I slept for a long time.
As I slowly regain consciousness, I keep my eyes closed and I begin to dream.
Was it because of what the Beggar’s Union Leader said?
In the dream, the leader is cultivating, surrounded by many people. In the midst of the tense atmosphere, I asked the beggars if there was anything I could help with because my consciousness was still fading in and out of reality.
I walk around with my hands on my hips and tell him,
“Leader, I will help.”
After taking a deep breath in my dream, I sit down in front of the leader and pass my internal qi into him.
When I deliver the pure internal qi from the Heavenly Pearl into him, the internal injuries that couldn’t be healed by 36 people were now healing.
Before I know it, the man looks at me and smiles.
“Sect Leader.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you. If you do not aid the world, the world shall not assist you. Now, we shall offer our assistance.”
Contemplating his words, I open my eyes, still lost in thought.
“…”
I wake up to realize that I’m surrounded by snoring beggars. Again, I’m still unsure whether or not this is a dream or reality.
The night sky is adorned with sparkling stars, casting its glow upon the torch-lit surroundings.
The beggars who had visited me were all sleeping peacefully. Some lay tucked under blankets, while others slept in their worn-out attire.
They looked like beggars using the ground as their pillow and the sky as their blanket.
Well, we did ask to be woken up, but how long did we sleep?
It looked like it was past 6 at least. Looking around, the leader was sleeping with a mat that someone brought out and No Shin was sleeping too.
There were men who slumbered deeply, and others who were lightly dozing. Everyone’s breath was steady, so I settled into a cross-legged position and observed their peaceful slumber.
‘They sleep very well.’
Normally, I thought I was amazing for being able to sleep peacefully in a barn, but these people fell asleep on the ground using their arms as their pillow. They were on a whole other level compared to me.
After gazing at the round moon, I read the book of the White Lightning Ten Dantian Technique.
In the first chapter, it explained the process of converting internal qi into the energy of Yang and transforming it into lightning. It then detailed the methods of utilizing and harnessing this power.
It is a fairly straightforward and simple martial arts.
One point that was emphasized repeatedly was the fact that internal qi gets consumed quickly using this technique. In addition, it was also emphasized that the more one practices this, the more one can burn the chaotic energy inside their body.
This technique had the ability of cleansing one’s inner qi.
‘Such a mysterious martial arts.’
It isn’t easy to cleanse one’s internal qi. Obviously it is a martial arts which uses lightning qi, but as it goes into the latter half of the book, a significant portion of the content focuses on how to expel impure qi.
Reading through this I can’t help but wonder exactly how much internal qi gets consumed. It’s a technique that would steadily consume a large amount of qi.
The following words were written in the ten steps.
[If the ten steps are used in a situation where internal qi is insufficient, one’s innate qi gets drawn out and is used to supplement the lack of the Yang qi, and if this phenomenon happens again, the caster’s body will be at risk of disappearing. Practice slowly and steadily, but first prepare one’s internal qi to be as great as a sea, and then attempt the 10th step.]
Failure doesn’t seem to lead to qi deviation, but rather one will just simply vanish.
This is a far more extreme martial arts than I had anticipated since one can die and simply disappear from the world just by attempting this.
But the martial arts itself is interesting and using it seems fun, so I read it about three hundred times. Master Baek Wei suggested that it would be beneficial to acquire this knowledge while employing the techniques of the Strolling Golden Turtle.
Could it be that he expected this and that’s why he offered the martial arts?
I can’t tell.
After taking a look at the sleeping beggars, I begin to cultivate.
Since my internal qi is sufficient, it shouldn’t be so difficult. However, because there is enough internal qi, the cultivation takes longer than expected.
I quickly reached the first stage.
Even when I finish the third stage, I continue to cultivate.
It isn’t difficult because I have the energy of Yang to use the technique.
First of all, the process of digging through and widening the paths needed to move the lightning qi includes the second and third stages.
It is only then that the lightning qi begins to move to a different path.
Starting from the 5th stage, the flow of qi should be like water. So, starting from the 5th stage, I begin the process of cleansing my blood vessels and spreading out my qi and, as a result, I feel a sudden spike in pain.
To be honest, I wanted to stop at the fifth stage.
But for some reason, the qi of the Heavenly Pearl didn’t need to be refined separately, and I felt that it converted into the lightning qi fairly easily. So, I barely opened my eyes after the 5th stage was completed and I held on.
“… phew.”
I thought I could enter the 6th stage, but I felt that I wouldn’t be able to open my eyes again, so I let go of my greed.
As soon as I come to my senses, an unknown stench shoots into my nose. My clothes were torn at the limbs and when I looked up, I could see that the impurities of my body had soaked into my clothes.
“Umm.”
And it was clear that I started cultivation when it was night, but now it was daylight.
Did I have a dream?
I couldn’t tell if I was the beggar, or the beggar was me.
Well, at the moment, I certainly look like a beggar.
As soon as I started cultivating, I broke through to the 5th stage. Even I was shocked, not sure how it happened. But it was confirmed that the special technique was truly remarkable.
I am a bit taken aback by the situation around me, but…
Since this happened, I calmly think about the martial arts, my body, and the Strolling Golden Turtle technique for a while. I wonder if the reason why I couldn’t conquer the higher realm despite the efforts of my previous and present life was due to my physical limitations compared to my level of martial arts.
And this is the reality.
I didn’t join a martial arts sect when I was younger like others. With this unclean qi inside me, I grew up with alcohol and all kinds of food. And nobody ever took care of me. Instead of being clean, I only ever had dirt thrown at my face.
So, this is the first time I’ve experienced this kind of cleanliness.
“Burnout…”
Is it possible that in my previous life, I couldn’t progress to the next level because my body and mind were weak?
If that’s the case, it truly is a sad thing.
Being insane enough to even break through to the level that I did was largely attributed to my craziness to some extent. In a way, when I was called Crazy Demon, I believe I had reached the pinnacle of my abilities to transform anything into vulgarity.
I came out of the place smelling like the beggars.
“….”
The beggars directed their attention towards me. It felt like an encounter between a regular beggar and a foul-smelling one.
“Sect Leader!”
“Wow, like the leader said, you are alive.”
“I thought you had ascended.”
The leader and No Shin weren’t around but the elders and beggars, who seemed to be guarding the area, were present.
I approached the beggars, emanating a smell worse than theirs.
“… hyungs, since when did I.. how long has it been?”
“Today is the eighth day.”
“No. Nine days have passed.”
Nine days since I began to unfold the martial arts.
“It is shocking.”
“We thought the same. The smell is shocking too.”
I can’t tell if this was a gain or a loss since I had to dedicate 9 days to obtain 5 stages. Anyway, unlike ever before, I feel an intense hunger. However, it was a feeling that if I began to drink and snack, I would lose it.
It is like I am in a state where I need to eat something cold. During my thoughts, the senior, Won Myun-ja asks,
“Sect Leader, you alright?”
“Yes.”
“Thankfully, it seems like the leader knew you were cultivating and so he asked us to stay far and remain as quiet as possible. So, the elders took turns watching over you. As these people said, it is the 9th day today. So, you must have had great success. Congratulations.”
For 9 days, the warriors of the Beggars Union guarded me. So, I bowed to them.
“Senior, thank you. Thanks to you…”
“Enough. What is with you? Do not bow. We don’t do that.”
“I understand.”
“Let us wash up first. You smell so bad. Judging by the smell you seem like one of us. It has been a while since we met someone who smelled worse than us, this is quite a shock.”
The Beggars around begin to laugh.
He continues to talk even during all the laughter.
“Ah, and the leader asked me to take on the temporary position as the Ilyang County branch head. Actually, I am not on that level yet, but if the leader asks, I need to do it. Since you became a primary target of assassination, it seems that, even in the Beggars Union world, a strong and handsome man should be in charge. You think so, right? Ehh, I am strong?”
I nod.
“Senior Full Moon, you are really strong.”
“Full Moon? Right. And since I’m easygoing, he probably thought I could handle the task. The leader believes that you and I will get along.”
After he is done, he smiles and strokes his bald head with his hand.
I am confused.
“Then senior sun, I will wash up and come back.”
“Right. You need to wash up, be it the moon or sun, you need to go. Don’t dump everything on me just because I’m approachable.”
“I understand.”
“What now?”
I was going to ignore his words, but I could hear the beggars whisper more than usual.
“Why did he say full moon?”
“Because I am bald. You idiot.”
Won Myun-ja shouts.
“Can you not shut up!”
As I walk, I take my clothes off, but I see Hong Shin come out, so I put them back on.
“Great sahyung.”
I hold my pants up and say,
“Ah, right. I need to wash up. Get out.”
Hong Shin stands aside holding her nose.
“Yes.”
“Are you serving meals well to the beggars?”
“Yes. Deuk-soo hyung has also made delicious food. And the guesthouse is helping too.”
“Good. Even while I was gone, Low-Down Sect was running smoothly.”
“You stink, wash up quickly.”
“I get it.”
I go into the guest house, which was being worked on. And there is a guy cleaning the floor.
“Sect Leader!”
“Uh?”
“Go to the well to wash up.”
“Ah, right, Ja-sung. Nice to see you here.”
“Same here. But you are so dirty, do not step over here.”
“Ahhh fuck.”
After being kicked out like this, I turn and go to the well. And Deuk-soo comes out through the back door of the kitchen and speaks to me while he prepares meat.
“Wow, you woke up now?”
“The cultivation is over now, I almost died.”
I wanted to talk about what a great day I had but none of the brats wanted to talk.
Deuk-soo answers dryly.
“Amazing.”
I ask Deuk-soo, who was wielding a kitchen knife with meat,
“What are you preparing?”
As he cuts the meat, he says,
“Just meat soup. Cutting the meat and putting it into warm soup, so I am cutting them into large chunks. The Beggar’s Union also likes soup.”
“I see.”
I smile and nod and Deuk-soo waves his hand.
“But Zaha, the smell is a bit strong, so go over and wash. You will not sit well with the food.”
“I confirm.”
I am driven out to wash again because people hate bad smells. Suddenly while washing, I feel strange.
I accomplished the miracle of breaking through the 5th stage despite it being my first attempt, and no one was interested in me. It seems like they thought I got up after simply napping for 9 days.
I mumble as I bathe myself in cold water.
“Lonely in this world. Unacknowledged. I might smell a bit. Beggar bastards.”
It was only then that I understood the hearts of those idiots. I learned a great martial arts, analyzed and inherited it- but no one cared. So, I can’t help but think that I wasn’t the sane one.
As a result, I can’t help but draw a conclusion.
The conclusion that the essence of Master Baek Wei was something that people weren’t interested in.
And his things were dangerous to me too.
After washing up for a long time, I realize I had no clothes to change into, so I tell Deuk-soo,
“Deuk-soo hyung, clothes!”
He glares at me while holding onto his kitchen knife. At that moment, I can’t help but think that he certainly was a man who could learn martial arts.
Man, life is rough.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m