To put it simply, the Great Master is the master of my master. As such, when I received the Tao, he was also present to observe. After performing the nine bows ceremony, I even greeted him separately.
‘He… liked me?’
I only remember feeling tense because this person, who looked fierce unlike a typical elder of a Taoist sect, kept observing me from the moment I greeted him until he left.
I’m not sure how that could be interpreted as a look of approval.
‘Come to think of it, did I receive such praise in the original work? Did the elder like the owner of this body?’
I couldn’t be certain because I could barely remember the minor episodes apart from the main plot. But I felt there was a high probability that this didn’t happen in the original work.
Well, that’s because Master is the pride of the Great Master.
He probably has a few more disciples, but among them, Master is the First Sword of Hwasan, so he must be especially cherished. Wouldn’t the person most displeased about his first disciple being an unremarkable child be him, no matter how you look at it?
“What’s wrong?”
“Ah, nothing… I’m just happy that the Great Master liked me.”
To be precise, it’s more suspicious than happy…
“Actually, he said he liked how composed you were. Usually, newly admitted disciples tend to be scared when they first see him.”
Ah, was it because I wasn’t a child inside?
Most of my doubts were cleared in an instant. The ‘Ha-heun’ in the original work was literally a 12-year-old who had just lost his parents and had his family ruined, but I’m not 12 – I’m an adult with memories of dying in a traffic accident.
‘…Well, I did cry a bit in a corner too.’
After crying for a while, I thought it was meaningless to continue and composed my emotions.
It wasn’t easy, but since I’m an adult, I could at least manage to put on a believable appearance of being okay outwardly. After that, my inner self gradually became truly okay as well.
However, I admit that this isn’t something children would typically be able to do. It seems that fact was visible even on the outside.
After realizing this, I felt a bit bitter.
‘A world that’s satisfied only when a 12-year-old acts like an adult…’
At that moment, Master awkwardly patted my head.
“Composure is a good quality whether you’re studying the Tao or wielding a sword. Even if it hadn’t been for that, you would have received praise someday, but receiving it early and absorbing it is good for getting better results.”
“…Yes, thank you.”
The hand touching me is warm. From the careful touch, I suddenly understood, without context, why the ‘Ha-heun’ in the original work clung so desperately to his master.
‘Hmm, no.’
I immediately corrected myself internally.
I think I was being too emotional for a moment there. Thinking about it again, no matter the circumstances, those actions were too irrational.
‘Even though I’m in the position of unlawfully occupying this body.’
Still, I should say what needs to be said. I’m sorry. But I don’t think most people would react that extremely even if they experienced the same thing.
“Now, eat the spirit pill. You might feel a chill spread through your body the moment you swallow it, but as long as you stay calm, it’s not dangerous, so don’t worry.”
Clearing my ongoing thoughts and following Master’s words, I opened the small box. A fragrant scent spread out, revealing a blue-tinted pill. I wondered if it was called the Jade Plum Pill because of its color.
Carefully, I put it in my mouth and swallowed. As Master said, I felt a cool energy spreading through my body like it was melting.
‘It’s a bit scary…’
It wasn’t simply the feeling of swallowing something cold. I felt a chill as the cold energy spread throughout my body.
Until now, even while listening to and understanding the verbal formulas, I couldn’t fully grasp the idea of accumulating inner energy in the dantian. But now, feeling this unfamiliar sensation in my body, I realized that this truly was a wuxia world.
After confirming that I had swallowed the spirit pill, Master came behind me, sat down, and placed his hand on my back.
“Normally, after eating a spirit pill, you should immediately absorb some of the energy through circulation exercises, but you’ve only just learned the verbal formulas and don’t know how. So I’ll guide your energy through the main channels using my inner force. Don’t speak, don’t move, just feel and remember the blood channels through which I’m circulating the energy. It’s even better if you recall the verbal formulas I taught you.”
As soon as he finished speaking, I felt an invisible energy entering my body from behind.
Slowly closing my eyes and focusing on the movement as much as possible, it seemed that the explanation I had received wasn’t entirely in vain. I could quickly sense the unfamiliar energy flowing inside my body.
I could feel Master’s clear energy, which seemed to be his inner force, flowing in order through the blood channels he had mentioned earlier when explaining the verbal formulas.
‘…This is amazing.’
He said it would be good to remember the blood channels and recall the verbal formulas, but honestly, I was just amazed without having time to think about such things. Both magic and inner energy were beyond common sense for an ordinary Earthling, so it couldn’t be helped.
Still, as the same path was repeated several times, the blood channels were naturally engraved in my mind.
“Did you remember it?”
After a long time, the hand on my back was removed, and I heard Master’s question.
He came back around to sit in front of me, so I could immediately face him. Circulating the inner force through the blood channels in my place didn’t seem to be an easy task, as his complexion looked a bit more tired than before.
“Yes, I remembered.”
“Good.”
Seeing my gaze intently observing his complexion, Master smiled quietly and continued.
“For now, I’ve guided the energy from the Jade Plum Pill you consumed through the main channels using my inner force, so the energy from the Jade Plum Pill should now be yours. From now on, you need to move the energy yourself and circulate it according to the Six Harmonies Mind Technique’s energy circulation path. Through this process, you’ll continue to build up your inner energy.”
Come to think of it, I no longer felt the sensation of cold energy spreading like right after eating the spirit pill.
“I understand.”
“However, moving the energy on your own without my help like just now might not be easy. There’s no need to be impatient, so think of it as taking one step forward each day. Building inner energy is important, but what’s even more important is whether you can bring the energy completely under your control. Even if the energy from the spirit pill has become yours, it’s not truly yours until you can fully control it.”
Indeed, there’s nothing easy in this world.
“Yes…”
I answered, but can I really do this?
Even though I just felt the inner force circulating inside my body, those words sounded like saying, “You too can use magic if you want to!”
‘Well, it would be nice if I could use it.’
I feel a bit strange.
Later, when it was lunchtime, we ate a simple meal, and then Master took me outside the mountain gate.
The main hall of Hwasan Sect is built on the summit of Yeonhwa Peak, the western peak of Hwasan. It was my first time going outside the mountain gate since opening my eyes in this body, and looking around, the terrain was more treacherous than I had imagined.
Right in front of me was a staircase that made me wonder if it was made for walking or rolling down. It was spring now, but if it were winter and snowed, it might be better to prepare a sled and slide down instead.
Below those stairs was a mountain path that made me doubt if it was even possible to walk on.
The bigger problem was that the sides of the stairs were cliffs. There weren’t even any trees visible to grab onto if you fell. Hwasan truly was a mountain made only of stone.
‘How on earth did they build a Taoist temple here?’
How did they bring the construction materials?
I followed Master, who had started walking ahead, trying to be as careful as possible, but honestly, it was nearly impossible to go down these stairs safely with the short legs of a 12-year-old.
When Master saw that I was about to lose my footing and roll down the stairs past him, he quickly grabbed me and lifted me into the air.
“Huk…”
Wow, I’m so surprised I can’t even make a sound.
“Oh my.”
I heard Master’s small exclamation above my head. Being held up in the air by the scruff of my neck made me feel like a puppy being carried by its mother dog… but he saved my life, so I’ll let it slide.
Soon, Master readjusted his hold, sitting me on his arm, and patted my back, apologizing sheepishly.
“I’m sorry. It’s still too steep for you, and I didn’t think about that.”
Are you saying it won’t be steep when I grow up?
Really?
“No, it’s okay…”
Although I said it was okay, honestly, I thought I was going to die. If they liked Hwasan so much, couldn’t they have built it somewhere lower?
“You must have been scared. Is your ankle alright?”
“It’s… fine.”
“Good, I’m glad.”
Master let out a light sigh. Meanwhile, his speed going down the stairs had increased significantly, as if he had been matching my pace until now. It seemed like it didn’t bother him at all, but I, being carried, was the only one scared.
When I tightly grabbed his clothes, Master smiled for a moment and then spoke in a calm voice.
“Basically, for a martial artist to use weapons, it’s only natural that the body must be able to support it. Even when all inner energy is depleted, a true martial artist should not let go of their weapon. Therefore, external training is just as important as cultivating inner energy. Of course, this is a bit early for you to hear…”
Trailing off as he finished descending the stairs, he then entered the mountain path.
“Anyway, now that you’ve become a disciple of Hwasan, you’ll eventually hold a sword, so it’s right to prepare your body as much as needed for that in advance. Above all, you shouldn’t fall down stairs like you almost did just now.”
“Yes…”
But I think it’s the stairs’ fault…
__________
Men In The Royal Harem All Yearn For Her (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The men (young empress, young empress dowager, crown prince) in the harem all yearn to become her consort.
Synopsis:
The female protagonist is a wildly popular heartthrob with a natural halo.
The male protagonist is a crazily obsessed and self-abasing loyal dog.
Qiu Shu, the top scholar’s daughter, is pure, elegant and incomparably enchanting, captivating countless admirers.
Being favored by the eldest prince, the most handsome man in the capital, and becoming his wife in a single move is truly the pride of a poor student.
However, what they don’t know is that the seemingly bright and splendid female protagonist lives in a battlefield of jealousy every day.
The cute and adorable young empress is unusually attached to her.
The gentlemanly and upright young empress dowager has an ambiguous relationship with her.
Even her aloof and proud eldest prince is actually a gloomy and petty jealous husband.
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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Maria the Goner
I too blame the stairs! The protagonist is very cute and very right about that!