Seol-Hwi chose Mount Daetong because of the “mountain climbing” aspect of his training. Among the areas outside of the Demonic Sect, this area was the most difficult.
The altitude was high enough to make people sick, and it had perfect conditions to train internal energy.
Also, south from the mountain, there was a vast area in the northeastern part of Cheong Hae plateau. Seol-Hwi chose that place to run his laps.
In these wide grasslands, there would be no one watching them, so it was a perfect place to train. That was Seol-Hwi’s intention when he decided to go there.
“Damn it!”
But even before Seol-Hwi could do the mountain climbing, he was swearing because of the first part of his training.
Seol-Hwi was half dead just from having to run 100 km. The road back to where he started felt miserable.
“Captain… no more… please…”
“No need… for… this training…”
Seol-Hwi was struggling, but his subordinates had it even worse. After all, running 100 km without taking a break was not something a human could do.
This would be different if they could use internal energy, but Seol-Hwi had forbidden them to.
“Fuck! What kind of person… does this…!”
“My heart, it’s out of control…! I think I might be having a heart attack…”
“Don’t say things like that!”
Even so, they continued to follow Seol-Hwi. The best of them was Jeok Song, and then came Seo Ryeong and Yorim.
“The next step is climbing the mountain.”
When the three of them arrived, Seol-Hwi pointed to Mount Daetong. His subordinates looked at Seol-Hwi as if he had grown another head.
“This time, use your internal energy.”
But even if they were allowed to use internal energy, it was less effective because they had already exhausted their stamina.
The Simulation must have known this…
Seol-Hwi decided to climb the mountain first.
If he didn’t lead by example, his subordinates wouldn’t take action.
“Huff, huff, huff…”
When he reached the top, Seol-Hwi’s lungs were on fire. On the way there, he almost collapsed several times due to the change in altitude. Even though he expected it, it was still difficult for him.
“I could have actually died…”
The biggest problem was internal energy.
He ignorantly tried to hold onto it, and his blood vessels felt like they were being twisted as he went up the mountain. Seol-Hwi was only able to make it to the top through sheer force of will.
“My subordinates…”
Seol-Hwi turned around to see someone getting closer. And finally, the person was revealed.
“This… ugh… why would a man… do this…”
It was Jeok Song.
He arrived first, as the subordinate with the highest amount of health among Seol-Hwi’s men.
“Good. After descending the mountain, the next training will be…”
Thud!
Jeok Song had fallen.
And that was it. Seol-Hwi no longer saw any of his other subordinates able to climb to the top of the mountain.
“Damn…”
Seol-Hwi didn’t stop. He had to complete his training given by the Simulation no matter what.
He carried the unconscious Jeok Song, and began making his way back down the mountain.
It was dusk when he arrived at the bottom, and Seol-Hwi’s remaining subordinates were waiting for him.
Imugi and Yong Jin, both of whom had lagged behind the others, and also Seo Ryeong and Yorim, who had given up climbing Mount Daetong.
“Captain…”
Seol-Hwi placed Jeok Song down with the others, and looked at his men.
“Everyone, rest yourselves, while I go to the waterfall.”
“Captain, enough…”
“Let’s end this here.”
Seol-Hwi examined his subordinates, who were all clearly on their last legs, and waved his hand.
“I’ll be fine. I can only do my mental training under a waterfall. Then I’ll get strong…”
After saying this, Seol-Hwi fell to the ground.
“T-then the…stone wall…”
And he passed out.
It was the 3rd day since the beginning of training.
“Wow… I really can not get used to this.”
Imugi, who ran for 100 km, stretched out his body as he arrived back at the starting point. He completed his run, but time was an issue for him.
Half a day had already passed.
“Wake up, you latecomer.”
Seo Ryeong hit Imugi on the head when he tried laying down.
“Hey! What was that for?!”
“Everyone is already at the mountain. You are the only one still here, like a loser.”
“You’re a loser too! You’re the same as me!”
“No, I went up half way, and then came back down.”
“Why?”
“Because it was hard.”
“Then that makes you the same as me!”
Imugi got up angrily, looked around, and asked Seo Ryeong,
“And what is the Captain doing?”
“The Captain finished climbing up and down the mountain, and now he is at the waterfall.”
“That’s crazy! If you’re sitting under a waterfall like that after both your stamina and internal energy were exhausted…”
“But he will still be better than you.”
“You-! Ugh…”
Imugi’s limbs were aching. It wasn’t easy to be angry with a tired body.
“Get moving. The Captain said that if we can not climb the mountain today, we will be sent back to the Sect.”
“I think you misunderstand something… To me, he isn’t just Captain, but my teacher and mentor.”
“Whatever he is to you, if you don’t go up that mountain, do you think he will let you stay?”
“Seriously… this is not what a person should be doing.”
Imugi craned his neck up towards Mount Daetong. It was so high, that the peak couldn’t be seen from his current position.
It was getting darker at the top too, so unless he used his stealth skills, he might end up falling off a cliff.
“Not coming?”
“I am! I am, so stop nagging me!”
At Seo Ryeong’s urging, Imugi followed her to the mountain.
The days passed by rapidly, and now, Seol-Hwi’s subordinates were all able to run 100 km.
It was the same for mountain climbing. Jeok Song was the fastest, second was Yorim, third was Yong Jin, and fourth was Seo Ryeong.
And although Imugi was far behind, he would still finish his climb.
“What’s the purpose of this training? We should protest it!”
Imugi, who was coming down the mountain, complained to the other subordinates. Jeok Song was cultivating, and the others were resting.
“Are you serious? I see you whining every day.”
“That guy only knows how to move his mouth. But he is at least honest.”
“Honest?”
“He didn’t want to be hit by his own master, so he got ready to run to the Central Plains. How honest of him, right?”
“Hehe. Makes sense.”
At Yorim’s words, Yong Jin nodded. Imugi suddenly turned his head towards them.
“Hyungs! Did you just curse at me?”
“Not at all.”
“What do you mean?”
“No, really… I heard it…”
As if he just remembered something, Imugi put his hands on his waist, and asked the two of them,
“But, where is Seo Ryeong?”
Yong Jin replied,
“I don’t know, but she has to be around somewhere.”
One of the streams that flowed into the Cheong Hae Lake formed a small waterfall.
And under that waterfall, Seol-Hwi was concentrating.
He was undergoing training that he had never done before.
Even though Seol-Hwi tried his best to complete it with perfect concentration, his attempts were short-lived.
Excessive consumption of his health and internal energy made it impossible for him to practice cultivation.
That was the beginning of his waterfall training.
-The principles of nothingness establish a framework for physical strength, and protect the internal energy. After the two are harmonized, the state of trance is entered and you will not be possessed by the outward senses. Furthermore, if you achieve the peak stage of your body, you will overcome the demonic nature within.
While Seol-Hwi was thinking, he recalled the introduction to the Four Peak Demonic Martial Arts.
Normally, all the martial arts of the Demonic Sect contained a demonic nature, an energy that was solely evil, which drew out the user’s potential. This was the reason why Demonic Sect members were stronger than orthodox sect disciples.
However, when one possesses the demonic nature, various side effects occurred, and the instinct to surrender to evil was strong.
I had to be thrown away after being judged unsuitable for it.
There was a time when Seol-Hwi resented his former self. His former self was the reason why he wasn’t given a position in the sect.
In a way, it was natural for someone like Seol-Hwi to not be taken in by any Pavilion or Hall, with his poor aptitude.
But maybe that’s why the Earth Demon wanted me.
Unlike others, the Earth Demon didn’t seem very interested in Seol-Hwi’s lack of affinity for demonic energy.
It must have been because of his skills in infiltration, pursuit and retreat, which had nothing to do with demonic nature.
In addition, it might be because the Earth Demon simply didn’t care, especially when there were other martial arts Seol-Hwi excelled in.
Like Four Peak Demonic Martial Arts, which is what disciples of the Heavenly Demon learn.
That martial arts, which was for them to lead the sect.
So it was incredibly fortunate for Seol-Hwi that he managed to get his hands on it.
After his mental training, Seol-Hwi came out of the waterfall, and realized someone was waiting for him.
It was Seo Ryeong.
“How long have you been waiting here?”
“Not very long.”
“I see.”
Seol-Hwi took off his clothes and squeezed the water out of them. Then, he put them on again. Seo Ryeong asked him,
“Why train to death like this?”
“…”
“We are people who follow orders. People who act according to their abilities, and then are thrown away when they are no longer needed. Are you going to deny that?”
She seemed to have a lot to say.
At first, it seemed like Seo Ryeong simply wanted to reject Seol-Hwi’s reason for training, but now it was like she wanted to say something else. Because she was asking for Seol-Hwi’s opinion.
“Right. That’s our position in the sect.”
When Seol-Hwi didn’t deny it, Seo Ryeong continued,
“Then why are you training so dangerously? And making your subordinates do it too? What good will these stupid tasks do?”
“T-that… I don’t know either.”
“Captain!”
Seo Ryeong yelled out angrily.
Even though Seol-Hwi spoke frankly, she didn’t like his response.
“Captain. If that’s so, then stop here. We’ll take care of it. Don’t try to teach us any more than needed. In the war against the disciples of the Heavenly Demon, we will live according to our abilities and we will die while offering our allegiance. That is our life, that’s why we live in-”
“No, I don’t want to take orders from anyone anymore.”
“…!”
Seo Ryeong was shocked.
She looked at him with bewildered eyes, but Seol-Hwi’s gaze was elsewhere.
“I don’t want to do what I’m ordered to do. I don’t want to take responsibility for anyone. I don’t want to be involved in their revenges anymore.”
Seol-Hwi looked at the falling water and spoke calmly.
“But… it didn’t come as easy as I thought. It was difficult for me to live too.”
“That makes sense.”
Seo Ryeong, who had returned to her calm expression, said,
“There is only one person who doesn’t receive orders from the sect. Isn’t that the Heavenly Demon?”
“Therefore…”
Seol-Hwi turned his head, and looked at Seo Ryeong.
“That, I’ll try it out.”
“…?”
“Now I’m going to try and do it right. It isn’t just about getting stronger, it’s about targeting someone.”
“Captain…”
“Don’t worry. Even if I fail, at least your life will be different. I’ll make it so…”
“…”
“I hope you will follow me, even if it’s not exactly what you want.”
With those last words, Seol-Hwi left Seo Ryeong. He wondered what kind of expression she had in that moment.
Seol-Hwi found a wide open space and looked for his combat methods.
<Combat Method, Simulation Lv2 >
Now it was time to give this a try. How helpful would his training so far be? And how helpful would it be in the future?
<Which Simulation would you like? >
“A fight with the Supreme Pavilion Lord.”
At first, he didn’t think of this at all. But when he heard the question from the system just now, he told it this scenario.
<Analyzing... >
Seol-Hwi’s sudden idea turned into a reality.
<Virtual opponent. Showing you the Supreme Pavilion Lord. >
How could he forget them?
The Supreme Pavilion Lord. And the Wu Tian Pavilion Lord.1
The two bastards who showed him hell.