Chapter 18: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual (14)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 18: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual (14)
The Jin family head, along with thirty of the family’s warriors, Jin Myeong-woo, and Jin So-hee, all departed for the Jangbaek Gate.
I could see Jang Seo-young in the courtyard, seeing them off.
Now, only she and I remained in the Jin estate. I watched the backs of the departing group until they disappeared from sight.
Now, it begins.
With the authority of the temporary family head and the elixir in my possession, I smiled, thinking about how I would conquer Jang Seo-young.
First, I headed to the family head’s office. I had duties to attend to as the acting head.
The work mostly consisted of managing the family’s businesses and handling documents. The Jin family head’s steward assisted me, offering advice. With his help, I was able to handle the tasks without much difficulty.
"Young Master, these are documents related to our peripheral businesses. The family head always considered this area to be of great importance…"
I nodded at the steward’s words. A mountain of paperwork still sat on the desk, waiting to be processed.
This is boring.
The elixir in my robe felt heavy. I had to figure out how to use it once my work was done.
The work finished quickly. There was less to do as the temporary head than I had expected.
The sun set, and moonlight began to fill the room. All that was left was to take the elixir. Tonight, I didn't call for Seol-hee and quietly sat in the lotus position in my room.
Then, I took the elixir out of its box. The small, silver, bead-shaped pill shimmered. It was a precious medicine—a secret elixir of the Jin family capable of raising one's internal energy by an entire level.
I can become stronger with this.
I placed the elixir, glowing faintly on my palm, into my mouth.
At first, I tasted sweetness. Then, a warm energy slowly began to rise from my dantian. The heat spread gradually along my meridians.
Maintaining the lotus position, I kept my breathing even. I could feel the elixir's energy circulating through my body, elevating my internal energy by a level.
This is going more smoothly than I thought.
The energy gathered in my dantian felt fuller. I could sense a deeper level of internal energy, different from before.
I quietly accepted the elixir's effects in my room, smiling as I slowly felt the changes within my body.
Once the elixir was fully absorbed, my body felt significantly lighter. A new power enveloped me, along with the increase in my internal energy.
*
Several days had passed since I absorbed the elixir. I could now handle my duties alone without the steward's help.
After finishing my work quickly, I was sitting in the family head’s office chair, receiving fellatio from Seol-hee. She was working diligently beneath the desk.
"Slurp… slurp…"
Her lips gently enveloped my cock. Pleasure shot through me every time her tongue stimulated the head.
Grabbing Seol-hee’s head, I pushed my cock in deeper. As it plunged deep into her throat, she gasped for breath.
"Hngh!"
I then released a load of semen into her mouth, filling it completely.
"Gulp… gulp…"
She swallowed every last drop without spilling any. The way she licked the semen from the corners of her mouth was utterly lewd.
"You can get up now."
Seol-hee stood up, placed her hands on the desk, and pushed her hips out, tempting me. The white skin visible under her skirt was seductive.
"…Young Master, would you like a taste of my pussy too?"
Seol-hee tempted me with a lustful expression. Her arousal was already trickling down from under her skirt.
As I rose from my seat, her body trembled in anticipation. The sense of immorality from being in the family head's office seemed to excite her even more.
Smack!
With a sound like the crack of a whip, a bright red handprint appeared on Seol-hee’s white buttocks. A sweet moan escaped her lips.
"Aah!"
"That's enough for today. I have to go train."
She looked up at me with a disappointed expression.
"Don't look at me like that. I'll make it up to you tonight, so be patient."
"Yes… You promise you will tonight!"
Her voice was filled with anticipation.
I left her and walked out of the office. Consistent training was necessary to perfectly absorb the elixir's effects.
I headed toward the back of the mansion. When I arrived, an old man was waiting for me in a small clearing.
"You're here."
"Yes, Elder."
I bowed respectfully to the old man before me. He was the strongest martial artist in the Jin family, second only to the family head.
Gu Do-gwang.
He was a warrior who had reached the first-rate realm.
He was an old man who had led the Jin family alongside the previous head. I had asked him to help me with my training. I thought he would refuse at first, but I was surprised when he readily agreed.
"Today, I will simply observe your skills. I heard you took the elixir."
"Yes, my father gave it to me."
"Hmph. It was dangerous to take an elixir when your foundation of internal energy is lacking. But it seems your body has accepted it well."
Gu Do-gwang's gaze sharpened. I could feel the aura of a true warrior in his eyes.
"Honestly, I still find it hard to believe that you're training. Can you handle it?"
"Yes, Elder."
A smile touched Gu Do-gwang's lips at my answer.
"Well then, let's see what you've got. Come at me."
Gu Do-gwang's voice was full of vigor. His presence was sharp, belying his age.
I drew my sword. I could feel the internal energy gathered in my dantian flowing through my entire body. It was an energy that had deepened thanks to the elixir.
Gu Do-gwang stood in a relaxed posture, not even holding a weapon. Yet, his gaze alone exerted immense pressure.
So this is the power of a first-rate master…
His presence was greater than I had imagined… I raised my sword and took an offensive stance.
"What are you doing, moving like a slug? Hurry up and come at me."
I raised my sword and charged toward Gu Do-gwang.
His palm sliced through the air toward me. I tried to cut his hand with my sword, but his palm dodged my blade like a ghost and flew toward my chest.
Thud!
A single blow sent me tumbling to the ground. Blood spurted from my mouth.
"Haha. Contrary to what that Jin fellow said, you're pathetic."
Gu Do-gwang's voice echoed in my ears. Before I could even get up, his foot flew toward my stomach.
Thump!
My body flew through the air once more. My entire body ached.
Dammit.
The internal energy I'd gained from the elixir, the stats I'd accumulated—they were all useless before him. The wall of a first-rate master was this high.
"How long are you going to lie on the ground?"
Gu Do-gwang slowly approached. I could feel the pressure with his every step.
I got up again and took my stance. The next attack didn't come. Gu Do-gwang seemed to be thinking about something as he watched me.
"That's enough for today. We'll begin the real training tomorrow."
"…Thank you."
Gu Do-gwang nodded and turned away.
The next day, Gu Do-gwang's voice cut through the dawn air. The air in the training ground was still cold.
"Your foundation is completely broken. Your swordsmanship is just about crushing the weak with brute force…"
I nodded at his words. Looking back at my fights, starting from the Dungeon Conquest Chronicle, I realized most of them were won by overpowering my opponents.
The only one who was close to my level was Jin Myeong-woo, and even then, I gained the upper hand with the physical abilities I'd raised with stats.
"We'll start with your breathing. Assume the lotus position."
I sat down and took the position. Gu Do-gwang inspected my posture.
"Inhale and gather the qi in your dantian. Slowly."
Following his instructions, I breathed in. As I tried to gather the qi in my dantian, my unstable internal energy scattered.
"No. You're trying to rush it. Slower, let it flow naturally."
I tried again. This time, I breathed as slowly and naturally as possible. A faint energy began to gather in my dantian.
"Yes, like that. Gather the qi, then slowly spread it throughout your body."
The energy in my dantian began to flow along my meridians. It was unstable at first, but it gradually became more natural.
By the time the sun was high in the sky, Gu Do-gwang spoke.
"It's starting to stabilize. But you still have a long way to go." "….." "We'll continue tomorrow, so that's all for today. Keep practicing your breathing."
I remained in the training ground and continued my training. It still wasn't enough.
My training continued even as the sun set. The energy gathered in my dantian grew more and more stable.
I think I'm finally getting the hang of it.
As the sun was slowly setting, Seol-hee approached.
"Young Master, I've brought you a meal."
"Thank you."
She sat next to me and carefully fed me the food she had brought.
Several days passed like this.
The training continued every day. Under Gu Do-gwang's tutelage, I was improving little by little.
"You're finally starting to look the part."
After receiving Gu Do-gwang's instruction, I could definitely feel my breathing had stabilized.
"Now, we'll move on to the next step."
The look in his eyes changed. I had a feeling. The real training was about to begin…
"Draw your sword."
At Gu Do-gwang's command, I drew my blade.
"I'll stand still. Try to attack me."
I swung my sword at Gu Do-gwang.
"You have too many openings."
Gu Do-gwang deflected my sword with his bare hands.
"All your movements are rigid. And it's strange. Your swordsmanship is complete, but…"
His palm grazed past me, striking my chest.
Thump!
My body was pushed back.
"You're not using your body properly. Your upper and lower body are moving separately."
Gu Do-gwang slowly circled me. His eyes scanned my posture for weaknesses.
"When you swing your sword, the connection between your waist and legs is broken. That's why your center of balance falters with every attack."
He blocked my sword with his bare hands again. In that instant, my stance crumbled.
Thwack!
A palm brushed my shoulder, and my body staggered.
"See? Your sword strikes lack the power of your waist and legs. You swing with only your arm strength, so your balance is easily broken."
I see…
Until now, I had relied solely on my Advanced Swordsmanship trait and swung my sword with just my arm strength. I had overlooked the importance of my lower body.
"Fix your stance. This time, watch my movements carefully."
Gu Do-gwang picked up a sword. I could see his feet and waist moving as one.
Every time he took a step, he stomped firmly on the ground, using the rebound to twist his waist, and that power transferred directly into his sword.
Is this what true swordsmanship is…
"I can see your next move perfectly. Your fundamentals are good, but they're too textbook."
Gu Do-gwang was right. The Advanced Swordsmanship trait had given me perfect techniques, but they were just the 'basics.' I hadn't learned how to respond to unorthodox moves in a real fight at all.
"Let me show you just how sloppy your movements are."
Gu Do-gwang's sword cut through the air. I felt a completely different, sharper aura than before.
I raised my sword to meet his attack.
Clang!
"Look. See how rigid your stance is."
His sword slid up mine as if it were gliding.
Smack!
His sword struck my wrist, and I lost my grip on my own.
"A perfect stance can sometimes allow the enemy to predict your next move. In a real fight, what's important is to survive, even if your form breaks."
His sword flew at me again.