Chapter 3: Teaching (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 3: Teaching (1)
"Whew..."
A soft whoosh echoed as he brought a spark to the wick, and the fire caught.
The wick drew from the thick oil contained in the bamboo tube, ensuring the small flame remained steady. It was dawn, the hour when a dim, lingering energy still clung to the air.
In a certain building on Mount Qingcheng, the light once again illuminated the surroundings without fail.
"This is truly fascinating content."
Seok Myeong awoke during the fifth watch, well before the pre-dawn shadows had begun to lift. An early sleeper by nature, he was well-accustomed to the quiet solitude of the early hours.
As was his routine, Seok Myeong began his day with a brief wash before scanning the bookshelves.
The interior of the Azure Moon Storehouse was quite spacious, with twelve rooms attached like storage units. Just as the history of the Qingcheng Sect was long, most of the space in these rooms was occupied by densely packed bookshelves. They were filled with the research and records of the Qingcheng Sect’s predecessors; the sheer volume was so immense that there were still many books Seok Myeong had yet to encounter.
In some rooms, as many as thirty-two bookshelves were lined up in rows. No matter how much Seok Myeong loved reading, it was impossible for him to have read every single one.
"Shall I look through this room today?"
Seok Myeong moved toward the room with the highest concentration of books. The vast amount of literature stacked in every direction was overwhelming, making it difficult to even scan them all with a glance. Even when compared to the Azure Moon Secret Pavilion, which housed the Qingcheng Sect's actual martial arts manuals, the number of books here was by no means lacking.
"What should I read today?"
Seok Myeong’s gaze drifted across the tightly packed spines.
Having read so many books that he had almost grown sick of them, he had reached a level where he could deduce the essence of a text just by looking at its title. Of course, there were times when the content subverted the title, but for the most part, titles were crafted to perfectly capture the characteristics of the martial art within.
"Should I just browse the titles today?"
Since he couldn't possibly digest all these books at once, he decided to try and guess their meanings based on the titles alone. Even that simple task would take at least half a shijin, as there were well over several hundred volumes in this section alone.
"Hm?"
He had just made up his mind and was about to start from the edge of the shelf when a title immediately piqued his curiosity.
"Dual Flow Exchange Technique?"
Even for Seok Myeong, who had encountered countless martial arts manuals, this was a technique whose meaning he couldn't immediately deduce. The term "Dual Flow" was not a common expression used in traditional manuals.
"Dual Flow Exchange Technique... If I interpret the meaning literally, it suggests circulating qi in two different directions simultaneously, but that seems like quite a stretch."
Operating qi in two directions meant harboring two types of energy within the body and moving them at the same time. Generally speaking, there was no martial art that utilized such a circulation method. It was difficult enough to master a single circulation path; who would ever attempt to circulate qi in two directions at once?
However, his curiosity was piqued. Seok Myeong pulled the book from the shelf and began to read.
Imaginary Point.
Establish an Imaginary Point within the central Dantian. Using that as a reference, circulate two energies in different directions.
"Ha, two directions?"
A hollow laugh escaped Seok Myeong as soon as he saw the text. He couldn't help but wonder how a circulation method could possibly flow in two directions instead of one. However, as he read further, his smile vanished, and his expression grew serious.
The book didn't contain nonsensical claims. It actually proposed a viable method to achieve the feat.
It wasn't about splitting one energy into two. It was about circulating two distinct energies in different directions simultaneously. In reality, there were two types of energy, but there was no significant difference in difficulty compared to circulating a single energy. This was because each energy originated from the same Imaginary Point but circulated independently without overlapping.
The benefits, however, were significant.
By operating two types of energy simultaneously, one energy could be naturally concealed. Furthermore, the weaknesses of one could be offset by the strengths of the other, or its advantages could be further emphasized. Even if one side's energy suffered damage and became unusable, the body could still be protected by the other. This was possible because the Internal Heavenly Circuit and the External Heavenly Circuit were performed in tandem.
"It sounds far-fetched, but the method itself is quite novel. To be able to prepare for contingencies by circulating two types of energy separately..."
Engrossed in this fresh martial theory, Seok Myeong sat down in a corner and settled into a comfortable posture. It was the start of another day—a common occurrence for him.
*
Gurgle.
Seok Myeong, who had been lost in the book, suddenly looked toward the window at the sound of his stomach growling. Before he knew it, the sun was high in the sky. He had been standing there reading for a full two shijin.
"I'm hungry."
He placed the book back on the shelf and stepped outside, rubbing his stomach. As usual, the grounds were quiet and peaceful.
"Daesahyeong!"
Just as he was about to head off to find some food, a familiar voice called out from nearby. Turning his gaze, he saw a tall young man running toward him in a hurry.
"Seok Jin, what brings you all the way here?"
Seok Myeong welcomed him with a bright smile. Among the first-generation disciples, Seok Jin was the one who followed Seok Myeong most closely. Whenever he was bored, he would occasionally show up to keep him company.
"Huff, huff... Well, you see."
As soon as Seok Jin reached Seok Myeong, he began to scan the surroundings abruptly. Only after confirming that no one else was around did he finally relax.
"There's something I'm curious about."
"What is it?"
Seok Jin’s voice grew progressively quieter.
"No matter how many times I try, the third form of the Nine Currents Sword feels a bit... strange."
Seok Myeong tilted his head.
"If it's the Nine Currents Sword, isn't that your master's martial art?"
The Nine Currents Sword was one of the heterodox sword techniques of the Qingcheng Sect. It wasn't an orthodox style passed down since the sect's founding, but rather a style created through the experience of countless real battles outside of Mount Qingcheng. However, it couldn't be taken lightly, as its creator was Seok Jin’s master, Taoist Songgang.
"Yes, Daesahyeong."
"Wait, why are you asking me? Your master is the one who taught it to you."
"Well... isn't it true that there's no martial art in Qingcheng that Daesahyeong doesn't know?"
"Hahaha! You rascal, do you think I'm some kind of all-knowing master?"
"Weren't you?"
"What?"
"That's what I believed."
Seok Myeong looked at him with an absurd expression, but Seok Jin just stared back as if wondering what the problem was. Seeing a face so full of conviction, Seok Myeong simply shook his head.
In truth, this wasn't the first time Seok Jin had come to him with such questions. However, the things he had taught him before were limited to the well-known sword techniques within the sect. It was truly awkward to think that Seok Jin expected him to know a sword technique his master had personally created.
"For starters, I haven't even seen it that many times..."
"Then I can just show you. I'll begin."
Without waiting for an answer, Seok Jin drew his sword. After checking his surroundings one last time, he took a Qi Gathering Stance.
As he took the stance, Seok Myeong naturally began to focus. Thinking back carefully, he remembered seeing Taoist Songgang perform a sword dance at the training grounds a few years ago. From what he recalled, it was a domineering style that forced the opponent into a desperate defense, yet it was also a clever art that left no opening for a counterattack. However, since he had only seen it once, he couldn't remember every single form.
Ssh.
Seok Jin stood comfortably, creating some distance. Then, he slowly lifted one leg and took a formal posture.
It was the Independent Step.
With a serious look in his eyes, he remained motionless for a moment. Seok Myeong nodded. That stance might look like he was simply standing and waiting for an attack, but the reality was different. The proof lay in Seok Jin’s leg. Because his knee was bent, it appeared at a glance that his leg was raised, but upon closer inspection, his toes were lightly touching the ground. It was a preparatory movement to change direction and attack at any moment.
If so, the third form was likely a technique used to exploit an opponent's opening.
Thud.
Sure enough, his body slipped to one side. Lowering his posture, he lunged forward. As he thrust his hand in the direction of his extended leg, a sharp shriek rang out as the sword was drawn and sliced through the air. The blade maintained a straight line, piercing the target without the slightest tremor. It was an excellent movement, to the point where a faint sword resonance could be heard.
Clang!
Seok Jin returned his sword to its scabbard.
"How was it?" Seok Jin asked, his gaze serious.
"It was good." Seok Myeong smiled brightly.
At this, Seok Jin’s face immediately lit up. "Is that so? Then there's no problem?"
"Well... that might be a different story."
"Pardon? Didn't you just say it was good, Daesahyeong?"
"Yes, it was good. It was excellent."
"Then what is..."
"Hmm."
Seok Myeong took a step back to create distance. Then, he drew the sword from his own waist.
Shring.
The friction between the sword and the scabbard produced the crisp sound of well-polished steel. As a member of the Qingcheng Sect, maintaining one's sword was the most basic of basics. Although Seok Myeong loved reading, he was so passionate about sword maintenance that he never missed a single day.
"The posture seemed flawless."
Seok Myeong took the same Independent Step as Seok Jin. The posture—sword hanging low, one leg slightly raised—was identical to Seok Jin’s from a moment ago.
"But here, the force..."
Seok Myeong moved. He slipped to one side and swung his sword forward.
Whoosh.
He finished with the same movement as before.
"I think you should relax it."
"Pardon?" Seok Jin tilted his head, confused. "Shouldn't I be applying force there? It's a form where you move laterally to strike the neck while the opponent is closing in."
"That's exactly why you should relax."
"Relax?"
Seok Jin still looked completely lost. He was puzzled by the instruction to relax while in the middle of cutting down an enemy. However, Seok Myeong was certain in his own way. Just as there is harmony in the world, there is a flow to martial forms. He believed that a master like Taoist Songgang would never have created a sword technique that ignored that flow.
"Jin, what do you think is the primary purpose of the third form?"
"It's an attack that exploits the opponent's lapse in vigilance. It's a strike aimed quickly at the enemy's vital points."
"Then do you know the purposes of the second and fourth forms?"
"Pardon?"
"Since the third form has such a purpose, wouldn't the second and fourth forms have specific purposes as well?"
"..."
Seok Jin was flustered by the sudden question. Because those forms were so easy to perform, he hadn't given them much thought. Seok Jin stepped to the side and began to think about the sword forms he had learned from his master.
"The second form is to distract the opponent's gaze..."
Swish.
Stepping left and right, the sword moved from a middle-level position to the flanks. It was meant to dazzle the opponent's vision.
"The fourth form is to move in the opposite direction of the third form and observe the opponent's attack."
From a piercing posture, he turned to the right and bent his wrist halfway.
"Look. You're relaxing your force right now," Seok Myeong pointed out.
"Yes?"
"In both the second and fourth forms, you were relaxing your force."
"Ah..."
Seok Jin’s eyes widened. Only then did he realize what he was doing.