The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 142

The Divine Doctor of the Demonic World (142)

“There are things that are invisible but real. For example…”

Dan Ahk-seon, having thought of something appropriate, smiled.

“Like blood points.”

Seeing Goeng Seong-ja still clueless, Dan Ahk-seon continued to explain.

“It’s about materializing a virtual point that serves as the center of balance in your mind as if it were real, just like accurately locating blood points in the body and inserting needles.”

Goeng Seong-ja was momentarily speechless.

The decisive moment that would determine the victory or defeat of the martial arts contest.

The sight of a small, dainty hand cleverly squeezing and penetrating the narrow space was still vivid in his mind.

The idea, though conceived on the spur of the moment, contained a mysterious force.

‘There’s another sky above the sky, they say…’

He wondered if this was the realm of talent so-called geniuses possessed.

Meanwhile, Cho Ahk-ryang, who was watching the martial arts contest from afar, wore a bitter smile.

Ga Du-dal, who had taught it, would never know, but his Throwing Dagger Technique was unexpectedly shining here.

Goeng Seong-ja sighed once and furrowed his brow deeply.

Then, he stood there blankly, pondering something.

After a while.

“Teach me.”

“Pardon?”

Goeng Seong-ja said to Dan Ahk-seon, who was startled.

“I’m not asking you to teach me all the stances. I just can’t grasp the idea of stealing that space. I want to know how you operate it, at what moment.”

Dan Ahk-seon wore a troubled expression.

“How can I teach a master who is better than me when I am weaker?”

“Why not?”

Goeng Seong-ja stared at Dan Ahk-seon with confident eyes.

“What is the purpose of a martial arts contest? Isn’t it to learn something through the process of competing with each other?”

“That’s right.”

“So, I want to learn from you too. It would be unfair if only you learned through this contest.”

Upon hearing those words, the Kunlun Sect Leader rubbed his forehead.

“That damned disciple of mine… What about Kunlun’s pride…”

Goeng Seong-ja pretended not to notice the stinging gaze flying and piercing him from behind, and waited for Dan Ahk-seon’s answer.

It was then that Dan Ahk-seon, who had been thinking about something for a moment, nodded.

“Okay. I don’t like being unfair either.”

Goeng Seong-ja’s face brightened.

“Good! Then show me again.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Goeng Seong-ja flew towards Dan Ahk-seon.

It was the same movement as when he had seized the advantage earlier.

Dan Ahk-seon responded in the same way.

Thud.

Goeng Seong-ja, who had fallen violently onto the training ground, exclaimed.

He was genuinely impressed by Dan Ahk-seon’s counterattack, which was much more skillful and smooth than before.

“Wow! This is exquisite! But did you deliberately induce the attack just now?”

“Yes. I deliberately focused the attack and then slipped my hand in, with the feeling of stealing the space behind the *ogeum* [hollow behind the knee], which is the center of the attack.”

“Like this?”

Dan Ahk-seon shook his head at Goeng Seong-ja’s imitation.

“No. That’s just the form. The exact location of the center changes each time, so the first priority is to accurately implement it in your mind.”

Goeng Seong-ja tilted his head.

Despite Dan Ahk-seon’s explanation, he still couldn’t grasp it.

That was because the contents Dan Ahk-seon mentioned were in the realm of mental imagery, which was different from the principles of martial arts he had been familiar with until now.

“Let’s do it again.”

This time, Goeng Seong-ja attacked in a different way.

From internal energy and stances to experience.

Goeng Seong-ja had the upper hand in all conditions.

So, Dan Ahk-seon was pushed into a defensive position in an instant.

But at the decisive moment, it was Goeng Seong-ja who fell out with a loud noise, like a lie.

“Again!”

Goeng Seong-ja did not give up and rushed at Dan Ahk-seon again.

Koo-oong.

“Again!”

Thump!

“Again!”

Dan Ahk-seon wore a perplexed expression at the sight of Goeng Seong-ja repeatedly rushing and falling.

“Um…, are you okay?”

Goeng Seong-ja grinned.

“There are two ways to learn martial arts.”

“…?”

“One is the insight gained through a moment of enlightenment. And the other is physical acquisition.”

“Physical acquisition?”

Goeng Seong-ja nodded and said confidently.

“It literally means engraving it on your body until you realize it.”

“Ah!”

“What does the order matter, whether it’s insight or physical acquisition? What matters is that you eventually acquire it. That’s how I overcome my own limitations.”

Dan Ahk-seon wore a strange expression.

“But actually, that’s not why I asked if you were okay.”

“Huh?”

As Dan Ahk-seon looked around, Goeng Seong-ja’s gaze naturally scanned the vicinity of the training ground as well.

“Everyone seems to think I won.”

The faces of the Kunlun disciples surrounding the training ground were all filled with embarrassment.

To be repeatedly knocked down by a child’s hand, even though he was the second disciple to inherit the lineage of the Sect Leader.

However, Goeng Seong-ja grinned nonchalantly.

“So what?”

In fact, Dan Ahk-seon could not have been Goeng Seong-ja’s opponent if he had wanted to fight properly.

However, Goeng Seong-ja had deliberately thrown himself to the ground because he wanted to learn the essence of the technique used by Dan Ahk-seon.

“It doesn’t matter how many times I fall or how many times I lose. I only need to win once in my life.”

“Only once?”

Dan Ahk-seon asked again out of curiosity.

“When is that?”

Goeng Seong-ja gave a confident look.

“The fight with the strongest person in the world. I only need to win there. Everything else is just a process.”

When Dan Ahk-seon, who had realized something, nodded with admiration.

“One last time!”

Goeng Seong-ja narrowed the distance with a dazzling movement technique.

Dan Ahk-seon also ran forward to meet him, countering with the *Geumna* Hand Technique [a seizing or grappling hand technique].

A short exclamation erupted from the tangled shadows of hands.

“Ah!”

This time it was Dan Ahk-seon.

Dan Ahk-seon, who had fallen on his buttocks, looked at Goeng Seong-ja’s fist, which was stopped in front of him, with a surprised expression.

“Is this how you do it?”

Dan Ahk-seon exclaimed at Goeng Seong-ja’s question.

“That’s right. You’re really amazing.”

To master the essence of stealing the opponent’s balance with just a few sparring sessions.

Goeng Seong-ja smiled amiably and extended his hand.

As Dan Ahk-seon took his hand and stood up, Goeng Seong-ja respectfully clasped his fist in the other hand.

“Thank you for today. I learned something thanks to you.”

“Please ask me again tomorrow!”

“As much as you want.”

Goeng Seong-ja, who was coming down from the training ground with a smile, suddenly changed direction.

It was because he had spotted his master walking towards him with a stern look.

“Stand right there.”

At Gwangjin Dojang’s words, Goeng Seong-ja flinched and his feet became even faster.

“I said stand there!”

It was at the same time that Goeng Seong-ja’s figure disappeared from the spot as if it had been extinguished.

The fifth stance of the *Unryong Daepal* Style [Cloud Dragon Grand Eight Style].

*Unryong Mugung* (Cloud Dragon Limitless) it was.

Early morning.

The silence that had settled around was heavy.

Gwangjin Dojang, who was burning incense, was no different.

His mouth remained tightly shut throughout the ceremony to comfort the spirits of his dead disciples.

He stared blankly at the names of the deceased written on the memorial tablets placed on the altar, and then lit three incense sticks in a row.

Whoosh.

Subsequently, a handful of paper money fluttered in the air and scattered as ashes.

Deep pain arose in the eyes of the Kunlun disciples watching this.

No matter how sincerely they performed the ceremony, no matter how much paper money they burned, what good would it do?

The dead disciples would not come back to life.

The voice of Gwangjin Dojang reciting the memorial prayer painfully dug into the hearts of the Kunlun disciples.

Dan Ahk-seon, who was watching this from afar, also felt heavy-hearted.

That afternoon.

Dan Ahk-seon left his room for a walk.

Perhaps because of the aftermath of the memorial service, a heavy atmosphere was lingering throughout Kunlun.

The Kunlun Taoists who occasionally passed by would only exchange light glances and were extremely sparing with their words.

After walking for a while, Dan Ahk-seon discovered a unique terrain and moved towards it.

At first glance, it looked like a single cliff, but it was actually a place where two cliffs were cleverly overlapped.

Between the cliffs, which were split lengthwise as if a celestial being had struck them with an axe, there was a surprisingly large space.

A secluded crevice between the cliffs where people rarely set foot.

There, he encountered an unexpected figure.

It was Goeng Seong-ja.

He was repeating the act of running back and forth between the cliffs without rest.

However, he seemed to be using only his physical strength, not his internal energy.

This was because his whole body was drenched in sweat, even though fierce gusts of wind were blowing between the cliffs.

Goeng Seong-ja, who had discovered Dan Ahk-seon, skillfully climbed down the cliff.

“Are you training today too?”

Goeng Seong-ja nodded at Dan Ahk-seon’s words.

“I’d feel bad if I didn’t train.”

“To whom?”

“To our family who died at the hands of the Demonic Sect.”

“…!”

“I’m the only one who survived, so I’d feel ashamed if I were lazy.”

Revenge was his calling, and to do that, he needed strength.

That was why he couldn’t neglect training for even a moment.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t even know…”

Goeng Seong-ja chuckled at Dan Ahk-seon’s apology.

“Don’t make that face. Half of the kids here have similar stories.”

Kunlun was such a place.

The Central Plains might not know it, but they were still fighting an endless war with the Demonic Sect.

Although they were lurking beyond the *Gilyeon* Mountains [a fictional mountain range], there were demons who occasionally came down the mountains to scout the trends in the Central Plains.

And it was their calling to thoroughly block them.

“Let’s train together from tomorrow.”

Goeng Seong-ja, who had suddenly made the suggestion, smiled at Dan Ahk-seon.

“You lack physical strength.”

“Physical strength?”

“Yes. No matter how great your internal energy is, the vessel that fully contains it is ultimately the body. Internal energy that is not supported by physical strength is no different from a sword with chipped edges.”

Goeng Seong-ja continued.

“You need to get stronger. It seems like the Demonic Sect guys are targeting you.”

Dan Ahk-seon was startled.

Even Cho Ahk-ryang and Han Seol-hwa had not yet accurately grasped their identities.

“Are those fierce beasts people who have devoted themselves to the Demonic Sect?”

“I don’t know about that. But this much is certain.”

“…?”

“They are involved in most of the deaths that have occurred around here.”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled bitterly.

It was a statement that made him realize once again how deep his resentment towards the Demonic Sect was.

“Don’t entrust your fate to others. In the end, the only one you can trust until the very end is yourself.”

Dan Ahk-seon nodded at Goeng Seong-ja’s advice, which seemed sincere.

“I want to get stronger too.”

Goeng Seong-ja grinned.

“Then shall we train together from tomorrow?”

“Yes. I’ll work hard.”

A few days later, early dawn.

“Ahk-seon! It’s training time!”

Dan Ahk-seon rubbed his eyes and stepped outside at Goeng Seong-ja’s voice, which broke the quiet silence.

“Hyung [older brother or respected male figure], isn’t it too early?”

It had already been half a month since Dan Ahk-seon and his party had come to the Kunlun Sect.

While training together every day, Dan Ahk-seon and Goeng Seong-ja had become as close as sworn brothers.

“You have to be diligent to build up your physical strength. You have to push your muscles to the limit, like squeezing water droplets from a dry towel. That’s when true training begins. You have to make your body properly while you’re staying in Kunlun, at least.”

Goeng Seong-ja urged Dan Ahk-seon, who was sighing.

“Okay, are you ready? Let’s run!”

Dan Ahk-seon smiled bitterly and started running after Goeng Seong-ja.

And there was a gaze watching the two people who were quickly moving away.

It was Beom Gye-wi and Han Seol-hwa, led by Cho Ahk-ryang.

“The Sect Leader told me yesterday. How about staying after winter passes?”

“Then that would be more than three months. Isn’t that too long?”

“Actually, it wouldn’t be impossible, would it? Look over there.”

Cho Ahk-ryang pointed to the training ground with a nod.

The figures of young Kunlun disciples joining Goeng Seong-ja and Dan Ahk-seon were visible.

They seemed to be greeting each other happily, but before they knew it, they started running somewhere following Goeng Seong-ja, who was at the head.

“They look happy.”