Jeomchang Sect - 2
“Hup!”
I began by lightly practicing the first form of the Single Flash Blue Cloud Sword: the Single Flash Three Swords.
“Your form itself is excellent. Now, let’s incorporate the principles. Shall we start with the principle of Strength?”
The Single Flash Three Swords was nothing more than a collection of the most basic sword movements—a diagonal downward slash, a horizontal cut, and a diagonal upward slash linked together.
Yet at the same time, it was a thoroughly practical form.
That was because the Single Flash Blue Cloud Sword was founded on no fewer than four principles. The Single Flash Three Swords imbued with the principle of Strength and the one imbued with the principle of Speed used the exact same motions, yet they were entirely different forms.
“From the dantian, guide your internal energy along three paths: the Yinqiao, the Guanyuan, and the Huangyu. The energy through the Guanyuan becomes the central axis—send it down through the Xuehai, Zusanli, and Taichong points of the legs. The energy guided through the Yinqiao rises through the Qimen point and generates Qi reinforcement at the Juque. From the Yinqiao and Qishe, the energy continues onward, producing Qi reinforcement from the Xiebei all the way to the Jimen…”
I listened to Hyeok Gi-rin’s explanation with a pounding heart.
The explanation itself was long and difficult, but if I had to boil it down to a single sentence, it simply meant: guide the qi to wherever the body needs it and, in the proper sequence, trigger the phenomenon of Qi reinforcement in those places.
Well, it wasn’t really something that could be reduced that cleanly, of course.
The human body is a microcosm. Countless paths called blood vessels run through that microcosm, and martial artists operate their internal energy along the meridians built upon those vessels.
Even something as simple as producing Qi reinforcement in an arm yields completely different results depending on the route the qi took through the meridians. If that route could efficiently generate powerful force, it was the principle of Strength; if it could produce high speed, it was the principle of Speed.
Locking those principles into a fixed sequence so they could be performed continuously—that was what was called a form.
“Can you demonstrate it?”
“Yes.”
The moment Hyeok Gi-rin finished speaking, I nodded. This body of Ho Cheon-an did not possess the kind of extraordinary comprehension that could grasp an entire form from a single explanation.
I had simply, on the road to the Jeomchang Sect, used the spare moments while driving the carriage to study martial manuals, memorize the methods of circulating internal energy, and swing a sword a few times.
Hyeok Gi-rin knew perfectly well that I had prepared in advance, which was why she had explained it only once before demanding a demonstration. I began performing the Single Flash Three Swords with the principle of Strength fully applied.
Whoosh!
“Again.”
Shwick! Swish!
“Again.”
Wheeeee! Shak! Shak!
Just from the sound of the air being cut, anyone could tell that the distribution of internal energy through my body was a complete mess. I was supposed to circulate qi the way one draws a continuous line on paper without ever lifting the brush; instead I was going plop!—stamping the brush down—then scribbling through empty air, then plop! stamping again.
If I was going to do it that way, I might as well have stamped consistently.
Depending on how the impurities blocked the meridians, both the output and the response were all over the place.
…That was my excuse, anyway.
“Hmm… I hate to say this, but your handling of internal energy really is a mess.”
“Senior, I understand about the constitution, but even accounting for that, it’s far too serious.”
“Shit…”
Even I had to admit it looked pretty bad, so I grumbled once and then clenched my teeth.
“For now… let’s set mastering the operation of all four principles as our goal. Stable Qi reinforcement isn’t something that can be fixed overnight.”
“Mm… I understand.”
Hyeok Gi-rin’s expression looked quite complicated. The look in her eyes as she regarded me seemed to say, Ah, I have no idea how I’m supposed to turn this guy into a proper human being… and my face heated up for no good reason.
The training that had begun at dawn finally ended around the time the sun reached its zenith. Under Hyeok Gi-rin’s guidance I had managed to acquire all four principles of the Single Flash Three Swords, yet the forms I performed still showed not even a shred of stability—even to my own eyes.
“Diligence and training alone are the answer. Wanderer Ho, do not grow impatient. Effort never betrays.”
Well, how could anyone get full after a single day of practice? Even in the game Murim Cheonha, climbing from first-rate to the Peak Realm took a long time. With the Mixed Blood penalty hitting me this hard, I had no business expecting that kind of growth rate.
“We’ll limit sword technique training to the mornings. In the afternoons I’ll devote myself to physical conditioning and other forms of training.”
“What sort of training, mainly?”
“We’ll also take time to review footwork and movement techniques, but what you need most urgently right now, Wanderer, is endurance and flexibility.”
Endurance and flexibility… An answer I hadn’t expected at all. It wasn’t that I didn’t know the words. Hearing ability stats that simply didn’t exist in the game Murim Cheonha made them feel completely foreign.
“Wanderer Ho’s training is extremely lopsided. Your muscles are well developed, yet they lack all harmony, and while your body can produce high speed, it has no sensory refinement whatsoever. You’ve probably built your body with only a single training method your entire life, haven’t you?”
“…That’s right.”
Hyeok Gi-rin’s words were spot on. Among every training method I had obtained, I had only ever continued practicing the single most efficient one.
“You must have trained using only the method considered the most efficient among those you could learn.”
Had she read my mind?
“But how could something like a perfect training method exist in this world? It’s true that the body’s muscles have greater and lesser importance, yet taking only the important ones and discarding the light ones is wrong. The light ones also exist for a reason; a martial artist ought to pursue balanced development.”
“Mm. I understand.”
In truth I hadn’t fully understood, but for now I would simply follow whatever Hyeok Gi-rin said. Her teaching skill was the best I had ever experienced. I could feel my ability improving with my own skin. Just trust and obey the top instructor.
Hyeok Gi-rin smiled as if she understood my heart completely.
“Hehe, just follow along for now. Well then—it’s lunchtime. I’ll escort you to the Chaeseondang.”
Heukmyo and I followed Hyeok Gi-rin’s guidance to the dining hall. It looked like an ordinary cafeteria where everyone served themselves rice, side dishes, and soup. The only regrettable point was the complete absence of meat. Still, there were eggs, so that was something.
“As expected of a Daoist sect’s diet.”
“The Jeomchang doesn’t particularly force any diet. It’s true that a pure vegetarian regimen prevents fire energy from accumulating in the body and allows for higher martial achievement, but that is something each person must decide for themselves.”
How very sensible. Even so, as a Daoist sect in name, meat was apparently still out of the question—but for a Daoist sect, this was practically heavenly.
Did you know?
Wudang has no kitchen. There is a dining hall where people gather to eat, but no kitchen. What does that mean? It means that cooking with fire itself never takes place at Wudang.
There are no exceptions even for guests.
Only raw food!
Isn’t that the true source of the uniquely enlightened atmosphere of Wudang disciples? Having lived their entire lives under culinary torture, how trivial must worldly affairs seem?
“Great Senior Brother!”
“Great Senior Brotheeer!”
“Hehe, it’s been a while, you brats.”
Children who looked around ten years old flocked over and surrounded Hyeok Gi-rin. In numbers they came to somewhere between ten and twenty. She stroked the clinging children a few times and then said,
“Don’t make any more noise in the dining hall. Take your seats.”
“Yes!”
Whether they had grown up hearing and seeing only good things at the Jeomchang Sect, the children’s eyes were truly pure and innocent. After hurriedly getting their food, they sat surrounding me, Heukmyo, and Hyeok Gi-rin.
“Such a pretty big sister…”
“Mister! Mister, are you an expert? Peak? Super-Peak?”
“I’m first-rate.”
“Disappointing…”
“Too bad…”
Sorry for being first-rate.
“Great Senior Brother! Tell us about going to Sichuan!”
“I heard you defeated all the bandits in Sichuan!”
As the children began chattering all at once, I couldn’t tell whether the rice was going into my mouth or my nose. Why were kids who didn’t even eat meat so full of energy?
Clap clap.
“Children. Once you’ve finished eating, this Great Senior Brother will give you presents. But only to those who quietly observe proper manners.”
“Wow! Presents!”
“Gotta eat fast!”
The children stopped their barrage of questions and began gobbling their food. Heukmyo and I finished our meal as well and headed to the guest hall with the children in tow.
“Hehe. The children are all so pure and cute. Now I understand why Hero Hyeok Gi-rin went to such lengths to prepare presents!”
Hyeok Gi-rin silently blushed. Seeing half the cargo wagon filled with gifts must have made her feel newly embarrassed.
Heukmyo and I laughed as we unloaded the presents for the children.
The gifts were candies. Not the kind hastily made on the street, but real high-quality confectioneries crafted by master candy-makers you’d only find in major cities—each one individually wrapped in paper and sealed with candle wax.
“Hmm…”
Well, the kids were cute. Maybe I should put on a little magic show.
“How many candies do you plan to give each child?”
“Hmm, one seems a bit stingy, so shouldn’t we give two each? It’s not as if today is the only day.”
“Then let’s go with one each.”
Watching me stuff the candies into my clothes, Hyeok Gi-rin made a puzzled face, then seemed to understand my intention and burst into laughter.
“Hehehe… It’ll be a fine spectacle for the children.”
Hyeok Gi-rin distributed one candy to each child.
“Sweet!”
“Delicious!”
“Wow! Great Senior Brother! I love you the most in the whole world!”
“Pretty big sister is super nice too!”
Heukmyo giggled. Watching her stroke the children’s heads, it was clear she had taken a real liking to them. The children polished off the candies in an instant. High-quality candies, after all, melt on the tongue no matter how carefully you try to savor them.
The children were smacking their lips in lingering regret.
Now was the moment for this body of Ho Cheon-an to take the stage.
“Feeling regretful?”
“Yeees…”
“I want more candy…”
“Hehehe. To tell the truth, this body of mine possesses a divine connection linked to Lord Hou Yi.”
The children rounded their eyes at my sudden declaration, then—
“That mister seems sick somewhere!”
“Should we take him to the medicine hall?”
“Kyahahah!”
Heukmyo rolled on the floor laughing. I shot her a single glare, then pressed both index fingers to my temples, frowning theatrically to set the mood.
“Uuuung… I can hear it… I hear it… To the good child who prays… I shall bestow… candy!”
Among the murmuring children, one little girl shot her hand high into the air.
“Me! I’ll do it!”
“Good! Come forward.”
The child clasped her tiny hands and offered a prayer to Hou Yi.
“Thank you for letting me eat delicious candy~”
“Hehe. Excellent. Lord Hou Yi is most pleased and says he will bestow candy…!”
“Wow?”
The girl looked at me half-believing, half-doubting. I spread my hands wide in an exaggerated flourish, then brought them together.
“Cha!”
And when I opened them again—of course, resting in my palms was…
“Ah! Candy!”
“Here. The candy Lord Hou Yi bestows as a reward!”
“Wow! Lord Hou Yi! Thank you!”
The little girl spun in circles clutching the candy, utterly delighted, while the other children watched with naked envy.
“Is there anyone else who will offer a prayer?”
“Me! Me!”
The children crowded in front of me and formed a line. I watched them pray and produced more candies from my palms. Of course I didn’t actually create them—I simply made it look that way.
“Wooow!”
After I had given candies to several children like that, their eyes began to sparkle.
Those brats—only now were they developing proper respect for this body of mine. With my motivation soaring, I shrugged my shoulders and raised the difficulty of the performance.
“Hehe! Come on, come on! Now three of you pray at once!”
After praying together with the children, three candies appeared in my palm, and the kids jumped up and down with joy.
“Wow! Three candies at once!”
“It’s Lord Hou Yi’s grace!”
“Amazing!”
The children surrounded me from every side and stared hard at my hands, but with nothing more than that they could never see through my movements. Finally, when I generated five candies at once, they erupted in cheers of pure delight.
After confirming that candies had been delivered to all fifteen children, I pressed a hand to my forehead.
“Uung… The connection with Lord Hou Yi has been cut off!”
“Aaaah…!”
“Can’t you make more candy?”
“Hehe, children. Don’t make things difficult for Wanderer Ho. Didn’t each of you get to eat one extra candy?”
Hyeok Gi-rin smiled kindly and stroked their heads.
“Mm…! Don’t be too disappointed. If you train hard in martial arts, or… um… train hard in martial arts…?”
In truth, having no idea what the children actually did at the Jeomchang Sect, I shot Hyeok Gi-rin a look pleading for help.
“Yes. If you wake up on time, don’t doze off during scripture classes, and don’t chatter or run around at bedtime, Lord Hou Yi might visit again.”
“I’ll be the first to fall asleep at bedtime!”
“Tomorrow morning I’ll be the first to wake up!”
“I’ll train hard in swordsmanship!”
“Hahahaha! Yes—be diligent!”
Even as the children waved their tiny hands while tightly gripping the candies and trotted away, I still had no idea.
That I had just done something enormous.