Chapter 170: Chapter 170
Jeok-jae’s expression, who was guarding the mountain gate of the Mount Hua Sect, was incredibly gloomy.
“Haa, to think it would turn out like this.”
His mind was distracted.
It was a joint operation that seemed like it would succeed without difficulty.
And for good reason, hadn’t the Mount Hua Sect and the Zhongnan Sect joined forces?
However, contrary to expectations, both places had failed, and they returned to the Mount Hua Sect in a lonely manner.
“Haa.”
Just as he bit his lip along with a sigh.
“That is…….”
He saw a small dot below the mountain path.
Thinking it might be a visitor, he was preparing words of refusal.
“Heop!”
The small dot suddenly grew larger and soon turned into the shape of a person.
“Cheo, Martial Uncle Cheon-hwi?”
His expression brightened.
As it was, Cheon-hwi was the only one who had not yet returned from the joint operation.
So he had been worried.
Fortunately, he was returning without any injuries, so he was incredibly happy.
“You’ve returned…….”
Just as he waved his hand and tried to welcome him.
Sswaaaaaek!
Cheon-hwi passed by him like the wind.
Unfolding the Flying Heaven Footwork, the place he arrived at was the Hall of Medicine.
“Heop!”
The Hall of Medicine member swallowed his breath upon seeing Cheon-hwi suddenly appear.
“Cheo, Martial Uncle Cheon-hwi?”
“Where is Jeok-geom?”
“He is in there.”
Cheon-hwi passed by the Hall of Medicine member who was pointing at the room with his index finger and went inside.
Several people recognized Cheon-hwi and tried to speak to him, but they were overwhelmed by the chilling atmosphere he exuded and couldn’t say a word.
‘Is it there?’
Cheon-hwi moved his steps towards the place that held a faint aura.
Soon, as he arrived at the room door.
“……!”
Seol Ran, who had been dozing while leaning against the room door, jumped up in surprise.
“Martial Uncle?”
“You seem fine.”
Cheon-hwi, who was scanning Seol Ran looking completely fine without a single scratch, asked.
“What about Jeok-geom?”
Seol Ran bit her lip as if trying to hold back her tears and answered in a tearful voice.
“He is…… inside…….”
Deureuk…
Cheon-hwi opened the door and went in.
Inside, there was Jeok-geom with long needles stuck all over his body, and the Divine Physician feeling his pulse while sweating profusely next to him.
“Who told you to come in without permission…….”
The Divine Physician furrowed his brow at the sound of the door opening.
Then, turning his head and making eye contact with Cheon-hwi, he spoke with a sigh.
“It was you?”
Cheon-hwi nodded his head.
“I heard you helped treat the injured?”
“I squandered food at the Mount Hua Sect, so I helped a little. More importantly, sit down if you’ve arrived.”
Cheon-hwi flopped down next to him.
“How is his condition?”
“See for yourself.”
The Divine Physician handed over Jeok-geom’s hand that he was holding.
Cheon-hwi’s face turned cold as he felt his pulse for a moment.
Perhaps having received a huge shock, his lower dantian had become incomplete, and his inner qi was running wild.
“He passed the critical moment.”
The Divine Physician, speaking quietly, wiped the sweat flowing on his forehead with his sleeve and continued his words.
“Still, he will have to solely circulate his qi without moving for at least a year for it to stabilize even a little.”
Cheon-hwi removed the hand that was feeling his pulse.
“You must have suffered quite a bit. It wouldn’t have been an ordinary task to stabilize him like this.”
“Do you feel a little respect now? If you really want to learn medicine that much, I can teach you even now.”
Just as the Divine Physician, whose nose had grown high thinking this was the moment, tried to tempt Cheon-hwi.
“Mar…… Martial Uncle. Have you…… arrived.”
A faint voice was heard.
Jeok-geom, who struggled to open his eyes, looked at Cheon-hwi and moved his trembling lips.
“I’m, I’m glad you’re safe…….”
“Shut up. It doesn’t make me feel good at all for you to ask about my well-being in that state.”
“…….”
“You heard the Elder Divine Physician’s words too, right?”
Jeok-geom struggled to nod his head.
“But a year is too long.”
Along with his words, as Cheon-hwi rolled up his sleeves, the Divine Physician revealed his bewilderment and asked.
“What are you trying to do?”
“I’m going to stabilize his lower dantian.”
“Is, is that possible?”
“I’ve never done it before, but it should work.”
At Cheon-hwi’s irresponsible words, Jeok-geom’s pupils shook like there was an earthquake.
However, Cheon-hwi didn’t even care and placed both of his hands on Jeok-geom’s lower dantian.
“Don’t ever groan even if it hurts. Because then it will all be for nothing.”
The moment those words ended.
Hwaaaaak!
The Plum Blossom Divine Art swallowed the room.
“……!”
The Divine Physician’s eyes widened.
A dense inner qi that felt as if he had fallen into water enveloped his body.
Even for someone like him who was a layman in martial arts, it was to the extent that he could roughly guess just how supreme of a realm one had to reach for the sight unfolding right now to be possible.
‘Was he an expert of this level?’
Just as he was looking at Cheon-hwi with newly surprised eyes.
Hwaaak!
Cheon-hwi burst out his inner qi.
Then, the inner qi that felt like falling into water created a vortex, and soon poured entirely into Jeok-geom’s body.
Jeok-geom trembled violently.
‘Let’s see. I need that to stabilize the inner qi……. Found it! As expected, he still hasn’t absorbed it properly.’
Cheon-hwi drew out the aura of the White Gold Pill located in the corner of his lower dantian, then mixed it with the inner qi of the Plum Blossom Divine Art and flowed it in.
Then, a change occurred.
The inner qi of the Plum Blossom Qi Art, which had been stabilized by the Divine Physician’s mysterious acupuncture, wriggled greatly once and soon created a flow.
“Even if your head hurts right now, keep reciting the oral chants of the Plum Blossom Qi Art.”
At Cheon-hwi’s words, Jeok-geom forcibly suppressed his throbbing pain and forcibly recalled and recalled the oral chants of the Plum Blossom Qi Art over and over.
As he did so.
Huuuuuu…
A plum blossom scent bloomed between the two.
‘Then if we just do one cycle now…….’
Cheon-hwi guided and gathered the inner qi of the Plum Blossom Qi Art according to the oral chants of the Plum Blossom Qi Art.
Soon, the Great Heavenly Cycle began.
The inner qi circulating the torn and shredded blood vessels gradually expanded their passages.
‘It must feel like dying.’
Cheon-hwi let out a chuckle.
Since he was forcibly widening his blood vessels, it would be so painful that he would rather want to die. And as expected, Jeok-geom’s complexion was turning pale.
‘Keuheok!’
Right now, Jeok-geom was out of his mind.
Even if it hurt, this hurt too much.
‘Keok! I, if I knew it would hurt this much, I would have just recuperated for a year!’
Regret welled up belatedly.
But what could he do.
It was already something that had happened.
A drop of tear squeezed out of his eyes, unable to endure the pain in the end, flowing down and wetting the pillow.
Seeing that, Cheon-hwi clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, don’t act pathetic, and just recite the oral chants properly.”
Cheon-hwi, who was reprimanding Jeok-geom whether he was hurting or not, sparkled his eyes.
‘Oh, look at this?’
Perhaps because the blood vessels expanded, the aura of the White Gold Pill that hadn’t yet been absorbed also swirled together and merged with the Plum Blossom Qi Art.
‘They say a lucky bastard succeeds in whatever they do.’
There would be no fortuitous encounter like this fortuitous encounter.
But that was a story for when he had absorbed it all; it wasn’t yet.
“This time will hurt more, so clench your teeth. If you scream, it will all fly away.”
Cheon-hwi poured all of the inner qi that had finished the Great Heavenly Cycle into his lower dantian.
Jeok-geom’s eyes widened fiercely.
Even now he felt like dying, but to think it would hurt more!
Just as a terrified Jeok-geom trembled violently.
Sswaaaaa…
Inner qi stormed layer upon layer like a wave.
Along with a terrible pain that could absolutely not be expressed in words!
‘Kkeuaaaaaak!’
By the time Jeok-geom screamed inwardly, the inner qi all gathered in his lower dantian.
Deolkeong!
Jeok-geom’s body bounced up greatly.
Following that, his eyes became hazy, and a stench that swallowed the plum blossom scent flowed out.
At the same time, his Daoist robe was soiled with impurities and excrement.
Cheon-hwi immediately widened the distance from him.
“Since I’ve stabilized him for now, is it done.”
Along with his words, he dusted off his hands and spoke while looking at the bewildered Divine Physician.
“He should be quite fatigued right now, so please prescribe him a dose of medicine to regain his energy.”
The Divine Physician hurriedly felt Jeok-geom’s pulse. After a moment, he glared his two eyes.
“No, to think that unstable lower dantian could become this stable and solid…….”
The Divine Physician, who spat out exclamation, focused even more on taking his pulse and thoroughly inspected the inside.
“Did you make the violently rampaging inner qi move by widening his blood vessels, combine it with the aura of the White Gold Pill, and then stabilize it?”
Cheon-hwi stared at the Divine Physician with fresh eyes.
Was the Divine Physician really a divine physician?
Merely by feeling his pulse, the Divine Physician was muttering away as if he had almost grasped what had happened.
At that moment, the Divine Physician blinked his eyes.
“But it’s strange. It’s impossible for a martial artist to interfere with another person’s inner qi, so how did you do this?”
The Divine Physician’s gaze was fixed on Cheon-hwi.
Facing the eyes deeply filled with curiosity, Cheon-hwi chuckled and answered.
“It’s because the roots of our inner qi mental methods are the same.”
Cheon-hwi spoke insignificantly.
Inner qi mental methods that started from the same root of Plum Blossom Qi Art and Plum Blossom Qi Art.
Adding to that, since the Plum Blossom Divine Art was no different from that root, it was something possible.
The Divine Physician fiddled with his beard.
“In other words, you’re saying it’s possible if there is a spiritual elixir or an aura comparable to it inside, and if you learn the same inner qi mental method.”
“In short, yes.”
The Divine Physician marveled.
He said it simply, but it was a difficult task.
To do so, one had to see clearly through the blood vessels, and one had to combine the skill to handle inner qi meticulously.
‘Perhaps even if it’s the same inner qi mental method, it would be impossible unless it was this guy.’
Just as the Divine Physician shook his head side to side in disbelief.
“Where is the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion?”
Cheon-hwi asked.
From what he heard from Junior Beggar, there were two people in Mount Hua whose condition was currently serious.
One person was Jeok-geom in front of him, and the other person was the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion.
“If it’s him, he is currently at the Martial Training Pavilion.”
“I heard his condition was serious, how is he?”
The Divine Physician’s brow furrowed.
The Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion’s wound was fatal.
Especially even more so for a martial artist.
“When I first saw it, the tendons and muscles of his right arm were severed. Fortunately, the treatment was successful, so if he recuperates, he should be able to move his arm like before. However…….”
The Divine Physician spoke while recalling the wound on his arm that was so terrible that the bone could be seen at the time.
“Now, it will be impossible for him to unfold martial arts or swing a sword with his right arm.”
A wound that severe?
Cheon-hwi’s brow narrowed.
The Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion’s skill was not to the extent that it could be said to be outstanding among the elders, but he was still an elder of the Mount Hua Sect.
It was absolutely not a skill that would suffer against just anyone.
‘There was something.’
Cheon-hwi, who emitted a cold look, stood up. Then he suddenly threw the door open.
“Mar, Martial Uncle? Senior Martial Brother is…….”
“He got better. He will regain consciousness soon.”
“Really?”
Perhaps relieved by Cheon-hwi’s answer, tears welled up in Seol Ran’s eyes.
“More importantly, where did Jeok-geom go?”
“……It was the Evil Ghost Gang.”
The answer came from behind.
“Senior Martial Brother!”
At the words of Jeok-geom, who had just regained consciousness, Seol Ran was surprised and hesitated while trying to go in.
“What’s wrong? Junior Martial Sister.”
Jeok-geom wondered at Seol Ran who suddenly stopped and froze while trying to raise his body.
His lower garments were damp and heavy.
“…….”
As cold sweat poured profusely down his forehead, Seol Ran laughed awkwardly and spoke.
“I, I will bring your Daoist robe.”
“Heok! Ju, Junior Martial Sister! It’s not this! This is because of the treatment just now…….”
Jeok-geom earnestly reached out his hand and shouted, but Seol Ran had already left.
Just as he deeply lowered his head.
“Was the Evil Ghost Gang that strong?”
At Cheon-hwi’s question, Jeok-geom regained his senses and answered.
“It was different from the known information.”
Jeok-geom, who was recalling that day, bit his lip as if resentful emotions surged up.
“……In the Evil Ghost Gang, there was a female expert comparable to the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion, and three or four peak-level experts who couldn’t match her were stationed. It was quite a strong fighting force for a mere Unorthodox Faction.”
Cheon-hwi’s eyes sank deeply.
He grasped the situation at once.
‘Did bastards like the Divine Brush Scholar or the bastards behind the Unorthodox Faction make a move?’
The sect behind the scenes that Heavenly Ear Beggar had mentioned floated in his mind and then disappeared.
‘But even so, to suffer so helplessly like this? At this rate, when are they going to become the world’s number one sect.’
Cheon-hwi grumbled inwardly.
‘Really, nothing has changed without me.’
Although the Mount Hua Sect’s reputation had increased recently, it was a hollow core.
The Mount Hua Sect’s fighting force was almost the same.
Although they had received third-generation disciples, it hadn’t even been a year.
In the end, the number of personnel who could unfold martial arts and fight remained around a hundred.
Even if Hyeon-do had become an expert of the Heavenly Martial Realm and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen had achieved a little growth, it was still far from enough.
‘It wouldn’t matter if I just had time.’
He smacked his lips with a ‘Tsk’.
It hadn’t been long since he truly made up his mind and started moving to make the Mount Hua Sect the world’s number one sect.
Although he had taken action with the Seven Plum Blossom Gates, the Dark Fragrance Pill, and new martial arts, it was not something that would be completed immediately.
He needed at least a year or more.
‘Tsk, it was bothersome so I just waited for time to pass, but can’t it be helped.’
Originally, all that was left was to step by step grow stronger. However, Jianghu, the world, did not leave them alone.
For a moment, Cheon-hwi, who had braved the bother, pondered whether he should move properly.
‘But before that, I should find out who the bastard is that made Jeok-geom into this state.’
His eyes deepened like an abyss.
‘How dare they touch my subordinate?’
Hasn’t it been said since ancient times that taking responsibility for one’s subordinates is the duty of an elder?
Cheon-hwi looked at Jeok-geom and asked.
“Who is it that made your lower dantian like that?”
Even if he didn’t know who it was, they were no ordinary wicked bastard.
Because they had deeply shaken his insides with an attack mixed with a clever penetrating qi in order to purposely inflict pain on the opponent.
Unless they possessed immense malice, they would not have done such a thing.
Jeok-geom ground his teeth and answered.
“……It was the Evil Ghost Gang Leader.”
“The Evil Ghost Gang Leader? Was that bastard also an expert comparable to the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion?”
“No. He had a skill slightly superior to mine.”
“You’re saying you suffered while getting distracted.”
“…….”
“I got it for now. The Evil Ghost Gang Leader, you say.”
Cheon-hwi’s eyes sank coldly.
Following that, he turned his body and went outside.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to go see the Martial Training Pavilion.”
“I, I will follow you too.”
“I don’t care, but you’re going to go in that state?”
Cheon-hwi’s gaze, his lips twisted, headed towards his soiled lower garments.
Jeok-geom, who realized his own state that he had forgotten for a moment, had his face turn slightly red.
“I, I will change and go!”
As Jeok-geom spoke urgently, Cheon-hwi chuckled and turned his body.
“Come later or something.”
* * *
“Heok! Heok!”
In the rear garden of the Martial Training Pavilion, the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion, with his right arm in a splint, was swinging his sword with his left hand while sweating profusely.
“Keuk!”
Perhaps unfamiliar with his left hand, he repeatedly dropped his sword several times.
At that time.
Jeobeok… Jeobeok…
He turned his head at the sound of footsteps.
Seeing the owner of the footsteps, the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion awkwardly sheathed his sword, then welcomed him with a bright expression.
“You’ve returned safely.”
“I did. More importantly, how is your arm?”
Cheon-hwi’s gaze captured his right arm, which was leaning against a splint and tightly wrapped in bandages.
Noticing that gaze, the Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion smiled softly and spoke.
“It is not a big wound.”
He spoke as if to reassure him, but Cheon-hwi’s eyes sank very coldly.
“I heard everything from the Elder Divine Physician.”
The Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion smiled bitterly.
“You heard everything…….”
“May I see it?”
The Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion tried to refuse, but after seeing Cheon-hwi’s eyes, he nodded his head.
“Do as you wish.”
Cheon-hwi unwrapped the bandages.
The wound was terrible.
The wound that ran from his shoulder to his wrist was stitched with thread, but the fact that it was slightly open allowed one to roughly guess just how big of a severe wound it was.
‘This can’t be touched anymore. In this state, it’s a miracle to even move the arm.’
Cheon-hwi, who was shaking his head, re-tied the bandages and asked.
“Who is it that created this wound?”
“……It was the Evil Ghost Gang Leader.”
“It seems to be the same person who made Jeok-geom like that.”
The name Evil Ghost Gang Leader was engraved even more deeply in Cheon-hwi’s head.
As a bastard who had to be beaten to death.
‘But his mental fortitude is amazing. If he can’t swing a sword, his heartbreak would be huge, but to immediately train with his left hand.’
His hair was drenched in sweat, and his left palm was a mess with burst blisters.
Cheon-hwi looked at his left hand and asked.
“How is it? After trying to swing the sword with your left hand, is it doable?”
The Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion wore a bitter smile.
“It was difficult.”
“Still, you were working quite hard.”
“‘Hard’ and ‘well’ are different, aren’t they. No matter how hard I work, if my skill doesn’t follow, it is only a futile effort.”
The Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion was realistic.
And that was something that Cheon-hwi liked very much.
‘As expected, he is a talent needed in the Mount Hua Sect.’
Cheon-hwi grinned and opened his mouth.
“Then would you like to try learning a proper left-handed sword art this time?”
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