Ch 25
What is the dantian?
It is like a vessel made of formless mist.
But a hole in it? That’s something else entirely.
Even the Six Elders, including the Poisonous Demon Doctor, cannot achieve it.
If it is possible, there is only one person.
“The Sect Leader might know…”
The greatest in the world, who has mastered thousands of martial arts, sorcery, medicine, dual cultivation, and poison arts, and has reached the pinnacle of enlightenment.
The Heavenly Demon, Jin Woo-gwang.
Only he could do it.
“In any case, a truly peculiar individual has appeared. The Seventh Prince, born with a unique constitution, and the aide with unparalleled insight.”
Ji Dae-ho’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he leaned back.
Jang Yi-seo, the flawed genius aide.
And similarly, Mao, the flawed genius prince.
Their future actions were eagerly anticipated.
How far could they go with their abilities?
“Of course, we must first succeed in this private meeting with the Sect Leader.”
A smirk crept across his face.
Ji Dae-ho was already looking forward to meeting him.
Whoosh—
The forest path from Wolha Village to the Heavenly Demon Hall.
The ground was damp from yesterday’s rain, and the wind scattered droplets from the leaves.
It was clearly not a place meant for lingering.
Yet, for some reason, two men had been standing in the middle of the path, arguing for quite some time.
“Do you see? Why isn’t this working? Why not? Tell me why!”
“Ah, I don’t get it. You need to explain it better so I can understand. Why do you keep telling me to send internal energy? If I just exert force, it goes on its own.”
“That’s exactly why I’m telling you to slowly circulate the Great Heavenly Cycle. You know the Great Heavenly Cycle, right? Sending energy through the 12 meridians and the eight extraordinary vessels.”
“I don’t know! It just happens on its own!”
“Alright, then do it slowly. Really slowly. Surely you understand what that means?”
“Uh, I don’t know. I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.”
“Ah, this little brat.”
“What did you just say?”
“I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.”
“Hey!”
They were bickering like little kids. Listening to their conversation, it was hard to believe they weren’t kids.
But surprisingly, these were the genius aide Jang Yi-seo and the genius prince Mao, whom Ji Dae-ho had singled out as the next generation’s promising talents.
Contrary to Ji Dae-ho’s expectations, the two hadn’t even traveled half a mile from Wolha Village.
There was one reason.
‘Zhuge Guilong might spout nonsense, but he doesn’t lie. In that sense, the idea of the Heavenly Demon Hall’s gate testing one’s qualifications must be true.’
Jang Yi-seo had forced Zhuge Guilong into the Seven Star Palace, claiming he wasted money, but deep down, he didn’t take his words lightly. He thought much more deeply and approached the matter carefully.
‘This gate isn’t something you can open with brute strength alone. If it were, the Fifth Princess and the Sixth Prince, who are younger than Mao, wouldn’t have been able to open it.’
It was said that only the Seventh Prince had failed to open the gate. So, it couldn’t be physical strength. Then what was left?
The answer was…
‘Internal energy.’
He believed it had to be about internal strength. Others might scoff at the idea of a gate that tests internal energy, but Jang Yi-seo was different.
This was the headquarters of all kinds of sorcery.
He had even witnessed such a bizarre gate and tried to open it thousands of times.
‘The Demon Wall of the Heavenly Demon Sect—a legendary barrier. Surely such a gate exists in the Heavenly Mountains.’
Therefore, it was a much more credible inference that there could be another Demon Wall in the Heavenly Demon Hall.
But Mao couldn’t open that gate.
Despite being born with the Heavenly Yang Constitution, which accumulates internal energy just by breathing, making him the greatest in the world.
The reason was simple.
‘This guy’s been building up pure internal energy since the day he was born, and his Ren and Du meridians were already open. The so-called Life and Death Pass—a rare and critical meridian point—which 99 out of 100 people never fully open in their lifetime, was open from the moment he was born. So, he never learned how to control it. Why? Because he never needed a cultivation method.’
The absence of control.
This was Mao’s problem.
So, what exactly is a cultivation method?
It’s about gathering energy in your dantian through controlled breathing, passing through the Huiyin point at the anus, up the spine to the Baihui point at the crown of the head, and then back down to the forehead, chest, and dantian. This is the Small Heavenly Cycle, flowing through the Du and Ren meridians.
The Large Heavenly Cycle involves sending energy through all 12 meridians and the Ren and Du meridians, from the fingertips to the soles of the feet.
This forms the foundation of all cultivation techniques.
It is further divided into methods for accumulating energy and methods for using energy.
Among these, the method for using energy naturally produces stronger power and takes longer when the Large Heavenly Cycle is completed compared to the Small Heavenly Cycle.
That’s why practitioners aim to master it quickly and eliminate the turbid energy obstructing the “path.”
This is why it’s said to learn cultivation methods as early as possible.
As one ages, they consume more, and turbid energy accumulates in the body.
‘Of course, I was born with the Nine Orifices Constitution—a rare and challenging condition—full of turbid energy and with a hole in my dantian.’
Anyway, how long does it usually take to complete energy circulation?
It varies, but assuming one is a talented disciple of a prestigious orthodox sect, it takes about half a shichen (1 hour) to barely succeed in the Small Heavenly Cycle in the first or second year, and about a quarter of an hour (15 minutes) for the usage method.
For a top-tier master, it takes about the time to count to five.
But Mao was different.
“Here, try breaking this tree.”
“Alright.”
Crack! Snap!
Without any preparatory movements, a deafening crack echoed through the forest as the old tree shattered.
Creak! Thud!
It happened in the blink of an eye.
Performing the Small Heavenly Cycle took less time than counting to one.
Even more impressive was that he hadn’t properly learned a cultivation method.
Just by breathing, he could effortlessly gather and unleash energy—truly a gift from the heavens.
Hearing all this, it seemed Mao was destined to become unparalleled in the world.
But unfortunately, martial arts were not just this.
Jang Yi-seo licked his lips and spoke again.
“Alright, now try cutting down this tree with your bare hand.”
“With my hand? Are you serious?”
Mao frowned and looked at his palm. Was that even possible? He didn’t have a blade on his hand.
But there had to be a way—he just needed to figure it out. By channeling internal energy into his palm and focusing it, he could create hand energy.
Then, not only trees, but even rock walls can be cut down.
Of course, the problem is that there are extremely few in the martial world who can achieve such a feat.
Jang Yi-seo gestured for him to try it quickly. Mao nodded and shouted,
“Here I go!”
Swaaak! Kwajik!
As Mao struck the old tree with his palm, the tree caved in with a kiiiik! and fell sideways with a thud!
“Done!”
Done? What’s done? You were supposed to cut it, but you smashed it and it fell over. Jang Yi-seo shook his head repeatedly. Mao looked at him like a puppy begging for praise, but that was impossible. From the start, Jang hadn’t expected much.
“Jang Yi-seo. I’ve got the hang of it now. How about it? Should I cut down everything here?”
“Are you a lumberjack? Stop the nonsense. This time, you’ll knock the tree down again—without touching it.”
“Palm wind? Easy!”
Well, was it really? Considering Mao’s internal energy and cleared meridians, it should’ve been easier than counting stars while lying down.
One.
“Here I go!”
Swaaaak! Pang!
Mao’s fist halted right before the tree. Whooosh! Only a cool breeze scattered leaves. The tree remained unmoved.
“Wait. Haha, why’s this happening? Again.”
His pride stung, Mao swung again. But the result was the same. Thud, thud. Harmless leaves fluttered down.
“Again! Again! Again!”
Left, right, left. He punched relentlessly, but nothing changed.
He only knows how to release energy, not gather it. No wonder his power’s scattered.
That was the core issue.
Martial mastery begins with fundamentals—countless realizations built through training.
But Mao had been born with advanced mastery.
Naturally, he lacked even basic control.
“Ah, why? Didn’t eat enough today? Hahaha.”
“You ate like a farmhand! Stop blathering and come here.”
“Okay…”
Mao shuffled forward. Jang Yi-seo sighed deeply.
“Listen. I’ll show you once. Internal energy isn’t about brute force. Condensed power beats raw quantity. Handle it delicately—not a drop wasted. Release and sustain it precisely. Only then will you master it. Watch.”
Whoosh! Murky energy surged from Jang’s body to his pressed fingers.
He thrust forward. Ping!
A hole pierced the tree’s center.
“Oh…!”
Finger Wind—an advanced energy technique.
Jang swept his fingers again. Faint blue energy trailed his fingertips, drawing a line.
Mao gaped at the materialized qi.
This was Qi Emission—condensed energy only top masters could wield.
Swish! Jang’s finger sliced the tree, leaving a razor-thin cut.
“Wow! You actually cut it!”
Yes. This is cutting. You just smashed it.
With Jang’s Nine Orifices Blocked Body, Qi Emission should’ve been impossible. But seeing trumps hearing. He’d understood the theory long ago and forced this demonstration.
Jang wiped cold sweat.
“See the difference?”
“Yeah… But…”
“Speak.”
“You’re… bleeding. Black blood.”
“Cough—?!”
Oh no.
“Hey! Jang Yi-seo!”
Thud. He collapsed.
“Hey, idiot! Stay awake!”
Mao sprinted through the forest, drenched in sweat. Jang Yi-seo hung limp on his back, pale as death.
Overexertion. His mind had peaked, but his feeble body couldn’t follow, nearly triggering Qi Deviation. Pathetic.
“Argh! Don’t die! Wake up!”
No response. Mao kept glancing back, frantic.
Who asked you to show off? Collapsing after grandstanding—what a joke!
“I’ll learn! Just teach me! Answer me, Jang Yi-seo!”
Kid… Shut up… Dizzy…
Jang barely roused from the noise. His vision swam; his guts churned. He focused on breathing.
Half an hour later, he finally tapped Mao’s shoulder to stop.
“You… okay?”
Mao asked warily, face half-twisted with worry.
#TurnsOutIWasAGenius (1)
