readsfreenovel Chapter 273 : Good Medicine Tastes Bitter
Chapter 273 : Good Medicine Tastes Bitter
The Noble Enchantress observed the subtly subdued atmosphere of the Martial God Realm, then spoke with her usual gentle smile.“Therefore, I hope that you, Seong-un, do not accumulate karma tied to the Imperial Palace.”
Jin Seong-un pondered for a moment.
His other masters had always guided his path in life, but this was the first time the Noble Enchantress had spoken so strongly.
Normally, he would have followed his master’s words without question. Especially when it came from someone as benevolent and kind as her.
But this time was different.
“Though it pains me to say this, Master, I wish to help the Emperor if possible.”
“Why?”
“I received help during the process of dealing with the Myriad Gold Manor. If the permission hadn’t come in time, Ha Joo-myeong would still be alive, committing atrocities under the protection of power.”
The Noble Enchantress let out a small sigh. She already knew how stubborn her disciple could be.
Moreover, she couldn’t simply block him when he wished to repay a favor.
Noticing her hesitation, Jin Seong-un added,
“I always say I’m not a martial artist, but in truth, I’ve already stepped deeply into Murim. Having learned so much from my masters, I can’t live separate from it.”
“…That is true.”
“Everyone may think this way, but especially as someone in Murim, I’ve learned that one must not ignore the debts they owe. So, I want to help the Emperor.”
As he said this, Jin Seong-un glanced at the Sword Immortal.
After all, it was the Sword Immortal who had most clearly taught him the virtues of a martial artist—especially the philosophy of chivalry.
As expected, the moment Jin Seong-un finished speaking, the Sword Immortal applauded with a moved expression.
With the Sword Immortal supporting him, the Noble Enchantress could no longer oppose him.
“…Sigh. I will teach you. But from what you’ve said, it seems his meridians have been damaged for a long time. There is a high chance he has little time left.”
“That’s fine. I should at least try what I can.”
Nodding, the Noble Enchantress sat down and beckoned him closer.
As Jin Seong-un approached, she continued,
“I will teach you the Original True Face Art, a branch of the Women’s Moon Qi Art. It is so profound that even I find it difficult, so you must concentrate.”
After saying that, she glanced around and suddenly called out,
“Blood Demon, please assist for a moment.”
The Blood Demon lazily turned his head while lying down, looking uninterested.
The Noble Enchantress continued,
“To restore the meridians, they must first be destroyed. Come, and… break Seong-un’s meridians a bit.”
The Blood Demon’s eyes gleamed as he sprang to his feet.
Jin Seong-un instinctively flinched, but his wrist was already firmly held by the Noble Enchantress.
He looked at her with wide eyes. She smiled gently.
“You are a mischievous disciple who does not listen to your master, so you must endure this much. If you wish to learn, it cannot be helped. Endure it.”
As she spoke, a shadow fell over them.
Jin Seong-un looked up at the Blood Demon.
“Master…”
The Blood Demon snorted and asked the Noble Enchantress,
“How much?”
“Appropriately.”
Jin Seong-un wanted to know what “appropriately” meant, but before he could ask, the Blood Demon placed a hand on his back.
At that moment, the Blood Demon’s eyes turned crimson, and after a brief pause—
The entire Martial God Realm was dyed in the same color.
The sky, the earth, everything turned red.
Rumble—!
The Martial God Realm trembled violently, filled with ominous energy.
Jin Seong-un briefly wondered if his masters had lost their minds, but there was nothing he could do.
The Sword Immortal, the Merchant King, and the Divine Thief were already standing far away, watching with interest.
“If you hold your breath, it might hurt less.”
Jin Seong-un instinctively held his breath.
At that moment, through the Blood Demon’s hand, the most ominous and dangerous energy in the world surged into his body.
“Ugh…!”
A groan escaped him as all his meridians twisted simultaneously—an indescribable sensation and horrific pain.
“Blood Mass. A technique that forcibly blocks blood flow. Since your level isn’t low, you might endure for a short while. After that, all your meridians will burst, and you’ll die. I killed all one hundred eight Arhats of Shaolin with this.”
“……”
Jin Seong-un realized for the first time that the Blood Demon was quite talkative.
It wasn’t that he was quiet—he simply had nothing to say unless he was committing violence.
“Actually, holding your breath doesn’t reduce the pain.”
Jin Seong-un glared at him.
“……”
Though the Blood Demon’s face remained expressionless, Jin Seong-un felt like he was faintly smiling.
At this point, it seemed proven—there were no normal people among martial artists.
When the Blood Demon withdrew his hand, the Noble Enchantress gently placed hers on Jin Seong-un’s lower back.
Soon, the Women’s Moon Qi began to seep in softly.
If the Blood Demon’s energy was the most ominous in the world, then the Women’s Moon Qi was the purest. The two stood at complete opposites.
“Seong-un, feel it. Experiencing it directly is faster than a hundred explanations.”
Jin Seong-un focused, following her words.
The Women’s Moon Qi moved directly to the rear of the lower Dantian—to the Life Gate, where innate energy resided.
Despite the cold sweat pouring down his face, the Women’s Moon Qi broke through the Life Gate without hesitation.
It touched the innate energy.
Any martial artist would instinctively panic, but Jin Seong-un trusted her.
“You must focus on what is happening at the Life Gate, and how the energy is transforming.”
The Women’s Moon Qi gently wrapped around the innate energy.
Pure like blank paper, it gradually began to take on a similar form.
“I will stimulate all three hundred sixty-five acupoints simultaneously.”
Jin Seong-un made a dumbfounded expression.
Was that even possible?
But the Noble Enchantress was the greatest in Qi Arts throughout history.
Soon, the Women’s Moon Qi stimulated every acupoint in his body. At the same time, the transformed energy spread through every minor meridian.
Jin Seong-un felt something strange.
The energy of life stimulated his entire body.
At the same time, his meridians began to move on their own, returning to their proper places.
Everything the Blood Demon had twisted was returning to normal.
The Noble Enchantress spoke softly,
“Birth. This is the same process as when a life is born into the world. All life has the will to live, so we stimulate that will and forcibly return it to its optimal state. Do you now understand why it is called the Original True Face Art?”
Jin Seong-un realized this Qi Art was on a completely different level from ordinary martial arts.
It wasn’t a matter of difficulty—the principles and enlightenment behind it belonged to a realm beyond humans.
The pain vanished instantly.
His eyes and mind became clear, as if waking from deep sleep.
His entire body felt renewed, full of strength—like undergoing complete rebirth.
The Noble Enchantress withdrew her hand and smiled.
“Can you do it?”
Jin Seong-un couldn’t answer easily.
The Divine Thief, who had approached, said,
“He can’t. Honestly, even I wouldn’t dare try.”
Jin Seong-un closed his eyes and replayed everything he had just experienced.
Once, twice—then dozens, hundreds of times in his mind.
After some time—
He opened his eyes.
“I don’t know. It feels like I can… and also like I can’t.”
“You’ll have to try it yourself. At your level, it’s unlikely you’ll endanger someone. Practice when you return.”
The Divine Thief spoke again,
“I told you, he can’t. Trying to kill someone?”
People were like that—the more someone said you couldn’t do something, the more you wanted to prove you could.
Jin Seong-un stood up.
“Thank you, Master.”
He bowed respectfully to the Noble Enchantress.
The technique he had just learned surpassed even the term “ultimate martial art.”
If mastered, it would surpass even the greatest physicians.
After greeting his masters, Jin Seong-un glared once at the Blood Demon for no reason and returned to the real world.
---
Jin Seong-un’s mind was filled only with thoughts of the Original True Face Art.
As his master said, he needed practice.
But healing required someone to be injured first.
In other words—
If everyone was fine, he would have to “break” them first—just like the Blood Demon did.
He went straight to the kitchen and asked Seo Yu-gyeom, who was busy cooking,
“Chef Seo, isn’t your meridian condition unnecessarily too good these days? Don’t you miss the days when you lived intensely, getting injured and all…?”
“What kind of nonsense is that? I’m busy—go away.”
Dejected, Jin Seong-un went to Seomun Ak.
“Young Master Seomun, do you perhaps have too much energy lately?”
“What? Did I mess something up again?”
“No.”
“Then go get me a dishcloth. I’m too busy.”
After handing him one, Jin Seong-un went to Moyong Hyeon.
“Young Master Moyong, how have you been?”
“These days? Feels like my blood and energy are twisting.”
“Oh!”
Jin Seong-un brightened.
Moyong Hyeon narrowed his eyes.
“Is that something to be happy about?”
“That’s not it. Come here for a moment.”
He led him to a secluded backyard.
“Were your meridians injured during the battle?”
“No, it’s just that you, Seo Yu-gyeom, and even Seomun Ak all seem stronger than me. It’s driving me crazy with jealousy.”
“……”
“So you’re fine?”
“Of course.”
Jin Seong-un looked openly disappointed.
Moyong Hyeon exploded.
“You’re happy when I’m hurt and disappointed when I’m fine?!”
“That’s not it…”
“What is it then?”
“…I learned a great Qi Art. One that can heal meridians.”
“Oh?”
Moyong Hyeon immediately extended his wrist.
“Try it.”
“You said you’re not hurt.”
“No martial artist is ever completely fine.”
Jin Seong-un’s eyes widened.
That made sense.
Suppressing his doubts, he placed his hand on Moyong Hyeon’s back.
“I’ll begin.”
“Where did you learn this?”
“…In a dream.”
“What?!”
Before Moyong Hyeon could escape, the Qi had already begun.
“This isn’t dangerous, right?”
“Not at all.”
“…What does it do?”
“…It touches the innate energy a bit.”
“WHAT?! LET GO—!”
“It’s already started. If you speak now… I can’t guarantee anything.”
Moyong Hyeon shut his mouth immediately.
Jin Seong-un skillfully circulated the technique.
The Women’s Moon Qi transformed—
Dividing into hundreds of streams, reaching every acupoint.
“It won’t hurt much.”
That had been his experience.
He activated it—
All acupoints opened simultaneously.
The energy spread—
And he withdrew his hand.
Moyong Hyeon blinked.
“…Huh?”
Then suddenly—
Pain.
Intense pain.
“AAAAAAAAAAH! YOU CRAZY BASTARD!!”
He collapsed, writhing on the ground.
Jin Seong-un checked him—everything seemed stable.
Yet Moyong Hyeon writhed like a worm.
Panicking, Jin Seong-un ran back to ask his master.
---
After hearing everything, the Noble Enchantress sighed.
“He’ll be fine.”
“Then why is he in so much pain?”
“The technique requires opening over three hundred acupoints very carefully… but…”
She paused.
“It’s so difficult that even you must have unconsciously used force.”
“…So what happens?”
“Acupoints are like doors. If forced open, they resist. You didn’t break them, but…”
She concluded,
“It will hurt. Like being beaten by three hundred sixty-five sticks.”
“….”
“In short, you healed him… and assaulted him at the same time.”
The Divine Thief added,
“Gave him the disease, then the cure.”
“….”
Jin Seong-un bowed and ran back.
---
Returning to Moyong Hyeon—
“…The treatment was perfect.”
“YOU INSANE BASTARD—!”
“They say good medicine tastes bitter… though I didn’t expect it to be this bitter.”
The pain was subsiding.
His body felt better—
But he was furious.
Too good to rage freely.
Too painful to let go.
Moyong Hyeon’s emotions became complicated.