Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Curing the Blocked Yin Veins
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All that was left now was to get to work.
I stroked Moyong San's cheek. His body was small and frail beyond compare to his peers, twisted and emaciated as if it might snap at any moment.
"San-ah."
"Yes, Teacher."
"I'll say it once more: you must endure. It'll be grueling and agonizing. But don't give up. The moment you do, it's all over."
"...Yes, Teacher. I won't give up."
I tied the rope I'd brought to the bed, binding Moyong San's limbs, then let out a breath.
White Night. Time to work.
White Night responded to my call. It writhed with yin energy, coiling flirtatiously around my hand.
The task itself was simple. White Night would guide the flow so the yin energy could circulate continuously.
The moment it pooled in one spot, the meridians would burst. It was as good as suffering fatal internal injuries, so constant circulation was essential.
And the tool to pierce those blocked paths was Heavenly Tribulation. Just a tiny bit-an infinitesimal amount-scooping out the severed meridians at my command.
Like prodding a wound. And that state had to be maintained for a time, regenerating while kept open, which would bring excruciating pain.
Still, it had to be done. This was the best way.
"...Let's begin."
I first divided Heavenly Tribulation. I pushed a needle-thin sliver into his blood vessels.
A massive surge of yin energy erupted. A chilling menace that could freeze everything around it.
Far too much for a child to bear. So I let White Night absorb some of it.
Sated and content, White Night soon began moving as I directed, spinning the clogged yin energy ceaselessly within the severed meridian.
The first blocked meridian.
Once it arrived, I slowly began drilling a hole with the needle-sized Heavenly Tribulation.
"Grrraaah?!"
Moyong San thrashed violently. I pinned his body down by force.
He had to endure. If it stopped halfway, his inner energy would rampage and kill him.
Once started, it had to be seen through. Only then could he obtain what he'd so desperately wished for.
I embarked on the repetitive task that would take a long time.
How many hours would it take?
I didn't know. I simply moved Heavenly Tribulation.
Until the blocked meridian cleared and the swirling yin energy within his body surged toward its proper path.
...
"Aaaahhhhh!!!"
Moyong Hwi's eyes snapped open. Unable to hold back, he stepped onto the floor.
Na-rin and Gwang-yang clung to him.
"Pa-Pavilion Master! We told you not to go in!"
"Interrupting midway puts them both in danger!"
"...Grrraaah!!!"
His grandson was wailing right before his eyes. Yet he could do nothing.
He slammed his trembling fist into a rock, then bashed his head against it repeatedly.
It hurt, but this was better.
The pain reawakened his forgotten promise.
Please... please...
Please, somehow, at least save his life...
He clasped his hands and begged. Prostrating in the courtyard, he prayed to the unseen.
Time passed. The screams didn't stop. Later, his voice gave out entirely, leaving only the pitiful howls of a beast.
The Pavilion Master's trembling body shook as if it might burst out at any moment.
If only he could take that pain himself.
"Why... why does heaven... why that poor child..."
His explosive aura finally devoured the Pavilion Master. Na-rin and Gwang-yang guarding the door flinched in alarm.
"Pavilion Master!"
"Wait!"
"Out of my way! I must see with my own eyes! Something... something must be wrong! If you don't move, I'll-!"
"Grandfather."
A hand grabbed his. Pavilion Master Moyong Hwi turned to the side.
The child holding his hand shook his head. Strong conviction shone in his eyes.
"Dad doesn't lie."
"...What?"
"Wait. Together. It'll be okay."
His trembling hand was weak, but it gripped firmly.
"Wait together, Grandfather."
"......"
"San said he could endure it."
The Pavilion Master looked into those eyes at the warrior on the verge of demonic possession.
"...Ah."
Just a hair's breadth. He'd nearly unleashed a killing blow.
On those trying to help him.
"Th-thank... you..."
The screams continued endlessly.
Still, he suppressed the urge rising once more. He forced himself back to his seat.
Blood trickled from his forehead, bashed repeatedly. He didn't wipe it, just sat dazed, forcibly restraining his body.
Wait. He had to wait.
His grandson had said he could do it...
If he didn't believe, who would?
He had to believe. For his own sake. For his grandson's.
The flowing blood dried and crusted over the wound.
Day turned to night, night back to day.
The screams stopped. Only ragged breathing remained. Moyong Hwi stared piercingly at the building.
A presence stirred. For the first time. The sound of someone moving.
"...San-ah?"
---Creak.
Red Cloud emerged, wiping his hands, and looked up. The Pavilion Master asked, trembling.
"H-how... did it go...?"
"......"
Red Cloud stepped aside. A small shadow staggered out from behind, as if it might collapse any second.
"...Gran... father..."
Moyong Hwi rushed forward at the hoarse mutter. He examined his tiny grandson closely, confirming with his own eyes that the vise gripping his life so cruelly was finally gone.
"...Thank you."
A single phrase, yet it conveyed an immeasurable debt of gratitude.
One that no treasure in the world could repay.
"Thank you... Silent Sword...!"
...
I had cured Moyong San's blocked yin meridians.
After handing him to Moyong Hwi, I checked my own condition.
Fatigue from the prolonged delicate work. Nothing else seemed amiss.
If there was a problem... it was elsewhere.
I examined my dantian. I swept over the inner energy contained within.
The yin energy, which had never balanced with my vital energy before, was now in perfect harmony. White Night had gradually devoured the massive yin from the blocked meridians during the procedure, refining it all and settling it into my dantian.
This had forcibly expanded my vessel. My relatively weakened yang even drew grumbles from Black Brew.
But the grumbling was short-lived.
The Pavilion Master came rushing with something.
"H-here, take this at least! It's perfect for replenishing a body weakened by such profound arts!"
The Pavilion Master offered me a rare spiritual herb called Solar Heat Ginseng.
I'd heard of this elixir. It was pure yang energy incarnate.
"Why give this to me...?"
"It was meant for San once a year. This is the spare. Thanks to it, he could at least move his body somewhat. But he no longer needs it, so it should go to you, no?"
Tears welled in Moyong Hwi's eyes.
"You are my lifelong benefactor. Anything else you desire, just say the word. I'll fetch it all!"
"This is more than enough for now..."
I circulated my heart method to replenish my yang. Black Brew, which had been complaining, melted away contentedly.
It compensated for the lacking massive power in my yang. That alone was plenty, yet the Pavilion Master pulled out two more yang-related elixirs from somewhere.
"Take these too! Taming all that yin must have worn your body down-you need yang replenishment!"
This would actually feed my yang nicely.
I didn't refuse. Black Brew coveted them. I fully digested what I'd taken, storing it in my body.
Most of the elixirs my master had given me were demonic energy-related. My honed vital energy went without saying, and now even my yang and yin were in perfect balance.
Any excess, I expelled. That was better.
"...Hoo."
I regulated my breathing. After a week of recuperation, I slowly opened my eyes.
Four Origins Unity.
The four forces in perfect equilibrium chased each other's tails, spinning within my dantian. And in doing so, I'd shattered several more walls.
I extended my hand. I gripped the blood sword and quietly drew it in the room.
Sword ki settling at the tip. Four energies blending in.
Unleashed without Ghost Sword's aid...
The true Variant Sword.
Fire Wheel Blood Ghost Sword.
Flames clung to the swung blade. Blazing true fire qi, fully drawn without Ghost Sword's help, burned dazzlingly.
"........."
If it was this strong without Ghost Sword's aid...
With it, the power would be several times greater.
I sheathed the sword, energy withdrawn, at my waist. Stretched lightly, then stepped out of the room for the first time in three days.
Sua, dozing fitfully on the floor, turned to me.
"D-Dad!"
She ran over and hugged me.
"Sua-ya. If you're sleepy, go inside and sleep."
"B-but Dad... wouldn't come out... I-I was worried what happened..."
She'd waited the whole three days, it seemed.
I pinched Sua's cheeks fondly.
"I'm fine."
"Y-you're not hurt anywhere, right? Tell me if you are..."
"Not hurt. Stronger, even."
Four Origins Unity went without saying.
It felt like molting once more, shedding my shell.
My external strength had automatically grown to match my risen inner energy. It was like my latent muscles had awakened.
Now, with pure external strength alone...
I felt like I could do things I couldn't before.
"Dad, um..."
Sua glanced at me cautiously.
"What?"
"You should wash up a bit."
"......"
I sniffed myself. She was right.
Even a body nearly free of impurities would get dirty without washing.
Moreover, breaking through several walls this time had expelled every last bit of remaining impurity outward.
Leaving a rotten stench on my clothes.
I set Sua down gently and washed thoroughly.
Scrubbed every inch clean.
...
Cheonmu Academy's Pavilion Master Moyong Hwi gazed down silently at the two warriors.
Nine Yang Blade Geumpyeong.
Purple Sword Myo Cho-a.
Geumpyeong was renowned. The strategist's hidden blade. Though his title was merely Nine Yang Blade, his strength was said to rival the Seven Swords.
What of Purple Sword? Myo Cho-a was already among the Four Venerables, Five Saints, Seven Swords, and Nine Dragons-the Seven Swords, no less. Called Purple Sword, rumors swirled that her power might even match the Five Saints.
Elites rare even in the Murim Alliance. Moyong Hwi, staring at them, asked curtly.
"So... you want me to make you two assistant instructors?"
"Yes. I have a letter of recommendation from the Alliance Strategist."
"I have one from Elder Danri Jinsu."
Moyong Hwi took the proffered letters and tossed them aside.
"......?"
"......?"
He asked the bewildered pair.
"Why should I?"
It was obvious at a glance. No need to guess.
One was Nine Yang Blade, moving under the Zhuge Strategist's sole discretion, not the Alliance Leader's.
The other was Purple Sword, under Elder Danri Jinsu's command.
Their intentions were clear. And making them assistant instructors? Too blatant.
Their recent reprimands involved that man called Red Cloud.
"Why should I accept you as assistant instructors?"
"B-but the letters...!"
"Pavilion Master! There's no reason not to, is there?!"
"Why should I admit those who would disrupt Cheonmu Academy's order? Nine Yang Blade. Purple Sword."
In the old days, he'd have accepted them without question.
But not now. This was the benefactor of his grandson, whom he'd protect even at the cost of his life.
Moyong Hwi snorted.
"No reason to accept you. If you want to convince me, tell the Strategist and Elder to come themselves. I have no time for young pups like you."
Nine Yang Blade and Purple Sword ground their teeth.
But their fame fell short of the Five Saints, leaving them no real recourse.
They could only leave the room.
Moyong Hwi immersed himself in work once more. With no need for the Alliance Leader's support, he wanted to reform the academy from the bottom up.
So no one would be persecuted as mere background fodder.
So everyone got a fair chance.
"Pavilion Master!"
The door burst open. Junior class instructor Im Won-pyeong entered smugly, shoulders heaving as he spoke.
"That so-called assistant instructor hasn't shown up for over three days! This insults our Cheonmu Academy! Shouldn't he be punished?"
"Who are you talking about?"
"Silent Sword! That nobody with his ridiculous title! We should teach him his place, clean and proper...!"
"........."
"...Pavilion Master?"
"I was just looking for the first one to weed out..."
Moyong Hwi smirked.
A vein bulged on his forehead.
"Perfect timing. Junior class instructor Im Won-pyeong. Thanks for coming yourself. Truly."