Is It True That I Grow Stronger Every Time I Take a Virgin?
Having mastered all seventy-two gugyeol, I began to operate the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art for the first time. "The probability is slim, but if you fail to control your qi and your internal energy reverses or runs wild, I will have no choice but to take drastic measures."
Gulp. A sense of tension gripped my body. Come to think of it, this was a novel where gender-bending was possible... If I messed up, I might have to change the genre to a female-corruption TS story. Please, someone, pray for my success.
At my master's words, I nodded stiffly. I maintained the balance between my left and right hands, divided the energy of Yin and Yang, and while keeping that equilibrium, I controlled the flow of jin-gi and spread the energy throughout my body. Then, as if by nature, didn't the qi start to circulate according to the flow?
The energy hummed, vibrating through my meridians as a So-taegeuk (Small Taiji) formed within me, existing in perfect balance and harmony.
'What? Unlike what Master said, I succeeded quite stably?'
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable's eyes lit up with intrigue, and he looked delighted. "Hahaha! You are a genius, a true genius! To reach the 1st Star in one go. There was a reason those Blood Sect bastards were targeting you!"
"Then, does this mean I don't have to be castrated?"
I was more thrilled by the fact that I didn't have to be castrated than by the master's praise.
"Of course, doing so would allow you to raise your realm more stably, but if you are unwilling, it cannot be helped." The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable smacked his lips as if it were a pity and continued. "The Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art is a supreme divine art that maintains balance to form a Taiji. If you eventually master this martial art, you will possess a massive Taiji that circulates infinitely within you."
The brilliance of the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art was precisely this. If the Taiji within continued to grow, it would possess the characteristics of Yin-Yang Ho-je (Yin and Yang helping and complementing each other), Gang-yu-byeong-jung (valuing both hardness and softness), Gang-neung-dan-yu (hardness can break softness), and Yu-neung-je-gang (softness can control hardness), eventually allowing me to deflect all incoming power.
"There are various reasons why I intended to have you castrated, but it was ultimately to prevent self-destruction caused by an inability to control overflowing Yang energy. But looking at it now, with your special constitution, you can operate it stably without castration."
'Was the reason I could learn the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art stably thanks to the Four Gods Body?'
I asked a question, puzzled by the fact that my master hadn't known until now. "Didn't you save me because I was a genius with the Four Gods Body?"
"How would I know if you possessed that?"
"You said you saw the flow of my qi..."
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable let out a dry laugh. "What nonsense are you spouting? I am not a person who takes disciples based on the presence or absence of talent. Anyway, reading the flow of your Taiji, it flows stably, so I can see the possibility of mastering the martial art without castration."
At those words, I gained confidence. "Master, then couldn't I reach the realm of Baekhwa or Shin-geom Hap-il (Unity of Body and Sword) soon?"
"Is Shin-geom Hap-il the name of some neighbor's dog?"
I was speechless at the master's cold tone. Isn't it right to just praise me at times like this? "Haven't you only just entered the 1st Star? You still have a thousand-mile journey ahead... Are you already becoming arrogant? Whether it's Baekhwa or Shin-geom Hap-il, just focus on your training for now. It's not too late to have such delusions after you've become stronger."
Delusions... Well, he's not wrong. Regardless, instead of being discouraged by the master's words, I ignited my will and began training. It's boring. When can I get out of here?
I devoted myself to training for another ten days and nights. Damn it... am I a training machine? Anyway, I endured it because I had a goal.
Woo-woong───.
"Good. In that state, consign the energy of the sun and moon in both hands to the Taiji."
As I followed the Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable's instructions, the two energies achieved balance and were naturally consigned to the Taiji.
"Cluck... Good, very good. You have now reached the 4th Star realm. I was called a prodigy when I was young, but seeing your speed in acquiring the divine art, I am truly stunned. It usually takes five years to reach the 4th Star... In any case, from now on, you will be able to deflect most techniques. Once you reach the 5th Star, you'll be able to fend for yourself. Let's take a break."
I was bewildered even as I rapidly mastered the divine art. Even if this place was optimized for learning the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art, wasn't this too fast? Was it thanks to the Four Gods Body? Or did I have a talent I didn't even know about?
'The synergy with the Four Gods Body is just too perfect... It's as if this wasn't a new martial art, but one I'd been using all along.'
I asked about what I was curious about while massaging the master. "Master, could you tell me about the founder of the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art?"
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable, perhaps enjoying the massage, glanced at me and opened his mouth. "In the ancient era, the founder of the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Art was a wandering knight-errant. He traveled all over the continent performing acts of chivalry. The knight had a beautiful wife, and the couple grew stronger by filling in each other's deficiencies. The husband filled his lack of Yin energy, and the wife her lack of Yang energy. It might be hard to believe, but it was an era where monsters and spirit beasts that you couldn't even imagine today ran rampant. One day, the couple subdued a great dragon that was committing atrocities, but unfortunately, the wife was lost there."
Oh? What does that mean? "Master, what do you mean by filling each other's Yin and Yang energy? Are you perhaps talking about the act of love between a man and a woman?"
At that, the Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable nodded. "Yes, it is a somewhat old-fashioned method, but you can also grow your power through intercourse with a woman."
What... the...? I was dumbfounded. Damn it, what? If there's such a good method, why use unethical ones?
"Then isn't there no reason to be castrated? Isn't sex a more human method?"
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable glanced at me and scolded me. "Cluck... You foolish boy, you know one but not two. If there is no woman to achieve Yin-Yang with, it is merely a half-baked martial art; how could this be a divine art? And didn't I tell you? It is easy to fall into Ma-gi (Demonic Energy)."
"What do you mean by that?"
"In the ancient era, the world was covered in spirit beasts and spirit herbs, so it was easy to suppress Ma-gi, but in this age, it is impossible. Have you never heard of the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Demonic Art?"
It was related after all. "That is correct. What is different about it?"
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable, frowning slightly, opened his mouth. "There is no difference. People of the world simply called it a demonic art, but it is the same Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art."
"W-what? Is that true?"
I had secretly hoped to learn such a martial art, but damn it, if that were the case, is it true that I grow significantly stronger every time I take a virgin, every time I sleep with the same woman ten times, and every time I get someone pregnant?
Even that notorious lecher was said to have caused such a stir in the Murim despite being caught quickly because his stamina was weak and he was too blatant... This was no time to be sitting around. I will completely revise my plan for bloody revenge against the Blood Sect bastards. Kill the men, ravish the women. I will make them give birth as much as I kill... My happy life in another world starts now. The Four Gods Body will take care of the Ma-gi on its own.
"You rascal, are you thinking of something strange again?"
How did he know? I'm not the type to show it on my face like Sohye.
"No, Master. I was reflecting on the foolishness of the predecessors who used such a divine art as a demonic art."
You get caught because you're blatant before you become the best under heaven. I am different.
"Hmm! That is a good mindset. Anyway, it is a perfect martial art if you remove all those drawbacks. That is why castration is absolutely necessary."
"...."
When I remained silent, the Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable continued his story. "The knight, wandering in sorrow after losing his wife, castrated his own genitals with the resolve never to meet another woman again."
What... 'Knight-errant mister, I understand your feelings, but isn't that a bit of a knee-jerk reaction? Even so...'
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable continued. "But at that moment, his incomplete body finally began to fully accept his own Yin energy; his own Yang energy had been the obstacle. Thus, as Yin and Yang achieved a complete Taiji within his body, the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art was born. Is it not surprising? The story of how the flaws of the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art were removed?"
It is surprising, but I still have no intention of doing it. Once I master the martial art and get out of here, becoming the best under heaven is not a dream.
I trembled at the happy imagination and said to the Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable with confidence. "Anyway, I hate castration. I will master the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art in my own way!"
Whether he knew what I was thinking or not, the Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable wore a satisfied expression at my bold words. "Cluck, can you really do it? Certainly, you could operate the Sun and Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art stably, but if you make a slight mistake, you will immediately fall into Ju-hwa-ip-ma (Qi Deviation)!"
"Even so, I will walk my own path."
What a wonderful thing to say. A dream-like happy life is not far away.
The Sun and Moon Heavenly Venerable looked at me with a frustrated expression and said, "It would be so easy if you just castrated yourself without worrying about Ju-hwa-ip-ma... Why are you obsessed with trivial things when a great task is right before your eyes? Anyway, I understand your will. If you change your mind later, tell me."
There is absolutely no chance of that happening. Master...
Feeling the warm sunlight, I shouted loudly. "I am free!"