Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Gang Qi Revelation
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The next day.
Myeongjin, Cheongu, and Cheongsang had spent the entire night without moving a single step from the hidden chamber.
"Still not yet?"
Myeonghyeon, the Sect Leader, had come after hearing that Jinmu had entered closed-door seclusion to consume the Supreme Purity Divine Pill, but Myeongjin shook his head.
"Don't worry too much. What could possibly go wrong?"
"I suppose so, but..."
Myeongjin couldn't erase the anxious expression from his face.
To him, Jinmu was more precious than anyone else.
After becoming an invalid, Jinmu had cared for him with utmost devotion.
His personality seemed to have changed a bit after falling off the cliff, but his loyalty toward Myeongjin remained unwavering.
He followed every word Myeongjin said without question.
Absorbing the Supreme Purity Divine Pill was undoubtedly a great thing, but what if something—anything, even the slightest mishap—went wrong? The worry filled his mind.
"Does it normally take this long?"
"Well, this is my first time watching it directly. When the late Elder Hyeon-gong consumed his, we were too young, weren't we?"
"That's true."
"Let's wait and see."
"Yes."
After Myeonghyeon left, two or three elders visited the hidden chamber, followed by a stream of First Generation Disciples.
Time dragged on as slowly as eternity, and three days had now passed. Myeongjin's insides were burning black with anxiety.
Should he peek inside?
It was a sacred treasure—what if it caused some impurity?
The two worries filling his head left him unable to do either.
And on the fourth day.
Dong!
A rough noise filled the hidden chamber and resounded.
"Huh?"
Jinmu walked out utterly calmly.
As if nothing had happened, he stepped outside and looked puzzled at Myeongjin, Cheongsang, and Cheongu waiting for him.
"What are you all doing?"
"Ah!"
Thick moisture welled up in Myeongjin's eyes, which looked at least ten years older.
"Jinmu!"
Myeongjin threw himself into Jinmu's arms.
Old or young, he was the type who loved hugs.
"Master?"
"It's good, it's good. Heh heh! It's done."
It wasn't as if he'd returned alive from the underworld—why was he so overjoyed?
And notably, the essential question was missing.
Having taken Wudang's sacred treasure, one would expect reactions like 'How do you feel?' 'What level have you achieved?' 'Show me.'
But Myeongjin asked nothing. He just smiled brightly, hugged Jinmu tightly, and patted his back.
Was he that grateful just for coming out unscathed?
Jinmu couldn't understand it, but it wasn't unpleasant.
"Huh? Uncle, have you grown a bit taller?"
"Really?"
"Yes. Your skin looks much better too. And you seem more toned."
"Hmm."
Cheongsang and Cheongu approached, gauging his height with their hands, and laughed in wonder.
"Enough of that. Let's go. You've fasted for four days—must be starving."
"Yes, Grand Uncle."
At Myeongjin's words, Cheongsang and Cheongu responded energetically.
Come to think of it, he was hungry.
Or rather, he wasn't sure if it was hunger.
"Cheongsang, hurry to the Purple Empyrean Palace and report this to the Sect Leader. Cheongu, go up to the hermitage and light the fire."
"Yes, Grand Uncle."
As Cheongsang ran off, Jinmu said to Myeongjin,
"Then I'll quickly go catch a wild boar or..."
"Hey! How soon after taking the divine pill!"
"Pardon?"
"It's said that even a woman who has given birth must rest for seven days. How can you strain yourself right after absorbing a divine pill?"
Giving birth is harder, isn't it?
And a postpartum mother needs far more than seven days—at least a month of rest and a full year of caution.
"Since you've grown, your frame must have developed. How could your body be normal?"
Myeongjin took off his own robe and draped it over Jinmu, scolding him.
"You must rest at least a month to fully assimilate the spiritual energy. No cold winds, no heavy lifting."
"Master?"
"Hey! Are you ignoring your master's words?"
But my body feels amazing?
"Come on, hurry. Don't let cold wind into your bones. Get to your room."
No, I didn't give birth, you know? Geez.
Jinmu shook his head helplessly.
"Today, I'll catch something substantial myself. You just eat. That makes your master prouder."
"...Yes."
He tried to say more, but Myeongjin's expression was too firm.
Above all, Jinmu could feel his genuine concern.
A bit excessive, but...
'Not bad.'
Jinmu smirked, watching Myeongjin's back as he strode off to hunt.
He looked much improved.
Myeongjin was no longer an invalid. Though lacking inner energy, the subtlety of the Jeunjong Step was evident in his gait.
He was recovering. Little by little, returning to being a martial artist.
A while later.
The meat Myeongjin had caught was roasted appetizingly by Cheongu.
His skills were improving daily—probably from eating it so often.
He could be head chef.
Sizzle!
Cheongu tore off two well-cooked legs and offered them to Myeongjin and Jinmu.
"Heh heh, smells great. Let's eat."
"Yes, Master."
As Jinmu was about to bite into the meat,
"Heh heh, I thought you were trying to become the senior disciple."
"Huh?"
At Myeongjin's words, Jinmu paused with the meat at his mouth and stared blankly at him.
"Um, Master?"
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"What?"
"Senior disciple."
"Hm?"
Myeongjin gazed steadily at Jinmu, then tilted his head.
"You didn't know?"
"Pardon? Know what?"
"A disciple who receives the title of Wudang's Divine Sword cannot become the senior disciple."
"..."
"Looks like you didn't know. Heh heh, what does it matter? Come on, eat."
Myeongjin said it casually, but Jinmu had already turned to stone.
Why!
Why tell him now!
You should have said it when he chose! That there were three paths—tell him precisely!
He'd already forgotten the Supreme Purity Divine Pill!
Right now, in his dantian, his channels—it's surging! Tiger energy bursting out!
What about my Two Forms Heart Art? My grand dream of becoming the strongest in the orthodox, demonic, and evil paths?
The Beggar Clan's treaty, the Supreme Purity Divine Pill... No wonder his luck felt so damn good.
Fuck, fuck...
News that Jinmu had safely absorbed the Supreme Purity Divine Pill spread, and the Sect Leader, elders, and First Generation Disciples came one after another.
Myeongjin watched their comings and goings with hawk-like eyes, fearing cold wind might enter the room.
"Why does he look so dazed?"
"Indeed. According to what we heard from Elder Hyeon-gong, his eyes should be brimming with spirit and shining with divine light."
The elders whispered softly after meeting Jinmu.
"Maybe it didn't absorb properly?"
"You think?"
"Yeah, and it took three days."
Myeongjin's heart grew heavy at their murmurs.
If the spiritual energy hadn't been fully absorbed as they said, Jinmu himself would be the one hurt most.
'This won't do. He'll get even more tired like this.'
He decided to chase away the onlookers for his disciple's rest.
"Everyone, please leave now. He needs full rest since it's only been a short time since taking the divine pill."
Myeongjin shooed them out.
Once the bustling Void Serenity Hermitage finally quieted,
"Phew."
Myeongjin sighed deeply and looked toward the room where Jinmu was half-reclining.
"Grand Uncle."
"Hm?"
"Will he be okay?"
"Hm. Close the door. Cold wind."
"Yes."
Seeing Jinmu's despairing expression, the hermitage's residents sighed again.
"Haa..."
One sigh to the sky, one to the ground.
"Haa."
Even as Cheongsang and Cheongu worked harder to show off.
Even when they grilled meat to perfection and secretly brought up liquor from the foot of the mountain.
Jinmu sighed with a face like he'd lost everything.
It had been the same since taking the Supreme Purity Divine Pill.
His lifeless expression worried Myeongjin endlessly.
The atmosphere in Void Serenity Hermitage felt like it had regressed to when Myeongjin lay bedridden, staring blankly into the void—a time without future or dreams.
Myeongjin resolved himself. He had to snap him out of it. That was a master's duty.
"Jinmu."
"...Yes."
Jinmu answered weakly to Myeongjin's call.
"Aren't you rushing too far ahead?"
"...?"
"You're already sufficient."
Myeongjin looked at his disciple with genuine pride.
"Isn't the realm you've already achieved astonishing?"
"Pardon?"
"Reaching Righteous Qi in your twenties is unprecedented in the martial world's history."
What was he talking about?
"I don't know how much of the Supreme Purity Divine Pill's spiritual energy you absorbed, but life is like that. A series of trials."
"..."
"Doesn't it say heaven gives only as much trial as one can overcome? Everything is heaven's will. You may not advance now due to lack of enlightenment, but I believe you'll overcome it."
"..."
"Exhaust human effort and await heaven's mandate. You've prepared enough—heaven will surely grant it."
What the hell was this Taoist rambling on about for so long?
Jinmu stared at Myeongjin.
"Kid."
Myeongjin smiled proudly on his own.
That's what he thought.
Jinmu had reached Righteous Qi. Perhaps he'd even advance to the next stage right after absorbing the pill.
He'd progressed so fast already—it was natural to be impatient. Especially with the "Wudang's Divine Sword" title fueling it.
But the next realm after Righteous Qi: the Rigid stage.
Was that ordinary?
No one in current Wudang had reached it.
Ascending it would earn worship as the absolute pinnacle.
At Jinmu's age, no need for disappointment.
"Jinmu, the Rigid realm requires more than personal enlightenment. It needs heaven's fortune."
"..."
"Even in the current Justice Alliance, fewer than ten have reached Rigid. Didn't Elder Yang Sobang only ascend after sixty? So no need to be hasty..."
Advice is always like that.
Repeating the same point over and over, as if implanting thoughts to convince. Especially from elders.
Myeongjin meant well out of pity, but Jinmu, already frustrated, didn't want to hear more nagging.
Shwoop!
Suddenly, blue energy surged from Jinmu's hand.
"Like this?"
"Yes, like th... Huh?"
Myeongjin, witnessing the energy, fell speechless.
He could only mutter like a mute: "Uh, ah."
Cheongsang and Cheongu, mid-training, gaped open-mouthed.
"Or like this?"
Whoosh!
Jinmu swung his hand, the energy condensing into a bead and hurling forth.
Kaboom!
A nearby boulder in Void Serenity Hermitage exploded to pieces.
"...!"
Myeongjin, Cheongu, and Cheongsang's eyes nearly popped out.
"Ri, Ri, Rig..."
"Yes, Gang Qi."
Jinmu said nonchalantly.
Because it was no big deal.
The Supreme Purity Divine Pill's spiritual energy—Jinmu hadn't missed a drop.
His dantian reformed, granting half a lifetime's worth of inner energy in one go.
He hadn't achieved the legendary Transcendent Bone Transformation, but it was more than enough for Gang Qi.
Jinmu already had overflowing insight into the Rigid realm; only inner energy had been lacking.
With the full absorption, Gang Qi was trivial.
He could even form it into Gang Spheres and hurl them like cannonballs.
"You, you..."
"Haa, I'm going to rest now. Tired."
As Jinmu sighed and entered his room, Void Serenity Hermitage's residents couldn't even breathe.
They just chanted like a chorus: "Gan, Gan, Gang..."
Why!
Why the lost-soul face when he'd already reached the Rigid realm!
You blessed bastard!
They wanted to grab him by the collar and demand answers.