Chapter 65 - Act 11. Dine Before You Depart, Open for Business (1)

* * *

The uprising was crushed in an instant. However many enemies there were, without their Demonic Energy, they were nothing more than herbivores before predators.

The hundred-odd laborers were forced to their knees. At their head knelt Han Chunhwa, the demonic practitioner who had instigated the entire incident. After interrogating them to establish what had happened, Yise began punishing the ringleader.

"... Please spare me."

Yise answered that absurd plea with a single swing of his hand axe. Split diagonally from shoulder to waist, the woman's body collapsed a beat later.

He gave an order to Jangsaeng, the highest-realm Cultivator among those remaining.

"Gather the disciples' bodies and send them to the main mountain along with this."

"Yes, Senior."

Yise glanced at Goe Tong's head. Beneath half-open lids, his eyes stared into empty space.

"... What a fool."

Silver Dragon Mine had earned its name because, small as the hill was, its dragonlike twists and turns were enough to churn a person's stomach. Perhaps some inauspicious underground watercourse really did run beneath it. Trouble seemed to have come without pause in the short time he had been here.

The old man who had seemed to have no attachment to life had endangered his father trying to prolong it, and the Daoist who had warned him against women had lost his life lusting after one.

When he reported the situation, the only reply from the main mountain was a word of thanks for his efforts. There was neither a reprimand for his failings as administrator nor a reward for resolving the incident. Apparently, they had let his merits cancel out his faults and treated the matter as though it had never happened.

* * *

His eventful first mandatory mission finally over, Yise returned to the main mountain after a long absence. Even the sight of fallen leaves fluttering through the Clear Repose Halls felt wonderfully welcoming.

'The place must be covered in dust again.'

He was opening the door to his quarters with that idle thought when two familiar faces popped out from inside.

"Senior!"

It was Park Gangseo and Bu Chun.

"What's this?"

"A surprise welcome-home party, you could say? We heard about your exploits, Senior. How about a little celebration now that you're a main mountain celebrity?"

"Welcome back, Senior. You've worked hard."

Seeing those familiar faces made it truly sink in that he was back at the main mountain.

"You impudent early-stage Qi Refining brats. Barging into your senior's quarters without permission... How did you unlock the door?"

"I got a key from the Registry Office to fetch your clothes that day you were carried back after fighting the demonic practitioner who used blood arts."

Yise held out his hand without a word, and Bu Chun placed the key in it.

"On second thought, keep it."

"Pardon? Really?"

"Yes. Come clean the place once a month. Practice making immortal cuisine while you're here, too."

"... Yes, Senior."

At a meaningful glance from Park Gangseo, Bu Chun grunted and untied a bundle. Inside were spirit wine and snacks made from spirit rice, bought in the commercial district. They filled three cups.

"Time really flies. It feels like only yesterday we arrived at the main mountain, but it's already been a year."

"You're switching to mission duty next year, right?"

"Yes. They said I could apply in advance, so I put in for a caretaker position in Spirit Beast Forest."

"Spirit Beast Forest?"

"It's a staff job in the southern protected district. You get first chance to buy by-products from the spirit beasts and spiritual materials, so I thought it would help when we open Dine Before You Depart."

"That must make it popular. I imagine there's stiff competition."

"Apparently just as many people quit, so vacancies open up quickly."

When Yise tilted his head, Park Gangseo elaborated.

"Most of the work is cleaning up spirit beast shit. Who wants to do that for long after going to all the trouble of becoming a Cultivator?"

At that, Yise looked at Bu Chun as if to ask whether he was sure about this, but Bu Chun's expression was resolute.

They spent a good while laughing and chatting about little things before Bu Chun turned a question on Park Gangseo.

"By the way, Senior, how are things at the training compound?"

"Nothing much happening. Except this year's novices are a scrawny bunch with no one worth mentioning."

"Isn't that just because last year's novices were so unusual...?"

"That's part of it. There are a lot more of them than usual, though. So many they're even talking about expanding the facilities."

"Why's that?"

"Who knows? They say the number of applicants has been rising every year, starting a year or two ago. Is one of the Three Kingdoms of the Peninsula encouraging people to have children?"

The number of applicants naturally rose in proportion to the number of births each year. For Daemudo, the power behind the three kingdoms, a larger population meant greater national strength and a larger pool of recruits for the sect. It was hardly bad news.

Park Gangseo took a sip of spirit wine and added, "Anyway, what are you doing now, Senior? Straight back to missions?"

"That's the plan."

"You're relentless, you know that?"

Yise set down his cup and looked from one to the other.

"Speaking of which, why aren't either of you advancing?"

"..."

Both flinched at his question. Park Gangseo was still at the fourth star, and Bu Chun was still at the second. Even someone with a five-attribute spiritual root ought to show at least some progress when cultivating with resources and immortal cuisine.

"You really know how to hit a sore spot without batting an eye..."

"You're just too fast, Senior."

"I don't think that's it."

Truthfully, he had little interest in anyone's realm but his own. He merely noted how far someone had advanced, much as he might ask how they were doing. Still, if these two self-proclaimed right- and left-hand men fell too far behind... was there any reason to use them?

"We do work hard, you know. But could you take a look sometime, if you have a moment?"

"Sure. Since you've brought it up, we might as well start now."

"Really?!"

"I'll take a week to get everything in order before resuming missions."

Yise had an inkling of why their cultivation had stalled. Banging their heads against the same wall without addressing the cause would get them nowhere. These two would save him time in the future, so he could consider the time spent now an investment.

The three rented a sparring platform at once. Before the other two, who stood equal parts nervous and excited, Yise removed his outer robe and the shirt beneath it and hung them up. His bare torso, which he rarely had any reason to expose, was revealed in the sunlight.

"..."

Neither knew why he was suddenly stripping, but they could not help voicing their admiration for his seemingly perfect, sculpted physique. Solid shoulders. Long, pronounced muscles and tendons running from his arms to his back. Bulging pectorals above sharply defined abs, with smaller muscles packed into every space between. His body was perfect enough to merit the word "strongman."

"Who would ever think that was a Daoist's body?"

"But, Senior... why are you taking your clothes off?"

"Look at your own bodies."

"Why the sudden personal attack?"

There was no need to look. The difference was beyond comparison.

"You've both neglected body refining far too much."

"..."

"What's on the first page of the Spirit-Exorcizing Cultivation Manual?"

「-Temper the body.

-Hunt Demons and accumulate the purified spiritual energy of heaven and earth within the tempered body.

-Add enlightenment to the accumulated spiritual energy to advance to the next realm.」

Yise recited the preface from memory without missing a single phrase.

"Temper the body. You haven't even covered the very basics. Daemudo disciples tend to look down on physical training, but why ignore the very first line of your cultivation manual?"

"Well, I didn't think physical training could be all that important to a Daoist..."

Even now, Yise devoted roughly thirty percent of his cultivation time purely to physical training. He made sure his perfectly honed body never slipped out of condition, that it could always exert strength at its utmost limit. How, then, could these early-stage Qi Refining Cultivators have such feeble bodies? The sheer arrogance of it.

"I'll whip those flabby bodies into shape in a week."

The two answered solemnly. He really was a genius who worked hard. Their respect for him swelled. His argument was certainly convincing.

"There's a method I learned from my master. To borrow her words... 'Beat them within an inch of their fucking lives, and the muscles will come.'"

"... Pardon?"

When Master Mongryeon wanted to build up a Dokkaebi boy's body, she would beat him all day, then go out with the parting words, ["If any part of you jiggles the next time I see you, you'll get just as much again."] Naturally, the Dokkaebi boys would train as though possessed and build themselves up.

Yise, of course, had been more than diligent enough without needing that treatment. Now it was time for a lesson he had never expected to use to shine. His master truly was great. Not one of her teachings was wasted.

A little later, bloodcurdling screams rang out from the sparring platform.

Without end.

For an entire week.