Chapter 31
A wind as sharp as a blade was blowing.
Sword Brow Mountain, Iron Staff Peak.
At the precarious edge of the cliff of this desolate mountain peak stood a figure with closed eyes.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
Whoosh!
At that moment, with the sound of breaking air, a fist-sized stone shot toward Bu Eun-seol's back.
The stone, infused with powerful internal energy, struck as if it would pierce straight through Bu Eun-seol's body.
Crunch.
But the moment the stone touched Bu Eun-seol's back, it crumbled to powder and scattered to the ground.
Boom!
This time, with a thunderous roar, a large boulder flew at Bu Eun-seol's back once again.
Crunch. Whish.
Astonishingly, the boulder turned to powder and scattered before it even touched Bu Eun-seol's body.
"As of today, you have reached the First Layer."
Before anyone knew it, a giant of a man had walked out behind Bu Eun-seol.
The man's skin, clad in monk's robes, was entirely covered in scars. He was Blood Vajra, originally from Heavenly Dragon Temple in Dali, Yunnan, and now a Demon Monk who had turned to the Demonic Path.
"Elder."
As Blood Vajra approached, Bu Eun-seol slowly turned his body.
And as he bowed his head respectfully with both hands pressed together,
Piiing!
Suddenly, Blood Vajra extended his fingers and unleashed fierce Finger Wind.
THUD-THUD-THUD.
All three strands of Finger Wind struck the major acupoints on Bu Eun-seol's chest.
But he stood tall as if he had felt nothing at all.
"It is certain."
Blood Vajra withdrew his hand and nodded.
"When one reaches the First Layer, true qi overflows through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, and the body becomes as firm as if one had trained in External Arts."
And he continued in a calm voice.
"Your foundation in internal energy is extremely solid. Moreover, the Nourishing Life Secret Art you have been practicing shares a common thread with the Reverse Polarity Heart Method... That is how you have achieved such a result."
His eyes were filled with a proud light.
But Bu Eun-seol shook his head with a subdued gaze.
"I am ashamed."
"What is there to be ashamed of?"
"Am I not dull-witted, having trained for two whole months yet still remaining at the First Layer?"
"What nonsense is that? This humble monk..."
Blood Vajra, who had been speaking, closed his mouth.
The Reverse Polarity Heart Method is something that those without talent cannot grasp even after ten years of training.
Even he, who was called the greatest prodigy in the history of Heavenly Dragon Temple, had taken a full two years to reach the First Layer of the Reverse Polarity Heart Method.
Yet Bu Eun-seol was berating himself as dull-witted after achieving results ten times faster than his own.
'This is absurd.'
"Ahem."
Blood Vajra cleared his throat and patted Bu Eun-seol on the shoulder.
"Your life stretches long before you. If you devote yourself a little more diligently, good results will follow."
"Thank you."
"Come to think of it, two months have already passed."
Blood Vajra, who had been looking at Bu Eun-seol, let out a deep sigh.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been gaunt and bony, had transformed into a sturdy physique over the past two months.
It was because, after learning the Internal Energy Method and spreading the true qi stored in his body through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, his body had become unrecognizably healthier.
Whiiing.
At that moment, a sharp whirlwind blew around Iron Staff Peak.
"It has already come to that, hasn't it."
Bu Eun-seol also gazed at the distant sky.
Over the course of two months, Bu Eun-seol had learned the fundamentals of the Reverse Polarity Heart Method from Blood Vajra.
The pain and suffering he had endured during that period could not be expressed with the tip of the tongue.
"Then let us begin the training."
"Yes."
At Blood Vajra's words, Bu Eun-seol climbed onto the wooden platform in front of the thatched cottage and sat upright.
Because he had mastered the Sinew Reforging Marrow Washing Classic, he was capable of Inner Training in any posture, but he had assumed the lotus position on Blood Vajra's advice.
—From now on, even when you are alone, you must always assume the lotus position when performing Inner Training. If you train in other postures, it may become known that you have learned the Sinew Reforging Classic.
Blood Vajra was always worrying about Bu Eun-seol's future and showing meticulous consideration.
Just as he was doing right now.
Tremble.
Bu Eun-seol's body, having entered Inner Training, trembled lightly.
At the same time, black fog began to billow up from the vicinity of the Hundred Meetings Acupoint,
Crackle.
And light bone sounds began to resonate throughout his entire body.
'What?'
Blood Vajra, who had been watching, opened his eyes wide.
Because Bu Eun-seol's appearance was the phenomenon that manifested when one reached the Second Layer of the Reverse Polarity Heart Method.
'Has he already reached the Second Layer, the realm of Unstained Sinew and Bone?'
When one reaches the Second Layer of the Reverse Polarity Heart Method, the bones and muscles begin to rearrange themselves into the optimal state for maximizing the body's physical strength.
As if proving that he had reached the realm of Unstained Sinew and Bone, his muscles and bones were moving continuously.
Tremble tremble.
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol's body began to shake violently as if an earthquake had struck.
"Oh dear."
A sigh burst from Blood Vajra's lips.
Having suddenly reached the Second Layer of the Reverse Polarity Heart Method, Bu Eun-seol had arrived at a state where he could not control the overflowing, immense true qi.
Trickle.
Blood began to flow from the corner of Bu Eun-seol's mouth.
If he could not control the true qi flowing through his Qi Vessels, he would ultimately suffer a fatal Internal Injury.
"Cast aside distracting thoughts and focus."
Thud.
At that moment, Blood Vajra placed his palm on Bu Eun-seol's back, at the Life Gate Acupoint.
And he began to inject his own powerful Reverse Polarity True Qi.
Tremble.
As Blood Vajra began True Qi Guiding, the trembling of Bu Eun-seol's body began to subside.
But in contrast, Blood Vajra's complexion began to turn rapidly pale.
He had injected his own Primordial Essence True Qi to control Bu Eun-seol's rampaging true qi.
'Uuuu.'
Just as Blood Vajra was pouring his immense qi into the Life Gate Acupoint, Bu Eun-seol's eyes, which had been in a State of No-Self performing Inner Training, slowly opened.
Flash!
Only after emitting an eye glow like the sun did he slowly come to his senses.
"It is done."
Once Bu Eun-seol regained stability, Blood Vajra, with an exhausted face, removed his hand from the Life Gate Acupoint.
Stagger.
In that moment, Blood Vajra's body swayed. He had used an excessive amount of qi to correct Bu Eun-seol's qi vessels.
"Elder."
Bu Eun-seol knelt before Blood Vajra.
"Why do you bestow such kindness upon me?"
Not only had his tangled qi vessels been stabilized, but a powerful Reverse Polarity True Qi—something that could not be cultivated at his current realm—was now filling his Eight Extraordinary Meridians.
This was because Blood Vajra had unsparingly injected his own Primordial Essence True Qi.
To a martial artist, internal energy is more precious than life itself. Blood Vajra had, in effect, carved away his own flesh and blood to protect Bu Eun-seol.
"Hmph. If you fail to properly learn the Reverse Polarity Heart Method, can this poor monk ever leave Langya Pavilion?"
"Elder."
Waving his hand dismissively, he spoke with an expression that suggested it was no great matter.
"There is no need to concern yourself."
Bu Eun-seol simply bowed his head in silence.
'His speech and appearance are fearsome, but he is a man of deep affection.'
Having spent two months together, Bu Eun-seol had come to see that Blood Vajra's appearance alone was fearsome; his heart was exceedingly kind.
And that was precisely what weighed on Bu Eun-seol's mind.
"I will never forget the kindness you have shown me."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Blood Vajra's eyes wavered for the first time.
"Forget it."
Letting out a sigh, he stared intently into Bu Eun-seol's eyes and said,
"Forgetting that this poor monk ever existed—that is the way to repay the kindness."
In that instant, the words Sa-u had last spoken to him surfaced in Bu Eun-seol's mind.
—Forget it. That is what the murim is like. Whether it is favors or grudges... if you can forget them, that is best.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes grew dim.
Why was it that benefactors who showed him kindness always told him to forget all favors and grudges? Why did they wish to be forgotten?
"Is there no other way to repay your kindness?"
Bu Eun-seol asked persistently, and with emotion.
"If there is something you have left unfinished, or something you could not complete... I will do it."
The fact that Blood Vajra was expending his Primordial Essence True Qi—something akin to life itself—meant he no longer had any lingering attachment to life.
If that were so, Bu Eun-seol thought, perhaps there was at least an unfulfilled wish.
"The Reverse Polarity Heart Method is the great master among all inner methods under heaven."
For a moment, points of light slowly rose around Blood Vajra's eyes.
"But this poor monk lacked the talent, and reaching the edge of the Fifth Layer was all I could achieve."
And then, a gentle smile like that of the Buddha bloomed at the corners of his lips.
"One day, attain realization and reach the Eighth Layer, the realm of the Great Origin. That will be the way to repay this poor monk's kindness."
Blood Vajra already seemed to have transcended all worldly desires.
Bu Eun-seol bowed his head, his voice sounding as though something were caught in his throat.
"I understand. Elder."
The next morning.
After resting comfortably in his quarters, Bu Eun-seol stepped outside to head to Iron Staff Peak.
Murmur, murmur.
Just then, unfamiliar sounds came from afar.
When he went outside, about twenty men were entering the interior of Langya Pavilion.
As if they had returned from a punitive expedition, traces of fierce battle marked their bodies, and they appeared somewhat exhausted.
At that moment, Wang Geol, who had been hammering iron in the forge, muttered,
"The Innovation Unit has returned."
"What is the Innovation Unit?"
Glancing sideways at Bu Eun-seol, Wang Geol continued in a low voice.
"The Innovation Unit is an armed brigade that specializes in dealing with sects that oppose the Main Pavilion."
"Sects that oppose... you say?"
"That's right. This time, they've come back after wiping out the Azure Dragon Gang."
The Azure Dragon Gang.
Though not part of the Demon Hall, it was a sect that dominated the Yellow River, with over five thousand members alone.
And yet Langya Pavilion, with a mere twenty men, had wiped out the Azure Dragon Gang—a sect belonging to the great gangs.
However, Bu Eun-seol, unaware of this fact, simply nodded as if it were nothing significant.
"Why did they deal with this Azure Dragon Gang?"
"Because they touched a disciple of the Main Pavilion."
Wang Geol's indifferent eyes sharpened.
"Those who touch a disciple of the Main Pavilion die. Sects that invade the Main Pavilion's domain are annihilated."
Turning his gaze back to the workbench, Wang Geol spoke in a low voice.
"That is the creed of the Main Pavilion."
Only then did Bu Eun-seol understand once more why Langya Pavilion belonged to the Demonic Path Ten Gates.
'Langya Pavilion is Langya Pavilion. Even among fellow demonic practitioners, there is no mercy.'
Langya Pavilion was like a pack of predatory beasts.
They do not forgive those who invade their domain. If touched, they exact bloody revenge.
'I rather like it.'
Certain revenge over clumsy tolerance.
Bu Eun-seol found Langya Pavilion's creed to his liking.
"..."
At that moment, from among the gathered group, a man of enormous build with a beard bristling like a hedgehog's quills strode over to the forge where Wang Geol was working.
Clang.
The bearded man set the great blade he carried on his back down onto the table and grinned.
"Master Cheol. Give this sword a bit of attention, would you?"
"Hm."
Picking up the great blade, Wang Geol frowned deeply.
"Not just the edge—the entire blade is damaged. Haven't I told you time and again to just use an iron mace if you're going to treat it like this?"
"Hahaha. If this body used an iron mace, wouldn't people be unable to tell whether I'm a man or a gorilla?"
The bearded man, who had been laughing heartily, tilted his head.
"Oh?"
Only then did he notice Bu Eun-seol standing there blankly.