58 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

**Chapter 58** "Hey, you!" Cheonhui winced at the piercing voice of Danmok Jingang, which felt like a needle being driven into his eardrums. "Do you know why Lin's condition is like this?" "Taeum Gijeo body syndrome, isn't it?" "Y-Yes, that's right. But what exactly is it?" "What? You don't even know... Ah!" He paused mid-sentence. 'Ah! It's understandable not to know. If I hadn't read the Heavenly Book of Miracles, I would have dismissed it as just a strange illness.' It was only natural. One fine day, seemingly without cause, your inner power vanishes? Who would think it was a problem with the body? Most, like the two in front of him, would conclude it was some mysterious ailment. Undoubtedly, even doctors would think that way, too. Feeling anxious as Cheonhui suddenly fell silent, Danmok Jingang urged him desperately to talk before he even finished listening. "Can you explain that Taeum Gijeo body syndrome? It concerns Lin's very life..." Danmok Jingang, who had always maintained his composure, felt his voice grow increasingly desperate. Suddenly— With an exhausted gesture, Danmok Lin tugged at his sleeve. "Uncle, please calm down." Danmok Lin intervened, stopping Jingang from further excitement. She then lifted her chin slightly to look directly at Cheonhui. "Young hero, are you saying this is not a disease, but a physical condition?" Her voice, unable to conceal her agitation, trembled slightly. "If you put it that way, yes." In an instant, the intricately woven black veil covering her face came closer. Previously distant, her veil now wavered mere inches from him, and through its gaps, hot breath seeped out. Cheonhui, gazing through the veil as if peering at her from the other side, listened as her voice emerged. "Can you please tell me more about the Taeum Gijeo body syndrome?" Her pleading voice was as parched and desperate as drought-stricken earth. "Was that what you were going to ask?" "Not exactly, but..." "Well, alright." "Really?" Cheonhui nodded. 'There are still some things I'm curious about.' His gaze shifted to the girl's abdomen, her lower dantian area. "Taeum Gijeo body syndrome means your body absorbs negative energy just from breathing." "…!" Danmok Lin's eyes widened. As he said, she had always accumulated negative energy simply by breathing. "That's why you likely had exceptional sensitivity from a young age. When you practiced inner power cultivation methods, you probably accumulated energy much faster than others, didn't you?" "Y-Yes." It was as if he knew all about her, and she responded in bewilderment to his precise observations. "But that very advantage brings about a problem." "A problem?" Cheonhui, watching her flinch, focused on her lower dantian as he continued to speak. "As you accumulate internal energy, the negative energy grows stronger too. This energy then gradually freezes your veins and takes your life. I believe you're the one most aware of those changes." Danmok Lin’s veil swayed violently. 'So that's why.' Everything made sense now. Her remarkable sensitivity, her rapid accomplishments compared to other students. And the chilling coldness that physicians described as freezing her body. "Do you have a way to treat this condition, young hero?" Danmok Jingang, grasping at straws, asked Cheonhui. "Originally, those with the Taeum Gijeo body syndrome should wait until their bones and venous pathways have fully matured before practicing martial arts. But... it looks like it's too late." "F-From learning cultivation techniques, you mean?" "That's because the negative energy has accumulated to an unmanageable level." "Ah…" With an expression as though the sky had fallen, Danmok Jingang looked at Danmok Lin and then lowered his head in defeat. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault. If only I hadn't pressured you to learn martial arts from such a young age..." Jingang was lost in regret. 'I made a mistake.' He had been the one who insisted to the family head that Danmok Lin needed to train from a young age due to her extraordinary talent. "It's alright, uncle." Danmok Lin grasped Jingang's hand. "I wanted to learn martial arts too." She comforted Jingang. Then, turning to Cheonhui, she asked, "Is there no other way?" "I'm not certain, but if all the negative energy infiltrating your body can be removed, it should be fine." Cheonhui refrained from making any definitive statements. He was aware of the Taeum Gijeo body syndrome but not of a treatment method. 'It wasn't intended as a curative reference by the author of the Mortuary Evil Physician's notes.' "Remove just the negative energy?" "…That's impossible." Both exhibited skeptical reactions. Targeting only the negative energy within one's body was considered an unimaginable task. It was nearly impossible without divine levels of skill in internal energy manipulation. Yet, they were unaware of the individual standing before them, capable of such a feat. Crackle, crackle. The sound of the campfire crackled and spread. As daylight faded and night approached, the group settled on a quiet plain. Five bedrolls lay on the open ground. But one of the bedrolls was empty. As others fell asleep, Cheonhui ventured towards an open space nearby. Step, step— Amidst the sounds of insects surrounding him, he stepped forward. Underneath the softly shining moonlight, the world lay transformed with a vitality and vibrancy unlike the daytime. "Isn't there a suitable spot?" Finding a clearing where sparse grass grew, Cheonhui sat down abruptly. "Whew." He slowly steadied his breath. In the tranquil clearing, where only the chirping of grasshoppers could be heard, the cold night air refreshed his lungs. 'Good.' With that thought, his eyes gently closed. The vitality that filled the surroundings formed a flow that gradually engulfed him. As Cheonhui engaged in his energy exercises— Ssh— Danmok Lin awoke. The subtle moonlight brushing her cheek stirred her from her restless sleep. '…Taeum Gijeo body syndrome.' Gazing at the moon hanging overhead, Danmok Lin rose to her feet as if in a trance. The bright moonlight cast over her. Her hair, a unique blend of black and white, bathed in the moonlight, exuded an air of mystique. ‘So it's not some mysterious illness, but rather that my veins are frozen with negative energy...?’ Realizing it was a physical condition from the start left her mind unsettled. Just as she was clutching her chest in turmoil— Swish— Her head instinctively turned in a swift motion. "What's that...?" From a distance, she sensed a powerful energy. An oceanic force that threatened to engulf her if she didn't focus. ‘This is just like that time...’ Hastily, she reached for her hat, which she had set aside. The moment she donned it, the shimmering black-and-white hair retreated behind the hat's veil, concealing her face beneath it. Pressing the hat firmly over her head, she silently advanced toward the source of the energy. Step, step— As the energy grew stronger, her pace quickened instinctively. After a short while, she stopped. ‘Here...’ Cheonhui was in the clearing. And nearby, she witnessed an astonishing sight that seemed almost like an illusion. ‘Plum blossoms?’ Her breath caught, and her body shivered. The empty clearing now bore the image of plum blossoms — or rather, a scene reminiscent of the legendary Huashan. As if the world around him was divided by an invisible boundary, she gazed in a trance. “Ah—” A soft, awestruck voice escaped her lips. Standing amidst the landscape he conjured felt like liberation from the chains of her celestial punishment. ‘He’s not coming closer.’ Perceiving Danmok Lin's approach, Cheonhui had already opened his eyes, wary. Ssh— He slowly unfolded his legs, rising from his seated position. In that moment. "Ah." Danmok Lin let out a regretful sigh. The dream-like sweetness dissipated as if melting away. Regaining her senses, she blinked several times. She felt Cheonhui's gaze upon her, and her face flushed as she bowed deeply in apology. "I'm sorry." "It's alright." Cheonhui accepted the apology cheerfully. He only needed to be uninterrupted while channeling his energy, after all. As he turned to resume his rest— "Young hero!" Her call made Cheonhui pause and look back. She, small in stature compared to him, looked up pleadingly. "Help me, please." Without hesitation, Danmok Lin's plea rushed from her lips the moment their eyes met. The powerful energy she had sensed earlier. If he could control such energy, he might be able to remove the negative energy within her, she thought. As she awaited his response, she tentatively looked up. ‘Ah...’ Time seemed static as she observed Cheonhui’s indifferent expression. Reluctantly, her grip tightened on her sleeve. The gesture came instinctively, a desperate act of someone nearing death reaching out for the slim chance of salvation. “Please, help me.” Danmok Lin entreated once more. Her voice was thin and rough, to the point where others might find it irritating, but Cheonhui felt the deep sorrow contained within. ‘Help you?’ But that was all. Cheonhui felt no sympathy for her. Whether she faced life or death, what did it matter to him? "Why should I?" “Ah—” His cold response nearly brought Danmok Lin's frail frame down. Cheonhui watched her, contemplating. In truth, healing her wasn't difficult. However, it would require drawing out his internal energy and meticulously using it, a task so bothersome that he had dismissed the idea. ‘Hmm, she's a daughter of the Danmok family,’ he recalled, then spoke after brief consideration. “Fine, I'll help you.” Her head shot up in surprise. “Really?” “But not for free.” Cheonhui interjected, stopping her excitement mid-sentence. “If I heal you, what can you give me in return?” Her face, which had been lit with hope, turned contemplative. ‘What could I offer...?’ Her thoughts wavered. The first things that came to mind were the prestige of the Danmok family and her own value. But what good were they? She quickly remembered the situation: the opposing side was a master of the Huashan sect. One of the Nine Great Schools that stood against the Bi-Cheon Society, to which the Danmok family belonged. Even if she cited the Danmok name, it wouldn’t be enticing to someone in his position. ‘Offering money is not feasible either. For that, it would have to be something extremely valuable, like a Ten-Year Flower or a Ten-Year Seol-Sam...’ She bit her lip hard. Given the current poor financial state of the Danmok family, procuring such treasures was unthinkable. Moreover, compensating with money would demean her worth and existence. ‘If only I hadn’t bought those elixirs...’ Regret washed over her. Despite consuming countless elixirs and internal pills, nothing tangible remained. But what could she do? The past was irreversible. Ultimately, all she had to wager was the family name and herself. "The price is..." When the words finally reached her lips, she hesitated. Yet she soon shook her head, resolutely steeling herself before speaking. "I will give you everything I have."