It was astonishing how each of those chubby little fingers represented one level of inner energy.

“Your inner energy is at the fourth level? But I’m at the fourth level!”

“You’re stronger than I thought.”

“Of course! I’m the Guardian of the Law!”

It was nice to see Gong Son Wu’s usually stern expression crumble today.

Na Rin puffed out her chest with a proud face and made an “ahem!” sound.

Gong Son Wu couldn’t believe it, so he grabbed Na Rin’s wrist to check her pulse.

‘This is crazy! Doesn’t she have more inner energy than the Cult Leader when he was young?’

He had seen all sorts of monsters in his life.

Gong Son Wu let out a sigh, pressing his temples as if his head was complicated.

‘Fourth level at the age of four.’

He thought he could handle up to the second level.

Of course, it wasn’t an easy task, but with the authority of the Guardian of the Law and the power of the Eastern Sky Palace, he could watch over Na Rin. He thought she might have reached the third level after eating the Thousand Year Fire Pear, but he thought he could get help from Dokgo Cheon then.

But the fourth level. Honestly, he wasn’t confident.

‘Unless there’s a definite connection.’

Gong Son Wu glanced at Na Rin.

Aside from the fact that she swallowed fourth level inner energy at a young age, she was no ordinary child.

She was a bit cheeky, but she was smart and had guts. The fact that she sparred with the emotionless Dokgo Cheon and didn’t die meant she definitely had considerable martial arts skills.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Sigh.”

Gong Son Wu let out a deep sigh.

This wasn’t the seat he left empty to make a decision in a flash like roasting beans.

But what can you do.

‘I’m not confident I can find a better child than this.’

Gong Son Wu, who had made up his mind, said,

“Na Rin.”

“Yes, elder brother.”

“How about taking me as your master?”

Na Rin’s eyes grew round at the sudden suggestion, blinking and blinking.

“Elder brother wants to be my master?”

“Yes. The Guardian of the Law wouldn’t be a bad backing for you.”

Hmm. That’s true.

An extraordinary promotion to being the Cult Leader’s apprentice within a year of joining the cult.

Na Rin, who was unintentionally taking a path that drew attention, didn’t have a reliable backing.

That’s the case now, but a solid backing is essential if she wants to live as the Cult Leader’s daughter someday, so taking Gong Son Wu as her master is clearly not a bad choice.

There’s also a huge herb field that can be harvested at any time, and he’s the second most powerful person in the cult.

But…

Na Rin looked at Gong Son Wu with suspicious eyes and thought,

‘What great teachings can he give when we’re both at the fourth level?’

If she’s going to take a master, she’d prefer a master of spiritual power.

But realistically, the Cult Leader wouldn’t take a commoner as his disciple.

‘But I’ll check just in case.’

Na Rin straightened her posture and asked with a determined face,

“Can I ask you just one thing before I answer?”

“I’m anxious, but go ahead.”

“Is there any chance of me becoming the Cult Leader’s disciple?”

“You…! Don’t tell me you were weighing me against the Cult Leader!”

Gong Son Wu made a shocked face, but Na Rin just shrugged her shoulders with a brazen face.

‘Tsk. No wonder she’s not accepting easily.’

Still, Gong Son Wu couldn’t blame Na Rin.

If her inner energy was at the fourth level at that age, it wasn’t entirely impossible for her to become the Cult Leader’s disciple. Moreover, isn’t Na Rin the only person who can draw out emotions from Dokgo Cheon?

‘Given the Cult Leader’s personality, there’s no way he’d really take a disciple, but…’

The problem is that Na Rin’s existence could be revealed in the process.

She’s at the fourth level at the mere age of four. It’s obvious that there will be people coveting her.

If Na Rin’s heart changes, who will suffer the loss?

‘It’s me who fed her spiritual medicine to make her reach the fourth level, letting someone else’s disciple eat it!’

It wouldn’t matter if it ended there.

What if Na Rin becomes the disciple of another Guardian of the Law, or worst case scenario, a disciple of the Cult Existence Faction?

If those who wish for Dokgo Cheon’s illness not to be cured get Na Rin, the rest is obvious.

For Gong Son Wu, it would be like losing the clue to the cure he had barely found right in front of his eyes.

“Ahem. The Cult Leader has no talent for teaching.”

Therefore, Gong Son Wu had to get a definite answer from Na Rin on the spot.

“He’s blunt by nature, so he can’t look after his disciples carefully, and he doesn’t know how to make decent jokes either. Also, he can’t understand when others can’t do what he can do, so he’s always making unreasonable demands.”

Even if it means bad-mouthing Cheon Ma Dokgo Cheon, his only friend and the Cult Leader!

“…Are you badmouthing the Cult Leader right now?”

“I’m just stating facts. You’ve crossed swords with him, so you should know, right?”

Na Rin thought for a moment and nodded her head.

Even at best, she didn’t think Dokgo Cheon would make a good teacher.

‘Honestly, what kind of sparring was that? It was a fight to the death.’

She barely escaped with her life after sparring with the spiritual power instructor, without gaining or learning anything. And honestly, it’s because it was her, so she only got a few scratches. If it were someone else, they might not have even been able to save their life.

Na Rin, who had made up her mind, said vigorously,

“Alright! From today, I will take elder brother Gong Son as my master!”

“…I have doubts about whether this is a good thing, but okay.”

Na Rin put her hands together in front of Gong Son Wu and performed a bow, signifying the establishment of the master-disciple relationship.

It was the moment when the Eastern Guardian of the Law, Jiguk Cheonwang, took in his first disciple.

“Your hair has turned white.”

That was Dokgo Cheon’s impression upon seeing Na Rin, who had turned white-haired overnight.

“Yes. I went through a great transformation.”

Na Rin took a big bite of the skewered lamb, dipping it in the seasoning powder, and pulled it out sideways.

Munch munch. Mm. Delicious.

‘The best thing about coming to the palace is that the food tastes better.’

For Na Rin, who had lived ten times but never lived comfortably, the luxurious dining table of the palace was quite pleasing.

Dokgo Cheon silently looked at Na Rin, who was sitting on his lap and eating deliciously for a long time, then carefully opened his mouth.

“…Great transformation?”

A great transformation refers to the phenomenon where a highly skilled master’s body itself changes to a physique more suitable for practicing martial arts in order to digest the great inner energy and enlightenment they have gained when reaching a high level.

It was not a realm that a young child could reach, even as a joke.

Na Rin swallowed the meat she was munching on and said,

“Elder brother Gong Son gave me a spiritual medicine.”

Dokgo Cheon nodded his head as if it made sense after hearing Na Rin’s explanation of the circumstances.

The conditions for a great transformation are opening the two main meridians (referring to the Ren and Du meridians) and the mysterious gate of life and death (opening the Baihui acupoint at the top of the head to directly receive heavenly energy, synonymous with opening the upper dantian).

‘The two meridians were probably already open from the beginning.’

Dokgo Cheon, who had directly sparred with her, had a rough idea of Na Rin’s achievements.

If she ate a good spiritual medicine in that state, it was quite possible to open the mysterious gate with inner energy even if her enlightenment was somewhat lacking.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you. Oh, by the way, I became elder brother Gong Son’s disciple. I’ll be at the Eastern Sky Palace during the day.”

“Wu took a disciple?”

“Yes. It’s me.”

Dokgo Cheon looked more surprised than when he heard that Na Rin had undergone a great transformation.

Na Rin replied as if it was no big deal, but this was not a light matter.

Although all the Guardians of the Law are close to the Cult Leader, there can’t be no power struggles between the four people with similar positions.

The three Guardians of the Law, excluding Gong Son Wu, had practically finished sorting out their ranks.

The Northern Guardian Bi Sa Mun Cheon had allied with the Western Gwang Mok Cheon, leading a powerful army to make the Southern Jeung Jang Cheon kneel.

If Gong Son Wu hadn’t intervened at the last moment, the Southern Sky Palace would have become a subordinate of the Northern Sky Palace.

In the Cult of the Strong, it is not a flaw to overpower the opponent with strength.

Nevertheless, Bi Sa Mun Cheon and Gwang Mok Cheon could not overpower the smallest Eastern Sky Palace.

Ironically, the reason was because of power.

‘Gong Son Wu maintained a delicate balance.’

The Northern Sky Palace that raised an army. The Western Sky Palace that seized politics. The Southern Sky Palace that received the people’s support.

All of them formed forces incomparably larger than the Eastern Sky Palace.

However, the Cult of the Strong cannot be judged solely by the size of forces.

In the end, they may have to engage in one-on-one martial arts duels, and who is Gong Son Wu?

He is literally the second best under heaven.

When it comes to individual martial prowess, he is the unrivaled figure among all the cult members except for the Cult Leader.

Given the characteristics of the Cult Leader faction that values martial arts, it wouldn’t be easy to see someone being labeled as ‘weaker than someone else’ in any way.

‘He deliberately didn’t increase the power of the Eastern Sky Palace and refrained from taking disciples to prevent the other Guardians of the Law from taking the initiative.’

That’s why it’s a paradox.

The weakest Eastern Sky Palace and the strongest Guardian of the Law.

Na Rin’s existence was a move that shattered the delicate balance Gong Son Wu had created in an instant.

“Cult Leader?”

“…No. It’s not something you need to worry about. The soup will get cold.”

“Ah. I cooled it down on purpose.”

Na Rin smiled brightly and blew on the bowl of soup before drinking it.

Dokgo Cheon supported the bottom of the bowl, which was large compared to Na Rin’s hands, to prevent it from falling and asked,

“By the way, are you going to keep your hair like that?”

“Hair? Ah!”

Na Rin was puzzled for a moment, then realized he was talking about the color of her hair that had turned white.

‘Hmm. It’s bothersome to dye it.’

Since there’s a plausible excuse of a great transformation, can’t I just go around like this?

Na Rin put down the bowl, turned her body, and looked straight at the face of the man who had her on his lap.

“Can’t I just leave it?”

“It’s not that you can’t, but there are people in the world who view anything different from themselves in a bad light for no reason. You should avoid attracting unnecessary trouble because of your noticeable hair color.”

Well, that’s true.

No one knows better than Na Rin how much white hair is looked down upon.

But isn’t it a bit ironic for you to say that?

Na Rin retorted,

“But Cult Leader, you have white hair too.”

“So who would dare to harm me?”

Ah. There’s no way that would happen.

Even if Dokgo Cheon was completely bald, let alone having white hair, no one would dare to pick a fight with him. Unless they had a death wish.

Na Rin asked,

“Then what about your children?”

“My children?”

“Yes. Cult Leader’s children.”

Na Rin recalled the phrase ‘the Cult Leader’s lost youngest daughter’ she had seen in the previous notification window.

If there’s a youngest, doesn’t that mean there’s also an eldest and a second child?

But Dokgo Cheon still asked back as if he couldn’t understand Na Rin’s question.

“What about my children?”

“Wouldn’t they have white hair?”

“No, they don’t.”

This time, Na Rin’s head tilted in confusion.

“Why?”

I was born with white hair!

These words nearly came out of her mouth, but Na Rin held them back.

Seeing the confused Na Rin, Dokgo Cheon laughed as if she was cute.

“I wasn’t born with white hair either. It turned this way because of a certain incident. So naturally, my children don’t have the same hair color as me. Is your curiosity satisfied?”

“Hmm, yes… Well…”

She answered yes for the sake of the atmosphere, but Na Rin’s mind was in a whirlpool of confusion.

‘If it’s not hereditary, why was I born with white hair? Did I take after my mother’s side? What on earth happened?’

At times like this, it would be nice if the status window provided additional explanations, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

Dokgo Cheon looked at Na Rin, who was groaning and agonizing, and gently said,

“Are you going to dye your hair?”

He’s persistent.

Na Rin firmly stabbed the lamb skewer into the red seasoning and said resolutely,

“No.”

Na Rin’s body trembled as she stuffed the lamb into her mouth in one bite.

Ack! It’s spicy! Tears welled up in her eyes.

She got angry for no reason and ended up tormenting her innocent tongue.

“Alright.”

A faint smile spread across Dokgo Cheon’s lips as he lifted his teacup.

That night, the strikingly similar white-haired father and daughter fell asleep on the same bed.