Chapter 105 : Chapter 105

Chapter 105. Growth (5)

After descending Heavenly Peak Ridge, we headed for Chongqing.

Naturally, we combined training with travel, but it was a little different from before.

“Nam Geon. You may have achieved the Diamond Indestructible Body and can repel sword qi, but it's still not enough.”

Nam Geon no longer dies easily, even against a peak master.

The problem was that it was also difficult for him to kill a peak master.

He did succeed in subduing the First Killing of Sichuan, Jang Ik, but that was thanks to a gamble and a few strokes of luck.

Nam Geon couldn't even properly handle the team leaders who were assisting the First Killing of Sichuan, Jang Ik, let alone Jang Ik himself.

The reason was simple.

His internal energy was insufficient, so his sword art and footwork were slow.

But I couldn't just feed Nam Geon a spiritual medicine either.

Unlike my Junior Sister, if Nam Geon had eaten a spiritual medicine, it was highly likely that he would have been unable to absorb most of the energy, returning it to nature.

From the start, my Junior Sister and Nam Geon were different in many ways.

So, Nam Geon needed a method that suited him.

“Nam Geon. You can now freely recite the Iron Blood Golden Skin Art even while fighting, so let's try adding one more thing.”

“O-One more?”

“Yes. Since you can now do two things at once, if you keep training, won't you eventually be able to do three things at once?”

“W-What should I do, big bro?”

“The Jade Cloud Divine Art. From now on, try to operate the Jade Cloud Divine Art at all times, not just when circulating energy, but while walking, running, swinging your sword, except when you're sleeping. No, if it becomes a complete habit, you might even accumulate qi unknowingly while sleeping.”

The Jade Cloud Divine Art was a divine art that allowed for Dynamic Cultivation upon reaching complete mastery.

It was possible because it was that stable, in exchange for being incredibly slow at accumulating qi.

And the training method that suited Nam Geon was this one.

Repetitive mastery until it was ingrained in his body, rather than understanding it with his head.

As soon as my explanation ended, Nam Geon scratched his head and replied.

“I-I haven't reached complete mastery yet. I-It's hard to do the Jade Cloud Divine Art while moving.”

He was right.

It had only been about a year since Nam Geon started learning the Jade Cloud Divine Art.

No matter how basic the divine art, it was difficult for Nam Geon to achieve complete mastery in just one year with his insight.

But it didn't matter.

Although his insight was lacking, that fellow had his own strengths.

I turned my head and glanced at the Dang Clan fellow next to me, who was throwing his needles into the air by himself.

The reason I had already told Nam Geon to learn the Jade Cloud Divine Art through Dynamic Cultivation was because of a conversation I had with that fellow.

***

A few days ago.

After the battle with the Sichuan Sword Clan bastards ended.

Around the time we were all resting, unable to win against the Dang Clan fellow's insistence.

A strange sight caught my eye.

Nam Geon, with a face so swollen it looked like it would burst.

Nam Geon, with medicine plastered all over his body.

“Heo.”

“Hoo.”

The sight of the Dang Clan fellow touching that guy's body and letting out a series of strange exclamations.

“Since when did you become interested in pederasty?”

It was to the point where I had the chilling thought that perhaps the reason that fellow was a bad friend of mine in my past life was because of his preferences.

As if he felt a similar chill, Nam Geon had a seizure as soon as my words ended.

“Hi-Hiik.”

On the other hand, the Dang Clan fellow crumpled his face and replied.

“Did you lose your mind again from losing so much blood? Why are you spouting strange nonsense again?”

“I'd like to show you what you're doing in a mirror.”

The Dang Clan fellow snorted.

“Hah. It's just a physician's curiosity.”

“Curiosity?”

“This is the first time I've seen a Diamond Indestructible Body, so I wanted to check various things.”

As he said that and tried to bring his hand towards Nam Geon's forearm, Nam Geon flinched in surprise and hid his arm behind his back.

“…….”

Dang Sopyeong, who ended up grabbing air, let out a dry cough and said.

“Ahem. Then I realized there was one problem.”

“What problem?”

“Since he's achieved the Diamond Indestructible Body, I can't place needles on him anymore, right? Well, the needles didn't stick before either, but now, frankly, even if I reach the peak, I won't be able to place needles on Young Warrior Nam, right?”

Indeed.

This was a problem I hadn't thought of either.

Nam Geon could no longer be treated with acupuncture.

If Nam Geon were to get injured, he would have to be treated only with medicine.

“Actually, acupuncture is a method that is more helpful for internal injuries or muscle problems than external wounds. So, while checking Young Warrior Nam's pulse to see his internal injuries, I found out something amazing. Young Warrior Nam didn't sustain any internal injuries today.”

I watched the fellow for a moment, wondering what he meant.

Then I too belatedly realized the strange point.

“Are you saying he had no accumulated internal injuries even right after today's battle ended?”

“That is correct. Even after getting hit so much... no, even after fighting with all his might, he had no internal injuries at all.”

It was certainly a surprising thing.

There are cases where internal injuries accumulate from forcibly operating internal energy, but external shocks can also induce internal injuries if they accumulate.

And Nam Geon went beyond the level of accumulating external shocks; his whole body was bruised and his face was swollen to the point of bursting.

But the fact that he had no internal injuries was quite strange.

“That point was strange, so I examined him more closely and just found out another amazing fact. Do you know? Young Warrior Nam's meridians have no turbid energy.”

This too was a curious thing.

Especially considering Nam Geon's usual appetite and the amount he eats.

Could it be because of his innate body, which one wouldn't regret calling a Heavenly Martial Body?

But that's a story about muscles and bones; can the meridians also become that strong?

After pondering that for a moment, something came to mind.

“Perhaps that too is an effect of the Iron Blood Golden Skin Art.”

The Dang Clan fellow nodded.

“From what I see, it seemed to be because of that.”

It seemed that the Iron Blood Golden Skin Art was an external art that strengthened not only the skin and bones but also the meridians.

I thought it might have the effect of blowing away the turbid energy accumulated in the meridians using external shocks.

“So that's why I've been continuously examining Young Warrior Nam's body. Since this is the first time I've seen such a case, I wanted to examine it closely and leave a record.”

After saying that, the Dang Clan fellow's eyes sparkled as he reached his hand out to Nam Geon again.

Then Nam Geon recoiled with a reluctant expression.

“P-Physician big bro, are you sure you don't like m-men? Y-Your gaze is strange.”

“…….”

The Dang Clan fellow's fists trembled as he looked at me.

It was a resentful gaze as if this was all my fault, but it was none of my business.

***

After that, it took the Dang Clan fellow several days to clear up Nam Geon's misunderstanding.

But to me, Nam Geon's constitution was more important than the misunderstanding about the Dang Clan fellow.

He has no turbid energy in his meridians and doesn't even get internal injuries from ordinary things.

The training method that came out after focusing on and pondering this point was Dynamic Cultivation.

“It's okay. Others can't, but you, Nam Geon, can do it.”

I came to the conclusion that with his sturdy meridians and the stable Jade Cloud Divine Art, it was worth a try even without complete mastery.

When I answered with a confident tone, Nam Geon nodded his head.

“I-I believe you, big bro. I-I'll give it a try.”

Nam Geon drew the Mother's Affection Sword and slowly swung it in the air, muttering to himself in a small voice.

“T-The clouds flowing in the b-blue sky are calm. I-In a c-clear mind, the energy must f-flow calmly.”

After muttering the key principles of the Jade Cloud Divine Art and slowly swinging his sword a few times.

Perhaps because he wasn't skilled yet, his movements momentarily got tangled.

“Uh?”

Nam Geon, who was swinging his sword, rolled on the floor like a third-rate warrior learning martial arts for the first time.

Thump.

“Are you okay?”

“M-My stomach feels a bit queasy. B-But I'm okay.”

To have his key principles get tangled during Dynamic Cultivation and fall, yet only end up with a slightly queasy stomach.

Weaker people would have vomited blood or fallen into qi deviation.

The fellow caught his breath a few times, got back up, and continued his Dynamic Cultivation training.

I nodded my head, seeing Nam Geon's iron will.

In fact, even if he adapted to Dynamic Cultivation, Nam Geon's internal energy wouldn't increase at a tremendous speed.

After all, Dynamic Cultivation or not, the Jade Cloud Divine Art was still the Jade Cloud Divine Art.

It would take a long time to accumulate the one Gapja of internal energy needed to open the Ren and Du meridians.

But Nam Geon could 'to some extent' keep up with a peak master without reaching the peak.

It was thanks to Nam Geon's absurdly strong body.

In the end, internal energy is what amplifies the body's strength.

Just as one can overcome weak external energy with vast internal energy to some extent, one could overcome a lack of internal energy if their external energy was absurdly outstanding.

On top of that, if Dynamic Cultivation becomes possible, that fellow gains a very special advantage.

The advantage of being able to recover internal energy even during battle.

A guy who doesn't even get a scratch from sword qi fights while continuously recovering internal energy through Dynamic Cultivation?

Even if he couldn't kill a peak master in one go, he could harass the enemy until they were fed up.

Furthermore, the moment the enemy's internal energy or stamina ran out, Nam Geon's time would come.

***

One day, about ten days after leaving Heavenly Peak Ridge.

Around the time when there were about five days left until Chongqing.

I stopped walking while climbing some unknown mountain.

“Let's rest for a bit.”

As soon as my words ended, all my companions sprawled on the floor.

“Haa. I-I thought I was going to die.”

Their legs had already given out and they looked as if they had reached their physical limits.

At that moment, the Dang Clan fellow, his face pale, staggered and rummaged through a large bundle.

Then he took out a few pieces of grass, stuffed them in his mouth, and mumbled.

A thunderclap raged in Nam Geon's stomach.

Grumble.

“I-Is it tasty, physician big bro?”

“I'm eating it because of my Poison Art, Young Warrior Nam.”

The Dang Clan fellow was right.

What that fellow was eating was poisonous grass.

Things he had gathered while staying at Heavenly Peak Ridge.

Especially in Ghost Spirit Valley where the Human-faced Spider had lived, countless poisonous grasses were growing.

The poisonous grasses that the Human-faced Spider had eaten and grown up on.

This was also the reason I hadn't paid much attention to that fellow's growth.

It was a shame he couldn't eat the Human-faced Spider's Poison Core, but since he had gathered a considerable amount of poisonous grass from Ghost Spirit Valley, it wasn't a big problem.

That fellow was even keeping the Human-faced Spider's poison separately in a cloth made from its hide.

He said it was too poisonous to eat now, so he planned to eat it later?

“I-I can also endure p-poison well now. I-I want to try it too, physician big bro.”

“…….”

While the Dang Clan fellow was watching Nam Geon with a dumbfounded expression, my Junior Sister took something out of her bundle.

“I'll start cooking now. Before that, please have some of this, big brother.”

It was beef jerky.

My Junior Sister gathered nearby grass, started a fire, and prepared to cook, while Nam Geon munched on the beef jerky.

Dang Sopyeong, who was also chewing on poisonous grass, looked at me.

“Come to think of it, I didn't ask. What are your plans in Chongqing?”

“For now, I'm planning to visit the Hoyeon Clan.”

Hoyeon Clan.

It was the name of the clan that had engaged in trickery with Hyeok Ilso in the future I knew.

“Don't tell me you're planning to go and wreak havoc again?”

I shook my head.

“I'm going to investigate first.”

The future I knew was a matter of more than twenty years later, so I couldn't know if they were trash now as well.

For some reason, the Dang Clan fellow let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew. It's a relief you haven't had a fit yet. I thought you were going to storm the place right away.”

“If they are indeed trash, I plan to storm the place.”

“Are you in your right mind? Ah. I forgot you weren't.”

“Leaving trash alone is the crazy act, how is cleaning it up a crazy act?”

The Dang Clan fellow shook his head.

“The Hoyeon Clan is no pushover. They're the ones who divide the large Chongqing with the Yun Clan, aren't they? I've heard that the realms of the two clan heads are no less than the elders of the Sichuan Sword Clan.”

Nam Geon, who had annihilated the beef jerky in an instant, chimed in.

“T-The bad old man from last time was a S-Sichuan Sword Clan e-elder. I-I beat an elder. B-Big bro also won. Sichuan Sword Clan elder. N-Not scary.”

Dang Sopyeong laughed bitterly and said.

“It's hard to say this, but Jang Ik is an exception. The reason he was chosen as the fifth elder, which is no different from the lowest seat, was practically a charity from the clan head, meaning he should continue to work like a slave. If you consider the other four elders to be on the same level as him, you could be in for a big surprise later.”

Listening to it, it was a somewhat convincing story.

Once one becomes an elder, they usually become sedentary.

They were full of the mindset, 'Should I step up for this assignment?'

But that Jang Ik fellow, an elder no less, was always running wild at the forefront.

As if he was being chased by something.

“I understand that the Hoyeon Clan Head's realm is a few levels above the First Killing of Sichuan. That's even better. If I investigate and find out they're trash, shouldn't I clean them up even more?”

At my words, the Dang Clan fellow was about to retort but ended up scratching his head vigorously.

Just then, my Junior Sister, perhaps having finished cooking, opened her mouth.

“Everyone, please eat.”

While we were sharing the food my Junior Sister had prepared, the Dang Clan fellow started rambling again.

“That investigation is also a problem. It's about a ten-day walk from Chongqing to Seongdo in Sichuan. It's not right next door, but as time passes, rumors will surely spread. If things go wrong, the Sichuan Sword Clan might come swarming to catch us.”

I let the Dang Clan fellow's nonsense go in one ear and out the other for a moment, then got up and drew the Restoring Name Sword.

“S-Say it with words!”

I didn't know why the Dang Clan fellow was so startled, but I ignored him appropriately and looked at the bushes to the side.

Soon, a young man appeared, pushing his way through the bushes.

The young man, who looked no different from a beggar, opened his mouth.

“E-Excuse me, b-but, c-could I have something to eat... N-No, even just some water, p-please...”

He looked like a beggar who had come, drawn by the smell of my Junior Sister's cooking.

It was a face that gave a strange sense of déjà vu.

A face that looked as if I had seen it somewhere before.

While examining the young man out of curiosity, I discovered something and said to the Dang Clan fellow.

“It seems there's no need to go all the way to Chongqing to investigate anymore.”

Embroidered on the chest of the martial arts uniform the young man was wearing were the characters [Hoyeon].

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