Chapter 13: Yin-Yang Reversal
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 13: Yin-Yang Reversal
An elixir was, at its core, a spiritual medicine. It was crafted by combining various ingredients to make it easier for the body to absorb qi and convert it into internal energy.
However, no matter how potent the pill, simply swallowing it made it little more than a glorified health supplement. Once consumed, one had to focus their mind, converting that qi into internal energy to properly absorb it.
"Sss... Hooo..."
Chun-bong, who had just been forcibly stuffed with the elixir, was no exception. She focused entirely on her breathing exercises, determined not to let the precious treasure she’d finally obtained turn into mere bodily waste.
There’s no reason this shouldn't work.
Seo-jun immediately stepped behind Chun-bong and placed his hands on her back. As he pressed his palms against her and concentrated, the flow of internal energy within her mapped itself out in his mind, as clear as a painting.
Qi is influenced by a person's mental imagery. If you’re certain you can do it, you really can.
Of course, there was a chance he could fail, but that would just be a shame. If things didn't go as planned, the worst-case scenario was wasting a single elixir.
Focusing on the flow of energy within Chun-bong, Seo-jun took a deep breath. Since the Azure Cloud Divine Art was derived from the Yellow Cloud Divine Art, its pathways weren't significantly different. He quickly grasped the minor discrepancies, observing the process of the Black Peony Pill’s qi merging into Chun-bong’s internal energy without missing a single detail.
The neutral qi is turning into Yin energy.
It was the unique Yin energy of the Azure Cloud Divine Art. However, the newly absorbed Yin energy soon began to freeze, suppressed by the Yin Cold Energy currently clogging her meridians.
If I leave it like this, she’ll have no choice but to expel the qi from her body.
Now was the time. He had to intervene in the conversion process and substitute the Black Peony Pill’s qi with Scorching Yang energy.
"Chun-bong, you trust me, right?"
Yes. He imagined her answering in his mind. A golden haze began to shimmer from Seo-jun’s body.
What was the true difference between Yin and Yang? Yin was still, while Yang was active. From a modern perspective, it wasn't much different from thermal energy. If the movement of the particles making up an object was vigorous, its heat energy increased; if they slowed, it decreased.
In short, it was about particle vibration. Whether qi was a particle or a wave, he didn't know, but understanding it in those rough terms was enough.
Wait. Does that mean Taiji is just a state of thermal equilibrium?
Of course, that was a thought born purely of his ignorance regarding Taiji. Regardless, he had no time for such idle musings. Seo-jun shoved the stray thoughts into a corner of his mind.
Since it was impossible to perfectly fit martial arts into the framework of modern science anyway, Seo-jun simply relied on his shallow knowledge to bolster his conviction.
Hot and active.
He seized the Black Peony Pill’s qi just as it began to freeze and gave it a metaphorical slap across the face. The qi, which had been settling into a deep slumber, began to surge wildly.
"Mmm..."
As the qi grew turbulent, a pained groan escaped Chun-bong’s lips. At this rate, the strain on her body would be too great. Seo-jun carefully controlled the intensity of the surging qi, assisting Chun-bong’s Lesser Celestial Circulation along the pathways of the Azure Cloud Divine Art.
He could feel the qi forcing its way through the microscopic cracks in her frozen meridians.
Okay.
He had the feel for it now.
A faint smile played on Seo-jun’s lips. Now that he had the knack for it, he discarded all the scientific theories. From here on out, he would simply act on instinct.
What should I call this?
Nothing was better for solidifying a mental image than giving it a proper name.
Ah, right.
Yin-Yang Reversal.
That name sounded perfect.
*
Geum-hee felt the qi inside her being led around at someone else's whim. Even though it was the energy within her own body, it was being entirely controlled by another’s will. The sheer alienness of the sensation made the hairs on her arms stand on end.
...His talent is unbelievable.
Though struck with awe, she did not stop the operation of her heart method. Soon, however, she felt the qi of the Black Peony Pill beginning to freeze under the oppressive influence of her Yin Cold Energy.
So it ends like this after all.
It would be a lie to say she wasn't disappointed. She had held onto a sliver of hope, but... in reality, this was the natural outcome.
She wasn't let down by the failure. Rather, her heart ached at how hard he had tried for her sake.
That idiot. If he had just taken it himself, it would have been a much greater help to him. He would have been one step closer to becoming one of the Top 100 Martial Artists of the World...
Just imagining him as one of the Top 100 made her feel a strange sense of pride. How odd. The only thing she truly regretted was that she wouldn't be around to see it happen.
Seo-jun, roaming the Murim while wielding her family’s secret martial arts. The thought of the entire Murim making a fuss at the mere mention of his name sent a pleasant, heart-fluttering excitement rippling through her body.
Well, he’s basically my disciple. It makes sense I’d feel this way.
It was just as she was about to give up and expel the qi from her body.
Thump—!
Her heart gave a massive leap, and a sudden warmth began to dye the inside of her body. A shocked Chun-bong closely examined the flow of qi.
The qi of the Black Peony Pill, which had been converted into the internal energy of the Azure Cloud Divine Art, was turning into Yang energy without any warning.
This is impossible... This shouldn't even be logically possible.
But whether she was shocked or not, the Yang energy spread rapidly, like ink dropped into clear water. It soon squeezed through the needle-thin gaps in her meridians, forcefully widening them.
The warmth of the Yang energy was melting the Yin Cold Energy.
My body is...
It was melting. It felt as if warm spring sunlight was finally shining down on a body that had lived its entire life in the dead of winter.
As she guided the qi, entranced by the warmth flowing through her, the flow of internal energy gradually became smoother. Her chest, which had always felt suffocatingly tight, cleared up, and her frozen fingertips softened.
It was a warmth she had long forgotten.
Entrusting her body to the hazy, dreamlike flow, a faint, peaceful smile appeared on Chun-bong’s lips.
*
"Hooo..."
Seo-jun let out a long breath and opened his eyes. Drenched in sweat, his expression was far from refreshed.
"Did I ask for too much?"
He had hoped to completely cure her severed meridians this time, but that was asking for the impossible. Clicking his tongue, Seo-jun picked up Chun-bong, who had fallen asleep at some point during the process.
"Look at this brat. She's actually smiling."
Seeing her smiling so softly made her look like a normal girl her age for once, which put his mind at ease. After laying her down comfortably on the floor, he touched her hands and feet. The warmth had definitely returned.
Before, they had been cold and stiff, like someone suffering from severe frostbite. But now they were warm and soft, just like a baby's skin—even though she was already seventeen.
Seo-jun chuckled, then suddenly grimaced like a madman and flopped down right next to Chun-bong.
Yin-Yang Reversal. The technique was every bit as difficult as its grand name suggested. Though he was smiling for now, it felt like his head was about to split in two.
"...Make sure you're filial to me later, Geum Chun-bong."
Seo-jun’s consciousness abruptly cut out.
*
Chirp, chirp—
He woke up to the sound of birds singing. Seo-jun sat up blankly, clutching his throbbing head with a groan.
"Ugh..."
Had he overdone it yesterday? Even if everything else was fine, using Yin-Yang Reversal had definitely been punching above his weight class.
Well, if it ends with just a headache, it’s no big deal.
Shaking it off, he reached out and grabbed a water bottle nearby. The very first thing he’d upgraded as soon as he got some money was this: his water quality.
Gulp—
"Kaaa..."
It was still pretty bad, but it was thirty-two million times better than the muddy water he used to drink.
"God, what a shitty world."
Charging money for well water. He felt like cracking someone's skull open.
Once he’d regained some of his senses, he felt a strange weight on his leg.
"This brat."
Chun-bong was fast asleep, hugging his leg tightly like a body pillow. He was about to absentmindedly stroke her hair when he froze.
"Hey, hey! Hey, shit! Wake up, quick!"
"Wha—what! What is it?!"
Chun-bong jumped up and looked around frantically. Seo-jun pointed a trembling finger at her head.
"Your hair! Why do you have so much white hair?!"
"White hair...?"
Blinking stupidly, Chun-bong fumbled with her hair and pulled a few strands down in front of her eyes. Her hair was now a half-and-half mix of black and white. Staring at it blankly, Chun-bong let out a hollow laugh.
"I guess it’s because of the Yin Cold Energy."
"Is something wrong with your body?"
"No, it’s nothing. It’s just a change in hair color."
Chun-bong swung her arms around vigorously to demonstrate.
"My body feels perfectly fine. I’m bursting with energy!"
She grinned, looking genuinely happy. Relieved, Seo-jun stood up.
"I think you got a bit taller, too?"
"Huh?"
When she peeked up at him, the top of her head reached about his chest. Considering Seo-jun had grown quite a bit over the past year, she must have shot up a good five or six inches overnight.
"Wait, what?"
Startled, Chun-bong hurriedly felt her chest.
Thump. Thump.
Only a hollow sound echoed. She had grown taller, but her chest was still a perfect cliff. Her head slumped in defeat.
"...Dammit."
"It’s okay. Surprisingly, there’s a high demand for chests like—ack! Why are you hitting me?!"
"Just shut up!"
Well, she seemed healthy, so that was a relief.
*
Having overcome the sense of loss for the breasts she never had, Chun-bong stared intensely into Seo-jun’s eyes. Then, she looked down at her feet.
"...Thanks."
"What?"
"I... I said thanks. Honestly, I didn't think you'd go this far..."
Fidgeting, Chun-bong gripped Seo-jun’s sleeve with her small hand.
"Storming the Black Tiger Sect... giving up the elixir for me... and, though I don't know how you did it, turning Yin energy into Yang..."
Glancing up at him, Chun-bong pouted, her cheeks flushed.
"It’s all thanks to you, O-O... Oppa!"
"......"
Her face turning beet red, Chun-bong stammered and shouted.
"S-Say something, will you?!"
Seo-jun, who had been completely frozen, slowly reached out. His hands found their way under her armpits, gripped tight, and hoisted her small body into the air.
"Yo! You cute little brat! This rascal finally called me Oppa!"
"L-Let go! Do you have some kind of grudge about not being called Oppa?!"
"Aww, you're so cute!"
As he hugged her tight and rubbed his cheek against hers, a horrified Chun-bong began to kick wildly.
"Let go, you son of a bitch!"
"Ack!"
Eventually, Chun-bong’s heel landed a direct hit on Seo-jun’s vitals. Seo-jun collapsed on the spot.
Did... did they pop?
He fumbled around in a panic. Thankfully, they seemed intact.
"Uuugh..."
"A-Are you okay...?"
Talk about giving the disease and then offering the medicine. Chun-bong awkwardly patted Seo-jun’s tailbone.
"You mean girl..."
"Hey, I... I’m really sorry."
Since she genuinely apologized, he decided to let it slide. Wiping away the tears pricking the corners of his eyes, Seo-jun forced a smile.
"...Anyway, let’s find another spiritual herb later and cure you completely. You should be fine for a while, right?"
"Y-Yeah... More importantly, are you really okay? They didn't burst, did they?"
"I'm fine. Want to feel?"
"Are you insane?!"
Chun-bong snapped at him, but she refrained from kicking him again. She really did seem to feel bad about it.
"Good then."
Seo-jun chuckled and sprawled out on the floor.
Anyway, now that the Black Tiger Sect was halfway dealt with, should he try unifying the back alleys?
And I should look into that woman’s whereabouts.
The woman he had met on his first day in the Murim. He was a little curious about how she was doing now.