Chapter 282

It was the tenth day since Jin Ja-gang had learned basic techniques from Elder Bok-cheon.

Jin Ja-gang had become proficient in breathing methods.

He had mastered all methods: breathing long and thin, breathing rapidly, holding breath, and breathing in large quantities. Meanwhile, his internal energy had also improved noticeably.

The Fifth Light was within reach.

However, the Fifth Light proved more elusive than expected. It seemed like he could surpass it with just a little more effort, but strangely, it wouldn’t happen.

The door to the Fifth Light, which seemed touchable yet untouchable, was as if it were teasing Jin Ja-gang. Being close made him more anxious than when it was far away.

Jin Ja-gang thought of revenge to focus. He recalled the appearance of his mother and maternal grandfather when they died. He remembered those from the Medicine King Sect who died for him and those who died in the mine tunnels.

Crack!

Jin Ja-gang’s shoulder caught fire.

Elder Bok-cheon shouted.

“Don’t seek the easy path! Don’t you still know that killing intent destroys oneself!”

Since Jin Ja-gang had unconsciously used the method he had always employed, Elder Bok-cheon’s scolding was very timely. However, it wasn’t easy for Jin Ja-gang to resist the temptation of the Fifth Light appearing before his eyes.

After the dawn training ended, Jin Ja-gang went out to gather poisonous plants with a troubled mind.

“Brother Poison Dragon improves day by day. I can barely keep up with following behind now.”

This was what Woon-jeong said while following Jin Ja-gang who had gone out to gather poisonous plants.

“Is it because you face masters far superior to yourself every day? I guess I’m still not fierce enough. Even recently, when I met a great master at Qingcheng, my knees went weak and I couldn’t properly display my skills.”

“When engaging in life-and-death battles with masters, you must approach the fight thinking you’ve already given up half your life. Otherwise, you can’t help but be intimidated.”

“I don’t want to die yet. All I’ve done until now is practice martial arts on Mount Qingcheng every day and read Taoist scriptures.”

“You do it because you don’t want to die.”

“Master said I should train until my body can execute techniques even when I’m unconscious. Then would I be able to win?”

“With Qingcheng Sect’s ascending martial arts, it should be possible.”

“What about you, Brother Poison Dragon?”

“I…”

Jin Ja-gang had not learned proper martial arts, and even what he had learned was third-rate. Third-rate martial arts had limitations. If he trained pedantically enough for it to become ingrained in his body, it might interfere at crucial moments.

That’s why Jin Ja-gang always tried to exploit the weaknesses and blind spots of masters’ thinking. He used everything available around him. He wasn’t bound by conventional thinking.

Only by doing so could he barely defeat masters.

“My circumstances were not favorable. Since Taoist Woon-jeong’s situation is much better than mine, it would be better to follow Master’s words.”

“Ah, I just get scolded by Master every day. I’m too lazy, so I’m hopeless.”

“It will work out well.”

“Look even now. Brother Poison Dragon is so diligently collecting poisonous plants, but I came along to play and I’m just chatting.”

Woon-jeong stopped talking mid-sentence and asked.

“But Brother Poison Dragon, do you have to eat like that to strengthen your internal energy? Before, you seemed to choose carefully, but now you’re picking and eating almost everything you see.”

At Woon-jeong’s words, Jin Ja-gang suddenly checked the grass in his hand.

It was ordinary weeds.

Just because all plants in the world contain poison doesn’t mean everything is helpful. It’s useless because there’s more to discard than to take.

The problem was… until Woon-jeong mentioned it just now, Jin Ja-gang was completely unaware that he was chewing weeds.

Jin Ja-gang looked back at the path he had walked.

It was noticeably bare where he had passed.

It seemed he had eaten tremendously without distinguishing between poisonous plants and non-poisonous ones. Even stripping tree bark.

Nevertheless…

Jin Ja-gang still felt intense hunger.

‘Something is wrong!’

Jin Ja-gang was grateful to Woon-jeong.

“Thank you.”

“Why?”

“I almost got possessed by a demon.”

“What?”

Leaving the bewildered Woon-jeong behind, Jin Ja-gang sighed with relief. If he had been alone, he might have fallen into an inescapable swamp without realizing it.

* * *

–There is a demon trapped in the Thunder Department. If reckless movement continues, someday the demon will damage one’s true nature. Only achieving purification of the heart through cleansing the body again and again can drive the demon out of the Thunder Department.

This was the formula that Enlightened Teacher Yelu Huan had taught him.

The Five Thunder Heaven-Shaking Art of the Dark Sect combined with Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art was demonic martial arts. Naturally, there were side effects from demonic arts. That was precisely the Calamity Demon God in the Thunder Department.

He said that as Jin Ja-gang learned Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art, sooner or later he would encounter the Calamity Demon God. That time could be when reaching the Fifth Light or the Sixth Light. If one became obsessed only with becoming stronger and pursued power, the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit would erode one’s reason.

Jin Ja-gang realized he had been possessed by the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit, but still felt hunger.

This wasn’t simple physical hunger but hunger in the mental realm. Therefore, it was much harder to endure than being hungry.

Jin Ja-gang decided to consult with Elder Bok-cheon.

Elder Bok-cheon could tell Jin Ja-gang’s concerns just by looking at his expression.

“Though consumption is training that’s easier to approach than breathing methods, it tends to rely on the mouth and stomach. When the mouth is pleased and the belly is full, all sorts of distracting thoughts naturally arise. At such times, one must perform fasting cultivation.”

He had always thought he needed to eat, never that he needed to fast.

“When you empty the inside through fasting, the body has nothing to do and rests, while the mind becomes clear. This is called purifying the heart through cleansing the body.”

Cleansing the body didn’t mean washing with water, but becoming pure through fasting!

A method to overcome the side effects of Five Thunder Heaven-Shaking Art through Qingcheng Sect’s cultivation!

“Try meditating with breathing methods in that state. You will gain something.”

Jin Ja-gang’s hunger had already progressed considerably, so just the thought of fasting was painful.

However, Jin Ja-gang realized this was already abnormal.

“I understand.”

Jin Ja-gang immediately stopped all training and entered a cave to begin fasting cultivation.

It was an arduous battle with himself.

Having skipped just one meal, Jin Ja-gang even chewed stones from the ground.

Only when his teeth made cracking sounds as they broke did he barely come to his senses. Jin Ja-gang hurriedly tore his clothes to tie up his mouth. He might have ended up devouring his own arms and legs.

The temptation of the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit was tremendous.

Since he wasn’t consuming anything immediately, the increase in internal energy stopped abruptly. Rather, the absolute amount decreased sharply. He wondered if this was really the right thing to do.

All sorts of negative feelings and anxious thoughts dominated Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang became so anxious he even broke out in cold sweat.

What helped Jin Ja-gang not waver anymore during this time was none other than the breathing of breathing methods.

Inhalation, exhalation, and stopping breath.

These three simple and basic methods led Jin Ja-gang into deep meditation.

As time passed, the pain decreased and the mental hunger also disappeared. Physical hunger came, but it was incomparably easier to endure than the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit’s hunger.

His mind gradually became clearer.

Jin Ja-gang continued meditation in a comfortable position. Following breathing methods with energy circulation, he could continue making the pure energy on the right and turbid energy on the left increasingly pure and smooth.

It wasn’t just energy circulation.

Jin Ja-gang was also able to practice the martial arts he knew through visualization in deep meditation.

Training was possible through thought alone without moving his body.

This was thanks to the disappearance of bodily desires and activities, allowing the brain to focus solely on thinking and deepening the realm of thought.

Jin Ja-gang performed energy circulation through breathing methods while fighting countless masters in his imagination. He found and supplemented the shortcomings of techniques like Single Moon Sickle Blade and Flying Needle Twelve Points, improving and refining them.

This time was precious time where Jin Ja-gang could escape from all painful worries and the world to focus only on himself.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang emerged from his fast after a full fortnight.

Crack crack.

As Jin Ja-gang began to move, thin shells covering his body crackled and broke apart. They were shells formed by dust, turbid energy, and residual fluids accumulating on his skin over a long period.

Jin Ja-gang removed the stone blocking the cave and came outside.

Elder Bok-cheon and Woon-jeong were once again surprised to see Jin Ja-gang.

The current Jin Ja-gang was completely different from the Jin Ja-gang of a fortnight ago.

Jin Ja-gang lightly triggered Mad Blood Heaven Cultivation with a single breath. Vortex rushes arose from five dikes.

Whoosh!

Instantly, airflow generated from beneath his feet, making Jin Ja-gang’s old clothes flutter like a whirlwind.

During the fasting period, the absolute amount of internal energy Jin Ja-gang possessed had decreased to less than half. However, it had become much deeper and purer. With increased purity, he could produce the same power by moving less internal energy than a fortnight ago.

Naturally, the strain on his body also decreased, and needless to say, the speed of operation also increased.

“What a monster.”

That was Elder Bok-cheon’s assessment of Jin Ja-gang, who had changed in a fortnight.

Just from the aura emanating from his eyes and expression, one could tell he had already achieved tremendous accomplishment.

Now even Elder Bok-cheon could feel that he couldn’t treat Jin Ja-gang carelessly.

Woon-jeong shook his head.

“I take back what I said about barely keeping up. Now you seem too far away.”

Jin Ja-gang showed a sincere cupped fist salute toward Elder Bok-cheon and Woon-jeong.

“It’s thanks to you. Thank you.”

“Brother Poison Dragon…”

While Woon-jeong was sniffling with emotion for some reason, Elder Bok-cheon expressionlessly handed Jin Ja-gang a small piece of paper.

“News came from the Tang family. They asked me to deliver it to you.”

If it was news from the Tang family, it was from Tang Ha-ran.

Jin Ja-gang opened the paper with half expectation and half concern.

However, only two characters were written there.

Summer [暑]

Water [水]

Jin Ja-gang stared quietly at the note. It was difficult to understand the meaning with just these two cryptic characters.

Elder Bok-cheon said.

“We couldn’t figure out what it means. Is there something we should know?”

Unfortunately, Jin Ja-gang also had to shake his head.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know the meaning either.”

“It can’t be helped.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at the note, then raised his head.

Elder Bok-cheon looked at Jin Ja-gang’s expression and said.

“Looking at your expression, you don’t seem to have any intention of staying here any longer.”

Jin Ja-gang nodded.

“It seems I should leave.”

Now it was just early spring after winter had passed. Less than half a year remained until summer, or until summer passed. He needed to prepare.

“I can see why my senior brother liked you.”

Resolute decisiveness.

This wasn’t impatience but a decision based on determination.

Woon-jeong was disappointed.

“So soon?”

“I’m going to leave the trees and see the forest.”

Escaping shadows to view forests.

At those words, Elder Bok-cheon no longer tried to hold Jin Ja-gang back.

“You told me you would know your enemy and know yourself. But you’ve already succeeded in knowing yourself. Now you just need to know your enemy.”

Woon-jeong looked dejected.

Then Jin Ja-gang smiled and asked.

“Before that, if it’s alright, I’d like to learn sound attacks.”

Woon-jeong looked at Elder Bok-cheon.

Elder Bok-cheon gave permission with his usual stoic face.

“Do as you please. Having come this far, what more is there to spare?”

“Wow! Master, thank you!”

Woon-jeong was as happy as if it were his own affair.