Chapter 43
Severed Meridians (2)
A collapsed young woman.
A man trying to protect her.
Martial artists seeking to seize her.
And Namgung Jun and Lee Seha standing in their way.
The peaceful inn descended into chaos in an instant.
In a sense, it was simply another ordinary day at an inn.
The other patrons quickly backed away to keep their distance, while the waiter and innkeeper had already disappeared into the kitchen.
Martial artists causing trouble inside inns was such a common occurrence that everyone seemed thoroughly accustomed to it.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Move aside!"
"Trying to ruin a perfectly good opportunity, are you?"
The martial artists, who had been suppressed by the master and disciple's aura, began circulating their internal energy to resist.
Their voices grew louder and louder.
It seemed they were relying on their numbers.
Even while facing the enraged martial artists, master and disciple calmly exchanged messages through voice transmission.
—Master.
—Right. I felt it too.
When the woman collapsed, a faint chill had spread through the air.
Ordinary people would never have noticed it, but martial artists with keen senses could feel it immediately.
Combined with the conversation between the man and the martial artists...
Master and disciple had arrived at the same conclusion.
—Judging from the overall symptoms, it's extremely similar to the attacks I experience.
—I agree. I'll hold them off. You check her condition.
As Lee Seha stepped forward, Namgung Jun nodded and approached the fallen woman.
The man, who had already been glaring warily, immediately turned his gaze toward him.
Just as he was about to make a move—
—Was the young lady born with Severed Meridians?
The hand holding the jade bottles twitched.
Though he did not answer, Namgung Jun knew his guess was correct.
—I was born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians despite being a man. That's why I learned a cultivation art that controls pure yang energy. I can temporarily suppress the young lady's yin energy.
At Namgung Jun's voice transmission, the man involuntarily blurted out,
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Having expected such a reaction, Namgung Jun extended his wrist.
The man's hand trembled slightly.
A martial artist rarely exposed their wrist voluntarily.
If the other party wished, they could seize one's life through it.
Yet Namgung Jun's expression remained completely calm.
Understanding the implication, the man grasped his pulse and sent a thread of internal energy inside.
A clear current of pure yang energy flowed through Namgung Jun's body.
At the same time, chilling cold seeped from the partially blocked meridians.
There was no doubt.
None whatsoever.
Severed Meridians? In a man's body?
Retracting his energy, the man stared at Namgung Jun in shock.
Yet Namgung Jun paid him no attention, focusing solely on the suffering woman.
"I'll take that as permission."
"...Mm."
After proving the existence of his Nine Yin Severed Meridians, Namgung Jun grabbed the woman's wrist.
Meanwhile, the man in green looked conflicted.
He did not fully trust Namgung Jun.
But he clearly understood he had no better option.
Crackle!
Lightning energy writhed from Namgung Jun's fingertips and began suppressing the frigid yin energy raging within the woman's body.
As the internal energy of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art circulated through her meridians, Namgung Jun became certain.
Triple Yin Severed Meridians.
It was still a form of Severed Meridians, but compared to his Nine Yin Severed Meridians, it was far milder.
Only three meridians were blocked, and the yin energy it released was considerably weaker.
Because of that, his lightning energy alone could suppress it with relative ease.
Having confirmed the condition, Namgung Jun fully activated the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art.
Wooooong!
From the Kidney Vessel directly to the Borang Vessel. Then divert from the Yoomun Vessel to the Simyu Vessel and crush the cold energy.
The circulation path Namgung Jun employed was merely the beginning.
Extremely meticulous and complex energy control spread through the woman's meridians like roots taking hold in fertile soil.
After enduring countless attacks himself, Namgung Jun had learned methods for suppressing the yin energy of Severed Meridians more efficiently.
Combining that experience with the Sword Emperor's mastery of internal energy control allowed him to create entirely new techniques for dealing with such attacks.
Following the refined method he had developed, Namgung Jun repeatedly circulated lightning energy through the woman's meridians.
By the fifth complete cycle, her complexion began to improve.
Still, he did not relax.
He continued circulating energy without pause.
Every trace of yin energy hidden within the deepest corners of her meridians was scraped out and suppressed beneath his lightning energy.
Just a little more.
The woman's violently trembling body gradually calmed.
Color returned to her face.
Even without examining her pulse further, it was obvious the attack had ended.
Watching while nervously biting his fingernails, the man's eyes widened.
"It actually worked!"
Namgung Jun withdrew his internal energy and opened his eyes.
Sweat dripped steadily down his sharp jawline.
The yin energy of the Triple Yin Severed Meridians was weaker than that of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
Even so, forcibly suppressing another person's attack and driving out their yin energy was no easy feat.
The consumption of internal energy is severe. Still, this was extremely helpful.
Calming the attack of a Triple Yin Severed Meridians patient had provided Namgung Jun with another invaluable experience.
The condition was not identical to his own Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
Nevertheless, this experience would allow him to refine his internal energy techniques even further.
***
While Namgung Jun treated the woman, Lee Seha dealt with the martial artists who had barged into the inn.
BAAAM!
Blue lightning stretched through the air following both of Lee Seha's palms.
Two martial artists were struck simultaneously—one in the solar plexus and the other in the collarbone—by a technique from the Heavenly Thunder Palm Art.
Both were blasted backward and crashed onto a table.
Yet the remaining martial artists paid no attention.
Their eyes burned with greed as they continued charging forward.
"Surround her!"
"This woman doesn't even know who she's dealing with!"
The martial artists spread out and encircled Lee Seha.
They appeared to be wandering martial artists unaffiliated with any particular faction.
Yet they skillfully adjusted their spacing and coordinated with one another, creating a combined assault.
Crackle!
Blue lightning sparks danced around Lee Seha's body as her eyes narrowed.
The atmosphere inside the inn instantly grew heavier.
Lee Seha still had not drawn her sword.
The only thing that intensified was the blue lightning flowing across the black robe draped over her shoulders.
Jjeojeojeong!
Alternating between blade-hand strikes and palm attacks, she fiercely battered away the incoming weapons.
The crackling lightning energy writhed like dozens of chains, subduing the martial artists one after another.
Lee Seha's movements were on an entirely different level from those of the martial artists in the inn.
As they realized their combined assault was accomplishing absolutely nothing, anxiety began to spread across their faces.
"Black robes and blue lightning—could it be?!"
"Why is the Black Cloud Wanderer in a place like this?!"
"Damn it! How should we know?!"
Several of them seemed to recognize Lee Seha.
After charging forward, they abruptly stopped and showed signs of fleeing.
However, the graceful hands shooting forward with blinding speed gave them no chance to escape.
Crackle!
Faced with the questioning gazes of master and disciple, the man hesitated briefly before nodding.
"We'll go with you."
The lightning blossomed outward like branches spreading from a tree, carrying within it the roar of thunder.
"Kuagh!"
Every time the inn's windows flashed with blue light, another martial artist collapsed.
By the time Lee Seha's fluttering black hair settled once more, not a single martial artist remained standing around her.
All of them had fainted with at least one broken limb.
After casually subduing them, Lee Seha looked toward Namgung Jun.
Seeing him nod to indicate everything was fine, she raised her voice toward the interior of the inn.
"Sorry for the disturbance. This should more than cover the food and repairs."
Throwing a money pouch into the kitchen, Lee Seha turned her attention to the still-unconscious woman.
"Let's move somewhere else first."
"Yes, Master."
***
Namgung Jun's group took shelter in a nearby cave.
"First, allow me to express my gratitude."
After spreading blankets inside the cave and laying his sister down, the man bowed deeply.
"My name is Tang Boseon. My younger sister is Tang Yeojin. We come from Sichuan."
"A pleasure to meet you, Young Hero Tang."
Namgung Jun returned the courtesy and introduced both himself and Lee Seha.
Once introductions were complete, Tang Boseon immediately asked the question that had been bothering him most.
"This may be rude to ask, but what exactly is your Severed Meridians condition, Young Hero Namgung?"
"The Nine Yin Severed Meridians."
"The Nine Yin Severed Meridians?!"
Tang Boseon's eyes widened.
Tang Yeojin possessed only the Triple Yin Severed Meridians, yet she suffered this greatly.
The fact that Namgung Jun, who possessed the far more terrifying Nine Yin Severed Meridians, appeared so healthy was almost impossible to believe.
Because he's a man born with strong yang energy... and because he cultivated a pure-yang art? Even so, the pain should be unimaginable.
The youth before him must have endured hardships beyond anything he could easily imagine.
That was all Tang Boseon could conclude.
Wait.
As he stared at Namgung Jun, a realization suddenly struck him.
The Red Pattern Fire Ginseng would be enormously beneficial even for someone with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
Moreover, Namgung Jun cultivated an extreme-yang internal art.
If he drew his sword right now to seize the herb, no one would find it strange.
Just as anxiety gripped Tang Boseon—
Namgung Jun clasped his hands together.
"Please don't worry. I have no intention of coveting the Red Pattern Fire Ginseng."
"How can that be? Isn't your life at stake? The Red Pattern Fire Ginseng may not cure the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, but it could certainly extend your lifespan."
Namgung Jun gently stroked the hilt of his sword.
"When one lives by the sword, one is always standing on the edge of death. It's nothing particularly unusual."
His clear eyes and unwavering voice pierced deeply into Tang Boseon's heart.
Ever since obtaining the Red Pattern Fire Ginseng, Tang Boseon had viewed every martial artist he encountered with suspicion.
Even now was no different.
Yet he found himself unable to doubt Namgung Jun's crystal-clear gaze.
He could not explain why.
But there was something unmistakably genuine in the young man's bearing.
He truly means it.
Death was the closest companion of any martial artist.
Because of that, Namgung Jun seemed focused not on how long he would live, but on how he would live.
Namgung Jun glanced toward Lee Seha.
"Besides, if I prolonged my life through such a cowardly method, my Master would be deeply disappointed in me."
Lee Seha merely smiled faintly and nodded.
As she gently patted Namgung Jun's shoulder, she spoke.
"Now that some trust has been established, I'd like to hear the full story."
"You two are already benefactors to me. What reason would I have to hide anything?"
After taking a breath, Tang Boseon began speaking.
"An elder provided information about the Red Pattern Fire Ginseng, which brought us all the way to Anhui Province. We finally found it after great difficulty—but that's when the real trouble started."
"So martial artists discovered the existence of the Red Pattern Fire Ginseng."
Tang Boseon checked the jade bottles and hidden weapons concealed within his green robe before continuing.
"More precisely, the Gyeongmu Sect discovered it first. Then the surrounding martial artists caught wind of the Gyeongmu Sect's movements and swarmed in like flies."
The Gyeongmu Sect.
One of the most influential unorthodox sects in Zhejiang Province.
It was also one of the major sects belonging to the Eight Great Evils.
Namgung Jun silently repeated the name to himself.
The Eight Great Evils. One of the major unorthodox powers of the current martial world.
Just as the orthodox faction had the Three Sects and One Alliance and the Five Great Sword Sects, the unorthodox faction possessed the Eight Great Evils.
Alongside the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult, they were among the principal enemies opposed by the Changcheon Association.
Looks like I'll be crossing paths with them sooner than expected.
At the mention of the Gyeongmu Sect, Lee Seha—who had been quietly listening—slightly raised the brim of her hat.
"Do you know who from the Gyeongmu Sect is involved?"
"I didn't see them personally, but according to rumors, it was the Second Young Master and his subordinates."
"That's fortunate. It seems their main combat force hasn't appeared."
Tang Boseon nodded at Lee Seha's remark.
Thanks to his clan's secret arts of poison, hidden weapons, and movement techniques, he had somehow managed to survive this far.
Had the pursuers been elite members of the Gyeongmu Sect, he never would have made it here.
Still, he was reaching his limit.
My poisons and hidden weapons are almost exhausted. We only need to go a little farther...
As Tang Boseon sank into worry—
A movement came from deeper within the cave.
"Brother...?"
Tang Yeojin, who had lost consciousness during the attack caused by her Triple Yin Severed Meridians, had finally awakened.