I didn't know the exact triggering conditions for the Spirit Mountain's Blessing, but I understood the basics. Once activated, the blessing transported me to Spirit Mountain, where I would train for a time before returning to my original world—just a bit further back in the past. That meant I could alter the training camp's outcome.
"Your expression has improved," Senior Brother Arang remarked.
I didn't bother controlling my reaction. He was a master of psychological warfare, capable of discerning truth even from a blank face. Trying to hide anything was pointless.
Well, "discerning truth" would be an overstatement. He mostly inferred lies from shifts in complexion, pulse, heart rate, and breathing.
"Fourth Senior Brother, at exactly what point in the past will I return to?" I asked, my voice low.
"It must be before the incident that left you feeling so terrible," he replied calmly.
That meant I'd go back either immediately after the training camp began or just before the second special trial started. I wasn't sure of the exact timing, but I was relieved. It would be annoying to return to the early days before I encountered Kayan or when I was still at the Jewel Mountains.
"From now on, everything depends on you," Senior Brother Arang said. "How you spend your time here will determine whether things change, stay the same, or grow worse."
"I haven't even started, and you're already saying things like that," I muttered, half-joking.
"As a person, it's best to expect the worst. In Master's words—"
"—better to know and be punished than to remain ignorant?" I finished.
"Exactly," he said.
We looked at each other and shared a brief laugh.
"So, Fourth Senior Brother, will you be training me for the next 100 days?" I asked.
"I'm not good at teaching," he said, shaking his head. "My role here is to guide you and offer advice."
"What about sparring?"
"If you wish, though I doubt you'll have time."
Even with 100 days?
I nodded without asking further questions. Somehow, the situation felt a bit awkward.
"But as for training... I'm uncertain where to start," I admitted, scratching my head.
"That's why I'm here," he said reassuringly. "Tell me what happened, and I'll help you figure out your training's direction."
"Can you?"
I genuinely wanted to tell someone about what I'd been through and how I felt. Senior Brother Arang, along with Eldest Senior Brother, was one of the few who truly listened.
I briefly recounted the events that had unfolded at the training camp. Senior Brother Arang never interrupted, nodding occasionally to acknowledge what I said. This allowed me to explain without losing the flow of my story, even though it was lengthy.
When I finished, he asked, "Tell me more about the demon king you saw."
"Hmmm... Well, first of all, it was massive," I said slowly, trying to recall. "I'm not sure of the exact size since I wasn't in the right state, but it felt as big as a mountain. It seemed to be draped in some ragged cloth and wore a mask made of bones..."
Senior Brother Arang listened intently before nodding again. "Enough about his appearance. You said the powerful people were killed instantly. Can you explain the process in more detail?"
"Let's see. There wasn't really a process," I said, raising a hand.
"It just pointed like this." I mimicked the demon king's gesture, pointing at Senior Brother Arang. "Whoever it aimed at collapsed into a pool of dark blood. Fourth Senior Brother, I know you dislike the term, but it was like—"
"It was magical?" he supplied.
"Yes."
Senior Brother Arang paused to organize his thoughts. "From what I've heard, it seems the demon king wasn't fully manifested. Still, displaying that level of power indicates it's a being on an entirely different plane. It's a powerhouse comparable to Eldest Senior Brother, so it's understandable."
"Is that so? Then I would like to ask you a question. How strong is Eldest Senior Brother?"
Senior Brother Arang seemed to think about it for a moment.
" Beep, bit. "
His helmet emanated a strange sound, accompanied by a flash of light. "Naturally, he is the strongest of the five disciples."
"I know that."
Senior Brother Arang continued, "To put it in simpler times, even if Second Senior Sister, Third Senior Brother, you, and I fought him together, our chances of winning would be less than half. Without Second Senior Sister, those odds would plummet."
"It's that extreme?" I exclaimed.
"Yes," he affirmed.
The gap was far wider than I'd imagined. It wasn't that I underestimated myself—rather, the others' strength was simply immense. According to Senior Brother Arang, none of us except Second Senior Sister stood a chance against Eldest Senior Brother.
"Even now, Eldest Senior Brother must have taken Master's Spirit Pill. He never neglects his training, so he's likely grown even stronger than I remember," he added.
"Thank you for the enlightening information," I said.
Senior Brother Arang smiled. "Let's return to the original topic. In the training camp, two beings pose the greatest threat: the priest and the demon king."
"That's right," I agreed.
"There's no clear strategy against the priest. With enough training, you could eventually defeat him. The real problem is the demon king. I suspect there are two possible ways to counter its power."
"What is it?" I pressed.
"The first option is to improve your defense. Strengthen your body to withstand the demon king's crushing power," he suggested.
I recalled Luke. Even clad in the Iron-Blooded Knights' legendary armor, Luke had been obliterated.
"I think that will be a bit difficult," I said.
"You wouldn't need to train your body directly. Amplifying your internal energy could achieve the same effect," he pointed out.
"That would be protective strong Qi," I murmured.
It wasn't impossible for me. However, it was inefficient.
"Of course, there's a risk. If the demon king's power surpasses the internal energy you've cultivated, you'll die helplessly," he warned.
I nodded. Moreover, the thought of facing that monstrous strength unprotected unsettled me.
"What is the other way?" I asked.
"Outpace the demon king's power," he replied.
I immediately understood Senior Brother Arang's words. "It is evasion."
"That's right."
Defense or evasion—those were the two ways to resist the demon king. Calling the demon king an "enemy" would be an exaggeration, but there was no need for me to defeat it.
"Fourth Senior Brother, do you truly believe its attack can be dodged?"
"I doubt it merely points a finger for show. You may not have noticed, but specific conditions were likely required to kill its target."
"I see."
"Of course, this is all speculation. I didn't witness it myself. The choice is yours."
I nodded. There was no need for excessive contemplation. "I'll go with evasion."
Given the nature of the First Fire Technique, evasion suited me better than defense.
Senior Brother Arang nodded as if he'd expected my answer. "Good. Then your first priority is strengthening your legs."
"My legs?"
"Yes. The method to strengthen your legs is surprisingly simple: go down the mountain," he said.
"What?" Surely, he didn't mean leaving Spirit Mountain entirely. "You mean... all the way to the base?"
"The decision is yours, but I wouldn't recommend going that far. You'd die."
"Then?"
"One thing is certain—merely descending will be training enough," he clarified.
I'd lived on Spirit Mountain for ten years yet never reached the bottom. Did this world even have a true ground?
"You have 100 days, as I mentioned earlier," Senior Brother Arang reminded me.
"What happens if I don't make it within that time?" I asked, anxiety creeping into my voice.
"You'll lose your chance," he replied indifferently. "You'll return to the present—the one where you've already lost. Not the past."
There was no other option.
***
"This should help." Senior Brother Arang rolled up his right sleeve, revealing his skin for the first time in ages. As expected, it had a dark gray, metallic texture—sleek and beautiful in a way that felt refined rather than crude.
A crack appeared. A segment of his arm detached and floated in midair, morphing into a rectangular shape. It looked like a flying box, complete with wings and a smooth, glass-like front.
"Hello? This is the additional function of RAN-4700 Type-A, Remote System Assistant FAD," it said in a distorted mimicry of Eldest Senior Brother's voice.
"What is this flying box saying?" I asked.
"Exactly what it said. It is a remote assistant," Senior Brother Arang explained. "It will aid you during your descent."
"Aid me..." I echoed.
"Its primary function is long-distance communication. You can speak to me through it."
"Ah, I seee." So it worked like a communication crystal.
"If you wish to give up, call me. I'll be watching."
I had no intention of quitting, but I nodded. "Understood. I'll begin now."
Without another word, I left Senior Brother Arang behind and started my descent.
Of course, 100 days wasn't a short time. Even if I were descending from the highest peak in the Jewel Mountains, it would've been more than enough. That's how long I had.
...
On the first day, I climbed down the sheer cliff face without rest.
FAD informed me, "Current progress: 0.06%."
It wasn't that I was going slowly. If this had been the mountain behind the village, I would've reached the bottom already. But here, I hadn't even completed one-thousandth of the journey.
"Okay."
I reconsidered my approach. This wasn't a leisurely stroll—there was no water, no time to waste.
...
The next day, I moved faster, sprinting down the cliffside as if racing. One misstep would send me plummeting, but the risk felt justified.
...
After two days of running, the peak was no longer in sight.
FAD informed me, "The current progress: 0.31%."
Then, it commented, "You are so slow that even slugs would laugh at you. Ohuhu. "
"What a bastard!" I'd have smashed it if it weren't part of Senior Brother Arang.
I steadied myself and assessed the situation.
First of all, I had a few questions.
The first one was whether Spirit Mountain had always been this tall.
It didn't match my memories. I'd descended halfway down before, whether for training or by Master's orders. The scenery hadn't looked like this.
"I don't even feel the aura of monsters," I murmured.
I'd assumed the biggest obstacle would be the mountain's monsters. Whether they moved alone or in packs, I should've at least seen signs of them. But in the last two days, there hadn't been a trace.
"I'm not even hungry."
The second question was why I didn't feel hunger or thirst after three days. Apart from that, fatigue came and went, but I recovered swiftly. Sleep seemed unnecessary as well.
Physically, I was in the perfect condition to focus on descending. But at this rate, even 100 years wouldn't be enough.
...
After days of sprinting, my internal energy finally drained. I collapsed on the spot to rest.
I thought I wouldn't have to worry about that anymore, thanks to the Spirit Jade.
Apparently, that wasn't the case.
I lay there, catching my breath and staring up at the gray sky—neither bright nor dim, neither cold nor warm.
How long had I been lying like this?
A sudden realization jolted me upright.
"What the heck?"
The third question was why my internal energy hadn't recovered at all.
I sat down quickly and began eating in earnest, but no matter how much I consumed, there was no sign of my internal energy returning. It felt as if there were a hole in my dantian. However, that was impossible as I hadn't suffered any serious injuries.
"Could this be one of the restrictions imposed by Spirit Mountain?" I speculated.
I couldn't help but laugh. Was it really telling me to descend without any internal energy?
Suddenly, FAD asked, "Do you want to call RAN-4700 Type-A? Y/N?"
"Who is that?"
"He is the one you call Fourth Senior Brother, Luan Badniker," FAD replied.
The corners of my mouth twitched as I pressed "N" on the screen.
"This is good," I said.
I had never expected this to be easy.
Glaring at the fog-covered cliff path, I added, "Our Spirit Mountain should be like this."