Chapter 6 - Tai Chi Rejuvenation Divine Art
Four elderly Taoists sat encircling Jeong Gwang, legs crossed in the lotus position.
They were the elders who had carried him here on their backs.
Smiling warmly, they spoke one by one.
"Heh heh. Don't feel burdened, lad. We're not planning to hand over our very lives to you."
"But we all must die someday. We can't take our inner power with us on the path to ascension, so we just wanted to use it meaningfully. Heh heh."
"The sect leader and Grand Senior Brother opposed it, of course, but we threw a fit because we wanted to do this much at least."
"After Grand Senior Brother lost his martial arts, Kunlun has no absolute masters left. If the Demonic Cult attacks again in this state... Jeong Gwang, we're counting on you to protect Kunlun—the Great Kunlun."
Jeong Gwang's eyebrow twitched.
They tell me not to feel burdened, then dump this on me?
They seemed ready to perform Transmitting Power Across Body, but he'd asked for spirit medicines instead, hadn't he?
He couldn't fathom why they were going to such needless lengths just to show off.
Aha!
Jeong Gwang glanced around.
The rundown Taoist robes dripping with poverty.
The shabby attire of the Taoists.
Right. Kunlun's basically beggars.
The world runs on money.
Have it, and you live large.
Lack it, and you pay with your body.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was the overlord of Xinjiang and sovereign of the demonic path, swimming in wealth.
As the Supreme One, Jeong Gwang had never worried about money. He didn't even know how it worked.
Why?
Whatever he wanted, his subordinates offered it up before he even asked.
He'd never handled cash himself, let alone spent it.
But Kunlun was different.
Understanding the reality, Jeong Gwang's jaw dropped.
Damn. No spirit medicines, no money to buy them, so they're paying with their bodies?
No wonder the old Taoists looked so resolute.
This was different from when they'd healed the dangerously abandoned baby Jeong Gwang in the mountains with their inner power.
Transmitting Power Across Body meant giving one's own true essence true qi to another.
True essence true qi was innate vital energy.
In simple terms, it shaved years off your life to boost someone else's inner power!
If Jeong Gwang were an ordinary disciple, he'd probably be weeping with emotion right now...
What idiots!
He nearly cursed aloud.
If the elders weren't already channeling qi into him, it would've burst out.
In the martial world, Transmitting Power Across Body was rarely used.
For one, few were willing to sacrifice themselves for others. But mainly, the efficiency sucked.
Even from a peak master, you'd gain maybe five years' worth of cultivation.
Gain fifty years, and you'd lose ten masters soon after.
They wanted to strengthen Kunlun before leaving, but at this rate, they'd just dwindle their numbers?
He might never get to leave Kunlun at this point.
Grinding his teeth, Jeong Gwang turned inward to observe.
Four streams of qi were flowing in.
Each one pure and clear, almost lulling him to sleep...
Gasp!
Jeong Gwang's eyes flew wide.
His own skin was growing taut and fresh, but the elders' faces channeling qi into him were wrinkling deeper by the second.
He had to return it before it was too late.
He frantically rifled through his mental arsenal of techniques.
Plucking Yin to Supplement Yang... ahem, no.
Plucking Yang to Supplement Yin... damn, why did I even learn this?
Delightful Ecstasy Divine Art, Yin-Yang Union Secret Art... why do I have a whole cartload of this stuff?
He'd picked up all sorts as hobbies, but hadn't realized he had so many.
He'd never needed them anyway—past-life Jeong Gwang was strong without such tricks.
Digging deeper, something promising popped up.
Oh ho! Absorbing Star Great Law!
...No, perfect fit, but it steals qi.
Jeong Gwang wanted to scratch his head.
He hadn't realized it before, but his past life was all about taking, not giving.
Though it suited his nature, sure.
"Urgh..."
One elder groaned, body trembling—he was nearing his limit.
Jeong Gwang's patience was fraying too.
He was holding back only because interrupting now could cause severe backlash from even a slight jolt; otherwise, he'd have kicked the elder away already.
Tempted to just take it all and wipe his mouth clean...
Eh?
A flash of insight hit him.
Elder? Kick him away?
A memory from his past life surfaced.
Some old guy with a grandiose title like Tai Chi something...
Aha! Tai Chi Sword Sovereign!
A Wudang loudmouth who'd crawled all the way from the Central Plains to Xinjiang for a fight.
Bored, Jeong Gwang humored him, and it was fun at first.
First time facing a master like that.
Impressed, he'd pressed harder, and the guy went berserk drawing perfect circles with his sword.
So fiercely focused.
After knocking his sword away and losing interest, Jeong Gwang told him to scram, but the stubborn fool lunged with inner power.
Round and round in circles, Tai Chi style?
His qi had swirled circularly too.
Maybe he could adapt that here—but would it work?
Even as he pondered, the elders were visibly withering.
Jeong Gwang decided.
If it fails, oh well. If it works, great.
This wasn't working anyway.
He circulated his Supreme Pure Unsurpassed Divine Art.
The elders, all being senior figures, were circulating the same, so their qi didn't clash.
Still, he sensed their alarm.
What can you do? Just sit tight.
He nudged the four streams of incoming true qi with his own power.
Not forcing it—just a light tap to redirect.
Thus, the elders' qi flowed in a new path under Jeong Gwang's guidance.
Elder 1's to Elder 2.
Elder 2's to Elder 3.
Elder 3's to Elder 4.
Elder 4's back to Elder 1.
Truly, round and round in Tai Chi.
The elders' wrinkled faces visibly smoothed out.
But compared to the emotion they felt, such cosmetic changes meant nothing
Amitabha! Is this possible?
Passing it back without absorbing—such pure joy!
Heh. Must be returning it because I look strained. How embarrassing.
Jeong Gwang could've absorbed and amplified our true essence. Amitabha, what a genius!
In truth, it was just passing the buck.
This could go on forever.
Fortunately, Jeong Gwang shared Elder 4's thought.
How had that Tai Chi Sword Sovereign done it?
Keep circulating, and it snowballed bigger and bigger.
Something like this?
Centering his own power, he positioned the four elders' true essences around it.
Then spun it.
Continuously.
At breakneck speed.
The elders panicked inwardly, screaming.
Ooh!
Aaah!
Jeong Gwang's stomach churned.
Ugh. Gonna puke.
So that's why the Tai Chi Sword Sovereign looked queasy.
Tough bastard—endured it and kept spinning?
Not Sword Sovereign, Poison Sovereign.
I was called Poison Heart Evil Soul back in the day—no way I'm outdone.
I'll spin it at least twice as long as you did.
Jeong Gwang kept going.
Then regretted it.
His power started madly absorbing the elders' true essence.
This wasn't right.
It felt blatantly predatory now.
And sure enough, the elders' moved gazes quickly turned resentful and gleamed sharply.
Jeong Gwang bristled.
Acting all generous until a second ago.
Honestly, he didn't even want it.
It just happened this way—pouting because he took a bit longer?
Screw this.
Giving was a hassle; taking, even more so.
In that moment of true Taoist desirelessness,
Woooong—
The spinning qi resonated, swelling in size.
Jeong Gwang paled.
The earlier nausea was mere indigestion.
Now he might actually hurl.
Urk.
Unable to open his mouth and vomit, he expelled the circulating qi.
Back to its original owners, the elders.
Now the elders paled.
Total chaos.
The onlookers fidgeted anxiously.
"Such a pained expression!"
"Something's gone wrong!"
"What do we do? He seems to be groaning inside."
It was true.
The elders were groaning inwardly.
Aheuhuhu...
Hueueuk...
But not from pain—from bliss!
Receiving amplified true essence felt this refreshing!
Only Jeong Gwang understood their feelings.
And soon, everyone did.
"Gasp!"
Look! Wrinkles sagging from age pulling taut!
"Oh my!"
Feel it! Dry hair and beards turning glossy and vibrant!
"Amitaaaabha!"
"Re-Rejuvenation!"
Not only had their inner power grown, but the elders had even grown slightly younger.
Seeing he'd benefited himself and them alike, Jeong Gwang felt pleased.
But recalling the torment soured his mood.
Not something to do often.
Judging it about done, he nearly kicked them away like he'd done to the Tai Chi Sword Sovereign—but hesitated.
It would take time, but he had to carefully sever the qi connections one by one.
Moments later, the elders—who'd braced for sacrifice but gained instead—sprang up.
Their skin was fresh, their eyes dazzlingly bright.
"Oh, my inner power has increased!"
"And we've grown younger too!"
The watching elders were already on their feet.
"Such a feat!"
"I thought only Exchanging Bones and Seizing Fetus or Returning to Purity could do this!"
Amid the excitement, one elder—who'd only rejuvenated a few years—tilted his head.
"But didn't it feel like Tai Chi energy?"
Another paused, agreeing.
"Junior Brother felt it too? It resembled Wudang's style."
Yet another nodded.
"Heh. Utterly baffling."
All the elders' faces grew grave.
Tai Chi?
That's Wudang territory.
Kunlun incorporated Tai Chi principles as a Taoist sect, sure.
But they didn't spin it to death like Wudang—and what just happened was...
Their gazes turned to Jeong Gwang.
He declared confidently.
"Why nitpick in a Taoist sect? Tai Chi is just one of the world's myriad principles. Everything returns to emptiness anyway."
His temple rice hadn't been wasted—it sounded profound.
The elders exchanged looks, nodding sagely.
"Tch. Still hung up on such things—embarrassing."
"Haha. Better late than never; let's empty our minds."
"As Jeong Gwang says, it all becomes emptiness—what does it matter? Heh heh."
Ah, Kunlun.
So quintessentially Taoist.
Quick to accept, quick to act.
Moments ago solemnly watching, now they grinned ear-to-ear, lining up.
Fighting over who went first was inevitable.
"Senior Brother! Let this junior go first!"
"Heavens! You must aid Jeong Gwang and prosper the sect! This old, useless body goes first!"
Before the lure of rejuvenation, what hierarchy mattered?
"Why the sect leader...?"
"Heh heh. For Kunlun's sake. I must roll up my sleeves too."
Only Un Hu, whose dantian was shattered, stood apart.
He cared nothing for rejuvenation.
Aaah, Primordial Heavenly Lord. Thank you. Kunlun, Great Kunlun...
His heart swelled just seeing Kunlun grow stronger.
Jeong Gwang named the qi-spinning technique Tai Chi Rejuvenation Divine Art.
Performing it on the sect leader and all elders nearly made him regurgitate thirteen years' worth of meals, but he endured.
Got more than a decent spirit medicine.
His inner power grew, and the elders gained substantial cultivation and youth.
But this had to be the last time.
Even spirit medicines lose efficacy with overuse, causing side effects—let alone heaven-bestowed true essence?
Repeating this cheat would turn poison.
Cultivation too—relying on shortcuts stifles growth.
Thus, Jeong Gwang gently explained to the re-lining elders.
"Right?"
"..."
The elders couldn't deny it, but their eyes screamed otherwise.
Do it again!
Jeong Gwang replied with his eyes.
No thanks.
"This is our secret. Can't do it for all the senior uncles, masters, and brothers— it'd just create needless barriers in the long run, right?"
"..."
The elders understood.
Still, their shoulders slumped inevitably.
Hearts comprehended, bodies resisted—the pitiful human plight.
Truthfully, this wasn't trivial.
True essence and inner power are life's and martial foundation—but only parts.
True essence, inner power, forms, experience, enlightenment must harmonize in balance. Overemphasizing one causes grave issues.
Even Jeong Gwang had cultivated cautiously, his other aspects uneven compared to his enlightenment.
But...
Damn.
His inner power had surged far beyond expectations.
Observing inward, it was hopeless.
He'd have to hastily boost the rest for balance.
Gonna be a nightmare.
And to venture the world, he needed to raise Kunlun fast.
Might as well train together. Problem is, too radical—folks still uneasy.
Meanwhile, watching Jeong Gwang, Un Hu sensed the moment.
With the Primordial Heavenly Lord's grace, great fortune descends on Kunlun. Time to back him.
The sect leader thought likewise.
When the tide comes, paddle. Chance to change Kunlun.
Their gazes met as if drawn.
Sect leader.
Senior Brother.
Hearts aligned.
With Kunlun's two greatest backing him, who'd object?
Especially now, all elders indebted to Jeong Gwang.
Un Hu spoke first.
"Jeong Gwang, though young, your abilities surpass all—we know this well."
The sect leader followed.
"We need your help. How shall Kunlun grow stronger?"
All eyes widened.
Some nearly spoke, but the grave expressions of Un Hu and the sect leader silenced them.
Jeong Gwang grinned.
The sharp duo was supporting him.
A confident voice flowed from his lips.
"Simple."