Breathing Method (2)
With Cheonma and SwordTasteStar's help, I could barely sense the mana. It felt like just repeating that initial phenomenon from the start, and it wasn't half bad. But the real problem hit right after.
Every time the mana completed a full circuit starting from my lower abdomen, my stomach cramped up in agony. Once or twice, I could've toughed it out, but right on that first loop, the pain became unbearable. It was so bad I even considered digging a separate toilet. Going far out was a hassle too.
Why the hell am I sweating like this? I wasn't even exerting myself that much, yet sweat was pouring from every inch of my body. And it wasn't normal sweat—it was pitch black. Just like that "detox sweat" I'd only heard about in stories. It looked filthy just to see.
"Ugh!"
The stench was brutal too. I nearly hurled. It felt like every toxin in my body had lumped together and decided to escape at once.
"Kyuuuek! Kwyuuueeek!"
Wonmo, with her superior sense of smell, was having a full meltdown. The moment she caught a whiff, she bolted away from me and huddled in the corner of the cave, growling. Must've been really bad. Looked like I'd have to wash up again. Wonmo might kick me out of the cave at this rate. Even though night was falling, sleeping like this could make me sick.
What the hell is going on? I filled the tub with water and lit a fire underneath. Waiting for it to boil fully would take too long, so I hopped in right away. As the cool stream water soaked my body, a refreshing chill spread everywhere. I let out a groan of relief, then decided to ask the Gallery for help.
Mana Circulation normal?
YasaengGrill
Following advice, doing mana circulation, but every loop makes me need to shit. Normal?
└Cheonma Never heard of bowel urges during qi gathering and breathing. First time for this lady.
└SwordTasteStar Same here. Isn't it just a stomach issue?
└YasaengGrill Haven't eaten anything;; Not even diarrhea.
└Euuugh. Gross.
└Fuck, talking shit while eating curry.
└Actually you're the one eating curry-flavored shit lol
└For real -_- Yeah, it's a dirty topic, but I'm serious. If it were diarrhea, I'd get it—means I'm sick. But it's not, so suspicious.
All I've eaten lately is Wall Valley Pills.
└Cheonma First thing that comes to mind is expelling bodily waste... Any health issues?
└YasaengGrill Not a pig, at least. My body's more overweight than anything—not skinny, not blatantly fat. But skimping on money by eating only ramen probably piled up some visceral fat.
└Cheonma Same with Wall Valley Pills—nothing else comes to mind.
└SwordTasteStar Or maybe your constitution's the cause.
└YasaengGrill Fat people get the same with breathing methods?
└If so, I'd have learned it first lol
└Fr Breathing exercises alone make you healthy? I'd do it yesterday lol
They explained that breathing methods don't change your body shape—that's "external training," while this is "internal power." Still, they complement each other, so body management is recommended.
└Cheonma Any other symptoms?
└YasaengGrill Sweating pitch-black sweat, smells awful.
└Cheonma Truly waste leaving the body.
└YasaengGrill Good thing?
└Cheonma Beyond good—abnormal. Should only happen at peak mastery.
└YasaengGrill Not bad, right?
└Cheonma Not bad, but to be safe, focus only on qi gathering for now. Next incantation later.
I had no objections, so I accepted. Stomach pain every loop? No choice.
Not nutrients draining instead of waste, right? Anxiety made me crave more Wall Valley Pills, but that could make my dick explode, so better hold off.
"Hoo."
Nothing ever goes to plan. Dropped in this damn forest from the start, anyway. I grumbled about my fate, then looked up at the sky. The night sky was embroidered with countless stars—truly beautiful.
...Yeah. No need to rush.
The water was warming up nicely. I scrubbed every inch with soap until I was squeaky clean. I'd deal with the leftover water tomorrow. Too dark and risky now. After drying off thoroughly with a towel, I browsed the Gallery until my hair dried.
Late night, but the Gallery was buzzing. Mostly pointless posts overflowing.
Realtime Gallery crash fucked
Wanna quit.
This blue balls?
River's warm lately
Kkanbu fuck planted trees again
BisaAAAAAANG!
Stuff like that. So familiar it felt routine. I browsed diligently, then posted my usual end-of-day update. Comments poured in, but I skimmed and closed. Maybe from learning the breathing method, sleep hit hard.
Tomorrow: repairs? Breathing? Exploration? Whatever, it'll suck. Before closing my eyes, I checked Wonmo. Curled up sleeping right beside me. At least she eased the loneliness.
Gotta dig trees hard for the money. I slowly shut my eyes. Drowsiness overwhelmed me. Worked hard today—rest for tomorrow.
I can... get out... right? Clinging to fading hope.
*****
Sleep is vital for any animal. Humans too. Sleep desire trumps appetite and lust. Skimp on it, and the day's ruined. Full rest? Best morning ever.
Refreshed solid morning!
YasaengGrill
Who asked? YasaengGrill!
└Cheonma Awake. Any discomfort?
└YasaengGrill None. More refreshed than other days?
└SwordTasteStar Breathing method's effect. Do it right after waking for better results?
└Cheonma Likely. Once before bed, once after rising.
└Cheonma This rude one. This lady was about to say it.
└SwordTasteStar You're slow.
└Cheonma Speed isn't everything. Accuracy matters.
└SwordTasteStar Agree, but speed's key.
└Cheonma Chase speed, fall into qi deviation.
└StarlightPrincess Awake. No pain?
└YasaengGrill None. You're fully better now?
└StarlightPrincess Yes. Ran outside the mansion right after waking.
└YasaengGrill Truly healthy now.
└So Grill's the only loner left?
└Grill lonely how lol
└Will she beat princess's record?
└StarlightPrincess You all are mean. I'll help you not break it, so don't worry.
Cheonma and SwordTasteStar bickering from morning. StarlightPrincess's recovery comments. I recalled posting her recovery prayers daily—about 110 days, 3-4 months. Wonder if I'll escape by then.
By then, it'll be living here, not just adapting. Browsed Gallery briefly, checked Wonmo. Still dreaming, baby that she is. Didn't want to wake her, so auction house first.
Let's see... yesterday's listings... Owl bear corpse and trees, both auctions. Fierce fees hurt sellers, but I cared more about sales.
Owl bear corpse: 200 silver nyang
Four Seasons Forest trees: 10 gold
"Oh?" Solid prices. Trees good, but owl bear high. Silver nyang's Jungwon currency—1 nyang ≈ 10 gold. So ~2,000 gold for the bear.
Why so pricey? Bear bile? Owlbear's a bear type, bile's valuable. Whatever, sells high.
Trees pricey too. 10 gold per tree? Environmental destroyer incoming.
Bone disease first, though. Need to chop one swing. No logging for cash till then.
Need trees for barricades anyway. Planned tasks, sat cross-legged. Started breathing per advice. Morning, noon, evening, bedtime—4x daily standard, but exceptions for spirit medicines. Must gather their energy.
Wall Valley Pills count, so every meal? Closed eyes, practiced as yesterday.
Start lower abdomen, circle whole body... Control hard at first, then easy. Pain every loop was issue. Would today hurt?
Through heart and head, back to lower abdomen. Cheonma said heart/head risky for newbies—need level. But mine opened first try. Nosebleed, but no danger.
Back to lower abdomen. Mana returned—no pain like yesterday. Waste already purged? Circled more, stopped slowly.
"Hoo."
Exhaled, opened eyes. Sparkling golden eyes stared back. Tilted head from furball.
"Kyuu?"
Wonmo. Watched me breathe without interrupting—smart kid. Stared, chuckled.
"Hungry?"
"Kyuu!"
"You understand me perfectly?"
"Kyuuu?"
"Nah?"
Whatever. Bought meat from auction, gave to Wonmo—devoured happily. Thirsty too? Water time.
Gulp gulp gulp—
"Huh?" Water trickled weakly. Flowed, but pressure too low. Hose issue overnight or river change.
"Annoying."
Not fixing now. Flows enough. Gave Wonmo water, Wall Valley Pill breakfast. Now one per meal, not three. Bitterness same. One better maybe.
Test right away? Circulated—different reaction. Clumped stuff broke down, merged with mana. That was pill's energy. Circled—no big change. No pain.
Ate too many before, body adapted? Maybe. Breakfast done, time to fix hose. Grabbed sword, shield, eyed Wonmo.
She stared, knowing I'm leaving.
"Stay here. Got it?"
"Kyuu."
"Oh. And if stomach hurts, poop outside. Not in cave."
"Kyuuu."
Cute reply—like she understood. If not, potty train slowly. No rush. Pet her few times, headed out.
Sword and shield feel lighter? Imagination? Good sleep? Whole body conditioned great. Sudden change recalled yesterday's method. Maybe just today—no big hopes.
Every day like this, please. Headed to river, then hose spot. What I saw:
Splash! Splash!
"...What the hell is this?"
A red fish clogging the path completely.
Looks like a carp king. Kinda did.