WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈
Chapter 22: Middle Dantian (2)
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Yeon-shin reached out toward Yu Hyeon, who charged at him with clenched teeth.
A strange aura swirled around his left hand. In the next moment, the eyes of Cheon Ju and the Mount Hua Sect masters widened.
Swish-!
An intangible wave of qi bloomed from his left hand.
It erupted in clusters, like flower buds blooming one after another.
Force collided with force, creating another wave of aura. It looked like a superior martial art above the nonexistent Falling Petal Palm Art.
Hand Arts whose connection was difficult to recognize poured forth, precisely because a martial art of a vastly higher level had appeared at once.
Puh-puh-puh!
A barrage of powerful impacts crashed down, each one no less powerful than the second technique, True Barrier, as though shaking the dust from Yu Hyeon’s martial attire.
“Cough, urgh!”
Yu Hyeon tumbled over without even drawing his sword. A faint cloud of dust rose like mist.
Yeon-shin lowered his hand and fell into thought.
‘The martial arts of the Nine Sects are highly refined. You can truly feel the history of prestigious orthodox sects within them.’
It was a splendid insight. He had never imagined such a method of circulating qi.
‘I can make this my third technique.’
Yeon-shin nodded to himself. It did not seem to require further refinement.
He named it Blossom Fist, the third technique of the Sihwa Boundless Fist.
“......”
Silence filled the area.
Yeon-shin had faced the young Daoist known as the Hidden Dragon of the Mount Hua Sect.
The sect leader’s youngest disciple and Mount Hua’s greatest prospect had fallen in three moves.
Yeon-shin thought it was only natural.
Their levels had been different from the start.
To face Seom-ye, who was not merely a disciple of Desolate Fortress but also ranked among the foremost White Uniform martial artists, it would take at least a master on the verge of becoming a Plum Blossom Swordsman.
They said a Purple Uniform of Desolate Fortress was no less than a sect leader of the Nine Sects.
Yeon-shin compared his own situation to Yu Hyeon’s.
How much training would that bastard need before reaching the level of the Mount Hua Sect’s sect leader?
The little more than five years Yeon-shin had left would be laughably insufficient. Their fundamental horizons in life were worlds apart.
“......Take him away.”
At Cheon Ju’s grave command, a Mount Hua Sect martial artist hoisted Yu Hyeon onto their shoulder.
The gazes that swept over Yeon-shin as they left were filled with shock.
At last, the spectators began to stir.
“What, what was that?”
“Wasn’t it three moves? How could Mount Hua’s prodigy...”
“A three-move defeat? Just who is that boy?”
Amid the murmurs, Cheon Ju spoke.
“The Desolate Fortress has been raising a dragon. How much longer do they intend to keep the martial world in their grip?”
“That is quite a leap. The Desolate Fortress will not act so long as the people are left untouched.”
“That plausible justification never changes.”
Cheon Ju shook his head and looked at Yeon-shin.
“Jeong Yeon-shin, was it?”
“Yes.”
“I have witnessed remarkable martial arts. There is no way Mount Hua Sect martial arts could be connected to you. I did not know such martial arts existed under heaven. It must have served as a stimulus to the sect leader’s complacent disciple as well. If you are ever forced to leave the Desolate Fortress, remember that Mount Hua will treat you as an honored guest.”
“Sword Paragon! What laughable words. You have crossed the line.”
Ma Jin stepped forward, pulling Yeon-shin behind him.
“I admit that greed got the better of me. I made an unsightly display. But talent radiant enough to illuminate the world stood before me.”
Surprise spread across the faces of the Mount Hua Sect masters as Cheon Ju admitted it so readily.
At the same time, some wore expressions of understanding.
Yeon-shin merely stood still.
-You seem to be struggling to endure.
It was Baek Mir-yeo’s sound transmission. Yeon-shin gave a slight nod.
He had expended nearly all his qi. The burden on his dantian was heavy.
The Sihwa Boundless Fist required a great deal of qi to generate powerful force.
That was what it meant to use Force Projection from any posture.
It was not bound by posture, but the amount of inner energy it consumed was also a burden.
At least for now, it seemed difficult to use as his primary martial art.
‘I should return to the sword in actual combat.’
After organizing his thoughts, he secured a room at the inn.
The people who crowded in after him, including the Mount Hua Sect masters, regarded him differently.
They looked at him as though he were some wondrous spiritual beast.
Yeon-shin felt nothing in particular. Their remaining lifespan was fundamentally different from his.
As soon as he secured a room, Baek Mir-yeo threw open the door and entered.
True to her considerate yet forceful nature, she dragged Cheong Myeong in by the scruff of the neck and made them sit.
“You, in particular, need to open your middle dantian quickly. If you lack inner energy, you must at least supplement your endurance.”
Baek Mir-yeo spoke while sitting in meditation. Cheong Myeong sprawled out and half lay down.
“The middle dantian?”
“It seems you did not know its function. It has an efficacy that even the upper dantian, said to hold a spirit in the head, cannot provide. You will feel it the moment you open the middle dantian. Your inner energy will become somewhat more solid. Shaolin’s Vajra Immovable Divine Art is known as a representative martial art for refining the middle dantian.”
“My inner energy will become more solid?”
Cheong Myeong interjected when Yeon-shin asked absentmindedly.
“It means the efficiency improves. You have heard tales of masters who fought for seven days and nights without tiring, haven’t you? They trained their middle dantian. The flow of qi becomes firmer, and they can unleash powerful techniques time and again. Even after taking a fairly powerful blow, the flow of their inner energy will not easily be disrupted.”
“That is probably why Cheong Myeong could exchange swords with the Namgung First Sword. Otherwise, there would be no explanation, no matter how profound Cheong Myeong’s martial arts are.”
Baek Mir-yeo pointed at Cheong Myeong, who was yawning lazily. Cheong Myeong smiled brightly, tilted their head, and nodded.
Yeon-shin glanced at Cheong Myeong before turning his gaze away.
“The middle dantian. How do I open it?”
“If you refine the lower dantian over a long period, it will open naturally. It would be best to circulate energy and regulate your breathing with a focus on the upper body.”
“Is there no faster method, Sister?”
The form of address slipped out unconsciously. He needed to quickly obtain every means of becoming stronger.
His urgency over martial arts and merits had made the improvised form of address slip out.
Even Yeon-shin himself was startled by his words.
“Sister...?”
Baek Mir-yeo’s cold eyes drooped helplessly. Her cheeks flushed slightly.
For a moment, even her lips seemed to go slack. It was an unbelievable sight. One Lotus Sword Plum, of all people?
As befitted an inner-energy master, Baek Mir-yeo immediately took a long breath and recovered her composure.
At that moment, Yeon-shin could not help but wonder whether Baek Mir-yeo had a younger sibling who had passed away.
At the same time, he realized that he knew nothing about the lives of any of the Demon Wings martial artists.
‘I still do not know anyone.’
Baek Mir-yeo cleared her throat.
“First, you must keep powerful energy within your body...”
The explanation continued. In the end, the issue was qi.
Just as the lower dantian naturally opens through prolonged breathing cultivation, the middle dantian was no different.
Baek Mir-yeo said that crude sorcery would only act as poison.
It was another matter entirely, like Yeon-shin having been born with his upper dantian already open. A damned constitution.
Swallowing a sigh, he went down to the first floor. He decided to think about the middle dantian later.
‘I should focus on accumulating merits. It is not as if I cannot become stronger without it.’
The inn was packed. The smell of food filled the place, and it was difficult to find an empty seat.
They said Xi’an was a place where martial artists of all kinds gathered. It was an unusual city, where common people who traveled about outside were remarkably unafraid.
It seemed even more crowded after rumors spread that there had been a duel with a Mount Hua Sect Daoist.
“That is the young swordsman!”
“The one who defeated the Hidden Dragon of the Mount Hua Sect in three moves?”
“He looks to be the same age. How could that be possible?”
“I saw it clearly with my own eyes!”
When Yeon-shin came downstairs, murmurs rose from every direction. They seemed to be people who had watched the duel.
“Seom-ye will gain fame in no time. Once his identity becomes known, there will be an uproar.”
“Only natural. He is the future of the main fortress.”
It was Cheong Myeong and Baek Mir-yeo. They said such embarrassing things without the slightest hesitation.
Praise tied to age meant nothing.
It was the first time Yeon-shin had had his martial arts judged since entering the world, but he let every word pass through one ear and out the other as he searched for Ma Jin.
The space around the table where Hyeon Won-chang sat with the Leader of Demon Wings was completely empty, making it easy to spot.
Ma Jin’s chilling scars and formidable bearing kept others from approaching. No one dared sit with them.
Yeon-shin strode through the crowd.
“Is this all right? Discussing the mission in a place like this?”
Ma Jin laughed at Yeon-shin’s question after he sat with Cheong Myeong and Baek Mir-yeo.
“It is no secret that Mount Hua is searching for the culprit with eyes wide open. The movements of martial artists from prestigious great sects are bound to be tracked in detail. Doing this will instead reduce unforeseen casualties among the common people.”
“Certainly.”
“Have you heard the phrase, ‘Make noise in the east and strike in the west’? That is what we will do from now on.”
“So we are not merely preventing Mount Hua Sect’s use of force as the situation demands. We are actively helping them calm the situation?”
“Correct. The investigation is already complete. The culprit is the Thieving Ghost. A thief well known north of the Yangtze River.”
“The Thieving Ghost?”
Baek Mir-yeo abruptly rose to her feet. Energy coiled around her as though she were honing a sword with her body. Her sharpened eyes seemed to reveal killing intent.
“Yes. He is the one who stole your secret manual. Is that not a good thing?”
“Your martial arts secret manual was stolen?”
Hyeon Won-chang stopped eating and widened his eyes. It was only natural.
A Blue Uniform master of the Desolate Fortress was a martial artist few could rival unless they belonged to a great faction like the Nine Sects.
A mere thief should not have possessed the martial prowess to approach such a person.
“There are circumstances behind it.”
Baek Mir-yeo answered briefly and fell silent. However, her presence had changed.
It pressed against the skin like a blazing wildfire. Her intent to seize the thief and cut off his head could be felt from her aura.
After finishing their meal in silence, the group went up to the room where Ma Jin was staying.
It was a considerably large room, befitting his size.
Ma Jin met each member of the group’s gaze in turn before slowly speaking.
“I will explain the meaning of making noise in the east and striking in the west. First, few people in Shaanxi do not know Mount Hua’s martial arts. They stand out too much.”
“Then?”
“From now on, we will smash the signboards of the unorthodox sects in Shaanxi that have ties to the Thieving Ghost, one by one. We will do it ourselves. We must never bring the battlefield outside.”
“What will the Mount Hua Sect do in the meantime?”
“Hidden Fragrance Drift serves as both footwork and movement art. While we draw their attention, they will secretly infiltrate and inspect the sects’ interiors.”
Ma Jin spoke indifferently. Hyeon Won-chang’s lips curled upward, apparently pleased by something.
“Is there justification to tear down the signboards of those sects?”
At Yeon-shin’s question, Cheong Myeong laughed while stroking Yeon-shin’s head.
“You seem unfamiliar with martial artists from unorthodox sects. They collect territorial fees the imperial court has never recognized. From the perspective of the Great Ming Empire, the distinction between orthodox and unorthodox sects is simple. Do the common people make offerings willingly, or are they extorted for money at knifepoint?”
Ma Jin nodded.
“They are vermin gnawing away at the country. We only leave them be because new vermin gather into groups whenever we kill them. There is no need for justification to strike them. Even among themselves, they repeatedly destroy sects and found new ones.”
“How many sects are our targets?”
“Five for now. I will take two.”
“I will handle one alone as well.”
No one showed surprise at Yeon-shin’s words. Ma Jin asked.
“Do you seek individual merit? The risk is high.”
“I can bear it.”
“Taking on a group alone is another matter. All the more so if it is a sect with martial arts. Imagine corpses piling up with every sword strike. The smell of blood can rob even a master of their reason. Group battles have the most variables. They are beyond comparison with one-on-one duels.”
“That is something I must experience as well.”
“Good. I will distribute the assignments here. Seom-ye, your target is the Mantis Sect in Lianhu County, Xi’an. From what I have learned, they are especially vicious. They do not hesitate to kidnap women. Your mission is...”
Ma Jin met Yeon-shin’s unwavering gaze and continued.
“Defeat the sect single-handedly. Wipe it out and return.”
Footnotes:
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