"Master."
"......"
"Master?"
"......"
"Uh... Master?"
Aeonghwa was fidgeting nervously.
Three days ago, after returning from an audience with the Sect Leader, the Master had changed a lot.
Normally, he would practice his mental cultivation techniques, eat well, and visit the restroom about five or six times a day. He also slept for at least three hours. In short, he ate well, relieved himself well, and slept well. It was an ideal routine for a healthy life.
But now, what was the Master doing?
He was sitting on his bed, staring blankly out the window, drool dripping from his half-open mouth.
Aeonghwa didn't dare wipe it without permission, but if left alone, it looked like it might cause a flood.
He wasn't eating much, and it was unclear if he was sleeping. He only visited the restroom two or three times a day. Well, since he wasn't eating much, that made sense.
At least he never skipped his mental cultivation practice, which was a relief.
But after finishing his practice, he would just sit there drooling again. It was so bad that Aeonghwa was starting to worry if he had developed a serious mental illness.
While Aeonghwa was pacing around, unsure of what to do, Cheon Hajin's mind was racing.
'What? What is it? What could it be? What?'
He didn't know. He really didn't know.
What did the Sect Leader's words mean?
First, he told him to return to his quarters and rest, which was straightforward enough. But no matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn't figure out what the Sect Leader meant by saying he would send someone in three days.
No, setting that aside.
'Is he going to send me away or not?'
If he's going to let me go, just say so. If not, just say so. Why does he have to torment my brain like this?
Cheon Hajin rolled his eyes aimlessly.
He'll let me go, right? He'll let me go, won't he? He'll definitely let me go.
'Of course he will. You saw it, right? The disappointed look on that bear-like Sect Leader's face.'
He was certain it wasn't an act.
The realm of martial arts doesn't improve acting skills. In fact, it's the weak who are good at acting. They have to survive by reading the room.
In the end, the Sect Leader wasn't the type to act, nor did he need to.
Cheon Hajin clenched his fist.
'I can leave.'
Who knows, maybe he's even preparing some nice clothes for his once-beloved disciple before sending him off.
It's unlikely that a luxurious silk outfit would be ready in three days, but maybe something equivalent.
After all, the man is swimming in money. What couldn't he do?
Yes, that must be it. The Sect Leader is human too, so he must have some affection.
Cheon Hajin, who was busy rationalizing, forced a smile.
"My thoughts must be right. Yes, of course."
But why do I feel so uneasy?
Just as Cheon Hajin was chewing on his nails with his front teeth.
"Master!"
Startled, Cheon Hajin turned his head toward the source of the voice.
Aeonghwa, who had mustered the courage to shout, looked slightly pale.
"Wh-what is it? Did someone come?"
"Huh? Ah, no?"
"Then why?"
"You... you should eat. You skipped breakfast."
Cheon Hajin rubbed his stomach.
Now that he thought about it, he had been so busy racking his brain that he hadn't even thought about eating.
"Ah, let's eat."
"Yes! I'll bring it right away."
A short while later, a simple meal was prepared.
The thick, long chopsticks moved back and forth between the rice and side dishes without pause.
Cheon Hajin, who had stuffed his cheeks full of food, continued to think with a serious expression.
'Before I returned, the surrounding guards were all cleared out.'
It was clear that an order had come from above. And that order must have come through the Sect Leader.
Why were the guards cleared out? Even though I'm still the Third Young Master?
'He's going to send me away.'
Moreover, the doctor who used to come every two days hasn't shown up. This must also be due to intervention from above.
'Someone of the Sect Leader's level can see through my condition at a glance.'
Even if it wasn't the Sect Leader, any top-tier expert would be able to tell.
This body no longer needs further treatment. There's room for improvement, but it can be managed through personal effort.
The guards were removed, and the doctor was stopped. In other words, it's to reduce wasted manpower.
The intention behind that points to one answer!
"I'll go to Nangang soon..."
"Yes? Master, do you have any orders?"
"Huh? Ah... no, nothing."
"Ah, yes!"
He continued to shovel food into his mouth.
Feeling energized by the hopeful and positive interpretation, he knew he had to eat well to prepare for what was to come.
After finishing his meal with a fighting spirit, Cheon Hajin crossed his legs.
"Ugh! Let's get started."
Food is nutrition, and nutrition is what the body needs to sustain life.
As soon as food enters the stomach, the internal organs work more actively to absorb the nutrients.
And what can accelerate this process is internal energy, and mental cultivation techniques.
First, let's refine the body. If the body is weak, nothing can be done.
Cheon Hajin closed his eyes.
A short while later.
Sssssss.
A faint mist rose from his shoulders.
Aeonghwa, standing to the side, bit her lip.
'It's going to get stuffy.'
Whenever Cheon Hajin practiced his mental cultivation, the air always became heavy. It wasn't that there was a smell, but the air became so humid and dense that it was uncomfortable to breathe.
'He said it's because he's expelling impure energy.'
A look of awe crossed Aeonghwa's face.
Though she was only at the level of basic self-defense, she too had practiced mental cultivation techniques.
She knew how difficult it was to expel large amounts of impure energy with a body that had almost no internal energy.
Perhaps the Master's improved condition wasn't due to the medicine or acupuncture, but his own efforts.
Some time passed.
'Huh?'
Aeonghwa tilted her head.
'That's strange.'
She thought the air would become heavy, but today it didn't.
In fact...
'Ah, it's so refreshing.'
Aeonghwa unconsciously flared her nostrils. The air was so clear that she wanted to take deep breaths.
Just as Aeonghwa was smiling broadly at the unexpected freshness.
'Huh?!'
Cheon Hajin was startled internally.
'What is this?'
The flow of his internal energy was different from usual.
To be precise, his realm had suddenly leaped forward.
'Third Stage?!'
The Muae Gong (Limitless Skill) is divided into stages from the First Stage to the Fifth Stage.
Among them, reaching the Third Stage wasn't too difficult with steady practice, but from the Fourth Stage onward, one needed a profound understanding of the Muae Gong itself to make progress step by step.
In his previous life, when he was at his peak as the Slaughter King, he had reached the very edge of the Fourth Stage.
Considering his reputation as one of the top ten martial artists in the world, one could understand just how troublesome the Muae Gong was.
But now, he was at the peak of the Third Stage. With just a few more circulations, he could step into the Fourth Stage.
'How is this possible?'
It was utterly baffling.
He had said reaching the Third Stage wasn't too difficult, but he hadn't said it was easy.
Even with understanding, he thought it would take at least five years.
The reason was that, more than understanding, the harmony between martial arts and the body was crucial.
No matter how much he had focused on the Muae Gong for three months, was he really about to reach the Fourth Stage?
'Could it be...'
Cheon Hajin's expression turned serious.
'Am I a genius?'
This was no time for jokes.
'I really can't understand it.'
Whoooosh.
A pleasant resonance spread from his body.
When he inhaled, the faint impure energy floating in the room seeped into his body.
When he exhaled, the purified energy cleansed the air in the room.
Cheon Hajin's expression brightened.
'The Purification True Art is activating on its own.'
The Purification Art of the Muae Gong.
The essence of the Muae Gong is to expel impure energy from the body and maximize healing abilities.
But the Muae Gong also has a unique technique called the Purification True Art, which, as the name suggests, purifies the surrounding air.
Instead of expelling impure energy, it gathers it. Naturally, the air, now free of impurities, becomes clean.
Wouldn't absorbing impure energy instead of expelling it burden the body?
'Not at all!'
The remnants of impure energy in his body would shrink under the power of the Muae Gong and transform into internal energy.
Of course, it was an extremely small amount, less than a speck of dust, and the internal energy gained from normal Muae Gong practice was much greater.
Still, the importance of the Purification True Art lay in its virtuous cycle.
By purifying the air in the surrounding area, one could accumulate higher-quality energy when practicing other internal energy techniques.
Naturally, the progress of martial arts would be faster, and the body would become stronger.
Though it might not be noticeable immediately, over a year or a decade, the difference would be astounding.
'What a windfall!'
He felt like dancing. After three months of grueling practice with the Muae Gong, such a blessing had come his way!
'Now it's possible! I can recover much faster.'
He estimated that it would take about three to five years to regain his former strength.
Of course, that was assuming he could obtain spirit medicines from the inner sect.
But with the Purification True Art, that time could be shortened.
'This body is twenty-three years old, right?'
If he regained his strength in three years, he would have the martial arts of a top-ten expert by the age of twenty-six.
'Wow... at this rate, I might even be called the greatest genius in history.'
Cheon Hajin's expression turned greedy.
Though he had left the martial world, who wouldn't desire fame?
Moreover, with the martial arts of a top-tier expert in this young body, shaking up the martial world would be truly exhilarating.
The martial world would cheer for the emergence of a genius, right? Women who aren't murderers might even take notice of me, right?
With fame, money would naturally follow, right?
'...Gulp.'
Cheon Hajin, who had been lost in his fantasies, shook his head roughly.
'Stupid brat. After all that, you still don't get it? The martial world is no place to live.'
Cheer for the emergence of a genius?
Sure, they'll cheer while holding a dagger behind their backs.
Women might be happy that a new target has appeared, but they won't truly understand me.
Fame? Can you eat that? Money? The inner sect has plenty.
Most importantly, whether it's three years or five years, I'm still young. Just because the training period has shortened a bit, don't get carried away.
'Know your place.'
Let's not ruin our lives with momentary desires.
Half a day later.
"Ugh!"
Cheon Hajin stretched.
Aeonghwa quickly bowed.
"Congratulations, Master!"
"Huh? For what?"
"Huh? No... just..."
She couldn't say it was because she felt like he had achieved something.
Cheon Hajin ruffled Aeonghwa's hair.
"Haha! Why are you so nervous? Anyway, thank you."
Aeonghwa's body stiffened momentarily.
'...The Master ruffled my hair?!'
It was incredibly humbling.
At the same time, she felt a bit down.
'I spent over half an hour styling it today...'
But well, if the Master liked it, that's what mattered. Hair can always be restyled.
Just as one young man was crying with joy and one young girl was in a complicated state of mind.
Thud!
Cheon Hajin's head snapped toward the window.
In the distance, at the gate of the residence.
"A message from the Demon God Palace! Third Young Master Seo Ryang, open the gate quickly and receive the Sect Leader's holy decree!"
Cheon Hajin grinned broadly.
"Come in! Please, come in!!"