Chapter 292
**Y / N**
**Ding.**
– A sudden quest, [Take Only Half of the Energy I Digested], has been created.
– Will you accept?
**Y / N**
Damn it. Why now?
I wanted nothing more than to check the quest window, but I was in the middle of guiding the Qi. If I lose focus now, it could lead to serious internal injuries, not just for me, but for Chief Choi as well.
– If you don’t answer within 5 seconds, the quest will automatically be canceled.
– Five, four, three…
Should I go for it or not?
The quest title and the energy in Chief Choi’s dantian are clearly telling me to mess with it. But even at a glance, that energy is far more than a single reservoir.
– One…
Screw it, what’s the worst that could happen?
**“Accept!”**
**Ding.**
That was close. As the quest was accepted, I instantly knew what needed to be done.
– The mysterious energy has been dormant for a long time, and its host lacks the power to control it. Now is the time for you to step in!
Just as I thought. This situation reminded me of something from my past in Murim.
The memory that came to mind was from a long time ago.
‘The Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng.’
From the moment I first opened my eyes in Murim, my dantian held the vast energy of the Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng. It was an energy that the former life, the third-rate scoundrel Jin Tae-kyung, had never been able to fully absorb.
I learned back then that even if you consume a miraculous elixir, it won’t become yours unless you have the ability to control it.
‘Just like Chief Choi now.’
Compared to that third-rate scoundrel, Chief Choi is a remarkable person, but he lacks the power to control the immense energy stored in his dantian. The quest is asking me to act as a sort of digestive aid.
But how did Chief Choi end up with this much energy in the first place?
The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I got.
Damn it, I had to struggle and fight tooth and nail in Murim to gather just a little more than a single reservoir of energy, and this guy has all this power sitting in his dantian for who knows what reason.
‘Oh right, his grandfather is Cheon Tae-min.’
Is this what they call being born with a hero’s spoon?
I decided to stop thinking and focus on dealing with this mysterious energy.
And this time, I was confident.
‘Let’s do this.’
Like a spear thrust forward, my Fiery Yang Energy pierced into the dense cluster of energy. The combined force of more than one reservoir collided and began tearing into each other.
Rumble!
The collision within Chief Choi’s dantian made his body tremble violently.
—
The hospital room had been transformed into an impregnable fortress, allowing no one to enter. Butler Kim, Im Jeok-jung, and Song-Yi watched the two young men with fascinated eyes.
“Ugh!”
“Ah!”
“Oof!”
With each surge of veins on Jin Tae-kyung’s forearm, Chief Choi’s body trembled. Soon, his back arched, and a groan escaped through clenched teeth.
“Ugh!”
Watching this, Song-Yi muttered.
“His back is bending like a bow…”
“What did you just say, Song-Yi?” Im Jeok-jung asked from where he lay on the bed.
“Nothing… It’s just gross and fascinating.”
“Oh, are you talking about that black sweat?”
“…Yes.”
Song-Yi had a lot she wanted to say but bit her tongue and nodded. The black sweat running down Chief Choi’s entire body was as gross and fascinating as anything she’d ever seen.
“My word, what is that…?”
You see all kinds of things as a hunter, but this was the first time she’d seen someone sweating black.
The sticky, pitch-black sweat wasn’t much in volume, but the stench it carried was overpowering.
“Ugh, the smell…”
“This is really bad.”
As the two of them held their noses, Butler Kim spoke up.
“That is the body expelling accumulated toxins through sweat. It’s one of the effects of the Mana Cultivation Technique.”
“Toxins?”
“Butler Kim, is that really such a big deal?”
“Absolutely. Even healing magic doesn’t remove toxins from the body.”
Song-Yi thought for a moment before responding.
“It’s possible with a top-tier healer, but… if what you’re saying is true, that’s incredible. Even healing potions leave behind slight troll poison. This technique could eliminate that entirely.”
“That’s one of the extraordinary aspects of the Mana Cultivation Technique.”
“But who exactly created this Mana Cultivation Technique?” Even with her extensive experience as a hunter, Song-Yi had never heard the term “Mana Cultivation Technique” before. It was just as unfamiliar to the twenty-year veteran Im Jeok-jung.
“That’s a good question. I’ve been a hunter all my life, but I’ve never heard of a technique like this.”
“During the Great Cataclysm, the Elder was the first to develop the Mana Cultivation Technique. It’s treated as a top-secret matter, so it’s no surprise you haven’t heard of it.”
“By ‘Elder,’ you mean…”
“Yes, the person you’re thinking of.”
Cheon Tae-min, the hero who saved all of humanity and the greatest hunter in the world.
Butler Kim spoke slowly.
“The Mana Cultivation Technique is a powerful weapon on its own. It’s been the cause of many incidents, most of which have been erased from history. It was truly a time of great upheaval.”
There were so many questions—why Cheon Tae-min’s Mana Cultivation Technique ended up in the hands of an ambitious man like Lee Jung-ryong instead of Cheon Tae-min’s own bloodline.
But Song-Yi and Im Jeok-jung remained silent, not only because of the bitter expression on Butler Kim’s face but also because something else began to happen.
“Guh!”
“Ah!”
Simultaneously, both Jin Tae-kyung and Chief Choi groaned. Thick veins bulged on their exposed skin, and deep lines formed on their brows. Chief Choi’s reaction grew more intense, his entire body trembling like an earthquake was raging inside him.
“Chief Choi!”
“Isn’t this bad?”
As Song-Yi and Im Jeok-jung took an involuntary step forward, Butler Kim quickly held them back.
“No. There can be no contact during the Mana Cultivation Technique.”
“But…”
“Jin Tae-kyung wouldn’t endanger Chief Choi.”
Butler Kim’s eyes reflected a mix of concern and trust as he watched the two men.
The trembling grew more intense, and the groans became more pained.
But it wasn’t long before his trust bore fruit.
“Haa…”
At some point, Chief Choi’s breathing became calm and steady, a sign that the first circulation of energy had been successfully completed. He had become a martial artist who had mastered the Jinga Heart Technique.
“Chief?”
Butler Kim’s call gently opened Chief Choi’s eyes. His pupils were filled with astonishment and joy.
“This…!”
Chief Choi—no, Choi Min-woo—clenched his fist tightly.
The vast energy that surged from his dantian raced through his body without any resistance. He could control Mana that once scattered throughout his body with ease.
Moreover, his Mana reserves had nearly doubled.
‘This is the Mana Cultivation Technique…’
As he observed his own state, Choi Min-woo thought again.
No, this is the power of the Jinga Heart Technique. And it was possible thanks to the ability of one person.
“Jin Tae-kyung.”
Choi Min-woo slowly turned. Jin Tae-kyung still had his eyes closed, breathing deeply. The air around him seemed to vibrate. A volcano was ready to erupt right there.
He’s strong. Unbelievably strong. Was he always this powerful?
With his Mana now fully under control, Choi Min-woo could glimpse a fraction of Jin Tae-kyung’s strength.
Every time Jin Tae-kyung exhaled, the fire energy that burst out heated the room. Despite it being November, just a week after the first snowfall, everyone felt parched, and heat waves rose from the floor.
At that moment, Choi Min-woo’s eyes widened.
‘What… what is that?’
A mirage created by the heat? Or was it real?
He couldn’t tell. Before long, everyone in the room was staring open-mouthed at the sight before them.
Swooosh.
Jin Tae-kyung’s body, which had been sitting cross-legged, began to float in the air. Slowly, steadily, without stopping.
Above his head, a blazing blue flame formed the shape of petals.
One, two… and just as the third was about to complete, Jin Tae-kyung’s eyes shot open.
**Swoosh! Boom!**
Jin Tae-kyung plummeted to the floor like a bird struck by an arrow, landing hard on his tailbone with a piercing scream.
“Ah, damn it! My tailbone!”
The room’s atmosphere froze over.
—
I screamed at the top of my lungs.
“Aaaagh!” It hurt. My tailbone hurt like hell, and the pain of missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was ten times worse.
“I was so close! I almost had it!”
Damn it. I had been just one step away, but the opportunity to reach the pinnacle had slipped away.
Maybe it was because my understanding of martial arts wasn’t deep enough or there was another reason. Maybe it was both. But the important thing was that chances like this don’t come around often.
“Aaarrgh—!”
I could have become a peak martial artist in one fell swoop!
As I lamented my missed opportunity, the system notification chimed in.
**Ding. Ding. Ding.**
– [No-Mind State has been deactivated!]
– [Your Qi has increased by 100 years!]
– You have accomplished a great feat! You have earned the title [I Am the Flower]!
– You have successfully completed the sudden quest, [Take Only Half of the Energy I Digested]!
– You have successfully completed the repeat quest, [Let Me See That Back!]!
– The stage of your Flame Art has advanced to 7-star!
– You have gained a massive amount of experience points!
– Level Up!
“Just leave me alone, will you?!”
Everything had gone perfectly. I had absorbed half of the Qi that had been stuck in Chief Choi’s dantian, entered a No-Mind State, and achieved a temporary state of selflessness.
But…
“Why? Why can’t I ever be happy?!”
The Qi increase of 100 years? Great!
The title, quest completion, and stage advancement of the Flame Art, even the level up—fantastic! But why!
“Why couldn’t I reach the peak?!”
As I screamed into the void, the murmuring voices around me broke through.
“Is there something wrong with Jin Tae-kyung?”
“I’m not sure, but I heard that people can become crippled while practicing the Mana Cultivation Technique…”
“No, but didn’t anyone else see those petals? Was it just me? Why isn’t anyone talking about it?”
“Song-Yi, you saw it too? I thought I was at a flower show in Goyang City.”
Hearing the mix of worry and amazement, I snapped back to reality.
That’s right. This isn’t over yet. If the other three are even half as prepared as Chief Choi, there’s a chance I could still reach the peak.
‘I still have three more test subjects.’
With the resolve of a general preparing for a decisive battle, I spoke up.
“Everyone, listen up.”
“Yes?”
“Take off your tops immediately. Let’s go.”
**Ding.**
– The repeat quest, [Let Me See That Back!] has been created!
“Let me see those backs!”
The others backed away, their faces pale with fear.
Well