Lee Taeseong moved his feet with a heart pounding in anticipation.
The Secret Library of the Flying Dragon Sect.
“Within the contribution points permitted to you, the one you may enter is the Silver-grade Secret Library.”
Between Gold, Silver, and Bronze, it was the middle-tier library.
Even with the settlement of contribution points from the Explosive Blood Secret Art, it was not enough to enter the Gold-grade library.
It might have been different if he had received the full settlement, but he had only received half.
“It is fine. I am satisfied with this place alone.”
“I see. Take your time looking around and bring out whatever catches your eye.”
The Chief Administrator guided him to the entrance of the library, patted Taeseong on the shoulder once, and then left.
Taeseong entered the library immediately.
The scent of an old warehouse and the aroma of aged books wafted out together.
Taeseong quickly examined a few secret manuals on the front bookshelves.
‘Tsk. They made it so I can’t learn them as skills. How thorough.’
A user can normally learn a skill just by looking at a secret manual.
Therefore, he had intended to secretly learn a few if it were possible.
However, the residents of Dream World were not fools.
Since quite a bit of time had passed since they first encountered Outlanders, they had prepared such defenses.
The manuals here were all missing their core components.
The core mnemonic formulas were stored separately elsewhere, and the ones here were only enough to identify what kind of technique it was.
He could not acquire skills with just that.
‘Let’s see…’
Taeseong slowly walked around the library, contemplating what he needed.
In truth, human greed knows no bounds, so if possible, he wanted to learn as many superior martial arts as he could.
Inner Qi methods, sword techniques, fist techniques, palm techniques, footwork, movement techniques, and other miscellaneous arts…
However, now was the time for an efficient approach.
‘The inner qi method is fine. The Solar Holy Power Technique is a martial art I can use for a long time.’
The same went for his movement technique, the Dragon Shadow Wind Step.
Since it was a martial art that a first-class member of the Flying Dragon Sect could learn after accumulating many contributions, Taeseong was satisfied with it.
The hybrid fist technique, Thunder Fist, was also decent.
However, he was worried that his Flame Sword Technique was only a 2nd-grade hybrid skill.
A 2nd-grade hybrid skill meant it was equivalent to a second-rate martial art.
‘But it has good synergy with the Solar Holy Power Technique.’
Hadn’t he felt it during the last hunter mission?
Because the Solar Holy Power Technique supported it, he was able to surpass the limits of the sword technique.
He still couldn’t forget how powerful he had felt.
Since he believed his attack power was sufficient, the sword technique was a lower priority for now.
In that case, what he needed most was…
‘Long-range attacks.’
Taeseong had felt the necessity of long-range attacks while going through several practical battles.
How much easier would the hunter missions or the quests in Dream World have been if he could attack enemies from afar?
Especially in reality, where he had to fight while putting his life on the line, he needed to be prepared for any eventuality.
Long-range techniques were practically a necessity.
‘The problem is which one to choose.’
[Counter-Bounce Finger]
-Second-rate martial art
[Force Impact]
-1st Circle Magic Tome
[Wind Dragon Bullet]
-2nd-grade hybrid mana palm technique
[Thunder Bolt]
-2nd Circle Magic Tome
Most of the things in the Silver-grade library were at this level.
In terms of martial arts, they ranged from third-rate to second-rate.
It couldn’t be helped.
Skills better than that were not easily found.
It wasn’t for nothing that conglomerates or wealthy, powerful people in reality exchanged enormous amounts of money for gold coins to enter Magic Towers or prestigious sects.
High-grade skills were that difficult to obtain.
They couldn’t be acquired simply by having money.
Furthermore, the skills in this Silver-grade library weren’t even that good, yet they were expensive!
To the point where his contribution points would be nearly depleted if he selected just a few.
Given the situation, he naturally had to choose carefully.
Since hybrid skills were currently his main focus, Taeseong wanted to learn a long-range technique as a hybrid as well, but…
‘That’s not easy either.’
Though there were magic tomes and hybrid technique manuals in the Flying Dragon Sect’s library, the main focus was martial arts manuals, as it followed the lineage of a Murim sect.
‘Is this the only skill worth using?’
After agonizing for a long time, he chose one.
[Flying Star Soul Chaser]
-Second-rate martial art
The name made it sound like some sort of transcendent martial art, but it was an item related to throwing knife techniques.
It was an intuitive technique that involved loading inner qi to throw a dagger powerfully.
The more inner qi loaded, the stronger the power became.
Even as a hybrid, he could use techniques that utilized inner qi, so he decided to start his introduction to throwing knives with this.
Once mastered, it would be sufficient for long-range attacks.
In martial arts novels, places like the Sichuan Tang Clan showed off flashy hidden weapon techniques, so it would be good to use that as a reference.
Better martial arts would have to be obtained later by gathering many contribution points.
Besides that, Taeseong moved to the Bronze-grade library and learned the third-rate martial arts one by one.
Six Harmonies Sword, Taiji Quan, Six Harmonies Fist, Revolving Wind Kick.
These cost almost no contribution points because they could be easily obtained even in the marketplace.
Of course, Taeseong didn’t intend to do anything grand with these.
These were insurance.
When a user dies in Dream World, their possessed skills are deleted at random.
What if the Solar Holy Power Technique was deleted when he died?
He would beat the ground in regret.
He planned to learn useless skills to prepare for such a time. He only needed to invest 1 skill point into each, but it would lower the probability of losing a critical skill
in an emergency!
“Chief Administrator. Is it possible to see the elixirs as well?”
Afterward, Taeseong went to the Chief Administrator and requested elixirs.
He had obtained a decent hybrid mana management method called the Solar Holy Power Technique, but accumulating a lot of mana required time.
Even now, Taeseong tended to run out of inner qi and mana quickly if he used his skills for a while.
During the mission, if the battle had dragged on, he would have suffered as his mana ran out later.
To prevent that, he needed to invest in his mana.
“It seems the library wasn’t quite to your liking.”
“It’s not that, but…”
“I understand. Actually, the truly proper things are only in the Gold-grade library.”
The Gold-grade library was where technical manuals on the same level as the Dragon Shadow Wind Step were located.
Naturally, it was impossible to even enter with ordinary contribution points.
“You. You’ve learned a hybrid inner qi method, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then you must take elixirs that have been specially processed through magic to suit a hybrid.”
Elixirs that increase inner qi or potion-type elixirs that increase mana are fine.
However, efficiency is much better if one takes something perfectly suited for a hybrid.
Taeseong received recommendations for several hybrid-exclusive potions following the Chief Administrator’s guidance.
He examined the best one among them.
[Hybrid Elixir Potion based on Hundred-Year-Old Fleeceflower Root]
-Increases hybrid mana (inner qi + mana) by approximately 4.5 years worth.
Then his body trembled.
‘It’s damn expensive.’
What he could buy by pouring in almost all his remaining contribution points was an item that could increase his mana by about 5 years.
Since one cycle of cultivation is 60 years of inner qi, by simple calculation, he would have to consume more than 12 of these elixirs to gain one cycle.
Furthermore, that was just a mathematical calculation; in reality, the efficiency of elixirs drops later on, requiring much more than that.
“I will… take this one.”
In any case, he didn’t have much of a choice.
Taeseong made his decision, telling himself not to regret it since it was an investment in himself, even though his hands were shaking.
“Good choice.”
The Chief Administrator, smiling broadly, handed over the potion.
Perhaps because it was contribution points obtained for free thanks to the Explosive Blood Secret Art, they seemed to vanish all too quickly.
***
Taeseong went to the training ground and immediately popped the cap of the potion.
With a popping sound, an auspicious fragrance wafted out from between the opened cap.
If a mere 4.5-year elixir potion felt like this, what would a better one feel like?
Taeseong immediately poured it down his throat, fearing he might spill even a single drop.
Right after, he operated the Solar Holy Power Technique at full power.
He felt a warm energy gathering in the dantian of his lower abdomen and the heart area of his chest.
His inner qi and mana each rose.
It was a characteristic of a hybrid practitioner.
A moment later, when Taeseong opened his eyes, a faint orange glow flashed in his pupils.
He had successfully acquired the mana.
“Congratulations.”
At that moment, a voice was heard from the side.
“Ah, Oh Choong.”
It was Oh Choong, the Chief Administrator’s bodyguard.
Taeseong greeted him with a welcoming expression.
Though it was something done out of the Chief Administrator’s favor, Oh Choong was ultimately the person who had taught him the basics of martial arts.
Naturally, he couldn’t help but feel goodwill toward him.
“Thank you.”
“It’s only been a short while since I taught you a few basics. In that time, you’ve become a completely different person.”
Oh Choong wore an impressed expression.
“It’s truly surprising. I’ve heard that some Outlanders grow incredibly fast, but to already be a first-class member like myself.”
“Isn’t that all because I learned the basics well?”
“Hahaha. Are you saying it’s thanks to me? Well, I appreciate that. By the way, are you busy?”
“No. My training is mostly finished, and I don’t have anything in particular to do right now.”
“That’s good. I just received a mission from the Chief Administrator, and I was hoping to do it with you.”
Taeseong’s eyes sparkled.
Now that he had become a first-class member, he could perform better quests.
He had been thinking about what to do for his first quest, and doing it with the familiar Oh Choong was perfect.
“If it’s with you, Oh Choong, I’m fine with anything.”
Though they were both first-class members, Taeseong felt he was lacking compared to Oh Choong.
He was someone who had stayed in the Flying Dragon Sect for a long time as a first-class member.
Because his attack skills were good, Taeseong didn’t know how a short-term battle would go, but he would definitely lose in a long-term fight.
That was how experienced and knowledgeable a martial artist Oh Choong was.
“I’m glad you say that. It’s nothing else; I’m planning to go suppress a mountain bandit camp nearby. It’s not large in scale, but those bastards kidnapped the child of a merchant in the area we manage.”
Suppressing a bandit camp.
During his days as a second-class member, it was common to fight against marketplace thugs, but after moving up a level, the stakes had changed significantly.
-Ding!
[A quest has been generated]
[Quest: Suppress the Bandit Camp]
-Content: Suppress the bandit camp located on Byeokyeong Mountain along the main road.
“Are we going by ourselves?”
“No. There will be two first-class and thirteen second-class members. We’ll leave before dawn, so be aware of that.”
“Understood.”
***
If they were raiding a bandit camp, it would be the fiercest battle he had experienced in Dream World so far.
Taeseong intended to go while quietly composing his mind until then.
If only small whispering sounds didn’t keep entering his ears.
-Is that him?
-I heard he was promoted to first-class member faster than anyone in the history of the Flying Dragon Sect.
-His stoic appearance is quite atmospheric, too.
The second-class members were whispering while looking at Taeseong.
They were whispering so as not to be heard, but Taeseong, whose five senses were further enhanced thanks to his mana management method, could hear everything.
Though Taeseong didn’t know it, rumors about him had spread quite a lot within the Flying Dragon Sect.
The man who helped an Elder while only a second-class member, putting the Elder in his debt.
The man who was promoted to first-class in the shortest period and became noticeably stronger with each passing day!
Therefore, the second-class members with him were looking at Taeseong with eyes of awe.
It felt strange to receive such attention from others for the first time in his life.
It was awkward to react, and he couldn’t just ignore it…
‘Let’s practice my skills.’
In times like this, it was better to focus on something else.
While climbing the mountain path, Taeseong took out the throwing knives and fine needles he had bought in advance and threw them one by one.
-Swish!
-S-swish!
Since skills grow through repetitive actions, he was practicing the newly learned Flying Star Soul Chaser.
Of course, skill proficiency increases rapidly during combat with enemies, and practicing in the air is not very efficient, but still, such steady practice accumulates to become an achievement.
Taeseong aimed at things like stationary tree trunks, roots, or plant leaves.
When throwing while standing still, he could increase his accuracy to about 80%.
And while his accuracy dropped to the floor again when throwing while walking, this too became quite high after some practice.
-Swish! Swish!
Afterward, he also tried to hit rabbits or insects in response to rustling sounds.
However, the difficulty level spiked from here.
Hitting a moving object was more difficult than he had imagined.
‘Throwing knife techniques aren’t easy.’
He had no choice but to keep practicing and get the feel for it.
-Thud!
“Argh!”
“?”
He had thrown a knife toward a thicket, but a human voice suddenly popped out.
“It’s an enemy!”
A startled Oh Choong and Taeseong drew their swords.
A moment later, a man with a dagger stuck in his shoulder emerged with a rustling sound.
Seeing him scowling, Oh Choong let out a low groan.
He was someone whose face he recognized.
“The Crimson Brotherhood Leader…”
The eldest of the three Crimson Brothers and the leader who led the brotherhood.
He grinned.
“You fledglings are quite something. I didn’t think you had the skill to notice my stealth.”
“……”
Oh Choong was so tense he couldn’t open his mouth.
If it was the Crimson Leader, he was an expert that at least an Elder-level person should face.
With the fifteen people here, it was impossible.
‘He probably hit him with the dagger by luck… but the odds are still low.’
If they fought like this, they would most likely be annihilated.
Just as he was contemplating whether they should scatter and run, the Crimson Leader suddenly staggered.
“Using poison so cowardly!”
He shouted with wide eyes, and Oh Choong looked at Taeseong in surprise.
“When did you use poison…?”
“I just applied some since I happened to buy the daggers…”
“!!?”
Taeseong also wore a dazed expression.
How did that even hit?
Another brain dead novel