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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: 35화
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The internal energy flowed through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, encompassing the Ren Meridian and Du Meridian in a Minor Heavenly Cycle, then continued along the Twelve Primary Meridians, spreading throughout every part of the body.
Unlike Namgung Mucheon's unrestrained energy, Cheongun's pure energy flowed meticulously into every corner of Seolhwa's body, taking a very long time.
It was Cheongun's considerate effort to help Seolhwa understand the circulation of internal energy more deeply.
‘Still not enough.’
As Cheongun's guidance was almost complete, Seolhwa began to circulate the energy herself.
She had already mastered the incantations of the Changgungdaeyeonsingong, as it was the first martial art of Namgung that she had learned in her previous life.
The important thing was to open the floodgates.
‘Since I learned it just by seeing it once, I can run wild now.’
Whoooosh…
“…!”
Namgung Cheongun, who had been guiding the energy, widened his eyes in surprise.
He was about to gather the energy as the guidance neared its end, but Seolhwa's energy twitched, then suddenly began to surge as if exploding.
‘No…!’
If one circulates internal energy without properly knowing the cultivation method's incantations and circulation path, they are highly likely to suffer from Juhwaimma.
“Seolhwa, don’t…!”
Wham—
His face, which had been hastily trying to stop Seolhwa, instantly turned pale with shock.
“…!”
Her energy began to move fiercely and rapidly like an enraged bull.
Yet.
‘This… isn't this the path I guided her through…!’
Seolhwa's energy was moving precisely along the path he had shown her.
There was not a moment of hesitation in circulating the internal energy, as if she already knew this path.
‘Ugh…!’
Feeling his own gathered energy being sucked into Seolhwa's, Cheongun hastily removed his hands from her body.
However, Seolhwa's energy did not stop.
It grew fiercer, faster.
Her energy raged uncontrollably.
* * *
Whoooooosh….
As the energy gradually subsided, Seolhwa opened her eyes.
Perhaps it was because she had circulated her energy after a long time, but her body felt light and refreshed.
‘As expected, it’s the Namgung cultivation method.’
Even in her previous life, she knew that Namgung's cultivation methods were excellent.
They were martial arts that had produced a Geomhwang.
Not only were they top-tier martial arts capable of making one the strongest in the world if the fundamentals were solid, but they were also supreme martial arts that allowed one to grow infinitely stronger as long as one continued to train.
While the growth rate might be somewhat slow, Namgung's martial arts were built on strong fundamentals and offered limitless potential.
‘In my previous life, if I hadn’t been planning to bring down Namgung, I would have wanted to learn their martial arts.’
The reason she understood it in her mind but couldn't actually practice it was due to her blood qi.
She had already mastered blood qi, which was contrary to Namgung's pure martial arts, and since she had learned blood arts, there was a risk of internal energy collision.
However, the more she researched Namgung's martial arts, the more Seolhwa couldn't help but acknowledge their superiority.
‘I’m finally learning absolute martial arts.’
She had wondered if understanding it intellectually would be effective when actually practicing it. It was a relief that it worked.
“It’s over.”
Seolhwa turned her head to look at Namgung Cheongun, who was sitting in a chair.
He was trying to maintain a calm expression, but his surprise was evident.
“Did you already know Namgung’s cultivation method?”
“Father, you taught me.”
“You copied exactly what I showed you just once?”
Seolhwa nodded.
She knew all of Namgung's martial arts, but she couldn’t tell him the truth.
However, she also had no intention of pretending not to know them or acting clumsy.
‘If I have to act, it’s better to be a genius.’
Indeed, as long as she possessed memories from her previous life, she was bound to be superior to her peers.
“Do you know how many stages you’ve raised the cultivation method to, a method I showed you just once?”
“Third stage.”
Martial arts have achievement stages, from the first to the twelfth.
Achieving the tenth stage means one has perfectly mastered the martial art, reaching the "Extreme Mastery." Achieving the twelfth stage, making the martial art truly one's own, is called "Grand Completion."
“An ordinary person takes at least one to two years to reach the third stage. Even then, they’re called a genius.”
“Is that so?”
“You accomplished that in just two *sijin*.”
“I see.”
“Hoh….”
Namgung Cheongun’s expression became utterly bewildered.
To have such a calm reaction even when told she had accomplished the impossible.
The child showed no change in expression, even for something that should have made her jump with joy.
‘This, too, must be because her emotions are dulled.’
Along with surprise, there was a hint of bitterness.
But what parent would dislike their child being a genius—no, a prodigy beyond genius?
“To think you possessed such exceptional martial talent. Honestly, I want to rush out right now and spread the news across the entire world.”
“Please refrain.”
“I intend to. I figured you wouldn’t like it.”
Namgung Cheongun smiled gently, looking back at Seolhwa.
His flushed face and voice revealed how surprised and moved he was.
Watching Namgung Cheongun rejoice in her talent, even though it was thanks to her memories from her previous life and not actual genius, made her chest flutter again.
A soft smile also curved Seolhwa’s lips.
* * *
The gentle glow of the sunset slowly vanished beyond the mountain ridge, and darkness began to descend in the early evening.
Namgung Mucheon, along with Black Dragon Commander Namgung Hyeok, looked down at the streets of Hwaeumhyeon from its highest pavilion.
“Ah, here it comes.”
At the end of their gaze.
A spectacularly ornate carriage was speeding across the street towards the city gate.
People moved to the sides of the road as the carriage passed, curiously watching it and its escort.
“Isn’t that a Namgung carriage?”
“They say the young lady they found recently is riding in it?”
“Then the person in that carriage must be the Namgung young lady they found after eight years.”
Beyond the drawn curtains, the outline of a young girl was visible. Though her face couldn’t be seen, the outline clearly belonged to a child.
“Look there! It’s the Namgung First Young Master!”
“Hahaha, it seems the rumor that the Namgung young lady has returned is true!”
Recently, the rumor that Namgung had found its lost child was creating a stir throughout Jungwon.
As the subject of the rumor appeared, the streets grew even more abuzz.
Namgung Cheongun’s presence at the front, leading the carriage, confirmed the truth.
Soon, the carriage passed through the gates of Hefei and sped towards the sparsely populated outskirts of the city.
* * *
Meanwhile, at that moment, inside the Namgung Sega's inner hall, Unhyugak.
In Seolhwa’s chambers, three people sat around a round table, leisurely enjoying refreshments.
The one sipping tea was Medicine Hall Master Choryeon. The one staring intently at Seolhwa with a sullen expression was Bipungdaeju Seop Mugwang.
And the child munching on Tanghuru with a crunch was Seolhwa.
“Will they really come out if we disguise you? Won’t the Family Head and your father be wasting their time?”
Seolhwa blinked her wide eyes, munching.
Seop Mugwang let out a snicker.
“Even with that innocent look, it won’t work on me, you rascal.”
His eyes narrowed.
He gulped down the teacup in front of him and began to question her more seriously.
“Tell me honestly. You two have a secret signal, don’t you? That’s why you’re so sure? That if you go outside the city, they’ll appear?”
Seolhwa swallowed her Tanghuru and shook her head.
“No. I’m just guessing.”
“Just a guess? After getting the Family Head to move?”
“Yes.”
Seolhwa crunched on another Tanghuru.
Sweet juice instantly filled her mouth.
“Hoh….”
Seop Mugwang stroked his chin, his eyebrows raised.
His reaction showed how bewildered he was by her nonchalant demeanor after getting the Namgung Family Head, the Geomhwang himself, to move with just a few words.
The Family Head moving at a child’s word was amazing, but…
“Alright. You, to the Family Head…”
It was then.
“…!”
His vision spun.
Seop Mugwang, who had involuntarily staggered to his feet, hastily pressed an acupoint to stop the poison from spreading.
However, he realized it was already too late.
An overwhelming wave of drowsiness instantly enveloped him.
“Ugh….”
Seop Mugwang stumbled and leaned on the table.
His spinning vision caught sight of the empty teacup he had just finished.
‘The tea…!’
Someone had poisoned the tea.
Who could it be?
Across from him, Medicine Hall Master Choryeon lay sprawled on the table, seemingly having drunk the same poison.
But only one person.
Seolhwa sat calmly, her face impassive.
Seolhwa neatly placed the finished Tanghuru stick on the table.
“You, you little brat…!”
“I’m sorry.”
Seop Mugwang’s eyes widened.
In his gaze, shock, betrayal, and a desperate will to resist were evident.
He didn't know what Seolhwa intended to do, but he instinctively showed his emotions because he knew it was dangerous.
Seop Mugwang opened his mouth to say something to Seolhwa. But he ultimately couldn’t finish his words and collapsed onto the table.
Seolhwa nudged the tilted chair, making it support his body so he wouldn't fall to the floor.
Then she approached him to confirm if Seop Mugwang had truly lost consciousness.
It was just as Seolhwa was about to check his pulse.
“Oh my, don’t you trust me?”
A sweet, lilting voice drifted into her ears.
Turning her gaze, she saw Medicine Hall Master Choryeon sitting perfectly fine, propping her chin on her hand.
“My medicine is quite reliable, you know?”
She smiled, her eyes curving, at Seolhwa.
