The Lingering Boil of the Yin-Yang Dan
The water inside the jar bearing Tang Myung's name began to boil violently.
A hole in the floor allowed the liquid to drain away, while a hole in the lid permitted fresh cold water to flow back in, yet none of it could stop the boiling.
Hwaaak! Hwaaak!
And in an instant, explosive steam erupted.
The high-level experts of the Tang Clan watched the scene in silence.
'The Young Family Head has already reached the tenth stage of the Samyang Divine Art.'
'At last... he has entered the tenth stage.'
The five-dan leaders and Tang Clan experts, who had reached the tenth stage of the Samyang Divine Art ahead of Tang Myung, watched him with tense eyes.
And...
Tang Myung opened his eyes.
Hwaaak!
Red mist surged from his eyes, then vanished. Tang Jang smiled and clasped his fists.
'We pay our respects to the Young Family Head's greatness.'
'We pay our respects to the Young Family Head's greatness.'
Following the guards' courtesy, Tang Myung briefly displayed his hand before clasping his fists and bowing his head.
'I have reached the tenth stage of the Samyang Divine Art.'
'We pay our respects.'
The guards laughed and offered congratulations once more. The Bicheon Unit members then draped white cloth around the jar.
Tang Myung emerged from the jar, changed his clothes, and stepped outside.
He approached Tang Mi-mi and bowed deeply, lowering his head.
'I was late.'
Tang Mi-mi's head nodded in response.
'Two months from completion to the tenth stage... At your age, that achievement is truly remarkable.'
'Thank you.'
'The foundation for practicing the Gold Dan Zen Art is now complete.'
Tang Myung exhaled upon hearing Tang Mi-mi's words.
'I shall begin at once.'
Tang Mi-mi shook her head.
'The start of the Gold Dan Zen Art is filling the body with weak qi and poison.'
She pointed to a box placed beside her.
'This is the poison dan. Eat it and circulate the qi as I taught you in the Samyang Divine Art.'
'Understood.'
'The beginning will be slow and painful. But once the one-dan forms, it will become smooth sailing. The dan will automatically absorb your body's poisons and medicines and grow on its own.'
Tang Myung nodded in agreement and glanced at Tang Jang. Tang Jang smiled at his gaze.
'The one-dan has already formed with the yin and yang energy.'
'Uncle Tang Jang, you are truly amazing.'
The unique yin-yang energy core has materialized outside the main dantian.
Among the five-dan leaders, Tang Jang was the first to master the Samyang Divine Art and had already progressed beyond the one-dan to the one-dan with yin-yang energy.
The other dan leaders had also formed their one-dans. You, too...
Tang Mi-mi pointed at the box.
'Eat plenty.'
Tang Myung bowed his head and opened the box. Inside lay a full set of dan pills.
The poison dan was a medicinal pill combining poison and weak qi. It possessed no special effects.
It contained only the poison and weak qi needed to form the dan through the Gold Dan Zen Art.
'As you know, the poison dan is only effective for those who have reached the tenth stage of the Samyang Divine Art. Anyone else who consumes it becomes poisoned. Be careful so the children do not touch them.'
'Understood.'
Tang Mi-mi smiled and gently stroked his head while he answered.
'Even as a genius, learning the Samyang Divine Art at the Young Family Head's age is truly difficult. The tenth stage... You have worked hard, my Young Family Head.'
Tang Myung smiled and lowered his head at Tang Mi-mi's gentle praise.
'Thank you.'
The progress that had halted at the Samyang Divine Art's completion stage advanced gradually after meeting the Wulin Alliance representatives.
'I owe you another debt, Jeong Myeong.'
With sincere gratitude and an apology sent from the heart, Tang Myung's cultivation progressed thereafter.
Probably because the Jeong Myeong who had died in his place remained as a burden in his mind. With sincere apology and gratitude... enlightenment came.
'Now, you may all disperse.'
Following Tang Mi-mi's words, the warriors dispersed. Tang Myung picked up the box and moved to the side.
Around him gathered the Bicheon Unit members.
'Our Young Family Head has reached the tenth stage of the Samyang Divine Art... It's amazing.'
Tang Hong laughed as he watched Tang Myung.
'Uncle Tang Hong reached the tenth stage before me.'
As Tang Myung said, Tang Hong had reached the tenth stage a month earlier.
'I'm stronger than the Young Family Head originally. So it's natural to reach there first.'
'How is the Gold Dan Zen Art training?'
Since Tang Hong had entered the Gold Dan Zen Art training earlier, Tang Myung asked about the process.
'You eat the poison dan and refine the qi with the Samyang Divine Art. Then circulate the qi according to the Gold Dan Zen Art. In that way...
'A dan forms in one of the five viscera.'
'Correct. Just as the Samyang Divine Art possesses the three characteristics of Taiyang, Yangmyeong, and Soyang, the Gold Dan Zen Art begins in one of the five viscera and gains that characteristic.'
'When the Samyang Divine Art reaches the fourth stage, you gain one of the three characteristics: Taiyang for releasing qi, Yangmyeong for absorbing qi, and Soyang for regulating qi. My characteristic is Yangmyeong, so I absorb qi.'
'The brothers with the Yangmyeong characteristic have mastered the Gold Dan Zen Art faster. That means the Young Family Head should advance quickly as well.'
Tang Myung nodded and said, 'Did anything unusual happen during my training?'
After the Wulin Alliance envoys left with the antidote, Tang Myung immediately entered closed-door cultivation.
He entered seclusion because only by quickly reaching the tenth stage of the Samyang Divine Art could he enter the Gold Dan Zen Art training.
With Tang Mi-mi and Tang Jang present, Tang Myung had to possess the martial prowess befitting the Young Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
He therefore devoted himself solely to the Samyang Divine Art training.
'Nothing unusual happened at the main house, but a letter of invitation arrived from the Wulin Alliance.'
'Invitation?'
Tang Myung saw Tang Hong pull out a red envelope from his bosom.
'Haven't you opened it?'
'It's the Young Family Head's personal letter.'
'When did it arrive?'
Tang Myung tore open the envelope and asked. Tang Hong replied, 'It arrived two weeks ago.'
'Two weeks?'
Tang Myung hurriedly opened the envelope upon hearing the word 'two weeks.'
'Then why didn't you say something back then?'
'Grandmother said it is an important time for the Young Family Head now and not to disturb him no matter what happens.'
Tang Hong continued with a laugh.
'And although I didn't open the envelope, I know its contents. So I didn't deliver it because it wasn't urgent.'
Tang Myung, who had torn open the envelope and taken out the letter, looked at Tang Hong with a questioning gaze.
'I asked the person who brought the invitation. Since it wasn't a secret, they told me everything.'
After hearing Tang Hong's words, Tang Myung unfolded the letter.
The letter was long yet concise.
At first it expressed regret over the Tang Clan's misfortune and hoped to obtain good results in the Heavenly Grant Forest before returning to Sichuan soon.
It also contained the invitation.
It had been a year since the Wulin Alliance was founded. However, the Wulin Alliance was suddenly established without a founding ceremony.
Because of the Demonic Cult's sudden invasion, the Tang Clan lost its main residence. The Young Family Head and the elders were slaughtered.
Furthermore, several elders of the Zhuge Clan were killed by assassins who infiltrated their inner residence.
Therefore, they hastily established the Wulin Alliance.
With the Wulin Alliance now one year old and ready to officially announce its founding across the world, they invited the world's heroes.
Fortunately, there were about five months until the founding ceremony.
'They must have sent invitations to sects across the Central Plains, so they have time to prepare for the founding.'
'There are probably sects that haven't received invitations yet.'
'Of course. The Central Plains are vast.'
'Five months...
Tang Myung thought for a moment and said, 'How long will it take to reach Geumcheon from here?'
The Wulin Alliance conference was held in Geumcheon.
'Geumcheon in Sichuan... From here, it should take about two weeks.'
'Two weeks... Then I have about four months.'
'Four months is enough for the one-dan to form.'
Tang Hong looked at Tang Myung's box.
'Just endure the hardship.'
Tang Myung looked at the medicine box and replied, 'If I can grow stronger, the hardship is welcome.'
Then he opened the medicine box, picked up a dan pill, and put it in his mouth.
'I will circulate the qi and meditate.'
He sat cross-legged. The Bicheon Unit surrounded him and began guarding.
Tang Myung was sparring with Tang Jang. Tang Myung spread his flow water, and Tang Jang countered with his own flow water.
In the air, their hands crossed rapidly, with qi flickering between them.
'Flow water is not a strong technique. Flow water is fast, sharp, and precise. The moment our hands meet, you lose.'
Listening to Tang Jang's instruction, Tang Myung's hands moved faster and sharper.
'You should target only the back of my hand.'
Tang Myung spread his flow water even faster at Tang Jang's words.
Pop pop!
Tang Myung's hand struck the back of Tang Jang's hand.
Swish!
Tang Jang smiled briefly after seeing Tang Myung's flowing water technique that lightly tapped and withdrew, then changed his expression to strict.
'The basic technique of our family's poison art is flow water. If you master flow water, your poison art will become more precise and sharp. That is why the Pyeonbok Unit experts all use flow water as their primary weapon.'
'Understood.'
Tang Myung nodded at that, then took a few steps back and said, 'Release the silver dragon.'
At Tang Jang's words, Tang Myung flicked his wrist.
Whirl!
A cold silver silk unfurled from his wrist.
The long silver thread hanging on the floor was so thin that it was almost invisible unless light reflected off it slightly.
Once the silver thread was released, Tang Jang said, 'I will only dodge. Attack me.'
Tang Myung lightly waved the silver thread.
Whirr! Whirr!
The silver thread whirled and shot straight toward Tang Jang.
Whirl!
Tang Jang said while watching Tang Myung's silver thread technique that swept like the golden dragon throwing method, 'The silver dragon is hard for even experts' eyes to see. The advantages of the silver dragon are that it is difficult to see and it is unbreakable. The most correct way to use the silver dragon is...
Tang Jang hurriedly raised his right leg upward.
Swish!
The silver dragon spun once around where Tang Jang's right leg had been and then shot up.
Tang Jang stepped back with a pop to avoid the silver dragon that was trying to wrap his leg again.
Tang Jang nodded while watching the silver dragon whirl in a circle around where he had stood.
'Correct. You wrap with the silver dragon.'
'I like this technique too.'
'The technique is good and the killing power is great. Once wrapped in the silver dragon, that part is already yours. You can cut it off or wrap it to reduce pain.'
Tang Jang smiled as he looked at Tang Myung.
'When we go to the Wulin Alliance, the people who know you will all be surprised.'
'As the Young Family Head, I am still lacking.'
'That is true. But when you become the Young Family Head of another great clan, the world will know it. That the Tang Clan Young Family Head is the strongest among the five great clans.'
'I will become the strongest Young Family Head in the world.'
'That is right.'
Tang Jang, who had laughed, stepped back and said, 'Raise the Gold Dan Zen Art.'
At Tang Jang's words, Tang Myung took a deep breath, clasped his hands before his chest, and began circulating qi.
Hwaaak! Hwaaak!
Qi surged from the body as circulation began.
Hwaaak!
The surging qi from the body moved to the lungs, then the kidneys, liver, heart, and again to the spleen.
Tang Myung's one-dan formed in the spleen. So at present, Tang Myung possessed a one-dan of earth attribute.
Hwaaak!
Dark red mist began to flow from Tang Myung's eyes.
'The one-dan has properly settled.'
Tang Jang nodded and gathered qi in both hands.
Hwaaak!
Dense strong qi light erupted from Tang Myung's hands.
The bright qi was flickering as if it would shatter at any moment.
Tang Jang said while watching the strong qi, 'Your qi is still unstable right now.'
'I know.'
'Although the one-dan has formed, the energy of the one-dan and the energy in your main dantian are not yet one. That is why the qi is unstable.'
The Gold Dan Zen Art allowed the use of new qi called the one-dan in addition to the main dantian.
To exert proper power, the new one-dan had to become familiar with the power and merge it.
But Tang Myung, who was not yet familiar with the one-dan, could not handle the energy properly.
'But don't rush. Familiarity takes time. Time will make it familiar and you will be able to use it skillfully.'
Tang Myung clasped his fists and bowed his head at Tang Jang's words.
'I will remember.'
Tang Jang nodded at Tang Myung's answer and looked at Tang Mi-mi who was playing with the children nearby.
'The Young Family Head seems prepared.'
Tang Mi-mi looked at Tang Myung and said, 'Then depart.'
At Tang Mi-mi's words, Tang Myung clasped his fists and looked to the side. Twenty Tang Clan guards stood lined up there.
They were Tang Myung's escort unit for this Wulin Alliance invitation. The unit consisted of the best warriors from the five-dan level. Tang Myung said, 'We head to the Wulin Alliance.'
'Yes, Young Master!'
Tang Myung moved forward with his body in motion. Tang Jang and the escort unit followed and launched their bodies.
Every member of the escort unit had mastered the Gold Dan Zen Art one-dan. Tang Jang, who led them, possessed the Gang Qi Materialization realm.