Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 11: Youth Ages Easily, Learning Is Hard to Achieve February.
The winter wind blew with a razor-like edge, biting at everything in its path.
In the training grounds of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall, about fifty students stood in tight, orderly rows. Following the rhythmic shouts of their instructor, they practiced the Warm Wind Secret.
The Warm Wind Secret was an internal cultivation method created by Lee Yu-baek. It was simpler and more stable than the Soft Willow Art. While its progress was slow and its depth shallow, it was more than sufficient for establishing a martial artist's foundation.
Most disciples at the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall learned this technique. To be precise, everyone except for three.
In the eight years since Lee Yu-baek founded the hall, approximately three hundred students had completed their training and been recognized as disciples. These were known as Registered Disciples.
Among them, about two hundred and seventy were Outer Disciples who lived at home and visited the hall for a few hours of training each day. The remaining thirty or so were Inner Disciples who lived and ate at the hall, handling its chores and training day and night.
All of them learned the Warm Wind Secret.
Only three—Kang Mu-hyeok, Seon Je-hun, and Mo Cheong—were different.
Known as the Three Gentlemen of Pungryu, these three lived in the quarters closest to Lee Yu-baek, receiving one-on-one instruction and inheriting the sect's private martial arts, such as the Soft Willow Art and the Willow Leaf Step.
One of them would eventually inherit the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall. They were called Direct Disciples, the true inheritors of the lineage.
By Lee Yu-baek's standards, the Three Gentlemen of Pungryu were still merely second-rate martial artists. However, just as not all players in a professional sports league's minor league are equal, there are "experts" even among the second-rate martial artists of the Jianghu. There is a clear difference between a martial artist destined to remain second-rate for life and one who is merely passing through that stage on the way to greatness.
Lee Yu-baek's Direct Disciples were the latter. They had already proven themselves several times and were recognized as the representative young experts of Eunpyeong County.
Consequently, they were treated quite differently.
The Outer and Inner Disciples addressed Lee Yu-baek as "Hall Master." In contrast, the Three Gentlemen of Pungryu called him "Master" with great familiarity.
Outer Disciples usually called the Direct and Inner Disciples "Instructor." The Direct and Inner Disciples referred to each other as seniors and juniors, sharing a sense of camaraderie. However, the Direct Disciples called each other "Sect Brother," living together like family.
And today, every type of disciple currently training at the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall had gathered at the training grounds.
The forty or so Outer Disciples were practicing the Warm Wind Secret in formation, while the ten Inner Disciples moved among them, correcting their postures.
The three Direct Disciples stood behind Lee Yu-baek, as still as wooden statues.
Lee Yu-baek spoke, his voice as sharp as frost.
"You must achieve mastery in your martial studies before you reach the age of twenty. If you intend to live in this world as martial artists, you absolutely must."
At his nod, the third disciple, Mo Cheong, stepped forward.
"Huuuuu..."
As he took a deep breath and circulated the Soft Willow Art, pure white mist billowed from his mouth like clouds.
"This is called the Breath of Smoke and Clouds," Lee Yu-baek explained.
It was a state where the exhaled breath transformed into smoke and clouds.
"It involves stoking the fire within you to a high heat to burn away the impurities accumulated in your Eight Extraordinary Meridians. If you do not clear them out before you turn twenty, the turbid Qi will accumulate faster as you age until it becomes unmanageable."
Lee Yu-baek continued.
"I call a martial artist who has entered the Fire Phase 'third-rate,' and one who has achieved the Breath of Smoke and Clouds 'second-rate.' But not all are equal. Anyone who simply spews acrid smoke is a fool. If you burn your essence blood along with the turbid Qi without distinction, that is merely suicide."
Lee Yu-baek pointed to Mo Cheong, who was still exhaling white mist.
"A proper Breath of Smoke and Clouds does not smell of burning. If done correctly, it smells of charcoal. If done even better, it smells like baked earth, like Cheong here."
Lee Yu-baek emphasized, "The key is the Fire Phase. If you just burn everything blindly, how can you call that a Fire Phase? Like firing pottery or forging a blade, subtle and persistent control of the heat is the core. You must preserve the Essence received from birth and burn only the turbid Qi. You must all reach such a state. That is, if you wish to live as martial artists."
He looked down at the Outer Disciples who were struggling through the Warm Wind Secret.
They were all young. The youngest was twelve, and the oldest was eighteen.
Nine out of ten of them would never become true martial artists. They would simply become strong farmers, porters, or laborers. Such was the life of a third-rate martial artist who failed to reach the second-rate in time. They would live out their lives conforming to a predetermined fate, unable to overcome their small limitations. They would bow their heads before the irrationality and injustice rampant in this world.
That was why Lee Yu-baek spoke.
"Be more desperate. Excellence does not come from leisure and relaxation; it comes from sensitivity and urgency. Youth ages easily, but learning is hard to achieve. Devote your hearts more fully."
Lee Yu-baek knew. He knew that no matter how much he nagged, not many would truly listen. Young students believe their youth will last forever. Then, they wake up one day to find they have aged, realizing too late that they cannot remain martial artists.
He had seen the despairing faces of those rejected by the world they thought was theirs. Because he pitied them, he always said:
"Become strong. Good people must be strong. People with purpose must be strong. Those who can let go of resentment must be strong, and the strong must be strong. Otherwise, the bastards will become the strong ones. Don't let the bastards win; you be the ones who are strong. In the lonely Jianghu, be a reliable support for one another. If you do that, the wine will taste quite good throughout your lives."
I hope all of you can live life on your own terms.
Lee Yu-baek chanted this inwardly as he watched his young disciples.
And then, suddenly, he caught a savory scent.
A scent as fragrant as roasted barley and Job's tears.
Reflexively turning his gaze, he saw a young man dressed in thin clothes that defied the biting winter wind.
He was tall. His face was pale and clean. His bearing was composed.
He walked forward—dignified but not arrogant, polite but not subservient.
Following the continuous rhythm of the Soft Willow Art, white mist billowed from his mouth like clouds.
Lee Yu-baek suddenly thought, How much time has passed?
He counted. Five months.
Before even half a year had passed since entering seclusion, Yeon So-wol had emerged on his own. Not only had he entered the Fire Phase, but he had reached the state of the Breath of Smoke and Clouds.
"He wasn't even a boy anymore. And he achieved this alone?"
Lee Yu-baek let out a hollow laugh.
*
Yeon So-wol's reason for deciding to end his seclusion was simple.
I want to learn more.
This was the conclusion he reached after researching internal cultivation methods until he was sick of it.
How to make the fire hotter. How to use this power better. I want to learn that.
"Reading a book a hundred times reveals its meaning."
The meaning had already occurred to him, and he had repeated and explored the text to the point where there was nothing left to glean from it.
Yeon So-wol stood up. He went to the spring and washed himself thoroughly one last time. He washed his hair with sweet flag, rinsed his mouth with salt, and chewed on cloves to further freshen his breath. These were the essential resources for civilization that Lee Yu-baek had thoughtfully provided.
Yeon So-wol felt deeply grateful for that.
I suffered terribly, but in the end, all this hardship must have been necessary to live like a human in this savage land.
With mixed emotions, he looked back at the seclusion room and stood before the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
He pounded on the door several times, but no one came.
"Hmm."
However, Yeon So-wol did not panic.
"If Hall Master Lee Yu-baek made sure no one could approach as he said, then knocking is useless. That means... I'm supposed to break it."
Yeon So-wol looked at the wooden door. Though it was made of wood, it was half a span thick, and the hinges were sturdy.
However...
"Huuuuu..."
Yeon So-wol deepened his Fire Phase.
The Soft Willow Art was an external-to-internal exercise. It started from the outside and heated the inside. Through Gathering Fire, he first warmed the Twelve Standard Meridians, then gathered that heat to warm the Innate True Qi within the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.
Innate True Qi was received directly from heaven and earth; it was the purest and hottest Essence and Qi. But the process of living meant that even this Innate True Qi gradually cooled, became turbid, and hardened. The goal of internal cultivation methods was to revive and reheat this Innate True Qi.
As he added heat to the Innate True Qi that had been thickening and hardening, it began to stir and move. In the process, the burnt impurities escaped through his mouth, becoming a thick cloud.
"Huuuu!"
Yeon So-wol exhaled the smoke. Within his Eight Extraordinary Meridians, the Innate True Qi surged hotly.
He suddenly recalled a snippet of scientific knowledge from Earth.
The reason life can exist on Earth is that the Earth's inner core has not cooled and is still surging.
It's the same.
When the hot, pure Essence that constitutes the Innate True Qi pulsates, the Acquired Essence that forms the bones and flesh resonates with it and takes on a spiritual quality. Just as an electric current is generated when a magnetic field fluctuates around iron or copper, the bones and muscles heated by the Soft Willow Art reacted more strongly, becoming saturated with a certain power.
Essence was originally the root of power and matter.
Originally, it was... not muscular strength, not thermal power, not nuclear, magnetic, or gravitational force.
Just power. The purest and simplest. The primordial power.
Though it had degraded significantly, an intangible force originating from that primordial power filled Yeon So-wol's muscles.
This was the true nature of the superhuman strength displayed by martial artists.
True Qi.
Yeon So-wol reached out with his empowered hand and pushed the door of the seclusion room.
Creeeeeak!
He couldn't break the bolt and chains, but the hinges couldn't withstand the force and split away along the grain of the wood.
Thud!
Yeon So-wol stepped out, passing the wooden door that hung precariously from the bolt.
In the silence, only the area near the training grounds was noisy. He proceeded toward the training grounds without hesitation. He saw dozens of disciples gathered and practicing.
But he didn't stop. His heart was pounding.
I did it. I successfully completed that grueling seclusion. No, I exceeded my goals.
He had been calm until he stepped out the door, but as he walked, the reality of it sank in. His chest trembled.
I can become a martial artist. I can live my life without being swayed by this savage world.
The joy of overcoming a difficult trial. The ambition to move on to the next stage. The belief that he could overcome any future hardship. With all these feelings, Yeon So-wol walked on.
He wanted to face the results of his grueling five months of training. He didn't want to delay it for even a moment.
"Hmm?"
"What's that? That savory smell."
The disciples of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall stopped their training one by one and looked back. Then they froze.
"Wait."
"Could it be...?"
"He's not dead?"
They recognized Yeon So-wol. Some had seen his face before he entered seclusion, and others had only heard rumors after he entered, but everyone recognized him nonetheless. A man that tall with such a clear face was rare.
And they were surprised once again by that fact.
What? Why is he so clean?
Wasn't he in seclusion?
And what is this savory scent?
The disciples of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall followed Lee Yu-baek's teachings to keep themselves clean and maintain a proper appearance. But people don't change easily. When Lee Yu-baek wasn't looking—for instance, when they were at home or resting for a few days—they naturally became scruffy and smelly. That was the average for this world!
Furthermore, what about seclusion? How could anyone wash every day during such intense training? It was only natural to come out looking like a beggar. Even if someone came out reeking, it was polite to offer a blessing like, "Oh, you look quite clean for someone who was in seclusion."
But Yeon So-wol was incredibly clean. It was as if he had washed every day and laundered his clothes in the spring. Even his beard was neatly trimmed, and his long hair was tied back tidily with a string.
And then there was the savory scent that accompanied the white mist from his mouth.
The Pungryu disciples soon realized.
"Is this... the Breath of Smoke and Clouds?"
"But it's not the smell of baked earth. What is this savory scent?"
This was a state even Lee Yu-baek had never mentioned.
The Pungryu disciples were overwhelmed—by Yeon So-wol's pristine appearance and by the immeasurable level of his Breath of Smoke and Clouds.
The eighteen-year-old latecomer, whom they had assumed would surely die, had achieved the state they dreamed of and appeared before them with dignity.
Whoosh—
Though no one said a word, everyone stepped aside to the left and right. They opened a path for Yeon So-wol.
Lee Yu-baek, standing on the platform, was clearly visible. Yeon So-wol walked down the center and stood before him.
"Hall Master. I have something I wish to ask."
"Before that, I have a question first."
Lee Yu-baek asked, "What was inside the Eight Extraordinary Meridians?"
Yeon So-wol answered, "It was filled with hot Essence and Qi received from heaven and earth."
"Yes. That is called Innate True Qi. What form did it take?"
"It was like a viscous liquid."
"Correct. Hot and pure Qi and Essence mix together and flow thickly. Thus, it is called Qi and Blood, or Essence Blood. You must protect your Qi and Blood and your Essence Blood for the rest of your life. Gathering the Innate True Qi within the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and using the lukewarm, turbid Acquired Qi that forms within your physical body—that is the essence of cultivation."
"Qi and Blood... Essence Blood... Innate True Qi. Acquired Qi..."
Lee Yu-baek, looking down from the platform at the murmuring Yeon So-wol, asked again, "Then what are the Twelve Standard Meridians?"
"If the Eight Extraordinary Meridians are a great sea that stores Innate True Qi, the Twelve Standard Meridians are the pathways that lead to the actual bones, flesh, and organs. Bones and flesh are the hardening of Acquired Qi, and I can revive them by breathing Gathering Fire into these pathways. The hotter the Acquired Qi, the better the resonance with the Innate True Qi."
"Precisely."
Lee Yu-baek was satisfied. But Yeon So-wol did not stop there.
"However, the Twelve Standard Meridians do not end with the Twelve Standard Meridians."
"Hmm?"
"I found twelve side paths leading from the Twelve Standard Meridians."
A look of wonder appeared on Lee Yu-baek's face.
"The Twelve Divergent Meridians... You found them? On your own?"
"There were even smaller openings, like mouse holes or rat holes."
"Even the Fifteen Collateral Vessels!"
Lee Yu-baek let out a stunned laugh. Shaking his head, he said, "Your capacity has far exceeded my expectations. Very well. What is it you are curious about?"
"I want to know how to make the fire burn hotter."
Lee Yu-baek answered immediately.
"Make the Acquired Essence that forms in your body extremely hot. Then it will become hot sparks and rise. Control them well to heat your meridians. Continue to protect and compress that Gathering Fire. Then, the True Fire will bloom. I call a person who has bloomed the True Fire 'first-rate.'"
Yeon So-wol mulled over what he had learned. He looked completely absorbed in the lesson.
Lee Yu-baek hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously, "It must have been difficult. Did you not resent me?"
"I did. But I am fine now."
"Why?"
"Because I won."
Yeon So-wol smiled.
Lee Yu-baek smiled as well. The Three Gentlemen of Pungryu smiled, and the Inner and Outer Disciples smiled too. They all had the same thought.
Soon, the Four Gentlemen of Pungryu will be born.
He's a new Direct Disciple.
With that level of skill, he's more than qualified.
To enter at eighteen and achieve the Breath of Smoke and Clouds in half a year to become a Direct Disciple... Am I witnessing a legend?
Finally, Lee Yu-baek spoke.
"But I'm sorry. I cannot keep my promise. I simply cannot take you as my disciple."
Yeon So-wol's eyes widened. The crowd began to murmur.
"Your capacity exceeds mine. I cannot take a genius like you as my Direct Disciple. Youth ages quickly, and learning is hard to achieve. You must not waste your time under me; when the time comes, you must find a much better master."
Yeon So-wol didn't know how to respond.
Wait. What? This isn't one of those 'I'm breaking up with you because I love you' things, is it...?
Just then, Lee Yu-baek's eyes shone brightly.
"However!"
His voice carried a newfound strength.
"If you are willing, I would like to become your foster father."
Foster father?
A relationship of father and son bound by loyalty. Yeon So-wol froze at the unexpected proposal.
"So-wol. This Central Plains is not your home. But what if we became family? I will become your foster father and pass on all my martial arts to you. But since I am not your master, you can take anyone else as your master later. No, I will even help you find one."
Becoming family?
Those words resonated deeply with Yeon So-wol. Regardless of whether he liked or disliked Lee Yu-baek, in this strange land where he had no one to rely on... family.
Furthermore...
Room and board are taken care of. I can learn everything like a disciple without actually being one. I get a strong backer. And he'll even find me a new master?
The more he counted, the more this proposal seemed entirely to his benefit. It was a great kindness from Lee Yu-baek.
But... taking someone as a father...
As a person from 21st-century South Korea, it was a possibility he had never even considered. He couldn't bring himself to speak easily.
Yeon So-wol just stared blankly at Lee Yu-baek, not knowing what to do.
Lee Yu-baek gave a bashful smile and reached into his robe.
"If I'm to be your father, I should return this."
He pulled out a small box. Inside, two gold ingots revealed their pale, golden faces. There had originally been three, but one had been given to the County Magistrate, leaving two. It was the gold Yeon So-wol had offered to be accepted as a disciple.
"And I'll add this as pocket money."
Lee Yu-baek pulled out another box. It contained a single dried mushroom.
"This is an elixir. It can greatly improve your constitution. It should be worth at least three one-tael gold ingots. How about it? Is this enough for pocket money?"
It was too much to refuse.
Yeon So-wol reflexively bowed his head.
"Father. I do not know if I deserve to receive such things."
"Seeing how you handle yourself, it seems my son won't starve to death anywhere. I am relieved."
Lee Yu-baek let out a wheezing laugh.
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