Flame Manifestation
A brilliant flash!
Woo-gang's eyes snapped open, and he immediately bolted upright.
His trembling gaze slowly swept across his surroundings.
Everything was quiet.
Nearby, Si-woo sat cross-legged, deeply immersed in meditation.
What happened?
Woo-gang couldn't remember anything after the last stone he had deflected underwater.
He had no idea what had happened to him or what had taken place while he was unconscious.
He carefully examined his arms and the rest of his body.
It doesn't look like anything serious happened.
He hadn't even realized that he had lost consciousness underwater.
Perhaps that was for the best.
He still had to continue diving into the water for training. If he knew he had lost consciousness before, the knowledge might make him afraid.
Woo-gang twisted his body while remaining seated.
There were no major injuries, but sharp bursts of pain shot through him whenever he moved.
His body was crying out for rest, yet Woo-gang had no intention of giving in.
As though training were the only path he had toward survival, his mind was already consumed by thoughts of continuing.
"You're awake."
Si-woo finished his meditation and spoke softly.
For the first time in a long while, warmth filled his eyes as he looked at Woo-gang.
It was the same warmth he had shown when he had first taken the boy in as his grandson.
Si-woo unfolded his legs and sat down beside him.
"It feels hopeless, doesn't it?"
"Honestly? It does."
At Woo-gang's frank answer, Si-woo gently stroked his head.
"It must be frustrating having me give you no clear guidance. You may even resent me for it."
"I don't resent you."
Si-woo let out a quiet chuckle at his answer.
"If you want to keep yourself from shaking, you need a solid center. Martial arts are no different. So, what is the center of martial arts?"
Hyeoncheon Yeolhwa Singong.
"That's right. The heart method is that center. Don't focus solely on the movements. You've practiced them enough. Your forms are already perfect."
Woo-gang listened intently to Si-woo's words.
Ever since his training had begun, Si-woo had never once given him direct instruction. This was a rare moment.
"The answer lies within the heart method. Enlightenment may come during ordinary practice, or it may come while you're underwater. Just keep Hyeoncheon Yeolhwa Singong at the center of your mind."
"Yes."
Woo-gang's voice brightened slightly.
It wasn't a crystal-clear solution.
Still, narrowing his focus in this way was enough to ease his mind.
Woo-gang quietly rose to his feet.
He could rest, but at that moment, he couldn't bring himself to stop training.
He plunged back into the water.
The murky pressure and raging currents immediately closed around him.
Stones were swept along by the whirlpool, flying freely as though they had been waiting for him.
Woo-gang circulated his qi and sank to the bottom.
His feet planted firmly against the floor of the pool as he twisted them into the sand.
With both feet firmly anchored, the shaking in his body subsided.
Shuuuuk! Shuuuuk!
Stones came flying at him from every direction.
Woo-gang focused even more deeply on the flow of his qi as he desperately swung his staff.
Thung! Thung! Thung!
He knocked the stones away one after another.
Sometimes, a stone he struck collided with another incoming stone, preventing a dangerous situation.
Woo-gang pushed his concentration to its absolute limit.
The stones didn't come only from the front. They flew in from every direction, meaning he couldn't afford to let his guard down even for a moment.
Chwaaak!
He pivoted on one foot.
Thung!
He struck away a stone coming from behind before twisting his body again.
Shuuuuk!
A stone whistled past the spot where his head had just been.
It could easily have grazed his cheek, but Woo-gang didn't panic.
He smoothly transitioned into his next movement and swung his staff again.
But his reaction was slightly too slow. The stone slipped past his staff and continued toward him.
Chwaaaak!
He immediately reversed his swing.
The lower end of the staff, which had been pointing downward, snapped upward and knocked the stone away just before it reached his face.
Thung! Thud!
The deflected stone crashed into the wall of the pool.
Woo-gang grimaced.
He had barely managed to avert the danger.
In the process, however, another stone had grazed his side.
It was a heavy one. If it had struck him directly, he could have suffered a serious injury.
The pain momentarily stole his breath, but Woo-gang swung his staff again.
Thung! Thung! Thung!
His staff knocked away one stone after another.
But the stones carried by the whirlpool showed no signs of relenting. Their assault only grew more violent.
Hup!
Just as the barrage intensified, Woo-gang's breathing faltered.
Tension spread through his body, and the precision of his swings began to deteriorate.
Paak! Paak!
More stones struck him.
Woo-gang hurriedly directed his qi toward his lungs.
He could have surfaced, but he refused to do so.
He wanted to endure this and overcome it.
The qi reinforcing his lungs made it easier to hold his breath.
However, concentrating his qi there slowed his movements and drained power from his swings.
Thung! Paak!
Deflect. Strike. Repeat.
His makeshift solution for maintaining his breathing soon reached its limit.
Driven into an extreme situation, Woo-gang's concentration sharpened even further.
His shortness of breath narrowed his vision.
And yet, strangely enough, his concentration grew deeper, and his deflections became even more precise.
His mind was beginning to fade, but his body continued to move on instinct.
Finally, Woo-gang reached his limit.
The last thread of his consciousness began to fray.
Thung! Thung! Thung!
His staff continued to repel the stones without pause.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The deflected stones buried themselves in the walls.
There was no respite, yet every swing of his staff was flawless.
Woo-gang moved as though he were in a trance.
Just as with the thrust, his qi flowed through his entire body, racing from his waist through his arms before converging on the staff.
Booom!
Shwaaaaa!
Suddenly, an explosion shook the pool.
A massive column of water erupted into the air.
Platter-platter-platter!
The water that had slammed into the high ceiling of the cave came crashing back down like a torrential storm.
The stones that had been hurled into the air rained down like hail.
Thak! Thak! Thak!
Some splashed back into the pool, and Woo-gang knocked them away.
Swoosh.
Without Woo-gang noticing, Si-woo had approached the edge of the pool.
His expression remained unchanged as he looked down into the water.
The water had almost completely drained away, leaving it only around Woo-gang's knees.
Woo-gang stood frozen in the middle of his final swing.
He was still half-dazed.
It was the same sensation he had experienced when he achieved a breakthrough in the thrust.
No—it was even stronger.
The sensation permeated his entire body.
Something greater had awakened within him, and a vibrant, powerful energy surged through his body.
He relaxed his form and looked up at Si-woo.
Si-woo knelt at the edge of the pool and extended a hand toward him.
Woo-gang grabbed it and climbed out of the water.
He slowly looked around.
Nothing had changed.
And yet, everything felt different.
His field of vision seemed wider, while the cave itself felt much narrower than before.
Having broken through one barrier, he could now perceive a much wider range of his surroundings with greater clarity.
His senses had evolved, allowing him to take in far more information at once.
Woo-gang moved away from the pool and stepped into an open area.
Then, just as he had underwater, he swung his staff.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Powerful echoes reverberated throughout the chamber.
His form was impeccable, and both his speed and power were flawless.
Woo-gang could feel the difference for himself.
He didn't need Si-woo to tell him.
He knew that he had mastered the swing.
"Hoo…."
Woo-gang slowly lowered his staff and stopped.
Si-woo approached him.
"Congratulations. You've entered the Yeom-yeon stage of Hyeoncheon Yeolhwa Singong."
Si-woo didn't bother explaining the swing. The expression on Woo-gang's face made it clear that he already understood.
"Is it over now?"
"Yes. Your swing training is complete."
A faint smile appeared on Woo-gang's lips at Si-woo's words.
The training had been grueling, but reaching this point filled him with satisfaction.
He suppressed his rising emotions and looked toward the third pool.
Only one remained.
He felt both excitement and apprehension at the thought of what trials might be waiting for him.
"Not yet. Your training here is finished."
Woo-gang looked at him quizzically.
"The secret of the third pool will reveal itself in due time. Don't concern yourself with it for now."
"Yes."
Even so, Woo-gang's gaze lingered on the third pool for a moment.
"We'll leave in a few days. Make sure you're fully recovered by then."
"Yes. I will."
Woo-gang answered briskly.
The harsh training in the cave had finally come to an end.
It had been three years since he first arrived.
For the next few days, Woo-gang focused on recovering.
He soaked in the first pool while meditating, experiencing firsthand the changes in his qi and the effects of its increased volume.
Entering Seonul had already been a wondrous experience.
But now, the changes were truly awe-inspiring.
Strength surged through his body, and his senses had awakened to their fullest extent.
His vision, hearing, and even his sense of smell had become sharper.
His physical strength and agility—the foundations of martial arts—had all risen to an entirely new level.
Woo-gang marveled at the sheer wonder of martial arts as he stepped into a whole new world.
Then, the day of their departure finally arrived.
Si-woo went outside early in the morning and returned with food.
Woo-gang's eyes lit up.
For three years, he had survived on nothing but wall-grain pills.
How long had it been since he had last smelled real food?
His gaze remained fixed on Si-woo's hands until he finally placed the meal on the ground.
"Eat. It's your reward for all your hard work."
"Thank you. I'll dig in."
Woo-gang immediately began eating.
The explosion of flavors in his mouth brought a rare, radiant smile to his normally expressionless face.
Si-woo watched him impassively, occasionally pouring him tea to keep him from eating too quickly.
Woo-gang devoured the food without slowing down.
Despite the generous portion, it disappeared in no time.
"No one's going to steal it from you. Slow down."
"I can't help it."
Si-woo couldn't help but chuckle.
There had been enough food for two people, yet Woo-gang had finished it all by himself.
When he was finally done, Woo-gang stared blankly at the ceiling.
Thinking back, he couldn't remember the last time he had truly savored a meal since childhood.
Even now, he had practically swallowed every bite without chewing, but it was still far better than anything he had experienced before.
It was the first time he had eaten for something other than mere survival.
"Finished? Get ready. Put your clothes on. It's cold outside. Winter is approaching."
"Ah…."
Woo-gang hurriedly changed into his clothes.
He had spent three years naked inside the cave, with no reason to go outside and no sense of the changing seasons.
After so long, wearing clothes felt strangely unfamiliar.
Soon, he emerged from the cave with Si-woo.
A cool, crisp wind swept across his face.
He circulated his qi to keep the cold at bay.
"Let's go. There are places we need to visit, so we have to hurry. Remember this place well. We'll come back someday."
"Yes."
Woo-gang instinctively sensed that Si-woo's words were somehow connected to the third pool.
He turned around and carefully memorized the entrance to the cave.
Whenever they returned, he would never forget this place.