Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 2

From the next day, in the mornings, they received instruction from Master Moon on basic medicine and knowledge of herbs. In the afternoons, they went to another place to learn to read with the other children, and they also studied the basics of martial arts, such as the Twelve Classics, the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, and the acupoints of the body. They studied and trained in martial arts every single day without fail.

* * *

After a month, Han Li and Jang Seok-Cheol no longer went to train elsewhere.

This was because Master Moon had begun to teach them a set of nameless incantations.

They had to spend most of their time practicing these incantations, and Master Moon strictly forbade them from sharing this training with anyone else.

If it were to leak out, the two of them would be severely punished and expelled.

While training elsewhere, Han Li was able to learn more about the Seven Mysteries Sect and Master Moon.

The Seven Mysteries Sect was largely divided into the outer sect and the inner sect. The outer sect consisted of the Flying Bird Hall, the Treasure Gathering Hall, the Four Seas Hall, and the Outer Blade Hall. The inner sect consisted of the Hundred Refinements Hall, the Seven Absolutes Hall, the Offering Hall, and the Blood Blade Hall.

Furthermore, the inner sect was led by the Seven Absolutes Master, who passed down his position to his direct descendants, the Inner Sect Master, and three other Vice Sect Masters. There was also an Elder Council that existed solely under the direct control of the Sect Master.

Master Moon had come to this place several years ago, after saving the Sect Master’s life with his exceptional medical skills when the Sect Master was ambushed and severely injured by enemies outside the sect. This was how they became connected.

Although he was not an official disciple of the Seven Mysteries Sect, he was not only skilled in medicine but also virtuous, so the Sect Master brought him here.

Afterward, he was given a place to stay, allowing him to settle down and become a member of the Seven Mysteries Sect’s Offering Hall.

No one knew the extent of Master Moon’s abilities, but since he had saved the lives of many disciples after coming here, everyone respected him.

* * *

Now, more than half a year had passed since Han Li had joined the sect, and the official entrance exam to become an inner sect disciple had already ended two months ago.

Very few disciples were able to enter the inner sect, and most of the disciples who took the exam failed to pass this gate and were sent down the mountain to become outer sect disciples.

When Han Li thought about the exam that the other inner sect children had taken two months ago, his hair still stood on end.

They had to circle Mount Noeul within a radius of ten li [approximately 5 kilometers], and then they had to form groups and fight each other in a secluded forest.

Finally, they had to defend themselves against attacks from all sides by senior disciples with strong martial arts skills.

While thinking about this exam, Han Li unknowingly let out a sigh of relief. Han Li and Jang Seok-Cheol did not have to take such a terrifying exam. Instead, they were tested only on their training of the incantations, as Master Moon had said. However, this was not easy either.

The incantations were divided into several stages, and Han Li and Jang Seok-Cheol only had to complete the first stage of training.

Master Moon said that if they showed their skills in the first stage of the incantations, he would accept them as official disciples and treat them the same as the other inner sect disciples of the Seven Mysteries Sect.

After that, Han Li learned from others that the treatment of inner sect disciples and outer sect disciples was vastly different. He secretly abandoned the idea of becoming an outer sect disciple and returning home.

After receiving the incantations from Master Moon, Han Li refrained from going out and devoted himself to training day and night.

Master Moon did not give them any guidance for their training, so they referred to the training method of the Seven Mysteries Sect’s basic internal energy technique, the Righteous Yang Energy, which the other children were practicing, and figured out how to train on their own.

Three months had passed since they started training this way. Despite his hard work, only a faint strand of internal energy had formed in his body. This internal energy was so weak that it was difficult for him to even detect it unless he carefully circulated his energy.

‘Is this the Inner Family True Energy that the senior disciples told me about?’

Han Li asked himself as he continued his training. However, according to the other children who were practicing the Seven Mysteries Sect’s Righteous Yang Energy, the true energy that formed in their bodies was a very distinct, hot energy.

However, he had only developed a strand of cool energy. The effects of the two cultivation methods were clearly different. After circulating the true energy of the Righteous Yang Energy in their bodies, the other children had already reached the point where they could break thick trees with their fists or jump high into the air.

However, even when Han Li circulated his energy, there was no change. He only had a better appetite and a clearer mind. But what use were those things?

Seeing the children who had climbed the mountain with him displaying their divine power in front of his eyes made him anxious and restless. After that, Han Li wondered if he lacked talent, and every night he worried about how he would live if he had to go down the mountain.

Then one day, Han Li learned a surprising fact about Jang Seok-Cheol, who was training with him.

Jang Seok-Cheol had not experienced any change in his body even while practicing the incantations. He had not generated even a trace of true energy.

Seeing Jang Seok-Cheol gave him a little courage. And he began to focus on his training again, just like before. No, he trained even more frantically than before.

Han Li no longer wasted a single minute or second, and he devoted all his energy to sitting in meditation and circulating his energy.

At night, he would even fall asleep while maintaining the posture for circulating his energy. But Han Li was frustrated.

Master Moon had not interacted with them since teaching them the incantations.

He did not ask about their training results, nor did he wonder if they were having any difficulties.

It was as if he had forgotten about their existence.

Master Moon spent all day looking at the same book that Han Li had seen before.

It was as if there was a beautiful woman or a treasure made of gold inside the book.

Han Li and Jang Seok-Cheol had no idea what Master Moon was thinking or what he was doing.

They would joke that he was probably going to study again and take the civil service examination. It was only after the two of them learned to read that they found out that the book was called ‘The Longevity Energy’.

The Longevity Energy was about how to cultivate oneself and practice the Tao [the Way] to achieve immortality.

Only then did the two of them understand everything.

Master Moon was not trying to pass the civil service examination, but rather he wanted to live for thousands of years without dying, like a turtle by the river.

* * *

After half a year of frantic training, Han Li and Jang Seok-Cheol finally had to take the test in front of Master Moon.

Jang Seok-Cheol was flustered and didn’t know what to do. It was not at all surprising.

No matter how hard he tried to practice the incantations, he could not achieve any results.

It seemed that he had no affinity for the incantations. But Han Li’s mind was not at ease either.

It was clear that Jang Seok-Cheol would most likely fail the test, but it wasn’t as if Han Li had achieved anything great compared to him.

He had trained with his life on the line, but the only thing that had happened was that the strange internal energy in his body had become a little stronger than before.

If the previous internal energy was like a single strand of hair, then now it was as thick as a piece of thread.

He had no idea if he would be able to pass Master Moon’s test with this level of progress. That was why both of them were feeling troubled and complicated.

“Are you ready? All you have to do is show me the results of your training.”

Master Moon narrowed his eyes and sat on his chair, looking at the two of them coldly.

“We are ready,” Han Li and Jang Seok-Cheol answered, trying to sound confident.

Master Moon slowly got up from his chair, put the book down on the table, and said,

“Put out your hands. Circulate your energy so that I can examine you.”

Master Moon placed his other hand on Jang Seok-Cheol’s dantian [energy center below the navel] while checking his right pulse. Only after a moment did he remove his hands from Jang Seok-Cheol’s body.

Then, he examined Jang Seok-Cheol closely. Jang Seok-Cheol’s face turned red, and he hid his hands behind his back and lowered his head.

He felt that Master Moon knew that he had not achieved any results.

Surprisingly, Master Moon did not seem to have any intention of scolding Jang Seok-Cheol.

He only showed a slight hint of disappointment in his eyes.

After a while, he shifted his gaze to Han Li and said,

“Come here.”

Master Moon had already raised one hand and was checking Han Li’s pulse.

‘It’s like ice. It doesn’t feel like a living person’s hand.’

Han Li muttered to himself as Master Moon checked his pulse. Master Moon’s hand was dry and full of calluses.

He felt a slight stinging pain in the area where his skin was touching. Perhaps due to the external stimulus, the internal energy within his body began to move even before Han Li could circulate his energy.

The internal energy traveled along the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, passed through the acupoints of his entire body, went from his dantian to his head, and then back to his limbs.

It quickly circled once and then returned to his dantian. As the internal energy moved, the slight pain he had felt immediately disappeared.

“Oh!”

Master Moon exclaimed in surprise. It seemed that he had discovered something in Han Li’s body.

“Quickly, circulate the incantations once more.”

Although joy was not visible on Master Moon’s face, it was overflowing with uncontrollable joy and passion. It was a sight that had never been seen before, which made Han Li feel flustered.

“Slowly, let me examine you closely.”

The cold tone was gone. Han Li could feel Master Moon’s hands trembling slightly as he placed them on Han Li’s dantian.

“You did well. You did well! This is it. This is exactly what I wanted. There’s no mistake. Haha.”

After examining Han Li, Master Moon couldn’t help but burst into laughter. He raised both hands and firmly grasped Han Li’s shoulders, looking at him as if he were the most precious treasure in the world.

Han Li was dumbfounded. All he could hear was Master Moon’s continuous laughter. His shoulders hurt from being grabbed, but the fear he felt from the emotion in his eyes was even stronger.

“Good, very good.”

Master Moon realized that Han Li was frightened by his expression. Only then did he become aware that he was losing his composure and stopped laughing.

“If you continue like this, it will be fine. From today on, you are my direct disciple.”

He let go of his hands and patted Han Li’s shoulder. It was as if the previous actions had never happened. However, from the occasional glances he gave, it was clear that he was actually very excited.

“And you…”

Master Moon’s gaze fell on Jang Seok-Cheol.

Jang Seok-Cheol was stunned by what had just happened, and he only came to his senses when Master Moon spoke to him.

When he realized that he would be kicked off the mountain for failing the test, Jang Seok-Cheol couldn’t help but look at Master Moon with pleading eyes.

“Hmm… After such a long time without any results, you are still not good enough to become my disciple.”

Master Moon said, avoiding his desperate gaze. Jang Seok-Cheol’s heart felt like it was falling off a cliff. After thinking for a long time, Master Moon looked at Jang Seok-Cheol with a glint in his eyes and said again,

“However, after examining your bones and muscles, it seems that another cultivation method would be more suitable for you. I don’t know if you would want this, though.”

Jang Seok-Cheol was very happy to hear Master Moon’s words, and seeing his reaction, Master Moon smiled and said,

“That’s good, that’s good. From tomorrow, I will teach you a new cultivation method.”

Han Li and Jang Seok-Cheol looked at each other and were very happy. It felt like they had finally escaped the dark and treacherous winding mountain path.
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