Na Rin felt an ominous feeling and focused her attention on the ‘See More’ section.

Then a small note appeared before her eyes, explaining additional information.

[Q. What is children’s metamorphosis?

A. Incomplete metamorphosis experienced in childhood when physical growth is not complete. The temporarily acquired ability scores can be converted into formal ability scores through training within a set time limit.

Tip. Please note that reapplication is difficult if the conversion deadline expires.]

What kind of bolt from the blue is this?

Na Rin, who had been staggering while crouched down, plopped down on the dirt floor.

“Huuung! I’m ruined! How can I raise my ability scores by 100 each in 5 years!”

It wasn’t unreasonable for Na Rin to feel wronged.

If she had taken the spirit medicine as an adult, she would have gained the ability scores for free, but because she got them as a child, they put a ‘temporary’ label on them.

If she had known this, she would have saved the spirit medicine and taken it as an adult!

Creak!

“Young miss. Is something wrong?”

It was the diligent maid who had gone out to take care of Wek Wek a little while ago.

She seemed worried after hearing Na Rin shouting loudly.

But who could she tell about this injustice and anguish?

Na Rin let out a deep sigh and shook her head.

“It’s nothing…”

“If that’s the case, I’m relieved. The medicinal bath is ready, so I’ll escort you back to the bathroom.”

Na Rin went back to the bathroom and soaked in the medicinal bath prepared to remove the foul smell, and was scrubbed until the smell of flesh turned into the scent of flowers.

After the bath that lasted for over two hours.

“Lord Jiguk Cheonwang. I have brought the young miss.”

−Let her in.

Two maids opened the sliding doors on both sides.

A spacious private room decorated with blue silk and gold accents.

Gong Son Wu was sitting in the middle, examining a thin, long stick.

“…Uncle. I’m here.”

“Yes. Come closer.”

As Na Rin approached cautiously, Gong Son Wu said with a warm smile on his face.

“Are you ready to be caned?”

[This is the timeline separator]

The Blue Dragon squad members couldn’t forget the scene they saw that day.

It was impressive, like a scene from a mythology, with a five-colored whirlwind sweeping through the small room and Gong Son Wu standing in the center, lifting Na Rin as if receiving a divine revelation.

‘Surely something extraordinary happened.’

The Blue Dragon squad members who believed this without a doubt had to rub their eyes again not long after.

The moment of miraculous metamorphosis.

Na Rin, who looked like a child of god, was now being caned like an ordinary troublemaker child here in Dongcheon Palace.

Whack!

“One.”

Whack!

“Two.”

Whack!

“Three.”

“Agh, stop it!”

Gong Son Wu threw another broken branch onto the mountain-like pile of hundreds of canes and turned his head in annoyance. Na Rin, who was standing with her skirt lifted, glanced back and asked.

“I thought you were going to cane me.”

“You speak well. Your calves are fine and only my arm hurts, so how is this a punishment? Metamorphosis is a nuisance.”

Gong Son Wu pinched Na Rin’s nose as if she was annoying.

“Ow! Owww…!”

“I can’t use internal energy to cane you, and this… just! What are you all looking at! Get out!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

The Blue Dragon squad members who were secretly watching Na Rin being scolded ran out of Dongcheon Palace in a hurry.

Even while drinking the tea prepared to calm his mind, Gong Son Wu’s sharp gaze over the cup glared at Na Rin, who smiled mischievously.

“Hehe.”

It was a complete reversal of the situation.

Until yesterday, Na Rin had been treating Gong Son Wu, who had been flustered and trying to please her, with a cold attitude, but now she was addressing him with an infinitely humble posture.

“You’re laughing now?”

“I can’t cry, can I? You spared my life after all.”

“Because I can’t kill you!”

Na Rin shrank at Gong Son Wu’s thunderous shout.

Is there anyone who gets scolded like this even after metamorphosis?

“Now I see. You stubbornly refused to have your pulse checked because you were afraid your internal energy would be discovered?”

Flinch.

It was a gesture that seemed certain she knew her guilt but kept her mouth shut.

Seeing that, Gong Son Wu’s anger rose even more.

“With 2 gapja of internal energy in your lower dantian, why were you so greedy for spirit medicine! And I, who didn’t know and spent two hours struggling to steam the Mannyeonhwari, what does that make me!”

“I’m sorry…”

“I barely managed to salvage that, and then you use internal energy to slam into your upper dantian? Are you crazy to die?”

“I’m really sorry…”

Gong Son Wu muttered, shaking his head.

“How much energy did you use for such a young thing to turn your hair white… Aish.”

Her hair was originally white.

Na Rin couldn’t bring herself to say that and just pouted her lips.

“Tell me the truth about your origins. Don’t try to cover it up thinking I won’t believe you. Right now, I feel like I’d believe you even if you said you were a divine child from the celestial realm.”

“I’m actually a divine child from the celestial realm.”

Thwack!

A thump landed on Na Rin’s head.

“Don’t be cheeky.”

“Ow… You said you’d believe me…”

How petty to use internal energy for a head thump!

Na Rin pouted her lips and rubbed her head where she felt a dull pain.

Thinking paradoxically that although she deserved to be hit, there was no need to actually hit her.

“If you talk nonsense again, I’ll hit you twice as hard, so keep that in mind.”

“…What do you want to know?”

“Let’s start with internal energy first. How could you possibly have 2 gapja at your age?”

Ah. That’s easy.

Na Rin answered confidently.

“I ate Jasodan.”

“Jasodan? You mean spirit pills?”

“That’s right.”

“Spirit pills would be precious in any sect. How did you get them?”

“My master gave them to me.”

“You have a master?”

Na Rin nodded vigorously, recalling memories from her past life.

The day when Elder Hyeon Baek first acted as Na Rin’s master.

When the sect leader, who didn’t want to give the Jasodan, made all kinds of excuses, Hyeon Baek shouted, ‘If you truly care for Hwasan, it’s better for Na Rin to eat it than for senior brother to eat it!’

‘Hehehe! I felt so good then.’

Na Rin, the ill-fated genius who had to be mistreated despite having the most outstanding talent.

The elation Na Rin felt when she received the Jasodan, beating all the promising disciples of a generation, was something that couldn’t be exchanged for billions.

‘Well, I was only moved the first time though.’

Unlike the living Mannyeonhwari, Jasodan is a mass-produced item.

Just before the war with the Evil Sect, Hwasan Sect was the number one in the martial arts world, beating even Wudang Sect and Shaolin Temple, so of course they had made many Jasodan.

They ran out as they kept using them up whenever Hwasan Sect was in crisis…

Most of them entered Na Rin’s mouth and continued to her next life, so it could be said they served their purpose.

While Na Rin was deep in thoughts about the past.

Gong Son Wu exhaled a low breath as if he finally understood.

“So you’re a disciple from the righteous martial arts world.”

He did think

The Evil Sect cut off exchanges with the Central Plains long ago. For better or worse.

The righteous martial arts world had a significant influence on this situation, and as a result, the Evil Sect and the martial arts world have been pointing their spear tips at each other for over 100 years without touching.

‘Can this child truly become a member of the Evil Sect?’

She’s already been baptized by the righteous sects.

It wouldn’t be surprising if at some point she said she couldn’t accept the Evil Sect’s doctrines and wanted to return to the Central Plains.

Ju Na Rin carefully spoke to Gong Son Wu, who had lowered his head as if facing a difficult problem.

“Well, I’m not exactly a formal disciple…”

“Huh…?”

“Something between being a disciple and not being one, I guess you could say.”

“You mean you’re a lay disciple?”

“A bit less than that…”

Ju Na Rin scratched her head as if it was difficult to explain.

It wasn’t unreasonable.

How could she make him understand that she was a disciple in her past life but not now?

Watching Ju Na Rin like this, a light came on in Gong Son Wu’s eyes as if a lamp had been lit.

‘This kid, could it be!’

Gong Son Wu exclaimed with certainty.

“You, you were expelled from your sect!”

Expelled!

This time, Ju Na Rin’s face was colored with shock.

“Why would I be expelled! If anyone did the expelling, it would be me!”

“How else could your story make sense? You received spirit pills but you’re not even a lay disciple? Even though I don’t know much about Central Plains affairs, I know that doesn’t add up.”

“Actually, that was a lie. I just happened to dig up some ginseng in the mountains…”

“That’s the lie! That is!”

Gong Son Wu pressed his finger against Ju Na Rin’s forehead and pushed.

‘How insulting! Why should I be treated like an expelled disciple?’

Ju Na Rin’s lips protruded three feet.

How could it be expulsion?

I am the Blood Plum Blossom Ju Na Rin.

I’m the one who saved… well, couldn’t save the righteous martial arts world from hell, but still achieved great merit! Although I can’t openly say that most of that great merit was ‘killing Evil Sect members’.

“How did you get expelled?”

“I’m telling you, I wasn’t expelled.”

“You’re being stubborn.”

Gong Son Wu clicked his tongue at Ju Na Rin.

‘The master must have stolen spirit pills to feed his disciple. They were caught and both master and disciple were expelled together.’

Gong Son Wu nodded as if he had a rough picture in his mind.

Given that the guide brought Ju Na Rin as a new sect member, it’s likely that the so-called master is no longer in this world. The punishment for stealing spirit pills that increase internal energy by 2 gapja wouldn’t have been light.

‘Then her former sect probably doesn’t know Na Rin is alive.’

If they knew, they wouldn’t have expelled a disciple who had eaten the spirit pills.

Perhaps the Jasodan was treated as lost?

If his thoughts were correct, there wouldn’t be much restriction on Ju Na Rin living as a member of the Evil Sect.

After all, the Evil Sect and Central Plains haven’t exchanged information for over 100 years, so there won’t be any stories going back and forth between them.

‘If necessary, I can take care of it myself.’

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“No. This is enough.”

It didn’t matter if this wasn’t all the secrets Ju Na Rin held.

The position of Guardian of the Evil Sect had enough power to cover up most flaws.

Gong Son Wu said as he reheated the cooled tea with his Three Marvels True Fire.

“It’s late, so go back to the Bright Palace now. I need to sort out the martial arts halls you’ll be attending from now on.”

“…? What do you mean by martial arts halls?”

“Why, do you prefer the Sword King Hall?”

Ju Na Rin said with a face that showed she didn’t understand at all.

“I don’t plan on becoming a martial artist. I’m going to get a job at the library.”

“Haha! What a joke.”

“I’m serious.”

Ju Na Rin explained that she had originally intended to work at the library, so she first entered the school as a lay person.

After hearing the story, Gong Son Wu asked back with a dumbfounded expression.

“So your plan is to study at the school, pass the library employment test, and live as a librarian in the future?”

“That’s right.”

“But you have 2 gapja of internal energy?”

“It’s 4 gapja.”

“Pfft!”

Ju Na Rin stepped slightly to the side to avoid the hot tea that Gong Son Wu spit out.

“W-what, what?”

“4 gapja.”

Ju Na Rin held up four fingers like a child saying ‘I’m four years old!’