Chapter 5
<2nd-Floor Boss Room>
"Whooshㅡ"
"Squeeeㅡ!"
The giant rat collapsed, blood spurting from its chest.
<3rd-Floor Boss Room>
"Whooooshㅡ Whooshㅡ"
The dagger pierced the slime and split its core exactly in half.
ㅡ Pssshㅡ!
"I'm invincible now."
I wiped out the third-floor boss in no time, too.
Of course, I couldn't compare to the S-rank hunters making a name for themselves on the upper floors,
but still, wasn't I pretty strong for what I was?
And my gear was top-notch, too.
The elders had sent me a whole pile of things through the Heavenly Dao Network.
1.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Go check the Heavenly Dao Network at once.
"What is this?"
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: A Three-Sword Ruler and a Red Cloud Thread.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: At least she's got some conscience.
"Are they good?"
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: The Three-Sword Ruler is common, but the Red Cloud Thread is quite rare.
"The Red Cloud Thread?"
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: It's a cord that won't break and keeps stretching, even if you wrap it around a cultivation city.
A cultivation city? What was a cultivation city?
I couldn't make sense of a single thing they were saying.
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: Heh heh, I never expected the Ice Empress to part with something so precious.
I had no idea what was so good about them, but if the elders said they were good, they probably were, right?
When I showed no reaction, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion Master added an explanation.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: At the Qi Refining stage, you normally have to chant a spell or form hand seals to cast one.
"But fire just comes out of my hand."
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: What do you mean? Earlier, when you were fighting those boss monsters, you were clearly chanting a spell.
"I don't remember learning any spells like that."
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: The child must have a powerful divine soul and already know how to wield divine sense! As expected, she must be a genius!
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: In any case, cultivators at the Qi Refining stage can't control spiritual power once it's outside their bodies. That's why the Fireball Technique only shoots straight ahead.
"Then, when I level up—or reach Foundation Establishment—can I control the Fireball Technique, too?"
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: That's why you need the Red Cloud Thread right now.
"What do you mean?"
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: If you tie the Red Cloud Thread to the tip of your sword, it'll stay connected by the thread even after it leaves your hand, so you can move it freely.
"My dagger will move wherever I want?"
That sounded pretty cool.
Someone came to mind right away.
'Yongfather?'
I guess I'll find out when I try it later.
Anyway, I should thank them.
"Thank you! I really appreciate it!"
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: So now you finally understand what you're holding.
The Ice Empress looked pleased, and next it was Taebaek Sword Lord's turn.
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: These were the clothes my great-granddaughter used to wear. How do you like the outfit I gave you?
The clothes Taebaek Sword Lord had given me had a strange design.
They weren't a hanbok or a hanfu.
They looked like silk, but the hems rippled even when there was no wind.
They were almost like a living creature.
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: They're far better than that strange outfit you were wearing before.
Well, I'd been going around with a man's oversized boxy T-shirt pulled over me like a dress.
I hadn't been able to wash it properly, so it had gotten pretty grimy.
Still, how should I put it?
I felt a little uncomfortable wearing such a proper girl's outfit.
But I couldn't exactly look him in the face and say I didn't like it, could I?
"I like the clothes."
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: Heh heh heh! That garment is called the Myriad Attacks-Repelling Robe. It'll block most attacks!
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Tsk, tsk. At least the old geezer has some conscience. That thing's a real pain.
If even Blood River Patriarch, who usually snapped at everyone, was saying something nice about it, maybe it really was a good item.
'Looking at it again, it's not so bad after all.'
I hurriedly bowed to the viewer who'd sent the gift.
"Thank you!"
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: Heh heh heh. Wear it well.
Next up was Taehyun Zhenren.
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: I sent you something as well, so go check it.
What Taehyun Zhenren had sent was a small leather bag.
'A bag?'
It was pretty small for a bag.
It looked like it might barely fit one juice box.
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: It's a top-grade storage pouch.
"A top-grade storage pouch?"
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: It's like a bag that can store as many things as you want.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Heh heh. With a top-grade storage pouch, you could fit an entire mountain inside.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: Items stored inside won't spoil. They'll be preserved forever, as if time had stopped.
You could fit a mountain inside? And nothing would spoil?
That sounded a little over the top.
There had been a hunter with an item like that.
I think I'd seen it on a broadcast.
It looked like an ordinary backpack, but it could hold a surprising number of items.
What had they tested it with? Ramen, maybe?
I remembered them fitting about ten boxes inside.
I heard that hunter retired after that broadcast.
They said the hunter had sold the bag to an S-rank hunter for fifty million dollars.
I heard the price had since risen to a hundred million dollars.
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: Try infusing the storage pouch with spiritual power, just as you do when casting the Fireball Technique.
When I did as he said, a vast space unfolded in my mind.
"Whoa… Whoa!"
It looked like a warehouse built like a traditional Korean house, but I couldn't see the end of it.
'Even a logistics center for loading and unloading goods seems smaller than this.'
I really could imagine a whole mountain fitting inside.
And then there were the brightly colored stones piled up inside the warehouse.
When I focused on the stones, Taehyun Zhenren's voice came through.
"I put some spirit stones in there. When you're hungry later, go to the Heavenly Dao Network and buy yourself something to eat."
"Wooooow!"
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Tsk. All you gave her was a storage pouch?
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: You haven't given her anything yet, so keep your mouth shut!
"I love it!"
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: See? Didn't I tell you she'd love it?
To test it out, I focused my spiritual power on the storage pouch and tried putting in the things I'd been carrying around.
The things disappeared, and I could see in my mind that they'd gone inside the pouch.
When I wanted to take something out, I just focused my spiritual power again and it appeared,
and when I wanted to put something back, it went in.
"Whoooooaㅡ."
While I was marveling at it, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion Master took his turn.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: I prepared some things that cultivators at the Qi Refining stage absolutely need.
He gave me six tablets made of jade.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: Purification, Flame Ignition, Clear Water, Heavenly Eye, Voice Transmission, and Dust Removal. I've prepared the most basic minor spells.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Jade slips with minor spells? Those are cheap as dirt.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: I'll give you more of what you'll need as your cultivation improves.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Fair enough. It's up to the giver, after all.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: First, press them against your forehead and infuse them with spiritual power.
'Like this?'
Following the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion Master's instructions, I pressed a jade slip to my forehead and infused it with spiritual power.
In an instant, a vast amount of knowledge poured into my mind.
"Hnnng……."
My eyes went unfocused, and drool started trickling from my mouth.
Why was my tongue sticking out, too?
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: You rascal, Pavilion Master! What did you do to the child?!
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: I didn't do anything!
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: If you didn't do anything, why is the child acting like that?
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: Maybe it's because it's her first time.
The chat's about to go crazy.
No, more importantly, was this really the thing to focus on right now?
I hadn't noticed before, but this felt like watching one of those knowledge shorts and going, 'Whoa!'
I'd suddenly figured out how to use Purification.
'I should give it a try.'
I chanted the spell that came to mind.
But it wasn't working very well.
"Grr! Grr! Why isn't this working?"
I flapped my arms as if sweeping my sleeves back, just like I remembered, but it felt like the spell was about to start and then sputtered out.
It was like trying to start an old car.
"Grr! Grr! Grr!"
Then suddenly, I heard the sound of my collar snapping taut in the wind.
ㅡ Poof!
A moment later, something like black powder whooshed out from behind me.
At the same time, I felt incredibly refreshed, as if I'd just stepped out of a nice, warm bath.
My skin felt so soft, and my grimy body had turned bright white in an instant.
"Wow, this is amazing!!"
It had been such a pain just to find a stream to wash up in while I was inside the tower.
And even when I found one, the water was cold.
Whenever I tried to warm it up with the Fireball Technique, I just made it all evaporate.
This was exactly the kind of technique I needed.
"Thank you! I love it!"
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: I'm glad you like it.
But perhaps my reactions hadn't been fair, because the other viewers started grumbling.
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: Why is she so happy over some low-level spell?
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Of course a girl would like being clean.
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: The clothes I gave her cost hundreds of times more than those jade slips.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: It's my turn next. Hurry up and check what I sent you!
Hmm. When the viewers get mad, I should keep quiet and move on.
I quickly checked the item Blood River Patriarch had sent.
"This is…"
What appeared in front of me was an enormous greatsword.
"It was too big to be called a sword. It was enormous, thick, heavy, and crude. It was literally a mace."
Yikes! I said that without even thinking.
No, more importantly, wasn't it way too big?
It looked twice as long as I was.
How was I supposed to use this?
Could I even lift it? The moment I tensed up,
ㅡ Whoooosh!
"Huh?"
It came up in a flash with a whoosh, cutting through the wind.
'Why is this so light?'
It felt like I was just swinging a branch I'd picked up in the mountains.
But the chat seemed to be getting tense again.
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: What the hell is that mad devil giving the child?!
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: Isn't that the Blood-Reversal Sword?
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Patriarch, have you lost your mind? How could you give a demonic sword like that to a child who's only just begun her cultivation?!
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: Don't use that sword. It grows stronger the stronger your opponent is, but it accumulates killing intent. Eventually, it'll turn even its owner into a madman.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Isn't that child going to hunt stronger demonic beasts? Of course she needs a hidden trump card!
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: Even so, how could you give a child such a vicious thing?!
It looked like they really were about to start fighting.
I hurried to calm things down.
"Don't fight, everyone. I don't plan to fight monsters with a sword in person."
Blood River Patriarch seemed to sulk at that.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Tsk. I go out of my way to give you something good, and you don't even know how to appreciate it.
"S-sorry."
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Forget it. If you don't want to use it as a sword, just ride it around.
"What?"
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: It can be used as a flying artifact, so why not ride it?
"Ride the sword?"
Maybe he'd noticed my eyes sparkling, because Blood River Patriarch started typing faster.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Exactly! It's nice and wide, so you can stand on it easily, can't you? You can fly around all you want while standing on top of that sword!
"Really?"
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Really.
"For real?"
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: I said it's for real.
"You're not lying, are you?!"
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Have you been lied to your whole life or something? I'm telling you it's true!
Flying through the sky on a sword.
"Thank you!!!"
Blood River Patriarch finally seemed satisfied by how happy I was, and quieted down.
So, had I received gifts from all the viewers now?
Five Azure Demon King was always AFK, so he was basically a log viewer.
More than that, hadn't I gotten pretty lucky in this life?
I mean, I got to become a hunter, and there were people who helped me like this.
"You all seem like such nice people. Thanks to you, I became a hunter and got all this stuff, too."
I said it in a somewhat heartfelt tone, but nobody said a word.
Why was everyone silent?
I thought that was a pretty moving moment.
Why was the chat so quiet?
Didn't people like embarrassing stuff?
'The chat hadn't frozen.'
Just as I was checking to see if the broadcast had stopped,
a message appeared from Five Azure Demon King, the silent viewer who'd been watching the broadcast without saying a word.
ㄴFive Azure Demon King: Trust these bastards, and they'll harvest your organs.