Chapter 2 (3)
Chapter 2 (3)
From now on, we sit cross-legged facing each other. Once Jang Pyeong starts circulating his internal energy, I have to feel the flow of his Naegi from right beside him.
At first, I thought maybe he'd inject his Naegong into my body to perform the Small Circulation for me, but then I realized, all the characters who did that were masters.
Even in the best light, is there any way a second-rate sect like the Jugeom Sect would have a master of that caliber?
"Alright, let's begin. It's unlikely, but if you feel the energy of the Naegi, circulate it along the meridians I just taught you."
Jang Pyeong told me the locations of the meridians where I needed to circulate the Naegong.
At first, I was worried because the names were unfamiliar, but thanks to the effects of Medical Knowledge 100 and Aptitude 100, I was able to perfectly understand and memorize the locations of the meridians.
Of course, since Gang Byeok didn't really get it and kept asking, I had to waste some time asking follow-up questions too.
After explaining the flow of the meridians, Jang Pyeong entered a state of meditation, and Gang Byeok and I, taking the same posture, closed our eyes to focus.
'But honestly, isn't it a bit of a stretch to ask a 21st-century modern person to feel Naegi? I don't even know what kind of energy it is... uh...?'
Something... I feel a warm energy in my stomach...?
Is this energy Naegi?
Whoa? These things are spreading everywhere and trying to run away!
You little bastards! I gotcha!
I desperately managed to gather the Naegong that was trying to dissipate in all directions into a sphere.
I don't know how this is possible, but for now, I could control this thing according to my will.
Alright. Let's try moving it.
'Oh, it moves. It moves!'
A warm energy, albeit very small, moving through my body.
I moved it along the meridians Jang Pyeong had taught me earlier.
'It's growing, little by little. Plus, this warm energy is stimulating the meridians.'
Is the Naegi growing as it circulates?
Or is it growing because it's stimulating the meridians?
I don't know which comes first yet.
Anyway, moving the Naegi according to my will, I rotated it once through my body via the meridians Jang Pyeong mentioned, then settled it in my lower abdomen.
'Ugh? Something appeared inside my body?'
At the same time, I felt a strange sensation of something growing in my lower abdomen.
And instinctively, I understood.
This is what they call the Dantian.
And the Naegi, which would have spread everywhere and tried to run away if I hadn't put in the effort, became docile once it entered the Dantian.
No, to be precise, it felt like it couldn't escape even if it wanted to because it was trapped inside the Dantian?
"Heh heh heh. You're struggling. How is it? Can't feel anything, right?"
About 30 minutes later, Jang Pyeong, who finished his meditation later than us, chuckled after looking at our expressions.
Even in martial arts novels, there were almost no characters who could feel Naegi in a single day.
The fact that I could do it was probably... thanks to the effects of Aptitude and Talent 100.
Therefore, the reaction I needed to show here was already decided.
"Sigh... I can't even get a grasp on it..."
Gotta bluff.
I'm a fucking super genius! Praise me! Look up to me!
If I go out like that, everyone will try to use me.
In the worst case, they'd try to kill me to 'nip the bud.'
Looking at martial arts novels, old masters always try to nip young talent in the bud when they see it.
It's only natural, right? They've worked hard their whole lives; do they want to hear that they're weaker than a young brat half their age?
Anyway, what power does a low-level player like me have to stop such schemes by Murim standards?
That's why I made a look of genuine disappointment and let my shoulders slump powerlessly.
"Hahahaha! Even Hak Jin-myeong, known as the Dragon of Mount Hua and the greatest talent, took a week to feel Naegi, so it's too greedy to try to feel it in a day!"
"When did you start feeling Naegi, Senior?"
"It took me about three months."
"Th-three months!?"
Fortunately, Gang Byeok and Jang Pyeong were talking without knowing that I had already felt the Naegi and created a Dantian.
Well, even that guy named Hak, who had the grand title of Dragon of Mount Hua, took a week, so they probably wouldn't have expected me to have already mastered martial arts.
"Since I intentionally spread my energy while meditating, keep trying to feel the Naegi here. I'll be back when the Sa-si (9 AM - 11 AM) ends."
It is very difficult for a normal person who couldn't feel Naegi to start feeling it.
That's why even Jang Pyeong, who usually demanded speed with lines like 'Do it faster,' 'Do that too,' 'Why aren't you running?', didn't rush us this time.
"Oh, and occasionally other guys will come to meditate and spread their energy, so don't slack off and stay focused."
"Yes!"
"Yep!"
As Gang Byeok and I answered, Jang Pyeong went outside to practice his martial arts.
Once Jang Pyeong disappeared, Gang Byeok closed his eyes and started struggling desperately to feel the Naegi.
And I focused on continuously circulating the Naegong through the Small Circulation to grow it.
Honestly, I thought Gang Byeok would open his mouth out of boredom after some time passed and he couldn't feel anything, but despite quite a bit of time passing, he was focused solely on trying to feel the Naegi.
He's more desperate than I thought.
Or maybe there's a reason he has to be desperate.
Anyway, it's good for me if he keeps his mouth shut so I can focus.
I pretended to be focused and moved to a spot closer to the wall, facing it.
Now I know why they call it 'wall-facing meditation.'
Since there's only a wall in front of me, I can't see anything else even if I open my eyes, so I can concentrate.
"You're more desperate than I thought?"
Just as I thought. Getting bored now, are we?
Gang Byeok asked as if he were puzzled by my appearance, but I had already prepared a 100-point answer suitable for the situation, just in case.
"I must become a useful person for the Jugeom Sect, which took me in after I lost my memories."
"That's true. Sigh... I need to learn martial arts quickly so I can feed my younger siblings."
"Younger siblings?"
If it's this flow, a younger sister should naturally appear...
"I have two younger brothers. I want to learn martial arts and be a cool older brother..."
User blocked.
From the moment I heard the word 'younger brothers,' I answered Gang Byeok's words half-heartedly and ended the conversation.
Are you naturally this oblivious?
Isn't the flow supposed to be that a younger sister appears at this timing?
You know, a super cute younger sister appears, and, huh? Shouldn't she be here to purify this place that doesn't have even 1% of a woman's scent!
Well, honestly, I wouldn't expect much even if he had a younger sister, given that face.
"Hey. You doing alright?"
Just then, a senior warrior from the Jugeom Sect other than Jang Pyeong came to the training room.
Gang Byeok continued to struggle to feel the Naegi, and I also pretended to try to feel the Naegi while circulating my Naegong to grow its power little by little.
After that, Gang Byeok and I learned Cheonchu Ganggeom, Hojinbo, and Heukranggwon along with training to feel Naegong.
Martial arts like Cheonchu Ganggeom only show their proper power when you have Naegong, but until then, it's about building the foundation, training the body, and taking theoretical classes.
Honestly, I didn't really understand it when I was just learning the forms.
In what fight in the world could you swing a weapon according to the forms?
For example, even just boxing punches vary wildly depending on the situation, so what could be powerful or scary about an attack that moves according to set motions?
But once I actually learned the forms, I understood.
This is a basic manual.
In actual combat, you have to apply these forms, cutting or connecting them to suit the situation.
Gang Byeok and I consistently received martial arts training while doing chores.
It was visible that Gang Byeok was exhausted from moving around to learn martial arts on top of chores, but I, with my Aptitude 100, wasn't that tired.
It was actually harder to pretend to be tired so I wouldn't get caught.
While learning martial arts for a few weeks like that, an event occurred where my intuition shouted, 'This is an opportunity!'
"Hey, Gang Byeok, Jincheon. Doctor Ju needs a hand because he's been going up the mountain to pick herbs for the past few days. One of you needs to follow the Doctor. Who's going?"
A fierce-looking Jugeom Sect warrior, whose face I was now familiar with, called Gang Byeok and me, saying we had to follow Doctor Ju San-pae, who had treated me, to pick herbs.
Since herbs are so expensive, they occasionally go out to gather them directly like this when they're short on funds.
They must have cut the budget while preparing to recruit new warriors.
Naturally, Gang Byeok looked like he really didn't want to go.
For one, he doesn't know much about herbs.
He also has a longing to learn martial arts during that time.
But since there's a senior, it wouldn't be right to just leave it to the youngest.
However, for me, this was a new opportunity.
Go pick herbs -> If I'm lucky, I can get medicinal herbs that boost Naegong -> Steal and eat them -> Woohoo!
"I'll go!"
"Are you sure? We're coming back late in the evening?"
"I thought I would devote myself to the service of the Jugeom Sect that took me in after I lost my memories! This is nothing!"
Even if it's an Evil Faction, they wouldn't be displeased to hear someone say they want to contribute to the sect.
Gang Byeok also sent me a look of goodwill, perhaps because I avoided the annoying task.
"Good. Then head to the infirmary right away. Everything is prepared, so you just need to go."
"Yes!"
I headed straight to the infirmary where I had been treated.
There, a doctor with a large basket was waiting.
"Oh? Is it you?"
"Yes. I'll be helping you this time, Doctor."
"That's good."
The meaning of that 'That's good' must be because, as a doctor, he confirmed my excellent Aptitude while treating me.
In other words, to the doctor's eyes, a healthy and sturdy worker had appeared.
The doctor only had a basket, but I had to bring the iron sword issued to me.
My mission included guarding the doctor while also helping with herb gathering.
Since there were no threatening rivals or organizations in this vicinity, there wasn't much to be wary of, so they must be entrusting the guard duty to a newcomer.
Besides, we had already wiped out the Hosanchae, the only hostile organization, so there was nothing to worry about.
"Let's go then. Because of the Hosanchae issue, the stockpiled herbs have almost run out."
Come to think of it, this is my first time going outside the Jugeom Sect.
Since I've been eating, sleeping, and working inside the Jugeom Sect until now, this is, in a way, my first time going outside.
I grabbed the large basket and my sword, and followed the doctor out of the Jugeom Sect.
As I stepped outside the gate, I was able to see a village of this era for the first time.
Dirty gray-walled buildings, roofs made of roof tiles, floors kicking up dust, and countless people bustling about noisily.
If it were Hangzhou, the famous city of romance in martial arts novels, it would be bigger and flashier than this, right?
The reason Hangzhou popped into my head out of nowhere is that among the various events, there's an event that caught my eye.
I plan to head to Hangzhou once I build up my skills and judge that I won't just get beaten up.
Anyway, Doctor Ju seems to be quite well-known, as some people nodded and greeted him.
Even those who looked like government soldiers.
"It's strange."
"Hmm? What is?"
"If my vaguely remaining memories are correct, they said places ruled by the Evil Factions are no place for people to live... Ah, I'm sorry!"
I blurted out the puzzlement I had been harboring in my head under the name of 'remaining memories.'
Doctor Ju looked at me strangely for a moment, then tilted his head as if asking what I meant.
"That's a story from hundreds of years ago?"
"Hundreds of years...?"
"In the old days, the Evil Factions did exactly as you said. Oppressing with force, taking, and plundering. They were no different from bandits."
The two of us headed to the outskirts of Taewonhyeon.
"But nothing was left after doing that. People all ran away, and because they were poor, there was nothing left to take."
After that, I could naturally predict it even with my eyes closed.
Since they couldn't get money or goods anymore, they had to move to another place, but since the sects already established there wouldn't give up their spot, they had to fight.
And if the power of both sides weakened like that, someone would reap the benefits, and this would repeat, right?
"The history of the Murim is deep. The Evil Factions, having suffered such problems for a long time, realized they couldn't survive with their old methods."
In the end, the Evil Factions changed from plundering like bandits to a gang-like method of receiving protection money while backing merchants.
Among them, large sects directly operate inns, brothels, and shops.
This is similar for the Righteous Factions, too.
Instead, they say this side is a bit gentler.
Because I lost my memories, I didn't receive any suspicion even when asking basic questions.
Every time the protagonists of dimension-hopping stories who enter someone else's body used amnesia as an excuse, I sneered, 'Amnesia again?'
I didn't know I would be the one saying such things, but this guy called amnesia is very convenient.
It's just a panacea.
With this one thing, all other reasons just die out.
If I had stayed inside the Jugeom Sect, it would have been hard to ask freely.
No matter how I think about it, following the doctor was the right answer.