Chapter 29: Bright Smile

Warriors tend to be young and spirited. Their eyes covered with the words 'honour', 'pride', and 'love'.

They could do anything for their ideals.

It was in this that all under the heavens in the Martial World were indeed united in their hearts. 

Cutting an old tree in two wasn't the goal of a swordsman, but it was something they desired.

Cutting down an enemy wasn't the goal of a lumberjack, but having strength wasn't bad.

The only exception to this being those averse to conflict. Those who just wanted to live their life.

Not all who wanted peace villagers and farmers.

Even though they made up the bulk of the majority.

As long as one doesn't desire conflict, they would be in the group of 'normal people' of this world.

A group that strangely vanished over the years…

Not because they found that fighting to gain strength was better than farming or cooking…

…but rather, their kind gradually faded away.

In a world where the Ming Cult and Orthodox Alliance were always fighting, the most essential part of their lives that gave them the strength to battle… was food. However, they didn't respect it.

Even a novice warrior was stronger than a lumberjack. A swordsman stronger than farmers,

It lead to the decline of agriculture for a time.

This ending up pushing things in the Ming Cult's favour. After all, they welcomed any and all people.

Regardless of their gender or former ethnicity.

The lack of 'normal people' caused the walls between the pugilistic world and society to fall.

Society became the pugilistic world in of itself!

But what did this entail…?

Perhaps in any other realm, this would be dealt with as a serious matter that needed attention.

However, the 'Martial World' was special.

Just like the Cultivation World above it, there had existed the practice of Daoism and 'Cultivation'.

They were similar in origins.

The only difference was that no one in a Mortal Realm like the Martial World had 'Spirit Roots'.

They had no innate talent for cultivation.

Therefore, it became important for them to use a different method to build up Internal Energy within.

This lead Martial Artists to find two methods.

The first was 'External Alchemy'. They would find precious and rare medicine to use as supplements.

Thus increasing their Internal Qi.

While the second was 'Internal Alchemy'. The more well-known practice of refining Internal Qi became.

Thus, the meaning of Martial Arts had changed.

It became the phrase used by swordsmen and Martial Daoists to refer to arts aiming for longevity.

To them, 'food' was an inconsequential resource.

They could always use Qi to fulfil worldly urges.

Sustenance, self-grooming, exercise, etc…

Everything could be done if you used some Qi.

To the point years of cultivation became the gold coins being exchanged at different market places.

It was a cruel society that singled out 'normals'.

Those who just wanted to live without strife…

The near endless war continued, and those same Martial Artists of this world became used to doing merchant business as a pass time. All until the existence of those who wanted peace vanished.

It was in this kind of era that Kang Hyuk was born.

While there were normally places where a young and flawless featured face like his could work, he was instead discriminated against for this very reason. His life ended before it could truly start.

The nanny that was supposed to take care of him after his parents left to fight in the wars… sold him.

His nice face features preyed on by the wicked.

He was young at the time of the incident. It was hard for him to accept that he'd been 'enslaved'.

Or perhaps it was even worse than that.

At least slaves were considered people turned into possessions. The most extreme form of servitude.

But the Martial Artists he was sold to thought differently. They didn't merely want his servitude.

If 'External Alchemy' required a furnace or cauldron to refine pellets, then 'Internal Alchemy' could also use others to refine their power. By infusing Internal Energy into their target before 'plucking'.

Thus, rather than a slave… he was just a 'cauldron'.

Or rather, someone who required careful nurturing to grow into one that was worth the price spent.

He had no change of escaping his fate.

This was his destiny…

He became a 'future cauldron' for the Pleasure Palace of the Ming Cult. A den filled with 'Succubi'.

It was why his childhood memories were blurry…

The medicines he was forced to eat from a young age forcibly increased his vitality and cultivation.

Though at the very least, he was given a 'Breath Circulation' technique to make the chaotic Qi within the artificial Divine Medicines settle. The side-effects became less thanks to their high quality.

Hyuk knew he should never thank them for this.

Because no matter how desperate he was, what they had taught him came with a heavy price.

So intense that he'd never recover from it…

He was taught dangerous techniques like the dreadful 'Nine Armed Asura Body' and 'Supreme Yang Sword Heart Breathing'. The latter being a high-ranked but flawed experimental creation.

Although the Ming Cult had managed to derive the aspect of 'Supreme Yang' from this lost breathing technique, it was considerably unstable. Only able deeply influence the practitioner's vitality at most.

It was why it was renamed the 'Supreme Yang Male Cauldron Breathing' among their various types.

The Nine Armed Asura Body also had this kind of hyper specific flaw. It was a supplementary art.

Those who were taught the 'Blood Refining Demonic Breath' learnt it to increase sensitivity.

Even so, those who had learnt it among those of the Blood Arts Demonic Palace were the perverted kind who'd ruin themselves for strength. Although the technique made technical proficiency in various battle arts easier, it permanently altered the body.

Those who learnt the Nine Armed Asura Body were plagued with suffering from overactive senses.

Their five senses were nine times greater than normal. It caused an information overload within.

Most 'Male Cauldrons' forcibly taught this breath would be in a half-conscious state because of this.

They couldn't resist others in such a state of mind.

Oversensitivity and training from a young age made them obedient dogs that were forever loyal.

Pets that were traded and used as cannon fodder.

Kang Hyuk was no different. 

Although his parents had emphasised broad-mindedness, he felt shame from being stripped.

Treated like an animal in every respect of the word.

His virginity being a commodity that would be given to a 'new recruit' when he reached of age.

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They'd broken his mind thoroughly…

He couldn't even resist their orders after a certain point, or risk being tortured with his great senses.

The head pain he lived with on a daily basis being nothing big in front of having his touch stimulated.

It was an uncontrollable part of him that caused the fate of dying a dog's death change somewhat…

That being… his 'Martial Talent'.

Hyuk was a quick learner despite having being taught flawed and inconvenient breathing arts.

His Qi Centre grew rapidly until he became the first one to ever master his techniques in over a month.

The Nine Armed Asura Body only boosting his proficiency with the technical aspects of the arts.

It was to the point he became an unpolished gem.

One that the Palace Master had come to recognise.

Though that didn't mean his fate had changed for the better. He just became a higher quality object.

A cauldron meant for those of greater status.

His fate only truly changing the day he came of age. When his Qi was ripe enough for 'plucking'.

That morning, he was showed the route to the room of someone who would succeed the Palace Master in the future. A woman with an interesting past even among the ones he'd heard all this while.

Despite being dressed in a simple white robe, Hyuk was someone even prostitutes couldn't ignore.

They may have had many experiences with the opposite sex, but there were none quite like 'him'.

The handsome man was a flower born in the abyss.

A sun that illuminated their dark and rigid world.

Perhaps some had once considered him to be pretentious at first. That it was an act to trick them.

Regardless, it was hard to hide one's true nature.

The time he'd spent with them… was enough for both men and women of the palace to be swooned.

He was polite and considerate regardless of the person he was with. Showing no signs of change.

His manners were graceful.

But most important of all, he was a handsome man who knew how to chat people up with natural ease.

Even sticks in the mud like their mentors couldn't remain unaffected. His warm personality was rare.

Which was exactly what made them feel regretful.

If he had brought in as a disciple, then he would have certainly become a central figure within them.

Hyuk would have definitely become an important figure among them, but now it couldn't be done.

It wasn't like none of them were willing to try and get him out of slavery. That task… was impossible.

The woman wearing a skimpy hanfu next to him had a dark face while walking him up the pagoda.

Each floor of skyscraper-like Chinese architecture becoming filled with people looking just like her.

The top floor was renovated while the Palace Master was out. This, every single one knew.

"A pity…" One of the girls spoke.

'Breath Circulation' techniques were a difficult kind of Cultivation Method. Rather than relying on quick eruptions of power, it was a kind of accumulative form that gradually engraved itself into the user.

Even if the dantian was destroyed and the Qi Centre located there was emptied, how could one possibly change a 'breathing habit' so easily? The act of remembering a particular set of breathing and mastering it was already difficult on its own.

Changing such a habit wasn't possible anymore.

The only thing Hyuk could do to become stronger was slightly alter his breath circulation with time.

So long as he had a reference, he could learn it.

However, having such hopes were useless now.

The handsome youth looked around. He had turned eighteen today, but couldn't celebrate it.

A bummer, really…

'I wonder if there will be a final meal.' Was his thoughts while following going up endless stairs.

The red hanfu woman was started to traumatically shiver from remembering her initial times here.

The endless staircases was a hell in of itself 

"You okay? Maybe want to go slower?" Hyuk was the first to ask, he noticed her small movement.

His visual acuity wasn't to be underestimated.

It was the result of getting used to his senses…

"…Why are you like this?" The woman's face reddened with embarrassment from his sincerity.

"I try my best."

"Doing what?"

"Staying positive. I'm proud of my positivity~"

"Positivity won't save the world, nor you…"

"It will." These words made the girl turn her head. A smile was on the flawless face she'd seen often.

Did he really think so…?

Maybe this was just a delusion of his, or a stupid amount of optimism. 'That woman' had no heart.

She'd heard rumours of the ice queen that would be 'plucking' his life. Nearly everyone knew of her.

Knowing that this would likely be the last time they see each other, the woman looked around a little.

Right after, her sexy voice pleasantly asked:

"…Do you want me to 'clean' you before taking you to her?" She bit her lower lip in undisguised desire.

She looked ready to pull his pants down…

Hyuk though, didn't react to her proposal.

He merely pointed to the top of the staircase, then spoke as if we was trying to indicate something:

"The heavens are watching us. Maybe I'll be dead by the end of today, but I'll never betray my mood."

His words were enough for her to understand that he was nervous. It was just buried deep inside him.

The woman felt bothered by his roundabout refusal. However, she knew this was for her sake.

If that wasn't the case, they'd already be doing things that wasn't the same as 'Paired Cultivation'.

Hyuk also knew what she was feelings.

In these many years, sometimes there'd be a rare chance an 'Incubus' would show him the ropes.

Though most other times, it would be a Succubus teaching him the ways to impress women in bed.

All while never crossing that last line.

He'd learnt a lot of things thank to this.

He couldn't immediately alter his breath circulation technique, but he had been putting something together recently. His vast knowledge earned from experiencing different techniques was now mature.

This was the best chance to evolve his Internal Qi.

That's until the door of opportunity closed itself.

Hyuk's eyes broke out of his daze when they had finally gotten to the top floor. The girl had left.

The handsome youth entered quietly…

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