Chirp. Chirp.
It was early in the morning.
Hae Gong opened the door to the physician’s place, listening to the birds chirp. It was a simple, humble medical hall.
The smell of incense wafted inside, and there were twelve rooms in total. Hae Gong took a look around the hall and then quickly drew back the curtain.
He had an odd look in his eye.
“Oh, awake already?”
“Yes, physician.”
Seol-Hwi was sitting cross-legged. As he got up and tried to bow, Hae Gong waved his hand dismissively.
“There’s no need for politeness now. How are you feeling?”
“I have improved a lot.”
“In just one day?”
“Yes.”
“Try lying down then.”
Hae Gong guided Seol-Hwi onto the bed and quickly examined him.
“Hmm.”
He looked puzzled and fell silent as he gently probed the area below — the chest, stomach, and dantian.
“What happened last night?”
He asked, surprised.
“Uh? Why… why is the recovery this fast? The energy that was causing the deviation is gone, and the dantian has returned to normal. At best, it was an injury that would require six months of treatment.”
“Ah, that…”
Seol-Hwi was embarrassed and looked down.
Now that he thought about it, he had urgently healed his injuries in order to fight the old men.
This was because Seol-Hwi himself was a master at healing. However, Hae Gong, who knew him as a young monk, must have felt as if he were seeing a self-healing goblin.
The wound, which needed long-term treatment due to the severity of the injury, had healed by the next morning.
What should I say? Should I pretend I was acting hurt on purpose?
While Seol-Hwi pondered how to explain this, Hae Gong began to speculate,
“As I thought, maybe the medicine worked well!”
“…?”
“Right, it has to be that. The energy I directly administered, which I recently researched, is suitable for the patients. What do you think? Can you feel that in your body?”
“Ah, ah… yes. Right. My stomach felt warm, and thinking about it, it seemed like the physician’s medicine worked well.”
“Hehehe. As expected… my capabilities are good.”
Strangely, Heo Gong praised himself and did not ask any more questions, allowing Seol-Hwi to escape the crisis with some flattering words.
“Hmm. If the medicine has shown this level of improvement, I should start speaking about this right away. From now on, I will be generous with it. I will spread my medicine to Wudang.”
Heo Gong, with his shoulders heavy, immediately left his position. Seol-Hwi tilted his head for a moment as he watched him go.
It will be fine, right? Now that I think about it, it did help a little…
After all, what kind of trouble would he have to cause to have found the benefit of a medicine?
“Whoa…”
As the surroundings quieted down, he looked at the window again and recalled what happened that morning.
I almost got into real trouble.
He had somehow succeeded in bypassing Wudang and dealing with the two old men guarding underground. But the problem was escaping.
The door that served as the entrance was blocked with fallen rocks, making it difficult to get out without destroying everything.
He looked for what seemed to be an exit, but it would not open.
Next to the door were inscriptions and symbols he could not decipher and machines that were unknown to him; it was a puzzle that needed to be solved for Seol-Hwi to escape, but he could not understand it.
So, he searched for an exit again.
Fortunately, with the help of the gods, he discovered a stone statue of the king with a skylight above its head.
This was somewhat disappointing, as the building was designed so that during the daytime, sunlight would fall on the statue’s head in the room, casting a soft glow.
Seol-Hwi snuck in at night, so he could not uncover everything. There was a hole large enough for a person to escape, which sufficed for Seol-Hwi, who mastered the art of concealment.
He fled the palace and finally reached the physician’s hall, where he restored his body’s depleted energy.
That energy was truly shocking…
Reflecting on the previous night’s events, Seol-Hwi resolved to exercise greater caution in the future. His confidence in defeating Wudang’s finest was now shaken.
The third energy harbored immense danger, the chaotic power he had only recently connected with.
Had he not discovered it, he might have perished.
“Even that wasn’t perfect.”
Seol-Hwi had another reason to be more cautious of the third energy: its usage was still incomplete.
This was because, with certain training, one could further maximize the third energy’s capabilities.
How did he know this?
The power the Earth Demon wielded was several times stronger.
He had felt it once — the power of chaos with the Earth Demon. There were undulations he lacked and bursts of energy he had not mastered.
Had that power been wielded against the Absolute, Seol-Hwi would also have been in peril.
This was evidenced by the fact that the entity known as the Absolute feared this power and kept the Earth Demon under control within the absolute system.
“Maybe… with training, it will be sufficient.”
He was uncertain about the third energy, but he deduced that the forces of chaos would be similar.
The absolute power, capable of creating and destroying, was the origin of all beginnings. If he could achieve Master level in both Profound Demon and the absolute, he might gain the freedom to use that energy at will.
The next two people.
First was Leader Jin Mu.
By examining his role during this period in the past, one could fully grasp the situation.
He met with the elders of the Nine Great Sects, who had been exposed to their teachings. Depending on how the Wudang Sect proceeded, the third energy would be harnessed.
The other is Elder Hae Ja.
It was impossible to gauge his abilities.
Some claimed he was the Supreme Demon, while others denied it.
What should I do if my opponent is stronger than the two people in the cave? What if he’s beyond the Profound level? If he has the third energy in his possession, can I suppress it at once?
Seol-Hwi shook his head.
He could not be certain. There was still insufficient information about their strengths. Most importantly, he needed to learn how to wield the third energy.
“I guess I’ll have to practice on my own from now on.”
Seol-Hwi glanced around through the curtain, then leaped out the window and disappeared in an instant.
Above all, he needed to devote himself to training to maintain his health.
Pop. Pop.
Had there been a brief shower during the day? A tree soaked with water dripped dew.
“Wow…”
Immersed in meditation while exploring Mount Wudang, Seol-Hwi had not noticed the changes in nature.
After wandering in the fog clouds for some time, he returned to the living room, then to his dormitory, until he heard someone calling from outside.
“Hmm! Ahem! Are you there?”
Chak.
Upon opening the door, he was greeted by a familiar face.
“What’s going on?”
“Oh, the newcomer.”
Jin Suk and the three youngsters who followed him — Jin Myung, Jin Sam, and Jin Mu — formed a group of people.
Seol-Hwi eyed each of them before addressing Jin Suk,
“It’s nice to see you here. What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter? Well, I came here because I was worried about your injuries.”
“Right. You must have been worried.”
“The skills you displayed during the spar were truly amazing!”
“How do you usually train?”
He voiced the question aloud. Feeling that he might get entangled in other matters, Seol-Hwi watched Jin Suk closely.
“You came to visit a sick person? Without bringing anything else? You ask that?”
“Can you be trusted?”
“…”
Jin Suk paused for a moment and then turned his head toward the window as if he was trying to organize his thoughts.
“Good. Then let’s get to the point. Join the Immortal Start troops.”
“…?”
When Seol-Hwi looked back, expressing his doubt, Jin Suk frowned.
It was as if he did not want to speak the words himself, and he immediately looked at the young man next to him.
Jin Myung, who noticed this, continued,
“You are new, so you might not be aware. We, the people of the 53 Taoists — you’re one of them now, right? Within our class, there are many groups. There are representatives who gather together, those led by Jing Gang, and many more like Jin Suk.”
“…”
“One might think it’s strange, but this is what our Wudang instructors recommend. Many people fall behind due to individual differences, so grouping is done to help overcome the shortcomings of individuals.”
Rather than simply following the instructors’ words, students create their groups and work together. Moreover, groups often fight one another.
This has the nature of sparring, which encouraged them to take more initiative.
At most, groups consisted of just five people, but sometimes the situation shaped the person.
Even someone who was normally passive and lazy can change when he becomes a leader; then he must avoid embarrassment.
In addition, Jin Myung explained that it was better to bring in a small number, and the conversation ensued.
“Our Immortal Start group has the highest grades overall, and we also engage in the most active martial arts spars.”
“I heard that Jin Gu is first?”
“Ah, that…”
He hesitated, caught off guard by Seol-Hwi’s words.
Then Jin Suk chimed in as if he had expected this question,
“Just because one is first now doesn’t mean they will always be first. The way to become a good person isn’t to obsess over what is right in front of you, but to be someone who looks ahead.”
“Ohh…”
Seol-Hwi was surprised this time. He still looked stubborn, but his remarks suggested that he was someone flexible and strong.
After thinking for a moment, Seol-Hwi asked again,
“I have a question…”
“Hmm. Go ahead. It’s better for us to be sure.”
“Since I was recently taken in, I know there are those who are wary of me. If I join your side now, will everything be alright?”
“…”
“…”
There was a moment of silence after Seol-Hwi spoke.
His words could have been interpreted as a provocation.
But then,
“Of course, I will be honest. However, promise you will be honest about everything.”
Uh, what now?
Seol-Hwi had discovered something unexpected — an aura of strength and honesty.
It was as if he were encountering Ta Raryong from the past, feeling a sense of calmness emanating from the man.
“I promise.”
Chak
Seol-Hwi and Jin Suk clasped hands and shook. The other Taoists smiled and did the same. It was a familiar gesture.
Holding everyone’s hands, Seol-Hwi immediately asked another question,
“For the first time, may I ask you something?”
At those words, Jin Sul nodded as if he had been expecting the question.
“Of course.”
“I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of it. Do you know the term ‘third ability’?”
“…!”
And then—
In an instant, Jin Suk’s expression hardened. It was not just him; the other Taoists reacted similarly.
No, it was even more than that. One stood frozen, and at this, Seol-Hwi too was taken aback.
He wondered how much they knew.
“…Why are you curious about that?”
There was something off about Jin Suk’s response, as if the question had touched a nerve.
But that was enough.
The reason Seol-Hwi came here was to confirm that the starting point, where the intervention of the Absolute Being occurred, was indeed correct.
“I think it is used by leader Jin Mu.”
“…!”
Another shocked expression crossed their faces.
But Seol-Hwi waited without saying anything more. Calmly, he provided what was needed, and after a long silence, Jin Suk spoke,
“I heard that it was being passed on secretly. Me too.”
“…?”
Seol-Hwi was taken aback.
What is this? The third ability. Was he saying he knew about it?
“Be honest now.”
Jin Suk turned his head and looked at Seol-Hwi as he continued.
“The ability. I am searching for it.”
“…”
This revelation made Seol-Hwi realize something significant.
The death of 53 Taoists. And the fact that the third ability was involved.
