But I quickly suppressed that voice as much as possible and forcibly restrained the inner energy surging through my body like an active volcano. I quickly looked around, then calmed my inner energy and pinched my cheeks, nose, and uvula. Feeling the pain, I relaxed my body and lay down in the stable again.
"......"
Once again, I was lying in the stable in the middle of the night, around the age of 10. Cold seeped through the straw pile meant to protect against the morning dew. I even missed that cold and quietly curled my legs, leaning against the straw wall.
"Ha..."
I'm lucky.
I'm really lucky.
A tear of joy rolled down my cheek.
This time, I decided to avoid the possibility of being tortured and left alive after detecting death and being 'tortured.' If I refused the challenge and tried to escape from the Iron Blood Sect's leader, given his character, he might torture me to death in the most painful way. If I were tortured, there was a high chance I would reveal the contents of the Heavenly Rock Secret.
So, I deliberately accepted the challenge and fought to the death. At least if I died fighting, they wouldn't keep me alive to humiliate me. After dying a few times, I could mentally prepare myself even if I thought I was going to die.
However, all of this was in the realm of 'luck.'
I had reversed time twice using the Heavenly Rock Secret, but there was no guarantee it would work a third time. This was because I knew nothing about the contents of the Heavenly Rock Secret. So, I was essentially taking a gamble, jumping into the fire with a straw in my mouth, believing I could reverse time again.
Additionally, to suppress the pain of death, I deliberately used a breathing technique to induce pain by raising my inner energy. The executioner was a peak expert, so he cut my throat cleanly and swiftly, minimizing the pain.
That's why this time, I didn't go mad from the pain and could suppress my screams. In terms of pain, it was like being whipped on the uvula.
Ultimately, I was lucky.
I had returned, and my inner energy was intact.
Moreover, I had the knowledge and skills in geomancy and illusion techniques I learned from Wangliang, so I was much better off.
"......"
But I couldn't speak.
To be precise, I was too depressed to say anything.
' Damn it. In the end, I couldn't bring down any of the Twin Gate Sect.'
I also realized how unrealistic and difficult it would be to enter the imperial palace and bring out the Nameless Scripture. Wangliang seemed to have planned based on the assumption that I was a world-class expert, but in reality, I couldn't defeat a peak expert who could use the Flame Blade technique.
Even if I were a ghostly swordsman who could behead someone in 350 seconds, I would still die against 10 Jinyiwei. The fact that just 10 of them could kill such a monstrous peak expert meant that the average strength of the Jinyiwei was terrifyingly high.
There were over 30 such Jinyiwei patrolling the imperial palace, and not only could they trap intruders with geomancy techniques, but there were also top-tier experts from the Eastern Depot guarding it. I felt ashamed of my foolish thoughts.
' No, I can't. With my current strength, it's impossible.'
Bringing out the Nameless Scripture is currently impossible.
Even if I were the greatest thief in the world, it would be a matter of life and death.
I might need to be an unparalleled and invincible absolute expert to even attempt it.
I even thought it would have been better to die quickly and realize my limitations at that point.
"Hmm... But there are some gains."
I could faintly smile as I organized in my mind what I had gained from this reincarnation.
First, I obtained the inner energy of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.
Second, I gained the knowledge of a scholar and the skills in geomancy.
Third, I memorized the map of the imperial palace.
Fourth, I gained the experience of a life-and-death struggle with a peak expert.
Fifth, I learned that the so-called prestigious martial arts sects are heartless bastards.
Especially the fifth point was deeply ingrained in my heart.
I blamed myself.
"Damn it. I'm still a fool."
How naive was I?
If I had challenged any of the six major sects of the Twin Gate Sect, the outcome would have been the same. Whether it was sooner or later, they would never forgive someone who sullied their honor. From the moment I provoked them, I was destined to either become a cripple or die. The idea that wandering knights could improve their skills through duels was a dream-like story from novels.
To gain practical experience, one must face real combat.
One must push the opponent to a situation where they are definitely killed to avoid future troubles.
It was a very obvious truth, but I had been intoxicated by the dreams of the martial arts world.
I continued to sit with my legs crossed, thinking.
Through this incident, I clearly understood the gap between the strength of a peak expert and my own. If I wanted to close this gap, I would need at least 10 years of cultivation, as I heard from my own mouth. So, if I cultivated martial arts for 10 years, I could become a peak expert.
But—how?
Practicing techniques alone and swinging a sword at the sky for years wouldn't help improve my skills. I needed someone who could point out my weaknesses and advise me on how to improve.
Otherwise, I would have to risk my life and fight similar-level opponents to improve myself, but this time, I realized through my death that it was a dangerous act, no matter how many lives I had. It would be convenient to become stronger through enlightenment in a life-and-death struggle, but realistically, that doesn't happen.
On the other hand, there would be no improvement in my skills if I pursued safety and beat up lower-level opponents. If I started fighting like that, I would just rely on my inner energy and beat up experts below the first-class level. I realized that such a fighting style would be useless against a true peak expert. It might work against someone like Jiao Jun, the head of the Sword Inspection Hall, but not against an elder of the Iron Blood Sect.
I continued to think, but the best method was still to train under a 'master.' I'm not a genius, so I need to absorb all the teachings from an excellent master before I can independently cultivate my own style. This is a very obvious fact, but after obtaining the inner energy of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, I had forgotten it in my excitement.
Thinking about it, I had only properly learned martial arts for three years. During that time, I trained intensively, but after that, I just picked up techniques to suit practical combat, and there was no significant improvement in my martial arts. My inner energy had increased significantly, though.
So, I should go to the Green Dragon Martial Hall.
There, my master is.
The master who can give the best advice on the martial arts I have learned!
Although I reached this conclusion, I sighed.
"Ha... What should I do?"
If I were to enter the Green Dragon Martial Hall now, it would be an extreme taboo and cause terrifying suspicion. A young child in his early teens, who has mastered the secret martial arts and inner energy techniques of the Green Dragon Martial Hall and possesses the terrifying inner energy of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, suddenly asking to be accepted as a disciple would be the situation.
If I were the head of the Green Dragon Martial Hall, Sanjie Li Guang, I would be terrified and either chase him away or try to kill him with my own hands. That's how bizarre I had become.
This is my third reincarnation, but my worries are deeper. I shook my head to shake off the uncomfortable feeling and stood up.
"Whatever, I'll just do what needs to be done first."
What I need to do.
No, what I must do.
There are two things.
First, go to the cave and obtain the Heavenly Rock Secret.
Second, go to Mount Huang and obtain the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.
'Will both take about a month? Whatever.'
I started using my lightness technique towards the cave without any hesitation, leaving the village chief's house behind. With my current strength, it would be easy to kill the entire village chief's family, but I thought it was too easy and decided there was no immediate need to do so.
'Um... I feel like I'm forgetting something important... What was it?'
I tilted my head for a moment, but at this point, I couldn't figure out what I was forgetting. I was too engrossed in other thoughts.
It took much less time to reach the cave this time than in my second reincarnation. My running speed was at least three times faster, and my stamina didn't tire, so it was natural. I entered the cave around dawn.
This time, to save time, I didn't bother to buy a copper shield. Instead, I brought a few large rocks from the roadside and decided to pass through the arrow trap guarding the Heavenly Rock Secret.
"There's no need to block it forcefully. I know where the arrows are fired from."
I muttered, infusing the rocks with my inner energy and throwing them at the arrow-firing mechanism from a distance. The powerful inner energy in the rocks gave them enough physical force to penetrate a human body.
BOOM!
The wall shattered, and the hidden arrow-firing mechanism inside crumpled, visible to the eye. I had easily bypassed the trap.
But at the same time, a loud noise echoed, and the ground beneath my feet trembled.
RUMBLE
"... Huh! Damn it!!"
I realized this was a signal that the cave was collapsing and quickly ran in, grabbing the box and rushing out of the cave. I successfully leaped onto the opposite cliff using my lightness technique.
Shortly after, the entrance of the cave collapsed, and a pile of rocks fell to the bottom of the cliff. I sighed in relief after confirming the Heavenly Rock Secret was still in the box.
"Phew, lucky. It could have been a disaster."
I shouldn't use this method again. It would be better to use rocks or a copper shield to block the arrows, even if it's more troublesome. I had barely escaped this time, so I shouldn't attempt it recklessly.
After obtaining the Heavenly Rock Secret, I buried the box and securely tucked the book into the inner pocket of my clothes. I intended to keep it with me at all times, as I must never let it out of my possession. I immediately set off for Mount Huang.
I could go to the Green Dragon Martial Hall, but I thought I should just eat the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng first. There was no guarantee I could learn anything there, and it would be better to gain inner energy from the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng during the time I would spend hesitating.
"Alright, let's go!"
This was my third enjoyable trip to Mount Huang.
Thud thud
I started walking and then began running whenever I had time. The journey to Mount Huang was long and boring, so I wanted to save as much time as possible. Of course, I still had to catch and eat wild animals, wash in the streams, and dig up roots to eat. I hated sleeping outdoors because it made my back hurt.
Fortunately, I was very familiar with this work due to my time living in the mountains of Mount Huang, and my improved inner energy had significantly enhanced my hunting skills. I could successfully hunt wild animals without tools 8 out of 10 times, so I no longer wandered the mountains on the brink of starvation.
Tap tap...
I was roasting a frog in a mountain about a day's walk from Mount Huang. If I started running now, I could probably reach Mount Huang in about two hours, and it would take three hours to reach the secret location of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. Essentially, I could eat the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng again 'tomorrow.'
My clothes were already tattered, but I didn't care. What I was worried about was whether this was a poisonous frog. I had to eat it anyway, so I was heating it over the fire to be safe.
I swallowed hard.
I was so hungry.
I want to eat this...
Eating a poisonous frog could paralyze my entire nervous system, turn my face blue, and kill me. I almost died from eating a poisonous frog when I lived in Mount Huang before, and a villager passing by saved me by giving me an antidote.
That villager was a herbalist and taught me essential knowledge.
'He said that a poisonous frog's belly would swell when heated, right?'
I calmly watched the frog. Sure enough, its belly bulged with a pop. This was a poisonous frog that could kill me if I ate it. Disappointed, I threw the skewer with the frog into the bushes.
"Damn it."
I would have to go hungry again today.
To prevent snakes from approaching, I sprinkled asbestos I found nearby around my sleeping area and started camping, feeling a bit melancholic. My nose tingled slightly.
Would anyone else who experienced reincarnation live such a hard life like me?
Am I the only one foolishly struggling?
Is it right to do this to live a comfortable life?
... But no matter how much I think about it, it's not something I can ask anyone else.
If thinking about it won't give me an answer, I won't think about it.
Cricket cricket
The sound of insects was loud.
Thus, the night before my third reincarnation and my second time eating the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng passed.