Chapter 94
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Guided Meditation
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That evening after seeing patients.
Myeong Seonju received a few files. It was the promised audio file along with a handful of diagrams.
While the audio was downloading, she checked the images first. They were bizarre diagrams of the human body dotted with several marked points.
The first one numbered them up to 20: 1 on the back of the hand (Hegu), 2 on the top of the foot (Taichong), 3 in the center of the chest (Danzhong)... and so on.
The remaining files were close-up photos pinpointing each spot's exact location, labeled with the corresponding acupoints.
Foot Shao Yin Kidney Meridian? What's that supposed to be?
[Just follow along while listening to the file! Fighting!]
[Thank you, Director.]
Myeong Seonju sent the message, plugged in her earbuds, and played the audio file.
She had just finished preparing nicely, and the download had completed right on time.
- Now, we begin meditation. Please sit comfortably and focus on your sensations.
Oh?
It was the director's voice.
Instead of sending some generic meditation file, she had recorded this herself?
- Take a de~ep breath in, and imagine energy gathering at point 1. One~ two~.
- Exhale de~eply, and picture the energy flowing out to point 2. One~ two~ three~.
She had expected meditation to involve serene imagery like running across peaceful plains, but this was all about breathing deeply this way and that while directing energy around.
- Feel the energy at point 7 spreading to point 8, warming your abdomen. One~ two~.
This feels... kinda phony?
Myeong Seonju pushed away the stray thoughts bubbling up in her mind and focused on the voice.
- Let the energy settle at point 13, clearing your mind. One~ two~ three~.
Gradually, the useless thoughts faded away.
- Allow the energy to seep into point 17. One... two...
Nothing remained but the flow of energy.
Myeon Seonju forgot the entire world, following the voice alone.
"What are you doing? You okay?"
Snap!
But someone flung open the door, shattering her focus.
"Ah... Kim Ijin."
"Why call me like I'm some stranger?"
Right. This is the BUK dorms. And Kim Ijin is my roommate.
I was definitely meditating.
Yet somehow, instead of her original posture, all the strength had drained from her limbs, leaving her limp.
"Only 20 minutes have passed."
"What are you doing, seriously?"
If she'd been in her proper pose, anyone would have left her alone assuming she was meditating, but she looked downright odd to anyone glancing over.
"The director sent me an audio file she recorded herself, so I was following along."
"What?!"
She'd told the truth hoping it'd make her back off.
But Kim Ijin snatched her phone in shock.
"Send it to me too!"
"..."
Suddenly, she didn't want to share anymore.
After finishing a month of medication, Myeong Seonju returned for her follow-up consultation.
"Hello!"
Her voice alone was noticeably brighter than during the mid-treatment check-in.
"I've improved so much. I'm sleeping well now. Even running the same distances leaves me way less wiped out. That tight-chested feeling at the start of races is almost gone. And of course, no fainting spells."
The symptoms she described were similar to last time, but the tone, pitch, and pace of her speech had all changed.
Even the hyperventilating rush in her words had calmed completely.
"You've been diligent with the meditation too, I see?"
"Yes! My body feels lighter every day—it's amazing~."
"And the diarrhea has stopped."
"Yes. It was already better before the meditation, and not once in the last two weeks."
I took her wrist and checked her pulse again.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump...
Unlike the rapid pounding from before, it now beat at a steady rhythm and amplitude.
The heart pulse surges had diminished by more than half.
"It's stabilized a lot. At this rate, we could wrap up treatment in another month or two."
"Wow, that's great!"
"We'll keep the direction the same, just tweak the dosages based on your pulse and symptoms. Take good care of it next month too."
"Got it! Should I keep up the meditation even after the meds?"
"Absolutely. Repeat it every night before bed, and incorporate the breathing into your daily routine—that's the best."
"Thank you!"
Myeong Seonju stood, bowing at a perfect 90 degrees.
With recovery signs showing in her complexion, pulse, and more, I felt good too.
"Acupuncture today as well?"
"Yes~."
After the consultation, Myeong Seonju headed to the treatment room.
"Hello."
Kim Ijin came in.
"Any particular pain today, Ijin?"
Unlike Myeong Seonju, whom I was monitoring through meds, Kim Ijin had skipped consultations entirely.
Since she always pushed herself hard, treatments were purely for maintenance—no big changes were expected each visit.
But requesting a consultation now meant... a new injury?
"No."
Yet she shook her head vigorously at my concerned question.
She looks kinda down, though.
...Did she get upset?
"Why'd you only give the audio file to Seonju? You've never taught me any meditation."
She really is upset?
"It was necessary for Seonju's treatment~. The ideal breathing and pulse she's achieving now—through her diligent treatment—is exactly your current state, Ijin."
You... don't need to circulate qi yourself; I've already optimized your circulation for maximum efficiency!
"But doing it made me feel even better."
Kim Ijin pouted her lips.
No matter how fit the body, she's still a kid at heart.
More importantly, she'd tried the meditation I'd given Seonju.
Had she heard that better breathing improves mid-workout oxygen supply and gotten greedy?
"That one's for relaxing tension and calming hyperventilation—it really won't help you much. If you insist, I'll record a new one tailored for you, so try something else for now."
"Tailored for me?"
"Yes. Something to boost your athletic performance instead of treatment."
"...!"
Her face lit up at the promise of a custom meditation.
Hmm, should be fine?
Truth be told, since first meeting Kim Ijin, I'd always wanted to teach her martial arts.
Even in the murim world, martial talent like hers was rare.
Of course, the Heavenly Demon or Martial Alliance Leader had transcendent gifts, but they were leagues beyond me—and already grandmasters.
The talented juniors I'd encountered were usually direct heirs of prestigious clans, so I never had a chance to teach.
'Teaching a bit of internal arts should be okay!'
I'd start with the most basic qigong method—safe enough that solo practice wouldn't lead to qi deviation—and reveal it bit by bit.
'No issues... right?'
I swallowed hard and said,
"But you have to do this alone, Ijin. Keep it secret from everyone else?"
Of course, this assumed her innate gifts and the pathways I'd cleared would let her manipulate qi on her own.
She could reach true intent by following the instructions, but for others... it might even be dangerous.
"Even from Seonju?"
"Yes. Practice a little only when you're alone. It'll change very slowly."
"I will."
Kim Ijin's eyes blazed as she nodded.
Depending on how she pursued it, this could become an incredible boon—or just some weird meditation she drops after a few days.
For now, she was thrilled about our little secret, but I had a feeling Kim Ijin would seize this opportunity.
She glanced at the chart. There was a bit of time today.
Since she was already in the consultation room, I chatted with her about recent updates.
"You're killing it on the team too."
"Thanks to you, Director. If you hadn't fixed my knee back then, I wouldn't even be on the team."
"Nah. That was all your hard work, Ijin."
I took the chance to ask about the others.
"How are those friends you brought before? Inseong and... that other one, Juyeon?"
"Not sure. I still talk to the basketball underclassman, but contact with the classmates fizzled out quick."
Makes sense. She went pro right after high school—totally different worlds now.
"Keep fighting! Stay injury-free!"
"Yessir."
Myeong Seonju and Kim Ijin headed back to their team.
But I suddenly grew curious about Jeong Inseong's well-being.
Since my advice had swayed him toward Korean medicine school, I wondered if he was settling in okay—or regretting it.
It had been a year since that consultation; winter break after finishing pre-med first year.
I hoped school suited him.
Starting basic Korean medicine theory often feels like diving into fantasy novel lore, leading to total meltdown...
"Director~ I'm here again today~."
Jeong Inseong hadn't shown his face in a year.
But Grandma Heo Sun-nam was a regular these days.
Even with her back much straighter, her chronic stenosis needed ongoing management, not a full cure.
"Come to think of it, how's Inseong doing? He liking school?"
"My grandson? He's home for break. Ah! That rascal hasn't come say hi once?"
"He's probably busy having fun. Just wondering if he's adjusted well."
"Aigoo, I'll give him a piece of my mind today!"
"No need, really—"
"People gotta know gratitude! You hooked him up with that pretty girl, and now he's off gallivanting instead? What kinda nonsense is that?"
No... it's really fine.
No big favor, and no aches mean no need for the clinic.
But reining in bullheaded Grandma Heo was beyond me.
Sorry, Inseong.
Tough luck.
Around the same time.
Jeong Inseong was grilling pork belly at a barbecue joint downtown.
Two months of college winter break felt painfully short for a twenty-year-old finally closing the long-distance gap with his girlfriend.
Dates on dates on dates flew by in a blink.
It was only as break wound down that the thought hit: gotta see my teacher.
"Wow~ Congrats on the promotion, sir."
The teacher's name was Woo Jong-su.
He was a math instructor at a major cram school.
Jeong Inseong had only attended academy for math, doing lectures for the rest online. Woo had boosted his scores big-time, so he was always grateful.
"Ha... not sure if it's a good thing."
Woo had risen to academy director last year after sending Jeong Inseong and many others to top universities.
His chain was nationally run direct from HQ—directors got fat pay bumps but handled tons of non-teaching work.
"That tough?"
"Yeah. Dealing with parent complaints is way harder than I thought."
Jeong Inseong poured soju as Woo vented.
No false modesty here; he seemed genuinely worn out.
"You look beat. Seriously... I was shocked."
"Sigh."
"How'd your hair thin out this much in just a year?"
"Tell me about it!"
Woo chugged the shots.
Lately, everyone he met harped on his hair.
"Just your time coming? How old are you, sir? 50? Still in your 40s?"
But Jeong Inseong was especially ruthless.
"I'm 38, you punk!"
Did you come to roast me?