Chapter 28: Appearing in the Murim (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 28: Appearing in the Murim (1)
Engraving one's own star into the Qi…
Seo-jun furrowed his brows.
"Is it that thing? Something about mind, body, and technique? Or essence, qi, and spirit?"
"Exactly. Essence, Qi, and Spirit. So, you could say Astral Qi is formed when Spirit dwells within Qi."
"What?"
Sigh.
Theory was a headache. Who cares about the theory as long as I can use it well?
As Seo-jun grumbled, Chun-bong began a customized lesson tailored to his level.
"Your mental imagery dwells within the internal energy you wield. That manifests in the form of a star."
"Aha. Then why didn't you just say that? Why make it so complicated?"
"I don't know either."
Chun-bong shook her head.
Experts in any field always tended to use overly difficult language. It was like they had some secret code only they could understand.
Seo-jun stared at her for a moment before changing the subject. "But hey. That monster."
"The Armored Ghost?"
"Yeah, that guy. Do things like that usually just pop out of nowhere?"
If so, wasn't that basically a natural disaster? It felt like a neighbor leaving their faucet running and causing a tsunami that wiped out your house.
"Do you really think so? If that were the case, the population would've been cut in half by now."
"Right? I mean, it wouldn't make sense otherwise."
"But who knows anymore? One did pop out yesterday, after all."
"What."
Wait, was this an apocalypse story instead of a wuxia one?
"Then where do monsters usually live?"
"Hmm… usually not where people live. The Murim warriors clear them out of most populated areas."
"Then what about here? Did these Azure River Sect bastards slack off?"
"I really don't know. Honestly, it makes no sense for a monster like an Armored Ghost to sneak all the way down to a human settlement."
"Hmm, is this place close to a monster habitat?"
"No. Do you think Shaanxi is a joke?"
Shaanxi? Seo-jun's eyes widened.
"The Shaanxi where the Mount Hua Sect is located?"
"Yeah, that's the one. How do you even know about the Mount Hua Sect?"
"They're famous, obviously."
"But you seriously don't know the Divine Sword Geum Family?"
Chun-bong looked genuinely offended. But Seo-jun felt he was the one being wronged here.
"Hey! Go ask the people in my neighborhood! They all know Mount Hua, but nobody's heard of the Divine Sword Geum Family!"
"Fine, okay. I get it."
"No, really…!"
It was truly unfair.
* * *
Leaving the sulking Chun-bong alone for a moment, Seo-jun slipped out of the room.
Usually, apologies worked better after giving the other person some space to cool off.
"Now then…"
Seo-jun wandered through the Azure River Sect headquarters until he stood before the Sect Leader’s hall.
There were no guards. Whether it was out of confidence or because they simply felt no need for them in such a rural sect, he didn't know.
It wasn't his concern anyway, so he simply knocked on the door.
"Is anyone in?"
"Come in."
When he opened the door and entered, the Azure River Sect Leader was polishing a sword.
Seeing an elderly man sitting in a lotus position, meticulously wiping a blade with a cloth, certainly had a certain aesthetic to it. Now this is the Murim, Seo-jun thought.
"I have something to ask."
"Speak freely."
"A sect like the Azure River Sect must have some spirit herbs, right?"
"We do. Though they aren't of the highest grade."
"Would you give me one if I asked?"
"Do you need it?"
The Sect Leader stopped polishing his sword and looked up. His profound eyes gazed at Seo-jun. After meeting that gaze directly for a moment, Seo-jun nodded.
"Yes."
"I see."
The Sect Leader stood up.
He put his sword away and walked past Seo-jun, heading toward the exit of the hall.
"Follow me."
* * *
Following the Sect Leader, they arrived at a separate building.
Medicine Hall.
Those characters were written in bold, sweeping strokes on the building's plaque.
I feel strangely proud.
I can actually read some Hanja now.
He felt like he might have known the characters before, but regardless, it felt like progress.
"Hall Master, are you inside?"
"Sect Leader?"
Since it wasn't a particularly large building, a middle-aged man immediately poked his head out at the sound of the Sect Leader's voice.
"What brings you here?"
"I recall we had some Azure River Pills left in stock."
"Ah, yes. We have a few remaining."
"Bring one out."
"Pardon?"
The Medicine Hall Master’s eyebrows twitched.
He scanned Seo-jun once and tilted his head in confusion.
Sigh… "Understood."
The Hall Master went back inside.
Seo-jun looked at the Sect Leader, puzzled.
"I only asked to see if you would, but you're really giving it to me?"
"I heard the news. I was told you gave Un-i some guidance."
Was he talking about the advice to let the Qi flow naturally to achieve results?
Seo-jun hadn't expected a casual piece of advice to return to him in the form of a spirit herb.
"It wasn't much…"
"What is trivial to one may not be so to another. Since Un-i gained enlightenment from your words, giving away a spirit herb is no great matter."
Seo-jun fell silent.
He stared at the Sect Leader for a moment before giving a slight bow.
"Thank you."
"It is fine. Continue as you have been."
"Wow, really?"
"…Let me reconsider that."
* * *
Holding the Azure River Pill he received from the Sect Leader, Seo-jun returned to his quarters with a light step.
"Mmm—"
He opened the wooden box and took a sniff. A refreshing fragrance seemed to instantly permeate his entire body.
It had a much sharper, more invigorating scent than the Black Peony Pill he had given Chun-bong last time.
"With this… well, a full recovery might still be hard."
Sighing, Seo-jun stared intently at the Azure River Pill.
It was just a brown lump that looked like a bunch of dried grass mashed together. Yet, the Qi contained within this seemingly insignificant pill could save a life.
The more I know, the harder it gets.
What exactly was Qi?
The more he learned, the more he felt like he was sinking into a deep quagmire.
"Whatever."
He’d figure it out eventually.
Closing the lid of the wooden box, Seo-jun opened the door to his quarters and stepped inside.
"Hey, Chun-bong. Still sulking?"
"I wasn't sulking."
"Oh, look at our Chun-bong, all puffed up like a blowfish."
When he poked her cheeks, which were twice as chubby as usual from her pouting, Chun-bong glared at him.
"Stop it."
"Hey, don't be like that. Your big brother got something good for you again."
As he held out the wooden box, Chun-bong’s eyebrows twitched.
She stared at the box for a moment, then scratched her cheek and glanced at Seo-jun’s face.
"…I'm really fine now. I'm almost completely healed."
"Healed, my foot."
"I'm serious. I took one last time. You take this one."
"Zip it!"
When he thrust the box forward as if he were about to force-feed her, Chun-bong pouted.
"You can just get stronger first and find other spirit herbs later."
"Who knows when that'll be?"
"Well… will it really take that long?"
"I guess not."
If he kept stumbling through things, he’d probably find a spirit herb or two eventually.
Seo-jun had a rough idea of his own level.
He was at a stage where it was dangerous to run around recklessly, but he would have no rivals in most ordinary places.
It might have seemed like he reached it easily, but the Peak Realm was never a level to be underestimated.
"But you know."
"Yeah?"
"An opening…!"
Seo-jun moved like a flash of lightning, snapping the box open and grabbing the Azure River Pill.
Chun-bong reacted instantly. Her eyes flashed as she struck the floor with her hand, using the recoil to spring up from her seat.
"Not so fast…!"
Seo-jun reached out. Using the grappling techniques he had learned—even if only superficially—he caught Chun-bong’s sleeve.
However, while he might be superior in terms of Qi, Chun-bong was a step ahead in pure martial arts.
She used her captured hand to grab Seo-jun’s sleeve in return. This was exactly what he wanted.
Seo-jun had no intention of beating Chun-bong with pure physical skill anyway.
"Gotcha!"
He yanked on their locked arms, pulling Chun-bong directly into his embrace.
"W-What…!"
A flustered Chun-bong flailed her arms and legs. It was checkmate.
"What can you even do now!"
If she struck him with her full strength, she could escape, but there was no way Geum Chun-bong would do that.
Holding Chun-bong tightly, Seo-jun pressed the Azure River Pill against her lips.
"Aren't you going to open up? The pill might break. You know the medicinal effect disappears if it crumbles, right?"
"Mmph-mmph!"
"Now, now, open up while I'm being nice!"
"Mmm-mmph!"
"Hey!"
Seeing the look in Seo-jun’s eyes, Chun-bong realized it. This guy was definitely crazy enough to crush the spirit herb.
Giving up, Chun-bong opened her mouth.
Despite the guilt making her heart ache, the refreshing energy of the spirit herb began to flow in.
"Sit in a lotus position and stay still."
Following his warm voice, she closed her eyes.
…Idiot.
He was far too kind for his own good.
* * *
After treating Chun-bong’s Severed Meridians using the Yin-Yang Reversal technique just like before, Seo-jun stepped out of the quarters.
"Phew…"
Chun-bong had finished absorbing the pill and fallen asleep.
Seo-jun looked down at his hands and clenched his fists tight.
"It actually worked."
It was a new attempt, and he had been lucky.
No, it was skill. Who else but him could pull this off?
Feeling as satisfied as if he’d just eaten a massive feast, he began to hum to himself.
While treating Chun-bong’s Severed Meridians, Yin energy had leaked out. Since it was awkward to reverse it into Yang energy again, he had simply absorbed it himself.
The New Primordial Unity Divine Art wasn't a picky eater and had greedily devoured the Yin energy. As a result, Seo-jun’s own internal energy had increased to some extent.
"Talk about killing two birds with one stone."
Standing in the yard, Seo-jun circulated his internal energy. The murky energy of the New Primordial Unity Divine Art began to flow freely through his acupoints.
They say people usually can't absorb a spirit herb one hundred percent. Isn't it a total win for me to just sit nearby and eat the leftovers?
He briefly considered following anyone who was about to take a spirit herb, but he quickly gave up on the idea, realizing no one but Chun-bong would ever allow such a thing.
Regardless, it was a useless thought for now.
With the mindset of a college student finally tackling a deferred assignment, Seo-jun began to review last night's battle.
The Armored Ghost's protective energy.
Of course, the armor itself had its own defensive power, so he didn't know how the technique would work on bare skin, but it wouldn't hurt to learn it.
A smile played on Seo-jun’s lips as he guided his internal energy according to the flow he had memorized.
If there was one difference between him and a normal college student, it was that while assignments were a pain, martial arts were fun.
The night passed quickly.
* * *
The next morning.
Seo-jun’s heart shattered.
"N-Noooooooo…!!!"
As Chun-bong walked out while yawning, the chubby fat on her cheeks had visibly thinned out.