Chapter 22: Middle Dantian (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 22: Middle Dantian (2)
Yeon-shin reached out toward Yu-hyeon, who charged at him with gritted teeth.
A strange wave of energy swirled around his left hand. In the next instant, the eyes of the Heavenly Pillar and the other Mount Hua Sect experts widened in shock.
Swoosh!
An invisible wave of True Qi bloomed along his left hand.
It was a burst of force that blossomed in clusters, like petals unfurling one after another.
The way the forces collided to generate yet another wave of energy made it look almost like a higher-level variant of the Falling Petal Palm Technique—one that didn't even exist.
Because a high-level martial art of an entirely different caliber had manifested in an instant, the ensuing barrage of fist and palm strikes made it difficult to find any connection to the original technique.
Thud, thud, thud!
A barrage of impacts, no less powerful than his second form, Advancing Thunder, rained down on Yu-hyeon.
It looked as effortless as brushing dust off a martial uniform.
“Keup, cough!”
Yu-hyeon tumbled to the ground, having failed to even draw his sword. A thin cloud of dust rose like mist around him.
Lowering his hand, Jeong Yeon-shin fell into thought.
‘The martial arts of the Nine Sects are highly refined. They truly carry the weight of the orthodox sects' history.’
It was a brilliant inspiration. He had never imagined such a method of circulating True Qi existed.
‘I can establish my third form right here.’
Yeon-shin nodded to himself. It didn't even seem to need any further refinement.
He named it the third form of the Infinite Flower of Time Fist: Fist Flower.
“...”
Silence blanketed the courtyard. He had just faced a young Taoist known to the world as a Hidden Dragon.
The youngest disciple of the Sect Leader, rumored to be the most promising talent in the Mount Hua Sect, had fallen in a mere three forms.
Yeon-shin considered it only natural.
They were on completely different levels to begin with.
To face the Flash Art—who was ranked among the very best of the White-Ranked Warriors, not just a standard Desolate Fortress disciple—one would need to be an expert on the verge of becoming a Plum Blossom Sword Adept at the very least.
It was said that a Purple Rank of the Desolate Fortress was a match for the Sect Leaders of the Nine Sects.
Yeon-shin compared his own situation to Yu-hyeon's.
How much training would that fellow have to accumulate to reach the level of the Mount Hua Sect Leader?
The five years or so Yeon-shin had left to live would be absurdly insufficient for such a feat. The very scale of their lives was vastly different.
“...Bring him back,” the Heavenly Pillar commanded, his voice grim and heavy.
At his word, a Mount Hua warrior slung Yu-hyeon over his shoulder.
The glances they cast back at Yeon-shin were filled with sheer shock.
Finally, the onlookers erupted into a commotion.
“What... what just happened?”
“Wasn't that only three forms? How could Mount Hua's prodigy...”
“Defeated in three forms! Just who is that boy?”
Ignoring the whispers, the Heavenly Pillar spoke.
“The Desolate Fortress has been raising a dragon. Just how tightly do you intend to choke the Murim in the future?”
“That is a wild leap of logic,” Ma Jin replied. “As long as you do not harm the commoners, the Desolate Fortress does not move.”
“Your plausible justifications never change.”
Shaking his head, the Heavenly Pillar looked at Yeon-shin.
“Did you say your name is Jeong Yeon-shin?”
“Yes.”
“I have witnessed a fine martial art. There is no way you could have any connection to the martial arts of Mount Hua, yet I did not know such a technique existed under heaven. It must have served as a wake-up call for my lazy disciple. Should you ever find yourself forced to leave the Desolate Fortress, know that Mount Hua will welcome you as an honored guest.”
“Sword Absolute! What a joke. You have crossed the line,” Ma Jin barked, stepping forward and pulling Yeon-shin behind him.
“I admit my greed got the better of me,” the Heavenly Pillar said. “I have made a fool of myself. But it was only because such a brilliant talent, one capable of shaking the world, stood right before my eyes.”
Surprise spread across the faces of the Mount Hua Sect experts as they watched the Heavenly Pillar readily admit his fault.
At the same time, some wore expressions of understanding.
Yeon-shin simply stood still, not moving a muscle.
—You look like you're struggling to hold on.
It was a telepathic transmission from Baek Mi-ryeo. He nodded slightly.
He had consumed almost all of his True Qi. The strain on his Dantian was immense.
The Infinite Flower of Time Fist required a massive amount of True Qi to generate its explosive force.
That was the cost of being able to execute Fa Jin from any posture.
While it freed him from the rigid constraints of forms, the sheer amount of internal energy consumed was a heavy burden.
At least for now, it would be difficult to use as his primary martial art.
‘In real combat, I'll have to rely on my sword.’
Sorting out his thoughts, he went to book a room at the inn.
Not only the crowd that swarmed in after them, but even the experts of the Mount Hua Sect looked at him with entirely different eyes.
They stared at him as if he were some wondrous spirit beast.
He felt no particular emotion about it. The time he had left to live was simply different from theirs.
As soon as he settled into his room, Baek Mi-ryeo flung the door open and marched in.
True to her caring yet blunt personality, she dragged Cheong-myeong in by the scruff of his neck and forced him to sit.
“You, in particular, need to open your Middle Dantian quickly. If you lack internal energy, you'll at least need to make up for it with endurance,” Baek Mi-ryeo said as she sat cross-legged.
Cheong-myeong sprawled out, half-reclining on the floor.
“Did you say the Middle Dantian?”
“I suppose you didn't know its function,” she replied. “It offers benefits that even the Upper Dantian, which is said to house the spirit in the head, cannot provide. The moment you open your Middle Dantian, you'll feel it—your internal energy will become denser. Shaolin's Vajra Immovable Divine Art is a representative martial art that trains the Middle Dantian.”
“Internal energy becomes denser?” Yeon-shin reflexively asked.
Cheong-myeong chimed in.
“It means your efficiency improves. You've heard stories of experts who didn't tire even after fighting for seven days and seven nights, right? They trained their Middle Dantian. The flow of True Qi becomes steadfast, allowing you to unleash massive forms over and over. Even if you take a fairly powerful blow, the flow of your internal energy won't easily break.”
“That is likely the reason Cheong-myeong was able to clash swords with Namgung's First Sword,” Baek Mi-ryeo added. “Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense, no matter how high this fellow's martial prowess is.”
She pointed at Cheong-myeong, who was yawning lazily. He gave a refreshing smile and nodded slightly.
Glancing at him, Jeong Yeon-shin turned his gaze back to Baek Mi-ryeo.
“The Middle Dantian. How do I open it?”
“If you train your Lower Dantian for a long time, it opens naturally. It would be best to focus your Qi meditation around your upper body.”
“Is there no faster way, Sister?”
The words slipped out unconsciously. He had to quickly grasp any means to grow stronger.
Anxious about his martial arts and achievements, the familiar title had just tumbled out of his mouth.
He flinched the moment he said it.
“Sister...?”
Baek Mi-ryeo's cold eyes softened helplessly. Her cheeks flushed slightly.
For a brief moment, even her lips seemed to tremble. It was an unbelievable sight. The Sun Lotus Sword Enchantress herself?
However, like the master of internal cultivation she was, she immediately took a deep breath and regained her composure.
At that moment, Yeon-shin couldn't help but wonder if Baek Mi-ryeo had a deceased younger brother.
At the same time, he realized something else: he knew absolutely nothing about the personal lives of the warriors in the Demonlight Wing.
‘I still don't know anyone.’
Baek Mi-ryeo cleared her throat.
“First, you must keep a powerful energy contained within your body...”
Her explanation continued. In the end, it all came down to True Qi.
Just as the Lower Dantian opened naturally through long-term breathing exercises, the Middle Dantian was no different.
She warned that clumsy, unorthodox methods would only turn into poison.
Though it was a different matter for Yeon-shin, who had his Upper Dantian open since birth due to his cursed constitution.
Swallowing a sigh, he headed down to the first floor. He decided to think about the Middle Dantian later.
‘Let's focus on accumulating achievements. It's not like I can't get stronger without it.’
The inn was bustling. The aroma of food filled the air, and it was hard to find an empty seat.
Xi'an was known as a gathering place for all kinds of martial artists—a peculiar city where even the commoners walking the streets were unusually fearless.
It seemed even more crowded now, likely because rumors of his duel with the Mount Hua Sect's Taoist had already spread.
“It's that boy swordsman!”
“The one who defeated Mount Hua's Hidden Dragon in three forms?”
“He looks to be of a similar age, how is that even possible?”
“I saw it with my own two eyes!”
As Yeon-shin walked downstairs, whispers erupted all around him. These were clearly the people who had witnessed the duel.
“The Flash Art is going to gain fame in no time. There'll be an uproar once your identity is revealed.”
“It is only natural. He is the future of our main fortress.”
It was Cheong-myeong and Baek Mi-ryeo. Yeon-shin thought they were saying such embarrassing things far too casually.
Praise tied to his age meant absolutely nothing to him.
Though it was the first time his martial arts had been publicly evaluated since stepping out into the world, Yeon-shin let all the talk go in one ear and out the other as he looked for Ma Jin.
The tables surrounding Heonwon Chang and the Commander of the Demonlight Wing were completely empty, making them immediately noticeable.
Ma Jin's chilling scars and formidable aura kept everyone at bay. No one dared to share a table with him.
Yeon-shin strode through the crowd.
“Is this really alright? Sitting out in the open when we should be discussing our mission?” Yeon-shin asked as he sat down alongside Cheong-myeong and Baek Mi-ryeo.
Ma Jin chuckled.
“It is no secret that Mount Hua is keeping its eyes wide open in search of the culprit. The movements of warriors from prestigious sects are bound to be tracked in detail anyway. Doing things this way actually helps reduce unexpected casualties among the commoners.”
“Indeed.”
“Have you heard of the phrase 'making a feint to the east while attacking in the west'? That is what we will be doing from now on.”
“So we aren't just occasionally stopping Mount Hua's use of force. Are we actively helping them de-escalate the situation?”
“Yes. The investigation is already complete. The culprit is the Thieving Ghost. He is a thief well-known north of the Yangtze River.”
“Did you say the Thieving Ghost?”
Baek Mi-ryeo bolted upright. An aura like a sword being forged within her body surged outward. Her sharp eyes flashed briefly with cold killing intent.
“Yes. It is indeed the fellow who stole your secret manual. Isn't this a good opportunity?”
“Your martial arts manual was stolen?” Heonwon Chang stopped eating, his eyes widening in shock.
A Blue-Ranked Expert of the Desolate Fortress was a warrior who could hardly find an equal outside of giant factions like the Nine Sects.
Their martial prowess was not something a mere thief could ever hope to approach.
“There were circumstances,” Baek Mi-ryeo replied curtly, falling silent.
However, her aura told a different story.
It pressed against their skin like a raging wildfire. Her determination to catch the thief and slit his throat was palpable in the air.
After finishing their meal in silence, the group went up to the room where Ma Jin was staying.
It was a considerably large room, fitting for his massive build.
Ma Jin made eye contact with each member of the group sitting around him before speaking slowly.
“I will explain the meaning of our feint. First of all, there are few in Shaanxi who do not recognize Mount Hua's martial arts. They are far too conspicuous.”
“Then?”
”From now on, we will smash the plaques of the Shaanxi Unorthodox Factions that have ties to the Thieving Ghost. We will do it ourselves. And we will never take the battlefield outside their premises.”
“What will the Mount Hua Sect be doing in the meantime?”
“The Dark Fragrance Drift serves as both footwork and a movement technique. While we draw their attention, they will infiltrate and search the sects.”
Ma Jin spoke nonchalantly. Heonwon Chang's lips curled up, clearly pleased by the plan.
“Do we have a justification to tear down the plaques of these Unorthodox Factions?” Yeon-shin asked.
Cheong-myeong chuckled, patting Yeon-shin on the head.
“You must not know much about unorthodox martial artists. They are thugs who extort protection money that the Imperial Court has never authorized. From the perspective of the Great Ming Empire, the distinction between orthodox and unorthodox is simple: do the commoners offer money of their own free will, or is it extorted from them at knifepoint?”
Ma Jin nodded.
“They are parasites eating away at the country. We only leave them alone because new pests will swarm even if we exterminate them, so we need no justification to strike them down. Even among themselves, they constantly destroy and establish new sects.”
“How many sects are our targets?”
“Five for now. I will handle two.”
“I will also handle one alone.”
No one showed any surprise at Yeon-shin's words. Ma Jin asked, “Do you want the sole achievement? The risk is high.”
“I can handle it.”
“Facing a group alone is a completely different matter. Even more so if it is a sect of martial artists. Imagine corpses piling up with every swing of your sword. The scent of blood can rob even an expert of their reason. Group battles have the most variables. A one-on-one duel cannot compare.”
“That, too, is an experience I must go through.”
“Very well. I will distribute the targets here. Flash Art, your target is the Mantis Sect in Lotus Lake County, Xi'an. From what I've gathered, they are a vile bunch. They don't hesitate to kidnap women. Your mission is...”
Meeting the unwavering gaze of Yeon-shin, Ma Jin continued.
“A solo raid on the sect. Wipe them out.”