Chapter 11: Youth Passes Easily, but Learning takes a Lifetime
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 11: Youth Passes Easily, but Learning takes a Lifetime
February.
Winter had arrived, and the wind bit like a blade.
In the training grounds of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall, approximately fifty students stood in disciplined rows and columns. At the instructor’s command, they began practicing the Warm Wind Secret.
The Warm Wind Secret was a mental cultivation method created by Lee Yu-baek. It was simpler and more stable than the Soft Willow Art. While the trade-off was slower progress and less depth, it was more than sufficient for building a solid foundation.
Most disciples at the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall learned the Warm Wind Secret.
To be precise, all but three of them did.
In the eight years since Lee Yu-baek had established the hall, about three hundred people had completed their training and been recognized as disciples. These were known as registered disciples.
Of those, roughly two hundred and seventy were outer disciples—those who lived at home and visited the hall for a few hours each day to train. The remaining thirty or so were inner disciples, who lived and ate at the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall, handled its daily affairs, and trained day and night.
All of them practiced the Warm Wind Secret.
Only three were different.
Kang Mu-hyeok. Seon Je-hun. Mo Cheong.
These three, known as the Three Gentlemen of Pungryu, were the only ones who lived in the quarters closest to Lee Yu-baek. They received one-on-one instruction and were taught the sect’s exclusive martial arts, such as the Soft Willow Art and the Willow Leaf Step.
One day, one of them would inherit the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall. They were the direct disciples, the ones chosen to carry the direct lineage.
By Lee Yu-baek’s standards, the Three Gentlemen of Pungryu were still merely second-rate martial artists.
However, just as not all benchwarmers in a professional sports league are equal, there are "experts" even among the second-rate martial artists of the Jianghu. Anyone could see the vast difference between a martial artist destined to remain second-rate for life and one who was merely passing through that stage on the way to greatness.
Lee Yu-baek’s direct disciples were the latter.
They had already proven themselves on numerous occasions and were recognized as the foremost young experts representing Xinxing County. As such, they were treated with a level of respect far above the rest.
The outer and inner disciples addressed Lee Yu-baek as "Hall Master."
The Three Gentlemen of Pungryu, on the other hand, called him an affectionate "Master."
Outer disciples typically addressed the direct and inner disciples as "Instructor." Inner and direct disciples treated each other as colleagues, using the terms Senior and Junior. But among themselves, the direct disciples called each other "Senior Fellow Disciple" and "Junior Fellow Disciple," living together like a family.
Today, every disciple currently training at the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall was gathered in the training grounds.
About forty outer disciples practiced the Warm Wind Secret in neat rows, while ten or so inner disciples moved between them, correcting their forms. The three direct disciples stood behind Lee Yu-baek like silent statues.
Lee Yu-baek spoke, his voice as cold as frost.
"You must master your martial studies before you reach the age of twenty. If you wish to survive in this world as a martial artist, you absolutely must."
At his glance, the third disciple, Mo Cheong, stepped forward.
"Hwoooo…"
As he took a deep breath and circulated the Soft Willow Art, a cloud of pure white vapor billowed from his mouth.
"This is called the Breath of Smoke and Clouds."
It was the state where one’s exhaled breath became as visible as smoke and clouds.
"You must stoke the fire within you until it is hot enough to burn away the impurities accumulated in your Eight Extraordinary Meridians. If you fail to cleanse yourself like this before you turn twenty, the turbid qi will build up faster as you age until you can no longer handle it."
Lee Yu-baek continued his lecture.
"I call a martial artist who has entered the Fire Phase third-rate, and one who has achieved the Breath of Smoke and Clouds second-rate. But not all are equal. Someone who merely spews out acrid smoke is a fool. To burn your essence blood along with your turbid qi is nothing short of suicide."
Lee Yu-baek pointed to Mo Cheong, who was still exhaling white vapor.
"A proper Breath of Smoke and Clouds does not smell of burning. Done right, it smells of clean charcoal. Done even better, it smells of baking earth—like Cheong here."
Lee Yu-baek emphasized his point.
"What matters is the Fire Phase. If you just burn everything indiscriminately, how can you call that controlling the flame? The key is subtle, persistent fire control, like firing pottery or forging a blade. You must preserve the essence you received from the heavens and burn only the turbid qi. All of you must reach that state if you want to live as true martial artists."
He looked down at the outer disciples, who were grunting and groaning as they struggled with the Warm Wind Secret.
They were all so young. The youngest was twelve, the oldest no more than eighteen.
Nine out of ten of them would never become true martial artists. They would simply become sturdy farmers, porters, or laborers. Such was the life of a third-rate martial artist who failed to reach the second-rate in time. They would fail to overcome that small limit and spend their lives conforming to a predetermined fate, bowing their heads before the injustice and unfairness rampant in this world.
And so, Lee Yu-baek spoke with renewed intensity.
"Be more desperate. Excellence comes not from leisure and ease, but from sensitivity and desperation. Youth passes easily, but learning takes a lifetime, so be more devoted in your hearts."
Lee Yu-baek knew. He knew that no matter how much he nagged, few would truly listen. The young always think their youth will last forever. Then they wake up one day, realize they have grown old, and understand too late that they can no longer walk the path of a martial artist.
He had seen the despairing faces of those rejected by the world they thought was theirs. It was a pity, and that was why he never stopped speaking.
"Become strong. Good people must be strong. People with purpose must be strong. Those who wish to let go of resentment must be strong, and the strong must be strong. Otherwise, the assholes get strong. Don’t let the assholes get strong—you get strong. In this lonely Jianghu, become sturdy pillars of support for one another. If you do, the wine will taste pretty damn good for the rest of your lives."
I hope that all of you can live life on your own terms, Lee Yu-baek murmured inwardly as he watched his young disciples.
And then, suddenly, he caught a savory scent.
It was a rich, nutty aroma, like roasting barley and Job’s tears.
His gaze instinctively turned toward the source. There, he saw a young man dressed in clothes far too thin for the biting winter wind.
He was tall and commanding, with a fair, clean-cut face and a neat, tidy demeanor. He walked forward—confident but not arrogant, polite but not servile. With each continuous breath of the Soft Willow Art, white vapor billowed from his mouth like a cloud.
Lee Yu-baek suddenly thought, How much time has passed?
He counted. Five months.
Before even half a year had passed since entering closed-door training, Yeon So-wol had broken out of his seclusion on his own. He had not only entered the Fire Phase but had also reached the state of the Breath of Smoke and Clouds.
"He isn't even a youth anymore. And he achieved it alone."
Lee Yu-baek let out a hollow, amazed laugh.
*
Yeon So-wol’s reason for ending his seclusion was simple.
I want to learn more.
This realization came after he had studied the internal cultivation method alone until he was sick of it.
How to make the fire hotter. How to use this power better. I want to learn that.
The old saying went: Reading a book a hundred times reveals its meaning. The meaning had already revealed itself to him, and he had repeated and explored the techniques to the point where there was nothing left to glean from the manual.
Yeon So-wol rose to his feet.
He approached the spring and washed his body one last time. He washed his hair with sweet flag, rinsed his mouth with salt, and chewed on cloves to freshen his breath—essential resources for civilization that Lee Yu-baek had thoughtfully provided.
Yeon So-wol felt a deep sense of gratitude for that.
It was brutally hard, but this suffering was probably necessary to live like a human in this barbaric land.
He looked around the seclusion chamber with a storm of emotions in his eyes, then stood before the door.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He knocked several times, but no one came.
"Hmm."
Yeon So-wol wasn't flustered.
"If they’ve prevented anyone from approaching, just as Hall Master Lee Yu-baek said, then knocking is useless. This means… I’m supposed to break it down."
Yeon So-wol looked at the wooden door. Though made of wood, it was half a handspan thick, and its hinges were sturdy.
However…
"Hwoooo…"
Yeon So-wol deepened his Fire Phase.
The Soft Willow Art was a dynamic art. It started from the outside and heated the inside. Through Gathering Fire, he first warmed the Twelve Standard Meridians, then gathered that heat to warm the Innate True Qi within the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.
Innate True Qi was received directly from heaven and earth—a form of essence and qi purer and hotter than any other. But the process of human life was one where even this Innate True Qi gradually cooled, became turbid, and solidified.
The goal of an internal cultivation method was to reignite this Innate True Qi. As heat was applied to the sticky, solidifying Innate True Qi, the stagnant energy began to squirm and move. In the process, the burned impurities escaped through his mouth, forming a dense cloud.
"Hwooo!"
Yeon So-wol exhaled a plume of vapor. Within his Eight Extraordinary Meridians, his Innate True Qi churned hotly.
He suddenly recalled a piece of common knowledge from Earth’s science: The reason life can exist on Earth is that its inner core has not cooled and is still churning today.
It’s the same principle.
When the hot, pure essence that composed the Innate True Qi pulsed, the acquired essence that made up his bones and flesh resonated with it, gaining a spiritual quality. It was like how an electric current is generated when a magnetic field fluctuates around iron or copper.
The bones and muscles, heated by the Soft Willow Art, responded even more strongly, becoming suffused with a certain power.
Essence was the root of both power and matter. Fundamentally, it was not muscular strength, thermal energy, nor nuclear, magnetic, or gravitational force.
It was simply power. The purest and simplest. Primordial power.
Though greatly degraded, an intangible force originating from that primordial power filled Yeon So-wol’s muscles. This was the true nature of the monstrous strength wielded by martial artists.
True Qi.
Yeon So-wol reached out a hand brimming with power and pushed against the door of the seclusion chamber.
CRACK!
He couldn’t break the latch and iron chain, but the hinges couldn’t withstand the force. The wood split along the grain and tore away.
THUD!
Yeon So-wol stepped outside, past the wooden door that now hung half-collapsed and dangling from its latch. All was quiet, save for the commotion coming from the training ground. He headed toward it without hesitation.
He could see dozens of students gathered and training. But he didn’t stop. His heart was pounding.
I did it. I succeeded in that brutal closed-door training. No—I surpassed the goal.
He had been calm when he first stepped out, but the reality of his achievement sank in more with every step. His heart trembled.
I can become a martial artist. I can live my own life without being swept away by this barbaric world.
The joy of overcoming arduous training, the desire for achievement, and the belief that he could overcome any hardship—Yeon So-wol walked with all of this inside him. He wanted to face the results of the past five grueling months immediately. He didn't want to delay it for a single moment.
"Hm?"
"What’s that savory smell?"
One by one, the students of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall stopped their training and turned around. And then, they froze.
"Huh."
"No way…?"
"He’s not dead?"
They recognized Yeon So-wol. Some had seen his face before he entered seclusion, while others had only heard rumors, but they all knew who he was. A man that tall with such a clear complexion was a rare sight.
And that fact made them marvel all over again.
What the hell? Why does he look so clean?
Wasn’t he in closed-door training?
And what is this savory scent?
The students of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall followed Lee Yu-baek’s teachings, keeping their bodies clean and their posture proper. But people didn’t change so easily. When Lee Yu-baek wasn’t looking, they naturally became disheveled and musty. That was the norm in this world!
Let alone during closed-door training. How could anyone wash every day while undergoing such intense training? It was only natural to end up looking like a beggar. Even if one emerged reeking, it was customary to offer a polite compliment like, "My, you look quite clean for someone who’s been in seclusion!"
But Yeon So-wol was immaculate. It was as if he had washed himself and his clothes in the spring every single day. Even his beard was neatly trimmed, and his long hair was tied back tidily with a cord.
And with the white vapor he exhaled came that savory aroma. The Pungryu hall members soon realized the truth.
"Don’t tell me… Is that the Breath of Smoke and Clouds?"
"But it’s not the smell of baking earth. What is this scent?"
This was a state that not even Lee Yu-baek had ever mentioned. The students were overwhelmed—by Yeon So-wol’s immaculate appearance and by his immeasurable level of the Breath of Smoke and Clouds.
The eighteen-year-old who had started his training so late, the one everyone assumed would die, had appeared before them, having magnificently achieved the state they all dreamed of.
Shuffle—
Though no one said a word, they all stepped back to the left and right, opening a path for Yeon So-wol.
Lee Yu-baek, standing on the dais, was clearly visible. Yeon So-wol walked down the center of the path and stood before him.
"Hall Master. There is something I wish to ask."
"Before that, I have a question for you," Lee Yu-baek said. "What was inside your Eight Extraordinary Meridians?"
Yeon So-wol replied, "The hot essence and qi received from heaven and earth filled that place."
"Yes. That is called Innate True Qi. What form did it take?"
"It was like a viscous liquid."
"Correct. Hot and pure qi and essence mix together and flow thickly. Thus, it is also called Qi and Blood, or Essence Blood. You must protect your Qi and Blood for your entire life. The core of cultivation is to gather the Innate True Qi in your Eight Extraordinary Meridians and expend the lukewarm, turbid Acquired Qi that forms in your physical body."
"Qi and Blood… Essence Blood… Innate True Qi. Acquired Qi…"
From the dais, Lee Yu-baek looked down at the murmuring Yeon So-wol and asked another question.
"Then what are the Twelve Standard Meridians?"
"If the Eight Extraordinary Meridians are a great sea that stores Innate True Qi, the Twelve Standard Meridians are the channels that connect to the actual bones, flesh, and organs. The bones and flesh are solidified Acquired Qi, and by breathing the fire of Gathering Fire into these channels, I can reignite them. The hotter the Acquired Qi, the better it resonates with the Innate True Qi."
"Precisely."
Lee Yu-baek was satisfied. But Yeon So-wol’s words didn’t stop there.
"However, the Twelve Standard Meridians do not end with themselves."
"Oh?"
"I found there were twelve side paths branching off from the Twelve Standard Meridians."
A look of astonishment dawned on Lee Yu-baek’s face.
"The Twelve Divergent Meridians… You found them? On your own?"
"There were even smaller passages, like gopher holes or mouse holes."
"Even the Fifteen Collateral Vessels!" Lee Yu-baek let out a disbelieving laugh. He shook his head and said, "Your vessel has far surpassed my expectations. Very well. What is it you wish to know?"
"I want to know how to stoke the fire even hotter."
Lee Yu-baek answered immediately.
"Make the acquired essence that forms in your body intensely hot. It will then rise up as fiery sparks. Control them well and heat your meridians. Continue to maintain and compress that Gathering Fire. Then, a True Fire will bloom. I call a person who has bloomed a True Fire first-rate."
Yeon So-wol mulled over what he had just learned, completely absorbed in the lesson.
Lee Yu-baek hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously, "It must have been difficult. Did you not resent me?"
"I did. But it’s fine now."
"Why is that?"
"Because I won."
Yeon So-wol smiled. Lee Yu-baek smiled, too. The Three Gentlemen of Pungryu smiled, and the inner and outer disciples smiled as well.
They all had the same thought: Looks like the Four Gentlemen of Pungryu will be born soon. A new direct disciple. With that level of skill, he was more than qualified. To enter at eighteen, achieve the Breath of Smoke and Clouds in half a year, and become a direct disciple—they were witnessing a legend.
Finally, Lee Yu-baek spoke.
"But I’m sorry. I can’t keep my promise. I cannot possibly accept you as my disciple."
Yeon So-wol’s eyes widened. A stir went through the crowd.
"Your vessel surpasses my own. I cannot take a genius like you as my direct disciple. Youth passes easily, and learning is difficult to achieve. You shouldn’t waste your time under me. When the time is right, you must find a much better master."
Yeon So-wol was at a loss for words. What the… This isn’t some drama where you have to break up because you love someone too much…
Just then, Lee Yu-baek’s eyes blazed with light.
"However!" Power infused his next words. "If you are amenable, I would like to become your adoptive father."
Adoptive father?
An adoptive father and an adoptive son—a parent-child relationship bound by honor. It was a proposal he had never once considered. Yeon So-wol froze.
"So-wol. The Central Plains are not your homeland. But what if we became family? I would become your adoptive father and pass down all my martial arts to you. But since I wouldn’t be your master, you would be free to take anyone else as your master later. In fact, I’ll even help you find one."
Become family?
Those words resonated deeply within Yeon So-wol. Leaving aside whether he liked or disliked Lee Yu-baek, in this strange land where he had no one to rely on… family was a powerful concept.
Furthermore, room and board were taken care of. He could learn everything as if he were a disciple, even though he wasn’t. He’d have a powerful backer, and the man would even help him find a new master. The more he thought about it, the more he realized this offer was entirely to his benefit. It was an act of immense goodwill.
But… to call someone father…
As someone from 21st-century South Korea, it was a possibility he had never even entertained. The words wouldn’t come out. Yeon So-wol, at a complete loss, could only stare blankly at Lee Yu-baek.
At that, Lee Yu-baek gave an awkward smile and reached into his robes.
"If I’m to be your father, I should return this."
A small box emerged from his robes. Inside, two gold ingots revealed their pale, golden faces. There had originally been three, but one had been given to the county magistrate. This was the gold Yeon So-wol had offered to be accepted as a disciple.
"And I’ll add this as your allowance."
Lee Yu-baek took out another box. Inside was a single dried mushroom.
"This is an elixir. It can greatly improve your constitution. It’s worth at least three gold ingots of one tael each. What do you think? Is it a decent allowance?"
To refuse was impossible. Yeon So-wol reflexively bowed his head.
"Father. I don’t know if I can accept something like this."
"Seeing how you conduct yourself, it seems my son won’t starve to death anywhere. I’m relieved."
Lee Yu-baek laughed, a sound like air escaping a balloon.