For seven whole years, I worked so hard to cultivate my ki. Although it didn't grow much, buckets of blood and tears were created to get what I have.

Sigh.

'I can't believe I’m just going to throw everything away.

Fog breezed out of my mouth as I sighed. Outside, the winter was in full blow.

“If things don’t work, I can off myself anytime, right Keruruk?”

I talked to my cute little buddy who was busy shoving wood on the fireplace.

Kukekeker.

Taking a deep breath, I began to reflect about the force called shizen.

While both ki and shizen come from the refinement of energy found in nature, the difference between them is like heaven and earth. To be able to gather ki, a person must first create a dantian. From there, there are a vast array of methods to gather ki.

For the people of the Poison Tang Sect, they extract poison to grow their ki. For the people of the Heavenly Demon Sect, the direct descendants attune to the Heavenly Fire kept inside their sect. For Plum Blossom Sect disciples, they meditate beneath plum blossoms.

On the other hand, to be able to gather shizen, a person doesn't need a dantian. In fact, there must be no dantian and no ki must be present in the body. Be warned that once you remove all ki within your body, your dantian will dissipate and you will never be able to form one ever again.

The first step to cultivate shizen is to become a rock.

The rock is the pillar of the world. Its whole life, it perpetually remains as a rock. It thinks of nothing and does nothing.

The winds will blow, but it will never move. The waters will rage a storm it but it will never fear. The fire will burn its skin and turn it into something else but its essence will always remain as a rock. Finally, man will stomp, grind, and crush it into dust but in the end, it will still be a rock. Because it remains as a rock for its whole life, nature has chosen it to become the pillar of the world.

By becoming a rock, nature will recognize you as a rock and help you become a pillar of the world.

You will know when you have mastered this step when you undergo Body Reconstruction, something that can only be attained at the Divine Master level for practitioners of ki. Your body will be born anew and become a vessel for shizen. Once your body becomes a vessel for shizen, just by breathing, your body will recover from all fatigue, sickness and injuries.

To be a rock. You have to not move, not think and only allow things to flow naturally. The human mind is chaotic. It keeps you constantly thinking, it makes your body want to move constantly. It makes you think that you have to do something, anything.

If you cannot move past this step, you will never be able to cultivate shizen.

“Haha.”

Funnily, this could be the easiest part. I couldn’t even lift a damned finger.

And so, I began to cultivate. I closed my eyes and took everything off my mind. For the first minute, it was very easy.

...

...

“I wonder how Dahyun is doing? Is she safe? Is she eating properly? Why has she never visited me? Stop thinking. Be mindless like a rock.”

...

...

“Park Bohyun. He said he would treat me to a meal and yet he hasn’t visited even once. Even the rude Choi Jisoo is better than her. Stop thinking! Like a rock. Act like a rock.

...

...

...

...

Seasons came and left. Just like that a whole year had passed.

***

Three men in brown clothes huddled closely near a small torch. Looking closely, their teeth chattered, and from time to time, their bodies shivered.

“God, I hate night duty.”

The man who spoke had wrinkly face of a middle-aged man. He was the Squad Leader.

“You t-took the words out of my mouth.”

Jin Taekyung gave a small chuckle and then sighed.

“That’s what Kim Sheon would say.”

“Poor kid." The Squad Leader said, "I met with his friend Bohyun again the other day. I asked him if he could visit but he told me off, saying that it was a waste of time to visit a cripple."

"Hmph. I never really liked him."

“About Sheon, do you think he’s acting weird these days.”

This time, it was Wong Yonhi who talked.

“I passed by to leave food and said hello. His eyes were open but he didn't greet back so I thought he was dead. When I shook him, he scolded me nonstop. He said he had to stay still like a rock and mumbled that everything was my fault.”

“Oh that also happened to me. Just leave the food to the little goblin."

"That’s what I’d been doing too.”

Then the three warriors spoke at the same time.

“He's crazy.”

***

Winter passed just like that. Next came summer, spring then autumn. Another year had passed.

The stories about the Madman circulated no more and the death of Yoo Jaemyung was only talked about during the commemoration of his heroic death.

“Speaking of which, I heard his last disciple is getting married.”

“Wang Jihu?

"Isn't he also the son of the Wall Chief?”

“The bride is surely lucky.”

The mothers washing their clothes gossiped. When they went home, the wives told it to their husbands. Then the husbands told it to their coworkers. Soon, the rumors about the marriage spread all over the city.

In front of the house where Kim Sheon lived, one man's brows furrowed deep.

“Never, ever, tell Kim Sheon about the marriage.”

The Squad Leader talked in a hushed tone.

“Marriage?”

Jin Taekyung and Wong Yonhi had question marks written all over their face. They weren't married and they never really talk to anyone much so the news of the marriage hadn’t reached their ears yet.

“Do you remember Huening Dahyun? Kim Sheon’s ex girlfriend?”

“What about her?”

“She’s going to marry the son of the Wall Chief.”

“That bitch left Sheon for another man?”

Jin Taekyung fumed.

"Not just any other man but Wang Jihu, a Peak Warrior, disciple of Yoo Jaemyung and the son of the Wall Chief! If Kim Sheon hears this, who knows if he might really kill himself this time. Wong Yonhi, especially you! I’ll beat you to death if you tell him. Do you understand?”

“Why only me?”

"Because you talk too much."

The Squad Leader was about to open the gate when the door suddenly opened with a

BANG!

The door crashed down into the ground. Splinters flew and thick dust scattered, creating a smokescreen. Within the smokescreen was a silhouette of a man with long wavy hair.

“I’m back.”

Third Rate Warrior Kim Sheon was back.