Chapter 10: A Fortuitous Encounter?!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 10: A Fortuitous Encounter?!
“I think I understand for now. So, how exactly has my body changed?”
“To put it simply, I have opened a new gateway for you to receive Qi. I shifted your soul slightly to carve out a Qi Absorption Gate.”
“What? You shifted my soul? What does that even mean?”
Seeing that Seo-un was completely lost, the old man took a moment to organize his thoughts before explaining further.
“Hmm... To put it in simple terms, humans are creatures that absorb the world’s Qi entirely through breathing. Whether you breathe through your nose or your pores, the principle remains the same. However, I have created a gate for you that allows you to absorb a special kind of energy through means other than respiration.”
“Oh! I see. Then how do I accumulate internal power through this Qi Absorption Gate?”
Instead of answering Seo-un’s question—which he had asked with eyes sparkling in anticipation—the old man turned his back. He cast his gaze into the distance and asked a seemingly unrelated question.
“Do you know what a human is composed of?”
“Pardon? Well... people say we’re made of a physical body, a mind, and a soul.”
“Close enough. Then do you know what holds those three together and binds them as one?”
“I’m not sure. Life force?”
“That’s not wrong. To be precise, it is vitality. A person’s vitality is the anchor that binds the precious soul and mind to the physical vessel.”
Hearing that, Seo-un began to feel a creeping sense of foreboding. “A-and?”
“Then, what happens to this vitality when a person dies before their time?”
“It disappears?”
“Wrong. A person’s vitality does not disappear; it scatters.”
“I see...” For some reason, Seo-un was becoming afraid to hear the rest of the old man’s explanation.
“In the world I come from, there were scoundrels. Men who thought it a waste for this precious vitality to simply scatter back into nature. They researched ways to absorb the vitality that dissipates when a person dies, and they eventually succeeded. Do you know what happened after that?”
“A bloodbath, I imagine.”
“Indeed. And as they grew stronger by slaughtering more people, the world turned into a carnage-filled hellscape because of those madmen intoxicated by power. So, what do you think I did?”
“You probably hunted them all down and killed them.”
“Wrong. I did not kill them. I researched and delved into the internal power they had accumulated. And then, I revealed their weaknesses to the world.”
“They have weaknesses?!” Seo-un raised his voice without realizing it.
“They have a fatal weakness. While human vitality is generally similar, it is nonetheless a foreign type of True Qi. Absorbing the vitality of countless people means forcing unstable energy into one’s body. Consequently, as that energy grows, the Yang energy decreases while the Yin energy strengthens, requiring them to constantly replenish their lacking Yang energy. Furthermore, because they must twist their Qi channels to create the Qi Absorption Gate, hidden acupoints are formed. If these spots are pierced, they lose all their martial arts or die instantly.”
“What?!”
Only then did the old man look back at Seo-un, who stood with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, and smiled.
“But do not worry. That was the case for those bastards; you are a bit different. In their case, they used a special grand technique to twist their Qi channels to create the gate, but I pushed your soul aside to create yours, so no hidden acupoints were formed. I also slightly altered the nature of your Qi channels so that the Yin energy accumulated when absorbing vitality would be dispersed and harmonized.”
“S-so, that means I don’t have a weakness?”
“Correct. However, this technique of the Heterodox Path is not an orthodox method, so it isn’t entirely beneficial. You cannot achieve great mastery particularly quickly without killing. And it will take time to adapt to your altered Qi channels. Even so, do you understand why I passed this method on to you?”
“It’s because of this environment, isn't it?”
The old man’s smile deepened as he nodded.
“I like that you’re quick-witted. You will continue to kill people to survive here. From what I have observed, I clearly felt vitality from those who died here just before they vanished. If you absorb that, you will be able to achieve greater mastery than you can now. Also, since you are a novice to martial arts, you won’t get confused while adapting to your altered Qi channels, so it shouldn't be too difficult.”
“Yes.”
For Seo-un, who had only recently become aware of his Qi channels through the information in his head and the Dantian created by the system, adapting to the slightly changed channels didn't require much time.
“Now then, since I have things to do as well, memorize this quickly. Just as a great river runs deep, a great vessel’s thoughts are profound and still; just as Mount Tai pierces the clouds, a great man’s will pierces the very heavens... Finally, pass through the Wind Gate, stop at the Hall of Recuperation, and accept it into your Dantian.”
Seo-un tried his best to remember the old man’s long-winded words, but he couldn't memorize those lengthy, abstract phrases all at once.
“How much have you memorized?”
“N-not a single word.”
“Tsk, tsk. I shall recite it again, so memorize it well.”
Feeling the old man’s favor toward him plummeting at his admission, Seo-un shouted urgently. “Wait a second! Let me find something to write this down on.”
“That is not allowed.”
“What? Why?”
“Though I pass on this martial art because our fates have crossed, it is strictly an oral tradition. I have no intention of recording my martial arts anywhere.”
He said he had no intention of recording it, but it seemed he was preparing for the possibility that someone from his world might kill Seo-un and steal his techniques.
Tsk. If I wrote it in Hangul, they wouldn't be able to read it anyway...
But Seo-un couldn't voice those thoughts.
“Whew.” Seo-un closed his eyes and steadied his breathing.
Then, the old man began to recite the verses of the mental method.
How many times did he listen? The verses, which initially sounded like gibberish, began to settle calmly in his mind. By the twelfth time, he had memorized every single word.
“Your comprehension isn't so bad after all. As you wished, I have passed on my martial art. There are no forms, but since my mental art was never meant to have fixed forms, use it as you see fit.”
“Thank you, Elder.”
The way he addressed the old man had shifted from 'Old Man' to 'Elder' before he knew it.
“Then, I shall be off. I hope to see you again.”
“Wait a moment!”
“Hmm? Is there something else you wish to say?”
“I have received such a great favor. Though I am not your formal disciple, shouldn't I at least know your name?”
“Ah. My name is Jang Do-cheon. In my world, everyone calls me Yugok Ipseon. And the mental art I have given you is the Baekmu Juyeongong.”
“I will never forget this favor, nor your name, Elder.”
“That is what makes one human.”
The old man spoke to the back of Seo-un’s head as he bowed deeply, causing a faint smile to play on the old man's lips. When Seo-un finished his greeting and looked up, the old man had vanished without a trace, just as he had first appeared.
“Hah. It feels like I was possessed by a ghost.”
After looking around for a moment, he shouted with a look of anticipation. “Status!”
Name: Jin Seo-un
Race: Human
Trait: Demonic Human (Mage)
Strength: 30
Stamina: 30
Agility: 36
Toughness: 5
Magic Resistance: 10
Trait Stat Internal Energy: 5
Trait Stat Mana: 30
He noticed that his trait had changed from Martial Artist to Demonic Human (Mage).
“Demonic Human? Well, my constitution has changed to one that absorbs vitality by killing people, so it’s not wrong.”
After thinking that, Seo-un did a quick status check and opened his map. “Hmm... where should I go...”
The problem was that he had come deep into a mountainous area near the center of the magnetic field. There were plenty of spots for quick farming nearby, but that wasn't the issue. It bothered him that there were several decent-sized villages not far away.
It’s better to head toward the outskirts, even if it takes a bit more time. People who know how to read the map will definitely try to gather in the center of the magnetic field.
Seo-un planned his route and closed the map. “I’ll have to walk all night tonight.”
But there was no other choice. If he encountered an enemy while farming around here, he would be at an overwhelming disadvantage right now, no matter how great a martial art he had learned.
After barely escaping the dark mountains by relying solely on the map, a wide-open plain faintly visible in the moonlight stretched out before him. It was the first flat land he had seen since coming to this world.
To him, who had only been quick farming in cabins within mountains where no one seemed to set foot, the otherworldly plain with its endless wheat fields felt like a fresh experience. As a path used by people peeked into view through the densely grown wheat, Seo-un took a look around the vast wheat field surrounding the mountain and began to walk.
Is it because it’s otherworldly wheat? Or is wheat normally this tall?
Passing through the wheat field, which seemed like it could easily hide someone if they intended to stay out of sight, Seo-un etched the field into his mind as a useful piece of cover for strategic use.
Chikorita is a must.
Hiding in the bushes to conceal oneself and ambush enemies was the basic of basics in survival games.
It was only after walking until sunrise that Seo-un finally reached his destination. As expected, it was a mountainous area shrouded in deep darkness. Observing a cabin about 20 meters ahead that was emitting a bright light, Seo-un narrowed his eyes and fell into thought.
Given that the lantern is still on, it’s ten to one an empty house... but there’s always the chance of a player overflowing with confidence.
And currently, if Seo-un met a player with that much confidence, it was ten out of ten death for him.
“Survivor List!”
[29/100]
It’s dropped this much already?
Now, every remaining player was likely to be a formidable opponent.
Besides, recovery scrolls exist in this game. It’s safer to assume no one is injured. Unless I’m really lucky, the probability of meeting an injured person is extremely low.
Thinking that made him even more reluctant to enter the cabin. What should I do...
After thinking for a while, Seo-un summoned a few Wind Balls above his hand and hurled them toward the cabin.
“Strike!”
Thud, thud, thud!
The Wind Balls shattered through the window with a noise and dissipated inside the cabin. He waited for a long time after that, but the cabin remained silent.
As I thought, it seems empty...
If someone were inside, they would likely show one of two reactions. Either they would turn off the lantern, or if they were a confident player, they would have rushed out immediately to find the enemy. If they neither turned off the lantern nor came outside, there was no reason for them to have the lantern on so boldly in the first place.
Nevertheless, thinking of the one-in-a-million chance, Seo-un drew his crossbow and shuriken and cautiously approached the cabin. After checking the interior through the window, he vaulted inside.
“As I thought...”
It was an empty house. Seo-un immediately put the recovery scroll that greeted him into his subspace and searched the surroundings a bit more. He thoroughly looked for any other items that might be there, but nothing else turned up.
“Whew.”
Only then did Seo-un turn off the lantern and slump onto the floor. “I’m exhausted...”
He had likely grown much stronger both physically and mentally compared to the beginning, but it had still been a long day. The hair-raising tension, the life-or-death battles, and the all-night march were more than enough to pile up his fatigue.
“But I still have to do what needs to be done.”
He wanted to lie down and fall asleep right away, but there was something he absolutely had to do: increasing his meager internal energy, even if only by a handful.
As he recited the mental formula and began his internal energy breathing, the internal Qi began to accumulate through his breath. After condensing Qi for a long while, the fatigue that had been weighing down his entire body seemed to lift slightly.
When the energy circulation ended, Seo-un opened his weary eyes. “Whew. Let’s try to get some shut-eye.”
He went to a corner, lay down, and pulled the Cloak of Stealth over himself. Sleep washed over him instantly.
After some time, he jolted awake as if having a seizure. He sat up abruptly, gripping a hidden weapon tightly in one hand as he scanned his surroundings.
“Haa... It was a dream. I’m going to end up with a nervous breakdown at this rate.”
He let out a deep sigh, stretched, and spoke. “Survivor List!”
[28/100]
.
.
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[Juyeopmun -> Kalitz (Killed with Sword Qi.)]
“Only one person dropped. Well, it’s only the fourth day of the game and only this many have survived... so maybe 'only' isn't the right word?”