Raven closed her eyes.
Her breaths came one after another, growing deeper and calmer. The sounds of the forest, the rustling of leaves, the trickling of water, and the chirping of insects gradually faded, as if swallowed by the thin mist enveloping her consciousness.
Within her body, two currents began to feel distinct.
From the lower dantian, Death Qi moved. Cold and heavy, it flowed with far greater pressure.
From the upper dantian, Life Qi flowed slowly as well. Warm and light, it spread along the meridian pathways.
Both followed their own paths.
Yet they were not truly in harmony.
"Just as I suspected…" thought Raven.
His mind remained clear amidst the swirling energy.
"My dantian has formed… but the qi currents aren't in harmony yet."
He could feel it clearly now.
Life Qi flowed with a steady rhythm, keeping his body warm and light. But every time Death Qi moved, its pressure was far stronger—cold and heavy—as if trying to take over the meridian pathways it passed through.
That imbalance was immediately felt in his body.
"The Death Qi is too dominant…"
The black current pressed down, forcing its own path, causing the Life Qi to be blocked at several points. Inside Raven's body, the two energies were not working together but pulling against each other.
And his body…
had become a battlefield.
A flash of the incident at the waterfall earlier crossed his mind.
When facing the bear, there was a moment when his body felt stiff. It wasn't due to injury or exhaustion, but because his own qi flow had suddenly become chaotic.
Death Qi surged first, pressing too strongly, while Life Qi was held back and unable to keep up. In an instant, his energy flow was cut off, leaving his body nearly immobile.
Raven took a deep breath, then refocused his mind.
He began to try something.
Slowly, he built a new pathway between the two dantians. He guided the flow of Life Qi and Death Qi to move closer together, hoping the two could travel along the same path.
For a moment, the flow followed the direction he intended.
But—
BRAGH!
A powerful pressure suddenly struck from within.
Her body tensed.
The veins in her neck bulged, her breath catching for a moment. Her chest felt as if it were being squeezed from the inside.
"Tch… it didn't work…"
A drop of blood trickled from the corner of her lips.
"What should I do…?"
"This is crazy…."
The Life Qi and Death Qi within his body refused to coexist. Both moved wildly, pressing against each other, as if fighting for space.
"I can't draw out one without the other rebelling."
"If this keeps up…"
"My own body will be the first to shatter."
Raven clenched her teeth, holding back the faint tremor creeping to her fingertips. Every meridian in her body throbbed with pain, as if warning her that she was pushing too far.
"How can one unite two forms of qi that refuse to even touch?"
No technique he had ever learned could explain this situation. Even within the martial arts knowledge he possessed, no one had ever attempted to combine two such opposing sources of power.
Then…
A simple concept from the modern world suddenly crossed his mind.
Water and oil.
Two substances that can never mix.
Yet they can still exist in the same container, as long as there is a clear boundary between them.
Raven's eyes widened slightly.
"Life Qi and Death Qi…" he murmured softly.
"They were never meant to merge."
His breath caught for a moment.
"In that case…"
He swallowed hard.
The idea forming in his mind was so clear and so dangerous that even he hesitated to proceed.
He clenched his teeth, holding back the tremor creeping to the tips of his fingers.
Raven began to forcibly slow the flow of Death Qi and Life Qi.
This was no simple process but a massive risk; the pent-up energy caused the meridians in his body to tremble violently. The more he held back and slowed the movement of qi in the meridians, the greater the back pressure that slammed into his body, threatening to cause all his blood vessels to burst instantly.
Rettt…
Blood seeped from his nose.
Then from his ears.
His eyes.
His body trembled as if being squeezed from within.
He still did not stop.
Raven held the flows of Death Qi and Life Qi right at the boundaries of their respective dantians. He no longer tried to merge the two, but instead forced them to remain within their own domains without touching one another. The pressure inside his body was still immense, yet he continued to withstand it, ensuring that the two flows did not stray from the paths he had set for them.
Slowly, something began to form between them.
Not a physical space, but a thin gap created by his control. A small fissure separating the two opposing energies.
Raven's body trembled.
The blood that had been flowing began to stop, yet a lingering pain remained in every meridian. Despite this, his focus did not waver. He directed his entire consciousness toward that thin gap, keeping it from collapsing.
The gap began to function as a barrier.
Like oil floating on water, separated by surface tension.
Life Qi now flowed steadily along its path, keeping his body stable. On the other side, Death Qi moved around the boundary, no longer colliding directly, yet not entirely still. Both remained active, but no longer destroyed one another.
Raven did not hasten the process.
He maintained that state with one thing: Absolute calm.
He kept his mind empty. No urges, no excessive force. As long as he could maintain that control, the gap between the two energies would remain intact.
Little by little, the flow within her body began to feel more regular.
The pressure that had been so wild was now subsiding. The pain was still there, but it no longer disrupted her control.
Around her, the wind began to stir gently. The leaves trembled lightly. A few small animals nearby moved away silently, as if sensing something unusual.
Time passed without him realizing it.
When Raven opened his eyes, his breathing had returned to normal.
For a moment, black and white shadows flashed before his eyes before vanishing.
He exhaled softly.
The energy within his body now flowed under his control.
"This is how it should be," he murmured softly.
Raven lifted his gaze to the night sky. The moon hung high, its light falling directly upon him. A faint aura began to appear around him.
Something had changed.
The power within him felt more focused. Closer to the state he had once possessed.
Raven slowly clenched his fist. Life Qi and Death Qi flowed through his meridians without interfering with one another. No longer clashing as they had before.
"From now on… this is enough," he murmured.
But before he could fully end his meditation, his expression shifted.
Something was there.
He turned his head slowly toward the dense thicket behind him. The thicket appeared still, yet it left a faint trace of human presence—concealed as best as possible, yet unable to escape the sensitivity of his newly stabilized qi.
Raven narrowed his eyes.
"…Come out. You've been there this whole time, haven't you?"
The voice was calm.
Yet there was not a trace of doubt in it.
"I don't like being watched from afar," Raven said flatly, her voice echoing softly among the trees.
"Come out."
There was a moment of silence, then a soft rustling in the bushes.
From behind the trees, a middle-aged man emerged slowly. His posture was upright, his movements steady yet full of vigilance. His black guard's uniform looked neat, while his gaze was sharp, as if it were the eyes of a soldier who had been through many battles.
He stopped at a safe distance, then bowed respectfully.
"Young Master's senses… truly remarkable," he said in a calm yet cautious tone.
"Please forgive my rudeness."
He raised his head slightly.
"My name is Gwi-heon. Deputy Head of the Eunha Family's Guards. I am merely following orders and ensuring no threats come near the young lady."
Raven stared at him expressionlessly for a few seconds. That blank gaze made Gwi-heon feel as though all his secrets were being laid bare.
"Oh?" he said briefly.
"So… now I'm considered a threat, huh?"
"It's not like that, Young Master," Gwi-heon replied quickly, yet remained composed.
"I just felt it necessary to be on guard. There's no way I'd let anyone approach the young lady without supervision, especially someone capable of cleanly slicing open a bear using nothing but an old dagger."
The corner of Raven's mouth lifted slightly.
"Should I take that as a compliment?"
"If the Young Master wishes to interpret it that way," Gwi-heon replied politely.
Raven slowly stood up. He raised his hand, wiping away the blood trickling from his nose, ears, and the corners of his mouth. His movements were casual, as if it were nothing significant.
His gaze remained cold as he looked back at Gwi-heon.
"Protecting your young lady?" he said softly.
He took a step forward, the tension around him shifting subtly.
"But you understand, don't you?" he continued in a low tone.
"Watching someone who is meditating… that is considered rude among martial artists."
Gwi-heon swallowed hard.
"That wasn't my intention, Young Master. I was just… carrying out my Duty."
"Duty…" Raven repeated softly.
He glanced toward the camp, then looked back at the man in front of him.
"If I truly intended to harm your young lady," he continued flatly,
"nothing could stop me."
His tone was flat. Neither raised nor explicitly threatening. Yet precisely because of that, his words felt far more dangerous.
Gwi-heon's jaw tensed. His hand reflexively moved toward the hilt of his sword but stopped there. He took a slow breath, forcing himself to stay calm.
"Your words… are an exaggeration, Young Master," he said coldly.
"However, considering the favor you did in saving our young lady, I will pretend I never heard those words."
He gave a brief nod.
"I have no intention of dragging this out."
Gwi-heon was about to turn around, ready to leave.
But…
WUUUSH—
The air around him shifted.
The wind picked up, sweeping the leaves into a chaotic rustle. The temperature dropped instantly, making it harder to breathe. A chill spread from Raven's direction, slow yet distinct, carrying a dense intent to kill.
Gwi-heon's steps halted.
His body tensed.
In an instant, his vision filled with shadows. Dozens of swords seemed to pierce his body from all directions. The sensation felt real the cold of metal and the pressure forcing its way into his flesh, bringing the taste of death so close.
He spun halfway around.
His foot retreated a step, his hand already on the sword hilt. Cold sweat trickled down his temples. His breath caught, while his heartbeat pounded loudly in his ears.
"What is this…"
His gaze hardened.
"A bloodlust like this… isn't something someone his age should possess."
Gwi-heon's gaze turned serious.
"This isn't just an intent to intimidate. This… is a killing intent that seems to have been forged over many years."
"Who said…" Raven's voice was low, "…you can leave as you please."
That deadly aura grew more oppressive. The air between them felt heavy, making it harder for anyone there to breathe.
Gwi-heon narrowed his eyes. His lips, however, curved into a faint smile.
"Hah…"
He gave a short laugh.
"I didn't expect to find a young man like you with such a strong thirst for blood."
Though weighed down by Raven's murderous intent, his posture remained upright. He didn't waver or panic. Instead, there was a flash of interest in his eyes.
"However," he continued softly, "I've met too many people who are good at bluffing."
Raven stared at him coldly.
"A talkative insect," he said flatly.
The corner of Gwi-heon's eye twitched.
"Young Master," he said, his tone beginning to change, "you're underestimating me."
He took a deep breath, then lowered his stance. His posture shifted into a fighting stance—steady and disciplined.
"As your senior," he continued,
"it seems I must teach you a little."
Qi began to rise from his body.
Pressure from both sides met in the air. The ground around them trembled slightly; leaves flew about, and small twigs snapped under the invisible pressure.
Raven stared at him coldly.
"Go ahead," he said curtly.
"If you're capable."
"Your arrogance is truly excessive," Gwi-heon replied lowly.
He drew his sword.
SHIIING
The blade slid out of its sheath with a sharp sound. A pale white Qi immediately enveloped its surface. The pressure emanating from Gwi-heon's body intensified, yet remained under control, revealing his seasoned experience.
Their battle… finally began.