When Time Gathers at the Dantian (2)
As I descended the last step and reached the floor, the door above closed automatically behind me.
The place was shrouded in darkness, but faint markings glowed on the walls. Some luminescent substance had been applied, guiding my way.
Following the wall, I found a small table with a flint box on it. I used it to light the lamps scattered around the room.
The interior was simple. A single room lay at the center, with a passage leading out from the back. It seemed to be an escape route for emergencies when the entrance was blocked.
The passage ended in a sealed wall, designed to be broken through if necessary. Once breached, this place would lose its function as a safe house.
I returned to the central room.
There was a small bed with a leather satchel resting on it, designed to be carried on the back.
The bed was likely meant for resting in case of severe injury.
The satchel contained all the essentials.
I understood why everything was packed into the satchel. In a dire situation, one could grab it and escape through the back passage. This was truly an emergency refuge.
Why did Galsaryang consider this place special?
Perhaps it was because of what was inside the satchel.
I carefully unpacked the contents.
The first thing I found was a collection of medicine bottles. They contained remedies for both internal and external injuries.
Such thoughtful preparation. The medicines were placed on top, easily accessible in case of injury.
This place had to remain a secret, so Galsaryang must have prepared the satchel himself. His meticulousness was evident once again.
Next, I found antidotes for poisons. Although I was immune to most toxins, these were likely included in case I was too injured to rely on my own abilities.
There was also a clean cloth for bandaging wounds, and two sets of fresh clothes. One was gray, the other black.
The gray was for blending in during the day, and the black for stealth at night.
There was a map marking important locations in the central plains, a box of ten throwing knives, and two thousand nyang in small denomination notes for use anywhere.
And finally, the item I had hoped for.
A wooden box the length of an adult’s forearm. It surely contained the spiritual herb.
I felt a twinge of disappointment. A single root of the herb couldn’t possibly provide a full cycle of internal energy.
I opened the box cautiously.
What I saw inside made me gasp with joy.
“Ah!”
Incredibly, it was the legendary Everlasting Snow Ginseng, the highest grade of spiritual herb.
In normal circumstances, it could increase one’s internal energy by ninety years, or one and a half cycles.
Of course, that was the standard for someone with average internal energy. The more energy one already possessed, the less they could gain from such an elixir.
With my current level, I wouldn’t absorb the full ninety years. I needed sixty years to complete my cycle.
Could this single root suffice?
It seemed possible, yet uncertain.
There was only one way to find out.
I closed my eyes and calmed my mind. I had to be more careful than ever. Reaching three full cycles of internal energy was a significant milestone for me.
I slowly consumed the Everlasting Snow Ginseng.
It had been a long time since I last tasted it. Even during my time as the leader, I had only consumed one root. Such was its rarity.
The energy of the elixir spread throughout my body. I harnessed my martial arts technique to absorb it all.
The energy surged through my meridians, more potent than any elixir I had taken since my rebirth.
I let it course through me freely.
The sensation was unlike any other. It felt as if I were draped in luxurious silk, wielding a precious sword, or riding a magnificent steed.
After bestowing me with this exquisite feeling, the energy gathered at my dantian, merging with my existing internal power.
I opened my eyes slowly.
With a heart pounding more than before, I examined the energy at my dantian.
“It’s done!”
As if fate had decreed it, my internal energy was precisely three cycles. I had successfully absorbed sixty years’ worth.
“Ah!”
I was elated, as if I could soar into the sky. I could finally use the sixth form of the Deadly Sword Technique.
Of course, the technique was not to be used lightly. Its immense power was one thing, but controlling the energy was so complex and difficult that a mistake could result in irreparable internal injuries.
In my past life, I had only used it against the leader of the Blood Heaven Sect.
At last, I had regained all my martial prowess from my previous life.
If there was someone I absolutely had to kill, I could do it.
When I emerged, Galsaryang was looking up at the sky from a distance.
Seeing me, he approached with a tense expression.
“How did it go?”
But before I could answer, he read the result from my face.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you. It’s all thanks to you, Galsaryang. Did you prepare the satchel yourself?”
“Yes, I did.”
Just as I had suspected.
“What made you think to include such a rare Everlasting Snow Ginseng?”
“At the time, you were already the greatest in the world. If someone like you needed to retreat to a safe house, it would mean the worst had happened. In such a case, I thought at least an Everlasting Snow Ginseng would be necessary.”
“That was a wise decision.”
“Of course, it was only possible because you didn’t need it back then.”
“Thanks to you, I’ve reached three cycles.”
“Truly, congratulations. You can now use the final form of the Deadly Sword Technique.”
I wanted to show him the technique.
But using it here would not only risk injury but also obliterate this place of hope. I couldn’t destroy a place filled with people’s dreams.
Thank you, Saryang.
If you hadn’t remembered this place and prepared it, I could never have achieved this.
I smiled and jokingly offered him a grand gesture.
“Is there anyone you want dead? If he’s human, I’ll make sure he’s gone.”
We left the place of hope and returned to our quarters.
“Now, let’s deal with Ma Yanghwa and Ma Gungtae.”
This was the first step in bringing our plans to light.
“The experts they’ve sent are scattered around the vicinity of Wuhuan. They’ll likely make their move during the chaos of the coronation.”
“Do you have a plan in mind?”
“We need to exploit their weaknesses.”
“What weaknesses?”
“Even if they’ve joined forces, Ma Bonggi’s bloodline fundamentally lacks trust in each other. We can use this to sow discord among them and eventually uncover the mastermind.”
I nodded.
“The mastermind is likely Cheon Soseon.”
Galsaryang and I had witnessed Ma Bonggi’s death. The impression Cheon Soseon left was unique.
Though young, he was no ordinary person, as I had realized.
When I met him, I hadn’t recognized his true nature. Nor had he recognized mine. Our skills were nearly equal.
But now, with my internal energy at three cycles and the ability to use the sixth form, I was likely a step ahead.
“The ultimate target is the one behind Cheon Soseon.”
This conspiracy had been in motion for a long time. Someone cunning was surely behind Cheon Soseon, possibly connected to the former master thief, Cheon Bomyeong.
“Always keep that in mind.”
“I will.”
“And there’s one more thing we need to uncover.”
“What is it?”
“My senior had reached the state of immunity to all poisons. How was he killed?”
This was a serious concern. I, too, was immune to poisons. But if there was a way to break this immunity, I could be in danger.
Galsaryang spoke with a thoughtful expression.
“I’ll keep that in mind as well.”
“Thank you.”
Having Galsaryang by my side was reassuring. Without him, I would have to ponder and plan everything myself.
I could leave the strategizing to him and focus on my martial arts and those around me.
“Before they discover us, we must uncover their true intentions.”
The old man and Cheon Soseon were playing a game of Go.
“A knight’s move should be swift and lively. Your moves are too sluggish,” the old man remarked.
Cheon Soseon replied, “Isn’t there a saying, ‘Be cautious, not hasty’?”
It was one of the tenets of Go, advising players to be deliberate rather than rush.
They were playing in the same cave as before. A young boy lay on a jade bed nearby, while they played on a flat rock.
“Being cautious and being sluggish are two different things.”
“There’s also ‘Protect yourself when the opponent is strong.’”
Another tenet, advising caution in the face of a strong opponent.
The old man looked up at Cheon Soseon, who smiled wryly.
“To be honest, I find no joy in Go.”
“Are you feeling anxious lately?”
“Do I seem so?”
“This isn’t like you. Is it because of Galsaryang?”
“At first, I thought he was just a schemer under the Heavenly Sword. But he’s far more capable than I anticipated.”
“Even so, he’s just a passing breeze, a wave.”
“It could turn into a typhoon.”
“Perhaps. But no one on land dies from a typhoon blowing over the sea.”
“It might become a tidal wave and flood everything. If we fail again, I might have to step in before things get out of hand.”
“No, you mustn’t!”
The old man raised his voice sharply.
“Let the typhoon blow over the sea. If a tidal wave comes, this old man will stop it. So don’t you dare dive into the sea yourself.”
Cheon So-seon knew all too well how fearsome his grandfather could be. A man who could take hundreds of lives without batting an eye. Ruthless and cold-hearted.
Yet, to him, his grandfather was nothing but kind.
Sometimes, though, he wondered.
Could there be some hidden malice behind that gentle demeanor? Was there an inherent evil that would eventually betray even those closest to him?
His grandfather didn’t have it… but what if he did?
Just then, a soft rustling sound interrupted his thoughts.
The boy on the bed sat up.
The old man rose and walked over to the boy, while Cheon So-seon stepped back, watching them both.
The boy stared blankly into space. He was strikingly handsome.
The old man approached and spoke.
“How are you feeling today?”
His tone was friendly yet respectful, not the way one usually spoke to a child.
The boy turned to look at the old man. His empty eyes were unsettling.
”…I don’t feel well.”
There was an odd resonance in his voice, not just because they were in a cave.
The boy’s expression began to twist in pain.
“My head hurts.”
He clutched his head as if the pain was intensifying.
“Aaahhh!”
His screams grew louder.
“Just hold on a little longer.”
The old man retrieved a small vial from his pocket and handed it to the boy.
The boy gulped down the medicine desperately.
Even after taking the medicine, he clutched his head in agony for a long time. Only after the old man held him and soothed him for a while did the boy slowly drift back to sleep.
The old man laid him back on the bed.
The boy’s eyes fluttered shut. Just before he fell asleep, he murmured,
”…Who are you?”
With that, he slipped into a peaceful slumber.
Only then did Cheon So-seon approach the bed.
“The medicine is losing its effect.”
“Will he be alright?”
“We must make sure he endures.”
The old man turned his gaze to Cheon So-seon.
“Look far and think big. If we succeed this time, the typhoon out at sea will be nothing more than a gentle breeze.”
Ambition burned in the old man’s eyes. It was a flame fueled by years of longing, one that seemed destined never to be extinguished.