Chapter 31: Fire Formation Assignment

Time passed at the Thousand-Day Pass.

“Phew!”

The internal energy that had spread throughout my entire body’s meridians was safely collected back into my Dantian.

“Stable. At this level, I can say I’ve crossed the threshold.”

Since breaking through to the Master Level two months ago, I had been tormented by an impatient thirst for a higher realm.

Normally, a master would soothe a disciple and help quell that longing—but I had no master now.

It was a dangerous situation, to the point that a Qi Deviation could have taken root.

However, by sheer luck, I was able to avoid it.

That was thanks to the unexpected accident in the training room, which ended up reducing my training time and forcibly calming my impatience.

Only after the threat of a Qi Deviation had passed did I realize I had narrowly escaped danger—and I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.

‘Well, a blessing is a blessing, I guess.’

If this could be called a fated opportunity, then so be it.

With that thought in mind, just as I returned to the dormitory—

“Young Master! I’ve prepared your blanket!”

“Please, take a seat here!”

“Thanks.”

The moment I entered the dormitory, two figures stationed in the corner rushed to greet me.

They were Jin Sang and Baekgu, the two subordinates I had taken under my wing at the Thousand-Day Pass.

“Young Master! Tomorrow, we’ll finally be done with this hellish physical training!”

Jin Sang—someone who, if he grew a mustache, would perfectly look like a scheming court official.

“I’m not too confident when it comes to brainwork…”

And Baekgu—a hulking figure who reminded me of Jin Yeowoon in sheer build.

These two were the first to pledge loyalty to me, faster than anyone else at the Thousand-Day Pass.

In truth, I hadn’t accepted them based on talent or personality.

I accepted them simply because they were the quickest to pick up on things.

“Out of the way, you bastards!”

“The Young Master needs his rest!”

Most of the trainees acknowledged my position and followed those words without much complaint.

Even so, quite a few still looked at me with eyes full of desire—but I made a point to ignore those looks.

After accepting Jin Sang and Baekgu, I had sent away every person who came to pledge loyalty.

And I left the trainees with one message:

‘If you wish to stand beside me, you must prove your worth.’

Not a rejection—but a deferment.

If anyone truly wished to seize the opportunity that was “Jin Yeomyung,” they would have to show something worthy of it.

I only accepted these two to act as my attendants because I didn’t want to be distracted by anything beyond martial arts training.

They were sharp enough to manage some matters, but if they didn’t meet my standard within the half-year deadline given by the Pavilion Master, I was ready to cut them loose at any moment.

“Tch, the neighborhood boss has arrived!”

Only one person in this dorm dared to mock me to my face.

Ma Jinseong, a collateral of the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan, who had shown hostility from day one.

“If you want, I could make you the boss of the neighborhood.”

“Hah! You think I’d ever serve under you?!”

Still bearing the traces of youth, Ma Jinseong stuck out his tongue at me, taunting.

“H-How rude!”

“A collateral like him dares—!”

“Enough.”

When I raised my hand to stop them, both of my attendants immediately closed their mouths.

“You’re always welcome, Ma Jinseong.”

“Tch. You mean joining that ‘main flow’ or whatever?”

“That’s right.”

In truth, this cohort of the Thousand-Day Pass was all but under my complete control.

I heard that upper-level cohorts were a mess of factional strife and infighting, but in this one, I stood as the absolute powerhouse.

Factions couldn’t even form.

So I declared openly:

A survival rate of five percent. If there was anyone willing to step into that hell with me, let them come.

Of course, no one had joined me in that suicidal venture—yet.

‘That one’s got the qualifications, though.’

Despite the grueling physical training, he never missed a single day of cultivation, locking himself in the training chamber from the very first day.

After closely observing him for the past two months, I could tell—he wasn’t without talent.

I didn’t particularly like the idea of doing the Blood Dragon Demonic Clan a favor, but if I had to pick one noteworthy person in this cohort, it was Ma Jinseong.

“Hard to believe, honestly. And doesn’t choosing this ‘main flow’ thing mean completely deviating from the normal Thousand-Day Pass education?”

“That’s right. But if you undergo main flow training, you can grow twice as strong.”

A serpent-like voice tickled Ma Jinseong’s ear.

“You could even surpass Ma Chulsoo—the one you admire so much.”

“R-Really?”

Ma Jinseong’s eyes trembled.

The reason he came to the Thousand-Day Pass was likely because he admired Ma Chulsoo.

To surpass someone you looked up to—it was an ecstasy close to divine.

With a deliberately arrogant expression, I said,

“I’ve fought Ma Chulsoo before, so I know. His Blood Flow Demonic Spirit Sword Art has reached a decent level, but if you keep going like this, you can surpass him before you even graduate.”

Gulp.

Ma Chulsoo was at the level of a First-rate Martial Artist who could emit Sword Aura. Ma Jinseong, meanwhile, was barely able to perform a proper thrust or slash—a mere Second-rate Martial Artist.

Sure, I was sugarcoating things a bit, but depending on how he performed, it wasn’t necessarily a lie.

“Think it over. There’s still time.”

“……”

With Ma Jinseong falling silent, I turned to Jin Sang.

“Jin Sang.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

“What about the task I assigned you?”

“I investigated it thoroughly!”

Jin Sang handed me a folder.

“The report on the faction structure and current status of the upper-level cohorts you requested.”

“Impressive.”

“Hehe, it’s all thanks to your support, Young Master.”

Jin Sang was as sociable as he was perceptive. With just a bit of money and alcohol from me, this newbie trainee had managed to gather this intel in only two weeks.

‘Though I used the Jin Clan’s resources to obtain the roster, it wasn’t enough to identify the assassin.’

Gu Chil had managed to grab a faint tail, but because the Pavilion Master had been moving around so much, that trail never reconnected with the Thousand-Day Pass.

‘It’s clear—there are fewer people the higher you go.’

There were currently about 480 surviving trainees at the Thousand-Day Pass. Among them, more than thirty had names that included “Sang” or “Yeon.”  

Some had names that were outright “Sang-yeon” or “Yeon-sang.”

I scanned the list one by one.

‘It won’t be the highest-ranking cohort. He’s not from one of the Six Clans or an elite household either.’

In the case of the topmost cohort, which was practically the graduating class, there were only eighteen survivors.

Those individuals were talents who had already drawn the attention of the main sect. The Seventeen Parties and Nine Demon Halls were likely burning with desire to recruit them.

‘Ah, come to think of it, San Dojeon the squad leader… no, San Dojeon was in the cohort right above mine.’

That blunt martial artist with no connections or cunning didn’t seem like someone who would belong to any faction…

And yet, he did.

“…Han Muyeon?”

I frowned at the strangely familiar name.

“Ah, he’s currently one of the most talked-about talents in the Thousand-Day Pass,” Jin Sang, who had been watching me warily, spoke up in response.

“Explain in detail.”

“As stated in the report, he’s three cohorts above us. He’s not from any prestigious family, but his talent is so outstanding that various top households and institutions within the cult are eager to recruit him.”

“How outstanding are we talking?”

“It’s said he can use Fist Qi.”

‘Fist Qi?’

To be able to manifest Fist Qi at that age was a level of talent highly regarded even in the Heavenly Demon Cult.

The Six Demonic Dragons, the greatest prodigies of the cult, were around that level.

“A talent worthy of the Demon Dragon Hall…”

“Yes. Even in the top cohort, many can’t emit Sword Qi, so it’s only natural that the Pavilion Master holds him in special regard.”

‘Suspicious.’

It wasn’t impossible for a dragon to rise from a stream, but the timing felt off.

Most of all, the name stood out. A sense of incongruity that only I, someone living his second life, could perceive.

‘Han Mubaek, Han Muyeon, Han Mubaek, Han Muyeon…’

The Demonic Faction Lord Han Mubaek had also come from humble beginnings and turned his life around.

“Jin Sang.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

“Can you find out more about this Han Muyeon?”

“Of course! There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Young Master!”

He likely buttered up to an instructor to get this information. If that was true, it wouldn’t be too hard to dig a bit deeper.

“Focus on what martial arts he uses—especially if he’s trained in demonic arts, find out exactly what he’s learned.”

“Leave it to me!”

Truthfully, Han Muyeon didn’t fit the image of an assassin. He was far too prominent and in the spotlight to make a move like that.

But my instincts, sharpened through my previous life, warned me.

There was something about him.

***

“From now on, the eleven of you will be grouped into one squad!”

After the physical training phase—which served as the initiation period at the Thousand-Day Pass—was over…

Eight people had dropped out during that time. The remaining ninety would now begin learning the basics of group combat, the next stage.

Jang Deuk-soo, the senior instructor assigned to our cohort, bellowed out.

“However, the squad leaders won’t be chosen from among you. They’ll be assigned from the upper cohorts.”

“Upper cohorts?”

“They’re individuals who have already passed the group combat exam with excellent scores and are now receiving squad leader training.”

It was said that if one placed within the top ten in this round’s evaluation, they would be eligible to receive squad leader training in the next cohort.

And that training came with a hefty bonus.

“I’ll now call out the members of Squad A. Jin Yeomyung, Ma Jinseong, Bu Yeojoon, Myeongho, Sim Bae…”

I was assigned to the same squad as Ma Jinseong.

And soon after, we were introduced to the senior cohort member who had been appointed as our squad leader.

“Ah, hello everyone.”

The moment she appeared, everyone was a bit stunned.

“A… a girl?”

“No, more than that…”

“An incredible beauty!”

She gave off a slightly dazed impression.

No, more like a girl than a woman.

Her hair was braided into twin plaits and tied behind her head, making her look even younger.

Our squad leader bowed her head politely toward us.

“My name is Baek Sang-ah.”

***

Baek Sang-ah.

To the other squad members, her presence felt completely out of place.

‘What’s this?’

Trembling eyes, shaky arms and legs.

She didn’t look the part of a squad leader at all.

Those who had initially been entranced by her beauty gradually began casting suspicious glances her way.

‘How did she survive?’

Trainees who entered the Thousand-Day Pass with half-hearted resolve didn’t even make it past the first round of physical training.

Though some lacked talent, all the remaining trainees had unshakable will and ruthless determination.

But this girl standing before them had none of that ferocity.

“I-I’ve been assigned as your squad leader! I’ll do my best!”

That girl made it into the top ten of her cohort?

Lacking spirit, full of timidity—the doubts among the trainees deepened.

At the Thousand-Day Pass, group combat wasn’t just about practicing formations.

After learning the basics, it became full-on live combat.

And being selected as a squad leader meant not only surviving that ordeal—but doing so with a top-tier score.

‘Something’s not right. Something’s definitely off.’

While the squad members were consumed by suspicion—

There was a reason behind her behavior.

‘I’m screwed. Totally screwed!’

Among the assigned squad members was one boy in particular, someone who gave off a uniquely sharp presence.

‘Of all people, why did I end up in the same squad as him!’

The eldest son of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan. To her—a mere “outsider”—Jin Yeomyung was basically the high-ranking elite of the cult, someone she absolutely had to avoid.

But she couldn’t stay in her daze forever.

Steeling herself, Baek Sang-ah avoided looking at Jin Yeomyung and continued.

“A-As you all know, you’ll be learning the doctrines of group combat, and then you’ll be deployed into live missions.”

She calmly recited the information she’d been taught.

“The Thousand-Day Pass doesn’t confine live combat exercises within its walls.”

“If not within, then where?” one trainee asked.

Baek Sang-ah nodded as if she had been waiting for the question.

“In conflict zones beyond the borders of the cult’s territory.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep