Chapter 22 : Efficiency (3)
Without needing to borrow the words of connoisseurs, the conditions Sama Hwi had set were absurd.
One. It must not be difficult to learn.
Two. It must be a powerful supreme martial art.
Three. There must be no repercussions when using it.
Four. It must not be ugly.
When all these conditions were considered, unfortunately, not a single one of the thousands of martial arts in the library was applicable.
"Not a single one?"
"Yes. There was no such dream-like martial art. In the first place, there isn't even a martial art that satisfies the first and second conditions. If there were such a martial art, it would have been used in the war against the Demonic Cult by having the lower-ranking warriors learn it."
"That's true... Then this martial art?"
"It is a martial art that can satisfy all those conditions if a certain limited condition is met. Its name is the Soul-Stealing Ice Art."
Soul-Stealing Ice Art.
Among the many martial arts of the martial world, martial arts with the character 'ice' in them are only handled in one place.
Jang So-gil replied with a flustered voice.
"Don't tell me that's from the North Sea Ice Palace...?"
"That's right. You know it well."
"It's a martial art from the outer martial world!"
"That's right. That's why it will be hard to find anyone who will question you even if you use it freely."
In the past, the North Sea Ice Palace was one of the three great heavens of the outer martial world, a powerful force that was no different from the ruler of the North Sea. But that was a thing of the past. During the time when the Demonic Cult War was intensifying, they took the side of the Demonic Cult and threatened the martial world, so they were designated as an enemy of the Martial Alliance. The Ice Palace was destroyed by a punitive force, and its power was mostly dismantled.
"There are several advantages to learning the Soul-Stealing Ice Art. First, it can alleviate your constitution to a considerable extent."
"What's wrong with my constitution that it does that?"
"Everyone follows the principles of the five elements. In your case, the energies of fire and metal are strong, and both fire and metal have the nature of yang. If the yang energy is too strong, it is not good for the cultivation of the Sama Divine Art, and it does not have a good effect on you either. The yin energy of the Soul-Stealing Ice Art suppresses that."
"That's a little different from the principle I know. If you have the nature of fire, isn't it better to learn a martial art with the same nature of fire?"
"That's also true in some ways. If it's supported by constant training and internal energy, it's better to learn a martial art with a nature that matches your constitution. The case of Fire Dragon Yang Gwan is such a case."
"In my case, since I have neither training nor internal energy, if I specialize in one nature, my body won't be able to withstand it?"
"Very accurate."
"What are the other advantages?"
Sama Hwi casually pointed at Jang So-gil's hand.
His hand had quite a few scars, but it was not a rough hand that had been trained.
"The Soul-Stealing Ice Art is a martial art that does not discriminate between weapons such as fists, palms, swords, or spears. In the end, its foundation is ice, so you can exert its power as you wish."
"You're saying it can be a foundation before I seriously practice martial arts."
"You've got it right."
"But isn't this a special martial art that only the people of the North Sea Ice Palace can learn?"
"That's also true."
It was basic common sense that even Jang So-gil, who was not a martial artist, knew.
The harsh cold of the North Sea torments the people who live there, but thanks to that, the residents of the North Sea have a constitution that does not feel the cold well. So, all residents are forced to have the nature of yin and water, and without such a constitution, the martial arts of the North Sea Ice Palace could not be learned.
Jang So-gil knew it, so there was no way Sama Hwi didn't know. And yet he brought the martial art of the North Sea Ice Palace?
There must be a reason.
Jang So-gil quietly waited for Sama Hwi's words.
He closed his eyes and sighed, then lifted the large box he had brought at first.
From the moment Sama Hwi arrived, Jang So-gil had been very curious about that box. He didn't know what was inside, but he felt the scent of an enormous amount of money.
"What is that?"
"If you knew how long I discussed with the Alliance Lord to get this out, you would want to bow to me."
"I'm asking what it is."
"You should know it's an honor..."
"Stop making me anxious and open it quickly."
"Tsk, no manners at all..."
"Ah, come on!"
As Jang So-gil flared up, Sama Hwi let out a deep sigh and opened the box.
The object inside was a sword. The scabbard was dazzlingly white, and in the middle was a blue line that seemed to have been made by melting a jewel. It looked as if it were made only of pure white snow and blue jewels, giving off the feeling of a work of art rather than a weapon. At its elegance, Jang So-gil's eyes shone and he asked.
"What on earth is this sword?"
"It is called the White-Clear Divine Sword, the divine object used by the palace master of the North Sea Ice Palace. It is a precious object that the Alliance Lord brought as proof after defeating the North Sea Palace Master, but I persuaded him to bestow it upon you."
"Persuaded? You're saying you persuaded the Alliance Lord, Strategist Sama?"
"Why not?"
"Why?"
Jang So-gil, bewildered, blinked his eyes. What he had expected from Sama Hwi was the selection of a good martial art, not bringing such a precious object. And it wasn't just any precious object, but the White-Clear Divine Sword. Such a divine weapon was not something one could see easily, and it was highly likely that even a first-rate master of the martial world would not be able to see it even once in their entire life. It was too excessive a gift, so if he took this, there would be a mountain of martial artists who would want to kill him and take it. It was like carrying a castle on his side, so it was only natural.
Sama Hwi nodded his head slightly as if he understood everything.
"As you said before, the martial arts of the North Sea Ice Palace cannot be learned by just anyone. It is because you must have a special energy to be able to cultivate it. But if you have this sword, the story is different."
"How is it different?"
"Just by wearing this sword, the owner's internal energy gradually increases."
"...!"
"However, that internal energy is specialized for ice arts, an internal energy only for ice arts. It's a natural story, but since it's an internal energy that is not one's own that is forcibly accumulated in the lower dantian, if a person has learned or trained in another internal energy cultivation method, even a second-rate or third-rate warrior with a low level of internal energy would be in life-threatening danger. If a master is strong enough to melt the internal energy given by the White-Clear Divine Sword with their own true qi, their life will not be in danger, but rather it will be like cutting their own flesh."
"I see. It's just damaging one's own true qi for no reason."
"Yes. So, to fully see the function of this sword, you must satisfy one of two conditions. You are either a person of the North Sea Ice Palace, or an ordinary person with no internal energy at all."
"Since I have no internal energy..."
"It's a very good state to use it. The Sama Divine Art, since it originates from the art of life nourishment, does not particularly discriminate against the nature of internal energy. It is a martial art that only increases the speed at which internal energy accumulates, so the internal energy gathered with the White-Clear Divine Sword is also no problem."
"In short, you're saying I can easily gather internal energy with the sword, and gather internal energy even faster with the Sama Divine Art."
"That's right. Theoretically, internal energy will accumulate several times faster than with a normal internal energy training method."
That is why the palace masters of the North Sea Ice Palace have been masters for generations.
They live with spiritual medicines in their mouths from the moment they are born, and they receive the function of the White-Clear Divine Sword and train twice as fast, so it is as clear as day that they will become the best masters of the North Sea.
"But since it's so picky about people, there was no one to use it or to bestow it upon."
"I see. All the people of the Martial Alliance are masters, and those who can achieve merits are naturally masters, so."
"The White-Clear Divine Sword is useless, that's what I'm saying."
"Even so, can I really use it? I don't know if I'll get stabbed in the marketplace if I carry this around wrongly?!"
Leaving aside the internal energy problem, this sword was too flashy and beautiful. Its appearance, which clearly showed that it was a divine weapon to anyone who saw it, was enough to stimulate dark thoughts just by looking at it. There's a saying that seeing a thing creates a desire for it. Jang So-gil, who hadn't even entered the martial world, let alone being a martial arts novice, was carrying such a divine weapon? There was a possibility that anyone could momentarily become a monster with a human face.
Sama Hwi, knowing that point, had made preparations.
"Don't worry. This is an item brought through official procedures. It has been made so that the Alliance Lord personally bestowed it as a divine object, a symbol for the inspector of the Martial Alliance. It will be announced that anyone who possesses this divine object and is not an inspector will receive the punishment of the Martial Alliance."
It meant that it would be used as a proof for the inspector to prove himself, like the horse pass used by a secret royal inspector. It made sense in its own way.
"That would have some effect, but... no, no. Still, there are crazy bastards everywhere who would go crazy over a divine weapon like this. What am I supposed to do about that?!"
Sama Hwi opened his folding fan and covered his mouth. His eyes formed a crescent moon.
"Well, you'll have to handle that yourself."
"..."
"Take good care of it and train hard in your martial arts. You can just become a master that those beggars can't even approach."
"Is that a word or a fart..."
"Stop with the chatter and just grab the sword. If you feel its function, you'll know why I brought it."
Jang So-gil blankly grabbed the sword. A cool sensation shot up from his palm to his head. His eyes opened wide in an instant, and his vision widened. A coldness lingered even behind his eyeballs. His mind calmed down, and things became clear, as if he had become a bird. At that strange sensation, Jang So-gil's eyes darted around, and Sama Hwi laughed, "Pfft."
"That is the vision of a martial artist. Internal energy strengthens the various organs and abilities of the body several times over. The White-Clear Divine Sword itself has internal energy, and it even adds internal energy to the one who holds it. In your case, since you have no internal energy, the deviation will be even greater."
"My goodness- to see things so clearly..."
"It seems you have very good eyes by nature."
"I often hear that I have good observation skills."
"It's a good omen. A fight is half eyes, half feet. A person with good eyes generally becomes an excellent master. If you polish and refine it, it will become an excellent weapon. Now, that's all for my story. Do you have any questions?"
There was nothing that Jang So-gil could not understand among what Sama Hwi had said. He quietly cupped his fists and bowed his head to Sama Hwi.
"Thank you. I will not forget this favor."
In terms of the law of equivalent exchange, it didn't make sense. It was a matter of doing what he had to do as an inspector, saving him a little face, and letting him see a manual in the library. If you added up the merits and divided them, handing over the martial art was already enough. So this was clearly Sama Hwi's favor.
As he cupped his fists with a grateful heart, Sama Hwi put on a haughty air and said arrogantly.
"You can forget it."
"What?"
"I said you can forget it. I have only returned what I received."
"If you even give me the White-Clear Divine Sword, I've received too much."
"That's not true. Because."
"Because?"
Sama Hwi folded his fan, shouldered his pack, and turned around.
"Because I am a greater person than you can imagine, so even if I return this much, it doesn't even register. Considering what I owe you, returning it like this is an efficient thing to do."
You little bastard, trying to act cool.
I don't know why he's bluffing when he has dark circles under his eyes.
Jang So-gil thought that but did not say it out loud. The function of the White-Clear Divine Sword was indeed excellent, making Jang So-gil calm and making it easy for him to watch his mouth.
"This thing's performance is certain."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. Go well. Let's see each other again for a good reason next time."
Jang So-gil hurriedly ended the conversation.
He just wanted to send Sama Hwi away quickly and read the martial arts manual.
The heart of a martial artist in front of the ultimate art of the world would be more urgent and eager than the excitement of a child who had received a toy. As a fellow martial artist, Sama Hwi could not not understand that heart.
"Then give me a cup of tea."
Sama Hwi was planning to be as idle as he could.
Seeing him sitting idly in a chair and fanning himself, it seemed he had no intention of leaving at all.
Jang So-gil flared up and clenched his fists.
"...Aren't you leaving soon?"
"Your hospitality to your guest is terrible."
"...Go."
"When will the person who went to get tea come?"
"..."
This bravado, when his body was about to die from fatigue from not sleeping for several days.
This slyness. This annoyance. This detestableness is not like someone else.
At that behavior of prioritizing others' annoyance over his own fatigue, Jang So-gil began to seriously wonder if his parents were not from the Sama family.
(End of Chapter)