Chapter 49

To speak plainly—Chief Steward Seong had once been a martial artist.

He’d entered the Everlasting Snow Palace to live as a martial artist, «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» trained and grew stronger there, but the post he was given was within the White Snow Phantom Corps.

An entity devoted to preserving the Palace’s bloodline by concealing its identity—thoroughly, utterly.

It was not the path he had set out to walk. And yet, no one ever told him that.

Everyone just assumed it was the natural course of things.

Not just the division leader—even Palace Lord Seol Jungcheon thought nothing of it. There was nothing left to say after that.

This was the first time.

The first time anyone had said something like this to him.

“...Why are you suddenly saying something touching like that? At this rate, I won’t live long.”

Seol Unwi silently looked at Seong, whose eyes were already reddening, and then said quietly:

“Recruit more stewards. And I’m planning to establish the position of Protector.”

“...Protector?”

“Starting today, you’re my Protector. The duties are simple—monitor the individuals I assign, and, if necessary, assassinate them.”

“...You’re seriously going to use me?”

“Why wouldn’t I? You’re my man.”

Seong scratched the back of his head.

“However, both internally and externally, you’re still the Chief Steward. Only two people will know you hold the title of Protector—me, and the one who’ll be joining you in that position soon.”

“...I feel like you’re going to work me to death. Who’s the other one?”

“I’m still deciding.”

Anyway.

“Your first command—no, your first request. I want information on Jin Sohyeop and Baek Myeonggaek.”

Seong blinked, clearly not expecting that.

“Knowing those two, they should’ve at least sent a letter. But it’s been completely quiet.”

“You think something’s happened to them?”

“It might just be my imagination. That’s why I’m asking you.”

“...Understood. As it happens, Jang Seok, who was the head of the Seolap branch of the Beggars’ Union, is being transferred today to head the Yangnyeong branch. I’ll see if I can get some help from him.”

I gave a nod.

“And I need information on Cho Sehui of the Hanbing Sect. Can you get it?”

“Of course. I’ll have a report ready by tomorrow.”

I watched Seong as he turned to leave, then slowly stood from my seat.

When it comes to breaking through cultivation realms, the most important factor is time.

Raising one realm, and then another—this requires adjustment.

The term essence, energy, spirit exists for a reason. If you forcibly break through two or three stages at once without proper transition, your body will eventually rupture from within.

After advancing to the realm of Dual Light Manifestation, I had honed my body further through real combat experience.

The adaptation period was complete.

Now it was time to leap forward again.

I went straight into the inner quarters of the government office, pulled out the spiritual pills I had stored away, and swallowed them in one go.

Tonight, I would ascend to Five Dragon Blooming Star.

I sat cross-legged—and let myself sink into deep meditation.

****

“Hahaha... I thought the great man himself might come, but to think the famous Chief Steward Seong would visit in person!”

Jang Seok, newly assigned as the head of the Yangnyeong Beggars’ Union branch, was positively beaming—his words and smile bursting with joy.

From his point of view, this was nothing short of a miracle.

Originally, Jang Seok had only been a Rank-2 Informant. People in that position never led entire branches. At best, they might assist someone else in a remote place like Seolap—but then he met Unwi, and was forcibly made head of the Seolap branch.

What came next was what truly mattered.

One day, after a deep conversation with Unwi, Iron-Hand Ghost Cheon Sugang razed the entire Yangnyeong Beggars’ branch to the ground.

And the man chosen to fill that vacancy—was Jang Seok, of Seolap.

The logic was simple: if someone who had a connection to Seol Unwi was placed in charge of the Yangnyeong branch—soon to fall under Unwi’s rule—things would go much smoother. It would also greatly improve relations with the Beggars’ Union.

In the end, it was all thanks to Seol Unwi.

“But those two individuals you’re looking for... to be honest, we don’t know their current whereabouts.”

“Ah, is that so.”

“Yes. Frankly speaking... we did try to trace their movements. Ah, but don’t misunderstand—we didn’t receive any specific orders. You know how it is with the Beggars’ Union. Our informants are scattered everywhere. After gathering the available intel... we found their trail disappears near the Nine Dragon Trade Route.”

“They vanished... is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes... but the beggars stationed there were only Rank-1 and White-Garbed informants, so...”

“I apologize.”

Why was Jang Seok being so respectful toward Chief Steward Seong?

The reason was simple.

Seong had deep, personal ties to Seol Unwi.

When Unwi lived in the palace, it was Seong who had all but raised him. In that sense, Seong’s words carried the same weight as Unwi’s.

“...Just to confirm once more. Their trail stopped on the Nine Dragon Route, correct?”

“Yes.”

Seong’s expression darkened.

“...Ah, please don’t worry too much. That terrain is brutal, and the path leads toward the Divine Ginseng Route, doesn’t it? Those two know about the area—I bet they just took a detour.”

Divine Ginseng Route.

That road led into Divine Ginseng Valley—the stretch of land between Bongrae, Jeokan, Saryang, and Yangnyeong. The valley was famous for producing Divine Ginseng Flowers.

More accurately, it was the largest production site for them.

These flowers were used as potent medicinal herbs: they expanded the bloodstream, boosted qi flow, sharpened focus, triggered temporary awakenings, and significantly accelerated training.

The flowers were rarely consumed raw. Most were refined into either Divine Ginseng Smoke or Divine Ginseng Pills.

The smoke could be inhaled like a rolled paper cigarette, no pipe needed. It worked instantly—short-lived, but intensely effective.

The pills were high-grade training resources. Many sought them for their long-term effects and sustained potency.

If Jin Sohyeop and Baek Myeonggaek were in their right minds, they wouldn’t have gone there.

Yangnyeong had almost no real connection to Divine Ginseng Valley. Though closest to it in distance, its power compared to the three other regions was practically nonexistent.

It was the kind of place where a mid-tier master from the Five Banner Division could play king. Hardly the level of battlefield those two would be drawn into.

Anyway, that aside—

“Where exactly did their trail disappear?”

“Ah, just a moment.”

Jang Seok pulled out a nearby map, pointed to a spot along the Nine Dragon Route.

“Here it is.”

Seong stared at the spot in silence, then finally spoke.

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Next time, I’ll make sure I bring you better news. Ah, and please do tell Lord Unwi that I’ll be paying him my respects later today. I just haven’t had time to get everything sorted since the sudden transfer.”

Seong gave him a faint smile as Jang Seok scratched his head, clearly feeling guilty.

“I’ll be sure to pass it along. I’ll take my leave now.”

He bowed and turned away.

As Jang Seok called out, “Please speak well of me to the lord!”, Seong didn’t even reply.

He didn’t have to.

That was how serious his expression had become.

Just a moment ago, he’d been smiling.

Now, the second Jang Seok was behind him—his face turned ice cold.

Unwi had been right.

This was no mere worry.

Jin Sohyeop and Baek Myeonggaek had undoubtedly displayed exceptional martial prowess during the annihilation of the Four Great Clans.

Though they had lowered their swords against the imperial forces, prior to that, the two of them alone had taken the lives of over forty martial artists.

Among the slain were warriors in the Dual Light Manifestation realm—and even those who had reached Heaven-Circulating Aperture.

How could those two have possessed such overwhelming martial strength?

It was because of the martial arts they used.

The Thousand-Kill Wolf-Star Technique, given to them by Unwi.

And the Heavenly Image Heart Technique.

Chief Steward Seong, without hesitation, stepped into an alley. And the moment he felt all surrounding gazes disappear—

He amplified the internal energy coursing through his entire body.

His legs began to glow.

Fwaaaang—!

With a thunderclap of air bursting apart, he vanished from the spot like a bolt of light.

****

Even in his deep meditation, Unwi remained utterly calm.

As if there was not a single thing in this world he needed to worry about.

Why had he decided the time had come?

It was simple.

Because during his time in the Dual Light Manifestation (Yanggwang Ihyeon) realm, his Middle Dantian had already begun to open.

The realm of Five Dragon Blooming Star (Oryong Bongseong) is the stage where the Middle Dantian is fully opened. The fact that it had already begun to open meant that his vessel had started to overflow—signaling that Dual Light Manifestation could no longer contain him.

Like light piercing through the crack of a door.

Anyone in that situation—not just Unwi—would have tried to leap to the next stage.

Now, all he had to do was widen that crack.

Unwi's consciousness turned inward.

The internal energy that had been swirling within his Middle Dantian began to flow toward a new path.

Like water seeking a new channel, his energy began to knock on the Chong Meridian first.

Clack.

A subtle vibration spread through his meridians.

The Chong Meridian was opening. As the energy followed this newly forged path, his inner force gradually stabilized.

But not yet.

It wasn’t enough.

This energy was still just ordinary qi—not yet Fused True Essence.

He refined its flow with even greater precision.

It was sufficient for the Chong Meridian alone. But to reach Five Dragon Blooming Star, both the Chong Meridian and the Dai Meridian had to be opened.

Only then could the Middle Dantian function freely.

As he focused his consciousness, the Dai Meridian—which encircles the waist like a belt—began to react.

It slowly opened, and as it did, Unwi's internal energy began to harmonize more completely.

Kwoooom—!

A massive resonance erupted from within.

With the Chong and Dai Meridians opening simultaneously, the Middle Dantian was fully unlocked.

The energy surging through his entire body—

The force rising from his now-flourishing Middle Dantian—

Unwi felt it all, slowly, deeply.

At last, he had stepped into the realm of Five Dragon Blooming Star.

He opened his eyes.

The surrounding air froze with a sharp chill.

It was a small change, but unmistakable proof that he had ascended to a higher realm.

As he continued on this path, he would next open the Conception Meridian and Governor Meridian, and beyond that—the full awakening of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians would await him.

But for now, he needed to focus on this moment.

Three Flowers Converge, Essence Refined.

Five Banners Form, Origin Reforged.

And beyond that—the realm of Heaven-Earth Intertwined Perception.

And even higher, the realm of Martial God’s Five Realms.

The road ahead was still long. But Unwi was moving forward—one steady step at a time.

He closed his eyes again, drawing in breath, absorbing energy.

****

The ninth bend of the Nine Dragon Trade Route.

Seong Yangho—no, Chief Steward Seong—stood tall upon it.

His cold eyes swept across the surroundings.

The wind. The thick snow piled high. The trees. The branches. The leaves.

Everything fell within his gaze.

As his dormant blood vessels rapidly regained their full sensation, the process surprisingly didn’t take long.