Chapter 16: In the Jianghu, One’s Body is Not One’s Own (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: In the Jianghu, One’s Body is Not One’s Own (5)
Yeon So-wol rose before the sun, while the world was still draped in a pale, bluish hue.
The first thing he did upon waking was practice the Soft Willow Art for about a quarter of an hour. It was an essential routine, burning away the Turbid Qi that had accumulated overnight and warming his cold, stiff limbs.
By the time he stepped outside, the blue tones of the night were just beginning to recede, replaced by the deepening light of dawn.
Yeon So-wol made his way to Lee Yu-baek’s quarters.
Once the direct disciples—Kang Mu-hyeok, Seon Je-hun, and Mo Cheong—had all gathered, the four of them entered together to offer their morning respects.
“Did you rest well, Master?”
Kang Mu-hyeok, the eldest disciple, spoke for the group. The other three lined up behind him and bowed with a formal fist-in-palm salute.
“Yes, yes.”
In the mornings, Lee Yu-baek was generally in a good mood.
This was usually because he was already drinking.
Kang Mu-hyeok’s brow furrowed, just as it did every day.
“Drinking on an empty stomach again, Master?”
“It’s a delicacy this way.”
“Weren’t you the one who taught us that alcohol is bad for the body and detrimental to our training?”
“That’s for you lot, who can’t even conjure a True Fire. I can just burn it off with my internal energy.”
Sssss!
White steam rose from Lee Yu-baek’s shoulders, carrying the thick, pungent scent of alcohol.
Kang Mu-hyeok sighed softly and glanced at Lee Yu-baek’s cup. No—it was more accurate to call it a bowl.
“Then why drink that turbid Cloudy Rice Wine? No matter how much you burn off, drinking such a coarse liquor will always leave behind some Turbid Qi. If you’re going to drink something with low potency, why not have the Jade Crown Red we received as a gift?”
Lee Yu-baek clicked his tongue.
“Mu-hyeok, Mu-hyeok. Jade Crown Red is a red fruit wine. It’s for moments you want to remember. Cloudy Rice Wine is a turbid glutinous rice wine—something you can drink anytime.”
“It’s all just alcohol in the end, what’s the difference…”
“How tragic. To think my first disciple is a man who doesn’t even know the taste of good liquor.”
Lee Yu-baek cackled, downing the Cloudy Rice Wine in one long, greedy gulp.
Kang Mu-hyeok watched him with a troubled expression before speaking again.
“You’ve been drinking more lately.”
“Have I?”
“Yes. The number of empty bottles has doubled.”
“You even count things like that?”
“Is it because of Mount Cheonro? You’ve been meeting with many people and exchanging a lot of letters recently.”
Mount Cheonro?
Yeon So-wol’s head snapped up.
Lee Yu-baek smiled bitterly.
“Well. When you’re trying to do something big, you need a bit of a buzz now and then.”
“Master. All the other martial artists in the Jianghu live only to serve their own interests. I don’t understand why you always insist on taking the lead in such dangerous affairs.”
“That’s because,” Lee Yu-baek began, slamming the large bowl down with a heavy thud. “Thinking about those bastards ruins the taste of my drink.”
“…And yet you’re drinking more than ever.”
“Agh! What do you know about the taste of alcohol? I oughta…!”
“…”
Kang Mu-hyeok flinched as Lee Yu-baek raised a fist.
“Go on, get out. Morning respects are over. So-wol, I’ll see you at the training ground later. Mo Cheong, you come too.”
Lee Yu-baek picked up the bowl again and gulped down more of the murky rice wine.
*
“Mo Cheong.”
“Yeah?”
“What was that about? Mount Cheonro.”
“Ah.”
After their morning respects, Yeon So-wol and Mo Cheong chatted as they headed to the training ground.
Yeon So-wol now spoke to Mo Cheong informally. If he had become Lee Yu-baek’s disciple, he would have had to call Mo Cheong ‘Senior Brother,’ but since he had been adopted instead, the two had simply become friends. As it happened, they were also the same age.
“The Master… he wants to subjugate the bandits of the Mount Cheonro Stronghold.”
“…!”
Yeon So-wol had his suspicions, but he was still startled to have them confirmed.
“The bandits of Mount Cheonro. Are they weak? Weaker than our Master and the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall?”
Mo Cheong looked at him as if he were being absurd.
“Of course not. If they were, the government army would have wiped them out long ago.”
“The government army… are they strong?”
“What?”
Mo Cheong let his head hang in disbelief. Yeon So-wol waved his hands, trying to explain.
“Ah, well, there’s that saying about non-interference between the government and the Murim…”
“Honestly.” Mo Cheong clicked his tongue. “The government soldiers are strong. Incredibly strong.”
“They’re that powerful?”
“They are. If martial artists from the martial halls fought them on an open field, for every three soldiers they killed, thirteen from the Jianghu would be cut down.”
“…Then why does the government leave the Murim alone?”
“Because the world is vast and martial artists are as numerous as grains of sand. They can crush the few who cross the line, but if they started trying to crush everyone, there’d be no end to it.”
“Ah.”
“And if it came to a real fight, the martial artists wouldn’t just line up on an open field.”
“I see.”
“Anyway, it’s the same with the Mount Cheonro Stronghold. The government army is strong, but even they would have to worry about the casualties. That’s how the bandits have held out for so long.”
“…Why are the bandits so strong, then?”
“They just are. Xinxing County is a small city, but if you follow the Jipseong River down, you reach the metropolis of Danzhou. Mount Cheonro sits right on the crossroads that connects the coastal cities of Yangjiang, Yangchun, and Eunpyeong with Danzhou. Do you think the bastards controlling a place like that would be ordinary? I heard they’re even on speaking terms with the Eighteen Strongholds.”
As he spoke, Mo Cheong let out a heavy sigh.
“And yet, he’s determined to subjugate them. He’s been going around trying to rally not just the martial artists of our Xinxing County, but also those from Danzhou, Xichu, and Foshan. I’m worried sick.”
“Ah…”
Only then did Yeon So-wol understand. He remembered what Lee Yu-baek had said the day before.
‘I’m preparing for something big. I don’t have time to deal with the tantrums of some Black Path thugs.’
He now knew what that ‘something big’ was.
“What’s wrong?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Yeon So-wol suddenly felt a pang of shame.
So Father really did draw his sword.
He understood, with a new and profound clarity, that Lee Yu-baek’s words had not been mere talk.
Me too…
His initial reason for wanting to learn martial arts was simply to ensure his own safety—to find freedom and peace in the savage world of the Jianghu. But that desire was slowly beginning to change.
“Me too…”
His yearning for martial arts grew a little more desperate.
Today was finally the day. The day he would learn Body Arts. The day he would learn how to truly move like a martial artist.
*
In the training ground, filled with the morning chirping of birds, Lee Yu-baek began his lesson.
“Footwork and Qinggong. Together, these two are called Body Arts. Now, So-wol.”
“Yes.”
“What is Footwork?”
“Footwork is the art of moving one’s center of gravity. The characters mean ‘the art of walking,’ but it actually refers to all methods of movement and evasion used in combat. Dodging, approaching, and retreating—all these methods are collectively called Footwork.”
Lee Yu-baek smiled.
“Good. Then what is Qinggong?”
“It is the study of making the body light and running quickly.”
“Well, that’s more or less correct.”
“If you would grant me your teachings, I will learn it precisely.”
As Yeon So-wol quickly bowed his head, Lee Yu-baek gave a faint smile. Lee Yu-baek, a lover of Confucius and Mencius, was quite fond of this respectful side of his adopted son.
“Then let me ask you one thing first. Footwork is a beop—an ‘art’ or ‘method.’ But why is Qinggong a gong—a ‘technique’ or ‘study’?”
Yeon So-wol fell into thought for a moment.
Gong… gong… Come to think of it, the Soft Willow Art also ends in ‘gong.’
He felt like he’d found a clue.
“Could it be related to the Mental Cultivation Method?”
Lee Yu-baek was impressed.
“Excellent. Your comprehension is outstanding. You’re right. If Footwork is the art of using the body, then Qinggong is the gong—the technique—of making the body light through Internal and External Martial Power. Now, one more question.”
Lee Yu-baek grinned playfully.
“What is Internal Martial Power? And what is External Martial Power?”
This time, Yeon So-wol answered almost immediately.
“Internal Martial Power, Naegong, means internal study or effort. I believe it refers to the Gathering Fire initiated through a Mental Cultivation Method, the Fire Phase that controls it, and the Innate True Qi in the Eight Extraordinary Meridians that has been purified through that process.”
“Truly excellent. Then what about External Martial Power?”
“External Martial Power, Oegong, is the study and effort accumulated externally. It must refer to the blood, flesh, and bone strengthened through Gathering Fire and the Fire Phase, as well as the Acquired Essence that forms within them.”
“Wonderful.”
Fwap—
Unable to hide his delight, Lee Yu-baek snapped open his fan, releasing a tangy fragrance. He spoke as if reciting a poem.
“Making the body light can be achieved through both Internal and External Martial Power. In the end, Qinggong is an application of both, which is why it is also a gong.”
Lee Yu-baek looked at Yeon So-wol with satisfaction. Yeon So-wol smiled, feeling a little embarrassed.
Then, thwack! Lee Yu-baek snapped his fan shut.
“Therefore, if you learn Qinggong incorrectly, you will suffer from Qi Deviation.”
“…?”
The smile froze on Yeon So-wol’s lips.
Qi Deviation?
He barely managed to stop himself from asking the question out loud.
“How do you think one makes the body light?”
“…I do not know for certain.”
“Among the Essence in your body, what is the most turbid and cold?”
Essence was the foundation of matter and power. Yeon So-wol answered based on the knowledge he had acquired so far.
“Flesh and bone. After that, blood.”
“Those things have weight, don’t they?”
“Yes.”
“So, for the body to become light, they must become lighter. Correct?”
“Yes…”
Yeon So-wol was bewildered. How can flesh and bone become lighter? Was it some kind of metaphor?
Watching Yeon So-wol’s eyes dart back and forth, Lee Yu-baek grinned.
“Good. Then listen well. What I am about to teach you is a secret art of our Pungryu Sect. My master—your grandmaster—was a swordsman of the Peak Realm whose name was known throughout the world. As such, the martial arts of our Pungryu Sect carry on the profound teachings of the Orthodox Faction. This is a treasure of the world, so engrave it in your mind.”
“Yes.”
Faced with a solemnity Lee Yu-baek hadn't shown even when teaching him the Soft Willow Art, Yeon So-wol swallowed hard.
“The technique becomes one. The one becomes two. The two become five, then twenty-two, then one hundred and eight, and from there, all things are born.”
“…”
Yeon So-wol fought desperately not to frown. What in the world does that mean?
Lee Yu-baek smiled.
“Let me explain it more simply. In the beginning, there was nothing. From that, one was born. This is called Wuji.”
“As Wuji cooled and grew turbid, Yin and Yang, the two, separated from it. This is Taiji.”
“Yin and Yang then split into five, forming the Five Elements.”
“From the Five Elements came the Ten Heavenly Stems and the Twelve Earthly Branches.”
“Those 22 Stems and Branches then form the 108 Baleful Stars.”
“And it is from the 108 Baleful Stars that all of creation is finally forged. Your blood, your flesh, and your bones were made in this way.”
Yeon So-wol thought to himself, What does any of this have to do with Qinggong? But being an excellent student, he did not voice the thought.
Lee Yu-baek then asked him, “Let me ask you this. Of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, Wuji forms the Spirit. Taiji and the Five Elements become Qi. Then into how many stages is Essence divided?”
“Broadly speaking, it is divided into three stages. It proceeds from the 22 Stems and Branches to the 108 Baleful Stars, and finally forms all of creation.”
“Correct. Now, here is the core of it. What is creation like? Does it have weight?”
“It does. Even formless air has weight.”
“Right. But when the Essence of creation becomes hot and transforms into Baleful Stars, from that point on, it loses its weight.”
Yeon So-wol was stunned. It has no weight?
“The Essence of the 10 Stems and 12 Branches cools to become the 108 Baleful Stars, and the 108 Baleful Stars cool to become all of creation. But the Essence that exists before being forged into creation has no weight or texture. It is merely the foundation of power and matter. That is why it is sometimes referred to separately as Essence-Qi.”
Yeon So-wol’s mind raced, desperately trying to comprehend the laws of this world, so different from the common sense of Earth. Because of that, he was a little slow to realize the implication.
“So now you understand, don’t you? The secret of Qinggong.”
!!!
A cold sweat drenched Yeon So-wol’s back.
“From the look on your face, I see you do.”
No. Yeon So-wol wanted to deny it. He forced the words out.
“Surely, the secret isn’t… to heat the flesh and bone that has already solidified until it reverts back into weightless Essence-Qi?”
Lee Yu-baek beamed.
“And why wouldn’t it be! Your outstanding comprehension makes this so much easier!”
A tightness gripped Yeon So-wol’s chest.
“But… that is… if you heat the flesh and bone incorrectly, won’t that cause problems? I’ve heard a lot of scary stories…”
Stories of people melting into puddles on the floor. Of their internal organs being burned to a crisp. Of their lower bodies melting away, spilling out everything that should have been inside.
Lee Yu-baek replied, “It will if you do it incorrectly. So let’s make sure to do it correctly.”
“…Yes.”
Yeon So-wol lowered his head, pretending to bow.
This… this insane Murim…
He had no choice but to learn martial arts. He had to learn. He should be grateful for the opportunity.
“This is going to be a bit intense. You need to achieve results quickly so you don’t get beaten up. I can’t bear to see my son getting beaten. So focus. One wrong move and you’ll melt, you hear?”
At Lee Yu-baek’s words, his mind couldn’t help but go blank.
Melt?
“Come here and stand.”
Yeon So-wol forced his leaden feet to move and stood before Lee Yu-baek.
“Alright, let’s start by getting a feel for it.”
Grip!
Lee Yu-baek seized both sides of Yeon So-wol’s waist. A torrent of scorching hot Qi poured into him.
Hot, it’s so hot!
His flesh and bone began to heat up at a speed he had never imagined possible. He felt like he was about to dissolve completely.
“Ahem. Don’t move. A single mistake could kill you. You must simply focus your mind completely.”
“…!!!”
“Now, breathe. Breathe.”
Yeon So-wol, pale as a sheet, took a breath.
In the Jianghu, one’s body is not one’s own.
They said that once you were in the Jianghu, your body was no longer yours to command.
Is this what they meant?!
Yeon So-wol’s mind, which had grown lax during his recent break, was pulled taut once more.