The Risk of a Genre Shift into Female-Transformation
"Pay no mind to that. It is merely an existence that guards this place."
'How am I supposed to "pay no mind" to that?' I thought, but since it was my master’s instruction, I decided to force myself to ignore it.
"This place is the optimal location for practicing the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art. No matter where you go in the Central Plains, you will not find a better place to train. It will take a truly long time to reach the Great Completion of the Divine Art. We have no time to waste, so we shall begin training immediately."
The Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art was a supreme martial art consisting of 72 total verses—36 in the first half and 36 in the second—and it required passing through three stages. It was a martial art that started from the harmony of the sun and moon, yin and yang, and the balance between strength and softness.
One must nurture the Taiji within the body. At the First Flower, one fully awakens to the flow. At the Tenth Flower, one enters the mysteries of Heaven, Earth, and Man, as well as Essence, Qi, and Spirit. At the Hundredth Flower, one reaches the realm of Heart-Intent Six Harmonies, which he claimed could easily overcome even Heart Sword or the Indestructible Vajra Body. Reaching the Hundredth Flower meant the Great Completion of the Divine Art.
He said that at the Heavenly Flower, one could resist even the Ten Thousand Changes and the Immutable, but I had no idea what that meant. If it’s a three-stage process, why is there a fourth? Regardless, the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art was a peerless martial art, rarely found even in the vast Murim, which is why it was called a "Divine Art." However, its fatal flaw was that the speed of cultivation and realm advancement was agonizingly slow... and that was why Master said we had no time.
I began to practice the first 36 verses of the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art. Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
Deep in a valley where clear, blue water flowed beneath a waterfall, an old man gazed at a man who had fainted and muttered quietly.
"Heh, how did a human body that hasn't even mastered the Dao reach Mount Yeongsin..."
Mount Yeongsin was silent, devoid of the movement of animals or the chirping of birds. In that deep, secluded valley, which exuded an immense spiritual energy, only the old man and the unconscious man remained. The old man, dressed in white robes, possessed a physique reminiscent of a sturdy martial artist and eyes filled with profound energy. The extraordinary aura flowing from his body signaled that he was no ordinary person.
"But perhaps this, too, is fate between this boy and me."
As he waved his hand, a blue energy erupted from his palm. A moment later, the man who had fainted slowly opened his eyes and rose.
"Hmm... where is this?"
Even though he had just woken up in a strange place, the man stood up with composure. The old man in white asked him, "What is your name?"
To the old man's question, which carried an irresistible pressure—
"I am Jin Sechan. Who might you be, sir?"
—the man answered calmly, without a hint of panic. Interest flickered in the old man's eyes as he looked at him. Mount Yeongsin should have been a place where even breathing was difficult for those who hadn't mastered the Dao or lacked a foundation of internal energy, yet here he was, moving and speaking so naturally... How could he not be intrigued?
After observing him for a while, the old man in white finally opened his mouth. "I am Ak Geo."
Inside the vast grotto, after I had spent ten days and nights tirelessly practicing the verses, footwork, and basic strikes of the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art, the Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable suddenly threw a question at me.
"What kind of body do you think is most suitable for mastering martial arts?"
I pondered his question before answering. "Doesn't it depend on the individual's talent or their innate physique?"
"That is true, but I am asking about a more primal aspect."
Primal? What kind of answer is he looking for? I had no clue. I decided to be honest and say I didn't know.
"This disciple is foolish and does not know. Master, please enlighten me."
At those words, the Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable nodded and said, "A woman."
"Excuse me?" Did I hear him wrong?
"I mean that a woman's body is more suitable for mastering martial arts."
I was left speechless by Master's unexpected answer. 'Is this another hidden setting by the author? What kind of nonsense is this?' I hadn't even had sex or masturbated in ten days and nights; was he joking?
"You look like you don't understand. But it is the truth. While a man's body may be slightly more advantageous for external training, it is unstable for internal cultivation. A woman's body, by contrast, allows for stable cultivation. You will feel this more as you reach higher realms."
So that was why there were so many Sword Queens and Female Heroes in this novel? It finally made sense.
"Then what about the current Murim Alliance Leader or the Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult? What about those masters?"
"Clclcl... Of course, there are exceptions. You must not place peerless geniuses and incomprehensible existences on the same level. And just because it is difficult does not mean it is impossible."
"If it is harder for a man to reach a high realm than a woman, how did you reach such a realm, Master?"
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable chuckled and continued. "I had talent, but if it were only talent, it would have been difficult to reach the Great Completion of the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art. There is a method. For a martial art like this, where balance and harmony are fundamental, a woman is indeed more advantageous than a man. That is why I ask you: in your opinion, what factor in a man's body most disrupts that balance?"
I thought about it for a long time before shaking my head. "I cannot even guess. What is it?"
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable wore a mischievous smile as he said, "It is the penis."
"What do you mean by that..." As soon as I heard that, I quickly realized what he was trying to say.
"If the penis, where the most Yang energy is concentrated in a man's body, were to disappear, it would be much more advantageous for internal energy operation."
My guess was right... but it wasn't something I wanted to be right about.
"Then, by any chance, did you also...?"
"That is correct. I also castrated myself."
What a shocking revelation. Perhaps it was because I had learned a fact I didn't want to know, but I struggled to steady my chaotic mind and asked cautiously, "...Then do I have to be castrated as well?"
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable nodded and replied, "The Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art is a martial art that advances very slowly. Furthermore, if a man practices it, there is a high risk of Qi Deviation or contamination by demonic energy. Castration is performed to fundamentally block such risks. If you wish, I will cut it off cleanly for you, so do not worry. This is an inevitable sacrifice for the Great Completion of the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art."
I screamed internally. Fuck... I'm going to become impotent? You mean I'm going to become a eunuch?
"Master, please give me some time to think."
This is insane... even if I wanted to understand Master's way of thinking, I couldn't. No matter how much I want to master this martial art, asking his only disciple to castrate himself... wouldn't it be better not to learn this martial art at all? Could it be that all the male successors in history were castrated?
'That can't be true... right?'
Even if his unique martial art was attractive... no, I have to find the Udumbara Flower... 'Damn it... I might end up a eunuch...'
I steadied my troubled heart and began to practice the second 36 verses. Unlike the first half, the second 36 verses were esoteric, but somehow, I could vaguely understand the meaning and the operation of internal energy contained within the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art. You might ask how I could say that when I hadn't even understood all 72 verses, but it was the truth. Could this be another case of "Protagonist Correction"?
'If the condition for entering the First Flower is to awaken to the flow, then this might be easier than I thought...?'
Having quickly left the Hebei branch, Dang Hyewon set out to find her husband. She had known that her former husband had died while evacuating, but she felt less emotion than she had expected. Right now, the safety of her husband was far more important than that.
'It's too late, much later than I thought...'
If anything were to happen to him, she would no longer be able to endure it. Hurting him, or letting something go wrong with him—that was something only she could do... She couldn't let him be handed over to some nobodies who crawled out of nowhere. Wasn't the reason she helped Namgung Wol—someone she still didn't want to face—escape because she didn't want to see him sad?
In any case, the Thousand-Mile Tracking Scent she had secretly sprinkled on him was her only clue. It was an item difficult for even her to obtain, but she didn't regret it since she had prepared it for times like this. If she could find her husband safely, she would have to lock him away in a safe place so that this would never happen again.
'Husband, you must be safe. Your maiden will come to find you soon.'
With that vow, she moved, following the Thousand-Mile Tracking Scent.
A short while later, having mastered all 72 verses, I began to operate the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art for the first time.
"The possibility is slim, but if you cannot control your Qi and your internal energy reverses or goes berserk, there will be no choice but to take extreme measures."
Gulp.
Tension gripped my body. Come to think of it, since this was a novel where even gender-bending was possible... if I'm not careful, the genre might change into a female-transformation story. Please wish me success.