'So that lightning from earlier was caused by that skeleton?'
Seoyun recalled the contents of the Survival Guide for the Amigu Continent.
Their names were Skeletons.
Skeleton Sorcerers and Skeleton Soldiers.
They were terrifying monsters that returned from death, harboring an unyielding hatred for the living.
Upon encountering them, one would either flee without looking back or attack immediately to extract the magic stone from their chest.
With these thoughts in mind, Seoyun assessed the situation.
"What is that...?"
"Uh... it's a skeleton. Do you have any blunt weapons? A club?"
"Do I look like I have one?!"
The only things he had brought were a dagger and chains—no suitable blunt weapon in sight.
"Radun Katcha!"
The Skeleton Sorcerer extended its staff toward Seoyun and Dang Yuhwa.
As armored skeletons charged forward, Seoyun deliberated.
Even the lowest-grade magic stones they possessed were targets for their mission.
And hadn't they dealt with these easily before?
As long as they were cautious of magic, fighting them shouldn't be difficult.
"Let's fight."
"Huh!? Really?"
"It's fine. That one."
A red light seemed to rise from the hollow eye sockets of the skeletons.
As Seoyun spoke while glaring at it, Dang Yuhwa raised her dagger.
"That one with the staff..."
"Oh my god! It can even fly!?"
"Damn it! I told you it was weak!"
As the sorcerer floated in mid-air, Dang Yuhwa fell into a state of confusion.
Being able to float freely in the air was something only top-tier masters could do!
Although she felt fear, Seoyun, who had faced skeleton sorcerers before, was different: "It's weak, so just throw a dagger... No, use a rock or something to attack!"
"It's weak? It can fly in mid-air and you call that weak?!"
"Come on! Just do what I say!"
If the skeleton sorcerer were truly a top-tier master, he wouldn't be standing here alive right now.
Dang Yuhwa was almost on the verge of tears, but Seoyun couldn't afford to care about that.
"Radun Katcha!"
Three skeleton soldiers charged forward.
Seoyun, while watching them closely, struck Dang Yuhwa's back firmly: "Trust me and fight!"
"Ahhh!! Damn it!!"
Terrified, Dang Yuhwa picked up a stone from the ground and threw it with all her might using her throwing technique.
As it struck the floating skeleton sorcerer filled with arrogance, it fell to the ground with a thud.
"...Huh?"
"I told you it's weak! Just keep it at bay! Watch out for the dark energy coming from its staff! If it tries to use fire or lightning..."
"Dan! Kar! Keolla!!"
The fallen skeleton sorcerer raised its staff again.
As a fireball gathered at the tip of its staff, Dang Yuhwa quickly threw her dagger.
The dagger infused with internal energy shattered the wrist of the skeleton sorcerer holding its staff, causing the fireball to vanish.
"Just keep doing that!"
"Radun Katcha!"
"What are you saying?!"
Before long, three skeleton soldiers closed in on them with their spears extended.
Dodging just in time,
Seoyun launched his dagger at one of them.
One of the skeleton soldiers was pushed back significantly by his attack.
Perhaps due to their thick armor,
it didn't seem to have taken much damage.
"Hey! What are you trying to do?!"
"There's a gem in that skeleton's chest! Just take it out!"
"What!? What are you talking about?!"
What if the floating skeleton sorcerer attacked them from above like last time?
This time there would be no way to defend against it.
They needed to prevent that fireball from being used at all.
While Seoyun fought off the remaining skeleton soldiers,
Dang Yuhwa bit her lip in frustration.
The skeleton sorcerer lifted its staff again and began emitting dark energy.
Dodging lightly from the dark energy shot out by its staff,
Dang Yuhwa approached the skeleton sorcerer and realized it was easier than she thought.
'I can catch it.'
The dark energy was slow.
And although it could fly,
it wasn't at an extraordinary level.
Whether using fireballs or gathering power into its staff,
it required considerable preparation time.
Unless it was foolish,
there was no need to block attacks when they openly declared intentions.
As she approached the skeleton sorcerer,
she concentrated power into her hands.
A crimson aura gathered around her palms.
This was Tang Sect's true technique—Crimson Spirit Technique.
A powerful force surged from her hands that couldn't be compared to Vice Secretary's abilities.
Sensing danger,
the skeleton sorcerer pulled back its body,
but all that did was allow Crimson Spirit Technique to shatter its already broken shoulder.
"Damn!"
The fallen bones turned to dust and vanished.
Seeing this made Dang Yuhwa click her tongue as she grabbed onto a chain she had brought along.
She swung it toward the fleeing skeleton sorcerer.
- *Golden Dragon Whip Technique*
- *Three-Strike Spinning Technique*
Tang Sect's unique whip technique was activated.
The chain with large cuffs at its end shot forward like a snake toward the skeleton sorcerer.
Like a living snake hunting for prey,
the chain ensnared one of its legs.
"It's really weak."
Even though it contained plenty of internal energy,
to break so easily like this was surprising.
As the leg of the broken skeleton sorcerer rolled on the ground,
it shot out dark energy but Dang Yuhwa easily avoided it.
Holding onto her rattling chain,
she looked down at the shattered remains of the skeleton: "Kara Maidun!!"
The skeleton glared at her while aiming its staff.
The tip of its staff crackled with electricity.
After deflecting the dark energy infused into its staff with her chain,
she stomped down on the chest of the skeleton sorcerer.
"Kara... Taira..."
Amongst its shattered ribs lay a small glowing stone as Seoyun had mentioned earlier.
As she forcefully pulled it out,
the light faded from within the skeleton's eyes.
Slowly, as the body of the skeleton sorcerer turned to dust and vanished,
Dang Yuhwa sighed: "What on earth..."
"Ugh!!"
"Oh no."
There wasn't time for reflection.
Seoyun was still fighting off three remaining soldiers by himself.
In that case, she needed to help him!
"...Sigh."
But Seoyun seemed to be holding his own better than expected.
Even surrounded by three skeletons,
he managed to dodge skillfully while launching Vice Secretary's attacks.
Feeling proud that he wasn't being overwhelmed even against armored foes made him think:
'It seems my training has paid off!'
"You're doing great! Just keep it up!"
"Aren't you going to help me?!"
"This is also training! It's about honing your skills against Vice Secretary during real combat!"
"Aah!! What do you mean training when I'm about to die!!"
Just barely dodging a spear aimed at him,
Seoyun launched Vice Secretary's attack while secretly using Absorbing Energy Technique simultaneously.
The destructive power surged forth through his strikes—
and as he absorbed vitality from his opponent's wounds,
he unleashed another continuous attack using Vice Secretary's techniques.
Glimpsing over at Dang Yuhwa,
she merely looked pleased by his performance:
'If even she doesn't notice... then while I can't use it openly, I can definitely make use of Absorbing Energy Technique like this.'
Absorbing Energy Technique proved better than expected!
Not only did it allow him stable internal energy circulation,
but by absorbing his opponent's strength as well—it weakened them further.
It served as both an excellent means for recovering internal energy
and an offensive tool too!
Even without using it overtly—as mere support alongside other martial arts—it remained quite useful!
"Kara Kachaa!!"
"Speak clearly so we can understand you!! You damn brat!!"
Thanks to their continued coordination between Vice Secretary and Absorbing Energy Technique,
the thick armor finally burst apart!
Despite taking damage from this impact,
the skeletal soldier didn't budge an inch!
"Tsk."
Even when he had broken its arm previously,
the skeletal sorcerer hadn't flinched either!
Such minor shocks wouldn't concern them at all!
Thinking this way while trying to find an opening against one of those skeletal soldiers,
Dang Yuhwa suddenly shouted:
"Watch your back!"
"In that case, please help me!!"
Once again rolling on ground after being knocked down by another blow—
Seoyun regained his stance and thrust forward with his fists!
Though they seemed like allies at first glance,
their coordination didn't seem very effective!
In fact, upon closer inspection—their individual skills didn't appear very impressive either!
They barely reached mid-tier status among third-rate martial artists!
If they weren't wearing heavy armor,
it would've been easier—but their armor forced Seoyun into wasting his internal energy recklessly!
"If I want to easily capture opponents wearing heavy armor or external martial arts techniques...
I'll need to learn Gyeoksan Taewoo's techniques... But those are top-tier martial arts making them hard to obtain..."
There really wasn't any other option left but increasing his internal energy or refining his skills further:
"Training!
Training is our only path forward!"
After lightly tapping Seoyun's exhausted shoulders,
Dang Yuhwa retrieved magic stones from remnants of destroyed skeletal remains.
Only then did those skeletal bodies turn into dust and disappear completely.
Seeing this made Dang Yuhwa sigh: "Focus on circulating your internal energy; I'll support you."
Unlike Seoyun who looked weary—Dang Yuhwa appeared composed and confident!
Glancing over at her—Seoyun immediately sat cross-legged.
While he focused on circulating his internal energy,
Dang Yuhwa began gathering equipment used by those skeletal warriors around them:
"What on earth could these monsters be?"
"I'm not sure..."
"Sigh... By the way, what about that?"
She pointed toward an orc corpse that had been struck directly by lightning earlier.
Seoyun felt equally disappointed; after finally discovering something—
to let this slip away like this felt frustrating!
"For now... let's gather what we can and head down."
"Yes."
After collecting both orc corpses and equipment used by those skeletal warriors,
they descended into town just as dawn broke.
Seoyun and Dang Yuhwa booked a room at a shabby inn since returning directly back home would be awkward at such late hours.
They ordered drinks along with dumplings and noodles for a late dinner.
As Seoyun slurped up noodles noisily,
Dang Yuhwa placed magic stones on their table: "What could this be?"
"I wonder..."
"I don't know?"
"I have no idea either."
All they knew was that these stones allowed for magical abilities—but why they were found among monsters remained unclear even to Seoyun himself.
At his vague response, Dang Yuhwa scratched her cheek thoughtfully: "We should investigate this further once we return to Tang Sect; I'm sure grandfather will appreciate it."
"Isn't there some way we could get something for this?"
"I don't know... That would be nice if possible; didn't you get two as well?"
"Yes."
"You take two; I'll take two—we'll split them."
Honestly speaking—he wanted all four for himself!
But considering how close he had come to dying without Dang Yuhwa's help—he couldn't demand all four outright either.
When Seoyun nodded in agreement—she stood up from her seat:
"Anyway... you did well today; let's rest now."
"I understand."
After finishing off all dumplings,
Dang Yuhwa headed upstairs toward their room.
Watching her walk away—Seoyun stared at his empty cup:
'My internal energy is still lacking.'
Whoever said greed increases with possession certainly knew what they were talking about;
he wasn't satisfied anymore with merely twenty years' worth of cultivation!
Now even ten years felt insufficient!
Staring blankly into his empty cup—he muttered softly:
"...I need to figure out how to address my internal energy issues."
Should he cultivate Three Calamities Technique desperately?
Maybe after about a hundred years he'd accumulate enough experience?
Or should he properly utilize Absorbing Energy Technique?
Using that might turn him into a criminal within martial world...
Ultimately there was only one option left for Seoyun:
"...I guess it's just got to be drawing lots."
He gazed longingly at 'Free 1-time Elixir Draw Ticket' available in Daewon Shop.