Chapter 108: Muscle Training (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 108: Muscle Training (4)
Pae Jin-gwang declared he wanted to gauge how much weight Seo-jun could handle. He vanished, only to return moments later lugging several massive boulders.
The first was the size of a grown man. The next was slightly larger, the one after that larger still, scaling up until the final boulder—a behemoth roughly the size of a small house.
"Try lifting this one first," Pae Jin-gwang said, pointing at the man-sized rock.
Seo-jun scoffed. "I’m in the Super Peak Realm, you know."
He hoisted the rock with a grunt. It wasn't particularly heavy.
But Pae Jin-gwang immediately shook his head. "Uh-uh! No internal energy allowed!"
"What?" Seo-jun sheepishly withdrew the internal energy he had been using to reinforce his body. "Ngh...!"
He could still lift it, but he definitely felt the crushing weight now.
Once a martial artist reached the Super Peak Realm, their physical constitution fundamentally transcended that of an ordinary mortal. Even without circulating internal energy, hefting a man-sized rock wasn't impossible, though it certainly demanded effort.
"Easy enough. Next."
He lifted three more rocks of increasing size. But when he reached the boulder twice the size of a person, it refused to budge no matter how hard Seo-jun strained.
"Agh...! I’m gonna die!"
"Ho-ho, look at how weak you are."
Pae Jin-gwang grinned. He casually approached the house-sized boulder and lifted it with a single hand. He didn't even lift it from the bottom; he simply jammed his fingers directly into the solid stone and hoisted it into the air.
"This is just ridiculous," Seo-jun muttered.
Thump!
The ground quaked as Pae Jin-gwang set the boulder down. Feeling a sudden surge of petty competitive spirit, Seo-jun placed his hand against the massive rock.
"I mean, if I use internal energy, this is nothing."
He applied his lightness skill to negate the sheer mass and channeled the Mystique of Absorption into his palm. The boulder, now firmly stuck to his hand, lifted effortlessly off the ground.
Pae Jin-gwang’s expression crumpled in disappointment. "What do you plan to achieve with that rotten attitude, you brat? Hmm? Even the ladies are working so hard."
Seo-jun glanced over. Chun-bong and Namgung Su-ah were currently grunting, faces flushed as they lifted their own respective rocks.
Despite acting like a silly old man, Pae Jin-gwang was still a martial artist who held the title of 'King.' Both women had asked to join his training, and Pae Jin-gwang had readily agreed.
This was the result.
Chun-bong was somehow managing to lift a rock the size of her own torso. Meanwhile, Namgung Su-ah was laboriously hoisting the exact same boulder Seo-jun had just given up on, lifting it high over her head.
"Wait, Su-ah...? How did you do that?"
Thump!
Setting the massive rock down, a sweat-drenched Namgung Su-ah gave him a beaming smile. "I did a bit of external martial arts training back at the clan."
"Oh..."
She was stronger than him? Even without using internal energy?
While 'Essence' didn't exclusively refer to raw physical strength, that wasn't the point right now.
I’m weaker than her?
Seo-jun’s expression turned grim as the gravity of the situation sank in.
"No, seriously...?"
He couldn't accept this. This was a matter of a man's pride.
Seo-jun abruptly flopped onto his stomach and planted his right elbow in the dirt. "Su-ah, get over here."
"Huh...?"
Blinking in confusion, Namgung Su-ah lay down opposite him and clasped his hand. An arm-wrestling match.
Pae Jin-gwang squeezed his eyes shut, second-hand embarrassment washing over him. "Do you really have to be this pathetic?"
"Old man, be quiet for a second. I’m serious."
Seo-jun stared at Namgung Su-ah with burning intensity. Facing him at such close proximity, Su-ah’s cheeks flushed a faint pink.
"Su-ah, give it your all. If you go easy on me, I’m actually going to cry."
"Hehe, alright."
Chun-bong, watching with great interest from the sidelines, eagerly stepped up as the referee. "Ready... go!"
Grip!
Veins bulged on Seo-jun’s forearm. He poured every ounce of his raw physical strength into the match.
Namgung Su-ah also gave it her all, just as he had requested.
The result was decided in mere seconds.
Thud.
Without a single moment of reversal or dramatic struggle, Seo-jun’s knuckles were pressed firmly into the dirt.
"......"
Seo-jun stared blankly at his defeated hand.
"Pfft...!"
A snicker broke the silence. Seo-jun’s eyes slowly drifted toward Chun-bong.
"Pffft...! Why, why are you looking at me like that?"
"H-how could you..."
"Ehehehe...!"
Chun-bong finally burst out laughing. Seo-jun’s heart shattered into pieces.
He slowly stood up, turning his dead, hollow eyes toward Pae Jin-gwang. "...Fine. I'll do it. I'll do the training."
"R-right."
Pae Jin-gwang was momentarily rendered speechless by just how much of a sore loser the boy looked like.
But Seo-jun was dead serious.
"Everyone's dead today...!"
Serious Mode Lee Seo-jun. He was ready to roll.
* * *
"Haa... haa..."
Seo-jun lay sprawled on the dirt, gasping for air as if he were on the verge of death.
Truthfully, he had considered creating a 'body-building' martial art that directly stimulated muscle growth, but external martial arts weren't just about the superficial end result of having big muscles. The grueling process of training was what allowed true 'function' to dwell within the flesh. Unless he wanted useless 'glamour muscles,' it was better to avoid shortcuts.
Besides, if he was going to rely on internal energy to build muscle, it would be far more efficient to just fight using internal energy in the first place.
Pae Jin-gwang looked down at him in absolute disbelief. "You crazy bastard."
Through the gaps in his disheveled martial robes, Seo-jun’s arms were stained a bruised, dark purple. His legs and waist were likely in a similar state.
This was the brutal result of training without a single moment of rest, pushing forward even as his muscles tore and blood vessels burst.
What kind of monster is he?
Was it even possible for a normal person to train until their body looked like that? The pain alone should be unbearable, yet he could still exert force in that state?
Pae Jin-gwang was genuinely curious. But to his surprise, Seo-jun stood up a moment later, acting as if nothing were wrong.
"Man, I’m beat..."
"If you overdo it like that on the first day, what are you going to do tomorrow?"
"It’s nothing."
Ptui! Seo-jun spat out a wad of blood-tinged saliva and casually brushed the dirt off his clothes.
He’d recover from this much after a short rest anyway. He had once reattached his own severed neck using internal energy and fully healed it in a matter of days; a few torn muscles were hardly a problem.
"Seo-jun, are you really okay?" Namgung Su-ah hurried over to support him.
Chun-bong hovered nervously behind him, fidgeting before gently grabbing his sleeve. "O-oppa... is it because I teased you earlier? I only laughed because it was funny..."
Seo-jun, the one currently being fussed over, felt a bit awkward.
Didn't they hear that I survived getting my head cut off?
Compared to that, this was literally nothing. But since they were looking at him with such genuine concern, he felt obligated to act a little hurt.
"A-aaagh...!"
His clumsy acting instantly made Chun-bong’s expression turn flat and skeptical. "I guess you’re really not in pain..."
"What!"
"Phew, you scared me. Anyway, let’s go rest. It hurts just looking at you."
Seeing her relax so suddenly made him feel a bit neglected. "Hmph."
Seo-jun stretched and waved at Pae Jin-gwang. "See you tomorrow, old man."
"...Hm. You’ve got a good spirit!" Deciding that all's well that ends well, Pae Jin-gwang grinned and waved back. "Let’s increase the weight tomorrow!"
"Are you a total bastard?" Seo-jun flipped him the middle finger.
* * *
After washing up, the group gathered in one room.
"Ta-da."
Seo-jun pulled out a jar of coffee beans. Recognizing them, Namgung Su-ah’s eyes widened slightly, revealing her striking blue pupils.
"Oh, coffee? Where did you get this?"
"The Hidden Sword of the Darkness, I think? That person gave it to me."
Chun-bong’s head snapped up. "What, you jerk? Who?"
"The Hidden Sword of the Darkness. You know them?"
"How could I not? They're a famous assassin who’s even taken down Super Peak masters."
"Oh... they really were famous."
A famous assassin. It had a strange ring to it. While Seo-jun was inwardly impressed, Chun-bong stared intently at the brown beans in the glass jar.
"So, what is this?"
"Ho-ho, my dear Chun-bong. You don't know what coffee is? You've wasted half your life."
"Aren't they just beans?"
Seo-jun clicked his tongue at her lackluster reaction. "Miss Geum, this isn't just some ordinary item."
"What...!"
"I'm only sharing this with you, so don't go spreading rumors."
"Mmm...! My lips are sealed!"
Namgung Su-ah tilted her head at their sudden skit.
Seo-jun, perfectly accustomed to these brief antics, wrapped up the play-act and examined the glass jar. Surprisingly, there was something resembling a barcode engraved on the side. Thin lines with a string of numbers underneath.
4071260.3718186237
Unbelievable. Was this really a barcode? At this point, he began to seriously wonder how people in the West were actually living.
Maybe I should go sightseeing there later?
Regardless, that was a plan for another day. Seo-jun opened the jar, his heart full of anticipation.
"Ooh...!"
The subtle, rich aroma of roasted coffee wafted out. Chun-bong’s eyes sparkled.
"It smells savory!"
"And it tastes even better."
As Seo-jun grinned, Chun-bong lunged forward. She snatched a bean and popped it straight into her mouth.
"Wait, not like—"
"Mmph...!?" Chun-bong’s eyes went wide, and she immediately spat the bean out. "Pah! Ptui...! W-what is this...! You said it was delicious...!"
"Miss Geum, nobody eats coffee beans raw."
"You should have told me sooner...!"
"Hmm." He had a lot to say, but he let it slide because it was Chun-bong.
Seo-jun brought out some thin paper and the ceramic cups he had prepared earlier.
"Chun-bong, hold this for a second."
"Like this?"
"Yeah."
Chun-bong held the paper, which he had rolled into a cone, carefully with both hands.
Seo-jun poured hot water—heated using his Yang energy—over the paper to rinse it, then filled the cone with freshly crushed coffee beans.
"Nice."
Then, he slowly poured the hot water over the grounds, maintaining a steady stream. Since he wasn't exactly a barista, he just poured the water in concentric circles like he’d seen somewhere before. Soon, dark coffee with a brilliant, rich hue began to drip into the ceramic cup below.
"O-oh..." Chun-bong watched in absolute awe. "It definitely smells good. Does it taste like scorched rice tea?"
"Maybe...?"
After brewing enough for three cups, they sat together and raised their drinks.
"Alright, cheers!"
"Hehe, it’s been a while since I’ve had coffee," Namgung Su-ah noted happily.
"This is really delicious, right?" Seo-jun nodded firmly at the still-skeptical Chun-bong. "Don't you trust me?"
"I'm really trusting you on this, okay?"
"I told you, it’s good."
Seo-jun took the first sip. As he brought the cup close, the pleasant, roasted aroma of the coffee soothed his mind and body.
"Mmm."
To think he’d be drinking hand-drip coffee in the Murim of all places.
Slurp—
Seo-jun took a sip and felt a shiver of pure satisfaction run through him.
The Hidden Sword of the Darkness. Did she say her alias was Ye-hwa? Anyway, fitting her sharp image, the coffee had quite a bit of bright acidity. As the complex flavors filled his mouth, he could hardly tell if he was in the Murim or back in the modern world.
"Wow... this is pure bliss..."
"The aroma is lovely. These must be high-quality beans. You said the Hidden Sword of the Darkness gave them to you?" Namgung Su-ah asked.
"Yeah. She said she took a liking to me."
"Hmm, is that so?"
Seeing Namgung Su-ah elegantly sip her coffee, Chun-bong’s lingering suspicions finally vanished.
"Hehe." Excited to try this delicious new drink, Chun-bong took a massive gulp.
"Pffft...!"
And immediately spat it out.
"It’s bitter! It's so bitter...!"
Drenched in hot coffee blended with Chun-bong’s saliva, Seo-jun maintained a saintly, serene smile. "It’s because our Chun-bong is still a child."
"You said I could trust you...! Liar!"
"I thought you were all grown up, but I guess not."
Chun-bong flinched at the provocation. She tentatively took another tiny sip, just enough to wet her lips.
"I-I think it might be getting better the more I drink...?"
Geum Chun-bong’s face was contorted in an agonizing grimace. Seo-jun cackled.
"If you don't like it, give it to me. I'll drink it all."
"Hmph, it’s mine!"
Chun-bong stubbornly finished the entire cup, forcing it down sip by sip. Since she had spat out nearly half of it at first, she only ended up drinking half a cup. But she had still consumed half a cup's worth of highly concentrated caffeine...!
Consequently, Chun-bong stayed wide awake all night, staring at the ceiling.
* * *
Over the next few days of training with the Fist King, Seo-jun felt his physical body improving by the day.
The Fist King’s training was essentially a very primitive, brutal form of weightlifting. In Seo-jun’s case, thanks to his mysterious regenerative abilities, his muscles repeatedly tore and recovered at high speeds, leading to shockingly rapid results.
Naturally, his muscle growth was unnaturally fast. One could say it was all thanks to his burning determination to finally beat Namgung Su-ah in an arm-wrestling match.
Fortunately, the Fist King’s physical conditioning didn't take up the entire day, so he spent his free time hanging out with Chun-bong and Namgung Su-ah.
When night fell, Seo-jun continued his solitary training.
Domain and sorcery, Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Astral Qi, Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Astral Qi, Demonification, Emperor Sword Form, Yellow Cloud Divine Sword, and occasionally, the Shadow Hiding Technique.
Cultivation was an endless endeavor, so at the very least, he was never bored.
Wait. Am I actually... diligent?
Late at night, while resting on a rooftop, Seo-jun suddenly sat up straight.
He couldn't live such a purely diligent life. A healthy, balanced life required the occasional bout of slacking off.
But it was already very late. At this hour, the only available entertainment was teasing a sleeping Geum Chun-bong, watching a sleeping Geum Chun-bong, or secretly poking a sleeping Geum Chun-bong’s cheeks.
As he looked around the clan grounds to see if anyone else was awake, a light caught his eye.
"Over there..."
Seo-jun leaped into the air, landing silently on a higher vantage point.
Despite the dark night, several buildings in the distance were brightly lit. They were clustered tightly in one area, and as he observed them, he caught a peculiar scent drifting on the wind. Above all, he could feel a vibrant, dense movement of Qi.
After a moment of observation, Seo-jun realized what he was looking at. This was where the clan's spirit herbs were processed.
"Oh."
This looked interesting.
Of course, being such an important facility, security was incredibly tight. Seo-jun was currently testing his Shadow Hiding Technique and had completely masked his presence, so he hadn't been caught yet. However, judging by the complex defensive formations installed around the perimeter, sneaking in completely undetected would be quite a chore.
But who was he? He was the young master of the Namgung Clan.
Seo-jun dropped his stealth and walked forward boldly.
"Ah, Young Master?" a guard greeted, startled.
"Can I go in there?"
"Umm..." The guard hesitated and glanced back at a man who appeared to be his superior.
The superior thought for a moment before firmly shaking his head. "I’m afraid we cannot allow entry without the Family Head’s explicit permission."
"Ah."
What a shame.
* * *
The next day, immediately after his training with the Fist King, Seo-jun obtained Namgung Jin-cheon’s permission and made a grand, unhindered entrance into the Heavenly Medicine Hall.