Chapter 42
Episode 42
Time inside the Dimensional Tower flowed the same as it did in reality.
There were stories about certain floors of the Dimensional Tower where time flowed differently from reality, but at least the places I had visited had flowed exactly the same as reality.
And so.
By the time I finished breaking through the labyrinth and returned to reality, the sun had already set and it was night.
I went in during the morning and came out at night—one trip into a dungeon and a whole day just vanishes.
I took a leisurely shower, then checked the messages that had come in while I was gone.
There were messages on my phone from Park Kang-chan and Yoo Hye-yeon.
Both disciples seemed to have left messages around the same time.
"Hm. Should I call Park Kang-chan first?"
I pressed Park Kang-chan's number and placed the call.
It connected before the first ring even finished.
Had this guy been sitting there with his phone in his hand, waiting?
-Master! Hello!
Park Kang-chan's booming voice rang out through the phone.
-I watched your broadcast today when you went to Floor 2 of the Dimensional Tower, Master! As expected of you! You smashed that giant golem to pieces!
"Yeah. You watched it."
-Of course! Isn't watching your broadcasts live the bare minimum, Master!
This guy.
I could feel how excited he was just from his voice.
"So, did you call just to flatter me?"
I asked, lightly probing.
-Ah! No, that's not it!
Park Kang-chan raised his voice, as if startled.
-I called to ask when I can start receiving martial arts instruction! Since you accepted me as a lay disciple, I figured it was about time for you to start teaching me!
"Ah. That."
Well.
I had accepted him as a lay disciple last time, when he prostrated himself on the café floor.
I'd said I would test whether he actually had the aptitude before deciding, so it was indeed about time to give him his first lesson.
"Let's see... I could train you if you came over now."
-Now?! Out of the blue?
"Yeah. Now. I just got out of the Dimensional Tower myself, so I have some time. I'm going back in tomorrow morning, so evenings are the only time I can teach martial arts anyway. If it's too much, you can come another time."
-No, sir! I'll come right away! I'm leaving this instant!
I heard a crash, the sound of something colliding, through the phone.
This guy was already bolting out the door.
"Hey, hey. Take it slow. Don't hurt yourself."
-Yes, sir! Thank you, Master!
Click.
The call ended.
"What a refreshing personality."
I chuckled as I looked down at my phone.
That guy who kept throwing those telegraphed punches is that happy about learning martial arts.
Well, I can at least acknowledge his enthusiasm.
"Next up is Yoo Hye-yeon, then."
I pressed Yoo Hye-yeon's number next.
This time, the call was picked up after a couple of rings.
-Master. I apologize for the late hour.
Yoo Hye-yeon's calm, composed voice came through.
Definitely a different vibe from Park Kang-chan.
They're both my disciples, yet their atmospheres are so different.
-Congratulations on completely clearing Floor 2 of the Dimensional Tower today. It was truly remarkable.
"Yeah. Thanks."
-I found myself thinking once again what an honor it is to be the disciple of someone like you, Master.
This one is so polite, too.
If Park Kang-chan is the "Master, you're the best!" type, then Yoo Hye-yeon is more the "I pay my respects to your great achievements, Master" type.
"So, did you also call about receiving martial arts instruction?"
-.......
A brief silence.
-H-how did you know?
Yoo Hye-yeon asked, sounding slightly surprised.
"Park Kang-chan just called about the exact same thing."
-Ah.
Yoo Hye-yeon let out a small sigh.
-So that person had the same thought.
"Yeah. I just told him to come over now. Can you come now too?"
-Of course. I'll get ready and come right away.
"Alright. Come safely."
-Thank you, Master.
Click.
That call ended without any trouble too.
"As expected, so composed."
Same errand, yet the two disciples' phone manners were this different.
I set my phone down and lightly rolled my shoulders.
Alright, both of them would be barging in soon.
I should get ready for their first training session.
"Si Ha-rin!"
I raised my voice toward the living room.
Swish.
Si Ha-rin quietly appeared.
『Yes. Sect Leader.』
"Prepare the medicinal solution."
『The medicinal solution, you say. What kind shall I prepare?』
"That medicinal water I use for external arts training. Prepare enough for two people. Dilute it to the beginner concentration I taught you last time."
『Yes. Executing.』
Si Ha-rin gave a crisp bow and immediately got moving.
"Good. Then shall I get ready to welcome my two disciples?"
Me, the Martial God of my former life, teaching disciples again in this life.
Come to think of it, this is quite a moving turn of events.
* * *
"Masteeeeer! Is thiiiiis right?! Aaaaagh!"
"Grind."
Park Kang-chan was making an absolute spectacle of himself, while Yoo Hye-yeon was gritting her teeth and enduring.
How does a guy as restless as Park Kang-chan play a tank?
Amazing.
Does he perform brilliantly once he's in actual combat?
"Living Flesh Shatter, Gather Qi into Steel. What this means is that only after you break and shatter living flesh can you finally gather qi and form steel. This is important in external arts training, but it's also a well-known fact in modern sports."
Mm-hm. Indeed.
There's something called overcompensation.
Simply put, it's this.
You deliberately overload the body to damage the muscles, and during the recovery process, the body goes, "Next time, I'd better make myself stronger than before so this level of impact doesn't faze me!" and evolves beyond its previous limits into a stronger state.
You could say it's the phenomenon that teaches us how humans become muscular.
Naturally, external arts work the same way.
First, you overload the body to the point of breaking it.
Then.
You soak your body in a special medicinal solution while circulating qi through breathing exercises.
Then the medicinal potency seeps into the body, allowing you to train external arts.
However, the qi circulation itself has almost no effect.
At best, it helps absorb the medicinal potency.
I know because I've done it all myself.
"So keep going."
"Gaaaah!"
Park Kang-chan and Yoo Hye-yeon were doing brutally heavy weight training designed to tear down their muscles as quickly and efficiently as possible.
"Good. Stop!"
Both were high-rankers with physical abilities far beyond ordinary people, so I had no choice but to give them extremely heavy weight training.
"Alright, alright. I'd like to tell you all to get into these jars, but can you even stand?"
"I can do it, sir!"
Park Kang-chan staggered to his feet. And Yoo Hye-yeon did the same.
"Good. Enter."
Both of them, trembling, lowered their bodies into the jars.
"Do the breathing I taught you earlier. Begin."
And the two of them began the breathing method for external arts that I had taught them.
"As true qi flows through the qi and blood, it renews the sinews and bones......"
"When essence, qi, and spirit become one, the body shall become an iron body......"
They chanted the mnemonic verses as they did so.
That was because... reciting those verses aloud was itself a form of breathing method.
Among divine arts and supreme techniques, there were many like that.
The external art I was teaching them was the Iron Body Vajra Art, a superior technique derived from Shaolin's Vajra Art.
Unfortunately, it was not a divine art.
In the first place, divine arts only showed their effects when practiced together with qi cultivation, and that wasn't possible on the Earth where I now lived.
So: one hour of wringing out their muscles. Then two hours in the jars.
By the time we finished training and washed up, it was already close to midnight.
"It hurts like crazy, Master."
"Endure it. You have to endure it for super-recovery."
"Couldn't we recover using items from the Dimensional Tower?"
Yoo Hye-yeon asked in a calm tone.
Both of them were lying on the mats I had laid out.
"Hmm. I don't know. I haven't tested that."
"Master, then why not test it now? It's definitely not because this hurts too much."
"It is because it hurts... But Kang-chan."
"Yes, Master."
"How are you a melee tank when you hate pain this much? It's honestly impressive."
"I do it when I have to, Master."
"Is that so."
It was hard to believe, but he was a top-tier ranker already climbing beyond Floor 50, so I decided to take his word for it.
"Then bring me some herbs or recovery potions from the Dimensional Tower. I'll test them, and if they work, we can switch the medicinal solution."
"Leave it to me!"
"Yes, Master."
The two answered while sprawled out.
"Oh, Master. You still don't have many necromancer items, right?"
Then Kang-chan spoke up, as if he'd just remembered.
"That's true. Why?"
"I brought some necromancer items usable below level 50, so please try them out."
"Oh......"
"You accepted me as your disciple, so I figured I ought to do at least this much for you. And if you ever need my help with anything later, just say the word right away!"
"Sure."
At my words, Park Kang-chan made a proud expression. But Yoo Hye-yeon's face didn't look too good. Judging by her expression alone, she seemed to be thinking something like, "Oh no! I should have brought something too!"
Good grief. Getting competitive over something like this.
Anyway.
While training these two, I'd had a thought.
I'd figured out a way to upgrade the two Copper Jiangshi in the subdimension.
The Medicinal Solution Method!
Jiangshi are not originally made through sorcery alone.
Naturally, medicinal solutions are also used.
And I had the secret medicinal formulas for the Jiangshi Creation Method in my head.
"Alright, alright. Off you go now."
"Thank you for your hard work!"
"Thank you for your hard work."
The two staggered out of the dojo.
Both had managers, and I saw people waiting outside to escort them away.
"Alright. Ha-rin, let's clean up."
『Yes. Sect Leader.』
After tidying up like that, I went to bed.