Chapter 49: Self-Study
From that day onward, I stayed inside the cave to train in Great Void Golden Body Tempering.
Every morning before dawn, I submerged myself in the stone well filled with Dragon Well Water.
After completing the Foundation Building process and filling my body with extreme yang energy...
I would then receive Jin Gwangung's beating...
No.
His "Tempering."
That was how the accumulated energy was forced to seep throughout my entire body.
At first...
the pain was so severe that I could barely endure even a single hour.
But little by little, I began adapting.
At some point...
sitting inside the Dragon Well Water started feeling like nothing more than soaking in a slightly hot bath.
And so...
two full weeks passed.
As usual, I finished the Foundation Building process and waited for Jin Gwangung's club...
I mean, Tempering.
But instead of swinging the club...
Jin Gwangung crossed his arms.
“This should be enough.”
I blinked.
“What do you mean?”
“Your foundation is more or less established now.”
He looked me over.
“You've stepped onto the threshold of Great Void Golden Body Tempering.”
I tilted my head inwardly.
Huh?
When exactly did I learn Great Void Golden Body Tempering?
For the past two weeks...
all I had done was soak in Dragon Well Water and get beaten half to death.
And now he was saying I had entered the first stage?
Apparently my suspicious gaze offended him.
Jin Gwangung's eyes narrowed sharply.
“Look at this brat.”
“How dare you look at your master with such disrespectful eyes?”
"..."
“Ugh.”
Jin Gwangung sighed and shook his head.
Then he raised his right hand and held up four fingers.
“Great Void Golden Body Tempering is divided into four stages.”
He began folding them down one at a time.
“Initial Golden Stage.”
“Firm Golden Stage.”
“Mystic Golden Stage.”
“And finally, Void-Breaking Stage.”
He continued.
“The Initial Golden Stage is naturally achieved through Foundation Building and Tempering.”
“Once you enter that stage, your meridians, muscles, and bones become stronger.”
“Internal injuries become much harder to suffer.”
Then suddenly...
THUD!
Jin Gwangung's left fist slammed straight into my chest.
“Ghk!”
My breath vanished.
My body bent backward slightly.
For one instant...
I genuinely thought my heart had stopped.
Jin Gwangung grinned.
“See?”
“Not bad, right?”
He chuckled.
“A normal person would break bones from a hit like that.”
“But at the Initial Golden Stage, you can disperse at least half of the impact.”
“Kekeke.”
I clutched my chest and glared at him.
Damn old bastard....
What do you mean, half the impact?
I thought my ribs were going to shatter.
Jin Gwangung glanced at me and snorted.
“What?”
“Don't tell me a grown man is going to start whining that this little hit hurt.”
“...N-No.”
I forced myself upright.
“Please continue.”
Jin Gwangung nodded.
“If the Initial Golden Stage focuses mostly on defense and stamina...”
He lowered a second finger.
“then from the Firm Golden Stage onward, your combat power changes.”
Jin Gwangung casually punched the nearby wall.
CRACK!
The stone around his fist split apart.
“You can load the condensed energy directly into your muscles and produce far greater strength than normal.”
He pulled his fist back.
“Whether you use palm arts or sword arts...”
“the raw power behind every technique changes.”
I stared blankly at the dent in the wall.
Jin Gwangung grinned.
“Once you reach the Firm Golden Stage...”
“you probably won't have to get beaten up everywhere you go anymore.”
“Kekeke.”
Then the third finger folded down.
His expression became more serious.
“The Mystic Golden Stage...”
“can be called the true essence of Great Void Golden Body Tempering.”
I swallowed and waited.
“It is the stage where qi and body come under complete control.”
I frowned slightly.
“Complete control?”
Jin Gwangung nodded.
“No more wasted energy.”
“No useless motion.”
“If you move, all of that movement becomes force.”
“If you spend qi, every bit of it immediately becomes power.”
He looked at me.
“That is the Mystic Golden Stage.”
I still looked confused.
“That's...?”
Jin Gwangung clicked his tongue.
“A body perfectly controlled without unnecessary waste.”
“It means being able to use everything you possess at full efficiency.”
He took a deep breath.
“You gain the ideal body for a martial artist.”
“Strength.”
“Speed.”
“Reaction.”
“Everything reaches the highest level your body can produce.”
Confidence filled Jin Gwangung's face.
I cautiously asked,
“Then... Master, are you also at the Mystic Golden Stage?”
Jin Gwangung stared at me as though I had asked the dumbest question imaginable.
“Can't you tell just by looking?!”
He struck his chest with his fist.
“Look at this body!”
“The perfect physique born from reaching the essence of Great Void Golden Body Tempering is standing right in front of you!”
Then he suddenly flexed his entire body.
The muscles in his arms bulged.
The veins beneath his skin stood out.
“Look!”
“These magnificent shoulders!”
“This sturdy waist!”
“This proud chest!”
"..."
My expectations for Great Void Golden Body Tempering, which had been rising rapidly...
