Chapter 6: So, what the hell is this Harmony Body thing anyway?

Even though they were under the same name of the Nine Great Sects, the Shaolin and Qingcheng were on different levels.

“All martial arts under the heavens originate from Shaolin.”

This meant that Shaolin was the very foundation of the martial arts world, to the point where such a saying was openly circulating.

“So, you like it that much? To be initiated into Shaolin martial arts.”

“Of course, Master!”

Even though I hadn’t permitted it, he confidently called me ‘Master.’

Well, he did publicly declare that he would take me as his disciple anyway.

A pleased smile spread across the face of the man who heard my words.

“Master… that’s nice to hear.”

“Thank you, Master!”

It was the moment when a true master-disciple relationship was formed.

“Wife! How can we miss out on drinks at such a good occasion! Go to the Yakseondang and get some medicinal wine!”

My master shouted heartily.

At those words, my mistress narrowed her eyes and looked at my master.

“You drank so much from midday, and you’re already thinking about more alcohol?”

My master patted his stomach and chuckled.

“No, what kind of day is it today! It’s the day I received my first disciple!”

“At the very least, you should set a good example for your disciple on the first day.”

My master’s shoulders shrank at my mistress’s gentle scolding.

Perhaps agreeing with her words, my master cleared his throat a couple of times.

“Ahem… I guess I can’t.”

“When can I start learning Shaolin martial arts?”

My master smiled gently, looking at my eager eyes.

“It would be good to rest a bit today. You must be quite tired from coming all this way. From now on, think of this place as your home. Don’t forget that you have the second-highest status here, except for my wife and other guests who come occasionally.”

Considering I was a s*ave before entering this house, this was truly a dramatic rise in status.

“I will not forget your grace!”

“And there’s something I need to explain to you.”

“I, your disciple, am listening attentively.”

“It’s about your talent.”

At those words, I tensed up for a moment. It was a story I had been curious about ever since I came here.

“Are you talking about the Harmonious Physique?”

“That’s right.”

“The reason you took me as a disciple must be because of the Harmonious Physique, right?”

“That’s not the whole reason, but it’s the most important one. To be precise, I chose you because you have both Martial Bone and a Harmonious Physique.”

Harmonious Physique.

This word keeps circling around me.

I heard it at the auction house when I first came to this world, then from Number Seventeen, and now from my master.

How special is it that so many people are showing interest in it?

I asked Number Seventeen several times, but she always blurred the lines and only gave a meaningful smile.

But now, it seemed like I could finally know the truth.

“What exactly is the Harmonious Physique that makes so many people so frantic about it?”

“Simply by transmitting internal energy, you can heal the wounds of female martial artists who are in a specific relationship with you.”

“Is it only possible for female martial artists’ wounds?”

My master nodded.

“That’s right. You can use external methods to heal other people’s wounds, but the efficiency is lower. For now, just know that it’s only possible for women in a specific relationship.”

“Specific relationship meaning…”

A lewd smile spread across my master’s face.

“Hehehe, I’ll tell you when you’re older. In the first place, it’s useless to know before you reach the intermediate stage.”

Of course, I knew what it was. It wasn’t 100% certain, but I was about 99% sure.

Even though I was in a child’s body, I was a possessed person from Earth.

I had that much sense.

Decisively, Busty Murim was an eroge game.

But I didn’t bother to say this out loud.

“Then what’s important in the beginner stage?”

“Internal energy, of course.”

My master said as if it were obvious.

“Then can I learn the internal energy cultivation method right away from tomorrow?”

“That might be a bit difficult. You need to build your body first.”

“Build my body?”

“Yes. Before learning the internal energy cultivation method, you’ll start by learning basic stances to create a body that’s good for learning the internal energy cultivation method.”

“What kind of stances?”

Like a possessed person, I already had a guess as to what kind of stances they would be, but I wanted to confirm.

“The lotus position, the posture used for Zen meditation. It’s the foundation of internal energy.”

“Ah, you mean the posture where you sit with your legs fully crossed?”

“That’s right. You can’t properly circulate internal energy with just sitting cross-legged.”

My master nodded and answered.

“What’s next?”

“You’ll also learn the horse stance. You need to master these two properly to learn even beginner-level fist techniques.”

“Ah…”

“Rest for today. Let’s see, the closest one here is… Nan-cheong! Nan-cheong, come here!”

When my master shouted strongly with internal energy, a servant girl named Nan-cheong came.

She seemed to be about fourteen years old, similar in age to my current body.

“Did you call, Master?”

“From today, you are this child’s personal servant.”

The girl called Nan-cheong seemed confused.

“I didn’t explain enough. This child is the new disciple I received. Guide him to the best empty room.”

“I will obey your command. This way, young master.”

I walked to my room following Nan-cheong’s guidance.

A long corridor appeared, connected under the eaves.

I walked along the long corridor under the eaves.

Courtyards unfolded between the columns lined up on the left and right, and the scenery was like a painting.

At the end of the corridor, I turned left, passed through a small yard, and then another corridor continued.

This time, I turned to the right. My master’s house was like a maze.

After passing through a wide floor, I saw a detached building with several rooms lined up inside.

Nan-cheong’s footsteps headed to the innermost one.

Then, I gathered my courage and opened my mouth.

I walked silently like that for a while.

“How many people are there in the Thousand Slaughter Valley?”

“I don’t know the details either. One thing is certain, there are over a thousand people.”

It was a number that couldn’t be compared to the size of a typical assassin group.

I had expected up to a few hundred people, but to have over a thousand people, as the name suggests.

At this level, it was no different from a huge sect.

“That’s amazing.”

“This is the main headquarters, and I know there are many assassins in the branches as well.”

I looked at the back of Nan-cheong walking ahead.

I couldn’t believe her status as a servant girl.

Her gait was too quiet. I couldn’t hear her footsteps at all.

“How many branches are there?”

“There are officially three that have been revealed, but considering the nature of the organization, it wouldn’t be strange if there were more.”

I kept comparing my steps with Nan-cheong’s steps. My footsteps were more clumsy.

Nan-cheong’s gait was, after all, too skilled to be called the gait of a young girl.

“Did you learn martial arts too?”

Nan-cheong stopped walking for the first time and looked back at me.

“I’m only a third-rate, yet. It’s embarrassing to even call it martial arts.”

“Then are you an assassin too?”

“Yes, everyone in the Thousand Slaughter Valley is nominally an assassin.”

“Even Master?”

Nan-cheong shook her head slightly.

“He’s excluded.”

“Why?”

“Because he has the Harmonious Physique, he’s excluded from assassination missions. Of course, it’s not that he’s weak. He’s one of the four male Peak Experts the valley possesses.”

Could there be some flaw in the Harmonious Physique?

I carefully examined Nan-cheong’s expression.

“Is there a special reason?”

If my hunch was right, there might be something wrong with the Harmonious Physique.

In Murim stories, special constitutions were often double-edged swords.

Could it be that because internal energy has healing properties, it’s not suitable for combat?

But these thoughts were just unfounded worries.

“Just, because he’s such a precious existence.”

It didn’t seem to be that.

“I see. Then I won’t be able to become an assassin either.”

At those words, Nan-cheong looked at me with slightly surprised eyes.

My words just now were tantamount to admitting that I had the Harmonious Physique myself.

“That’s right.”

“Then are other Harmonious Physique masters besides Master also experts?”

Nan-cheong shook her head firmly.

“No. Ordinary Harmonious Physique masters only train martial arts up to the entry level of First-Rate. There are a few Harmonious Physique masters in the valley besides the master, but only the master is a Peak Expert.”

“Why?”

“Because martial arts training is too strenuous. Men with the Harmonious Physique can live no less enviable than Peak Experts even if they only reach the entry level of First-Rate, so they have no motivation to raise their realm any further.”

To be treated similarly to a Peak Expert even if you only reach the entry level of First-Rate.

It was plausible if you had the ability to recover a martial artist’s wounds by infusing internal energy.

Of course, I had no intention of stopping there.

“I see.”

“But Gu-hyeong is special. Because he has both Martial Bone and the Harmonious Physique at the same time.”

A sense of reverence was felt in Nan-cheong’s eyes.

“Ah, right. Master said I was too.”

Nan-cheong stopped walking and looked at me.

Her eyes sharpened for a moment, but soon regained their composure.

A subtle emotion seemed to pass by.

“That’s the young master’s residence.”

Creak-

As Nan-cheong opened the door to the residence, an unexpected sight unfolded.

Four or five boys were sitting around on the floor playing mahjong.

Their ages varied.

There were children who looked younger than us, and there were boys who looked three or four years older.

The boys were startled when the door opened.

“Phew, you scared me. It’s Nan-cheong.”

The oldest-looking boy among them said in a friendly voice.

He seemed quite close to Nan-cheong.

Was he her lover?

“Mahjong is forbidden in this room from today.”

Nan-cheong’s voice was firm.

Looking at the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like he was her lover.

“What’s wrong with that, it’s an unoccupied room.”

The boy who spoke to her in a friendly manner shrugged.

Then he found me and paused for a moment.

“Who’s that pretty-looking kid? Is he a newbie?”

“If he’s a newbie, he’s a newbie. He’s Gu-hyeong’s disciple.”

“Whaaaat? Gu-hyeong’s disciple!”

He made a fuss and jumped up from his seat.

[Author’s words]
The continuous posting for the first day ends here. From tomorrow, it will be a normal one post per day.