Chapter 65

## Chapter 65. This... is incredible?

'What is there so much of?'

I was amazed by the enormous energy coiled inside the old man Gong's body.

His body was filled with the unabsorbed essence of spirit medicines.

'Did he eat spirit medicines as side dishes for every meal?'

I used the Reversing Heaven Divine Technique to scan through Gong's old man's eight extraordinary meridians and twelve regular meridians.

The essence of the medicines, which was stagnant in various parts of his body, reacted to the Reversing Heaven Divine Technique.

It was utterly unbelievable.

'Just by looking at the energy inside his body... I would believe he is a peak expert.'

I already knew that Gong's old man had learned some external and internal martial arts techniques.

Just by his gait and the aura he subtly revealed, it was evident.

But this exceeded my imagination.

No, it was absurd.

I focused my mind and carefully examined the old man's body.

'The energy inside his body is overflowing, but... the part accumulated as internal energy is only a tiny fraction of it.'

Eating a lot of spirit medicines doesn't mean all of it turns into internal energy.

The essence of the medicines must be guided to the dantian through appropriate internal techniques to become internal energy. Internal energy must be circulated steadily through the meridians to strengthen the body and make the flow of energy smooth.

This is why martial artists constantly train their bodies and immerse themselves in techniques without a single day's break.

However, Gong's old man's body was hardly trained in this way.

'It's not completely untrained, but it's only a little better than someone who hasn't learned martial arts.'

In contrast, the medicinal energy accumulated in his body was excessively abundant.

This is a waste.

An enormous waste.

'Furthermore... the turbid energy accumulated in his body is also enormous.'

Inside Gong's old man's body, not only the essence of spirit medicines but also turbid energy, which is almost like poison, coexisted.

Startled!

As the Reversing Heaven Divine Technique circulated inside his body, Gong's old man's body trembled.

Hei Ying watched with a worried expression, tapping her feet anxiously.

"O-Old sir..."

However, as long as I was channeling my internal energy into Gong's old man's body, she couldn't interfere or stop me.

I ignored Hei Ying's resentful gaze and refocused on Gong's old man.

'Something is off.'

Ordinary martial artists would naturally expel some turbid energy while training their internal and external techniques, but the turbid energy accumulated in Gong's old man's body was more than ten times that of an average person.

This was also abnormal.

'Not to the extent of someone like me, who has the Heavenly Sound Meridian, but... for someone his age to be able to walk is quite remarkable. How is this possible?'

Poor dietary habits, frequent drinking and smoking, the surrounding environment, and physical and psychological stress all contribute to the accumulation of turbid energy in our bodies.

This turbid energy becomes the root of all diseases, and the more it accumulates, the more prone one is to various illnesses and the weaker the body becomes.

The turbid energy accumulated in Gong's old man's body was much more than that of other elderly people of his age.

Yet, Gong's old man maintained a fairly healthy state.

'Ah, I see. The medicinal energy accumulated in his body is suppressing the turbid energy.'

I observed Gong's old man's internal state again.

The medicinal energy, which was like a poison that slowly eats away at the body, was being suppressed by the accumulated essence of spirit medicines, creating a delicate balance within his body.

Thanks to this, Gong's old man was able to maintain his health.

Or rather, he was able to stay alive.

'Who on earth...?'

This was not a simple coincidence.

It was certain that someone with medical skills akin to a divine doctor had performed a special technique on Gong's old man's body to prevent it from deteriorating further.

By examining this, I was able to deduce a few facts.

Gong's old man had started learning internal and external techniques very late in life, and he had been exposed to an environment where turbid energy would naturally accumulate for a long time.

Additionally, someone with incredible medical skills had performed a special technique on his body to prevent it from deteriorating further.

'What kind of person is this old man?'

With these questions in mind, I slowly gathered my internal energy and removed my hands from Gong's old man's back.

I felt that if I continued, Gong's old man's physical strength might not hold up.

"Now you can open your eyes."

"Hmm..."

Gong's old man slowly opened his eyes, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

He smiled meaningfully and asked me.

"How did it look when you examined me closely?"

'This old man. He knew everything and deliberately didn't say anything.'

Seeing the mischievous glint in Gong's old man's eyes, it was clear he was testing how much I had figured out.

In that case, I had to say something.

"I thought you had a lot of spirit medicines, but that's not the case. It's a miracle you're still alive. You must have met a divine doctor."

"!!"

Gong's old man's eyes widened, and he soon began to laugh heartily.

His mood didn't seem to be affected by the joke about his life.

"Already figured that out, huh? Even famous experts couldn't determine my condition at a glance!"

"I'm not just any ordinary expert."

"It's only natural, considering how much I've consumed. I'm starting to trust you more and more."

My brazen answer made Gong's old man laugh heartily. Hei Ying listened to our conversation with a look of disgust.

Gong's old man asked in a subtle tone.

"Is there anything else you figured out besides what I know? For example, how outstanding my martial arts potential is..."

With a hopeful expression, I answered solemnly and seriously.

"You definitely don't have a naturally gifted martial bone. You're not a dullard, but just an ordinary person, I'd say."

My firm answer made Gong's old man's expression turn sour.

"Can't you at least say something nicer?"

"If I only say nice things, you might become arrogant."

"Tsk. Young people these days..."

"Old sir. Let's stop the jokes and get serious."

I straightened my posture and looked directly at Gong's old man.

His smile faded.

"...Go on."

"When my internal energy circulated inside your body just now, did you feel any discomfort? Where does it hurt when you regulate your energy? What medicines do you usually take? Please tell me everything in detail. I need this information to tailor the lessons."

"I will."

Gong's old man gave me a detailed account of his physical condition.

After a lengthy explanation, he smiled wistfully.

"I was quite healthy when I was young. It's just that my body has gradually deteriorated over the decades."

"At least you don't have any major illnesses, which is fortunate."

"The doctor said it's a psychosomatic illness. There's no cure other than rest."

He laughed hollowly, adding, "So, I came back to my hometown in my old age to recuperate. It's not so bad, is it?"

"So, Mr. Bai. What should I do from now on?"

"As you know, there's too much turbid energy in your body."

"I know. But what can I do..."

"So, I plan to extract it all."

"...What?"

Gong's old man blinked several times, as if he hadn't heard correctly.

Hei Ying's reaction was similar.

"I said I plan to extract the turbid energy."

"I don't know much about this... Is it even possible?"

"Another ridiculous claim..."

It was natural for the two of them to be surprised.

Turbid energy naturally accumulates in the body as one lives.

However, expelling turbid energy from the body is dozens of times more difficult.

Throughout history, Taoists have used alchemy and health practices to prevent the accumulation of turbid energy and gradually expel it from the body. Martial artists have done the same through consistent training of internal and external techniques.

But Gong's old man was neither a highly cultivated Taoist nor a martial artist who had reached a high level.

"To extract the turbid energy from my body... Even the divine doctor who took care of me said it was impossible."

It would have been impossible for the divine doctor, but... the old man's physical strength wouldn't have been able to withstand it.

I didn't voice this thought.

The important thing was that I could do what even the divine doctor couldn't.

"Didn't I clearly tell you yesterday?"

"Tell me what...?"

It was an impossible task by common standards.

Only I, who had the Heavenly Sound Meridian and mastered the Reversing Heaven Divine Technique, could do this.

"You've met someone with great fortune."

Hei Hei.

My smile made Gong's old man burst into a hollow laugh.

* * *

"Close your eyes and take deep, relaxed breaths."

Lying on the bed, Gong's old man closed his eyes as I instructed.

Hei Ying stood on the opposite side, staring at me with anxious eyes. She was so anxious that she even bit her nails.

"If anything happens to the old sir's body..."

"Would you take responsibility if I made a mistake because of the pressure?"

"What...!"

"Hei Ying. Since you're so anxious, go stand guard outside the door."

"O-Old sir. Please reconsider. How can you trust such a person with your body? The technique performed by the divine doctor might be ruined."

"Are you going to make me say it twice?"

"...I apologize."

At Gong's old man's soft words, Hei Ying turned and left with slumped shoulders.

She didn't forget to glare at me as she went.

"Doesn't Hei Ying seem to really dislike me?"

"I've only known you for a short time, but you are quite annoying."

"Can you really trust such an annoying person with your body? The technique performed by the divine doctor might be ruined."

In response to my question, Gong's old man smiled wistfully with his eyes closed.

"...How many more years do you think I have left? If this is my great fortune, as you say, it's a gamble worth taking."

"Have you never considered that I might be an assassin sent by your enemy?"

"I've met assassins many times in my life, but you talk too much to be one."

"...It will hurt a bit."

"Surely not..."

"It's not because I'm angry."

I placed my hands on Gong's old man's dantian and forehead and activated the Reversing Heaven Divine Technique.

'This is similar to Wei Zhitian's case. The only difference is that the turbid energy hasn't seeped into his brain.'

Wei Zhitian, who had experienced demonic transformation due to the fake Wuji Sword technique.

I had already extracted the turbid energy from Wei Zhitian's body.

The situation was different, but the method was similar.

Zzzzz.

A stream of my internal energy circulated through Wei Zhitian's body, gradually pulling the accumulated turbid energy into my dantian.

'Is it easier because I've done it before?'

The thick turbid energy that had accumulated in Gong's old man's body over decades.

This turbid energy hindered the learning of martial arts.

That's why Gong's old man had only practiced simple techniques and energy regulation.

'He also started learning martial arts very late.'

To get a sixty-five-year-old student admitted to the Qinglong Academy, I first needed to make his body suitable for martial arts.

Fortunately, the Reversing Heaven Divine Technique I had mastered was a special technique that could draw the accumulated turbid energy into the dantian to form an internal core.

"Ugh..."

Gong's old man groaned, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. He shivered as if he had a chill.

This was the reaction as the turbid energy in his body began to be expelled.

"Old sir!"

Hei Ying burst in, eyes wide, alternating her gaze between me and Gong's old man.

But she only stomped her feet, unable to interfere with us.

'I should stop here for now.'

I gathered the internal energy of the Reversing Heaven Divine Technique and tried to withdraw my hands.

This was to consider Gong's old man's physical strength.

However, at that moment, something unexpected happened.

Zzzzz!

'What... The medicinal energy is being drawn along with the turbid energy?'

The essence of the spirit medicines that had been suppressing the turbid energy in Gong's old man's body began to be drawn to me along with the turbid energy.

This was not my intention.

The Reversing Heaven Divine Technique does not have the ability to steal others' internal energy.

It can only absorb the turbid energy accumulated in the body, not internal energy.

'Well... Thinking about it, this isn't internal energy.'

The medicinal energy in Gong's old man's body is not internal energy.

It is concentrated medicinal energy that has mixed with the turbid energy over a long period of time.

To ordinary martial artists, it would be poison, but to me, it was no different from concentrated spirit medicine.

In short,

'This... is incredible.'