Bölüm 1642. Orta Ovalar Murim’ine Geçiş (47)

Bölüm 1642. Orta Ovalar Murim'ine Geçiş (47)

Ugh... ah... ngh... ahh...

???

U... urghhh...!

Y-you lunatic!

Urgh... ghk...

Wh-What the hell do you think you're doing, Lee Ki-Young?!

Ngh... mmph!

Damn it! Concentrate, unless you want us both to die!

Urk... ngh...

I told you to focus, Lee Ki-Young!

Haa... haa... haa... haa... urgh... ngh... hhk... nngh... urgh...

God damn it!

Hah... ngh... mmph... hhk... urk... blegh... nngh... uhhk...

I had no idea whether it was because I had synchronized with Kim Hyun-Sung's memories or not, but I couldn't calm myself down. I kept dry heaving, and I could actually feel the true qi inside me spiraling out of control.

The internal energy I had painstakingly gathered in my dantian was threatening to burst out in every direction, as though it were about to tear Murong Hwa-Yeon's body apart.

The same went for the divinity I had drawn in through my Upper Dantian. Instead of being converted into internal energy, it went on a rampage, leaving me unable to regain my composure.

Naturally, Commander Jin sealed my still-open Upper Dantian, cutting off the flood of memories pouring in.

Damn it!

Upon cursing under his breath, he gathered the scattered true qi and forced it back under control with his own internal energy. He appeared to be forcing the Great Circulation to completion upon realizing that things were becoming too dangerous.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions echoed throughout me. Under normal circumstances, I would've gone into qi deviation on the spot. The only reason that hadn’t happened was that Commander Jin was holding my body together by sheer force of will. There was a reason cultivators had someone standing guard while they practiced a cultivation method, and it was all because any disturbance could prove fatal to someone sitting in meditation.

Hell, I was still dry heaving, so there was no way my true qi could continue flowing along its intended path. Commander Jin was practically dragging it through my meridians by force. One minute felt like an entire hour. Just when it seemed as though the Great Circulation would never end, it finally came to an end. I could hear Commander Jin shouting as he pulled his hand away from me, but...

Urgh...

I staggered toward the corner of the room and threw up everything inside me.

Bleurgh...

...

Urgh... hrrgh...

...

I... I... I'm dizzy... ngh... I muttered.

...

I'm so dizzy... hhk... ngh...

...

My body's... hik... burning... I... I mumbled.

...

C-Commander... I said.

...

Darkness.

...

Does this ever get old?

...

When I opened my eyes, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

...

It's hard to breathe.

Hoo... haa... hoo...

My breathing was uneven.

My stomach feels awful...

Hoo... haa... hoo... haa...

I naturally came to the conclusion that I wasn't in very good condition. It was obviously because of everything that happened yesterday.

It’s probably because of Kim Hyun-Sung...

Synchronizing with him, even for that brief moment, had taken a much greater toll on me than I had expected. Opening my Upper Dantian so suddenly certainly played a part, but the more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that the real reason I was in such a bad condition was that I had been exposed directly to the negative emotions Kim Hyun-Sung had experienced at the time.

...

It wasn't exactly painful, but it felt as though something was twisting my insides. I could still see Murong Hwa-Yeon staring blankly at Kim Hyun-Sung as he sprawled out dying, drenched in blood. It was all so surreal that I seemed to be mired in the sheer unreality of it.

Urgh...

Yeah... it truly felt unreal. More than anything, the emotions that came through so vividly were what made me sick. I had no idea what kind of poison she had used or how she had administered it, but the fear, grief, and despair Kim Hyun-Sung had felt were all transmitted to me as though they were my own.

It was like being dropped into a bottomless abyss. The same went for the sense of betrayal he had felt. What I couldn't quite understand was why those emotions hadn't been stronger. Then again, if it was Kim Hyun-Sung, he probably believed there had to be a reason for what I had done.

He had tried, in his own way, to understand my actions, but even so, the sense of betrayal lingering in one corner of his heart was something he simply couldn't shake.

I'd probably feel the same way.

No, not just the same way. Getting stabbed in the stomach was one thing, but if Kim Hyun-Sung made me drink poisoned tea and stabbed me to death with a dagger, I'd utter every curse I know and vow to pay him back a hundredfold.

Hell, our souls were connected. It wasn't as though we had only been through one or two things together.

We had spent years trying to understand each other, arguing, fighting, and wondering whether we should sever our bond, only to keep getting dragged back together again.

It wasn't the perfect comparison, but we were almost like a married couple who had been living together for years. There was definitely camaraderie between us. I had come to think of him as someone I could trust even if the world itself fell apart.

But seriously... try getting poisoned and stabbed six or seven times with a dagger.

Even Buddha would feel betrayed in that situation. Sure, I wasn't actually dying. I was only being sent back to where I originally belonged. Even so, it couldn't be easy to accept. Especially after everything we had gone through because of the hexagram, and especially when we had finally become one in the truest sense of the word.

It really feels like I had some kind of dream.

It seriously feels like I just had a dream... I muttered.

Perhaps it was because I had woken up in an unfamiliar place that the feeling was even stronger. I quietly looked around and took in the unfamiliar room. I had already gotten a look at it last night, of course, but...

This place is ridiculously clean.

Seeing the room bathed in daylight instead of dim lamplight made it feel strangely refreshing.

At some point, someone had even cleaned up the vomit from last night. The bedding was neatly arranged, and I was even changed into a clean set of white clothes. Well, considering I had gone through a complete rebirth and everything else that happened afterward, Commander Jin had probably dressed me up while I was unconscious.

Turning my head slightly, I spotted a small desk stacked with books in one corner of the room. I could easily imagine him spending the entire time I was unconscious reading instead of sleeping in the same room as me.

Or maybe he wasn't just reading...

As I reached up to try and rub away the strange sensation on my forehead, a damp cloth slipped off and landed in my lap. I was already feeling like I was drenched in sweat, so I had probably been burning up with a high fever all night. Naturally, it was another aftereffect of suddenly synchronizing with Kim Hyun-Sung's memories.

...

Can I move?

...

Yeah... I've even got internal energy now.

Grinning to myself, I circulated my internal energy, and, to my amazement, it responded exactly as I willed it to. There was so much of it that it honestly caught me off guard. At this rate, I could probably open my Upper Dantian again. However, Kim Hyun-Sung really did a number on my head...

Y-Yeah... that's definitely not something I should be doing more than once.

...

I was half afraid that the moment I got out of bed, the dizziness would come rushing back, but once I was actually on my feet, I realized that there wasn't much wrong with me. It had probably only been temporary.

But seriously... where the hell did that guy go?

Ah! You're awake, my lady!

When I cracked the door open, I saw the Shim sisters greeting me.

Wouldn't it be better for you to rest a little longer? W-We heard you overexerted yourself last night... H-How are you feeling? they asked.

I'm not exactly fine yet, I answered.

A-As expected...

There's no need to worry too much. It's nothing serious, I reassured them.

Th-that is a relief to hear, my lady, they said.

It seems I've slept in rather late. I pointed out.

Lord Jin postponed your departure, so there's no need for concern, my lady, they reported.

I see. And Jin-gege... where is he... I asked.

He’s training with the Young Master at the practice grounds, they answered.

R-Really? Already?

Shall we take you there? they asked.

Y-Yes. I'd like to see him right away.

Naturally, I nodded. It was a little embarrassing walking around in clothes that were practically pajamas, but it seemed that, as soon as word spread that I was coming out, all of the servants had been dismissed. Not a single person could be seen anywhere in the once-bustling manor.

While Shim Sohee supported me as though I were injured, I eventually heard loud shouts in the distance.

Clack! Clack!

The sound of wooden swords colliding with each other rang out as well. Thinking it would be rude to get too close and interrupt their training, I looked around, and the quick-witted Shim So-Wol immediately led me to a raised seat overlooking the grounds.

Wait... when did these two ever visit the Jin Family? How do they know this huge place like the back of their hands? They're real professionals. They really are...

The young master is training very diligently, my lady. It seems that he has truly resolved himself, So-Wol commented.

Y-You’re right... that's how it looks to me as well, I said in agreement.

I watched Squirmy charge forward with a wooden sword in hand, eyes blazing with determination. It honestly looked as though sparks could start flying from them at any moment.

Hyaaaah!

I was worried that Commander Jin would push the kid too hard, but the lesson was progressing much more smoothly than I had expected. He carefully corrected Squirmy's stance, offered instruction after instruction that sounded more like fatherly advice than scolding, and he even...

He's giving him breaks, too.

To my surprise, he actually allowed Squirmy to sit down and rest. Of course, his mouth never stopped moving. He kept explaining something the entire time. I tried to listen in, but at the perfect moment, the Shim sisters brought over some tea, and I found myself quietly sipping it instead.

Nice view.

Soon, the training resumed. I reached out and brushed my fingers across a blade of grass before putting a grass whistle to my lips. Sure enough, Squirmy immediately looked over with a bright smile. The things I had been too distracted to notice before slowly came into view.

A gentle breeze drifted through just then, scattering my hair across my face. Annoyed that it kept blocking my vision, I gathered it up with one hand, secured it with my jade hairpin, and turned my gaze back toward the practice grounds.

The sky was exceptionally clear; the temperature and humidity were just right; the soft ambient sounds never became distracting. The fragrance of the tea drifted through the air.

Clack.

The wooden swords collided in midair once again.

It's peaceful.

For some reason, the words slipped out of me unknowingly.

...

I agree, my lady. It truly does seem peaceful.

***

May I ask... where exactly is this?

I went to the trouble of hauling you back after you tumbled off that cliff... Tsk, tsk. It seems you've finally lost your mind.

...

So... you're asking where this place is?

...

That mighty sword is as imposing as the towering mountain range itself, and beneath those peaks flows the righteous energy of the Dao, a force that no demonic evil can withstand. The place before your eyes is none other than Kunlun.

S-So... what you're saying is—

It’s the Kunlun Sect of the Nine Sects and One Gang, you witless fool!