Chapter 9: Second Stage, Golden Body

Late at night.

“It’s been a while, Young Master.”

The one who had broken through the strict security of the Dancheon Clan and came to my quarters was Ma Sok of the Rogues’ Guild.

Although the security in the area where my quarters were located was relatively lax due to its low importance, the mere fact that he had crossed the walls of the Dancheon Clan without being caught showed that his concealment arts had reached a master level.

“What brings you here?”

“I have obtained the Azure Scale Elixir, so I had to deliver it, didn’t I.”

Ma Sok replied with the same friendly smile as the tavern servant.

To be able to so easily nullify the defenses of the Dancheon Clan with such an ordinary appearance, I was once again reminded of the fact that one must always be humble to survive long in the Jianghu Murim.

“I also have a matter of thanks to express to the Young Master.”

His qi was strangely different.

Wasn’t I, Myeong-gae, the one who was renowned among the Beggar’s Gang for having a good eye?

Although I couldn’t see through him clearly because my own level was low, I could notice the change in Ma Sok.

It might also be because he was subtly revealing his qi, as if he wanted to boast.

“Congratulations on your great achievement.”

I could easily guess that he had taken the Immaculate Pomegranate and achieved a rise in his realm.

“It is all thanks to the Young Master.”

However, I couldn’t understand why Ma Sok’s goodwill was directed towards me.

“How could it be thanks to me? It was the Mistress of the Pavilion who had a big heart.”

It was the Flower Moon Mistress of the Pavilion, Yeo-wol, who had given the Immaculate Pomegranate to Ma Sok.

To have taken two drops of Immaculate Pomegranate and given one of them to a subordinate.

It was either proof that the relationship between Yeo-wol and Ma Sok was much stronger than I thought, or that Yeo-wol’s magnanimity was much greater than was known.

“Here is the Azure Scale Elixir. I have specially selected the ones with high purity.”

“Thank you.”

Since the amount was one mal, it was heavy when I received it.

“I will see you next time, Young Master.”

Ma Sok, who was bidding farewell, turned around.

“If, by any chance, you need my help, please let me know at any time.”

Saying so, Ma Sok disappeared like smoke.

I would say that building a cooperative relationship with the Rogues’ Guild, and especially with Yeo-wol, was a very good thing.

This was because no one except Ma Sok and Yeo-wol would know that I had obtained the one mal of Azure Scale Elixir.

***

The early part of Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art was focused on building the body.

It concentrated on creating a vessel that could one day reach the pinnacle of the world.

-The pinnacle of the world is not in the martial art, but in the person. This is the true meaning of my words that one can reach the pinnacle of the world even with the Three Talents Sword Art.

I agree with Healing Sage’s words a hundred times over.

The first stage, Body Reformation, used the power of Immaculate Pomegranate to strengthen the blood vessels of the one entering the martial art, burn away impurities, and open the Ren and Du meridians.

It took care of the inside with a mechanism similar to Body Reformation.

And the second stage was a stage called Golden Body.

Since the inside was prepared in the first stage, the second stage altered the outside.

As can be seen from the word ‘Golden Body’, it was about making the body strong.

It could be compared to the famous Indestructible Diamond Body of Shaolin.

Healing Sage had boasted that upon reaching this stage, one would possess a body impervious to swords and blades and a healing ability that could quickly heal most wounds, so there would be no chance of dying from a stray blade in the Jianghu Murim.

This was accompanied by the additional comment that since the proper harmony of internal and external skills was important for a supreme master, achieving the Golden Body would lead to a dramatic increase in physical abilities.

What was needed for this second stage, the Golden Body, was this very ‘Azure Scale Elixir’.

If you asked if Azure Scale Elixir was a spiritual medicine, it was a bit ambiguous.

This was because it was and it wasn’t.

Obtaining Azure Scale Elixir itself was not as difficult as one might think.

In terms of value, it was less than a speck of Immaculate Pomegranate.

This was because while it was not openly circulated in the market, Azure Scale Elixir was a poison that could be easily obtained just by going to the entrance of the black market.

That’s right.

Azure Scale Elixir was a type of ‘poison’.

It was a rather deadly poison.

It was known that when Azure Scale Elixir touched the body, one would feel excruciating pain and lose their sanity before ten breaths had passed.

Even ingesting a small amount would lead to death.

However, hadn’t even the Sichuan Tang Clan, who were called the ancestors of poison, said that the boundary between medicine and poison was ambiguous, that they were in fact the same thing?

-Although I have researched countless spiritual medicines, there is nothing like Azure Scale Elixir for achieving the Golden Body.

Healing Sage seemed to share this opinion.

And he had proven it.

Healing Sage had placed the poison Azure Scale Elixir on the same level as other peerless spiritual medicines.

Right through Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art.

I carefully poured the Azure Scale Elixir that Ma Sok had delivered into the bathtub.

Although I was not an expert in poison, I could tell that it was of high purity and clear.

He must have obtained the highest quality Azure Scale Elixir, not the low-quality Azure Scale Elixir that could be found even at the entrance of the black market.

To enter the second stage, I had to immerse my body in the Azure Scale Elixir, like an ascetic practicing internal qi arts under a waterfall.

Since I, a grown man, could not fully immerse my body in just one mal of Azure Scale Elixir, I added water to increase the volume.

It was said that there was no worry of the efficacy being diluted by mixing it with water, as the one mal of Azure Scale Elixir would all be absorbed into my body through the circulation of Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art anyway.

“Hoo- Shall I give it a try.”

As I was about to immerse my body in a deadly poison, I felt a renewed sense of tension.

If I hadn’t had confidence in Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art, I would never have done such a crazy thing.

Splash.

“Ugh.”

As soon as the tip of my foot touched the Azure Scale Elixir, a sharp pain shot up.

To feel this much pain even with the Azure Scale Elixir diluted to one-tenth, if I had obtained ten mal of Azure Scale Elixir and immersed my body in it directly, I might have fainted without even having a chance to circulate Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art.

Plunge.

My body was already in contact with the Azure Scale Elixir.

Instead of taking my foot out, I threw my body into the Azure Scale Elixir.

I closed my eyes and plunged my face in as well.

‘Keoheok.’

Bubble, bubble, bubble.

In excruciating pain, I unknowingly let out a loud breath through my gritted teeth.

‘Get a grip.’

I composed myself and sat cross-legged in the Azure Scale Elixir.

Five breaths had already passed.

There wasn’t much time left now.

I couldn’t become the biggest idiot in history who drowned in poison in his own bathtub, could I?

Bubble.

While circulating the Dancheon Mind Art, I simultaneously overlaid Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art on top of it.

Perhaps thanks to my opened Ren and Du meridians, Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art circulated through my body in an instant in response to my will.

And like a lie, my senses disappeared.

As if taking the pain of the Azure Scale Elixir as nourishment, I sank into a state of selflessness.

I didn’t know how much time had passed.

Perhaps because I had fallen into a state of selflessness or because of the efficacy of Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art, I had the sensation of having spent a very long time in the Azure Scale Elixir.

However, even if I had reached the Peak through diligent training, there was a limit to how long a human could last underwater without breathing.

Therefore, I thought that no more than a quarter of an hour had passed.

I was still alive without suffocating, after all.

“Puha.”

I released my cross-legged position, got up, and brought my face out of the water.

When I opened my eyes, the water had returned to its original clear color.

The piercingly blue Azure Scale Elixir had vanished without a trace.

Its characteristic sour and musty smell had also disappeared.

It had been absorbed through my skin by the power of Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art.

Splash.

I got out of the bathtub.

The floor was wet, but I didn’t care.

This was because there was something much more important right now.

I picked up the dagger I had brought out of curiosity, which was placed next to the bathtub.

I squeezed my eyes shut and cut my wrist with the sharp blade of the dagger.

“Oh.”

It didn’t cut.

Although it was a crude dagger, the sword, which had been sharpened to the hilt, could not cut my skin.

“What about this?”

I lightly imbued the dagger with sword qi.

I had no hobby of self-harm, so I didn’t do my best.

Ting!

Sword qi could be called the essence of manifested inner energy.

That skill, which surpassed human physical strength, could cut through even a decent-sized rock like tofu.

But the dagger that touched my skin could not overcome the repulsive force and was sent flying.

I checked the condition of my skin.

It had become slightly reddish, but there was no wound.

“A little more?”

The efficacy of the second stage, Golden Body, did not end with being impervious to swords and blades.

Since a powerful healing ability was also a benefit of the Golden Body, I decided to wound myself to confirm it.

Woooong.

I drew out as much sword qi as I could.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Heup!”

I thrust the dagger towards my arm.

Stab!

With a strong repulsive force, the tip of the dagger pierced my skin a little.

“Ugh.”

Getting stabbed was indeed painful.

I immediately withdrew the dagger and examined the wound.

A little blood was flowing.

But this too did not last long.

Swoosh.

Before five breaths had passed, the wound healed.

Splash.

When I poured water on the wound, it had already sealed, and I could confirm that no more blood was flowing.

“This is no joke.”

It was truly impervious to swords and blades.

Although it would be pierced in vain by sword flux, that didn’t mean the body impervious to swords and blades should be underestimated.

This was because I knew well that in a life-or-death duel with an opponent of the same level, this small difference would decide the outcome.

I touched my skin.

Although it was a body that had repelled even sword qi, I couldn’t tell any difference in the texture.

I looked at my reflection in the bronze mirror in the bathroom.

The same me as always was reflected in the mirror.

This was a very different appearance from the Luohan monks of Shaolin who had achieved the Indestructible Diamond Body, who usually had skin like wood carvings and bulging solar plexuses.

This could be said to be thanks to the characteristic of the second stage, Golden Body, returning to the original state.

“Second Young Master, you will have to come with us.”

Three burly men suddenly burst into my quarters.

They were familiar faces.

“Why should I?”

This was inside the Dancheon Clan, and I was the second son of that Dancheon Clan.

Those who were merely household servants could not force me.

That was the law of the clan.

“If you do not comply, we were told it is acceptable to subdue you and bring you.”

Of course, their thoughts seemed to be different.

“You intend to lay hands on a direct descendant within the Dancheon Clan?”

“Pardon the intrusion.”

The one who seemed to be the leader of the burly men bowed his head and said, as if giving an order.

“Bring him.”

“Yes.”

Simultaneously with the answer, two of the burly men extended their rough hands towards me.

I knew the reason for their confidence.

Since all three of them were martial artists who had reached the Peak, there was no reason for them to be nervous with me, who had not even reached adulthood.

The sin of laying hands on me would be covered up by the person who had instigated it.

-It would be a mistake to think of the efficacy of the second stage, Golden Body, as simply being impervious to swords and blades.

Since both the inside and outside of the body are prepared, the path to becoming a supreme master is open to the chosen one, and this is called Heart as Action.

Heart as Action.

Since one could move as one’s heart willed, that was martial arts.

I knew that a sublime principle of high-level grappling arts was hidden in their simple and rough-looking hands.

But what was the problem?

It was a natural fact that their hands were all seen through my eyes, which had even come to follow Uncle Yeo Baek’s sword.

Thud.

I blocked one of the burly men’s hands by raising my knee.

Crack!

The other burly man’s hand was brought down by my elbow.

“You should train your martial arts a little more diligently.”

Smiling and saying this was a bonus.

“Ugh!”

Clang!

The one whose hand had been hit by my elbow drew his sword, as if enraged.

“Jangsan, stop.”

Of course, this was stopped by the leader.

This was because subduing me and drawing a sword on me were two different matters.

“……I apologize.”

The one who had drawn his sword without realizing it quickly bowed his head.

It seemed he valued his own life.

Hmm, what a shame.

If I had used fist and foot arts against that sword, I would have been able to test the true efficacy of the body impervious to swords and blades.

“Second Young Master. Would you please come with us willingly?”

The leader bowed his head politely.

I didn’t know what he had seen in that one exchange, but his behavior showed a respect for me that had not been there before.

Yes.

Come to think of it, what sin did they have?

“Tell my brother that I will go to see him myself.”

It was all my brother’s problem.

“……Pardon the intrusion.”

Now that I had also achieved the second stage, Golden Body.

It was about time I met my brother at least once.

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