#12

Chapter 3

Qi-Heart Method (4)

‘After all, the Spirit Star was hailed as an unparalleled genius.’

It was said that within the Guardians of the Star, he was evaluated as a genius rivaling even the Star-Fated Prodigies. A man who, despite not being a “Star” himself, had fully embodied everything the Guardians had built up over their long history—that man was Gwi-hyeok.

Gwi-hyeok continued.

“Whether I teach just one—Hyeong-un—or several of those so-called geniuses, it’s all the same in the end. Honestly, lately, I’ve come to respect you, Seok-jun.”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t you act as the Chief Instructor of the Spirit Star Guard? Isn’t it incredibly difficult teaching the subordinates?”

“Well… when you’re teaching, it gets frustrating. I lose my patience sometimes. Still, it’s work that has to be done, so I do it.”

“That’s exactly what I mean. Enduring all that and teaching them until they become usable—that’s what’s impressive.”

Gwi-hyeok let out a sigh.

It had already been a week since they left Ho-jang City with Hyeong-un.

According to Gwi-hyeok’s original plan, Hyeong-un should have already mastered the basics of the Vast Soul-Heart Method and been learning the fundamental forms of martial arts based on it. By Gwi-hyeok’s standards, the Vast Soul-Heart Method was such a simple mind method that sincere, repetitive training was the key; there was little need to spend time grasping its essence. He thought that even considering Hyeong-un’s lack of talent, this was a reasonable expectation.

But how could someone who had never taught another person in his life accurately imagine what a disciple’s aptitude would be like—and have that expectation align perfectly with reality?

Hyeong-un lacked talent so much that it surpassed even Gwi-hyeok’s wildest imaginations!

Hyeong-un was not smart. Objectively speaking, by ordinary standards he had decent memory and was quick to pick up on situations—but seen through Gwi-hyeok’s eyes, he was nothing short of a blockhead.

Hyeong-un’s Physical Frame (muscles and bones) were poor as well. While his meager body—the result of growing up undernourished—was a problem that could be fixed with proper food, when compared to those born with natural martial physiques, he would require far greater effort to internalize martial arts.

The inadequacy of his muscles and bones was also tied to internal energy. For those with exceptional talent, Qi Sense awakens not long after mastering a heart method. Yet, even though Gwi-hyeok personally infused his own internal energy each time to make him feel the flow of qi, a full week had passed without Hyeong-un’s Qi Sense stirring.

“This is truly disheartening.”

Gwi-hyeok let out a sigh. Seok-jun tossed him a word meant as consolation.

“At least he works hard, doesn’t he?”

“That much is a given.”

Whatever he was taught, Hyeong-un did it with all his might. With all his might…

It was the same for his literacy studies and his martial arts. His learning speed was slow enough to make one’s heart burst with frustration, but he never once slacked off or played tricks.

If Hyeong-un’s mindset hadn’t been so sincere, Gwi-hyeok wouldn’t have been able to endure it. In front of Hyeong-un, he acted the part of a broad-minded master who never got angry or irritated regardless of the boy’s failures, but every time it happened, inwardly, he was carving the character for endurance (忍) hundreds of times in his mind.

“Heh heh… Well, this is all something I brought upon myself anyway. As long as things don’t go too far off the rails before we reach the main headquarters, it shouldn’t matter too much…”

Gwi-hyeok’s intended training for Hyeong-un hadn’t even truly begun. Right now, it was merely a process of introducing him to what martial arts even are. Once they reached the Spirit Star Main Headquarters, the real training would start—and even at this very moment, Gwi-hyeok was mentally revising his plans to prepare for that time.

“What is Hyeong-un doing?”

“He has finished his literacy lessons and has headed out.”

For the record, Hyeong-un had been assigned a separate tutor for his letters. Originally, Gwi-hyeok had intended to teach him literacy as well, but after a few attempts, he realized it was a task he simply couldn’t stomach. Thus, he had scouted a suitable individual to act as a literacy teacher. They had agreed on two hours of study per day until they reached the headquarters.

“He headed out? Where?”

“Ah, he hasn’t gone far. He is practicing in the courtyard.”

“Already? It’s his break time; he should be resting.”

Gwi-hyeok clicked his tongue.

Seok-jun asked,

“Shall I go tell him that?”

“Do so… No, I’ll go myself.”

Gwi-hyeok shook his head and rose to his feet.

Gwi-hyeok and Hyeong-un were staying the night at a manor they had rented out entirely, located slightly away from the village.

In the week since leaving the city of Ho-jang, they had only slept outdoors once; otherwise, they stopped at villages or cities to secure respectable lodgings. From Hyeong-un’s perspective, these accommodations were consistently jaw-dropping, making him wonder just how recklessly Gwi-hyeok spent money. It seemed the Guardians of the Star truly possessed an immense fortune.

After dinner, Hyeong-un spent two hours studying letters with his tutor. Once finished, he came outside and began practicing the Vast Soul Heart Method.

The foundational training of the Vast Soul Qi-Heart Method is divided into two parts: the Dynamic cultivation, performed while in motion, and the Static Cultivation, performed while stationary. The Dynamic cultivation consisted of eight movements in total. While the movements themselves weren’t difficult at all, they contained two crucial secrets.

“Ah, the breathing was off.”

The first secret is that a specific breathing technique must align perfectly with each movement. The movements were simple, but maintaining that unique breathing required a high level of concentration.

The second is the necessity for vivid Mental Imagery. One must intensely visualize transparent light flowing through the body in a specific orbit, aligning it with both the movement and the breath.

Repeating this cycle about twenty times without rest quickly led to exhaustion.

“Huu.”

After catching his breath, he repeated the set about ten more times. Then, he brought his hands together at a slight angle in front of him and straightened his posture. The Static cultivation consisted of two stances: one standing, and one sitting in the lotus position.

The purpose of the dynamic cultivation is to stimulate the body and activate the latent energy within. In contrast, the purpose of Static cultivation is to perceive that activated energy and control it as intended.

Though he had been practicing this Qi-Heart Method steadily, his Qi-sense had yet to awaken. Consequently, he couldn’t feel the energy that was said to fill all of nature.

‘Well, it’s not like I can just conjure up that kind of power overnight.’

Even if he hadn’t awakened his Qi-sense yet, he had felt that energy before—because Gwi-hyeok had infused his own internal power into him to let him experience it.

How should he describe the sensation he felt then?

A sensation clearly different from any information his senses had ever received until now, swirled through his entire body. For a brief moment, strength surged within him, and it felt as though his mind itself had awakened.

Once he had tasted that sensation, he could not forget it.

‘I want it.’

He wanted to awaken his Qi-sense without Gwi-hyeok’s help and make that sensation entirely his own. That desire was what drove Hyeong-un to keep training.

“I told you to rest during your break, yet here you are.”

Just as he was about to sink into meditation through Static Cultivation, Gwi-hyeok’s voice suddenly drifted over. Hyeong-un snapped back to his senses and looked up at him.

“Ah, Master.”

“The road ahead is long. You mustn’t overexert yourself this early.”

“It’s not like that. It’s just… my head felt so stifled after the literacy lessons.”

That was true to an extent. Having never studied letters before, Hyeong-un felt like his brain was cramping whenever it was time for literacy class.

Still, perhaps because he worked so hard, he was making steady progress—even though the tutor had said he wouldn’t even finish the basics by the time they reached the headquarters.

“You rascal.”

Gwi-hyeok chuckled and stood by his side. Then, Hyeong-un asked.

“Master.”

“Speak.”

“The reason my Qi-sense hasn’t awakened yet… is it because I haven’t properly grasped the essence of the Vast Soul-Heart Method?”

When he had asked before, Gwi-hyeok said he had awakened his Qi Sense on the very day he learned the heart method. In comparison, Hyeong-un had diligently practiced for a full week, yet there was still no sign of his Qi Sense awakening. Hyeong-un wondered if the reason lay in his inability to learn the oral incantation Gwi-hyeok had originally intended to transmit, due to his illiteracy.

However, Gwi-hyeok shook his head.

“That is not it. I have already taken the original incantation of the Vast Soul-Heart Method and explained it to you in a much simpler, more detailed way. Of course, that was only the foundation, but at your current stage, that alone is more than enough.”

The original incantation that Gwi-hyeok had first intended to impart contained vast amounts of information. Before one actually begins practicing the Vast Soul-Heart Method, those sentences are nothing more than cryptic codes; however, as one trains in the correct sequence, the meanings gradually reveal themselves.

However, Hyeong-un couldn’t absorb all of that at once. And so, Gwi-hyeok chose to teach him slowly, breaking everything down—bit by bit—from the basics.

‘Well… I suppose this is what it means to be a master.’

It was said that the prestigious sects had such systematized teaching methods that they could impart martial arts on even the most dull-witted of students. The same was true for the martial forces under the Guardians of the Star. To teach Hyeong-un, Gwi-hyeok was currently in the process of drastically revising his educational plan, incorporating advice from Seok-jun.

Hyeong-un asked.

“Then why is it? Is it really just because I have no talent?”

“To be honest, yes.”

Gwi-hyeok gave a wry smile. At first, he had tried to phrase his words in metaphors, but now he spoke the truth bluntly. It was because Hyeong-un wanted it that way.

“As I thought.”

Hyeong-un’s expression darkened.

It was like this every time he heard an answer. Yet, Hyeong-un never avoided seeking the truth, even if the answer wounded him.

Gwi-hyeok spoke up.

“Still, from what I’ve heard from the others, you’re not particularly lacking in talent.”

“…What?”

“They say you are simply at an average level. My criteria for judging people… it feels a bit awkward to say this myself, but it is heavily distorted.”

Since childhood, Gwi-hyeok had grown up competing against all sorts of Geniuses gathered by the Guardians of the Star. As he matured, he was surrounded by those selected through the most grueling training. Since even his subordinates were men who had survived similar processes, he had little baseline for what an ordinary person—someone who wasn’t a genius—actually was.

While Hyeong-un lacked talent, that was only in comparison to prodigies; he wasn’t a total blockhead. His mind wasn’t bad, nor was his body sluggish. In every aspect, he was just common and average, one might say.

“You know, prestigious sects don’t just selectively accept only prodigies as disciples. And even those without prodigious talent, by meeting a good master and steadily striving through time-tested educational methods developed over long years, often become masters whose names echo through Jianghu.”

“I see.”

Hyeong-un let out a small chuckle. He knew Gwi-hyeok was telling him these things to comfort him. Given his master’s personality, he wouldn’t be able to fabricate such stories; he had surely gathered this information from others—specifically because he wanted to tell Hyeong-un something that would give him strength.

‘I’ve met a good Master.’

Hyeong-un didn’t doubt that fact for a second. Therefore, he would somehow repay the expectations of Gwi-hyeok, who had chosen and believed in someone like him.

Suddenly, Gwi-hyeok spoke up.

“And there’s no need to worry. I’ve prepared a countermeasure for you.”

“countermeasure?”

“You just need to drink this.”