Episode 12: Red Blood Mountain!
‘Maybe it’s possible.’
Poison Master thought as he looked at Won Seung, who had fainted.
Even someone with a full cycle of internal energy would need to dedicate one or two years to meditation and breathing exercises to barely have a chance at opening the Conception and Governing meridians.
Even if one gets the chance, not everyone succeeds. Many end up suffering side effects for the rest of their lives due to failure. So, who would invest one or two years in the slim chance of opening the Conception and Governing meridians?
That’s why many people live their entire lives without opening these meridians, even with a full cycle of internal energy.
The alternative to regular meditation and breathing exercises is to consume a miraculous elixir or the inner pill of a mystical creature to seize the opportunity with overwhelming energy.
However, this requires incredible luck, and failure can lead to severe side effects or damage. One might lose their martial arts, their mind, or even become disabled.
Won Seung’s opening of the Conception and Governing meridians was a rare coincidence, even surprising Poison Master.
After a moment of thought, Poison Master shook his head.
‘No, I lost the match against the Poison King. Let’s not dwell on it.’
As death approached, Poison Master’s obsession was gradually fading.
Spending time with Won Seung, he felt the preciousness of the present moment. The happiness he had never felt before was invaluable. His lifelong obsession with poison was waning, and he didn’t want his grandson-like Won Seung to die fighting the Poison King.
“Ugh…”
Won Seung groaned as a sticky sweat oozed from his body. It was a strange sweat, yellowish and even blackish.
The toxins in his body were being expelled as his Conception and Governing meridians opened.
‘This is no time to be idle.’
Poison Master hurriedly went into the medicine room, gathered some herbs, and threw them into a bathtub filled with water. The water turned milky white.
He stripped Won Seung and placed him in the tub, then sat down beside it, exhausted.
“Cough, cough!”
Using his frail body too quickly left him breathless.
The milky water in the tub quickly became murky. The water absorbed into Won Seung’s body, helping to expel the toxins more thoroughly.
Even in his unconscious state, Won Seung felt a refreshing energy sweeping through his entire body.
How much time passed? When the milky water turned completely murky, Won Seung opened his eyes.
‘What happened?’
He seemed to have lost consciousness while meditating after taking the medicine Poison Master gave him, and now he found himself naked in a bathtub.
As he sat up, a strange smell hit his nose.
“Ugh.”
Won Seung pinched his nose and stood up abruptly, repelled by the stench from the murky water.
“What is this water?”
As he frowned, he realized what had happened to his body. Poison Master hadn’t just taught him poison techniques. Whenever there was a chance, he shared knowledge about martial arts and the masters one must know to survive in the martial world.
Won Seung had a considerable understanding of martial arts and naturally took an interest in opening the Conception and Governing meridians.
Once opened, the Conception and Governing meridians allow the small circulation to flow automatically six times a day, and the speed of internal energy growth is twice as fast as others.
“Master! My Conception and Governing meridians have opened!”
Won Seung jumped for joy, and Poison Master tossed him some clothes.
“Cover yourself, you fool.”
Won Seung quickly dressed and bowed to Poison Master.
“Since meeting you, Master, I’ve been incredibly lucky. I’ve gained immense internal energy and even opened my Conception and Governing meridians. You’re truly a benefactor to me.”
“Are you just going to say that? I haven’t eaten anything until now, so I don’t even have the energy to talk.”
Poison Master grumbled.
“Just a moment, please.”
Won Seung, who hadn’t eaten all day, was also hungry. He quickly went to the upper kitchen. It was late at night, and no one was there, so he swiftly reheated some leftover food and brought it back.
The master and disciple sat together, sharing a late dinner.
“When did you open your Conception and Governing meridians, Master?”
“Why do you want to know?”
Poison Master had forcibly opened his Conception and Governing meridians by consuming poison when he was in his mid-fifties, with over ten years of internal energy beyond a full cycle. If he had opened them just ten years earlier, his achievements in poison techniques would have been faster, and he wouldn’t have lost to the Poison King.
He lamented this for a long time after losing to the Poison King, but now he was indifferent even when Won Seung asked.
Won Seung chewed on a piece of pork and asked.
“Is there anyone who opened their Conception and Governing meridians at my age?”
“Don’t get conceited. Opening the Conception and Governing meridians is different from the level of martial arts. Do you remember the people I told you never to fight?”
“Yes. I should avoid the top ten masters, the heads of major sects, and the leaders of noble families.”
“And who should you absolutely avoid?”
“The Sword King and the Poison King.”
“Correct. The Sword King holds a grudge against me, so if he finds out you’re my disciple, he’ll surely try to kill you. The Poison King, having once competed with me for the title of the world’s greatest poison master, is also likely to harm you.”
In the martial world, it’s natural for a disciple to inherit their master’s grudges. Won Seung realized that having a master who was a high-level martial artist could put his life at risk. This made him curious.
“Do you have many enemies, Master?”
“Quite a few. I’ve killed more than a few people with my own hands. So until you’ve achieved a certain level, you mustn’t reveal that you’re my disciple.”
“What level do you mean by ‘a certain level’?”
“Hmm…”
Poison Master thought of those who might hold grudges against him. There were too many to count, and he grew tired of trying to calculate.
“At least the level of the Transformation Realm, I suppose?”
“What! The Transformation Realm? That’s the level of the top ten masters!”
“You need to reach that level to avoid dying by the Sword King’s blade.”
Having experienced the Bright Vitality Pill incident, Won Seung had gained ten years of internal energy along with opening his Conception and Governing meridians, now possessing the equivalent of forty years of internal energy. Forty years of internal energy is enough to emit Sword Qi.
However, achieving a high level is not just about internal energy. It requires harmony between the body and internal energy, and enlightenment through experience.
Won Seung thought he might be at the transcendence level now. Poison Master, as if reading Won Seung’s mind, chuckled and said,
“You’d lose if you fought a first-rate martial artist now.”
“Really? But I have so much internal energy.”
“Do you think just having a lot of firewood will make the stove warm by itself? Having a lot of internal energy is like having a lot of firewood. If you don’t develop the ability to use your internal energy, even a hundred years of it would be useless.”
“Oh, I see.”
Won Seung nodded.
“Besides, you’ve never killed anyone, have you? Without any experience in life-and-death battles, talking about internal energy is meaningless.”
“Master, I don’t think that’s the case.”
Won Seung spoke with a serious expression.
“Have you forgotten what kind of training I’m receiving?”
“Hmph! Do you think that assassin training will work against high-level martial artists?”
“I’m going to become a Ten Perfections Assassin. A legendary Ten Perfections Assassin.”
“Even so, you’re just an assassin.”
Poison Master scoffed repeatedly and said,
“The Red Blood Mountain clings to the idea of the Ten Perfections Assassins to raise their reputation as an assassin sect, but in reality, it’s nothing special. Moreover, if you become a Ten Perfections Assassin, they’ll surely assign you very difficult assassination missions. The targets will be outstanding martial artists, and you’ll be at great risk of being killed.”
“I’m worried about that too. But Instructor Jang seems like he’ll kill me if I don’t become a Ten Perfections Assassin, so I have no choice.”
Won Seung said with a gloomy face.
“Don’t worry. If you master poison techniques, no one except the top ten masters will be able to harm you. So you must work tirelessly.”
“Yes.”
Poison Master inadvertently mentioned Red Blood Mountain, but Won Seung didn’t ask further. However, his mind was busy.
‘Red Blood Mountain… The name itself sounds ominous. So this is their assassin training ground?’
At the same time, he wondered why Poison Master hadn’t told him about this place’s true nature, even though he seemed to know.
‘Could Poison Master be from Red Blood Mountain?’
The other masters, like the literary master, musical master, mechanical formation expert, blacksmith, and carpenter, would leave after teaching, but Poison Master stayed.
But from the way he spoke just now, he didn’t seem like someone from Red Blood Mountain. He was curious but didn’t ask.
Won Seung didn’t want to make his master uncomfortable.
‘Red Blood Mountain…’
The grudge and anger he had momentarily forgotten welled up like a cloud. These were the people who had stolen ten precious years of his childhood.
Thanks to them, he learned martial arts and gained immense internal energy, but it was all due to his connection with Poison Master. Otherwise, he might have ended up buried on the lower hill.
The next morning.
Instructor Jang came by early. Won Seung, having fallen asleep at dawn, was still not awake.
“Is Number Fifty okay?”
“He’s alive.”
Poison Master, leaning on his cane, sat on a chair in the yard and replied.
Instructor Jang sat across from him.
“What exactly happened?”
“I had him brewing my poisons lately, and it seems he inhaled some of the poison. Normally, it would have resolved without issue, but coincidentally, he took the Bright Vitality Pill, which caused the problem.”
“Hmm. Then we shouldn’t give him the Bright Vitality Pill anymore.”
Instructor Jang frowned.
To become a Ten Perfections Assassin, one must have deep internal energy. No, before that, the childConception must have about twenty years of internal energy before they leave the assassin training ground at sixteen.
He thought of giving Won Seung another Bright Vitality Pill to gain twenty years of internal energy… But he wondered if Won Seung’s internal energy had been damaged.
“Did Number Fifty’s internal energy suffer any damage?”
“Hmph! During the detoxification process, I used my precious poison pill. That brat gained twenty years of internal energy, so it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Remember, he owes me for saving his life.”
Only then did Instructor Jang’s face brighten. Won Seung now had a clear path to becoming a Ten Perfections Assassin.
‘That brat is really lucky. He’ll surely become a Ten Perfections Assassin.’
Instructor Jang stood up and cupped his hands in respect.
“Your skills are truly remarkable, sir. I’ll repay this debt with some fine liquor soon.”
Poison Master waved his hand dismissively, as if to say, “Just go.”
“Tell Number Fifty to rest today and return to training tomorrow.”
After Instructor Jang left, Won Seung emerged from his room.
Opening the Conception and Governing meridians had brought unexpected benefits. The bulging Taiyang point had subsided, and his physique had slightly changed, making him look like someone who hadn’t practiced martial arts. It was as if he had gained the effects of a full cycle of internal energy.
“Today, I can study poison techniques all day.”
Poison Master had been in a hurry lately. Won Seung knew that despite Poison Master’s calm demeanor, his coughing was getting worse, and his health was deteriorating day by day.
Poison Master, who had broken into a sweat pretending to be calm in front of Instructor Jang, was now coughing lightly.
“I’ll bring some food first.”
As he brought food from the upper kitchen, he suddenly remembered the Blood Drying Powder he had forgotten about. When he tried circulating his energy, it seemed to have disappeared during his transformation, leaving no trace.
‘Hmm. It seems I’ve found a way to detoxify the Blood Drying Powder.’
Not wanting to lose the thought, Won Seung quickly served Poison Master his meal and then dashed into the medicine room.