Chapter 128: Heavenly Scripture Energy Absorption Art (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 128: Heavenly Scripture Energy Absorption Art (1)
Song Gwan sat on the veranda, his gaze fixed silently on the same spot Seok Myeong had been watching.
“Yes, I know. They say dozens of people come to gawk every day, don’t they? Even if you don’t say it, the mental tax must be heavy.”
“……”
“Still, don’t shrink back too much. At worst, it’s just a matter of losing your head, isn't it? Hahaha!”
At Song Gwan’s dark joke, Seok Myeong’s expression stiffened even further.
“You rascal!”
Song Gwan’s gentle expression suddenly turned fierce. When Seok Myeong looked up with wide, startled eyes, unable to grasp the reason for the shift, the elder shouted again.
“Why is a first-generation disciple of Qingcheng so timid! This is exactly why your master worried about you even in his final moments!”
Seok Myeong’s eyes widened at the sudden thunderous scolding. Then, he lowered his head once more.
“Sit down.”
In the center of the hall, Seok Myeong took his seat where a clear breeze blew through.
A pleasant wind wafted up from the steep mountain slopes. The Central Yellow Hall was a place where one could feel the air better than in any other pavilion.
“Have you ever heard why the Azure Cloud Taoist lineage was created?”
Seok Myeong nodded.
“I heard that True Person Jeongsu, a past Sect Leader, did so to develop Qingcheng’s martial arts through a different path.”
“Correct. Then do you know why he strove to create them through a different method?”
“Was it not because Qingcheng’s power was weak at the time?”
“No.”
When Song Gwan cut him off flatly, Seok Myeong looked at him in surprise.
“He felt that without change, there was no way for Qingcheng to progress.”
“Progress…”
“There was no desperate need for change then, just as there isn't now. However, he did not want Qingcheng to settle for a decent level of talent and a respectable position in the Jianghu; he wished for Qingcheng to become the greatest among the Nine Sects.”
“The greatest sect in the martial world…”
It sounded like a dream.
In the history of the martial world, Shaolin, Mount Hua, and Wudang had always stood unshakably at the pinnacle. There had never been a sect among the Nine Sects stronger than them. To think that Qingcheng would surpass them seemed impossible.
“I believe this is that opportunity. To accept the present and develop the old, so that Qingcheng’s martial studies may become even more magnificent.”
“Elder…”
“The spirit of Qingcheng is to never fear failure. Think of the many Azure Cloud Taoists who sought to master extreme martial arts like the Energy Absorption Art. Even if they didn't throw their lives away like mere blades of grass, they too staked everything to create new martial arts.”
Seok Myeong felt he finally understood Song Gwan’s words.
There is no glory without crisis. The teaching that fear is not something to be endured, but something to be overcome, stirred something that had been clogging his chest.
*
The flow of qi can usually be identified through a pulse reading.
Then, what must one do to transmit qi to another or to control another’s energy?
It can be done easily through the Gate of Life Acupoint, located in the center of the lower back.
The name 'Gate of Life' (Myeongmun) literally contains the word for 'Gate.' Whether someone is absorbing internal energy or controlling qi, they primarily go through the Gate of Life because it is one of the points on the Dai Meridian, where the Eight Extraordinary Meridians connect.
There are several restrictions when it comes to moving qi. First, one must not move their body, and they must minimize speaking as much as possible. This is because speaking while circulating qi causes the energy to scatter, making it difficult to control.
To ensure accuracy, Seok Myeong began to guide the bodies of Yeon-hui and Seok Jin. He checked the circulation paths over and over again.
“From now on, circulate your qi according to my words. From the moment you use this breathing method, you must never twist your energy or intentionally block it. Entrust your body to the movement of the qi, and if any change occurs, tell me.”
“Yes!”
“Understood!”
As Yeon-hui and Seok Jin answered, Seok Myeong began to recite the mnemonics of the Heavenly Scripture Energy Absorption Art.
While listening to the mnemonics, the two experienced a truly chilling sensation. He was merely reciting the circulation paths through a simple rhythm, yet a sense of foreignness began to seep in, as if a demon were revealing itself from the darkness.
The area around the Central Yellow Hall was packed with first-generation disciples watching. Many stayed behind to guard the spot even though it was time for their own training.
The greatest interest within the Qingcheng Sect right now was the existence of the Energy Absorption Art—and whether that energy could be fully mastered.
Yeon-hui showed no particular change. Even though she should have instinctively expressed excitement or surprise if the absorption of internal energy was occurring, she remained still with her eyes closed, quiet as a stone.
In contrast, Seok Jin was different. He kept his eyes closed and began to knit his brows; his eyebrows twitched, and his body swayed as if he were tossing and turning in a dream.
“……”
And then it happened.
Flash.
Seok Jin’s eyes snapped open, and his body shook. He looked as if he had received a shock beyond mere surprise from the cultivation.
“Ah…”
Seok Jin was staring down at his hands. Then he looked back at Seok Myeong.
“You may speak now,” Seok Myeong prompted.
“Is this… it?”
“Do you feel it?”
“Yes, it’s truly incredible.”
Seok Jin had experienced something mystical. He felt the qi, which had turned dense and murky, being sucked into his entire body. It was leading him into a world he had never experienced before.
“You must familiarize yourself with the direction the energy flows. Right now, it doesn't reach the level of the internal qi from your Azure Wind Heart Method, but within half a year, it will rise to an equal standing with your original energy.”
Seok Jin nodded, breathless. “It’s truly amazing. To think I could operate two types of energy simultaneously, just as you said.”
At his astonished reaction, the watching first-generation disciples began to buzz with excitement. Seok Jin’s repeated exclamations of how incredible it was piqued their curiosity.
“How about you, Junior Sister?”
Seok Myeong turned his head to look at Yeon-hui. However, Yeon-hui shook her head.
“There’s no reaction at all.”
“None?”
“Yes.”
Seok Myeong’s expression stiffened. It was strange. To have no reaction at all was something he hadn't anticipated.
‘Did a problem occur?’
“Oh, it’s truly grand. It’s like a miracle, Senior Brother Myeong,” Seok Jin spoke repeatedly.
In contrast, Yeon-hui, who had been incredibly tense, now looked dejected and hollow. Seeing the polar opposite states of the two, Seok Myeong’s anxiety deepened.
*
“Are they still training?”
In the upper levels of the True Martial Hall, Song Hak, whose face was covered in a thick beard, spoke to the gaunt man beside him.
“That is correct.”
“Tsk, tsk. Honestly, that’s a stubbornness no one can stop.”
Song Hak shook his head. He never imagined she would volunteer to learn a demonic art. A woman’s curiosity often puts a man in a difficult spot—especially when it comes to the Sect Leader’s precious daughter. One even hesitates to stop her for fear of falling out of favor.
He understood the circumstances, but he still didn't like it.
“Right. What did the Sect Leader say?”
Even Song Jeong had remained in seclusion for several days this time. No doubt his heart was aching at the thought of his only daughter practicing a demonic art. The rumor that he might have even taken to his bed made Song Hak let out a small, dry chuckle.
“He told me to deliver this.”
The gaunt man pulled out a small, thin box.
“To me?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm…”
Click.
Song Hak tilted his head and opened the box. His face instantly turned as hard as stone.
“…What in the world.”
Click.
He closed it immediately, but a clear, elegant fragrance wafted out. Song Hak’s face turned pale as he asked the man, “Is this truly… what the Sect Leader told you to deliver to me? Did he say nothing else?”
“He just said to look after things… Is something the matter?”
“……”
Song Hak remained still for a long time, his face white, before letting out a long sigh.
“I understand. Could you call Seok Jun for me on your way out?”
“I will do so.”
The man, unaware of the situation, simply tilted his head and left. Song Hak stood dazed for a long while before collapsing into his seat. He looked like a man who had seen a ghost.
“How terrifying, Sect Leader. That resolve of yours is truly terrifying. If it were me…”
Song Hak rubbed his face with his dry hands and sat there for a long time with a shocked expression.
“It is Seok Jun. Did you call for me?”
“You’ve come.”
“Father…?”
Seok Jun tilted his head. For a moment, his father’s face looked ten years older.
“I have received an order from the Sect Leader. It seems there is work for you and me to do.”
But soon, when Song Hak lifted his head, his face held its usual cold, rigid, and stern spirit.
“What kind of work is it?”
“I’ll explain later. First, let’s go to the underground training room.”
Song Hak carefully tucked the thin box from the table into his robes. Strangely, his fingers were trembling slightly.
*
The Great Restoration Pill of Shaolin. The Grand Purity Pill of Wudang. And the Violet Mist Flowing Spirit of Mount Hua.
Every prestigious great sect possesses a secret method to rapidly grow a disciple’s strength. Usually, these are the most guarded of secrets, activated only during a sect's crisis. Qingcheng, being a sect with a long history, also had such a thing: The Latent Form Divine Art.
It was a martial art that rapidly expanded the vessel for internal energy within the body. While its effects weren't as dramatic as Shaolin’s Great Restoration Pill, it was still one of the most outstanding divine arts in terms of growing the capacity to hold internal energy over the long term.
“…Our sect had such a thing?”
“Yes.”
Song Hak nodded to the surprised Seok Jun. Even among the people of Qingcheng, few knew of this martial art’s existence. By nature, secret traditions must be hidden. And such secrets usually required expensive and rare spiritual medicines.
Even if it existed, it was a benefit naturally reserved for the Sect Leader, his direct bloodline, or his direct disciples, so ordinary disciples would ignore it even if they heard of it. It would never be theirs anyway.
“This is the Stone Fragrance given by the Sect Leader. With this, your achievement will rise by at least two stages.”
Clack.
Song Hak carefully opened the wooden box he had received. Inside were ten flowers with transparent leaves. It was a flower closer to a spiritual entity than a mere medicine, possessing the effect of stimulating qi through the sense of touch. It was a precious item, with a single blossom fetching thousands of silver taels.
“F-Father. I don’t quite understand.”
As Song Hak laid out the Stone Fragrance one by one, Seok Jun waved his hands, his face pale.
“Why would the Sect Leader give this to me? If it’s such an item, Junior Sister Yeon-hui should be the one using it…”
“Is that Yeon-hui not currently meddling with the Heavenly Scripture Energy Absorption Art?”
“……”
Seok Jun didn't understand. The Heavenly Scripture Energy Absorption Art was the qi technique of the Azure Cloud Taoists that Seok Myeong had supposedly refined with the Qingcheng Heart Method. He couldn't see what that had to do with him learning the Latent Form Divine Art.
Above all, he couldn't fathom why the Sect Leader would bestow such a spiritual treasure upon him, who shared not a drop of blood with the man.
“The Heavenly Scripture Energy Absorption Art is based on the Demonic Energy Absorption Art. Do you not know of the Giant Demon?”
When Song Hak spoke, an ominous realization suddenly flashed through Seok Jun’s mind.
“…Father?”
“It seems you’ve understood. Yes. That is likely the reason. Should Seok Jin or Yeon-hui turn into a Giant Demon, someone is needed to clean up the sect's threshold.”
“What do you mean by that!”