Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: In the Jianghu, One's Body is Not One's Own (6) "To transform the very essence of your body using innate, scorching heat—that is what we call Refinement."
The first character, Do, signifies pottery—the act of firing a vessel in the flames.
The second, Ya, refers to metallurgy—the act of forging metal within a furnace.
However, Yeon So-wol could not find the words to answer.
"Whew… Hoooooo."
Caught in a state where he could neither move nor stay still, he could do nothing but maintain his rhythmic breathing. He couldn't tear his attention away from the phenomenon occurring inside his own body.
'What in the world…!'
The Zhangmen acupoint is located where the tip of the elbow touches the side of the body when the arm is tucked in—the hollow point just where the ribs end.
From that very spot, Lee Yu-baek's Gathering Fire was surging in, seemingly without end.
Though initially panicked by the intense heat, Yeon So-wol was soon struck by a different realization.
'The flames… can they really move like this?'
It was like witnessing a miracle.
Gathering Fire cannot be moved haphazardly. Within the body, there are specific meridians through which it must travel. Just as pressurized gas must follow designated pipes—causing disaster if it leaks—the Gathering Fire must follow its path.
If it deviates, not only is the hard-earned energy lost, but areas that should not be heated can be scorched, leading to Qi Deviation.
Thus, no matter how much intense heat one pours in, it naturally takes time for it to spread throughout the entire body. Warmth is supposed to spread slowly along the established paths.
'Or so I thought…'
But right now, something Yeon So-wol had never even imagined was occurring within him.
'The movement of the fire…'
The Zhangmen acupoint belongs to the Liver Meridian of Foot Jueyin among the Twelve Standard Meridians.
As far as Yeon So-wol knew, there were only two paths from the Zhangmen point. One could follow the Liver Meridian down to the Dadun point on the big toe, or transition into the Lung Meridian of Hand Taiyin and head toward the Shaoshang point on the thumb.
Yet, Lee Yu-baek was navigating side paths as if Yeon So-wol's meridians were his own backyard.
'The Twelve Divergent Meridians!'
Yeon So-wol tried to grasp the situation based on the basic theories he had studied whenever he had the chance.
The Twelve Standard Meridians travel through the entire body. From the index finger to the head; from the head through the torso to the second toe; from the second toe to the big toe; from the big toe through the torso to the pinky finger; and back to the head.
By circulating in this manner, they gradually warm the body evenly. These were the primary channels Yeon So-wol used.
However, the Twelve Divergent Meridians were side roads that branched off to penetrate deep into the torso, connecting with the internal organs and linking back to other standard meridians. Though the channels were smaller, they formed an intimate, intricate network within the body.
Lee Yu-baek delved into those side paths with practiced ease. And that wasn't all.
'Even the Fifteen Collateral Vessels?'
The scorching flames scattered into the tiny gaps and crevices branching off from the Twelve Standard Meridians. He moved as if he knew every complex turn by heart, without the slightest fear of losing his way.
'This is insane…'
His confidence was justified. The flames filled every single collateral meridian, which branched even smaller from the Fifteen Collateral Vessels to connect every acupoint like a web.
In perfect sequence.
With perfect timing.
From perfect positions.
The fire danced through him.
His body heated up in an instant, centered around his abdomen and thighs. As the great flames swept along the Twelve Standard Meridians, smaller flickers followed through the Twelve Divergent Meridians, and immediately after, the heat that had scattered into the Fifteen Collateral Vessels and the tiniest meridians gathered to simmer with a deep, subtle warmth.
Striking and retreating, the energy meticulously and exquisitely caressed his "Essence"—his bone and flesh. It felt as if the flames were permeating every single cell.
'His Fire Phase…'
Yeon So-wol was dazed.
'His mastery of the Fire Phase is unbelievable!'
It was a level of heat control he had never even dreamed of.
'What have I been doing all this time?'
He had felt somewhat confident in his heat control with his Breath of Smoke and Clouds and other techniques. But looking at this, his own skills weren't even at the level of boiling a pot of noodles. This was simply on a different dimension.
In the midst of his trembling awe, a stray thought suddenly crossed his mind.
'Wait, this feels exactly like being a piece of meat on a grill…'
Seared over the high heat of the Twelve Standard Meridians, turned over every nook and cranny by the medium heat of the Twelve Divergent Meridians, and finally cooked through by the low heat of the collateral meridians.
'It feels like I'm being grilled perfectly even…'
Just as he was feeling a bit disgruntled by these strange thoughts, Lee Yu-baek spoke.
"From this moment on, I shall refine your bone and flesh."
Lee Yu-baek made the declaration in a heavy voice.
Flap!
Though there was no wind, Lee Yu-baek's sleeves billowed out. The veins on the back of his hands, his neck, and his forehead bulged.
"Keep breathing."
The moment he whispered those words—
Whoosh!
As if the previous heat had been a mere joke, an unimaginably intense energy surged through the Zhangmen point.
!!!
Yeon So-wol bit his lip to keep from screaming. Droplets of blood welled up where his teeth pierced his skin and fell away. But no one was in a position to care about such things.
'Crazy. This is crazy! What is this?!'
Fwooooosh!
Yeon So-wol took back his previous thought. Meat? No way.
This was Refinement.
A kiln where pottery is fired. A furnace where iron melts. A dazzling orange heat that burns away all impurities, leaving only what is clear and resonant. The birth of something brilliant and pure within that fire.
He wasn't being cooked. He was being refined.
The Essence that had been solidified as bone and flesh began to transform into clear Qi within the flames. Though it was the lowest stage of Qi, it was undeniably something weightless—something that existed before matter.
The scent of sandalwood brushed past his nose. The clean smell of burning incense. He thought he heard the sound of a wooden temple block being struck somewhere.
"So-wol. This is the Refinement of the body."
Whoosh!
Yeon So-wol felt a gust of wind.
He saw Lee Yu-baek far below, looking much smaller. Having tossed him lightly with one hand, Lee Yu-baek wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and grinned.
Whirrrrrrr—!
Had he been thrown about ten meters high?
"Ah…"
Yeon So-wol felt as if he had become a giant kite. His body was pushed slightly by the blowing wind.
Fwoooo!
He was clearly falling, yet for some reason, he wasn't afraid. Yeon So-wol spread his limbs wide and caught the wind with his body. His descent slowed as he felt a slight lift, and when the ground finally approached, he landed as lightly as if he were merely crouching down.
Tap!
Like a cat. Even the sound of his landing was faint.
Yeon So-wol looked over his own body in wonder.
"…This is."
"Yes. What you just experienced is the Flying Wind Drift, the Qinggong of our Pungryu Sect."
"Flying Wind Drift."
"How did it feel?"
"I felt light. Light enough to feel like I was being carried by the wind."
"That is why the name contains the character for 'Drift.' Like a willow leaf drifting aimlessly. This is a secret technique of our sect. It makes you lighter than the Qinggong of other sects and offers a greater advantage in changing directions."
"Is that so?"
Yeon So-wol's eyes sparkled. To be superior to other sects—this was welcome news for someone who had intended to master Qinggong and footwork first.
Lee Yu-baek laughed at the sight.
"You rascal, did you really not know until now? Our sect literally has 'Wind' and 'Willow' in its name. While our martial arts are collectively called the Pungryu Sword, their foundation actually lies in movement techniques."
The sect's unique mental cultivation method, the Soft Willow Art, was the study of becoming like a willow tree.
"Through moving meditation, you heat and circulate the Essence of your entire body to achieve the flexible resilience of a willow. This makes the Refinement of the body much easier."
"Ah."
"After making the body like a willow through the Soft Willow Art, you walk with the Willow Leaf Step, which sways like a leaf, and perform the Flying Wind Drift to float upon the wind. That is the path our Pungryu Sect treads."
"Ah…!"
Yeon So-wol felt a strange tightening in his chest.
'This is… actually pretty cool.'
He had started learning these martial arts simply because they seemed useful and necessary, but he felt himself falling deeper into them. Into the martial arts, and into the Pungryu Sect.
"Now then. Did you feel what is required to use the Flying Wind Drift?"
Yeon So-wol nodded. He now understood the meaning of "heating well" that Lee Yu-baek had mentioned.
"I must heat the bones and muscles as evenly as possible without breaking the harmony. The key seems to be maintaining a state where they are just on the verge of transforming into Qi, without letting them fully convert."
"As expected, you're bright. That's right."
Lee Yu-baek unfurled his fan. He fanned his face, which was still beaded with sweat. He was huffing slightly, having consumed a great deal of internal energy to forcibly refine Yeon So-wol's body.
"Phew. We use internal cultivation methods to reheat the Essence and Qi that have cooled, but in the end, we are humans inhabiting physical bodies. If we were to suddenly turn that physical body back into Qi, it would be suicide. It would be like losing your body piece by piece. No, loss would be better. What if it turned into Qi, cooled down, and then became bone and flesh again? If it settled back into your body incorrectly, what do you think would happen?"
"…I don't even want to imagine it."
"Exactly. That is why you must always strive for mastery over the Fire Phase."
The core was to maintain that boundary state—just on the verge of change—using a subtle, continuous, and extremely delicate flame.
"By doing so, the refined bone and flesh will settle back into your body smoothly, making you stronger without damaging your frame. It's like heating water but making sure it never boils."
"I see."
"Therefore, what you must learn from now on is the method of heat control for that purpose. That is the oral formula for the Flying Wind Drift."
'Heat control? Like what he just showed me?'
Yeon So-wol was startled.
"Will I be able to do that?"
Lee Yu-baek laughed.
"Of course you can't do it like me from the start. What I showed you was a level nearing the Ninth Stage of mastery. For now… let's aim for the Third Stage. At that level, you should be able to slip through the fingers of those bastards, even if it's a bit tight."
Yeon So-wol noted one particular detail in those words.
"You are currently at the Ninth Stage, Father. If I am to reach the Third Stage… I think it will take quite a long time."
"It would. Normally."
Normally?
Yeon So-wol's eyes gleamed. Lee Yu-baek gave a meaningful smile.
"I gave you an elixir, didn't I? Once you reach the First Stage of the Flying Wind Drift, let's have you take it. Then you'll be able to reach the Third Stage in no time."
Yeon So-wol clenched his fists.
'Finally. I get to eat it. The elixir.'
"That mushroom is called the Dragon Scale Mushroom. It is highly effective at burning away the turbid Qi accumulated in the bones and muscles and improving one's constitution. Once your constitution is improved, refining your body will become much easier."
"Thank you."
Yeon So-wol felt a fresh wave of gratitude. It felt as if the problem he had been worrying about was being solved simultaneously.
'I'll take the Dragon Scale Mushroom first, then plan how to take the Great Restoration Pill.'
The Great Restoration Pill he had obtained after killing the Demon Slayer. He had originally intended to take it once he reached a certain Fire Phase, but he had somehow progressed even further to the Breath of Smoke and Clouds. His body was now more than ready to handle the pill.
However, Yeon So-wol had been a bit afraid to just swallow it. Because internal cultivation was so dangerous, he feared there might be some hidden trap within the elixir as well.
'I can get a feel for it while taking the Dragon Scale Mushroom.'
Once he organized his thoughts, he felt a surge of excitement. If just the Dragon Scale Mushroom could help him reach the Third Stage of the Flying Wind Drift so quickly, then what about the legendary Great Restoration Pill?
"Um, Father."
Yeon So-wol couldn't help but ask.
"Yes?"
"At first, I heard many people say I couldn't enter a sect because I was too old."
"I'm sure they did."
"Back then, I heard that if I took a Great Restoration Pill, even someone like me could learn martial arts and join a sect."
"Hmm. If it's a Great Restoration Pill, it could certainly pave the way to becoming a first-rate martial artist, even for an eighteen-year-old fool."
Yeon So-wol was shocked.
'A fool could become first-rate?'
How much had he suffered just to achieve what Lee Yu-baek called the second-rate level of the Breath of Smoke and Clouds? It had been a grueling training process that he never would have survived if his heart had wavered for even a moment, if he had been lazy, or if he had been unlucky.
And yet, it could make someone not just second-rate, but first-rate? Even a fool?
"Th-then, what would happen if I took a Great Restoration Pill now?"
"Why? Do you happen to have one?"
"No."
Yeon So-wol answered instantly.
"Why such a quick answer? Do you actually have one?"
"No."
"Hmm. If you do, throw it away."
"Why…?"
"Because there's no way it's a real Great Restoration Pill."
Yeon So-wol was stunned.
'A fake?'
He had never considered that possibility.
'It did look very ordinary.'
It had no particular scent and looked just like a common herbal pill. It looked like something you could buy at any local pharmacy. Now that he thought about it, it was a bit strange. Especially considering how the Dragon Scale Mushroom Lee Yu-baek gave him emitted a subtle, fragrant mushroom scent even through its wooden box.
Yeon So-wol swallowed hard.
"…Is that so?"
"Yes. The Great Restoration Pill is a legend of the Jianghu. It's not something you could just stumble upon. If you found one, it's undoubtedly a fake made by some swindler who just added a nice sheen and a pleasant scent."
"Then what is a real Great Restoration Pill like?"
"They say it 'returns to simplicity.' Truly precious things often look ordinary. I've heard that a real Great Restoration Pill is actually quite plain. Just a round, ordinary pill with no scent, looking like something you could get at any apothecary."
"..."
Yeon So-wol felt a wave of relief.
'It's the real deal.'
Brushing off his shock, he gave Lee Yu-baek a slight glare.
"Look at this fellow."
Lee Yu-baek bared his teeth.
"I thought you'd be a bit shaken after being forcibly refined, but your eyes are still full of fire. Good. You're asking for even harsher training, aren't you? You must be eager to eat that Dragon Scale Mushroom."
Pardon?
"Fine. Then let's begin learning the Fire Phase of the Flying Wind Drift in earnest."
He gestured for Yeon So-wol to come closer.
"Come and stand here."
Now, whenever he heard those words, Yeon So-wol broke into a cold sweat.
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