151

Chapter 151 - Temporary Closure - 5

"Yoonho. How many methods do you possess to counteract poison?"

As I told Hwarin to leave the schedule adjustments to me, she nodded before bringing up what might happen in the future.

"I have some inner strength, so I do have a bit of resistance to poison, but why?"

Poison may seem like a panacea in the martial arts world, but in reality, experts above a certain level possess their own methods to cope with it.

- One drop of tomato. I stepped away for a moment, and its weight has changed.

Martial artists have developed keen senses, enabling them to quickly detect even the subtlest scents or flavors, which could reveal the use of poison by an opponent.

- Truly, pufferfish eggs! A gem-like flavor worth risking one's life for.

Even if it's not to the extent of poison mastery, their physical inner strength can enhance resistance, allowing them to withstand poisons that could instantly kill an ordinary person.

"So, you mean you don't know how to expel the venom once it's inside your body?"

"I'm not an expert, so no, I don't know how to drive out poison with inner strength."

Expulsion of poison is a staple technique in martial arts fiction.

Even martial artists, with their inner strength, may resist poison better than average people, but without the skill of poison control, they too have their limits.

The most commonplace solution for a martial artist intoxicated with poison is to expel it from the body using inner strength.

"We might face any number of situations at the Sacheondang Family. They could use you to test your resistance to the ancestral poisons that run in their bloodline."

"Would they go that far knowing that if their only heir at death's door were to die, I would be the last of the bloodline?"

"I don't know. But they're mad enough to possibly do it."

Given that Hwarin herself was tricked by one of those very madmen, it's hard to feel completely assured.

"Can't I just finish this with a gracious pineapple pizza in front of my eyes?"

If you wish, I can even add pineapple topping. Hot sauce and pickles will need to be prepared in larger quantities. I muttered quietly to myself, a hint of lament in my voice.

"Who knows what will happen? If you get poisoned, I'll teach you how to expel the poison."

It's always good to learn how to expel poison because you never know what might happen. But there's a problem.

"That's only possible for those with substantial inner strength, right? I hardly have any, so I can't even use lightness skills."

"You're not unacquainted with lightness skills, you just lack the inner strength to use them? Impossible. How many years' worth of inner strength do you have?"

"Between two and three years?"

Gathering inner strength in the world of martial arts is like studying English.

A good environment and constant daily practice, mornings and evenings for 60 years, yields a single 'kapja' of inner strength.

Various clans promote their training methods akin to how academies advertise: Our sect's training method is 1.2 times more efficient than others! Our technique is 1.5 times more effective! But even with these claims, the need for daily practice in the morning remains unchanged.

Great righteous sects have young disciples train under a rigorous curriculum; that's how they accumulate inner strength. But once they start socializing, it changes the narrative.

Their skills hit a plateau, and it becomes harder to gather inner strength; as they are absorbed into social obligations, cultivation becomes more tedious, and the naggers lessen as one reaches adulthood. Gradually, training begins to lapse.

Of course, there are still individuals who continue to diligently gather inner strength and train both morning and evening. Ultimately, it's a matter of willpower.

Just like a working adult who doesn't turn on their computer after coming home from a full day of work, but instead opens a book to study English, demanding a certain level of self-discipline.

Even though I could not cultivate at times due to my workload, I still maintained a steady practice of my martial skills.

"You have less than I thought. Weren't you the one who seemed to become an Orang Cai punching barbarians, enhancing your body with inner strength? I thought you had ample inner strength for lightness skills."

That's because of having had a good teacher and the merit of ascension martial arts.

"Inner strength might be lacking, but I know enough to operate what I have."

"Then that's sufficient. I'll teach you the secret techniques of the Sacheondang Family. Even with minimal inner strength, your skill in operating it seems more than enough to quickly learn how to expel poison."

"Oh! But wouldn't it be problematic to casually disclose secret martial arts?"

"What are you talking about? Whether you live or die, you're going to be playing the part of the illegitimate child of the Sacheondang Family, so it won't matter if you learn this kind of martial art."

"True."

After all, if discovered, I would be killed, and if not, no one would object to my having learned the direct lineage martial arts of the Sacheondang Family.

"For now, sit in lotus position and follow the hand seals as I instruct you."

"Understood."

I began to operate my inner strength as Hwarin had described. Identifying anomalies in my body and gathering them using inner strength to expel them to one side.

The general method seems understandable, but it's harder than I thought.

"Can you do it? It will be easy once you reflect on your own body and clearly understand its conditions. Once you grasp the method, there's no need to sit in lotus position; you can use movement skills instead."

"I get the idea, but I might not be able to do it right away. Hwarin, if you guide me through the qi flow, I'll follow along."

Hwarin would guide the flow of qi, and I would follow that lead. That's the same method everyone who had taught me martial arts always used, and I requested Hwarin do the same.

"Qi guidance? Do you think I'm some sort of great master?"

Hwarin looked at me as if I was spouting nonsense.

"Can't you do it?"

Why this reaction? Hwarin should be unmatched among her peers, given her prowess.

"It's not that I can't; anyone around my age wouldn't be able to. Reckless qi guidance can twist the qi and blood or even lead to possession by deviant qi. I can help you see the flow of qi, but qi guidance is in the realm of the masters."

Is it like being the annoying friend who gives parking advice versus one who gives a driving lesson? It's a whole different ball game.

"There are people capable of it, I've heard."

I knew specifically two people who could.

"Where did you hear such wild rumors? At our age, one would have to be a genius with the quality of a great leader to do qi guidance, possessing extraordinary sensation abilities and qi control. There can't be such a person."

"I see."

For a moment, I had forgotten that the two people who taught me martial arts were geniuses countable on one hand in this world.

I seem to have encountered more fortuitous opportunities than I thought. I grew up eating ginseng like candy, I've learned the martial arts of ascension, and I've met good teachers. I've had the luck of a martial arts novel protagonist, in my own way.

In reality, I'm just an author of Orcish literature.

"Don't be too disappointed, try using this instead."

Hwarin, perhaps thinking I felt downhearted, pulled out a bottle of liquor from somewhere and offered it to me.

"To drink away worries with intoxication?"

"What are you talking about? Drunkenness is a kind of poison. Try drinking and expelling it."

Aha. This must be the method used when protagonists in martial arts novels have the capacity to expel drunkenness but choose not to use their power to enjoy the pleasant buzz.

I took the cup from Hwarin and had a drink.

"This is delicious. Where did you get this liquor?"

The sweetness, perfectly balanced by a tinge of bitterness, made for a delightful drink.

"It was, the Inspector General gave it to me."

Hwarin, seemingly embarrassed, briefly averted her gaze while pouring another cup.

"Eh? Why did the Inspector General give it to you?"

"For when things feel suffocating."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't ask pointless questions, just have some of the snacks!"

With snacks seemingly summoned from nowhere, Hwarin shoved some jerked meat into my mouth, steering the conversation away.

Did the Inspector General give Hwarin this alcohol to drink when work became too stifling? Despite its sweetness, the alcohol didn't seem strong.

The drink was so good I kept pouring more.

"This doesn't seem strong enough to have much effect... Huh?"

"Be careful."

Hwarin steadied me as I attempted to stand and lost my balance.

What's this? The alcohol is stronger than I thought? The good taste made me let my guard down. Maybe it's like modern-day sneakily potent liquors like soju bombs or Ladykillers.

"I've given you the hand seals, so let's try again tomorrow. You might get drunk quickly today since you've had a tiring day."

Hwarin looked concerned as I seemed to struggle to control my body.

"This is important. We should do it now, not leave it until tomorrow. Help me sit down. I'll try."

"For... your friend's issue?"

Why does she seem disappointed? Though I've offered a reasonable explanation, is she still displeased that it involves risking our lives for a friend's sake?

"Our lives are at stake, and my friend's injustice hangs in the balance. With such a formidable obstacle appearing, it's not the time to distinguish situations. We need to use unconventional means and take decisive actions."

"Do you need to resort to shortcuts when faced with obstacles?"

Hwarin appeared a bit shocked by my statement.

"Yes."

Upon my agreement, Hwarin looked down, seeming to ponder deeply before looking up again at me.

Why is she behaving like this?

"...Then, shall I help you with a shortcut?"

Hwarin said this with a tone that hinted at a firm decision.

"What will you do? Hey, Hwarin, what are you...?"

Hwarin slightly loosened the front of her clothing, then slipped it aside at the shoulders. Thanks to that, a dizzying Grand Canyon of a cleavage came into view, beginning with her shoulder lines.

"If, if your blood flows faster, you'll feel the intoxication throughout your body more intensely."

Hwarin avoided my gaze, seemingly embarrassed.

"No, that's not—"

Indeed, my blood was rushing faster. Racing towards my head, making the drunkenness abruptly tangible. Hwarin, the problem is, this also sends blood rushing to other places for men.

However, Hwarin didn't look like she was going to stop there.

"I'll hold your hand and look at the qi flow together. Ah, sit down."

The Grand Canyon approached me.

"That's okay. Ah... "

Startled, I rose up, losing my balance as the canyon loomed closer, and Hwarin reflexively pulled me into an embrace.

"Fiuh!"

My face took a small, momentous step towards the grand valley.

My nose wedged into the canyon, assailed by a scent no others might have ever encountered. Unexpected. I'm not even the protagonist of 'Tangga Fungyun', how could this be happening to me?

If I were to blow into it, would a grand echo emerge? They say 'nose-deep', but surely dying this way leaves no regrets.

Hwarin, push me away quickly so I can apologize. Why isn't she? Maybe Hwarin was too startled to move.

Thud-thud. I could hear Hwarin's heart pounding. Synchronized, my own heart began to race as well.

The intoxication that entered my body was paralyzing my brain.

"Hwarin, I've realized something."

A moment of silence. I carefully raised my head and spoke to the blushing Hwarin.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you. Always."

I stroked her face gently to avoid awkwardness. Hwarin's face was burning hot.

"Eh? What?"

Hwarin's mouth hung open.

"Let's sleep now."

"What, what, if you say 'let's sleep', do you think that's... that I'll just sleep?"

Does she not want to? While saying this, Hwarin lay down on her bed without covering herself with a blanket, glancing sideways at me.

Is she offering or defying?

"It's cold. Sleep under the blanket. I'll go to sleep now too."

"Hmm?"

Hwarin looked at me with a flushed and puzzled expression.

"I've grasped the method to drive out the toxins, so let's just sleep."

Without looking back, I headed to my bed, covered myself with the blanket, and spoke.

Hwarin was right; once you can observe the anomalies in your body, it's easy enough. I quickly managed to push out the intoxication from my body.

Feels good. It's like I've taken another step towards becoming a martial artist.

Watching me, Hwarin gaped in disbelief, her expression twisting to the brink of breaking.

"Really! I don't know! You're such a dog!"

Hwarin finally expressed her anger at my audacious touch and began gnashing her teeth as she covered herself with the blanket.

Oddly, she didn't turn away or go to sleep. Truly upset, perhaps.

I should apologize if her mood lightens by tomorrow.

-----

"Prepare to set off tomorrow morning."

The Eumgak faction leader visited me late in the evening, as he had the previous day.

"Grant me just a day or two more. There are too many matters to attend to."

I had been bustling with work since morning to prepare for our departure, but time was short.

"What could be more important than this task at hand?"

"I've heard even the carriage we were to travel in is unavailable. Both Hwarin and I require protection and it would be best to avoid exposing our faces, so please allow me time to settle my affairs while we acquire a carriage."

It's not just me with things to do – you have responsibilities as well. Let's compromise cleanly for just a day or two.

"We can find a carriage on the way."

He's just not listening.

The leader of Eumgak paid no attention to the glances from onlookers or the murmuring from somewhere close by, focusing solely on glaring at me.

"Can't you make even a single concession?"

"It was you who summoned us here."

I didn't call for you.

It would be one thing if I were playing with a Ouija board in a horror film and inadvertently summoned a spirit, or if I were playing a suspicious board game and got dragged into this world by rolling the dice incorrectly. Then I might have no reason to feel wronged.

I continued a silent staring contest with the leader of Eumgak, the tension palpable between us.

"Leader!"

Interrupting the tense standoff, a warrior from the Tang family burst in breathlessly.

"What is the matter!"

"Something terrible has happened. You need to come outside and see."

The warrior, visibly alarmed, gestured towards the door.

"Whatever it is, let's go together."

Though, I already have an idea. The Eumgak leader and I headed outside the door of Daseogak.

"Are those the bastards from the Sacheondang Family?"

"It's the Tang guy! That guy is from the Tang family!"

"To block the release o

f Tanggapungyun Volume 3!"

"They're trying to shut down Daseogak! We can't possibly allow that!"

"Woooooo! Sacheondang, retreat!!!"

"What on earth is this..."

What the leader of Eumgak and the people from the Tang family were met with outside was the seemingly endless ranks of Daseohoe members encircling Daseogak.