I Am the Successor?

Moreover, his vision was blurring from the excessive blood loss.

He was barely holding onto consciousness, but it felt as if he would faint at any moment.

It was fortunate that this body belonged to a martial artist of the Murim; had it been his original body, he would have died long ago.

‘No. Perhaps the real Seol Ah-heon died right before I possessed him….’

The situation was that dire.

Unless he could get to an emergency room immediately, he had to swallow whatever he could—be it antibiotics, painkillers, or an elixir.

“……I understand.”

Having made up his mind, Seol Ah-heon picked up the Soul-Snow Divine Pill.

The pill was as cold as ice.

His finger bones ached from just a brief touch; he wasn’t sure if it was truly safe to swallow this.

‘Elixirs aren’t something just anyone can take.’

In martial arts novels, weren’t there countless extras who suffered from Qi Deviation because they couldn’t handle the overwhelming energy of an elixir?

As a fellow extra, Seol Ah-heon was worried about his own future.

“Master, can I truly take the Soul-Snow Divine Pill?”

“Who else but you, who has mastered the Ice-White Divine Art, could possibly take it? This master will help you, so do not worry.”

“I-I see.”

“Before that, I shall tell you the recipe for the Soul-Snow Divine Pill once more. It will be the last time, so remember it well.”

Seol Ah-heon perked up his ears.

He doubted he would ever have to craft the Soul-Snow Divine Pill himself, but knowing it might come in handy someday.

Bing So-yu began her explanation.

What the ingredients were, how to combine them….

The recipe was as demanding as its incredible effects.

Perhaps because he was intensely focused, he managed to memorize it all.

“Whew….”

Finishing her explanation, Bing So-yu let out a long breath.

She looked exhausted.

While she had seemed nothing but strong when facing the demons earlier, he realized she might have been pushing herself significantly past her limits.

“Begin.”

“Yes.”

Seol Ah-heon sat in a cross-legged position.

Naturally, he had zero experience taking an elixir.

However, what he had read in martial arts novels was not a small amount.

‘Everyone does it like this. Is this right…?’

Closing his eyes, he tried to suppress the anxiety in his chest.

He steadied his breathing, not because he was attempting an internal cultivation technique, but to calm his mind.

Finally, the moment he swallowed the Soul-Snow Divine Pill, a terrifying chill flowed down his oesophagus.

It was so cold it felt hot.

It felt as if he had swallowed blue fire and icicles at the same time.

As he struggled, not knowing what to do, Bing So-yu placed her hand on Seol Ah-heon’s back.

The pain became even more intense.

The cold air raced madly through his meridians and across his entire body.

In truth, this was because Bing So-yu had begun the process of Guiding Qi.

However, Seol Ah-heon didn’t know that.

He truly knew nothing.

He didn’t know she was helping him with his breathing exercises, nor that she was trying to transfer her own internal energy to him.

All he could feel was agonizing pain.

‘……Aaaagh!’

Regret that he had made the wrong choice washed over him, but there was no way to turn back.

Seol Ah-heon trembled like a person being electrocuted before blacking out.

************************************

Suddenly, he remembered when he first encountered <The Chronicles of Mount Hua>.

He was in his second year of middle school.

It was the loneliest period of his life.

There were no adults acting like adults around Seol Ah-heon.

His mess of parents and relatives, and a homeroom teacher who turned a blind eye even though they knew he was being bullied.

He could trust and follow no one.

Day by day, the thought that ‘the world is a giant trash can’ only grew stronger.

In those days, Seol Ah-heon read genre fiction voraciously as a means of escaping reality.

Then one day, <The Chronicles of Mount Hua>, which he had picked up without much expectation, completely changed his outlook on life.

The summary of Volume 1 was as follows:

‘I, the black sheep of the family, turned out to be a martial arts genius?!’

The problem was that the protagonist, Kang Seon, suffered and suffered until he discovered his hidden talent.

The descriptions were so vivid it made one shudder just reading them.

Seol Ah-heon opened Volume 2, hoping for the protagonist’s happiness.

However, even in Volume 2, the protagonist’s hardships never ended.

As soon as he finally entered the Mount Hua Sect, he was bullied by his fellow disciples; after finally reconciling with them, he was misunderstood by another sect.

At this point, one had to assume the world was jealous of his talent and was dealing him trials.

Similar things continued in Volume 3, Volume 4, and Volume 5.

As soon as a current problem was solved, a more serious incident would break out.

Despite everything, the protagonist did not despair.

Amidst endless trials and adversity, Kang Seon steadfastly maintained his sense of justice.

He fearlessly stood up to the unjust powerful and protected the weak from them.

If he saw someone in need, he would roll up his sleeves and step in.

Even though he was just a fictional character, Seol Ah-heon found Kang Seon remarkable.

How could he live so steadfastly?

He had experienced countless painful things; his spirit could have easily been broken.

It was more than admirable; it was wondrous.

When he finally closed the pages of <The Chronicles of Mount Hua>, Seol Ah-heon respected Kang Seon.

Is this what it feels like to fall in love?

The world seemed to reorganize itself around him.

‘I want to become a person like that.’

From that day on, Seol Ah-heon took Kang Seon as his role model.

Among the adults who were like exam papers filled with wrong answers, Kang Seon was his only answer sheet.

Seol Ah-heon worked tirelessly to become a righteous person like Kang Seon.

Of course, he was weak, but what mattered was the heart that pursued righteousness (or so Kang Seon said).

Was that why?

The way his body had moved on its own right before a speeding truck hit a young child.

The moment he faced the headlights, he snapped to his senses.

Since he wasn’t a martial artist like Kang Seon, he would die instantly upon being hit by the truck.

Even so, he didn’t regret it.

‘I’m glad I could save this child before I go.’

With that final thought, the world went dark.

When he woke up, he was being chased by assassins, escaped with Bing So-yu’s help, ate the elixir, and then….

**********************************

“……Huff!”

His breath broke through like that of a newborn baby.

Cold air rushed into his lungs.

He was sick of the cold now.

Seol Ah-heon sat up, shivering.

“Ah….”

The first thing he saw was Bing So-yu, collapsed like a handful of snow.

Seol Ah-heon approached her hesitantly.

She looked frail and ephemeral, a far cry from her moniker “Ice-Blood Demon Queen.”

Above all, he couldn’t feel any vitality from her.

‘Has her life truly reached its end….’

Carefully, he placed a finger under her nose.

She wasn’t breathing.

Seol Ah-heon realized Bing So-yu was dead.

He wasn’t surprised.

In the original work, Bing So-yu was destined to die early on.

Still, having received great help from her, he felt a mix of emotions.

Seol Ah-heon laid her down properly.

Then, he awkwardly clasped his hands together and prayed for her soul.

“I lived thanks to you. I hope you go to a good place.”

Had he been the real Seol Ah-heon, he would have been heartbroken as if his intestines were being torn apart, but he wasn’t.

She might have been a good master to her disciple, but the Ice-Blood Demon Queen, Bing So-yu, was one of the Five Great Villains.

She must have committed numerous evil deeds in her life.

‘I hope you live a kind life in the next one….’

Seol Ah-heon added silently in his heart.

Regardless, he was the problem now, more than Bing So-yu.

Evading the Demonic Cult’s pursuit last night was a stroke of luck, but there was no guarantee luck would continue to follow him.

Eventually, he would encounter the cultists.

“To survive, I need a way to protect myself….”

His only hope was the Soul-Snow Divine Pill.

True to its reputation as a legendary elixir, he felt power overflowing from his body.

No, would it be more accurate to call it energy rather than power?

At any rate, it was distinctly different from when he first possessed Seol Ah-heon.

He moved his limbs as a test.

They felt light, as if they didn’t belong to him (well, they technically didn’t).

They were fast, yet became heavy when he applied force.

‘At this rate, I might be able to escape safely.’

In the first place, “Ice Block Seol Ah-heon” wasn’t a weak person.

It was just that his opponents happened to be assassins from the Demonic Cult; given he had earned the moniker “Ice Block,” his martial arts couldn’t be ordinary.

Hadn’t Bing So-yu said it? That he had mastered the Ice-White Divine Art.

With the addition of the Soul-Snow Divine Pill, evading the Demonic Cult’s pursuit wasn’t just a dream.

“Alright. Let’s give it a try.”

Seol Ah-heon clenched his fists and made up his mind.

He couldn’t live in this cave forever.

He intended to muster his courage and step outside.

**************************

 ‘Still, I didn’t think I’d be caught this easily….’