The Tree (2)
Seven days.
Jin Cheon-hee successfully absorbed the energy of the Five Elements.
"Am I a human or a machine for cultivating inner power? Anyway, it's almost doubled."
The spiritual medicine called Baeksongdan allowed him to cleanse his body and granted him five years' worth of inner strength.
But now, after consuming all five Five Elements Pills from Baekrin's Pavilion and cultivating the Five Elements Mind Technique, his inner power had already reached ten years' worth in an instant.
Even when combined, the five spiritual medicines couldn't compare to Baeksongdan.
Nevertheless, his inner power increased so much due to the principle of mutual generation and restraint of the Five Elements True Qi.
Jin Cheon-hee didn't know this yet, but he could feel that something extraordinary was happening.
Baekrin's Pavilion is one of the three great medical sects in the world.
If the medical halls are small sects, the medical pavilions are great sects.
In other words, Baekrin's Pavilion is one of the top three medical groups in the world.
Therefore, they have expertise in manufacturing and selling spiritual medicines.
Of course, many people rate the medicinal cuisine of Hwajoo's Pavilion higher than Baekrin's Pavilion in the field of spiritual medicines, but that doesn't mean Baekrin's Pavilion is lacking.
Because of this, Baekrin's Pavilion manufactures various spiritual medicines.
Spiritual medicines are graded, ranging from high to low.
Only one or two high-grade spiritual medicines are made each year at Baekrin's Pavilion, so even Jin Cheon-hee, who became the direct disciple of the Pavilion Master, couldn't easily consume them.
However, low-grade spiritual medicines could be given at the discretion of the Pavilion Master.
In other words, the five spiritual medicines he consumed seven days ago, in modern terms, a week ago, were exactly those.
And there are still quite a few spiritual medicines left to consume in the future.
In other words, he was properly setting the foundation with spiritual medicines.
"In martial arts novels, they say that the direct disciples of great sects or the direct descendants of large families eat spiritual medicines like meals since childhood. I didn't know I would become like this. Should I consider this a blessing?"
Of course, it's not something that can be done mechanically.
It must be based on an understanding of the Five Elements.
Simply increasing the amount of inner power is not what's important.
"That's amazing. How can a person do it again and again, and again? You hardly slept, didn't you?"
Early morning inner power cultivation.
This is something anyone who has learned inner power does.
And now, Yoo Ho came to talk to Jin Cheon-hee, who had just finished his inner power cultivation.
"Why is he here again? And hey, you should try living the life of a trainee."
At that time, both body and mind were exhausted and worn out.
If there were modern slaves, it could be called the trainee doctor system in Korea.
He was like an untouchable at the lowest level of power.
Back then, he was scolded for everything.
He was scolded by patients, by their guardians, by professors, and even by passing dogs.
When he told his colleague, they said he was hearing things because he was too tired and suggested he visit the psychiatry department on the second floor of the new building, but Jin Cheon-hee was sure he heard it.
Everything in the world cursed him.
Little medical slave Jin Cheon-hee was always filled with anger and sadness.
Eventually, he felt nothing at all.
He realized what it meant for emotions to be defeated by fatigue.
In contrast, just cultivating his skills made his mind and body clearer and more comfortable.
Moreover, the members of the medical pavilion would come and praise and encourage him for everything.
It was the life of the second most powerful person in Baekrin's Pavilion.
Jin Cheon-hee thought, "Ah, I was a child who grew up on praise."
"Well... it seems you've just entered the first stage of the Five Elements Mind Technique."
"Is it fast? Come to think of it, they say achievements like the first stage aren't related to the amount of inner power. How do you measure it?"
"As far as I know, it's quite fast. And martial arts achievements are evaluated based on the ability to handle true energy. For someone like me, it's easy to see at a glance. But... how can someone with such outstanding talent not rest?"
Yoo Ho was only sent by Jegal Rin to observe Jin Cheon-hee.
And he just discovered that Jin Cheon-hee had achieved the first stage of the Five Elements Mind Technique.
The speed of that achievement was beyond imagination, but his actions were also shocking to Yoo Ho.
"I'm resting."
"Is cultivating resting?"
"..."
Jin Cheon-hee looked at Yoo Ho with a face like that of a Buddha instead of answering.
Yoo Ho thought, "He has eyes like someone who has experienced hell. How can a child have such eyes?"
They were deep and even eerie.
"Those aren't the clear eyes of a child. They're the eyes of a worn-out slave who has been through too much... What kind of past does this boy have...?"
At that moment, the sound of the door to the cultivation room opening was heard.
"Hee-ya!"
"Master!"
Jin Cheon-hee returned to the expression of a child and ran to his master, hugging him tightly.
"Oh, my little genius puppy! I missed you, so I sent someone to the market to buy something delicious."
"My goodness, the market is far away. Did you carry food up and down the mountain?"
"Don't worry, Hee-ya. Adults are strong, so it's okay."
"Wow~ I see! That's a relief~ Adults are okay! Master, can I eat more of this?"
"Of course. Is anyone there? Go buy more sweets. Don't forget to use your lightness skill to get back before it gets cold."
"Yes, yes! Pavilion Master! I'll be back like the wind!"
It was the voice of a weary office worker rather than a martial artist.
Jin Cheon-hee was startled by that voice and shook his head.
"Master, I'm fine. I'm already full."
"No, no. Hee-ya. Are you worried? Look, you're an adult, so it's okay, right?"
"Yes! Pavilion Master! Of course, I'm okay! Haha, ahahaha! Wahahahaha!"
"See, there's nothing to worry about, Cheon-hee. You have nothing to worry about."
He was a devil.
A devil.
The master, who had become a fool for his disciple, became a devil just to watch his disciple eat.
Yoo Ho decided to forget what he saw today.
On the day Jin Cheon-hee achieved the first stage of the Five Elements Mind Technique, Jegal Rin's new residence was also completed.
Normally, it would be impossible to complete it so quickly, but they shortened the construction period by hiring a lot of workers.
The residence was finished with wood on the inside and clay on the walls.
This was also an idea from Jin Cheon-hee.
Jin Cheon-hee called it insulation, and the completed house had a different feel from the typical style of this region.
On one side, there was a large glass window that could be called a wall, and inside, both an ondol and a stove were installed.
It was a house with a strong will to not allow any cold air.
The shape of the bed was also a bit different.
In this world, it's common to lay a blanket on a wooden bed, but Jin Cheon-hee insisted that in an ondol house, you should sleep directly on the floor, creating a space that felt quite different from the usual sleeping arrangements.
And on the day the house was completed, Yoo Ho entered the house with Jegal Rin.
"Haha... Isn't it warm, even hot?"
"I put a lot of firewood in the furnace to see how much heat would rise. I wanted to confirm if what the young master said was true."
When Jin Cheon-hee wasn't around, Yoo Ho would call him the young master.
Jegal Rin didn't mind and asked, "Anyway, I don't know why you're so strict with Jin Cheon-hee. So, how is it?"
"Honestly... it's beyond expectations."
Jegal Rin chuckled at Yoo Ho's words.
"Yes, it's beyond expectations. I'm curious where he got such knowledge... But we agreed not to ask, didn't we? Someday, he'll tell us. I've already seen the sincerity of that child..."
Sincerity.
Jin Cheon-hee said he would make sure they wouldn't die easily.
"Even just with the stove, it felt like I could really live... This is even better."
He entered the house, took off his shoes, and stepped on the floor.
The heat rising from the floor was even hot.
For an ordinary person, it would be a room hot enough to sweat, but Jegal Rin preferred it this way.
He slightly reduced the inner power protecting his body, and he felt the hot heat penetrate inside, neutralizing the cold.
It felt like entering a hot spring, warming his entire body.
Enjoying the pleasant feeling, Jegal Rin smiled and headed to the bed.
He sat down and lay down.
The warmth on his back felt different from the heat of the stove.
"How is it, Master?"
"It's very... very good. Is this ondol... Haha... It feels like having moxibustion all over my body..."
"Is that so."
"Why don't you acknowledge it now? You don't have to call him the young master anymore, do you?"
"Well, I still want to call him the young master."
"Tsk tsk. Such stubbornness. Anyway... it's really good. This is really good."
Jegal Rin's face showed a smile.
Seeing Jegal Rin like that, Yoo Ho's expression softened a bit too.
Even during the period when the ondol was installed and Jegal Rin was immersed in it, Jin Cheon-hee's training continued.
However, it was slightly different from his previous training.
Having gained ten years' worth of inner power, Jin Cheon-hee now had to train to handle it properly.
The Secret of True Energy.
He began to learn the secrets, methods, or techniques of handling true energy.
Naturally, this required the guidance of his master, Jegal Rin.
This required meticulous instruction.
In front of Jegal Rin, Jin Cheon-hee slowly generated the fire energy of the Five Elements Mind Technique at his fingertips.
The fire that started from his dantian finally gathered at Jin Cheon-hee's fingertips.
A thin piece of rice paper caught fire.
Fwoosh—
"You succeeded."
Those who didn't know might mistake it for the Sammaejinhwa, which is said to be used when surpassing the wall of a top expert.
Jin Cheon-hee said, "I can only set fire to thin rice paper."
"The first step is the same for everyone. If you become great, even this is possible."
Jegal Rin swung the fan he was holding once.
Then, flames traced the trajectory of the fan.
Boom—
A large tree was cut down.
The amazing thing was that only the cut part was scorched, and the fire didn't spread.
Jin Cheon-hee looked at the cross-section and spoke in disbelief, "How is this even possible?"
Instead of answering, the master said, "The basic nature of fire is destruction. Trees, iron, sword energy, and sword barriers all eventually perish. Therefore..."
The master pushed the cut tree with the end of the fan.
Then, the large tree trunk moved onto the master's fan.
Jin Cheon-hee asked, "Is it wind energy?"
"The essence of wind is movement. It flows continuously and doesn't stay still."
The master placed the tree back where it was cut.
Of course, he only placed it back where it was cut, not reattached it.
He said, "Since it was eroded by fire energy, this tree will die if left like this. Can you attach it with water energy?"
"..."
Jin Cheon-hee bit his lip and went in front of the tree.
Reviving a dying tree.
Water signifies life.
But no matter how much he concentrated, he couldn't succeed easily.