Nano Machine Chapter 17: A Small Taste of Inner Power (Qi) (D)

Although initially Cheon Yeo Woon had some reservations about him showing up so early at the dispensary, after hearing his story he was more grateful than anything.

As Seop Maeng was getting up from his seat, he said,

"Now that I've answered your question, why don't we get started? We don't have much time."

"Excuse me? Now?"

"Did your teacher's words go in through one ear and come out the other?"

A bit startled by Seop Maeng's course rebuttal, Cheon Yeo Woon instantly jumped out of bed and stood up.

There was no reason to idle around when Seop Maeng was going out of his way to teach him.

"Sit on the floor."

"… okay."

"Hurry up!"

Cheon Yeo Woon was confused why he was being asked to sit down, but he did anyway.

Seop Maeng looped around Cheon Yeo Woon who was sitting straight up and sat down behind him and placed his hand on his lower back.

"It's good that you at least memorized the fundamental elements of my Moocheon Shinbeop inner power training formula."

"What are we doing now?"

"Since we're short on time, I'm going to just hammer the shinbeop's breathing technique into you."

"You're going to hammer it into me?"

"It's a legitimate method that was created by my teacher, or I guess I should say your grand teacher. You don't have to try to control the energy yourself. Your teacher will take care of everything for you.

"Umm, teacher I…"

"Bite down hard. If you screech and one of the guardsmen come in here, this whole thing is over."

Even before Cheon Yeo Woon could interject, a mysterious flow of power began to flood out of Seop Maeng's hand into his lower back.

Because Cheon Yeo Woon had never experienced the feeling of inner power flowing inside of him, his first time wasn't going to be a nice experience.

It felt as though he got struck by lightning and the voltage surged through his whole body with searing pain.

"Ggeu-uup!"

"Clench your jaws!"

When the pain reached its climax, he almost let out a screech.

Instantly, the surge of power generated through Moocheon Shinbeop returned to his lower back region as mentioned on the piece of paper, and flowed back into the hand of Seop Maeng.

Cheon Yeo Woon didn't realize it then, but for the first time Nano the nano machine remained silent when the user was writhing in pain, much to his chagrin.

Nano machines are programmed to automatically kick in emergency defense mode once it detects the presence of outside threat.

Moreover, the 7th generation nano machines have the ability to evolve and upgrade itself through constant research and analysis.

Once she was able to the detect that the energy coming into the user through Seop Maeng was innocuous, Nano the nano machine suspended automatic defense mode. However, she who was unable to scientifically classify this powerful energy source into any categories, and so went into research and analysis.

[An unknown energy source has entered into the user through the meridian in his lower back region.

Initiating analysis by searching and processing stored information in the database.

The energy source that is coming through the user's myeongmun meridian has been identified as qi, which is sometimes referred to as chakra.

Generating further analysis on its effect on the user's body.]

Although Cheon Yeon Woon at the time was too busy trying to endure the pain that came through Seop Maeng's hand, later he will discover just how invaluable Nano's never-ceasing research and analysis are to him.

"Did this kid really not undergo any training?"

East Grand Lord Seop Maeng was not a little surprised as he transferred and circulated the qi from meocheon shibeop inside Cheon Yeo Woon's body.

Along with his whole meridian system, both the yin channel and yang channel of his body were like free-flowing pipes. They were devoid of any toxic waste, which was usually a condition found in martial art trainees who have taken various kinds of herbs at a really young age.

-Maybe it really was the Grand Master who intervened?-

In actuality, the optimization of Cheon Yeo Woon's body happened when Nano installed herself into his body, which flushed out all toxic waste and when she restructured his body to mimic that of Master Jang. So for Seop Maeng who was clueless about this, it was natural to attribute it to the benevolent intervention of the Grand Master.

-I guess he really was fond of Lady Hwa after all.-

As one of the Grand Lords, Seop Maeng was inevitably and intimately acquainted with the Grand Master's private life.

Although for the sake of producing a competent successor to the throne and the maintenance of strong blood ties with the six pillar clans, the Grand Master held political marriages with women from each of the clans, Lady Hwa was the only woman he ever had genuine feelings for.

*Tak!*

After two straights hours of pouring out his inner power into Cheon Yeo Woon, Seop Maeng finally lifted his hand from his lower back.

No matter how powerful Seop Maeng was, to have drained his own qi like that from out his body was no doubt exhausting.

As he wiped the sweat drops from off his forehead, Seop Maeng asked Cheon Yeo Woon.

"Ha ah… Ha ah… Did you memorize the movement of qi in your body?"

"Yes, I have for sure!"

Typically, even the most brutish clan discourages this risky method of expediting inner power training.

The normal course of action would be for the teacher to transfer and circulate his qi into the disciple for about two or three counts, then allow the disciple to use breathing techniques to slowly learn to regulate it himself.

This was a fundamental process for all inner power trainees until they can comfortably generate their own qi, which usually took anywhere between several months to a whole year to fully acquire.

But, Seop Maeng's teacher, who was desperate to train his ungifted young son came up with this unorthodox and innovative method.

"Kekeke. I'm sure it's quite painful. But, I think it's the best way to break in a complete newbie like you into the world of martial arts."

The only detriment to this method was the incredible amount of energy it took for the teacher to relay his qi and the pain the disciple had to endure during the time.

Although Cheon Yeo Woon was still a little shaken up by the painful ordeal, he felt deep gratitude to Seop Maeng for his heartfelt tutelage.

"Our goal is one week (seven days). You will to need have acquired the ability to self-generate and circulate your own inner power by that time, got it?"

Those from the other clans would probably have laughed at their ambitious dream, but Seop Maeng was determined to make it happen.

-If according to the teacher I can really possess my own inner power within that time, I will bear through the pain.-

"As much as you are breaking your back to train me, I will do my utter best to reach that goal."

"At least you know how to be grateful. Hehehe okay, then we'll conclude our training here for today."

After patting Cheon Yeo Woon on the back with a look of satisfaction on his face, Seop Maeng left the dispensary.

He is definitely an unpredictable character who always came and left like the wind

-Hoo ooh. I am going to possess my own inner power by that end of the seven days!-

Until Doctor Baek came into work around daybreak, Cheon Yeo Woon continued to practice breathing techniques in order to break into his newfound inner power developing technique.

As the sun began to rise, all the cadets were making their way over to the main training field.

The training instructors who had arrived much earlier than the cadets looked on from afar as the large group of ambitious teenagers began to stand in line for their first day of training.

As expected…

The training instructors looked at one another with subtle nods of approval.

Reason being, many of the cadets who were on the field either had cuts or bruises on their faces, if not both.

The training instructors knew that the first night in the dormitories are almost always followed by fierce scuffles for dominance within the groups.

-These guys in front must be the leaders of their respective groups?'-

There was no need for the training instructors to go out of their way to pick the leaders. After the dust settled from the dormitory scuffles, the hierarchy was always neatly organized on its own. As always the victors of last night's scuffle were all proudly standing at the helm of each line.

To no one's surprise, the Grand Prince candidates all became the leaders of the groups they were assigned to, with the exception of one. It was truly unanticipated.

-Wait, that boy standing in front, he had the upper hand over Cadet Number Four?-

Cadet Number Four of Group Twelve, was the Grand Prince candidate Cheon Jong Seom of Dok Ma clan.

It was a pretty much a given that he would easily emerge as the leader of his group, but amazingly he was relegated from his position in front of the line by Cadet Number Eighteen by a non-candidate.

Judging from the huge scar on the right side of his bruised up face, it was apparent that the brawl that had ensued in their dormitory was no small scuffle.

-Ho oh. This is going to be interesting.-

West Grand Lord Yi Hwa Myeong who was observing everything going on in the arena looked on with great intrigue.

Most cadets wouldn't dare challenge the elite cadets who exclusively wore black badges on their chest knowing that they might one day end up becoming a Grand Prince in the faction, but Cadet Number Eighteen was different. It was evident that he was exceptionally ballsy and was a fighter of no small skills.

-Stupid guy.-

-Really? You're going to get sidelined by a common cadet?-

As a result of his relegation, Cheon Jong Seom became the target of disdain by the other five candidates.

His face was bright red as he hung his head in shame.