Chapter 40
40
When I pestered him, Dang-un smiled and asked,
"Is it fun?"
"Yes!"
"Shall we tell you the rest of the story if So-hye finishes reading the Book of Changes she was reading today?"
"……."
See? He's a born teacher. Hehehe.
"What about the other four?"
"We should tell the story of the other four masters after So-hye masters Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica."
"……."
"Shall we continue with the lesson?"
I quietly picked up the Book of Changes. As expected, this teacher was no ordinary person.
* * *
The next day, Dang Jung, who came early in the morning, suddenly handed me a large bowl.
"Here, drink it all up."
The bowl Dang Jung handed me contained an unidentifiable black liquid.
The pungent fishy smell instantly woke me up. I wrinkled my nose and asked,
"What is this?"
"I boiled some crucian carp."
Is it really crucian carp? It's not Poison, is it?
As I stared at the medicinal soup with suspicious eyes, Deokju whispered,
"It's Dark Blood Fire Energy. The Elder put in a lot of effort to catch a rare spirit creature."
"Don't say unnecessary things."
Dang Jung scolded Deokju with a grumpy face. Even so, he seemed to be inwardly anticipating my reaction.
I clapped my hands and made a fuss.
"You caught a spirit creature for me to eat? Grandfather, I'm so touched."
"Ahem. What's so touching about it? Just eat it quickly."
"Thank you for the meal!"
As if I had never doubted it, I gulped down the Dark Blood Fire Energy soup, and the corners of Dang Jung's lips slowly curled up.
The smell was terrible, but I could endure this much if it was good for my body.
However, as soon as the soup entered my stomach, a hot Qi began to boil from my lower abdomen.
Startled, I looked at Dang Jung, who tapped the floor.
"If you've finished eating, sit here. I'll guide your Qi."
"Yes."
I sat obediently on the floor, and Dang Jung placed his hand on my back. Then, the Qi that had been heating up around my navel rose sharply towards my chest.
"Wh-what is it?"
"Don't talk. It'll harm your body."
He sealed my mouth and infused a thin stream of True energy into my body.
At that moment, the Qi of the Dark Blood Fire Energy began to move along with Dang Jung's True energy. No, the word 'move' was not enough.
The hot Spiritual energy rushed towards the dark blue True energy like a ferocious beast chasing a delicious prey.
My vision turned white as the Qi rampaged through my body.
It was completely different from when Dang Jung had explored my body before. It felt as if a large fireball was burning through my blood vessels.
"Focus and breathe."
Dang Jung's sharp voice pierced my ears. I tried to breathe deeply, opening my mouth wide. My muscles trembled, and cold sweat broke out.
Dang Jung's True energy adjusted its speed, almost touching the Spiritual energy of the Dark Blood Fire Energy, and scanned my Fine meridians.
When the dark blue True energy cleared the path, the hot Spiritual energy closely followed behind.
From the lower abdomen to the back, from the back to the head, from the head back to the chest, from the chest to the lower abdomen.
Each time the two Qi circulated through the meridians, I felt the passages, which were narrower than pinholes, widen little by little.
Just when I felt that the Spiritual energy, which had been as hot as a blazing flame, had cooled down to a lukewarm temperature, Dang Jung slowly withdrew his True energy.
I gasped for breath. I had only been sitting still, but my whole body was drenched in sweat.
"Don't forget this feeling. You must be able to circulate Qi like this on your own."
"Did I just circulate Qi?"
"Yes. You need to absorb Spiritual energy, so I moved it for you. Do you have a sense of how to do it?"
"No. Not at all."
"……Couldn't you at least pretend to think about it before answering?"
Oops. Was I too blunt?
I turned my head and smiled sheepishly, and Dang Jung chuckled and poked my body.
"The points that go up from the perineum to the crown of the head are the Governing Vessel. The points that go down from the crown of the head back to the Dantian are the Conception Vessel. When the Governing Vessel and the Conception Vessel complete one cycle, it becomes the Small Heavenly Circuit."
"Ah-ha."
I still don't understand.
Dang Jung sighed deeply at my answer, which clearly showed that I didn't understand at all.
"Never mind. I'll explain it again later. Anyway, just know that such a thing exists."
"Yes."
"Now, let's go climb the cliff."
"……Yes."
* * *
Dang Jung's tonic feeding continued.
Even seven days later.
"Would you like to try some grilled clams?"
"He spent the entire morning extracting the flesh from the Thousand-Year Violet Jade. It's the leftovers from making the Elixir Pill, but it should still have strong Yin energy, so you should eat it slowly."
Even seven days after that.
"Here, eat this too. It's been thoroughly steamed, so it's better to eat the roots as well."
"It's Thousand-Year Fleeceflower Root. The Elder was worried that it might be bitter for Young Miss, so he steamed it with licorice."
Dang Jung brought something new every time and fed it to me.
It was too late for me to receive a bone and marrow cleansing, so he was trying to achieve a similar effect with Spiritual medicine, but he said he was reducing the potency to the extent that I could accept it.
If I were to take a powerful Spiritual medicine all at once, I could suffer from Qi Deviation.
"Forcing it will only cause problems. I'll give you the Elixir Pill I made when your Dantian is established and you can circulate Qi on your own."
Since I didn't know anything, I assumed Dang Jung was right.
Unlike my carefree self, Deokju looked surprised.
"Poison King Elder really cherishes Young Miss."
"Huh?"
"No one consumes Spiritual medicine in this way. To have an absolute master guide your Qi and absorb Spiritual energy, even the most promising disciples of Shaolin wouldn't enjoy such luxury."
"Really? Is it to the point of being called a luxury?"
"In the first place, helping others circulate Qi is not an easy task. It consumes a great deal of mental energy, and if you make even a small mistake, both of you can easily suffer from Qi Deviation. It's something that even masters and disciples avoid."
"Really? It was that dangerous?"
I've seen masters do it all the time in novels? Was it because they were the main characters?
In any case, Dang Jung's arrangements were very effective.
My body reacted immediately to the byproducts of the Spiritual medicine that Dang Jung fed me.
My stamina improved day by day, and I began to feel Internal energy within my body, however faintly.
My body, which could only climb halfway up the cliff, was able to crawl to the top of the cliff after a month...
"Uwaaaaa!"
Climb, my foot!
Just as I was relieved that I was almost there, a strong wind blew, and my balance was disrupted.
I screamed and dug my fingers into the cliff, but the rock I grabbed crumbled into powder and couldn't support my weight.
"Young Miss!"
Startled, Deokju reached out to me, but his fingertips couldn't reach me.
I fell straight down the cliff.
"Aaaaaa!"
Each time I flailed my arms and legs, the sharp wind lashed at my face.
This is crazy! I've never even done a bungee jump, what is this!
I couldn't bear to see the ground rapidly approaching, so I squeezed my eyes shut, and at that moment, a strong hand snatched my waist.
"A Martial Artist must never close their eyes in any situation. Would you close your eyes even if your opponent swung a sword at you? Keep watching until the end. All you do is be scared."
Dang Jung, who scolded me, put me down at the bottom of the cliff.
My legs were weak, and it was difficult to stand on my own two feet. I plopped down and glared at Dang Jung, panting.
Then should I not close my eyes and watch my head smash?
He was unfazed by my resentful gaze.
"If you've regained your senses, let's go up again."
"Huh?"
"We need to finish quickly so we can go in before dinner."
No, I almost died just now.
I was momentarily stunned by Dang Jung's reaction, who told me to go up again as if nothing had happened.
I could endure the extent of scraped hands and feet and muscle cramps.
Because to learn Martial Arts Technique, building the body first is the priority. Because I know it's a necessary process.
But what I just experienced was different in nature, wasn't it?
My body, which felt a threat to its life, still didn't move as I wanted it to.
My pupils were dilated, my vision was blurred, and my heart was pounding like a fish washed ashore.
I almost went to the afterlife, but he's telling me to go up quickly because there's no time? I was speechless with absurdity.
The absurdity turned into sadness, and the sadness turned into anger.
Overwhelmed, I screamed.
"Grandfather!"
"What's wrong?"
"The training is too hard!"
"I thought it was something. Training is originally hard. Just do it."
Dang Jung replied as if he was saying something obvious. I was furious at his absurd answer.
"Aren't you being too much? I almost fell to my death just now, how can you tell me to climb up again!"
When I raised my voice, unable to contain my anger, Dang Jung and Deokju both widened their eyes. They looked surprised.
Tears welled up in my eyes in an instant. I bit my lip tightly and rubbed my eyes. The flustered Dang Jung lowered himself and met my gaze.
"Aga, Aga?"
"……Sniff."
I was just as flustered.
What. Why does my voice sound like this.
I only wanted to express my sorrow, but my voice was naturally choked up.
Dang Jung chuckled, his cheeks twitching as if he found my sobbing appearance funny, and soothed me.
"Yes. Yes. This old man made you sad and angry. Grandfather was wrong. Good girl, stop crying."
"It's not that I'm angry……. I really, sniff, almost died……. Ugh!"
I wanted to refute with logical reasoning, but only tearful mumbling came out of my mouth.
Unable to bear it any longer, Dang Jung burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Yes. I know. I know. If the training is too much, tell me. I thought you could handle it because you were following along so well. Sniffle. Sniffle."
I did tell you, but you treated it like I was exaggerating every time!
I looked up at Dang Jung with narrowed eyes. Dang Jung's face, which was covering my nose with his sleeve, was full of laughter.
"Here, sniffle quickly."
……This old man seems to be enjoying my crying. My tears disappear at his spitefulness.
Dang Jung, who wiped my messy face, carefully hugged me and sat me on his lap. He patted my trembling body and said softly.
"I was going to start teaching you the Mental Cultivation Technique anyway. It's about time to create your Dantian."
"Really?"
"Of course, it's true. You little rascal. Your tears disappeared at the mention of Mental Cultivation Technique?"
I'd do anything as long as I didn't have to climb the cliff.
Dang Jung, who lightly pinched my cheek, took out a clean cloth and a small bottle from his sleeve.
"What is that?"
"It's Mulberry Ash Water. Lye made from mulberry ash."
"Ouch, it stings. It stings!"
"Bear with it. I have to disinfect it, don't I?"
Unlike his firm voice, he carefully wiped my chapped and scraped hands.
It'll be healed anyway if I use Thrusting Palace Acupressure.
I felt embarrassed that I seemed to have been exaggerating, but Dang Jung only stroked my head silently.
"This old man was impatient. Even rice needs to be steamed before eating, but I was so eager that I made you chew on raw rice."
His tone was tinged with subtle self-reproach. It seemed that Dang Jung also thought the training was excessive…….
"But in times of war, even raw rice is a blessing. It's better to chew on it than to starve to death."
Never mind.
"If you're done crying, you should do what you have to do now. Now, get up."
"Yes."
I wiped my nose and got up from Dang Jung's lap.
