Evil's Spark (4)
Binggong. A martial art that visualizes and wields yin energy. Simple in theory, but manifesting this energy in practice is no easy feat. The greatest challenge is that it constantly gnaws at the body while lingering inside. A human's body temperature must remain constantly stable, yet binggong relentlessly lowers it, devouring the practitioner's life force.
That's why, unlike the abundance of yang-based arts, true binggong techniques are rare enough to count on one hand. After all, the way humans wield qi is by borrowing its power, not embodying its properties.
'Of course, excluding those demonic cult lunatics.'
Those bastards kicked common sense all the way to the distant Western Regions. They embody qi properties to spew fire or shoot ice. It defies the natural order of laws.
Anyway, practicing binggong is tough. It demands a compatible constitution and a stable technique. And you must forsake other martial arts. Binggong's properties clash with other qi arts—especially yang-based ones, which dominate most martial styles. Cultivating both is like slathering yourself in oil and jumping into a pit of fire.
Among all the martial arts of the jianghu, only something like the Mudang Sect's Yang's Taiji Divine Art can handle both yin and yang simultaneously.
……But right now, I'm using it.
A martial art that manifests yin energy as visible cold. Rare due to its life-draining nature on the body.
"Haha, I must've had too much to drink. Binggong, of all things."
I set down my cup, picked up another, and circulated my inner energy as before.
Tzzzzzt!
The cup chilled once more.
"Haha, fuck."
Clap-clap-clap.
My mind wasn't working right, so I slapped my own cheeks three times.
"Oh my!"
The woman who'd demonstrated binggong earlier recoiled in surprise, but I had no time for her. This time, I grabbed the liquor bottle and channeled my energy.
Tzzzzzzzzzt!
"……."
Watching the bottle freeze solid, I poured myself a cup with a mix of dread and curiosity, then downed it.
"Whew! Nice and cool."
"……."
"……."
Not the right thing to say in this situation, but damn, the chilled booze tasted twice as good.
"Young master, could it be…?"
Hae-ryeong asked cautiously.
"Did you learn the Yang's Taiji Divine Art from the Mudang Sect?"
That's reserved for their sect leader or chosen heir. Even now, only a handful in the Mudang Sect have mastered it.
"……Or are you perhaps a demon…?"
"……."
"Uh, um, you're not, right? Right?"
"……."
I had no idea. I was losing my mind.
Hae-ryeong sent the binggong-using woman away. No more eavesdroppers needed.
……Besides, now I could chill my own Hwabingro.
I lifted the bottle and asked, "Can I trust her?"
If word got out that I used binggong…
"You can trust her. If I couldn't, I wouldn't have taught her martial arts in the first place."
Pour, pour.
Hae-ryeong frowned at the sight.
"……Are you drinking right now?"
"It's for the experiment."
"What kind of…"
"Gotta figure out what's going on."
I drained one bottle of Hwabingro while running tests.
First: The binggong power wasn't that strong. Not because I was controlling it—it simply wouldn't drop below a certain temperature, no matter how much energy I poured in. Just enough chill to make the liquor perfect. No freezing solids or anything.
'Is this even binggong?'
I could use it, but it wasn't combat-viable. Good for chilling drinks in a tavern, like that woman earlier.
'……Customers probably wouldn't like it.'
"Young master, what are you thinking…?"
"Ahem, nothing."
Second: My inner energy was unchanged. The most baffling part. No matter how I probed my dantian or circulated qi, it was the same.
The properties of my original Taeul qi remained intact. But if I channeled it into basic binggong circulation…
Shoooo—
……Cold energy poured out.
'This is insane.'
I couldn't grasp the mechanism behind this chill. And my qi circulation was just mimicking binggong crudely—not proper mastery.
'This is a serious issue.'
Not knowing your own inner energy inside out could turn deadly. Like carrying an unstable thunderbolt bomb in your body.
"……Young master?"
Sensing my grim expression, Hae-ryeong and Yang Gun-baek asked carefully.
"Are you alright?"
More tests needed. I lifted the bottle instead of answering.
"Got any more Hwabingro?"
"……."
"Need to experiment further."
A wrinkle creased Hae-ryeong's brow for the first time.
"This concerns my life."
"……Sigh."
I'd asked seriously.
After draining two more bottles, Hae-ryeong kicked me out—no more liquor left.
'Stingy! I even brought her good intel.'
Three bottles total revealed little new. As long as my inner energy flowed, the mild chill persisted. And stopping binggong circulation left no foreign residue.
So, it converted fine, and reverting caused no issues.
'Thank goodness.'
At least my dantian wasn't damaged.
Hae-ryeong hounded me on how I'd learned binggong, but I had no answer. I hadn't.
If I had to suspect something…
'That damn Azure Dragon Ring…….'
It felt like it'd pop out whining, 'Why me?' Most suspicious bastard around.
Recent drastic body changes? Only Jegumhak (that "good-for-the-body" guy).
And he was a yin-yang cultivator handling both energies.
My memory was hazy from the beating, but dantian changes only happened when absorbing his energy via the Azure Dragon Ring.
Suspect confirmed.
The Absorption Great Law only sucks in enemy qi—it doesn't integrate it. Their qi manifests as-is.
If the ring absorbed Jegumhak's binggong, and now I wield it…
'Fits the puzzle.'
Records showed Absorption Great Law users wielded varied qi properties. Its previous owner, the Blood Ghost Demon, juggled ten types.
Of course, unintegrated qi led to madness or qi deviation. That's why it's banned—not just by Murim Alliance decree.
But my case was different. Problematic, though.
I'd first used the ring because energies didn't clash in my dantian. Now they still don't, so why binggong?
One thing was clear.
'Fuck those demonic cult bastards…….'
All their fault. Without them, no weird body for me.
I was cursing Jegumhak and the demons when I sensed qi behind me.
"……What're you doing?"
"Ha…… How'd you know?"
"How? Try hiding your presence. I can feel it from a mile away."
Peeking over was none other than Saryeon.
"Stealth practice is tough."
"You have Ghost Step—why bother?"
"Ghost Step's qi reaction is slow. Stealth hides presence even while using energy… Better for real combat, right?"
True for assassinations or infiltration.
"Manseogo has a good stealth art. Check it later."
"You've read all of Manseogo?"
Yeah, in my past life.
"Seriously…… What kind of guy are you?"
Saryeon shook her head in disbelief.
"But what's a girl like you doing out so late?"
"Says the senior brother wandering at this hour."
"I was handling important business."
For Taeulmun's peace—day and night. She wouldn't get it. Better she doesn't. That's a senior brother's weight and duty…
Sniff-sniff.
"What the…"
"Hold still!"
Saryeon shoved her nose close, eyes suspicious.
"You reek of booze."
"……Important business always involves liquor."
"So, what was this 'important' business?"
"Ahem…… Too early for that. I'll tell you when the time's right. But what's that?"
I quickly pointed to the bundle in her arms. She answered,
"Candies and snacks. Reward for the juniors' hard training."
"……."
Tch. Suddenly felt bad for ditching her to hit Soharu alone. It was work, though.
"……Impressive, Ryeon-mei."
I patted her head; she dodged nimbly.
"What're you doing?!"
"A senior brother should look after this stuff."
"Then do better."
Made me ashamed of past-life me trash-talking Gye Cheolyeong. Now a senior brother myself—what made me different…?
'No, comparing myself to that prick is too much. Sorry, past me.'
How he'd bullied us. Equating us was an insult.
Damn right.
As I shook off the thoughts, Saryeon blurted,
"Fine. You're…… doing plenty as a senior brother."
"Huh?"
While I tilted my head, she continued.
"You visited Great-Great-Grandmaster, ……and though insane, you led the juniors through the entrance exam. That's enough to say you're doing great."
"Did I lead? They just followed well."
Saryeon, who'd been a step behind, suddenly stopped.
"Huh? What? See a ghost?"
"Eunho said it once. During the exam, he was exhausted, wanted to quit, but saw your back…… So he just followed it."
"……."
"Followed your back, and boom—Murim Academy."
What the hell was Eunho blabbing?
Awkward, I mumbled nonsense.
"Nonsense. Namgung junior and Seong junior were there too."
Saryeon let out a long sigh.
"What can I say to you……."
Then she met my eyes.
"Keep going like that, senior brother. I'll handle the juniors."
She said it like a vow, stepping ahead this time.
Her back stirred guilt and pride. In a jianghu swept by the Undefeated Righteous-Demonic War, I couldn't protect Taeulmun alone. How lucky to have them follow so well.
Chasing her, the exam suddenly hit me.
'Huh?'
Come to think of it, I'd used the Azure Dragon Ring against the Dark Absolute Soul Separation Unit in the Northern Plains too.
And……
'My dantian grew then too?'
I stopped, staring at my hands.
If absorbing Jegumhak's qi took his properties…… Did I absorb theirs too?
But no bone swords or splitting flesh like them.
'Yeah, that requires insane rituals only madmen endure.'
Shudder-worthy. If bone swords popped out at the academy or my skin split amid Baekdo crowds, I'd be branded a public enemy.
No external changes—good. Internal ones were the issue.
Their specialty: [Dark Assimilation].
Impossible to track in darkness.
Wait……
'Holy shit.'
Did I just gain the ultimate stealth art?!
Calming my excitement, I called Saryeon.
"Ryeon-ah."
"Yes?"
She tilted her head.
"I'm gonna try something. Don't freak out, okay?"
"……What?"
"Something's wrong with my body."
"Huh?"
"And keep it secret. No matter what."
"……Senior brother."
Before she could respond, I activated the stealth art from Manseogo.
Not top-tier, but with stolen [Dark Assimilation], it'd mimic theirs—total invisibility.
I cloaked and approached her slowly, waving my arms wide.
"……."
No reaction.
I circled behind, wiggled beside her, then in front.
Still nothing.
Whew. What now? Maybe I could return the fear mid-landers felt from demons. Make them tremble with [Dark Assimilation]…
"Senior brother……."
Saryeon called suddenly, turning.
……Toward me.
Huh? Me? How?
She sighed, face mirroring Hae-ryeong's.
"Senior brother, drunk? Why're you flailing like a lunatic?"
"……."
"Not your body—your head's the problem?"
……No [Dark Assimilation], then.
I spun and walked ahead.
"Your realm has soared—I'm thrilled, senior brother."
"……Why's your voice weird?"
"Ahem! What a bright moon tonight."
Unspeakable shame crashed over me like waves.