Chapter 75
Conversely, the members of the Namgung Clan gathered there were holding their breath.
The Immortal Physician of Ten Thousand Miles stroked his long beard once before opening his mouth.
“...For now, the meridians have healed well.”
“Phew!”
“Thank goodness!”
Only then did the sound of exhaling breaths erupt from here and there.
“The problem is whether this child’s Yin-Yang Severed Meridians are at a level that can be cured, or if...”
Bing Yuhwa took a step closer.
“To put it bluntly, there is a way.”
“Heavens!”
“What is it?”
“It is the Great Yin-Yang Meridian Opening Technique.”
At the unfamiliar name, Namgung On’s eyebrows twitched. He turned to look at Bing Yuhwa standing beside him, but she merely shook her head, as if it were a name she was hearing for the first time as well.
“It is nothing special. It is simply another name for the Energy Transfer Technique.”
“Oh!”
At those words, the faces of everyone present brightened. Hong-seol, who knew nothing of such things, asked in a small voice.
“What is the Energy Transfer Technique?”
The Immortal Physician of Ten Thousand Miles replied.
“It is when someone uses their Inner Energy to heal the meridians of another person.”
“Can anyone do it?”
“Usually that is the case, but your situation is a little different.”
At those words, the atmosphere stiffened. The Immortal Physician of Ten Thousand Miles raised his eyes to look at the people in the room.
“To heal the Yin-Yang Severed Meridians, a Master of the Transformation Realm is required.”
Energy Transfer requires strength. An immense amount of it, at that.
That is why Masters who performed Energy Transfer often chose to live in seclusion. It is because they must pour out at least twenty years’ worth of their own cultivation.
If an enemy with a grudge were to attack during that time, there would be no defense.
“If that is the case, it is no problem.”
Namgung Ho’s reply was crisp.
“I can step forward.”
“At least two.”
The Immortal Physician of Ten Thousand Miles added.
“To heal the Yin-Yang Severed Meridians, two Masters of the Transformation Realm must perform the Energy Transfer simultaneously.”
Silence flowed through the room.
The Transformation Realm was the same level as the Sword King, Namgung Ho.
They were Masters who could be counted on one’s fingers, even when searching the entire martial world, including the Unorthodox Faction and the Demonic Cult.
Would such Masters willingly perform an Energy Transfer that would deplete their own Inner Energy?
“Elder, the Immortal Physician of Ten Thousand Miles, that means...”
Namgung On, who was about to say, ‘That is as good as saying it is impossible,’ shut his mouth.
It was because Hong-seol, blinking her eyes innocently, had entered his field of vision.
He could not bear to tell her, right in front of her, that she would never be cured.
Instead of speaking, Namgung On called for Namgung Uigyeol.
“Uigyeol! Take Hong-seol to her quarters.”
“Yes! Let’s go, miss.”
Namgung Uigyeol took Hong-seol and disappeared without another word.
Once Hong-seol was gone, the atmosphere sank even more heavily.
The Immortal Physician of Ten Thousand Miles was stroking his beard, which smelled strongly of medicinal herbs, with a bitter expression, and Bing Yuhwa looked as if she were barely holding back tears.
In the midst of this, only Namgung Ho was staring into the void with his eyes ablaze.
Namgung On opened his trembling lips.
“Father...”
“My mind is troubled. Do not say more.”
“But we must discuss a countermeasure... is there not some other way right now?”
“Who says there is no way!”
At those words, Namgung On snapped his mouth shut.
Namgung Ho’s pupils were burning with an unyielding will.
“I will call the old man from the Tang Clan.”
He was referring to the Poison King, Dang Yimu, a Master of the Transformation Realm like himself and a Grand Elder of the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
He meant to ask his old friend, with whom he had roamed the martial world in his youth, for a favor.
“Whether it works or not, must we not at least try?”
“...If that is your will, Father, I will send a messenger bird immediately.”
Namgung On replied.
That meant he would accept whatever price the Tang Clan of Sichuan demanded in exchange for performing the Energy Transfer on Hong-seol.
“Hmm, I have not even repaid the debt from before...”
Namgung Ho, thinking of the Ten-Thousand-Year Fleeceflower Root, groaned deeply.
* * *
After the messenger bird was sent to the Tang Clan of Sichuan, a strange sense of anticipation flowed through the Namgung Clan.
“Don’t you think the expressions of the higher-ups have brightened lately?”
“I heard there’s a possibility the Young Master will recover his health; is that true?”
“Shh, someone might hear! If word leaks out, it’s our heads. Everyone here practices martial arts, so their hearing is unnaturally sharp.”
That sound reached the ears of Namgung Uigyeol, who was out at the training ground for the direct descendants, beyond the wall.
He sighed inwardly.
‘Since I heard it, the Young Master must have certainly heard it as well.’
Namgung Baek, standing before him, was holding his sword with his usual expressionless face.
But Namgung Uigyeol could tell that there was a bit more tension in the corners of his mouth.
“Young Master.”
Namgung Baek lifted his silver eyelashes. Namgung Uigyeol asked quietly, yet firmly.
“Shall I tell them to keep their mouths shut?”
Ha.
Namgung Baek made a small sound, as if scoffing. But his face was not smiling at all.
“Uigyeol, have you ever seen an Energy Transfer performed?”
“Yes, I have experienced it a couple of times.”
“Does it place a burden on the body of the one receiving it as well?”
Namgung Uigyeol hesitated to answer.
It was obvious who he had in mind when he asked that.
“Answer me.”
Only after being pressed by Namgung Baek did Namgung Uigyeol open his mouth.
“It does place a burden.”
“What is the extent of the symptoms?”
“...In the worst-case scenario, one can lose their life.”
“...!”
At Uigyeol’s words, Namgung Baek’s eyes widened. Then, he bit his lip and bowed his head low.
Following that, just as it seemed strength was surging into his arm.
Crack!
The sword he was holding pierced through the bluestone of the floor.
It was an unmistakable vent of frustration.
Even then, Namgung Baek could not erase the helplessness and worry from his face.
It was the first time Namgung Uigyeol had seen Namgung Baek lose his composure like this while holding a sword.
Concerned, Namgung Uigyeol spoke quickly.
“But that is only in the worst-case scenario. Most of the time, the Energy Transfer is completed safely. If they are skilled, there is nothing to worry about.”
“In the eyes of the Master of the Azure Sky Unit, is Seol-ah skilled?”
“...”
Namgung Uigyeol was left speechless.
“...That is all for today’s training.”
Having finished his training on his own terms, Namgung Baek left the training ground.
“Young Master!”
Namgung Uigyeol’s urgent voice echoed from behind.
* * *
“That’s it, that’s it!”
“Yah!”
“Our Seol-ah truly has exceptional talent for martial arts.”
Namgung Baek, who had reached the front of the training ground, stopped in his tracks.
From inside, sounds were leaking out that sounded less like martial arts training and more like a grandfather watching his granddaughter show off her tricks.
“Alright, let’s stop here for today. It seems we have an uninvited guest.”
Namgung Baek furrowed his brow. He was a grandfather with the senses of a ghost, as always.
“Come in!”
As Namgung Baek entered, Hong-seol, who was wiping away sweat, beamed.
“Brother!”
For a moment, the corners of Namgung Baek’s eyes softened.
Noticing this, Namgung Ho added a word.
“How is it, Seol-ah? Why don’t you show Baek your progress?”
“Okay!”
Hong-seol laughed, “Hehehe.”
Namgung Baek glanced at Namgung Ho, who was watching him.
‘He is trying to provoke me.’
It was so obvious it almost made him chuckle.
However, he was also curious to see Hong-seol perform martial arts.
‘By now, how many forms of the Azure Sky Great Extension Sword Art has she learned?’
He already knew from hearing about it that Hong-seol had performed well in the duel.
‘Even if she cannot use Inner Energy, she must be far better than idiots like Namgung Jong-woo or Namgung Do.’
“I will begin.”
However, when Hong-seol showed him the top of her small head and took her stance, Baek could not help but be surprised.
“That is... Fist Technique?”
Instead of holding a sword, Hong-seol had clenched her two small fists tightly and was looking forward.
“They say the cat-folk of the Myo Clan specialize in Fist Technique and Claw Technique.”
Namgung Ho’s voice entered his ears in a low tone.
“They say the cat Beastkin of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace, who have now vanished into history, also enjoyed practicing those two. So, I taught her a little bit of Fist Technique.”
Namgung Ho stopped there and fixed his gaze on Hong-seol.
Hong-seol, having caught her breath, moved her feet and scaled the wall of the training ground in an instant.
Namgung Baek’s eyebrows twitched.
‘She uses the Heavenly Wind Movement Technique that easily?’
Martial arts are meant to be completed by learning the form and the style, and then imbuing them with Inner Energy.
Although it was a half-baked Heavenly Wind Movement Technique because she could not use Inner Energy, Namgung Baek could tell at a glance.
Just how exceptional Hong-seol was.
Hong-seol, having pushed off the wall, performed a somersault and landed on the floor, then immediately turned her body.
Whoosh, whoosh!
Accompanied by mysterious footwork, Hong-seol’s fists cut through the wind quite fiercely.
“Yah!”
This time, Hong-seol, having lightly vaulted into the air, changed direction and slammed her small fists into the ground.
Boom!
The power was weak. But...
‘If only she had even a feather’s weight of Inner Energy imbued in that.’
She might not be able to break a rock, but she could easily shatter twenty roof tiles.
‘That child has talent.’
Namgung Baek’s eyes sank deep.
‘But... the Energy Transfer is too dangerous.’
The memory of finding Hong-seol in front of the collapsed earthen cave not long ago surfaced.
The small child who had been lying limp in the arms of that beggar.
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