Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Determination - 2
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Yu Ye-ryeon approached from behind as I sat cross-legged and placed her hand on my back. A warm heat seeped through my clothes from her palm. Was it her high body temperature? Or was it her internal energy at work?
"What I'm about to pass on to you is the Five Elements Circulation Art. It's an internal art based on the five elements, pure and steady thanks to its circulating cycles, making it perfect for building up internal energy."
It was a technique from the novel I'd read.
As she said, it was an art rooted in the five elements, serving as the preparatory stage for the Five Elements Ultimate Divine Art that Yu Ye-ryeon herself practiced.
Wi Cheonryong had mastered it too.
"If you achieve great completion in the Five Elements Circulation Art, you'll be able to learn the Five Elements Ultimate Divine Art afterward. Of course, it won't be easy. Building pure internal energy means it's that much harder to raise your power. Without stubborn perseverance, diligence, and the talent to back it up, reaching great completion is basically impossible."
As she said, Wi Cheonryong had only achieved great completion in the Five Elements Circulation Art after going through a ton of ordeals at the Heavenly Martial Hall.
Even someone with enough talent to earn her recognition had taken that long to reach for the Five Elements Ultimate Divine Art. No way I could pull it off.
But that was fine. Just the Five Elements Circulation Art would get me into the Heavenly Martial Hall.
My goal was to get in there first and help develop trustworthy side characters. No problem.
"Understood."
"Good. Here, bite down on this. It's going to hurt like hell from now on."
What she pulled out was the scabbard of a dagger.
I eyed the metal sheath and obediently clamped it between my teeth without complaint.
"Ready? Here we go."
She warned me again about the pain and gave my back a light push. At the same instant, something scorching hot burrowed into my body.
"....!!"
I nearly screamed. It felt like thousands of ants were gnawing at me all at once—the pain spread from her hand throughout my entire body in a flash.
Her internal energy was flowing through my veins, carving out paths.
And following those paths she'd opened, the potency of the 500-Year Snow Spirit Herb I'd eaten earlier settled in, laying the foundation.
Even that alone brought agony like my whole body was being scorched by flames.
"...Ugh...!"
"Endure it."
It was excruciating torment that could drive anyone mad.
The clear, gentle voice ringing in my ears kept me from blacking out whenever my mind started to slip.
"The origin of all things is yin and yang, composed of the five elements. Water begets wood, wood begets fire, fire begets earth, earth begets metal. From that metal is born water once more. All things are destined to cycle."
⟨ Five Elements Circulation Art ⟩
Her voice pierced my fraying mind, pulling me back.
Circulation. Everything turns and returns to its place.
Along with her continuing words, the energy tearing me apart began circulating around my body, finding its proper home.
"......!"
That was the moment.
The medicinal potency, which had been meekly following her energy, suddenly changed. With each cycle, it grew wilder.
A massive surge rampaged through me like a mad beast, making my head spin.
I was already in agony, but this new pain dwarfed it entirely.
My body was drenched in sweat, and the torment threatened to drag me under into unconsciousness. But I couldn't let it.
How much more suffering lay ahead? I couldn't collapse here.
I clung to my senses with everything I had and accepted the energy throughout my body.
How much time passed? Just when the pain started feeling familiar, I sensed the rampaging potency gradually subside.
One lap—the energy coursing through me settled into my dantian.
Two laps—it flowed freely from my dantian, healing my pain-racked body.
Three laps, four, five.
Cycling and spinning endlessly, it mended my body while accumulating in my dantian bit by bit. When all the pain finally vanished, I opened my eyes.
"Feel it? The internal energy gathered in your dantian."
"...Yes."
"Remember the path it took. That's the Five Elements Circulation Art. And realize this: everything circulates."
"...Thank you."
"Go wash up. You stink."
Stink? I looked down at myself. Most of my clothes were stained yellow with some foul gunk.
"That's the impurities expelled while forming your dantian and imprinting the Five Elements Circulation Art on your body. Not good to leave on, so scrub it off quick."
"Thank you."
"Want me to wash you if it's too hard?"
"I'm good."
"Alright. Hurry up then. Come back after."
She stood, opening the window for some air. Maybe it was the fresh breeze, but the stench from my body hit even harder.
Yeah, definitely not good for me. I rushed out, bathed, and headed back to her room.
She greeted me with a bright smile, sat me down in front of her, and took my hand.
"First, the explanation. With the 500-Year Snow Spirit Herb, you could've built up about ten years' worth of internal energy. But your body had so many impurities that most of the potency went into purifying and expelling them."
"I see. Got it."
"Not disappointed? Used right, that herb could've given you twenty years' worth."
"It's my own failing. Who else can I blame?"
"I figured you'd whine something like, 'Even one of the Eight Great Heavens of the Nine Provinces can't manage this much?'"
"No way I'd say that."
"Hehe. Fair enough. Anyway, I'd love to dive into real training, but first... there's something I need to say."
"What is it?"
"I'm leaving today. So, if you come with me, I can keep guiding you. Otherwise, you'll have to toughen up on your own. Choose: stay here, or follow me?"
No need to think.
"I'll follow."
My original plan was to work steadily at Hwapyeong Inn, save up, buy some property, and live easy.
But with the protagonist pulling his runaway stunt, that was dead in the water.
No reason to hesitate.
Once decided, action comes quick. I found the innkeeper right away and explained.
"Oh... you learned martial arts? Impressive!"
"Yeah. So about that..."
"You wanna quit? Shame, but can't be helped!!"
He laughed heartily and clapped my back hard. Then he pulled last month's pay—a single silver nyang—from the safe and placed it in my hand.
"Don't forget us if you make it big! Haha! Lending your name to the inn would be even better!"
"...I definitely will."
If a powerful martial artist lent their name, it could prevent a lot of trouble at the inn. His request wasn't all that strange.
So he saw me off with a smile, and after parting, I headed straight to Yu Ye-ryeon's room.
"We can leave right now."
"Tied up loose ends clean, huh? Got your stuff?"
"All packed."
Not much to pack anyway: money, clothes, cooking tools. All stuffed in the bag already.
"Great. Let's head out then."
She was ready too. Leaving the inn, Yu Ye-ryeon mounted her horse and extended a hand to me.
"Hand over the bag."
"Sure. But I don't have a horse..."
"Don't worry. You run. To master martial arts, you need to temper your body. And the most crucial part is your lower body. They say those who can't run can't fight. So run. Chase after me on foot."
"...Understood."
No lightness skill, no footwork. Nothing. But she said it casually.
And if it was needed to get stronger, no reason to refuse.
As soon as we left the inn and Je-gok Castle, she eyed the wide road ahead and whipped the reins. Her horse shot off in a flash.
"Hoo..."
Right. Gotta run.
Those who can't run can't fight.
.
.
.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Even with ten years' internal energy and the Five Elements Circulation Art, running nonstop for hours wasn't easy.
My lungs felt like bursting, muscles like snapping. Legs weighed a ton, arms shook like they'd break any second.
Still, I didn't stop—and spotting Yu Ye-ryeon waiting on a distant rock, I pushed harder.
"Good work. Sit cross-legged."
"Hoo... hoo..."
"Circulate your energy. You know how. Your body instinctively knows its limit now, and your survival instincts will help guide the Five Elements Circulation Art. Accept it consciously."
She nailed my limit perfectly and placed her hand on my back. Warm energy flowed in, awakening the dormant art in my dantian. It began coursing through me.
With each circulation, the initial hellish pain faded like a bad dream.
After several cycles, the agony that had tormented me was completely gone.
"That's energy circulation and breathing exercise. One of the Five Elements Circulation Art's abilities: recover stamina and heal injuries to some degree. Super useful, so do it after every training session. Well, you'll want to anyway to build internal energy."
"Got it."
"Alright. On to the next drill?"
Had she prepped it earlier? She easily lifted a square wooden block, cut like a stump.
"I'm tossing this block. Step only on it."
"Yes."
"Every time your foot hits the ground, that's a hundred push-ups. Got it?"
Brutal.
I nodded, and she flung the block. First one was easy. Second too. Third. Fourth.
"You're doing better than expected. Time to up the ante."
It was right after one landed.
A pebble from her other hand flew out, smacked the block aside. I'd already committed my step and hit dirt instead. She grinned mischievously, raising a finger.
"Hundred push-ups."
"...Understood."
"Not calling it unfair?"
"Would you stop if I did?"
"Nope. This is training too. Give it your best!!"
She teased playfully, her captivating red eyes sparkling with childlike glee as she ruffled my hair wildly.