Chapter 34: MASTER
"Son Youngho, can I tell you something?" asked Yeon Hwang as she closed her notebook which she had been taking notes on about the topic I was tutoring her on.
By the way, I had "advanced" so far in my education that there was nothing left to teach me and the six hours I had with that single teacher became six hours of independent study which was six more hours of free time.
Other than the two hours of afternoon training with Instructor Chi Namsun or on the days that I was called upon by Yeon Hwang, I had nothing but free time.
Everyone was envious of my schedule but honestly, I was bored of it.
So I asked a few teachers and now and then, I visit the classes and help teach. Even the teachers sit down to listen to my explanation and learn.
I had a nickname in the sect and I reckoned even those in the inner section were aware of it: the "Scholarly Prodigy".
Now back to the conversation at hand.
"Sure," I nodded.
"I didn't mention this because I was sort of testing you... sorry about that, but I've been aware of all the instances you've been called upon by one of the masters in our sect," she said.
That was obvious. I did not doubt that she had her people report back to her about my every move because I had seen it happen using my stalking ability.
The only information they didn't relay was my activities after afternoon training and when I was in a room with other sect members or by myself.
This was most likely because Yeon Hwang didn't want to infringe too much on my privacy especially when I was responsible for her education.
This meant that she still didn't know about my sex life and I was still this wholesome innocent friend/teacher of hers.
"I... I can't say I'm surprised but..."
"It's alright to feel offended," she said. "I'm sorry, once again, for doing it but don't worry. I've ordered my men to stop."
"May I ask why that is?"
"That's because, over the past month, you've shown me that regardless of what offer has been placed in front of you, no matter the wealth, power, and fame, you've chosen to respect our friendship and declined them all."
That's only because Mae Jaesun was my sugar daddy and was providing me with all the resources I needed.
"I know this doesn't come off very respectful but I was untrusting of your character," she said.
"..."
"I'm like that to everyone. I don't trust anyone's character that they demonstrate to me, not until I've known what they're up to when I'm not with them. You... you showed me that you were authentic."
She offered me her hand. "Sorry if this comes off insensitive after revealing to you that I had been secretly observing you for over a month but... can I ask you to be my friend?"
This was a special moment because other than her childhood friend who wasn't even a part of the sect yet and she hadn't seen for years now, this was the first time she asked someone to be her friend.
She had acquaintances in her small circle. People that she spoke to and drank tea with.
But friends? No.
Other than the childhood friend, I was her first.
That sounded like an innuendo but I promise you that it wasn't.
Okay, I lied. It was.
My response was to grab her hand and shake it.
I said, "Hmm... I thought we were already friends."
She smiled and I could see a little blush on her face. Emphasize on little. It was about a drop of water in a container the size of an elephant.
I wasn't deterred by this. I knew it was going to be a hard task to steal her heart. After all, that's the nature of the world I was in.
On Earth, it'd take a week to a few months to fall in love.
In worlds like this, stories like this, because of how long one's lifespan can be, it could take a hundred years before feelings are confessed then an additional hundred years before they finally have sex.
Our session wrapped up an hour later and I used a gift she gave me as proof of friendship.
I told her that I didn't need it but she insisted.
She was the sort of person who would spoil her friends with gifts and spend a lot of money on them without expecting anything back in return other than their friendship.
So wholesome.
I can't wait to ruin all that.
Her gift was this magical carpet that could float in the air. Not fly, but float.
"I got it as a birthday present from my grandfather. He acquired it a long time ago in this country when he was journeying to the west."
I reckoned whatever country it was he was referring to, its culture was extremely similar to Arabian back on Earth.
I sat on it and without having to take a single step, I was able to "drive" myself to my room using just a little of gi to get it working.
.
.
.
A week after that conversation I had mastered the first book of the Mount Hua Sect martial arts.
I demonstrated it to Instructor Chi Namsun and as Master Jaesun said would happen, she gave me this ticket and told me that I was allowed to enter myself into the Outer Grand Tournament if I wanted to.
Instructor Chi Namsun also handed me the second book and spent a few minutes demonstrating the moves to me before moving on to the next student who needed her guidance.
Kan Hyojoo didn't take it too well.
She wasn't angry or jealous of me but was mad at herself for falling behind.
She was critical of herself and would blame her shortcomings on herself rather than blame someone else for being in a better position than her.
Based on our sparring sessions, which was just a difference of a few wins and losses, I could tell that in another week or two, she'd also master the first book and could move on to the second.
Kim Taeyang, the forever third place of our group, was starting to become a monster at fighting.
Although he couldn't beat me or Kan Hyojoo in a fight, the number of weak people he could take on was probably higher than us because each of his limbs was like a spear that could deal with attacks from all directions.
Speaking of Kim Taeyang, he's been happier ever since he got himself a girlfriend.
I was happy for him because he found love and it was motivating him to become stronger.
I was happy for her because she was pushing herself further with me to get better at certain techniques she wanted to use on her boyfriend whom she also loves dearly.
And I was happy for myself because I was enjoying the thrill of NTR.
It was a win/win/win scenario (as long as he never finds out the truth that is).
.
.
.
"You're back," I whispered as I was awoken by the figure of a man in the dark room.
He gestured for me to follow him and as usual, we went to our spot in the forest.
"Where have you been?" was the first question I asked Mae Jaesun.
"Sorry, I was gone for so long. I had to travel somewhere to get this," he said as he pulled a small box out. It was detailed with gold and on the lid there was a dragon.
"What's that?" I asked as I took the box from him.
Opening it, there was a black pill in it. It smelled terrible and my first instinct was to gag.
"This is worth about ten ginsengs," he responded. "It'll boost your gi greatly."
I was holding a large fraction of his entire net worth.
"How did you get this?" I asked.
"Just... you know, not a big deal. Just did a few things for someone in exchange for this," he responded.
He was lying because every time I used my ability to see what he was doing, I saw him doing some crazy dangerous things.
For example, he was fighting a giant serpent whose eyes were the height of a full-grown human.
Another time, he was scaling a mountain that was three times taller than Mount Everest back on Earth
"I... I can't take this," I said, closing the lid and handing it back. "It's too precious. I don't deserve to have this."
Mae Jaesun shoved the box right back to me.
"Take it. Take it or else I'll feed it to you in your sleep," he said with a fatherly smile on his face.
I could see that he was extremely proud of my growth and rise in the sect. Despite my lack of talent in gi, I continued to train it to the point that I was near the top of everyone in the outer sect.
The explanation for that was I had my duplication ability which had grown to last for an additional hour so I was able to get more done in a day than everyone else.
"...Okay," I hesitantly replied as I took the box back. "How should I eat this?"
"Here," he said as he pulled a ginseng tea out of thin air. I was baffled by how he did it.
"Chew on the pill and when you're ready to swallow, wash it down with the tea," he instructed me.
I did as he instructed and after drinking all the tea, I began to feel this warm sensation in my stomach. Then that warmth grew until it burned. It burned like a small flame, then a campfire, then it eventually burned like the sun.
I groaned and fell to my knees.
"Get into the lotus position," he told me.
I struggled to move but eventually got into the pose and he sat down beside me. He placed his palm on my back and for three hours straight, he was pouring his gi into my body, using it to guide all the energy of the pill into certain areas of my body, distributing it evenly so that I wouldn't burn up in certain areas and die.
As I got up, I turned to look at him and couldn't help but gasp.
He looked like he had aged a few years.
"Master, what did you do?" I asked. I forced a crocodile tear to appear in the corner of my eye.
"Don't worry about me. One breakthrough and it'll be like I'm back in my youthful years," he said, laughing while patting me on the back.
I felt like a new man. I felt more powerful. I felt like if I were to spar with Kan Hyojoo without training any further, I'd be able to continue beating her for four more months before she caught up.
My natural gi growth had also increased.
I was a druggie and Mae Jaesun was my kind provider who was giving me my fix.
"I'll be gone for another month," he warned me in advance this time.
"..."
I looked worried and made a face of guilt and shame.
"Don't worry, child. You're not an inconvenience to me. I'm doing this because I have faith in you. I'm just doing my part in this plan that's bigger than me."
"But what if I fail?"
It felt like the millionth time I asked that question.
For the first time, he gave me an answer that wasn't "It'll work."
"If you fail, then at least we failed while trying our best," he replied.
I admit it.
That was when I grew to like him.
In that moment, he became more than just a means towards a goal I had.
He became someone who I really respected for his character, the level of humbleness, and the freedom that he exuded with every choice he made.
I got down on my knees and bowed down to him nine times.
"Master."
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