Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: A Body Without Impurities
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‘Grandfather… was the Vice Lord of the Demonic Sanctum.’
Bu Eun-seol’s body trembled faintly.
He had long suspected that Bu Jan-yang was no ordinary corpse washer.
But to think he was the second-in-command of the Demonic Sanctum, which ruled the demonic martial world.
‘No. That can’t be right.’
Bu Jan-yang had been working as a corpse washer for the constabulary for over thirty years now.
No matter what kind of unspoken past he had, a man who managed the demonic world would not be washing the bodies of those who died on the streets.
“Hmm.”
Hyeol-geum-gang was just as confused.
‘Chil-ji-ma-do was a master from Shaolin? Impossible.’
There was no way the man known as Chil-ji-ma-do, said to be second only to the Lord of the Demonic Sanctum, would have learned the Shaolin Temple’s Muscle/Tendon Changing Sutra.
But he could swear that what Bu Eun-seol had learned was the qi circulation method from the authentic Muscle/Tendon and Marrow Washing Sutra. He knew because he had read the original text of the Righteous Faction’s number one heart law himself.
“I don’t know whether I should teach you or tell them to bring someone else.”
“I do not understand what you mean.”
Hyeol-geum-gang stared intently at Bu Eun-seol and said.
“The breathing technique you have learned until now is, in fact, a secret art of the Shaolin School.”
Bu Eun-seol’s face turned ashen at the shocking revelation.
‘Does that mean Grandfather was originally a master of the Righteous Faction?’
If Bu Jan-yang was a master of the Righteous Faction, and if this fact were to be revealed to the Demonic Sanctum?
Bu Eun-seol would not just be disqualified as one of the Sip-ma-jeon-in; he might not even be able to guarantee his own life.
“Are you suspicious of me?”
“I am not.”
Surprisingly, Hyeol-geum-gang’s expression seemed unconcerned.
“The Demonic Sanctum has already completed its investigation into the Sip-ma-jeon-in candidates. If your internal energy had been suspect, you would never have been chosen.”
“But… isn’t that because the Demonic Sanctum was unaware of the breathing technique I’ve learned?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s sharp point, a strange smile graced Hyeol-geum-gang’s lips.
“That is correct. If they knew you had learned a life-nurturing secret art of the Righteous Faction, the Demonic Sanctum would indeed investigate again.”
Bu Eun-seol fell silent.
Whether he could become a successor of Nang-ya-gak or be subjected to an investigation by the Demonic Sanctum now rested entirely in Hyeol-geum-gang’s hands.
“This humble one…”
After a long silence, Hyeol-geum-gang spoke.
“I do not care whether you have learned the internal arts of the Righteous Faction or the Demonic Path.”
“Why… is that?”
“Why, you ask?”
Hyeol-geum-gang let out a low snort, his gaze turning to the distant sky as he spoke in a low voice.
“I will pretend I did not hear that question.”
An unattainable, lingering memory flickered in Hyeol-geum-gang’s eyes.
He was clearly reminiscing about a distant past, not the present.
As if proving that among the martial artists who live by the sword, there is no one without a story.
“Thank you.”
As Bu Eun-seol bowed his head, Hyeol-geum-gang shook his.
“There is no need for thanks. If I teach you the Ban-geuk Heart Law, I, too, can leave this place.”
“Leave… you say?”
“Indeed. That was the promise I made with Nang-ya-gak from the beginning.”
Hearing this, Bu Eun-seol could guess how Hyeol-geum-gang, whose dantian had been destroyed, had managed to recover his internal energy and reappear in the martial world.
And why he was staying atop Mt. Geom-mi, where Nang-ya-gak was located.
‘He is indebted to Nang-ya-gak.’
Nang-ya-gak must have offered to help the dantian-destroyed Hyeol-geum-gang in exchange for his internal heart law.
Otherwise, there was no way he would impart his internal heart law—a martial artist’s lifeline, taught only to one's direct disciples—to a complete stranger.
“Hmph.”
As if reading Bu Eun-seol’s mind, Hyeol-geum-gang spoke in a chilling voice.
“If you reveal the heart law I teach you to anyone from Nang-ya-gak, or to any other person…”
He paused for a moment, and it was as if hundreds of blades were pouring out from his eyes.
“No, if you leak even a single character of the scripture, I will immediately kill you and everyone associated with you.”
A typical martial artist would have made a solemn vow with a grave expression.
But Bu Eun-seol simply bowed his head in a deep salute.
That single gesture carried more weight than a hundred solemn oaths.
“…”
For a moment, a deathly silence fell upon Cheol-jang-bong peak.
“Good. Then there is no need to waste time. Let us begin immediately.”
Hyeol-geum-gang broke the long silence and continued.
“The heart law I will teach you is called the Ban-geuk Heart Law. This heart law is an internal art that transitions from the Demonic Path to the Righteous Path, so…”
He paused for a moment, his brows furrowing.
“Do you know the difference between the internal heart laws of the Righteous Faction and the Demonic Path?”
“I do not.”
Internal heart laws were the most profound aspect of martial arts.
There was no way Bu Eun-seol, who had only learned the basics of swordsmanship, would know about them.
Looking as if he had no other choice, Hyeol-geum-gang began to explain one by one.
“The internal heart laws of the Righteous Faction accumulate internal energy through life-nurturing secrets like qi circulation and store it in the dantian. This is like the sun rising in the morning and the moon at night. In other words, it is very natural for the human body and can be called the righteous way.”
“Something natural…”
“Correct.”
Pausing for a moment, he asked Bu Eun-seol.
“Then can you guess what the heart laws of the Demonic Path are like?”
After a moment of thought, Bu Eun-seol answered.
“Is it not that they will try any method, as long as it can accumulate true qi?”
“Precisely.”
Hyeol-geum-gang nodded.
“The internal heart laws of the Demonic Path will use any method, as long as it allows one to accumulate true qi in a short period. That is why most of them are written with scriptures that allow for the accumulation of immense true qi from the very beginning.”
As he continued to speak, Hyeol-geum-gang’s eyes narrowed.
“However, such a method goes against the natural order of the body and mind. Do you understand the difference?”
When Bu Eun-seol shook his head, Hyeol-geum-gang said.
“After ten years of training, you cannot feel a significant difference between the internal heart laws of the Righteous Faction and the Demonic Path. But after twenty years, a gap in the purity of the true qi begins to form, and after thirty years, the level of internal energy becomes so different that they can no longer be compared.”
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath.
“So to properly learn martial arts, one must ultimately learn the internal arts of the Righteous Faction.”
“Nonsense.”
A sense of pride spread across Hyeol-geum-gang’s eyes.
“The Ban-geuk Heart Law that I will impart is the most mystical and superior of all internal heart laws in the world. This heart law has completely broken free from the constraints of demonic martial arts.”
Despite its amazing properties, Bu Eun-seol’s expression was not very pleased.
In fact, the more he heard about how great the Ban-geuk Heart Law was, the darker his expression became.
‘Anything truly outstanding demands a commensurate price.’
And just as he thought, Hyeol-geum-gang’s expression darkened as he continued.
“However, this Ban-geuk Heart Law is exceedingly difficult to learn. You must create a body that can synchronize with the circulation of internal energy and the flow of qi and blood under any circumstances.”
He then held up his left hand. There was nothing left of his fingers.
“The process was so agonizing that I opened my mouth and chewed off my own fingers.”
For a master like Hyeol-geum-gang to have chewed off his own fingers.
The pain must not only have been indescribably intense but also long-lasting.
“The Ban-geuk Heart Law is divided into eight stages. By reaching merely the fifth stage, I was able to possess the greatest internal energy in the world.”
Despite speaking of being the best in the world, Hyeol-geum-gang wore a bitter expression.
“However, martial arts is not something where one can gain superiority solely through the realm of internal energy. It is merely one of the means.”
“I will work hard.”
“It is too early to say such things. I have not yet decided to teach you the heart law.”
Hyeol-geum-gang said something unexpected.
Then what was the point of everything he had said so far?
“Because the Ban-geuk Heart Law is not something that can be learned just by being taught.”
A profound light emanated from Hyeol-geum-gang’s eyes as he looked at Bu Eun-seol’s face.
“If you cannot learn it, then I will have failed to keep my promise of imparting it… and I, too, will be unable to leave.”
He then looked to the distant sky and said in a low voice.
“From the beginning, that person, Dan-cheong, told me he would send a prodigy capable of learning the Ban-geuk Heart Law. Ten years have already passed since then.”
Ten years.
To keep his promise, Hyeol-geum-gang had waited for ten years for a prodigy to whom he could pass on the Ban-geuk Heart Law.
“I will definitely learn the Ban-geuk Heart Law.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, Hyeol-geum-gang nodded.
“To do that, you must first pass a test. To see if you can learn the Ban-geuk Heart Law.”
“A test?”
“From now on, I will use Ban-geuk true qi to open your acupoints. To learn the Ban-geuk Heart Law, there must not be a single speck of turbid energy in your qi and blood.”
‘Is the test just clearing the turbid energy accumulated in my body?’
“Injecting true qi to clear the turbid energy accumulated in the acupoints is something that must be done slowly, over time. No matter how strong a person is, they can only open one acupoint a day.”
As Bu Eun-seol showed a look of incomprehension, Hyeol-geum-gang bared his canines and smiled.
“I will now open all three hundred and sixty-five of your acupoints at once. I guarantee you, the pain will be unbearable unless you chew off a finger or two.”
Staring intently into Bu Eun-seol’s eyes, Hyeol-geum-gang parted his lips.
“I warn you, if you are not confident, it would be better to give up.”
He then revealed his left hand, with all its fingers severed, and smiled.
“Without fingers, no matter how great the internal energy you learn, you will not be able to learn the martial arts of Nang-ya-gak.”
“I will do it.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s answer, which came without a hint of hesitation, Hyeol-geum-gang nodded.
“Good. Do not regret it!”
As he shouted, hundreds of rays of light shot out from Hyeol-geum-gang’s right fingers.
The ultimate technique of Cheon-ryong Temple, the Mu-si-mu-jong-ji, was unleashed.
*Chwarararak.*
The finger wind scattered by Hyeol-geum-gang poured onto Bu Eun-seol’s body like a brilliant explosion of fireworks.
*Papak.*
Bu Eun-seol’s pupils dilated as he was struck by the finger wind.
*Jjijik.*
His muscles swelled, beginning to push against his old martial arts uniform. At the same time, sweat like raindrops began to stream down his face.
‘Is it starting?’
Hyeol-geum-gang narrowed his eyes.
The act of opening acupoints to remove turbid energy from the body was, in fact, akin to torture.
When true qi is poured in to open the acupoints, one feels a pain as if their bones are being forcibly pulled out and scraped with a knife.
The famous torture techniques of the martial world, such as the Hell's Shadow Torture or the Azure Death Hand Torture, were mostly methods of forcibly pouring true qi into the acupoints.
‘He will start screaming soon.’
Hyeol-geum-gang was certain.
Having opened his acupoints in such a short time… Bu Eun-seol would feel a pain as if all the veins in his body were on fire.
“Mm.”
But Bu Eun-seol only let out a short groan.
And he did so with a very low, calm expression.
‘Mm?’
A look of bewilderment flashed in Hyeol-geum-gang’s eyes as Bu Eun-seol, who he expected to be writhing in agony, let out only a short groan.
‘Have I not expelled enough of the turbid energy from his meridians yet?’
He soon shook his head.
Thick sweat was already pouring from Bu Eun-seol’s body like rain.
This was a phenomenon that occurred when the injected true qi was working properly, forcibly expelling the turbid energy.
“Mmm.”
Just then, Bu Eun-seol let out another groan.
It was with a very satisfied tone, and his expression was as if he were receiving a massage at a pleasant resort.
‘So this is what it’s like to have your acupoints opened.’
Bu Eun-seol had his eyes gently closed.
The true qi circulating inside his body was caressing his acupoints as gently as a mother’s touch.
At times, a fierce energy would threaten to tear through his meridians, but soon a warm heat rising from his dantian would alleviate the pain.
“Mmm.”
A constant warmth rose from his dantian, warming his entire body, and with every drop of sweat, it felt like the impurities inside him were being cleansed.
“Could it be.”
Hyeol-geum-gang’s eyes widened as he looked down at the beads of sweat Bu Eun-seol had shed.
He looked like a phony shaman who had just seen a real ghost while writing a talisman.
‘He had no turbid energy in his acupoints to begin with!’
The sweat shed after opening the acupoints is not only stained black but also emits a severe stench.
But the sweat Bu Eun-seol shed was merely murky, with no smell at all.
His qi and blood were as clean as a newborn baby’s.
“Hahaha.”
Laughter erupted from Hyeol-geum-gang’s lips as he grasped everything.
The Ban-geuk Heart Law, a deadly internal art that could never be mastered due to its death-like agony.
But right before him sat a prodigy who could complete that very heart law.
“Hahahaha!”
Hyeol-geum-gang burst into maniacal laughter.
“You said your name was Bu Eun-seol.”
A heat that could melt steel erupted from Hyeol-geum-gang’s eyes as he looked at Bu Eun-seol.
“From this day forward, I will impart the Ban-geuk Heart Law to you.”