Although reluctantly, Gu Ryeon agreed to her request, but there was no way he was going to leave the man who had tried to defile Seol unpunished.
From that day onward, true hell was unleashed upon Mu Jin.
Rumors spread among the third-generation disciples that Mu Jin had tried to force himself upon female disciples.
He was despised by his peers and subjected to both physical and mental torment under Gu Ryeon's command.
To maintain his image as a kind and upright disciple, Gu Ryeon rarely involved himself directly. Instead, he operated from the shadows, using third-generation disciples like Seok Jin to carry out the torment.
And now, the very people who had pushed the previous Mu Jin to the death stood before the current Mu Jin.
"Oho~ I almost didn't recognize you," Ryeon said, a smirk curling on his face. "You look in good health."
'This damn body. How dare it control my emotions,' Mu Jin muttered inwardly, forcefully bringing himself under control before replying, "Since Brother Ryeon is taking such good care of me, it is only natural that I have become healthier."
Turning to Eon Seol, he continued with a warm smile on his face, "You have become even more beautiful, Sister Seol."
His words immediately triggered a reaction from both Ryeon and Seol.
Seol could not help but feel flustered by Mu Jin's charming smile. He no longer had sunken cheeks or a frail body, and his transformed appearance had greatly enhanced his otherworldly radiance. Meanwhile, Ryeon looked visibly irritated, his brows furrowing and veins bulging on his forehead at Mu Jin's boldness in flirting with Seol right in front of him.
He stepped closer to Mu Jin and whispered in suppressed anger, "I heard you have begun training and even bared your little fangs at my junior brothers."
He was referring to Seok Jin and his friends, who had been bullying Mu Jin under Ryeon's orders.
"You must have forgotten your place after gaining a little insight into the martial world," Ryeon continued. "Come to the apple garden within two hours."
He stepped back and gave a warm smile to the third-generation disciples who had gathered around them.
It was rare for second-generation disciples to visit the court of third-generation disciples.
"Kyaa!!! Brother Ryeon just smiled at us."
"He looks as handsome as ever, but who is the disciple standing before him? His features far surpass even Brother Ryeon."
"Look at those golden eyes. Isn't he Mu Jin?"
"Mu Jin? I know he was handsome, but when did he become so manly?"
"He is the most charming man I have ever seen."
The third-generation female disciples murmured among themselves, unaware that both Ryeon and Mu Jin could clearly hear them.
Unable to tolerate being compared to Mu Jin, Ryeon left the court with hurried steps.
"Do you have something to tell me?" Mu Jin asked Seol, who was still captivated by his appearance.
"N-no, I don't," she replied before rushing after Ryeon.
---
After the unforeseen encounter with Park Nari and the bullies of his former self, Mu Jin returned to the main hall of the third-generation disciples.
The hall was empty since all the disciples were out at the training ground, where they were being taught the Sect's swordsmanship by second-generation disciples.
Although it was mandatory for all third-generation disciples to be trained by them, no one informed Mu Jin about the training. Gu Ryeon had told everyone that he was personally training Mu Jin.
He did this to ensure that Mu Jin would never learn any of the Sect's techniques and would never become a martial artist.
However, for the current Mu Jin, it was more of a blessing in disguise. There was no way that one of the greatest martial artists of Jianghu would learn anything from children who were still wet behind the ears.
Inside the hall, Mu Jin stood before the mirror hanging on the wall and murmured, "Let me see what that strange vision was."
He once again channeled his Inner Qi into his eyes. The moment he did, the faint golden hue of his eyes turned molten gold. His pupils transformed into vertical slits, and intricate, ethereal patterns appeared within them.
"N-no way!" he exclaimed, immediately cutting off the flow of Qi. Only one second had passed, and nearly all of his Inner Qi had been consumed.
It did not take more than a moment for Mu Jin to recognize this transformation. This was the very treasure that had caused him to be hunted for ten years before he was ultimately killed in his previous life.
"Th-these are the Dragon Eyes, one of the Four Heavenly Treasures," Mu Jin murmured, his lips parting in disbelief. "But they were absorbed into my eyes before I died. Did they bind to my soul instead of my body?"
That was the only logical explanation for his possession of the Dragon Eyes. When his soul transmigrated into this body, the eyes must have followed.
"Tch, things have become annoyingly troublesome," Mu Jin muttered, facepalming.
If anyone recognized this heavenly treasure, he would once again be hunted by martial artists across Jianghu.
He had no desire to relive the nightmare of his previous life. Still, that did not mean he would refrain from using these eyes.
Now that he possessed one of the Four Heavenly Treasures, he simply needed to be cautious in using it and grow strong enough to ensure he would not be hunted even if its existence was revealed.
"I need to increase my Inner Qi," Mu Jin sighed, taking out the pouch Park Nari had given him.
He untied it, revealing a brown-colored pill inside.
It was a Qi-Gathering Pill that, upon successful absorption, could grant five years' worth of Qi. It was something a third-generation disciple could never even dream of obtaining.
However, it only worked for martial artists. If an ordinary person like Mu Jin attempted to absorb it, his body would instantly explode, unable to withstand the immense energy contained within.
He tied the pouch again, shaking his head. "There is no need to rush. First, I need to absorb Yin Qi to reach the realm of a third-rate martial artist."
There were several ways to absorb Yin Qi. He could absorb the natural Qi present at night, which carried a slight Yin attribute in the darkness, but it contained only a minimal amount of Yin energy. His understanding of dual cultivation was far too shallow to properly refine Yin Qi from it.
Until he reached a certain level, he needed to absorb pure Yin Qi to avoid suffering any adverse effects from impurities.
He stepped outside the hall and made his way to the open training ground, where all the third-generation disciples were lined up in multiple rows. Each of them held blunt steel swords and followed the movements of the second-generation disciple standing on a slightly elevated platform before them.
Mu Jin greeted the second-generation disciple and walked toward a tree at the edge of the training ground.
His arrival surprised both his fellow disciples and his senior. Not only had his appearance transformed within a single day, but his demeanor and the way he carried himself had also completely changed.
What surprised them the most, however, was his presence on the training ground. He would only appear there on sparring days, where he would be one-sidedly beaten by Seok Jin and his friends, or when he was assigned to clean the place.
Today was neither.
Ignoring the curious gazes directed at him, he sat cross-legged beneath the tree and began absorbing the Natural Qi to replenish his dantian, which had been completely drained due to activating the Dragon Eyes twice.
It took him nearly three hours to recover the pitiful amount of Inner Qi he had lost in the blink of an eye.
"Hah... how embarrassing," Mu Jin sighed as he opened his eyes, a slight headache forming from even such mild meditation.
He rose to his feet and murmured, "Am I forgetting something?"
Just as he was about to move, a sharp voice called out from behind him,
"Mu Jin! How dare you disobey my order?"
The voice belonged to Ryeon, whose pupils had shrunk in anger. He had been waiting for Mu Jin in the apple garden for the past hour.
"Oh, so this was what I was forgetting…"