#14

Chapter 3

Qi Heart Method (6)

Hyeong-un had undergone a terrifying ordeal.

He did it because his master told him to, but it was so horrific that he didn’t even want to recall it. Being stripped naked and lying on a bed while physicians inserted over a hundred golden needles all over his body was an experience he never wanted to repeat.

‘If they were small needles, maybe, but…’

But they weren’t.

They were needles longer than his fingers, thrust in so deeply it felt as though they were piercing straight through his body. What was more frightening was that despite being stabbed with things like that, there was no bleeding—and he didn’t die either. That, somehow, was even more unsettling.

‘The fact that it doesn’t hurt is the strangest part.’

Even though the needles were piercing his entire body, there was little pain. His body was densely packed with needles, yet instead of agony, he felt nothing but a slight rise in body temperature. That made it even more terrifying.

However, the sensation he felt after completing that ritual—the Great Soul-Reviving Golden Needle ritual—was something he thought he could never forget until the day he died.

His body felt light enough to fly. Throughout his life up until now, there had always been a lingering fatigue pressing down in every nook and cranny of his body. No matter how good he felt on a given day, that weight never truly vanished. But immediately afterward, he felt as though he could soar through the sky.

And that sensation led directly to the awakening of his Qi-sense.

Having opened his Qi-sense, Hyeong-un became capable of proper Qi Circulation through the Vast Soul-Heart Method. At the same time, he realized that the world he perceived had changed.

‘I can feel it.’

Qi-sense was a sensation entirely distinct from sight, hearing, smell, touch, or taste—a separate, sixth sense altogether. By awakening it, a human becomes certain of the existence of Qi—something they previously couldn’t be sure even existed.

In truth, everyone possessed this ability to some degree. The way one instinctively senses the “aura” or presence a person gives off when meeting them—that, too, is a kind of qi-sense. To master martial arts, one had to fully awaken this sense and be able to wield it at will.

With his Qi-sense awakened, everything in the world appeared new to Hyeong-un. He felt as though he could watch even passersby forever without growing bored.

Tall people, short people, fat people, old people, children, the sickly…….

Each one of them possessed a different kind of qi. And among them, martial artists radiated the most intense energy. A warrior who had cultivated internal energy could be recognized at a glance—Their qi is of an entirely different caliber from that of ordinary people.

However……

“I can’t feel anything from you, Master. Why is that?”

Surprisingly, unlike other martial artists, Hyeong-un could sense no energy at all from Gwi-hyeok. Even to Hyeong-un’s newly opened Qi-sense, Gwi-hyeok looked nothing more than an ordinary person.

Gwi-hyeok smiled faintly and replied:

“That is because I am intentionally concealing my energy.”

“Is such a thing even possible?”

“It is. Is that not exactly what Seok-jun’s stealth arts do? For instance, Seok-jun is standing right behind you at this moment. Can you pick up his energy with your Qi-sense?”

At those words, Hyeong-un flinched and hurriedly turned around. Just as Gwi-hyeok said, Seok-jun was standing about ten paces away.

“I don’t… feel a single thing.”

After awakening qi sense, Hyeong-un had become extremely sensitive to the qi-presence of others. If someone approached, he would instinctively notice. Yet, even though Seok-jun was clearly right before his eyes, he felt no presence whatsoever. He began to doubt if what he was seeing was merely an illusion…

Then Gwi-hyeok spoke up.

“The foundation of stealth arts begins with concealing one’s own qi-presence. If we are looking solely at the skill of cutting off one’s presence, even I cannot keep up with Seok-jun.”

“Even you, Master?”

Hyeong-un was shocked. Until now, he had thought Gwi-hyeok was superior to Seok-jun in every possible aspect. Was that not the case?

Gwi-hyeok nodded.

“That is correct. Seok-jun has reached a high Realm in stealth arts, whereas I never delved particularly deep into them, so it is only natural. Listen well. Being stronger in martial arts does not mean one is superior in every field of technique. Just as mastering palm and leg techniques to the limit doesn’t make one better at swordsmanship than a weaker swordsman. There are countless techniques in this world, and each has its own inherent value.”

Gwi-hyeok gave Hyeong-un a moment to process this before continuing.

“The way I hide my energy is entirely different from the way Seok-jun does it. While stealth arts aim to hide oneself completely, my method of concealing energy is intended to make me appear like an ordinary person.”

“You really do look like one.”

“Since martial artists judge each other’s strength by observing their energy, mastering this technique is vital to cut off even a shred of information given to an opponent. Of course, this is still a distant story for you.”

Hyeong-un had only just awakened his Qi-sense. He still had a long road ahead just to master its practical use

Through Qi Sense, one detects the energy within and without the body, and moves it through intent. At first, Hyeong-un utterly failed to comprehend this concept.

“I can feel it. But I don’t know how to move it.”

If moving through intent means it follows one’s will, then that’s what it should be. However, no matter how hard he tried, those energies just flowed as they pleased, refusing to move as Hyeong-un desired.

“That is only natural at the beginning. The realm where one moves qi solely through intent is not something just anyone can reach. And that is precisely why the Heart Methods exist.”

Hearing this, Hyeong-un began practicing the foundational training of the Vast Soul-Heart Method. Indeed, the energies inside and outside his body began to move with consistency. External energy flowed into his body, forming a stream with distinct regularity. At the center of that flow was his heart.

Thump.

After passing through the heart, the energies that had flowed smoothly along the meridians of his entire body were discharged back out. As this cycle repeated, the energy held within his heart began to grow larger and larger.

‘Is this the process of forming the Qi-Heart?’

Hyeong-un trembled with excitement. Perceiving Qi through his Qi-sense, circulating it through the Vast Soul-Heart Method, and watching energy accumulate in his heart because of it—all of these were experiences beyond his wildest imagination.

Gwi-hyeok asked.

“Can you feel the energies within your body?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of energies are there?”

That question confused Hyeong-un. What kind of energies were there? He was simply using the Vast Soul-Heart Method to absorb External Qi and direct it through his heart…

‘Ah.’

It didn’t take long for him to grasp the meaning behind the question.

There were foreign energies lodged within his body. Unlike the qi moving through the Vast Soul-Heart Method, these energies were unrefined, each possessing its own distinct nature, scattered here and there throughout his form.

“That is the power contained within the elixir you consumed.”

A person who cannot circulate qi is fundamentally unable to fully absorb an elixir’s medicinal effects. Even so, the effects do accumulate in the body—but as time passes, they melt away like snow.

The residual effects remaining in Hyeong-un’s body was not even up to one percent of the original potency. Furthermore, he was unable to absorb all of what remained.

“How do I absorb this?”

The remnants of the elixir lay outside the stream of energy formed by the Vast Soul-Heart Method. Even though it was clearly power within his own body, he didn’t know how to draw it in.

Gwi-hyeok answered.

“For now, you can only take in what is naturally absorbed as you operate the Vast Soul-Heart Method.”

Hyeong-un, who had only just begun his circulation, could not utilize his entire meridian system; he was using only a tiny portion near the heart. He can only hope that the medicinal effects near the meridians used by the Vast Soul-Heart Method would be drawn in naturally. Any medicinal power not absorbed in that way would simply dissipate.

Hyeong-un smacked his lips in regret.

“What a waste.”

Hyeong-un didn’t know it at the time, but in his hidden position, Seok-jun was nodding along, thinking those were the truest words ever spoken.

“That medicine already served its purpose by awakening your Qi-sense, so there is no need to feel regret. Now, then—let us begin learning the Subtleties of Qi circulation properly.”

“Master.”

At that moment, Hyeong-un called out to him.

“Hm? What is it?”

Gwi-hyeok asked.

“May I ask one favor?”

“And what might that be?”

“Could you… show me the qi you’re concealing?”

“That isn’t particularly difficult… but why do you ask?”

“I’m just curious.”

Hyeong-un knew full well how extraordinary his master was. Still, now that his qi sense had only just awakened, he wanted to experience it more directly for himself.

Gwi-hyeok nodded.

“Very well. But you must be careful.”

“…huh?”

“You’re in a state where you’ve only just awakened your Qi Sense, so you don’t yet know how to control the information you perceive. Therefore, steel your mind.”

As he said that, Gwi-hyeok slowed his breathing. Simultaneously, the energy he had been carefully restraining within his body began to spill outward.

“Heup……!”

Hyeong-un swallowed his breath.

Through his qi sense, an overwhelming pressure came crashing down. A wave of terror washed over him, making him feel as though his entire body were being crushed and about to burst.

‘I-I can’t breathe……!’

It felt like standing buck naked in the middle of a raging storm.

Gwi-hyeok did nothing. He simply stood there. Yet, he had become a completely different being from just moments ago.

“That’s enough.”

Gwi-hyeok gave a soft, wry laugh and retracted his energy. At that, the energy that had been pouring in like a storm receded like an ebbing tide, once again stored away within Gwi-hyeok’s body.

At the same time, Hyeong-un’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.

“Heugh, huff… huff…!”

He couldn’t catch his breath. Hyeong-un clutched his chest in agony.

As Hyeong-un sat there trembling, Gwi-hyeok gently stroked his back while injecting his internal power. Immediately, warmth circulated through Hyeong-un’s body, and he felt a sense of relief.

Gwi-hyeok spoke.

“This is why I told you to be careful. Just as a newborn cannot withstand the stimuli of the world, the Qi-sense is fragile when it first awakens. Only after you become accustomed to it and learn to control it will you be able to withstand contact with truly powerful forces.”

The reason it cannot be called entirely the same is that an increase in the sensitivity of Qi-sense does not necessarily mean one will suffer from strong energies. The higher the level of a master, the more sensitive their Qi-sense becomes, yet they know how to skillfully control the information they receive through it.

Hyeong-un, finally stabilized, asked.

“Master, how many people in the world have more internal qi than you?”

“Hmm. I wonder?”

Gwi-hyeok tilted his head, pondering.

That reaction surprised Hyeong-un. He had naturally expected an answer along the lines of “quite a few,” but Gwi-hyeok was genuinely thinking it over seriously.

After pondering for a while, Gwi-hyeok spoke.

“As for those who are stronger… I’m not sure. But as for those worth comparing myself to? I suppose there are about three. One in the Kingdom of Ha-un, two in the Kingdom of Wi-jin… and in the Kingdom of Pung-ryeong, none that I know of.”

“……”

Hyeong-un’s jaw dropped. Good heavens, did that not mean he was truly among the strongest in the world?

Gwi-hyeok looked bewildered by his reaction.

“Hm? Hyeong-un, surely you didn’t think your Master wasn’t that strong?”

“W-well, it’s not that I thought you were weak, but… I mean, um.”

Hyeong-un hesitated, unable to speak honestly. Gwi-hyeok smiled and urged him.

“But? Speak truthfully. I won’t get angry.”

“It’s just… I never imagined you were truly one of the few who could be counted on a single hand.”

“Hahahaha!”

Gwi-hyeok burst into a hearty laughter. After laughing for quite some time in front of the blushing Hyeong-un, he asked.

“Hyeong-un, among those whose names are known throughout Jianghu, who do you know of?”

“Um. I know of the Two Sovereigns and the Eight Heroes.”

The Two Sovereigns and Eight Heroes are the ten individuals whose names are most widely renowned in the current Jianghu.

The world is vast, and extraordinary individuals and hidden masters are countless. Even without crossing borders, the masters recognized in one distant province differ from those in another. In such a world, the Two Sovereigns and Eight Heroes are those whose fame spans the entire continent. Their legends are so pervasive that in any inn, one can find a storyteller who receives coins to recount their deeds; thus, even Hyeong-un was well-aware of them.

If one were to name the strongest among them, they would be the Sword Sovereign of No-Thought, Na Yun-geuk, and the Phantom-Art Demon Sovereign, Lee Hyeon.

Na Yun-geuk, who leads the martial Force known as the Yun-geuk Fortress, earned the title of “Sword God Descended to the Mortal Realm” through his legendary exploits—breaking the alliance of Phantasmal Demons that threatened the world and obliterating the Corpse-Monster Castle formed by a gathering of demonic practitioners.

The Phantom-Art Demon Sovereign, Lee Hyeon, is a legendary Phantom Illusory sorcerer whom even the Emperors of the Three Central Kingdoms seek out for wisdom. He is rumored to be over a hundred years old and belongs to no organization, yet whenever he reveals himself to the world, a massive upheaval inevitably follows.

As for the Eight Heroes, while they fall a step behind the two Sovereigns, they are nonetheless masters of such renown that anyone would recognize their names. They include those who walk the Righteous Path, those who possess nefarious reputations, and those who follow the Path of Domination, yet all are powerful individuals who possess the bearing of a Chivalrous hero acknowledged by the common people.

The White Mist Sword Dragon, Hong Ja-gyeom.

The Explosive Star Sword, Baekri Geom-un.

The Snow Mountain Sword Empress, Lee Ja-ryeong.

The Chaos Demon, Han Seo-woo.

The Dark Night Killing Art, Ja-hon.

The Wind Demon Spear, Ho Jun-gyeong.

The Immortal Sword, Gi Yeong-jun.

And the Storm Fist Hero.

Among the Eight Heroes, only the Storm Fist Hero remained a figure of mystery, his true name unknown. Despite being active in Jianghu for twenty years, he always appeared with his face concealed by a mask and a bamboo hat; it was said that only his astonishing martial arts, capable of conjuring storms with nothing but his two fists, served as proof of his identity.

Gwi-hyeok nodded.

“So you at least know of the Two Sovereigns and Eight Heroes. This master here is none other than the Storm Fist Hero.”

“…What?”

For a moment, Hyeong-un doubted his own ears.

Gwi-hyeok gave a mischievous grin.

“Given my position as the Spirit Star of the Guardians of the Star, I must always fight while concealing my identity, but it seems my name has become somewhat well-known regardless.”

“M-Master… you’re the Storm Fist Hero? For real?”

“Indeed.”

“Whoa…..”

Hyeong-un’s eyes sparkled.

The tales of the Storm Fist Hero were filled with stories that made a man’s blood boil with excitement.

The time he single-handedly annihilated the Red Dragon Rain, a massive pirate fleet, to help a child who had lost his mother in a coastal village overrun with pirates.

The time he stood alone to block the monsters of the Demon Realm that came pouring out when a centuries-old seal was broken through the schemes of the wicked, allowing the powerless villagers to escape.

The time he fought a thousand government troops while protecting a young girl on the brink of losing her purity due to the tyranny of a corrupt official.

Hyeong-un asked.

“So, did you really fight a thousand government soldiers, Master?”

“I did. Though it was a long time ago.”

“And back then, did you truly not kill anyone, or leave anyone maimed?”

In that specific incident Hyeong-un asked about, it was said that the Storm Fist Hero fought for three days and three nights without killing a single soldier or leaving a single man disabled, holding the line until others exposed the corrupt official’s crimes and had him punished. This was the very reason people were so willing to count him among the Eight Heroes.

“That is true.”

“Good heavens. How is that even possible?”

“I just did it, and it worked out. At first, I felt like I was simply holding back my hand, but later… there have been few fights in my life as difficult as that one.”

Gwi-hyeok smiled as he reminisced. Fighting for three days and three nights was a feat in itself, but doing so while ensuring no one was killed or maimed pushed him to his absolute limits. Since even a corrupt official’s government forces weren’t without their own Masters, he had to survive countless life-threatening moments.

Hyeong-un’s eyes sparkled as he asked,

“Then… did you really do all that just to protect a young girl’s purity?”

“…I did. That child later met a good man, got married, and had a daughter.”

“Wow.…”

Perhaps finding Hyeong-un’s gaze a bit overwhelming, Gwi-hyeok shifted his eyes slightly and spoke.

“Ahem. This Master of yours has always been a bit weak for heart-rending stories… and I was full of hot-blooded vigor when I was younger.”

“But you’re still young now, aren’t you?”

“Haha. I’m happy to hear that, but I’m already sixty-seven years old.”

“What? Sixty-seven? You’re lying, right?”

Hyeong-un was floored. It was only natural; Gwi-hyeok looked like he was in his mid-to-late 40s, or early 50s at the absolute most.

“Even this look is after having aged quite a bit these past few years. Until five years ago, I didn’t have a single strand of white hair.”

“Unbelievable…”

Hyeong-un’s jaw remained hanging open.

Gwi-hyeok gave a bright smile and said.

“Now then, we’ve played around enough. Let’s start the training again.”