Chapter 18 – Internal Energy Doping with Spirit Medicines

Chapter 18 – Internal Energy Doping with Spirit Medicines

Watching Tang Jae-shin, who had turned pale, Sawol finally clutched his stomach and began to laugh.

"I'm joking. Now that they've grown a bit, they don't bite unless the opponent harbors murderous intent toward me."

"…Ahem, hem."

Only then did Tang Jae-shin close his gaping mouth and clear his throat awkwardly, as if embarrassed.

"By the way, how was catching fish in the valley today?"

"…At first, I shot bamboo arrows with strong force, but it was tricky to catch them because of the current. Then, Sawol told me the method, saying it was the Young Master's secret technique, and only then did it become much easier to catch them."

"That is amazing for your first time. I struggled a lot."

Tang Jae-shin pondered for a moment and then spoke honestly about what he had felt. I threw the fish from the bamboo container to Torong and Yongyong one by one as I continued.

"Sawol's words about me catching fish and venomous insects as training are not a lie. It is a training method Brother Hae-soo devised after Torong and Yongyong arrived, and it is quite effective for predicting movements. Of course, I have shared it with others as well."

To think that such ridiculous hunting and gathering activities were a secret training method.

"……."

However, Tang Jae-shin had no choice but to believe these words. After all, he had been defeated by me, who trained using this method. Furthermore, what else could he say when it was a training method personally devised by the Young Clan Leader?

After keeping his gaze lowered in silence for a long time, Tang Jae-shin turned his head toward Sawol, who was standing behind him.

"……I am sorry. I made a huge mistake."

The arrogant and hostile look in his eyes was gone, and Tang Jae-shin simply admitted his mistake. Normally, someone would act arrogant until the end, but it was unexpected to see him put down his pride and readily apologize.

'Still, forgiveness is up to Sawol.'

I hoped Sawol's heart would soften with this minor revenge that had left Tang Jae-shin looking disheveled, along with the honest apology…

"Then would you like to go catch bugs tomorrow?"

…or so I was about to hope, but it seemed our Sawol's anger had not cooled down yet…

In truth, he might be the one who is truly extraordinary.

"……Tomorrow too?"

Ignoring Tang Jae-shin, who swallowed dryly and looked at me, I emptied the remaining fish for Torong and Yongyong.

"Yes, tomorrow too."

Along with the unhesitating answer, Sawol's faint smile felt scary for some reason.

Since that day.

Sawol worked Tang Jae-shin to the bone.

Of course, it was only feeding the Earth Dragon hatchlings on behalf of me, who was catching up on fifteen years of backlogged Tang Clan training, but seeing Tang Jae-shin show up in a mess every time made it clear that the process was by no means easy.

Suspecting that he might be tagging along out of self-consciousness, I spent some time observing him, but soon concluded that was not the case. Sawol was simply a formidable Chihuahua with a temperament that refused to lose…

Thus, including the unexpected Tang Jae-shin, hunting and gathering training became all the rage among the rising stars of the Sichuan Tang Clan for a while.

With the overflowing supply, all kinds of fish dishes constantly appeared on the Tang Clan's dining table.

A while later, the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall Leader Tang Yi-seon, unable to contain his curiosity, finally asked.

"Again? What, are we farming fish or something? Where on earth do they bring this much fish from every single day?"

Behind him, the rising stars who had caught a ton of fish as usual remained silent.

Thus began the "Tang San-ho incident without Tang San-ho," of which only Tang San-ho, who dined separately in the annex, was unaware.

***

Of course, whether everyone grew sick of fish dishes or not, my days went by just the same.

This meant that extremely harsh training continued.

I engaged in training while reflecting on the Buddha's words that all suffering comes from within, but that did not make it any less difficult. If so, my suffering was undoubtedly coming from the outside. Save me, please.

Today, after another training session that pushed past my limits ended, Tang Hae-soo spoke while brushing off his dirt-stained green robe.

"Ah, the Assembly of the Five Great Families is not far off. Did you know?"

"The Assembly? Ah, so that is why everyone was preparing the guest hall."

I recalled the recent bustling atmosphere of the Tang Clan Castle.

"Yes. Since it will be your first time meeting people from the other families, be especially careful with your behavior. Do not cause trouble again."

You have to leave me some energy to cause trouble in the first place…

Lying flat on the floor to catch my breath, I retorted with a sense of grievance.

"What kind of trouble did I even cause? Really, Brother."

"Is that so? Are you saying it is not your fault that only fish dishes have been served at the dining table lately?"

"……Well… that was only a tiny bit?"

"I heard that the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall Leader is creating various types of Gu because the Poison Depository is overflowing with venomous insects?"

Was that not a trouble I caused? Is it not a good thing?

Seeing my tilted head, Tang Hae-soo sighed softly and shook his head.

"Anyway, due to the preparations for the Assembly, neither the hall leaders nor I will be able to visit for a while, so keep that in mind. There is nothing for you to prepare, but make sure to greet the guests with proper courtesy so that nothing is lacking. Do you understand?"

I nodded, calming my fluttering heart.

The Assembly of the Five Great Families.

It was a gathering of the five families that represented the Jianghu martial world.

Unlike the Nine Sects, which had a religious nature, the martial families, comprised of a single lineage, held periodic assemblies to strengthen their bonds. Every three years, the five families took turns hosting the assembly, and this time, it was the turn of the Sichuan Tang Clan, which had come around again after fifteen years.

'Martial artists from prestigious families gathering in one place… I am a bit excited.'

Since falling into this place, I had never left Sichuan Province, so I had never seen martial artists from other sects either. Yet, prestigious families like the Namgung Family and the Zhuge Family, whose very names made my heart flutter, were gathering in one place. How could I not be excited?

"By the way, are there really that many guests? It seems they are preparing to accommodate guests not only in the guest hall of the Outer Castle but also inside the Inner Castle."

"Since the attendance will be much higher than the last assembly at the Paeng Family, there will be a lot to prepare."

"Higher? Why?"

"The Tang Clan is so secretive and little information is known about it… Wouldn't everyone be curious about the deepest parts of the Tang Clan Castle? Since we rarely let guests inside unless we are hosting an assembly like this, everyone is trying not to miss it."

'True… It is instinctual to want to gain the upper hand in any conflict of interest.'

Although they were grouped together as the Five Great Families, it was natural that each family's own interests were of the utmost importance.

The assembly was a place for friendship, but it was also a place to size each other up. This assembly was the closest one could get to the inside of the secretive Sichuan Tang Clan. Thus, it seemed the number of visiting guests was larger compared to assemblies held elsewhere.

"Do not act rashly just because it is your first assembly, and build friendships with the rising stars of your age group. For the relationships in the Jianghu are unpredictable in how they might connect in the future."

"Yes. Since it is the first time in fifteen years… it will be my first assembly."

I had heard that the last assembly held by the Sichuan Tang Clan was the year I was born. Since then, they had been held in turn by the Namgung Clan, the Zhuge Clan, the Hebei Paeng Clan, and the Murong Clan, but because of my weak body, I had never tagged along. As a result, not only was there no one who knew my face, but the vast majority did not even know of my existence.

New connections outside the Tang bloodline. Anticipation swelled within me as to what kind of people I would meet at the assembly.

Just then, Tang Hae-soo, who had been staring at me, asked with a peculiar expression as if something had crossed his mind.

"By the way, I heard a strange rumor."

"What rumor?"

"They say the Dark Flower of the Sichuan Tang Clan does not accept any other gifts but is incredibly fond of elixirs?"

"………Ah."

"And that because of that, elixirs have recently dried up in the vicinity of Sichuan Province."

"…………."

"Sigh… Seeing your reaction, it seems it is not a groundless rumor."

Since it was a rumor based on facts, I, the party involved, pursed my lips and averted my gaze. Tang Hae-soo let out a deep sigh, looking as though he were pondering whether it was truly right to introduce me to the elders of the great families.

"Still, it is not to that extent," I murmured quietly under my breath, but I shut my mouth tight at his sharp glare.

'I mean, did I ask them to bring them to me? Everyone thrusts elixirs at me the moment they see me. Of course, I could refuse them all… but still, they are elixirs, you know?'

The age of fifteen, when I first started training, was by no means old. However, it was not that young in the Jianghu either. Since I had started later than others, even if my internal energy was accumulating on its own while expanding my dantian…

'Sob, I am… from the "hurry-hurry" nation. Do you have any idea how much I want to increase even the macro speed?'

I could not be satisfied with that speed.

After all, is it not the K-hurry-hurry nation that bursts with frustration even while using the fastest internet in the world? If I were satisfied with internal energy accumulating at its natural pace, I would not be a Korean.

I gently stroked my lower abdomen where my dantian was located, feeling the internal force that must be circulating inside my body even now.

'The spirit pill I took today was absorbed well too. At this rate, does it amount to about fifteen years of internal energy now? Sigh, I consumed so many elixirs, yet I have only just stood at the starting line.'

In truth, this growth rate was more than ten times faster than that of others. Yet, my internal energy was only slightly ahead of martial artists of the same age group. Since what I originally possessed was so meager, this was all I could achieve even after doping with elixirs.

"…Just do not do anything dangerous. Do you understand?"

Tang Hae-soo left the Small Training Ground only after urging me several times, looking relieved.

'Are there no better elixirs? Something extremely precious… like the Shaolin Temple's Great Return Pill. Tsk, no. It is said that once such a thing appears, a bloodbath ensues in the Jianghu, right? For now, let's be satisfied with what I have.'

Yet, my head… was filled with thoughts of effective and rapid methods to dope and increase my internal energy.

***

Just as Tang Hae-soo had said, rumors about the Dark Flower were circulating among the rising stars of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

'The Dark Flower of the Sichuan Tang Clan rejects all other gifts but only accepts elixirs.'

'If you give him an elixir, he will teach you an extraordinary training secret.'

'The Dark Flower's martial prowess is extraordinary, so one must build a close relationship early on using elixirs.'

However, that was not the only rumor spreading under the name of the Dark Flower.

Following the duel, a single story crossed Sichuan Province, passed through Shaanxi and Chongqing, and spread to all parts of the Central Plains.

'The flower of the Tang Clan defeated a martial artist who was considered one of the best among the rising stars.'

The rumor was that the Dark Flower, a direct descendant of the Family Head, had won a near-perfect victory in a duel without allowing a single attack.

The birth of the Dark Flower, who made his name known in a Jianghu where similar rumors usually circulated, was enough to attract everyone's attention.

However, rumors passed from mouth to mouth were bound to be exaggerated bit by bit. Storytellers chasing sensational rumors added flesh to the story.

Thus, when this small commotion that had started in Sichuan Province traveled around the Central Plains and returned to the Tang Clan Castle…

"I have come to seek the Tang Clan's Dark Flower."

"Who are you?"

"I am Namgung Yeon of the Namgung Family."

"What is your reason for seeking the Dark Flower?"

"I have come to propose marriage to Lady Dark Flower."

It had become a completely different story from the beginning.