Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Chapter 12 Nine Yin Divine Meridians
After accepting Baek Ryeon as my disciple, we spent the entire day holding hands.
"Ryeon-ah. Don’t you think we should let go when we sleep...?"
Without a hint of embarrassment, she clung to me even while sleeping, her hand tightly gripping mine.
"...I just want to sleep without feeling cold, even if it’s just once. But... if it makes you uncomfortable, Master, I’ll let go."
Hearing her say that, I couldn’t bring myself to suggest sleeping separately.
If I refused her when she was pleading like this, I’d feel like the worst person alive.
The only saving grace was that she let go when bathing or using the restroom.
The rest of the time, we were always hand in hand.
The chilling cold that had constricted her body was gone, and the relief was so overwhelming that her once icy face now bloomed with smiles.
‘Right. As her master, I should protect that smile.’
I had decided to take Baek Ryeon as my disciple.
That decision wasn’t made lightly, and I intended to give it my all.
"Master! The food is so delicious!"
Of course, I was the one who cooked.
With her having zero experience in cooking, it made sense for me, an Intermediate Level 1, to handle it.
"Glad you like it."
Watching her scrape every last grain of rice from her bowl made it impossible to suppress my smile.
I hadn’t known how heartwarming it could feel to have someone enjoy my cooking so much.
‘Did So-eun and Estelle feel this way too?’
When someone eats with such relish, it really makes cooking for them worthwhile.
"By the way... could you teach me how to cook later? I’ll study hard and take responsibility for your meals from now on."
Perhaps because her frail body had prevented her from trying many things, she seemed eager to learn.
I patted her head with one hand and nodded.
"Once your body recovers, I’ll teach you right away. And if there’s anything else you want to learn, just tell me. Despite how I may seem, there’s nothing I can’t do."
I had no intention of being just a martial arts instructor.
I would be a master who could teach her everything she needed.
"Really?"
Unable to hide her surprise, her eyes widened as she imagined all the things she could learn, a happy smile spreading across her face. She was utterly adorable.
‘Now I understand why you said that, Ran-.’
—My little sister is super cute, so of course you’d fall for her? But I’ve already claimed you.
Though it was said in jest, Baek Ryeon was indeed as charming as Baek Ran had described.
"Yeah. I did say I’m an All-Master, didn’t I? I’m even good at knitting."
I pulled out some thread and a needle from my inventory and demonstrated knitting with one hand. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head in shock, and she burst into giggles before nodding resolutely.
"I’ll study hard!"
As long as she had the will to learn, I could teach her anything.
Just then, Estelle appeared.
"Player Han Yeong-min, are you still attached to that girl today?"
She frowned at the sight of me spending the whole day with Baek Ryeon.
I supposed it made sense for her to be annoyed—instead of focusing on our journey, I was holding hands with a girl.
"What, jealous?"
There was no way an angel like Estelle would have feelings for me, but I teased her anyway.
"Th-that’s absurd!"
My question seemed to embarrass her, as her cheeks flushed slightly.
While I was talking to her, Ryeon greeted Estelle first.
"Hello, Lady Estelle."
But her expression was as cold as ice, unlike her usual self.
Baek Ryeon didn’t show her bright side to anyone but me.
Even her greeting to Estelle felt perfunctory.
"Yes. Player Baek Ryeon."
Of course, Estelle was just as cold.
She had never smiled in front of any human besides me.
It was a meeting between two icy personalities.
"I understand it’s for treatment, but aren’t you too close?"
"The closer we are, the more effective it is, or so I’ve heard... Is there a problem?"
A strange tension flowed between them, as if they were sizing each other up.
"You’re... No, never mind."
Estelle bit back whatever she was about to say before abruptly leaving.
Once she was gone, a faint smile of victory lingered on Baek Ryeon’s lips.
She immediately turned to me with a question.
"Master, by any chance... do you like women like her?"
The bluntness of her question nearly took my breath away.
"Uh... I guess if I had to say, I do...?"
Though she had been intimidating at first, the more I saw of Estelle, the more I found her appealing.
Upon hearing my answer, Baek Ryeon’s face hardened with resolve before quickly returning to normal.
"Shall we continue, then?"
She wanted to resume her training.
Though I was curious why she’d asked about my preferences, I figured it was better not to pry.
*****
After spending several days attached like this, her body had recovered enough to learn martial arts, though treating the Nine Yin Severed Meridians was still difficult.
"Ryeon-ah. I think the martial art that suits you best is the Six Harmonies Technique."
"Why is that?"
‘Good attitude.’
Instead of blindly following orders, she sought to understand why this martial art was necessary for her.
That mindset would make her growth even more effective.
She was ready to learn.
"Right now, your body’s balance is severely disrupted. While we’ll treat the severed Meridians, we also need to restore the equilibrium of your body, which has already skewed toward the Water element. In this state, learning Ice Arts later would be advantageous, but your body would remain frail. You don’t want that, do you?"
"No. I want to fight as impressively as you do, Master."
While holding her, I couldn’t take on a Baal, but an Ogre-level monster was manageable with one hand.
Having a clear goal makes growth easier.
To give her direction, I lifted her with one arm and used the other to take down an Ogre.
Her eyes sparkled as she watched.
She seemed to truly feel the romance of close combat.
‘And why wouldn’t she?’
Having been forced to live with a frail body her whole life, it was only natural for her to yearn for greater physical strength.
If anything, her weakness would only fuel her desire to grow stronger.
To covet what one cannot have is simply... human.
I had been the same. I had envied the talent I lacked.
I struggled desperately to attain it and eventually seized what had been denied to me.
Now, it was Baek Ryeon’s turn.
Everything she had believed she could never have—I would ensure she grasped it all.
And the first step was the Six Harmonies Technique.
"The Six Harmonies Technique is the most balanced of the basic martial arts provided in the tutorial, but as a martial art of the Volcano Sect, it leans toward the Fire element. That will help restore your body’s lost equilibrium. Learning this before Ice Arts will allow for more stable energy control."
"I understand perfectly. You’re really good at explaining, Master."
Her praise made me blush.
How did she know I was weak to compliments?
"Haha. Well... Tell me what you’d like for dinner. I’ll make it for you."
As a reward, I let her choose the evening’s menu.
"Then... I’d like braised pork. It was really delicious last time."
"Braised pork it is."
Her taste in food mirrored mine.
Or perhaps she was adjusting to my preferences.
Either way, it meant we were a good match.
"Let’s begin. I’ll guide your energy flow."
It was the same method I’d used when teaching Baek Ran.
By infusing my energy into her body, I could imprint the flow of energy—the most effective way for a beginner to learn.
The more talented the student, the quicker they’d grasp the sensation, allowing them to master the technique faster.
Of course, if the master made a mistake, the student could suffer Qi Deviation, but my energy control wasn’t so sloppy that I’d mess up teaching the Six Harmonies Technique.
Not when I practiced the Dawn Divine Art daily, a technique dozens—no, hundreds—of times more difficult.
Even while holding Baek Ryeon’s hand, I wasn’t just resting—I was circulating my energy.
The third effect of the Dawn Divine Art, the Demon Vein.
Since obtaining it, my control over energy had strengthened significantly.
Now, I could perform Small and Large Heavenly Cycles even while moving.
It felt as though my entire body had become a Dantian.
This was a completely different approach to energy control compared to traditional martial artists.
While it made learning conventional martial arts harder, it also allowed for more unorthodox combat styles unique to me.
‘Is it because of her Nine Yin Severed Meridians? There’s no impurities in her body at all.’
The extreme cold had likely purged all impurities from her meridians. As a result, her body was perfectly optimized for martial arts.
With the help of tutorial skills, I began Ryeon’s training.
While the tutorial system’s guidance was excellent, it didn’t cover every detail. Drawing from my own experience, I provided additional advice.
Whenever she hit a wall, my timely suggestions helped her break through.
Combined with her innate talent from the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, she began mastering the martial art at an astonishing speed.
She absorbed my teachings like a sponge, rapidly progressing in the Six Harmonies Technique.
Thanks to this, the date for her treatment was set sooner than expected.
At this rate, she’d endure the process of treating the Nine Yin Severed Meridians just fine.
"Finally... is it today?"
"Yeah. Today, we’ll treat your Nine Yin Severed Meridians."
Compared to when we first met, Baek Ryeon was much healthier.
Her once-pale face now had color, and though her skin was still fair, she no longer looked like a doll—she looked ‘human’.
But one concern remained.
‘Will her mind hold up...?’
"The process will be extremely painful. You must not faint. Since this is the tutorial, dying and reviving is an option, but it could delay the treatment. Too many failures might require rebuilding your body. It’s best to succeed in one go, right?"
In the tutorial, each death resets the body to its state six hours prior.
If she failed early on, everything she’d built so far could disappear.
Back when I was all-stats-1, I had nothing to lose—but now, things were different.
"Yes. Don’t worry."
But honestly, I wasn’t too concerned.
After waiting over 20 years for this moment, there was no way my disciple—of all people—would fail to endure this.
"I believe in you."
I guided Baek Ryeon to the treatment area.
During the times we had to let go of each other—like showering or using the restroom—I had prepared an item.
[Han Yeong-min’s Pain-Relief Bed (Heroic)]
This bed was designed to help its occupant endure pain more easily.
A heroic-grade artifact crafted solely for pain relief and comfort.
It would definitely help.
"Then... should I undress?"
Finally, the moment had arrived.
The unavoidable step where I’d have to see her in her underwear for the treatment.
"...Yeah. I’ll turn around, so let me know when you’re lying down."
Of course, I had no intention of seeing her front.
This was purely for the treatment.
"Okay."
Rustle—
Even with my back turned, my overly sensitive hearing picked up every movement.
What she was taking off, how fast she was moving.
‘This is...’
I tried to dull my senses as much as possible, but in such a confined space, nothing escaped my perception.
Unless the opponent was my equal or stronger, evading my senses was impossible.
"You can turn around now."
‘...Huh? You’re not lying down.’
If I turned now, I’d see her in nothing but her underwear.
But pointing that out would mean admitting I’d been tracking her every move.
After a long pause, she slowly lay face-down on the bed, a faint smile on her lips.
Only then did I finally turn around.
‘This is... something else.’
The sight of a woman’s bare back, clad only in underwear, was something I’d never experienced before.
With transcendent mental fortitude, I suppressed my emotions and spoke calmly.
"We’ll begin the treatment. Relax your body completely and focus on preventing energy from leaking from your Dantian."
"Okay."
I took out a needle from the acupuncture case, heated its tip, and infused it with my energy, reinforcing it to its limits.
Then, I inserted it into the site of the severed Meridians.
"Ugh...!"
Ryeon gritted her teeth.
She was doing her best to endure the pain.
The needle, embedded in the severed Meridians, continuously emitted energy to forcibly reconnect it—a process accompanied by excruciating pain.
But she held up better than expected.
Most would’ve screamed by now, but though tears streamed down her face, she swallowed every cry.
I could feel just how desperately she had waited for this moment.
‘Eight more to go...’
The reason treating severed Meridians was so difficult was that it was impossible to reconnect them one at a time.
Even if I wanted to stop after one out of consideration for the patient’s pain, the energy from the remaining severed Meridians would break the reconnected ones again.
That’s why Three Yin Severed Meridians could be treated easily, but Five Yin Severed Meridians required multiple elders from a sect working together.
As Estelle had said, ‘I’m using needles to substitute for the elders’ roles.’
This treatment demanded incredibly precise energy control.
Even for someone at my level, it required immense concentration.
A single mistake could worsen Baek Ryeon’s condition.
Failure wasn’t an option.
But thankfully, I was an All-Master. Crafting needles capable of replacing martial artists and controlling them simultaneously was well within my abilities.
This was another moment proving that my path hadn’t been wrong.
Without delay, I accelerated the treatment.
"Just hang in there! We’re almost done!"
"Y-yes... Ugh...!"
Before she could reach her limit, I inserted the last nine needles at once.
‘Now!’
Clapping my hands together, I unleashed a Meridians of energy.
The flow had to be flawless—a single misstep would ruin everything.
Maintaining extreme focus, I triggered the Meridians.
The nine needles vibrated in unison, expending every ounce of energy to reconnect the severed Meridianss without a single error.
"Phew... Success...!"
Even for an All-Master like me, this demanded tremendous concentration and composure.
For the first time since attaining transcendence, I felt dizzy.
"Ryeon-ah. Are you okay?"
Though her whole body trembled with sobs, what filled her wasn’t cold fear—it was warmth and hope.
"M-Master...! I’m... not cold anymore...! My body isn’t freezing anymore... Sob...!"
Her face drenched in tears, she clutched my sleeve with shaking fingers, as if afraid this might be a dream.
But realizing it wasn’t, she couldn’t stop crying.
She rose from the bed and threw herself into my arms, pouring out tears of joy.
‘She’s earned this.’
How much had she suffered until now?
Trapped in a cold, fragile body that denied her even an ordinary life—she must have hated herself for it.
But the chilling cold of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, which had made even breathing a struggle, would torment her no more.
And the ‘Nine Yin Severed Meridians’ that had dragged her life into the abyss would now become the ‘Nine Yin Divine Meridians,’ granting her wings to soar.
Like a caterpillar breaking free from its cocoon to become a butterfly, Baek Ryeon was now ready to spread her wings and take flight.