I Have to Eat That Even If It Kills Me! (4)
"Ughhh."
Wi Lip-san slowly rubbed at the area over his chest.
It still isn’t healing easily.
He knew from experience.
This internal injury would probably torment him for a long time. It was obvious that a full recovery would be nearly impossible.
An internal injury was not something that simply went away because one showed it to a good physician. It was a disturbance of the vital energy flowing through the body. For a martial artist, an internal injury could ultimately only be resolved through one’s own inner power.
But the injury Wi Lip-san had suffered ran deeper than he had expected, and it had been wearing at him day after day.
I thought I was getting better.
When the Mount Hua disciples defeated the Wudang disciples, he had thought the injury had healed cleanly away. He had been in such a good mood that he had forgotten the pain in his body.
But now that reality was beginning to sink back in, his body had started protesting again.
"Father. Please rest comfortably."
"Mm."
Wi Lip-san answered as if nothing were wrong at all to Wi So-haeng’s voice drifting in from outside the door.
He could not afford to show weakness.
He was the leader of Hwayeong Gate. And Hwayeong Gate had only just escaped disaster and been granted a chance to begin again. If, at a time like this, people said their leader had been injured and could not move properly, it would surely become a stain on Hwayeong Gate’s name.
I absolutely cannot let that happen.
It was a chance he had finally managed to seize again. If Hwayeong Gate lost that chance because of him—because of no one else but him—then he would never be able to close his eyes in peace, even in death.
Throb!
The hand clutching his side tightened.
"Urgh…."
The pain from the internal injury came and went without warning. But perhaps it was just in his head, yet at night it always seemed to grow worse.
With a low sigh, Wi Lip-san sat down on the bed.
This incident will spread Hwayeong Gate’s name far and wide. Depending on what I do, even the way the world sees Mount Hua’s outer affiliates could change.
So he could not show weakness. Not even for an instant.
When the leader lost strength, the sect lost strength too. Mount Hua’s main sect had gone so far as to crush Wudang for them; if he were to lose power now and undo all of that, what would be the point?
Wi Lip-san let out a long breath and gripped the blanket.
I should sleep.
There was no way sleep would come easily, but he had to try. He still had plenty to do tomorrow.
My life isn’t something I treasure.
If he wished for anything, it was only this: that Hwayeong Gate would stand on firm ground, and that he himself would live long enough for Wi So-haeng to inherit his place and take the seat of leader.
If he were to ask for just one thing beyond that, it would be to witness those Mount Hua disciples grow even stronger and see Mount Hua’s name spread across the world—but that was probably too much to hope for.
Wi Lip-san lifted the blanket and climbed into bed.
Then it happened.
Clack!
"Huh? You’re already asleep?"
"…."
It probably wasn’t something a person should say after barging into a room without the owner’s permission, but Wi Lip-san only smiled wryly.
Let’s not ask for too much.
He had only spent a few days with the boy, but he had already gotten a rough sense of his nature. No, he had no choice but to get a sense of it.
How could he not, when the man bounced around more wildly than a loach?
"What is it, Young Daoist? Is something uncomfortable?"
As he had expected, Wi Lip-san thought Chung Myung had come because he wanted something and asked carefully. But the answer that came back was a little different from what he had imagined.
"I’m not the one who’s uncomfortable. It’s you, isn’t it?"
"…."
Chung Myung shut the door and strode inside.
"The urgent fire’s out, so now it’s time to clean things up."
"…What exactly are you cleaning up?"
"Your internal injury. I’m going to treat it."
"…."
Wi Lip-san’s eyes widened slightly.
"You mean to say you, Young Daoist, will treat my internal injury?"
"Yep."
Wi Lip-san looked at Chung Myung with a puzzled expression.
There were only two ways to deal with an internal injury. One was to use one’s own energy to correct the twisted flow of qi and blood. But Wi Lip-san lacked the skill to treat an injury this severe on his own.
The second method was far more difficult: another person would force their own energy into the body and manually restore the twisted circulation of qi and blood.
That was ten times harder than the first method.
Think about it.
There were countless martial artists who spent their entire lives training just to gain proper control over their own energy, and yet this boy was saying he would force energy into another person’s body and move it however he pleased. How difficult a feat was that?
That was why Wi Lip-san had not requested that Mount Hua send a master to treat his internal injury, even after the matter with Wudang was over.
He had thought there simply might not be any expert at Mount Hua capable of healing his injury. If he made an unnecessary request out of false hope, things could become awkward between them.
And now this young man was saying he would treat him?
"Young Daoist. That is not as easy as you think."
"Yeah, I know."
"…If something goes wrong, even you, Young Daoist, could be injured."
"Oh, come on. No way."
"…."
Seeing Chung Myung’s smiling face, Wi Lip-san felt all his strength drain away.
No, why doesn’t this brat understand a word I’m saying?
Was he deaf?
"Cough, cough."
Wi Lip-san gave a loud fake cough and tried to reason with Chung Myung in a kind voice.
"Listen here, Young Daoist. I understand your heart in wanting to treat my injury. I am deeply grateful for that alone. But this is not something we should attempt lightly. If it goes wrong, both of us could be badly hurt. It would be better to wait until after the urgent matters are finished and then try."
"No, that’s not right. If you leave an internal injury alone too long, it gets deeper. It leaves aftereffects later too. Let’s treat it quickly."
No, you bastard!
If things go wrong, I might die, you idiot! Why can’t you understand a simple thing!
The skin around Wi Lip-san’s eyes kept twitching.
They call him the Mount Hua Divine Dragon, and yet I don’t know why such a ridiculous title was attached to someone like this.
The title of Divine Dragon was not given to someone merely because they were strong. It was a title for a rising talent who would carry the future of the martial world. When he first heard that someone called the Mount Hua Divine Dragon had appeared at Mount Hua, how moved had he been?
And yet that Mount Hua Divine Dragon had turned out to be this idiot.
For some reason, his eyes were getting hot.
Letting out a deep sigh, he looked at Chung Myung quietly and said,
"Young Daoist. I understand your heart, that you wish to think of me. But there are things in this world that cannot be done by heart alone."
He was grateful.
That was sincere.
Leaving aside whether he had the ability or not, Wi Lip-san felt comforted by the fact that the boy had stepped forward and said he would treat his internal injury.
For all appearances, his nature really isn’t bad.
Well, why else would it be Mount Hua?
Chung Myung was a disciple of Mount Hua too, so surely his heart, his sense of duty…
"Ah, man, you really don’t get it at all, do you?"
"…Huh?"
"Lie down. Lie down. I’m a busy man too, so I’m going to do this quick and leave. I’ve got a ton of things to do right now."
"N-no. I’m fine, I’m telling you!"
"I’m not fine."
Why are you not fine?
I’m the one who decides what to do with my body, so why the hell aren’t you fine!
"That’s enough, now please go and—"
At that instant, Chung Myung reached out and shoved Wi Lip-san hard. Caught off guard by the sudden force, Wi Lip-san toppled onto the bed before he could resist.
"Ah, no!"
Grab.
Chung Myung seized Wi Lip-san’s wrist and began to pour his energy in.
"…!"
Wi Lip-san’s eyes flew wide open.
You crazy bastard!
He wanted to scream, he really did, but he couldn’t.
Speaking while internal energy was moving between two people was taboo. It was forbidden for both the giver and the receiver, because energy could leak out through the mouth and drive one into qi deviation.
Once the energy had already drilled into his wrist, all Wi Lip-san could do was pray to the heavens that this would end without incident.
But apparently even Heaven had betrayed him.
No, more accurately, even Heaven could do nothing to Chung Myung.
"Look at this, look at this. It’s completely messed up."
Hiiiiiiiiiiiiik!
Did he just… speak?
He had definitely just spoken, hadn’t he?
That couldn’t have been a voice in his head, could it? There was no way I’d learned mind reading!
Frozen like stone, Wi Lip-san could only roll his eyes and look at Chung Myung. The boy was holding his wrist as if nothing were wrong, frowning slightly.
Did I hear that wrong…?
"Hm. Fortunately, it isn’t completely damaged."
Wi Lip-san’s eyes widened.
He really is talking?
To speak while pouring energy into another person was a feat only a martial artist whose mastery of receiving and releasing energy had reached an extraordinary level could manage. Even most elders of ordinary sects would not dare attempt it.
And Chung Myung, a third-generation disciple of Mount Hua, was doing it?
Am I dreaming?
But if this was a dream, the energy drilling into his wrist felt far too vivid. The weight of it was unmistakable…
Ah…
Clear. Pure.
It was cleaner than any energy he had ever experienced. If he had to compare it to something, it was like a crystal-clear spring flowing through a deep mountain valley. Water so pure that you could almost see the bottom.
A cool, almost tingling warmth penetrated his body and began gently stroking the wounded flow of qi and blood.
Before he knew it, Wi Lip-san had closed his eyes.
"Just bear with it a little. It’ll be over soon."
It was a strange feeling.
More than Chung Myung’s words, it was the energy coursing through his body that brought him comfort.
Daoist energy.
The scent of Daoism he had always longed for was soaked through Chung Myung’s energy.
Young Daoist truly is a disciple of Mount Hua.
Only now did it truly feel real.
Outwardly he was nothing but a mischievous, unbelievably light-minded brat who made one want to frown, but the clear, pristine Daoist energy entering him now was proof beyond doubt that Chung Myung was indeed a disciple of Mount Hua.
At that moment, Chung Myung’s energy swept through his entire body and began tending the damaged flow of qi and blood.
Warm energy spread inside him.
Wooooong.
The pain faded.
The ache that had tormented Wi Lip-san for so long vanished, and the qi that had not been circulating properly began to move powerfully once more.
Ahhh.
Then Chung Myung tightened his grip on his wrist. Wi Lip-san’s body floated lightly into the air and, of its own accord, settled into a seated cross-legged position.
"I’m going to guide you through a major heavenly circuit. Move your energy as I tell you."
He could not answer.
But Wi Lip-san faithfully followed Chung Myung’s instructions. He began moving his energy exactly as Chung Myung’s energy guided it.
One circuit. Two circuits.
In the blink of an eye, he completed twelve circuits, then quietly gathered his energy and checked his body.
Gone!
Not the slightest trace of the internal injury that had plagued him remained. With a single session of circulation, the injury he had thought he would carry for life had been wiped away cleanly.
Before he could even feel properly moved, Chung Myung’s energy withdrew from his body. As that utterly pure, clear energy disappeared, he felt a twinge of disappointment greater than the relief of having been healed.
After gathering all the remaining energy, Chung Myung released Wi Lip-san’s wrist.
Wi Lip-san slowly opened his eyes. In them appeared Chung Myung, his face more serious than he had ever seen before.
"Young Daoist…."
"Mount Hua will remember this."
"…."
Chung Myung of the Mount Hua Sect’s third generation.
The one called the Mount Hua Divine Dragon throughout the world.
He said it as if making a declaration to Wi Lip-san.
"Mount Hua doesn’t forget kindness. Leader, the devotion you have given Mount Hua over the past decades will definitely be repaid. Please continue protecting Mount Hua’s name just as you have been. If you do that, Hwayeong Gate’s name will ring throughout the world alongside Mount Hua’s."
There was no trace left of the light, carefree attitude he had shown until now.
Overwhelmed by that force, Wi Lip-san stared blankly at Chung Myung, then clenched his fist.
I…
Something rose sharply in his throat.
Biting his lip, Wi Lip-san fought hard to hold back the sting in his eyes and spoke in a trembling voice.
"I will surely do so."
After a long time of endurance, it was the moment Hwayeong Gate declared its rebirth.