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chapter 75
As usual, after finishing her activities as an artist with Han Geon-woo’s doll, Yeon Mirae headed to the dungeon alone.
“I have to become stronger. By any means necessary.”
She was obsessed with strength.
Ah, of course, although Yeon Mirae said she would use any means necessary, that didn’t mean she intended to commit crimes or cross any moral lines. She just planned to use a few shortcuts.
“It’s a method that often appears in martial arts novels anyway.”
The method she intended to use was the Absorbing Star Technique (吸星大法).
It’s a martial art from many wuxia novels that absorbs an opponent’s energy… though most depictions of the technique weren’t exactly positive.
Usually, there were side effects, like the absorbed energy clashing with the user’s own energy, or the inability to absorb energy from a stronger master. In some stories, simply using this technique on another person could brand one as a villain.
But none of this posed a real problem for Yeon Mirae.
“Clash between absorbed energy and my own…?”
Thanks to the magical array in Han Geon-woo’s room that collected mana, she had been able to absorb abundant magical energy from the air and convert it into her internal power. So, she had no concern about energy clashing within her body simply because it came from another source.
“I can’t absorb the energy of a stronger master…? And using it makes me a villain?”
She had no intention of absorbing human energy in the first place.
Unlike the worlds in most martial arts novels, on current Earth, there was a type of being that could be killed without consequence—whose death could even be considered for the good of humanity.
Monsters.
Yeon Mirae planned to extract the energy from monsters, not humans, and convert it into her own internal power.
“……”
She had learned about dungeons from Han Geon-woo and used that knowledge to scout areas where dungeons were likely to appear.
Through her heightened senses in a state of deep focus, she detected a dungeon and immediately moved toward it.
“No signs of people nearby… good.”
It was likely an undiscovered dungeon that had appeared recently. Without hesitation, Yeon Mirae entered the dungeon.
“Phew…”
Once inside, she first assessed the environment.
…A normal rocky mountain.
Sparse trees grew in some areas, but it wasn’t a forest by any means.
And the main monsters in this dungeon, sensed by her powers, were…
“…Kobolds, huh.”
Kobolds.
Small, goblin-like monsters resembling humans. They usually lived in caves or mines. Not particularly strong, but relatively intelligent for monsters.
“Not bad.”
Kobolds were suitable as her first experimental target for the Absorbing Star Technique.
Since they were weak, she couldn’t expect to absorb large amounts of energy—but starting with strong monsters would be too risky. Step by step, she could absorb energy from weaker monsters first, then move on to stronger ones once confident.
Yeon Mirae moved quickly, thinking this through.
“Squeak?”
Perhaps sensing her presence, a kobold near the entrance of a mine halfway up the mountain turned its head toward her.
“Kee…!”
The kobold, upon discovering her, tried to alert its kin. But…
Thud!
Yeon Mirae reached it first, partially crushing its head.
Even in a weakened condition from her mental state, she could move fast enough for this.
Yet her expression wasn’t good after subduing the kobold at that speed.
“…Normally, I would have shattered its jaw before it even noticed… and the internal power consumption is high.”
Her speed was slower than usual. She was using more internal power than normal.
Realizing this, her expression hardened.
“I really have gotten weaker…”
She had felt it when defending against Sarang’s attack. The influence of her mental state was substantial. She gritted her teeth, resolving to grow stronger. Through the Absorbing Star Technique, she would rapidly increase her internal power.
“…Hngh…!”
Yeon Mirae touched the dying kobold and focused.
Though called the Absorbing Star Technique, it was really just her forcibly drawing the opponent’s energy into her own body.
Neither Han Geon-woo nor Yeon Mirae had invented the technique themselves.
But she judged it possible. She had prior experience with similar methods.
‘Yi Qi Yu Jian (以氣馭劍).’
A technique where a sword imbued with energy moves as if alive under its wielder’s command. Often compared to telekinesis (Xu Kong She Wu), but fundamentally different.
Yeon Mirae had mastered Yi Qi Yu Jian, a skill requiring the ability to control external energy freely—Yi Qi Shang Ren—emanating from one’s mind.
“…Right, I need to control energy outside my body…”
She had trained to manipulate energy outside herself while learning Yi Qi Yu Jian.
It didn’t matter if the energy didn’t belong to her. After all, she was drawing it from a dying monster.
“…Hngh…!”
She forcibly absorbed the kobold’s mana, pushing it into her body.
“…!”
It was painful.
The kobold’s chaotic mana coursed through her meridians, disturbing her body.
Of course. Expecting to safely absorb unrefined monster mana was impossible.
Moreover…
‘What…!’
Her internal power clashed with the kobold’s mana, accumulating damage.
Recall why Han Geon-woo had her use only internal power despite knowing her body could accept aura. Theoretically, she could have used both internal power and aura to become stronger—but doing so prematurely would harm her body.
[Although it was good she could receive both, her internal power and aura clashed, shortening her lifespan, and she ultimately died young…]
[Learning from her failure, I only mimicked mana or aura with internal power, never producing it myself.]
The same applied to mana as well. Only those born with two types of energy, like Lee Ha-eun with both aura and mana, could safely use both. Otherwise, different energies clashed and harmed the body.
“Ugh…”
Unaware of this, and unwilling to understand, Yeon Mirae was paying the price: internal injuries.
“…Huff…! Huff…!”
Fortunately, the kobold’s mana was minimal. She converted it into her internal power before irreversible damage occurred.
But that wasn’t the end.
“Ah… no…”
Monster mana, even converted into internal power, retained its nature.
Fierce internal power.
The monster’s corrupted energy began contaminating her dantian. Her internal power, though still usable, was now tainted. Combined with her mental state, she realized she couldn’t leave it unchecked.
“Purify… Cleanse… Purify… Cleanse…”
She desperately attempted to purify the corruption using spell incantations, but the medium was her already contaminated internal power. Nothing got clean.
“……”
Thud.
Realizing her mistake, she slumped to the ground.
“…It was a mistake to listen to my mental state in the first place…”
Yes. A mental disturbance should be overcome, not followed.
All her accumulated internal power, dantian training, and meridians were ruined. She had lost too much.
“……”
She recalled Han Geon-woo’s words when he taught her martial arts.
[Your growth is slow, isn’t it?]
[Yes. Very slow.]
[So, if you try to master the martial art I recommended, you won’t grow strong quickly.]
[But while growth is slow, the peak is high.]
Patience was needed.
High peak required patience. She mustn’t succumb to temptation now.
I… threw away the opportunity he gave me…
Before, she hadn’t doubted him.
[There’s one suggestion I want to give you.]
[A suggestion? Then I’ll follow.]
[No, listen first.]
[I trust that an artist wouldn’t suggest something harmful to me.]
Why did she doubt him now, when he only told her the truth?
[…I think I’m just growing too slowly…]
[Nonsense.]
[I clearly said martial arts growth is slow compared to aura.]
He was objective and truthful.
[Then people will see that you also have a talent for teaching.]
[…I don’t have teaching talent.]
[Yes, you do.]
He knew her better than she did and spoke only the truth.
She regretted doubting him. Han Geon-woo’s words were truth itself.
All she had to do was follow his guidance and accept what he said.
“W-what am I saying…”
Opening her eyes, she answered the mental whisper.
“Yes, that might be right… living passively, following his guidance, might have been the safest way to grow.”
The safest way to avoid being abandoned by him.
But… regretting the past won’t help. She needed to focus on the future.
Rising to her feet, she thought: although her internal power, dantian, and meridians were corrupted, she was still a martial artist of the Hwa-Gyeong, the Realm of Creation.
“If it’s already corrupted and unusable… I’ll just use the corruption itself to grow stronger.”
She channeled her internal power into her sword.
The faintly glowing blade gradually darkened… until the sword’s aura turned black.
“The name of my martial art is ‘Defying Destiny Divine Technique (逆天神功).’”
Just as she defied the fate of not being able to use aura, she would now defy this corrupted fate. Even if it meant devouring the corruption.
“After all… I am greedy.”
And so, Yeon Mirae finally overcame her mental disturbance.
