Chapter 36

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Translated by Seoulbound

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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It was slightly awkward.

“…”

“…”

When our eyes met, the child avoided my gaze.

When I turned my eyes away like that, the child would cast a stealthy glance at me again.

Ultimately, this battle of wits between the child and me was a repetition of this until we arrived at the Prince Slope.

“I greet Senior Brother Myeong-cheol.”

Senior Brother Myeong-cheol, who taught the formal disciples at Wudang Mountain’s Prince Slope, was the person who first recognized my change and acknowledged me along with Master. Senior Brother Myeong-cheol smiled gently at the child clinging to my thigh and spoke.

“Is it a child who lost its parents?”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Since most of the children at the Prince Slope who were called by their Taoist names without their real names were in a similar situation to the child clinging to my thigh, this situation was not unfamiliar to Senior Brother Myeong-cheol.

I explained the child’s general situation to Senior Brother Myeong-cheol, and after listening to my words, Senior Brother placed his hand on the child’s head. At first, the child tried to hide behind my thigh, but perhaps liking the touch of Senior Brother Myeong-cheol’s pot-lid-like hand stroking its head, it quietly closed its eyes.

“…What a good child. Unlike you.”

“Pardon? I was good too.”

“You?”

At the memories that suddenly flashed through my mind, I shut my mouth.

It was clear who would lose if I argued with the senior brother, who had a good memory.

Senior Brother Myeong-cheol, who had been stroking the child’s head for a moment, made eye contact with the child and asked a few questions: things about its name, where it lived, and so on. However, as expected, the child hid behind my thigh again.

Above all, the child’s hand tightly clutched my fingers and the fabric near my thigh, refusing to let go. At that sight, Senior Brother smiled strangely and spoke to me.

“Hehehe. You will also understand the heart of Uncle-Master Gangwon now.”

“Mmh…”

I also knew.

That the one this child followed and relied on the most right now was me. The problem was.

“Still, I am only fifteen… Can I really take responsibility for this child?”

Because I had been the troublemaker of the sect until not long ago, I lacked confidence.

At my words, Senior Brother Myeong-cheol spoke with a smile.

“There is indeed no precedent for a fifteen-year-old revising the Tai Chi Chuan created by Founder Sanfeng and creating an internal moving cultivation.”

At those words, I felt as if confidence that I didn’t have before was suddenly surging.

Not missing that look, Senior Brother spoke to me.

“You can do well, so do not worry too much.”

“…”

“Above all, for the time being, that child will stay at the Prince Slope and I will look after it. There won’t be much for you to do.”

It was a measure taken in consideration of my situation, where I had to enter the True Martial Pavilion and continuously receive missions.

At Senior Brother’s words, I cupped my fists once again.

“Thank you, Senior Brother.”

By the way, we must decide on a Taoist name. Since the child doesn’t know its name.

Then, Senior Brother looked at me.

It meant he wanted me to decide on the child’s Taoist name.

I pondered for a moment before answering.

“I think Hwan-yang would be good.”

At my words, Senior Brother spoke with a puzzled look on his face.

“Hmm. It feels like a Taoist name with too strong of a Yang energy. A Taoist name biased to one side is not good.”

In Taoism, creating a Taoist name was done in accordance with the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements.

I was not unaware of that, but looking at the child clutching my thigh and avoiding my eyes, I spoke.

“Just… because I hope this little guy becomes a bit brighter.”

**

Having entrusted Hwan-yang to Senior Brother Myeong-cheol, I immediately went to find my martial nephews.

Gye-yang, Seon-yang, Bo-yang, and Je Un-seong each had something to say as soon as they saw me.

“Hey!”

“How can you not visit even once!”

“Traitor.”

“I greet Uncle-Master.”

At the martial nephews’ reactions, which were mixed with disappointment half-jokingly and half-seriously, I spoke.

“So, you don’t want to hear stories of the Jianghu?”

At my words, the rascals immediately changed their expressions.

I shared information about the missions I had recently performed and the trends in the Jianghu obtained in the process with my martial nephews. And.

I spoke first about the movements of the Ghost Immortal Valley scholar-sorcerers and monsters in Yunxi County. It was to ask them to look after Hwan-yang.

“…The shock is so great that the child has practically forgotten how to speak. I hope you guys will take good care of it from now on.”

Just as I thought, the martial nephews immediately nodded their heads.

“A cute junior brother is always welcome, Uncle-Master.”

“Do not worry too much. By the time you return from your next mission, Uncle-Master, the child will be so happy it might even make you feel left out.”

Since Seon-yang, Gye-yang, and Bo-yang had entered the Wudang Sect after losing their families to unorthodox evil sects like the Ghost Immortal Valley, they understood Hwan-yang’s situation better than anyone.

However, the martial nephews’ expressions could not remain bright.

It was because of the movements of the Ghost Immortal Valley.

“By the way, for the factions of the Six Great Evils to commit atrocities even within our Wudang Sect’s territory… it means the movements of the Six Great Evils are no ordinary matter.”

Je Un-seong added to Seon-yang’s concern.

As Je Un-seong was the son of the largest escort agency owner in Hubei, he was well-informed about news inside and outside Hubei.

“I heard that recently, pirates flying the Black Flood Dragon flag of the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest’s Great Sage Who Overturns Seas have been rampant in the Yangtze River area. Rumors also say that among the escort ships that encountered the Great Sage Who Overturns Seas on the Yangtze River, entire ships were ground to pieces by the overturned waters of the Yangtze River. Moreover, though this is not widely known yet… I also heard that an elder of the Mount Heng Sect was murdered by an assassin of the River of Three Crossings, one of the Six Great Evils.”

Following the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest, the atrocities of the River of Three Crossings assassins were at a shocking level.

“The Mount Heng Sect?!”

Je Un-seong nodded to the startled Gye-yang.

It was no wonder he was surprised.

The Mount Heng Sect was one of the Nine Sects and One Association, just like our Wudang Sect.

Along with the Zhenzhou Yan Clan, one of the Seven Great Families, it was one of the two major pillars supporting the Hunan martial world.

In other words, it meant that a figure like Master or Martial Aunt Hye-won had been murdered by an assassin.

“Although the Mount Heng Sect is blocking the rumors as much as possible, seeing that there are even rumors about the head of the murdered Mount Heng elder being publicly displayed in the marketplace, it is a story that will spread widely before long.”

At Je Un-seong’s words, I stood up.

“Where are you going?”

“I must train.”

At the talk of the leaders of the evil sects running rampant, I could not keep sitting on my rear.

**

On my way back to the training ground of the True Martial Pavilion’s Greedy Wolf Unit, I continuously accumulated energy through the dynamic cultivation of the Primal Chaos Tai Chi Art.

-Seeing that there are even rumors about the head of the Mount Heng elder being publicly displayed in the marketplace…

Master, who had gone out on a mission, had still not returned.

In such a situation, the news that an elder of the Nine Sects had lost his life was enough to fuel the anxiety in my heart.

However, training with an impatient mind would only hinder the results of training.

I steeled my mind as I climbed the one thousand stone steps heading toward the South Rock Palace’s South Heaven Gate.

‘Master is the Lord of the Sea Fog Pavilion. He is different from an ordinary Mount Heng Sect elder.’

By the time I climbed all the stone steps and passed through the South Heaven Gate, the main gate of the South Rock Palace, I was able to completely extinguish the spark of anxiety that had bloomed in my heart.

Reaching the training ground of the Greedy Wolf Unit, I reviewed the events of Yunxi County while practicing the dynamic cultivation of the Primal Chaos Tai Chi Art.

The first things that came to mind were the Twenty-Four Stances Plum Blossom Sword Art and the footwork force of the Dark Fragrance Flutter displayed by the Mount Hua Sect’s Plum Blossom Swordsman.

The Twenty-Four Stances Plum Blossom Sword Art, which followed the Fibonacci sequence and maintained a wide sword sphere, had clear advantages.

‘By efficiently occupying territory through variations that increase according to the Fibonacci sequence, it cuts off the pulse of the opponent’s forms.’

For Wudang Sect’s martial arts, where continuously connected forms and the resulting flow of internal energy were important, it was, in a way, an incompatible martial art. But at the same time, thinking about it differently?

‘If I apply those advantages to Wudang Sect’s martial arts, it could develop into a cultivation that cuts off the pulse of the opponent’s martial arts on top of the continuously connected forms.’

Since it was said that our Wudang Sect’s Nine Palaces Shadow Sword was influenced by the Mount Hua Plum Blossom Sword. Perhaps a martial art of the form I thought of already existed. However.

‘I will do it my way.’

I slowly applied the shape of a golden spiral, to which the Fibonacci sequence was applied, to the Force Release formulas of the Four Symbols Wind and Thunder Palm. Streaks of internal energy starting from two areas of left and right length 1 expanded into an area of length 2, and then began to rotate in a spiral shape into areas of length 3 and length 5, so.

‘It is efficient.’

I could feel that the Force Release of the Four Symbols Wind and Thunder Palm, which consumed a lot of internal energy, was changing to become more stable.

‘Good.’

However, I was not completely satisfied here.

It was because the subsequent experience had opened up possibilities in the upper dantian.

That possibility was the cultivation of the upper dantian shown by the Secret Arts Pavilion senior brothers and the Ghost Immortal Valley idiots.

‘If I apply techniques to martial arts, I can utilize internal strength a bit more efficiently.’

In the Wudang Sect’s martial lineage, the power to move natural qi was the internal energy accumulated in the lower dantian. However, the upper dantian cultivation of the Secret Arts Pavilion senior brothers showed me a completely different possibility.

The utilization of natural qi through telekinetic force originating from the spirit of the upper dantian.

That brought a change to my thinking, which had only moved natural qi through internal energy.

‘Even in the dream, the sources for generating electricity were diverse.’

Thermal power generation through coal dug from the ground or black oil, hydroelectric power generation utilizing the rise and fall of waves, wind power generation using mountain gusts, and so on.

My conclusion was that the force moving the natural qi filling the heavens and earth would be no different.

Since there was an actual case, the thought led to conviction.

‘If the telekinetic force of the upper dantian can also act as a force…’

It would also be possible to cultivate and utilize it like internal strength.

Although I could not know for sure, I could intuit that the realm of the spirit of the upper dantian would intervene in the realm of true high-level martial arts.

Because it was said that aligning the upper, middle, and lower dantians—essence, qi, and spirit —was the realm of Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit, and only those who achieved the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit could step into the high-level realm.

‘There is a limit to the amount of energy accumulation that can be stored in the body.’

Because physically, the volume of our body is limited.

No matter how much one increased the density of internal energy and caused a phase transition of true qi, in the end, one could not accumulate internal energy beyond the volume of our body.

Yet, they said the Chaotic Heaven Green Forest’s Great Sage Who Overturns Seas overturned the waters of the Yangtze River and smashed a large escort ship. Having risen to the Elixir Condensation Stage, I knew what areas were possible and what areas were impossible through the internal energy stored in the body.

However, overturning the waters of the Yangtze River to destroy a ship loaded with escort goods was a force beyond calculation with the internal energy accumulated in a human body, so.

‘It is certain. The realm of the spirit of the upper dantian intervened.’

Following the conviction obtained through the process of thinking was training.

Which was the closest among them?

It was the way the Secret Arts Pavilion senior brothers operated the Tai Chi Diagram Exposition.

The situation was that I had already verified the formula for activating telekinetic force with my eyes.

‘Chanted words are an act of awakening the spirit through the essence of the middle dantian. They are a means to maximize telekinetic force. But since I have the internal energy of the Elixir Condensation Stage.’

However, the activation of telekinetic force through chanted words and the path through internal energy were of completely different systems, so.

Woong. Woong.

Although the utilization of the upper dantian’s telekinetic force through internal energy caused a small wind around me, it did not show the efficiency I had imagined.

‘If only I could see something similar…’

While I was wrestling alone like that for quite a while.

Clack. Thud. Clack. Thud. Clack. Thud.

The sound of walking with crutches echoed in the quiet mountain temple. However, I was not surprised by that disparate sound.

Instead, I naturally turned my head and cupped my fists toward the source of the sound.

“I greet Great Ancestral Master Jin-cheon.”

Cupping my fists, I raised my head and made eye contact with Great Ancestral Master. Great Ancestral Master’s scarred face distorted on one side.

On an ordinary person’s face, it would have been a beaming smile. Great Ancestral Master opened his mouth just like that.

“Since your eyes have become much clearer. My heart is indeed gratified.”

With that, he slowly approached me.

As the distance closed, I felt a dizzying sensation in my upper dantian.

Just like when I first saw him, Great Ancestral Master Jin-cheon’s body was inspiration itself.

‘His steps. His gestures. There is not a single movement to discard.’

Even though one of his arms and legs had been torn off completely, if he was at such a level now, what had he been like before that? Along with the question, I was even curious about the identity of the villain who had made Great Ancestral Master that way.

At that moment, because the voice of the Sword Immortal Great Ancestral Master echoed in my ears.

“The sound of your eyeballs rolling is quite loud.”

I flinched and lowered my eyes.

‘How dare I fall into deep thoughts in front of Great Ancestral Master.’

At that sight, Great Ancestral Master opened his mouth again.

“It was a joke.”

‘?!’

That familiar smile was on his face.

At that moment, I could recall whose disciple my Master was. Great Ancestral Master was a different person from my thought that he would be boundlessly solemn.

Gaining confidence, I let my tongue wag.

“I have only realized today where my Master’s talent for teasing his disciple originated from.”

At my words, the smile on Great Ancestral Master’s lips deepened slightly, and.

“I can also tell thanks to whom Gangwon’s knocking fist skill has improved.”

I felt like Great Ancestral Master, who had seemed infinitely high before, was becoming a bit more familiar.

Furthermore, Great Ancestral Master went one step further.

“Take this.”

Insightfully perceiving that the study of telekinesis, which was amazing whenever I saw it, originated from the telekinetic force of the upper dantian, I politely received the wooden box Great Ancestral Master offered.

Surprisingly, the Supreme Clarity Pill that I had eaten some time ago was inside.

“Since it is a gift from the Medicine Immortal, you do not have to refuse.”

Medicine Immortal.

It was the nickname of Immortal Jin-hyu, who was known as the youngest among the Eight Disciples of Sanfeng, including the Sword Immortal Immortal Jin-cheon.

He was the Lord of the Wudang Sect’s Palace of Medical Immortals and one of the few Wudang Sect elders still active on the front line.

Just as I was wondering why the Medicine Immortal had suddenly bestowed a gift on me.

“He told me to convey his thanks, saying that it was the first time in his life of alchemy that he saw a Qiuer’s inner core, and one so intact with its demonic qi cleared.”

“Ah. Thank you!”

At my reaction, a smile bloomed once again on Great Ancestral Master’s lips, and.

“By the way, you were doing something quite interesting, weren’t you?”

The moment I tilted my head at Great Ancestral Master’s words, internal energy began to rotate fiercely near the Hundred Convergences acupoint in the upper dantian of the Sword Immortal Immortal Jin-cheon.