Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Middle School Girl Yi Baram - [3]
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Still gazing at the flickering flames, Heo Pung-gae thought to himself.
'The True Samadhi Fire I saw back in the day was only the size of a bottle cap...'
There was no way it could be some magician's trick. Not while she was channeling qi like this—she couldn't possibly hide it. For the first time, he could see the qi dwelling within her body.
To describe it plainly, her veins weren't flowing with blood, but with qi.
From the crown of her head to the tips of her toes, qi coursed through every vessel in her body. More qi than blood, flowing faster than any bloodstream.
Of course, that was an exaggeration. In reality, her red blood cells were diligently transporting oxygen.
But to Heo Pung-gae's eyes, it truly looked that way. Qi permeated every inch of her. A startlingly pure and natural flow spread throughout her entire form.
He had witnessed qi manifesting with such authority only once in his life.
The unparalleled master born from the greatest talent and the imperial court's support. His old disciple, who had surpassed her teacher at a young age—her inner qi had been just like this.
And even now, as an unparalleled master himself, Heo Pung-gae had no confidence he could defeat or even match that former disciple.
Did that mean he couldn't beat the girl before him either?
He tried to gauge her age. He couldn't tell precisely, of course, but she didn't seem as old as him. Damn it.
Heo Pung-gae sighed inwardly.
In that moment, what he felt wasn't some crisis or inferiority from facing a superior unparalleled master.
No, his heart was filled with shame.
The suffocating shame he'd felt when his carefully nurtured first disciple surpassed him. When some corporate president reached unparalleled heights at the tender age of forty. When a bandit with no accumulated merits dared call himself an unparalleled master.
His past years had been utterly insignificant, and that embarrassment whipped at him now.
Look around— the world overflowed with heaven-sent prodigies like her. Yet among them, scarcely any touched the heavens to grasp eternity.
And you think you can afford to slack off? Think your current efforts are enough to get cocky?
He resolved to cut back on time wasted on distractions instead of training. Sleep too—even his current four hours a night needed trimming down to three.
Without that effort, he'd only end up dead. Rotten and spread across the earth as fertilizer, eventually someone else's shit.
Heo Pung-gae forced down the bitter shame and the crisis it bred.
He managed his expression, kept his voice even. Wasn't this cultivation in itself? Practice never paused, not for a second.
With feigned casualness, he asked,
"So, you're here to scout me."
Rana extinguished the flames she'd been holding as she replied.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"An unparalleled master has appeared. Of course we have to recruit you. Better as an ally than an enemy, right?"
Did that mean they'd treat him as an enemy if he refused to join?
"And if I say no, we fight right here?"
"No? I'd just keep trying to convince you."
"Even if you try to convince me..."
Heo Pung-gae looked displeased, but Rana seemed utterly unconcerned. Brazenly, she launched into her pitch.
"Teacher Invincible BB Bullet hasn't made much money, has he? They say unparalleled masters like you barely earn anything. Because you pick and choose jobs too carefully—is that right?"
"That's true. My disciple and I both."
"No killing, obviously?"
"Absolutely not. That's a five-hundred-point deduction on the ledger."
"What about drug trafficking?"
"Addicting someone to drugs is a two-hundred-fifty-point penalty."
"Entertainment industry stuff? Taoism has its chamber arts too—you don't have to be so uptight about sex."
"I just hate it. Even if it's not on the ledger, it feels like a deduction."
"Hmm, the merit-demerit system? Not many Taoists follow that these days. Modern priests stuff themselves with meat after leaving the temple. Why are you so picky alone?"
"Everything I do is to better myself."
"Do you really have to?"
Rana continued with a smile.
"Look at Emperor Wanli. He lived to a hundred and thirty, doing everything Taoism forbids. They teach dual cultivation: engage but don't indulge. But that guy ignored it and fooled around with palace girls nonstop. They say don't eat animals with blood, but he gorged on meat. Don't raise armies or kill, yet he commanded troops and slaughtered plenty. Still, he ascended hale and hearty before foreign envoys."
"Emperor Wanli slaved away at state affairs till a hundred and thirty without rest—China's greatest ruler. His merits reached heaven, covering his faults."
Rana laughed. An innocent, bright smile—like a teacher smiling at a student.
"Does heaven even care what humans do?"
"What are you getting at?"
"Why would heaven matter?"
"Taoism teaches..."
"Taoism says your fortune and lifespan depend on daily conduct. Good people live long and healthy; early deaths come from bad deeds bringing misfortune. You believe that?"
Heo Pung-gae thought of his parents, child, and master's deaths. All gone young and unlucky.
"No."
"Right? Say that at a funeral and you'd get slapped. So why follow something you don't even believe?"
"Because keeping it got me this far, meager as it is."
"Isn't it the opposite? Looks to me like following it held you back. Ah, not that your unparalleled realm is lacking—of course it's amazing. But it could be even more so!
For instance, taking any job that comes, raking in cash, and buying spirit elixirs by the handful..."
He was starting to get her point. Roughly: Being so picky means you can't afford proper elixirs. That hinders cultivation. Want greater heights? Do whatever, even evil. So join up with wicked me.
Heo Pung-gae frowned.
"You're lecturing me on Taoism, but you're no priest."
"Ah, I'm a dual-class mage-priest! I trained in Taoism a bit. Learned inner arts: Pure Void Infinite Heart Method."
Not so strange. The White Lotus Cult mixed Buddhism, Manichaeism, and Taoism from the start.
Its members practiced Buddhist or Taoist methods.
Mix in their fanatic ways, and it became demonic arts. Like achieving no-mind by overdosing on drugs to empty the head.
But this girl showed no such warped, turbid qi. Only pure vitality filled her.
So had she truly mastered Taoist cultivation properly? Reached a higher realm than him as a priest?
His shame deepened as Rana grinned, pulling something from her suit pocket.
"And this is the ultimate aid for Taoist training!"
A small box of airy wood, typically for elixirs.
And so it was. Rana introduced it.
"Purple Mist Pill. Mount Hua Sect refines just three a year. Even the Demonic Cult can't get enough... Gift!"
Heo Pung-gae coveted the pill, but not enough to accept a Demonic Cult leader's bribe.
"No gift makes me join the Demonic Cult. Or ally with you."
"Hey, this isn't to make you an ally!"
"Then what?"
"A bribe! Let's get along. Korean martial artists say fighting each other just hurts both sides, so they stay friendly? Let's do that."
He lacked the guts to accept so naively. Who knew the strings attached?
"Still no. Take it back."
He pushed the box away; Rana pushed back.
"Can't return it. That'd be trouble."
"What are you even..."
Rana glanced at Yi Pung behind her with a smile.
"Uncle, you've got a daughter, right? Pretty name. Baram..."
Yi Pung's eyes bulged. He got the implication.
Rana turned back to Heo Pung-gae, offering the box.
"Take it."
He stared blankly at it. Then muttered,
"Rather than bend to threats, there's a better way to end future troubles."
Rana looked relaxed, not even shifting in her seat.
"Wanna fight? Fine."
Heo Pung-gae signaled Yi Pung, who caught on and moved cautiously. Rana watched without stopping him.
As the fight loomed, Heo Pung-gae thought.
Win or lose, he wouldn't drop instantly. He could hold out minutes. Even before this realm, he'd endured against unparalleled masters that long.
Yi Pung wouldn't help much in a clash of two such experts, but he could buy time to escape. Then call the Martial Alliance for backup...
Footsteps echoed in the hall. Yi Do-hyeok or Park Seong-cheol?
No—half the weight.
Damn it.
"I'm home!"
Yi Pung paled at his daughter.
Heo Pung-gae wore a similar look. Yi Baram saw their faces and pouted.
"Why the sour faces? Not happy to see me?"
Rana laughed.
"I'm happy!"
Yi Baram gaped at her.
"Whoa, damn. She's gorgeous. Who's the sis?"
"Genius mage! I do YouTube!"
"Mage? Magic tricks on YouTube? Awesome, sis must rake it in!"
"Yep, tons! Wanna see a trick? Abracadabra!" ⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ True Samadhi Fire Larger and more intense than before Yi Baram whooped and cheered as Rana whispered,
"Not taking it?"
Yi Pung looked on the verge of madness. Protect his daughter or his foster father? Sweat pouring down his face betrayed the dilemma.
Heo Pung-gae decided not to drag it out.
With a deep sigh, he opened the box and swallowed the pill.
Rana smiled in satisfaction.
"Since I forced it, no debt. No grudge either. It's really good stuff."
Yi Pung felt relieved yet anxious.
"You okay? Not poisoned?"
He whispered, but Rana heard.
"Fine! No junk in expensive stuff!"
Seemed true enough.
Heo Pung-gae felt it the moment he swallowed. The qi surging through him sent shivers.
Suppressing the urge to gasp, he asked,
"Why give this to me? Plenty of other masters to recruit..."
"You think I'd come here just for one unparalleled master?"
As Heo Pung-gae fell silent, she continued.
"Truth is, even if I skipped the others, I'd snag you no matter what."
"Sorry, but I'm not that great. No value to recruit. You don't know me well..."
Rana leaned in, voice low for his ears only.
"I know. You're Heo Pung-gae."
His eyes widened.
"How?"
She skipped the explanation, pressing on.
"To me, you're way greater than you think. I rate you high. Saw you've got connections—killing you wouldn't reduce enemies by one; it'd spawn new ones.
So even though I could, I won't kill you. Won't touch that granddaughter of yours either. No worries."
Yi Baram was still thrilled by the flames. Heo Pung-gae murmured, watching her.
"You'd better not."
Rana nodded with a smile.
"Talked too long. Body heating up yet? The pill's packed with qi."
"I see."
"Go digest it! Expand your mana pool, become a proper lightning mage. Learn Chain Lightning quick, party up with me. Mages are OP—two per party is fine."
With that, Rana left the office and vanished.
Yi Pung considered reporting her to police or Martial Alliance but gave up. They wouldn't find her. She'd even changed her face earlier—real mage cred.
He sighed at Yi Baram, then bowed deeply to Heo Pung-gae.
"Sorry. When I get home, that girl..."
"Don't take it out on the kid. It's us adults who failed. Guard me while I digest the elixir."
Heo Pung-gae entered the small room. Oblivious Yi Baram asked,
"I came to learn martial arts. You gonna teach me?"
Yi Pung swallowed anger, soothing her.
"Friend's sick right now. Here's allowance—go get tteokbokki."
"Thanks, Dad!" ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Taoists ingest wondrous elixirs for cultivation. It began with the Golden Elixir school, evolving into inner alchemy, passed down to today.
To melt the elixir's qi into his body, Heo Pung-gae began breathing exercises.
Through repeated breaths, he absorbed the pure qi within.
Thus, his lowly form drew nearer to the primal qi of creation. Aligning closer with heavenly gods. For qi and spirit were one at root.
Fueled by absorbed primal qi, he nurtured his inner spirits.
Activating them was as before, but two months ago, he'd added growing the lightning within.
Heo Pung-gae gazed inward.
His pitch-black microcosm appeared.
At its center, a tiny lightning bolt struck. Mimicking nature via qi, yet akin to inner spirits. It was Heo Pung-gae's qi incarnate—and qi equaled spirit.
Growing that bolt was like nurturing his own divinity.
He focused on the lightning, channeling unabsorbed qi into it.
The bolt swelled...
My god—the infused qi was far more than expected.
The inner lightning grew larger, larger. And its projection into reality too.
Digesting the elixir fully, Heo Pung-gae emerged.
Yi Pung, guarding outside, asked worriedly.
"How is it? Any issues?"
"None."
"Whoa, real elixir? Any gains?"
Instead of words, Heo Pung-gae showed.
Imagining lightning at his fingertip, his inner bolt manifested.
Yi Pung stared, speechless at the current.
No mere spark now. A thick, long bolt crackled from his finger.
A startlingly swift breakthrough, unprecedented for him. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇