Chapter 80: Chapter 80- Too Smart for His Own Good

“Ugh…”

Sol groaned as he sat up. He felt a little dizzy.

“Be careful of Aether Exhaustion. I created this Movement Skill for those in the Spiritual Realm to use. Those in that Realm are able to accumulate an abundance of Aether in their bodies, as for you, you’re still in the Mortal Realm so you’re unable to store large amounts of Aether inside your body to perform the Movement Skill past the third step.”

When Sol heard that he paused.

After a while, he stood up and took a step forward.

Then he took another, then another, then another, then another…

Sol’s figure was a blur as he moved around the area.

The old man’s expression visibly changed when he saw this, while an exclamation of surprise came from that unassuming rock.

After a few more seconds of Sol effortlessly using the Movement Skill, he came to a stop in front of the old man and said.

“Senior, I’m extremely grateful for you teaching me this Movement Skill. I’ll be taking my leave now as I’m missing out on the Plum Blossom Gathering.”

Sol was about to leave, but the old man asked.

“How were you able to perform the Movement Skill so many times?”

“I think senior knows already.”

Sol glanced at the rock, smiled, and then looked back at the old man.

Seeing Sol refusing to say how he did it, the old man nodded.

Still smiling, Sol cupped his fist once again before he turned to leave. While he was passing the rock, he gave a small nod of acknowledgment.

After Sol was fully out of sight, the unassuming rock trembled before it suddenly transformed into pink plum blossom petals.

The figure of a young man was seen inside these plum blossoms.

With a wave of his hand, the petals coalesced into a sword before retreating back into his body.

This young man was Byeong-Ho, and shockingly his Innate Dharma was a Weapon-type Innate Dharma with the qualities of a plum blossom.

The coincidence was pretty staggering since he was from the Huashan Sect, which is known for its Martial Arts and Skills being related to plum blossoms.

After looking at where Sol left, Byeong-Ho turned to the old man and asked.

“Master, how was he able to use the Movement Skill so easily?”

The old man shook his head and refused to answer.

“He knew I was testing him for you, so he chose not to explain his method as a test for you. Try and figure it out on your own.”

Byeong-Ho’s brows come together as he thought back on Sol’s movements. He tried to find any peculiarity in them, and he did. But he cursed himself internally as to why he didn’t realize it sooner.

Suddenly, Beyond-Ho took a step forward and he moved eight meters. Then with another step, his figure blurred, but he didn’t move an additional sixteen meters but another eight meters.

Byeong-Ho’s figure continuously left a blur in the surroundings, and he moved just as Sol did moments ago.

It looked like he was trying to prove that what Sol can do he could as well. However, after about a dozen steps, he suddenly slammed face-first into the ground, creating a familiar scene.

Byeong-Ho spat out the grass in his mouth as he got up.

“I don’t understand. How did he move so continuously when he already exhausted his Aether, yet I can’t even do a dozen steps without using up mine?”

Byeong-Ho brushed off his robes and straighten his hair. His frown was so deep his face looked like that of a wrinkly old man’s own. However, his eyes suddenly narrowed.

“Runes?”

He had recalled the runes on Sol’s bow.

Byeong-Ho turned to look at his Master as if to confirm his answer.

The old man didn’t respond but a small smile could be seen on his face.

However, Byeong-Ho couldn’t understand one thing.

“Master, using runes aside, why didn’t you think of using the Movement Skill like this? It might not allow someone to travel far, but it uses less energy for us Mortal Realm cultivators as well as being a good Skill to have during group battles.”

The old man stared at Byeong-Ho and said.

“You’re the most talented pupil I ever taught, that’s why I broke the promise I made to myself and made you my first and only Disciple. However, you revere my teachings too much. It’s not that I haven’t thought of this method before, it’s that I never told you. I wanted you to figure it out on your own, however, you chose not to change or improve on anything I teach you. Let this be a lesson to you to not get complacent. Complacency is a disease you should avoid catching at all costs.”

Byeong-Ho’s expression changed multiple times, but he ultimately cupped his fist and bowed.

“Yes Master, this Disciple understands his mistake. However…”

Byeong-Ho raised his head before he asked.

“Did Master really have to teach him that Movement Skill? It’s not our Plum Blossom Steps, but is it not something Master cherishes? To teach it to that person when you haven’t taken him as a disciple…”

“Do you want me to take him in as a Disciple?”

Byeong-Ho paused upon hearing that before he slowly said.

“If he agrees to become my Junior Brother, I’d find it hard to compete with him in the future.”

The old man smiled at that.

“Good response, someone like that should become your rival. But know that I didn’t teach him that Movement Skill for you. I only taught it to him as a reward for trying to trick me.”

“What do you mean Master?”

Byeong-Ho looked puzzled.

“That brat… In the middle of our conversation, he figured out who I am, and that I led him here on purpose. But he acted like he was clueless. He’s too smart for his own good. If I wasn’t using him teach you a lesson, I would have been offended enough to give him a few slaps in place of his Master. But I guess he probably took this into account in his scheme. My Disciple, try not to be outdone by him in the future.”

After saying that, the old man took a step and disappeared.

Byeong-Ho took his Master’s words to heart as he turned to head back to the party.

It should be time to divide up the locations in the Hundred Flowers and Herbs Dimension. But his attention was drifting to something else.

….

After Sol was out of view from Byeong-Ho and the old man, he clenched his fist, while his body began to tremble.

Sol wanted to yell and jump in excitement, but he settled on a little dance.

“Ha-ha, I can’t believe I actually met him. I was only hopeful but to really think I’d meet him and even learn the Movement Skill I wanted!”

Sol continued his little dance while feeling overwhelming joy bubbling up in his heart.

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