Chapter 9

Now.

The memories from his previous life soaked through Seol Unwi’s entire being.

A familiar sensation.

That subtle tremble at the moment the middle dantian opens.

Seol Unwi remembered it clearly.

A path he had walked once before.

He was simply walking it again.

When emptiness and substance merge, true void is born.

When good and evil intertwine, the supreme Dao is attained.

The pure nature of pre-heaven joins with the force of the Blood Demon,

And together they transform, revealing the hidden mystery.

Though faint, a distinct trace of False-True Vital Qi began to stir within Seol Unwi’s body once again.

The same energy he had wielded countless times in his past life. But this current body was weak. The amount of qi couldn’t even match a fraction of a fingernail. And yet, even that small quantity felt like a vessel holding the force of a mighty river.

It was fine.

Truly fine.

Seol Unwi recalled the Grand Void Immortal Blood Heart Technique in his mind.

The profound blood of the Grand Void connects to all principles.

As the incantation rang through him, a wave of realization followed. It didn’t matter that the vessel was small. The path to the Dao had an order. Opening the first gate alone was enough for now.

Pre-heavenly blood transforms into true void.

With a dull resonance, the middle dantian opened. Two lights began to rise. Just as in his previous life.

In that fleeting moment when purity and sharpness coexisted, a faint light dyed Seol Unwi’s consciousness.

All laws return to the One, revealing the Great Dao.

The light blended in perfect harmony. A small change, but the beginning of a much greater current.

False-True Vital Qi began to flow through his meridians. His blood vessels were still murky, and his dantian was cramped. But that was fine.

Those who walk the Dao never rush.

Moonlight illuminated his body.

Memories from his past life and the limits of his current flesh—

Bridging that gap was the task that lay before him now.

It would be a long road.

Seol Unwi opened his eyes.

He had stepped into the first stage of the Four Realms of Refined Qi:

Yang Radiance Appears.

****

Stepping out of my quarters, I smiled faintly as the cold wind brushed against me.

It had been a while since I felt this refreshed.

Compared to the level I’d reached in my previous life, this was the lowest of the low. Barely a step off the ground. And yet, I didn’t mind.

Reaching this stage meant I’d opened my middle dantian. Which also meant I could, however faintly, wield False-True Vital Qi.

That was enough.

I threw the White Tiger Celestial Robe over my shoulders. It wasn’t just excellent for insulation—it was also {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} a subtle mark of my bloodline from the Everlasting Snow Palace.

I sat by the entrance of my quarters and looked up at the sky.

A full moon hung above.

Not just night—dawn. That time when almost no one was awake.

I wondered how long I’d been inside. At the very least, it had to have been over a day.

I sat quietly, letting the night wind wash over me.

Half a watch passed.

An entire watch.

Then two.

Someone began trudging up from the path beyond the gate.

It was Cheonpung, drenched in blood.

He silently laid down three heads in front of me, along with a small bundle.

Then, wordlessly, he knelt.

He had always looked a bit dim, but it seemed he was surprisingly capable when it mattered.

Cheonpung said nothing. I said nothing.

Another watch passed like that.

Then the four remaining branch members returned, each carrying two heads.

All five had suffered injuries, but they returned alive.

With the heads of the traitors.

And of course, they recovered the stolen supplies.

I watched them in silence.

In this bitter cold, their eyes were still sharp and clear.

Now this... this was satisfactory.

I was finally convinced—these men were good enough to serve as my hands and feet.

But before I could truly use them, their current levels left me utterly dissatisfied.

I spoke quietly.

“...Well done.”

The five branch members raised their heads and looked at me.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect you to kill them all. Yet not only did you come back alive, you completed the mission flawlessly. So I suppose it’s time I keep my end of the deal.”

Their eyes gleamed with anticipation.

I looked each of them in the eye as I continued.

“The Heaven-Slaying Wolf Star Technique will be compiled into its own manual and distributed later. But before that, I’m going to teach you the inner art required to wield that technique. The incantation is simple, and the content is straightforward—so you’ll memorize it here and now.”

There was no one nearby besides me and the five of them. I didn’t know how good their memories were, but they’d remember this. They had to.

“What I’m teaching you is the Heavenly Image Heart Technique.”

At my words, all five of them tensed, focusing sharply.

“The essence of this technique lies in observing the natural order of Heaven and Earth, and grasping its truths. Watch the movements of the heavens, feel the currents of the wind, understand the flow of water.”

I closed my eyes for a moment and then slowly opened them.

“The first step of cultivation is to sit in silence and observe everything around you. At first, you won’t see anything. But as time passes, you’ll begin to sense the subtle shifts in Heaven and Earth.”

I raised my hand and pointed into the empty air.

“A breeze, the drifting of clouds, a single snowflake—each of these holds the truths of nature. When you come to understand this, your inner power will break through to the next level.”

I began reciting the incantation, slowly and clearly:

Observe Heaven, Examine Earth—Ten Thousand Phenomena Take Form.

Let the Heart Merge with Nature—Never to Perish.

All Sounds Return to the Heart—And the Dao Reveals Itself.

One Thought Connects to Heaven—Transforming into the Formless.

As my words ended, the air around us trembled faintly.

“The true value of this technique lies in refining the quality of your internal energy. Most people focus only on increasing its quantity, but that’s surface-level strength. True power comes from qualitative growth.”

The eyes of the branch members gleamed. They already sensed the value of this inner art. And frankly, if they hadn’t, they may as well have died outside.

Heavenly Image Heart Technique.

At minimum, this was a Heaven-Earth Grade cultivation art.

“Look at the sky. Look at the ground. And everything in between. That is both the beginning and the end of this technique.”

After that, I explained in detail how to circulate their energy through the proper meridians while meditating—twice, slowly—and then sent them all back inside.

I turned my head slightly and glanced toward the pillar of my quarters.

“Inspector Seong.”

At that, Inspector Seong stepped out from behind the pillar.

“Eavesdropping isn’t a very respectable habit. I didn’t know you had a taste for it.”

“I didn’t mean to listen. But standing out here in the cold so long—I was worried.”

I laughed softly.

“What about the people from the Cheongwoon Trading Company and the Beggar’s Union?”

“They came by ‘yesterday.’”

“No problems?”

“None. The insurance contract was standard. As for the Beggar’s Union... well, as you might’ve expected, they brought information. Bingseolgeomheun Lee Ji-chang has apparently caught wind of Yawoon Sang’s death.”

“I see.”

“Doesn’t that scare you?”

“Scare me?”

“Bingseolgeomheun. He’s a master of Samhwa Meditation Hall.”

I scoffed.

“Someone once said this: that a master of Samhwa is a ‘warrior among warriors.’”

“...You’re talking about the two branch members who died.”

“Unfortunately, while Samhwa Meditation Hall is an impressive school, their masters aren’t quite worthy of the title ‘warriors among warriors.’”

“...As impressive as your progress and accomplishments are, Young Master, I still don’t believe you can face a martial artist of that caliber just yet.”

“And why’s that?”

“...”

“I know you have plenty of ‘experience,’ Inspector Seong, but I suggest you stop assuming your experience defines the entire world. That kind of attitude is usually called arrogance.”

“...Young Master...”

“Also, go bring some food to the ones inside. Tell them they’ve earned a full day of rest tomorrow.”

Inspector Seong fell silent for a moment.

I figured I knew why.

It was probably because of my tone.

Not my usual rigid tone—but a casual, familiar one. One I only used with him. I suppose it was natural for him to react like that. Still... this was more comfortable for me.

He finally answered.

“...Understood. But... may I ask why you’re not angry?”

“Angry?”

“I eavesdropped. The Heavenly Image Heart Technique... even I could tell it wasn’t ordinary. That’s a Heaven-Earth Grade cultivation art, isn’t it? Probably higher-ranked than the Heaven-Slaying Wolf Star Technique, which itself is mid-tier within the Heaven-Earth Grade. So... how did you even come by something that valuable?”

I looked up at the sky. Still freezing cold.

It made sense—this region was heavily affected by the snow mountains, but even so, tonight felt especially frigid.

“So many questions. Should I answer them all at once?”

“...You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“But you’re curious, so I will.”

I smiled.

“How many years has it been? Since you’ve been by my side.”

“...About sixteen years.”

Sixteen years.

“That’s a long time.”

“It is.”

“You’ve been guarding me since I was a child. You were the butler of the main palace, weren’t you?”

“Yes. I was. Then when you were sent to Snow Compression, I followed, and my position changed to Inspector.”

“If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t let it slide. But you’re different.”

“...”

“You can eavesdrop. You can ambush me. Hell, you can stab me in the back if you want. If it were anyone else, I’d tear them apart on the spot. But if it’s you...”

I smiled gently.

“It’s fine. I trust you had your reasons.”

“...Why do you trust me that much?”

“Is there a reason not to?”

“...”

“Aren’t you the person closest to me?”

“...Maybe... I suppose I am.”

“Then what more reason do I need?”

Inspector Seong scratched his head.

“And for the record—the Heavenly Image Heart Technique? I created it.”

His eyes went wide.

“You... created it?”

“I broke down and restructured every technique I knew. That’s how it was born.”

Back in the Central Blood Sect, I raised countless disciples.

The Heavenly Image Heart Technique was something I made to teach them.

Thanks to it, the foundation of the sect grew solid, and we became the strongest sect in all of Zhongyuan, with hundreds of experts in the Realm of Heaven and Earth.

“...You’re not even some legendary grandmaster... and you made that?”

I looked at him and spoke calmly.

“Unfortunately, I’ve never once lied to you, Inspector Seong. Never exaggerated. Never downplayed. I only ever told you things exactly as they are. Whether you believe me or not... that’s your business. I don’t think I need to say more.”

“...”

“So then—when do you think Bingseolgeomheun will show up?”

“...I heard he’s absolutely furious. If he’s fast, today. If slow, tomorrow at the latest.”

I nodded slowly.

Looked like it was going to be a long day.