Chapter 19: Blood-Piercing Absorption Technique (4)

Right after Cheon Hwi declared that he would take Choa as his disciple, Chobang-gal exploded with a flood of new posts.

Part of the buzz was because the person becoming his disciple turned out to be a well-known top-tier corporate streamer.

But more than that, the real fuel to the fire was the provocative challenge Cheon Hwi announced: a solo clear of an E-rank dungeon.

Many opinions were tossed around, but the mainstream consensus was simple — she would fail.

No matter how skilled a personal trainer might be, no one could turn a D-rank awakened individual — one who hadn’t even passed the license exam — into a veteran C-rank Hunter in just a short time.

It was a perfectly rational judgment, grounded in common sense.

But this was Cheon Hwi — the same man who could bend and break even the absolute laws of nature.

The kind of “common sense” that people had built over the past hundred years? He could crush it like twisting a baby’s wrist.

Viewers who had confidently shouted “failure!” were forced to face reality after just one week.

And after Cheon Hwi’s firm announcement of viewer bans, those exiled fans naturally drifted over to Chobang-gal, where they eagerly began to share their revelations with one another.

(LeroLero: What even is Choa’s skill level now?)

Why is she so good at fighting?

She’s not just swinging a sword around — she’s literally fighting like a professional Hunter against a golem?

[Comments]

“Actually insane lol”

“Her footwork is unreal”

— “Her distance control was god-tier, what the hell lol”

The Association’s sparring golems were known for their impressive power and unpredictable movements.

But Choa managed to hold her own against one — and then defeated it with a single clean strike.

Naturally, viewers couldn’t help but be amazed.

(NoseDiveSeup: True Master confirmed)

For someone wearing a completely plain martial robe with zero exposure to still radiate that kind of presence…

She’s definitely the real deal.

[Replies]

— “LMAO”

— “Bro your username is just nasty af”

— “But he’s not wrong tho”

— “Fr, Lero’s insight hits different”

From talk about Choa’s outfit, to speculation about where the sparring golem came from, to renewed discussions about the connection between Cheon Hwi and the Association President —

The conversation in Chobang-gal was just getting deeper and deeper.

And so, while Cheon Hwi’s broadcast was stirring up chaos and excitement, Chobang-gal was noisier than ever.

[Mutldak: What the hell does this Song Cheon Hwi guy even do?]

Why the hell is he teaching Choa Blood Asura Technique, of all things?!

LMAO.

Where did our radiant righteous swordswoman Choa go?!

[Comments]

— “Is this where I find the righteous heroine I was looking for?”

└ “No heroine here, just a blood demon lol”

— “Maybe it just sounds evil — what if it’s actually righteous?”

└ “Yeah right”

— “Our Choa fell for the wrong kind of bad guy.”

└ “Real talk though, even bad boys don’t go around teaching demonic arts.”

Viewers who proudly claimed to have read a fair share of wuxia novels came in droves, setting fire to the threads.

Technically, Cheon Hwi had only said he would teach her martial arts.

He never said what kind of martial arts it would be.

And so, once the spark was lit, the fire only grew larger.

[Dalboong-i: Will you too become a blood demon?]

(Photo of Choa with glowing red eyes, smiling eerily)

Bro what do you mean “become,” she’s already there.

[Comments]

— “She’s gorgeous but somehow terrifying lol”

— “The way she swings her sword now… that is normal. For demons.”

— “She really went and learned actual demonic martial arts huh”

Still, there weren’t many posts seriously concerned about the dangers of demonic arts.

There were a few mixed in with some worry — but that was about it.

Most people figured, there’s no way he’d teach her something that could ruin her.

After all, the majority of viewers didn’t actually understand martial arts that deeply,
and an unspoken consensus had quietly spread: If it’s Cheon Hwi, it’s probably fine.

[SseulkSseulk: Wasn’t the Choa-as-a-vampire meme just a local joke?]

Why did she actually go and learn Blood Asura Technique and become a real vampire?

[Comments]

(Feel free to share more if you’d like!)

“I want to get drained… wait, I probably shouldn’t say that, right?”

Subject’s a little too urgent

“That username gets more cursed the longer I look at it lol”

“The Blood Asura Technique literally sounds like a demonic martial art.”

“Well, that’s because it is one…”

Because of this, Chobang-gal was flooded with mostly humorous posts.

It was only natural — after all, Choa had gone and learned a martial art so obviously evil that people could recognize it just by hearing the name.

The sudden appearance of a completely unexpected technique, paired with Choa’s astounding power level in just the first week,

Had started to sway public opinion — which, right up until the moment before the next broadcast began, had been firmly convinced that the challenge was impossible.

(GidoMeta: I think she’s actually gonna succeed.)

She got this strong in just a week… and there’s still three weeks left?

From what we’ve seen on stream, she could probably take on an average C-rank Hunter and win, no problem.

Time to worship the great master?

[Comments]

— “All hail the GOAT.”

— “No seriously, the growth rate is insane lol”

— “It’s not that it looks possible anymore… at this point, success feels inevitable.”

— “Lowkey horror vibes — she’s this strong after just one week and there’s still three to go lmaoo”

No one was saying anymore that Cheon Hwi was being reckless.

Or that Choa was just being used for attention.

Because, as always, Cheon Hwi had proven his words with actions.

A week had passed since the B-rank gate outing.

‘This is strange.’

Cheon Hwi narrowed his eyes as he looked at Choa, who was sitting cross-legged and immersed in qi circulation.

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t figure out why Choa had suddenly hit a wall.

‘It’s not a lack of internal energy. And it doesn’t seem like she’s lacking experience or insight, either.’

Choa’s internal energy, absorbed as blood qi through refined magical energy in accordance with the incantation formulas, had long since surpassed the Second-rate level.

Her practical experience was being built daily through training with the sparring mannequin, just as seen in the first week’s broadcasts,

And the experience of wielding a sword was something she had already been steadily accumulating even before Cheon Hwi took her in as a disciple.

‘And yet, she still hasn’t reached Sword and Mind as One.’

Cheon Hwi held back a sigh.

Naturally, internal energy flows along the meridians and blood vessels — the qi routes.

The Second-rate realm is where internal energy begins to blend into the bloodstream, strengthening one’s frail and mortal body by circulating through those blood vessels.

Then what of First-rate?

Its defining trait is far less visible.

A technique called Qi-Infused Blade, which involves imbuing the sword with qi to enhance its durability, is the hallmark of the First-rate realm.

Because the sword is the most common weapon among martial artists, the technique is named as such, but the underlying principle applies to all weapons —

Using one’s internal energy to reinforce a tool that would otherwise not conduct energy at all.

‘But is simply imbuing a sword with qi enough to define a whole realm?’

Some martial artists have questioned that.

However, it’s actually quite logical if you stop to think.

A sword is not a living being.

Unlike martial artists who cultivate their internal flow through blood, meridians, and refined mental focus,

A sword cannot bleed, cannot learn energy cultivation, and certainly can’t build up its meridian systems.

If such a weapon could, then it would no longer be a sword — just something that looks like one.

Thus, unless made from some special material, most weapons are completely inert — they do not naturally carry internal energy.

Trying to force energy into one is like pushing electricity through an insulator, or pressing the same poles of a magnet together.

The energy simply fails to settle and returns to the familiar path: the body’s own meridians.

So then, what separates Second-rate from First-rate?

The answer lies in Sword and Mind as One.

“Uugh… I really don’t get how I’m supposed to do this…”

Choa groaned in frustration, her expression full of discouragement as she opened her eyes.

She had been attempting to reach the state of Sword and Mind as One — the understanding that the sword is oneself, and oneself is the sword.

But without gaining that realization, her energy circulation had failed to produce results.

Watching her disheartened expression, Cheon Hwi lightly wrapped his hand in Hand Qi.

“That— That’s sword qi…!”

“The principle of manifestation is the same, but since it’s wrapped around my hand… we should call it Hand Qi, I suppose.”

Though energy cannot naturally flow through a sword, it does flow through the human body.

So, if the sword becomes the self and the self becomes the sword, then the boundary between the two blurs.

And the sword becomes an extension of the body.

That is the truth behind Sword and Mind as One, and the secret of how First-rate martial artists naturally channel their internal energy into the blade.

‘At her current level, she could handle most E-rank dungeons without issue. But to be truly confident in her success, she needs to reach First-rate.’

Thinking calmly, Cheon Hwi considered the worst-case scenario.

He began forming a plan in case Choa failed to break through to First-rate within the remaining time.

When martial artists hit a wall like this, the reasons may differ in detail.

But in most cases, the causes tend to fall into two broad categories.

Either they’re suffering from a mental demon (heart demon) they haven’t yet recognized.

Or they lack the experience and depth needed to fully understand the weapon they’re wielding.

‘I’ll need to account for both possibilities.’

He could have her continue with both real combat and sword training.

While occasionally helping her reflect and talk through anything weighing on her mind.

Having come to a solution, Cheon Hwi called out to Choa.

“You… want me to learn another martial art…?”

“Yes. It’s a unique technique I created back when I was a Peak Realm martial artist.
Given your physique and the amount of internal energy you’ve built up, I think you can handle it.”

If she couldn’t increase her realm to boost her combat strength.

Then they would simply make up for it through other means.

And fortunately, Cheon Hwi had just the technique for that — something he himself had once devised.

As he recalled its workings, a confident smile appeared on his face.

They had just about fifteen days left.

“A-A technique like that… really exists…?”

As Choa stared in disbelief, Cheon Hwi began passing down his trump card.