Chapter 22 – Middle Dantian (2)


    He reached out toward Yu Hyeon, who charged at him with clenched teeth.


    A strange energy rippled around his left hand. In the next moment, the eyes of Cheon Ju and the high-ranking members of the Mount Hua Sect widened.


    Swish-!


    An intangible wave of qi burst forth from his left hand.


    It bloomed in bursts, like a line of flowers blossoming all at once.


    The force struck with such power that it created another wave of energy. It seemed like a superior martial art technique that didn’t exist within the current repertoire of the Falling Blossoms Palm.


    A martial art of apletely different level emerged immediately, making it difficult to find a connection to any existing martial techniques.


    Puh-puh-puh!


    A powerful shock, as strong as the Point-nk st, struck down in a heap.


    It was as if the dust on Yu Hyeon’s martial attire had been blown away.


    “Gah, ugh!”


    Yu Hyeon fell to the ground without even drawing his sword. A thin cloud of dust rose like mist.


    Yeon-shin, lowering his hand, fell into thought.


    ‘The martial arts of the Nine Great Sects have a high level of wholeness. It truly reflects the history of the prestigious orthodox sects.’


    It was an impressive insight. He had not anticipated such a utilization of qi.


    ‘This can be decided as the third technique here.’


    Yeon-shin nodded to himself. It didn’t seem to need any further refinement.


    He named it the third technique of the Eternal Blossom Fist, Blossom Fist.


    “……”


    Silence filled the room. The boy, often referred to as a crouching tiger, faced off against the hidden dragon of the Mount Hua Sect and defeated him in three moves.


    Yeon-shin thought it was natural.


    From the start, the levels were different.


    To face someone like Yeon-shin, who could be counted as one of the top talents even in the Deste Fortress, it would take at least a master nearing the level of a certified Plum Blossom Swordsman.


    Yeon-shinpared his situation to Yu Hyeon’s.


    How much training would that boy need to reach the rank of head disciple in the Mount Hua Sect?


    For Yeon-shin, who had only about five years left, it was hopelessly insufficient. The gap in their life standards was vast.


    “……Take him away.”


    At Cheon Ju’s solemnmand, a warrior from the Mount Hua Sect carried Yu Hyeon away.


    The gazes that swept over Yeon-shin were filled with astonishment.


    Finally, the spectators started to stir.


    “Wh-What was that?”


    “Wasn’t it just three moves? How could the Mount Hua Sect’s prodigy…”


    “Three-move defeat! Who is that boy?”


    Amidst the murmurs, Cheon Ju spoke up.


    “The Deste Fortress has been nurturing a dragon. How much more do they intend to tighten their grip on the martial world?”


    “You’re exaggerating. As long as a sect doesn’t harm the people, the Deste Fortress will not act.”


    “That convenient justification remains unchanged.”


    Cheon Ju shook his head and looked at Yeon-shin.


    “You are Jeong Yeon-shin, correct?”


    “That’s right.”


    “I have witnessed excellent martial arts. It is unlikely that the martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect have any connection with you. I did not know such martial arts existed in the world. It must have been a stimulus even for ourcent head disciple. If you ever have to leave the Deste Fortress, know that the Mount Hua Sect will wee you as a guest.”


    “Enough with the nonsense. This has crossed the line.”


    Ma Jin stepped forward, pulling Yeon-shin behind him.


    “I admit my greed got ahead of me. It was an embarrassing disy, but in the face of such brilliant talent, what could I do?”


    The high-ranking members of the Mount Hua Sect, seeing Cheon Ju admit this so straightforwardly, were surprised.


    Simultaneously, some showed expressions of understanding.


    Yeon-shin stood still, unmoving.


    -You seem to be having a hard time.


    It was Baek Mir-yeo’s voice transmission. Yeon-shin nodded slightly.


    He had expended almost all his qi. The burden on his dantian was significant.


    The Eternal Blossom Fist required a high amount of qi to generate.


    For now, it seemed difficult to use it as his main martial art in realbat.


    ‘I’ll have to rely on my sword in real battles.’


    He organized his thoughts and secured a room at the inn.


    Even the warriors of the Mount Hua Sect who followed him seemed to look at him differently now.


    They looked at him as if he were some kind of marvelous creature.


    He felt no particr emotion. Their lives were fundamentally different from his.


    As soon as he secured a room, Mir-yeo burst in, dragging along Cheong Myeong by the cor.


    “You especially need to open your middle dantian quickly. If your internal energy iscking, at least you need to supplement your stamina.”


    Mir-yeo said as she sat down in a meditative posture. Myeong sprawled out and halfy down.


    “Middle dantian, you say?”


    “It seems you don’t know about it. Even the upper dantian, which contains the spirit in the head, cannot match its efficacy. The moment you open the middle dantian, you’ll feel it. Your internal energy will be more solid. The Shaolin’s Vajra Immovable Art is known for refining the middle dantian.”


    “Internal energy bing solid?”


    Myeong interrupted when Yeon-shin asked absentmindedly.


    “It means the efficiency improves. Have you heard of masters fighting for seven days and nights without tiring? That’s because they trained their middle dantian. The flow of qi bes robust, and they can performrge techniques multiple times. Even if they receive a strong strike, their internal energy flow won’t be easily disrupted.”


    “That’s probably why Cheong Myeong could spar with the Namgung First Sword. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense, no matter how strong his martial arts are.”


    Mir-yeo pointed at the yawning Myeong. Myeong smiled brightly and nodded his head.


    Yeon-shin nced at him and then looked away again.


    “Middle dantian. How do I open it?”


    “If you train your lower dantian for a long time, it will open naturally. Focusing on circting your energy in the upper body would be good.”


    “Isn’t there a faster way, sister?”


    The words slipped out without thinking. He needed to quickly grasp any means to be stronger.


    In terms of martial arts and achievements, his mind was inevitably impatient.


    “Sister…?”


    Baek Mir-yeo’s cold eyes softened slightly. Her cheeks reddened a bit.


    For a moment, even her lips seemed to quiver. It was an unbelievable sight. The renowned Alluring Sun Sword?


    She quickly regained herposure, like the experienced master she was.


    Yeon-shin couldn’t help but wonder if she had a deceased younger brother.


    At the same time, he realized he didn’t know anything about the lives of the Demon Wing warriors.


    ‘I still don’t know anyone.’


    Mir-yeo cleared her throat.


    “First, you need to hold a strong energy within your body…”


    The exnation continued. The issue was ultimately qi.


    Just as the lower dantian opens naturally with prolonged training, the middle dantian was no different.


    She said a clumsy shortcut would only be poisonous.


    On a different matter, Yeon-shin had been born with his upper dantian already open. A cursed constitution.


    Sighing inwardly, he descended to the first floor. He decided to think about the middle dantianter.


    ‘I should focus on umting achievements. It’s not like I can’t be stronger without it.’


    The inn was bustling. The smell of food was everywhere, and it was hard to find an empty seat.


    They said Xi’an was a ce where all sorts of martial artists gathered. A peculiar city where evenmoners wandered around without much fear.


    It seemed even more crowded as rumors spread about the sparring at the Mount Hua Sect dojo.


    “That’s the little swordsman!”


    “The one who defeated the Mount Hua dragon in three moves?”


    “He looks about the same age. How could that be possible?”


    “I saw it with my own eyes!”


    As Yeon-shin descended, murmurs arose from all sides. They seemed to be people who had watched the sparring.


    “Lightning sh will quickly gain fame. It’ll be chaos once his identity is revealed.”


    “That’s expected. He is the future of the Fortress.”


    It was Myeong and Mir-yeo. They spoke casually, but to Yeon-shin, it was just ttery.


    Compliments tied to age held no meaning for him.


    It was the first time he had his martial arts evaluated sinceing into the world, but Yeon-shin let all the words go in one ear and out the other as he looked for Ma Jin.


    Only the seats where Won-chang and Ma Jin were seated were empty, making them easy to spot.


    The intimidating aura and scars repelled others from approaching. No one dared to sit near them.


    Yeon-shin walked through the crowd towards them.


    “Is this okay? Discussing a mission here.”


    Yeon-shin asked as he sat with Myeong and Mir-yeo. Ma Jinughed.


    “It’s no secret that the Mount Hua Sect is searching for the culprit with wide-open eyes. The movements of the prestigious orthodox sects are always under scrutiny. Doing this minimizes unexpected civilian casualties.”


    “Indeed.”


    “Have you heard of ‘making a noise in the east and striking in the west’? That’s what we’ll be doing now.”


    “It’s not just about preventing the Mount Hua Sect’s military action. We actively help to calm the situation?”


    “Yes. The investigation is already concluded. The culprit is the Stealthy Demon. He is a well-known thief north of the Yangtze River.”


    “Stealthy Demon?”


    Mir-yeo stood up abruptly. Her energy seemed to sharpen as if a sword was being honed within her.


    “Indeed. He’s the one who stole your secret manual. Isn’t this a good turn of events?”


    “Did he steal your martial arts manual?”


    Won-chang stopped eating and opened his eyes wide. It was understandable.


    A blue-robed master of the Deste Fortress was not someone amon thief could approach.


    “The circumstances have changed.”


    Mir-yeo answered briefly and fell silent, but her presence had changed.


    It was like standing next to a zing fire. Her intent to capture and behead the thief was palpable.


    The group finished their meal in silence and went up to the room where Ma Jin was staying.


    It was a significantlyrge room to match his size.


    After meeting the eyes of each group member, Ma Jin slowly began to speak.


    “I will exin the strategy of making a noise in the east and striking in the west. First, the martial arts of the Mount Hua Sect are widely known here in Shaanxi. They stand out too much.”


    “So?”


    “From now on, we will smash the signboards of several Shaanxi sects connected to the Stealthy Demon. We will do it. The fighting must not go outside.”


    “What will the Mount Hua Sect do during this?”


    “Hidden Fragrance Drift epasses both movement and footwork techniques. While we draw attention, they will sneak in and inspect the sect’s interiors.”


    Ma Jin spoke nonchntly. Won-chang’s mouth curled up, seemingly pleased.


    “Is there a justification to take down the signboards of these sects?”


    At Yeon-shin’s question, Cheong Myeong, who was brushing his hair,ughed.


    “You seem unfamiliar with martial artists of the unorthodox sects. They extort protection money in a way even the royal family doesn’t approve of. From the perspective of the Ming Empire, the distinction between orthodox and unorthodox is simple. Do the people willingly donate, or are they extorted at knifepoint?”


    Ma Jin nodded.


    “They are parasites draining the country. New parasites form in swarms whenever we wipe them out, so we leave them be. However, there’s no need for justification to strike them down. They constantly undergo cycles of annihtion and reformation.”


    “How many sects are we targeting?”


    “Five for now. I will take on two.”


    “I will handle one alone.”


    No one was surprised by Yeon-shin’s words. Ma Jin asked.


    “Do you seek individual credit? It’s a high-risk burden.”


    “I will handle it.”


    “Managing a group alone is a different matter. Especially if the sect is proficient in martial arts. Imagine bodies piling up with every strike. The scent of blood can even drive a master insane. Group battles have the most variables. They are iparable to one-on-one duels.”


    “That’s an experience I must have.”


    “Very well. I will assign the targets now. Lightning sh, your target is the Mantis Sect in Lianhu County, Xi’an. They are known to be very vicious. They said they even kidnap women. Your mission is…”


    Ma Jin continued, locking eyes with Yeon-shin.


    “To annihte the entire sect. Wipe them all out.”