Chapter 203

I read through the System message floating before my eyes.

It concerned the Quest reward I hadn’t had a chance to check because I’d fallen asleep like I’d been knocked unconscious.

System

• Quest One Step Back was completed successfully!

• You have acquired a large amount of EXP!

• Level Up!

• Level Up!

• You have acquired 20 Bonus Points!

That’s pretty damn generous.

I had leveled up twice and even received bonus points. In other words, completing a single Quest had roughly the effect of gaining four levels.

Maybe the reward was larger than expected because of who my opponent had been.

Close window.

Shhk.

The translucent holographic window disappeared, revealing Jeok Cheongang approaching me.

In his hand was the satchel he had prepared in advance.

“Are you awake?”

“Ah, yes. I just woke up.”

“How’s your body?”

“I feel refreshed.”

Jeok Cheongang looked me up and down, then nodded.

“I suppose being young means you recover your strength quickly. We can move on to the next step right away.”

“Ah, the next step. Sounds good.”

“I knew you’d say that. This old man prepared something that suits you perfectly. Let’s see…”

“Old Master.”

“Hm?”

“I mean, that’s all well and good, but…”

I gave Jeok Cheongang an awkward smile and continued.

“Could you release the acupoint sealing before we start?”

I meant it literally.

I didn’t know what had happened, but from the moment I first opened my eyes, my entire body had been stiff and rigid.

Jeok Cheongang had pressed my Paralysis Acupoint while I was asleep.

In my current condition, the only thing I could do was speak out loud.

“I’m sure you meant well, but I need to start the next training soon… Heh heh.”

“Ah, yes. Training.”

Jeok Cheongang rummaged through his satchel and added:

“This is the next training.”

“Being subjected to acupoint sealing is training?”

Or was releasing it the training?

Just as I was growing confused, Jeok Cheongang pulled something out of the satchel.

“Here it is. I forgot I’d shoved it all the way to the bottom.”

“…Isn’t that a rope?”

“That’s right.”

With the sturdy rope draped over his shoulder, Jeok Cheongang strode toward me and lifted me up.

“W-Wait. What are you doing?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

He carried me toward a massive boulder.

It had been embedded deep in the ground for who knew how long, and it was so large that several grown men couldn’t have wrapped their arms around it.

“Hmm. This should do.”

Jeok Cheongang muttered under his breath, then brought the edge of his hand down on the boulder.

Shhk. Shhk.

The red qi gathered around his hand sliced and split the massive boulder as easily as a cheesecake. After only a few cuts, the boulder had been transformed into a five-star stone bed.

“This is just right.”

“W-Wait a second. You’re not planning to tie me up here, are you?”

“Tie you up? I’m going to secure you.”

“…”

How was that any different from calling shit “feces”?

At any rate, I was beginning to tremble.

Actually, the Paralysis Acupoint alone had been suspicious enough. So had the satchel Jeok Cheongang had been rummaging through for a while.

He’s not really going to pull out a whip and a mask, is he?

While my pupils shook like an earthquake, Jeok Cheongang began securing my body to the boulder with the rope.

He wrapped it around various parts of my body and tied it tightly, then smiled in satisfaction.

“This should keep you from falling under ordinary circumstances.”

“Phew.”

“What was that sigh of relief?”

“I’m relieved it isn’t a tortoise-shell knot.”

“A tortoise-shell knot? What is that?”

“…A type of restraint technique.”

“A restraint technique? One used by the military?”

“…”

Mostly Japanese guys use it.

Well, whatever.

At present, I was tied up with my arms and legs spread wide.

Both wrists and ankles, my chest, stomach, and legs. It really did seem that the goal wasn’t restraint, but securing me in place.

Then again, he’s already pressed my Paralysis Acupoint. There’s no need to tie me up that tightly.

But what the hell was he planning to do?

Just as I was rolling my eyes around, Jeok Cheongang finally opened the satchel he had been carrying. And at the same time—

Whooosh!

“Gasp.”

An indescribable fragrance burst out.

A refreshing coolness spread through my entire body through my nose, so strong it felt like it could cure even someone with chronic rhinitis in a single treatment.

I opened my eyes wide and stared at the objects inside the satchel.

“What is this…?”

Three roots of grass lay neatly arranged inside.

Jeok Cheongang picked up the reddish roots and placed them on his palm.

“Elixirs.”

“Whoa. Where did you get something this valuable?”

“I searched the storehouse. It was packed to the brim with useless things, which made it a damn nuisance.”

Silk and gold and silver treasures piled up like mountains were nothing more than utterly useless objects in his eyes.

But Jeok Cheongang was a martial artist to his very bones. Elixirs or martial arts manuals that could improve his martial arts were another matter entirely.

“Well, these elixirs aren’t particularly effective, to be honest. If we’re talking about increasing internal energy, a hundred-year-old He Shou Wu or snow ginseng would be much better.”

“Then why…”

“You’re wondering why I went out of my way to bring these?”

“Yes.”

“Because these are the only things that can provide pure Scorching Yang Qi. You may increase the amount of your internal energy by eating anything just because it’s good, but your power will decrease.”

“Oh.”

I thought I understood what Jeok Cheongang meant.

To put it simply, it was a matter of fuel. No matter how much firewood you piled on, oil was what made a fire explode.

What he held in his hand wasn’t firewood. It was oil that would further strengthen the Scorching Yang Qi already present in my body.

Still, this is touching.

I had never expected Jeok Cheongang to go this far for me.

For a man as eccentric as him to endure the nuisance, personally select elixirs containing Scorching Yang Qi, and bring them to me meant he genuinely intended to have me learn the Fire Gate Clan’s martial arts.

And I’m not even officially his Disciple yet.

A man warm in both heart and internal energy.

That was the Fire King, Jeok Cheongang.

When he met my heated gaze, he flinched and took a step back.

“W-What’s with that look?”

“Nothing. You just seem like a really good person, Old Master.”

“…”

“You brought those for me to eat, didn’t you?”

Jeok Cheongang hesitated before answering.

“…I only brought them because they caught my eye.”

“I see.”

“The better ones, this old man kept for himself.”

“Yes. Heh heh.”

“Don’t laugh!”

Jeok Cheongang shouted and hurriedly changed the subject.

“Anyway, from now on, this old man will use these elixirs to open your acupoints.”

I had been considering teasing him a little more, but the words that came out of his mouth were anything but ordinary. My ears perked up before I even realized it.

“You’re going to open my acupoints?”

“You heard me. When this old man examined your body before, your muscles and bones were outstanding, just as one would expect from the Heavenly Martial Physique, but you had quite a lot of turbid qi.”

“Oh.”

“I heard you lived immersed in wine and women until recently. Even a fine sword grows dull if it’s left unattended for too long. No matter how extraordinary your constitution is, there’s no helping that.”

It was an undeniable fact.

The Jin Family’s Cultivation Technique was extremely stable, but its power and efficiency when circulating internal energy were lacking.

Although I circulated my qi whenever I had the chance, the traces of twenty years spent slacking off were still there.

“Then…”

“This old man will burn away all the turbid qi in your body with the elixirs and my internal energy. For you, it will be far more effective than cleansing the sinews and washing the marrow.”

“That’s welcome news.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

“What?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Before I had a chance to say anything else, his hand sealed my Mute Acupoint. My tongue stiffened, and a silent scream circled around inside my mouth.

What the hell is this?

I was now nothing more than a corpse with its eyes open.

Jeok Cheongang grinned as he looked down at me, frozen like a plaster statue.

“Let’s start by eating the elixirs.”

His wrinkled fingers pried open my jaw and slipped the three roots into my mouth.

The earthy smell that hadn’t been shaken off and the cool freshness filling my mouth lasted only a moment. The hard solids melted as soon as they touched my tongue and flowed down my esophagus into my stomach.

And then—

Ding.

System

• You have consumed Fire Spirit Grass!

• You have consumed Red Flower Grass!

• You have consumed Flame Red Grass!

• Quest Acupoint Opening has been created!

• You cannot refuse this Quest. Forced progression will begin!

Gah!

Along with the System notifications ringing one after another, tremendous heat swept through my body.

Only then did I understand what Jeok Cheongang had meant.

It fucking hurts!

Because my acupoints had been sealed, I couldn’t scream or thrash around. All I could do was open my eyes wide.

Just as I hurriedly tried to draw up my internal energy, Jeok Cheongang rolled up his worn sleeves.

“All right. Shall we begin in earnest?”

“…”

“Bear with it even if it hurts. Pain is temporary, but martial arts last forever.”

Tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap!

His blurred fingers began poking and tapping all over my body.

The impact scattered my internal energy, while the unfamiliar energy of the elixirs coursed through me. I let out a silent scream in the boiling heat.

AAAAAAAAARGH!

Unlike Jin Taekyung’s eyes, bloodshot from unbearable pain, Jeok Cheongang’s gleamed with heat.

It’s going smoothly. No, it’s explosive.

Was it because of the Heavenly Martial Physique?

The speed at which the internal energy spread was astonishing. The energy of more than thirty years contained within the elixirs ran wild through every minor meridian in his body.

Jin Taekyung tried to summon his internal energy and suppress the force, but that was not what Jeok Cheongang wanted.

He can tame it later. For now, I have to let it run wild.

A tamed fighting bull sometimes forgot how to charge.

The newly infused energy of thirty years had to break through everything in its path without restriction.

It was a dangerous attempt—dangerous enough to cause qi deviation if anything went wrong. Even Jeok Cheongang, a Supreme Peak master, swallowed dryly as he continued moving his fingers.

Gyeonjeong, Amun, Bongan, Ip-dong…

Tap. Tap-tap!

Following his guidance, hundreds of acupoints opened and closed over and over. Before long, black sweat poured from Jin Taekyung’s entire body, accompanied by a musty odor.

The stench was so foul that even someone with an iron stomach would have gagged, but the corners of Jeok Cheongang’s mouth twitched with delight.

It worked!

This phenomenon was proof that a massive amount of turbid qi was being expelled.

As though to confirm his guess, the sweat gradually grew lighter in color, and the foul odor slowly began to fade.

Before long, the sweat became clear, and a pleasant body scent wafted through the air. Astonishment filled Jeok Cheongang’s eyes.

Already?

It was fast. Far too fast.

The process he had expected to last at least three shichen¹ was nearing its end in less than one.

Even more astonishing was that the elixirs’ energy had barely diminished.

Normally, a considerable amount of energy was lost while removing turbid qi and circulating what remained. Jin Taekyung was different.

As expected of the Heavenly Martial Physique… It truly lives up to its name.

At this rate, he could remove all the turbid qi and still gain the full thirty years of internal energy.

But instead of satisfaction, greed and conflict appeared in Jeok Cheongang’s eyes.

What if we go further?

The Conception Vessel and the Governor Vessel. He could cross the mountain known collectively as the Conception and Governor Vessels.

It was a realm most martial artists of the Murim could not reach even after devoting their entire lives to training.

It required an enormous amount of internal energy and enlightenment, but perhaps it was possible now.

The Heavenly Martial Physique. And my help.

Even so, opening the Conception and Governor Vessels right away was dangerous.

Leaving everything else aside, Jeok Cheongang was worried about whether Jin Taekyung could endure the pain.

What should I do?

After agonizing over it again and again, Jeok Cheongang finally spoke.

“I think you can open the Conception and Governor Vessels.”

“…”

Jin Taekyung’s bloodshot eyes trembled as he endured the pain. Jeok Cheongang continued speaking to him when he gave no answer.

“But you’ll have to accept an equal amount of risk. You’ll probably experience pain beyond anything you’ve felt so far. One mistake could result in your death.”

“…”

“You choose. If you trust this old man enough to leave it to me, blink twice.”

The next moment, Jin Taekyung blinked without hesitation.

Twice, with not the slightest trace of doubt.

Feeling the solid trust in his eyes, Jeok Cheongang felt a warmth spread through one corner of his chest.

Had this brat really trusted me this much?

Suppressing the swell of emotion, he forced up the corners of his mouth.

“All right. Let’s give it a try.”

At the same time, the immense internal energy flowing from his fingertips poured into Jin Taekyung’s body.

Ding.

System

• Information about Quest Acupoint Opening has changed!

• Quest Conception and Governor Vessels has been created! Due to the updated information, the difficulty and rewards have been adjusted!

Listening to the System notification, I thought:

No, fuck…

I was sure I’d only blinked once.