Sword God Reborn

Chapter 18 : Please Help Me!

Cheon Mubaeck closed his eyes and quietly sank into his thoughts.

His upper dantian slowly opened, and his internal energy flowed calmly.

He felt a heaviness in one side of his upper dantian.

He had accumulated quite a bit of internal energy.

As time went on, the accumulation of Heaven-Shaking Soul Art became faster and more developed.

As he continuously circulated Heaven-Shaking Soul Art and corrected the problems he hadn't thought of one by one.

In fact, Cheon Mubaeck was perfecting Heaven-Shaking Soul Art.

'The upper dantian is truly mysterious.'

Although he had the experience and memories of numerous past lives, there was still much that was unknown about the upper dantian.

As for the lower dantian, not only had Cheon Mubaeck realized it himself, but it had been the most researched and used since the dawn of the martial world, so its various uses were well known.

The upper dantian was different.

In the first place, the number of martial artists who used the upper dantian was a handful in every era.

Even in Cheon Mubaeck's memory, there were only a few masters who had utilized the upper dantian.

That's why it took Cheon Mubaeck quite a long time to develop an internal energy cultivation method that utilized the upper dantian.

Because there was almost no data. Even for the great Cheon Mubaeck, it was bound to take time.

Even if there were, those who utilized the upper dantian lived lives other than that of a martial artist. For example, shamans, Taoists, and beings who felt various spiritual powers.

That's how much the upper dantian was related to spiritual power, and Cheon Mubaeck was inwardly impressed by its efficacy.

'Heaven-Shaking Soul Art, which uses the upper dantian, has a great effect not only on the maintenance of the body but also on the maintenance of the mind.'

Cheon Mubaeck, who possessed innate senses, could tell.

The body gets a new flesh every time it is reincarnated.

But Cheon Mubaeck's spirit was different.

Even if his body changed, Cheon Mubaeck's soul had not rested even once for hundreds of years.

The turbidity and fatigue accumulated in his soul while living through numerous past lives were unknowingly enormous. It was certainly not obvious, but just as a light rain soaks clothes, Cheon Mubaeck's soul had also suffered numerous wounds during his numerous lives.

No matter how strong a mental strength Cheon Mubaeck possessed, he could not be fine in the terrible cycle of reincarnation that had lasted for over hundreds of years.

Because new relationships had started and disappeared repeatedly.

No, it was because he was Cheon Mubaeck that he had endured it. But even such a Cheon Mubaeck was slowly reaching his limit. The fatigue engraved in his spirit was slowly eating away at Cheon Mubaeck's mental strength.

He had felt it since his last life, and Cheon Mubaeck had now found a new answer.

'It feels like I'm being born again in a different sense.'

As he circulated Heaven-Shaking Soul Art using his upper dantian, not only his body but also the turbidity and all sorts of impurities engraved in his spirit were washed away.

The fact that his spirit was returning to its purest form.

What did that mean?

It was an expansion of his worldview.

Cheon Mubaeck could think more, analyze more, see farther, feel more sensitively, smell, and hear everything.

'My senses are sharp. This is really good.'

The importance of senses to a martial artist goes without saying. Cheon Mubaeck, as a person who had reached a legendary position, being called the Azure Sky Sword God in his previous life, had a great development of his five senses.

But now, Cheon Mubaeck's young body, although it did not reach that level, boasted five senses that were better than most masters.

No, this could perhaps be described as a sixth sense beyond the five senses.

Along with the sensitivity of his senses, the speed of his brain's calculations became infinitely faster.

Just like a sword being constantly beaten and sharpened in a blacksmith's shop to become sharper, his five senses were not just sensitive but becoming even sharper, and his mental strength and concentration became clearer.

There are countless important factors in a life-or-death battle between martial artists.

The power of internal energy, its purity, its destructive power, the efficacy of martial arts, the connection of forms, the correlation of martial arts, the improvisation and countermeasures that come from countless accumulated experiences...

But if you look at all of that, in the end, it must be based on a mental strength and concentration that will not collapse.

If it's not an overwhelming difference in skill, but opponents of similar strength, that slight difference in mental strength will change each other's life and death.

Also, it would be concentration that catches the end of enlightenment in such a life-or-death battle.

At this point, a person would be excited.

From the eternal cultivation method that would accumulate internal energy purer than any other internal energy cultivation method in the world as time went on. To the harmony of the upper dantian.

But Cheon Mubaeck was not shaken even a little.

He did not rush.

It was absurd for Cheon Mubaeck to be happy and sad about his achievements while learning martial arts, recalling his long experience.

Slowly, but very skillfully.

Cheon Mubaeck, under the goal of the Sword Kiuk, advanced with a step that was not fast but would not collapse.

* * *

Cheon Yuhwa had a worry when Old Man Jang left with Cheon Mungyeong.

'Will Mubaeck really work hard even after Grandpa Jang has gone?'

Cheon Mubaeck's change was certainly surprising.

Not only the change in his appearance, but also his attitude and lifestyle.

But to Cheon Yuhwa, she thought it might all be because of Old Man Jang's guidance.

Because he was a person with the ability to take responsibility for the training of the Azure Star Escort Agency's escort warriors.

She thought that because he was such a person, Cheon Mubaeck had changed like that.

So if Old Man Jang was away, wouldn't Cheon Mubaeck go back to his old self?

That was her worry.

To conclude, it was a very useless worry.

"You've worked hard today too, Escort Warrior Heo."

Cheon Mubaeck moved like a machine.

He continued his training, meals, and instrument playing at the same time every day, without a single shake.

The more he did, the more Cheon Mubaeck's appearance changed noticeably.

At some point, he had changed from a weak 16-year-old brat to a handsome young man who looked quite healthy.

His back was straight, he had grown taller, and his shoulders had broadened. The sturdy physique that was gradually revealed from the outline of his clothes was enough to make the maids of the escort agency glance at him and blush, so how could it be otherwise?

"The old Madam Seo was really a great beauty."

"The Vice Chief is also beautiful, and the Young Master has inherited that appearance as well!"

Cheon Mubaeck had clearly changed, to the point that the porters and escort warriors who had worked at the escort agency for a long time would talk about such things.

Although everyone was surprised by Cheon Mubaeck's change, it was natural that there were questions that followed.

"What was the trigger?"

He came to his senses after suffering from a fever.

...That was the general story, but honestly, not many people believed it all.

Because Cheon Mubaeck's fierce effort was enough to make even the escort warriors click their tongues, to be seen as simply having come to his senses.

So some people had a slightly mischievous thought.

"Usually, when a man exercises, builds muscle, and changes dramatically while doing things he didn't originally do, there's only one answer."

"He's fallen in love with a woman."

"That's right."

"Moreover, isn't the Young Master's age the age to be heartbroken over his first love?"

"But the Young Master doesn't go outside the escort agency. Is there a woman he could fall for?"

Such a rumor started from the porters and spread secretly to the servants and then to the escort warriors.

Originally, Cheon Mubaeck was a precious youngest young master to the people of the escort agency, so the rumor spread even faster because everyone thought of Cheon Mubaeck as their own younger brother.

The maids, wondering if they were the protagonist of the rumor, began to peek into Cheon Mubaeck's training ground and room more frequently.

In particular, the maids who saw Cheon Mubaeck at the training ground gradually had more sleepless nights.

Just a few months ago, he was clearly a handsome young master, but at that time, the maids' feelings were just like that of an immature younger brother who was young and handsome.

But not now.

Even if he wore a clean martial arts uniform, it was a training that used his body, so it was common for it to get wet and cling to his body, revealing his outline.

Because the outline revealed beyond the clothes felt like a man, not a young younger brother.

"It's my turn to bring water today, right?"

"Oh my, look at her. You brought him new clothes yesterday, and you're going to go today too?"

"Hmph. The Young Master will like it better if I run the errand than if you go."

"Oh?"

The maids who were chattering on one side of the training ground shut their mouths at the shadow that was suddenly cast.

It was because Heo Seong, who had taken charge of Cheon Mubaeck's training in place of Old Man Jang, had appeared.

It seemed that the leader of the Azure Moon Faction, Heo Seong, was more difficult to deal with than the youngest young master. The maids hurriedly bowed their heads, wondering if they would be scolded.

But unexpectedly, Heo Seong did not even give them a glance and headed to the training ground.

At his different appearance from usual, a question appeared on the maid's face.

Because he was walking straight ahead, looking only at the front, with his fists clenched as if he had decided on something.

And in front of him was Cheon Mubaeck, who was already training first.

* * *

"Young Master."

"Ah, you're a little early today. It's fine to come slowly."

Cheon Mubaeck reacted as if it was no big deal even after seeing Heo Seong.

He had already shown his true self to some extent at the Lotus Pavilion, and since Heo Seong was misunderstanding him as a descendant of the Samjae Sword Saint, Cheon Mubaeck did not need to hide his skills as he had in front of Old Man Jang.

So Cheon Mubaeck was continuing his training to the best of his ability, pouring in all his strength.

Heo Seong had been doing his personal training on the side, and recently, he had been staring blankly at Cheon Mubaeck.

But today was different.

A certain determination was felt on Heo Seong's face. The sensitive Cheon Mubaeck noticed the change at once.

"Is something wrong? Did the Blood Demon Sect bastards come to the Lotus Pavilion again?"

But no answer came.

Heo Seong suddenly knelt down and bowed his head.

"Young Master, please give me your teachings!"

"...What's this now?"

"The advice you gave me when I fought Gu Jin-hae of the Blood Demon Sect at the Lotus Pavilion before keeps coming to my mind."

Heo Seong's voice was truly desperate.

Cheon Mubaeck's expression, which had been 'what is this guy doing?', gradually changed as if he understood.

"It was not the Angry Tiger Exiting the Forest or the Yang-o Sword that I knew. It was definitely not. It was a movement that deviated from the forms I had learned and learned for years."

"..."

"But it's a strange thing. On the contrary, when I moved as you advised, the forms became stronger and more powerful. I have been blocked by a wall and frustrated countless times. The heart that wanted to enter the martial world and become a great hero had collapsed at some point, and now I was living a life satisfied as an escort warrior."

"An escort warrior is a good job too, Escort Warrior Heo."

Still, he's the youngest son of the escort agency, so isn't it a bit much to talk about regretting his life as an escort warrior in front of him?

Cheon Mubaeck was reluctant.

But he had already noticed what Heo Seong was trying to say.

"My head is in chaos. I feel like everything I've learned so far is being denied. Everything I learned from my master is being denied, but on the contrary, I'm confused because this seems to be the right path!"

Cheon Mubaeck sighed.

Heo Seong was so confused that he could feel his boiling internal energy.

'A heart demon.'

If it weren't for that damn heart demon, I would have reached the Sword Kiuk long ago.

As Cheon Mubaeck thought, Heo Seong had fallen into a terrible heart demon.

A heart demon that all martial artists would face at least once.

Heo Seong bowed his head as if he were burying it in the ground and cried out desperately.

"Please, please help me, Young Master!"

A strange gaze from Cheon Mubaeck fell on the back of the bowed Heo Seong's head.

(End of Chapter)