Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 3

Han Li gazed at the stone chamber where he trained, his mind drifting back to the test he had taken before Master Moon.

‘To think I’d be training in a place like this.’

The more he pondered it, the more he chuckled. This stone chamber was carved into the cliff face of a granite mountain. The door leading outside was a massive limestone block, making it impossible for ordinary people to enter, even if they tried.

Such a secluded training chamber was not easily accessible to anyone except the sect leader, elders, and hall masters, who held the highest status and position within the Seven Mysteries Sect.

Not even the core disciples of the Seven Absolutes Hall could claim one. These stone chambers were built solely for those with high internal energy to train, preventing them from suffering from Qi deviation [a dangerous imbalance of internal energy] due to external stimuli.

He didn’t know what method Master Moon had used, but he had somehow managed to get the elders’ approval, allowing Han Li exclusive use of this place. Han Li had no idea how it had happened.

All Master Moon did was give him several types of elixirs that he himself took every day after Han Li became an official disciple, and he also had Han Li bathe in a broth made from unknown herbs.

Although he didn’t know the names or effects of the elixirs or herbs, he could easily tell from Master Moon’s expression that they were very precious.

Whether it was thanks to Master Moon’s efforts or the effects of the medicine, Han Li’s training speed improved rapidly. Not long ago, he had succeeded in mastering the first stage of the Nameless Incantations.

However, the pain in his body became more severe as he progressed through the stages. Although his life wasn’t in danger, several of his meridians [energy channels in the body] were on the verge of rupturing, and he also suffered internal injuries.

Each time, Master Moon was more nervous than he was and worked hard to treat him, only relaxing after Han Li’s body had fully recovered.

Seeing Master Moon’s actions, Han Li wondered if this was the bond between master and disciple, but he also felt a sense of unease.

Han Li stretched and left the stone chamber, slowly heading towards his living quarters. After the test, Han Li and Jang Seok-Cheol were given separate rooms.

He glanced at Jang Seok-Cheol’s room as he passed by, but he wasn’t there. He had probably gone to the waterfall below Red Water Peak to train.

After becoming an official disciple, Master Moon generously taught Han Li about medicine and allowed him to look through the books in his study.

However, when it came to martial arts training, he still only told him to practice the Nameless Incantations.

And for Jang Seok-Cheol, he began to teach him a different kind of martial art, as he had mentioned before.

The martial art that Jang Seok-Cheol was training in, the ‘Elephant Armor Skill,’ was very unique.

The Elephant Armor Skill was a martial art from a little-known sect, and very few people in the martial world knew about it.

Not only had many people not heard of it, but it was also difficult to find anyone who practiced it, and it was quite different from ordinary martial arts training.

Usually, the training process was easy at first, but it gradually became more difficult, and the power increased exponentially as one reached higher levels.

However, this Elephant Armor Skill was divided into a total of nine stages. Up to the third stage, it was no different from other martial arts, but when one reached the fourth stage, it suddenly became difficult, and most people suffered unimaginable pain and torment.

Most of those who had trained in this martial art could not endure the pain at this point and either stopped training or stagnated.

Moreover, when one reached the fifth and sixth stages, the pain of this training was said to be several times greater than before.

However, once one passed the sixth stage and reached the seventh stage, the training after that became peaceful again, without any obstacles, and one only had to endure the pain for a few days each month.

This process made those who wanted to train in martial arts step back, and it was the main reason why this martial art disappeared.

Because this martial art was so strange, its power after reaching a high level was enormous. It was said that those who reached the ninth stage were like wearing solid armor all over their bodies, impervious to swords, fire, and any other injury.

They also gained tremendous power that could tear apart ferocious beasts like tigers and leopards alive.

Anyone who knew this martial art would admire and fear learning it, because no one had reached the ninth stage except for the creator of this martial art.

It was said that he was born with a body that did not feel any pain, which allowed him to create this bizarre martial art.

Master Moon explained this martial art as it was. Jang Seok-Cheol thought that this painful training process was nothing compared to his desperation, and he dismissed it as trivial.

He was only fascinated by the greatness of the Elephant Armor Skill and answered without any hesitation that he would learn it.

Moreover, this martial art seemed to suit him very well. He reached the peak of the first stage of the Elephant Armor Skill in just two months.

Recently, to break through this first stage, Jang Seok-Cheol had been enduring the waterfall falling from Red Water Peak every morning, following Master Moon’s suggestion.

He said that this method had a miraculous and mysterious effect, and that if he put in a little more effort, he would be able to overcome this hurdle.

* * *

Han Li slowly walked out of the Divine Hand Valley, where the stone chamber was located.

He followed the small path in the mountains, habitually heading towards Red Water Peak, where Jang Seok-Cheol was.

For the past few days, Han Li had been going to see him train at the same time every day.

The two had become close friends and a source of strength for each other, having lived together for half a year and perhaps because they came from similar backgrounds.

‘I wonder if Jang is regretting it now? Just to endure such great pain at the first stage, he might have to peel off several layers of skin later.’

Han Li walked, thinking about Jang Seok-Cheol’s suffering.

‘And maybe he could even die. I should ask Master Moon to let him learn another martial art. He needs to save his life first.’

Han Li resolved, hoping that his close friend would be free from hardship.

Lost in thought, he looked up and saw that the trees on both sides of the path were lined up, turning red as late autumn approached.

Everywhere, there were thick layers of fallen leaves and withered branches.

At that moment, he faintly heard the sound of weapons clashing from a nearby mountain peak. It sounded like several sounds were mixed together and pouring down.

Listening to this sound made Han Li feel even more bitter. This was because the senior disciples of the Hundred Battles Hall were giving combat training to the newly initiated junior disciples.

Like the other disciples who were training, he also desperately wanted to wield real swords and blades to his heart’s content. However, Master Moon strictly forbade him from touching such things.

He was also forbidden from seeking out other senior disciples to learn martial arts, because it would interfere with his training of the incantations.

As a result, Han Li could only watch with envious eyes, and occasionally borrow swords from disciples he sometimes encountered, swing them a few times, and then return them.

The more he trained in the incantations, the more he wondered what they were actually for.

The disciples who had entered with him were growing stronger day by day, but he seemed to be stuck in the same place, not progressing.

Just looking at Jang Seok-Cheol, his skin had become rough and thick, and now he was fine even after being hit quite a bit, and his strength had also increased greatly compared to before.

Han Li felt resentful on one hand, but on the other hand, he comforted himself.

‘If I hadn’t become a disciple of Master Moon, I wouldn’t have even passed the nominal disciple test. And I wouldn’t have been able to send so much money home.’

Han Li’s mind was still full of unspeakable thoughts. His mind became more and more scattered, and he couldn’t focus on anything else.

The moment he took another step, Han Li’s expression changed instantly. He suddenly collapsed into the bushes as if falling, and clutched his right foot with both hands.

Han Li was at a loss due to the sudden pain. A tingling pain spread from his big toe to his entire body. It didn’t seem like it would disappear anytime soon.

He regained his senses and carefully got up, leaning on a relatively thick and long branch. Then, he stirred the thick layer of fallen leaves with the branch. There, he saw a large stone embedded deep in the ground.

And next to it, he saw something sparkling. Upon closer inspection, it was a slender, long, round bottle.

‘What is this? Is it made of metal? I’ve never seen anything like this before.’

Han Li became interested in this object and seemed to have forgotten the pain in his foot for a moment. He rubbed the mouth of the bottle with his hand, revealing the bottle’s original color.

On the outside of the bottle, there were intricately carved blue leaves, and a small stopper tightly sealed the opening.

He tried his best to open the stopper, but it wouldn’t budge. He shook it, but it didn’t feel like anything was inside.

Han Li became even more curious and put it on the ground and stepped on it, but it only added to the extreme pain in his foot.

‘Damn it!’

His foot seemed to be swelling even more. He needed to go back to his quarters quickly and apply medicine so that it wouldn’t interfere with his training tomorrow. With that thought, Han Li roughly wiped the bottle with a leaf and put it in his pocket. Then, he changed direction and limped back.

* * *

Some of the senior disciples seemed surprised to see him limping, but they didn’t speak to him.

No one seemed to pay much attention to this young junior disciple. When he returned to his quarters and looked at his injury, it was swollen red, and his big toe seemed to be pointing towards the sky.

He took out the medicine that Master Moon had carefully prepared and applied it.

It was originally prepared in advance in case Jang Seok-Cheol suffered external injuries while training in the Elephant Armor Skill, but unexpectedly, Han Li used it first.

When he opened the lid, the strong scent of medicinal herbs filled the entire room. Soon, he felt a cool sensation, and the throbbing also decreased. He quickly found a clean cloth, wrapped the injured area, and put on his shoes.

‘As expected of Master Moon. It’s working so quickly. The pain has subsided a lot.’

He slowly walked back and forth. Then, he noticed the bottle he had picked up earlier. After wiping it clean with a cloth, the bottle’s original appearance was revealed before his eyes.

The bottle was about the size of one hand. It was similar to or slightly smaller than the medicine bottles he had.

The entire bottle was a hazy green color, and it seemed to be its original color, not a painted one.

Also, the leaf and flower patterns that he had vaguely seen earlier were imprinted here and there. The flowers were so intricate that they seemed alive.

When he touched them, they felt raised, as if real leaves had been inserted.

When he estimated its weight with his hand, it was very heavy. It was neither made of porcelain nor metal.

Han Li wondered what could possibly be inside the bottle. He tried to twist the bottle with all his might, but it didn’t budge.

He kept trying to open it. Once, twice, three times… It was as if the bottle and the stopper had been baked together, and it didn’t move at all. His arm was getting sore, but he didn’t stop.

The more the bottle wouldn’t open, the more Han Li’s curiosity grew, and it seemed like there must be something precious inside. Han Li stared at it blankly for a moment and thought.

‘Maybe Jang can open it.’

Jang Seok-Cheol could lift water buckets weighing dozens of pounds and climb up and down the mountains as if flying.
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