When the next day ca, I washed and ate with Zhuge Xiaohui.
"Hah... At this rate, I'll get pregnant."
"Don't worry. I'm controlling everything with inner energy, so there's no such thing as pregnancy."
Actually, it was my ability, not inner energy, that was preventing it.
"I didn't know such a thing was possible. Well, either way, now that I've seen everything with Taejin-nim, it seems I won't be getting married."
Having seen so many miraculous things from , she seed to just accept it. And in this era, if sothing like that happened, the woman's value would drop significantly. It couldn't be helped, as it was an era with very low won's rights. Still, Zhuge Xiaohui was a beauty, so even if not my servant, soone might take her.
"So you wanted to get married? That's unexpected. I thought you were always calculating, and if it didn't benefit your family or yourself, you wouldn't have such thoughts."
"It's not like I always think that way. Of course, it would be nice to love a good person and start a family. But it's common knowledge that the children of great families are destined to marry for the sake of the family. Love is a luxury."
"How ridiculous. That's not decided by your family; you decide it yourself. Your family doesn't live your life for you."
At that, Zhuge Xiaohui sighed and said.
"Maybe you're right. But what's the use of saying that now? I'm going to be Taejin-nim's servant for life."
"That's true, but do your best. Maybe after a hundred years, I might promote you to concubine, who knows?"
Zhuge Xiaohui was incredulous.
"Hah... A hundred years... Becoming a concubine as a hunched-over old woman... I'm truly dumbfounded. Co to think of it, where did that beautiful woman from before go? You said there are many besides her. Are you the leader of so group?"
"None of your business."
"Really... I'm the fool for asking."
Grumbling, Zhuge Xiaohui finished her al.
After finishing our al and resting a bit, we moved to the Martial Arts Alliance. Today was the final day of the tournant, with the matches going all the way to the finals.
My first opponent was Moyong Yu. He held his sword and prepared for the match with eyes full of anticipation. He too seed to expect to gain much from a match with . I ignored that, used [Telekinesis] to pull him in, grabbed his head, read his mories, and let go.
"Hmm... Rather than adding things, you need to get rid of the useless parts first."
"Huh? What do you an..."
Moyong Yu was fine in other respects, but he both admired and envied Yeon Bu-so's talent. However, he wasn't the type to be jealous without effort. He was also making bloody efforts. But despite that, when he couldn't keep up, his impatience began to affect his swordsmanship. He tried various things, but it was developing in a bad direction.
"Instead of talking, attack first."
"Th-Then..."
Moyong Yu swung his sword at , as if pouring out everything he had built up.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
I just received his attacks, then gradually began counterattacking once in a while. And with Moyong Yu's own swordsmanship, at that. Moyong Yu looked quite surprised.
Clang!
"Gasp! What is this..."
Continuing like that, I began to take the initiative. I boldly removed or combined useless parts of Moyong Yu's swordsmanship, and began attacking with power and speed just right for Moyong Yu's level.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Thud!
"Ugh!"
Although I attacked with the sa power and speed as Moyong Yu, he kept allowing my attacks to land. Because there was a big difference in the perfection of our swordsmanship. Since I was using a wooden sword, it would hurt, but it wasn't life-threatening.
Clang! Thud! Clang! Thud thud!
"Kaagh!"
As ti passed, Moyong Yu couldn't dodge and kept getting hit. Eventually, unable to take it anymore, he raised his hand and said.
"I-I'm done. I surrender..."
At that, I stopped attacking and spoke.
"You know that I'm using your level of power and speed, right? And with your own swordsmanship. So why are none of your attacks getting through, and only you are getting hit?"
"That's..."
He must have realized this from the earlier match, but perhaps because he didn't want to let go of the ti he had spent trying various things, he couldn't answer easily.
"You haven't even properly grasped the true aning of the Moyong Clan's swordsmanship, yet you've plastered all sorts of useless things on it, and this is the result. I don't know why you're so impatient, but you need to trust your clan's swordsmanship more."
"I see... Hoo..."
From his reaction, it seed he had felt it to so extent too.
"I feel sohow refreshed. Maybe I was too fixated."
Moyong Yu cupped his fist to and left the tournant grounds.
After my match with Moyong Yu finished and the quarterfinals ended, it was lunchti. I headed to the Martial Arts Alliance's cafeteria with Zhuge Xiaohui. This cafeteria was a ss hall style. It looked like the food was all terrible, so I decided just to fill my stomach. I took so food, sprinkled a little magical white powder on it, and started eating it.
Then Zhuge Xiaohui, who had been quietly watching, asked .
"Sprinkle so on mine too."
"Huh? Didn't you refuse last ti, saying you wouldn't eat it?"
"Now, what difference does it make? Honestly, I don't think you would harm , and I'm curious since you always sprinkle it on your food."
"Really?"
I sprinkled so magical white powder on Zhuge Xiaohui's food as well. Then, as I had done, she mixed it well and took a bite.
"Gasp! This can't be... The food suddenly beca delicious! How can this..."
Zhuge Xiaohui, amazed, began eating.
"What is that powder's true identity?"
"You don't need to know."
"By any chance, can you mass-produce that powder? It's not difficult to make, is it? If you sold that powder, you could make enormous profits."
Zhuge Xiaohui's eyes sparkled as she said this. As expected of the quick-witted Zhuge Xiaohui.
"I have no intention of selling it."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to. It's not like I need the money."
"..."
When I said firmly, Zhuge Xiaohui didn't ask further, but she began eating with a dissatisfied expression. Watching her quietly, it seed she had a habit of taking out her frustrations through food. If she hadn't trained in martial arts, she would have gained a lot of weight and beco the 'Obese Witch.'
After finishing our al and resting a bit, we went to the tournant grounds on ti. The first match was between Yeon Bu-so and Dang Seol-hwi. The second match was scheduled between and Kang So-a, the second son of Martial Arts Alliance Leader Yi Mok. In the original, Yeon Bu-so, though his arm gets cut off, survives, but Kang So-a, due to his greed, was fated to have his neck cut off by Cheon Un-woon and die.
And truthfully, I had nothing more to gain in terms of martial arts. Because both Yeon Bu-so and Kang So-a had been taught by Yi Mok, and I had already read all of Yi Mok's martial arts. I didn't need them anymore. And I had seen Dang Seol-hwi fight many tis in the tournant, so I didn't particularly need to see more. As for poison, I knew more than the Sichuan Dang Clan. I had chemical knowledge beyond what could be imagined in this era.
So I thought about just leaving, but the tournant's first prize was the Taecheng Pill, which bothered . The Taecheng Pill is a type of elixir that appears in martial arts novels, an elixir made with great care by the Wudang Sect, as excellent as the Great Return Pill.
Anyway, the first match between Yeon Bu-so and Dang Seol-hwi began. As expected, Dang Seol-hwi was no match for Yeon Bu-so. In the original, Yeon Bu-so appeared as early Profound Realm, but here, perhaps because it was still early, he was still in the Transformation Realm. To briefly explain the levels in Nano Machine: Third-rate > Second-rate > First-rate > Peak > Super Peak > Transformation Realm > Profound Realm > Life-Death Realm > Natural Realm > Void Realm >如意 Realm. The Void Realm and如意 Realm are beyond human.
"Winner, Yeon Bu-so!"
Wah~! Wah~!
In the end, Yeon Bu-so generously held back and finished the match appropriately with Dang Seol-hwi. Although she lost, Dang Seol-hwi didn't seem displeased. Now that Yeon Bu-so was her fiancé, his strength seed to give her pride.
Now it was my turn to face Kang So-a. I went up to the match area and waited. A guy with a thuggish style, looking cocky, ca up. This guy seed to be Kang So-a. But contrary to his appearance, he cupped his fist to respectfully and greeted .
"Nice to et you, Taejin-nim. I am Kang So-a, the second son of the Martial Arts Alliance Leader."
"Nice to et you. I'm Taejin."
I imdiately used [Telekinesis] to pull him in, grabbed his head, and read his mories. This guy was even more calculating than Zhuge Xiaohui and did dirty things behind the scenes without hesitation. But because he was smart and handled things well without any repercussions, he had maintained his position without problems. Now too, he was only thinking about how to curry favor with to advance his level.
"Hmm... You're no good."
"Huh? Gasp!"
I grabbed Kang So-a's head and just threw him off the match area. The judge watching shouted.
"Out of bounds! Winner, Dark Jade Heaven Taejin!"
Then, as before, people murmured.
"What's up with Dark Jade Heaven? This ti, instead of teaching, he just threw him."
"I know, right. Did the Alliance Leader's second son make so mistake?"
I ignored them and sat next to Zhuge Xiaohui. Kang So-a, with an angry face, ca to and started demanding.
"Why is this!? Why do you not teach !?"
"Because I don't want to. I don't particularly like people with black hearts."
At that, Kang So-a seed to have more to say, but he swallowed his anger and turned back. He too, since I said that, had no choice. Seeing that, Zhuge Xiaohui was surprised and asked .
"Surely, grabbing heads was to read the opponent's nature? I thought you were seeing the flow of inner energy."
As expected, she was smart. Though not 100% correct, she had guessed similarly.
"Amazing. How did you know?"
"I deduced it from the earlier conversation. It's impressive, being able to read a person's nature just by touching their head. Those who have reached unimaginable levels can do such things."
This wasn't a matter of level, but I let her misunderstand. And there were others who thought the sa.
"I forfeit the match."
It was Yeon Bu-so. He simply gave up the match against . He too seed to have deduced it like Zhuge Xiaohui. He apparently didn't want his nature revealed to . As for , I could get the Taecheng Pill right away, so I let it pass without comnt. But the spectators looked quite disappointed, not being able to see the finals.
"Now, shall we go receive the prize?"
Zhuge Xiaohui and I went to Alliance Leader Yi Mok.
"First prize!"
"Ahem... I wish you would yield to your juniors..."
"Don't say strange things. Hand it over."
After hesitating for a mont, Yi Mok handed a small case containing the Taecheng Pill.
I took it and, with Zhuge Xiaohui, moved to the inn.
"You stay in the room for a bit."
"Huh? Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get the carriage. We need to prepare to leave."
Saying that, I moved to a deserted place. First, I checked the Taecheng Pill. I tried copying it with [Matter Copy], and fortunately, it worked. It seed it was copyable because no artificial energy was involved. So I took one of the copies and ate it.
[You have exceeded the physical limit to receive effects from elixirs. You did not receive the effects of the Taecheng Pill.]
"Oh, co on!"
I knew sothing was going too well. It seed I had already surpassed the level that elixirs could raise. Still, I could give it to soone else, so though annoyed, I decided to be satisfied with that. So I took out the carriage and horses I had prepared earlier, and an AI coachman. I dressed the coachman in clothes similar to this era's style, prepared them, returned to the inn, and parked it.
Then I took Zhuge Xiaohui and began buying necessary items.
"You really are going to the North Sea Ice Palace. Seeing you buy fur clothes."
"Did you think I was joking?"
"No, it's just that suddenly going there doesn't feel real..."
Though she said this, Zhuge Xiaohui seed very reluctant to go. In this era, the north was where less civilized barbarians lived, so hardship was certain.
"Don't worry. We'll go and co back quickly."
As we were loading the purchased items onto the carriage, Yi Mok suddenly appeared.
"May I ask where you are going?"
"None of your business."
"Don't be like that. Could you at least take on the role of an instructor for your juniors... Of course, the Martial Arts Alliance would provide lodging, no, even a manor. Not only that, we would pay you as much as you wish..."
Hearing that I was leaving, Yi Mok seed anxious. He made all sorts of offers to catch .
"No, I don't need it. And take this back. It's a useless item for ."
I returned the Taecheng Pill to Yi Mok. Of course, it was a copy. And since Yeon Bu-so was going to eat it anyway, it shouldn't matter.
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