aloud, the surrounding people, unaware of the truth, looked at them with puzzled expressions.
Cheongun smiled brightly and suggested,
“How about it?
Want to have another match after all this time?”
“I’ll pass.
I’ve seen you fight.
If we’re not careful, one of us could end up dead.”
Cheongun looked disappointed.
“I see.
Can’t be helped.
What do you think the result would be?”
“If we fought ten times, six to four.
Six for me.”
“So you’re saying I could beat you four times.”
The disciples of the Tyrant Sword Sect frowned, apparently displeased by Ise’s arrogance, but Cheongun merely curled up the corners of his mouth, seemingly satisfied with that answer.
“This is fate bringing us together, so come visit the Tyrant Sword Sect sometime.”
“That’s difficult right now.”
“Really?
Then I’ll stay here.
Junior Brother Cheongryeong, tell the Sect Master that I’m going on a short journey.”
“W-what should I tell him?”
“Tell him I’ve met a worthy rival and intend to seek his instruction.”
“…Yes, Senior Brother.”
The sword cultivator called Junior Brother Cheongryeong bowed with an expression of resignation.
Judging from the similar expressions on the faces of the other sword cultivators beside him, this probably wasn’t the first time they’d experienced this.
Ise and Ryu Seonghan exchanged incredulous looks.
He was suddenly announcing that he would travel elsewhere.
The guy was more reckless than Ise had expected.
***
Cheongun followed Ise and Ryu Seonghan all the way back to their residence.
When he saw their lodging, Cheongun’s expression stiffened slightly.
“No matter how I look at it, this is too shabby a place for the number one genius on the continent.
Why not come to the Tyrant Sword Sect instead?”
“Don’t gild the lily.
This place is perfectly livable.
By the way, how much status do you have on this continent?”
“Me?
I’m simply one of the most renowned promising young cultivators of the cultivator sects.
Among cultivators as a whole, I’m probably just a child who’s good at taking his first steps.”
Cheongun answered without embellishment.
Ise brewed him a cup of Spirit Tea and offered it to him before asking,
“If I wanted to buy something from another sect, could you at least help make the connection?”
“Unless it’s a clan’s secret inheritance, that wouldn’t be difficult.”
“It’s nothing like that.
Even if it were, they’d probably just treat it as a troublesome useless item.”
“That much is nothing.”
“Thanks.
I’ll ask when I need it.
I’ll repay the favor.”
Excellent.
If he ever needed to recover the Two Principles Return-to-Origin Art from another sect, he would enlist Cheongun’s help.
“If you’re grateful, just have a spar with me.
You’ve already reached the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm?
As expected, the continent is vast, and there are plenty of geniuses.”
Ryu Seonghan, who had been listening, cut in.
“Huh?
Senior!
You’ve reached the middle stage?”
Fortunately, Cheongun didn’t seem to have a domineering personality and paid little attention to it.
“It hasn’t been long.”
“Your cultivation speed is seriously… The world really is unfair….”
Even Ryu Seonghan wasn’t particularly slow.
He hadn’t started with poor aptitude to begin with, and with Ise’s full support behind him, he might be able to attempt his Foundation Establishment breakthrough within the next three or four years.
Once again, Ise realized just how enormous a fortuitous opportunity the support of a high-level cultivator could be for a low-level cultivator.
“What are you going to do now?”
“Keep cultivating.
Can you give me a guarantee token?
I’d like to use it if I need to send a communication talisman.”
“Sure.
Here.”
Cheongun readily handed over his guarantee token.
Ryu Seonghan stared blankly with his mouth hanging open, as though he couldn’t understand what he was seeing.
But from the perspective of the two of them, treating each other casually was only natural.
They had fought on equal terms in the Dark Heaven Secret Realm, where people stabbed each other in the back as casually as breathing, and they had maintained their integrity toward each other until the very end.
They weren’t close enough to call each other bosom friends, but that was certainly enough to consider the other person trustworthy.
‘Come to think of it, I’ll need to rent a cave abode.’
Considering the difference between judging someone trustworthy and revealing all of one’s secrets to them, it would be difficult for Ise to freely enter and leave the Life-Spirit Cave Abode while Cheongun was staying here.
When Ise stood up, Cheongun naturally followed him.
“Why are you following me?”
“Don’t be so cold.
Didn’t I just agree to grant your request?”
“Even so, don’t follow me into the cave abode.
That’s rude.”
“What a shame.”
Could he really have been planning to cultivate together with him…?
The accepted practice in the cultivation world was to cultivate separately even between parents and children.
It was practically safer to tear out one’s own heart and entrust it to the other person.
Ise rented the cheapest cave abode available, on credit.
He intended to install the Secret Realm Key on the inner door and cultivate inside the Life-Spirit Cave Abode anyway, so the rented cave abode was merely a disguise.
He installed the barrier formation and opened the door of the cave abode.
Cheongun’s dissatisfied voice came from behind him.
“Rather than cultivating in some cheap cave abode like this, why not come to the Tyrant Sword Sect?”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass.”
Cheongun clicked his tongue regretfully.
***
Ise emerged from the cave abode two years later.
He had finished absorbing all of the supreme-grade Condensing Qi Pills, and his spiritual qi had filled up rapidly.
He had successfully raised both the Five-Element Life-Promoting Art and Life-Promoting Art to the 7th Star, the level that could be cultivated at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment Realm.
The growth speed of his spiritual herbs had now reached nearly fifty times their normal rate.
That meant he could mass-produce Hundred-Year Grass once every two years.
His primordial qi had also grown to about the size of his palm.
He had grown accustomed to the pain, and his rate of gathering it had also become considerably faster.
With such a stable cultivation environment supporting him, all his progress had advanced smoothly, as though it had grown wings.
‘Satisfactory.’
At this rate, he would be able to reach the late-stage Foundation Establishment Realm before long.
By now, the records left by Lord Uyuhui were of little practical significance, but he still intended to use them as his goal.
He yearned for the day when he could rapidly reach the Core Formation Realm and sink his teeth into the throats of his enemies.
Cheongun was still staying at the residence.
“Aren’t you going home?”
“If I stay by your side, won’t I have more opportunities to spar with you?
And there are plenty of things I want to ask you about.
I’m the sort of person who has to find out whatever I’m curious about.”
“What an exhausting personality.
If you neglect your cultivation like that, the gap between us will only grow wider.”
“Don’t worry.
I’m cultivating in the best cave abode in Tiandao city.”
If he was going to cultivate here anyway, why not just go home?
Ise didn’t bother saying that aloud.
“By the way, Ryu Seonghan is from the Northern Continent.
He’s a disciple of a sect that was destroyed, so why are you taking care of him?
You don’t seem like the type to look after someone else.”
Had Cheongun investigated his background?
When Ise narrowed his eyes, Cheongun hurriedly added,
“Don’t misunderstand.
He told me himself.”
“I take good care of people I know.
You just don’t know me well enough yet.”
“Is that so?
Then I was being rude.
Still, you don’t accept just anyone as an acquaintance.
Right?”
“Well, yes.”
“Your acquaintances must be lucky.”
That gaze, as though he were looking at some strange animal, was something Ise could never quite get used to.
That must have been why Cheongun had entered secret realms at great risk despite being the heir to the Tyrant Sword Sect.
Ise decided to understand him as best he could.
“You said your goal in coming to the Eastern Continent was to find something… but Ryu Seonghan seems to have a different objective.”
“It’s better not to get involved.
Everyone has their own circumstances.
I’m not planning to get entangled with him recklessly either.”
“People who say that always end up getting the most deeply involved.”
“You’re saying something rather malicious.”
Ise muttered as he opened the door to the Flesh Storage Vault.
“Want something to eat?
I’ll only charge you a hundred spirit stones per meal.”
“A meal that costs a hundred spirit stones?
If you’re taking me for a fool, I don’t think I like that.”
“Try it.
You won’t regret it.”
Ise took a hundred spirit stones from him, prepared immortal cuisine using the Foundation Establishment demon beasts he had hunted in the Great Heavenly Demon Mountain, and handed it over.
Cheongun’s expression soon changed to one of astonishment.
“That gives me one more reason to stay by your side.”
“I shouldn’t have given you any.”
But contrary to his words, there was a trace of amusement in Ise’s eyes.
He had secured himself a wealthy regular customer.
While the two of them were scraping every last bit of immortal cuisine from their bowls, Ryu Seonghan arrived.
“…Senior.
I think you should come take a look.”
“What happened?”
“Well…”
Ryu Seonghan hesitated to answer.
He glanced at Cheongun, clearly wondering whether he should say anything.
After a brief pause, he continued with a sentence that only the two of them would understand.
“Something happened to Cultivator Xin.”
– Don’t tell me she died?
Ryu Seonghan nodded at Ise’s Voice Transmission.
Cheongun, realizing that the two were exchanging words only they could understand, interjected.
“I don’t know what you’re getting involved in, but can’t you let me join?
I’d like to help.”
“You?
Why?”
“Simple curiosity.”
“I told you, it’s better not to get involved.
I’m saying this for your sake.”
“That is for me to decide.
You only need to decide whether you’ll allow me to join.”
Ise looked at his expressionless face.
Having an ally was a good thing.
Their combat strength was roughly comparable.
If they worked together, Cheongun at least wouldn’t become a burden.
And his background as a member of the Tyrant Sword Sect was a significant advantage as well.
‘The Tyrant Sword Sect was said to be opposed to the Essence-Draining Ghost-Demon Valley.’
Still, involving someone who had no stake in the matter was a decision that required caution.
Especially when he couldn’t accurately determine that person’s intentions.
“If you sign a soul-binding contract regarding secrecy, I’ll let you join.”
Ise was politely turning him down.
No sane person would sign a soul-binding contract just out of simple curiosity.
At this point, Cheongun should have backed down.
But he didn’t.
“I’ll do it.”
“…”
In the end, Ise presented him with a contract.
It stated: ‘Do not interfere with anything Ise and Ryu Seonghan do, and do not disclose anything they do, in any manner or in any place.’
“You can change ‘do not interfere’ to ‘cooperate’ if you want.
But add one more clause.
I want a clause stating, ‘Before returning to the Eastern Continent, Ise must spar with Cheongun once.'”
So that was his real objective.
Apparently, although he couldn’t force Ise after being refused, he had been itching badly to fight him again.
“But I don’t remember you being this much of a fighting man back in the Dark Heaven Secret Realm.”
“Everyone there was boring.
I never imagined that the secret realm I’d risk opposition from my sect to enter secretly would be at that level.
Then I met you.
Fighting you was the most entertaining memory of my life.”
After saying that much, there was no way Ise could refuse.
The two of them entered into the soul-binding contract.
Immediately afterward, they followed Ryu Seonghan to the inn where Xin Yeoran had been staying.
Xin Yeoran’s corpse lay there.
Her body looked as though she had been attacked by someone who made a living through plunder, but Ise detected traces of demonic cultivation techniques remaining on her corpse.
Cheongun seemed to sense the same thing and murmured,
“That’s an Art of the Essence-Draining Ghost-Demon Valley.
Those bastards are starting again.”
At Cheongun’s words, Ise and Ryu Seonghan’s gazes locked onto him.