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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“Oh, you’re out. Boss, did it go well?”
Yang Kwai was the first to greet Namgung-Woo as he emerged from the training hall.
He had a saber slung over his shoulder and was idly mimicking the movements of the Lightning Flash Heart Penetrating Sword Technique.
“Yang Kwai? Where’s Yang Jeong?”
“We’re taking turns keeping watch. He’s probably resting in the room.”
Yang Kwai swallowed, and his throat went dry.
Something had changed.
Namgung-Woo’s aura felt distinctly different.
Even he, with his limited skill, could sense it.
‘How much stronger has he gotten in just two days? He’s a true monster.’
The difference in their power levels was stark, almost oppressive.
Namgung-Woo stopped before him, his aura heavier and more stable.
“So? How many days has it been?”
Lost in his cultivation, he’d lost track of time.
“Two days, Boss.”
“Longer than I thought.”
“You noticed? The Peng Family was about to lose their minds.”
“I should apologize for the inconvenience.”
He’d not only asked to borrow their training hall but had then secluded himself for two whole days. They must have been bewildered.
But he didn’t regret it.
It was necessary.
And it was the quickest way to help them.
“So, why the sudden closed-door training?”
“I didn’t understand myself.”
He smiled faintly, patted Yang Kwai’s shoulder, and walked past him, offering no further explanation.
Yang Kwai followed him.
“Where’s the Peng Family? I thought they’d have someone watching.”
“They cleared out the training hall, worried they’d disturb you. They left us here because we’re your subordinates.”
“Really?”
But they did have a way of knowing when someone left the training hall.
He’d heard it was some kind of formation.
He sensed the approaching Peng Family members and circulated the third Divine Qi within his upper dantian.
Yang Kwai, sensing the shift in his aura, asked in a hushed voice, “Boss, did you… achieve enlightenment?”
“Perhaps.”
It wasn’t some grand epiphany.
He simply understood himself a little better.
“But that’s enough.”
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The largest building in the Peng Family estate was the Family Head’s Hall. It served as both his residence and his office, the equivalent of a royal court.
Beside it stood the Matriarch’s Hall, and behind them, the Elders’ Hall, where the most respected and skilled members of the family gathered.
The fourth largest building, the Yuanqi Pavilion, served a different purpose.
It was for guests.
The top floor of the Yuanqi Pavilion, rarely used, was now open, hosting their important visitor.
“First, I apologize for my abrupt seclusion.”
“Not at all. We granted you use of the training hall, and it was only for two days.”
Peng Ja-ryeong’s voice was calm, but Muyong Hye looked exhausted.
Dark circles ringed her eyes, as if she hadn’t slept in days. She practiced martial arts, but her achievements were modest.
Two sleepless nights, fueled by anxiety and anticipation, had taken a toll on her.
But her eyes still shone with a bright, unwavering light.
The obsession that had consumed her for over a decade was nearing its resolution. That thought alone could keep her awake for days.
“Let’s get straight to the point.”
“Yes, thank you. But… Benefactor…”
Peng Ja-ryeong hesitated, embarrassed to bring it up in such a serious setting.
“Is this… really alright?”
He gestured discreetly behind Namgung-Woo.
Peng Ye-ryeong stood directly behind him, her hands resting on his head as she stared intently at his crown.
“Hmmmmm…!”
Initially, they’d tried to stop her.
Peng Ha-ryeong had blocked her path, Muyong Hye had tried to pull her away, and Peng Ja-ryeong had scolded her.
But Namgung-Woo had allowed it.
“It’s fine. It’s actually helpful.”
The Peng Family might have suspected it, but Peng Ye-ryeong’s mental state wasn’t entirely normal.
They attributed it to her curse, her nature, without truly understanding it.
But Namgung-Woo, with his knowledge of modern psychology, recognized her condition.
Her mind, which should have cultivated its own internal world as her Celestial Gate closed, had become isolated and stunted.
It was a form of autism, albeit a high-functioning one without intellectual disability.
Since he didn’t mind, Muyong Hye let it go, despite her reservations.
“Oh, alright.”
Even if she stared at him all day, she wouldn’t fully understand his condition.
But she might uncover ‘something’.
Especially with her exceptional perception.
‘That would be even better.’
Martial arts, especially internal cultivation, was about understanding.
Understanding the flow of Qi, refining one’s breathing and mental imagery to harmonize with the universe.
Having a glimpse of the answer beforehand, like a cheat sheet, could help them understand the process.
“Please, don’t mind me and focus on your discussion.”
While he was unconcerned, it was still awkward for his hosts.
‘But I can’t really say anything more…’
Peng Ja-ryeong tried to ignore his sister and focus on Namgung-Woo.
“During my seclusion, I considered your daughter’s and my own condition.”
“But you haven’t seen Ye-ryeong since you arrived?”
“I have a good memory.”
And exceptional eyesight.
He doubted that flimsy explanation would suffice, but surprisingly, the Peng Family seemed to accept it without question.
“Strictly speaking, our conditions are different.”
Yang Jeong watched as shock rippled through the room, their faces contorting.
Muyong Hye clenched her fists, the veins in her hands bulging.
“…Are you saying… it’s impossible?”
“Hear me out.”
Back in his world, there was a saying about hearing someone out.
He’d been trying to be thorough, but it seemed he’d only fueled their anxiety.
“Your daughter’s case is an open Celestial Gate. The Baihui acupoint, as it’s known.”
“Yes, we know.”
“In my case, it’s not the Baihui acupoint. I was born with special eyes.”
Eyes didn’t have acupoints.
They weren’t connected to the flow of Qi.
But they were special in a different way.
The eyes were the windows to the soul. They were the gateway between the inner and outer worlds.
Humans perceived the world through their eyes.
The eyes were the boundary between the inner and outer universes, the organs that directly transmitted information to the brain.
“Therefore, our conditions are fundamentally similar. Whether it’s through the Baihui acupoint or the eyes, the connection to the upper dantian is the same.”
“So… you can cure Ye-ryeong?”
The room fell silent, as if holding its breath.
In the stillness, where even the beating of hearts seemed amplified, Namgung-Woo spoke.
“I can’t say for certain.”
“Oh…”
Muyong Hye swayed, her face pale, her hands still tightly clenched.
Peng Ja-ryeong quickly steadied her.
“Madam… but it’s worth a try.”
“What… what do we need to do?”
Fearing she might faint, Muyong Hye skipped further explanations and asked for the solution.
He answered, “She needs to learn to control her upper dantian.”
“…Upper dantian cultivation. We’ve considered that.”
Unfortunately, all Peng Family techniques centered on the lower dantian.
Even among the Nine Great Sects, only half possessed upper dantian cultivation techniques.
And they were rare and difficult to master.
Even if they found a suitable technique, the problem remained.
Cultivating the upper dantian would accelerate the opening of her Baihui acupoint, shortening the time she had left.
It was a race against time.
But he had a solution to both problems.
“I know an upper dantian cultivation technique.”
The Ethereal Void Divine Art.
The last cultivation technique he’d acquired.
Unlike the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art and the Sky Vault Great Evolution Divine Art, which were passed down within the Namgung Family, he’d found this one on his own.
It was a secret technique of the Mystical Void lineage, a unique and powerful art.
Its power was comparable to his other two divine arts.
“And mastery isn’t necessary.”
She only needed to learn the basics.
Enough to control the Qi in her upper dantian and prevent it from opening her Baihui acupoint.
The Peng Family stared at him in disbelief.
“Are you saying…”
It was unthinkable.
For a martial artist, their cultivated techniques were sometimes more precious than their own lives.
And a divine art of the upper dantian?
That was never shared with outsiders.
“Are you saying… you’ll allow Ye-ryeong to learn your secret technique?”
He was offering to teach her his most prized possession.
