Chapter 173: Learning Martial Arts from the Demonic Master (2)

‘Do you remember the Three Finger Flick I taught you before?’

‘Yes, you said it was the secret martial art of the assassin, Silent Phantom Kill.’

‘That’s right. After I happened to master that martial art, I came to a realization.’

‘You realized something through the Flicking Technique?’

‘I realized, while mastering the Flicking Technique, that I had only ever clung to energy and forms until now. Think about it. Martial arts, aside from barehanded techniques, are nothing more than the methods of wielding weapons. Isn’t that so?’

‘Yes, that’s true.’

Yong Hwarin’s heart began to pound harder, feeling that he was getting closer to the truth.

‘It is the hands that hold the weapons, and it is the feet that create the movement. Yet, to move, we have only trained in footwork, lightness techniques, and movement techniques. Only now have I realized why I never studied the hands and feet—the very parts that produce all movement—as much as I did martial techniques.’

Yong Hwarin felt as if he could hardly breathe.

‘Hands and feet…’

‘Do you know the meridians of each finger and toe?’

Yong Hwarin shook his head.

‘No. I know about other important meridians, but not the ones in the fingers or toes.’

‘Not just you, most martial artists don’t know. They only know of the Conception and Governing Vessels. But no deep study has been done on the fingers and toes, which actually grasp, swing, and move the sword.’

‘Ah! I think I’m starting to get it.’

‘Oh? Then explain the next part.’

‘You mean, if one fully understands the meridians of the fingers and can properly utilize them, even a single sword strike would carry much greater power, right?’

‘Exactly.’

The Demonic Master continued.

‘When we move, we don’t realize it, but the role of the toes is extremely significant. If you can properly use even the meridians of each toe, even using the same footwork will look entirely different.’

Yong Hwarin closed his eyes. The Demonic Master’s words felt almost like a sacred voice echoing from the heavens.

‘Do you know all the Jing-well points of the five fingers?’

Yong Hwarin only knew a few of the Jing-well points that he had learned while practicing the Three Finger Flick.

The starting points of the meridians were called Jing-well points, and those were located at the fingertips.

‘The Jing-well point of the thumb is Shaoshang, the index finger is Shangyang, the middle finger is Zhongchong, the ring finger belongs to the Triple Burner Meridian, and the little finger is Shaochong.’

He explained how the Lung Meridian of Hand Taiyin passes through the thumb, and the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand Yangming flows through the index finger, detailing the Jing-well and meridian points of each finger and toe.

‘A martial artist must, above all else, understand their own limbs properly, yet we neglect that by focusing only on internal energy and martial forms. What you are realizing now is something most only grasp after fully establishing themselves in the martial world. This is a fortune greater than consuming the Great Rejuvenation Pill of the Shaolin Temple. Never forget that all of this is thanks to this Demonic Master’s generosity.’

The Demonic Master stopped talking as he noticed Yong Hwarin had fallen silent.

Before he knew it, Yong Hwarin had unknowingly entered a deep meditative state, not even hearing the Demonic Master’s chatter.

The Demonic Master watched Yong Hwarin absorb his teachings like rice paper soaking up ink and silently admired him.

No one else had reached this level at such an age.

‘Well, I suppose he’s not really that young, strictly speaking.’

Even so, for someone who had been a merchant to immerse himself this deeply in martial arts was remarkable.

‘He should know this is all thanks to my daughter.’

Feeling a strange sense of loss, the Demonic Master drifted off to sleep in the Upper Dantian.

Meanwhile, Bukri Sogun, who had noticed Yong Hwarin looking troubled and restless over the past few days, headed toward the guest room where Yong Hwarin was staying.

There, he found Jeong Minji standing at the door.

“Is Brother Hwarin inside?”

“Yes.”

Jeong Minji responded but made no move to step aside.

“Why are you standing here?”

“Young Master Yong has entered Circulation of Qi, and I’m standing guard for him.”

“Is that so?”

Though she answered, Bukri Sogun found it hard to believe.

Thinking he might be getting tricked, he tried to enter through the back door, but someone unexpected was standing there.

“Where are you going, Sogun?”

“I was going to see Brother Hwarin.”

Namgung Yoo spoke with a smile.

“Young Master Yong is currently circulating his Qi.”

With Namgung Yoo guarding the back door as well, he couldn’t help but believe it.

Bukri Sogun paused at the back door and noticed the Ten Talents of Heavenly Central Sect positioned on rooftops and by the windows. He tilted his head in confusion.

“Why are they guarding so tightly just for Circulation of Qi?”

Being born in a martial clan himself, he knew that guarding someone during Qi circulation was customary, but this seemed excessive.

Just then, he saw Jeong Suji approaching with a water jug and asked her,

“Sister Suji, why are they guarding this place so tightly?”

“Oh, Young Master Yong has been circulating his Qi for two whole hours now. We think he might be on the verge of a major breakthrough, so we’ve increased the security.”

Bukri Sogun had been fast asleep during that time, so he hadn’t realized how much time had already passed.

Compared to the usual need for one sikgyeong (around 30 minutes) to perform Small Heavenly Cycle, two sijin (four hours) could no longer be called just Qi circulation.

Suddenly, Jeong Suji muttered to herself.

“When he wakes from his Qi circulation, I feel like Young Master Yong will be even stronger. I’m curious about what kind of enlightenment he gained. But he never passes down martial arts to anyone outside his own faction. What a petty man.”

“It’s not petty. You’re not supposed to teach your faction’s martial arts to outsiders anyway.”

Jeong Suji had spoken ill of Yong Hwarin without much thought, worried that he might be progressing too fast. But when Bukri Sogun defended him instead of agreeing, she became flustered.

'Still, if he realized something, couldn’t he share a little with us? He only whispers with the Ten Talents of Heavenly Central Sect. And yet we’re all working so hard for him.'

'It’s greedy to ask someone to share their martial arts or enlightenment. Be glad no one’s pulling out swords over it. If you really want to learn, you could just become Brother Hwarin’s disciple.'

Jeong Suji clenched her fist, ready to flick Bukri Sogun on the head for talking nonsense again, but she sighed instead.

She didn’t like that she was being lectured by someone so much younger.

“I guess I am the fool for bringing it up.”

“At least you realize that.”

As Bukri Sogun snapped back and walked away, Jeong Suji clenched her fist again but soon let it drop weakly as Bukri Sogun was already too far to catch.

“Ah, kids these days really have no manners.”

Jeong Suji, of course, failed to notice how much she resembled Bukri Sogun herself.

After another two sijin had passed, Yong Hwarin stepped out with his sword in hand.

Everyone followed him toward the backyard as if possessed.

Yong Hwarin began to perform the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword and Azure Bamboo Sword techniques like a madman, one after another without pause.

The Three Chivalrous Sisters, and Namgung Yoo watched for a moment but soon withdrew, knowing that watching another sect's martial training to the end was taboo in the martial world.

However, the Ten Talents of Heavenly Central Sect stayed behind, tilting their heads as they watched, sensing something they couldn’t quite define.

Mu Iso asked Son Yang beside him,

“'Something feels subtly different, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. What do you think?”

Among the Ten Talents, apart from himself, Son Yang had the deepest understanding of sword techniques.

Son Yang shook his head.

“It feels more refined and cleaner somehow.”

Goram, standing next to them, murmured,

“Should I say it looks more dignified? It feels… more sophisticated somehow.”

Even Goram, who had recently been making great strides in his own martial arts, sensed something from Yong Hwarin’s moves.

After performing the techniques as if venting his emotions, Yong Hwarin caught his breath and ended his training.

Seeing the Ten Talents gathered nearby, he called them over.

“All ten of you, come attack me.”

“Young Master, that’s too dangerous.”

Mu Iso shook his head in protest.

“Don’t worry. All of you attack me using just ten years’ worth of your internal energy.”

Mu Iso hesitated and spoke again,

“But, Young Master… Our current strength is about ten years’ worth. That means you’re asking us to go all out.”

Yong Hwarin let out an awkward laugh.

He often made the mistake of assuming others had higher internal energy because he possessed the three gapja of the Demonic Master’s power.

“Then attack me with just ten years of energy, and I will respond with ten years’ worth of mine as well.”

Mu Iso figured there must be a reason Yong Hwarin was asking this, so he nodded and followed his lead.

Even if they attacked with ten years’ worth of energy, they didn’t believe they could seriously harm their Young Master.

The Ten Talents surrounded Yong Hwarin and launched their attacks.

But strangely, even though they used the same techniques, footwork, and movement arts as before, Yong Hwarin’s execution looked far more refined and dignified.

It didn’t stop there—his attacks were half a beat faster, and even a simple sword strike carried real weight.

Mu Iso retreated with a frustrated shout,

“Young Master, you said you’d use ten years’ worth of energy, but it feels like you’re using twenty years! That’s cheating!”

Mu Iso had grown close enough to Yong Hwarin to speak casually like this.

He protested because if Yong Hwarin had gone back on his word, someone from the Ten Talents might get injured.

“I assure you, I am attacking and defending with ten years’ worth of energy.”

Goram muttered to himself,

“Strange… It feels like he’s using half a gapja of energy, though.”

Since they knew Yong Hwarin wasn’t one to break his word, they couldn’t shake the strange feeling.

As it became clear that most of the Ten Talents shared Mu Iso and Goram’s thoughts, Yong Hwarin smiled softly.

“I’m using ten years of energy, but the result looks like thirty years’ worth of power. Would you like to learn how?”

At that, the Ten Talents’ eyes sparkled as they looked at Yong Hwarin.

He could tell just how thirsty they were for martial knowledge.

“We’d like to learn.”

“But you must follow my instructions exactly.”

“Of course, Young Master. If you tell us to drink molten iron, we’ll drink it. If you tell us to step into a furnace, we’ll step in.”

That was their way of saying they were prepared to risk their lives to learn.

Ever since they had gained some mastery learning under Yong Hwarin, their hunger for martial knowledge had only grown deeper.

When Yong Hwarin offered a way to resolve that, they were willing to give their very lives.

Yong Hwarin explained the training method he had learned from the Demonic Master.

“From now on, wear thin leather shoes in your daily life. That way, you’ll start to awaken the minor meridians in your toes. As for adding strength to each sword strike, you can continue with the Dragon Scale Finger Training Method as you have been.”

To properly utilize the minor meridians in the fingers and toes, they needed to be fully trained. Walking barefoot and practicing the Ten Fingers Blood Activation Method could help activate them.

“Once you can fully utilize the minor meridians of your fingers and toes, you’ll be able to move like I did earlier. But you must train exactly as I teach you. You will become the bridgeheads of our sect when we return to the main house.”

The Ten Talents smiled at the mention of becoming the bridgeheads of Heavenly Central Sect.

It was a tremendous promotion.

Yong Hwarin had just planted a clear goal for them to strive toward.

Passion for martial arts could fade over time, even with hard training.

He had given them a carrot to keep that from happening.

“You will become the backbone of the future of our sect. So you must complete this training perfectly. If you can master this, you’ll lack nothing even among First-rate Martial Artists.”

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