Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 24. Formations
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Yuseong had never brought an outside woman into his home, whether in the real world or this one.
That was why he found this situation so strangely fascinating.
Wasn't it just too comfortable?
It was probably because seeing Jegal Yeongyeong in her disheveled state made her feel approachable.
Noticing belatedly that her clothes were quite disarrayed, Jegal Yeongyeong turned around to straighten them.
Yuseong then voiced his curiosity.
"By the way, why did you come dressed in such suspicious attire? I thought an assassin had shown up at first."
"Ugh... don't even ask. Someone filled my head with weird nonsense, so I really..."
"What kind of weird nonsense are you talking about?"
Jegal Yeongyeong's lips clamped shut.
*'Tell him to his face what Elder Moyong Rim said? No way in hell!'*
There was no way she could say that she harbored feelings for Yuseong and visited him every day under the pretext of treatment.
An staring contest ensued for a while, but Yuseong backed off, sensing her lips weren't going to part anytime soon.
"I see. So someone fed you strange rumors, leading to that outfit."
"There's a reason I can't say, so please understand. Anyway, I didn't want more misunderstandings, so I hid my identity like that. If anyone had figured out I'd come here, it would've been a disaster."
"..."
How many Beggars' Sect disciples were under the Iron Fist Branch Leader's command?
Beggars were everywhere.
Even in a big city like Luoyang, their numbers weren't any fewer.
The ratio might be lower, but with more people, the absolute count could even be higher.
He doubted this secret would hold forever, but Yuseong chose not to mention the Beggars' Sect disciples to Jegal Yeongyeong.
Saying it now wouldn't change anything.
"Wait, that stings a bit."
"What do you mean?"
"That you thought I was an assassin. Do I really look that shady? I was just wearing baggy clothes and covering my face."
She was stating facts, but with a hurt expression, which gave Yuseong pause.
*'Allies are better the more you have. No need to hide it. Plus, this place is perfect for spilling the details, rather than outside where that creep might be watching.'*
Having made up his mind, Yuseong met Jegal Yeongyeong's eyes with a serious gaze.
"Don't misunderstand. The truth is, I'm being watched by some unidentified person. I haven't ruled out the assassin possibility."
"W-what? An assassin? Who the hell would try to harm our White-Clothed Physician? No way!"
Her jumping reaction pleased Yuseong.
*Our White-Clothed Physician—doesn't that make him sound precious?*
Nor was that thought a delusion.
"If something happened to you, Physician... I... I... Ah, no...!"
She clutched her face and muttered to herself as if some horror had unfolded.
"It's not necessarily an assassin; it could just be surveillance. Thank you for worrying, but the Beggars' Sect is helping me, so I'll find a way to resolve it."
Even so, her expression didn't lighten easily.
If anything, it grew more grave by the second, as if deep in thought.
After a moment, she spoke up.
"How about learning a formation? I can't teach you our family's ones, but even basic formations would help a lot."
"A formation? Out of nowhere? Why would the Chief Strategist teach me formations?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
"Yes?"
Jegal Yeongyeong paused briefly.
She seemed hesitant, as if weighing her words, then spoke.
"It's payment, payment for treatment. You're off today but treated me anyway, so it's only right to pay generously. I didn't bring money, so I'd like to substitute by teaching you a formation to protect yourself."
Her repeating "payment for treatment" multiple times sounded awfully suspicious.
And.
Yuseong had spotted the money pouch at her waist earlier, when she'd flung off her robe and her clothes were in disarray.
Of course, he didn't mention it.
He was tempted by the offer of formation lessons, so no need to embarrass her.
If a body incapable of cultivating internal energy could wield formations, it'd be like gaining another weapon for self-defense.
This was a golden opportunity.
"I feel like I'm getting way more than I deserve, but I can't refuse. Still, I'm a total novice at formations. Can they be used without internal energy?"
"It's much harder to learn, but yes, they can be used without it. I don't recommend it, though. You can start cultivating a basic internal art now; they're easy to find. Even a little internal energy makes deploying formations way easier."
Jegal Yeongyeong explained that without internal energy, it required far more complex calculations, making setup difficulty skyrocket.
Yuseong smiled wryly.
"My dantian is injured right now, so I can't cultivate internal energy."
"Ah... I'm sorry, I had no idea..."
"It's fine."
The Zhuge Family was renowned for intellect, but at its core, a martial house.
Even without personal experience, Jegal Yeongyeong couldn't be oblivious to a warrior's anguish at losing internal energy—not even the tip of the iceberg.
He said it was fine, but Yuseong caught the fleeting bitter look on her face.
*'Poor guy. Could his exceptional medical skills stem from diligently honing them to heal his own dantian?'*
Yuseong had to stay safe for her to keep getting her headaches treated.
She'd planned to have him cultivate internal energy for protection and teach simple formations, but guilt changed her mind.
"If you're okay with it, I could personally tutor you on formations without internal energy, even if it's tough?"
"I'd be grateful if you did... but is it really that hard?"
"Internal energy slashes variables dramatically, plummeting setup difficulty. Without it, you calculate every variable manually, spiking the difficulty. But don't worry—with diligence, you can master one or two simple ones."
"I see."
"Since you're here, let's start today. Just the basics for now. And when I visit the clinic daily for treatment, I'll write enough material for self-study."
"Sounds good. Please do."
Knowledge was power, blood and flesh added to one's arsenal.
Formation manuals were rare, but he could scrounge one eventually.
But.
Passing up personal instruction from the Murim Alliance's Chief Strategist—no, from the formation-renowned Zhuge Family—was foolish.
"Alright, first, the concept of formations. They arrange natural or man-made objects in specific ways to produce special effects.
They can make entrants lose their way and wander, or hide your body inside one.
Pre-setting them at home or key spots is hugely helpful in emergencies."
Yuseong nodded.
If an intruder got trapped, spinning in circles lost, or a formidable foe invaded and he could hide—that'd be invaluable.
"But here's the issue: arranging natural or man-made objects specifically. Without internal energy, you can't use man-made ones needing qi infusion. Natural objects only, which—as I said—means calculating countless variables."
"Lots of variables to crunch, huh."
"Not just one or two. Finding their intersections is a real hassle."
"Got it."
"Now, I'll explain variable calculation methods. Don't sweat mastering them now; just know they exist and forget. We'll build step by step."
Jegal Yeongyeong warned sternly.
Yuseong steeled himself for tough variable math.
"Ah, I see. Understood."
"...Really?"
"Of course."
"Be honest. Weak foundations make later lessons hard."
"I really got it all."
"..."
Jegal Yeongyeong's reaction was odd as she taught the basics.
She acted like he'd never grasp it, but one explanation and it clicked.
Partly the Innate Five Stars' power, but modern math helped hugely.
Yuseong had finished high school, after all.
Hearing the calculations for variables, he realized modern math applied perfectly.
Mostly spatial grasp, well-formalized in modern math.
His brain whirred, applying formulas, and variables felt trivial.
Yet.
Just being honest drew incredulous stares from Jegal Yeongyeong.
"Want to test it...?"
No time to waste on known basics amid rushed progress.
Jegal Yeongyeong couldn't buy Yuseong's claim.
She'd studied both for emergencies but only used man-made for formations.
Even simplest needed ten-plus natural objects; full variables were too laborious.
Yet.
Thud—
As Yuseong placed the tenth pebble, he vanished.
The concealment formation she'd just taught deployed flawlessly from his hands.
Without extra explanation or her aid.
"...Impossible."
It felt like he'd been possessed.
From learning to deploying the concealment formation: mere moments.
Honestly, she lacked confidence in such speed with natural objects.
As a child, her father—the Zhuge Family Patriarch—had told her:
"Yeongyeong, the world is vast. Central Plains acclaim our Zhuge Family and Sima Family for brains, but someone superior might exist somewhere. Stay humble, strive hard. Then you'll be the greatest in our history, Central Plains' finest."
She'd heeded him, growing admirably as expected.
Climbing to Murim Alliance Chief Strategist.
When she'd bested 40-something Sima Cheon, whose wisdom peaked, upending expectations—it was her proudest triumph.
She'd even thought herself Central Plains' smartest.
Yet.
"See? I got it right. Formations are amazing. Can I learn more? This is fun—I could use it right away."
Fascinated, Yuseong scattered the objects, reset, and deployed another concealment formation.
Faster this time.
He vanished again.
Watching him excitedly dismantle and reset like a child, she felt unfamiliar emotions.
*'Am I actually the idiot here...?'*