This Time, I Won't Let Go

This time, he would not let go.

Dawn lay thin over the training ground. Hyeong Jin sat in lotus position, and a faint shimmer of heat-haze rose around him.

In, and out. He murmured the mnemonic formula worn into his body across a lifetime.

Qi rose from his dantian on the rhythm of that breath and swept the acupoints of his whole body. At first it was no thicker than a thread, but each time it circled the meridians and came back, it returned a little heavier. There was no need to force it onward, and no need to cling to a fixed path. Water takes the shape of whatever vessel holds it, and when it meets a crack, it flows into the crack. The Great Void can cradle anything, precisely because it is empty.

The Great Void Heart Method was the first foundational art a disciple learned upon entering the Jeomchang Sect. Its simplicity made it easy to learn, and that same simplicity made its end nearly impossible to see.

Great accomplishment in the Great Void Heart Method.

It was not a new realm. He had only reclaimed a state he had wielded countless times in his previous life.

Hyeong Jin let his breath out slowly.

"Finally starting to be of some use."

The corner of his mouth lifted on its own. He took up the sword lying beside him, and the blade cut the wind. To the eye it was an ordinary thrust, but the qi gathered at the tip had been compressed finer than a needle. Not a scrap of internal energy scattered. All of it aimed, entire, at a single point. It was the internal control of his past life.

The moment he drew the sword back, his right arm shuddered. His palm went numb, and the muscles of his arm pulled taut as wire. He had not even loaded much internal energy into the blade, yet his flesh screamed first. A hollow laugh escaped him.

What had reached great accomplishment was his understanding of the Great Void Heart Method, and his ability to wield it. That did not mean internal energy had appeared where none existed, or that an unripe body had been perfected in a breath. The internal energy he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had accumulated so far stood at the early stage of the Pinnacle Realm. At twenty-two, it was an attainment that would have been called genius anywhere it was shown. But the Hyeong Jin of his previous life had risen to the Transformation Realm. Set beside that, what he held now was too shameful even to compare.

Worse, his body lagged behind his internal energy. His acupoints and sinews could not fully bear even the power he possessed now, let alone the techniques of his past life. Given enough time, it would not have mattered. But barely two years remained before the Blood Cult rose in force, and the Blood Festival that had begun the fall of Jeomchang would come with it. If that day returned and found him in a body like this, he would once again protect nothing.

Hyeong Jin clenched his trembling right hand hard. First, he had to close the gap between his internal energy and his flesh. He slid the sword back into its sheath.

Just then, a face came toward the training ground. Hyeong Pung. A senior brother who was always putting on a show, and yet deeper inside than anyone. It had been the same in his previous life.

Remembering it, Hyeong Jin's eyes hardened with resolve.

This life will be different. I won't let you die, Senior Brother.

His gaze locked onto Hyeong Pung. The moment Hyeong Pung saw him coming close, he clapped a hand over his nose without so much as a greeting.

"Ugh, the smell... Hyeong Jin. You need to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠go wash up."

Hyeong Jin's eyes narrowed.

Revision. This senior brother was simply shameless.

"Senior Brother."

"Why are you smiling like that? It's ominous."

"Train with me."

Hyeong Pung edged backward.

"Don't want to."

"You have to, even if you don't."

"Why?"

Hyeong Jin's smile deepened.

"Because I just chose you, Senior Brother."

Hyeong Pung wrapped both arms around himself.

"I respect your preferences, but I like women, Hyeong Jin."

"As I thought. Senior Brother needs to be worked to the bone."

Hyeong Jin caught him by the shoulder.

"Hyeong Jin. You know that was a joke, right? I'm still your senior brother."

"Of course. I know that very well."

Strength gathered in his grip.

"Surely Senior Brother wouldn't refuse his junior brother's heartfelt request?"

Hyeong Pung's eyes slid toward the exit. One step back, then another. He was plainly planning to run.

"What kind of training?"

"Mountain climbing."

"I'm not going."

He spun at once to flee, but he could not tear himself out of Hyeong Jin's grip.

"Ow! Hey, this is mutiny against your senior!"

"Senior Brother."

"What."

"Want to go after a beating, or just go?"

Hyeong Pung's shoulders sagged.

"I'll go quietly."

"Wise choice."

"Hah... hah... I'm dying. I'm actually going to die."

Hyeong Pung was climbing Jeomchang Mountain with sandbags dangling all over his body. Two hours up, and the steepening ridges were chewing through his stamina at speed.

"If you spent the strength it takes to talk on actually moving, it would be less painful."

"Huff, huff, this is abuse. Hoo... this isn't training."

"Keep that up, and shall I trade loads with you?"

Hyeong Pung's eyes went to him. The sandbag on Hyeong Jin's back looked at least twice as heavy as his own. Only then did his mouth shut.

Hyeong Jin's stride, climbing beside him, stayed even. His breathing, though, had already gone rough. Veins stood out on the backs of his hands, and sweat poured from his brow like rain. It was not that the climb was easy. He simply refused to show it. Hyeong Pung glanced at him, pressed his lips tight, straightened his bent back, and started walking again in silence.

That firm resolve scattered before an hour had passed.

"Agh! Senior Brother's dying. Dying. Hyeong Jin, I really can't climb another step."

Hyeong Jin shook his head.

"Don't drag your feet. You'll only wear yourself out faster."

"I'm already worn out enough, thanks."

"And what exactly are you saving your Great Void qi for?"

Face full of complaint, Hyeong Pung did as he was told and began to circulate it. Great Void qi was poor at explosive output, but soft, and strong ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in its power to mend. It did not return the stamina he had spent. What it did was loosen muscles gone rigid, and gradually steady a breath that had been scattering every which way. Hyeong Pung's eyes went round.

"Huh?"

"See? You can do it when you actually try."

"Well, yeah. When I set my mind to something, I get it done. That's the kind of man I am."

Hyeong Jin laughed as if he could not believe his ears. The two of them set the sandbags down for a while and sat on the ground. Catching his breath, Hyeong Pung asked out of nowhere.

"Hyeong Jin."

"Yes."

"What's got you in such a hurry?"

Hyeong Jin had no answer. The rise of the Blood Cult, and the Blood Festival. The martial brothers who had never come back. All of it wavered before his eyes.

"I have to get stronger."

"For what?"

"Because I have to protect them."

Hyeong Pung scrubbed a hand wildly through his hair.

"You meddlesome brat. Don't forget your senior brothers are here. You don't have to do everything alone."

Hyeong Jin looked at him quietly. Little by little, unease crept over Hyeong Pung's face.

"W-why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing."

"We've rested. We should get moving."

Hyeong Pung's face lit up.

"So we're heading down now, right?"

Hyeong Jin pointed at the cliff rising ahead of them.

"No. We're going up there."

The cliff stood as if carved upright by a blade, stabbing into the sky. The color drained from Hyeong Pung's face.

"Why ignore the path?"

"Because that would be the training."

"Just kill me instead."

"We'll tie ourselves together with rope and climb. Even if you fall, you won't fall alone, so don't worry."

"You think that's comforting?"

Hyeong Jin held out the rope.

"Senior Brother."

"No."

"Senior Brother."

"I said it's dangerous."

"Come here while I'm still asking nicely."

"Yes, sir."

The rebellion was crushed in short order. As they climbed, Hyeong Jin drove iron rings into the rock face every few yards. The rope ran through the rings and linked their waists, so that even if Hyeong Pung lost his grip, he could not drop more than a few feet.

By the time they reached the middle of the cliff, Hyeong Pung's mouth was shut completely. He did not even have the strength left to speak. His fingers trembled weakly against the stone, and his arms would not rise. He looked up. Hyeong Jin, a little ahead, was looking down at him.

"Senior Brother, there's a hold up and to your right."

Hyeong Pung clenched his teeth and reached with his right hand. He could not touch it.

"A little farther."

He forced the stiffened arm out. His fingertips caught on a jut of rock, and he hauled his body up with everything he had. But his arms no longer held the strength to pull him. Fingers gone rigid slipped from the stone one by one. His eyes shook in sudden panic. He flung out his other hand, but it was already too late. His body tipped into empty air. The left hand he threw out scraped the face of the rock, and the sweat-slick palm caught nothing. Hyeong Pung fell.

"Senior Brother!"

The instant his body dropped, the rope snapped taut.

Crack!

The last iron ring driven between them tore free, bedrock and all. A tremendous shock yanked at Hyeong Jin's waist. The left hand braced on the rock slid a full inch, and even the stone under his foot split. A blood-soaked image of Hyeong Pung flashed through his mind. A hand falling, powerless. The hand he had failed to catch in his previous life.

This life, I will not let go.

Crunch!

Hyeong Jin's fingers drove into the rock. Hyeong Pung's falling body stopped in midair.

"Hyeong Jin?"

The application was perfect. His flesh could not endure the power. His palm tore, and blood welled up beneath his nails. Pain surged through his shoulder, as if the bone were about to wrench free of the socket. Hyeong Jin set his teeth. He drew the Great Void qi up again and hauled on the rope with one hand. Little by little. Very little by little. At last Hyeong Pung's hand reached a lip of stone.

Hyeong Pung stared blankly up at him, then at the bloodied hand. A moment later he put his strength into the fingers locked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the ledge.

"Yeah. I won't let go."

They hung from the lip for a while, gathering their breath, before Hyeong Pung spoke.

"Let's go down now."

"We can't."

"Why?"

"Climbing back down the way we came is more dangerous."

Hyeong Pung looked below. A sheer cliff dropped away into dizziness. He jerked his head around at once and looked up. The summit was still far.

"Damn it."

He seized the rock again.

"Senior Brother."

"Don't talk to me. It wears me out."

Teeth clenched, he moved. His fingers trembled, and his arms buckled again and again, as if they might fold. Even so, he did not stop.

Hyeong Jin reached the summit first and held out a hand. Hyeong Pung looked at it, then shook his head.

"I'm good."

"Stop being stubborn and take it."

"I came this far. The last of it has to be on my own strength."

His hand closed on the rock lip of the summit. He pulled with his arm and brought a knee up. At last both feet touched the top.

"Huff. Huff."

He collapsed flat on his back, arms and legs flung wide.

"You did it, Senior Brother."

"Shut up, you rotten bastard."

There was no strength in the voice. The corner of his mouth, though, was lifted. A little later he pushed himself up and found Hyeong Jin's hand. Blood was still running from the torn palm. Hyeong Pung's expression hardened.

"You hurt bad?"

"Something like this will heal quickly."

"Who asked you that? Give it here."

He tore a strip from his own hem and wrapped Hyeong Jin's hand. The hands were clumsy.

"Listen, Hyeong Jin."

"Yes."

"Make me do this again tomorrow, and I won't let it slide."

Hyeong Jin only let out a short laugh. Hyeong Pung yanked the bandage tight.

"That hurts."

"Didn't you say it doesn't hurt at all?"

Hyeong Jin's smile deepened.

At dawn the next day, he gathered the sandbags and set out for Jeomchang Mountain. Someone was already waiting at the mouth of the trail. Hyeong Pung. Sandbags were already bound to both arms and both legs, one more than yesterday.

"You're late."

"It's still before the time we agreed on."

"You leave your senior brother waiting, and then you've got a lot to say."

Hyeong Jin's eyes went to the sandbag at Hyeong Pung's waist. Hyeong Pung turned his body a little aside.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

"Don't get the wrong idea. I only came out because I didn't want to embarrass myself like yesterday."

"Yes. I'm sure that's all it is."

"Why are you smiling?"

"I wasn't."

"You were too, you brat."

Side by side, the two of them started up Jeomchang Mountain.

In his past life, Hyeong Pung had been unable to take that final step. This time would be different, because today he had taken one step farther.