Recognition and Ascension
During his convalescence at the Medicine Hall, Cheonhwa made two significant advances.
The first was memorizing the medical texts Danwon had given him. Having committed the manuals to memory, he could now recall the locations of the acupoints even with his eyes closed.
The second was awakening a new sense that allowed him to perceive will itself. He had come to this realization while reflecting on the sensation of moving by will alone that he had experienced during the sparring match. If he could harness this sense, moving his body by will alone—as he had during the match—would no longer be impossible.
Of course, he did not actually attempt it. Doing so risked reopening wounds on a body that had only just recovered. More importantly, if he injured himself while still convalescing, the Head of the Medicine Hall would surely rain down her wrath upon him. So he endured the urge to move, until at last only the final examination remained.
"Nothing wrong. You may leave now."
"Thank you."
Fortunately, the examination confirmed he was fully healed.
"Skip the thanks. Just make sure this doesn't happen again."
"I'll be careful."
"Tsk. They say they'll tell you the results of the promotion exam, so go to Sanggyun Hall."
Having finished taking his pulse, Danwon waved him off, urging him to leave at once. Cheonhwa offered his respects and left the Medicine Hall, heading for Sanggyun Hall.
The promotion exam results... I'll probably have failed.
He had made it to the third trial, but collapsing midway had been a bitter blow. Had he finished the exam, he would have passed without difficulty.
I'll think of it positively—as time gained for training.
Even if he had failed, it only meant another year as an entry disciple. He could simply refine the four basic arts of entry disciples further during that time.
Yet the results Muwol delivered at Sanggyun Hall were the exact opposite of what he expected.
"You passed."
"...Pardon?"
"I said you passed the promotion exam."
"But I collapsed during the exam."
"When we totaled your scores up to the point of collapse, you exceeded the passing threshold."
The surprises did not end there. Muwol drew a wooden case from his robes and handed it to Cheonhwa. Inside the case lay a yellowish-brown pill, carefully wrapped in paper. Cheonhwa found himself speaking at the pill's luminous appearance.
"This is... a spiritual elixir, isn't it?"
"It is. An elixir granted only to the top ten among those who pass the exam."
"Why are you giving it to me?"
"You ask the obvious. Because you ranked among the top ten in the promotion exam."
Strictly speaking, he was tenth among the top ten—last place among them. Even so, placing within the top ten was an undeniable fact. He had fretted over failing, only to find himself among the top ten. The succession of unexpected turns left Cheonhwa's head spinning.
"...Just how did the scoring work that I ended up last among the top ranks?"
"That's a secret I can't share, but know this much—it was thanks to your everyday conduct."
Muwol deflected the question and steered the conversation toward the elixir.
"The Chukgi-dan. Unlike ordinary elixirs, it does not increase internal energy, but it does accelerate progress in the Gyunchon Chukgi-gong."
"Just hearing that, it sounds incredibly precious."
"It is. We can produce only ten a year."
There was good reason it was awarded only to the top ten of the promotion exam.
"May I take it right here?"
"It makes no difference. Unlike ordinary elixirs, the Chukgi-dan does not require circulating energy to digest."
"Then I'll take it gratefully."
Cheonhwa took the Chukgi-dan from the case and placed it in his mouth. For all its luminous appearance, the Chukgi-dan tasted much like a grain-abstinence pill. In other words, it tasted foul. Anyone else might have grimaced, but Cheonhwa chewed and swallowed the elixir with a calm expression.
At once, he felt the pill's energy begin to circulate slowly through his body.
This sensation... it's similar to circulating energy after finishing basic training.
Ever since completing the first stage of Gyunchon Chukgi-gong, he had always circulated energy after basic training. It served both to accumulate internal energy and to restore a body pushed to its limits. When the second stage's effects layered onto that process, the body grew sturdier than before.
"Remarkable. With this, I should be able to complete the second stage quickly."
"The Chukgi-dan's effects last half a year. Train hard in that time and you'll reap considerable benefit."
"I'd like to make the most of the elixir's efficacy. Is there a particular method?"
"The best approach is to increase the intensity of your basic training, but for the details, look up the relevant texts at Jangseogak."
He already had business at Jangseogak, so the suggestion was welcome news.
Muwol watched Cheonhwa's departing back and sank into thought. The reason Cheonhwa had placed among the top ten was the bonus points awarded for daily conduct. His difficulty mingling with his fellow disciples had cost him points, but in every other respect he had earned substantial bonuses. Most noteworthy of all were his unfailingly diligent duty shifts and personal training.
Some entry disciples did train on their own, but none approached Cheonhwa's intensity. If he continued training that way throughout his time as an entry disciple, he might fully master Gyunchon Chukgi-gong by the time he became a registered disciple.
It's nearly impossible—but that boy might just manage it.
Had he not endured a sparring match everyone believed he could not win? Even if it was a one-time miracle, that miracle had been possible only because of the effort Cheonhwa had piled up.
I look forward to what comes next.
It's been a while since I visited Jangseogak.
For four months preparing for the promotion exam, Cheonhwa had poured every spare moment into personal training. Naturally, there had been no leisure for visits to the library.
Senior Uncle Jinhyun said I needn't visit while training was busy, but...
Cheonhwa tended to be indifferent to social ties, but he was not without a sense of propriety. Feeling rather guilty on several counts, he slipped into Jangseogak as carefully as a thief.
The library was as quiet as ever, and Jinhyun greeted him as he always did.
"Welcome."
"I've returned, Senior Uncle Jinhyun."
"Yes. I watched you take the promotion exam. You fought hard."
"I merely did my best."
At Cheonhwa's reply, Jinhyun smiled gently.
"Words come easily, but putting them into action is hard. Living up to what you yourself have said is a fine thing."
"W-well, as for why I've come to Jangseogak..."
Unused to praise, Cheonhwa changed the subject out of embarrassment. At this uncharacteristically childlike reaction, Jinhyun merely stroked his beard and smiled.
"Very well. What brings you here today?"
"I've come for two reasons."
"Oh? Two reasons?"
"Yes. The first concerns something that happened during the sparring match of the promotion exam."
Cheonhwa explained the sensation of moving by will alone that he had felt during his match with Yeonhwa. Jinhyun was greatly astonished.
"You've awakened to Intent."
"Intent?"
"Yes. You've learned about Essence, Qi, and Spirit, have you not?"
"Yes, I learned about them in our studies."
Essence, Qi, and Spirit referred to the three constituent elements of a person. Essence meant the physical body itself—the sinews and bones. Qi meant energy in all its forms, from the natural qi of the world to true internal energy. Spirit meant the mental aspects—thought, emotion, will, and the like. Intent was related to Spirit among these three.
"Intent is the general term for spiritual force. Every person possesses it, yet most never become aware of it. Do you know why?"
"Probably because Intent is difficult to perceive."
The five senses of the body were innate to most people from birth. The sense of qi could be awakened through training in foundational arts. By contrast, the Mind-Intent Sense that perceived Intent was a faculty not easily awakened even through martial arts. For the Mind-Intent Sense was not an innate sense but an acquired realization. Thus, one ordinarily had to reach the realm of a Peak Expert through deep cultivation before one could perceive Intent.
"And yet you have come to perceive Intent without being a Peak Expert. If that is not a fortuitous opportunity, what is?"
"So it was that remarkable."
"From your reaction, it seems you don't fully grasp it yet."
The Mind-Intent Sense was difficult only until one grasped it; once grasped, it tended to feel like nothing special. But what felt unremarkable could at times prove extraordinary.
"Experiencing something once is faster than hearing it a hundred times. Take the opening stance of Ohaeng-kwon while conscious of your Intent."
Following Jinhyun's instruction, Cheonhwa rose and assumed the opening stance of Ohaeng-kwon. At once, body and internal energy moved of their own accord, guided by Intent that had been refined through endless repetition.
"Ah."
Cheonhwa let out an involuntary gasp of wonder. That thought and will were needed to move the body and true energy was an obvious truth—so obvious, in fact, that he had overlooked it until now. Only then did Cheonhwa understand how vital Intent was to martial arts.
Taking the form of a technique and circulating true energy—neither is possible without Intent.
It also meant that merely perceiving Intent transformed one's perspective on martial study. What would happen, for instance, if one poured Intent strongly into a technique as it was executed? Almost certainly, body and internal energy would answer that Intent, and the technique's power would soar.
"Now do you understand how important Intent is?"
"Yes. Simply awakening the Mind-Intent Sense makes this much difference."
"Intent is useful, but it must be handled with equal care. Draw on it too heavily and you may exhaust your mental strength—or worse, become a cripple."
"Could that be why I collapsed during the promotion exam?"
"Most likely from overusing Intent."
In that moment, the cause of the mental exhaustion Danwon, Head of the Medicine Hall, had spoken of became clear.
"With one matter resolved, it is time I heard the next."
"I want to increase the intensity of my basic training to make the most of the Chukgi-dan's medicinal properties. Are there any books that might help?"
"Plenty. Wait a moment."
Jinhyun rose and moved among the bookshelves. When he returned, several volumes were cradled in his arms.
"These are secret manuals that should aid your training."
"Thank you. ...Hmm?"
Cheonhwa noticed that among the books handed to him were texts he had not requested—namely, the martial manuals for Gugung-bo and Ohaeng-kwon.
"Senior Uncle Jinhyun, these books...?"
"I thought they might help. You haven't fully mastered the footwork and fist arts yet, have you?"
"No. I pride myself on having achieved minor mastery, but full mastery was beyond me."
"Even basic martial arts require time, effort, and contemplation to fully master."
"Senior Uncle Inwol once gave me similar advice. He said memorizing the lines of text is different from understanding the meaning within them."
"Indeed. Sound advice."
Jinhyun nodded, affirming the truth of it.
"A lack of natural talent and a failure to contemplate are separate matters. If you ponder the meaning within the martial formulas and the purpose of the arts themselves, you will achieve fine results."
"The meaning and purpose of martial arts..."
In that instant, an idea flashed through Cheonhwa's mind.
"Could it be that Intent is also embedded within the martial formulas themselves?"
At Cheonhwa's question, Jinhyun said nothing—only smiled.