episode_0127

[Episode 127: The Trial]

Dongbang Sak stood, his expression a mix of bewilderment and exhaustion, gazing at his disciple who had collapsed in front of him.

“….”

Goodness gracious…

No matter how much he had learned that guiding one’s disciple was a master’s virtue, he had never intended to push his disciple to such extremes.

But then again, considering the kind of young man his disciple was—determined to prove that he had learned everything from him and that his teachings were not in vain…

The moment he heard those words, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride so overwhelming that tears welled up in his eyes.

So when his disciple expressed the desire to be taken under his wing, he immediately nodded in agreement.

A mentor who would want to see such a noble disciple suffer needlessly was not him.

However, the issue lay in…

“Well… I’m not sure if I can do it, but since you’ve asked, shall I give it a try? Hup…! Ugh…!”

“….”

Huh? Why does that sound like it’s lifting?

He had firmly believed that without Seonki, there was no way he could lift that stone. Yet, with each movement of his disciple’s strength, the rock seemed to tremble and, before he knew it, it was swiftly rising above their heads!

“Ugh… Th-this is incredibly heavy. How long should I hold this? Master?”

“….J-just put it down for now.”

How utterly flabbergasting…

Nevertheless, he couldn’t afford to show any signs of weakness from the very first day. It was crucial for the sake of his dignity as a mentor.

Thus, he forced himself to maintain a dignified expression, even as his eyelids threatened to widen in surprise.

“Sigh… This is definitely not what I had in mind…”

Internally sighing as he watched his disciple struggling to catch his breath in front of him, Dongbang Sak lamented silently.

Seonki was not merely a power that could be wielded casually; it required harmony with the heavens from the very first step.

To utilize Seonki, one ultimately needed a narrative that both oneself and the heavens found acceptable.

Hence, depending on one’s life path, circumstances, willpower, and aspirations, the types and degrees of power that could be strengthened through Seonki varied greatly.

For instance, the reason he could lift that massive boulder with his arm, akin to a divine being, stemmed from his lifelong practice of Seonki.

His tales were known to the world as mysterious and enchanting, emphasizing his moments of powerlessness, which allowed him to lift the heavy rock without disrupting the harmony of the heavens.

To simplify, let’s consider Heeseon as an example:

While she could enhance her strength to some extent, having lived her entire life as a fairy and spent her days weaving fabric and creating clothes, her abilities in terms of physical strength were not significantly amplified, despite maximizing her keen eyesight and delicate touch at the celestial stage.

Therefore, to ascend to the celestial stage and use basic Seonki, reflecting on one’s life journey was imperative.

His disciple, a hunter who had faced tigers and passed three trials bestowed by the Jade Emperor, was already granted permission by the heavens to lift that rock.

All that remained was for him to acknowledge that it was only natural for him to lift the rock through Seonki.

Even that process would likely be straightforward.

When asked, his disciple mentioned being able to use Seonki to illuminate the night, indicating a slight foothold in the celestial stage.

However, why his face turned red and he stumbled over his words when questioned about awakening in a region where external Seonki was scarce, remains a mystery.

Knowing the trigger for his awakening could have been helpful in the current situation.

Well, given that his disciple was a hunter, perhaps vision was crucial…

Moreover, if he had been influenced by the tiger’s spirit, there was a possibility that he shared abilities with the tiger.

In any case, the fact that he had awakened was a stroke of luck in itself.

The master does not need to create dramatic situations such as threatening or forcing extreme practices on the disciple; just a little stimulation is enough for the disciple to awaken to a higher level of enlightenment.

As part of that method, he suggested trying to lift that heavy rock, thinking that even if he forced it a bit, it would be enough…

But to lift it with sheer strength without using any techniques…

Moreover, after explaining how good his disciple’s stamina was and why he asked him to lift the rock,

“Well… then maybe the problem was lifting it with strength, Master? So if I make it impossible to lift due to exhaustion…”

“….”

After that, he lifted and sat down with the rock again, rolling his body by himself…

… Clearly, he had no intention of making his precious disciple suffer.

Dongbangsak felt somewhat unjustly treated, like a teacher who had become a victim of his disciple’s stubbornness, declaring that he would never be like that.]

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“Ugh..! Ugh….”

“Oh my… Your muscles are incredibly tense, Sir. Should I press a bit harder here?”

“Uh… Ugh…!”

It hurts but feels refreshing.

That was exactly how it felt.

After finishing training and lying in bed groaning, Heesun, who had been out with the kids, was surprised to see me in that state. She quickly changed clothes and came to give me a massage while I lay face down.

“Ugh…!”

“Oh! I’m sorry, Sir… Does it hurt?”

“Uh… No… I’m fine….”

Ah, it feels so good… How can her hands be so gentle…

Moreover, she used healing energy along with the massage, pressing firmly but gently. Even though it stung a bit at first, once the tension released, a warm sensation enveloped my muscles…

Ah… It felt like my body was melting.

It might sound strange, but it felt like being in heaven even though I was already there…?

However, considering my size, I worried that Heesun might strain herself, so I thought it would be better to stop since my body had loosened up enough and using healing energy alone would be better than painfully massaging with pressure. I tried to get up, but…

Slap! She hit my back, warning me coldly to stay still, so I gave up and enjoyed the moment.

Also, isn’t it better for flexibility to release these tense muscles before using healing energy?

“Ugh… Sir, are you feeling cool?”

“Hehe… Kim, what do you think? Heh… Is this enough pressure?”

“….Uh.”

Come to think of it, there were others here too?

I had completely forgotten because I couldn’t feel anything.

While Heesun massaged my back, Hyangdan and Sari were each massaging one of my legs, but…

Hmm… There must be a reason they’re massaging without much feeling.

First of all, Sari’s delicacy is a bit…

At first, Sari almost broke my leg with her immense strength during the massage, which made me panic…

So, although Sari said she didn’t need to massage, seeing her dejected expression weakened my resolve, and I compromised by asking her to massage gently after releasing some pressure.

However, it seems like I’m too weak this time, almost as if I just remembered the recent incident…

Hmm… But isn’t feeling cool better than breaking a leg?

So, I’m just pretending to be cool about it.

And then there’s Hyangdan…

“Ah… Kim Seobang’s thigh… Huh… Thick and firm…”

I don’t know where to start or how to point things out…

Meow~

Oh! By the way, Yomi wasn’t massaging me either?

Seeing Hyangdan looking gloomy and moist made her seem scary, so she avoided Hyangdan and instead nestled beside Sari, rubbing my calves cutely while making adorable whimpering sounds…

Yomi is cute, so it’s okay even if it’s not cool. As long as my heart feels cool, what more could I ask for?

I have no idea how adorable it is when she presses firmly in her own way, trying hard.

“Ugh…! Ahhh…. Feels good….”

“Hehe, Seobangnim… I should massage you every day from now on… since you seem to enjoy it so much.”

“Every day? That’s going too far! If Heesun finds out, you can’t do such strenuous work recklessly, just for today… just for today…”

Can I really enjoy this kind of luxury every day,

But am I really enjoying it?

Goodness… surrounded by these virtuous beauties! I didn’t realize until now!

In a situation where I am being served by these self-sacrificing beauties: the noble princess with a cold face from the heavenly realm, the aristocratic beauty with an expressionless face showcasing pure beauty, and the enchanting woman with cool blue hair and charming eyes, all clinging to me and massaging my whole body as if serving me…

“Umm….”

Huh… A strange pleasure rises within me as if my instincts as a male are being stimulated…

Feeling more sensitive to the touch of women’s hands…

Phew!

…It was fortunate that I was lying down during all of this.