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TL: ALT
Chapter 13 – A Gift Received from the Martial Artist
A new option popped up.
“A dantian in martial arts?”
This didn’t appear when I healed Ain or Rain.
In fact, I didn’t even know this existed.
Does that mean it only appears when specific conditions are met?
“Say what you will. I shall do whatever I can to repay you.”
Pung Yeong-do was extremely favorable toward me.
Was that the trigger?
No, that couldn’t be it.
Ain and Rain were also very favorable toward me.
“Young Master, what will you choose?”
“The safe choice is conquering the tower. But…”
Martial arts or dantian?
These two options also weighed on my mind.
What was the reason?
“If I choose martial arts or dantian, might this body improve a little?”
In typical martial arts novels, martial artists often possess physiques vastly superior to those of ordinary people.
So, if I learned martial arts, maybe this body would improve just a little!
“Then learning martial arts right away is the right choice, isn’t it?”
“That is correct. But… As far as I know, a dantian is essential for learning martial arts.”
Just as a mage needs a mana heart, a martial artist needs a dantian.
That’s why I told Pung Yeong-do.
“Please help me create a dantian.”
“Hoo, a dantian?”
“Is it difficult?”
“No, it’s not difficult. But the fact that the divine doctor chose this path is intriguing.”
Pung Yeung-do took a step closer to me.
“Why exactly do you want a dantian?”
His gaze demanded a proper answer.
What if he thought I wanted it for the wrong reason?
He looked ready to refuse outright.
I answered him honestly.
“To heal this body.”
“…Do you have some chronic illness?”
“I’ve been frail since birth. Because of that, I’ve been on my last legs.”
“Huh. Then extend your arm.”
I extended my arm as Pung Yeong-do instructed.
He grabbed my arm.
He closed his eyes and gasped in shock.
“Wh-what on earth is this?”
“Why are you reacting like that?”
“Your vital energy is completely tangled!”
“Vital energy?”
“And that’s not all. This mysterious energy flowing through your body…
Pung Yeong-do was utterly flustered.
He was so shaken that he broke out in a cold sweat.
After releasing my arm, he wiped the sweat from his brow and asked,
“Master Divine Doctor, are you truly alive?”
“Is it that serious?”
“I’m no physician, but I can tell your condition is grave.”
I never imagined it would be this bad.
I had mentally prepared myself, but hearing the news directly was shocking.
“It’s gotten to the point where a corpse’s body might be healthier than Master Divine Doctor’s.”
“That’s a painful truth.”
“Still, I understand why Master Divine Doctor wants to create a dantian.”
Pung Yeong-do nodded and continued.
“But I’m not sure if it will help.”
“Is that so?”
“Still, with a body like that, it’s worth trying anything.”
Pung Yeong-do seemed to have made up his mind.
He agreed to create a dantian for me.
I must have been in such a serious condition that he agreed without hesitation.
“Young Master, you’re fortunate!”
“Whether this is truly fortunate…”
I gave Nureongi a bitter smile.
My condition was so severe that I needed to create a dantian.
“Still, I’ve gained a clue.”
Until now, I hadn’t even been aware of my own frail body.
But today, through Pung Yeong-do, I learned a bit.
I learned that the vital energy throughout my body was twisted.
I also learned that a strange energy was flowing within me.
“I’m finding clues bit by bit.”
If I continue to piece together the puzzle, I should soon find a cure.
Today became a monumental day, during which I gained insight into my own body.
* * *
After many twists and turns, I decided to obtain the dantian.
However, this came with several complications.
“Master Divine Doctor, I feel I should inform you of something first.”
“Please speak.”
“I am only a second-rate master.”
“A second-rate master?”
I know a little about second-rate masters.
The lowest-ranked martial artists are third-rate masters.
Next come second-rate masters, then first-rate masters.
I’ve heard that beyond first-rate is the pinnacle: the supreme realm.
That means Pung Yeung-do isn’t at a very high level.
“But Master Divine Doctor, you’re lucky.”
“Me?”
“I recently plundered an unknown sect’s treasury. There, I acquired this.”
Saying this, Pung Yeong-do pulled out a book.
Written in Chinese characters on the cover were these words.
[The Clear Qi Heart Technique.]
Even at a glance, it was clearly no ordinary book.
“Originally, one could only master a single heart technique. Thus, heart techniques can be seen as a martial artist’s latent potential.”
“So that means…”
“Exactly. The Clear Qi Heart Technique is the best among the heart techniques I’ve seen.”
It’s a jackpot.
I chose the dantian just in case.
And to get something this incredible right from the start!
“The Clear Qi Heart Technique is a healing-focused technique that purifies impure qi in the body and gathers pure qi in the dantian.”
It’s a heart technique suited to my current body.
“That’s why you’re lucky, Master Divine Doctor. Such cases are rare.”
My heart pounded.
I’d even found a meditation method that suited my body!
But getting excited was forbidden.
I calmly accepted the Clear Qi Heart Technique.
“The entire content is in Chinese characters.”
Was that because it was a form of meditation?
But that didn’t matter.
I had already learned all the Chinese characters.
“The Clear Qi Heart Technique gathers only pure and refined energy, so its growth is slow…”
I slowly read through the contents.
What I learned was this.
The Clear Qi Heart Technique is all about quality over quantity.
It is a technique that specializes in gathering pure internal energy.
I could also understand that it achieved harmony with nature.
“I’ve read it all.”
“Then I’ll start forming the dantian right away.”
I crossed my legs into the described position.
Pung Yeong-do was standing behind me.
I began to concentrate on forming the dantian.
At that moment,
[Skill – Mastering the Clear Qi Heart Technique.]
[Begins purifying the energy flowing within nature.]
[Nature’s energy transformed into pure, clear qi.]
[Warning! Your body rejects the clear qi.]
A message appeared.
“Damn it!”
This damn body is interfering again!
It’s even rejecting the clear qi, the basis of the Clear Qi Heart Technique.
What kind of ridiculous body is this?!
But I wasn’t about to give up over something so trivial.
“Just a little… no, even a handful would be fine.”
I must form the dantian to absorb the clear qi.
It might be my only way to survive.
So, drenched in sweat, I focused intensely on creating the dantian.
Then!
[Field – Yakseon’s Herb Garden assists you.]
[Field – Yakseon’s Herb Garden forcibly injects clear qi into your body.]
An anomaly occurred.
The medicinal herb garden itself began to aid me.
Was it because I was its master?
Whatever the reason,
I couldn’t let this chance slip away.
“Focus!”
Pung Yeung-do’s shout made me work even harder.
Then, I could feel something flowing within the tangled energy.
It was a clear, pure energy.
It was the blue energy!
Riding the twisted energy, the blue energy surged forward!
Then, it settled in my lower abdomen.
Simultaneously…
[Skill – Mastered the Clear Heart Technique.]
[A dantian has formed within your body.]
[You can now learn martial arts-type skills.]
Such messages appeared.
Then, I gasped for breath.
“Huff!”
How much time had passed?
Coming to my senses, I realized I was drenched in sweat.
Pung Yeong-do stood behind me, wearing a pleased expression.
“Excellent! You completed the dantian so swiftly.”
“Is it fast?”
“Of course. In my humble opinion, Master Divine Doctor seems to have a talent for martial arts.”
That was music to my ears.
But the crucial thing was healing my body.
That’s why I created the dantian.
I closed my eyes once more and immersed myself in my body.
At that moment,
“I see it. The vital energy within my body.”
Just as Pung Yeong-do said, it was a messy aura.
Like tangled threads, it had no beginning or end.
With a body like this, it’s no wonder I’ve been so sickly until now.
“How is your body?”
“Regrettably, it’s no different than before.”
“That is truly unfortunate.”
“But there was progress.”
Now, I could see the state of my body for myself.
I could see how my vital energy had changed and what the problems were.
I could feel it all.
The clear energy settled in my dantian.
“This pure, pristine energy will surely help me.”
I clenched my fist and grinned.
* * *
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Pung Yeong-do stood before the dimensional gate.
I bowed to him.
“I am truly grateful for your help this time.”
“Hehe, anyone watching would think I was helping you, Master Divine Doctor.”
“…Wasn’t that the case?”
“Wasn’t everything thanks to you treating me in the first place?”
I had forgotten.
Pung Yeong-do was my patient.
“Therefore, I am the one who should be thanking you. Truly, thank you. Master Divine Doctor.”
Pung Yeong-do clasped his fists in salute.
Moreover, he didn’t stop there.
“Someone will come looking for you soon.”
“Someone?”
“I’m afraid my knowledge is lacking. I didn’t get a proper look at the Divine Doctor’s body. But I’ll at least give you a hint about someone better than me.”
“Is that truly so?”
My eyes widened at Pung Yeong-do’s words.
Pung Yeong-do seemed burdened by my reaction, though, and waved his hands dismissively.
“Don’t get your hopes up too high. He’s not that exceptional.”
“Even that alone is tremendous comfort to me.”
He’s sending an acquaintance with special knowledge.
Unconditional thanks.
The clues about this damn body are slowly coming together, and it’s starting to feel reassuring.
Pung Yeong-do carefully packed away the herbal medicine I gave him and took his leave.
“Then take good care of yourself, Master Divine Doctor.”
With those words, Pung Yeong-do departed.
I stared blankly at the closed dimensional gate.
“Young Master, today’s harvest is truly bountiful.”
“Indeed. Who would’ve thought that I would obtain a dantian?”
I thought dantian only existed in novels.
No awakeners had ever obtained one.
That’s why I stared at my status window in utter bewilderment.
[Username: Heo Jin]
[Nationality: Republic of Korea]
[Top Floor Conquest: 3rd Floor]
[Occupation: Hua Tuo]
[Skills: Master of the Herb Garden, Clear Qi Heart Technique]
The Clear Qi Heart Technique is clearly etched into my status window.
“With this, Young Master can now learn martial arts, too!”
“…Though it wasn’t intentional.”
“Learning martial arts might also benefit the young master!”
“That might be true…”
Depending on which martial arts I learn, they could benefit me too. Just looking at it, the dimensional gate truly held limitless potential. It makes me think that I should see patients more often from now on.
“I wonder what kind of person Mr. Pung Yeongdo will bring.”
“It might be a physician like you, Young Master!”
“That would be interesting, too. Sharing medical knowledge could lead to mutual growth.”
I wish that could happen.
“Might I also learn to see acupoints like Father?”
And that’s not all.
Mastering martial arts could be integrated with medicine in many ways.
Thinking about that future made my heart race.
“First, I must perfect the Clear Qi Heart Technique.”
Clear qi gathered in my dantian.
It was barely more than dust.
Though scarce, it was pure and pristine.
What if others’ inner energy were like stones of moderate size?
“Then mine is like a jewel.”
That’s why I resolved to refine my qi to the utmost.
At that moment—
[Field: Yakseon’s herb garden is affected by your qi.]
An unexpected message appeared.
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