Chapter 78 : The Daoist of True Qi (2)
Chapter 78 - The Daoist of True Qi (2)
Starting from the Gate of Life acupoint touching Ha Huseon's palm, Prosperous King's Pure Force Art flowed in.
It was truly a bright and pure energy.
It felt as if the sky seen beyond the white dawn mist was becoming a small breath and seeping in.
Prosperous King's Internal Art was also a quite pure internal energy, but it was not to the extent of comparing to Prosperous King's Pure Force Art.
Feeling the energy directly like this, the development of the internal art approached him more certainly.
The development of martial arts is not an easy task.
Moreover, if it was a supreme martial study with a solid foundation like Prosperous King's Internal Art, it was even more so.
Yet, to have developed it this much was a great feat.
For it was not an achievement that could be accomplished simply by having time and martial arts.
From Prosperous King's Pure Force Art, the tenacity of the successive Society Lords to resist the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult was faintly felt.
VWOOM!
Ha Huseon's Passing of True Qi was soft yet unhesitating.
Based on the expertise befitting a peerless master, Prosperous King's Pure Force Art rapidly filled up the meridians.
At the appearance of a strange energy, the lightning energy of Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art squirmed, but soon became quiet.
The energy of Prosperous King's Pure Force Art squirmed along the circulation path, and depending on each acupoint and meridian, the operation of internal energy changed very delicately.
‘I see. In this part.’
Namgung Jun focused his mind on Ha Huseon's internal energy operation.
It was a part that could be known through the secret verses of the manual, but there was no study as good as intuitively realizing it while feeling the internal energy operation of the Passing of True Qi.
That is likely why Ha Huseon is going out of his way to perform the Passing of True Qi.
Since he initiated into it relatively late compared to Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art, it was a consideration to help him obtain a faster accomplishment.
—The residual energy of the Forceful Breakthrough and the Adamant Essence Art remains in places throughout the meridians. This is good.
Ha Huseon's telepathic message was heard, but Namgung Jun did not answer.
It was because he was engrossed in excavating the insights and martial principles dwelling within the internal energy operation.
In the meantime, the movement of Prosperous King's Pure Force Art transformed once again.
The pale sky-blue energy, which had filled the major meridians before he knew it, began to circulate along the circulation path.
Prosperous King's Pure Force Art, which had spread out like clouds, embraced the residual energy remaining in the corners of the meridians without leaving any behind.
Originally, these were energies he had intended to slowly gather through Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art.
They were just scattered throughout the meridians; the overall amount of energy was substantial.
Therefore, if he scraped them together in a hurry, the possibility of falling into Qi Deviation was high.
VWOOOOM!
Now, there was no need to worry about that.
It was thanks to Ha Huseon's Passing of True Qi, based on Prosperous King's Pure Force Art, firmly holding the initiative.
‘It is gathering gradually. Without an inch of waste.’
If the residual energy of the meridians is added to the Passing of True Qi of Prosperous King's Pure Force Art, the first start will be very smooth.
On top of that, the insights of the Prosperous King's Internal Art cultivated in his past life would also be of great help to the accomplishment of the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art.
‘Perhaps I might obtain an accomplishment of two or three tenths of mastery in a single breath.’
It was then.
Namgung Jun sensed an abnormality.
‘Hm?’
The movements of the Passing of True Qi, which was being led by Ha Huseon, began to change rapidly.
Vwoooom!
The Prosperous King's Pure Force Art, which had been spreading throughout the meridians, stopped its circulation and gathered in the Cinnabar Field all at once.
The flow of the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art, which had shown an unbroken stream like the sky, snapped off at the Cinnabar Field.
Like the end of a silk cloth that had been forcibly torn off, a fragment of the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art lay solitarily in the Cinnabar Field.
‘This internal energy operation is!’
It was when the startled Namgung Jun was about to send a telepathic message to Ha Huseon.
—Calmly focus only on the operation of internal energy.
Ha Huseon’s telepathic message was heard once again.
Because it was so firm and the atmosphere was not one that invited an answer, Namgung Jun could not move his throat to speak.
‘If I move rashly, everyone will be in danger.’
Inevitably, Namgung Jun surrendered his body to Ha Huseon’s intent just as it was.
The fragment of the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art remaining in Namgung Jun’s Cinnabar Field.
No, could this be called a fragment?
‘It is a considerable amount of internal energy to call it a fragment.’
Centered on the fragment that Ha Huseon had intentionally separated, the residual energy of the Forceful Breakthrough and the Great Art, which had been scraped together from the meridians of the entire body, clumped together.
Along with that, Ha Huseon’s internal energy operation changed in earnest.
Following the Passing of True Qi came the Force Transmission.
Vwoom!
The fragment of the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art, which had been injected into Namgung Jun’s meridians for the Passing of True Qi, began to settle in the Cinnabar Field.
Namgung Jun realized Ha Huseon’s intent immediately.
‘Does he intend to boost the accomplishment of the internal art using the energy of the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art through the Force Transmission and the residual energy of the Forceful Breakthrough and the Great Art!’
An attempt that even a fairly skilled master would not dare to conceive.
However, Ha Huseon crushed all variables with an internal energy operation imbued with the transcendence unique to a peerless master.
It was when ten breaths had passed.
Ha Huseon successfully settled the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art in Namgung Jun’s Cinnabar Field.
There was no clash between the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art and the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art.
Although they had not achieved perfect harmony, they achieved a fusion of their own and coexisted peacefully in the Cinnabar Field.
“Cough!”
Ha Huseon, who had performed the Passing of True Qi and the Force Transmission in succession, slowly lowered his hand.
Sweat dripped from Ha Huseon’s face, and his wrinkles had deepened as if he had aged another five years.
“Cough!”
“Society Lord!”
Ha Huseon, whose breathing was disordered, coughed repeatedly and eventually coughed up blood.
The startled Yun Gyeong-jong hurriedly supported Ha Huseon.
“It is fine.”
“Why do you overexert yourself like this? Even Passing of True Qi was an unreasonable task. Yet, suddenly Force Transmission?”
“A body that cannot fight properly anyway. Would it not be right to use it for a young student instead?”
Yun Gyeong-jong squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.
“There is no way to stop the Society Lord’s stubbornness.”
“I only transferred a very minute amount of internal energy anyway. Do not mind it.”
Namgung Jun stared intently at Ha Huseon, who would not stop coughing.
‘To think he would go this far.’
The internal energy conveyed through Force Transmission was not small.
Considering that a substantial loss occurs during the process of internal energy transfer via Force Transmission, Ha Huseon had lost even more internal energy.
In a situation where he was suffering from severe internal injuries, performing Force Transmission of substantial internal energy was no different from a suicidal act.
Even if he was a peerless master whose internal energy operation had reached a divine level, it was not a choice that could be made easily.
“Huhu.”
Ha Huseon, sensing Namgung Jun’s sunken gaze, roughly wiped his reddened lips and asked.
“If by chance you feel a burden, there is no need for that. If this old man’s time can advance your time even a little, then it is sufficiently valuable.”
“The Society Lord is the center of this Society.”
“That is why it was a choice I had to make even more. This is the duty and Chivalry (Hyeop) of the Azure Sky Society Lord.”
Ha Huseon’s body, which was coughing up blood, was trembling finely even now, but the answer flowing out from between his dry lips was extremely firm.
Like steel that never breaks even though it is worn down to a mess.
This must be the Chivalry the Azure Sky Society Lord thinks of.
“Society Lord.”
Namgung Jun did not say much.
He captured the chivalrous warrior before him in his eyes for a moment, then bowed his head to show respect.
Feeling the refreshing coolness and loftiness of Prosperous King's Pure Force Art that had newly settled in his Cinnabar Field.
“Check your body condition.”
At Ha Huseon’s urging, Namgung Jun closed his eyes and observed his insides.
Namgung Jun’s senses swept through his whole body quickly.
Perhaps thanks to receiving Passing of True Qi, the turbid qi that had remained microscopically in his meridians even after Adamant Essence Art had disappeared cleanly.
Moreover, in the process of adapting to Passing of True Qi of Prosperous King's Pure Force Art, his whole body’s meridians had become harder and wider.
This was clearly going to be of great help in piercing the next acupoint of Nine Yin Severed Meridians in the future.
‘It is flawless.’
The place where his whole body's senses headed last was, naturally, the Cinnabar Field.
Two energies settled in the Cinnabar Field.
Naturally, the size of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art was overwhelmingly large, but the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art was not exactly small either.
Considering he had just been initiated into the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art, it was a very surprising accomplishment.
Namgung Jun, recalling the secret verses of the manual, immediately saw through the accomplishment of the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art.
‘Have I reached three-tenths, no, four-tenths mastery?’
It was not an exaggeration to say that the reason the accomplishment of the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art had jumped up so much, despite being a first initiation, was thanks to Ha Huseon’s Passing of True Qi and Force Transmission.
Thanks to bulking up its size at the very beginning like this, it must have been even easier to achieve fusion with the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art.
‘My internal energy accomplishment has taken a step forward. It is as if I have advanced time by at least two or three years.’
A short while ago, he achieved the growth of Essence (Jing) through the Adamant Essence Art and the Forceful Breakthrough.
And today, he experienced the ascension of Energy (Qi) through the Passing of True Qi and Force Transmission.
An immense change had occurred in the composition of Essence, Energy, and Spirit, which had failed to achieve even balance, let alone harmony.
“Phew.”
Namgung Jun, having finished observing his insides, opened his eyes with a deep exhalation.
“It is very good.”
Centered on his even sharper and more astute bearing, a glint in his eyes that seemed to hold the sky emitted a faint light.
“Hoh!”
Yun Gyeong-jong, who was checking Namgung Jun’s condition while supporting Ha Huseon, held back a gasp.
‘It is certain! Namgung Jun has crossed the wall.’
Namgung Jun felt a body that was completely different from before.
The harmony of Essence, Energy, and Spirit, which had been twisted, was now aligned.
The harmony of Essence, Energy, and Spirit grew to the limit.
In the case of ordinary martial artists, it is common that they cannot raise their Essence, Energy, and Spirit to the limit even if they train for their entire lives.
However, Namgung Jun was on the more severe side than the ordinary case.
A unique constitution born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians in a man's body.
A spirit that clearly remembers his past life.
Due to very rare elements, it was extremely difficult to achieve the harmony of Essence, Energy, and Spirit.
However, through various fortuitous encounters and connections, he had finally achieved the harmony of Essence, Energy, and Spirit.
The extremity of the Peak Realm is the stage where one fills the vessel of martial arts one has molded with Essence, Energy, and Spirit to the brim and achieves harmony.
If one goes beyond simple harmony and achieves perfect unity, only then could one achieve the Trinity Bloom.
It is to break the mold of a Peak Master and step up into the realm of a Supreme Master.
‘The Prosperous King's Pure Force Art. And the Society Lord.’
He was able to fill the Energy (Qi) that had been lacking with the help of the Prosperous King's Pure Force Art and Ha Huseon.
“It is good.”
Ha Huseon, who was wiping the blood from his beard, said in a low voice.
“If you take just one more step from there, you will achieve Trinity Bloom.”
Ha Huseon looked at Namgung Jun with proud eyes.
“I surely did not know you would gain such an accomplishment just by initiating into the martial art. You always exceed this old man's expectations.”
“It is all thanks to your help, Society Lord. Since I even received Force Transmission, I would have rather been ashamed if it weren't for such an accomplishment.”
“No. It was that you were fully prepared. I only provided a small trigger.”
Ha Huseon slowly placed his hand on the back of Namgung Jun’s hand.
“I hope the sharpened sword heads in the right direction. Your Martial Path is just beginning.”
“I will walk it steadfastly.”
Perhaps liking Namgung Jun’s answer, Ha Huseon smiled and nodded.
“This old man wants to rest now. I am tired.”
At Ha Huseon’s dismissal order, Yun Gyeong-jong and Namgung Jun quietly exited the Azure Sky Pavilion.
Yun Gyeong-jong looked at the Azure Sky Pavilion with worried eyes, then soon turned his head away.
His eyes were full of worry, but it looked like he was forcing himself to move his feet out of trust for Ha Huseon.
Yun Gyeong-jong, confirming that Ha Huseon’s breathing had calmed as if he were trying to sleep, only then looked at Namgung Jun.
“You are truly amazing too. It hasn't even been a year since you became a Cloud of this Society. Yet, to think you are already facing Trinity Bloom before you know it.”
“If I hadn't entered the Azure Sky Society, it would have been impossible.”
Yun Gyeong-jong realized once again that his discerning eye had not been wrong.
That much, Namgung Jun’s accomplishment was astonishing.
Even if one learned a peerless demonic art, they would not be able to produce a growth speed like Namgung Jun’s.
It was truly heaven's luck that such a genius of the ages came into the Azure Sky Society.
Yun Gyeong-jong gently stroked Namgung Jun’s shoulder.
“Soon, a new Four-Cloud will be born in this Society. I will wait for that day.”
Namgung Jun calmly nodded his head.
“The Society Lord’s time will not be in vain.”
Namgung Jun firmly gripped the hilt of the Yeongjeong Sword.
……
The Ink Fragrance Bureau Grand Conference Room.
In the grand conference room, key officials gathered and proceeded with a meeting as usual.
Since Yun Gyeong-jong had headed to the Azure Sky Pavilion with Namgung Jun, today’s meeting proceeded among the Pavilion Heads and Hall Masters.
Gang Mong, who was seated in the role of scribe, opened his mouth.
“The first agenda we must discuss today is regarding the upcoming combat power evaluation.”
At Gang Mong’s words, the eyes of the Hall Masters who were keeping their seats sparkled.