Chapter 3
Heavenly Martial Academy?
I knew at least that it was an academy under the Murim Alliance that taught martial arts.
It was notoriously difficult to get into, and even harder to graduate from.
Wasn't it said that graduating from the Heavenly Martial Academy guaranteed a smooth, golden path within the Murim Alliance?
"I have heard of it, but... has anyone from the North Sea ever attended the academy?"
Although the North Sea Ice Palace had been isolated from the Central Plains Murim for a long time, my father had increased exchanges with the Central Plains over the past seven years—perhaps to find medicinal herbs for me—and had even visited the Murim Alliance himself. However, since no student had ever gone there personally, I didn't know much about it.
"Indeed. If you go, you will be the first."
My father nodded with a grave expression.
What was this? Why the sudden talk of an academy?
While I had assumed the marriage talk was just me being paranoid and scared, this topic, which had popped up out of nowhere while we were discussing my constitution, left me completely lost.
"What is at the academy? Do they bestow decent medicinal herbs if one achieves good grades?"
"Why, of course they do!"
...Hmm? They really give out medicinal herbs at the academy?
It was just a thoughtless remark I’d thrown out, but my father clapped his hands and beamed.
Come to think of it, I remembered hearing the name of the Heavenly Martial Academy when I asked Central Plains merchants about medicinal herbs. They said the Small Heaven Pellet, which was frequently bestowed upon students there, was not inferior to the Small Return Pellet of the Shaolin Temple.
'Do they even possess supreme Yang medicinal herbs?'
I had only heard vague rumors, but if my father—who had met various masters and the academy's martial instructors while attending the Murim Alliance—was recommending it, then... perhaps there was something to it.
"Is it only medicinal herbs? With three of the Ten Great Masters Under Heaven serving as martial instructors, you will be able to broaden your horizons with various martial arts."
"Oh..."
My father continued his explanation of the Heavenly Martial Academy.
It was an academy established after the Great War of Righteous and Evil, spearheaded by the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Clans—the main pillars of the righteous faction—to exchange martial arts and cultivate the next generation. It was said that the great sects and clans sent their teachers, disciples, martial arts, weapons, and even medicinal herbs there to flaunt their influence.
'Ah, so that’s how they gathered such precious medicinal herbs. It seems to be a place with more influence than I thought.'
Even if they didn't have the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Carp, they must have some way to extend one's lifespan, right?
As I tilted my head in thought, my father gave a sly smile.
"I don't know how my heart burned with desire to leave on a martial journey when I was your age. It must have been boring in the North Sea without any worthy rivals of your age, right?"
"Oh, yes."
I was a pacifist, but given the atmosphere, I nodded along.
"Go and show those frogs in the well from the Central Plains what you’ve got. Sweep up all the medicinal herbs and martial arts!"
"Frogs in the well, you say..."
"If you go this year, you will be in the same cohort as the second child of the Azure Heaven Sword King. There is also talk that the Mount Hua Sect is sending the direct disciple of their sect leader."
The Zhuge Clan, the Namgung Clan, and the Mount Hua Sect.
The long-haired, handsome men I had vaguely imagined in my childhood flickered in my mind.
Hmm, competing against such rising stars to achieve results and obtain medicinal herbs.
It didn't look like it would be easy.
"The Palace Master of the Beast Palace also said he would send his child this time. I have no worries about you since you are so strong, but the Beast Palace Master seems to want us, as one of the pillars of the Outer-Region Murim, to enroll together."
"The Southern Barbarian Beast Palace?"
"Yes. They say the child has exceptional talent. Well, not that it compares to yours."
I, who had been listening to my father quietly, paused.
Wait, the child of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace Master has exceptional talent?
The Southern Barbarian Beast Palace was located in the south of the Central Plains, the exact opposite of the North Sea Ice Palace, and was a sect that handled extreme Yang-type martial arts.
'Ah!'
Only then did I fully understand the intention behind my father’s constant talk of the academy.
He hadn't found some old master who had mastered a supreme Yang technique.
The Heavenly Martial Academy was the very place where all the rising stars who had the potential to become such masters would gather.
So, if I went to the Heavenly Martial Academy...
It was possible for me to show my own outstanding abilities to receive medicinal herbs and extend my lifespan, and it was also the perfect place to pursue a natural encounter with a man who had mastered extreme Yang martial arts.
So, I was supposed to get close to the promising men there and... do that?
And the son of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace Master was the one showing such potential?
Goodness, I wondered why he was beating around the bush while explaining the academy.
It seemed it was difficult for him to talk about such things to his daughter.
"I understand perfectly, Father."
Even without exchanging embarrassing words with my father, the meaning was conveyed well enough.
Ahem, if I hadn't had my past-life knowledge, I might not have understood, so I was very relieved.
"I will go to the academy. I'll study hard with those friends, earn medicinal herbs... I'll do everything I can!"
Besides, I really liked the method my father had suggested.
I had been dizzy with the thought that I might have to get married to survive.
Free love at the academy? It couldn't be better than this.
My father beamed.
"With your talent, you will surely make a great name for yourself in the Central Plains!"
And so, I decided to go to the academy.
"Oh, and though I’m sure you’ll be careful, it would be best to keep your constitution a secret. No matter how peaceful the era, there is no benefit in it being known."
As my father covered his mouth and spoke seriously, I nodded as well.
Come to think of it, in some martial arts novels, there were cases where patients with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians were coveted like medicinal herbs.
After all, absorbing a woman's energy through "Plucking Yin to Nourish Yang" to gain immense internal energy was a cliché in old-school martial arts novels.
* * *
"Sister Sool-ryeo! Defeat all those bookworms from the Nine Great Sects!"
"Big Sister, I will follow you next year!"
On the day I departed for the Heavenly Martial Academy, the palace disciples I had grown up with like family came out to the Ice Moon Lake to see me off.
- Grrr...
The bear I raised also let out a sad cry, its eyes gleaming.
It would have been nice if I could take this guy with me, but that would be impossible, wouldn't it?
I patted the bear's head as much as I could and waved my hands.
"Take care, everyone. I'll be back during the break!"
If I had to leave forever due to marriage, how sad would that have been?
I would definitely resolve my terminal condition at the academy and come back.
I hopped onto my horse and set off with Great Hall Master Baek-woong.
I had traveled around nearby ice mountains and canyons, but this was my first time leaving for the Central Plains in my life.
My father had assigned Great Hall Master Baek-woong, who always accompanied him whenever he headed to the Central Plains, to act as my escort and guide.
"Will there be any danger on the way to Luoyang?"
The Heavenly Martial Academy was located in Luoyang, Henan Province, and it would take over a month of riding on horseback from the North Sea.
I was worried about the Yin energy in my body, but there were also external threats.
Reading martial arts novels, the protagonists often encountered Green Forest bandits or river pirates during their martial journeys, so I suddenly felt anxious.
Of course, Great Hall Master Baek-woong was one of the top five masters in the North Sea, and I could handle a decent bandit myself, but I suppose I couldn't quite grasp how strong others were.
Unlike what I read in novels, it wasn't easy to gauge the cultivation levels of others.
Of course, I could tell if someone had a different aura, like my father, or distinguish the difference in gait between a commoner who had never learned martial arts and a martial artist.
But in reality, it wasn't just about judging strength at a glance, nor were the levels clearly divided into First-Rate, Peak-Level, and so on.
How often did incidents like bandits demanding a toll or getting into trouble with evil-faction martial artists actually happen?
'The North Sea has relatively good public order...'
I didn't know much about the Central Plains.
Perhaps because I was terminally ill, my father hadn't burdened me with the heavy responsibilities of a rising star of a Murim clan, and he had let me live doing whatever I wanted, like a bright, supporting noble daughter in a romance fantasy novel.
Of course, despite that, I had practiced diligently.
But the fact that I had almost no real-world experience was something I couldn't help but be concerned about.
"There shouldn't be any particular danger... but your appearance, Young Lady, will attract a lot of attention. You will need to be careful."
Great Hall Master Baek-woong looked at me as if asking why I would even ask such a thing, then paused for a moment.
Ah, there was that, too.
Certainly, my appearance with silver hair and blue eyes would stand out quite a bit in the Central Plains.
"Do lawless people appear often? Since I will always be with the Hall Master, there shouldn't be any major issues, right?"
At the Hall Master's words, I tensed up and gripped the reins tightly.
"It is not enough to worry about. As for some mediocre ruffians, they would run away just by you glaring at them."
Is it to that extent?
Well, merchants from the Central Plains did say that I had a cold impression when they first met me.
Perhaps it was because I had mastered the Extreme Yin Technique, which made me look even more so.
"Those with real skill are not only rare, but they also have their pride, so they won't act recklessly. As long as you don't challenge the leader of a Green Forest stronghold to a duel in front of his subordinates, saying you want to fight him, you won't have any reason to draw your sword on the way to Luoyang."
Great Hall Master Baek-woong cracked a joke.
Surely, that wouldn't happen.
He reassured me that although there might be some minor inconveniences, like sleeping outdoors, there wouldn't be any truly dangerous situations.
And so, a day, two days, ten days, and then a fortnight passed.
Great Hall Master Baek-woong was right.
It was boring to ride a horse without even knowing where we were, but a month passed without any major problems.
I didn't encounter any evil-faction martial artists.
There were times when groups of men at inns would try to approach me, saying I was pretty or asking where I was from, but they were always pathetic losers.
They would scurry away the moment I placed my hand on my sword hilt and narrowed my eyes.
Perhaps the wild animals that eyed our food were more of a threat?
Well, the animals usually ran away as soon as we approached them, too.
"We should rest in that village today."
As we headed south, the weather grew warmer, and villages appeared more frequently.
The village in front of us was the largest we had visited so far, and it felt like it could even be called a city.
We entered the largest and best-looking inn on the main street without delay.
"Young Lady, is there any food you would like to eat?"
I went up to the second floor, took a spacious seat, and looked over the menu.
"Bamboo Leaf Green, white liquor, twice-cooked pork, shredded pork in garlic sauce, thin noodles..."
"I will handle the ordering."
Since the food of the Central Plains was not the same as that of the North Sea, it was not easy to figure out what was what. As I rattled off the names of dishes I remembered from novels in my previous life, Great Hall Master Baek-woong chided me, asking who I had been listening to among the merchants.
I had wanted to try fish or fresh fruits that were unavailable in the North Sea, but perhaps they were hard to come by even here, or maybe it was just Great Hall Master Baek-woong’s preference, but a chicken dish was served instead.
"Oh, this is delicious."
"I am glad it suits your palate."
Although the cooking method was different from the North Sea, the flavors were not entirely foreign to me. I enjoyed the gourmet meal, asking about the names of the dishes, what other delicacies were available, and whether there were many good inns in Luoyang.
"Aaaargh!"
Had it been about a quarter of an hour? Just as I had finished about half of my meal, a boy’s scream erupted from the entrance of the inn.
"Ha, so this is where you were!"
"Tsk, did you really think you could get far before being caught?"
Wondering what was happening, I turned my gaze toward the commotion to see six men with swords at their waists surrounding a boy who looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old.
"Hmm?"
One of them grabbed the boy by the hair and yanked him upward, then immediately punched him in the face. What was this? Were they insane?
"Argh, aaargh! Aaargh!"
Then, they threw him to the floor, and several grown men began to kick the child.
"Why, why are you doing this, masters?"
It wasn't just me; the innkeeper, the waiter, and the other guests sitting nearby were all deeply flustered. Someone with a bit of courage even tried to stop the group from beating the child.
"Hey, mind your own business and get back to what you were doing. We’re just catching a little thief."
"Argh! I’m not!"
But the man who had first grabbed the boy only replied in a dismissive tone. The other five didn't even glance at the others as they continued to kick and strike the boy.
"Ungrateful brat, forgetting the grace the Clan Leader showed you!"
"Did you really think a wretch like you could steal the Young Master’s token and get away with it?"
"I-it’s mine! The Sword of Radiant Light gave it to me...!"
The boy curled his body, clutching his bundle tightly as he resisted. Whether the stolen item was inside that bundle or not, the men, who seemed to have practiced martial arts, could not easily pry it away from him despite their use of force.
"I should just cut this brat’s wrist off..."
"Hick!"
"Ugh!"
When one of the annoyed men drew his sword threateningly, the people on the first floor of the inn recoiled in terror.
"Hey, you bast..."
I could not stand by and watch any longer.
*Whoosh!*
With a rough curse, I leaped down to the first floor, intending to blow all the men away.
"Wh-what?"
But once everyone’s eyes were fixed on me,
'Wait, is swearing a bit much? Even though I’ve rarely come out to the Central Plains from the Ice Palace...'
A thought suddenly struck me that as the Young Lady of the North Sea Ice Palace, I had to maintain my dignity. I had heard that even my father’s attitude was completely different when he was playing with me versus dealing with the palace disciples, and that he maintained a grave, dignified appearance befitting his title when attending the Central Plains Murim Alliance.
If I, his daughter, acted like a common thug, wouldn't that be smearing my father’s reputation?
"Ahem. Regardless of what wrong he may have committed, is this how men of the martial world treat a mere child?"
*Clang!*
I lightly deflected the sword and calmly admonished the men with refined words.
"What are you... Argh!"
After subduing the man who had been beating the boy the most severely,
"Gah!"
I blocked the path of the one who appeared to be the leader.
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