Chapter 18
❖ My Cheat is the Status Window
“There are five major types of pressure points: paralysis points, death points, sleep points, mute points, and faint points. The paralysis point is where the body becomes numb…”
And with that, the real class began.
Most lessons were taught by senior members of the Murim Alliance who acted as instructors and taught us various theories.
From what I heard, the first two months were almost entirely theory classes. After that, the practical sessions would gradually increase.
So the point Meng Xiaoping pressed was a paralysis point!
I had never studied anything in my life, but this time I focused like my life depended on it.
Like a thirsty deer searching for water—
When someone teaches exactly the knowledge you desperately need, it’s impossible not to pay attention.
But the class atmosphere was a mess.
I was practically the only one actually listening.
Most of the disciples were napping or goofing around.
Of course—they already knew this stuff.
Would the heirs of prestigious martial clans not know about pressure points?
They’d been trained thoroughly since they were children.
Early education, perfectly applied.
No wonder the class was boring for them.
“What did you say your name was again?”
“Huh? Ah—Dan Cheon, sir.”
Today’s instructor, whose hair had gone gray.
I heard his martial arts weren’t anything special, but he was deeply knowledgeable in martial theory and a scholar belonging to the Murim Alliance.
“You’re working very hard. Your attitude is excellent.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll prepare more for the next class so you can learn plenty.”
“Yes, sir.”
There were ten students, but the instructor talked only to me before leaving.
Understandable—nobody else was listening seriously anyway…
Yaaawn~
The moment he left, someone let out a massive yawn.
Who yawns that blatantly?
If you’re going to do that, why even come? Just sleep in the dorm…
“Dan Cheon gongja-nim, aren’t you sleepy?”
The culprit was Gwak Eun.
They say beautiful women sleep a lot.
That myth suddenly made perfect sense.
She’d been sleeping straight through three classes so far.
“I’m fine. Do you not sleep at night?”
“Hehe, I was up playing. I got close to some Ami Sect girls.”
Ami Sect?
Ah—the sword-wielding female disciples.
With Gwak Eun’s personality, she befriends people fast.
“What do you play?”
“Girls are obvious.”
“And the obvious is?”
“Gossiping. Hehehe.”
“Ohh, got it.”
What could they possibly talk about for so long?
Enough to chat all night and then some…
Wait. Doesn’t that mean the White Tiger Squad dorm has people chattering all night next door?
Ugh… can’t I just stay in Flying Eagle Sect’s quarters forever?
It’s so blissfully peaceful there…
The White Tiger dorm sounds loud and annoying.
“You must get lonely all the way out there by yourself?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“But there aren’t any afternoon classes today. You’ll be free all day—won’t you be bored?”
“No, I’m going to rest.”
“Aww, come visit the White Tiger dorm instead!”
“No thanks.”
I’m going to absorb a core this afternoon.
My precious intermediate inner core.
No time to goof off.
“Dan Cheon-nim, the White Tiger Squad is holding a ‘Heroes’ Feast’ in our dining hall tonight. You must come!”
Now Tang Jisang joined in after Gwak Eun.
Heroes’ Feast?
Sounds fancy. A feast of martial heroes?
You guys aren’t heroes yet, though.
Hehehe. You sleep through class—what hero?
“I’ll join next time.”
“Haha, understood.”
At my repeated refusal, Tang Jisang just laughed.
He wasn’t the pushy type.
“Look at this rootless wretch acting all high and mighty.”
“…?”
A sudden voice.
Someone brushed past behind me and spat the words like a provocation.
Called it.
His name: Moyong Hyeon.
A direct descendant of the Moyong Clan, a powerful family in Hebei.
Rumor said he chased the opening exam candidates relentlessly and secured one of the coveted passes.
He was a top-level later-generation warrior with strong internal energy.
I knew it was him the moment I heard his voice.
Whenever I spoke with Gwak Eun, he always glared like he’d swallowed vinegar.
I’d been expecting him to mouth off sooner or later.
“You picking a fight?”
No need for nonsense.
I stood and faced him.
Thanks to my height, I had to look down at him.
“Did I say anything wrong?”
He jutted his lips out and lifted his chin.
His right hand drifted toward his sword—like he’d draw it at the slightest excuse.
“Whoa! Stop! Enough!”
“Cut it out!”
“What’s wrong with you two?”
Gwak Eun, Tang Jisang, and other disciples rushed between us.
Moyong Hyeon shrugged as if helpless.
Ugh… what a smug bastard.
And his face was so greasy-looking it practically dripped oil.
“Dan Cheon gongja-nim, take it easy today. Later, when you move into the White Tiger dorm, you have to attend, okay?”
“…Yes, fine…”
I couldn’t refuse her after she asked again and again.
It would’ve felt rude.
I’ll just show my face and retreat to my room.
“Instructor’s coming!”
“Oh! Instructor Woo Myung-gae!”
“Oh crap! We can’t sleep this one!”
“Ugh… doomed.”
Everyone immediately adjusted their attitudes.
Sleep in Instructor Woo Myung-gae’s class?
You’d instantly get smashed by his True Strike.
One hit, and you’d be crawling across the floor.
“What’s all the racket! Get ready!”
He asserted dominance the moment he stepped in.
Nice. THAT’S how a class should be.
“Today’s lesson will cover projecting internal force—forming Sword Qi, Sword Aura, and Sword Veil.”
Woo Myung-gae began.
Everyone looked dead bored—they already knew this stuff.
But I knew none of it, so it was fascinating.
The lecture went like this:
Internal energy channeled into the blade becomes Sword Qi.
If you can form Sword Qi, you are Second-class.
If you can project it outside your blade, you are First-class.
Condense that qi into powerful energy—Sword Aura.
If you can generate Sword Aura, you are Peak-class.
Project and control it freely: Super Peak.
Transform Aura into a barrier or wave and project it far—Transformation Level.
And someone able to produce alone what dozens of Transformation-level experts produce together—Profound Level.
“It might sound like sword arts only, but with fists it becomes Fist Qi, Fist Aura, etc. The heights you can reach are endless!”
A world beyond worlds…
But was there really someone who reached Profound Level?
It sounded more like legend.
“Of course, the levels are only rough divisions. Every warrior is unique, so precise categorization can be hard.”
“I have a question.”
Moyong Hyeon raised his hand arrogantly.
Is this idiot insane?
Everyone knows Woo Myung-gae hates questions.
Haha. You’ve dug your own grave.
“What?”
“What is your level, Instructor?”
Wow. He’s nuts.
That’s such a rude question!
Instructor, don’t think—just hit him and take his head off!
“I’m between First-class and Peak. I’m not confident enough to claim Peak.”
“Thank you.”
He actually answered…
I’ll never understand him.
The lesson ended without further incident.
Moyong Hyeon behaved after that.
If he’d asked more, maybe Woo Myung-gae would’ve snapped.
After class, everyone buzzed about preparations for their so-called Heroes’ Feast.
But I hurried straight back to the Flying Eagle dorm.
I had important business.
Far more important than drinking.
—Shff.
I pushed aside the blanket and took out the intermediate inner core.
I hadn’t absorbed it right after the previous one because I feared side effects.
Increase in internal energy too quickly could harm the body.
Caution keeps you alive.
Hoo…
I took a deep breath.
—Gulp.
I swallowed the core.
The fiery sensation felt pleasant now.
Feels like great medicine.
I circulated my inner energy.
Having done it once, it was far easier—there was already a flow carved out.
“Haaa…”
Felt like maybe fifteen minutes passed.
Half the time it took before.
I could feel it.
My internal energy surged through my meridians.
Let’s check.
Status Window.
[Name: Dan Cheon]
[Title: White Tiger Squad Member]
[Combat Power: 2,011]
[Rank: Second-class (Iryu)]
[Skills: Palm Trinity Core, Trigram Step, Linked Palm]
[Quest: Pass the exam to advance to the Flying Dragon Squad]
[>View Details]
Huh!?
My rank changed.
Second-class.
Not Third-class anymore.
—Pushing internal force into the blade to materialize energy. That is Second-class.
Woo Myung-gae’s definition echoed in my head.
Materialized Sword Qi.
But I’d never done it.
Why did the status window call me Second-class?
—Of course, those who use fists manifest it as Fist Qi, etc.
At the end, he added that.
Fist Qi?
Would palm Qi count too?
Though that sounds weird… and I only know Linked Palms…
Worth trying.
Linked Palms — Gale.
I launched a Linked Palms storm-chain attack.
Head, shoulder, chest—palm strike sequence.
With my boosted internal energy, far more power surged from my dantian into my palms.
—Ssssh…
“!!”
I doubted my eyes.
Above my hand moving like lightning—
A faint, grayish-black aura flickered.
Again!
Linked Palms — Gale!
Pushed all my internal energy into the strike—
—Ssssh!!
This time the gray-black aura was clearer—forming on my palm like a gauntlet before vanishing.
That’s it!
My inner energy—my strength—
It had changed into black qi and solidified like armor over my palm!
What a glorious moment!
“WAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHA!”
Laughter burst from deep in my gut.
Exhilarating!
Thrilling!
So this is what makes life worth living!
I’m Second-class now!
I don’t know if it’s Fist Qi or Palm Qi, but who cares? I’m Second-class!
I moved into the White Tiger dorm.
Thankfully, I still got a solo room.
Turns out the numbers made it unavoidable.
Three female passers, seven male passers.
Naturally, they couldn’t stick men and women into the same rooms.
“Hehe, now we’re close by, Dan Cheon gongja-nim.”
“That’s right! And class will be quicker to get to!”
“Yeah.”
True.
No more long treks to class.
Even meals are close.
“Ooooh! Special meal today!”
“Wow, looks great!”
Even Tang Jisang and Gwak Eun gasped.
My eyes went wide too.
Chicken and duck, stir-fried in red and yellow sauces, beautifully plated.
“Dragon-Feng Twin Harmony? Even the name is cool.”
“It says it means ‘great fortune.’ Hurry and get some before it’s gone!”
“Yes ma’am!”
I loaded my plate with chicken legs and duck legs.
No need to describe the taste.
The Murim Alliance chef must be First-class—no, Peak-class.
“This is amazing.”
“Tastes even better today!”
“Hehehe, I agree.”
In the middle of the delicious meal—
My back prickled with a dangerous feeling.
Left rear…?
Not certainty—just instinct.
Something threatening was flying at me.
I twisted to the right—
—SPLAAASH!
Red hotpot broth splashed onto where I had been sitting.
If I hadn’t moved, the heat alone would’ve cooked my skin.
“Kyaa! What are you doing!?”
“Sir Moyong! What kind of rudeness is this!?”
Gwak Eun and Tang Jisang leapt up.
They were across the round table, so they weren’t hit.
“Oh dear. Sorry, hand slipped.”
“Hand slipped!? That wasn’t a slip!”
Tang Jisang was about to explode at him—but I raised a hand to stop him.
He had a right to be angry.
The speed that broth flew?
It carried internal energy.
“That’s enough. Accidents happen. Go.”
I waved him away like I couldn’t be bothered.
He really is a pain.
“Hmph. Acting all brave. Check your pants—might’ve pissed yourself.”
“Hahaha!”
His lackeys laughed.
Not funny at all—but lackeys must laugh on cue.
I get it.
“Hey! Moyong—!”
Gwak Eun was ready to go off again.
I held her arm and shook my head.
Stop.
She stared, not understanding.
Don’t.
There’ll be chances.
They said there’d be duels later in training, right?
I’ll crush him then.
No need to stir up trouble now.
If I fail the Flying Dragon promotion test, I’ll get… a brain vessel disease?
What is a brain vessel disease anyway?
Whatever—it kills me.
So we endure.
Let the meat fatten.
Right before promotion—
When he’s as tender and juicy as can be—
I’ll devour him.
